You just graduated or will be graduating from high school but you do not have a career plan. Maybe you plan to take a year or two off before deciding what to do with the rest of your life? Be careful with this choice as years can start to add up and before you know it you are 30 or 40 years old.

If you missed the boat on trying to get accepted to a college or if you know for sure college is not for you you still have some options. Going to a four year college or university is not for everyone. However there are other options you should consider.

The Military - Going into the military to get career training or to help earn money in order to attend a college later is a feasibly option for many people.

Junior College - Getting into a junior college is usually not as difficult as some 4 year universities or colleges.

Trade or Career Schools - There are countless trade and career schools across the nation that you may be able to sign up for and get started training pretty quickly. Depending on what career you are interested in you may be able to complete a program in just months.

Being An Apprentice - There are different types of apprenticeship opportunities, they are not all like the TV show. Apprenticeships are more common in skilled blue collar type positions.

If you just graduated or will be graduating from high school but you missed the boat on applying to a traditional college you do still have options. Maybe a traditional college is not for you and that is OK. You still have options buy you should act quickly so as not to let another year pass.

As the ‘credit crunch’ strikes down even more corporate victims & consumer spending hits an all time low, outlook looks bleak for many British businesses, except for British Telecom the UK largest communications company who has increased call setup fees, line rentals & call charges.

BT line rentals today vary from £12.23GBP per PSTN line, £15.92GBP per ISDN channel on a one year contract. VOIP service providers have widened the price gap with SIP line rentals of £1.50 per month per trunk with unlimited outbound channels on a 3 month contract.

A telecoms industry favourite money spinner is the connection fee which has not escaped the recent price hikes with some BT connection charges up 25% to £299GBP(ISDN2) on last year. BT’s usual strategy is to offer free or reduced connection fees for customers willing to enter into long term agreements or call plans. UK VOIP telecoms providers answered back with free connection to all services and contract lengths of 1 to 3 months.

Hidden charges such as minimum call fees are not always transparent in published call pricing information. BT has a 6p call setup fee which is due to increase on the 16th September 08 to an astonishing 7p. BT says these fees are in line with their competition - although I am not sure as to who they are referring? VOIP service providers charge 1.5p - 2p minimum call fee, no setup charges and per second billing - I guess BT doesn’t consider these operators as a competitors.

UK mobile rates vary from 8p per minute through LCRs on long term contract and large minimum spend to BT’s 19p standard rate. Minute rates to national numbers vary from 0.8p to BT’s 4p. UK ITSPs appear to be the most competitive again with minute rates of 9-11p to mobiles & 1.25-1.5p to landlines, without any long term or spend commitment.

‘Oneplan’ by BT offers 5p capped calls to landlines & 20p capped calls to mobiles for 1 hour. To qualify for this plan customers require 2 other BT services on a 2 year contract. The plan is good value to businesses that make higher than average length calls - however a recent survey of 2 million calls carried out by Telecost suggests that the average call length is less than 112.seconds - therefore for most companies lower per minute rates would make more economic sense.

For maximum telecoms savings companies should insure that their phone system is GSM ready. By incorporating GSM gateways UK companies can achieve free office to staff mobile calls & rates of 1.47p per minute to other mobile networks. These deals are more suited to companies with higher call volumes as some development & negotiation is required.

To migrate your telecoms to VOIP ITSPs you will need the following:

- phone system that supports SIP or IAX

- reliable internet service

- adequate bandwidth to carry the required number of simultaneous calls.

- structured cabling and IP phones

- consult a telecoms professional with a good references in VOIP telecoms

Mobile phone marketing, otherwise known as digital marketing, is the present evolution of direct advertising. Direct advertising has always been favored by companies as a personalized and focused method of reaching new consumers and, with the advent of mobiles, SMS marketing has risen in support. SMS marketing is perhaps best defined as the practice of advertising products and services using digital distribution channels to reach consumers in a timely, relevant, personalized and economic way.

