Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in fireguru's InsaneJournal:

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Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
9:39 am	Britix Enhances Channel Partner Strategy with new Lead Distribution Program FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE U.S.A. (July 20, 2010) – Leading business communications company Britix, Inc. recently launched its new Lead Distribution Program as part of its revamped channel partner strategy. This will strengthen its channel distribution network, allowing customers to benefit from increased presence and support in any part of the globe. The leads generated from the program will enhance its current business partnerships, allowing its entire channel network to benefit from improved profitability and business processes. Providing local partners that cater to certain groups of customers in specific regions is the best way to address the customers’ needs and concerns efficiently and effectively. The common problem for a lot of channel distribution networks is the pressing concern of customers for increased support and enablement for the products and services they invest in. However, resellers tend to be quite competitive in getting customers and this usually results in conflict. To make things less complicated for everyone concerned, Britix offers their partners an easier way to accomplish this and at the same time benefit from strengthened business partnerships and expansion. As a form of incentive, channel members can take advantage of a 45% discount for the first order, and this will act as a compensation for their interest and investment. Specifically, the new lead distribution program will provide high quality, genuine and relevant leads to all Britix partners so that they may take advantage of vastly improved prospect review and transformation. The company’s Inside Sales unit will make initial contact with potential customers to acquire pertinent information and clearly comprehend their needs and preferences. After qualifications are finalized and completed, it will forward all leads to the channel rather than closing and finalizing all negotiations by sticking to a policy that discourages excessive competition with its affiliates. Britix is leveraging this benefit to entice resellers, consultants, system integrators and other potential partners to join the network. Nikolay Vasilieve, Britix International Distribution Director, explained how advantageous the new channel partner strategy is to everyone. “This new step perfectly fits into our Indirect Sales Strategy. Forwarding customer leads is an ultimate win for all parties involved: customers, channel partners and Birtrix.” The company wants to further emphasize the level of their commitment in support for their loyal channel partners through specialized online webinars that broadcast or post relevant topics and updates that concern their products and services. In fact, interested parties would have to participate in a short webinar that discusses the important parts of the Bitrix Intranet Portal and how it works. However, it will be conducted according to partner schedules in order to avoid any inconveniences on their part. ### (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
2:57 am	Al Gore Separating from Wife Tipper After 40 Years of Marriage Al Gore has announced a separation from his wife, Tipper, after 40 years of marriage. The former Vice President and his soon-to-be ex announced the split to friends via e-mail. In an “Email from Al and Tipper Gore,” obtained by the AP, the couple said: “We are announcing today that after a great deal of thought and discussion, we have decided to separate. This is very much a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration. We ask for respect for our privacy and that of our family, and we do not intend to comment further.” The couple shared an awkward kiss during his nomination for president at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Gore eventually lost the presidency to George Bush in a highly contested election. (Comment on this)
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
10:41 am	Libyan Plane Crash Leaves one Survivor A flight from Johannesburg has crashed near Tripoli, and there is only one survivor left from the Libyan plane crash. The plane, an Airbus A330-200, was carrying 104 passengers.  There were reported to be foggy conditions, but the cause of the crash is yet to be determined. Foul play is not suspected, but rest assured that fast cash will be thrown into investigating the cause. Libyan plane crash occurred on regular stop The Libyan plane crash happened at an international airport in Tripoli. The stop itself was part of a flight path from Johannesburg, South Africa, to London. Tripoli was supposed to be a regular stop and short layover before continuing on.  At least one Briton was among the passengers.  Of the 93 passengers and 11 crew members, only one survivor was found in the wreckage. Lone Dutch child survives ordeal The only survivor thus far discovered, according to the Christian Science Monitor, was an 8-year-old Dutch boy.   The  plane carrying Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771 was an Airbus A330-200, a mid-size passenger jet, comparable to a Boeing 767.  There are conflicting statements over the nationality of the passengers, but at least one British citizen is on the passenger list. The plane not to blame The Airbus A330-200 is not the Ford Pinto of the sky, but this isn’t the first time it has been involved or implicated in a fatal crash.  Eyewitnesses at the scene have so far testified to the fact that the plane disintegrated just short of the runway in Tripoli. There have been four fatal incidents involving this model of plane, but only three were crashes that resulted in catastrophic fatalities, according to the Aviation Safety Network.  Another fatality that occurred involving an Airbus A330 was a hijacker who jumped out of a re-pressurized plane.  (Apparently extremists don’t bother learning physics.) An investigation by Libyan authorities is pending. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
12:43 pm	Infor’s Successful Channel Recruitment Drive Infor announced the success of its North American channel recruitment drive. The company is the leading provider of business software for middle-market end consumers and has an impressive list of 25 channel partners, all of whom possesses a deep knowledge of various specific industries as well as a strong comprehension of enterprise software for mid-sized companies. The success was due to the results of the channel recruitment from Infor tools and innovative products that provided assistance and improvement in the sales potential of partners. Currently, the 25 partners of the company are selling multiple solutions to a wide variety of specific industries. They provide sales, implementation and support of the following: Infor ERP software into the discrete manufacturing, food and beverage, textiles, job shop, and high technology and electronics industry; Infor PM Software for performance management into the financial industry and; Infor EAM software for asset management in manufacturing, fleet management as well as the information technology or IT industries. The company’s partners are given access to top-of-the-line, world class training and support. This provides them with the opportunity to build market shares, improve skills in sales