Friday, July 31, 2009

Yes, They're Twins, Duh!? Answering The Seven Stupidest Questions About Twins / Multiples

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Karen Sullen



Baby showers really help prepare Mom for the arrival of her new arrival - especially if she's having multiples. It goes without saying that babies need a lot of stuff! Twin babies means twin baby gifts! From baby bottles to baby blankets, everyone will be seeing doubles before the day is done. Now, you'd think after all of that Mom would be ready for the big day, right? Well, not quite. Nothing can prepare Mom for the onslaught of questions that seem to follow twins wherever they go. But, take heart, oh brave Mom. If you're having twins, maybe this list of questions (and quick-witted answers) might just arm you with the ability to fire back - or grin and bear it. (Caution: To avoid altercations, these eyebrow-raising answers are to be served with a smile and a hearty laugh as the chaser.)

Question:. Are they twins?

Answer #1: No, they're complete strangers!

Answer #2: Twins? There's only ONE baby here. You must be seeing doubles! (Then look around strangely)

Answer #3: (my personal favorite) No, I just had sex with two different men on the same day. It's just my luck that both of them got me pregnant!

This tops the list as the most common question asked about twins. That's why it rates three answers. Although harmless, it can be quite annoying by the time you've answered it for the thousandth time because the answer seems so obvious. Basically, what they're saying is that the whole twin thing intrigues them, and this is the best way they know to strike up a conversation. So, you'd better get used to this question.

Question: Which one is older?

Answer: Neither. They both came out at the same time, and boy did that hurt!

Why do people feel compelled to ask this, as if a matter of seconds would really make a difference in their personalities? Birth order typecasting does not really apply to multiples. They grow up together, completely side-stepping the oldest-, middle- and youngest-child syndromes.

Question: How come their names don't match?

Answer #1: Uhhh, because we didn't want them to!

Answer #2: Well, we thought having their faces match was enough.

Why do people always assume that because of their looks their names need to match, as well. But, I say ix-nay on the twin-ay! Let your children be individuals and purposely choose names that don't rhyme, start with the same letter or otherwise "go together." It will put them on the path to personal freedom.

Question: How do you tell them apart?

Answer: We can't. That's why we tattooed their names on their feet at birth.

How ridiculous! Even with identical twins, there are differences - even if they are subtle. No one is an exact duplicate of the other, otherwise they'd be clones! It might be a heavier face or more closely set eyes. Taking the time to get to know twins, you'd be amazed at how different they really are.

Question: Did you have them "naturally?"

Answer: Naturally, I had them. What did you think - the twin fairy dropped them off?

You have to give this response as if you're totally oblivious to what they're really asking. It turns this very delicate and private discussion of how they were conceived (or delivered) on its ear. How rude for someone to even ask or imply that you had artificial insemination. Is that any of their business? This is an extremely personal question, and one which strangers have no business asking. Whether they are referring to how the multiples were conceived (ie with fertility enhancements) or how they were delivered (vaginally vs. c-section), that is between you and your family, and its simply not polite to ask unless the person is already on familiar terms.

Question: Are they Siamese twins?

Answer: Do you need a dictionary?

A Siamese twin is someone who is physically joined to his or her sibling. And, they are rare. So, obviously, if you're looking at two separate individuals who are not joined together, they can't be Siamese. It amazes me that anyone would even ask that.

Question: Are your boy and girl twins identical?

Answer: No, one was born with a penis.

I must say this to the chagrin of plenty well-meaning folks out there, but boy and girl twins cannot and never will be identical twins! Identical twins are formed when the same egg splits in two. One egg cannot be both male and female. So, if you see boy and girl twins, they are most definitely fraternal.

Okay, I know I said seven questions, but here's one bonus statement...

Statement: I'm glad they're yours and not mine!

Reply: Me, too!

Enough said.

While most questions and comments are genuine and not intended to offend, some can be down right rude and personal. Don't let it get the best of you. Just know that you're a part of an elite group that everybody just can't help talking about.


About the Author:
Karen Sullen is a writer for Corner Stork Baby Gifts where you can shop for twin baby gifts and other unique gifts for babies. http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com/its-twins.aspx


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Your Good Reputation and How to Market It

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario



To make your business grow in the right way, many things have to be taken into consideration. Marketing and advertising your products and services are the most important. Without developing and implementing intelligent brand marketing and promotional strategies, it will be impossible to see an increase in you customer base.

Marketing is how you let people know about your products and services. Obviously, the quality of your products and services makes people come back over and over again. However, you need to do something to get new customers and that is where using different marketing strategies lends a helping hand.

Reputation marketing is one technique that can create an impact. According to this marketing strategy, you get more customers when others know about your reputation. This is another way of saying that reputation drives word-of-mouth marketing.

A good reputation is the single most valuable asset your company can have. Knowledge and experience are high on the list, but both of those qualities can be bought - you can always hire smart and experienced people to help you. A good reputation can take a long time to earn but can be lost in a moment.

As you gain a body of satisfied customers, your reputation will grow naturally. Internet reputation management will help you protect your good name online.

For the online portion of your business, you'll have to market your products in a slightly different way than for a brick and mortar business. It is important for all business enterprises with an online presence to pay attention to search engine optimization. If you can't do it yourself, you may want to hire qualified SEO service professionals to make specific changes to your website so it will be easier to access the site to purchase products or services. These optimizers are the people who can help you with Internet marketing and reputation marketing. Using a qualified, professional SEO service to establish a strong online presence is always beneficial to a website.

Article marketing is another way of promoting your website and products. This can build your reputation as well. If you write articles with quality information that people are searching for and submit them to directories, you will become a known expert. This will give you and your business the credibility to compete in your business arena. It will also let you gain trust with potential customers. If they read your articles and like them, they will be less hesitant in buying products or services from you.

Here are some tips to get more out of article marketing.

Content

Content is all-important. People go to the Internet for information; they don't want to read a sales pitch. If your articles have valuable information, people will trust and value your opinions and maybe head to your website when they want to buy. Keep to the point in your articles - brevity is best. Consider all the ways you can approach your topics for a good variety of articles. Organize your content with bullets, numbers or headings to help get your point across and make your articles more readable. And, last but not least, make sure you have a strong title that will grab readers' attention.

Keywords and Resource Box

Before setting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, do a little research on using keywords and phrases. See what words you would type into a search engine to find information that your target audience would want. You can use these words in your article, but don't go overboard or your article will sound artificial.

The resource box at the end of your article is the place where you can put a link back to your website. This is where you can make your sales pitch, describe your website and link back to it.

Proofread and Publish

Proofread everything. If the content you send out to represent yourself is sloppy, with spelling and grammatical errors, it will reflect badly on you, tarnish your reputation and by association, your products or services. If you aren't a good proofreader, find some friends and listen to their comments.

Publishing your article on your website will strengthen the content of your site and will build your credibility. You can also send out your articles to online article directories. You can even cross-link by placing links in your articles to other articles that you've written.

Yet another way to promote your website and gain a good reputation is by using Social Media Marketing. Visit forums and discussion boards and actively participate in the discussions. You want to try to keep up with your participation; showing up and then vanishing can hurt your reputation. Make sure you include a link to your website or email in your postings. And always observe proper etiquette.

The bottom line is that your reputation is the biggest asset you have. If you do not have good reputation, it is impossible to get any success in business. People don't like losing their money, and that is the reason they research before choosing any particular company.

If you have enough content conveying valuable information to potential buyers, you will always be able to see an improvement in your business. So, always consider the option of reputation marketing. You can either handle the marketing on your own or you can go with a professional company for assistance. It doesn't matter what you choose as long as you stay aware of your online reputation and use it to your advantage.




About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat, the only online marketing and advertising company employing Brandcasting, the most effective way to brand your company on the web. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. The approach is simple, highly effective and affordable. Learn more at: http://www.Brandsplat.com/


Read more Articles written by Enzo F. Cesario.

How To Perfect Your Telecom Audit Process

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Nermine Shaker



Telecom audit is an important process for any organization. Human error, failure to pay close attention to details, constraint of time in checking long telecom bills, and insufficient knowledge of new technology and regulations - these mistakes can take a toll on the revenue of a company. Avoiding all these potential problems is an integral part of the expense management of an organization. Many small losses can add up to a huge amount. In order to curb this waste, organizations can either use an automated telecom audit tool, a Telecom Management professional, or a combination of the two.

Telecom audit is a process that helps to detect and reveal even the smallest errors that waste money. Thus, it provides an opportunity not only to recover lost revenue, but also ensures that errors are not repeated.

