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I have recently been reading about the history of various
religions of the world, and something that seems to have
caused a lot of trouble over the centuries has been the
tendency to expect and/or look for infallibility, either in
human leaders/founders, or in holy writings. This tendency
also seems to have led to exaggeration with regard to
supernatural events. The whole thing seems so terribly
pointless, especially when one considers all of the
problems that have resulted from it.
We have dealt elsewhere with the rather hollow attempts by
various Christian denominations to claim infallibility on the
behalf of the Bible, when even the Bible itself does not make
such a claim. The Bible does say that all holy writings
(’scriptures’) are “inspired”, but no mention is made of
infallibility, nor does it establish the bounds of what
constitutes a holy writing and what does not. Nevertheless,
most Protestant denominations say (or imply) that it relates
to every word of the 66 books of the Bible (preferably the
King James Version for many), and to absolutely nothing
else. They further argue that “inspired” (because it means
that the words come from the Spirit of God in the person
writing them) necessarily implies infallibility.
Common sense tells us that these conclusions represent
incredible leaps of logic.
It is part and parcel of the message of the New Testament
that “inspiration” (or the presence of the Spirit of God in an
individual) is now available to all believers. Indeed, we
regularly talk of being inspired to do various things, and of
inspired sermons, inspired songs, and inspired writings.
Yet there is no suggestion that all of this inspiration implies
infallibility on the part of any person being referred to.
Most of us are able to accept quite easily that we are
surrounded by people who are capable of both good and
evil, moments of great inspiration as well as moments of
great error. Even in the midst of the inspired moments, we
generally consider ourselves free to pick and choose which
aspects of the sermon, song, or writing we will embrace,
and which we will reject.
So why can’t we do this with our holy books as well? I have
frequently been told that such an approach to the Bible
would be dangerous, because people would then be free to
take the parts that suit them, and to reject the parts that do
not. But, hey, isn’t that what people do already? All the talk
about infallibility in the Bible has not resulted in widespread
agreement on what it is saying. Instead, it has been used
as the basis for arguing some of the most spurious
teachings, based on an absolute literal approach to any
isolated “proof text”. Anyone questioning the teaching is
seen as wanting to rip that proof text out of the Bible, and
thus of being a heretic.
Of course every fundamentalist (for that is what these
infallibility teachers really are) reverts back to a
non-fundamentalist approach with regard to the proof texts
used by the opposition… which is why you can often listen to
a debate between two fundamentalist factions and never
hear either side give a truly satisfying answer to the proof
texts raised by the opposition. Neither side is really
interested in getting the bigger picture, because they have
been so heavily steeped in a doctrine which actually
originated from some other source. As a consequence,
they will only cling to those bits and pieces that support their
doctrine, and usually have very little problem with simply
closing their ears to the rest.
But I wasn’t going to dwell on Christian fundamentalists in
this article. I was going to note how the same attitude has
worked in other religions, and, more importantly, how it
frustrates efforts to see how God may be working through
virtually all religions to accomplish his will in today’s
world.
Muslims have been called “The People of the Book”
because of their dedication to the Qu’ran (or Koran), a book
that was supposed to have been miraculously given to them
by their prophet Muhammad. Muhammad himself, was
unable to read or write, and so he would memorise sayings
that he felt were coming to him through inspiration, and
teach his followers to memorise them as well. It was quite
some time before all of these were recorded in the book
which is now known as the Qu’ran. Yet the book is treated
with such honour that a true Muslim would not even
translate it into any other language than the language in
which it was originally written (Arabic). While some
Christians behave as though God, Jesus, and all of the
prophets of the past spoke only in King James English,
strict Muslims officially teach that the language of God is
Arabic.
Once again, we see how a doctrine of infallibility about a
book works to trap God inside its pages, and to negate so
much that he may be doing elsewhere, especially if it takes
a slightly different slant on some issues. If, for example,
Muhammad (or Krishna, in the Baghavad Gita) talks of
going to war, and another prophet happens to espouse a
higher ethic (that of turning the other cheek and loving our
enemies), the other prophet must, of necessity, be treated
with suspicion. Each time someone mentions infallibility,
they are implying that there can be no higher revelation. And
anything seen to contradict the infallible revelation pretty
much has to be seen as being in error.
