Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Portal 10.0 opening the door
by Andrew Karasev
It was not a big secret, that former versions of Business Portal for Great Plains, such as 3.0 and 2.5 had limitations in allowing you, software developer to modify existing business portal applications, such as HR & Employee Self Service, Order Management, Requisition Management. With version 10.0 BP enables you to use Web Services for Microsoft Dynamics GP backoffice integration. In the past, not sure if somebody used this techniques � you could create ASPX .Net application in Visual Studio 2005 (C# OR vb.NET), where you interact with GP database and object via eConnect and then integrate this .Net application into MS Dynamics GP Business Portal. This approach would have certain known restrictions, however to some extent it should be considered as doing its job.
Business Portal highlights. For those, who are new to BP implementation:
* Requisition Management. This module is successor of former eRequisition. Requisition Management is now BP module and you have to purchase Business Portal user licenses to get sufficient number of RM users (about $40 per user)
* HR & Employee self service. If you have concerns of cost of mailing payroll checks direct deposit info to your employees � BP does the job by secured web lookup via Employee Self Service module
* Notifications. Email notifications were lagging competition in BP 3.0, we need to further research 10.0. Competitors, Ariett for instance were offering notification in HTML format with hyperlink to the Requisition Approval (in the case of ReqNet module) for decision maker, allowing her/him to bypass the necessity to login into ReqNet through Active Directory security realm
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Basic Home Loan Terms Explained
Basic Home Loan Terms Explained
by Max Hunter
The wonderful world of home buying can sometimes overwhelm the first time home buyer. They are inundated with information riddled with terms of art. ARMS, points, interest rates, good faith estimates, pay-downs, lock-in dates, so on and so forth. Though some or all of these terms may seem somewhat foreign to you, do not get overwhelmed, there are simple explanations for each and every one of them.
Let us start with the different types of loans there are. Typically all home loans fall into two basic categories: mortgages and home equity loans. Mortgages are simply a loan against property that is secured with a "mortgage". This "mortgage" is basically a lien against the property until such time that loan is satisfied. So a mortgage is a loan against property that is secured with a lien against it.
A home equity loan is a loan that is also secured with a lien against the property. The home equity loan lien is secondary to the first mortgage on the home. This type of loan is based on the amount of equity in the house. Equity is the difference in dollars between the value of the home and the amount owed on it. Equity can be a positive number (the house is worth more than what is owed) or can be a negative number (negative equity) which means that there is more owed on the house than the house is worth.
A lien is simply a legal term that indicates that someone other than the homeowner has a legal right and interest in the property. So, if the property is ever sold, all liens need to be satisfied - any money owed to anyone with a lien must be paid, otherwise the new owner may become obligated to pay the amount owed. A lien is against property, not a person. Typically in all real estate transactions there will be a title search that will reveal any liens against the property. This title search is basically an examination over anyone and anything that may have some legal interest, obligation or right to the property.
If there are multiple home loans on a property the order they are paid in is the oldest to the newest. This is only a factor if the property is being sold for below what is owed. This is either through a "short sale" where the house is being sold by the homeowner for below the amount that is owed in the house. They will need approval from all lien holders in order to do this. This is also an issue if a house falls into foreclosure.
Within these two types of loans you will want to know the difference between a fixed-rate mortgage and a variable rate mortgage. A variable or adjustable rate mortgage is an ARM. Fixed-rate mortgages have the same interest rate from the first day of the loan to the last day of the loan unless it is refinanced. A fixed rate or variable rate loan will generally start off for a period of time at a specified rate and then after that period ends, if the loan has not been paid off or refinanced then the rate becomes adjustable based on specific conditions set forth in advance - typically tied to the federal interest rate. An ARM loan will have typically a 3 or 5 year period during which the rate is lower than the going rate. This is used to entice would-be borrowers or help borrowers have lower payments for the initial period.
"Points" are often discussed in connection with loan packages and interest rates. You can "pay down" an interest rate by paying points for example. What this means is you can pay for a lower interest rate if you pay a specified number of points. Points are simply one percent of the loan amount. So a $100,000 loan equates to $1000 for every point.
Another term you will often here is PMI, private mortgage insurance. PMI is insurance for your lender when the amount you borrow is more than 80% of the value of the property. In these cases the borrower needs to pay for this insurance policy. The calculation for your monthly PMI payment is 0.5% of your loan amount divided by twelve.
Tied to the calculation of PMI, as well as many other factors of the loan is an appraisal. An appraisal is a determination by a real estate professional of what the value of the property is. They will evaluate the property and similar properties in the area. They will consider market trends, recent sales and other factors to give an estimate on what the property is worth and would sell for.
Another potential add-on to your monthly payments is escrow payments. Escrow is money that is being held typically to pay taxes. Your lender will collect 1/12 of your yearly taxes every month in order to be assured that your taxes are paid. Your lender then makes your required tax payments. Typically your lender will have a cushion in the escrow account of 2 - 3 months in case you fall behind in your payments.
Though there are many more terms you may encounter these are the most often used, misunderstood terms. During the home loan process, however, you should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask what a term means. The more you know the better off you will be.
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What Is RSS?
What Is RSS?
by Madison Lockwood
RSS is technology - a simple software program - that allows you to access web and blog content automatically. The acronym's most popular translation is "Really Simple Syndication. Once your browser or computer has an RSS reader on board, you can subscribe to any number of RSS "feeds." A feed is simply a way in which a reader may subscribe to website content - most commonly blogs or news sites. A news site, for example, may list their latest headlines or entire articles in their feed every time a new article is published. A blog would publish this feed as a series of recent posts.
Feeds are published by millions of publishers, from small individuals to large organizations like Newsweek. The value of a feed is that it brings the most current site content to you in a format that is easily scanned; further, you are spared the task of visiting each source site each day. This is typically done through the use of what is called an 'aggregator' or 'feed reader'.
Feed readers or RSS readers, are software programs that run on your computer (or PDA or phone); let you easily subscribe to feeds, and allow you to read through them efficiently. Some are relatively simple, showing the headline and summary. The fancier ones often work with (or in) your browser to make viewing the material look much like the source page. Once you have a reader on your computer, subscribing to a feed with is an easy click or drag from your browser. Sites that provide RSS feeds will usually have a button for that purpose.
There are several RSS feed formats as well as one with an entirely different methodology called Atom. Atom has become popular with some bloggers and blogging tools. Some aggregators can read both. The other acronyms you will see in "feedspeak" are XML, which stands for 'extensible markup language' and is the code standard for these simple text feeds. An 'OPML" file is a format for indexing hierarchical feed lists. If you dive into this web habit in a big way, your aggregator or reader may keep your subscription list in an OPML file.
An RSS feed is a great method for staying abreast of issues and topics that interest you. There are a number of feed "libraries," so to speak, from which you can learn what's out there in your areas of interest. Google has a built-in reader that makes the subscription process easy, as does Yahoo. Firefox has a downloadable extension for the purpose of aggregating RSS feeds, as well as a default ability to save RSS feeds as "live bookmarks" that update via the RSS feed. You can download a number of stand alone readers and aggregators; you can find them through a simple web search.
The whole RSS "movement" is a step towards utilizing the Internet more efficiently. The trick is to avoid overloading your email inbox with daily reports that you end up ignoring most of the time. For that purpose, there are sites like Feedster that will search millions of RSS feeds for articles that are relevant to your interests. Like any search tool, however, these services are hit and miss. They are still working off keywords and sometimes what they find is relevant, sometimes not. But if you want daily news broken into categories, it's great technology once you learn how to make it work for you.
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Pour On The BBQ Sauce!
Pour On The BBQ Sauce!
by James L. Paleta
When I was growing up, I loved the flavor of bbq sauce. I ate it on everything from hamburgers to onion rings. Much to my mother�s disappointment, bbq sauce graced our dinner table every night. She didn�t really like the fact that I slathered all of her good cooking with bbq sauce, but I guess she figured it was good that I was cleaning my plate even if I soaked my dinner in sauce to do it.
As I entered into adulthood, I became a little more discriminating when it came to bbq sauce. I still loved the flavor and bbq sauce was my favorite dip of choice for French fries, but my taste buds became more conventional when it came to my use of bbq sauce. I liked to dip my steak in it or make oven baked chicken basted in a nice hickory bbq sauce.
