Friday, December 26, 2008

Planning Your Dream House

Designing your dream house needs a lot of time and work. It would be very interesting to design and develop a house just like you want it to be. You are in charge of everything thus your decision must be carried out. But for people who don't have a lot of spare time, spending your precious time to build a good design will be time wasting. The design part itself is really time consuming and not to mention the complexity of calculating the cost. There is an easy way to avoid all this trouble by using the design of home plans provider such as HDA.Inc.

If you check the site you will see there are a lot of home plans available for you to choose. Whether you want Contemporary house plans, French Country House Plans, colonial house plans or else, you can find them all on the website. Clicking each plan will give you the details of the plan including the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, walls and etc. If you don't have anything specific then you can try searching the best plan to match your criteria. You just enter the information needed and click the search button. This way you will be able to choose the best home plan that will fit your taste. With the help of HDA.Inc, designing your dream house would not be a problem. Check out the site now and start building your dream house now!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Ways to Keep Your House Organized

by: Dave Roth

Most people like to keep their house organized, but this can be very difficult to do. This is especially true if these individuals have children or pets, or if they work a lot of long hours. However, there are ways to keep a house organized even with so many other things going on in ones life. Following a few simple steps can help a person organize his or her house very quickly and then keep that organization going well into the future. There is no point in getting a home organized if it has no chance of staying that way. Many articles talk about the issue of organization and how to get started, but they do not deal with ways to keep everything organized throughout time.

One way to keep a house organized is to be sure that everyone does his or her part. This is not always easy, because life tends to get in the way. If there are small children, a parent often has to remind them about their chores and then go back and look to see whether those chores have been completed. This takes time away from the chores and other plans that the parents might have. In addition, there are always unexpected issues such as a child becoming sick or a pet destroying something in the house. Those things take precedence over house organization, but they must not interfere so much that the organization goal completely comes to a halt.

The best way to organize a house is to make it something that is ongoing. In other words, always put things back where they came from when a person is done using them. In addition, people should spend a couple of minutes at the end of each day straightening up anything that might not have gotten put away. It only takes a few minutes, and by doing things this way, the clutter and disorganization will not get out of hand. This makes it easier to keep up with the basic household organization and keep the homeowner from getting discouraged.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Giftcards for Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner. Have you bought anything for your friends and families? Sometime it is really hard for you to decide what gifts to buy. Not just that you have to queue for hours in this time of year but also often that your gifts are not appreciate because they want something else. To avoid this you can just give gift cards to your friends and families. By using a gift card you can let the recipient of the card to buy anything that they want from electronic to household, clothes or accessories. In short the recipient decide what they would have which makes them pleased.

There are a lot of sites on the internet who provide gift cards for you, but GiftCardMall.com comes out on top. The site is established with an exclusive retail network which includes leading grocery, mass, convenience, drug and specialty retailers. The network covers more than 80,000 storefronts and reaches more than 165 million consumers each week. Beside that the site also gives you the privilege of choosing the design of your gift cards. If you are not satisfied with the available design, you can always design your own unique gift cards. But be sure to check out the list of available sellers where you can use the gift cards. This way you can be sure that everyone get their dream gift and be pleased about it. Go check the site now, design the card and sent it to your friends and families.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

GPS Buyers Guide, 6 things you must know!

by: Jason Wolf

Yes there are six things you need to know before you buy a GPS for your car or truck. What do most people use a car GPS for? The most popular use is to get turn-by-turn directions while driving from point A to point B. Some popular car navigational units are the Magellan Roadmates, the Tomtom, the Garmin Nuvi units, and the new Navigon gps units.

1 - Screen Size and sound are important. Especially while driving. The screen should be readable and bright, Also Make sure the buttons are big enough for your fingers, so that you aren't pressing multiple buttons at the same time. Vehicles are noisier than you may think. Driving noise can make it difficult to hear weak audio. Be sure to check out the sound quality to make sure you can understand what is being said. It should be clear and loud so that you can hear it in your vehicle.

2 - Downloadable Maps and memory. Most gps units come with maps built in. A lot of them can download maps as well. It is a good idea to puchase one that has the ability to download maps, so that you map doesn't get outdated.

Memory - the more memory the gps unit has, the more locations, waypoints, landmarks, and maps you can save.

3 - The time it takes a GPS to find and display information. This depends on the number of channels a GPS has. The more channels the unit has the better the reception. Take this into consideration. You don't want to have to pull over and wait for it to get map data if you make a wrong turn.

4 - Does the unit speak street names? This is very helpful. If it does not say the street names and it tells you to turn right. You may have to glance at the unit to check the street name. This can be dangerous.

5 - What type of batteries are used with the GPS? Are they normal rechargeable AA batteries or are they special manufacturer batteries? Also how long do they last.

6 - Bluetooth is great for those who need to use cell phones while driving, With Bluetooth the driver can make and receive hands-free calls through the unit's speaker and microphone, and view their telephone book and access caller ID on the screen. What an amazing feature. Of course blue-tooth enabled units are little more expensive.

Those are the six things you need to know before you buy a GPS.

Heres a quick note about mapping data:

All Magellan Garmin and NAVIGON GPS units use NAVTEQ mapping data, while TomTom uses Tele Atlas. I've done research online and found that both NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas are both good and I would not base my decision on which mapping data the gps uses.

Where to buy?

A good place to check prices is at: www.gpsreviewvideos.com

This website has video reviews of numerous gps units and links to compare prices. That way you can watch a video of the gps unit, compare prices from multiple sources online and get the best price.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Buying Accessories

Women love fashion. Everywhere in the world, women always want to look fashionable by wearing the newest model of clothes. They often buy fashion tabloid or watch fashion in the television. But women also need other things to make them look prettier. They need beautiful accessories. These accessories, such as shoes, sunglasses, scarves, jewelleries, earrings and etc, are used to make your looks more beautiful. So if you are into fashion and love to shop these kinds of things, where would you go?

There is a good, easy and safe way for you to buy accessories. You can buy them online through ShopWiki. With the help of ShopWiki you can find almost any accessories you want. The best of it all you are provided with a guide of the newest fashion so you won't be the last to know. ShopWiki finds new stores daily thus making it the biggest store online. Check out their guide of buying unique bags, from a Fossil handbag to a Coach Tote you will find them as easy as a click of your mouse. If you need a new watch as a gift for your husband/wife or fiancée then you should see the site's collection. Look no further, if you want to shop online for the latest and newest fashion, ShopWiki is your answer. Check the site now and buy everything you want.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Cell Phones for Children- 4 Options

by: Emi Light

There was a time that many parents balked at the idea of buying their child a cell phone. Fortunately, many now see that cell phones are the best way for your busy kids to contact you and for you to keep tabs on them. How do you choose which cell phone to buy them with all of the great options out there? It is important that you do your research and think about the needs of your child as well as what you want out of the phone. All of the companies claim to have a superior product, but you should do a little digging in order to see beyond the hype. There are several brands to choose from. Some of the most popular include:

Firefly Phones
Kajeet Phones
LG Migo
Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone.

Firefly Phones

The Firefly cell phone is a great option. It is very simple to use because it actually doesn’t have a camera, MP3 player, or video. This phone doesn’t weigh very much as a direct result of losing those features. This will be a relief for many kids and parents as we are used to having to carry quite a bit for our busy lives.

The Firefly kid’s cell phone has a neat display screen that will show how much battery power is left as well as the signal strength that is available. For those parents who are worried about their children answering from unknown callers, phone number ID is displayed for incoming calls.

Your kids may not care so much about the actually functionality of the phone, but they’ll all want their Firefly mobile phone to look cool. There are some neat color skins that you can purchase for your kids to instantly change the look of their cell phone.

The Firefly kids cell phone is a wonderful option for you if you want to have a lot of control over the phone calls your children make and receive. There is no need to worry that your child will spend hours and hours talking on their phone. Parents can control who can call in. This function offers a great piece of mind.

Despite those great features, there are many people who will not be happy with the Firefly prepaid phone. It is missing many of the “cool” features your children have come to appreciate and enjoy. There is no way to organize the phone or send text messages.

Kajeet Phones

Another phone you may want to consider is from Kajeet phones. This phone is unique in that it was designed by parents and beta tested by kids.

Many parents who’ve tested this phone have been very impressed with all that it offers. It can be very dangerous to just give your child a regular cell phone. With regular phones they can call anyone and receive calls from anyone. Kajeet phones really helps to eliminate this problem.

With this phone you can set whom your kids can call. This is important if you don’t want them wasting away their minutes on calling friends for hours on end. Another neat feature is the ability to set the hours when your children can make phone calls.

