Forward Thinking Outside The Box #4 - Another example of how the Republican Party has devolved into a party of fearmongers...

“The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the president justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other president, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans.”

- Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, commenting on President Obama's upcoming speech to schoolchildren emphasizing the importance of education.

Forward Thinking Outside The Box #3 - What commitment to providing health insurance to all Americans looks like...

"...let us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth."

- Edward M. Kennedy, at the 1980 Democratic National Convention

Forward Thinking Outside The Box #2 - Why we must embrace Twitter...

While in line at Starbucks, I overheard two elderly gentlemen discussing technology. The conversation revolved around their general lack of knowledge regarding the latest gadgets, specifically, how one gentleman couldn't figure out "those damn computers." I chuckled at the comment and was reminded of my grandmothers, neither of which have ever used a computer. Although neither of my grandmothers have any desire to use a computer and have never been on the internet, I wondered if they were really missing anything.

Most people will agree that there is a lot of junk on the internet. The web is filled with sites dedicated to topics of interest only the designer would ever care to read about. Furthermore, people are now spending an exorbitant part of their lives facebooking, posting, and blogging, often about nothing. We log on, and three hours later wonder where the time went.

On the other hand, today's computers are technological marvels. With a computer and an internet connection, the world and a wealth of information is at your fingertips. Computers and the internet have, whether we like it or not, become an inescapable part of our lives.

We are therefore left with only two options, fail to keep up with the latest technological developments and have conversations with similarly suited peers about "that damn Twitter," or we can embrace the future and start Tweeting. I (rjut4life) finally did.

Twitter Demystified for Business Users: by Nancy McCord

Twitter is the current top "hot property" on the Web, but its popularity and how to use it has mystified many business owners. Many people think that they want to, or should be using Twitter, but simply do not understand the platform, its use, or its place in building web exposure. This article will demystify Twitter and help you to learn how to use it in the workplace and to promote your business.

First, I have to say that I had been confused on how to use Twitter to benefit my own business until I downloaded TweetDeck. TweetDeck is a desktop application that allows you to review and post status updates on Twitter and Facebook simultaneously. I consider it a "must have" application for anyone who wants to make sense of Twitter. TweetDeck allows you to sort the people you follow on Twitter into groups, allows you to limit the number of Tweets (Twitter micro posts) to be shown at any one time, and also allows you to remove all Tweets you have seen with one click. Additionally, using TweetDeck, finally a Twitter search on a topic makes sense.

Since using TweetDeck, I have had a much better Twitter experience. As a Twitter newbie, visiting your own Twitter home page is intimidating; it consists of post after post from people who you are following, who you may not know much about, and it just seems like a huge volume of content. To get started effectively first group the people who actually have something interesting to say on TweetDeck and voila, you have a powerful tool that keeps you at the forefront of what is happening in your industry and on the Web.

So how do you get started with Twitter? Well the first thing is to start on Twitter yourself to understand what you like to read, who you like to follow, and to clearly identify what you like about Twitter. For me, it boils down to this: I like to follow people in my industry who say something of value, who provide a link to a new application or point me to an interesting new article, video, or blog site that I should review but may have never have found myself. Based on what I like, and the people who I find interesting to read, I now write my Twitter posts using this same formula to grow my own Twitter audience.

What I also like about Twitter is that the people who I follow also know how to show their true personality in their Tweets. Ye,s I do like to know what Danny Sullivan (famous search engine marketing guru) ate for lunch, but better yet is the link to the video he thought was funny. I love following Ashton Kutcher (movie star married to Demi Moore who just hit 1 million Twitter followers in April). Man, that guy is really funny and is having a ball with Twitter. His posts are great and he has just earned the status of the user with the most followers. This is why you can’t hire someone to "Ghost Twitter" for you. It's about showing the real you - you can't fake that!

So how can you use Twitter for business? Twitter is an excellent tool for linking and this is the real value for businesses. By using Twitter to point people to content on your website, articles you have written either on or off your website, or by linking to a service you want to highlight, you drive traffic. On top of that, Google actually indexes Twitter and so your Twitter page can appear in the organic search results so make sure your bio is well thought out. Don’t waste time using Twitter to point to blog posts, use TwitterFeed to post your blog posts directly onto Twitter. If you have a blog or website, you'll get new Twitter followers by posting your TwitterFeed right onto your web pages. People who may not have known your Twitter ID can simply click the bottom "follow me link" and start following you on Twitter.

What's important to be successful in using Twitter is to identify what you personally like about this new media and then deliver the same type of things that you like back to your own followers - work to provide value not drivel! So you've got to play with Twitter and learn how to use it first before you can really become successful with it for your business.

