Author : Joseph Ghabi
We have to go through some unfortunate experiences sometimes in our life. When you speak with other people you will always find out how easy your experience is in comparison to what they have suffered. The impact that experience has brought on your life cannot be identified in your immediate moment but on the contrary will be understood once you step out of the experience itself.We always seem to look for reasons to justify our experiences or lessons in life. It is easier not to ask for the reasons and sometimes there may be no identifiable answers. However, there are always two reasons in such cases.First it is karmic, in the sense that we are running into a pattern of karma involving another person where we keep dragging the lesson from life into another. Unfortunately, under these circumstances until we learn to understand our experience and forgive the people involved in the event that karma will remain until such times. It is up to us to stop it in the end and with that, the process and pattern will then cease to exist.Secondly, it is just an experience or lesson that we acquire to have in this life in order to learn something in order to maintain balance in our evolution at a soul level.There are many cases in our day-to-day life that we can discuss here but I will choose only one situation that is really touching many people today in our lives.Sexual abuse, whether physical or mental abuse are both to the same extent and can bring the victim the same effects, in terms of the feeling or shame that is brought about from the experience itself. But also over time it will likely bring those victims to a state of un-settlement in terms of their sexuality and their trust toward the opposite sex or the same sex where sometimes this may be the case and also in their relationships. I believe many of us can relate to one or two points I have mentioned.How do we define sexual abuse whether physically or mental abuse?
The way I define it is where sexual abuse being physically is an act to forge someone into performing physical acts against his or her consent and free will.
Mental abuse is an act upon someone, either in order to convince or degrade them by taping in on their mental state by pushing on their self-confidence and self-esteem in an attempt to convince them do things against his or her consent and free will.There is no one instance better or worse than the other. In both cases scars are created in the victims mind and can take a lifetime to heal unless dealing with the situation after the actual event is handled properly.Which one of my two definitions is a case being karmic or an experience? Well does it really matter? I guess not, but in either case we need to look at the situation in terms of the victim and the abuser, both in the same time there we can determine just how to get out of the dilemma and heal the scars in the process.For the victims in both types of the abuse I explained, regardless if you go for a court settlement in order to punish the abuser and have financial compensation it won't solve anything unless you deal with and heal the experience internally.What do I mean by that? Well it is very simple. Until you come to terms with the experience and heal it and learn to forgive the abuser for what they did to you, you will NOT ever be able release yourself from the experience. That is in no way a means of trying to justify what they did to you in the first place, rather, in order to put your own life back on track to live a normal and productive life again. You must learn to let go and heal the scars of that experience and most importantly, you must NOT blame yourself either because our mind can create a different scenario where we will start to truly believe that it was our fault in the process. We need to understand one thing that is really essential, whatever happened in our past happened, and we are here today in our present moment. Whatever we do, we cannot go back and fix the problem and erase what happened in our past. However, we can accept it and allow the healing process to take place, bring forgiveness and give blessing to both yourself, the person or other people involved in the situation. If we don't do that we are the ones who are left suffering in the end and we don't deserve that, do we? So stop feeling the anger, hate or frustration that we have been carrying all our lives since then. What have we to gain from that? Nothing really! Think about it and try to do something about it. Bring love into your being. The energy of love is the most powerful and strongest energy that exists and that can move mountains! So, it can also move experiences from both our conscious and sub conscious minds.Do not allow your abuser to win by accepting the defeat? That's the message you are creating but revenge is not the answer and by closing yourself to other people, that is not the answer either. Do not allow your past to hold you back from embracing all of what your future has to offer. Think of your experience and what it brought to you in terms of pain, anger and frustration and transform that energy into knowledge understanding and wisdom in what you've experienced and use it toward helping other people who have or are suffering similar experiences to your own.Be honest about it to yourself. You deserve not to suffer for the rest of your life! Unfortunately many victims like the attention that comes from being victim, but in the end you are the only one who will suffer the most from this. Give yourself a break and just accept, forgive and let go. It is high time to stop creating our future karma in situations we could have solved in the first place in this lifetime. And also, forsake of not becoming the abuser of someone else in our future.About the abuser, sometimes it may have been the case where they were victims when they were young. This is all very well and all points discussed in this article apply to you too. Otherwise, whatever event happened should never have happened in the first place if you, as the abuser had allowed your own healing process to take effect. It is not an excuse to say that an abuser was abused in his or her past and it does not take away the fact that they have hurt someone else because of their own hurt and anger.In some cases, the abuser is fearful of his or her own situation and picks up on his or her victims weaker side and uses it in order to gain power over the victim, or on the other hand to satisfy his or her ego. That is an attempt to run away and hide from the fear or weakness inflicted upon themselves as a result of their own experiences, of which they do not know how to or accept to deal with. We see these situations in the abuser, mostly in cases being mental abuse situations.In the end, take a moment to evaluate your life, your situation and your experience which has brought you scars and ask yourself the question. Why am I punishing myself? Do I deserve that in my life all the suffering I am still going through? I don't think so.You'll be the judge!Copyright © Joseph Ghabi www.freespiritcentre.info. All rights reserved.About the Author:Joseph Ghabi is an author, lecturer, and healer. Joseph provides Intuitive Numerology Consultation, Healing Childhood Experiences Consultation and PhD Candidate living in Montreal Canada.
At the age of eight Joseph discovered his clairvoyance. Joseph is natural medium. Joseph started the 'Free Spirit Centre' website at http://www.freespiritcentre.info A community centre devoted to personal growth, self help, soul growth, eating disorders, relationships, healing and human issues.Joseph task is in bringing Souls back to realization of their own personal power and into alignment with their own soul purpose and path of evolution.
Category : Self-Improvement:Spirituality
วันเสาร์ที่ 5 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
วันศุกร์ที่ 4 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
Product Renaissance: 2006 Lincoln Zephyr Teams Up with the Most Durable Lincoln Accessories, Replace
Author : Jenny McLane
Lincoln introduced at the North American International Auto
Show an entirely new generation of consumers to the qualities
that have made Lincoln a classic American luxury marque for more
than 70 years.
The Duratec 30 V-6 is the heart of Lincoln Zephyr's power train.
Using intake Variable Cam Timing (i-VCT) to improve torque and
reduce emissions, the engine generates 210 horsepower and 200
foot-pounds of torque. More importantly, it is the cleanest
Duratec 30 ever, and will be rated for ULEV II tailpipe
emissions in California, with a U.S. federal government rating
of Tier II, Bin 5 tailpipe and LEV II evaporative emissions in
states outside California.
The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transaxle â€"
gradually emerging as the new industry standard for luxury cars.
The innovative, wide-ratio transmission plays a key role in
Lincoln Zephyr's performance and smooth operation.
The overall span of the ratios is approximately 6:1 versus 4.5:1
for a typical five-speed, which allows this smaller, more
fuel-efficient engine to deliver efficient gas mileage along
with a strong performance feel. Another feature is that the
modern six-speed automatic is lighter than some competitor's
four- and five-speed transaxles, boosting performance and
economy further. The Lincoln zephyr also uses an electronic
throttle control that works with the electronically controlled
transaxle to ensure seamless shifts.
Lincoln Zephyr's two row side air curtains also feature
"roll-fold" technology â€" a Ford Motor Company exclusive in the
mid-size segment. If an occupant is improperly seated and
resting his or her head against a window, the air bag is
designed to slide between the glass and occupant as it inflates.
Typical side air curtains unfold like an accordion, using the
occupant's head to keep the bag between the glass and the body.
Lincoln's roll-fold keeps the air curtain against the glass,
even when the occupant is out of position.
For the best quality OEM Lincoln parts, Lincoln
Replacement Parts and Performance Lincoln accessories, shop
online at http://www.partstrain.com/Sho
pByVehicle/LINCOLN . Parts train is constantly updating
its Lincoln Replacement Parts catalog. It has a comprehensive
selection of genuine Lincoln Parts, Replacement Parts, and
Performance Parts at great discount prices. Product excellence
and superior workmanship goes into every Lincoln parts at Parts Train.
