A Bitching Goodwill To All Men!

Well Darlings,

I think the newspaper headline of the week, perhaps of the month, has to go to the Independent for: "IT'S THE WAR, STUPID" in the bottom right-hand corner next to a full front page picture of a troubled-looking President Bush. Four simple words, and yet they told the whole story. Brilliant!

It's been a week of stupid people and stupid stories, I reckon. At a time when our prisons are bursting at the seams and convicts are having to be released into the community early to finish their time in hostels (if you watched the Panorama programme on this, then you're probably frightened to leave your home!) we hear that prisons all across the country are to spend money on having their fences painted dark green so they don't appear as prominent to the inmates, and they don't feel so "trapped"!

Er, isn't that one of the purposes of a prison - to keep offenders trapped behind bars and high walls so that the rest of us may feel safe? Shouldn't they know that is why they are there? What next, designer cells, balm toilet paper, and the latest fashion clothing for inmates? How about some annual leave - you know, a paid holiday? Perhaps they'd like that too!

Anyone not wishing to feel trapped shouldn't offend - it's as simple as that! You may ask who the hell came up with this stupid idea? Well, it's just one of the ideas to be found in the Prison Service's "Sustainable Development Report". A report that also calls for new windows to be fitted to cells, and for solar panels and wind turbines to be installed in order to make our jails "environmentally friendly". Environmentally friendly for who? Not for the planet, that's for sure!

Incidentally, have you noticed how many times that word "sustainable" is popping up these days? It seems to be the latest "in-word" used to relate a sense of importance to something, and I'm sure it must by now have overtaken our hoary old favourite: "initiative". With "initiative" being seen by people today largely as meaning: "prone to failure", I'm wondering what the public's perception might soon be of: "sustainable". Yes, I reckon "stupid" has to be in with a good chance.

The more we make prison life comfortable, the more prisoners we shall accrue and the more prisons we shall have to build to house them. Prison should be an experience that no felon would ever again wish to endure. Only then will we really start to get on top of crime. All this stupid modern talk about human rights and comfort is ridiculous. On conviction every criminal should lose all but the very basic of human rights. Too often the convict, who has already violated the human rights of another, is kept by the public purse in conditions more comfortable than those of their victim. The country has gone bonkers! Utterly! It's those do-gooders again! Personally I'd find it far more environmentally friendly for all prisoners to do hard labour and all our prisons to be fitted with watchtowers complete with searchlights and machine guns. I may not be politically correct - but I'm right for you, for me, and for the planet!

Another institution that never fails to amaze is our National Health Service. I have no more medical qualification than that gained through reading the instructions on an Elastoplast tin - yet not even I would take more than a split second to conclude that any doctor suggesting to a woman patient her mother was a witch, one who with her husband was trying to kill her, was a little unethical. Such are the allegations being made against Dr Joyce Pratt, a London physician, who has allegedly told her patient she was the victim of "black magic" but that with "special powers", along with a visit to a priest at Westminster Cathedral, she might be cured.

A three-day tribunal by the General Medical Council Fitness to Practise panel in Manchester is to decide whether or not this doctor's conduct was irresponsible, unprofessional, or in any way intimidating to her patient and liable to bring the profession into disrepute. Now, we are often reminded about all those years of expensive training, examinations, and hours of hands-on experience that are required in order to become a qualified practitioner, aren't we? So isn't it rather strange how someone like Dr Pratt could go through the system holding such beliefs, if indeed she does, and not be detected? Perhaps even stranger is why any tribunal should need three days to deliberate such a matter. I have to wonder how many Pratts are involved in this case?

I'm guessing there's quite a few Pratts associated with the NHS's new computer system. We've aired this one before, but nothing seems to get any better. A new survey of more than 300 NHS staff in London reveals many of those who are to use the system are angry they weren't consulted before its introduction. They lack confidence in its ability to deliver what they need from it, and doubt it will be of much help to them. Those taking part in the survey included scientists, psychologists and pharmacists - one of whom has come out and labelled the systems as "useless". Once they've finished paying all the bills, that's getting on for 30 billion of uselessness bought out of the public purse. A lot of people could have been treated with that kind of money - a lot who today are refused life-prolonging medications because the finances aren't there to provide for them.

Perhaps a few quid could have been skimmed off to help raise some of the appalling hygiene standards found by the "Which?" magazine in their inspections over the past three years of some 50 UK hospitals. The consumer group reports reveal cockroach and mice infestations in hospital kitchens, dirty cooking equipment, inadequate refrigeration of food, mouldy equipment, out-of-date food, and even a lack of something as basic and necessary as soap and water. All this has been found, incredibly, within our National Health Service. And they have the gall to tell us our NHS is getting better? Better for who - undertakers?

Stupid council of the week was a close run thing between one that I won't mention and Tower Hamlets in East London. The former told a disabled driver, who had parked his car legally in a nearby disabled bay, that they needed his disabled badge in order to renew his permit at the (I believe, for this council anyway, quite stupidly named) Customer First Centre. After a friend fetched the badge for him, at the same time conscientiously paying for a parking ticket and putting it on the car, it was renewed and he returned to his car - only to find a parking inspector had slapped a 30 fine on the car for not displaying the badge.

This worthy of Lemony Snicket series of unfortunate events continued when his appeal against the fine was refused by the council because: "we received very little information and we found no valid grounds for cancelling the ticket." Well, I guess they couldn't have looked very hard for those grounds, could they? Customer First Centre? Bah! First for what?

Following this story hitting the headlines in the press, the council have promised to look at the case again should the person (the victim) write in to them with all the details. It's a sensible decision, but why has it had to take the story appearing in the press before some simple common sense was employed by the council? This particular council desperately needs to win friends and to influence people at this time, but it seems to me their in-built attitude which leaves much to be desired will prevent them from doing so. We are reminded at this time of year that a dog is not just for Xmas, but neither should be goodwill to all men (humankind, to be PC).

The winner of the accolade Stupid Council of the Week - by a mile! - in the end has to go to Tower Hamlets for dumping Guy Fawkes and replacing him with a tiger on Bonfire Night. The council there say that the story of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot is too old. Instead their officials spent 75,000 on a celebration centred around a Bengali folk tale called the Emperor and the Tiger. What? And these people are allowed to govern?

Of course there's nothing at all wrong with celebrating the Emperor and the Tiger, especially in an area with such a large Asian population, but it should not be done on this day in place of a great British tradition. Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot is a massive piece of British history. November 5th (1605) is up there with 1066 and one in the eye for King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, and with 1666 when the baker to King Charles II, Thomas Farynor - own up now, how many of you remembered his name? - the original pudding head of Pudding Lane, caused the Great Fire of London - you simply can't go and replace it with a tiger. It's sacrilege! And above all, it harms community relations.

More stupidity? White poppies. The red poppy is traditional; symbolic. It is to remind us of the fallen, those from many nations who had to sacrifice their lives for others. Its significance to Remembrance Day came as a result of the Canadian military doctor John McCrae's poem "In Flanders Fields". Poppies bloomed profusely across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their red colour a reminder of the terrible bloodshed of trench warfare. Now it is used to remember those fallen in all military conflicts. It is an icon used by the Royal British Legion which helps them to collect money for all the good work they do for ex-servicemen and their families. What it is not is anything political or jingoistic.

The white poppy dates back to 1926 and it is a very political statement. It symbolises the belief that there are better ways to resolve conflicts than through the killing of strangers. It's an admirable belief, one that many will go along with, but it has no part to play on Remembrance Day, a day when we are remembering those that WERE killed by strangers, and it should not be struggling for recognition on that day alongside the traditional red poppy. The red poppy still means so much to so many people, even today. Respect their beliefs. Respect them. Find another day - and preferably find another flower.

Yes, it's been a very stupid week. One that has brought to light some very stupid people.

I hope you'll remember them. It's a time to remember.

See you next week . . .

"The Bitch!" 10/11/06.

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Michael KnellArdenia Blog72137
Catherin Blog72289

What Part Of I Won't Pay To Join Your VoIP Agent Program Do You Not Understand?

I have been in telecommunications for 12 years and recently had a business situation take place that I can not believe and would like to share it with anyone looking to get into a home based or agent program for telecommunications or VoIP.

Negotiations for a new SIP Trunk VoIP product for a large group of hotels that have been online with my agent for 10 years had started. No every VoIP provider deploys SIP Trunk VoIP or even knows what that is, so allow me to give you a crash course. VoIP can be expensive to use if you have an exiting PBX already in place that still is in good shape. Hence comes in SIP Trunk VoIP it allows small businesses to take advantage of all the benefits of IP telephony without the high cost of equipment. Hosted VoIP requires an IP enabled telephone and for obvious reasons that would not be cost effective for small to medium size hotels because of the cost of a new phone for every room. Hosted VoIP is a great choice for small to medium size companies that need a phone system.

