Cindy Sumsion, Costume Queen and Mrs. Claus for the Dance Project's production of Cascade Christmas, is a tireless worker with a bubbly personality!  Her obvious gifts of style and color sense beautifully compliment her artistic ability in song and dance!  Wow, it is so great to share the stage with people of such high standards.

If you would like to really get into the spirit of Christmas, come out and see Cascade Christmas running until December 4th.  Get tickets online here: Cascade Theatre Box Office.

 Merry Christmas Everyone!

I just came off of a great run of M*A*S*H, the play in Redding, CA.  It was an honor to play guitar, sing the movie theme song and play the role of Sgt. Devine.  Memories came flooding back from the time I went on a U.S.O. hospital tour in 1969 performing at numerous M*A*S*H units in Korea, along with other military venues in the far east.  I guess that is why this song is so touching to me.  I hope you are blessed by it too. You can order the CD here.

Merry Christmas!
George Ireton

How To Write Your Business Bio
by Deb Brown

What is a bio

• Start with short overview.
• Use professional picture.
• Short detailing of what you do.
• Fuller accounting of what you do.
• Contact Info.

Let’s first determine what a bio is. It’s certainly not a resume. A resume follows a structured format of Education and Professional Experience and is usually in chronological order. It’s designed for prospective employers to scan and decide if they want to talk to you. You may be required to submit a resume or Curriculum Vitae for things like grant funding – so it is a good idea to have one available.

A bio is designed to showcase what you know and do so that people will want to do business with you. If you have a blog, your bio makes a perfect About Me page.

It often starts with a short overview that paints a picture of who you are. It tells a story. If you were to sit down over a cup of coffee with an old high school classmate you haven’t seen in years, what would you tell them about what you do? You wouldn’t punch the air with bullet points – you would tell a short story. Do that in the overview.

This is also a good place to insert a professional taken picture of you. That doesn’t mean you have to wear a suit and tie if you don’t wear one every day. It does mean a picture taken of you by a professional. Do you have a local photographer you can use? If not, why not call the local high school and see what their photo club can do for you?

The next section will be a short detailing of what it is you do – what you want the reader to know about your business. This is designed for the reader who doesn’t read the entire document! That reader will still have received an overview and a short detailing of what you do. Decisions are often made on that information alone. Use your bullet points in this section.

The third section of your bio will be a fuller accounting of what your business entails. Of course write about the services you provide or the products you sell. Also include where you can be found online – your social media presence. Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Flickr, your blog – these are all places that create a feeling of trust for your possible client. They indicate you have developed relationships with people. If you have any accolades to crow about, this is the spot as well. If you’ve been published, share the information. If you’ve been mentioned in an article, share the link.

Finally, round out the bio with your contact information. If you have regular store hours, include those. List your name, email, and phone numbers.

This is what a New York Times article had to say... You looked wonderful on your résumé. Your references raved about you. The interview went swimmingly. Yet you didn’t get the job. Oh, no: did they see that Facebook photo of you dancing on a table? Or find out that you’re six months behind on your mortgage payment? You may never know why you weren’t hired, but be aware that background checks can make or break a job application. And in a data-rich world, the person with the fewest red flags may get the job.

Click here if you want to protect your good name on the Internet.

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Audio Clip #1 - Live Web Systems

Audio Clip #2 - Adecco Employment

Audio Clip #3 - Cell Phones For Soldiers PSA

Audio Clip #4 - Clearwire

This latest big thing called social media is certainly important, however it is equally important to make sure your marketing dollars are wisely spent.  We refer to ourselves as "Your lighthouse on the point of technology" for a good reason.  We do not let our clients crash on the rocks while navigating the web.  Take a look at the following information and contact us for some further straight talk!

Here are some reasons why you should consider using social media:

• It’s natural. Not only do you get natural links without any discernible pattern, your website is exposed to large groups of people in a spontaneous fashion. This differs from paid advertising which has overt commercial overtones.
• It’s defensible. Once successfully mastered, social communities can be a great source of web traffic on top of any traffic you are already receiving from search engines. While you can’t easily increase your search engine traffic, social media traffic can be very easily controlled through strategic marketing.
• It’s low-cost/high returns. If done by yourself, costs are limited to only time and perhaps the expenses involved in hiring someone to do it for you. The benefits will often exceed the cost. It would take you thousands of dollars to buy many links; social media has the ability to give you that for free.
• It complements other efforts. Social media optimization and marketing is usually community-specific. It doesn’t interfere with any other methods of getting traffic to your website. It can and will fit perfectly with an advertising campaign targeting other websites or search engines.

So I put together a web page that allows folks to click and go to some of the best products and services on the planet.  Most are tech related software or hardware, but there are some fun items to be had as well.  Just to let you know, when you shop through one of those links, you are helping me at the same time.  A small percentage comes back to me. Click for more info.

These days life can be unsettling to say the least. But be encouraged! I recall the 1960s when the world seemed out of control. It was a scary time in so many ways. But there always seemed to be those who assumed leadership in a good and positive way.  Those who offered encouragement in times of trouble. In contrast to some of the music coming from a culture of drugs, sex and rock & roll, Simon and Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was inspiring.  There have been many unique and inspiring people over the decades of our lives.  One such man is Nick Vujicic. Want inspiration? Need encouragement?  Watch and listen to Nick!

You can get more from your PC now. Just use it as a TV!

Click Here To Git R' Done!

