Real Estate Investing By The Numbers

In a recent training session, our key topic of discussion was how to invest by the numbers. The longer that I spend investing in real estate and also evaluating projects around the county, the more and more I am astounded at the lack of knowledge from "so called" professionals. For most Real Estate Investing the level of analysis is not terribly difficult…. You find yourself doing the same thing over and over again. In this article, I will try and share this simplistic view and how you can know more than 95% of the "professionals" in this market.

What You Need To Know? For any investment, there really is 4 things you need to know and guess what, NOBODY gives them to you in a normal sales presentation. Let's break down each one and how it is obtained:

1)Purchase Equity – This is one of the simplest to obtain but is easily abused by sales people. What you want to know is what is your purchase price, relative to the actual STREET PRICE; i.e., the price a real individual in the area would pay to own your property. How do you get it? Appraisals, talking with agents in the area, running test ads in newspapers, etc.

2)Annual Appreciation (%) – Now the witch craft begins….. This requires a CRYSTAL BALL to look into the future. Because of this, appreciation is an OPINION that you should form on your own…. An "Experts" OPINION is still an opinion and you should treat it as such. To make an opinion, you had to consider things like job growth, lack of similar product, future demand, etc. Bottom line is that you would like to come up with a % number and this takes a little practice but after looking at a few areas, you can pretty easily form an opinion. PLEASE NOTE: If we "project" appreciation rates in an area, we are violating securities laws so we don't do this. We share all the information about an area and why we like it and then have to leave it up to the individual to form their own opinion. However, when we have decided to introduce a property, we have formed our own OPINION and we like what we see.

3)Annual Cashflow – Over time, you will either be making or losing money on this investment. It may turn out that small amounts of negative cashflow make sense if the annual appreciation and purchase equity are strong. The components that you have to gather for annual cashflow are

• Gross Annual Income
• Management Expenses
• Taxes, Insurance, HOA
• Interest Expenses
• Maintenance Estimates

Fortunately, most of the expenses can be estimated pretty closely. For gross annual income, realize that again, NOBODY can predict the future. So, you can gather market rents data that you believe are comparable, apply any safety factor that you like, and then use that for ESTIMATES.

4)Special Tax Situations – This is typically an unusual situation for individual investors but applies in areas such as the Go Zone where bonus depreciation can be used.

How Do You Use This Information Suppose you could see EXACTLY what was going to happen into the future….. Of course, we know this is unrealistic however it still does not hurt to try based on our assumptions.

Suppose you looked into the future and you saw that in 5 years, your net gain on a property was going to be a little over $87,000 with a $21,000 dollar total investment and a little bit of your time. If you KNEW that was GOING to happen, what would you do? Would you purchase the property? Would you pass on the property? Why?

Realize, that for a $21,000 investment, this equates to making 33.9% on your money, year after year after year. That is not too shabby. Let's apply the "rule of 72" here which states that you can calculate how long (approximately) it will take to double your money with a certain return %. You take 72% / 33.9% = 2.1 Years to double your money. Is this something that is good?

The answer of course depends on a few factors but let's put it into perspective. Suppose you invested $100,000 at a steady 33.9% rate of return. In 15 years, then you have now turned that $100,000 into $7.9 Million. Got your attention yet if you KNEW this was going to happen? Of course, if we have to take on all kinds of risks to get that return, then that may, or may not be such a good idea. If, however, it is low risk, now you have the makings of a good investment.

My argument now is that IF YOU COULD SEE INTO THE FUTURE, and you saw this kind of performance, you would be excited. Right? Well, why not pretend we can look into the future and CALCULATE what the future looks like using our 4 KEY parameters above. If we like the "future" answers, and we believe our assumptions, and we believe the risk to be low, isn't that a prudent approach?

For many non-investors, they believe that real estate investors take on tons of risk and are gun slingers…… Quite contraire, monsieur, that is exactly what we DON'T do. Good investors simply look at all the FACTS, make some estimates of key parameters, estimate future performance, and then play "what if" games to what happens if things don't work out exactly as thought.

New condos for Newport planned

It amazes me all the development that is being done in Newport. Ever since they revamped the area it has been absolutly booming. Now Cincinnati is (hopefully) going to be breaking ground on the banks project this year. I hope that they are able to at least match the success of Newport.

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More high-rise condos and office spaces are planned for Newport's riverfront.

This time the land is the site of the Riverchase apartment complex across Columbia Street from Newport on the Levee and adjacent to the $1 billion residential/retail/office complex known as Ovation.

The Newport City Commission heard plans Monday from Cincinnati developer Ray Brown for building a $228 million, 320-condo development in two high-rise towers and a third office tower on 5 acres.

The commission held a first reading Monday to change the zoning for the Riverchase apartment property to allow for the development.

Brown has owned the apartment complex since 2003 with his wife, Debbie, his daughter and his son-in-law. He said only in the past year had he considered developing it into high-rises.

The city of Newport had approached Brown about the possibility of running a rerouted Ky. 8 through the property, Brown said. Other developers had also expressed interest in the property. That got him thinking about the potential of the property, which houses 200 market-rate apartments.

"They say it is the best location on the river," Brown said.

Plans call for two residential towers, 19 and 23 stories tall, counting the garage levels underneath the residential floors. The office tower would have 10 floors of office space and six garage floors. There also would be 27,100 square feet of retail space and 211,000 square feet of office space.

The size and price of the condos will depend on the market, Brown said. They will have an unobstructed view of downtown Cincinnati, Brown said.

"There is nothing in front of it," Brown said. "Just stadiums."

The construction will be similar to Newport on the Levee in that it will be built to the level of the floodwall and have a public plaza with views of the river, said Greg Tulley, Newport's planning and zoning coordinator. There also will be potential for restaurants and outdoor dining, he said.

"There will be views from the units and public spaces," Tulley said. "There will be a beautiful view of the river."

Construction could begin within the year, Brown said.

It will likely take a year to move out the tenants in the Riverchase apartment complex, Brown said.

Construction could take up to eight years, he said. The first phase - a residential tower with 154 units - would likely take three years.

The buildings will be designed by Louisville firm Tucker Booker Donhoff + Partners.

Is It Time To Start Help With Drug Treatment?

Alcohol and drug treatment is available to assist any individual with an addiction or substance use problem. Each treatment is based on the unique needs of that person so that they can learn to control their addiction and live normal, productive lives.

Here are some suggestions to get you started on the path to recovery:

Acknowledge that the real problem is your use of drugs and/or alcohol. This first step may be the hardest step to seeking the drug treatment you need. Tell those people closest to you that there is a problem with drugs and now wish to seek drug addiction treatment. Family and friends can support you through this decision. They will not judge you and will love you while seeing you through this crisis. Explain the reason you believe you began using drugs and the alternatives you would like to seek.

If utilizing your family is not an option, try a minister or clergy. You may also choose to call your local addiction help resource center. You will be able to speak to a case worker who can assist you with all of your questions and offer you several alternatives.