Having been an agent I have always stuck to a certain set of principles and do not like it when asked to deviate from them. My main principle is I am not going to pay anything to sell a companies product. Now I do have a couple of exceptions and if I am a VoIP wholesale or if I am going to privately brand/label a product I know there are up from costs involved and have not a problem paying them, but this was strictly an agent program. With $30,000 a month in recurring revenue for 3 years.

I was told in the beginning they had an agent program application fee of $1500, I immediately holding nothing back that that was not my standard business practice or standard practices of any reputable agent programs and I would not in any way pay that fee. I received a comment as to how tough of a business woman I am and how it is admired. Subject dropped and negotiations moved forward and we were ready to go into testing mode when it was brought up again. This time it was good news as far as they are concerned because they are slashing the fee in half. Once again it doesnt matter if it is one dollar or fifteen thousand dollars. What part of I am not paying this agent application fee are they not understanding. They would be getting guaranteed minimums and three year contracts for each property over 1,080,000.00 in revenue over three years they tried to put it back on my company that if my company can not afford a $1500 agent application then what kind of company are we. A smart one I saya really smart one.

With that being said you do not have to pay money to be a VoIP telecom agent.

Lisa Kaye has been in Telecom for 12 years and has developed http://TelecomArena.com as an online telecommunications portal for IP telephony for businesses, residential services and agents.Becky Blog79667
Carolee Blog62241

Smart Home Business Owners

Home business owners wear many hates. Salesman. Accountant. Ad executive. CEO. With so many hats, often home business owners end up with nothing more than just a big, hairy headache. But with some basic tips and organization, the small home business owner can avoid headaches and find financial success with his big idea that led him home to begin with. Success home business entrepreneurs do three major things to successfully manage their businesses.

First and foremost, they pay attention. They do not let money just slip through their fingers to pay off what seems like a necessity. Instead, they make prudent, specific decisions on a daily basis. These type of business owners will examine invoices carefully. They're the kind of people that stand at the department store check out and count their change before they walk away. They're the penny pinchers, the economists in our world. Every successful home business owner must find a way to do just that and to pay attention.

Secondly, the successful home business owner will keep his business account separate from his home account. Many new home business owners simply pour their business income into their home account. Not only is this a bad way to manage money, but it will cost money when quarterly income taxes are due. Instead, the successful home business owner will keep a separate checking account for his business. All of the business income will go into this account, and all business expenses come out of that account. When the home business owner needs money for his home account, he will pay himself a salary out of his business account and set aside 25 percent for taxes. Those who fail to set aside money for taxes, will find themselves in great angst when April rolls around.

Finally, the successful home business owner simply tells his money where to go instead of allowing it to walk away from his hands and into someone else's. He creates a budget and lives by it at home, and he creates a budget at lives by it at work. Successful home businessmen are successful money managers both at home and at business. They create a budget where they spend every dollar of income on paper before writing a check. Then once they have their budget written, they can tell their money where to go and thus do not lose any money through the financial cracks.

Many new home business owners will take incredible risks to own their own business. They do scary things like take out home equity loans for start up money instead of starting slow and managing their money. You do not have to lose your home when you have a home business. Manage money smartly, and you'll find yourself looking for a new home not because you're losing yours, but because you need a bigger one.

Jim Biscardi is owner of Dynamic Wealth Systems, LLC and writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic Jim recommends you visit: http://www.DynamicWealthSystems.comAntonietta Blog74797
Celestia Blog32716

The Plain Truth About Living In Mexico

My wife and I are now beginning our fourth year as American expats in Guanajuato, Mexico. Sometimes it seems only yesterday that we sold all we owned in Overland Park, Kansas, and moved here with just suitcases, nothing more. Sometimes it seems like we never had a beginning but have always lived here.

I think however, no matter how long we stay, we will always be foreigners. No matter how many of the locals we know, how many dinners and parties we get invited to, we will always be strangers. We will always be the American Gringos from the Midwest.

I came to Mexico with no expectations. I intellectually knew and understood that Mexicans, though wonderfully lovely people, are just as fallible as I am. And, they most certainly are. I did not come expecting paradise. I knew I would find bugaboos and problems. Mexico and her people do not have a Utopia south of the American Border.

But, I must admit I was hoping that culturally there would be some sort of respite in Mexico from what had originally driven my wife and I from America. There had to be something, somewhere, that could provide relief from the American cultural meltdown that so repulsed us. There just had to be.

There was.

Mexico did indeed provide a surprise that still, to this day, charms us. When we did our fact-finding trip to Guanajuato to see if this was the place for us, what we immediately noticed was the absence of public rage. We did not find what is so common in America whose citizens think it is socially appropriate behavior to "cut loose" whenever the spirit moves them, showing just how violent and mean they can be.

(The only public rage you will see, I am almost afraid to tell you, is with Americans tourists. They seemingly have no compulsion in acting out on the streets of Guanajuato.)

There are no Mexicans screeching in grocery stores, couples fighting in shopping centers, fistfights on the street, cursing (and I purposely learned all the Spanish naughty words and do not hear them being used publicly here!), or anything else that in America causes you to wonder when the knives and guns will come out and the blood will be shed.

That is so refreshing and soul cleansing that I have once again learned to be horrified at the news accounts I read on the Internet of what happens almost daily in America. I had become calloused but now am again sensitive to those horrors.

Another relief soothing to the heart is to see how family is not fractured here. Family, right down to cousins fourth and fifth removed, are part and parcel of the well-being of this society. Some of them live in family compounds, generations of them, and do so in peace, in harmony, in love and respect. I envy this greatly.

For the most part, we've been treated with the greatest degree of respect. Some have made us feel like we are their long-lost American cousins who have finally come home to where we belong. We have been invited into their homes (no small privilege if you know Mexican culture) and sometimes into their lives.

Mexicans, almost without exception, treat Gringos with respect. They show far more respect than we Gringos deserve considering how we've historically treated Mexicans and still do to this day. There are some, however, that have a passive-aggressive relationship with the gringo expat community. Where this comes from is anyone's guess. But there are little, subtle, and almost unnoticeable things that you usually don't see as a tourist. You have to live here and carefully observe behavior to see that are a few snakes in paradise.

One day, while walking home on one of Guanajuato's rather narrow and harrowing sidewalks, a Mexican woman stopped us and politely lectured us. She said because we were gringos, we should walk on the outside part of the sidewalk, nearest the street, so the Mexicans could walk on the inside and not have to be in danger from the car traffic.

Those who do express consternation at the gringos are polite about it at least. Thank you very much.

There is a restaurant here that refused service in the upstairs dining room to a retired, district attorney friend of mine. The manager told him because he was a gringo he had to eat downstairs near the kitchen. He informed my friend the upstairs was for Mexican patrons only.

And, the manager told him this with the utmost politeness, of course.

When I report these sorts of stories, I usually get many readers' comments that border on the vitriolic. For example,

"I've certainly never seen this sort of thing happening anywhere in Mexico and I was once in Puerto Vallarta for two whole weeks."

I've even gotten e-mail from Mexicans, not from Central Mexico, who take umbrage at what I write.

The funny thing is the vast majority of Mexicans will never be rude to you in a million years. They will smile and, frankly, patiently endure a lot from American gringos (more than they should). But, endure they will.

What gets good in the quest for assimilating the culture is when you become fluent enough in the language to sit in a home with a local who trusts you enough to tell you things that you will never read in a guidebook or any book about Mexican culture (usually written by an American). He tells you about how he was raised, what he was taught from childhood, and so on.

Nevertheless, when I report what I learned from these encounters, I end up with an inbox full of angry e-mails from those who think they know better--those who live in artificial gringo-enclave bubbles insulated from Mexican culture.

But I keep on, in my not so perfect Mexican paradise, learning all I can so I can have more articles to write.

It keeps me busy.

Doug Bower is author of YOU CAN LEARN SPANISHNo Matter Your Age or Disposition available at LuLu Press, and co-author of THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT LIVING IN MEXICO available at Amazon.comBlanch Blog99555
Belle Blog38876

After Bankruptcy, Rebuild Your Credit Before Buying Real Estate

You have gone through bankruptcy and you do not owe anyone. Now is the perfect time to purchase that home you have always wanted right? Wrong! Yes, you can probably locate a real estate mortgage lender, since you cannot declare chapter 7 bankruptcy again for at least 6 years. The problem is that you will pay the highest finance charges for the privilege of obtaining that real estate mortgage, charges that will extend over the life of the real estate loan.