Telecom audit ideally has three stages:

Acquiring Documents to Create an Inventory Database

The first stage involves the collection of telecom invoices. These invoices show the costs over time and the customer records. Telecom audit companies at times use software in this stage that both acts as a database and helps in analyzing trends.

Depending on the size of your company, just collecting these invoices could be a very time-consuming job. Start with the local phone bills and work outward. The long distance bills may be on the same invoice or billed separately. Wireless services can be billed as a group or individual accounts. Check to see if each bill matches with a known phone. For Internet service bills, they may be on a separate bill or, if the local provider offers broadband with local service, they may be with the local phone invoice.

The next thing to collect is voice and data service contracts. These include local and long distance service, wireless phones, telecom equipment and any maintenance service agreements.

Make the time to request your Customer Service Records (CSRs) from your provider. Your providers may take a few weeks to get to your requests, but it's worth the wait. These records contain your unique data that will ultimately be the foundation of your telecom audit. They are written in Universal Service Order Codes (USOC) and they are an itemized listing of all your lines, services, and features.

You should also gather any agreements for Directory Advertising or Yellow Pages. If your company is large, sometimes a publicity or advertising department handles these agreements. The documents are important because they will specify the rates that apply to all advertising, when it was ordered and by whom.

Other documents to get access to are tariffs. Tariffs are the provider's official documents that break down all the rules, service offers, rates, etc. that they offer. You can find these rules on your provider's website. Also gather any tax information that applies to your company. Charities, schools, churches, and some nonprofit organizations may be exempt from state and/or federal taxes.

Analyzing All the Data

The second stage of audit involves the comparison of inventory costs against pricing plans. And the first thing required is an inventory audit. In this section, you look at your organization's inventory of telecom assets. Instead of looking for spot errors, this kind of telecom audit looks for trend information. This data aids the company in deciding whether it needs to expand its telecom resources or to re-deploy its existing resources.

Now a comparison of cost against pricing plans can be made. Here's where a telecom audit firm can be very helpful. They keep a record of current pricing and tariff changes. With the help of these records and databases, the audit firms can provide a cost effective plan for their clients.

Reporting and Recommendations

The third and crucial stage involves reports and recommendations. If you are doing this audit yourself, after looking at all the data, this is where you decide where you might be able to save money. A telecom audit firm will also give you their reports and recommendations at this time. Along with the presentation of their reports and analysis, they also give their suggestions for improvements and savings that have been identified in the process.

They may find errors in you bills and suggest disputing some charges. They may find credits you never received and apply for refunds for you. Today's telecom bills contain many errors that you won't find unless you do an audit.

Since billing errors play havoc on draining the organization's capital, partnering with companies that provide solutions to check such errors is becoming increasingly popular. When using a telecom-auditing firm, there are two ways to approach it. One of them is the 'contingency' method, where the telecom audit firms receive a percentage of the money they saved clients. The second can be a 'fixed fee' approach. Generally, small and medium firms go for the contingency process, whereas large firms go for the second approach, as it is easier to manage.

No matter which approach a firm takes, one thing that needs to be kept in mind is that telecom audits should be conducted by both big and small businesses to keep a check on their expenses. The telecom audit process is complex and time-consuming, but fortunately, there are companies that provide such services, and instituting a regular telecom audit can ensure cost optimization for any firm, and almost surely improve its bottom line.




About the Author:
With over 20 years of experience in planning, implementing, managing and consulting on telecommunications projects, Nermine Shaker has generated millions of dollars worth of savings for her clients. She is a Partner at The Sygnal Group, a Telecommunications Management Company that offers unbiased reporting, analysis and implementation of telecom strategies to businesses of all sizes. http://www.SygnalGroup.com


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Etiquette for Social Media Sites and Blogs

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario



Social media is social. Social, an adjective that one definition gives as pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations: a social club. That's what social network sites are - social clubs. Where people with the same interests get together and learn, teach, grow, and bond.

Hopefully you were taught social etiquette while you were growing up. You remember, elbows off the table, shake hands when you meet someone, send thank you notes, say please and thank you. Just as there are proper ways to behave in the world, there are proper ways to behave online. Here are a few ways to make your online experience a pleasure for everyone else.

Be Nice

This is the big one. Everything after this is icing on the cake. There is nothing wrong with being nice; it doesn't mean that you're weak. Making enemies on social sites gets you nowhere, so drop your hatred and e-rants. It's okay to have an opinion, even an extremely opposite opinion from everyone else. What's not okay is to call other people names. If you're trying to make a persuasive argument, use persuasive language and prove your point. It doesn't help your cause to call someone an idiot. And, if you use the Internet to rant and rave, people eventually tune you out.

Just like in real life and business, we get what we want by knowing people, networking and building quality relationships. It's the same for online relationships. And, as the old saying goes, "you can catch more flies with honey..."

You should value relationships over transactions. Gaining links from commenting on blogs should not be your main objective. Blog comments are just that - you are commenting to join the conversation. And you are joining the conversation to build a relationship.

Be Accountable

Just because you sit at your computer, anonymous, doesn't mean you are not accountable for your actions and words. Don't believe that there are no rules to social media. Don't believe that you can do or say whatever you want without consequences just because you can hide behind your computer. People are smart and if you are a shameless, self-promoting jerk, they'll figure it out and you'll be done. By being accountable for your words, people will respect you, whether they agree with you or not.

Be Respectful of the Community

You are there to add value to the community you join, not to push your agenda and make sales pitches. The thing that will bring you relationships is making sure that when you add to the community, it's with quality content. You may want to sit back and just listen for a while to learn about a community you've joined instead of just jumping in, maybe being ineffective and wasting everyone's time. Before you submit anything to a social site, ask yourself if it will add value to the community. If not, don't.

If you are commenting on someone else's blog, don't just promote yourself. If you have a post that refers to that conversation, then it's okay to post that link in your comment. However, if you do it too often, you'll get ignored or thought of as just a spammer.

Be a Listener

Yeah, sure, you think you know everything, but, if you listen to what others are saying, you might learn something. Listen to people that comment on your blog and see if you can understand where they are coming from. Your first reaction does not need to be a rant telling them how wrong they are.

Be a Giver

You know this one - you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. This saying applies to online relationships as well. If you want attention, you have to be willing to give it first. Do the people who burst onto your site or group and think that they should be at the top immediately annoy you? And how about the ones that constantly ask for your help by commenting on their blogs or always push their content on you. We all try to avoid "users." Don't be like them - you have to earn respect by giving more than you receive and by making sure that what you give is useful.

Remember to link to posts that you find interesting or informative. Chances are that if you've found it interesting and related to your group, someone else will too. This is a great way to get involved in social networking sites.

Be Nice

I know, this was the first suggestion, but it's important so it bears repeating. You can't get away from it, The Golden Rule concept can be found in cultures and religions all over the world. That's probably why it's the "golden" rule. And if we all lived by it, in real life as well as online, we'd all be a little better off.




About the Author:
Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat, the only online marketing and advertising company employing Brandcasting, the most effective way to brand your company on the web. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. The approach is simple, highly effective and affordable. Learn more at: http://www.Brandsplat.com/


Read more of Enzo F. Cesario's articles.

Gaming Laptops: Four Factors To Check Before Buying

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Titus Hoskins



Gaming laptops are becoming more and more popular with the computer buying public. Once a true gamer wouldn't dream of buying a laptop for gaming, but now that laptop performances have increased a hundred fold since the first laptops came on the market, even some die-hard gamers are switching over to the other side.

Even so, many gamers still favor Desktop PCs for gaming, mainly because they're cheaper but mostly because PCs are much easier to upgrade. Notebook computers are not very suitable for upgrading so your system can go out of date very quickly.

Regardless, if you're in the market for a gaming laptop, there seems to be new systems coming on stream almost daily. So you shouldn't have a problem finding a laptop that will meet your needs, as long as you keep a few factors in mind.

Here are four major features you should check before buying your gaming laptop:

Graphics Card

Since your gaming system will be handling heavy visuals, graphics and 3D video you need a very robust video card that can get the job done. Many recent laptops now sport dual graphics with either SLI technology (NVIDIA) or CrossFire technology (ATI). Regardless, you should check to see if you have at least 512MB of video RAM, many now have 1 Gig of RAM or more. Most gamers go with NVIDIA GeForce 8800M, 9800M and ATI Radeon HD3870 or higher ones as they hit the market.

Some recent laptops now sport 3 GPUs such as the Toshiba Qosimo X305-Q708 which has a couple of GeForce 9800M GTS cards via SLI configuration, plus it also has a GeForce 9400M for quieter operation.

