Greenway University is a vocational school located in three states, Colorado, New Jersey and California. However, its Colorado location that has the “honor” of being the first school to offer a curriculum in marijuana classes. The curriculum teaches the basics of growing, selling and distributing along with remaining in compliance with state laws and fundamental business techniques.

Governor Bill Ritter has designated a seven-member board to the Colorado Department of Higher Education Division of Private Occupational School to oversea the curriculum. Running a “medical” marijuana shop seems to be the future of small business in the U.S. Leave it to a school to be the first one to jump on the marijuana-growing band!

For those of you who are looking to make a quick buck or to have freewheeling marijuana plants, the school for now will not have any growing done in class. All it offers is textbook work and tests. However, if you have a really great teacher, maybe the final will be smoking a joint you grew at home as the final!

Courses take between three and five months, and can cost between $300 and $2,000 depending on the curriculum. I wonder how much you will learn for $300?

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, now there is a school teaching you how to grow pot!

Until later,

Linda

What do I do? Watch Dancing with the Stars or Monday Night Football? This is a tough choice for me. I will probably be switching back and forth between the game and the show. But my predictions for the lowest scores will be Michael Irvin, Louie Vito and possibly Aaron Carter.

 I’ll catch the Results show tomorrow.

 Until later,

Linda

Melissa Joan Hart was right on the mark with her Charleston. She did awesome and I really enjoyed it. I guess the judges did to because she received 28 points. Good job! Kelly Osbourne did a cute Charleston but she looked a bit stiff at times. She’s come a long way in her dancing. What can I say about Donny Osmond? Awesome job, great entertainer but he has to settle down and not be so hard on himself. Just keep doing what you are doing, you will go a long way.

Then there was the Lam Bada and Bolero. Natalie Coughlin did a very sexy Bolero even though she felt embarrassed. Michael Irvin’s Bolero was okay but he didn’t do enough of dancing in his routine. Aaron Carter fell short in his Lam Bada but Mya hit the mark! She was the other star that received 28 points from the judges.

The bottom two according to the judges scoring is Louie Vito with 16 points and Michael Irvin. I think another guy is going to leave tonite. I have been watching for the last four weeks and I’m not at all impressed with Mark Dacascos dancing. He may stay another week but I think the star leaving tonite will be Louie.

Until later,

Linda

Now with 13 stars left, some of the stars need to pick up their dancing. Who knew that Debi Mazar would be in jeopardy? Even though she seems to be a whiner, she can dance pretty good. She better change her attitude and come out dancing next week.

Until later,

Linda

The most improved stars were Denise Richards and Lawrence Taylor. Their performance was much better than last week’s. Of course Gilles Quick Step was awesome and with Cheryl as his teacher I still believe this couple is a real contender for winning.

Shawn Johnson’s Salsa was cute and I agree she has to loosen up more but she did good for a 17 year old. Belinda Carlisle disappointed me in her Salsa – it was too slow.

Holly Madison’s Quick Step was not very good. Her knees are too stiff and there was not musicality to her dancing. While David Allan Grier really suprised me with his Salsa. It was entertaining and looked like he had a lot of fun.

As for Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough, I still believe they make a great couple and it looked as though their Salsa got pretty steamy. But the judges didn’t like it very much. There will be more room for improvement for them.

Unfortunately, the bottom two Steve Wozniak and Steve O – how ironic the two Steves! – performances were not very good. Grant it Steve Wozniak is having fun but has no musicality in his body but does give a nice performance. He hurt his left foot and I think he is just trying the best he can. As for Steve O, he hurt his back and I think he may not be back. We’ll find out tonite. Once again his partner Lacey comes up with some pretty bizzare dance routines to common dances such as the Salsa. I think this time Lacey and her partner Steve O must go tonite. Maybe then Lacey will get the idea being unconventional just doesn’t cut in this competition.

If all goes well, tonite the bottom two – which are the Steves – should have a dance off. But if Steve O is injured, the dance off won’t take place.

I’ll be watching – will you?

Until later,

Linda

For only 48 hours of training, Melissa Rycroft did an exceptional job that won her 23 points from the judges. Truth be known, she did have ballet training and with the great song “Moon River” to dance her Waltz to, brought out her dancing skills.

But the one star that will be a contender this year is Gilles Marine. His Cha Cha Cha with Cheryl was awesome. He claims he has no dancing experience. He had some nice technique as well as being a great performer.

Lil’ Kim really surprised me. She has a lot of nice moves for the Cha Cha Cha and if she keeps it up, she will be the hit of all of her prison gals!

I loved Shawn Johnson. This petite gymnast is the youngest star with a beautiful smile. Her elegant Waltz showed us what a dynamic performer she really is.

