Building links to your site

Over the years there has been lots of discussion in the SEO community regarding building links to a web site. The debate is particularly heated at the moment, as Google rolls out its "Jagger" upgrade.

Let's start with what we mean by inbound links, also called backlinks. These are links from other sites to your URL, which direct the surfer directly to your site when the link is clicked. The basic premise is that if you have high ranking sites linking to you, then you must yourself be important and have valuable content, and hence you should rank highly. The way in which Google ranks sites is called Pagerank and can be seen as a green line on the Google Toolbar representing ranks 0 to 10. As Google states

PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important."

Important, high-quality sites receive a higher PageRank, which Google remembers each time it conducts a search. Of course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don't match your query. So, Google combines PageRank with sophisticated text-matching techniques to find pages that are both important and relevant to your search. Google goes far beyond the number of times a term appears on a page and examines all aspects of the page's content (and the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if it's a good match for your query.

So, back to the question "Does having inbound links to your site help your site's credibility", and hence visibility when searched. The broad answer to this question is "yes", but with a number of very important caveats which we will cover in the other sections.

OK, so backlinks are basically good, especially from high ranking sites, so how do we get them? The first way, and best way, is by having such great content on your site that all these high-powered sites want to link to you. Downside to this method is that it is slow and takes lots of time and effort on your part. But don't worry, when anyone tries to build a level playing field there are always people out there that will provide work-arounds.

The first one was reciprocal links, whereby you say that you will link to a site if they also link to you. That's stretching the original idea, but it's not too bad because how many of these sort of links are you going to set up? Well, actually, some people have created thousands of such links between sites, maybe not what Google initially intended!

But then, due to the emphasis Google placed on link popularity, the concept of link farms was born. These are sites that link to other sites purely to increase the links to the site. Pay a few dollars and get thousands of links to your site. Too good to be true - you bet. Google hates link farms and sees these links as spam and will actively penalise sites that use such links. So, the first rule of linking is do not use link farms. The second rule is do not use lots of reciprocal links, Google can easily check this and the "Jagger" update that is currently rolling out seems to be particularly focused on penalising sites with lots of reciprocal links. The jury is still out on whether "themed" links will be treated in the same way. "Themed" links are links to sites that are very closely aligned to the same primary topic as your own site. If you think about this, it makes a lot of sense and is much more likely to be based on real content-based linking.

We believe another area Google is focusing on is how quickly your site gains backlinks. If your site is one month old, it is hardly believable for it to gain 100 real backlinks in that time. So, the third rule of linking is to ensure your links build in a realistic way. In all of these ways, Google is trying to ensure fairness and that's why new sites are often held back in the results pages.

Finally, we should mention the sites that will improve your ranking - the Directories. There are many of these, but the most important is DMOZ, also known as the ODP. DMOZ is the Open Directory Project and is the largest, most comprehensive human-edited directory of the Web. It is constructed and maintained by a vast, global community of volunteer editors. It gets the name DMOZ from the acronym for Directory Mozilla, as it is administered by Netscape Communication Corporation. It's Pagerank is 9 and hence a link from DMOZ will help your site. We recommend that everyone visits dmoz. org and attempts to get listed, it's free. The Yahoo directory is also important and free for non-commercial sites, but $299 a year for business.

So, in summary, by far the best way of getting links is by having a quality site that other people want to link to. So again, we are back to content. If you provide quality information, over time, more and more sites will link to you, and if they are in the same business sector as you, so much the better.

And now a poem

Written by my partner, reflecting the Jagger update.

Just when you thought it was safe,

To step once more into the water,

Google throws in an undertow,

For doing things you didn’t oughta,

Just when the surfboard is glistening,

And you're ordering champagne,

Google has been quietly listening,

And feels you need more pain,

Those link farms you visited,

Weren't health farms after all

Reciprocal now is the term

For what Big G's doing to you all,

Your trillions of two way linkages

Now millstones to make you stagger,

Your new nightmare shrinkages,

Brought to you today by Jagger,

A strident voice proclaiming links,

Are running quickly out of time,

Under the boardwalk of history,

Lying decimated all down the line,

This will not be the last time,

That your website is torn and frayed,

That Google will paint it black,

Or the devils sympathy card is played,

Just shine a light on your website,

Is it still under your thumb?

Or is it hijacked like flight 505,

By others who would become,

Your link promoting partners,

Who just ask your link return,

And now you owe the reaper,

And your harvest starts to burn,

Simmering in the torrid glare,

Of a Google bent on being cool,

Where everyone should fight fair,

Everyone obey the golden rule,

And slowly and inexorably we move,

Out of shadow and into light,

With every upgrade evening up,

The distance twixt wrong and right,

And every route 66 drives towards,

Eliminating devious spam-like crimes,

And ever inexorably inches forward,

Towards its own stated guidelines.

Things you should consider when buying your first garden leaf blower

Want to save yourself some time?

Collecting leaves with the aid of a garden leaf blower is considerably less time-consuming and less back breaking work when compared to using a garden rake or other such tools. The general idea of a leaf blower is pretty straightforward. A high-speed fan is surrounded by a cover. Tubes are then connected to the side of the fan to focus the air current (up to around 200 miles per hour in some units) in the direction you want to move the leaves.

What do I need to consider?

First of all consider the size of your garden and your exposure to fallen leaves. Do you have a large yard? If you have only a small garden and no trees or bushes then you will not need a garden leaf blower, but if you have a large garden and wish to have it looking clean at all times then a garden leaf blower would be a wise investment and a great time saver for you. You will want to bear these factors in mind when you consider the features of the different models.

Garden leaf blowers come in all shapes and sizes depending on their use.

Leaf blowers include both small one-hand models and powerful, professional types which can be carried in a harness on your back. Consider one with a harness particularly if you suffer from back or neck problems, as the harness will take a good deal of the load off your shoulders and arms.

Consider too, the blowing speed and air volume the different models put out, as a high blowing speed would cut down the time needed for the blowing operation. Most garden leaf blowers will have a rating of 350 to 600 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM).

A low vibration level would also be preferable with ergonomic handles and harnesses to help you to work more efficiently with less strain on the hands, arms and shoulders.

Handheld garden leaf blowers can be generally divided into two groups: those that can collect leaves and those that can't. With a garden leaf blower you can do much more than just move leaves. It can also be used to collect rubbish, grass clippings, hedge clippings, and empty tin cans.

Your choice of garden leaf blower should have an efficient system to minimise vibrations in the parts of the machine that you or the user comes in contact with.

Make a note of the weight of each type of garden leaf blower too, as some blowers can weigh as much as 25lb or 12kg. You'd have to be doing an awful lot of blowing to be needing the 25lb model!

Consider too, a model with the ability to vacuum all you leaves into a bag rather than blowing them all away. Another great time saver when it comes to disposing of the leaves. An extra mulching feature is available on some leaf blower/vacuums. Mulched lawn debris can be used in compost piles or bagged for disposal. Most of these convert easily from blowing to vacuuming mode.

Making your choice between an electric or gas-powered unit isn't always easy! Gas blowers are more powerful, but electric ones are quieter. The engine should be powerful and easy to start if you choose a gasoline model. Do you live in a busy neighborhood where a quieter operation would be appreciated? Or is your yard massive with lots of trees, making a powerful unit the only real option?

Choose a model within your price range with the best selection of features. You can expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $500 for a decent garden leaf blower, depending upon the specifications you choose.

In the recommendation age sophisticated filtering engines are our beacons

It wasn’t too long ago we were embracing the information age. Most of us still think we are in it. But the consequence of the information age is the overwhelming volume of information on any given subject, product or service. We are forced to spend a great deal of time sifting through sites, bits and bytes to [hopefully] discover what we are looking for.

Be it music, film, books or other products the sheer volume of choice makes it more difficult to find what we want; but we are also offered an abundant picking list: This immense list has emerged because a) production has been democratized: Never before has any single human being anywhere been able to operate independently to bring something of value to the world stage; be it a sound track, desktop wallpaper image, Flash cartoon, computer programming service, or indeed, more and more, a paid commentator, and b) distribution now takes the form of bits and bytes, meaning zero goods stock holding so companies like Amazon can print books on demand and iTunes can deliver music in bytes.

These two forces create abundance in choice and transform information into saleable products and services.

But sifting through tons of information to get to what we want is a bit like weeding the garden. We have to look at almost every blade of grass to get all the weeds out before we see the right result. And usually we miss a few patches.

