After 35 years of running a marketing business, I’m still worried about one thing. Margin! It seems and always has seemed to be a concept of deception: disguise the real price of your service to obtain benefits at the expense of your client. And customers don’t like it one bit!

Just take a look at the daily headlines. “The obscene profits on Wall Street continue to upset the public.” “Oil Company Profits Hit Record Highs While Consumer Suffering at the Pump.” “Big business profits are outrageous during the never-ending recession.” The average person doesn’t condone big business profits when they’re struggling to put food on the table, not to mention losing their homes to foreclosure.

So how do these companies make such huge profits? Pricemarkup is one way. Charging customers more than they paid for what they are selling. Is that fair? As an accepted business practice, apparently it is.

But in my experience with mostly small business owners, markup is a dirty word. My clients demand to know what I am paying for the services I offer them. They don’t seem to mind paying me a fair fee (translation: a very low price) for the services I provide out of my own resources. This includes creative services such as design, writing, composition, etc. advertisements, websites, brochures, etc. However, if I provide a service that involves a third-party provider for which I am charged a price, my customers want to know what that price is and not pay a penny more than me. Therefore, no marks are allowed!

That doesn’t give me much room to make a profit as the paltry charges for my creative services can hardly cover my overhead in this economy. But the ironic part of this is that the outside services I provide to my clients have also been hit hard by current economic conditions, not to mention stiff competition, the changing business landscape, and overall tough times, forcing them to reduce prices to a minimum. , making it virtually impossible for me to mark them.

If I am buying printing for a customer’s brochures, my customer can get on the Internet and glance at the average prices being charged by hundreds of national printers, all of whom are bidding against each other for the limited printing business which still exists on this Internet age. Then, when my client knows what price I propose to charge for his work, he can assess whether I have tried to deceive him and charge him a marked amount to make a profit.

I may pass up a small raise, but I feel like I have committed a crime against humanity and suffer enormous guilt for doing so. How dare I trick him into paying a small surcharge just to fill my wallet?! Where’s the justification in that, you’re probably wondering, losing respect for me in the process.

Well, I can make a case for why we have marked. On the one hand, it has taken me a lot of research to find the best quality and price; hours of careful and informed effort to prepare the document to meet the parameters of the service I choose to use; a lifetime of business experience to judge which printer to use and whether price should be the final determining factor in my decision; and finally, the risk of labor liability and loss of customers if the printer fails to perform its function satisfactorily. Yes, it’s my neck that’s on the line, not my client’s!

Time is money and everything I do for my clients takes a lot of time. Isn’t that worth something? Apparently not, for the majority of my disgruntled clients, who are struggling on their own with the same troubling circumstances! Nearly non-existent profits with increased overhead. It is not easy for anyone. So I don’t blame them for their suspicions and irritations. However, reality dictates that I must make a profit to stay in business.

While printing is one service that cannot support a significant markup, there are many others that I offer that are in the same boat as well. Mailing lists and mailing services! Domain registration and website hosting! Stock photography! Advertising!… to name just a few. These are all services that have so much competition for that coveted limited business that they in turn can only charge a pittance for what they sell. So there’s virtually no room for me to charge a markup. However, the use of such services requires an endless investment of my time on behalf of my clients.

How? Let’s look at each one separately. My client wants to reach a certain segment of the market to present his offers. I need to get you a traditional mailing list or maybe an email list to reach out to that market. If the piece will be printed and mailed, I’ll have to do my best to list quantities that will be manageable within your print and postage budget and offer a return on investment given expected response rates. Then, with the help of a representative from the list, I begin the process of suggesting ways to reach our goal by addressing geographic constraints, industry sectors, commercial or residential targets, etc. This usually results in lists that are either too large to consider or too small to waste effort. The process then continues with the adjusted parameters to try to reach a viable resolution.

In the case of stock photography, my client and probably most of the world believes that I will do nothing to deserve a justification for a high price. However, there are hundreds of stock photo houses, all with different ways of using their services, not to mention choosing rights-managed and royalty-free sample files with strict regulations on usage and a lot of responsibility as a buying agent. And what exactly are we looking for? Is my client an expert at assessing what type of visual we need to present the right marketing image and communicate their message effectively? Usually not, so I’m in the picture to begin with. Then, trying to access the options available within a given topic requires skill in coming up with effective search terms, and concludes with having the aesthetic sensibility and marketing savvy to navigate through the endless possibilities, narrowing down the search to the few that can be considered the best ones to use… and then make the final decision, pay for it, and download a huge file to work effectively on your project. How many hours, days and years of my experience were used to perform this service? Uncountable! However, it is doubtful that you can add any markup. And if I do, it will have to be infinitesimal!

And that’s without taking into account that most of my clients prefer to try and take their own photos on digital cameras or cell phones that are sub-optimal and have poor resolution, requiring me to perform digital enhancement services to try and correct a multitude. of problems for which they hope that you will not charge them anything.

Domain registration and hosting services? These are so competitively priced today that companies are practically giving them away. (And in some cases…they are!) However, clients who need me to perform these services have no idea where to go, how much to pay, what’s available, what they need, what the decision entails, how long It takes doing the research, navigating the intricate websites, configuring the many aspects of each one to implement, keeping them up and running all year despite server issues I have no control over, etc… but they are sure of one thing. Your friend or family member has told you that you are being overcharged.

Finally, traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television eke out a living, offering advertising rates so low it’s embarrassing to report them here. And unlike domain companies, they can’t even give it away. So far the possibility of marking.

In the articles I’ve read about markup, accountants have discussed the concept of “markup.” This involves applying a certain percentage to your cost to ensure that you will generate enough revenue to cover your overhead and make a decent business profit in the process. How neat.

In my reality, profit margin is a concept I would throw out the window. I have to examine what prices the market will bear based on what my competition is charging and what my customer is willing (or able) to spend.

I’ve found that the best way to entice a new customer into a long-term website relationship is to offer free domain registration and hosting for the first year because after that it’s often too mind-blowing for them to try to be extracted. than what has been set up, especially if they fear that the success of their website may be in jeopardy. But this may not work for all customers and it’s important to stipulate a multi-year contract so they don’t opt ​​out after the first free year.