So how do you get followers? Well, I started by following everyone (who I found by doing a Twitter search) who had the last name McCord. Then I searched for web design, search engine optimization, and pay per click. Any site profile that looked good, I clicked to follow the writer. It was that easy. Many times people who you follow yourself will choose to follow you. That's how you initially build up your Twitter base. Over time you will start to identify your "Twitter voice" and refine the type of Twitter presence you want to have by changing your content style and the things that you Tweet about. As you refine your presence, you will build a following.

Another cool Twitter use is that you can reply to any of your followers by simply putting an @ in front of their Twitter ID. For example to send something to my attention use @mccordweb at the very front of your Twitter posting and click enter. Just remember that this post is seen by all followers on my site and on your Twitter site. If you need a more private exchange, go to the direct message link on the Twitter.com site and select a follower by Twitter ID name and send your message from there. This note will be private. If you are using TweetDeck you can click on a follower's Twitter ID icon and then select to send a direct message or @reply to them. TweetDeck will automatically insert the correct syntax for you in the Tweet.

For many businesses the ability for users to communicate with top management using Twitter is an invaluable resource. This one-to-one exchange allows a company principal to keep tabs on customer viewpoints, concerns, and interests. As a Twitter reply or direct mail does not use email and does not require a response, this is a great way to tap into social networking to test new ideas and to ask for user feedback. For example, if you have a new software product ask your Twitter followers for feedback on a specific feature, or provide a link to your beta version for their testing.

How you use Twitter is all about your personal business needs. The best advice that I can offer to you is that you need to use Twitter a bit yourself first to understand the medium and to find out what you like to read best using Twitter. Then, create your own Twitter network sharing information that you find interesting and have some fun.

Currently I am following 204 people and 183 people are following me on Twitter. Personally I find Twitter great fun and a very cool way to find out first what's happening in the world before you see it on TV, read it on the Web, or see it in the newspaper. That's the real power of Twitter; you share, you find out, and you know, all by a person-to-person exchange of information.

For those of you clicking in from my e-newsletter the rest of the content on Twitter applications and uses follows.

Below are some of the Twitter applications that I like and use regularly for my business.

Twuffer – I love this one, it is a Twitter post scheduler. Some people feel that Twuffer defeats the immediacy of Twitter posts or Tweets, but I like it as I will schedule Tweets on days that I am not blogging to keep my followers advised of things I find important. It is easy to use, allows you to Tweet ahead, and lets you select a posting schedule by day and time. If you are pushing content on a service or product this is an excellent tool to use. Set your Tweets up one week or one month at a time and feed your content to readers in addition to your regular Tweets. Make sure to use www.TinyUrl.com to change any long URLs you point to in the Tweet to a Twitter-friendly short version to save space.

Twitter Feed – This is another one of my top favorites. TwitterFeed allows me to show my blog posts from “The Web Authority” directly onto Twitter. It also allows me to post my Tweets back on my blog (by installing a widget) in my blog template - very cool cross interaction! I pick up many Twitter followers with this technique. Readers come to visit my blog and then choose to follow me on Twitter.

Twitter Grader – This one is a vanity application that allows you to see where you stack up against other Twitter users. Twitter Grader measures the power of a Twitter user based on followers, number of updates, and posting frequency.

TweetBeep – With this application, you can manage your online Twitter reputation. Alerts will be emailed to you whenever a Twitter user Tweets about your business, name, or domain. You select the alert criteria and what to watch for using TweetBeep. This is great for a business that is concerned about branding and online identity. PR professionals should make sure to use this tool to watch for comments about their clients.

Twitoria – Clean up your Twitter followers by finding out which people never use Twitter or post infrequently so you can delete them right from the Twitoria interface.

Qwitter – If you want to know when someone stops following you, sign up for this service. Actually, this can be an excellent tool to find out what a reader hated that you posted about and caused them to “chop” you, so you can fine tune your message. If you get a flood of drops after a Tweet, it allows you to learn that people don’t like a certain type of Tweet – instant feedback at an anonymous level!

One big thing about Twitter that I have not even mentioned yet but is actually one of Twitter’s best features is the ability to text-in Tweets from your mobile phone. Although you can’t easily link to great content typically on the fly like this, the ability to connect with others without being tethered to a computer is an opportunity to show the “real you”. Maybe your followers do want to know what you are eating for lunch or about a seminar you just attended, just be kind and don’t vomit out Twitter spam using your Blackberry on meaningless drivel.