What if we had someone helping us weed? Like a tennis umpire overlooking the landscape and directing our attention to important areas within our focal length. Moving from Information age to Recommendation age the collective wisdom of the crowd is the new connoisseur. More and more people spend time writing reviews and recommendations, creating Blogs about everything, posting comments, writing forum topics and replies and so on and these serve as beacons for us searchers by highlighting areas of interest through a process called filtering.

Today filters are king! They help us find what we are looking for within the overwhelming abundance of choice. Sites like Google filter pages to bring us the most relevant to our search term. Amazon provides recommendations and reviews along with every book on the planet. Netflicks tracks our search patterns to filter and offer movies that closely match our needs for titles we haven’t even heard of. Ten years ago my local music store offered me 4000 titles. Today iTunes offers me over 4 million. I may have spent an hour browsing my local music store. How many would that be online?

Filtering transcends search and browse behavior. It is amplified through word of mouth. Sites like MySpace are huge filtering engines for new music bringing us informed democratic choice though collective sharing. ‘Linkers’ build online bookmarks and the numbers of clicks to those web sites are like endorsements, showing us where to click next.

With monstrous data crunching technology more and more sites are able to measure consumption patterns in real time and make changes just as quickly. This is a grand shift entering the Recommendation age.

Google Adsense filters immense volumes of keywords to bring quality ad content to any web site. Amazon Associates are easily able to place recommendations and reviews on their own web sites. These targeted ads and recommendations act as beacons or short cuts to what seek in a landscape filled with abundance. With good filters diamonds can be found anywhere.

Sites like Rhapsody, MySpace, Netflicks, and Commission Junction are the modern day factories. The workforce has been democratized so that any individual anywhere can produce hard or soft products and services for anyone to consume. All of these sites offer sophisticated filtering through recommendations, reviews and statistics. Still other sites like Digg, Reddit, Folkd, Shoutwire and Care2 are aggregators of opinion on any given topic and filter information based on democratic consensus and democratic publishing.

Bloggers filter niche market information providing direct access to relevant data. Blog comments are like fine tuners and direction finders helping us home in without reviewing every option ourselves.

The age of information is over. We have entered the age of Recommendations. Successful entrepreneurs would be wise to consider the new way to wow the crowd is to automate filtering through sophisticated engines and to engage users with interactive features like commenting, recommendations, reviews, Blogs and articles.

How to ethically use a swipe file for your ad copy

Did you ever wish you could afford to hire one of those professional copy writers who charge $5000 or more to write a simple sales letter? Or worse, have you laid down your hard-earned cash for a self-proclaimed "professional" writer, and gotten back something your 3rd grader could have written?

If you spend countless hours staring at a blank page trying to come up with compelling ad copy for that "killer" sales letter (you know, the one that's going to make you rich beyond your wildest dreams?)... STOP!

Why drive yourself nuts and give yourself a major headache trying to train yourself to be a professional copy writer overnight? Do what the gurus do... start a "swipe file."

That's an unfortunate name, swipe file. It sounds unethical. Please understand, I am NOT condoning plagiarism! But every so-called "internet marketing guru" openly admits to having a swipe file that they use when they need a little inspiration.

So what is a swipe file and how do you use it legally and ethically?

Basically, whenever you come across an ad or sales letter that makes you want to run and grab your wallet... stop and print out that copy first! Highlight or circle the parts of the ad that have you excited and eager to make a purchase. Then put it away in a folder or notebook. This is your swipe file.

Eventually, you'll accumulate quite a stack of great professional quality ads. Then, when you're staring at that blank page trying to compose your next ad campaign or sales letter, you can leaf through your swipe file and MODEL your ad copy after some of those ads... but DO NOT copy them word for word. Substitute your own words and put your own stamp on them. Mix and match different approaches from different ads.

Remember, this is meant to be inspirational, not criminal. NEVER out and out copy these ads. Just analyze how the ad is structured, what TYPES of words are used, and then create your own UNIQUE sales copy by emulating the successful advertising techniques from your swipe file.

The idea is to study copy writing techniques as you go. Eventually, you'll find you won't need to refer to your swipe file as often. Your blank pages won't stay blank for long because you'll have learned how to write killer ad copy of your own! You learn best by doing it. Then it becomes second nature.

Who knows? Maybe you'll get so good at writing sales copy that soon other people will be adding YOUR work to THEIR swipe files!

Fixed rate mortgages know your rate

Nothing is ever certain in the world of finances, and there’s no way of predicting how the market will change in the future. However, if you want to be able to plan your budget precisely, then a fixed rate mortgage might be the right option. The repayments will be fixed for a set period of time – usually between the first one and five years of your mortgage, so you can be sure that any rises in the interest rate will not affect you. The term the rate remains fixed can be as long as ten years.

Fixed rate – the pros

For those on a tight budget, it can be useful to know exactly what will need to be set aside each month for mortgage repayments. Also, it can be a good move to fix your rate when the economy looks like it’s about to change and interest rates rise. If, from studying the market, you anticipate that rates are set to rise in the near future, then taking a fixed rate now could mean you will save money over the next few years. Even if the Base Rate set by the Bank of England rises, you will be protected, at least for the term that your payments are fixed.

Fixed rate – the cons

If the market changes and interest rates fall, you could lose out on a reduction in rates. Fixed rate mortgages are often set at slightly higher rates than the cheapest deals. Be aware of redemption penalties and clauses that tie you to your mortgage – these can last much longer than the fixed rate period and you may find it prohibitively expensive if you want to change lenders or pay off your mortgage.

Thousands of people spend a lot of time studying the economy, and even the financial experts who predict market conditions often get it wrong. It’s impossible to foresee how interest rates will change – although you may be able to apply common sense to a certain degree, there is no guarantee that a fixed rate mortgage will beat the SVR five years down the line. Ultimately, you have to make the best decision you can based on the situation as it stands.

You should also check to see if the fixed rate mortgage is portable – this means that if you want to sell up and move house during the tie-in period, you can transfer the mortgage to your new property without incurring any penalties.

Have you reviewed your life insurance lately

When was the last time you took a serious look at your life insurance coverage. Life insurance was created to provide cash for your family in the event of your death. The goal being to provide your beneficiaries a means to ease the financial burden that results from the death of a parent or spouse. The beneficiaries may choose to use the benefits of a life insurance policy in any way they choose, such as paying for funeral expenses, covering mortgage payments or investing the proceeds and taking systematic payments to augment income. Generally, the death benefit from a life insurance policy is paid free of any federal tax.

One of the most important questions to ask when evaluating life insurance needs is the amount of coverage needed. Many financial planners recommend an amount of five to seven times gross annual salary as a guideline when purchasing life insurance, but as with all things in life, each family's goals are different. It is always best to take an inventory of your family's current financial situation and then try to evaluate future needs. Listing current and anticipated future expenses, as well as income sources is a good place to start. If there are children, you might want to consider the cost of their education. The younger the children, the more of a need for coverage, due to the length of time they will be dependent on one parent, in the event of a death of a parent. Of course, this is exactly the time when a family may have the least amount of income available for insurance!

This is why there are different types of policies available. The two broad categories of life insurance are :

· Term Life Insurance

· Permanent Life Insurance

Term Life Insurance provides protection for the pure cost of insurance for periods of 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years and is usually significantly less expensive than permanent insurance. The death benefit is only paid if you die during the specific term of the policy. At the end of the term, the policyholder may be able to convert to a permanent policy or begin a new term, at a higher cost.

Permanent Life Insurance provides protection as long as you continue to pay your premiums, which can be fixed or tailored to your specific needs. Permanent policies include Whole Life, Universal Life and Variable Universal Life. These policies have a "cash value" feature, which means part of the premiums go into an account which builds up monetary value over time. This is why the cost of a permanent policy is higher than term. Many times a combination of the two types of policies can provide coverage and savings in stages for a lifetime. Feel free to contact me if you would like to review your insurance needs.

Buying the right type of mens watches

Apart from telling him what time it is, a watch also indicates the personality as well as the stature of a man. Men's watches have also become fashion items, as many guys show off their personality and preferences through wearing of certain watches.

Men's watches can serve a variety of purposes. They tell time, often giving it in hours, minutes, and seconds. Some watches are also designed to provide the current date. A few watches can also serve as alarm. Digital watches, on the other hand, sound off the time. This is often referred to as true clocks. There’s also the complicated watch, which is a more sophisticated brand of watch. It can either serve as a stopwatch. Likewise, it can provide information such as exhibition of the lunar phase.

