Friday, February 22, 2008

Me at a previous StartupHouston morning networking event.


See Mom!  I really did got.

No seriously, this is a great event every so often at a coffee shop way down town for me, but I am going to make it a habit to go to this.  There are a ton of startups meeting there.

Eric

Blogged with Flock

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Global Warming? -Northern Hemispher- coldest winter since 1966

Global Warming? New Data Shows Ice Is Back

Tuesday, February 19, 2008 11:55 AM

 

By: Phil Brennan

 

Are the world's ice caps melting because of climate change, or are the reports just a lot of scare mongering by the advocates of the global warming theory?

Scare mongering appears to be the case, according to reports from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that reveal that almost all the allegedly "lost" ice has come back. A NOAA report shows that ice levels which had shrunk from 5 million square miles in January 2007 to just 1.5 million square miles in October, are almost back to their original levels.

 

Moreover, a Feb. 18 report in the London Daily Express showed that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than usual, challenging the global warming crusaders and buttressing arguments of skeptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming.

The Daily express recalls the photograph of polar bears clinging on to a melting iceberg which has been widely hailed as proof of the need to fight climate change and has been used by former Vice President Al Gore during his "Inconvenient Truth" lectures about mankind's alleged impact on the global climate.

 

Gore fails to mention that the photograph was taken in the month of August when melting is normal. Or that the polar bear population has soared in recent years.

As winter roars in across the Northern Hemisphere, Mother Nature seems to have joined the ranks of the skeptics.

 

As the Express notes, scientists are saying the northern Hemisphere has endured its coldest winter in decades, adding that snow cover across the area is at its greatest since 1966. The newspaper cites the one exception — Western Europe, which had, until the weekend when temperatures plunged to as low as -10 C in some places, been basking in unseasonably warm weather.

 

Around the world, vast areas have been buried under some of the heaviest snowfalls in decades. Central and southern China, the United States, and Canada were hit hard by snowstorms. In China, snowfall was so heavy that over 100,000 houses collapsed under the weight of snow.

 

Jerusalem, Damascus, Amman, and northern Saudi Arabia report the heaviest falls in years and below-zero temperatures. In Afghanistan, snow and freezing weather killed 120 people. Even Baghdad had a snowstorm, the first in the memory of most residents.

 

AFP news reports icy temperatures have just swept through south China, stranding 180,000 people and leading to widespread power cuts just as the area was recovering from the worst weather in 50 years, the government said Monday. The latest cold snap has taken a severe toll in usually temperate Yunnan province, which has been struck by heavy snowfalls since Thursday, a government official from the provincial disaster relief office told AFP.

Twelve people have died there, state Xinhua news agency reported, and four remained missing as of Saturday.

 

An ongoing record-long spell of cold weather in Vietnam's northern region, which started on Jan. 14, has killed nearly 60,000 cattle, mainly bull and buffalo calves, local press reported Monday. By Feb. 17, the spell had killed a total of 59,962 cattle in the region, including 7,349 in the Ha Giang province, 6,400 in Lao Cai, and 5,571 in Bac Can province, said Hoang Kim Giao, director of the Animal Husbandry Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, according to the Pioneer newspaper.

 

In Britain the temperatures plunged to -10 C in central England, according to the Express, which reports that experts say that February could end up as one of the coldest in Britain in the past 10 years with the freezing night-time conditions expected to stay around a frigid -8 C until at least the middle of the week. And the BBC reports that a bus company's efforts to cut global warming emissions have led to services being disrupted by cold weather.

 

Meanwhile Athens News reports that a raging snow storm that blanketed most of Greece over the weekend and continued into the early morning hours on Monday, plunging the country into sub-zero temperatures. The agency reported that public transport buses were at a standstill on Monday in the wider Athens area, while ships remained in ports, public services remained closed, and schools and courthouses in the more severely-stricken prefectures were also closed.

 

Scores of villages, mainly on the island of Crete, and in the prefectures of Evia, Argolida, Arcadia, Lakonia, Viotia, and the Cyclades islands were snowed in.

