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Harry Potter Books Now Available in Digital Book Format

June 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In news that’s nearly as exciting as playing Quidditch for the first time, Amazon.com recently announced that all seven of the Harry Potter series are available in the Kindle lending library.

The Interviewing Experts staff explains why this news is so welcome to fans of J.K. Rowling’s #1 bestseller series.

Last month the online retail mega store first obliquely hinted that the Harry Potter series might be hitting its virtual shelves, but with this announcement Potter fans can expect to find the series by the end of June. And those who have the Amazon Prime Membership can access the books as soon as they are available. The library now counts the adventures of the boy-wizard among its 145,000 books and not just in English – it’s in French, Italian, German and Spanish as well.

With its exclusive license from J.K. Rowling’s official Pottermore website, Amazon and Pottermore are the only two sites that legally offer the e-books. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed to the media.

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is a service that Amazon.com offers their Prime Membership customers for $79.99 and members can “check out” books as often as once a month.

Consumers who don’t have the Prime membership subscription can purchase Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban online for $7.99 each. Other books in the series are $9.99 each, and the whole series can be purchased as a collection for $57.54.

The Harry Potter series sold 450 million copies worldwide, and the books have been translated into 70 languages. For the nearly 20% of technology-savvy people that have some sort of an e-reader, having the tales of Harry and his friends available in this new format can only be good news.

Filed Under: Business, Computers and Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Pierre Bennett Global Holidays: The Five Best Places to Ski

June 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Pierre Bennett Global Holidays

Pierre Bennett Global Holidays

When rating a skiing destination, Pierre Bennett Global Holidays says that it’s not just about which place gets the most snow or has the steepest runs – it’s the overall skiing experience that counts.  And Pierre Bennett Global Holidays believes that it’s important for members to have the inside scoop on which mountains are the best to point their skis down.

Although Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is famous for its snow and the people who ski there – it’s as far from pretentious as a skier can find, reports Pierre Bennett Global Holidays. World-class skiers still visit Jackson for practice runs before competing, rewarding themselves with waffles and domestic beer from Corbet’s Cabin after a good run. Jackson also has some of the best backcountry skiing in the world and its snowfall is legendary. Pierre Bennett Global Holidays notes that even though it seems incongruous for Jackson to be as challenging as it is and family-friendly at the same time – somehow this ski destination manages to be all things to all people.

Pierre Bennett Global Holidays also recommends Alta and Snowbird for skiers who are looking for a challenge. With over 600 inches of snow per year, these side-by-side resorts near Salt Lake City, Utah are a skier’s dream.  Pierre Bennett Global Holidays acknowledges that the nightlife on the slopes is on the quiet side. However, if  ski enthusiasts just want the pure experience of skiing in this amazing place, they won’t be disappointed.

Famous for both its skiing and movie festival, Telluride is hardly off the pop-culture beaten path. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s simple to get to. It’s worth the ride to get to this little town, though, with the stunning 14,000-foot mountain backdrop, notes Pierre Bennett Global Holidays. And the best news for skiers is that in 2008 new terrain, “Revelation Bowl,” was opened. Better access was also provided to Palmyra Peak, which is perfect for skiers who want expert chutes, says Pierre Bennett Global Holidays.

Pierre Bennett Global Holidays reports that Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, located on the north side of Lake Tahoe are the most hit and miss on the list of skiing destinations. Some weeks they can go with barely any snowfall at all, or there can be avalanche warnings for weeks at a time. But, when the conditions are right, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have some of the best skiing that members can hope to find. Also, because Pierre Bennett Global Holidays members aren’t restricted to a timeshare, they aren’t tied down to one skiing location, and they don’t have to work around another vacationer’s schedule. Squaw Valley has overhauled the base village, so skiers will find it easier than ever to navigate.

Although the Vail and Beaver Creek resorts are further apart than the other mountain pairs on the list, they are still relatively close together, states Pierre Bennett Global Holidays. And when a skier takes advantage of both mountains, they are one of the most formidable destinations in the west. Also, states Pierre Bennett Global Holidays, the terrain at Vail is the largest in the U.S., with over 5,289 acres.

