“Lord, Save Us from Your Followers” takes a look into the contentious world of the Christian faith.
(NewsUSA) - Although nine out of ten Americans claim a belief in God, public expression of faith is more conflicting than ever.
Even as discussion of religion floods the media like never before, the rhetoric is divisive and hyper as the 2008 elections loom on the horizon. Fed up with the angry, strident language filling the airwaves that has come to represent the Christian faith; author, director, and follower Dan Merchant set out to explore the collision of faith and culture in America.
“To me, the division of America, this separateness, isn’t getting any of us anywhere,” writes Merchant. “And both sides are making the same mistake - they think the so-called ‘culture war’ is a winnable war. Some think, eventually, one side will win out over the other. I don’t see it that way. I’m concerned that calling it a Culture War presumes a few things, like if it’s a war, there is an enemy. This kind of adversarial posture serves to further entrench us in our own positions. The sad fact is our country is polarized because we like it. It’s much simpler to pretend the world is black and white. An ‘us vs. them’ attitude is simpler than critical self-reflection and allows us to blame the other.”
Merchant’s journey, which actually begins in famine-ravaged Ethiopia, opens a panoramic view of how God’s people are viewed by everyday Americans and the world-at-large. From the man-on-the-street blitz of “Bumpersticker Man” to the controversial and moving “Confession Booth” at Gay Pride Day, Lord, Save Us from Your Followers delves into all the hot-button issues with candor, humor and balance. With exclusive interviews with comedian/senatorial candidate Al Franken, former Sen. Rick Santorum, noted evangelical Tony Campolo, conservative radio host Michael Reagan and others, no stone is left unturned in this engaging, unpredictable and challenging look at the conflict over religion in America.
Dan Merchant is an award-winning television writer/producer, novelist and frequent church attendee. Merchant has been happily married for 20 years and is the father of two teenage boys.
For more information, visit www.lordsaveusthemovie.com.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Linda Craft and Team has announced that Linda Craft’s Raleigh Real Estate Blog has been awarded the Thinking Blogger Award by Shak&Jill, a real estate discussion blog written by Kathleen Helbig. Craft’s blog was one of five across the U.S. that received the award.
“I really like Linda’s style in the Raleigh Real Estate Blog because she posts a strong variety of information including community announcements, home buying and selling tips, and advice about the area, along with sharing her personal life,” said Helbig.
Shak&Jill is part of a community portal of websites focused on every aspect of homeownership. Catering to readers seeking a one-stop spot where they can find answers and interact with other homeowners, the Shakadoo community is owned by ShakMedia and has nine separate channels, each powered by their own blog covering one aspect of home ownership.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
(ARA) - The advent of the Internet and wireless technology have made a greater impact on the way we relate to one another than any other factor in the past 20 years. The rapid evolution of these now-ubiquitous technologies presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges for today’s families. These tools allow us simultaneously to become more connected with one another and become more isolated.
These days, it’s not uncommon for children to be more tech-savvy than their parents. As a result, it often can be difficult for parents to understand or relate to what their kids are doing online — a scary prospect for many. But when adults stay informed and approach children in the right way regarding their online activities, technology can have a very positive effect on our relationships and family lives.
Being born into a digital age, today’s children have developed the ability to move seamlessly between online and offline environments. Their online worlds are part of their real lives. Spending time online (even socializing) can have great rewards for children and teens, preparing them for an increasingly wired professional world, helping raise confidence in introverted children and exposing them more readily to diverse cultures and ideas. The key issue is whether time on the computer is balanced by offline relationships and activities.
In addition to balancing time spent online, it’s important for parents to understand the online activities in which their child is engaged. Parents often wonder how children who were raised to be respectful, kind and law-abiding can end up engaging in hateful, illegal, sexually provocative, bullying or harassing activities on the Internet. Any child may be a victim or perpetrator of bad behavior on the Internet. Some of the top reasons good kids do bad things online include:
* It’s easy and fast. As a parent, you have probably witnessed the strong and changeable emotions of pubescent kids. On the Internet, strong emotions can be discharged at the speed of a keystroke, but the ripple effects can last forever.
