Here are 15 tell tale signs that someone is lying to you. If the person exhibits two or more of these signs, then there's a good chance they're lying.
1. Convincing Statements are statements that don't answer a question directly. An example would be if
you asked an employee about an overinflated expense report and they respond, "I'm an honest person" or "I would never do something like that".
2 Unusually Long Pauses Since it takes more time to think up a lie than to tell the truth, then consider a long pause to be a sign of deception considering the nature of the question.
3 Relying On God When a person uses ,God to establish their honesty, it sometimes means they're lying. Example: "As God as my witness" or "I swear on a stack of bibles".
4 Nondenial Denials When people say " I would never do such a thing" and fail to deny the specific allegation, watch out. Also look for long winded explanations when a simple yes or no would suffice.
5 Repeating The Question Liars sometimes do this to stall for time while they think up an excuse. They usually say" I'm glad you asked me that."
6. Attack Mode Another tell tale sign of lying might be when the liar questions your competence or fairness by saying, "Who are you to question me?"
7. Inconsistent Statements Liars who have trouble keeping up with their fibs might provide contradictory answers.
8. Unnecessary Detailed Answers An example would be when a sales manager is asked about quarterly sales and he states, "west coast figures are higher than expected."
9. Sudden Politeness Note when the level of politeness increases. If someone answers various questions without saying "sir" and then responds with "no sir" then that may be another indicator of lying. Example:
"Did you take the money out of the safe?" "No, sir."
10.Complaining About The Interview Liars might say, "How long is this going to take?"
11. Appearing To Not Understand A Simple Question People do this intentionally because they don't want to answer the question.
12. Referring Back To A Previous Response Liars might say, "I already told you that yesterday."
13. Adding Qualifiers When people say "frankly" or "truthfully" or "basically" may suggest the person might not be 100% truthful.
14. Nonverbal Signs People's faces and bodies can also provide hints their lying. Look for hand to face activity, nervous movements, clearing the throat or swallowing or grooming. Look for repeated rubbing or scratching of the face, licking of lips or pulling on the ears. Also, watch for movements of the hands, feet or legs in reaction to a question. Liars also sometimes dissipate anxiety by adjusting a tie, smoothing a skirt or aligning pens on a desk.
15. Ask Presumptive , Bait And What Else Questions If you want to know whether someone really went to the office party don't ask "were you there?" but instead ask, "What happened at the party last night?" A bait question might be used if items have gone missing from the office supply closet. Rather than ask each employee if they did it, just ask "Is there any reason why someone may have seen you going into the supply closet this morning?" Also, if money is missing from your wallet, say" I realize the mistake may have been mine. I never explained that you should ask first before you borrow money from me." Also, when someone admits to a misdeed or lie, keep asking "What else?" until no more details are being withheld. \
Make sue you watch and listen for the signs of deception listed above within the first five seconds of asking a question. If two or more appear, then continue monitoring for more signs to detect less than thruthful answers.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
How To Create The Perfect Loaf Of Artisanal Bread
Flour, water, yeast and salt are all that are needed to make a spectacular loaf of bread.
All About The Flour The artisan bread bakers’ pick for flour is known as Hard Red Winter Wheat. Hard wheat is used to mill flour that is designed for making bread. It has the protein content necessary to shape and hold together a loaf of bread, whereas soft wheat is appropriate for making cakes and pastries.
Red is the color of the wheat berry. Winter refers to the planting season of the wheat; winter wheat is planted now, in the fall. It sprouts before the frost sets in and then goes dormant during the winter months. Winter wheat comes back to life in the spring, continues to grow and is finally harvested in late spring. The harsh winters of the northern United States make it difficult to grow this type of wheat, so it is traditionally grown in the mid-U.S., where the winters are more moderate. Spring wheat has a much shorter growing season, which means it must be heavily fertilized in order to move the wheat to maturation before winter arrives.
Winter wheat is the gold standard for artisan bread bakers because of the way it is grown. Its long, slow, natural growing cycle produces a flour that has a lower protein, or gluten, content. It sounds contradictory. You would think that bread baking requires a lot of strength from the gluten. But too much strength translates into a tough, dense, overly chewy loaf of bread. While that may be great for a bagel, most breads require a lower protein content to make a light, delicate loaf. Also, winter wheat has a better flavor. As with any crop, the more natural the growing conditions, the better the flavor, and wheat is no different.
Bread bakers have accepted that buying local wheat may not be a choice for them. But think of it like buying coffee or tea. You can’t go to the farmers’ market and find locally grown coffee. You can, however, buy organic and fair trade coffee that is roasted locally. You buy the best that is available to you.
All About The Water Believe it or not, most tap water is great for bread baking. “Wouldn’t bottled water be better for bread?” The simple truth is, no, it’s not better. Once the minerals are filtered out of the water it makes it difficult to make bread. Moderately hard water is better for the yeast, as these minerals have a strengthening effect on it. Water that has been softened with a salt system can also cause problems with the yeast. Salt naturally controls the rate of fermentation in the yeast cells, and so too much salt will slow the yeast down. Not accounting for the salt that is added to softened water can have a big impact on the outcome of your bread.
