Brian's Cognigen Blog

Agloco toolbar is now available

2007-06-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.agloco.com/r/BBBN4458

Agloco just released their toolbar and it can now be installed on your computer. I've been using it for a few days and had not problems what so ever. This is the easiest thing ever. It just sits on the bottom of your desk top and doesn't interfere with anything.

Check out the site and see how easy it is.

Namaste,
Brian Baldwin

Using Misspelled Words

2007-05-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just ran across this story on Yahoo and realized that it can be used for search engine optimization (SEO) As you make posts in forums, and create blog posts etc, misspell a few words and most likely you'll rise through the ranks.

Namaste,
Brian Baldwin
Southern Tech Services

The Most Misspelled
By Erik Gunther
Wed, May 23, 2007, 2:06 pm PDT
Everyone has certain words they struggle to spell correctly. When it comes to spelling, we're not perfect—you can count on us to occasionally botch recieve (sic), accomodations (sic), and relavant (sic). With the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the horizon, we figured it was a perfect time to come clean about our erroneous ways.

The superb spellers at the Bee will rake in even more Buzz this year with the finals being televised in prime time on ABC. Searches on "spelling bee" have doubled over the last week and we've seen related search spikes on "national spelling bee," "spelling words," and "commonly misspelled words."

What are the common words that vex our searchers? We applied our best spell checking skills to the data and came up with this list of the top 20 misspelled words in Search...

Wallmart (Wal-Mart)
Rachel Ray (Rachael Ray)
Amtrack (Amtrak)
Hillary Duff (Hilary Duff)
Katherine McPhee (Katharine McPhee)
Britany Spears (Britney Spears)
Geneology (Genealogy)
Jaime Pressley (Jaime Pressly)
Volkswagon (Volkswagen)
Wikepedia (Wikipedia)
William Sonoma (Williams-Sonoma)
Tatoo (Tattoo)
Travelosity (Travelocity)
Elliot Yamin (Elliott Yamin)
Kiera Knightley (Keira Knightley)
Kelly Pickler (Kellie Pickler)
Brittney Spears (Britney Spears)
Avril Lavinge (Avril Lavigne)
Rianna (Rihanna)
Jordan Sparks (Jordin Sparks)

Article Distribution. Complete. Extensive. Quick. Article Marketer

2006-12-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

Article Distribution. Complete. Extensive. Quick. Article Marketer

It's almost the New Year and I've made a resolution.This year, I'm going to reveal every tool and trick I use to grow my business. I plan on making at least a few members of my team a lot of money, if they use the tools I do.

I've been using Article Marketer for almost a year and the cool thing is that every time a new article site comes on line and get's added to the list, they take all of my old articles and submit them. I've written a few articles and linked them to my profile site brianbaldwin.com and have over 1700 links in Google to that site, here's the results and this isn't even counting the other articles that were directed at other domains.

I'll be sharing other tricks later. It's going to be a stellar year.

Namaste,
Brian

New Ultimate Rep Splash Page

2006-11-28T13:35:00.000-08:00

: Turn Your Traffic Into Income!
I've been using this new splash page and getting several sign ups to Ultimate Rep and Cognigen. One of the cool things about all the Ultimate rep spash pages is that when you see them on traffic exchanges, they say your name. This really catches your attention and results in more sign ups. It also captures the prospects info and e-mails them more info.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Namaste,
Brian

Ultimate Rep Update

2006-08-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

: Turn Your Traffic Into Income!
Recently, Empowerism stopped offering autoresponders as part of their very good package so it's no longer a required program. This makes Ultimate Rep free to join at the moment. You can start building downlines in several companies and generating a lot of traffic without spending any money to start. Of couse, you'll want to join as many as you can but for now, it isn't required.

Namaste,
Brian

Ultimate Rep

2006-07-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

I've been a member of Ultimate Rep for a few months now and have to say it's smokin. I was expecting it to be good when Kevin told me about it, but I really underestimated the power of it. I've watched my income go up every month and usually several times during the month. As a matter of fact, If you're new or been around for a while, you owe it to yourself to join.

Namaste,
Brian

Traffic Exchange Blog

2006-04-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Traffic Exchange Blog
I realize that traffic exchanges aren't for everyone so I created another blog that will be dedicated to traffic exchanges and how to use them. That way, I can keep this blog focused on Cognigen.

Namaste,
Brian

Money for nothing??? Probably not.

2006-03-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

I've been using the traffic exchanges a lot since Kevin introduced me to Ultimate Rep and the thing I keep seeing is these sites that promise to pay you extreme returns on money. Some have been shut down recently but the fact that they keep springing up bothers me.

It's true that you can make a great living working on line but it takes work and these sites are promising that you can spend a few minutes a day and get guaranteed returns. If you're planning on joining a group, ask yourself where the money is coming from. If there is no sales, it probably won't last. A lot of people have already found this out the hard way.

GET Active TODAY!

2006-03-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

I ran across this article today and it points out that you never know where your next star is going to come from. I hope it helps you as much as it helped me.
I just received this months leads from Traffic Oasis which are the best leads I've used and will be calling them over the next few days.

Namaste,
Brian

GET Active TODAY!
Mike Lemire
________________________________________

At a seminar I heard a great statement.....
"Just DO something"
I remember being frustrated when I started and when I first complained to my Father...he made me sit down and asked me a simple question...."Do you want to know the SECRET to success?" I said "Absolutely" He then TOLD me to stand up and look under MY chair. SO I did and found a $100 bill taped to it. He said...the secret is to "Get off your (you know what) and go make some money!
So I started to get ACTIVE...and found that....
Even if it's not the BEST activity it's better than what I call "PERFECT InAction" in which some of us may be categorized at one point in time or another!
It's amazing when you STOP idling, and take yourself out of "neutral" that something happens! I can tell you many stories WHY activity is important but here are a few to prove a point....
"The MORE activity you have, the luckier you GET!"
ACTION: Making Phone Calls
One day I was making local cold calls. At one point I tried to reach a marketing company and called the wrong phone number....a gentleman answered the phone. I was very "edgy" that day and really didn't feel like having any of my time wasted. He was very nice and proceeded to TRY and help me...I became irritated UNTIL he started to become interested in what I did for a living. SO, I invited him to a local seminar the NEXT day and what do you know, he shows up and SIGNS up! I then helped him recruit a few of his "centers of influence" and found an ACE. One of his buddies signed up and became one of the TOP recruiters in our state that year.
THE RESULT: Over 20,000 a year!
This gentleman and his team have put over $20,000 in my pocket every year and growing because I made an incorrect phone call! What if I decided to NOT make ANY calls that day? Ouch!
ACTION: Sending Emails
One day I was sending just TONS of emails to build up a presence on the internet. I sent specific emails to companies searching for help on the Internet with my business opportunity.
An extremely successful Internet Marketer in Colorado happen to reply and then asked for an info packet. I had SO many replies that I FORGOT to send the information until he so kindly reminded me! Once I sent the info...I forgot to follow up! (Don't you hate that?) I thought he would not be interested...I pre-judged him...
Thank god he didn't and once he called me...his objective was clear...he wanted to sign up and meet my wife and I at a major event in Dallas, TX.
THE RESULT: Downline in 34 States!
We worked together day in and day out to build his business and became great friends! The income from this "Not-So- Perfect" scenario is closing in on $30,000 a year....growing and growing. I am like many of you on the internet...still learning...but the key is to always TRY something...and this takes ACTION!
ACTION: "Running Ads"
I have and always will love long-distance recruiting from ads. One day we received an inquiry from someone that was trying to HELP us reach more prospects. They were responding to SELL us and we...by accident, SOLD them! Because we were "open minded", we ended up bringing a major marketing company into our business. (In the past I would have NOT called them back. I wanted prospects, not to be prospected!) Always be networking..no matter what you are doing....
THE RESULT: "Almost $100,000 in 4 months!"
Once again, we worked with this new business partner and they had a few special gifts....a few magical business connections and their first four months...they earned close to $100,000! We were happy too! )
It's amazing what happens when you have an an open mind...listening is another key to success!
THE most important KEY is just getting ACTIVE in the game.
"You don't have to be the "sharpest" TOOL in the shed, BUT...you have to be IN the shed!"
UNDERSTAND that these "imperfect activities" led to great results BUT we had to WORK! The fact that we were doing something is what LED to these GREAT prospects BUT you then have to put the TIME in.
I am certainly NOT encouraging poor activities but suggesting ACTION and the fact that when you just DO something; you have good, bad, and even lucky results!
"LUCK seems to have a peculiar attachment to WORK"
SO...get ACTIVE...no matter what, DO NOT sit by and wait...go out and GET...everyday...because you never KNOW who is out there and WHEN they will BE there. Just DO something...you will see good, bad and even lucky results....everyday!
The cold call you make today...
The emails you send today...
The ads you run today....
Could it be that ONE of your activities will change you life? Today? Tomorrow? Next week?
The only way you will ever KNOW is to get ACTIVE!

Traffic Syndicate 25

2006-03-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

Traffic Syndicate 25

I've been using this to promote the Ultimate Rep site and have to say that the sign ups are pretty good. I really like the whole syndicate thing where you get credits for the whole groups surfing efforts.

You can also find a list of the other Traffic Exchanges I use at the Recommended Traffic Exchange page.

Namaste,
Brian

Brian Baldwin welcomes you...

2006-03-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Rep

Kevin just updated the Ultimate Rep web site and it looks great. I'm happy I joined and it's turning out to really work. If you're serious about generating multiple streams of income, you need to check this out.

Namaste,
Brian

Free Traffic and Search Bar for Internet Explorer and Firefox

2006-02-27T22:24:00.000-08:00

Free Traffic and Search Bar for Internet Explorer and Firefox

I've been using this surf bar for over a month and it really rocks. I joined for free and tested it and then upgraded to pro.
One of the things I really like (besides the fact that it's spyware free) is all the tools it contains.

By the way, I made several sales from this little toolbar.

Namaste,
Brian

PS if you have a site, you can earn extra credit just by installing their ads on your site. At least for the moment, they're down below, but as soon as I get this template edited, they'll be up higher.

Ultimate Rep

2006-02-27T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Cognigen Recruiting Site

I've been working on learning this killer site that Kevin Anderson created and he keeps making the training better. He's also working on having the appearance tweeked so it'll look even better. All I know is that it's working.

If you're serious about building a downline, then you owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

The Comfort Zone

2006-02-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

While reading blogs I found this poem and thought it was great. It really hits the nail on the head.

Namaste,
Brian

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn’t fail.

The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn‘t matter that I wasn’t doing much.
I said I didn’t care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.

I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I’d never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.

If you’re in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; Success is there for you!

Author: Unknown

Recommended Traffic Exchanges

2006-02-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Recommended Traffic Exchanges

I just put together a list of traffic exchanges and how to use them to send traffic to your site. If you want a lot of traffic and your site can handle it, sign up for a few or all of these. There is more than 400 hits just for signing up and most have bonus credits for games and random bonuses.

Enjoy.

Namaste,
Brian

Ultimate Rep

2006-02-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Ultimate Rep Cognigen Site
Here is a web site that Kevin Anderson created for Cognigen reps. It takes several programs and makes them work together. If you really want to create multiple income streams, you need to get this.

Ecommerce Executive Joins Cognigen Board of Directors

2006-01-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

Ecommerce Executive Joins Cognigen Board of Directors

This sounds like a good move for all agents in that it should improve products and most likely, marketing training.

Namaste,
Brian

Turning recruiting into a game.

2006-01-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

Today we're going to look at an easy way to grow your business. This is so easy; you'll probably be surprised at how well it works and it's so easy that I tend to think of it as a game.

You'll need business cards and belief that it will work.

Here's how I play the game.
When I get up each morning and when I'm out running errands, I set an intention to meet at least one person that I need to meet. I usually say to myself while driving to the store that I intend to meet at least one person that I need to meet and then I keep an eye open for those people. Some times, they are people who are looking for a home based business, some times they are people who are looking for the products I sell and some times they are people who need my help lifting a heavy object into their shopping cart. The point is that every time I expect to meet someone, I do.

Now, you may not believe me, but give it a try. When you go out today or tomorrow, expect to meet someone and keep an open mind. If it doesn't work for you, then try again the next day and actually expect to meet at least one person.

Since I started playing this game, I've recruited several people into my downline, made several sales, made a contact that may prove very valuable in the future and helped an elderly lady put a heavy object into her cart. But, more importantly, I've had fun.

By the way, this idea came to me while reading the book, "Ask And It Is Given" by Jerry and Esther Hicks.

If you need a logical explanation for how this works instead of whatever you ask for, the universe will give, then it's simple. You pass by dozens of people each day that want a home based business or your products and you don't notice them. This game will cause you to change your focus and actually see those people. How many times have you had a clerk that was tired of her job and it showed? I used to get slightly irritated about it until I started seeing these people as needing a better life. Now I hand them a card and ask if they've ever thought of having their own business. You'd be surprised to know how many call me or e-mail me to ask more.

Now, go out and play. If people see you having fun, they'll want to know how you do it.

Namaste,
Brian Baldwin

For a list of recommended resources as well as tools to grow your business.

Roundup Some Free Traffic to Your Website. Free Advertising with TrafficRoundup.com

2006-01-27T09:54:00.000-08:00

Roundup Some Free Traffic to Your Website. Free Advertising with TrafficRoundup.com

I had just about given up on Traffic Exchanges until Kevin Anderson the founder of Cognigen recommended one recently. I figured if he was recommending a site that I should go back to my dusty bookmark folder and start testing them again. Traffic Roundup was one of my favorites back in the day so it was on my list to try. I've been using it (again)for a few weeks and the results are pretty good.
Here's the reason I recommend it.
Free
15 second timer instead of 30 like most.
Trade credits for banner impressions 1 credit equals 60 banners.

