We are conducting a late breaking Stargate update for Stargate Atlantis. In the blogosphere today, we received the following transmissions from people and aliens talking, writing and ranting about Stargate Atlantis due to premiere on July 11th.

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Office suites are designed to keep noise to a minimum. Unfortunately, most employees do not benefit from this design goal as there is a simple flaw in the plan. Noise travels up and over most cubicles and creates a constant background distraction. Employees find it difficult to complete their own work while constantly filtering out the conversations of others around them.

How to combat office noise? The answer is sound masking. This technique is now used in many offices. Although it does not cancel the noise completely but it has been found to implement oral privacy. Many companies are finding it effective and beneficial. Sound masking helps employees to concentrate more on their work by decreasing noise distractions.

How does sound masking work? It is all about physics, actually. When there is a soft background noise in a room, all the noises and conversations are harder to pick out. It has commonly been referred to as white noise. You can hear a group of sounds, but can’t pick out just one.

There are numerous methods of auditory management for sale today. The finest and latest are identified as “direct field” systems and are put into the ceiling of the workplace. An electronic mechanism creates a discreet sound that hinders employee’s ability to hear the private discussions of others.

Individual employees can also choose to get a white noise generators. These machines are able to block out the steady background noise of a busy office with relaxing and pleasing sounds such as waterfalls, waves, rain, or rolling rivers. These types of sounds have been proven to help increase a worker’s productivity through relaxation and focusing concentration.

No matter which path you choice for sound masking your office, you will see the benefits of taking care of the acoustic annoyance. You want your employees to get along with each other, optimally perform their tasks and be stress free! The small costs of masking office noise today can save you even more in the future.

This poses a very difficult problem for the workers who must function in those areas. The constant chattering of one’s colleagues carries through open-plan offices, resulting in disruption, distraction, Office Stress, and loss of both creativity and productivity. So, what is the answer to Office Noise? Many employers have now opted for Sound Masking. Although this technique doesn’t cancel out noise, it does help by implementing oral privacy. Many companies have found that this technique worked greatly when used in their offices. The productivity of their workers increased, due to the decrease in distractions following the implementation of noise Masking.

- Frank Barnett

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Tips On Creating A Website For Your Day Care

I’m a huge advocate of having a website and blog to support your day care business. My website was born at the same time as my day care and I have benefited from a lot of business that otherwise might not have found me. They might have overlooked my service in favor of a bigger, better, faster, shinier, more centrally located day care.

Instead, thanks to my website including pictures and information on every aspect of my day care people were impressed. They liked the beautiful setting, the family run element and our montessori program. Quite simply, they liked the fact that the website had put a face to the name, had added the personal touch and people felt like they knew us already.

Communication with potential and existing clients is so much easier, as is marketing your day care when you have an online presence. It is not difficult to maintain or create a website and a professional look can be easily achieved. Your business can be marketed better by a regularly updated, vibrant website and blog than by other methods at less cost. Include lots of information about you and your day care ensure your site is easily navigated.

Granted it took a few months of work submitting my site to online business directories and ensuring I had all my meta tags and keywords up to speed but ultimately it was worth it. My day care almost always shows up in the first few listings for any search for child care in my area (oftentimes for nationwide searches).

Pictures of your day care should abound, both interior and exterior - nice bright shots of your playrooms and playgrounds. Parents love to see concise details of essential policies, fees and curriculum - so they know what to expect. You can include downloads of your day care contract and parent handbook - the more information you provide the less questions they’re going to have.

Having a blog associated with your site is a lovely idea and keeps both present and future clients updated and involved. I just recently revamped my site adding a blog (I use wordpress and highly recommend it) and am already reaping the rewards and hearing lots of nice feedback. Consider having a staff page with pictures and mini biographies of your carers (even it it’s just you). People love that personal touch and feel that you are less of a stranger to them.

Fiona Lohrenz has 10 years experience running a day care and has launched a child care website directed at providers and parents. She has also produced a ‘Start a Daycare Business’ DVD guide: Start A Daycare Business Fiona can be reached at her website: ChildCareOnly.com

- Fiona Lohrenz

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