50,000 Articles Indeed

How is it possible to turn an idea into the biggest online Article Archive in the world? One man did it, with the help of a great team. He did it thru perserverence and dedication. He pressed on as other wavered. When others would not take the road less traveled, he dared to blaze a new trail. Rarely do we see such standouts in our world, yet occasionally we are re-assured that all is well in the world after all. We are reminded that the American Dream is possible. While others scream past and fall short, or give up and quit, there are those willing to go the distance and press on to greater heights.

EzineArticles.com under the direction of a fearless leader, Chris Knight and more importantly a team of diehards did what no team on this planet had ever done before, a team which even grows today with the newest editor Wally. They have collected over 8,000 authors and now today over 50,000 articles in one place for all the world to see. A milestone? Yes, 50 thousand articles is an unbelievable milestone, one of many already reached and one of hundreds ahead of it. What does it mean? It means when human intent and teamwork along with steadfast resolve accept a challenge, that there are no limits. You can do anything in life you want to do, if you will simply "Will It to Be!" EzineArticles.com was nothing more than an idea, a concept; today it is the largest Article Archive on the Internet and it is growing faster and faster each day thru synergies of folks like you and I. Think about it, look what we all did. 50,000 articles, Wow. There seems to be no limit.

For you and me and as a tribute to the human race in our period EzineArticles is like a collective of the human endeavor. Expert authors each contributing a little and some a lot put for the greatest single collection of Helpful Hints for Humans ever in the history of the Internet. Think about this. No matter what you call ArticleEzine.com , it is more than that. It is many things to many people. But what is it; what makes EzineArticles.com so great? What do you think of when you see 50,000 articles and know you were part of it all? What is EzineArticles.com? it is different things to different people. The fact is that EzineArticles.com is more than just a company; "It's a Concept." It is whatever you want it to be. It is magic or at least it sure seems to be. What is it to you is it a:

Blue Planet Article Data Base; Article Archive of the Human Race; Article Internet Archive; Articles of the Universe; Expert Articles of Mankind; Articles of our Age; Age of Insight Articles; Expert Article Archives; Articles of the Experts; Age of Articles; Present Period Articles; Article Archive paid by Adsense; Article Archive for Expert Writers and Advertisers; Common Sense Age Articles; Your Article Archives; The Internet's Article Library; Unlimited Common Sense; Present Period Perspectives; Author's Article Storage; Electronic Expert Advice; What you need to know, when you need to know it; 24-hour Article Archives; Human Information Storage; Lifebytes in our Age; Society and Civilization in Written Archives; Recent Written Records; Article Anuals from Expert Authors; Constant Catalog of Consciousness; Latest List of Legitimate Logic; Article Annuals of our Age.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

6 Time Management Tips for Moms

Many of you have expressed the challenge of not having enough time to accomplish all your needed tasks and not being organized. Having good organization and management skills is absolutely imperative to your business. Being well organized can greatly affect your successfulness. Applying a few of the following tips will help you become more organized and make better use of your time.

1. Learn to delegate

Most of us are mothers and as moms we tend to automatically take on everything and are used to doing everything ourselves. There's absolutely nothing wrong with delegating different tasks.

2. Set business hours

One way to keep yourself and your business organized is to set regular business hours. You know Monday through Friday 1 - 4 or whatever times works best for you and your family and try to stick to it as much as possible.

3. Keep your office organized

Have a place for everything keeping like things together.

4. Group like activities/errands

Keep track of errands that need done and try scheduling most of them on the same day.

5. To-do lists

Having a to-do list keeps you motivated and lets you know what needs done at all times.

6. Plan for tomorrow

Make it a habit to review the following days schedule at the end of each day.

Take a few minutes right now and start a list of everything you need to get done. Take that list and re-write it by placing the things that most need accomplished and place them at the top of your list. Once you're finished get back to work and cross off tasks as you go. Not only will you find yourself getting more accomplished you'll also find a sense of fulfillment.

About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. Learn how you can be successful in your company by visiting: http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com

Microsoft Great Plains Inventory Control ? Overview For Consultant

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is marketed for mid-size companies as well as Navision (which has very good positions in Europe and emerging markets where it can be easily localized). Great Plains Inventory control is pretty robust and here we would like to give you highlights on standard functionality as well as what could be added to its standard features.