* There is an illusion of privacy. When kids are on the Internet in their own rooms and the audience is invisible, they begin to feel like they are in a private space. They get bolder because they can’t see or hear the people who are reading their messages or viewing their embarrassing or provocative photos.
* The Internet allows for emotional and physical distance. The child who bullies or harasses someone online doesn’t witness the emotional and physical reaction of his or her target. This distance makes it much harder to feel compassion and easier to ignore or discount the victim’s pain, suffering and anger. The child who bullies or harasses on the Internet is also safer from physical retaliation. Because of the physical distance from the target, a small or fragile child who has been the victim of bullying in real life may then be tempted to become an online bully.
So what can parents do to help kids avoid these Internet and technology pitfalls? For starters, consider these steps:
* Be empathetic — Simply let kids know you are there for them, without demanding that they open up immediately. If you pressure a child to talk when you are feeling anxious, agitated or angry, you are most likely to sound accusatory, hysterical or like an interrogator. As a result, a child is even more likely to shut down, become evasive or lie to escape you.
* Prioritize time together — Find simple activities to share. Make something together. Take a drive. Share something you know she already enjoys, or that he can teach you how to do. Tell a few stories about times in your own adolescence when you felt confused, anxious, left out or misunderstood, and how you came out of it eventually. You might be surprised to find that with patience and persistence, your teen eventually will begin to open up to you on his or her own!
Some additional tips for parents and guardians to consider for navigating relationships in a technology-driven world:
* Discuss when, how and for what purposes the mobile phone is to be used. Set some guidelines and boundaries for yourselves and your kids to follow.
* Discuss personal safety and courtesy-related calls such as calling on arrival at events away from home, or to announce lateness due to unforeseen circumstances.
* Set parameters for total amount of time allowed for chatting and texting with friends and family each month.
For a free, downloadable guide to understanding a child’s virtual world, including warning signs, tips for communicating and great resources for smarter, safer surfing online, visit www.IncredibleInternet.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Dr. Linda Young is a staff psychologist at Seattle University and is a Qwest Communications expert at IncredibleInternet.com. Qwest works with Dr. Young and other experts to educate families about the latest online risks and smarter Internet surfing. Visit www.IncredibleInternet.com for more information.
ARA) - Short for Web log, a blog is a website where journals and commentary can be posted. The vibrant content found in blogs differentiates them from other websites known for more consistently static information. You can write about just about anything — and curious Internet surfers will eat it up.
Want to give it a shot? Creating a blog has been made simple with tools and software dedicated to the process. Have a look at the services offered at sites including blogger.com, wordpress.com and moveabletype.com.
Since going mainstream, blogging has moved beyond the written word. Photoblogs and videoblogs are just as popular today..
So how do you know what kind of blog to put out there? Visit other blogs to get a sense of what materials can be found on these types of sites and which medium best expresses your topic. And once you get started, be prepared to express your opinions often. Your audience will loose interest if your site doesn’t have new information or is always “under construction.” When your site is constantly being updated, people will return regularly to see what’s new.
You and your blog are off and running but is the world responding? Before you revert to those deep, dark secrets lost in a Web diary, here are tips for building an audience:
* Choose categories and titles that best express your topics.
* Use ”key phrases” in your posts. Search engines will pick up these from your site automatically with built in search engine optimization (SEO) in the software that hosts your blog.
* Find blogs on similar topics and communities.
* Make friends, post comments and build networks.
Lulu Hoeller, Web & Graphics Coordinator at California Design College and author of numerous blogs says “Finding other like-minded bloggers and websites that will trade links with you brings new readership and helps to increase your blog’s SEO”.
One of the major attractions to blogs is the fresh air of honesty readers get. The blog is an avenue for independent free speech and information. That doesn’t mean that all blogs are all factual, although some do a phenomenal job of winning audiences by being genuine. “Web audiences have become savvy to advertising ploys and gimmicks. Direct, honest connections make long term relationships,” says Peter Bill, Interim Academic Director of Web Design & Interactive Media and Visual Effects & Motion Graphics at California Design College.