There are some children who will try and sneak in calls here and there at school. With Kajeet phones you can allow them to call home and 911, but block all other calls during the school day.

Another great feature is that you can give your children a phone allowance. They may miss the ability to buy ringtones and other “fun” things. With Kajeet phone’s cell phone allowance they will have the ability to buy these things if you want them to. Once they’ve spent their allotment, they cannot spend any more money until you’re ready for them to.

Kajeet phones are neat because they’ve really listened to their target audience and their parents. Even a quick visit to their website show that they really do pay attention to what kids in this day and age need and want.


LG Migo Phone

The LG Migo phone is another option in the world of cell phones for kids. It is a bright green color that will immediately attract children who want a cool looking phone to impress their friends. This phone is geared towards a slightly younger audience, which is something to keep in mind.

The phone has five speed dial buttons that you can program. This is a great option for younger children who are unable to remember phone numbers.

LG Migo also has a Chaperone service that is ideal for parents. The system acts as a kind of GPS device. You set the boundaries that are ok for your child to be in. If they leave that area your phone will be notified with a text message. This is something to keep in mind for safe use of cell phones for children

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone

Another entry into the world of cell phones for children is Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. The TicTalk phone is probably one of the most unique looking cell phones out there. It looks a bit like a stopwatch and is very durable. This is a good model for parents who are worried that their children will immediately break the phone. Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone should stand up to even the most active of children.

The TicTalk works by scrolling through numbers in a phonebook. There is no dialing involved for the child. This may or may not be easy to get used to, but can actually be quite convenient once they learn the ropes.

Parents set the actual phone up online. This is a great way to add convenience for those who prefer the simplicity of typing online.


Kids will want to scoop Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone up because it has games on it that are pre-installed by Leapfrog. The phone is overall more full featured than some other cell phones for kids that are available today.


How Should I Choose?

There are many different cell phones for children that are on the market today. It is up to you and your child to decide which features are the most valuable to you. Your first priority should be the safe use of cell phones for children. Then, pick the best option for your family.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Your Online Casino Guide

For some people playing online games can be a good way to reduce the stress they got from work. They love playing online as they can meet and interact with other people from all over the world. But many of them also find online game as their source of income, especially those who love playing online casinos. For these people playing in a respected and trusted online casino is the most important thing. This is understandable because there is money involved surely they don't want to be cheated.

That is why they need online casino bluebook such as OnlineCasinoBlueBook.net. By going to this kind of site they will be able to find trusted online casino to play as the site provides online guide to popular online casinos based on many years of experience. They also gives rank of online casinos site based on bonus size, payout percentage, customer service, game features, # of games, software graphics, and ease of use. So if you love playing online casino you should check out the site now and play in those top rank sites and win your dream money!

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Credit Card

Are you looking for a way to pay your monthly expenses such as phone and electricity bills, your children monthly allowance, mortgage and so on, and also to free up some cash? Are you tired of saving your money in the bank because it will be used anyway? There is a very easy way to solve your problems. You can apply for a balance transfer credit card. By using a balance transfer credit card you can pay off your bills on time and still save some money for other use.


This balance credit card is suitable for people who are in the "Transactors" category. Transactors are people who use the credit card to pay off some of their expenses and before the end of the month pay it back to the credit company. These kind of people usually have a good credit record because they don't like to owe the money for a long time. They only use it for a temporary solution until they can fully pay their debts. If you are one of those people then you can check CreditCard.com to find the most suitable credit card for you. Compare from various credit companies and get the most out of their offers. Check the site and apply for your card online.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Choosing Credit Cards

Having a credit card is not such a bad idea in time of emergencies. Suppose that you are going to celebrate your anniversary but you are short in cash, the credit card might come in handy to buy jewelries or a nice dress for your sweetheart. But if you haven't applied for a credit card then it would be a wise move to do it now. Choosing your kredit cards can give you a headache as there are many credit card companies available now. You can overcome this obstacle by using the service provided by Compare Cards.

At Compare Cards you can easily find the credit card that you are looking for. Each credit card companies is reviewed thoroughly and you might want to compare features offered to best suit your needs. This is done fast and easy using the comparison tools provided on the site. You just need to specify what features are you looking for in the credit card, for example maybe you want to get a low interest credit card or more interested in getting a credit card which can be accepted anywhere in the world such as the CITI credit cards or AMEX Corporate Credit Cards. You can also apply for a credit card through the site. This will increase your chance of getting the approval. To put it simple, if you ever have the need to get a credit card then Compare Cards is your solution.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Why It’s Crucial To Have A Dedicated Server

by: Stu Pearson

A dedicated server is a single web server or computer on the internet that hosts websites and shows pages as viewers request. A dedicated server is within a network of computers, exclusively dedicated to one costumer or a large business, since it can meet many needs.

Dedicated servers are most commonly used in the web hosting industry; hundreds of sites are hosted under one dedicated server. A dedicated server is considered to be the next step on from shared hosting environments. Having your own dedicated server makes you free of worry about other websites slowing you down or crashing your server. Dedicated servers also give you total control, and allows for installing software on your website that opens doors for gaining extra performance.

The advantage of having a dedicated server is that the clients of the server can customize both hardware and software setup so they meet needs like faster data access and effortless accommodation of traffic on the site.

These dedicated servers come with good costumer service. The web host works with the client in making sure that the dedicated server meets the needs of the client. In cases of companies having several divisions like a chain of outlets, it is still crucial for each to have their own dedicated server because they can create many domains on a single server easily, which results in more efficiency rather than having to lease host space on different web servers for each division or outlet individually.

For large companies having websites for every dealership such as motorcycle manufacturers, the advantage of having a dedicated server is that the parent company can put all of the websites for each dealership under the same server.

Here’s how it works. Assume a company named “Taurus Cars Corp.” is running a series of dealerships, the parent company could host an individual website for every dealership. Each website may look like this; for the parent company “www.taurusmotorscorp.com”, for the dealership in Florida “www.taurusmotorsflorida.com “, for the dealership in Colorado “www.taurusmotorscolorado.com” and so on.

The advantage of this setup is the dealership in Florida is using the same online tools as the dealership in Colorado. Making the online presence of the company Taurus Motors Corp. very streamlined and cost-efficient, while making things significantly easier for the company’s administration and support, also known as customization and uniform of point of sale software. Considering the websites of each of the different divisions or dealerships residing on one dedicated server, makes this advantage beneficial in terms of increasing sales.

In some cases other business want to use dedicated servers for the sole purpose of customization, costumer service, and fast access. They host websites themselves or better yet sub-lease the extra space for interested companies to set up their websites and domains. The advantage derived by any business under a dedicated server is the ability to enhance security.

All these advantages imply that dedicated servers are the best option for most large companies or businesses. Hosting personal websites or small business websites in general doesn’t require a dedicated server, instead for this purpose you can lease from a standard web host.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

2008 Toyota Highlander

What are your criteria of buying your dream car? Is it the brand or is it the machine? Some people might think the features of both interior and exterior of the car are the most important thing to see in a car. For me the best car is a car in which all of the member of my family can fit in. The car is economical in fuel and has a good resale value. If you are talking about brand then big brand names from Japan such as Toyota is the best one to choose. The new toyota highlander seems fit all of my criteria. But before we decide to buy the car, we need to read this toyota highlander reviews just to be sure.

Where else can you find the best 2008 toyota highlander reviews other than in TheCarConnection. The car receives an average score of 7.8 according to the reviewers. Some of the good things that those reviewers mention include big V-6 power, quite ride, clever second row seat, good handling with sport model and “light” off-road capabilities. The downside of the car such as dull electric steering, too-soft suspension, cramped optional third, row seat and slow transmission shifts should also be your considerations. All in all in my opinion this 2008 toyota highlander would be a perfect family car. But we should also take price into mind because this kind of sport car doesn’t comes cheap.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Web Accessibility a Universal Goal!

by: Mr. Nidal A. Bousaleh

Over the last decay, an increase number of research were conducted to determine ways Information Technology can assist in meeting special needs to ensure universal accessibility. Findings to date suggest that by being more knowledgeable about accessibility issues, Web designers and developers are able to accommodate end users with special needs.

As we enter the knowledge age, it is no longer acceptable that people with limited or no vision are on their own when it comes to accessing the web, nor those with mobility problems are on their own when it comes to use a hardware. To ignore

website accessibility raises moral, business, and legal issues. It is morally wrong to discriminate

against disabled people on the web simply through lack of thought, consideration, or awareness. Many business web sites designed without considering accessibility issues result in loss of revenue. Some countries, such as the US, UK, and Australia has introduced legislation that requires organizations to adhere to accessibility issues.

