Creative 360 Degree

In the current Singapore school curriculum, art lessons have been a mainstay among the subjects taught in school. When I was in school, I was not really fantastic at art, but I would just let my imagination run wild and drew whatever that comes to my mind. Of course, whether or not the art pieces gets a distinction grade or a failure grade is another matter. Let us look at the various benefits of art and craft lessons for our children.

1. Art builds up physical co-ordination. Actions involved like painting, drawing, cutting, gluing, and joining helps to improve motor coordination in your child.

Creativity

2. Creativity. Doing art and craft is a way of allowing the child to express himself other than words and actions. In short, it breeds creativity. After all, we want our child to grow up and be creative adults right?

3. A sense of achievement and satisfaction. Children are often proud of something which they've completed themselves. Hence, upon finishing an art piece, it will give them a sense of satisfaction and builds up confidence too.

4. Spending time together. Art and craft can be a family activity, and parents can spend time with their children as a form of bonding activity.

5. Improve concentration. Art teaches a child to focus on one thing at hand and also inculcates perseverance and to learn to ignore distractions.

6. Planning skills. Without proper planning, a perfect masterpiece will not result. The child needs to analyse and do some careful planning prior to starting the art piece.

Justine Lee contributes to articles as part of the committee of a parenting website founded in Singapore. She writes for [http://www.mylittlesunshine.sg] on a regular basis and likes to share her parenting experiences with other online readers. She is happily married to her husband Jason and have a boy who is eight years old.

Unless your life has been touched by it, you most likely do not know what it is. One of the most deadly forms of cancer, is Brain Cancer, and of those, Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) has been known as The Terminator. With an average historical survival rate of roughly a year, with the 3 year survival rate at roughly 7%, it is no small wonder it was tagged with that nickname. Recent medical breakthroughs are beginning to catch up with many more "common" strains of Cancer. Caught early enough, once feared cancers are responding to treatment, and with the combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, people have had reasons to be optimistic, that they can actually look forward to a cure. Better diagnostic methods, treatment, and understanding the value of nutrition to boost the body's immune system to not only prevent, but help fight the disease. These promising advances, along with celebrities who come forward with their experiences of survival, and have gone on with their lives, gives people the hope and courage to face the issues involved with treatment and recovery.

With virtually no advances for 30 or so years, Brain Cancer treatment, including GBM, which been treated as a chronic illness, has seen some remarkable progress recently. The use of surgery, where possible, certain chemotherapeutic drugs, along with radiostatic treatments, has resulted in a steady increase in the median survival rate, and better quality of life during treatment.

Inventive

I was diagnosed with GBM in June of 2007. It was surgically resected (removed) almost immediately. After a wait of about 6 weeks (during which time I was encouraged by my Neurosurgeon to take a previously scheduled vacation with my wife), I began a series of focused Radiostatic treatments 5 days a week, for 42 treatments. This focused treatment was preceded by a computer mapping and simulation program. Concurrent with the treatments I was prescribed Temodar, an oral chemotherapeutic. Once that treatment was over, I continued on Temodar 5 days a month for a year. Two and a half years later, there are no signs of the tumor. Attitude, my faith in God, the Good fortune of being blessed with a capable medical team, and a support system of friends and family, are all part of the reason I am able to update this article today.

The latest advances have been in the area of a specific treatment based on the chemical and material make-up of each individual tumor. The good news is that progress is indeed being made, and it appears we may be able to find a cure for this horrible disease in our lifetimes.

By Tony Kudalis
Jack of Many Trades, Master of Quite a Few, including:
Business Analyst and consultant for Information, Marketing, Systems, Databases, Custom Solutions Innovative and inventive solutions to critical Business situations and problems to k3ynot@gmail.com

Mathews Archery innovation is instilled in every inventive product they've created. From innovative creations like "Single Cam Technology, Inline Grip, Harmonic Damping, Perimeter-Weighed Cam, V-Lock Limb Cup System, Even-More Parallel Limb Design, and HP Cam, Matthews Archery has turned into the standard that all other archery bows are judged.

Mathews Archery Single Cam Technology

Inventive

The technology is the ultimate model of "addition by subtraction". Since the technology's inception in 1992, Mathews Archery has been accountable for the huge number of modernism in bows that have not just enhanced performance, but have reduced complexity as well.

