Tips on choosing the right boat prop

It is important that you choose the right engine or prop for your boat if you want it to operate at the manufacturer's maximum recommended engine RPM and if you want something suitable to the type of boating you do. If you have an engine that doesn’t reach the recommended RPM when at full throttle then you will be getting an over propped condition which leads to lugging.

Placing this much strain on the engine can lead to damage. If an engine goes beyond the recommended RPM then it will experience higher than normal wear. This is why selecting the right propeller is important in the performance of your boat. The following tips will help you to choose the right prop for your boat.

When it comes to boat propellers they are often described by the diameter and pitch. If you have a smaller engine or boat you will generally want a smaller diameter prop. If you have a lower pitch on your prop then you will have greater acceleration and pulling power. A higher pitch prop will make your boat go faster but only if the engine has enough power to keep the RPMs at their optimum range. So make sure you select a prop size or diameter and pitch that works within the correct RPM range for your engine.

Next you need to consider the number of blades on the prop. Just a slight change in the number of blades may require a minimal adjustment in the diameter and pitch to keep the RPMs within their proper range. Generally you can use a three to four blade prop without having to worry about much of a change in performance.

The biggest difference between the three and four blade propeller is the handling. Three blade propellers are preferred for general or all-purpose use since they give good acceleration and control with excellent top speed performance. On the other hand, the four-blade option is best for those who want great acceleration, more bow lift and excellent pinpoint steering.

Now you should consider the material used in constructing the propeller. Propellers are typically made out of composite, aluminum or stainless steel. Composite propellers are preferred for good performance, durability and a low price. Aluminum propellers are the most common and have the widest range of applications. Stainless steel is the most expensive but give you the best in performance and durability.

Finally you should consider cupped propellers. These have special curved trailing edges that help the propeller to maintain their performance at a higher level if you want to take the corners tighter. If you want to achieve a higher top-end speed performance. These types of propellers also help to provide more efficient fuel consumption.

The main goal of choosing a proper boat propeller is to select one that allows the engine to achieve its optimal wide-open throttle. This is typically between 5000 and 5500 RPM for outboard motors and 4400 to 4800 for stern drives or depending on the type of engine you have. You can find the specific information through the owner’s manual of your boat or engine.

Which business credit card is best for you

If you have been a customer for long enough with a particular bank, they may offer business credit card facilities to you. That would be convenient, and the processing and approval of your business credit card application is likely to receive the fast-track treatment. But it may not necessarily be the best business credit card for your needs, so it won’t hurt to look around at what’s available before making your final decision.

There is intense competition these days in the business credit card market. This certainly is to your advantage. Here are some things for you to consider before choosing a business credit card provider:

Paying Off Your Balance: The Business credit card packages on offer from the various credit card issuers differ, as do the terms and conditions of use. You should determine whether you will be paying the full outstanding balance when it falls due or whether you intend making part payments towards this balance. If it is you intention to pay the full amount, you will probably be better off with a charge card, where all charges made are payable within 30 days. Charge cards set no spending limits. If it is you intention to make part payments, a business credit card would be appropriate as it affords you the opportunity to pay off the balance over time. Credit cards normally have set spending limits.

Getting Your Rewards: If you are a frequent traveler, you can get business credit cards that offer you the opportunity to earn miles. Check for mile earnings ceilings and the amount of miles earned per $100 spent, when making your comparison. Beyond these travel points, you can also qualify for discounts or accumulate points for purchases made on your business credit card at participating merchants. The rewards system on most business credit cards are often designed to benefit small business owners. Be sure to read the fine print. It may be that some cards include fees and interest rates that negate any value you may receive from their rewards system.

Picking the Business Credit Card Issuer: One is really spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting credit card issuers. Naturally the biggest players are the huge national banks. Often the regional bank or local bank where you already keep your business accounts, may provide their business customers with attractively packaged business credit card offers, in order to retain their custom.

What is important to note is that whilst there are many companies that issue business credit cards, there are only a few card brands worth considering: Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover. While you are shopping for a business credit card, it you should make a point of obtaining information from these card companies directly. They have business divisions - including one for small businesses - that can provide you with details on the business credit card options that would best suit your needs.

Monitoring Employee Spending: You can arrange for business credit cards to be issued to your key people. This will give you an effective means to monitor representation and business expenses. If you feel that a particular employee has abused the privilege, you should be able to call the bank and they should be able to give you a solution. You would not want to get stuck with having to pay unnecessary bills. You may want to reduce the charge ceilings for your employees in addition to them signing a legal undertaking to cover you should they end up abusing the cards.

Finding a business credit card that closely matches your business’ specific requirements has never been easier. Thanks to the competition between issuers, you also have the opportunity to pay reasonable fees and receive preferential treatment. For business owners, this is a fortuitous set of circumstances indeed.

Great cappuccino

If you want to get a great cake for dessert, you would go to a bakery to get it wouldn't you? That is, unless you are a great baker yourself. So if you want to have the best coffee beans, shouldn't you go to a coffee bean baker? Well, perhaps they won't be called coffee bean bakers, but these specialty shops are in the business of baking coffee bean nice and fresh. If you have ever used freshly baked coffee beans in your cappuccino maker to make cappuccino, you will know what the fuss is about. Many of these stores are real specialty locations and employ skilled roasters who roast the beans by hand, ensuring consistency and perfection throughout.

This type of roasting is truly an art, and the specialists who do it consider themselves artists. Each coffee bean is examined for size, shape, color and density. Each of these factors will affect how the bean roasts. A larger bean needs to be roasted longer, for example. When each bean is treated individually in this way, the result is a perfect blend of flavor. You cannot compare a supermarket cake to a cake from a master baker; you cannot compare beans roasted individually with mass roasted beans.

These specialist coffee roasters also specialize in deep roasting. All coffees are roasted, but an expert coffee roaster will know the exact way to roast a particular bean so that every quality of the bean is brought out to its fullest extent. This method will bring out the most of the flavor of the bean while reducing its acidity. It results in a perfectly roasted bean and a perfect coffee, one that you can feel by its unique combination of smoothness and energy on your tongue.

The main secret of this is slow roasting. Slow roasting is more time consuming and therefore more expensive, but a master coffee roaster will watch over the beans he is roasting and make sure the process is unfolding as it should. A bean will not be over roasted since he is watching so closely, and under roasted beans do not make the grade.

If you would like to learn how to test for proper roasting of beans, just crack one of your roasted coffee beans open. A properly roasted coffee bean will be darker inside than outside. If a bean has not been properly roasted, the bean will be darker on the outside than on the outside since the whole process was rushed. Do this test yourself, and you will make sure you have properly roasted beans.

Living with and treating migraine headaches

Stress leads the list of all psychological triggers for migraine headaches and may be the most common migraine trigger of all. Understanding stress and how it effects your life could help you cope better with migraines.

Think of specific things you can add to or take away from your daily routine to reduce stress and help avoid migraine headache pain. Keep a note of the results and discuss them with your doctor.

Get enough rest. One of the best ways to do this is set regular bedtime and waking up times each day so that your body clock regulates itself. It may take 2 to 3 weeks for your body to adapt to this new routine, so it is important to set times and stick with them. Gradually, as your body begins to get used to these times your stress levels should reduce along with the frequency of migraine headaches.

Find an exercise you enjoy and stick with it. Exercise not only fortifies your body, but helps with "resting" your mind. You tend to forget all your worries when exercising. Try mild aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, for 20 to 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week.

Eat sensibly and have regular meals. Eat foods that are migraine trigger-free for you. Cut down on processed and overly sugary items. To avoid temptation, don’t have them in the house. Keep in mind that processed and sugary foods are not good for your body and can actually increase stress levels.

Headaches can be caused by ordinary foods that most of us eat every day. But cutting out common food triggers from your diet does not mean that you have to sacrifice tasty meals.

When it comes to migraines, decaffeinated coffee, fruit juice and sparkling water are better choices for beverages than caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. If you choose to have an alcoholic drink, stick with single measures and alternate an alcoholic drink with water.

Dairy products can also be common triggers for migraines. Try reducing or cutting out dairy items from your diet for a month to see if this makes a difference to your migraines.

Meats such as corned beef, hot dogs and pickled herring are "cured meats," and contain an ingredient called sodium nitrate, which can trigger a headache. Instead, consider poultry or freshly purchased and prepared meats.

Identify areas of stress in your life and begin working to improve them. Share your problems, concerns, and thoughts with others. Don’t keep them to yourself. Sharing a problem can provide almost instant relief and you may find that others have constructive suggestions for solving issues. Also, have the courage to say "no" to people who place unwanted demands on your time.

Learn how to relax. If you sit down to rest, do not immediately pick up the phone, read a magazine or turn on the TV. Try out relaxation tapes to help you unwind and relax. You’ll find them at most music or bookstores. You can also search the Internet for tapes specifically designed to help prevent migraine headaches.

