Serbanes Oxley and Other Compliance Training Bugaboos

Compliance training gets no respect. Training managers view it as something of a bugaboo. Most trainees greet it with about as much enthusiasm as they would a parallel parking contest. So what is it, why do we need it, and how can we best go about it?

Well, government regulations and business best practices dictate that you not only conduct certain courses but also maintain records to show that they have been taken and understood by all concerned. Not offering such training can jeopardize the health and safety of your workers, earn the ire of your shareholders, and/or get you on the wrong side of the regulatory authorities.

Here are some examples of compliance training:

° Human resource issues: Such as equal opportunity, workforce diversity, and sexual harassment.

° Business ethics: A large organization will have need for courses that deal with general business ethics as well as the more specialized needs of those in sales and marketing, accounting/finance, information and document management, and corporate governance (Serbanes Oxley or SOX compliance requirements). Moreover, certain industries, such as real-estate and lending, will have additional requirements specific to their business.

° Occupational safety: US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations on both general occupational health and safety and the special needs of industries such as construction, food service, and healthcare.

° Industrial safety: OSHA and other standards that seek to prevent injuries, accidents, chemical spills, fires, and explosions.

° Driver safety education: For those who operate vehicles that are part of corporate fleets.

° HIPAA training: For healthcare workers on how to use and share patient information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

What's the ideal platform for such training? To answer that question, we need to examine the characteristics of compliance training, which are:

° It's required by large numbers of people, often within a short timeframe.

° It's often repetitive.

° The course content, once developed, is fairly stable (though subject to adjustment as regulations get fine-tuned).

° Even locations that have only one or two employees must undergo this training.

° And, of course, it demands good record keeping.

° Except for the needs of specialized industries, the course content - once developed - can be sold to a very large national, sometimes international, customer base.

What we have just listed are the exact situations in which e-learning is both appropriate and cost effective. E-learning has the ability to perform volume training quickly and relatively inexpensively, even when there are one or two participants per location. It's also just-in-time and self-paced, allowing it to be more easily squeezed into a crowded work schedule. All those make e-learning the ideal vehicle for compliance training. What about the records? When e-learning is delivered from an LMS, record-keeping is automatic and effortless!

Now, what's this LMS? A Learning Management System is software that allows you to display on your corporate intranet all of your training offerings, whether instructor-led or self-paced, as well as track the progress of everyone taking these courses - anywhere at any time in your company. LMSs, while quite useful, can be pricey, ranging in cost from many thousands to over a million dollars. They can also be hard to select, customize, install, and operate.

Does it ever make sense to offer instructor-led training (ILT) classes on compliance issues? There's no better training than an ILT class taught well! There are topics related to people issues, for instance cultural diversity and sexual harassment and perhaps some aspects of SOX compliance training, which can be taught with much greater impact in an ILT setting.

So how do you implement compliance e-learning and an LMS without going broke? Here are some tips and ideas that will make the job easier:

° You can buy compliance e-learning from either a vendor specializing in a particular type of compliance training, for example, just human resource, occupational safety, or SOX training. (SOX training has become an industry by itself.) If the need of the hour is to address a particular compliance issue quickly, this may do. You can also buy it from an e-learning vendor that provides a variety of compliance and general e-learning. If you're looking for a comprehensive solution addressing several compliance and/or general training requirements, this is the way to go. I should add here that there are sources of compliance training that are often overlooked, e.g., trade associations and nonprofits such as the National safety Council.

° Most large sellers of e-learning offer courses produced by the same old producers of quality e-learning courses. Given that, it may make sense to buy your e-learning from a smaller, low-overhead discount vendor than a large name-brand vendor - service and everything else being equal, of course. Doing your homework can help you stretch your training dollar.

° There are e-learning vendors who will allow you to run any e-learning courses bought from them off of their servers, using their LMS, saving you the expense and trouble of acquiring/operating both an LMS and the information technology infrastructure needed to host and support the e-learning libraries. If you have any third-parry e-learning courses, you will not be able to run them off of this vendor-provided "gratis" LMS, but if your objective was to track your compliance training for free, that objective has been achieved.

° There are vendors that offer both e-learning and ILT solutions. Some of them offer knowledgeable "blended learning" consultants who can help you take the best of the e-learning and ILT worlds and put it all together into packages that score high on the quality/effectiveness scale but are easy on your budget. A blended learning package might, for instance, combine e-learning courses on "mass market" compliance topics with high-impact ILT courses on sensitive human resource needs, especially if such courses require customization to your company's culture or processes.