Let's look into the distinct types of men's watches. Chronograph watches are one of the earliest and time-honored timepieces. It essentially works like the ordinary stopwatch. For the past 100 years, chronograph watches has been keeping tab of the time through various ways. Apart from the general timekeeping, there are other dials which keeps tab of specific measurements of time. Tabs can be up to four, with each tab made for a distinct function. There is a dial for seconds, minutes, hours, and even for measurement of distance and speed.

Automatic watches, on the other hand, are very popular among guys since they can be worn daily. They are referred to as self winding watches simply because of the manner they work. The wrist’s movement puts the rotor in a circular rotation. Because they do not rely on batteries, automatic watches are one of the best selling types of men's watches.

There are also specialized types of men’s watches like diving watches. As the name suggests this type of watch is water proof helps divers during their activities. Diver’s watch is resistant against moisture from weather and dust. Typically it can resist depth between 200 to 300 meters.

There are many other types of men's watches in the market. All of them offer distinct features and designs that appeal to a large majority of men. However, how does one choose a good watch for a particular guy? There are some good ways to determine the type of watch that a man will appreciate.

The background of a guy and his interest are factors that one should consider before buying a type of watch. If the guy works in a corporate setting, giving him a dress watch is a good choice. Dress watches are known to be stylish and elegant, which is perfect for the corporate setting. Dress watches are usually made out of stainless steel. There are dress watches that are accentuated with gold, and silver, and other premium materials.

If the guy is the sporty type, then give him a sports watch. Sports watches can help him keep tab of the time as well as his heart rate, among others, that can be of good help especially when he works out in the gym. Of course, if your guy loves diving, a diver's watch suits perfectly.

You can also give computerized wristwatches. Some of these computerized wristwatches contain specialized functions like calculators and calendar capabilities.

After deciding what type of men's watches you want to give, look also into the other parts of the watch. You should consider taking a wristwatch with stainless steel strap because it is durable and classy. Leather straps are good however they cannot be worn in all occasions. The face of the watch should also look good. Normally, guys love big watches. This actually makes sense since most guys have big wrists anyway. You can also give him a special edition watches that come out occasionally.

For starters you can always go online and check out the many new designs and types of men’s watches. Compare prices and read reviews from buyers. After making a short list, go to a nearby store and ask for the type of watch you would like to buy.

The great stress reducer instant online approval

In my vast experience within the realm of credit - and personally debt, lots of debt - I've found that instant approval credit cards are pleasant to acquire. It's similar to going to a job interview and being told by the receptionist that you can have the job.

Now this may be because of over a decade of baseball I've played (the decade where you learn how to play, not the decade of being able to do it as a job), but the comparison that arose in my mind, the first time I received an instant approval card, was that of a pitcher throwing the ball over the centerfield fence for you, without you ever lifting the bat from your shoulder.

Maybe that's a stretch, but you get the idea. It's nice. All the stress and strain and worrying that comes with the approval process normally is not present. Just a straightforward 'yes, absolutely, you can have some credit.'

I should mention, though, that there is usually a down side to a good thing, and instant approval credit cards are no exception. If your credit is not up to the issuer's tastes, you will be met with an equally quick 'no.' This can feel like being pegged by that same pitcher while you sit in the dugout putting on batting gloves or eating a sunflower seed.

I will say, though, having been through rejections and approvals of many degrees, that an instant 'nope' is better than a 'no way you're getting one of these' response that you waited weeks to hear, which is a fate one can encounter with other cards.

Now there is one mistake that ought to be avoided with instant approval credit cards. When you get your application approved, remember it is the credit aspect that is instant, not the physical card. It takes usually a business week or two for your card to actually arrive in the mail.

I discovered this the hard way. I received my instant approval online while I was shopping around the Internet for old rock and roll paraphernalia. My heart was nearly broken when I could not immediately purchase a frayed and slightly burnt guitar strap that once belonged to the rhythm guitar player for a band that opened for Credence Clearwater Revival. What? What? Don't look at me like that. You've probably purchased weirder things online than that, come on.

Anyway, that was how I learned that instant approval doesn't mean instant license to spend, which ought to be kept in mind for those of you about to get a card. Also, remember that instant approval does not mean a definite yes, it means an instant thumb-up or thumb-down. But you have to admit, the prospect of knowing in seconds what you normally wait days or weeks to find out is an attractive possibility. And while not all cards issuers will respond within a minute or two, most online applications are processed quickly. A electronic reply can be had in no more than a couple days. And that beats the postal reply method hands-down.

Acupuncture for asthma - fact or fiction

Acupuncture for asthma may sound like an odd combination. One is a common disease that affects approximately 20 million Americans; the other is a mysterious, esoteric, alternative medicine technique. Lots of people have asthma, but not many people have tried acupuncture.

But if you are an asthma sufferer, it can seem at times that anything - even something as mysterious as acupuncture - is worth trying. Breathing is something that most us never think about. It's an unconscious process and unless we're ill, we easily get the oxygen we need. But for people with asthma, breathing is always on their minds. There is always the chance that an asthma attack will leave them gasping for air. Sometime these attacks are predictable and sometimes they are not, sometimes they are minor and easily handled at home, and sometimes asthma suffers end up in an emergency room. It's no wonder that some asthma sufferers have turned to acupuncture for asthma.

Asthma is a chronic disease with no cure. There are different types of asthma, but they all produce the same signs and symptoms: rapid breathing, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and the uncomfortable sensation of suffocation. The exact cause of asthma is not known (there may be a genetic factor at work), but there is no doubt that environmental factors - cold, dust, pollution, etc - trigger the attacks. During the attacks, inflammation and constriction of the respiratory passages limit the amount of air that can be inhaled, the attacks can last for minutes or hours and as mentioned earlier, there is no cure. But although there is no cure, there are constant efforts to find new methods of treatment, and there are practitioners and patients who believe that acupuncture for asthma is the answer.

Acupuncture (the word comes from the Latin words acus, meaning needle, and pungere, meaning to puncture) is a very old system of medicine. It is not clear where acupuncture originates from, but it has been most closely associated with China. In acupuncture, very narrow needles are inserted into the skin (just barely penetrating the surface) at certain key points in the body. The needles are said to correct a disharmony in the flow of energy through the body, a disharmony that is said to be the cause of disease. Traditional, Western medicine has several theories about how acupuncture works (e. g., it may stimulate the release of natural pain relievers, endorphins) but has not yet completely explained how acupuncture.

Of course, the big question is, does acupuncture work? And can acupuncture successfully treat asthma? Well, not unlike the search for an explanation for how asthma works, the answers are not clear - and they depend on whom you ask. According to traditional acupuncturists, yes, acupuncture for asthma is an effective treatment, especially with asthma in young children. There are dozens of websites and thousands of testimonials that all attest to the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for asthma. Acupuncture, they say, has worked where nothing else has.

But ask the same question - does acupuncture for asthma work - of doctors and scientists who have been trained in traditional, Western medicine and scientific methodology, and the answer will be quite different. Acupuncture, they say, is as interesting phenomenon, but the question of how it works is less important than the question does it work, and their answer to that is no. There is no conclusive evidence that acupuncture for asthma works, and a review of the scientific studies that have attempted to answer this question have not proven acupuncture to be a viable technique for treating asthma. If there are reports that it works, these can be explained by the placebo effect (The placebo effect states that medications or medical techniques/ procedures may be perceived by the patient as effective because they believe they are effective, but there is no measurable effect).

So can acupuncture truly help someone who suffers from asthma? That seems to depend on your point of view. If you feel that illness is caused by disruption in energy flow and you are convinced by anecdotal reports, the only reasonable answer is: try it and find out. Acupuncture for asthma is very safe; serious adverse effects are very rare. But if you are the type of person who needs proof in the traditional sense, it may make more sense to stick with the medications/therapies you are taking and wait for solid evidence that acupuncture can help treat your asthma.

Achieving financial freedom

Definition of Financial Freedom

Financial freedom is a word that has taken primacy in the 21st century. It is a term that describes a lifestyle that is organically planned where no one is required to work for income to cover their expenses. Financial freedom perpetuates that one can be free of the responsibilities of money as long as he has set a life defining plan to handle his finances.

