Search Wars Continue Is Social Search The Holy Grail?

Abstract:

The latest frontier in search engine technology is social search. Born out of the social networking boom, social search will attempt to humanize search results thereby providing users with consumer driven answers to their queries. Considering that 50% of queries go unanswered, social search could be the biggest breakthrough since page ranking.

Overview:

As search giants, Google, Yahoo and MSN continue their fierce battle to become king of the search engines, internet marketers are faced with increasing challenges to dominate in the rankings. As algorithms and methodologies change, savvy entrepreneurs and Madison Avenue continue their heated battle for a coveted Top 10 spot in search engine rankings.

Social search is not officially here but the debut is not far off. Yahoo, MSN and Google are all purportedly working on methodologies to converge search and user generated content all while walking the tightrope known as privacy. Yahoo has been beta-testing Yahoo Answers since December 2005 and has hired powerhouse, Raghu Ramakrishnan, the co-author of Database Management Systems and co-founder of QUIQ. Mircosoft is in talks with Eurekster.com, a company specializing in social search and Google is experimenting with Google Base Beta.

Why are these internet behemoths investing so much in social search? Social networks such as MySpace and Friendster are threatening the domination of established search giants.

Social networks are pulling in a significant and increasing share of web traffic.

Social network sites are actively working to improve their internal search capabilities and provide an even richer experience for their members. Search giants such as Google, Yahoo and MSN must accelerate their social search efforts or they may be left out of the search game that they now dominate. Search giants must step it up or they will get left behind.

Why now, what drives this apparent sudden change?

It is hard to believe that in the early days of the net, there was an underlying assumption that technology would replace or hinder human interaction. There were those that believed users would prefer getting their information from a computer rather than a person. Social networking is really something old made new by bringing it online. It turns out we humans still rely on other humans and technology simply allows us to expand the boundaries of our social networks. Studies have proven what we already knew intuitively, we pay attention to recommendations from real people.

Social search, viral marketing and social networking are not at all new concepts. Social search is really the technology derivative of asking friends and colleagues for recommendations. In the long ago, dark ages before we googled, if you needed a mechanic you asked your neighbor, your colleagues and your friends for a recommendation. We now google for mechanics and visit websites to gain information that will help us in our decision.

Social search will enable users to combine the two for a robust result that combines user driven content or the human element with the power of technology. Pretty heady stuff, when you contemplate the impact of this new era of search.

What does all of this mean to the internet marketer?

The internet marketers goals remain the same - drive traffic and convert that traffic to profitable sales.

Social search will not change the foundation of marketing but it will change the way in which you present your information to generate leads. In other words, you will still need to apply good old fashioned Public Relations and Marketing tactics to the new fangled Social Search Medium, fondly dubbed SMM by some.

Drive traffic to your site from social search and search engine optimization

To take advantage of social search, the first step is to develop a plan, and finding your niche. Contrary to popular belief, the world is not your customer. Often the focus is on pure traffic results, but none of that matters if youre not hitting your sales goals. Answer these:

- Who is your ideal customer, what does he look like?
- Do you merely want 200,000 hits per day or do you want 200,000 hits from people that have a problem your product or service can solve?
- What complementary products or services do they buy?
- How often do they make purchases, when?

Take the time to identify your target market before you launch a marketing plan. Make sure to also include complimentary offerings through popular email courses, as in: http://www.microsaw.com/myform.htm to educate your audience first. Then, sample them via a survey, to find out more about them. And, because you gave them something for free, they'll be more willing to fill out the survey.

Now that you have identified your niche, youll have a much easier time capturing them using SMM. Marketing whether online or off is all about relevancy, visibility, and credibility. As an internet marketer you want to dominate your niche market by establishing yourself as the expert in your area, delivering content to your potential customer that is relevant to their needs and preferences and have greater visibility than your competitors.

Steps that you can take to achieve expertness with SMM:

1. Become an expert source of information.

Use the bookmarks and article submission features of sites such as Digg to establish yourself as a credible and recognizable source of information.

2. Hitchhike on a blog.

Post relevant and informative content on high profile blogs in your industry. Contributing to a blog on relevant subject matter will increase your visibility and credibility with your target market.

3. Share, share, share.

Create a Squidoo lens, write and publish articles to online article banks (i.e. ezinearticles.com), contribute to wikipedia. Issue quarterly press releases through PR Web. Providing content will establish familiarity with your name (the havent I heard of you? effect) and enable you to cement your expertise with your audience. You will then drive pre-qualified users to your site, who has already established interest in what you have to sell.

4. Create your own friendly network.

Link sharing with complementary products and services is still a great way to expand your social network, and hence your visibility.

5. Build on your existing foundation. The technical aspect of search will not be eliminated with the dawn of social search. Rather social search will augment technical search. Thus, it is important to continue utilizing the tools and resources that drive technical search including optimization techniques and paid inclusion.

6. Apply innovation directly to your site. Here's an example: http://microsaw-swicki.eurekster.com/ that we are using, and it's a free service.

Summary:

Social search will not entirely replace the traditional technical driven search but does open up yet another avenue for internet marketers. One of the more exciting aspects is that smaller businesses are better positioned to make the most gains from the social frontier. We have seen the power of the regular Joe community in driving site popularity and outpacing Madison Avenue marketing efforts.

YouTube, MySpace and Facebook owe their growth to the power of viral marketing. Big Business has not yet mastered the art of getting up close and personal with its users providing savvy entrepreneurs with the opportunity of a lifetime. By using the simple techniques outlined in this article you will be well poised to take advantage of that opportunity.

Social Marketing Resources:

Digg, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Flickr, StumbleUpon, Newsvine, LinkedIn, Del.icio.us, MySpace, Ma.gnolia, Yahoo Answers, Reddit, Technorati, Squidoo, Shoutwire, 43 Things, YourElevatorPitch, Ning, Yahoo 360, BlinkList, Shadows, Wetpaint, Jotspot

Article Banks:

Ezinearticles, GoArticles, SubmitYourArticles (fee required), Buzzle, Articlealley, iSnare

Jon Rognerud is a recognized authority on the subject of search marketing, and has spent over 10 years developing websites and marketing solutions at companies like Overture and Yahoo. His website, http://www.microsaw.com, provides a wealth of informative articles, tips and tools.Charita Blog80619
Clarice Blog19720

Step by Step Guide On How To Order A Gorgeous Customized Lace Front Wig

A custom-made lace wig is your best bet to looking great. You can choose to have any style, colour and hair type that you prefer. It is almost like choosing your clothes and accessories for a grand event.

However, there are a few essential points you have to know to order that perfect front lace unit.

Know your head shape

Different wigs suit different head shapes. Check yours. Is your head pear-shaped, round, square, heart-shaped, oblong or oval? If you are not sure, stand in front of the mirror and take a good look at your face. Sketch what you see to help you decide. Try on dummy wigs to see what suits you best. Don't go by the modeled wigs, it may not be the best ones for you.

Measure your head

You can choose to do this on your own or get help. Get the measurement of the circumference of your head, ear to ear across the head, ear to ear across the forehead, front to nape, temple to temple round back, and the nape of neck.

Choose your hair type

Custom wigs are available in human hair, synthetic and blend of both human and synthetic. You have to decide what you prefer. This depends on your original hair texture as well. Keep it as close to the original so that it does not look like a fake. Remember, a wig can be stylish and in keeping with trends without looking unnatural.

Choose your hair style

Do you want it straight, curly, wavy, in ringlets? You can have any style you want. Go ahead and experiment.

Choose your hair colour

What's your preference? Is it blonde or black? Or do you think a hint of red will look great? You decide on this one as well.

Decide on hair densit.

This would depend on your hair length, colour and type. Normal density is between 80-100 % for a full lace wig. Especially for those suffering with hair loss you can get a wig with thick hair instead.

Choose a base for your wig

You can decide on Swiss lace or French lace with the former being more delicate and the latter more durable.

Decide on the adhesive.

This is used to attach the unit to your scalp. Choices range from glues and tapes depending on your preference.

Now that you have done all this, go ahead order your lace front unit.

The best part of custom-made wigs is that you can order multiple wigs at one go. You have the choice of creating different looks to suit different occasions. Can it get any better than that?

Tabitha Mwendo is a recognized authority on the subject of Hairdressing, currently focused on Front Lace Wigs. Her website, http://www.wighair-pieces.com , provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything youll ever need to know about front lace units.Dacia Blog58282
Cindi Blog44588

Apple Doesn't Want You To Put DVDs On Your iPod?

It's been a while now since Apple released their video iPods, which have beautiful 2.5" screens that can play crisp videos. Apple also added music videos and TV programs on iTunes that you can purchase and load onto your iPod.

Watching music videos and TV programs on your iPod is all great and everything, but some users are left wondering how they can put DVD movies on their iPod. After all, that's one reason many people buy a video iPod they think that they can watch DVD movies on their iPod video. Wrong!

You see, iTunes doesn't have an option like "convert DVD to iPod format." It's completely unsupported, which seems very silly! You would think that after someone spent $299 or $399 on a video iPod, they would be able to put any kind of video on their iPod!