Finally, ask questions; insist on answers. Take the e-learning courses out for a test drive before you buy them. Make sure the courses are interactive and fun. Find out if the vendor has blended learning consultant who can help you combine e-learning with ILT in just the right way. Compliance training needs to be effective, or it hasn't met your basic goals. It needs to be affordable. And it needs to draw and hold the audience attention. After all, you don't want to be known as the impresario of parallel parking events!

KK Arora is President of Eogogics Inc., a one-stop source of all training (technical and non-technical, e-learning and ILT), former Vice President of Human Capital Management of LCC International, and Founder and Managing Director of Wireless Institute. A scientist turned educator/trainer, he?s equally at ease in the world of high-tech and high-touch. His twenty five year career includes pioneering work in adult education and computer based training and distinguished contributions to the development and retention of high-tech human capital. For his bio: http://eogogics.com/bios/KA For information on Eogogics Inc.: http://eogogics.com/ For information on the Eogogics e-learning programs: http://eogogics.com/institute To contact KK Arora: kk@eogogics.com

Myth of Man Made Climate Change & Other Draconian Legislation

There is a strong link between an increase in number and intensity of solar flares and global warming. This can largely discredit and override any influence humans may have on the changes in temperature on our planet in recent history. Research tends to suggest that major variations in global temperatures are beyond humanities control; and instead tend to be at the mercy of the sun's activity. Moreover, every couple of million years there is a slight tilt to the planets axis, causing major changes to the climate and structure of the earth. Volcanoes erupt, hurricanes happen and tornadoes take place either more or less frequently. These are natural phenomenon, definitely not man made. Man has not been an inhabitant of this planet long enough to be able to take such arrogant credit for all the wrongs of the world. Not to mention the globe changes: animals become extinct, new species become plentiful, the climate varies, the seas rise, the seas fall, tsunamis happen and the land structures morph. So what else is new?

One of the laws of Nature and Physics is that nothing stays the same, and would we really want it to? For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. Matter may change from ice to liquid to gas; but it is never totally destroyed. Organic matter eventually decomposes. The atoms and molecules become further apart as it decays, then are absorbed in the earth, used as nutrients for plant life, which are eaten by animals, and the cycle goes on and on in perpetuity.

However, one digresses. The point is, Nature takes care of herself. No matter how far advanced humanity is now, we cannot make more than an infinitesimal bit of difference to the landscape of this vast Earth we currently call Home. Should we be good stewards of the earth? Absolutely we should; but let us not confuse responsibly disposing of our litter, waste, and oil byproducts as well as keeping endangered plants and animal life off the extinction list with what is currently being proposed by our illustrious leaders in Congress and the Executive office, this being the Cap and Trade bill.

This bill is nothing more than a power grab accomplished through exorbitantly high taxation of energy usage by individuals and big companies alike. This bill if passed will destroy our way of life, as we know it. It will stifle future and present innovations and technological advancements. It will discourage any use of energy and encourage global "spreading of the wealth", or in other words moving nations down to the lowest common denominator in technology, inventions and innovation. What our Government will glean from this is a vastly enlarged government comprised of enlarged bureaucracies and increased tax revenues allowing even more entitlements to be created. This in turn furthers the long arm of Power these self-defined elite in the Government already have. For with every entitlement come more taxes and less money for the individual citizens and states to spend. With every entitlement come more regulations, each monitored and enforced by the Government or delegates of. On a global scale, one might even begin to imagine a one-world order managed by super elite heads of Nations. Why one might wonder was it so necessary to have an international summit to discuss 'Global Man Made Warming', when it has been debunked so recently?

This is even after the massive Health Care Insurance Bill, another massive power grab that will cause increased taxation, bureaucracies and lower quality of health care due fewer resources, increased waiting time and restricted opportunity to see ones physician. Let us not even mention the cuts in Medicare.

However, to return to the subject of Cap and Trade, which lists as a poison, of all things - CO2. CO2 is an element necessary for all types of life to flourish. Its existence is vital in keeping the Earth from becoming a rotating globe of cold rock; for without plants to use the sun's rays to photosynthesize carbon dioxide to oxygen, which in turn promotes a green house effect, the earth would be un-inhabitable. Thus, through plant life the bi-product of CO2 is Oxygen, which all animal-life to one extent or another need to survive.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) describes only the first year of taxes that ultimately will build upon itself in perpetuity under the Cap and Tax bill. Under this Cap and Trade system, the government sets a limit or cap on the total amount of carbon, which will be emitted nationally. Companies will be forced to buy or sell permits to emit carbon dioxide. As time goes down, the cap is cranked down to reduce total carbon emissions and companies will be forced to comply and ultimately die.

