The Tempur-Pedic Slipper - Using Space Technology To Comfort Tired Feet

By Robin OBrien

When did you ever hear of a mattress manufacturer making footwear? Well, Tempur-Pedic has created a slipper that incorporates the same viscoelastic material used in its memory foam mattress. Thinking about it, it makes sense; tired feet deserve the same support as the rest of your body.

Just in case you don't know, viscoelastic foam is a new product that differs significantly from ordinary polyurethane foam. This unique material reacts to both pressure and temperature and conforms to the exact shape of whatever is being placed on top of it. A bed mattress that uses this type of foam distribute weight evenly and so help to significantly reduce pressure points and provide the best possible support and alignment of the spine and neck. The Tempur-Pedic mattress was the original and still remains the market leader. It offers a number of models of differing configurations and budget.

The company also makes pillows made of viscoelastic foam, which seems logical. Again, there are different configurations and prices.

However, not many would think that Tempur-Pedic also makes slippers. But why not? After all, if a memory foam mattress gives you the best possible support when lying down, why shouldn't this foam also give you the best support when walking around your home?

The Comfort-Step slipper is the company's latest design. The slipper comes with a very tough sole, suede uppers and comes in blue or brown. They're not cheap, costing around $50. There's been mixed reviews about them. Some have complained that depressions quickly appear on the memory foam sole (usually the heal) and that the uppers (outer lining) wears out too quickly. I also wish that there were more styles and colors available. However, most really liked the comfort of the slippers and highly recommend them.

One word of warning; you can never, ever get them wet. So, they're only suitable for wearing inside the house - you can wear them outside but you should avoid walking on damp grass. Obviously, you can't machine wash them either.

You used to be able to buy Tempurpedic inner soles as well but they are no longer available. This is a real shame as many people have problems wearing shoes and traditional inner soles don't always do the trick. However, the good news is that there are other brands on offer. And, there are now even shoes being made with inner soles using viscoelastic foam.

Modellista Footwear manufactures shoes with memory foam inner soles - the company acquired a license from Tempur-Pedic to use its foam. Interestingly, the company had to devise a new way of shaping its shoes as traditional methods use steam - contact with steam causes viscoelastic foam to collapse. Its shoe designs range from traditional clog shapes to sling backs and open-toe sandals and are available nationwide.

The Tempur-Pedic slipper is very popular and a number of other memory foam brands are now available. Over the next few years I believe were going to see viscoelastic foam being incorporated into many slippers and shoes.

Follow the links for the Tempur-Pedic slippers and the Tempur-Pedic mattress as well as other best mattress brands.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_OBrien

15 Weirdest Work Stories of 2007

By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

Natural disasters, revolutionary technology, pro-athlete scandals and national calamities marked 2007 as an unforgettable year. Yet, amid these major happenings arose stories that were overlooked, unseen or ignored altogether: tales of our nation’s work force.

Understandably, these pieces weren’t as newsworthy as Michael Vick’s dog fighting charges or Paris Hilton going to jail. But these stories held an angle unlike any other: They were just plain weird.

Here are 15 headlines that exemplify the strange happenings that took place in the workplace in 2007.

1. “Employee eats 32 vending machine items for charity”
A juvenile probation officer ate one of every item in a county courthouse vending machine in one day. She consumed more than 7,000 calories and more than 300 grams of fat, eating such items as beef sticks, candy bars, Pop Tarts and potato chips – all to win a bet with co-workers and raise $300 for charity.

2. “Cola wars get physical as Pepsi worker attacks Coke employee”
Two employees from the rival companies got into a tiff over shelf space in the aisle of a Wal-Mart in Indiana. The Pepsi worker allegedly assaulted the Coca-Cola employee, hitting him in the face, giving him a black eye and breaking his nose. Police say the two were also accused of trying to run each other over with pallets full of soda bottles.

3. “Alleged robber asks victim out for date”
After two men robbed a Domino’s Pizza delivery woman, one of them called the victim from his cell phone to apologize – and to ask her out.

4. “Four women fired for gossiping”
Four women employed in a small New Hampshire town were fired for gossiping about a relationship between the town administrator and a fellow co-worker. They were fired on the basis that “gossip, whispering and an unfriendly environment are causing poor morale and interfering with the efficient performance of town business.”

5. “Eau de Lawsuit: Woman sues over scent”
An employee in the Detroit planning department sued the city, saying a female co-worker’s strong fragrance prohibited her from working. The woman claimed she is severely sensitive to perfumes and her co-worker not only wore a strong scent, but also plugged in a scented room deodorizer.

