knowledge vs. Common Sense

It seems as if every time you turn on the TV news these days, there is some story at least once or twice a week about some new identity theft scam. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this decade and if you have not taken pro-active steps to protect your identify, it is not a matter of "if" it will happen to you, but "when".

First let's review what happens in an identify theft crime. A thief gets enough of your personal information to be able to open accounts in your name. It's really as simple as that. Such information would include items that would normally be used to open a new account somewhere such as your social security number, your driver's license number, and with some accounts, even less information may be required, as surprising as that sounds. Once the thief has opened the new accounts such as Visa cards, department store cards, even personal loans, the thief gets as much money as he can on those accounts, then disappears into the sunset. The first time you are aware that your identity has been compromised is when you get a phone call from one or more of the accounts inquiring as to your plans for your very high and very past due balance on an account that you didn't even know you had.

Some people claim that modern technology is to blame for the growing problem of identity theft crimes, but that is simply a knee-jerk reaction. Modern technology is not the cause of the problem, although it does make unsuspecting people more vulnerable to identity theft. Many people, particularly seniors, when they go online and get an email supposedly from their bank asking them to "verify their information due to a possible security breach" think they are doing the right thing by clicking on the provided link and verifying their information. But what they do not realize is that their bank never sent such an email, and even if they did, would not request information to be verified online. That email was originated by somebody trying to steal their identity, and this email scam is typically known as "phishing".

Does the knowledge that one should NEVER respond to such an email from someone who claims to represent your bank or credit union's fraud department, come automatically? Unfortunately not. Many people are not tech-savvy enough to realize that a bank or credit union or other financial institution would never ask you to verify your personal information online. But for unsuspecting people, such an email, complete with the graphic logo of their bank, think the email is official and fall prey to such email schemes. Creating a fake email that looks very official is something that even most fifth graders could do today.

Your best protection against identity theft is good old common sense. Whenever anyone asks you for very personal and sensitive information such as your social security number or even your date of birth, the red flags and alarms should start sounding in your head. Why do they need this information and what will they do with it? Especially safeguard your PIN code for your ATM card or credit cards, since there is no valid reason on the face of the earth why you would have to give that to someone. If someone allegedly works for the bank, then they already have access to that information and you do not need to give it to them.

Again, just use common sense. The problem is not with the Internet, it is not a problem with technology, the real problem is that people are too willing to divulge personal information to people who have no business asking for it. Keep your guard up and take precautions to make sure you are not the next victim of identity theft being featured in the evening news!

Let's face it! Most common crooks are lazy. Sexual predators are not far behind. I firmly believe that if common sense is used and women in particular take advantage of their sense of instinct they can avoid a heap of trouble.

Here are some common sense tips to help you avoid an assault, sexual assault or rape.

- Use an elevator instead of the stairs. I know you need the exercise but going down a stairway by yourself at night can be a scary thing without anyone around. It is prime ground for perverts.

- If confronted with an armed assailant on foot-TAKE OFF. Only 2% of attackers are armed anyhow. Chances are that his aim isn't that good. Your chances are better running away than staying and being assaulted or raped.

- If an assailant gets into your car with a gun-step on the gas, gun the car and CRASH THE CAR.

- If an assault from the front appears imminent YELL "Stop or Back Off." Most assailants are not up to resistance. They expect an easy time of it. Resistance throws most of them for a loop.

- ALWAYS carry some non lethal self defense weapons such as pepper sprays or stun guns. The bad guys use surprise as a weapon. You can use it too. Imagine an assailant grabs you from behind with his arm around your neck and you spray him with some pepper spray.

- ALWAYS carry a personal alarm and be ready to use it.

If you follow these tips you are going a long way to preventing an assault-perhaps even protecting yourself.

Please Note that even though pepper spray is legal in all 50 states, some states and cities have restrictions. Some states and cities have restrictions on stun guns. Check with your local police department. Literally thousands of police departments carry and use pepper spray and stun guns. Why wouldn’t you?

Jack Krohn is the #1 author of Home Security Articles in the country according to EzineArticles. He owns SECURITY SOLUTIONS a one stop resource that provides solutions and answers for all your self defense and home security problems.

Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, “Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”

Sometimes those with the most wisdom or common sense may not have a college degree or letters after their name. Some of these individuals never set foot in a college classroom. Some of them don’t even like to read, yet they understand people.

When a crisis comes up many of these individuals refuse to panic and they can generally solve the problem by taking a step back and trying to look at the big picture. These men and women are not stupid; on the contrary they can sometimes think circles around somebody well-versed in the study of textbooks.

Believe it or not the skill of common sense is as much an asset in building a business online as any marketing course known to man. Sometimes wisdom without understanding (common sense) can lead to problems.

A friend of mine tells the story of a young man with whom he worked many years ago at a roadside fried chicken stand. The small restaurant was busy, but my friend noticed a curious behavior in a young man working the kitchen. This young man had grabbed a pen and began scribbling and mumbling to himself. The orders were backing up and folks were asking why it was taking so long. My friend finally confronted the kitchen worker who was, academically, at the top of his class. The young man stopped his scribblings and looked dumbfounded and replied, “I was just trying to find the algebraic equation for how many salt packets I should put into each bag.”

The young man was very smart, but he lacked the crucial element of common sense. My friend grabbed a few packets and responded, “I think this is a good answer.” He threw the salt packets into the bags and began delivering the orders.

That story may sound humorous and even mildly pathetic, but sometimes knowledge without common sense can lead to indecision. The young man in the story wanted to do the right thing, but he let a difficulty stand in the way of business.

Online business presents an opportunity for virtually anyone to develop a company. Those who are gifted with great intellect can find a home online, but successful ecommerce is not limited to intellectuals alone.

If you have a problem with certain aspects of marketing or search engine optimization (SEO) you can find freelance help to figure out the best route to take. If you don’t feel comfortable producing original content for your site you can use a free article directory or use a freelance writer. You can also use self-guided web builder software to develop a website.

There are many online tools that can assist you in putting a business website together, you just need to be willing to look and ask for help when needed.

We all know someone either now or in our past that possessed an enormous amount of wisdom or common sense. These individuals tend to leave a lasting impression and can leave some wishing they could give up just a little bit of their knowledge in order to gain some of their wisdom.

While there is no doubt about the fact that common sense works where all other techniques fail it is equally true that common sense is not all that common. Common sense is the best leadership tool you can use to lead your team. It is often seen that leaders who go by the book do not manage to get the same results as another leader who just uses plain and simple common sense manages to achieve. The trouble with those who have loads of specialized education on leadership is that they get entangled in their theories and lose sight of the practicality of the situation. On the other hand, those who are less pretentious and use their common sense only, get things done more effectively.

What I have learned is that authentic people are relatively rare. What I mean by the term authentic is someone who is genuine. Their thoughts, ideas, feelings are not pre-fabricated. I value people who are genuine even if they completely disagree with me. Great leadership is about connecting in a genuine way.

The truth is that getting more from your employees is simpler than you think. Some leaders just don’t have a clue about it, that’s all. For instance, the first basic truth is that a positive approach is far more effective than a negative one. Just put yourself in their place. Imagine how you felt when asked to carry out tasks that you were clearly overqualified to do. Think of the times when you had to stay late because members of management didn’t turn their report submissions in by the assigned deadline. If you can always keep those times at the back of your mind, you will be able to lead in a different way that will be more understanding, compassionate and encouraging. The trick of the trade is to give appreciation where it is due and to recognize the effort put in by your juniors. After all, the accolades that you receive for the good work are mainly because of them. And, it depends entirely on you to get the best out of them.

Never make the mistake of treating your team as just employees. Respect them and recognize their contribution. Effective and efficient leadership involves a display of appreciation for your employees and their hard work. It is important to know that you can’t force, intimidate or manipulate your employees to do anything. They will lose respect for you if you try to do any of these things. Consequently, you will face problems like poor-quality work and disgruntled workers. They will start absenting themselves from work due to stress caused by your overbearing ways of leading and managing your staff.

So, common sense demands that you appreciate them regularly and if you show keen perception of their work, they will not mind you pulling them up once in a while, if the situation requires it. Then, they will see the reason behind it and respect you more for it. Basically, you have to give your team the confidence that you are there for them — if they do good work, you will share the bouquets with them. Everyone likes to be appreciated; it is simple human nature.