More than 100 villages were snowed-in on the island of Crete and temperatures in Athens dropped to -6 C before dawn, while the coldest temperatures were recorded in Kozani, Grevena, Kastoria and Florina, where they plunged to -12 C.

 

Temperatures in Athens dropped to -6 C before dawn, while the coldest temperatures were recorded in Kozani, Grevena, Kastoria and Florina, where they plunged to -12 C.

If global warming gets any worse we'll all freeze to death.

 

© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.







Friday, February 01, 2008

Your state's preamble - ready for a surprise?

Share this with everyone.

Eric Standlee

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lawrence Leathermon

Do you know the Preamble for your state? . . .   Interesting--Important commentary at the end.

Alabama 1901 , Preamble  . We the  people of the State of Alabama , invoking  the favor  and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the  following  Constitution.  

Alaska 1956, Preamble  . We, the people of Alaska , grateful to God and to those who  founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of Arizona , grateful  to  Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this  Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble   We, the people of the State of Arkansas , grateful  to Almighty God for the  privilege of choosing our own form of   government...

California 1879, Preamble  . We, the People of the State of California , grateful  to  Almighty God for our freedom.

Colorado 1876, Preamble  . We, the people of Colorado , with profound reverence for the  Supreme Ruler of Universe.

Connecticut 1818, Preamble.  The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good  Providence of God  in permitting them to enjoy.

Delaware 1897, Preamble  . Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of  worshiping and  serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences.  


Florida 1885, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful  to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this   Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble  . We, the people of Georgia , relying upon protection and  guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this  Constitution...

Hawaii   1959, Preamble  . We, the people of Hawaii , Grateful for Divine Guidance ..  Establish this Constitution.

Idaho   1889, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of Idaho , grateful  to Almighty  God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.

Illinois   1870, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God  for the civil  l, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a  blessing on our endeavors.  

Indiana   1851, Preamble  We, the People of the State of Indiana , grateful  to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government.

Iowa   1857, Preamble  We, the People of the State of Iowa , grateful  to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this Constitution.

Kansas   1859, Preamble  . We, the people of Kansas , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this  Constitution.

Kentucky   1891, Preamble.  We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

Louisiana   1921, Preamble  We, the people of the State of Louisiana , grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we  enjoy.

Maine   1820, Preamble. We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of  the  Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity  ... And imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland   1776, Preamble   We, the people of the state of Maryland , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...  

Massachusetts   1780, Preamble  . We...the people of Massachusetts , acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe .. In the course of His Providence , an opportunity and  devoutly imploring His direction.


Michigan   1908, Preamble.  We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this Constitution.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble  We, the people of the State of Minnesota , grateful  to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi   1890, Preamble  . We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

Missouri   1845, Preamble  . We, the people of Missouri , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness .. Establish  this Constitution ..  

Montana   1889, Preamble.  We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution  ..

Nebraska   1875, Preamble. We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom Establish this Constitution.

Nevada   1864, Preamble . We the people of the State of Nevada , grateful to Almighty  God for our freedom establish this Constitution  

New  Hampshire   1792, Part    I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience.


New  Jersey   1844, Preamble. We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil  and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and  looking to Him for a blessing on our  endeavors.

New  Mexico   1911, Preamble. We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty

New  York   1846, Preamble . We, the people of the State of New York , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its  blessings.

North  Carolina 1868, Preamble. We the  people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for  the continuance of those ...


North   Dakota  1889, Preamble. We, the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do  ordain...

Ohio   1852, Preamble . We the people of the state of Ohio , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common

Oklahoma   1907, Preamble  . Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and  perpetuate the  blessings of liberty ... establish this  .

Oregon   1857, Bill of Rights,  Article  I.  Section  2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God  according to the dictates of their consciences..

Pennsylvania   1776, Preamble  We, the people of Pennsylvania , grateful to Almighty God for the  blessings of  civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His  guidance

Rhode  Island  1842, Preamble.  We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted  us to enjoy,  and looking to Him for a blessing


South   Carolina,  1778, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this  Constitution.

South  Dakota   1889, Preamble  . We, the  people of South Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties

Tennessee   1796, Art. XI.III. That all  men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...