Category : Celebrities
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 3 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
Fighter Jet Trainers Sport Planes
Author : Lance Winslow
You want a fighter jet as your personal aircraft; do not deny it. You want to travel faster than the speed of sound and play Top Gun in the sky. Well, it may be possible soon for you to do this, if you have the cash of course. Having studied the possibilities and options for a Supersonic Jet Trainer for fighter aircraft, one might notice that there have been lots of recent media discussions and many solutions at this years Paris Airshow. One such aircraft is the Mako trainer by Mercedes Benz. Top speed 1050 mph. Many years back we used the T-38 an F-5 Tiger with two seats. These units are needed because before you put someone in an F-22 Fighter, which costs 100 million dollars, they better be able to fly the damn thing and fly it well. The Mako could also be a fighter if needed for small countries to be their Air Force. It can use either the EJ200 by Eurojet or an F414 by GE or even Snecma M88 (a company out of France trying to make itself popular in aerospace circles for lightweight high out put engines).http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRHeft/FRH9906/FR9906g.htmThey see this aircraft as an intro to the F-16 or F-22. Many third world countries go to Arizona and use old vintage A-4s for training or train in the desert in CA. This aircraft is long like the T-38 about 45 feet. Aviation Week had some interesting things to say about this project.http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/awst/2002outlook/aw28.htmHowever many companies are competing for these aircraft for trainers including the Koreans T-50, which we have discussed before and the price tag is good and they are readily available now while the Mako is about early 2003 bound and delivered in 2005. The US is now taking delivery of Raytheon's T-6A Texan 2 has the security of U.S. military procurement. Now as a matter of fact I talked to a training pilot in San Antonio who said they were getting their first ones in last June. Many Aerospace consultants in Europe believe this aircraft may take the lead around the world as the trainer of place. Many countries still are not exactly feeling good about buying the Korean T-50s.http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/biz/2002/01/03/stories/2002010300320200.htmhttp://www.global-defence.com/air-eur.htmlIn any case what a wonderful fun and cool aircraft to have as a sport plane. You know you want one. Think about it."Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Category : Article Writing
You want a fighter jet as your personal aircraft; do not deny it. You want to travel faster than the speed of sound and play Top Gun in the sky. Well, it may be possible soon for you to do this, if you have the cash of course. Having studied the possibilities and options for a Supersonic Jet Trainer for fighter aircraft, one might notice that there have been lots of recent media discussions and many solutions at this years Paris Airshow. One such aircraft is the Mako trainer by Mercedes Benz. Top speed 1050 mph. Many years back we used the T-38 an F-5 Tiger with two seats. These units are needed because before you put someone in an F-22 Fighter, which costs 100 million dollars, they better be able to fly the damn thing and fly it well. The Mako could also be a fighter if needed for small countries to be their Air Force. It can use either the EJ200 by Eurojet or an F414 by GE or even Snecma M88 (a company out of France trying to make itself popular in aerospace circles for lightweight high out put engines).http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRHeft/FRH9906/FR9906g.htmThey see this aircraft as an intro to the F-16 or F-22. Many third world countries go to Arizona and use old vintage A-4s for training or train in the desert in CA. This aircraft is long like the T-38 about 45 feet. Aviation Week had some interesting things to say about this project.http://www.aviationnow.com/content/publication/awst/2002outlook/aw28.htmHowever many companies are competing for these aircraft for trainers including the Koreans T-50, which we have discussed before and the price tag is good and they are readily available now while the Mako is about early 2003 bound and delivered in 2005. The US is now taking delivery of Raytheon's T-6A Texan 2 has the security of U.S. military procurement. Now as a matter of fact I talked to a training pilot in San Antonio who said they were getting their first ones in last June. Many Aerospace consultants in Europe believe this aircraft may take the lead around the world as the trainer of place. Many countries still are not exactly feeling good about buying the Korean T-50s.http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/biz/2002/01/03/stories/2002010300320200.htmhttp://www.global-defence.com/air-eur.htmlIn any case what a wonderful fun and cool aircraft to have as a sport plane. You know you want one. Think about it."Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Category : Article Writing
Success Blind Spots: Get Out of Your Own Way
Author : Shary Hauer
Why is it that some people appear to achieve exactly what they want in their careers and life almost effortlessly?
While others are stuck?As an Executive Coach, I hear loads of "external" reasons from my clients about what blocks them from the success they seek--an unsupportive relationship with the boss, constant reorganizations, dried up career paths, lousy market conditions, discrimination and so on. Clearly, all of these justifications and more are valid. But, you've heard it before, and it's true: 99.9% of what keeps any one of us from being all that we can be is an inside job. In other words, each of us has the infinite capacity (and responsibility) to INTENTIONALLY, deliberately create how we want our world to be rather than managing life happenstance as it occurs. Here's the simple formula:1. What you THINK is what you get.
2. What you SAY is what you get.
3. What you FEEL is what you get.The reason many of us do not achieve all that we are meant to is that we unconsciously short-circuit, even sabotage, our potential through limiting beliefs, conflicting thoughts and feelings and just plain old bad habits.Here's an example of a limiting belief: One of my clients had a recent "wake up call" after recognizing that one of her long-held beliefs was invalid: "Hard work and merit alone will be rewarded and "they" will notice and give me the promotion I've earned." Well, you know the rest of the story: She didn't get the promotion and naturally, frustration and anger set in. Her limiting belief so cemented in her psyche, she had failed to see the truth of how it really works in her organization: The "other", more subtle, management skills of managing up, influencing and self-promotion-- what most refer to as "politics"--- are just as, and, in some cases, even more relevant than working hard.On the other hand, I have a new spinning instructor who exudes extraordinary certainty about what he wants in life. Every bone and cell in his body, every thought spun, every word uttered, are crazy-glued to his core belief that he is here to achieve greatness in the field of personal wellness. And, he is. In warp speed. In a matter of weeks, there are waiting lists to get into his classes, he has more personal training clients than other trainers who have been there for years, his new instructional CD and DVD are in production and he has landed a lucrative contract for spots on a national TV network.Getting More of What You Want â€" Advice from HarvardYou obviously already know that getting what you want requires more than reading another positive thinking book or listening to a Tony Robbins tape. Most of the time, we really don't know what's impeding our progress. We just know it doesn't feel good.In their book, Maximum Success: Changing the 12 Behavior Patterns that Keep You from Getting Ahead, authors James Waldroop and Timothy Butler, Directors of MBA Career Development at The Harvard Business School, identify the 12 habits, or Achilles' heels, that can hold you back from getting ahead on the career front. Which pattern best reflects aspects of yourself? Your co-workers, friends?1. Never Feeling Good Enough
SYMPTOM: Feeling that you aren't good enough to deserve a promotion; unconsciously sabotaging yourself once you get it2. Seeing the World in Black and White
SYMPTOM: Resents that the world demands negotiation and the selling of ideas. If something is "right," that should be enough.3. Doing too Much, Pushing Too Hard
SYMPTOM: Pushes hard and does too much. Causes others to burn out and is destructive within an organization, leaving behind a trail of "dead bodies," or coworkers who couldn't keep up with the pace.4. Avoiding Conflict at Any Cost
SYMPTOM: Always avoids conflict. Not a peacemaker, but someone who fears change and prevents innovation.5. Running Roughshod Over the Opposition
SYMPTOM: Runs roughshod over colleagues and clients or willfully defying authority to get attention6. Rebel Looking for a Cause
SYMPTOM: Always looking for a cause that doesn't exist.7. Always Swinging For the Fence
SYMPTOM: Swings for the fence and has unrealistic ambitions. Always disappointed at failures, but would have more successes if she could settle for a few singles.8. When Fear is in the Driver's Seat
SYMPTOM: Focuses on the downside and is defensive and risk-averse; obsesses over all the things that can go wrong9. Emotionally Tone Deaf
SYMPTOM: Sometimes clueless when it comes to thinking about how others feel and knowing how your behaviors impact others.10. When No Job is Good Enough
SYMPTOM: Thinks that no job is ever good enough and that life is full of near misses.11. Lacking a Sense of Boundaries
SYMPTOM: Always talking out of turn. Lets things slip.12. Losing the Path
SYMPTOM: Work is without meaning. Lost passion about a job, but stays on without energyProfessional Development Challenge â€" You Can Do It!Can you "cure" your Achilles' heels? Break old patterns, rewire your beliefs?