Before even looking at real estate, get your credit straightened up first. The bankruptcy will appear on all three of your credit reports from seven-to-ten years, which will make you a higher risk to real estate lenders. You cannot do anything about this; however, you can show real estate lenders that you are handling credit much better now by rebuilding it. This can lower your risk factor, when obtaining a real estate mortgage. Using the following improvement steps, you actually can rebuild your credit in a relatively short time.

First, get copies of your credit report from the credit agencies, and clean them up. You have the right to one free report from all three agencies annually, which can be obtained through www.annualcreditreport.com.

Ensure that creditors, who were listed in your bankruptcy, have cleared their information from your credit reports. Otherwise, it will appear as if you still owe them money and are not paying.

Ensure any creditors not listed in your bankruptcy and you are paying regularly have been reporting your good credit record to all three agencies. Contact any not reporting this and ask them to do so. This will increase your chances of getting a loan for your real estate.

If there was a specific event or cause for your bankruptcy, you can add up to a 100-word explanation to your credit report at each agency. The real estate lender will get this explanation as part of your credit report.

It will look especially good to real estate lenders if you have received credit counseling, and the counseling will help you in several ways. A good credit counseling agency will help you create a budget and counsel you in how to use and stick to it. They offer counseling on using credit in your future, as well as how to re-establish your credit. They can help you move toward your goal of buying real estate. Once you have successfully completed credit counseling, ask them for something in writing to that effect. It can help when applying for your real estate loan

The problem is finding a reputable agency. Some are downright questionable. Here are a few ideas to assist you in locating a reputable agency:

They should be a member of either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. Both are national trade associations.

Agencies approved by the U.S. Trustees office (part of the Department of Justice) are good agencies. You can see those for your area at: http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/cc_approved.htm.

Interview the agencies, asking what they offer and the cost for each service. Good agencies should meet with you for 60-to-90 minutes, reviewing your financial situation and offering budgeting advice before doing any credit repair.

Ask for costs in writing from the agency you choose. They should charge around $50 or less, with budget counseling sessions for less than $20 each.

Steer clear of those who push their debt management program, where they want you to pay all your remaining creditors through them.

Check http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fiscal.htm for more ideas from the Federal Trade Commission.

Use the credit counseling agencies to help you rebuild your credit the right way. It can take less than a year to achieve; yet, it will make a big difference when you obtain that real estate mortgage.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more on San Diego Homes for Sale visit http://www.twtrealestate.comBonny Blog56247
Annaliese Blog32276

Bead Earrings - Get The Drop On Fashion On These Pretty Bead Beauties

Bead earrings are a fashionable and fun way to accessorize your outfit. What started as a crafting idea has blossomed into a wide variety of fun and fashionable earrings. You can buy or make funky earrings to express your personality, or more expensive bead earrings are available with beads, gold, and crystals coming together to form pretty designs.

You can find basic bead earrings, which consist of three or more beads forming the dangly part of the earrings, as well as more fancy earrings, which add crystals, twists in the wire, or even feathers. The different designs allow you to match your outfit or your mood to your accessories. These can be popular with belly dancers or others who wear beads on their clothing, as they can match their earrings to the beads on their clothes or even their belly button ring. More retro beads or styles can complete your 60s or 70s style outfit.

Bead earrings are available online on many craft sites, at accessory stores, or you can go hunting at local craft fairs for bead earrings and other beaded jewelry straight from the crafters hands. Another great place to find original earrings that are made from beads is bug markets. There you can find some one of a kind design that no one else will be fair.

It can also be fun to make your own bead earrings. Bead earrings are an easy project to start and finish, with instructions and ideas available online and in many craft books. With wire, beads, wire cutters and pliers, you can make your own designs and show off your artistic talent. Earring backs and basic earrings that you can add beads to are available at most craft stores along with beading supplies.

Make your own dangly or polished bead earrings. Bead earrings can be made with a variety of beads, including seed beads, chevron beads, fire polished beads or shaped hematite beads, for a few examples. You can find hearts, stars, and even penguins. Use twists and curls in the wire to add flare to your design.

While you are busy making a few pairs for yourself, why not think about making some for friends and family? People absolutely love receiving handmade gifts and for any woman who wears earrings, they will simply love the idea of having a pair that you made just for them.

For those who were not there the time to take up a new hobby, bead earrings can be custom designed for you by many crafters. Be sure that the crafter uses good quality materials, so that your bead earrings will stay looking nice and to stop problems with reaction to certain materials.

Bead earrings are a fun way to add color and variety to your clothes, whether you make them yourself, order a custom design, or buy someone elses design. Making them is a fun hobby for many people, so there are many creative designs available.

Glen B. Porter provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for http://www.the-fashion-magazine.com, http://www.thehomelivingguide.com and related information.Ailey Blog82950
Aurlie Blog14673

Keys to Increasing Website Traffic

The life and blood of any online business is one simple word traffic. Its your life and blood. Lets face it, its quite simple these days to build a website, even without any HTML knowledge. Its easy to purchase a domain. Its easy to set up a website. Its even easy to build an online store. Its easy to place content on a website. However, all this can be absolutely useless if you dont have any traffic and qualified traffic. Whether you are a website selling products, services, or acting as an affiliate for a program, you will need traffic.

Your form of business may be selling products. Or it may be promoting products. Or even giving away free content and selling advertising space on your website. Either way, in order to cash in, you need traffic.

I have been doing extensive research over the years to find out what is it that brings in traffic. For starters, you have to realize it requires hard work and dedication. Its not an easy fix. You will have to be dedicated. With that mind-set you are bound to succeed, as long as you do your research correctly.

The first question you need to ask yourself is what are you looking to achieve? If you are looking to sell products, such as digital products (Ebooks, Software) or actual physical products, such as consumer electronics or clothes, then PPC (Pay Per Click) traffic may be a good and easy option. You will have to set a budget and make sure you know what your ROI (Return on Investment) is. I highly recommend using Google Adword. This is the king of PPC engines. You will get the most qualified visitors. My second option would be to use Yahoos Overture as well. However, Google is the quickest. You can start receiving traffic within 15 minutes. Yahoo takes more time and is more difficult to get your ads approved. I would spend my time browsing the internet and searching forums on Google Adwords. There are quite a few with very good tips. Also a few free ebooks you can get on the subject. Get yourself familiar.

If you are not actually selling something, but are looking to get traffic because you are giving away free content and are selling advertising space, then perhaps PPC advertising is not going to be your best option. It may not be profitable for you. You will then want to get a high ranking in the Search Engines. The best way to achieve that is to submit to all the search engines, the top 40. You can easily do a search online. Obviously the top ones are your priority (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.). However, bear in mind it may take several months to be listed on these search engines. You will have to be a bit patient.

Also you will want to have as many links to your website as possible. The best way to achieve this, is to contribute to forum discussions, you can place your link to the website on the signature section. However, make sure you dont spam. Make a meaningful post that contributes to the discussion, otherwise dont make a post.

You can also post free classified ads. This could be helpful. Also you can create blogs for your website. In fact, create a couple. Make sure you fill them with relevant content and link them to your website.

The key here is consistency. You have to be dedicated and be prepared to put in the work. Once you put in the work, you will be posed to succeed.

Mark Taylor offers expert advice on debt management and financial advice. He is also a market researcher. You can visit his webiste at http://www.mydebt-management.com where you will find a great deal of free information on debt management and financial advice. Arleyne Blog81090
Alica Blog86197

Ideas For A Second Wedding Anniversary Gift

The strict followers of tradition tell you that a second wedding anniversary gift item should be of cotton. Cotton doesnt translate into a plain cotton sheet or a pillow. Too little creativity makes your second wedding anniversary gift a little colorless. Think out of the box and you will hit on an innovative idea that can change your gift giving into an exciting experience.

The man or woman for whom you want to honor with second wedding anniversary gift will be a close friend of you. And you will have fairly good idea about their personal likes and dislikes. Just as you can see, they have gathered all the essentials for their home. Chances are higher that the bed sheet that you would give them will only join a huge pile. Bring your thought process to outside the existing norms. Hey, to live is to change constantly.

A personalized notepad or some enveloped with cotton paper would make a nice second wedding anniversary gift idea. You can bring in any number of innovations with your cotton notepad. No, dont stop your thinking of cotton gift here. You honor our cotton tradition here and shows a good gesture that you have some thoughts reserved for your friend.

What if you look to modern traditions of second wedding anniversary? You can think of china as a second anniversary gift. If you have a chance check to make sure your friend doesnt have a big collection of china. Even then the appeal of china is unmistakable and almost everyone likes to occasionally add a set of two of china to their collection.

Everything Chinese also can make good second wedding anniversary gift item. It can be a gift certificate to enjoy always demanded Chinese cuisine at a local Chinese restaurant or a gift basket treasure hunt with Chinese items like Feng Shui crystals or fortune cookies.