You can easily set up the ability to receive text messages from your Twitter account to your cell or Blackberry, but be careful as you may be inundated if you have a large following. I would recommend receiving Twitter updates via text message to your cell only from a small group. For example if you have a project team, set up a Twitter account for each member to allow them to post just to this small unique circle of team members. The value to track and interact with each other at anytime and anywhere using Twitter by computer or by cell phone adds real value for work groups and teams - particularly team managers. Twitter even allows you to make this type of group private.

Another feature of Twitter is the ability to add hashtags in front of keywords in your Tweets to help with sorting to allow others to find your important content. For example if you wanted to Tweet about a recent earthquake in LA you would use #laearthquake in the front of your Tweet. By using hashtags you enable Twitter to return your information for topic searches on newsworthy Tweets. You can visit Hashtags.org for more information on the current hot hashtags that are in use for today so you can follow, add to the topic, or create your own. For example in Twitter World, Fridays are the day you post with #followfriday and enter in the Twitter IDs you want to recommend to others. You would be amazed at the cool new people you can follow and interact with from recommendations of the people you follow.

In conclusion, Twitter is one of the hottest new mediums to arrive on the Internet scene since Facebook. Although it is not exactly “new”, Twitter has just recently become very high profile. If you are in business, Twitter definitely warrants your attention. Not only is it a very smart new tool to use in your marketing arsenal, but I think that the more you use it you will grow to love it and find it fun to use. The ways that you can use Twitter are endless: for teams, for family members, for business networking, to stay at the forefront of news, to promote yourself and your services, and to just have fun connecting with others online. Just remember you can’t really make sense of Twitter for business without using TweetDeck or another similar aggregating and sorting application. Thanks for reading, see you on Twitter, you can reach me at @mccordweb or visit me at www.Twitter.com/mccordweb.

About the Author
Nancy McCord is the founder and President of McCord Web Services LLC which provides search engine marketing, web design, blog writing, and webmaster services globally. Since 2001, Nancy McCord has developed a national reputation as an expert on search engines, blogging, and how businesses can harness the power of Web for profit. You can visit Nancy and her firm at www.McCordWeb.com.

Your Quick and Easy Credit Repair Primer

Examine Your Reports Closely

Credit repair requires a critical eye. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Question everything on your credit report that you are not completely sure of. It is no longer sensible to believe that the content of your credit report is accurate just because it is in writing. The entire credit reporting system, with its many participants, is prone to error. And these errors have the ability to depress your credit score and cost you money. Take your time, find every error, and get ready to dispute.

Question Collections

When examining your credit reports, give special attention to collections. Collectors buy and sell debt every day. If your account does not pay off, the collector will package it up and sell it to another collector who will try their luck. And each collector in turn will report your collection to the credit bureau. By law, when a collector sells a debt they must withdraw the account from your credit report. Unfortunately, there is no real motivation for them to do so and these erroneous accounts can linger needlessly for years. Now is the time for action!

Dispute Intelligently

The credit bureau dispute letter is the heart of credit repair. It is not hard to write a dispute letter, but is it challenging to make that letter effective. When it comes to credit repair simple is best. It may be tempting to tell your whole life story in your dispute letter, but your heartfelt tale will fall on deaf ears. The bureau dispute processing centers handle a significant volume of letters on a daily basis. The goal of a dispute clerk is to translate your letter as quickly as possible into a two digit code summarizing your concern. For best results, just say what is on your mind and nothing more.

Build New Credit Today

As important as the dispute process is, it is even more essential to your credit repair that you have open positive accounts. Your credit scores are based on everything on your report, both the negative and positive. Removing the negative will eliminate the burden on your scores. But your scores will not automatically rise. You need something good on your reports for your scores to improve. If you cannot get regular credit cards, get secured cards. They are the perfect credit repair tool and can improve your scores over 100 points within six months, if managed right.

Manage Revolving Debt Right

Your credit scores are very sensitive to the balances on your credit cards. This fact cannot be stressed enough. Many people working hard at credit repair are discouraged when their scores continue to languish in spite of perfect on-time payments. For the best credit repair results you should only use twenty percent of the amount available on your cards. To underline the importance of this matter it is worth noting that your revolving balances can move your scores over 100 points. A maxed out credit card will have a devastating effect on your scores. Watch your balances!

Budget and Save

For long term credit repair success you need to make sure that new problems do not arise. A fresh late payment will be a major setback. The best way to avoid the kind of financial stress that can lead to late payments is to have a financial buffer in the form of a savings account. When unplanned expenses arise they will not become unmanageable. If you do not seem to be able to save money you should start by creating a written budget. Examine all of your expenses and make sure that there is room for savings each month. Even a small contribution will do the trick.

