Its all mine

Lost Time

2007-03-26T12:18:00.000-07:00

A lot of time has passed since my last posting but I am back with every intention of staying. I am just recovering from a broken ankle which was pretty bad, three broken bones and a dislocated ankle. I now realise what it is like to be housebound and I don't envy anyone who is in that permanant position. It is now six months since the accident and yesterday was my first trip around the supermarket, my legs were killing me by the time we got round but I was so pleased, even though I normally hate shopping.
My holiday in Turkey turned into a nightmare when I slipped on some steps by the swimming pool and it was only the fourth day of my holiday, I spent the next five days in hospital and you could say that was the end of the holiday for me.
You would think that Turkish hospitals might be behind the times, but it was fantastic and I couldn't find a single fault.
If only the UK hospitals were as good. I have had my fill of hospitals in the UK. Hours waiting to see the consultant then in and out of my appointment in five minutes. Oh I could say so much more but it would be a waste of time, my problem was nothing compared to others.

DRUG SCARE SCHOOLKIDS 'OVERDOSED' ON MINTS

2006-10-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Staff feared it was ecstasy
By Jeremy Armstrong
A GROUP of pupils thought to have been poisoned by ecstasy were rushed to hospital - where doctors found a packet of old MINTS were to blame.

Teachers feared the drug had been handed out in the playground when 10 youngsters complained of feeling unwell and dizzy after being given "small, white pills".

They dialled 999 and the groggy kids were carted off in a fleet of ambulances and police vans.

But a probe at the Venerable Bede C of E secondary school found their illnesses were caused by out-of-date mints given out by another pupil.

Head teacher Ed Yeates said: "The mints were innocently shared out amongst friends but they made some of them feel unwell.

"Staff were alerted, the sweets taken away for further examination and health and safety procedures brought immediately into effect.

"As a precautionary measure those involved were taken to hospital where they were thoroughly examined and quickly released while their parents were contacted as soon as possible."

One father of a 13-year-old boy at the school in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, said: "My son told me someone from year eight had been handing out sweets saying it was ecstasy.

"They later started feeling sick and the next thing, police and ambulances starting turning up at the school. I am concerned as any parent would be about it. We have always told our son not to take anything handed to him by someone else.

"I hope they take this seriously, it sounds like a joke that got out of hand."

The mother of a 15-year-old pupil added: "All I heard was the word drugs and that kids had been taken poorly and taken to hospital. It is worrying and relief that it was just mints. It appears he got them from his nan."

Northumbria police referred Thursday's incident to the Health and Safety Executive.

A spokeswoman said: "Ten children were reported to have said they felt unwell and an ambulance was called and they were taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital as a precaution.

"It appears the cause of the problem was out-of-date sweets."

A hospital spokesman added: "A number of children were examined after it was believed they had eaten a white powdery substance.

"We gather this was probably mints and all were quickly discharged without any ill effects."

Bid to deport foreign prisoners

2006-10-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

Home Secretary John Reid will continue talks with European justice and interior ministers as Britain's jails near bursting point.

Mr Reid travelled to Luxembourg for the first day of the talks, which he is holding with other justice and interior ministers from the European Union.

He has already made clear that he would like to see more foreign prisoners removed from the UK, possibly serving part or all of their sentences in their home countries.

Latest figures show the number of prisoners in England and Wales has reached 79,642, with capacity put by the Prison Service as 79,968. The population, already running at record levels, rose by another 357 in the week to September 29 and if that trend continues, jails could be full within days.

An announcement of emergency measures for reducing prison overcrowding is expected in the next few days.

A Home Office spokesman said officials were likely to present a series of options to Mr Reid regarding possible action if the prison population reaches capacity. He added that this was likely to include proposals for dealing with foreign national prisoners.

The BBC reported that these included deporting or transferring to immigration centres some of the 10,000 foreign prisoners who are being held. Officials are also reported to be considering releasing some inmates early to free up prison cells or using cells at police stations - a strategy known as Operation Safeguard - to house prisoners.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said that the prison population was something which was "closely monitored". She pointed to announcements in July to create thousands of new prison places by building new prisons as well as expanding existing ones.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "This is a situation which the Home Office, working alongside the Prison Service, keep under constant review, and it will be a matter for operational decisions as to how they manage it."

Charles Bushell, leader of the Prison Governors Association, told the BBC: "We have reached bursting point. Anybody who says we should build more prisons needs to say how many and where the money is going to come from."

House of cards: why the party could be over for internet gambling

2006-10-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

The poker face has finally cracked: US Congress’ decision to ban internet gambling has shocked the London-listed online gambling industry and knocked billions from share prices of its companies.
Many executives in the $12 billion industry had confidently faced down the growing threats from Congressmen, predicted that a ban would never make it into law and assured investors that online gambling could not be stopped.
Time to fold?
Now many in these firms are hinting they may no longer take bets from the US. The trouble is that the gambling habits of Americans account for between half and three-quarters of their business.

Catch a falling star…
Following news of the passage of legislation over the weekend, shares in online gaming firms PartyGaming, Sportingbet, 888 Holdings and Empire Online immediately dropped by around two-thirds on Monday morning, before investors had any chance to sell. Sportingbet, which had been in the process of taking over rival World Gaming, abandoned the transaction.
Specialist payment service Neteller, which allows gamblers to fund their habit and make withdrawals of winnings, was 62% lower at 145p. U.S. listed Optimal Group, whose FireOne subsidiary is a rival to Neteller, is declined further on Monday after a 15% fall late on Friday.

Firms like PlayTech, which makes gaming software, were not exempt. The shares more than halved in the first few minutes of trading. See intraday chart for Partygaming
See quote for 888 Holdings Neteller share price chart Bill Frist’s three card trick.

The law was passed late on Friday night, just before Congress packed up for a month’s campaigning for mid-term elections. Senate majority leader Bill Frist managed to get the controversial legislation tacked onto the end of another bill, one which deals with port security and whose passage before the recess was seen as vital. That allowed the anti-gambling bill, which was too far down the packed legislative schedule to make it into law, to jump the queue without having to be voted on.

What the rules mean
The new rules, something of a watered-down version of a bill which passed the House of Representatives in June, do not target those who gamble nor the offshore websites who offer the service, but the domestic banks which process their payments. Banks will no longer be allowed to route payments to these websites. President Bush has until November 7 to sign the bill into law, and the US banking and credit card industry has another 270 days to work out how to make it work.
Senator Jon Kyl, one of the architects of the bill, applauded its passage. "It's been over 10 years in the making,” he said.
“The enforcement provisions provided by this bill will go a long way to stop these illegal online operations."
Others were furious. "The American people should be outraged that Congress has hi-jacked a vital security bill with a poker prohibition that nearly three fourths of the country opposes," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance, which has around 110,000 US-based members.
The maze of US gambling laws
US gambling rules are a mess and have been for decades. This latest law makes the morass even murkier.
Most gambling is illegal, though some states allow it in certain areas.

These include Florida, New Jersey and most prominently Nevada, which hosts a huge casino industry in Las Vegas. Other states also allow gambling where casinos are on native American land, or in specific places such as in floating casinos with all sorts of arcane rules over whether they should be moored or not when gambling starts. The upshot is that if you want to gamble, you can find legal ways to do it.

Most of the opposition to gambling comes on moral grounds: that gambling is addictive, that it corrupts individuals, ruins families and causes huge social problems. All this is true, though outlawing it has never been able to stop it entirely any more than the sale of alcohol was eradicated in the US during the prohibition era of the 1920s and 30s.

Those who oppose the new law maintain that regulation is a better way of dealing with gambling’s ills than driving it underground.
Different rules, different games
Moreover, the legal framework is riven with hypocrisy. The US has a thriving state lottery industry, including scratch-card games based on poker. Horse race betting remains legal while other kinds of sports betting are not. Any kind of betting that takes place over telephone or telegraph wires is in theory illegal under the 1961 Wire Line Act. The new law fails to clarify that Act in its application to the internet.
The Louisiana loophole
Louisiana, the state which tried and failed last month to get Sportingbet chairman Peter Dicks extradited from New York State because his company takes sports bets from its citizens, freely allows visitors to spend money at floating casinos and makes tax money from that gambling.
Supporters of a ban are mainly drawn from Christian groups, and a body of Republican legislators, led by Senator Kyl and Congressman Bob Goodlatte, on whose bills the compromise legislation is fashioned. However, it was probably the activities of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff that put fire in their bellies. In a city that tolerates a huge amount of political donation and patronage, Abramoff’s free-spending activities on behalf of the gambling industry, and his defrauding of a number of Indian tribes was just too much.

It’s not quite over yet…maybe Investors in London-listed Internet gambling companies have a few straws to grasp at. First, the US banks responsible for identifying gambling transactions have already complained that their job will be both expensive and difficult. The Independent Community Bankers of America said in July that it there was currently no way of ‘coding’ electronic payments and personal cheques by the type of recipient in the way that credit card transaction can be.

One senior Republican politician, quoted by the gambling advocacy website Gambling911.com, said that the law as passed changed very little, because of the technical difficulties already involved in processing card payments. "The bill affects Visa/MasterCard transactions and it is getting impossible to use these cards anyway [for online gambling transactions],” he said.

Trade rule challenge
Second, in the longer term the US may face a challenge over the discriminatory nature of its attack on gambling. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2004 backed a complaint by Antigua and Barbuda that the US was in breach of trading rules for banning credit card companies from making payments to gambling web sites based on the islands, while allowing them to make payments to US-based casinos.
The US claims that it can use the ‘moral exception’ clause allowed under WTO rules, but that may not be sustainable as the new law has failed to deal with either state lotteries or horse racing.
What’s left for investors?

While almost all online gambling companies get the bulk of their business from the US, there have been big efforts to diversify into Europe and the Far East. Most of these newer ventures are not yet mature. The two-thirds fall in stocks today is probably a fair valuation of the remaining business assets, assuming the value of the US activities to be nil.

Investors in the online gambling sector should long have been aware of the legislative risks which have fuelled the volatility in their shares. Clearly, the industry has massively overplayed its hand. But, hey, that’s poker.

Gambleing Ban

2006-10-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

The poker face has finally cracked: US Congress’ decision to ban internet gambling has shocked the London-listed online gambling industry and knocked billions from share prices of its companies.

Many executives in the $12 billion industry had confidently faced down the growing threats from Congressmen, predicted that a ban would never make it into law and assured investors that online gambling could not be stopped.

Time to fold?
Now many in these firms are hinting they may no longer take bets from the US. The trouble is that the gambling habits of Americans account for between half and three-quarters of their business.

Industry leader Partygaming today issued a statement saying it would suspend all "real money" gaming activities in the US if President George W Bush signed the bill into law, and warned that its profits would be hard hit. Another leading player, 888 Holdings, said it would stop taking US bets once the bill becomes law.

Catch a falling star…
Following news of the passage of legislation over the weekend, shares in online gaming firms PartyGaming, Sportingbet, 888 Holdings and Empire Online immediately dropped by around two-thirds on Monday morning, before investors had any chance to sell. Sportingbet, which had been in the process of taking over rival World Gaming, abandoned the transaction.

Specialist payment service Neteller, which allows gamblers to fund their habit and make withdrawals of winnings, was 62% lower at 145p. U.S. listed Optimal Group, whose FireOne subsidiary is a rival to Neteller, is declined further on Monday after a 15% fall late on Friday.
Firms like PlayTech, which makes gaming software, were not exempt. The shares more than halved in the first few minutes of trading.
Bill Frist’s three card trick
The law was passed late on Friday night, just before Congress packed up for a month’s campaigning for mid-term elections. Senate majority leader Bill Frist managed to get the controversial legislation tacked onto the end of another bill, one which deals with port security and whose passage before the recess was seen as vital. That allowed the anti-gambling bill, which was too far down the packed legislative schedule to make it into law, to jump the queue without having to be voted on.
What the rules mean
The new rules, something of a watered-down version of a bill which passed the House of Representatives in June, do not target those who gamble nor the offshore websites who offer the service, but the domestic banks which process their payments.

Banks will no longer be allowed to route payments to these websites. President Bush has until November 7 to sign the bill into law, and the US banking and credit card industry has another 270 days to work out how to make it work.

Senator Jon Kyl, one of the architects of the bill, applauded its passage. "It's been over 10 years in the making,” he said.
“The enforcement provisions provided by this bill will go a long way to stop these illegal online operations."

Others were furious. "The American people should be outraged that Congress has hi-jacked a vital security bill with a poker prohibition that nearly three fourths of the country opposes," said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance, which has around 110,000 US-based members.

The maze of US gambling laws
US gambling rules are a mess and have been for decades. This latest law makes the morass even murkier.

Most gambling is illegal, though some states allow it in certain areas. These include Florida, New Jersey and most prominently Nevada, which hosts a huge casino industry in Las Vegas.

Other states also allow gambling where casinos are on native American land, or in specific places such as in floating casinos with all sorts of arcane rules over whether they should be moored or not when gambling starts. The upshot is that if you want to gamble, you can find legal ways to do it.

Most of the opposition to gambling comes on moral grounds: that gambling is addictive, that it corrupts individuals, ruins families and causes huge social problems. All this is true, though outlawing it has never been able to stop it entirely any more than the sale of alcohol was eradicated in the US during the prohibition era of the 1920s and 30s. Those who oppose the new law maintain that regulation is a better way of dealing with gambling’s ills than driving it underground.

Different rules, different games
Moreover, the legal framework is riven with hypocrisy. The US has a thriving state lottery industry, including scratch-card games based on poker. Horse race betting remains legal while other kinds of sports betting are not.

Any kind of betting that takes place over telephone or telegraph wires is in theory illegal under the 1961 Wire Line Act. The new law fails to clarify that Act in its application to the internet.

The Louisiana loophole
Louisiana, the state which tried and failed last month to get Sportingbet chairman Peter Dicks extradited from New York State because his company takes sports bets from its citizens, freely allows visitors to spend money at floating casinos and makes tax money from that gambling.

Supporters of a ban are mainly drawn from Christian groups, and a body of Republican legislators, led by Senator Kyl and Congressman Bob Goodlatte, on whose bills the compromise legislation is fashioned. However, it was probably the activities of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff that put fire in their bellies.

In a city that tolerates a huge amount of political donation and patronage, Abramoff’s free-spending activities on behalf of the gambling industry, and his defrauding of a number of Indian tribes was just too much.

It’s not quite over yet…maybe
Investors in London-listed Internet gambling companies have a few straws to grasp at. First, the US banks responsible for identifying gambling transactions have already complained that their job will be both expensive and difficult.

The Independent Community Bankers of America said in July that it there was currently no way of ‘coding’ electronic payments and personal cheques by the type of recipient in the way that credit card transaction can be.

One senior Republican politician, quoted by the gambling advocacy website Gambling911.com, said that the law as passed changed very little, because of the technical difficulties already involved in processing card payments.

"The bill affects Visa/MasterCard transactions and it is getting impossible to use these cards anyway [for online gambling transactions],” he said.

Trade rule challenge
Second, in the longer term the US may face a challenge over the discriminatory nature of its attack on gambling.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2004 backed a complaint by Antigua and Barbuda that the US was in breach of trading rules for banning credit card companies from making payments to gambling web sites based on the islands, while allowing them to make payments to US-based casinos.

The US claims that it can use the ‘moral exception’ clause allowed under WTO rules, but that may not be sustainable as the new law has failed to deal with either state lotteries or horse racing.
What’s left for investors?
While almost all online gambling companies get the bulk of their business from the US, there have been big efforts to diversify into Europe and the Far East. Most of these newer ventures are not yet mature. The two-thirds fall in stocks today is probably a fair valuation of the remaining business assets, assuming the value of the US activities to be nil.

Investors in the online gambling sector should long have been aware of the legislative risks which have fuelled the volatility in their shares. Clearly, the industry has massively overplayed its hand. But, hey, that’s poker.

Is this a Free Country or What !

2006-10-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

According to the wikipedia encyclopedia, online chain letters to make money came into existence in 1988 and are classed as scams.

They become scams because people do not follow them through, it could be a perfect money maker if every one followed the rules and forwarded the $1 and sent out to the required number of people, because although it is a type of pyramid scheme it is one where, if people did receive the money promised they would continue to rejoin at intervals and so keep the scheme going.

This type of letter began long before 1988. In 1960 a friend of mine received one of these letters, I also received one but I did not follow it through where as she did.
It asked for the sum of 2/6p which is now an average of 25p.but the promise was not to receive money but a full dinner service if you followed up by sending out a further 25 letters to friends and family etc.

Six months went by and she had given up on it when one day a box was delivered by post, it was the promised dinner service and a really nice one, I was quite sorry that I had missed out on the chance.

It just goes to show that they can work if people really do follow them through.
I t is no wonder that the ones that were sweeping the country in the last two or three years failed and people lost a lot of money, it stands to reason that people would be wary of risking the large amount of money that changed hands, or they did not have that sort of money to hand out and it was bound to come to a sticky end sooner rather than later but people knew it was risky so why cry when it goes haywire.

But risking $1 is a different matter , thousands or millions of us risk more than that on the lottery every single week with millions to one chance of winning.
Isn't the lottery a similar type of thing ? except of course it is backed by the government.

What if one week you won the lottery and the millions you expected turned out to be just a few hundred because suddenly people decided it was a scam and didn't bother to have a go that week you would be rather upset and call it a big scam yourself.

We once lived in a country which we believed was a free country and we prided ourselves on that fact, but slowly but surely all our rights are disappearing and we can not choose for ourselves what we want to do.

Laws are being brought out banning this and that or being made illegal. Are we the people not capable of running our own lives any more?
It seems not because we are slowly but surely allowing any rights we had to be taken away.
We can not choose for ourselves any more, is that what we want?
If we want to take the risk of possibly making money or losing it in what they call scams or hypes why shouldn't we be allowed to make our own minds up.

I haven't seen them banning racing yet, horse and dog and other forms where you can lose your shirt, or even the casinos or bingo halls, WHY! because the government makes money out of them in taxes.

If they made money out of what they call the ponzi schemes there would be no hue and cry or any thoughts of making it illegal.

I was a member of 12 dailypro and like thousands of people I lost money, but I chose to take the risk and join, knowing it was a risk, but that risk was working until certain people decided to put an end to it and it wasn't the person that was running it.
What are stocks and shares aren't they risky ! And doesn't the government wheel and deal every day and feather their own nests in the process.

How do the banks invest their money don't they risk other peoples money, and insurance companies take your money then wheel and deal with it, yes they promise you big things but if they fail and lose the money in a crash who is at a loss ! us of course, but we are allowed to risk our money with them its all legal.

Am I wrong in my thinking, What do you think.?

http://www.woweeitsfree.com/affiliates

Bosses face a costly day

2006-10-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

October 1 should be a date circled in red on business owners' calendars. That day will see the introduction of several key pieces of legislation, all of which could have a dramatic impact on the day-to-day running of most companies.