I have also toyed with the idea of ​​offering my creative services together with other services included in a package. But every customer’s needs are different and they still compare whatever price I quote to a price my competition may have quoted, whether we’re comparing apples and oranges or not. And, as I said earlier, if other services are expected, they want to know exactly how much I’m paying for those services.

You may wonder why I let my clients push me like that. When dealing one-on-one with a business owner who has entrusted him with all aspects of his business so he can strategize marketing solutions to your benefit, direct questions about pricing sometimes become unavoidable. Since I don’t consider my clients my adversaries, I try to be as honest with them as possible to build their trust in my judgement. Our collaboration and success together is the heart and soul of our business relationship. I cannot deny you the right to ask questions about cost. even if they are me Ultimate costs are wear costs

As for the markup, I don’t like how it makes me feel, but if I can get away with it, I have to try to apply it in whatever situation I can handle it, as unobtrusively as possible, fingers crossed that no issues will arise. It is part of business survival that every business owner must use and therefore understand. But to this business owner, he still seems deceitful and dishonest.

Most of our actions have some habit or emotional impulse at their source and could be better classified as reactions.

However, conscious action is determined and directed by our thought and this has two aspects at work. The lower mind or Manomaya Kosha deals with material and concrete issues and is most active in Concentration on a material focus. The higher mind or Vijnanomaya Kosha deals with abstract principles and is more involved in Meditation.

We need a clear thinking, a rational lower mind or a concrete mind that considers black and white as very definite tools to measure right and wrong, good and bad, to evaluate and make decisions before any action.

We need the higher mind to help our understanding of ideologies and help our dreams, ideals, plans and promises of better things and equip us for self-discipline, spiritual aspiration and free access to our intuition.

Both aspects of the mind must be integrated before much can be experienced satisfactorily in meditation. And fruitful meditation inevitably leads to right action. Action is the material testing ground of the spirit. So from the heights and delights of extended and expanded higher psychic awareness in meditation, we must return to the physical or lower plane of consciousness to demonstrate our spiritual strength and skill in practical matters through our actions.

Sowing and reaping seeds of our actions, we go from incarnation to incarnation. It is only through conscious, spiritualized action that we can graduate from the school of birth, death, and rebirth with its repeated negative cyclical experiences, and move confidently into the early stages of the journey along the beaten path that others have trodden to achieve it. reach spiritual fulfillment and freedom.

The term “The Spiritual Journey” implies that we are going somewhere. We don’t sit back and become wise human beings. We must walk forward and strive and we must see that there is a goal in both spiritual and material achievement.

Amidst the many life experiences encountered along what could be considered a mountain climb, we seek regular glimpses of the pinnacle that represents Power for Supreme Good and the height of our aspiration. In Yoga is to fully develop as a creative and intelligent human being. This can be understood as the general goal, but it requires the embellishment of our imagination to awaken in us an intense desire for the highest level that a human being can reach. What can help us is our quiet consideration of our heroes, gurus, and teachers until we come to our own concept of what constitutes the ideal human being.

The lower mind requires a strong and clear image or picture of ourselves, as we would like to become, if it is to serve as a beacon amid practical disciplines and provide a reference for our actions. It also helps us hold back when we are about to react. The liberation of the soul from the limitations of the personality comes with the liberation of the habitual reaction to allow the conscious will to direct a course of action that the individual considers suitable.

A sound mind is required before consciously attempting the spiritual journey and a degree of independence of thought and feeling. We are also reminded in all the teachings that we must use the fundamental faculty of discrimination. Discrimination is the ability of a cunning personality to use the black and white square of reasoning to assess the true nature of things: being able to assess good and evil, constructive and destructive influences, and other pairs of opposing qualities.

But the most important thing is the need for a Loving Heart, without which the first step into the future cannot be taken with confidence.

Then, properly equipped, we can start that journey full of adventures. It is then, too, that we begin to experience the most serious trials and tribulations of life. These trials are experienced in the midst of everyday life and circumstances, as well as in the recesses of one’s own consciousness. It is better never to wish to escape or avoid these tests. Face them with courage and honesty having absolute faith that the Law of life is fair and just and take refuge in that Law.

Along the way we know that the landscapes of our circumstances will change, that there will be hills and valleys, rivers to cross, unexpected situations around a corner, new companions, new adventures and new delights. We will have unknown challenges to face, as well as those already on our path, and we face the ever-present enemy of our own fatigue and limited stamina.

One is tested for courage and love of life, strength, abilities and talents, love and compassion, sense of responsibility, loyalty, application to hard work, sense of justice, determination in the face of obstacles, awareness of the Laws of Nature applied to man, independence, kindness and service to others, leadership, sense of brotherhood, generosity and, lastly, the capacity for sacrifice.

Each of us must go through each of these tests, through which we come to realize our own abilities and spiritual potential. We must overcome all temptations to abuse, waste or waste our energies and talents and be tested to the fullest until we are truly free on the mountaintop, free from the need to incarnate to polish our nature and free to choose to graduate. from the terrestrial school of life or remain to teach others by our own direct experience.

Spiritual growth is like the journey of the prodigal son back home to the Father. It is like the child returning to its Father, but as a miniature or microscopic energy reflection of our Source, the macrocosm. We discover our place in the grand scheme of things.

In each life or incarnation we take 7 years to equip the body so that the karmic law is fulfilled, so at 7 years we are responsible for our actions of the body. In the next 7 year period we develop the emotional nature and at 14 we are responsible for the emotional expression of the soul. From the 14th to the 21st we are developing full control of the mind and intellect to complete our equipment for the expression of life and we are responsible to the lords of Karma for our thoughts. At 21, the soul is fully equipped, should it choose to embark on its spiritual journey fully clothed in its sheaths or garments of consciousness, alone and self-assured.

One can only know life or come to know God through direct experience. And so each soul seeks more experience to learn the meaning of life for itself and thus relate to others. The aspirant eagerly advances down a path to a future knowing that he will ultimately lead him to death when the time is right for the next stage of the spirit’s journey.

When the final earthly attainment and liberation is reached, when the goal is reached and the individual throws off the garments of his many lives, what happens to the soul, where does it go? These and many more questions remain to be answered.

But what would you ultimately seek on your spiritual journey beyond ‘graduation’ from this earthly school?