The simplicity of the Single Cam technology has undoubtedly unleashed many advantages and additions that made the two-cam bow outdated. Among the technology's advantages include faster, more forgiving, and more accurate performance, as well as less noise, less maintenance, less recoil, solid wall, no synchronization problems, and the highest efficiency ever recorded for bows. Archery Bows

Mathews Archery offers various kinds of bows with first-rate and high-tech qualities. From hunting bows, competition bows, beginner bows, traditional bows, and bow accessories, Mathews bows will meet every type of archer's need and requirements.

Hunters will find Drenalin LD hunting bow to be best in performance, featuring longer ATA. Thinner, tougher, lighter, faster, cooler, and quieter hunting bow that meets and goes beyond all archer's expectations.

Those into archery competition will find 2007's Conquest 4 to be just the right thing for winning. The latest in the Conquest models, Conquest 4 features harmonic dampers, perimeter-weighted Conquest 4 Max Cam, carbon cable rod, and V-lock Limb Cups, as well as a fully machined "Aeroriser".

The Ignition 2007 will provide beginners with the right start. This new "sweet-shooting" bow from Mathews Archery features string suppressors, single-cam technology, and fully machined Aeroriser.

Those looking for traditional bows will not be disappointed with the heritage line of top traditional bow models such as Heritage, Eagle, and Hawk. These elegant works of art and craftsmanship provides exceptional performance for archers, not to mention discriminating good looks.

To complement the variety of quality bows are Mathews' archery accessories, such as quivers, arrow rests, replacement bow grips, bowstrings, and more. Other Mathews products includes shirts, hats, jackets, towels/decals, and camo laptop. Every SoloCam bow of Mathews also comes with limited lifetime warranty that prioritizes repairs.

Mathews Archery has been known for the most ultra-modern archery bow products and accessories. With a history of innovations, the company's line of products are sure to meet the high-tech demands of the future for the new archer generation.

Find top rated Archery Supplies [http://archerysupplies.info/blog] including bows and arrows, sights and targets. Any type of archery equipment you may be looking for you can find here.

Human Resources professionals are inundated with resumes on a daily basis. Now, more than ever before, job seekers must learn to make their resumes stand out. One of the simplest and more effective ways to do this is by using power words and phrases. These words add muscle to your resume statements and exhibit intelligence. Search online for resume power words and you will be overwhelmed by the amount of websites that claim to 'provide' the complete list of resume power words.

Some power word sites list several words as power words that are NOT power words at all. Your resume can land up in the reject pile if you use the wrong phraseology.

Creativity

Five words you should never use on your resume are:

A lot - This is probably the most obvious in the list. The problem with saying 'a lot' is that the phrase is entirely too vague. 'A lot' probably means something different to you from what the phrase means to me. There is no value in the phrase 'a lot.' One girl saying, "I eat a lot of chocolate," could mean something entirely different from another girl making the same statement. How much is 'a lot?'

Instead of saying, "I did XYZ a lot of the time," you could say, "I did XYZ 16 hours per work week." The more specifications you add to your resume, the better your chances are of getting an interview.

Creative - Should someone who boasts of being creative actually have to come right out and say they are creative? Probably not. The best way to show creativity is by accentuating accomplishments or skills you have that emphasize your creativity.

Flexible - Flexible is so overused that the word has lost all power. Flexible does not impress anyone. Flex that muscle on top of your head and come up with another power word that gets the same idea across.

If you are applying for a job where physical flexibility is critical (i.e. ballerina or yoga master) feel free to leave this word on your resume.

Interesting - Interesting as a power word is not interesting enough to grab or keep the attention of a human resources executive. Using stronger power words will create the idea that you are interesting and companies will be interested in calling you for an interview. Anyone truly interesting will never come right out and say that they are!

It - Using 'it' in place of actually telling what 'it' means confuses most readers.

Want another reason to cut 'it' out?

You automatically appear more intelligent.

Using power words can boost the effectiveness of your resume.

For more words that should never appear on your resume, check out the free e-book "197 Words You Should Never Use on Your Resume" written by the creators of http://www.ResumeDictionary.com

Freelance writer and high school English teacher.

The history of scuba diving is very interesting. Many civilizations throughout time have engaged in breath-hold diving, also known as free-diving. The evidence of early free-diving is the finding of sea items found on land and ancient pictures of divers. These civilizations used free-diving to spearfish and also in competitions. The Ancient Greeks are known free-divers. They used free-diving to hunt for sponges and also in their military.