Second, there are teratment resources available for alcohol and drug problems. Search for the most appropriate facility in your city or state. There are several types of facilities available, both inpatient and outpatient. The social worker available at the facility will be able to advise you of the best help available for your individual needs. It is very important to get matched up to the appropriate type of treatment for your needs. A professional can point you to the most appropriate type of treatment and facility for your case.

It is also a good idea to seek help from an individual addictions therapist in your area. Sometimes it is easier for people to speak with a therapist than anyone else. Often times it is easier to speak one on one than to go to a facility. It may be easier to start in individual therapy and be open to fifferent treatment options if suggested. Counselors are on your side, it is not you against them. It is very important that the person you seek has specialized training in addictions. Most often doctors and psychologists do not.

Remember that the toughest part of getting help for addiction is in admitting that you have a problem to begin with. If you have begun with that part, there are many people who are willing to help you with your drug treatment, but the first step is deciding to help yourself.

Learn 5 Easy Steps To Becoming Successful On The Internet

This article contains information about 5 tips when choosing a home based internet business. These 5 easy tips will help future entrepreneurs from being taken advantage of in their quest to become a successful online business owner. This artcile will help you learn what you can do to make sure you have the necessary information before making a financial committment to any home based business opportunity.

Are you confused about home based Internet businesses? I would like to share 5 easy tips when choosing a home based Internet business. These tips will hopefully help you if you are concerned about being taking advantage of, or if you have already been taken advantage of and do not want to repeat that bad experience again.

Every entrepreneur should be concerned about online scams because there are people who take advantage of those hoping to make money online. It does not have to be a "risky" gamble if you have done your due diligence before making a financial investment on any online offer that you see. You likely already know that there are individuals who make their living off of scamming people. Most home based online business are legitimate, however.

The point is that you need to be careful before spending any money on any program. If you take a little extra time before committing to any home based business and follow 5 easy tips, you will certainly be glad that you did. The last thing that you want is to become another statistic of another unlucky entrepreneur who fell for a so called home based business opportunity.

Most entrepreneurs are likely aware of online scams and have become quite skeptical to any new opportunity that comes along. Maybe you are one of those unfortunate people who have been taken advantage of. If so, I share your pain. I have been scammed before but never again. I have learned some very important lessons which will prevent this from happening again and I will share these tips with you.

These tips are important for any entrepreneur looking for a positive experience!

This article is in no way intended to discourage you from starting up a home based Internet business. The information provided to you is simply a tool to avoid you from becoming a victim from any online business scam.

It just takes a little dedication and a little work on your part to prevent any misfortunes in the entrepreneur arena! There are a few quick and easy tips that you can use to make the best possible decision. You should make sure you have these 5 easy tips when choosing a home based Internet business and also make sure that you apply these tips, as well.

Here are 5 tips When Choosing A Home Based Internet Business.

1. Research the company. This should be first and foremost with any home based Internet business. Contact the Better Business Bureau. .bbb.org).bbb.org) and see if there are any complaints against the company. Keep in mind that if you do see any complaints against the company that this does not necessarily mean that this is a bad company. Don't be afraid to ask for references.

Not everyone will be happy with the results of any company. This could be a result of that individual not doing their part to make their business a success. If you see a complaint, what you should look for are "resolved" complaints. If complaints have been resolved and if there are not a lot of complaints, this is a good sign that the company cares about its customers and believes in good customer service.

2. Understand that any home based online Internet business that promises you thousands of money with very little investment of time is just not true. Legitimate businesses succeed with effort. You should stay away from these companies. Any online or offline business requires work on your part.

3. Assess the skills needed to be successful in the opportunity that you are considering. Many home based online internet business opportunities that you see will require skills such as writing, graphic design, programming or web design. While this is not always true, you will undoubtedly need to let others know that you are in business. So, if writing is not one of your strong pointsArticle Submission, this does not mean that you should give up. Do not throw in the towell! Just hire someone who will write your articles or consider someone as a business partner who you believe can write effectively.

4. Get a written guarantee with your home based online Internet program. This is very important if you are purchasing a program that is going to cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars just to become a business owner.

5. Be willing to put in the time that will be needed to succeed with your business. Any successful business owner will tell you they had to work to become successful.

Does Your Business Need CRM Software?

When you started out in business, keeping track of customers, orders, and leads may not have been that difficult. After all, most companies do start out slowly. However, it won't take long for you and your staff to become overwhelmed by the challenge of keeping all your clients happy while also following up on hot leads and managing enormous amounts of customer data. You don't need to hire more people or stagnate your business's growth to solve the problem. The solution is to invest in Customer Relationship Management ( crm) software.

crm technology allows for the culmination of information regarding all customer-related activities, including marketing, sales, accounting, support, and more. With the click of a button, you can find out which leads responded to a direct mail campaign or which customers need to be notified about outstanding bills. Everything is right where you need it to be.

This technology grew out of a real need of businesses in the 1990s to meet the changing demands of consumers. As buyers became busier in their day-to-day lives, they became less patient and less tolerant of inefficient customer service, limited support, and slow response times. As a result, businesses turned to technology to create a streamlined way of answering those needs.

crm was, of course, the result. Companies which use CRM software can answer customer questions almost instantly and without forcing the consumers to come prepared with invoice numbers or account statements because all of that information is stored together in the CRM database.

CRM doesn't just help customers, however. The collected customer data can be used to help you learn which types of people to target with your marketing or to keep track of their buying habits that could be vital information for future sales and marketing campaigns.

The applications can also be used to manage new leads and to track their progress from first contact to first purchase. CRM programs can even alert you when it is time to follow up with a lead or a current customer. For example, it may send you a message when you need to send the next email of the marketing campaign or notify you to mail a birthday card to one of your best customers so that it reaches their home in time.

While CRM does offer a wealth of valuable functions and useful features which would make it versatile in any business environment, these types of benefits don't come cheap. Large corporations pay thousands of dollars for in-depth CRM programs, but you don't have to go that far. ACT! 6.0 for 2004. is one example of scaled down CRM application that meets your small business needs.

Just like the big guys, the program includes a database, tracking capabilities, and report creation abilities. It also includes event notification, an email client, pop-up calendars, pre-formatted correspondence templates, sales forecasting tools, and more. The program costs almost $230 for a single user or $950 for up to five licenses. That is quite a large budget chunk for most small businesses, yet it is considerably less than what larger companies pay for similar software.

An article in Harvard Business Review stated that retaining just 5% more of your customers could increase your profits by 70%. Keeping those customers and continuing to win new ones means taking action, but whether that action involves purchasing CRM software is up to you.

The bottom line is that Microsoft Access or a similar database program (many office software suites come with them) could be all you really need to manage your customer relationships. However, if you do decide to take the crm plunge, be sure to do your homework and look for reasonably priced programs such as AIMpromote and others that can offer the features you need at a price that won't bankrupt your business.

Foster parents decline

Why does a tragedy have to happen to make something go forward that should be common sense? And now that background checks are happening why is it taking so long to get the system right? I support background checks into people who want to be foster parents, these are kids for heaven sakes. However, some of the "crimes" that some are being flagged with have nothing to do with raising a child, and should have no impact on their being foster parents. We need to protect the children, but not at the point that someone can file an unreasonable complaint against someone.

