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Technology For Travelers
Jan 27th
If youre a tech head like me then choosing the right bits if kit to take with you traveling is a very important decision. I like to be wired into the world and well entertained when I am sitting on a 12 hour train ride or some hotel room on a stopover it makes the time pass much faster and I can actually get some stuff done. But what should you consider packing for your trek and how can you possibly fit it all in?
As with any type of packing for travel, selecting which pieces of technology to take with you should be determined by weight, size and utility. Less is more! That means taking the smallest and lightest of everything you need.
If you want some computing power on your travels, then a laptop would be the obvious choice. But do you need all the computing power that a laptop can give you or could you escape with just using a tablet or a PDA? When you are lugging around 6 pounds of laptop for miles and miles, the thought of a nice little 200 gram PDA become mighty attractive. If word processing the main reason for taking a computer then consider a PDA with a fold out keyboard. You will be thankful for the weight and space it saves. Alternatively some tablets are more powerful than many laptops and offer the same software options so that might be one other consideration.
Your camera is another consideration. Do you need the 35mm SLR with 4 spare lenses? Unless you are going somewhere that justifies the weight of that, then you might be better off with any of the myriad of small digital cameras available on the market. Many of the newer models are up around the 6 megapixel and above mark meaning the quality of shots is getting very good.
If you desperately need music, then consider any type of MP3 player that can double as a digital photo storage device. iPods are a good choice and nice and light and the fact that you can store any data such as digital photos on them means you can cut down on packing other storage devices.
One of the big things that you are really going to need for all of your gadgets is insurance. Aside from the fact that a person with a lot of gadgets has a lot more to lose when they get robbed, stuff also gets knocked around a lot when you travel. Make sure you get insurance that covers you for the cost of a new replacement of anything that is lost, damaged or stolen.
A few minor considerations at the time of purchase can save a traveler a lot of heartache with gadgets. If you can describe your gear as small, light, useful and insured then you should have a pleasant trip!
Information On Cholesterol
Jan 26th
Cholesterol is a word associated with bad health, but cholesterol is actually a natural substance, necessary for our body’s healthy functioning, and cholesterol, like most everything else in our lives, is harmful only in excess.
And how is it, then, that the very name, cholesterol, has acquired such bad connotations? Why is that we are always cautioned to ‘have our cholesterol level checked’ and to ‘know our cholesterol number’? To understand this more fully, it is important to know exactly what cholesterol is, what it does, and where it comes from.
Cholesterol is necessary for our bodies. Our bodies must have it to maintain good health, and without cholesterol, it would be impossible for our bodies to function. Not all of the functions of cholesterol are known, but some of them are:
To make cell membranes, giving them stability and durability, particularly in our nerve tissue, brain, and spinal cord.
To make bile, where it aids in the absorption and transportation of fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, which we must have for our health.
To manufacture certain hormones.
The principal source of cholesterol is from our own bodies. It is made primarily by the liver, and it is sent through the bloodstream to where it is needed by way of special carriers called lipoprotiens.
Another source of cholesterol is from our diets. Certain foods, such as meat, eggs and whole-fat dairy products all contain cholesterol. There are other foods we eat, such as foods high in saturated fats and transfats, that cause our livers to make more cholesterol.
Cholesterol, like other fats, will not dissolve in liquid, and therefore, it must be carried through the bloodstream, by way of special carriers called lipoprotiens, to where the cholesterol is needed. If more cholesterol is circulating in the bloodstream than is needed for our bodies, it can work with other elements in the blood in the formation of plaque along artery walls.
Although cholesterol is a complex substance made up of many subcomponents, the main subcomponents as they are understood at this time, are LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol, HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol, and triglycerides.
LDL cholesterol is referred to as the ‘bad’ cholesterol, because it is one of the main components in arterial plaque. HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, helps to reduce plaque by returning excess LDL to the liver and aiding in its excretion. Triglyceride levels correspond to LDL levels.
Keep A Sketchbook And Have Fun
Jan 26th
A sketchbook is like diary for an artist, a place where you can just let out all your art without any worries. Any person who wants to get better at drawing should have a sketchbook, because it not only records your ideas, thoughts and experimentations, but a sketchbook also gets you drawing and drawing, building your skills with every moment. You will see that the quality of your sketchbooks will be better and better, and what at first was dull then will become almost a work of art for itself.
In a sketchbook you can do anything you want, although some artist prefer to have sketchbooks based on themes. For example you could have a sketchbook only in human anatomy, and another just a “test sketchbook” where you try any kind of ideas that comes to your mind. And remember that sometimes is not all drawing on your sketchbook, you can write some ideas too, you thoughts, all this is valuable when years pass and you can have a better perspective of how your art has evolved.
What can you draw? That is up to you, but I know sometimes is hard to just start drawing. And this trivial things often end up taking more time than they are supposed to. Luckily, there are websites and books where you can get some ideas on what you can draw in your sketchbook.
About techniques, dont hold back. This is personally what I like most about sketchbooks. Since sketchbooks are personal, not meant for the public to view, you can experiment as much as you like. That applies to style, medium, composition. This way you can truly discover what can be done to make your art better. Just go wild would be the better advice.
Consider your first sketchbook as a beginning of a journey, just imagine all the things you will learn on your way, through a road that is full of surprises. Let freedom and creativity be on your sketchbook and have a lot of fun!
Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Weight Loss Pills
Jan 26th
It is often a surprising thing for people to learn that others they consider fit and attractive are concerned with carrying around excess weight. Often, the expression is one of disbelief, though some have been known to act in a slightly more hostile manner. As unbelievable as this may be, this does reflect the reality that the media has permeated the popular consciousness to the point that everyone believes they need to lose weight. This prevalence has lead to, and can lead to, a multitude of nutritional and medical problems. Anorexia and bulimia are the ones that are getting the most attention, but another big concern would be the excessive use of weight loss pills.
Diabetic Wristbands
Jan 26th
Diabetic wristbands are made to help diabetes patients feel more secure about receiving the correct treatment that they need if anything were to ever go wrong. The two-way Diabetic Bracelet with an I.D. card is a great way to make sure that all diabetes patients will be able to receive treatment. Since there are three different types of diabetes, they are all treated differently. These diabetic wristbands and bracelets allow others to know what kind of diabetes a person has and how to treat them.
Do You REALLY Believe You’ll Be A Success?
Jan 26th
Copyright 2006 Marketing On The Playground (TM)
I was recently invited as a guest on a 4-day cruise boarding a True Luxury Liner. Every room was a suite. I knew via their website we had a bathroom bigger than the one in my home, a sitting room, bedroom, mini-bar and balcony. I knew I needed a break and kept saying I did. It came just before I was due for foot surgery. In my heart I know when we continue to say what we want and believe, it comes to us bigger than what we expect.
I had also wanted to fly home and see my mother who is in an assisted living home. I knew I wouldnt be seeing her for some time due to my foot surgery coming up and really wanted to get home. So I asked. On our return flight we were able to stop to see my mom for a couple of days. The timing was amazing but I believed.
The day after returning home I went into surgery. Before I went in I had a concern that I would lose momentum in my business with a 12-week recovery period. As I looked at what I had accomplished and believed there was a great downtime opportunity to create, I KNEW I wouldnt have any problem. I believed everything would be all right. The second I woke up from my surgery I KNEW I would continue to achieve my goals. Its the first thing I thought about when I opened my eyes. It was like a gift that came in the form of a thought. Through the next 3 weeks my laptop was attached to my hip with ideas just BURSTING. (in-between naps from the painkillers) It was a painful time and an inspiring time.
Heres something else I had in place. I had come across some great products about Belief and Truth. During my first month of recovery time I continued to learn about myself, my business, what was right for me and where I shouldnt go.
I was like a sponge and one day something really hit me. A BIG AHA! BELIEF! Ive had it all along but something was different now. It had a deeper meaning and it played a much bigger role. Not just for me but for all solo-entrepreneurs.
The BIG AHA is coming up soon. The foundation with cornerstones that I work from and I know a lot of us do when we have a business is, Belief, Trust, Passion, Business Process and Marketing. Another big piece is only doing what I LOVE. That would be included in Passion. Feel free to fill in any pieces that are different for your foundation.
Heres the BIG AHA! Belief is the entire foundation. In fact, if I were to create a business model it would look something like this. Picture a triangle. On the left side of the triangle is Business; Right side is Marketing; top is Trust; Within the triangle is Passion; and Belief is the entire foundation.
I KNOW what I have and BELIEF has carried me to where I am now and where I will go. Do you know what you have? You have something magnificent! You have something that no one else has because you are unique and thats what you bring to your business. If you have a dream, go after it. If you have a business, make it a GREAT one. In either case dont deprive others of your gifts. They are in need of you and its up to you (and your support system) to make it happen.
Have the BEST day and keep Believing!
Why Planning Your “Re-Fired” Retirement Is Vitally Important
Jan 26th
Just about all of us plan to retire one day. You may visualize yourself with plenty of free time on your hands, no commute, and finally with an opportunity to travel with the person you love.
But statistics show that golden dream comes true for only a very few of Americans. Some studies reveal less than 10 percent of us ever retire. Even more alarming, other studies show a large percentage die within a year or two after retirement.
Clearly, an enjoyable, healthy retirement is not something that just “happens.” To get past all the challenges that lie in your way, you need to plan for your retirement wisely.
I advise people in my seminars NOT to retire, but to RE-FIRE. Instead of looking at retirement as merely leaving the world of work, look at retirement as a time when you can finally achieve the things you’ve always wanted to do.
Most retirement advice centers around telling you to put a lot of money in a savings account. While saving for retirement is important, most of what you should do to retire well can be accomplished within five years of retirement.
Much of what you need to do to retire successfully is mental and spiritual. When many of us retire, we walk away from a life of work that filled our days, exercised our minds, and included most of our good friends. Once you’re retired, you find your days become empty and unfulfilling, even depressing.
That’s why it’s critical to plan new tasks, goals, and attitudes for retirement. While sitting in an easy chair and relishing not having to go to work can be fun for a while, you’ll soon need activities and relationships to make your days fulfilling. You’ll also need ways to create a satisfying social life that often includes important new friends.
That’s why RE-FIREING in your retirement years is the right approach to take. Rather than giving up, you’re recharging and moving forward to an even more exciting life.
Focus on attaining optimum good health, creating the fine-tuned relationships you’ve always wanted, and finally accomplishing some of your true purposes in life. Re-firing can help you figure out what has been missing from your life, what you really want to do in your senior years, and help you develop solid strategies for quickly achieving your important goals.