6. “Salt lands McDonald’s employee in jail”
A McDonald’s employee was arrested, jailed and is facing criminal charges because a police officer got sick after a hamburger he ate was too salty. The employee accidentally spilled salt on some hamburger meat and told her supervisor and co-worker, who “tried to thump the salt off.” The employee was charged because she served the burger “without regards to the well-being of anyone who might consume it.”

7. “Carpenter free to ply trade in the nude”
A carpenter caught hammering nails and sawing wood in the nude says he prefers working in the buff because it’s more comfortable and helps keep his clothes clean. The carpenter was found not guilty of indecent exposure.

8. “Southwest Airlines employee tells passenger her outfit won’t fly”
A Southwest employee asked a young woman in a short skirt to leave the airplane, saying she was dressed too provocatively for the family airline. The young woman was eventually allowed to complete her trip after covering up. On her return flight, she came home with no problem – in the same outfit.

9. “Employee accused of faking being cop”
A Taco Bell employee was arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer and attempting to arrest his managers and co-worker. He passed himself off as an undercover narcotics investigator, going as far as typing fake criminal histories on the general manager, two shift managers and an employee and telling them they were going to be arrested.

10. “Employee took 1 million screws home from factory”
An assembly worker hid screws in a specially designed hiding place and took up to 7,000 home with him every day. Over a two-year period, he stole more than 1.1 million screws with an estimated value of $155,000. He allegedly sold the screws over the Internet at discount prices.

11. “Deputy nabbed twice for DUI – by husband”
An off-duty jail deputy was pulled over and charged with driving under the influence – by her husband, a fellow deputy. She supposedly left before he could give her a Breathalyzer test, so he pulled her over again and called for backup. She was placed on administrative leave.

12. “Workers killed after seeking raises”
A car dealership owner killed two employees because they kept asking for more pay. The employer told police he was having financial problems and was under a lot of stress.

13. “Man demands coupons from radio station employee”
A radio station employee was threatened at gunpoint when an angry patron was unhappy with the promotional bumper stickers he received. The patron demanded McDonald’s coupons instead; when the employee didn’t have any, the man flashed what looked like a handgun. She searched her car and found a coupon for a free cheeseburger. The man took it, made a derogatory comment about the radio station and rode away on his bike.

14. “Wienermobile gets cop roasted”
When a 27-foot-long, 11-foot-tall vehicle – known to most as the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile – was slowing traffic in a construction zone in Arizona, an officer ran its “YUMMY” license plate to make sure it was street legal. A bad computer entry erroneously showed the Wienermobile as having stolen plates, forcing the officer to pull it over. After further investigation, the officer learned that the entry should have read that license plate had been stolen – but only if found on any vehicle that isn’t a giant hot dog.

15. “Drive-through dispute gets suspect jail food”
Workers at a Burger King in New York got into a dispute with a customer after he refused to turn his music down while ordering at the drive-through. The customer grabbed the restaurant’s manager, tried to pull her through a window and then attempted to run over a worker who came to help the manager.

Technology is Great, if it doesn't get you FIRED!

By Joel Heffner

A few years ago, I attended a presentation where three clowns, I mean speakers, made a presentation. They did just about everything wrong. However, the worst part was their use of technology.

The person responsible for getting the PowerPoint started did not know that to get a PowerPoint presentation started all you have to do is click on an icon. We should have known that things were going to get worse at that point.

The next joker to speak, sorry again, I meant to say, the next distinguished speaker, turned his back to the audience to read the slides. I don't mean glance at the slides, I mean he read every word on every slide. Incidentally, he did not have the greatest looking back.

Although three people were joining in for the presentation they had only one microphone. It was on a relatively short cord so that some of the speakers had to bend over, as if in great pain, to use it.

Although they were speaking to a group in a large auditorium, the screen was only about eight feet wide. I was lucky (I think) because I was sitting in the front and could see the slides. The folks in the back definitely could not. It might have made sense if someone had tested the set-up first and someone else sat in the back to see if the screen was legible.

Unfortunately, the worst part of the whole day was that the three people were representing one of the major technology companies in the world. [I won't mention the company to protect three jobs.]

*Know the equipment that you are going to use.
*Know the room you are going to speak in.
*Know how to use PowerPoint if you are going to use it.

It is very easy to look like a jerk when you use technology that you are not familiar with. It can also get you fired.