A bit of advice if you're going to use a Traffic Exchange.
Use Firefox or Mozilla instead of Internet Explorer. It's just safer.
Advertise a newsletter sign up or products. Most people on exchanges already have a primary business.

A side benefit of surfing is that you get to read other sites and learn what they are writing. If you figure out good web design, your success rate will go up.

Happy Surfing

Brian

PS if you happen to so my Proven MLM Training newsletter in your surfing, let me know what you think.

Best MLM Resources

2006-01-10T13:39:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine and fellow Cognigen agent has a blog that has some really good info on it. I really like the article on using articles to grow your business. I guess I'm partial since Jeff is a friend of mine and I'm really into writing articles right now. Anyway, take a look and let me know what you think.
Best MLM Resources

Namaste,
Brian

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T17:09:00.000-08:00

Another year is almost over and it's time to review the previous year and think about the next. This is a great time to plan for where you want to be in the coming months. After all, time will pass regardless of whether or not we have a plan. I suggest you take a little time and set some goals and resolutions for 2006, if you haven't already.

I'll give you a small look into mine. I didn't want just another list of goals to accomplish this year so I made my list with the following categories.

Body

Mind/Spirit

Finance

Home

I then wrote down everything I wanted to accomplish under each category, made sub goals and made each goal as detailed and achievable as possible and set up a reminder to read it every 2 weeks and keep working toward my goals. I believe this is where most people go wrong. If you just make a list and don't figure out how to make it work and read it often, then it turns into just another forgotten list and 365 days from now, we all wonder where the year went.

Here's a little trick that works for me. I added a few goals that were so easy that I can't help but achieve them. I learned a long time ago that it helps me stay motivated as the year goes by.

If you didn't achieve everything you wanted in 2005, don't dwell on what you didn't achieve but focus on what you did and build upon that. You can't change the past but you can learn from it and change the future.

Namaste,

Brian Baldwin

www.BrianBaldwin.com

PS I’ve started working on a list of all the tools that I use to grow my business. The only tools on the list are ones I use and know to work.

http://stservices.powerfulintentions.com/library/view/2617

Happy Holidays

2005-12-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

Brian's Blog

As the year comes to an end and we stop to spend time with our family and friends, I just want to wish everyone a very happy holidays.
There's been a lot of media about the use of Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas by groups that are very passionate about it from both sides. The season is about family and faith, regardless of the title or what your faith is.
If they want to fight something, there're many more important things to expend energy on.
They can:
1. help the homeless
2. visit the elderly
3. raise money for their favorite charity
4. clean up the environment
5. call for truth in government
or a million other things.

Life is too short to fight over the use of a title. If you must fight, then fight for something big. Be the change you want to see. Improve the world. Do something huge and do it 365 days a year and not just during the holidays.

Peace and joy to everyone and my wish for you is for you to find your dream and live like a child with all the wonder and joy that most adults have forgotten.

Namaste,
Brian

New tool

2005-12-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

I've been trying out a new free tool that is pretty cool. It's a tool bar that shows text ads and in return, every 4 ads you show, yours show once. It also has a boat load of tools that are included and works with IE and Firefox. I'm a little disappointed that it doesn't work for Mozilla but maybe I'll switch to Firefox since it has more plug ins available and is supposed to be faster.

Any way, take a look and give it a try. Since it has no spyware or crap inside, it's worth trying out.

Free Traffic Bar

Namaste,
Brian

Best MLM Leads

Trainer - Instant Messaging and the new 3 Foot Rule

2005-11-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

The one thing this article didn't make clear was that you should make friends with them before offering your opportunity unless they ask. Other than that it's an excellent article and should be used.

Namaste,
Brian

Instant Messaging and the new 3 Foot Rule
By Max Steingart
Finding someone to talk to about your business is a lot simpler than you think when you know how to use Instant Messaging on the Internet.

If, like most veteran network marketers, you've blown through your warm market and now depend on talking to anyone within three feet of you who might be interested in your business, you're going to fall in love with Instant Messaging.

If you're brand new to network marketing, and you're struggling with your first assignment - make a list of all the people you know (your warm market list) so you can tell them about your business - your worries are over. Instant Messaging solves your problem by giving you direct access to millions of new people.

You can roll up your sleeves and get to work building your network marketing business with a smile. Instant Messaging will put you in direct contact with people every where in the world. You can use it to talk to all the people that you know. And you can use it to talk to strangers.

You'll make the Internet your warm market when you use Instant Messaging. The new Three-Foot Rule in network marketing is, "When you're sitting in front of your computer, you're within three feet of the entire online world. You can talk to anyone when you know where to find them and how to use Instant Messaging."

The Internet and Instant Messaging made all the difference in Melanie Rogers' success.

Melanie was a young woman living in central Canada. She didn't have a warm market to talk to. Her chiropractor sponsor suggested she send out promotional audio tapes to a mailing list she purchased. Each week for an entire year, she mailed out ten tapes to different people on the list. Melanie developed a lottery ticket mentality toward each mailing. Every week she thought, "One of these people is going to listen to the tape and call me." But no one ever did.

Melanie heard that other people in her company were using Instant Messaging to meet people online to talk about their business. She asked her sponsor if he knew how people were using the Internet, but he didn't have a clue. So she traveled to an event sponsored by her company in Chicago to meet other distributors and to learn how other people were using the Internet.

Melanie met Angela waiting for an elevator at her hotel. Angela knew all about Internet prospecting. "I'm meeting 6 people at this hotel later today that I met online that are considering getting into my business," she told Melanie. "Come up to my room during lunch and I'll show you how easy it is to send an Instant Message to a total stranger and establish a relationship."

Later in Angela's room, Melanie watched in amazement as her new friend used a laptop to search the Member Directory in Yahoo and ICQ, two of the world's largest free Instant Messaging systems. Before her eyes she watched Angela pick from hundreds of people that were online and start an Instant Message conversation with someone that lived close to the hotel. Before the online conversation ended, Angela's new friend made a commitment to stop by the hotel later to meet her and learn more about the business.

When Melanie returned home from Chicago, she immediately began her Internet adventure. She created the screen name MarvelousMelanie along with posting a fabulous profile in the Member Directory on Yahoo. She wanted to use the Internet to meet people in the cities where her company held promotional events. The company's next event was in Orlando, Florida, and Melanie planned to attend that event too.

Melanie learned a lot about her business and company products in Chicago. She made many new friends and had fun. She learned many new things that she would apply to her business, but the biggest thing she learned was how to use the Internet and Instant Messaging.

Melanie searched the Member Directory looking for people to contact in Orlando. She started every Instant Message conversation with:

"Hello, my name is Melanie. I'm coming to Orlando at the end of January for a convention. Do you know what the temperature will be there then? I'm in Canada and expect it will be 5 or 10 below zero here."

Melanie made twenty new contacts that turned into friends in the Orlando area with these initial Instant Messages. Six of these friends became customers prior to the convention and attended it with her. Two of the six were Chiropractors. Before she left town, she signed up an additional six people from her new contact list.

A year and a half later, when Melanie's company expanded into the United Kingdom, she immediately started making new friends in London. She started each Instant Message with a compliment and a reference to the contents of the person's profile.

"Hello, I like your profile. I'm coming to London at the end of July for a five day convention. My company is expanding our business there. How difficult is it to get a tour of Buckingham Palace? I'd really appreciate your help. "

Melanie made six good friends in London and made plans to meet them when she was there.

On her first day in London, Melanie met all of her new Internet friends. All of them signed up in her business. The first person she enrolled was the head coach of a professional soccer team who was a local celebrity. The coach convinced everyone connected with his team that they needed to be taking the company's products and signed them all up as customers.

As a result, Melanie became her company's first national marketing rep in the United Kingdom. A woman with zero sales activity the first year she was in business found incredible success on the Internet.

Effective use of Instant Messaging solves the biggest problem facing everyone in network marketing. It gives you access to millions of people!

CareerJournal | Finding Time: Blending Networking Into Your Life

2005-11-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

Even though this article is about finding a job it can easily be used by network marketers. The same principle applies.
I'm not saying to use the three foot rule since most people hate to do it but I am saying to make friends and be open about what you do.

Namaste,
Brian

CareerJournal | Finding Time: Blending Networking Into Your Life

Finding Time: Blending
Networking Into Your Life

By Perri Capell

If you're doing it right, networking isn't something that takes lots of extra time in your life.

It easily blends into your life, and your approach to life.

You may think of networking -- making new contacts and spreading the word about yourself or your company -- as slogging to trade shows or meet-and-greet cocktail parties to shake hands and exchange business cards.

But tending to your career doesn't require spending long days in hotel ballrooms or long nights in smoke-filled bars. If you see everyone as a potential contact, you can network during any mundane daily activity, from waiting in line for a latte to peddling at the gym to commuting.

Some conversations will be fleeting, while other times, the people you meet will become part of your circle. Being open to -- and staying in touch with -- those who cross your path is how you make your own luck. At some point, you'll learn about something that can benefit you professionally before the rest of the world finds out.

"People think of networking as going to a function," says Karen Susman, a Denver-based coach and speaker on networking. "You need to realize you are building your network everywhere all the time."

While working as an executive recruiter in Austin, Texas, Becky Gates joined a book club. A referral from someone in the club led her to a job as senior development director for the Girl Scouts Lone Star Council.

"I told her I was interested in working for a nonprofit because I liked what I was doing as a volunteer," says Ms. Gates, 55 years old. "She said she knew the CEO of the girl scouts' council. She introduced us, and I found out they needed someone."

Five months ago, Ms. Gates moved to Boise, Idaho, where she's vice president and general manager for Organizational Consultants to Management, a Salt Lake City-based career transitions firm. Ms. Gates and her husband relocated to Boise to be closer to family. She learned of the opening before the move through another networking contact.

Some traditional networking tactics do take time, but shouldn't take much. Busy executives who excel at career management say they set aside only a few extra minutes a day -- but at least a few minutes a day -- to touch base with professional contacts.

Tim Ayers, director of global services marketing for Tellabs, a communications company in Naperville, Ill., devotes about five minutes daily to call or email some of the approximately 900 people in his computerized database. They include colleagues, vendors and others he's worked with in the past.

He squeezes in the calls or emails first thing in the morning, which he says is best for talking to people overseas, or between meetings, or makes them from home in the evenings. "My schedule may have no more than a few open blocks and even then, people might be queued up waiting to talk with me," he says, "but I just make the time."

Mr. Ayers notes the benefits: When he lost his job in Chicago during the telecommunications meltdown in 2002, he found a new position through a networking contact. Talking with others regularly also helps him do his job better because it keeps him informed about trends and potential candidates for Tellabs openings, he says.

If you aren't making the time to network, ask yourself: Are you really so busy that you can't spare five minutes on something that's so beneficial?

Perhaps it's not just lack of time that's holding you back, but lack of confidence. It's unnerving to make calls when you doubt the person you're about to contact wants to hear from you. But when that nice email comes back, the anxiety melts away. Take some time and try it.

-- Ms. Capell is a senior correspondent for CareerJournal.com. Email her at frances.capell@dowjones.com.

Email your comments to cjeditor@dowjones.com.

Network Marketing Made Easy

2005-11-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Network Marketing Made Easy

I just found a new blog (well new to me) and thought it was well worth reading. I thought that I'd read every marketing technique out there until today. I'll be reading this blog on a regular basis and trying some of the things that Ashish writes about.

Namaste,
Brian

Article Marketing update

2005-11-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd better update everyone on the Article Submitter and results.
I've been using Article Submitter Pro and I can tell the difference in sales and traffic.
If anyone wants to try it out, there's a 3 day trail at the bottom of the page.

Cell Phone For Kids

2005-11-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

OPEXWireless.COM

Cognigen does it again.
This is really cool for parents with young children. Below is the description taken from the Firefly web site.

Firefly™ is the mobile phone designed for kids. It's small, sturdy, and shaped to fit a kid's hand. With a kid-friendly keypad, the Firefly™ phone is the fun way to keep kids connected to the people who matter most.

* GSM 850/1900 MHz
* Speed dial Mom, Dad, and 911 assistance
* PIN-Protected calling restrictions
* Backpack clip makes it hard to lose
* Optional inbound calling restrictions
* 5 animations to choose from
* 12 ring tones to choose from

Dimensions: W: 1.75" D: 0.79" H: 3.46"
Weight: 2.12 oz
Battery Life: Up to 6 hours talk time/ 205 hours standby

Cognigen Agent Map

2005-10-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Cognigen Agent Map

A friend set this up and it's really cool. All you have to do is add yourself and you show up on the world map. I also believe it will be indexed with Google so it may help with SEO but regardless, it has a def cool factor.

Namaste,
Brian

Article Submitter Pro

2005-10-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I've been testing this new program and have to say it rocks. If anyone is going to write articles and post them on directories, this program is a must have.
My review of Article Marketer Pro
After the initial set up it takes you to each site and you'll need to make sure they accept your type of article and join if you haven't.
Even with doing that, it saved me a bunch of time and made posting easier.

Namaste,
Brian

Powerful Intentions - Forums - Article Marketing

2005-10-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

I started a forum about Article Marketing so that we can share the best ways to use articles.

So come on over and join.
Powerful Intentions - Forums - Article Marketing

Namaste,
Brian

How to Generate Network Marketing or MLM Leads

2005-10-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

I've been writing articles and posting them on ezinearticles.com and was able to get ranked at 11 out of almost 2 million for the keywords I was going for on that article and 13 out of 20 million for a set of key words that I was only half trying to go for. Keep in mind that I haven't really been trained on how to write correctly and haven't scratched the surface on promoting via articles.
How To Generate Network Marketing or MLM leads

Imagine if you were writing articles and doing the same thing?

