ps How to Handle Late Paying Clients with Ease Using These Tips By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Mon, 14 Jan 2019 09:50:01 -0500 The holidays puts everyone in a celebratory mood — or almost everyone. For small business owners, the celebration may be tempered by stress over unpaid invoices. My business is lucky: Lots of our clients are scrambling to issue payments before year-end to finish off their fiscal years. But for other small businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs in the B2B world, getting paid this time of year is an ongoing struggle. complete article Full Article
ps 9 social media tips to boost small business brands By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 8 Feb 2019 09:19:41 -0500 Establishing a strong social media presence can mean big business for your small business. But if you don’t have dedicated resources to devote to it, or you don’t have much time to spare, you might find it tough to gain traction. Use these nine social media tips to boost business and grow your brand. Set Clear Goals No matter how eager you are to start using social media for your business, take the time to set clear goals before you begin. Try setting SMART goals — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely — to guide your social media strategy. complete article Full Article
ps 10 Small Steps You Can Take to Make a Big Impact on Your Business in 2019 By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 09:51:19 -0500 Not every step you take to move your business forward will be a big one. But sometimes, even small steps can make a large impact on your future. Here are some recent tips and insights from members of the online small business community about big and small steps you can take to really make an impact on your business. complete article Full Article
ps 5 Tips to Create a Retirement Plan for Entrepreneurs By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 8 Mar 2019 09:57:54 -0500 Most working class Americans are employed by companies that either require or offer retirement savings options in the form of a 401(k), 403b), or pension plan. Because these contributions are automatically deducted from the employee’s paycheck, saving for retirement tends to be a rather painless process. Over time, the cumulative effect of regular monthly contributions leads to a nice sized nest egg that can be used in the retirement years. But for entrepreneurs, the story is a little different. With no steady paycheck or employer-sponsored plans, many of these hardworking individuals forgo retirement contributions. And though it may not seem like a big deal in the early years, this misstep can prove to be dangerous and irresponsible as entrepreneurs age. complete article Full Article
ps 7 tips to make your small business an Instagram star By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:09:09 -0500 Get out your pink paint. Or your coral, or yellow or teal. By the time you finish reading this column, you’re going to be painting one wall of your small business a color that will pop on Instagram. Why? Because Instagram is today’s powerhouse social media site for consumer businesses. And if you give customers an inviting way to post to Instagram, they'll advertise your business for free. A few years ago, if you wanted to reach retail consumers, the social media site of choice was Facebook. While it may still work for reaching certain demographics, many consumers – especially female Millennials – love Instagram. complete article Full Article
ps 9 Tips for Starting a Business in a Crowded Digital Marketplace By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 10 Apr 2019 09:30:41 -0500 Many successful entrepreneurs were inspired to start their businesses after noticing a hole in the marketplace that needed to be filled, whether it was Bill Gates creating an operating system for home computers, Pierre Omidyar starting an online auction site, or Elon Musk building a reliable electric car. But what happens when you want to jump feet first into a marketplace thats already crowded? We spoke to the entrepreneurs behind a wide-ranging group of successful companies in some of the most competitive digital spaces -- from butchers to home brands to eco-friendly cleaning products -- to get their insights into what makes a business that lasts. complete article Full Article
ps 25 Payment Tools for Small Businesses, Freelancers and Startups By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:44:59 -0400 Billing your customers is, of course, vital -- but even more critical is getting paid for those bills. Thanks to the ongoing evolution in the payments industry, there are more payment tools and platforms to choose from to help find the perfect option for your business based on how many payments you receive, the type of business you have and your budget. complete article Full Article
ps 6 Steps Small Businesses Can Improve Cyber Security By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 8 May 2019 11:02:20 -0400 Small businesses can be more vulnerable to cyberattacks than larger companies because they often do not have sophisticated and comprehensive systems to protect themselves from hackers, viruses, malware and whats called ransomware. And owners who are focused on customers and employees may not ensure that their defenses are up to date. But there are things small businesses can do to improve cybersecurity. complete article Full Article
ps 15 Expert Tips for Scaling Your Small Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 10 May 2019 11:04:23 -0400 SBDC Centers offer free consulting and free or low-cost training. (Find yours here.) Their results speak for themselves: SBDC clients grow sales by an average 18.1%, which is 4.3 times the national average. March 20th is SBDC Day, and to celebrate, we assembled some tips from their experts. complete article Full Article