Even attempts at picking the best from various other
religions (whether it be the Sikhs drawing on Islam and
Hinduism, or the Bahais taking bits from all of the world’s
great religions) often result in yet more “packages” that get
the same infallibility treatment. The Bahai idea of uniting that
which is good in all religions is a commendable one. But
they still take an “ultimate” approach to their founder,
assuming that he is a step up from all the rest. I personally
find this frustrating when I see that the ethic Jesus taught
goes far beyond that taught by their prophet.
There is this tendency for each religion to see itself as not
only an improvement on all of the others, but also as the last
and ultimate improvement, i.e the final step to perfection or
infallibility. This tendency really stifles their ability to grow
and prosper according to the will of God.
I have to admit that I do see God himself as infallible, and I
also see Jesus as His ultimate revelation. I have no
problem with calling Jesus the Son of God, accepting the
Virgin Birth, his resurrection, or even that he is worthy of
worship in the same way that we worship God. But I think
there is room even here to understand that such concepts
are fairly pointless in the real world. What matters most is
whether or not what he said actually works, and not some
theological argument about his divinity/infallibility or lack of
it.
If, for example, “infallibility” means that Jesus never wet the
bed as an infant, never harboured germs in his body, or
never missed a question on tests at school, then I think we
are taking it too far. The Bible says that Jesus “learned
obedience through the things that he suffered”. In fact, it is
quite likely that it was his human-ness that made it so hard
for Jesus’ friends and relatives to accept the Spirit of God
that was working through him in his adult life. As he said
himself, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own
house and amongst his own people.”
I see things like Jesus more or less blowing up at the
businessmen in the Temple in the best possible light… as
an expression of loyalty to God, and not one of hatred for
either the money changers or the animals that were being
sold there; but I can understand others saying that this
seems to be an instance of him losing his cool, and thus
behaving in a less than perfect manner.
I say that to underline the need to do the same thing with
Muhammad, Baha’ Ullah (founder of the Bahais),
Siddhartha Gautama (’the buddha’), Confucius, and many
lesser religious founders and leaders, whether it be Joseph
Smith, Ellen White, Charles Russell, William Branham, or
even myself. Not that I am in the same field as these other
people, but just that it is important that no one teach a
standard for others that we would not wish to have applied
to ourselves.
It seems to be the nature of fallible human beings
everywhere, to overstep our divine authority. Joan of Arc
heard God speaking to her through some church bells, and
the result appeared to be somewhat miraculous. She, a
young girl posing as a military commander, led her country
to victory in battle after battle (an imperfect mission in itself,
in my opinion). But then she stopped hearing the voices,
and she went on trying to do the will of God. Her
accomplishments from that point on were not nearly as
dramatic, and actually led to her execution.
Was Joan a fraud? Or was she just an imperfect human
being doing her best with her limited understanding of the
will of God? And was God even prepared to assist her at the
level of spiritual growth that she represented?
Stories like the miraculous (though disappearing) gold
tablets that Joseph Smith was supposed to have used to
write the Book of Mormon abound with regard to the sacred
writings of various religions. They tend to push people into
an all-or-nothing approach to the writings as well as to the
lives and ministries of the people concerned. Was the story
about the gold tablets an elaborate hoax to generate an air
of infallibility about the book? Or could it have been
something that really happened, maybe even something
that God felt was necessary in order to get Joseph to do
what he wanted him to do?
The Catholic Church has protected itself (at least slightly) by
refusing to declare anyone a “saint” (which really just
means a Christian believer) while that person is still alive. In
other words, there are no “living legends” in the Catholic
Church. People are allowed to take or leave any living
Catholic, including (within limits) the pope himself.
(Infallibility is something only a few popes have claimed,
and only on rare occasions.) But this whole business of
waiting until after a person is dead for some years before
deciding whether they are a true believer seems to be a
practice which has only been made necessary by giving
credence to the infallibility thing itself. Why can’t people be
saints, prophets, even founders of new religions, and still
be quite fallible… maybe even downright wrong or bad at
times?