All About The Yeast You’re not going to find local yeast at the farmers’ market. But you can make your own yeast with a sourdough culture. It’s easy to start and only takes a few minutes a day to maintain. Then you can leaven your bread with the yeast contained in your sourdough culture. Bread that is naturally leavened with only a sourdough culture will take longer to ferment than those made with commercial yeast. But the flavor is well worth the wait.
All About The Salt The best salt for bread is any that does not contain iodine, as yeast is slowed down by it. You can use kosher or sea salts, which don’t contain iodine and have a better flavor than table salt. You do need to pay attention to the size of the salt crystals; large ones need to be dissolved in the water from the formula before mixing.
All About The Sourdough Culture You will need to start this 10 days to two weeks before it is ready to use. Or, become friends with your local bread baker and ask for a little bit of their sourdough culture to start feeding as your own.
Day 1: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
1 ounce whole wheat flour
4 ounces water, 85°F
Day 2: Simply stir the mixture well, cover and leave at room temperature.
Day 3: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
1 ounce whole wheat flour
4 ounces of sourdough starter/mixture from yesterday
4 ounces water, 85°F
Day 4: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
6 ounces sourdough starter
3 ounces water, 80°F
Day 5: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
9 ounces bread flour
3 ounces sourdough starter
6 ounces water, 75°F
Days 6–11: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
9 ounces bread flour
3 ounces sourdough starter
6 ounces water, 60–65°F
You may now use the sourdough culture in your bread.
To feed your sourdough culture from here, just follow the Day 6–11 feeding. It is important to feed your sourdough at the same time each and every day. If you are only going to use your sourdough culture sporadically, you will need to store it so that it can survive and be useful later.
For short-term storage—no longer than a week—you can place the sourdough starter into the refrigerator right after feeding. Then bring the sourdough out to room temperature the day before you intend to bake with it, feed it, and allow it to ferment for 18–24 hours. If you want to store it for a longer period, bakers recommend dehydrating the culture and freezing it. It’s easier than it sounds; just do the Day 6 feed but do not add the water.
You will create something that looks like crumbs. Pack this into an airtight plastic bag and freeze it. A day or two before you are going to bake, take the frozen culture out of the freezer, and add the water amount from the Day 6 feed. The water should be very warm—120°F—for this feeding only. The warm water will help bring the culture back up to room temperature. Continue to feed the culture daily or put it away until you need it again.
Once you create your sourdough culture, use it instead of instant yeast and add it to your favorite bread recipe.
All About The Flour The artisan bread bakers’ pick for flour is known as Hard Red Winter Wheat. Hard wheat is used to mill flour that is designed for making bread. It has the protein content necessary to shape and hold together a loaf of bread, whereas soft wheat is appropriate for making cakes and pastries.
Red is the color of the wheat berry. Winter refers to the planting season of the wheat; winter wheat is planted now, in the fall. It sprouts before the frost sets in and then goes dormant during the winter months. Winter wheat comes back to life in the spring, continues to grow and is finally harvested in late spring. The harsh winters of the northern United States make it difficult to grow this type of wheat, so it is traditionally grown in the mid-U.S., where the winters are more moderate. Spring wheat has a much shorter growing season, which means it must be heavily fertilized in order to move the wheat to maturation before winter arrives.
Winter wheat is the gold standard for artisan bread bakers because of the way it is grown. Its long, slow, natural growing cycle produces a flour that has a lower protein, or gluten, content. It sounds contradictory. You would think that bread baking requires a lot of strength from the gluten. But too much strength translates into a tough, dense, overly chewy loaf of bread. While that may be great for a bagel, most breads require a lower protein content to make a light, delicate loaf. Also, winter wheat has a better flavor. As with any crop, the more natural the growing conditions, the better the flavor, and wheat is no different.
Bread bakers have accepted that buying local wheat may not be a choice for them. But think of it like buying coffee or tea. You can’t go to the farmers’ market and find locally grown coffee. You can, however, buy organic and fair trade coffee that is roasted locally. You buy the best that is available to you.
All About The Water Believe it or not, most tap water is great for bread baking. “Wouldn’t bottled water be better for bread?” The simple truth is, no, it’s not better. Once the minerals are filtered out of the water it makes it difficult to make bread. Moderately hard water is better for the yeast, as these minerals have a strengthening effect on it. Water that has been softened with a salt system can also cause problems with the yeast. Salt naturally controls the rate of fermentation in the yeast cells, and so too much salt will slow the yeast down. Not accounting for the salt that is added to softened water can have a big impact on the outcome of your bread.
All About The Yeast You’re not going to find local yeast at the farmers’ market. But you can make your own yeast with a sourdough culture. It’s easy to start and only takes a few minutes a day to maintain. Then you can leaven your bread with the yeast contained in your sourdough culture. Bread that is naturally leavened with only a sourdough culture will take longer to ferment than those made with commercial yeast. But the flavor is well worth the wait.