Processor

You need a powerful processor to perform all those applications with ease, we now have dual-core processors in most gaming laptops. Higher end models now sport quad-core processors which will deliver more than enough power to handle most games. You should get at least 2GHz processing speed, and many processors go higher such as the Intel Core2 Extreme X9000 processor which has 2.8GHz. Keep in mind, some systems can be overclocked, such as the Asus W90Vp-X1, at an amazing 3.28GHz.

Display

Another consideration for a gaming laptop is the all important display, native resolution and sound quality. Obviously, you want the best display so check the actual quality of the images on your laptop. Is there any glare? Are the colors brilliant and true? Are the images sharp and clear? Many gamers now go with bigger displays of 17, 18 or even 20 inches and look for a system that gives HD playback. Note if you have 1080p display which will give you true High Definition. Many high end laptops come with WUXGA (Widescreen Ultra eXtended Graphics) 1920x1200 with 16:10 screen aspect ratio.

Sound is also important in gaming so you want the best speakers and sound quality. Many systems are now sporting HD or Blu-ray Drives so this is something to check for if you want superior viewing visuals and sound.

Hard Drive

Since games, videos, music... all take up a lot of space, most gamers go with as large a hard drive as they can afford. At least 200GB of space, and many go for even more up to 1 TB terabyte of space. Solid State Drives are not yet common in gaming laptops but it is something to consider since these can last longer because you have no moving parts like you have in a hard drive. Higher end gaming laptops now have Solid State Drives but cost is still an issue.

Also remember to check the speed of your hard drive, 7200 RPMs is faster than a 5400 RPM system. Since top performance is your ultimate goal, getting the fastest hard drive speed is essential. For this reason many gamers go with a SATA hard drive(s) which gives the best performance.

There are a few other things you might want to check out when buying a gaming laptop. One being style and looks; most of the higher end laptops will have plenty of style and pizzazz. If the style and flash of your rig is important to you, than it is something to consider when buying your system. Perhaps, another less shadow and more important issue is warranty. Does your spectacular looking rig have a good warranty should things go south? The more expensive the rig, the more you should check the warranty, even buying an extended warranty for your brand new gaming laptop. Years of happy worry-free gaming should be your ultimate goal.


About the Author:
For a handy online Laptop Guide featuring the latest top gaming notebooks, click here: gaming laptops For the latest laptop discounts and bargains try here: cheap laptops

Copyright (c) 2009 Titus Hoskins. http://www.bizwaremagic.com This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.


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Thursday, July 30, 2009

Does Your Proposed New Company Name Open the Door to Ridicule?

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Marcia Yudkin



People who intensely dislike your company or feel wronged by you will always find some way to complain. However, a lack of attention during the naming process can inadvertently make it easier for comedians, protesters and whiners to poke fun at your company.

Before finalizing your new company name, run it by these tests so you can tweak the name or reject it if necessary to avoid predictable problems. Also ask the funniest people you know whether they see an obvious (well, obvious to them, at least) way to make your firm a laughingstock.

1. What do the initials spell? One reason why National Skyway Freight changed its name to Flying Tigers is that "NSF" is a well-known abbreviation for "not sufficient funds." Likewise, you wouldn't want to discover after you'd already invested in and promoted your name that disgruntled customers were calling Condo Renovators United of Detroit, your company, "CRUD."

2. Does the name resemble or evoke a disreputable word? Marketers coined the name Allegis as an umbrella name for United Airlines, Hertz, Hilton and Westin Hotels. However, many people who looked at the first five letters thought about "allegedly" and "allegations" rather than "allegiance." That, together with the challenge of pronouncing it, led the corporation to abandon its $7.5 million investment in the name and go back to its previous name, UAL Corporation. Something similar happened to Allegheny Airlines, which got tagged with the nickname "Agony Airlines" until it renamed itself USAir.

3. Do the letters or anything about the way the name is spelled suggest anything negative? When Standard Oil (S.O.) of New Jersey morphed into Esso, then came in for criticism under the name Exxon, commentators sometimes latched onto the double "X" and called it the "Double Cross Company." Likewise, you might find it cute to call your café that's at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Route 66 "Café 666," but many people associate the number 666 with the devil, so this would be certain to generate notoriety - negative publicity.

4. Does the name suggest a catchy parody version? You can't prevent this kind of lampooning entirely, but you also don't want to make it easy for the public to make fun of you. The natural foods supermarket chain Whole Foods is often derisively called "Whole Paycheck" by those who find its prices high, and the elite department store Neiman Marcus has been dubbed Needless Markup. People who do not like the food at Applebees, a casual restaurant chain, call it "Crapplebees." Be forewarned about this move by asking your comedian friends how they'd twist your proposed name in a satire.

5. Does the name shorten into something you'd be embarrassed about? In New York City, the neighborhood South of Houston Street became known as "SoHo." Washington Mutual, a bank, similarly let its name get shortened into "WaMu." However, if your company was named "California Carriers," you would most definitely not want to be known as "CaCa."

Make sure these techniques don't turn you into a humor target! Be wise about selecting a name that is easier to keep reputable.


About the Author:
Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that brainstorms creative business names, product names and tag lines for clients. For a systematic process of coming up with an appealing and effective name or tag line, download a free copy of "19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line" at http://www.namedatlast.com/19steps.htm


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Sunday, July 26, 2009

Student Credit Cards Can Help Lay The Foundation For Prosperous Adult Living

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2007-2009 Braxton Heitz



Credit is one of the most fundamental aspects of the financial structure we have built our society. In fact, a great credit score can be one of the most valuable assets an individual will ever have in his or her life.

A young person, just beginning to build a credit rating for his or herself will often discover that their lack of proven credit history will be disadvantageous to their goals. Having no established credit is generally viewed in the same light as having bad credit, because there is no way to foresee how well the individual will pay their bills.


Establishing Good Credit

Credit scores are determined by a number of factors. How much debt a person has, how regularly they pay their bills, and a history over a seven-year period, are typically the main factors used in determining a person's personal credit rating. For the college student, a student credit card can be a great financial product to help them begin the process of establishing their own good credit down the road.

College student credit cards provide a variety of options that can make them more suited for a beginner in the world of credit, than credit cards designed for more experienced cardholders.

Credit cards, in general, are a very easy concept to understand. They are like little loans that one will qualify for in advance and can use whenever they wish. The student can request a student credit card by filling out an online credit card application from any major bank, or they can fill out a credit card application at their local bank.

If a student ever needs to purchase something and they do not have the cash on hand, they can use a credit card to pay for it and then pay the credit card company the money back. Having a college student credit card is like having a kind and compassionate parent in their back pocket who will agree to any request the student has for cash.

Most student credit card providers prefer that a responsible cosigner be listed on the credit card application. In most cases, this would be a parent or guardian. Having someone with a great credit score, willing to vouch for the student's ability to repay any credit balances, is an encouraging sign for any lender.


The Dangers

A student credit card is obviously a good thing for many reasons. Many students use their cards for specific purposes only. This can be an essential item, or they could have it purely for emergencies.

One classic example is a gas credit card. It is common for students to use their credit card solely to purchase gas, so they always have a way of paying for gas when they need it. Other common choices include groceries and other basic necessities.

This is a very responsible way to handle a credit card. Problems begin when negative spending habits begin to develop. First, students begin spending more than they can immediately pay back. Student credit cards typically offer lower interest rates than traditional credit cards, but they still charge interest.

Most students are just starting out in life and they are not quite as responsible as they should be with their credit cards. They will get a student credit card for emergencies only, but fail to thoroughly define what they consider to be an emergency. As time goes by, they might become more inclined to consider a night on the town with their friends to be an emergency that will justify the use of a credit card.

Most credit cards have what they refer to as grace periods. This is a period of time that allows the cardholder a time period where interest charges do not apply. Grace periods are typically 30 days or until the end of the month of the original purchase. Different companies have different policies regarding their credit card grace periods.

Paying off the entire balance every month is the ideal situation, but there are always situations that will arise that make it difficult to do so. Paying off what you owe as quickly as possible is the only way to avoid accruing interest charges that can easily increase the consumers debt to double the amount of the original purchase.


Potential Perks

A wise spender can easily manage their finances, so that upon graduation, a college graduate could have established a solid enough credit rating to be able to buy a home straight out of college.

There are many aspects of student credit cards that are designed to help young cardholders wisely manage their debt. The amount of interest most people pay is considerable. College student credit cards are generally low APR credit cards, which means that the student will often pay a lower APR than someone ten years their senior.

In addition to low credit card APR rates, there are many Internet features available for someone with a student credit card. Online bill pay makes it possible for a student to easily pay all of his or her bills conveniently. Many companies also offer monthly reminders to help young people adjust to paying their bills regularly.