How to Up Your Chances of Winning Poetry Contests
Jan 26th
With so many poetry contests available both online and in poetry journals, you dont have to look too hard to find one that suits your writing style and your wallet. While some poetry contests are free to enter, they may not have a great prize in return. On the other hand, some poetry contests that charge you ten or fifteen dollars to enter do not really offer you a lot in return. Spending fifteen dollars to win one hundred when you are competing with hundreds or even thousands of other writers is not a good gamble.
So when you find a contest that has both a tolerable entry fee and a reasonable payoff, you can enter. You may need to look at several contests before you decide on one that is right for you in terms of style. It is important to read the work of previous winners online if possible.
If the contest is sponsored by a university publication or a literary journal, you should pick up a copy or two of this journal to see what type of poetry appeals to the editors. Pay attention to the theme of the issue as it could affect the kind of poetry you read for that month. Try reading another theme to see if the style is similar even if the subject matter has changed. Then when you find a place that seems to publish work that is similar in style and tone to yours, check out the guidelines.
This is probably the best thing you can do, besides have natural talent, to win a poetry contest: follow the guidelines. It is not impressive to editors or contest judges if you try to be unique by straying from these rules. They are in place for a reason. Usually, this reason is to make the job of the editors and judges easier. They will be inundated with entries. If all the pages are uniform and the type is big enough to read, their lives will be much less stressful. If you are the one with the odd sized paper and blue font, you will make a bad impression rather than a memorable one.
So stick to the guidelines about page size, usually a standard eight by ten sheet of printer paper. Also use a font that is readable, at least an eleven or twelve point in something like New Courier, Arial, or Times New Roman. Also be sure that you follow guidelines about having you name and contact information on the page. Some people want a copy of your poem with no name on it so that judging is not biased by previously published work.
Remember to note whether or not you can go over one page for your poem. If they want you to stick to one page, this is not license to create two columns of stanzas on one sheet of paper, nor is it appropriate to shrink your type to a size that will fit a too-long poem on a single page. If your poem is too long, pick another one to enter or find another contest.
Finally, use the editors name in your cover letter and double check spelling. Be professional rather than artistic in your presentation.
You can find a list of poetry contests to enter at http://www.poetrycontests.biz/
Olivia Newton-John is ‘Stronger Than Before’
Jan 25th
She’s wondered “Have You Never Been Mellow,” implored us to get “Physical” and made it clear she’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” Now singer, actress and breast cancer prevention advocate Olivia Newton-John wants us to know she’s “Stronger Than Before.”
That’s the title of the multi-Grammy-winning artist’s newest compact disc, a 10-song collection inspired by her ongoing efforts to promote women’s health. It is available only at Hallmark Gold Crown stores in September and October (National Breast Cancer Awareness Month).
Newton-John is a 13-year breast cancer survivor. Fittingly, “Stronger Than Before” features songs of courage and hope inspired by her journey to good health and strong advocacy of early detection. Hallmark specifically selected her to record the company’s first-ever CD designed to raise consciousness about the disease and funds to fight it.
In a career that has seen numerous gold and platinum records, and movie stardom opposite John Travolta in “Grease,” Newton-John says she has never been more personally attached to a project than she is with “Stronger Than Before.” She collaborated with close friends, many of them fellow breast cancer survivors, and chose each track for its meaning and significance.
Included on the album are “Phenomenal Woman,” based on a poem by Maya Angelou, with the voices of Patti LaBelle, Diahann Carroll and others, and “Can I Trust Your Arms,” written by Newton-John’s daughter Chloe.
“Stronger Than Before” is priced at $9.95. Hallmark will donate $2 from the sale of each CD to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Hallmark also is donating $2 from the sale of each $14.95 Angel of Grace Keepsake Ornament to the charity, along with a minimum of 10 percent of the retail price of a gift collection. The collection includes boxed note cards, a pink suede-paper journal, heart-shaped bezel box, pink champagne glasses, and a pink nightshirt.
This is the seventh anniversary of the Hallmark Gold Crown Cards for the Cure program, featuring a free, specially designed card that reminds friends and family about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
Guitar Lesson How To Change Guitar Strings
Jan 25th
At some point, all guitarists need to learn how to change the strings on their guitar. Sometimes you’ll be forced to change one when a string snaps. But usually, you’ll simply want to change them, as strings lose their brightness and wear out.
The amount of time you leave between change strings varies depending on several factors. If you play your guitar regularly, then you might like to change your strings once a week or once a month.
Most Professional guitarists tend to change their strings before each gig. But in the end, it all comes down to a matter of personal preference. Something to bear in mind if you’re using your guitar for a gig, is that your strings need a few hours of play to break in properly. During this time, your strings will go out of tune as they stretch so you’ll have to retune.
Anyway, here’s what you do:
Remove the old strings by detuning the machine heads until the tension becomes loose enough to allow you to pull each string away from the headstock.
Another quick way to remove the old strings is to snip them using a pair of wire cutters. Be very careful if you do it this way, and make sure they are loose, since the bare ends of the strings can be sharp and easily flap around. Bare guitar strings are amongst the many things you DO NOT want to catch in your eye.