Some of the early attempts in the history of scuba diving to dive with the use of air include snorkeling with hollow reeds, using air-filled bags and diving bells. Diving bells are watertight chambers on cables. The diving bell is designed to remain full of air as it is pushed under water, allowing a few divers to be transported. These methods were not very efficient, however, and did not nearly resemble scuba diving as we know it today. The reeds did not allow divers to go deep into the water and air-filled bags soon filled with carbon-monoxide as the air was exhaled. Diving bells did not allow the divers much mobility.

Invent

The first diving suits were used in France and England. They were made of leather and air was pumped into them from the surface with manual pumps. Once the discovery was made to use metal to make helmets, these suits were able to stand greater pressure. With air manually pumped into these helmets, divers were able to enter deeper into the ocean and the history of scuba diving was furthered.

It wasn't until the 19th century that the research was done to invent modern scuba diving as we know it today. Paul Bert from France and John Scott Haldane from Scotland, conducted scientific research on water pressure and our bodies limits regarding safe compressed air diving. At the same time, new technologies allowed for the development of air pumps, scuba regulators and other equipment. Scuba diving and its history were becoming more known.

Throughout the 20th century, inventions in scuba equipment improved. Swim fins, masks and other scuba gear became available. In the 1950's the public began to take interest in scuba diving. Scuba gear shops began to open up and the first wet suit was introduced. Popular movies about diving and ships, including Titanic in 1997, continue to interest new divers and inspire veterans of the history-filled and adventurous sport of scuba diving.

For more information on scuba diving, its history and scuba diving destination resources visit [http://www.a1scuba.org]

For scuba diving gear and accessories be sure to check out http://www.aquasportsscuba.com

Man has always been obsessed with flying. The mythical and legendary history of flying dates back to mimicking birds with feathered wings. In the attempt to fly and reach the stars, man jumped to his death from towering heights. Wright brothers in 1903 were the first to invent aircraft controls, that made fixed - wing powered flights possible.

In modern aviation the airlines today are competing for space in air. Now man shuttles beyond earth and flies to space. As children we often dreamt of floating and flying. We grew idolizing the flying Superman. Flying kites is another popular sport for children and adult. Bungee jumping gives a sense of flying to the more adventurous young. Milkha Singh, the Indian Olympian athlete was nicknamed "The Flying Sikh" and we do nominate success with the phrase, "Flying High".

Invent

My first domestic flying experience was in the year1990, when I flew from Mumbai to Baroda. I was excited and my friends with previous flying history did little to curb my anxiety. The rumble start of the aircraft engine had my adrenaline rush to that of a pumping station. Before I could realize, this huge machine was swimming in the clouds. I felt like a suspended particle in the air. This was no less than a dream. As an obedient student I kept firm to my safety belt staring at the smiling air hostess. Good things are for a short while and the plane soon landed with a thud. I had disembarked from my first flying experience.

My first international flight was in the year 1994. I flew from Mumbai to Dubai with the Maharaja hospitality in Air India. The flight was full with expat workers perhaps flying for the first time. They had dreams and had left their shores for a better tomorrow in Dubai. There was a Gulliver look on every face, an amalgamation of anxiety, excitement and a purpose to succeed.

Flying has shrunk distances. A morning coffee in Mumbai, a lunch in Dubai and dinner in Frankfurt would have made Wright brothers proud. The "no frills" air lines are today making flying more affordable. The modern flying machines are more pampering with luxuries as they fly skywards. Technology has gifted man with wings and he flies at his will.

It is not that all is well in the air. The infamous Concorde crash left the Concorde's supersonic legacy grounded. Air crafts crashes and failures have often nicknamed the carrier as "killer machines" leaving behind the "black box" and the dead. Flying failures indicate that there are quite a few snags to be ironed out.

Bigger is better to swipe sky miles. I fastened my seat belt on the super jumbo jet emirates flight for a take off to a new destination. It was not very long ago in 1994, when I was learning to fly. How will we fly in future? With technological evolution taking a quantum leap, your guess is as good as mine. The science-fiction-like pilotless flying bodies will dress up the sky. We will rub our shoulders with the "unidentified flying objects" (UFO). I may fly a car while you honk at me in air traffic. Life is not going to be easy with air speeding fines. Fasten your seat belts.

S.P Singh

Fair & Square

Science fair projects are very helpful to motivate the students towards scientific study. It also provides the possibility of observing the real world and related problems in a closer way. It aims to develop curiosity about science and technology. It brings about improvement in the manipulative skills, knowledge, and self-confidence.

Solar system began forming 10 to 12 billion years ago as a swirling gas and dust formed a dense core. To visualize the Solar system, understand the orbital motion of the planets and to locate the actual position of the planets the solar system science fair projects are helpful.