In less than a fortnight, wage bills will rise as the national minimum wage increases by 30p for adults to £5.35 an hour, 20p to £4.45 for 18 to 21-year-olds and by 30p to £3.30 for 16 to 17-year-olds.
Bosses will also have to digest changes to recruitment practices, training, pensions and staff benefits under the new age discrimination regulations.

The Work and Families Act that also comes into force on the first of the month will extend women's rights to paid maternity and adoption leave from six to nine months from April 2007.

The cost to business of complying with legislation introduced since 1998 has already exceeded £50bn, according to the British Chambers of Commerce. David Frost, the organisation's director-general, fears that this figure is set to increase dramatically.

'We expect to see a strong rise in the cost of compliance next year, particularly due to age discrimination laws. Businesses are aware of the changes, but are confused,' he says. 'They don't want the hard facts that the Government provides, they want an interpretation, but often can't afford a human resources manager.'

Martin Edwards, head of employment law at Liverpool and Manchester-based solicitor Mace & Jones, believes it is helpful to businesses that there are two key dates in April and October each year for the introduction of new laws.

He says: 'Having a couple of commencement dates makes small businesses less of a constantly moving target. But more practical help should be given beyond basic guidelines, with advice on how they can comply with new laws.'

While clear Government guidance is wanting, organisations such as the BCC, Federation of Small Businesses, and Forum of Private Business offer advice.

But one area of new legislation that many firms have overlooked is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which shifts responsibility for fire safety and prevention firmly on to the business owner.

Should they fail to assess the risk levels and take steps to prevent accidents, the company boss will be liable if there is a fire.

Peter Cook, fire service manager for Cams Fire & Security of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, which installs and maintains fire and intruder alarm systems, says: 'Government guidance has been hazy. Companies don't need to panic on October 1, but they need to nominate a person to take stock of what goes on in their premises.'

Brazil air force finds jetliner wreckage

2006-09-30T07:17:00.000-07:00

Sept. 30, 2006, 8:36AM
Brazil air force finds jetliner wreckage
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL — A Gol airlines jet that was missing with 155 people was discovered Saturday, crashed in the Amazon jungle region. The president of Brazil's airport authority, Jose Carlos Pereira, said air force search planes found the downed jetliner in the state of Mato Grosso.

"At this moment there is no way of telling if there are any survivors," said Denise Abreu one of the directors of the Brazilian Aviation Agency.

She said the plane crashed near the Jarina ranch, 1,090 miles northwest of Sao Paulo.

Gol airlines Flight 1907 vanished Friday after leaving the jungle city of Manaus en route for Brazilia and Rio de Janeiro.

The flight between Manaus and Rio is popular with foreign tourists but there was no immediate word on the nationalities of those aboard.

The worst previous air accident in Brazil occurred in 1982 when a Vasp 747 crashed in the northeastern city of Fortaleza, killing 137 people.

The cause of the crash was unclear. Officials earlier backed away from Friday's report that the jetliner might have collided with a Legacy executive jet before disappearing.

"It is impossible to confirm that there is a relation between the incident which caused the (Legacy) crew to perform an emergency landing in Cachimbo and the disappearance of the Gol airplane."

Manaus is a major river city in the heart of the Amazon rain forest some 1,700 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro.

Gol said in a statement late Friday that 149 passengers and six crew members were aboard the plane. Early Saturday morning, the airline released a list with 145 names. Gol did not explain the discrepancy between the number of people on the list and the number of people it said had been on board.

Some 70 family members and friends of those aboard the Gol plane were taken to a warehouse owned by Gol at the Brasilia airport to await news.

Sergio Misaci, 47, said his brother Lazaro, 58, was aboard the flight from Manaus and was traveling to Brasilia to celebrate their mother's 80th birthday.

"I have all the hope in the world. We have to root for them and have faith in God," Misaci said Friday. He added that he had lived in Manaus for six years and was sure they wouldn't find the plane for at least 24 hours.

"The trees there are 50 and 60 meters high and you can't see anything," he said.

Seven passengers were scheduled to disembark in Rio de Janeiro, where airport officials had put those waiting for the passengers in a separate room, said Wilson Fadul, a spokesman for the national airport authority.

The Gol flight vanished in the same region where a Varig 737-300 plane crashed in 1989 with 54 people aboard, 46 of whom survived.

It was the first major incident for Gol Linhas Aereas Intelligentes SA, an upstart Brazilian airline that took to the skies in 2001 with just six Boeing 737s in 2001, serving seven Brazilian cities.

Gol has grown exponentially since then, dramatically boosting its fleet using the same model of plane to keep costs down while giving passengers cold box lunches and soft drinks instead of hot meals and free alcohol, the norm on most Brazilian flights.

The company is now Brazil's second-largest airline after Tam Linhas Aereas SA, with more than 500 daily flights within Brazil and to Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.

It rapidly gained market share by offering low-cost tickets, modeling its service after low-cost carriers in the United States and Europe. Gol, started by the heirs of a successful bus company, also benefited from the demise of Brazil's flagship airline Varig, which virtually disintegrated earlier this year under a mountain of debt.

___

Pesticide residues found in nearly a third of Britain's food and drink

2006-09-29T15:23:00.000-07:00

Nearly a third of food and drink products tested by a government watchdog body last year contained traces of pesticides, and in 1.7 per cent of cases the chemical residues exceeded maximum legal limits.

A further 30.2 per cent of the 3,787 items surveyed had pesticide traces within those limits, the Pesticide Residue Committee said yesterday in its annual report. In 2004, only 1.09 per cent of the samples contained pesticide traces above the statutory limits.

The increase was due to more imported exotic fruit and vegetables being tested, the committee said.

Levels of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables destined for schools as part of the "five-a-day" scheme were broadly similar to those in the general food supply chain, the report said.

Of the 166 samples tested which were destined for schoolchildren, 132 contained chemical traces at or below the maximum permitted levels. Another three of the samples had residues which were above the legal limits.

Items tested in the overall survey included fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, cereal products, tea, olive oil, fruit juice and infant foods. No residues were found in chicken, eggs, infant formula, kidneys, milk or swede.

The samples of imported and home-produced food were collected from UK shops, markets, ports and wholesale suppliers.

Yesterday's report summarises the findings of 39 surveys carried out in 2005 as part of the committee's monitoring programme.

Ian Brown, the committee's chairman, said most of the pesticide residues were not a cause for health concern among consumers. "I cannot overemphasise the importance of continuing to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day," he said.

"The health benefits far outweigh any concern about pesticide residues."

The Pesticide Residues Committee advises ministers, the Food Standards Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate.

The committee has an annual budget of around £2.2m and carries out a continuing programme of food and drink monitoring. The committee publishes its findings every three months and summarises them in annual reports.

Promotions gone wild

2006-09-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

OK guys heres the answer to your advertising ideas, just make crazy offers to pull in the punters but make sure you take out insurance first.

Not since Crazy Eddie have business owners gone to such extremes to get attention, although now their tactics are ingenious instead of insane.

Over Labor Day weekend, Gonigam's World Furniture Mall near Chicago offered customers up to $10,000 of free furniture if the Chicago Bears shut out the Green Bay Packers.

After the Bears beat the Packers 26-0, over two hundred customers came in and cleared out about $300,000 worth of merchandise. Fortunately, owner Randy Gonigam had insured the store with a company that specializes in prize reimbursement insurance.

Since then, "we've seen a dramatic increase in traffic to our Web site," Gonigam said. "We had a slight uptick in business last weekend, but nothing dramatic," although Gonigam believes that the promotion will continue to reap long-term benefits.

"An awful lot of the people we've talked to plan to buy more stuff."

In another unusual move, Australian marketer Crumpler hosted a "Beers for Bags" event this summer in New York. Customers could trade bottles of Chimay, Brooklyn Lager and Guinness, for messenger bags, laptop cases and bean bag chairs.

As soon as Crumpler began accepting beer for merchandise, the company's two New York stores were flooded with customers, the owners said.

"We have found that since 'Beer for Bags,' sales have increased in the two Crumpler stores in New York by about 10 percent, and by about 20 percent in specialty retailers around the country stocking Crumpler, which is totally awesome!" said Bianca Dillon, Marketing Manager.

Overall the 'Beer For Bags' promotion increased brand awareness of Crumpler in both New York and nationwide," Dillon said.

The company hopes to make "Beer For Bags" an annual event, as it is in Australia.

Business owners are hoping that the business generated by the publicity will more than compensate for the cost of an insurance policy, explained James Chung, president of Mass.-based marketing strategy firm Reach Advisors. They are also calculating that their money will be better spent on insurance than on advertising.

"But, to make these things work, it's a matter of figuring out what will catch the attention of your particular audience," Chung said.

The key, Chung explained, is to "break through the cluttered marketplace and hit your audience, otherwise, it's just noise."

"I'm not trying to say that this is what every marketer should do every time, but it's a tactic that can bring excitement to the brand," he added.

In 2004, Long John Silver's did just that. The seafood chain took a gamble when it offered to give customers free "Giant Shrimp" if NASA found conclusive evidence of an ocean on Mars.

When news of the discovery came, Chief Marketing Officer Mike Baker said "there's no better way to recognize their giant accomplishments than with free Giant Shrimp for America."

Long John Silver's took out an insurance policy to cover the cost of the promotion, although the NASA's Mars Rover discovery came after the policy had expired.

Still, the company, which is a division of Yum! Brands (Charts), decided to honor the offer and eat the cost of the shrimp.

"It was a huge success," said Rick Maynard, a spokesman for the restaurant.

"It's not just about getting the brand out there, but getting the brand out there in a fun way."

Does God Want You To Be Rich?

2006-09-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

When George Adams lost his job at an Ohio tile factory last October, the most practical thing he did, he thinks, was go to a new church, even though he had to move his wife and four preteen boys to Conroe, a suburb of Houston, to do it.

Conroe, you see, is not far from Lakewood, the home church of megapastor and best-selling author Joel Osteen.

Osteen's relentlessly upbeat television sermons had helped Adams, 49, get through the hard times, and now Adams was expecting the smiling, Texas-twanged 43-year-old to help boost him back toward success. And Osteen did.

Inspired by the preacher's insistence that one of God's top priorities is to shower blessings on Christians in this lifetime--and by the corollary assumption that one of the worst things a person can do is to expect anything less--Adams marched into Gullo Ford in Conroe looking for work.

He didn't have entry-level aspirations: "God has showed me that he doesn't want me to be a run-of-the-mill person," he explains. He demanded to know what the dealership's top salesmen made--and got the job. Banishing all doubt--"You can't sell a $40,000-to-$50,000 car with menial thoughts"--Adams took four days to retail his first vehicle, a Ford F-150 Lariat with leather interior.

He knew that many fellow salesmen don't notch their first score until their second week. "Right now, I'm above average!" he exclaims. "It's a new day God has given me! I'm on my way to a six-figure income!" The sales commission will help with this month's rent, but Adams hates renting.

Once that six-figure income has been rolling in for a while, he will buy his dream house: "Twenty-five acres," he says. "And three bedrooms. We're going to have a schoolhouse (his children are home schooled). We want horses and ponies for the boys, so a horse barn. And a pond. And maybe some cattle."

"I'm dreaming big--because all of heaven is dreaming big," Adams continues. "Jesus died for our sins. That was the best gift God could give us," he says. "But we have something else. Because I want to follow Jesus and do what he ordained, God wants to support us. It's Joel Osteen's ministry that told me. Why would an awesome and mighty God want anything less for his children?"

In three of the Gospels, Jesus warns that each of his disciples may have to "deny himself" and even "take up his Cross." In support of this alarming prediction, he forcefully contrasts the fleeting pleasures of today with the promise of eternity:

"For what profit is it to a man," he asks, "if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" It is one of the New Testament's hardest teachings, yet generations of churchgoers have understood that being Christian, on some level, means being ready to sacrifice--money, autonomy or even their lives.

Creating a Fortune

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Earth's temperature is dangerously high, Nasa scientists warn

2006-09-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Earth's temperature is dangerously high, Nasa scientists warnEarth's temperature could be reaching its highest level in a million years, American scientists said yesterday.
Researchers at Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies said a further one degree celsius rise in the global temperature could be critical to the planet, and there was already a threat of extreme weather resulting from El Niño.

The scientists said that in the 30 years to the end of 2005, temperatures increased at the rate of 0.2 degrees per decade, a rate they described as "remarkably rapid".

Comparison of the current global temperature with estimates of historical temperatures - based on a study of ocean sediment - showed the current temperature was now within 1C of the maximum temperature of the past million years.
Dr James Hansen, who led the study, said further global warming of just 1C could lead to big changes to the planet.

"If warming is kept less than that, effects of global warming may be relatively manageable," he said.

"But if further global warming reaches two or three degrees celsius, we will likely see changes that make Earth a different planet [to] the one we know.

"The last time it was that warm was in the middle Pliocene, about 3m years ago, when sea level was estimated to have been about 25 meters (80 feet) higher than today."

The study showed that global warming was greatest at high latitudes in the northern hemisphere. The study attributed this to the effect of snow and ice melting, leaving dark areas that absorb more sunlight.

Warming was lower over sea than on land, but the research team said the temperature of the western Pacific had been increasing, and was becoming much warmer than the eastern Pacific. This increased difference could boost the likelihood of strong El Niño weather conditions such as those seen in 1983 and 1998, when many countries around the world experienced devastating floods and tornadoes.

Dr Hansen said that the increasing temperature could lead to the extinction of some species, which would find it increasingly difficult to find viable habitats.

Plants and animals have been observed migrating towards the poles to find areas where the temperature better suits them. However, Dr Hansen said that they were not keeping up with the pace at which temperature zones are moving - this movement had reached 25 miles per decade between 1975 and 2005.

He said: "Rapid movement of climatic zones is going to be another stress on wildlife.

"It adds to the stress of habitat loss due to human developments. If we do not slow down the rate of global warming, many species are likely to become extinct.

"In effect we are pushing them off the planet."

The environment group Earthwatch today warned that a change in climate could make the difference between survival and extinction for endangered lemurs in Madagascar.

A 20-year study of the Milne-Edward's sifakas lemur found that during dry spells, older females were unable to chew enough leaves to provide their infants with milk.

Lemurs are able to give birth up to five times during the final decade of their lives, but as they get older their teeth become worn, making it harder for them to eat.

If dry periods become more common, they will struggle to feed their young, and the numbers of animals who make it to adulthood will fall.

Have you noticed that the predictions made in years gone by are slowly becoming true facts.

It was predicted that the earth would end by fire which at this moment in time seems a distinct posibility, At one time I assumed this prediction had something to do with the atom bomb that the world would be blown up and end in a ball of fire, but it now seems that global warming is the point of that prediction.

The bible may not be believed by all and although I am not a religious person and I do not go to church I do believe in God.

I think it is time we all stopped what ever we are doing to take a good look at ourselves and start wondering what is happening to this world of ours.

Things are going from bad to worse with each passing year, life means nothing any more it is something that can be extinguished like a candle by anyone that takes the whim.

We have one life only which should be precious to every person, but the taking of a life is now something that is an every day happening, we just think ourselves lucky that we are allowed to live on in this cruel and harsh world.

When it comes to point where parents are scared to even let their children play in the garden, or worried sick when their teenagers want to venture into the world on there own, what can we expect in the years to come!

When one religion believes that their religion is better than than the next mans and kills without a qualm. I say they are killers not religious it is just something for them to hide behind so they can go about their evil wrong doings and feel good about it.

The world was made for every man no matter what or who they believe in.

Google News

2006-09-25T05:47:00.000-07:00

Google News
"One of the primary reasons that cats are unfortunately given up for adoption or go to shelters is because people are really highly allergic"
Sneeze-free cats go on sale
11.18, Mon Sep 25 2006

The World's first hypoallergenic cats have gone on sale in the US, pleasing pet lovers who are prone to the sniffles.

Researchers promise the cats will not cause the red eyes, sneezing and even asthma that some cat allergy sufferers experience, except in the most acute cases.

There is already a waiting list for the cuties, despite them carrying a hefty $3,950 (£2,100) price tag.

US biotech firm Allerca said it has managed to selectively breed them by reducing a certain type of protein that triggers allergic reactions.

Stephen May, Allerca spokesman said: "There's a lot of allergic people out there who really really enjoy pets.

"One of the primary reasons that cats are unfortunately given up for adoption or go to shelters is because people are really highly allergic.

"So to share that quality time and still wanting a cherished pet like this from a cat, there is big demand."

Blair calls for end to inner party power struggles

2006-09-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Blair calls for end to inner party power strugglesLondon/Manchester - British Prime Minister Tony Blair called on his Labour Party Sunday to cease inner party power struggles and concentrate instead on issues such as immigration and terror.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of this year's annual Labour Party conference beginning Sunday in Manchester, Blair said the question of his successor as party head and as prime minister 'will deal with itself in due course.'

Blair is to give a keynote speech at the conference on Tuesday. He had said earlier this month that it would be his last annual Labour conference as leader after coming under fierce pressure.

Blair then told opponents within the party that he would give up his offices 'within 12 months.' Party members then called on him to stand down at the beginning of next year.

Strong factions within the party, who support Blair's rival the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, have demanded a date be set for the handover of power.

In interviews with the BBC and other media Sunday, Blair refused to 'play the game' after being asked to comment on a date and on a possible successor and warned that such a discussion was 'very dangerous.' The public had the impression that Labour was preoccupied with itself.

He added: 'The public out there are angry about that. They don't want to see their government do that. They want us to govern.'

SABCnews.com - world/europe

2006-09-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

France's defence ministry said today a secret service report saying Osama bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader, had died could not be confirmed but said it would launch an inquiry into the leak of secret documents.

"The information published this morning in the L'Est Republicain newspaper relating to the supposed death of Osama bin Laden cannot be confirmed," the defence ministry said in a statement.

"The defence minister has asked that an inquiry be carried out to determine the origin of the leak that can be punished by criminal charges." France orders probe into bin Laden death report leak

Report says Osama succumbs to typhoid
The newspaper printed what it said was a copy of the report dated September 21 and said it was shown to Jacques Chirac, the president and Dominique de Villepin, the prime minister and France's interior and defence ministers on the same day.

"According to a usually reliable source, the Saudi services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead," the document said. "The information gathered by the Saudis indicates that the head of al Qaeda was a victim while he was in Pakistan on August 23, 2006, of a very serious case of typhoid which led to a partial paralysis of his internal organs."

The report, which was stamped with a "confidential defence" label and the initials of the French secret service, said Saudi Arabia first heard the information on September 4 and that it was waiting for more details before making an official announcement.

A senior official in Pakistan said no foreign government had shared information with Pakistan that would back up the report of bin Laden's death. Saudi-born bin Laden was based in Afghanistan until the Taliban government there was overthrown by US - backed forces in 2001. Since then, US and Pakistani officials have regularly said they believe he is hiding somewhere on the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The last videotaped message released by bin Laden was in late 2004, but there have been several low quality audio tapes released this year. – Reuters

SABCnews.com - world/europe

2006-09-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

SABCnews.com - world/europe

Passengers injured in German maglev accident

2006-09-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

More than 20 people were injured today when a high-speed magnetic train came off the tracks during a test run in a town in western Germany, local police said.
The Transrapid magnetic train went off the tracks in the town of Lathen at around 10.05am (0805 GMT), according to a police spokesman from the nearby town of Osnabrueck.