Joel Heffner is a writer, speaker and communications consultant. For information on how he can help you go to http://www.joelheffner.com

Objections - An Enabling Sales Technology

By John Bradley Jackson

Objections. You have heard them all before: I have no budget, I have no need, I am not interested or We are happy with our existing supplier. My favorite objection is Maybe later. All are the customer's way of saying no.

Classical sales training tells us that you have to hear “no” before you can hear “yes”. What this really means is that customers must purge themselves of all concerns, hesitations, and questions before they can buy. And if they don’t get these things out their system they won’t be able to go forward. These concerns manifest themselves as objections in the sales process. The astute sales person is on the lookout for these and welcomes them.

Let the customer know that sharing these objections is the right thing to do and that they are smart to do so. This may seem opposite of what you might first think; many inexperienced sales people run away or avoid objections. Often objections are challenging and can end the sales process if handled poorly. Yet, closing your eyes and hoping they go away won’t work.

Some say that an objection is a request for more information and a request for help. Expect to hear no. Better yet, plan on it. Respond by being understanding while probing for more information. “No” is an enabling sales technology.

Let the customer know that “No” is an acceptable outcome because you are here for the long run and want to build a long term relationship. This takes the pressure out of the sales process and allows the customer to explain more specifically his/her issues. This allows you the chance to provide a better solution.

Sometimes, you can ignore an objection. This can be a bit cocky because if the customer says it, then it needs to be handled sooner or later. I have found that this strategy works when someone hurls a volley of multiple objections at you. With this objection-handling strategy, you let him/her repeat the important objections and then you can address the important issues.

Some customers object on price because they feel that they have to; often this customer is a poor or inexperienced negotiator and feels that objecting once on price is enough or is an expected part of the process. Ignoring this objection can pay off with this type of buyer.

Most sales training suggests you turn around objections by restating them and taking the offensive. For example, the customer says the price is too high. You respond, “If the price wasn’t too high could you agree to proceed with the service?” This seems a bit deliberate to me.

My thoughts are that objections are a part of a healthy sales process and are to be expected, if not desired, if you want the order. Greet them calmly and respond with calming words like “I understand how you feel” or “I see” or “Others have felt the same way”.

Next, probe more information with questions like:- “How so?”- “Tell me more?”- “What else?”- “Tell me about it”

Offer an explanation or more information to help the customer understand your offering’s benefits. Then say:

- “Have I answered your question?”- “Does that help?”- “Does that sound better?”

Sometimes, the customer will continue to object. This means that they still need more information. Give them more. Then verify again that you have properly responded to the objection. If so, it can be appropriate to say, “Thanks for asking me that (i.e. you are so smart)” or “That was a great question (i.e. you are so smart) or simply, “Thanks”.

Objections help you find the way to yes, so welcome them. It is the customer’s way of asking for help because “No” is an enabling sales technology.

John Bradley Jackson brings street-savvy sales and marketing experience from Silicon Valley and Wall Street. His resume also includes entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate trainer, philanthropist, and consultant. His book is called “First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing”.

Check out his website at: http://www.firstbestordifferent.com or his blog at http://www.firstbestordifferent.com/blog

John Bradley Jackson © Copyright 2006 All rights reserved.

How RFID Technology Will Invade Your Life

By Arthur Stoller

With RFID technology a store owner knows everything about the item you take to the checkout including price, color size etc.

The USA now wants to put this technology into passports which would allow people to be mass processed through custom control, without having to form queues. You know what it is like when you arrive home late and there is a queue of 200 people in front of you at the Passport desk.So a convenience would be faster people handling.

Credit card companies would be able to read your card simply by you waving it near a reading device. So we face a revolution in the use of RFID technology.But security on terrorist activity may be compromised because he could alter his passport to get though without an official actually seeing the falsified document.

And then there is the issue of personal privacy. You buy an item using RFID and for the rest of the day a scanner could pick up the fact you just bought it and how would this compromise you if you are holding a RFID credit card.

Also consider the supply chain structure. Now thieves could know what's being held in premises and what its value is.

There are some solutions for specific cases. So for example when you buy something, there should be a tear off section your ticket to remove the device. So you will not be readable after you have bought your items.

Credit cards are a different consideration.

What would be the diving line between being close enough for the scanner to pick you up but not close enough for a thief to scan the card in your handbag?
An unacceptable situation would be where thieves could wander around shopping centers and simply get close enough to your wallet to scan your card. Clearly there is some extra thinking to be done here and it may be some time before this is solved, where convenience is improved but your privacy is secure. Maybe aluminum wallets are the answer? Time will tell.