It should be the right (indeed, the duty) of every believer, to
do a bit of picking and choosing to work out what is right and
what is wrong in every religion. Sure, you can do it selfishly.
And what you get will be exactly what you pay for. On the
other hand, if one makes great effort to be honest and
unselfish, this picking and choosing can get us closer to the
real thing than the all-or-nothing approach ever will.
Jesus himself said, “You can be forgiven for rejecting me,
but you can never be forgiven for rejecting the Spirit of God.” I
think he was saying that it is the responsibility of each of us
to extract the truth (i.e. the Spirit of God) from everything that
we experience, without necessarily having to embrace the
messenger through whom the truth comes.
Dave McKay and his wife, Cherry, are co-founders of the
Jesus Christian communities in Australia, Kenya, England,
and the United States. He may be contacted directly at
fold@idl.net.au. The community’s website is jesuschristians.com
Mainstream Music with a Positive Attitude Music Spotlight Interview with Barry Russo, These Are the Days By Lisa M. Hendey
I live with a fourteen year old who loves to spend his spare time playing his electric guitar and has begun to work on his own original compositions. As a parent and one who spends a lot of time in the car listening to music with my kids, I was thrilled to discover the music of Barry Russo, and particularly his CD These Are the Days.
Barry, along with being an accomplished musician and composer, is a liturgical musician and music teacher. For this, his debut CD, he’s chosen a mainstream approach, recording great tunes with broad appeal. The project is a blast, one parents and their teens can and should enjoy together. This is the kind of musical role model our families need - one who lets the essence of his soul shine through with a fun and positive message.
I had a chance to catch up with Barry Russo and to chat with him about his music, his plans, and that elusive question - how to get your kids to sing in church! I’m pleased to share Barry’s answers, his music, and his great personality with you.
Q: Barry, please start off by telling us a bit about yourself and your music.
A: I lived my entire life in the tiny little state of Rhode Island…and have been a musician since my grammar school years. I’ve worked professionally as a musician since the age of 16. I went to college, figuring I’d do the whole “get a degree to fall back on” thing, and was a psychology major- but it was funny….as all of the other students were nearing graduation and planning graduate school and all that, they would ask me “what are you going to do after you get your degree?”…and my answer would always be, “Be a musician, like I’ve always been.”
But I’m happy that I did complete school. I feel that the more experiences that you have in life, it really helps…as a person…..in everyday life - and definitely as a musician. You have more to draw from.
And praise God, I’ve been blessed in that I’ve never had to do something else to “fall back on.” I have worked steadily both as a liturgical musician and also in the mainstream “gigging” music scene.
I feel that, like anyone, my music draws heavily on the influences I had growing up. I studied classical piano. My favorite material was always the very melodic, “happy sounding” stuff, like the Baroque-era compositions of Bach and Handel and such. I also really liked pop music, especially, once again, very melodic songs, especially when those songs combined catchy rhythms too.
If I was to start naming specific artists and groups that I liked both while growing up and also today we’d be here all day. But basically, in my music and lyrics, I try to capture the themes that influence my life and thinking, as well as the struggles that I have encountered and do encounter. And just as in my everyday life, I try to put a spin of hope in there, because one big thing that my faith journey has taught me is that there is hope. Yeah, I’ll be the first to admit that there are days when that hope seems a million miles away, but I feel that deep inside, I am optimistic- and I try to portray that in my music.
Q: As a Catholic musician, have you made a conscious decision to go the “pop”/secular route with this first CD, These Are the Days and if so what motivated that decision?
A: Yes, I do feel that the decision to go “mainstream” on These Are the Days was intentional. I have written both specifically Christian songs, as well as other material. However, it is important to have a cohesive direction on a project…. So for this project, I chose to record a CD of my more mainstream pop material. I tend to kind of write in that borderline area between Christian and “mainstream,” so a lot of the material that is on my CD still very much comes from a spiritual background. And I was really interested in the idea of being a positive voice in the mainstream music industry, which is so often sending out negative messages.
Q: Without a doubt, as a former “valley girl”, my favorite song on the CD was the totally awesome “Child of the 80’s” - what was the inspiration behind this song and what kind of a reception are you getting when you perform it?
