The Current State Of The Graphic Design Industry

Graphic design is the use of color, light, balance, contrast, emphasis, proportion, proximity, repetition, texture and a plethora of other elements to create a work of digital art that is pleasing to the eye. Graphic design is about seamlessly molding image and text to convey a theme, message, or often advertise a product or service. Graphic design dates back to prehistoric times. With hieroglyphs and cave-dwelling designs that became some of the first written language. Although communication, not aestheticism, was the primary concern, one can still argue for the overall visual design of the prehistoric artists. With the 1584 Gutenberg Printing Press, graphic design took on a whole new meaning. Now, text, coupled with visual appeal, could reach a wider audience than ever before. Although the use was at first primarily for Biblical and other important writings, the trend would soon spread to visual-appeal. Graphic design, as we know it, didnt reach its boom until the computer era. With companies finding it increasingly necessary to have a corporate identity solution, visually-pleasing logo, and an online presence, graphic designers are definitely getting all the work they can handle.

Today, graphic design and website design are two separate, but closely related, entities. Most all websites offer some visual appeal that is, they include graphical elements. When one understands this, they can really begin to grasp the widespread effect that graphic design can have. Creating something with aesthetic appeal is a laborious task, when one considers all the elements of graphic design, along with the viewing audience. Attempting to convey an emotion or theme is especially difficult. Special consideration to the following principles is necessary mood, style, message, and hierarchy.

Moreover, one must consider the audience. Although anyone can view a website, logo, or corporate identity package, only a few are really in the target audience. With graphic designs worldwide appeal, designers have developed geographic markets in which to showcase their talents.

David Davis, is the lead developer and project manager of Redflystudios. Graphic Design Ireland. For more information visit http://www.redflystudios.com/services/graphic-design/.Celka Blog97388
Cherilyn Blog10703

What is Customer Relationship Management?

Customer relationship management, or CRM, refers to reliable systems, processes, and procedures that allow companies to better manage customer relationships. It is a corporate level strategy that focuses on creating and maintaining effective communication with its customers. Ideally, a sound CRM strategy should develop an end-to-end process that encompasses sales, customer service, and marketing.

A successful customer relationship plan can manage all business-related operations and interactions with customers simultaneously. It often includes special software programs, called CRM programs, which aid companies in tracking and organizing their customer base.

Customer relationship management is just that: learning ways to manage the happiness of your customers by giving them what they want, increasing the effectiveness and profitability of your product or service by adapting them to customer preferences, and creating communication channels between sales reps, sales managers, and the customers they serve.

What are some ideas for successfully implementing a customer relationship management strategy?

There are numerous ways to successfully implement an effective CRM program. Here are some ideas that will start you thinking about the ways you can create a richer and more truly customer based culture. You can improve, adapt and reform your customer relationship plan by such methods as:

Providing product information and support via a hotline or a website. This would allow customers to better use and understand specific products or services, and get any technical answers they need;

Creating custom applications that offer point-and-click customization, real-time analytics, ease of use, tracking of all contact points between customer and company, and fast online and offline access to data;

Implementing a mechanism to quickly schedule and manage follow-up sales calls and create clear, well-built information pipelines and channels of communication;

Creating a simple, easy and intuitive user interface that is friendly to computer experts and neophytes alike. Thus, even those reps who feel uncomfortable using a computer could easily go online and check out statistics and other information;

Devising a quick system for correcting service problems before they affect other customers, answering customer questions or complaints, and handling any other problems that might arise.

How does customer relationship management actually improve a company's relationship with its clients?

CRM improves relationships between customers and companies because it allows a company to meet the needs of the customer by keeping track of their interests and improving products and services accordingly.

For example, if a company implements a customer relationship management technology program for a specific product, they can track how much the customer uses the product and how much they repurchase it, allowing the company to grow and adapt the product to the customer's needs.

Used correctly, a solid CRM program can increase customer loyalty, decrease the customer turnover rate, decrease marketing costs, and increase revenue and profits. Essentially, it greatly improves the way your company and sales reps or other professionals do business with customers.

What technical functions should a customer relationship management program have?

A CRM program should have the ability to interface with users through mobile phones, internet, and other similar communications channels. It should also take into account workflow and have the ability to assign sales requests, sales opportunities, and other such assignments to groups or an individual. More importantly, it should be scalable and easily expandable over a very large or small scale.

This means that as long as the customer relationship management system is properly programmed, everyone from the smallest business to the largest corporation should be able to implement an effective CRM strategy.

Implementing an effective and efficient customer relationship management system is the best way to increase consumer confidence in your product or service and stay in touch with your customers, thereby increasing the effectiveness of your product or service.

Diane Newsom writes for http://salesforce.com a leading producer of CRMsoftware and customer relationship management information.Cthrine Blog98853
Charil Blog89050

How To Buy A Mountain Bike

In a perfect world you could buy any bike you wanted at a price you could afford, but in the real world mountain biking prices vary wildly. We provide some tips on what to look for.

Buying a house is just about the most important investment you can make in your life. Various means of transportation come second - from yachts or boats and cars to motorcycles. Acquiring a bicycle is not quite as expensive as that - but there are so many brands available, at so many different price ranges, that it behooves you to do a bit of research before you go out and spend any money.

Bikes can vary from used beaters to the top-of-the line road or mountain bikes. This article discusses how to go about buying a mountain bike.

How Much Will You Pay?

Are you already a biker, or are you just taking up the sport? Do you intend to ride daily, or only on weekends? Do you have a safe place to store your bike when you're not using it?

All of these are questions you musts ask yourself before you purchase your first bike. If you've only just become interested in the hobby of mountain biking, you don't want to buy a top-of-the-line thousand dollar bike until you're sure you'll get the use out of it. Of course there's a catch-22 there. Top-of-the-line bikes are so light and soooo nice that you'll probably fall in one, whereas if you get a poor bike to begin with it might sour you on the sport forever.

The best thing to do is test-ride as many bikes as you can in the various price ranges. Your local bike store won't let you test ride their bikes down a mountain - but you can rent bikes at the trailheads and give them a try.

Where Will You Buy

Any book or article you read will advise you not to buy a bike from a mass merchant store such as Wal-mart or Target. Why? Because they buy bottom of the range bikes which they can sell cheaply, and the bikes are not necessarily put together well. Whereas if you buy even the most inexpensive child's bike from a bike store, it'll be lighter than the mass market version, and the store people will ensure that it fits your child.

So, you can either support your local bike store or buy online. It's usually best to buy from your bike store to begin with, as they can help you fit the bike and give you advice. If you've ridden for years and years and know what you need, buying online does make sense.

What Will You Buy?

You'll ask yourself this question in conjunction with "how much will you pay." Again, it all comes down to how often you expect to use the bike. If you're planning on doing mostly road biking with the occasional cross country trip, and only once in a while going down an actual mountain... then you won't need the same kind of bike as someone who is strictly a downhiller.

Mountain bikes come in two different kinds - hard tail and full suspension. The hard tail has suspension in the front but not in the back - hence the term "hard tail." Full suspension bikes are more comfortable... but correspondingly more expensive.

When Will You Buy?

Just as car dealers sell models off at a discount at the end of their selling season, so will bike stores. If you live in an area with a "winter season," you're bound to see some winter season sales.

So don't be impatient... but don't deprive yourself of a summer of fun, either!

Alastair Hamilton is the consultant for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about mountain bike reviews at http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com/mountainbikes.htmlChristin Blog49569
Crin Blog49677

Buying A Notebook For College

Every year, before schools and college institutions begin their classes, students from around the country visit department stores and major electronics chains in an effort to get all those necessities that will allow them to complete successfully their studies. So, if you have recently been accepted to college and you are not exactly sure which your computing needs will be, buying a notebook computer is not a luxury purchase, but actually a necessity. In fact, anyone who has to cover frequent travel concerns, from college students to frequent business travelers, should possess a laptop, given the fact that it provides a mobile and light-weight computing experience for computer users around the world.

Recent research indicates that laptops are in fact used extensively as people need to own computer systems that are as mobile as they are. Buying an effective machine that can also be easy to carry around has increased considerably the laptop sales over the last decade, considering the lower manufacturer and assembly costs. Deals between hardware developers and software engineers have resulted in improved notebook systems that incorporate the ability of them being transferred easily from one place to another, as well as being able to compute much more than the main software functions, like reading and composing emails, operating spreadsheets, or using word processing applications. In fact, whether one needs to take work from one office location to another or do some work while onboard, today's laptops can accomplish almost any task.

But if you are still contemplating on whether or not you actually do need a laptop to perform your computer-related college work, it is useful to consider the vast capabilities of these travel-ready devices as well as your current needs and ability to operate them. Owning a highly portable workstation can provide you with entertainment, productivity and ease of use. Forget about long messy cords and mouse pads. Easy to navigate by just using your fingers, today's laptop models need no more than their rechargeable batteries or just an outlet to connect to their AC adapter and you are good to go.

