“Ouch, those words hurt. I know you were joking, but what you said isn’t funny.”

“WHAT are you saying? Would you please be quiet? You are embarrassing me in front of all of these people!!!!”

“Oh my gosh.. I can’t believe she said that to that person. Doesn’t she know that SHE is the one who looks bad?”

Have you ever mumbled these words to yourself after someone used their razor sharp tongue to slice you or someone you know? Have you ever felt your temperature rising and meanwhile you had a smile plastered on your face?? Someone just zinged you and it was couched as a joke, but it really stung like a bee?

These are some of the internal things that are going on in the midst of a person who doesn’t have control over their tongue. They use sarcasm and they think it’s funny. They think that they’re the big shot, because they’re constantly on top. They can get out of any situation without hurting. They can survive any where because no one is going to take advantage of them!

I know. I used to be a user of sarcasm. I used to be the one who would unintentionally hurt people.

I’m not any more. I’ve learned that it was a defense mechanism for the hurt I felt inside. And now, I want others to know, there is HELP for you.. and the other side? IT:’S BETTER!!!

I experienced a person who was throwing zingers every chance she got. If you’d ask her to hand you a pen, she’d make you beg. If you said, “How is your day, she’d say, “it was good until I saw you”. People laugh. They smile. But really, what is happening inside is they are screaming, ‘GET ME AWAY FROM THIS PERSON!!!”

It’s hard to look back at myself and realize that I was a repeat offender. I was the young and cocky one. I was the one making a lot of money so I could shoot down anyone and win. My bank account told me that I was as cool as they come. I was successful on the world’s eyes and nothing I could say or do could hold me back. I knew how to play the “Nice” game. I had clients who knew me as a loving and fun agent, and I knew that I worked hard and could make them happy. What else did I need? Who else did I need? I had money and a close friend or two, and my mom and dad always loved me so everyone else could just kiss off!

In reality? I was hurting. I knew that I didn’t have the ability to be vulnerable. I knew that I was covering up a lot of sensitivity that was hurting. I didn’t ever MEAN to be mean, or a bully, but I couldn’t seem to help it. Every time I’d get close to someone, I’d end up saying something mean, sarcastic or cocky that would turn them off to me. I hated it, yet I didn’t know how to stop it.

I was an adult bully. And if you use sarcasm? You are too!!!

Let me tell you how it starts. You were bullied yourself. You had to pretend to be bigger and tougher than you really were so you wouldn’t be hurt all the time. Your verbal finesse got good because you were defending yourself. It probably happened to you when you were a kid. You were probably defending yourself from an older sibling who picked on you all of the time or even a parent who thought that teasing was funny. Maybe it was common place in your family to tease one another. Maybe the others enjoyed the back and forth joking, but you? You were a more sensitive person who took it to heart. You had no other way to survive but put up your dukes.. and strike back.

At the world!!!

I keep thinking about that song that my son is learning in preschool, “Hit me with your best shot. Come on and hit me with your best shot.. fire away” It’s a Pat Benetar song and it’s a classic. You can see how the victim of bullying can BECOME the BULLY!!!

How do you get over it? Well, it’s not always easy!! But it is possible!!! Start by STOPPING ANY SORT of SARCASM. You’ll catch yourself over and over, but find an alternative way to express yourself. Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time you are sarcastic, but just STOP DOING IT.

Next, everyone who is around you knows that it is a defense mechanism. We’ve all watched Dr. Phil or Oprah enough to know that you are truly hurting inside. It’s NO SECRET. You are a BLATENT ADVERTISEMENT for what it feels like to be hurting inside. TRUST me the SECOND you say something sarcastic, people know that you are on the defense. You aren’t fooling ANYONE!!!

Myself included. When I go back to those old habits, which I occasionally do when I’m challenged, I know that the person is just ruffling my feathers and that I can back down and still have my self esteem in tact. It sometimes takes a minute, but I usually get there.

The ULTIMATE thing you can do is to find someone to discuss how you were so hurt as a child. You can go back and relive those things so you can find it in yourself to forgive those people and be able to move on as a healthy person. Yes, THERAPY is a great place to do that. And don’t give me that , “DON”T TELL ME TO GO TO THERAPY CRAP” or say, “that’ s too touchy feely for me”.