The most popular example of mobile marketing is SMS marketing, which has expanded rapidly in Europe and Asia. It is thought that several hundred million promotional messages are sent through SMS every month in Europe alone. SMS stands for ’short message service’ and is a communication form specific to cell phones where a short message can be quickly sent to any mobile phone user. As well as sending material to customers, advertisers can often encourage customers to participate in promotional and brand exposure campaigns by encouraging customers to SMS a particular number at an event in order to enter a competition, to receive a gift or to have their text displayed on a multimedia wall at an event. All of these methods engages the customer through the medium of SMS and creates brand awareness.

There are a range of other types of mobile marketing. One variation is sending texts via MMS, which is a multimedia version of SMS, allowing customers to receive MMS with color, pictures and video. There is also mobile web marketing, where brands advertise marketing objectives through websites accessed by cell phones. Advertisers often make innovative use of SMS marketing such as location-based services where customers are offered specific marketing and other network-related information and promotional information based on their whereabouts. With the multitude of methods and choices available to promoters, it is no wonder that a recent marketing survey found that 89% of major brands planned to advertise their products through mobile marketing by the end of 2008.

Mobile marketing is an example of what is known within the industry as “push” marketing. The idea behind push marketing is that that the business has to send (push) the information to the consumer in order for the material to be received. This is different to “pull” marketing, a passive form of promotion, where it is customers who seek out the content from sources such as websites or blogs.

There are lots of advantages to SMS marketing. Primarily, the attraction is that this form of advertising can be personalized to the subscriber. This is the gold standard in marketing as it means getting the material specifically to the group it’s focused on, rather than wasting money on an broad campaign. The specialization allowed by this mode of promotions, which results in a more cost-effective campaign, is one example why a high return on investment is possible with SMS marketing. Another advantage of SMS marketing is the detailed tracking and reporting of users it allows. Through this medium, companies can track how many subscribers received their material and also access specific data about each consumer such as their name, their age, their demographic and where they’re located. This allows a marketer to raise profiles of their subscribers; data which then guides future promotional campaigns and, ideally, their success.

It is noted in the industry that push marketing, of which SMS marketing is a form, can help drive new cash flows and brand reinforcement if it is used correctly and sensitively. This is because it makes users aware of recent events that they may not think to enquire about already and the way a message is phrased, and even the fact that the material is being delivered by a innovative, hip medium such as SMS, can say a great deal about a brand and a business.

There are, however, some disadvantages to SMS marketing. Inherently, it must have a mechanism - the cell phone - to be able to send content. The company, as well, has to make use of specialized equipment and software in order to send the information to subscribers, which can involve sizeable costs. Another negative is the fact that SMS marketing is heavily regulated by the telecommunications industry in response to public disquiet about what data and promotions they get shown. Most Western nations have laws in place that require marketers to get the consent of subscribers before marketing content is received by them and must clearly give them with an ‘opt out’ option if they ask to stop receiving information. If marketers are discovered to be in violation of these laws, network providers can block marketing content by marketers.

As mobile technology improves, SMS marketing will certainly continue to rise in relevance.

I was cheated into buying a fake replica designer handbag recently in ebay.

I bought an authentic Louis Vuitton handbag from ebay.

A week after receiving my handbag, I decided to take a look around Saks and see just how much of a good bargain I had gotten for myself.

To my surprise, the saleslady told me that my bag is fake. She mentioned that there are many fake handbag currently in the market.

This polite sale person shared with me on how to spot a fake designer handbag.

Unfortunately, I was not able to get any refund on my bag that I’d purchased from ebay as I had been using the handbag.

If you know what to lookout for, you can buy it from online, else you may want to spend alittle more and get it from a reputable store.

The abundance of fake handbags mean that those bag you see on the street is probably fake.

Now, why spend the money to have the guaranteed authenticity when everyone is going to assume that your handbag is not real at all? Well, whether or not it is worth having a real bag is up to you.

Today, do not be surprise that in some back alley in New York, you will be pulled to a corner to view a list of fake designer bag.

Be careful, the law is not very tolerant towards such fake bag transaction.

Ebay and other online retail sites have recently been cracked down on being able to list certain fake brand items.

Be ready to back up your claim of authenticity if you want to sell it online. Else, do not sell it.

Making the change to a job overseas from the job you have now is a big change which can be hard too make. Many people find that it takes a while to come to terms with the idea of living in a different country; but it can be one of the best decisions you have ever made.