With my love of any meat cooked with bbq sauce, it was inevitable that I eventually visit the south. The south is the bbq capital of the world. I had heard about the world famous bbq�s in the Deep South and my mouth watered in anticipation as I packed my bags. I tried to do a little research to find out where the best bbq sauce was served. Everyone told me that I had to try a pulled pork sandwich and wash it down with sweat tea if I wanted to experience true Southern bbq.
The day I arrived in the state of Alabama, I bundled to the closest bbq joint. You could smell the meat cooking a mile away and as I pulled into the parking lot, I breathed deeply of the exciting scent. I had my moist towelettes. I had a spare shirt. I was ready for the sauciest bbq sauce and a pile of pulled pork. I placed my order and waited impatiently for my dinner to arrive. When the waitress placed it in front of me, I took one look at it and told her she had made a mistake.
�There isn�t any bbq sauce on my pork.� I explained.
The waitress just laughed as she poured me a glass of sugary iced tea. �Darlin� that is real Southern bbq. We don�t use bbq sauce. The secret is in how we cook the meat, we don�t want to ruin it by drowning it.� She saw my disappointment and brought me some bottled bbq sauce on the side. I did try her traditional pulled pork minus the bbq sauce and it was good, but for me, it tasted so much more familiar when I slathered it with my favorite sauce.
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Thursday, February 28, 2008
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
by Sarah Russell
It�s happened to me. About a year ago, someone got a hold of my bank card numbers. Fortunately, the crook made some international purchase which immediately clued me in and my bank was quick to settle the whole thing. But most people aren�t so lucky. Identity theft is a serious crime that�s growing each year. Victims of identity theft can spend months, or even years, trying to repair a ruined credit history, which can compromise your chances of getting a new job, a bank loan, insurance or even rental housing. Follow these steps to help keep your identity safe:
Protect Your Credit Card Number When Making Purchases
Check your receipts after making a purchase with your credit or debit card. In most cases, the printed receipt hides all but the last 4 digits of your credit card account number, but some terminals still print receipts that show all 16 digits of your account number and the expiration date. If you get one of these receipts, black out the numbers entirely before throwing it away � this is all the information a thief needs to make charges using your card. You're also permitted by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on any copies of the receipt that the seller keeps.
It�s especially important to keep tabs on your receipts at restaurants. Think about it � you pay for your meal and then leave the signed receipt on your table for the waiter to pick up. But in a busy restaurant, it�s easy for a potential thief to �accidentally� bump your receipt off the table (or just steal it) and get your information. If the restaurant�s receipt shows all of your account information, black out the first 12 digits of your credit card number before leaving the restaurant.
Do You Really Need To Give Your Social Security Number?
Be very stringent about who you give your social security number to. You�ll probably need to share your number when you apply for credit or for a bank account, but sometimes a store or an organization will want to use it as an ID number, simply to identify you within their system. This is not only dangerous � it�s illegal. The law says that social security numbers aren't to be used as ID numbers. If you�re ever unsure about giving out your social security number, ask if there�s an alternative � there is in most cases.
Destroy Documents That Contain Sensitive Personal Information
Buy a paper shredder and use it to destroy any documents that contain credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, your date of birth and any other personal information before throwing them away. Any credit card offers should also be shredded � thieves can fill out the applications and open a line of credit without you ever knowing. Don�t think that throwing out these documents is enough � identity thieves aren't above going through the trash to find information that can help them get credit in your name.
If The Worst Happens
If you do become a victim of identity theft, take the following steps immediately:
* Contact your credit card companies to let them know what�s going on, close your accounts and ask to have new cards issued to you.
* Place a fraud alert on your file with any one of the three major credit bureaus. The other two will be notified automatically.
* File a police report. You may need it to show to creditors as proof of the crime.
* File a complaint with the FTC, which maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for their investigations.
It�s not fun to think about identity theft, but in this age of technology, you can�t afford not to. Identity thieves get smarter every day � just think of the recent rash of companies announcing that their client databases have been hacked into, exposing personal information. Some things are out of your control, but there are some simple precautions you can take to keep your personal information secured. Keeping your identity safe may be one of the most important things you do for your financial future.
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Easy Ways to Save Money
Easy Ways to Save Money
by Sarah Russell
To get on the road to financial freedom, you�ve got to have a budget to help you focus on achieving your financial goals. If you�d like to own your own home someday or pay off all your credit card debt, you need to plan ahead and set aside money to make your dreams a reality. But saving money can seem impossible when you�re already reaching to pay all your bills. Fear not � it can be done! Check out some of these easy tips to help you start saving money.
Spare Change Matters
Don�t underestimate the power of the penny! If don�t think you can afford to put any extra money into a savings account, commit to saving your loose change for that purpose. At the end of each day, put all your loose coins in a jar or a cheap piggy bank. As your jar fills up, stop by a Coinstar machine and deposit the cash into your savings account.
Let Online Banking Help You
Online banking makes it easy to transfer money to your savings account. If have direct deposit for your paycheck, you should be able to set up an automatic transfer so that a portion of your money automatically goes to your savings account. If you never see the money, in your checking account, you won�t be as tempted to spend it. Most experts recommend that you automatically deposit 10% of your take-home pay, but if this is too much for you to start with, try to work up to it.
Learn the Trading Game
If you�re great with kids, why not volunteer to watch a colleague�s children in exchange for a free ride to work? Or offer to trade some of your world-famous pies for some auto repair work from a car-loving friend. Everyone have some skills � use the things you�re good at to trade for the goods and services you�d otherwise pay for.
Cut Your Utility Bills
With the explosive growth of modern technology, it seems that there�s some new gadget for every task. Using all these tools can make your life easier, but it also increases your energy bill. One night a week, wash your dishes by hand, or hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline in your laundry room. Buy a carpet sweeper or a manual lawnmower to replace their energy-guzzling alternatives. You�ll cut your energy bill and develop a new-found respect for your pioneer ancestors.
Live the High Life on a Budget
Buying a $5 coffee everyday or catching dinner and a movie every Friday night with your partner can quickly chip away at your savings. If you can�t give up your Starbucks, consider switching to plain black coffee with a bit of flavored creamer. You�ll save money as well as all those calories in your grande caramel macchiato! Learn to cook a nice dinner to serve by candlelight in your home and follow it up with your favorite old movie on the couch.
If some of these tradeoffs don�t sound like much fun, try to keep your financial goals in mind. Picture yourself moving into your new home or driving down the road in your Ferrari convertible. If you stay focused on your goals, you�ll find it much easier to stick with your budget and save more money. For more easy ways to save money, visit The Sexy Secretary - a great website with lots of tips on living the good life on a budget.
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Home Security - Preventive Measures Against Burglaries
Home Security - Preventive Measures Against Burglaries
by Milos Pesic
Theft of valuables from home due to carelessness is very common. Never take home security for granted. If you make an effort to be secure, you will be protecting your family and your valuables much better.
Tips To Prevent Burglaries
�Securing doors and windows is extremely important. Many burglaries occur as vandals had easy access to the garage door where they worked unnoticed to gain entry into the house. Never leave your house, even for just a few minutes, without locking all doors and windows. Use dead bolts to improve home security. A pet entrance is not advisable. Have wide angled viewer installed in the main door to check who is at the door.
�Do not leave an extra pair of keys hidden outside your house; instead, leave them with a neighbor or friend.
�Make sure all doors and windows, which are not within your view, are locked when you are at home.
�Fuse boxes and power sources have to be secured, to make it impossible for criminals to tamper with them.
�Have a good burglar alarm installed.
�Make sure you periodically check all home security systems and have them serviced regularly.
�Keep your garden trimmed ensuring an unobstructed view of your house from the road or your neighbors.
�If you have to deal with windows accessible from the fire escape be sure to check that the windows are hardy, tamper proof, and secure.
�Never leave a message in your answering machine, indicating you are away.
�Do not have predictable habits change your routine often.
�Get your self a sturdy safe to lock up all valuables and important documents.
�Keep your home insurance up to date.