With the possibility the Web creates to reach people, and that creative notion in the back of your mind, imagine the opportunities awaiting you in the world of blogs. Turn your diary of yesterday into a Web community tomorrow!
To learn more about The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Article distribution is currently booming on the internet. Authors do it for a number of reasons.
- It is a good way to be picked up by the search engines.
- The backlinks from your resource box can help your search engine position.
- You have the possibility of secondary traffic if your article is picked up by a popular website or ezine.
Various products and services have become available that help you distribute your articles to the 100s of article directories and mailing lists.
a) Software that speeds up maunal submission, or can in some cases do this automatically. b) Services that distribute articles in your name c) Services that distribute articles on your behalf, but in their own name.
The Double Edged Sword
Many people pay a premium rate for article distribution on their behalf, without the worry of having to join various article directory sites as a member, giving their own email address, and receiving lots of emails from various Yahoo groups.
Unfortunately what they don’t realise is that often this devalues their work.
1) In the author section on many sites, the name of the distribution service will be shown, not that of the original author.
2) Author sections of many article directories are a unique marketing venue. Many visitors will visit the author profile before reading an article all the way to the bottom. Most profiles could have one or more websites listed.
3) Within RSS feeds from the article directories, the distribution service might be shown in the byline, not the original author.
4) Many article directories allow an author to change or modify their resource box. If an article was submitted using an account owned by a 3rd party distribution service, that avenue will be closed.
Complete Control
For authors who want complete control of their branding, either submit manually, or use article submission software. You will receive more emails, but can always have a special email address for this purpose. Googles Gmail service I find is an excellent choice. Article Announcer and Article Submitter Pro are two examples of such software.
Limited Control
Use an automated submission service that ensures you are the author. There are services that signup for members to directories on your behalf, using a username and password of your choice. One such service is Article Marketer.
The Inconvenience
You will have to confirm your membership to many distribution points, and some will continue to send emails containing articles from other people. Yahoo groups normally allow you to select a digest mode, or to not receive emailed articles at all. Most of this is a one time effort, although you will have to be on the lookout for important messages on the email account you use.
The Massive Gain
They are your articles, and you should gain maximum benefit from them.
Using article distribution is much like a varient of Pareto’s 80/20 rule. You potentially gain 80% effective results compared to manual distribution, for 20% of the work.
However if your method of article distribution doesn’t give you all the possible credit for your articles, rather than 80% effectiveness, you might only be getting 60% or less.
Managing your own article distribution with tools such as Article Announcer or Article Submitter Pro gives you complete control to achieve your 80/20 goals. A service such as Article Marketer which gives you full credit, and reasonable control, might be 70% effective, for 10% of the work.
Refining your processes, and only using the most effective method where it benefits you the most, you can maximise your return for the work invested.
I use a combination of service and software for my own distribution.
About the author:
Andy Beard has worked in Sales, Marketing and Localization for the last 15 years, primarily in the computer games industry.
On his blog Exploring Niche Websites read his review of 3 killer article submission products.
http://niche-website.blogspot.com/2005/08/submit-articles-3-killer-products.html
http://andybeard.name
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product, services, and or websites are limited only by your own imagination and energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your own objectives without cost or very little cost that it literally boggles the mind just to think of listing them.
One way is to write an article relative to your particular expertise and submit it to all the publications and media dealing in the dissemination of related information, article submit websites, blogs, In other words, become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get the word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and “tag-along” everything you write with a quick note listing your address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, business, website, products, or more information.
Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of the radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most people realize. Write a letter to the producer of these programs,
then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of interest to the listeners or viewers of the program - perhaps even saving them time or money.
Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include the posting of advertising circulars on all the free bulletin boards in your area, online forums, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don’t discount the idea of handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy shopping centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist the aid of the middle school students in your area to
hand out circulars door-to-door.