Unfortunately, common sense can’t be taught. You either have it or you don’t. However, if you keep the basic rules of good leadership in mind, you may be able to inculcate leadership qualities. Leadership is showing appreciation, respect, and recognition to your team. Your future depends on it. You couldn’t succeed in your job as a leader, if it wasn’t for your employees. You need to wake up if you are in a position where you’re experiencing high turn-over rates and low-quality work from your employees. The fault lies with you, know that for sure. The sooner you realize it, you will be able to make amends and carry your team with you towards more productivity and better results.

How common is common sense when it comes to SEO?
If you are searching for "cars" in a search engine, what kind of websites do you expect to show up? shoes? pets? Obviously not. All search engines have the responsibility of serving their customers by showing them what they want. Searching for relevant websites has always been a big challenge for the search engines too, as there are zillions of websites out there on the web. More over, search engines have to fish out the best in seconds! So, any website which has all the criteria that a search engine demands, would show up at the top.

Search engines are not looking for great miracle sites. They are looking for professional businesses that are serving their customers well. Search engines don't want to show unprofessional, crappy sites to their customers. How do search engines looks for the best sites? What algorithms do they use? Do we need to learn those complex algorithms? Nope. You need not worry about how and what methods they use, as long as you maintain your professional approach to your business. Let the search engines worry about how to capture you. And surely they will, if you are not into any kind of spamming. However, do you show up at the top? Or do you show up hundred pages after? That depends on the competition and the product demand.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the science of increasing traffic to a website from search engines via "natural" ("organic") search results. You do not need an extensive seo training to achieve this. However, if you take a short seo course or attend a short seo program or even a basic seo workshop, you will be in good shape. Even reading a seo book or ebook will give that knowledge about organic seo. Even simpler and quicker way is to go thru our free couse on organic seo at www.SeoCollege.org

The Google way: Whenever a customer searches using certain key words, google picks up the best sites out there in the market. How does Google do it? Google approach is very simple. It looks for what you are looking for! It looks for sites that you are searching for. What do you normally look for? ...yes exactly. You look for the best sites to match your keyword. What do you mean a best site? A site that is designed well? A site which looks well? A site that sounds well? None of them. Google looks for 3 things. PROFESSIONALISM, POPULARITY AND a perfect match of your KEY WORDS.

Lets take an example. Lets say you are looking for "flower". Google will quickly search for all domain names in its database, which have the word "flower" in it. The assumption google makes here is that, if a domain name contains the word "flower", then, that site has to be dealing with "flower". Unfortunately there are thousands of websites which have this name in it. Which of these sites must show up on the first page on google? and which one of them must show up at the top? Adding to the complexity, there could be many websites which do not use the word "flower", even though they are dealing with "flower".

The second approach that Google takes is to look for sites that have the word "flower" in their HOME page. The assumption that Google makes here is that, If a website is dealing with "flower", then it must be talking about it in its home page. What if the home page is filled with only images of flowers and no text in it? those sites would loose out in the race! What if all those sites have the word "flower" in their Home pages? then Google will look for sites which have more than one word. More the merrier! This is called word density. This is where many SEO experts try to trick google by placing the word repeatedly with no proper sentence formation. This is called "Key word stuffing". Google has now caught up with this trick and it can now identify such sites and ban them from indexing. Google is continuously evolving to identify such tricks played by small timers to win the ranking. The winning strategy here is that the Home Page must talk about the product or service that it is offering in length just like any other professional website. Professionalism is what Google is looking for. Read more of SEO at www.SeoCollege.org

Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."

Sometimes those with the most wisdom or common sense may not have a college degree or letters after their name. Some of these individuals never set foot in a college classroom. Some of them don't even like to read, yet they understand people.

When a crisis comes up many of these individuals refuse to panic and they can generally solve the problem by taking a step back and trying to look at the big picture. These men and women are not stupid; on the contrary they can sometimes think circles around somebody well-versed in the study of textbooks.