Timeshare owners and skiers across the nation are making the switch to Pierre Bennett Global Holidays. Unlike traditional travel membership plans, Pierre Bennett Global Holidays doesn’t limit the number of trips a member may book or make them settle for the same destination year after year.

Filed Under: Sports, Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Mercy Ministries Interviews the UK’s Charlotte Gambill

June 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Mercy Ministries

Mercy Ministries

Mercy Ministries:
Hey everyone, it’s Eve again—the resident Mercy Ministries roaming reporter here on the scene with a really special guest. Charlotte Gambill, we’re just so honored to have you. Charlotte came all the way from across the pond. You and your husband help pastor at Abundant Life Church in Radford, England. Charlotte and her entire family were instrumental in starting our Mercy Ministries home in the UK.

Charlotte Gambill:
Yeah. We love Mercy Ministries. We have a great home in the UK. It’s based about a half hour from where our church is. Amazing girls. They are in our services every weekend. Extension programs just being completed, so it’s exciting.

Mercy Ministries:
It’s so amazing. The Mercy Ministries girls are so happy that you are investing in them. You are also investing in your staff. You talked earlier, Charlotte, about how Mercy Ministries to these girls is like an open door—that it is like a new beginning. Tell me a little bit about that.

Charlotte Gambill:
Well, it says in Corinthians that there is a wide, open, spacious life that God longs for us to live in. I know that many of the girls that come first through the doors of Mercy Ministries have not experienced a wide, open, spacious life. They have experienced a controlling life, a small life, a prison-type life from abuses and issues. I want to the girls to know that the door entrance place to Mercy Ministries was literally like them stepping into a new place that was wide and that was open and that was expansive—so they could dream all over again.

Mercy Ministries:
I love that, Charlotte. I also love how you were really specific, just looking the Mercy Ministries girls in their eyes to say that they have a seed of influence. I really think they were able to resonate in that.

Charlotte Gambill:
Well you know, for me ministry is all about people. It’s not about preaching a message or speaking at a conference. It’s about the connection with the people. God loves them so much. He wants them to know that your life is planned and that there is an amazing gift that you have to give inside of you. I think the Mercy Ministries girls don’t even believe that about themselves. So it’s important to eyeball some of them and say, “I mean you,” because that’s what God does. He gets right in your face and He says, “No, it’s not for someone else; it’s for you.” In this room is huge potential. Who knows what will happen with these Mercy Ministries girls when they graduate and leave the Mercy Ministries program? I am thrilled that I get to add a small bit in speaking to them today.

Mercy Ministries:
You know firsthand that these Mercy Ministries girls all over the country, all over the world, in the UK, here in the US, are dealing with a lot of pain, a lot of hurt—that vicious cycle you talk about. You really hit home that a grudge, holding that grudge is not something that we need to do regardless of the hurt in the past—that that is just too heavy and that we need to let it go even though it doesn’t say that the hurt was okay. But yet we have to look to the future and let go of that grudge. That’s hard for all of us.

Charlotte Gambill:
I was teaching the Mercy Ministries girls about living with an offense and living with something that the Enemy would love for you to raise—almost like a child—but you feed it and you nurture this offense, this hurt. It becomes a huge, living thing in your life. The more you feed it the bigger it grows and the more that becomes a part of who you are. I want the girls to know that you have to starve that; you have to stop feeding that. You can’t feed both.

You can’t keep feeding a dream and a future and at the same time have a conversation, as it were, with your grudge, your offense, your hurt. So it’s not saying you weren’t hurt. It’s not denying things haven’t happened. But we can’t live in that moment. We’ve got to get the Mercy Ministries girls to stop feeding it, stop making it come alive. I was saying to them, “Don’t go to counseling and in that moment of counseling try and say oh yeah, I won’t do it anymore but then go back to your room and feed the grudge again. You have to realize that, no, you have to be thorough. So I just want the Mercy Ministries girls to know that you have an opportunity to hold and to carry either your dream or your offense: which one do you want to carry?

Mercy Ministries:
I love it. Thanks for that great word. Charlotte, you have blessed me personally. And you can tell it’s quite evident that you have blessed everyone in this room. You are so anointed and you are such a special friend to Nancy and Mercy Ministries.