The options dont end here; in fact this is your starting point of finding a unique second wedding anniversary gift. Just make a search at eBay.com or Froogle.com to find out the rich variety of cotton and Chinese jewelry and craft items available.

It is the relationship between you and your friend and your simple gesture of thoughtfulness will be remembered for a long time.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning wedding. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting http://www.weddingsparks.com/weddings/weddings/ideas-for-a-second-wedding-anniversary-gift.htmlCamala Blog71659
Alice Blog7752

Choosing Wine Cellar Accessories

There are a number of nifty items and gadgets that can help you organize, maintain and enjoy your wine cellar. For those of you that have a larger wine cellar, keeping track of what is added or removed from the collection can be a pain. One can use either a paper record keeping system, or jump into the twenty first century and incorporate some electronic record keeping system.

Barcode readers are a wonderful way to keep track of the different wines that are added to or removed from your wine cellar. "But what kinds of electronic barcode reading contraptions will I need to buy in order to use a barcode system?", you may ask. It's really very simple. There are very easy to use plug and play barcode readers that can plug right into the USB port of your computer.

USB barcode scanners typical run between $120-$175 USD and can automatically discriminate between all the popular bar codes. You can use your own barcode tags or input any required information to use the barcodes already located on each bottle of wine. When it's time to uncork or add a new bottle of wine to your collection, simply point the barcode scanner at the barcode label and pull the trigger to update your records.

Printable wine tags are another must have wine cellar accessory. These tags come on a sheet that can be fed into your inkjet printer. You can create your own custom layout or notes, as well as include a barcode if you so desire. There are also regular hand written wine bottle tags that can be more affordable if you do not need to be able to print the wine bottle tags on your printer.

If you require a tag system that is more durable than paper wine bottle tags, there are also heavy duty plastic wine bottle tags that fit securely over the neck of the bottle. These can be reused as needed and will last for years and years. These types of wine bottle tags can be written on with any felt tip pen or a dry erase board marker.

If you'd like a ready-to-go wine bottle tag with custom barcodes system, check out the Vinote wine tags. These wine bottle tags last a very long time and adhere snugly to wine bottles. Every tag is uniquely numbered and bar coded. The bar code section is perforated so that it may be folded out of sight or easily torn off.

If you're not ready to update your wine storage record keeping, and prefer regular paper records, there are a number of attractive wine catalogue books already formatted for just such record keeping. A decent wine catalogue book should be small enough to carry with you if you will bring it along on trips to other wine cellars.

A hygro-thermometer is a very necessary component to any wine cellar, as it ensures that the wine is resting at the appropriate temperature and humidity. These devices do not adjust temperature or relative humidity, but can be paired with the right devices in order to make sure that everything is running smoothly.

April Rounsville used to be a bartender with over 7 years of experience. She later retired to become a freelance wine critic and a writer for a number of wine books. In these books, she specializes on finding the right glassware and utensils for your bar. Visit http://www.ebarware.com for a list of must haves for your bar.Cal Blog81676
Annamaria Blog56502

Why You Must Obey Movie Copyright Laws In The Digital Age

Many people have pursued the hobby of downloading movies and songs on the Internet and sharing them with their friends and family online. However, this is direct violation of U.S. copyright laws. Not surprisingly, the biggest violators of the movie copyright laws are students. The movie industry is sending out copyright infringement claims to college universities around the country. One reason that college students may be the hardest hit is that they are not aware of how serious a crime copyright infringement is.

Many college students who have lawsuits brought against them are shocked, to say the least. They question why they were not warned about the perils of downloading movies and songs online and passing them along to friends. However, with the rise of claims, no one can claim ignorance for much longer. Word is being spread near and far that if you engage in illegal downloading and/or sharing, then you can be brought to court. College students are learning the hard way that it is against the law and in violation of copyright laws to share or download copyrighted material. Many colleges and universities now state in their handbooks that it is against the law to illegally download movies, music and other forms of media using school computers.

In addition to illegal downloading and sharing movies, the files take up space on the computer systems and use a considerable amount of bandwidth. While most universities and colleges will not look at the content an individual has -- they can isolate and identify the individuals who are hogging up bandwidth by using illegal file sharing.

The movie and music industries have stepped in and are demanding restitution for illegally downloaded movies, music and other forms of copyrighted media. They have detection agencies that have the technology to identify and trace copyright infringements straight to their source. Once the computer is located they can notify the university or the college that they are in violation. The university will be told that they have a copyright infringement claim against them. Based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, once the computer is isolated, then Internet access is terminated to that computer and court proceedings can begin.

Does this sound far fetched? Well, it is not. You should know that a few years ago Recording Industry Association of America sued four students. These students attended Princeton, Michigan Technical University and Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. One student had an estimated liability of $150 billion. When you consider that you can be charged $750 per song that you illegally download, the total can add up fast! The good thing is the lawsuits against the college students were settled for amounts less than $20,000. That is not pocket change for college students -- or anyone for that matter!

Movies and music are meant to be enjoyed. However, illegally downloading movies and music is not much different than walking into a video store and sticking DVDs and CDs in your pocket. Be careful. You do not want to be caught violating any movie copyright laws.

Richard Cunningham is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com.Angelle Blog3547
Alexa Blog39805

College Accreditation: Is Your College Accredited By A Legitimate Accreditor?

So who accredits the accreditors?

One thing you need to know is that not all accreditation associations are legitimate. It is not uncommon to see a diploma mill creating its own accrediting authority and then granting itself Accreditation. This is an important issue to look at before you settle for the claim that your college is accredited.

How do you know whether a college or university is accredited by a legitimate authority? You should be able to tell that very easily because in the United States, there are two organizations that accredit the accreditors. These are:

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) which is a voluntary nongovernmental organization.

The United States department of Education

Over 70 accrediting associations in the United States are recognized by either CHEA or the U.S Department of Education. Sometimes the college or university may be recognized by both.

Established in 1976 CHEA was established through the efforts of a group of college and university presidents and it is accountable to its member institutions of higher learning. It also acts as a clearinghouse on accreditation for the higher education institutions.

For Canadian accreditation, all the schools are regulated by provincial governments as well as some agencies that perform this function for professional programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. If a college or university is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, then it is assumed that the institution is providing acceptable and credible education

So before you assume a college or university has the right accreditation, confirm with the respective accrediting authorities.

Rose Musyoka is the editor of http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com where you find information and advice on distance learning colleges, accredited online degrees and online courses. Learn more about what college accreditation is and why it is important to your education at http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/college-accreditation.htmlAlvira Blog22121
Brynne Blog84596

How to Raise the Prices You Charge to Your Cleaning Customers

You started your cleaning business to make a profit and earn a living. Most cleaning businesses, whether they do residential or commercial cleaning, start out with the owner doing everything - marketing, cleaning, buying supplies, and even the bookwork. As your company grows and you hire employees and add more clients, your expenses grow too. When you started out you may have under-priced your services either to get new clients or because you lacked bidding experience. So now that your expenses are growing and you've discovered you under-priced your services, what do you do?

First off, understand that raising prices is necessary in any business. Just take a look at things you buy on a routine basis - gas, milk, cleaning supplies, electricity - prices do increase and sometimes take a big jump!

Before you raise your prices to your cleaning customers go back and take a look at your original contract. Does your contact state the original bid price will be good for a certain length of time? If it does you will not be able to raise your price until that time frame has expired. If not, how long have you been cleaning for that client? Even if you originally under-priced your services you may not want to increase your price if you have only been cleaning for the client for a short time. Most cleaning companies wait at least a year before increasing prices. If you don't have anything written in your cleaning contract about price increases, you should start adding a clause about it with your next client. Many companies guarantee their price for a year and state that they take cost of living increases each year (for example, 4%). Or they may state something like, "we reserve the right to increase prices after one year".

Before figuring out a new price go back through your original bid and make sure that you have everything covered so you are making a profit. If your supply costs have gone up dramatically or if you have added expenses (workers comp or more insurance because of hiring employees), make sure the price increase will cover the extra expenses.

Another factor to consider before raising prices is your customer's current satisfaction level. Are they happy with the job your cleaning company is doing? Most people understand price increases and will stick with your cleaning company as long as they are happy with the job you are doing. After all, looking for a new cleaning company takes time and your customer may not get a better price or the quality of work they want from someone new.

But don't be afraid to raise the price on a customer who is constant complainer, especially if their complaints are not justified. You may need to raise your price to cover the extra time you spend in their office (or home).

Once you have all your facts and the new price you need to charge, send a letter to your customer. Let them know that you are raising your prices, why you are raising your prices, and the benefits to them to continue using your cleaning company. Make sure you inform your customer at least 30 days in advance that the price will be going up. Keep in mind that large corporations and government agencies may need more time if they have to run the price increase through a committee or get approval by a board.

