We would like to acknowledge the following contributors to this month’s STAE issue.
The Sterling Creations accessibility team, the Sterling Creations research team, Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison who are our resident business consultants, Scott Savoy our managing editor, Christian Robicheau our assistant editor, and Donna J Jodhan our president.
Meet Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison
Our resident experts with over 45 years of business consulting experience between them. These two are the authors of several books, articles, and newsletters. They are highly paid consultants to the US, British, and Canadian governments and they continue to “Walk the talk” on a daily basis.
Their first book “Secrets to financial success” was published in 2003 and sold over 100,000 copies in just one year. Their second book “Untapped wealth” was published in 2004 and sold over 225,000 copies in just 18 months. Next came their first edition of “Untapped wealth discovered” which was published in September 2005 and as of March 2007 this little gem sold over 400,000 copies. In April 2006 Marquis and Harrison followed up by publishing the second edition of “Untapped wealth Discovered” and as of March 2007 this power packed book was estimated to have sold over 320,000 copies. What a picture for this dynamic duet! To have sold over one million books in just a little over four years is truly a remarkable feat for this unbeatable combination.
Thanks to the American government, Marquis and Harrison are now very hard at work on their next book and you’re probably wondering by now why we’re so excited about it all. It’s very simple! These two authors have written best sellers that will show you how to make income safely, logically, and soundly. Their strategies are proven and thousands of business experts are saying that they make complete sense. In short, these two authors have written books that are free of smoking mirrors, broken promises, get rich quick schemes, and seedy scams.
They and their team of consultants work tirelessly to produce daily blogs that are jammed packed with up to the minute news wires and headlines from around the world, business news and trends, and current strategies. Marquis and Harrison are also motivational speakers and are booked solid till the end of 2008. They and their team also help countless businesses and individuals to research and write complaints and editorials so that the voices of their clients can be heard.
If you’re looking for ways to make lucrative income for the rest of your lives then please buy this very affordable book. If you’re seeking dynamic opportunities in markets that are safe, fast growing, and long lasting, then you need to pick up a copy of this book. If you’re serious about wanting to secure your financial future and at the same time realize personal satisfaction then this best seller is definitely for you.
You can purchase a copy of any of their best sellers from www.amazon.com, or from any other large bookstore. You can check out their daily blogs on the business desk page at www.untappedwealth.com as well as at:
I’d like to congratulate the hard working staff at the STAE magazine on reaching their second anniversary. In April 2005 Sterling Creations launched the free STAE online magazine and since then we’ve never looked back and we continue to go from strength to strength.
I’d like to thank all of our readers and contributors for all of their comments, contributions, and critiques for without all of you we could not have done it. We hope that you continue to enjoy our magazine as much as we enjoy bringing it to you!
Ask the expert
Evaluation of social networking sites
May2007
By the Sterling Creations accessibility team
Hey there! This month we’d like to address a frequently asked question and that is are blind and visually impaired persons able to access those social networking sites? IE, those sites that offer such things as dating services, socializing, etc?
Some sight impaired persons have told us that it is very difficult to do, others have been fairly happy with accessibility. We’re going to publish an article this month that was put out by the American Foundation for the blind and we’ll let you be the judge. In this article the AFB evaluates social networking websites.
American Foundation for the Blind Evaluates SocialNetworking Sites
Visual verification has become a real barrier to us.
American Foundation for the Blind Evaluates Social Networking Sites
By American Foundation for the Blind
U.S. Newswire, November 15, 2006
CAPTCHAs on MySpace, Facebook, and Friendster Shut Out Blind Users
To: National Desk
Contact: Adrianna Montague-Gray of the American Foundation for the Blind,
Hello there! This month we’d like to focus in on the growing problem of identity theft. It’s time for us to take matters into our own hands and take a firm stand against these identity thieves. Nothing could be more devastating and vexing when these thugs are allowed to get the better of us. We have to fight back if we hope to keep our possessions and ourselves safe.
Our chosen article this month gives us some good tips on how to protect ourselves from identity theft and we hope you find it useful. Enjoy the month of May.
Privacy Commissioner's Message
Five Key Steps to Reduce the Risk of Identity Theft
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes and it can affect everyone, including you. Protect your personal information from being at risk.