I know. I used to say the same thing. But trust me, when you really have courage, you’ll face yourself. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do. And when you really have courage, you’ll be able to discuss yourself with another person. And in the context of therapy, it’s confidential. You might even shed a tear or two. “OH NO.. HORRORS!!! SHEDDING A TEAR!!! “

Ooooops.. there I go again!!! Sorry.

I just want to tell you, that a healthy man or woman has all sorts of feelings. Good, bad, indifferent. They are all apart of the human psyche. We are supposed to be able to express anger. And you should express anger if you were bullied as a child. And if you don’t address this bad habit that you endured, you’ll possibly pass it on to your family and that will continue the hurt at a deep level.

Words are the best things that you can give a person. They are also the most painful thing that you can ever inflict upon another person if they are filled with venom. It’s hurtful and it’s nasty. And if you inflict horrible, mean jokes on other people and pass them off as funny, then you need help. You need to change. And if you don’t, you’ll hurt and be lonely for a very long time.

I’m happier now as a person. I’m able to laugh and cry and express every emotion that I’m capable of having. I know I’m an extremely sensitive person now, but that is what helps me in sales, and it’s what I use as a coach. I can feel for others and know how they feel. I don’t have an emotional void anymore. I feel free to love and be loved.

So please pass this on to anyone you know who uses sarcasm. I don’t care if it’s the priest or pastor of your church. If they use it, they can get over it. And they need to know, that they are being a BULLY!!!

Life on the other side can be great. But get to work guys.. and let me know what happens! I can’t wait to hear what this blog stirs up. I’m sure it will..

But I’m ready. Give me your best shot! Fire away!!! I can handle it. But the question is.. CAN YOU?

COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS

Hi Mary——just finished reading y our blog. I have noticed or did you touch on this. That some people will say something to you that is kind of offensivebut they kind of laugh, if you say anything , they say you are too sensitive-that it was only a joke.. The fact of the matter is that it has given them a chance to vent, or dump on you , and given you no chance for a discussion about the matter.
Another thing I,ve noticed , some people will lash out, another tactic where they get to vent, and they will walk off in a huff. Never mind that they never can find the grace to apologize for their behavior. (E.M. Florida)

Mary, this is a FABULOUS story! It really spoke to me this morning. In fact, I’ve had quite a bit of trouble lately, not so much with sarcasm, but with a contentious spirit. I have become very quick to anger when things aren’t going perfectly for me. I’m glad that I recognize it and can work on it. I have prayed that God will keep me mindful of my tongue and that I will say only things that will praise Him and edify others. Read the following scripture that I was focusing on this morning…Proverbs 21:9 & 19 and James 3 (the entire chapter). It’s no coincidence that God led me there.

See you soon,

JT (Raliegh, NC)

Dude,

Hi there! I loved this essay - it was so helpful - right now I am really struggling with family issues (abusive in laws - my own mom’s verbal abuse, etc) all of which has affected my marriage so much…..my husband and I got into a Marriage Course at church so we are finally looking at how we communicate…it’s great and I am hopeful and I know God is still in charge of even this difficult time for me….

BUT just this morning at breakfast I prayed in front of the kids that God would from THIS MOMENT on make the words that come out of my mouth be spoken KINDLY. I have been convicted that although so much has changed in my heart -what is comiing out of my mouth often doesn’t reflect it….
So - your blog helped! (I don’t even know what a BLOG really is - yours is first I’ve ever tried but this was good)

Your talents are going to good use, girl….