The phrase "you get what you pay for" is often true when it comes to cleaning companies. Too low of a price may mean the company is not doing satisfactory work or that the company has undervalued its services and will soon be out of business.

Pricing your services so you make a profit is not a bad thing! Your cleaning company's survival depends on charging your customers appropriately so you can stay in business and make a profit. Good customers will understand a price increase and be happy to continue using your services. And don't be surprised if a customer that leaves because of a price increase soon comes back! Many people eventually realize that a lower priced bid from another cleaning company means their building (or home) is not as clean as when your company provided their cleaning services.

Copyright (c) 2007 The Janitorial Store

Steve Hanson is co-founder of TheJanitorialStore.com, an online community for owners of cleaning companies. Sign up for Trash Talk:Tip of the Week at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com. Read success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com.Alina Blog33782
Carroll Blog29095

Have you ever wanted to fly RC airplanes?

Flying rc airplanes and helicopters has become a hugely popular pastime in recent years, and more and more people are discovering the hobby all around the world.

The letters RC stand for radio control, and refer to anything that is controlled by radio signals that are sent out from a transmitter to a receiver located inside the model.

You'll often see rc referred to as 'remote control' but this is technically incorrect. Radio control is the correct term.

In past years, RC airplanes and helicopters have been relatively expensive to buy, and you had to have a fair amount of model building knowledge to know how to assemble a kit from plans, not to mention knowing how to install and set up the radio control gear and motor properly.

But all that has changed and, while kits are still available of course, many airplanes and helicopters now can be bought as RTF models, which stands for Ready To Fly.

This basically means what it says; the model is assembled at the factory, the rc gear and motor have been installed and set up and there is nothing for you, the consumer, to do other than install the radio control gear batteries, do some very basic final assembly work such as attaching the wing to the fuselage, and taking to the skies!

RTF airplanes and helicopters can be powered by either electric or glow plug motors.

The latter is often referred to as 'nitro' or 'gas' because the fuel that a glow plug motor runs on contains nitro methane.

Nitro planes need extra accessories than electric ones do, simply because of the motor. Also, nitro planes are generally bigger and have a steeper learning curve.

Electric rc airplanes are far more common for people entering the hobby, simply because they are clean, quiet and simple.

The very popular 'Park Flyer' style electric planes are bringing thousands of new rc pilots into the hobby because of these reasons. Also, they are cheap to buy; a simple 1 or 2 channel RTF model can be bought for well under $100!

Because they are quiet and small, they can be flown in any good-size open area, hence the name Park Flyer. Public parks, sports fields or empty parking lots can all be used as flying space, provided that flying rc airplanes there is allowed in the first place, which is an important thing to find out before you fly your model!

The best type of airplane to buy if you're first starting out is a high wing trainer type. Airplanes with the wing on top of the fuselage are much more stable than ones with the wing underneath.

Another important point to look for is the amount of dihedral the model has. Dihedral is the upward angle of the wings when looking at the model from the front.

The more dihedral an airplane has, the more stable it will be in the air, and hence easier to fly.

The majority of electric RTF rc airplanes are high wing, and are designed for beginners into the hobby.

The same rule applies to nitro airplanes. High wing trainers with plenty of dihedral always make good beginner planes.

The big difference between nitro and electric airplanes is where you can fly them. Electric ones can be flown in public places, but nitro planes can really only be flown at a model flying club, or on private land with the owner's permission.

This is simply because they are bigger, noisier and faster than their electric cousins. These factors are what makes nitro airplanes harder to learn to fly, although ultimately more rewarding.

So if you want to get into the hobby of radio control flying and jump straight in at the deep end with a nitro model, seeking out your local model flying club is the best thing that you can do as a first step toward your new pastime.

The above information goes for rc helicopters too.

In fact, electric rc helicopters have really changed the hobby, because they have become so much cheaper to buy than they ever have been, and many nowadays are designed for the complete beginner, which just a few years ago was an unthinkable idea!

So even if you've never held a rc helicopter before, you can very quickly be mastering the controls of an electric model heli without too much trouble.

Many even come with their own flight simulation software - just load it onto your home computer and practice first, without running the risk of crashing your model!

There are literally hundreds of models to choose from these days (airplanes and helicopters), but always be sure of what you're buying first.

Check out reviews if you can find some, and be happy that the model is suitable for a beginner.

If you have a flying club nearby, get yourself along to that and chat to fellow modelers. Any advice that you can pick up from a club will prove to be invaluable in your early flying days.

The good thing is that with the models that are on offer now, getting into the hobby of radio control flying has never been easier or cheaper!

If you'd like to read a lot more about many aspects of this addictive pastime, http://www.rc-airplane-world.com is a comprehensive 'Getting Started' Guide to the hobby, with information such as how to choose a suitable model, how to have a successful first flight and how radio control systems work.

The site also includes a large radio control club directory, so you may be able to find a club close to home.

Pete Carpenter is the author/owner of http://www.rc-airplane-world.com, and a general 'rc head'! RC Airplane World is a complete 'Getting Started' guide to the hobby of radio control flying.Celie Blog18243
Ada Blog80540

IPod Nano Accessories - Must Have Gadgets

Apple's iPod Nanos can give you 2000 songs right at your fingertips and with all the iPod Nano accessories available you can expand its capabilities greatly. With some of the convenient cases available the miniature player fits easily in your pocket or armband. Numerous people realize that the simplified access to the music on the tiny player as an easy and viable method to enjoy their music.

It is to your benefit if you have high quality headphones when listening to your iPod. Headphones such as MacAlly's mTune-N are an excellent choice and it works with a dock for the iPod Nano. But with this device the iPod is already docked to the headphones so you do not really have to deal with wires or cables. This particular iPod Nano accessory gives you the ability to connect your player into a built in slot for your Nano. They are somewhat larger however.

Most iPod accessory manufacturers produce small forms of headphones depending on what suits you and your ears. The first that comes to mind would be the iPod Nano accessory that is the case. The manufacturers of the iPod Nano accessories that specialize in cases provide a numerous choice of styles for your use.

Protective Cases - Thick or Thin

Some are within thin sheaths that fit over your iPod kind of like a second skin and other types are solid cases. A manufacturer called iJacket makes a great case for the small iPod. The plastic that they use is thicker and therefore makes it more resilient. It has a small opening for the Click Wheel and a large opening for the screen. Retailing at about $16 for the iJacket case protects your player from rough handling or accidental bumps.

Additional accessory manufacturers who specialize in cases include XtremeMac makers of Iconz. They have licensed with other companies to put characters on their covers such as ScoobyDoo, SpongeBob, and Batman. Marware, Speck, Pacific Design and the BeatBuckle are some other iPod Nano case accessory manufacturers.

Because of the versatility of the iPod Nano you may have other accessory needs. An additional iPod Nano accessory is the iTrip FM transmitter. This give you the ability to listen to your iPod from any FM radio. You can choose any station for the single. You can recharge your player with the Griffin Power Duo. It has both AC chargers and a car charger.

If you want to bring your personal library home Apple has an iPod AV accessory that gives you the ability to hook up your iPod to your home entertainment system. Additionally there are docking systems available that will give your iPod the ability to turn it into its own music system for your entire home to enjoy.

There are numerous suppliers that support the iPod and bring out new cases and other accessories for your player. With so much choice it is very likely you will be pleased with all the choices you will have.

Korbin Newlyn is an avid follower in the electronics field. You can find more of his insights at http://www.ipodspros.com/ and at http://www.ipodspros.com/apple-ipod/30gb-ipod/Annabal Blog60377
Andra Blog57167

Negative Side to Conventional Cosmetics

Women and men spend millions of dollars every year attempting to improve the quality and health of their skin. They spend time and money on products and services to refinish the surface of their skin only to return to habits and routines that continue to damage both their skin and bodies. Most cosmetic and beauty products contain additives, preservatives, and chemicals designed to improve appearances at the cost of health. Not only do conventional cosmetics clog pores and weigh down skin, they also contain harmful toxins that absorb into the blood stream and into the body.

Companies create conventional cosmetics and beauty products using oils and fillers that weigh down skin and clog the pores. Although some of these products create the appearance of smooth, even skin, bacteria and dirt become trapped in the skin by the oils in conventional cosmetics and create pimples and blemishes. Most men and women then resort to even more cosmetic use to cover up these skin problems, resulting in an even greater incidence of clogged pores. Skin absorbs the oils and fillers in conventional cosmetics resulting in makeup that literally weighs down the face. Not only does foundation and powder look heavy, it also feels heavy. This heavy feeling results from not just the skins absorption of the product, but also the inability of the skin to breath.

