What we pay Congressmen and benefits that come with it.

It must be tough being a U.S. Congressman. All those hard, long days sweating and grinding as they... wait. What does Congress even do again?

This week, Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) complained that he is "stuck here making $172,000" according to the National Review Online.

Gingrey was complaining that his staff wasn't making any money now, but that in just a few years they could slink away off to K Street to make half-million dollar salaries working as lobbyists. Meanwhile, poor Congressman Gingrey has to settle on his low six-figure salary. 

It must be tough. 

But, in an effort to cheer up the Congressman, we combed through the benefits tied to being a member of the House of Representatives. Maybe the Congressman just doesn't know these benefits exist. 

So, Congressman Gingrey, we just wanted to let you know that you have the following benefits... that very few other Americans enjoy.

• A free company car
• Free gas
• Free parking - even at airports!
• Free flights almost anywhere in the world
• Per diem travel allowance... up to $3,000 per trip
• A month's paid vacation
• 3-day work weeks
• Free membership at a top-flight gym
• A pension plan and a 401(k) plan
• Full retirement benefits, including up to 44% of their six-figure salaries, at age 62
• Free top-of-the-line health insurance, with ten plans to choose from
• Fully covered by that insurance - even with pre-existing conditions

Gosh, sounds like he's really stuck in his career. 

The world's smallest violin is playing somewhere.

Lernstift is the vibrating pen that critiques your spelling

One reason that we prefer keyboards to pens is the dignity-saving presence of aspell checker -- but that won't help your average schoolchild, obligated to learn their language scrawling on dead trees. Now, a pair of German inventors have developed Lernstift, a learning pen that'll ruthlessly nag you into improving your spelling and handwriting with the power of vibration. Packing a stripped-down Linux system with a non-optical motion sensor, it'll work out what you're writing and buzz you if it thinks you've made a mistake, even if you're scrawling in mid-air. In addition, there's a calligraphy mode, which'll let you know exactly how you could make your penmanship a little more, you know, legible. The makers have taken toKickstarter to raise £120,000 ($181,476) in funding, with a pledge of £99 ($150) snagging you a device. If you're not sold, then you can head past the break, but we've already pre-ordered a ton for our local doctor's office.

Moto X's Open Mic demoed, enables voice command when screen is off (video)

Just when we're getting bored of all these static Moto X leaks, a couple of new video clips popped up to finally show off some of the software goodies. The first one appears to be a leaked Rogers promotional video (embedded after the break), in which a nice lady introduces us to a new Google Now voice command feature, which can be toggled with a custom phrase even when the screen is off (similar to a feature we've seen promised by a certain Wolfson audio chip). According to another clip uploaded by kronikbudz, said feature is called Open Mic, but there's no indication as to whether this will be exclusive to Motorola devices or whether it'll come with the next Android release.
The Rogers video adds that the Moto X will provide ambient "active updates" notifications on the screen when the phone is locked, and this is pitched as a more sensible replacement for the meaningless blinking light. Later on, the same lady demonstrates how one can activate the phone's camera -- even when locked -- by simply twisting the wrist twice. We're a bit worried that this may allow accidental activations, unless the phone can detect whether it is inside a pocket or bag.
Finally, the lady says the Moto X will be "exclusively" heading to Rogers this August in either black or white, thus confirming the "late Summer" window that we werepreviously told. Enjoy your very own exclusivity while it lasts, Mr. Schmidt!

Get the full story here: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/14/moto-x-open-mic-voice-command-rogers/

Google + Mobile Update

What better way to wake up in the morning than with a refreshing cup of Google + mobile app update. I was amazed with the new update this morning. Once I updated the app on my Galaxy Nexus and my Motorola Xoom and yes they both have Ice Cream Sandwich installed. I knew this change was about to bring mixed feeling from the community. I know for a fact that change usually takes time to get use to and that some just don't simply like change at all. It's true we can all find flaws in any new update, however what I focus on is the attempt to answer the end user's requests. With that being said, I believe that the developers have done just that. My opinion is that the update is a great step towards whats to come. I feel they are taking it one step at a time and will amaze us all as they take this platform to the next level.

So whats new you ask?

To start an awesome new look

Now you can Stat Hangouts from your mobile devices

You can +1 comments on posts from the app 

Share your favorite circles (People you have added to your circles)

A new navigation ribbon that slides in and out, giving you quick access to just about everything



Want to know even more? Go here http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/google-for-android-polish-and.html

I just can't wait to see what the next update will be like. Google + is such a powerful tool and many have not yet realized that this is just not another social network. It is truly a lot bigger than that.

    

Part 8 of 8 Premature

Premature

I can’t tell you how many deals I’ve seen get lost before they’re begun because a sales person starts a meeting with a canned slide show without ever truly understanding what the customer is looking for.

Your first job is not to present your information. It’s to listen to the customer. Only once you’ve completed a thorough needs analysis can you create the right customized presentation for your client. Customized presentations close more business, more often.

Remember the old adage: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This is true in relationships, and it’s true in sales.

I hope these highlights gave you a few ideas to think over or try out in your own sales routine.

Part 7 of 8 Lacking Personal Presence

Lacking Personal Presence

How you say something during a sales meeting can be just as important as what you say.
How you look, how you act, how you move and how you look at the prospect all send powerful messages about who you are and whether you can be trusted. Up to 80% of sales people ignore the non-verbal part of the sales meeting, which is why they lose 1/3 of the opportunities available to them. Once they discover how to use their personal presence to close more business, their closing ratios begin to soar.
Here are a couple of small hints for improving your personal presence:

• Shake hands.
• Look people in the eye.
• Dress one notch better than your prospect.
• Arrive early for every meeting.
• Leave your cell phone/pager/PDA in the car.
• Don’t smoke before a sales call.
• Be organized and prepared.
• Take notes.
• Say thank you.

Sure, none of these are exactly rocket science. But I can guarantee you that more business is won or lost through these and other simple non-verbal cues than through all the fanciest, most complicated presentations in the world.

Whether it is golf, playing a musical instrument, learning to dance – or closing business – the basics are always the hardest and most important thing to master. Tiger Woods still sinks hundred of putts every day in practice, because he knows that mastering the basics is what it takes to win.

Part 6 of 8 Failure to Understand

Failure to Understand

What the prospect needs and what they want are two entirely different things.
Wants are more emotional, and are generally based on things like whether or not the prospect likes or trusts you more than the other sales rep.

A prospect might need to buy a screwdriver to fix up his house, but he wants to buy it from Home Depot instead of Ace Hardware because he likes Home Depot better. It’s not always a logical decision. Customers buy what they need from a sales people who know what they want.

How can you determine what a customer wants? By asking questions such as:

• Why is this problem important for you to solve?
• What value do you see in an ABC solution (solution like yours)?
• What will happen if this problem does not go away?