(A friend from Europe)

Dear Mary,

Your article on sarcasm and adults bullys was amazing! What you are saying is completely true. My current boss consistantly uses sarcasm to make points and everyone says he is like a bully. After reading this artical I can confirm my boss is a bully. In fact just last week he came up with a one liner to make a “joke” as you say which was not funny at all. So un-funny was this joke that a small feeling of insult was left behind. Great article, I enjoyed reading it very much. If you have any more articles, send them I would love to read them, keep on writing.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC’s 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

Dish Network is continually trying to meet the needs of their viewers by improving the Dish Network channel packages. This is one of the ways that Dish keeps their customers satisfied. The Dish Network channel packages are frequently being updated with new channels not only to please their current customers but also to appeal to new customers. Here are some of the recent additions to the Dish Network channel packages:

Bridges TV

Bridges TV is the American Muslim lifestyle Network offered in the English language. Bridges TV has sitcoms, movies, cooking shows, cartoons, and news reports that are relevant to Muslim culture. Bridges TV is now offered nationwide via Dish Network. One of the most popular programs on the channel is Each Other, a show about a Muslim woman in the United States who is trying to make it as a reporter in New York. Bridges TV is just one example of Dish Network’s multi-cultural television channels (Dish offers about sixteen different international packages, each in a different language).

Bridges TV will certainly increase the Dish Network audience adding a whole new market that will find interest in Dish Network channels. With already more than seven million Muslim Americans and growing, there is a large audience for this new additional channel. There is also hope that Bridges TV will help bring a greater understanding to this often misunderstood religion. The Bridges TV addition to the Dish Network channel lineup will definitely give the viewer more options. Bridges TV can be found on channel 578.

Voom HD Channels

High Definition Television (HDTV), a digital television format, gives a superior sound and picture quality. HDTV has a very high resolution, about twice that of conventional television. Voom is a company that offered the largest range of HDTV programming but is now no longer in business. In order to increase the Dish Network channel offering, Dish Network has purchased Voom’s satellite. This gives Dish customers the chance to watch several original Voom HD channels

The new addition of these Voom channels makes Dish Network’s HD package the best in the nation. Viewers now have access to channels such as RUSH HD, Gallery HD, Rave HD, Ultra HD, Equator HD, Monsters HD, Animania HD, Majestic HD, HD News and Guy TV HD. These channels have programs on fashion, fiction, travel, science, music concerts and much more. The addition of these high-definition channels to the current Dish Network channel packages definitely enhances what Dish has to offer for their viewers.

Eventual Addition of a Karaoke Channel

There are future plans to add a Dish Network channel that will allow one to karaoke with the use of this new channel. This will be the nation’s first interactive Karaoke channel and will change the way Dish Network is viewed. A Karaoke channel adds a whole new dimension on television programs and how they are used.

This Karaoke channel comes from Sound Choice and was created by OpenTV Corporation. Dish Network customers will have a choice of two play lists with ten songs each that will change every two weeks. These songs will range in style and genre from hip-hop to country. Viewers will be given a chance to try it out for free before subscribing to see what it is all about. This will be a new and exciting addition to the current Dish Network channel packages.

The additions of Bridges TV, Voom channels, and the eventual addition of a karaoke channel, all will enhance the Dish Network channel line-up. These additions will add to the great possibilities available with Dish Network. These Dish Network channel additions will give more to viewers.

Kaitlin Carruth is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing- More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. To get more Dish Network channel information, please visit I-Satellite

Satellite Radio - Its here! Satellite radio is a new service being offered by two companies, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Both companies are offering over 100 channels of streaming music and entertainment. High quality sound is achieved through the use of satellites orbiting high above. Satellite radio is commercial free and free from regulations by federal committees. The impossible, is now possible, hearing the same radio station across North America and from coast to coast. All made possible by XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio.

Normal radio has been around for decades and is part of many people’s lifestyle. This is changing. Regular radio is monitored and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, whom has fined several radio stations and media companies within the last 3-4 years. The FCC has only fined radio stations a maximum of $27,500 per show no matter how man profanities were aired.

Recently the FCC has been upping the ante and in conjunction with Congress has decided to raise the fine up to $500,000 per incident per station (Potter). A slap on the wrist has turned into a business-changing event. “Sexually explicit comments by Bubba the Love Sponge and Howard Stern could get a station in trouble no doubt about it. Clear Channel Radio dropped both shock jocks this year after being hit with record fines.”(Potter) Recently Howard Stern has made a move to Sirius Satellite Radio in an effort to preserve his career and free speech. Consumers are reaching towards satellite radio as a way to hear unregulated news and content.