and increase profit margins by capitalizing on the core business strategy. This is but one of the reasons why being recruited into this channel is an advantage. Becoming an Infor affiliate opens the doors to multiple opportunities for growth in areas such as market leading products, marketing tools, sales, lead generation, and training and education from the company’s product experts. Infor is recently enjoying a successful channel recruitment of new partners in EMEA and South America. To share the good news as well as their success story, Infor’s Chief Strategy Office, Bruce Richardson, will be hosting a webinar for prospective partners on April 29, 2010. According to Dennis Michalis, senior vice president of the company, their being selective and partnering with companies that fully understand the business and can quickly implement software products to address the vital pain points of their customer base is a critical part of their customer-centered approach to business software. Partners that possess adequate if not excellent knowledge enable them to combine benefits and focus attention, thus providing a unique and relevant experience for their customers. Many believe that the company has built a strong portfolio of products and solutions that meet important and specific needs of companies in the mid-market. They agree that the strategy to leverage channel partners with deep domain experts was a good move to expand the reach into this particular market segment. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
1:23 pm	Developing Company NDT Inc. on the Right Track with Elearning Tools Newport Digital Technologies, Inc. (NDT), a company that’s currently in its development stage, puts itself on the right track by introducing wireless LED digital signage solution and tapping into the 52.5 billion worldwide electronic learning market. It recently partnered with Taiwan’s Information Industry Institute Taiwan to develop competitive elearning tools and solutions. It is a technology solutions-driven company that centers on providing five emerging key business services in the hi-tech field which are Radio Frequency Identification (RFI), WiMax, elearning tools, digital signage and Lighting, and Security and Surveillance solutions. It plans to deliver their products and services through strategic collaboration with their partners from all over the world. However, company representatives have voiced out that they are more excited with their plans for their electronic learning services because it is truly has the biggest potential to help them generate maximum revenue considering its increasing popularity both in the education and corporate fields. Online learning can provide many benefits for organizations and individuals because it is convenient, flexible, environmentally friendly, and a form of affordable quality education. As long as users have access to computers and the internet, they can train or learn anytime and anywhere according to their preference and needs. If executed well as a strategy or as a solution, it can guarantee significant improvement in the various aspects of business because it cuts down costs and time, and increases efficiency and productivity. Since the proliferation of state-of-the-art wireless broadband technologies, the emergence of low-cost personal computing devices like netbooks, and the development of high quality web-based educational applications, the markets of virtual learning are slowly expanding and rapidly opening up as the whole world eagerly looks to improve their standards in education and similarly increase global competitiveness. In order to meet the rapidly rising demand for online education, NDT and Information Industry Institute (III) of Taiwan have developed a range of elearning solutions that feature top-class interactivity and rich multimedia. They can be easily customized to meet the different needs of users across the globe. The combination of the company’s state of the art wireless technologies with III’s innovative Distributed Learning Management System, authoring tools and netbooks gave rise to technologically-enhanced learning solutions and tools that enable the effective and rapid development and deployment of online learning systems in school districts and educational organizations throughout the world. Experts predict that electronic learning will boom this 2010, and various companies are ready to join the bandwagon. Newport Digital Technologies Inc. will not be left behind as they industriously work for their progress. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
1:34 pm	BIDC Forum Focuses on Renewable Energy Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) will host a forum to focus on the industrial sector's need to promote Renewable Energy. The Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) is the agency that develops and promotes the business activities in the island of Barbados. They assist entrepreneurs in establishing, and growing their enterprises. BIDC's mission-vision statement is "To be a dynamic Business Development Agency contributing to the successful and sustained development of the Manufacturing and Small Business sectors in Barbados." Their goal is for a "Barbados with vibrant, competitive Manufacturing and Small Business sectors characterized by emerging and financially strong companies committed to originality and continuous growth." Barbados is not new to renewable energy. When sugarcane was introduced as a crop to the island, windmill technology was used by the colonizers to power the production of sugar. Today, solar energy is slowly gaining attention as an alternative to traditional power source. Businesses like Barbados apartment hotel are looking into solar energy to save on power consumption. Studies, like "Barbados Renewable Energy Scenario Current Status and Projections to 2010", have been done to provide scenarios and solutions to the issue of environment conservation by using efficient, environment-friendly energy sources. Studies like these need policies to implement its recommendations and policies start with a meeting of the minds from scientists, businessmen and lawmakers. The theme of the forum, "Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Renewable Energy within the context of Barbados’ Industrial Policy" complements BIDC's mission-vision with special emphasis on the environmental issue. The meeting will take place on Friday, March 5 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Experts and professionals from the Ministry of Energy, the National Council for Science and Technology, the Barbados National Standards Institution, the University of the West Indies and the private sector were invited to attend the event. The National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) was included in the event because of their role as coordinator of local activities in Science and Technology. NCST's experience in the development of technologies and scientific point of view would be invaluable to the success of the forum. The Barbados National Standards Institution is the policymakers. They will be responsible for implementing new laws and policies relating to renewable energy. University of the West Indies was invited to attend the event because there is a need to educate the youth on conservation and preservation of the island they would inherit. The forum would not be complete without the support and cooperation of the private sectors. Businesses and industry representation is important because their influence extends to more than a few individuals. The policies that would result in this forum would affect their activities and how they do business. The discussion will emphasize sustainable and renewable energy policies that are essential in preserving Barbados' ecology. BIDC recognizes the need to establish standards and practices in the industrial sectors as well as small businesses like Barbados apartment hotels that will ensure the future of Barbados' natural resources. BIDC Chairman, Dr. Don Marshall is expected to give the opening remarks and Minister of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Innovation, Trade, Industry and Commerce, Dr. David Estwick is slated to deliver the feature address. Jeffrey Hoe Anderson (Comment on this)
