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In late November the Baltimore City Council ordered crisis pregnancy centers to post disclaimers and a Maryland county council will debate a similar bill Dec. 10. Pro-choice activists hope other local governments will follow suit.

BALTIMORE (WOMENSENEWS)--Alexa Cole, an organizer for pro-choice NARAL California, watched closely as Maryland counterparts shepherded a first of its kind bill through the Baltimore City Council.

The bill requires the four crisis pregnancy centers located in the city to post disclaimers that clarify what they don't do: provide or refer for abortions or birth control.

The bill, which passed the majority-Catholic City Council by a vote of 12 to 3 on Nov. 23 as a truth-in-advertising, patient protection measure, levies a $150 fine if the centers haven't posted disclosures by the end of a 10-day warning period.

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon, who is pro-choice, has not yet decided whether she'll sign the bill into law, her spokesperson told Women's eNews earlier this week. In an unrelated twist, the mayor was found guilty of embezzlement yesterday. If Dixon is removed from office, Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake--who happens to be the bill's primary sponsor--will take her place. Rawlings-Blake's spokesperson could not be reached for comment about how this change may impact the bill.

Opponents say any legal challenges would wait until after the bill becomes law.

Forty miles away in Montgomery County, Md., the county council is scheduled to debate a similar bill on Dec. 10.
A Course to Follow

Cole, who works in San Francisco, said pro-choice advocates on the West Coast are hoping to follow suit.

"I think here in California when we look at their model we're excited and curious as to how we can use the model in our own state," she told Women's eNews.

NARAL and Planed Parenthood branches in California, Oregon and Texas are in the beginning stages of such campaigns.

They're proceeding with caution, though, because similar legislative efforts have failed.

This time the strategy, based in part on the Baltimore model, has three parts:

    * Publish in-depth studies to show how the centers mislead women;
    * Partner with sympathetic local lawmakers;
    * Prepare carefully crafted legislation for 2011.

Most crisis pregnancy centers--there are 4,000 nationwide according to the National Abortion Federation--are run by anti-choice, religious organizations.

Over the past decade, crisis pregnancy centers have spread with help from public funding from state and federal legislators.

NARAL launched the Maryland campaign in January 2008 with a report on the state's 50 crisis pregnancy centers.

The report concluded that women who visited these centers were "given wildly inaccurate" information about health risks associated with abortion "and informed only about the joys of parenting and adoption."

For example, at one center, a staff member gave an investigator, posing as a client, a pair of hand-knitted baby booties.
Legislation Addresses Issue

NARAL then teamed up with Planned Parenthood to present their findings to Rawlings-Blake, who is solidly pro-choice. Rawlings-Blake agreed to craft legislation addressing the issue.

Mark Graber, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law, said that the bill's language avoids freedom-of-speech violations. Graber said that in commercial advertising "you have no right to speech that might be misleading." He said the disclosure required for the pregnancy centers is akin to government-mandated warning labels on cigarette boxes.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore, which fought the bill, said in an e-mail statement to Women's eNews that the centers were unfairly targeted and that the nation's oldest pregnancy center, Baltimore's Center for Pregnancy Concerns, founded in 1980, "never had a complaint filed against it."

In California, NARAL's Cole said her organization is awaiting state approval to conduct a report on its crisis pregnancy centers. The group aims to introduce legislation to regulate the centers in 2011 and Cole says they've secured the backing of a few state senators she declined to name.

In Oregon, pro-choice activists hope 2011 will also be the year for them to gain regulatory legislation introduced targeting that state's crisis pregnancy centers.

"We have several legislators who back us up," said Laura Taylor, political and field director for NARAL's Oregon office. "We just need to come up with a piece of legislation." Taylor said Baltimore's bill offers a model.
Texas in Tougher Spot

Pro-choice organizations in Texas are in a tougher spot due to an anti-choice legislature. Still, Lesley Ramsey, Planned Parenthood's chief lobbyist in Texas, said that the Baltimore bill might work in Austin, a potentially receptive city for what she called progressive policy.

