Americans’ obsession with their pearly whites has created a tremendous demand for professionally trained dental assistants and dental hygienists.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that the dental assistant profession is expected to grow about 42 percent by 2012. This is good news for the thousands of dentists who rely on certified dental assistants or dental hygienists to help with patient care.

Dental assistants, who train in various dental assisting programs across the nation, are usually the first and last people patients see at the dentist’s office. They assist with routine cleanings and dental x-rays, prepare equipment, and perform other tasks requested by the dentist.

“We have come a long way from just scheduling appointments and putting on a patient bib,” said Mary Frohn, CDA, CDPMA, EFDA, B.S., a professor in the Massasoit Community College Dental Assistant Program. After eleven years working in a clinical setting, Frohn now trains the next generation of dental auxiliary students to enter the field.

“I get great satisfaction from taking students from not knowing anything about dental assisting on their first day of class, to help make them dental career professionals in less than a year,” Frohn said.

Growing trends - including promoting good dental hygiene, increases in cosmetic dentistry, a rising number of employers offering dental insurance and more government-subsidized dental hygiene programs - are all responsible for increasing the demand for dental services and filling seats in her dental assistant program.

Unlike with some jobs that are amiable to on-the-job training, dental assistants should be trained and credentialed to work in the dental assisting profession.

“It’s impossible to learn everything you need to know while you work on the job from eight to five,” said Frohn. “From a consumer aspect, training is necessary because we want to know the auxiliary using radiation on us to take our x-rays, or place a dental sealant, is properly credentialed.”

There are more benefits to being certified than just gaining consumer trust. According to a 2004 survey published by the Dental Assistant National Board (DANB), certified dental assistants stay in the profession for 14.4 years on average and earn more than dental assistants who lack certification.

“A dental assistant with credentials has negotiating power. The more credentials an assistant has, the greater the power in negotiating a fair and equitable salary,” said Betty Finkbeiner in the DANB survey results. Finkbeiner, CDA, RDA, M.S., is chairperson of the Dental Assisting Program at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Certified dental assistants - whether certified by their state board of dental registration, the Dental Assistant National Board, or some other registered dental assistant certifying body - are enjoying the increased demand for their services in a variety of emerging specialized areas. Among them is aesthetic dentistry, which includes bleaching and digital imaging services.

As technology changes the face of dentistry, dental assisting training will become a necessity. Dental assisting schools and dental hygienist programs will continue to provide training to meet the demand for those who want to become a dental assistant. And a promising career is always something to smile about.

For more information about dental assisting schools, visit the Dental Career site.

Nourisha Wells is the College Preparation editor for Search4 Career College News, and site editor for Counselor Companion. She has published articles on preparing high school students for college, finding financial aid, standardized test preparation, teen health and safety issues, parental and teacher involvement in college search and career exploration. She has also written several articles promoting career colleges and technical schools for adults going back to college, career changers seeking advanced degrees and non-traditional students heading to college for the first time.

Every organization is looking for the holy grail of performance enhancement, that one thing that, if it were changed even slightly, would push the productivity of a company way beyond the current level.

Over the years there have been many solutions offered to the performance conundrum, from process improvement and process re-engineering to rightsizing and quality initiatives. All of which have had varying levels of success.

One area that is perhaps overlooked when organizations undertake productivity and process improvement programs and that is the behaviors of their employees. Often the only time behavior becomes a focus in an organization is when there is a problem employee that must be dealt with.

Studies have shown that there is a 5-fold difference in productivity between a top performer and a mid-tier performer. The top performer is 5 times as effective as his colleague who performs as the organization would expect.

This study has been undertaken by a number of organizations in varying ways and all with similar results. The skills and experience of the individuals are comparable and the processes and procedures are the same so what makes the difference? The main difference between the top performer and the capable performer are their behaviors both on and off the job.

A number of key behaviors have been identified as desirable and can be seen within those who are peak performers in any organization and are the attributes that organizations on the whole try to recruit. However organizations often forget that many behaviors are learnt and that existing employees, with the right encouragement, can adopt these behaviors as their own and in the process see their effectiveness rise.

