Technical Considerations In Notepad Printing

In this special tutorial for notepad printing, I will teach you all the different technical considerations when you start designing and printing your custom notepads. You might have thought that notepad printing is simple enough, but there are a few technical details that you should at least learn to help you make the correct choices in notepad printing.

So without further ado, here is the information that you need to create your own custom color notepads.

1. Size considerations - The first technical consideration for you is the flyer size. In most cases, a letter-sized notepad is best. However, depending on the real purpose of your custom notepad, you might want to change this into something else. Larger notepads might be appropriate for functional purposes, or smaller custom notepads might be good as giveaways and marketing tools. Here are the basic sizes that you can use and choose from typically from notepad printing

a. 8.5 by 11 inches - standard letter type notepads. This is the best size you can use
b. 4.25 by 5.5 inches - smaller type notepads perfect for marketing
c. 4.25 by 7 inches - longer type color notepads for office use
d. 11 by 17 inches - Large type custom notepads from specific purposes

2. Color printing considerations - Another technical consideration that you must know about is the color printing options. You have more options than the typical black ink printing for notepads. You can put in full color designs if need be, or you can also use specific color inks for the lines and the signatures in your custom notepads. Here are the specific options that you can try out.

a. Full color notepad printing - Used if you need full color graphics in the header, footer or even the background of your custom notepads

b. Spot color printing - Used if you want one or two color inks other than black used for your notepad designs. This is cheaper than full color printing

c. Black ink printing - Standard and cheapest option for printing. This uses traditional black inks for your headers and footers.

3. Binding considerations - Notepads of course are typically bound together by some kind of binding agent. Of course, this binding agent must be tough enough to contain the notepad pages, but also loose enough to allow easy tear offs for notes. There are a few options here that you can play with.

a. Adhesive binding options - This is the simplest and most common type of binding method. By using rubber adhesives, the pages of the notepad come together in a nice durable manner that can easily be torn off though. Keep in mind that quality binding is needed here as this option is the weakest option.

b. Ring binding - Ring binding is a pretty tough and durable option for notepad printing. It also has a tear off option for each notepad page. It is not cheap though.

c. Perfect binding with perforations - Finally, the best looking binding that is tough for color notepads is the perfect binding method. However, since the notepad pages are pretty much bound tightly in this kind of process, perforations for each page is needed. This also is not cheap.

4. Paper considerations - Finally you have paper considerations when it comes to notepad printing. You have the option to use standard type paper if you want your notepad printing to be cheap. However, your note pads themselves can use special smoother type paper materials or even glossy type paper if need be. It all depends on the special coatings and paper sources for the notepad. You will have to ask your notepad printing company exactly what kind of paper options they have for your notepads.

So those are the different kinds of technical considerations that you have to learn about in notepad printing. The more you know about these things the better and easier it should be to develop your custom notepads.

 

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More information on notepad printing - http://www.unitedgraphics.com/product/notepads

Do Organizations Know What It Takes To Mentor New Personnel?

Mentors direct the performance of "rookie" employees through a partnership intended to accelerate the orientation of new hires. The success of this "introductory" phase begins with the acronym MENTOR, designed to provide companies with an understanding of how the aspects of management, empathy, networks, training, observation, and relentlessness assist in facilitating the personal and professional growth of new members. 

The foundation of any mentoring program requires support from management with the aim of developing and retaining talent within the organization. Through company sponsored mentoring, management can improve knowledge, learning, and proficiency. Support from the top impacts the organization's culture by enhancing work relationships, teamwork, and the transfer of knowledge. Designing a process for matching the mentor and protégé that includes selection prerequisites, program visibility and resources, structured interaction, reward systems, and standards aligned with the strategic direction of the organization is essential. 

An empathetic relationship between mentor and protégé facilitates a professional bond. Empathy is a critical skill in mentoring that provides a foundation for understanding the protégé's thoughts, uncertainties, and organizational perspective. Selecting a mentor should include members of the organization that possess knowledge in their field, a friendly and positive attitude, and compassion towards the new employee's underlying feelings, needs, and psychological state. 

Mentoring networks are fundamentally necessary for the dissemination of formal and informal information, career development, training programs, and regulatory insight. Effective organizational mentoring programs should be designed to create a "coalition" of resources, support, and technical expertise within an industry. Mentoring programs also create a network of trade professionals dedicated to ensuring new personnel receive the necessary attention desired to overcome feelings of isolation derived from the need of being affiliated. 

The primary goal of training during the mentoring process is to achieve a baseline of the protégé's aptitude, knowledge, and ability. Instruction should encompass work-readiness skills that incorporate social competencies, behavior expectations, work-ethic, dress codes, and punctuality through an integration of classroom and on-the-job instruction. Training during the mentorship process strives to optimize the utilization of human capital, as well as assisting the new employee with a successful transition into the organization. 

Observation is an effective approach in assessing a protégé's competence. The culture of a structured mentoring program demonstrates a non-threatening learning environment. Offering reflective feedback, improving self-confidence combined with support and reassurance is instrumental while monitoring the progress of new employees. Observation aimed at enhancing familiarity, expanding knowledge, and encouraging interactions is useful in developing the proficiency necessary to achieve a desired level of mastery. 

A successful mentoring program constitutes a relentless pursuit of precision that seeks to facilitate alliances and the transfer of essential information between new and seasoned employees. Companies should exercise an unyielding commitment to increasing the availability of on-the-job developmental experiences through mentoring. Uncompromising support for the advancement of knowledge and skills should be demonstrated through all phases of the process with the ambition of retaining new employees well into the future. 

A mentoring program is an effective process companies use to orient new personnel while facilitating personal andprofessional growth. Successful adjustment within an organization should be aimed at developing and retaining fresh talent. Understanding the aspects of MENTOR will allow companies to recognize the significance of management, empathy, networks, training, observation, and relentlessness during the indoctrination of new personnel.

 

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About the Author:
Harlen Williams Jr. is a Doctoral candidate at Argosy University/Atlanta. Expected completion is November 2012. I serve as an Adjunct Associate Faculty with the University of Phoenix in Augusta, Georgia in the management content area.

The Appeal Of Work-Life Balance To Potential Employees

As the economy begins to recover, slowly, but surely hiring rates are picking-up, and companies are beginning to develop new tactics to attract potential employees.

Many companies have taken a cue from modern and colorful workplaces, such as Google and Pixar, in order to utilize the work space itself as recruiter. While few companies have the resources to match the Googleplex, which houses giant rubber balls to bounce on, a life size dinosaur skeleton, beach volleyball courts, swimming pools, free laundry facilities and eighteen cafeterias, many are adopting facilities which promote exercise in the workplace, natural sunlight, and an overall boost in creative thought.

Work-Life balance is better achieved when you find ways to enjoy your working hours as opposed to trying to solely achieve happiness in the hours you aren't working. Work doesn't have to stand in opposition to health and happiness, it should instead contribute to a positive lifestyle. Anna Tim's '10 Steps to Happiness,' helps readers to achieve this seemingly elusive balance within the workday. According to Tim, it is important that individuals create professional goals in life.

Goals are a good way of measuring one's successes and aide in helping individuals to make rewarding life-style choices. Other tips include the simple acts of building boundaries, which can prove especially difficult in the age of smart phones, developing hobbies and maintaining a social life. In addition to these tips for employees, there are also tactics employers can take to make the work week more enjoyable and fruitful.

Employers are now utilizing their facilities to help recruit and maintain employees. According to Joanne Deyo, vice president of facilities for Regeneron Biopharmacueticals, when approaching the task of redesign, Regeneron wanted to create a space which could serve as "a tool for recruiting and retaining employees." She wanted to create a space which people would be "very happy" to work in. To do so, the company made sure to create a social and colorful atmosphere.