Absolutely!
Here are a few simple steps to get you started1. Sharpen your self-awareness. Pay attention and OBSERVE your own actions, thoughts and feelings. Block weekly introspection time to reflect about the causes and impacts of your particular Achilles' heels.
2. Set up a buddy system to help you monitor your behavior at work and outside of work to give you brutally honest feedback about what you might not see.
3. Deliberately create new ways to apply your personal power and defining strengths.
4. Decide which behaviors you want to change to be a more effective leader, a more fulfilled individual.
5. Engage an objective outsider--such as an Executive Coach-- to help you identify your defining strengths and points of power, blind spots, and an action plan to take your personal potential to the next level.Leadership â€" BE the leader who leads YOU to successHere are my Top 4 recommendations for additional insight about how to unlock more of your phenomenal potential:1. Maximum Success: Changing the 12 Behavior Patterns that Keep You from Getting Ahead by James Waldroop & Timothy Butler
2. Take an interactive quiz designed to alert you to self-defeating behaviors, and to offer suggestions for overcoming personal habits that may be sabotaging your career success: http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2000/10/act_waldroop.html
Why is it that some people appear to achieve exactly what they want in their careers and life almost effortlessly?
While others are stuck?As an Executive Coach, I hear loads of "external" reasons from my clients about what blocks them from the success they seek--an unsupportive relationship with the boss, constant reorganizations, dried up career paths, lousy market conditions, discrimination and so on. Clearly, all of these justifications and more are valid. But, you've heard it before, and it's true: 99.9% of what keeps any one of us from being all that we can be is an inside job. In other words, each of us has the infinite capacity (and responsibility) to INTENTIONALLY, deliberately create how we want our world to be rather than managing life happenstance as it occurs. Here's the simple formula:1. What you THINK is what you get.
2. What you SAY is what you get.
3. What you FEEL is what you get.The reason many of us do not achieve all that we are meant to is that we unconsciously short-circuit, even sabotage, our potential through limiting beliefs, conflicting thoughts and feelings and just plain old bad habits.Here's an example of a limiting belief: One of my clients had a recent "wake up call" after recognizing that one of her long-held beliefs was invalid: "Hard work and merit alone will be rewarded and "they" will notice and give me the promotion I've earned." Well, you know the rest of the story: She didn't get the promotion and naturally, frustration and anger set in. Her limiting belief so cemented in her psyche, she had failed to see the truth of how it really works in her organization: The "other", more subtle, management skills of managing up, influencing and self-promotion-- what most refer to as "politics"--- are just as, and, in some cases, even more relevant than working hard.On the other hand, I have a new spinning instructor who exudes extraordinary certainty about what he wants in life. Every bone and cell in his body, every thought spun, every word uttered, are crazy-glued to his core belief that he is here to achieve greatness in the field of personal wellness. And, he is. In warp speed. In a matter of weeks, there are waiting lists to get into his classes, he has more personal training clients than other trainers who have been there for years, his new instructional CD and DVD are in production and he has landed a lucrative contract for spots on a national TV network.Getting More of What You Want â€" Advice from HarvardYou obviously already know that getting what you want requires more than reading another positive thinking book or listening to a Tony Robbins tape. Most of the time, we really don't know what's impeding our progress. We just know it doesn't feel good.In their book, Maximum Success: Changing the 12 Behavior Patterns that Keep You from Getting Ahead, authors James Waldroop and Timothy Butler, Directors of MBA Career Development at The Harvard Business School, identify the 12 habits, or Achilles' heels, that can hold you back from getting ahead on the career front. Which pattern best reflects aspects of yourself? Your co-workers, friends?1. Never Feeling Good Enough
SYMPTOM: Feeling that you aren't good enough to deserve a promotion; unconsciously sabotaging yourself once you get it2. Seeing the World in Black and White
SYMPTOM: Resents that the world demands negotiation and the selling of ideas. If something is "right," that should be enough.3. Doing too Much, Pushing Too Hard
SYMPTOM: Pushes hard and does too much. Causes others to burn out and is destructive within an organization, leaving behind a trail of "dead bodies," or coworkers who couldn't keep up with the pace.4. Avoiding Conflict at Any Cost
SYMPTOM: Always avoids conflict. Not a peacemaker, but someone who fears change and prevents innovation.5. Running Roughshod Over the Opposition
SYMPTOM: Runs roughshod over colleagues and clients or willfully defying authority to get attention6. Rebel Looking for a Cause
SYMPTOM: Always looking for a cause that doesn't exist.7. Always Swinging For the Fence
SYMPTOM: Swings for the fence and has unrealistic ambitions. Always disappointed at failures, but would have more successes if she could settle for a few singles.8. When Fear is in the Driver's Seat
SYMPTOM: Focuses on the downside and is defensive and risk-averse; obsesses over all the things that can go wrong9. Emotionally Tone Deaf
SYMPTOM: Sometimes clueless when it comes to thinking about how others feel and knowing how your behaviors impact others.10. When No Job is Good Enough
SYMPTOM: Thinks that no job is ever good enough and that life is full of near misses.11. Lacking a Sense of Boundaries
SYMPTOM: Always talking out of turn. Lets things slip.12. Losing the Path
SYMPTOM: Work is without meaning. Lost passion about a job, but stays on without energyProfessional Development Challenge â€" You Can Do It!Can you "cure" your Achilles' heels? Break old patterns, rewire your beliefs?
Absolutely!
Here are a few simple steps to get you started1. Sharpen your self-awareness. Pay attention and OBSERVE your own actions, thoughts and feelings. Block weekly introspection time to reflect about the causes and impacts of your particular Achilles' heels.
2. Set up a buddy system to help you monitor your behavior at work and outside of work to give you brutally honest feedback about what you might not see.
3. Deliberately create new ways to apply your personal power and defining strengths.
4. Decide which behaviors you want to change to be a more effective leader, a more fulfilled individual.
5. Engage an objective outsider--such as an Executive Coach-- to help you identify your defining strengths and points of power, blind spots, and an action plan to take your personal potential to the next level.Leadership â€" BE the leader who leads YOU to successHere are my Top 4 recommendations for additional insight about how to unlock more of your phenomenal potential:1. Maximum Success: Changing the 12 Behavior Patterns that Keep You from Getting Ahead by James Waldroop & Timothy Butler
2. Take an interactive quiz designed to alert you to self-defeating behaviors, and to offer suggestions for overcoming personal habits that may be sabotaging your career success: http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2000/10/act_waldroop.html
3. Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings, by Lynn Grabhorn. This is a must read!
4. The Other 90%: How to Unlock Your Vast Untapped Potential For Leadership & Life by Robert K. Cooper . Also see: http://www.theother90%.comAbout Shary Hauer, Executive Coach and Potentialistâ„¢Shary Hauer is the founder and Head Coach of The Hauer Group, Inc., an Executive Leadership Development firm based in Clearwater Beach, Florida. She is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) of high-achieving, high-potential corporate executives who aspire to lead their organizations and lives masterfully. As the Executive Potentialistâ„¢, Shary guides leaders and their teams in cultivating positive behavior change tapping all of their potentials through one-on-one Executive Coaching, Team Coaching and Leadership Workshops. Shary has coached over 250 global executives throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. For more information, please contact http://www.thehauergroup.com.