Get Credit Repair Help

Professional credit repair help is very affordable! For a small monthly fee you can have someone review your credit reports, manage the entire dispute process, and guide you through the process of building and managing credit for credit score optimization. If you feel intimidated by the task, just reach out. You do not have to do it on your own. And your credit is too important to ignore another day. Do it yourself, or hire a pro, but take action now. You will succeed!

Copyright © 2009 James W. Kemish. All Content. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author:
Jim Kemish is the president and founder of Sky Blue Credit Repair, a leading credit repair service. Sky Blue Credit has been dedicated to providing intelligent customized credit solutions since 1989. Jim is a graduate of New York University and holds a degree in economics.

Loan Modification Fraud - Homeowners Should Beware

You might be finding it hard to pay your monthly mortgage because of the troubled economy, falling real estate values or changes in your personal finances or a combination of these. Whatever the cause of your financial difficulty, you need to investigate a loan modification. You might be so desperate you feel like grabbing on to whatever help you can get and working with the first company that promises you hope. Be careful. Loan modification scams do exist and may end up adding to your financial burden rather than relieving it.

You need to understand that a loan modification is a legitimate, acceptable option. The lender will decide if they will work with the homeowner on adjusting the terms of the loan so they are more affordable. President Obama has just introduced the Making Home Affordable plan, earmarking $75 billion to modify the loans of 4 to 5 million homeowners in the United States.
Homeowners first need to talk to a financial counselor before starting the loan modification process. The counselor will give advice to the borrower and act as his representative, helping him get what he needs from the modification. There are counselors approved by the HUD who do not charge for their services and are very reliable companies.

There are also loan modification companies that charge for their services and make a profit. These companies have recently increased dramatically since the decline of the housing market. Some of these companies are legitimate but some are not, they are fraudulent. You need to be very careful about paying someone to work on your behalf.

Here are some things that you will find in a legitimate loan modification company:

1. It has a solid reputation that is supported when you do a Google search; contact the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission
and/or the Consumer Protection Agency.

2. It offers a 100% refund if you do not get the results you were seeking in terms of a loan modification or an acceptable alternative.

3. Everything is explained to you in great detail, including the reason for each fee.

4. You can visit a brick and mortar office as opposed to simply conducting business online.

With some research and a lot of careful investigation, it is possible to find a loan modification company that will get you out of your financial difficulties. There are honest, trustworthy companies that do charge fees for their services but there are also many who are scams so you need to exercise caution. Do not work with companies who don't offer guarantees if you are not happy, who charge large fees when you are getting started or ones how just give you a bad feeling.

Obtaining a loan modification is very possible for homeowners who are facing financial difficulties, but don't fall for a scam. Learn to look for the signs that the company you are dealing with is legitimate.

About the Author:
Lindsy Emery
For essential tips and facts about how to get approved for a Loan Modification, Visit our simple, no nonsense loan modification guide and resource: http://mortgagemodificationloan.net/

Two Over Learned Lessons From The Clinton Health Defeat: by Anthony Sherrell

The Obama administration came into Washington with high hopes for passing health care reform. As there remains doubt as to when or what will be passed, there are two lessons the Obama White House may have over learned from the 1993 defeat of Bill Clinton's attempt to pass reform.

First the President should not be the primary author of a health care plan. This is what was seen as the primary problem with the Clinton effort. To add to that image was the fact that Hillary Clinton was sent out to the nation to promote what became known as Hillary Care. The mistake was seen as the face of reform should not be the President's office. Instead the Obama administration decided to let congress come up with various plans to be debated and forged. This has led to a muddled message where no one knows what is being proposed. There was a need for a single voice to tell Americans what was being put forth on health care. Obama has let his strong voice become muted by letting congress take the lead. As long as Michelle Obama was not sent out to be the voice of the plan, people would have been more accepting.

The second issue was that people wanted their private insurance. All of the debate over what is in the plan could have been avoided by simply removing the age restrictions for getting into Medicare. This is known as a single payer plan. More importantly it is simple and something that all people understand. This could have precluded all the debates of government take over of health care. There are not many people who are on on the Medicare program who would want to go on private insurance. In Canada there is a national health care system, but there also exists private insurance options as well. Instead of starting from a national system people are comfortable with there became spin of scary government proposals. By promoting a public option to compete insurance, the debate has been focused on how that will fit into people's lives. If the debate was started with private insurance being an option to Medicare, there would be less resistance.

In the end, there may well be a good plan passed. However, good the intentions there is something to be said for strong leadership. Instead the process of health care reform was begun on taking a conciliatory position. Maybe the next president will learn from both the Clinton and Obama approaches and get something done.