In June 1999, the Disability Discrimination Act (1999) has been used to fight for access rights in

Australia. The 2000 Olympic Site Games, jointly developed by Sydney Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and IBM was found inaccessible to the blind users, and SOCOG was fined A$ 20,000 [1].

The purpose of this paper is raising awareness among web designers and developers, to achieve universal web accessibility goal. The paper looks at the disability issues and the existing assistive technologies or methods used by disabled users to assist them in accessing the web.

Afterwards, the paper reviews guidelines for good web site design, and provides analysis for designing an accessible website. Furthermore, the paper highlights on the challenges and gaps in the web accessibility area.

Literature Review:

Two years ago, a Conference was held in ‘London’ and attended by representatives of commerce, industry, government, and the IT Sector aiming to raise awareness of the potential benefits of assistive technology to disabled users. The outstanding number of speakers highlighted through number of cases how technology can transfer lives. ‘Sue Bassoon’ a Business Development Manager at IBM said: “IBM’s goal is to have a speech recognition system as good as the human ear by 2010” [2].

The objectives of this literature is two folds: (1) explain how a particular disability (e.g.

visual impairment, mobility restriction, hearing impairment) can impede the use of the web, and what can be done to accommodate special needs; and (2) show how web designers and developers can construct accessible web sites to end users with disabilities, such as visual or hearing impairment.

(1) Disability Issues

The section begins with a descriptive part concerning disabled user functional limitation

and dependence on assistive technologies.

A- Vision Issues:

A web user who has no sight (totally blind) is likely to use the screen reader technology to reads a load the content of the web page. Other web users, with partial or poor sight need to be able to enlarge the text on web page using a screen magnifier.

B- Mobility Issues:

A web user may have mobility problems as a result of an accident or disease such as:(loss of limb, Injury, or aging process). The technologies used by users with mobility problems are:

- Sticky Keys: For users with one finger typing.

- Filter Keys: Ignores repeated strokes for people with hand tremors.

- Mouse Keys: Permits moving pointer with numeric keypad.

- Serial Key: Permits access to alternatives for mouse and keyboard functions such as Foot Mouse.

- Eye gaze: A video camera that racks eye movement as the user look at an on screen keyboard. It is customizable as how long a key must be looked at to be recorded. When system has identified the key looked at the symbol appears and the user look at next key.

C- Hearing Issues:

A web user may be deaf or experiencing problems with hearing due to the natural aging process. To assist those users the audio or video need to be translated to the ASL (American Sign Language) language of the deaf, in which certain signs represent words.

(2) Design for Accessibility

In the above section, the paper provided readers with a general knowledge about disability issues, disabled users, and the existing assistive technologies. This section is intended for web designers and developers, because it provides them with tips and guidelines on ways to design a good and accessible website. There are two main aspects

to take into account:

I- Look and Feel

Web designers need to present a user friendly interface that addresses specific ability needs. The designer should be able to describe ways disabled users interact with a website, and how they move through the pages and how they achieve their goals. Below, are helpful tips that designers need to consider when designing an accessible website.

- Web Designers & Developers; should follow the four principles of visual organization in the process of designing a website which are: Proximity, Alignment, Consistency, and Contrast.

- Web Designers & Developers; must avoid using HTML tables to control the layout, instead use style sheets.

- Web Designers & Developers; should use legible fonts, and font size to allow disabled users to easily change them from the browser interface.

- Avoid poor color contrast in your design, and do not use color for meaningful description.

- Avoid the use of animation, and flash which may affect users with photosensitive epilepsy.

- Avoid using Frames because it can pose problems for technology used by some disabled users.

- Try not to use graphics for menu and button forms.

- Avoid hiding menu items (using DHTML or applets)

II- Content

Web designers should organize content in a way that can provide ease of use and simplicity. Below, are helpful tips that designers need to consider when designing an accessible website:

- Use a clear language, and write short sentences.

For example, a web page should provide blind users with a short summary of what they can find. A Search Functionality is important because a blind person can’t scan the page, and will generally trust first result he/she receives.

- Add Accessible tags and attributes by using rich set of tags to enhance accessibility. For instance, an ALT tag is used to provide a text equivalent for images within a website. The

ALT text description is what the screen reader or talking browser will read to the blind users .

- Use clear link descriptions, and include links that a user can click to skip repetitive regions of the page.

- Ensure the pages are usable when scripts, applets, or style sheets are turned off or not

supported.

- All audio and video content should contain captions, transcription, and descriptive information.

Analysis:

It is estimated that 20% of the population has some kind of disability. The internet opens

a new window of opportunity and independence to disabled users from reading news to banking to conducting business. For example, by using the screen reader technology a blind user can listen to the latest newspaper published electronically. Similarly, a user with mobility problem who can not go out shopping to buy a newspaper, nor use a

keyboard or mouse independently, can rather use the eye tracking software that allow people to use a computer with nothing more than eye movement.

Nowadays, organizations are asking designers to make their web sites accessible and for

good reasons. First of all, the more people who can use a site, the more potential it can

generate. Online stores, in particular have a great deal to gain, since many people with

functional limitation problems, find it much easier to shop online. Most Web designers

are not personally opposed to the concept of making web sites accessible to people with

disabilities. In fact most accessibility errors on web sites are the result of ignorance. A large proportion of web designers and developers have simply never thought about accessibility issues. A small proportion of web designers (4%) do not understand the needs of users with disabilities; another (46%) understand some of the needs of users with disabilities. While only (26%) of designers understand most of the needs of users

with disabilities and can accommodate them [3].

The Challenges and Gaps of Web Accessibility:

In this section, we highlight the challenges and the requirements posed by user needs, to

access the web. We argue the need for a new approach to address accessibility issues, and

include it in each and every web project life cycle.We recognize that the vast majority of disabled users face challenges when accessing the web. Why is this? Is it the lack of technical solutions to meet their needs – absolutely not! You will hear today that there are new technological solutions to address even most extreme form of disability. Is it cost?

Again it is not! Some technical solutions, cost nothing at all, and already exist in software. So, What then? Is it that web applications are being developed that present challenges to accessible design? Is it lack of knowledge and skills to meet their needs?

There does seem a general lack of awareness of web accessibility issues. Web Designers and Developers, need to have a better approach to tackle the problem in each phase of the web development process. For example, during the requirement analysis phase a web developer must define the target audience of the site, and should take into account people with a combination of disabilities. In addition to this, during prototyping phase a web designer must have the knowledge to accommodate end users with special needs, and also the skills to meet their expectations.

Moreover, testing the web site using different

technologies is critical for a successful web site, to ensure it meets the accessibility

standards and user requirements [4].

Therefore, in each phase of the web development process, accessibility plays an important role. Accessibility and Usability should be completely embedded in web design and development cycles from beginning to end.

The future looks bright for web accessibility. It promises to educate web designers and developers about accessibility issues, through training courses offered at universities.

Conclusion:

The Internet offers independence and freedom. But, this independence and freedom is limited to certain users. Many websites are not created with accessibility issues in mind.

Whether it is the Web Designer lack of knowledge or ignorance, they exclude a segment of users that in many ways benefit from the internet [5].

In short, designing accessible websites does not require an enormous effort or time. It simply, requires commitment, and accountability, to achieve a universal goal.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Health and Beauty Products

For women it is a must to maintain their personal hygiene and looks. Thus many products of health and beauty sold on the internet. But choosing the right product for your body and skin is not as easy as it seems. You need to choose the product wisely or you might end up with regrets. The use of beauty products which is not suitable for you could damage your skin and sometime the damage can not be undone. So before the damage is done, be sure to check out the product description first or better find a site to get reviews of the product.

ShopWiki is the best site for you to get reviews for health and beauty product. For example if you want to find the best cosmetics you can type in cosmetics in the search box provided at the site. In a matter of seconds you will be given the search result. The good thing about ShopWiki is that it gives you guidance in choosing the best product for you as well as finding sites on the internet which sold that particular product. This way you will be able to choose the best place for you to shop for the product. For a specific product such as Pretty Pretty Lip Matte, there are so many online stores to choose from. Before choosing it won't harm you if you read what others think about the product. So what are you waiting for, shop now for health and beauty products with ShopWiki.

7 Winning Search Engine Optimization Tactics

by: Lee Kendrick

Search engine optimization should always be considered long before your website structure, colors, layout, and overall site design. But, the majority of people usually get caught up "in the moment"... thinking of riches instead of "how" they're going to attract more website visitors. This article is meant to get you back on track, and provide you with 5 winning search engine optimization tactics.