�Change all locks if you just moved into the house.
�Get a good private home security monitoring system to enhance home security.
�Do not leave ladders and other tools lying that can be used by vandals to gain entry into your home.
�Join a neighborhood watch program.
�Trim and maintain your garden, trees should not be used by criminals to gain entry into the upper floors of your home. Be sure that the branches are cut securing your home.
�In the event you lose a key, change the tumblers of all locks.
�It will be a great deterrent if you had a guard dog.
�Make sure your house number is lit and clearly visible to facilitate people who need to get to your home in hurry find your home easily.
�Secure skylights and roof taking precaution to prevent unauthorized entry through them.
If the above-mentioned basic home security measures are carefully followed, securing your home and sleeping peacefully will not be an issue any longer.
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=>http://home-security.need-to-know.net/
Spyware: the expensive free extra
Spyware: the expensive free extra
by Carl Formby
Everyone has heard the saying �There�s no such thing as a free lunch.� It�s a saying which means that you pay for everything eventually, in one way or another. Even stuff which is free often has a hidden cost, and this couldn�t be more true of a growing problem affecting thousands of computers worldwide�spyware.
The reason that Spyware�and its closely-related cousin, Adware�can be described as a free lunch that is anything but free, is that it is often installed on a computer without the user�s consent by piggy-backing on some free software that the user downloaded from the internet, but then can end up costing a computer owner dearly.
A computer infected with Spyware can monitor the use of the computer and collect personal information without the user�s consent. Some of this personal information may be innocuous, but some may be extremely important and financially-sensitive, including passwords to membership sites, bank account details, credit card numbers and bank passwords. Not the type of thing anyone wants to fall into the hands of unscrupulous people. Some Spyware simply collects information to be used by marketing teams, though this does bring up issues of privacy, even if the information is not used for criminal purposes.
Adware could be said to be less malicious than Spyware, though it does operate in much the same way. Like Spyware, Adware is often downloaded along with a piece of free software and operates without the knowledge or consent of the user.
It is true that a lot of Spyware is simply used for marketing purposes and is not of the malicious type although it is still unwanted and unauthorized. When you suddenly see advertisements appearing that are completely unrelated to the web site they appear on, that�s a pretty good indication that somehow Adware has been installed. Another side-effect of both Spyware and Adware can be an extremely slow computer as the programs hog systems resources.
Both Spyware and Adware embed themselves into the operating system of the computer, which can make it extremely difficult to remove them. This is especially true of the forms of Adware and Spyware which conceal themselves on the computer�if the user doesn�t know they are there he isn�t going to try to remove them. Some types of Spyware can even bypass anti-virus software and then disable parts of it, which means the PC then becomes open to more infections from other Spyware of Adware programs.
So what is the best way to avoid a Spyware or Adware infection? Keeping your web browser up to date and ensuring your anti-virus software is the latest version is one way. But one of the simplest ways is to avoid downloading free programs from the internet. Those free programs may give you something cool to play with�but they may also give you something not so cool along with it. The next time you�re tempted to download some free program that sounds good, remember the saying that there really is no such thing as a free lunch�especially when it comes to computer security.
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Learning To Compete In A Very Competitive Industry: Travel
Learning To Compete In A Very Competitive Industry: Travel
by Bill Platt
Over the years, many of us have heard about the opportunities available in wholesale travel. As a consumer, we can recognize that if these wholesale travel packages are legitimate, then we will have access to vacation packages that would make the average traveler drool over their possibilities in travel destinations. When we slide the shoe to the other foot and consider wholesale travel as a business opportunity, we question whether we have the knowledge or fortitude to succeed in this type of business.
Read on as we examine wholesale travel from the perspective of the consumer and the online businessperson seeking new opportunities in profit.
Beware of The Discount Travel Scams
While the wholesale travel industry is a legitimate industry offering legitimate travel packages, there are a few people out there offering deals that are less than favorable to consumers.
The most common travel scam is the kind used to sell timeshare packages in real estate. The real estate agent will give you a free three-day package to an attractive destination, IF your yearly salary meets certain minimums AND you agree to sit down and listen to a sales pitch for timeshare properties.
Now, there is nothing wrong with timeshares per se, but the methods that some unscrupulous agents employ to sell timeshares are shameful to say the least. Timeshare supported vacations are well known for their hard-sell approach to the sales process.
As a result, when most people speak of discount travel or wholesale travel, the first thought that comes to the mind of most consumers is the timeshare sales pitch. As a result, consumers generally have a poor opinion of discount travel or wholesale travel, based only on their fears of timeshare selling scams.
Be Aware Of Travel Restrictions With Some Packages
There are three types of restrictions that may accompany some discount travel packages:
* Expiration Dates: Many packages come with defined expiration dates that make them difficult-to-use by the stated due-date. Not all of us can gear up to take our vacation within the next 90 days. So, be certain to read the fine print of any offer that is made available to you.
* Blackout Dates: Blackout dates were made famous by David Spade's representation of Capital One Credit Cards. Some travel rewards carry blackout dates to limit the expense of those rewards. They don't want you using your travel rewards over the Thanksgiving weekend, since that is the busiest travel weekend of the year, and prices are generally higher for that peak period. Travel rewards aside, some travel packages employ blackout dates as well. Check the fine print to make sure that any blackout dates offered with a package do not interfere with how you want to use the travel package.
* Non-Transferable Vouchers: In theory, if you buy a hotel room and an airline ticket to Jamaica for the weekend and if something were to happen in your life that prevented you from using your purchased services, you could give the tickets and reservations to your best friend, so your money would not be wasted. Some travel vouchers may prevent you from transferring your vacation to another party. As always, read the fine print to know what restrictions might limit your vacation plans.
In a lot of cases, even if these restrictions exist, they will not interfere with your vacation plans. But, it is far better to be aware of a limitation before you buy your vacation, than it is to find out about those restrictions when you are ready to plan your trip.
How Do Service Providers Profit From Vacation Packages?
Where the value of discount travel or wholesale travel packages distracts many people, is this underlying question of how companies can offer these types of packages. The consumer is confused by the whole concept of free vacations, so we will look into the profit motive here.
When people are looking at an offer of a free vacation that consists of three days in a hotel room, many people are dumbfounded that such a thing could exist. If we use Las Vegas hotels and Orlando Florida hotels as examples, it is a much easier concept to understand.
When a Las Vegas hotel offers a free three-day stay, they do so with the expectation that you may spend several hundred or thousand dollars in their casino. If you did not take the free stay in their hotel room, you may have taken your vacation in Las Vegas anyhow, but stayed in one of their competitor's hotel rooms. If that were to happen, then their competitor would have won your money in their casino instead.
Hotels in vacation spots such as Orlando Florida may be receiving rewards from Walt Disney World to ensure that you spend your vacation at Walt Disney World, instead of Six Flags Over Texas. The hotel will receive money from Walt Disney World for your stay, and you will eat several meals and use several services at the hotel that gave you the hotel room for free.
Free services frequently provide the lubrication that helps a local economy soar, so many businesses will offer rewards to the hotel chains to offer free hotel rooms to visitors.
Do keep in mind that if you do get a free hotel room, there will still be a small cost to you in terms of the taxes excised on that hotel room stay. State laws mandate that all visitors pay taxes on their hotel rooms, and even though your stay might be free, you will still be required to pay the taxes on the room.
How The Airline Industry Profits From Discount Air Travel
When an airplane flies from New York City to Los Angeles, they always have a specific number of seats on that flight. Even if only twenty people paid for that flight, they airline would be required to make the journey, with all of its empty seats in tow.
So, airlines have constructed a very unique business model to make sure their empty seats are filled. When you buy a seat directly from the airline company, you will most always pay full price for the seat. If you buy your airline seat from a travel company, you can often find discounts on those seats.
Very literally, airline companies calculate how many seats they will sell on their own for each flight, and then they wholesale the remaining seats to travel agencies and other travel companies, to ensure that they will fill most or all of their seats.
The travel industry will buy seats on the airplane for as much as 90% off the retail cost of a flight. Then they will turn around and sell those flights to their customers at a markup. The actual discount rate will vary by the company making the offer, since only the biggest wholesale travel companies will get the deepest discounts, and the travel agencies usually buy seats from these airline seat wholesalers.
