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I know that everywhere you turn you hear a lot of preaching about how to be prepared for your own natural disaster. At this point you might not even be listening to the advice anymore.

such as Katrina. The people who did not evacuate right away had very little time to collect and save anything. Most of the people we saw on the news left with the clothes on their backs, and perhaps an armful of belongings.

Even if you feel that you wouldn’t be able to carry all that water or supplies with you in the instance of a quick and devastating natural disaster. Even if you feel it is a waste of time to put together supplies to last the 72 hours every government official recommends you have on hand. Even if you simply don’t want to think about such a thing, there are a few things you really should have together and ready to go. Things that could mean the difference between picking up the pieces afterwards and not being able to.

Government officials say that you need enough food and water to last 72 hours after a natural disaster. This is for every member of your household. They say to have flashlights and a medical kit with the food and water, ready to be used if needed.

What else should you have sitting with your provisions? You won’t have time to grab anything but what you can carry of this pile of provisions, so what should be there ready to go with you?

You should have an accordion file. In this file you should have copies of all your important papers.

Years ago my grandparents home burnt to the ground. They were able to get out, but only had time to grab one thing on the way out. Grandma grabbed her cat. Grandpa grabbed Grandma.

Their marriage certificate burned in the fire, along with all their other important documents. They were able to replace every document, over a very long period of time, except one, their marriage certificate.

The church they were married at had long burned down itself. The pastor who married them was deceased. The courthouse where the marriage certificate had been filed was gone as well. There was absolutely no record of them ever being married. Here they were with 3 children and 6 grandchildren and they couldn’t even prove they were married.

What did they do? They had to get remarried. All of their children and most of their grandchildren attended, including myself, but it was a bitter sweet moment. Grandma was really hurt by the whole thing.

If my grandparents had had an accordion file near their exit path that they could just grab and run with then they not only would have avoided the entire 2nd wedding, but they wouldn’t have had to deal with the stress they went through replacing the birth certificates, social security cards etc, without knowing the numbers or having the important information with them.

I saw many people in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina who had an armful of things they grabbed and ran with. How many of them, do you think, had a small file filled with all of their very important information?

What did Hurricane Katrina teach me? It’s time to realize that no one is immune to a natural disaster. Even if something happens where you are unable to grab any supplies or that handy accordion folder, what about the disaster that happens where you do have the time to grab them?

To everyone affected by Hurricane Katrina, my heart aches for you, and my prayers are with you. To everyone who simply got to watch it unfold on the news, please prepare yourself. Make sure you have food and water for 72 hours per person in your household. Make sure you have copies of your important papers and information ready to go too. It might make the difference between having to put your life back together and not being able to put it back together.

Author Bio
The author Kerry Flinders is the owner of Personal Organizing Solutions located in Southern California. Kerry and her company are dedicated to helping others organize their clutter and their lives, eliminating unnecessary stress and helping the client to find more time in their day for the things they love. Kerry is the author of the book “Organizing With NO Budget”. You can find sign up for Kerry’s Organizing Newsletter, or request her Organizing Tip-Pak by visiting their website at personalorganizingsolutions.com

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As we continue to watch the heart-wrenching images of the damage and destruction brought on by hurricane Katrina, we naturally search for a way to make sense of it all.

Why is it so bad?

Why must so many suffer?

Why did this have to happen?

And perhaps the most meaningful question of all – What can I do to help?

Many people heard the call – and responded by personally traveling to the stricken area.

Many more donated money or other resources. Many have opened their hearts and even their homes to the seemingly endless number of displaced citizens.

And that’s the way it should be.

Human nature – at the most basic level – embraces human kindness. Nurturing is hard-wired into every human form.

But many people watching just don’t have the ability to help in these ways. And some have closed off their own hearts to compassion and therefore lack the willingness to get involved.

Others, having both the ability and the willingness to help – simply put off the choice to do anything.

No matter where you stand – and you do stand somewhere on the continuum of participation – Katrina has a message for you.