By the way, the entire list of articles that I've posted are at Expert Brian Baldwin It feels good to be called Expert. :) and The Library at Powerful Intentions and even more Cognigen Training

I'll be posting more training as I learn how to do this right.

Namaste,
Brian

Great quote

2005-10-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

Interesting quote huh?
I believe this applys to all areas of our lives; Especially network marketing. Think about this, if you understand and follow the plan and believe, things WILL go your way.
It's easy to give up and go back to working a 40 hour week and say that something won't work. Brett could have said that after losing 4 straight games but instead he knew that if he did things the right way he would win.
So think about doing things the right way and go out there and win.

Namaste,
Brian
iWon - Sports News

But I've played long enough to know that if you do things the right way, if you study, prepare and believe, things will go your way." Brett Favre

Annoying Quotes From Sales Clerks Listed

2005-10-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

iWon News
Here is a great example of why more customers are turning to online shopping and why you as a Cognigen agent have the opportunity to succeed by giving great customer service to all of your cstomers and potential customers.

After training more customer service agents than I can count, the one piece of information that is the difference between great customer service and average or bad service is...drum roll please....All you have to do is treat each person as you wish to be treated. It's pretty simple isn't it?

You don't have to know everything, all you have to do is take the initiative to look for the answer before saying I don't know. You can also ask members of your upline if you're not part of mine (me if you are) and if that doesn't work, send the request to the company.

Believe me, if you give great service to each person, they will tell their friends.

Namaste,
Brian

Oct 5, 3:58 PM (ET)

By The Associated Press

"Uh, that's not my department." Ever hear that in a store? Did visions of fiendish violence against the clerk flash through your mind? "Not my department" topped the list of Most Annoying Words from Salesperson's Mouth, cited by 29 percent, in a poll of shopping mall customers by a retail consulting firm.

No. 2? The classic, "If it's not on the rack, we don't have it." That golden oldie was cited by 25 percent.

"That's the policy,""I'm on a break,""Ask the person over there,""I'm new here,""You'll have to wait your turn" and "The computer is down" rounded out the list.

The survey involved 230 shoppers at U.S. malls, conducted by Ridgewood, N.J.-based MOHR Access.

Yet, fortunately, times are changing. Many retailers are aiming to get their floor clerks "to take personal responsibility for the customers' experience," said Michael Patrick, MOHR Access president.

"What's really needed is to get employees committed ... to do their best, even when nobody's looking or listening," he said.

Need more traffic to your BLOG? Join BlogExplosion.com the internet's largest BLOG traffic generator! 100% FREE!

2005-09-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

If you have a blog and want more traffic to it, you need to join this site. One of the tools that's included is a blog ping service. What this does is allow you to ping a bunch of blog search engines and tell them that you've updated your blog.
It also lets you surf blogs and find blogs that you wouldn't normally find.

Namaste,
Brian
Need more traffic to your BLOG? Join BlogExplosion.com the internet's largest BLOG traffic generator! 100% FREE!

MLM Blog Podcasts

2005-09-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

MLM Blog Podcasts :: Main Page

There's a lot of talk about pod casts lately and even tho I haven't jumped on this bandwagon, I'll share this link.
I have no idea about this site other than it was on a friends blog and I have the utmost respect for him.
Here's his blog. http://best-mlm-resources.blogspot.com

Have fun.

Namaste,
Brian
www.BrianBaldwin.com

A Guide To Using an Automatic Responder

2005-09-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

I found this article on building an e-zine list. I haven't tried this yet but I will as soon as I get a chance to start it.
If you need an autoresponder, Traffic Oasis includes 3 with membership along with a monthly supply of leads.

Namaste,
Brian

A Guide To Using an Automatic Responder

A Guide To Using an Automatic Responder
By: Ken Smaile

It's unbelievable....that many people do not know, that an automatic responder in your first few months of promoting your service, product or opportunity, is the most important tool in your box!

So, you have just joined your new business or taken on a new product that you would like to make you a few dollars or a lot of dollars on the net, first thing you must do is get yourself an automatic responder.

You can get them free from lots of places on the net if cash is tight, but remember if it's free then there will be a down side, like their ads on your mail to your subscribers so think carefully on what you decide,choosing your automatic responder will probably be the single most important decision you will make!

Right, you have an automatic responder. let's get started

You need to pre-load your automatic responder with informative articles related to your business this will give you credibility with your readership, write some of your own it's not that difficult once you get started.

Try to pre-load your automatic responder with 52 messages/articles, that's one per week for a year. If this sounds a bit daunting, don't worry there are lots of places that you can get stuff to fill your autoresponder with for free try ezinearticles.com, so in a few days your ezine should be ready to go.

Don't bother too much if you only have a few messages at this point you can add them as you go.

Now that's out of the way add your [[sig]] file at the bottom of every article on your automatic responder , this should contain your name and URL of the business you are promoting and a short description of the business,you do this once the automatic responder puts it on every e-mail automatically.

Now you have set this up your automatic responder will deliver your messages to your subscribers every week or month, depending how you set it up.

How to build your subscriber list.

Visit Google and do a search for ezine directories, the last time I did this there was about 88,000 listings.

This is where the work starts and where most fail, you can buy software to help with submitting your ezine but it costs. If you want your ezine to be a success then its time to get busy and I mean busy, you should submit to at least 200!

Another way to promote your ezine is through Announcement Lists

Done correctly Announcement Lists could get you up to 800 new subscribers per week to your automatic responder!

If you visit Google and search for ezine announcement lists and sign up to a few yourself, you will then see how it works.

Start announcing your ezine to as many annoucement lists as you can, spend a whole day to get off to a good start!

Your aim is to have at least 3000 subscribers to your ezine, at this point with your automatic responder you can virtually make money on demand.

Sign up to a few ezines yourself to get an idea of how people run their ezines, this will give you an idea how to run yours.

OK, so you don't have the time for the above, then you can buy leads to fill your automatic responder with a pay-per-subscriber service, try lead factory.com.

The whole idea of having a list is to build a relationship with your subscribers, who then will be more likely to buy from you.

Make no mistake about it, if you are going to sell anything on line in your first year it will almost certainly be by email and not from your website.

I hope the above is enough to get you started with your list and automatic responder, there are a lot of people that make their living on line with only their list and automatic responder, so can you!

About The Author:
Ken Smaile gets big results marketing with an autoresponder, you can to. Drop by my site and get your FREE 7 lesson email marketing course visit: Automatic Responder website. http://www.internet-marketing-and-software.com/automatic-responder.htm

Article Writing

2005-08-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

It's been said that article writing helps promote your site on many different levels.
It gives you more link popularity if you include your URL in the author bio section, positions you as an expert on the topic and helps sell you. The later is probably the most important in my opinion.

If you develop a good/great reputation you will have people seek you out to partner with and that is more valuable than anything else. The most important thing to remember if you decide to go this route is to be true to yourself and others and be worthy of that reputation.

Another thing that's important is to create a personal page at a site such as Powerful Intentions and present yourself in a positive way. You don't have to make it showy or anything else but you should at least present yourself as someone who is great to work with. I'm positive that almost everyone has it in their power to be worth working with if given the chance as long as they remain honest and willing to grow and unwilling to do "whatever it takes to get rich" and by whatever I mean lie, cheat and steal. To me, it's more important to be true than rich. I refuse to violate my own values in order to succeed at the expense of others.

Here's my latest article.
Knowlege or Action?

Feel free to comment on it and give ideas on what you want to read about. I think it's important to write about what YOU want.

Namaste,
Brian

Cognigen's Agents Meet for Advanced Online Marketing Training and Introduction of New Products and Services

2005-07-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

Yes. That really does say Shawn Vinik was presented with a monthly check of 105 grand.
If you're interested in joining the same company he's in, watch this video and join at the end.

Cognigen's Agents Meet for Advanced Online Marketing Training and Introduction of New Products and Services

Press Release Source: Cognigen Networks, Inc.

Cognigen's Agents Meet for Advanced Online Marketing Training and Introduction of New Products and Services
Friday July 22, 5:02 pm ET

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash., July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cognigen Networks, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CGNW - News), the Seattle area Internet-enabled marketer of communications services and certificated reseller, recently concluded an outstandingly successful sales seminar and training event. Independent agents from across the country gathered in Seattle for the two days of advanced instruction in online marketing techniques and introduction of new products and services. Among the vendors participating at the sales seminar were PowerNet Global, Telarus/Shop4T1, International Telcom, OPEX Communications, Packet8, Inphonic, VMC Dish and Trinsic.

Thomas S. Smith, president and CEO of Cognigen, stated, "This particular event was an overwhelming success for the Company, because it was geared toward the professional salesperson. Often direct sales and Internet marketing companies like ours stage rallies, jamborees and motivational summits that generally do not benefit the professional sales agent. What we accomplished in Seattle was quite different. We armed our sales force with real world sales knowledge and marketing techniques that others pay thousands of dollars for at advanced educational institutions. A highly qualified and superbly competent faculty composed our national trainers and sales executives representing our most prominent vendors taught and dialoged with our most experienced and successful agents."

Robert Probst, Cognigen's manager for sales and marketing, who coordinated the event, commented, "As I met privately with many of our top agents, I was thrilled to see their enthusiasm for the direction in which our Company is headed. The soon to be announced diversification to an online shopping mall and travel services creates significant new avenues to pursue and the potential for tremendous income streams. This optimism was further confirmed at our banquet and awards presentation, when Cognigen's president and CEO presented Mr. Shawn Vinik with a commissions check in excess of $105,000, making this 25 year old sales rep the first Cognigen agent to surpass $100,000 in monthly earnings. Cognigen is attracting quality master agents like Mr. Vinik in droves, largely due to the high commissions we offer, and our wide range of product offerings."

About Cognigen

Cognigen Networks, Inc., based in metropolitan Seattle, Washington, offers a wide range of telecommunication services and related technology products via its Web site, http://www.cognigen.com . Cognigen's robust marketing engine harnesses distribution channels featuring a prominent Internet presence, a network of independent agents and several affiliate groups, each having their own customized Web site. Cognigen's agent initiated sales as well as those generated directly off its main website are fulfilled via proprietary software utilizing the Internet. The Company sells its own proprietary services under the Cogni label as a certificated reseller and carrier, and resells the services of industry leaders such as 2Speak, AccuLinq, Inphonic Cellular, ShopForT1, Convergia, IBN Intertelecom, The Neighborhood built by MCI, Pioneer Telephone, OPEX, PowerNet Global, Speakeasy, UniTel and Trinsic. Cognigen is authorized to operate as an interstate and international carrier under Section 214 of the rules of the Federal Communications Commission and is regulated by some state public utility commissions as a reseller of interstate and intrastate long distance telecommunications services. Since September of 1999, Cognigen has sold, on behalf of its vendors and for its own account, services and products to approximately 850,000 customers worldwide.

The information herein contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to Cognigen Networks, Inc. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, including without limitation, the Company's possible inability to become certified as a reseller in all jurisdictions in which it applies, the possibility that the Company's proprietary customer base will not grow as the Company expects, the Company's inability to obtain additional financing, the Company's possible lack of producing agent growth, the Company's possible lack of revenue growth, the Company's possible inability to add new products and services that generate increased sales, the Company's possible lack of cash flows, the Company's possible loss of key personnel, the possibility of telecommunications rate changes and technological changes and the possibility of increased competition. Many of these risks are beyond the Company's control. The Company is not entitled to rely on the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Section 2lE of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, when making forward-looking statements.

Cognigen Travel And Events

2005-06-26T14:49:00.000-07:00

Every Cognigen Agent is now in the travel business. We also have access to hard to get tickets in many venues around the country.
I did a search and Jimmy Buffett tickets in Vegas were available on the floor section B. If you're not interested in Jimmy, know that his concerts usually sell out in minutes so having them at all is pretty impressive.

Here's the links to each page. Make sure you change my id to yours.
And if you aren't an agent and want to be, watch the video at http://www.agentswanted.net and sign up.

Home Page: http://cognigen.net/travel/?st_services
Air: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=air
Cars: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=cars
Cruises: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=cruises
Events: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=events
Hotels: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=hotels
Vacations: http://cognigen.net/travel/?cogid=st_services&area=vacations

Good bosses: Endangered species?: ZDNet Australia: Jobs

2005-05-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

These are the reasons I love Network Marketing and Cognigen so much. After you reach a level that replaces your income, these are a thing of the past. LOL

Namaste,
Brian
Good bosses: Endangered species?: ZDNet Australia: Jobs

My present manager is a true gentleman in every sense of the word and even buys me breakfast on occasion.

However, in my travels through the wilds of the information technology field, I have come across many different species of IT manager. All are from the genus 'Procurator' and are very dangerous in captivity. Some are now on the World Wildlife Federation's At Risk Register. However, there will certainly be no captive breeding program to preserve them as most would be overjoyed if they disappeared from the Earth.

To help classify these dangerous breeds, I've created the following list of species and character descriptions of some common types of managers. These types are loosely based on some managers I have worked for over the years. As ever, this classification should be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Species one: Procurator Martyrus
Also known as: The "Anything for the good of the company" Manager

This species has a distinctive cry that sounds like this:

"Look at me! I worked Christmas day and even when I had cholera. I walked to the office for six weeks after my car crash, even though both my legs were broken. Why can't you stay another hour each night without pay? I would."

Yes, the office martyr has finally made it to the top, probably because it's the only place where he can't do any harm.

There is a tradition in the British Civil Service of promoting those workers whose incompetence seriously affects the performance of a department. Many such appointees are members of the P. Martyrus group.

P. Martyrus is closely related to the next species, Procurator IlligitimusMaximus.

Species two: Procurator IlligitimusMaximus
Also known as: The Mean and Nasty Manager

This manager is of the old school, a right scoundrel. His idea of being a good manager is to be unapproachable or, in his words, "hard but fair." He is neither. He got his present position by hanging on to the coattails of his manager until retirement, or a nasty accident left the position open. Thankfully this is now a severely endangered species.