Can The Little Guy Compete In A Market Saturated by Big Players?
Simply put, yes. A friend of mine at Dreams By Vasrue has built his own little travel empire selling wholesale travel packages. In a recent month, he was able to generate $18,000 in profits � these were profits, not total sales.
With a saturated market filled by big names such as Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz and many others, you would think it impossible to compete in such a crowded marketplace. But, you must remember that these big travel websites are operating as the travel agency, buying travel services at wholesale and marking up their prices to make a significant profit.
This leaves the little guys lots of opportunity to reach the buying public in ways that the big websites cannot do themselves. The big websites are not in the business of offering true wholesale travel, because they are like travel agencies selling retail travel to consumers.
The Lesson In This Story
The lesson in this story is that the Internet is offering lots of entrepreneurs a way to stand up and compete with the largest corporations on the planet in a multitude of industries.
As an online businessperson, you should always be looking for that new opportunity that could make you very wealthy. When you take the time to learn the internal workings of any industry, you will uncover opportunities to compete successfully and prosperously with the biggest names in your own industries.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Organic and Healthy Food Market
The Organic and Healthy Food Market
by Davinos Greeno
Organic produce is one of the fastest growing food retail sectors in the country. Health scares such as BSE and foot-and-mouth, plus fears of GM crops/food and synthetic dyes and ingredients such as Sudan1 have led to considerable growth in the organic and the healthy food market as worried consumers seek out more healthy and natural products.
Recent research by market analysts nVision suggests four in ten adults now choose organic options on a regular basis. Organic supermarkets in England are booming and Europes biggest organic event, the Biofach exhibition in Germany in getting bigger every year.
Unfortunately, at the moment retailers are charging artificially high prices. I was in Tesco last week which is a rare occurrence as I shop locally where possible, and I nearly died when I saw the prices being charged for organic yogurt and eggs compared to the non-organic brands. Its about time that the government started to investigate these organic suppliers and supermarkets to see who is ripping us off! Encouraging competition is not always a good idea as this can drives down prices (good for the consumer) which can put organic suppliers out of business if they have small profit margins. I understand that we have to pay more for organic produce because there are more crop failures due to the fact that the farmers cannot use pesticides, but what is an acceptable percentage and does this vary from product to product. Should organic fish be 10 percent more expensive than non organic fish and vegetables 20 per cent etc?
Once only available in small health shops or farmers markets, organic foods are becoming much more widely available. In the past 10 years sales of organic food in the UK have increased over 10-fold from �100m in 1993/94 to nearly �1.4bn in 2004/05. This large growth is predicted to continue, and many companies are jumping into the market. Sales through farmers markets and farm shops have grown faster than any other retail outlet. Organic food and drink now accounts for 1.2 per cent of the total retail market (Source Soil Association).
There are two types of organic foods.
Fresh food
Fresh food is seasonal and perishable. Vegetables and fruits are the most available type of organic, fresh food, and are closely associated with organic farming. They are often purchased directly from growers, at farmers markets, supermarkets or through speciality food stores. Organic meat, eggs, dairy are also available.
Processed food
Processed food accounts for most of the items in a supermarket. Often, within the same store, both organic and conventional versions of products are available, and the price of the organic version is usually higher as already mentioned. Most processed organic food comes from larger companies producing and marketing products like organic baby food, organic beer, organic pasta or other convenience foods.
How do I know its organic?
The term organic is defined by law - all organic food production and processing is governed by a strict set of rules. Look for symbols such as the Soil Association symbol for your guarantee of the highest organic standards. The Soil Association organic symbol is the UK's largest and most recognisable trademark for organic produce. Wherever you see it you can be sure that the food you have purchased has been produced and processed to strict and rigorous animal welfare and environmental standards. Other symbols to look out for include the Organic Food Federation and Certified Organic Ingredients.
Most people dont have enough time to read the labels of all the different food products that they buy to check for organic ingredients. So look for the various symbols, you can then be sure that the product complies with minimum government standards.
The use of such symbols is entirely optional and a product can still be organic even though if it doesnt carry the symbol of a certifying body. That means if you want to be 100% satisfied that what you are eating or using is organic always read the label or speak to the vendor.
Where you will find the symbol? - Look out for organic symbols on almost any kind of food and drink you can think of from fresh produce like fruit, vegetables and meat to processed foods such as bread or baby food. You can even buy organic pet food!
About The Author
The Symbolism of Holiday Decor
The Symbolism of Holiday Decor
by Rob Daniels
With all the holiday hustle driving us from one party to the next, and one store to another, it's hard not to take for granted the symbols and traditions passed down hundreds of years that collectively have become Christmas. Winter days are the shortest of the whole year, and it's almost impossible to find a quiet moment for reflection. But families who gather together and consider the symbolism behind all the spangles are sure to bring more spirit into their season. After all, these baubles and boughs weren't meant to be mere frippery to waste money on. Christmas ornamentation and holiday decor have significance that can strike awe and wonder as deeply in our hearts as the angel who appeared to the shepherds did on that most holy night.
Take the star, for instance, one of the basic shapes associated with Christmas. When we place it atop our evergreen trees, we bring into our home a reminder that heavenly signs of prophecy were fulfilled long, long ago when a new star appeared in the heavens over the manger where the newborn Christ-child lay. The star is the shining hope of mankind.
Like the star, candles symbolize Christ, who is the light of the world. They mirror starlight, just as we reflect our thanks for the Star of Bethlehem. In recent years candles have been replaced by electric twinkling lights, which carry the same meaning.
Even the sounds we associate with Christmas have meaning, and the ringing of bells reach out to the lost sheep, guiding them back to the fold on Christmas Day. For all are precious in God's sight.
It is said that 350 years ago a German choir director gave out candy sticks to the children in his choir to keep them quiet during the ceremony. To give the candy more spiritual significance, he bent them to look like shepherd's crooks. Over the years candy cane makers added the red bands-a thick one to represent Christ's sacrifice, and two smaller ones to show the stripes with which he saved all mankind. The white background symbolized Christ's sinless nature. Even the flavor-peppermint-has meaning, for in the Old Testament mint (hyssop) was used for purification and sacrifice.
Although originally used in winter solstice ceremonies, and even outlawed in America as a pagan ritual, the evergreen tree has become one of the most poignant symbols of Christianity. The needles, pointing up to heaven, stay green all year long, reminding us that life is everlasting if we look to Him above.
The very first Christmas trees were used in miracle and mystery plays performed in Western Germany during the middle ages. These trees, called "Paradise Trees" were decorated with red apples, and used to tell the story of Adam and Eve. Later, the plays ceased to be performed in Germany, but the symbol was planted in the minds of the people, who began using trees decorated with apples in their own homes to teach their children. The color red is the first color of Christmas, a symbol of Christ's sacrifice for all. Representing the fruits of redemption, other ornaments were soon added as decorations, starting with wafers (cookies) made from white dough and formed into the shapes of angels, flowers, bells, hearts, and stars.
Gift-giving is a universal tradition that spreads good cheer, and even the wrapping has significance. The bows that we fasten on the tree branches, and top presents with are tied as we should all be, tied together in bonds of goodwill forever.
Christmas is a symbolic holiday meant to turn the hearts of Christians to Jesus Christ by commemorating his birth and his life. By remembering the symbolism behind the symbols, the holiday will take on more meaning in our lives.
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Advanced Scrabble Techniques
Advanced Scrabble Techniques
by Emma Snow
So you think you are ready to take your Scrabble game to the next level? You are considering membership in a Scrabble club, or entering a local tournament? How do you know if you are ready? You may be the family champion, having mastered the basics, but will your reputation hold up in the competitive arena?
Scrabble experts each have their own styles and opinions about what makes a champion, and this article covers four skills all agree are necessary to survive the cut.
The first advanced skill appearing on every expert's list is rack management. A play is good if it considers first, the points earned, and second, the leave. To play competitively, one must keep a balanced rack. While there is an element of luck in any draw, a player of skill knows when to sacrifice a higher point value for a better leave. In general, one should try to play longer words, in order to keep tile turn-over high, increasing the chance of getting the best letter combinations for bingos. Consonants and vowels should be kept in balance in order to avoid difficult scenarios. Tile tracking is one way players may decide between two good plays. If you know there are still several Os in play, you may opt to keep that I instead. And even after following the guidelines for the best rack management, an expert knows when to trade in tiles.