The heavy binders and fillers of conventional cosmetics also contain chemical additives that are harmful to the body. Conventional beauty products such as foundation, blush, eye shadow, and bronzer contain a myriad of binders, toxins and dyes that absorb into the blood stream. A build up of such chemicals can produce allergic reactions and increased sensitivity in some men and women. Some of these allergies and sensitivities can result in chronic conditions and sustained sensitivity to conventional dyes, cosmetics and perfumes. Hypoallergenic products have risen as a result of consumers needs to use products less harmful on the body. Although most of these products still contain fillers that clog skin, the rise of products for sensitive skin proves that consumers have reacted poorly to conventional cosmetics.

Naked Minerals contains no additives, dyes, colors, fillers, binders, waxes, or any other ingredient beyond natural minerals. The Naked Minerals makeup is all-natural and uses only the finest minerals to create a cosmetic that improves skin appearance and quality without clogging pores. There are no oils in Naked Minerals that traditionally clog pores, and the weightless feel and function of Naked Minerals allows skin to breathe. Naked Minerals is completely hypoallergenic with none of the toxins or chemicals traditionally found in conventional cosmetics. All of the colors are naturally derived from their mineral origin and none contain the heavy oils found in conventional cosmetics.

Anastasia Ellison is a writer and editor of internet health and beauty related articles. She has over 20 years experience in holistic health care. You can find out more about Naked Minerals at: http://www.inakedminerals.com .Aloisia Blog76167
Arlena Blog23163

The Adware Threat

Adware can be basically defined as software that tracks your activities on the Internet so that it can trigger off pop-up ads and other marketing-related actions. The Internet has many free adware removal tools, which can help you run a scan to remove adware.

When your computer slows down and behaves strangely, chances are you have adware installed. You didn't ask for it, but neither did you ask for new toolbars, websites you don't recognize, continuous popups! Read on to know just how annoying and dangerous adware can be.

Adware doesn't let your computer respond quickly to your commands. When you click to go to a website, it takes you elsewhere and you wonder why. Adware presents you with toolbars you never asked for and keeps adding strange new websites to your favorite folder so that it looks like you gave it permission to be there. Here's the worst part - it steals your personal information, spies on you and sells this information to advertisers who can then irritate you with a flood of advertisements that they think you are interested in.

Nobody Is Spared From Adware

Practically every computer that connects to the Internet has loads of spyware and adware getting into it, collecting confidential information from the user. This can be in the form of information about browsing habits, or more serious threats like spying on your credit card number, and other personally identifiable information so that it can misuse it and put you in danger.

Adware can be basically defined as software that tracks your activities on the Internet so that it can trigger off pop-up ads and other marketing-related actions. It installs components in your system without your being aware of it so that it can collect personal data like surfing habits and other demographics. Saying no when adware asks you has nothing to do with what it does. It just goes right ahead and installs itself in your system.

In recent times, adware and spyware have been evolving so fast that it is more than adware removal tool manufacturers can do to keep up with them. Adware poses a major security risk to any computer and every user must make it a point to ensure that he or she runs a scan to clear their systems from adware and spyware. The Internet has many free adware removal tools, which can help you do this. But you've got to be cautious in selecting a reliable vendor. There's every chance that a vendor who promises to remove all the adware from your computer will do just the opposite - that is, install more spyware and adware. Reliable adware removal tools can protect you against unwanted intruders like adware in your system.

Look around and compare the features of various paid adware removal tools available. While some free adware removal software will only scan your computer and present you with the results, they won't actually clean it from your computer until you buy it. Beware of this ruse.

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comArdenia Blog3318
Berthe Blog55017

Free Copy Of Credit Report

Thanks to the federal fact Act, consumers nationwide are now able to get annually a free copy of credit report.

Why order for a free copy of credit report?

You credit report is actually your credit history for a period of time. Even though it is just a three-digit number but it has great importance in today's business world. Many money and bank lenders solely depend on your credit report to judge your financial stability to grant a loan. It's quite possible that your credit report may contain some errors and flaws. Remember this small error in your credit report can actually affect your credit history in a big way. In order to overcome this problem you need to get the error rectified as quickly as possible. It's a good idea to request a free copy of credit report at least once in six months.

When are you entitled for a free copy of credit report?

You are entitled for a free copy of credit report if you have been denied credit
If you are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within 60 days.
If you are a public welfare assistance
If you report has been revised
If you credit report contains inaccurate information due to fraud or theft

It is estimated that at least 48% of consumers have errors in their credit files and 12% of those errors are severe to result in credit being denied. It is unfortunate that these mistakes can actually cause you to be denied a loan, insurance or employment.

Can I get a free copy of my credit report?

You are entitled for a free copy of credit report if you have been denied cedit
If you are unemployed and intend to apply for employment within 60 days.
If you are a public welfare assistance
If you report has been revised
If you credit report contains inaccurate information due to fraud or theft

How can you fix your credit report?

Check your credit report at least once in six months and rectify errors in it immediately
Do not open unnecessary account. It would be advisable to shut down all the unnecessary accounts
Do not open multiple accounts at the same time. Remember a zero balance account is also taken into consideration.
Repair your credit report in case of any errors
Pay your minimum balances before the due date. This alone will fix your credit report

Copyright 2006 Darren Dunner

Darren Dunner is the writer of this article. For more information about the subject, kindly visit http://www.iloanresource.com.Bridget Blog46269
Cathryn Blog94711

High Definition DVD The Format Wars Second Act

Once again, there is a technology format war looming on the horizon. Many people dont remember the VHS - Betamax battle that broke out when video players were first introduced, making it possible for people to watch movies at home. This was a case of two non-compatible technologies, each of which was a format for taping full length feature films. Ultimately VHS won out, and the movie companies put out their products in that format thus dooming Betamax and the product manufacturers that had adopted their technology, not to mention the thousands of consumers that had invested in Betamax players. We now find ourselves on the verge of creating a new set of sore losers.

Skirmishes over LCD versus plasma screen HD TV technology are ongoing, but that type of technology contest isnt as acute because you can watch TV or a movie on either type of screen. Currently, you can also play every DVD available on any DVD player that is in production and on the market. The next generation of DVD players, however, is coming over the horizon in the form of two distinct and incompatible technologies.

Toshiba versus Sony

Toshiba has developed a proprietary technology dubbed high definition DVD (HDDVD) and to support their format has developed alliances with Microsoft and Universal Films, among others. The HDDVD disks will be available in 15GB and two sided, 30GB versions.

By way of comparison, the current DVDs have enough storage for two hours of standard definition (SD) images, while the one-sided 15 gigabyte HDDVD disk can store up to eight hours of high definition (HD) images. The difference between SD and HD is simply twice the number of pixel lines displayed on the screen in the HD format, thus providing a crisper picture. The increased capacity of these disks will also allow for interactive features such as screen-in-screen directors discussion of movie scenes playing behind him that todays standard DVDs cannot support.

In the other corner is the Blu-Ray technology developed by Sony, who has lined up support from Apple, Disney and 20th Century Fox. Both formats use blue laser technology, which has a shorter wavelength than red, allowing it to read the smaller digital data "spots" packed a lot more densely onto a standard-size disc. Blu-Ray disks are designed to carry up to 50GB of digital material, which may mean that Sony wins the compression competition.

The Early Rounds

Sony Pictures released the first six films on Blu-Ray disks in June of this year, and have released a few more since. Samsung has a Blu-Ray DVD player in the stores, while Sonys hardware division has released a Blu-Ray compatible PC. Toshiba has its initial HDDVD player on the market and there are a limited number of titles available in the format, mostly re-releases of previous first-run features.

Sony clearly jumped out to an early lead, with support from Dell, HP, Mitsubishi and a number of other hardware manufacturers. In addition, Sony Pictures also owns Columbia and MGM, giving them an enormous library to work with. Sony will also fold its technology into the PlayStation 3 gaming machine, their proprietary product whose 2nd version rules the roost in the videogame market.

On the Toshiba side of the battlefield, proponents argue that the HDDVD disks will be cheaper to produce and that it will be comparatively easy for disk replicators to retrofit their equipment for production purposes. The HDDVD format also makes production of recordable DVDs much simpler than with the Blu-Ray design.

Further, an alliance with Microsoft will be a formidable edge in this battle, should it turn into a protracted conflict. Microsofts operating systems are going to be important cogs in the development of future home viewing systems, as the technology moves closer to merging the functions of computers and televisions. If movie downloads become a commercial success, PC compatibility will be critical for these disks.

The Consumer Issues

One of the reasons that Microsoft aligned with Toshibas technology is that HDDVD provides for mandatory managed copy. What that means is that unlike with today's conventional DVDs, managed copy allows consumers to make legitimate copies of their HD movies and enjoy this content around the home or across their personal networks. Making this feature mandatory will ensure a consistent consumer experience across all next-generation DVD content.