All About The Salt The best salt for bread is any that does not contain iodine, as yeast is slowed down by it. You can use kosher or sea salts, which don’t contain iodine and have a better flavor than table salt. You do need to pay attention to the size of the salt crystals; large ones need to be dissolved in the water from the formula before mixing.
All About The Sourdough Culture You will need to start this 10 days to two weeks before it is ready to use. Or, become friends with your local bread baker and ask for a little bit of their sourdough culture to start feeding as your own.
Day 1: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
1 ounce whole wheat flour
4 ounces water, 85°F
Day 2: Simply stir the mixture well, cover and leave at room temperature.
Day 3: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
1 ounce whole wheat flour
4 ounces of sourdough starter/mixture from yesterday
4 ounces water, 85°F
Day 4: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
3 ounces bread flour
6 ounces sourdough starter
3 ounces water, 80°F
Day 5: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
9 ounces bread flour
3 ounces sourdough starter
6 ounces water, 75°F
Days 6–11: By hand, combine the following, cover and leave at room temperature.
9 ounces bread flour
3 ounces sourdough starter
6 ounces water, 60–65°F
You may now use the sourdough culture in your bread.
To feed your sourdough culture from here, just follow the Day 6–11 feeding. It is important to feed your sourdough at the same time each and every day. If you are only going to use your sourdough culture sporadically, you will need to store it so that it can survive and be useful later.
For short-term storage—no longer than a week—you can place the sourdough starter into the refrigerator right after feeding. Then bring the sourdough out to room temperature the day before you intend to bake with it, feed it, and allow it to ferment for 18–24 hours. If you want to store it for a longer period, bakers recommend dehydrating the culture and freezing it. It’s easier than it sounds; just do the Day 6 feed but do not add the water.
You will create something that looks like crumbs. Pack this into an airtight plastic bag and freeze it. A day or two before you are going to bake, take the frozen culture out of the freezer, and add the water amount from the Day 6 feed. The water should be very warm—120°F—for this feeding only. The warm water will help bring the culture back up to room temperature. Continue to feed the culture daily or put it away until you need it again.
Once you create your sourdough culture, use it instead of instant yeast and add it to your favorite bread recipe.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Full Proof Pie Dough For Thanksgiving
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
(1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortning
cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup vodka ( cold )
1/4 cup cold water
Yield: One 9 inch Double Crust Pie
Process:
Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined, with about 2 one second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until the dough starts to collect in uneven clumps, or in about 15 seconds.The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute the dough evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining cup of flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed around the bowl and the mass of dough has been broken up with 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.
Then sprinkle vodka and water over the mixture . With a rubber spatula, using a folding motion to mix, press down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Then divide the dough into two even balls and flatten each one into a 4 inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
(1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortning
cut into 4 pieces
1/4 cup vodka ( cold )
1/4 cup cold water
Yield: One 9 inch Double Crust Pie
Since water bonds with flour to form gluten, too much makes for a tough crust. And rolling out dry dough is hard, so using vodka, which is 60% water, makes for an easy to roll crust with less gluten and no added alcohol flavor since it evaporates in the oven.
Process:
Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined, with about 2 one second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until the dough starts to collect in uneven clumps, or in about 15 seconds.The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute the dough evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining cup of flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed around the bowl and the mass of dough has been broken up with 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.
Then sprinkle vodka and water over the mixture . With a rubber spatula, using a folding motion to mix, press down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Then divide the dough into two even balls and flatten each one into a 4 inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
17 Secrets Surgeons Pray You Never Find Out
1.Although "best doctors lists" are a good starting point, don't forget to ask hospital employees about a doc you may be sizing up. Their opinions are pretty accurate. 2. Ask you doc about his or her complication rate. If they don't have one, they're hiding something or haven't operated enough to have one. Keep in mind no one is immune to complications. 3. Make sure your surgeon is board certified at www.absurgery.org If your facing a stiff jail sentence and a jury trial, you would want to make sure that your criminal lawyer was a certified trial attorney. So don't even think about using a surgeon who is not board certified in his field.
