There is no politician that is coming to your home with the perfect for you job under their arm.  Making you weak and dependent on government is not caring for you. 

The reality is that liberals have been tearing at your heart and soul for the majority of your life trying to convince you that government should be your second chance.  With their art they get you to develop a bad attitude about life.  This bad attitude makes you drop out of school, make children you cannot afford, join violent gangs, abuse alcohol and drugs, and spiral down to an existence of emotional turmoil and mental health hardship.  They do this with their art ridiculing the foundations of society such as family, personal responsibility, education, and hard work.

We too are willing victims as long as we can be passive and emotionally blackmail people into taking care of us.  However, when we get to a certain age we realize we squandered our potential and denied ourselves our romantic ideal.

If Obama cared he would realize the basic human function that gives joy and happiness from planning a dream and working to accomplish that dream.  Obama only cares about feeding his narcissistic need to feed his own ego.

I believe it is appropriate after three and half years to evaluate the lack of progress of Obama.  Jan 21 2009 the unemployment rate was 6 percent.  It rose to 11 percent.  It is now reported at 8.3 percent.  The only reason the unemployment rate has gone down is because people have given up on looking for work. 

In addition, Mr. Obama has stopped economic growth with his bad attitude towards the successful, his enormous spending, and his desire to raise taxes.  Who wants to be successful when Obama wants to take the away the rewards of personal success?

I have said that one function of government is to administrate the departments of that government.  Mr. Obama as chief executive officer of the American government has had “fast and furious”, “GAS splurging at Vegas, “Secret Service in Columbia”, “Department of Energy harassing American energy producers”, and many more scandals related to the departments he, Mr. Obama, is supposed to be administrating.  Part of administration involves auditing for waste, fraud, and mismanagement.

Therefore, Mr. Obama has done everything wrong and it is costing the average American citizen.  A person who cares makes better choices.  These choices actually help people help themselves.

However, all we see from Obama is mismanagement, fraud, and waste.  In addition, we see hatred and rancor from Obama towards anyone who disagrees with him.

Mr. Obama did the economy improve under your leadership? The answer is no.  Therefore, you have not helped anyone.

The bigger question is “why are we being petty”.  America needs mature and personally responsible people, who are self-reliant.  People may tell me that I only say that because I do not understand how hard it is to find a job.  I look at CareerBuilder and Monster.com almost every morning.  Just because you do not want the job does not mean there are no jobs.

We need to care about ourselves.  We need to be the solution to our challenges.  Everyone blames politicians.  Who lets politicians do what they did while in office.  I believe that would be the apathetic, disinterested, and uninvolved citizen.

Now, I have a small fear that the independent voters’ narcissistic need to win will lead to another four years of Obama.  However, you do not attack business people and the Christian church and then expect to win the presidency.

I am not going to say I understand how independent voters actually believe that Obama is a better choice for America. The following is what Obama with his own words and actions has proven:

1.      Obama is not a leader in foreign relations.

2.      Obama hates anyone who disagrees with him.

3.      Obama uses bureaucracies to punish his political enemies.

4.      Obama hates personal success.

5.      Obama does not want anyone but liberals to have wealth.

6.      Obama cannot keep his promises.

7.      Obama likes to spend other people’s money.

8.      Obama stops economic growth with negative criticism of business leaders, high spending, over regulation, and high taxes.

 “What happened here in Colombia is being investigated by the director of the Secret Service,” Mr. Obama said in response to a question at a news conference wrapping up the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena. “I expect that investigation to be thorough and to be rigorous. If it turns out that some of the allegations made in the press are confirmed, then of course I’ll be angry.”

He added, “We’re representing the people of the United States when we travel out of the country.”

It was Mr. Obama’s first public statement since the Secret Service said Friday that it was investigating suspicions that 11 of its employees had taken part in misconduct in a Cartagena hotel involving prostitutes last week. Those employees were immediately replaced and later put on administrative leave.

Five United States military service members who were working with the Secret Service and staying in the same hotel are also facing an investigation because they violated a curfew and may have participated in the misconduct.

According to a senior United States official, some of the personnel members sent back to the United States could be interviewed again as early as Monday. The official said he and other senior officials were baffled and angry that two supervisors were involved in the incident and did nothing to prevent it. “It’s just extremely poor leadership by them,” the official said.