Confirming that passengers were still onboard the train, the spokesman added: "The magnetic levitation train is hanging halfway off."

He gave the number of injured as 25, while another regional police department said 21 people were hurt.

Magnetic levitation, or maglev, trains use electrically charged magnets to cause the trains to hover just above the track - formally known as a guideway - allowing them to glide along without friction.

Different types of maglev are currently under development in Germany and Japan. The German trains can reach 450km per hour (270mph) on the 32km (20 mile) test track. The Japanese trains can reach more than 310mph (500kph), which would allow passengers to travel from Paris to Rome in just two hours. In comparison, a Boeing 777 aeroplane used for long-range flights can reach a top speed of about 562mph (905kph).

1.30pm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Passengers injured in German maglev accident

David Batty
Friday September 22, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

A crane lifts the wreckage of a high-speed magnetic levitation train that came off its guideway during a test run in western Germany. Photograph: Nigel Treblin/AFP/Getty Images

More than 20 people were injured today when a high-speed magnetic train came off the tracks during a test run in a town in western Germany, local police said.
The Transrapid magnetic train went off the tracks in the town of Lathen at around 10.05am (0805 GMT), according to a police spokesman from the nearby town of Osnabrueck.

Confirming that passengers were still onboard the train, the spokesman added: "The magnetic levitation train is hanging halfway off."

He gave the number of injured as 25, while another regional police department said 21 people were hurt.

Magnetic levitation, or maglev, trains use electrically charged magnets to cause the trains to hover just above the track - formally known as a guideway - allowing them to glide along without friction.

Different types of maglev are currently under development in Germany and Japan. The German trains can reach 450km per hour (270mph) on the 32km (20 mile) test track. The Japanese trains can reach more than 310mph (500kph), which would allow passengers to travel from Paris to Rome in just two hours. In comparison, a Boeing 777 aeroplane used for long-range flights can reach a top speed of about 562mph (905kph).

Article continues

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The world's only commercially operating maglev train is based in Shanghai, China, which currently runs between Longyang Road station at the city's centre and Pudong international airport. A fire broke out in an electrical storage compartment on the train on August 11, generating large amounts of smoke but causing no serious injuries.
Last month the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, raised the prospect that a Conservative government would introduce a maglev railway in the UK, as part of a package of measures to reduce pollution.

The maglev system has significant environmental advantages. The trains have no engine and no wheel contact, so there is insignificant noise pollution or vibration. In addition, they do not use fuel, meaning that there is no air pollution - at least not from the vehicle.

However, the technology is hugely expensive, with the German plan to link Berlin and Hamburg estimated to cost £3bn.

Stagecoach wins South West Trains contract

Ros Davidson
Friday September 22, 2006
Guardian Unlimited UK

Waterloo station, a focal point on the South West Trains network. Photograph: PA

Stagecoach, the major transport company, has been awarded the contract to run the South Western Trains franchise from February 2007, the Department for Transport announced today.
Stagecoach Group has agreed to pay the DfT a premium of £1.19m over the life of the 10-year franchise. The contract will be extended for the final three years, if Stagecoach's performance is good enough.

Stagecoach currently operates the South Western franchise and Island Line on the Isle of Wight, which are being consolidated into a single expanded South West franchise under the new contract.

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ BWI terminals shut after suspicious package found

2006-09-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal ¦ BWI terminals shut after suspicious package found

globeandmail.com : Tiger Woods all wet to start Ryder Cup

2006-09-22T02:09:00.000-07:00

globeandmail.com : Tiger Woods all wet to start Ryder Cup

My Broadband :: Gaming : Console war delayed

2006-09-22T00:58:00.000-07:00

My Broadband :: Gaming : Console war delayed

Bush, GOP rebels agree on detainee bill

2006-09-21T15:56:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON — The White House and rebellious Senate Republicans agreed Thursday on rules for the interrogation and trial of suspects in the war on terror, and President Bush urged Congress to make them law before adjourning for midterm elections.

"I'm pleased to say that this agreement preserves the single most potent tool we have in protecting America and foiling terrorist attacks," the president said, shortly after administration officials and key lawmakers announced agreement following a week of high-profile intraparty disagreement.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, one of three GOP lawmakers who told Bush he couldn't have the legislation the way he initially asked for it, said, "The agreement that we've entered into gives the president the tools he needs to continue to fight the war on terror and bring these evil people to justice."

There's no doubt that the integrity and letter and spirit of the Geneva Conventions have been preserved," McCain said, referring to international agreements that cover the treatment of prisoners in wartime.

Details of the agreement were sketchy.

The central sticking point had involved a demand from McCain, Sen. John Warner of Virginia and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina for a provision making it clear that torture of suspects would be barred.

One official said that under the agreement, the administration agreed to drop language that would have stated an existing ban on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment was enough to meet Geneva Convention obligations.

Convention standards are much broader and include a prohibition on "outrages" against "personal dignity."

In turn, this official said, negotiators agreed to clarify what acts constitute a war crime. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he had not been authorized to discuss the details.

The agreement did not extend to a related issue _ whether suspects and their lawyers would be permitted to see any classified evidence in the cases against them.

Warner, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he wouldn't consider the agreement sealed until Bush signed on.

That happened within an hour, when the president stepped before microphones in Orlando, Fla., where he was campaigning for Republican candidates in the fall.

The agreement "clears the way to do what the American people expect us to do _ to capture terrorists, to detain terrorists, to question terrorists and then to try them," he said.

Bush had said his objective was legislation that would allow CIA interrogators to do their work without fear of legal repercussions, and CIA Director Michael Hayden said that had been accomplished.

"If this language becomes law, the Congress will have given us the clarity and the support that we need to move forward with a detention and interrogation program that allows us to continue to defend the homeland, attack al-Qaida and protect American and allied lives," he said in a written message to agency personnel.

The accord was sealed in a 90-minute session in the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who had earlier in the day told Warner, McCain and Graham it was time to close the deal. The four lawmakers were joined by Stephen Hadley, the president's national security adviser, as well as other administration officials, for the final session.

If it survives scrutiny, the accord would fulfill a Republican political and legislative imperative _ pre-election party unity on an issue related to the war on terror, and possible enactment of one of Bush's top remaining priorities of the year.

The evident compromise came less than a week after Bush emphatically warned lawmakers at a news conference he would shut down the interrogation of terror suspects unless legislation was sent to his desk. "Time's running out," he said.

The White House shifted its tone from combative to compromising within 48 hours, though, and officials began talking of a need for an agreement that all sides would be comfortable with.

Whatever the outcome, the controversy has handed critics of the president's conduct of the war on terror election-year ammunition.

Bush's former secretary of state, Colin Powell, dismayed the administration when he sided with Warner, McCain and Graham. He said Bush's plan, which would have formally changed the U.S. view of the Geneva Conventions on rules of warfare, would cause the world "to doubt the moral basis" of the fight against terror and "put our own troops at risk."

The handling of suspects is one of two administration priorities relating to the war on terror.

The other involves the president's request for legislation to explicitly allow wiretapping without a court warrant on international calls and e-mails between suspected terrorists in the United States and abroad. One official said Republicans had narrowed their differences with the White House over that issue, as well, and hoped for an agreement soon.

Republican leaders have said they intend to adjourn Congress by the end of the month to give lawmakers time to campaign for re-election.

The Supreme Court ruled in June that Bush's plan for trying terrorism suspects before military tribunals violated the Geneva Conventions and U.S. law.

The court, in a 5-3 ruling, found that Congress had not given Bush the authority to create the special type of military trial and that the president did not provide a valid reason for the new system. The justices also said the proposed trials did not provide for minimum legal protections under international law.

About 450 terrorism suspects, most of them captured in Afghanistan and none of them in the U.S., are being held by military authorities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ten have been charged with crimes.

2006-09-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Hand baggage restrictions imposed in the UK after an alleged terrorist plot to attack airliners are to be eased from Friday, the government has said.

Passengers will still be limited to one item but its maximum size has increased to that of a small roller-suitcase.

The new size limit for carry-on luggage will increase to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 17.75in x 9.85in approx), the aviation industry standard.

The limits have been blamed for causing delays and for costing airlines.

Most liquids will still not be allowed through security but instruments can be brought on board in a separate case.

Professional musicians had criticised the ban and some cancelled engagements rather than risk putting valuable instruments in aircraft holds.

The changes come after the government's transport security division held talks with the aviation industry on Monday.

The Department for Transport said the easing was designed to "lessen the burden on passengers, while maintaining a rigorous security regime".

Passengers' baggage advice

But passengers should still allow extra time for security checks ahead of their flights.

"The measures we introduced in August were in response to a very real and serious threat which continues," it said.

British Airways, which has said cancelling more than 1,000 flights because of the alert cost it £40m, welcomed the announcement.

"This is a sensible step forward that takes full account of the security threat level while making life easier for our customers," it said.

Last Updated: Thursday, 21 September 2006, 13:44 GMT 14:44 UK

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Hand luggage rules to be relaxed

The increased security levels have led to disruption
Hand baggage restrictions imposed in the UK after an alleged terrorist plot to attack airliners are to be eased from Friday, the government has said.
Passengers will still be limited to one item but its maximum size has increased to that of a small roller-suitcase.

The new size limit for carry-on luggage will increase to 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 17.75in x 9.85in approx), the aviation industry standard.

The limits have been blamed for causing delays and for costing airlines.

Most liquids will still not be allowed through security but instruments can be brought on board in a separate case.

Professional musicians had criticised the ban and some cancelled engagements rather than risk putting valuable instruments in aircraft holds.

The changes come after the government's transport security division held talks with the aviation industry on Monday.

The Department for Transport said the easing was designed to "lessen the burden on passengers, while maintaining a rigorous security regime".

Passengers' baggage advice

But passengers should still allow extra time for security checks ahead of their flights.

"The measures we introduced in August were in response to a very real and serious threat which continues," it said.

British Airways, which has said cancelling more than 1,000 flights because of the alert cost it £40m, welcomed the announcement.

"This is a sensible step forward that takes full account of the security threat level while making life easier for our customers," it said.

A Virgin Atlantic Airways spokeswoman said: "We are pleased that the restrictions have been relaxed and we believe this is a step in the right direction."

Ryanair had earlier announced it was seeking compensation of about £3m from the government over airport delays resulting from the increased anti-terror measures.

The carrier said hand luggage size had been restored to the "safe and effective" norm but it still had concerns over "unnecessary queues" because of body searches.

"Hard-pressed frontline security staff are being forced to body-search families, elderly couples and young children as potential terrorists, when clearly they are not," it added.

'No compromise'

Thousands of flights were cancelled at Heathrow and BAA's other UK airports after the alleged plot was foiled on 10 August.

A total ban on hand luggage was initially brought in but after a few days passengers were allowed to carry on a laptop computer-sized bag.

Electrical equipment will continue to be allowed on board, but larger items such as laptop computers must be removed for screening.

The current security measures ban all liquids except medication essential for the flight and baby milk and liquid baby food, which must be tasted by the passenger.

The Department for Transport said it was working on ways to ease this restriction in future.

Instruments which do not fit in the permitted cabin baggage size will now be allowed as a second item of cabin baggage, after being screened.

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "We will never compromise the security of the travelling public.

"The aim of the measures announced today is to maintain that security while lessening the inconvenience to passengers.

"I am grateful for the forbearance passengers have shown and assure them that we will keep these regulations under review."

Creating Wealth
www.woweeitsfree.com

FLOGGING OFF A PRINCESS

2006-09-20T00:28:00.000-07:00

All I can say about the Royal family is that they could all be in a soap opera like Coronation Street, ( an apt title) with all the goings on in that family it makes me wonder why the general public should shell out their hard earned cash to keep them all in in luxury.

Yes it must be hard work swanning off abroad and around the country with every whim being catered for, plus the thousands of pounds spent by local councils to make sure everything is in five! no six star order to make sure of their approval.

It has all become a farce, but still I suppose they do provide us with a bit of entertainment. I wonder what the next episode will be about! something spicy I am sure somewhere along the line.

And wait till the magazines get hold of this pic, it may be in the past but certainly more seductive than Fergie having her toe sucked, or so it sounds.

IS there nothing of Princess Margaret that her family won't flog?

This week society photographer Lord Snowdon has put a portrait of his ex-wife up for auction. It's a seminaked shot of the princess taken in a bath which, intriguingly, looks as if it belongs in a Blackpool hotel, circa 1958.

A diamond tiara sits on her head Miss England-style and her husband's bare foot is reflected in the mirror suggesting real intimacy.

I doubt, given her trusting expression, the Queen's sister expected this image to receive a wider audience.

Or imagined it would, one day, hang in a stranger's home. The picture costs £2,000. The best hope for Princess Margaret's dignity is that her Maj coughs up.

Creating a Fortune

Prince Charles buying Holiday Home.

2006-09-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

Look to Roumania for your holiday home, if you get one close to where Prince Charles is buying it would be decidedly upmarket and worth a small fortune in time to come.

Britain's Prince Charles is looking for a house in Transylvania, the part of Romania associated with his distant relative Vlad the Impaler.

The prince has no plans to move to Romania, The Telegraph reports. But he is a patron of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, which has renovated medieval houses and churches in Transylvania and works to keep traditional crafts alive.

Charles reportedly plans to buy a house in Viscri, the village where the trust is headquartered, have it restored and then rent it to tourists to help build sustainable tourism in the area.

Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century ruler in what is now Romania, helped hold off the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. While he was known for his bloodthirsty dealings with his enemies, he is a national hero in Romania.

Bram Stoker used Vlad, who supposedly ate bread soaked in his enemies' blood, as a model for Dracula. Charles' great-grandmother, Queen Mary, was said to be related to Vlad's family.

Death Row Scot to sell gear on eBay

2006-09-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

DEATH Row Scot Kenny Richey is to launch his own website and sell his old prison gear on eBay.

The 42-year-old Edinburgh man revealed his plans as he recovers from a recent heart attack.

In an interview due to be broadcast on Talk 107 today, Richey said his health scare has made him even more determined to secure his freedom.

Richey was sentenced to death in 1987 for the murder of two-year-old Cynthia Collins in a house fire. His conviction was quashed by an appeal court last year, but that ruling was later overturned by the US Supreme Court.

He is still awaiting a fresh ruling which could either secure his freedom or order a retrial.

Richey said: "I've decided that the internet is the best way for me to kick off a new campaign.

"I'm going to start an auction next month, starting with my old prison gear. I have old prison ID cards, and other things - like my personal recipes for making Death Row food taste great."

Doggy Wedding at Harrods London.

2006-09-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

TWO dogs were united at an animal "wedding" yesterday in a ceremony heralded as marking a new extreme in Britain's growing trend for lavishing attention on pets.

The "bride" - an eight-month-old shih tzu called Muffin - arrived for the ceremony at London's Harrods department store in a horse-drawn carriage, dressed in a white frock and veil. She and her "groom" - a two-and-a-half-year-old bichon frisé named Timmy - were married before a group of guests at an event costing up to £3,500.

Another dog couple are due to pledge their troth next week, suggesting the arrival in Britain of another fashion in pet pampering which has already taken hold in the United States. Last summer, actress Pamela Anderson organised the "marriage" of her chihuahua, Luca, to her golden retriever, Star, on a beach in Malibu, California.

Britons already spend £294 million a year on presents for their pets, as animals are increasingly treated as family members.

"I've heard of dogs attending weddings in special outfits, but this takes things to a whole new level, said Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today. "It makes me want to cringe, but I'm not entirely surprised. I wonder if Hello! and OK! will be fighting for the rights to the pictures."

She added: "Dogs and other pets are now treated as one of the family. The question is whether the owners are prepared to spend equally large sums of money on vets' bills."

Both dogs behaved well throughout yesterday's ceremony, despite the attentions of assorted photographers and cameramen.

Timmy and Muffin apparently found love in the colourful surroundings of Harrods' pet department. Their owners, Dominique Day and Rachel Little, decided to keep in touch by taking the dogs for walks together.

Describing their pets' romance, City worker Miss Little, 35, said: "Muffin was having her coat fitted in the shop here and Timmy was there. They seemed to get on so well and someone said they seemed like a lovely couple.

"They will definitely carry on seeing each other - how could they not?"

Ms Day, 37, who runs her own Pilates studio, said she was pleased with the ceremony. "It is incredible, isn't it? Just like a normal wedding," she remarked.

The store has already taken at least one future booking, which costs £2,500 for the "luxury" package or £3,500 for the "premium" package.

The Kennel Club dismissed the ceremony as "harmless fun" but criticised Harrods for selling puppies. A spokesman said: "We are disappointed that Harrods is still selling very young puppies in an environment which can make them uncomfortable."

Dana Grant, owner of Pucci Pet Pamperers in Edinburgh, said: "I have heard of dog weddings in the States but this is the first I've heard of it over here. "We already groom dogs for appearing at their owners' weddings. A typical grooming costs about £30. But good grooming is a health routine for dogs, it's not just about appearance."

One in four households in Britain owns a dog, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, and spending on pet luxuries is rising. A survey last year found some owners spent up to £20,000 on a dog during its lifetime. Luxuries include exercise machines, canine "hotels", specialist dental treatment and designer clothes.

But Britain's willingness to splash out on dogs is nothing new. In 1846, Elizabeth Barrett Browning so loved her dog, Flush - immortalised in Virginia Woolf's eponymous novel - that she paid 20 guineas (£21) for its release after it was stolen by a gang. Her maid's annual salary was £16.

MONOPOLY GONE LABRADOODLE CRAZY

2006-09-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

The old shoe is gone, a "Labradoodle" replaces the Scottish Terrier and McDonald's French Fries and a Starbucks coffee cup are among the new player pieces on a new U.S. Monopoly board.

Leading retail names such as McDonald's, Starbucks and Motorola have lent their brands to the new edition of the game that will be in U.S. stores from Thursday, though the game's makers insist it's not about advertising.

The new "Here and Now" U.S. edition of Monopoly has done away with Boardwalk in favour of Times Square and has been updated with new players' pieces such as a Toyota Prius car, a Motorola's RAZR mobile handset and a New Balance running shoe.

A Hasbro Games spokesman said it obtained the companies' permission to use their brands.

"There was no money involved in the deal. This is not a corporate sponsorship," Pat Riso, a spokesperson for Hasbro told Reuters on Wednesday. "We believe that these brands reflect America's pop culture today."

But the new game roused the ire of Commercial Alert, a nonprofit group that tries to prevent commercial culture from exploiting children.

"Shame on Hasbro for hawking junk food and caffeine to children," said Gary Ruskin, executive director of Commercial Alert. "Hasbro is toying with the health of our children. Maybe it thinks the childhood obesity epidemic is just a game, but parents know better."

