Most certainly it would generate some seriously funny headlines in the tabloids.

However, apparently it is a super serious proposal to improve safety in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. And sadly it doesn't mean that next time you wander down the high street that cute fella will have his gear off.... some would say this is good news anyway. As with everything there is a flip side which means that those of us who have had more exposure to gravity will also not be naked! Phew.

What they are proposing is the removal of many of the normal impediments that separate people, bikes, cars, buses and taxis. Apparently the Dutch are right into it and it works! Less accidents and a general low level amount of anxiety for everyone. Personally I think it is fab - removal of those pesky railings that make J-walking tricky but doesn't actually stop it and anything that makes people look out more for cyclists is also great.

So while I am a little disappointed to miss out on the hilarity that would ensue if people did get their gear off to go to the post office in Kensington, I think that less rules is generally a better thing.

Before my internship I use to think that riding the bus was such a thoughtless exercise but no. Riding the bus for me has become a strategic exercise in matching the appropriate response with the bus driver's comments. This is hard work! You don't want to match a laugh with a serious story! Sometimes I get really lucky and someone else gets on the bus and I'm able to take a mental break as the driver shifts focus to the other person. But you know what I realized? These people do the same crap that I do. It takes one to know one and I see them with their "oh really's" and aptly timed laughter. They can't escape my keen eye. Five weeks on the bus and I'm an expert at identifying the fakers.

Over the weeks I must tell you that I have become a lot better at understanding my bus driver. My secret? Experimenting with different seats on the bus. There are certain locations from which you can hear him a lot better. In these strategic positions I estimate I only have to employ my matching strategy 25% of the time. Now how's that for a keen MBA student? I feel I should obtain legal rights to this strategic process and roll out an educational package for those interested in learning how to have a conversation with drivers who are difficult to understand. Spin off products will include having a conversation with people who are difficult to understand and faking a conversation when you're really not interested. Any takers????

The first is another MBA, this time in religious studies. I'm fascinated by religion in all ways, but more important, I sense something right now. See, I'm thinking specifically of guys like Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens, both of whom wrote mega-bestselling books concerning the fact that religion is, at its heart, a bad idea.

But I think there's a foundation for all religious thought and pursuit, really. Personally, I don't believe there's any difference between a spell, a prayer, and a meditation session; all are, at their bases, pretty much mainly modes of positive thinking. Same thing with that The Secret book from last year or so.

The problem, I think, is that Harris and Hitchens lack a scientific background, and are approaching religion from a mainly philosophical/ethical point of view.

Which is fine, of course.

But I think it misses some very huge things. I honestly think that the fact that most people believe in something of a divine nature has some substantive argument to it. But most of all, I think the more one examines biology and quantum electromechanics and physics, the more one starts to not just believe but realize that there's something greater going on.

Einstein himself said that religion without science is lame, but science without religion is blind.

And I think there's something there.

So I could, in theory, design a degree in something like scientific deology (they're not allowed to use the word "theology," apparently, for some Arch-Diocesan reason [okay, so there's a spot where Hitchens and Harris have a point]), and ultimately produce a book I'm planning, called Godology, on the application of the scientific method to areas including God and the afterlife.

Or, I could go for an MBA. Which would really sort of be the first practical degree I could actually use I'd be earning.

And the thing is, it's not a question of passion or love or whathaveyou, because just the existence of this blog and all I've done related to writing is evidence of how I'm fascinated by marketing and branding. I'm aiming for "Entrekin" to become a brand every bit as much as Crichton and King and Gaiman are. I'm not solely concerned with the airy-fairy artsy-fartsy aspect of writing, which is the most major reason I chose USC to study writing; it was about professional writing. About the craft of it yes, but also about selling it.

Because I'll be honest; I'm not solely trying to write the best books I can. I'm also trying to get them to as many readers as I possibly can.

And part of that is marketing. Part of that is both about analyzing target audience and then reaching it.

So this weekend, I've got some figuring out to do. I think, ultimately, the MBA is probably more practical, and I'll certainly write Godology anyway.

Hope this helps you all for whatever it is worth.

Cheers,

Thyaga

19%.

According to a just-released survey from the Association for Financial Professionals www.afponline.org, in 2007 financial professionals with an MBA earned salaries 19% higher than those with just a bachelor’s degree.

Finance professionals' salaries increased 4.5% on average in 2007, which was 36% higher than the national average increase for all professions.