Mr. Obama’s comments came several hours after Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, suggested that more Secret Service personnel members may have been involved in the incident.

On the CBS program “Face the Nation,” Mr. Issa also raised the prospect that the episode had not been isolated and said the Secret Service employees had made themselves susceptible to blackmail. “We think the number might be higher, and we’re asking for the exact amount of all the people who were involved,” he said. “But this kind of breach is a breach in the federal workforce’s most elite protective unit, and they don’t just protect the president, of course, they protect cabinet members, the vice president, first families, candidates.”

He added: “Things like this don’t happen once if they didn’t happen before.”

Mr. Issa said he had not decided whether to hold a hearing and raised the idea of the Secret Service using lie detectors to prevent similar problems.

“We will participate in an over-the-shoulder investigation,” he said, adding, “The question is how are they going to make these changes in discipline, and perhaps polygraphs and other items being intensified, so that this can’t happen in the future.”

The head of the Secret Service from 2003 to 2006, W. Ralph Basham Jr., disagreed with Mr. Issa’s statement that such incidents were probably more widespread and had occurred before.

“Obviously there are incidents that happen, and agents have gotten themselves into compromising situations and disciplined,” said Mr. Basham, who is now a principal at Command Consulting Group, a security firm. “But it is rare, and this is not the type of thing that is woven through the fabric of the Secret Service.”

Mr. Basham said he could not recall an incident involving the Secret Service that had received as much attention from the news media. “This is such big story,” he said. “You don’t hear of this happening in an organization like the Secret Service.”

Avoiding prostitutes is “something people in the intelligence world know about and are taught to be conscious of and told to avoid,” Mr. Basham said. “As a young agent, you are taught to be careful and aware of your surroundings so you don’t get compromised.”

The agents could have been blackmailed, Mr. Basham said, but the Secret Service mitigated that threat by sending the agents home.

Throughout the weekend, the White House has said repeatedly that it still has the highest confidence in the Secret Service.

“These men and women perform extraordinary service on a day-to-day basis, protecting me, my family and other U.S. officials,” Mr. Obama said on Sunday. “They do very hard work under very stressful circumstances and almost invariably do an outstanding job.” 

Introduction:

Australian’s contribution to the Vietnam War began in 1962, marked by the arrival of the Australia’s Training Team in South Vietnam. However it wasn’t until April 1966 that the first group of conscripted men were sent. The Vietnam War was a devastating war; killing hundreds of Australia soldiers and many thousands more were wounded. The war also impacted the Australians back at home, as it resulted in ballot conscription, introduced with the National Service Scheme. Legal consequences were also a result for those who avoided conscription, also known as draft resistors. The war also led to division within Australian society, between those who supported and opposed the War. Some also felt the conscription method was injustice, because some people were allowed deferment or exemption from the war, while others were forced to participate. These issues arouse protests and anti-war movements that often turned violent.

National Service Scheme:

In November 1964, the Menzies Government announced the reintroduction of conscription for overseas military service and their plans to increase the Australian army to 35 700 within three years. This operation was called the National Service Scheme; it required all twenty year old men to register with the Department of Labour and National Service (DLNS) to be subject to a ballot. 

Those called up, selected from the ballot, were given a medical examination and security standards. The men who were conscripted were obliged to 2 years of continuous full-time service in the regular army, followed by three years part time service in the Army Reserve. The men who were enlisted for full-time were liable for overseas service, which could mean serving in Vietnam.

Every year more than 6000 young men would be picked to serve in Vietnam. In total almost 63 000 conscripted men were sent to Vietnam, 520 lost their lives and many thousands wounded from the war.

The Ballot:

The ballot system was like the lottery, later nicknamed “The Lottery of Death”. Registered men whose birth dates, written on numbered marbles, were drawn from a barrel, would be notified within a month by the DLNS of whether they were required for national service. This system of selecting conscripts caused controversy in the Australian community,  as some thought this method was unjust as it meant only one in ten were chosen for the service.

Reasons for Resistance:

The Vietnam War opened much debate in the Australian society, many who believed Australia’s participation was unnecessary. As the war progress, many failed to understand why the Vietnam War, which was a civil war, was any of Australia’s business. 