About the Author:
Anthony writes articles on a multitude topics. Come visit his latest website over at http://www.collagepictureframeshop.com/ which helps people find the best collage picture frames and information they are looking for when looking for photo frames.

Find articles at:
http://www.articlesbase.com/

Forward Thinking Outside The Box #1 - Why the "Free Market" Will Not Solve the Problem of Escalating Health Care Costs...

Go to any news website or any cable news channel and there will undoubtedly be a story covering a town hall meeting featuring a very vocal opponent of a government run public option. The most frequent argument against the public option is that the government should step aside and let the "free market" reign unchecked, thereby creating the competition needed to solve the problem of escalating costs. What these opponents fail to recognize is that there is currently no true free market for private health insurance.

With the private health insurance market dominated by a small group of large insurance companies, it resembles more of an oligopoly than a free market. This elite group of health insurance giants need not and do not compete with one another. The status quo results in fewer choices in coverage, higher costs for the patient/consumer, and a scheme where the insured may be dropped at the discretion of insurance companies, often at times when coverage is needed the most.

Only through a public option, thereby creating a true competitor to the private health insurance oligopoly, will insurance companies be forced to compete by lowering prices and improving coverage. I doubt most opponents of the public option realize that it will take a page out of the Keynesian economics playbook to create the benefits of competition supposedly brought about with an unfettered free market.

What makes a man...take advantage of "Cash for Clunkers" and go down the hybrid route?

With the "Cash for Clunkers" program in its final days, the question remains whether the program was a success. There is no argument that Americans took advantage of the program. Funding was exhausted so fast, Congress granted an additional $2 billion to extend the program for a few more months. But were the purchases representative of the theory behind the program? How much of an increase was there between the miles per gallon (mpg) of the clunker traded in and the new car purchased? How many new hybrids were purchased through the program?

When the final numbers come in it will be interesting to see whether people are actually embracing new technology like the hybrid, or simply increasing their carbon footprint with the purchase of a new fossil fueled engine that gets a mere 2 mpg more than their "clunker." It may be that the price of going as green as buyers would like was just not financially feasible with the state of the current economy.

But who knows, maybe the soon to be released Chevy Volt missed a great opportunity to be the "Cash for Clunkers" number one seller. Didn't Geithner just say the economy is turning around?

The Next Generation Of Alternative Fuel Cars - Hybrid Cars: by Suzie Goldie

The hybrid car, so much has been said about it. Not until now has there been a complete shift and focus on the hybrid's emergence. With gas prices at an all time high, the economic pressure to save dollars is now forcing Americans to look at alternative money saving measures.

More and more people are opting for carpooling and the use of the public transportation system rather than driving their personal vehicles to and from work. Families are consolidating trips for everyday household errands and are even delaying or canceling family vacations. These changes have come about because of the price of gasoline in America.

Others are even trying alternative methods of fuel combustion, like the Water2Fuel craze. Anything to squeeze a few more miles out of their beloved automobiles in an effort to save money on high fuel costs.

The problem is, Americans do not "like" being forced to change their driving habits. The majority of Americans realize that the reliance on foreign oil is not a good thing and that America needs to find a way to produce its own sustainable fuel source. And then there are the concerns about the burning of fossil fuels and the damage it's causing to the earth's eco system. Price and pollution, what is the answer? Could it be the hybrid car?

Hybrid cars, such as Toyota's Prius and Honda's Insight, rely on both gasoline power and electric power. The electric portion of the powerplant is driven by very large batteries that are recharged as the car is driven. The result is less dependence on fuel with better gas mileage. Honda's Insight is reported to average 60 miles per gallon city with fewer emissions. The difference is simple - while driving in the city the electric motor is doing most of the work, thus using less gasoline. Highway driving needs more power and is where the gasoline engine does its work.

The hybrid does have its share of drawbacks. What new technology doesn't? They are smaller vehicles made up of lighter-weight materials and parts. And you will sacrifice horsepower for fuel economy (forget about towing a boat or trailer with a hybrid, at least for now). Additionally, the hybrid market is in its infancy. In 2008, the hybrid market was estimated to make up about 2% of the total automobile market. This is because many automakers have been slow to enter the hybrid market.

And there are those that believe the hybrid car is not as effective a technology solution to alternative fuel, such as ethanol, made from corn, switch grass, or even hydrogen and saltwater.

Where will the power that fuels America's vehicles come from? Nobody seems to know right now. We do know this: Steam power was replaced by electric power, and electric power was replaced by gasoline power. Gasoline power will eventually be replaced with something, hopefully before it's too late to change its effect on global warming. While hybrid cars represent an "alternative" or a means to find a replacement, they do represent a viable solution.