Hasbro updated the 22 addresses -- locations in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the seaside resort's early 20th century heyday -- based on votes conducted this year. Times Square in New York City and Boston's Fenway Park take the place of Boardwalk and Park Place, Monopoly's two most expensive sites.

Hasbro, which has sold about 250 million copies of the old board game, also dropped the no-longer fashionable Scottish Terrier in favour of the Labradoodle, a mix between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle.

"Chance" and "Community Chest" cards imposing penalties or rewards have also been updated, with entries such as: "You are runner up on a reality TV show. Collect $100,000."

Washington hit by curse of the kid bloggers

2006-09-13T02:09:00.000-07:00

AS the leader of the Republican party in the US Senate and a possible presidential candidate, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee has a reputation for sober rectitude. The same cannot be said of his son Jonathan, a Vanderbilt University student who recently appeared on the internet wearing six cans of beer strapped to his belt.
Nor has Jonathan’s brother Bryan done much to help his father’s attempts to strike a reasonable note about US involvement in Iraq. “I was born an American by God’s amazing grace,” wrote Bryan Frist in an online profile. “Let’s bomb some people.”

While the Bible warns that the sins of the father may be visited upon their sons, the injunction may need to be revised in the age of the teenage blogger and online social networks. The sins of the sons — not to mention the daughters — are making the titans of Washington and Wall Street nervous as the internet opens public doors to what would once have been private family business.

Frist is one of at least half a dozen US politicians — and at least one US Supreme Court judge — whose public images have been dented in recent months by the internet antics of their offspring. Pictures of scantily clad daughters whooping it up have become a staple of internet gossip.

The popularity of teenage networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook is proving a goldmine for political bloggers keen to compare the pious proclamations of candidates running for office with the blogs and picture-sharing websites maintained by their children.

No sooner had Congressman Louie Gohmert, a conservative Republican from Texas, unleashed a tirade against the moral inadequacies of Democrats opposed to the war in Iraq, than someone found internet pictures of his daughter Caroline dancing on a bartop and posing with a man in his underpants.

There was also embarrassment for Justice Samuel Alito, the conservative Supreme Court judge appointed by President George W Bush earlier this year. Alito is opposed to gay marriage, but a Facebook entry by his Georgetown University student daughter Laura declared, apparently tongue in cheek, that her relationship status was “Married to Kate Tice”.

While much of the internet sleuthing has produced largely harmless evidence that teenagers like to party even if their parents are famous, more awkward incidents have been picked up by mainstream media.

Roll Call, the Washington insiders’ newspaper published on Capitol Hill, recently reported that Jonathan Frist’s Facebook entry declared him a member of the “Jonathan Frist appreciation for ‘Waking Up White People’ Group”. It also mentioned a group where there were “No Jews allowed. Just kidding. No seriously”.

The Washington Post discovered last week that the son of a prominent Wall Street executive had been posting awkward criticisms of his father’s company, the telephone conglomerate AT&T, in a personal blog.

Jared Watts, 21, an employee of an AT&T subsidiary, complained in his blog about policies that were “abusive to the customer”. His father, Wayne Watts, is a senior vice-president who is currently attempting to defend AT&T’s service record to industry regulators examining a takeover bid.

Errant children have long been a fact of Washington political life, but have rarely caused any lasting scandal. Bush was untroubled by the underage drinking exploits of his twin daughters Jenna and Barbara. The president’s brother, Governor Jeb Bush of Florida, was not seriously damaged when his daughter Noelle was arrested on drug charges. His son John was arrested for having sex in a car in a shopping centre car park.

The US media has in the past treated adolescent follies as largely a private matter, but the mushrooming trend towards public self-exposure on the internet is beginning to make life a misery for celebrities with children who blog.

Even Marie Osmond, a devout Mormon and squeaky-clean American family singer, was caught up in MySpace turmoil when her teenage daughter Jessica, writing under the pseudonym “F off”, declared she was bisexual and that Adolf Hitler was one of her heroes.

Perhaps the unluckiest victim of blogger sleuthing was Mike Huckabee, the Republican governor of Arkansas who is believed to be considering a presidential run in 2008. Earlier this year there were unconfirmed reports that his daughter Sarah was quitting her job in Washington to return to Little Rock to begin fundraising.

Huckabee has not confirmed that he is interested in running but someone went to Sarah’s Facebook entry and found entries from her Arkansas friends. One read: “Hey girl, I heard you were back down.” Another said: “Yay for moving home!”

Are Blogs On Their Last Legs.

2006-09-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

Are blogs on their last legs ? From what I have been reading it might seem so.

Thousands of them are springing up daily many of them scams and stolen blogs and it won't be long before the search engines decide it is time to do something about it.

Why do these people have to spoil something good just to make some quick bucks and ruin everything for the rest of the internet population.

Blogging is an interesting pastime for thousands of people and if it lost the ability to make money the blogs would surely be whittled down to just the select few who really do it for enjoyment.

That may be a good thing, but for those that really do pursue it as a business to make a reasonable income it would be a big loss.

Once upon a time a website was all you needed to make money and if you spent your time adding content and links you could earn a reasonable income.

For new website owners it is now a hard task as it can take many months for your site to appear in the searches and even then if you don't reach the top ten or twenty in the searches it can be doomed to failure.

2006-09-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

Do you realise that Xmas is just around the corner? Somewhere in the region of thirteen weeks, the way the time goes it will be on top of us before we can turn round.

Now is the time to start thinking about your Xmas display for your website, sales are all important at this time of the year.

Even a single page will be a help if you set it out right, you can settle for just a few choice items or go the whole hog and ad pressies for all.

Before Xmas of course comes Halloween it has been built up to become quite important these days and another source of sales.

Fancy dress costumes is also booming at celebration times and not something to be overlooked.

If you are into crafting hand made presents and love making them why not get them on sale out there and start making money, loads of people who are lost for ideas will love something different.

Festive table decorations go a bomb now as people are taking the festive season much more seriously now than in recent years and decoration is all important even on the dinner table.

We only have to see the outside decorations on homes now to know that Xmas is the most important time of year to many people possibly due to all the trouble and strife in the world.
Every one wants to forget the problems for those few important days and enjoy themselves.

Money is of least importance and if they see something they want they will buy without thinking of the cost until it is all over, and who can blame them! we only live once so lets make the most of it.

So get moving on those websites and pages, make them cheerful and bright and who knows you might be one of the lucky ones after Xmas with no money worries to bother you.

Lost Websites In need of Optimisation.

2006-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Is your website buried deep in the myriad of those millions of websites on the internet ?
Has it been there for months with no sight or sound of it ?
If so it is time to take a good look at your creation and see where you have gone wrong and what haven't you done to bring it to the attention of the search engines.

In no particular order let us look at a few points.

If you understand HTML which hopefully you do then take a look to see if you have description and keyword meta tags. these will be at the top of your page in the head section.

Next let us look at your title. Let us say your website is about fruits around the world, so we then look at keywords, your title should contain your most important keywords which would be fruit or fruits, world.
Your meta tag keywords would have plenty of scope for keywords on that subject so explore them thoroughly.

Your keywords must now be spread evenly through out your page, do not over stuff your page with keywords keep your text on the subject you are writing about but skillfully place the keywords where they blend in naturally.

Next comes your linking program, do your best to link to important websites within your subject, as you are talking about fruits this come into the sphere of gardens or gardening, possibly organic farming and similar type sites.

This is just a small but important part of optimisation so start your work now and lets see those lost websites coming through.

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STEPS TO PUBLISHING SUCCESS

2006-09-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Even if your best friend owns a top publishing company, giving you an immediate "in," this does not guarantee publishing success.
First, you have to write a quality book that has a clear target audience. And your book must answer a common problem or need that audience shares. Then you have to develop a marketing plan, and stick to it for at least two years.

Let's begin with the process that should commence before you write your first word. Begin by reading A LOT. Read both books you passionately love and books you can't seem to make it past page five. Then figure out what the author did in the book you loved, and what was wrong with in the book you couldn't finish.
Write down these points so they are crystal clear to you. Read other people's books for inspiration and to discover what you should avoid as a writer.

The next step is to plan out your book. Narrow down your subject, and then divide it into chapters. Each chapter should address a specific aspect of the problem your book is going to solve. In each chapter, break the specific aspect down into several parts.

This will help your readers take in your information a bit at a time instead of overwhelming them with every bit of information clogging up the pages until they feel like they're about to go blind. It's not quite spoon-feeding the information to your readers, but it's close.

The next two steps are obvious. Write your book and then revise it. And then revise it again. And perhaps again. Of course, writing is extremely hard, and writing a book can seem like an impossible task.
There are many books out there that give you guidelines to help you become familiar - and even love - the process of writing and revision.

Find a number of books about writing. Better yet, find a number of books about writing the specific type of book you aspire to write. These can serve as roadmaps on your writing journey. Once you've written your ebook and revised it at least twice, show it to someone else whose opinion you respect.
If you're lucky enough to know a good editor, see if you have something to barter for him or her to go through your manuscript. Or join a writing group and let the other members critique your work.

Then take all these ideas from other people, and revise your manuscript one last time. And then stop! Put down that pen! Get your hands off the keyboard! One of the most important steps to actually producing a book is to know when to stop writing and tinkering with it.

You've finally written your ebook! Pop open the bubbly! Give yourself a night out on the town! Okay, now that this necessary celebration is out of your system, what do you do next?

How to turn your ebook into Profits Ebooks are a revolutionary way to publish your book without incurring the costs of print production. All you need is a relevant and targeted subject and some inexpensive software, and you can transform your manuscript into a book.

The problem, in terms of actually seeing any profits from your ebook, is that the market is overwhelmed with ebooks, and many of them are not worth the time it takes to download them. Just because the ability exists to easily produce an ebook, doesn't make it good writing.

Make sure your book does not simply rehash old material. You will injure your credibility as an author by claiming to offer valuable new insights and disappointing your audience with material they've read a zillion times before.

So spend enough time writing and revising your book to make sure it's of the highest quality and presents the most currentinformation. A good book will eventually sell itself; false claims about your book will make it extremely difficult to sell any future books you may write.

Assuming you have determined that you do indeed have a quality product that answers some question or need of your target audience with NEW information, how do you know how much to charge for it? Rule number 1: Set a price for your book equal to its value.

An under-priced book will only give the impression that your book isn't worth very much.To figure out a fair price, estimate how much time you put into creating it and how difficult it was to transform the necessary information into understandable and engaging writing.

Figure out how much your time and effort is worth, and then price it accordingly. The goal is for you to be adequately compensated for your talent, your time, and your effort.

Once you've figured out a price that is high enough to convey the value of the book, but not so high as to be out of the reach of your target audience's mean budget, then it's time to offer it for sale on your website.

To attract sales, you will need to develop a promotional campaign, particularly if you are an unknown author.

The Power force Matrix

OVERCOMING WRITERS BLOCK

2006-09-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

What is writer's block? Well, I just can't think of a single darn thing to say.
Oh well, I'm outta here! Sound familiar? No! Oh, get real! We've all experienced this phenomenon when we absolutely have to write something, particularly on deadline. I'm talking about. . . . .uh, I can't think of what the word is . . . oh, yes, it's on the tip of my tongue . . . it's: WRITER'S BLOCK!!!!

Whew! I feel better just getting that out of my head and onto the page! Writer's block is the patron demon of the blank page. You may think you know EXACTLY what you're going to write, but as soon as that evil white screen appears before you, your mind suddenly goes completely blank.

I'm not talking about Zen meditation stare-at-the-wall-until-enlightenment-hits kind of blank. I'm talking about sweat trickling down the back of your neck, anguish and panic and suffering kind of blank.

The tighter the deadline, the worse the anguish of writer's block gets. Having said that, let me say it again. "The tighter the deadline, the worse the anguish of writer's block gets." Now, can you figure out what might possibly be causing this horrible plunge into speechlessness.

The answer is obvious: FEAR! You are terrified of that blank page. You are terrified you have absolutely nothing of value to say. You are afraid of the fear of writer's block itself! It doesn?t necessarily matter if you've done a decade of research and all you have to do is string sentences you can repeat in your sleep together into coherent paragraphs.

Writer's block can strike anyone at any time. Based in fear, it raises our doubts about our own self-worth, but it's sneaky. It's writer's block, after all, so it doesn't just come and let you know that. No, it makes you feel like an idiot who just had your frontal lobes removed through your sinuses. If you dared to put forth words into the greater world, they would surely come out as gibberish.

Let's try and be rational with this irrational demon. Let's make a list of what might possibly be beneath this terrible and terrifying condition.
1. Perfectionism. You must absolutely produce a masterpiece of literature straight off in the first draft. Otherwise, you qualify as a complete failure.

2. Editing instead of composing. There's your monkey-mind sitting on your shoulder, yelling as soon as you type "I was born?," no, not that, that's wrong! That's stupid! Correct correct correct correct. 3. Self-consciousness. How can you think, let alone write, when all you can manage to do is pry the fingers of writer's block away from your throat enough so you can gasp in a few shallow breaths.

You're not focusing on what you're trying to write, your focusing on those gnarly fingers around your windpipe.

. 4. Can't get started. It's always the first sentence that's the hardest. As writers, we all know how EXTREMELY important the first sentence is.
It must be brilliant! It must be unique! It must hook your reader's from the start! There's no way we can get into writing the piece until we get past this impossible first sentence. 5. Shattered concentration. You're cat is sick.

You suspect your mate is cheating on you. Your electricity might be turned off any second. You have a crush on the local UPS deliveryman. You have a dinner party planned for your in-laws.
You . . . Need I say more. How can you possibly concentrate with all this mental clutter? 6. Procrastination. It's your favourite hobby. It's your soul mate. It's the reason you've knitted 60 argyle sweaters or made 300 bookcases in your garage workshop.

It's the reason you never run out of Brie. FACE IT . IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK! How to Overcome Writer's Block Okay.
I can hear that herd of you running away from this article as fast as you can. Absurd! you huff. Never in a million years, you fume. Writer's block is absolutely, undeniably, scientifically proven to be impossible to overcome.

Oh, just get over it! Well, I guess it's not that easy. So try to sit down for just a few minutes and listen. All you have to do is listen ? you don't have to actually write a single word.
Ah, there you all are again. I am beginning to make you out now that the cloud of dust is settling. I am here to tell you that WRITER'S BLOCK CAN BE OVERCOME.

Please, remain seated. There are ways to trick this nasty demon. Pick one, pick several, and give them a try. Soon, before you even have a chance for your heartbeat to accelerate, guess what? You're writing.

Here are some tried and true methods of overcoming writer's block: 1. Be prepared.
The only thing to fear is fear itself. (I know, that's a clich?but as soon as you start writing, feel free to improve on it.) If you spend some time mulling over your project before you actually sit down to write, you may be able to circumvent the worst of the crippling panic.

2. Forget perfectionism. No one ever writes a masterpiece in the first draft. Don't put any expectations on your writing at all! In fact, tell yourself you're going to write absolute garbage, and then give yourself permission to happily stink up your writing room.

3. Compose instead of editing. Never, never write your first draft with your monkey-mind sitting on your shoulder making snide editorial comments. Composing is a magical process. It surpasses the conscious mind by galaxies.

It's even incomprehensible to the conscious, editorial, monkey-mind. So prepare an ambush. Sit down at your computer or your desk. Take a deep breath and blow out all your thoughts. Let your finger hover over your keyboard or pick up your pen.

And then pull a fake: appear to be about to begin to write, but instead, using your thumb and index finger of your dominant hand, flick that little annoying ugly monkey back into the barrel of laughs it came from. Then jump in ? quickly! Write, scribble, scream, howl, let everything loose, as long as you do it with a pen or your computer keyboard.

4. Forget the first sentence. You can sweat over that all-important one-liner when you've finished your piece. Skip it! Go for the middle or even the end. Start wherever you can. Chances are, when you read it over, the first line will be blinking its little neon lights right at you from the depths of your composition.

5. Concentration. This is a hard one. Life throws us so many curve balls. How about thinking about your writing time as a little vacation from all those annoying worries. Banish them! Create a space, perhaps even a physical one, where nothing exists except the single present moment. If one of those irritating worries gets by you, stomp on it like you would an ugly bug!

6. Stop procrastinating. Write an outline. Keep your research notes within sight. Use someone else's writing to get going. Babble incoherently on paper or on the computer if you have to. Just do it! (I know, I stole that line from somewhere). Tack up anything that could possibly help you to get going: notes, outlines, pictures of your grandmother.

Put the cookie you will be allowed to eat when you finish your first draft within sight ? but out of reach. Then pick up the same type of writing that you need to write, and read it. Then read it again. Soon, trust me, the fear will slowly fade away. As soon as it does, grab your keyboard ? and get writing!

http://www.sylviawh.co.uk

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2006-09-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

* Ebook Compiler

This compiler offers a demo version that allows you to compile 10 files. If you don't include graphics, you can create a 10 page Ebook that allows printing andcopying of the Ebook.

The catch is that you can't sell any Ebook you create in the demo version.
The purchased software is user-friendly with easy-to-follow help files that not only guide you
through the steps of compiling your Ebook, but also explains what an Ebook compiler does.

The software provides detailed instructions on how to create source files from Microsoft Word 2000 and 1997, PowerPoint 2000 and 1997, and HTML documents. It contains less
detailed instructions for creating source files from other programs.

This compiler allows for password protection of your entire Ebook or for selected pages. Additionally, you can set a time limit on your Ebook. When the runs out, the customer no longer has access unless they pay for it. In other words, it allows you to create a demo
version of your Ebook for marketing purposes.

You can set a single password or multiple passwords. Using multiple passwords assigns each user their own specific password. Online help files guide you through setting up your passwords.

You can also create a Sales and Thank-you page for selling a password protected Ebook. This is a good choice for the novice, particularly since it includes basic features for password protection and distribution.

Activ Ebook Compiler

This is an easy to use compiler that provides features. This software can support HTML,
JPEG, GIF, and all active plug-ins.

Features includes password protection, branding, internet linking, icon customization, assigning unique serial numbers, splash screen, file compression, and start-up messages.
It also provides free lifetime upgrades. Additionally, it includes a preprocessor, re-brander, active script, and detailed instructions for using HTML, Power Point, and Microsoft Word files.

There are several other excellent Ebook compilers on the market that are worth looking into.
Ebook Generator features splash screens, password protection, branding, icon customization, and compression control. Additionally, it includes virus prevention that alerts the user to any modifications made to your Ebook and offers usage statistics so you can track your Ebook's use.

With all these advanced features, this is an excellent compiler for the beginner because it is exceptionally easy to run. Ebook Creator is another excellent compiler, supporting HTML, JPEG, GIF, and PNG graphics, and Javascript, VB script, and Java applets. It also supports all Internet Explorer plug-ins. Standard features include unique serial numbers, direct linking
to a form or a page on your website, disabled right
clicking, and search functions.

The software allows for expiration after a set number of days or usages, which allows you to create demo versions. You can create up to 1000 different passwords; every time the
Ebook is downloaded, a unique password is required to access protected pages.