Identity theft involves the unauthorized collection and use of your personal information, including your name, date of birth, address, credit card, Social Insurance Number and other personal identification numbers, usually for fraudulent purposes.
The societal and personal costs of identity theft can be significant, but there are some basic steps you can take to reduce your risk:
Protect your computer by using a firewall, anti-virus software and other security measures. An increasingly common practice is the use of malicious code (viruses, worms and Trojan horses) to acquire the personal information needed to commit identity theft.
Always be suspicious of e-mails from financial institutions, Internet service providers and other organizations asking you to provide personal information online. Reputable firms generally do not ask for personal information in this manner,but if you are at all uncertain, look up their phone number in the phone directory and call them. Clues to fraudulent e-mails include lack of personal greetings and spelling or grammatical errors. Under no circumstances should you click on any links in the e-mail or cut and paste them into your browser - chances are the link will take you to a fake website.
Identity theft does not solely take place online. Protect your mail - place outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office. Promptly remove incoming mail from your mail box. Get into the habit of shredding or destroying pre-approved credit card, insurance or loan applications, bills, credit card receipts - anything that contains your personal information - when no longer needed. Also, get into the habit of checking your credit report on an annual basis - the major credit reporting bureaus will provide one free report each year.
Do not give out personal information over the phone, unless you know the person to whom you are speaking, or you initiated the call yourself. If someone calls with an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do not let them pressure you into disclosing personal information or making any other commitment - if they do pressure you, hang up.
If, for any reason, you believe or suspect that your personal information may have been compromised, contact the proper authorities (i.e., your bank, credit card issuer, credit reporting bureaus, utility provider, and so on) as soon as possible. Depending on the nature, extent and severity of the compromise, you should also consider contacting local law enforcement.
From the soap box
Spam emails a growing menace
May 2007
By Scott Savoy
Hello! This month I’d like to zoom in on spam emails. A recent IBM study has shown that about 63 billion emails can be classified as spam on a daily basis and this stat applies to America and Canada. According to this study this amounts to about 77% of emails received daily can be classified as spam.
This stat is very high and it has grown six fold within the last year alone. One may beg the question: What can we do to combat these spammers? Some may think not much but others including me don’t agree. There are some things that we can do but it would take a huge effort on the part of us all. The first thing that comes to mind is for us to obtain spam protection software for both our servers and our computers. There is software available that can block spam emails on the servers and spam software that we can use to block spam emails coming into our in boxes. The next thing we can do is to simply ignore them.
If you have an idea of who regularly sends you emails, then you would be able to quickly identify the unfamiliar senders and just delete those without even reading them. Most spammers these days send emails in the guise of financial institutions, dating services, lottery notifications, sweepstakes notifications, stock market tips, too good to be true offers, and appeals for help. What you need to do is to be able to quickly clue in to the subject line and if it does not look like something that you are expecting, or something that does not make sense, then just delete the email in question.
If you receive an email with an attachment from an unknown sender, simply delete it without even thinking of checking it out. Chances are that nine out of 10 times this is a spam email.
We need to take control over these spammers and their spam emails for if we don’t and don’t do it soon, we run the risk of having to live lives of spending useless and precious time dealing with more and more spam emails. Anti spam software can certainly help but we need to help ourselves as well.
The president’s feature
Be ware of what you disclose on your resume
May 2007
Sponsored by Donna J Jodhan
Hi everyone! Spring is here and it’s the time when hundreds of thousands of graduating and non graduating students start sending out resumes. Or should I say that it’s the time when most of these students finally get around to sending out their resumes after a long year of toiling away at their books.
School is almost over for most, and over for others and I thought that it would be a good idea to provide you with some tips as to what you should disclose on your resumes. For after all, the key to your first or next job will probably lie in how good or bad your resume is. I wish all of you the very best in your job search and I hope that my chosen article is of some help to you.
Happy hunting to all.
Beware of what you disclose on resume
By Kim Isaacs
University at Buffalo Reporter - Buffalo,NY, January 18, 2007
The 2000 US Census reports that nearly one in five Americans has some type
of disability. However, most of these people aren't working -- according to
the New Freedom Initiative, the unemployment rate for adults with
disabilities is around 70 percent.
These statistics suggest that people with disabilities may have to work
harder to land a new position.
