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Sunday, March 24, 2013
Deal of the Day ? Dell Inspiron 15z Core i7 Ultrabook with 2GB GeForce GT 630M
Sunday’s LogicBUY Deal is the lowest price ever for the?15.6″ Dell Inspiron 15z (5523) Core i7 Ultrabook for?$689.99. ?Features: ?Core i3 laptop with a non-touch display 6GB RAM 500GB hard drive with 32GB mSSD 2GB GeForce GT 630M graphics Skullcandy audio with WaveMaxx 4.0 Windows 8 Backlit keyboard 90-day Premium Phone support and regular 1-year [...]
Company Doctor Outright Lying. Misrepresenting, Making Half Truth ...
My workers compensation claim was made in the State of: texas
Today I got the company doctor's copy of report mailed by the insurance company .
The report is dated beginning of December 2012. Today is March 21, 2012.
I had no knowledge of this report as this was not mailed to me before and neither the insurance adjuster told me about this before.
Company doctor looked at medical records (did not see me) and is writing that I have been getting treatment for cervical spine. I had a cervical injury (but my treatment for that has been over since last 5 years) and then after treatment the insurance company send me to their company doctor who caused me Low back injury - a extruded disc and for which I have been getting treatment.
So the company doctor is outright lying.
Then he is writing that my pain is coming from spondylosis and arthritis!! Well my pain started after disc injury in low back given by this same company who has a bunch of Company doctors working for the insurance company.
And I have pain only on my right side and in a specifics area of low back..
The company doctors report makes no mention of that. None whatsoever.
But he is stating that probably I had spondylosis and arthritis before and that was "aggravated" by the injury..Stillmentioning not a single word that it was them this company which contracts out to insurance company who caused me my disc injury.
I beliEve no I know 100 percent that this doctor is a COMPANY WHORE...
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Saturday, March 23, 2013
Obama Blurs Line Between Law Enforcement And Military - OpEd ...
By Jim Kouri -- (March 22, 2013)
While some law enforcement commanders and officers welcome federal assistance during emergencies, others are less enthusiastic about having military personnel involved in operations within their jurisdictions. They believe President Barack Obama and others in government wish to blur the line between policing and warfighting, several experts said following a congressional hearing on Wednesday, March 20.
U.S. Northern Command claims it is working with its partners to improve its ability to support civil authorities during disaster responses, and is now better postured to do so through a new construct that improves coordination among the forces involved, the Northcom commander told Congress during Wednesday?s hearing.
Pointing to the command?s role when Hurricane Sandy dealt a devastating blow to the Atlantic coast in October, Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby told the House Armed Services Committee that NORTHCOM gained valuable insights and experience that will pay off in the future, according to Donna Mills of the American Forces Press Service.
In a report released to the US Congress recently, analysts assessed what they termed ?preparedness tests? between the US military and government agencies at the federal, state and local levels.
U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) exercises to test preparedness to perform its homeland defense and civil support missions. The Government Accountability Office was asked to assess the extent to which NORTHCOM is consistent with Department of Defense guidelines for training and exercise requirement involving interagency partners and states in its exercises.
NORTHCOM?s exercise program is generally consistent with the requirements of DOD?s Joint Training System, but its exercise reporting is inconsistent. Since the command was established in 2002, NORTHCOM has conducted 13 large-scale exercises and generally completed exercise summary reports within the required time frame.
However, those reports did not consistently include certain information, such as areas needing improvement, because NORTHCOM lacks guidance that specifies exercise reports? content and format, potentially impacting its ability to meet internal standards for planning and execution of joint exercises, and to compare and share exercise results over time with interagency partners and states.
?While the rationale for using the US military domestically had been debated for years, President Barack Obama appears intent on using our military at least until he can create his promised ?Civilian Security Force? which he said would be as big and powerful as the military,? said political strategist Mike Baker.
?The fact that the military ? in this instance NORTHCOM ? is being trained to operate with our borders should be setting off alarms throughout this nation. But it?s being ignored even by those who profess to be conservatives,? he said.