Whether you actively participate in the relief efforts, or whether you stand back and say, “It’s not my responsibility” – Katrina practically demands your attention.

For some, Katrina is a whisper. For others – more directly affected – it’s a shout.

Look at New Orleans as a metaphor for your life.

A city surrounded by levies – huge walls that keep out the water. It compares to a human heart – surrounded by walls – that keep out not only the pain, but also the emotions that come up in the living of life.

We build and plan and structure a barrier that keeps us from feeling our own emotions. We fortify ourselves, and like to think we’re ’safe’ – because we’ve protected our hearts.

Along comes something that breaks through our walls. All of a sudden we’re vulnerable and exposed. Our pain is revealed. Our walls failed and we must deal with it – like it or not.

The first message:
Examine Your Walls.

“Where do I sandbag my emotions? Where is my wall? What do I do to keep out the pain? Is that really the best option?”

Secondly:
Many on the news have quickly turned to blame and pointing fingers.

“Who is responsible for this?!”

“Who should be held accountable?”

“Who’s to blame?!!”

The message for you to ponder:

“Who is responsible for my life? Who is running the show? Is my ego or my inner child making the rules and decisions in my life – or is it me – as the adult – who’s in charge?”

Seek your own inner authority. Become aware of the various ‘agencies’ inside of you right now.

You are a multi-faceted individual – much more complex than you may realize. Who’s leading your life? Who’s been forced to take responsibility for your actions?

Do you function as a child, an adolescent, a critical parent, or do you function as an adult?

A third message of Katrina:
“Where do I feel uprooted and removed? How have I been ‘forced’ to abandon my hopes and dreams – my joys – and my heart’s desires?

“How have I been separated from my own visions of living a happy and productive life? Where is my forced separation that has turned me into a refugee from my heart and soul and spirit?”

Katrina offers a chance for introspection and an opportunity to learn more about yourself.

The examples listed above are certainly not the only messages – but they offer a starting point for pondering your own situation in life.

Ultimately, Katrina calls for compassion, for gracious giving, and eventually for cleansing and rebuilding.

Externally – in New Orleans and the surrounding areas… and internally – in your heart and *its* surrounding areas.

Author Bio
Mark Ivar Myhre, The Emotional Healing Wizard
To begin the journey of emotional healing, cleansing and rebuilding, grab your complimentary, no-cost copy of The Emotional Healing Quick Start Guide, by sending a blank email to jtf1@getresponse.com

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Recruiting in the Security Industry is an extremely difficult task. Security Companies often compound these problems by making these 8 common mistakes:

Not posting accurate and clear job descriptions.

Companies tend to make the job description sound more exciting then it actually is, or leave it vague in an attempt to attract more applicants. This strategy may attract more people, but they are typically people you do not want. You could go through the entire hiring process only to have the employee find out the actual job is not what he or she believed it was. Instead post a clear and detailed description of the job functions. This will prescreen out applicants who do not want to perform the specific job and help limit new employee turnover.

Not posting a list of job qualifications.

If you need a specific license or degree to perform the job function then that needs to be posted with the job description. This will force unqualified applicants to screen themselves out. Too many managers waste time sorting through applicants who do not meet the basic qualifications. Don’t be one of them!

Hiring “warm bodies.”

Some companies become desperate and hire candidates simply because they can fog a mirror. While this may be an effective short-term solution, over the long term it is detrimental to the company and its image. Instead time should be taken to find the right person. If your company does not have a contingency plan for times you may be short employees make one now!

Not conducting reference checks.

It is shocking how many Security Companies do not pick up the phone and do basic reference and employment checks on candidates. This is standard procedure in many other fields. So much can be gained from making this simple effort. The Security Industry is full of job hoppers who continually follow the same pattern. Reference checks are an easy way to find out if your candidate has left previous jobs on good or bad terms. If you find that there is a history of upset employers, steer clear of the potential problem.

Not having shift supervisors meet candidates.