Financial freedom does not mean that one is free of debt. However, it contends that debt can be defined as an expense. While debt is a constant financial consideration, a person who has acquired financial freedom is allowed to mark debt as a part of his expenses rather than a weight to his financial goals.

Financial freedom is a misconception for being rich. While we know that rich people have a number of million dollars in account, their overhead long run costs could mean that they are not as financially independent as they seem. Therefore financial freedom is a concept attuned to your lifestyle and the amount of money you have to cover it. In this perspective, financial freedom is not as hard to achieve as first imagined.

Financial Freedom is Time Freedom

For other people, financial freedom is equivalent to having an expanded leisure time. The concept of time is money comes into play. In reality, a financially independent person will see that money is time. Once you are able to develop a sense of time freedom, then that means you are in a positive direction to acquire financial freedom

Financial freedom makes ones finances less of a concern. Defined differently, financial freedom allows someone to take time on activities without trading your free time for income. Financial freedom hinges on tradable assets that compound over time to cover for regular expenses. Thus, wealth is created which generates more time and money. It allows people to cut their working hours with no loss of income because of money making activities.

Achieving Financial Freedom

Achieving financial freedom requires a different mindset. In our classic college education, we are taught to work for money. Therefore, we put in time to work and then we get our wage. This is the famous time for money swap. However, financial freedom removes the concept of time-and-money-swap and allows an individual to make money work for them.

Achieving financial freedom involves a different shift in lifestyle and overall mindset. While it is easy to think about having more time to invest and create a business, most office workers still find that whatever amount of time that they have should be placed in a routine. A critical step in achieving financial freedom is realizing that there are ways to make better use of ones time.

To achieve financial freedom, fundamental attitudes about the concept of money need to be changed. Realizing that money is only a mean to achieve an end is one thing. Knowing that no one should be judged depending on the amount of money they own is another. Judging financial freedom as the amount of money held defeats the purpose because in the end, you will not have financial freedom if you are not satisfied with the money that you have. Remember that financial freedom is also a personal perception. This perception is highly related to the level of satisfaction that money brings.

On another side of the coin, we should also remove the negative perception of money. While the saying that “money is the root of all evil” seems relevant, thinking that this is always the case will provide a repellent view about creating wealth. Always put into heart that financial freedom is a healthy endeavour as long as one feels it is ethically sound to make money. In the end, having the right attitude about money will go a long way in dealing with different perceptions of financial freedom. Financial freedom is ultimately a state of mind.

Getting the most from your driver

Other than your putter, the club in your golf bag that exerts the most influence on your golf game is your driver.

As you well know, a good drive sets the tone for the hole (as does the inverse). Once off the tee box, will you be ‘taking your medicine’ as you chip out of the woods and back into play for your second shot? Or, will you have a really long iron into the green with the odds not really in your favor?

At this early point in this article, I have opened up way more possible avenues for discussion on the driver, so I’d like to narrow the focus to getting the most out of your driver.

The conventional wisdom is that you would rather be long and crooked than short and crooked when it comes to golf and your relationship with your driver. In fact, when it comes to working with people and hitting their driver; I try to get people to first get good distance on their drive. If you are getting your drive ‘out there’ a good distance, that at least tells me that you are doing some things correctly in your golf swing mechanics that allows for such distance. For those of you who fall into this category… we’ll work on your accuracy in another article.

However, for those who actually do fall into the category of not much distance on your golf drives (accurate or not) let’s take a look a few basics that will help you gain some yardage.

When it comes to getting the most distance you can on your golf drives and all other shots, you have to create proper angles and leverages with your body within your golf swing.

When we talk about and analyze those who we admire for the distance they get with their drivers, many times the term coil, or body coil will come up in some context or another.

Coil is indeed a key element to getting good distance, but let’s be a bit more specific. You have to combine your coil with resistance and tension between your (starting from the top) shoulders, hips, and legs.

Your shoulders will turn (coil) the most. In relation to your shoulder turn, your hips will follow suit but only about half as much turn. The foundation of your golf swing (your legs) will coil very little… and your feet won’t turn at all. Your left heel may come off the ground as your coil peaks, but you won’t ‘spin’ your foot. These three varying degrees of turn ultimately create resistance to one another and create very powerful stored energy.

Now for the most difficult part… how and when to release this energy. Difficult from a physical and article standpoint.

Almost all high handicappers and beginners share the same malady from this position at the top of their golf swing. They release the energy from the top and try to accelerate at the golf ball from the top down. It’s only human nature to think that the longer run I have at the golf ball the faster the clubhead will be moving at impact… right?

Well… no.

You see… the stored energy that you have created with the three diverse angles, is but a fleeting thing that must be applied with timing not brute force. Getting your golf swing from the top down into the impact zone is done from the ground up. From the top, initiate your swing by shifting your weight from your back foot to your front foot. As your weight begins to transfer, your hips will start to ‘uncoil first’. Then and only then should your shoulder begin to follow suit; with your wrists still very much in the cocked position; still storing that energy that will ultimately be transferred to the shaft of your driver.

As your hips pass through the impact zone and your belly button moves toward your target, your shoulders and arms are now traveling at and your hands (with no conscious effort from you) are beginning to release all of this energy into the shaft of the golf club. Take a look at some still photos of this and check out how much the shaft of the golf club flexes just before impact. It’s amazing.

As you work with your golf pro or teaching professional and you begin understand how all of the physics of this feels to you; you will get the sensation that your hands and golf club (the driver in this case) actually feel as though they ‘lag’ behind the rest of your movements through the hitting zone.

Once you begin to fee this sensation, this is a good thing because you’ll know that you are not ‘casting’ off all of your stored energy from the top of your swing. You are beginning to save it for just the right moment.

As you practice and build upon what you now have discovered, you’ll find that your distance is greater while your physical effort feels lesser.

Work on this concept with your driver and your other golf shots as well. Once you can consistently apply proper rhythm and timing to your drives, you’ll have your distance… and accuracy won’t be far behind.

Linking strategies for newbies

One of the most crucial mistakes I made when I first started Internet Marketing was not completely understand the importance of proper back linking, anchor tags, keywords and the title tag. The most important things to search engines is providing relevancy to search results using keywords in the anchor tags and back links. Back links to your website has become one of the most or if not important aspects to better Search Engine Result Positioning (SERP) using your keywords in your anchor tags.

One of the most common mistakes that I personally made with my website was in the title was:

Title: Succeed Online with ES-Solution

The problem with that title was; What does that have to do with my website and keywords? Search Engines base a lot of importance on the keywords and the anchor tag contained in the back link. Additionally, I submitted my website to many directories and search engines using that title. What I am telling the search engines? That my most important keyword or keyword phrase is “Succeed Online with ES-Solution.” How many possible searchs do you believe would have that exact phrase or keywords? Zero.

My rankings for my keyword phrase “Internet Marketing eBooks” were even more horrible!

Steps to avoiding this same mistake:

Step 1: Never using a descriptive title

Step 2: Choose the most relevant Keywords for your Title

Step 3: Create back links using the appropriate anchor tag.

My actions:

1. I changed my title to “Internet Marketing eBooks”. Another important idea behind your title and keywords is that the search engines will shift around your keywords to make more phrases. I only have 3 Keywords but using different combination, I have 3 good keyword pharses:

(1) Internet Marketing eBooks

(2) Marketing eBooks

(3) Internet Marketing

2. And I began re-submiting my website to directories and search engines with the proper title (anchor tag): “Internet Marketing eBooks”

My results:

(1) I have several back links with the anchor text “Internet Marketing eBooks”, but unfortunately I still have some of the old back links with the anchor text “Succeed on with ES-Solution” dropping my overall relevancy to 54% when it should be 100%.

(2) I have managed to achieve the number one ranking as of 6 December 2005 for the keyword phrase “Internet Marketing eBooks” in MSN and the number two ranking in Yahoo.

The 3 easy steps for you to start your home based business

If you are looking for more time with your family, yet making extra income, a home business is what you need. It has become a trend to set up businesses from home because of its flexibility and most importantly, it is less stressful as compared to working in a company.

How do you start a home business then? It is not as simple as ABC but it involves some skills that you need to ensure successful and effective operations of your home business.

1 - Planning

You should process the skill of planning. Planning is essential to any business. To begin with, you should produce a comprehensive business plan. This is the blueprint of the future of your home business. The plan should include the business objectives, proposed action plans to accomplish these objectives and the time line for these tasks.