You’re going to need an open mind if you will be working abroad. You’ll gain an entirely new perspective living in another country. You’ll learn a lot of new things and while it can be a little frightening at first, it can be rewarding and allow you to get in touch with yourself.

One of the best things that you can do when moving overseas and working abroad is to have an open mind. You will be learning a totally new perspective on the world. This includes learning about a new culture, new traditions, and having to live completely differently from what you are used to. This might sound scary at first, but it is actually a very fulfilling way to get in touch with your inner self.

Learning about another person’s culture is one of the best ways to understand your own culture even more. You might become completely enthused with this new culture and decide that you never want to leave, or you might appreciate your own culture even more. In some circumstances, this has caused people to become more interested in their own culture and make a complete change in personality.

If you have been making it by without believing in a certain religion, or even believing in anything, this could be a great way to make a change. Other cultures are rich in religions, and being around these new types of religions and ways of thinking will help you contemplate your own beliefs. Not only will you have a new found respect for all types of religions, but you will have a whole new set of ideas about life in general.

While you might miss your friends back home, you will also meet new people in this new land. This can ease your adjustment to living in another country and give you a perspective on the country which comes from the inside. Many people who decide to go abroad for work make lifelong friendships which they never could have made at home.

Working overseas can let you get jobs which you might otherwise not be able to get. You’ll become better prepared to deal with life and you’ll make connections which you can maintain after you go back to your home country ? if you even decide to after living and working abroad.

Hawaii is an incredible island paradise located in the central Pacific Ocean. Though only one state of the United States, it encompasses many small and delightful islands for variety of pleasure. This scenic and exciting place is a great one to choose for your vacation. And thatas one well-known fact-tourists flock to this island mecca as to no other.

So many natural attractions abound here that it’s hard to choose just one. For ocean wonder, visit the protected Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, largest and best in the world. Another place for the seasoned tourist is Maui, second largest island of the group and an enjoyable travel spot. For those who enjoy a beautiful drive, the highway to Hana offers incredible vistas as it overlooks many beaches and mountains. Thundering waterfalls and rich black sand add an element of forgotten oasis to your drive. And thatas not to mention the impressive array of activities available: watching the whales crest on the ocean, scuba diving, and sunset cruises watching the last of the sun shimmer on the sea, to name only a few.

A Hawaii vacation is well worth spending on as it is such an encompassing experience-every minute a new adventure. So many places, too, are the most unique on earth-such as Kauai, whose heavy rains cause it to be known as the wettest spot in the world. No wonder that it is the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands! In addition to Kauai, it also houses other delightful attractions, among which are Ala Moana, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Honolulu, North Shore, Pearl Harbor, and others.

Another delightfully bewitching attraction of the Hawaiian Islands is Molokai. Those who enjoy the beauties of nature have the world’s tallest cliff to look to. And for those who enjoy magic and tradition, there lies the fertility rock, called the Kauleonanahoa. This enormous boulder is believed by many Hawaiians to be a thing of magic, and many women go with offerings and stay the night, hoping to return pregnant.

Yet another amazing place to spend your Hawaiian vacation is Lanai. This island is famous for its rocks, especially Keahikawelo, where thousands of years of erosion have marked the boulders with beauty-a smorgasbord of size, shape, and riotous colour. And who could forget the appeal of the sweetheart rock, on a romantic vacation for two?

Dolphins are a main attraction of the Hawaiian Islands there are activities here where you could interact with them. Many sports like kayaking, surfing, scuba diving you tend to get a complete package for your vacation at the Hawaiian Island.

There are luxury hotels located in many areas but if you wish to spend less then it is better to go for less expensive ones. Most of the people live in the lanai city where you will be able to find comfortable and inexpensive hotels.

And those are just a few of the exciting possibilities that await in Hawaii! A vacation there is one which will be ever remembered. They’re so wonderful that most don’t just take one trip-many tourists are repeat visitors who can’t wait to come back again. This adventure is well worth seeing, so if you haven’t come yet, make the time-don’t regret missing this incredible vacation.