For individual job titles, the manager of treasury and finance position saw the highest average salary increase, at 6.6%, and the vice president of finance position finished second, with a 5.6% boost. The average CFO’s base salary increased by 4.6%.

Read more at http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/REG/186734139/1036.

On the brighter side, now that we've got broadband at home I have dived feet first into the podcast section at iTunes and have been downloading hundreds of different podcasts on publishing, business, management, marketing, project management, and other related subjects. And for sure, there's one series of podcasts I've happily subscribed (and listened) to: MBA Working Girl Podcast.

This podcast series is the brainchild of Laura Adams who says that it "is a creative outlet that allows her to share knowledge gained from both her career and formal classroom education. Her mission for the show is to provide tips to help world-wide listeners advance their business knowledge." She first began doing shows in March 2007 and to date has 45 episodes---usually 6-10 minutes in length---that cover topics as varied as What You Do Speaks So Loud (#38), State the Facts Frankly (#22), and Learn a New Language (#14).

Each episode begins with a kind of offbeat quote. For example, episode #14 utilizes an old Czech proverb: "Learn a new language and get a new soul." After that she outlines the three topics for this podcast:

• Accounting Introduction
• Financial Statements, part 1
• Keys to Getting Promoted

In each discussion about these topics her approach is clear and engaging---after all she makes accounting, the official "Language of Business," almost sound cool--as she uses simple yet revealing examples to explain the basics of accounting and and the initial steps to reading and/or producing different types of financial statements. Lastly, to pull it back to the day-to-day issues, she has some excellent tips to keep in mind to get promoted:

1. Master your current responsibilities and duties to prove you are ready for new/more challenges.
2. Be willing to take on more and diverse responsibilities.
3. Show enthusiasm for learning new skills and take advantage of any training offered that relates to your position (or future position you'd like).
4. Improve your interpersonal skills as jobs higher up the food chain will probably require more people skills and less technical work.
5. Reveal your industry knowledge by reading its journals and then discuss industry issues with your boss.
6. Make yourself more valuable to the company however you can. If you don't know how, ask your manager what skills you need to develop to be considered for a promotion or position change.

Sure, much of this is common sense. But, that's what gives it its power. When you're on the job there is always the tendency to lose sight of the forest for the trees. A little straight talk like this, however, from Laura is the kind pep talk to regain some perspective about our place in the what and what to do about it that all of us need periodically.

As I'm always saying, my lack of a business background---hey! people get master's degrees in English because they like to read books, not make money or be otherwise gainfully employed---is not a factor that generally helps me on a day-to-day basis. So, when I come across information like this presented by Laura Adams that is clear, concise, engaging and useful, I'm going to keep taking advantage of it as long as I can, especially since her Web site that supports the podcasts also has additional information not contained in the podcasts themselves.

(And, besides, the TVs on the elliptical trainers are out at the gym for the next two weeks so while everyone else the is bemoaning the fact they can't have their regular selection of six sports channels to watch at 5:30 in the morning, I'm happily learning about financial statements, leadership styles, and time management strategies.)

Mark

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The secret sauce of FriendFeed is the development of a trusted network of referrals and commentary by users. People add users to and prune users from their subscriptions based on how well interests align. Once you subscribe to someone, you develop a good feel for their interests and perspectives over time.

This process lowers the barrier to accepting information from someone, as you learn to trust him or her.

In other words, fertile ground for e-commerce.

Seth Godin had a nice post a few months back, The truth about word of mouth. Here's a quote from that post:

The truth about word of mouth. It's hard. Sure, it's hard for you. Your brand doesn't get as much as you like. But that's not what I mean. It's hard for the consumer. A few people like to blab and babble. Most people don't. They lay low, because they're afraid or shy or just not used to talking about brands and products or experiences.

Getting people to talk about products they buy is the tough. Yet that kind if information is exactly what most of us are looking for. According to the Keller Fay Group, 80% of us trust recommendations from family, friends and influential persons over all other forms of advertising and marketing.

Think about your own buying decisions. Don't you love it when you can get a solid recommendation on a product from someone you trust?

This got me wondering...does FriendFeed have an opportunity in the e-commerce space? Not as a direct seller of goods. But as a trusted referral network. With some added features, there's a nice revenue opportunity riding the rails of the affiliate marketing world. And users would get better info on products.

But first let's look at a previous effort here, Facebook's Beacon.

Facebook Beacon: Misfiring on Three Counts

Facebook rolled out Beacon last fall. The idea is that you can broadcast your purchases from online retailers back into the Facebook newsfeed of your friends.