Second on the list is a player�s relationship with two special tiles: the blank and the S. Everything Scrabble authors, Joe Edley and John D. Williams, suggest players remember that �Blanks are for Bingos and S is for Scoring.� Although almost worthless at face value, these two tiles are in reality the most valuable tiles you can draw. Nothing is better than a blank for building a bingo. Good players use their blanks and high point tiles to lead them to bingos. (If you can�t find a bingo, but have a play that scores at least 20-30 points higher, only then should you play your blank.) As the saying goes, S is for scoring. It pluralizes most nouns, singularizes most verbs, and is invaluable as a letter to add in front of other words, all of which makes the S the best hook in the bag.
The third necessary skill mentioned by experts is vocabulary building. There are a number of ways to do this, from mnemonics, to wacky definitions, to memorizing anagram clusters. After the two letter word list, experts advise taking on the 3 letter words, emphasizing the words created with front and back extensions from the twos. Computers have been used to compile lists of words most likely to occur given the letter frequency in the game, and some players have memorized these lists to their benefit. Other bingo-hungry players memorize the 7-8 letter words, although some criticize this practice since the opportunities to use these words are so limited. Still others focus on words containing high-value tiles, or difficult letter combinations. The best advice when it comes to vocabulary building is to let your natural curiosity guide you, and learn words in small sets that you can master well enough to recognize when you can or cannot anagram a certain combination.
One final note that every Scrabble expert will point out involves using challenges and phony words appropriately. This may have never been a big deal when playing with friends and family, but in the competitive arena a game can hinge on this skill. First of all, get to know your opponent. Some players will put down a phony right at the beginning of the game just to see if you challenge it! There are some good reasons you may even want to play a phony, although you should never risk a win for it. This is a skill that requires good judgment, finesse, and style, and maybe even a poker face!
Working on these skills will certainly improve your game. If these suggestions are old news to you, maybe you are already prepared for the Scrabble circuit. Go ahead, sign up for a match. There is no better practice than the real thing.
About The Author
Understanding The Gay Teen
Understanding The Gay Teen
by Anne Wolski
In the past, it could be said that talking to your teens about sexuality was relatively straightforward. These discussions normally centred on the average heterosexual relationships without any reference to alternative sexualities such as homosexual and bisexual orientations. However, it is imperative in modern society to teach our children about alternative sexual orientations and tolerance of those differences.
Gay teens are one of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in society, facing the pressure and dangers of gay bashing' and other forms of homophobic bullying. There is a threefold likelihood of lesbian or gay teens being bullied than other youth.
These pressures in turn lead to a higher incidence of social isolation, alcohol and drug abuse, family problems, and low self esteem than their peers.
There is a relatively common belief that someone who is gay must have suffered some sexual trauma or has been influenced to make this decision by a gay adult. This is a myth as neither of these things influences sexuality. In the past, many have felt the need to hide their homosexuality and have lived their life feeling as though they are living a lie. However, in more recent times, teens are coming out' much more often and at a younger age.
Talking to parents about their sexuality can sometimes be difficult, if not seemingly impossible. If they have heard anti-gay conversations between their parents or others close to them, this may contribute to their fear. In some situations, these youth run away from home because they feel that they cannot deal with the reaction of their parents.
There are also many gay teens that are forced out of their homes by parents who are unable to deal with their teen's sexuality. Even for those who remain at home, the tension that occurs when the teen comes out' can push relationships between the parents and the child beyond breaking point. This can lead to verbal or even physical violent eruptions between both parties, leading to severe relational breakdown. The trauma of this resistance to the teen's sexual identity can be emotionally devastating. This resistance may be particularly high in parents who have been raised with the conviction that homosexuality is always wrong.
Becoming a teenager is already a big deal regardless of whether the person is heterosexual or homosexual but for the gay teen, the issues are far more frightening. Often, the teen is already having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he or she is homosexual and is already fearful of peoples' intolerance of them. The ultimate rejection by their parents on the basis of gender issues leaves the person feeling totally confused and isolated.
The incidence of suicide among gay teens is around three times that of their heterosexual counterparts though sexuality and gender issues are not in themselves, seen as a risk factor for suicide. However, the feelings of isolation and of being different can drive many to suicidal behaviour.
Perhaps the difference in acceptance of homosexuals could begin in what we teach children in earlier years. After all, bigotry is something that is learned from a young age. Make your children aware that any form of hatred and discrimination is unacceptable and instil these values as early as possible.
When discussing sexuality with your children, explain that homosexuals have not choice and that they need to be respected as people just as anyone else does.
Let's do what we can to stop contaminating the minds of our young and causing the discrimination against other people, whether based on race, religion, or sexual orientation.
Gay teenagers need empathy from those around them and from their healthcare provider. Otherwise, they may feel isolated and worthless, thus pressuring them into taking risks with their sexual health. Having sex with someone of the same gender does not eliminate the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and gay teens need to be aware of this and comfortable enough to discuss these problems with their doctor without fear of prejudice.
Becoming a teenager is a huge milestone for both teenagers and parents and it is particularly so when the teenager is gay. As parents, it is important to reassure the teenager that being gay really is okay and that, regardless of their sexual identity, you love them anyway.
Though the gay community has gained some civil rights over the years, it is important to continue the fight to erode the conservative views on gay issues. Only then can the gay community have the same freedoms as their heterosexual counterparts.
About The Author
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Powerful Flexibility With Rollback Rx
Powerful Flexibility With Rollback Rx
by Jacob Henderson
PC maintenance is a challenge for businesses today. Most corporations spend millions every month to keep their computers operational and running, constantly fixing computer problems and recovering lost data. They constantly encounter new viruses getting into their systems in spite of seemingly adequate prevention measures. Every time they update with new software patches, they have to be careful and prepared to fix computer issues if it goes wrong. More than anything else, they must be prepared for disaster recovery if there are network intrusions and identity thefts causing computers to crash indefinitely. The IT support is sometimes unable to identify the cause for such repairs. One way to avoid all this is by installing Rollback Rx, system restore software and the complete PC maintenance solution.
Protection Against Disasters
Just as better solutions are on the rise, so are new viruses, spyware and Trojans. Every computer is in danger of being infected. When a corporate network is involved the risk is exponentially high. The Rollback Rx software works as a perfect mate with antivirus software, totally compatible with it, to repair computer problems. Together, the two make a strong defense against virus attacks. But there are times when spyware comes disguised and anti virus programs may not detect them. In such cases, Rollback Rx is particularly useful because it helps to rollback any system to an earlier operational state, totally cleaning the computer of the suspect spyware. What would otherwise have meant several hours of downtime for the system is now reduced to something like three minutes per system. Almost every bit of data is recovered, with the remote possibility of a five per cent loss. And even if some systems are remotely located, Rollback Rx can still trouble shoot over a network.
Boon To Beta Testers
It is always a tricky thing to test new applications. There�s the risk of causing total failure. But with Rollback Rx as a safety net to fall back on, IT administrators can securely test new applications. If the deployment fails, with Rollback Rx, the system can be quickly rolled back to the point before the test was begun. It might have taken hours without Rollback, but with Rollback it only takes seconds to do a pc restore. This makes the risk of new application deployment low, with Rollback Rx.
Maintenance becomes a smooth operation with Rollback Rx. Unwanted software and spyware can be easily removed by doing a pc restore, thus allowing minimum chances of damage to the corporate network. With instant system restore, Rollback Rx software strengthens the capability of every PC.
About The Author
Rollback are available at http://www.horizondatasys.com/Default.aspx.
http://www.horizondatasys.com/195837.ihtml
http://www.horizondatasys.com/169614.ihtml
Can Adware Be Badware ?
Can Adware Be Badware ?
by Arvind Singh
Adware can so badly infect your system that that you have to end up reformatting the infected computer by literally wiping everything out and doing a fresh install. Use antispyware software or adware removal tool to remove the threatening adware.