From a short speech at a National Yoga Convention Vision Valley, NSW 1975 by Sally E. Janssen

There are more ways to earn extra money than you can imagine, so what’s so special about data entry jobs? Let me first explain what data entry work is, for those who don’t already know: A company has a large amount of data that needs to be entered into a database or spreadsheet, but the work cannot be done. automatically. The company hires someone, perhaps you, to do the job at hand. Primarily, this means writing or copy/pasting data to the correct place. This type of work used to be handled by internal secretaries in most companies, but as outsourcing of work has become more and more popular over the years, many companies choose to outsource these types of tasks as well and they focus their own energy on what they do. better, whether running a law firm, doing marketing or something else.

So what’s so great about a data entry job?

• Great beginner job. You can get started fast, with little to no training. Basic computer knowledge and normal reading skills are all that is required, in most cases.
• Work from home, whenever you want. Much of this spell or work is offered online, as is the data you will be working on. This type of job is really good for stay-at-home moms (or stay-at-home dads) as they can work whenever they want. Take the kids to school, run the dishwasher, and sit down and do some work.
• Little to no investment is needed to get started. There are no fancy suits to look good at work. No travel costs. Just a computer with an internet connection, which, if you’re reading this, you probably already have.

All good reasons to get into data entry typing jobs at home, certainly enough to give you serious consideration. But to be fair, let’s take a look at what can possibly be held against such work. There are certain circumstances that could be considered negative:

• If you get paid by the amount of work you complete, it means you won’t make much money if you type slowly. The good news is that you will improve your speed a lot, as you do the work. You may not see a lot of money for your time at first, but most people who stick with it will see a change for the better.
• It can be tedious bordering on downright boring. Much of the work is very monotonous in nature, so you need to be able to deal with it. But not having to travel for hours to do it tends to help a lot in that regard.
• It will never become a well-paying job. In this line of business, you are considered to be on the lower rungs of the ladder, due to the simplicity of the job. The fact that it can also be very boring does not help the salary.

So there you have it: the pros and cons of the data entry job. You can try it and see if you like it; It’s certainly a nifty way to work, if all you need is extra cash. Ideal for housewives or students alike. Even if it’s only temporary.

I have a friend who is a tax attorney. He loves to chat. Whether it’s over the phone, email, Skype, or smoke signals, you’re usually good for three to four calls a week.

I haven’t heard from him since the end of November.

I called his office in the first week of January to see how he was doing. His secretary said that she was at a tax planning conference.

I tried again last week. The same thing. Another meeting of tax lawyers.

I finally sent him a text that had a lead on an urgent tax opinion request. That got me a call back.

The opinion request was mine. He’s on the case.

You see, since the beginning of this year, it seems like all I’ve done is study the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the new law that governs our tax code.

There’s a good reason for my urgency…you’re losing money every day of 2018 that goes by without knowing and acting on new opportunities and threats on the tax front.

If you act now, you can potentially save thousands of dollars in federal taxes this year. The sooner you act, the more you’ll save.

Here are the main things to keep in mind…

Tax Savings for Pass-Through Entities

Conveyors are non-taxable business entities…they “pass through” their profits or losses to their owners for tax purposes. They include limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, and S corporations.

Starting January 1, many transfer owners will pay no federal income tax in 20% of the profits of their businesses. That’s right, zip, nothing. For many people, this could mean a big drop in the effective federal income tax rate.

The rules for this gift to conveyance owners are straightforward for people whose taxable income is well under six figures. After that, they get more complicated.

No matter how you look at it, however, the new tax law creates opportunities for enormous tax savings.

• action item: If you’re a lawyer, doctor, or other professional in private practice, seek tax advice right away to see how dividing your business into parts could save tens of thousands on your tax bill.
• action item: If you are self-employed or operate through an LLC or small partnership, reduce your personal wages to the minimum immediately. That increases the “profit” of your business… the amount from which you can deduct 20% tax-free.
• action item: Even if you have a job, consult a tax attorney to see if becoming a consultant is right for you. For many, many people, the answer will be yes.
• bonus tip: Owners of shares in real estate investment trusts (REITs) or publicly traded partnerships (PTPs) pay no tax on 20% of their qualified REIT dividends and PTP income.

Elimination of key deductions

The stated goal of the tax bill passed in late December was to lower tax rates and simplify the tax code. The former was partially achieved, until the cuts expire in 2025, at least, but the latter did not. Instead, the lawmakers included some scattered attempts at “simplification” that could cost you dearly if you don’t prepare for them.

First, when the press began referring to “eliminating SALT” late last year, I thought the Trump administration was going to abandon the Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaties between the US and Russia. The truth was better, but for many of us, not by much.

Starting this year, you can only deduct a maximum of $10,000 of state and local income and property taxes (SALT) from your federal taxes. For most people that won’t matter because the standard deduction for joint filers has doubled to $24,000. But for many people, and not just in high-tax states like New York and California, this will mean an effective increase in federal taxes.

However, lawmakers in an increasing number of states are considering ways around this. You know those inside sections of your local newspaper that cover state legislative issues? It’s time to start reading them.

Second, the new law eliminates all “miscellaneous” deductions…including those for home office expenses. If you are an employee working remotely at the request of your employer, or if you run a small business from home, say goodbye to the business use of your home deduction. In my case, for example, that is a significant tax increase.

action item: Find out if your state legislators and city councilors are considering steps to convert income and property taxes into forms that could be deducted from federal income tax. Let them know what you think!

action item: If you work from home, model the tax implications of the loss of the deduction used by the home-based business. You may be able to rearrange things to compensate, at least partially.

bonus tip: Deductions for unreimbursed employment expenses, job search costs, tax preparation fees, home appraisal fees, casualty and theft losses, gambling losses, many investment fees and expenses, and IRA losses May have been removed, pending upcoming IRS decisions.

Prepare to reduce taxes on your retirement income

If you are not yet retired and earn the correct amount of annual income, I have two action items for you:

1. If you don’t already have one, open a Roth IRA.
2. Create a C corporation with your Roth IRA as the sole shareholder.

Below are some Chinese proverbs or expressions that I have found extremely helpful. They are all written in pinyin, as Chinese characters may not display correctly here.

Chinese Pinyin: “mei chi putao shuo putao suan”

Literal translation – I have not eaten grapes say sour grapes

Believe that grapes are sour even though you have never eaten a grape.