Some of the more routine methods include having a promotional ad relative to your product or service printed on the front or back of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your return address.
Be sure to check all the publications that carry the kind of advertising you need. Many mail order publications just getting started offer unusually low rates to first-time advertisers; a free-of-charge insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to run three issues or more; or special seasonal ad space at greatly reduced rates. And there are a number of publications that will give you Per Inquiry (PI) space - an arrangement where all orders come in to the publication, they take a commission from each order, and then forward the orders on to you for fulfillment.
Many publications will give you a contract for “stand-by” space. In this arrangement you send them your ad, and they hold it until they have unsold space, and then at a price that’s always one third or less than the regular price for the space you need,
insert your ad. Along these lines, be sure to check in with the suburban and neighborhood newspapers.
If you send out or publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet, get in touch with all the other publishers and inquire about the possibilities of exchange advertising. They run your ad in their publication in exchange for your running an ad for them of comparable size in yours.
Finally, there’s nothing in the world that beats the low cost and tremendous exposure you get when you advertise a free offer. Simply run an ad offering a free report of interest to most people - a simple one-page report with a “tag-line” inviting the readers to send money for more information, with a full page advertisement for your book or other product on the backside. Ask for a self-addressed stamped envelope, and depending on the appeal of your report and the circulation of the publication in which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with responses!
Don’t forget the power of the Internet, for the last six years online advertising has sky-rocketed and still growing. Use the free online classifieds ads, business directories, local city guides and link directories to promote your business and products.
By using your online resources with your other advertisements you can increase your potential sales and brand your business at the same time. Online advertising is very effective and economical for small businesses.
If posible, join your local Chamber Of Commerce, this will help you and your business in your local city or town.
The trick here, of course, is to convert all of these responses, or a large percentage of them, into sales. This is done via the “tag-line,” which issues an invitation to the reader
to send for more information, and the full page ad on the back of the report, and the other offers you include with the complete package you send back to them. As mentioned at the beginning of this report, it’s just a matter of unleashing your imagination. Do that, and you have a powerful force working for you that can help you reach your goals. For More Free Articles: City5nc.com
If you have a loyal customer base, but haven’t used a regularly scheduled newsletter to communicate with then, then its time to develop a monthly newsletter. Electronic newsletters are a great way to share information, promote your products, and solicit feedback from your most important customers. If you want to develop effective newsletters, you’ll need to follow these seven proven tips for creating winning newsletters.
1. Choose a Theme.
The largest pitfall to developing an effective newsletter is the lack of a theme. When creating newsletters on a regular basis (ex: monthly), select a unique theme every month that appeals to your audience. Once you have identified a theme, be sure that your newsletter content focuses on that specific theme throughout its content. This creates a newsletter that is meaningful and positions your company as a meaningful source of information.
2. Allow for Easy Scanning.
If newsletter subscribers are unable to scan your newsletter, you stand a good chance of losing them. The first few seconds are your most important so make them count. Use big, bold headlines, and article descriptions, providing links to the full article or related content areas. By providing article introductions versus an entire article, you make it easier for readers to view your entire newsletter while allowing them to zero in on the content that has the greatest appeal.
3. Use Graphics.
Producing a newsletter that’s wall-to-wall text will not be able to keep the interest of even your most savvy reader. Interject graphics, product photos, pictures, and so on throughout your newsletter. This will break up those large blocks of content increase your newsletter’s appeal. Make sure your graphics include links to the articles or products they reference as Internet browsers tend to click on pictures or graphics presented online.
4. Include Product or Service Information.
Internet users are very comfortable with product promotion especially when receiving free information or content. They understand that advertising pays the bill and is common among electronic newsletters. So use this information to your advantage. In each newsletter, discuss a featured product or provide a special offer to your newsletter readers. Products or services that are closely aligned with the theme of your newsletter can be ideal. As a rule of thumb, keep the number of products you promote three or less.