Well, Beacon was excoriated. Two reasons for this:

1. Beacon's user control and notification process were terrible
2. People weren't sharing a lot of external activity into Facebook, making it seem weird to have that suddenly occur

A third problem with Beacon, even for people that wanted to share product information, was that the product information passed through the newsfeed pretty quickly. If you happened to be interested in the product at that moment, great. But if you were in the market for a given product later, you couldn't search for information about what your friends bought.

FriendFeed: All About Sharing External Things You Like

FriendFeed's whole vibe is different from that of Facebook. You're supposed to bring your outside interests into the site. Commentary and opinion is the order of the day. Interactions revolve around those interests, and accompanying commentary and opinion.

Why not extend that mentality to products that people buy? We already see things with a product orientation coming through FriendFeed:

• Books: Book recommendations come through via Goodreads. For instance, Here's a discussion around the book Spook Country. Users will also directly post recommendations, such as this one for Community: the Structure of Belonging.

• Music: People stream in their Last.fm and Pandora music selections. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong got a nice discussion going.

• Movies: We see people's movie tastes through NetFlix on FriendFeed. Here's some discussion around the movie Hancock, with Will Smith.

• Amazon: Amazon wishlists tell the world the things a user wants. Often these are books, music and movies. But a lot of interesting other products come through as well. Here's a discussion around the Nikon D300 camera.

People are already sharing product-related stuff on FriendFeed. Which has incredibly high potential. Here's what I mean...

Push vs. Pull Marketing

Louis Gray asked this question recently on FriendFeed:

I've seen a lot of stories lately around behavioral targeted advertising, and privacy. But in theory, wouldn't you rather see more relevant ads? Isn't this a good thing?

Many of the responses were suspicious of the tracking or didn't think ads could ever be that relevant. Here are a few responses:

Jill O'Neill: "No. If I need to buy something, I'll track it down on my own."

Dobromir Hadzhiev: "I'm with @Jill, nothing beats the research, ads are and always will be annoying."

Amanda Chapel: "Some of this stuff would make Joe Goebbels blush."

Bwana McCall: "In my 16 some odd years on the internet, I have to yet to see an ad that I wanted to click on."

A lot of good opinions, and they bolster the argument that making trusted product recommendations available when someone wants them ("pull marketing") has advantages over running ads ("push marketing").

This is why I think sites like FriendFeed, and even Facebook, have enormous potential in the world of e-commerce. They can become the source for getting recommendations and asking questions about products.

What Would FriendFeed Need to Make a Play in E-Commerce?

Say you're an  expecting first-time parent. You want to buy a crib. Right now, that'd be a little daunting on FriendFeed. Here's a search for the word 'crib'. Lots of stuff there, but it'd be tough to use that for making a purchase decision.

Here are some things that would help users find products that their friends have purchased on FriendFeed:

• An 'Add to FriendFeed' button at the checkout of e-tailer sites
• A special designation of these streams from e-tailers as 'PRODUCT'
• The ability for users to hide all feeds with the designation 'PRODUCT'
• A tab on FriendFeed set up specifically for all feeds designated 'PRODUCT'
• Search of all 'PRODUCT' feeds
• The ability to click a link on the product name, and be taken directly to that product on the e-tailer's website

Once a user lands on the e-tailer's site from FriendFeed, FriendFeed gets a cut of any purchases by that user, a la standard affiliate marketing agreements.

Users would get a much better way to find products they want. Just like the blog posts and articles that stream through, each person would likely specialize in product categories that fit their interests and knowledge. You would come to trust the recommendations of different users for different product categories. You'd have the person who knows cameras. Who knows home decor. Home entertainment systems. Running gear. Toddlers' toys. Womens' shoes. Flowers. Etc...

What do you think? Would you use such a system? I would.

*****

See this post on FriendFeed: http://friendfeed.com/search?q=%22Using+FriendFeed+for+E-Commerce%22&public=1

This course is not just about politics, it is about influencing people, persuading them, how to be right while making your colleagues/bosses happy, how to manage your boss, how to be a fair boss, how to deal with the unfair work environment and so on. You get the idea.

One of the reasons I write about this course is how it makes me realize that bosses are not wrong, they are just different - you have to know how to "manage" them to achieve your goals, your boss's goals AND your organizational goals.