This is a fairly easy proverb to understand and use. It means that you have an opinion or a judgment about something that you have never investigated or know very little about, that is, your opinion is unfounded and you do not have the right to make a judgment about a certain topic or thing. Like someone who says that grapes are sour even though he has never eaten them.

I find this a very useful proverb in China as I often come across people whose opinions are just heresay. For example, when people find out that I come from Canada, the usual conversation that follows is something like how rich and wonderful Canada is. I like to make sure the Chinese know that Canada has poor people too, the streets ARE NOT paved with gold despite what they may think or hear. I once told someone that Canada had homeless people and the local refused to believe me. He went on to tell me what Canada was like even though I had never been there. So the above proverb would have been helpful if I had known it at the time.

There is another proverb almost the same as the previous proverb but with a slightly different meaning:

Chinese Pinyin: “chi budao putao shuo putao suan”

Literal translation – eat not pass grape say sour grape

Saying/believing that grapes are sour if you can’t eat them (to falsely comfort yourself)

This proverb or saying is almost the same as the first one but the meaning is quite different. It’s common for us as humans to envy what we don’t have or can’t afford. Therefore, we often pretend that we don’t want what we can’t have or can’t afford in an effort to comfort ourselves, but we know what mind games we’re trying to play on ourselves and so do the people listening to us trying to play them. . That is basically what this expression means. A nice new BMW car drives by and someone says “Wow, what a nice car” and you go “Oh, BMWs aren’t that great anyway.” You don’t really believe what you’re saying, but you say it anyway.

Chinese Pinyin: “guangong mianqian shua dadao”

Literal translation – Guangong (name of the famous warlord) versus the game sword

PRAYED

Play with a sword in the presence of Guangong

Basically, this means trying to display one’s limited abilities in the presence of someone highly qualified.

Guangong (also known as Guanyu) was a remarkably excellent swordsman. No one dared challenge him to a sword fight, something like a Billy the Kid from Chinese history. So, of course, if someone tried to display his swordsmanship in front of Guanyu, he would be really embarrassing, since he would be no match for Guanyu.

I especially like idioms that cover a bit of Chinese culture or history like this one. Any language that involves Guanyu, Zhugeliang, and similar figures is much more intriguing and interesting in my opinion.

I think the modern use of this proverb is quite obvious. If someone is trying to flaunt her skills in the presence of someone whose skills surpass the flaunter, then this proverb applies.

I think there are 2 sides to its use. One use is if you perhaps want to express your humility. If someone is more skilled than you at something but you still carry out the task for whatever reason, you can say that you are guan1gong1 mian4qian2 shua1 da4dao1. If you say this in this situation, you are guaranteed to get a smile or a laugh from your Chinese friend. Because you are essentially admitting that they are much better than you at this skill (whatever that is). So it’s a way of paying them a compliment or giving them some “face.” Furthermore, a foreigner who uses an expression like this that is close to his heart is guaranteed an excellent reception.

In a negative way, this could also be used to put someone in their shoes, i.e. someone who thinks too much of themselves because they have limited abilities in some area. If there is someone in your presence who is much better then this proverb could be used to put them down or to make them realize that they need to step aside and let the professional take over.

Another idiom that basically has the same meaning is ban1men2nong4fu3. The meaning is basically the same, but I prefer to use guan1gong1 mian4qian2 shua1 da4dao1 for the visual image and cultural content.

Chinese Pinyin: “luobo baicai ge you suo ai”

Literal translation: Chinese turnip cabbage, each has real love

PRAYED

Turnip, cabbage, everyone has their own preference.

It basically means It means “Everyone has their own personal taste” or “Every person’s likes and dislikes are different.”

This is one of my MOST used expressions. If you live in China, this is a MUST learn. The reason was that I was sick and tired of going to restaurants and asking them to modify the dishes the way I like them (ie don’t put hot peppers as I don’t like spicy food). Too many times the waitress told me it was “impossible”. When she asked why it was “impossible”, the answer was always “because it won’t taste good that way”. I have no idea where this logic comes from and how it can be so common across the country, but it is. So I was SO happy to stumble across this idiom/phrase that basically throws a wrench into his logic using his own language. Now I don’t need to argue with the waitresses or explain that I have the right to decide what tastes good and what doesn’t. Once I get some resistance from the staff regarding my wishes to change the dishes to my liking, I just utter the above proverb/saying and they usually smile (surprised that a foreigner knows how to use that expression) and get the point. It is strange that such an expression exists in their language, but still they insist on telling others what tastes good and what does not.

Be sure to learn this anyway, as you’ll be using it almost daily (or at least almost every time you go to a restaurant).

There are more than 40,000 practicing attorneys in Cook County, more than the rest of the state combined. This number includes attorneys who specialize in virtually every type of law imaginable, in a variety of settings. Below is a bit more information about where and how these attorneys operate and some of the major practice areas.

key locations

The Daley Center is the main courthouse for Cook County; it is also the courthouse for the county’s 1st district. Most civil and traffic cases are heard inside, along with many other lawsuits. There are 5 other Cook County districts, each with their own courthouse. Courthouses are located in the following locations: Skokie (2nd District), Rolling Meadows (3rd District), Maywood (4th District), Bridgeview (5th District), and Markham (6th District). If you live in the suburbs, your case may be heard in your local district court, but many claims are still heard at the Daley Center, particularly most involving more than $100,000.

It is best to hire an attorney who has experience with your specific legal problem and is familiar with the court where your case was filed. In addition to understanding your case, this type of lawyer may know some of the judges and lawyers he will have to deal with during your lawsuit. This attorney will be best equipped to present your case in a way that gives you the best chance of winning.

payment

Attorneys in Cook County vary widely in the amount and types of fees they charge for their services. Some attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means you do not have to pay the attorney any fees unless he or she obtains financial compensation or a settlement for you. The attorney will then earn a percentage of the monetary amount, often 30%. However, certain areas of the law are not allowed to be taken on contingency, such as criminal and divorce cases. The attorneys working on these cases will likely charge a retainer, which is the fee to officially retain the attorney. You will most likely also pay an hourly rate for the time the attorney spends working on your case, although you can sometimes negotiate to pay a flat fee for all legal work up front. The amount of the advance and the hourly rate will depend on the law firm the attorney works for and the type of case you have.

personal injuries

Most lawsuits that arise from accidents, such as car accidents or slip and fall cases, are personal injury lawsuits. These cases are also known as incorrect cases. Tort cases are assigned to two divisions in Cook County, the Legal Division and the Civil Division. Tort cases over $30,000 are assigned to the Law Division and are generally heard at the Daley Center, although smaller cases may be heard in suburban district courts. Minor cases are assigned to the Civil Division. These smaller cases usually end up in arbitration where the parties try to reach an agreement that works for both parties.