4. Always get a second or third opinion since some surgeons won't mention procedures they don't know how to do. Also your primary doctor's referral to a surgeon may not always be the best . 5. Always ask your surgeon who is going to take care of you after surgery. You want to make sure that your surgeon or his assistants will see you on a regular basis until you have fully recovered. 6. Always have elective surgery early in the week since lots of doctors go away for the weekend and won't be around to make sure your ok. 7. Make sure you find out who your anesthesiologist will be since he is just as important as your surgeon. Check him out thoroughly. 8. Make sure your surgeon doesn't rely just on one pathologist. Ask him to send all your slides to a nationally recognized reference lab to get a second pathology opinion. 9. Always ask your surgeon what risk about the procedure worries him the most. 10. All surgeon residents have to learn how to operate one time or another, but just make sure it's not at the risk of your health. Verify that your surgeon will be actively involved in your surgery and not just checking in every hour. 11. Ask your surgeon how many of these operations has he done. The average number of surgeries a surgeon does during a residency is about 900.Also ask your doctor if the surgery is truly necessary , whether you can wait a while, and ask about non-surgical options. That's because they get paid 10 times more money to operate on you that to manage your illness conservatively. 12. If you have unanswered questions about your surgery after the operation, ask to read the operative note report dictated by the surgeon . 13 If you have pain in your calf after surgery, or if swells up and looks red, you may have a blood clot which is a risk of every surgery. 14.You should know that 25% of all operations are unnecessary. That's because private hospital administrators push doctors to do more procedures to generate more income. After all, hospitals don't run those expensive TV commercials with celebrity spokes people for their health. 15. The average income of a U.S. surgeon is $265,000. Some surgeons hire practice management consulltants to generate more revenue. They many want the doctor to build a surgery center to capture facility fees or get an in-office MRI machine. Also, some orthopedic surgeons make millions in soft consulting agreements with device manufacturers. So if you need a medical implant device, ask your doctor if he has a financial relationship with the vendor. If so, you may end up with a device that is more expensive or not the most appropriate. 16. If your doctor wants to give you a stent always ask him if it's better than medicine. If you're not having a heart attack or unstable angina, studies show that you will do equally well with a stent or medicine. Also keep in mind that having something permanently implanted in your body is not a risk free proposition. In addition, there is evidence that thousands of people have had stents implanted that they did not need. 17. If you have any kind of serious medical condition, always go to a university teaching hospital. You'll get doctors involved in the latest medicine and you'll have the advantage of having a resident or physician beside 24-7 and a surgeon will always be on call.
4. Always get a second or third opinion since some surgeons won't mention procedures they don't know how to do. Also your primary doctor's referral to a surgeon may not always be the best . 5. Always ask your surgeon who is going to take care of you after surgery. You want to make sure that your surgeon or his assistants will see you on a regular basis until you have fully recovered. 6. Always have elective surgery early in the week since lots of doctors go away for the weekend and won't be around to make sure your ok. 7. Make sure you find out who your anesthesiologist will be since he is just as important as your surgeon. Check him out thoroughly. 8. Make sure your surgeon doesn't rely just on one pathologist. Ask him to send all your slides to a nationally recognized reference lab to get a second pathology opinion. 9. Always ask your surgeon what risk about the procedure worries him the most. 10. All surgeon residents have to learn how to operate one time or another, but just make sure it's not at the risk of your health. Verify that your surgeon will be actively involved in your surgery and not just checking in every hour. 11. Ask your surgeon how many of these operations has he done. The average number of surgeries a surgeon does during a residency is about 900.Also ask your doctor if the surgery is truly necessary , whether you can wait a while, and ask about non-surgical options. That's because they get paid 10 times more money to operate on you that to manage your illness conservatively. 12. If you have unanswered questions about your surgery after the operation, ask to read the operative note report dictated by the surgeon . 13 If you have pain in your calf after surgery, or if swells up and looks red, you may have a blood clot which is a risk of every surgery. 14.You should know that 25% of all operations are unnecessary. That's because private hospital administrators push doctors to do more procedures to generate more income. After all, hospitals don't run those expensive TV commercials with celebrity spokes people for their health. 15. The average income of a U.S. surgeon is $265,000. Some surgeons hire practice management consulltants to generate more revenue. They many want the doctor to build a surgery center to capture facility fees or get an in-office MRI machine. Also, some orthopedic surgeons make millions in soft consulting agreements with device manufacturers. So if you need a medical implant device, ask your doctor if he has a financial relationship with the vendor. If so, you may end up with a device that is more expensive or not the most appropriate. 16. If your doctor wants to give you a stent always ask him if it's better than medicine. If you're not having a heart attack or unstable angina, studies show that you will do equally well with a stent or medicine. Also keep in mind that having something permanently implanted in your body is not a risk free proposition. In addition, there is evidence that thousands of people have had stents implanted that they did not need. 17. If you have any kind of serious medical condition, always go to a university teaching hospital. You'll get doctors involved in the latest medicine and you'll have the advantage of having a resident or physician beside 24-7 and a surgeon will always be on call.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
How To Get Out Of An Arbitration Clause In A Contract
When you're handed a contract containing an arbitration clause, write "I disavow this section of the contract" next to the clause and then initial the modification. Then make a copy. There's no guarantee that the company will accept this-or that the disavow will hold up in court. But there is little harm in trying since in some cases the tactic could increase the odds that the company will be willing to agree to an out-of-court settlement rather than risk the possibility that you could force a court case.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
How The Right Real Estate Agent Can Get You Top Dollar For Your Home
Here are five steps you need to take to find the right real estate agent to sell your home at top dollar:
1. Ask for the "relocation coordinator" when you first contact real estate agencies Sellers who call agencies typically are routed to which ever agent happens to be on phone rotation that day. In contrast, relocation coordinators can be objective because they don't sell homes themselves. Their job is to help executives who are moving in the area. The "relo guy or gal" often is willing to provide an insiders opinion about which agent is most appropriate for a particular listing given the home's location and approximate value.