To give you a brief idea, bosses are of various types. Micro-managers, Poor Listeners, Narcissists, Indecisive Bosses, Bosses who ignore Incompetence, Bosses who fail to Recognize....to name a few. I was very surprised to realize that in my short professional experience, I have worked with almost every kind of manager mentioned above. Sometimes the boss belonged to just one category, some other times he/she was an amalgamation of more than one kind. I should also admit that bosses move from one kind to the other depending on the given circumstances.

How to deal with those bosses? It sounds simple but is hard to practice. Nevertheless, it is worth trying. Always try to see where the boss comes from. There is always a serious reason behind every person's behavior. Try to identify that cause and you will know how to deal with it. For example, a Micro-Manager might be one because of some trust issues. He/She might be new to the department/team and might not know how far he/she could trust the team to meet the deadline. To deal with a micro-managing boss, be a model subordinate. Inundate your micro-managing boss with information, updates etc. Once the trust is established, the micro-management will automatically disappear.

This is just one of the many things that I learn from EACH session, imagine how many I learn from the course! I love the course and thanks to everybody who recommended the course to me.

And finally, thanks Prof Moberg.

No matter where you pursue your education – be it in the brick and mortar world or on the Internet and World Wide Web – the academic staff associated with a particular school or program is what is most responsible for ensuring your success.  The fact is that there are some solid benefits that can be realized when it comes to the staff of instructors and professors that are associated with a particular online education, online degree or distance learning program.

First of all, when it comes to an online education, online degree or distance learning program, you many times will have access to instructors and professors that are at the top of their fields the world over.  Through this type of education program the instructors, teachers or professors are not constrained by geography.  The world literally can become your classroom through these types of programs.

One of the major drawbacks associated with an advanced or continuing education in the brick and mortar world is class size.  Normally classes that are held in real world settings are very large.  Being able to access a teacher, professor or instructor for one on one assistance can be a challenging task in and of itself.

On the other hand, when you go the online education, online degree or distance learning route, you actually will have a better connection with you professor, instructor or teacher.  Despite the fact that you very well may be located a great distance away from your teacher geographically, you can connect with that individual directly and personally over the Net.  Students in these online courses of study nearly universally report that they have had a better connection to and access with their instructors than what is experienced by similarly situated students in the brick and mortar world.

With these factors in mind, as you go about considering different online education, online degree and distance learning options that are available to you today, you definitely will want to take a close look at the academic staff associated with these programs.  As was stated at the start of this article, when it comes to any type of educational program, the academic staff truly does make all the difference.  And, as was also noted, though online education, online degree and distance learning programs you really can access incredible teachers who can change your life for the better.

Website: www.pebblehills.edu

Through an online education, distance learning or online degree program you have the ability to undertake a course of education on your terms.  You can take classes and participate in different online courses at those times that work best for you.  In other words, you decide the schedule rather than having an course schedule make unreasonable if not impossible demands on your life.

In addition to the time constraints, many people find themselves unable to pursue their education because of cost related issues.  The fact is that a traditional course of higher education at a college or university in the brick and mortar world can be an extremely expensive endeavor.

The majority of people in the world today find themselves struggling to make ends meet as it is – living from pay check to pay check.  There simply is not reasonable room in the budget to allow for a traditional course of higher education.

Once again, a course of online education, distance learning or online dgree program can be the ideal solution for you.  In the end, the price different between an online education, distance learning or online degree program is significant less than what you would pay through a more traditional course of learning in the brick and mortar world.

You also need to understand that the quality of education that is offered through online programs of different types – distance learning and online degree options included – is comparable to what you can access and undertake in the real world.  You are not getting some sort of “lesser education” by enrolling in an online education, distance learning or online degree program.

Finally, by taking the online education, distance learning or online degree approach, you actually will be able to access instructors and professors that are tops in their fields from all over the world.  The academic staff of these higher education programs is not limited by geography or the halls of campus based buildings.  Truly, the world becomes your classroom.  And, your instructors really do end up being the best of the best from all corners of the globe in many instances.  In the end, your the instructors of these types of online education, distance learning and online degree programs are invaluable assets all around.

www.pebblehills.edu

As a private institution operating in many countries, the University's outlook is radically different from that of many other universities. Its individualized model of education is based on real-world values that are directly relevant to your life and aspirations, creating a uniquely forward-looking profile within contemporary higher education.

Incorporation
Being a global university, Pebble Hills University, incorporated in America (Delaware, US) and Australasia (HuttRiverProvince)

Global Licensure
The Somali Ministry of Education and the office of Governmental Communications & Contracts has granted an Educational Licensure to the Pebble Hills University, which PHU can operate and teach in the Republic of Somalia. The Somali Transitional Federal Government has authorized to Pebble Hills University to fully teach virtually, in traditional class room or request for educational funds on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Government.

