We are in the process of looking for a FAQ management system to setup here. Until we find a script that can be customized to meet our needs and is secure, we've provided you with the list of FAQs that we had on our former site. They have been modified to fit our current business model.

Q. Why the name MICE™?

A. When our business started in late 1997, it was called: Mahlers' Independent Consulting Enterprises. This is the name that Debbie used for the consulting business she's had since 1984.

As the type of work we did changed, the name of the business changed to M.I.C.E. (the acronym for the above name) Small Business Services.

Not more than two years later, the name changed again to M.I.C.E. Training & Technology. In time, we dropped the acronym and became known as MICE Training & Technology™ and MICE™.

We registered the MICE trademark in Illinois in 2004, and are in the process registering the trademark internationally.

Q. What EXACTLY is it that MICE™ does?

A. We focus our business on training and providing information and services that can be handled electronically. Meaning, over the Internet, via e-mail, and combinations of snail-mail and Internet interaction. Each of our areas feature aspects of technology you need in this information age.

There are three areas of our core business.

1. Technology Training & Education Services
2. Web Services
3. Security Services

These three core areas are what we believe delivers the "The right technology, right now!"^TM. You need an online presence which is the function of our web services. If you're a business, you also need online and offline security solutions, which we provide. Finally, whether you're an individual or a large enterprise, you and your staff need to understand current technology and emerging technologies, which is what our training and education services provide.

Here are just a few of the things we do for our clients:

• Teach all aspects of technology using our EXCLUSIVE method
• Publish books, technical reports, papers, and training materials
• Online classes and training
• Online help and support
• Security Audits - Onsite and online (such as web server audits)
• Security Analysis and Consulting
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Web design and creative services
• Web site maintenance and monitoring
• Search engine optimization
• E-Commerce Engineering
• Podcasting Professional Services

Q. Why the big gold shopping carts?

A. That is an odd personal story. But as all my long-term visitors and students know, I don't keep anything from you if you ask!

Going back into my personal history, my parents would always tease me about the way I managed money. (Never mind the fact that they didn't teach me how to! GRIN) My mother would tell me that I would end up being a bag lady in my old age because I couldn't hold on to money.

In one of my Master's courses at National-Louis University (many years ago), we began a discussion about our fears. I discussed mine about becoming a bag lady with a shopping cart full of my wordily belongings. My classmates couldn't believe it and stated that if I were to ever become a bag lady, I'd definitely have a GOLD shopping cart.

When I was telling one of my spiritual advisors about this recently, he suggested, "Why don't you make it a self-fulfilling prophecy (Abraham Maslow) and have a gold shopping cart in your online shop!"

So, I had our graphic designer, Brad, create two gold shopping carts - one empty for the view cart and one full to checkout. The gold carts are Brad's creation for my self-fulfilling prophecy!

One thing I'd also like to mention. Everyone of us have secret fears whether they are founded in reality or not. What matters is what you choose to do with them. Abraham Maslow, the Psychologist who developed the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy concept in Psychology said,

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again."

And before you ask, what was my fear with this putting up the new site? My fear was that no one would come!

Now, I have experience through our web stats that the fear was unfounded!

Thanks for asking and noticing our beautiful gold shopping carts! Brad does great work, doesn't he? (SMILE)

Q. I took a class online through my college and it was taught by a Debbie Mahler. Is that you?

A. Yes it is! I teach for many Colleges and Universities online in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

The courses I offer through accredited colleges are:

Introduction to PC Security

Advanced PC Security

MICE™ also offers similar courses to these, as well as other online and e-mail courses along with a certificate of completion through our eLearning Portal.

Q. And here is a legitimate question we receive day after day: Do you train mice?

A. No, we do not train mice (as in the animals nor the one's connected to your PC). We do not know how to cure them of their illness nor can we recommend where you can go to get them trained or have them healed.

Q. I read your ad policy and noticed your Google ads. Why do some pages show ads for getting rid of mice and mouse traps?

A. You have to love Google Adsense and the way they interpret website content. We've changed our meta tags, title tags, keywords, and descriptions to make sure we removed our company name from them. But, because our name contains the word "mice" in it, the Googlebot programming assumes we are a site related to mice the animals. Short of changing our name - which I have no intention of doing - there's not much else we can do!

Q. At one point you had mentioned that you dropped Symantec and Trend Micro as partners. Now I see that you are back promoting their products again, along with Microsoft Live OneCare. What gives?

A. Great question! And yes, at one point we did drop Symantec and Trend Micro due to the poor quality of software they had issued during that time. Since then, however, both companies have come through in developing outstanding products for both XP and Vista.

I've had to bite the bullet and purchased a copy of Vista Home Basic when I built my new AMD dual core PC. I partitioned it for both XP and Vista so I could start teaching Vista. So many people are having it forced upon them, that I needed to provide support. So, that experience has made me believe that if you have Vista, you need OneCare. Also, both Symantec and Trend Micro have products that play nice with Vista. So that is why we are back in partnership with them.

As soon as the State of Illinois Department of Revenue decides to send us our resellers certificate, you'll be able to purchase Symantec and Trend Micro products directly from our shop. When you purchase from us, we will provide the support and we are based in the USA!