If you are suffering with Migraines, you should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps.

Rights of a mortgagor all that you need to know about mortgages

Rights of a Mortgagor!

The transfer of Property Act confers certain rights to a mortgagor. The mortgagor has these rights after payment of the mortgage money to the mortgagee.

A mortgagee should deliver the mortgage deed and all documents relating to the mortgaged property which are in his possession to the mortgagor. In case the mortgagee is in possession of the mortgaged property, he is liable to deliver possession to the mortgagor.

The mortgagee is also liable to re-transfer the mortgaged property to the mortgagor or to any other third person as he may direct. He may also have to execute and have registered an acknowledgement in writing that his rights in the property have been extinguished. This right is called right to redeem. In case of any violation, the mortgagor may file a suit to enforce it. This is called a suit for redemption.

Generally, a person interested in a share only of a mortgaged property cannot ask redeem that share only, on payment of a proportionate part of the amount remaining due

on the mortgage. A mortgagor is entitled to redemption only on the fulfilment of conditions agreed with the mortgagee. The mortgagor may require that, instead of re-transferring the property to himself, the mortgagee assigns the mortgage debt and transfers the mortgaged property to a third person as the mortgagor may direct. The mortgagee is bound to assign and transfer accordingly.

A mortgagor who has executed two or more mortgages in favour of the same mortgagee should, when the principal money of any two or more of the mortgages has become due, be entitled to redeem any one mortgage separately.

Where the mortgaged property in possession of the mortgagee has, during the continuance of the mortgage, received any accession, the mortgagor, upon redemption, is entitled to such accession.

Where a mortgaged property in possession of a mortgagee has been improved during the continuance of the mortgage, the mortgagor is entitled to the improvement. The mortgagor is not liable to pay the cost of the improvement. In case where any such improvement was effected at the cost of the mortgagee and was necessary to preserve the property from destruction or deterioration, or was necessary for its security, the mortgagor is liable to pay the cost.

These rights may be enforced by the mortgagor or by any encumbrancer. In case there are multiple encumbrances for the same property, the requisition of a prior encumbrancer will prevail over that of a subsequent encumbrancer.

A mortgagor is entitled to inspect and make copies or abstracts of documents of title relating to the mortgaged property which are in the custody or power of the mortgagee.

The mortgagor will have to bear the costs. In case the mortgaged property is on a lease and the mortgagee obtains a renewal of the lease, the mortgagor, upon redemption, will have the benefit of the new lease.

How to avoid phishing scams

In today’s world the Internet is becoming as common as sliced bread. Most people use it to send e-mails, browse for information, carry out banking transactions, and shop. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that some people are embracing the technology for less-than-kosher purposes. Phishing scams in particular are a major concern. Luckily, if you want to avoid becoming the next victim of identity theft, there are ways to protect yourself from harm.

What exactly is phishing (pronounced “fishing”)? Phishers use e-mail, brand hijacking, and scare tactics to catch uninformed people off guard and steal their private information. Usually these scammers operate by sending out a whole bunch of spam e-mails to a long list of recipients. Each message is made to look as if it comes from a trustworthy company, such as eBay or a big banking institution.

The second element of the e-mail involves an appeal to your emotions. To achieve this goal, the sender claims there is a problem or crisis that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. The e-mails use urgent, professional language, and request personal information. They may even direct you to a spoofed web page where you are asked to input the requested data.

If you visit the fake website, it may appear to be authentic, and oftentimes the true URL is even masked to hide the fact that the website isn’t legitimate. The website asks you to provide confidential information in order to solve the “issue,” which might include social security numbers, account numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information. Phishers base their attempts on the hope that a few fish in the sea will be tricked into believing the e-mail and web page to be genuine, and hand over their personal information without realizing their mistake – until it’s too late.

Unfortunately, phishers are beginning to employ more insidious tactics, such as planting spyware viruses, to try and get your personal information. Often these viruses are designed to remain dormant until they can easily snatch your sensitive data. Once the virus is on your computer system, your Internet activities are monitored so that when you visit a specific site (one that requires you to log in, for example) the virus takes action and either diverts you to a fraudulent site or logs your keystrokes as you enter relevant passwords, account numbers, and other such information. If you don’t have virus and spyware protection software, contracting a spyware virus is a very real threat.

In the face of an increase in phishing scams, it’s necessary to learn how to avoid them, if you can. But there is good news. You can keep from being a phishing victim, just by following a few simple measures:

Being informed about spam e-mails and spoofed websites is one of the best ways to guard against falling victim to a phishing attempt. If you know what to look out for and can recognize key factors in fraudulent e-mails, you’ll be able to keep your identity as safe as possible. For instance, spam e-mails may contain the company’s logo and appear official, but when you look closely, there are several warning signs that can give scammers away. Sometimes the e-mails have spelling mistakes or the language doesn’t sound quite right. But the best indicator is the request itself – legitimate companies never ask for you to verify your account, or to send your account information via e-mail. If you want to make sure everything is safe with your account, simply direct yourself to the website (without clicking any links within the suspicious e-mail) and log in directly to check on things, or call to confirm the sender’s identity and the truth of the request. Do not send the information online.

Secondly, don’t become frightened by the urgency of an e-mail or feel under pressure to answer immediately, without a second thought. Scare tactics are common when it comes to phishing, as a means to extract private information from unsuspecting people. Often the e-mail will declare that your account will be shut down until you provide the necessary data, but in reality, organizations don’t conduct business in such a manner. Again, if you’re concerned about your account, call the institution directly to verify the matter.

A generic e-mail request is another indicator of a phishing scam. Because scammers tend to send out spam to a large number of people, the e-mails they send aren’t usually personalized. Authentic e-mails that arrive from your bank or other official organization include your name.

Never click on a link embedded in an e-mail message. Always visit the site on your own by typing it into your web browser and visiting it directly. That will ensure that you arrive at a legitimate site, at which point you can log in and check on the status of your account.

And never send confidential information to the sender by filling out a form present in the e-mail. Again, use your common sense and send the information over the phone or by visiting the website directly.

When entering credit card numbers and other important data online through a website, check that the site is authentic and utilizes encryption to secure the information. You can verify this by looking for a “locked” icon in one corner of your browser. The web address should also begin with “https” rather than a “http.”

But be careful: some phishing sites put fake lock icons on their web pages. For inexperienced web surfers, this might be an effective trick. To avoid falling into this trap, ensure that the lock icon is located in the browser’s window frame, rather than in the actual web page. And know that a secure site doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a site is legitimate. URL masking techniques have the ability to make fake addresses appear to be those of actual secure companies. If you doubt the site’s authenticity, call the site’s owner.

Another way to evade scam artists is by keeping your browser and operating system updated. Download and install all patches and upgrades so that you are caught up with all the latest security updates.

Install an excellent personal firewall, antivirus software, antispyware software and antispam protection. Because these programs reduce the amount of e-mail phishing scams that come your way, and keep malicious viruses at a distance, you won’t have as many chances to fall prey to a phishing attack.

If you follow these rules and know how to stay away from the bait, you can avoid being hooked by a phishing scam. As long as you stay informed about phishing and keep one step ahead of the game, as tactics evolve with the times, you’ll be swimming safer waters.

Reference books reviewed associated press stylebook

When you write, you likely find yourself wrestling with questions. I certainly do, everything from the proper form of abbreviations to the placement of apostrophes. Ideally, you want to get past those questions quickly, so you can focus on the message, not the writing.

Among the tools that helps us answer questions quickly and consistently are stylebooks: those manuals that recommend certain styles or usage. They come in a number of flavors and you may wish to have all of them on hand. But, more importantly, select one and use its recommendations consistently.

This week we look at the Associated Press Stylebook, a useful and frequently-cited reference work for writers.

As the title suggests, it comes from the people at the Associated Press (AP) wireservice, and serves journalists and mass-media writers. By way contrast, the Chicago Manual of Style (to cite another important reference book) serves academics and others who write formally, as well as book writers, editors, and publishers.

The AP Stylebook emphasizes usage of commonly cited names, events, and language. For example, under the listing for assassin, it explains the proper use of three similar concepts: 'assassin,' 'killer,' and 'murderer' (in case you were wondering, the AP book defines an assassin as a politically motivated killer, a killer as anyone who kills with any motive, and a murderer as a killer who has been convicted in a court of law).

Since journalists must contend with the pressure of deadlines, this book is laid out like a dictionary, with the entries in alphabetical order. Each entry is brief and deals with issues that journalists would face in everyday writing.

Many entries provide a standard for capitalization, spelling, use of abbreviations, and other useful information. Rules for grammar can be found under headings such as 'Possessives'.