Recently XM Satellite Radio has claimed to have over 3 million subscribers paying $9.99 per month and Sirius claims to have over 1.3 million customers paying $12.95 per month. Many of those customers pay an additional $2.99 per month for premium content such as the upcoming Howard Stern Show.

Several normal radio stations and media outlets are realizing the potential to get their message across in a broad fashion. XM has launched a morning show, which is hosted by Bob Edwards, whom was fired earlier this year by National Public Radio. “The Bob Edwards Show” will air on a public satellite radio channel that also features news and programs from Public Radio International, among others. Sirius has its own public radio channel carrying NPR programs. Consumers and companies are demanding free speech and it seems that satellite radio is the vehicle.

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio have designed satellite broadcast systems that differ but they achieve the same high quality of satellite radio. A milestone of this success is the fact that satellite radio signals that are available across the United States and into Mexico and Canada. Rock and Roll - No it’s not a genre any more! XM Satellite Radio has two satellites named Rock and Roll, which remain in parallel geostationary orbit to provide radio coverage throughout the United States. Sirius Satellite Radio has chose to use three satellites in an inclined elliptical orbit. This configuration provides 16 hours per satellite of signal, which gives a great redundancy if any satellite were to fail. Playing it smart, Sirius and XM both have spare satellites, which can be called on in a moments notice if needed.

XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio have Earth based broadcast stations that are used to send up information to the satellites, which is then dispersed through out the globe. Sirius and XM both have disk jockeys that manage, create and program music which is then sent up to the satellites. The information is then taken in by the satellites and sent through a rebroadcast of the streams to earth. The Major advantage of this is that, unlike earth-based radio stations whose signals reach listeners 150 miles away, satellite radio signals have a huge reach, and are receivable anywhere within the continental United States and hundreds of miles in each direction of the borders. Satellite Radio is growing to become a worldwide network and offerings are growing throughout the world. XM satellite radio and Sirius satellite radio are making it happen.

Unregulated Satellite Radio is the answer for free speech in a government regulated airwaves arena. Not only can listeners hear unbiased information but also they can listen to it anywhere in the United States. Media giants are jumping to get the piece of the pie regarding satellite radio, as the new wave of the future is satellite radio.

Scott fish is the Owner of Satellite Radio Receivers Sirius and XM Reviews

Top Satellite Radio is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio. Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

Purchasing a church projector for your Sunday morning services will dramatically change how your service is received by the congregation. Church projector systems provide the flexibility you may need to make things possible in your worship service that was not possible before. When considering a church projector for purchase make sure you are getting the best deal of the needs you have.

Some people might argue that instead of buying a church projector, it would be a better investment to buy a large screen TV. There are many reasons this is untrue. First, a large screen TV does not have nearly the life and portability that church projector systems have. Secondly, church projectors offer easier capabilities for hook up to other equipment such as sound systems and computers. Lastly, Large screen TVs are usually not large enough.

There are some specific measurements that need to be taken to figure out the actual size of church projector systems your church needs. It is crucial that you get the right size church projector screen. Whether you choose a ceiling mounted projector or a portable projector, nothing will matter if the screen is the wrong size. Measure the distance from where the screen is to the first row and measure the distance from where the screen is to the last row.

The next thing to consider in your church projector purchase is the amount of light needed in your church and from the church projector system. Any easy way to figure this out would be to take the surface area and multiply that by how many Lumens (light measurement) is recommended by your salesperson. The best thing to do is just take the measurements concerning the church rows in to the salesman and let him do his job.

Beware of faulty salesmen though. If they don’t ask for measurements and want to take a ‘guesstimate’ of what you will need, maybe you need to find another salesperson. The last thing you want to do is end up with a screen that is too small and you have to return it. This is a big investment and it should be handled professionally.