Listening to music, playing games, watching videos, or writing a paper has never been easier. Laptop computers allow college students to manage their daily busy schedules instead of loosing time and effort. Some models offer screens that are only visible to the person that seats directly across them, eliminating the chances of one being able to visibly access your files and folders. Headphones and microphones, as used with desktop publishers are used to provide an efficient but considerate experience. Keep in mind that most of the available models come with software applications already in place making Internet browsing or working on a project a simple and easy process of starting up the machine. Finally, since laptop computers have become a mainstream device, many affordable models are offered in electronic superstores or are available to be ordered directly from the laptops manufacturers' websites.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles for http://theeducationstop.net/ - In addition, Kadence also writes articles for http://worldof-science.com/ and http://youremploymentsource.com/.De Blog67330
Dawn Blog4299

Where Are The Scottish Clockmakers

The making of clocks in Scotland was not recognized as a separate craft until about 1640. In Aberdeen in 1618 there were but three clocks, "the Kirk Knok, Tolbooth Knok, and the College Knok, all out of repair because they are auld and worne and partlie for want of skilful men to attend them."

In the" Old Scottish Clockmakers" John Smith gives an account of the progress of the craft in Scotland. The clockmakers were recognized as a branch of the Hammermen in 1646 in Edinburgh, 1649 in Glasgow, 1753 in Haddington, and not until 1800 in Aberdeen.

After 1700 the art and craft of clock and watch making increased, so that by the close of the eighteenth century Scotland was able to turn out work of the highest class. For a number of years into the nineteenth century a high standard of craftsmanship of work was the rule; but with imports of movements and parts, the practice of assembling became more and more the rule, and so by 1850 or thereabouts the trade declined.

This and the cheap American and other importations, combined to extinguish an industry and a class of craftsmen who were as necessary in every village and town as the doctor or minister. The cheapness of these imported movements made it impossible for native Scottish craftsmen to compete, and with a wave of mistaken prejudice having arisen against the preservation of the long-case clocks, large numbers were destroyed for no other reason than that they were thought old-fashioned."

Like the German clockmakers, the Scottish applicant for entrance into the Guild had to make a timepiece to prove his ability and to gain entrance among the Freemen. There were a number of very distinguished Scottish makers: such men as Humphrey Mylne, 1661; Andrew Brown, 1665-1711; Alexander Brownlie, 1720-39; James Cowan, 1760-81; John Smith, 1770-1809; George Munro, 1750-99; Paul Roumieu, 1692-1710; Thomas Gordon, 1703-43; being but a few of them.

Far more Scottish clocks found their way to America than most people think and even today there are many longcase clocks not just bearing the name of the maker on the dial-plate but "Corbals" which is a suburb of Glasgow, where apparently there was a clock works.

During the eighteenth century the clock making centre of Edinburgh was Parliament Square, where the shops fairly clung to the walls of the great building, like swallows' nests. One of the many gifted Scottish clockmakers was James Cowan, of Edinburgh, who was know for his beautiful richly carved mahogany cases. He was apprentice to Archibald Straiton, Edinburgh, beginning February 4th, 1744 and was admitted freeman clockmaker to the Edinburgh Hammermen in 1754. Then he went to Paris and studied under Julien le Roy and to London to study his craft still further, returning to Edinburgh 1760 and opening his own business. His knowledge of the craft not only gave him a great and widely extended business connection, but brought him many apprentices. One of these, and probably the most celebrated, was Thomas Reid, successor to his business in 1781, at the time of Cowan's death.

Andrew Leadbetter was apprenticed to Andrew Clark, Edinburgh, 1764 and he settled later in Congleton, England, and made many good substantial clocks, some of which found their way to America. Another Scottish clockmaker, William Robb, of Montrose, who was working in 1776, made very handsome clocks, the shape of the case being somewhat in the French style, with two urns and an eagle in brass as ornaments.

Owners of these Scottish clocks are sometimes anxious to learn if they are by "good makers." as the Scottish clock making industry does not seem so well documented, but I say "any clock, no matter who made it, which will go two hundred years or more, is a good clock!"

In many cases, particularly with country makers who sent their clocks to customers abroad, it was expected that the joiner or cabinet-maker of the neighborhood would make the case. In the early years many Dutch movements were sent to England and Scotland without the cases, these were really bulky, and frequently the movements were hung up without the owner going to the expense and trouble of having a case made. Such clocks ran until the dust and dirt clogged their wheels and they stopped. If the owner was a handy man he could clean and set them going once more. Clocks such as these are often called in provincial communities by the quaint name of "wag-on-the-wall" and many Dutch clocks of this type, but much more elaborate, found their way across the Atlantic to America. The movements were boxed-in, the box and the bracket on which the clock stood being carved and elaborately painted. In some localities these were called Friesland clocks, although they came from other parts of the Netherlands as well.

Barry Share is the proprietor of Riversdale Clocks...Daisey Blog63226
Debera Blog97316

Consumer Facts On Free Satellite TV Deals

Free satellite TV! Get free satellite TV system free for 4-room, get free DVR, free HDTV, free incentive gifts like iPod and home theater system, free installations sounds familiar with the slogan? Dont worry; this is not another free satellite TV promotion advertisement. Instead, we will examine some facts of these satellite TV promotions here: Are these free deals really for free? Are they worth the money? Do such satellite TV deals suit my need?

Are free satellite TV deals for real?

To answer the question, you need to know what are given free in such deals. Free satellite TV means you get the satellite decoder system for free. You will get satellite dish, decoder system (up to 4 rooms), and remote control for free. The free satellite TV deals do not include a free television for you. However the satellite systems are compatible with almost any television in the market so if you have one at home, you dont need to buy extra TV with special features.

So back to the questions - without a doubt, these free deals are for real. But it comes with conditions. You will get the satellite TV system for free, if you are their first time customer and you must be willing commit to a service contract up to 18 months. If you read those free satellite TV ads carefully, you should notice that such free deals are only for first time customer (for Dish Network or DirecTV).

Are the free deals worth the money?

The answer is yes and no.

The Yes:

Free satellite TV deals are lucrative not because they give out free satellite TV system for free. It is good because with a very low monthly subscription fees, you can get hundreds of 100% digital satellite pictures. By paying just little amount of money, you will get premium movie channels like HBO, Starz, ShowTime; you will get your favorite sport actions such as NFL, NHL, or NBA; you will also get lots of news channels like CNN, CNN2, Bloomberg, BBC. As you can see the wide programming selection is why satellite TV deals look attractive. Dish Network or DirecTV, you can now enjoy top class TV entertainment service with satellite TV without paying anything up front (satellite TV system are given for free, remember?). It certainly gives something that cable does not have.

The No:

Nevertheless, the free satellite TV deals do not worth the money if you dont spend time long enough in front of the TV. If you hardly spend an hour in TV within the whole week, that is the point of having 255 TV channels? All you need is some crap TV talk shows to tease you before you get to bed and sleep, why get satellite TV?

Often consumers order satellite TV deals blindly just because the free ads flyers are too attractive. Do not buy and then regret. The conclusion, do not spend money on free satellite TV deals just because their deals are too good to resist. The free deals are worth the money if you watch TV a lot; if you dont, locals should be good enough.

Consumer facts (in case you are still wondering is the free deals worth the money or not)

Due to the demise of Pegasus and Voom services, there are only two major satellite TV providers in the USA -- Dish Network and DirecTV. Both companies are providing 100% digital satellite pictures; both companies are offering amazing free satellite TV systems; and both companies have the finest sales support team for their customer services.

Since Dish Network and DirecTV were officially launched in 90s, millions had switched from cable TV to Dish Network. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked Dish Network and DirecTV as the top TV broadcasting companies. Both DirecTV and Dish Network are higher in customer satisfaction than any of the cable TV companies for the last five years.

Ordering Dish Network Satellite TV

Dish Network require $49.99 activation fee. The fee will be credited to your programming bill however, so in essence, your satellite TV system is free. With Dish Network you have the option to upgrade to a DVR (digital video recording) receiver, or an HDTV (high definition TV) receiver at no charge. Dish Network services at a monthly cost of $19.99. However, Dish Network standard programming fees start at $31.99 per month (for standard 60 program channels). The monthly subscription fees then goes up to around $86.00 for 230 channels including Showtime, Starz!, HBO, Cinemax, and Sirius radio.

DirecTV Satellite TV Service

Depending on your credit rating, when you order a free satellite TV system from DirecTV you may be required to pay a deposit or prepayment. Because the deposit is refunded to you and the prepayment goes toward your programming fees, the DirecTV satellite dish and receivers are free. Installation is also free. If you want a DVR receiver you will be charged an additional $49.99. The charge for HDTV receivers is $299.99. DirecTV programming packages start at $29.99 per month for 115 channels (including 31 music channels), and go up to more than $90 per month for 185 program channels, including Showtime, Starz!, HBO, Cinemax, and 31 music channels.