How you go about installing your new strings will usually depend on the type of guitar you have, as many guitars have slightly different methods. However, the strings are usually held in place at one end by fixtures behind or on the bridge, and at the other by turning the machine head on the headstock.
Here’s a small insider tip guitarists have been using for years to get more life from your steel strings once you’ve removed them: Boil them.
Dropping a set of strings into a pan of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes will remove a lot of the grimy build up and bring a new life back to what would otherwise be lifeless strings.
It won’t last for very long, and you can’t get away with doing it too many times, but it can be an effective temporary measure.
I wouldn’t suggest you rely on this technique too much, strings aren’t too expensive – and using new strings saves you a lot of hassle.
Regardless of what kind of guitar you have, your strings need to be stretched after you’ve put them on. When you first tune your guitar, put your hand under each string around the pickup area, pull the string a few centimeters away from the fretboard, then release it. If the pitch has dropped, retune and repeat the process. Keep doing this until all the strings stay in tune.
On most electric guitars the strings are either secured at the bridge end by an independent tailpiece (like most Gibson guitars), or passed through the body of the instrument from the back into an all-in-one bridge unit (like most fender style guitars).
At one end of every steel string, you will find a tiny disc of metal around which one end of the string is wrapped. This is called the ball end.
Take the opposite end of the string and thread it through the fixture at the bridge.
Pull the string through until the ball end stops you from pulling the string any further.
Most electric and steel-string guitars use a similar system for securing strings at the machine head. The capstan to which the string is attached stands out vertically from the headstock. Strings can be passed through a hole in the side of the capstan.
The end is then passed around and under, trapping it in place when the machine head is tightened. Some capstans have vertical slots instead of holes. To use these, cut the string to length, and insert into the tip of the capstan. Then bend the string to one side and wind it around.
This leaves the string endings neat and tidy.
Here’s what you do next: Slowly turn the machine head for each string, increasing the tension until the string becomes suitably tight.
To save yourself time and energy, you can use a cheap plastic string winder, which simply fits over the machine head allowing you to crank it along more quickly.
Jelly Beans Are A Delicious Easter Treat
Jan 25th
Jelly beans are a favorite Easter treat among children and adults both. Who does not like their sweet candy coating and their chewy insides? You would have to be crazy not to! Jelly beans make a great addition to your candy bowl and your Easter basket. In fact, jelly beans are the good old standby that parents all around the world depend upon when they need to add just one more thing to their son or daughters Easter candy list.
Jelly beans come in all different colors. You will find red, orange, purple, pink and green and even white jelly beans just to name a few and they all have their own unique and exciting flavor. Everyone has their own personal favorite flavor and color, just ask your friends what there are and I bet they will be different than yours.
No one need grow out of eating jelly beans, they are a wonderful delicious little candy that everyone should be able to enjoy without any shame at all. Candy is one of the things that bring adults and children together and jelly beans are one of the top candies for this kind of bonding.
Every year there are more and more kinds of jelly beans on the market. There are even some jelly beans that are flavored to taste like things you would never want to put into your mouth. These are novelty candies that children enjoy not because they taste good but because they taste bad.
These kinds of jelly beans have really taken off since the first Harry Potter movie. After that movie came out there were some Harry Potter brand jelly beans made. These had flavors such as vomit and snot! Why would you want to eat these kinds of jelly beans? It is crazy but children certainly ate them up! http://www.youngwizardpro.com/potter
Give me the old fashioned colorful jelly beans and I am happy as are most people men, women and children alike. Jelly beans are a classic candy treat that you can give to your children and they can give to theirs, they are fantastic as long as you remember to brush your teeth after you eat them. All of that sugar can wreak havoc on your teeth if you are not careful.
Another concern to always remember at Easter time is that jelly beans are not for everyone. Those children who are still very young should not eat jelly beans as they could choke on them.
Englands World Cup Dream Over
Jan 25th
Once again Englands remarkable inability from spot kicks has cost them a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup.
The 3-1 shoot out defeat to Portugal was a repeat of the European Championship exit two years earlier when the Portuguese where on home soil.
Owen Hargreaves was the only Englishman to convert his penalty as the England curse continued.
England have now lost six of the seven penalty shootouts they have been involved in.
Contrast this to Germany, who since defeat to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championships have won every shootout they have been involved in.
That record becomes even more incredible when you consider they have also scored every individual penalty within the shootout.
But Englands demise could have been avoided had Sven-Goran Eriksson employed better use of the players at his disposal.
His decision to stick with David Beckham when the England captain is clearly past his best has caused frustration for many fans.
This was compounded by the performance of Aaron Lennon when he finally got his chance in place of Beckham during the second half of the quarterfinal.
His pace and dribbling caused panic in the Portuguese defence, something Beckham rarely achieved, and fans can only wonder how England would have faired had he been used earlier.
Englands chances were further inhibited when their one genuine world class star Wayne Rooney was played out of his best position and employed as a lone front man.
Rooney is at his devastating best playing behind a main striker and running at defences from thirty yards out.
Englands tactics of hitting him with long balls was a complete waste of his talents and a let off for the Portuguese defence.
But with Eriksson now departed, the reigns of the England managers job are passed on to Steve McClaren, Erikssons assistant for the past five years.
Fans can only hope McClaren introduces a new attacking brand of football to excite the supporters and break with more defensive instincts of Eriksson.
We await with baited breath.