ps 10 Tips to Help You Create a Smart Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Mon, 13 May 2019 11:05:41 -0400 Smart companies are not just those that have intelligent leaders. They also have systems, tools and proper planning in place that allow every department or function to run together seamlessly. To become a smart company, you need to integrate smart ideas into every facet of your business. Here are some tips from members of the online small business community. Manage Your Website Effectively Your website is one of the most important tools your small business has. To manage it effectively, you need access to the right tools. In this WP Buffs post, Brenda Barron provides a full explanation and walk-through of GoDaddy Pro, so you can see if it may be helpful for your business. complete article Full Article
ps Five Pro Small Business SEO Tips from a CEO By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 29 May 2019 19:03:32 -0400 Ranking a business website higher enhances its chances of gaining a lead that could ultimately turn into a new business sale. To rank, a website higher needs quite a few steps and does not happen overnight. Let’s figure out the five most common and impactful professional SEO tips that a CEO insists upon. complete article Full Article
ps 10 Key Steps To Building A Great Small Business Website By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Mon, 1 Jul 2019 13:30:27 -0400 Whether you are a freelance photographer, own a hardware store, or have another type of small business, a great website is essential for your companys success. As a webmaster who has worked on building or marketing over 100 small business websites, I know what it takes to create great and engaging business websites. If you are looking to build a new startup website or make your current site more effective, here are 10 key steps to getting started and helping your small business website compete effectively in the online marketplace. complete article Full Article
ps A Study of 3,526 Companies Shows 1 Decision Makes Startups More Successful. Most Founders Do the Opposite By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 13:47:13 -0400 Surprising new research from NYU and the Wharton School shows that entrepreneurs who start a business on their own are likelier to succeed than those who do so with one or more partners. That's pretty much the opposite of what most aspiring founders would guess. After all, you can't be good at everything. You might be a marketing expert but not know how to manage cash flow. Or you might good at building great products but bad at setting prices for them. So you team up with someone who's strong in the areas where you're weak, and you start the business together. This reasoning seems logical, and it is how most people--even experts--see entrepreneurship. In fact, it is such an ingrained belief that VCs and other investors routinely choose to fund companies founded by teams rather than those with a solo founder. complete article Full Article
ps 6 Simple Steps for Getting Things Done at Your Small Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 5 Jul 2019 16:10:36 -0400 Your 6-Step Guide to Successful Project Management 1. Define your goal and get buy-in from all project team members. As you do this, you will want to determine each team member’s role and responsibilities. In this step, also consider how the project will affect your company and how you’ll measure the projects impact. 2. Determine the project deliverables. What key tasks do team members need to accomplish to move the project along the path to completion? You will also need to identify which deliverables depend on other deliverables, so you can establish a timeline that puts tasks in a logical order. complete article Full Article
ps 11 Networking Tips When You Are Crunched for Time By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:28:07 -0400 Regardless of your industry, if you want to thrive, then you need to network. Although you already know the catch: How can an entrepreneur or founder possibly fit networking into their already hectic schedules? Here are 11 tips to resolve the networking issue when you're crunched for time. 1. Make networking a habit. complete article Full Article
ps Tips for Starting a Small Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 11 Oct 2019 16:40:34 -0400 As is common in many aspects of life, there are lessons we learn that we wish we’d known sooner. When it comes to being a small business owner there are insights you can only gain from gathering years of experience. That is why it’s important to surround yourself with people that know things you don’t. Here are a few tips from successful small business owners. complete article Full Article
ps Collecting on Your Invoices Does Not Need to Be a Nightmare: 3 Tips for Getting Paid By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 25 Oct 2019 16:50:10 -0400 Eleni Gianopulos spent more than 15 years selling her handmade sugar cookies to a famous gourmet grocery chain. Then Dean & DeLuca stopped paying its bills. By January 2018, Gianopulos, founder and owner of New York City-based bakery Elenis Cookies, realized that she might never be paid for $86,000 worth of 2017 custom holiday orders. complete article Full Article
ps 10 Tips for Making Major Changes in Your Small Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 19:28:35 -0400 If you run a small business for a long time, you will probably need to navigate through a lot of major changes. Members of the online small business community are very familiar with these shifts. From getting started to deciding when to retire, here are some valuable insights for making big changes in your business. complete article Full Article