Identify Keywords

1. The single biggest mistake that most business owners make is trying to think of a "cool name" for their website, when they should have chosen a keyword-rich site name like 'prevent-corporate-bankruptcy.com' instead of SmithLawOffice.com' (as an example). Your potential customers search for keyword phrases... not business names... unless you're already a household name like Wal-Mart, eBay or Apple. Facing reality, many business owners gave up on websites ever helping their business a long time ago... usually because of a poor website name choice. And, it doesn't have to be this way.

Simply, discover what terms people are searching for. Identify the "action" keywords and phrases that people are actually using when they are searching Google, Yahoo, MSN or any of the other major search engines. I highly recommend looking for keyword phrases that incorporate the following keywords: buy, want, need, order, download, etc. I'm sure you're getting the idea now. Then, you need to purchase website names that are centered around the most popular keyword phrases. And, redirect these visitors to your current website. And, I promise that you can setup a website redirect in less than one minute... even if computers scare you. You just need to have access to your website hosting interface, with cPanel being the most popular choice.

Optimizing Your Web Page

2. After identifying a minimum of 10 keyword phrases, I recommend optimizing your current website pages' title tags, meta tags, image "alt" tags. You need to start using these keywords within your webpage content in bold text, underlined text, and as text links. Do not overuse these keywords though. These keywords should only comprise 4-6% of each page. So, if you have 500 words on a webpage, limit your keyword usage to 20-30 words. Most of the major search engines index every word of your page and compare them to your title META description and META keywords. So, you should never hide or add non-related keywords to your webpages: like Anna Kournakova, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, etc. This is a "black hat" tactic and should never be used, unless your want your website to be permanently banned by the search engine directories.

Most of the major search engines don't even consider the META keywords anymore, which is why the actual content of your webpages is becoming more and more important. Excessive repeating of keywords is considered as spamming, which will get your website penalized with a lower ranking. And, be sure mix your keywords in different combinations throughout the page and in your ALT tags, instead of using the same phrase over and over again.

Link Popularity

3. One of the most important factors to achieve a high ranking in the search engines is link popularity. The overall number of links to your web site is important, but the quality of the links are even more important. All the search engines are very fond of "on topic" links. Links from sites that contain your same keyword content and are focusing on the same topic as your site, are known as "on topic" links. Three of the best ways to get "on topic" quality backlinks are to comment on other industry-related blogs, make comments in industry-related forums, and to submit articles to article directories. Just make sure that you're adding comments or articles to high pagerank sites, avoiding low page rank sites.

Misspellings

4. Adding misspelled keywords within your META tags can also boost your website traffic, because many people are likely to misspell your keywords when browsing the search engine directories. As an example, here are several popular misspellings I found people making when they searched for a site submission service, as follows: "free search engine submision", "sumit", "subit", "search egnine submission", "submition", and "saerchengines".

Add Fresh Content

5. Adding fresh content to your website on a regular basis is another key factor that plays a critical role in your search engine rankings. Adding new content regularly gives your visitors a reason to come back. Search engine robots will also visit your website more often, once they notice that you update regularly. This is one of the main reasons why WordPress blogs are so popular right now. When visitors leave comments about blog posts you have made, the search engine bots see this as new content. And, it really helps your site rankings when a visitor makes a comment with a permalink back to their high pagerank site. This helps website owners save time, by allowing website visitors to create content for them.

Don't Kill the Search Engine Crawlers

Avoid using flash intro pages where it says "Click Here to Enter Site", because the search engines have a very difficult time indexing (seeing) anything beyond the intro page... unless you've submitted every webpage of your site to the search engine directories manually, which is very time consuming. Even if you use the alt attribute to specify alternate text for flash images, that text will not be anywhere near as important as real text on a main index page.

Provide Relevant Title Tags

7. Making your page titles simple, descriptive, relevant and "keyword rich" makes it easier for search engines to know what each page is about. Keyword rich titles help the search engine directories provide consumers with more relevant search results, helping them determine whether your website contains what they are trying to find. The title description is the most important element of your website design, after you have chosen your website domain name.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Tracking Your Loved Ones

Have you ever been cheated by your loved ones? Although you may have forgiven him or her but in the back of your might still feel suspicious if your loved one go out with friends. You might also think that you will experience the bad memory all over again. So to ensure that your loved one will not cheat on you ever again and to ease your mind what would you do? Well the answer is really simple, why don't you install a GPS Tracking system in your car. That way you will always have a way to know where your loved ones is.

This whole idea of tracking the people you love with a GPS Tracking is in a way would be an invasion of privacy. But think about this, if you have a teenage girl and you know that she is hanging out with some bad friends you will probably do anything to keep her away from danger. Thus installing the system in your car to locate your daughter where about would be a wise thing to do. As soon as she enter a bad neighborhood you can go there and pick her right away. This GPS Tracking system is not only used by common people but also government agencies such as FBI, US Navy, Raytheon, Army, Police in their fight against crime. The system has its controversial side but nonetheless it also has lots of good implementations.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Game Development

Story Bible Example

by: Sebastian Gross

The bible deals exclusively with story and its elements. While the design document guides the creation of the entire gaming experience, the bible controls the game’s interactive screenplay.

Log Line

Let’s say we’re working on a game titled “Hangnail,” the latest game inspired by Quake. Hangnail’s bible would include a “treatment” or synopsis of the game’s story. That treatment should include one- or two-sentence reviews of the story’s beginning, middle, and end. In some cases, the treatment could go into greater detail, stretching from one page to 20 or more, if the designer or game writer chose to really flesh out the story in the design stage. If the game’s narrative is truly based on cinematic story construction, the story might include first, second, and third act reviews. Leave those bits to your writer—we waste hours worrying about that act-structure nonsense. At the very least, the synopsis should include a “log line,” or a brief review of the game’s story, like this:

Hangnail:

Synopsis: A big, tough guy with heaps of muscles and a heart of gold walks through mazes and kills lots of stuff to battle evil, find his boxed lunch, and save the future of humanity…at least until the sequel comes out.

Characters

The second portion of the bible would include character reviews. The most important component of any effective narrative, whether it’s in a game, a movie, a TV show, or a novel, is good characters. They should have well-rounded histories and solid motivations. Most importantly, they should be clearly drawn out so anyone who reads the bible or works on the game sees the same person in their minds. If a writer or designer creates a game revolving around a Schwarzenegger-type action hero and fail to describe his all-American, psychopathic personality, the artist or renderer could end up drawing Marv Albert. Here’s what our character bible would say about Hangnail’s protagonist:

Character Name: Dirk Squarejaw

Age: Late 20s

Appearance: Ruggedly handsome and in the kind of impossibly good shape that you’d need to spend 25 hours a day in a gym to achieve.

Equipment: Death Ray of Death, Grenade of Severe Owies, Swiss Army Knife of Animosity, Pulse Cannon of Mild Mood Swings.

Attributes: Wonderfully and relentlessly violent. With an overdeveloped sense of honor. Dedicated to saving all life on Earth, or at least all attractive women on Earth. He enjoys painting in splattered blood, rainy days, long walks on the beach, thermonuclear devices, and backgammon.

Background: Orphaned at birth and raised by wolves, Dirk was rescued by nuns at the age of 4. The nuns instilled in the young Dirk his sense of honor and his bizarre obsession with backgammon. When the evil villain, General Payne, destroyed the nuns’ village to hijack all their dice, Dirk set out on his lifelong quest to end evil around the world. He will never rest until Payne is defeated, peace and justice restored, and double sixes rolled everywhere.

All the information in the character description above could be distilled into one long paragraph entry, if the designer chooses to limit the length or the scope of the bible. However, every character in the game (even supporting players) should be presented in this same detail.

Such enriching character sketches can provide inspiration when planning game maps or missions (depending on the game’s genre). For example, in Hangnail’s case, given Dirk’s devotion to backgammon, the designer could construct a maze or a level in which the objective is to slaughter all of General’s Payne’s agents to recover their ill-gotten dice.

Character description and background is one area where a story bible can really enrich an interactive game. If the bible can draw out a game’s central character with convincing depth and detail, the production can present an interesting and exciting person around which you can build a game and story.

In some cases, the player becomes that character. In other games, the player merely guides an already existing character. In either case, the story bible can outline what the main characters wants! That’s the key. The entire game story should be built around what the main character or hero wants and needs. Once that is pinpointed (be it the damsel in distress, a magic amulet, or the enemy capital), a designer can build an entire game around that quest. Battles in the cold reaches of space. Races through monster-filled mazes. Puzzle-solving through a haunted library. Anything that makes the game more entertaining can stand between the hero and the goal. But, the goal must be clear, ever-present, and motivated. The story bible can help a design team do that.