The gross domestic product (GDP) is manipulated downward. The sinister premeditated point of Cap and Trade is to hike the price of electricity and gas so that each American uses less. Unfortunately, these higher prices will not be limited to the price of electricity or gas. It will show up in every manufactured good, from plastics, food and cars. Plastic is composed of a bi-product of oil. How many things can you think of that are composed of or wrapped in plastic? Consumers will have no choice but to cut back on spending, resulting in fewer products produced which in turn, results in even higher unemployment as no new jobs will be created, and staff cutbacks on existing ones are made. Companies will eventually move their products over seas, but the result will be the same. Low-income Americans, through necessity tend to devote more of their day-to-day income to energy bi-products such as food, gas to get to work and money for electricity. Thus, they really will be hit the hardest as they have more to lose.

This big government, high taxes, a stimulus bill that did anything but stimulate the economy, the incongruous and blatant disregard for the People's wishes when passing the new Health Care bill behind closed doors through thinly veiled bribery, threats, and an unconstitutional usage of Reconciliation to enact a Bill they otherwise did not have the votes for -- these are some of the things Tea Party people are concerned about. Also, our decreased national security under this current administration: Obama's constant bowing to and apologizing for America to our enemies, snubbing our allies, and signing a contract to disarm our nuclear warheads; while our enemies maintain their own nuclear arm heads, all these things will just be a byline if we pass Cap and Trade and sign the treaty into international and national law. Tea Party protesters have the facts, know their history and are justifiably alarmed at the swiftness and direction our country is being hijacked.

Self appointed policy and trend setters have vilified, and in the process implemented political correctness in our speech and even in our behavior, even as far as in the armed forces to the extent that the Fort Hood massacre prosecuted by a self admitted Muslim extremist and the Christmas Day underwear bomber both are swept under the rug as criminal acts, rather than the first terrorist acts they were, committed on the American homeland since 9/11. The Pentagons answer to the Fort Hood massacre was more political correctness and encouraging more Muslims to enter the armed forces, ostensibly as translators, without profiling or background check, as a show of continued goodwill. Intimidation of Americans through vilification, political correctness and slander appear to be the phrase of the day, especially against Tea Party members and conservatives.

During the initial phase of debate in the House Energy Committee, Republicans offered three amendments to the bill, to be used as a safety net in the quest of not destroying our economy further by initiating a yet untried but potentially devastating change that once implemented would be all but impossible to repeal: the first amendment was to suspend the program while in the implementation phase if gas hit $5.00 a gallon; the second was to suspend the program if electricity prices rose 10% over the year 2009; and the third was to suspend the program if unemployment hit 15%. The Democrats defeated all three, tending to indicate they already had inside knowledge that all these would happen if the bill passed and became law of the land. Britain is already experiencing these effects and they have had the Green program in effect only a few years. This climate bill is likely to be the biggest tax bill in American history. This is unfortunately, saying a lot considering the past 15 months. Americans should be wary.

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Information About Passive Smoking, Smokeless Tobacco And Other Health Risks

Involuntary or passive smoking is associated with premature disease and death. Estimates indicate that 38,000 to 43,000 nonsmokers who are regularly exposed to environmental smoke die annually from smoking related causes. 16 The majority of these (35,000 to 40,000) die from heart disease, and 3000 die from lung cancer. There is a dose response effect. The more the nonsmoker is exposed to environmental smoke, the greater the risk for premature morbidity (illness) and mortality (death).

Children of smoking parents are more likely to experience a higher incidence of influenza, colds, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia. The impact of passive smoking on them can last a lifetime and may range from delayed physical and intellectual development to the hazards associated with prolonged exposure to carcinogenic substances.

An alarming trend is the escalating sale of smoke less tobacco products. Chewing tobacco and dipping snuff have become popular among high school and college men. The world health organization (WHO) has described the growing use of smokeless tobacco as a new threat to society. Nicotine is an addictive drug regardless of the method of delivery, and its effects are similar whether it is inhaled, as in smoking, or absorbed through the tissues of the oral cavity, as in dipping and chewing. The incidence of oral cancer may be 50 times higher among long term users of smokeless tobacco products than among nonusers. Smokeless tobacco is addictive and deadly.

Physical inactivity is finally being officially recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease by the AHA. The upgrading of physical inactivity appeared in their latest position statement and reflects the importance of participating in physical activities regularly. The change occurred because the weight of the evidence that has been accumulating in the last 10 years shows that exercise produces many important health benefits. This is good news for those who have been physically active, and it may motivate some sedentary people to become active.