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
3:43 pm	Google PRM: Expansion for New Health Industry Partners Google announces that it has made new partners. These partnerships are specifically focused on the healthcare technology industry and will probably require changes in Google’s existing PRM. The internet search company that has cornered the market has already launched Google Health a couple of years ago and these new partnerships are geared towards the expansion of this project. Basically, Google Health is designed to offer searchers with a free portal to medical conditions and issues. One can research such topics for free and also locate the proper doctors and other professionals. The portal also serves as an access point to other health websites. The project also allows users to create free accounts via their Google accounts. Here, they will be able to store an organized database of their medical records, medications, insurance, etc. This new Google feature promises to be a free benefit to anyone who wants to have a better way of keeping track of one’s own health and medical history. It also enables this history to be shared easily with one’s family and friends if the reference is needed. Ever since its release a couple of years back, the service has always been marketed this way. Google has already updated its PRM as it has partnered strategically with hospitals, health insurance providers, pharmacies, etc. All of these were done to create a hub for one’s health information and inquiries. Here are the new partners that Google has made in order to expand Google Health. First, it partners with a company that enables users to see prescription data online. The company is called Surescripts. Next, Google partnered with Iatric Systems, CMH  or Citizen Memorial Healthcare, and UPMC or University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The patients from these institutes are now able to access their medical records through Google Health. And lastly, the last PRM member of Google is Withings Wifi. But of course, the biggest criticism against this system is that it will bring such delicate information such as medical history up in the net. Of course the database of the information is thoroughly secured by Google. But that does not mean that hacking it is impossible in the future when new methods and tools for hacking are invented. Also, if one’s Google account password gets into the hands of identity thieves, then this information is already theirs. Password hacking is relatively easier to do of course than breaking directly into the system. elearning (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, March 4th, 2010
11:51 am	BigGyan’s Blockers to Using Elearning: A Review This solution provider has observed that despite the obvious advantages of elearning, there are a lot of organizations who are still wary and skeptical of it. Therefore they choose not to integrate the innovation into their businesses. After 2 years of study, BigGyan was able to identify and provide solutions to four barriers that dissuade institutes from using elearning solutions. Barrier 1. Elearning can be a costly strategy—which is generally true. A basic platform is an expensive and intensive task. It requires upgrades, maintenance and set up which all come with certain price tags. The abovementioned solutions provider offers their platform for free which offers a great user interface for quality learning experiences. Barrier 2. To implement it, an organization would have to get educational institutes to set up and manage their computer network and services. In reality, such tasks are not the functional core of educational institutes.  BigGyan provides their platform based on SaaS (software as a service). All a user has to do is to login into their website to be able to use the software. Barrier 3. It requires a lot of training for administration staff, teachers and students. The tools provided for by BigGyan require no technical knowledge to create content. There is a detailed training module on how to use the visual tools. Barrier 4. There’s no certainty that it would help learners. The software provider brings in amazing additions to the user experience. There are a lot of advantages to it such as the enhancement of communication to provide adequate learning support, enabling of student-centered teaching approaches, provision of accessible course material 24/7, and provision of timely methods for the assessment and evaluation of learner progress. Elearning solutions add so much value to traditional methods in education. Both students and faculty members can really benefit from the utilization of communication and assessment tools. travel wise (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, February 26th, 2010
1:35 pm	Partner Relationship Management - The Art of War in the Competitive Business Industry The business industry is a very tough battlefield for very business company, only the strong survive; many companies have been shut down because they are not able to cope up with the test of the economy. For a business company to succeed, the company must not only utilize their workforce but maximize every unit that comprises the company. Channel partners is one of the units that determine the success of company, however many company fail to establish a good communication relationship with their channel partners. With lack of a proper communication the channel partners are being cut off from the main organization it was supposed to help. Due to poor communication problems such as overlapping strategies, neglecting market concerns, poor assessment of sales situations and other problems which hinders the growth of the company market expansion arises. Partner Relationship Management is the key in solving lack of proper communication between the company and their channel partners. It is a business strategy which companies use to create a bidirectional communication with their channel partners. Sun Tzu’s Art of War is a book of war strategies which can be applied to the business industry; many successful businessmen take in consideration of Sun Tzu’s Art of War and applies it in their marketing strategies. PRM somehow follows the war strategies of the Chinese writer and tactician. The following three teaching of Sun Tzu reflects on the need for PRM. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”  The first step in improving one’s company is to know the company’s strength and weakness. What if vital units of the company do not know crucial information about the company? What if Channel Partners are not aware of the existence of information such as new marketing strategies, vendor agreement and real time inventory reports? It such were to happen, it would be impossible for channel partners to forecast cross-sell and upsell opportunities. “If you know yourself but not the enemy, in every victory you gained, you will also suffer a defeat.” This is true, if a company studies their competitors and knows their competitor’s strength and weakness, they can capitalize on the information they have obtained. If a company knows their competitors’ strength the company can devise a counter marketing measure or strategy against their competitors. If the company knows their competitors’ weakness they can exploit that weakness to the advantage of the company and expand their market further. Most PRM offer competitor tracking, this will enable companies and their channel partners to get a clear view of what their competitors are capable of. The last part of Sun Tzu’s teaching is the worst case scenario. ”If you neither know the enemy nor yourself… you will succumb in every battle.” If the communication from Channel Partners were cut from the company, critical exchange of information between the two parties could spell ruin for the company. Information such as competitor tracking, consumer feedback, market buying pattern, new marketing strategies will not circulate between the company and the channel partners, this will lead to channel conflicts and would cause the company’s productivity to decrease. Partner Relationship Management not only allows Companies to utilize their channel partners but maximize their potentials too. With PRM a bidirectional communication will be established between companies and their channel partners in which will enable companies to forecast joint sales accurately. The business industry is tough battlefield, arming your company with the right tools like PRM and coming up will better marketing strategies could lead your company and your channel partners to victory. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
10:38 am	South Africa Safari Top Five National Parks and Game Reserve A South Africa safari is the ideal wildlife trip to go on because the infrastructure and accommodation is superb in all the wildlife parks there and it is still highly affordable in comparison to other African countries. But given a choice some of the national parks and game reserves are better than others. Here is a top five list ranking them according to travel reports received at the African Safari Journals website, my safari experience of twenty plus years, industry forums, magazines and the general consensus of the experts. 1. Kruger NP The Kruger National Park has to rank as one of the best South Africa safari destinations, only slightly behind the Masai Mara and Serengeti when it comes to wildlife viewing because the vegetation in Kruger can be dense and sometimes mars the ability to see longer distances. But the variety of animals, birds and ecosy stems that you can experience here are unparalleled anywhere else in Africa and the accommodation, roads and facilities are top notch and all at a very affordable price. It’s not unusual to see lion, leopard, cheetah, a pack of wild dog, rhino, elephant, buffalo and a whole host of antelope, crocodile and hippo in the course of a single trip including a variety of insects and reptiles. On the bird front you will be spoiled with a seemingly never-ending supply of eagles, hawks, water birds and a host of migratory and indigenous species to the tune of about 510 different varieties. You can easily do a self drive safari here and still see a decent amount of wildlife especially if you stick to the central and southern portions of this massive park (larger than Ireland). The north has fewer animals due to dryer conditions but also less tourists which makes for a more isolated and intimate wildlife experience. If variety is the spice of life then a Sout h Africa safari in the Kruger National Park is a rich dish indeed. 2. Sabi Sands GR Sharing a fenceless border on the western side of the Kruger National Park is the Sabi Sands game reserve which has a number of world famous private concessions like Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi and Londelozi. The removal of the fence between the two parks allows the animals to move around freely and the game viewing experience is just as in the Kruger National with one important difference. Because this reserve is privately held, off road game tracking is allowed which improves your chances of finding the elusive big cats, elephant, rhino, buffalo and wild dog to a large degree. They also make use of two way radios in each safari vehicle so that if one finds something noteworthy the others can be alerted. The sand and sabi rivers which bisect the reserve provide the focal point which attracts the wildlife to the area especially in the dry season. So viewing the big cats on a South Africa safari here is virtually guaranteed and the accommodation is some of the best in the world as illustrated by the Singita lodge which was the first and only accommodation in the history of the Conde Nast Gold List Reader Poll to get a perfect 100 score, an honour it has held for three years. There are about thirty different top class lodges situated in the reserve. But this all comes at a price and unless you have reasonably deep pockets this fantastic reserve will be out of reach which is why it doesn’t get the Nr one ranking for South Africa safari national parks and reserves. 3. Hluhluwe Umfolozi NP If you want to see the endangered black and white rhinos in the wild then this is the park to head for because this is where the inexorable tide to extinction for the white rhino in Southern Africa was stemmed. It now boasts the largest population of white rhino in the world numbering over 1600 and also a slowl y increasing population of black rhino at just over 400. On a South Africa safari here you will also be able to see lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and cheetah in this park and more than 400 bird species have been recorded. Due to the large number of resident elephants you might have some close encounters with them on the roads as they cross in front of you. You can go for a daily walk in the park in the company of an armed ranger or you can do a several day extended hike in the southern umfolozi portion. 4. Madikwe GR This is a latter day Noah’s ark story because most of the wildlife contained in this park was relocated here from other areas in 1991. Twenty seven different species amounting to over 10 000 head of game were re-introduced into this area where they once thrived but had disappeared because of hunting and habitat destruction. A huge advantage of taking a South Africa safari in this park is that it is not situated in a malaria area so you don’t have to bother about taking malaria tablets as you do in most other reserves. All of the big five are on view here as well as cheetah and the rare wild dog packs which are the stars of the show here being regularly sighted patrolling their huge territories. Your chances of seeing them seem to be better here than most other parks. Rare antelope like the eland, gemsbok and sable put in an appearance here too and you will be able to enjoy your wildlife viewing in relative peac e and isolation because not many tourists know about this excellent game reserve. 5. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park The locals know that this is an excellent game park and it falls into that “best kept secret” category that each country seems to have where for some unknown reason a reserve doesn’t get the notice from tourists and safari companies that it deserves. Maybe it’s because this reserve is set in the Kalahari desert and people don’t normally associate deserts with lots of wildlife but there are always exceptions to the rule and this South Africa safari park qualifies. You can see some pretty specialised and very interesting game here such as the gemsbok antelope which can go for months without water, springbok, blue wildebeest, eland and red hartebeest. And wherever there is a good supply of antelope, the predators are never far away such as the black maned lions which this area has a disproportionate supply off, leopard and cheetah which can make full use of the wide open spaces to chase their prey at top speed. The meerkat (suricate) is also regularly seen here and bat eared foxes contribute to the scavenging duties. This South Africa park is famous for birds of prey such as the pygmy falcon and the sociable weaver which builds nests which are the bird equivalent of apartment blocks that are sometimes so big they break the branches they rest on. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
4:12 pm	New Elearning Platform TOPYXolc The company, Interactyx, has just launched a new platform for elearning. This new platform called TOPYXolc. There are in fact a couple of other like platforms that were released last year signaling a growth in the elearning industry. Such platforms enable those who one the content and those who handle development to hawk their content straight to online learners with the use of effective social tools that is embedded in the platform. There are also several applications for such platforms that are currently in the works. Such elearning social platform software creates a unique solution for several higher learning institutions, companies, and associations. But now, these kinds of software are becoming more and more in reach by the end users or learners. These tools are more often than not, also used for the selling or marketing of content through the internet. In this way, the sellers will be able to make use of the efficient social learning capabilities of the platform. This is all done without pricey programming, capital outlay, or that long development period. Any owner of elearning content may be able to sell their content right after purchasing the system. Setting the price will be the only thing that would take their time. Such systems have paved the way for online selling for any content owner throughout the globe. This has also provided a lot of benefits which social elearning tools give to the now smaller market. Customer relations and partnerships are all the more useful and interesting with the help of such a system. Aside from greatly improving the selling rate of such people, these new systems offer a great chance for people to develop their material and content online. The direct communication link that such platforms create is incredibly valuable. Usually, most consumers will only get the good effects of the newest social learning medium. But now, the same benefit can be had along with a better online environment for synergy which previously did not exist. The realm of the elearning industry gains much ground here. As the market accepts these kinds of software which is easier to use and a whole lot more affordable, the industry churns out more systems that include a lot of functions and a higher more developed integration to elearning as well as ecommerce. Such tools are inevitably user friendly and will be sold as multiple tools in one package. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, February 12th, 2010
11:19 am	GMA Network joins Comelec in implementing Fair Election Act It's barely three days since the campaign period for the May 2010 elections began, yet certain election-related issues have already caused a commotion among celebrities and TV personalities who are endorsing candidates. Kris Aquino, the sister of presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino, was one of the first to tweet her sentiments about the most recent reminder of Comelec (Commission on Elections). Four hours ago, she posted: "The Comelec wants artists who are actively participating in the campaign to take a leave or be jailed. Since when has it been wrong to make a stand for what you believe? What is so wrong in wanting to take an active role in our democratic process?" She was referring to a provision in the Fair Election Act or Republic Act 9006, which was enacted to "enhance the holding of free, orderly, honest, and credible elections through fair election practices." Section 6.6 states: "Any mass media columnist, commentator, announcer, reporter, on-air correspondent or personality who is a candidate for any elective public office or is a campaign volunteer for or employed or retained in any capacity by any candidate or political party shall be deemed resigned, if so required by their employer, or shall take a leave of absence from his/her work as such during the campaign period. In line with this, TV giant GMA-7 issued a statement reminding all its talents to cease from campaigning for the candidates or political parties. It also prevents the election-related materials to feature celebrities even if they were shot before the campaign period. Below is the Kapuso network's directive: "GMA Network is advising its talents that they have to take a leave of absence if they continue to campaign for or endorse candidates or political parties during the campaign period, even if the taping of their participation in the promotion or plug of the candidate was done before the campaign period. "GMA Network's talents, who appeared in political ads or advocacy plugs before February 9, are advised to notify the candidates concerned or those responsible for placing these political plugs not to air them during the campaign period." (Comment on this)
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
8:56 am	Kris Aquino Effect on Noynoy Aquino for President The Noynoy Aquino for President campaign might be adversely affected by Kris Aquino’s recent issue says Dick Gordon. Noynoy’s detractors say that the moral fiber of the Presidential candidate may easily be judged by looking at the moral fiber of the people he surrounds himself with, relatives included. In the same interview with Gordon, he added that because Noynoy used his sister as one of his promoters during his political campaign, his sister’s past controversies will come back and bite them in the back. The past statements that Kris released the past few years regarding her love life (such as the one regarding Joey Marquez giving her a STD) will surely be bad for the Noynoy Aquino for President campaign image. Kris is a poor endorser, Gordon said. All the buzz recently was about how Kris allegedly confronted Mayen Austria, a female fan of Kris’ husband, James Yap. It was later revealed that Mayen had been in constant communication with James and Kris was “uncomfortable” with this. Some sources say that Kris burst into Mayen’s house and immediately upon seeing her expletives on Mayen and her mother. Kris tells the media that she did confront Mayen but that it was in a civil and calm way. She says that all she did was voice out her concerns and discomfort at Mayen’s closeness to Kris’ husband. All this grabbed the major paper’s headlines a couple of days ago. Some analysts however do not agree that Kris is bad for her brothers run for presidency. After all , Kris still brings a lot of ratings to her shows which indicates that the masses really like her. They apparently like her feisty, blatant, and honest character. This might even “spice up” what would have been a boring presidential run. Also, the person running for president is Noynoy, not Kris. Some say that detractors use Kris’ issues to bring down her brother who does not share the same lifestyle and is, for all intents and purposes, a wholly different person from his sister. Kris says that Noynoy has been counciling her and her husband. He was the person trying to save her marriage. She pleads to everyone not to take her actions as reflective of Noynoy since and she reminds everyone that she is after all not the one who is running for president. Noynoy for president is a good idea and I hope my actions do not reflect badly on this good idea that might end the problems of the nations, Kris said. (Comment on this)