In another example, if Dirk was scared of water because his wolf parents couldn’t swim, the designer might wish to create an underwater level and cause Dirk’s air supply to disappear quickly because he hyperventilates too easily.

Using a methodology like this, in which you define the background, attributes, age, appearance, and equipment of a character, can help ensure truly motivated and enjoyable characters and gives the design team ideas for gameplay. A game’s characters need to be compelling. If the player becomes a hero in the game, that hero must be attractive enough that the player wants to assume that persona. A game villain should be rotten enough that the player generates genuine passion and satisfaction from defeating him or her.

An essential rule of thumb states that every character, even the most incredibly butch of heroes, needs to have weaknesses or shortcomings. If a character seems too omnipotent and has every skill imaginable down pat, no player will believe he or she could possibly lose or die. You don’t have to make your hero or heroine a simpering wimp, but don’t make them invulnerable. Even Superman has his kryptonite.

In the final document, Dirk’s bible entry might include an artist’s sketch (if created early in the game development process) or a 3D rendering (if created farther along in the development process) which might also be the actual avatar used in the game if the product makes it that far along.

To digress for just a moment, I have approached the use of game bibles for story development solely from the perspective of the hero thus far. Lately, games such as Bullfrog’s Dungeon Keeper and LucasArts’ Dark Forces II have made it possible for players to assume the role of the villain. However, that doesn’t turn the narrative rule on its ear—the same guidelines still apply. A villain also has wants and needs. In the best possible scenario, the bad guy wants exactly the same thing as the hero. In drama and writing courses, that’s called the “Law of Conflicting Need.” A good story (and therefore a good game, if it has story components) has a protagonist and an antagonist wanting the same thing for perfectly opposite reasons. We usually want the hero to get to that goal before the villain. However, in games where we become the villain, we assume the motivations of the villain. The bible should outline the history, personality, and motivation of the bad guy as well as the hero. That way, if we become the antagonist in gameplay, it works just as well if we had chosen the hero’s role.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Active Directory

Maintaining users who use computer network in your company would be a very hard thing to do. It requires a good knowledge of networking, especially active directory if the company use Windows operating system. The Windows 2003 Server version has a built in active directory management to control all operational resources such as network password, domain registration, user rights and many more. Using all of these active directory tools oblige you to be an expert in IT. But sometimes people want to try different things. One solution that you can consider to use is provided by Ensim.

Through it's Unify solutions which are offered in four different version namely Enterprise, Shared, Managed and Saas, Ensim provides a reliable tools to maintain legacy systems, implement new services and reduce the cost all at the same time. Obviously when you are working with a large number of users in your network they bound to exchange files and resources to improve the productivity. This looks like a simple matter to solve with Microsoft Exchange. But the tiniest of misconfiguration could lead to a fatal error. Thus Ensim propose an exchange management system that is really easy to configure. The system can work side by side with the active directory by using the exchange tools provided by the solutions. This way your IT manager can set up you exchange environment and guarantee the uptime. Try the demo version of the solution so you can feel the difference. Go to the site now and download it.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Pointers For Choosing Your Laptop Computer

by: David Burton

Pointers for buying a laptop.

If you're thinking of buying a laptop computer there are undoubtedly some great deals to be found, but what should you be looking for when you're in the market for a updated or even your first laptop computer.

Well, it's always worth sitting down with a pen and paper and thinking about exactly what you need your new laptop computer to do. If you're simply going to use it for word processing and the odd email here and there you don't need the super fast processor and hard drive that can hold thousands of files, so don't let a slick salesman tell you otherwise that’s just going to hurt your pocket.

If it's a family laptop computer you're in the market for you'll want a good all rounder. kidshave a great knack of loading games and other large applications onto a PC without you knowing. which can really effect performance for when you need it for more important things like business or your own games. So make sure you get a good-sized hard drive and a good amount of ram.

Regardless of the type of laptop computer you're in the market for make sure you explain to the salesman exactly what you need it for ( ie is it for the home or on the road). More often than not they'll be able to show you in the right direction, but make sure you only spend an amount you're happy with.

If you're an online shopper then there are some great deals to be found, so just make sure you conduct proper research before jumping in to make that purchase. You'll probably see a lot of adverts for the newest laptop computer on the market , Buying a laptop computer , its just like anything else , make sure you do a good amount of research, be clear about the amount you want to spend and weigh up your options.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Modern Furniture

Everybody want to have a nice and comfort house to live in. A good way to make your rooms more comfortable is by installing furnitures. There are many kinds of furnitures that you can choose to put, but if you want something different then try the Modern Furniture. It will surely make your house nicer. Your kids will stay much longer at home knowing that the house looking more beautiful.

If you don't know the latest model of furniture then the best place to look for ideas is ERoomService. On the site you can see many references of the latest model including Contemporary Furniture, Italian Furniture, etc. Design your kids room with the most suitable furnitures available on the site. Simply click on a category and you will be given various items available for you to choose. Before selecting the item be sure to check out the detailed information for it. Add all items that you want to buy to your shopping cart. Shipping will be done via ground carriers and all items will be shipped within 1 week. The Designer Furniture you bought on the site will be given a 1 year warranty against defect. But you can be sure that all products offered on the site are selected from the finest manufactures to give you top quality products. So if you are thinking about remodeling your house with new furnitures, you should check out the site first to get furnitures of the latest model.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Suggestion for Work at Home Business

by: Tsuyoshi Suzuki

Make money online and Work from home is a new trend that is growing day after day. One reason people decide to work from home is the opportunity for greater freedom, and that perk is certainly there. Getting the green light to work from home is easier if you're prepared. The best thing about being able to work from home is the control of our time. My best advice for work from home is do not pay a fee, but research the company to find out if they are legitimate.

By the time you started looking for a work at home job, you probably already needed to start working and making money. Instead, you might choose to work beneath someone who has successfully started one of these businesses. The biggest obstacle for most people wanting to start their own business has been the high cost of starting a new business. However, with new technologies available today, you can start and run a successful home based business for virtually nothing.

Where do I start if I want to be an online marketer? How much time and energy will you put into your search and your job? Make Research before you start your home based business will help you a lot to answer these question. Actually there many people who lose factually a lot of money while searching for the winning work from home ideas, but that’s the way.

Write articles that will set you up as an 'industry expert'. When I was newly online and learning about online business, I go on the links in articles, forums, and discussion group’s signatures as my primary method of finding good information. It's fine to read e-zines and others' articles to see what people may be interested in and spark your own ideas, but don't pattern yourself after someone else.

There are also, of course, paid services and software that will do the submissions for you, but you may want to wait until you have successfully written a few articles before you choose to pay. Do this, and you'll be steadily cranking out articles that everyone wants to publish. If you want to make money online a good strategy that won't cost you is to write articles that relate to your product or service.

Friday, September 05, 2008

HD Radio

For people who were born before the new age of technology, radio was their favorite means of entertainment. They listened to it everyday to hear their favorite songs. With the introduction of television and internet, radio is no longer the number one choice of entertainment. But this can change if you listen to Florida High Definition Radio stations. This is not a traditional radio which use a satellite to broadcast but it is a digital radio. You can think of it as a digital version of AM & FM.

Check out the site and see the nearest station to your place. If you are country lover then you can look for new country music stations and tune it to it to get the newest country songs. If you have an iPod, surely you would love to hear it again. Well with the Polk Audio I-sonic ES2 receiver you can tag a song and the HD receiver will save the song to your iPod. The song will then appear under a playlist called "Tagged" and then you can buy and download the song from iTunes. This way you will never miss a new song which you really love but don't know the title of the song yet.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Designer Luggage

When you are traveling the most important thing to prepare beside the ticket is your luggage. It is really important to have the perfect luggage where you can put all of your things without having to worry that your it will torn apart. In Village Luggage you can find any designer luggage that you want from big brand names such as Briggs & Riley, Vera Bradley, Tumi, Hartmann and many more. Browse through their collections according their brand or type. In most of the products sold on the site you can have a sale price, so be sure to check it before you place your order.

To buy the item you want you just have to click on the item where you will be given the complete specification of the item. You can see some pictures of the item should you want to decide what you want to buy judging by its appearance. Choose the color of the item that you want and then put in the quantity. At the moment the site only accepts payment through credit card from American Express, Visa and Mastercard. As for the shipment Village Luggage uses mostly UPS Ground as their carrier. You can have a free shipping if you purchase more than $99. The site also has a 14 day refund policy as well as a 30 day exchange policy for merchandise which has not been personalized. Should you have any questions you can contact the site by phone at 1-888-LUG-4-YOU (1-888-584-4968) or send and email to vil.lugg@verizon.net. Village Luggage is the best luggage store online for you to shop.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Recession Proof Your Business

Get Bigger Profits

by: Ted Cantu

WARNING: Dumb Marketing can wipe out your business! Ex-Art director saves you money, time and tears of misfortune! Learn the ropes of how to strategize your online business.