The SBC- Antico Principato di Seborga's Council for Distance Education, Culture and Faith, Council of Accreditation has admitted Pebble Hills University as a member of the Council for Education, Culture and Faith of the Sovereign Order of the Antico Principato Di Seborga of Castrum Sepulcri of the SBC.

The University is fully licensed and permitted, to provide Educational programs, seminars, electronic learning and similar, leading to the granting of academic and professional degrees, by Hutt River Province, Australasia.

Accreditation
Pebble Hills University is then fully accredited by the International Commission for Higher Education, which is the professional quality control mechanism for Colleges and Universities' standards. Their Accreditation gives a public record of your learning that will be widely accepted by employers, professional associations, by other colleges and universities, and will be recognized in and out of state as well as internationally.

PHU is also fully accredited by The Professional Managers Association (PMA). PMA will accept Pebble Hills University's graduates for full Membership of the Association. These with Master's degrees can enter the PMA at Certified Professional Manager (P.Mgr) level. Those with Doctoral degrees will be entitled to enter as Fellows. In addition, the PHU degrees will be accepted for Exemption from the Association's Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies at equivalent levels. PHU's Bachelor level graduates will also qualify for Credit Transfer award of our Graduate Diploma in Management Studies and those with PHU's Masters or Doctoral degrees will qualify for award of PMA Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration by Credit Transfer.

Pebble Hills University is an official department of the World Information Distributed University (WIDU). WIDU is an entity included in the L'Academie Europeenne d'lnformatisation (A.E.I), established in Belgium under the decree of the Belgian King Albert II. Pebble Hills University is an approved department of WIDU. WIDU is licensed by Moscow (Russian Federation) to train and award scientific degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Grand Doctor of Philosophy and approved to act as a world base of educational programs and to facilitate the development of expertise Vis educational programs.

Our online degree programs:
BACHELOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (BBA)
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING (BSEE)
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (BSIT)
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING (MSEE)
GLOBAL EXECUTIVE MASTER CERTIFICATE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
GLOBAL EXECUTIVE MBA
GLOBAL EXECUTIVE DBA
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Graduates of PHU programs will be recognized by the following organizations for membership at a

grade appropriate to each applicant's qualifications and working experience:
International Sales Pros Association
International Business Association
The Institute of Management Specialists (IMS)
The Institute of Manufacturing (IManf)
Professional Business & Technical Management (PBTM)
The MBA and Professional Managers Guild
The Academy of Multi-Skills (AMS)
The Academy of Executives & Administrators (AEA)
Asia Pacific CEO Association
Asia Pacific VIP Association
Asia Pacific BBA Graduates Association
Asia Pacific MBA Graduates Association
Asia Pacific DBA Graduates Association
Chartered Association of Accounting And Finance
Chartered Association of Financial Accountants
Chartered Association of Directors
Association of Certified Financial Controllers
Association of Registered Financial Planners
Certified HR Managers Association
Registered HR Managers Association
Association of Certified Investment Analysts
Chartered Management Association
Association of Certified Management Consultants
Hong Kong Sales And Marketing Association
Chartered Association of Property And Security
Association of Certified Public Secretaries And Administrators
Association of Registered Public Secretaries And Administrators
Association of Certified Purchasing And Supply Managers
Chartered Institute of Training And Development
Chartered Association of Technology And Engineering
Chartered Association of Hotel And Tourism
Association of Certified Housing Managers
Association of Registered Housing Managers
The International Institute of Engineers
Corporate Members of the DTMSI with suitable engineering related education, training and experience, or those members within the International Institute of Engineers (IIE), qualify for registration with the SPE provided they fulfill the experience, training and professional career requirements and are welcome to apply to be admitted to the register as a Professional Engineer (P Eng UK))
The International Institute of Scientists
The International Guild of Academicians
The International Institute of Architects
International Association of Educators (INASED)
Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP)
International Association of Science and Technology for Development (IASTED)
International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP)
The International Association for Computer Information Systems
International Association of Information Technology Trainers (ITrain)
The International Association for Accounting Education and Research (IAAER)
International Benevolent Research Forum, India (IBRF)
Corporation of Executives & Administrators (CEA)
Chartered Institute of Management Accountantants (CIMA, Nigeria)

Pebble Hills University degree can be notarized, authenticated and apostilled by the Government and hence will be accepted by country as per Hague Convention.
Embassy Legalization is a process wherein documents issued in one country are authenticated by the issuing country authorities such that the document is deemed legitimate for use abroad . It serves as evidence that the document was issued by the person(s) claiming to execute the document, on the date, and place of execution. A competent official certifies this document to be authentic for international use. i.e. proof that the document is genuine and not fraudulent.