ps 7 steps to starting a small business on a shoestring budget By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 13:46:07 -0500 One of the great things about being in business these days – whether it is having a side hustle or a retail store or an online business – is that there is just so much free help available. To wit: Last week, I held my most popular webinar ever (almost 4,000 people registered!) for SCORE, called 7 Steps to Starting on a Shoestring. SCORE is an amazing organization; more than 10,000 business volunteers who can help and mentor you (physically or virtually) on almost any aspect of your business – marketing, sales, taxes, whatever. And, like my webinar, many of SCOREs offerings are free. complete article Full Article
ps Data Cleaning Steps for Small Businesses By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 6 Mar 2020 14:01:42 -0500 While small businesses make a huge impact when put together, individually they are often operating on small budgets. Which means small business owners need to be aware of every penny. If you look at the worldwide cost of bad data, it is overwhelming. $3.1 trillion. If you operate a small business, you might just brush that huge number off. But the reality is, when studies put the cost of bad data at $100 per data record, it can add up quickly. Even if you only have 100 contacts—because 20% of your database is likely bad. complete article Full Article
ps Your Sleep Habits Need a Spring Reset. Try These 5 Tips Tonight By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 12:53:00 -0400 Chances are good, few habits need more of an overhaul right now than your sleep routine. You probably picked up a few bad sleep habits during the cold, dark winter and any additional stress you're facing is helping the situation, says Brown University associate professor and medical doctor Katherine Sharkey. complete article Full Article
ps 10 Tips For Digital Marketing During a Pandemic By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Mon, 25 May 2020 07:02:59 -0400 Understand the Challenges Your Customers Are Facing Before you can market during any period, you need to be able to solve a problem for your customers. During a pandemic, the problem you are solving may change. So you have to be able to communicate that. Part of this is just understanding the current climate. It is probably safe to say that many small business customers are hurting financially. Some may also be in a hurry to receive specific types of items. By understanding your market and staying up-to-date on news in your industry, you should be well versed on the basic challenges that might impact your strategy or talking points. However, Perkin also recommends surveying customers however possible so you can quantify how many of them are struggling in specific areas. Once you know the problems your customers are facing, you can work backward to create your marketing communication strategy. Learn How to Communicate with New Customers In fact, you may need to pivot all or part of your business strategy in order to stay afloat during the pandemic. For example, Marran pointed out a UPS client that previously sold pet costumes, but has recently shifted into manufacturing face masks and PPE. This is likely to be a temporary change. But they still need to shift their marketing and communication strategy toward hospitals and B2B customers, rather than focusing on the consumers they normally serve. Full Article
ps How answering questions helps promote your business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 12:20:48 -0400 The opportunities to answer questions for potential publication can come from various sources. Help a Reporter, known as HARO, matches journalists with sources for their stories. Quora allows users to answer any question posed by their community. And professional membership organizations offer business leaders the opportunity to share their insights in industry publications. The opportunities to add your own insights are out there. But why would you, as a business owner, devote your time to answering these questions? What are the benefits? Here are five ways that answering questions online can help promote your business. Connections Search engine optimization (SEO) Brand Website traffic PR opportunities Full Article
ps Small Business SEO: Seven Tips To Rank Your Website On Google By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Thu, 6 Aug 2020 14:05:31 -0400 1. Develop a professional mobile-friendly business website. Your website must be professional and should provide a rich experience and the feel of your brand to users. Here are a few tips to make your website professional and SEO-friendly: • Use your business logo and branding on your website. • Make sure your website is mobile-friendly (more than half of local searches are mobile searches) • Your website should load in less than three seconds. • Use a clean, minimal design, and avoid fancy styles. • Your website must be well structured and easy to use. Many business owners waste too much money creating a professional small business website. But there is no need to waste too much money on a business website. You can create a professional website for less than $500. So do not waste more money on website design, but invest that extra money in SEO. 2. Identify profitable keywords. The success of an SEO campaign depends on the targeted keywords. Thats why you need to choose the right and profitable keywords for your small business. All keywords are not equal; some keywords could have high search volume but not profitability, while some could be profitable but have small volumes. Also, focus on long-tail keywords because they are easy to rank and more profitable than short keywords. The profitability of a keyword depends on the nature of the keyword. For that, you need to understand the intent behind that keyword — why a user is searching that. For example, when a person searches ice cream on Google, they want to know about ice cream, which means it has informational intent. But when a person searches for best choco-milk ice cream near me, the person wants to eat ice cream. This will be a profitable keyword for you to target. 