Incidentally, many other news organizations, in the U. S. and other countries, have their own style guides. In Canada, for example, there's the Canadian Press stylebook. So, if you're writing for a particular wire-service or news organization, check to see if they have their own style guide.

The Associated Press Stylebook comes in two flavors: 'The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law,' and 'The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Law.' The latter is as readily available as the former. Check your bookstore for details.

Affiliate revenue a web design test case

Maybe you have dreamed of personally developing a website for either personal or business use. If this is true of you then you might consider affiliate revenue sharing programs as a means of trying out your web designing skills while offering you the opportunity to offset, fund entirely or even make additional income through an affiliate revenue program.

Web design through web building software can be a relatively easy and inexpensive way to learn web design skills. You could, of course, build a website for personal reasons, but the discipline of developing an ecommerce site can be helpful in practicing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) skills.

This web design test case can be enhanced when you have the potential of a residual income stream essentially paying you for learning the skills of web design.

Web builder technology is a useful tool because it is intuitive for customers who have never personally developed a website and can help guide them through most design difficulties they may encounter.

The ultimate web design is customizable in many ways allowing essential creative freedom in design while maintaining proper flow and balance for the overall site.

When a website is optimized well in relation to accepted SEO techniques the result is high placement in search engines and greater traffic to your site.

Should you work to make an affiliate revenue program your test case for web design you always have the ability to develop additional sites and cross-link those sites to assist in even greater traffic building efforts.

For many entrepreneurs there is a fear about the possibility of developing a site without the aid of the long established web master. However, by accessing an affiliate revenue program you have both reason and opportunity to develop a site on your own.

REASON – It is only by developing the site that you actually have the opportunity to derive a return on your site design investment.

OPPORTUNITY – When you develop a site and your SEO strategies start to bring in more traffic you begin to see the possibilities that may exist in a business of your own.

Many individuals have even developed a series of affiliate revenue sites. These sites have, in some instances, exceeded typical monthly expenses for their families. This didn’t happen overnight and it certainly didn’t occur without a solid SEO strategy, but in many cases an individual can make a living working exclusively with affiliate revenue sharing programs.

Web design using web building software combined with an interest in affiliate revenue programs can be a combination that pays off in increased web design expertise as well as residual payments that have the potential to exceed your current standard of living.

You’ll notice I used the word ‘potential’. Affiliate revenue programs vary widely in success and SEO strategies can take a while to realize maximum results. While affiliate revenue programs can perform beyond expectations they can also be stagnant in results. Research the product you are wanting to sell and ask for some actual figures (not best results) to gain a clear idea of the expectations you should have when signing on as an affiliate.

Business start up loan script your own success story with the right finance method

If you thought generating ideas for your business was a difficult task, then arranging necessary finance in the form of business start up loans would seem even more difficult. Many entrepreneurs succumb at this stage, only to lead their idea to dumps. Entrepreneurs, who withstand the challenges of the process, continue to shine in the world of business.

Capital has been rightly referred to as the lifeblood of any business. Business starved of capital during the initial stages of its formation, would be similar to malnourished children who were not fed properly during their childhood. The growth of the business will be stunted, often affecting negatively its productivity and efficiency.

Entrepreneurs no longer have to depend solely on their own resources for purposes of capital. Many loan providers are ready to finance promising business ventures. The loan is referred to as business start up loan. Amounts on business start up loan ranges from Ј30,000 to Ј250,000. Entrepreneurs can qualify for more loan amount, provided the business plan is very attractive. Loan proceeds will primarily be used for purchasing the necessary machine and equipments, paying for legal documentation, maintaining office and any other expenses that crop up during the initial formative period. Moreover, business start up loan contributes towards the working capital.

Borrowing through business start up loan is fraught with a number of challenges. The very first task in the process will be to generate faith in loan providers that the amount lent on account of business start up loan will be safely returned. Preconceived notions about new entrepreneurs make the task difficult. The negative notions are further strengthened through two factors:

•Firstly, borrowing entrepreneur has zero or very less credibility in the market at the particular point of time. Loan providers fear risking the loan amount on borrowers with low credibility.

•Secondly, the borrowing entrepreneur is still to form business or the business is still to show results. Lending at this stage, without having knowledge about how the business fares in the long run, is perilous for the loan provider.

The borrowing entrepreneur is thrown into a dilemmatic situation wherein they cannot prove their worth till they start business. They cannot start business until they get the necessary finance. And they cannot get the necessary finance till they are able to prove their worth.

However, not all loan providers look at new venturists with suspicion. New venturists are considered a unique group of people who have a unique set of characteristics. A sound and foolproof business plan works well for new entrepreneurs. Bankers study the plan well and then decide if it will be viable to lend.

Guaranteeing payback through collateral is another important method of getting good deals in business start up loans. These are referred to as secured business start up loans. As a part of this method, the borrower will have to offer lien on certain asset/assets to the loan provider. This process is also referred to as hypothecation. Though the asset will continue to be in possession of the borrower, loan provider has every right to claim the asset in case of non-payment of loan.

Loan terms for business start up loan ranges from 5 to 25 years. Given the unique income structure of businesses and self-employed individuals, wherein income is not guaranteed, flexible repayment schedule will be especially helpful. Under a flexible repayment schedule, the borrower gets to repay in the manner that he chooses. Monthly repayments can be increased, reduced and discontinued altogether depending on the entrepreneurs finances. The arrangement will have to be accepted by the loan provider. Sometimes, regular payments for a certain period may be the prerequisite for flexible repayment schedule.

Business start up loans may exceed personal loans in terms of interest rate. The typical APR on a business start up loan will be anywhere between 7-13%. Online comparison and searching loan providers will ease the process, besides improving the quality of deals. Rates may go upwards depending on the presence and value of collateral and the credit status of the borrower.

Business loans will not suit borrowers who want full control over their business. Some loan providers would like to dictate terms and thus curb the control of the entrepreneur over his business. The borrowing decision must be made only after an impartial and impatient study of the pros and cons of the method.

Silk s the thing

Soft, light and beautifully elegant silk has for centuries been a symbol of ultimate luxury and sheer opulence. From Chinese Emperors to European Kings, silk has always been displayed for the admiration of others. Today, very little has changed. When someone mentions a silk dress, suit or even silk bedding an image of luxury and wealth springs to mind. This is because over the centuries even with all the technological advances in fibres and synthetic yarns, silk is still the fabric of choice for the ultimate luxury items.

Silk bedding is no exception to this rule. Being stronger and harder wearing than cotton bedding, silk bedding can far outlast synthetic rivals. Silk is naturally strong, and silk bedding made using long-fibre mulberry silk is extremely strong. This is because the long fibres found in mulberry silk have a cumulative effect on the finished article, giving it both more flexibility and combined durability than shorter fibre silk products. This strength is part of silk bedding’s attractiveness when it comes to durability. When silk is cleaned using a silk detergent, the silk fibres rejuvenate giving the silk elasticity and strength that far outlasts cotton and polyester, making silk bedding both a luxurious and wise long-term investment.

Something quite new on the bedding scene in recent years is a silk filled duvet. These duvets, as one would expect are filled with silk rather than the more traditional fillings of down and polyester. Sleeping under silk brings a whole new experience, one that Chinese Emperors have allegedly enjoyed for generations. Silk, being a natural fibre is healthier than sleeping under synthetic polyester. Dust mites find silk an inhospitable environment to live in which makes silk filled duvets very attractive to anyone who suffers from hay fever and dust mite related allergies.

Silk duvets are unlike other duvets in that they help our bodies to regulate their heat throughout the night. Long fibre mulberry silk duvets are layered by hand placing the silk in an intricate grid pattern. This allows some of the heat we generate throughout the night to escape, and this in return keeps us cool. Because our overall temperature is kept regulated throughout the night, we sleep better. Simple and yet such a clever idea. Why we haven’t we been using these duvets for years is a good question, but they are here now and after using one going back to conventional duvet is simply impossible.

6 tips for your first jab at creative writing

The world of creative writing is an ever expanding one as stories or genres continue to evolve in a natural reaction to the changes in time. Having confirmed writing skills, however, is not enough to succeed in creative writing. Having passion for it is more important than having technical expertise. Love for creative writing, and not adherence to the grammatical elements, is what will ultimately guide you to doing things properly and successfully.

6 Tips for Your First Jab at Creative Writing

Don’t Stop Reading – It’s impossible to become a writer, much less a creative writer, without being a reader first. Discovering your love for writing shouldn’t stop you from further devouring reading materials but should instead encourage you to diversify your taste. If you want to become good in creative writing, you need to broaden your horizons. Don’t limit yourself to reading one genre because this can only provide you with limited knowledge. If you want to improve, read everything that you can get your hands on.