After sacking a member of the team, he might be heard to say: "I had to let him go; he wasn't showing the right level of commitment. He preferred to go to his mother's funeral rather than come to work. What do they think we're running here? A holiday camp?"

He will turn to the shocked and silenced office and shout: "Anyone else here got any doubts about their loyalty?"

The problem with IlligitimusMaximus is that one day he will make a mistake himself. When he looks to the team to help him out of his difficulty, they will remember past actions and develop a selective deafness to his pleas. His is a lonely path, and for him there is no safe haven.

Species three: Procurator Teflonius
Also known as: The Non-stick Manager

United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair is frequently referred to as "Teflon Tony" because nothing sticks to him. He represents probably the highest evolution of Teflonius ever observed on the planet. Sadly, because of their excellent stealth characteristics, this species is likely to be around in prolific numbers for the foreseeable future.

This species has sloping shoulders from which any blame will easily slide. She will not give a straight answer to a straight question, just in case you might quote her at the court martial. Whenever something goes wrong, she will produce documentary evidence that she was somewhere else at the time. She is more of a nuisance and a waste of salary than a danger, unless you happen to be the victim of one of her decisions. It is always a good idea to make clandestine recordings of any meetings with a P. Teflonius.

Species four: Procurator Absentia
Also known as: The Missing link, or "What Manager?"

They seek him here, they seek him there,

Those workers seek him everywhere.

This manager is critically endangered. When a company is looking to make cuts, they save more money by sacking this type of manager than a front line worker. And as a bonus, they don't lose as much from the skill base.

Let me give you a real-world example of my encounter with this species: Many years ago, I worked for a very pleasant young manager called Tim, who was in charge of two teams, both in different buildings. He would call in to see us -- a small team of three people -- and tell us that he would be spending the day with the other team, which was having problems. Apparently, we were reliable and could be trusted to get the work done, whereas the others were an incompetent bunch who needed constant supervision.

Imagine our surprise the day we called the other office to speak to him on an urgent matter only to be told that he was with us because we were incompetent and needed to have constant supervision. This was before the days of mobile phones, so the game was up. He was, it seemed, happy to leave both teams and pass his days playing golf. Sorry Tim, if you ever read this, we knew all the time!

Species five: Procurator Insignia
Also known as: The Flashy Brass

This manager has a sign on his desk or office door, a badge or some similar marking of rank. If he thought he could get away with it, he would wear pips on his shoulders or gold bands around his jacket cuffs. He will take outrageous liberties, like instructing a junior member of staff to wash his car or go out to collect his dry cleaning. When you question this, he will point to this mark of office and say the immortal four words: "THIS says I can."

This species is universally ignored by "his staff," as he likes to call them. As with IlligitimusMaximus, he will receive no help if he screws up. The main difference is that Insignia can be an amusing figure to mock.

Species six: Procurator Headinsandia
Also known as: The "I don't want to hear it" Manager

Yes, one type from my original list of 10 most dangerous types of help desk callers has made it to this list. Perhaps the help desk caller is, in fact, the manager of the same type or maybe the help desk caller mutates into this type of manager when he or she reaches the appropriate level.

P. Headinsandia is probably the manager of a department near you. When the team gives an honest answer to an honest question about the timescale of a project, she will throw up her hands in horror and give the cry that clearly identifies the species. In fairness, this manager takes the cares of the world on her shoulders and worries about them. She lies awake at night fretting about delivering the monthly reports on time. She presents herself as a tough, go-getter, but is often covering an inadequacy. Be gentle with this species, but most of all ignore this type of manager. It's easier that way.

Species seven: Procurator Buzzwordia
Also known as: The Buzzword Manager

Often found, after a long search, in deep water wearing the latest Ralph Lauren concrete collection, Buzzwordia manages by use of a string of clichés and ideas that he heard at management seminars. Meetings with him are not for the weak-stomached, and it is advisable to keep a bucket handy, just in case.

Think about the last person you heard say:

# "There's no 'I' in team."
# "Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME."
# "I can’t spell success without U."
# "I want us to be Proactive, not Reactive." (Of course, in this context, 'Us' means 'You.')

Despite the extreme reaction this species can cause, they are mostly harmless. They are prolific in Northern Europe, returning to breed in sheltered colonies in suburban areas of minor towns. Offspring usually opt not to work in management but may become social workers or violent criminals. When this happens, they are usually deemed to be 'misunderstood.'

Species eight: Procurator Amicus Potissimus
Also known as: The Best Mate

This is a well-padded, red-faced manager, given to back-slapping and calling in favours, even before any are owed. He makes unreasonable demands in the name of friendship and invites you to his children's birthday parties, even though you can't stand kids unless they have been barbecued.

Amicus Potissimus tends to overuse first names even when not appropriate. Still it is quite hard to be rude to them. This species makes you want to slit your throat as they ramble on about the fantastic time they had on their last sales seminar or golf tournament. Although it is clear to anyone around you that you'd rather be boiling in oil, the Best Mate assumes that you share his interests.

Species nine: Procurator Impatiens
Also known as: The Two-Minute Manager

This is the type of manager who asks for an update on what has been done during her absence, then abruptly cuts off the answer after two minutes with a cry of "I don't have time now. I want a report on my desk first thing Monday morning."

Although she always does this at 5 p.m. on a Friday, there is no need to worry. She will seldom remember that she has asked for it.

She is closely related to P. Headinsandia and likes to give the impression that she is too busy and important to bother with details. She's very good at delegating tasks, mainly because she doesn't have a clue how to do them herself. P. Impatiens is not a very good person to work for, as your needs will never be recognised or satisfied. The good news is that she's usually the first to go in a round of downsizing.

Species 10: Procurator Condescendia
Also known as: The Patronising Manager

Nobody can do it quite like P. Condescendia. He was there when they landed on the moon. In fact, he designed and built the entire communications system. He also cabled Canary Wharf using only a pair of pliers, a cotton bud, and a cocktail stick. He won the Paris to Dakar rally in a car he built himself from old beer cans. He caught the biggest fish, had the best golf handicap, and is, of course, a close personal friend of the Managing Director.

We underlings are all very well, but we needed his supreme holiness and guidance to see us through even the simplest task. The trouble is that his intervention nearly always leads to problems. It can be really hard to find hard disk jumpers with the head of Condescendia bobbing in front of the light continually.

The simple way to deflate this species is to ask, in all innocence, why, if they are so talented, are they working for a tuppenny-ha'penny outfit like yours? Rally driving golf pros had far better earning potential than a junior manager in Grot-Com.

Copyright © 2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ZDNET is a registered service mark of CNET Networks, Inc. ZDNET Logo is a service mark of CNET NETWORKS, Inc.

Working through the numbers

2005-05-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

I just posted this story on my Powerful Intentions forum and thought it should be shared with as many people as possible.
I haven't read any book on network marketing that didn't quote Mark Yarnell.

Namaste,
Brian

Mark Yarnell, minister in a small town in Texas, was headed for bankruptcy and just
about to lose his car and home. He looked for a way out and discovered Network
Marketing. Luckily, he had a wise sponsor. The sponsor gave Mark "THE PROMISE": THIS
BUSINESS CAN SET YOU FREE FINANCIALLY IN ONE TO THREE YEARS. But he also gave him
"THE PRICE": TO SUCCEED, YOU WILL HAVE TO FACE AND CONQUER 4 MAJOR ENEMIES. Mark

said, "It's a deal." Mark then invited 200 friends over to his house to watch a
video. 80 said "No, not interested." Mark had encountered ENEMY #1: Rejection. He
thought, "No problem. My sponsor warned me about that. I've got 120 people still
coming over." Guess what? 50 didn't show up. He had just met ENEMY #2: Deception.

Mark thought, "No problem, my sponsor warned me about that. I've got 70 people who
watched the tape." Guess what? 57 said,
"Not interested." He had just encountered ENEMY #3: Apathy. Undaunted, Mark thought,
"No problem. 13 people signed up." Guess what? 12 of them dropped out of the
business shortly. ENEMY #4: Attrition had left Mark with just one serious associate.

To this day, that single distributor earns Mark over $50,000 per month. You may have
heard of Bill Britt, one of the most successful distributors in Amway. Some years
ago, 20/20 did a feature story on Amway. They spent 19 minutes interviewing whiners
and complainers - several distributors who had failed and showed the garages full of
products they couldn't sell. During the last minute of the show, Mr. Britt was

interviewed in front of his palatial home. He was asked, "Mr. Britt, this business
has obviously worked for you. What's your secret?" He replied, "There is no secret.
I simply showed the plan to 1200 people. 900 said, 'No.' and only 300
signed up. Out of those 300, only 85 did anything at all. Out of those 85 only 35
were serious, and out of those 35, 11 made me a millionaire." Like Mark Yarnell,

Bill worked through the numbers. (*) Jason Boreyko, now president of New Vision,
told this story recently. When he was a distributor in Matol, he signed up 50
people. He heard a lot of "Nos." on the way to those 50. Jason took one man, who he
knew would be terrific in the business, to lunch, told him about the business and

the man said "No." Jason took the man to lunch again the next month and told him the
updates. Once again the man said, "No." Jason sent him some more information and
took him to lunch again the next month. And again the man said, "No." That went on
for six months. The seventh month, something had changed for the man, and he said,
"Yes." That man made Jason over one million dollars. Jason also worked through
his numbers. (*) According to Richard Poe in "Wave Three", while starting Amway,

Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel, America's eleventh richest people, recruited 500
people. 495 dropped out. The five that didn't quit built Amway. All $7 billion of
Amway's business was built under those 5 people. Jay and Rich had to work through
their numbers. There are many similar stories. Here's the lesson: Your success is
directly related to the degree to which you are willing to work to find others like
yourself who are committed to succeed. Mark Yarnell's odds were 1 out of 200. Bill
Britt's were 11 out of 1200. Jason Boreyko's odds were 1 out of 50. Would you be
willing to go through 200 people to find the 1 who will make you $50,000 a month? Or
go through 200 people to become a millionaire? Or hear uncounted "No's." to sign up
50 people to find a million dollar person? I hope you will.... It's easier

when you know the odds up front. But here's the catch: You have your own set of odds
and you won't know what they are until AFTER YOU'VE SUCCEEDED. So if you've gone
through 50 or 100 people and you haven't found 1 serious person yet, you can either
give up and assume the business doesn't work, or recognize that you are working
though your own numbers. ______________

For Some Techies, an Interminable Workday

2005-05-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

The thing that struck me was the guy who said this is how it is now and take it or leave it.

I vote to leave it. There's too many opportunities to start a home based business and spend time with the family to put up with this many hours.

The other thing that disturbs me is when I think about all the kids who went to school and studied their butts off only to see their jobs shipped over seas. America is shipping all the high paying jobs out of the country so corporations can save a few bucks.

iWon News: "For Some Techies, an Interminable Workday"

May 9, 7:18 AM (ET)

By RACHEL KONRAD

(AP) Grahpic shows average salaries for selected occupations, in India, the United States and Silicon...
Full Image

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - The traffic jam ended hours ago, the parking lot is nearly empty and fluorescent lights are dimmed at PortalPlayer Inc. (PLAY), where the nightly brainstorming session is about to begin.

Instead of gathering the few remaining souls from their cubicles, three managers move into a conference room to dial India, where engineers 12 1/2 time zones ahead are just arriving in Hyderabad.

As colleagues on opposite sides of the globe discuss circuit board configurations and debugging strategies for a project code-named "Doppelganger," it's just the start of another endless day for the company. Within twelve hours, Indian workers will end their day with calls and e-mails to California, where managers in the Santa Clara headquarters will just be waking up.

"We keep passing the baton between California and India, and that way we can cram a lot more work into a 24-hour period," said Jeff Hawkey, vice president of hardware engineering, who conducts evening meetings from the office or on his laptop at home. "A lot of nights, I go home, tuck the kids into bed and then get on the conference call."

Executives at PortalPlayer, which makes chips and software for portable music devices such as the iPod, say having 90 employees in Hyderabad nearly doubles the amount of engineering work that gets done in 24 hours. That shrinks production cycles and lets the 6-year-old company stay ahead of bigger semiconductor rivals.

Thousands of other tech companies have similar baton-passing rituals. "Offshoring" - the migration of jobs to lower-cost countries such as India, China and Russia - remains politically sensitive because of the tepid U.S. job market. But executives insist that cheaper labor and faster work flow have made offshoring a fact of life for everyone in the industry.

Even the most unapologetic globalization proponents nevertheless acknowledge that offshoring has resulted in longer, stranger hours for white-collar workers in the United States. Some business experts worry that the trend could result in massive burnout if offshoring isn't properly managed.

Silicon Valley workers grumble that communicating with colleagues overseas requires midnight teleconferences, 6 a.m. video meetings and the annoying "pling" of instant messages and twittering cell phones all night long. Although many techies swapped social lives for 80-hour weeks during the ephemeral dot-com boom, the 24-hour business cycle seems even more stressful than the caffeinated '90s: Today's long hours are less likely to result in windfall bonuses or stock options, and there's no end in sight.

"It's definitely a case of work creep - everyone in this industry is working harder right now because of e-mail, wireless access and globalization," said Christopher Lockhead, chief marketing officer of Mercury Interactive Inc., a Mountain View-based consulting firm in 35 countries, including Israel, where Sunday is a normal working day.

"You can't even get a rest on the weekend," Lockhead said from his cell phone in the Dallas airport after sales meetings in Mexico. "The reality is that when you do business globally, somebody working for you is always on the clock."