Elizabeth Nash, a legislative expert for the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights organization based in New York and Washington, D.C., said the Baltimore bill and possible activity in Texas, Oregon and California are great ways to test out new approaches to rein in crisis pregnancy centers.

"Traditionally, one way democracy has worked is to use cities and localities as an incubator for new ideas," Nash said.

This sort of incremental approach may be plodding, but Nash pointed out how anti-choice activists have made gains since 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that abortion was part of a woman's constitutional right to privacy. "So using an incremental strategy on our end might be a good idea too," Nash said.

A 2006 congressional report, prepared for Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, found that 87 percent of the centers investigated gave women false or misleading information about abortion and birth control.

For the study, female investigators called 25 crisis pregnancy centers in 15 states. In eight cases the women were told that abortion causes breast cancer and in seven cases they were warned that abortion could lead to "many miscarriages."

By Julia Marsh

As I was thinking about my clients this morning, I started to think about how to create a culture of sales. A client of mine was discussing some of her staffing issues. One of her employees was too busy to check the voice mails on their general line and that got me thinking. Then there was another client who was complaining that when customers call, they are interrupting her from getting her work done. WHAT? What else could be more important than responding to our customers and prospective customers? How can a team develop a Sales Culture?

1. Team Intention

It is important for every member of the team believe that there is a bottom line mission in business and that is to make a sale. Certainly we do this with integrity but without sales, there would be no need to keep the doors open. Whether your business is selling products or services, it is all about acquiring new customers and selling to them. This needs to be communicated to your staff as well as made a priority for yourself. Whether you like to sell or not, if you are the head of your business, you must be selling.

2. Clearly Defined Sales Goals

I cannot tell you how many times I start working with a new client and when I ask them what their monthly goals are, they tell me that they don't have goals. Or maybe they have goals and when I ask how they are communicated to the team, they say they do not talk to their staff about these goals. Annual, quarterly and monthly goals should be communicated to everyone on your team. In addition to this, the progress of reaching these goals should also be announced so that your team can get excited about reaching these goals. Make sure that the goals are attainable and that you communicate the strategy of how you will reach them. A detailed sales strategy will build your credibility with your team and in turn they will get behind you and the company mission.

3. Ongoing Sales and Business Training

Ongoing training is essential to develop your team. Sales training should not be reserved for only the sales staff. Sales training as well as providing training in areas such as customer service, problem solving and even listening skills are critical to your business. Your employees are your number one asset to your business. However, providing training courses to your employees does not have to be cost prohibitive. It could be as simple as finding a book that resonates with you and providing that to your employees.

Whether you are a solo-preneur or are a large business, when you focus on sales, your business will weather this storm and thrive. Continual effort and intention needs to be applied to your selling to ensure that your revenue goals are met. Lastly, make it fun. Selling can be fun and the more you and your team are making it fun, the more success and results you will see in your business.

Elizabeth Arden is now one of the biggest names in the cosmetics industry. It owns, manufactures, and licenses about a hundred perfumes, while distributing twice that amount of fragrances to retailers. These scents are marketed under different brand names such as Elizabeth Arden, 5th Avenue, Red Door, and Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds. In addition, the company produces and sells colognes and skin care products and other cosmetics.

The founder, Elizabeth Arden, was actually born Florence Nightingale Arden in Ontario, Canada. She took and worked at a lot of odd jobs before settling into the one that she would stay in for most of her life. Moving to New York City when she was twenty four, she worked shortly for a pharmaceuticals company, and then for Eleanor Adair, a “beauty culturist”. With her flair for business, experimentation, and innovation - as well as a real drive for success - the foundation of the company Elizabeth Arden was not far behind.

In 1912, Arden traveled to France to learn the beauty techniques employed in Paris beauty salons. When she came back to America, she brought back more than new knowledge. She also brought back a collection of tinted powders and rouges that she had created. At the time, makeup was usually reserved for stage performers, and this represented one of the first major innovations that the company would introduce to the cosmetics market.