In Conclusion

A college student credit card can help prepare a young person for the immense financial world that awaits them at the end of their college careers. There are many potential pitfalls in the economic world that an untrained eye might miss, but the student credit card program will teach the attentive student how to spot and correct these potential pitfalls. Student credit cards can help prepare anyone for a life in the real world, and help a student enter adulthood with the good financial sense to make good financial decisions.


About the Author:
Braxton Heitz writes about family finances and the struggles of the job search. If you are looking for a job or looking to make a career move in the current troubled economy, then visit the Jobs And Paychecks website at: http://www.jobsandpaychecks.com/


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Friday, July 24, 2009

Are You Considering A Career As A Microsoft Network Administrator?

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Frank Pines



Computer technology has become an essential part of every industry and sector, whether civic or commercial. The industry continues to expand its capabilities, making the continuous and smooth operation of the Information Technology (IT) department a crucial aspect of any large organization.

As more computer systems run on the Microsoft platform, there is a high and growing demand for Microsoft Network Administrators.

As a Microsoft Network Administrator, you will generally need to deal with both the hardware and software on computer systems - dealing with installations, optimization, and trouble-shooting.

While your annual salary may start in the mid $30,000 range, as you gain experience over time, this can double or even triple in very short order.

Most Network Administrators choose to sub-specialize. This allows one to work in a more technical capacity, and consequently advances you to the next pay level.

The most typical selections are Microsoft Product Specialist and Microsoft Systems Engineer, both of which one can earn industry recognized certificates - Microsoft Certified Professional and Microsoft Certified System Engineer. And the newest generation of certifications include the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) credentials

In the industry today, especially if you are newly entering the field, you should expect to show clients a certificate when they are looking to contract or hire you.

To become a Microsoft Network Administrator, you must first have thorough knowledge of both hardware and software. If you choose to enroll in a program, typically there are no pre-requisites and a high school diploma is not required, so there is definitely the opportunity to start from scratch and work your way up. Some people choose to learn on their own through self-study training courses, books, Internet research, and hands-on personal experience.

Whichever education path you choose, there are some basics you must learn:

1. Microsoft operating systems: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and any new operating systems that may come out. You must know the older versions in case your client uses it, but stay up to date on the new versions, where you are likely to find the most demand in installations and trouble-shooting.

2. Network cabling. This includes knowing the hardware, the different types of cables out there, and which cables are best suited for the needs of the computer network.

3. Know all about TCP/IP and how to sub-net a network.

4. Network security. Be well acquainted with all the security software out there. Know Microsoft's built-in security inside out - how to make it work and how to bypass it.

Once you have the basics down, you must learn the intricacies of system architecture.

First, you must learn business analysis, where you must assess an organization's needs and thereby design a system that will not only meet its basic requirements, but optimize its efficiency and profit making capabilities.

Next, the plan that has been created must be executed; this includes installing new software and hardware, customizing the configuration to the business, maintaining the system's integrity, updating the system when better solutions come onto the market, diagnose problems that may arise, and resolve those issues in the timeliest manner possible.

All this means that on a daily basis, you must always be prepared. This may include late night hours and weekends, as you must be available to your clients at all times in case of technical problems, which we all know constantly occur.

You must act with calm and patience; you will deal with quite a few frantic people over the phone.

You must always be vigilant, constantly monitoring the systems of all your clients, as the best problem treatment is problem prevention.

In the end, a career as a Microsoft Network Administrator requires a solid educational foundation and a commitment to continuous learning, but it also requires you to bring your "A-Game" to the job of helping your employer maintain smooth and profitable operations.




About the Author:
Written by Frank Pines of CDI Communications Inc. - CDI Communications is a leader in implementation of instructional strategies for MCSE, AutoCAD, Sap, Skillsoft, CCNA, MCTS, Cisco, MCITP, MCTS, Microsoft Office, Oracle, Crystal Report, Knowledgenet, SAP, NetG, A+ Training and Microsoft Network Security Certification. Visit CDI Communications Inc. at: http://www.netwind.com/ OR follow Frank on Twitter at: @cdicomp


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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The Big Picture Of Pursuing A Career As A Microsoft Networking Administrator

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Frank Pines



Pursuing a career as a Microsoft Networking Administrator can be both rewarding and challenging.

There is a lot to learn in preparation for your career in this field, and you must be willing to upgrade those skills every few years in order to stay up-to-date on these ever-changing technologies.

Fortunately, there are many potential paths that you can take that will allow you to successfully become a Microsoft Networking Administrator. No matter which path you choose to follow, however, there are some basic skills that you must have in order to reliably handle your job.

There is no such thing as a typical day for a person working in this field. Every day brings both new challenges and familiar issues. Generally, you will need to ready to handle everyday maintenance tasks such as maintaining the domain accounts (creating new ones, deleting old ones and modifying existing ones) and ensuring the continual operation of your network's domain controllers along with all of the domain's member servers and workstations.

Diagnosing connection issues and addressing network security concerns will occupy much of your time. General maintenance of network components is essential to minimizing the impact of potential emergencies and staving off network service interruptions.

In order to handle your day-to-day tasks, you must first obtain the required knowledge. You must understand how Microsoft Windows 2008 Server and Microsoft Active Directory work together to manage a Microsoft network. This knowledge is not obtained easily.

If you learn well via self-study courses, there are a number of programs that may give you the required knowledge. However, many find that those courses lack the first-hand experience that is essential for a Microsoft Networking Administrator to address the unique issues that frequently occur outside of a classroom environment. For those individuals, there are accelerated classes available, which offer the hands-on option.

For a more measured and in-depth study of the necessary Microsoft technologies, a formal curriculum involving courses in Network Essentials, Client Operating Systems, Basic Microsoft Server Operating Systems and Advanced Microsoft Server Operating Systems is ideal.

Pursuing this sort of education will prepare you for the necessary certification exams that you must take in order for you to show your proficiency to potential employers.

There are a number of certifications that you can obtain to show that you are capable of understanding the technologies that you will be using as a Microsoft Networking Administrator.

You should expect to obtain a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification in order to show that you have the skills needed to manage and troubleshoot network environments running Windows operating systems. The MCSA consists of two core exams on networking systems, one core exam on client operating systems and one elective exam.

You should also obtain CompTIA Network+ certification in order to validate your knowledge of networking principles.

The Network+ certification will prove your ability to describe the features and functions of networking components and to understand basic network infrastructure.

While certifications are very important to show your proficiency, the importance of a traditional college degree cannot be overlooked. Often, to save time and money, one might be compelled to forgo a traditional college degree in favor of focusing on acquiring the knowledge required to pass the certification exams.

It should be noted, however, that a college degree is still preferred among the vast majority of employers. Having a degree is seen as an indication that you are able to plan for and successfully pursue long-term goals. The degree also indicates a willingness to expand your knowledge into other areas.

For this reason, certifications should ideally be viewed as complementary to your college degree, not a substitute for it.

In conclusion, should you decide to pursue a career as a Microsoft Networking Administrator, you will be met with many challenges. So long as you obtain the required knowledge and learn the appropriate skills, you will be able to overcome these challenges and build a successful lucrative career.




About the Author:
Written by Frank Pines of CDI Communications Inc. - CDI Communications is a leader in implementation of instructional strategies for MCSE, AutoCAD, Sap, Skillsoft, CCNA, MCTS, Cisco, MCITP, MCTS, Microsoft Office, Oracle, Crystal Report, Knowledgenet, SAP, NetG, A+ Training and Microsoft Network Security Certification. Visit CDI Communications Inc. at: http://www.netwind.com/ OR follow Frank on Twitter at: @cdicomp


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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Top Ten Tips For Happy Holiday Car Hire

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Tobias Bowman



When organising a holiday, more often than not what can go wrong will go wrong. There is a wealth of horror stories telling of bankrupt tour operators and roach infested hotels. Car hire is not immune as the subject of these sorts of tales, however with this expert checklist you can make sure you have all the bases covered before you leave your house.

1. If you are a frequent flier with a specific airline then you may well be eligible for fantastic discounts on car hire from your service provider. Check with your airline to see if you are eligible and find out what car hire companies they affiliate with.

2. Save extra money and book online. The resources that are used to provide an online booking service are far less than over the phone, hence the savings are passed on to you. A car hire company should have an E-commerce website and if they don't then you might want to rethink your selection. If you are a technophobe then get your 12 year old child to do it for you.

3. Check the contract carefully. There is a minefield of potential contractual nightmares regarding insurance, liability clauses, excess limits, who can drive and so on. Large car hire companies will have a relatively standard contract and infrastructure to provide support for any questions you might have. Double check and ask questions because it is easier to do it before you travel.