If you're not certain which agencies to call, lean towards those that seem to have lots of homes for sale in your neighborhood based on yard signs or listings on www.Zillow.Com or www.Trulia.com. These agencies are likely to be active and respected since they have a strong knowledge of your area. That's because real estate is extremely local, and an agency that sells lots of homes in your neck of the woods most likely understands the nuances of home values in your area.
2. Research agents before you meet with them Experienced agents should have web pages detailing their background and recent sales usually on their agencies' website. Be wary of those who don't. Also, use the website to confirm the agent has extensive experience selling homes in your price range and area. Also confirm that the agent is full time. You should not trust your home to a part-timer. Also, do a Google search on the agent's name and agency. Choose a different agent if numerous complaints from prior clients show up.
3. Interview at least 3 to 5 agents from different agencies Interviewing three or more agents will weed out those whose opinion and the listing price diverge significantly from the consensus. Weed out these agents since your home is likely to appear mispriced or flawed to these agents if they represent buyers too.Here's a prime example: If two out of 3 agents you talk to say your house should be listed at $475,000 and that the hardwood floors should be cleaned and polished. Another agent says that it should be listed at $550,000 as is. There's a good chance that this agent is misreading the market or is telling you what he or she thinks you want to hear.
4. During interviews, ask agents about their marketing strategies and pricing recommendations Agents should be able to layout fairly detailed marketing plans that may include open houses, brochures, online marketing and other strategies. The agent should be able to explain their reasoning for the plan. The explanation as to why the strategy was selected is most telling. For instance, perhaps the agent has learned from earlier sales that placing an ad in a publication that caters to seniors is a great way to find potential buyers for your home.
Stay away from agents who recommend a listing price immediately upon viewing your home. A responsible agent will take time back at the office to review recent comparable sales before citing a specific listing price.
Also, avoid an agent who solicits a price based on your desires rather then on reality.
5. Ask your agent for references And finally, ask the agent for his or hers five most recent sales. Then call at least 3 sellers to confirm that they had a positive experience with the agent.
1. Ask for the "relocation coordinator" when you first contact real estate agencies Sellers who call agencies typically are routed to which ever agent happens to be on phone rotation that day. In contrast, relocation coordinators can be objective because they don't sell homes themselves. Their job is to help executives who are moving in the area. The "relo guy or gal" often is willing to provide an insiders opinion about which agent is most appropriate for a particular listing given the home's location and approximate value.
If you're not certain which agencies to call, lean towards those that seem to have lots of homes for sale in your neighborhood based on yard signs or listings on www.Zillow.Com or www.Trulia.com. These agencies are likely to be active and respected since they have a strong knowledge of your area. That's because real estate is extremely local, and an agency that sells lots of homes in your neck of the woods most likely understands the nuances of home values in your area.
2. Research agents before you meet with them Experienced agents should have web pages detailing their background and recent sales usually on their agencies' website. Be wary of those who don't. Also, use the website to confirm the agent has extensive experience selling homes in your price range and area. Also confirm that the agent is full time. You should not trust your home to a part-timer. Also, do a Google search on the agent's name and agency. Choose a different agent if numerous complaints from prior clients show up.
3. Interview at least 3 to 5 agents from different agencies Interviewing three or more agents will weed out those whose opinion and the listing price diverge significantly from the consensus. Weed out these agents since your home is likely to appear mispriced or flawed to these agents if they represent buyers too.Here's a prime example: If two out of 3 agents you talk to say your house should be listed at $475,000 and that the hardwood floors should be cleaned and polished. Another agent says that it should be listed at $550,000 as is. There's a good chance that this agent is misreading the market or is telling you what he or she thinks you want to hear.
4. During interviews, ask agents about their marketing strategies and pricing recommendations Agents should be able to layout fairly detailed marketing plans that may include open houses, brochures, online marketing and other strategies. The agent should be able to explain their reasoning for the plan. The explanation as to why the strategy was selected is most telling. For instance, perhaps the agent has learned from earlier sales that placing an ad in a publication that caters to seniors is a great way to find potential buyers for your home.
Stay away from agents who recommend a listing price immediately upon viewing your home. A responsible agent will take time back at the office to review recent comparable sales before citing a specific listing price.
Also, avoid an agent who solicits a price based on your desires rather then on reality.