A: I have always been a huge “80s freak”…..I love the music of that era…when I was in Nashville co-writing with Shay Watson (my friend and producer on the project), he brought up a song idea that a friend of his (Joe Simpson-another co-writer on the song) had once had for an 80s tribute song….Joe pretty much had the chorus in place…Shay felt that if there ever was an artist who would be right for that song, it was me. I was so influenced by that and all. Shay called Joe to get his ok, and then we took it and collaborated with Michael Elsner on the music, and then sat down and had a blast coming up with all those 80s images and references…..in the studio was where we had the idea to do the whole 80s style English sounding vocal thing on the verses…
Of course, this was all before Bowling For Soup came out with “1985.” That song sort of beat us to the punch…but “Child of the 80s” is very different in that it actually parodies the production styles of the era, and also in places pays tribute to three big 80s hits.
When I perform the song live, it generally gets a big reception…of course, it’s one of those songs that you either “get” or “don’t get” and I have at times gotten some funny looks from people.
Q: As a musician, how does your faith shine through when you are writing and performing?
A: I want to portray something positive in my music and its message….hope, optimism, life…..all aspects that are contrary to the “Culture of Death” that Pope John Paul II spoke of…and believe me….the “Culture of Death” is huge in a lot of today’s pop music!
Q: Which song on the CD is your personal favorite and why?
A: Picture a father of twelve children. Now ask him who his favorite child is. Those songs are like children…each unique and special in their own way.
Q: Who are some of your musical influences? What have you learned from them?
A: Uh oh……you went there! I’ll try to sum this up…… OK, in the classical world, I’d say many of the Baroque composers, like Bach, Handel, Clementi, etc. Why? Because I love the melodic style…also, the music “moves” and is uplifting. I’m not into dreary-sounding music.
In the pop world, many groups and artists of past and present. Survivor, Duran Duran, The Hooters, Aha, Howard Jones, Phil Collins, Erasure, Men Without Hats, Men At Work, The Human League, Styx, Toto, Billy Joel, Breathe, Def Leppard, Matchbox 20, The Corrs, Enrique Iglesias, Vanessa Carlton, Gary Barlow, Savage Garden, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Clay Aiken….I can go on and on……
I also love the music of a lot of today’s contemporary Christian groups and artists, such as Mercy Me, Rebecca St. James, Kutless, Rich Mullins, Shaun Groves, Rita Springer, David Crowder…. once again, the list goes on and on……
I’ve probably forgotten a million here. What do all of the very varied artists share in common? Strong melody and rhythm, strong pop songwriting, great production…It has all influenced me.
Q: I’m going to ask you to put on your music teacher hat for a moment here. It seems to me, as a mother of two elementary school aged sons, that kids stop singing in Mass when they hit a certain age. What can parents and teachers do to encourage participation in the musical aspects of our liturgy without nagging?
A: Well, I can only speculate based on my own experience, but I’d say that this is a common situation. The children at my parish school are the same way. The little children sing their hearts out…then they hit around fifth or sixth grade…and it’s like they lose their voice or something…
The common complaint that I get from the children I teach is that the music at mass is “boring”…that it sounds like “opera”, or “classical”, and they don’t like organ, etc.
What I try to employ is an approach from two directions simultaneously. There is a lot of GREAT Christian music out there that we as Catholics, especially here in the Northeast, are not often exposed to. I mean, I recorded These Are the Days in Nashville, where they have some pretty popular FM Christian music stations, playing music that sounds just like the various styles of today’s rock, pop, hip-hop, and rap. I have been to services in some evangelical Christian churches where the bands and music will simply amaze you….it’s very lively and very good, as well as quite inspiring!
Many Catholic parishes have now taken a similar approach with the Lifeteen program, which involves a full band playing modern-sounding styles at a mass geared towards youth, which is wonderful!
Anyhow, I try to expose the kids to music like this…last week I had a class of fifth graders, and I played them a Praise and Worship song by Kutless, and they really enjoyed it. It definitely creates and environment where then, we can discuss the lyrics and talk about God and faith.