Many young men did not want to participate in the war because they saw the atrocities of the war through television, which broadcasted unrestricted footage of the horrors of the war. Through the media, ordinary citizens witnessed monks in South Vietnam burning themselves in protest of the government regimes and South Vietnamese soldiers, who the Australian Liberal Party were supporting,  killing their own people.

Some eligible men were conscientious objectors, who had religious, political or moral reasons and refused to serve in the war. Their ethical views were often, during the Vietnam War, ignored by the government and many were arrested even during peaceful protests, such as the women who campaigned as part of the group ‘Save Our Sons’.

Objections against conscription and support for draft-resistors was much more outspoken in the late years of the Vietnam War, because of the casualties suffered by American troops, and the and purpose of the war was being heavily questioned.

These disagreements towards conscription and the National Service Scheme caused the escalation of domestic opposition, especially in 1967 and 1970 when the death toll and numbers of men conscripted to Vietnam increased. 

Those who could avoid conscription through deferment or exemption:

The Australia society was also divided because some believed it was unfair that while some were forced to go and fight, others did not have to.

Exemptions were given to Aboriginals; this illustrates how Aborigines were excluded from civic and political rights and the depth of white Australian prejudice. Non-naturalised migrants, clergymen and theology students were also allowed to be exempted from the Vietnam War. Eventually only the last and the disabled were exempted. Exemption was also given to men volunteering for six years service with the Citizen Military Forces (CMF). It was still possible for these groups to volunteer for National Service, though most didn’t.

Full-time university students and apprentices who were granted deferment until the end of their studies. Those who were married before call-up could also receive indefinite deferment. Conscientious objectors, could not be granted full exemption or be required to serve in non-combatant roles, objection had to be against war in general and not limited to a particular war. 

The separation between these people resulted in more lower class citizens to participate in the war, because they were unable to fulfil the conditions to be exempted, such as attending higher education in university, again this led to division in the Australian society.

Consequences of draft resistors:

In about 1970, opposition to conscription became more radical. Draft resistors formed a Draft Resistors’ Union, active in NSW and Victoria.

Refusing to register initially was punished by fines or a few weeks in prison. However those who were conscripted but refused to attend military service displayed public protest by burning the letters notifying them of their conscription. This act was often punishable by prosecution for resisting conscription. If they were convicted they were often sentenced to prison for a period equivalent to that which they would have spent on national service. 

Conclusion:

Australia’s support for the South Vietnam government ceased in 1973, when the remaining combat troops in Vietnam were withdrawn, by this time 520 Australian soldiers lost their lives to the Vietnam War and returned to a hostile society. The National Service Scheme was abolished in 1972 by the Whitlam Government, putting an end to conscription and the ballot system. This abolishment terminated the need for deferment and exemption that was present. The Vietnam War Era is also remembered for the huge efforts made to resist conscription, and the impacts to those who resisted and their reasons for doing so. 

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When a U.S. marine, Sgt. Brandon Morgan returned home after serving six months in Afghanistan, someone snapped a picture of him kissing his beloved. Of course if his beloved had been a long legged blond nobody would have paid any attention. But his beloved was a good looking man. Somebody placed the picture on Facebook and it attracted the world’s attention. Comments were made that the world is going to hell in a hand basket, and one person phrased it this way, “Sick, degrading and deviant behavior. These low life’s need to be dishonorably discharged from the Marines.” There were also comments of appreciation for Morgan’s service to his country and well wishes from his countrymen, but the whole episode shows we haven’t come that far.

The GOP hasn’t progressed in time from the looks of it. Fighting over contraceptives, women’s rights and bashing gays. We don’t live in the days of “Father knows Best” and “Andy of Mayberry” Those days are past and it’s a good thing. Times change and we move ahead. If we can’t get along with people in our own country who are different, how will we ever learn to get along with other countries. The day will come when a kiss between lovers, regardless of gender, will attract absolutely no attention whatsoever. When that day finally arrives it will be like a fresh breeze blowing through a dusty room that has been locked for years. I have to believe people learn and eventually change for the better.

A single video camera will be placed inside the New Hope Baptist Church where the service will take place to enable viewers all over the world witness the service online.

The footage will be recorded and made available to the Associated Press for Footage will be made available to media outlets via the Associated Press.

The 48-year-old singer was found dead last Saturday 11th February around 3.55pm, the eve to the industry’s biggest awards. She died in an underwater bathtub in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills in Los Angeles where she was lodging for the pre and main 2012 Grammy Awards.