How to identify Spoof/Phishing emails – Protect yourself from identity theft.
Jan 25th
What is a spoof email?
Spoof emails (sometimes also called “Phishing”) are emails that pretend to be from a company or bank. The most common often come from eBay, PayPal, Barclays Bank etc. These emails will then contain a web link, if you click on this link then you will be taken to a login page and asked to enter your details. Most of these scammers go a long way to try and get your details, most spoof emails contain links to identical websites and users are tricked into entering their personal information. If you submit your information through one of these spoof websites then the fraudster has all of your details and can commit crimes using your identity.
How do they get my email address?
You may wonder how the scammers got your address or knew you were a member of a particular bank or institution. Often it is just good luck on the part of the scammers. They normally do not target individuals, but send out thousands of scam emails to randomly generated email addresses, in the hope that just a few will be successful. They also trawl the web for valid addresses they can use, and swap this information with each other. If you have ever posted on an Internet forum or published something on the web, there’s a good chance your address is out there somewhere just waiting to be found. If you have fallen victim before, your address is normally added to a list of ‘easy victims’, and you are likely to then receive even more scams.
How can I identify these emails?
Here are 4 simple tests that you can perform on any email you suspect is a spoof. Your email can only pass the test if it passes ALL FOUR of the tests. If your email passes all of the four tests then you can be 99.9% certain that it is a genuine email. If your email passes all four of the tests then we would also advise you to check the “Other Tips” section just to double check that your email is genuine.
If your email fails
If your email fails JUST ONE of the four tests then the email is a spoof and shouldn’t be replied to and should be deleted immediately from your computer. Even if your email fails the test, I would still advise you to check out the “Other Tips” page for more good ways to spot a spoof email.
If you are still in doubt
Unless you are 100% sure that your email is genuine, DO NOT click on any links within the email. Contact the company in question (See the “reporting a spoof” page) and ask them to confirm if the email is genuine or a spoof.
Test 1 – Who is the email addressed to?
Have a look at how the email addresses you. Most spoofs will say something along the lines of “Dear eBay user”. This is the very first thing you should look for in a spoof email. Any email that doesn’t address you by your name is a spoof. Ebay, PayPal and banks always address you by the name you registered with on their site, they NEVER send out emails saying
“Dear valued customer”, “Dear member” etc.
If your email isn’t addressed to you personally then it is a spoof! If your email is addressed to you then move onto the next test to see if it is a spoof email. Some more advanced spoof messages have started to include your name or email address instead of the generic “Dear member” or “Dear user”. So even if your email were addressed to you I would strongly advise you to carry out the 3 other tests.
Test 2 – Where does the link go?
Most spoof emails will contain a link telling you to verify your details. You can quickly tell if your email is a spoof by hovering your mouse over the link. When your mouse is over the link, look in the bottom left hand corner of your screen and you will see the “link destination”. The destination of a spoof link will usually look something like this:
“http://slp.clinker.net.mx/.sh/.a/index.htm?SignIn&ssPageName=h:h:sin:us”
Compare this with a real eBay link:
http://k2b-bulk.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBaySellingSummary
And you can see the difference. You can easily check if you email is a fake by looking at the first part of the link destination, if the destination is a combination of numbers (102.382.54.23) or a link like the one in my spoof link above then the chances are that your email is a spoof.
Any non-spoof link will contain the name of the company in the first part of the link, eg:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk http://cgi.ebay.com http://cgi.paypal.com
Please note: Some spoof links will contain the words “eBay” or “PayPal” in the final part of the link. These are also spoofs!
All real emails will only contain the company name in the very first part of the link; after http://. If you still aren’t sure if you have a spoof email, move onto the next test.
Test 3 – Who really did send you the email?
This test may seem a little confusing but don’t worry it isn’t as difficult as it looks. What we are going to do is find out where the email came from. Most people don’t know this but you can trace the origin of your emails in most mail programs. To do this we have to view the “FULL message header”, here is how you do this in the following email programs. If your program isn’t listed here please contact your email provider for instructions:
Hotmail 1. Click on “Options” 2. Click on “Mail display settings” 3. The 3rd option can be used to display the header settings, select “Full” from the check boxes 4. Click on “OK” to save your settings
Outlook Express 1. Right click on the email and select “Properties” 2. Select the “Details” tab
Now that we can view the message headers, here is how you identify a spoof:
Look in the part of the header that says “Received From”. If the email has come from anyone other than the sender it’s a spoof. I had a spoof email and performed this test and notice that the email had been sent from a Yahoo account. Obviously a real email from eBay would not have been sent from a Yahoo address!
Test 4 – Click on the link
Only try this if your email has passed the previous 3 tests. Some spoof emails have been known to contain viruses that are activated by clicking on the link. Please ensure that you have a good virus scanner installed on your PC before proceeding. If you have important data on your PC you may also wish to backup that data on a removable backup device.
When you click the link in your email a web browser will open and take you to what looks like a legitimate login page. There are two ways to identify a spoof login page, and I will show you both of them! Have a look in the address bar at the top of the login page. Have a look at the http:// part of the URL. Any genuine login page from eBay, PayPal or your bank WONT start with “http://” it will start with:
“https://”
The “s” in https:// stands for “secure” and is there to show you that you are about to submit data over a secure connection.