4. Get a confirmation number. It might seem rather obvious, but your car hire provider should give you a confirmation number to confirm your reservation. This will allow them to access your details instantly and it is also worth providing your car hire company with the details of your flight. This will protect you if your flight runs into delays, as some car hire companies might rehire the car in the event of you not turning up within a certain time.

5. Is bigger better? Some car hire companies might offer you a free upgrade on the spec of your hire car. This might seem like a blessing however double check that there are no additional contractual obligations with the upgrade. Obviously the fuel bill will be higher and for those of us concerned with the environment, the fuel consumption therefore emissions will be higher.

6. On the subject of fuel, fill it up yourself. You have to return the hire car with a full tank of gas and it is seriously worth doing that at a gas station before you return the car. The fuel surcharge by companies can severely sting your wallet, so be organised and not in a mad rush. Leave yourself enough time to fill the car up.

7. Check the vehicle before you accept the hire car. Easier said than done with screaming children but it is seriously worth it. Challenge any marks or inconsistencies with the report because if you miss them, the car hire company will not and you will pay for the pleasure of repairing their car.

8. Do not drink and drive. There are so many more important reasons why, however in this context you will be void of insurance and liable for everything that happens in an accident. The same is true if you are under the influence of drugs, so just don't do it.

9. Check the time when the vehicle has to be returned. Another charge, similar to the fuel charge, that is a great source of revenue for car hire companies. There are no excuses for late return and you will be charged through the nose. If you are definitely going to run over then inform them in advance and they might be able to accommodate an extension at a pre-arranged rate.

10. Be organised. All these pointers will only work if you are organised about your car hire. People end up paying extortionate rates when they incur all these surcharges and they are in abundance; if you plan your car hire properly and use this list and you will not pay over the odds.




About the Author:
Tobias Bowman is a senior consultant working with a global car hire company and a veteran of nightmare holidays. Visit: http://www.budget.co.uk/


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Friday, July 17, 2009

When It Comes to Business Names, Acronyms Are FUBAR

Article Presented by:
Copyright © 2009 Marcia Yudkin



Maybe you'll read the following sentence as it was intended, but I sure didn't. It was the lead sentence in an article in my local business journal:

"CA is a fundamentally different company than it was when I arrived two years ago."

To me, "CA" means California, and that's how I read it. But when I reached the end of that sentence, that obviously did not make sense. Then I thought, "Must be a misprint - they left a letter out - but what?" Only in the fourth paragraph of the article did my bafflement clear up. "We simplified 'Computer Associates' to 'CA' and brought the 'C' and 'A' on our brand mark closer together."

"Oh my gosh, 'CA' is a company name?!" Too bad you couldn't see the expression on my face.

This illustrates one of the problems in creating a company name out of letters. With just about any combination of letters you choose, the acronym is probably already in use somewhere. Indeed, CA is also in use for Cocaine Anonymous, as well as an abbreviation for Canada. On the web, a new company name consisting of an acronym will be impossible for the average person to get useful results for from a search engine.

According to the Web Directory All Acronyms, the letters NSA stand for more than 100 different entities, including No Such Agency. Incorporating an acronym as part of a longer name doesn't resolve the issue of multiple meanings. For example, if you named your company SME Services, thinking of "Small and Medium-sized Enterprises," SME could still call up more than 60 other meanings in common usage, including Subject Matter Expertise and Solid Metal Embrittlement.

Second, because acronyms have no self-evident meaning, they require a very heavy investment of resources to become recognizable and memorable as a company name. True, the now-global fast-food company KFC has done well with its initials by trading on its previous incarnation as Kentucky Fried Chicken. But unless you're also serving more than a billion customers a year with a marketing budget to match, that shouldn't encourage you to follow their example.

And third, acronyms invite ridicule. There are scores of jokes purporting to explain what the letters in IBM really mean:

  • I've Been Moved (because of the company's relocation policy)

  • I've Been Misled

  • It's a Broken Machine

  • Immoral Brand and Management

  • I Blame Mathematics

  • Idiots Became Managers

  • Imbecilic Bad Micros

  • Invented By Murphy

  • and on and on.

  • Perhaps because we dislike how we tend to be treated by governmental and technical acronym-named organizations, many of us find acronyms geeky and off-putting rather than cuddly and comforting. "Acronyms tend to keep non-experts at arm's length," wrote language critic Amy Gahran in 2003. For example, "the original full name for RSS [which most people believe stands for Really Simple Syndication] is 'RDF Site Summary' - a nested acronym that requires two levels of decoding, and it gets geekier at the second level," Gahran noted.

    Most of the time, keeping people at arm's length is not a desirable state of affairs or a goal for a new company name. So ditch the acronyms.

    By the way, in case you're wondering what "FUBAR" means, since before World War Two it's been an American military expression for the more vulgar version of "Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition."


    About the Author:
    Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that brainstorms creative business names, product names and tag lines for clients. For a systematic process of coming up with an appealing and effective name or tag line, download a free copy of "19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line" at http://www.namedatlast.com/19steps.htm


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    Free and Easy Link Building Tips

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Enzo F. Cesario



    Okay, you're the proud mama or papa to your brand new website. Now what? This isn't like the movies - just because you built it doesn't mean they'll come. The Internet is a huge limitless space with ever-growing numbers of websites. You are just one small website among millions. How will anybody ever find you? How do you become visible? Right now, you just exist out in the web, untethered. You need to become visible when someone searches for you and one way to become visible to people is to become visible to search engines. And one way to become visible to search engines such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN is for your site to be tethered, or linked to other sites.

    If you've spent any time reading Internet marketing blogs you know that link building is a huge part of a marketing campaign. Backlinks - links that point to your website - are a major factor in determining your popularity or ranking with the search engines. And of course, just like in high school, you want to be popular.

    You can buy your way into links, but here we're talking about a few free and easy ways. An obvious and natural way to build links is through content. When you start a link-building campaign for your new website, focus on attracting links that will add value for your website visitors and best represent your most important keywords too. It is invaluable to have visitors go to your site and share your content.

    Here are a few easy and mostly free ways to build links for your website.

    Blog-Based Link Building

    One way to get natural links back to your website is by setting up a blog for your company. Make sure you network online with other blogs that complement yours. If you share industry news and have useful and relevant content, you'll attract links. Reference other bloggers in your content and link to other blogs in your industry.

    For blogs, content is extremely important. Every time you add words to your blog or website, you are presenting yourself to a potentially huge audience. How does your blog's content reflect your company? This content could be the page that carries your company's name around the Internet world. Cheap content is just that - cheap. Create content that people want to read and that will make them come back again and again.

    Reviewing products and services and posting those reviews on other sites is another way to build links. Your honest evaluations and smart opinions can also build your reputation as an expert in your field.

    Link Building with Social Media

    Another way to build natural links to your website is through social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter. These sites allow you to set up a user profile where you can add information about you and your company including a link to your website.

    Some sites, Facebook for example, also have a way to promote your business with a page, ad or group. Just keep in mind that there are good ways and bad ways to promote your business on social sites and you should observe proper etiquette when you do.

    Link Building with Organizations and Directories

    If your industry has professional organizations or associations that you belong to, check with them and see if they have an online directory with links to member sites. They may or may not charge a fee for this. If they do, it shouldn't be much.

    Check with your local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau. Links from sites like these can be very helpful. Check with other local businesses and organizations that have lists of businesses and request links from them, too.

    Online directories are another opportunity to look into. Yahoo! Directory is a good one. If your business is in a specific geographical area, you might also find some local directories to submit to that will boost your local visibility.

    Links from Charities or Non-profits

    If your company makes charitable donations to organizations and non-profits, see if they have a "donors" list on their website and ask if they will link to your website.

    Links from Press Releases

    Has your business just started or have you just launched a new product? A press release is a great idea to announce your news. There are quite a few press release distribution services available and some have a free first time offer.

    Links from Partners

    If your website offers information about other partner websites like business directories, you should make sure to use all your linking potential. You could have a badge that your partner could put on their site linking to you and one for your site that links to theirs.

    If you have an RSS feed or a widget on your site that has good value to visitors, those can be taken from your website and displayed on another person's website, linking back to your site.

    The Internet is constantly evolving and there are thousands of ways to build links. Look around at other websites and see what they have and how they work. Look at your business, think outside the box and you might come up with other ways to develop links. If it all seems like too much, there are many online consulting companies that can help with link building, SEO optimization and brandcasting.