At the same time, before the Catholic traditionalists out there start warming up their letters of complaint, saying that I’m forgetting the basics, let me talk about my second direction……I definitely also teach them the foundations of our Catholic music tradition…..when doing so, I try to explain the history and why we do things the way we do…..I teach them traditional hymns, and even some Latin…last Lent I had them singing the “Agnus Dei” instead of the English “Lamb of God.”
Another important thing to remember is that no matter what style of music we employ at mass, we must also remember and instill in the children that praising and worshiping God is about just that…and not about our own personal level of entertainment. It’s one thing to enjoy different styles that we find inspiring…however, at the same time, I don’t feel that mass is the place for a full blown concert event….save that for the actual concert time…..this applies to whether the musician is playing classical or contemporary, or whatever.
So it’s kind of like walking a fine line….playing music that is inspiring and supports the liturgy without turning it into something that distracts from the sacredness of the liturgy. It’s something that I feel that musicians of all styles and genres have to pay attention to in regards to music at mass.
I am by no means saying that I am successful in getting through to all of them….I will never know if I made any difference….. I don’t think that we should just throw away our 2000 years of musical tradition…but at the same time, I don’t think we should close our minds to incorporating very contemporary styles of music…even if we can’t do it at every liturgy……
It’s my hope with the kids at my church that somehow, the fact that they enjoy some of the music that I introduce them too, that it will encourage them to be more open-minded with me when approaching the more traditional.
Also, one last very important thought……we must remember that we teach by example. In many parishes, there are a large number of adults who also never pick up a hymnal!
Q: For parents who have kids demonstrating an interest in playing rock music, should this be encouraged in our young Catholic kids? How can we help gently lead them toward using the gift of music for positive and uplifting purposes?
A: Yes, yes, and yes!!!! In my music career, I have encountered a variety of musical situations and musicians. Being classically trained myself and sometimes playing in church has at times put me around the “snobbish” classical musician who thinks that rock and pop are nothing but noise. Two big things I teach our kids at St. Peter’s are “respect” and “opinions”. I teach them that even if they don’t enjoy listening to classical, they at least need to respect it’s intricacy and educational value! I tell them that if they play an instrument, that it is incredibly valuable to study classical and jazz too! At the same time, I feel that it is wrong for the classical or jazz purists to dismiss the other styles. Everybody’s got an opinion and taste…that’s what makes the world go ’round!
There is nothing harmful about rock music provided that the spirit that it is written in is a positive one, and that the lyrics do not promote anything contrary to God. If a person grows to be in a positive place in their life and is a musician, then the music that flows out of them will likewise be that way and used for good purposes. For some, this will happen at 16. For others, 36. For others, perhaps never.
We must never stop trying to lead them in the right direction in all aspects of life.
Q: What’s next? Do you have plans to tour or record a new project?
A: Yes, I am planning on extending my performances for These Are the Days, and also am in the process of writing towards an EP of three specifically Christian songs, to hopefully be released sometime early 2006.
For more information about Barry Russo and his CD visit www.barryrusso.com or http://www.catholicmusicnetwork.com/cmn_cd_detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID= 50581&REFERER=183
Lisa M. Hendey is webmaster of www.CatholicMom.com and www.christiancoloring.com, a wife and mother of two and a Christian music fan and supporter. Visit her at www.LisaHendey.com for more information
let me tell you something
1. God does not exist.
2. Allah does not exist.
3. Jesus does not exist.
4. Shiva does not exist.
almost 90% of the people reading this blog would not mind my first sentence, just dismissing me as an atheist,
However, #2 for Muslims, #3 for Christians, # 4 for Hindus would definitely anger these respective people, and i’m sure they would fight me tooth and nail to prove their point. Well I’m not here to debate the existence of god, just the existence of our ignorance.
Why aren’t we as much angered when somebody talks about just “God” , than when somebody talks about my God. It seems that these people do accept then that there is a God, and there is my God. It also proves that ‘my God’ is not the real God , atleast for me because I’m not angered or incensed or even bothered when somebody says that “God does not exist”.
And while I’m bothered when somebody drags “My God” into a controversy, i am a little worried for the the plain “God” who doesn’t have any takers.