Adware is major commercial business with lots of money in it. Sometimes you become so badly infected with malware adware that you have to end up reformatting the infected computer by literally wiping everything out and doing a fresh install.
Advertising is nothing new, and used responsibly and in the appropriate context, is useful and beneficial to the user. But in Internet advertising Adware is something we all have to be very careful about because of its dangerous activities once installed in our system, especially if we didn't consent to it. Any unauthorized program carries the risk of making our computers unstable. And if infected with adware, the system performs really slowly and crashes constantly.
Sometimes the system does not even boot up. On top of all this, when you try to clean up your badly adware infected system, you encounter serious problems. If there are too many adware items to remove your antispyware software or adware removal tool, your computer may not be able to handle the load. Moreover, after you remove the adware, it may have taken away the computer's ability to connect to the Internet.
Privacy And Security Risk
Adware acts like spyware, while threatening your privacy and security. It reports details about your browsing habits, every time you connect to the Internet, tracking what you type, what you search for and which advertisements interest you. When you surf the Web, a malware installation may very well alter your Internet Explorer security settings in such a way that it might show you treacherous sites as Trusted sites. You have the Trusted sites section so that you can be sure that these websites won't destroy your data or system. The problem about adware is that it adds deceitful sites to the trusted zone without our approval and knowledge.
If you use Windows XP and have Service Pack 2, you are supposed to be safe, but adware can be clever enough to exclude itself from list of popups to be blocked. It can even unblock itself from the Windows Firewall! Some adware use Trojan horses to conceal them so that antispyware software can't find them.
The concern with adware is even more severe when teenage kids are involved. They go to various sites to download lyrics and end up with a computer that becomes so infected with adware that it becomes a real challenge for an adware removal tool to tackle. Not only that, the adware keeps generating popups that are most unsuitable for the viewing of kids.
It is therefore, highly recommended that every computer must be installed with antispyware to ensure safety.
About The Author
To know about the Registry Cleaner visit at: http://www.pcmantra.com/registry-cleaner.htm
Know more about Registry Cleaner?
Read Articles at : http://www.pcmantra.com/RegistryCleanerResource.aspx
Learn Which Juice Extractor Is Right For You
Learn Which Juice Extractor Is Right For You
by Piers Crispin
What are Juice Extractors?
Juice extractors are electric machines from a variety of manufacturers such as Breville, Kenwood, Green Star, Omega, Champion, Jack Lalane, Samson and L'Equip that are used for the extraction of juice from fruit and vegetables. Juice extractors are perfect for healthy, refreshing and freshly blended treats like fruit and vegetable juices. Juice extractors are the best way to get great tasting nutritious drinks. Juice extractors are not the same as citrus juicers, which are designed to remove the juice from citrus fruit and nothing more. Juice extractors are perfectly suitable for making juice of soft and hard fruits and vegetables as well. Orange, apple and grape juice are all excellent juices that should be included in a healthy diet. Carrots, wheatgrass and barley grass have many outstanding health properties.
Types of Juice Extractors
Typically, automatic juice extractors are categorized into Centrifugal Juicers or Masticating Juicers. Centrifugal Juicers use cutters that shred the food into small pieces that are spun in a basket (where the centrifuge comes in) to extract the juice from the pulp. These centrifugal juice extractors can create oxidation that degrades nutrients over time which means that the juice should be drunk right away. Masticating Juicers "chew" the food up and are lower speed units that produce a higher quality juice because they produce less oxidation and release more nutrients. The juices produced have a longer shelf life. There is also a third type of juice extractors and these are the Hydraulic Press Juicers such as the Norwalk Juicer which cuts and grates the produce using a vortex triturator, with the resulting mass extracted into a linen bag which is then placed under a hydraulic press. The hydraulic press then exerts a huge downforce that sees the extraction from the Norwalk Juicer of 50%-100% more juice than other juicers. These juice extractors produce very little oxidation and are touted to make the highest nutrient juice, but are also much more expensive than the centrifugal or masticating juice extractors.
Which is the Best Juice Extractor?
The answer to this really lies with the user. The fastest juice extractors are the centrifugal juicers, but they are unable to handle leafy greens and wheatgrass as well as the other types. The hydraulic press extractors produce the best juice but are very expensive. And the masticating juicer requires more physical effort. So, to pick one machine from one manufacturer is not possible with each manufacturer having a range of home, commercial, pro or professional juice extractors. When buying a juice extractor, the best way is to decide which features you require in a machine, the type of juice you want to extract, whether from fruit such as apples, vegetables such as carrots or leafy greens such as wheatgrass, and the power needed.
About The Author
Monday, February 25, 2008
Wine Labels Decoded
Wine Labels Decoded
by Ken Finnigan
Even for the avid wine drinker, deciding on a bottle of wine can be a daunting task with so many varieties of wine on the market today. Wine labels don�t help either with the various terms in foreign languages and the small print. Sometimes reading a wine label makes you feel like you need a secret decoder ring, but rest assured that this is not to confuse you the customer, but rather to help you. The information on the label is there to tell you about the wine and also the winery and conditions of production. Once you have an idea of what to look for on a wine label, deciphering it shouldn�t require much effort.
The Brand Name: This is the name of the company that has produced the wine. Most often this is the name of the winery or bottler if the winery has several different brands.
Vintage: Most wines will carry the vintage somewhere on the bottle, although this is not a mandatory requirement and will not be on all bottles. A vintage is the year that the grapes used were harvested. Most wine producing countries have laws that require at least 85 percent of the grapes used to be harvested in the specified year of vintage although in the United States this figure can be as high as 95 percent.
Appellation of Origin: This is the geographical area where the grapes were grown, for example �California� or more a more specific vineyard. Most countries have strict laws regarding an appellation classification, which is why like the vintage; at least 85 percent of the grapes used must be from their specified region.
Wine Type: This specifies the grapes used to make the wine. Again this can be as broad as �Red Table Wine� or as specific as Merlot or Chardonnay. Most wine producing countries allow the use of some non-varietal grapes in the blend. In Europe and Australia, at least 85 percent of the wine�s content must be from the named varietals, while in some parts of the United States this figure is much lower at about 75 percent.
Producer and Bottler: What this part of the bottle signifies varies greatly depending on where the bottle of wine originates from. If grapes are harvested and bottled at the winery it is considered to be �estate bottled� and the label will state this using Mise en bouteille(s) au Chateau (French), Gutsabf�llung/Erzeugerabf�llung (German) or simply Estate Bottled.
According to Napa Valley Vintners online (napavintners.com) it is even more specific for American bottled wines and the terminology even more specifically determines how the wine was bottled: ��Produced and bottled by� certifies that the bottler fermented 75% or more of the wine. Used in combination with other information on the label, such as a vineyard, this term provides the consumer with significant information about the origin of the wine and who is responsible for its production. �Cellared and bottled by� indicates that the bottler has aged the wine or subjected it to cellar treatment before bottling. �Made and bottled by� indicates that the bottler fermented at least 75% of the wine (10% before July 28, 1994). �Bottled by� indicates that the winery bottled the wine, which may have been grown, crushed, fermented, finished, and aged by someone else.�
Other Required Information: This depends on what country the wine is from. For example, wines sold in the United States are required to have (at least on the back label) alcohol content, contents size, and consumer warnings from the Surgeon General as well as a sulphite warning while in Germany wine are required to have an Amptliche Pr�fungs Nummer which is a number received while in testing. The famous wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace in France will carry the term Cru somewhere on the label to indicate that the wine is from a town or producer of high quality.
While this still might be very overwhelming, when looked at from a point of view of the winemaker, a wine label really is there to help you as the consumer, not hinder your decision making. Everything on a wine label is there to inform you of where the wine came from and how it was produced, and while it might take you a lifetime to be able to completely understand every single term that is put on a wine bottle, being able to understand the basics will be advantageous. It is important to remember that rules will vary from country to country as to what is required to be on a wine bottle or specific terms used. What might be required in France might not be required in Chile.
About The Author
Scam Alert II: Domain Hijacking
Scam Alert II: Domain Hijacking
by Douglas Miller
There's a frightening new batch of scams going around now that can damage your reputation as domain "squatters" steal your domain name.