    About the Author:
    Enzo F. Cesario is a Copywriter and co-founder of Brandsplat, the only online marketing and advertising company employing Brandcasting, the most effective way to brand your company on the web. Brandcasting uses informative content and state-of-the-art internet distribution and optimization to build links and drive the right kind of traffic to your website. The approach is simple, highly effective and affordable. Learn more at: http://www.Brandsplat.com/


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    Create Information Products - Step by Step On Using Ghostwriting Services

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Alan Cheng



    Successful online marketers create information products that are in-demand and sell them online. It's one of the most popular and effective ways to make money on the internet. An information product, or an ebook requires no inventory and the profit margins are huge.

    In this article, I'll summarize the crucial steps you need follow to create your own information product by outsourcing to respectable ghostwriting services...

    The reasons you would want to outsource your information product creation are:

    1. You have a phobia with writing, or you just don't like the task

    2. You don't have enough time

    3. You don't have the expertise to create information products

    If any of the above applies to you, then you can consider using special ghostwriting services to create the information product for you. This is a fast and easy way to create a quality product to sell, while you can fully concentrate on just marketing the product.

    Here are 5 steps on how to create information products by hiring a professional writer.

    1. Choose Your Niche

    To decide the topic for your ebook, you need to do some thorough online research. You should choose a niche which many people have an interest in, and who are willing to buy the information. It will be even better, if the niche is something which you're knowledgeable in.

    Go to forums that are related to the niche, and view the posts. See if there is a lot of interest on certain problems which people want to know about.

    Next you can search for magazines whether online or offline, and see if there's a magazine for the niche. This is proof that there is demand for the topic. Otherwise, people would not run a magazine on it.

    Never, try to create an ebook on a topic which has never been done before. Chances are that it won't sell. Try to look for similar ebooks that are already selling well and create an information product which is better.

    2. List Out The Problems

    Once you've decided what your information product is about, you need to list out certain problems which the market is interested in. If the subject is about PC repair, then you need to list out the common problems people would want to know about repairing PCs.

    Get this information from forums and from search engines. Consolidate the list of problems and choose the best ones which you think your prospects will be interested in.

    3. Hire A Ghost Writer

    Your next step is to hire a ghost writer, or ghostwriting company to write your information product. There are many professional writers which you can find online, but don't choose one based on the lowest price.

    You need to hire a professional writer who has experience in creating information products for their clients. This includes the ebook, website, sales copy to sell the ebook, squeeze page to capture prospects' emails and a thank you page.

    Some companies offer these ghostwriting services as a whole package, but there aren't many of them. An example of such a company is 'Best Instant Sites' which offers a complete solution for creating information products.

    4. Discuss The Terms

    With your chosen ghostwriter, you need to discuss the terms before giving payment. Tell them your idea of the information product you want and list the subjects you want written about, from what you gathered in your research.

    Ask the professional writer to research the topic in more detail when writing the ebook. Then ask when the delivery date is. Never push the writer for an earlier deadline. You want the ebook to be written professionally. Rushing a writing project seldom creates quality.

    For the design of your website, tell the ghostwriter what kind of look you're looking for and the words you want shown. Give examples of website designs that you like so that the professional writer knows your preference.

    5. Following Up With The Progress

    A few days before the deadline of your information product, contact the ghostwriter and ask him or her for the progress. He would either tell you everything is as planned or he would tell you that there is a possible delay.

    The point of following up is to tell the writer that you care and it gives him a chance to ask you any questions he can think of. You can even ask for a draft of the website design to see if it matches what you want.

    Good professional writers will always contact you a few days beforehand if there's a possible delay, but just in case you hired a not-so-professional writer, it will be wise if you followed up a few times before the deadline.

    Following these steps, you can create an information product of your own and start making money online like the experts. The key to success is hiring the right professional writer. You need a writer that has experience in creating information products. And of course, you also need good marketing skills to sell your product online. Some ghostwriters offer advice on marketing online. You need to ask.




    About the Author:
    Download the report "Build Your Own Business Using Information Products" at create information products. Alan Cheng is a professional writer at http://www.bestinstantsites.com/ If you want to outsource your information product creation, visit professional writer at Best Instant Sites.


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    Thursday, July 16, 2009

    Does Your Company Tag Line Pass These Five Crucial Tests?

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Marcia Yudkin



    Judging from the many disastrous slogans that state tourism boards have happily paid tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars for, even marketing professionals often use totally subjective criteria to select tag lines. Do we like it? Is it catchy and memorable? Does it make us feel good?

    I suggest replacing the "feel-good" test with five much more grounded criteria. When you're trying to decide on the best tag line to accompany your organization's name on the web site, brochures, business cards, stationery, ads, mugs and mouse pads, make sure your winner passes these five tests.

    1. Does it apply to you and not to competitors? Few people would match "Great Potatoes. Tasty Destinations." to any other state than Idaho. But there's nothing in "Worth a Visit, Worth a Lifetime" to indicate Maine any more than Minnesota, Michigan or Montana. If your tag line does not highlight something distinctive about your company, it's not making much of a difference to prospective customers, either.

    2. Does it have nothing but positive connotations? I'm baffled about how "Seize the Day Off" is supposed to reflect well on Maryland. Are all the jobs in that state so horrible that everyone there lives for the weekend? Likewise, "Things Look Different Here" could equally be taken as a bad thing as a good thing about Oregon, which used that slogan for many years.

    3. Does it have emotional oomph? "Greatest Snow on Earth" is certainly an energetic advertisement for Utah. Similarly, Kentucky's "Unbridled Spirit," which refers to its horse-related traditions, has emotional strength. Your tag line should convey energy rather than being flat and factual.

    4. Are the tone and content appropriate for the target market? The District of Columbia has had "Taxation Without Representation" on its license plates, which functions well as an activist slogan for its own residents. But for tourists, that slogan would come across as bombastic and irrelevant. Always keep your target market firmly in mind when generating and screening tag lines. You are not writing it for yourselves but for those you want to attract.

    5. Do you have good reasons for wanting to replace the previous tag line? Don't toss it in the trash just because you are tired of it. Remember that because you undoubtedly hear and see your own tag line much more than your target market does, you may get tired of it years sooner than they will. It's very rare for a state to keep a successful slogan alive for more than a decade because politicians and tourism officials get more and more itchy to put their mark on their entity's branding. That's a very bad reason to change. If the audience has stopped responding to it, or it has begun to be ridiculed - those are good reasons to look for a new tag line.

    When you weigh your favorite tag lines with these five tests, you reduce the chances of choosing one that exposes your organization to ridicule. You boost the chances of coming out a winner.


    About the Author:
    Marcia Yudkin is Head Stork of Named At Last, a company that brainstorms creative business names, product names and tag lines for clients. For a systematic process of coming up with an appealing and effective name or tag line, download a free copy of "19 Steps to the Perfect Company Name, Product Name or Tag Line" at http://www.namedatlast.com/19steps.htm


    Read more Articles written by Marcia Yudkin.

    Wednesday, July 15, 2009

    The LPI Certification Is The De Facto Standard For Linux Professionals

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Frank Pines



    Today Linux is a very potent tool for a successful project in a highly competitive marketplace.

    With its certification programs, the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) has constantly raised the bar of excellence. It has continuously provided support to Linux professionals to meet the industry demands for expert skills. LPI has been acknowledged universally as a leader in providing professional help with Linux, Open Source, and Free Software.

    The Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC) program has been designed to recognize the capabilities of IT professionals, who have proven themselves capable of operating within the Linux operating system. These certificates are distributed to computer professionals in hundreds of cities around the world.

    LPI intends to develop and recognize important Linux and Open Source talent around the globe, by providing complete and high standard tests.

    LPI offers a formal and standardized program both for students and training centers alike. These programs improve the quality of market and also arm the students with powerful certifications that can be used to enhance their career prospects.

    The LPI Certification Program has been developed by Linux professionals and IT institutions, around the world. The Linux Professional Institute depends on the response reports it receives from many of the skilled professionals, who work with Linux each and every day.

    Interestingly, the Linux Professional Institute is independent of vendors and has no commitment bias in regard to its service. This has led to diverse and multiple techniques to the general design of the test. It has become one of the most comprehensive and global exams presented anywhere in the world.

    The LPI certificate is one of the most respected and requested job requirements, among computer professionals and major organizations, for applicants seeking IT jobs. Many independent companies, outside of LPI, have enhanced the Linux certification program and this is possible because there is no totalitarian authority controlling the Linux operating system.

    The vital distinction between LPI and other such programs is that, LPI has been incorporated as entirely vendor-independent and distribution neutral.

    The largest corporations in the world have recognized the exam standard and the tests have become a reflection of the standards these corporations expect from their professional IT staffers.