It also reveals that we want to ascribe to our religious beliefs in a way more than the religion itself dictates. I do feel that most of the time the culprit is not “God” who by the way was never clear about his real identity and thus created the plethora of confusion among us, but rather our very own religious egos.
About the Author
The author is a person looking at the world through a different sense of vision. more are canwe.blogspot.com
“Butterflies” strengthen your upper body and help improve your posture
They work almost every muscle in your upper body, especially back and chest muscles. In addition , the Butterfly strengthens arms and shoulders.
As we get older we tend to slump with our shoulders moving forward. Sit for a moment and let your shoulders move forward as when you are very tired. They will be rounded and pushed forward.
Can you visualize how the muscles in your chest can become shorter and tighter when you sit like this? Now pull your shoulders back and pretend you are trying to make your shoulder blades touch behind your back. Feel how the chest muscles are stretched and lengthened. You cannot maintain good posture when your shoulders are slumped forward–that’s why we need to work on strengthening the upper back–to make the muscles strong enough to be able to hold your shoulders back.
In addition, when you slump forward your internal organs are crowded–no wonder we begin to have health problems–organs like your liver and pancreas are so crowded they do not have room to function correctly. Lungs also suffer from not having enough space to properly inflate.
Let’s begin:
Sit on a straight chair, near the front edge of the chair. This is to allow room to bring your elbows behind your body. Sit up straight, feet flat on the floor, shoulders back.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. For beginning women, 3 or 5 pounds; for men, 5 or 8 pounds. The weights are held in front of your chest in an upright vertical position, close to your chest.
Ready? Lift the weights straight up in front of your body as high as you can. Your arms should be extended to their full length over your head.
Now lower the weights back down to the original position. Pull the weights around your body by pulling your shoulders back and attempting to make your shoulder blades touch behind your body. Obviously nobody can actually make their shoulder blades touch, but we pretend we can in order to create the stretch across our chests. Feel the stretch.
Now return the weights to the original position n front of your body.
Pay attention to the muscles in your upper body. You should be able to feel all of them working as you do this exercise.
Repeat for a total of 8 to 10 repetitions.
|
Phyllis Rogers is a senior citizen, Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Fitness for Older Adults. She has created a strength workout for seniors using dumbbells and has taught over 1500 Strength Exercise classes in the Atlanta, GA area. She is author of “Over 40 & Gettin’ Stronger” — which contains photos and detailed instructions on how to do her workout. To learn more and to order her book, visit http://www.StrongOver40.com Or e-mail her at fitness9@mindspring.com |
“And in order that you tell into the ears of your son and your
son’s son how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and that you
tell of My signs that I placed in them, and you will know that I
am the Lord.” (Shemos 10:2)
The Chasam Sofer explains that the whole Egyptian saga was to
mock the wicked. It appeared that the evil Egyptians were doing
quite well. Money was pouring in from the entire world because
of the famine. The Jews were enslaved while the Egyptians were
living the high life filled with immorality and corruption. Yet
in the end Hashem made a mockery of them. They were destroyed
and the Jews left Egypt with all their possessions.
Hashem will soon redeem us and reveal the vanity, immorality and
facade of our modern society. The question is: How much do we
buy into, and accept the values of today’s world?
Application:
1. Ask yourself, how can I strengthen my Jewish values and
disconnect from the false values being promoted by the media?
2. If I had true Torah values I would …
3. The media is causing me to …
Microsoft bought Navision, Denmark based software development company, along with Great Plains Software. Now Microsoft Business Solutions offers following ERP applications: Navision (former Navision Attain), Microsoft Great Plains (former Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise), Solomon, Axapta. Formerly Navision had strong positions in Europe. Now it is promoted in USA and Europe. Navision has pretty advanced manufacturing module.