Historically Great Plains Dynamics / eEnterprise was designed with modules structure with very clear ERP workflow ? Inventory control had a link to General Ledger and was interacting with Sales Order Processing, Invoicing, later on with Purchase Order Processing (it was some development and unsuccessful marriage with Intellisol Purchase Order Processing third party module), Project Accounting and Manufacturing set. Inventory control has addition in the form of Bill of Materials module (we see the whole spectrum of downsizing manufacturing companies, who are switching from full-featured manufacturing to Great Plains Inventory control with Bill of Materials). Features:

? Inventory Allocation ? from SOP Sales Order, Invoice you can automatically of manually allocate Inventory items

? Sales Item, Service, Misc Charge, Flat Fee, etc ? these are types of the Inventory items.

? Serial and Lot Number tracking ? serial number is unique, while Lot Number might be assigned to the lot of items

? LIFO, FIFO, Average with Periodic or Perpetual ? these terms should be familiar to accountant

? Inventory Class ? you can group items into the class and have reporting in ReportWriter or just Crystal Reports to summarize by inventory class

? Kit ? item might be a set of items ? or a kit

? Substitute items ? you can have two (GP version 7.5 and 8.0)

? ABC Codes ? is you are familiar with replenishment or manufacturing

? Accounts distribution ? Great Plains first look if you specify accounts on the item level, then if these are empty ? it look at the class level and then to Setup->Posting->Posting Accounts

? Inventory Count ? this nice feature was added several years ago with version 5.0

Add-Ons:

? Barcoding ? you have to check with your Microsoft Great Plains Partner which third party solution fits to your needs.

? Manufacturing ? Great Plains Software bought Icontrol Manufacturing and integrated it into Great Plains about 8 years ago and now it is seamlessly integrated with Inventory Control module

? Web front ? there are eConnect (SDK for eCommerce developer), eOrder, and other eXXX series products that you could deploy. There is a good chance that you will have to develop custom web-interface to your Great Plains back end

Good luck with implementation, customization and integration and if you have issues or concerns ? we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: andrewk@albaspectrum.com

Armor-bearer Coach: Step Into the Ministry of Assisting

I am with you heart and mind...

"Do all that you have in mind," his armorbearer said, "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." ?1 Samuel 14:7.

Have you ever had an overwhelmingly trouble-filled day, where circumstances seem to be against you on all sides? Look in on young Prince Jonathan (son of King Saul) on just that kind of day. It is a known fact his boss who was his father had backslidden from God. His dad had counted only 600 soldiers left from his 3,000-member army. He had just gotten the news that three war parties were dispatched from the enemies' camp.

On top of those facts, the Philistines had banned blacksmiths in the land of Israel. Therefore, there was not a single sword or spear in the entire army of Israel that day, except his own and his father's. A day or so later, Prince Jonathan decided to go over to the enemy's camp with his armorbearer to spy out the camp. He did not tell anyone where they were going. They crossed a narrow pass between two steep cliffs. Upon arriving, he said to his armorbearer, "Let's go over to those heathen, maybe the Lord will do a miracle. It doesn't matter to him how many is in their army." His armorbearer said, "Yes! Do whatever is in your mind. I am with you heart and soul."

The rest is history. Prince Jonathan and his armorbearer climbed over the cliff and killed about twenty men who fell left and right. After that, panic struck the entire Philistine army and at that same moment, a great earthquake came. The Philistines began killing each other in confusion. The Lord saved Israel that day through a man of God and his armorbearer.14

Have you been appointed to support someone in your leadership? Is your heart set toward helping this person accomplish their God-given tasks? If the answer is yes, then you are not alone. All over the Body of Christ, God continues to make specific appointments of helpers to assist His authorities. As an administration of the Helps ministry, He has uniquely formed the armorbearer's place in His support system. It is a part of His design for a team to strengthen His leaders.

Recently, I listened to a friend complain about a Church project using a well-used phrase, "There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians around here. It seems everyone wants to be in charge." My mind drifted as I thought, "How many times have I heard this complaint about various teams over the years. I thought about the need of understanding God's authority structure. It is not a new struggle nor is it isolated to the New Testament Church, as I considered Moses and Aaron's conflict with Israelite grumblers. They had complained against the leadership of Moses and especially Aaron saying, "We are all chosen and holy, who set you above all the Israelites?"