The 5 key behaviors for peak performance are:

Pro-active - Looking for things to change and making change happen. Much is talked of pro-activity however often it is difficult for individuals to be truly proactive within an organization as change can be actively discouraged by management who believe ‘they know best’.

Goal oriented - Set themselves targets to aim for. The key here is that they set themselves goals, often for just about every part of their lives. The peak performer in business may well be a marathon runner outside, or be a keen learner setting themselves targets to accomplish within certain timescales.

Willing to fail - Are ready to take calculated risks. The top performers in life are willing to try something even if there is a chance of it failing; often they see failure as a learning experience. Organizations who wish to improve their performance need to adopt a calculated risk policy and follow the quote of Tom Watson ‘If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate’.

Passion - Willing to stand up for what they believe in. The top performers will be passionate about the things in their lives, they may be passionate about sport, or their family or even about work. The important behavior is that they are willing to put everything else aside for their passion and have a total focus on what is important to their passion.

Emotionally Mature - Not swayed by the emotion of the moment and able to think beyond a reactive approach. Often organizations make the assumption that the most vocal individual is the one with the greatest ability; mainly this is due to the self promotion of the emotionally immature. This is recounted by the axiom ‘promoted beyond their level of competence’ where an individual is recognized not for capability but for self-promotion.

Many people have one or two of these behaviors and often they are context specific. The major difference between the average performer and the peak performer with regards to these attitudes is that the peak performer uses more of the behaviors in a work context.

The important thing to notice with all of these behaviors is that they can all be learned and therefore anyone can have them. And if anyone can have them then anyone can be a top performer. Which means that any organization could improve their productivity dramatically without touching a single working practice.

Now that really could be the holy grail of performance development.

More information regarding Organisational Change, Coaching and Performance Development can be found at http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk

2005 © Achieving Greatness Ltd. All rights reserved.

—-

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link.

L Stuart Avery is the Managing Director of Achieving Greatness Ltd, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness around personal and management behaviours. Achieving Greatness specialises in offering advice and support to organisations going through change intitiatives and looking to enhance the performance of their staff. It provides training courses, facilitiation services and coaching to business leaders on Leadership, Management and Strategy.

Stuart has over 20 years of experience across a wide range of industries including Government, Charities, Retail, Travel, Insurance, IT Services and Logistics.

For more information visit http://www.achievinggreatness.co.uk

Motivational speaker Anthony Robbins once said, “If you want to be successful, find someone who achieved the results you want and copy what they do, and you’ll achieve the same results.”

It’s an idea I became familiar with many years ago…

When I was first getting started online, I made a lot of mistakes. Not because I wasn’t trying to model successful businesses, but because there simply weren’t businesses online to model. (In 1996, I was among the first handful of people to actually start selling products over the Internet.)

So I gathered as much information as I could from successful offline marketing experts like Jay Abraham; however, the challenge was adjusting their techniques to work in the online world. I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that many of the techniques used to market and sell in the “real world” either…

a) Didn’t work at all on the Internet.
Or

b) Needed to be seriously adjusted, tested, tweaked, and adjusted some more to really get results online.

The point that I’m trying to make here is that it literally took me years of testing and hundreds of thousands of dollars to discover the same techniques that you’ll now see commonly used online today.
Fortunately, there is no reason for things to be nearly this difficult for you. Today, modeling the Internet “successes” is relatively easy. (Though, be careful that you separate the phonies and fakes from the “true experts” — look for those who honestly practice what they preach and who can prove it!)

The biggest investment that you’ll need to make is your time…

If you’re interested in long-term, life-changing success, then a few extra days of reading and researching shouldn’t matter. It’s the success of your business that we’re talking about here, so don’t make the fatal mistake of thinking that you’re “wasting time.” Remember that what you learn today could be the technique or strategy that saves you not only wasted time and effort, but thousands of dollars in “could have been” profits.