Friday, January 29th, 2010
1:35 pm	Myths Hindering E-learning Progress E-learning holds great promise for the future because it is the technology that is geared towards the ultimate progress and development of various aspects in society. It was considered the most valued trend in innovation when it came to education and business. The problem is precisely that, it ‘was’. The industry is now experiencing severe hardships as it battles through the troubles and burdens brought about by the current downturn of economies all over the world. The economic climate is no longer as conducive to the provision of high quality E-learning services as before. There are now contrasting views regarding its future and people are beginning to doubt its success in the coming years. But what certainly contributed to this troubling phenomenon of the E-learning industry are ten identified myths that damaged its credibility and reliability. Myth # 1 E-learning is priced per hour of learning content produced. Instead of thinking that the value of the product or service is equivalent to the quality of the solution and how it meets the training need, customers instead equate product value with volume or amount of content produced. Myth #2 Customers think that E-learning focuses on content delivery rather than user performance improvement. When a customer approaches, they will ask how much it would cost to convert content into E-learning. What they should ask is how E-learning can solve a performance issue. True E-learning firmly focuses on the change in learner knowledge, attitude and behavior and not on the amount of quality content produced. Myth #3 Customers tend to think that there is a need to cram as much content possible within an E-learning program. In reality, the display of content doesn’t guarantee comprehension or information recollection. The ‘Usability Approach’ should be encouraged. Myth #4 People think that E-learning replaces courses with the use of ‘electronic books’ and that it does not have any real distinction with a traditional classroom training. The industry prefers to be known for technology intervention and performance improvement. Myth #5 E-learning’s credibility is based on too much research reference. The danger is that these research findings may be oversimplified or misapplied. E-learning must not rely on research to give it a best approach, and should take into account the context of the training itself. Myth #6 some people in the industry believe that E-learning’s progress relies on the improvement of technology/standards/theories. Providing quality E-learning will always be difficult, but it’s because of the challenge of how to improve the level of the content/training, not strictly at the level of the delivery, that is to say, the use of technology. Myth #7 Customers believe that successful training is only achieved through objective accomplishment. This is merely based on the assumption that meeting objectives is the only way to be able to perform well. In reality, the industry supports the setting of Performance Objectives, where a learner would focus on overall achievement and understanding the context of such objectives and not merely do them. Myth #8 A lot of companies think that the supplier of E-learning is solely in charge of the process, and that they are not required to be actively involved. E-learning project is not simply a customer-supplier relationship, but a partnership. Clients need to be involved in order to clarify their training needs and gain familiarity with the system. Myth #9 People think that using E-learning is used only for simplification, not clarity. Myth #10 there is a notion that an E-learning strategy does not require the basic elements of a good relationship. Training departments think that E-learning is just a “one night stand” and not a marriage that takes time, patience and effort. There is no real certainty as to which driving force is the culprit behind the seemingly inevitable downfall of E-learning. These myths simply give a slice of the spectrum that encompasses what really is going on. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
2:01 pm	Looking for Free Auto Insurance Quotes California As I now look through the net, trying to find free auto insurance quotes California in Google, I remember my friend passed away from a car crash. This happened a few years ago. I was young. I was new in California. It was one of the most awful experiences of my life. It was a sleepy Sunday. I remember just how the day felt, just how the sun seemed to be hiding under a blanket of clouds making the whole world look a little duller and making the Sunday a little more drool and sleepy. I remember all the smallest details of that day. Frank gave me some Maui Wowie (candies) and we decided to enjoy some before heading out. After a couple of hours, we decided it was a good day to drive out and look for kicks. We were just going to drive downtown and look for our friend Carla then decide what the three of us should do later that afternoon and that night. After we picked up Carla we rode with the top down and drove down the highway not really sure where we were heading. We decided to go wild and not to even think of it, just a road trip, just like in the movies. Carla was in the front passenger seat, Frank in the back. We felt free as the wind whipped our faces, just us three friends without a car in the world. On the road, we saw a broken down van with two guys waving their arms for some help probably. We stopped and backed up towards them. It was the biggest mistake of our lives. The two turned out to be highway robbers. They pointed a gun at us and told us to get off. Then they smashed both Frank and Me at the back of the head, probably with the butt of their guns. When we came to, the car and Carla were both gone. The police found Carla’s body in the dessert. They were also able to find the two robbers who had apparently been in a robbing spree. The encounter with the police was bloody and violent. Our car was peppered with bullets and caught fire. Our insurance sadly did not cover it. Now I’m searching for free auto insurance quotes California so that I could find another one, this time with coverage that hopefully I will never have to claim. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