We would like to give you: programmer, software developer, database administrator the orientation in Navision customization tools
• C/SIDE (Client/Server Integrated Development Environment) - The core of Navision is the C/SIDE. C/SIDE is the foundation for all the business management functionality of Navision. It is made up of five building blocks, called object types, which are used to create the application. These five object types are shared throughout Navision to create every application area, and give it a unified, consistent interface. This powerful language allows for the internal construction of new business logic and sophisticated reporting. Because of the internal nature of modifications it’s highly recommended that you develop all your code in “processing only” report objects and called from the native code base. By grouping all your code in logical units, upgrades and additional modifications are easier to manage.
• C/ODBC and C/FRONT - Both C/ODBC and C/FRONT enable you to easily use information from Navision in familiar programs such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. The Open Database Connectivity driver for Navision (C/ODBC) is an application program interface (API) that provides a way for other applications, such as the entire Microsoft Office Suite, to send and retrieve data to and from the Navision database through the ODBC interface.
• External Tool: Navision Developer’s Toolkit - The Navision Developer’s Toolkit enables your Microsoft Certified Business Solutions Partner to upgrade your Navision solution to the latest version. It is used to analyze and upgrade customer and vertical solutions
Reporting Options - Aside from the powerful internal reporting tool which requires an in-depth knowledge of C/SIDE to make it useful the other options are:
• Jet Reports- Jet Reports is a complete reporting package utilizing Microsoft Excel. Using Excel you can create reports on any table of data from within any granule in Navision.
• C/ODBC - Using the ODBC driver, the entire Microsoft office suite and programs such as Crystal Reports can access the database. I would recommend using this tool for occasional reporting requests only. If you need to pull data out of the Navision database on a regular basis one of the other options is a better choice
• Business Analytics (SQL Server Required) - Using Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) from Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Business Analytics organizes all of your business data into information units called cubes. Using a familiar Microsoft Outlook®-style interface, Business Analytics presents this information to your desk top where easy to use analytical tools allow you to carry out targeted analysis that is tailored by you, for you
• XBRL - Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) for Navision enables simple and dependable distribution of all a company’s financial information and ensures smooth and accurate data transfer. XBRL is an XML-based specification that uses accepted financial reporting standards and practices to export financial reports across all software and technologies, including the Internet
Good luck in customizing and reports design and if you have issues or concerns - we are here to help! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com
About The Author
Robert Horowitz is Certified Navision Specialist in Microsoft Business Solutions Partner Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Navision, Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Washington, Colorado, Canada, UK, Australia, Moscow and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com). You can contact Robert: welcome@albaspectrum.com; roberth@albaspectrum.com
During the winter heating months in colder climates your home will need extra moisture. A humidifier replaces moisture that is lost from heating your home. The proper humidity is essential for your maximum comfort. Not enough humidity can cause itchy dry skin, stuffy noses, static build up, frizzy hair and a chilly feeling. The proper humidity is a personal thing. It is best to start around 60% and adjust up or down until you find the best comfort level for your needs.
So, what kind of humidifier are you going to buy? There are several things you need to know first before purchasing a unit. How much space are you adding moisture to? If you want to do your whole house and have hot air heat, I recommend having a whole house humidifier installed by a heating contractor. This type will connect to your water line and automatically add moisture to the heated air within your furnace.
If you only need to moisturize a few rooms or you do not have hot air heat, then a stand alone unit is required. There are 4 types available: evaporative, ultrasonic, steam, and cool mist. Here is what each type is good for.
Evaporative:
This is the type I prefer. Several gallons of water are stored in a tank in the unit. Water is pumped through a wicking material (should be anti-bacterial coated) and a fan quietly blows through the wet wicking material evaporating the water and adding humidity to the air. This type uses the least amount of electricity and provides 1-2 days before needing a tank refill. Larger console units of this type can allow you to go more days between refills. There is also a UV light option on some units that kills airborne viruses or bacteria that pass through.
Ultrasonic:
Ultrasonic units use sound vibrations to add moisture to the air. The draw back of this type of humidifier is that it leaves a white dust on every surface in your home. The white dust is minerals naturally occurring in your water. It is a real pain to clean up. If you want to prevent the dust you can buy distilled water which is inconvenient and expensive. I do not recommend this type of unit.
Steam:
Heater type units literally boil water into steam. They cost the most to run. No white dust is left behind because steam is pure water. A build-up of minerals are left behind on the heating element. These minerals can cause popping noises and inefficient operation. Removing the mineral deposits can be done by soaking the heater part in white vinegar weekly.