Offender

In criminal cases, you will always oppose the government in your case, and you may face jail time if you lose. Criminal cases are heard in all 6 Cook County District Courts and additional Cook County Courthouses as well. For example, most felony cases (such as murder or weapons charges) occur in the courthouse located at 26th Street and California. These cases are the most serious and the most likely to end up in jail. Misdemeanor criminal charges are generally heard in the nearest district court. As with all practice areas, it is very important to retain an attorney who has won cases involving the same crime you are charged with in Cook County, to try to avoid penalties.

Medical negligence

Nearly all medical malpractice cases in Cook County are filed at the Daley Center. As a result, most Cook County medical malpractice attorneys are located in Chicago, but will work with people from all over Illinois.

worker’s compensation

All workers’ compensation claims are heard by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, located in the Thompson Center. The Thompson Center is located in downtown Chicago, near the Daley Center. This is true if you are injured on the job in Cook County, or if you are injured working outside of Cook County, but your business is headquartered here or you were hired here. Again, most of the attorneys in this area practice out of Chicago due to its proximity to the Thompson Center, but they will work with all clients who need their services.

Divorce and Family Law

Divorce cases can be heard in courthouses in Chicago, Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Markham, and Maywood. However, the Daley Center is the main divorce court and hears most cases. The location of the divorce proceeding is determined by the person originally filing the case; however, the other party may request that the case be transferred to another court. Divorce and family law attorneys are located throughout Cook County.

Probate

All Cook County probate (wills, trusts and estate matters) are heard at the Daley Center, this includes people who were Cook County residents when they died, even if their family members do not live in the area. Many Cook County probate attorneys are located in Chicago, but some will practice outside of the suburbs and travel to the Daley Center when necessary.

I work with many clients who take the bar exam once and pass it the first time. There is a particular profile that is consistent with the people who take it once and pass.

In my observation, people who take the bar exam once and pass it are completely focused on preparing for and taking this exam. In most cases, they take time off work and work full time to prepare for the exam. If they can’t take time off work, they try to work part-time or organize their home life so they don’t have distractions at home. Many of the people I’ve worked with who have failed repeatedly are juggling multiple distractions with family, work, and outside activities. My advice is to cancel all outside activities for two to three months before taking the bar exam and dedicate yourself 100% to passing this exam. Do your best to achieve this level of commitment.

Identify your best strategy for a focused study. Some people study better with music, others with complete peace of mind. You may find something that symbolically connects you to performing well, like wearing a favorite pair of sweatshirts or lighting a candle. A favorite color, scent, or object can give you a special enhancement. Some people like to study at the kitchen table, where they can quickly access everything they need to limit the time it takes to attend to daily needs. Many people find it impossible to study at home where they are constantly distracted. A common strategy for many people is to study in a library; any library that is conveniently located. Some people check into a motel during the week and spend Saturday and Sunday nights at home taking a break from studying and being with loved ones. What environment is more favorable for you to do your best quality study? Now is the time to give your best effort.

If you are a parent, it is extremely important that you get the help and support of your family and loved ones. Give the cooking and childcare to your spouse, to your mother, to anyone who is willing to invest in the success of your future. I tell people to bribe their spouse with something really nice if they have a great vacation or something their loved one really wants. Is there a hired person or family member who can move in with you for a couple of months to cook, clean, and babysit? If you can’t pay that person, what can you bribe them with? Make it conditional on your death so they are personally involved in your success.

It is important to take time away from books to clear your mind. In the same way that your body needs rest to rejuvenate, so does your brain, especially when your brain is working hard. Find your own pace and the most productive pace and don’t exceed that. Working too hard creates anxiety and fills your mind with more information than it can take in. Some people work better if they study for several hours and then take a longer break. Others work best by studying for an hour or two and then taking a short break. Whatever your pace, stick with it to maintain your highest level of effectiveness.

Exercise is a great way to take a break and subconsciously integrate what you have absorbed. Exercise increases the flow of oxygen to the brain. It has been proven that people who exercise perform better academically. There are two ways to incorporate exercise into your routine. One is to use exercise as designated rest time. The other is to combine your exercise routine to include studying. Some people study with a book on a treadmill or run while listening to a recording. Do you prefer to relax as a break and combine studying with your exercise time or do you use exercise as a way to take a break? Whatever your strategy, don’t give up on your exercise routine. If you don’t have one, this is the time to start. Walk, run, swim, bike, dance to music in your living room, do yoga or pilates, go to the gym, use weights at home, walk up and down your stairs, incorporate it into a minimum 30 minute routine every other day.

Take a full day each week, as well as an evening to spend with family or friends. Spend this time relaxing instead of partying. Go to the movies, watch one at home, have a relaxing dinner, take a walk or bike ride; conserve your energy for your study. Your day off could be the time when you do the laundry, do the grocery shopping, or clean the house. Be sure to also take some time off to relax. Some people can do laundry while they study. Others find this distracting. Instead of taking the time to go to the supermarket, you can order groceries online for delivery to free up more study time or free time. Save time with frozen meals and takeout; it’s temporary, so make up for it with salads, smoothies, healthy shakes, and exercise.

Pay special attention to your nutritional needs at this time when your brain is working overtime. During memorization and learning, the brain requires additional nutrients, especially B vitamins and Omega-3. Learn about foods, such as whole grains, leafy green vegetables, olive oil, and fish, that are high in these nutrients. A good multivitamin, B-complex, and Omega-3 supplement can help give your brain the nutrients it needs. Learn more or consult your health professional for advice on how to use supplements to increase your nutrients. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and other substances. If you’re sleepy, take a nap instead of bombarding your system with stimulants that will weaken you in the long run. This is an important time to operate all systems optimally. Consider your body’s needs for high-quality nutrition, rest, and relaxation.