5. Ask your agent for references And finally, ask the agent for his or hers five most recent sales. Then call at least 3 sellers to confirm that they had a positive experience with the agent.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Work-At-Home Jobs That Are For Real
There are 60 work from home scams on the web for each legitimate one. And interviews for online positions are conducted via phone or Skype video calls. So if you lack experience with Skype, then practice with your friends before you interview. So here are the real deal work at home jobs:
Major employers in this field include http://join.liveops.com/ ,
https://www.alpineaccess.com/careers/corporate-careers/, http://partner.arise.com/,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/jobs/ref=j_sq_btn?jobSearchKeywords=work+at+home+&category=Customer+Service&location=US, and www.RatRaceRebellion.Com . Pay is typically $9-$12 hr.
Major employers in this field include http://join.liveops.com/ ,
https://www.alpineaccess.com/careers/corporate-careers/, http://partner.arise.com/,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/jobs/ref=j_sq_btn?jobSearchKeywords=work+at+home+&category=Customer+Service&location=US, and www.RatRaceRebellion.Com . Pay is typically $9-$12 hr.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
8 Ways To Challenge A Noncompete Employment Agreement
1. Show that the new position would not violate the precise terms of your noncompete agreement. An employee discovered that his agreement barred him from working for an employer that used the same or similar technology. The new employer used a significantly different technology.
2. Show that your employer engaged in illegal or dishonest behavior towards its clients. Employers don't want former employees discussing corporate misbehavior in court. So they usually agree to waive non compete agreements when employees tactfully bring up these matters. 3. Show that your former employer lacks a legitimate business interest for enforcing the noncompete. Noncompete agreements are supposed to protect trade secrets and business relationships. If your role in the company did not give you access to trade secrets or clients, then you should be able to work for whomever you please. 4. Show the noncompete agreement is unreasonably broad in terms of time, geography or activities. If your current employer only does business in one state, then your agreement should not bar you in working in other states.Also, if your former employer is in just one market niche, your noncompete should not bar you from working in the entire sector. 5. Show that the employer tricked you into signing the noncompete by making promises that it did not live up to. Some employers make verbal promises stating that noncompetes will only be enforced if you try to join a particular competitor. If verbal promises were made to you regarding limits to the enforcement of your noncompete and/or benefits you would receive for signing it, then send an email requesting clarification . Save the email response since it could be used as evidence by you later. 6. Show that you were terminated without cause In some cases, the courts have ruled that employers cannot enforce noncompetes when employees are let go without doing anything wrong as in mass layoffs.7. Show that the noncompete agreement was never signed. If you don't recall signing an agreement, ask to see it. Also, some employees ask to consult with their lawyers before signing and then never get around to turning in the agreement. 8. Show that the employer breached the terms of your employment contract. If your employer did live up to his end of the bargain, then you likely cannot be forced to live up to your noncompete agreement. To make your case, approach your former employer to challenge your noncompete agreement before you start applying for new jobs. Begin by sending an e-mail to the decision maker using one or more of the reasons listed above to explain why you think your noncompete agreement is not valid. If the decision maker promises that the agreement will not be enforced, then save the email message to show to any potential employers who ask about prior noncompete agreements. If your former employer insists on holding you to your agreement, then hire a lawyer that specializes in employment law to send your former employer a letter. This should only take an hour or two of your attorney's time. If the employer still does not back down, you might have to go to court. But usually, employers generally prefer to negotiate before these cases get to court.
2. Show that your employer engaged in illegal or dishonest behavior towards its clients. Employers don't want former employees discussing corporate misbehavior in court. So they usually agree to waive non compete agreements when employees tactfully bring up these matters. 3. Show that your former employer lacks a legitimate business interest for enforcing the noncompete. Noncompete agreements are supposed to protect trade secrets and business relationships. If your role in the company did not give you access to trade secrets or clients, then you should be able to work for whomever you please. 4. Show the noncompete agreement is unreasonably broad in terms of time, geography or activities. If your current employer only does business in one state, then your agreement should not bar you in working in other states.Also, if your former employer is in just one market niche, your noncompete should not bar you from working in the entire sector. 5. Show that the employer tricked you into signing the noncompete by making promises that it did not live up to. Some employers make verbal promises stating that noncompetes will only be enforced if you try to join a particular competitor. If verbal promises were made to you regarding limits to the enforcement of your noncompete and/or benefits you would receive for signing it, then send an email requesting clarification . Save the email response since it could be used as evidence by you later. 6. Show that you were terminated without cause In some cases, the courts have ruled that employers cannot enforce noncompetes when employees are let go without doing anything wrong as in mass layoffs.7. Show that the noncompete agreement was never signed. If you don't recall signing an agreement, ask to see it. Also, some employees ask to consult with their lawyers before signing and then never get around to turning in the agreement. 8. Show that the employer breached the terms of your employment contract. If your employer did live up to his end of the bargain, then you likely cannot be forced to live up to your noncompete agreement. To make your case, approach your former employer to challenge your noncompete agreement before you start applying for new jobs. Begin by sending an e-mail to the decision maker using one or more of the reasons listed above to explain why you think your noncompete agreement is not valid. If the decision maker promises that the agreement will not be enforced, then save the email message to show to any potential employers who ask about prior noncompete agreements. If your former employer insists on holding you to your agreement, then hire a lawyer that specializes in employment law to send your former employer a letter. This should only take an hour or two of your attorney's time. If the employer still does not back down, you might have to go to court. But usually, employers generally prefer to negotiate before these cases get to court.