Physical inactivity (hypokinesis) is debilitating to the human body. A couple of weeks of bed rest or chair rest produces muscle atrophy, bone demineralization, and decreases in aerobic capacity and maximum ventilatory capacity. Your body was constructed for and thrives on physical exertion. The american college of sports medicine has established guidelines for the development and maintenance of physical fitness. The amount of physical activity needed to improve and maintain good health and to affect longevity is currently under investigation.

The evidence of investigators at the centers for disease control provided the statistical basis for the position change by the AHA. These researchers showed a relationship between physical inactivity and heart disease that was similar in magnitude to that of cigarette smoking, high serum cholesterol levels, and hypertension. approximately 26% of the population smokes cigarettes, 30% have blood pressures greater than 140/90, and 32% have cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dl.

Although these numbers are impressive and a significant change in any one would lower the incidence of heart disease, the researchers concluded that regular exercise was the one lifestyle change that could most affect the health of the nation. This is based on the fact that 78% of americans are sedentary or exercise too infrequently to enhance their health. Regular physical activity also has a modifying effect on many of the risks for cardiovascular disease.

Other major studies have supported the view that people who regularly engage in physical activities of moderate intensity have significantly less heart attacks and experience fewer deaths from all causes than people who exercise little or not at all. Moderate activity was the equivalent of walking 1 to 2 miles per day for a total of 5 to 10 miles per week. The greatest health benefits were gained by those who expended 1500 to 2000 calories per week (15 to 20 miles of walking) in physical activity.

A total of 17,000 men were followed for more than 30 years. Those who regularly walked, climbed stairs, or participated in sports activities decreased their risk from all causes of mortality. Those who expended a minimum of 500 calories per week (5 miles of walking or its equivalent) to a maximum of 3500 calories per week (35 miles of walking or its equivalent) experienced a progressive increase in longevity.

Investigators at the cooper institute for aerobics research 22 studied the relationship between physical fitness and mortality from all causes. The uniqueness of this study was twofold: first, the researchers measured the physical fitness level of all subjects by treadmill testing, and second, more than 3000 of the 13,344 subjects were women. Because of their lower risk for cardiovascular disease, women have essentially been neglected as subjects in heart disease studies.

The results of this study indicated that a low physical fitness level increased the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all other forms of disease. The difference in all cause mortality was greatest between those who were in the moderately fit category and those in the low fit category . The difference between the moderately fit and the highly fit was insignificant. For people who exercise regularly, the risk of dying from a heart attack compared with the risk for sedentary people is 35% to 55% less.

A study completed using only women as subjects investigated the physical fitness benefits versus the health benefits of three levels of walking intensity. One group walked at 5 mph, a second group walked at 4 mph, and a third group walked at 3 mph. The results showed that physical fitness improved on a predictable dose response basis. The fastest walkers improved the most and the slowest walkers improved the least, but the cardiovascular risk was reduced equally among the three groups. Low level exercise was as effective as the highest level in promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise for health does not have to be as strenuous as exercise for physical fitness.

A sedentary lifestyle imposes a financial burden on all people. Active people pay a price a lifetime subsidy of approximately $1900 to support the medical costs of sedentary people. The costs come from collectively financed programs, such as health insurance, sick leave coverage, disability insurance, and group life insurance. Because premiums and payroll taxes that finance these programs are equal for both sedentary and active people, the programs subsidize unhealthy behaviors. If sedentary people became more active, they would live longer and healthier, thus reducing the cost they impose on others.

The health and longevity returns from exercise and a physically active lifestyle are significant. Estimates indicate that longevity is increased by 1 minute for every minute spent walking and by 2 minutes for every minute spent jogging. The potential for improving the health status of Americans through appropriate lifestyle behaviors is evident from estimates indicating that 60% of all deaths are premature and approximately 50% to 60% of all illness and disabilities are preventable.

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The Other America

Recently, one of the Network News agencies, has chosen to warm our hearts with a new Series "the Other America". The content is good. Overall the series is supposedly a Media example of their "sensitivity". In reality it's an example of their elitism, blinded by daily life, lack of understanding of what life is to millions and millions of Americans. The series is as enigmatic to the people it is profiling as is the plight of the majority of Americans to 99.9% of all politicians. "the Other American" being reported on is America! The media, the politicians, and most of upper-middle class America, are... really... the "Other America". The only class that is constantly growing in the U.S. any longer, is, the "poor".

There is a very great consensus in the "more fortunate" America, that Welfare recipients are the representation of poverty. Hogwash. People on Welfare programs get cash subsidy, food stamps, and some of the best health care available. Just because they may not have a car... does not make them the "Poor"! In most areas they also get bus passes. They qualify for subsidized housing because they have a reliable payday with a consistent amount, every month, and... they wear out a lot of TV's!