Under Old Testament law, judgment and destruction came to many of those who complained. God, in His mercy, approved Aaron's leadership with a budded, blossoming staff with ripe almonds hanging from it among the staffs that stayed the same. He then graciously reiterated the duties of the leaders and the supporters.1 It is a fact, not everyone is called to be a leader at the same time. Someone must lead and others must follow. From Scripture, we discovered God appoints leaders and those to support them.

When Jonathan is found on top of the hill spying out the enemy's camp, we don't have to look very far to find his helper. He was there with him. Scripture says Jonathan turned to his armorbearer and said, "Let's go up?" His assistant's response was, "Do all that is in your mind. For I am with you heart and soul." 2 Those words are music to any leader's ears, whether he is a weary church leader or a pastor needing an arm of support. I believe the Body of Christ needs those who will support the man or woman of God in a more tangible way. God is looking for people who will be with their assigned leader heart and soul.

With any ministry, gift, or talent God has entrusted us to use, we must develop it to reach its fullest potential. To develop the ministry of helping as an armorbearer, do this:

? Build relationship. Get to know whom you are serving. Relationship will guard you. For example, one key thing relationship will guard you against are the baits of Satan (offenses). When he comes to distort the truth about your authority, you can say, "I know this person there must be a reason for this." Your leader may do the same for you through relationship.

? Personalize your service. What one leader desires will be different from another. Each pastor or leader has a different set of gifts and needs of service than another. Learn what your leader's are and personalize your service. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Be attentive to his promptings. He will teach you what works best for your authority.

? Be pure in your service. Make sure your service is to your leader's benefit. For example, a pastor friend of mine expressed her disappointment at the immaturity of her assistant. She explained, "My armorbearer insisted she come to my speaking engagement for support. I said great, and then she asked if I would pick her up, which was fine but on the way, I interpreted two dreams, counseled her, and prayed with her before arriving at the meeting. I was drained before I made it to the platform." I agreed with my friend's frustration regarding the assistant's lack of consideration for her need. Remember, there is a time and place for everything. Allow your concerns and needs to take a backseat to discerning your leader's need. God is faithful; as you plant seeds of excellent service in your leader's life, He will remember to take care of you.

? Wear Godly garments. Be careful of the attitude you wear when serving your leader. One of my team leaders says often, "I am careful of my attitude and mindset when I serve my leaders because whether I intend to or not I often transfer it to them. I don't want them to have to guard against receiving a bad attitude from me." If we strive to wear a garment of humility, kindness, and congeniality, our leaders may safely trust themselves to us.

? Develop loyalty in your ministry. Determine to be where your assigned leader is. Have you considered where Joshua was when Moses went up the mountain to receive the law of God? We can only assume he was somewhere close by because he was right there with him when he came off the mountain forty days later. Remember, how can your ministry to him or her be developed if you are not in place?

? Develop a watchful spirit. Jesus said to his assistants on the first night of his trial, "Watch and pray?" Yet, they were unable to stay awake to watch. He then gave us the key to a watchful spirit in His last words to them saying, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." 13 If it is your hour of trial or your leader's hour of trial, determine to build your spirit so that you may remain alert and prayerful.

Our leaders are calling for us. They are looking for someone who will commit to the long-term. There are pastors and leaders who are weary in the fight because we have not taken our place. We must take our place as God appointed armorbearers, assistants, and helpers in His army. God will hold us accountable for the support that should have been given if that leader fails because of it.

About the Author
Earma Brown, Dallas, TX, USA
Most leaders need a strong team of support. Your leadership should have one too! Earma is Author of In the Spirit of Armorbearing and Co-Founder of Armorbearers International, Inc. who offers help with designing strong teams of support for God's leaders. Subscribe to their free ezine "The Armorbearer Coach" at http://www.armorbearers.net/newsletter.htm or visit host site at http://www.armorbearers.net for other insightful articles and resources.

Attitude Adjustment 101: Nine Ways to Transform You From Mediocre to Magnificent

"Work on your career and you'll make a living. Work on yourself and you'll make a fortune."

- Jim Rohn

Regardless of the number of college credits or degrees you have, the truth is that much of your success is determined by your attitude. Education is worthwhile but a good attitude is priceless. If you search for a college that has a concentration of study entitled "Attitude," you will come up empty handed. Yet, the world would be a better place if we could all major in "Attitude."

If attitude is not taught in school, then how come some people have great attitudes and others don't? More important, how can you change from a mediocre attitude to a magnificent one?