3. Create a separate page for each product. I found that many small businesses list all their products on one page like the homepage, but this is not a good practice. If you want to get more profit from your local SEO efforts, then you should create specific pages for each product. That way you can rank higher for each product page for multiple keywords. For example, if you have a clothing store website, then you need to create separate pages for each product, such as one page for jeans and another for shirts. Also, you can create further subpages, such as jeans> men jeans> blue jeans. This can boost your rankings and revenue and reduce your efforts. 4. Use schema. Structured data is helping Google better understand webpages. That’s why it can help you rank higher and get the advantage of other SERP features like featured snippets, knowledge graphs, etc. Product schema, local business, FAQ and others are must-use schema types for every business. Full Article
ps 6 tips for starting a business during coronavirus By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Thu, 13 Aug 2020 14:10:42 -0400 The coronavirus pandemic has placed tremendous stress on the American economy. More than 55 million Americans have filed for unemployment, and more than 100,000 small businesses have been permanently shuttered, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Though the news seems dire, these changing times could present an opportunity if you are a hopeful entrepreneur. Whether you have been planning to start a business for years, you have been laid off and are looking for new opportunities or you are moving your existing business in a new direction, now might be the time to figure out how to start a business. Full Article
ps When School Goes Virtual, Startups Step Into the Breach By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Tue, 25 Aug 2020 14:37:01 -0400 With a chaotic and largely unsuccessful spring semester behind it, the country is getting ready for a school year unlike any other--and teachers, staff, and parents will need all the help they can get. Education technology companies are well positioned to capitalize on the shift to remote learning. Full Article
ps 15 Steps to start a business from scratch with (almost) no money By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:39:06 -0400 Coming up with a business idea and starting a business can seem overwhelming and complicated. There are so many things you have to consider from coming up with an excellent idea to registering a company, all the way to business planning, fundraising and much more. That is why we have put together this in-depth guide to take you by step by step through how you can start a business. More info - https://entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk/starting-a-business/ Full Article
ps 4 tips to help your business survive the coronavirus pandemic from beauty icon Bobbi Brown By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Tue, 3 Nov 2020 16:10:52 -0400 1. Focus on the positive 2. Hit the reset button 3. Never give up 4. Network Full Article
ps Small business ideas: 5 steps on how to go digital with your business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Wed, 27 Jan 2021 18:07:15 -0500 Arguably the most critical aspect of digital transformation, digital payments ensure that small merchants or kiranas can continue to accept or send money and preserve cash flow in an increasingly contactless world. Full Article
ps 7 Ways Inbound Marketing Can Build Relationships and Grow Your Business By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 18:09:05 -0500 For small businesses,traditional marketing can be expensive and difficult to maintain. Inbound marketing can level the playing field and give even the smallest business a chance to stand out and grow. Why use inbound marketing? 1. It is cost effective 2. It helps build customers trust. 3. It increases brand awareness and boosts your online presence. 4. It can improve your marketing decision making 5. You can craft customer-focused content. 6. Inbound marketing provides two-way communication. 7. It helps bring in organic traffic to your website Full Article
ps 12 Resources and Communities Entrepreneurs Should Follow for Industry Insight and Tips By www.small-business-software.net Published On :: Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:05:32 -0400 Staying tuned in to the pulse of your industry is key to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Public groups, online forums and the like are among the most valuable resources for gathering and contributing industry information. But if someone is looking for in-depth insight into their business niche, locating the right groups where this discussion occurs is the first step. T Full Article