So now that you have an understanding of the church projector screen, let’s make sure to touch on the actual system. Church projector systems range widely in price. The higher the price, the more gadgets you will have to work with. This is great if you intend on using them and have someone that knows how to use them, but does you no good if they sit unused. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what your church hopes to accomplish with the purchase of their church projector and exactly who will be running the system. It only makes sense to me to involve the person who will be controlling the church projector. If they know anything about church projector systems, then they will be a valuable, honest resource.

For more information about church projector and church projector systems, visit:
http://churchfurniture.christianet.com
http://churchfurniture.christianet.com/articles.htm
http://www.christianet.com

The term IVR is short for Interactive Voice Response, which is a telephony technology that allows interaction between callers and a phone system to acquire or enter information into a database. More and more companies are turning to IVR to help reduce the cost of common sales, service, collections, inquiry and support calls to and from their company.

Interactive Voice Response or IVR is one of the most common telephone functions in use across the business community and is capable of bringing remarkable benefits to your company. IVR systems allow 24 hour access to a company from its customers via its phone system. In today’s busy modern world, most callers expect on first contact with a company, to be handled via some kind of Auto Attendant or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. This method of call handling is generally accepted as long as the caller is given ample opportunity to opt out of the IVR system and be able to speak to a live agent.

IVR systems offer a cost effective and money saving way of handling customer calls twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The handling of routine phone requests for information can consume a substantial amount of company resources and ultimately money. Interactive Voice Response systems, tailored to a company’s requirements can provide much the same information as a live operator at a fraction of the cost both financially and resourcefully. To put things in their most simple form IVR systems let callers interact with your company via its telephone system.

IVR systems hugely reduce customer call handling costs, and can be introduced into your company environment in a number of ways. The most basic IVR systems simply allow you to record a message that is played when a customer presses the appropriate number on the phone keypad. The more advanced Interactive Voice Response systems allow callers to interact with a company on a much greater scale. For example you could set up an IVR to retrieve specific account information that is relayed to the caller through the implementation of text-to-speech recognition technology. This technology allows IVR systems to read specific information from a database and then relate that information back to the customer in spoken format.

Typical IVR - Interactive Voice Response System Applications

The potential applications of IVR systems are virtually endless. IVR systems can be used to automate a wide range of services and requests for information. By combining the input of a caller with tailor made scripts, IVR systems allow callers to call into a company or IVR hosting company using a touch-tone telephone, and then to interact with the system in real time. Below is a list of example IVR applications:

1. Automated account payment systems
2. Customer account information
3. Banking service for account balance transfer information
4. Customer market surveys
5. Emergency notifications
6. Virtual receptionists
7. Call centre automation
8. Order status and tracking
9. Package tracking
10. Virtual PBX’s
11. Voicemail services
12. Voice instant messaging
13. Bill reminder
14. Bill collection
15. Telesales
16. Virtual agents
17. Auto attendants
18. Call routing
19. Call recording solutions
20. Plus many, many more

Benefits of IVR Systems

1. Integrated Voice Response systems can be extremely beneficial to companies by cutting down on live call handling time, thus saving money and enabling staff to be free to concentrate on other business areas.
2. IVR systems can benefit callers by either allowing access to personalised information or, directing them to the right department or, by a combination of multiple input types and selections via menu choices involving telephone keypad input and speech recognition.
3. IVR systems allow callers to retrieve or access information quickly with or without additional human assistance.
4. Integrated Voice Response systems allow companies to easily expand their hours of business, without the need for live operators to be on hand. This allows callers to call at their convenience and still be able to carry out a multitude of tasks automatically.
5. Call queuing times to departments within a company can be drastically reduced. With IVR systems, calls can be transferred to appropriate departments through the menu selection process.
6. IVR systems allow company representatives to experience lower call volumes thorough the automation of repetitive tasks. This allows these representatives to manage their calls more efficiently and lets them to concentrate on more important issues.
7. Through the implementation of a good Integrated Voice Response System, companies may actually be able to expand their call capacity and respond to larger call volumes through the correct management and routing of all inbound calls, reducing the handling cost per call ratio.
8. For companies who accept payments via the telephone IVR systems can fully automate this task, allowing them to process transactions anytime of the day, any day of the week.
9. For when call volumes are high, IVR systems allow companies to highlight new products, updates or product information etc while a caller is on hold.
10. Companies are able to monitor call progress and transactions through the use of daily call activity reports.

Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) IVR or Hosted IVR The Choice Is Yours

CPE - This is equipment that is purchased or leased by a customer and is then located, hosted and maintained at the customers site. For most companies this is an expensive way of harnessing the power a good IVR system can bring to any business due to the initial cost of the hardware and installation work that would be required. For those companies that have the necessary funding for CPE there are of course benefits as well as drawbacks. CPE allows you to take full control of your IVR system and will also allow for future company expansion, though many hosted IVR solutions do allow for this also. The main drawback to CPE IVR systems is that you would need continuing technical support and maintenance either from your own internal staff or outsourced to the IVR system provider.

IVR Hosting - If a customer prefers not to host an IVR system on their premises, is restricted by location, lacks IT support or quite simply cannot withstand the initial financial outlay required for outright purchase then a remote IVR hosting solution that can be tailored to a company’s requirements could be the answer. This option is particularly attractive for small to medium sized businesses who wish to take advantage of a fully featured Interactive Voice Response system, with a vastly reduced initial capital outlay, as well as eradicating the need for system IT maintenance, and support.

Whichever form of IVR system you decide to implement, it is better to ask the advice of experts before you go ahead and purchase any hardware or sign any form of lease agreement. A good IVR systems provider or IVR hosting company will take the time to sit down with you and discuss your requirements in detail before helping you make a decision on what type of system you should opt for.

Thanks for reading.

For free help and advice regarding IVR, Hosted IVR or Virtual PBX systems please visit Business Phone Systems Direct for more information.

The Global Positioning System, or GPS is a constellation of twenty four (24) active satellites and three (3) additional backup satellites. The GPS system was developed and implemented by the United States Air Force (USAF) for operational reasons, and has since become world wide phenomenon, used by hikers, outdoors men, and a vast array of commercial uses.

GPS works on the principals of Triangulation. Satellites send signals down to the earth, which are triangulated by the GPS receiver unit giving you your current location. In order to acquire your current location a receiver unit requires at least three satellite signals to extrapolate your location, though more is desirable. It is not uncommon to have your receiver pickup four to seven signals in any given location.

The GPS Satellites send out two signals:
1575.42 MHz - The Course Acquisition Signal (CA)
1227.6 MHz - Precision Signal (P)

All users, military or civilian are allowed to use the Course Acquisition signal, however the Precision signal is only used by the military, and gives much greater accuracy. The signals are closely monitored and audited by several stations, however the master station for GPS is located in Colorado Springs, USA, at Falcon Air Force Base (AFB).

Problems with the GPS System:
Unfortunately due to the very low signal strength (around -127 dBm) GPS receiver units are often unable to acquire a good signal if you are in an area of dense foliage or under a heavy tree canopy. The GPS signal is also unable to penetrate most solid items, and requires a view of the sky to be effective. Use in deep canyons, or inside large cities with tall buildings will cause reduced satellite acquisitions and thus less accuracy or no triangulation at all.

Since GPS receivers have become so mainstream people seem to have thrown away the map and compass which could be a dangerous mistake. GPS receivers are an electronic unit and have the potential to fail, cold climates, batteries, dropping it could leave you lost. A GPS is a wonderful tool, however it shouldn’t be a replacement for the old map and compass.

Fun and Games:
There are a lot of great uses for GPS receivers, from marking your favorite fishing spot, to GeoCaching! A standard GPS receiver is between 100-250 dollars and can be used to give you your speed, average speed, set waypoints (mark your favorite spots), record tracks where you have been and can be loaded maps of different regions around the world. They are a great tool for hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts and can help foster a healthy outdoor activity for you and your family.

Ken Dennis
http://KenDennis-RSS.homeip.net/

XM satellite radio and the American Red Cross teamed up to give the workers and relief help for Hurricane Katrina a source for national radio coverage. Red Cross staff and volunteers along the Gulf Coast now have access to the channel, which is a 24-hour, nationwide XM channel to provide help and information for Hurricane Katrina victims and other Red Cross workers across the country.