As of late, there has been some exposure, still not enough though, of the fact that there is an America, a very, very large America, that is Generationally locked in an income bracket that is too high for money from government assistance programs, but not enough to have what people at that Network, employed by Government agencies, and in that News Agency take for granted everyday. The parents and children in these families don't go to the Dentist... they eat handfuls of Aspirin and swipe a tube of Ora-Gel from the drug store. In a dire situation, they go to the hospital emergency and wait for 4... 6... 8... 20 hours, using the ER as their "clinic" to get their temperature taken and a prescription for an anti-biotic. They don't actually get the anti-biotic, though. They go home and have to make an appointment at the qualification program for being determined to be medically indigent. That appointment is usually 3 to 14 days away. By the time they could get this done, they feel well enough to forego the sitting and waiting at yet one more place. Or... they're now so sick that they have to return to the ER and now they are triaged and the ER administers the medicine that they needed 2 or 3 weeks ago. Sometimes... they just die! No medicine wasted, huh? This class works... puts in a week that should support them, but doesn't. They are not going to the Food Bank, no way are they going to take handouts. So... they eat a diet really full of beans, potatoes, eggs and bread products. But they don't have to ask for a handout. Why should they, most of them have a job? As life progresses they become overweight, often developing hypertension and diabetes, and never knowing that, that is why they feel crummy so often. For most of them recreation involves beer. Watching sports on TV and going to the park don't have admission fees. In the summer, if they are lucky enough for there to still be no fees charged, they go to the river or lake for "cool" recreation. If they live in a city, they usually just have a back yard BBQ and a wading pool, a slip-n-slide, or a water hose and sprinkler. What's "air conditioning"? Can't afford to pay the power company even if they have it... a fan keeps them from being overcome by heat prostration, sometimes. They're used to this stuff, though. They may wish it were different, but have to learn not to live above their means. They have a pretty decent used car, but don't drive it any more than necessary because they can't afford to pay for insurance, and if they get pulled over, most places these days, their car will get impounded or confiscated. There's not much time for helping the kids with homework, so they don't do especially well in school, and end up working somewhere similar to where mom and dad work. Their children are going to do the same thing, too. Unless...

"Man, if I could sell that "Crank" and not use it, I could bust out of this place." We know that seldom works!

"Heh, those "Arian Boys" that hang out down at the old plant take care of each other. They got some things 'goin' on', and always have money. They hardly ever do any of that race stuff everybody says they do." Oh... Yeah... they do; just not in the daylight!

"I took a hit off of a joint for the first time the other day" the 12-year-old says. "... and it made me laugh and forget about dad hittin' mom in the face." Twelve is the average age kids first use Marijuana now. Crank is just over the horizon!

"Heh Joe, I know that Pot isn't going to get me hooked. I've been smokin' it since I was twelve" the 14-year-old says. "Why don't ya let me have a taste of your Heroin? Just once won't hurt anything, I'm sure." The average user who likes the "down" from Heroin can get psychologically hooked in two or three weeks, using 3 to 5 times a week. I've seen people try Meth and start using every day... starting with the 1 st trial run!

Three 15-year-olds that have been hanging out together since 3 rd Grade are sitting on the block wall in front of the Clinic on a warm summer evening, wishing they had the money to go see a movie, or get Arnie to buy them some beer. Bill says, "See that hall, right behind us, in the Clinic?" Tasha and Geraldo reply, "Yeah!" "Well," Bill says, "there's a window that is always open, and the supply room is on the other side of it! You know what's in there, huh?" Oh yeah, they simultaneously reply. Bill says, "I've walked up there and pushed on it and no alarm went off. I don't think there's one on it, and I could fit through there, easy!" Geraldo asks, "You think we could get some money for something in there, easy?" Tasha says, "No problem! My brother knows some dudes who'll buy almost anything, and sell it for some profit. That's what they do!" There's an alarm. It's a sensor on the windowsill, not the window. If they were to get away with it, it would just make the next time easier to move on. If not, as young as they are, first offenses usually don't cost much. But, either way, there's a good chance that this kind of thinking is the beginning of an anti-social lifestyle, because of their environment and financial status. Anyway, it's probably just the beginning of thinking that results from desperation and predictably low expectations. Even if they don't turn toward crime as a future, but are dissuaded by consequences, a low paying job is often their future, as was the fate of their primary role models. If they do become Addicts and go to Prison behind a felony conviction, one new door will open... Drug Treatment. Sad but true, in most States that is the only access to funded treatment, that is far to expensive for most Addicts or their families. Bush's vouchers are a joke, intended to subsidize "Faith based programs". Separation of Church and State? No, and few Addicts are able to adjust to them as a 24-hour-a-day way of life. The streets don't inspire much faith in anything!