Some executives who ask workers to burn the midnight oil offer flexibility - longer lunch breaks, telecommuting privileges and complimentary dinner if you work past 6 p.m. Others dismiss complainers as spoiled or provincial - after all, customer service representatives in Asia have worked on U.S. schedules for more than a decade, so why shouldn't Americans deal with time-zone challenges as the industry globalizes?

The staunchest advocates say whiners should find new professions. Richard Spitz, who leads the technology division of the recruiting firm Korn/Ferry International, says corporate clients want employees who embrace a 24-hour business cycle.

"If you want to play in the A league, you have to take on some additional challenges," Spitz said. "It might not mean that you have to work around the clock for your entire career - at some point, you can step off the treadmill. But if you want to be in the business, then you have to commit to this schedule for some period of time."

At what cost, however?

Some worry that the extra hours and unrelenting pace could have dire consequences - namely, widespread fatigue and brain drain in the technology and financial services industries, the most aggressive exporters of white-collar jobs. Steep turnover among sleep-deprived managers could eventually lead senior executives to re-evaluate the benefits of offshoring, said Peter Morici, an international business professor at Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland.

"You simply can't keep working a full day, put the kids to bed, take a call from Malaysia, then go back fresh the next morning - it's one thing to do it for a couple weeks, but it's another to put up with this pain in the neck permanently," Morici said. "When executives talk about the efficiencies of offshoring, they're often not factoring in the long-term human toll on management."

Staffing challenges may already be taking a toll. According to a study released in April by Deloitte Consulting LLP, 62 percent of senior executives interviewed at 25 large corporations said offshoring required more management effort than they had originally thought. More than half said they couldn't free up enough managers to supervise projects.

Worker advocates compare the trend to the automobile industry phenomenon of "speedup" in the 1920s, when Henry Ford increased assembly line speed without paying workers more. Turnover mushroomed to 400 percent per year in some Detroit-area plants, and the frenzied pace helped the 1930s union movement.

Marcus Courtney, president and organizer of WashTech, the Seattle-based branch of the Communication Workers of America, said few employers pay overtime for midnight meetings or red-eyes to Shanghai. And while many techies are proud workaholics, dawn teleconferences and 9 p.m. hand-off meetings have stretched shifts to absurd lengths.

"In today's global economy, employees are seeing longer working hours, greater job insecurity due to job exporting and fewer rewards and opportunity," Courtney said. "I'm worried that the stress levels of employees continues to rise and we are seeing a further eroding of the 50-hour work week."

Hours are particularly long at startups and when companies launch overseas operations. But offshoring needn't result in burnout, seasoned executives say.

Peter Hazlehurst, senior vice president of engineering at financial services software company Yodlee Inc., supervises 170 engineers, including 30 in Redwood City and 140 in Bangalore, India.

Managers recently began alternating weekly meetings between 8 a.m. Wednesdays and 9 p.m. Thursdays, so neither Americans nor Indians get the late shift every time.

"People are more receptive when they realize that this relatively challenging burden of working between time zones is a shared burden," Hazlehurst said.

It's unclear whether Silicon Valley's new work schedule will become the national norm as jobs migrate abroad - or whether foreigners will continue to staff the most brutal shifts. Roughly 830,000 U.S. service-sector jobs - ranging from telemarketers and accountants to software engineers and chief technology officers - will move abroad by the end of 2005, and 3.4 million more jobs will leave over the next decade, forecasts Forrester Research Inc. (FORR)

Bombay-based consulting powerhouse Tata Consultancy Services employs 42,000 employees worldwide, including 14,000 people in India who handle U.S. projects. Their shifts are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., or 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, not including frequent early or late meetings with overseas clients, said Arup Gupta, president of Tata Consultancy Services America.

"We can be the ones who put in the overlap time," Gupta said. "These types of schedules are baked into India's DNA. We have to earn our money somehow."

15,000 jobs to go if Qwest/MCI gets green light The Register

2005-03-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

15,000 jobs to go if Qwest/MCI gets green light | The Register

It isn't tough to find news stories similar to this, if you look. People are losing jobs and companies are cutting back pretty often these days.

Whenever I read a story like this, I wonder how many people have a backup plan. I'm willing to bet that at least a decent percentage was offered a home based business such as Cognigen in the past.
Why did they turn it down? Most likely, they either thought they were safe or thought they didn't have time to build a business. I have no idea about the time part but Robert Kiyosaki said that the riskiest thing is to depend on a job. It's much riskier than building a business.

Namaste,
Brian

Service in Network Marketing

2005-02-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

I read a story on the internet about how companies that provide great service to their agents grow much faster than other companies and thought about the service I've received from Cognigen.
Every time I've asked a question or needed help with something, I've been treated extremely well. Even when I was wrong, I was treated extremely well. I've been involved in customer service related jobs for several years and know when I'm being treated bad, good or well and Cognigen treated me extremely well.
If I thought I had a billing or commission error, it was taken care of. If I had a question about how to do something for a downline agent, my questions were answered.

Speakeasy's Reputation Soars Among Macintosh Users

2005-01-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

This is why I love working with Cognigen. A host of providers that support multiple operating systems.
Speakeasy has also released One Link, a VOIP service that does away with needing a phone line.
http://ld.net/products/?cogid=st_services&product=speak

Speakeasy's Reputation Soars Among Macintosh Users

Speakeasy's Reputation Soars Among Macintosh Users
Tuesday January 11, 9:05 am ET
Broadband Provider to be Featured in Macworld Booth #2017

SEATTLE, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Speakeasy, the nation's largest independent broadband services provider, is garnering considerable praise from Apple users, resulting from a growing Mac customer base and partnerships with Apple service groups. Speakeasy will also be a featured partner with the Apple Specialists Marketing Co-op (booth #2017) at Macworld /San Francisco (January 11-14, 2005). Speakeasy will present its innovative Voice over IP (VoIP) services for residential and business customers in the Apple Specialist demonstration theater.

Speakeasy has joined forces with Apple Specialists Marketing Co-op (ASMC) to offer a broadband service presence in Apple Specialist stores and business locations nationwide; special business and residential broadband services offers for ASMC customers; and discounts on business-critical T1 service for ASMC stores themselves. ASMC is a collection of 100+ Apple Specialists retailers and solution providers who service consumers, small businesses and enterprises. Additionally, Speakeasy is reaching out to other Apple channel communities, including the Apple Consultant network.

"The Apple Specialist Marketing Co-op has very high standards when choosing which products and vendors to support. A member recently conducted a poll of their customers and the results indicated Speakeasy was the runaway winner for quality of service and customer satisfaction. After working with Speakeasy for several months we see why. The ASMC and our members are proud to offer our customers a broadband vendor that understands the Mac and offers superior customer service," said Kevin Langdon, president of ASMC and CEO of Cry Wolf, a San Diego-based Apple Specialist.

Currently, Apple users account for approximately 15% of Speakeasy's residential and business broadband customer base. Apple users -- who often are innovators, content creators, and content distributors -- are attracted to Speakeasy's Mac-friendly network and premium offerings: high upload speeds, web hosting and personalized 24/7 support for all major operating platforms. In contrast, other broadband providers offer little to no personal or specialized Mac support, often providing a bare minimum level of "documentation-only" assistance.

"Speakeasy's growing reputation in the Apple community, its focus on customer service, and its innovative product roadmap makes it the ideal broadband services partner for Apple Specialists and Mac users nationwide," said Ginny Hutchinson, Speakeasy's Chief Marketing Officer.

About Speakeasy

Founded in 1994, Speakeasy is the nation's largest independent broadband service provider, specializing in residential and small business broadband solutions for those who demand more than just a connection. Speakeasy offers a superior online experience through its private, dedicated nationwide network, intelligent customer service and pioneering technologies and product offerings, including unrestricted WiFi, dedicated loop ADSL and VoIP. Speakeasy owns Gamecloud, which is an infrastructure of servers, content repositories, online services (such as GameDaemons), editorial properties and partners that operate on multiple internet backbones and peering connections in order to deliver the best online gaming experience for broadband enabled customers. Speakeasy's broadband service is available in most metropolitan areas within the 48 contiguous United States. Those interested in Speakeasy can visit www.speakeasy.net or call 800-556-5829.

Source: Speakeasy

Excel Agents get good news

2004-12-29T16:43:00.000-08:00

As a Cognigen agent, I've been following this story for some time. For a while, it looked like these agents were going to get robbed of all their hard work. However, if the figures in this article are correct, most of the Excel agents that have been trying to get people to sign up weren't making as much as they claimed. According to this article, only .2% (99 agents) earned over a grand a month.
I'm lucky that Cognigen has a firm focus on sales over recruiting since we all know that without sales, no company can stay in business.

Copyright 2004 THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
December 4, 2004 Saturday
SECOND EDITION BUSINESS; Pg. 2D

Excel sales reps win ruling Committee will watch over their interests in VarTec bankruptcy

TERRY MAXON, Staff Writer

A committee will watch over the interests of Excel Communications' independent sales representatives in the VarTec Telecom Inc. bankruptcy case.The decision on Friday was a victory for the salespeople and came despite the objections of VarTec, which owns Excel. The committee representing unsecured creditors had also argued that it could represent all parties, including the 130,000-plus salespeople. But a U.S. bankruptcy judge in Dallas, Steven Felsenthal, disagreed, saying that "the court concludes that they are not adequately represented" and that a committee will be appointed.The decision means that VarTec will pay for the sales reps' lawyers for at least 90 days. At that point, the judge wants the committee to recommend a settlement if it's appropriate.VarTec wants to throw out contracts with the sales reps, who are paid commissions on telephone service they sell. The judge is set to hear arguments on the request on Dec. 17.VarTec and representatives for the Excel salespeople remained at odds Friday over the dollars involved.Joe D'Angelo, a management adviser serving as VarTec's interim chief operating officer, estimated that the salespeople would be entitled to only $12.6 million for future lost commissions, assuming that VarTec didn't allow any new representatives to join.That differs from an earlier estimate from the independent representatives that the impact could reach $650 million.On Friday, Miami attorney John K. Cunningham, representing the Excel salespeople, didn't repeat that number but told the judge: "We think it's going to be at least in the tens of millions of dollars in claims."Mr. D'Angelo said that most Excel independent representatives earn little or no commission, and that at least 90 percent of the people who join don't stay a second year. A person who wants to sell Excel products is required to pay a $399 first-year fee, with a $199 annual fee for following years.He testified that as of October, Excel had 106,426 U.S. representatives eligible to earn commissions and that 64,967 actually earned commissions. Of those, 98.1 percent earned $100 or less. Only 99, or 0.2 percent, earned more than $1,000 for the month, he said.Total commissions earned were $741,613 in October, he said.Brian R. McClure, who owns an Austin company that signs up Excel customers and sales representatives, said that even $100 or $200 monthly payments were important to the salespeople."The loss of that revenue is devastating to them," he said.Mr. McClure said that he invested tens of thousands of dollars a year since 1995 to build up his organization of Excel agents, and that he had counted on receiving income for many years. He said he was earning about $1,200 to $1,300 a month from Excel commissions when VarTec filed for bankruptcy protection.

Copyright © 2004 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lycos Offers Spam-Server Attack Program

2004-11-30T20:58:00.000-08:00

I ran across this and while it looks like a great idea for a moment, it dawned on me that not all sites listed by spamcop are real spammers. All it would take to get attacked by this company is for a legit company to have an overzealous affiliate that was suckered into a "E-mail 100 million opt in e-mail addresses" spam message.
So ask yourself if attacking a few real decent companies is worth attacking some spam sites before you download this screen saver.

Namaste,
Brian

iWon News

Lycos Offers Spam-Server Attack Program

Nov 30, 9:50 PM (ET)

By DANIEL WOOLLS

MADRID, Spain (AP) - At the risk of breaching Internet civility, a European Web portal is offering its visitors a weapon against spam: a screensaver program that tries to choke spam servers by flooding them with junk traffic.

As of Tuesday, about 65,000 people have signed up for the controversial tool from the German-based Lycos Europe, whose sites get 20 million users monthly.

The company insists the technique is legal - it says the culprit servers are simply choked a bit, not completely asphyxiated - and dismissed concerns that its "Make Love not Spam" offensive can further clog the world's digital pipeline.

Still, computer experts are worried.

"You don't stop a bad thing by being bad yourself," said David Farber, former chief technologist at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. "The idea of somebody coming and hitting you and you hitting back, you both end up very hurt. It just aggrevates an already serious problem."

When a computer with the free Lycos screensaver is idle, the program sends junk commands to Web sites identified by Lycos as selling products pitched in spam. When done in masse, this eats up precious bandwidth, causing the sites to overload and slow down.

The goal, said Lycos Europe spokesman Kay Oberbeck, is to "show the owners of such spam Web sites that there is massive interest of thousands of users who are not willing to just give up against more and more spam each day."

The targets generally are not the servers used to do the actual mailings; these days, those servers are most often legitimate ones co-opted into spamming by viruses and worms.

Lycos chooses its targets by reviewing lists of suspect sites identified by independent spam monitors such as SpamCop. The company said it checks each manually to make sure it genuinely carries products promoted by spam, though Oberbeck acknowledged the risk of going after a legitimate site that has been hijacked by a spam-spewing site.

He said Lycos takes care not to crash spam servers altogether, ensuring that they will never go below 5 percent bandwidth. Thus, he said, the offensive isn't the same as denial-of-service attacks commonly used by hackers to incapacitate Web sites.

Cyberspace activism - such as virtual sit-ins in which computer users gang together and use automated tools to flood a Web site - is not entirely new, said Dorothy Denning, a professor of defense analysis at the Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

But in this case a for-profit company is the driving force.

"The interesting question is whether or not that company might be liable under some law, and would probably be liable, certainly, at least under a lawsuit by the spammers," she said.