What's also unsupported is foreign video formats, like WMV and AVI. Chances are you have at least a small collection of videos on your hard drive and those videos probably won't be supported because iTunes also does not have "WMV to iPod format" or "AVI to iPod format" conversion feature!

You might be left wondering why Apple didn't think to include something so obvious in their iTunes program. I cannot see how they would have forgotten it. My theory is that they have a reason for not including it.

Maybe it's a legal issue. Perhaps they don't want to get anywhere near the chances of movie piracy. I'm not a lawyer though, so I can't confirm anything.

Maybe they don't want you to put a single DVD on your iPod! They could be trying to have a "monopoly" so that some of the only videos you can put on your iPod are the ones that you buy from iTunes. If this is the case, this could be why they prevent you from putting WMVs and AVIs on your iPod also.

Or maybe they thought simply that no one would want to convert DVDs to iPod format! Maybe they thought that users wouldn't want DVD movies to take up space on their iPod (which is strange, because iPods' 30GB and 60GB hard drives are plenty big enough). Or they could have assumed nobody would want to watch a full length movie on a 2.5" screen (if so, they're wrong again).

There's one more theory, possibly the most likely one. Perhaps Apple is designing a "true" video iPod with a larger screen that's geared more towards movies, and purposely leave out the "convert DVD to iPod" feature so that they can add movies to the iTunes store (either pay-per-view or buy-to-own).

Whatever Apple is doing, it looks like they are not thinking of their users. Either they're not brainstorming hard enough in their product and software creation stages, or they're just hurting their customers so that they can make more money in the long run.

Keith Gilbert is the owner of http://DVD2iPod.org, a guide that shows how you can convert DVDs to iPod and put videos on your iPod! Get it for just $14.95 through this link.Dee Blog3016
Clair Blog49197

Running Antispyware

While there is nothing complicated about installing antispyware programs, you must be alert to download its latest version including the most recent spyware detection signature files. Read the end user license agreement to know exactly what you are going to download.

Getting Antispyware packages installed in your system is easy enough, but you must be alert to download its latest version including the most recent spyware detection signature files.

Your number one concern while installing antispyware removal tools should be to read the end user license agreement to know exactly what you are agreeing to download. That done let's look at how to go about getting your antispyware and adware removal package to work.

Getting Started With Antispyware Software

There is nothing complicated about installing your antispyware programs. But what you need to remember is that the latest spyware detection signature files won't download automatically until you tell them to. So ensure that it is updated and also choose the option of automatic updates if available.

If your antispyware removal tool offers real-time protection and blocking of spyware, use it. There is always the chance, though, that the spyware might get into your system before it is detected. Start with the default settings, explore, and experiment with them. Make it a habit to run full scans on a regular basis. Schedule your antispyware software to remove Trojans say, once a week or every time you startup your system.

The next step is to make sense of your scan results. Antispyware software removal tools recognize spyware and their locations in processes in your system, tracking cookies, registry entries and shortcuts on your desktop or start menu. When there are running processes, it could imply active spyware in your memory. If you see registry entries and files, it is likely that spyware may have been lodged in your hard drive. Go through the details and analyze them. Tracking cookies can be harmless, but if tied to an IP, they can turn into spies that track your browsing habits, invading your privacy.

Taking Action On The Results

Some spyware or adware may be an integral part of some programs, games or utilities, which may not function if you remove the spyware and adware. If it is okay with you to keep this spyware and adware, and you feel that they are not threatening, retain them. Once the relevant spyware is removed run the scan again. In spite of all the precaution, you might still find traces of the spyware. Or you might find that it has reinstalled itself back into you computer. So reboot your machine and scan again. If you still find antispyware products, run the scan again with an alternate antispyware removal tool.

Regarding the alerts that come up during the real time protection, look for alerts that announce the presence of spyware, understand the implications and get rid of it.

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comCorrey Blog90912
Deeann Blog92878

The Child Playhouse: A Door To A Wonderful World

Child psychologists say that children need to have their own personal sanctuarya place that they can call their own. While this doesnt mean that they should get their own apartment (they cant even reach the kitchen counter, much less make their own meals), they should have a place in the house where they can escape. This is their private space, where they feel safe and can retreat to if they need to be alone.

Why is this so important? According to child psychologists, from the age of one, children already begin coming to terms with their sense of self: I am a separate person, different from Mommy and Daddy and the world. They start to develop their independence (even if it means saying no to everything you say). They explore their skills and test their limits, gaining satisfaction from every task they accomplish: Look what I did!

A room (or playhouse) of ones own

Parents can give children a special Playhouseliterally a space thats completely theirs, where they can close the door and pretend that they are in their own beautiful world. They can retreat to their playhouse whenever they want quiet time, even choose to nap here if they like. The fact that they have the freedom to do this anytime they please, and that this is their house and not Mommys or Daddys, gives an immeasurable boost to their self-esteem. I have control over my world. I have a safe place to go to whenever I need to.

But playhouses are not just retreats; they are the stage for childrens wonderful imaginings. They can cart their favorite dolls and stuffed animals with them, and suddenly theyre kings and queens of their magical kingdom, or even the Mommy and Daddy of a unique family. You can even give them kitchen sets or let them cook with clay food (or a small box of real cereals which they can mix with plastic spoons).

Boys need playhouses, too

While houses were traditionally thought to be a girls toy, mainly because of theyre miniature precursor, the dollhouse, boys can enjoy them as well. Luckily there are several designs that will appeal to their tastes.

There are playhouses with circus themes (to complete the look, buy a stuffed clown and a stuffed lion). There are playhouses with sheriff themes (you can even make your child a special sheriffs badge out of cardboard wrapped in gold tin foil). There are playhouses that are painted with rocket ship designs (you can stick glow-in-the-dark stars and moons on the ceiling, hang an astronomy on one wall, or make your own planet mobile from colored paper).

Of course, every girl will be proud to own a playhouse with a princess theme (make her a special tiara or crown and scepter, or buy a set from a toy store). This will be her castle, where shell hold court with her dolls and teddy bears.

And of course, there are playhouses that are unisexmade of bright colors that appeal to every child.

From bedrooms to backyards

Some playhouses are meant to be kept indoors; the materials arent meant to hold up well against the weather, and the brightly painted designs might fade under the sun and rain. However, their dcor can perfectly complement a themed room, and they will bring hours of indoor fun (after all, if they cant go outside, they can still go somewhere).

However, some playhouses can be kept outside, and are made of materials that are easily wiped clean (shoes can get really muddy out in the yard!). You can even have a sleepover in themyour child will be proud to invite his friends over to his house). These are ideal for homes that have limited space, or for kids who love being outdoors.

Playhouse fun

There are many things that children can do in their playhouse. In fact, one of the benefits that they bring to tired, distracted parents is that you can let them play on their own without worrying if theyre getting into troubletheyre safely indoors, in an easily-monitored area, and not running around at the risk of breaking things (or worse, breaking their necks). Here are just some of the playhouse activities your child can enjoy:

Tea parties. Let your child play host or hostess in a mini tea party with stuffed animals or friends in their playhouse. You will need a plastic tea set (or let them use plastic plates, or an inexpensive set of real plates if theyre older). Then prepare finger food like sandwiches, fruit balls, brownies or cookies. Let your child dress up as he or she would for a real party. If you will be bringing over friends, you can even print out invitations. Put your childs playhouse address, e.g. Jennys Castle, North Bedroom, 123 Green Road. For the invitation, use the same motif as the playhouse.

Decorating. Let your child decorate the playhouse with simple crafts that you can do together. Look at the playhouse theme for inspiration. For example, you can make a star-shaped picture frame to match the stars painted on the walls, or create an animal mobile with stencils or computer print outs for a circus playhouse.

Miniature playhouses. Your child will love making a miniature version of his or her playhouse for a favorite toy. You will need cardboard boxes, paint, a cutter to make the windows (its best if you do this yourself), and glue. You can buy embellishments at a scrapbook or crafts store for the windows and doors. You can also make paper dolls for this miniature playhouse to represent different members of your family.

Playhouse sign. Personalize the playhouse with a special welcome mat or sign with your childs name. You can print the letters of the name out from the computer, or use scrapbook materials for a pretty background (also try embellishments like beads and stickers). Frame or laminate the sign and hang on the door. For the welcome mat, buy a plain mat and let the child paint on it.

Misti Norusis is the owner of http://Wishrooms.com which offers unique Kid Furniture for bedrooms and playrooms at affordable prices!Crin Blog49677
Cynde Blog82910

Ten Things YOU MUST Know Before Taking Holidays In Dubai

Dubai has become a very popular tourist destination. There are few things you must know before taking holidays in Dubai. These tips will help you to get the best from your Dubai vacation.

1. Best time to visit Dubai has extreme weather conditions. Few months of the year are extremely hot. The best time to visit Dubai is from November to March. This is the winter period in Dubai. The temperature is mild (average 20C).

2. Avoid Ramadan Ramadan is the fasting month of Muslims. Ramadan usually falls in September-October period. There is a daily fasting time, which approximately starts around 5:00am and ends around 5:00pm. NO ONE (including tourists) can eat, drink or even smoke in public places during this time.