Closing things up: Is free satellite TV deal the right thing for you?

The answer is actually lies inside of you. If TV is one of your primary forms of entertainment and you want the biggest variety of shows, movies, sports, and news -- then we satellite TV deals should be something you should seriously consider. Cable TVs nowadays doesn't looks like a good deal to go for as their monthly fees increase a lot every year.For football fans that wish to get every NFL games- DirecTV is what you are looking for; for normal family, Dish Network seems to be a better choice.

However, if you watch just a few television programs a week and have access to over-the-air TV, then satellite TV probably isn't for you.

Teddy LC., expert writter on consumer products reviews. Check out his latest satellite TV related website and get more info on http://www.satellitetvissue.com Dish Network deals.Delcine Blog96298
Daisie Blog51760

CASH FLOW - The Life Blood of Every Business

Introduction

The purpose of this article is to familiarize business owners with a kind of financing that is unfamiliar to many people, Factoring. I will explain, in a simple yet comprehensive way, how to improve your companys cash flow. You may then decide if using the Factoring approach is a sound business decision for your particular situation and needs.

The Life Blood of Every Business

If we were in a room full of small business owners and asked them all, What is the one thing your business needs the most in order to survive and grow? we would probably get a variety of answers: a needed product or service, a solid base of loyal customers, a well-prepared business plan to chart your course, a good location, or effective marketing. All true answers. But in addition to these, there is one need central to every business that is the need for available CASH. This is where factoring or accounts receivable financing comes into play.

Cash to business is like fuel to a car. You need to have enough in the tank to start the engine and you need to maintain enough in the tank to keep it running. Now the car (your business) will take you where you want to go. If you run out of gas cash on hand at any point along the way, wellwe all know what will happen.

Where can a business owner obtain the cash he or she needs? Banks, venture capital, private funds of the owner, friends, and relatives are the most common places in turn. However, banks usually want a minimum of two or three years worth of business financials before theyll give a loan. Venture capitalists want part ownership of the business. Not being in business long enough or not being profitable enough to satisfy the banks; and not wanting to give up any ownership; and with private resources already tapped, the business owner may be stuck. Where can I find that cash to grow my company? I have a good business with loyal customers, Im profitable or would be with enough cash to fuel the engine; I just need to get over this hump of not enough cash flow. What can I do?

The answer to this question may be right under your nose and you dont even know it. If you have accounts receivable with good, solid customers who are credit-worthy, you have something with intrinsic value that other business owners are interested in buying. The cash that can be obtained for your good receivables can be exactly what you need to get over a cash flow crisis.

By selling something you own your receivables youre not generating any debt that must be paid back; and youre improving your credit stature because youre converting assets (invoices) into immediate cash. That cash can enable you to save further by getting volume purchase discounts, discounts for cash, create market opportunities, or hire needed staff. And most of all, you can start new and expanded production without waiting for earlier invoices (sales) to be paid.

Setting accounts receivable at a discount is a means of financing called factoring or "accounts receivable financing." Its been around for centuries and is a billion-dollar industry for large businesses today. And it is growing rapidly in popularity with small and medium sized companies. Factoring not only has saved countless businesses from going under, it has provided many more businesses exactly what they need to grow: cash to fuel the engine.

Further Benefits of Factoring

Selling accounts receivable puts you in control of your business like no other form of financing. You control the discount by specifying when the advance is to be made. You can space the advances to create a steady flow of cash. If you dont need cash now, you can wait to receive the advance and save on the discount (waiting on an advance creates a line of credit).

Whats more important to realize is no debt is created, you have no loans to pay off, you create and keep a cleaner financial statement, your access to cash grows with your business sales, and there is no need to re-apply. Finally, you can stop factoring at any time. There are no long contracts and you only factor the invoices you want. YOU are in control.

Conclusion

Invoice factoring is filling a tremendous void that banks have created. Companies accelerate their profit and thrive whether you are a start up or established business.

Factoring requires, less paperwork than loans and no credit or reference checks of your business and is also faster than tradition bank loans..

Invoice factoring offers bussinesses tremendous growth opportunities to assist in the management of cash flow and delivers working capital for your business needs.

If you are seeking an invoice factoring company, then Diversified Financial Services is the smart choice. Our Financial Consultants are ready to answer any factoring questions. Call today 800-954-0012.

Thomas McCarthy has designed, developed & implemented financial systems for many years. Thomas was a Factoring customer for over 7 years before becoming a business owner and webmaster.Courtnay Blog69219
Cyndi Blog18727

Buy Art to Cover Up That Hole in the Wall

Did you ever wonder why art is so valued in our society? And it's been that way all through the ages of mankind. Yes, each age and each tribe has it's own style, but every age and every tribe we know of, has valued art.

After all, unlike food, gas, clothes, and water - art is not something that we need. For most of us, art is something that we buy with our dwindling disposable income. But why? Well there are many reasons:

One of the most common reasons people buy art is to enhance their home decorating. A beautiful painting can make a world of difference to a stark, empty, white wall. A unique piece of sculpture can make a remarkable and transformative addition to a dull corner. The right art can beautify any environment.

Some people buy art as a sign of status. Imagine showing off to your friends a recently acquired Picasso original. Imagine the gossip and admiration that would surround you and how many of your peers will now see you as a person of stature, a person of class.

The purists among us will simply buy art for its beauty. These people when they look at a beautiful work of art are simply taken into another world. They can literally stare at the same art piece over a period of days and each time come away with new insight as to its meaning.

Museums buy art to attract visitors and tourists. Their concern is not with beauty so much. They want to make sure that any piece of art they buy will be a good return on investment. As long as people will pay to see it, they are satisfied.

Of course, one of the most popular reasons for purchasing art, especially paintings, is to cover up that blank space on the wall. In some neighborhoods I've lived in, it is the number one reason.

Many hobbyist art collectors will buy an artist's original pieces as a potential investment opportunity. In a sense this is a little like playing the lottery, especially when sourcing works from new and unknown artists. While enjoyable, as one learns more and more about art, this sort of collecting can be quite addictive. The good thing is that your investment potential improves as your knowledge improves with your extensive research.

Have you ever bought a piece of art simply because something in it uniquely captures your own personality. Somehow it's as if the artist, in that one art piece, is speaking to or for you. And it simply connects to you. Even if you've never been attracted to a piece of art in your life.

And lastly, there's the "I wish I had said that" form of art collecting. This is where the artist has expressed something in such a unique or outrageous manner that you really wish you had thought of it first. But owning it is the next best thing. I would suspect that a large percentage of those that are drawn to political works of art fall into this category.

As we've seen, people buy art for many and varied reasons. And that is why art and artists will be around as long as there are humans on this earth.

Wendy Hermann is a writer and blogger for Native Art, Eskimo Art - Eliot Waldman at http://NativeArtTraders.com, a site specializing in Inuit sculptures and paintings.Cherianne Blog20890
Cherilyn Blog43949

Investing Locally vs. Nationally

You're driving down the street in your hometown when suddenly you see a goldmine sitting in front of you; it is a vacant house, with overgrown weeds and in need of some TLC. It's screaming "buy me cheap," and the wheels start spinning in your head about the 10 to 50 thousand dollars you can make by rapidly acquiring this home, renovating, and then selling as a pretty house. You scramble to the courthouse, look up property owner, and SCORE!!! it's an out of town owner! Clearly they are desparate to sell. You track down the seller's phone number and with much anticipation, you make that all important call.. dollar signs dancing in your head. But wait, you are getting the dreaded message from the phone company, "We're sorry, but the number you have reached has been disconnected..." Bummer. Well, all we have to do is send this person a letter and it is pay day baby! So, out goes the letter knowing the phone will ring as soon as it is received.

After day 5 of waiting, you decide they must just be out of town and any day, you will get that call. After week 2, you are starting to wonder what is going on but still are hopeful. Finally, after week 4, you are starting to believe this is a lost cause. Oh well, another golden opportunity that just didn't quite materialize; there has got to be an easier way.

The above scenario, while hypothetical, is a typical scenario faced by many investors that work on a local basis. Regardless if you are interested in wholesaling, flipping, renovating, lease optioning, or the variety of other options available to you, there are two things that you must accomplish to be a successful local investor: steady supply of quality opportunities and a steady supply of buyers for your properties. As an investor that has participated in the purchase of millions of dollars of properties, locally as well as on a nationally, let me be the first to tell you that BOTH local and national investing work great, IF DONE PROPERLY; however, the impact that each has on your time involvement is wildly different.