Denning believes any impact on spamming will be minor at best. Though spam sites have to pay for bandwidth required for the extra traffic, she said, "the cost off adding extra bandwidth may be worth the reward that comes from spamming."

Discover Cooperative Marketing!

2004-11-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Discover Cooperative Marketing!

Are you having a hard time understanding how network marketing works? Take a look at this presentation and see how simple it is.

Namaste,
Brian

Door#1 or Door #2?

2004-11-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

I've been reading story after story of how the job market is tough. There are people who can't find work regardless of how hard they look and how many people are being "let go" due to "right sizing" (don't you love how much nicer that sounds than being laid off?)
I read a story today about how one lady was happy she found seasonal work. What the story didn't say was that the company she was hired by pays low wages gives 3% raises each year.

Then there are those success stories of people who were fed up with the rat race and started their own business. These men and women started with little or nothing and now have control over their time. They get to spend time with their families, go on vacations, live where they want and have a much higher quality of life

So tell me, which choice would you like? Door #1 or Door #2?

For me, it's Door #2. If you feel the same way, take a look at http://door2.agentswanted.net

Will VoIP technology finally make videoconferencing a reality?

2004-11-14T20:17:00.000-08:00

I just found this article on Packet 8 which is a product we sell.

Will VoIP technology finally make videoconferencing a reality?
Entrepreneur magazine - November 2004
By Mike Hogan

Strength, Control, and Flexible Rewards
See what it can do for your business
You liked the price cuts. Now comes part two: VoIP innovation. The Packet8 Desktop VideoPhone from internet phone company 8x8 lets you see and hear calling partners.

Full-motion video calls have arrived—some 40 years after Bell Labs introduced its Picturephone and long after we tired of visiting it at Disneyland. The Packet8 Desktop VideoPhone is available on 8x8's website and through large computer retailers online and off for $299, or $499 for two (all prices street).

It's not one of those kludgy computer video solutions we've seen before. And it doesn't require special, per-minute service charges since 8x8 isn't a traditional phone company delivering video over the traditional phone network. VideoPhone is a creature of the new, unregulated phone network. So while arguably it's the first, it won't be the last such device we'll see.

A broadband connection of at least 128Kbps is needed for real-time video and voice quality, says Bryan Martin, chair and CEO of 8x8 in Santa Clara, California. The Packet8 phone is definitely a convenient way to get "just like being there" video. Plug it into an Ethernet port on your broadband router, dial an activation code, and you're in business. It finds its own IP address, can be used across an office LAN, and is easily moved to other locations and connected to a TV or large LCD. It doesn't cost much more than most office phones. In fact, except for a barely noticeable camera and a 5-inch active-matrix LCD, the VideoPhone looks like any office deskset.

You'll need a Packet8 calling plan, which starts at $29.95 per month for unlimited calls to any North American number and unlimited free calls to other Packet8 subscribers worldwide. Most of the VideoPhone's calling features—from voice mail to three-way conferencing to call forwarding—are delivered via the calling plan, not the phone. Reception is great: clear audio and crisp, full-color images on an LCD that's just the right size.

Traffic Oasis offers UK leads

2004-11-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

I just received this notice. If anyone is working at creating a Network Marketing business in the UK, these will help. It's tough to build a business without leads and since Traffic Oasis provides fresh, non-shared leads and great training, these are the way to go.

NOW AVAILABLE:

PREMIUM UK LEADS (ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND)
Quality Opp seekers from the United Kingdom

At TrafficOasis, we understand that the key to developing a successful
network marketing business is being able to introduce your opportunity
to a constant flow of truly fresh prospects.

Our United Kingdom (UK) Exclusive Premium Business Opportunity
Leads/ML'M Leads are the most qualified UK Leads available anywhere
at reasonable prices.

Every UK lead that you receive from TrafficOasis is a UK resident who
has "opted in" to receive information about getting started in a home-based
business. Our leads are exclusive and as fresh as possible (24-72H). None
of our leads have received incentives or entered via gaming or lottery sites.

TrafficOasis leads have responded to highly optimized pop-ups, pop-unders,
e-mail campaigns (non-spam), banner ads, and various other advertisements
that we place on the Internet.

Every UK lead includes the following information:

First Name
Last Name
Email Address
Address
City
Postal Code
Phone Number 1
Time & Date Stamp
IP Address

Our UK ML'M/Business Opportunity Leads are among the most qualified leads
available to build your business to unprecedented levels. TrafficOasis is proud
to be one of the very first suppliers of QUALITY United Kingdom leads.

Be sure to place your order NOW, as these Premium Double Opt-In FRESH UK
Leads are available from TrafficOasis only in limited quantities.

Quality UK leads are very rare! To avoid disappointment, order NOW!
Because these leads are so rare, they are available only to members of TrafficOasis
in additional packages.

Exclusive to TrafficOasis Members only, log in your backoffice and see for details.

Be fast! ORDER NOW! and expand your business world wide.

Sincerely
TrafficOasis, Inc.
Staff

Packet 8

2004-10-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

Packet 8

We've just introduced a new VOIP service that's killer. Take a look at some of the features
Caller ID
3 way Conferencing
Local Number Porting (LNP)
Call Waiting
Choose Your Own Area Code (I really like this one since people who have friends and family in a different state can give them a local number to call.)

And more

One of the coolest features is one that told to me by a friend. He takes the phone with him and plugs it into the connection in his hotel room and his phone then rings into it just like he was home.

Take a look at the site and see how cool it is.

BlogExplosion.com

2004-10-25T12:54:00.000-07:00

Need more traffic to your BLOG?

I just joined Blog Explosion. It's a free traffic exchange for blogs. If you don't know what a traffic exchange is, the way it works is, you read other peoples blogs and for each blog you read, you earn credits that you spend by having other people read your blog. You can blogmark sites that interest you and others can do the same.
Plus, you get to read blogs that you most likely never would have found.

So if you have a blog and want to get traffic there, join and have some fun.

The Law of Forced Efficiency

2004-10-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

I've been a subscriber of Brian Tracy's newsletters for a long time and thought this was worth sharing with all the readers of this blog.
I've found this to be true. Even when I have no time to do anything extra, I always find time to do what's important.
I've included his URL at the bottom in case anyone wants to subscribe. I can't say I agree with everything he writes, but I do agree with most.

The Law of Forced Efficiency

By Brian Tracy

“This law says that, "There is never enough time to do everything, but
there is always enough time to do the most important thing."

You Always Find The Time
When you run out of time and the consequences for non-completion of a
key task or project can be really serious, you always seem to find the
time to get it done, often at the very last minute. You start early, you
stay late and you drive yourself to complete the job rather than to face
the negative consequences that would follow if you didn't get it
completed within the time limit. Rule: "There will never be enough time
to do everything you have to do."

You Are Already Overwhelmed
The fact is that the average person today is working at 110% to 130% of
capacity. And the jobs and responsibilities just keep piling up.
Everyone has stacks of reading material they still have to go through.
One study concluded recently that the average executive has 300-400
hours of reading and projects backlogged at home and at the office. What
this means is that you will never be caught up. Get that out of your
mind. All you can hope for is to be on top of your most important
responsibilities. The others will just have to wait.

Deadlines Can Be Counterproductive
The key question you can ask is "What is the most valuable use of my
time, right now?" This is the core question of time management. This is
the key to overcoming procrastination and becoming a highly productive
person. Every hour of every day, there is an answer to this question.
Your job is to ask yourself the question, over and over again, and to
always be working on the answer to it, whatever it is. Do first things
first and second things not at all. As Goethe said, "The things that
matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least."
The more accurate your answers to this question, the easier it will be
for you to set clear priorities, to overcome procrastination and to get
started on that one activity that represents the most valuable use of
your time.

Action Exercises
Take a few minutes each day and sit quietly where you cannot be
disturbed. During this time, let your mind relax and just think about
your work and activities, without stress or pressure. In almost every
case, during this time of solitude, you will receive wonderful insights
and ideas that will save you enormous amounts of time when you apply
them back on the job. Often you will experience breakthroughs that will
change the direction of your life and work.

_____

Brian Tracy International
http://www.briantracy.com/
462 Stevens Ave Suite 202,
Solana Beach, Ca 92075

Party Wants Lawmaker to Explain Obscene Sign

2004-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

You have to like a guy who is pro democracy, wears black t-shirts and refuses to conform.

Party Wants Lawmaker to Explain Obscene Sign

Party Wants Lawmaker to Explain Obscene Sign
Oct 8, 7:44 am ET

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's main pro-Beijing party has demanded newly elected lawmaker and radical activist "Longhair" explain showing his middle finger in the legislature house just hours after he was sworn into office this week.

"This sort of behavior from a lawmaker is unacceptable and he needs to account for it," said Ip Kwok-him, deputy chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, which has the largest bloc of seats in the legislature.

Leung Kwok-hung, who shouted pro-democracy slogans before and after he read his oath of office, found himself in trouble at a news conference Wednesday when he made the middle finger salute while referring to another legislator, Philip Wong.

The pro-Beijing Wong flashed his middle finger at demonstrators during a protest against a planned law banning subversive activities against mainland China last year and quickly drew public anger.

Recalling the incident, Leung made the gesture himself to show what Wong did and demanded Wong apologize.

Ip insisted that Leung's action was unacceptable.

"Even if he says he was just trying to show what Philip Wong did, that is unacceptable," Ip told Reuters. His party will demand that Leung explain his behavior in a legislative sub-committee meeting next week.

Leung, already embroiled in a battle to wear T-shirts to legislative meetings, was defiant.

"I tell you, they are mad. I was just showing reporters what Wong did, their complaint is irrelevant," Leung told Reuters.

"I am now challenging them to a public debate on whether I should apologize. If I lose, I will apologize."

Leung wore a black T-shirt printed with pro-democracy slogans and the image of Che Guevara for his swearing-in and has vowed to dress similarly in future legislative sessions.

Some of his more strait-laced colleagues have said such attire was not appropriate and the president of the legislature has called for all members to discuss the matter.

U.S. layoff announcements leaped 45% in September

2004-10-05T19:30:00.000-07:00

It seems like I can't open the news these days without finding a story about job losses. If you need a reason to build an online business and have at least one plan B, here it is.
I've read that almost all of America is 2-6 paychecks from poverty or being homeless. I don't plan on being in that majority and I'd rather no one else was either. So if you want to own your own business and aren't afraid to work hard, then take a look at this site.

U.S. layoff announcements leaped 45% in September

Layoff plans leap 45% in September
By Rex Nutting, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 10:00 AM ET Oct. 5, 2004

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Layoff announcements by U.S. companies surged 45 percent in September to nearly 108,000, the highest number of planned job cuts since January, outplacement firm Challenger Grey & Christmas said Tuesday.

Job reduction announcements are up 41 percent from September 2003, while year-to-date job cuts are down 17 percent from 2003's pace, Challenger said. The total of 107,863 announced layoffs for the month was not seasonally adjusted, the firm said.

"The return to six-figure job-cut levels paints a grim picture for ongoing economic growth, as such activity is generally considered a measure of how companies view future business conditions," John Challenger, chairman of the firm, said in a written statement.

"Historically, the period from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 is when we see the heaviest downsizing, and this year appears to be on track to repeat that trend," Challenger said.

The largest cuts in September were in industries focused on computers, transportation, telecommunications and consumer products.

For the third quarter, job cuts were up 20 percent to 251,585 vs. the second-quarter's 209,895 and are up 4 percent from the third quarter of 2003.

The 12-month moving average, which smoothes out monthly distortions in the data, increased by 3 percent to 90,722.

Challenger also said corporations announced 16,166 job openings in September, the lowest since Challenger began tracking hiring announcements in May.

Challenger tracks announcements by corporations about hiring and firing, not actual job reductions or additions, which can take months to be accomplished.

The figures come just days before the Labor Department reports on September nonfarm payrolls and the monthly unemployment rate. Economists are expecting a tepid gain of about 140,000 nonfarm jobs in September, in part because powerful hurricanes rocked the South.

The unemployment rate is expected to remain at 5.4 percent when the data are released on Friday morning.

Free PPC advertising

2004-09-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Mom's Traffic Tips & Ideas

How's this for free stuff on the internet. Stefani has found PPC search engines that give free money to open an account. If you have anything to advertise, this will be a good start. If you don't have anything to sell, then may I suggest signing up for Cognigen and offering cell phones, DSL, Dish Network or any one of dozens of other services?

Knowledge or Action?

2004-09-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

It's been said that knowledge is power. While that's true to an extent, it isn't the whole truth. Knowledge without action is almost useless. It doesn't help to be a genius if you never do anything with the knowledge. I tend to think of knowledge as ammunition and action as a gun. (It's a typical guy thought, I know but it works for me.) Think about it. If you have bullets and no gun, they're pretty much useless. If you have a gun and no bullets, the best you can do is throw (action) the gun at the target. Not as useless as the bullets (knowledge) since action without knowledge is more productive than knowledge without action

The reason I've been thinking about this lately is that I've been reading article after article about how to make money, get high search engine ranking, find customers & prospects, motivate myself and others and several other subjects and realized that regardless of how much info I've gained, it's worthless if I don't act on the knowledge. And it's the same for everyone. It wouldn't matter if you had a PhD in Quantum Physics if you worked at McDonalds, or a library full of books and never used the knowledge within, now would it? I've met some really intelligent homeless people and some stupid millionaires and the biggest difference is action. Let me say this again, ACTION. Action makes people successful to a certain degree. Not to say that any action will make people successful. Jumping up and down or changing channels will not do it, but action of any kind that propels you toward your target goal will get you they eventually.

Another way to think of it is like having a map. I could give you a map to a lost treasure, but if you never left your house, it wouldn't do much good would it?

So here's a question; what action will you do today, to reach your goal? Reading a book will only take you so far.