Houston’s funeral service begins at 17GMT (12:00 EST) on 18 February and is expected to last approximately about an hour and half.

The eulogy will be given by Pastor Marvin Winans who is a gospel singer and the same to have married Whitney to Bobby Brown in 1992.

Afterwards, Houston will be buried in Fair View Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey near where she grew up.

She would be buried beside her father, John Russell Houston Jr who was buried there in 2003.

Sales and downloads of the singer’s recordings have soared since news of her death was announced last Saturday.

       I love the fall and the fact that we have so many really great holidays coming up even though there are idiots like that Principle that wants to do away with holidays because they are offended by them.  I say cool let the idiots give up their holidays. I don’t know about you but all they do is make me want to celebrate mine in even a bigger way.  While I am having fun and food with those I love, the idiots are sitting by themselves being hated by everyone else who can care less about their views on the subject anyway.  That said I would like to take a look at the retail stores new ideas as to how to sell holiday items to the public.  When I was a boy you knew what holiday was coming up because when you entered a store you would see holiday displays all around you.  It was exciting and it added to the suspense of the upcoming fun and games.  On Halloween you would see decorations, candy, costumes and everything in that well known black and orange inside and outside the stores.  On Thanksgiving the orange stayed but the pumpkins turned into turkeys and the costumes into Pilgrims. Since Thanksgiving was believed to be the beginning of the Christmas and New Year’s season all of the colors changed to red white and green, along with colored lights, Christmas Trees, Wreaths, and ornaments galore. You always had a section for Hanukkah, and later, Kwanza.  I will always remember the Holiday music playing in the background at that time of year.  Now we get to the crux of the matter.  For some reason the retail stores came up with the dumb ass notions that they should put the Christmas time items out at the same time as the Halloween items.  Does that make any sense to you at all?  It doesn’t even make good business sense because people still by what they need for the next holiday and seldom by Christmas ornaments on Halloween.  I went into a small retail establishment the other day and had another strange adventure.  I was looking for Halloween stuff and I happened upon a half empty isle. I asked the worker that happened to be putting things up on the shelves where the Halloween items were and he said and I quote; on isle 3 between the Thanks Giving and the Christmas stuff.  I just walked out of the store.  They are ruining it for us.  We have nothing to go out and look forward to.  We just go out one day and it is all there, done and forgotten except the money they will be counting.  The problem is not that they want to sell everything at once as much as it is that they don’t take into consideration anyone’s joy or holiday spirit.  What is or retail system coming to?  Have you ever been to the stores that have those do it yourself registers?  I have.  Do I have to tell you that someone is out of a job?  They call it convenience, I call it being cheap and caring less about customer service. I am telling you that this country is losing its identity and the lake of pride and customer service is one of the symptoms of a greater wrong being done in this country.  It is no longer about the working man and Made in America, it is about how much they can get by selling the cheapest shit possible and squeezing the consumer for the highest price possible.  I brought a Television from Best Buy Stores five years ago and had trouble with it from day one.  I paid for the Insurance on it and they took it from my home and could not find anything wrong except it wouldn’t go on.  They kept the television for 6 weeks, and sometime during the seventh week redelivered it to my home. The workers plugged it in and it wouldn’t start.  Part of the Insurance plan sold to me by Best buy said that it would replace the set if they could not fix it.  I called their corporate office. They made all kinds of promises to me, and never followed through.  Needless to say that the policy ran out during this time and Best Buy refused to help me any longer.  They said that I had to work with the insurance company directly and complain to them.  The insurance company told me that the store should be helping me.  The Television issue happened and was worked on and reported during the time the plan was active; therefore they should have replaced the set.  They did not.  I went to another store and bought another television and put the other 52” HDTV away.  I was wronged by Best Buy, and the insurance company.  I don’t have to say more, do I?  Best Buy, Sears, and many other stores who once backed their products now do everything they can to wash their hands of responsibility.  Sears charges you $100 just to come to you home and look at the junkie product they sold you.  Why are we as consumers putting up with such nonsense?  We are being used and robbed by the same stores that once took pride in their products.  Are we to go around now and like a group of idiot’s say that it is alright and that is how things are these days?  I say bullshit to that!  It is time we don’t go to stores that sell at high prices and won’t back their products.  I don’t know about you, but I am mad as Hell!