ps What Are the 3 Stages of Psychosis? By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Tue, 4 Jan 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: What Are the 3 Stages of Psychosis?Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 1/4/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Psychosis Risk Rises When People Abuse 'Speed' By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: Psychosis Risk Rises When People Abuse 'Speed'Category: Health NewsCreated: 2/15/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 2/15/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps How Is Substance-Induced Psychosis Treated? By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Fri, 1 Apr 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: How Is Substance-Induced Psychosis Treated?Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 4/1/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 4/1/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Is Dissociation a Form of Psychosis? By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Tue, 3 May 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: Is Dissociation a Form of Psychosis?Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 5/3/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 5/3/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Can You Go Back to Normal After Psychosis? By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Jun 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: Can You Go Back to Normal After Psychosis?Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 6/28/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 6/28/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Can You Get Yourself Back to Normal After Psychosis? By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Tue, 5 Jul 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: Can You Get Yourself Back to Normal After Psychosis?Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 7/5/2022 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 7/5/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Stand-ups By www.williamcaputo.com Published On :: 2011-09-24T20:07:17.000Z I've been saying this for a while, now I'm just gonna write it down: Stand-ups suck. Treat them as a last-resort. The classic stand-up: each day a group of people stand huddled in a circle chanting: "His Name is Robert Paulson... His Name is Robert Paulson... His Name..." - no wait that's not it... They stand in a circle bored out of their skulls while each in turn says what they did yesterday and what they are going to do today. A couple of people sorta care what everyone says (usually project managers, or customer reps) everyone else is interested in what maybe one or two people say. No one can go into enough detail to really educate anyone. Everyone's glad when its over. Sometimes people attend many of these per day (cross-team stand-ups anyone?). A few might even make it a significant chunk of their day & job descriptions; I think of these people as "Meeting Moths" - attracted to meetings like moths to the flame. STOP. DOING. THIS. Instead: Figure out who needs status and how often; GO AND GIVE IT TO THEM. It's a good bet they don't need to hear the minutiae of what code was written anyway & you're probably addressing that in existing stand-ups by making sure the programmers don't get too detailed killing any value they might've gotten from talking about what they are doing - dysfunctions beget dysfunctions... Those who are doing actual tasks should be free to talk about them when they need to. In my experience this part of the stand-up gets short shrift when its scheduled and attended by those not doing the work. GET THEM OUT OF THERE. If you do, you might just see spontaneous, short discussions start happening daily among task completors (that's a real stand-up btw, just don't call it that or you'll ruin it by attracting meeting moths) Move people next to each other who need to talk a lot. Conversely, if you already are around each other all day, you probably already know who did what and whose doing what (if not WORK ON COLLABORATING MORE) If after you are doing all of these things, you still feel like you need a periodic daily meeting, then think for a while! Be creative! Don't just do what some book or consultant said to do, use your brain and solve the problem to everyone's benefit as best you can. Only then, if you still feel you need a stand-up, then fine; go ahead and schedule one for the things you still didn't address (but don't cover things already addressed!). The result is much more likely to be useful for everyone involved. All periodic meetings including stand-ups evolve into wasteful time-sucks; They develop an inertia that supersedes whatever utility they initially might have had. Aggressively question their very existence; make the burden of proof be on keeping them, not ending them. Simpler still, kill em all and see what's not being done and then be creative on how to fix it. Who knows you might just get away with one less meeting in your day. Full Article
ps Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chipset Market is expected to grow at 40% CAGR from 2024 to 2030, as per Maximize Market Research By www.emailwire.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0700 (EMAILWIRE.COM, November 01, 2024 ) Artificial Intelligence Chipset Market size was valued US$ 20.76 Bn in 2023 and the total revenue is expected to grow at 40% from 2024 to 2030, reaching US$ 218.85 Bn. by 2030. The AI chipset market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing adoption... Full Article
ps Microencapsulation Market worth $24.07 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 9.4% By www.emailwire.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800 (EMAILWIRE.COM, November 06, 2024 ) The microencapsulation market is estimated at USD 15.38 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 24.07 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2024 to 2029. The growth of the microencapsulation market is mainly driven by technological advancements and increased... Full Article