The next major development came when Arden collaborated with A. Fabian Swanson, a chemist, to create a “fluffy” face cream. The product they came up with was named Venetian Cream Amoretta, as well as the accompanying skin lotion, which became a success. This led to a long and fruitful partnership. This was the beginning of a scientific approach to the cosmetics industry, and this company philosophy eventually affected the rest of the industry.

The company continued to grow and prosper under the alert and careful direction of its founder. She died, after a long and full life, in 1966. The company eventually was acquired from Unilever by FFI, which is a New York company. And up to today, the name Elizabeth Arden is synonymous with quality and style.

Some of the mens colognes include; Daytona 500 cologne, PS Cologne for Men, GANT cologne, HUMMER cologne for men and Geoffrey Beene's Grey Flannel. Some of the womens perfumes include; Red Door perfumes, White Diamonds, Passion, Giorgio Beverly Hills, 5th Avenue, green tea, fantasy Britney Spears, White Shoulders, Mediterranean perfume, curious Britney Spears and Wings. Their skin care lines include PREVAGE anti-aging treatment, Intervene and Ceramide.

In June of 2006 Elizabeth Arden acquired the fragrance maker Riviera Concepts, and as a result Elizabeth Arden has started selling more new products to its retail customers. Along with this new addition to the company, skin care and color treatment product sales increased in the Asian markets like China and Taiwan. Elizabeth Arden also bought the fragrance distributor Sovereign Sales in August and is expecting net sales to rise even further in the year 2007. Elizabeth Arden truly is a solid brand that has continuly demonstrated its ability to inovate and grow.

Many places offer a wide selection of cubic zirconia jewelry. These brilliant sparkling stones demand attention wherever they go. But what is cubic zirconia (CZ), and how is it made?

A cubic zirconia is a man-made gemstone. They replicate the fire and flash of perfect diamonds, but at a fraction of the cost. Placed into fine gold or sterling silver settings, a cubic zirconia is almost indistinguishable from a genuine diamond. Only trained gemologists can tell the difference between the two.

While CZ crystals have been known since 1937, early crystals were too small for jewelry-making. In the 1970's, scientists discovered how to grow larger crystals in the lab. CZ is formed by heating zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide to very high temperatures (almost 5000 degrees Fahrenheit!). The mixture is then cooled very slowly. This results in beautiful, flawless crystals with amazing fire and brilliance. Other ingredients are also added to produce various colors.

The cooled crystals are quite large - too large for jewelry. A single large crystal is cut into smaller chunks. Specially-trained gemologists further cut and refine each chunk of crystal. They then cut facets into each stone. These facets reflect the light, creating the fire and brilliance that we love so much.

The smaller cubic zirconias are destined to become sparkling pendants, rings, earrings, and more. They are placed into settings that maximize the fire of each one. CZ jewelry is popular for its low cost and amazing flash.

It is my own personal opinion, that you don't have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks. Cubic zirconia jewelry is made to appeals to all tastes and budgets. Who says a diamond in a woman's best friend? Probably some billion dollar company. Well I'm here to say CZ jewelry can be a woman's new best friend! So happy shopping, and past those great finds on to me.
The cooled crystals are quite large - too large for jewelry. A single large crystal is cut into smaller chunks. Specially-trained gemologists further cut and refine each chunk of crystal. They then cut facets into each stone. These facets reflect the light, creating the fire and brilliance that we love so much.

The smaller cubic zirconias are destined to become sparkling pendants, rings, earrings, and more. They are placed into settings that maximize the fire of each one. CZ jewelry is popular for its low cost and amazing flash.

It is my own personal opinion, that you don't have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks. Cubic zirconia jewelry is made to appeals to all tastes and budgets. CZ Jewelry can be a woman's new best friend. So happy shopping, and past those great finds on to me!

Coach Carolyn