The most important job search tool -- the resume - has to be in top shape.
Follow these experts' advice on how to address a disability on your resume.
Should You Mention a Disability?
" The first thing job seekers need to ask themselves is, ' Can I do the
job?'" says Jonathan Kaufman, Monster Disability Advisor and president of
DisabilityWorks. com. " If the answer is yes and the disability doesn't
affect job performance, then don't mention it."
Jeff Klare, CEO of Hire DisAbility Solutions, which is jointly operated by
Monster, has a similar view. " Never reveal a disability on a resume," he
says, citing the possibility of discrimination or preconceived, inaccurate
notions about disabilities as the primary reasons to avoid the topic.
Dr. Daniel J. Ryan, author of The Job Search Handbook for People with
Disabilities and director of career planning at the University at Buffalo,
State University of New York, concurs. " Employers use resumes to weed
people out, so anything on the resume that would allude to a disability --
given the realities of the marketplace -- will probably work against you,"
he explains.
Top 3 Reasons to Avoid Disclosing a Disability
1. Fewer Interview Invitations: " Not securing an interview is one of the
major potential pitfalls of revealing a disability on a resume," Klare
says.
2. A Reason to Eliminate You: Your resume is a marketing document. " Show
that you have the requirements the employer is seeking, and eliminate
anything that might move you to the ' reject pile,' whether that's typos,
coffee stains on your document or having a disability," Ryan says.
3. The Law Is on Your Side: " Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you
don't have to say anything," Kaufman points out.
Exceptions
" I would only reveal a disability on a resume if I knew that it would
increase my chances of getting the job," says Ryan. " This is rarely true,
except for when applying for programs designed specifically to recruit
people with disabilities, or if the disability is related to the position (
for example, a visually impaired counselor for those who are visually
impaired)."
Disability- Related Employment Gaps
How should you handle employment gaps caused by medical- related absences?
" If there's a big gap ( two or more years), it helps to have a filler,"
suggests Klare. But Klare advises against disclosing your disability on
the resume or cover letter as the reason for the gap.
" There are many ways to fill gaps," he says.
Options include volunteer work, continuing education or other activities you
performed during your time away from the workforce.
Additional Resume Pitfalls to Avoid
Be careful about including achievements on your resume that could
unintentionally reveal your disability. That doesn't mean you have to omit
all references to organizations that are tied to your disability, but use
common sense.
" Clearly, ' Gold Medal, 2006 Special Olympics,' implies you have a
disability," says Ryan. " However, ' Treasurer, American Cancer Society
Chapter' does not."
Interview Concerns
People with visible disabilities ( e. g., noticeable impairments to speech,
hearing, sight or mobility) might want to disclose the disability so there
are no surprises at the interview. Ryan advises against this. " Get your
foot in the door for interviews, and if the disability is visible, put
their minds at ease early on in the process, assuring employers that you
have the skills to do the job,"
he says.
Special Accommodations
" Each disability has a built- in accommodation requirement, from none to
many," says Klare. So you need to know the accommodations you will need for
your disability and pose proactive solutions once there's mutual interest
in your candidacy. " For example, a diabetic might need two 15- minute
breaks for insulin and access to a refrigerator, but it's best to discuss
this after you get the job," he adds.
Klare recommends knowing what equipment may be needed to accommodate your
disability and where to source it. " Become a team player from the
beginning," he says.
Kaufman points out that the average cost for accommodations is $ 500 or
less. " And many times it's nothing," he says, adding that employers can
often leverage or adapt technology, resources and other tools already in
place.
Klare's final advice: " Use the resume to open the door, and then let the
person come out in the interview."
The purpose of this article is to both provide information and facilitate
general dialogue about various employment- related topics.
No legal advice is being given and no attorney- client relationship
created. Please see the disclaimer for further limitations and conditions.
) 2006 Monster - All Rights Reserved - U. S. Patent No. 5,832,497 - NASDAQ:
Hi! It seems as if we’re on the topic of scams and scammers for this month’s issue and I’d like to follow on with an email that I came across not too long ago. This email has been making the rounds for some time now but I thought that it would be a good idea for me to republish it. Note: this email came with an accompanying attachment for you to save to your hard drive.