The software provides user-friendly menus and buttons that allow the beginner to the advanced user to easily create their Ebook.

Obviously, there are some excellent compilers out there. So figure out EVERYTHING you need in terms of features, and then compare prices and options.

Do take advantage of demo versions if they are offered before purchasing. And then, have fun creating your Ebook!

next Over coming writes block,

Desktop Author

2006-09-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

* Desktop Author

This compiler does not require a browser, nor do you have to download software or plug-ins. The program converts exe. files into pages that look like a standard book.

You can create and produce eBook pages scaled to fit on your computer screen without any scrolling.
Additional features include WYSIWGY (whatyou see is what you get) page editing and creation, the ability to manipulate internal images, cut and paste functions, hotlinks to pages, email, website, or other files.

It is an excellent compiler to use for a marketing tools, such as creating brochures and manuals in addition to eBooks.

* EBook Edit Pro

This compiler provides a demo version, which allows you to test out its features. The software uses aWizard that leads you step-by-step through the set-up and creation of your eBook.

Customization includes text editing that appears on the pop-up starting message window; the ability to allow or prevent resizing of your book and the mouse-click pop-up menu; enabling or disabling the navigation bar and choosing the buttons you want to appear; and customizing the eBook's desktop icon and the logo that appears on the navigation bar.

Ebook Edit Pro is loaded with excellent features that allow you to create multi-media Ebooks, and includes aWizard that is customized for beginners and for advanced users.

The software uses HTML files,downloading them from the directory where they are saved.
Edit and resave your files in the original software used to create those files, and then with a single click you can re-compile your Ebook.

Features include customization of icons, toolbars, andthe "about box." This compiler has a particularly useful feature called the Rebrander feature. This permits you to enter customized code into your Ebook pages and distribute the Rebrander software to your affiliates or distributors.

They can then customize the links included in the Ebook, but they can not alter any link or information that you have not entered a customized code for.

The software includes "eBrand-It" software that allows custom fields for your customer's name, affiliate ID or URL.
This feature is a powerful marketing toolbecause affiliates are much happier giving away your Ebook from their own site when they can customize it.

Rating E-Book Compilers

2006-08-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Now that you've finished writing your eBook and have a basic understanding of what an eBook compiler does,you may be feeling overwhelmed by the number of compilers on the market. To help you make your decision, I have tested and reviewed the best-ratedeBook compilers currently available.

E-ditor

This software has a demo version that you can download to try out before purchasing. You can't actually use the demo to create an eBook, but you can run the software and test it out thoroughly to see if it does what you need it to do for your particular eBook.

This eBook compiler is one of the easiest to use. The software has a very user-friendly help menu that provides instructions for and explanations of every field on every screen.

The program also includes video tutorials demonstrating every step of this compilerwith clear explanations of all fields that need to befilled out. There are 7 screens that you use to choose your eBook options.

This compiler requires your files to be in HTMLformat. You follow simple directions, and the compiler loads your files. If you decide to edit your eBook after it has been compiled, make any changes in your original files and click on "Compile you eBook" and your changes will appear in your compiled eBook.

E-editor allows for some customization of your eBook.You can create a special page that appears when the eBook is opened; create customized icons that appear on the desktop after downloading; use your own logo onthe task bar of your eBook; customize the task bar's buttons, where the task bar appears in your eBook, and choose the task bar's colors.

Additionally, you canchoose to have the eBook open to the last page read,which many of your buyers will appreciate.

An excellent and unique feature of E-ditor is the capability to choose a standard Microsoft window or tocreate your own design for a window to personalizeyour eBook.

The program provides some sample window designs, but you can use any .bmp (bit map skin)graphic you have stored on your hard drive.E-ditor is a good choice if you are new at producing
eBooks because it is easy to use and allows you to customize the appearance of your eBook.

E-Books are Promotional, continued

2006-08-30T03:11:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful quality is that ebooks have no barriers in terms of publishing.
You don't need to go through the endless process of submitting your manuscript over and over again, and then once you land an agent, having the agent submit your manuscript over and over again.

Nor do you have to shell out thousands of dollars for printing a self-published book. All ebooks require is a writer and appropriate software.

Figure out your market, write your book, post it on your website, and with the right business savvy, your audience will come to you.

Finally, you have creative control over your ebook.
You don?t have to compromise with an editor or the publishing trends of the time.
You don't have to haggle with a designer or wait for copy edited galleys to arrive by snail mail.
You are in complete control of the design and the text.

How to Use ebooks for Marketing and PromotionThere are innumerable ways to use ebooks to promote your business and drive quality traffic to your website. Once posted on your site, you can turn them into a daily course, which brings your customer back to read the next chapter.

You can use them as a free gift for making a purchase or for filling out a survey. Put your ebook on a disc, and you will have an innovative brochure. Blow your competition away by inserting the disc into your sales packages.

The most effective marketing products are those thatare unique. Copyright your ebook, and immediately, you have a powerful tool that you, and you alone, can offer to the public.

People will have to visit your site to acquire your ebook, which increases the flowof quality traffic and the potential of sales and affiliate contacts. Make sure that you keep your ebook current.

Update itfrequently as the market and trends change. Add new advice and techniques to show your prospects how your goods or services can enrich their lives. By constantly keeping abreast of new trends and techniques, you can continue to see profits from your ebook for years after your original creation.

Another phenomenal advantage of ebooks is that you can test their marketing potential without putting out hardly any cash at all. You can even produce an ebook one copy at a time, each time you receive an order,eliminating the need for storage and inventory.

Bythis method, you can gauge the saleablity of your ebook, and make adjustments as necessary until the orders start pouring in. Ebooks allow you to learn about your market and customer habits and motivation over a period of time, without risking your precious financial resources.

They also provide you with an invaluable way to gather marketing information, which you can use in many different facets of your business.

Use your ebook to discover what the specific goals andproblems are in your specific industry. Then figureout how to solve these problems, and publish an ebookwith this invaluable information. This will increase the value of your business, upgrade your reputation,and get you known as an expert in your field.

You can extend the value of single ebook by breaking the book down into chapters for a serial course, into special reports available on your website, or into audio or visual tapes. Ebooks can be broken down into several different promotional materials by excepting some of the articles and using them to promote your product.

You can include a catalog in your ebook to promote all the products or services you sell. You can include a thank-you note for reading your book and aninvitation to download a trial version of your product. Or you can include a form for your audience to contact you for further information or with questions, thereby building your business relationships and your mailing list.

Using ebooks in this manner helps to cut the cost of individually producing separate promotional materials.You can use a single ebook to entice new prospects and to sell new products to your current customers.

No other medium has this kind of flexibility andability for expansion. Think of your ebook like a spider spinning a beautiful and intricate web. Now go and create that web, and see how many customers and prospects you can catch!

Next Rating E-book Compilers:

Ebooks are Promotional Powerhouses

2006-08-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

Ebooks are part of the new frontier of cyberspace.
They are an entirely new medium for sharing marketing information, ideas, techniques, and expert knowledge.

Each day the number of people accessing the Internet grows, causing the exposure of your ebook to increase incrementally.

It's obvious why electronic self-publishing has become so popular so quickly.

The publishing industry, I hope, does not intend to forever banish the printed word to the dustbin of history.

Books in print have their own special qualities and merits, and the world would be diminished by their disappearance.

Having said that, let's look at what makes ebooks so important and so unique.
Ebooks have certain abilities and qualities that other mediums do not possess.

For example, ebooks are fairly easy to produce, and their production cost is inexpensive. Just think about it: you don't need a publisher, an agent, a printing press, offset film, ink, paper, or even a distributor. You just need a great concept, the ability to write it or to hire a writer, and the right software.

Additionally, ebooks are easily and rapidly distributed online. They are also easily updated; they do not require a second print run. All you need is to go into your original creation and modify the text orgraphics.

Because of this flexibility, ebooks can change and grow as fast as you can type. Ebooks are also immediately obtainable. You don't have to go to a bookstore or search through endless titles at an online bookstore. All you have to do is down load it from a website, and presto! It's on your computer,ready to be read.

Ebooks are interactive. This is one of the most unique and specific qualities that ebooks offer. You can add surveys that need to be filled out, order forms for customers to purchase your products or goods, sound and video that draw your reader into the virtual world of your ebook, even direct links to relevant sites that will expand your ebook outward.

The potential isvirtually limitless. Ebooks have a particular kind of permanence that other mediums do not possess. Television shows and radio shows air once, and then may rerun a few times.
Ebooks remain on your computer for as long as your choose,and they can be read and re read whenever you choose to.
They can even be printed out and stored on the shelves of your traditional home library.
will continue:

Ebook Continued

2006-08-28T04:04:00.000-07:00

Perhaps your goals are more finely tuned in terms ofthe ebook scene.
You may want to build a whole business around writing and publishing ebooks.

Essentially, you want to start an e-business. You are thinking of setting up a website to promote and market your ebooks.
Maybe you're even thinking of producing an ezine. One of the most prevalent reasons people read ebooks is to find information about how to turn their Internet businesses into a profit-making machine.

And these people are looking to the writers of ebooks to provide them with new ideas and strategies because writers of ebooks are usually people who understand the new cyberspace world we now live in.

Ebook writers are experts in Internet marketing campaigns and the strategies of promoting and distributing ebooks. The cyberspace community needs its ebooks to be successful so that more and more ebooks will be written.

You may want to create affiliate programs that will also market your ebook.
Affiliates can be people or businesses worldwide that will all be working to sell your ebooks. Think about this? Do you see a formula for success here?

Figure out what your subject matter is, and then narrow it down. Your goal is to aim for specificity. Research what's out there already, and try to find avoid that your ebook might fill. What about an ebook about a wedding cake business? Or an ebook about caring for elderly pets? How about the fine points of collecting ancient pottery?

You don't have to have three masters degrees to write about your subject. People need advice that is easy to read and easily understood. Parents need advice for dealing with their teenagers. College students need to learn good study skills - quickly. The possibilities are endless.

After you've writtten your ebookGetting your ebook out is going to be your focus onceyou've finished writing it, just as it is with printbooks. People will hesitate to buy any book from anauthor they've never heard of. Wouldn't you?

The answer is simple: give it away! You will see profits in the form of promoting your own business and getting your name out. You will find affiliates who will ask you to place their links within your ebook,and these affiliates will in turn go out and make your name known.

Almost every single famous ebook author has started out this way. Another powerful tool to attract people to your ebook is to make it interactive. Invent something for them to do within the book rather than just producing pages that contain static text.

Let your readers fill out questionnaires, forms, even crossword puzzles geared to testing their knowledge on a particular subject. Have your readers hit a link that will allow them to recommend your book to their friends and associates.
Or include an actual order form so at the end of their reading journey, they can eagerly buy your product.

When people interact with books, they become a part of the world of that book. The fact is just as true for books in print as it is for ebooks.That's why ebooks are so essential. Not only do they provide a forum for people to learn and make sense oftheir own thoughts, but they can also serve to promote your business at the same time.

NEXT Ebooks are promotional

Why Write an eBook?

2006-08-27T02:24:00.000-07:00

It's not true that everything that has been said has already been written.

Since that unfortunate axiom came into use, the whole universe has changed.Technology has changed, ideas have changed, and the mindsets of entire nations have changed.

The fact is that this is the perfect time to write an ebook.

What the publishing industry needs are people who can tap into the world as it is today - innovative thinkers who can make the leap into the new millennium and figure out how to solve old problems in a new way.

Ebooks are a new and powerful tool for original thinkers with fresh ideas to disseminate information to the millions of people who are struggling to figure out how to do a plethora of different things. Let's say you already have a brilliant idea, and the knowledge to back it up that will enable you to write an exceptional ebook.

You may be sitting at your computer staring at a blank screen wondering, "Why? Why should I go through all the trouble of writing my ebook when it's so impossible to get anything published these days?

Well, let me assure you that publishing an ebook is entirely different than publishing a book in print. Let's look at the specifics of how the print and cyber publishing industry differ, and the many reasons why you should take the plunge and get your fingers tapping across those keyboards! Submitting a print book to conventional publishing houses or to agents is similar to wearing a hair shirt 24/7.

No matter how good your book actually is, or how many critique services and mentor writers have toldyou that "you've got what it takes," your submitted manuscript keeps coming back to you as if it is a boomerang instead of a valuable mine of information. Perhaps, in desperation, you've checked out self-publishing and found out just how expensive a venture it can be.

Most "vanity presses" require minimal print runs of at least 500 copies, and even that amount will cost you thousands of dollars. Some presses' minimal run starts at 1,000 to 2,000 copies. And that's just for the printing and binding. Add indistribution, shipping, and promotional costs and -well, you do the math. Even if you wanted to go this route, you may not have that kind of money to risk.

Let's say you already have an Internet business with a quality website and a quality product.
An ebook is one of the most powerful ways to promote your business while educating people with the knowledge you already possess as a business owner of a specific product or service.

For example, let's say that you've spent the last twenty-five years growing and training bonsai trees, and now you're ready to share your knowledge andexperience.
An ebook is the perfect way to reach the largest audience of bonsai enthusiasts.

Ebooks will not only promote your business - they will help you make a name for yourself and your company, and establish you as an expert in your field. You may even find that you have enough to say to warrant a series of ebooks. Specific businesses are complicated and often require the different aspects to be divided in order for the reader to get the full story.
More to follow:
http://www.sylviawh.co.uk

What Should I Charge

2006-08-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

There are all different formulas and methods for determining the correct price for your ebook.

Let's begin with honing in on your ultimate goals.
Decide if your goal is to get wide distribution and maximum exposure. This goal is aimed at drawing customers to your business or service, or to establishing the credibility of your reputation.

If this is your main goal, you should aim to keep your price on the low side. Some authors have even priced their ebooks at a profit loss to draw a high number of new customers. The key is to find a price that maximizes your profits and the number of books you sell.

This is an excellent pricing strategy if you are looking to acquire long-term customers. Long-term customers are extremely likely to buy from you again and again ? as long as the first ebook they buy is of exceptional quality and beneficial to the customer.

However, if your book contains valuable ? and more importantly NEW information, references, or techniques? then you should aim to price it on the high end. After you figure out your goal, you must figure out what your audience's need is for your ebook.

For example, does your book solve a particular problem? If it does, and solves it in a way that hasn't been written about in one hundred other ebooks, you will beable to achieve high sales at a high price. If your book solves a problem or answers questions in a new and unique way, you should price your book as high as you can go. You will achieve larger profits this way,but bring in fewer customers. Just make sure thequestion or problem that your book solves is one that is important and relevant to the majority of yourmarket audience. If your ideas are not common knowledge, or you are presenting a brand new technique, you will be able to sell books at a high price. Just be prepared for your competition to undercut you on price as soon as they hear about your book.

Keep in mind that the above pricing strategy istemporary.

Eventually, you will cease to sell books at this high price. So figure out in advance how long you plan to offer your ebook at this high price, and when that time is up, change your pricing strategy.

If you want to see large profits over customer draw, aim for an audience that is looking for easy solutions to their problems at a low price. If your book is aimed at solving one particular problem rather than general advice, then you can charge more.

Start at the highest price the market will bear to bring in the largest profits, and plan to discount the book a number of times throughout the year.

Marketing Strategies The key that unlocks the sales potential of your ebook is to find a single sentence that becomes your selling handle.

This sentence states what question or problem your book answers and the benefits your ebook can provide. Then be sure to use that sentence in every piece of sales and promotional material, and every time anyone asks you about your ebook.

Besides promoting your books assiduously online, there are several other strategies that can help you sell more books. One is to give something away for free with your book,such as a valuable bonus item. Or bundle several ebooks under one price, which lowers the price for each ebook if they were sold separately. An effective technique for figuring out a price is to send out a survey to your current customers.

If these customers have already bought an ebook from you, ask for their opinion in terms of price.

Do this bycreating a sales page for the new book, but don't include a price on that page. Instead, add a number of links to survey questions that ask pointed questions to aid you in assigning a price to your ebook.

Another strategy is to test out prices by creating a number of duplicate sales pages with different prices on each page.

Make sure your sales copy is exactly the same on every page, and includes your selling-handle sentence. Then figure out for each page the conversion ratio between visitors to your site and sales of yourbook.

This will tell you what your optimum price is. Ultimately, if you've written a book that solves a problem or presents a new technique, your book will bring in both traffic and profits. So be sure to write that selling-handle sentence that sums up what problem your book solves and what the benefits of your book will be to the customers who purchase it. And then watch your market come to you!

Next Why write an e-book

How To Price Your Ebook

2006-08-25T02:11:00.000-07:00

You've written and compiled an ebook. Now you have to decide how much to charge for it.

Finding the right price is essential to the success of your product. Ifyou charge too little, people will think it's of little value, and they won't purchase it, or even itthey do buy your book, you will have to sell thousands of copies to get to the point where you can begin to see a profit.

If you price it too high when compared with your competition, you will find yourself steadily lowering the price, which will cause you all kinds of new problems in the future. For example, if you sell your ebook at first for $39.99, and later reduce it to$24.95, don't you think the people who bought it for $39.99 are going to be PISSED?

Choosing the right price for your ebook is one of the most critical parts of the marketing process. The first rule of pricing ebooks is to never underprice. Determine the highest price your audience can afford,and then if you find your book isn?t selling, you can always reduce the price.

Before you take that step,make sure you are promoting your book like crazy on the Internet and on websites.

The price should be aimed at bringing in profits, but you should never forget that price is one of the factors that people use in judging the value of your ebook ? before theybuy it. So always start with the highest price, and then launch a mega-marketing campaign.

Pricing an ebook is particularly difficult because ebooks are a fairly new commodity. Since they are digital, the value of an ebook is as confusing as the understanding of what digital actually is to the average layperson.

This means that we must look at ebooks in a different light in order to determine their actual worth in this brave, new cyber world.

Let's look at the difference between a book in print and an ebook.
A printed book is an object you can hold in your hand, store on your bookshelf, even hand down to the next generation.
It is priced on factors such as paper stock, design and production costs, and marketing.

But the fact that unites ebooks and print books is that they are composed of ideas. It is the ideas in these books that have the ability to change, or possibly transform, people's lives.

What do you think an idea is worth when evaluatedagainst the cost of paper and ink? It is the IDEAS that are valuable! That is how you determine the cost of your ebook.

NEXT:

What should I charge for my ideas?

http://www.sylviawh.co.uk

Passwords

2006-08-24T03:54:00.000-07:00

Next, let's discuss passwords.

When trying to choose an ebook Compiler, check out the type of passwords that the compiler supports. Almost all compilers offer some kind of password protection that insures that the user can only access the contents they have purchased from you.

However, the best compilers offer varied ways to generate different types of passwords. Choose a compiler that gives you the options of secure,user-friendly, and open password generation.

Another important factor when it comes to passwords is how the compiler generates them. A compiler that has internal password protection generation built into the software is more secure than compilers that link to live Internet password control systems.