How To Beat Boardwalk & Carnival Games
Balloon Dart Throw For starters, the darts are dull and much lighter than you would find in a bar. Then the balloons are underinflated which makes them harder to pop. To beat the game, don't hurl the darts straight at the balloons. Instead, loft them in an arc for a better chance at catching a balloon. The Basketball Shoot The scam here is that the rims are smaller than regulation size and they are shaped like ovals. Next, the backboards are super bouncy, the balls are overinflated, and the hoop is often higher than normal. To walk away with a big prize, make sure you shoot underhand. A ball that arcs in for a swish will slip past the crooked rim. Milk Bottle Pyramid Most people aim for the dead center of the stack. But the trouble is that the bottom bottles are weighted. So if you hit the tops of the bottles, they'll never fall over. To beat the game just aim at the base of the bottom two bottles.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Insider Secrets Financial Planners Pray You Never Find Out
Financial planners CANNOT pick winning investments to beat the market, build wealth without risk or let you in on a deal that looks to good to be true. Advisers make money either by getting a commission to sell you a financial product or charge an asset based fee which is usually 1% annually of your assets So if your assets grow, so does their fee. But there are still conflicts since it encourages the fee based planner to capture as much of your money as he can. That's why few fee based planners encourage you to pay off your mortgage. They also like to put you in products that pay them automatically each quarter. In fact, few will tell you about a higher paying CD since banks don't pay financial planners. Obviously, a planner who works on commission would want to sell you products that yield the highest commissions. Also, if you don't have more than $100,000 to invest, commission based planners are the only ones who might take your business. But the conflict of interest is particularly stark among commission only planners. They usually sell load-carrying mutual funds, hedge funds,and private investments ranging from insurance to annuities to universal life. Another compensation model is those planners who get paid by the hour. They usually charge from $180 to $240 and hour and can be found at www.GarrettPlanningNetwork.Com
How They Sell You
Planners know that the quickest way to your money is your emotions. In one hour they'll try to get you so wound up that you might sign over your entire fortune. Many follow a multi-step system that gets you to talk about your values and your goals. They'll say things like, "describe your perfect day." Then they'll tell you how much money you'll need to invest for a string of perfect days. Or they might say they can get you to your dreams of spending more time with your grand kids if you let them handle your money right now. But most of them know that if you walk out of the office without signing , you may realize how manipulative the session was and never return. And once you sign and buy some product, it make take you years to get your money back without penalties. So never sign any document on your first meeting with a planner even if he or she tells you that you can still back out. Also, stay clear of so called free"educational dinners" and ads that boast wealth without risk and high guaranteed returns. They are just bait and switch tactics to get you into the office.You should also remember that anyone can fill an office with prestigious-looking credentials and call themselves a "financial planner". On the other hand, a good financial planner can help you define your financial goals, help you build a low cost diversified portfolio,and make sure you have the lowest cost insurance coverage for your needs. They can also help make the right moves with Social Security and your pension, reduce your taxes and pass assets to your heirs.
How To Get The Best Advice From Your Financial Planner
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
7 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You
1. Most hospitals keep comprehensive behavior records of you and your pet. If you are agressive to the staff, you will be treated differently. 2. A lot of vets don't use painkillers for procedures they know are painful. They think dog and cats don't need it or that feeling pain after surgery is good because it keeps them from moving around too much. But research has shown that pets who are in less pain heal faster and sleep better. So if your pet needs an operation, make sure you vet assures you that your pet will get the proper sedation for the procedure. 3. Find out where your vet went to school. Vets who can't get into traditional schools because of bad grades can get into Caribbean vet schools as long as they pay the tuition. 4. When you're searching for a new vet, always check out the staff. A lot of times they'll be listed online. Look for techs who are certified and licensed. They'll have RVT, LVT, or CVT after their names. 5.One way to check if your vet is up on the latest procedures is to ask how he or she puts a pet to sleep. If they use ketamine or halothane gas, they'e using 1970's technology. Modern vets use isoflurane and sevoflurane which are a lot safer. 6. Walgreens has a list of vet medicines for $4 per one month dose. They are the same meds you would pay $20 or $30 from your vet. 7. Avoid using low cost vet clinics since they may use half doses of vaccines which are ineffective and illegal. Also, steer clear of large corporate owned vet hospitals since vets there get paid a bonus based on how much money they bring in. Fees at these places are much higher than independent vets.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
How To Find A Bargain Vacation Rental Property Online
Imagine finding a 2 bedroom luxury apartment in London for $1,000 a week. Or a furnished studio apartment in the heart of Paris for $540 a week. Or a nice apartment near the water in Miami for $273. It can be done by checking out each one of these websites: www.HomeAway.Com, www.VRBO.com, www.AirBnB.Com, www.FlipKey.Com and www.WyndhamRentals.Com, .