Cool Mist(impeller):
This is the type I remember my mom putting in my room when I had a cold. They are the least expensive units. They work by spinning the water into tiny droplets and blowing them into the air. For a few days use they are ok. Excess water can build up around the unit from unevaporated droplets so do not place it on wooden furniture. I remember having to change a few wet socks from this extra water on the floor.
Overall the best type for long-term use is the evaporative wicking type. They cost the least to operate and do not leave white mineral dust everywhere, and only need attention every few days for water refills.
Article written by Gary Nave of http://www.goto-humidifiers.com
Improving Your Customer Service By Using Help Desk Software
In today’s increasingly competitive global marketplace it is more important than ever for organizations to pay attention to customer service. Good customer service starts from within, by attending to the needs of an organizations internal customers. Customer service enhancement builds loyalty and enables an organization to withstand changes whether due to external or internal turbulence. In a rapidly changing and often turbulent environment organizations can’t survive if this important element of success is overlooked. Good customer service will ensure that organizations can continue to remain competitive in a more dynamic and turbulent work environment.
One of the best ways to provide optimal customers service is to ensure that you can respond quickly and efficiently to customer inquiries and problems. Help desk software provides an organization the opportunity to do just that. Most provide comprehensive problem resolution and tracking that is usually web based and adaptable. That means you can use the help desk software to help customers anywhere in the world and adapt the software to meet the needs of your unique industry.
Help desk software is easily configured to help centralize help desk control issues, track and generate tickets, respond to requests, and provide automated communications via various outlets including through calls or via email. Many can also provide instant reporting and step-by-step solutions to resolve common customer complaint issues. If you are looking for an effective solution and method for resolving customer problems and complaints efficiently and effectively, you have to considers today’s top of the line help desk applications.
Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on help desk software for more on help desk software.
http://www.softwareforbusiness.net/help-desk-software/
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
Testing Ideas
Sometimes ignoring everybody works. But this is rare. And only wise if you can afford the loss.
Success is more often related to verifying that the assumptions being made are indeed valid.
Before investing time and money, test the idea:
a) Does it indeed address the end users problem? Is this a problem that they are willing to spend money solving? Irons that talk to the microwave may sound like a good idea, but why will the customer want this and will she spend money on it? How exactly will the consumer benefit?
b) Are we persuading ourselves that the idea will work? Is there a high degree of groupthink? Are we persuading ourselves that the marketing team will create desire?
c) Is there strategic, technical and competency fit with the firm?
d) What are the practical impediments? Are we considering cultural and emotional impediments as well as technical?
These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com/
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/
Staying on top of the latest trends for all you
“do-it-yourselfers” can be fun but, it can also be time
consuming. So, to keep you on top of the latest interior design
trends we scoured the net to come up with the 5 biggest trends
of 2006.
Hot Colors Are In
Yes, the reds and oranges are going to rule in 2006. While these
colors started to be in vogue last year, this year everything
will seem to be drenched in these colors. Along with all your
reds and bold oranges, it is recommended you throw in a little
kiwi green accent for a well rounded room.
Keep It Simple
Clutter is never a good interior design idea, especially this
year. The trick here is to look like you didn’t spend an entire
week arranging everything just right. Keep it light and casual
but not erratic. You don’t want the messy look here.
Mix It Up
Good news, you can stop trying to match everything! Plan on
seeing a lot of mix and match decor this year. Show off an Asian
painting or wall screen with a Kathy Ireland Home occasional
table.
All Things French
Country French design is making a fresh appearance in homes this
year, especially in the kitchen. Replace the barns and roosters
for a more rustic look this season.
Trade In The Coffee Table
Give your old coffee table to Goodwill and buy yourself an
over-sized ottoman. Just this one accessory can change the
entire look of a room. If you prefer a more traditional coffee
table, go with a long and narrow rectangular shape.
Great Priced
Furniture .com has been keeping up with the trends for over
six years. You can find all your bedroom, living room, kitchen,
and dining room furniture and accessories at
http://www.GreatPricedFurniture.com