Besides, as part of your planning process, you should conduct market research to gather some information about the demand and supply of products on the internet. This will help you plan effectively for your home business.

2 - Selling

Are you a good salesman? The ability to sell is critical to the success of the business, because no matter how good your product is, if you do not possess the right selling skills, it will be ignored and forgotten.

So, first of all, check out the companies selling the same products and their performance. Study and analyze their strengths and weaknesses to enhance your selling methodologies. Then, most importantly, know your target market. Understand your customers’ requirements so that you can reach out to them and provide support to their needs.

3 – Marketing

Once you have planned your business and selling approach, next, you need to market your product. Marketing is critical to ensure a successful business. You can start by distributing business cards to family members, friends and acquaintances.

You can also post your business on online bulletin boards. Create a blog for your business to share the essentials about your business. The whole idea is to create awareness that you have a business and to generate interest in your products.

In summary, these skills are essential to help you maximize your business growth and bring in profits from your home business.

Homes for sale seek help from realtors for best deals

If you looking out for a home and wondering upon selecting the appropriate design or price of home alternative that will suit you the best, there are now various home options available online for you to explore. Through online one can explore availability of different type of home for sale. While some are extravagant and expensive, some others are moderately priced and yet comfortable enough. It all depends on you preferring suiting your requirements and budget.

The selection of home depends upon the number of members present in a family, according to which various options that are available include single-family residential houses, custom-built homes, and apartment buildings. There are also some traditional homes that you can find for sale. These homes are appropriate for those who love to have that traditional feel at their residing place.

No matter, whatever alternative you may opt for; do not forget that surroundings of the home are equally important. Healthy surroundings play a vital role for outdoor activities. Another point of consideration when you are purchasing home is its convenience from the school or place of work, as it is crucial to save a lot of your time and efforts.

Now you can also save time from physically visiting any property through an option on online facility at homeseekers. com. Here you can get information on availability of different properties suiting your requirements. For any queries on location, sale and price, you can explore the site easily. The site will at once satiate you with all the information that you are looking for.

Purchasing a home is a big decision and involves huge investment. So, there is no room for any mistake at the time of purchasing the home. This is why, it is advisable to seek professional help from any of the realtors, who are well-versed with ins and outs of the market and will provide guidance to you in the best way possible. From designing to facilities and pricing, he will ensure that you get the best deal. At homeseekers. com, you can also get professional advice that will help you in making the right decision.

Realtors will also analyze and acquaint you with real estate contract law that states all the conditions while possessing the asset and other such things. The proposed owner of the home then has to sign the contract if he agrees to all the terms and conditions of acquisition that are mentioned. This makes him or her, official owner for the house. So, to avoid any legal problems at a later stage, it is better to hire a realtor.

Top 4 tanning methods

If you've ever used a self-tanner, chances are, you've experienced a horror story involving streaking or orange palms. While easy to use once you get the hang of them, these summer must-haves are also simple to misapply if you haven't mastered the right technique. The reason? All self-tanners contain a chemical called dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, which temporarily stains (within about an hour) the uppermost layer of your skin, called the stratum corneum. So if you don't apply the product right to begin with, it's hard to stop this process once it starts--why we asked experts for tips on how to get a healthy glow in no time.

Bronzers

Cosmetic bronzers produce immediate effects that can be easily removed with soap and water. Bronzers are available as powders, creams, and lotions. These products are essentially a form of make-up, since the tint only lasts until it is washed off.

Tanning Lotions and Sprays

Perhaps the most effective sunless tanning products are lotions and sprays containing dihydroxyacetone (DHA) as the active ingredient. DHA is a colorless sugar that interacts with the dead cells located in the upper layer of the epidermis. As the sugar interacts with the dead skin cells, a color change occurs. This change usually lasts about five to seven days from the initial application.

Tanning Pills

Tanning pills typically contain the pigment canthaxanthin. Although the FDA has approved the use of canthaxanthin as a color additive in food, it has not approved its use as a tanning agent. Much larger quantities of canthaxanthin than the amount used as a food coloring must be ingested to change skin color. After canthaxanthin is consumed, it is deposited throughout the body, including in the skin, which turns an orange-brown color, and also the internal organs (liver, brain, etc.). Canthaxanthin-based tanning pills have been linked to dangerous side effects, including hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and canthaxanthin retinopathy (formation of yellow deposits in the retina of the eye).

Tanning Accelerators

Most tanning accelerators are lotions or pills that contain the amino acid tyrosine. Makers of these products believe that the tyrosine stimulates and increases melanin formation, thereby accelerating the natural tanning process. However, more scientific data is needed to determine the validity of these claims and to assess the safety of using large amounts of tyrosine. Sunless tanning lotions now come in light, medium, and dark tones. People with dry skin can buy brands with emollients or humectants added for softness and moisture, while people with oily skin may find that gel or alcohol-based products work better. And recently, ingredients such as vitamins, herbal extracts, antioxidants, and alpha-hydroxy acids are being added to some products in an effort to expand their benefits.

Double good news on spanish property prices

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There was double good news for Spanish property buyers when Spain’s biggest valuation survey reported prices of resale homes went up by 16.6% in the first three quarters of 2005.

That was the good news for UK residents who have already purchased their properties in the last year or so and there was further good news for investors and buyers planning to buy in the next few months – the survey showed equity growth was down 3% for the same period last year, resulting in ownership for less and with a good equity growth.

The Spanish Real Estate Association (Tasaciones Inmobiliarias - TINSA) said the average price of a 'used' or second hand house per square metre (psqm) was EUR 1,772. This meant home prices had risen 16.6% in the past year to September. In larger cities, the price was higher, with the average being EUR 2,304 psqm – a 16% rise.

But TINSA, the firm who will be providing valuations for the SIPPs in Spain pension property owners, said in its report that despite these rises, the deceleration of house price increases in Spain was continuing. A year ago, house prices had risen 19% during the previous 12 months. TINSA carried out a study of 190,000 homes, many in favourite second home areas favoured by buyers from the UK and northern Europe, to produce the report. Ildefonso Ortega, TINSA president, said there had been a “smooth fall” in house prices and predicted the next yearly rise in prices would be between 5 –10%.

SIPPs in Spain spokesman, Alberto Linares welcomed the TINSA report, saying: “Our Spanish banking partners predicted a 12% increase for this year and the same for next year. While it’s good news for those who have bought property in Spain already, its also good news for the many SIPPs property pension purchases planned for next year when UK tax breaks will encourage second home investment because prices are likely to be lower than in previous years.”

The SIPPs in Spain grouping includes 50 leading Spanish banks and developers, PropertyInSpain. Net, Mortgages In Spain, Travelex, TINSA, Siemens Smart Homes and specialist SIPPs providers who have put together a one-stop, buy-manage-rental package for SIPPs property purchasers and their financial advisors. More than 2,500 carefully selected apartments, penthouses, townhouses and villas are on offer currently with a further 7,000 likely from next year.

As expected, the European Central Bank increased the base bank rate by 0.25% to 2.25% - the first increase in the five years. Experts say the increase will have little impact in booming Spain. Spanish mortgages rates can be half the UK interest rate.
Spanish Property News

It is almost as good as selling

One of the most effective ways to make money selling Generic Viagra online is to become part of an affiliate marketing network. Affiliates can be like a vast virtual sales force set out to sell as much Generic Cialis online as well as other erectile dysfunction medications. Affiliates can cut across so many different internet audiences that it is easy to see how an affiliate program can be beneficial to selling generic Viagra online and also how an affiliate program can help to boost sales and profits beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

Affiliates are great ways to introduce your product to many new audiences at the same time and affiliates can also help you expand your customer base in ways that standard marketing and advertising cannot. So if you are looking to increase sales of generic Viagra online then you need to consider becoming part of an affiliate program and begin signing up as many affiliates in as many varied markets as possible. You never know how well your product will take off in any given market and affiliate marketing can certainly help you increase sales with almost no risk to yourself or to the affiliate. It is an experiment that can only have an upside and that is good marketing.

Casinos ou culture singapour attire les touristes

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Depuis que Singapour a rйduit ses exportations de composants йlectroniques, cette derniиre cherche aujourd'hui a dйvelopper son activitй touristique pour compenser. Pour cela Singapour mise sur ses casinos et jeux vidйo importйs.
Selon le co-fondateur de Lonely Planet Guides, si Disneyland a rйussi travers le monde а s'imposer et а rйunir chaque jour des millions de touristes, la Chine peut espйrer alors prospйrer grвce а ses casinos.