Then there is the element of iHD, which is the concept of maximizing high definition video for transport across the internet. This is a specific set of video specs which the iHD.org, a group of tech and media companies, is pushing as a cross-platform standard.

The theory is that next-generation HD movies will provide a level of interactive experience well beyond that of today's conventional DVDs. iHD technology is meant to provide a broad foundation to enable new interactivity with standards-based development tools and technologies.

The pitch for this standard is that it will provide consumers with enhanced content, navigation and functionality for HD films. The business reality is that Microsoft plans to implement iHD support in its Windows Vista operating system, which will not only be a significant step towards integrated video and computer systems but will make help drive adoption of the new Microsoft platform.

Duel to the Death Unlikely

There is some indication that all of these conflicting issues may ultimately force a compromise some sort of merger or unification of the two technologies. Hardware manufacturers are hedging their bets, with the latest wrinkle being that Blu-Ray-aligned Hewlett Packard has requested that mandatory managed copy and the iHD standard be included in Blu-Rays feature set. Sony has agreed to include the managed copy feature, but said no to iHD.

The Betamax VHS battle was a tussle over hardware with the movie companies playing a predominant role, one Sony lost. This time around, there is much more uncertainty about how the next generation of home video will roll out. How will the Web and the PC fit in? Will the movies be delivered via disk or via download? How will the film industry protect its content rights and how can the hardware companies maximize their role?

PCs have become a commodity. If a scenario arises where every household needs a new computer to match up with new video technology, the Dells and HPs of this world stand to win big. If competing technology keeps people from investing in either, every involved business will suffer. If the film and DVD houses have to produce two sets of content and two disks for every film, their margins will grow considerably thinner as well. The tech bloggers seem to be increasingly inclined to believe that unification of some sort is inevitable. The corporations with the most to lose are too smart not to insist on it.

Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for http://www.apollohosting.com. She helps clients understand how a website may benefit them both personally and professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting, ecommerce hosting, & VPS hosting to a wide range of customers.Bee Blog31770
Bev Blog59782

Alternatives to Filing Bankruptcy

In today's world, it is very easy for anyone to get into a deep cycle of debt. Credit card companies approve thousands of credit card applications every day. Even those with a bad credit rating are able to avail themselves of credit cards (at high interest rates, of course) and instead of exercising good financial decisions, they start racking up debts, using their credit cards as if it were money.

With the high cost of living today, it would be surprising to find a person who is completely debt free. Today, it is more common for people to owe credit card debts, mortgage, car loans and a host of other debts. Businesses and companies don't make it easy for consumers to become debt free either. Every day, we are bombarded with advertisements, particularly from furniture companies, with the promise that we can have the furniture we want now and not have to pay any interest or start paying until two or three years later.

We are a nation that spends more than what we actually have. No wonder many Americans are deep in debt, with no hope of getting out of the financial mess sooner. Many who find themselves caught up in a cycle of debt and are unable to get out of it look into the possibility of filing bankruptcy. However, there are alternatives to bankruptcy and it pays to look into those first before throwing in the proverbial towel.

Keep in mind that bankruptcy alternatives will not quickly solve your debt problems nor would they give you your credit rating back. However, these bankruptcy alternatives can help you avoid filing for bankruptcy; they can help you gain control of your financial life.

You can speak to a financial advisor, who may be employed by your bank. A financial advisor can help you get your finances in order if you have assets such as a house, a car or valuable electronic equipment. If you do not have many assets, however, this bankruptcy alternative may not be an option for you since you would not be able to meet the financial requirements.

There are many online guides that you can read or download for free, and these could help you in terms of providing you information on the different bankruptcy alternatives you can look into. These online guides can help you evaluate your options and find out what bankruptcy alternative that is suitable to your needs.

You can find out more information on filing for bankruptcy and alternatives at http://www.bankruptcyservicesonline.com

You can also check with government organizations that can assist you in consolidating your debts and making arrangements with your debtors regarding loan payments. These agencies can help you come up with a payment arrangement that your debtors would find acceptable.

Bankruptcy should be your final option, after you have explored and considered all the other bankruptcy alternatives. Keep in mind that bankruptcy will be reflected in your record for several years. Once you file for bankruptcy, you cannot reverse it; it can also affect your future credit rating. So explore the different bankruptcy alternatives available to you and find the best one.

Article by Dean Forster of http://www.bankruptcyservicesonline.com. Find out more about bankruptcy alternatives and filing for bankruptcy at Online Bankruptcy ServicesAsia Blog25363
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A Review of Law Enforcement Training

My son is a senior student in High school now. We had filled some financial assistance forms because we want to make sure he will be able to have secondary education. Though, my son has not decided yet what collage he wanted to attend or what subject to choose. Thus, I got really surprised one day when my son came from school and declared he wanted to start law enforcement training. His best friend's father was a police officer and my son has been secretly interested in this job for years.

Unfortunately I didn't know anything about law enforcement training so I needed to get more information about it. This is why I invited my son's friend and his parents for dinner. That way we could talk with the police officer and find out where is the best place to get law enforcement training. It was interesting to learn there are so many specialty areas to look into. The father of my sons best friend had started with an eighteen month course of law enforcement training in a college. After his course the only job he could get with that qualification was as a patrol officer.

From the law enforcement training he completed he had learnt the basic techniques of being a police officer including weapons training. However, to become a detective a more advanced training was required - a four year college degree. He took a part time job as a patrol officer and started a four year criminal justice program at the university which would enable him to get better jobs once he graduated. He also added that in the past police officers could go with the eighteen month course of law enforcement training but as nowadays the crimes are more complex it is recommended that all officers have a four year degree in addition to the law enforcement training.

My son was listening to his best friend's father very carefully and remembered the information he gave us. My son also conducted further research. First of all, he needed to decide if he would start the law enforcement training immediately and then take the college courses, or the opposite - first college then the law enforcement training. He set up a meeting with he local sheriff to discuss this.

The sheriff advised him to take the basic law enforcement training first because with it he could work part time while being at college. He could have flexible shifts as police officers are needed 24 hours a day seven days a week, so he wouldn't need to cut classes because of work. Another reason why it is better to start with the law enforcement training is because after you complete it and start working and studying same time you will have work experience which will help you decide what area you want to concentrate on.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning law. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting http://www.lawinformationonline.com/legal-information/legal-issues/a-review-of-law-enforcement-training.htmlBerenice Blog3395
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IT Sales: What is Your Unique Offering?

Every company has some unique facet that makes them different from the rest of their competition. In order to effectively reach your clientele, you need to figure out what your unique offering is. For example, if you're within walking distance of many businesses, then your proximity is your best benefit - you can do things faster and cheaper than anyone else.

Back Up Your Benefits

When you give benefits you want to back them up with examples and guarantees. For instance, given the above example, you might guarantee to arrive within 60 minutes of a server down emergency during regular business hours. You could offer $100 off their monthly bill if you're even a minute late - now, that's a guarantee! And, you'll probably never lose money on it because you're right there.

Survey Your Customers

You also want to survey these local companies to see which ones are interested in IT services and what areas they need help in. In order to get the survey back, you may want to offer a free gift like a gift card for a dozen bagels from the coffee shop across the street or a free needs analysis if they return it.

Your survey should ask basic questions like the following:

How many PCs do you have?

How many employees do you have?

How do you get your IT support today?

What do you like and dislike about it?

What's your number one business challenge today?

What's your number one IT challenge?

Network

Using people like the UPS or FedEx guy or the pizza delivery guy even, you can effectively network into a community. You can learn about the other companies and they can learn about you through these familiar faces. They can often give you great advice about who may need help.

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Joshua Feinberg can help you get more steady, high-paying computer consulting clients. Sign-up now for Joshua's free audio training on proven computer consulting secrets from the Computer Consulting Blog now at http://www.ComputerConsultingBlog.comBeth Blog11758
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Plan a Bright Future ahead with International Student Loans

Education is described as a liberating force and is mandatory for all. But, escalating cost of education is creating hindrance in the way of success for many of the students. Many of the students have opted employment as a means to cope with this shortcoming. But, even this is not possible for all. At such crucial point of time, international student loans can be put to use. These loans are easy to apply for and quick to avail. But, you need to be completely aware of every minute detail of international student loans before taking up one. Here, you can find every inch fact about international student loans, so that you can make most of these loans and reach new heights in your career.

The international student loans are most easy to avail due to bendable terms attached to it. The lenders have a softer attitude towards students for they do not have any source of employment to rely upon. This is one of the reasons why the international student loans are offered at nominal rates of interest. There is absolutely no processing fee attached to it.