Any page not starting with https:// is a spoof. The second difference between the two pages is the padlock icon in the bottom right hand of the screen. Notice that the spoof login page doesn’t have a padlock, and the genuine eBay login page does. This padlock appears to show you that you are about to submit data over a secure connection. If your login page DOESNT have a padlock icon in the bottom corner of the screen then it is a spoof!
Other Tips for spotting Spoofs
1. Punctuation Read your email carefully and look for any spelling mistakes. You can be sure that any genuine emails wont contain simple spelling mistakes.
2. Adverts? Real emails from eBay don’t contain adverts for burger king!
3. Hotmail identity check A new feature in hotmail now warns you if a senderID could not be verified. Any spoof email will contain this warning. (please note that recently I received a genuine email from eBay that contained this warning, so don’t judge an email purely by this method)
4. PIN number Any website asking for your PIN (personal identification number) is a spoof. Do not enter your PIN number! If you have entered and submitted your PIN then contact your bank immediately.
5. Popup boxes Some spoof sites will include popup message boxes like the one below. Genuine sites don’t use popup boxes telling you to enter details.
6. False sense of urgency Most spoof emails will make you think that your account is at threat if you don’t act quickly. This is not the case.
7. eBay Messages Any genuine email sent to you from eBay will also appear in the “My Messages” section of eBay. To access your eBay messages, login to ebay and click on “My eBay”. On the left hand side of the screen you will see a “My Messages” link. Click on this; if the email you received in your inbox isn’t listed there then it is a spoof email.
8. Ignore the email address Ignore the email address that the email was sent from. Almost all spoof emails will appear as if they are from a genuine address. Some of the emails I receive are “from”:
service@paypal.com memberservices@paypal.com awconfirm@ebay.com safeharbour@ebay.com operator_862736743@halifax.com
9. Download the eBay toolbar The eBay toolbar is a great piece of software that can be used to spot spoofs. As soon as you enter a spoof website from eBay or PayPal the toolbar will give you a warning telling you that web page is a spoof. The Ebay toolbar is FREE to download.
Dan Thompson has been creating websites for over 7 years. You can visit his website and receive 6 free e-books, check out the website on http://www.elpassobooks.co.uk
Change your Career With our Ten Step Career Change Plan!
Jan 24th
So, yous? think it is time for a career change? Follow our nine step career change plan and you’ll be well on the way to a more enriching life!
Many people are unhappy in their jobs, but you have made the big decision to change your career. So let’s examine some of the reasons you might have decided that a career change is for you.
Perhaps you are looking for a career with a higher salary? Or looking for a career that allows for a better work life balance? You might have become bored with your current responsibilities, and be looking for a more exciting career? Perhaps a career with more travel? Or more opportunities to make a difference?? Or you wish to combine your career with broader interests you have in life? Make sure, however, that it is a career change you are seeking, and not just a different employer in the same career.
Whatever the reason, you have made the biggest step of all, which is to decide to make your career change a reality!
So now what? Let’s look at a nine point career change action plan for how you might attack your career change!
1) Choosing your new career
Assuming that you would like to use your career change, at least partly, to increase the enjoyment you get from the time you spend working, the first thing to do is to assess what you actually like doing!
2) Skills and experience for your career change
So now you know what you want to get out of your career change. Now you must assess whether you have the right skills and experience to get into your new career.
3) Training for your new career
If completing a career change we easy, all of us would be in our dream careers right now! So what is stopping us? Perhaps it is the additional skills which we need to build to be credible in our new career. Don’t think that training, however, is restricted to job-related or academic courses. You can get the skills and experience you need for your career change in many other ways!
4) Accepting a pay cut for your career change
Perhaps the main reason for your career change is to earn more money? If so, then that’s great, but it’s always wise to get as much information on your new career to ensure that you will actually earn more money doing it. If, however, your career change is not driven by wanting to achieve more money, you may need to accept a pay cut.
5) Financing your career change
Completing your career change may require a spell without paid employment. As well as tightening your belt, you should also do a thorough review of your financial position, including loans, mortgages and credit cards. By switching credit cards, you may find you can save money and get other benefits!
6) Relocating
Perhaps your main reason for your career change is to relocate to an area with a lower cost of living, or better schooling or a better climate. Even if it isn’t, your career change might require a relocation – you won’t find many opportunities to be a ski instructor in San Diego, for example!
7) Changing career without changing employer
Before you assume that you will need to leave your current employer to achieve your career change, have a look around and see if your career change goals can be satisfied where you are currently working.
Finding a new employer
There are a number of ways to find an employer which every job searcher knows – classified adverts, internet job-boards, employer directories etc. Many jobs, however, are never listed in classified adverts and on job-boards because they are filled as soon as they are announced!
To make sure that you are in with a chance, you must develop a strong network in the career you wish to change to.
9) Refreshing your job-hunting skills
The chances are, if you’ve been in your current position for a while, that your job-hunting skills could be quite rusty! So take the opportunity to brush up on these skills – you might only get one chance to make your career change successful!
10) Staying flexible to achieve your career change dreams
Finally, now that you’ve made the biggest step and chosen to pursue a career change, don’t rush it! It may take a month or even a year to work out exactly what you want from your career change and to develop the skills, experience and network to get you into the right place within that career. Don’t settle for something which is ‘almost right’ or you’ll be going through the whole career change process again!