Find out if the compiler generates passwords online.
If it has this option, it allows you to choose any payment processing system you want or to do the payment processing yourself.

Next, look into the size of ebook the compiler supports. The best compilers can create ebooks up to 2GB in size without decompressing the HTML pages or images to your hard disk. Usually, ebooks that are 2GB in size can easily support 6 GB of compressed data.The catch here is that only text files will generally be compressible.

You do not want a compiler that decompresses this amount of data when the user attempts to open your ebook. This would mean that anyone who purchases your ebook will have to wait for all the data to decompress before they can access your ebook right afterdownloading it. So look for compilers that only decompress temporarily files that are NOT HTML to thelocal hardisk.

Non-HTML files include Flash, Word, and Acrobat files. This type of compiler is more secure and certainly faster. Make sure the compiler you choose is compatible with your system software. Check out what version of Windows it requires, and make sure you have that version before buying your compiler.

Support issues are extremely important. Choose a compiler that includes an installation program. This program allows your user to choose a number ofdifferent places on their computer to install the ebook, to place a shortcut on their desktop, and to add the ebook, if they choose, to the Start Programs menu.

You also want excellent and accessible vendor support.
Make sure you can access quick technical support! At three o'clock in the morning, this factor will be VERY important. Also, check to see the terms of free technical support offered.

Unlimited technical supportis obviously the best option.Check to see if the company that puts out the compiler software offers a service level agreement. This agreement is to assure you of their quality responseto your questions or problems. A good thing to consider is how long the compiler hasbeen on the market.

Usually, the version number wil lgive you an idea. The longer the program is on the market, the higher the version number, the more bugs have been worked out.

When choosing an ebook compiler, do not be swayed by incredible promises and dazzling sales copy. Do your homework first, and then consider all the above issues and factors before choosing an ebook compiler.

Next: How to price your e-book.

More on E-book Compiler

2006-08-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

Let's look at some of these factors in more detail. First of all, make sure you have the correct browser to run the compiler. The majority of HTML compilers use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape.
Check out the version that the compiler supports. Compilers that require a browser will not run on a computer that does not have the required browser installed.

However,there are ebook HTML compilers that don't require you to have any browser installed on your computer. These compilers run on any Windows system.If you choose a compiler that requires a browser,check to ascertain that the browser is installed correctly and that it is properly configured to the specifications of the compiler.

Check to see if certain functions are turned off or on, and make any adjustments according to the compiler instructions. Security is an essential element of any compiler, regardless of whether you plan to sell or give away your ebook. One of the main reasons for using acompiler is to prevent the reader from modifying the contents. A secure compiler allows access only to the pages you want the user to access unless they enter a correct password.

To find out how secure an ebook HTML compiler is, open an ebook on it. While it is open, check the temporary directory of your computer. This can usually be accessed by typing in C:\Windows\temp. If you see a bunch of files when your ebook is open or running, it means that your computer is decompressing the secure data from your ebook before showing the ebook to the viewer.

This method is not secure! It means that anyone with the knowledge of how to access these temporary files can steal the secure data and thenthey can fiddle with your ebook to their evil heart's desire. Remember, one of the main purposes of buying and using an HTML compiler is to protect your property.

To be continued:

Choosing an eBook Compiler

2006-08-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

What is an eBook compiler?

You've written and revised your ebook, hired an artist who has produced outstanding graphics, and now your ready to actually put together your ebook.

What you need to make an ebook is software called an ebookCompiler.
There are many different compilers to chose from, but first, you need to know exactly what an ebook Compilerdoes.

Here is the simple explanation:An ebook compiler is a software program that converts either text pages or HTML text into a single executable file or an ebook.

If you or someone you hired has created a file withgraphics in HTML, you will need an HTML ebookCompiler.
This type of compiler requires a working knowledge of the HTML tag language. You can also use software to do this for you, such as Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver.

How do you choose an eBook Compiler? There are a large number of ebook Compilers available on the market, all with glowing sales copy and tekkie language.
It can get very confusing and overwhelmingvery fast without some simple guidelines to help you figure out which compiler is right for you.

Choosing an ebook Compiler depends on a number of factors :1. How did you create your pages? Did you use HTML orPDF format? There are many more compilers available for HTML, but you can find some very good compilers that will covert your PDF files into an ebook.

2. Consider how easy the program is to use and the thoroughness of the software's instruction manual.
It is absolutely necessary that the compiler you buy have an instructional manual, documentation, or online"wizards."

If it doesn't, your chances of figuring out how to correctly use the program are compromised, and the time required doing so is going to be significant.
Many manufacturers of compilers offer a free trial version so you can play around with it and see if it suits your needs. Download the trial version and ascertain that it actually does what it claims to do.

3. Security features. If you plan to sell your ebook, check out the security features of the compiler software carefully.
Security features should include: prevention of the reader from modifying text, access only to the pages you assign or by entering a password, different ways of generating passwords such as secure passwords, user-friendly, and open passwords.

4. Supported scripting. Find out what scripts the software supports.
Scripting allows you to create special effects, customize menus, and create and modify other user interactivity.

Choose a compiler that permits you to include graphics, search windows,hyperlinks, forms, surveys, etc.

5. Pricing. This is a factor that is not always easy to gauge. The highest priced compilers are not automatically your best choice.
Choose your compiler based on the necessary requirements for your Ebook.That means you need to know exactly how you plan to use your Ebook and what functions you require.

Writing an E-book

2006-08-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Another important step is to figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of people you will be writing to, and this group will dictate many elements of your book, such as style, tone, diction, and even length.

Figure out the age range of your readers, their general gender, what they are most interested in, and even the socio-economic group they primarily come from. Are they people who read fashion magazines or book reviews?

Do they write letters in longhand or spend hours every day online. The more you can pin down your target audience, the easier it will be to write your book for them. Next, make a list of the reasons you are writing your ebook.

Do you want to promote your business? Do you want to bring quality traffic to your website? Do you want to enhance your reputation?Then write down your goals in terms of publishing.

Doyou want to sell it as a product on your website, or do you want to offer it as a free gift for filling outa survey or for ordering a product? Do you want to use the chapters to create an e-course, or use your ebook to attract affiliates around the world? The more you know upfront, the easier the actual writing will be.

Decide on the format of your chapters. In non-fiction, keep the format from chapter to chapter fairly consistent. Perhaps you plan to use an introduction to your chapter topic, and then divide it into four subhead topics. Or you may plan to divide it into five parts, each one beginning with a relevant anecdote.

How to make your ebook "user friendly"You must figure out how to keep your writing engaging.Often anecdotes, testimonials, little stories, photos,graphs, advice, and tips will keep the reader turningthe pages.

Sidebars are useful for quick, accessible information, and they break up the density of the page.Write with a casual, conversational tone rather than a formal tone such as textbook diction. Reader's respond to the feeling that you are having a conversation withthem.

Break up the length and structure of your sentences so you don?t hypnotize your readers into sleep. Sentences that are all the same length and structure tend to be a good aid for insomnia!Good writing takes practice.

It takes lots and lots ofpractice. Make a schedule to write at least a page a day. Read books and magazines about the process ofwriting, and jot down tips that jump out at you. The art of writing is a lifetime process; the more you write (and read), the better your writing will become.

The better your writing becomes, the bigger your sales figures.In an ebook that is read on the screen, be aware thatyou must give your reader's eye a break. You can do this by utilizing white space. In art classes, white space is usually referred to as "negative space."Reader's eyes need to rest in the cool white oasis you create on your page.

If your page is too dense,your reader will quit out of it as soon as their eyes begin to tear.Make use of lists, both bulleted and numbered. This makes your information easy to absorb, and gives the reader a mental break from dissecting your paragraphs one after the other.

Finally, decide on an easy-to-read design. Find a font that's easy on the eyes, and stick to that font family. Using dozens of fonts will only tire your readers out before they've gotten past your introduction. Use at least one and a half line spacing, and text large enough to be read easily on the screen, but small enough so that the whole pagecan be seen on a computer screen.

You will have to experiment with this to find the right combination.Of course, don't forget to run a spell and grammarcheck. You are judged by something as minor as correct punctuation, so don't mess up a great book by tossingout semicolons randomly, or stringing sentences together with commas. (By the way, that's called a"comma splice.")Last of all, create an index and a bibliography.

That's it! You've written a book! Now all you have to do is publish your ebook online, and wait for download request from your website visitors.

NEXT How to choose an Ebook Compiler.

Writing an E-book Part 2

2006-08-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Next, write out a thesis statement. Your thesis is a sentence or two stating exactly what problem you are addressing and how your book will solve that problem.
All chapters spring forth from your thesis statement. Once you've got your thesis statement fine-tuned, you've built your foundation. From that foundation, your book will grow, chapter by chapter.

Your thesis will keep you focused while you write your e-book. Remember: all chapters must support your thesis statement. If they don't, they don't belong in your book.

For example, your thesis statement could read: We've all experienced insomnia at times in our lives, but there are twenty proven techniques and methods to give you back a good night's sleep. Once you have your thesis, before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to write your book.

Ask yourself some questions: * Does your book present useful information and is that information currently relevant?
* Will you book positively affect the lives of your readers?
* Is your book dynamic and will it keep the reader's attention?
* Does you book answer questions that are meaningful and significant? If you can answer yes to these questions, you can feel confident about the potential of your e-book.

Another important step is to figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of people you will be writing to, and this group will dictate many elements of your book, such as style, tone, diction, and even length. Figure out the age range of your readers, their general gender, what they are most interested in, and even the socio-economic group they primarily come from.
Are they people who read fashion magazines or book reviews? Do they write letters in longhand or spend hours every day online. The more you can pin down your target audience, the easier it will be to write your book for them.

Next, make a list of the reasons you are writing your e-book. Do you want to promote your business? Do you want to bring quality traffic to your website? Do you want to enhance your reputation? Then write down your goals in terms of publishing.

Do you want to sell it as a product on your website, or do you want to offer it as a free gift for filling out a survey or for ordering a product? Do you want to use the chapters to create an e-course, or use your e-book to attract affiliates around the world?

The more you know upfront, the easier the actual writing will be. Decide on the format of your chapters. In non-fiction, keep the format from chapter to chapter fairly consistent. Perhaps you plan to use an introduction to> your chapter topic, and then divide it into four subhead topics.
Or you may plan to divide it into five parts, each one beginning with a relevant anecdote. How to make your e-book user friendly.

You must figure out how to keep your writing engaging. Often anecdotes, testimonials, little stories, photos, graphs, advice, and tips will keep the reader turning the pages. Sidebars are useful for quick, accessible information, and they break up the density of the page.

Write with a casual, conversational tone rather than a formal tone such as textbook diction. Reader's respond to the feeling that you are having a conversation with them.
Break up the length and structure of your sentences so you don't hypnotize your readers into sleep. Sentences that are all the same length and structure tend to be a good aid for insomnia!

How To Write an E-book

2006-08-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know how I am going to tell you how to go about writing an e-book, these lessons will last for a while so log in daily to get the latest edition. It will consist of....

How to Write an E-book
Choosing an E-book Compiler
Steps to publishing success
Overcoming writers block
How to price your E-book
E-books are promotional
Why write an E-book
Rating E-book compilers

As you can see this will be the full facts and its entirely free.

Part 1/

The hardest part of writing is the first sentence.

When you look at the whole project, it seems like animpossible task. That's why you have to break it downinto manageable tasks.

Think of climbing a mountain.You are standing at the foot of it and looking up atits summit vanishing into the clouds. How can you possibly scale such an immense and dangerous mountain?There is only one way to climb a mountain ? step bystep.

Now think of writing your ebook in the same light. Youmust create it step by step, and one day, you will take that last step and find yourself standing on the summit with your head in the clouds.The first thing you have to do, as if you actually were a mountain climber, is to get organized.

Insteadof climbing gear, however, you must organize your thoughts. There are some steps you should take beforeyou begin. Once you've gone through the following list, you will be ready to actually begin writing your ebook.

Beginning Steps to Writing an ebookFirst, figure out your ebook's working title. Jot down a few different titles, and eventually, you'll find that one that will grow on you. Titles help you to focus your writing on your topic; they guide you inanticipating and answering your reader's queries.

Many non-fiction books also have subtitles. Aim for clarity in your titles, but cleverness always helps to sell books as long as it's not too cute. For example,Remedies for Insomnia: twenty different ways to countsheep. Or: Get off that couch: fifteen exercise plans to whip you into shape.

Short and not very sweet.

2006-08-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

I am not going to start moralising today about the whys and wherefors, Lets talk about making money on the internet after all thats why we are all here.

First and foremost our websites are the key, happily mine is at the top of the searches at the moment for how long I don't know it all depends on Googles moods.

SEO is definately the key plus writing articles and of course our blogs, where I have got lost is to do with the blogs, can we optimise the same as we do with our websites ? I expect I am wasting my time even asking that here as I am pretty sure no one reads my blog.

I suppose youngsters are into pop music if they still call it that! news feeds seem all the rage but you can read the news anywhere so why have it on your websites or blogs.?

I suppose linking may be the answer and climbing up the searches but it seems no one seems to be into linking these days unless you pay for it, that is something I would never do.

I don't have much time today so this is very short, maybe I'll come up with something of interest soon.

Today is a hotchpotch.

2006-08-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

I have just watched another episode of love Island a rare occurence these days as I find it rather boring, although the girls are bimbo's probably without brains at least they are lookers, its a shame I can't say the same of the men ! I mean as far as looks are concerned.

If I was still young I would be very disappointed if one of them turned up on a blind date, not that I ever went on one, they are not only like a lot of big kids there is not what you could call a good looker between the lot of them.

I bet those girls were all disapointed when they saw who was sent to keep them company, I know I would have been. still they have had to make the best of a bad job as it is the only recreation they seem to have.

I think they should change the name from love island to bitchy island cause thats all both men and women seem to do there.
This is one program that should be ditched when it reaches its end, along with big brother if thats what its called.

Maybe I'm just getting too old to appreciate them, but its all so artificial the posing, makeup, and hairdos all for their adoring public of course, I bet every one of them will be glad to get off that island even if its only to find out what good the publicity has done for them.

And now the Airport fiasco as they are calling it. All I have to say about that is that five thousand missing bags has got to be preferable to a thousand or more people dead, thats what it would have been if the terrorists had managed to get on the planes, clothes and goods can be repurchased but lives can't.

How many of you watched that program on surgery abroad, tummy tucks that sort of thing, well I lived in South Africa for seven years and during that time I nursed in a private hospital for plastic surgery etc, they did all the face lifts and tummy tucks and anything else you wanted to pay for and many of them did pay, not with money but suffering from infections etc.

They do seem quite common place nowadays infections in the hospitals so to put yourself at risk when you don't need to seems rather rediculous.

We now live in a country where if you happen to enjoy something BEWARE because very soon the do gooders of this country will get it banned, what we once thought was a free country is now fast becoming a state of rules and regulations.
Very soon alcohol will be on the agenda, thats if the goverment can do without the duty it makes, this country GB is going to the dogs in more ways than one and we the people are letting them do their worst.

We vote them in and pay them a fortune to make our lives a misery, are we crazy or what????

The Older Generation

2006-08-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Some hair restoration formulas contain emu oil which is a natural and powerfully penetrating product. This thickens the skin in the area where the hair restoration formula is being applied in hopes of getting blood to the hair root and papilla. This hair restoration formula can immediately affect the hair growth in the area in which it is applied, but shouldn’t be used for instant results.

As you can see, hair restoration formulas offer different chemicals in order to achieve the same effect, hair growth. Hair restoration or hair growth has been a problem for years upon years and decades upon decades without some very intelligent people coming up with a solution. Nobody is going to come up with it overnight without you knowing, so if you don’t know the hair restoration formula or what they are about, don’t try it.

As is the case in many fields concerned with the internet, if a hair restoration formula sounds too good to be true, it is. If there was a viable candidate in the field of hair restoration formula then everybody with baldness would be using it to cure the problem. There is not a guaranteed hair restoration formula, but with different strokes for different folks, you could find a solution on your own.

We have come to the end of hearing about hair restorers so now we need to follow a different tack.

I expect thousands of you saw the elderly man on tele today, he was busy telling everyone on the internet who was interested about his moans and grumbles. It probably cheers him up and if hes lonely he has found a way to make friends with anyone and everyone.

I too are one of the older generation but I don't have time to feel lonely so I think I will tell you what it is like to get older and some of my memories from my younger days.

The only thing that makes me miserable is that every minute I am getting older and theres no way to turn back the clock but its the same for everyone so I'm not alone, this is something you start thinking about when you get older.

Let me explain how it feels. First of all apart from the extra aches and pains that seem to spring up, I suppose thats your body complaining after all its the same age as you, I can tell you that even though you look older you don't feel old in your mind.

Put it this way you could be with a crowd of teenagers and you feel exactly the same as they do, even the same age, the trouble is to them you are an oldie, you can look at a young and handsome lad and still fancy him, forgetting of course for a few moments that you are supposed to be past all that.

I suppose unless you become senile your mind will always stay young which is good in one way but it also means you hate the thought of time passing so quickly.

I remember when I was much younger complaining about elderly people and even now I think they try and take advantage of their age, we used to stand in a queue waiting for the bus and as soon as it arrived you would be shoved out of the way while all the oldies scrambled on in front of you. Many seem to think that because they are past a certain age it gives them the right to be bad mannered.

All they seem to do is complain about this or that, to my mind we should be grateful that at least we have had a long and as in my case a happy life, not moneywise but thats not so important when you see and hear about people with money looking for other ways to try and make their lifes more interesting.

The one thing about not having enough money is you keep striving to try and make money and you can dream about what you would do if you had it so if you had plenty you would lose all that, you would then be like the poor rich people trying to find other ways to be happy.

DHT Blockers

2006-08-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

DHT blockers or inhibitors are hair loss products that attempt to reduce or decrease the growth of a particular follicle to help grow hair. By stimulating hair growth through the blocking of specific receptors this hair loss product can be reasonably successful.

The important idea to remember when using any of these hair loss products is that there is no guaranteed, tried and true, safe product on the market today. There are many hair loss products that will claim the same things, but every head of hair is different and responds to different stimulants.

With the plethora of hair restoration formulas on the market it is difficult to determine which is right for you. Some hair restoration formulas will claim to do everything short of cleaning your kitchen and taking your kids to school, but some hair restoration formulas are actually worth considering. Before you decide on what hair restoration formula is best for you, try to weed through some potential pitfalls of the process.

Hair restoration formulas like Revivogen formula derive natural oils and herbs to make the formula that contains a powerful anti-DHT chemical. This scalp therapy hair restoration formula only takes a few minutes a day to maintain and control.

After shaking the bottle and pouring a dab of the hair restoration formula on your hand you gently massage it to the scalp for around 20 seconds. No washing of the hair for two or three hours and application of this hair restoration formula should take between four and six months to show progress.

Cost of Hair Restoration

2006-08-11T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hair loss treatment is like just about every other treatment or system for enhancing your appearance in that it has its positive and negative side effects. The consumer should consider why hair recovery is important to them and weigh it against the possible side effects that could arise. Don’t pick a hair loss treatment with the idea that a miracle could happen, understand that anything is possible with personal appearance products.