ps DVD Talk Interviews: Anna & the Apocalypse Composers By www.dvdtalk.com Published On :: 2018-11-27T13:44:37-08:00 Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly: Composing Anna and the Apocalypse At the 2018 New York Comic Con, DVDTalk’s Francis Rizzo III sat down with Anna and the Apocalypse composers Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly to discuss writing the music... Full Article
ps Anna and the Apocalypse Cast Interview By www.dvdtalk.com Published On :: 2018-12-06T07:49:12-08:00 Killing It: The Cast of Anna and the Apocalypse At the 2018 New York Comic Con, DVDTalk’s Francis Rizzo III sat down with several members of the cast of Anna and the Apocalypse, including Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah... Full Article
ps Autopsy By www.medicinenet.com Published On :: Fri, 13 May 2022 00:00:00 PDT Title: AutopsyCategory: Procedures and TestsCreated: 1/5/2000 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 5/13/2022 12:00:00 AM Full Article
ps Bentham's mummified corpse, like Lenin's, remains fresh in appearance By www.sellingwaves.com Published On :: 2005-02-26T08:27:40-05:00 It’s almost comforting that such invidious fluffy-minded sludge as this is floating around, as it seems, like religion, to keep the middle-brows hypnotized by “beautiful sentiments” which are so vague as to keep them from actually getting together and doing anything. It’s sort of weird to hear this weakly Marxist social-democratic pap which used to be shouted from the rooftops now being whispered in a low monotonous whine. The author avows his fealty to Jeremy Bentham, not Marx, and calls it utilitarianism not Marxism, but there are many illegitimate fathers along this line of thought. The root of the idea is that, now that neuroscience has supposedly made it possible to actually identify what makes us happy, the idea of happiness has become quantifiable, and hence a program of providing the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people has become objectively possible. However, the author does not make the slightest effort to apply these wonders of modern science to actually determining what the alleged sources of human happiness are. The neuroscience tack is really just a defensive ploy to ward off the eternal charges that utilitarinism is simply a euphemism for an authoritarian imposition of values. As for espousing his positive program for what constitutes human happiness, it is simply the usual liberal middle-class canards, with not surprisingly a socialist edge: more time to spend with family, a decent wage for everyone, blah blah blah. But he seems to make two pretty criminally unsubstantiated assumptions: one is these sources are essentially the same for everyone, or at least could be under certain conditions, and the other is that they do not inherently conflict with anyone else’s. I say under certain conditions could be, because in evaluating our current society he seems to privilege envy of other’s material well-being as the principal determinant of happiness. His theory is that above a certain level of material subsistence people are motivated primarily by status-seeking and the desire for a high rank within their social group. Therefore, the increasing wealth of the society will not increase happiness because people measure their well-being relative to the group, not by their absolute prosperity. This is always been a flaw in the concept of the “war against poverty”; I’m not sure it’s much of an argument for socialist economic redistribution. But actually if you read his section on the value of income taxes carefully, he doesn’t even seem to be arguing that they are useful insofar as they can be redirected to the less prosperous, although he does evidently believe that a certain amount of money contributes more to the happiness of a poor person than to a rich one’s. Rather, he seems to think that taking money away from the properous is valuable in and of itself, because it will supposedly make them less focused on the “rat race,” more family-oriented, etc., etc. In short he seems to be advocating a net impoverishment of society. All of which may be consistent with the program of a good little socialist, but does not necessarily accord marvelously with his own evidence about the supposedly quantified happiness of humanity. The research that he cites non-specifically supposedly indicates that people’s feeling of happiness has not risen in the last half-century, but he does not cite anything which indicates that it has necessarily declined. He cites rising rates of depression and crime as presumably implicit indicators of greater unhappiness, but he does not seem to acknowledge the possibility that in our hyper-medicated and surveillance-based society perhaps people simply report depression and crime more. In any event, if roughly similar numbers of people today as in the ‘50’s report themselves happy (and we believe them), despite the increase in prosperity, that might perhaps indicate that happiness is not fixed to material well-being. Which may be consistent with his general point, but not with his idea of increasing happiness by manipulating income levels. And even if it did, it seems rather difficult to countenance any social program predicated upon appealing to one of humanity’s most depraved instincts, namely envy. The author acknowledges that his ideal of taxation is mainly motivated by the desire to pander to people’s envy, but he seems to think that their envy will be sated by the loss of