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Some simple solar system science fair projects ideas include answering questions such as:

- Can we collect micrometeorites from the outdoor sources?

- Could the other planets support any life?

- What causes the phases of moon and what affects the phases of moon?

- How terrestrial planets are formed?

- Are there many other solar systems in the universe? Do they support life?

To study about the other galaxies and solar system present in this universe this project will be useful. A comparative study of why life is possible on earth and why not life is possible on other planets can be done in detail. Younger children can also build a model of the solar system and show the relationships between the planets.

Also consider looking at natural forces which occur in the solar system, such as exploring a question like, how are the magnetic fields affected by solar storms? Can we build a homemade magnetometer to measure that? The magnetic fields are affected by solar storms and cause small changes in its direction at the surface, which are called "magnetic storms." A magnetometer operates like a sensitive compass and senses these slight changes in the magnetic field. A homemade magnetometer can be constructed.

Can we identify black holes? If the answer is yes, how can it be done? By this project, the mysteries and curiosity about the black holes will take a shape and a clear knowledge about black holes can be gained. A thorough understanding of the nature of black holes is neceessary, and a lot of background information will be necessary for such a project.

You can make your own comet to know the details about the comets. A large comet is a spectacular sight and is a star like celestial body, which has a tail and still people have lots of doubts about it. To know better, this project will help out.

How to locate the position of a celestial body by a sidereal pointer? A sidereal pointer is an instrument that helps you to locate each celestial body in the night sky. How to construct a sidereal pointer easily can be discussed in this project in detail.

Solar system science projects are fairly demanding projects that represent a challenge. Each of the projects related with solar system science projects develops cognitive skills and help the students to leap forward.

Jordan Matthews is a High School Math and Science teacher who has worked as a judge and a coordinator of many science fairs. Check his Science Fair Project ideas website for some more ideas and information about constructing some solar system science fair projects.

Your newsletter name has a big effect on your readership, so it's essential you choose a good name right from the start. A good newsletter name will draw people to subscribe to your newsletter and read it, while a poor name will just make them run away.

Here are some ideas to help you come up with creative newsletter names...

Creative

#1. Your Niche

You can include the name of your niche in your newsletter title to explain what the content is about. This is one of the most common naming techniques people use. Here are some sample newsletter names...

* Affiliate Marketing Facts

* Search Engine Optimization Advice

* Email Marketing Insider Tips

* Easy Gardening Guide

* Free Golf Tips

#2. Your Target Market

Your newsletter targets a certain audience, right? How about that you use their name in your newsletter title to attract their attention? This will tell them you offer the information that they want. Here are some good newsletter names...

* Affiliate Marketers Weekly

* Work at Home Moms

* Pet Lovers Tips & Trends

#3. Catchy Newsletter Names

Depending on your target market, this type of name can work for you. The benefit to these kind of names is that they're catchy and easy to remember. They're just creative names out of no where.

However, their weakness is that your audience can't understand what your newsletter is about. So you need to provide them with a short description everywhere you introduce your newsletter. Here are some creative newsletter names...

* The Great Gordino

* Scootey Lindo

* Zapping Tides

* Blue Velvet Times

You can also find a list of catchy newsletter names to get a lot of great name ideas for your own newsletter.

Wish you the best of luck with starting your newsletter!

Ladan Lashkari is giving away a FREE step-by-step guide to help you choose awesome newsletter names that draw people to subscribe and read your newsletter. Also you can find tons of creative newsletter ideas and helpful resources to make your newsletter even more amazing. So make sure you drop by http://www.FreeNewsletterIdeas.com while they are still available.

Here are 12 ideas to get your creative juices flowing and increase your skills and value as a photographer.

TIP 1 - Time Lapse photos. I showed my niece how to do this with clay figures and stitch the resulting frames together into a video file, and she was busy for days. If you control the exposure consistently to keep the images consistent with one another, you can do some really fun stop-motion animation. Or, you can set up your camera to capture other slow motion effects such as flowers opening and seedlings growing.

Creative

TIP 2 - Night Lights. Things look very different at night. Shooting city scenes with available light creates some interesting images. And shooting outdoor images under moonlight or with "light painting", where you open up the camera shutter for an extended exposure, and "paint" your targets with colored or plain light, can create some truly bizarre images.

TIP 3 - Astrophotography. Hook that SLR up to a telescope, and you are ready to peer into the depths of space and time. You'll need some adapters, and ability to compensate for the earth's rotation for really long shots. Start with the moon and move on from there.