Documents sent to member nations, completed with an Apostille at the state level, may be submitted directly to the member nation without further action.
1. Notarization
2. Secretary of State level authentication
3. U.S. Dept of State level national authentication
4. Embassy Legalization

Please contact us at admin@pebblehills.edu if you would like to apply for the above services.
Website: www.pebblehills.edu

Prof. Muhammed Ayinla Omolaja, the President of International College of Management and Technology (Nigeria) and regional director of PHU, Nigeria, claimed that “it is the universality of the institution in its approaches that is fetching it so much popularity in recent time among education lovers over and above regional Universities the world over.”

Learn to hold on to what you believe is right and just. Be gracious enough to accept your mistakes and resolve to improve. Humility never demeans a person rather it elevates him. Take each difficult head on and see it as an opportunity to learn and excel.

The best study mode for working adults would be distance learning, which is practical for them to balance their work, family and study.

The overriding philosophy of an outstanding distance learning University is to prepare managers, administrators, scientists, engineers, technologists and agriculturists for critical tasks of the moment and for the future. This objective will be met by providing a foundation on which students can build and grow after they graduate; a foundation sufficiently general to be relevant to a broad range of management, social and technology contexts.

Dr. Patrick A. Welsh, the Principal of Caribbean Institute of Business expressed that “Pebble Hills University has opened up another door, creating another chance for success for those students in Jamaica who would be left behind by not having a BSc. or an MBA.” (Pebble Hills University is a global online university)

Global business is expanding, that’s why you need a global institution with a radical outlook towards education. Due to an education system based on real world values, the knowledge gained can be incorporated easily & more practically in the relevant field.

According to Prof. Manfred of Pebble Hills University, “the highly diverse community at the University consists from many cultures, nationalities and religions offers students a unique environment and a great experience. Also the students who enrol in to study programs can complete them in their local campus. Also they have the option of completing the selected study with PHU directly, online.”

You may visit www.pebblehills.edu for more information

1. Don't 'work' with microsoft
2. Don't fud
3. Don't be stupid and loose
4. Don't get associated with Jonathan Lee Riches fine 'legal mind'

Then you too might not become the butt of all jokes, isnt that right Steve Balmer ? Comedy to continue so stay tuned.

Cumberland lodge is possibly famous for many reasons - but for me - the best story is that it is here that King Edward the VIII met with the Prime Minister of the time and others to discuss and sign his abdication. Such a romantic act! There is also a fairly enormous statue of George III who has been subject of much fascination not least because he was considered by many to be bonkers for periods of his life. Although thanks to medical science...... he may have been suffering from some sort of blood disorder not as good a story I confess.

The House its self is just beautiful with pressed ceilings, delicious, never ending food and views of the most amazing green from every window. And just like every place it seems to have a particular lean - in this case ever so slightly to the west!

Anyway, best get going breaky awaits!

Well, most of this is arranged by the dealmakers, where you may ask a friend of yours to make sure that your junior sweetie asks only you out. So this has kept most of the people busy here. Oh yes, yours truly still hasn't been asked out which is an indicator of the popularity levels I command ;-)

On the studies front, nothing much is really going on...we shall be visiting Khopoli today for our rural marketing project

De nuevo al tema de este blog. Me han pedido que hable sobre mercadeo. Sin duda he tenido que familiarizarme mucho con conceptos nuevos, símbolos y además de un lenguaje típico de los “marqueteros”

No se porque pero “marquetero” que se respete habla mitad en ingles mitad en español. Ejemplo (…) queremos hacer una campaña de push a un target especifico que nos permita captar mas market share…”

JODER!

Que me pasó ayer, estaba en el Hospital pasando revista (viendo pacientes) y de pronto aparece un señor disfrazado como el gato con botas. En realidad le faltaban las botas, tenia tennis. El caso es que este personaje me entrega un volante diciéndome (…) hola acá te manda la corte. Me asuste mucho porque pensé que era una citación legal o algo así, pero no, no era la corte constitucional afortunadamente ni el comité de ética medica. Se trataba de una estrategia de mercadeo poco convencional para un hospital. Bueno, para los “médicos” que no entienden de que se trata esto lo voy a tratar de explicar.