First, to adjust your attitude, you must be brutally honest with yourself and take responsibility for your attitude. You are the only one who can change you. Be accountable for who you are and how you behave. Tell yourself that blame is unacceptable.

Second, recognize warning signs like negative thoughts, blame and pessimism. Your mind is like a computer; the beliefs you put in (input) create the actions you take out (output). For example, if you tell yourself that you are "just okay," you will be "just okay." What you think about, you will become.

Third, use positive affirmations. Tell yourself every day that you are an outstanding person capable of achieving your goals. When the woman at the coffee shop in the morning asks how I am, I flash a big smile and reply "I'm great" or I'm outstanding." Replace negative and mediocre with excellent and amazing. Stand up taller each morning. Breathe deeply to allow air into your diaphragm. Smile more, even at people you don't know. Live a new level of excellence every day. Reach higher.

Fourth, your subconscious mind operates on images and pictures. Before you go to sleep, envision your ideal day. What are you doing? What are you wearing? Who are you with? Are you in a meeting, confidently speaking before your boss and colleagues? Are you on the beach playing with your children and spouse? See and feel yourself in this moment as a huge success. Do you want a new house, job or relationship? Imagine it as if it already happened.

Fifth, write down your goals. The subconscious mind kicks into action when you put your goals in writing. List three short-term and three long-term goals. Then, give your dreams deadlines (a date of accomplishment) and outline the steps you will take every day to reach your goals and dreams.

Sixth, put your head down and focus. Successful people do not spend time with negative water cooler gossip and time wasters. Set your goals and get to work.

Seventh, think about a successful person you admire. What are his or her personality traits, characteristics and values? Chances are the person who came to mind is successful because he or she decided to be positive and upbeat, to expect great accomplishments and to focus on doing whatever it takes to achieve his or her goals. Surround yourself with cheerful successful people.

Eighth, avoid "naysayers" who shoot you down, speak negatively or have poor work and personal habits.

Ninth, practice these ways to adjust your attitude for at least 21 days. That's how long it takes to form a new habit.

President John F. Kennedy said, "The human mind is our most fundamental resource." Your mind is a fertile garden that will grow whatever you plant in it. What seeds are you planting in your mind? Are you planting seeds of opportunity and growth or weeds like cynicism and mediocrity? Life is better when you have a good attitude. So go ahead and give yourself the chance to move from mediocre to magnificent. We all have the tools. The key is to use the resources that we have to become totally amazing!

About The Author

Susan Young is the president of Susan Young Media Relations, Inc., a New Jersey firm that promotes and publicizes businesses, non-profits and professional associations. She is a speaker and trainer covering topics such as "How to Leverage The Media" and "Communicating with Confidence." For information, call (732) 613-4790, or visit www.sueyoungmedia.com

syoung@sueyoungmedia.com

Where Does Your Drinking Water Come From?

Have you ever thought about where your drinking water comes from? Most of us never give this question a thought. Yet, the sources of our water tell us a lot about its quality.

The Importance of Water Sources

Very early in the development of civilizations, people recognized the importance of finding reliable water sources. A clean, constant supply of safe drinking water is essential for every community. Consequently, the earliest civilizations developed near sources of clean water.

As time passed, people began to migrate and settle in areas many miles from a reliable water source. So they developed delivery systems that drew water from those distant sources. The Roman aqueducts are an excellent example of such a delivery system.

Today, people in large cities frequently depend on surface water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, for their drinking water. Sometimes these sources are close to the community. At other times, water suppliers get their water from sources many miles away.

In either case, when you think about the source of your drinking water, it's important to consider the entire watershed in which the source is located. The watershed is the land area over which water flows into the river, lake, or reservoir.

In rural areas, people are more likely to drink ground water pumped from a well. These wells tap into aquifers or natural reservoirs under the earth's surface. These aquifers may be only a few miles wide, or may span the borders of many states. As with surface water, remember that activities many miles away from you may affect the quality of ground water.

Both public and private water supplies can be drawn from a variety of sources. Different sources of raw water demand different treatment methods to render it fit for human consumption.

Deep Groundwater Sources

The water emerging from some deep groundwater sources may have fallen as rain many decades or even hundreds of years ago. Soil and rock layers will naturally filter the groundwater to a high degree of clarity. Deep groundwater may emerge as springs. In places where the water does not emerge as springs, water suppliers will often bore wells to extract it.