Toutefois, Singapour dispose d'un important handicape: elle n'a pas de Angkor Wat ou de Taj Mahal comme investisseur. Depuis longtemps, cette ville est surtout rйputйe pour ses innombrables centre commerciaux et ses promotions annuelles "Singapore sales".

Vis-а-vis des йtrangers, Singapour dispose d'une image peu flatteuse en matiиre politique. En effet, elle est surtout connue pour ses passeurs de drogue, son taux important de vandalisme, ses coups d'йtat politiques et son interdiction de vendre des chewing gum. Culturellement parlant, son dйveloppement a surtout йtй refreiner par les multiples restrictions dont notamment la libertй d'expression et la censure de films et piиces de thйвtre.

Toutefois, avec la nouvelle gйnйration de chinois et l'influence des indiens et autres asiatiques qui commencent а voyager partout а travers le monde, Singapour a commencй а travailler sur le projet de nouvelles attractions, incluant deux nouveaux casinos ou encore un parc sur le thиme du Studio Universal, et un йquivalent des bateaux mouches franзais, mкme si aucun de ces projets n'est particuliиrement singapourien.

Ainsi, Singapour se "dйmocratise" et se modernise avec l'ouverture de clubs et de cinй-clubs oщ l'on peut voir le film new zйlandais Lord of the Rings. De plus, la fameuse sociйtй de location de films Blockbuster a ouvert ses portes et l'on y trouve а Singapour nombre de films indiens de Bollywood, afin d'attirer d'avantage de touristes indiens.

Ce mкme mois, quelques jours auparavant, Singapour a autorisй les courses automobiles йquivalentes aux cйlиbres Formule 1, espйrant ainsi attirer les touristes de l'autre continent. Citigroup, le groupe en charge de ce projet, espиre gйnйrer un bйnйfice compris entre $150 et $200 million par an, et montrer par lа mкme que Singapour a changй.

Mettre un circuit de Formule 1 est une idйe brillante mais reste encore loin d'кtre une idйe typiquement nationale, ce qui, au final, risquerait d'enclencher une rйaction inverse а l'objectif tant attendu.

Quant aux casinos, ces derniers devraient ressembler а ceux dйjа prйsents а Macau afin d'obtenir un bйnйfice de prиs de $37 milliards de dollars par an.

Face а ce changement radical, la population locale reste sceptique, voir pessimiste.
Pour eux, la mise en place d'un circuit de Formule 1 n'est qu'un moyen d'obtenir une publicitй gratuite. Concernant les casinos qui devraient voir le jour d'ici quatre ans, ces derniers se sont rйunis pour signer une pйtition allant a l'encontre de ce projet, justifiant les mйfaits des jeux sur les familles et les joueurs compulsifs, en ajoutant par ailleurs que ce concept attirerait d'avantage la population locale que les touristes.

Des intellectuels et reprйsentants de communautйs tels Paul Thйroux , romancier et йcrivain pour l'йquivalent du Guide du Routard, dйplorent cet engouement de la part de la ville. Pour eux, Singapour cherche а devenir une ville moderne et effacer toute son histoire et culture, pour faire place а une ville "que l'on trouve partout" , ce qui reprйsenterait йgalement la fin du quartier de Chinatown, cйlиbre pour ses magasins .

Become debt free using the law of attraction

Due to steadily rising costs of living and the increase in financial commitments many people experiencing money problems. Often along with money problems there may also be worries about keeping employment due to downsizing and big layoffs. Some people have large outstanding debts and the financial burden is so great that they do not see a way out.

If you are worried abut your financial situation and you would like to be debt free take heart!

With the Law of Attraction you can learn and understand that you can make your own life. You are not helpless and you do not have to wait for external forces to make changes in your life.

You now can learn that the Law of Attraction will bring everything into existence what we are attracting knowingly or unknowingly. If you have financial difficulties and debts you are responsible for it. This maybe difficult for you to see right now but it is true.

The exact opposite will also be true if you are attracting money and a life free of debts to you.

You may wonder of how you could do this. Maybe you have already seen the secret DVD or you have read about it. You may be wondering how you can attract what you want into your own life. Well here are a few tips that may help you along those lines to become debt free using the Law of Attraction:

1. Take some time first to read up on the Law of Attraction and how it will work!

Think about the information that you are reading about.

2. Check out some books about famous and rich people. Read up on their live stories!

Change the way you think about money at this point in your life. The way you are thinking about money has brought you to where you are right now. Check out some books like “Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill or Success Stories by Robert T. Kiyosaki to just mention a few. Reading these kinds of books will help you to focus on money in a different way. You will soon have the right mindset when it comes to money. Take a look at your former spending habits and try to avoid making the same mistakes.

3. When using the Law of Attraction you should meditate daily as this will greatly enhance your progress in the endeavor to take full control of your financial future.

Meditation will help you to know yourself better and it will train you to listen to your inner being. It also will help you to understand more about what it is that you are thinking even on a subconscious level. It will also give connect you to source energy. Avoid living the “treadmill live” like so many people. Make mediation a priority instead and take out the time that you need to meditate.

These are just 3 simple tips that will help you to become successful in becoming debt free and in changing your financial situation with the Law of Attraction.

A look at third party ebay tools

There are plenty of companies out there offering third party eBay tools. Most of them are web-based instead of downloadable, so you pay a monthly fee instead of just buying the software. But do you know what these sites can do for you? It can be hard to get to grips with what’s out there using a search engine, so here’s a quick rundown of the key players.

Andale ( andale. com).

Andale offer lots of small products instead of one solution that does everything: you can take your pick from a lister, image hosting, counters, analysers, a gallery, a checkout and an email manager. The price plans are a bit of a maze, but quite reasonable as long as you don’t go and use everything.

Andale’s real claim to fame is that they’ve been doing it for so long – they’re not some fly-by-night organisation, and many eBay sellers have been using their free counters for absolutely years. They also have a reputation for being very responsive to customers, and will often talk to you directly on their forums and implement any suggestions you might have for improving their software.

Vendio ( vendio. com).

Vendio offer two editions of their software, Sales Manager: a Merchandising edition and an Inventory edition. The difference between the two is that the Merchandising edition is designed to make it easier to list individual auctions, while the Inventory edition is for sellers who sell many of the same item. They offer a pay-as-you go price of 10c per auction.

They also offer software called Tickets Manager, special software for people who sell lots of tickets on eBay – an odd product to have, but useful if you happen to sell tickets. Other services offered by Vendio include web and image hosting, fancy Flash galleries of your products for your listings, and stores.

ChannelAdvisor ( channeladvisor. com).

ChannelAdvisor offer their software in three versions: Enterprise, Merchant and Pro. Enterprise and Merchant are both designed for very big businesses, though, and the chances are that the Pro version does everything you’d want. ChannelAdvisor is popular among sellers who want a solution that they know is used and trusted on a very large scale by enterprise-level customers.

It offers all the standard bulk listing and inventory features, as well as the unique feature of being able to create auctions from an Excel spreadsheet of your inventory. The cost is high, though, at $29.95 per month.

And Many, Many More…

eBay maintain a comprehensive directory of third-party software, which you can browse through anytime you have a few days to kill. You can look either for complete solutions or for each part of what you want individually – the choice is so daunting that there’s bound to be something out there for you. You can look at their directory at cgi6.ebay. com/ws/eBayISAPI. dll? SolutionsDirectory.

Once your items have sold and you’re about to ship them, you might be a little nervous about whether you can trust your buyer. Our next email will give you a few tips for spotting problem buyers before you send them anything.

The good the bad and the ugly why your broker may not be recommending the most competitive annuity

There are over two thousand life insurance companies offering over fifteen thousand different annuities, and they run the gamut from horrific (I wouldn’t offer it to an enemy) to outstanding (I own it myself, and recommended it my parents). To make matters more confusing, annuities can be very complicated, with lots of different hard-to-understand variations. Enter the insurance agent / financial advisor / broker, to whom most annuity sales are outsourced, and who get paid a commission from the insurance company when they sell you an annuity. Let’s look at how they’re paid and how that can create a conflict of interest that can leave you, the investor, with an inferior annuity and less retirement dollars.