Just about everybody you come across that considers having some sort of personal appearance change is motivated by one factor, cost. Cost of hair restoration is no different from any other personal appearance altering procedure; it can be costly for any type of consumer. While financial concerns should never be the complete decision making factor, the cost of hair restoration should be viewed with care.

The difficulty with deciding between hair restoration surgeries based on the cost of hair restoration is that every doctor and every clinic seems to charge based on a different scale. The cost of some hair restorations are based on the price per hair involved in the procedure.

The cost of some hair restorations are based on the price per graft involved in the procedure. Still the cost of hair restoration in some other situations are based on the price per session it takes to complete the procedure. So what does all of this confusion mean to you?

The cost of hair restoration can be difficult to ascertain in relation to price comparisons because there is no central way of advertising the cost. As was mentioned before, some doctors will charge between $3 and $10 per graft for hair restoration cost. Some doctors will then just advertise a simple flat cost of $3,000 to $15,000 for the procedure.

Now, you have a difficult decision, how do you compare these the cost of hair restoration surgery? The best way is to simply consult a few doctors or specialists before deciding on the right procedure.

Obviously, the cost of hair restoration is a very important part of the process to decide what procedure is best for you. Many doctors or surgeons understand the importance of regaining hair and will therefore work on the cost of hair restoration with the patient to ensure a practical and probable solution.

Since the procedure lasts a lifetime, doctors will custom tailor a procedure to you, possibly make a payment system, thereby reducing the concerns related to the cost of hair restoration.

There are a ton of hair loss products on the internet available to any buyer or interested consumer out there. With the tremendous amount of hair loss products available it can be very confusing as to just what claims to do what and what actually does what. Considering the following short descriptions of hair loss products before making a decision as to what you want to try to change your personal appearance.

This hair loss product is an acronym for Fortified Amino Scalp Therapy, meaning it increases hair growth speed by 45%. This may not be the ideal hair loss product for balding men, but it doesn’t hurt to give the product a chance in a desperate situation.

This hair loss product was developed by doctors in hopes of finding the cure to hair loss for both men and women. It is an extremely easy hair loss product to get started using and continue using due to its ease of use with just three pills a day being taken.

Hair loss products like Rogaine and Propecia are a full fledged hair loss treatment with a schedule of use to attempt to achieve a desired effect with one’s hair. Shampoos, conditioners, and pills offer a hair loss product that isn’t used as much, but does offer a particular advantage.

Hair Restoration Procedure

2006-08-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

The surgical hair restoration procedure has to be performed by a professional who has practiced and been successful in the field. There are a very limited number of qualified surgeons in the U.S. to perform surgical hair restoration. Don’t pick someone simply because of price or popularity, pick someone that truly knows surgical hair restoration.

Surgical hair restoration has only been performed since the 1930s and only by trained professionals for less than half that time. Many doctors have been widely criticized for the potential pitfalls of the procedure, but surgical hair restoration makes to much possible for the imagination.

There is currently only one process for those wanting surgical hair restoration, being the grafting and transplanting of DHT hair from the back of the scalp to other parts of the scalp. Currently the grafts and transplants for surgical hair restoration must be taken from the scalp of the patient or, if possible, an identical twin. Otherwise, anti-rejection medicine would have to be taken for the rest of your life to fight off side effects stemming from surgical hair replacement.

The hair that will be removed and transplanted for surgical hair restoration is taken from the ring around the head that most men with baldness suffer from. With surgical hair restoration that hair that is so strong and resistant to baldness is used for the purpose of growing the new hair in a new spot. Consulting a doctor or surgeon before the process can begin is a great step to take for those considering surgical hair restoration.

When looking to improve your personal appearance through hair loss treatment there are a myriad of options available to the consumer. Hair loss treatment is a procedure like many others that sell themselves on the internet; they must be researched in order to be viable and reliable. For those out there that are considering the benefits of hair loss treatment, the following three procedures are the most commonly used and successful.

This is the only hair loss treatment that it expressly endorsed by the FDA for use and advertisement in the United States. The FDA has endorsed the use of Rogaine even though nobody truly does know how this hair loss treatment works. Rogaine is a clear substance that is applied to the scalp twice a day and can be used with gel or spray as long as the Rogaine dries first.

The use of Retin-A is not a hair loss treatment that should be used alone without the help of another drug. In addition to being a hair loss treatment, Retin-A is used to treat acne and is in fact one of the leaders in the market for treating acne skin conditions. Many doctors will recommend the use of Retin-A with Rogaine, which adds another element to the hair loss treatment cycle.

The hair loss treatment drug Propecia is perhaps only second to Rogaine in its clinical studies and popular growth. Most people have heard or seen Propecia ads about the benefits of the drug, but it is still not endorsed by the FDA as a safe and strong product for hair loss treatment. This hair loss treatment works like most others, but should still be used with a little bit more caution than Rogaine.

Hair Loss Solutions

2006-08-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

Surgical hair restorations like the Bosley hair restoration are proven hair loss solutions that are available to anyone with an open pocketbook. The surgery can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars up to $15,000, a bit steep for most consumers. Hair loss solution seekers usually find this to be a reasonable solution, but it will cost you.

The bottom line with hair loss solutions is that there is no guaranteed solution to the problem. You can find some that are better than others and some will work for one guy and not the next, but none are guaranteed successful every time. Don’t stop at one hair loss solution if it doesn’t work for you, continue to try other products and if all else fails, consider hair restoration surgery.

Nothing can cure a bald man’s confidence more than the return of his hair, but what hair loss system is best to use? Many doctors will tell you that hair restoration is the way to go when trying to return to that look that brought you so much glory once upon a time. Hair restoration is a difficult procedure to understand and an even more difficult decision to make in the first place. But just how does hair restoration work?

The first step of the hair restoration process is to evaluate the donor’s head to determine the areas of the head that are designed not to shed. Hair restoration or transplantation requires a certain degree of hair density on the donor’s head before the hair restoration can continue. Once the doctor is sufficiently pleased with the situation the hair restoration can move to the next stage.

Next, a small section of tissue will be removed from the donor’s head to truly begin the hair restoration. It is dissected under a microscope into micro grafts and follicle units that will help with the next step of the hair restoration process. The doctor must then become an artist to be able to gracefully place the units and grafts into the right place on the patient’s head to make the hair restoration take shape.

A natural looking hairline is created in the hair restoration by placing the single follicle units into the right places on the scalp. The hair restoration will not look right unless the angles and zones are used properly by the hair restoration surgeon, so make sure you choose wisely before the procedure even begins.

Density and volume is provided for the balding areas by placing larger follicle units behind the hairline. The artistic vision of the surgeon will determine the naturalness of the hair’s appearance after the hair restoration is complete. Make sure that you choose the right surgeon for your hair restoration or the whole process could be for nothing.

Hair Loss Remedies

2006-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

With an abundance of hair loss remedies on the market today it is important to remember that there have only been two hair loss treatments to be approved by the FDA for sale, Rogaine and Propecia. A hair loss remedy like Rogaine or Propecia is approved by the FDA and has been proven to make a difference in the hair on a man’s head.

While these have been approved by the FDA, it does not guarantee that it is a hair loss remedy that will work for every consumer.

The only hair loss remedy that has been proven to work while agreeing that hair loss is completely genetic is surgical hair restoration.

Surgical hair restoration is a hair loss remedy that removes pieces of skin, or grafts, and then places them over the balding areas. This works with the genetic hair loss belief because it uses the area that is strongest on any head of hair, even that of a balding man.

Despite what you read or hear, hair loss is not just the passing down of genes from the mother’s father, but it does sometimes skip a generation.

It does not definitely skip a certain generation or even every other generation, but it does sometimes skip.

Every guy who is uncomfortable with their thinning or balding hair always has an eye opened to the latest hair loss solution on the market.

There are a tremendous amount of options available and a new hair loss solution seems to hit the market almost every day. However, no hair loss solution has proven to be successful every time and only one formula is approved by the FDA. What hair loss solution is right for you?

Shampoos and conditioners will offer a slight hair loss solution, but don’t bank on it unless you are using it in conjunction with another product. The same generally goes for hair loss solution pills that are on the market to try to activate the right follicles in the head to stimulate hair growth, try them in conjunction with another hair loss solution for any benefit.

Hair loss solutions like Rogaine and Propecia are treatments that have been proven over time to stimulate hair growth and provide a solution to men. Rogaine (minoxidil) is actually the only hair loss solution on the market to be approved by the FDA for use and advertisement. Rogaine and Propecia are the two most widely used hair loss solutions on the market today.

Hair loss treatmentments.

2006-08-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

When you have hair restoration the surgeons take grafts from the back of the head and place it to overcome the baldness, they are artistic people so your new hair will closely resemble what it used to be like.

When you decide to search for hair restoration experts do not think that cheaper is better, you will be spending a lot of money so it is worth spending that bit extra and going to one with lots of experience. Bosley has be going for thirty years so you can't get more experienced than that.

If money is a problem you could try some of the store hair restorers. It is not guarranteed they will work but you might strike lucky.

The importance of a good hair loss remedy is only as important as the understanding of the hair loss to begin with.

If you don’t understand why you are going bald or your hair is thinning then you won’t know what hair loss remedy is right for you.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter what you see on the television, hear on the radio, or read in the magazines, hair loss is not caused by bad hair care it is most certainly a genetic curse.

Tomorrow I will tell you the best two hair loss treatments on the market, remember they work for some and not others but they are worth trying.

Are You Going Bald ?

2006-08-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

I am going to talk about losing your hair, it is mainly men that suffer from this problem although it can happen to women as well.
Bosley hair restoration is todays market leader, men suffering from male pattern baldness are constantly on the search for a solution to their problem and Bosley hair restoration offers a procedure that is championed in the market for its success.

So why would a balding man choose Bosley hair restoration to cure his problem?

The surgeons who perform the Bosley hair restoration are a highly trained team who have been striving for thirty years to perfect it.

They are trained to pursue a natural hairline to make the head of hair look as natural as if it were your own hair.

Bosley hair restoration, grafts are taken from the back of the head and placed with an artistic vision in the right places to overcome the baldness. This procedure by Bosley hair restoration is offered to both men and women.

It is always assumed that all of the hair restoration surgeries are just the same and looking for the best price is the best decision. However, there are not too many trained professionals performing surgical hair restoration on the market today. With Bosley hair restoration you have the benefit of a trained staff performing the procedure as the company itself has been performing for over 30 years.

More Tomorrow.

Money Improvement

2006-08-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

Is it my imagination or have things improved in the last few days, it seems that the holiday are over for some people and they are thinking in terms of making money again.

It must be the weather after all who wants to waste the small amount of sunshine we have during the year, we can't go abroad all the time looking for it even though flights have come down drastically unless of course we are making a fortune with our websites.

I have just discovered the secret that will hopefully make a drastic improvement to the money I make online, it has doubled in the last two days hopfully it will double up again in the days ahead. After all this is what we are all striving for that elusive thing called money.

We need to earn a fortune just to pay the gas and electricity bills that have doubled up in the last few months, it must be very hard for families on low incomes and for the elderly. I have been trying to economise but its not easy where the home is concerned. Summer helps of course it would help even more if it went on for a bit longer but we have such long winters that is the main problem in this country of ours.

Oh dear my grand kids are creating havoc at the moment time to sort them out, IF ONLY we could enjoy our retirement in peace and just see them when we want, after bringing up four children of my own its hard to take on another three but it is eight years now, and still no end in sight, Josh starts nursery in September but its just for two and a half hours, oh well another thirteen months and he will be in school. then we will be after school minders except for the dreaded holidays.

Good News

2006-08-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

Good news for a change, my husband has liver cancer and the hospital is very pleased with him he is putting on weight and feeling quite well lately so that is something to be thankful for. Something else to look forward to, my daughter and her husband are off work next week so I will have a whole week free from grand children.

There is only ten weeks to go to our holidays we are going to Turkey for two weeks, a late holiday this year but better late than never, I don't like it hot anyway so it might be just right by then.

A short one today, I am looking for new ways to make money so I want to get back to it.

i

Lousy Hospitals Lousy Goverments

2006-07-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

My son in law is a whiz with pcs he builds them fixes them and is a great help to me, but when it comes to showing me something that I havn't grasped he is hopeless.

Everything he does is in high speed and he can't seem to slow down long enough to show me how its done.

I do try but if I mess things up worse he makes me feel like a two year old.

What are our hospitals coming to these days! my sisters daughter was rushed in to hospital last week in severe pain, they said they were'nt sure what the problem was it might be her liver or her kidneys she probably had an infection, meanwhile they gave her high doses of morphine to dull the pain, two days later when she was having difficulty breathing they decided to do a scan, it was found to be apendix which had burst, she was rushed to theatre and operated on immediately, yes she has pulled through that but now her breathing is worse and her oxygen levels low, back for another scan, and they say she has a possible blood clot on her lungs.

It seems our hospitals have gone to the dogs and if only I could afford it I would opt for private treatment anytime.
If only we had a goverment that knew what they were doing and acted honestly, all they think of is feathering their own nests first, having their affairs and covering up their mistakes.

2006-07-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

Wow hurrah at last the heatwave is over, I love the summer but this has been hard to take especially at night.
I have just been looking at questions people ask and one mom is asking how can I potty train my daughter! Are the young moms of today a bit dense? it is something that comes natural if it wasn't we would have five and six year olds running around in nappies.
They just have to be shown what to do and when they are ready they will sit on their potty and do what comes naturally.

Isn't it strange that when you window shop you see some fantastic clothes and you go home wishing you had the money to spare to go in and buy, but when you finally do have money to spend you can never find anything you like.

Have I been programmed not to spend money or does this happen to other people, I wonder !

My own thoughts

2006-07-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with the world? Wars, Murders, people dying everywhere you look. Why is no one satisfied with their lot and feel the need to take what belongs to others.
We have one life to live and although many believe their is an after life no one has ever been able to prove this belief. We are born we live and we die, hopefully after a long life, but we only have one chance so every one should make the most of it.

Religion plays a big part of the problems in this world of ours, I often wonder if people would be better off without it. Yes they were heathens those that did not believe but is it any different in this day and age.

Any values we ever had have disappeared, What was supposed to be the sanctity of marriage has long disappeared, and if a couple do join in matrimony it is probably for all the pomp and ceremony of what is supposed to be a special day.

A few months later wifey goes back to mom and divorce is being discussed. It is so easy to get a divorce that many couples thoughts are that if it doesn't work out, too bad we can get out easily.

I believe that if there is a God he won't put up with it for much longer, and if there isn't one then mankind will destroy itself.

These thoughts have come into my head from watching all the killings of inocent people, and murders happening every day.

Tropical Heatwave

2006-07-21T05:26:00.000-07:00

We're having a heatwave a tropical heatwave, I wonder how many of you remember that song ! Well after two weeks of a heatwave I have to say thank heavens I don't live in a hot country.

I lived in South Africa for seven years during the late sixties and seventies and loved it then, but I think my age must be telling because I find it too much now. I find it difficult to concentrate and I have spent more time reading the last few days rather than working on my pc.

Its only 11 weeks to my holiday now we are off to Turkey for two weeks It shouldn't be too hot as it is early Oct when we go.

This isn't very interesting so I'll make it short and sweet and maybe do a bit more reading I am not in the mood for work in this weather.

I'm back

2006-07-18T05:26:00.000-07:00

My PC went kapoosh and I lost all my memory I am back online but still some problems to iron out. One of is that my website seems to have disapeared off the face of the earth, or should say internet. It is currently at positions 2 and 3 on Make Money Online so it will be a calamity if I can't recover it.

It should be in the editor with the others but for some reason its not. Any suggestions anyone if you happen to read my blog ?

I thought I could copy all the pages that are online even though there are hundreds, that shows how knowledgable I am on technical problems, but I have been told no its not possible.

Please any advice is welcome if there is anyone out there.

Calamity

2006-07-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

The one thing people dread has happened to me. My PC has suddenly decided it has had enough and it has packed up.

I am using my sisters PC at the moment but I have lost all my information and I have to start from scratch again.

Luckily I have most of my password ect, but no back up disc so that has learnt me a big lesson.

I am lucky to have a PC doctor ie my son in law who knows everything there is to know about computers, I am sorry to say I am no technology expert, in fact I am absolutely hopeless in that spere.

He is going to reinstall windows for me so I will have my work cut out redoing all my websites, as I am currently at numbers 1 and 2 on the searches this is my first priority. My main website has hundreds of pages so I am going to be busy for a while.

OK guys if you are stupid like me and you don't have backup make that your first priority or you could get slightly upset like me.

2006-07-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Labour Party's chief fundraiser Lord Levy was arrested then bailed this afternoon in connection with Scotland Yard's cash-for-honours inquiry.
His arrest came in the wake of an ominous twist in the cash-for-peerages row after it emerged that four wealthy businessmen were allegedly told to hide details of their £4million loans to the Labour party.

Are they a load of crooks or what ? Do you think they're concerned about the public or just themselves, you only have to look at the state of the National Health Service its almost at the end of its tether, but why should they worry they can afford the best medical care available. I would love to see their personal bank balances BEFORE and AFTER !! if you know what I mean.

2006-07-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

KILLER FAT
AS SUPERMARKETS SCRAMBLE TO REMOVE HYDROGENATED FATS FROM THEIR PRODUCTS, DIETITIAN JULIETTE KELLOW EXPLAINS THIS LATEST THREAT IN YOUR SHOPPING BASKET
Juliette Kellow
FOR years, health experts have told us to eat less saturated fats. But now another type of fat found in processed foods is making headlines - and it's apparently even more harmful.

This "killer fat" is called hydrogenated fat and it creates trans fats which studies show may increase the risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Trans fats are thought to be so bad for us that Marks & Spencer will this week announce it has removed all hydrogenated fats from its foods. Other supermarkets plan to follow suit.

It's the processing of pure vegetable oils that creates harmful trans fats (small amounts occur naturally in dairy products and meat but these don't appear to harm health).

The process, called hydrogenation, turns liquid oil into a more solid fat with a smoother texture and flavour and a longer shelf life. The resulting partially or fully hydrogenated fats or oils are used in ready-made cakes, biscuits and pastry products, margarines and for frying fast food.

This means any food containing hydrogenated vegetable fats may also contain trans fats.
Health villains

HEALTH experts now agree trans fats are by far the worst type of fat for our hearts. Research shows that, like saturates, they raise levels of bad or LDL cholesterol.
But unlike saturates, they also lower levels of good or HDL cholesterol.

Trans fats also increase levels of triglycerides (another blood fat), hinder the way the body deals with fat and cause inflammation and narrowing of the arteries.

All these factors work together to significantly increase our risk of heart disease and to make us more susceptible to dying suddenly from cardiac problems and heart failure.

One landmark Dutch study concluded that a moderate reduction in the amount of trans fats we eat could lower our risk of heart disease by almost a quarter.