Selling Long Distance

2004-09-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

Selling Long Distance

Here is a good article on what it takes to make it in telecommunication sales. It covers pretty much everything you can expect from a career in telecommunications.

It should be noted that Cognigen is listed on the site and I believe meets every suggestion of what to look for.

So enjoy the article and happy sales.

Namaste,
Brian

OPEX Wireless

2004-09-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

OPEXWireless.COM

It looks like Cellular companies are giving people what they need. Opex just released their new cellular plans that start at $9.99 a month for people who want a phone for emergency use or to make a few calls a month or if you want to replace your land line phone with a cellular phone, the plan starts at $29.99. And since we all hate those long contracts, they chose not to force people into signing them.

So take a look and see if you like what you see. Do you think this is the future?

Namaste,
Brian

DSL Availability of Top Providers of Business and Home Service - SBC Yahoo, Earthlink, Covad, BellSouth, Verizon, Qwest and more.

2004-09-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

DSL Availability of Top Providers of Business and Home Service - SBC Yahoo, Earthlink, Covad, BellSouth, Verizon, Qwest and more.

Cognigen has just released a new High Speed Internet Search Engine. What we do is compare multiple companies and let you know what is available in your area.
If you're looking for High Speed Internet Service, you owe it to your wallet to find out what offers are available in your area. After all, do you have time to call each company and ask what offers they have?

John Dilbeck's Musings

2004-09-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

John Dilbeck's Musings

John took the time to post about this blog so I thought I'd return the favor and post about John. I've talked to John via a couple of lists we're on that help Cognigen agents and he's a stand up guy. We share the same basic beliefs about life. So if you get a minute, read his blog and pay attention to his "About Me" section.

My New Blog

2004-09-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

Weird News Blog

If you can't tell from my previous posts, I find weird news stories to be entertaining . It doesn't matter if they're political, bizarre, or just dumb. However, I've decided this blog isn't the place to post them. I started the Cognigen blog for one reason and that was to comment on news stories or web sites that help people build a Network Marketing Business focusing on Cognigen since Cognigen is the company I believe in.

In other words, I've decided to create a 2nd blog dedicated to weird or interesting stories I run across.

So check it out, make comments and if you run into something I haven't seen, drop me a line and if I find it interesting, I'll comment.

Namaste,
Brian

Own Your Own Telecom Business

2004-09-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Own Your Own Telecom Business
I've been working on a way to get another one of my web sites listed higher in the search engines and it isn't easy. Most if not all search engines don't like Flash sites. But, being the tech fiend (not geek) that I am, I love Flash as long as they load fast and aren't cheesy.

So take a look and leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Search Engine Submission

2004-09-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

I was reading a discussion on search engines and according to it, if you put a link to your search on your page, your page may rank higher. So I'm expermenting with this. After all, it can't hurt.

Google Search

Yahoo Search

MSN

If it works, I'll post again on these results.

Why Cognigen?

2004-08-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Cognigen: Worldwide Telecommunications Long Distance Services

I've been asked why Cognigen? The answer is when you compare Cognigen with Excel, ACN and Fortune Hi-tech it's simple.
I was looking for a company that had good residual income and no inventory to carry. I really didn't want to do home parties, sell vitamins, weight loss or any of the other products that were available. I wanted higher commissions from my personal sales and over ride commissions from my down line agents. I was looking for a business opportunity that I could feel confident in offering to any person who asked because it was either free or at least low cost. I was looking for a product or service that everyone already used so neither my down line or I had to create a need before we could make a sale. I wanted at least one flash presentation for recruiting online, lots of business training. And most importantly, I wanted to be able to either work from home or go out and meet people face to face or both since for the most part, I don't want a dress code. (I had enough of the dress code in the Army)

In short, I was asking for a lot. I really didn't expect to find a business that met all my wants, much less exceeded them. But Cognigen did.

After evaluating dozens of companies and finding something wrong with every one of them, I found Cognigen. Cognigen gives dozens of technology services to sell such as Long Distance, Bundled Services, Internet Access, Free Cellular Phones, Computers, Dish Network and so many more. Cognigen also provides comparison search engines for DSL, T1 and Local and Long Distance Phone Service For Business and Personal.so my customers can find the lowest rates for their needs. Really, why should someone pay 7-10 cents per minute when they can pay 3.45 cents per minute with no monthly fee?
And Cognigen has 2 different flash presentations. Presentation 1 & Presentation 2. to take care of those home meetings that I didn't want to bother with.

So given all the reasons to pick Cognigen, why would anyone pick any of the other telecom companies?

How To Recruit Your Way To Millions!

2004-08-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

How To Recruit Your Way To Millions!

Here's a book that I sell. I've found the information contained in it to be a big help in recruiting for Network Marketing businesses. The info works both online and offline.
So if you've been working hard to build a large group and you're tired of working so hard, this just might help. However, it won't work unless you apply the techniques

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Military (Honor Guard)

2004-08-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Military (Honor Guard)

I spent 3 years in the Army and wasn't aware of this. This is amazing. You should read this.
The sad thing is that the only reason I researched it was because I wanted to make sure it was completely true before I forwarded it.

Study: Unpatched PCs compromised in 20 minutes - News - ZDNet

2004-08-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

Good advice for everyone. I find it interesting that Microsoft security consultant Fred Baumhardt said the day is likely to come when a virus or worm brings down everything. This almost happened not too long ago when hackers crashed several of the computers that made the internet.
So, my advice is to keep your system up to date and activate or install a firewall. Firewalls are free and easy to set up so there isn't a good excuse for not having one. And don't forget the antivirus software.

Namaste,
Brian

Study: Unpatched PCs compromised in 20 minutes - News - ZDNet

Study: Unpatched PCs compromised in 20 minutes
By Matt Loney and Robert Lemos
ZDNet (UK)
August 17, 2004, 12:22 PM PT
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Don't connect that new PC to the Internet before taking security precautions, researchers at the Internet Storm Center warned Tuesday.

According to the researchers, an unpatched Windows PC connected to the Internet will last for only about 20 minutes before it's compromised by malware, on average. That figure is down from around 40 minutes, the group's estimate in 2003.

The Internet Storm Center, which is part of the SANS Institute, calculated the 20-minute "survival time" by listening on vacant Internet Protocol addresses and timing the frequency of reports received there.

"If you are assuming that most of these reports are generated by worms that attempt to propagate, an unpatched system would be infected by such a probe," the center, which provides research and education on security issues, said in a statement.

The drop from 40 minutes to 20 minutes is worrisome because it means the average "survival time" is not long enough for a user to download the very patches that would protect a PC from Internet threats.

Scott Conti, network operations manager for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said he finds the center's data believeable.

"It's a tough problem, and it's getting tougher," Conti said.

One of Conti's administrators tested the center's data recently by placing two unpatched computers on the network. Both were compromised within 20 minutes, he said.

The school is now checking the status of computers before letting them connect to the Internet. If a machine doesn't have the latest patches, it gets quarantined with limited network access until the PC is back up to date.

"We are giving the people the ability to remediate before connecting to the network," Conti said.

The center also said in its analysis that the time it takes for a computer to be compromised will vary widely from network to network.

If the Internet service provider blocks the data channels commonly used by worms to spread, then a PC user will have more time to patch.

"On the other hand, university networks and users of high-speed Internet services are frequently targeted with additional scans from malware like bots," the group stated. "If you are connected to such a network, your 'survival time' will be much smaller."

In a guide to patching a new Windows system, the Internet Storm Center recommends that users turn off Windows file sharing and enable the Internet Connection Firewall. Microsoft's latest security update, Windows XP Service Pack 2, will set such a configuration, but users will have to go online to get the update, opening themselves up to attack.

One problem, experts say, is network administrators' reliance on patching and their assumption that users will quickly patch systems.

Speaking recently at the Microsoft TechEd developer conference in Amsterdam, Microsoft security consultant Fred Baumhardt said the day is likely to come when a virus or worm brings down everything.

"Nobody will have time to detect it," he said. "Nobody will have time to issue patches or virus definitions and get them out there. This shows that patch management is not the be-all and end-all."

Baumhardt stressed the importance of adaptability, using the human immune system as an example: "Imagine if your body said, 'Hmm, I have the flu. I've never had this before, so I'll die.' But that doesn't happen: Your body raises its temperature and so on, to buy time while other mechanisms kick in."

"If the human body did patch management the way (companies do), we'd all be dead."

Matt Loney of ZDNet UK reported from London.

Taking time off.

2004-08-11T23:47:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd better make a business related post. It seems most of my posts
have been about politics or some other news story and not why I started this
blog in the first place.

The truth is, I've been letting my business run pretty much on autopilot and
taken some time off to relax and play a little golf. I'm still really bad at
it but I went to range last Sunday and changed my grip and all of a sudden,
my shots are straight and longer. Now I'm not saying they are a little
longer or a little straighter, I mean they are a lot longer and straighter.
I can't wait to see how they look on a course.
It reminds me of a t-shirt I found on a web site.
I hate golf.
I hate golf.
Nice shot.
I love golf.

I'll be doing a post of what I use to advertise and network soon. Keep
checking back.

Namaste,
Brian

WorldNetDaily: Terror alerts manufactured?

2004-08-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

WorldNetDaily: Terror alerts manufactured?

I don't know what to make of this news story. I don't want to believe this is true. To think that the terror alerts are mostly B.S. is hard to comprehend.

I did look around the web site and it seems to be pretty down the middle as far as being Republican or Democratic. Which is a good thing. I don't want to get all my news from one side.

Remember to vote for someone this year.

Namaste,
Brian

Text-to-Binary (and back!) Converter

2004-08-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

Text-to-Binary (and back!) Converter

I was just given this URL by a really cool person and thought it was fun. It also comes in handy for sending secret messages to friends. And of course, you could send an e-mail in binary and confuse your friends. LOL

I think I'll send a short message to a friend and confuse the heck out of him.

Namaste,
Brian

PS I'll be reviewing more business related sites in the next few days so keep checking back.

PunkVoter.com

2004-07-31T21:27:00.000-07:00

PunkVoter.com

Here's a great web site for flyers and news from www.PunkVoter.com

I've came to the conclusion that George Bush is the last person we should elect. Not because he's republican but only because he's the worst person for the job. Just look at the flyers on this site and judge for yourself.

I for one do not believe we should take funding from public schools and give it to private or religious schools. Public schools need all the funding they can get. Have you seen the text books the kids have to use? Most are old and beat up.

Why can't we grant freedom to everyone instead of taking away the very freedoms veterans fought and lost their live for? But then again, what can we expect from a man that went to the supreme court to stop the recount in Florida? If the recount would have been done and George W. Bush had won fairly, I would have more respect for him.

Till next time,
Have fun and remember to vote.

Namaste,
Brian

ActForChange : Act Now

2004-07-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

ActForChange : Act Now

I know it's sad to say but this will probably go nowhere. After all, this country has no oil, it's not in the news yet and the American people haven't became enraged yet.

However, if enough people express their feelings and use this web site to write Secretary of State Colin Powell, maybe, just maybe, we can make a difference.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
--Albert Einstein

Namaste,
Brian

eclecticism > Of blogging and unemployment

2004-07-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

eclecticism > Of blogging and unemployment

Ok....Here's the question: Should someone be fired for blogging something like this?

I'm not sure and neither is the person who was fired. I get the feeling that no one who looks at both sides will know 100%. On one hand, I can see the reason (security) behind it, but on the other hand, the negative publicity is pretty bad. I get the feeling that everyone would have been better off just having him remove the post and letting it fade away. After all, he said he would remove it without a problem and since he was a temp, he never went through the Microsoft orientation. I believe most of the blame should have been placed on the temp agency for failing to educate their employees before sending them out.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Comparison of presidential IQ's-Fiction!

2004-07-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Comparison of presidential IQ's-Fiction!

Ok. I admit it. I was wrong. Someone told me they read the IQ list on a news site so I took it for granted that it was true. Turns out, I should've taken the time to search truth or fiction before I mentioned it in a previous post.
Now if someone can let me know what the real results are, I'd be happy. I'm still convinced GW's IQ isn't very high. He's done too many dumb things in the last 4 years.

Baptists Angry at Bush Campaign Tactics

2004-07-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

iWon News

Jeez...Will the news stories that show the Bush Cheney campaign is full of well intentioned idiots ever stop?
Now really, who thought this up and did anyone think it through? It's bad enough that they want to use churches to collect votes but putting their tax exempt status in jeopardy is unforgivable. Now I'm sure they'll claim this is all liberal media lies (funny how bad news is ALWAYS liberal media lies) maybe the reason the news is full of stupid Bush tricks is because there are so many of them. I can't even open my IWON home page without seeing something that amazes me.

Till next time.
Namaste,
Brian

Baptists Angry at Bush Campaign Tactics
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Southern Baptist Convention, a conservative denomination closely aligned with President Bush, said it was offended by the Bush-Cheney campaign's effort to use church rosters for campaign purposes.

"I'm appalled that the Bush-Cheney campaign would intrude on a local congregation in this way," said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

"The bottom line is, when a church does it, it's nonpartisan and appropriate. When a campaign does it, it's partisan and inappropriate," he said. "I suspect that this will rub a lot of pastors' fur the wrong way."

The Bush campaign defended a memo in which it sought to mobilize church members by providing church directories to the campaign, arranging for pastors to hold voter-registration drives, and talking to various religious groups about the campaign.

Other religious organizations also criticized the document as inappropriate, suggesting that it could jeopardize churches' tax-exempt status by involving them in partisan politics.

Campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said the document, distributed to campaign staff, was well within the law.

"People of faith have a right to take part in the political process, and we're reaching out to every supporter of President Bush to become involved in the campaign," Stanzel said.