prosperity of those around them and that after that point there will be no more. So the envy of the less prosperous will be satisfied by the losses accrued by the more prosperous, which will somehow not be counter-balanced by the chagrin of the more prosperous at the prospect of seeing their status diminished. Very logical. One of the more egregious presumptions of utilitarians is that non-utilitarian social systems somehow aren’t concerned with seeking the greatest good for the greatest number of people. On the contrary, that’s the defining problem of practically every social and political theory I can think of, and they all either seek or claim to have found the answer—whether such a solution exists, I have my doubts, but that’s why I’m a skeptic about politics. This is a handy trick by utilitarians: they say “I believe in the greatest good for the greatest number of people.” Which is practically begging the question: “As opposed to whom?” It’s useful because it tends to conceal the fact that their real agenda is generally somewhat more specific, and tends to consist in the autocratic notion that one or two measures of social living can be authoritatively determined to be the sources of happiness, and then divided up in a centralized fashion. Those that are the most insistent on the idea of liberty are generally those that are the most skeptical about the possibility of the notion of happiness being either quantitatively defined or generalizable. In other words, only indviduals can determine their own sources of happiness. For the author, on the other hand, the fact that certain stimuli trigger certain areas of the brain at the times when test subjects profess pleasure has solved the problem of determining happiness. Of course, as mentioned, he never really bothers with the results that those studies have yielded. Somehow the fact that he considers envy to be a principal element of human happiness does not place very severe limits on the harmoniousness of individual happiness. Nor does it constitute a tyranny of the majority, because he claims that in an ideal utilitarian society the happiness of the most unhappy would be considered of pre-eminent importance. Of course, at the beginning of the article he cited the equal importance of each individual’s happiness as the fouding tenet of his theory, but I’m sure it all sorts out in the end. Among social factors responsible for unhappiness, he cites divorce and unemployment as of pre-eminent importance. Of course, rates of both divorce and unemployment in the crassly materialistic and religious United States are much lower than in the much more overtly utilitarian-embracing Europe, but it would be a bit embarassing for him to admit this after avowing that all traditional value-systems outside of utilitarianism and “individualism” are dead. Personally the question of the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people doesn’t exactly compel me constantly, although the issue of personal happiness tends to impose itself intransigently. I would have thought that evolutionary biology would have provided an adequate explanation of this, as well as the recurrence of what we call altruism. But such an idea of course suggests that happiness, whatever that is, is not really the point of our little existences, and that the more imperious competitiveness of life will ultimately subvert all of these little trifles of pleasure and pain. But in the meantime, we have these debased statistical notions of happiness to amuse us in an idle hour. It seems to me that if one’s “objective” measure of happiness is electrical stimulation in the cerebral cortex, the most efficient utilitarian solution to the problem of human happiness would be strap everyone onto hospital gurneys and stimulate the “happiness” part of their brain all day long. If one does not wish to be this deterministic about it, perhaps one should allow more latitute to individuals to discover their own conception of happiness. Personally, I have found happiness generally to be an idea for the unhappy and something rarely spoken of by the happiness; mention of practically guarantees that it is not present in the environment where it is uttered. I don’t deny that what you might call love is the real bridge between personal happiness and moral obligations, and the only true means by which the desires of oneself and of others are united, but such a sentiment can never be mandated; it is entirely resistant to intellectual compulsion. Utilitarianism, which sometimes does a decent job of faking morality, is nevertheless ultimately predicated on the pleasure principle, and hence is wholly inadequate to uniting the moral and the pleasurable except when love truly pertains. In that case, of course, political theory is entirely superfluous, which is why this is all a waste of time. p.s. I don’t claim that people’s behavior necessarily reflects what really would make them happy, but presumably it does at least reflect what they consciously value. Hence, if I were the author I would have been a bit skeptical of using the results of “surveys” of what people claim to value when the results don’t correlate with their behavior, i.e. they claim that spending time with family is most important, but they spend a disproportiante amount of time working (at least according to him). So either people are not really being forthright (consciously or unconsciously) in responding to surveys, or there is not actually a problem of priorities. In either case, he’s way over-valuing surveys as a guide to what will make people happy. Full Article