Believe it or not the skill of common sense is as much an asset in building a business online as any marketing course known to man. Sometimes wisdom without understanding (common sense) can lead to problems.

A friend of mine tells the story of a young man with whom he worked many years ago at a roadside fried chicken stand. The small restaurant was busy, but my friend noticed a curious behavior in a young man working the kitchen. This young man had grabbed a pen and began scribbling and mumbling to himself. The orders were backing up and folks were asking why it was taking so long. My friend finally confronted the kitchen worker who was, academically, at the top of his class. The young man stopped his scribblings and looked dumbfounded and replied, "I was just trying to find the algebraic equation for how many salt packets I should put into each bag."

The young man was very smart, but he lacked the crucial element of common sense. My friend grabbed a few packets and responded, "I think this is a good answer." He threw the salt packets into the bags and began delivering the orders.

That story may sound humorous and even mildly pathetic, but sometimes knowledge without common sense can lead to indecision. The young man in the story wanted to do the right thing, but he let a difficulty stand in the way of business.

Online business presents an opportunity for virtually anyone to develop a company. Those who are gifted with great intellect can find a home online, but successful ecommerce is not limited to intellectuals alone.

If you have a problem with certain aspects of marketing or search engine optimization (SEO) you can find freelance help to figure out the best route to take. If you don't feel comfortable producing original content for your site you can use a free article directory or use a freelance writer. You can also use self-guided web builder software to develop a website.

There are many online tools that can assist you in putting a business website together, you just need to be willing to look and ask for help when needed.

We all know someone either now or in our past that possessed an enormous amount of wisdom or common sense. These individuals tend to leave a lasting impression and can leave some wishing they could give up just a little bit of their knowledge in order to gain some of their wisdom.

It seems as if every time you turn on the TV news these days, there is some story at least once or twice a week about some new identity theft scam. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this decade and if you have not taken pro-active steps to protect your identify, it is not a matter of "if" it will happen to you, but "when".

First let's review what happens in an identify theft crime. A thief gets enough of your personal information to be able to open accounts in your name. It's really as simple as that. Such information would include items that would normally be used to open a new account somewhere such as your social security number, your driver's license number, and with some accounts, even less information may be required, as surprising as that sounds. Once the thief has opened the new accounts such as Visa cards, department store cards, even personal loans, the thief gets as much money as he can on those accounts, then disappears into the sunset. The first time you are aware that your identity has been compromised is when you get a phone call from one or more of the accounts inquiring as to your plans for your very high and very past due balance on an account that you didn't even know you had.

Some people claim that modern technology is to blame for the growing problem of identity theft crimes, but that is simply a knee-jerk reaction. Modern technology is not the cause of the problem, although it does make unsuspecting people more vulnerable to identity theft. Many people, particularly seniors, when they go online and get an email supposedly from their bank asking them to "verify their information due to a possible security breach" think they are doing the right thing by clicking on the provided link and verifying their information. But what they do not realize is that their bank never sent such an email, and even if they did, would not request information to be verified online. That email was originated by somebody trying to steal their identity, and this email scam is typically known as "phishing".

Does the knowledge that one should NEVER respond to such an email from someone who claims to represent your bank or credit union's fraud department, come automatically? Unfortunately not. Many people are not tech-savvy enough to realize that a bank or credit union or other financial institution would never ask you to verify your personal information online. But for unsuspecting people, such an email, complete with the graphic logo of their bank, think the email is official and fall prey to such email schemes. Creating a fake email that looks very official is something that even most fifth graders could do today.

Your best protection against identity theft is good old common sense. Whenever anyone asks you for very personal and sensitive information such as your social security number or even your date of birth, the red flags and alarms should start sounding in your head. Why do they need this information and what will they do with it? Especially safeguard your PIN code for your ATM card or credit cards, since there is no valid reason on the face of the earth why you would have to give that to someone. If someone allegedly works for the bank, then they already have access to that information and you do not need to give it to them.

Again, just use common sense. The problem is not with the Internet, it is not a problem with technology, the real problem is that people are too willing to divulge personal information to people who have no business asking for it. Keep your guard up and take precautions to make sure you are not the next victim of identity theft being featured in the evening news!