    The LPI certification is based on three levels:

    Junior Level Administration (LPIC-1): this level consists of two tests the 101 and the 102. They can be taken in any order. This level expects you to work at the command line, execute fundamental maintenance, and set up a workstation with a connection to a network.

    Advanced Level Administration (LPIC-2): the candidate needs to pass the 201 and 202 exams to qualify at this level. These tests can also be taken in any order. Also the candidate has to pass the Junior Level Test. You will need to govern an average-sized website by using Linux or Microsoft servers. You will also oversee your juniors and then report to senior management.

    Senior Level Administration (LPIC-3): LPI's Certification Program concludes with the LPIC-3 exam. The test papers are 301 and 302.

    The LPI exams are computer-based tests done through Pearson VUE and Prometric. LPI exams are also provided in Japanese, German, Chinese, French, Portuguese and Spanish. It takes about two to five weeks to get the actual LPI certificate, after notification of your pass status.




    About the Author:
    Written by Frank Pines of CDI Communications Inc. - CDI Communications is a leader in implementation of instructional strategies for MCSE, AutoCAD, Sap, Skillsoft, CCNA, MCTS, Cisco, MCITP, MCTS, Microsoft Office, Oracle, Crystal Report, Knowledgenet, SAP, NetG, A+ Training and Linux LPI Certification. Visit CDI Communications Inc. at: http://www.netwind.com/ OR follow Frank on Twitter at: @cdicomp


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    What My Mother Taught Me About Credit Cards And Family Finances

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2007-2009 Braxton Heitz



    My mother is an amazing woman. She made some of the hardest jobs imaginable look easy. No matter how hard her day was, she always had a smile and perfect hair.

    She was mainly a stay at home mom but she worked cleaning houses when our family's financial situation called for more income. My dad was a soldier, so he didn't make a lot of money. The holidays usually wiped out our family savings account, but no one ever complained.

    My mom has always been a money master. Her philosophy is a simple one that has never failed her. Work hard and spend little.

    Mom is not an old woman, but her mother was raised during the Great Depression and eventually had to raise seven children on her own. She taught my mom how to make a can of beans last for weeks and my mom taught me, much to my husband's displeasure.

    While I admire my matriarchs' simplistic approach to finances, it does not address the inevitable problems of credit and taxes. My education in money matters was limited to just mom's basic philosophy of life.

    The world outside of my parent's traditional home was not quite what I was expecting, or what I had been prepared to handle. Despite the best intentions of my foremothers, there are still a few things that I wish my mother had taught me...


    Credit Card Interest Hurts

    Getting my own credit card for the first time was such a thrill. I bought my share of useless junk that I did not need. Unfortunately, I was not as cautious with my spending as I should have been.

    Before I knew it, my credit card balance was astronomical. I could barely make my minimum payments. Since I started out with no credit, my interest rates were astronomical. It took months of payments before I finally began to pay on the principle and not just the interest.

    After about a year I finally paid off the balance of my initial expenditures. I've been much more cautious with how much I will charge on a credit card, since my initial graduation from the school of hard knocks.


    Don't Spend Money You Don't Have

    Credit cards are tempting; because they allow us to spend money we don't have in our pockets. Ideally, when we spend money, we have the money in our bank accounts and just forgot to go to the ATM. Of course, most of us know that this is not the case.

    Sometimes we spend money on important things. Buying groceries on Tuesday when we don't get paid until Friday for example. These are harmless purchases as long as we keep in mind how much we are getting paid on Friday.

    Keeping a budget is probably the greatest thing a credit card holder can do. With a well-planned budget, anyone can track their finances in a way that allows them to spend wisely and with confidence.


    Keep a Record And Look At It

    With the ease of using credit cards to pay bills and buy stuff, it can be difficult to keep an accurate record of where our money is going. Ours is a generation that does not regularly balance their checkbook. Online banking has made it too easy to just check our available bank account summaries.

    We don't scrutinize every transaction like our parents did. We simply trust the bank and believe that they would not make any errors. Credit card companies allow us to make payments online with out ever receiving a bill.

    It has become incredibly easy to ignore the sheer volume of purchases made in a month. Credit card companies like to help us in our denial any way they can. But, keeping track of where we are spending our money is the key to maintaining our accounts and our credit rating.


    Good Credit is Important

    A good credit rating can mean the difference between advantageous and difficult situations. There are many perks to having a good credit rating. Low APR rates are one of the best benefits of having a good credit score.

    Being able to make major purchases, such as a home or a car, also requires good credit. The total amount that an individual will have to pay for a loan is determined by how much he or she pays in interest. If someone has bad credit, one could end up paying thousands of dollars more in interest over the life of a loan.

    Good credit is easy to come by, if we are responsible. Paying our bills on time is the best thing we can do to help our credit. Not putting too much on a credit card or having too many credit cards, can also improve a person's credit score.


    Rewards Are Good

    I love presents and I love shopping. Getting rewards from my credit card company feels like little thank you gifts for shopping. It is a great feeling. I wish I could get presents for doing all of the things I like.

    While each credit card company is different, almost all of them offer credit card rewards to their customers for spending money, something we have to do to anyway. With so many options available for credit card reward programs, it would be impossible to not find one suited to our needs.

    Reward options are endless. One can receive cash back rewards, airline miles, travel rewards, or even discounts at some of our favorite stores. For the more humanitarian shoppers, there are rewards programs that donate a percentage of a purchase to the charity of their choice.


    Take Advantage of All of the Perks

    Special credit card offers are some of the best ways to save money on items we would have to purchase anyway, no matter what. Everyday household items are a necessity. Taking advantage of a 0% interest credit card offer on a cash back rewards card can help us earn money for buying something we truly need.

    Many online websites are dedicated to helping consumers find the right credit card for their needs. If we take the time to properly research what it available, we can uncover a whole world of moneymaking possibilities. They exist right under our nose.

    In many cases, it is possible to fill out an online credit card application and receive instant credit card approval. There are countless ways to find a credit card application for the consumer's card of choice.

    Contacting a favorite store and inquiring about their credit options is an easy way to save money where we like to shop. Many people choose to receive a credit card from their bank to help establish a better relationship with the bank.


    Final Thoughts

    It is amazing how much we learn from experience. Unfortunately, most of it is from bad experiences. I know I would much rather learn from someone else's mistakes, but people generally do not like to talk about their bleak financial histories.

    My parents did a good job of teaching me how to work hard and build a good life. Knowing about all of the rules and pitfalls surrounding credit, loans and credit cards was sadly missing from my life lessons.

    Schools are beginning to offer personal finance courses, but they do not yet require students to take them. Every year, more and more people declare bankruptcy and our schools do nothing to educate our youth about the pitfalls of taking on too much credit.

    With a sound foundation of the demands of responsible spending, credit cards can be a great tool. Whether you discover through experience or education, the knowledge of how to care for your finances will be one of the most important things you ever learn.


    About the Author:
    Braxton Heitz writes about family finances and the struggles of the job search. If you are looking to find job listings or looking to change careers in the current troubled economy, then visit the Jobs And Paychecks website at: http://www.jobsandpaychecks.com/


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    Victims And Relationships Don’t Mix!

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Carol Chanel



    In order for relationships to be truly fun, fulfilling, joyful and loving both people have to be emotionally healthy. That doesn't mean you still don't have some issues to resolve - that's part of life. It does mean that you aren't living a life as a victim of a past experience(s) and continuing to recreate more victim experiences.

    If you want to have an amazing "rockin relationship" you can't be a victim and you can't be with a victim, because you will either set the person up to victimize you, or they will set you up to victimize them.

    The Law of Attraction says we get what we think about, whether we want it or not. So if you're afraid of being a victim, you will have victim energy and you will attract a victimizer. Or you will perceive what someone does to you as victimizing you.

    Let me give you a personal example. I have a childhood friend who had some experiences growing up that were painful. He was a victim, at that point. As he grew older in order to get attention he, probably unconsciously, stepped into the role of the "victim." Women flocked to him to take care of him, to nurture him and to rescue him.

    All of that might be okay, if he didn't need to keep wearing the cloak of victim and recreating victim experiences - day in and day out. And he will try to set people up to victimize him. He'll interpret everything through the victim filter. So if you say you can't do something that he wants you to do, then you are letting him down; he'll play the "Poor Me." For example, if he calls one day when you're super busy and can't talk, he'll say you were unkind to him.

    He also attracts people who do take advantage of him. Remember you get what you think about, whether you want it or not.

    Now if you've been around someone who sees themselves as a victim, and lives as a victim, then you know it's a miserable and drama filled existence. Their lives are all drama and you can't have a normal, healthy relationship with them. And they aren't living in their truth as a powerful human being connected to pure positive energy.