It’s an extremely simple concept…

Guarantee Your Success By Modeling The Successful

1) What Should My Web Site Look Like?

Why spend thousands of dollars having a flashy site designed that’s loaded with theme music and spinning graphics? Some of the most successful web sites online today have extremely sleek, simple designs.

Of course, before I tell you to model proven successful web sites, I want you to be aware of “the catch”…

When researching web sites to model, the ones you should be paying closest attention to are your competitors’ and sites that have a profit model similar to your own (i.e. look for sites that make money in a similar way).

For example, if you sell cotton balls on your web site, you shouldn’t be modeling your site design after Amazon.com. First off, they sell books (among other things). You sell cotton balls. They offer a wide variety of titles and choices. You offer one product — cotton balls. Finally, let’s face it — their advertising budget is out of this world! If you’re a small or home-based business, you likely don’t have the same kind of luxury to experiment and make expensive mistakes.

So think practical — be realistic — and start looking for other sites that are successfully selling their cotton balls online (or one, similar product), and model your site after theirs. Your site doesn’t need to be the next Yahoo! or eBay for you to be earning a significant 6 figure income.

2) How Do I Write Sales Copy That Really Sells?

Writing sales copy that really sells takes practice — and education! I have yet to meet someone who just has a “natural gift” for writing award-winning copy without any education whatsoever.

Sure, some people might get “lucky” and stumble onto bits and pieces of the proven approach — but I can guarantee you that anyone who hasn’t studied the “art & science of sales copy” is missing key elements that could increase their sales by 400% - 1,200%. I’m not kidding here…

So rather than playing a “hit or miss” guessing game with your copy, I highly recommend looking for sales copy that makes YOU want to buy and studying it. After you’ve read enough quality copy, you’ll start to notice a distinct pattern that you can apply to your own writing.

3) How Do I Rank At The Top Of The Search Engines?

If you plan on ranking at the top of the search engines, then I can’t stress enough the importance of educating yourself. The search engines are a highly competitive arena where only those who have taken the time to “learn the rules” claim a top 10 spot.

Very rarely these days will you hear of someone “getting lucky” and just magically sliding into a top ranking.

So if you want a top 10 listing under your best keywords and phrases (i.e. you want your site to appear in the top 10 listings when someone searches the key phrase “cotton balls” in MSN, Yahoo!, Google, etc…), then you need to do two things…

a) Examine the web sites that already rank in the top 10 under your best keywords and phrases — and look for patterns.

b) Use the proven know-how of the search engine experts to learn the ropes. If you want a top ranking, then you’ll want the experience and advice of someone who makes it their mission to keep up with the constantly changing rules of each search engine and directory.

In fact, before you spend a lot of time examining the sites of your competition for clues as to why they are listed among the top 10, I recommend seeking out these search engine gurus. With their advice, you’ll be better prepared to critically examine your competitors’ web sites for clues that explain why they’re at the top of the ranks.

4) How Do I Drive Targeted Traffic To My Web Site?

If you want to increase the number of targeted potential customers who are arriving at your web site each day, then a listing in the search engines is a good start, but it’s also exactly that — a start.

Again, take some time to research your competition. How are they attracting their visitors? Do they have a lot of links on other sites? Do they have their own Affiliate Program? Do they participate heavily in newsgroups? Do they have an established viral marketing campaign?

Use the experience of your competition to your advantage by learning their secrets — and then tweaking and improving on their approach to do them one better!

Work Smarter — Not Harder — And See Bigger Rewards And Profits

Even now, I still scour the Web to see how others are creating their own success. I analyze my competition… I read everything that I can get my hands on… and I remain open to new ideas and new approaches.

Today, it’s relatively cheap and easy to get a solid education in what Internet marketing techniques work, which to avoid, and how to build guaranteed success the first time around! So why would you waste your valuable (and limited) time and money by stubbornly insisting on making mistakes that you could easily avoid with a little education?