These American that are America, feel fortunate to move from an $8/hr job into one that will eventually peak at $15/hr with no benefits. For these really common, everyday Americans Social Security is the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel. There isn't going to be a 401K, stocks or bonds. ... just Social Security, and finally health care will be in their reach, too. This is not "the Other America". It is America. Notice that no one mentioned here owns a home? The death of the American Dream is not a recent phenomenon.

Children of these families are many of those fighting Bush's War. It's a shot at getting out! We all know by looking at the VA hospitals that, that's no done deal! Find out how many Senators or Congressmen have children fighting the War in Iraq. Find out how many had children fighting in Vietnam. See how many families with two College educated parents, or even one, have children in Iraq. See how many UAW members, Electricians, College Professors, Doctors or Lawyers are Veterans.

These are the people who have nothing to really hold on to if Social Security is not stabilized and kept out of the privatization mode. These are the people whose faith in America could be reborn if they just found they could go to the doctor when they get sick. We know that there are about 40,000,000 of them if that News agency is accurate in their reporting. That's no sure deal either, though, is it?

If we are not at an epic moment where the myth of the Free Market economic stabilization (trickle-down economics - Neo-Conservative philosophy) concept is finally realized to be at an end, and socialization of basic necessities for daily living is not implemented as a result... we may be at the end of a dream set forth in 1776. Capitalistic Democracy just may not work as a permanent philosophy for an entire culture. The American Dream may die because Capitalist greed will have alienated its workforce. As it is, the average working person has become the modern version of the Plantation Owner's Slave. The lending agencies have replaced "the Company Store"! We're kept just healthy enough to assure that the corporation's product continues, but no longer well enough to be the best producers in the world. Quality was the backbone of American production, and the Unions kept up wages and helped workers realize the American Dream, as a result. Well may very well pertain to psychological fitness even more than physical fitness. Right now the problem is that the "Company Store" got so greedy that they loaned past the point where the "Slaves" could ever repay their debts. The debts are closing the Company Stores. The workers losing their jobs, no longer can even attempt to pay their irresolvable debt. The economy is stuck because greed has produced a broken link in the chain and it can't hold up the system. No workers work, no product is produced, so there is no need for the company. So, after enough companies fade away an entire industry fades with them. America is in trouble and it's big. As much as our leaders talk about mainstream America, they still don't get it. Almost anything that is strong is strong because it has a strong Foundation. The Banks are not the foundation of America. The Insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies are not it. The foundation is at the bottom of anything and everything. The lowest paid worker is the bottom. They are the foundation of the United States. The Unions, at one time grew to protect almost all workers in every capacity, and this country thrived like it never had. But when Ronald Reagan broke the Air Traffic Controllers Union strike, big business began a campaign to break them all and maximize their profits and their shareholders dividends by gradually lowering wage, not providing the Health-care covered by the Unions, and doing away with Retirement Benefits by introducing the, eventually (NOW) to become an absolute failure, 401K, placing the future of all workers in the Stock Market. This move favoring the "Corporations" resulted in such outrageous profit that the CEO came to make 7 to 10 figure salaries and other executives secured commensurate salaries. This kind of wealth bread a class of power that produced Criminal business practices rooted in pure greed. These were companies like Enron and people like Dick Cheney. Though Enron more or less got exposed, what was not seen was how widespread and well hidden these practices were in the major corporations of America. Well, we can see them now. The sad thing is, that the average American worker whose future is very questionable, is paying for all of it. That problem grows unbelievably as our bankrupt Government slips ever farther into debt to the rest of the World. They're now spending our Grandchildren's taxes. Still, in the long term, all of the Capitalist greed has to be paid for by the workers not their bosses.