Texas   1845, Preamble  . We the People of the Republic of  Texas , acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.

Utah   1896, Preamble  . Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution.

Vermont   1777, Preamble  . Whereas  all government ought to enable the individuals who compose  it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the  Author of Existence has bestowed on man

Virginia   1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason  and  that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other

Washington   1889, Preamble  . We the People of the State of Washington , grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution

West  Virginia   1872, Preamble. Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil,  political and religious liberty, we, the people of  West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God  ..


Wisconsin   1848, Preamble  We, the  people of
Wisconsin , grateful  to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility


Wyoming   1890, Preamble  . We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties .. establish  this  Constitution.

After  reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe  the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts arewrong!  If you found this to be "Food for thought" copy and  send
to  as many as you think  will be enlightened, as I hope you were .


"Those  people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by
tyrants."  -  William Penn  


-----GOD  BLESS AMERICA ------

 



LinkedIn: So Powerful that even the creators DON'T GET IT

There are two schools of thinking in business networking that I learned and paraphrase from Ferrazzi's book Never Eat Alone:
  1. I earned the right to know all of these muckity mucks and you don't have any right to ask me to share that with you because you aren't worthy enough and since I wont share because I am afraid to lose that piece of my pie that is my network you wont every become worthy asking me to help you.
  2. I know that everyone I meet is precious and a valuable link in my network. You may not have something to offer me or anyone in my network of value yet, but you know people I want to be introduced to and whom I can help and I know people you want to get introduced to.
The founder of LinkedIn is in the first camp.

I am in the second camp.

The sad part is that the founder of LinkedIn doesn't get what I do for him. One of the stats you see on emails from LinkedIn when someone invites you to connect is that 23 people join linkedin every minute.

I know. I am a huge part of that. I drag everyone I know or meet in business kicking and screeming into linkedin and help them take the best advantage of it.

Sadly the founder of Linkedin is deluded and things he earned the $100s of millions making Linkedin himself and doesn't give any of us little people any credit.

He doesn't know that I have introduced billionaires to linkedin. He doesn't know that I have driven sales of his upgrade options even though I don't recommend them as they are not worth crap. He doesn't know that his advertising sales have been hugely impacted by my interaction with linkedin.

Poor guy's deluded.

He has a big head, really. But, he even has a big ego.

I offered to introduce him to some of the powerful people in my linkedin network which might have even helped his pocketbook, but what does he do?

"I DON'T KNOW" button.

If you don't know this, the "I Don't Know" button on invites (aka IDK) is a major slap on the wrist of anyone you push that on. Obviously, this founder of a powerful tool doesn't get the first thing about the power of networks and hasn't ever read Never Eat Alone by Ferrazzi. Putz.

I never get negative like this, but LinkedIn has got to learn to stop spitting in the face of those who are advocating LinkedIn to their networks.

Am I quitting LinkedIn? Not yet. I can use it and have to increase revenues and drive charity donations to my favorite charity to the tune of millions. Despite the backwards thinking at LinkedIn I will use it until they shoot their own foot and make it impossible for me to get any benefit out of it and then I will go on to the next social networking site that makes more sense and invite all of my linkedin contacts to abandon that dead horse.

Until that time, I'd love to show you how I have been able to get the results I have.

Eric Standlee

A Thankful Heart

The power of gratitude

The top emotional need is for appreciation.  I learned that in college in Sociology 101 I believe.  It is so true.

How often do you practice this in your business? 

You want more referrals?  Thank your customers.

You want more production?  Thank your employees.

You want more recognition for your company?  Thank the influencers in your life.

One way to thank them is to write a personalized card.

Another way to thank them is to give them something of value.

You will find something you do that is you that will thank the people you know in a special way eventually.  Until you find that, just start thanking them with time-honored ways.  Send them thank you cards.  Introduce them to other business people you meet.

When I start down this trail, I can get overwhelmed with how busy (in a good way) I can get.  It is so powerful to introduce people as a way to say thank you.

I Sincerely desire the best for you Champion.  If I can help grow your referral network and drive your business up, please let me know.

Eric Standlee
www.linkedin.com/in/ericstandlee