Jonathan Lewis is the founder and CEO of Careerfriend, a company committed to helping people succeed in their dream careers. His extensive experience of attracting, recruiting, retaining and developing exceptional people in management consulting and investment banking allows him to offer clear, actionable advice which has a great impact on people either looking for new jobs or looking to succeed further in their existing jobs.
The Careerfriend website (http://www.careerfriend.com) contains free career advice articles to help people succeed in securing dream careers, from career and employer selection, through resume and cover letter writing, to interviewing, salary negotiation and ongoing career development.
Jonathan was educated at Cambridge University, UK and has advised major national and international corporations, both in the public and private sectors, on issues of corporate strategy, corporate organization, labor relations, personnel development.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Lewis
Have You Thanked Your Competitors Lately?
Jan 24th
Competition in the business world is often viewed as a negative thing, but it doesn’t have to be. Competition can benefit you, your competitor, and especially your customer!
Let’s look at some of the ways in which competitors can help you:
They prevent you from becoming lazy and overly comfortable in your business practices. It’s easy to feel confident and relaxed in your business if you have a unique product that everyone wants. You don’t feel any pressure to better yourself or your product. Everyone wants it, so it must be good as it is, right? Then one day another company comes along that begins offering similar products that are just a little bit better than yours. Uh-oh! Now you feel the pressure to perform. You don’t want to lose your customers, so you need to continuously improve your product and your level of customer service. You now need to give your customers a stronger reason to keep coming back to you.
They encourage you to be more creative. So, now you’re not the only one selling purple-polka-dotted purses anymore. What can you do? Develop more products! Stretch your imagination. Come up with some unique ideas that will either improve upon your existing products or design new ones. Come up with a line of new accessories, new color schemes, new sizes and styles. Don’t try to copy what your competitors are doing, do something different and unique. Express your own creativity.
They help you to stretch out of your comfort zones. Perhaps you have a solid customer base and haven’t had to invest much in promoting your company until now. But the attention is slowly beginning to drift away from you. Now you need to work a little harder at your level of visibility. You can advertise some sales or special promotions, get more involved with your local community, or donate a portion of sales to a worthy cause. Become as visible as you can in your community. Whether you have an online business or a brick and mortar one, you need to remain in your customers’ minds. Put yourself and your company out there whenever you can. Be noticeable, be memorable.
They force you to charge reasonable prices. This sounds like a bad thing, but really it’s not. Think of yourself as a consumer. Aren’t you always looking for good value for your money? Of course you are. And so are your customers! While it’s great to be earning a lot of money for your products, you also want to be fair to your customers if you want them to come back again. No one likes to feel like they’re being over-charged or ripped off. You may need to explore different suppliers and materials in order to keep your prices in line, but your customers will thank you for it by returning again and again.
Joint ventures. These can be extremely profitable for both parties, if they’re done right. Perhaps you and your competitor can offer discounts to the other’s customers and do some cross-promotion for each other. Promote your competitor’s purses and she will promote your scarves and shoes. Swap ads in each other’s newsletters. Think of some ways in which both of you could work together to benefit yourselves, as well as your customers. Build each other up, rather than trying to tear each other down.
These concepts become a little more challenging when applied to distributors who work for the same company, but it’s still possible to find ways to work together in growing your businesses. Perhaps you can co-host a home-business seminar and share in the product sales and recruits. Share the costs of advertising in a prominent publication and split the responses. Or each of you can target different markets and give referrals to each other. Working together will ultimately result in more sales for your company, which will benefit both of you also!
Competition can seem threatening at times, but the truth is, there is room for all of us! Just think about the popular burger places in the world today. I can think of at least 4 or 5 well-known ones, including the two most popular that are usually found within blocks of each other in any city — or sometimes right next door to each other! These companies earn billions of dollars a year. Look at how these companies keep encouraging each other to do better. In their competition, they are creating menus that have items for only $1, new value meal combinations, new sandwiches and salads, later hours and more. It’s benefitting the consumer by giving them more choices and better value for their money, and it’s benefitting the burger places by earning them more money. It’s a win-win situation all around.
So the next time you see one of your competitors, smile, wave and say, “THANKS!”
So, Do You Need Financial Planning?
Jan 23rd
Well do you need Financial Planning? In this article, I will show you how you can answer this question.
Immediately after we complete our college education, we automatically participate in a race call rat race.
Everyone started the race with a cart. In this cart, we have personal bills, loans and our allowance. As we are single, everything is good and manageable. We can spend what we earn without worry.
Then we meet our partners and get married. Thus we begin our next chapter in life. Our cart becomes heavier and we now worry about our spouse’s bills and loans and kids allowance. Some of us must support our parents too. We may even need to bring our family to vocation. As we grow older, our carts get heavier and heavier. Do you have enough savings to meet these expenses?
As we know, life is never a straight and smooth path. We will encounter obstacles. Some of these obstacles may set us back in terms of our financial standing .If we do encounter a big obstacle (e.g. critical illness, operation, surgery, business failure) and need a huge sum of money to recover, Do you have enough money to meet this expense? What if the big obstacle results in us being permanently bed-ridden or out of work for a long time, what is going to happen to our cart? Do you have enough money to support yourself and family if that happens?
Many may say, well we have friends and relatives to turn to for help. But our friends and family have their own carts to pull too. If they help push our cart, who is going to push theirs?