   Always be on time, out of a year going to work you should have been no more then one minute late for the year. Yes, for the year if you cannot be to work early enough to start your work day, someone else needs your position. Your work day starts the night before preparing for work, cause everything you need to get to work on time the next day, should be prepare in advanced. Going to work sleepy is not being responsible, going hungry is not being responsible. When your an adult these things are vital, and if your management, you have to beat everyone to work if possible to be the example. You cannot tell anyone to do something you won’t or can’t do yourself. This is the way you receive your position through, being responsible and accountable cause your job is to teach others and manage them. On time is vital… NO EXCUSES>>>

   Be prepared… No running out of gas, forgetting uniform, hats or tools. You should never see a police officer at work but has to go through his day without his gun because he forgot it. That’s things you should have learned in high school, and that is why high school diploma’s is necessary. If you survived that you should know how to be some what responsible. Also your image, your shoes, pants, shirt, and/or hat should be clean as possible, no matter what the profession. Uniform means you no longer represent you, but a company that pays you and your bills. This means we all eat from this company so represent it the best of your ability, starting with your image. When I worked construction, I stayed as clean as I possibly could. Hair, nails, jewelry, everything has to be neat, clean, and professional. Dress for the position you want, not the one you have.

   Set goals for yourself at work, always know your job, and everything about it. Learn from others, to be better, and know more. After you learn your duties, and can perform above average, look for other positions with more responsibility, your shooting for the top of the company. You want to work for the corporate office, why? Why do you work? Money, work smarter not harder. Get to the top of the food chain, cause the more responsibilities you get the more money your worth. Sell yourself. Everyday, and you probably see why the material you already read is so vital. Don’t forget deadlines, or important meetings. Use every second of your day to complete your daily tasks. Also find out when and how you get raises.

   Know the chain of command and what you have to do for your promotion. Let your management know about your goals in the company. Also remember to track your own progress, know what you have to do to complete all of the standards required for promotion or raise. If you need schooling see if the company have any grants to offer you to go back to school. They might pay for some if not all, or maybe a raise while you go back to school and work. Do online classes, get that promotion.

   Can’t stress this enough about your attitude, cause for a management position only responsible & likeable people is elected or decided for these positions. So remember no getting mad or acting stuck up, and don’t create any enemies. Don’t suck up, but don’t be the cause of the bad relationship. If you can defuse that situation with a kind gesture or some kind, do it. Also remember your being paid to work there, and some of that money is for what or who you have to put up with on a day to day basis anyway. So keep your mouth closed and no gossip, cause after you say something you cannot get those words back. You go to work to make money not to make friends. Business first…..

   Never forget why you have or desire a job. You probably have a family to take care of, or a lifestyle to support. You may just have bills or want your own place. You have to go to work with a goal, or a plan. Your going to make money, so explore ways to make more money. Rather within the company or your own business part time. Regardless, remember why we work, for income. So look for that raise and find out how to get more money. Network marketing is good, online marketing, auctions, yard sales, and drop shipping… Write music and sell it, or be a big you-tube hit. Be creative, and never stop learning. Definitely, if you have a job or title. Learn your job then learn someone else’s, and find that raise. That’s if you want it, just be creative, and responsible. Don’t get no one fired but set the bar high. Be the example and the one everyone looks up too….

   There are three key elements which are the Mindset, Consistency, and Exposure. So, the first one is mindset, and 99% of all your sales will come from your mindset & attitude. If your negative, you will draw in negative, but if your positive, expect positive results. L.O.A. is a numbers game, every 1 out of 10 will buy no matter what you sale. Be smart, don’t think no one is going to buy used toilet paper. So don’t take every 1 out of 10 the wrong way. 99% Attitude, 1% Skill, 0% Luck…… This means anyone can make a sell….. And it’s never LUCK!!! It’ number’s…

   Here’s an example: If you attempt to sell to 100 people how many people can you expect to buy? If you said 10, then your absolutely right. So, if you talked to 70 people you should have at least 7 sales. This is why selling content online is so powerful. Every ad you have running acts as a commercial for you or acts as one of your employee’s. They work around the clock and don’t require a break or wages. Anyway, so online if you market to 10,000 people, how many sales can you expect, based off the numbers the L.O.A. give us? 1,000, right! Remember, calculate how long it will take to get 10,000 views. So image going through your day, and making $20 per sale… Would you need a job? $20 x 1000 = 20k Wow!