3. Visa requirements You may have to apply for a visit visa before visiting Dubai. Citizens of few countries (first world countries such as USA, UK, Australia etc) can get visa on arrival. Check with your travel agent to confirm the visa requirement for your country.

4. Liquor Visitors cannot buy liquor from liquor shops in Dubai. Only residence who are holding a liquor license can buy them. Visitors have to go to a bar in a hotel or to a nightclub to get liquor.

Tip: Buy liquor from the Dubai duty free on arrival.

5. Car rentals Taxi fare is expensive in Dubai. Rent a car is the best option. Do it in advance.

6. Driving Dubai is a left hand driven state.

7. Accommodation options Dubai has a range of accommodation options. So do not spend unnecessarily on accommodation. There are cheap but quality 2 start hotels. If you are travelling with a big group then renting an apartment is the cheapest option. Do not let your travel agent to limit your options.

8. Shopping Dubai is a paradise for shoppers. Shopping malls, gold and cheap electronics will tempt you to buy even unwanted stuff. Have a shopping budget and stick to it. Discount is a common word in Dubai. You must always ask for a discount, because sellers are always keeping a margin for discount.

9. Language Arabic is the main language in Dubai. Most of them can understand and speak English. But make sure that you speak slowly for them to understand properly.

10. Law Dubai has become one of the safest places on earth because of tough laws. Respect the law and Dubai culture.

Visit http://www.thatsdubai.com for more useful tips.

Uthkusa Gamanayake lived in Dubai for 5 years. You can read a unique review of holidays in Dubai and valuable tips for your Dubai vacation in his web site http://www.thatsdubai.comConstantina Blog41126
Clarabelle Blog8711

Stay at Home Moms and Dads; Let's Make Money from Home!

I am always advised by some of my friends and relatives that I'd better to find a job and spend some time out of home. I really don't know why they advise me to do that while they are not happy with their jobs, getting up early morning everyday, taking the kids to daycare or leaving them with the babysitter and ... . The worst part of their life is the money they make with their full time jobs. The luckiest one can have 10 bucks per hour after paying tax. They also have to pay for gas and other expenses that their cars have every month.

So what advantages does working out of home have for them? Why do they encourage me to do something that they are not happy with it? The advice I always give them is much better. I advise them to stay at home and let their kids grow under their nose. They don't know how pleasant it is when you see your baby takes his first step or says his first word. Most of them are used to hear these news from their babysitters.

You may be a mom or dad with the same issues and problems with your full time job. I don't want to ask you to quit your full time job right away, stay at home and think about working from home. I always try to teach people on my weblog and articles to be broad-minded and not to make any limitation for themselves. They can use their extra time they will have when their kids are slept or at the weekend to find some extra streams of income. Even if you don't need to make any more money and you are happy with your current income but sooner or later you will need some more money. Your children will grow up and there will be many new things that you will have to provide for them. So it does worth if you spend some of the time you are used to spend to take nap or watching TV on finding good ways to create some new streams of income.

But how to get started?

1- First of all please keep in your mind that I do not want to tell you that you will become rich by working from home in a few weeks or even months. In fact you have to avoid all the get rich quick programs. I emphasized on this because I know as soon as people decide to try a working at home business, they turn on their computers, look for a easy work at home job that fits stay at home mothers or dads. It is the time that they can be cheated by scammers. So this is the first thing that you have to take into consideration if you want to work at home and make some extra money.

2- You need to get organized for spending some time on this business every week. This is like other businesses. Only serious and organized people can succeed. If you are a person who starts several businesses and becomes interested in different things but gives up at the first steps or if you become interested in different things just because one of your friends or relatives calls you and talk about it for a few minutes and then you lose your interest even before trying, just because one of your other friends calls you and says she doesn't like it because of this and that, then you have to change yourself before you start a work at home business and become a stay at home mom (or dad).

I have been working from home online for many years. I could achieve to refer 22,000 people to one of the legitimate work at home programs and teach them everything that I knew but only few of them could make money. Not that it was hard to do. It was not hard because I could do it and a lot of other people could do it before me. Just because they were not serious and organized. They had not made a serious decision. This is the most important step. If you decide seriously and then take action and don't give up, you will be able to become a successful stay at home mom who not only enjoys being with her family and children - and of course her children enjoy her presence at home - but can make reasonable amount of money.

3- Improve some of your computer skills. You don't have to be a rocket scientists to work at home but you need to know the basics of computer and internet. When you want to work online and through the internet, you will be dealing with these terms very frequently:

- website
- weblog
- web directory
- email
- link
- search engine
- search engine optimization
- electronic newsletter or ezine
- autoresponder
- forums or discussion boards
- internet marketing
- advertising
- email advertising
- banner and banner advertising
- pay per click advertising and pay per click search engines (PPC)
- joint venture
- link exchange
- domain registration
- web hosting
- auction websites; e.g. eBay

Do not scare if you have not heard about some of the above terms. They are very easy. Soon you will know that working from home and through the internet is much easier than what you thought.

Just open one of the main search engines like Google and enter any of the above terms that you are not familiar with. You don't have to learn in detail. Just the basics is enough for getting started.

4- After improving your knowledge, decide what you want to do to make money. There are zillions of ways to make money from home by using your computer. You will have main options:

- Sell your own products or services
- Sell others' products or services

Don't think that you have to have a factory for having a product which can be sold through the internet. Your product can be very simple things from candle, wooden cross and ... to your articles, cookie recipes and e-books.

It is also as easy as 1, 2, 3 to promote others products and earn commissions. There are thousands of affiliate programs that you can join and become able to promote thousands of different products. Some affiliate programs pay as much as 75% commission to the affiliates.

Good Luck!

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Copyright 2006 Judy Taylor. She is a stay at home mom who has been working from home since 2001. Visit her new weblog: Stay at home mom.

Judy Taylor is a stay at home mom who has been working from home since 2001. She has created a weblog to keep in touch with parents easier: http://i-am-a-stay-at-home-mom.blogspot.com.Crissy Blog89762
Coralyn Blog75129

Electric Golf Trolleys Making Golf Games Better

Golf is a game of swings. The better and more accurate your swing is, the better golfer you are. However, mastering a perfect golf swing exposes you to a lot of health hazards. Some of the very common health hazards that a golfer often face are problems with lower back, elbows, shoulders, hands and wrists. Plenty assistive golf equipment has been introduced lately to ward off these hazards and make the game of golf a better one. Plenty of new concepts have also emerged to help golfers reduce the hazards of the game and assist in achieving the perfect swing.

Some of the commonly used pieces of assistive golf equipment are ball teeing devices that help a golfer to tee up their ball while in standing position, magnetic ball markers which when used with a putter help a golfer to mark their ball on the green without the need of bending down, mini caddies that allow a golfer to carry 2 balls, tees, pencil etc. in one that attaches to belt or bag, tee tools, remote controlled or manual electric golf trolleys etc.

All these piece of equipment somehow or other help to reduce a golfers stress and make the game of golf more comfortable and enjoyable. The most vulnerable parts of a golfers body which are always open to hazards are the shoulders, neck and lower back. And these are the parts that are used mostly in the golf swing. If these areas are tired, the game becomes tough for a golfer and eventually he/she cannot give his best. As a result the probability of losing the game is fairly high.

Before these pieces of equipment emerged, the only way to move around a golf course was to walk, and with the addition of carrying the heavy golf bag on the shoulders. For a person with knee, back or shoulder problems this idea was definitely not comfortable. The process of carrying the heavy bag, putting it down and again picking it up all through the game was tough even for a person with no health issues.

The most notable amongst the items of assistive golf equipment is probably electric golf trolleys as they effectively reduce this hazard to a large extent. Golfers using electric golf trolleys do not need to carry a heavy golf bag on their shoulders as they move around the course between swings. This reduces the stress, especially in the lower back and shoulders, that adds to the stress of walking and thus helps to effectively reduce a golfers handicap. Walking between shots definitely does have cardiovascular health benefits, but pulling a thirty to forty pound golf bag along does not.

Electric golf trolleys can be manual or remote controlled. These items often come with batteries, rain covers, travel bag, chargers and toolkits. Some of the electric golf trolleys are foldable and are very easy to store. Some more advanced ones come with a score card holder. Stylish as they are, with all the features to reduce the hazards of the game and aiding golfers in their efforts to achieve the perfect swing, electric golf trolleys go a long way towards making the game of golf a better one.

This article is written by Ronn Jones, a marketing expert with years of experience in branding and internet marketing. For more information on Electric Golf Trolleys visit: http://www.protrolley.com/Daniella Blog51239
Darla Blog24160

How a B2B Business Loan Works

A B2B business loan essentially begins with the person who wishes to start their own business or enhance the business that they are now operating. A B2B business loan should start with research as many different interest rates apply, time to do pay back, and of course it is important to be able to renew the loan.

The most requested is the unsecured business loan. Meeting the requirements might pose a pose a problem unless you have a very good credit score of a minimum 680. You must also have a lower debt ratio in order to get a higher loan amount. The B2B business loan for those who are seeking an unsecured loan must have good credit. There are benefits that make it easier for a business to obtain the loan with good credit. The following benefits apply:

NO Collateral is required.
NO Financial statements are required.
No Business plan is required.
Quick approval usually within about 72 hours.
Complete freedom on use of loan proceeds.
For this program you must have a Dun & Bradstreet number, high payday, and comparable credit.
Minimum low 4 daily balances in your business bank account.