Category : Society
วันพุธที่ 2 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
DVD Audio: An Introduction
Author : Robert Armstrong
DVD Audio is a music format that is designed to offer improved audio performance
over CD. The new audio format can be used to provide listeners with Advanced
Resolution stereo and/or multi-channel (up to a maximum of six channels) music.
In order to play back DVD Audio discs, players have to be specially designed to
support the format. So far, consumer electronics manufacturers have announced a
range of DVD Audio players, including home decks, portable players and devices for
cars.DVD Audio has a sampling rate of up to 192kHz compared to a maximum of
44.1kHz for CD. It also supports resolutions of up to 24 bits, compared to 16bits on
CD.The idea behind DVD Audio is that it allows producers to give listeners a playback
experience that is much more faithful to the original master recording that has been
possible previously.DVD Audio discs have a much higher capacity than CDs. This extra space can be
used to provide audio at the highest possible quality or for longer recordings, or to
provide additional material, such as information on the artist, photos and even
video, all of which can be displayed on a television screen. Alternatively, DVD Audio
discs currently on the market from the likes of the Warner group of labels have the
audio content in both DVD Audio format and as Dolby Digital surround so that they
can be played back on regular DVD players.DVD Audio discs are navigable in the same way as DVD Video when played back on
a player connected to a TV set. Users can select the required track from an on-
screen menu and with an internet connection, can click on links to go to websites.These dual format discs are a good way to kick-start the market while DVD Audio
players are still relatively rare. The market will also be helped by combined DVD
Video and Audio players.Robert Armstrong is a contributor to The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the content and the
issues related to HDTV.
Category : Politics
DVD Audio is a music format that is designed to offer improved audio performance
over CD. The new audio format can be used to provide listeners with Advanced
Resolution stereo and/or multi-channel (up to a maximum of six channels) music.
In order to play back DVD Audio discs, players have to be specially designed to
support the format. So far, consumer electronics manufacturers have announced a
range of DVD Audio players, including home decks, portable players and devices for
cars.DVD Audio has a sampling rate of up to 192kHz compared to a maximum of
44.1kHz for CD. It also supports resolutions of up to 24 bits, compared to 16bits on
CD.The idea behind DVD Audio is that it allows producers to give listeners a playback
experience that is much more faithful to the original master recording that has been
possible previously.DVD Audio discs have a much higher capacity than CDs. This extra space can be
used to provide audio at the highest possible quality or for longer recordings, or to
provide additional material, such as information on the artist, photos and even
video, all of which can be displayed on a television screen. Alternatively, DVD Audio
discs currently on the market from the likes of the Warner group of labels have the
audio content in both DVD Audio format and as Dolby Digital surround so that they
can be played back on regular DVD players.DVD Audio discs are navigable in the same way as DVD Video when played back on
a player connected to a TV set. Users can select the required track from an on-
screen menu and with an internet connection, can click on links to go to websites.These dual format discs are a good way to kick-start the market while DVD Audio
players are still relatively rare. The market will also be helped by combined DVD
Video and Audio players.Robert Armstrong is a contributor to The HDTV Tuner - a guide to the kit, the content and the
issues related to HDTV.
Category : Politics
วันอังคารที่ 1 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
The Power of a Proven Stock Market Investment Plan
Author : Charles M O'Melia
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash dividend income, verses trying to make a buck in the stock market, your mind set will change. There will no longer be a fear of losing money in the stock market. With the right type of investment plan and investment choices all worries of losing money in the stock market will disappear. The mind set that will emerge when you adopt a proven income producing investment plan in the stock market will create an air of worry-free concern about the up and down turmoil of a volatile stock market. Whether your investment portfolio is rising or falling won?t make a difference. Your income producing investment plan will prove to continually increase your cash dividend income from all your stock market investments, on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. The use of a proven investment plan will allay all fears about investing in the stock market. Why? Because the proven investment plan is based on two very simple and fundamental investment strategies ? investing in only those companies that have a historical record of raising their dividend every year, and having the dividends from those companies rolled back into more shares each quarter, until retirement. By investing in only those companies that raise their dividend every year you will become confident and assured of each stock market investment. And by having the dividends of each company rolled back into more shares each quarter you automatically dollar-cost average into the company?s stock throughout the years. What happens when you invest with this mind set ? investing for ever-increasing cash dividend income through companies that raise their dividend every year, rather than trying to make a buck in the stock market? 1. You begin investing in only those companies that have a proven record of rewarding their shareholders every year. Every dividend rolled back into the company?s stock every quarter increases the amount of shares owned, and therefore, every dividend from the company will be higher than the previous dividend. After 10 or 15 years, you?ll find that that cash dividend begins to add up! 2. The cash dividend income will increase every quarter, no matter what the stock price of the company is at any given time in the market place. As a matter of fact, once you have owned the stock for 10 or 15 years, you?ll be torn as to whether you want the stock to go up or to go down, since a lower stock price will allow your dividend reinvestment to purchase more shares, thereby accelerating your cash dividend income. 3. The rising dividend every year will help off-set the risk of inflation. This will be especially helpful when you retire and start having the dividends sent home, rather than having the dividends rolled over into more shares. During the retirement years, when the dividend is being sent home to help ends-meet, the price of the stock doesn?t matter. Your income increases every year anyway, because every company owned has a program of raising their dividend every year. 4. After retirement, if your account is worth $250,000 one year and due to a severe drop in the stock market, the net value of your securities drops to $200,000, the net worth of the securities at $200,000 would still generate a higher cash dividend income. The net worth of your holdings means little, if the income produced from your holdings is increasing every year, no matter what the net worth. That is the partial reasoning behind investing in only those companies that raise their dividend every year. The other reason is to eliminate risk in investing in the stock market. A company that has been raising their dividend every year MUST be doing something right or the money wouldn?t be there to pay their shareholders ever-increasing cash dividends. 5. The lower the stock price goes, after your initial investment, the higher the dividend yield of the stock. This is extremely powerful and beneficial for you when you are still having the dividends reinvested. Reinvesting those dividends at a lower stock price accelerates your cash dividend income. And if you are in retirement and no longer investing in the stock, the lower stock price does not affect your dividend income at all. The cash dividend income will still increase every year due to the company?s program of raising their dividend every year. As time goes on using this type of investment plan/approach you will discover that by reinvesting those ever-increasing cash dividends, coupled with stock appreciation is a very powerful wealth creating formula! To read the PREFACE from the book ?The Stockopoly Plan ? Investing for retirement? visit: www.thestockopolyplan.com
Charles M. O?Melia is an individual investor with almost 40 years of experience and passion for the stock market. The author of the book The Stockopoly Plan ? Investing for Retirement. You can invest in the book at http::/www.thestockopolyplan.com
Category : General Business: Stocks
Why the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers are the Best Team in NFL History
Author : Edward Brown
I'm 36 and have watched the NFL all season, every season for some 25-26 years. Not an eternity, but long enough to be able to give an accurate summarization of the last 30, of the last 40 super bowls. And the game has changed so much, the first 10 games are in an era where the rules were quite different, and even the season shorter. Believe me, if the Dolphins perfect season had the 2 additional games we have today comprising the 16 game season, it could have changed football history.
My summary of the games and teams I've watched is simply this. Many teams come and go but when it's playoff time, when it's big play time, when excitement is a must, the Pittsburgh Steelers have consistently delivered on more occasions than any other team in the leagues history. They have made at least one Super Bowl appearance in each of the last 4 decades, 3 in the 70's, the 80', 95' and now the new millennium. This makes em great but it doesn't really set them apart from the Cowboys or 49'ers, both of which also own 5 titles. What happened in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL is what separates the 2005 Steelers from every other team, every other franchise, every other group of men who have came together to compete in the game of football. While the media was busy stroking Payton Manning's ego and proclaiming that Tom Brady and the Pat's were back on track and ready take it to the house one more time, the Steelers were quietly planning their work, and it wouldn't be long until they worked that plan on every team that stood in their way.