Model the success of others and you’ll not only guarantee your success, you’ll achieve your goals in less time with less expense than you could on your own.

For More Great Tips, Vist: http://homebusiness.kim-lar.com

And if you would like to compare your site with the top 10 in your area of interest and see what their keywords are, then download this free program at:

http://www.Axandra.com/go.to/wallmann/4

Direct Answers - Column for the week of March 24, 2003

My final divorce papers sit in front of me waiting for my signature. In fact, they’ve been sitting on my desk for five days now. It took me two days to even open the envelope and another full day to look at the actual documents. I still haven’t entirely read through them. I cannot bring myself to sign.

Eight months ago, after months of emotional turmoil, we both agreed a divorce would be in our best interest. I was relieved at the time. I was tired of him drinking every night until he passed out on the sofa. I was tired of feeling belittled. I never quite healed from the affair I found out about, and I know there were others.

We were married eight years. I never felt I was his partner in life. I felt I was just another piece of furniture. We have two beautiful little boys who adore their daddy. They were a big reason for wanting this divorce. I didn’t want them growing up thinking drinking on a daily basis is normal.

For years I wanted counseling. I would plead, “Let’s go before our problems get out of control!” He insisted we didn’t have anything we couldn’t handle. By the time we made it to counseling it was too late. Besides, he refused to say he had an addiction.

I tell myself if he truly reaches out for help and remains changed for a year after our divorce, maybe we could try with a fresh start.

I heard a preacher say, “Fidelity is more than sexual fidelity. It is when every decision you make during the day is the best one for yourself, your spouse, and your children.” Wayne and Tamara, that’s the only relationship I want.

The papers still sit in front of me. How do I know I’m doing the right thing?

Felicity

Felicity, what you are facing is the death of a dream, the dream of what your marriage was supposed to be like.

Faced with the choice of drinking or losing his family, your husband continues to drink. You may have every reason to hope he will change, but you have absolutely no reason to believe he will change.

Boys look to their father to show them how to be a man, and a drunk is someone who has clearly lost the way. Courts and the law have a simple view of the matter. They don’t knowingly allow a child to be adopted in a family where one parent is an alcoholic. There are laws against drinking and driving. Perhaps there should be laws against drinking and parenting.

You cannot focus on your husband sobering up. That has always been only under his power, and never under yours. He may be 20 years from admitting his problem. He may never admit it. You can’t put your life on hold waiting for someone to do what they may never do.

Tamara says she cannot even shop without having me in her mind. “Everything I lay my eyes upon,” she says, “I lay my heart upon where lives my husband.” Your mate has to be an enhancement to your life. It cannot be any other way.

Wayne

Geronimo!

I’m a 19-year-old male from Liverpool, England. I’m a decent looking lad, but since I broke up from my first serious relationship, I haven’t met anyone else. Can you give me advice on meeting girls and actually asking them out?

Gunther

Gunther, are you putting out vibes you are pining for your ex? Out with the old and in with the new.

Look around and start asking…to movies, to lunch, to a bookstore, to whatever you fancy. Follow your own interests and what you have a passion for, and remember this is not like school, where one grade follows another. Love doesn’t follow anyone’s schedule, and that is why it is so wonderful.

Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com.

Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com.

This is something you’ll never get used to. No matter how many times it happens, each time feels like it’s the first. I know what you’re thinking. It is exciting being pulled over by a police officer, it’s dangerous, it’s, exhilarating, it’s, it’s, you guessed it, it’s a ticket.

If a police officer wants you to stop your car, the officer will activate the patrol car’s emergency lights and/or pull up next to you and gesture for you to pull over. If this happens, carefully slow down and pull over at the nearest safe location. When you stop, turn on your emergency flashers, roll down your window and wait for the officer to approach your vehicle.

Don’t immediately reach into your glove compartment, visor or jacket for your license and registration. He could mistake your movement as an attempt to find a weapon of some kind. He could shoot you, or even worse, yell at you. Officers generally want you to keep your hands where they can see them for their own safety. You should wait until the officer asks to see your paperwork before you retrieve the documents.
Ask why you were pulled over.