We will all retire from work eventually. From then on till we all rest in peace, we do not have regular income but our life must still go on. We still need to pay our bills and we still need to eat. Do you have enough money to support yourself during retirement?
At old age, our body is no longer working as well as they used to. Our health conditions deteriorate, as we get older. We will need to seek medical help frequently. We may even need to employ a person to take good care of us. Do you have enough money to spend on these medical expenses?
So do you need Financial Planning? If you answer Yes to all the above questions, then you are safe and need not worry about Financial Planning. Otherwise, I suggest you start thinking about it.
Natural Oral Health Care Products Are the Recipe for Healthy Teeth and Gums
Jan 23rd
Contrary to what television commercials and magazine advertisements would have you believe, you don’t need the chemicals in most toothpastes, mouthwashes, and other oral health care products to tackle gingivitis, periodontal gum disease, dry mouth, or bad breath. In reality, many of those advertisements mislead you into believing that simply using mouthwash will combat periodontal infection. In fact, the plant soaps, essential oils, vitamins, and herbs in natural oral health care products are often more effective in the treatment of gingivitis, in periodontal disease prevention, in dry mouth treatment, and in the everyday care of healthy teeth and gums.
Rediscovering The Wonders Of Accordions
Jan 22nd
There seems to be fewer and fewer bands which include accordion in the list of instruments they play. Typical modern bands use drums, electric guitar, bass guitar, and keyboards but accordions? No. It is no wonder Generations X and Y generally regard accordion as a thing of the past. Although there are still one or two modern bands which proudly incorporate accordions in their music, it would still take a lot of convincing before several people buy the idea of listening to accordion-accompanied music on a regular basis. But those who are interested to discover the wonders of accordion can listen to bands like Those Darn Accordions (TDA), a rock-and-roll band with an exciting twist. In their website, TDA members Susan Garramone and Susie Davis assure listeners that the band would try its best to revolutionize people’s view of the said instrument.
Wait, what exactly are people’s understanding of the squeezeboxes (another term for accordion) that needs to be rearranged in the first place? Well, for one, accordions are bulky and lack the sleek sophistication of modern instruments. Squeezeboxes look like a much more complicated, ‘pleated’ version of keyboards. Though dating back from the eighteenth century, squeezeboxes have newer models which are more refined in appearance but somehow, accordion is still seemingly outdated in today’s band standards. As a matter of fact, squeezeboxes are often the subject of ridicule in cartoons and sitcoms. On the brighter side, though, squeezeboxes are the choice instrument of famous musicians John Linnell, Boozoo Chavis and Beau Jocques.
Music-wise, the sound produced by accordions is incomparable. To be specific, music is derived when the ‘pleats’ of the squeezeboxes are alternately compressed and expanded. Button accordion, an older version of keyboard-like squeezebox, have buttons that a musician press to create distinct and pleasant melody, especially when appropriately accompanied by other instruments such as guitar and drums. For instance, four members of TDA play accordions while the other two play drums and bass guitar. The result? Well, let’s just say that people love it. Long before TDA, the Ulster-Scots have already discovered the wonders of squeezeboxes, whether played alone or as an accompaniment to flute or harp. Accordion, indeed, has a niche in the rich musical culture of the Scots. But Scots or no Scots, many can appreciate squeezeboxes only if they give these underrated instruments a much-deserved chance. The younger generation, adventurous as they are, should make it a point to listen to modern accordion-playing bands to enrich their musical senses and add variety to their playlists.
Do You Know A Southern Hero?
Jan 22nd
You don’t have to be a Southerner to know a Southern hero. What’s more, you may know one without realizing it. Southern heroes take many forms, but- above all-they’re anyone who makes the South’s communities stronger, safer and more united. That could mean a devoted teacher, heroic firefighter, tireless volunteer or selfless mother. If you know one, a leading wireless company would like to hear his or her story.
For the past two years, SouthernLINC Wireless has recognized a total of 10 outstanding public servants in the South through its Southern Heroes program. As part of that program, the company will make a donation to each recipient’s charity of choice.
After last year’s hurricane season, the importance of honoring the South’s unsung heroes is more important than ever. After all, many individuals in those communities emerged as heroes. Whether these folks helped give shelter to those who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina, aided in the rebuilding efforts of communities along the Gulf Coast or organized a communitywide fund-raiser for the victims, SouthernLINC Wireless would like to recognize their heroic efforts.
“In the wake of the devastating 2005 hurricane season, we are more dedicated than ever to paying tribute to those who truly exemplify the characteristics of a Southern hero,” said Bob Dawson, president and CEO of SouthernLINC Wireless.
If you know a Southern hero, please share his or her story by taking a moment to visit www.southernheroes.com and submitting the short online entry form between August 1 and August 31, 2006. Entry forms can also be found at any SouthernLINC Wireless retail location. Log on to www.southernlinc.com to find the store nearest you. The five Southern Heroes who will be spotlighted and rewarded will be announced in September 2006. Additionally, SouthernLINC Wireless will further the heroes’ efforts by contributing $2,000 to the non-profit organization or charity of each winner’s choice for a total of $10,000 in celebration of the company’s 10-year anniversary.
Heroes Wanted-If you know a Southern hero who helped during Hurricane Katrina, one wireless company would like to know about it.