XM Channel 248 -dubbed the Red Cross Radio is now available on XM Satellite Radio from the west coast to the east coast. All XM receivers, portable, at home or in your car can now listen to the channel for updates and news. As part of the partnership, XM has donated radios to the Red Cross and relief workers so that they may stay up-to-date on a the relief effort. “In addition to Red Cross Radio, XM offers the XM Emergency Alert Channel (XM Channel 247), which tracked the hurricane’s progress and now provides updates on clean-up, road closures, school closings, and other information from federal and local governments, law enforcement, and other agencies.” - (XM satellite radio)

XM Radio is proud to have the Red Cross channel, which it is using to send out information and announcements to workers across the region. The portability and national coverage of the station allows all workers and all of those involved to be on the same wave length. Support for Red Cross efforts is being heard all across the country and the XM radio channel has played a large part in this relief effort.

Scott Fish is the owner of Satellite Radio Sirius and XM satellite Radio Reviews |
Search Engine Optimization Firm

XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio subscription costs vary and are changing though recent promotions.

XM Satellite Radio Subscription

If you agree to a commitment ranging from two to five years and prepay you can lower your effective monthly charge to as low as $7.48.

XM Satellite Radio Subscription costs are a monthly service where the charge is $9.99.

Adding up to four additional receivers only costs $6.99 each, per month. Certain special channels cost a little more for your satellite radio subscription cost, for example, Playboy Radio, a premium service, is an additional $2.99 per month. Commercial and Business subscriptions cost $24.99 per month. Business subscriptions are a little more expensive due to additional royalties that must be paid when potentially more people are listening to the station.

Sirius Satellite Radio Subscription

Sirius Satellite radio subscription costs are a monthly service where the charge is $12.95. With a year or 2 year commitment, Sirius offers lower monthly rates.

Check out this hot deal going on right now! For $499.99, your radio is live for life! Sirius is currently offering a pretty good deal on a lifetime subscription that is radio-attached.

With Sirius you can activate as many as three additional radios for $6.99 each per month. Business subscriptions are $24.99 per month.

Satellite radio subscription cost is based on the number of stations that you have access to any the amount of extras that you add. Adding special services can increase your satellite radio subscription.

About The Author

Scott Fish is the owner of Top Satellite Radio which is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio.
Scott fish is the Owner of Satellite Radio Receivers Sirius and XM Reviews

http://www.TopSatelliteRadio.com | Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

sf@topsatelliteradio.com

The wireless network in my house went haywire. It worked on three PCs, one had a horrible connection, and one can’t connect. Between Hubby and me, we spent a lot of time researching and trying to figure out the problem. We narrowed down the possibilities few by doing tests. Hubby is the network king in our house and I learned a bit in working with him. In fact, I solved the problem… temporarily.

I believe the wireless on the router is bad. It works fine when we hook miles of cable to it (I’ve tripped over them, knocked things down, and chased after a toddler who grabbed one.). I’m tired of looking at the cables, so we’re contacting the maker of this router as well as hunting for deals for a new wireless router with g (as in 802.11g).

Here are some of the tricks and troubleshooting tips I’ve learned in playing with the router:

• Look at how many computers can connect and how many can’t. This tells you a story. If all of them don’t work, then the problem is most likely the router itself. Maybe it needs a simple hard reset. Try a soft reset first (turning it off and back on). If that doesn’t do it, do a hard reset following the instructions for your router. Mine required holding the reset button while turning it off and back on and not letting go until about a minute after turning it back on.
• If no computer wirelessly connects to the network, check to see if the router still works by connecting to it with a cable. If it works here, you know the router is still alive. It doesn’t necessarily mean the wireless is dead. Obviously, if your router is strictly wireless and not dual like mine (cable and wireless), this won’t work. Instead, you can test by bypassing the router and plugging your LAN cable directly into the DSL/Cable modem.
• Do a little pingin’. It could be the ISP is down and not a router problem. Open a command prompt window (Start > Run > type “cmd” > hit Enter) and type “ipconfig /all” and you should get a response back with your IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and other items. What you are looking for is the IP address of the “Default Gateway.”