Eight Professions Hiring Right Now That Require No College
1. Emergency Medical Technicians earn from $24,000 to $39,000 a year. For training requirements see www.nremt.org 2. Pharmacy Technicians earn $23,000 to $34,000. For training see http://www.ptcb.org/am/template.cfm and http://www.pharmacytechniciancertificationtips.com/institute-for-certification-of-pharmacy-technicians.html 3. Private Detectives earn from $32,000 to $58,000. There are no formal training requirements. You have to contact the agency that handles licensing in your state. 4. Pest Control Workers earn $24,000 to $37,000 and most training is on the job. 5. Fitness & Aerobic Instructors earn $19,000 to $46,000 a year and no formal training is required. 6. Septic Tank Servicers earn $26,000 to $42,000 and training is provided on the job. 7. Insurance Sales Agents earn $33,000 to $71,000 a year. In most states agents must be licensed. For details see www.naic.org . 8. Athletic Coaches & Scouts earn $18,000 to $43,000 a year. No formal training or certification is required but you need a strong network of contacts in the community to get a job.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Simple Way To Tell If You Have Bad Breath
First wash your hands with an odorless soap. Then lick the back of your hand and let the saliva dry for five seconds. Then take a whiff. If you can smell sulfur compounds, then brush your teeth, tongue and the back of your mouth. If you have chronic bad breath, brush your teeth twice daily in the morning and before bed.
Also, make sure you use a tongue scrapper available from drug stores. Also, make sure you use a blue colored mouthwash that contains zinc chloride. Good brands are Smart Mouth and Pro Fresh. If bad breath persists,
ask your dentists to check for gum disease, sinus infection, chronic nasal drip or mouth breathing.
Also, make sure you use a tongue scrapper available from drug stores. Also, make sure you use a blue colored mouthwash that contains zinc chloride. Good brands are Smart Mouth and Pro Fresh. If bad breath persists,
ask your dentists to check for gum disease, sinus infection, chronic nasal drip or mouth breathing.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Repair Rolodex: Where Decorators, Antique Dealers & Museums Go To Get Stuff Fixed
Objects: ( marble, bronze, jade, ivory, porcelain, glass & pottery ) Alexander Tsalikhin 201-440-5456,
Bo Studio 212-759-6131, Randy Strohm 718-852-2603. Lighting: Lamp Touch 718-361-2002
Mirrors: http://www.capitolglassnyc.com/ Glass: http://www.newyorkcrystalrepair.com/ , Sorrels Glass:
http://www.sorrelsglass.com/ Frames: http://www.apfgroup.com/ Furniture: http://www.carltonhouse.net/,
Fairlough Restoration 718-418-6206, Fischer Furniture 718-418-6206, http://www.furniturejoint.com/,
http://www.jonathanburden.com/, Uptown Wood 212-694-7425, Caning: http://www.veteranscaning.com/,
Upholstery/Fabric: http://www.manzanaresfurniture.com/, DeScassio Antique Textiles 212-794-8807
Rugs/Textiles: http://www.beauvaiscarpets.com/, http://www.mannrugs.com/
Friday, January 6, 2012
Seven Ways To Get A Cheap Flight
1. Buy Tickets at 3pm EST On Tuesday Most sale fares kick in on Monday at 8pm and by Thursday 8pm the sale is over.
2. Compare Prices at least 3 months in advance and check www.Kayak.com , www.Expedia.com, www.PriceLine.com , www.Travelocity.com and www.FareCompare.com . That's because one system can traill another by 5 hours. So be sure to check the airline's site which charges slightly less than 3 rd party sites since there's no commission.
3. Forget Weekends Don't fly on Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday night and Monday morning to get the best price.
4. Fly Hungry The cheapest flights take off at dawn, around lunchtime, and after 6pm.
5.Consider A Connecting Flight They're usually cheaper than non-stops especially on international routes.
6. Shop For One Seat Only If you're travelling with a group, establish the base price for one person and compare it for a price for all. That's because reservation systems are programmed to bump up groups to the next price level.
7. Book Well In Advance That's because you'll pay a premium if you book within 7 to 14 days of travel.
2. Compare Prices at least 3 months in advance and check www.Kayak.com , www.Expedia.com, www.PriceLine.com , www.Travelocity.com and www.FareCompare.com . That's because one system can traill another by 5 hours. So be sure to check the airline's site which charges slightly less than 3 rd party sites since there's no commission.
3. Forget Weekends Don't fly on Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday night and Monday morning to get the best price.
4. Fly Hungry The cheapest flights take off at dawn, around lunchtime, and after 6pm.
5.Consider A Connecting Flight They're usually cheaper than non-stops especially on international routes.
6. Shop For One Seat Only If you're travelling with a group, establish the base price for one person and compare it for a price for all. That's because reservation systems are programmed to bump up groups to the next price level.
7. Book Well In Advance That's because you'll pay a premium if you book within 7 to 14 days of travel.
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