Such working conditions appeal to recent college graduates who want to work in an atmosphere in which they feel comfortable. Because highly technically skilled individuals are in high demand, the process of recruiting them can be very much a competitive one, and the benefit of a fun and friendly office space can weigh heavily in a potential employee's decision.

Another way a company can increase the happiness of it's employees is to establish a company gym. According to Sue Shellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal, exercising together can help to "polish office relationships." While boundaries are important in such an environment, it is still a good way to build connections with your fellow employees and managers. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, "about one in five employers provides an on-site fitness center."

This helps companies to foster friendly employee relations and to help promote the importance of physical fitness. Both of these characteristics are likely to make for happier and healthier employees. A company gym is also a highly desirable commodity in the eyes of a potential employee. But, you may ask, what can a relatively small company with limiting funding do in order to improve employee happiness?

Many companies report monthly office lunch excursions, birthday celebrations, or day trips help them to improve employee happiness. It is important that companies find a way to break up the work day in order to allow employees to develop relationships and think creatively. Here at Reaction Search International, company lunch trips are common, breakfast is provided on Friday mornings, music selected by the staff is a standard, and birthdays are always celebrated with cake.

Our recruiters find that the work place environment plays a key role in an individuals decision to leave their current job and accept another offer. Whether it be the flashy offerings of a big corporation such as Google, or the friendly gesture of a company lunch, the happiness of your employees throughout the work day matters, especially for recruiting purposes... 

 

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About the Author:
Robert Boroff is the Managing Director of Reaction Search International Marketing Recruiters Sales Management Headhunters a leading sales and marketing Executive Search Firm that assists both U.S. and International firms recruit all levels of sales and marketing experts Globally. The Executive Search Consultants at Reaction Search International Executive Recruiters Sales successfully placing top performing candidates since 1995.

How To Sustain Your Inner Strength In Business

Did you know that, as a rule of thumb, a tree's root system is something like one and a half times the depth and width of the tree? This is the real source of its strength and stability to withstand the forces of nature and more. What you see is only the 'tip of the iceberg'.

Of crucial importance is the fact that purpose of the root system is to seek out and supply the energy needed by the tree to grow, survive and blossom to its full potential. Without a constant supply of new energy the tree will wither and die.

It's much the same for you. It's what others can't see that is the major source of your personal strength, power and energy, with the long-term resilience to survive, thrive in and drive your life.· Health experts focus on physical energy. Important though that is, it isn't enough.· You need the sustained emotional energy of mind, body and spirit.

If you drove a car non-stop, it would eventually run out of fuel. Pulling over for a break does nothing to refuel the car. You have to find a refueling station. You also have to maintain the efficiency of the car's performance.

You too need to top up your energy supplies - plus regular maintenance - to sustain your work performance efficiency and general ability to enjoy life.· Moreover, the faster and harder you drive a car, the greater its fuel consumption per km.

You too are driving yourself faster and harder. Longer working hours, prolonged excessive stress and increased tension means that you need to replace that energy more often. But the typical modern lifestyle tends to give you fewer chances or incentives to do so. The effects are insidious.

What are the signs to watch for?· More frequent outbursts of anger, road rage, the ugly parent syndrome at junior sport, sleeplessness, over-eating and excessive drinking….you can make up your own list.· Without due management, these symptoms can become stress-related illnesses, accidents resulting from being tired and inattentive, relationship breakdowns, divorce, depression and even death.

So where's the 'inner strength' that enables you to 'stay on top and on tap', as they say?

When you lose yourself in an interest you love, you find yourself". ·When you are enjoying an interest so deeply that time seems to stand still and you are totally unconscious of anything else going on around you, the real you comes alive. There's a new vitality in your thinking, a sense of enthusiasm, passion and wonder.

Your creative juices come to the fore, generating a sense of emotional peace in doing something for no-one but yourself and your own sheer pleasure. You are in control - itself a major source of inner energy (just as not being in control is a major energy-burning factor). Experts speak of a "state of flow" in which time seems to stand still, forgetting your problems for the time being, while your mind relaxes. You feel great.

A passionate interest isn't determined by how much it absorbs your life. It's more to do with the enjoyment of utilizing your natural talents in ways that allow your unique abilities to grow and flourish.· Nor does it have to be a work interest. In fact a non-work leisure, recreation or sporting interest can be even more powerful because you are totally in control of the experience. It can be any interest in which you are enjoying creatively expressing the real you.

Finally, there is an underlying principle of positive human behaviour at work here. This comprises four interactive elements:

* The mind is processing information enthusiastically and with purpose
* There is energy driving the process
* The experience generates high self esteem, self confidence and a sense of self worth, and
* You grow and develop your natural potential.

In sum, don't ignore the life-giving value of switching off from time to time and enjoying your favourite leisure interest for no other reason than it makes you feel good about yourself. You'll find you work better, live longer and (with apologies to Rudyard Kipling) be the one who 'keeps his/her head while all about are losing theirs'. 

 

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About the Author:
Peter Nicholls is Australia's People Gardener - Cultivating Better Personal Growth. He has over 40 years professional experience in discovering the natural resources available to energize positive human behaviour - for work and personal life. Go to www.workleisure.com/corporate.html

Why Aren't My Training Programs Working?

The class on improving time management looked as if it would be a smart idea at first. You had every employee attend, and now months down the line schedule slippages are worse than ever. What is the problem? Could it be because your concept of how training works is outdated? According to this oversimplified view, training works like a magic potion. With this uncomplicated perspective, by attending training classes, desirable results for your company will come about automatically. Similarly, on this view, by enrolling workers in an online class and giving them access to computers for learning, it is thought that you will see gains in your workplace.

How training leads to a great business outcome on this view can be shown like this:

Trainee Attendance >> Business Results

The arrows show this idea of how an employee attending a well-designed and implemented training event creates the improved business results. Some possible outcomes for the business could be less time for a product or service to make it to market, a decrease in customer complaints, or an increase in customer loyalty, to name a few examples.

This is your preferred perspective if you view training as primarily telling workers "what and how." Managers that behave from this viewpoint are mainly concerned with the "content" of the program. As they choose a program, they concentrate solely on the information that their workers will be provided.

You can compare this approach to seeing your trainees as pieces of hardware or robots. With this approach, training people works the same way as with programming a machine: an employee is led to the programming area, the brand new instructions are "programmed" for the employee, and the employee then returns to their task at hand.

You may not even realize that you view your employees as machinery, waiting to be instructed. One method of determining whether you view trainees as robots is to observe how you react when employees don't behave according to the instructions they received in the training. If training doesn't work, do you train the same employees the same way, hoping that things will be different this time? And do you write off the employees as "un-trainable" and ignore them when the second training session fails?

Now let me move your attention to a more influential aspect of how training works. As the basic view is linear and one-dimensional, this more advanced view of training centers around the concept that there are a lot of items that interact with the training event, that either bring about or prevent the intended company benefits.

Briefly stated, you can summarize this more sophisticated view as follows:

Trainee Attendance >> Trainee Learning >> Workplace Behavior >> Business Results

Note that with this view, there are a greater number of steps along the way, beginning with training program attendance, to attaining the desired business results. Additional steps mean there is a greater chance for training to fail even beyond the trainee's own shortcomings.

Let's consider these additional steps. After learning the material at the training event, it is even more important for the trainee to actually apply the new knowledge and skills. In order for this to happen, the training program must be well thought out and handled properly. Complete agreement as well as a clear statement must be made about the business and learning goals. The program should allow the trainees many chances to practice, gain helpful feedback, etc. Acknowledge that there is no guarantee with the learning. If results are what you desire, make sure that only professionals are involved in putting together and delivering the program.