In this article, I will try to explain the pro's and con's of investing locally vs nationally. Even though I lead a group of national investors numbering of 20,000, I still invest in my backyard and find it profitable. In my opinion, an investor should not decide BETWEEN investing locally/nationally but rather understand the merits of both and use which ever suits them best at a particular time.

Local Investing: The mantra in real estate investing has always been "invest in what you know your own backyard". For the knowledgeable investor, this is good advice because then you KNOW when a good deal is actually in front of you. However, when we discuss the national investing approach, you will see that it is not the only way to know the market.

For example, suppose you get offered to purchase a home at a fire sale price of $130/Sq. Ft. According to the broker, this is a slam dunk. If you happen to KNOW that properties are going for $170/Sq. Ft in the area and the fix up costs are reasonable, then in a matter of minutes, you can make a decision to purchase the property. That local knowledge is critical to understanding when you have a good, low risk opportunity.

In addition to just local knowledge, there are a number of other issues that we must consider. Specifically, some of the pro's & con's of local investing that we see are:

Pros:

1. Knowledge of market If the investor does their homework.

2. Easy access to property Simply drive to the property to inspect.

3. Can control any fixups, rentals, etc. Much easier to deal with locally.

4. Can structure deals with little money or credit Yes, the no/low money down deals do work but just take a lot of work to create.

Cons

1. Heavy competition Almost all other investors are looking locally so you get the needle in a haystack problem;

2. Time Because you have to find the deals, it is hard to invest with limited time. Successful local investors set up advertising systems to bring properties to them.

3. No Clout Let's face it, as an individual investor, it is difficult to get great deals, discounts, etc. unless you have a LONG track record of performing in that market.

4. No Outside Analysis Other than possibly a local agent helping you, there is little market/growth analysis that is available to you unless you perform it yourself.

Again, this can be quite time consuming. Most local investors take one of two paths after gaining some experience: either they abandon it because it takes too much time, or they find it lucrative enough to turn it into a full time business. For the individual that has money and credit to invest but not much time, then most find the local approach to be frustrating.

National Investing: The best way to understand national investing is to look at Walmart's business model. What they do is find suppliers that can produce quality product at the most competitive price. Because they have such a large consumer base, it is lucrative for the supplier to provide quality product at much reduced margins relative to low volume stores. Also, by not being restricted geographically, they can find those suppliers where the economics makes sense for everybody. In the national real estate arena, it really works the same way. Consider our group that has over 20,000+ investors registered to our database. If you are a real estate developer interested in rapidly selling a portion of your project, then you would be very interested in talking with us because of our volume of buyers. Of course, you know that you are not going to get top dollar for your sales because our investors are not going to buy unless it is a good deal; this is how it becomes a win-win for both the developer (supplier) and the investor (consumer). One other factor comes into play: In many locations, including my local area, many types of real estate investments do not make sense because fundamentals like price, rents, and consumer demand are out of whack. For a national investor, it is absolutely irrelevant because there are always markets doing well. When a specific market, like maybe Florida or California gets out of line, it is simple to just look for investments elsewhere.

Of course, we must analyzy both sides of the national investing equation, as well.

Pros:

1. Buying Power By being an individual investor within a large group, then you have the buying power of Walmart behind you even though you may only plan on buying 1 property.

2. Time The national groups do all the work for you at no cost. They are paid fees by the developers and because of volume, it allows them to perform considerable efforts to find quality properties. You simply evaluate all the information that they have gathered.

3. Considerable Analysis Quality national groups will go to great lengths to understand and convey the local market information to you. They understand that you may not visit the area so they want you to be as informed as possible.

4. Little Competition Even though there is a HUGE number of investors in these groups, most everybody finds that there is plenty of opportunity to go around. Reason being is that most people want to only buy 1 property and quite frankly, most people do not act quickly enough. 5. Diversification You can buy properties in different areas of the country so if there is a down turn in one area, it may not impact your other properties.

Cons

1. Personal Knowledge Of Market You will not originally understand the market; however, the analysis delivered to your email will bring you up to speed quickly.

2. Access To Property Because time scales are typically short, if you want to visit a property, you need flexibility to juggle schedules (airline tickets are cheap).

3. Rental Issues You typically don't want to manage a property from long distance, because of this, national groups will identify appropriate property managers in the area.

4. Typically Requires Good Credit The national groups can obtain good financing options for you, but most are going to want Beacon scores of 650 or higher.

5. Trust Requires a lot of confidence in the national group. Do your due diligence on the group.

In my experience there is no right or wrong answer to the question: is local investing better than national or vice versa? In fact, I still invest both ways to this day. Hopefully the discussion above has given you some insight into what might become effective for you as you continue to build your real estate portfolio.

Copyright (c) 2006 GetPreConstructionDeals.com

Dr. Chris Anderson is the founder of http://www.GetPreconstructionDeals.com and is referenced in many venues including the New York Times and USA Today. Get his weekly, thought provoking articles by signing up today!Cissy Blog83317
Crysta Blog66663

5 New Communication Technologies To Supplement Email

Every business relies on effective communication with its customers. Communication doesn't just convey information, it inspires trust, builds credibility, stimulates involvement and generates loyalty. But in today's global, hi-tech, rapidly changing business environment, how do you ensure you're communicating effectively?

THE BENCHMARK - FACE-TO-FACE

There's no doubt that face-to-face communication is the most effective method for most people. Why? Because of its two-way nature. It's about dialogue. Listeners are not passive participants. When someone talks to us, we send a continuous stream of responses back to them. Some are verbal, but many/most are not. These responses have the power to actually change the message being disseminated by the talker. What's more, they have the power to change how other listeners' interpret that message. (Similarly, other listeners have the power to change your interpretation.)

Unfortunately, however, the global nature of business makes it impossible to conduct face-to-face meetings for every communication. So what are the alternatives? Specifically, what are the alternatives offered by technology?

EMAIL - THE STARTING POINT

The benefits of email are numerous and well known, and include (but are not limited to):

Email is an excellent mechanism for distributing information to people. It is fast and cost effective.

It is incredibly convenient - you can readily communicate across time zones.

It provides a useful electronic paper trail.

It can save a great deal of time because most of the fluff surrounding a phone call (the social niceties) are seen as unnecessary in email.

It allows recipients to read and respond to messages in their own time.

The wording, grammar and punctuation in an email can be considered and edited before finally sending.

But email does have its limitations:

Its lack of social niceties is a double-edged sword. Without the benefit of other communication cues, it's sometimes hard to interpret the tone of an email, and this can make some messages ambiguous.

It isn't ideal for critical communication. For many people, emails are not 'real-time' communication. We all have that unaddressed email sitting at the bottom of the list. Because emails are so easy to ignore, they're also easy to forget.

Ironically, email's dissemination effectiveness has been one of the major impediments to its communication effectiveness. It's so easy to send emails - and they're so anonymous - that our inboxes are now flooded with SPAM. Consequently, emails are viewed with some suspicion. It's sometimes hard to identify legitimate emails, but it's very easy to just hit Delete.

Because email senders are typically geographically (and often culturally) distant from their recipients, they have no immediate visual and aural cues to help them tailor the message as they type.

But there's no need to 'throw out the baby with the bathwater'. Email is an excellent solution to many communication needs. And for those it is ill-equipped to handle, there are newer, more appropriate technologies that are built for the job...

WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES - THE PERFECT SUPPLEMENT

Web 2.0, a term coined by O'Reilly Media (an American media company) in 2004 refers, to a second-generation of internet-based services that let people collaborate and share information online in new ways.

Web 2.0 technologies are well defined in www.wikipaedia.org, which suggests that these sites allow the users of the sites (members) to create and share content, including exploring and discussing ideas, opinions, initiatives and issues. Web 2.0 is all about communication. It is the evolution of the internet from an endless library of static pages to an endless world of conversations. These pages can be restricted to particular individuals (eg the executive), or open to all members. The only difference is that the interaction takes place in cyberspace, and those taking part can be sitting behind a keyboard just about anywhere on the planet.

Importantly, a reader's understanding of the message in a Web 2.0 communication is determined, not just by the publisher, but also by the responses (e.g. comments) of the audience. What's more, the publisher's actual message tends to be far more fluid as it, too, is informed by the responses of the audience. In other words, Web 2.0 services are far more like face-to-face conversations than any communication technology before them.

So what are these emerging technologies that we should be keeping an eye on? The two most notable are 'Wikis' and 'Blogs'. The following definitions are from http://www.wikipedia.org, an online encyclopaedia developed as a wiki.

Wikis - A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add, remove or otherwise edit and change content. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring. Examples include Wikipedia (wikipedia.com) and wikiwikiweb (http://www.wikiwikiweb.com).