Nineteen federal agencies and organizations and 17 states and the District of Columbia have participated in one or more of the seven large-scale exercises that NORTHCOM has conducted since September 2005. However, NORTHCOM faces challenges in involving states in the planning, conduct, and assessment of its exercises, such as adapting its exercise system and practices to involve other federal, state, local, and tribal agencies that do not have the same practices or level of planning resources.
Pointing to the command?s role when Hurricane Sandy dealt a devastating blow to the Atlantic coast in October, Army Gen. Charles H. Jacoby told the House Armed Services Committee that Northcom gained valuable insights and experience that will pay off in the future.
?Hurricane Sandy offered us a glimpse of what a complex catastrophe which spanned several states and regions could look like,? he told the panel. The challenge now, he said, is to build on lessons learned to improve the processes Northcom provides the Federal Emergency Management Agency or other designated lead federal agencies.
Inconsistencies with how NORTHCOM involves states in exercises are occurring in part because NORTHCOM officials lack experience dealing with states and do not have a consistent process for including states in exercises. Without such a process, NORTHCOM increases the risk that its exercises will not provide benefits for all participants, impact the seamless exercise of all levels of government, and potentially affect NORTHCOM?s ability to provide civil support capabilities.
?It is up to the residents of individual states to tell their governors they do not want the federal government intruding on law enforcement and public safety issues,? said former NYPD detective and Marine intelligence officer Sid Frances.
?This is especially true if their governors share the same political philosophy as the President and his minions in Washington,? he added.
Source: http://www.albanytribune.com/22032013-obama-blurs-line-between-law-enforcement-and-military-oped/
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McDonald's adds new chicken McWrap to menu
McDonald's is adding a permanent new offering to its menu: chicken McWraps.
The world's biggest hamburger chain says the new sandwich wrap will come in three varieties ? Chicken & Bacon, Sweet Chili Chicken and Chicken & Ranch. The company already offers similar wraps in other parts of the world, including Europe.
The Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain says the McWraps use the same type of flour tortillas and chicken as its snack wraps, which were introduced in 2006. But two of the new McWraps will come with cucumbers, which the company says will mark the first time the vegetable will be part of its core menu. The wraps range from 360 to 600 calories, depending on whether people pick grilled or deep-fried chicken.
McDonald's Corp. has been stepping up the pace of its new menu offerings as it struggles to grow sales in the challenging economy. Last year, the company ousted the head of its U.S. division after a monthly sales figure fell for the first time in nearly a decade.
By refreshing its menu, McDonald's is hoping to hold onto customers as it faces a shifting industry and intensifying competition from the likes of Burger King and Wendy's. Next week, for instance, The Wendy's Co. plans to roll out its "Flatbread Grilled Chicken Sandwiches" in two varieties; an Asiago Ranch flavor will have 530 calories and the Honey Mustard flavor will have 370 calories.
The latest offerings also reflect the changing tastes of diners, who are increasingly looking for more premium ingredients with a healthier image ? even at fast-food chains. McDonald's, for example, is officially calling the new wraps "Premium McWraps." It also plans to offer a version of its Egg McMuffin made with egg whites starting April 22. And this week, Burger King Worldwide Inc. rolled out its first turkey burger following the success of turkey burgers at Carl's Jr. and Hardee's.
Dan Coudreaut, director of culinary innovation of McDonald's, says the wraps will be a new "platform" and that different varieties are already in the pipeline. These could include spicy or Cajun flavors, he said. In Europe, he noted, there is a shrimp McWrap.
"It's the benefit of McDonald's being a global system," he said, noting that the company can take successful items from around the world and adapt them to other markets. The Sweet Chili Chicken McWrap, for instance, was first offered in Australia.
Although the chicken McWraps officially launch nationwide next week, the company says many restaurants already have them. The suggested price for a wrap is $3.99.
National advertising is set to start April 1.
? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Friday, March 22, 2013
Obama warns of 'enclave for extremism' in Syria
U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Jordan's King Abdullah II, right, shake hands following their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan, Friday, March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
U.S. President Barack Obama, left, and Jordan's King Abdullah II, right, shake hands following their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan, Friday, March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama walks with Jordan's King Abdullah II to participate in an official arrival ceremony, Friday, March 22, 2013, at Al-Hummar Palace, the residence of Jordanian King Abdullah II, in Amman, Jordan. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdullah II walk from an official arriveal ceremony at Al-Hummar Palace, the residence of Jordanian King Abdullah II, Friday, March 22, 2013, in Amman, Jordan. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama listens as Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks during their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan Friday, March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama and Jordan's King Abdullah II arrive for their joint new conference at the King's Palace in Amman, Jordan Friday, March 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? President Barack Obama warned Friday that an "enclave for extremism" could fill a leadership void in war-torn Syria, a chilling scenario for an already tumultuous region, especially for Jordan, Syria's neighbor and a nation at the crossroads of the struggle for stability in the Middle East.
In a significant step toward easing regional tensions, Obama also brokered a phone call between leaders from Israel and Turkey that resulted in an extraordinary apology from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a deadly 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish flotilla. The call marked a diplomatic victory for the president and a crucial realignment in the region, given Israel's and Turkey's shared interests, in particular the fear that Syria's civil war could spill over their respective borders.
Obama said he remains confident that embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad's government will ultimately collapse. But he warned that when that happens, Syria would not be "put back together perfectly," and he said he fears the nation could become a hotbed for extremists.
"I am very concerned about Syria becoming an enclave for extremism, because extremists thrive in chaos," Obama said during a joint news conference with Jordan's King Abdullah II. "They thrive in failed states, they thrive in power vacuums."
More than 70,000 people have been killed during the two-year conflict in Syria, making it by far the deadliest of the Arab Spring uprisings that have roiled the region since 2011. Longtime autocrats in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Libya have been ousted, ushering in new governments that are sometimes at odds with the Obama administration and its Mideast allies.
Obama's 24-hour stop in Jordan marked his first visit to an Arab nation since the 2011 Mideast protests began. Jordan's monarchy has clung to power in part by enacting political reforms, including parliamentary elections and significant revisions to the country's 60-year-old constitution. Still, tensions continue to simmer, with the restive population questioning the speed and seriousness of the changes.
Protecting Abdullah is paramount to U.S. interests. The 51-year-old king is perhaps Obama's strongest Arab ally and a key player in efforts to jumpstart peace talks between Palestinians and Israel. Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel, and that agreement has become even more significant given the rise of Islamist leaders in Egypt, which was the first Arab country to ink a treaty with the Jewish state, in the 1970s.
Egypt's new leaders have so far pledged to uphold the treaty, though there are strong concerns in Israel and the U.S. about whether that will hold.
By virtue of geography, Jordan's future is particularly vulnerable to the turmoil in the Middle East. It shares borders with Iraq, Israel and the West Bank, in addition to Syria. More than 460,000 Syrians have flowed across the Jordanian border seeking refuge since the civil war began, seeking an escape from the violence.
The flood of refugees has overwhelmed the country of 6 million people, straining Jordan's resources, including health care and education, and pushing the budget deficit to a record high $3 billion last year. Abdullah also fears the half-million refugees could create a regional base for extremists and terrorists, saying recently that such elements were already "establishing firm footholds in some areas."
Obama announced that his administration planned to work with Congress to allocate $200 million to Jordan to help ease the financial burden.
Despite the influx, Abdullah firmly declared Jordan would not close its borders to the refugees, many women and children.
"This is something that we just can't do," he said. "It's not the Jordanian way. We have historically opened our arms to many of our neighbors through many decades of Jordan's history."
Obama had come to Jordan from Israel, where he spent three days coaxing Netanyahu to apologize to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for Israel's role in the deaths of nine Turkish activists during a naval raid on a Gaza-bound international flotilla. The 20-minute phone call took place just before Obama departed, in a trailer on the airport tarmac near a waiting Air Force One, and resulted in the restoration of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries.
"The timing was good for that conversation to take place," Obama said, adding that the phone call was the first step in rebuilding trust between Israel and Turkey.
The president opened the last full day of his Mideast trip with a series of stops around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, all steeped in political and religious symbolism.
Accompanied by Netanyahu and Israeli President Shimon Peres, Obama laid wreaths at the graves of Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism who died in 1904 before realizing his dream of a Jewish homeland, and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995.