The 2005 Steelers overcame more odds, compounded odds, than any other super bowl victorious team has ever had to face. They barely made it into the playoffs, and could have missed the post season altogether had it not been for a couple of weak teams that lost pivotal games. Yet what eventually decided the division championship between the Steelers and Bengals was a tie breaker, the Bengals had 1 more division win. How can a team involved in a tie breaker to decide the division not make it into the playoffs? It could have easily happened to the Steelers this year. But life came back to the team in the very late stages of the season and they were able to grab the last spot on the caboose. The dark horse was dismissed as "previously beaten" by Cinci, and the tone remained the same as the Steelers rode into Indy and stole the upset victory for a chance to play in the Championship game in Denver. By then the dark horse was getting a little more respect, and Denver was wondering what to expect. Their worst fear was to face a team that was in that zone, the unbeatable zone that propels teams to glory. Unfortunately for them, Denvers gut was right, and the Steelers smashed through Colorado and never looked back, handing the Broncos one of those old fashioned respect getter loses that finally cemented them as not only contenders, but favorites to win the big game over the Seattle Seahawks. And it distinguished the boys in black as the only team to ever advance to the Super Bowl from the lowest possible seed, 6th. The teams quarterback, Big Ben Rothlisberger, was a mere 22 years old but brought a record of 27-4 to the game. Ben also had a promise to deliver on, a promise he had made to Jerome Bettis who was seriously considering hanging up his cleats, after the previous years loss to the Pat's in Pittsburgh. Come back next year and we we'll make it all the way, I promise. Hines ward, Super Bowl XL MVP, made similar promises, and was obviously troubled by the thought of a ringless Bettis ending his career on such a sour note.
To seal the deal the game was being played in Detroit, the town which conceived and gave birth to Bettis, and a town that was certainly waiting with open arms for her son to return in a blaze of glory. And glorious it was, a spectical I will never forget, a story line so perfect, the outcome had to be obvious from the start. A mere 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh, the crowd at the game that day was 90%-10% Pittsburgh fans. Bill Cowher, the 14 year head coach, relief and joy just running down the mans face, deserved that moment, that trophy, his ring, and most importantly his spot in the Hall of Fame. He worked relentlessly to put that team together, to motivate his players, to get to the big game and win it all. He went through the O'Donells, the Kordell's, the whoevers for 14 years before finding the right combination of talent and motivation and when it happened, when the timing was absolutely perfect, when it counted the most, when it was not an option to loose, he propelled his players into the brightest spotlight that they'll ever know. It was the Cinderella story that could never happen in a million years. But because this team was so special, and cared for each another so much, I honestly think they were blessed by the hand of God, from coming back to just barely squeak into the playoffs, from the field goal attempt by Vanderjagt of the Colts, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, which he missed from 46 yards in a pristine dome atmosphere, to the easy win over a 13-3 Broncos team, I feel as if God was answering a prayer from a person that showed him selflessness and love for his friends and team mates, and by doing so made an example of the situation to teach us all a valuable lesson about caring for others. When you care enough, when you try hard, when you make commitments and when you care about others more than yourself, and then go to God in prayer when you are down, he will lift you up and make you victorious over your opponents. If that same person or group of people on the Steelers squad continues pray to God with the same concern and intensity and genuine selflesness, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be unbeatable until that person or group leaves the team. I truly believe this, and don't profess to be a born again Christian, but this stuff works folks. Sincere prayer works if your motivations are pure and it's what has made the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers the best team in NFL history.Ed Brown is the owner/operator of Tarheel Cigars located on the web at http://www.tarheelcigars.comcontact: admin@tarheelcigars.com
Category : Recreation-and-Sports:Football
I'm 36 and have watched the NFL all season, every season for some 25-26 years. Not an eternity, but long enough to be able to give an accurate summarization of the last 30, of the last 40 super bowls. And the game has changed so much, the first 10 games are in an era where the rules were quite different, and even the season shorter. Believe me, if the Dolphins perfect season had the 2 additional games we have today comprising the 16 game season, it could have changed football history.
My summary of the games and teams I've watched is simply this. Many teams come and go but when it's playoff time, when it's big play time, when excitement is a must, the Pittsburgh Steelers have consistently delivered on more occasions than any other team in the leagues history. They have made at least one Super Bowl appearance in each of the last 4 decades, 3 in the 70's, the 80', 95' and now the new millennium. This makes em great but it doesn't really set them apart from the Cowboys or 49'ers, both of which also own 5 titles. What happened in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL is what separates the 2005 Steelers from every other team, every other franchise, every other group of men who have came together to compete in the game of football. While the media was busy stroking Payton Manning's ego and proclaiming that Tom Brady and the Pat's were back on track and ready take it to the house one more time, the Steelers were quietly planning their work, and it wouldn't be long until they worked that plan on every team that stood in their way.
The 2005 Steelers overcame more odds, compounded odds, than any other super bowl victorious team has ever had to face. They barely made it into the playoffs, and could have missed the post season altogether had it not been for a couple of weak teams that lost pivotal games. Yet what eventually decided the division championship between the Steelers and Bengals was a tie breaker, the Bengals had 1 more division win. How can a team involved in a tie breaker to decide the division not make it into the playoffs? It could have easily happened to the Steelers this year. But life came back to the team in the very late stages of the season and they were able to grab the last spot on the caboose. The dark horse was dismissed as "previously beaten" by Cinci, and the tone remained the same as the Steelers rode into Indy and stole the upset victory for a chance to play in the Championship game in Denver. By then the dark horse was getting a little more respect, and Denver was wondering what to expect. Their worst fear was to face a team that was in that zone, the unbeatable zone that propels teams to glory. Unfortunately for them, Denvers gut was right, and the Steelers smashed through Colorado and never looked back, handing the Broncos one of those old fashioned respect getter loses that finally cemented them as not only contenders, but favorites to win the big game over the Seattle Seahawks. And it distinguished the boys in black as the only team to ever advance to the Super Bowl from the lowest possible seed, 6th. The teams quarterback, Big Ben Rothlisberger, was a mere 22 years old but brought a record of 27-4 to the game. Ben also had a promise to deliver on, a promise he had made to Jerome Bettis who was seriously considering hanging up his cleats, after the previous years loss to the Pat's in Pittsburgh. Come back next year and we we'll make it all the way, I promise. Hines ward, Super Bowl XL MVP, made similar promises, and was obviously troubled by the thought of a ringless Bettis ending his career on such a sour note.
To seal the deal the game was being played in Detroit, the town which conceived and gave birth to Bettis, and a town that was certainly waiting with open arms for her son to return in a blaze of glory. And glorious it was, a spectical I will never forget, a story line so perfect, the outcome had to be obvious from the start. A mere 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh, the crowd at the game that day was 90%-10% Pittsburgh fans. Bill Cowher, the 14 year head coach, relief and joy just running down the mans face, deserved that moment, that trophy, his ring, and most importantly his spot in the Hall of Fame. He worked relentlessly to put that team together, to motivate his players, to get to the big game and win it all. He went through the O'Donells, the Kordell's, the whoevers for 14 years before finding the right combination of talent and motivation and when it happened, when the timing was absolutely perfect, when it counted the most, when it was not an option to loose, he propelled his players into the brightest spotlight that they'll ever know. It was the Cinderella story that could never happen in a million years. But because this team was so special, and cared for each another so much, I honestly think they were blessed by the hand of God, from coming back to just barely squeak into the playoffs, from the field goal attempt by Vanderjagt of the Colts, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, which he missed from 46 yards in a pristine dome atmosphere, to the easy win over a 13-3 Broncos team, I feel as if God was answering a prayer from a person that showed him selflessness and love for his friends and team mates, and by doing so made an example of the situation to teach us all a valuable lesson about caring for others. When you care enough, when you try hard, when you make commitments and when you care about others more than yourself, and then go to God in prayer when you are down, he will lift you up and make you victorious over your opponents. If that same person or group of people on the Steelers squad continues pray to God with the same concern and intensity and genuine selflesness, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be unbeatable until that person or group leaves the team. I truly believe this, and don't profess to be a born again Christian, but this stuff works folks. Sincere prayer works if your motivations are pure and it's what has made the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers the best team in NFL history.Ed Brown is the owner/operator of Tarheel Cigars located on the web at http://www.tarheelcigars.comcontact: admin@tarheelcigars.com
Category : Recreation-and-Sports:Football
Is Your Website Credit Card Friendly?