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Publicity about criminal checks hurting recruitment; Parents complain about bad image

A group of Hamilton County foster parents complained Wednesday that publicity surrounding the county's background checks has painted them as criminals, hurt recruitment and spawned fear in foster children.

"We're asking that the media be given the entire truth," said Joan Gallardo, 58, of North College Hill, who has been a foster mother to 30 children. She was among seven who spoke on the issue at the Hamilton County commissioners meeting Wednesday.

"We don't wish to incite panic with families and with kids who need us."

Background checks were initiated of all foster parents and adults living in their homes in March following the death last August of 3-year-old Marcus Fiesel in a Clermont County foster home at the hands of his foster parents, David and Liz Carroll. Checks on 924 people revealed that 114 - or 12 percent - had arrest records. Of those, 87 people were convicted, according to the Clerk of Courts Office.

The Department of Job and Family Services is petitioning for the removal of 13 children from seven foster homes because of charges revealed in those checks, according to Brian Gregg, department spokesman.

But the "entire truth," as Gallardo put it, is that very few of the 311 crimes unearthed by the background checks would prevent people from being good foster parents.

Yet the media attention has tarnished the reputation of even the good ones, she said.

The number of Hamilton County foster homes has declined by 17 percent since Marcus died, shrinking from 329 in August to 273, according to Job and Family Services.

"We do hear from people anecdotally that the negativity out there has impacted their decision," Gregg said. "I have an anonymous letter that says, 'We're not all like the Carrolls but you're treating us like we all killed Marcus.' "

The number of foster-parent trainees is half the size of groups in the past, according to the Ohio Family Care Affiliate.

Pat McCollum, president of the organization's Southwest Ohio office, said a recent training class she led had only eight participants, when previous classes have had 30 to 35.

At Job and Family Services, inquiries about becoming a foster parent steadily declined each month, from 161 in August 2006 to just two last December, Gregg said. Information from private agencies, which typically handle the more hard-to-place children, was not available Wednesday.

"The negative image of foster parents being created by the distorted, misleading information disseminated by Clerk of Courts Greg Hartmann will cause a crisis in the Hamilton County foster-care system," said Sherrie Mathis, president of the Ohio Family Care Association, a state organization that supports and trains foster families. "Prospective foster parents don't want to be identified with David and Liz Carroll."

The foster parents didn't make any specific requests. But they did ask county commissioners, and Hartmann, who released the arrest information to the news media, to be mindful of the impact it has when all the details aren't known.

Hartmann was not at the meeting, but said later he thinks publicity has been critical to reforming Job and Family Services. "I think the reforms in place are good and are going to ensure these children are safe," he said.

At the same time, he said, "the last thing we want to do is hurt recruitment," and he hopes to encourage more people to become foster parents.

Commissioner Pat DeWine, who initiated the background checks, said he, too, is concerned about the decline in foster parents, but believes the checks have made the system better.

McCollum said a police record does not necessarily mean someone is a bad foster parent.

Foster mother LaVada Jo Caldwell, 60, of White Oak, is one example. She has been a foster mother to 75 children in 28 years, including "crack babies" and children with special needs - ones that are hard to place. She also adopted four children.

Yet her name was flagged during the background checks. Caldwell said an inoperable car was parked in her driveway for a month in 2004 while she took her family vacationing in Florida and someone filed a complaint. She never received notice of a hearing and returned from her trip to find out that a warrant had been issued for abandoning a car, a minor misdemeanor. The charge was dismissed, but the arrest remains on her record.

None of the foster parents said they oppose background checks. They just object to the way the results have been characterized in the press.

Commissioners Todd Portune and David Pepper agreed.

"How it is handled is critical," Portune said Wednesday. "It must not exploit the system or imply guilt on a broad group of people who are caring for children."

The county has hired an independent consultant to review the situations of foster parents who have arrest records. The consultant will recommend whether the foster child or children should remain in the homes.

Are You Ready for High Tech Golf

It was only a matter of time before golf and technology merged, and that time is now. From computer gadgets to software, you’ll find that there are some very interesting technological advances aimed at golfers, such as golf tournament software.

Scorekeeping is one place where software has really come into play. Keeping score on a single game of golf isn’t that difficult, but tracking a series of games and establishing a handicap for tournament play has traditionally been serious business. There are several types of scorekeeping software for golf players and some are even recognized by certain tournament officials to establish eligibility to play.

The options include online sites that are very simple to use. The golfer enters his or her information online and the program does all the calculations. Some golf organizations include the use of this type of program as a benefit of membership.

Evaluating a player’s swing has always been the bane of golf professionals and instructors. Where exactly is the player going wrong? And how can it be corrected? There are a couple of major programs for swing analysis available. Typically, a movie is taken of the golfer while he executes a typical swing. Then the computer software overlays an image of a perfect swing, giving the golfer and the instructor a frame-by-frame analysis. Not only is the golf swing slowed down for a critical look, but it’s easy to pinpoint any problems.

Practice is another area improved by technology. Those who want to practice their golf games often have very limited options. They can go to a driving range or golf course to get in real practice, or they can practice putting in limited space. But the golfer who lives in a crowded neighborhood can now use one of several golf aids to practice swings right in the backyard.

In this case, the answer doesn’t have to be high-tech, though there are some really great technical options. Some golfers use a net to catch the ball a few feet past the swing, though this does at least slightly limit the benefits of practice because there’s no way for the golfer to tell whether it would have been an excellent shot. Some of the high-tech golf aids allow you to see how far the ball would have traveled and the exact path it would have taken.

There will probably never be a time when computerized golf takes the place of 18 holes on your favorite golf course, but there’s no doubt that technology has an important role in golf today.

Must know tips for redesigning your website the right way!

Website redesigning can be as simple as you make it. However, it can also be as difficult as you make it. There are a number of things which you can do in order to make your website redesigning goes excellent. Here, we will take a closer look at some of the things that you can do in order to make sure that the website redesign process goes a whole lot smoother.

Pick A Reputable Website Designing Company

In order to get the best website redesign, it is important to make sure that you choose a reputable, well liked company. Not only is it important for them to have previous experience with website redesigning, but it is important for them to be able to cater to your needs.

They should be worried about what it is that you are looking for, rather than what they feel. Finding a website redesign company which is not only well known and liked in the company but that will also put your values before their own is very important to your website’s success.

Think of Increasing Your Success

If you know anything about website promotion, chances are that you know that the most important thing is for you to be successful. Increasing your company’s overall success can be a very important key to your company’s overall success.

There are a number of things which can be done in order to increase it, but the main key is to keep this goal in mind. You want your website promotion to be as successful as possible.

Develop a Good Style

One of most important things about website designing in general is the overall appearance of the website. Whether you decide that you want your website to have a white background with basic black writing or if you want it to be rainbow multicolored, having an overall style is very important to the look of our website.