The credit history of the co- signer does play a crucial role and can fetch you ostensible deals, as well. The loan amount is transferred directly to the college or school. International student loans cover up a wide array of your expenses like tuition fees, living expenses, hostel fees, computer expense, books and many more.

Your responsibility is to ascertain your need in advance and borrow up to that limit only. For the repayment of the loan amount of international student loans, you will be granted enough time. It is after you have completed your studies and taken up some employment. The most likeable feature of international student loans is that it is not limited to any place. Students from abroad can also avail the benefits of international student loans. With online processing, the entire procedure is much more accessible to all.

Julia Russell works as an executive in financial department for Get Student Loans. She has a lot of experience in finance field. To gain more information about student loans, international student loans, private student loans, college student loans, student refinance loans visit http://www.get-student-loans.comCacilia Blog91052
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Make Your Business Travel Easier With Better Technology

At one point not long ago travel time was considered dead time to the businessperson. Dead time while waiting on flights, on the plane and, worse, dead time in the hotel was, in general, considered to be wasted time. Thats not so today.

With the advent of WIFI in airports and hotels, travel time does not need to be a waste. We no longer even consider packing the laptop into the luggage. Rather, we carry it on the plane with us and use it during travel.

Most airports have now added the ability to hook into their broadband networks with an Ethernet cord. Better still, you can just boot up with a wireless card and youre good to go. For a list of airports in the United States and Europe that offer free Internet hotspots check out this web site: http://www.wififreespot.com/airport.html.

This also goes for hotels and motels. Just boot up your computer and youre back in the office. Some hotels offer high-speed Internet at an additional cost. But its usually packaged with long distance service or unlimited calling. Others offer the Internet connection free. Usually, all you need to do is supply your name and, in some cases, a room number, to connect. Other hotels may offer wireless service only in rooms within range of its network.

Even laptops not equipped with wireless cards can access the wireless Internet service at some hotels because guests can check out equipment at the desk. For wired connections, a cable may be supplied in the room. If you feel limited, as a lot of us do when tied to the wall with the Ethernet cable, consider adding a compact router to your briefcase. Several are now available for under $100 and their range is actually comparable to the full size router.

OK, so now you know how easy it is to connect. But what about the equipment? For seamless travel, most of us know that a laptop and a cell phone are essential lifelines for the business traveler, but what other technology and new equipment is available to the travelling businessperson?

Packing all of the pieces and toting them can be a hassle, to be sure. The luggage industry has finally realized this and has risen to the occasion. Today, more than ever, we are seeing compact bags that will pack the multitude of cords, wires and chargers needed for business travel.

It seems that the old heavy bags are a thing of the past and travelers now rely more on the backpack style to travel. They pack equipment that weighs several times more than their body size. The only real care to take is to make sure that the wireless card is safely stored in a pocket of the backpack - not in the computer, And for sanitys sake, a lesson learned the hard way, pack an extra.

Whether you opt for the briefcase version or the easier-to-tote backpack, style and room is not going to be sacrificed. Both the traditional briefcase and the backpack are now roomier and well padded for the office essentials. Both styles come with and without wheels. The choice is the travelers, and there is a multitude of ways to go.

When it comes to business travel, pack the right tools and you wont even know that you are out of the office. Advances in technology have made business travel easier than ever.

Rick Abbott is an experienced business traveler, part time author, and consultant in the IT field. For more road warrior articles and tips, go to www.roadwarriorarticles.com. If you are a writer and like writing articles about business travel, submit your articles to www.roadwarriorarticles.com where other business travelers can read them online. Arleta Blog84379
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Madame Alexander Doll - Scarlett

One of my favorite vintage Madame Alexander dolls is Scarlett. December 1939 was the debut of the new line of Madame Alexander composition Scarlett OHara dolls. These exquisite dolls were the first creations to portray the beauty and intrigue of our favorite Southern Belle.

Madame Alexander was inspired by Scarletts character from the moment that she read Margaret Mitchells book. After reading the book, Madame requested and received permission to make a Scarlett OHara doll. While there is some question as to exactly when the first dolls were made, there were official Scarlett OHara dolls by Madame Alexander advertised in the Atlanta newspapers on the day of the films premier in 1939.

Legend has it that when Madame Alexander heard that David O. Selznick was bringing Margaret Mitchells fabulous book, Gone With The Wind, to the screen; she, hoping to gain the market rights, made a Scarlett OHara doll and sent it to him. Long before the part was given to Vivien Leigh, Madame Alexander received a contract from MGM to do the dolls. It was uncanny how closely Madame Alexanders conception of how Scarlett looked matched the actress that would eventually play her.

Madame Alexander chose to launch her Scarlett doll line with a mix of colors and fabrics reminiscent of the ante-bellum era. Hundreds of dresses and coat and dress combinations were created between 1939-1943. The composition Scarlett dolls were attired in dresses of various prints and trim detailing. Most Scarlett dolls wore either a straw hat or a fabric bonnet.

The popularity of the Scarlett doll led Madame Alexander to make even more dolls based on the movie. The Gone With The Wind Collection dates from the early days, when the movie was released, right up to the present day. You can now find a doll for nearly every character in the movie.

Joyce Boulan is the owner of a website pertaining to Madame Alexander Dolls, both vintage and modern varieties. Please visit: http://www.madame-alexanderdolls.comAnnmarie Blog32444
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Will Health Insurance Really Save Money?

Health insurance is a type of an insurance whereby the insurer pays the medical costs of the insured, if the insured becomes sick due to covered causes or due to accidents. A health insurance policy is a legal binding contract between the insurance company and the insured.

Health insurance benefits are many. Health insurance is termed also as accident insurance, sickness insurance and medical insurance. Health insurance is purchased generally, with no assurance of renewability and if renewable no guarantee that premium rates will not increase.

Before getting the health insurance a person who wants to insure, may ask to fill a comprehensive medical history. In that they came to know about whether the person suffered from any disease or he/she has some bad habits such like that. Regarding that the person can claim for insurance with some restrictions.

In our scheduled commitments its very essential to maintain our healthcare in the day-to-day life. You can save money for health insurance by joining in an association that allows members to get together in a local chamber of commerce for the insurance. The money we spent for health insurance will be affordable like our day to day expenses.

Health insurance costs rising in all the time. Many people feel that they cannot afford for health insurance. Some feel they dont need it, because they are healthy and fit. But its wrong. If you think that you need health insurance, there are lots of ways to get affordable health insurance for yourself and to your family. It is a protection against the health problems that could happen in the future. Its a precaution. We have to go by the proverb Prevention Is Better Than Cure.

Health insurance can be classified into two classes- indemnity plans and managed care plans. The basic difference between the two is that while in indemnity plan the insured has the right to approach any doctor and get indemnified of all or a part of the medical expenses; in managed care plans, the insurance company will restrict the insureds choice of doctors and hospitals. The insurance company has entered into an arrangement with select doctors and hospitals for the health care needs.

Each health insurance company has its own set of policies and procedures. If you have a large claim, you will want to review the rules especially carefully. Many claims are denied over a simple technicality. Knowing the process is likely to help you make sure your claim does not get denied.

Remember, insurance companies are hoping that you will not need medical services. That is how they make their money. If you don't use your insurance, the insurance company just gets to keep it. You will notice that the bigger the claim, the more paperwork you will need to fill out and the more red tape you will need to wade through.

If you receive medical services that should be covered by your insurance, make sure that the doctor or hospital files the appropriate forms. Make sure that you file any forms that you need to in a timely manner. If you have any questions, call the insurance company directly and find out the answer. Make notes of whom you speak to and when.

Health insurance really saves your money. In case, if you met with an accident or you suffer from severe attack. That time you may not in the position to spend that much of amount. But if you applied for a health insurance, it may saves your money otherwise you can claim for the amount that you had spent. In some cases they may not take into account about insurance that time you may spend your money and later you can claim for the amount you spend by providing proper documents and you can reimburse the amount you spend on it, if its reasonable according to the instructions.

Insurances can be manage by both lower and higher level peoples. Every state has a Medicaid program but the requirements vary from state to state. All you have to do is to fill out the application and submit the documentation about your finances. This program covers the insurance needs of the entire family including dental care, eye care, doctor visits, emergency care, prescriptions and more.

Another option for cheap health insurance is to look on the internet. There are lot of companies that offers different type of health insurance plans. It is possible to find out the perfect for your family. The costs vary from one to other, so its in your hand to verify about it and choose a better company among others. Any way health insurance safeguards your family from the expenses that you spend for your health.

Caroline Mercy is a SEO copywriter for California Health Online as well. She has involved herself in this field for more than 3 years. For further details related to the article you can visit the site http://www.californiahealthonline.com. You can contact her through mail at caroline.mercy@gmail.comCamila Blog11415
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