At the command line, type “ping XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX” where XXX = the numbers listed as the Default Gateway. For example, my default gateway address is 192.168.1.1, therefore, I would type “ping 192.168.1.1″ If you get a response, then your router is working. Next, try to ping a site. You don’t need to know the IP address. You can ping by Web address. For example, type “ping www.marqui.com” and you should get a response with the ping times from an IP address. That IP address is Marqui’s. How did your computer know this? Through DNS (Domain Naming Service), but that’s another topic. If you can’t ping a site on the Internet, the problem is most likely with your ISP.

• Have a cordless phone? Some cordless phones disconnect wireless connections while you’re using it. Stupid, but it happens. I have one that does just that and another that doesn’t mess with it. Aggravating. I wanted to return the phone, but it was a “no return” phone. If I had known it would mess with the wireless, I would have never bought it. So I learned that the next time I buy a phone, to check to see if it will kill the wireless or not.
• Ensure configuration is correct. Check the router’s manual to complete this step.
• Try changing the channel. If that doesn’t work, change the SSID (aka name) and the channel. If your wireless’ SSID is “Wireless” and is on channel 5. First, try changing the channel to 11 or anything other than 5. If that doesn’t work, then create a new SSID like “Router” and pick a channel, any channel. It never hurts to reboot the router after each change, although when making changes to it, it resets itself. This step is what got our network working again.

The process for changing it depends on your router. For mine, all I had to do is enter its IP address (200.200.1.1, for example) in the browser, enter the ID and password, and I am in. It’s similar to a software or application screen. Enter info, select drop-down boxes, and click buttons to change / save.

• Another good thing to know is to point your mouse over the wireless icon in the system tray. It provides basic information about your wireless connection. It provides information on the SSID, speed, and strength. The blacked out part in the image is where the SSID is located. Also, get more information by right-clicking on the icon and selecting “View Available Wireless Network” or “Open Network Connections.”
• You may have WEP turned on. This secures others from using your wireless because it requires a password. If it’s on, verify each PC has it enabled and the correct password or passphrase.

This is a handful of what you can do. Other options are more detailed and complex. But this is a good start and will help eliminate a majority of possibilities.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl’s notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn’t wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

In the eyes of a teenage girl cellular phones are the best invention since boys. My daughter has had a cell phone for awhile now but it wasy a prepaid one. That was getting too costly considering she ran through minutes at an astounding rate. The day she received her unlimited flip phone she was estatic. I don’t think she would have been any happier if she had been presented with a brand new car.

She giggled and squealed with excitement. The pink face plate with kittens on it absolutely delighted her. I calculated her enthusiasm to be a bit ridiculous but cell phones seem to have an almost intoxicating effect on young girls. After plenty of gushing gratitude, my joyful daughter seemed to float on various ring tones the rest of the day. In record time all of her friends had the new phone number and the dialing sequence began - and it hasn’t stopped since.

These cellular providers certainly have it made. Do you have any idea how many adolescent and teenage girls there are in the world - not to mention the other various cell phone users out there? Just like teen girls, cell phones come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You find them everywhere - in shirt pockets, on belt loops, in cars, at the mall, etc.

Time certainly does bring about change. It almost seems like yesterday when my oldest son came home with a marvelous little contraption called a pager. Hmmm…wonder whatever happened to those. It seems technology is moving faster or maybe I’m just getting slower. I just got used to my VCR when out came the DVD. I still haven’t figured out all the features of the digital camera yet. Of course when I can’t figure out how to work my new gadgets I do what most parents do, I just ask the kids. It seems they’re born with built in knowledge of the tech gen.

Oh and my daughter? She’s up to her ears in text messages and voice mail but it’s all good - at least until the bill arrives.

Darlene Zagata is a freelance writer and columnist for the print publication Moon Shadows Magazine. She is also the author of “Aftertaste: A Collection of Poems” and “The Choosing.” Her work has been published extensively both online and in print. For more information visit her website at http://darlenezagata.tripod.com or contact Darlene at darzagata@yahoo.com