When a broker sells you an annuity, the broker can typically select from a range of commission structures offered by the insurance company. Let’s say you invest $100,000 in a variable annuity. The insurance company might offer the broker a choice of three commission structures: a) 5% up front and nothing ever again in the future – so the broker dealer would be paid $5,000 on your $100,000 and nothing ever again; b) 4% up-front and 0.25% per year (called a “trail”) for however long you hold on to your annuity – so the broker would make $4,000 up-front and then 0.25% of your account value every year after the 15th month that you hold your annuity; or c) 2% up-front and a 1% trail beginning in the 15th month. These are just typical commission structures, and they vary from insurance company to insurance company, and from annuity to annuity, but you get the gist of it.

You may say that option “b” or “c” in the above example – where the broker gets a lower up-front fee and an ongoing trail – is better for you because the broker will work harder knowing that he is actually being paid to service the contract year after year, and it may help the broker think longer term. Furthermore, a long-sighted broker might think, “I’ll take the lower 2% up front commission, and 1% each year thereafter, because if I do my job well and my client’s account doubles over a period of time, then I double my trail.” Then everybody wins, right?

For the most part, yes. But enter greed. I’m going to give you two real-world examples that will help you understand why some brokers are not working in your best interest, but in their own.

One typical example is when a broker offers an investor a standard annuity, and fails to mention that there is a “bonus” version of the same product that pays the investor an up-front bonus (and hence the broker a lower commission). Take two variable annuities offered by American Skandia: APEX II and XTra Credit SIX. Both have the same options and features, but the XTra Credit SIX pays the investor an immediate 6.5% bonus – meaning the minute you invest $100,000 in that annuity, your account value goes up to $106,500. Furthermore, both annuities have the same fees for the first ten years (1.65% at the time of this writing), but after 10 years the XTra Credit SIX fee drops to 0.65%. You may be asking, “Why wouldn’t my broker recommend the XTra Credit SIX with its bonus and lower overall fees? Well, at the time of this writing the APEX II pays the broker a 5.5% up-front commission and after four years 1.25% annually. But the XTra Credit SIX bonus annuity pays the broker just 4.75% up-front and a 0.25% trail annually after the first year. An unscrupulous broker may not tell you about these bonus products because, in effect, they benefit the investor at the expense of the broker’s commission.

Let’s take a second example of how a broker’s greed can keep you from the most competitive annuity. Suppose your investment profile makes you a prime candidate for a variable annuity with a reasonable surrender period and a great living income benefit. Two annuities come to mind: the Allianz High Five and the Ohio National Value. Both are competitive annuities, but I’d typically recommend Ohio National’s Value because it gives has lower fees, a better living income benefit, and no trading restrictions. But guess what? The Allianz High Five pays the broker a whopping 7% up-front commission (no trail). Ohio National Value pays the broker a 5% up-front commission (no trail). An unscrupulous broker may not mention the Ohio National Value to net him or herself an extra 2% commission.

The top variable annuities in the marketplace are among the best investment vehicles for helping people achieve their retirement goals, including financial independence and peace of mind. Finding the right people that can, and will, make the right recommendations is the ultimate challenge. How can you make sure your broker is recommending the most suitable and competitive annuity? A few simple guidelines:

• Don’t buy an annuity that you don’t understand. If you invest in something you understand, you significantly reduce your chance of being taken advantage of.

• Never buy an annuity from someone who cold-calls you. These strangers are the least likely to give you the best recommendation.

• Make sure that if your financial advisor is recommending an annuity, they have a lot of experience in working with annuities. The average financial planner who deals mainly in stocks and mutual funds is quite likely to fall into the “trustworthy but unknowledgeable” camp.

• Look up your financial advisor’s NASD record (including customer complaints and regulatory actions), free of charge, at pdpi. nasdr. com/PDPI.

• Be leery of someone trying to sell you “non-registered” products like the now very popular Equity Index Annuities (EIA’s). Many of these so-called financial professionals only have an insurance license, and may bad-mouth variable annuities and mutual funds because they are not licensed to sell them.

• Finally, take the annuity recommended by your financial advisor and call a free, independent annuity resource like Annuity FYI ( annuityfyi. com) and see if you get the same recommendation. If not, ask why. This will start a dialog between you and your financial advisor that will help educate you and give you confidence in your advisor (or expose your advisor’s shortcomings).

Blog host that pays

If you're considering starting a personal blog using a free blog host, it is a good idea to do a bit of research as to where you will put up your "home". There are plenty of free blog hosts appearing these days because blogging has become incredibly popular! These are the things to consider when looking for a free blog host:

TEMPLATES

Does the blog host provide a wide range of templates? Is it easy to customise? Is there a guide for users about the templates?

It's refreshing to see blogs with a look that matches the blogger's personality. Find a blog host where you can easily personlise the look to make a lasting impression on viewers.

EASE OF USE

How easy does the blog host make it for users to start blogging? Do you have to read up on a set of long instructions before you can start?

Personal blogging should be fun and easy so if the blog host makes it complicated by being too cluttered or not providing enough info to get you started, it can be a bit of a turn off. You should be able to login and immediately be able to start posting!

SUPPORT

How long before they reply to your email or support ticket? Do they even have a contact available? Do they have a FAQ section?

Different blog hosts have different approach how they tackle their users' concerns. Often, if the host is fairly new , they would or should go to more effort to help their customers to make them stay and keep using their service.

COMMUNITY

Are you looking for other bloggers to read, rate, review your blog? Do you want to make friends in the process of your journey through blogging? Are you interested to read what other people have to say in their blogs?

If you want to get your blog up and running and other bloggers checking out your site quickly, seek a blog host which is also a community to help you enjoy blogging even more!

GETTING PAID TO BLOG

A bonus to any blogger is getting paid to blog! A lot of blog hosts are adding more features to their service to attract more users.

One such host is Blog Charm, which pays its users a percentage of ad revenue they generate. Everytime a blog user gets a visitor, that user will get paid.

There are a lot of other free blog hosts out there so before deciding where to settle down, consider which features are important to you.

Albania - kicking it back in the mediterranean

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If your looking for an exotic place to take your next winter or summer vacation Albania might just be the place to kick back and relax. Albania is a Mediterranean country in south east Europe.

Bordered by Montenegro to the north, the Republic of Macedonia to the east, and Greece in the south, Albania has something to see and do for every traveller. In the west Albania is coast to the Adriatic Sea. Not just one sea, Albania also coasts the Ionian Sea to the south west. With the large water basins located so close all the time Albania just so happens to be a water lovers paradise. Time to pull out those waterwings, and get out there!

Albania consists mostly of hilly and mountainous terrain. Korab, The highest mountain, is in the district of Dibra. Korab reachs heights of up to 2,753 m. For a second there my guess is that you thought that this country would only offer something to the 'mediterranean water lover'. What about the mountains. Perfect for an array of sports like mountain climbing, hiking, scrambling, mountain biking, nature watching and more.

Albania's climate with it's sea's offers very hot summers. The capital city is Tirana, which as a population of about 520,000 . Because of Albania's poor economy, it is easy to find cheap places to stay and to eat while visiting there!

What are you waiting for?

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

The pros and cons of trading a forex trading demonstration account

Trading is a skill that takes time to learn. Think of it like Boxing it’s also a skill that takes time to learn.

If you get into a professional boxing ring without any training, you’ll get beat up physically! If you get into the Forex ring without any training, you’ll get beat up financially!

The similarities are that both the examples are Skills, and both require psychological preparation. The difference is that one is physical and the other is financial.

We can get over a physical beating usually in a few days or weeks, BUT a financial beating can be devastating and easily affect us for the rest of our lives, not only does it hurt our hip pocket but it can cause problems with our relationships and family. So when we get into the Forex ring we have to be prepared.

The Professional Boxer

When a professional boxer gets in the ring he has already been practicing in a safe environment usually for years, this safe environment is where he can make mistakes without having medical treatment. He can also spar with other opponents that have more skills and experience then he does and he learns from them. He also has someone there to watch him and give advice and guidance.

Then when he is ready, he gets into the ring and boxes for real, he’s accepted the risk and KNOWS that he can get hurt, but he’s also studied his opponent and done his home work, so he KNOWS he has a good chance. He can still lose this round but if he wins most of them he will take the money home.