   So you get the picture, how many people can you advertise to in a day. Now when it comes to averages, or numbers in this case ratios, 1 sell out of 15 people is bad, every 1:10 average, every 1:5 is great…. It’s a numbers game when it come to sales. Every customer is a number, but of course you always provide outstanding customer service… So if you see a guy everyday, do you advertise to him everyday? YES!!! He is one no, closer to yes… You used him to get closer to yes, everyday. Even homeless people make a living off the L.O.A. not that helping the homeless is bad. The average homeless person average any where from 10k-30k a year using the L.O.A…. That himeless guy that is faithful, and a hardwork could make $200 a day easy, asking for change, working his L.O.A…

   A great way to keep your attitude, while talking to as many people as possible, is to have FUN!!! When your making sales to create a living, have fun… Joke around with your customers, be humorous… Always smile, your never having a bad day in the customers mind. Your selling yourself, not the product. Your selling the fact that today is a great day, and I just want you to see what I got. That is all… People love to spend money, so let them, don’t make them feel forced. They buy it, then they buy it. If they don’t, then the next person will. If your attitude is not right that day, find another income stream that day.

    Next is consistency, which is very important… Now that you understand the numbers game you know you have to talk to a lot of people. Cause if every 1 out of 10 people will buy, that means you have to advertise to ten people to get one sale. So with consistency, you never prejudge people. Don’t try and figure out who has money and who doesn’t. Don’t sign up for that class. People with money don’t always show it, they tend to blend in, and people that look like money doesn’t always have it. And some look like money actually have it. So talk to everyone, no exceptions. You make your sale off L.O.A. not reading minds, so don’t try. The more no’s you get, the closer you get to a yes. Another thing, keep everything consistent, your pitch or script, pace or speed you talk to prospects, and your attitude. Your attitude can start out great, but one thing you don’t want to lose, is your attitude. Don’t do that, safe guard your attitude, cause that’s a big part. If your online marketing of course that doesn’t matter, but if your making direct contact with customers, of course this applies to you.

   Remember this, “Let your attitude dictate your sales, not your sales dictate your attitude.” Last thing is your exposure, everyone has to know your selling something, it has to be well known. If you have a property, trailer or stand, you need to drive by or walk by your landmark and find creative ways to draw attention. How can you sell something if we don’t know your selling something? Shirts, signs, flyers, ballons, cars tagged, hats, business cards, sidewalk signs, waving at people, music, light colors, large crowds, etc… And talk to everyone, nobody gets by with out knowing your open for business. This moves you L.O.A. quickly…

   You will have three types of days: Slow Start, Fast Start, Consistent…. So the three different types of days, first: Slow start, you opened or started at 8:00 a.m. and talked to 70 people early in the day and sold to none. The L.O.A. owes you 7 sales as of now, but you cannot lose your attitude. But guess what at 4:15p.m. you made 9 sells back to back in 20 minutes. So now you have talked to 79 people total today and made nine sells. That’s slow start… Fast start: The first 11 people you talked, to you sold too. That was from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., so don’t expect another sell until you talk to 110 people, but don’t quit because you might get another sell. Also the L.O.A. will roll over to the next day, so get the no’s out the way before tomorrow go bad… Consistent day, you continue to talk to people all day, but early you had 11 sells and the end of the day 9 sells. You broke some records, but you always start excited, and finish your day strong no matter what. 

   So thats L.O.A. you can use them with nearly anything. Nothing is perfect… So that means you shouldn’t always sell out, and you should always go without a sale. Go to my profile page to find more information simular to this, but more indepth.  

MLK Day of Service Playground Facelift
What: Lend a helping hand by assisting with a playground facelift at the Method Child Development Center. Volunteers are needed to build a bridge in the sandbox. Additionally, volunteers are needed to power wash the equipment, as well as clean the center.
When:  Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Deliver Hot Meals
What: Volunteers are needed to assist with meal deliveries with Chapel Hill-Carrboro Meals on Wheels. Currently, they serve nine routes and need people to accompany the current volunteers on the routes, while assisting with meal delivery. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers.
When: Jan. 16, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Helping Wake County Seniors
What: Honor the legacy of Dr. King by volunteering an orientation to help Wake County seniors, adults with disabilities and family caregivers. Volunteers will provide weekly or monthly help with transportation.
When: Jan. 16, 2-4 p.m.