It can determine several different things, such as the font which you decide to use and the graphics which you want to include on your website. Developing a style which you would like to have should be one of the first things that you do.

Think About Content

Although the appearance of your website is very important, the content which you want to include is very important. It can have an effect on both your website promotion and website optimization, which makes it very significant to your website redesign in general.

Making sure that the information that is available for people to read sounds very legitimate, believable, easy to read and easy to understand can be a major key to how well liked and effective your website will be in general.

Make it Very Keyword Rich

One of the most important keys to your website’s overall success and effectiveness is how well its website optimization is. How will you be able to improve the website optimization of your website?

Well, it is simple really. All that you need to do is make sure that you website is keyword rich, in order to increase its optimization within search engines.

Compare Websites in Search Engines

As previously mentioned, in order to develop the best website optimization for your website, you need to make your website keyword rich. But, what do you do if you are not sure which keywords will be the most effective for you?

One of these ways is to use search engines to find similar websites and see what keywords all of these websites have in common. This will give you a good idea of what types of keywords are popular for the type of website that you have.

Know it is Up to Date

One of the most important things that you need to keep in mind when you are in competition with another company is staying up to date. You should make sure that you check out the content that is on some other websites. This will give you an idea of whether or not your content is good enough, as well as whether or not your content needs to be updated.

Making sure that your website is up to date with the times can be a very big key to how successful your company will do in the future. If your website hasn’t been redesigned in years, chances are that it is very important for you to do.

Make Sure it is Easy to Navigate

One of the main keys to having a successful website is making sure that it is easy to navigate. If you have a business website which people do not understand how to use, chances are that they will not even try to use your services or buy your products.

When you go through the website designing process, it is important to make sure that your website is put into simpler navigation form. The website designing company which you choose to use will be able to do this for you, as this is something which they are very familiar with.

Make Sure it Grabs the Eye

One of the most important things that any website needs to do is grab attention. If you feel that yours does not grab enough attention, a website redesign may be necessary for you. Not only should your website contain some really nice graphic designs in order to increase how appealing it looks to the eye, but the fonts and overall design should also be perfect.

This is just one of the many things which website redesigning can do in order to increase your website’s overall appearance.

Develop Credibility

One of the most important things that you need to do in order to increase your websites sales through website promotion is make sure that your products or services are credible. How do you do this? Well, a number of ways. You need to make sure that you give as much information about your website as possible.

If possible, you can consider adding a discussion forum where all of your customers can recommend your services and share the experiences which they have had with your services.

10 Benefits of an Electronic Medical Record

An Electronic Medical Record is a secured electronic file of patient history, medical transcription notes, billing information, and all other information necessary to have complete personal medical records.

1. Speed

As mentioned in the introduction, the business world of the 21st century is fast-paced. Even in medical practices, speed equals ability to compete, especially when managing information. That is why an electronic medical record system, or EMR, is used by most medical practices. In addition, a fast electronic medical record system requires less time invested in trouble shooting and allows more time invested in caring for patients.

2. Storage

An electronic medical record is an electronic database of information capable of carrying much more information than traditional systems. An electronic medical record system can manage records from multiple offices as well as multiple types of records.

3. Security

An electronic medical record system secures records with backup files in case of emergencies. In addition, only authorized users may access them. This double security system is a "preventative medicine" for record viruses.

4. Support

Both practices and patients can access customer support from a medical billing specialist provided through the electronic medical record software. In addition to their support, electronic medical record software provides access to medical codes, including, ICD.9, HIPAA, HCFA 1500, and the latest CPT code books.

5. Accessibility

The latest electronic medical record technology allows information to be downloaded directly onto a PDA or Palm device. In addition to PDA access, authorized individuals can access an electronic medical record online from any location.

6. Affordability

This is perhaps the most appealing part of the latest electronic medical record technology. Every business wants to save money while at the same time adopting time-saving technology. Because electronic medical record software uses online technology, much of the set up costs and overhead are eliminated and reduced to monthly usage fees.

7. Infrastructure

Part of the money-saving nature of electronic medical record technology is the elimination of IT infrastructure and the streamlining of multiple databases. The infrastructure is simplified into one online database, even for multiple offices.

8. Versatility

I have already mentioned multiple office management with electronic medical record software, but there is much more to this software than meets the eye. Electronic medical record software stores medical transcription SOAP notes and medical codes. It allows multiple users. It also connects users to personal and online support sources.

9. Efficiency

We have almost made it full circle in our discussion of the benefits of having an electronic medical record. But efficiency is not the same as speed. Efficiency takes all of the duties involved in medical record and medical office management divided by time and money. Electronic medical record software can increase the numerators and decrease the denominators. Businesses often ask about the bottom line. Well, the math says it all.

10. Manageability

The benefits of an electronic medical record may sound wonderful, but there is one more question to ask: Is it user friendly? When adopting new technology, remember that the master needs to ride in the saddle, not the horse. Some technology requires so much attention that a business owner may be worried that he or she is now employed by the new technology and not the other way around. Electronic medical record software works for businesses.

Why are they still driving?

I will admit that I am a two time DUI offender. I am lucky that I did not seriously injure or kill anyone during my offenses. After my second one I wised up and gave up drinking. Now that I am a husband and father I also want to make sure my family is safe on the roads. How do we educate people that they should not drink and drive in the first place? How do we keep them off the roads after they prove that they will not learn the lesson. There are many good ideas, but unfortunately someone will come along and say we are infringing on someone else's rights. What do you think the right answer is?

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3,504 in SW Ohio Busted for DUI 5 or more times

Ohio's laws did not keep Paul R. Daugherty off the road despite at least seven drunken-driving convictions.

Now, a 39-year-old mother of four is dead, allegedly run over by Daugherty, who was accused of being drunk, this week in Clermont County.

Her death comes as state legislators push for new ways to toughen laws against the hundreds of thousands of drivers such as Daugherty with multiple drunken-driving convictions.

An Enquirer analysis of state data shows that more than 3,500 drivers have been convicted of drunken driving in Southwest Ohio five or more times. Another 86 have 10 or more convictions.

Almost half of the drivers arrested for drunken driving in Clermont County last year had been arrested on the same charge before.

Clearly, current laws aren't keeping drunken drivers off Ohio roads, said state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township.

Among the solutions proposed in Columbus are:

Requiring drunken drivers to install alcohol-sensing devices in their cars after one conviction. Such an ignition lock could have kept Daugherty from allegedly backing over Melissa Robbers early Monday outside an Amelia bar.

Use of the ignition device is optional in Ohio, left up to judges after three or more drunken-driving offenses.

Tougher penalties: Anyone with two or more convictions in six years would have to take a blood-alcohol test if stopped by police.

Beth Vanderkooi, spokeswoman for Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chesterland, sponsor of Senate Bill 17, said that if someone refuses a breath test on a third offense, police would have the legal authority to take the driver to the hospital to draw blood to test for alcohol content. It's a requirement in his bill, which she likened to being required to give a fingerprint once under arrest.