First and foremost, you should observe that this step entails mitigating factors that go into determining how much your workers will learn. The trainee's ability and motivation are some of the factors. Playing the employees' manager part is very important. You have to be sure that only those with the proper credentials attend the training session. Furthermore, you will need to perform a few tasks prior to and throughout the training to make certain that your employees are motivated and remain enthusiastic to be trained.

Next, the trainee is able to put into practice the knowledge they have gained. Training will fall short if attendees don't modify their behavior beneficially when they are back at work. There are several things that can lessen or increase learning. Your role as a manager is very important in this case. The highest priority for you is to make certain that back on the job, your employees have plenty of opportunities to implement their new skills. Where you've made these opportunities available, you'll need to ensure that a coach is accessible to them who will help them get past the initial difficulties they encounter and that you give ample feedback concerning their performance.

Additional tasks you will need to perform are: setting goals that are mutually agreed upon, defining job responsibilities and rewarding employees who do things correctly and accomplish results. As none of these critical elements are automatic, work diligently with the trainer as well as your employees to make certain that the trainees have the correct work environment to utilize their new skills.

The final step will include turning the new behaviors into wanted business results. You might assume that since your workers finished the training and implemented it at work, this final step is a given. This is not the case. Other things might prevent or lessen the results you want. For instance, there may not be a decrease in customer complaints following the training of customer service personnel due to the recent release of a highly defective new product by your product department. Looking at the bigger picture could be crucial too. For example, when tariffs are simultaneously lowered by the government, the desired increase in sales may not come to fruition.

The worst thing that can happen is that you find out the training program was not the right answer to start with. While it is possible to train individuals to perform quality inspection, it is far less costly and time consuming to prevent the defects than inspect to find them. So, work in close collaboration with the training program designers from the outset to ensure that the training program you come up with really will solve your problem.

The more powerful view of training, as you can discern, scrutinizes the aspects that can either bar or greatly lower the great business results you wanted. This way of looking at things serves to make you focus on each of the important steps required to achieve results in your business, rather than employees simply attending the training program. One key thing to take from adopting this view of how training works is that, as a manager, you will need to partner with your employees and the people who design and roll out the training if you want your program to have any chance at success.

There is a lot more that can be said about how the promotion of this partnership can take advantage of proper factors at each step to form more useful training programs. I have achieved my objective if you can go on from here and understand that your success as a manager depends on your choosing the right view of how training works.

© Leslie Allan. All rights reserved.

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About the Author:
Leslie Allan is Director of Business Performance Pty Ltd, a company providing practical online information and resources in a range of business areas. Find out more about best practice training at www.businessperform.com and download the free introductory chapter to his guide, From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance.

Low-Fat Fried Food? Food Chemist Develops Protein-Based Batter For Healthier Frying

January 1, 2006 — Deep-fried fish could get healthier with a new protein-based batter extracted from the muscle of discarded fish parts. When coated onto the fish it forms a barrier, locking in taste and moisture while blocking out fat.

GLOUCESTER, Mass.--Low-fat, fried food sounds like a contradiction, but those types of products may soon be popping up at your local grocer.

Fish sticks slathered in oil and deep-fried are tasty, but the after-effects can take a toll on your waistline. The love affair with food usually ends when it's time to weigh in. Now, a new discovery may tip the scales in your favor when it comes to eating some of your favorite fried foods.

Stephen Kelleher, a food chemist at Proteus Industries in Gloucester, Mass., says, "People like fried food, but there's a lot of bad things associated with fried food." Understanding the bittersweet fondness for fried cuisine, Kelleher invented a way to cook low-fat, fried food.

The protein solution is extracted from fish muscle. When coated onto the fish it forms a barrier, locking in taste and moisture, but blocking out fat and carbohydrates. "These protein molecules after we treat them and extract them the way we do, they form these very, very, micro-thin films that -- when they are sprayed onto the surface -- become this invisible, impenetrable, film that forms on the surface," Kelleher says.

The protein molecules go through a treatment process. Water and other ingredients are filtered then added to the batter. Kelleher says the finished product has 25-percent to 75-percent less fat. Plus the added protein cuts down the carbohydrates by 15 percent.

When put to the test, comparing traditional fried batter to the special protein coating, both food tasters agreed there was nothing fishy about the low-fat, fried meal.

The process is FDA approved and can be used to fry low-fat chicken, too. They are also testing the application on other foods, like potato chips.

BACKGROUND: A chemist has created a protein solution that can be used to coat chicken. When the chicken is then deep-fried, it contains 50 percent less fat than if it had been deep-fried without the coating.

HOW IT WORKS: Chicken is bathed in a liquid of water and protein molecules that have been taken from a slurry of chicken or fish tissue. This forms a thin shield around the meat, and when it is then submerged in oil, the coating keeps fat from being absorbed from the fryer.

GOOD FATS VS. BAD FATS: Fats should account for no more than 30 percent of the total calories we consume, but good health also depends on whether those are "good" fats or "bad" fats. Mono-unsaturated fats, like olive oil and canola oil, are considered good because they can help lower cholesterol. Saturated (animal) fats are thought of as bad because they clog the arteries. A third type of fat is made when corn oil or other fats that are usually liquid at room temperature are solidified through heating. This type of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, called trans fatty acid, is a main ingredient in vegetable shortening and margarine. It is the worst kind of fat. In the body, the enzymes responsible for processing fats have trouble breaking down trans fatty acids and spend so much time trying to do so that it interferes with the processing of essential fatty acids.

WHAT ARE EFAs? There are two types of essential fatty acids (EFAs): Omega-3 and Omega-6. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods like fish, flax and pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. Omega-6 fatty acids can be found in corn oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil, for example. EFAs have been shown to protect against heart disease, but the body can't make them, so we must consume them in food. Ideally, these should be balanced in the diet at a ratio of 2-to-1; in most Western diets, that ratio is 20-to-1.

WHERE THE BODY STORES FAT: Men and women store fat differently because they have difference sex hormones: testosterone and estrogen. Adult men store fat in the chest, abdomen, and buttocks, producing an apple shape. Adult women carry fat in the breasts, hips, waist and buttocks, creating a pear shape.

Note: This story and accompanying video were originally produced for the American Institute of Physics series Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe Broadcast News and are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.

The Stressful Workplace

Unfortunately, the majority of people today wake up in the mornings and dread going to work. This is the case even more today because of the recent economic crisis and due to the fact that people are settling for jobs they are overqualified for. This emotional rollercoaster caused by layoffs and budget cuts has also instilled uncertainty and fear in many people.

Addressing these issues immediately is imperative. A change in attitude is a critical way to begin the workday. Because different jobs have various amounts of stress attached to them, it is crucial to figure out the best ways to cope with these anxieties and pressures. It is important to not focus on the downside of each interaction at work.

The reality is a positive shift in attitude can happen, but will take some work.

Stresses can also lead to health issues ranging from the common cold and flu to more serious diseases like heart issues and metabolic syndrome. According to the CDC's National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, studies show the number of Americans who are "extremely stressed at work range between 29% to 40%." This does not always have to be the case, as a person's mindset can make all the difference in whether they choose to have an optimistic or pessimistic attitude. Staying busy at work and feeling as though you are contributing to the company is essential in feeling valued. Managing stress is the key to living an all-around enjoyable lifestyle.