8:40 am	Noynoy Aquino Camp Appeals for a Clean Principled Campaign Manila, Philippines (January 13, 2010) The side of Senator Noynoy Aquino called for “principled campaigning” when a harsh word wars started against the Liberal Party presidential candidate was started by the other opposing presidential candidates. Noynoy Benigno Aquino III has been leading the polls recently. But close rival Senator Manny Villar, leader of the Nationalista party, warns Aquino’s camp that it is way too early to claim anything. Edwin Lacierda, a spokesperson to the Aquino camp said that even though harsh words and propaganda usually come out even before the campaign period begins, there must be some respect and a level of restraint in the barrage of fighting words in order for a smooth, clean, and respectable race and that "The Filipino people deserve no less." This seems to be a reaction to the chain of finger pointing that Manny Villar released ever since the controversial forum on channel seven which was graced by a number of the candidates for presidency. Villar was joined in his verbal barrage by Richard Gordon as well as Gilberto Teodoro in the criticizing of Noynoy Aquino’s accomplishments which according to the three was flimsy to say the least. Villar called out the Liberal Party saying that the party’s biggest accomplishments and endeavors cannot compete with the accomplishments and endeavors of the Nationalista Party. He also added that it was during his leadership that the Senate bravely pursued the current administration’s problematic issues. Aquino then fought back by questioning whether the current presidential poll surveys that claims Villar is getting closer to the top ranking. Aquino, disregarded the reliability of the Socail Weather Stations polls and remarked that these newest poll might just have been buying results from the flea markets of Quiapo. Aquino also contended whether Villar really was so part of the Arroyo administration investigations which were highlighted by the NBN-ZTE fraud and the “Hello Garci” tapes. Ople, a senatorial candidate for the nationalsita party defended Villar siting that it was because of Villar’s lobbying for justice and integrity that got him ousted from his seat. Adel Tamano, another NP senatorial candidate, also warned the Aquino camp that trying to claim victory from the pre-race surveys is a premature act since there are still many months of campaigning left to go. The social weather stations poll or survey in question is entitled as the “presidential preference for the 2010 elections.” This survey had a slight margin of error of two point two percent minus or plus. Representative Ronaldo Zamora, the House Minority Leader of San Juan was the one who duly ordered for this survey. He is known to be a political ally of Manny Villar. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
10:07 am	Partner Relations Management and Customer Relations Management What are the slight differences between partner relations management (or PRM) and customer relations management (or CRM)? In the bigger scheme of things, some people think that partner relations management is actually subordinate to customer relations management. Thus, one must also clearly define CRM when talking about PRM. Partner relationship management is jargon used in business. It signifies the organizational flow and techniques that are involved in businesses that are crucially entangled with a partner network, also know as channels or cloud. In today’s world, interconnectedness is starting to become a defining characteristic of business. Just as no man is an island it is also most likely that no company is an island. This cannot be truer than now in this age of quick data transfer and incredibly leaps and bounds in the area of information technology. Since PRM is basically a way for creating strategies that develop better communications and relations between the channel and the company, it is also inclusive of such key elements that are to be used for commission, opportunity, selling, inventory, and marketing. These are all elements that can be used to better the fair relationship just as the name partner relationship management entails. The manufacturer must always have an organized communication with the software creators. On the other hand, customer relationship management is a whole other ball game (with similar rules).CRM is known to be a business management of front-office processes. The tools of CRM are web based and are created to address the necessities of sales. It is also related to marketing and customer service. The organizations that support these divisions are therefore an important aspect of CRM and software CRM tools are made to bridge the data communications and organization between customer, competitors, and employees. Notice that this is almost the same function of PRM. However, PRM is aimed not at customer, competitors, or employees, it is aimed instead at the channels of the company.   CRM is fundamental in helping a company achieve its customer relations objectives through the measurement of vital performance indicators that are taken from the CRM toolkit software which reveals the lifecycle of customer trends. The same principle is applicable for PRM. Partner relations management also does the same thing. However, the rules of collecting data are extremely different and the tool and system is designed specifically for the purpose of organizing partner clouds and keeping track of these processes. (Comment on this)
Friday, January 8th, 2010
8:45 am	Short Biography: Noynoy Aquino Noynoy Aquino was born Benigno Simeon Cojuangco III February 8, 1960. He was the only son and was third child among four sisters, the most famous sister was the youngest: Kristina Bernadette or Kris Aquino who is now a very popular and prominent star in television and film. Noynoy was a pure breed Atenista from grade school, high school, up to college. He then graduated from the Ateneo University with a degree in Economics. At that time, his father the famous Senator Ninoy Aquino was the lone voice of freedom against the dictator president Marcos and so they were exiled to Boston because of this. His father decided to return to the Philippines despite threat of assassination to continue the political fight against the dictator. Then of course, he was assassinated sparking the EDSA revolution took place which finally overthrew the Marcos regime. A while after these events, Noynoy became a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress then he became got into sales in Nike then for Mondragon Philippines. After that, he became part of the Intra-Strata Assurance Corporation which was owned by the family. One interesting note about Noynoy Aquino’s life was in danger when he got seriously wounded, getting in the line of fire during the rebellion that was lead by Gregorio Honasan who eventually also became a Philippine senator. The coup d’etat did not succeed though and Noynoy, recovered. Three of Noynoy’s security were killed and the last one who protected him survived. Five bullets hit him and one of these is still inside his neck. As for the start of his political career he has long been one of the principal members of the Philippine’s Liberal Political party. He soon rose to become Vice Chairman. He is slightly connected with the part of the Liberal Party that is in opposition to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because of alleged violations on human rights issues. He has also been the representative of the second district of Tarlac. He was re-elected to this post and was in service until a few years ago in 2007.Petrol oil and lubricant oil for the Philippine Army was what he most lobbied for as a legislator. He was then elected as a Philippine senator and was part of the Opposition coalition whose main issues was the holding back of the Charter Change or the rewriting of the constitution under the control of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It is interesting to note that as a political move during this campaign, he publicly endorsed the bailing out of ex-senator Gregorio Honasan who was then in jail for new charges of rebellion, effectively pardoning the past that almost cost him his life. Now in 2010, Aquino has been approached by a group of activists and lawyers whose group was called Noynoy Aquino for President. This happened after the death of his mother former president Corazon Aquino. After some weeks of giving the possibility some thought he finally formally announced his bid. He is now officially in the running as a candidate for presidency. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