Obama and his hosts arrived at the Herzl grave site under cloudless skies. Obama approached Herzl's resting place alone and bowed his head in silence. He turned briefly to ask Netanyahu where to place a small stone in the Jewish custom, then laid the stone atop the grave.
"It is humbling and inspiring to visit and remember the visionary who began the remarkable establishment of the State of Israel," Obama wrote in a guestbook. "May our two countries possess the same vision and will to secure peace and prosperity for future generations."
At Rabin's grave a short walk away, Obama was greeted by members of the late leader's family. He initially placed a stone on Rabin's wife's side of the grave, then returned to place one atop Rabin's side. In a gesture linking the U.S. and Israel, the stone placed on Rabin's grave was from the grounds of the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, the White House said.
Friday's stop at Herzl's grave, together with Obama's earlier viewing of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the ancient Hebrew texts, were an attempt by the president to emphasize his view that the rationale for Israel's existence rests with its historical ties to the region and with a vision that predated the Holocaust. Obama was criticized in Israel for his 2009 Cairo speech in which he gave only the example of the Holocaust as reason justifying Israel's existence.
Obama was to make a stop Saturday at Petra, Jordan's fabled ancient city, before flying back to Washington.
___
Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jamal Halaby contributed to this report.
___
Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
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Program improves Ph.D. student diversity
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Public release date: 21-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: David Orenstein
david_orenstein@brown.edu
401-863-1862
Brown University
Study documents increases in applications, enrollment, performance
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] A new paper in the peer-reviewed journal CBELife Sciences Education describes a Brown University program that has significantly improved recruiting and performance of underrepresented minority students in its nine life sciences doctoral programs over the last four years.
Data in the paper show increases in applications, admissions, enrollments, test scores, grades and scientific publications and presentations among underrepresented minority students after implementation of the program called the Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD).
"The pool of really good students is out there and we're getting them," said Andrew Campbell, associate professor of medical science in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and the paper's corresponding author.
Peter M. Weber, dean of the Brown Graduate School, praised the success of IMSD, which is funded by a competitive grant from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences. "I'm excited that we can present such encouraging results from an innovative program built by our faculty," Weber said. "This is a great example of what our broad commitment to creating a more diverse student body at Brown can yield."
Three-part strategy
Campbell developed IMSD's three-pronged approach in 2006 and 2007 as director of Brown's pathobiology Ph.D. program. The strategy was to forge partnerships with undergraduate institutions with high underrepresented minority enrollments, to develop minicourses that build skills needed for doctoral studies, and to involve fellow graduate school faculty members deeply in the partnerships and in training and mentoring admitted students.
The idea's success in improving student numbers and quality in pathobiology allowed Campbell and co-author Nancy Thompson, professor emerita of medicine, to apply for the NIGMS grant to expand the program to all nine doctoral training programs starting in the 2008-09 academic year. The grant was recently renewed until 2017.
Campbell directs IMSD with Elizabeth Harrington, associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies.
Early on, one of Campbell's insights was that many qualified underrepresented minority students simply might not be aware of Brown and would not think to apply. Forging the partnerships with York College, St. John's University, North Carolina A&T State University and more recently the College of Mount Saint Vincent, which all have high populations of underrepresented minorities in the sciences, encouraged students there to consider Brown. It also allowed Brown professors to analyze their undergraduate curricula with enough understanding to see where students might have gaps in the training needed for doctoral-level studies. Some of this could be addressed with the minicourses designed by IMSD.
Among the courses are modules such as, "Defending Your Research Proposal and Critiquing Those of Others," and "Beyond the Hypothesis: Experimental Design and Critical Analysis."
Over the last four years, Campbell notes, students from all ethnic backgrounds have taken advantage of the courses, not just those recruited through IMSD. "All of these program practices aren't just applicable to underrepresented minority students, he said. "All of these components are useful for all students."
Diversity Data
The results of program practices are presented in the paper. In 2011-12 the percentage of all newly enrolled life sciences doctoral students who are from underrepresented minority groups was 23 percent, compared to 17 percent in 2007-08, the year before IMSD began outside of pathobiology. The underrepresented minority proportion of new applications and new admissions also rose.