Quick fixes

Humor is an important way to alleviate stressful situations. Appropriate workplace jokes can help relieve stress when people are taking everything too seriously. Humor does not always facilitate every situation ideally, so another tip to alleviate the build-up of stress is to remove oneself from the situation for a couple of minutes or however long deemed necessary. Taking a walk or talking to someone about the circumstance, whether it is a co-worker, boss, family member, or friend, can make any situation much more manageable. Exercise and sleep can also clear one's head and create a more enjoyable and less stressful day.

How managers can reduce stress

Employees can only do so much in reducing the stress they feel at work. Both employers and employees need to be involved in order to generate a more positive work environment. Social interaction is extremely vital for the workplace because this gives employees time to form bonds with each other. Once people get to know one another better, they will feel more comfortable and will most likely excel in productivity. Along with providing opportunities for more social interactions, communicating effectively is critical.

Today, many people are afraid of losing their jobs and by communicating more with their employees; employers will calm these nerves and share information whenever needed or necessary. Lastly, employers can offer incentives and rewards like bonuses or small raises, which will instill confidence in their employees. By providing avenues for career development, managers will create a harder-working and more optimistic work climate.

As mentioned earlier, the self-defeating issues of negativity can takeover a person's life if they are not careful. If someone is aware of their negative attitude, they will most likely have a much easier time eliminating it. Avoid hanging around negative co-workers because this frame of mind can spread easily. Get excited about accomplishments during the workday, whether large or small.

Keeping busy leads to productivity, which helps most people stay optimistic about their work. Overall, the majority of the population dedicates a large portion of their lives to work, so by making time spent in the office a more positive experience, employees and employers will face even less stress throughout their daily lives...

Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
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About the Author:
Robert Boroff is the Managing Director of Reaction Search International Marketing Recruiters Sales Management Headhunters a leading sales and marketing Executive Search Firm that assists both U.S. and International firms recruit all levels of sales and marketing experts Globally. The Executive Search Consultants at Reaction Search International Executive Recruiters Sales successfully placing top performing candidates since 1995.

The Best Information Comes From Short Questions

There's no better way to improve the quality of information you receive from a potential customer than by asking short questions. We all can recall far too many times when we've sat across the table from a customer we're trying to help - and we know we can help, if they would just provide us information about their needs and goals.

The problem is that no matter what question we ask, we get the same response: a big fat "I don't know" (or something along that line). Then, almost without thinking, we put on our super salesperson cape and start telling the person everything they need. Unfortunately, when it comes to agreeing to the sale, the person turns cold.

Our problem in dealing with this type of customer is we need to find a better way to engage them and to get them to think about what they want and need - and then share that information with us.

The answer to this dilemma? Short questions. I believe that short questions get you long answers (while long questions get you short answers). What too often happens is we are talking to a customer and asking them what we believe are simple questions, but in reality, those questions are simple only to us. To someone unfamiliar with our product and services, the questions are complex.

For example, we ask a question that has a couple of facts wrapped up in it. As a result, it winds up being more of a statement for which we are simply looking for feedback or agreement. No wonder customers can give us the cold shoulder and the blank stare.

What we want to do is ask short questions. In their simplest form, they are questions like "why" and "how." Or possibly they look like this: Could you give me an example? Could you explain that again to me?

The shorter the question, the more likely we are to get a long answer. The next step is to ask them another short question, following up on what they just said. The beauty about this is it allows the customer to do all the talking. By doing the talking, they'll tell you their needs and desired benefits. They'll tell you their goals and will reveal a level of information you need to determine how to best serve them.

When using the short question approach, there are only two things you need to remember. First, ask the customer a soft easy question to which you know they'll respond. Then after they have given you a response, continue with the short questioning approach by asking, "Could you give me another example?" You then pause and allow the client to give you more information, upon which you follow up again with another short question such as, "How?" or "Why?" Basically, you want to do whatever you can to get them talking more.

The second rule to remember is to not keep asking the same short questions. If you do, you'll come across as an inquisitive 3-year-old rather than the professional salesperson you know you are. You can avoid this best by picking up on a single item they shared with you and drilling down on just that one item.

When you drill down on a single item, you demonstrate your listening skills and your ability to truly discern information. The beauty of this approach is when it works, the customer will many times share with you exactly what they want and will begin asking you questions about features and benefits.

Short questions get you long answers. Long questions get you short answers. It is up to you as to the approach you want to take, but if you want to actually learn something about the customer's needs, you will get there quicker by asking short questions.

 

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About the Author:
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com/TheSalesHunter and on www.LinkedIn.com/in/MarkHunter.

Are You Ready To Meet The CEO?

There's no better way to improve the quality of information you receive from a potential customer than by asking short questions. We all can recall far too many times when we've sat across the table from a customer we're trying to help - and we know we can help, if they would just provide us information about their needs and goals.

The problem is that no matter what question we ask, we get the same response: a big fat "I don't know" (or something along that line). Then, almost without thinking, we put on our super salesperson cape and start telling the person everything they need. Unfortunately, when it comes to agreeing to the sale, the person turns cold.

Our problem in dealing with this type of customer is we need to find a better way to engage them and to get them to think about what they want and need - and then share that information with us.

The answer to this dilemma? Short questions. I believe that short questions get you long answers (while long questions get you short answers). What too often happens is we are talking to a customer and asking them what we believe are simple questions, but in reality, those questions are simple only to us. To someone unfamiliar with our product and services, the questions are complex.

For example, we ask a question that has a couple of facts wrapped up in it. As a result, it winds up being more of a statement for which we are simply looking for feedback or agreement. No wonder customers can give us the cold shoulder and the blank stare.

What we want to do is ask short questions. In their simplest form, they are questions like "why" and "how." Or possibly they look like this: Could you give me an example? Could you explain that again to me?

The shorter the question, the more likely we are to get a long answer. The next step is to ask them another short question, following up on what they just said. The beauty about this is it allows the customer to do all the talking. By doing the talking, they'll tell you their needs and desired benefits. They'll tell you their goals and will reveal a level of information you need to determine how to best serve them.

When using the short question approach, there are only two things you need to remember. First, ask the customer a soft easy question to which you know they'll respond. Then after they have given you a response, continue with the short questioning approach by asking, "Could you give me another example?" You then pause and allow the client to give you more information, upon which you follow up again with another short question such as, "How?" or "Why?" Basically, you want to do whatever you can to get them talking more.

The second rule to remember is to not keep asking the same short questions. If you do, you'll come across as an inquisitive 3-year-old rather than the professional salesperson you know you are. You can avoid this best by picking up on a single item they shared with you and drilling down on just that one item.

When you drill down on a single item, you demonstrate your listening skills and your ability to truly discern information. The beauty of this approach is when it works, the customer will many times share with you exactly what they want and will begin asking you questions about features and benefits.

Short questions get you long answers. Long questions get you short answers. It is up to you as to the approach you want to take, but if you want to actually learn something about the customer's needs, you will get there quicker by asking short questions.

Article Source:
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About the Author:
Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com/TheSalesHunter and on www.LinkedIn.com/in/MarkHunter.

Small Fish Detect Big Problems - Environmental Scientists Use Fish Behavior To Monitor Water Quality

March 1, 2007 — Researchers are using bluegills to detect industrial and agricultural spills in water supplies. Changes in the environment cause the fishes' behavior and breathing patterns to change. Electrodes are placed inside the tanks that contain the fish and water from a nearby water supply, and they set off an alarm if conditions inside the tank change.

Do you know where your water comes from? Tap water comes from many different sources. Before it gets to the faucet, tater treatment plants clean up water from lakes, rivers and reservoirs, but it can still get contaminated by industrial and agricultural spills.