If you are a Hiring Manager chances are you will not be working directly with the person you are interviewing. Security Companies will hire individuals without getting the direct Supervisor’s input. This is a recipe for disaster. If the Supervisor is properly trained have that person conduct his or her own interview. If not, have them sit in while you conduct one. Their input could be invaluable, and if they feel like they cannot work with the individual, you just saved yourself a potential headache.

Hiring someone just because they have performed the job before.

This is a big one in the security industry. Managers want to hire employees who have been in the business and done the job before. This limits the amount of creativity and new ideas that are brought to the workplace. In addition, supervisors must help the employee unlearn all of the bad habits that he or she has picked up along the way. Experience could be a plus but make sure it is not the sole reason a candidate is hired.

Hire someone who is just like you.

It is easy to hire someone who is just like you. However, will the company benefit from having your clones running around everywhere? Diversity is the key. Companies need individuals with different strengths and expertise to flourish. Remember if everyone you hire is the same they will all share the same weaknesses!

Looking for Superman.

Superman is the ultimate employee. Who doesn’t want to have someone work for them who is faster then a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Plus heat vision is pretty cool too. However, real people have real limitations. If you set the bar too high you will never be able to fill the available position. Instead look for the right person for the right job. The Man of Steel has too many people to save!

Author Bio
Chris Shilling has vast experience in the Security and Business Management fields. He and his partner currently operate the recruitment website www.securityemploymentservices.com.

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div class=”author”By: a href=”http://www.articlegeek.com/authors/43.php”Michael Harris/a/divp The UK registry at Companies House provides a useful service for limited companies. In addition to incorporating and dissolving companies they also maintain the national register. This involves the recording and storing of data relating to all UK incorporated companies and LLP’s. Historically most records were updated by the submission of manual forms. This would include the submission of company accounts, change of address forms and forms appointing new company officers as well as many other documents. Whilst this system has served a purpose for many years it is far from secure as signatures are not checked and changes are implemented without further checks.br /br /Identity fraud has increased over recent years, which meant that the previous system at Companies House was open to serious abuse. Companies have found their records have been updated without their knowledge. Individuals can masquerade as company officers, open bank accounts and enter into fraudulent contacts. It has been too easy for too long for businesses to be deceived and for companies to be hijackedbr /br /However, Companies House has now introduced some basic protective measures that limited companies in the UK can adopt. Firstly they have introduced ‘WebFiling’. This is an electronic online filing system. It allows companies to make changes to their company details online. Instead of posting forms to Companies House changes can now be made in minutes online. To increase security there are two simple security procedures used. A security ‘authentication code’ is issued for each company and users require a security code to access the software.br /br /The second security improvement is that users can sign up for Companies House ‘PROOF’ service. This means that they will no longer accept manual paper forms to make changes to your company records. This stops the opportunist from simply completing forms and posting them to Companies House. Any paper forms will require further authorisation from existing officers.br /br /Whilst these two points should reduce identity theft companies can also ‘monitor’ their companies filing. This does not literally require daily monitoring of Companies House. For a small fee of £0.50 per annum Companies House will inform you by email every time a document if filed at Companies House for your company. This includes manual and electronic filing. This means that you can double check all changes made to your company without leaving your desk.br /br /These three simple to implement measures should help protect the future identity of your limited company. Not only will you have piece of mind but you will save your company time and money by filing online. br / /pp strongAuthor Bio/strongbr /Michael Harris is a university graduate who has worked within the company formation and business advice industry for many years. The SFS Group of Companies provide same day a href=”http://www.sfsgo.com/” target=”_blank”company formation/a /p emArticle Source: a href=”http://www.articlegeek.com”http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content/a/embr /br /div class=”zemanta-pixie”img class=”zemanta-pixie-img” alt=”" src=”http://img.zemanta.com/pixy.gif?x-id=52f9a07a-2664-8cad-bb10-a52e7dbd351f” //div

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In an age of Tivo, iPod, Podcasts, and Xboxes, today’s consumers are turning from traditional media to new forms of electronic entertainment, making them increasingly more difficult to reach through traditional advertising mediums. The challenge that marketers face today is finding innovative – and entertaining -opportunities to connect their brand with their targeted audiences.