If you receive this email, then please ignore it. Delete it immediately. This is a scam!
If you take two seconds to think about it you’d soon realize that the promotion and promise listed in this email is totally illogical.
Have a great month of May.
"How would you like to have your ad
on 2 Million Websites ?"
I'm not pulling your leg!
Discover the new way of advertising on the Internet!
This Tool is one of the hottest - if not the hottest - marketing tools available!
Discover the power of the Blog Blaster!
Brandnew software revolutionizes the power of online advertising
-never seen before!- BRAND NEW FOR OCTOBER 2005!
How would you like 2 Million Sites linking to your ad ?
Hi, my name is Sebastian Foss. Are you like me? Frustrated by the lack of traffic coming to your Site ?
After all, how many times a day are you BOMBARDED with some lame "get-traffic" scheme on the Internet?
Well, I've got great news for you.
One day I had an idea. An amazing idea actually.
Weblog or blog population is exploding around the world, resembling the growth of e-mail users in the 1990s.
Post your ads where people read them!
- What if you could place your ad on all these sites ?
Right, that would mean you would have millions of sites linking to your ad - and my idea actually works.
I have developed a software that automatically places your ad on millions of blogs.
You will receive thousands of targeted hits to your website as Blog Blaster places your ad on blogs that match your ad's category.
This method has never been released to the public before. Very few, if anyone has implemented this.
Helpful tips
May 2007
By the Sterling Creations research team
Hey there! For our first contribution this month we’ve chosen some tips that we hope you find of some use. Enjoy!
Helpful tips for May:
Curious to know a bit more about cancellation insurance?
If you book a flight using the Internet then cancellation insurance does not apply.
If you book a flight directly through the airline it also does not apply.
However, if you book a flight through your friendly travel agent, you can certainly obtain cancellation insurance.
Best months to plan a trip to the Caribbean?
Usually between the months of May to September.
It's when prices are cheapest and hotels and airlines are dying for travelers.
December to March are the worst months as it's most expensive then.
However, watch out for hurricanes between June and November.
The cheapest way to make long distance calls while away from home?
Use those handy and very economic prepaid long distance cards.
Using cell phone can sure run you into lots of expenses especially when it comes to paying for those roaming charges.
Looking to add a refreshing orange flavor to your cup of tea?
Store your teabags in a container and add dried orange peel to it.
Make sure that your container is tightly closed.
The most suitable bag for storage in your freezer?
The food experts are unanimous that those all-purpose bags come out ahead of the ziplock bags.
They are very reliable when it comes to keeping your meats and vegetables fresh for long periods of time.
The experts don't believe that the ziplocks seal well enough.
Best place to store your onions and potatoes?
Yes, in the drawer of your fridge.
You can safely store them for up to three months at a time.
How long can you safely keep eggs in your fridge?
If you're talking about the uncooked ones that you buy straight from your supermarket,
Then up to about six months.
Accessibility news
Legislation coming
May 2007
By the Sterling Creations research team
Happy springtime to you all! This month we’d like to centre our attention on the beautiful Caribbean island nation of Jamaica. This island is really making strides towards making accessibility more of an issue and focal point and to that end they are passing legislation to protect those who are less fortunate, the disabled, and seniors. Hope you find this article of interest.
Legislation coming to protect the disabled (features Senator Floyd Morris)
The Jamaica Gleaner, October 02, 2006
Legislation is coming soon to protect the rights of the disabled community
in Jamaica.
State Minister for Labour and Social Security, Senator Floyd Morris, who is
also blind/visually impaired, announced on Friday that his ministry had
received a preliminary draft of the bill from the Office of the Chief
Parliamen-tary Counsel (CPC), the body set up to craft Jamaican law.
Speaking in the State of the Nation debate in the Senate, Senator Morris
said his ministry had reviewed the document and sent it back to the CPC.
Consultation
"As soon as we receive the corrected draft, we are going to hit the road for
consultation with the public as it relates to the legislation," he said.
He also mentioned Jamaica's recent participation in the draft International
Convention for the Protection of Rights and Dignity of Persons with
Disabilities at the United Nations.
The junior minister said that while the country had made strides in
improving the quality of life of the disabled, it was pivotal that Jamaica
be among the first set of countries to sign the new convention.