One section of the document lists 22 "coalition coordinator" duties and lays out a timeline for various activities targeting religious voters. By July 31, for example, the coordinator is to:

_Send your church directory to your state Bush-Cheney '04 headquarters or give to a BC04 field representative.

_Identify another conservative church in your community who we can organize for Bush.

_Recruit 5 people in your church to help with the voter registration project.

_Talk to your pastor about holding a citizenship Sunday and voter registration drive.

The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the effort "is a shameless attempt to misuse and abuse churches for partisan political ends." Lynn said his organization would be "watching closely to see how this plays out in the pews."

The Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, a Washington advocacy group that has been critical of the Christian right, said the document was "totally inappropriate."

"We are alarmed that this initiative by the Bush-Cheney campaign could lure religious organizations and religious leaders into dangerous territory where they risk losing their tax-exempt status and could be violating the law," Gaddy said.

Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, said "efforts aimed at transforming houses of worship into political campaign offices stink to high heaven."

None of those groups, however, has been as supportive of the Bush administration as the Nashville-based Southern Baptists.

Bush spoke to the Southern Baptists' recent national convention, by video link, for the third year in a row. Outgoing SBC President Jack Graham called the president "a man of personal faith whose leadership is great for America."

On Friday, Land said: "It's one thing for a church member motivated by exhortations to exercise his Christian citizenship to go out and decide to work on the Bush campaign or the Kerry campaign. It's another and totally inappropriate thing for a political campaign to ask workers who may be church members to provide church member information through the use of directories to solicit partisan support."

---

CoolCave.com

2004-07-10T16:21:00.000-07:00

CoolCave.com

Now here is a free advertising web site that's just plain fun. When you sign up, you put your text ad on the web site and then forward jokes. whenever you forward jokes using the URL at the bottom of the joke page your ad (and 5 people above you) go with it and when they forward your joke, your ad goes too, and so on.
Then if someone that's received your joke signs up, your ad is moved down but it still goes with every joke they forward. Needless to say, your ad can reach a lot of people quickly.

Anti America Sticker

2004-07-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at a red light a few days ago and the SUV in front had a sticker of Calvin in a Sombrero pissing on the word America. I was angry for a while being ex Army and all but then I started thinking. Why would he/she have that sticker? I mean they had to work hard to get here. If they came legally, they had to work hard to get here. Immigration isn't easy. If they came in illegally, that took dedication. I know people who won't drive across town to get a job and all these people walk through the desert, avoiding border patrol and taking their life in their own hands to get just to get a job none of us would have. I'm impressed. Let's not forget the language barrier. I don't know that many Americans who would go to a country that doesn't speak English for any price.

I may never know the reason that sticker was on that SUV but if I ever get the chance, I will ask

Bush Liked Less Than Saddam, Bin Laden

2004-07-08T06:37:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd ever read this. Can you imagine being the leader of the free world, up for re-election and this being released. I have to feel sorry for the President.

iWon - News: "Bush Liked Less Than Saddam, Bin Laden
Jul 7, 11:07 am ET

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - President Bush is disliked by more Hungarian secondary school children than former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, according to an opinion poll published on Wednesday.

Bush also topped the list of most-liked foreigners with eight percent of the vote, ahead of Pope John Paul with six percent.

The survey of 34,000 students, aged 16-18, from 655 high schools showed Adolf Hitler was the most disliked foreign personality with 25 percent of the vote, followed by Bush with 23 percent and Bin Laden with 16 percent.

Bush was even more unpopular than former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, according to the poll.

The most unpopular Hungarian was Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy followed by Viktor Orban, the leader of the right of center Fidesz opposition.

Orban was also the most popular Hungarian followed by Arpad Goncz, the former dissident who became the country's first post-communist president. "

Welcome To TrafficOasis: Discover The World's #1 Lead Source

2004-07-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome To TrafficOasis: Discover The World's #1 Lead Source
Hope your 4th of July was as great as mine. We spent the day at my mother-in-laws and had a great time. The fireworks were excellent.

I just received the below great news via e-mail and I'm really happy. You have to love it when something that's already great is improved to this level.

NEW TrafficOasis's package A: E-mail leads improved in quantity and quality!

We are excited to announce that our monthly package E-mail leads now have
full data, including physical address as well! The more fields prospects have
to fill out to opt-in the more responsive they usually are.

Besides that we have increased our monthly E-mail leads quantity as well with
25 so from now on you will receive 175 E-mail leads every month instead of 150.
(If you are an E-mail lead user of coarse)

Now I'm taking off to look for a new house in Reno. The market is so good that we decided to sell our condo and buy a house. Wish us luck.

Security vs. Freedom

2004-06-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

Security vs. Freedom

I ran across this article and realized it fit so well into my current mindset. I've been thinking about how little security we have since something happened recently. Actually I've known this for a long time but what happened reinforced it.
A close friend of mine had worked hard for her company for about 7-8 years and made 1 mistake and was fired. You would think it must have been huge to override 7 years of loyalty and hard work, but in my opinion it wasn't. I won't go into detail but many people have done much worse and were only written up.
After reflecting on this incident, I realized that no job is safe. You can believe your skills are so great that you can't be fired or else the problems it will create will be too much to let you go. But that's wrong. Some times they will fire you and force everyone else to suffer.

The thing we all need to know is that depending on a job is far riskier than owning your own business. If you depend on someone else for your paycheck, they can take it away at any moment. Loyalty and hard work will not save us.

Security vs. Freedom… It’s Your Choice
By Robert Kiyosaki

Most of us would like to believe we can have both security and freedom. But in Rich Dad® terms, these are two opposing values. My rich dad said, "Freedom and security are not the same ideals. In fact, in many ways, freedom and security are exact opposites. The people who have the most security are people in prison. Prisoners have the least freedom and the highest security. People in prison do not need to provide housing, food, recreation, health care, or education for themselves. They have a lot of security but at the price of their freedom."

One advantage of living in a free society is the freedom to make choices. There are two big choices according to my rich dad: the choice of freedom and the choice of security. Both choices have appeal, both have strengths and weaknesses, and both come with a price. If you choose freedom, the price is paid up front, at the beginning of your life. If you choose security, you pay a huge price in the form of excessive taxes and interest payments. Often the price is paid later in your life.

Look at the bankruptcy debacle of Enron, one of the world's largest corporations. The price the loyal, hard-working, security-seeking employees paid is very high: they lost their jobs and their retirement plans. Unfortunately, many are paying this price at the end of their working years, just when their options diminish because of age or health.

Security vs. Freedom: It's Your Choice
Today, many employees are learning their jobs are not secure and neither are their retirement plans. In the coming years, 75 million baby-boomers may discover that their stocks and mutual funds were not as secure as they thought, forcing them to retire to a lower standard of living that their parents enjoyed. With the prospects of downsizing looming over their heads, some have taken the initiative to start their own businesses. Should you be one of them?

My rich dad said, "Somewhere along the way, people become more desirous of security and have paid the price by selling their freedom. You may have noticed that schools today focus primarily on job security rather than financial freedom. The problem is most people do not know that the cost of that security is their freedom." He continued to say, "If you choose security, someone is always telling you what hours to work, how much you make, and even when you can eat your lunch. That is the price of security."

Freedom means having more choices, not security. You have a choice to be poor, middle class, or rich. If you choose to be rich, then you need to learn a whole new game. But it requires a different mindset and financial intelligence. You will be free to work or not to work. Your knowledge will bring you freedom from work because you will learn how to make your money work for you. The choice is yours.

UptimeBot. Link popularity check in 10(ten) top search engines

2004-06-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

UptimeBot. Link popularity check in 10(ten) top search engines

Ok. Back to the tools.
I was recently given this site and I have to say it's a great tool and it's simple. You gotta like good and simple.
Simply put, you enter your web site URL in the field and it tells you how many backward links there are to it. I found out there are sites I didn't know existed that link to AgentsWanted.net

So give it a try and if you want, post a comment and let me know how it worked for you.

Till next time.

Namaste,
Brian

Web Virus May Be Stealing Financial Data

2004-06-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

iWon News

Just when I thought I was going back to work, I run across this.
Everyone should be aware of this if they're still using Internet Explorer.
Here is a virus that spreads simply because you visit a normal web site. I don't know about you, but I'm used to taking chances if I'm visiting the bad section of the net but I'm not used to taking chances if I'm just visiting the normal web sites.
Be sure to read the article and search your computer for the 2 files that show you're infected.

Hitler Video on Bush web site

2004-06-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

iWon News

Imagine my surprise when I check the headlines today and see this. I couldn't believe any party would use an image that sickens such a large percentage of America. What the heck did the Bush group think this would accomplish?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, no one should blindly follow any party regardless of which one it is. And everyone should make up their own mind if this insults them.

Ok...Enough political stuff. Now to go back to work on the real reason you read this blog.....How to make money.

Traffic Oasis

2004-06-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

I'll be reviewing Traffic Oasis today.
I've been using Traffic Oasis for about 4 months and without a doubt, I believe they're the best leads available today.
Some people think they're more expensive, but I don't think so. The basic leads are 1-3 days old instead of 7-30 days old. They aren't shared which means the prospect isn't overwhelmed by dozens of people e-mailing or calling them. There are several choices of leads to fit how you want to contact them, either 150 E-mail, 125 E-mail/Phone that have answered 2 questions or 30 E-mail/Phone 4 question leads.
I'm using the very basic 150 e-mail leads a month and getting 5-10 new agents a month or more.
They include excellent generic training for any network marketing company, 3 autoresponders to use as you see fit. (I use 2 for prospecting, and 1 for a training series for my Cognigen agents) and a generic flash presentation that works for any Network Marketing Opportunity.

On top of everything, there is a compensation plan that creates a second income stream. It's even a forced matrix so even if you never recruit a single person, it will eventually pay off. Granted, it could take a while to generate income if you never share the lead program with anyone else.

The economy

2004-06-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

I was just reading another blog and ran across the link to the Democratic National Convention. I generally stay away from political subjects in my online projects because it's just not wise to bring up a subject this decisive if I'm not passionate enough to fight it out. LOL I tend to judge for myself regardless of which party has the idea.
Chris Rock said it best when he said there's some things I'm liberal about and some things I'm conservative about. For me, I'm pretty conservative on violent crime and really liberal on free speech and freedom. If you aren't harming another person, then it's pretty much up to you to figure out if it's right or wrong.
Anyway, back to the reason I'm making this post. (sorry...I got off course for a moment)

There's a link on their web site to see what's happened in your state in the last 4 years. It's pretty one sided since it's a democratic site but the data is real and disturbing.

For example, in Nevada:
Pay checks have went up less than inflation. This means Americans are making less money after that raise. That sucks. We should be making more money each year.

Unemployment is up. There's more people out of work.

Poverty is up. Probably due to a lot of high paying jobs being outsourced to other countries.

Take a look at your state and see if it's the same.
The list goes on and on.

These numbers only make me believe more people should stop depending on a company to take care of them and take action to create a business of their own. That's what I'm doing. I started a Telecommunications company with Cognigen and get paid residuals on my sales. What does this mean? It means I get paid month after month for the work I did once. It builds up. If you want to know more about Cognigen, send an e-mail to 80847-1@inforeply.com or watch a 5 minute presentation

If you're happy with the money you make and can take time off whenever you want and there's no chance in losing your job, then you my friend are one of the lucky few.

Traffic Exchanges and Safe Lists

2004-06-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've seen too many people give up on their dreams of freedom and believe they can't make it with network marketing and MLM and just go on working 40 hours a week. So I decided to review the promotion options I've found and write about what I find.
Today, I'll cover start page exchanges and safe lists. I used MPAM a program that makes a lot of Start Page/Traffic Exchanges and safe lists work together to create a self generating traffic engine. I have to say that for someone who doesn't know a lot about creating traffic on the internet, this is a great learning tool. It only took a few hours to set up and a few hours a week to keep it going.
However, I don't believe it created very many sales and I could've used those hours more productively. Now, I'm sure it will work for certain products much better than it does for Cognigen's Telecom Offerings.
So the review is mixed on this. If you have more time than money, and you want to learn the basics of generating traffic, then by all means, do it. If you have very little time and want to create sales and recruits, then there are faster options that cost a little bit of money. You can do Pay Per Click (PPC) search engines, Google Adwords, Leads from Traffic Oasis and more. I'll be covering Traffic Oasis next, since it has impressed me the most with the quality of leads and generic training and the fact that it creates a second income stream.

Why do I do it?

2004-06-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

Several people have asked me why I'm involved with Cognigen and network marketing in general, so I thought I'd answer the question.
Freedom, pure and simple.

I have found a way for the average person to own their own business without spending ANY money if they don't want to. Any person who wants to own their own business and has the drive to work hard and learn, can do it. The only real requirement is hard work, but that's no big deal, right? After all, the average person works for someone else 40+ hours a week. And for WHAT? Well, let's take a look at the average person's life.

Most people work at a job they hate, but are too afraid to believe there's another way.
They get up, go to work and wish for the weekend. If they're lucky, they have a few bucks left over for the weekend and if they save REAL hard, they get to take a week or 2 off every year. But most people use those vacation days 1 at a time to have a 3 day weekend. After all, they don't have the money to go anywhere anyway. Not a good way to spend 40 years.

Now owning a Cognigen agency isn't a piece of cake. You can't just sign up and wait for the checks to show up. You will have to put in the time and energy. But if you work hard, and learn how, you will make money. It's all up to you.

If you have the extra money to spend on promotion and recruiting, you can speed up the process. I'll explain a proven way to make more money at a later time. But for now, think about what you would do if you didn't have to go to a job you aren't 100% happy with.

New Blog

2004-06-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

I've read so much about Blogger over the last few weeks that I decided to switch from Bravenet to this and see how much better it is. I chose Blogger for the post by e-mail feature. I'm hoping it will make posting a lot easier.
My previous blog is here.