8:41 am	Effective Product Distribution with Channel Management Strategy Distribution is one of the four main parts in marketing, which is important in the business world, particularly when it comes to promotion or selling of a product or service. The distribution aspect of marketing is seen as a channel that involves a chain of intermediaries that pass a product down to one another until it finally reaches the consumer. The channel or “pipeline” is a multi-level interconnection and can alternately consist of the distributors and the retailers, who are both termed as the intermediaries. The product from the supplier ‘flows’ from vendor to consumer and the money generated flows back in the opposite direction. The distributor is the one who sells the business product or service to the retailers, also known as dealers or resellers, who in turn sells it to the end customers or consumers. Each of these intermediaries receive the product at a certain pricing point which continues to increase as it moves in the channel down to the final purchaser. The distribution pipeline plays an important role in a business. However, the interconnection amongst the intermediaries can be so vast and confusing that it requires firm handling and management. Suppliers usually assume that once their product enters the channels, they no longer need to concern themselves with the chain. The fact of the matter is, the chain is but a mere part of the supplier’s responsibility, which actually involves and extends to the use of channel management strategy in order to monitor the intermediaries and ensure the arrival of the product or service to the end consumer. Channel management strategy is a process utilized by a business or company to create formalized programs designed for sales and service provision within a certain channel. It positively affects a business with the increase in organization. A program created for channel management must ideally include the following: (1) goals. Defining specific objectives and goals for the all intermediaries in a chain guides them in their performance and execution of individual tasks. This is also a way to establish uniformity in acquisition and retention; (2) policies. Construction of well thought out, clearly stated policies for the administration of accounts benefits the distribution channel because there would be set rules and standards for performance. In the creation of these policies, the unique characteristic of each intermediary must be taken into account; (3) products. Determine the suitability of products with the respective members of the chain. Identify which products are the most appealing, and take advantage of upselling opportunities and; (4) sales/marketing programs.  It is imperative that the design of these programs meet the needs of each channel. This is when customers’ opinions would be considered. In this part, the prime considerations are product training, co-op advertising, seasonal promotions and merchandising. Channel management strategy is an effective way to significantly increase efficiency within a chain, because it will ensure that there are no disruptions in the processes involved. It helps determine the strongest and weakest links, and helps the channel manager carry out his decisions accordingly. There should always be balance, appropriate customization and consistency with products to guarantee a successful utilization of this strategy. (Comment on this)
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
2:21 pm	The Negative Effects of Wanting Free Home Insurance Quotes and Cheaper Coverage Every homeowner has a fear of losing his investments, properties and other precious valuables. This fuels the significance and need to purchase home insurance because it provides a considerable degree of protection for these valuable belongings and assets. This need, however, is carefully satisfied with regards to the limitations of cost cutting and saving, which is similarly desired by the different homeowners, especially in times such as these where the country is suffering the burdens of financial constraints due to the ongoing recession. This desire to save money and find cheaper alternatives is not necessarily a bad thing, since it is based on a positive objective. However, if people are not aware of and careful with their choices and actions, the accomplishment of these goals may be at the expense of other relevant matters. For example, homeowners are sometimes too obsessed with free home insurance quotes California and the cheapest insurance premiums possible that they overlook the coverage they truly need. When looking for home insurance policies and comparing quotes, there are certain things to consider in order make sure that a homeowner is not underinsured, and this is a situation people must, at all costs, avoid.  An underinsured home is almost as bad as an uninsured home, sometimes even worse, because an underinsured home involves a substantial amount of money to pay required fees. A particular important aspect of home insurance that’s often overlooked due to a fixated view on free home insurance quotes California is the replacement cost. An ideal home insurance plan includes an estimated 100% replacement cost of the home that’s insured, or to be insured. If 100% replacement is too much, it should at least have coverage for 80%. This is a wise thing to do for future purposes because this guarantees the homeowner that in case his property is severely damaged by a calamity, then he can get it rebuilt or replaced as negotiated upon in his insurance policy and coverage. It is vital to remember that an insurance company will only pay up according to the amount agreed upon and as stipulated on the policy purchased. In addition to that, these companies place penalties on underinsured policies. This negatively affects a policy holder when the home is suddenly damaged. An example is when a home is insured for only $700,000 and the actual replacement cost is $900,000, the insurance company will apply a depreciation value to any filed claim for that home. This is because of the existing inability to provide the minimum 80% of the replacement cost value. Family, home and finances represent valuable assets to a person. A homeowner must insure his home and belongings wisely and avoid insurance mistakes because the consequences of an underinsured or uninsured home may be too much to handle and may end in bankruptcy and in other losses that go beyond the monetary kind. (1 Comment |Comment on this)