There are a number of ways the "game" is played. The first is entirely legal, if more than a little questionable. In this version, the name of a city or geographic area is grabbed by a domain squatter and pointed to... "sites that you wouldn't want your children visiting."
(We chose that term to avoid getting caught in a lot of spam filters for the use of the word "p-o-rn.")
A prominent notice is placed on the sites, offering them for sale at prices that range from $2500 to as much as $500,000!
The idea here is that city officials will feel that enough damage is being done to the reputations of their towns that they'll pay to keep them from being associated with that type of material.
It's obviously safe to say that it's not appropriate to pop those kinds of images into people's faces while they're looking for info on a completely different topic.
That's where the pressure on the cities comes from, and why this is such a disgusting scheme.
In essence, the domain squatter says: "Pay us, or continue to watch as your city's reputation suffers."
Many would call this blackmail...
~~~
The second variation on the theme is not always legal. When someone takes a trademarked name (or variation of the spelling of one) or a famous person's name, and does the same thing.
For trademarks or close variations, there's a specific procedure for addressing the problem. (See the resource section at the end of this issue.)
For the names of famous people, there MAY be a remedy. But, it can be tricky -- and expensive.
For example, if someone named John Jones registered http://WalterCronkite.com and pointed it to one of "those" sites, Walter Cronkite could probably force the domain away from him.
However, if someone named Steve Cronkite registered http://Cronkite.com and did the same thing, Walter Cronkite would have no recourse. It would be very hard to demonstrate that Steve registered the domain in bad faith. And if Steve's son's name is Walter, the same is true for http://WalterCronkite.com.
If you feel that your name is likely to be typed into a browser when people are looking for information on you, you should consider getting both the .com and .net versions of the domain if they're available.
It will cost you a few bucks to prevent the problem. Fixing it, assuming you win, will cost you hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars.
And there's no guarantee you'll win.
~~~
A third version is a bit more benign. It's common among members of affiliate programs.
In this version names very close to, or even including, the trademark are registered. The sites are created to drive traffic to the affiliates' URL at the main site.
This may or may not be acceptable to the affiliate program owner. If it is, it's a good technique for getting traffic. If not, it could get you into hot water. Check with the owner of the trademark before doing this.
Less benign is an alternative version of this technique where someone grabs domain names that are close to the trademark of a competitor and uses them to grab competitor type-in traffic. This is often done by finding out the most common misspellings of the real domain name or trademark.
Watch for people doing this with your domain.
~~~
Here's the worst version of this -- and it can hit anyone if they have enough traffic and don't pay close attention to when their domain registrations expire.
In this situation, someone grabs expired domain names and points them to "those" kinds of sites. This is a "no lose" for the hijacker, as they will profit from the traffic even if the previous owner doesn't pay the requested ransom for the domain.
The more traffic the URL gets, the greater the clickthrough value to the hijacker. This means more potential damage to the original owner -- and a higher ransom to get it back.
In effect, your own popularity is your worst enemy in this case.
The solution to this one is simple -- and very important: Don't let your domain names expire!
Useful Resources:
If you find yourself a victim of domain hijacking, there is hope for correcting the problem.
For a more formal explanation of the legal aspects of this problem, visit
http://www.llrx.com/congress/100200.htm
For specific information on the UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy), the procedure for taking domain names that are being used in violation of a trademark, see
http://wipo2.wipo.int/process1/index.html
For information on taking action under the Anti-Cybersquatting Act (A US law that provides for damages in addition to the less severe penalties of the UDRP) see
http://www.domain-name.org/cybersquatact.htm
If you have a famous name or trademark, the best defense is to make sure that you register the main variations in both the .com and .net form. The .org is probably only necessary if you are heavily involved with charitable activities.
Protect yourself. Scammers come up with new schemes all the time...
So, keep your eyes open.
About The Author
Optimize Your Office Space And Productivity With Ergonomic LCD Monitor Arms
Optimize Your Office Space And Productivity With Ergonomic LCD Monitor Arms
by Jimmy Dunn
LCD Arms
LCD Arms has revolutionized the world of monitor mounts through decades of research and testing, flawlessly combining sleek design and cutting-edge ergonomic innovation to conserve precious desk space and improve performance.
The basic LCD Arm consists of an arm of varying length, sometimes mounted to a pole, always mountable to a desk or wall. This arm has a VESA adapter plate at one end, designed to hold all VESA monitors (the vast majority of all monitors are VESA-compliant). Depending on the make and model, some arms will include mounts for a mouse and keyboard, or for multiple monitors. All of the mounts provide an impressive range of motion from a remarkably small footprint on your desk or floor.
Why Ergonomics?
For as long as most of us can remember, technology has been advancing at a stunning pace, and the results have been tangible: We have put men on the moon, can fit entire databases of music into our back pocket and have devices in our cars that make it so we never have to ask for directions again.
Unfortunately, the price of progress is often paid with bleary eyes, aching backs and carpal tunnel syndrome by those who interact with our technological devices.
Enter the concept of ergonomics - the adaptation of machine to man. Ergonomic products are designed to enhance the interface between technology and the human form. Ergonomics is the science of identifying the physical points of stress, and then minimize or eliminate that stress through superior design.
Why LCD Arms? Space Management
Monitor arms as a whole find their greatest value in space management. From classrooms to dental offices, from the stock market to a home office, space is at a premium and the effective management of that space is essential. An LCD arm or pole mount provides the full use of a monitor at the most comfortable viewing angle while virtually eliminating the monitor�s footprint on the desk. The arm itself folds down to occupy a space as small as 3 inches wide in some cases.
Versatility
A typical LCD Arm consists of up to three joints, each one boasting a full 360-degrees of rotation. The arm can be adjusted up and down, left and right, and front and back, with additional articulation and rotation available at the joint between monitor and arm. Equally versatile, the FLEXmount system provides six mounting options, including desktop and grommet clamp, thru-desk bolt, and wall mounting.
Ease of Use
Most monitor arms use numerous clamps, bolts and knobs for adjustment, leaving the user in constant danger of �monitor drooping,� a condition caused by chronically loose joints. LCD Arms monitor arms, however, employ an elegantly simple system powered by a pressurized spring that �floats� the monitor above the desktop. Repositioning is literally as simple as the touch of a single finger, no doohickeys to tighten or training needed.
Multiple Applications
LCD Arms touts the most extensive and comprehensive collection of monitor arms solutions on the planet. Their award-winning EVO line includes adapters that will hold laptops and tablet PCs along with monitor arms. And keep your eye out for the Cricket, an adjustable portable laptop stand that folds up to fit into a bag or pocket, available sometime in Fall of �07.
Apple users, don�t feel left out. LCD Arms� iLift and CinemaLift designs are the only line of monitor arms specifically designed for Apple iMac and Cinema Displays.
Health care professionals love LCD Arms because of the intuitive use, maximum flexibility, and durability. It�s incredibly handy for a dentist to be able to simply pull a monitor from the wall to the chair to show her patient their x-rays, and effective use of space is crucial in hospital environments.
Apple users, don�t feel left out. LCD Arms� iLift and CinemaLift designs constitute the only lines of monitor arms specifically designed for Apple iMac and Cinema Displays.
If you haven't read about your work situation here yet, contact one of LCD Arms' vendors. They'll work with you to customize a solution for your home, office, or school.
Basically, whoever you are, wherever your computer is, your work (or the work of those you manage) will benefit from the strategic employment of an LCD Arms monitor. And if you're still not sure that an LCD monitor arm is best for your situation, give one a try. You won't ever switch back.
About The Author
Choosing Baby Bedding for Your Marvelous Baby
Choosing Baby Bedding for Your Marvelous Baby
by Nathalie Fiset,M.D.
When you choose bedding for your baby the one which can guarantee optimum baby bedding safety and coziness to your baby is your only option and the best fabric for is 100 percent cotton.
Following are descriptions of the different types of bedding available for each type of baby furniture.
- Crib Bedding. For the first year of the baby's life, the crib is its ideal bed. Cribs are available many different types and they all need to be durable and strong. You can choose the standard crib or go for a more expensive crib such as a convertible / portable crib which is ideal for traveling. It is best to choose the crib from a reputable company and the one you decide on must have no protruding pieces that the baby could knock against and hurt itself. All screws and bolts etc need to be securly fastened and you should check these often.