Another important factor in making it easier to pass the bar exam is the importance of having a vision and a sense of purpose in becoming a lawyer. If you already have an organization or company that you work with, becoming a lawyer already has a context set for you. If you know what kind of law you want to practice and what sector of society you want to serve or represent, then you have a destiny and a vision for yourself. Always keep your mind on your end goal to see where you are going. This is one of the best ways to stay motivated. People who focus on problems, either avoiding them or solving them, lose their motivation when they move away from them or towards solving them. By keeping your eyes on the prize, you’ll see past the problems and automatically solve or avoid problems as you move toward your goal.

Sometimes we set ourselves up externally so that we have an explanation other than our own shortcomings for failing. If your life is filled with constant distractions, for example, then you have an excuse if you fail. Get help to resolve these factors. It is also important to put this experience into your own perspective. The bar exam is just an exam. Don’t make it bigger than that. This is not a life or death situation! Maintain a healthy attitude with a balance of focus and concentration combined with the big picture. One of the best ways to cope and stay motivated is by accessing states of curiosity, optimism, and humor.

Turn off your phone, screen your calls, or get the phone company’s selective ring feature. Let people know that you won’t be available until after the exam. This includes your friends and most of your family. The limited time you have available is best spent with the people who directly support your process. Who your main support is is who you spend your limited free time with. If you have a child, incorporate your breaks at special times each day with your child as part of your designated break time. Family dinner time, a little after school time, and putting your little one to bed for the night, may be the only time you have to make this bar. It is a worthy sacrifice considering what you will have to offer your family after passing the exam.

If you belong to organizations, committees, or anything that is not absolutely essential to your livelihood, please opt out until after the test. You will have much more to contribute to these groups as a licensed attorney. Passing the bar exam should be your top priority.

Take a good bar review course, hire a tutor, or do both. Law school does not always adequately prepare people for the bar exam. Some schools offer better preparation than others, but everyone benefits from a good bar review course. I have not had a single client pass the bar exam the first time that they have not taken a bar review course. A study partner or support person is also very helpful to ask you questions, use flashcards, and help you build your weak areas to make them stronger. Your weak areas can become your greatest strengths when you work on them successfully.

Take the day off the day before the exam. Go to the movies, take a walk, have dinner with your family and don’t study. If a question arises in your mind, it’s okay to seek the answer, but you risk compromising all the good studying you’ve done if you don’t give your mind this vital time to rest and integrate. You will be much more effective when taking the test if your brain can efficiently access what it has been working so hard to learn. If you normally sleep well despite the circumstances, then it will be easy for you to get enough rest the night before. If you sometimes find it difficult to sleep when faced with a challenge, consider using some special relaxation techniques and think ahead. Hypnosis can be a very useful tool to help you sleep well. You can hire a hypnotherapist to help you or use relaxation tapes that you buy or make yourself. Prepare and plan ahead to ensure you get enough sleep.

Plan ahead what and where you will eat your lunch and breakfast, and eat foods that are easy to digest. Find places to eat ahead of time or plan to bring your own food to make sure your body is comfortable while you take the exam. What foods always make you feel better? Plan every step of what you’ll do on test days, including driving routes, parking, restroom locations, and having extras of all your supplies. Find the room where you will take your exam so you know what to expect. Some of these things can be done the day before.

By using Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Thought Pattern Management (TPM), and Hypnotherapy, we can not only make the bar exam experience successful but positive as well. Reducing test-taking stress and anxiety can create a positive and enjoyable experience. Clients reported that they felt so confident and relaxed that they looked forward to taking the exam and enjoyed the challenge and experience of taking it. With NLP and TPM we can create a successful study strategy, a successful test-taking strategy, and create and maintain whatever emotional and psychological state is most useful and resourceful. Even someone with positive internal states can get better and better by increasing states of concentration and confidence. NLP and TPM learning and memorization techniques are also used to increase study efficiency and improve retention and retrieval of facts when needed.

If you can pass law school, you can pass the bar exam! Now is the time to do whatever it takes to pass this exam. Align yourself with all that you need and then do your best. You can’t do anything better than to do the best you can.

By Pati McDermott, CHT.

The selection of a divorce attorney is a critical decision-making process. The person you hire will be responsible for obtaining or maintaining your rights to custody of your children, your property interests, and depending on which side you are on, either minimizing or maximizing your rights to support.

In reality, selecting a divorce lawyer is also an incredibly stressful experience. Do it right and you can breathe easy. Get it wrong and you’ll spend years compensating for losses that could have been avoided.

There are some tried and true tactics to use when selecting a divorce attorney. Before you even begin, you need to identify the type of case you will be involved with. Are you going to mediate your divorce? Will you be negotiating? Or, will your case be one of those cases that goes to court and turns into a lengthy divorce lawsuit?

There are divorce lawyers who specialize in these different types of cases, and you need to hire the type of divorce lawyer who is best suited for the type of case you have. If you need to deal with lengthy litigation, you don’t want a mediation lawyer trying to protect your interests. Likewise, if you are going through mediation, the last thing you want is a divorce lawyer trying to create trouble and get you into litigation.

So the first step in the process of selecting a divorce lawyer is to identify the type of case you have. She then starts asking people for help. Since the divorce rate in the United States is around 50%, it is likely that she knows at least several people who have been divorced. Ask about their process, how they selected a divorce

attorney, and how their attorney performed for them.

After you’ve gotten the names of several divorce attorneys you’ve received by asking other people, go online and start researching those attorneys and others. Many divorce lawyers have websites, write articles and advertise on divorce portal websites. You can learn quite a bit about how a lawyer handles cases and treats clients by checking out their website.

After you’ve reviewed divorce attorney websites, make a list of at least two and up to five divorce attorneys that you think you’d be comfortable speaking with. Call the offices of those divorce attorneys and schedule consultations. Some of those attorneys will charge you for a consultation; the more experience the lawyer has, the more likely you will have to pay for time with that lawyer.

When you attend a consultation with a divorce attorney, be prepared. Outline the history of your marriage and the problems you are facing now. If you or your spouse have filed papers with the court, be sure to bring them with you. Bring one or two years old tax returns or a recent financial statement so the divorce lawyer can review some of your financial data before they ask questions about the “results.”