I bought Untapped Wealth Discovered a few months ago and it certainly has lots to offer. The authors have done a good job of identifying certain hot spots for potential opportunities and I like how they’ve laid out the chapters having one whole section for women.
From Brian Wong of New York:
Do you think that this magazine could make some effort to give some tips to newcomers to America? I’m from Hong Kong and I’m trying to find some info on how to learn more about the culture of America. I’m here with my wife and two young kids. My wife and I are both doctors and everyone tells me to go to the Internet and do some research but there’s so much info to read through. I need some crash courses on American culture. Could someone help?
From Fred Gerber of New Jersey:
I’m looking for a course on how to learn to play an electronic keyboard. How to lay down tracks, do sequencing, etc. I’m blind, have been for most of my life and every music school that I’ve tried so far has turned me away because I’m blind. If anyone knows of a school or a course that teaches a blind person how to use an electronic keyboard then please send your response to this magazine. Thanks.
From Tim Reagan of San Francisco California:
Does anyone know if there are any devices out there to help me become a bar tender? I am visually impaired and I’d really like to learn how to become a bar tender. I think that it would be cool to be a blind bar tender.
From Jennifer Dobson of Florida:
Someone in last month’s issue asked the president Donna Jodhan to focus a bit more on women’s issues. Is she going to do so?
If you have a contribution to make or comments to share then please send them to info@sterlingcreations.ca and we would be delighted to print them as long as they do not contain offensive language.
Advertisements
Professional chess teacher and associates at your service
Are you interested in learning how to play chess? Or how would you like to receive personalized coaching and preparation, practice and tips for those all-important chess tournaments?
It does not matter if you are a beginner, intermediate player, or professional. Kids and adults of all ages and levels are welcome.
Meet Nadia Shishkina! A world-renowned chess teacher with vast experience in the world of chess. Nadia has taught extensively in both Russia and Canada and she can teach you in person, via the Internet, and even by phone. She can reach you anywhere and everywhere and she and her associates are standing by to help you enjoy the wonderful world of chess.
Nadia has and continues to teach both sighted and non-sighted students as well as persons of special needs.
If you live in the Toronto area and are looking for ice skating lessons then we have someone for you.
Meet Jan Haney. Jan and her coaches have vast experience teaching kids, adults, and special needs persons. Jan has taught at all levels and she is an accomplished figure skater having skated with the renowned Ice Follies. She and her coaches can also work with power and hockey skaters.
For more information please call Skating Adventures at 416 282-9703.
Notes
If you would like to contribute an article to our magazine then please contact us at:
Comments to the editor can be submitted free of charge.
All submissions are reviewed and you will be notified if yours is chosen. If your submission is chosen we will print it upon receipt of payment.
Are you having difficulty finding qualified translators to translate written documents or audiocassettes? Are you looking for qualified and skilled persons to coach you in the English language? Are you looking for translators to translate your blogs, articles, and newsletters? Are you looking for electronic and audio transcription services?
Then look no further. For all translation and transcription services to and from English, Spanish, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin; please go to www.translationpeople.com and there you will find translation and transcription services to suit your needs.
Are your customers constantly complaining that your website is either too difficult to navigate or access? Are they saying that they have to wait for such a long time when trying to access your website? Or are your cell phone customers unable to access your website with their cell phones because there are just too many icons or graphics?
If you are looking for ways to improve access to your websites, improve the content of your documents, emails, faxes, letters, and proposals, then visit www.sterlingcreations.ca.
If you are looking for skilled and creative writers to help you craft and write your ideas, proof read and edit your documents then visit www.sterlingcreations.ca and go to the ghostwriters’ page and then you will find a variety of services that are designed to help you.
Are you looking for affordable research services? Services that will help you to produce more up to date articles, blogs, documents, newsletters, plus much more? Then visit the research services page at www.sterlingcreations.ca and there you’ll discover a wealth of affordable and professional research services.
If you are looking for new business ideas for yourself, your kids, or even a friend then visit www.untappedwealth.com and there you will be treated to a collection of free ideas and information and you will have an opportunity to purchase either a hard or electronic copy of “Untapped Wealth Discovered” written by Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison. You will also find up to the minute information on the business desk page, a list of very informative articles on some really important strategies on the top business strategies page, plus much more.