Author : Tim Knox
In my last column I discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and enhance cash flow. I also pointed out that you may have to look beyond your local bank for help in getting things set up. This week we will look at setting up an online payment system for your business website. If you think hooking up a brick-and-mortar location with a credit card system stymies most bankers, try asking them how to do it on your website.If you'll recall, the question that spurred this topic came from a lady who went to her local bank for help in setting up a credit card acceptance system for her business and her banker wasn't very knowledgeable on the subject. I pointed out that her banker's ignorance of the subject probably wasn't a reflection on his skills as a banker, but a reflection on the compartmentalization of the credit card aspect of banking.The fact is, most banks can provide you with the merchant account needed to accept credit card payments, but beyond that have little to do with the process. Even larger banks may only have a single person on staff who is tasked as the "credit card expert" and if that person ever goes on vacation, you're pretty much out of luck (voice of experience talking here, folks).I have helped many clients set up online credit card processing systems and more than once I've had to sit down with the bank issuing the merchant account and educate them on how online payment systems work. Don't believe me? This is a direct quote (here's the Bible, here's my hand) from the bank employee who was in charge of processing internet merchant account applications, "When someone pays online how do they swipe the credit card in their computer…"Much like a brick and mortar credit card processing system, you will need the following to accept credit cards on your website: (1) an electronic shopping cart system that allows the customer to select products and checkout when ready; (2) a payment gateway service to get approval or declination of the credit card; (3) a credit card processor who will process the transaction; and (4) an internet merchant account issued by an acquiring bank in which processed funds are deposited.We covered most of these elements last week. Here's a quick refresher for those who missed the basics, then we'll talk about a shopping cart system.Payment Gateway Service: The payment gateway service comes into play when a customer submits their credit card information to the webpage form. Think of the gateway service as the middleman in the process. The website's shopping cart checkout system electronically submits the credit card to the gateway service who then routes the information to the processor for approval. Depending on the reply from the processor, the gateway service will return an approval or declination for the purchase. This entire process takes just seconds to perform.Credit Card Processor: The credit card processor is an electronic data center that processes the credit card transactions coming from the gateway company, ensures that the charge is valid, then settles the funds in your merchant account.Internet Merchant Account: An Internet merchant account is a bank or financial institution account in which funds from online sales are deposited. Merchant accounts are usually issued by banks who are associated with the major credit card services like Visa and MasterCard. Be aware that many banks will not grant merchant accounts to Internet merchants as they are often categorized as "high risk ventures." This policy varies widely and in the end, the granting of the merchant account will come down to economics from the bank's point of view. If the bank sees even the smallest iota of risk, you will not be granted the account. Fortunately, the growth of online sales has given rise to an entire industry of merchant service bureaus that will grant you a merchant account and everything else you need to accept online payments. The fees are usually higher, but it's better than not having an online payment system at all.Shopping Cart System. To accept online payments you must have what's called a "shopping cart system" that allows your customer to choose and purchase products. Adding a shopping cart system to your website can be simple or complex, cheap or very expensive. It depends on the product you're selling and the options you wish to offer your customers. As in everything, you get what you pay for.A shopping cart system typically consists of three components: a product catalog, the shopping cart, and a checkout/payment system. The product catalog is your inventory component and displays the items you have for sale on the website. The checkout/payment system is the part of the program that allows your customers to "add this to my cart," and the checkout/ payment system is the component that allows the customer to checkout and pay for their purchase.There is a wide variety of shopping cart software on the market and the price is dependent on the features you want. Shopping cart systems range from simple HTML form insertions to full- blown catalog and inventory systems like those used by Amazon or Dell.You can spend from zero to tens of thousands of dollars. Some of them you can set up on your site yourself while others should be set up by someone who knows what they're doing.You can get a free Paypal.com shopping cart system which is the most simplistic in nature, but the easiest to implement. Using Paypal also alleviates the need for a bank merchant account because everything is handled by Paypal, for a fee of course. You insert HTML forms into your website code and when an item is purchased.There are also numerous online companies who will assist in the setup of your ecommerce / credit card system. These companies charge several hundred to several thousand dollars for their services, so it would be wise for you to have an idea of exactly what you need before calling them into play.Customer submits credit card. The site sends the transaction to the gateway. The gateway sends the info to the processor. The processor contacts the issuing bank of the customers credit card. The issuing bank returns the result of the processor. The processor routs the result to the gate. The gateway passes the result to the website. The website displays the result.One thing to remember when setting up an ecommerce system on your site is this: online it's all about security and privacy. Though online credit card processing has been around for years there are still many people who are uncomfortable giving their credit card number online. These are the same folks that do not hesitate to give their credit card number over the phone to a complete stranger or hand their credit card to a waiter who disappears with it for ten minutes. Online credit card processing is much less susceptible to fraud and abuse than either telephone processing or giving it to a waiter.Eighty-five percent of internet users surveys said that a lack of security made them uncomfortable sending credit card information over the Web.It's up to you to instill a sense of security and make the customer comfortable shoving their card into their computer.Here's to your success.Tim KnoxSmall Business Q&A is written by veteran entrepreneur and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. Tim serves as the president and CEO of three successful technology companies and is the founder of DropshipWholesale.net, an online organization dedicated to the success of online and eBay entrepreneurs.Related Links:
http://www.prosperityandprofits.com
http://www.smallbusinessqa.com
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net
Category : Commentary
In my last column I discussed the process of credit card enabling your brick-and-mortar business. I pointed out that research has shown that accepting credit cards can help increase revenue and enhance cash flow. I also pointed out that you may have to look beyond your local bank for help in getting things set up. This week we will look at setting up an online payment system for your business website. If you think hooking up a brick-and-mortar location with a credit card system stymies most bankers, try asking them how to do it on your website.If you'll recall, the question that spurred this topic came from a lady who went to her local bank for help in setting up a credit card acceptance system for her business and her banker wasn't very knowledgeable on the subject. I pointed out that her banker's ignorance of the subject probably wasn't a reflection on his skills as a banker, but a reflection on the compartmentalization of the credit card aspect of banking.The fact is, most banks can provide you with the merchant account needed to accept credit card payments, but beyond that have little to do with the process. Even larger banks may only have a single person on staff who is tasked as the "credit card expert" and if that person ever goes on vacation, you're pretty much out of luck (voice of experience talking here, folks).I have helped many clients set up online credit card processing systems and more than once I've had to sit down with the bank issuing the merchant account and educate them on how online payment systems work. Don't believe me? This is a direct quote (here's the Bible, here's my hand) from the bank employee who was in charge of processing internet merchant account applications, "When someone pays online how do they swipe the credit card in their computer…"Much like a brick and mortar credit card processing system, you will need the following to accept credit cards on your website: (1) an electronic shopping cart system that allows the customer to select products and checkout when ready; (2) a payment gateway service to get approval or declination of the credit card; (3) a credit card processor who will process the transaction; and (4) an internet merchant account issued by an acquiring bank in which processed funds are deposited.We covered most of these elements last week. Here's a quick refresher for those who missed the basics, then we'll talk about a shopping cart system.Payment Gateway Service: The payment gateway service comes into play when a customer submits their credit card information to the webpage form. Think of the gateway service as the middleman in the process. The website's shopping cart checkout system electronically submits the credit card to the gateway service who then