Lt. Col. Matt Schofield, an environmental scientist at the U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research in Fort Detrick, Md., says, "Everybody drinks water, and the question of whether or not there's a contaminant or a toxic substance in the water is very real."

According to U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research biologist Tom Shedd, when there are changes in water quality, there are changes in fish behavior.

Now to help make sure your water is safe, environmental scientists are using something that lives in the water to monitor it closely -- fish! In a new early warning system called IAC 1090 or the "intelligent Aquatic BioMonitoring System," bluegills are signal of toxins in our water.

Eight fish sit in chambers submersed in water from a nearby water supply. If pollutants are present, the fish will change their breathing patterns. Electrodes in each chamber monitor any changes. If six fish are stressed, an alarm goes off.

Shedd says at that moment they don't necessarily know what is the contaminant or the stressor to the fishes, but you know that it's there. The fish have reacted to two farming spills. Officials were able to prevent any toxins from getting into drinking water.

To protect the fish, each fish is replaced with a newer, younger fish after spending three weeks monitoring water supplies. The system, originally developed by the Army for the Army, is now available commercially to cities and towns and is currently being used in New York, San Francisco, and Washington.

"The fish system is a common sense, logical way to monitor for water quality," Shedd says, helping to keep their water -- and yours -- safe.

BACKGROUND: Bluegill fish are keeping vigil over the Washington region's water supplies, and might be able to save millions of lives in the event of a terrorist attack. They are a key component of a new early-warning water-monitoring device that electronically analyzes the behavior of eight captive bluegills to detect the presence of chemical toxins or other contaminants. The system, called IAC 1090 Intelligent Aquatic Biomonitoring System, is also being used in New York City and San Francisco.

HOW IT WORKS: The biomonitoring system resembles a luggage trunk outfitted with cables and tubes, and hooked up to a monitor. Eight juvenile bluegills swim in a row of solitary compartments, submerged in piped-in water and separated from the others by a pane of frosted glass. Electrodes attached to each compartment convey data about the fish's movements and breathing patterns to a computer. When the fish use muscles to breathe, the action sends a low-level electrical pulse through the water that can be detected by the electrodes.

Fish cough by flexing their gills to get rid of unwanted particles, like grains of sand, from their breathing passages. If the fish shows signs of distress in response to something in the water by coughing or increased activity, the system automatically trips an alarm, takes samples, and summons authorities by email and pager so that they can investigate whether there is a threat to humans. The cost of the system is between $45,000 and $110,000.

ABOUT BLUEGILLS: The bluegill is a freshwater fish native to much of North America, from Quebec to northern Mexico, and is the state fish of Illinois. Its name comes from the bright blue-colored edging along its gills. Bluegills are popular game fish, chiefly caught at dawn and dusk. They subsist on small invertebrates and very small fish. The bluegill is able to elude predators by hiding in submerged tree stumps and to survive for weeks without food. Bluegills are also extremely sensitive to minute changes in the source water quality, and they are also quite sedentary, making them ideal candidates for the IAC 1090 system.

The American Water Works Association contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

Note: This story and accompanying video were originally produced for the American Institute of Physics series Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe Broadcast News and are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.

New Antibiotics Against Resistant Bacterial Infections Discovered

ScienceDaily (Apr. 8, 2011) — This year's World Health Day focuses on the growing threat of potentially deadly infections developing resistance to antimicrobial drugs -- especially to antibiotics. On this occasion, the European Commission is presenting the promising results of two EU-funded international research projects which provide new hopes to help and treat people. In the European Union alone, it is estimated that drug resistant infections cause more than 25,000 deaths and €1.5 billion in extra healthcare costs every year.

A new substance to tackle drug resistant tuberculosis

The project NM4TB, which gathers 18 research teams from 13 countries, discovered a novel class of substances, called benzothiazinones (BTZ), that could be used in the treatment of tuberculosis and drug resistant tuberculosis. These substances act by preventing the bacteria that cause tuberculosis from constructing their cell wall. This discovery represents an important breakthrough in the battle against tuberculosis as the most advanced compound of this new class, BTZ043, is also effective against extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

Exploiting genetic resources to find new antibiotics

18 research teams from 9 European countries and the Republic of Korea joined forces in the project ActinoGEN to discover and develop new antibiotics by exploiting the genetic resources of a group of bacteria called actinomycetes. Previous studies on the genomes of actinomycetes suggested that these bacteria had the potential to produce many new antibiotics. The researchers identified one entirely novel lead antibiotic by exploring the bacterial species Streptomyces ambofaciens, and engineered additional antibiotics by combinatorial biosynthesis. The project has generated 8 patents.

Background

A wide array of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi, are becoming resistant to drugs that are used to treat infections. This resistance, which is called antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a major obstacle to the treatment of infectious diseases worldwide. Faced with the extent of AMR, and the dwindling number of effective antimicrobial drugs, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that it considers AMR to be one of the greatest threats to human health.

Tackling AMR requires investing in research and innovation. The EU has prioritised research in this field, supporting numerous research projects with a total amount of approximately €300 million since 1999. Priorities include developing novel medicines and therapies, defining the optimal use of existing antimicrobial drugs, developing diagnostic tools, monitoring the spread of resistance and basic research on pathogenic organisms. EU-funded projects have helped to better understand resistance mechanisms and to identify novel antimicrobial compounds that may lead to future drugs.

Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by European Commission, Research & Innovation DG.

People Control Thoughts Better When They See Their Brain Activity

The brain's rostrolateral prefrontal cortex region. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of British Columbia)

ScienceDaily (Apr. 8, 2011) — As humans face increasing distractions in their personal and professional lives, University of British Columbia researchers have discovered that people can gain greater control over their thoughts with real-time brain feedback.

The study is the world's first investigation of how real-time functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) feedback from the brain region responsible for higher-order thoughts, including introspection, affects our ability to control these thoughts. The researchers find that real-time brain feedback significantly improves people's ability to control their thoughts and effectively 'train their brains.'

"Just like athletes in training benefit from a coach's guidance, feedback from our brain can help us to be more aware of our thoughts," says co-author Prof. Kalina Christoff, UBC Dept. of Psychology. "Our findings suggest that the ability to control our thinking improves when we know how the corresponding area in our brain is behaving."

For the study, published the current issue of NeuroImage journal, participants performed tasks that either raised or lowered mental introspection in 30-second intervals over four six-minute sessions. fMRI technology tracked real-time activity in the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC), the region of the brain involved with higher-order thoughts.

Participants with access to real-time fMRI feedback could see their RLPFC activity increase during introspection and decrease during non-introspective thoughts, such as mental tasks that focused on body sensations. These participants used the feedback to guide their thoughts, which significantly improved their ability to control their thoughts and successfully perform the mental tasks. In contrast, participants given inaccurate or no brain feedback did not achieve any improvement in brain regulation.

"When participants saw their brain reacting to their thoughts, they knew whether they were performing the task well or poorly, and they could adjust their thoughts accordingly," says co-author Graeme McCaig, a graduate of UBC's Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering's Human Computer Interaction specialization. "As a result, participants who received the real-time feedback were able to focus on the mental task more consistently."

The study points to the possibility of improving our everyday lives through fMRI-assisted advances in our ability to focus our minds on personal or professional matters, according to the research team, which includes Matt Dixon, Kamyar Keramatian and Irene Liu.

The findings also raise hope for clinical treatments of conditions that can benefit from improved awareness and regulation of one's thoughts, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, the researchers says. For example, with increased availability of fMRI technology, real-time brain feedback represents a potentially important complement to feedback provided by a therapist or a patient's own self-monitoring ability

Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of British Columbia.