    That's the place where you want to be and want the other person to be.

    The most important part of being around a victim is to not collude with them. Don't see them as a victim. Don't hold them in that energy. That's what they're used to. That's what they think they want, because that's how they're used to getting attention. It's the "Poor Me" routine. Don't go there with them.

    What if instead you saw them as creative, resourceful and whole? What if you saw them as learning how they really wanted to be in life and that the victim role was one they played for a while and might now choose to leave behind?

    From that place you're not pulled into their victim energy and they might be encouraged to change their perspective, to move into a new more fulfilling role.

    Are You A Victim?

    Now I've been talking about other people being the victim. What if you see yourself as a victim?

    This is close to my heart, because I used to see myself as a victim. And sure enough, I would have experiences that made me look and feel like a victim.

    Then one day a wise American Indian elder said to me, "You can either be a victim of your circumstances, or be victorious in your learning."

    I loved that perspective. It felt so uplifting and powerful. And I realized I had a choice. And from that moment I always look at how to be victorious.

    During the Beijing Olympics, US track and field star Lolo Jones was running the 100-meter hurdles final, in which she was heavily favored. She was leading the race when she clipped the second to the last hurdle. That knocked her off her stride and she finished well out of the medals.

    What she said after the race - being victorious, not a victim - was that she felt the gold around her neck and that caused her to lose her focus for a split second. When you're jumping hurdles that split second is all it takes. She's not a victim. She may have not have medaled, but she knows what she did and she has a powerful learning that will be with her for the rest of her life.

    Victims miss the opportunities for learning.

    How Can You Be Victorious?

    So if you see yourself as a victim, or if you keep being a victim of others, how can you change?

    Before I tell you how to change I want to ask you to not be hard on yourself if you've been a victim. Sometimes, when we realize we've been creating it, we can get upset with ourselves. Don't go there. You didn't know any other way to be. And now I'm pointing out another way. So start with the "Beginners Mind" - open and curious, like you are starting your life over. You are.

    So the first step is stop being mean to yourself. Your ego is the critical part of your mind. The victim's ego is cruel, critical, perfectionistic and judgmental. You can go to my ezine archive on my website and read May 18, 2004 "What Is Your Negative Self-Talk Doing to You" and June 29, 2006, "How Your Ego Holds You Hostage" to get information on how to quiet your critical voice. Your ego is your critical voice. The truth is it's probably not even yours, it's probably a father, mother, sibling or teachers voice. Don't give it attention. Be kind to yourself. Talk to yourself the way you would want a wise loving mother to talk to you.

    Second, stop seeing yourself as a victim. Start remembering the good things that have happened to you in your life. The thing about victims is they don't look at the good things, or they discount them, or the focus is so weighted on the "bad" things that they don't give any attention to the "good" things.

    Third, pay attention to where you might unconsciously set yourself up as a victim. If you know that a friend isn't responsible, don't ask them to feed your cat while you're on vacation. If your assistant doesn't have good people skills, don't ask her to talk to your clients. If your boyfriend is always late, don't ask him to take you to the airport to catch your flight. Don't set yourself up!

    This one is a little tricky, because you've been unconsciously doing this for a while. If victim things are still happening, you're still doing it. Now remember, be kind to yourself. It's okay, you're in the process of changing.

    And fourth, don't victimize others. I know you're saying, I would never do that. But I guarantee you, victims will at some point, unconsciously victimize others. Even if it's just a judgment or criticism of another person, or an abrupt communication. And if you unconsciously victimize another, then you'll feel really badly about yourself. Then from that place, you'll attract more victim experiences. So be conscious of your behavior.

    And if you have victimized others, in any way, forgive yourself. I'm not saying to condone what you did; I'm saying to realize that you didn't know what you were doing. You were in a victim perspective and you were unconscious. You were wounded and you were reacting out of that wound.

    Here's a lovely little saying I repeat every day:

    "I call on the Law of Forgiveness for myself and all mankind, for all mistakes, misqualified energy, human unconsciousness and for straying from the light."

    We are all trying to do the best as we can. We will make mistakes, we will go unconscious and stray from the light. And we can go back into the light and become victorious in our learning. And we can feel great about ourselves and from that place attract the most wonderful experiences into our life!

    It's a choice. You can either be a victim of your circumstances or victorious in your learning.

    Choose victorious!

    Imagine the possibilities...

    (c) Carol C. Chanel




    About the Author:
    Carol Chanel is a Certified Life Coach who works with people to create new, meaningful and FUN lives. You can learn more about how to create loving and healthy relationships, draw boundaries, not take things personally, be happy to be who you are, and make time for fun by going to her free ezine archive.
    http://www.carolchanel.com/rockin_relationships.html


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    Tuesday, July 14, 2009

    Nice Has Its Price!

    Article Presented by:
    Copyright © 2009 Carol Chanel



    At the 2007 Grammy awards The Dixie Chicks song "I'm Not Ready to Make Nice" won the Grammy for best song.

    The storm of controversy that spawned the song is known to many. The hottest selling female country band in music history, the Dixie Chicks, got knocked off a lot of radio stations and suffered significant financial losses when one of them expressed a political viewpoint during a London concert in 2003. Whether you agree with them or not, isn't what I want to focus on in this article.

    As the Dixie Chicks worked their way out of the controversy, they wrote an award-winning, powerful song that can be a great guide for all of us.

    "I'm not ready to make nice. I'm not ready to back down...I don't have time to go round and round and round...I've paid a price and I'll keep paying... I can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should."

    That last line is the key to living your life from a place of freedom, peace and joy. If you try to live your life to please others, or to do what they think you should, you'll never be happy or fulfill your dreams.

    People will find all sorts of ways to try to manipulate you into doing things their way. They will give you gifts, promotions, raises, love (well not really, but they say they will), housing, food, and validation. They will act pouty, whiney, controlling, angry or aloof to try to get you to do things their way. And all you have to do is give in, speak, act and do it their way. All you have to do is sell your soul!

    Am I being dramatic? Not really. When you live your life by someone else's standards and wishes, you aren't living it according to what feels great for you. And you will never be happy under those circumstances. And it's your life!

    As women, many of us were raised to be nice little girls. We were taught that being people pleasers had benefits. After all most of us had moms and dads who validated, rewarded and loved us when we were good.

    And that might have been okay when we were small, since we couldn't survive without mom and dad, but now as women it's not good for us.

    I'm not implying that you need to be nasty. Kind and firm are appropriate and a great guide for living your life, especially combined with humble and loving.

    But if you think that you need people to like you more than you need to honor yourself, then you'll be stuck living your life the way others think you should.

    The cost of being nice, of pleasing others, is giving up your dreams, desires, choices, freedom and your joy of life. It might keep you from asking for a raise, taking a dream vacation, living in a favorite city, driving a fun car, having children, or getting an education - just to mention a few things you might sacrifice by being nice and pleasing others.

    Other than never making you happy, there's a bigger problem to the nice scenario.

    People who want you to do things their way, who want you to make them happy, don't really care about you. They only care about their own feelings and needs. They make terrible partners, friends, co-workers or bosses.

    They care about themselves, at your expense. And it's up to you to see the truth about them. They are in the relationship for what they can get out of it, not what they can put into it.

    If you stay, you will wake up one day and realize how empty you are. You will realize that you don't know who you are, that you lost yourself.

    So do yourself a favor, find a partner, friend or boss who also cares about you. Someone who doesn't manipulate you with gifts, praise, supposed love and other things to get their way.

    Find a partner who doesn't get pouty, whiney, controlling, angry or aloof to manipulate you into doing things their way. Especially when it's something you really don't want to do, and know it's not good for you, or doesn't feel right for you.

    As the Dixie Chicks learned, there is often a price to be paid for speaking your opinion, your truth. But the price of being nice is far greater than any price you might pay for being true to yourself. Selling your soul to get material or other perceived gains, isn't what your came here to do or be. You came here to live an authentic life. You came here to thrive. You can't thrive when you turn against yourself.

    Choose to not back down. Choose not to make nice. Choose to be kind, firm, humble and loving. Choose to listen to your heart. Choose to trust that God Source Creation has great people lined up for you if you make room for them, then trust and stay positive.

    Imagine the possibilities...

    (c) Carol C. Chanel




    About the Author:
    Carol Chanel is a Certified Life Coach who works with people to create new, meaningful and FUN lives. You can learn more about how to create loving and healthy relationships, draw boundaries, not take things personally, be happy to be who you are, and make time for fun by going to her free ezine archive.
    http://www.carolchanel.com/rockin_relationships.html


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