Don’t Stop Learning – You can ask Stephen King, Danielle Steele, Dan Brown, and JK Rowling, and all of them will surely tell you that they’re not perfect writers and will never be. No one can be perfect in any way, and if you allow your writing to stagnate, readers will soon get bored with your work. Of course, before you can continue learning about creative writing, you first have to acknowledge the fact that your writing is definitely imperfect. Get past your ego if you want to be a successful creative writer.

Choosing a Topic – You’ve heard countless people tell you that to be a successful writer, you need to write about you know, and that’s true. But more importantly than that, you have to write about something you love or something you hate, just as long as it’s a topic that arouses passion in your heart and brings your pen aflame! If you find something that interests you but you don’t have adequate knowledge about then research it by all means! Research, research, and research, until you can safely say that you’re writing something you know and love.

Build Your Vocabulary – True enough, Ernest Hemingway earned fame by using poignantly – but sometimes brutally – simple words for narrating events in his stories. But building your vocabulary surely wouldn’t hurt, would it? Broadening your vocabulary and discovering its etymology can be one of the ways for you to develop a story idea or an effective way of setting the tone or mood for a particular chapter. But more important than that, building your vocabulary will reduce the instances when you can’t just quite say the word you want but it’s already in the tip of your tongue.

Don’t Let It Get Away – If an idea suddenly occurs to you, and it seems excellent for a future story, write it down. If you’re walking down the street and you suddenly think of a good dialogue for your characters, write it down. Don’t let anything get away because the human mind is a tricky thing, and it might be impossible for you to recall exactly what occurred to you just three minutes ago. Good story ideas are a dime in a dozen, but great ideas are definitely few, and who knows if what you’ve written down will one day become one of the latter?

And last but not the least, NEVER STOP WRITING. Don't make publication of your work the ends and means for your writing. Write because you love to write!

How to identify social anxiety in teens

Often regarded as the most unrecognized mental disorder in teens, social anxiety disorder can take many forms and manifest itself differently per person. Most parents and adults dismiss symptoms as merely shyness or teen angst that their children will eventually outgrow. However, social phobia, as the disorder is sometimes called, can grow worse if left untreated and be debilitating over time. Recognizing social phobia in teens is crucial for their transition to adulthood and you, as adults and parents, have the responsibility of ensuring that they get help. Here are several ways of recognizing symptoms of social phobia in teens:

1. Look out for extreme shyness or discomfort in your child when put in the center of attention.

First-time performers normally get stage fright but excessive discomfort, passivity, or inactivity when put on the spotlight should merit further investigation. Although most people will attribute this situation to most teenagers' fear of embarrassing themselves in front of their peers, do not be complacent. Talk to your child about why he or she was unable to perform. Just remember to avoid using an accusatory tone to prevent putting your child on the defensive.

2. Observe your child's academic performance.

When your straight-A child starts bringing home B or C-graded homework and exams, you immediately worry that something is wrong. But social phobia is not that obvious. In fact, social phobia leaves little clues like hesitance to recite in class, fear of being asked to report, or even downright refusing to be part of class activities. If possible, talk to your child's teacher about these matters and ask him or her to inform you if your child exhibits these behaviors.

3. Keep track of your child's friends or lack thereof.

You know it; teens will spend hours on the phone, go to parties, or hang out after school. Most teens will be part of a large group or at least have a couple of friends. But teens with social phobia often isolate themselves from other people or minimize contact. They would rather attend class without homework than ask a classmate about it. They often have trouble making eye contact, initiating or joining conversations, and being part of school organizations.

4. Check your child's confidence level.

Most teens suffering from social phobia often doubt if they are good enough for other people or worry excessively about how others see them. Their fear of being ridiculed, boring, or rejected are basic in their minds and they often look for signs of negative perception in others. This negative attitude towards meeting other people are so pervasive in their minds that it can lead to low self-esteem and inferiority complex.

5. Take note of your child's reaction to social situations.

People suffering from social phobia exhibit physical symptoms as well, especially if they are in a social situation like family gatherings or school functions. Signs to look out for include diarrhea, nausea, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. If your teen experiences any of these symptoms during or prior to a social event, he or she may be reacting to social phobia.

If your teen exhibit all or any of these symptoms, take him or her to a psychologist for a consultation and thorough examination. Chances are high that your child knows that his or her reactions to social activities are irrational but does not know where to ask for help.

Usability testing with children

Usability testing with children is similar in many respects to usability testing with adults. In order to get the most out of the sessions, and ensure the child is comfortable and happy, there are a few differences that you need to be aware of.

Stress of new people and surroundings

Children are far more likely than adults to find encountering new places and people stressful. You should always remember this, so try to find as many ways as possible to relax the child. Some things you could do are:

- Allow a significant period of time - at least 10 minutes - to meet the child. This is critical in putting them at ease before beginning the session. Some easy things to talk about might be computer games, cartoons, sports or school. Trying to make all the equipment used during the session match that which the child uses at home/school (phone up their parents/teachers beforehand to check).

- Try to be as comforting and reassuring as possible. It's especially important to make it clear to the child that you want their views on the site and that you're not testing them.

- Plan for the fact that younger children may prefer their parents to remain in the testing room with them. Make sure that parents know that they should stay out of the child's line-of-sight and not help or distract them.

Asking for help

Children are far more used to asking for - and receiving - help than adults, so it's very important for the moderator to:

- Clearly explain at the beginning of the test that you want the child to use the site on their own

- Make a sustained effort to deflect any such questioning during the session itself

Good ways of deflecting questions can include:

- Answering a question with a question (e. g. What do you think [you should do now]?)

- Re-stating that you want the child to use the site ‘on their own'

- Asking the child to have ‘one last go' before you move on to something else

Children get tired, bored and discouraged more easily

Children (especially of younger ages) are less inclined - and/or able - to apply themselves to a single task for a prolonged period. Some ways to work around this are:

- Limiting sessions to 1 hour or less.

- Taking short breaks during sessions if the child becomes tired or irritable.

- Ensuring that sessions cover the intended tasks/scenarios in a different order - this will make sure that the same scenarios are not always tested by tired children, who are less likely to succeed/persevere.

- Asking the child for help so as to provide them with motivation (e. g. asking ‘Could you please find out for me how to...', or by actually pretending to not be able find/do something on the site).

- Keeping up a steady stream of encouragement and positive feedback ("You're doing really well and telling us lots of useful things - it will really help make the site better. Keep it up!").

The importance of non-verbal cues

Children can't always be relied upon to verbally articulate their thoughts/feelings, either due to their:

- Not being articulate enough

- Being too shy

- Not wanting to say the wrong thing and displease an adult

- Saying things they don't believe just to please the adult

This makes it particularly important that the usability expert be sensitive to children's non-verbal cues, such as:

- Sighs

- Smiles

- Frowns

- Yawns

- Fidgeting

- Laughing

- Swaying

- Body angle and posture

Physical differences

A couple of very obvious - but easily forgotten - differences which need to be taken into account are:

- Chair and table settings - Make sure you have a chair/table setting that allows the child to comfortably use the equipment during the session.

- Microphone positioning - Children tend to have quieter voices than adults, so microphones should be placed slightly nearer to the participant than normal.

Levels of literacy and understanding

It is critical to ensure that a session's participant has an accurate understanding of the scenario being presented to them. Some ways to do this include:

- Asking participants to re-phrase scenarios/goals in their own words.

- Asking participants to repeat a scenario (i. e. what they are trying to achieve) if the task has gone on for some time and you suspect they may have forgotten it.

Why use registry cleaners

Get yourself a registry cleaner and scan your system for broken links, CLSID or DLL's. These redundant files are just clogging up your system and slowing it down. A registry clean up will do your computer loads of good.

Over time your system will become slow and sluggish. This may be because of all your activity on the Internet. You will have through the years or months depending on your Internet activity, downloaded tons of stuff from the Internet. Most of the stuff you download you will forget about. These downloads, be it music, programs, pictures, or links will all be stored in the system registry and this registry keeps on growing. You will need to clean the registry of your system in order to make your system run more efficiently. A registry cleaner can repair and clean your registry on the computer. A free registry cleaner, such as the windows XP registry cleaner or the Eusing Registry cleaner can organize and streamline your computer registry by unclogging all the junk that has been downloaded onto the hard drives and are no longer of any use but are there and slowing down the system.

Regular registry cleaning and tuning is very necessary. Without this the system is definitely going to crash attracting a very high bill from the technician not to mention the data that could be lost in the bargain. You can take the cheaper way out by downloading one of the free registry cleaner software from the Internet. There are loads of windows XP registry cleaner software or just registry cleaner software that are compatible with whatever operating system you are using.

Analyze The Registry Cleaner Before Using It

A good registry repair software will have the following features:

Registry cleaners scan all types of problems such as invalid paths, file types, CLSID's DLL's Sound files, Fonts, extensions and class keys. The registry cleaner will have these features in a place where they are easy to access and well organized. The registry Cleaner will be easy to use. It should be user-friendly software and not require complicated steps to setup and use.