Be sure to ask each divorce attorney questions about how that attorney’s office operates in response to phone calls, emails, or other client inquiries or needs. If you are going to work with a divorce attorney who does not have another attorney in their office, be prepared to stand in line when you need an answer. That attorney will have other clients who have needs as significant as yours, and an attorney can only serve one client at a time. Even with that drawback, there may be a divorce attorney that you feel is the right one for you who is also an independent attorney. That’s a tradeoff you may have to get comfortable with.

After you have completed all of your inquiries and reviewed the answers to all of your questions, decide which divorce lawyer you felt most comfortable with and which one you believe will work with you to get the kind of results you want.results you want.

My greatest vision of heaven continues from the first part

I remember when I was little, my mother used to put a lot of energy into sewing costumes for us to wear on dress-up days at school. I remember when I was a very little boy I wore my own coat of many colors and won first prize in it. I remember one day my mother took loads of bandages and wrapped me in them and I was Lazarus and a first prize again.

And here I was in heaven, sitting in the place of Christ, on His throne, sitting next to the Father in heaven with whom I could never speak or pray for most of my Christian life, dressed in a robe of righteousness that Jesus was gone. his own back and he gave it to me and standing in front of me was one of my childhood heroes, who once wore a special coat that his father Jacob had given him because he was special.

After that, the roof of heaven opened up somehow and all of a sudden while sitting on the throne next to God, I was looking at the solar system and two or more planets were really close like you could jump over them. Behind them stretched all the stars.

The Father told me.

“See all that, Matthew? I created all that!”

“Yes, father,” I replied.

“You know I not only created all of that, but I control it all and keep it from getting out of hand.”

“Yes,” I agreed, the Father seemed to be speaking things that were biblical. LOL

“You know, if I can control all of that and keep it in its place and in the right order, don’t you think I could control your life properly?”

Tears welled up in my eyes both in heaven and on earth. It reminds me of the scripture that says that what is loosed in heaven is loosed on earth.

Do you know how you can doubt this powerful ball of light that speaks to you from His throne while you see the galaxy in a way you have never seen it before? How can you doubt the promise that God will give you the desires of your heart if you put Him first?

You know that many people do not hear the voice of the Father, many people do not hear the voice of Jesus, you know that many people do not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Oh what a shame it is that some poor souls have to live a life on this earth and never see heaven and then go for eternity to that dark place called hell.

Why can’t people just obey Jesus and take His word as God’s Word and accept His promises and have the faith to trust Him and share the good news with others?

I will never forget that promise from my Creator and Father: “Don’t you think that I can direct your life too?”

I think the saddest thing that can happen to a person is for them to live a life that doesn’t get out of hand like I did. I think the saddest thing that can happen to a person is for them to have such a great life and not have a lot of pain and baggage that can really control their life and reach their potential without God.

Although the story of my life is difficult to share without crying in the process, I have been blessed to have come to a place where I simply know that I am making a mess of my life myself and that I really need God to take control. . So people may struggle to give control to God and therefore can never fully walk in the Spirit and experience perfection in the things they do.

How can you trust someone who was mentally ill to give you a message from Jesus or from God? Well, it takes faith. With a leap of faith 10 weeks ago I came out of my mediation, well around October 4, 2005 as I write this. Jesus told me that he was cured and that he could stop taking my meds and today I saw my psychiatrist and he gave me a clear state of health at my bi-monthly checkup. And I never told him that he was cured and just let him assume that he was still on medication. I was so happy when I got out of there that I called my mother and told her: he is official, even the professionals do not believe that he is sick!

One of my first visions of heaven.

In another vision I saw a wall made of diamonds and Jesus placed one in my hand. It was the size of a football and God said that he would rule the United States government for 200 earth years if it was valued and sold on earth. Later I talked to God the Father and He explained that the wall I saw was much bigger than I could see until the smoky mist covered it and made me consider how much all the diamonds were worth.

He said, “in light of what I told you about how much that diamond was worth, try and see how much two miles of a hundred-foot-high wall would be worth.” My mind was blown, and then the Father said, “That’s what earth money means to us up here!!” —

I have never been in money since then or prosperity lies.

another visit to heaven

Once I went to heaven and came to a park. The park was full of little kids jumping rope, running and playing on the swings and doing all sorts of fun things. He was looking and the park extended to two football fields and his was full of children. As I was looking, I noticed that there were no adults in the picture and I suddenly started to worry.

Jesus spoke to me and said, “There are no child predators here, Mateo.” i was revived

Suddenly I found myself in front of a girl on a bench and she looked at me and said, “Hello, Matthew.”

I was wondering how she knew me and she told me that she had known me for some years and when my son sleeps at night sometimes he dreams and meets her in her dream and she keeps him informed about the progress of my life as my son and I don’t see each other. That brought tears to my eyes.

He then took me to see the stables in the sky where they keep some of the horses. It was a lush field with the greenest grass and the best looking pastures for the horses to eat and run. He told me that he rides the horses and that he had ridden them with angels.

Because of my son and the bond with this young lady in heaven, this vision of heaven was very memorable for me.

the last supper in heaven

One day last year I had a vision and I appeared in a room in heaven and in front of the room Jesus was sitting with his 12 apostles taking communion. I was unsure of my Biblical theology of whether Jesus was allowed to drink wine before the Marriage Supper of the lamb and as I got closer I was wrestling if Jesus might be doing something that was not in scripture. Jesus smiled at me and knew my thoughts and moved me to join his apostles and got up from the table.

I was able to sit and commune with his apostles.

Vision of the last superior on earth

Many times, when I read the story of the last supper, I had the feeling that somehow I had been there. She knew that we are not reincarnated and I didn’t think it was a genetic cell memory and she just couldn’t shake it off. One day as I was reading the passage again, I found myself in the room of the last supper just on the other side of the door and I could see Jesus and the apostles at the table. If I were an artist, I could draw the picture and one day have Jesus verify that I was really there.

I told a friend of mine about it on a mission trip and he exclaimed, “Oh, neither do you!” I asked him why and he told me that the leader of the mission trip had also been in the upper room in a vision and instead of staying at the door he had sat down and dined with Jesus.