- Bassinet Bedding. These are suitable for the baby for the first 3 or 4 months only. A perfect bassinet will have a soft mattress and a blanket. It should be made of a soft material with ideally the color blending with the baby's room colors, design and decor.
- Cradle bedding. Cradles have a gentle rocking motion which ensures that your baby sleeps soundly. Light colored cradles are preferred by parents because they not only look attractive but you can notice when they get wet.
- Baby blankets. Blankets should be of a soft material and of course must be non-toxic. Today there are many types of blankets to choose from that are soft, smooth and pleasant smelling with attractive and eye pleasing colors.
Bedding for the baby could differ depending on whether it is a boy or a girl, or alternatively it could be gender neutral as well. The color combination and cute looking cartoons are common to both the baby boys and baby girls.
For the girls, the baby bedding is often in shades of pink, light blue and purples, and a baby girl's bed is laid out fit for a princess. A baby boy's bed is sometimes sport oriented, themed around super sport heroes, wrestling personalities or football and baseball stars. The colors tend to be darker and bolder for boys, often blue but also reds and intermingled with dark blue or black.
There is no hard and fast rule for baby bedding. You will see a lot of neutral nursery bedding themes with cartoons such as Disney and Popeye characters or cute animations.
The baby in its first few years is too small to understand the difference about having gender specific cartoons and animals and they are attracted to anything which is coloful; if it is pleasing to your eyes and makes you smile, it will do the same for your baby. When they get a little older, little boys would feel a little awkward having his bed done in pinks and pastels!
When baby girls grow older, their bedroom could have blinds with the curtains hanging on rods above. This gives the bed somewhat a princess bed appearance - afterall, that baby girls of yours is a princess, isn't she!
Bedding is one interesting aspect where there are a lot of options for the parent - choosing the kinds and textures of sheets and the choices of colors and baby bedding patterns. It is up to you if you choose gender neutral baby bedding or something which would make your baby girl feel like a princess or your baby boy feel like a superhero!
About The Author
The Adverse Effects Of Technology - Part II
The Adverse Effects Of Technology - Part II
by Tim Bryce
My earlier article entitled "Adverse Effect of Technology" resulted in an avalanche of e-mail from readers, all predominantly favorable. In that article I put forth an observation that "As the use of technology increases, social skills decreases." I want to take this concept a little further herein.
Before we had computers and the sophisticated communication devices we now have in the work place, there was a lot of manual processing involved. Orders were processed manually, as were shipments, financial transactions, and many other business processes. All involved considerable paperwork with documents, reports, journals, logs, spreadsheets, etc. We of course used the latest technology of the day which included such things as typewriters, adding machines, filing systems, cash registers, and tabulating equipment. Nonetheless, the emphasis was on manual processing which meant we were forced to work together, like it or not, hence the need for better interpersonal communications. In other words, out of sheer necessity we were forced to socialize in order for the company to function properly. Since the business processes were so laborious, companies would worry about losing time on a task, hence the need for long range planning.
Today, electronic automation is used to implement just about every business process in a company. The idea of operating without computer support or electronic communications is unimaginable. True, such devices have been able to expedite the processes, but in doing so people no longer have to interact in order to fulfill their jobs, hence the breakdown in interpersonal communications. And because our tasks are not as laborious as they once were, the technology allows us to make changes on the fly. Consequently, long range planning has been sacrificed and reactionary management practices have taken their place. In reality, long range planning is still very much needed in order to remain competitive in a world economy, but this is not the mindset in today's corporate cultures anymore.
As I mentioned in my article, we have developed an overt dependency on our technology which results in three areas of concern: first, that a company comes to a standstill when the power is disrupted (we can no longer perform the business processes); second, it tends to emphasize short-term planning as opposed to long range (whereby we are content to perform small tasks), and; third, basic interpersonal relations are negatively affected because we are no longer forced to interact with others.
Again, I am most definitely not anti-technology, but neither am I anti-human socialization. If I have learned anything in the 30+ years of experience in the information systems industry, it is that people matter most of all; that it is people who use information, not technology; that projects and business processes are executed by human-beings, not robots; that it is the human-being which is of paramount importance in everything.
I have always found it rather easy to teach people technology, In fact, it is relatively easy to program a person to use a particular device. But it is much more difficult to teach them the socialization skills to effectively interact with others. This is why our corporate slogan remains, "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."
If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.
About The Author
You can find his work on the Internet at:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/timbryce.htm
He can be contacted at: timb001@phmainstreet.com
Copyright © 2007 Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Why Photographers Need To Use Camera Downloader Program?
Why Photographers Need To Use Camera Downloader Program?
by Martin Brinn
As a digital camera owner you may not be surprised to learn that digital import software to automate image transfer from your card-reader or digital camera is important. Everyone needs to get their images from point A the camera to point B the computer and we need this task performed with the minimum of fuss and bother. As photographers we are all aware that there are occasions when we will need images rotated or some pictures may require a little resolution correction. Using professional digital camera downloader program like RoboImport to automate photo transfer and to perform some image adjustments easily manages mundane digital camera workflow tasks.
When purchasing your new digital camera it may come with program that claims to be the �gift with your purchase�, some quaint little image viewer. Usually this digital camera import software is offered on a trial basis or it is the bare minimum quality, if it�s any good at all. With the lower cost of digital cameras today many don�t even come with any digital camera downloader software at all, in fact if you�re lucky your camera package might come with a driver for your computer for digital camera communication but nothing else at all. Some new images may believe that since their new camera did not come with any special digital camera workflow program, it�s not required. Unaware that the uploading photographs from their camera does not require time consuming steps. They will begin by creating folders, then picking photos out one by one and face the next process of cataloguing and arranging. This is simply unthinkable for photographers or even new photography enthusiasts who have thousands of photographs to process and organize.
Digital camera workflow program specifically developed to transfer your photos from your camera to your PC does far more than automate the picture transfer process. Any program that would just perform just this task is really quite inadequate. Photographers require professional digital camera workflow software such as RoboImport. This recommended digital camera workflow program will detect the camera connection for us photographers that may not be seasoned computer experts. RoboImport will create the required folders to transfer the images into, and even rename it accordingly. Some less professional digital camera import program may present a problem during the upload process by duplicating filenames and sadly overwriting other treasured photographs that may be present in the computer. RoboImport takes the precaution of renaming pictures from the standard number your digital camera presets, by reading and recording the EXIF information of the photographs to create a unique code representing the date and time the photo was photographed. The complete EXIF information including your cameras make, model and settings will also be transferred with your images, retaining this information is absolutely necessary for professional photographers.
RoboImport will also rotate images when required, correct image resolution (DPI) and add any further IPTC-NAA information to the photos you would like to include. When managing hundreds of images this is an exceptional time saving feature. Wildlife and travel photographers are also considered with the added ability of RoboImport to include GPS coordinates of the photos location.
Professional photographers who do not have access to their RAW photos do not do their work any justice. JPEG images are not as good in quality and are prone to bleeding and blurring the photographer was not responsible for, and certainly their camera did not create, this is a result of the compression required to convert photographs JPEG images or other formats. RoboImport saves both the RAW image file and the JPEG image in separate folders giving the photographer the photograph they really took, as security and backup against format conversion damage.
Excellent digital camera workflow program like RoboImport will also open your Picajet photo manager, or other available digital photo manager you might have on hand for further assessment of your photographs. The time and fuss saved by using software to automate image transfer gives the photographer back their time to spend on the tasks they want to be performing, like taking masterpiece photos.
To learn more please visit RoboImport�s home page:
http://picajet.com/en/index.php?page=Digital-Image-Management-Software
About The Author
A 31 years old photographer and writer with in-depth coverage of a wide range of subjects: digital photo software review, travel, scenics, people, geography, lens review, luxury foods and handcrafted products. Based in Phoenix, Arizona state of US, I am available for assignments anywhere, but consider this area and USA, where I have lived for nearly 20 years, a specialty.
http://www.picajet.com?writer=martinbrinn