In addition the registry cleaner software that you download free or purchase, should have very good customer support. Many downloadable registry cleaner software can create backups of the registry. So if something goes wrong during the cleaning process it is important that you can restore the registry to its original state. Restoring the registry may not be as simple as cleaning up the registry with the help of the software and so it is important for the company that supplied you with the registry cleaner software to have a customer support to help you restore your registry to a working state.

Safety Is Paramount

Safety is also a prime concern while deciding which registry cleaner to download or purchase. Some good registry cleaner or repair software can help you get the computer back to running condition with the documentation and online tools. So, even though there are risks involved in cleaning up the registry, the rewards of having a fine tuned and cleaned registry are many.

Putting principles of dave pelz

In his book “Putt Like the Pros”, the well known and highly respected short game guru and teacher, Dave Pelz, makes some interesting points that every golfer should be aware of. This article will discuss a number of these observations which will hopefully put the science of putting into better perspective.

As a young college student Pelz had aspirations of being a great tour player, and he played college golf at Indiana University in the Big 10. As time went by he became more and more frustrated that he could not beat a certain player from Ohio State, also in the Big 10, named Jack Nicklaus. Of course no one knew at that time that Nicklaus would become perhaps the greatest player to ever play the game. Before his last year in school Pelz and his coach decided that putting was the aspect of the game that was holding him back, so with great determination he decided to dedicate himself to practicing his putting and making improvements. He arranged his class schedule such that in the fall and winter season when the weather did not allow golf to be played he took a very heavy load of classes. In the spring season he then had a light class load and was finished every day by 10:30 am. He thus was at the golf course by 11am each day. Pelz was obviously dedicated and motivated since he practiced putting 4 hours every day!

At the end of the college golf season that year Pelz realized that his stroke average was 0.1 strokes higher than the previous year. In other words after all that practice and dedication, instead of improving, his scores got worse! In fact Pelz mentions that he has often seen young players of twelve to fourteen years of age who are fabulous putters, but by the time they are older they are only mediocre. This underlines an important point that Pelz learned later in life about putting: if you are going to practice you need to practice intelligently. This means you need to get accurate feedback about your stroke, and this in turn means you need to know more than whether the ball went into the cup or not. The problem here is that it is very difficult to see the difference between whether a golfer made a good putting stroke or a poor one.

Pelz decided upon graduating from college that he could not compete and succeed on the PGA tour. He studied physics, mathematics and related courses, and he took a job at NASA and became a scientist. He stayed there for 15 years before taking the dive into the golf business as a short game consultant, inventor, and author. His scientific approach to putting issues is clear when you read his books. While still at NASA Pelz invented a putting aid called the Teacher Putter, which is a device that helps golfers groove their strokes, giving feedback about whether the stroke was good or poor.

Early on Pelz wanted to understand how many putts a person could reasonably expect to make. To address this he build a machine called the Perfect Roller, which took some time to perfect, but he could eventually roll perfect putts from the machine, time after time. He took his machine to several golf courses and took data about the number of putts his machine could hole. He tried 100 putts on each of the 18 holes of the courses he did his tests on, rolling 12 foot putts in each case. To his surprise his machine could only make about 50% of the putts attempted on two different golf courses. He improved this by arranging to do his experiments on a course with a reputation for excellent greens, and he did this early in the morning just after the greens had been mowed and no players preceded him on the greens. Here he was about to hole 84% of the putts, a big improvement, but his machine still missed 16% of the attempts in almost perfect conditions.

Pelz then did experiments with golf balls and determined that golf ball imperfections can made significant differences, and he also studied the effect of the imperfections golfers cause on putting greens when walking on them. The bottom line is that even professionals can’t expect to make them all. He presents data which shows that PGA Tour players in tournament play made on average between 9% and 21% of the 15 foot putts they attempted. For 10 foot putts the numbers increase from about 16% up to 31 %. Even on 6 foot putts these pros, the best players in the world, made on average from about 45% to 56% of the putts they attempted. So if you think you should hole every six footer you face, your expectations are too high. One way to improve that performance is to read Pelz’ book, “Putt Like the Pros”, and absorb what he says. His teaching method includes making a correct stroke, having the correct face angle at impact, hitting the ball on the putter “sweet spot”, having good touch and distance control, and improving the mental aspects of putting. If a golfer addresses these tasks in the proper way, that is obtaining proper feedback, he almost certainly will improve his putting.

Dealing with loss teaching your children about life and death

At some point or another you and your children will be faced with death.

It’s important that you teach your children that death is merely an aspect of life, and help them become comfortable with the topic.

One of the best things you can do to prepare your children for the prospect of a death is to talk about it with them ahead of time.

Your approach to the subject may vary a little depending on your spiritual beliefs. Some cultures actually embrace the subject of death and see it as an opportunity for re-birth and new life.

It is important that you consider your spiritual and emotional beliefs about death and come to fully embrace them before approaching the topic with your children.

This will help you facilitate a more impacting and clear cut conversation when the time arises to talk about death and dying.

Here are some suggestions for broaching the topic with your children:

Talk With Your Children About the Cycle of Life – Consider discussing death with them at a time that you can naturally incorporate it into part of your conversation. Consider for example when the leaves change colors in the fall, and then die off only to grow back in the spring. Remember to keep things light and easy initially, offering your children ample opportunities to ask questions.

Acknowledge Your Own Feelings – In order for your children to accept death you must first come to terms with it. Children are very sensitive and likely to pick up on your emotional cues about death and dying, thus if you are uncomfortable with the subject they are likely to be too. Take some time to examine your own feelings and become comfortable with the subject before broaching it with your children.

Be Open and Honest About Feelings – Many parents have a natural instinct to shield their children from the grief associated with death, but this can actually be damaging. It is important that you allow your children to understand that death can be sad, and let them know that you are sad if it happens. It is important that children learn to express themselves openly and honesty and learn how to release their emotions when necessary.

Remember when teaching children about death and dying that their initial reactions may be very different from what you would expect.

Rather than focusing on the spiritual or emotional aspects of death they may want to know more about the technicalities, such as how someone is buried and where they go.

Remember that this is perfectly normal. Address each question honestly and age appropriately when they surface, and your children will come to have a healthy understanding of the death and dying process.

Work at home scams

Work at home has become such a rage with the advent of internet that it has evolved into an industry on its own. As with almost all other industries, this too has been infested with scamsters trying to con you. In fact, this devil is more at work in this industry due to the basic demerits of the functionality. These demerits are actually the merits - no physical presence. The reason the online or work at home industry elevated to this level is because you don't need to arrive at a particular place called office, and still work can be executed with equal productivity and efficiency. This has been exploited by the conmen to their advantage. Here is a list of things you should keep in mind while trying to enter into the world of work at home.

Don't pay for the membership or subscription fees at the first glance. You will come across thousands of websites claiming instant work and profits. Remember, it is not so easy when practiced. Secondly, there will be lot of competition for the work on offer. Study and research these sites thoroughly before you invest a single cent on these. Get as much information about the employer before you make any commitment towards spending some money. Genuine employers will never ask for any money for the employment opportunities.

Enter into the forums on work at home. You will come across people from all over the world discussing the idea and problems associated with work at home. Some of them will also be seen complaining about the opportunity they were trapped in. Make a list of such websites about whom there are frequent complaints. It is always better to avoid such scamsters.

Envelope stuffing scheme has been the king of all scams in the history of work at home industry. The scamsters claim that you will be paid for stuffing the envelopes. Apply wisdom here - why a company will pay you one dollar for stuffing one envelope. Similar schemes have evolved with the main principle in place. You will be asked to pay for the membership to start data entry work. Once paid, you will be asked to place the ad of the same site at various places. If you receive X amount of positive responses, then you will be paid Y amount. In reality, such scamsters don't have any work available for you. They work on the pyramid or gold ring scheme to con more people making you as their front agent.

Great century by george

George Burns’ career could have ended as early as 1958, when his wife Gracie Allen retired from Show business. Burns continued the show after Allen retired, but the show was cancelled after one season. Burns could have let his wife’s retirement from show business stop him from going further in his career, but he ultimately ended up being a huge comic success and lived to be 100 years old.

Many of Burns’ biggest successes came when he was in his eighties and nineties. At the ages when many people have long since retired, Burns was enjoying great success. Getting older does have great advantages: we become smarter; we acquire wisdom; we have acquired more skills.

1. Burns struggled as a vaudeville straight man for years until he met Gracie

There was a chemistry that Burns and Allen had when they created their comic duo. For eight years, Burns played the straight man and Allen played the funny lady. The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show was a tremendous success on CBS. They made a dynamic team.

The same concept could apply to our careers. A lot of us have held many jobs and in those positions, there were probably people whom we loved to work with and those whom we did not. Like Burns when he was struggling in vaudeville, our present job or career may not exactly be what we want to do, but we do get opportunities to meet people who know other people and so forth.

2. For 17 years (1958 to 1975), Burns had very minimal success

Many of us may think of George Burns as a great comic success, which he was. But for about 17 years, Burns had very subpar performances compared to the show that he did with Gracie. Gracie Allen died in 1964 and Burns attempted two television shows, one with Connie Stevens, but both shows were cancelled after the first season. Burns encountered another celebrity death when Jack Benny died in 1975. Burns was offered Benny’s role in the comedy film, The Sunshine Boys, and had great success. After a 17-year drought, Burns was back! The success of The Sunshine Boys led to Burns’ role in Oh God!, which was also a tremendous success.

How many of us get frustrated at struggling for six months to a year? How many of us would have given up after 17 years of subpar success that Burns endured? Burns showed us that getting older is getting better.

3. Burns had over a dozen television specials after 1975

Burns’ revitalized movie success in 1975 spurred resurgence in television success that he had not had since doing shows with Gracie. Burns was now playing the funny person, the role that Grace played when he was playing the straight man. Burns was now a movie and television success.

We never know what may happen when we take our experience from our own careers and apply them to new positions or careers. The skills and education we learn from other jobs may help us to get the career that we are really looking for. Any skill that we can learn should not be discounted.

Burns proved that one is never too old to do a great job. He had revitalization in entertainment in spite of Gracie’s retirement and death. Burns did not let the loss of Gracie deter him from making a name for himself. If any of us catch ourselves giving up or saying things like “I’m too old for…,” think of George Burns.

Istanbul film festival in april 2008

The first section when film-makers were expected to send their works ended in December and the Staff is now undergoing all preparations to be ready by April for this 2008 Film Festival. The organization estimates that for this festival there will be around 200 films competing for different sections. Here the list:

International Competition section, reserved for feature length fiction or documentary films or animations. In order to be included in this section and compete for the "Golden Tulip" award, authors/film-makers have to focus their attention on themes on "arts" or "the artist", and literary adaptations.

There is a particular section where films shown in other leading festivals (including many award-winning) will be projected at the World of Festivals Section

In competition also the films at the Human Rights in Cinema Section that comprises both documentaries and features investigating the politics behind social and individual life changes.

Documentaries

Other NON-competitive sections are the Retrospective section & the Tributes section where tributes to a film-maker influential to film history are selected, The Mined Zone section reserved for innovative, unconventional and unique fiction films in terms of style or content and Masters of the Future Section featuring works by new directors who received critical acclaim

Beside the International competition there’s also the National Competition for recent Turkish films: Turkish Cinema.

As the Istanbul International Film festival keeps evolving every year, the sections of the festival are of course subject to change.

For further information please visit IKSV web site.

To organize your trip in Istanbul, (Turkey) there are many free and useful tools on-line, from city guide to ticket-bookers, to accommodations advices and flight reservations. In the words of French poet Alphonse de Lamartine, if one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul. Indeed, this is a city of astonishing beauty. Its architecture, cuisine, history and culture make up a fascinating tapestry of yesterday and very much tomorrow.

A metropolitan capital with an imperial history stretching back for over 1500 years, Istanbul is today the commercial, historical and cultural core of Turkey. But most of all, it’s a buzzing, living-breathing metropolis that is knocking at the doors of the European Union. It won’t be hard to find a suitable accommodation (there are many youth hostels for backpackers or travellers on a budget up to enchanting hotels featuring Turkish interior designs, typical pieces of furniture, mosaics, spa and thermal baths at affordable prices). We found some in this website (Flashbooking) featuring gorgeous views over Bosporus and Istanbul Blue Mosque and markets.

Part iv - getting your site indexed in msn

Althoug MSN is lagging behind both Yahoo and Google when it comes to the ways you can get your site indexed, it is still one of the top three search engines, and it should not be ignored.

MSN offers you two different ways to get your site indexed, and you should submit to both. However, before you do that, make sure that you have optimized your website first.

You can get more information on optimizing your site for MSN, as well as tips on search engine optimization, here:

submit-it. com/subopt. htm

The tips that you will find here basically apply to optimizing your site for any search engine, but they are definitely worth the read so that you focus your search engine optimization efforts in a way that will get your site indexed.

As I mentioned before, there are two ways to get indexed by MSN. The first involves submitting to the Intomi index. The Intomi index actually powers the MSN search.

Inktomi is now also part of Yahoo. However, you should still submit your site here. This will allow you to get indexed by hundreds of sites if your site is accepted.

submitit. bcentral. com/msnsubmit. htm

You will need to use a valid email address for your site. Make sure that you use an email account that you actually use so that if there is a problem, you can promptly fix it. You may also need to confirm your submission.

Keep in mind that there are no guarantees on turnaround, and there are also no guarantees that your site will be accepted.

The second part of submitting to MSN is actually submitting to the MSN spider. Rob Benwell, of "Blogging to the Bank" fame, said that he used MSN for his searches when looking for niches, because MSN updates more quickly than either Yahoo or Google, and this was why he used MSN to test his results.

This may be good advice. However, I believe that you should submit manually to MSN for the following reason: this is the number two website on the internet. It gets an enormous amount of traffic, and the traffic that this site brings you can help you with both your rankings, as well as being found by searchers.

ComScore Networworks reports that 48 percent of MSN searchers are more likely to buy, whereas Google searchers are 42 percent likely to buy. Yahoo users are 41 percent more likely to buy. Although these statistics were released in 2005, you can get more information from this site on demographic buying habits of searchers: comscore. com/

Now, you can use the link below to submit directly to the MSN spider:

beta. search. msn. com/docs/submit. aspx

A word of caution here: when submitting to MSN, make sure that you understand the characters in the verification image on this page. You must type them exactly as you see them, or your site won't get submitted.

If your submission is successful, you will see a message that tells you your submission is successful and will ask you if you want to submit another site.

Once you have MSN crawling your site, you shouldn't have to resubmit.

If you follow these steps carefully, you should have no trouble getting your site accepted. Create great content, build links back to your site, and target the correct keywords, and you can get very high rankings.

When popularity counts benefits of joining affiliate programs

When it comes to affiliate programs, being popular is an advantage. But this has nothing to do with winning a pageant or joining a rock band. It's about creating your own little spot in a little corner of cyberspace. And by creating your own spot, we mean creating a site that will flourish.

Affiliate programs got their start through the initiative of Amazon. com. Since then, it has become one of the most popular ways to monetize websites in the internet. If you're interested to join an affiliate program, here are a few tips:

How to join an affiliate program

If you're a website owner and just want to earn money from your site, you can become an affiliate. Fill out an application form online with an affiliate network. You will be required to provide certain information about yourself such as your name, address and your preferred payment method.

Next, you will have to inform the affiliate network about your site. Provide them your site's name, URL and a short description of its content. The affiliate network will then provide you with a service agreement. Once you agree (you don’t have a choice anyway because you can't negotiate), the network will then review your application.

If it's accepted, you can then begin choosing the affiliate programs that you find interesting. Once the owners of these programs approve (yes, you will need approval at least twice during the process), the network will guide you on how to post links on your site.

Don’t expect to be paid immediately. Earnings from affiliate programs can be a little on the small side, so the total amount of money you earn will be pooled until it reaches the minimum amount for payout. Once it does, the network will send you a check, which can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 8 weeks depending on your location.

If you are an e-business owner and want to drive visitors to your site, you can either choose to join as an affiliate or acquire them yourself or both. Getting affiliates to promote your website through links can be done two ways:

- Do it yourself. If you have the time, resources and patience, set up your own affiliate program. You will have to recruit and screen affiliate applicants yourself. You also need to have a traffic-tracking device to check the actual number of visitors generated by your affiliates. Then, you'll need to provide assistance to your affiliates through instruction and coaching to help them set up links to your site.

Next, you'll need to set up your own accounting system to handle payouts to affiliates. As your business progresses, you will also need to set up your own help line to provide assistance to inquiries made by your affiliates.

Handling your own affiliate program is a good idea if you have a few affiliates, but if the number increases, you could be swamped. You might also need to purchase some software to help you track and record your affiliate's activities.

- Join an affiliate network. If you don’t want to do a lot of work, this is the better choice. The network will help you with everything, from the affiliate program set up to recruiting to tracking and sending payouts to your affiliates. All you have to do is pay them a fee.

Some affiliate networks will require you to pay a one-time charge plus a deposit. Others will require an annual fee. The cost is a little high and can run from a thousand dollars to about $5,000. You will also need to pay the affiliate network a certain percentage of your affiliates' payouts.

The cost may seem steep, but affiliate networks will make your life easier by setting everything up for you and tracking your program's activities. They will also prepare the checks to pay your affiliates. Best of all, they will screen your affiliates for you, saving you from a lot of backbreaking work.

Using links to build a business

Links are a lot like creating an entry door for your visitors from your site to the merchant owner's site. Some of the most common links are:

Text link – is made up of a word, a phrase or a whole sentence. Once a visitor clicks on this, your browser will produce a web page that contains the information mentioned on that link. Oftentimes, it's another website.

Search box – who hasn’t tried using one of these? A search box also acts as a link either to a new page or another site. This link allows your visitors to type in their inquiries and search a database online, usually links to pages on the same site.

Banner link – usually boxed, a banner link contains text, graphics or a picture. These are very effective for attracting the attention of visitors because they are quite colorful and stand out from the rest of a web page.

Product link – brings the visitor to a web page that contains information about a product. This is the easiest way to make a certain product stand out, especially during the promotion phase.

Storefront – exposes the visitors to the merchant site's many products. These are usually maintained by the merchant owners themselves and they can update and edit anytime, although the address remains the same.

Co-branding – uses a little eye trick to make the visitor thinks he never left the affiliate's webpage. The merchant site still hosts the page, but it is designed in such a way that it still looks like the affiliate's site and may even contain the affiliate's logo, banner or slogan.

Being popular helps

If your website doesn’t get a lot of traffic, you might want to think twice before joining an affiliate program. Or, you could work to increase traffic on your site. This is the only way to attract your visitors enough to actually make them stay long enough to click on your links.

Don’t choose too many affiliate programs to join. These are free and there's no need to pay for anything (except if you're an e-businessman looking for affiliates). Choose only those programs that are actually related to your site's contents.

While there are people who've made a lot of money from affiliate programs, don’t join a program thinking you'll make a million in one year. Depending on the affiliate programs you join, you might just make enough money for extras. It might not be enough to pay all your bills or allow you to retire comfortably.

You also will need to continue improving your site's content and probably its look. The internet changes at the speed of light and what may be relevant this month will be passй next month. But don’t lose hope, because if you've hit the right buttons, you could just bring home a nice profit. It won't be easy, but there's no harm in trying.

Relocation apartments consideration with execution

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Relocating can be one of the most troubled job as well as fun and adventure. If proper measures and To-do lists are made with due care, then it can be very satisfying. One of the most important thing while relocating is to look at your job profile and the better location of your stay where you can execute your business activities. Relocation always requires some initial investment so it is better to check about the finer details. As this job has made this happen, so proper planning should be done and with the management every possible aspect should be discussed on your relocation apartment.

Relocation means to start a hunt for new house and this takes good lot of time. So before finally moving to relocation apartments some basic knowledge about the price there will be salutary. You can find through internet regarding the hospitals, emergency services and parks closer by. If you have children then you can check out the local schools and also about different attractions as they are the one who feel the most after relocation.

Relocation also means that you need to carry your medical record, your warranties and your tax records. It is better to go for that locality from where your office is not too far from your relocation apartments. Many a times it has been seen that it is very tough for children to relocate. They are very much attached to their friends and find it very difficult to cope up. They should be given prior information regarding relocation. Preparation should start from the day you have got the news.

When all the planning is done with regard to your new relocation apartment, it is time for execution. For that, a reliable moving company should be hired. What happens many a times that we pile up things that are useless? In one section you should keep things that you will take with you, second one should be the one you want to donate to a charity shop and last one should be the one you want to dump. It is always wiser to buy a new couch than shifting that old one because it will cost more to shift.

Before hiring any moving companies two-three different companies should be checked. By doing this you can compare rates and also which one takes the risk if there is some damage done to the product. Taking these into consideration just hit the road to your ideal relocation apartments.

About Author

The Author is a contributing writer to the website apartotels. com. Apartotels was established in 2004 and since then is operating over more than 3000 serviced apartments and luxury apartments which are situated in all the important locations of London, Paris and Europe. The serviced apartments are suitable for a single person to a large family and business travellers for short-term as well as long-term stay.

Breast cancer treatment coping with a mastectomy

As women, especially American women, much of our femininity is centered on our breasts. No matter where you look, there are pictures, billboards, commercials, television shows, and movies with women with these beautiful breasts and ample cleavage. The thought of losing one or both breasts, to breast cancer, can be devastating for many of us. Sure, there's reconstruction, but will it ever really look the same again? Even if you have reconstruction, you'll never have sensation there again and, for many of us, that definitely affects our sexuality.

I went through two separate mastectomies, for my breast cancer, despite the fact that I wanted them both done at the same time. Two different surgeons told me that wasn't necessary. They found out, later, that it was, as I had the same breast cancer in both breasts. Through these surgeries, I learned a few things about what to expect, and how to get up and running again, after a mastectomy for breast cancer.

The first thing to realize is that, apart from the emotional aspect of such an operation, this is a simple surgery. The breast is composed, mostly, of fatty tissue and, of course, milk ducts and lobes. The removal of this breast tissue is way easier than operating on an organ, but carries much more emotional impact for most of us. Most surgeons will get as much of the breast tissue out as they can to help alleviate the chance of a recurrence of your breast cancer. You will typically wind up with a horizontal scar about four inches long. The scar may be red for quite a while but, ultimately, should fade to where you can hardly see it anymore.

You want to be sure to take loose-fitting, button-down shirts (raiding your hubby's closet is helpful) with you, to the hospital, as you won't be able to raise your arms over your head for a while. You will also need a sports bra and I would highly recommend one that fastens in the front. They will put that on you after your surgery. Typically, you should be able to stay in the hospital for one night. If you're going to have lymph nodes removed, a small pillow, to slip under that arm, will help make you more comfortable. Check with your local American Cancer Society as they may have small pillows for you. An extra pillow to hold to your chest, if you need to cough, sneeze, or laugh, can help keep your incision from hurting.

When you wake up, you will have a couple of drain tubes for each side you have done. These tubes are important as they allow the excess fluid, which your body will produce, to drain out. If you didn't have them, the fluid would have to be aspirated with a needle. The drains, even though they're no fun, are better than that. These drains will have to be emptied a couple of times a day and you will have to write down how much fluid you drain so the doctor will know when you've slowed down enough to remove them. You may not know where to put these drains under your clothing. I pinned mine up to the sports bra and that way, they didn't pull when I moved.

When you get home, plan on having someone there to help you for the first few days. You won't be allowed to reach into your cabinets and definitely won't be able to clean house or pick up your children, if you have little ones. You'll be sent home with pain meds and definitely take them if you need them. Studies show that you will heal faster if you keep yourself out of pain, so don't be afraid to take them as prescribed.

If you have a recliner, you might consider moving it into the bedroom as you won't be able to lie flat for a while. You'll need to sleep in a partial sitting position. If you don't have one, or don't have space for it in your bedroom, lots of pillows will work, too. That's what I used. Just be sure you have enough pillows to keep yourself comfortable propped up.

If you would like someone who's been there before you to visit with, be sure to call your local American Cancer Society and ask for a Reach 2 Recovery volunteer. This is an American Cancer Society program where they try to match you with one of their volunteers who have as similar experience as you're facing. This woman will come visit you and will bring you all sorts of brochures and information on conventional treatment. She will also bring you a list of exercises you can start to do to regain your mobility and range of motion.

This is VERY important. It hurts to stretch your arm up, after surgery, but if you haven't had reconstruction, and you don't start soon, you will lose that range of motion. I would recommend starting to gently, slowly reach your arm up … let your body be your guide … the day after your surgery. This is ONLY if you have not had reconstruction. If you have, let your plastic surgeon tell you when to start stretching. Push to where it hurts just a little, but do not push too far past that. Little by little, you'll find yourself able to stretch a little farther every couple of days.

Most of all, allow yourself to heal emotionally, as well as physically. Some of us just can't look at that incision right away. That's OK. Take as much time as you need. I know I felt like some kind of freak with no breasts and, even six years later, I still do sometimes. But remind yourself that these scars are your battle scars. They do not make you less of a woman. They make you a warrior.

Personalized business card holders the student s alternative wallet

Student Life Responsibilities

Almost a majority of us have experienced being students and for sure, we love receiving financial allowances from our parents or guardians. These allowances are what usually sustain our life in school, especially if you are living far away from your home and are living in a dormitory or boarding house. We need allowances to buy us food, pay our lodging, obtain a set of class readings, join some extra-curricular events, buy us books, pay some miscellaneous fees and lots, lots more. Apart from that, we also have some small important documents to keep as we go through our academic life. Important receipts, registration forms, tickets and stubs and other materials deemed necessary. All of these things deserve to be securely kept in a proper place.

Safekeeping Finances and Documents

Since we recognize the importance of keeping our finances and our small yet important documents securely, we buy wallets and other safekeeping products that are both light and convenient to carry. But have you considered using personalized business card holders?

Your Alternative Wallet

Apart from old-fashioned wallets and purses, personalized business card holders had surely crept its way to the lives of busy people, particularly of students. Who would not be attracted to the great convenience it provides to many people? Its versatility as a product is just unquestionable. Not only can you keep here your calling cards for easy reference when you meet a new acquaintance but it can also store your cash, credit cards, receipts and all other possible documents that we can possibly think of. Apart from these functions, one's attention will also be caught as he or she marvels at the various designs that makes personalized business card holders so very appealing. Indeed, you are storing items in style! Personalized business card holders can also be ideal gift items perfectly suited for almost every important occasion or event. Be it weddings, graduations, anniversary celebrations, dates, etc., students won't surely go wrong with personalized business card holders.

At Its Finest

There are sure lots of personalized business card holders available that are oozing with style and convenience. Fluster your classmates and friends as you flaunt your silver toned or gold plated personalized business card holders with all your bucks on it. Lacquer-colored, multi-toned, leather-made and stainless personalized business card holders are also very much available to match your growing tastes and preferences. Don't worry losing your allowance ever again as you securely store them inside funky novelty personalized business card holders that you definitely won't trade for anything else. There are also some personalized business card holders manufactured by the world's leading designer companies that will certainly bring out the great fashion buff on you. Apart from seeing your names engraved on your very own business card holder, you can further personalize it using your designs. This will help you as a student to establish your own identity to the product and firmly secure your ownership to them. Moreover, students will also enjoy the reasonable amount of space that a personalized business card holder can carry, and this fact alone makes it just fit to be the perfect partner for students to store their identification cards and many other vital items safely.

Wedding loans- specialized loans for special weddings

“Marriage is an athenic weaving together of families, of two souls with their individual fates and destinies, of time and eternity--everyday life married to the timeless mysteries of the soul”

This is how Thomas Moore describes the word wedding. Your perceptions about wedding may be similar or different to the one held by Thomas Moore. For some, wedding may mean a time for celebration, as they will be marrying the person they have chosen. You would definitely wish to celebrate it in the best possible manner filled with pomp and show.

Wedding is the biggest day of your life. You want the day to be perfect. Earlier, the parents used to bear the entire expenses of their children’s marriage. However, time has changed, now more and more couples are themselves taking up this task. Couples who are earning may not have enough savings to finance their wedding. Wedding loans can help you find the funds you have been looking for to finance wedding.

Wedding loan is a specialised loan that aims to cater to the borrowers who need finance for organising weddings or meeting payments of a wedding already held. Wedding loan works as a wedding financer, it offers fixed sum to borrowers to meet their wedding expenses. Majority of the couples incur expenses on wedding photography, wedding dress and bridal wear, reception, wedding cake etc.

Wedding loans give you the option to borrow either a secured or an unsecured wedding loan. A secured wedding loan requires a borrower to put a collateral such as car, house or savings account against the loan. Unsecured wedding loan is not secured by any collateral of the borrower. Unsecured wedding loan offers borrowers to borrow as low as Ј250 to a maximum of Ј25,000. Unsecured loan is best suited for tenants who do not have any collateral to put as a security. Homeowners can enjoy the benefits of both secured and unsecured wedding loan. Couple can use the money for whatever they choose.

Wedding planning is an important aspect you need to focus on before you decide which loan to take. You can enlist the help of any friends and family members to assist you with wedding planning. It will be helpful if you do wedding planning well ahead of the wedding day. Planning a wedding can help you in determining what expenses will be incurred.

The repayment period of a wedding loan is spread over a period of 5 to 10 years that makes it easier for borrowers to repay the loan. Planning for the repayment term with the wedding plan can be helpful. Wedding loan offers various repayment options. You can choose the one that you find the most appropriate and suitable. Keep the wedding expenses in control, as you have to bear the loan burden on your own.

Applying for a wedding loan online is the most convenient option available. Taking an online loan can help saving both the time and efforts of the borrower. You are just required to fill up a simple and short application form online. Online lenders will provide you with the loan decision within 24 hours or take a maximum of 72 hours. When shopping for a loan, always judge it by the total cost of the loan and not just the monthly payment. Collect various loan quotes from various lenders, which are available free of cost or for nominal fees. Make a thorough comparison between the various loan quotes and choose the one that you find most suitable matching your expectations and needs. Be sure to read contracts carefully, and be certain that you understand the terms. It become easier to get a loan when you have a good credit score. However, people with bad credit history can also get a wedding loan.

Wedding loans accompanied with a bit of innovative thinking, creativity and effort can help you make exquisite weddings, which remains talk of the town for the next few weeks!

Ezines and ingenuity

Even on a limited budget it is possible to create an ezine for your customers that is informational, well developed and on task in the area of marketing.

In a perfect world individuals who have a complete understanding of how to write, edit and customize an ezine would develop every ezine. Since we don’t live in a perfect world it may be important to review services that can assist you in the development of your ezine at a price you can afford.

There are experts in virtually every field. In my case I’m skilled in online marketing, but the list of experts is virtually unlimited. Many of these experts make articles on specific topics available to use at no cost.

The reason this is done is primarily for marketing purposes. When an ezine editor looks for material and they know they can use it free of charge they have a whole world of articles to sort through. When they discover the article that would work for the latest edition of their publication they accept the ‘terms of use’ by including a brief bio with a web link to the page of the original author’s choosing.

The link they will place as a condition of use provides the author with the potential for site visitation as a residual benefit of providing their article at no cost.

This method has allowed the growth of ezines while giving experts an informational platform and additional site visitors.

The truth is free-to-use articles are not simply for those with limited budgets. Many large companies will use these articles as a means of deepening their knowledge base and allowing their ezines (and websites) to gain the reputation for delivering solid information and how-to articles.

As these ezines are developed the primary categories most business will consider are tips, reader interaction, freebies, editorial comment, trends, how-to’s, the latest news and advertising content.

There are multiple ‘group’ plans online that will allow you to set up an individual group at no cost in order to send your ezine to your customers. This may not work as a long-term solution and you may need to contend with advertisements placed by the group owner in exchange for the free use of their service, but for many on a tight budget this may be the most efficient way to get started.

If you really want an ezine for your business there are plenty of resources to help you to make it happen.

How to survive the google pagerank breakup

You’re one of the latest casualties. Google just broke up with you - after a yearlong pagerank 7 relationship. Hundreds of thousands are crying in the street. You’re one of the namesless broken hearted.

It's just temporary of course. So you gather up your strength and hold your chin up high. You'll have Google chasing you back. After all, you’re armed with some hardcore search engine flirtation tips.

1) Go bold. Just as women love bold suitors, so do search engines. Start highlighting keywords on each page with the B tag to increase search relevance. Search engines are attracted to words contained in the H1 and B tags. Just don't go wild - two bold words per page is enough.

2) Go Deeper. Having other sites drill deep into your web at various locations tells google that 'hey, this guy has varied useful content'. It's poor SEO strategy to acquire links just to link to the homepage. The search engines may ultimately discount those links

3) Go foreign. Why focus on North America? You can take your business to India, Pakistan, UK and Hongkong! Start creating pages for lucrative markets and submit to their local directories. This ensures multiple streams of revenue

4) Fire Up Newsletters. Provide articles to publishers like ezinearticles. The links breathe for many years in their archives and funnel backlinks to your site.

5) Go Bi. Image links are good, but text links are more appreciated. If your site is full of image links, have your webmaster place the text links first because that's what google looks for. Subsequent links are often discounted.

6) Multiple Partners. Create different domains on varying IPs that talk about similar subjects. The reason is that Google only lists one domain page per search result. Imagine if you owned ten domains that came up for the same search result? You'll be seducing more curious searchers. Another tip: search engine consulting firms recommend varying the keywords used on these domains just to minimize looking spammy.

7) Article Exchanges. You've heard of reciprocal link exchanges. Text link purchases. One way backlink purchases. Try them, and it's like getting herpes on the net. Google blacklists you and your worth is downgraded. But article exchanges are different. Whip up an article, upload to Ezinearcticles and before you know it - wham! Dozens of sites publish your article and bring fawning admirers to your door.

8) Shun Unvaried Anchor Text. If 1000 sites links to you with the appellation "Gimme Money", Google starts to squint and dig deeper, "Smells like automated filthy spam, methinks." Avoid the search engine ban by varying the anchor text. Dance under different names and you'll flirt more grandly with search engines.

9) Expose Your Glory With a Site map. Your visitors reach the honeypot more rapidly when you have a structured sitemap that links to every major page. Keep the map on a location easily accessible so you keep the action flowing. Google bots flirt with sitemaps too and often births detailed search results. So keep it search engine friendly.