Once upon a time…

Entiendo que las agencias de publicidad hacían (pasado, porque ahora no se que hacen) estrategias en medios tradicionales y otras en medios no tradicionales (doctores, los medios tradicionales son la TV, radio, periodico, etc y los no tradicionales mercadeo directo, puntos de venta, impulsadores) y seguramente a un mastercito se le ocurrió ponerle a las estrategias tradicionales ATL (above de line) y las no tradicionales BTL (below the line)

Pues el señor gato con tennis es una típica estrategia BTL. Lo que se busca con estas estrategias es sorprender al público objetivo (target). Efectivamente me sorprendió y hoy en el hospital todos hablaban del señor disfrazado de gato con tennis lo que indica que son muy efectivas. Siendo un poco más técnico, las estrategias ATL, posicionan un mensaje de manera colectiva y las BTL de manera segmentada.

Cuando vean un señor disfrazado de perro caliente, un payaso con megafono promocionando almuerzos ejecutivos o alguien disfrazado en un lugar convencional, puede ser una estrategia BTL.

Como lo comente hace tiempo en mis notas “…el mercadeo es emocional, no es para cambiar la filosofía institucional es para crear, capturar y sostener VALOR! o usted que cree.

It is certainly not a very auspicious title - I mean being third doesn't really engender confidence or thoughts of innovation now does it? Particularly when there are only two other sectors; private and public!

However, it seems that the 3rd sector is the new label for charity and volunteer organisations, in the UK at least. It is so new that wikipaedia doesn't even have a section on it. Hard to believe - but true!

It quite possibly also reflects this massive need to constantly re-label things in the hope of rejuvenating them. Although, best not to get to cynical about things as tempting as it may be?!

I am on the second day of a conference "trumpeting" the achievements and current issues of the sector. And sadly while I thought it would lead to clarity and understanding I think I am more confused than ever. I have also been laboring under the misconception that charities were closer to the user, really understood what people needed and then delivered it. It would seem that this is not true. Charities like public health, and in fact just like business are challenged by a need to be more efficient with less resource, are trying in vain to break down silos between and within organisations and these things are dominating the conversation....

Each sector is deeply unkeen to acknowledge these shared problems and similarities. I am not certain why this is beyond the need, the desire, to maintain positions of power and exclusivity in knowledge possibly. This desire applies across all three if we are honest. The need for a baddie and for 'us' to be seen as the goodie seems also to be important.

The list of commonalities between all 3 sectors is extraordinary and I guess like every problem we encounter in life the solution will only be seen when look from others perspectives as well as our own.

I hope it continues this way.

1. SAT, 19.07.08 - 14:00hrs - 19:00hrs
2. SUN, 20.07.08 - 14:00hrs -19:00hrs
3. SAT, 26.07.08 - 09:00hrs - 19:00hrs
4. SUN, 27.07.08 - 14:00hrs - 19:00hrs
5. SAT, 02.08.08 - 09:00hrs - 19:00hrs
6. SUN, 03.08.08 - 14:00hrs - 19:00hrs
7. SAT, 09.08.08 - 09:00hrs - 12:00hrs [FINAL EXAM]

Dear Students,

The above guidebook will be sent to your personal email in due course. Please read it thoroughly for compliance. Kindly make an email request for the soft copies of the relevant submission forms prior your assignment and project paper submissions.

Havard referencing can be best referred to Anglia Ruskin University Library availabe at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/files/Harvard_referencing.pdf

At first, I was outraged when I read this story. There are people that scored a few points lower than these alleged “cheaters” and are being kept out of the top schools because of their lower GMAT scores. Meanwhile, their impeccable letters of recommendation, sparkling previous academic and work records, and impressive list of extra curricular activities don’t’ seem to merit a second look. Some schools see a high GMAT score, and automatically assume that this person is better qualified over a candidate with a lower score, but might have all of the above qualifications.

So, my question is this – how can schools place so much of an emphasis on a one-time test score that it drives people to become so anxious that they resort to the ultimate low - cheating?! There are better indicators that can complement GMAT scores that should be weighed equally when deciding whether or not to admit the prospective student. Just because an applicant has a 750 on their score, doesn’t mean they are well suited for the program, or for business school. It just means they are quite adept at logical test problems – or at the guessing game! This 750-phenom, might not have any work experience, have no desire or drive to make a positive difference in the world using their business skills, might have mediocre letters of recommendation and average grades in their undergraduate studies.