It’s amazing the amount of BAD marketing that I run into along the rocky road to financial freedom. There are many false gurus, shaman, and magic gizmo sellers from every walk of life. I am offered everything from snake oil to the “one in a life time chance to meet Bruce Springsteen”. I am not even a Bruce Springsteen fan, (I only know a handful of his songs).

But anyways I am getting WAY off track.

HOW DO YOU RECESSION PROOF YOUR BUSINESS?

Before I fork over the “Golden Ticket” I think its important that you know the difference between a successful business and one that sucks the life out of you. Many entrepreneurs think they have a cash pumping business but in actually it is the cash that gets PUMPED OUT OF THEM! In short, they have a very expensive hobby.

The BIG QUESTION is….. (drumroll please)

What Creates A Recession?

I’m sure you got a text book answer. I can think of several myself. One of the things that comes to mind is that you have a disastrous guy in charge somewhere who calls all the shots. He does a shoddy job at best but still has the ear of the boss. As far as the man in charge he takes his cues from another era where the marketing made little sense then as well. He likes expensive advertising and has convinced himself that this stuff actually works.

I am talking about advertising in things like radio and television. You could get away with that stuff in the 1960’s back when you only had three networks, ABC, CBS and NBC. But now you got 900 digital channels, pay per view, HBO1, HBO2 and well you get the idea. Lets not forget the multitude of digital radio stations too. Getting someone’s attention now is going to be a heck of a lot harder than you thought.

How do you break through the CRUD?

When you need leaders you need people who can think on their feet. It’s a good idea to get someone who can actually push your vehicle out of the mud.

This means trimming the fat. You have to cut the ties with outdated thinking and things that will bleed your account dry, (television and radio being just the beginning). Your business could be in the dumpster because of outdated thinking.

Here are just a few things that could help you elevate your position in wealth.

1. Getting more of your business into ongoing profit generating systems.
2. Automating all of your sales pitches online.
3. Automate the way you accept payment for just about everything you do.
4. Find new ways to create streams of outgoing information without being on the phone.
5. Creating ways of making money and eliminating as much “face time” as possible.

Its not that I want you to stop liking people as a whole. On the contrary I am looking out for you. That is we have to take care of the boss – namely – YOU. And you cannot do that if you are running around all over town meeting with everyone who calls you on a whim.

I got a rule of thumb about this entire prospecting thing. I rarely ever meet with anyone in person unless I am sure they are going to be worth my time. I try to take care of this through online technology as much as possible.

The Power Of Automation

I set up roadblocks when I can. I try to create an online outlet for my prospect to get more information before they actually pick up the phone and contact me. I do not want to be on the phone all day although that sometimes happens. My prospects usually find a pre-recorded “movie” that explains my services to them in some form.

This really works wonders if you are dealing with people who are in a recession frame of mind. If they are normally close minded to new ideas and new thinking then putting your presentation on autopilot on the web --- works! In fact it can work so well that it will create two dynamics for your business.

1. People will disqualify themselves and not bother calling you in the first place.
2. People will qualify themselves and call you with check in hand, (I’m serious)

You can set up all of your marketing on auto pilot. I record all of my online sales pitches. I accept FAXES online morning, day, noon and night. I have online web sites that accept payment and deposit them straight into my bank accounts. I run all of my presentations on my many web sites and blogs I have out there in cyberspace. And boy do I get the leads and jobs. I get stuff from all over the country from cities I have never been to.

This stuff really works.

What Business Are You In?

Remember what business you are in. You are in business to primarily MARKET your business. It’s not to learn the latest tricks in .NET development, SEO, cosmetic dentistry, even though you should be competent in the thing you specialize in. Your real skill as a businessman is to know how to market your services and how to land customers. If you don’t have that then you cannot do too much. You need to perfect this stream of steady leads day in and day out.

I recommend duplicating this format whenever you can. It may take a while to get this to work for you but it can be built. The idea here is to create pages that support every profit leg of your business. You have to prime the pump to get this going. Once it is built you can enjoy a day off now and then.

Who knows – maybe you can even take a nap. If you are a full time entrepreneur no doubt you deserve one.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Web Hosting Rating

Nowadays internet has become a new mean of promotion. Whether it is for personal or company, selling things or offering services internet is the easiest way to reach your intended readers through out the world. Owning an online site means that you need to store all your files on the internet thus comes along the need for a good web hosting. You need to be sure that your web host can handle the traffic you are going to have and the downtime is acceptable. To choose the best web host is quite difficult if you do not have some experiences. If you want to find some web hosting articles to read then you can try Web Hosting Rating.

On the site you should find useful information regarding web hosting. If you do not have the time to search for the best place to host your site then you could just check out the rating section. You can then choose the type of web hosting that you want. For example some of the groups available are based on the operating system used at the server. If you are interested in UNIX then you should see several companies such as InMotion Hosting Inc., Web Hosting Pad, Globat.com and Bluehost Inc. Should you want to know more about the hosting then you can read the review given by independent customer. Another section that might worth looking is the award section. You can also based your choice by the type of award they have won. If there is anything that you want to ask then you can use the online contact form to submit your question.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

How It Will Be Working From Home

by: Tsuyoshi Suzuki

What is the best work based from home job for you is entirely a personal and professional decision. It is a big step from being employed to working for yourself, so plan as far ahead as possible and think about the effects on all areas of your life to prepare yourself, before you leave your job. Whether you own a full-time, home-based business or your job allows you to occasionally work from the comfort of your home, there are many things that can distract you from getting your work done.

Before you up and quit your day job, you need to look at many different things that can and will affect your ability to work from home. If you work at a job that stresses your back--medical work, warehousing, mechanical occupations, and garbage collection are top contenders. You may need to do more than just practice good lifting technique. Another area of consideration when trying to determine the best work based from home job for you is whether you are a “creative” person or a more business-minded person.

At the other extreme, those who are working at home for the first time, may be tempted to relax all day long, watch television, go to the local pub or whatever it is they like to do, and never actually settle down to any work. For those who have a daily grind of commuting to their job, sometimes long distances and for an hour, two hours or even more, the thought of working at home may seem like a dream.

If I manage to achieve the same success working from home during the day as I have over the last year working a few hours here and there in my spare time I’ll be well on my way to becoming a full time home business entrepreneur. Should I decide to do this I’ll be taking the huge step from working on my business in my spare time to earn some extra money, to working half the week for myself. With action I mean the following, be willing to invest some of the money you have earned working for a boss.

Wouldn't you love to be one of those people on the other end of the line providing that information, working at home being your own boss, starting every day with checking your bank statements just to notice that you've made another heap of money while you where sleeping. It is always good to know the experiences that other people have had with the business opportunity that you are researching. Many people facing the threat of being laid off do not have a clear, transferable set of skills that they can use in their own business.

If you are interested in taking part in an MLM business, it is the best idea for you. Once you build downline, you will have working team with same goal "work from home". For more information about MLM business, make sure you follow the link in the recourse box below now.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Hocks Pharmacy

People who have diabetes illness should always prepare their medicine supplies. They can buy their medicines in the pharmacy. But now they can also get their diabetic supplies online through Hocks Pharmacy. Hocks have been the leading internet pharmacy for buying almost all medicines for diabetic person. If you want to get insulin delivered to you instantly, Hocks is the place that can fulfill your demand. Other supplies provided at Hocks Pharmacy including diabetic log, diabetic socks, insulin syringes, alcohol swabs, etc.

Monitoring the blood glucose level is also an important part of treating diabetic person. To have this blood glucose level under your control you should do tests regularly using test strips. As you all probably know, these test strips can be really expensive. But Hocks Pharmacy keep a wide variety of strips with affordable priced from Freestyle, True Track, Prestige, and Ascensia Countor. These brands have been well respected for their products. With the purchase of selected test strips you can get a free meter. The meter is limited one for each person. If you have any difficulties in selecting the best medicine for your illness, you can contact Hocks Pharmacy at this number: 1-800-898-8570 or send a fax to 1-800-898-8572. If you prefer contacting Hocks Pharmacy online then send and email with your questions to questions@hocks.com.

The Top 7 Overlooked E-bay Success Tips

by: Jamie Sloan

Last year alone, millions of people made a profit on e-bay. Some were just selling odds and ends, while some ran huge businesses exclusively on e-bay. The amount of commerce done on the internet is only expected to increase, making prospects for e-bay users bright. You very well may be one of the people who's discovered the great benefits of making money from e-bay auctions. I myself have been an e-bay user for a little over a year and have had great success with my auctions.