The average interest rates will fall between prime +3 prim +9 which depends on your credit and debt ratio. The terms of this type of B2B business loan normally are $1100-$1600 a month per $50,000 financed on a 5 year term dependent on your credit.

We have researched several B2B business loan financial institutions and found that Noble Financial is the leader in obtaining unsecured business loans. They currently have business in all 50 states. Business owners do not have to pledge personal or business assets to receive approval. There will be no liens or UCC filings. Noble Financial boasts that using their facility is a powerful alternative to visiting your local bank. An unsecured business line of credit is an extremely valuable business tool that most business cannot afford to be without. Lines of credit can be renewed indefinitely which is most certainly a tool used by most business owners.
The mid size and large business owner usually has multiple means to secure a business loan with or without any collateral. The smaller business person on the other hand had problems. The problems in the beginning were many as no wanted to risk loaning to a small business. The federal government started offering grants to help but this took a lot of work to get and maintain. Finally, major companies like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express saw the advantage of B2B business loans. These companies already accommodated the consumers with their charge cards. After careful consideration a plan began to help the small business person.

At the heart of commerce is a driving force called MasterCard. MasterCard enabled trade bringing insight into the payment process. B2B Business loans only seemed natural to a unique company like this. Not only would they profit by loaning to the small business person but they could place their charge machine in their business and make money in that manner as well. Today it is noted that MasterCard has business in over 210 countries. They offer rewarding, secure, and convenient payment solutions.

MasterCard developed a unique three-tiered business. The customer is always at the core of the companys strategy. It did not take long before the other charge card companies followed suit making B2B Business loans for small business a lot easier and much more convenient.

The focus became clear customers come first. The company developed a unique team that developed a unique method to provide a single point of contact which unified partnerships for mutual success and data mining capabilities. The first tier was to do with Franchisor. MasterCard through thousands of financial institutions markets a strong portfolio of brands and products worldwide. The B2B business loan for the small business now became very easy to obtain. More people wanted to go into business for themselves. The franchise companies were Maestro, Cirrus, and MasterCard PayPass.

The second part of the tier very important was the processor. MasterCards streamlined and intelligent approach to processing put the company on a worldwide scale in commerce. The speed, integration, and reliability were what the B2B Business loan for small business needed. The third tier provides industry-leading insight to solutions that made payment paying process faster, more seamless, more secure and much easier to track. The B2B business loans finally became easily accessible to the small business man. The process for the business person to get the loan was made simple and not that complicated when applying for the loan. The loan could be partially secured in some cases depending on the business persons credit. For the business person these are exciting times, a great time to go into your own business.

This article has been supplied courtesy of Bill Darken. Bill often writes for B2B Business Factoring. This site is dedicated to supplying the latest news and articles on small business factoring to assist people progressing with information and news. You can also look for small business information at small business answers. Small Business Loans are accessed at, http://loans-only.com/Cynde Blog90951
Charita Blog80619

Goods in Transit Insurance - What You Must Know About

Vans are integral to the daily business of thousands of small businesses in the Uk. Even if you have only a single van, you'll have to have a minimum amount of third party van insurance. Those who run fleets of vans are not excepted, either. Make sure that your vehicles are adequately insured.

Having just the minimum can be dangerous, however. Comprehensive UK van insurance gives you more and better cover. It's also better suited to the needs of many businesses in the UK. Comprehensive coverage protects against damage that one of your own drivers may do accidentally, windscreen breakage, and other things that third party cover will not pay for. Comprehensive cover can even be used as protection for your stock and equipment, should it be stolen or damaged. This is very useful for businesses which use their vans to deliver goods or provide services.

There are a number of different levels of UK van insurance, each expandable with additional coverage. Get a large number of quotes on the kind of UK van insurance you're hoping to buy. Compare these quotes carefully to find the very best insurer for your business's needs. You can choose from a wide variety of insurers at Van Insurance Direct, and receive an instant quote at no obligation to buy. This is the easiest it's ever been to get good UK van insurance.

Statistics state that there are at least one million RTAs, or road traffic accidents, every year. A third of accidents that turn out to be either serious or fatal involve someone who was working. This is yet another reason to make sure you have the right UK van insurance coverage. At least forty-five thousand additional vans and other commercial vehicles are stolen yearly in the UK. Losing your van to accident or theft could be disastrous for your business. Comprehensive UK van insurance can help you calm your worries.

To get started right away, just browse through the site. Van Insurance Direct can provide you with links to many quality UK van insurance providers. These include Churchill, Budget, Norwich Union, and Swinton. All quotes are provided at no obligation to you, but allow you to buy directly through the Van Insurance Direct site. There's no better way to make sure that your van is insured.

Peter Fitzpatrick is a Marketing Professional for many of the UK's Leading Commercial Insurance companies. With 20 years worth of commercial insurance experience, for companies including: Norwich Union, Churchill and Zurich. To learn more on goods in transit insurance visit his website http://www.van-insurance-britain.co.ukDaisie Blog51760
Charis Blog25124

Get A Taste Of The Hot and Rapidly Aspiring Alexander Lunevs Guitar & Keyboard Music - Finger Dancing At Its Best!

This article is all about the incredible artist Alexander Lunev, who is about to take the International music scene by storm!

Musical Contribution Awards!

Alexander Lunev appeared at MTV's 13th annual European Music Awards contest to receive "Best Russian Act" nomination for RMA (Regional Music Awards), held in Copenhagen on November 2nd 2006 for his musical contribution with the dark pop song: "Never Let You Go" and sung by Dima Bilan. The show featured some of the biggest names in the music world including, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Keane, Snoop Dogg and Justin Timberlake who won best male and best pop award.

Virtuosity!

Russian musician and producer Alexander Lunev is arguably Russias leading contemporary composer. However, what makes him special is that he has a unique way of expressing his prodigious musical talents. Every melody is a sublime and exhilarating listening experience; thats how enthralling and refreshing his sound is!

Unsigned Talent!

Incredibly though, Alexander Lunev is unsigned to any record label in the rest of Europe and America as yet, however, he is rapidly catching the attention of many important players in the music industry. Alexs instrumental ambient type music is perhaps more akin to that of the famous Vangelis, whilst his methodically sequenced and lush electronic progressive genre is probably closer to that of Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Influential!

Alexander Lunev has collaborated with a number of singers effortlessly influencing all with his creative and unique sounds. Witness the energy and artistry of his compositions. This is definitely a music that can lift one to the highest state of melodic level. His compositions journey through a myriad of genres gently bathed in intricate, yet futuristic harmonies.

Inspiring!

Collaborating with the award-winning Dima Bilan, that magical talent was finally revealed captivating a huge global audience! Everybody will recognise the song "Never Let You Go" brilliantly composed by Alexander and superbly sung by Dima at the Eurovision 2006 that made it to number two before it shot up the singles chart and became an instant smash hit in many countries. In February 2007 Dima Bilan will record two of Alexanders compositions in Los Angeles with the producer of "Black Eyed Peas" who is very interested in Alexanders music and he has plans to duet with the pop diva Shakira in the very near future.

Aspiring!

What separates and truly distinguishes Alexander from many other musical artists and composers are the absolute brilliant command he has over the guitar and keyboard! For those who have not yet heard the soundtrack from the movie "Ballet of the Butterflies" you may want to check that one out first on Lunevs website http://www.lunev.info. However, for those who are already fans of the artistic brilliance that Lunev creates through his music like; "Through The Eyes Of The Eagle", "Following the Trail", "Above the Ocean", "Drowning Man", "Return to the Heavens", "Never Let You Go" (B. Bilan) and "Lady Flame" (B. Bilan), are definite must-have.

Creativity!

Complementing and pushing his sound creativity vision further, Alex, who is also musical producer for the group "Koroleva" ("Queen"), are together recording his latest composition titled "Snow" due to be released this Christmas. Alexander has contributed to two popular movie soundtracks, notably one for the Russian movie Frenchman. In addition, he wrote and produced the rock-opera "Prodigal Son" based on classical evangelic texts, further testimony of his boundless genius.

Dexterity!

The undeniably guitar virtuoso and talented keyboard player who can take any style of music and give it a special twist to suit, has excelled in a wide range of music styles rightly carving a name for himself in popular, orchestral and film music. His fan base age ranges from 13-25 year olds for his songs, while not surprisingly perhaps his sensational "electronica" collection captivates the over 21s.

This year marked a truly significant step forward in the realm of electronic music delivering an astonishing musical repertoire like no other. Alexander new material is already popular in his adopted home city Moscow and boasts a loyal following ranging between 25 to over 80 year olds, further testimony of his fans wide age group musical taste appeal.

Forward!

Adding new material, Alexander reappeared this fall to pursue his interest in "world music" with an instrumental album titled "Through the Eyes of the Eagle" that strikes the head and grabs ones soul. This album is scheduled for release in the very near future, but no firm date as yet.

Needless to say this pioneering composer and enormously talented artist is definitely poised for global stardom!

For more information or to get in touch with Alexander Lunev please contact Yan Valle or visit Alexander Lunevs official website: http://www.lunev.info

Contact Info:

Manager: Yan Valle
Phone: (+1 416) 877 5817
Email: info@lunev.info
URL: http://www.lunev.info

© by Lucy Boutaleb copywriterDanna Blog89041
Delcina Blog74711

Alarm Systems

Alarm systems have grown exponentially in popularity during the 21st century. More homes than ever before have alarm systems today.

Many reasons exist for the popularity of alarm systems. Childrens safety is often one impetus for installing alarm systems.

In todays social climate, many children come from homes in which either both parents work or there is only a single parent. As children enter late elementary school, many parents elect to have them come home directly from school via school transportation rather than attending after-school care.

These children, often referred to as latch-key children, are in need of protection. Although they may be old enough to call 911 in an emergency, they may need a simpler means of contacting someone who can help them.

Todays alarm systems come equipped with panic buttons. These panic buttons generally have pictures rather than words on them, making it easy for even young children to read them. Generally, police, fire, and emergency symbols appear on the panic buttons on the alarm system.

The difference between using the main alarm system and the panic button is the process that occurs once either has been activated.

When using the main alarm system, a signal is sent to the control center alerting personnel about a potential problem. Personnel then call the home and ask for a password to ensure that a false alarm has not occurred.

If the person answering the phone is unable to give the correct password, or no one answers the telephone, authorities are notified and dispatched to the home.

When a panic button on an alarm system is activated, the process is altered. A signal is still sent to the control center, but personnel are trained to bypass calling the home. Since a panic button indicates an immediate threat, the control center notifies the appropriate personnel and dispatches them to the home.

So, children who are home alone can use an alarm system to help them in times of crisis. Rather than having to remember to enter a code or call a number, a child in an emergency simply needs to press the panic button to receive the assistance he or she needs.

Often, children are at the heart of another reason people use alarm systems. Often, parents want to keep children in just as much as they want to keep predators out.

As children enter the teenage years, it is important that parents be able to know when a child leaves the house. Often, alarm systems come with window and door monitors so that an alarm sounds when a door or window is opened and the alarm system is activated.

If the control pad for an alarm system is strategically placed in a home, teenagers are not able to disarm the system without parents knowledge. Keeping a control pad in the master bedroom is always a good idea.

Alarm systems help parents keep their children safe by offering panic buttons and one more way of tracking the comings and goings of their children. Investing in an alarm system pays off in more than one way, especially when children are taken into consideration.

Chris McElroy helps maintain http://guardianalarms.net/blog/ for http://www.guardianalarms.net.Corenda Blog27965
Cynthy Blog26055

Families That Play Together Stay Together: A Personal Life Experience!

Growing up my parents made it clear that enjoying time with family was very important! They didn't come out and say it all the time and they didn't need to. They did it with actions and as the saying goes, "Actions Speak Louder Than Words". They did this by turning their basement into a home game room. It was done before I was born and games came and went all in the name of good old fashioned family fun! Now I'm the last of 10 children, 8 boys and 2 girls and I tell you this, our home game room worked wonders in keeping this family close!

When I was young just about every weekend I remember my brothers and sisters who weren't living at home anymore, visiting. We'd play pool, pinball, pachinko, cards and more all the while listening to golden oldies on the jukebox. Before you start thinking we were rich, don't, we were just a large middle class family. My dad worked very hard, often seven days a week and made just enough money to keep a roof over our heads and food in the fridge. My mom worked even harder taking care of us! The home game room functioned on it's own keeping us at home base on most weekend nights!

The games were all bought second hand and didn't work when my parents acquired them. Luckily my dad and a few of my brothers could fix them. That's how we ended up with pinball games, a jukebox and an old bowling machine in our basement. Those were some of the best times in my life. Playing pool and games with my brothers and sisters into the early hours of the next morning.

Of course not every moment was perfect. We had our fights. Sometimes they were HUGE FIGHTS! But usually by the following weekend things were back to normal and we'd play together all night once again. On many nights we had to swallow our pride!

Those games taught us many life lessons right in our own home. They taught us about winning and losing graciously. Although tempers flared at times someone would step in and remind us that it's just a game. We learned that cheating was wrong, especially with so many siblings watching over the games. We were taught to respect adults and that they would play first and we'd get our turn if we waited! Also that helped us to learn patience. There were so many life lessons learned in our game room that I'm probably only touching on a fraction of them.

We had so many great times in that game room with family and friends. On some nights you'd be the winner and others you'd be the loser. It's the same as in life as an adult. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but you have to keep your head up and try harder the next time.

All of those experiences made us become closer as a family. We learned how to deal with the different personalities of each family member and it's kept us close to this day. No a home game room won't solve every problem in the world. And it may not work for every family. But I firmly believe that "Families That Play Together, Stay Together". That is coming from my own life experience.

Home game rooms are good for another reason also. They teach some great skills to children. From the hand-eye coordination from playing pinball to the angles, cut/slice shots and bank shots in pool. Those coordination skills come in handy when you're older and are great to learn as a kid. With pinball you learn how to count numbers and keep score. In billiards alone you learn how to hold a stick, aim and shoot the balls and rack them up afterwards. Also for the youngest of children the pool balls are different colors with different numbers. I've never seen a child who didn't LOVE to sit on a pool table and roll the balls into the pockets. (Just make sure you're watching the child closely so they don't fall off). Every table game is good for learning skills. That includes ping-pong, air hockey, foosball and shuffleboard also. You'd be amazed at what a child can learn by playing those basic but fun table games.

It's a good idea to turn off the computer and video game once in a while and play a "real" hands-on game! Invite family and friends over on the weekends. Sure it doesn't have to be every weekend but a couple times a month would be great. Show them your new trick shot. Have some laughs! And maybe a few tears will even be shed? No matter what happens it's getting family together and sharing experiences what counts. And playing games with family and friends in a fun setting like a home game room is something every family could learn to enjoy!

In closing I'd like to say that "no" my family is nowhere near being the perfect family. We have our problems like every family does. We argue and we disagree on many things but we can still stay close. Somehow having a game room and playing games with family and friends seems to relieve that stress and tension and can make even the biggest of problems go away, at least for the moments we're together anyway! So I'm convinced from my own experiences that:

"Families That Play Together, Stay Together"

Visit http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com to find fun and interesting information on creating a Family Game Room in your home.

Visit http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com/avoid-arguments.html directly get some useful ideas on stopping game room arguments before they start.

Joe Schmieder is the Webmaster of http://www.game-room-decorating-ideas.com Crystal Blog72349
Courtney Blog74924

Restrict Your Child's Computer Use

It can be difficult for parents to restrict their child's use of the computer. However, for many parents this has become an unavoidable eventuality, as computers have intruded to such a degree into the lives of children, that far too many youngsters are spending an unhealthy amount of time behind them.

The word 'unhealthy', supposes a negative influence on your child's physical and mental/social development. Physical problems include a bad posture due to a poor sitting position, or deteriorating eyesight due to too much time spent looking at the screen. Mental/social problems include a feeling of alienation from the real world, and less opportunity to develop real life social skills.

When parents first bring up the subject, that they intend to restrict when their child can use the computer, it is vital that the child is in a calm mood, and that he or she does not have ready access to a blunt instrument. The computer might well be your child's best friend in life, and any suggestion about cutting short the supply of the daily drip feed of games, chat rooms, and web surfing could lead to wild and fervent behavior from your offspring.

Calm and empty handed, your child is being made aware that you intend to restrict their use of the computer starting from tomorrow. You know your child spends too much time on it. Perhaps your child comes home from school, buries him or her self in the bedroom, and instantly goes on the computer for a few hours. Perhaps he or she just uses it for a couple of hours a day, the session which begins 5 minutes after their bedtime. However your child misuses the computer, you have to choose the best way to restrict their use. The scenarios are numerous, but effective solutions harder to come by.

One family told me how they recently took the computer out of their son's bedroom, and put it into the sitting room, from where they could more easily restrict its use. Unfortunately however, with a streak of sneakiness not unknown to generations of teenagers beforehand, their son would tiptoe down to the lounge after the parents had gone to bed, and reveled away on the computer all night long. The parents only began to suspect something when they found the child one morning in the lounge snoring away with his head on the desk.

Another source told me how they'd made a verbal agreement with their child in order to restrict his computer use. It was made on Sunday morning, and by Sunday lunch time the child had already broken the agreement, citing 'aggressive monster beheading' withdrawal symptoms as the grounds for his transgression.

I do know of a considerably more effective way to restrict your child on the computer. This method is sneaky-safe, and does not take withdrawal symptoms as an excuse. It is a computer control program called Chronoger; written by the acclaimed software development company SoftForYou. Inherent in the program is everything that you will need to restrict not only when your child can use the computer, but how he or she can use it too; when for doing homework, and when for entertainment.

By installing the program onto your child's computer, you will be able to select for each day of the week when and how long your child can use the Internet, play games, enter chat programs, and use the computer as a whole. Your child will not be able to change these settings, which are protected by an administrator (parent) password.

One of the best thing about it is that you hardly even have to know anything about computers to use the program. It is very user friendly, and simple to navigate around. If you do come across a problem, as part of the package you can contact the support center and get any assistance that you require.

This program means that you can leave the computer in your child's room, and know that they are using it when and how you would want. Also it means that you can dispense with verbal agreements of dubious significance and lasting.

Jonathan StrombergCelinda Blog34776
Denice Blog12371

Christian Music Artists Of The 1980s: By the Numbers

Times have sure changed in the Christian music scene. With new artists like Brandon Heath, Rush of Fools, and Lincoln Brewster topping the Christian Adult Contemporary charts recently, it may be easy to forget artists like 2nd Chapter of Acts, White Heart, and Leslie Phillips. In an effort to keep the past alive, here is an objective look back at the Christian music artists of the 1980s.

Using CCM magazines Adult Contemporary Airplay charts, data was collected for every song charted by every artist during the decade. The following formula was used:

1. Points were earned for each songs peak position (#1 = 40 points, #2 = 39 etc.).

2. One point was awarded for each week a song was on the chart.

3. Finally, one point was given for each week a song was at #1.

To get the artist rankings, the total points that each song earned were added together.

Of the 254 artists whose songs made the charts in the 1980s, Amy Grant came out on top. Fueled by 21 top tens (5 of which went to #1), Grant ended the decade with 1488 points. The Imperials charted 25 songs during the 80s and finished in second place. Sandi Pattys five #1 songs helped position her in third. Twila Paris reached the top spot 6 times during the decade, placing her fourth. To the surprise of some, Wayne Watson came in fifth place. Michael Card edged out Michael W. Smith by a point for the #6 spot. Dallas Holm came in eighth. Steve Camp, whose song He Covers Me was the top song of 1987, finished the decade in ninth. Petra, with their five #1s, rounded out the top ten.

Go to http://www.topchristianhits.org to view the top 100 artists of the 1980s and the top songs of each year.

Nate Ohman has been a longtime fan of Christian music and statistics. He has combined the two on his website http://www.topchristianhits.org. He currently resides in West Michigan with his wife and two children.Clarine Blog10694
Dannie Blog19723

Mobile Phone To Mobile Computer??

With the current mobile phone market in the UK reaching an all time high there seems to be a multitude of handsets on the market. New and updated models hit the market at a rate of around 4-5 per month. Many features seem to bundled into these phones as standard and the costs of making them has soared to the point that many of the mobile phone networks in the UK are now pushing for 18 month contracts to reduce the cost impact. Phone manufacturers are now having to make a choice between producing a handset that covers all the bases at a respectable level to those handsets designed to do an outstanding job in one particular area for a more specific user. How many times have you heard someone tell you that they dont use their camera, multi media messaging (MMS) or that they never listen to the radio function.

No sooner had the general public become accustomed to getting all this extra functionality from their phone, along comes 3G (3rd Generation) with its ability to offer mobile to mobile video calling and better access to internet resources it was almost certainly going to be a hit. The first real push in the 3G market in the UK came from a company who were specifically targeting this new generation of phones, aptly names Three.

A mobile without a camera these days is considered old and out of date, they are getting better and better the number of mega pixels (the higher the number the better quality picture you can take) seems to be getting larger each month and with it the storage capacity increases to cover the larger overheads. Very few models available in the market today are without the now standard features of a camera, sound recorder, alarm, internet browser and of course the much loved games. These days with the addition of organiser functions like calendars, task management and of course your contacts people rely more and more on their mobile.

For those people who are into music then Sony Ericson have released their Walkman phone W810i with a built in MP3 Player and fantastic handset design, or the W850 which also includes two way video calling.

Mobile phones are becoming more and more like a computer, with internet access, the ability to surf the web and pick up your emails, organise your diary and even the addition of instant messengers you really can hold your life in the palm of your hand.

If you want to take a look at what is on offer for the latest handsets and some of the best tariffs available on all the UKs major networks please visit - www.bestmobilesolutions.co.uk

Copyright Stuart Mitchell / Best Mobile Solutions 2006.Cherianne Blog65935
Damaris Blog54336

The HD Media Future

The HD Media future

Everyone knows that media format wars have historical significance in the world of technology. Remember the most notorious battle between the Beta max and the VHS? The winner of such battles will make millions even billions. Later we had the upgrade of tape to CD, a revolution in music. In 1980 the Philips/Sony compact disc standard was finalized and nobody has looked back for the last 26 years (until mp3's came along).

Well as ever there is a new media battle but who will win again is yet unknown. This modern forest of technological mass has produced a new insurgency: THE HIGH DEFINITION WAR. Blu-ray vs HD-DVD are two competing formats which are eventually going to replace DVD's. As you look around at your local electric retailers you can see changes happening in the broadcast world, not only are we changing from our conventional CRT screens to Flat screen but also to HD ready TV. The impact this has on our lives is not as large as black and white to colour, but nevertheless a change that will definitely be a benchmark for future media.

Why New formats?

The reason we have introduced these new formats is that your traditional DVD can hold a maximum of 9.4 GB (Dual Layer) of information. This is not enough for HD broadcast as the information required is higher, being a resolution of 1920x1080. Blu-ray discs can hold 50 GB (Dual Layer) and HD-DVD 30 GB (Dual Layer).

These new discs cannot be played on normal DVD players but on new HD media players of which examples are Samsung BDP 1000 (Blu-Ray), Sony Playstation 3 (Blu-Ray), Toshiba HDXA1 (HD-DVD). This means spending more money for better resolution.

Price

This is always important especially when new models of media come out; at first it is always expensive as supply out strips demand. The players are expensive, the cheapest being the Playstation 3 supposedly retailing at 549. Blu-Ray media also being expensive; similar to DVD's when they first came out (taking inflation into consideration), blank media costing from 11.99 to 24.99.

To play a Blu-ray Disc on a PC has brought about a price concern. The fact that you have to purchase a HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) Graphic card, along with a HD monitor, not to mention a Blu-ray Drive and media, controversially may bring about decrease in sales. This is presently being contested with new Laptops and PCs that are Blu-ray compatible, look at the New Vaio VGN-AR21S.

The HD players need to be up to scratch on price. The Toshiba HD-DVD player retailing at almost half the price of the Blu-ray Samsung player creates even more competition between the two media. This could encourage sales of HD-DVD over Blu-ray, even though it's rumoured that Toshiba will be making a loss initially.

Prices of movies doesn't seem to be as high as anticipated; a Blu-ray movie 'House of flying daggers' from amazon.com will set you back $19.95 (10.68). This may encourage sales. Movies in HD-DVD identical in price, yet Blu-ray is a larger size disc.

Upscaling

Another problem HD may face is that the new DVD players have the upscaling technology ie. DVD is played at 480p but upscalers upgrade the image to 720p or 1080i. This produces a picture which is of high quality to the untrained eye, in fact even the trained eye has difficulty distinguishing between the two. The difference is seen on a 50 inch HD projector and looking right up close. So the question is will 1080p be much different to 1080i? Will people fork out the added expense when they know that a cheaper DVD upscaler will create more or less the same effect?

Media Backup

Software and Hardware companies have invested a lot of money in subsidising HD media. Samsung, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, LG, Sony, TDK, JVC and Sharp support Blu-ray and Toshiba and Microsoft back HD-DVD. Hollywood movie studios Disney, Paramount, Warner, Sony, Eagle rock, Fox and MGM and Lions gate support Blu-ray also. None of these large companies would take such a gamble if they didn't know that this is what the consumer wants.

PlayStation 3

Sony love to bring out their own media whether its Sony Duo Sticks or Sony Mini Discs. Their hunger to dominate the consumer market has always been there and this is nothing different. The Playstation 3 will play Blu-Ray discs, still having the ability to play older media like DVDs and CDs. The success of the predecessor's PS1 and PS2 will give much anticipation to the release of this new console and is what Sony are hoping will convert people to use Blu-Ray. A Sony spokesman has predicted that Blu-Ray will dominate the HD market within 12 months.

The encouraging feature with HD-DVD is the name, everyone's ears will ring with the name and automatically assume that this is a high definition movie. Asking someone in the street what 'Blu-ray' is will bring looks of confusion, along with the fact that both will produce similar quality pictures.

Region Coding

Region coding with Blu-Ray may put people off; the fact that you may not be able to watch a new release from the states or Japan on your European locked regional player will raise eyebrows.

REGION 1 South America, North America, East Asia (except China)
REGION 2 Europe and Africa
REGION 3 China, Russia other Countries

Multiregional configurations on DVD players has encouraged sales worldwide especially with worldwide films from Bollywood, Japan (manga) and South America.

So far the HD-DVD camp has not announced region coding just yet, and if they don't then this will be very advantageous for consumers.

Future Proof

Realistically you only need about 15-20 GB for a feature length film in High definition but who would have known that DVD's could not be able to hold enough for high definition. Theoretically they can with MPEG-4 Compression. In any case media like Blu-ray will hopefully be future proof in years to come.

Conclusion

The timescale and price are the two main issues here, how quick we will universally change to HD and whether this is affordable. From a consumer point of view the necessity for HD doesn't seem imperative, after all VHS was around for 20 odd years twice that of DVD (so far). You could argue that technology is changing exponentially and that changes occur quicker.

As for the battle between the two media there may be compromise ahead. A UK firm has announced a solution to the media war. London-based New Medium Enterprises (NME) has developed a low-cost, multilayer DVD disc that can store Blu-ray content on one layer and HD DVD content on another. This would leave the consumer with the choice of buying either type of player to play the one disc.

The key setback I feel with the looming HD change is the cheaper alternative to a Blu-Ray player or HD-DVD player, the DVD upscaler. Do people want to get rid of those hundreds of DVDs they bought to replace them with an expensive alternative, especially when they might not even notice the difference in picture quality?

However I do feel that HD is encouraged with consoles such as the Playstation 3. Blu-ray is its main format and may revolutionise the games industry.

Jay Jeetley is a writer for the website http://www.Blu-raychoice.com, a resource for Blu-ray News, movies, forums and media.Danila Blog33883
Christalle Blog42552

Save Your Computer With Antivirus Programs

Specially designed softwares affect stability of the systems, and these software programmes may be malwares. Antivirusprograms consist of computer programs that aim to identify and reduce computer viruses and other harmful softwares or malwares. An infected system or machine shows certain suspicious behaviors, which seems irregular or abnormal. Several antivirusprograms and anti-malware programs can be of great use for preventing the required attempts of these viruses to affect the nature of the system. If one program attempts to write data on an executable program, the antivirusprograms can determine this suspicious behavior, alert a user and ask for further directions. Anti-malwares are exceedingly essential as nowadays with the technological advancement it is necessary to communicate electronically.

For personal computer users it is essential to prevent the viruses. Anti viruses are essential as these are designed to keep personal computer users aware about the latest signatures within the anti-malware industry. Antimalwares cautiously examines the files and scans and checks if any viruses are found. The deletions of the found viruses are possible using the anti-malwares. Antivirusprograms are extensively used for better maintenance of systems. With the spread of viruses using electronic mail, their infection vector could be spread far more inexpensively and effectively. Without the need to install additional antivirus software, the attachment can be well scanned before downloading. Besides installing the anti-malware, user education is extremely important. As malware is specific software, designed to damage a computer system without the owners consent, it has been named after blending the words malicious and software. Many ordinary computer users are till date not aware about the antivirusprograms. Basically, the expression is a mixed term used by the computer professionals. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the normal computer users should be well aware about the viruses, which immensely affects the computers. The term malware has been newly coined. In the past few years, the fact has been revealed that the main intention of creating the malware is for enhancing financial frauds. This has been a major cause behind the popularity of anti-malware. As most computers consist of bugs, malware can effectively track them. So, it is indeed essential to effectively track the self-replicating viruses using the antimalware. Antivirusprograms help in maintenance of the systems security and moreover it protects against the malwares.

It is most crucial to note that malware is a broader category of virus, which can be highly detrimental for a computer system. Some viruses are programmed to spoil the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or even reformatting the hard disk. Others are not designed to do any damage, but purely to replicate themselves and make their presence known by presenting text, video, audio messages etc. To prevent data loss and system crashes antivirusprograms are of high importance. Computer viruses can be also spreaded through messaging. To ensure that the computer is protected from malwares, a working antivirus program is highly necessary.

Erik Nielsen has worked within the anti-virus community since the nineties and has a large experience within antivirus-programs.Cory Blog33188
Ddene Blog41201

The Perfect Home Recording Studio

Home computer music recording has become extremely popular, both as a hobby and as a legitimate means of live recording and mixing. For the serious musician or recording technician, the computer/software combination offers ease of use and lower cost, and it requires less space than traditional methods of recording.

Recording can be accomplished by using a "mixing board" to pre-mix multiple signals with their corresponding analog effects (if desired) before sending them to the computer, or each "plain" signal can be recorded independently to its own track through a computer audio interface, software effects applied, and the individual tracks then mixed together.

Using a mixer and analog effects, one could conceivably record without the benefit of multiple tracks, resulting in the need for less expensive, more simplistic software. For much greater control and a more polished sound, a quality multitrack software with effects is preferred.

Although more difficult to learn and use, multitrack software provides many more options for the user. The cost for quality multitrack recording software can range from $40 to several hundred dollars. Don't let the low prices fool you though, many a great recording has been made with shareware recording software.

If you aren't experienced in multitrack recording, purchasing at the low end of the spectrum makes sense. It's best to choose a product that will accept plug-ins, though. Plug-ins are small pieces of software that provide various functions (typically effects) that can be installed into the multitrack software, providing greater flexibility to the sound engineer. Several companies produce audio software plug-ins of the vst or directx variety that will work with even low cost software. A number of the plug-ins are actually offered free of charge.

For the more serious enthusiast, the computer (pc) should contain at least a Pentium 4 or Athlon 64 processor, 200gb, 7200 rpm IDE or Serial ATA hard drive, 1 gigabyte of dram, a good video card, and a high quality sound card. Any on-board video should be disabled in the cmos setup and a quality graphics card with at least 64mb ram installed.

A flat panel monitor with a 19" screen is preferred over a crt. With the large viewing area, the video resolution can be set at 1280 x 1024, enabling more of the audio recording software to be viewed on the screen at one time.

On-board audio (if available) should also be disabled and a high quality sound card installed into the computer. Also, invest in a pair of quality, amplified, near-field monitors. These speakers are designed specifically for music recording. Remember, if you're serious about your recordings, you'll want the music to be reproduced as realistically as possible.

A computer audio interface of some sort is a real necessity. It should have 1/4" inputs for instruments such as electric guitars or keyboards, as well as XLR inputs for microphones. 48v phantom power should be avaiable for condensor mics, as well. A mixer could even be plugged into the audio interface if more flexibility is needed.

More and more, musicians are realizing the high quality and low costs associated with producing their own recordings, while those interested in the technical side of recording can see the increased benefits of digital recording, mixing and mastering.

Steve Leedy is a local government computer IT and webmaster with a keen interest in home music recording. His website, http://www.pcmusicstuff.com/ contains a variety of software and information for anyone interested in learning digital audio recording.Corette Blog72875
Daphne Blog87406

Christmas Toy Gift for Kids

This is the season for children, and if you have no children, you could always distribute gifts to the children in some orphanage or house for poor kids. Just looking at the happy looks in their faces will make your Christmas all the more special, and better for you.

The main thing you have to do to choose the right Christmas gift for your kids would be by considering their age, likes and gender. Children of different ages have different likings as gifts. Today, most children love computer games and technology related gifts. Then you could also consider buying board games or sports bats and mittens. Some children love reading and doing craft, so gifts related to them are not a bad idea.

Sometimes, if you are choosing gifts for some other children, you may not be aware of their likes and dislikes. In such cases, chocolates, games and teddy bears are not a bad alternative as gifts for them. You could also consider creating beautiful craft ideas for children. For example, you could create personalized puzzle books, doll houses or a family platter to gift them. This will not only make them happy, but also give them craft ideas that they can implement in their schools.

There are some children who love making and creating things. You could boost them in this direction by gifting them some make it yourself gifts or something constructive. Some ideas for creative gifts are craft books that have interesting activities like instructions to create a beaded string, cookies, doll blanket, cake and stuffed toys. Personalized letters from Santa are winners as a choice for a gift for children. Children love receiving letters from Santa, and you could incorporate some interesting holiday activities in it, with some crafts and Christmas stickers.

If it is a toddler you are thinking of getting a gift for, then the ideal gift would be stuffed toys. Maybe a set of distinct wild animals would be more than beautiful for them! They will not only receive a beautiful gift, but they will also learn in determining the animals with it. Children who love animals will love pet puppies as a Christmas gift. However, you should be sure that the child can handle the puppy, and be able to give it the care it needs.

Then there are the Christmas gift baskets that you could gift children. Christmas gift baskets usually come with reindeer and snowmen accompanying a wide range of holiday goodies like cakes, candies and chocolates.

Thomson Chemmanoor is an enthusiastic writer for Digital Labz, Web Design Houston Company and the following websites: http://www.uniquegiftings.com & http://www.giftbasketer.com Cherie Blog20267
Danielle Blog43418

An Indian Rice Delight Makes Taste Buds All Over The World Enter Nirvana

Welcome to the Gourmet Indian Series. Today we bring you Chicken Biryani.

Ingredients:
8-10 oz basmati rice rinsed 2 tbsp. olive oil
2 chopped onions
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
tsp. cayenne pepper
tsp. ground cumin

Garnishing:
1 tbsp. fried onions
2 tbsp. toasted flaked almonds
1 tsp. ground coriander
a pinch of nutmeg
tsp. ground cinnamon
tsp. turmeric
6 fl oz natural yogurt
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. raisins or sultanas
salt and black pepper

Method:
1. Boil the rice in 3 pts water with a little salt for 8 minutes, stirring once and keeping the water at a rolling boil.
2. Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, thinly slice the chicken breast.
3. In a large saucepan or casserole with a tight fitting lid heat the oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the chicken, raise the heat and stir fry for 3 minutes.
5. Add all the ground spices and stir again for a few seconds.
6. Add the yogurt and stir for one minute, then add the sugar and raisins or sultanas and stir again. Check seasoning.
7. Put the rice on top then cover the saucepan with foil or a damp tea towel and put the lid on tightly.
8. Reduce the heat to low and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and rest, still covered, for 5 minutes.
10. Uncover, sprinkle with the garnishes and serve.

BON APTIT

Chris JacobChelsey Blog64938
Desdemona Blog53000

Wedding Speeches - Ten Top Tips on What to Say or Do

1. It goes without saying that you should mention the bride and groom in the wedding speech. It means doing your homework and finding out something about their foibles or hobbies.

2. So if the bride collects shoes for instance you might wonder how the groom is going to afford to keep her shod. If the groom is a keen sportsman you might say something about that its now time he took up Do-it-yourself instead.

3. Its gracious to thank the hosts for their wonderful hospitality.

4. Its appropriate to say something witty and wise about marriage itself and what it means. You might use an old saying or a piece from a poem or a bit from the Gospels.

5. Its nice to mention the parents of the wedding couple in some way. So if the grooms father is an avid golfer, for instance, you might laughingly compliment him on actually taking the day off for his daughters wedding. If the brides mother is a wonderful cook then you might say how lucky the groom is to be marrying into a family who will feed him well.

6. If you are speaking as a bride or groom it would be nice to mention your parents and how much they have done for you during your growing years. You could say that you hope to build your marriage on their happy relationship.

7. The groom, of course, should mention how much he loves his new wife and how beautiful she is looking on this special day. The bride, if she is speaking, should mention her happiness at being married to such a wonderful man and how much she loves him.

8. The groom should toast the bridesmaids while the best man should respond to the toast saying how lucky he is to be surrounded by such lovely ladies!

9. Its gracious to say something about the wedding service itself and how much it meant. If there are clergy present it is nice to thank them for the trouble they took to make it meaningful.

A wedding day is a day for being upbeat and positive and never mentioning anything that would upset the mood of the day. Its definitely a day when you say all the right things about people so if a father who has been absent for years turns up you might mention that his son has inherited his lovely singing voice or good looks but never speak about his unfaithfulness.

10. A wedding speech should mention those who cannot be present due to circumstances or ill health. So if gran is too old to come it would be nice to speak kindly of her saying how much she is missed. Above all it should make all those who are there happy that they are sharing in the wonderful occasion.

Niamh CroweChrysler Blog8376
Chantal Blog73242

How NOT to Promote Your Website on Forums

Internet entrepreneurs, work at home moms, network marketers... you're all fed the same hype about how to promote your website, get leads, recruit members or what have you.One of the first things you will be told is to post your ads on forums. Lots.

This article is a guide to proper forum etiquette so that you don't waste your own and many other peoples time.

The first thing you need to know is that forum owners deal with a ton of spam. I could easily spend an hour a day cleaning up spammy posts in the forum and deleting and banning members that don't abide by forum rules. It's unnerving to have to waste my time doing that rather then engaging in conversations on the forum and providing my members with useful information.

So from the forum owner perspective, spam is a very bad thing. On the other hand, to help out forum participants and to try to deter them from spamming every forum in the message boards, most forum owners will provide an advertising forum of some sort where you can post an ad.

If all you are planning to do is post ads on forums, then look for this particular section of a message board. Especially don't post an ad in the introduction section of a forum.

But here is the thing about ads. Nobody really reads them. Your time would be far better spent actually engaging in conversations on the forums you frequent. You will gain the trust and loyalty of the forum population if they get to know you. They will much more likely decide to sign up for a biz op under someone that they talk with in a trusted forum then from some fly by night forum spammers post. Doesn't that make sense?

You will be taught that posting your website link on many forums will help to build your websites backlink popularity which will in turn increase your websites ranking in the search engine results. The truth is, your post is most likely going to be deleted as soon as the forum owner or moderators find it. All you really will have done is wasted your time.

How you can be certain that you will build your backlinks by forum posting is by putting your website link in your signature on a forum and including your signature in your quality posts. The website owner will be happy to have you posting and in turn will be happy to allow you a small advertisement in your signature when posting.

Another trick you might not know is this. If there is a keyword phrase that you would like to rank well for in the search engines, use this as the 'anchor text' in your website link. That means if you want to rank well for a term such as 'ameriplan business opportunity' - then you would type that into your signature and have that link to your website.

Keep a folder of forums in your favorites folder on your browser and spend some time every day going to each of the forums. Make it a goal to leave at least one quality post and a few welcome posts to new members.

Informative and engaging comments, coupled with a well optimized signature will win you far more traffic and prospects in the long run. And you might even pick up a thing or two through your engagement on the forum!

Lori Redfield is a Freelancer and Internet Entrepreneur. Visit her website, http://www.FreelanceMom.com for more home business ideas.Cortney Blog87043
Denys Blog70872

Do You Know The Answers To These Audio Book FAQs?

Do you know the answers to these audio book FAQs?

Audio books are rising quickly in popularity. More and more people are taking advantage of the modern MP3 techniques and iPods. Yet there are still many questions unanswered in this area. Find out what these are....

Do you know the answers to these audio book FAQs?

In as much as the audio book phenomenon isn't too new, there are still lots of people that don't know certain things about it.

I must confess that I was also ignorant about certain aspects of audio books myself.

During my early days of audio books, I had to ask certain questions and today I hear a lot of people asking the same such questions.

Who knows, you might also have such questions and you really want to find the answers to them.

If yes, then below are some of these questions and their answers:

>>> What is an audio book? An audio book is simply a book in audio format. Instead of receiving a physical hardcover or paperback book that you have to read, you will receive a CD, cassette or MP3 version of the book.

>>> What formats do audio books come in? Audio books come in normal cassette formats, CD formats and MP3 formats which can be played on cassette players, cd players or MP3 players respectively.

>>> What is an MP3 audio book? MP3 is simply a compression technique that makes it possible for reduction to be made to audio books so that they use less space (sometimes as little as 80%) compared to that of cassettes or CDs.

>>> How can MP3 audio books be played? MP3 audio books can be played on any new version of CD players that support the MP3 technology - mostly those that can accept a 4.75 diameter disk.

They an also be played on any PC that has Microsoft's Windows Media Player or other related software.

>>> What is an unabridged audio book? An unabridged audio book is one that was narrated word for word. In such an audio book, nothing was removed from the printed book. It has the exact content with that of the printed book, albeit in audio format.

>>> What is an abridged audio book? An abridged audio book is one that is shortened and doesn't contain the exact word for word narration as the printed book.

>>> What is a dramatized audio book? A dramatized audio book, as the name implies, is a dramatized "play-life" version of the printed book, with usual full cast, music and sound effects.

Janet Rusky has been a reading enthusiast since she was 7. She is now an amateur article writer and runs her audiobook store at: http://best-audiobook-store.com where you can instantly download over 7000 titles.Cherianne Blog83104
Danila Blog33883

How To Be A Great Husband

One of the things I love most about being The Relationship Specialist is that I get to empower relationships. I particularly love to teach men how to be their best so that their women totally adore them. Most husbands fall into the good or poor categories. They aren't very happy with themselves and their wives don't like them very much either. Great husbands are few and far between.

However, great husbands are much happier and they enjoy a richer degree of life. So, what is the difference? Here are some of the essential principles for becoming a great husband:

1) Listen To Her Feelings. You might not understand or agree but listen. Most men argue or get frustrated. A great husband conveys unconditional support to his wife. He makes it safe for her to share all sides of herself. A wife who can freely express herself will not only feel safe but a great husband will make her feel special as well.

2) Spend Time With Her. Let your actions clearly show that your wife is your greatest priority. She needs to know that she is special to you. Most men choose sports, T.V. , hunting or fishing. You can have these things but if your wife doesn't know she comes first in your life then she may resent your other pursuits.

3) Be Her Champion. Your wife needs to feel your strength and security. "I'm here for you" is the point you want to make. Despite other messages she may give you, women hate having to be in charge all of the time. Convey to your wife that your love for her is powerful and totally unconditional. Don't let your message be weakened based on her moods or behavior. Great husbands stand by their wives no matter what.

4) Let Her Know That You Are Captivated By Her Beauty. Great husbands let their wives know that they only have eyes for her. You dilute the strength of your marriage when you let your eyes drift towards other women. How is she ever going to feel safe if she feels threatened by other women all of the time? Devote yourself to her. Don't split your energy. Pour it all into her.

5) Being a Great Husband is not hard to do. It will take more of an effort but the rewards are enormous. You will feel so much better about yourself and your wife will go out of her way to fulfill the needs of your heart. Make an absolute commitment to be a Great Husband. In times of uncertainty or frustration, ask the question, "What would a Great Husband do?" This question will help you keep your direction and commitment. Strive to be great.

Mark Webb is the author of How To Be A Great Partner and founder of Partner Focused Relationships. Sign up for Mark Webbs Relationship Strategies Ezine ($100 Value). Just visit his website at http://www.powerfulrelationshipadvice.com or http://www.therelationshipspecialist.com Davina Blog74422
Denise Blog78856