In 2011-12 about one in five Brown life science doctoral students was from an underrepresented minority group, compared about one in 10 nationally. Meanwhile all nine life sciences doctoral programs at Brown enrolled underrepresented minority students in 2011-12. Only five had such enrollments in 2007-08.
"Participants in the IMSD program can achieve just as much as students who don't participate in the program," Campbell said. "It's not by changing academic expectations but by providing what I call the appropriate training scaffolds."
The academic qualifications and performance of underrepresented minority students has been rising since implementation of the IMSD, the data in the paper show. The mean undergraduate grade point averages and graduate readiness examination scores of newly enrolled underrepresented minority students all rose to varying degrees between 2007-08 and 2011-12. Campbell and Thompson also counted scientific publications and presentations by underrepresented minority students during 2005-07 and 2008-11 and found statistically significant increases over time. Fellowship awards and travel awards to students also increased in absolute terms but not with statistical significance.
Meanwhile, dozens of faculty members have collaborated on the work of the IMSD program.
"This really says something about the work that our faculty [in the life science programs] have done," Campbell said.
In the paper, Thompson and Campbell conclude that graduate programs at other institutions can do this, too. "The practices described here are generalizable and can be expected to lead to similar outcomes when applied elsewhere," they wrote. "As a result, we look forward to seeing measurable advances in the representation of racial, ethnic, and other disadvantaged individuals in the scientific workforce."
###
The NIGMS grants supporting the IMSD are 1R25GM083270 and 1R25GM083270-S1.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 21-Mar-2013[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: David Orenstein
david_orenstein@brown.edu
401-863-1862
Brown University
Study documents increases in applications, enrollment, performance
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] A new paper in the peer-reviewed journal CBELife Sciences Education describes a Brown University program that has significantly improved recruiting and performance of underrepresented minority students in its nine life sciences doctoral programs over the last four years.
Data in the paper show increases in applications, admissions, enrollments, test scores, grades and scientific publications and presentations among underrepresented minority students after implementation of the program called the Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD).
"The pool of really good students is out there and we're getting them," said Andrew Campbell, associate professor of medical science in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and the paper's corresponding author.
Peter M. Weber, dean of the Brown Graduate School, praised the success of IMSD, which is funded by a competitive grant from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences. "I'm excited that we can present such encouraging results from an innovative program built by our faculty," Weber said. "This is a great example of what our broad commitment to creating a more diverse student body at Brown can yield."
Three-part strategy
Campbell developed IMSD's three-pronged approach in 2006 and 2007 as director of Brown's pathobiology Ph.D. program. The strategy was to forge partnerships with undergraduate institutions with high underrepresented minority enrollments, to develop minicourses that build skills needed for doctoral studies, and to involve fellow graduate school faculty members deeply in the partnerships and in training and mentoring admitted students.
The idea's success in improving student numbers and quality in pathobiology allowed Campbell and co-author Nancy Thompson, professor emerita of medicine, to apply for the NIGMS grant to expand the program to all nine doctoral training programs starting in the 2008-09 academic year. The grant was recently renewed until 2017.
Campbell directs IMSD with Elizabeth Harrington, associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies.
Early on, one of Campbell's insights was that many qualified underrepresented minority students simply might not be aware of Brown and would not think to apply. Forging the partnerships with York College, St. John's University, North Carolina A&T State University and more recently the College of Mount Saint Vincent, which all have high populations of underrepresented minorities in the sciences, encouraged students there to consider Brown. It also allowed Brown professors to analyze their undergraduate curricula with enough understanding to see where students might have gaps in the training needed for doctoral-level studies. Some of this could be addressed with the minicourses designed by IMSD.
Among the courses are modules such as, "Defending Your Research Proposal and Critiquing Those of Others," and "Beyond the Hypothesis: Experimental Design and Critical Analysis."
Over the last four years, Campbell notes, students from all ethnic backgrounds have taken advantage of the courses, not just those recruited through IMSD. "All of these program practices aren't just applicable to underrepresented minority students, he said. "All of these components are useful for all students."