Blogs - A weblog, which is usually shortened to blog, is a type of online diary or journal which allows one to voice their opinion on something. Blogs often provide commentary or news and information on a particular subject. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media. Blogs are usually text based, but they can include photographs, videos or audio (podcasting). Blogs can be presented in a way that creates a conversation between users. As an example, see the Sydney Morning Herald travel blog (http://blogs.smh.com.au/lostintransit/).

THE USES OF WEB 2.0

As with face-to-face social gatherings and forums, online get togethers attract a broad spectrum of participants eager to engage, entertain, befriend, advise and lecture.

It was reported in The Australian (Tuesday 8 August 2006) that the social computing element of Web 2.0 has recently been embraced by the US Government. The US State Department has started including blogs and other Web 2.0 concepts to deliver public information to citizens. It is also using wiki style services to improve information by permitting small expert communities to improve advisory services.

The same article advised that Australias leading information advisory body, the Australian Government Information Management Office, had begun experimenting with the use of blogs, wikis and other Web 2.0 technologies.

As new online social networks mushroom, they are becoming increasingly focused on niches, ideally suited to membership based organizations and the NFP sector. Examples of general public social networks include My Space (http://www.myspace.com), Classmates (http://www.classmates.com) and Bikely (bikely.com).

OTHER USEFUL TECHNOLOGIES

SMS - Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones (and other mobile devices, e.g. a Pocket PC, or occasionally even desktop computers) that permits the sending of short messages between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones.

Podcast - Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers.

Webinars - Web conferencing is used to hold group meetings or live presentations over the internet. In the early years of the internet, the terms "web conferencing" and "computer conferencing" were often used to refer to group discussions conducted within a message board (via posted text messages), but the term has evolved to refer specifically to "live" or "synchronous" meetings, while the posted message variety of discussion is called a "forum", "message board", or "bulletin board". A webinar is a seminar which is conducted over the World Wide Web. It is a type of web conferencing. In contrast to a Webcast, which is transmission of information in one direction only, a webinar is designed to be interactive between the presenter and audience. A webinar is 'live' in the sense that information is conveyed according to an agenda, with a starting and ending time. In most cases, the presenter may speak over a standard telephone line, pointing out information being presented on screen, and the audience can respond over their own telephones, preferably a speakerphone. Whilst not necessarily considered Web 2.0, Webinars can also be a useful mechanism for information distribution and discussion amongst membership based organizations and SMS can provide important or urgent confirmations.

CONCLUSION

Email is - and will continue to be - an incredibly useful and convenient communication tool. In fact, with the emergence of new technologies that are either more direct, more immediate, or more like face-to-face communication, email is improved. As businesses supplement their email usage with other communication technologies, email will be increasingly reserved for those communications to which it is ideally suited.

Gerald is GM, Sales & Marketing of Software Design Group (SDG): Website Development, Design, Search Engine Optimisation, Network Support, Outsourcing Solutions, Help Desk Support, Application Development, Hardware & Software Sales. Gerald.chait@sdgtechnology.com.au or http://www.sdgtechnology.com.au.Celka Blog97388
Dara Blog11016

Principles On How To Find A Good Credit Card

There are different credit cards that will surely put you in deep trouble if you don't know how to properly use them. It should specifically give a thorough financial sense to you. This matter will be easier to conquer if you will learn the important factors helpful when finding the credit card which suits your needs the best.

-Obtain a credit card having the lowest rates on interests as much as possible. Make sure that you have the capability to pay for the credit card expenses at a particular occasion where you are obliged to pay for the charges. Interest rates will not affect you significantly if you are planning to pay all the charges upon acquiring it in that same month. It is true that 0% APR does not exist because credit card companies would not make money out of that. Great deals on the percentage rates of APR could be found through different ways.

-Choose a credit card that allows a balance transfer wherein you are able to transfer the other balances under the initial APR lowest interest rates. Although these offers are only limited, in the end you will find that it will procure a lot of savings.

-Be always prompt as a customer. Pay the bill on the designated time and keep fair low balances so that you could request for a 0% APR even over a limited period of time. Most companies will find it a good deal because they don't want to lose their business and their good clients as well.

-Search for different companies offering 0% APR in the internet. Make comparisons when shopping. Some companies offer a zero percent APR to their clients within a year upon acquiring the credit card.

-Always be aware of the terms and condition regarding 0% APR. Know what periods are exactly covered because it might shock you to find out that you already have overhead charges. Make an assessment regarding the future interest rates after the trial periods. It could be higher than what you expected and soon you will regret that it is much better if you get the credit card having no trial periods or whatever 0% APR offers. Read carefully the fine prints of the agreement.

-Most of the credit cards that are available today are featuring different reward programs. Make enough time for researching so that you will get the best reward program according to how you are going to use it.

It is either in the form of points or cash back. The cash back reward program enables you to get a particular percentage from all the qualified purchase back, which is usually credited to your account.

The point reward program enables you to obtain points with every purchase you make using the credit card. Then a product could be redeemed using those points from a particular store, or sometimes to several designated redemption stores, or others could even have airline tickets. However make sure that the redemption will benefit you according to your needs.

-The credit card should possess a credit limit that is enough to satisfy your needs. The factors that should be considered include financing fees, annual fees, introductory offers, credit requirements, availability of online banking, and others. A lot of websites are great help when doing a research.

You will never go astray if you follow these guiding principles on finding the best credit card. Make a wise decision today.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information checkout http://www.supercreditcardoffers.com and http://credit-card-offersonline.info.Coralie Blog37565
Darleen Blog67523

Buying A Used Van? You Need A Budget

Dont spend your hard-earned money on a van unless youve sat down and worked out how much you can afford. Spending more money than youve got could get you and your business into financial difficulty, and your capital could be better spent on stock or additional employees.

How do I put a budget together?

Your budget for a commercial vehicle doesnt have to be complicated. You dont need an in-depth spreadsheet or help from an accountant. Instead, just write down the costs and expenses associated with owning a van. Once youve broken those costs down, you can see what the initial cost will be and how much the running costs are going to add up to over time.

Price The cost of your van, including taxes, is your single biggest outlay. Before you decide how much you need to spend, take a look at the types of vans on the market and how much they cost. You could find that you can buy a smaller, less expensive van than you thought, or that the fitted panel van you need will cost more than you have. A little bit of research enables you to put a realistic figure on this major expense.

Insurance you must be insured to drive your van or truck. Insurance costs will vary depending on the type of work you do, the type of vehicle you buy and the number of people who will be driving. To get an idea of cost, get some quotes online, using the type of van you think you might be buying. Dont forget that this is an annual cost.

Running costs fuel is an ongoing running cost. Whether your van is petrol, diesel or powered by another fuel, there will be cost implications. Again, these are dependent on the type of vehicle you have and the number of miles you do: the more you travel, the more fuel you need. As prices continue to rise, this is an important financial consideration.

Servicing you will need to ensure that your van is running smoothly and that its not likely to breakdown when you least expect it. A 12 month service will have a fixed cost, but expect to pay extra for parts if anything goes wrong.

Take the time to get your budget right and you could be on the road with your new van and a healthy bank balance.

VanMart is a dedicated website offering listings of used vans for sale or lease across the UK. Visit our site now by clicking on http://www.vanmart.netCynthy Blog26055
Cherry Blog43177

Improve Your Conversions By 39% - Reduce Visitors' Options

Recently, a client who is an online merchant decided to run a few tests to see if we could improve his website conversions. His product page presented four different options, and while his sales were acceptable, he thought they could be better.

He wasn't exactly sure, however, what needed to be done to increase his website conversions. He thought offering four products was a good idea, since he had a price range to meet every budget. Each product description clearly outlined all the features and benefits, so there was more than enough information for his site visitors to use in their decision making process.

I was concerned, though, that there might be a bit too much information. In marketing, the old adage says a confused mind makes no decision. And internet marketing is no different. So we designed a split test.

We tested three different product pages the original page with four products, a new page with three products and a new page with two products. In the original test, everything about the pages was the same, i.e. headlines, copy, graphics, etc. The only difference was the number of products. (We later tested the individual elements, but that's another topic.)

We found that the page with three products actually increased conversions by 39%. Turns out his site visitors had been overwhelmed by all the information presented on the four-product page. However, site visitors did want to feel like they had a choice; in fact, conversions dropped on the page with only two products.

How can you apply this to your own website? Take a look at each of your pages, especially your product pages. Are you offering too much information? Not enough information? Are you making it difficult for your visitors to make a decision? Design a few split tests to help you determine a happy medium.

Are you wondering what we did with the fourth product? We used it as an upsell. Anyone who purchased product #3 was presented with the option of purchasing product #4 before checking out. This reduced their decision making process to only two products (product #3 versus product #4) while still giving my client the option of offering four products. Incidentally, approximately 21% of those who were presented with the upsell offer decided to upgrade to product #4.

Karen Scharf coaches website owners on tricks and techniques that have been proven to increase website conversion. FREE subscription at http://www.SuccessfulSiteSecrets.comDee Blog43662
Celine Blog74908

What Makes A Good Entertainer?

Hi everyone!

My name is Kim Wist and Im a professional magician from Finland. Finland is a rather small country, and we have only about 10 professionals who make their living on performing magic.

Despite this above mentioned fact, I do around 150 gigs per year, and that is about as much as I can handle.

I have been around the world in many magic conventions and seen a lot of good performers and sleight of hand artists, but the big question remains; why do some make a living performing this art, and other dont.

Is it personality?

To some extent I would say yes, definitely. You have to be an open person and you must find it easy to communicate with people. Lets say you do close up magic (which I strongly suggest you should also do if you want to make a good living in magic) but you find it difficult to confront people up close. This will obviously make you somewhat unnatural and the audience senses this very quickly.

It is of vital importance for a performer to be very bold, strong but at the same time sophisticated and not too aggressive. It is very important to be able to read the audience correctly and to tune in into the audience.

A performer is not just anybody. He is someone people are used to look up to, give him the space and enjoy the ride. But if the ride is not enjoyable and the performer is uncomfortable it will end up very quickly.

Is it my technique?

The skill of the performer is also very important. A skillful performer always gets credited, take for example a good juggler; it is enjoyable to watch hes pure skill and the excitement of the art.

So being skillful is also important and will add up to the total entertainment value. This should also not be overused and never just show off, blend skill into the performances with taste. We are speaking of the whole package here and that is what people are going to remember.

What magic style should I choose?

Well, obviously the one that suits you best, but there can be variations and exceptions.

What I do, is mixing comedy and magic. This is very common and many do this, but you need to be very good and very funny to make it really pay off.

Let me give you an example:

I used to perform more seriously, but I also wanted to have comedy in my shows. I ended up being confusing and probably not funny at all. I thought that the tricks I do will make people wonder and it is not so important what I say. Still after many performances I felt confused and lost. I havent found my stage person, and I did not get the reactions I knew were possible.

Then I saw a younger friend of mine perform in a magic competition. He was so funny I could not believe it, the audience loved him and he was having a good time on stage.

This was a big lesson for me.

I started to work with my program from scratch and really going through every second of it. What I say, how do I look, what gestures etc.

I had always on my mind my goal, which was to do good quality tricks but to be very funny at the same time. I rehearsed my show over and over and left out parts that did not really work and finally ended up with a 15 minutes of solid material.

I went to gig with this material and the response was amazing. People laughed, enjoyed themselves, and wanted to get my cards more than ever

I knew I was on the right path.

Then I started to do the same to my close up magic. I was always a more natural close up worker than a stage performer, but I took my close up to another level also.

Finally I had a stage personality and I knew what I was doing and what I wanted to do.

What a relief and how nice it felt doing gigs and make people happy.
That is the secret how I get so many bookings.

Marketing is important, but the most important is the gigs you do, because there is always someone in the audience who is arranging a party in the near future and need a good entertainer. And the word gets around. Many times when a new customer calls me, he says he got a reference from somebody else who had seen me somewhere.

Customers want to get a good performer, because we all experienced the annoyed feeling a bad performer generates and if you do corporate magic you will never be booked again if you do a bad job.

Summing it up; be natural with people, practice your art, practice and review your show and dont risk anything. Have a complete script for your show and follow it.

Keep improving and the gigs will come.

I hope you found something of value in this short article and wish you good luck and happy performances.

Magically yours
Kim Wist

web: http://www.kimwist.com

Kim Wist is one of the leading entertainers in Finland, mixing comedy with magic he is giving hes audiences unforgottable enjoyment. Web site: http://www.kimwist.com.Christin Blog80665
Denice Blog3317

The Importance Of An IT Degree

The explosion of the information technology world has created a need for highly skilled workers able to handle heavy programming and tight network security. Every end of the spectrum in the computer world now requires in depth training and knowledge to be able to meet the demands of a computerized civilization. Communications, databases and the number of computer networks mean that anyone breaking into the job market with the hopes of working with technology needs certified qualifications and solid skills to be a contender. Competition for employment is stiff and only those with proper knowledge will get into massive corporations or important jobs. Of course, basic training in PC repair will solidify a long term job for you in a computer store, but with the opportunity to expand your skills into something far more valuable, why limit yourself rather than specializing in programming, video game design or software development?

Working in the technological industry can be very good, as employment conditions are favourable. Most working hours are set at 40 hours per week, geared to when the maximum number of employees are using the networking system or tapping into the administrative database. Also, thanks to that same technology you would be studying, someone with an IT degree can easily work from home and provide the same service to their employer as they would on site. There are, however, some drawbacks to working in an IT environment: emergency situations such as viruses, massive backups or network repairs, or meeting a certain deadline can mean longer hours in the evening or on weekends, though usually not on a regular basis.

Technology changes rapidly and pressure to excel at skills does mean that those who work in the industry must always be continually updating their skills or learning new ones as developments occur. Of course, a secure, long term job position can mean that recycling skills may not be necessary, but should your IT employment with one company come to an end, you may find that you no longer have the qualifications to be competitive in the job market when searching for a new employer. For sure, businesses today nearly always only hire people with IT degrees and anyone lacking that certification won't be able to find a job, no matter how skilled or talented they are.

There's more reason to invest in achieving an IT degree. The job prospectus for someone with high skills and abilities is very good, and the public's desire for bigger, better, and more will continue to push companies to develop new software and find solutions to make individual's lives easier or more productive. Computer scientists and database administrators are predicted to be the fastest growing market for those with an IT degree, so specialization in those areas will ensure that you'll be quickly employed at a good salary. However, even without specialization, most people with an IT degree will land jobs, as companies are also looking for people with a wide range of knowledge, including interpersonal and business skills. Spreading out can make you just as valuable as specialization.

An IT degree provides you with the training so that you'll become a valuable asset to any company. Indeed, most businesses today seek out top students and professionals with certification from the best educational institutions to help them protect their valuable data and keep their computer network functioning at its optimal potential. The starting salary for someone with solid skills and certification begins somewhere around $60,000 and only goes upwards from there. Your investment in an IT degree will certainly pay itself back many times, and you'll be able to break into a rising area of employment opportunities that will have you set for life.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College offers many Information Technology Degree programs. Please visit Virginia College at http://www.vc.edu/site/department.cfm?deptID=2 to select the IT program that is right for you.Corrie Blog37187
Denni Blog60469

Stroke: Stroke Damage Treatment- Paralysis and Energy Healing

Suddenly you feel a portion of your body pause, loose sensation and stop functioning correctly. Your eyes may see double, your tongue might tingle, and your arm or leg may drag for few minutes. If these symptoms continue for a few minutes (15-20) you are having a stroke. Those are the symptoms of a TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack, known as a mini stroke. The sneaky part is that in both a TIA and a lesser stroke, the symptoms come and go for the lucky individual. If you can't produce an even smile on both sides of your face, remember the date, or have continued numbness on one side of your body, go to the hospital emergency room immediately. You have a 3-hour window to have an opportunity to reverse any major damage.

For those who exhibit and experience major impairment and who are unable to obtain immediate treatment, stroke damage may result in paralysis, nerve damage, and other dehabilitating symptoms. The good news is, usually in time, you can have some form of restored function in the areas of your body that were initially damaged.

Acupuncture has recently been providing significant restorative results by improving some physical functions for stroke victims. According to CBC News, "The functional electrical stimulation rowing machine, developed by researchers in Edmonton and England, helps people with disabilities (paraplegics and others) enjoy the benefits of regular exercise."

As a medical intuitive and distance energy healer, energy healing is another modality that provides electromagnetic stimulation and shows great promise in treating and curing stroke damage and regenerating damaged nerves. By using directed electromagnetic bio molecular energy healing, we can reframe bio structures, ie nerve impulse generators and their neural pathways that direct your body's physical functions to their initial blueprint of health. Neural pathways can be restructured so that those with paralysis can move their legs or arms. Numb extremities can be revived and regenerated to sensation.

In several clients with stroke complications, after their cellular and neural connections were restored and regenerated, physical therapy was used to restrengthen their muscles that had weakened due to lack of use during the early stages of their rehabilitation. To date, various stroke symptoms and complications can be lessened or reversed with energy healing.

Energy healing is cutting edge and is being clinically researched as a healing modality that shows great promise in assisting and restoring the physical health of those who have experienced a stroke.

Feel free to reprint this article in its original format.

Contact Information:
Brent Atwater, Alternative Medical Specialist
Medical Intuitive, Distance Energy Healing
ATL, GA Phone: 404.242.9022 USA
NC Phone: 910.692.5206 USA
Website: http://www.brentatwater.com/
Email: mailto:Brent@BrentAtwater.com

Disclaimer: Brent Atwater is not a medical doctor or associated with any branch of medicine. Brent works in Alternative & Integrative Medicine. She offers her opinions based on her intuition, and her personal energy healing work, which is not a substitute for medical procedures or treatments. Always consult a physician or trained health care professional concerning any medical problem or condition before undertaking any diet, health related or lifestyle change programs. As in traditional medicine, there are no guarantees with medical intuition or energy work.

Brent Atwater: Medical Intuitive, Energy Healing: As an alternative medical specialist (CAM), her international evidence based Medical Intuitive & Distance Energy Healing work is published and has been studied by & or documented at Duke, the ARE, & for animals by the NCSU's Vet school. She participates in research & Clinical trials. ARTIST: An artist 30+yrs, Brent is a pioneer in healing art by scientifically documenting Paintings that Heal. Her art was featured on "PBS". At 16, NC Museum of Art chose her painting for the permanent collection. She founded Just Plain Love Charitable Trust to benefit children. AUTHOR: Just Plain Love Children's Healing Books. The books are translated into plays performed in children's healthcare facilities turning illness negatives into positives. "Cancer Kids, God's Special Children". "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations, & Actions for Overcoming Your Health Challenges", & "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations & Actions to Help Survive Your Cancer Experience". Brent attended Wake Forest Law School and is a minister.Claude Blog50524
Daisy Blog89059

Try Acuvue 2 Contact Lenses for Exceptional Comfort

If you're looking for a contact lens that is known as one of the best selling contacts on the market, look to Acuvue 2. This is one of the newest and most innovative lenses produced by Johnson & Johnson, a leading manufacturer of corrective lenses.

The versatility of this brand of contacts makes it a perfect choice for new users who may not yet have developed a preference for daily wear or extended wear contacts. In the past, contact wearers had to choose between extended wear lenses that could be worn 24-hours a day or daily wear lenses. With Acuvue 2, you can have both. If you wear the Acuvue 2 contact lenses during the day only, taking them out each night, a single pair will last you two weeks. However, if you prefer to put them in and forget about them for an extended period of time, you can even sleep in them and only need to replace them with a new pair once a week.

As an added incentive, Johnson & Johnson designed the Acuvue 2 contact lenses with ultraviolet (UV) blocking technology. Keep in mind that prolonged exposure to the UV rays transmitted by the sun or tanning beds can harm your eyes and has even been linked to the development of cataracts. On average, Acuvue 2 blocks out 82% of UV-A radiation and 97% of UV-B radiation. This protection only applies to your cornea, so it is advised that you still wear sunglasses to protect your entire eye.

For individuals who like the option of changing their eye color while correcting their vision or who have no need for corrective lenses, Acuvue 2 also comes in a colored version called Acuvue 2 Colours. This lens comes in ten dazzling colors:

* Sapphire Blue
* Deep Blue
* Ocean Blue
* Aquamarine
* Jade Green
* Hazel Green
* Emerald Green
* Pearl Gray
* Warm Honey
* Chestnut Brown

If you're concerned whether Accuvue 2 is right for you, consult with your optometrist who can examine your eyes and advise you on the right lenses for your specific vision needs.

Larry Scott is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Contact-Lenses-Here.com. He provides more tips about contact lenses and free colored contact lenses information at http://www.contact-lenses-here.com where you can research at any time, day or night, on his website.Delinda Blog24356
Delphinia Blog2567

One Epic Flashback

You've probably watched a movie where you observe the lead character in a quiet, contemplative moment. It's not long before you hear a sound similar to a camera and the movie shifts to an event from the past that provides a clue about what is happening to the character in the present.

This is a common technique in storytelling called flashback (analepsis). The use of this technique often adds a sense of mystery to the story. The use of flashback allows the author of the story to interrupt a storyline by taking the reader back in time to a point that helps define the character, setting or plot line. By revealing flashback clues throughout the piece the reader can catch a sense of the struggle that had placed the lead character in such a predicament.

This approach can take an average story and make it much more interesting. By cutting to previous events, the reader becomes more interested in the mystery of the storyline.

Flashbacks work very well for a dramatic storyline because it provides one of the best means of bringing the reader into the life of your character on an emotional level. The reason this seems to happen is because it allows you to enter the thoughts of the character and experience the pain or joy of past experience. This is something that is much more difficult in a story operating on only a forward timeline.

It is true that flashbacks can make the majority of the story confusing, but the concept is a bit like putting a puzzle together - you're not really sure where each piece fits or what the picture really looks like until the very end. Therein lies the payoff.

The flashback writing technique can also be called back-story, although this technique generally refers to a fully developed story that is typically viewed as a prequel. One of the most widely heralded uses of this technique is Star Wars where three full stories were developed before George Lucas ever filmed his first movie in 1976.

A similar technique to flashback is flashforward (prolepsis). In this scenario, the main character is in a time past and the flashforward shows a bit of the fate that awaits them as the story unfolds. Horror writing often used flashforward as a means of prophesying the fate of their main character.

Flashback remains just one tool in a writer's arsenal to allow the story to become something epic.

Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters (http://www.faithwriters.com) and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers. Members include writers from all around the world. Please visit the website at: http://www.faithwriters.comCybil Blog43796
Darelle Blog22022

An Introduction to Trademarks

In marketing, there is a particular strategy known as branding. In many ways, trademarks are designed to protect your brand from use by others.

An Introduction to Trademarks

A trademark is a form of intellectual property. Intellectual property is owned by the person or business creating it. With practically all forms of intellectual property, however, you have to take steps to formally notify the world of your property and protect it.

A trademark is a distinctive mark used to identify a product, company, service or device. When you think about it, you are very familiar with trademarks. At the risk of being sued to the high heavens, the following are trademarks: Coca Cola, Pepsi, Google, EBay and Toyota. Each of these words mean something to you and are readily identifiable with a product or service in your mind. When you think of EBay, you immediately think of an online auction site that was originally created so the owners girlfriend could trade Pez dispensers [true]. When you think of Toyota, you think of cars. This is the power of brand recognition and trademarks are used to protect them.

A trademark is a powerful thing when it comes to the law. If you obtain a trademark, it is binding nationwide and others are not allowed to infringe upon it in an effort to swipe your customers or confuse the public. With your mark, you can sue to stop the infringement and recover monetary damages suffered. Basically, a trademark is a hammer for stopping nefarious conduct cold.

To obtain a trademark, you must have patience, patience and more patience. The mark is obtained through the Patent and Trademark Office. It is a very slow process. You or your attorney do a search to make sure are not in conflict with any previous marks. You then file an application and begin waiting. Within 8 weeks, the Patent and Trademark Office will send you a notification indicating they acknowledge receiving your application. Just receiving it! You will then wait another 6 months or so to hear if the application is accepted. Often you will receive correspondence asking for clarification or raising a problem. You then provide a response and wait. Months will pass. Eventually, the back and forth will come to final result. If your trademark application is accepted, it will be published and you are protected. The process is so lengthy that it is not uncommon for it take well over a year for the application to be approved. In short, you are going to need a lot of patience.

While obtaining a trademark can take forever, it is well worth the effort. Once you have it, you can keep competitors and others from using the trademarked term you worked so hard to establish.

Gerard Simington is with http://www.findanattorneyforme.com - an online attorney directory.Cristin Blog41965
Dedra Blog71957

Blood Pressure Monitors - Valuable Tips For Accurate Readings

Do you know the correct ways to use your blood pressure monitor at home to obtain consistently accurate readings?

Most pharmacies and medical supply stores sites have home blood pressure monitors in two model types, manual or digital. All monitors have the same basic components, an inflatable cuff or strap, a gauge for readouts and sometimes a stethoscope, depending on the model.

The cuff consists of an inner layer made of rubber that fills with air and squeezes your arm. This cuff's outer layer is generally made of nylon and has a fastener to hold it in place. The gauges on monitors are either digital or aneroid. The aneroid monitors have a gauge with a dial on it that points at a number related to your blood pressure.

A manual blood pressure monitor consists of a stethoscope and an inflatable arm cuff connected by a rubber tube to a gauge that records the pressure. To use these cuff, you inflate the cuff that goes around your arm by pumping a bulb at one end of the tube. You listen for certain benchmark arterial blood sounds your blood makes as it flows through the brachial artery in the crook of your elbow and count your own heart rate.

However, without proper training, it is difficult to interpret those sounds. Digital blood pressure cuffs usually have a built-in sensor that records the information for you.

A digital monitor consists of a cuff and a gauge that records the pressure. These devices automatically calculate heart rate and measure your blood pressure. Some even give you an error message if you are not wearing the cuff properly. Digital monitors also deflate automatically. Although you can get a digital cuff for your finger or wrist, the one that fits on the upper arm is slightly more accurate

No matter what type of home blood pressure monitor you choose, proper use requires some practice and training. Take the device to your doctor or nurse or find a class at your local medical facility and learn how to use the monitor accurately and keep it calibrated.

Here are some tips for using a monitor:

Have your doctor or nurse observe how you use the device so that he or she can see if you are doing it properly

Take your blood pressure at consistent times, such as in the morning and in the evening.

Always use the same arm whenever you take your blood pressure. Note that many digital monitors are meant for use only on the left arm.

Don't measure your blood pressure immediately after you wake in the morning. Wait an hour or so. If you exercise after waking, take your blood pressure before exercising.

Avoid food, caffeine, tobacco and alcohol for thirty minutes before taking a measurement.

Go to the restroom first. A full bladder can increase blood pressure slightly.

Sit quietly for three to five minutes before a measurement.

Sit in a comfortable position with legs and ankles uncrossed and your back supported.

Rest your arm, raised to the level of your heart, on a table, desk or chair arm.

Don't talk while taking your blood pressure.

Place the cuff on bare skin, not over clothing.

Take a repeat reading two to three minutes after the first one to check accuracy.

If you have a manual monitor, log blood pressure readings or heart rates in a log book.

Make sure that you take the monitor to be calibrated annually.

Blood pressure varies throughout the day and is often a little higher in the morning. Contact your doctor if you have any unusual or persistent increases in your pressure. If you experience symptoms such as severe headache, chest pain, numbness or tingling in the face or limbs seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

If your blood pressure is under control, you may need only check it at home a few times a month but remember that home monitoring is not a substitute for visits to your doctor.

For further information from Michael Jennings on preventing hypertension, the "silent killer", and how to monitor your blood pressure and living with hypertension on a daily basis go to his website ==> http://www.monitor-blood-pressure.comCherlyn Blog81104
Daloris Blog50270

Up Close And Virtual

Computer gaming has given birth to one of the most competitive and flourishing industries in the world. Game developers have been busy trying to take their games to the next levels in order to compete with their counterparts and earn their markets shopping dollar. With ever improving graphics, additions of improved artificial intelligence, better game play and game speeds, rigorous enhancements to game details and captivating story lines, each new computer game seems to become more addictive for gamers.

This huge success owes a lot to the feedback given to the game developers by the gamers. Clearly no one can understand what improvements a game requires for it to become even more attractive, than the people who play the game themselves. The game developers themselves can not notice the slight details that gamers can. This is why the big names in the industry have started giving more attention to testers and their feedback. So much so that they gave rise to a whole new study called "Game Study" and also "Play testing".

It has become more like war between the game developing companies and 'everything is fair in love and war'. Because higher-quality games tend to sell better, game developers are increasingly looking for ways to improve their games. Thus, to improve the quality of their games some game developers also tend to seek help from psychologists to study the patterns of how the minds of gamers work and what might make the game more addictive. One such way is to make the game more challenging yet easy to learn and use.

Multiplayer games tend to be more successful. The key to develop a successful and mind blowing multiplayer game is to maximize the quality of game play and adding strategy to it. For example Counter Strike by Valve has proven to be one of the most successful multiplayer games ever made, because anybody can learn how to play it, requires very little pc resources and thus most computers can run it, has an exquisite game play and with a little team strategy can be pretty fun to play.

Thus there is a lot to making the perfect computer game. Game developers are always aiming to improve all these aspects to make their games perfect. With developing technology, improved graphics cards and monitors, the game developers tend to make use of these to make their games as real as possible with ever improving graphics. It seems evident, that computer games one day will soon reach a point, where they become close to virtual reality.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for http://fortheloveofgames.net/ - In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for http://universeoftoys.com/ and http://wonderfulworldofsports.net/Crystal Blog72349
Claudia Blog17094

Saab BioPower: On The Rise Down Under

Australia would soon be experiencing the most earth friendly ride in the planet. After all, Saab’s environment friendly vehicle, the Saab BioPower, would soon be invading this continent sometime soon. The Saab BioPower is currently hailed as the best selling vehicle in Sweden that is very environmentally friendly.

According to the company, they are sending out the Saab BioPower to the country down under so as to promote and advance the knowledge of people on the benefits that ethanol, as a renewable alternate fuel source, could bring. Saab auto parts make up the interior and the exterior of this exceptional vehicle. However, what makes it different from the rest of the machines in the market and on the roads is that it has been created to be friendly enough not to further harm the environment.

The source of the power of the Saab BioPiower is actually the very popular E85. E85 simply means that the fuel is actually a mixture of two kinds of fuel, that is, 85 per cent ethanol and the rest, fifteen per cent, is petrol.

One version of the Saab Biopower is the Saab Biopower 9-5. This vehicle has already gained a reputation for itself especially in Sweden where it was launched just last year. It has also been sent off to other parts of the world like the United Kingdom and other markets in the continent of Europe. And despite the fact that it is a new one in the market, it has already become very popular and has proven that being new could still bring in more profits for the company.

Parveen Batish is the director for Saab’s Australian and New Zealand arm. And he staets, “Ethanol fuel makes sense in a country like Australia. It is renewable, sustainable fuel – unlike fossil fuel. You don’t have to sacrifice performance, boot space or the environment to switch to an alternative to petrol. BioPower drivers can still fill up with petrol when they need to – which makes ethanol ideal for Asutralia where we drive vast distances, making the roll-out of a new fuel technology, such as hydrogen, very challenging in the short to medium term.”

Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today.Daisi Blog23872
Cookie Blog14484

Why a Lady Needs to Look Good and Feel Good

The answer to this seemingly complex question really is quite simple. And believe it or not, the reason has nothing to do with whats pounded into our heads every day by the media. For example

Looking good and feeling good isnt going to lead us into the waiting arms of an ultra-rich, incredibly handsome, honest and caring, polite and well-mannered man who just happens to be available AND interested.

Looking good and feeling good isnt going to guarantee that our social lives will suddenly be as jam-packed and exciting as all those celebrities whose looks we try so desperately to emulate.

And no, looking good and feeling good wont turn us into highly sought-after starlets either. (Although it MIGHT help us get chosen for the newest reality television show.)

Ladies No matter what you see on television, or hear on the radio or in the salon, or read in newspapers and magazines, the reasons given above are NOT the reasons why you should look good and feel good. Its time you refocus. Now pay attention and Ill give you the answer. Ready for the big reveal? Here is it.

The reason why a lady needs to look good and feel good is so that her life can be more gratifying. Hold on now. This isnt as shallow as it sounds. And it doesnt conflict with what I said above either. When you look good and you feel good you know it and others know it too. And if you still dont believe or understand what I mean, then think about this.

Think back to the last time you were in a room full of females. Do you remember secretly (or along with your girlfriends) giving each person the 30-second analysis based solely on appearance? Dont shake your head and get all righteous; you know you did.

As you scanned the room, you could tell in a moment the women who looked good and felt good. Their eyes seemed to sparkle, their steps seemed a bit lighter, their words flowed a bit more freely, and their overall appearance showed a keen attention to detail.

The women who didnt look good or feel good were just the opposite. The statements they made were full of negative undertones, they had forgotten what their mothers told them about proper posture, they needed someone to tell them NOT to go out looking like that, and they were turning others away faster than they were attracting them.

Which group sounds more like you?

Looking good and feeling good. You almost cannot do one without doing the other. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you cannot help but look good.

How does a lady look good and feel good? It isnt hard and in fact, looking good and feeling good has never been easier! It doesnt matter whether you have a lot of time or just a little, or a lot of money or just a little. Once you make looking good and feeling good your number one goal, youll be surprised at how many different ways there are to accomplish this goal.

You can start working towards your goal right now just by adopting good eating habits. Try loading up on the foods that keep your energy levels constant rather than eating the foods that temporarily spike your energy but then leave you feeling tired and lethargic. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and nuts are all excellent foods to work into your diet. You might miss the junk food at first, but give your body a chance and watch it thrive.

Once youve recovered from the dietary switch, try working in a little exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise 4 5 times a week will go far towards helping you look good and feel good. It might be hard at first to give up your couch for a pair of jogging shoes, but after a few weeks, youll find that you actually look forward to this time of day.

Exercise has so many benefits. Itll help tone your body so even if you dont lose weight, youll look better and your clothes will fit better. Exercise also is a great way to reduce stress. If youre stressed or you know others who are, you know how much older stress can make you look. Exercise improves your circulation, and thats vital if you want your blood to transport the vitamins and nutrients needed to help you look good and feel good throughout your body. Improved circulation helps your skin look suppler and your hair look shinier, too!

Changing your diet and incorporating exercise will go far towards helping you look good and feel good. But wait, it doesnt end there! Remember to enjoy yourself too!

Janette Vince is managing director of http://www.thanksdarling.com an online company offering a range of gifts and experience days for individuals and couples. For a range of spa breaks visit http://www.thanksdarling.com/44-5.htm.Cristen Blog455
Chelsie Blog42233