Always keep this in mind: From the moment the officer stops your car, he or she can record everything you say and use it against you. One of the first things an officer may say to you is, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” Admit nothing. Be courteous and be polite. Don’t try to guess why you were pulled over. Allow the officer time to explain the reason why you were stopped.

Provide the requested documents.

When the officer asks for your license and registration, pull them out slowly and hand them to the officer. Try not to say anything while the officer is reviewing the documents. Don’t tell the officer you’re late for your class or work because that could be considered a reason for speeding or aggressive driving. Wait until the officer asks you questions before you speak. Make sure you always have your driver’s license with you and keep your registration and proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times otherwise the officer may give you an additional ticket!

Remain calm and quiet.

If the officer leaves you in your car while he or she checks your information from the patrol car, relax and wait for the officer to return. Don’t preoccupy yourself with finding a radio station or flipping through documents in your glove compartment, which might give the officer the impression you aren’t taking the situation seriously. The 10 to 15 minutes it takes to check your information may seem like an eternity, but it’s better for you in the long run if you just wait patiently for the officer to return. It shows you respect the officer’s authority and understand that he or she is in charge of the situation.

Respond honestly.

The officer may ask you a series of questions about how fast you were going, where you were going and what you were doing. Answer any questions you can honestly. You don’t want to provide the officer with any false information at any time. If you don’t know the answer, simply respond, “I don’t know.” Also if he or she asks, “Do you know how fast you were going?” Simply reply, “I’m not sure.”

Remember to always be polite! If the officer asks a question you know the answer to but don’t want to reveal because it may be used against you, you do not have to answer. It may be awkward, but you have the right to tell the officer you would rather talk to a lawyer about it first or that you “would rather not discuss it at this time.” You’re better off not answering than lying and having the officer use it against you later.

Don’t argue with the officer.

Avoid arguing with the officer over why you were stopped. If you don’t think you deserve a ticket, contest it later. The officer will give you a ticket regardless of what you say, but if you are argumentative, the officer will have a much better memory of the incident and will be more likely to aggressively defend his or her position in court. Don’t give the officer any reason to show up in court and tell the judge you gave him or her a hard time. It will make the judge much less sympathetic to your case.
Take the ticket and drive away.

If the officer writes you a ticket, accept it quietly. Listen to any further instructions, including information on how long you have to pay the fine or what you must do if you want to contest it. In some provinces, you may have to sign for the ticket to show that you received it. If the officer just gives you the ticket without explaining what your rights are (or without requesting your signature in states where it’s required), you may be able to successfully challenge the ticket.

When the policeman has driven away…NOW is the time to yell, scream or cry!

Joe Kahler is recognized as an expert on helping young adults successfully transition from home to being “out on their own”. His latest work has recently been assembled in his book, Out On My Own… Now What? Tips and Insights So You Won’t Be Left Hanging in the “Real World”!

Joe received his undergraduate degree from Whittier College in Social Sciences and his Masters in Education from Arizona State University. His experience includes teaching, coaching, running numerous businesses, investing, selling insurance and real estate AND attending numerous personal, “hard knocks” training classes!

http://www.outonmyown.com

You can create an irresistible offer by humanizing the registration process. Help your potential registrants know that you are real, caring people behind the scenes. The more your registration process shows you care about your registrants, the more comfortable people will feel signing up for your event.

Share with them in a way that you would want if you were the registrant. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you providing enough information to answer ALL questions they might have?
• Do you have real contact names and information accessible throughout your registration process versus info@abc.com and a generic 800 #?
• Do you have an FAQ section about your event available on your website?

Does your writing style attract them?

• Do you use “you” in your text versus describing the event or “we”?
• Do you use less than 15 words per sentence?
• Do you use simple words in place of complex ones?
• Do you avoid clichés and syrupy say-nothing slogans?
• Are you putting some heart into it?