Start at the bottom, the foundation. Raise the minimum wage. Raise it a lot. Make sure that full-time employment is always "gainful" employment. Legally protect the Unionization of workers with regulation. Socialize Health-care and get the workers healthy. If the Unions are strong they'll then contribute to the Health-care socialization program. Fund Drug Rehabilitation and get those people out of Prison and back into the taxpaying public. Fix Social Security so that benefits increase and the age of retirement does not go up. If people are working and making reasonable pay, the Social Security tax could go up without affecting the overall income of its contributors, and they won't mind because their Golden Years will be funded. Give the people the ability to "spend" money. If we do that, everything else will follow. Yeah, the Stock Market will have to become realistic, and shareholders will only get reasonable dividends. Executives will still be rich but they don't need the income of an entire small community or some small countries, to live above the rest of us. They can keep their "Power-trip"! Throw out all the "pork barrel" shit and invest taxpayer money on three things that all charge the economy. First is infrastructure 101. Get our bridges and highways up out of the rubble and safe again. Second is powering our country. Wind and Solar generation need to be taken to the maximum conceivable state. They are inexhaustible. Also, there is no "clean" coal technology, abandon it. The automobile needs to become clean technology and that means fossil fuel is out of the picture. In all reality we should be able to produce electric vehicles that inevitably cost less than current internal combustion powered vehicles. We should already have a battery that meets the needs of the average American's transportation demands, but we don't. Why? Expand rail service nationwide and locally, with existing models as guides, including High Speed. In cities elevated and subways can be retrofitted in. Clean buses should run 24/7. Make solar power a building code inclusion for construction of new structures including private, business and public. Third and finally, we should build our foreign policy around peaceful coexistence, eliminating hunger and disease in third world countries, and including them in the world of technology with all counties included in all aspects of improving quality of life on the planet, with all things, always considering ecology and the future of the Planet. You see Mr. Television Network, Doctors, Lawyers and Chief Executive, and you safe and secure Government Employees... YOU are not only the "other America", you are the other "World"! Most of the people on this Planet do not know what it is like to be in the upper 25%, whether American, British, Japanese, Indian, Iraqi, Israelite, or French and Spanish.

Do you realize that most American teenagers can no longer afford to go to a concert to see their favorite musicians or other performers? Tickets that cost $60 to $250 dollars are a monthly payment on a decent used car, for really a lot of people. What percentage of the people do you think ever see a play, Broadway level, or a Ballet, or a Symphony Orchestra? The American Dream has been fading for some time now. For the true majority of us buying a home as a primary financial goal has been replaced with buying a New Car, and that's fading fast. These are the facts that brought the Stock Market into "realistic" phase. All the BS facts used for speculation have been forced to more or less call in the debts and see what's really left given true values. 50 to 100 million people is a big number, but it's actually not a big percentage of the population if you're making realistic evaluation of the quality of life in our country. Even if you look at the incomes of the top 250 million citizens, it leaves a lot of people to consider. I'll bet that 25% of the people in almost every town in the U.S. can't afford anything that costs an extra $50 per month added to their budget!

The job situation in this country is an ominous problem for the future of our economy, and it's beginning to look as though it is not readily solvable. Companies are down-sizing and folding, period. In folding, the jobs they provided no longer exist. They're not coming back is what that means. My God, just exactly how many jobs have been lost and companies folded during the Bush Presidency. I think we're talking about a historical unseen event in modern history. Neo Conservatives with their de-regulation and trickle-down economics may already have destroyed the United States, as we have known it during my lifetime. And if they have, it is in truth, a direct result of greed and selfishness at a National level. We have two choices, right now, as I see it. We can move toward socialization of essentials (spread the wealth), or... we can do as Third World countries do, and just let a lot of people starve to death and die from curable disease! I think that would actually make us a 3 rd World Country, huh? "the Other America", hah... it would be hilarious if it weren't so frightening to hear the Majority of Americans being referred to as "the Other America"!

David R Carroll, CADCA, AKA CounselorDave, is a Certified Drug Counselor, a Recovering Addict of 13 years, a Veteran, and WebMaster of his site, Addiction: Why Me?

The Other Kind of Marketing - Brand Yourself and Sell More Insurance

In the insurance industry, when we speak about marketing we are most often referring to marketing risks to the insurance companies we represent. Albeit a critical aspect of any agency's success, this marketing is not the only thing an agency needs to expend its resources on. There is the "other kind of marketing," often underestimated and not fully understood in the insurance industry, which many agencies simply do not concentrate on at all.

Because of basic misconceptions, insurance agencies are often put off by traditional marketing efforts, which is to find creative ways to move consumers towards their product or service. On the one hand, the industry as a whole seems to be stuck in a time warp when cold-calling and door-to-door sales and other types of interruption marketing held the keys to the kingdom. No new strategies are implemented because agencies believe the old ones still work. The misassumption that marketing strategies and branding are too expensive for the individual agencies and agents makes many think that these strategies are exclusive to the big money insurance companies.

The nature of the modern-day consumer and the rise in the competitive and price-based nature of the market place call for individual agents and agencies to develop innovative marketing strategies in order to maintain an edge in the industry. The advent of the National Do Not Call Registry, Caller ID and email Spam Blockers, for example, make the traditional means of interruption marketing like cold-calling, and mass emailing less effective. Agents must become more creative and begin to take advantage of things like the Internet, newsletters, and article marketing. An Internet based marketing strategy requires very little work and very little out-of-pocket cost.

You need to brand yourself as the insurance producer. It is nice to have a company web page listed on your business card. It is a place for prospects to learn more about your company. However, you need to distinguish yourself from all of the agents out there. Lets face it. Most independent agencies have access to the same markets and the same prices; so what else do prospects have to base their choice on? The agent. An easy way to do this is to create a web page that brands and markets you.

Once you have a web page setup for yourself with content that enhances your image as a highly qualified professional and an industry leader, then you are ready to turn your web page into a fully automated marketing machine. Your web page will become a place to gather prospects' contact information. You can achieve this by offering a newsletter. There are numerous companies on the web that can help you set up a fully automated newsletter. At this point you are no longer engaged in interruption marketing but the much more successful practice of permission marketing. Additionally, you create a space for yourself to show off your industry knowledge and give yourself a reason to stay in touch with and in front of prospects on a regular basis.

The most critical part of your new marketing strategy will be to drive traffic to your web page and then get permission to contact prospects. Use as many strategies to gain traffic as possible. Firstly, there is old-fashioned offline marketing, (i.e. brochures, letters, and faxes), that draws attention to your web page and a reason to visit the site. You will also need to do as much online marketing as you can. It is affordable and incredibly effective so you should do this as much as possible. Some online strategies to become visible on the web include, search engine optimization, advertising on related sites, article marketing, and pay per click advertisement.

To get further, more in-depth information on this topic, sign up for our free newsletter at [http://www.rateyourinsuranceagent.com/newsletter.php] And for more information about a great opportunity to gain Internet exposure visit our "Get Listed" page, [http://www.rateyourinsuranceagent.com/signup.php]

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Long-Term Care Insurance - Are There Any Other Options?

The aging of America is bringing the topic of Long-Term care to the forefront. There is more in the news about the aging baby boomers and who will be available to provide 78 million seniors with home health care. We are not even talking about room in assisted living or nursing facilities.

The reality of the situation is who is going to pay for long-term care when it is needed? What are your choices and do they fit in with your own long-term care planning?

Medicare

Sometimes Medicare will pay for 20 days at a nursing home for recuperation and rehabilitation after a hospital stay and it picks up part of the cost for an additional 80 days. It does not cover custodial care that you need when you can't bathe, eat, dress or get around with help-or when you need supervision because of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

Medicaid or Medi-Cal (in California)

This is a welfare program which is run jointly by the Federal government and the states and is for people with few assets and low income. This program kicks in when a person's assets are $2000 or less. Under a new Federal law, residents that purchase Long-Term Care Partnership plans from private insurers can qualify for Medicaid even if they have assets totaling more that $2000.00.

Savings and Assets (Private Pay)

You can self-insure which means you are responsible to pay for your long-term care if you have the financial means to do so primarily from your existing assets.

The national average daily rate for a private room in a nursing home is $213 or $77,745 annually. The national average, private pay monthly base rate for an individual residing in an assisted living community is $2969. or $35,628 annually.

Long-Term care planning must be put into place to make sure there are funds to cover these costs and still maintain the lifestyle of the spouse not in need of these services.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-Term Care insurance increases the family's leverage to choose the care it wants and provides peace of mind about getting the care. Not all facilities accept Medicaid patients and those that do may limit the number of spaces available because Medicaid pays at a discounted rate.

Long-Term care insurance pays for home care, assisted living and nursing home care. A policy with options for home health care and assisted living are useful as more people favor staying in their own homes as long as they can. A

Long-Term care Specialist can help design a plan that is specific for your own needs. For some, long-term care insurance may serve as a supplement to other savings and retirement planning.

It is important to add the inflation protection feature especially for younger buyers who may not claim benefits for many years.

Before purchasing a policy, make sure that the premium is affordable even when you retire. It is a bad strategy to purchase a plan and then let it lapse because you cannot afford the premium. It doesn't make sense to purchase long-term care insurance if it is not affordable.

Use the expertise of a Long-Term Care Specialist to simplify the process and help you compare different carriers and the different options available from the carriers as well as design a plan that will be affordable now and through your non-income producing years.

Before you purchase a long-term care policy, consult with Dane Petchul, LTCP, CLTC, a Long-Term Care Specialist at http://www.LongTermCareInsurancePros.com - You will receive a free, no obligation quote with the costs and benefits appropriate for you and your family.