Usually, groundwater has a very high bacteriological quality. Because the water passed through layers of soil and rock, it may also be rich in dissolved solids including carbonates and Sulfates of Calcium and Magnesium.

Depending on the strata through which the water has flowed, other ions may also be present. These could include chloride and bicarbonates. Often, water from deep sources requires special treatment to remove its iron or manganese content to make it pleasant for drinking, cooking, and laundry.

Seepage of surface water recharges these deep groundwater sources. This seepage introduces industrial, chemical, animal and human contaminants into these underground aquifers. As these contaminants merge with natural elements in the water, health threats are introduced and disinfection is required.

Shallow Groundwater Sources

While deep groundwater lays far below ground level, shallow groundwater travels in streams within a few hundred feet of ground level. Access to shallow groundwater is usually through wells or boreholes.

The bacteriological quality of these shallow sources can vary depending on the nature of the underground reservoir. A variety of soluble materials may be present including potentially toxic metals such as copper or zinc. In some places, shallow ground water sources contain unacceptably high levels of Arsenic contamination.

Upland Lakes and Reservoirs

Typically, municipalities place upland reservoirs in the headwaters of river systems, above any human habitation. They often surround them by some form of protection zone to restrict the opportunities for contamination.

Bacterial and pathogen levels are usually low, but some bacteria, protozoa and algae will be present. Where uplands are forested or are peaty, humic acids can give the water a brown color. Many upland sources have low pH which requires adjustment before the water enters the supply.

Rivers, Canals and Low-Land Reservoirs

Lowland surface waters primarily come from rain runoff. As rainwater washes the streets of our cities and filters through landfills and farmlands, it picks up a significant bacterial load. It may also contain algae, suspended solids and a variety of dissolved elements.

Conclusions

All water sources contribute to water contamination. The source of your water determines the kind of contaminants it carries.

While water treatment facilities neutralize most of the contaminants, some escape and end up in your drinking water. Many of these contaminants are harmless and, at most, give the water a bad taste or odor. Other pose potential health threats.

To protect yourself and your family from these potential threats, we recommend the use of a home water filtration system to assure that your drinking water is clean.

Earl Calvert is a freelance writer. His writings include Bible study curriculum materials and articles for national business magazines. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl designed his website on drinking water to educate the public water quality issues.

Save Money on Your Wedding Dress

Your wedding is quite possibly the most important day of your life and you've probably been dreaming about it since you were about 12 years old. The dress you choose is ultimately going to be what people look at and remember about your wedding. That being said, you want to find the perfect dress that will make your guest's and husband's jaws hit the floor when you walk down the aisle. Are you thinking that may be unrealistic with your wedding budget? Think again! We have some of the best shopping tips in order to help you save money on your wedding dress. This way you can enjoy your wedding while maintaining a reasonable wedding budget.

Shop Around ? Don't assume the first dress you try on is going to be the best deal or look the best on you. There are many dresses to try.

Discount Bridal Salons ? Discount bridal salons often have sales of up to 75% off (especially on last year's merchandise) which can save you a lot of money in the long run. If you hear of a discount sale, make sure you know what you are looking for since many women go crazy at these events and dresses are often gone in a matter of minutes.

Have Someone Make Your Dress ? If you have a talented friend or family member who you trust to make your wedding dress for you, you can save an enormous amount of money and still have a great dress for your big day.

Look on the Internet ? the Internet is a great place to search and explore the many options of styles for your dress and you are guaranteed to find dresses which do not cost a fortune.

Bridal Salons ? normal bridal salons (as opposed to discount) sometimes have sales which offer around 30% off last years merchandise. The salons near where you live are definitely worth looking into.

Borrow or Rent ? Some women cringe at the thought of borrowing or renting a wedding gown, but others may not take it as seriously. Wedding dresses are really only worn for one day and renting or borrowing can really save you a lot of money.

Seamstresses ? Contact a seamstress and ask for a quote. It's unlikely that a seamstress is going to charge you as much as a bridal salon. If you do this, make sure to ask about their experience in this area or past brides who you can contact. This will ensure they are reputable and there won't be any "mishaps" with your dress.

Finding the perfect wedding dress is important, but paying a ridiculous amount for one dress can be a waste of your money. Finding the perfect wedding dress for the perfect price, now that's a wedding dream come true!

Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn't being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding dress and attire to wedding cakes and more.