Raise your empathy index to attract more registrants


In some cases, anxiety arises because a prospective attendee may feel your organization is an impersonal entity. This is especially true if the event is very large. You can help to reduce this anxiety by listing a staff member’s name for the registrant to call. By listing a name with the registration number, you convince the perceptive attendee that they will receive personalized attention. A provider reassures a prospective attendee that individual attention is being given to registrations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Don’t make your audience hunt for answers to their questions. Anticipate frequently asked questions and list them in your promotional materials and on the website. With a registration site armed with answers, you are more likely to convey that you have anticipated your registrants’ questions and concerns and put thought into their experience.

I sincerely hope this article makes your conference and event registration even more successful!

Bill Flagg is the President of RegOnline
Putting smiles on the faces of over 9,200 event-planning professionals worldwide because it is the easiest-to-use online event and conference registration system available.

P.S. - If you would like to receive more tips like this via email then go to http://www.RegOnline.com/eTips

Dongs may be difficult to introduce into a long term relationship Some folks will find the introduction of sex play toys into a marriage scary & it can often bring up questions such as “why do we need sex toys”? Though vibrating toys can be a magnificent and satisfying event and sexual toys also help to build lust between you and your boyfriend.

Figuring out which vibrator to choose will be an adventure. A time where you and your girlfriend can sit down and converse about what you together want out of the thing & choose a sexual aid together that meets both of your desires. Please do not just go straight in for the big league huge dildos, start off easily. Bullet Vibrators, discreet and a wonderful orgasm machine!

Once you have chosen a sexual aid & have had the eager excitement of unwrapping your new vibrating toy you need to get into the seductive mood. Dimmed light and light music are the perfect platform to start off any sexual adventure. Make the time great, unplug the phone, turn off the DVD player & focus fully on your girlfriend. Prolonged sensual stimulation before bringing out the vibe is an exciting idea. Romantic & loving touch increases the sensations and helps towards a very relaxing and enjoyable encounter.

And don’t forget to relax, have loads of fun & enjoy it.

Potty training a dog is extremely important if you intend on
having your dog or dogs inside your home. Even if you only have
your dog inside for a short amount of time he or she must be
trained not to leave a mess.

The best time to start this training is when you first bring
your puppy home. It is very important to start straight away so
your pup doesn’t get confused with what is right and what is
wrong. Puppies and adult dogs can be very stubborn so you must
show them who is the boss and what is expected of them.

Once you have succeeded in potty training a dog then you will
soon notice the benefits. You will be able to leave your dog or
dogs unattended and know that when you return to your home it
will not be soiled. Of course there will sometimes be accidents
but that may be because you were away for longer than usual or
perhaps your pup may be sick.

You can find out how to potty train a dog by talking to your vet
or breeder or by reading books. You will also find plenty of
information on the net. There are those web sites that can help
you by giving out free tips on the subject. No matter how you
get your information on this subject the important thing is to
be precise and be consistent at all times.

Your dog looks to you for guidance and always wants your
reassurance that he or she has done a good job. Never use force
or physical abuse on your pet. Your pup will react to firm
instructions when accompanied by loving rewards afterwards. This
job is not always going to be easy and you will need lots of
patience, as you must remember it is like training a baby.

Take the time to ask lots of questions from people who have done
this before and get your hands on a good training book so you
have it on hand all the time. This way you can always refer back
to it to make sure you are doing everything right.

If you are like me and many others the warm weather motivates
you to do or try new things. It even inspires you to pay more
attention to your overall appearance. But, before you go
shopping I suggest you take a look at this list to see what is
in style.

• Cropped pants - If you see pants that are too long to classify
in the shorts category and too short to qualify as the regular
long pants those are referred as cropped pants. They fit inches
below the knee but, are placed above the ankle.

• Natural hair - Good news for ladies with curly or wavy hair.
Curls are in; all you have to do is wash your hairs apply some
gel or mousse and blow dry with a diffuser. For define curls
utilize hair rollers.