TIP 4 - Macro photography. From flowers to coins to stamps, you can polish your skills at close-up photography and capture some really detailed images. Often a macro lens or close-up attachment will help. See my tips on Flower Photography to get more information.

TIP 5 - Micro photography. If you can interface that camera with a microscope, you can get some really crazy images. Or, stack up a bunch of close-up magnification and try your hand at turning salt crystals into surreal imagery.

TIP 6 - Insurance Photos. OK, maybe a bit boring, but you and your friends and relatives will thank you. Take a couple hours and touch and photograph everything of value, with a full shot or two if each item of value, accompanied by a shot of the identifying marks - manufacturer model or serial number. Then burn a CD or DVD and store it off site. If you have a fire or other loss, this could save the owner thousands of dollars.

TIP 7 - Family Recipe book. Anytime those family favorites are prepared, copy down the recipe and take some photos of the food. You can produce a printed or electronic cookbook of family favorites that everyone will love.

TIP 8 - Stock Photography. This is a very busy market niche, but the cost of entry is low. Specialize in things you love, and you may be able to generate some income from your stock images. Search for stock photography sites, and make sure you understand your rights before you post images.

TIP 9 - Special Effects. Maybe you want to specialize in high-speed images of athletes, or surrealistic collages. Try your hand at using your editing skills to put someone in a soda bottle or floating on a candy lifesaver. Often more artistic than photographic, it will test your composition, lighting and editing skills to come up with believable artificial realities.

TIP 10 - Still Life. Ahh, the bowl of fruit. Sometimes a simple object or collection, properly lit, shot and edited, is a thing of beauty. It's a great way to study light. Start with an egg on a light background, a lamp and a window and see how you can learn about lighting and composition.

TIP 11 - Computer Control. Many cameras have a USB interface and remote control software. You can actually control the camera from the computer. See if you can get it to work to your liking, and maybe even program some time lapse or exposure bracketing experiments.

TIP 12 - Be Like Andy. Take some images of everyday items and try to create those neat colored backgrounds like Andy Warhol used to make. Create a 4-up print of the same image and change the colors of each quadrant to make an interesting square print.

Have fun with these ideas, and let me know when you become famous!

John Huegel is a photographer in the Erie, Pennsylvania area who specializes in Seniors, Dance Studio, Families and other groups. He is active in many charitable and volunteer activities in the Erie area. His work can be seen at http://jhphotomusic.com

Elements of Creativity Theory include:

What are the definitions of and differences between creativity and innovation? There is much confusion, for instance, Franklin (2003) writes that "innovation is anything that somebody thinks is a great idea." At a minimum, creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation. Innovation often means that outside decision makers have to get involved, as complete development and commercialisation commonly requires the competencies and knowledge of a team. Different competencies, structures, processes, resources and time-scales are required.

Creativity

Common characteristics of creative people. Do creative people have common characteristics that we can identify, so that we can hire the right people? Some firms do not engage in creative activities because of a belief that "special" people are needed. Many theorists and practitioners think that there are common characteristics, such as tolerance to ambiguity and risk taking. However, many others argue that there are none ("For sixteen years I have been trying to find some common denominator which seems to apply to all creative people. There aren't any. If I could find five or six characteristics I might be more successful at hiring them. I could make a list of curiosity, vocabulary, good visual imagery etc and then I could interview hundreds of people and hire the best. But I don't know of any common characteristic. We've got fifty copywriters and I suppose the good ones are judged at the end of the year, when we compare how many successful campaigns they have created").

Learning versus talent. Can creativity be learned and developed or is it a talent / special gift? Why is it that some people just are more creative? Nature nurture arguments are notoriously inconclusive and trait theories assume stability across situations and time. The best way to answer this question is to investigate whether creativity improves with practice. The experience curve, automisation, learning theories and the experiences of practitioners suggest that it does improve but there are caveats.

Motivation. Motivation is arguably more important than nature / nurture or traits. Someone with natural ability or placed in the right environment may not take advantage of it unless motivated. There is intrinsic motivation, synergistic and non-synergistic extrinsic motivation. How can it be induced and measured? There are many elements: material reward, progress to the ideal self, self-determination, self-evaluation, feedback, enjoyment, competency expansion, recognition and feasibility.