A new media vehicle for brand marketing is through the use of advergames. Advergames are custom-developed online video games created specifically for a brand, where the plot and game-play revolve around a featured product or offering. Through word of mouth, offline marketing and online gaming channels, consumers are invited to play these branded games for free. Advergames are typically posted to a special area of an organization’s Web site, and are distributed to consumers through e-mail or accessed from popular online gaming portals. Advergames are quickly becoming a natural catalyst for generating viral advertising opportunities.

Studies show that consumers are willing to enjoy hours of free online gaming entertainment for the small price of experiencing subtle product placement and brand messaging in the context of the game. Many leading brands – ranging from Axe, Coca Cola, Dodge, Ford and Nike – have created their own branded video games, which allow consumers to experience their products through branded entertainment.

The key factor in making a successful advergame is incorporating a brand or product into the game to create a realistic and entertaining situation around the game play. An example of this would be if an automobile manufacturer featured the exact make and model of a SUV in an off-roading game. As players advance in the game, they could update to a higher model SUV and also select upgraded vehicle features. Likewise, a brand-name athletic shoe company could feature a sneaker in a basketball advergame. As players advanced in the game, they could select different models of shoes that would affect their performance and strength of their basketball abilities.

The success of an advergame is easily measured. Because prospect data and contact information is gained from game registration, brands can easily track who is visiting the site, the total accumulated hours of game play, and the number of times a game was referred or e-mailed to a friend – all valuable information to marketers.

Advergames present a tremendous viral branding opportunity for companies to exponentially distribute branded content across a range of audiences. With consumers increasingly turning from traditional media to new forms of electronic entertainment, it’s time for brand marketers to “get their game on” if they want to keep their competitive edge.

Author Bio
David Smith is co-founder of Engage In-Game Advertising, http://www.EngageAdvertising.com, the first independent in-game media company to provide strategic planning and placement services for video game advertising. Learn more about this new approach to target audience advertising at www.engageadvertising.com/gaming_landscape.html.

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After investing in a good camcorder, a sales person may suggest a lens filter for your new purchase. You wonder, are they just trying to make another sale or is there a justifiable reason for considering adding on a filter? Most of us aren’t professional videographers and have no intention of producing a feature film with our camcorder, but lens filters do have a purpose even for those of us who use a camcorder only for recreational purposes.

There are many types of filters for camcorder lenses, each with their own purpose but some of the most common may be of interest to the average consumer as a way of assuring better films and protecting their investment.

Protective filters

A clear filter can be used over the lens of the camcorder to protect it from dirt, fingerprints, and other debris which may scratch or otherwise damage the lens. Replacing a damaged filter is far less expensive than replacing the lens. Using a UV lens filters can also protect against damage from ultraviolet light. Protective lenses are often attached and remain on the camcorder throughout its lifetime.

Polarizing filters

A polarizing filter can act to reduce glare caused by reflected light that bounces off of surfaces such as glass, snow, and water. These camcorder lens filters are particularly useful when filming outdoors where it can be particularly difficult to control reflective light or when shooting a film through a window.

Neutral density filters

Attaching a neutral density filter on your camcorder can help to reduce over exposure in shots as they decrease the amount of light entering the lens. The darker grey the lens filter the more light they filter out and thus the darker the resulting images in the film.

Color correction filters

There are a variety of color correction or color compensating filters that can be used to create different effects. For instance, to make a sunset more red or an ocean more blue. As these tend to be used for more creative or artistic purposes these lens filters are used less frequently by the average consumer.

Diffusion filters

Both diffusion and fog filters on a camcorder can soften images. Diffusion filters in particular are used when filming up close shots of people to flatter their faces by softening any lines or imperfections on the skin.

Although many consumers do not opt to purchase additional accessories for their camcorder, lens filters can be very useful. While some provide a very affordable alternative for protecting expensive camcorder equipment, others allow users to produce better films with less overexposure and more creative effects.

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