Pain, Social Rejection Have Similar Effect On Brain

Study Suggests Similarities in Physical Pain and Emotional Pain

 

 

March 28, 2011 -- Rejection really does hurt. That's the message of a new study that suggests physical pain and the pain of rejection may "hurt" in the same way.

Researchers found that physical pain and intense emotional pain, such as feelings of rejection after a bad breakup of a relationship, activate the same "pain" processing pathways in the brain.

"These results give new meaning to the idea that social rejection 'hurts,'" says researcher Ethan Kross, PhD of the University of Michigan, in a news release.

"On the surface, spilling a hot cup of coffee on yourself and thinking about how rejected you feel when you look at the picture of a person that you recently experienced an unwanted breakup with may seem to elicit very different types of pain," says Kross. "But this research shows that they may be even more similar than initially thought."

Comparing 'Painful' Situations

In the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers recruited 40 people who experienced an unwanted romantic breakup within the past six months. Each of the participants said thinking about their breakup made them feel intensely rejected.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers analyzed the participants' brain activity during two "painful" situations.

In one scenario, the participants looked at a picture of their ex-partner and thought about how they felt rejected during their breakup experience. In a different scenario, the participants experienced mild physical pain similar to holding a very hot coffee cup.

The results showed that in both situations the same regions of the brain were activated, the secondary somatosensory cortex and the dorsal posterior insula. Both of these regions have previously been implicated in physical pain processing.

"We found that powerfully inducing feelings of social rejection activate regions of the brain that are involved in physical pain sensation, which are rarely activated in neuroimaging studies of emotion," says Kross. "These findings are consistent with the idea that the experience of social rejection, or social loss more generally, may represent a distinct emotional experience that is uniquely associated with physical pain."

Researchers say the results suggest that pain and social rejection may have overlapping sensory mechanisms in the brain. If confirmed by further studies, the findings may offer new insight into how social rejection may lead to various physical pain symptoms and disorders.

Thanks to Jennifer Warner / WebMD Health News / Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Boy Scouts And Girl Scouts: Cookies Or Careers?

ScienceDaily (Apr. 8, 2011) — Nearly 5 million American children participate in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but until now no one has looked at the gender messages young people get when they start collecting those coveted badges.

Kathleen Denny, a sociology graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, analyzed scouting manuals and found that -- despite positive aspects -- today's scouts are being fed stereotypical ideas about femininity and masculinity. Her findings were recently published in Gender & Society.

Girl scouts, for example, are steered away from scientific pursuits while boys are discouraged from pursuing artistic inter¬ests. While gender has been analyzed in children's books and television, it has rarely been examined in scouting manuals.

"The disproportionate and gendered distribution of art and science projects aligns with the large body of research that finds girls being systematically derailed from scientific and mathemati¬cal pursuits and professions due to cultural beliefs and stereotypes about their relative ineptitude in these areas," says Denny.

Among Denny's other key findings:

• Girls are more likely than the boys to be offered activities involving art projects; Girls' art activities make up 11 percent of their total activities.
• Scientifically-oriented activities make up only 2 percent of all girls' activities, but boys science activities take up 6 percent of their scouting time.
• Girls are offered proportionately more communal activities than boys; 30 percent of the girls' badge work activities are intended to take place in groups, either with or for others.
• Boys are offered proportionately more self-oriented activities than girls; Less than 20 percent of the boys' activities are intended to take place with others.
• Despite her findings of stereotypical notions of femininity, Denny found that the boys' handbook "fosters intellectual dependence and passivity." Boys are routinely instructed to look for answers in the back of their guide, while girls are encouraged to do original research.

Denny also found that the names of Scout badges convey strong messages about gender. Stereo¬typical ideas about "embellished femininity and stoic masculinity" are communicated in the level of playfulness (and the lack thereof) that char¬acterize the different badge titles.

• Some 27 percent of girls' badge titles use playful literary techniques such as alliteration and puns, while 0 percent of boys' badge titles do so.
• All 20 boys' badges (100 percent) have descriptive titles without using any playful wording, while only 73 percent of the girls' badges have descriptive titles. The boys' badge dealing with rocks and geology, for example, is called the "Geologist" badge, while the comparable girls' badge is called the "Rocks Rock" badge.
• Denny found boys' badge titles use more career-oriented language (such as Engineer, Craftsman, Scientist), whereas girls' badge titles consistently use more playful language with less of a career orientation. (Instead of the boy's "Astronomer," the comparable girls badge is called "Sky Search." Instead of "Mechanic," a similar girl badge is called "Car Care.")

"When boys speak to others about their Geologist badge, they have a legitimate career title to use and are likely to be taken more seriously in conversations than girls discussing their achievement of a 'Rocks Rock' badge," Denny says.

She also found that the types of activities the badges entail are "the most explicitly gendered dimensions in the girls' handbook." Examples of badges that have to do with stereotypically feminine activities include: Caring for Children, Looking Your Best, and Sew Simple. In addition to activities about personal hygiene and healthy eating, the Looking Your Best badge offers activities such as a "Color Party" that asks the girls to "take turns holding different colors up to your face [to] decide which colors look best on each of you." That same badge also offers the activity option of an "Accessory Party" where the girls "experiment to see how accessories highlight your features and your outfit."

These badges are not offered in the Boy Scouts; the boys' Fitness badge, the only one approximating a personal-style badge, offers activities such as completing a weeklong food diary and telling a family member about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Sociologists for Women in Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Surveys Confirm Enormous Value Of Science Museums, 'Free Choice' Learning

ScienceDaily (Apr. 8, 2011) — One of the first studies of its type has confirmed that a science museum can strongly influence the public's knowledge and attitudes about science and technology, and to a surprising degree can cut across racial, ethnic, educational and economic barriers.

The study focused on the California Science Center in Los Angeles, and offers profound support for the value of such institutions. It also reinforces the emerging concept of "free choice" learning, which holds that people get most of their knowledge about science from someplace other than school or formal education.

The comprehensive, multi-year analysis was one of the first of its kind ever done, researchers said, based on extensive surveys of thousands of adults in the past decade by scientists from Oregon State University. The findings were recently published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching.

"The holy grail of science museums is not to provide someone all the knowledge they need, but to inspire them, to become a launching point," said John Falk, an OSU professor of science education and national leader in the free-choice learning movement. "Many people have believed that such institutions could do this, but this study provides some of the first definitive evidence that it works.

"Overall, these results were staggering, much more positive than I could have imagined," he said.

According to the survey findings:

• More than half of the residents in Los Angeles County, over one million a year, have visited the Science Center since it opened in 1998, and say it strongly improved their understanding of science issues.

• Residents who visited the Science Center were among the most knowledgeable Los Angeles residents about science and technology, and their visit significantly contributed to this.

• The makeup of visitors was broadly representative of the general population, including all races, ethnicities, ages, education and income levels.

• More than a quarter of visitors were Hispanic, and some of the strongest beliefs about positive impacts were expressed by minority and low-income individuals.

• While other leisure activities were decreasing in the past decade, adult use of the Internet, watching educational programs on television, and listening to educational programs in other formats increased.

• Nearly all adults who said their children had visited the Science Center reported an increase in their children's knowledge of science and technology, and large majorities said the visit raised their long-term interest level.

• The attraction to the museum was amazingly broad -- no one zip code accounted for more than 2 percent of the visitation.

"There is a growing appreciation that Americans learn most of what they know about science outside of school," Falk said. "Institutions like science museums can play an important part in that."

According to Mark Needham, an assistant professor in the OSU Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society and co-author on the study, these surveys were unlike almost all done previously. They did not just sample visitors to a museum or science center, but sought out and interviewed a representative cross-section of the general public, he said.