Blocks to creativity and organisational culture. What are the blocks to creativity and how can they be overcome? We can all be more creative, so what is stopping us? There are many blocks such as evaluation apprehension (in its many forms) and lack of adequate finance and resources. Separating creative from critical thinking, incremental productivity, tools that draw out tacit knowledge and using frameworks to trigger flow are some of the effective unblocking techniques. What is psychological safety and freedom? What properties of an organisational culture cultivate productivity?

Organisational structure. What properties of an organisational structure most foster creativity? There are many reasons why an entity has a particular organisational structure: history, logistics, market segmentation, product line, strategy and so forth. It is often unreasonable to ask a firm to change its organisational structure, so how do we get around this problem?

Group structure What is the most effective team structure? Many people who are acknowledged to have made great contributions to society have worked alone, but it is very easy for individuals to go "off track" and feedback is required to some degree, as well as other things. It is also very difficult to separate the idea from its influences. Many others work in pairs or small teams, as this reduces the negative effects of large groups. Successful firms generally start off as very small, creative enterprises. Many people think that brainstorming in large groups enhances creativity, but large groups bring with them politics, status differentials, group think, dilution of ideas and conformity among other things.

The role of knowledge. What type and level of knowledge helps creativity most? Can someone with limited knowledge of a field make a significant contribution to it? Does excess knowledge cause blinkered vision? Intellectual cross-pollination fosters creativity, but how do we overcome competency traps and other negatives? How do we frame-break, reduce path dependency and collaborate effectively?

Radical versus incremental creativity. Radical / transformational / disruptive creativity is very much glamorised. But is this what is required most often? Is it wiser to target radical or incremental ideas? Is radical really radical or the result of incremental improvement? How is radical defined? If we want a radical idea as opposed to an incremental change, what are the implications? Incremental and radical creativity require vastly different structures, processes, skills and resources.

Structure & goals. Many creative people object to structure and goals - they argue they interfere with thought processes and originality; there is a very fine line between structure and conformity. Does structure help trigger a flow of good ideas? Do structure and goals help set the boundaries of a problem and produce more output that when an individual is simply allowed to "do their best?" Do structure and goals help us achieve the objective more rapidly? How many people have a half finished novel or screenplay in their office?

Process. Many people question the concept that creativity can be a process. Ask many practitioners what process they engage in and they may well deny there is one. But if you examine the activities of many creative people, common patterns of behaviour emerge. This common process makes insight / eureka / the aha! experience more likely. The process includes identifying and intensely investigating the problem, forcing production of ideas using creative versus critical thinking and other techniques; seeking stimuli and allowing the unconscious mind to take over by engaging in rest and unrelated activities.

Valuation. How do we value an idea, so as to decide how to invest resources? Even a painter who creates for pure pleasure has to decide which one of his ideas is best; there is always a value system and (some argue) always some sort of promotional instinct. There are decisions as to whether you are looking for applied creativity and who the consumer is; how do they benefit? There is no sure fire way to evaluate perfectly because there is no sure fire route to commercial success. But we can benchmark against those types of ideas that have succeeded in the past; firms must make a decision as to their strategic, competence and technical fit; there are comparisons against rivals and practical impediments; how do we make the go or kill decision and what are the trade-offs? A quantitative tool for measuring the value of ideas has been developed.

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

The MBA research project and other creativity and innovation tools can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/.

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/.

According to Porter's Five Forces Model, in my opinion, competition has increased overall as a result of the internet and e-Commerce. The internet and IT has made it possible to both focus on the top and bottom lines and market share is expanded and costs are cut. Many products and services exist just online, major companies have gone online to successfully augment the brick and mortar corporations, and the playing field is all the way to edges of cyberspace, wherever that is. We will further evaluate this stepping through all five forces.

Buyer power is higher when buyers have more choices. Businesses are forced to add value to their products and services to get loyalty. Many loyalty programs include excellent services that customers demand on-line. Customers want to solve their problems and many times they are more successful on-line than on-phone. Also, we see internet savvy businesses springing up offering more valuable goods and services at lower costs. Now with the advent of eBay, many people are assuming roles as drop shippers. Individuals can have a thriving business selling goods of larger companies without having to carry inventory.

Inventive

Supplier power is higher when buyers have fewer choices from whom to buy. As mentioned earlier, drop shipping has increased the amount of suppliers available. All an individual has to do is form and agreement to sell products for the company. The company takes care of all the logistics. The same is true of associates programs that Amazon.com and Google.com offer. Associates allow a webmaster to earn money by recommending products from others. This increases supplier offerings.