Now you can watch over 3000 HD Live TV channels right on your PC or Laptop! Auto Channel Updates. Works all over the World. Watch Full Screen. Full HD Quality. Take your TV Shows with you everywhere Never miss a live sporting event ever again Thousands of Great Channels to Watch Available 24 hours per day / 7 days a week Cancel Your Cable Now - Get Live Online TV.

Make sure to eat fruits and vegetables everyday. Oh, you should not only watch what you eat, but what you drink as well. Don't drown yourself in sodas, fizzy drinks and those lattes or mocachino. Too much carbonated drink and caffeine is not good for the body. Drink as much water as you can everyday. You can never go wrong with fresh fruit juices, too. If you like meat, then you can turn to chicken and fish instead of eating too much beef and pork.

If you want to start eating right, there is no better time to start that now. Incorporate food with nutritional value into your daily menu. You will not have a hard time learning about different foods and what they can contribute to your health. Make your life more healthy with these 5 amazing recipes eBooks. Now what do you think people would say if your diet consists of junk food? Take a healthy step towards delicious meals and new tastes! Imagine how your body would react when you eat the right kinds of food! Don't forget, you are what you eat!

Now it you are really serious about driving traffic to your website (pop up in Google), get more business leads etc., I just want to encourage you to consider a search friendly website built on the solid rock of http://www.livewebsystems.com  (Shameless self promo). From there, you can blog, automatically send that content to your Facebook page, feed your FB to Twitter and the circle of cyber life continues...

The long and short of it is this.... There are no shortcuts! No easy or automatic solutions. It all boils down to good hard work to promote your products and services. Some folks seem to think there is a magic bullet, i.e. pay a hundred bucks and sit back and watch the web traffic roll in! It just doesn't work that way folks. This is advertising pure and simple. If you would like to discuss a realistic marketing plan, please feel free to contact me. 530-410-6340 No obligation of course!

My friend Andrea is correct! That is why I recommend Live Web Systems. It has the unique ability to accept your relevant content, backed up by an accurate page title, description, and key phrases.  When you do all that in concert, it can be amazing how quickly the search engines will embrace your site, and you will see improved rankings.  It truly is... All About Content!  Want better search results? We can help you get there.

Here’s what Rich Moulton had to say about our telecom audit services. If you would like to see if we can save you money on your phone bill, just give us a call at 530-410-6340.

“George Ireton from Shasta Consulting ran a complete communications cost analysis for Computer Logistics and saved our company $5472.00 per year -> over 400 a month!

His approach is very professional and non-invasive. He dealt with multiple Internet and telephone providers and put together a project that was deployed with zero downtime. It has been over five months since implementation, and our company has not experienced any negative effects. It was a pleasure working with him and we recommend his service to anyone.”

Richard Moulton - President
Computer Logistics Incorporated
“Mission Critical Support, since 1986″

Total information has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times. Internet years are like dog years. Things change so often and so quickly, you really do need to lead, follow or get out of the way! My initial exposure to the Internet was way back in the early 70’s when it was still a gleam in the eye of a young Bill Gates. When I brought home my first personal computer, my wife asked “what the heck is that thing?” I told her it was a solution looking for a problem. I mean there was zero software packed with it, just a booklet describing all the great capabilities of a brand new technology.

These days we are literally overrun with hardware and software to address some of the most obscure problems one might imagine. The power of the Internet has created incredible economic opportunity for millions of people. Even the smallest business can promote their products and services 24 hours a day with an effective website. It has been said that over half the population now uses the Internet to find things they need. Half of those have Google as their home page! This is no small development in the scheme of things. If you have a website (your competitors probably do) it is important that it be “Google friendly”.

Today there are so many ways for businesses to take advantage of the Internet, but it would be a mistake to assume an “automatic” success solution. Things still take time and effort. One very effective approach is to create a blog, otherwise known as a web log or online journal. Google likes them. You get the opportunity to interact with your customers and actually find out what they want! There is great value in having such an open forum, and the rewards can be immense. Running a blog comes with responsibilities too. You should update it regularly with current useful information about your business.

Uncertain what to add to your blog? No worries. The following is a list of ideas to keep your blog updated. What’s new at your business? Maybe you’ve moved recently, added a new stellar employee, you’re having a special or have something new to market to your clients. The blog provides a great place to advertise that information. Articles and tips related to your business. The news is a treasure-trove of blog fodder.

For instance, a carpenter could update their blog with a quote and link to an article on a new more durable material available for use, maybe it lasts a life time. That would catch a consumer’s eye. Or perhaps the carpenter could post tips on preserving and caring for handcrafted items. It is important to quote your source but that’s as simple as pasting the source’s link to the bottom of your blog entry. Pictures! What better way to show off your business? It’s an amiable way for potential and current clients to get to know the face of your company. Maybe you have an amazing project to show off, maybe your business plays on a softball team, had a great Christmas party, donated time to the community, or maybe the office mascot just needs some more adoring fans. Community Participation. Does your business give back to the community? Post it in the blog!

Maybe your company helps sponsor a local junior soccer team, visits schools, helps disaster victims, throws picnics, or builds home for the less fortunate. Posting these in your blog not only gives a shout out to organization you’re helping but lets site visitors know you’re a good company. Testimonials. Did someone have something nice to say about your company? Write it in your blog. Not only does this give an accurate time stamp of the compliment for later reference, it’s also another way to point out your business excellence.