The institution that is now the California Science Center has a long history, tracing its roots to the State Exposition Building constructed about a century ago. It underwent a total reconstruction that was completed in 1998, and three major surveys were conducted since that time -- one in 1997, one in 2000 and the results of this study from a survey in 2009. The work has been supported by the Noyce Foundation of California, and some earlier studies by the National Science Foundation and James Irvine Foundation.

The Science Center itself is a remarkable, 245,000-square-foot facility with many outstanding exhibits, and it's free. But other cities have similar facilities and attendance despite charging fees, Falk noted. And it seems to be working.

"Can you define homeostasis?" Falk asked. "Most people can't. But in Los Angeles, nearly half of the public say they've heard of the term, and 20 percent of them can now give you a decent definition. There was an exhibit on homeostasis at the museum after it re-opened, where a 50-foot-tall animatronic woman named Tess explained it."

Researchers used this exhibit and the concept of homeostatis as a "marker" to demonstrate that what was presented at the Science Center was actually learned. And lest you feel out-of-touch or uninformed, homeostasis is the balance that organisms or cells try to maintain.

Anyway, that's what Tess says. And apparently in Los Angeles, when Tess talks, people listen.

"It has long been assumed that formal schooling is the primary mechanism by which the public learns science," the researchers wrote in their study. "But in recent years there has been a growing appreciation for the fundamental role played by the vast array of non-school science education institutions."

"Large numbers of the general public have benefited," they said.

Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Oregon State University.

Saving Electricity And Saving Money - Electrical Engineers Create Money-Saving Light System

May 1, 2007 — A photosensor paired with a dimming ballast controls fluorescent lighting and adjusts lights all over the user's home. A microcontroller automatically calibrates amounts of daylight and adjusts electrical light accordingly.

Lighting an office building can cost a lot of money, and sometimes those lights are left on even when natural sunlight is pouring through the windows. Now, an easy solution, called DaySwitch, makes the most of those sunny days at work and soon, at home.

"Lighting has a big impact on our lives but we pay the price because it uses a lot of electricity," says Andrew Bierman, M.S., a lighting research scientist from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Lighting makes up 25 percent of energy consumed by businesses. However, businesses could soon lower their electric bills.

Bierman developed the DaySwitch; it uses natural light to conserve electricity. "DaySwitch is an automatic device that will simply shut the lights off when there is plenty of daylight available," he explains. The DaySwitch is a tiny sensor that measures sunlight in an area and then it sends a signal to turn lights on or off as needed.

Bierman told DBIS about the inspiration behind the invention. He says, "You don't have to have the electric lights on when they are really not providing any more useful light than you already have with daylight."

Unlike typical lighting controls, the DaySwitch is easy to install and costs less than $25 per system. After it's installed, an easy-to-use remote control can reset the sensor to your desired level, so there is no need to call expensive electricians. When natural sunlight brightens the space, the lights go off, which cuts the lighting needs of a building in half, therefore saving on energy costs.

DaySwitch could be available for homes within a year.

The Optical Society of contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

BACKGROUND: Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lighting Research Center have developed a simple, cost-effective, energy-saving device designed to harvest daylight automatically. Unlike traditional systems where one sensor controls many lamps at once, the Dayswitch controls light fixtures individually, providing flexibility for on/off control and simple installation.

ABOUT DAYSWITCH: The Dayswitch eliminates wasted or unwanted electric light by sensing when enough daylight is available to take the place of electric light, and then responds by turning off the fixture. When daylight decreases, the device turns the light back on. A built-in microcontroller automatically calibrates the Dayswitch, allowing for easy installation and maintenance. Although it's made for office buildings with large sunlit spaces -- such as at the concourse of a mall -- the Dayswitch system can be installed anywhere, including private homes. It can even be more energy-efficient in homes, since most homes use incandescent lamps, which require more energy than fluorescent lamps.

LET THERE BE LIGHT: Typical daylight harvesting systems include a photosensor paired with a dimming ballast -- a device that regulates the electricity supplied to a lamp -- to control fluorescent lighting, dimming or brightening the lights according to the amount of daylight entering the workspace. However, full-dimming ballasts are expensive, and photosensors are difficult to program and install. Dayswitch works with all conventional fluorescent ballasts, and has simple circuitry and on/off operation, making it less expensive than similar daylight control systems.

SENSORY FEEDBACK: A sensor is a type of transducer: an electronic device that converts energy from one form to another. For instance, microphones convert sound waves into electrical signals, while speakers receive the electrical signals and convert them back into sound waves. There are many different kinds of sensors, but most are electrical or electronic. A photosensor is an electronic component that detects the presence of various wavelengths of light: visible, infrared, or ultraviolet for example. The electrical conductance will change in response to the intensity of the light being detected, and this change is recorded by a computer.

Note: This story and accompanying video were originally produced for the American Institute of Physics series Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe Broadcast News and are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.

Smart Meters Save $$$ - Mechanical Engineers' Device Helps Electricity Conservation

January 1, 2007 — Smart meters are small computers that provide real-time information on how much electricity is being used by each customer and when, and can relay information back to the head office over the very same power lines they feed from. Smart meters can bill different rates depending overall grid usage, to encourage conservation. Users can program them to control appliances, for example running the dishwasher during off-peak hours, when rates are lower.

SAN FRANCISCO -- During the winter, we crank up the heat. During the summer, we turn up the air. And all the time we're eating up electricity. Now a new smart meter may help to save energy and save money.

Like most parents, finding ways to save is a priority for Trina Camping. But she thought saving on her electric bill was a lost cause. That is, until she saw the light and started using a SmartMeter.

"This is what makes a SmartMeter smart," Mechanical Engineer Tim Vahlstrom, tells DBIS. "It's mounted onto a typical electric meter."

Engineers at Pacific Gas and Electric in San Francisco are working on SmartMeters. They're mini computers that provide real-time information on how much electricity is being used by each customer and when.

"This utilizes a technology called 'Powerline Carrier.' So it puts the signal back on the lines that actually feed the Meter, back through the power lines, to the transformer, back all the way to the head office," Vahlstrom says.

Everything is done remotely. You can turn your air conditioning, heating and lights on at home -- even when you're on vacation.

Vahlstrom says, "I want my thermostat to raise temperature by five degrees or four degrees if the price of electricity gets above this level. Then automatically the thermostat we can send a command to do that."

Power outages can be detected immediately, and within seconds, power is back on. "It actually does these things remotely without a person on-site," Vahlstrom says.

Peak power hours are from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. By running her dishwasher and other appliances later at night, the power company gives Camping and her family a discount.

"We've saved about $150 to $200," Camping says. It's the first step to saving electricity and saving money.

Minnesota, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Florida are already using the SmartMeters. Not all of the functions are available right now in every state, but will be soon.

BACKGROUND: Pacific Gas and Electric in California is installing Smart Meters in millions of homes: small computers that communicate with a utility's central data center, providing real-time information on how much electricity a customer is using, and when it is being used. These remotely-read meters can be linked to a variety of pricing and other options, and should help improve service and lower costs for consumers. Similar systems have been introduced in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Florida.

SAVING MONEY: While there will be an initial small hike in electricity rates to pay for the $2 billion SmartMeter program, in the long term, potential savings could be considerable. The new "voluntary pricing plans" charge customers more for power used during peak periods (such as weekday afternoons) when supply is tight and prices are higher, and charge less at night on weekends, when demand and prices are lower. Users can plan their cost and energy usage accordingly. Power outages can be detected right away, and since everything is done remotely, there is no need for meter readings, or on-site connection or disconnection of service.