Threat of substitute products or services is high when there are many product alternatives. This is different than having many suppliers. Examples of alternatives are exchanging brand names, substituting credit card capabilities, and looking at better values from cheaper sources. The internet allows this with the "global economy". I can substitute my product by purchasing from companies overseas where labor, services and products are cheaper, but of comparable quality.

Threat of new entrants is high when it is easy for new competition to enter the market. Well, what have we been talking about? Now, small operations can open shop with less than .00 per month and make a lot of money. As inventive as people are, there are always opportunities to do improve a product or service or just create and sell something new. Recently, many new entrants have made even more money authoring Ebooks that tell others how to do what they did. Rivalry among competitors is high when competition is more intense within industries.

On-line book stores and catalog companies are an excellent example. Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com are very competitive. However, there are many also smaller niche affiliate bookstores that when combined take a great deal of market share. They offer even more competition. However, both major bookstores have used IT to create value for their customers. These values include associates programs, ease of payment and shipping and many, many others.

The internet offers avenues of competition to existing companies and opportunities for start ups. Now businesses can enter the market on-line with few barriers to entry. Porter's Five Forces Model can help demonstrate the attractiveness of starting your on-line business. A business person should use the model to identify competition, make a plan, and implement the process.

Jeffrey W. Bennett, ISP is the owner of Red Bike Publishing http://www.redbikepublishing.com. You can register for our newsletter at our website.

Jeff is an accomplished writer of non-fiction books, novels and periodicals. Published books include: "Get Riche in a Niche-An Insider's Guide to Self-Publishing in a Specialized Industry"-Red Bike Publishing

Please visit our website for more information.

As creative people, ideas are our currency, our lifeblood. Creativity itself could be defined as "having and developing ideas".

If we have no ideas then we have nothing to build upon, nothing to cherish, nourish and encourage to grow.

Creativity

Our minds at any one time are full of ideas of different types, sizes, ages and levels of attractiveness. So how can we ensure we encourage this development of ideas, this creativity?

One possible way is think of your creative mind as a large hotel or mansion.

In each of the rooms is a guest that represents a creative project or idea that you've started in the past. It's not important whether you finished the project, but that you had the original idea, invited it into your conscious mind and began to work on it. You committed some time and energy to it.

Then, each time you have a new idea and begin a new creative project based around that idea, it's like a new guest arriving at your hotel.

They check in at reception, are given the key to a comfortable spacious room and are then invited to take to their new quarters and get accustomed to the surroundings, to make themselves feel at home. Each guest - each new creative idea - enters as an equal, and is given the same size room as all the other guests.

Or are they?

What kind of welcome do your new guests receive in reality? Are they greeted with as much respect, enthusiasm and bonhomie as all those in the past were?

Is your Creativity Hotel all crisp clean sheets, stylish comfy furniture, 24-hour room service and a complimentary mini-bar?

Or is it more in the style of a grubby fold away bed in a rundown motel, with "cosy" dimensions - two steps in any direction and you're provided with a convenient wall to lean against - complete with damp stained wallpaper and what looks like weeks old pizza sauce...

And what about managing so many guests at any one time? Your Creativity Hotel is infinitely huge. Maybe at reception there's a map of the hotel which shows at a glance who's staying at each of the rooms?

But how do they interact with each other? Do they even mix at all?

Is each new guest invited to a lavish welcoming dinner, to socialise with all the other guests, form new connections and share experiences, returning to their room in the early hours of the next morning tired, yet all the richer and more developed because of it?

Or instead are the guests at your hotel told to stay in their rooms and keep themselves to themselves, to only come out for meals and fire drills. Oh and don't forget that 9pm lights out curfew!

Consider too that each new idea we have as creative people - each new quest at our Creativity Hotel - does not come from some unknown alien place, but from the same place that all our other ideas have come from. So surely it makes sense to re-introduce them as old friends, let them mix a little and have the opportunity to thrive in diverse and creative surroundings?

Next time you wonder about not having new ideas, ask yourself how you really treat the new ideas and inspiration that come to you? Do you record them eagerly then let them develop naturally? Or do you treat them with contempt or suspicion or worse still ignore them altogether?

Every great achievement in the history of humanity started with a single idea. So think for a moment about how some of those ideas may have been treated had they arrived in their initial state at your Creativity Hotel.

Of course you can take this idea of your Creativity Hotel as deeply or as light heartedly as you wish, the options are virtually limitless. Adapt it so it works best for you and have fun with it.

But to allow yourself to be as creative as possible, ensure you do all you can to make YOUR Creativity Hotel a bustling, stimulating and happy place where new guests can't help but come flocking, and soon flourish in the company of others of a similar mind...