Did you know that almost every business that has employees other than the owner is required by state law to carry workers’ comp? But you need to be careful in choosing a policy. The fact is many insurance companies can get remarkably tricky when it comes to writing policies - in their bag of tricks are such ploys as classifying the type of work your employees do incorrectly, miscalculating so-called modification factors, and making a variety of other types of mistakes which, oddly enough, result in insurance costs to you that are higher than they need to be.

In addition to needing to hold your own against your workers’ comp insurance carrier, there’s another reason to take a few minutes to learn more about this type of insurance, namely, fraud. Workers’ compensation fraud is the second largest category of white-collar fraud in the United States today, second only to income tax evasion. Fraud is said to occur in almost a fourth of all claims. It can take the form of employee fraud (an employee who’s been in an accident claiming to be injured more seriously than he/she really is), employer fraud (harassing employees who put in claims or trying to deceive the insurance company regarding the number of the company’s employees), or insurance company fraud (wrongfully denying legitimate claims).

In a good many businesses, like manufacturing and construction, workers’ comp is a major expense item - and also a major source of friction and confusion. But most business owners know little or nothing about how it works or how rates are calculated. It’s too complicated to cover in detail here, but I’ll try to touch upon most of the basics in this brief article.

Basics of Workers’ Compensation

If you are in the type of business that is mandated by state law to purchase workers compensation benefits, this is something to take seriously. In some states, notably California and Florida, companies are getting shut down and owners prosecuted criminally for failure to carry this type of insurance. In most states you need it if you have one or more employees - California being one of the few that requires it even for one-person businesses.

In most states you can purchase an insurance policy from a workers’ comp insurance company; however in five states (ND, WV, WA, WY, OH) you must obtain coverage through that jurisdiction’s state-operated fund. These state operated funds are called “monopoly state funds.”

Note that thirteen states maintain state funds which compete with private insurers. So in those thirteen, you can buy your policy either from a private insurance company or from the state fund (CA, AZ, CO, MD, ID, MI, MN, MT, NY, OR, OK, PA, UT).

If for some reason your business is found to be especially risky, you will have to get your insurance from a so-called “assigned risk” fund, and it costs considerably more. Workers’ compensation is regulated primarily by the states (and Washington DC) so there are 51 separate sets of rules which govern benefits, premiums, and coverage. However, a so-called “rating bureau” called the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has developed a manual used by many states to regulate how insurance companies calculate your rates. NCCI states rely almost completely on this manual, while some other states have developed their own manuals. For example, Nevada sticks closely to the NCCI manual, whereas California has developed its own manual.

Workers’ comp policies tend to seem complicated and abstruse to the uninitiated. In addition, you can’t rely entirely on your insurance agent to decipher the technical terms, options, and requirements - remember, he/she has a vested interest in selling you as expensive a policy as possible. So if your premiums turn out to be fairly considerable, it’s a good idea to have your policy reviewed by a lawyer with workers’ comp experience or a consultant specializing in this field.

For example, you might ask whether you need a guaranteed-cost policy (a policy whose premiums remain the same no matter how many claims you file) or a loss-sensitive plan. The latter alternative will cut your costs but increase your exposure.

The basic formula nearly all insurance companies utilize to calculate your policy is to multiply a rate times hundred dollars of payroll. But what is this “rate”? Where does it come from? It is based on the classification of your company’s type of work performed. It’s always to your advantage to be in a relatively “safe” classification, such as clerical work, as opposed to a more injury-prone classification, such as construction. Experts warn that you should be vigilant that the insurance agent does not mis-classify your company - such a “mistake” can easily double your premiums.

What’s more, insurance companies apply an “experience” factor to your premiums. This is a circumlocution for a multiplier calculated on the basis of your company’s claims history. The more or larger your claims, the larger the experience factor.

Explaining Assigned Risk Plans

What can you do if private insurers in your state all turn down your application for insurance? In that case, you have to utilize the state’s assigned risk plan. This is expensive insurance. Yet, I’m told, many agents sell assigned risk insurance without bothering to mention it’s assigned, and the words “assigned risk” appear nowhere on the policy. Generally, rates and service are said to be better in NCCI states. However, even if your business is in an NCCI state you will probably get lower rates if you move to “voluntary” (i.e., not assigned risk) coverage as soon as possible.