Charlotte Gambill:
I love Nancy. She is my friend and Jude is kind of my friend. (That’s her dog.) We have a kind of a love/hate deal going with the dog. My dog is way more spiritually gifted than hers. But that’s okay. I love Nancy. She is awesome.

Mercy Ministries:
I’m not even going to go down that whole dog road because I love Jude very, very, very much. Thanks for such a blessing to Mercy Ministries. Thanks for investing time. We are going to send you across the pond with a big hug. Thank you so much. I hope that you were as well blessed by her word today. Thanks for joining us. See you later.

For more information about Mercy Ministries, visit them online at www.mercyministries.com

Filed Under: Professionals, Public Speaking Tagged With: , , , , ,

Doug Battista: The Impact of HR on Business Operations

June 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Doug Battista

Doug Battista

Doug Battista knows that often, a human resources department is taken for granted. Most people realize the impact the financial team and information systems team has on a business’s operations, but what about human resources, asks Battista?

HR is about far more than processing timesheets and firing unruly employees, Doug Battista explains. As President of North America Field Operations, a division of Nestlé, Doug Battista oversees the recruitment, training, and retention for more than 4000 employees. The former head of Talent Acquisition for Nestlé USA knows the importance of recruiting great talent. Everything hinges on this, Doug Battista explains. Today, Doug Battista speaks with the staff of Interviewing Experts about the value of HR in a successful organization.

Interviewing Experts: You’ve been in HR for a while. Many people think of HR as the group they turn to when they need advice on retirement or dealing with a difficult person.

Doug Battista: Yes, we often act as counselor, but we’re so much more. We’re business analysts, mediators, and recruiters, just to name a few of our many responsibilities.

Interviewing Experts: Each of these items contributes to a business’s success.

Doug Battista: Absolutely. The way I explain it is that if employees are a business’ best assets, HR is working hard to protect that asset.

Interviewing Experts: Sounds similar to the work the budget team does.

Doug Battista: In that sense, it is. In recruiting, we ensure the business attracts the best workers and once we have them, we do what it takes to support and maintain that workforce.

Interviewing Experts: During these tough economic times, HR has faced an all-new set of challenges. Layoffs and cutbacks, as opposed to recruiting. How has that changed the field of HR?

Doug Battista: No matter what the economic situation, HR is most often “change management.” Whether that is dealing with a merger, layoffs, or an influx of new employees. Change can be very stressful, and HR is tasked with smoothing the transition.

Doug Battista has helped Nestlé Corporation save thousands of dollars by streamlining processes in his time with the company. Additionally, Doug Battista improved analytics and recruiting. Doug Battista lives in Southern California.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: , , , ,

Interviewing Experts Presents Humorous (But True) Airline Travel Tips

June 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When traveling by air, whether it’s other people’s angry children or an over-served fellow passenger, it’s best to be prepared for any eventuality.

Q: What’s the best way to handle children who won’t stop kicking the seat?

A: Before flying make sure to cash a twenty-dollar bill for twenty singles because children are amenable to bribery. Start the bidding off at one dollar and work up as needed.

Q: What’s the best way to remember where my car is parked?

A: That’s an excellent question because it’s rare for a passenger to remember where he or she has parked after a long flight. (And the numbers fall exponentially if there are tired children or an international flight involved.) Try writing your parking information down at least twice and store it in your wallet and carry on.

Q: What’s the best way to deal with an inebriated seatmate who you don’t know?

A: There isn’t a polite way to tell someone that they’ve had enough to drink. However, an informational approach might be the best one. “Did you know that for every drink a person consumes, they should have two glasses of water?” The math alone should keep them silent for a few minutes.

Q: What if the airline food is bland?

A: Pack a small bottle of hot sauce. Hot sauce can cure all but the very worst airline food.

Q: What’s the best way to deal with lost luggage?

A: If traveling with a companion, cross pack clothing and other essentials so that if the airline does make a mistake, you can still have part of your wardrobe.  Traveling solo it’s a little more difficult to be proactive. But, keeping a change of clothing in your carry on will help to minimize the frustration in case something does go wrong.

Interviewing Experts hopes that these travel tips will help your trip go a bit smoother next time. Bon voyage!

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , ,