How to Hold Effective Staff Meetings
Many people believe that they conduct effective meetings, when all they really do is host a party filled with official sounding chit chat. Or worse, they deliver a monologue that bores everyone. In either case, their meetings produce little.
Here's how to hold a short, effective staff meeting.
1) In general. Keep them short. Most staff meetings should last less than an hour. You want your staff to spend their time working on things that earn money for your business, not sitting in meetings. Keep them positive. Negative meetings contain insults, ridicule, and attacks. These activities create caution and resentment, which always costs your company money. Keep them interactive. Your staff consists of intelligent people. Put them to work in your meetings to advance the effectiveness of your organization.
2) Share news. Give the members of your group one minute to report on progress made in their area of responsibility. You'll find that this results in bullet point reports of essential information. It also prevents people from philosophizing, explaining, justifying, criticizing, and engaging in other unproductive activities. Plan a time budget: 8 to 10 minutes.
3) Teach something. Invite a guest expert to give a 10 minute presentation on some skill or technology that benefits your group. Tell the expert that you want a logical explanation of practical ideas. You can also ask members of your group to take turns delivering brief tutorials on topics that benefit the others. Plan a time budget: 10 to 15 minutes
4) Practice skills. Create team learning activities that sharpen or teach skills needed in your business. For example, you could role play job skills (especially useful for sales teams), solve puzzles (useful for high tech groups), or take quizzes (useful for everyone). Ask group members to take turns bringing an activity that reviews or teaches a valuable skill. Follow this activity with a brief recap of key ideas. Then ask the group members to give a fifteen second report on how these ideas can be applied to improve their work. Plan a time budget: 10 to 20 minutes.
5) Solve problems. Give each group member a minute to describe a challenge that hinders work on a current project and then let everyone propose solutions. Suggestions should be brief and free of self aggrandizing explanations or motivational sermons. This process also requires a positive, supportive environment to succeed. If this is used to ridicule, insult, or criticize the individual, then people will be reluctant to reveal issues that need attention. Plan a time budget: 3 to 6 minutes per person.
6) Use a facilitator. A facilitator will help you conduct meetings where the results matter. That way, you can participate, rather than spend your time managing the meeting. A good facilitator will know group decision making processes that move your meeting toward results everyone supports.
in Management
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Management/How-to-Hold-Effective-Staff-Meetings
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Now You Know Why That Hurricane Occurs
Now You Know Why That Hurricane Occurs
Equilibrium is the key for proper maintenance of the complex system that is the Earth's atmosphere. A great deal of heat builds up in the tropical latitudes due to the Earths revolution in its orbit around the sun and its rotation on its tilted axis. This immense heat gets dissipated to the latitudes in the middle by way of tropical storms. Hurricane is the name of the tropical storms that are the most powerful. At the west of the International Date Line these storms are called typhoons while in Australia and around the Indian Ocean they are known as the cyclones.
The Tropical storms originate at a band known as the intertropical convergence zone over warm waters that characterize this zone. An optimal of above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, surface temperatures of the sea is essential. Thunderstorms clusters are formed when areas of large clouds evaporate due to evaporation and convection. The strength of Coriolis effect that's required to initiate rotation occurs if the formation of these storms take place 10 degrees or above from the equator approximately.
The winds get stronger and the spin increases in speed as the whole storm system rotates away from the equator. The system will be classified as a when winds reach As wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour and 39 miles per hour, the system gets classified as hurricane and tropical storm respectively.
Eye of the Storm
One of the most powerful and destructive of nature's storms is the Hurricane. But in maintaining a balance in the atmosphere these destructive tropical storms play an irreplaceable role. The eye of the hurricane that is right at the center of the hurricane is an area of calm and has the lowest pressure point. <
Although a violent sea is always a possibility, yet predominately clear skies and calm weather characterizes the eye of the storm. On the surface the storm's coldest temperature is prevalent in the eye while on the higher altitudes the temperature gets warmer. The shape of the eye is usually circular and has a diameter varying from 5 to 125 miles.
The boundary formed between the storm and its eye is called the eye wall. The eye wall comprise of the heaviest rain, tallest clouds and the strongest winds of the storm. A tropical storm passing through land causes major damage and destruction on the land when the eye wall passes over it. The eye wall when completely wraps itself around the eye of the storm in a circle, creates the most well formed and strongest hurricanes. A partial eye wall is common among storms of weaker degree.
'Eye wall replacement cycle' is a behavioral pattern that's exhibited by hurricanes of higher level. The storms of this kind are more intense by nature. They have smaller eye wall radius and eye than other tropical storms. Occasionally the rain band in the outer section creates thunderstorms forming an outer concentric ring. The momentum and moisture that sustained the existing eye thus get cut off and considerably weaken the storm. But the storm intensifies and sometimes in a higher magnitude when a new eye forms in place of the old existing eye.
in Weddings
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Weddings/Now-You-Know-Why-That-Hurricane-Occurs
Equilibrium is the key for proper maintenance of the complex system that is the Earth's atmosphere. A great deal of heat builds up in the tropical latitudes due to the Earths revolution in its orbit around the sun and its rotation on its tilted axis. This immense heat gets dissipated to the latitudes in the middle by way of tropical storms. Hurricane is the name of the tropical storms that are the most powerful. At the west of the International Date Line these storms are called typhoons while in Australia and around the Indian Ocean they are known as the cyclones.
The Tropical storms originate at a band known as the intertropical convergence zone over warm waters that characterize this zone. An optimal of above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, surface temperatures of the sea is essential. Thunderstorms clusters are formed when areas of large clouds evaporate due to evaporation and convection. The strength of Coriolis effect that's required to initiate rotation occurs if the formation of these storms take place 10 degrees or above from the equator approximately.
The winds get stronger and the spin increases in speed as the whole storm system rotates away from the equator. The system will be classified as a when winds reach As wind speed reaches 74 miles per hour and 39 miles per hour, the system gets classified as hurricane and tropical storm respectively.
Eye of the Storm
One of the most powerful and destructive of nature's storms is the Hurricane. But in maintaining a balance in the atmosphere these destructive tropical storms play an irreplaceable role. The eye of the hurricane that is right at the center of the hurricane is an area of calm and has the lowest pressure point. <
Although a violent sea is always a possibility, yet predominately clear skies and calm weather characterizes the eye of the storm. On the surface the storm's coldest temperature is prevalent in the eye while on the higher altitudes the temperature gets warmer. The shape of the eye is usually circular and has a diameter varying from 5 to 125 miles.
The boundary formed between the storm and its eye is called the eye wall. The eye wall comprise of the heaviest rain, tallest clouds and the strongest winds of the storm. A tropical storm passing through land causes major damage and destruction on the land when the eye wall passes over it. The eye wall when completely wraps itself around the eye of the storm in a circle, creates the most well formed and strongest hurricanes. A partial eye wall is common among storms of weaker degree.
'Eye wall replacement cycle' is a behavioral pattern that's exhibited by hurricanes of higher level. The storms of this kind are more intense by nature. They have smaller eye wall radius and eye than other tropical storms. Occasionally the rain band in the outer section creates thunderstorms forming an outer concentric ring. The momentum and moisture that sustained the existing eye thus get cut off and considerably weaken the storm. But the storm intensifies and sometimes in a higher magnitude when a new eye forms in place of the old existing eye.
in Weddings
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Weddings/Now-You-Know-Why-That-Hurricane-Occurs
Fire Up Your Motivation
Fire Up Your Motivation
You should be able to find several indispensable facts about motivation in the following paragraphs. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make.
It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to fail, isn't it? Are there times in your life when you really want to call it "quits" because you just can't see any good results from all the hard work you've done?
Hold your horses!
Never ever think of giving up. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Take all negative words out of your mental dictionary and focus on the solutions with utmost conviction and patience. The battle is never lost until you've abandon your vision.
But what if you're really exhausted physically, mentally, and most of all emotionally? Here are some sources of motivation to prompt you in reaching the peak of accomplishment.
1) The Overwhelming Feeling of Attaining your Desired End
How would you feel after accomplishing your mission? Of course you will feel ecstatic. You might be shedding tears of joy. Let this tremendous feeling sink in and encourage you to persist despite all odds.
When I was studying for the Board Exams, I used this technique to motivate me. I would envision the sweetness of folks calling me a CPA. It would command respect. People will look up to me as a higher level of authority. And I would have better chances of finding a good job. I absorbed all these great perceptions into my inner being in order to achieve my ultimate goal.
2) The Reward System
How would you feel if you've entered a contest, but there are no prizes for the winners? It's not very encouraging, isn't it?
The same principles apply to your vision. Reward yourself after accomplishing a goal. Set a particular incentive for every objective.
Let's say if you've achieved a particular task, you'll treat yourself to your favorite restaurant. When you've finished a bigger task, you'll go on a vacation.
Got the idea?
Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completing a certain undertaking.
The best time to learn about motivation is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable motivation experience while it's still free. <
3) The Powerful Force of Humanity
If you want to succeed, surround yourself with the right kind of people who will support and encourage you all the way.
Be with people who have the same beliefs and aspirations as yours. Positive aura is generated by this fusion of collective energy from people of "like minds."
On the contrary, being with people who oppose your ways of thinking may trigger a negative, yet very powerful, kind of motivation.
Has anyone ever said to you that "You'll never get anywhere" or "You're wasting your time with what you're doing?"
Didn't it made you furious and determined enough to prove to them how wrong they were? This is what I'm talking about.
When aggravated, you will do anything to make those who are against you swallow their words. But of course, your main focus should be on the accomplishment of your goal and not for the purpose of revenge. Never let your emotions toward others alter your main objective.
4) Take Care Of Your Health
Exercise regularly. Fill your brains with enough oxygen to allow you to do your daily tasks with more vigor and energy.
Take regular breaks if time allows. Having the will power to continue despite all hardships is extremely important, but you should still know your limits.
If you don't take enough rest, you will not be able to think clearly and you will not be able to do your tasks properly. In the process, you will just get more frustrated.
Take sufficient sleep and recharge yourself after a hard day's work. Never, ever ignore your health. I've learned my lesson when I sacrificed my health for the sake of success. I've worked very long hours everyday and just got minimal sleep. As a result, I became ill.
It's not worth it. Success won't matter if you don't have good health to enjoy it.
Fire up your motivation and live life to the fullest!
That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.
Gary has always felt that everyone "Deserves To Have It All" and his desire is to assist others in Achieving Their True Worth and having it all. http://sandgmarketing.com
superstar@sandgmarkting.com
in Motivation
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Motivation/Fire-Up-Your-Motivation
You should be able to find several indispensable facts about motivation in the following paragraphs. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make.
It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to fail, isn't it? Are there times in your life when you really want to call it "quits" because you just can't see any good results from all the hard work you've done?
Hold your horses!
Never ever think of giving up. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Take all negative words out of your mental dictionary and focus on the solutions with utmost conviction and patience. The battle is never lost until you've abandon your vision.
But what if you're really exhausted physically, mentally, and most of all emotionally? Here are some sources of motivation to prompt you in reaching the peak of accomplishment.
1) The Overwhelming Feeling of Attaining your Desired End
How would you feel after accomplishing your mission? Of course you will feel ecstatic. You might be shedding tears of joy. Let this tremendous feeling sink in and encourage you to persist despite all odds.
When I was studying for the Board Exams, I used this technique to motivate me. I would envision the sweetness of folks calling me a CPA. It would command respect. People will look up to me as a higher level of authority. And I would have better chances of finding a good job. I absorbed all these great perceptions into my inner being in order to achieve my ultimate goal.
2) The Reward System
How would you feel if you've entered a contest, but there are no prizes for the winners? It's not very encouraging, isn't it?
The same principles apply to your vision. Reward yourself after accomplishing a goal. Set a particular incentive for every objective.
Let's say if you've achieved a particular task, you'll treat yourself to your favorite restaurant. When you've finished a bigger task, you'll go on a vacation.
Got the idea?
Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completing a certain undertaking.
The best time to learn about motivation is before you're in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep reading to earn some valuable motivation experience while it's still free. <
3) The Powerful Force of Humanity
If you want to succeed, surround yourself with the right kind of people who will support and encourage you all the way.
Be with people who have the same beliefs and aspirations as yours. Positive aura is generated by this fusion of collective energy from people of "like minds."
On the contrary, being with people who oppose your ways of thinking may trigger a negative, yet very powerful, kind of motivation.
Has anyone ever said to you that "You'll never get anywhere" or "You're wasting your time with what you're doing?"
Didn't it made you furious and determined enough to prove to them how wrong they were? This is what I'm talking about.
When aggravated, you will do anything to make those who are against you swallow their words. But of course, your main focus should be on the accomplishment of your goal and not for the purpose of revenge. Never let your emotions toward others alter your main objective.
4) Take Care Of Your Health
Exercise regularly. Fill your brains with enough oxygen to allow you to do your daily tasks with more vigor and energy.
Take regular breaks if time allows. Having the will power to continue despite all hardships is extremely important, but you should still know your limits.
If you don't take enough rest, you will not be able to think clearly and you will not be able to do your tasks properly. In the process, you will just get more frustrated.
Take sufficient sleep and recharge yourself after a hard day's work. Never, ever ignore your health. I've learned my lesson when I sacrificed my health for the sake of success. I've worked very long hours everyday and just got minimal sleep. As a result, I became ill.
It's not worth it. Success won't matter if you don't have good health to enjoy it.
Fire up your motivation and live life to the fullest!
That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.
Gary has always felt that everyone "Deserves To Have It All" and his desire is to assist others in Achieving Their True Worth and having it all. http://sandgmarketing.com
superstar@sandgmarkting.com
in Motivation
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Motivation/Fire-Up-Your-Motivation
Pharmaceutical Copywriter? Maybe?
Pharmaceutical Copywriter? Maybe?
So you are just getting out of college. You want to earn your living as a writer, and you decide on a career as an advertising copywriter. Naturally everyone wants to write the next great sneaker ad, or be the brainchild of the newest 20-year Vodka campaign, right? Not so fast.
While a career in "consumer" advertising has always been the benchmark of the industry, more and more young copywriters are finding their way in the growing world of pharmaceutical advertising. So why would someone want to write about a depression drug rather than a soft drink?
Here are three major reasons for this trend:
Stability:
With Job security as low as it has been since the crash of 1929, young creatives in general consumer advertising on Madison Avenue are finding themselves out of work an alarming rate. Pharmaceutical advertising is generally a bit more stable, as the market is simply smaller.
Money:
Initially, the salaries earned by consumer and healthcare copywriters is roughly about the same. That is to say, not very much. However, successful healthcare writers see larger salary increases and title promotions sooner than their consumer counterparts.
Sense of Importance:
At first glance the content, regulations and demographic would imply that pharmaceutical advertising wouldn't allow for as much creativity as a general consumer advertising. And while your "creative box" may be a bit smaller in pharmaceutical advertising, the work does allow and lend itself to a more dramatic and strategic end result. Furthermore, many creatives in pharmaceutical advertising love the fact that the message matters, and feel that their work truly is important.
So while writing the dream sequence spot for that new video game is fun, at the end of the day you're simply marketing a video game.
Pharmaceutical writers are asked to really devour the product; it's chemistry and most importantly how the condition for which the pharmaceutical product is indicated affects patients. In many cases, writers are asked to interview and meet patients to talk about their condition(s). It has been debated ad nauseam if medication is truly the best therapy. And while I'm smart enough to not opine on that topic, there is no arguing that awareness and education for both patients and healthcare professionals are necessary.
In any case, we can be certain that medicine has historically done more for society than any sneaker, soft drink or video game ever has.
To learn more about a career as a pharmaceutical copywriter please feel free to email me at anthony@dolagroup.com
Anthony Hemsey is a Sr. Trainer/ VP Placement Specialist at Dola Group Professsional Development. Dola Group is a consulting and executive search firm dedicated soley to the medical pharmaceutical advertising and marketing arena. To learn more about Dola Group's current program and job openings please visit dolagroup.com
To begin a dialogue with one of Dola Group's professional consultants please send an email to chat@dolagroup.com-– and mention this article!
in Copywriting
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Copywriting/Pharmaceutical-Copywriter_63_-Maybe_63_
So you are just getting out of college. You want to earn your living as a writer, and you decide on a career as an advertising copywriter. Naturally everyone wants to write the next great sneaker ad, or be the brainchild of the newest 20-year Vodka campaign, right? Not so fast.
While a career in "consumer" advertising has always been the benchmark of the industry, more and more young copywriters are finding their way in the growing world of pharmaceutical advertising. So why would someone want to write about a depression drug rather than a soft drink?
Here are three major reasons for this trend:
Stability:
With Job security as low as it has been since the crash of 1929, young creatives in general consumer advertising on Madison Avenue are finding themselves out of work an alarming rate. Pharmaceutical advertising is generally a bit more stable, as the market is simply smaller.
Money:
Initially, the salaries earned by consumer and healthcare copywriters is roughly about the same. That is to say, not very much. However, successful healthcare writers see larger salary increases and title promotions sooner than their consumer counterparts.
Sense of Importance:
At first glance the content, regulations and demographic would imply that pharmaceutical advertising wouldn't allow for as much creativity as a general consumer advertising. And while your "creative box" may be a bit smaller in pharmaceutical advertising, the work does allow and lend itself to a more dramatic and strategic end result. Furthermore, many creatives in pharmaceutical advertising love the fact that the message matters, and feel that their work truly is important.
So while writing the dream sequence spot for that new video game is fun, at the end of the day you're simply marketing a video game.
Pharmaceutical writers are asked to really devour the product; it's chemistry and most importantly how the condition for which the pharmaceutical product is indicated affects patients. In many cases, writers are asked to interview and meet patients to talk about their condition(s). It has been debated ad nauseam if medication is truly the best therapy. And while I'm smart enough to not opine on that topic, there is no arguing that awareness and education for both patients and healthcare professionals are necessary.
In any case, we can be certain that medicine has historically done more for society than any sneaker, soft drink or video game ever has.
To learn more about a career as a pharmaceutical copywriter please feel free to email me at anthony@dolagroup.com
Anthony Hemsey is a Sr. Trainer/ VP Placement Specialist at Dola Group Professsional Development. Dola Group is a consulting and executive search firm dedicated soley to the medical pharmaceutical advertising and marketing arena. To learn more about Dola Group's current program and job openings please visit dolagroup.com
To begin a dialogue with one of Dola Group's professional consultants please send an email to chat@dolagroup.com-– and mention this article!
in Copywriting
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Copywriting/Pharmaceutical-Copywriter_63_-Maybe_63_
Seven Secrets of Writing a Book That Sells
Seven Secrets of Writing a Book That Sells
It's one thing to write a book, it's an entirely different thing to write one that's a saleable, viable, marketable product. Ensuring the success of a book is something even the biggest publishers have never been able to guarantee. Mitigating circumstances, flash trends, and world events will all affect buyer preferences. That said, there are still ways to leverage the sales-factor in your favor and here's how you do it.
1. Know your readers. We're not just talking about whether your readers are male or female. You'll want to know myriad factors about your audience. How old are your readers (age range)? Are readers married, single, or divorced? Where do your readers live (generally)? What do your readers do for a living? What other books/publications do they read? Develop a profile that includes where they shop, what clubs they belong to, etc.
These elements will help you incorporate these aspects into your book *and* help you unearth salient marketing opportunities (i.e., publications and stores).
2. Know your market. What's the market like for your book? Is there a trend out there you're positioning yourself toward? Are you reading all the publications related to this topic/trend? Are there any "holes" out there your book could fill? What's the future for this market/topic? For example, let's say you're a fiction writer looking to publish chick lit. Go to any bookstore and you can't help but spot the cutsie, pink, cartoonish covers. Many thought this trend was dying out, but it has recently seen another surge. What do you know about trends related to your book/topic/audience?
3. Similar books. What else has been published on your topic? Have you read all ten books in your category? If you haven't, you should. You'll want to know everything you can about what's out there and how it's being perceived in the marketplace. It's never a problem having a similar topic. When I published No More Rejections - Get Published Today, I knew there were other books out there on marketing. I read them all--then angled my book differently.
4. Getting and staying current. What's going on in your industry today? What are some hot buttons? What are people looking for? What's next on the horizon for this topic/audience? If you can't seem to gather this information through traditional channels, why not survey your target audience? There are a number of places to run free surveys, Survey Monkey is one of them: http://www.surveymonkey.com
5. Follow the media. What's the media talking about these days? Keep track of media buzz--what they're paying attention to and what they're writing about. Delve beyond the front page of your paper to the second or third page and see what's filling the pages. If you can get your hands on out-of-state papers, do a comparative review. Do you see a trend in coverage? Is there something that seems to be getting more buzz even if it's on page six?
6. Talk, teach, listen. One of the best ways I've found to get in touch with my audience was to teach a class and do speaking engagements. When I was putting together my book, Get Published Today, I found that the classes I taught provided valuable information for creating a great book because they put me directly in touch with my audience!
7. Timing is everything. When do you plan to release your tome? Are you releasing around a holiday or anniversary? Could you take advantage of any upcoming event and/or holiday for your book launch?
in Book Marketing
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Book-Marketing/Seven-Secrets-of-Writing-a-Book-That-Sells
It's one thing to write a book, it's an entirely different thing to write one that's a saleable, viable, marketable product. Ensuring the success of a book is something even the biggest publishers have never been able to guarantee. Mitigating circumstances, flash trends, and world events will all affect buyer preferences. That said, there are still ways to leverage the sales-factor in your favor and here's how you do it.
1. Know your readers. We're not just talking about whether your readers are male or female. You'll want to know myriad factors about your audience. How old are your readers (age range)? Are readers married, single, or divorced? Where do your readers live (generally)? What do your readers do for a living? What other books/publications do they read? Develop a profile that includes where they shop, what clubs they belong to, etc.
These elements will help you incorporate these aspects into your book *and* help you unearth salient marketing opportunities (i.e., publications and stores).
2. Know your market. What's the market like for your book? Is there a trend out there you're positioning yourself toward? Are you reading all the publications related to this topic/trend? Are there any "holes" out there your book could fill? What's the future for this market/topic? For example, let's say you're a fiction writer looking to publish chick lit. Go to any bookstore and you can't help but spot the cutsie, pink, cartoonish covers. Many thought this trend was dying out, but it has recently seen another surge. What do you know about trends related to your book/topic/audience?
3. Similar books. What else has been published on your topic? Have you read all ten books in your category? If you haven't, you should. You'll want to know everything you can about what's out there and how it's being perceived in the marketplace. It's never a problem having a similar topic. When I published No More Rejections - Get Published Today, I knew there were other books out there on marketing. I read them all--then angled my book differently.
4. Getting and staying current. What's going on in your industry today? What are some hot buttons? What are people looking for? What's next on the horizon for this topic/audience? If you can't seem to gather this information through traditional channels, why not survey your target audience? There are a number of places to run free surveys, Survey Monkey is one of them: http://www.surveymonkey.com
5. Follow the media. What's the media talking about these days? Keep track of media buzz--what they're paying attention to and what they're writing about. Delve beyond the front page of your paper to the second or third page and see what's filling the pages. If you can get your hands on out-of-state papers, do a comparative review. Do you see a trend in coverage? Is there something that seems to be getting more buzz even if it's on page six?
6. Talk, teach, listen. One of the best ways I've found to get in touch with my audience was to teach a class and do speaking engagements. When I was putting together my book, Get Published Today, I found that the classes I taught provided valuable information for creating a great book because they put me directly in touch with my audience!
7. Timing is everything. When do you plan to release your tome? Are you releasing around a holiday or anniversary? Could you take advantage of any upcoming event and/or holiday for your book launch?
in Book Marketing
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Book-Marketing/Seven-Secrets-of-Writing-a-Book-That-Sells
Just Say I Don't Know
Just Say I Don't Know
Why am I writing this? I don't know. I can give reasons, but I can't be sure they are accurate. Such ignorance is okay, or at least it should be. The temptation is always to explain, but that often does nothing useful. In fact, it can just get in the way of actual understanding. Let me explain...
Rationalization 101
John was hypnotised, and given the post-hypnotic instruction to get up and put on his coat whenever the doctor touched his nose. Once out of the trance, they talked. During the conversation, the doctor scratched his nose, and John immediately stood up and put on his coat.
The doctor asked him why. "Oh, I thought we were finished," John said, and he took off the coat. A minute later, the doctor touched his nose again. John again immediately stood up and put on his coat. "It's getting cold in here," he explained.
This scenario is not unique to hypnosis. There's a lot that goes into our decisions and actions, and we act as though we're aware of it all. Just like poor John, we feel compelled to explain ourselves - and to believe our explanations. Rationalization is one of our strongest habits.
I Don't Know
A child throws a plate at his brother, and his mother demands "Why would you do that!?" He says, "I don't know," which is true, but not acceptable. Pychologists couldn't, in five seconds, understand the child's action with certainty, but a six-year-old is expected to do just that.<
He may not understand, but he learns quickly to explain himself. By adulthood, it is rare for any of us to say "I don't know" when asked about our behavior. There is a problem with that, though. How can we ever learn the true causes if we already accept our explanations?
Accepting Our Ignorance
A better way to approach these issues is to get in the habit of saying "I don't know." You can follow it with "Maybe it's because of..." and let the explanations spill out, but don't be too quick to accept any of them. Understand that it isn't always necessary to explain.
For example, even if you never know why you avoid a certain person, isn't it better to leave the question open than to accept a false explanation based on a habit of self-justification? Leave questions unanswered, and you may someday have a better understanding. Quick answers mean a quick stop in your thinking.
Self-explanation can be the death of self-understanding. Learn to accept your ignorance, and to keep observing yourself. Just say, "I don't know."
in Coaching
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Coaching/Just-Say-I-Don%27t-Know
Why am I writing this? I don't know. I can give reasons, but I can't be sure they are accurate. Such ignorance is okay, or at least it should be. The temptation is always to explain, but that often does nothing useful. In fact, it can just get in the way of actual understanding. Let me explain...
Rationalization 101
John was hypnotised, and given the post-hypnotic instruction to get up and put on his coat whenever the doctor touched his nose. Once out of the trance, they talked. During the conversation, the doctor scratched his nose, and John immediately stood up and put on his coat.
The doctor asked him why. "Oh, I thought we were finished," John said, and he took off the coat. A minute later, the doctor touched his nose again. John again immediately stood up and put on his coat. "It's getting cold in here," he explained.
This scenario is not unique to hypnosis. There's a lot that goes into our decisions and actions, and we act as though we're aware of it all. Just like poor John, we feel compelled to explain ourselves - and to believe our explanations. Rationalization is one of our strongest habits.
I Don't Know
A child throws a plate at his brother, and his mother demands "Why would you do that!?" He says, "I don't know," which is true, but not acceptable. Pychologists couldn't, in five seconds, understand the child's action with certainty, but a six-year-old is expected to do just that.<
He may not understand, but he learns quickly to explain himself. By adulthood, it is rare for any of us to say "I don't know" when asked about our behavior. There is a problem with that, though. How can we ever learn the true causes if we already accept our explanations?
Accepting Our Ignorance
A better way to approach these issues is to get in the habit of saying "I don't know." You can follow it with "Maybe it's because of..." and let the explanations spill out, but don't be too quick to accept any of them. Understand that it isn't always necessary to explain.
For example, even if you never know why you avoid a certain person, isn't it better to leave the question open than to accept a false explanation based on a habit of self-justification? Leave questions unanswered, and you may someday have a better understanding. Quick answers mean a quick stop in your thinking.
Self-explanation can be the death of self-understanding. Learn to accept your ignorance, and to keep observing yourself. Just say, "I don't know."
in Coaching
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Coaching/Just-Say-I-Don%27t-Know
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Web site copywriter in the 21st century
Web site copywriter in the 21st century
The process of keywords search is well-known. However large the company can be, whatever industry it operates in there are usually some persons at the company who can perform this task. However, once the keyword search has been performed one should start working these keywords phrases into the text of your web-site. The person who performs this task is a web site copywriter.
Apart from being creative and have an aptitude fro producing appealing, memorable and attracting content the professional web site copywriter should be able to write the text in easy-to-read, convincing and action-driven style. He should also be able to perform thorough web site analysis and understand how the web site maintained by you should be changed or adjusted in order to get higher conversion rates. But even if he has these qualities it may not be enough. It today's highly competitive and ever-changing online world it is indispensable for him to understand current marketing trend, what customers want to purchase as well as what expectations they have. Apart from this he must also analyze marketing and advertising strategy of the main competitors of the company and propose effective adjustments in the content of the web site to countervail them.
If you are hiring experienced web site copywriter it is advisable to look through his portfolio in order to get an insight into his experience. Experienced web site copywriter who has already provided some copywriting service should indicate what type of copywriting he has been working on and what results he has achieved. Moreover he must also understand modern marketing techniques such as writing press releases and writing article. The web site copywriter should always keep himself abreast of the latest changes in marketing in order to produce high-quality content. If the web site copywriter you intend to hire matches the above mentioned criteria, than he will be able to bring high results for your company.
in Copywriting
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Copywriting/Web-site-copywriter-in-the-21st-century
The process of keywords search is well-known. However large the company can be, whatever industry it operates in there are usually some persons at the company who can perform this task. However, once the keyword search has been performed one should start working these keywords phrases into the text of your web-site. The person who performs this task is a web site copywriter.
Apart from being creative and have an aptitude fro producing appealing, memorable and attracting content the professional web site copywriter should be able to write the text in easy-to-read, convincing and action-driven style. He should also be able to perform thorough web site analysis and understand how the web site maintained by you should be changed or adjusted in order to get higher conversion rates. But even if he has these qualities it may not be enough. It today's highly competitive and ever-changing online world it is indispensable for him to understand current marketing trend, what customers want to purchase as well as what expectations they have. Apart from this he must also analyze marketing and advertising strategy of the main competitors of the company and propose effective adjustments in the content of the web site to countervail them.
If you are hiring experienced web site copywriter it is advisable to look through his portfolio in order to get an insight into his experience. Experienced web site copywriter who has already provided some copywriting service should indicate what type of copywriting he has been working on and what results he has achieved. Moreover he must also understand modern marketing techniques such as writing press releases and writing article. The web site copywriter should always keep himself abreast of the latest changes in marketing in order to produce high-quality content. If the web site copywriter you intend to hire matches the above mentioned criteria, than he will be able to bring high results for your company.
in Copywriting
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Copywriting/Web-site-copywriter-in-the-21st-century
Cisco Home Lab Tutorial: Buying And Building A Frame Relay Switch
Cisco Home Lab Tutorial: Buying And Building A Frame Relay Switch
One of the major topics on your CCNA and CCNP exams is Frame Relay. Additionally, Frame Relay is one of the most popular WAN technolgies in today's networks. Getting hands-on experience with Frame Relay in Cisco networks isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity. Let's face it, your employer is going to get a little touchy if you start experimenting with your network's Frame Relay setup.
To practice all your important Frame Relay commands for your exams, you need a working Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A production network's Frame cloud consists of a lot of Frame switches, but if you choose wisely, a single Cisco router can act as your home lab's entire Frame cloud!
Before we look at the configuration of such a router (hereafter referred to as a "frame relay switch"), let's look at the physical requirements.
The more serial ports you have, the better. You should get a router with at least four serial ports. For frame switching purposes, it doesn't matter if the ports are synchronous or asynchronous - you just need the ports.
You will also need some DTE/DCE cables. The DCE end of the cables will be connected to the frame switch.
A great configuration for a CCNA practice lab is three routers that serve as "production" routers, and a 4th router as a frame relay switch. (You'll want an access server as well, but that's another article.)
What I use in my student and customer pods is a setup where R1 is connected to the frame switch's S1 port, R2 is connected to S2 on the frame switch, and R3 is connected to the frame switch's S3 port.
Now comes the tricky part - the configuration. A frame relay switch's config can be hard to find, so here's a copy of mine. Pay particular attention to the config on ports s1, s2, and s3.
version 12.0
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
hostname FRAME_SWITCH
!
!
ip subnet-zero
no ip domain-lookup
frame-relay switching
!
!
!
interface Ethernet0
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
shutdown
!
interface Serial0
ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0
clockrate 56000
!
interface Serial1
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221
frame-relay route 123 interface Serial3 321
!
interface Serial2
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 221 interface Serial1 122
!
interface Serial3
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 321 interface Serial1 123
!
interface BRI0
ip address 150.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation ppp
dialer map ip 150.1.1.2 name R2 broadcast 2335552221
dialer-group 1
!
ip classless
!
dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
logging synchronous
transport input none
line aux 0
line vty 0 4
login
!
end
The key command in the global configuration is frame-relay switching. You must have this configured before you can configure the interfaces.
The interfaces will be configured with the frame route command. Let's take a look at what each value means in the command frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221.
frame-relay route - the command
122 - the incoming DLCI on this interface
interface serial2 - the interface the data will be sent out
221 - the outgoing DLCI
This command on S1 means that anything that comes in on this port on DLCI 122 will be sent out interface serial2 on DLCI 221.
It's a good idea to hard-code the interfaces to act as DCEs with the frame intf-type dce command. Since these interfaces are acting as DCEs, the clockrate command is needed for the line protocol to come up.
Once you've configured your frame switch as shown and have configured the frame map statements on the "production" routers, you can test the frame switch configuration. On the frame switch, run the command show frame route .
FRAME_SWITCH#show frame route
Input Intf Input Dlci Output Intf Output Dlci Status
Serial1 122 Serial2 221 active
Serial1 123 Serial3 321 active
Serial2 221 Serial1 122 active
Serial3 321 Serial1 123 active
You should see "active" for all the interfaces. If you see "deleted", make sure your frame switch interfaces are open if they are, check the router configs.
Keep in mind that you can still configure routing protocols to run on ports that you're not using for frame switching. The router we used here had an ethernet port and BRI port, and the BRI port has been configured as part of the production network. Running frame switching does not disable IP routing.
Purchasing and configuring your own frame relay switch is an invaluable part of your Cisco education. By practicing your frame commands and configuring frame connections over your own frame relay cloud, you're polishing your Cisco skills and gaining knowledge that cannot be duplicated by simulator programs.
To your success,
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
in Computer Certification
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Computer-Certification/Cisco-Home-Lab-Tutorial_58_--Buying-And-Building-A-Frame-Relay-Switch
One of the major topics on your CCNA and CCNP exams is Frame Relay. Additionally, Frame Relay is one of the most popular WAN technolgies in today's networks. Getting hands-on experience with Frame Relay in Cisco networks isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity. Let's face it, your employer is going to get a little touchy if you start experimenting with your network's Frame Relay setup.
To practice all your important Frame Relay commands for your exams, you need a working Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A production network's Frame cloud consists of a lot of Frame switches, but if you choose wisely, a single Cisco router can act as your home lab's entire Frame cloud!
Before we look at the configuration of such a router (hereafter referred to as a "frame relay switch"), let's look at the physical requirements.
The more serial ports you have, the better. You should get a router with at least four serial ports. For frame switching purposes, it doesn't matter if the ports are synchronous or asynchronous - you just need the ports.
You will also need some DTE/DCE cables. The DCE end of the cables will be connected to the frame switch.
A great configuration for a CCNA practice lab is three routers that serve as "production" routers, and a 4th router as a frame relay switch. (You'll want an access server as well, but that's another article.)
What I use in my student and customer pods is a setup where R1 is connected to the frame switch's S1 port, R2 is connected to S2 on the frame switch, and R3 is connected to the frame switch's S3 port.
Now comes the tricky part - the configuration. A frame relay switch's config can be hard to find, so here's a copy of mine. Pay particular attention to the config on ports s1, s2, and s3.
version 12.0
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
hostname FRAME_SWITCH
!
!
ip subnet-zero
no ip domain-lookup
frame-relay switching
!
!
!
interface Ethernet0
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
shutdown
!
interface Serial0
ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0
clockrate 56000
!
interface Serial1
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221
frame-relay route 123 interface Serial3 321
!
interface Serial2
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 221 interface Serial1 122
!
interface Serial3
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 321 interface Serial1 123
!
interface BRI0
ip address 150.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation ppp
dialer map ip 150.1.1.2 name R2 broadcast 2335552221
dialer-group 1
!
ip classless
!
dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
logging synchronous
transport input none
line aux 0
line vty 0 4
login
!
end
The key command in the global configuration is frame-relay switching. You must have this configured before you can configure the interfaces.
The interfaces will be configured with the frame route command. Let's take a look at what each value means in the command frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221.
frame-relay route - the command
122 - the incoming DLCI on this interface
interface serial2 - the interface the data will be sent out
221 - the outgoing DLCI
This command on S1 means that anything that comes in on this port on DLCI 122 will be sent out interface serial2 on DLCI 221.
It's a good idea to hard-code the interfaces to act as DCEs with the frame intf-type dce command. Since these interfaces are acting as DCEs, the clockrate command is needed for the line protocol to come up.
Once you've configured your frame switch as shown and have configured the frame map statements on the "production" routers, you can test the frame switch configuration. On the frame switch, run the command show frame route .
FRAME_SWITCH#show frame route
Input Intf Input Dlci Output Intf Output Dlci Status
Serial1 122 Serial2 221 active
Serial1 123 Serial3 321 active
Serial2 221 Serial1 122 active
Serial3 321 Serial1 123 active
You should see "active" for all the interfaces. If you see "deleted", make sure your frame switch interfaces are open if they are, check the router configs.
Keep in mind that you can still configure routing protocols to run on ports that you're not using for frame switching. The router we used here had an ethernet port and BRI port, and the BRI port has been configured as part of the production network. Running frame switching does not disable IP routing.
Purchasing and configuring your own frame relay switch is an invaluable part of your Cisco education. By practicing your frame commands and configuring frame connections over your own frame relay cloud, you're polishing your Cisco skills and gaining knowledge that cannot be duplicated by simulator programs.
To your success,
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
in Computer Certification
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Computer-Certification/Cisco-Home-Lab-Tutorial_58_--Buying-And-Building-A-Frame-Relay-Switch
Serial Monitor allows intercepting, monitoring and logging of all serial (COM) port traffic in real-time
Serial Monitor allows intercepting, monitoring and logging of all serial (COM) port traffic in real-time
Monitor Serial Port Activities
If you are developing or debugging serial-port based hardware, analyzing or reverse-engineering protocols employed by a certain serial device, or are developing software that communicates with such devices, sooner or later you'll need to see what data comes through the COM ports.
Serial Monitor allows intercepting, monitoring and logging of all serial (COM) port traffic in real-time. It captures data transmitted through all RS232 ports on your computer simultaneously, and provides access to the COM port data in an easily readable format.
Serial (COM) ports have been around in all PCs since IBM first released a personal computer. While today more and more computers are coming without RS232 connections and are being replaced with USB, computers equipped with serial ports and RS232 hardware are still widely available on the market. These devices are usually inexpensive thanks to the simplicity of development, and provide great value to the consumers.
While developing communication software that works with devices connected through serial ports is relatively easy, it is still quite impossible to do without seeing what is being transmitted through the COM ports from the device to your software product. It is also quite impossible to develop a stable application without taking care of the various aspects of serial port programming such as different port speeds, synchronization issues, buffering, and port states.
Developing or debugging communication hardware can be even harder as hardware developers have special needs in logging and analyzing data sent or received through the COM ports. There aren't that many development tools that help with debugging devices for COM ports.
To make things even more complicated, there aren't many tools at all that provide any meaningful output besides the raw data. A proper tool should allow you to analyze the performance of the device, play back serial port activities in real-time or in slow motion, and transmit captured or new data to the COM port. <
Serial Monitor by HHD Software is fully capable of intercepting, logging and analyzing data transferred between a Windows PC and any number of COM port devices in real-time. Sure you'll have access to the raw COM port data, but for easy debugging and reverse-engineering a more convenient presentation of the data transmitted through the COM ports is readily available. Serial Monitor can decompose the data and provide output in the convenient MODBUS and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) formats, allowing you to create your own MODBUS packets and transmit them to the device.
Are you using separate tools for analyzing device logs? Serial Monitor supports exporting data to several popular formats for easy analysis. Not using third-party tools? Serial Monitor has a built-in statistics analyzer offering a graphical Statistic View.
If you are used to the look of console-based serial terminals of the ancient days, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the modern sleek look and convenient views provided by Serial Monitor. HHD Software recognizes the needs of today's developers using big-screen hi-resolution monitors, and provides a scalable, adjustable and fully customizable user interface with vector icons that look smooth at any resolution.
Serial Monitor is part of the Device Monitoring Studio family that offers USB and COM port monitoring to software and hardware developers. Serial Monitor comes in four editions and six license types, powerful enough for the most demanding user while remaining well within reach of corporate and individual developers. Download your free evaluation copy now: http://www.hhdsoftware.com/
in Software
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Software/Serial-Monitor-allows-intercepting,-monitoring-and-logging-of-all-serial-_40_COM_41_-port-traffic-in-real_45_time
Monitor Serial Port Activities
If you are developing or debugging serial-port based hardware, analyzing or reverse-engineering protocols employed by a certain serial device, or are developing software that communicates with such devices, sooner or later you'll need to see what data comes through the COM ports.
Serial Monitor allows intercepting, monitoring and logging of all serial (COM) port traffic in real-time. It captures data transmitted through all RS232 ports on your computer simultaneously, and provides access to the COM port data in an easily readable format.
Serial (COM) ports have been around in all PCs since IBM first released a personal computer. While today more and more computers are coming without RS232 connections and are being replaced with USB, computers equipped with serial ports and RS232 hardware are still widely available on the market. These devices are usually inexpensive thanks to the simplicity of development, and provide great value to the consumers.
While developing communication software that works with devices connected through serial ports is relatively easy, it is still quite impossible to do without seeing what is being transmitted through the COM ports from the device to your software product. It is also quite impossible to develop a stable application without taking care of the various aspects of serial port programming such as different port speeds, synchronization issues, buffering, and port states.
Developing or debugging communication hardware can be even harder as hardware developers have special needs in logging and analyzing data sent or received through the COM ports. There aren't that many development tools that help with debugging devices for COM ports.
To make things even more complicated, there aren't many tools at all that provide any meaningful output besides the raw data. A proper tool should allow you to analyze the performance of the device, play back serial port activities in real-time or in slow motion, and transmit captured or new data to the COM port. <
Serial Monitor by HHD Software is fully capable of intercepting, logging and analyzing data transferred between a Windows PC and any number of COM port devices in real-time. Sure you'll have access to the raw COM port data, but for easy debugging and reverse-engineering a more convenient presentation of the data transmitted through the COM ports is readily available. Serial Monitor can decompose the data and provide output in the convenient MODBUS and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) formats, allowing you to create your own MODBUS packets and transmit them to the device.
Are you using separate tools for analyzing device logs? Serial Monitor supports exporting data to several popular formats for easy analysis. Not using third-party tools? Serial Monitor has a built-in statistics analyzer offering a graphical Statistic View.
If you are used to the look of console-based serial terminals of the ancient days, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the modern sleek look and convenient views provided by Serial Monitor. HHD Software recognizes the needs of today's developers using big-screen hi-resolution monitors, and provides a scalable, adjustable and fully customizable user interface with vector icons that look smooth at any resolution.
Serial Monitor is part of the Device Monitoring Studio family that offers USB and COM port monitoring to software and hardware developers. Serial Monitor comes in four editions and six license types, powerful enough for the most demanding user while remaining well within reach of corporate and individual developers. Download your free evaluation copy now: http://www.hhdsoftware.com/
in Software
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Software/Serial-Monitor-allows-intercepting,-monitoring-and-logging-of-all-serial-_40_COM_41_-port-traffic-in-real_45_time
How to Pick the Perfect Domain Name
How to Pick the Perfect Domain Name
What makes the perfect domain name?
Well, it has to be:
1. Relatively short
2. Simple to remember
3. Easy to spell
I was speaking to a customer recently who had a business called 'Otway Valley Trading Company'.
The domain name he wanted was:
www.otwayvalleytradingcompany.com
Can you spot some of the problems with this domain name?
Here's a few:
1. It's too long:
Having to type a long domain name into your browser is annoying and also increases the chances of your customers making a spelling mistake.
2. Too many keywords:
Having 4 keywords (Otway Valley Trading Company) makes it hard for customers to remember the name of the site.
Try to stick to one or two keywords in your domain name.
3. Easy to misspell:
The word 'otway' can be easily confused for 'ottway'.
4. Makes the email address too long:
An email address for this domain name would look like this:
sales@otwayvalleytradingcompany.com
... that's a mouthful for anyone to remember.
Picking a Good Domain Name:
1) The shorter the better
Having a short and snappy domain name makes it easier for your customer to remember your website address, and easier to type into their Internet browser.
2) Go for something catchy
Keep in mind that your domain name doesn't have to be boring. In fact, if you can come up with something catchy - it's a great way to distinguish your business from the competition - just ask the people at Yahoo!
3) Avoid using hyphens
We've found that hyphens in domain names tend to confuse people.
Sometimes you'll see websites that have a hyphen separating keywords (e.g. ace-accounting.com). This is almost always because the preferred name (aceaccounting.com) has already been registered by someone else.
If the domain you want is already being used by someone else, then you're better off coming up with an alternative name then using hyphens.
4) Avoid using numbers
If possible, try avoiding the use of numbers in your domain name, as this can also lead to confusion (e.g. was that 3phones.com or threephones.com ?).
But if you have to use a number, make sure you register both the written and numerical versions of your domain name (3phones.com and threephones.com).
5) Grab a thesaurus
If you're struggling for inspiration or finding it difficult to come up with a name that hasn't already been taken - grab a thesaurus (or visit Thesaurus.com)
Say you run an adventure tour company and you want to register excitingadventures.com - but somebody has already registered the domain name.
Lookup the word 'exciting' at Thesaurus.com and you can quickly find an alternative like 'breathtaking, sensational or fascinating'.
And don't be afraid to use a little imagination - companies like Google and Yahoo! have benefited a lot by having a unique web address.
in Domains
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Domains/How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Domain-Name
What makes the perfect domain name?
Well, it has to be:
1. Relatively short
2. Simple to remember
3. Easy to spell
I was speaking to a customer recently who had a business called 'Otway Valley Trading Company'.
The domain name he wanted was:
www.otwayvalleytradingcompany.com
Can you spot some of the problems with this domain name?
Here's a few:
1. It's too long:
Having to type a long domain name into your browser is annoying and also increases the chances of your customers making a spelling mistake.
2. Too many keywords:
Having 4 keywords (Otway Valley Trading Company) makes it hard for customers to remember the name of the site.
Try to stick to one or two keywords in your domain name.
3. Easy to misspell:
The word 'otway' can be easily confused for 'ottway'.
4. Makes the email address too long:
An email address for this domain name would look like this:
sales@otwayvalleytradingcompany.com
... that's a mouthful for anyone to remember.
Picking a Good Domain Name:
1) The shorter the better
Having a short and snappy domain name makes it easier for your customer to remember your website address, and easier to type into their Internet browser.
2) Go for something catchy
Keep in mind that your domain name doesn't have to be boring. In fact, if you can come up with something catchy - it's a great way to distinguish your business from the competition - just ask the people at Yahoo!
3) Avoid using hyphens
We've found that hyphens in domain names tend to confuse people.
Sometimes you'll see websites that have a hyphen separating keywords (e.g. ace-accounting.com). This is almost always because the preferred name (aceaccounting.com) has already been registered by someone else.
If the domain you want is already being used by someone else, then you're better off coming up with an alternative name then using hyphens.
4) Avoid using numbers
If possible, try avoiding the use of numbers in your domain name, as this can also lead to confusion (e.g. was that 3phones.com or threephones.com ?).
But if you have to use a number, make sure you register both the written and numerical versions of your domain name (3phones.com and threephones.com).
5) Grab a thesaurus
If you're struggling for inspiration or finding it difficult to come up with a name that hasn't already been taken - grab a thesaurus (or visit Thesaurus.com)
Say you run an adventure tour company and you want to register excitingadventures.com - but somebody has already registered the domain name.
Lookup the word 'exciting' at Thesaurus.com and you can quickly find an alternative like 'breathtaking, sensational or fascinating'.
And don't be afraid to use a little imagination - companies like Google and Yahoo! have benefited a lot by having a unique web address.
in Domains
http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Domains/How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Domain-Name
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Grilling Hamburgers and Sittin' on an Old Ice Cream Freezer
Grilling Hamburgers and Sittin' on an Old Ice Cream Freezer
Grilling hamburgers, one of my earliest backyard grilling memories. Our Family would get together, usually on the weekends, and have a hamburger and ice cream supper as we say here in Texas. I can fondly remember sitting on top of the old ice cream freezer while my Dad, Uncles and Granddad took turns at spinning the old hand crank attached to the water soaked wooden ice bucket.
Today, the hoodless grill would resemble a throw away variety you would take to the beach, but then we were in tall cotton and in for some delicious eating. The ice cream would be flavored most of the time with a can of crushed pineapple. Or, just maybe, someone would have given us some fresh ripe peaches to mash and toss into the vanilla ice cream mixture.
Cooking out then was a real big treat for the entire family, always with a lot of laughter, running and playing.
Grilling the hamburgers soon became my responsibility, even though I was only about 10 years old at the time. Carefully building the charcoal fire in that old grill we had was a test of my better Boy Scout skills. Once the charcoal was covered in a fine white ash the grilling could begin.
The ice cream was being packed in more ice mixed with a generous amount of rock salt mixture to be allowed to season, while we all ate our terrific tasting hamburgers always topped with lettuce, red ripe tomatoes and onions. The catsup bottle would be passed around as everyone would take their turn, shaking or popping the bottom of the bottle to get the thick tomato sauce from the jar.
Ribs today are one of my favorite backyard treats, but the hamburgers still to this day come sliding across the plate for a delicious grilling feast.
Ah the ribs, good tender slab of ribs with the meat falling off the bone, slathered with a generous portion of smoky chipotle barbecue sauce. Just enough heat in the sauce to add a nice warm blanket right on top of your tongue. Did you know the chipotle is nothing more than the Jalapeno smoked and dried usually with mesquite wood? They are quite delicious giving a nice smoky flavor to your food.
Guacamole is also a favorite topping with just about any grilled meat, especially beef, pork or chicken. Creaming those fresh ripe avocados together with a nice garden ripe tomatoes, chopped green onions, try a little chopped chipotle as well. Season your delicious concoction with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, toss in some cilantro, salt and pepper and call it a meal by it self.
Thick juicy T-Bone steaks are a great treat as well as chicken fajitas. Fun to do because everyone gets to pile their own into a large flour tortilla made just to suit them.
Yes grilling today is just as much fun today as it was when I was growing up. The old three legged grill has long since been tossed onto the trash heap. Replaced with a big cast iron wood smoker and grill, sure I have a handy gas grill for almost daily use but nothing is better than firing up the old trusty smoker.
My great nieces and nephews are now the ones running and playing. They are always beaming with delight as the scoops of homemade fresh peach ice cream is served up with one of "Nana's" homemade cookies.
Someday though I think I will pull out the old hand cranked ice cream freezer. After all, they are missing one of the best parts of the family cookout. Sitting on the old freezer, holding it down while their Dad, Uncle and Granddad take turns cranking the old beast.
I wonder if they would sit still that long?
in Cooking
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Cooking/Grilling-Hamburgers-and-Sittin'-on-an-Old-Ice-Cream-Freezer
Grilling hamburgers, one of my earliest backyard grilling memories. Our Family would get together, usually on the weekends, and have a hamburger and ice cream supper as we say here in Texas. I can fondly remember sitting on top of the old ice cream freezer while my Dad, Uncles and Granddad took turns at spinning the old hand crank attached to the water soaked wooden ice bucket.
Today, the hoodless grill would resemble a throw away variety you would take to the beach, but then we were in tall cotton and in for some delicious eating. The ice cream would be flavored most of the time with a can of crushed pineapple. Or, just maybe, someone would have given us some fresh ripe peaches to mash and toss into the vanilla ice cream mixture.
Cooking out then was a real big treat for the entire family, always with a lot of laughter, running and playing.
Grilling the hamburgers soon became my responsibility, even though I was only about 10 years old at the time. Carefully building the charcoal fire in that old grill we had was a test of my better Boy Scout skills. Once the charcoal was covered in a fine white ash the grilling could begin.
The ice cream was being packed in more ice mixed with a generous amount of rock salt mixture to be allowed to season, while we all ate our terrific tasting hamburgers always topped with lettuce, red ripe tomatoes and onions. The catsup bottle would be passed around as everyone would take their turn, shaking or popping the bottom of the bottle to get the thick tomato sauce from the jar.
Ribs today are one of my favorite backyard treats, but the hamburgers still to this day come sliding across the plate for a delicious grilling feast.
Ah the ribs, good tender slab of ribs with the meat falling off the bone, slathered with a generous portion of smoky chipotle barbecue sauce. Just enough heat in the sauce to add a nice warm blanket right on top of your tongue. Did you know the chipotle is nothing more than the Jalapeno smoked and dried usually with mesquite wood? They are quite delicious giving a nice smoky flavor to your food.
Guacamole is also a favorite topping with just about any grilled meat, especially beef, pork or chicken. Creaming those fresh ripe avocados together with a nice garden ripe tomatoes, chopped green onions, try a little chopped chipotle as well. Season your delicious concoction with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, toss in some cilantro, salt and pepper and call it a meal by it self.
Thick juicy T-Bone steaks are a great treat as well as chicken fajitas. Fun to do because everyone gets to pile their own into a large flour tortilla made just to suit them.
Yes grilling today is just as much fun today as it was when I was growing up. The old three legged grill has long since been tossed onto the trash heap. Replaced with a big cast iron wood smoker and grill, sure I have a handy gas grill for almost daily use but nothing is better than firing up the old trusty smoker.
My great nieces and nephews are now the ones running and playing. They are always beaming with delight as the scoops of homemade fresh peach ice cream is served up with one of "Nana's" homemade cookies.
Someday though I think I will pull out the old hand cranked ice cream freezer. After all, they are missing one of the best parts of the family cookout. Sitting on the old freezer, holding it down while their Dad, Uncle and Granddad take turns cranking the old beast.
I wonder if they would sit still that long?
in Cooking
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Cooking/Grilling-Hamburgers-and-Sittin'-on-an-Old-Ice-Cream-Freezer
Internet Explorer Tips That Can Improve Your Web Surfing Experience
Internet Explorer Tips That Can Improve Your Web Surfing Experience
Here are best internet explorer (Version: 6.0) tips that can improve your web surfing experience. Using these tips you can browse the web faster & safer.
View pages offline -When you want to view pages offline at your convenience put the pages in your favorite list.
Steps for customize cookies:
1. Connect to the internet and access the page.
2. Click Favorites on IE.
3. Add to Favourites.
4. In the name field enter a name of the page or default name.
5. Create a new folder or select a folder that already created.
6. Click "Make available offline" check box
7. Click ok
8. To access the page when you are offline, click Favorites.
9. From the drop down menu click the folder & select the title of the page
Cookies -Cookies are small test files that some web sites store on your hard disk.
Use of cookies: Alert you to the new content, store certain registration information, and customize the site. Note: Some sites may store cookies to use your personal information without your consent. So, you can customize your browse settings to allow cookies from only those sites that you consider safe.
Steps for customize cookies:
1. Click tools
2. Click internet options
3. Click privacy tab
4. Move the slider to set privacy level for the Internet Zone. There are three level High, Medium, and Low. We recommend medium level suitable for most of users. Medium level check internet sites for a privacy policy, compare privacy policy to my preference, allow all websites to use cookies, do not allow unsatisfactory third parties to use cookies, and compatible with most websites.
Access recently visited website without typing URL –If you want to access a recently visited site again, click the down arrow at the right of the address box and select web address from the drop down window.
You also access recently visited site again, typing a few words of the address. Internet Explorer automatically drops down the window with a list of web address that matches the typed words. Select the URL from the list and Press Enter.
Cache Size –Browser temporarily stores pages on your hard disk called the cache. If page is available in the cache internet explorer picks pages from cache instead of the remote web server. Therefore you can increase the size or the cache for store more pages in it. It helps when you re-access certain pages they display faster.
Steps for increase cache size:
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click settings button
4. Drag the "Amount of disk space to use" slider to the right on settings dialog box
5. Click the "Automatically" radio button under check for newer versions of stored pages. Selecting "Automatically" radio button IE automatically checks that the version of page in the cache and the server are the same.
6. Click Ok.
Set Internet Explorer Start with a blank page or a different page.
Steps for setting Blank page:
1. Click Tools.
2. Click Internet Options.
3. Home page frame, Click use blank button. Address field fills with the text "about: blank". Click Apply Button.
If you want to open your favorite web page every time internet explorer opens (for example: http://www.google.com). Type the URL of web page in the address field and click apply button.
Restrict Bad Sites –Steps for restricting some bad sites accessing from your computer.
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click the Security Tab
4. Click the "Restricted Sites" icon
5. In the "Restricted Sites" dialog box, type the url of sites you want to add to the restricted zone.
6. Click Add. Click Ok.
Use of History Button –History button helpful to access a site you have visited week or two weeks ago.
1. Click History Button.
2. In the History panel, click week of your choice. IE lists the entire site you have access that week.
3. Click the site URL, title of the page you browsed displays.
4. From the list, click a title to display the page.
You can also search pages from history list.
1. Click Search Box in the History Panel
2. Type the words/phrase
3. Click the Search Now button.
Browser Secure –You can increase security of your browser to prevent unauthorized access to your login, credit card and other personal information.
Steps for increasing security of web browser:
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click Advanced tab
4. In setting window, Under security category
5. Click the check box of your choice to enable the security options they represent.
6. You should enable Use SSL 2.0 and Use SSL 3.0 Options.
Graphics Settings –Simple steps for faster accessing web pages is that don't auto load graphics.
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click Advanced tab
4. In settings window, Under Multimedia category clears the "show pictures" check box. You also clear the "play sounds" and "play video" check box for stopping the playing audio and video in the web pages. It takes more time to download.
Using above all tips makes better use of your internet Browser.
in Software
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Software/Internet-Explorer-Tips-That-Can-Improve-Your-Web-Surfing-Experience
Here are best internet explorer (Version: 6.0) tips that can improve your web surfing experience. Using these tips you can browse the web faster & safer.
View pages offline -When you want to view pages offline at your convenience put the pages in your favorite list.
Steps for customize cookies:
1. Connect to the internet and access the page.
2. Click Favorites on IE.
3. Add to Favourites.
4. In the name field enter a name of the page or default name.
5. Create a new folder or select a folder that already created.
6. Click "Make available offline" check box
7. Click ok
8. To access the page when you are offline, click Favorites.
9. From the drop down menu click the folder & select the title of the page
Cookies -Cookies are small test files that some web sites store on your hard disk.
Use of cookies: Alert you to the new content, store certain registration information, and customize the site. Note: Some sites may store cookies to use your personal information without your consent. So, you can customize your browse settings to allow cookies from only those sites that you consider safe.
Steps for customize cookies:
1. Click tools
2. Click internet options
3. Click privacy tab
4. Move the slider to set privacy level for the Internet Zone. There are three level High, Medium, and Low. We recommend medium level suitable for most of users. Medium level check internet sites for a privacy policy, compare privacy policy to my preference, allow all websites to use cookies, do not allow unsatisfactory third parties to use cookies, and compatible with most websites.
Access recently visited website without typing URL –If you want to access a recently visited site again, click the down arrow at the right of the address box and select web address from the drop down window.
You also access recently visited site again, typing a few words of the address. Internet Explorer automatically drops down the window with a list of web address that matches the typed words. Select the URL from the list and Press Enter.
Cache Size –Browser temporarily stores pages on your hard disk called the cache. If page is available in the cache internet explorer picks pages from cache instead of the remote web server. Therefore you can increase the size or the cache for store more pages in it. It helps when you re-access certain pages they display faster.
Steps for increase cache size:
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click settings button
4. Drag the "Amount of disk space to use" slider to the right on settings dialog box
5. Click the "Automatically" radio button under check for newer versions of stored pages. Selecting "Automatically" radio button IE automatically checks that the version of page in the cache and the server are the same.
6. Click Ok.
Set Internet Explorer Start with a blank page or a different page.
Steps for setting Blank page:
1. Click Tools.
2. Click Internet Options.
3. Home page frame, Click use blank button. Address field fills with the text "about: blank". Click Apply Button.
If you want to open your favorite web page every time internet explorer opens (for example: http://www.google.com). Type the URL of web page in the address field and click apply button.
Restrict Bad Sites –Steps for restricting some bad sites accessing from your computer.
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click the Security Tab
4. Click the "Restricted Sites" icon
5. In the "Restricted Sites" dialog box, type the url of sites you want to add to the restricted zone.
6. Click Add. Click Ok.
Use of History Button –History button helpful to access a site you have visited week or two weeks ago.
1. Click History Button.
2. In the History panel, click week of your choice. IE lists the entire site you have access that week.
3. Click the site URL, title of the page you browsed displays.
4. From the list, click a title to display the page.
You can also search pages from history list.
1. Click Search Box in the History Panel
2. Type the words/phrase
3. Click the Search Now button.
Browser Secure –You can increase security of your browser to prevent unauthorized access to your login, credit card and other personal information.
Steps for increasing security of web browser:
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click Advanced tab
4. In setting window, Under security category
5. Click the check box of your choice to enable the security options they represent.
6. You should enable Use SSL 2.0 and Use SSL 3.0 Options.
Graphics Settings –Simple steps for faster accessing web pages is that don't auto load graphics.
1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click Advanced tab
4. In settings window, Under Multimedia category clears the "show pictures" check box. You also clear the "play sounds" and "play video" check box for stopping the playing audio and video in the web pages. It takes more time to download.
Using above all tips makes better use of your internet Browser.
in Software
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Software/Internet-Explorer-Tips-That-Can-Improve-Your-Web-Surfing-Experience
Friday, December 10, 2010
Anger Management Hypnotism
Anger Management Hypnotism
Anger is one of the most intense of all emotions. It could be described as a strong negative feeling usually caused by our bodily responses to a certain condition. It arises as we are affected by what is presented to us. Anger is usually manifested and expressed in different ways.
Reasons for experiencing anger are unique and diverse. You may be caused to react over even simple things in a certain way. The problem is when you express your anger in a way that is destructive to you as well as your surroundings. This creates a concern on handling such feeling; on ways of venting out your anger effectively. Such strong demonstration requires anger management.
Anger management is an effort to address your feelings in a more constructive way. You will be presented with several "stimulants" known to be the usual triggering factor for human beings. Your reactions will then be analyzed for you to be able to work on them. The crucial and important aspect is when you are able to gain control over your anger. As the term implies, you are learning to manage your emotion in a way that it does not cause any form of harm or destruction.
Experiencing anger is not bad as it is a natural emotion as human beings. It is something that could normally occur. However, you must always encourage your self to do away with it. Probable causes cannot be accurately classified. It is only known that feeling angry is triggered by situations and people presented to us; usually by things that are not of your liking. It could be a person, a particular event, a petty thing among other things that trigger you to be irate.
To address this intense emotion, you could find healthy means of expressing it. This may be through relaxation – freeing yourself of things that stress you. You could also manage your anger through constantly trying to remain calm when encountering your tendencies to be angry. It is also important that you are aware of your condition and accept that you tend to be often angry.
With this, you could take concrete step in correcting it. A way on achieving this is seeking professional help. But instead of going to psychiatrists, whose services can be costly, you should try Hypnotherapy. It is considered to be a very effective way to address problems like anger management.
in Time Management
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Time-Management/Anger-Management-Hypnotism
Anger is one of the most intense of all emotions. It could be described as a strong negative feeling usually caused by our bodily responses to a certain condition. It arises as we are affected by what is presented to us. Anger is usually manifested and expressed in different ways.
Reasons for experiencing anger are unique and diverse. You may be caused to react over even simple things in a certain way. The problem is when you express your anger in a way that is destructive to you as well as your surroundings. This creates a concern on handling such feeling; on ways of venting out your anger effectively. Such strong demonstration requires anger management.
Anger management is an effort to address your feelings in a more constructive way. You will be presented with several "stimulants" known to be the usual triggering factor for human beings. Your reactions will then be analyzed for you to be able to work on them. The crucial and important aspect is when you are able to gain control over your anger. As the term implies, you are learning to manage your emotion in a way that it does not cause any form of harm or destruction.
Experiencing anger is not bad as it is a natural emotion as human beings. It is something that could normally occur. However, you must always encourage your self to do away with it. Probable causes cannot be accurately classified. It is only known that feeling angry is triggered by situations and people presented to us; usually by things that are not of your liking. It could be a person, a particular event, a petty thing among other things that trigger you to be irate.
To address this intense emotion, you could find healthy means of expressing it. This may be through relaxation – freeing yourself of things that stress you. You could also manage your anger through constantly trying to remain calm when encountering your tendencies to be angry. It is also important that you are aware of your condition and accept that you tend to be often angry.
With this, you could take concrete step in correcting it. A way on achieving this is seeking professional help. But instead of going to psychiatrists, whose services can be costly, you should try Hypnotherapy. It is considered to be a very effective way to address problems like anger management.
in Time Management
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Time-Management/Anger-Management-Hypnotism
How To Write a Better Fundraising Letter
How To Write a Better Fundraising Letter
Looking for tips on writing a better fundraising letter? Use these quick tips
to craft your next donation request letter. Feel free to modify the sample
letter below to fit your specific needs.
-Good news - Always start the letter with a series of good news
-Use bullets to build momentum and make entire letter entertaining and informative
- Use foreshadowing to tease your reader and keep him or her reading.
- Create a widow at the end of the first page (a thought that's finished
on page two)
- Make your reader turn the page
-Describe what you want to do next
- Tell what you're going to do.
- Why you're going to do it.
- How you're going to do it.
- What results you expect.
List suggested contribution amounts
- Use even numbersin graduated amounts
- Offer a monthly auto charge credit card option ($10 a month is $120 a year)
- Include a blank line for write-in amounts
-Remind readers that their contribution is your budget - Your successes have been possible because of their past contributions
- Thank them!
Use P.S.'s for skimmers
- May titillate skimmers and get them to read the entire letter.
- To create a sense of urgency.
Sample Donation Request Letter
Date
Dear Name of sponsor,
On (date of event), I will join hundreds of others to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis by (riding/walking/skating) in the MS (event name). By making a pledge on my behalf, you are supporting research and local services to those affected with this unpredictable disease.
Give details - Tell your story: I have a personal stake in this particular event. My (dad, aunt, sister) has MS. Not only do I want to help him/her, but also the many others diagnosed with MS. MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system. Some symptoms of MS may include loss of balance, impaired vision and hearing, fatigue, muscle weakness and, in some,
paralysis. Even simple everyday living skills become increasingly difficult.
Everyone is affected differently by these symptoms.
My goal is to raise at least (specify dollar amount) this year, which represents $1 for every person with MS registered with our local MS Chapter. Please help me reach that goal with your pledge. Your donation is tax deductible. If you wish, you may mail all or part of your payment amount today in the self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed with this letter.
Otherwise, I will collect your pledge after the event. Please make your check
payable to the National MS Society. My deadline to get my pledges in is (deadline date). Following the event, I will send out a brief recap of the MS (event name) to all my sponsors.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please call me if you have any questions or comments about the MS (event name). I can be reached at (phone number).
Sincerely,
Your name
in Fundraising
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Fundraising/How-To-Write-a-Better-Fundraising-Letter
Looking for tips on writing a better fundraising letter? Use these quick tips
to craft your next donation request letter. Feel free to modify the sample
letter below to fit your specific needs.
-Good news - Always start the letter with a series of good news
-Use bullets to build momentum and make entire letter entertaining and informative
- Use foreshadowing to tease your reader and keep him or her reading.
- Create a widow at the end of the first page (a thought that's finished
on page two)
- Make your reader turn the page
-Describe what you want to do next
- Tell what you're going to do.
- Why you're going to do it.
- How you're going to do it.
- What results you expect.
List suggested contribution amounts
- Use even numbersin graduated amounts
- Offer a monthly auto charge credit card option ($10 a month is $120 a year)
- Include a blank line for write-in amounts
-Remind readers that their contribution is your budget - Your successes have been possible because of their past contributions
- Thank them!
Use P.S.'s for skimmers
- May titillate skimmers and get them to read the entire letter.
- To create a sense of urgency.
Sample Donation Request Letter
Date
Dear Name of sponsor,
On (date of event), I will join hundreds of others to help end the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis by (riding/walking/skating) in the MS (event name). By making a pledge on my behalf, you are supporting research and local services to those affected with this unpredictable disease.
Give details - Tell your story: I have a personal stake in this particular event. My (dad, aunt, sister) has MS. Not only do I want to help him/her, but also the many others diagnosed with MS. MS is a disease that affects the central nervous system. Some symptoms of MS may include loss of balance, impaired vision and hearing, fatigue, muscle weakness and, in some,
paralysis. Even simple everyday living skills become increasingly difficult.
Everyone is affected differently by these symptoms.
My goal is to raise at least (specify dollar amount) this year, which represents $1 for every person with MS registered with our local MS Chapter. Please help me reach that goal with your pledge. Your donation is tax deductible. If you wish, you may mail all or part of your payment amount today in the self-addressed stamped envelope enclosed with this letter.
Otherwise, I will collect your pledge after the event. Please make your check
payable to the National MS Society. My deadline to get my pledges in is (deadline date). Following the event, I will send out a brief recap of the MS (event name) to all my sponsors.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please call me if you have any questions or comments about the MS (event name). I can be reached at (phone number).
Sincerely,
Your name
in Fundraising
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Fundraising/How-To-Write-a-Better-Fundraising-Letter
Eight Steps to Taking Control of Every Situation in Your Life
Eight Steps to Taking Control of Every Situation in Your Life
Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenge upon challenge confronts us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators mocks, sneers, or cheers us. Each and every day brings new battles whether we want them or not and whether we're up to them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.
What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim.
Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships.
Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.
That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do. These tyrants applaud and they hiss, they encourage and they discourage.
These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. For example, it's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."
And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.
Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments.
With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live? Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.
Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor.
What it takes are eight steps for getting command, eight steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.
Let's look at the steps.
1. Define What Ails You.
Ask, what's my problem? Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want? Am I ticked off most of the time? Am I sad and whiney? Anxiety ridden? Moody? All of the above? Without this step, you're doomed. It will take personal courage, but you won't get results without identifying what ails you.
2. Discover the Effects.
Ask, how are my problems affecting my life? Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a slut, a drunk, a junkie? Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be? This step requires absolute self-honesty, but the truth will help set you free.
3. Seek the Source.
Ask, from where are my problems coming? Who are my real and my mental spectators? What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do? Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life? This could be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You will look into the abyss and see who is looking back.
4. Identify Your Role.
Ask, how am I contributing to my problems? What is my responsibility in all this? Did I decide to be a garbage disposal? Do I beat myself to death trying to please others? Do I expect things of myself that are unfair? Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy? Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety? Recognizing your role in your own problems is a positive - but scary - step toward knowing yourself and gaining personal command.
5. State Your Desires.
Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems? Do I want to be a doormat, a slut, a drunk, a friendless geek? Or do I want to rule my mental spectators? Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down? Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships? Until you can actually list your desires in the order of their importance, you will be a victim. However, once you do this, you are on your way to being a victor.
6. Seek Options.
Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them? What is the first option I should concentrate on? The second one? The third? If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends. Secondly, take the money you normally spend at bars and deposit it in a college fund for yourself or your kids. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT. Very few people on their deathbed have said, "If I could live life all over again, I'd spend more of it at work and less with people I love." Choices are involved here, but by weighing options and alternatives, and then making personal choices, you are taking command. Do this and you'll begin to gain real power.
7. Learn Winning Techniques.
Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators? Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down? How can I learn to take charge on every level and get a grip on my life? There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.
8. Master Your Relationships.
Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening myself and my perceptions? How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth? Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships with other people and the world around you.
Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life, you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.
in Goal Setting
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Goal-Setting/Eight-Steps-to-Taking-Control-of-Every-Situation-in-Your-Life
Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenge upon challenge confronts us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators mocks, sneers, or cheers us. Each and every day brings new battles whether we want them or not and whether we're up to them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.
What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim.
Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships.
Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.
That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do. These tyrants applaud and they hiss, they encourage and they discourage.
These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. For example, it's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."
And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.
Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments.
With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live? Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.
Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor.
What it takes are eight steps for getting command, eight steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.
Let's look at the steps.
1. Define What Ails You.
Ask, what's my problem? Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want? Am I ticked off most of the time? Am I sad and whiney? Anxiety ridden? Moody? All of the above? Without this step, you're doomed. It will take personal courage, but you won't get results without identifying what ails you.
2. Discover the Effects.
Ask, how are my problems affecting my life? Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a slut, a drunk, a junkie? Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be? This step requires absolute self-honesty, but the truth will help set you free.
3. Seek the Source.
Ask, from where are my problems coming? Who are my real and my mental spectators? What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do? Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life? This could be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You will look into the abyss and see who is looking back.
4. Identify Your Role.
Ask, how am I contributing to my problems? What is my responsibility in all this? Did I decide to be a garbage disposal? Do I beat myself to death trying to please others? Do I expect things of myself that are unfair? Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy? Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety? Recognizing your role in your own problems is a positive - but scary - step toward knowing yourself and gaining personal command.
5. State Your Desires.
Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems? Do I want to be a doormat, a slut, a drunk, a friendless geek? Or do I want to rule my mental spectators? Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down? Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships? Until you can actually list your desires in the order of their importance, you will be a victim. However, once you do this, you are on your way to being a victor.
6. Seek Options.
Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them? What is the first option I should concentrate on? The second one? The third? If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends. Secondly, take the money you normally spend at bars and deposit it in a college fund for yourself or your kids. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT. Very few people on their deathbed have said, "If I could live life all over again, I'd spend more of it at work and less with people I love." Choices are involved here, but by weighing options and alternatives, and then making personal choices, you are taking command. Do this and you'll begin to gain real power.
7. Learn Winning Techniques.
Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators? Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down? How can I learn to take charge on every level and get a grip on my life? There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.
8. Master Your Relationships.
Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening myself and my perceptions? How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth? Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships with other people and the world around you.
Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life, you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.
in Goal Setting
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Goal-Setting/Eight-Steps-to-Taking-Control-of-Every-Situation-in-Your-Life
Freelance Writing From Home - The Drawbacks
Freelance Writing From Home - The Drawbacks
The life of a freelance writer isn't all glitz and glamour. Before you take the plunge into freelance writing at your work-at home career choice, there are a few things to consider. While you can work from home earning money in your pajamas, there are negatives to this career choice. Here's a list of ten of the common drawbacks of freelance writing.
1. No sick days. Sometimes you have to work while you're sick. If you don't, you lose money and maybe a client. Clients aren't very forgiving unless you have a solid relationship with them and even then, sometimes their deadline is more important to them than your health and well being.
2. No medical benefits, a 401K or even a guaranteed income. You have to pay your own taxes too. This can make budgeting tricky when you take the plunge into freelance writing for a living, especially if you're the main breadwinner in your house.
3. Pay day is not guaranteed. You may go from famine to feast and then famine again regularly and payday doesn't come every second Friday so it can be a tricky balancing act, especially in the early days.
4. Juggling deadlines and family responsibilities can be challenging at times. You may have to give certain parties and events a miss because you have a deadline. You may feel conflicted at times when you have to let the laundry or dirty dishes pile up so you can finish an assignment. You may have to learn write with a crying baby on your lap.
5. Chasing payments isn't fun. There are customers who aren't as eager to pay you as they are to take your hard work. Sometimes people don't pay on time or try to short pay or not pay at all. You have to develop skills to protect yourself and may have to act as your own collections agent part-time.
6. Freelancers can have regular work, one-off gigs and can have a great paying regular deal that might suddenly disappear. The well can dry up regularly so you have to keep a constant lookout for work.
7. Reworking and multiple edits. You can slave over something for a client and they might hate it. You have to take criticism and might have to deliver work you don't think is as well written after your client asks for changes. You need to develop a tough skin in this business.
8. Projects can be difficult to estimate. You can underestimate prep time and working time for a project and find that it has lost you money in the end. This can be difficult but until you're very experienced, it will probably happen.
9. Sploggers, spammers and scrapers are rampant in online markets and want to steal your work and benefit from it! Be prepared to be plagiarized.
10. You have to have a really good eye for scams. When trying to establish yourself, it's a learning process and many new writers are scammed a few times before they become wise to all the tricks and signs of a scam.
Regardless of the negatives listed here, freelance writing can also be a great gig that can earn you money, offer a flexible home based business and can be personally fulfilling if you love to write. With time and experience, you'll find you are able to better deal with the downsides of writing for a living.
in Writing
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Writing/Freelance-Writing-From-Home-_45_-The-Drawbacks
The life of a freelance writer isn't all glitz and glamour. Before you take the plunge into freelance writing at your work-at home career choice, there are a few things to consider. While you can work from home earning money in your pajamas, there are negatives to this career choice. Here's a list of ten of the common drawbacks of freelance writing.
1. No sick days. Sometimes you have to work while you're sick. If you don't, you lose money and maybe a client. Clients aren't very forgiving unless you have a solid relationship with them and even then, sometimes their deadline is more important to them than your health and well being.
2. No medical benefits, a 401K or even a guaranteed income. You have to pay your own taxes too. This can make budgeting tricky when you take the plunge into freelance writing for a living, especially if you're the main breadwinner in your house.
3. Pay day is not guaranteed. You may go from famine to feast and then famine again regularly and payday doesn't come every second Friday so it can be a tricky balancing act, especially in the early days.
4. Juggling deadlines and family responsibilities can be challenging at times. You may have to give certain parties and events a miss because you have a deadline. You may feel conflicted at times when you have to let the laundry or dirty dishes pile up so you can finish an assignment. You may have to learn write with a crying baby on your lap.
5. Chasing payments isn't fun. There are customers who aren't as eager to pay you as they are to take your hard work. Sometimes people don't pay on time or try to short pay or not pay at all. You have to develop skills to protect yourself and may have to act as your own collections agent part-time.
6. Freelancers can have regular work, one-off gigs and can have a great paying regular deal that might suddenly disappear. The well can dry up regularly so you have to keep a constant lookout for work.
7. Reworking and multiple edits. You can slave over something for a client and they might hate it. You have to take criticism and might have to deliver work you don't think is as well written after your client asks for changes. You need to develop a tough skin in this business.
8. Projects can be difficult to estimate. You can underestimate prep time and working time for a project and find that it has lost you money in the end. This can be difficult but until you're very experienced, it will probably happen.
9. Sploggers, spammers and scrapers are rampant in online markets and want to steal your work and benefit from it! Be prepared to be plagiarized.
10. You have to have a really good eye for scams. When trying to establish yourself, it's a learning process and many new writers are scammed a few times before they become wise to all the tricks and signs of a scam.
Regardless of the negatives listed here, freelance writing can also be a great gig that can earn you money, offer a flexible home based business and can be personally fulfilling if you love to write. With time and experience, you'll find you are able to better deal with the downsides of writing for a living.
in Writing
Source: http://readbud.com/Articles/Writing/Freelance-Writing-From-Home-_45_-The-Drawbacks
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Cara Sederhana Rambut Bebas Ketombe
Cara Sederhana Rambut Bebas Ketombe
VIVAnews - Serpihan putih di kepala atau ketombe bisa sangat merusak penampilan. Gangguan kulit kepala ini merupakan salah satu penanda adanya ketidakseimbangan dalam tubuh. Bila tak diatasi, ketombe menimbulkan gangguan lebih parah seperti kerontokan rambut atau luka di kulit kepala.
Cara mengatasi ketombe yang paling tepat menurut Times of India, adalah mengatur pola makan. Makan menu seimbang dengan kandungan seng, asam lemak omega-3, vitamin E dan B membantu menguatkan kulit kepala dan mencegah ketombe. Batasi pula makanan yang mengandung ragi dan gula.
Minyak dalam rambut tak selamanya buruk. Bila kadar minyak dalam rambut normal, rambut akan bebas ketombe. Sehingga disarankan tidak mencuci rambut setiap hari. Hal lain untuk menghindari ketombe adalah penggunaan produk kecantikan seperti hairspray, mousse dan gel yang bisa menyebabkan kulit kepala kering, gatal dan mengelupas.
Gunakan sampo anti-ketombe, tetapi pastikan Anda tahu apa yang 'bahan aktif' di dalamnya. Bila ingin mencoba pencuci rambut yang lebih alami, bahan dengan kandungan asam seperti jus lemon, baking soda, daun teh atau cuka sari apel juga dapat digunakan.
Namun sebaiknya berkonsultasi dengan ahli kecantikan atau dokter sebelum menggunakan perawatan alami yang sesuai dengan kondisi kulit kepala.
Source: http://id.news.yahoo.com/viva/20101206/tls-cara-sederhana-rambut-bebas-ketombe-34dae5e.html
VIVAnews - Serpihan putih di kepala atau ketombe bisa sangat merusak penampilan. Gangguan kulit kepala ini merupakan salah satu penanda adanya ketidakseimbangan dalam tubuh. Bila tak diatasi, ketombe menimbulkan gangguan lebih parah seperti kerontokan rambut atau luka di kulit kepala.
Cara mengatasi ketombe yang paling tepat menurut Times of India, adalah mengatur pola makan. Makan menu seimbang dengan kandungan seng, asam lemak omega-3, vitamin E dan B membantu menguatkan kulit kepala dan mencegah ketombe. Batasi pula makanan yang mengandung ragi dan gula.
Minyak dalam rambut tak selamanya buruk. Bila kadar minyak dalam rambut normal, rambut akan bebas ketombe. Sehingga disarankan tidak mencuci rambut setiap hari. Hal lain untuk menghindari ketombe adalah penggunaan produk kecantikan seperti hairspray, mousse dan gel yang bisa menyebabkan kulit kepala kering, gatal dan mengelupas.
Gunakan sampo anti-ketombe, tetapi pastikan Anda tahu apa yang 'bahan aktif' di dalamnya. Bila ingin mencoba pencuci rambut yang lebih alami, bahan dengan kandungan asam seperti jus lemon, baking soda, daun teh atau cuka sari apel juga dapat digunakan.
Namun sebaiknya berkonsultasi dengan ahli kecantikan atau dokter sebelum menggunakan perawatan alami yang sesuai dengan kondisi kulit kepala.
Source: http://id.news.yahoo.com/viva/20101206/tls-cara-sederhana-rambut-bebas-ketombe-34dae5e.html
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Ciplukan Hambat Pertumbuhan Sel Kanker
Ciplukan Hambat Pertumbuhan Sel Kanker
Antara - Rabu, 8 Desember
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Buah ciplukan ((Physallisa angulata L) mengandung senyawa Fisalin dan Withanolid yang dapat menyembuhkan kanker.
"Fisalin dan Withanolid bersifat sitotoksik pada beberapa sel kanker dan mampu menghambat pertumbuhan sel kanker payudara, paru-paru, dan kanker darah," kata mahasiswa Fakultas Farmasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta Amelilinda Monikawati di Yogyakarta, Selasa.
Amelilinda bersama Inna Amandari dan Sofa Farida berhasil menguji potensi kemopreventif ekstrak etanolik herba ciplukan pada sel kanker payudara.
Berkat penelitian uji potensi antikanker pada ciplukan ketiga mahasiswa Fakultas Farmasi UGM tersebut memenangi Kompetisi Pemilihan Peneliti Remaja Indonesia (PPRI) bidang Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam 2010.
"Secara in vitro, penelitian tersebut berhasil menekan pertumbuhan sel kanker hingga 20 persen. Dari penelitian-penelitian yang dilakukan menguatkan hipotesis ciplukan memiliki potensi untuk dikembangkan sebagai agen kemopreventif," katanya.
Tidak hanya secara in vitro, kata dia untuk mendukung penelitian potensi ciplukan sebagai agen kemopreventif pada kanker payudara dilakukan pula secara uji in vivo.
"Uji secara in vivo bertujuan untuk mengobservasi pengaruh ekstrak etanolik herba pada hewan uji tikus betina galur Sprague Dawley," katanya.
Selama ini, kata dia pengobatan kanker payudara dengan kemoterapi dinilai kurang efektif karena sering menimbulkan resistensi dan beberapa efek samping.
"Efek samping dari kemoterapi seperti mual, muntah, toksisitas pada jaringan normal, toksisitas pada jantung, dan menekan sistem imun," katanya.
Oleh karena itu, ia mengatakan dibutuhkan suatu alternatif terapi kanker yang lebih aman, terjangkau, efektif, dan tidak membahayakan sistem imun.
Source: http://id.news.yahoo.com/antr/20101207/tls-ciplukan-hambat-pertumbuhan-sel-kank-e850fa7.html
Antara - Rabu, 8 Desember
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Buah ciplukan ((Physallisa angulata L) mengandung senyawa Fisalin dan Withanolid yang dapat menyembuhkan kanker.
"Fisalin dan Withanolid bersifat sitotoksik pada beberapa sel kanker dan mampu menghambat pertumbuhan sel kanker payudara, paru-paru, dan kanker darah," kata mahasiswa Fakultas Farmasi Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta Amelilinda Monikawati di Yogyakarta, Selasa.
Amelilinda bersama Inna Amandari dan Sofa Farida berhasil menguji potensi kemopreventif ekstrak etanolik herba ciplukan pada sel kanker payudara.
Berkat penelitian uji potensi antikanker pada ciplukan ketiga mahasiswa Fakultas Farmasi UGM tersebut memenangi Kompetisi Pemilihan Peneliti Remaja Indonesia (PPRI) bidang Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam 2010.
"Secara in vitro, penelitian tersebut berhasil menekan pertumbuhan sel kanker hingga 20 persen. Dari penelitian-penelitian yang dilakukan menguatkan hipotesis ciplukan memiliki potensi untuk dikembangkan sebagai agen kemopreventif," katanya.
Tidak hanya secara in vitro, kata dia untuk mendukung penelitian potensi ciplukan sebagai agen kemopreventif pada kanker payudara dilakukan pula secara uji in vivo.
"Uji secara in vivo bertujuan untuk mengobservasi pengaruh ekstrak etanolik herba pada hewan uji tikus betina galur Sprague Dawley," katanya.
Selama ini, kata dia pengobatan kanker payudara dengan kemoterapi dinilai kurang efektif karena sering menimbulkan resistensi dan beberapa efek samping.
"Efek samping dari kemoterapi seperti mual, muntah, toksisitas pada jaringan normal, toksisitas pada jantung, dan menekan sistem imun," katanya.
Oleh karena itu, ia mengatakan dibutuhkan suatu alternatif terapi kanker yang lebih aman, terjangkau, efektif, dan tidak membahayakan sistem imun.
Source: http://id.news.yahoo.com/antr/20101207/tls-ciplukan-hambat-pertumbuhan-sel-kank-e850fa7.html
Sunday, December 5, 2010
So You Want To Setup A Blog!!
So You Want To Setup A Blog!!
So, you have been out on the Internet and hear people talking about blogs. Weblogs (Blogs for short) are web-based publications consisting of information of all sorts. Some people have personal blogs. Others are using blogs to market a product or service. I use one of my blog as a complimentary informational site to my home based business. It allows me to easily and quickly publish information about my home-based business. It is also a portal for my team to keep abreast of business related information.
The first thing you need to decide what type of blog you want. Having decided, go to www.blogger.com (there are other, but for the purpose of this article, I will discuss www.blogger.com.) to setup an account.
Once your account is setup, you will want to login into the dashboard. At this point, I would send some time reading the tutorials and looking at some of the other blogs. By looking at other"s blogs, you can get an idea of how you want your to look and function. Blogger provides a help group (forum) where you can communicate with other members.
First, you will want to create your blog. You do this by using the "Create A Blog" button. This will bring you to page asking you a few questions. At this point, you have two options: simple setup or advanced setup. If you are new and have no knowledge of setting up a website and ftping, stay with the simple setup. But if you are familiar with setting up website and ftping, I suggest the advance setup. The advance setup would allow you more flexibility, but requires more of a learning curve. For our discussion, we will stick with the simple setup.
For the simple setup, chose a title and address (URL) for your blog. Select a title that reflection your intention for the site. Selecting a good title is an important consideration, especially if you are using it to market a product or providing information to your audience. Put in the word verification number and hit "Continue".
Secondly, you will want to select a template from the ones provided on this page. Make your selection based on how it will coordinate with product or service. Also, the template should have an aesthetic affect on your targeted traffic. In other words, if you are using this to promote a home-based business, use a color scheme that is not loud and boisterous.
Lastly, hit the "Continue" button. Your blog has been setup. You will now want to start publishing to your blog. You are back at the dashboard, so select your blog link.
Under the "Publish" tab, select the "Create" tab. You will have a blank editor box to enter your new information to be published. If you are familiar with HTML tags, you can add it into your text. (i.e.: This is my new text will produce This is my new text.). There are some edit buttons within the editor that you can use also. Once finished entering your new information, hit the "Publish Post" button.
As a side note, once you have published to your site, you will want to draw traffic to your new blog. You can use two sites that will send out your post so others can see them. They are www.pingoat.com and www.pingomatic.com. Every time you make a new post, use these two sites.
Whether you are just wanting expound your personal views, market a product or service, or provide a portal for additional information about your home based business, blogs are great. They can be setup easily and quickly be published. You do not have to worry about web hosting and programming if you are a newbie. Just start typing in your thoughts on a daily basis to keep your content fresh.
in Blogging
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Blogging/So-You-Want-To-Setup-A-Blog_33__33_
So, you have been out on the Internet and hear people talking about blogs. Weblogs (Blogs for short) are web-based publications consisting of information of all sorts. Some people have personal blogs. Others are using blogs to market a product or service. I use one of my blog as a complimentary informational site to my home based business. It allows me to easily and quickly publish information about my home-based business. It is also a portal for my team to keep abreast of business related information.
The first thing you need to decide what type of blog you want. Having decided, go to www.blogger.com (there are other, but for the purpose of this article, I will discuss www.blogger.com.) to setup an account.
Once your account is setup, you will want to login into the dashboard. At this point, I would send some time reading the tutorials and looking at some of the other blogs. By looking at other"s blogs, you can get an idea of how you want your to look and function. Blogger provides a help group (forum) where you can communicate with other members.
First, you will want to create your blog. You do this by using the "Create A Blog" button. This will bring you to page asking you a few questions. At this point, you have two options: simple setup or advanced setup. If you are new and have no knowledge of setting up a website and ftping, stay with the simple setup. But if you are familiar with setting up website and ftping, I suggest the advance setup. The advance setup would allow you more flexibility, but requires more of a learning curve. For our discussion, we will stick with the simple setup.
For the simple setup, chose a title and address (URL) for your blog. Select a title that reflection your intention for the site. Selecting a good title is an important consideration, especially if you are using it to market a product or providing information to your audience. Put in the word verification number and hit "Continue".
Secondly, you will want to select a template from the ones provided on this page. Make your selection based on how it will coordinate with product or service. Also, the template should have an aesthetic affect on your targeted traffic. In other words, if you are using this to promote a home-based business, use a color scheme that is not loud and boisterous.
Lastly, hit the "Continue" button. Your blog has been setup. You will now want to start publishing to your blog. You are back at the dashboard, so select your blog link.
Under the "Publish" tab, select the "Create" tab. You will have a blank editor box to enter your new information to be published. If you are familiar with HTML tags, you can add it into your text. (i.e.: This is my new text will produce This is my new text.). There are some edit buttons within the editor that you can use also. Once finished entering your new information, hit the "Publish Post" button.
As a side note, once you have published to your site, you will want to draw traffic to your new blog. You can use two sites that will send out your post so others can see them. They are www.pingoat.com and www.pingomatic.com. Every time you make a new post, use these two sites.
Whether you are just wanting expound your personal views, market a product or service, or provide a portal for additional information about your home based business, blogs are great. They can be setup easily and quickly be published. You do not have to worry about web hosting and programming if you are a newbie. Just start typing in your thoughts on a daily basis to keep your content fresh.
in Blogging
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Blogging/So-You-Want-To-Setup-A-Blog_33__33_
What do you really need in cookware and crockery
What do you really need in cookware and crockery
Cookware is always a rather contentious subject. I have seen chefs turn up to even the simplest of cooking jobs carrying more than it would take to maintain your average oil tanker (though maybe this is not the best use for your cookware), when all that was really needed was a knife and something to sharpen it with.
So what are the real "cookware essentials", the things that you really can't do without? Well surprisingly you actually need only a very small amount of things to get you going. Probably considerably less than you have already.
All the cookware you actually need is a good knife, a means of sharpening it, a chopping board and a couple of pans. You may prefer a bit more cookware but you can cook with just that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as partial to a kitchen full of mixers, blenders, electrical appliances and assorted useful, and otherwise, gadgets as the next person.
But although good quality cheap cookware ( yes it is possible )like grinders and blenders give you a lot more scope there are plenty of things that you can cook without them, but a good knife, or three, is absolutely essential.
The first and most essential piece of cookware you need is a cook's knife, that's as large as you feel comfortable with, an 8 inch knife with a blade that curves slightly to allow a rocking motion is a good start, then a smaller knife, about 4 inches, for cutting small vegetables and a carving knife.
If you buy one about 10 inches long it can also double as a bread knife. Although there is no point buying extra knifes just to line the pockets of the large kitchen equipment manufacturers. A set can actually be quite good value and give you more for a similar amount of money. But check carefully what is in the set first.
If you cannot find a set with what you think will be useful to you, don't buy it. Many sets come with extras like a case or wooden knife block but try to see past the free gifts. It's much better to have a few good knives in your drawer than a fancy polished beech wood block with fifteen designer knives, fourteen of which you never use, and one that is not the right shape for your hand and gives you blisters.
I have a small, not very expensive set of French Sabatiers that are comfortable but not as posh looking as some of the more fashionable makes like the Japanese globals which I find too light which makes chopping a lot of vegetables for example much harder work.
If you learn how to use them properly then steel or grinding stone is a good way to keep your knives sharp otherwise there are a good choice of proprietary sharpeners that keep the knife at the right angle while you pull it through the sharpener. Pans also need to be good quality, nothing over the top, no need to spend a fortune. Just make sure they are of a good solid construction.
This promotes good even heat distribution and helps to prevent things burning. Stainless steel is a good option. A good wok on the other hand should be made of a thin light steel and cost very little, but always check that it has a good well-fixed wooden handle. The best place to buy this most useful of pans is (perhaps unsurprisingly) usually the local Chinese supermarket. A good chopping board is another necessity though two are better than one as this helps to prevent cross contamination if you designate one for uncooked meats/fish etc. and another for things like fruit and salads.
No matter how much you think you will always be careful and wash them between uses this is the best single way to prevent contamination between foods. Mixers can be useful if you intend doing a lot of baking. But unless you make bread on a regular basis (always a good idea), then buying a simple, good quality hand held mixer rather than a heavy standalone version could save you a couple of hundred dollars in as well as a lot of space on your worktop.
A blender is always useful for soups and the occasional smoothie, and a grinder will give you a lot more options in your use of nuts etc. and will also provide a constant supply of fresh coffee for the more manic cook. A good way to combine the functions of all three is to buy a food processor.
A good quality machine such as a Moulinex or Robot coupe will save space and allow you to buy a much better processor than if you bought their items separately. There is an almost unending list of kitchen equipment that you could buy (if in doubt walk into your local cookery shop and ask the owner what he thinks you need!), but make sure you get the essential good quality cookware right and it will make your cooking easier and more enjoyable.
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to guides on cuisines, culinary styles, recipes and more , do please browse for more information at our websites.
www.infozabout.com
www.cookery.infozabout.com
in Cooking
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Cooking/What-do-you-really-need-in-cookware-and-crockery
Cookware is always a rather contentious subject. I have seen chefs turn up to even the simplest of cooking jobs carrying more than it would take to maintain your average oil tanker (though maybe this is not the best use for your cookware), when all that was really needed was a knife and something to sharpen it with.
So what are the real "cookware essentials", the things that you really can't do without? Well surprisingly you actually need only a very small amount of things to get you going. Probably considerably less than you have already.
All the cookware you actually need is a good knife, a means of sharpening it, a chopping board and a couple of pans. You may prefer a bit more cookware but you can cook with just that.
Don't get me wrong, I'm as partial to a kitchen full of mixers, blenders, electrical appliances and assorted useful, and otherwise, gadgets as the next person.
But although good quality cheap cookware ( yes it is possible )like grinders and blenders give you a lot more scope there are plenty of things that you can cook without them, but a good knife, or three, is absolutely essential.
The first and most essential piece of cookware you need is a cook's knife, that's as large as you feel comfortable with, an 8 inch knife with a blade that curves slightly to allow a rocking motion is a good start, then a smaller knife, about 4 inches, for cutting small vegetables and a carving knife.
If you buy one about 10 inches long it can also double as a bread knife. Although there is no point buying extra knifes just to line the pockets of the large kitchen equipment manufacturers. A set can actually be quite good value and give you more for a similar amount of money. But check carefully what is in the set first.
If you cannot find a set with what you think will be useful to you, don't buy it. Many sets come with extras like a case or wooden knife block but try to see past the free gifts. It's much better to have a few good knives in your drawer than a fancy polished beech wood block with fifteen designer knives, fourteen of which you never use, and one that is not the right shape for your hand and gives you blisters.
I have a small, not very expensive set of French Sabatiers that are comfortable but not as posh looking as some of the more fashionable makes like the Japanese globals which I find too light which makes chopping a lot of vegetables for example much harder work.
If you learn how to use them properly then steel or grinding stone is a good way to keep your knives sharp otherwise there are a good choice of proprietary sharpeners that keep the knife at the right angle while you pull it through the sharpener. Pans also need to be good quality, nothing over the top, no need to spend a fortune. Just make sure they are of a good solid construction.
This promotes good even heat distribution and helps to prevent things burning. Stainless steel is a good option. A good wok on the other hand should be made of a thin light steel and cost very little, but always check that it has a good well-fixed wooden handle. The best place to buy this most useful of pans is (perhaps unsurprisingly) usually the local Chinese supermarket. A good chopping board is another necessity though two are better than one as this helps to prevent cross contamination if you designate one for uncooked meats/fish etc. and another for things like fruit and salads.
No matter how much you think you will always be careful and wash them between uses this is the best single way to prevent contamination between foods. Mixers can be useful if you intend doing a lot of baking. But unless you make bread on a regular basis (always a good idea), then buying a simple, good quality hand held mixer rather than a heavy standalone version could save you a couple of hundred dollars in as well as a lot of space on your worktop.
A blender is always useful for soups and the occasional smoothie, and a grinder will give you a lot more options in your use of nuts etc. and will also provide a constant supply of fresh coffee for the more manic cook. A good way to combine the functions of all three is to buy a food processor.
A good quality machine such as a Moulinex or Robot coupe will save space and allow you to buy a much better processor than if you bought their items separately. There is an almost unending list of kitchen equipment that you could buy (if in doubt walk into your local cookery shop and ask the owner what he thinks you need!), but make sure you get the essential good quality cookware right and it will make your cooking easier and more enjoyable.
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to guides on cuisines, culinary styles, recipes and more , do please browse for more information at our websites.
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in Cooking
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Cooking/What-do-you-really-need-in-cookware-and-crockery
Your Next PR Nightmare Could Be Only a Click Away
Your Next PR Nightmare Could Be Only a Click Away
In the age of Enron and failed intelligence, scandals remain the rage of the front page. Companies want to see positive spin and not scandal related material published. Imagine for a moment the educational software site where employees are identified as regular visitors to pornography websites. The effect to such a company's image could be devastating.
Leaks, Peeks & Sneaks
There are numerous security risks facing companies with internal networks. Primary among their concerns are stifling leaks and backdoors that allow hackers to penetrate their firewalls. But the threat from within the company may prove to be more devastating to a company's reputation and subsequently their stock value and much more.
Employees face a four-pronged attack from blended threats across the board. Phishing and pharming are two of the more popular attacks that face Internet users everyday. Typically sent via email, phishing attacks depend on the concern of an employee to take care of matters ranging from personal to financial. The uneducated user will click an embedded link and leave the network vulnerable to an attack.
The sophistication of these attacks can penetrate even the most complex of security systems unless user error can be compensated for. The most popular forms of phishing involve instant messaging and emails. Despite the widely known understanding of spoofing, most users do not expect to receive messages from spoofed accounts.
Increasing a systems security perimeter can block instant messaging ports and prevent such external security breaches. Network security devices can also block web requests to URLs presented in instant messages. Better still, URLs or web requests from internal users can be compared to a database of acceptable websites and disallowed or denied if they do not match.
Living on the Fringe
Installing spyware and malware is another by-product of visiting less than secure websites. Internet users are often besieged by offers for free software, free access and freebies. The lure of the freebie is as potent if not more so on the Internet than it is in real life. Downloading such freebies can come with passenger programs designed to record keystrokes and much more
The least of the problems that spyware can commit is to tie up bandwidth and computer memory. The worst is that it can actually spawn Internet attacks to other sites, download critical data and send it elsewhere. Employees do not have to be lured just by a freebie either. They can simply make a typo in submitting a URL and find themselves in the wrong Internet neighborhood. Clever programmers can generate pop-up windows and disguise a button with a simple label like 'close' and the user will click it, thinking they will only close the nuisance window. Some programs on high-speed network access can be downloaded in the blink of an eye, compromising the computer and potentially the network.
One-Click Scandals
Scandals need very little fuel to fire. A user who chooses to go to a website of questionable integrity and intent and a user who is lured there by a bad link or a typo offer the same type of danger to a company. Scandals do not have to make the front page to generate reputation-damaging issues for a company.
Word of mouth is as fast a delivery service for reputation sabotage as press reporting is. A network security company that cannot protect against hacking of their website does not engender trust or confidence. A financial investment firm that is accused of insider trading when emails and instant messages from employees are subpoenaed and found to be questionable will likely lose clients, capital and more.
The Burden of Responsibility
Scandal can be generated by an innocent act as easily as by one of guilty intent. Corporations are responsible for the actions of their employees. Questionable Internet behavior and activity can and will affect a company's reputation, financial standing and potentially their legal standing as well.
A corporation bears the burden of responsibility for its employees and their actions. By employing network security devices to monitor and restrict Internet activity, a corporation not only relieves a large measure of their burden, but also protects their interests on numerous fronts. Without such protection, a company is courting disaster and inviting scandal.
in Security
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Security/Your-Next-PR-Nightmare-Could-Be-Only-a-Click-Away
In the age of Enron and failed intelligence, scandals remain the rage of the front page. Companies want to see positive spin and not scandal related material published. Imagine for a moment the educational software site where employees are identified as regular visitors to pornography websites. The effect to such a company's image could be devastating.
Leaks, Peeks & Sneaks
There are numerous security risks facing companies with internal networks. Primary among their concerns are stifling leaks and backdoors that allow hackers to penetrate their firewalls. But the threat from within the company may prove to be more devastating to a company's reputation and subsequently their stock value and much more.
Employees face a four-pronged attack from blended threats across the board. Phishing and pharming are two of the more popular attacks that face Internet users everyday. Typically sent via email, phishing attacks depend on the concern of an employee to take care of matters ranging from personal to financial. The uneducated user will click an embedded link and leave the network vulnerable to an attack.
The sophistication of these attacks can penetrate even the most complex of security systems unless user error can be compensated for. The most popular forms of phishing involve instant messaging and emails. Despite the widely known understanding of spoofing, most users do not expect to receive messages from spoofed accounts.
Increasing a systems security perimeter can block instant messaging ports and prevent such external security breaches. Network security devices can also block web requests to URLs presented in instant messages. Better still, URLs or web requests from internal users can be compared to a database of acceptable websites and disallowed or denied if they do not match.
Living on the Fringe
Installing spyware and malware is another by-product of visiting less than secure websites. Internet users are often besieged by offers for free software, free access and freebies. The lure of the freebie is as potent if not more so on the Internet than it is in real life. Downloading such freebies can come with passenger programs designed to record keystrokes and much more
The least of the problems that spyware can commit is to tie up bandwidth and computer memory. The worst is that it can actually spawn Internet attacks to other sites, download critical data and send it elsewhere. Employees do not have to be lured just by a freebie either. They can simply make a typo in submitting a URL and find themselves in the wrong Internet neighborhood. Clever programmers can generate pop-up windows and disguise a button with a simple label like 'close' and the user will click it, thinking they will only close the nuisance window. Some programs on high-speed network access can be downloaded in the blink of an eye, compromising the computer and potentially the network.
One-Click Scandals
Scandals need very little fuel to fire. A user who chooses to go to a website of questionable integrity and intent and a user who is lured there by a bad link or a typo offer the same type of danger to a company. Scandals do not have to make the front page to generate reputation-damaging issues for a company.
Word of mouth is as fast a delivery service for reputation sabotage as press reporting is. A network security company that cannot protect against hacking of their website does not engender trust or confidence. A financial investment firm that is accused of insider trading when emails and instant messages from employees are subpoenaed and found to be questionable will likely lose clients, capital and more.
The Burden of Responsibility
Scandal can be generated by an innocent act as easily as by one of guilty intent. Corporations are responsible for the actions of their employees. Questionable Internet behavior and activity can and will affect a company's reputation, financial standing and potentially their legal standing as well.
A corporation bears the burden of responsibility for its employees and their actions. By employing network security devices to monitor and restrict Internet activity, a corporation not only relieves a large measure of their burden, but also protects their interests on numerous fronts. Without such protection, a company is courting disaster and inviting scandal.
in Security
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Security/Your-Next-PR-Nightmare-Could-Be-Only-a-Click-Away
The Best Times to Sift Through Your Stuff
The Best Times to Sift Through Your Stuff
What are the best times in your life when it's sensible to clean house and get rid of stuff you don't use? Take advantage of these opportunities to clean out your home and downsize your belongings.
When you move from one house to another is the best time to get rid of things you no longer need. Why move stuff you haven't used from one place to another where you won't use it either? Think kitchen gadgets and closets as your best place to start.
Do you have a wok but can't remember the last time you cooked anything stir-fried? If you rarely entertain, do you really need all those wine glasses and extra sets of dishes? How many plastic containers are in the cupboard and how many do you really use on a weekly basis? Get rid of the sizes you never use. Spend a little time to consider how much of your stuff you really use and make up your mind to let go of what is just taking up space.
Of course, when I say here to get rid of something, I mean donate it- don't throw it away unless it doesn't work or it's broken. There are plenty of charitable organizations happy to have your stuff as long as it's usable.
Look at your linen closet- how many of those sets of sheets to you really use? If you have towels that have lost their fluff, out they go. Old makeup and medical supplies should be tossed, especially if it's now past the expiration date.
If there is stuff in the basement or garage still in boxes from the last move, it's safe to say you won't use it again. Test your courage by just tossing the boxes without even looking in them. If you can't manage this without your palms starting to sweat, then check to make sure there wasn't a hidden treasure in one of them.
When your kids grow up and move out, it's time to clean out the stuff they didn't take with them. Don't feel you should keep your kids' room as a shrine to them. While I understand you want to keep your memories, you don't need to keep sports equipment from high school or every trophy they ever won. If it's not important enough for your kids to take with them to their new place, you shouldn't hold onto it either. Offer them the chance to keep what they want, but set a deadline for them to move out their things.
If you've always wanted a reading room or a place to work on your crafts, now you'll have it. Or, make this into the fancy room your guests will be thrilled to spend the night in. Redecorate, renovate and make that room your own!
At some point as you get older, you may decide your house is too much to keep up and you'll move to a smaller place such as a condo. Now you will absolutely need to decide what to get rid of since storage space will be limited. Once again, your kitchen and closets are the best areas that can be downsized. At this point, your lifestyle may also change- you may dine out more often than at home, causing you to need less kitchen gizmos. Consider your new routine and decide what you will no longer need.
Take advantage of these major life events to sift through your stuff, get rid of what you will no longer need in your new life, and donate it to someone else who could use it to start their new life.
in Organizing
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Organizing/The-Best-Times-to-Sift-Through-Your-Stuff
What are the best times in your life when it's sensible to clean house and get rid of stuff you don't use? Take advantage of these opportunities to clean out your home and downsize your belongings.
When you move from one house to another is the best time to get rid of things you no longer need. Why move stuff you haven't used from one place to another where you won't use it either? Think kitchen gadgets and closets as your best place to start.
Do you have a wok but can't remember the last time you cooked anything stir-fried? If you rarely entertain, do you really need all those wine glasses and extra sets of dishes? How many plastic containers are in the cupboard and how many do you really use on a weekly basis? Get rid of the sizes you never use. Spend a little time to consider how much of your stuff you really use and make up your mind to let go of what is just taking up space.
Of course, when I say here to get rid of something, I mean donate it- don't throw it away unless it doesn't work or it's broken. There are plenty of charitable organizations happy to have your stuff as long as it's usable.
Look at your linen closet- how many of those sets of sheets to you really use? If you have towels that have lost their fluff, out they go. Old makeup and medical supplies should be tossed, especially if it's now past the expiration date.
If there is stuff in the basement or garage still in boxes from the last move, it's safe to say you won't use it again. Test your courage by just tossing the boxes without even looking in them. If you can't manage this without your palms starting to sweat, then check to make sure there wasn't a hidden treasure in one of them.
When your kids grow up and move out, it's time to clean out the stuff they didn't take with them. Don't feel you should keep your kids' room as a shrine to them. While I understand you want to keep your memories, you don't need to keep sports equipment from high school or every trophy they ever won. If it's not important enough for your kids to take with them to their new place, you shouldn't hold onto it either. Offer them the chance to keep what they want, but set a deadline for them to move out their things.
If you've always wanted a reading room or a place to work on your crafts, now you'll have it. Or, make this into the fancy room your guests will be thrilled to spend the night in. Redecorate, renovate and make that room your own!
At some point as you get older, you may decide your house is too much to keep up and you'll move to a smaller place such as a condo. Now you will absolutely need to decide what to get rid of since storage space will be limited. Once again, your kitchen and closets are the best areas that can be downsized. At this point, your lifestyle may also change- you may dine out more often than at home, causing you to need less kitchen gizmos. Consider your new routine and decide what you will no longer need.
Take advantage of these major life events to sift through your stuff, get rid of what you will no longer need in your new life, and donate it to someone else who could use it to start their new life.
in Organizing
Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Organizing/The-Best-Times-to-Sift-Through-Your-Stuff
Believing is the Absence of Doubt
Believing is the Absence of Doubt
You've heard the expression, "Just believe it and it will come." Well, technically, that is true, however, 'believing' is not just thinking that you can have it; it is also feeling that it is possible. When we believe that we can "have it," that means we have no doubt in receiving it.
In the formula for Deliberate Attraction:
(1) Identify Desire
(2) Raise the Vibration (feeling)
(3) Allow it
the allowing of your desire can come to you very quickly providing you have no resistance to receiving it.
Resistance = Doubt
When you remove the 'doubt' that you can have what you want, you are allowing and that is how it can come to you.
Tools for allowing:
There are a number of tools, techniques and strategies that can help you remove the doubt (resistance). Here is one that I like best.
Ask yourself this question:
"Is there anyone on the planet doing or having what you desire?"
For example, if your desire is to attract your ideal client, or your ideal relationship, then you could ask yourself: "Is there anyone on the planet who has attracted their ideal client?"
Yes, there are millions of people on the planet who have attracted their ideal clients.
NOW THIS FEELS POSSIBLE!
And when it feels possible, you have removed doubt.
And when you remove the doubt, the universal Law of Attraction can bring your desires to you.
When using the formula for Deliberate Attraction, spend most of your time "Allowing," as it determines how quickly, or slowly, your desires will come to you.
in Motivation
Sorce: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Motivation/Believing-is-the-Absence-of-Doubt
You've heard the expression, "Just believe it and it will come." Well, technically, that is true, however, 'believing' is not just thinking that you can have it; it is also feeling that it is possible. When we believe that we can "have it," that means we have no doubt in receiving it.
In the formula for Deliberate Attraction:
(1) Identify Desire
(2) Raise the Vibration (feeling)
(3) Allow it
the allowing of your desire can come to you very quickly providing you have no resistance to receiving it.
Resistance = Doubt
When you remove the 'doubt' that you can have what you want, you are allowing and that is how it can come to you.
Tools for allowing:
There are a number of tools, techniques and strategies that can help you remove the doubt (resistance). Here is one that I like best.
Ask yourself this question:
"Is there anyone on the planet doing or having what you desire?"
For example, if your desire is to attract your ideal client, or your ideal relationship, then you could ask yourself: "Is there anyone on the planet who has attracted their ideal client?"
Yes, there are millions of people on the planet who have attracted their ideal clients.
NOW THIS FEELS POSSIBLE!
And when it feels possible, you have removed doubt.
And when you remove the doubt, the universal Law of Attraction can bring your desires to you.
When using the formula for Deliberate Attraction, spend most of your time "Allowing," as it determines how quickly, or slowly, your desires will come to you.
in Motivation
Sorce: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Motivation/Believing-is-the-Absence-of-Doubt
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