Denise Richards is a former Bond girl and is a weeper. She cries at a drop of a hat and really looked too stiff during her Cha Cha Cha dance. I think the judges were kind to give her 18 points.

I think Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough make a great couple. His Waltz was filled with graceful moves and I’m sure Julianne will whip him in shape.

What can I say about Ty Murray – he’s a cowboy. Cowboys don’t Cha Cha Cha very well, but he is so darn cute who cares how he dances. I think he will be in trouble if he doesn’t get the cowboy hitch out of his backside and loosen up more.

Then there were some disappointing dances. I know the judges said that this is what Dancing with the Stars is all about. Someone who hasn’t danced before taking on a challenge to expand their horizons, yaddy, yaddy, yaddie! But if you can’t move your hips or stay on your toes or even get the technical part down, it will be a short Dancing with the Stars season for you. Take for example Holly Madison. She was too stiff and careful. I was afraid if she fell she would break something. Lawrence Taylor has the moves but is also too stiff. Steve O from Jackass just seemed to jump around the dance floor with no rhyme or reason. Steve Wozniak is a computer nerd and has no rhythm at all. Sure he may bring some fun to the dance but Steve work on loosening up and get some technique. Belinda Carlisle was so so, not impressed by her Waltz last nite. David Alan Grier, the comedian, is pretty graceful but there seems to be a darker side of him; he spooked me out!

Next Monday some of the stars will be doing the Quick Step. We’ll see how all the stars do by picking up the pace.

Until later,

Linda

eBusinessPartnersonline.com is my freelance writing and consulting business. As a freelance writer I write just about anything you can think of – web blogs, articles, content for web sites, content for brochures. But my “bread and butter” is what I have been doing for over twenty years – writing responses to government proposals. Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposal (RFP) and Request for Quote (RFQ) are just some of the writing responses that I do. I have found a niche and stuck with it for all of these years and have made money for my clients as well as myself. It doesn’t matter what type of business my clients have, I have written responses for movers, recruiters, human resources services, translation services, construction companies, IT companies to security services and many more. All of these businesses have one thing in common – they have developed a business model that has been successful for them for many years and stuck with it.

Not only do I write proposals and other content for my clients but also offer business consulting. Take for example, one of my clients that provided CNA services. His company has been in this market for many years and was successful at it. However, he wanted to branch out and provide clerical and admin support. I told him quite frankly, that he was moving into foreign territory and should stick with what he did best. He had the hiring, placement and management of this end of his business down to a fine art. To start a new business model would take him years to develop and he may lose money.

So what does this mean to your business especially during these hard economic times? Simply put, do what you do best.

If your business model prior to the downturn has been successful, stick with it. Why? Your clients will come back to you knowing your good reputation and excellent customer service and will count on you to provide them with the best products or services. Now may not be the time to diversify or restructure your business model.

Don’t forget to keep in touch with your previous clients. As the old saying goes, it’s financially wiser and easier to keep a client than to get a new one.

Until later,

Linda

I also have great resources on my home page about site and business promotion tips. One of the article link on my site is “10 Things you must do this year to stay in business.” Yvette Adams of Big Ben to the Big Pineapple wrote this article. Yvette is a freelance writer, speaker, author, PR/marketing consultant, online and offline editor, events manager and more.

One of her tips that struck me as a great idea is to set up a Google Alert so you are the first to know when your company, web site, product or service is mentioned online. What a great way to get free PR.  Also when you sign up on Google Alerts you can also keep an eye on your competitors and other tools online to see what they are doing and how they are weathering this economic storm.
Another tip is to write web blogs and participant on the online community like FaceBook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. Just about everyone is surfing the Internet today so keeping your business in front of them is really important. 
2009 is going to be tough for all business people whether online or offline. However, the Internet has given us many possibilities to stay informed on how to stay afloat and make some money this year.

Until later,

Linda

Steve Wozniak – Apple co-founder

Husband and wife competitors – Jewel and Ty Murray

Lawrence Taylor – retired football player

Belinda Carlisle

Chuck Wicks

Lil’ Kim

Denise Richards

David Alan Grier

Gilles Marini

Shawn Johnson – that cute Olympic gymnast

Steve-O – of “Jackass” fame

Nancy O’Dell – TV host

Until later,

Linda

Who would be doing this malicious attack against these mild, sweet and lovable horses? The sheriff department has no clue. They suspect that these horsetail thieves are using the cut tails to make hatbands, hair extensions and possibly violin bows.

Now I know times are tough, but come on folks, destroying the natural beauty of these horses seems senseless to me. I think the best punishment for these thieves would be making them shave their heads.

Until later,

Linda