Makes you wonder what else they are going to put in our food to kill us off, They say there will be too many OAPs in a few times time but they I doubt it very much we'll be lucky if we live to see fifty.

2006-07-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

ENGLAND’S football flops yesterday chatted up girls and guzzled champagne — on the day they should have been leading us to World Cup glory.
Four stars partied as gutted England fans watched Italy beat France on penalties.
While the millionaire players danced away, supporters back home rued the fact that England could have won the tournament for the first time since 1966 but for some woeful displays in Germany.
Defender Rio Ferdinand, who danced on a table and cuddled up to Sun girl Virginia Wheeler, even dismissed last night’s final, saying: “World Cup? What World Cup?"

Sack the lot they're just not worth the money they're paid,

OVER RATED, OVER PAID LOSERS.

THREE British former NatWest bankers charged with Enron-related fraud will be extradited to the US on Thursday, their solicitor said today.
David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby will board a plane to at Gatwick Airport at 9.30am to face trial over the alleged £11million fraud.
The extradition of the so-called "NatWest Three" was sanctioned under a controversial fast-track procedure agreed with the US.
The treaty with Washington means Britons can be extradited to the US without evidence first being produced that they have a case to answer.The three men want to be tried in England because it is where they live and where the alleged offences took place.They face custody when they get to the US unless they can raise a US$1million (£540,220) bail bond.
The three men could be held in a US jail for two years awaiting trial.

OK guys I've said it before and i'll say it again, you only have to be a top dog to rake in the millions just too bad if you get found out !

Its all mine

2006-07-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Its all mine

2006-07-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Scotland Yard's cash-for-peerages investigation widened last night following claims that a senior Labour figure advised a wealthy businessmen to hide the fact that he had lent £250,000 to the party after it had nominated him for a peerage.
If the claims are true, they confirm Downing Street was trying to hide the loan's existence from the House of Lords Appointments Commission, which could be interpreted by police as a criminal offence.
Curry magnate Sir Gulam Noon lent Labour £250,000 last spring and is said to have declared the money on his official Lords nomination form.
But it is has been reported that a high-ranking Labour figure close to No10 - who has not been identified - asked Sir Gulam not to mention the loan after he had sent the form to Downing Street.

There's no end to their fiddles, instead of trying to make money online just get into politics, like all the past prime ministers and the top dogs you won't get chucked out or resign without a few million behind you.

It was a big goodbye to the woman with Britain's biggest breasts as Lea was evicted from the house.

I bet big brother was sorry !

More than 90 pieces of jewellery from the collection of the late Princess Margaret went on public display for the first time this week, ahead of an auction.

It seems we're not the only ones that need money ! But were'nt they presents ? If so the money should be given to charity as she was not only Royal but also a public figure and where did the money come from to pay her wages !!

2006-07-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

BBC bosses pocketed bumper pay rises last year at a time when thousands of workers faced redundancy, official figures released today reveal.
The rises also coincided with a fall in its number of viewers. The BBC's total weekly reach dropped from 86.6 per cent last year to 85.3%.
The director-general Mark Thompson saw his pay packet rise by £160,000 from £459,000 to £619,000 although his salary for the previous year was not for a full year.
His fellow executives also enjoyed significant pay rises.
Thompson waived his right to receive a bonus, although his colleagues did not.

Oh well they probably think they deserve it, after all with all those redundancies they might have a fraction more work to do !

Don't leave Prescott in charge John Prescott's future is looking precarious as it has emerged that senior ministers are questioning whether he should be left in charge of the country when Tony Blair goes on holiday next month.

Sack the lot of them, a group of OAPs could do a better job of running the country.

2006-07-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not quitting, says Prescott

Prescott interview
John Prescott says he will not quit as deputy prime minister despite pressure over his meetings with the man hoping to turn the Dome into a super-casino.
Mr Prescott said he had regular talks with Dome owner Philip Anschutz but had no influence over decisions on casinos.

He probably wants to add a few million extra towards his retirement fund before being chucked out!

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. Jul 6, 2006 (AP)— A woman who tried to extort money from the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain by putting a dead mouse in a bowl of soup was sentenced to a year in jail.
Carla Patterson, 38, and her 22-year-old son, Ricky Patterson, sought $500,000 from the chain after claiming they found the rodent in the vegetable soup the woman ordered at a Newport News restaurant on Mother's Day weekend in 2004.
A jury convicted the Pattersons of conspiracy to commit extortion in April. The Pattersons maintained their innocence, but evidence included tests showed the mouse had not been cooked and had not drowned but instead died of a fractured skull.

Ok Guys if you want to try the blackmail lark make sure you drown the mouse and cook it before having a go !

WORRIED that her daughters' budding breasts would expose them to the risk of sexual harassment and even rape, their mother Philomene Moungang started 'ironing' the girls' bosoms with a heated stone.
I did it to my two girls when they were eight years old. I would take the grinding stone, heat it in the fire and press it hard on the breasts,'' Ms Moungang said.

Breast ironing'' - the use of hard or heated objects or other substances to try to stunt breast growth in girls - is a traditional practice in West Africa, experts say. A new survey has revealed it is shockingly widespread in Cameroon, where one in four teenagers are subjected to the traumatic process by relatives, often hoping to lessen their sexual attractiveness.

Breast ironing is an age-old practice in Cameroon, as well as in many other countries in West and Central Africa,''

OH my God I'm speechless on this one !

News Quips

2006-07-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

Big Brother 7: Lea and Richard face boot
ON HER WAY OUT?: LeaPLASTIC surgery fan Lea and gay waiter Richard will face the public boot from Big Brother this week.
The pair received four votes each from their fellow housemates.

I am sorry but all I can say is you must be a sad lot if you feel the need to watch this program your lives must be very dull if this is how you get your excitement.

Two policemen who allowed a wanted thug to buy them coffee after his arrest have been suspended after he took the chance to escape.
The 31-year-old, wanted for over 95 different offences, was picked up on a warrant for grievous bodily harm by the two unnamed officers on the Croatian island of Korcula.
But after persuading them to join him for a last coffee, Muzevic paid the bill and fled out of the back of the café, escaping into nearby woods.

The policemen have been suspended and face further disciplinary action while their superiors investigate how they could have allowed a man who has been charged with so many offences to buy them a drink.

Shame if he had only committed two or three offences they might have been congratulated for getting the price of a drink out of him !

News Quips

2006-07-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Bungling jail chiefs have had to change all the locks at under-fire Feltham Young Offenders' Institution after they allowed a TV crew to broadcast pictures of a bunch of keys, it emerged today (TUE).Prison bosses took the decision because they feared people would be able to make copies after seeing the footage on the ITV News last Wednesday.The cost to taxpayers of replacing the 11,000 locks and 3,200 keys at Feltham YOI is thought to be in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Hey Guys put them on US Ebay they'll pay a fortune for a lock and key from a UK prison !

Liner passengers hit by bug again

The Black Prince was also struck by a bug last monthA cruise ship detained in Leith last month after a major outbreak of sickness has been struck again.
About 100 passengers onboard the Black Prince liner are thought to have been affected by a vomiting virus similar to one which hit the same vessel in June.
On that trip 136 cases of the Norovirus bug were confirmed among passengers.
Nigel Lingard, marketing director for Fred Olsen cruises, said the ship would dock in Leith on Wednesday for "thorough disinfecting".

Its enough to put you off cruising I wonder how often the catering staff wash their hands perhaps they need disinfecting as well !

2006-07-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

Is there any one out there please that can tell me the best way to approach webmasters to ask them if they will promote my new affiliate program. My efforts don't seem to be working at all and I am asking nicely. It is on Clickbank and pays 75% commission on sales. My program is http://www.woweeitsfree.com I would be for ever grateful if I could get any answers.

I have just found out about Techinorati I have yet to read up on it and put it to good use if I can understand it, I will let you know how I get on.
This post is short and sweet as I have no time at present but I'll be back.

Football Fiasco

2006-07-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

I won't say too much about the England fiasco except that if they cut the rediculous amount of money they earn and pay out for wins they might work just that little bit harder. It seems the press and the general public were more interested in the wives, they probably knew what the out come would be and needed something to stir a bit of interest up.

I don't know if I am old fashioned but as far as I am concerned some of the clothes they wore were only fit for the bin, I wonder how many bids they would get if they were put on Ebay before the wives wore them!

All I can say is that a score of 3-1 is a disgrace when they are supposed to be top class players.

I am going to put some information on my website sometime today, if you have a website you may be interested.

I expect plenty of people know about this but there are bound to be some of you that havn't, just check in at http://www.sylviawh.co.uk

It is too hot to sit here for long as my PC is in front of a bay window and the sun is blazing through, we are not used to heatwaves they are few and far between so we have to make the most of them, the garden is beckoning and the grand childrens pool. They aren't here today so I can nip in if I feel like it.
See you tomorrow.

If it wasn't sad it would be laughable

2006-06-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

If it wasn't sad it would be laughable. I am talking about the case of the woman who received three months in prison for not paying her council tax.
Then a hit and run driver who killed a young girl got eighteen months, ok it has been extended to three years but even that is not enough.

When I say laughable I am talking about the comparison between them.

The woman wants congratulating for taking a stand, what little the councils do is certainly not worth what they charge for council tax.

They do empty the dustbins and they are supposed to keep the streets clean but how often do you see street cleaners?

Money is wasted by them left, right and centre, and the mad schemes they come up with is like throwing money down the drain.

Most councillers are only in it for the money and they are not in the least bit interested in the public who pay them.

The same goes for the goverment, not one of them seems capable of running the country, it is the attraction of money that draws them in.

They love the feeling of power, not just because they dictate what goes on but because it also gives them the chance to get filthy rich. Which they do.

Well I will get off my high horse now as I might say something here that will incriminate me then I will end up in the clink.

Starting Over

2006-06-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Up to now I feel as though my blog is just a load of waffle, writing for the sake of it. I would love a bit of encouragement and know that at least one person had read my ramblings.

SEO is one of my favourite subjects and my website held top positions for over two years, I have now settled down to doing some serious work with it to get it back to at least the top ten in the searches.

It has been neglected badly in the last twelve months, this is partly due to family problems and partly to my interests straying to other areas.

I have been writing articles daily and I have started visiting the forums to see what is going on. The searches now seem to be filled with blogs so it will be a challenge to see if my efforts work.

Have you noticed how much the websites have changed in the last twelve months, almost every website is just made up mainly of text, people are taking the sticky element a bit too far and instead of making their websites as they really want them they are bowing down to convention and copying everyone else in a bid to get in Googles good books.

To me this makes a mockery of the Internet it is turning into a maze of look alikes and if you are looking for a business to start you can get lost amongst all the jargon and text.

For a start the search "Make money online" Number one on the search is a blog, a good blog I admit, but if you were new to the internet and looking for a business you would not make head or tails of it.

To my mind if you put make money online in the searches it is because you want to find a business so you can make money, so to be faced with blogs and sites with loads of text it would make you wonder what to put in the searches to actually find a business.

Blogs have been around for a while now and before long something is bound to turn up that will unsurp them so look after your websites and start making them how you want them not how convention decrees.

A Lazy Day

2006-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

I had a day of rest yesterday it doesn't happen very often but apart from cooking the dinner and reading my mail I spent a lazy day reading or watching the tele.
I think I have made up for it today as I have written two articles and added a couple of new pages to my website.

I am in the middle of revamping the whole site and checking all the links, with writing my e-book I neglected my site and now I am paying for it so it needs a lot of care and attention.

There is a lot I need to learn about this blogging, for one thing how do we get people interested in it ? Yes I know up to now there is not a lot on it that might interest other people but I do have quite a bit of experience on internet things and if I thought it would be seen I might start giving out a few tips on various things.

I think I need to do a bit of investigating and see what I can find, my trouble at the moment is time, I don't seem to have enough of it.

I love writing and I could go on all day about nonsensical things but that is not what people wish to read about.

I know that news items are favourite but any news I will give is second hand so what is the sense in that, you only have to go to a news site and you can read all the daily news.

There is one bit of news that might be of use to people thinking of an unusual day out, Visit Thornton Hough in cheshire this week and you will see the scarecrow festival. Everyone competes with each other to produce an unusual scarecrow, you will see them in the gardens, at the side of the road and in the fields, It is great if you have never seen it before.

That got me to thinking, we have religeous festivals throughout the year but it would be great if towns and villages created a non religeous festival at different times of the year and on different subjects were every one could join in and compete to go one better than their neigbour, we would be able to visit and see something different instead of the same old days out all the time.

Its something to think about anyway.

The problems of advertising

2006-06-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

I have a problem I have just brought out a new affiliate program and I am at a loss on how to advertise it any help would be gratefully received.

The main problem is I can't afford to spend money at the moment so paid advertising is out. It is on Clickbank but as it is new it is way back in the listings.

This is the url in case any one happens to see my blog http://www.woweeitsfree.com

I am always advising people to use free advertising if they don't have money but oh dear coping with all those spam emails that turn up whenever you post is a pain.

I have to confess that I havn't seen the news today I have been too busy looking after my grandchildren to look at the tele all I seem to have been doing is making drinks for them cooking lunch and generally trying to amuse them.

Never mind it is Sunday tomorrow a child free day so I will have time to do what I want to do.
I am still not sure where I am going with this, how do I get people to read my blog? maybe then I will start taking it seriously and hopefully contribute something worth while, at the moment I feel as if I am just writing to amuse myself.

I think I will have to start asking questions of other blog enthusiasts maybe they will give me a few pointers as to what I need to do next to get known.

Time is the essence

2006-06-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

Time is against me today so this will be short and sweet. I am still trying to decide which way to head with my blog as so many people are giving advice on this and that and a lot of it is conflicting.

What is in the news today ? Well what concerns me most today is samonella in Cadburys chocolate. As I have just eaten a bar of Cadburys chocolate should I be concerned ? well if I'm still here tomorrow morning I won't worry too much about it.

Aren't some people strange the things they dream up, musical balloons in the air waking people up with classical music blaring out from six hot air balloons high above the houses, this happened over Stratford today.

I don't know if I am a strange female but I love watching the footy cup matches on tele, in fact I love watching most sports, cricket, golf, snooker, bowls, rugby, the only sport I really dislike and what many people rave over is tennis. I am dreading wimbledon next week a whole week of it.

Its all Talk

2006-06-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Its all Talk

MORE ABOUT ME

2006-06-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Before I leave the subject about myself I would like to tell you a little more. I have often thought I would love to write my life story but I am sure the only ones who would be slightly interested in it would be my children so I won't bore you too much with a long drawn out epistle.

My teenage years were fantastic and I would give anything to be able to return to that era. Clothes for a start, at the age of seventeen we wore those full skirts and frothy net underskirts which made you feel so feminine. It was the teddy boy era and for a while I sported a DA hair style and loved it.

I was married at the age of twenty one that was in 1959 it was a gorgeous sunny day and it boded well for my life of married bliss. We now proceeded into the era of mini skirts and mini they were, my husband used to say "Your not going out in that" of course he always gave in, after all it was the fashion.

In the 1960s we made the decision to go out and live in South Africa it was the adventure of a lifetime and we remained there for seven years, It is a wonderful country and our lifestyle was luxurious, we had a four bedroomed house with a kitchen in which you could fit two of the rooms in present house into. A seperate bar with dartboard and all the commodities of a an english bar, every Sunday our house was packed with visitors it was great.

We had a maid, a nanny, and a gardener so I never had to do a bit of housework, but it was my decision to return back home, my children were growing up and I didn't want to give them the chance to posibly form a relationship out there as I always knew where my heart really lay, housework included.

I have never regretted returning home even though the weather leaves much to be desired. Would you believe it but just last week when we were in the middle of a heatwave I bought the Grandchildren an 10 foot swimming pool, it took over an hour to fill it and it was great, the following day the weather changed and it hasn't been used since.

So much for British weather.

Did I tell you that I have just written an e-book? in case you are interested it is on clickbank and you can make a whopping 75% on every sale, Take a look at http://www.woweeitsfree.com

I don't know if we are allowed to advertise our wares but if this blog belongs to me I think it must be posible, anyway if there is disaproval I suppose I will soon find out.

Well its back to the here and now and I have to prepare dinner.

2006-06-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

After spending months wondering if I could create blogs I decided that if I don't try I will never know, and if I do will anyone be interested in what I have to say!
There is only one way to find out and that is get started and create my daily or weekly masterpieces.

First of all a little bit about myself in case your interested, I have been online for just over four years and during that time there have been ups and downs, that is money ups and downs.
I don't know about you but I love to earn money and when it slows down or stops as it has at the moment I get very annoyed.

Anyway I am a grandma and also a great grandma so I am no spring chicken but I still like to have money in my pocket, I think every one feels the same no matter what age they are.
I am also a carer for my husband and son, my husband has cancer and my son had a brain injury due to an accident.
I also look after my young grandson aged two years and after school my the two elder grandchildren arrive to wait for their mom and dad from work.

Its hard but as long as find time for my pc I am happy.I have learnt quite a bit during my years online but Google has a mind of its own so if it decides your standards have dropped it gives you the boot and that is what has happened to me at the moment.
I have been writing an e-book for the last few months so sadly I neglected my website and now I am paying for it.I have been working solidly on it for over a week now so I am hoping Googles spider will build a web there and linger a while to show his approval.

In the past I was ace at website optimisation my website was pr 6 and held top spot for nearly two years but I have failed badly since the Florida update as I couldn't work out what it was looking for.
It seems reciprocal links are not the answer because many webmasters just remove your link after a while, It gives them the edge as they then have a one way link which is highly favoured. This was a bad move on Googles part as it encourages webmasters that have no qualms to simply remove your link from their site.

Articles are supposed to be the be all and end all so I have been writing diligently for a while, but suddenly you seem to dry up and those interesting articles just won't surface.
I have been checking out the web on certain keywords and it seems many webmasters are just opting for a certain amount of text and plenty of Google ads, the same goes for blogs it seems the old style business website has disapeared from the horizon so if you can't beat them you have to join them.

I was born and brought up in a small seaside town called Rhos-on Sea, it is in North Wales and no I don't have a welsh accent and I can't speak Welsh. I suppose this is nothing to be proud of as we did receive Welsh lessons at school but I don't think I was bright enough to pick it up.

I do know a few words and I can say the longest name on map which is Llangairpg in short. You could say I had an idylic childhood not because we were rich, in fact money was short and my mom used to go scrubbing houses when the war was on.

I was seven when the war ended and the only bit of excitement in that era regarding the war was to see a barrage balloon that had escaped it moorings skimming over the roofs of the nearby houses.

Life was good in those days for a child, we went to the beach and up the mountains without an adult in sight. Forbidden to talk to strangers was an unheard of thing so we played safely anywhere we went.

My home was was in what could be termed then rural surroundings, a huge golf course and fields to one side more fields to the left, in front down a hill lay the sea and at the back mountains called Bryn Eiryn.

Sadly the fields are now built on but the golf course is still there and of course the sea and the mountains.