Jeffrey Meadows, a Butler County defense lawyer who specializes in DUI cases, said it's reasonable to draw blood when police get a search warrant. "Without that, I think it's frightening that the police can probably stand on your arms while someone else draws the blood. That's the frightening part."

Publicizing the names: An amendment by Sen. Patricia Clancy, R-Colerain Township, would require the state to post on the Internet a list of Ohioans with five or more DUI convictions. Daugherty had five prior DUIs, so his drunken-driving history would have been a public record. The state Senate is expected to vote this month.

Right now, first-time DUI offenders face a six-month license suspension, minimum $150 fine and three days in jail - which often is waived if the driver seeks treatment for alcoholism. The most that a third-time offender faces is 30 days in jail and one-year license suspension, but the exact sentence and fines are largely left up to judges.

Gov. Ted Strickland's administration is eager to toughen the laws, though the administration hasn't taken positions on any specific bills.

'SHOULDN'T HAVE A LICENSE'

An Enquirer analysis of state DUI records showed that almost 36,000 drivers have five or more drunken-driving convictions in Ohio, including more than 3,500 in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties, according to the state Department of Public Safety, based on records dating 1973.

"Somebody who has five DUIs, as far as I'm concerned, shouldn't even have a driver's license," Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones said.

Past legislation, including requiring repeat offenders to drive with a yellow license plate, have not succeeded in getting drunks off the road, said Andrea Rehkamp of Oxford, whose 14-year-old son, Kenneth Watson, was killed by a drunken driver in 1981.

Rehkamp is director of the Southwest Ohio chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In many cases, judges do not order their use, or offenders borrow someone else's car, according to MADD.

Doug Scoles, executive director of Ohio Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wants ignition locks for anyone convicted of DUI, "regardless of whether they are a repeat offender or not. First-time offenders, anybody.''

Scoles said such devices cost the driver about $79 a month, and some states and manufacturers have set up special funds for drivers who can't afford it.

Seitz said he modeled his bill requiring ignition locks after one passed in New Mexico in 2005.

But the American Beverage Institute - a Washington, D.C., association representing restaurants - thinks that requiring ignition-locking devices for first-time offenders is excessive enforcement.

"We believe people should be able to drink moderately and responsibly before driving home," said Sarah Longwell, an institute spokeswoman.

The institute favors increasing penalties for repeat offenders - including use of the ignition lock - and use of roving police patrols.

One study by scientists with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation found that the devices cut repeat offenses in half, but traffic fatalities blamed on alcohol have not changed.

'REALLY BAD CHOICES'

Bill Sandlin, 72, of Hamilton, hoped to spend his retirement fishing and golfing with his brother, Robert.

But Robert, 70, and his 16-year-old granddaughter, Missy Boling, were killed by a drunken driver in 1999 - a driver with a prior DUI conviction.

"I was planning on retiring so that we could do all the things brothers do," Sandlin said. "I think I played golf once since then."

Sandlin said he's forgiven the killer, Joseph H. Hoops, 44, of Hanover Township - who completes his eight-year prison sentence for aggravated vehicular homicide this year - but he will never forget the damage left by Hoops' van, reportedly traveling 90 mph when it went airborne and hit Robert Sandlin's car head-on.

"It was devastating to the whole family," Sandlin said. "Here's the thing about Hoops. He didn't go out that morning and say, 'Well, at 5 o'clock today, I'm gonna go kill a grandfather and his cheerleader granddaughter.' He made really bad choices. Really bad. ... He not only destroyed his own life, and really messed his family up, but he destroyed an unlimited amount of people who were family and friends to my brother."

Hoops declined an interview request.

Sandlin and other DUI victims say they're pleased that Ohio legislators want tougher laws on repeat offenders.

Sandlin still wonders why jail sentences vary from county to county and state to state. He'd like to see all first-time offenders locked up, or at least placed in mandatory alcohol-rehabilitation programs.

"Alcoholism is the only disease that's self-inflicted," he said. "I think we need to stop excusing people who are abusing alcohol to the extent that they begin hurting and killing other people."

MOTHER-IN-LAW MOURNS

No county in Ohio last year had a higher percentage of repeat DUIs than Adams, in southern Ohio. State data show that 57 percent of those convicted of drunken driving there last year had been convicted previously.

One of Adams County's convicted drunken drivers is Patricia Ann Edwards, 31, of West Union. She's serving 13 years at the Ohio Reformatory for Women, Marysville, for the deaths of her two daughters in an accident Dec. 10, 2005.

Edwards, who had a prior DUI conviction, declined an interview request.

Her sport utility vehicle crossed the center line on Ohio 125 near West Union and collided with a van. Her daughters, Morgan Daulton, 10, and Skylar Edwards, 6, were thrown from the SUV and died.

"It's something you never get over," Morgan's grandmother, Cheryl Daulton of Blue Creek, said. "Her and Skylar would get off the bus and come straight to the office and see me every day, and they would always say, 'I love you.' "

Daulton said newly proposed restrictions on repeat offenders, and an ignition-locking device, might have kept Edwards off the road. "It was a problem we knew she had.

"We definitely need more changes to the law," Daulton said. "Anything we can do to get a drunk driver off the road is worth (it) .... There's just not enough done to a drunk driver once they are stopped the first time. They can go on and on and do this again and just get a slap on the wrist."

Drug And Alcohol Rehab

Although it isn’t something most people talk about or even want to think about, alcohol and drug rehab are places that exist because of such an unfortunately high prevalence of a number of different addictions in society. In fact, so many people are having to deal with some sort of alcohol and drug rehab in their personal lives that a new reality show called “Intervention” is being shown to educate people on how difficult living with an addict can be and the way to direct a person toward rehabilitation. Alcohol and drug rehab serves a single purpose for any addicted person and that is to help this person to stop using the drug or drugs that they are dependent on.

There are a variety of ways that alcohol and drug rehab work to help a person stop abusing a controlled substance. One way is commonly referred to as ‘cold turkey’. This is where a person experiences the complete and abrupt discontinued of all addictive drugs or anything else on which they have become dependent. This type of alcohol and drug rehab often results in something called withdrawal that is often very unpleasant with side effects including vomiting, hot and cold flashes, hallucinations, paranoia, insomnia and other uncomfortable and sometimes frightening effects. Going cold turkey from barbiturates can be very serious and might lead to seizures that could become deadly. Alcoholics that stop drinking suddenly can cause delirium tremens, which is a type of psychosis.

There are other options available for rehabilitation at alcohol and drug rehab without having to go ‘cold turkey’. Some types of addictions have drugs that can be administered by a doctor in a alcohol and drug rehab facility that can lessen the common symptoms of withdrawal that would occur without assistance. Another option at many alcohol and drug rehab facilities is a program designed to help a patient to change his or her behavioral patterns in order to equip them with skills so that they have other actions to turn to when they are tempted to return to drugs or alcohol. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that anyone who is going through alcohol and drug rehab cease all communication and cut ties with anyone who is still using their substance of choice.

There are a number of different dependencies that can be treated at alcohol and drug rehab. Some of these dependencies that are treated include alcoholism, addiction to household products that can be inhaled, street drugs, prescription drugs and any combination of the aforementioned addictions. Sometimes a drug rehab visit is a court ordered result of an arrest based on charges involving one or more of these different dependencies.

The most common program associated with alcohol and drug rehab is called a Twelve-Step program. The purpose of a Twelve-Step program is to help addicts to find the strength and will power to stop using their substance of choice as well as explore and alter bad habits that are connected to their addictions. The goal of all types of alcohol and drug rehab programs is to eliminate all dependencies and to help every individual begin fresh with a full and rewarding life.

Scholars have 'signing day' now

Finally academics are bing honored in going from High School to College. Big deals are made out of Student Athletes signing with the school they have chosen to go to to play their sport of choice, but isn't the real point of education to educate? There are now high schools and colleges in Southwestern Ohio that are honoring these student. An Academic Signing day has happened two years in a row now. I am saddened that I did not hear about this last year, and I think it is a great idea. We should honor our future CEO's, Business Owners, Lawyers, Doctors, and Scientists. This is an excellent first step in bringing recognition to the real future leaders of America.

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Tuesday was Academic Signing Day at three Cincinnati-area high schools.

Winton Woods, Princeton and Hamilton high schools all held public celebrations that mimicked the much-publicized college signing events that top athletes enjoy.

This time, the students being honored are top academic achievers in their schools.

"This is probably one of the most important days in the academic calendar," Kevin Jones, college counselor at Winton Woods, told the audience of about 100 parents, community members and students who celebrated that school's top 15 seniors.

"We're here to celebrate their futures and their decisions of where they're going to college. We know it's a community effort to raise our students."

The students, in suits or dresses, announced their college acceptances and - with a little suspense - announced which college they chose and their probable major.

Then representatives from some of those colleges handed them small gifts - pennants, T-shirts and gift bags - and took pictures with their new recruits.

Lucille Dennis, whose daughter, Shapri, announced acceptances at seven colleges, said she's glad that younger students attended the event, because her daughter is a good example for them. "Some people do better when they see other people do better," she said.

Zelaya Meadows won a scholarship to Northwestern University to study biomedical engineering.

He said students aren't often honored for such skills as writing winning essays.

"Sometimes you have to look beyond the athletes," she said. "Some people apply themselves to other things besides sports."

Princeton and Hamilton high schools each highlighted their top 10 students at similar events Tuesday afternoon.

"It's the cream of the crop of our school, so we felt we should recognize them," said Joani Copas, a spokeswoman for Hamilton High.

Badin High School, the Catholic school in Hamilton, also plans to hold an academic signing May 22.

Academic signings are taking off in Southwest Ohio, in part because Princeton High's first academic signing last year generated so much goodwill and publicity, representatives of several schools said.

Also, Princeton's college counselor, John Beischel, teaches high school counselors at Xavier University.

He put the bug about academic signings in the ear of some of his students.

"It's a wonderful thing for students who worked hard," he said. "I'm thrilled that three other schools are doing it."

Beischel said he got the idea after sitting at an athletes' signing event with Princeton Superintendent Aaron Mackey.

"I said, 'Why don't we do something like this for our academic students?' And he said, 'Why don't you?' "

5 Reasons NOT To Have a Marketing Plan

Imagine your perfect customers -- the ones that will eagerly buy your products or hire you for premium pay. Imagine being able to bring those perfect customers to you and having them buy your products or services not once, but again and again. That's what an effectively executed marketing plan does. It reaches the people who want what you are offering, convinces them to take action, and keeps them coming back.

Sounds nice, right? So why doesn't every business have a marketing plan? Let's take a look at some of the reasons you may not:

1. "We had a marketing plan once, but it didn't work. It isn't worth the time to put one together."

No marketing plan will work if you do not work the plan. The planning document is there for business managers to use as a strategic reference throughout the year, as programs in the plan are executed and as other opportunities come along. Any marketing plan that is filed away and forgotten as soon as it's written is useless.

2. "So-and-so had a marketing plan and it didn't help his business at all!"

Marketing is a process, not a singular event. A marketing plan is only the first step in that process. It points your business in the right direction by detailing marketing strategies and programs that will move you toward business objectives.

You must execute the programs in your plan so that you can evaluate program success. Rarely does a marketing program work best on the first try. It is up to you to analyze barriers to success, then tweak and tinker until you are getting positive results. If you ignore critical follow-up, most of your marketing programs -- whether you have a marketing plan or not -- will fail or fall short of their potential for success.

3. "Marketing planning is too hard."

Writing a marketing plan doesn't have to be complicated. There are different levels of planning. More intricate marketing planning processes will result in more refined strategies, with better potential for success. But, if you have limited resources, a top-line approach to planning is much better than none at all.

4. "We don't know how to write a marketing plan."

There are numerous books, software, "toolbox" resources, and articles that take you step-by-step through the process of creating a marketing plan. Frankly, not knowing how is an excuse, not a reason, to avoid marketing planning.

5. "My business is too small for a marketing plan."

Sound marketing strategy is critical to small business success, especially new businesses. Statistics vary widely depending on the source, but most reports cite failure rates for small business at 65% -- 90%. Knowing ahead of time how you will compete and how you will be successful in your marketplace can dramatically increase your chances of success.

Your marketing plan is a vital key to small business success. If you do not have a current plan, start one today. Your company's success depends on it.

Now that we see how important a Marketing plan is, here are a link to help with Search Engine Optimization.

Derby preps for Queen

As I have stated before, I am not a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, but I do understand what the Kentucky Derby means. It is the biggest racing event of the year. This year will be no different. It may even be possibly bigger because of a special guest, sa stated in the article below. The British are coming, the British are coming.

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Security increased for monarch

The most famous guest at this year's Kentucky Derby will make her stay in Louisville a short one.

Queen Elizabeth II of England is expected to arrive at Louisville International Airport on Saturday afternoon and head to Churchill Downs, then return to the airport hours later for her departure.

Rande Swann, an airport spokeswoman, predicted there would be minimal impact on other air travelers, largely because most race fans arrive earlier in the week and won't leave town until Sunday.

She declined to provide the queen's precise arrival and departure schedule.

"There are special precautions being taken, but we are not permitted to discuss what those are," Swann said, adding that there won't be any public access at the airport for the visit.

Police have said they will close interstate highways near the airport and the track briefly at her arrival and departure.

The queen visited Kentucky four times between 1984 and 1991, spending most of her time with former British ambassador Will Farish at Lane's End Farm in Woodford County.

Farish has declined to comment on whether the queen will again visit Lane's End, but Julie Koenig Loignon, a spokeswoman for Churchill Downs, said Monday that the queen and her entourage will be using tickets provided by Farish to attend Saturday's race.

Koenig Loignon said the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, will watch the 133rd Run for the Roses from a dining room in the clubhouse. From the infield, the royal couple will be to the left of the Twin Spires, on either the fourth, fifth or sixth floors.

"She'll have a very good view," Koenig Loignon said. "Close to the finish line."

According to the Web site for the British Monarchy, the queen and her husband will arrive in the United States on Thursday to attend a series of events in Virginia marking the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown.

After their visit to Kentucky, they have a state dinner planned for Monday in Washington.

Penny Russell-Smith, a spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace, said in a telephone interview from London that the queen does not have travel plans in Kentucky outside the Derby.

She said more details about the schedule could be available Thursday.

Randy Fiveash, Kentucky's Commissioner of Tourism, said a royal appearance at the Derby will give this year's race more media exposure, especially in Great Britain.

Fiveash also serves on the board that is organizing the World Equestrian Games in Lexington in 2010. He said Prince Philip came up with the idea for the games, and event organizers are hoping to present him with an update on their plans.

The queen came close to Louisville during her 1986 trip when she had lunch at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County and inspected the farm's yearlings.

Benefits of Boxing Training for Fitness

You may improve your health and have a physically fit body by getting into boxing training fitness programs. This is the best way for you to have a stronger body and gain confidence. Boxing workouts can help you to be at your best fighting form as well.

Many people see positive results from boxing trainings. You may build stronger and more defined arms and legs. These programs and classes also help you to gain a sense of inner strength and emotional balance. Boxing training classes got across to the mainstream of physical fitness training a few years back. They have seen the benefits on the cardiovascular and toning of the muscles by these boxing training workouts. Tae bo work out videos also popularized these boxing and kickboxing exercises. Cardio boxing training classes and the innovative variations of the sparring jabs, power punches, defense, and fitness has all blends of aerobics exercises. You will learn the proper execution of the punch and kick combinations for a more intensive workout that can help you become stronger and more confident.

The combinations you perform on the blocks, jabs, and kicks are executed to an imagined opponent. You may see classes where participants throw punches and kicks on the air. You will also find training camps that have quality equipment such as punching bags and you may also have the option of getting a partner that has padded hands. You may also enjoy more benefits aside from the physical aspects of boxing trainings. Cardio kick boxing workouts allow you to burn out 350 to 500 calories in just an hour. It also helps maintaining the heart rate at 75 percent to 85 percent regular beat. This has been proven to be good and is the recommended range if you are exercising or into training. Moreover, these boxing training classes improve your speed, resistance, and strength. Flexibility and the reflexes of the muscles are also enhanced. Repetitive motion on arms by sparring and jogging while you punch helps your arms and legs gain strength and power. These workouts also enable your joint movements to build very efficient fitness results. These movements require you to develop balance and coordination that enables your body to be stable and maintain a good form. These physical benefits you gain from boxing and kickboxing are just few of the many benefits that they can provide. You will be able to learn more about defense mechanism skills, which you may use in case of unwanted instances. You will also feel the satisfaction when you punch or kick. Relaxation and self-motivation is also developed. You will feel a sigh of relief and feel that you are released from stressed. It also helps you to get rid of that anger that is inside of you. Once these things are releases, you may feel lightness into your body and peace of mind as well. Many aerobic and fitness experts recommend boxing training lessons for beginners. It allows you to workout on your desired pace and body condition. Boxing classes let you to push yourself to the limit as long as you are safe and well conditioned. Positive results await you with boxing training. You will enjoy a physically fit body and will keep you in better shape. You have the option working out and exercising at your preferred level and skill. Enjoy the fun of these boxing training programs.

As an aside, Backgammon Masters recently purchased a pair of Roman Greenberg's boxing shorts to assist him with his training. I find it honorable that a company such as this will support an athlete with his quest to become the best he can. If you find this equally honorable pleast also note that they will be holding an auction in the future for these shorts starting at $100, 000. The profits from that auction will go to charity to support Arab and Jewish youths that need help. Please support this company by going to their site and play backgammon for a while.

Smoking ban remains hazy

So the Smoking Nazis have won in Ohio. Did you know that the first Smoking Nazis were in fact the Nazis of Germany and Hitler? They had the first active campaign around banning smoking. Do you remember Prohibition? That really worked didn't it. In fact Prohibition is what brought about Organized Crime in the United States. People did not stop drining, they just started supporting Organized Crime Bosses to go to their parties where the alcohol was. Do we learn nothing from history? Obviously not.

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Enforcement to begin this week, despite questions and resistance

Six months after voters approved it, Ohio intends to begin enforcing a ban that was supposed to virtually eliminate smoking in public buildings throughout the state, including bars and restaurants.

Yet as a new deadline for compliance approaches Thursday, questions and uncertainty remain.

Stan Vanbuskirk, secretary of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2197 in Cheviot, said he's still trying to get someone to tell him whether his group's Glenmore Avenue facility qualifies for an exemption as a private club.

The local health department referred him to the state health department, which referred him back to the local department, he said. The way he figures it, the club meets four of five requirements:

• It's a nonprofit organization.
• It's in a stand-alone building.
• Employees are members.
• It has a valid D4 liquor permit for a private club.

The only requirement that's questionable, he said, concerns smoking around guests and children under 18.

"As of now, we're still smoking," Vanbuskirk said. But the club will do what it has to do to comply, even if it means banning nonmembers, he said.

Jay Carey, public affairs director for the Ohio Department of Health, said private clubs cannot permit smoking if nonmembers or children are in the building - including in rental halls or during Friday night fish fries open to the public - but the prohibition only applies when guests and children are present.

"So it goes back and forth," Carey said. "The next day is fine."

The exemption for veterans and fraternal clubs is a sore point for the owners of many private restaurants and taverns, who think they'll lose smoking customers.

At Lake Nina restaurant and bar in North College Hill, owner Mike Barlion is still on the fence, pending the outcome of a legal challenge filed by the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association, which represents bar and restaurant owners.

The group's lawsuit claims the law is an unconstitutional infringement of their members' privacy and property rights. It has requested an order stopping enforcement of the new rules until the issues are given a full hearing in court.

"When the law finally goes through, if it does, I'll have to quit," Barlion said last week. "I can't afford to pay those kinds of fines."

Like the Cheviot Eagles, Lake Nina has been the subject of numerous complaints - about two dozen in Lake Nina's case - filed with the state since the ban became law in early December.

More than 17,000 complaints have been filed, including nearly 2,100 from Southwest Ohio. Most were about restaurants and bars. But complaints also were filed, for example, against Mercy Anderson Hospital, Procter & Gamble's Health Care Research Center in Mason, the Lebanon Correctional Facility near Monroe - even the Ohio Department of Health's headquarters in Columbus.

The state has said none of those complaints will count once enforcement of the rules begins, so every business will start with a clean slate.

That provides little solace for Barlion, who expects his business to suffer, particularly beer and liquor sales.

"A lot of my old customers smoke. It's not that they're not going to come; they're not going to stay as long, not sit there and have three or four drinks," he said. "I know it's going to hurt business ... probably 10 to 15 percent."

Jerry Stinnett, owner of Tabby's American Grill in Mason, doesn't know what to expect. In February he prohibited smoking and saw many of his customers take their business to places that allowed it.

"I started letting them smoke again, and they came back," he said.