Meeting my first angel in the flesh

One day fifteen years ago an old homeless man came up to me and asked me for money. I turned him down because he had no change and I was too lazy to change a five dollar bill to give him change. As the man walked away, the verse “Everything you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me” came to mind as a strong rebuke from the Lord. I turned and ran after the guy and by the time I got to the phone booth that I had circled around two seconds before, he had disappeared into thin air. That was my first visit from an angel I met in person and I am sad to say that I failed the test.

The Lord told me that day that I had to stop judging people if I wanted to progress on the Christian path. Do you see a man in a business suit come up to you on the street and tell you that he has lost his wallet and needs two dollars to get home on the bus, you give him the third degree and say no? And yet a man in dirty jeans walks up to you with three days of growth on his face and looks like a hopeless drug addict and gives you the same line, his chances are much slimmer than the businessman’s. . In Santiago we are told not to show partiality and yet we do, judging people and self-righteously inventing credible reasons for not showing mercy. I’m sorry, I had an angel teach me this lesson and I learned it well.

I read in the book, “Angels on Mission”, which is a very good book by the way, that once the author met angels in his house and then they left him and disappeared right before his eyes. He said there were footprints in the snow and then they stopped. I have not been good or worthy enough to see my visitors disappear before my eyes. Maybe that requires more faith than I have right now. Or maybe they know I’m terrible at goodbyes!

Watching Jesus get kicked out of my church.

It all started because Jesus had told me that the church we attended was not good. I told him that they had been good to us and if Jesus wanted to prove that this church was no good, he wanted Him to show up at the church in person and he wanted to see them kick him out! Now, some of you may never say that to Jesus and actually have the faith to say it to Him, or disrespect. In any case…

Well thirty seconds after I said our homeless friend showed up and both myself and my friend who had heard me say my prayer to Jesus clearly knew that she was not herself the way she was acting. She came in and she started dancing to the song and singing out loud and she had her hands up and it was all too much for the people in the church and the minister showed her to the door.

Lack of money leads to my first miracle

The only time I have ever been short of money to give to a heroin addict for his drug, I have seen the power of God come through me and it is the only time I have seen the anointing of God pass through my hand. I was overcome with sadness that this girl who had asked me was starting to have very painful cramps all over her body while her body was withdrawing from heroin and as I sat and listened to her wince and say she just doesn’t know how she is. I was going to cope with the pain that was coming, inside I began to cry.

Jesus always the man God who took pity on earth heard my inner cry and told me.

“Ask her if you can pray for her.”

“Can I pray for you?” I asked. When she said yes, I quickly asked Jesus what to do next.

“Put your hand on his forehead and say the word peace,” Jesus instructed me.

I put my hand on her forehead and said peace out loud so she could hear it and my friend who was another hero could hear it.

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes and sat very relaxed for about a minute and I was wondering if she had fallen asleep or something. After a minute of suspense, she leaned over to me and looked at my yes and said with a loud exclamation, “What is this?”

I didn’t know what was happening and just said it by faith. “What you are feeling is the peace of God that passes all understanding.”

The joy and peace on that girl’s face in what she said after that was something I’ll never forget. This was my first and only miracle I’ve done, but it showed me a bit more of the character of my Jesus Christ that I serve than a hundred people who have given me the excuse that the reason they don’t give two dollars is that they don’t want to. be promoting the habit of people. All men’s excuses for showing no mercy and compassion vanish to nothing when Jesus Christ appears.

This is Part 3 of a 3-part series about America’s fascination and love for baseball and hot dogs. In Part 2, we discuss the growth of America’s love for hot dogs and America’s national pastime, as well as the importance of Charles Feltman and Babe Ruth to hot dogs and baseball, respectively. In part 3, we will continue with the historical examination of both, concluding with their place in the American present.

In the 1890s, the word “Frankfurt” was well known, especially in 1893 when it became popular in ballparks. Credit is given to Chris Von of Ahe who started the tradition. He was the owner of the major league baseball team St. Louis Browns.

Harry M. Steven, who ran a food concession in the early 1900s at New York City’s Polo Grounds, had his vendors sell large, spicy sausage rolls during Giants baseball games, topped with sauerkraut and mustard. His salespeople were yelling, “Get your hot ones! Hot ones!”

Nathan’s has been recognized today for having the highest quality hot dogs in the world. Statistics show that 360 million Nathan’s Frankfurters were sold last year. They also have the famous Frankfurter eating contest. These hot dogs are sold and enjoyed at 20,000 retail and food service outlets across the United States. Sports celebrities like Joe Namath and Joe DiMaggio loved Nathan’s wieners.

For both Charles Feltman and Nathan Handwerker, the American dream was embraced. This symbolized for them “a dream of social order in which each man and each woman can reach the maximum stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.” (James Trulow Adams 1931)

For Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, the American dream also came true. He is the most recognizable and adored baseball player to this day. The image of him sharing his hot dog with children in the stands at Yankee games was commemorated in a commemorative film of his life, The Babe, where John Goodman played him. It’s no coincidence that the national rise in popularity of both the hot dog and baseball go hand in hand. Charles Feltman sold wieners in New York, where they were popular locally in the early 20th century. Babe Ruth played in New York from 1920 to 1934. He loved this succulent delight and was the most famous athlete of that era, perhaps of any era. Their well-known hot dog consumption and baseball lore combined to spread the word that “red hot hots” were a great food and should be tried, especially while watching a ballgame.

Soon hot dogs were being sold in every ballpark, the tradition was born, and the Frankfurter became a staple of the American diet and of baseball itself. In fact, if you try to show off and make a mistake in baseball, it’s known as a “hot dog” because you’re trying to be better than you are when a hot dog is certainly good enough, especially the way they make them. in the ball park. Today, many famous and delicious gourmet Frankfurters and hot dog variations are sold at every park in Major League Baseball, including Fenway Frank in Boston, Nathan’s Dog in New York, the famous Dodger Dog, and even the Bison Dog in Atlanta. There are more variations of the delicious meat treat today than Derek Jeter’s hits.

So next time you’re at the grocery store, you can pick up chicken, turkey, tofu, or beef sausage, or wait until your next barbecue, ballgame, or outdoor festival to eat that magical outdoor dog. But if you fancy one now, you don’t have to wait for opening day, there’s always a “Nathan’s” somewhere.

Red Hot! Any? You bet… Hey, I’ll have one here! It may not be diet-friendly, but it tastes great and is certainly patriotic!