Diversity Data
The results of program practices are presented in the paper. In 2011-12 the percentage of all newly enrolled life sciences doctoral students who are from underrepresented minority groups was 23 percent, compared to 17 percent in 2007-08, the year before IMSD began outside of pathobiology. The underrepresented minority proportion of new applications and new admissions also rose.
In 2011-12 about one in five Brown life science doctoral students was from an underrepresented minority group, compared about one in 10 nationally. Meanwhile all nine life sciences doctoral programs at Brown enrolled underrepresented minority students in 2011-12. Only five had such enrollments in 2007-08.
"Participants in the IMSD program can achieve just as much as students who don't participate in the program," Campbell said. "It's not by changing academic expectations but by providing what I call the appropriate training scaffolds."
The academic qualifications and performance of underrepresented minority students has been rising since implementation of the IMSD, the data in the paper show. The mean undergraduate grade point averages and graduate readiness examination scores of newly enrolled underrepresented minority students all rose to varying degrees between 2007-08 and 2011-12. Campbell and Thompson also counted scientific publications and presentations by underrepresented minority students during 2005-07 and 2008-11 and found statistically significant increases over time. Fellowship awards and travel awards to students also increased in absolute terms but not with statistical significance.
Meanwhile, dozens of faculty members have collaborated on the work of the IMSD program.
"This really says something about the work that our faculty [in the life science programs] have done," Campbell said.
In the paper, Thompson and Campbell conclude that graduate programs at other institutions can do this, too. "The practices described here are generalizable and can be expected to lead to similar outcomes when applied elsewhere," they wrote. "As a result, we look forward to seeing measurable advances in the representation of racial, ethnic, and other disadvantaged individuals in the scientific workforce."
###
The NIGMS grants supporting the IMSD are 1R25GM083270 and 1R25GM083270-S1.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/bu-pip032113.php
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Thursday, March 21, 2013
Get your communications set-up right if you're working from home
Depending on what you do for a living, that dream of working from home and being your own boss could become a reality. If you end up working in your pyjamas within arm's reach of the fridge, it's important to still look professional if you want to be taken seriously.
It's easy enough to secure your own domain name for setting up a business website and email address. But if you want to come across as professional it's important to also consider your telephone number, especially if you don't live alone.
However, giving out your home number as your business number doesn't look very professional if others are going to answer the phone with a casual "yeeeeellow?"
Using your mobile number for work might be more convenient, although you're still blurring that line between your professional and personal life ? especially if you don't want to be fending off work calls after hours.
Consider your options in terms of a separate phone number for work. One option is to pay for a second physical line running into your home, but the initial installation and monthly rental can be an expensive overhead. If you move house you'll probably need to pay another installation fee for a second copper phone line.
A cheaper option is to use VoIP (voice over internet protocol) for your second number; although you'll want to be sure it's reliable before you start using it for work. Look for a VoIP service which lets you use the G.711 codec, which can match the voice quality of a traditional phone call.
Some consumer-grade services only let you use G.729 which can leave you sounding like you're on a bad mobile call. Take extra care if you're using a cordless phone with VoIP, as cordless phones can cause echo on the line. You'll want to trial VoIP for a while and tweak the settings before you're ready to trust it for work calls. If your ISP offers VoIP, you might find it more reliable than a third-party service.
The inclusion of untimed long distance calls might make VoIP a no-brainer for your home business, but VoIP is also about flexibility. Many VoIP services will send you your voicemail as an email attachment, which you can forward to your smartphone and use like a Visual Voicemail service.
VoIP also makes it easy to retain your number if you move house. Some VoIP services also let you make and receive calls from anywhere using VoIP software on your phone or computer. Once again, test your VoIP software thoroughly before you start using it for important work calls.
If you don't want the hassle of separate home and work phones on your kitchen bench, you might be able to run your home and VoIP calls through your broadband modem so you can answer calls to either number from the same handset. You can use different ring tones to distinguish between them.
Another alternative is to use a dual-line handset with Line 1 for home and Line 2 for work, again using distinctive ring tones. Obviously you need to train others in the house to only pick up the phone when the ring sounds like a home call.
David Hancock is the founder and managing director of national on-site computer repair and support company, Geeks2U. Founded in 2005 and with a team now over 300 strong, Geeks2U is one of the biggest Australian businesses of its kind.
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