routes the information to the processor for approval. Depending on the reply from the processor, the gateway service will return an approval or declination for the purchase. This entire process takes just seconds to perform.Credit Card Processor: The credit card processor is an electronic data center that processes the credit card transactions coming from the gateway company, ensures that the charge is valid, then settles the funds in your merchant account.Internet Merchant Account: An Internet merchant account is a bank or financial institution account in which funds from online sales are deposited. Merchant accounts are usually issued by banks who are associated with the major credit card services like Visa and MasterCard. Be aware that many banks will not grant merchant accounts to Internet merchants as they are often categorized as "high risk ventures." This policy varies widely and in the end, the granting of the merchant account will come down to economics from the bank's point of view. If the bank sees even the smallest iota of risk, you will not be granted the account. Fortunately, the growth of online sales has given rise to an entire industry of merchant service bureaus that will grant you a merchant account and everything else you need to accept online payments. The fees are usually higher, but it's better than not having an online payment system at all.Shopping Cart System. To accept online payments you must have what's called a "shopping cart system" that allows your customer to choose and purchase products. Adding a shopping cart system to your website can be simple or complex, cheap or very expensive. It depends on the product you're selling and the options you wish to offer your customers. As in everything, you get what you pay for.A shopping cart system typically consists of three components: a product catalog, the shopping cart, and a checkout/payment system. The product catalog is your inventory component and displays the items you have for sale on the website. The checkout/payment system is the part of the program that allows your customers to "add this to my cart," and the checkout/ payment system is the component that allows the customer to checkout and pay for their purchase.There is a wide variety of shopping cart software on the market and the price is dependent on the features you want. Shopping cart systems range from simple HTML form insertions to full- blown catalog and inventory systems like those used by Amazon or Dell.You can spend from zero to tens of thousands of dollars. Some of them you can set up on your site yourself while others should be set up by someone who knows what they're doing.You can get a free Paypal.com shopping cart system which is the most simplistic in nature, but the easiest to implement. Using Paypal also alleviates the need for a bank merchant account because everything is handled by Paypal, for a fee of course. You insert HTML forms into your website code and when an item is purchased.There are also numerous online companies who will assist in the setup of your ecommerce / credit card system. These companies charge several hundred to several thousand dollars for their services, so it would be wise for you to have an idea of exactly what you need before calling them into play.Customer submits credit card. The site sends the transaction to the gateway. The gateway sends the info to the processor. The processor contacts the issuing bank of the customers credit card. The issuing bank returns the result of the processor. The processor routs the result to the gate. The gateway passes the result to the website. The website displays the result.One thing to remember when setting up an ecommerce system on your site is this: online it's all about security and privacy. Though online credit card processing has been around for years there are still many people who are uncomfortable giving their credit card number online. These are the same folks that do not hesitate to give their credit card number over the phone to a complete stranger or hand their credit card to a waiter who disappears with it for ten minutes. Online credit card processing is much less susceptible to fraud and abuse than either telephone processing or giving it to a waiter.Eighty-five percent of internet users surveys said that a lack of security made them uncomfortable sending credit card information over the Web.It's up to you to instill a sense of security and make the customer comfortable shoving their card into their computer.Here's to your success.Tim KnoxSmall Business Q&A is written by veteran entrepreneur and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. Tim serves as the president and CEO of three successful technology companies and is the founder of DropshipWholesale.net, an online organization dedicated to the success of online and eBay entrepreneurs.Related Links:
http://www.prosperityandprofits.com
http://www.smallbusinessqa.com
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net
Category : Commentary
วันจันทร์ที่ 31 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Retirement and Three Little Words that can Sabotage Your Life!
Author : Ellie Wellwood
As we near retirement there are three words that many of us want to delete from our vocabulary. They are structure, discipline and schedules. How do you feel when you hear them? If you're like me, retirement means you want to push away from structure, leave schedules behind, and escape from discipline. Your mindset can make the difference between frustration or joy during the third stage of life. After all, these are your Power Years!My dreams in retirement were to embrace the word freedom into my daily experience. As I left my full-time career in a fortune 500 company, my motto was, Free at Last! What a shock, when freedom alone didn't serve me very well. Let me share how I discovered the secret to turning this around to serve rather than sabotage me.There has been a great deal of press in 2006 about baby boomers beginning to turn 60. Boomers are living longer and healthier than past generations and are revolutionizing retirement. As a baby boomer, I see the second stage of my life as an opportunity to rediscover, reinvent, and revitalize myself. Many of us today are retiring from our first career by the age of 55. No longer do we embrace our parents and grandparents definition of retirement as a time to sit back and simply relax. Don't get me wrong; we love leisure activities. However, we also want to live vital and active lives with purpose and meaning. This is a time to make a real difference in the world. In fact, many of us believe the word retirement should be permanently retired. Baby boomers are choosing to refocus their energy into many different transitional experiences -- some will become entrepreneurs and begin businesses of their own, others aspire to volunteering time and energy for causes that touch their hearts, still others may decide to go back to school, and many will find themselves helping adult children and grandchildren as they move through their own challenges, such as divorce. Many baby boomers have found the services of a Personal Life Coach helps them successfully navigate through their transitions.In my own new retirement, I yearned for simplicity. I felt that simplifying would give me a sense of peace and freedom. However, I found my three problematic words, structure, discipline and schedules beginning to haunt me. I came to a realization: without structure, discipline and schedules in my life, simplicity was elusive. Darn it! Life became a bit frustrating and chaotic, especially when I began my own business as a Personal Life Coach. I realized that without these three concepts in my life it was impossible to make progress. With the help of my own Life Coach, I came to the realization that I could simply use new words that spoke to me in more positive ways. I learned just how powerfully words can affect our thinking. I created a plan.In my new plan:
Structure became Design, Plan, a System
Discipline became Determination, Focus, Method, Self-Mastery
Schedule became Timetable, Program, ItineraryNow I create a plan and focus with determination as I follow my timetable to accomplish my goals. These new words gave me a feeling of power, energy and even lightness. I no longer saw them as restrictions but rather a vehicle towards freedom.Today I find myself moving through each day with ease - with a feeling of accomplishment, purpose and fulfillment. Free at last! If you are stumbling over some words in your life that hold you back and keep you stuck, pull out the thesaurus and try on some new, fresh ones and see what a difference they can make in your life.I now live the life of my dreams with a career I feel passionate about. I no longer work to live, but rather live to work. My desire as a Retirement Coach is to help baby boomers discover a life of meaning and purpose in their power years. Financial planning alone does not make for a happy, healthy and meaningful life. You owe it to yourself to create a Retirement Life Plan and enter this phase with a sense of confidence. Don't wait until you are feeling disillusioned, bored, lonely or depressed during what can be your Power Years. A Retirement Life Plan can open the door to finding focus, passion and joy. Be prepared! Contact Ellie at www.newdirectionscoach.com for a coaching consultation to experience life coaching for yourself and to determine if this is the answer for you right now. Take action and make it happen!Visit Ellie on the web www.newdirectionscoach.com -- sign up for her FREE newsletter now and receive you special complimentary gift, The New Retirement e-book Intro by Richard P. Johnson, PhD.Ellie Wellwood is a Life Coach specializing in Mid-Life and Retirement coaching. She works with baby boomers to help them create their life plan for a successful retirement. It's about discovering and living your dreams. Ellie creates a safe environment where together you explore options you may not have considered and design a plan of action that moves you forward towards achieving your goals while eliminating the things that keep you drained and stuck. With her support you make inner changes that lead to a new experience. Visit Ellie on the web -- sign up for her FREE newsletter now and receive you special complimentary gift, The New Retirement e-book Intro by Richard P. Johnson, PhD.