When my friend began her business on e-bay selling high end purses, it started out quite rocky. Her auctions weren't getting the hits she wanted and usually sold off of one bid, instead of creating the bidding frenzy that beautiful bags like she had should have!

So, she called me up knowing I had been successfully using e-bay for almost a year at the time. She gave me her login information (we're best friends- she trusts me!) and asked me to check her her sales and current auctions and see if I noticed where the problem was. When I saw her current auctions, alot became obvious!

So, I compiled a list of things that I had used which had made me successful which I suggested she implement into her own auctions. I even revised the auctions she had active at the time. One of those auctions- a gorgeous brown Coach purse- sold for $546.00. She had listed it for $125.00. It was her biggest sale yet and she was thrilled.

The funny thing is, the methods I use are not some internet guru secrets. They are just things I picked up during my time using e-bay, but seem to be overlooked alot of the time. Here are what I have found to be the top 7 overlooked tips for successful e-bay auctions:

1. The Importance of a Good Title- When you're creating a title for your auction, you've gotta think like a buyer. When I checked my friend's listings, she had a beautiful, brand new brown patchwork Coach purse titled as 'coach purse'. This is way too general! A buyer knows what they want; in your title, include color, any brand name, main keywords that people will search, and condition is possible. I changed her title to "Brown & Beige Patchwork Coach Purse-Brand New". By the next day, it had over 100 new hits. Previously her auctions were hardly even reaching 100 hits throughout the whole 5 days.

Another mistake people often make is writing things like 'The best wristwatch ever!!!!" Even if you do believe you're selling the best wristwatch ever, is this really what a buyer is searching for? Of course not. Use a more descriptive, detailed title like 'Gold Armani Wrist Watch w/ Leather Band-New".

One more thing when it comes to titles: make sure keywords are included. For example, whatever the item you're selling actually IS, include that in the title. On e-bay, I mostly sell high end women's heels. I always make sure to include in my title 'Womens Shoes" because this is a common keyword. An example of a title I would use is:

"Brown Marc Jacobs Womens Silver Stud Pumps Shoes"- I know that 'pumps shoes' sounds awkward, but many women will search for "marc jacobs womens shoes", and I want to be sure my item shows up in the results. Use these tips when creating your title and you'll be sure to see increased traffic to your auction.

2. Give honest descriptions- Sure, that stain, tear, or other defect may be sooo small that it's almost impossible to notice. Still, mention it in your auction. If you send an item out and a buyer realizes that the item has a defect that you didn't mention in the auction description, they will be disappointed and very possibly leave you negative feedback. Anyone familiar with e-bay knows that feedback is everything. It is what makes people feel comfortable buying from you and proves that you are a trustworthy, reliable buyer.

It's best to provide a photo of any defects so potential buyers can see what they're getting. And believe me, if you say that there's a defect but don't show a picture, people will e-mail you asking for some. I have sometimes had a defect so tiny on a shoe that I couldn't even get it to show up in a picture. If that's the case, say it! Provide a picture of the area where the defect is and also explain in your listing that it's so miniscule that you can't get it to show up in the picture. Buyers will trust you much more and be way more willing to buy from you in the future. You also won't have to deal with an unsatisfied customer who can damage your feedback rating and make future potential buyers hesitant or even completely dissaude them from buying from you.

3. Offer International Shipping- So often I see sellers who are providing great products but don't offer international shipping. Let me tell you- about 30% of my sales are to international buyers, and very often international buyers will pay more for products. I never understood why people are restraining their own sales potential by not offering international shipping.

Remember, the buyer is the one who pays the shipping, not you!! Even though international shipping is expensive, you are not paying it! And don't be discouraged thinking sending things internationally is difficult- it's super simple and not much different then sending things within the country. If you use USPS (the method I find most efficient for prices and service), you may have to fill out a short customs sheet that takes no more than a minute. Don't be lazy! Offer international shipping and see your sales soar!

4. Send a Thank You card with your purchase- You can get packs of black decorative cards from any general store, WalMart, or even discount chains like TJ Maxx. Buy a couple packs and with people's packages, send a nice thank you card.

You don't have to write a dialog, just a simple "Name of Buyer, Thanks so much for your bid! Enjoy your purchase, and I hope to do business with you in the future! Your Name or Business Name" If you want to really go all out and rake in some super feedback, include a small free gift. When I sell a pair of shoes I usually include a free headband or pair of earrings. If you'd like to try this out, try to find something that compliments whatever it is that you're selling. You could also include a little bag of candy or some tea light candles (go to the dollar store for great knick knacks and free gift ideas). Use your imagination to make your customers satisfied and loyal!

5. Offer combined shipping Buyers love combined shipping. If you offer a good combined shipping deal, and have more than one item they're interested in, they're ten times more likely to buy both items. Some people choose to determine combined shipping depending upon the two items the buyer is interested in, while others have set shipping rules. A good example is to charge $_.__ for the first item and offer to send the second item free, or for $1.00-$2.00 more. Usually the additional weight of the package isn't much so it's possible to offer combined shipping without losing any profit at all. Determine your own rates depending on the weight of the items you sell and the shipping service you use.

6.Keep communication with Buyers open and offer more pictures upon request. Of course in your listing you must include good pictures to attract buyers. Most people include 2-4 pictures per listing, depending on the size of the items and any special details you've got to show. I always include at least 3 pictures, and more if I feel the item needs more pictures of some detail it has that is unique.

Even though you have already provided your buyers with good pictures, it's helpful to write in your listing "Contact me with any questions or for more pictures. (with your contact info)" This is another method that makes buyers instantly trust you more and feel more comfortable placing bids. They feel that the communication lines are open and that they can get more info on the item if needed. And don't be discouraged thinking that you'll spend the whole day responding to e-mails requesting more photos; If you've already included good pictures, most people won't bother asking for more. Of over 50 listings where I've written this, only one person ever asked me for additional pictures. Check your e-mail though at least once a day to see if you've got any questions, people love quick responses and will reward you with good feedback for your effective communication.

7. Always use Delivery Confirmation- This is a biggie! Make sure that when you post your shipping costs, delivery confirmation costs are included so buyers aren't questioning the extrra expense when they receive their invoice. Delivery confirmation is a cheap effective way to ensure both your own and the buyer's investment.

First of all, you do not want to get scammed. What? Scammed? Yes, it happens. I know that most of the scamming referred to on e-bay is about sellers who scam their buyers, but don't be naive; we sellers are also at risk. Although the majority of the e-bay community is good people who are just trying to conduct legitimate transactions, there are those rotten apples which make it hard for all of us.

The usefulness of delivery confirmation was brought to my attention my an acquaintence of mine who does some selling on e-bay. He sold some very high quality digital remote for around $250.00. He shipped the item using delivery confirmation, and after about a week told me he received an e-mail from the buyer saing she'd never received the product. She filed a whole complaint with e-bay and made a big fuss about it. GOOD THING he had the delivery confirmation number and was able to prove that the product had been shipped to her address. Don't let one of these scammers get a chance to cheat you out of your money.

Making delivery confirmation a requirement is also something that will make serious bidders trust you more and see that you're a legitimate business person who wants to secure shipment. Think about it; if someone requests NOT to use delivery confirmation, you can guess where their intentions are. The extra .75 is not breaking anyone's piggy bank, so don't feel bad about it.

There you have it! Use these highly useful yet highly overlooked tips to generate more traffic to your auctions and enjoy higher sale prices. To e-bay success!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Flop Turn River

Many people play computer games in their leisure time. This way they won't get bored doing their daily routines. But some people who are more serious like to play online game such as poker. The reason is they can find an activity to kill the time and earn some extra cash while doing it. There are many various sites which offer you the place to play online poker. Some of them are good and legal but others may not. So it is better for you to check in Flop Turn River to see the best place to play.

In Flop Turn River you can find many useful resources related to online poker such as poker forum, poker strategy, room reviews, poker bonuses, poker chat room and poker blogs. Use the poker forum to ask questions to anyone and get some information or tips on playing poker. If you are trying to turn into pro then you could also check the strategy tips given on the site. There is also room reviews where you can read information regarding places to play. Poker Stars is a good room to start. If you go to the site and use PokerStars Marketing Code of "flopturnriver" then you will be eligible to get 150% deposit bonus, up to $75. Unlike any other place there is no PokerStars Rakeback but if you play well then you can earn bonuses which are better than traditional rakeback offered by other places. Check out more interesting bonuses in PokerStars Bonus Code page. For professionals who are looking for a good site which offer many useful information then Flop Turn River is the best place to be.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Discipline - Be Clear, Be Firm, Be Consistent

by: Helen Williams

Children learn best by being given clear, firm and consistent direction from parents who are clear, firm and consistent in their approach.