5. Proof Your Work.
When creating an electronic newsletter, you should always check your work. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation should be perfect. When users find these types of errors, it signals a lack of care - causing doubt as to the amount of effort used when developing the content presented. The result could very well be an increase in those who unsubscribe or a reduction in overall click-through rates.
6. Be Viral.
Never assume that the person reading your newsletter signed up for it directly. In fact, you should encourage your readers to forward the newsletter to others who may be interested in the content you’re providing. Make your newsletter, and each volume of your newsletter, accessible via your website. Additionally, make it easy for new users to sign up through a link in each edition of your newsletter. When users forward a copy to a friend, they can easily subscribe.
7. Don’t Forget Can-SPAM.
In the footer of your newsletter, include your company name, address, and contact information. Inform users why they are receiving your newsletter and how than can unsubscribe. Honor all unsubscribe requests within the alloted 10 day requirement. By doing so you are meeting current standards and you’ll keep your newsletter subscription list clean.
These newsletter development tips can help you deliver a valuable newsletter that gets read and acted upon. Don’t be afraid to experiment and keep relevant content the main focal point of your newsletter. As your newsletters become more sophisticated don’t lose site of the basic principles. The tried and true is often the best way to be successful!
Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert with more than 12 years of marketing experience. He has appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media
Some 73% of advertising and media executives surveyed recently said up to 20% of their marketing budgets are allocated to using and experimenting with new media platforms such as blogs. Simply stated, blogging is a phenomenon that can no longer be ignored by today’s competitive companies.
First, let me answer what a blog is: A blog is a user-generated Web site where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. The term “blog” is derived from “Web log.”
So how does your company best harness the power of blogs?
Common Uses
Here is a list of common-use cases for any organization:
1. Corporate newsroom 2.0
Blogs make getting the official word out about your company amazingly simple. The benefits include (1) quickly giving consumers company updates, (2) allowing for open feedback with consumers, and (3) inclusion in search engine indexes, and thus possible increased traffic. Companies can even take this blog-type further by creating an online newsletter with community feedback. Another example is the Google Press Center.
2. Product blog
Provides your customers the ability to create an official community where they can give feedback on a product or service. Companies benefit by creating a central place to get immediate, honest feedback that can result in product/service improvements. Another example is Quickbook’s Product Blog.
3. Developer/channel partner network
Similar to a product blog, but focused on creating a place for your channel partners to provide feedback during the product development process. The benefits are allowing real-time input from your partners as well as keeping them up to date with your industry. An example is the Yahoo Developer Network.
4. Event/promotional blog
Blogs do not need to be permament. Often, short-lived blogs are used as a central communication for an upcoming event. SoCon07—the “social media mashup of the south”—utilizes a blog to keep attendees in the know about news leading up to their big event. Another example is the Fundraisers Blog.
5. CEO/thought-leader blog
Unfortunately, most companies only consider this use of a blog. They were the focus of early blog adopters and thus set the stage for organizations considering a blog. Be smart and don’t limit your blog to just the CEO. An example is Jason Calacanis of Sequoia Capital.
6. Company evangelist
Liberate the intellectual capital of your organization with a Company Evangelist blog. These blogs are typically led by company middle managers who are also embedded in blogging circles. Because these are written in a less formal manner as a CEO/Thought Leader Blog, the content tends to be viewed as more trustworthy. An example is Matt Cutts, a well-known blogger who works at Google.
7. Internal blogs
Unfortunately, you will never see some of the most useful blogs. Your team, however, can benefit by creating internal blogs to share links, collaborate and educate. Many are inaccessible, but Adobe, for example, makes a list open to the community.
So which blog is best for your company?
As with the best advice of an investment portfolio—diversify. Don’t limit or constrain your blog to only one single use. Experiment with several different ones until you find one that connects best with your audience. Whatever the blog, make it a corporate initiative to get one started now.
What is clear and well-established are the benefits of blogs. For marketing, you will see improved search rankings, increased web traffic, and quick adoption into the search engines. What is sometimes forgotten, however, are the customer service benefits—any customer can appreciate honest, open communication.