Note that if you’re in a “monopoly” state - i.e, a state where there are no private insurers and you must use the monopoly state fund - you can still get put in an assigned risk plan. You should discuss this with your agent.

Important Tips Regarding Workers’ Compensation Insurance

- Your agent, working with his/her company’s underwriter, is responsible for deciding what classification codes to utilize in developing your premium rates, as well as the various other risk factors. Reportedly, mistakes and oversights are legion in these types of policies (usually favoring the insurance company), so review your policy carefully, preferably with the assistance of a professional who has experience in this field.

- Carefully read your policy’s Information Page in detail - it contains the most important details you need to check.

- Be especially careful when your company hires independent contractors. If the independent contractor does not carry workers comp and is injured, you will be held responsible for all costs connected with the claim.

- Always make sure you indicate as named insured all legal entities which are in any way connected with your business. For example, if you own the building it’s in, you should be named on your policy as legal owner of the property, as well as owner of the business.

- Also you should be aware of federal workers’ comp exposures. In addition to state requirements, some federal legislation also imposes liabilities on employers. You can add coverage for acts such as the following to your workers’ compensation policy by endorsement (i.e., by adding a supplement): Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (benefits to employees injured in maritime employment); Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act (benefits to miners who contract black lung disease); and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (housing and safety benefits to seasonal and migrant agricultural workers).

- The NCCI Manual is not used for calculating rates in: Delaware, California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. (All other states use it.)

If either you or a consultant you hire feels that your premium rates are not what they should be, based on the rules and specifications in the NCCI Manual (or other state rating manual), your initial step should be to contact your agent, say the experts, and request changes; if this doesn’t work, then you should directly contact NCCI or the appropriate state rating bureau and point out the errors in your policy as it is written.

Is your company required to pay workers’ compensation benefits to illegal aliens? According to experts, the answer depends on whether the illegal alien qualifies under your state’s statute as an “employee” working “in the service of” another under a “contract of hire.” Thus far, Ohio and New York courts have upheld the right of aliens to receive benefits; Wyoming, Virginia, and Florida have not.

- Note that only Texas, among all 50 states, does not require employers to carry WC insurance.

About Workers Compensation Fraud

Workers’ comp is a no-fault system for providing financial benefits to injured or ill workers while at the same time shielding their employers from lawsuits. But the system is wide open to fraud on a number of fronts. Employers, attempting to reduce premiums, may understate their total number of employees or misrepresent the type of work they do; workers may claim benefits they’re not entitled to, for example, by exaggerating the seriousness of an injury; even insurers themselves may intentionally miscalculate premiums and this is, unfortunately, not uncommon.

Surprisingly, it’s employer fraud that is the major type of workers’ comp fraud. According to a recent study reported by the National Commission on State Workmen’s Compensation Laws, over 13% of employers studied were operating without legally required workers’ compensation insurance. In addition, others were found to be cheating the system by intentionally misclassifying or underreporting their payroll or by falsely representing employees as independent contractors.

Of course the best-known type of workers’ compensation fraud - the kind that is most often covered by the media — involves workers claiming disabilities that don’t exist. Most insurance companies have in recent years set up internal Special Investigative Units (SIU’s) to deal with this type of fraud. Claims adjusters report suspicious cases to their company’s SIU’s, which then use surveillance, background checks, medical records checks, videotaping and other tools to document fraud, then turn the cases over to the Attorney General for prosecution. Criminal penalties to workers trying to game the system can be extremely severe.

As an example of how the SIU investigation system works, CompSource Oklahoma not long ago investigated a female claimant who was receiving permanent total disability benefits for back injuries from a slip-and-fall accident. The company’s SIU team found that while receiving these benefits she was listed on the Internet as an officer of an outdoor recreational club. Surveillance was set up and it was found that she was engaged in mountain hiking, carrying heavy items and other activities suggesting she was not disabled. Criminal charges were filed and a conviction obtained, resulting in a lengthy prison term.

The moral of the story: Don’t commit workers’ comp fraud. Insurance companies now employ teams of specialized investigators who will doggedly pursue a any suspicious claim and, if fraud can be proven, will press charges without any hesitation whatsoever.