• Color crazy- Bright colors are in for 2005. Some of the most
common are kiwi, turquoise, coral, fuchsia, mango, yellow, aqua,
melon, violet and many more… Do not ignore some of the regular
pastel colors such as light pink. White should always be in your
ward robe during the summer season.

• Knee length skirts- They come in all styles from pleated to
form fitting.

• Cuffed pants- Many of the cuffed pants are also cropped.

• Tunics- They will not only give you a different look. You will
also feel comfortable and cool.

• Prints, patterns and stripes, embroidered etc. are in this
summer. So, do not be afraid to buy a blouse with floral print
(any type of prints).

• About the fabric- Silk is definitely in style. Do not be
surprise to see a lot of lace jewels, beads, rhinestones etc. on
clothes.

• Accessorize- You will find anything from drop earrings to
beaded and wooded jewelry. Other very popular accessories are
brooches, variety of buckle belts, pendants, neck silk scarfs
and many more. Just make sure that you do not over accessorize.

• Shoes- Comfort is also chic now. I have never seen such a
variety of thong sandals. Mules, flip flops, flats, and
moccasins are “a la mode” also. Wedges are good for the ladies
that like to wear higher shoes; they are comfortable as long as
you are able to sustain balance.

Drivers in the U.S. are buying hybrid vehicles, not because they want them, but because they can’t afford to drive any other type of car. With gas prices setting all-time records and heading toward $4 per gallon, consumers are forced to drive a car that gets the most miles per dollar spent. That’s an overpriced hybrid car.

The truth is that hybrids may get better mileage than a traditional car, but it’s nothing to write home about. First, hybrids cost more. The slightly better mileage means that if you keep your hybrid car for from 3 to 5 years you may make up for the higher cost. That doesn’t seem like such a good deal, does it? But it’s all we have and that’s why folks are buying the darn things.

The good news is that big improvements are on the way. AFS Trinity Power Corp. has been awarded a patent for a new flywheel technology that is expected to be used in second-generation flywheel/diesel hybrid trucks and buses.

This new flywheel within a flywheel technology is expected to make possible two key functions in both automobile and stationary power systems that utilize fuel cells and/or micro turbines. The problem is that these gadgets are constant power output devices, which means they can’t speed up fast enough for acceptable acceleration and passing. The new flywheel gizmo may correct that.

Is this the huge breakthrough in automotive propulsion that we’ve been waiting for? Probably not, but it’s an indication that a bunch of really smart people are working on the problem of developing a car that gets a million miles per gallon… or something like that.

President Bush recently signed a federal energy bill that encourages the use of fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles and offers substantial tax breaks. The bill proclaims that high-efficiency vehicles, either hybrid or diesel, will receive credits on a sliding scale based on efficiency. Let me translate - “credits” mean MONEY! The maximum credit for light-duty vehicles is expected to be about $3,400.

When Uncle Sam starts handing out cash, two exciting things begin happening. Number One: Lobbyist begin shoveling it into their pockets. Number two: Lights go on in garages all across the country as inventors strive to solve the problem. You might say they are burning the midnight oil - one of the few fuels that is not necessarily in short supply.

Some point out that there is already a system to make biodiesel from vegetable oils for as little as 70 cents a gallon. This fuel does not contribute to global warming, has no obnoxious odor and is overall pollutant-free. Did you know that years ago Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine to run on peanut oil? Nutty, huh?

Another alternative mentioned from time to time is alcohol fuel, or ethanol. It is usually made from fermented corn; it blends as much as 85 percent alcohol and 15 percent gasoline and runs gasoline engines very nicely. Oh, it has a minor drawback, if you consider being highly explosive a drawback. That stuff could turn a Morris Mini into a rocket ship!

Yes, I hate the hybrids… of today, but I just can’t wait to see what’s coming tomorrow.

Mark Walters writes about hybrid vehicles at http://www.hybridvehiclestar.com and offers a free course titled Car Buying Tips.