How to Discipline Children by Being Clear:

Firstly find and maintain clarity within yourself and then follow through on simple, clear instructions. Clarify for your self what being clear means.

It is about being plain, obvious, and understandable in a clear, short sentence that explains exactly what you mean.

It isn't about maybe this or maybe that.

Often parents have no idea that they chop and change their minds within minutes. To become clear about your own patterns of behavior, observe yourself and ask for your partner's help in this.

"We are going to tidy up your toys in five minutes", is clear and direct. Follow this with,

"Please help me tidy up your toys now" and it means just that.

Be firm with yourself about this. It doesn't mean soon, or later, but now.

I have seen parents give out this simple instruction, then become distracted themselves by a television program, conversation or magazine. What their children observe is parents saying one thing and doing another and this gives a much distorted message. Multiplied over many times each day, is it any wonder that children cease to follow simple instructions?

How to Discipline Children by Being Firm:

Firstly find and maintain firmness for yourself and then follow through with firm clear directions in a firm, clear tone.

Clarify for your self what being firm means.

To be firm is to be certain, definite, and determined. It is also being loving, kind and calm.

It means saying no and meaning no, or saying yes and meaning yes and sticking to it. It's about now being now. How often does your no become perhaps, later, maybe giving in, next time, soon, or alright then? This is a very common fault in how to discipline children and again it leads to numerous mixed messages for children.

Resolve within yourself and with your partner's help to ascertain how often you are both easily swayed into changing your decisions. Are you allowing your children to manipulate you? Imagine how simple your life will become when you are clear and firm within yourself.

It is every child's right to KNOW they can trust their parent's boundaries. So firstly, become firm with your own boundaries and then apply this to your parenting discipline.

"It is bedtime, (bath time, meal time) in five minutes" is a clear direction. Now follow through on this.

Giving the direction in a calm, clear, firm tone of voice helps your children to understand that you mean what you say. Being firm is about being in control of both yourself and the situation.

How to Discipline Children by Being Consistent:

Firstly find and maintain consistency for yourself and then follow through with a firm, clear, consistent approach.

Clarify for yourself what being consistent means.

To be consistent is to be reliable, dependable and constant.

These words immediately convey comfort don't they?

Let's look at the opposite of being consistent. Contradictory, unpredictable, changeable. That's definitely lacking in comfort and safety.

So how do you want to be seen by your children?

To begin with it can seem quite time consuming to concentrate on clear, firm, consistent guidelines. Be aware that this is very true. It takes concentrated effort and time to change old habits to new ones, but if you maintain consistency, you will be very surprised how quickly new patterns of behavior are formed.

Parenting Discipline In Summary: With parenting discipline we are teaching our children how to have self control, self discipline and to become self reliant, so they are able to make good choices for themselves.

The only way children can learn to do this is by being given the opportunities for this learning.

This means not over protecting them, or doing everything for them, but maximizing their opportunities to learn through personal experience and observation, even when this means making mistakes.

Can you see the opportunities here to change some of your own patterns of behavior into superior ones?

Clear, firm, consistent parenting is quality parenting. You learn to trust your own responses and your children are surrounded by your loving constancy.

This is the recipe for creating a happy, well adjusted family.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Compare LoudSiren and LifeLock

Are you familiar with LoudSiren? LoudSiren is an Identity Theft Protection aiming at placing and managing fraud alerts. The same way for LifeLock, trying to provide to its clients the best and safest way to secure your identity and guarantee your good name.

Both products are cutting edge within their industry. But if you want to Compare LoudSiren and LifeLock then you should be aware that Loud Siren has more advantages. Needless to say the price is slightly cheaper: $99 compared to $110. The basic services provided are quite similar. One great feature differentiating LoudSiren from LifeLock is that the former can prevent unwanted telemarketing calls on request. I find it very useful because I am not eager to receive any unwanted calls from telemarketing officers. On top of that LoudSiren provides you with a $25,000 Identity Protection Insurance underwritten by AIG which is very widely known insurance company. The customers base is large for both, they are also both very well recognized as a brand but LoudSiren is a member of Identity Protection Network and is consumer direct partner of Debix, Inc. which guarantees an even more outstanding reputation. Last but not least, LoudSiren are keen to give discounts.

Ecommerce And The Blue-Collar Peasants?

by: Scott Lindsay

In medieval times the common laborer was thought to be less able to understand certain elements of civilized society. These men and women were not allowed to learn to read nor could they attend houses of worship because they were considered incapable of understanding what they heard.

Yes time after time these peasants were the basis for stories of renown and wonder. It is said that a peasant who listened to a sermon outside a church gathered bits and pieces of the Christmas story to write a carol that is still sung today.

Even in recent memory there has been a prevailing thought that only certain individuals are capable of developing a business. This is usually linked to the social standing of the individual or to the accumulated wealth of his or her family.

In business success has typically been tied to who you are, who knows you and how deep your pockets are. If you didn’t have the ‘name’, if you weren’t recognized and you didn’t have much money then your business would likely fail.

Ecommerce views every business owner as equal. There is no distinction and no preconceived ideas about the background or abilities of the business owner.

The link for all good online businesses is the ability to develop trust. If you are conscientious about providing exceptional customer service and superior products you may likely discover an improved customer base no matter what your personal background is like.

A blue-collar worker with a big idea has every reason to believe they can succeed online. A hard working rancher can develop an idea from their land of wide-open spaces and it may succeed. A single mom struggling to make ends meet might just come up with an idea that contains all the elements for a hit.

Rules that have always seemed as if they are designed for the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ no longer seem valid in an online business environment. The role of cyberspace is to equalize the impact of business ideas.

How does it do that?

In an online world you are going after customers on a global scale. You are no longer judged on your past failures or successes you are simply judged on your ability to deliver and provide quality products or services - now. If you can do that most customers would not even think to inquire about your lineage or stock portfolio.

An online environment can be one of the least discriminating places on earth. Your online presence is what speaks most to your product offerings and ability to fulfill your promises.

So, in a barn in Utah, a kitchen in Harlem or a neighborhood garage in New Jersey there are likely online businesses that are being developed to improve the quality of life for families that have struggled long enough.

Perhaps the most interesting irony in this is that some of the customers who frequent these ‘great idea’ sites may be white-collar workers who are less interested in the dynamics of the online business and more interested in receiving what they need.

Isn’t that what we all want in the businesses we trust?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Audio Video Converter

If you are a person who loves to do things with your computer, surely you have come across the need to convert audio or video. There are several software which you can use to achieve this such as Blaze Media Pro Multimedia Software. Blaze Media Pro is really a powerful software because you can do a lot of things with it such as conversion, ripping, editing, recording, burning, playback, etc. You can use the audio converter to convert files of these types: CD, MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, MPEG-4, AIFF, M4A, AAC, AC3, FLAC, and ALAC. As for the video converter there are several types of compression supported such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, AVI, WMV, ASF, Flash (SWF and FLV), iPod, PSP, 3GP, and MOV. You can also use the dvd ripper feature to rip your favorite dvds and save them to any format that you want. When you are converting an audio cd you can download track information dynamically from the CDDB and use them as the name of your files. In conclusion this new software is really worth to try as it has the most complete type of audio and video supported. Check out the site and download the trial version to see what the software can do.

Moving Services

Have you ever had headache when you were going to move from your old house to the new place? Packing up things you want to bring to your new home is already a very tiring not to mention what moving services you want to use. Choosing the right moving company is also a hard task to do. You have to be really careful in choosing the best company to hire. You don't want any surprises in the charges as well as getting all the services you need. All in all what you need is a good and well respected company to hire.

Upack.com is probably the best moving company to hire. By going to the site you can get the quote for your moving plan. Just choose where you are moving from and the destination. You can supply this information by choosing the city provided or give the zip code. Select the moving date and the size of the residence. Unlike other moving companies which charge you by the weight, Upack.com use the number of container or ReloCube to decide the price of their services. A ReloCube is a 6’D x 7’W x 8’H portable moving and storage container. This ReloCube is big enough to accommodate one room of furnishings but it is small enough so it can fit a parking space.

How does it works? Three days before you are going to move Upack will send you the trailer or ReloCube. You then have three days to pack and load. Upack will then drive you to your destination. After that you also have three days to unpack. You don't need to worry about additional charges like fuel and transportation as it is already included in the quote. It is really simple right? It is surely more efficient than using the service of a truck rental.