Johnston County Signature Project
What: The United Way of the Greater Triangle area is searching for volunteers to lend a helping hand in Johnston County. Volunteers will be asked to conduct a drive for clothing, diapers, etc. Lunch will be provided to all volunteers.
When: Jan. 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Orange County Signature Project
What: At least 500 volunteers are needed to help with this service project. Volunteers will assist with a variety of projects including assembling health kids, birthday kits and school kits. They will also sort shoes and clothing. While you’re sorting and assembling kits, bring your kids and have them create Valentines are active military members and veterans. Lunch will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to donate new and gently used books and blankets.
When: Jan. 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

One Warm Coat
What: Donate any gently worn coat in the collection bins located in Burlington Coat Factory stores to help those in need stay warm all across the country. As you donate a coat, you will receive a 10 percent discount on your entire purchase at Burlington Coat Factory. This year, One Warm Coat has the goal to reach a new milestone – collecting the one millionth coat.
When: Now until Jan. 16
Where: 1213 Buck Jones Rd., Raleigh, NC 27606 or 4020 Capital Blvd. #160, Raleigh, NC 27694

For example if you’re in the sales field you will sell more. When you internalize important attitudes and practice relevant skills you will parent better. Similarly customer service providers will serve better. I’ve implemented service programs at 400 locations in five countries and most people still don’t get it. The main reason customers don’t come back is a perception of an attitude of indifference. That happens almost three quarters of the time. Managers who internalize the attitudes and skills will manage more effectively. The first step to having a positive employee is to be positive yourself. You are the magic bullet. As a matter of fact when you internalize the attitudes and relevant skills you’ll be a better father, sister, brother, teacher and the list goes on.

When you adjust your attitude in a positive direction you feel better. When you feel better you think better. Thinking well in anything you do will cause you to act better. When you act better you create positive habits. When you create positive habits you achieve greater results. The idea here is to stay positively self-motivated every day and learn to implement the most important skills first. It’s the implementation of the simple things that matters. Common sense dictates that when you improve your attitude it will have a positive impact on all that you do.

There is a synergy created when you internalize positive attitudes on a daily basis and focus on relevant skills. The sum of the two is greater than the sum of the parts. In past articles I’ve written of positive attitudes when implemented and ultimately internalized, lead to positive results.

I’ve referred to the term relevant skills for a reason. It’s the implementation of the simple things that leads to greatness. A simple truth is that this skill applies to all of us. This skill is the most important one of all. When you apply this skill you will be better in all that you do. You will be a better parent, manager, salesperson, teacher, leader, server, coach. In short, internalizing this skill will improve everything.

This skill is the most important one there is. Perhaps you are really good at this skill or perhaps there is much to improve. One thing is for sure you can always get better at it.I write of one skill not with the intent of discarding the importance of others. There are many valuable skills to learn. For a parent, recognition and other parenting skills can be useful. A salesperson with planning, prospecting, and other relevant skills will sell more. A manager with improved coaching, communication and other relevant skills will be a better manager. A teacher with improved presentation and listening skills will teach better. What I am saying is that regardless of your situation the skill I will write on is the most important one there is.

All these other skills are meaningless if you don’t have the one of which I write. I’ve written and implemented programs on all of the above over the years. I’ve had the good fortune to travel many miles and meet tens of thousands of people. People skills are the most important skills to learn. If your goal is to improve, then focus on improving your people skills.

The first step to improving your people skills is to better understand others. You’re a better parent when you understand your children. As a manger, you manage more effectively when you understand people. A salesperson sells more when she better understands her clients. A server serves better when he understands his customers. A teacher teaches better when she improves her ability to understand her students. A leader will lead better when he improves his ability to understand people. Chances are you interface with people every day so understanding others and how they process information makes sense.

Understanding people as many have discovered can be complex. Different personalities process and evaluate information differently. Different personalities are motivated in different ways. People will react differently to the same thing. When you understand how other personality’s process information you better understand how they want to be communicated to. When you adjust to the personality style of others you communicate more effectively. I’ll get into this in Part 2 of The Most Important Skill You Will Ever Learn. I’ll see you then.