© Copyright 2006 Dan Goodwin.

Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin is the author of “Create Create!”, a FREE twice monthly ezine for people who want simple and powerful articles, tips and exercises to help them unleash their creative talents. Sign up right now and get your FREE “Explode Your Creativity!” Action Workbook, at http://www.CoachCreative.com

Why let others control your destiny when you can control it yourself!

Numerology gives you the power to control your own fate. Of course fate is unknown but it is believed to be predictable. So find out your numerology number today and work towards improving your present as well as your future.

Inventive

How to find out my numerology number?

Finding out your numerology number is a very easy process, all you have to do is some additions and that's all. There are two ways to go about it, one- by adding the numbers of your birth date or two- by adding the numbers of your birth name. Let's take a quick look at how to do it:

• Adding the numbers of your birth date:

Say for example your date of birth is 10th of April, 1980, then this is how you need to calculate your numerology number- 1+0 (day of birth)+4 (month of birth)+ 1+9+8+0 (year of birth)= 23. Next, this two digit number has to be made a single digit number, so what you have to do now is add 2 and 3, 2+3=5, therefore your numerology number is 5. But remember in case the result of your first addition would have been a figure like 39, then add 3 and 9, 3+9=12, now 12 needs to be broken down to 1+2=3, therefore the numerology number would be 3. Always remember the numerology numbers are from 1-9.

• Adding the letters of your name:

Every letter has been allotted a number according to numerology, like-

1- A J S

2- B K T

3- C L U

4- D M V

5- E N W

6- F O X

7- G P Y

8- H Q Z

9- I R

So suppose your name is Edward, this is how you need to calculate- 5+4+5+1+9+4=28. Now break 28, 2+8=10. As I mentioned earlier the number has to be in single digit therefore it needs to be broken down again, 1+0=1. So, for Edward, his numerology number is 1.

Meaning of your number:

Numerology number 1: Extraordinary leadership skills, very ambitious, driven, goal-oriented, strong will power, courageous, unconventional, inventive, creative, original, pioneer, unique approach to problems, independent, individualistic, great potential for success.

Numerology Number 2: You are gentle, subtle, cooperative, tactful, diplomatic, patient, sincere, harmonious, artistic, emphatic, intuitive, supportive, loving, humble and peaceful. You are considerate and sensitive to the needs of others.

Numerology number 3: You are creative, socially active, artistic, very positive and optimistic, playful, happy and fun-loving, inspirational, imaginative, motivating, enthusiastic and uplifting

Numerology number 4: You are practical, detail-oriented, organized, orderly, systematic, methodical, precise, reliable, punctual, dependable, honest, and trustworthy, without artifice

Numerology number 5: You make friends easily, you are versatile and multi-talented, upbeat and inspirational and a good communicator and motivator. You have great verbal skills and you are very dynamic, persuasive, adaptable, versatile and curious, courageous, bright and quick-witted.

Numerology number 6: Musician, actor, teacher, healer, artist, craftsperson

Numerology Number 7: You are analytical, intellectual, focused, scientific and inventive, contemplative, meditative, spiritual and enigmatic. You are a seeker of truth and an accumulator of knowledge and wisdom.

Numerology number 8: You are inspiring, result-oriented, powerful, ambitious, visionary, generous, perseverant, forgiving, broad-minded, money-conscious and self-disciplined.

Numerology number 9: You are socially conscious, concerned about the betterment of the world, idealistic, visionary, tolerant, imaginative and creative, compassionate, romantic, selfless and generous.

Now that you know the basics of numerology, go ahead and have some fun with it!

Numerology is a great way to find out if you're compatible with your mate. For more information and a FREE reading, visit: Numerology Number Meanings

When it comes to painting a baby room, you could pick out a paint color, apply it to the walls and be done. But if you are feeling creative and a little more adventurous than that, there are a lot of great ideas you could implement when it comes to painting your baby's nursery. Here are a few suggestions:

However you decide to go about painting your baby's room, remember to keep in mind the décor that you are going to use for the room. The painting colors and techniques you use should go with everything else that you plan to use in the room. Don't be afraid to be adventurous and try something new. Remember, the best thing about decorating a room is that if you don't like how something turns out, you can always change it!

Creative

© Copyright Rebecca Johnson, All Rights Reserved

Rebecca Johnson owns Decorating-Your-Baby-Nursery.com, a website that provides tips and ideas for decorating a baby nursery. Visit it for more ideas on decorating the nursery walls