Stinnett suspects other restaurants and bars will continue to allow smoking, and he's concerned the state won't enforce it uniformly. Still, he's planning to "do the right thing" and abide by the new rules.

Across town at Baker's Pub on Wooster Pike in Fairfax, they're also worried about uneven competition. Baker's competes with an American Legion post just around the corner on Southern Avenue.

"Ninety percent of my customers smoke. So they're going to go to the Legion and not come here," said owner Dottie Baker, whose husband, Rodger Baker, testified in Columbus two weeks ago, vowing to defy the ban and fight the law in court.

Dottie Baker noted that neither she nor her husband smoke. "It's business," she said.

Business Blogging

Business blogging is becoming quite the rage. Many companies are looking for an inexpensive way to advertise on the web, and blogs fill that need. As more and more people turn to blogs for information, business blogging may just be the next frontier for small and big business alike.

Business blogging begins by understanding what a blog is in the first place. In its simplest form, it is like an electronic journal. Each entry is called a “post,” and they are arranged in chronological order on the page. The term blog came from the actual name for a blog, which is a “weblog.” It is a way for people to share information, whether it is personal, professional, advice, and more.

Business blogging began to gain popularity around 1999, when the software required was simplified. Before then, people had to have an understanding of HTML, a computer language, that was very difficult for the layperson to learn. Today, there are close to 15,000 blogs being created every day, while millions people visit blogs on a daily basis. There are estimates that 11 percent of internet users visit blogs on a daily basis. With that kind of traffic, how can business blogging not be important?

Business blogging can be a tool both for your internal communication, providing important updates for current customers, and your advertising. The new software available makes it inexpensive for the smallest business blogging It allows you to put some of your thoughts down in your blog and also place links to useful information or sales pages. In fact, there are a number of sites that allow you to blog for free, like LiveJournal.com, Blogspot.com, and more.

With business blogging you get the benefit of providing updates to your consumers and staff without having to re-do an entire website. You just log onto your blog and add a post letting everyone know what is going on. You also get a presence on the web without a huge investment, and you can share your expertise with a wide audience. By eliminating the need for a web designer or teaching yourself HTML, you save time and money by using a business blogging program.

Before you begin with business blogging, you may want to start of experimenting with a personal blog on one of the free blogging sites. You can use it to make personal postsFind Article, while learning the art of blogging. View a lot of other companies that are using business blogging to see how they are maximizing its use.

Another great idea before getting started with blogging is to be aware of Responsible Blogging. You may want to read an article such as one posted at Sponsored Reviews.. It will give you 10 guidelines for a being a responsible blogger. You may also want to use their service to buy reviews of your company, or service that you offer.

This is a sponsored review.

Bengals address defense

Ahhhhh, Draft time. I live in Cincinnati, and while the Reds are the cities team, I am first and foremost a football fan. I grew up in north central Ohio, so the Browns are my first love, even if they do not have a prayer. I lived in Columbus, so I love the Buckeyes. But now I am in Cincinnati, so I do root for the Bengals (except when they play the Browns). They have had their ups and downs since Marvin Lewis took over the team, but I mostly like what I have seen. I just hope that they are able to start taking care of their off field problems, and focus on playing as a team again after last season. If they are able to to that they will probably be in the playoffs again as they do have some deep talent pools. And it looks like they are building some more depth with this draft.

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Iffy running back depth also gets some attention

Marvin Lewis contends that if Ahmad Brooks had played another college season at Virginia, the linebacker would have been a first-round pick this past weekend.

Instead, the Bengals selected Brooks in the third round of the supplemental draft in July, thus forfeiting their third-round pick Saturday.

And after flashing big-play potential and a dominating physical presence at middle linebacker in 11 games last season, Brooks is expected to solidify a weak position at the heart of Lewis' defense.

"We felt like we had great value for that pick," Lewis said of Brooks. "We would have taken Ahmad somewhere after our first pick, let alone with our third pick.

"It played out this year with us getting two first-round names."

Using that logic, which is not altogether incorrect, the Bengals came away with a pair of first-round defenders this weekend that should help shore up the 30th-ranked unit from 2006 well into the future.

In the first round, cornerback Leon Hall fell to the Bengals at No. 18. He played in 50 games with 37 starts at Michigan and is clearly ready for the pro game. He should play the nickel back immediately and could challenge as a starter before the end of his rookie season. In Hall and Johnathan Joseph, the Bengals' first-round pick in 2006, they have their cornerbacks of the future.

In Hall, Brooks and hard-hitting, fourth-round safety Marvin White of Texas Christian, the Bengals have a trio of players who should infuse a moribund defense with energy.

In the second round Saturday, at No. 49, the Bengals passed on defense to select Auburn running back Kenny Irons. The pick was surprising, given the major needs across the span of the defense, which tied for last in league rankings against the pass last season.

The pick of Irons spoke loudly about the iffy health of former first-round pick Chris Perry, who is rehabbing from yet another major injury - ankle and fibula damage - suffered last season. He will not be ready for the start of training camp in late July.

"We're probably in the same boat as last year," Lewis said of Perry, who did not play until Week 7 because of offseason and left ankle injuries.

Still, the Bengals do have reliable veteran Kenny Watson, who performed well as a third-down back last season and re-signed as an unrestricted free agent in March.

On Day 2 Sunday, the Bengals added three defensive players and two on offense. In Round 4, White comes to the Bengals as an acknowledged big hitter who makes receivers pay for coming across the middle. He also is expected to add instant impact to a kicking game that lost several established players - Marcus Wilkins, Tony Stewart and Kevin Kaesviharn - in free agency. The Bengals' last pick, another strong safety, Chinedum Ndukwe of Notre Dame, also should challenge for a defensive role among a group of inexperienced backup safeties but could find his way on the roster on special teams.

In the fifth round, the Bengals drafted quarterback Jeff Rowe of Nevada and plan to develop him over a number of years - as opposed to bringing in a string of veteran backups.

The Bengals will not pursue veterans Tim Rattay or Koy Detmer and will list Doug Johnson as the top backup to starter Carson Palmer.

"We just feel comfortable with him at this point in time," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said Sunday of Johnson, who spent all of 2006 with the Bengals.

The Bengals did not draft a linebacker or tight end.

Though starter Reggie Kelly is the Bengals' only experienced NFL tight end, Lewis likes and sees potential in a series of journeymen backups currently on the roster.

At linebacker, the Bengals have made an offer to former Ravens and Falcons starter Ed Hartwell, who is trying to come back from injuries last season.

"He wants to come here," Lewis said of Hartwell. "He would be a good fit for us, so we'll see what happens."

Bengals rookies will participate in the rookie minicamp Friday through Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The team is expected to sign a group of about a dozen college free agents before rookie camp. The first OTA (organized team activity) is May 15.

"You build through the draft," said Lewis, who anticipates having 11 picks in 2008 thanks to four compensatory picks from the league for veteran free agent losses this year.

But for 2007, the Bengals addressed several areas of need - not all - and earn an early solid "B" for getting Hall and making the bold move to take Brooks last summer.