Counting devicesClient counting solution to the retail sector offers a system is aimed at providing pertinent management information on client visit habits and related transactions.The system comprises client movement logging hardware - deployed in-store and a software suite which would typically run within head office and provide web browser access to count statistics.

Benefitso Sales to look into conversion rate analysis to ascertain sales effectiveness and help improve Average Transaction Value and Unitso Marketing to assess the effectiveness of advertising and marketing campaignso Operations to provide insight into the effectiveness of staffing levelso Security and exceptions will note movements after-hours and differences between people entering and exiting the storeo Environment to look at through-store footfall to ensure appropriate floor layout andcustomer awareness of in-store departmentso Low impact and quick installation

Management informationA simple to use browser-based software suite provides immediate access to management information right across your enterprise.Integration with management data allows automated linking with transactional and staffing data so you can see how wisely or not you are spending you money.

Sales transaction data should be automatically imported on a daily basis and the system database should be queried by third party products for further integration/analysis as necessary. Client counting can improve your operational cost-effectiveness, improve your advertising impact on sales and enhance the customer experience by ensuring staffing levels are appropriate to customer flow.

Arthur Stoller advises customers on the use of retail technology. Find out how you can implement protection for your shop by visiting http://www.rto.com

Discover Breakthrough Technology in the Top 5 Wireless Laptop Adapter Cards

By Terry Price
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Laptop adapter cards are becoming much more critical for mobile workers when it comes to taking advantage of Wi-Fi Internet access in airports, hotels, train stations and other hot spots.
Face it, working on the road is sometimes not a lot of fun, especially when connectivity problems are your main issue. If you're struggling with connectivity issues or you are simply looking for purchase information, here are the top 5 wireless laptop adapter cards.

The Linksys WPC54G Wireless-G Notebook Adapter is compatible with all versions of Windows and comes with a one-year warranty. This exceptional wireless adapter can work with both B and G networks and will give you the best connectivity option available. You will pay between $45 and $100 and get a simple way to add or upgrade wireless connectivity in your notebook computer. All you do is slide it into your notebook's PC card slot to enjoy high-speed wireless network access and still retain the freedom of your true mobility. You’ll enjoy the way this unit overlays the signals of two wireless GE compatible radios, the multiple in and the multiple out technology. It will effectively double your data rate. It actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce dead spots in your coverage area.

Adaptable to Windows 98 and more recent operating systems, the D-Link DWL-G650 Air Plus Xtreme G Wireless Card Bus Adapter comes with a user-friendly setup guide and software.
Complete with a three-year warranty and 24/7 toll-free customer support, this adapter comes at a nice affordable price range between $25 and $65. This adapter delivers lightning fast performance, up to 15 times faster than 802.11b. Excellent and consistent data rate delivery will allow you to operate at the highest possible speed, especially when it comes to seamless access to the wireless network in a homogenous environment.

The easy to install Proxim Orinoco 11a/b/g ComboCard Gold comes with a three-year warranty. You will be able to connect to any wireless network you may encounter when traveling and work up to a distance of 200 feet in wireless G mode. In addition to lightning access, it delivers proven high performance for a broad range of applications and host computer systems. Quick simple connection provides for easy installation. You'll pay between $50 and $75.

If you're a mobile Mac user, you are going to enjoy the wireless connectivity benefits that the Airport extreme card can provide. It operates on the 802.11 G standard and is backward compatible with the 802.11 G. You will be able to do data transfer rates of up to 54 Mb per second and it's a snap to exchange files or play multi-user games. Prices range from $50-$100.

The fifth one is the SMC SMC2835W EZ Connect G. also compatible with old wireless GE. With these standards this laptop adapter card can handle bandwidth intensive applications such as Web conferencing. It comes with an easy to setup CD, which installs the software automatically.

According to the manufacturer, it will operate up to 1155 feet and will support both WEP encryption and Wi-Fi Protected Access(WPA). It's possible that with this exceptional product, you will enjoy 50% higher performance than what you’re achieving now. The smart router automatically detects and configures your cable or DSL Internet connection, which can be very handy. Expect to pay between 50 and $100.

As a mobile user and one who demands the fastest and best connectivity possible, you're advised to consider one of the above products to deliver what you're looking for when you want it!

Terry A. Price is a regular contributing author to the expert author community and is committed to bringing quality useable content that you can take to the bank now. Discover more amazing breakthroughs in laptop technology on his website at: http://www.laptopdestination.com/