So, the choice is ultimately up to the university. What caliber of students are they attracting? Ones that stop at nothing (including cheating) to earn a higher score on a multiple choice exam, or one that has a well-rounded and proven successful track record of both academic, professional and extra-curricular achievements? Which student will better represent their school post graduation? One slimy businessperson that makes a lot of money engaging in dubious practices stemming from a long background of cheating to get ahead, yet might be able to contribute substantially to the alumni foundation, or one that is truly using their business acumen to help make a positive impact in the world, yet might not have a blockbuster GMAT score…

But what next? Suddenly I could relate where life is heading to the Drag Race in NFS UG! A few glitches here and there, bumpy, curvy road, relentless competition and uncertainties and shocks are all over the place (even worse if you have a graphics card...). It is time to shift the right gears at the right time, concentrate on what is about to come, duck all the obstacles and watch out what is happening behind the scenes. One mistake is all it is going to take to make you(me) a loser! And a new game means another year - how costly is that?

As you might know, the first gear shift is the most important and requires a perfect timing in the drag race! Hope I make it to the race that is about to begin!

I end up being overprepared when I study for exams. I’ve completely taken to slacking off because I can turn in work that’s subpar (in my opinion) and get an A. Which, in a way is great because lately I’ve not had time to really put forth a lot of effort, but in another way, I feel jipped. I don’t feel like I’m working at the graduate level.

Also, let me tell you, this current class is a complete joke. I spent 8 hours of my weekend sitting in uncomfortable chairs and learning what kind of “team building” activities to do with my non-existent sales team. Joy. Of. Joys.

When I wasn’t in class watching my professor take an hour to go over two power point slides and wondering if she realized her ensemble made her look like a 1970’s couch. I was either moving or working.

Because I only get paid a pittance in addition to tuition reimbursement from SLAU, I need a pay-the-bills job. Enter Small Town Hospital. I’ve been a “registration representative” since 2005. This means when you come to the hospital, I ask you those ridiculous, “who are you, where do you live, do you have any money to make our For-Profit Corporate Big Wigs Happy?” It’s either awful or not-so-bad depending on the day. I’ve just recently started working in the ER, which is fun because I can pal around with the nurses, but sometimes things cacn get crazy.

Like, say, the man who flipped out because I asked him for his name and birthday. Apparently he believes that the nurses and doctors don’t need to know anything about his previous medical history.

If nothing else, this job has taught me 3 things: 1) people are stupid, 2) the US healthcare system, especially those of For-Profit hospitals, is ass backwards, and 3) I don’t want to work in health care ever again. I really think I could be a better supervisor than my supervisor, I could probably run the whole sha-bang a lot more efficiently and with happier employees, and also bring in a lot more revenue. But I don’t want that job. And the suggestions I’ve made go unacknowledged, so I just do my job and keep my mouth shut.

Now, onto the moving. I’ve lived in a one-bedroom apartment for the last year. Somehow within that year I acquired 2 bedroom’s worth of stuff. That’s a lot to move with my little Aveo, so I called in my daddy to help. He moved the big heavy things (besides the couch and the table, which I moved with help from a friend) and put together my bed. He also asked me the question every college-aged person loves to hear a parent utter, “How are you set for cash?”

Do you know that until recently I’d assure my parents, my parents who were willfully offering me cash I didn’t have to sell my soul for, that I was “Pretty set” ?!?! Thankfully college smartened me up. Now the answer to any phrase that translates to “Do you need money” is always an enthusiastic “Yes, please!” International Bank of Dad transaction complete, and I’m a few bucks richer.

Over the past week I've slowly moved all the storage boxes myself, including end tables, pots and pans and many, many books. I now have Herculean biceps.

Unfortunately during the move my daddy broke my bookcase, so I went to WallyWorld and bought a new one. I walked out with a bookshelf, a desk, a chair, multiple office supplies (I love back to school time! And office supplies! Almost as much as I love shoes. Almost.). Last night I put all three big items together. It took me 3 hours, which is what the instructions predicted, and I only managed to put one piece on backwards. I am a woman of the 90’s, and my momma is proud.

Of course I had to bribe myself a little bit over the weekend to keep myself from doing the things I really wanted to do (update the blog, make a new blog banner, watch Sex and the City, read and comment on other blogs…notice a trend?). I bribed myself with Thai and Wall-E. Both of which were awesome.

And I agree with Jamie, the short at the beginning of the film was one of my favorite one's Pixar’s ever made.

So, what did you do this weekend?