Category : Self-Improvement:Time-Management
As we near retirement there are three words that many of us want to delete from our vocabulary. They are structure, discipline and schedules. How do you feel when you hear them? If you're like me, retirement means you want to push away from structure, leave schedules behind, and escape from discipline. Your mindset can make the difference between frustration or joy during the third stage of life. After all, these are your Power Years!My dreams in retirement were to embrace the word freedom into my daily experience. As I left my full-time career in a fortune 500 company, my motto was, Free at Last! What a shock, when freedom alone didn't serve me very well. Let me share how I discovered the secret to turning this around to serve rather than sabotage me.There has been a great deal of press in 2006 about baby boomers beginning to turn 60. Boomers are living longer and healthier than past generations and are revolutionizing retirement. As a baby boomer, I see the second stage of my life as an opportunity to rediscover, reinvent, and revitalize myself. Many of us today are retiring from our first career by the age of 55. No longer do we embrace our parents and grandparents definition of retirement as a time to sit back and simply relax. Don't get me wrong; we love leisure activities. However, we also want to live vital and active lives with purpose and meaning. This is a time to make a real difference in the world. In fact, many of us believe the word retirement should be permanently retired. Baby boomers are choosing to refocus their energy into many different transitional experiences -- some will become entrepreneurs and begin businesses of their own, others aspire to volunteering time and energy for causes that touch their hearts, still others may decide to go back to school, and many will find themselves helping adult children and grandchildren as they move through their own challenges, such as divorce. Many baby boomers have found the services of a Personal Life Coach helps them successfully navigate through their transitions.In my own new retirement, I yearned for simplicity. I felt that simplifying would give me a sense of peace and freedom. However, I found my three problematic words, structure, discipline and schedules beginning to haunt me. I came to a realization: without structure, discipline and schedules in my life, simplicity was elusive. Darn it! Life became a bit frustrating and chaotic, especially when I began my own business as a Personal Life Coach. I realized that without these three concepts in my life it was impossible to make progress. With the help of my own Life Coach, I came to the realization that I could simply use new words that spoke to me in more positive ways. I learned just how powerfully words can affect our thinking. I created a plan.In my new plan:
Structure became Design, Plan, a System
Discipline became Determination, Focus, Method, Self-Mastery
Schedule became Timetable, Program, ItineraryNow I create a plan and focus with determination as I follow my timetable to accomplish my goals. These new words gave me a feeling of power, energy and even lightness. I no longer saw them as restrictions but rather a vehicle towards freedom.Today I find myself moving through each day with ease - with a feeling of accomplishment, purpose and fulfillment. Free at last! If you are stumbling over some words in your life that hold you back and keep you stuck, pull out the thesaurus and try on some new, fresh ones and see what a difference they can make in your life.I now live the life of my dreams with a career I feel passionate about. I no longer work to live, but rather live to work. My desire as a Retirement Coach is to help baby boomers discover a life of meaning and purpose in their power years. Financial planning alone does not make for a happy, healthy and meaningful life. You owe it to yourself to create a Retirement Life Plan and enter this phase with a sense of confidence. Don't wait until you are feeling disillusioned, bored, lonely or depressed during what can be your Power Years. A Retirement Life Plan can open the door to finding focus, passion and joy. Be prepared! Contact Ellie at www.newdirectionscoach.com for a coaching consultation to experience life coaching for yourself and to determine if this is the answer for you right now. Take action and make it happen!Visit Ellie on the web www.newdirectionscoach.com -- sign up for her FREE newsletter now and receive you special complimentary gift, The New Retirement e-book Intro by Richard P. Johnson, PhD.Ellie Wellwood is a Life Coach specializing in Mid-Life and Retirement coaching. She works with baby boomers to help them create their life plan for a successful retirement. It's about discovering and living your dreams. Ellie creates a safe environment where together you explore options you may not have considered and design a plan of action that moves you forward towards achieving your goals while eliminating the things that keep you drained and stuck. With her support you make inner changes that lead to a new experience. Visit Ellie on the web -- sign up for her FREE newsletter now and receive you special complimentary gift, The New Retirement e-book Intro by Richard P. Johnson, PhD.
Category : Self-Improvement:Time-Management
The 10 Commandments for Avoiding a Public Relations Disaster
Author : Dr. Sandy Marcus
The 10 Commandments for Avoiding a Public Relations Disaster:Ever wonder why so many people have gotten into trouble because of what they have said or written that has become public on TV, radio, newpapers, or the internet? The author has recently discovered an ancient scroll with ten sacred commandments that can ensure that the reader will avoid these public relations pitfalls.1. Thou shalt think and think clearly and carefully before thou speaketh or writeth.2. Thou shalt not write or say anything (that is, ANYTHING) that thou wouldst not be proud to see quoted in the newspaper, TV, radio, or Internet.3. Thou shalt never say or write anything that is off the record, since thou knowest that in todays world, NOTHING is off the record.4. Thou shalt avoid jokes and trying to be funny or cute, since thou knowest that most humor has a hostile and sarcastic element. Thou shalt leavest the humor to the professional comedians and comedy writers.5. In whatever thou sayest and writest, thou shalt ask, How would someone who hates me interpret this?6. Thou shalt keep things positive, and avoid the negatives.7. Thou shalt not insult any specific individual or group.8. Thou shalt avoid the temptation to say something controversial, or to offer an off the cuff opinion about anything controversial.9. Thou shalt offer opinions only within ones own areas of knowledge, competence, and experience.10. When in doubt about what to say or write, thou shalt consult.The author is not certain which ancient public relations firm wrote the above ten commandments. However, their relevance for today's world is unquestioned. Dr. Sander Marcus is a clinical psychologist with the Center for Research & Service at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago. Specializing in motivational, career, and business areas, he has co-authored two books on underachievement and a nationally used sales test for hiring and training (the SalesAP, Sales Achievement Predictor), as well as dozens of articles. He can be contacted at marcus@iit.edu, 312-567-3358. The IIT Center website is www.center.iit.edu.
Category : General Business: Public Relations
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551
Tattoo Removal
Author : David Z
When you are unhappy with a poor quality or totally inappropriate tattoo, tattoo can often be removed.You would certainly never want to put yourself into a position where you are faced with the desire or necessity of considering removing your tattoo. It is best to consider your tattoo permanent.Removal is not a very pleasant or economical option, but if you made a mistake and have a tattoo that you would like to get removed, ask your doctor for a referral to a dermatologist. Visit a dermatologist to assess your options.Laser tattoo removal is often successfully at completely removing a tattoo without much scarring. A laser removes tattoos from the skin by rapidly pulsing a specific wavelength of light onto the area. These wavelengths pass through the top layers of skin and are absorbed by the cells that hold the tattoo pigments. Because the light is flashing so quickly, it breaks up these pigment-filled cells, which are flushed out naturally by your body. Laser tattoo removal is a costly and lengthy procedure.Another option is to have your tattoo covered. Covering techniques are quite advanced, a good tattooist can cover your tattoo with a first-class work of art. The only limitation with covering is that a tattoo can only be covered with a darker color.http://www.tattoo-symbol-design.com/ - simply the best place for exploring and learning all about tattoos, tattoo ideas, tattoo design concept, tattoo supplies and equipments, etc
Category : Audio-Video Streaming
When you are unhappy with a poor quality or totally inappropriate tattoo, tattoo can often be removed.You would certainly never want to put yourself into a position where you are faced with the desire or necessity of considering removing your tattoo. It is best to consider your tattoo permanent.Removal is not a very pleasant or economical option, but if you made a mistake and have a tattoo that you would like to get removed, ask your doctor for a referral to a dermatologist. Visit a dermatologist to assess your options.Laser tattoo removal is often successfully at completely removing a tattoo without much scarring. A laser removes tattoos from the skin by rapidly pulsing a specific wavelength of light onto the area. These wavelengths pass through the top layers of skin and are absorbed by the cells that hold the tattoo pigments. Because the light is flashing so quickly, it breaks up these pigment-filled cells, which are flushed out naturally by your body. Laser tattoo removal is a costly and lengthy procedure.Another option is to have your tattoo covered. Covering techniques are quite advanced, a good tattooist can cover your tattoo with a first-class work of art. The only limitation with covering is that a tattoo can only be covered with a darker color.http://www.tattoo-symbol-design.com/ - simply the best place for exploring and learning all about tattoos, tattoo ideas, tattoo design concept, tattoo supplies and equipments, etc
Category : Audio-Video Streaming
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