ON THE GRID: The nation's power grid boasts more than 6,000 inter-connected power generation stations. Power is sent around the country via half a million miles of bulk transmission lines carrying high voltage charges of electricity. From these lines, power is sent to regional and neighborhood substations, where the electricity is then stepped down from high voltage to a current suitable for use in homes and offices. The system has its advantages: distant stations can provide electricity to cities and towns that may have lost power. But unusually high or unbalanced demands for power -- especially those that develop suddenly -- can upset the smooth flow of electricity. This can cause a blackout in one section of a grid, or ripple through the entire grid, shutting down one section after another, making it difficult to restore power from neighboring stations.

AC/DC: There are two different kinds of electrical current: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). In direct current a steady stream of electrons flows continuously in only one direction, for example, from the negative to the positive terminal of a battery. Alternating current changes direction 50 or 60 times per second, oscillating up and down. Almost all of the electricity used in homes and businesses is alternating current. That's because it's easier to send AC over long distances without losing too much to leakage. Leakage is the result of friction as electricity travels along a wire over distance; some voltage loss inevitably occurs. AC can be converted much more easily to higher voltages, which are better able to overcome line resistance.

Note: This story and accompanying video were originally produced for the American Institute of Physics series Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe Broadcast News and are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.

Smart Trash Cans - RFID-Based Recycling Technology Makes Philadelphia Greener

October 1, 2006 — Electrical engineers have developed a system that identifies a recycling bin by its household, using Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) chips embedded in the bins. Bins are scanned and weighed right at the curb, and the system tallies credits for households that are above average for recycling, issuing "recycle dollars" that can be used at participating businesses for discounts.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Buying recycled products is all the rage, but do you recycle? The average person uses 650 pounds of paper each year. Americans go through 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour! Those bottles and other recyclables are filling up our landfills. Now a new garbage bin can actually save the environment and make you some money.

It's a dirty job, but in Jill Mascaro's home, her kids fight over who's going to be responsible for the trash! "The kids and I have a running marathon every month as to how much we can actually scrounge up in the house in recyclables," she says.

The Mascaros aren't only saving the environment, they're making money with the Smart Cart, a high-tech trash can created by engineers that collects all your recyclables.

Its secret? A chip embedded in the plastic.

"We've turned an injection-molded piece of plastic into a smart, traceable piece of plastic," says JoAnne Perkins, general manager of Cascade Engineering in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Sensors in the garbage truck read the chip. Forks outfitted with scales weigh what's inside. The Smart Cart automatically records the information in computers.

Fred Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering, says, "The householder gets rewarded for the amount of recyclables that they have just put into the truck."

Each week you can go on-line, find out how much you've recycled and collect Recycle Bank Dollars. You can get coupons for anything from groceries, gas, clothes, Starbucks, travel agencies ... You name it, they got it!

Philadelphia went from one of the nation's worst recycling rates -- 6 percent to an incredible 90 percent with recycle bank!

"Not only has it taken the chore out, it's made it fun," Keller says. The creators of this concept at Cascade Engineering have a new word for this business -- "Econology" – because it's good for the environment and good for business.

It's a win all around! Cities save money on trash hauling. Waste management companies track recycling operations to reduce landfill disposal and optimize truck usage. Households get discounts, and businesses get foot traffic without paying for advertising. Cascade Engineering is responsible for making the bins, but if you want the smart cart to come to your area, call your city leaders.

Jill and her family earned $15 last month, $21 this month, and now they're ready to go shopping!

BACKGROUND: A Philadelphia company has teamed up with a manufacturer of plastic trash carts to develop a system that identifies a recycle bin by its household. Each bin is embedded with a "smart waste" tag -- a combination computer chip and bar code reader --so the bins can be scanned and weighed right at the curb. Once scanned, the data is recorded on a computer and linked to that particular household. The system tallies credits for households that are above average for recycling, and issues "recycle dollars" that can be used at participating businesses for discounts.

THE RESULTS: RecycleBank in Philadelphia has seen recycling participation rise to 90 percent of the 2,500 residents who subscribed to the pilot program, up from less than 25 percent of those households when the program began. Not only did more homes participate, but they recycled more of their trash. The average recycling rate rose from less than 5 percent to more than 50 percent.

HOW RFID TAGS WORK: Location tracking technology has many different components, including geographic information systems, the global positioning system, wireless local area networks and the infrastructure that has evolved around cellular phones. In a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system, small microchips are implanted into consumer goods, cattle, vehicles and other objects to track their movements. RFID tags are passive and only transmit data if prompted by a reader. The reader transmits radio waves that activate the tag, which then transmits information via a pre-set radio frequency. Currently, location tracking systems are used to streamline corporate supply chains, monitor assets and prevent inventory loss. But one day RFID tags may replace traditional bar codes in stores.

WHAT ARE MEMS: Microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMs) integrate electronic and moving parts onto a microscopic silicon chip, making them ideal for new sensor technology. The term MEMS was coined in the 1980s. A MEMS device is usually only a few micrometers wide; for comparison, a human hair is 50 micrometers wide. Among other everyday applications, MEMS-based sensors are used in cars to detect the sudden motion of a collision and trigger release of the airbag. They are also found in ink-jet printers, blood pressure monitors, and projection display systems.

Note: This story and accompanying video were originally produced for the American Institute of Physics series Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe Broadcast News and are protected by copyright law. All rights reserved.

Computational Modeling Helps In Determining Individual Cholesterol-Related Information

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The illustration presents a cross section of the structure of a lipoprotein particle. Lipoproteins are small particles that transport fats in our bloodstream. They consist of lipids, i.e. fats (the colorful molecules in the illustration), and proteins that are called apolipoproteins (the gray molecules). The structure of a lipoprotein can be divided into the core and the surface that surrounds the core. The core and the surface differ in the number and properties of their lipids and proteins. (Credit: Image courtesy of Aalto University)

ScienceDaily (Apr. 7, 2011) — Computational modeling increases our knowledge of lipoprotein properties that cannot be measured using experimental methods. Lipoproteins are particles that transport cholesterol in our bloodstream. According to the doctoral dissertation of Master of Science in Technology Linda Kumpula (Aalto University School of Science), the differences in the composition, size and number of lipoprotein particles transporting cholesterol in individuals can be computationally modeled using experimental data. The lipids transported by the particles have been established earlier, but it has not been possible to determine the content of one particle.

Modeling can be used to calculate the size of one lipoprotein particle when the number and volume of the lipids and proteins are known. The cholesterol-transporting particles of different individuals are slightly different in size. The size difference depends on issues such as how many cholesterol molecules there are in one lipoprotein particle. The risk of getting a cardiovascular disease varies depending on the size, number and possibly also the lipid composition of, for instance, LDL particles -- lipoproteins containing so-called bad cholesterol. If there is a significant number of LDL particles and they are small, the risk of cardiovascular disease may be greater since the small particles can enter the arterial walls more easily than larger ones.

A lot of research has been carried out on the structure and properties of lipoproteins, but the details of their structure are still fairly unknown. Computational modeling can be used to examine whether lipids are located in the core or on the surface of lipoprotein particles. This study has disproved earlier hypotheses on the location of lipid molecules. The lipids that are more commonly found in the core can also be located on the surface of a particle.

"This study shows that there are differences between individuals when it comes to the particles that transport cholesterol. In the future, the significance of these differences from the point of view of preventing cardiovascular diseases would be an interesting area to explore," Linda Kumpula comments on her dissertation.

An important aspect of this study is its usefulness when applying new, experimental methods, such as NMR spectroscopy for example, to the study of lipoproteins and possible clinical use in the future.

Story Source: The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Aalto University.