ps Libre Calc tips By oksoft.antville.org Published On :: 2022-12-13T08:14:48Z Turn Off Grid LinesIf you want to turn off grid lines in LO Calc:Tools > Options > LibreOffice Calc > View > Visual Aids > Grid Lines > HideGet the distinct values in calcSelect the column (or the list of data) that you want to processData > More Filters > Standard FilterFrom Options choose "No duplications". Full Article
ps "Residential Training Provision", A Nicer Word For Work Camps? By nancythroughthelookingglass.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 13:48:00 +0000 Yesterday morning I was horrified to read that a report had surfaced saying they were planning "Residential Training" for Disabled and long term Unemployed people. After all welfare reform has been crashing disaster so far. Thousands have people have been declared fit for work with no impact assessment, or proper program in place to actually get us back into work after years of unemployment. So far it seems like a cold hearted attempt to get us of benefits at any cost, they don't seem to care if we end up with a job, or whether we end up destitute and dying, just as long as we don't ever get "ESA". Also the anti-disabled propaganda display has made disabled people even more unattractive to potential employers, why did they do this ridiculous thing we all wonder? I think it's a misinterpretation of something good old Mansel Aylward said in his horrific "Psycho Social Theory Of Disability". He told them they needed to make disabled people working the "social norm". They could have chosen to try and make employers want to employ disabled people, encouraged compassion and patience, offered training and support for disabled people straight away. But instead the idiots opted to just make it a social crime to dare to claim disability benefits, no matter how ill you really are. Now people who walk with sticks or use mobility scooters (even those who aren't on any disability benefits) face abuse in the streets, and are accused of "faking" their disability. The thousands of people dying after being told they were "fit to work" (10,600 in the first year) are being covered up and minimised, now not even recorded by the DWP. If you are disabled and don't work you are considered lowest of the low now. The fools have created yet another "barrier to work" for us. So when I read they were planning work camps, I had no trouble believing IDS and his evil crew had come up with that idea. I broke out in a cold sweat and felt the familiar twist of panic and though "My God what are they going to do to us now?..." But then I actually read the paper. It doesn't seem as bad as we first thought, its only in the planning stages at the moment but they are now actually doing what they should have done in the first place. Holding consultations about what they can actually do to HELP disabled people get back into work. It is literally residential training, and you will have a choice as to whether you go as residential or not. You can read the full report "Residential Training Provision - Independent Advisory Report" by clicking here. As I said before they SHOULD have been looking into things like this before they rolled out the new "Work Capability Assessment" and had it in place before they declared thousands of us fit for work, closed lots of Remploy factories, and cut us adrift, making us sign on JSA with advisors who have no training in helping disabled people back to work. This is the sort of thing the report suggests, more advisors who are trained, and more practical courses that actually help you cope with disability and get employed. Not rubbish just designed to make money for the companies that provide them, while we're pushed from pillars to post and called "Lying Thieving Bastards" behind our backs. All we have to fear is that they won't listen to what has been recommended, which they haven't been great at so far lets face it have they? Or they will start to do it, but like everything they've done in the past that works they will stop it because it costs too much. We must keep our eyes on how this progresses, but don't be too scared, 75% of people on disability benefits want to work, they are finally going to try and help us. If they listen to the independent advice that is, and Tories generally don't like listening to anyone else's advice do they? But it shows our campaigning is paying off, they are looking into it at least. Please help keep up the pressure on them to finally get it Right by signing the War On Welfare Petition if you haven't already. Full Article
ps Guide To Installing Fedora Core 6 On HP Pavilion dv2000 Series Laptops By www.ensode.net Published On :: This guide provides installation and configuration instructions for installing Fedora Core 6 on HP Pavilion dv2000 series laptops. Full Article
ps PSV gaat later dit seizoen een eigen gamer inzetten By voetbal.blog.nl Published On :: Wed, 10 Aug 2016 17:46:09 +0000 Huh?! PSV speelt volgens het Eindhovens Dagblad in op de onder jongeren razend populaire markt voor computergames. De club trekt ...... Lees verder: PSV gaat later dit seizoen een eigen gamer inzetten Full Article .Algemeen Nederland Opinie PSV gamen gamer games philips psvers toernooi
ps TORENHOGE AMBITIES IN HET PSG TRAININGSPAK By voetbal.blog.nl Published On :: Tue, 11 Apr 2017 07:44:26 +0000 Het PSG trainingspak opent een boek. De voorsteden en de forensensteden presenteren de stad als één geheel. Een boek met ...... Lees verder: TORENHOGE AMBITIES IN HET PSG TRAININGSPAK Full Article .Algemeen
ps New Release - Land for Sale in Hemel Hempstead By www.apnaland.com Published On :: Just two lots remaining at this land for sale just 24 miles from the City of London within the affluent county of Hertfordshire. This lush grazing land is available freehold and is suitable for paddock conversion. Full Article