BUT! What about the psychological side? Does he fear getting into the ring? Sometimes! But he’s aware of it and he can control how it affects him in a way that is beneficial. Will he be thinking about the money he’ll make? Or will he be thinking about the fight as is happens and planning his next moves during the breaks? He’ll be analyzing the results from the previous rounds and making changes in his strategy for the next round.

The professional Trader

Can you see what’s coming next? If so than, you’ve learnt to analyze what you read and form a projection into the future. (A very valuable skill for the FOREX Trader) A forex trader, like the professional boxer, will not get into the Forex trading ring without being prepared first. He might not spend years practicing in the Demonstration Account, but he will at least have spent a month or two or three, sparing with the Forex Market in a safe environment that he won’t get beat up in.

He’ll practice trading forex against all the other traders and learn from them, and he’ll also have someone watching him and giving advice, and guidance.

Then when he is ready, he’ll get into the Forex trading ring and trade forex for real, he’s accepted the risk and KNOWS that he can get hurt, but he’s also studied the Forex market and done his home work, so he KNOWS he has a good chance. He can still lose on this trade but if he wins most of the trades he will take the money home.

BUT! What about the psychological side? Does he fear getting into the forex trading ring? Sometimes! But he’s aware of this fear, but he can control how it affects him, in a way that is beneficial to his forex trading. Will he be thinking about the money he’ll make? Or will he be thinking about the things that are influencing the market as is happens and planning his next trades while he waits for the results? He’ll be analyzing the results from the previous trades and making changes in his strategy or continuing with the one that’s working, and planning for the next Forex Trade.

So it's easy to see that trading with a Forex Trading Demonstration account is something everyone should do before getting into a live Forex Trading account.

The practice account will give the trader MOST of the skills necessary, to be able to trade profitably, giving them the training ring to spar in.

BUT A BIG WARNING!!!

Like the Boxer the Forex trader has learnt to manage his emotions, this is often overlooked by new Forex Traders. BUT is probably what separates the successful investor from the ones that keep getting beat up!

If you are considering getting into the Forex trading Ring, then be sure to practice first, and find all the information you can about controlling your emotions.

Fear, greed, impatience, are the main culprits of financial bashings, so keep an eye out for them, and learn how to beat them before you get in the ring with them.

Understanding these emotions will enable you to use them to your advantage in understanding the market, the market is influence by these emotions and if you understand them you can have them on your side, thus giving you an advantage.

Tell the online world about yourself part 2

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Internet Article Directories

This is the second offering in a series dedicated to telling you how to let the online world you’re alive. We’ll take a look at internet article directories.

Besides death and taxation, we should add ones willingness to share an opinion to the list of all things definite. Doing this in the past was a pretty cost prohibitive task. Today we have this wonderful tool called the internet to help us.

This can be a good thing for marketing your site or products. But just putting up a web site and hoping people happen upon it is a lot like putting a FSBO sign on your lawn. You’ll get a few people to look, but not the traffic it will take to get the job done.

So what else does the internet have to offer us in our quest to rule the online world? Internet Article Directories! And what lovely services they are.

You can begin to share your expertise in most anything. If you can write it you can share it. As far as web site and product marketing, this is a very good thing (sorry Martha). A few neat things about these services are: free to use, traffic opportunity, diverse community and builds credibility.

Let’s take a closer look at those points.

Free To Use – While it is true that there is no such thing as a free lunch, these services come pretty close. By free, I mean that there is no monetary cost involved to use the services. You will still have to sign up as a publisher (2 minutes max), create your article, submit your article, and wait for it to be published.

Traffic Opportunity – There are literally thousands of people who see the articles submitted to these services, either by visiting the main page of the service or a web site that has reproduced your article. Your primary responsibility is to write effective copy to take advantage of this exposure.

Diverse Community – It is pretty much understood that if you have 10 people looking for love, you’ll get 10 different ways to do it. The same holds true for these article services. There are so many different topics covered. Some are broken down into subtopics which can give you the opportunity to target a more focused audience.

Build Credibility – The fact is this. If you are published writer, people are more likely to trust you and your judgment. If you can write accurate copy on a consistent basis you will build your credibility. The better you do this, the chances of other web masters republishing your article increase.

So where can you get started? I started with Article Alley. I just liked the way the site was set up, and the affiliate sites they had. But as always a visit to Google your favorite search engine should pull up some results. Here are a few to get you started.

Article Alley

ZapContent. com

Articles Factory

ISnare. com

So get writing!

Be sure to check out the first article in the series Pinging Services

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Eric Terry is administrator of Affiliate Scout, a web site dedicated to take the mystery out of affiliate marketing. affiliatescout. net

Texas holdem betting strategies

When you eliminate Texas Holdem betting strategies from the poker table, Hold em is nothing more than a game of luck. However, when the chips are on the table poker turns out to be a game of sheer tactics and mental shrewdness

The game of Texas Hold em requires two forced bets (per round) called the big blind and small blind. When the betting comes around to you in a clockwise sequence, you have one of four choices:

1. Bet - When you are "under the gun," you place an amount of chips equal to the big blind. This goes into the pot.

2. Call - Calling is matching the the amount of the prior bet.

3. Raise - To call a raise requires you first match what another player bet. Afterward you can "raise" to whatever amount you choose.

4. Fold - To fold is simply dropping out of a hand. Nothing to win. Nothing to lose.

When you sit down at the poker table, you will quickly observe there are two extreme bettors.

1. Manic - The Maniac pushes the action, whether he has a hand or not. At first, the Maniac is quick to double or triple his chip stack. For all that, the need for action often leaves the Maniac knocked out of sit and go's or refilling his bankroll.

2. Passive - The Rock often checks or calls and never raises unless he possesses a monster hand. Due to his passiveness, the Rock constantly loses chips and is in the long run out of the tournament and having to refill his account.

Texas Hold em betting is not just throwing chips into the pot, or paying to see the flop. Actually, there is a strategy, which should be involved. David Sklansky said there are five reasons why you place a bet:

1. You want to get more chips in the pot.

2. You want to drive other players out.

3. You want to bluff (or semi-bluff).

4. You want to get a free card.

5. You want to gain information on the other player (s).

Here are five poker betting strategies you can use to improve your Texas holdem poker play.

1. Value Bet: With the value bet, you are proding for information. The feeler bet will always let you know where you stand in the hand. If you never bet, you will never know what your opponents are holding. It is for this purpose you use it to get a "feel" for the strength of your hand also the strength of your opponents hand.

2. Stealing the Blinds: A strategy worth expanding in poker is taking down uncontested blinds and pots! Stealing the blinds over time will win you more money than you will lose. There some things you should give thought to before you start stealing the blinds is the caliber of players at the table, your own table image, sensing weakness at the table and the size of the bet.

3. Check Raise: This is also known as trapping. The check raise works by acting weak in hopes of hiding your strength. With any luck, this will induce a bluff or at least a misinformed bet from your opponent to get him to put his chips to the pot.

4. Continuation Bet: Representing the Flop is showing strength before the flop, most often with over cards. Oftentimes you will miss the flop, but continue to show strength through betting, as if you have a real hand. The secret to successfully pulling off the continuation bet is to narrow your opponents down to one or two at the most. Here is the rule of representing the flop: If you make a pre-flop raise, you must bet after the flop. Period. This includes when you do not hit your cards. Do not be one of those morons who raises with Big Slick before the flop...only to check after the flop when it comes out garbage. Players who do that are faint of heart.

5. Squeezing: You squeeze when you believe someone is on a flush or straight draw but does not have it. Raising in this situation may keep the player from staying in the hand, not wanting to put at risk his stack on the likelihood of missing his straight or flush. Watch out, unless you already have a strong hand, this type of texas holdem betting strategy could boomerang.

Try putting into practice these five Hold'em betting strategies and watch your Holdem game improve.

How link pop affects your website s page rank

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What is Link Pop?

Link popularity, sometimes referred to as "Link Pop," plays a very important role in determining a website's visibility among the top returned search results. Your site's link pop will be determined by the quality, quantity, and relevance of the other websites that link to your page.

What is Page Rank?

"Page Rank," sometimes abbreviated PR, was developed by Google's founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Here is how Google describes the "Page Rank" system:
Page Rank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important."
Important, high-quality sites receive a higher Page Rank, which Google remembers each time it conducts a search. Of course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don't match your query. So, Google combines Page Rank with sophisticated text-matching techniques to find pages that are both important and relevant to your search. Google goes far beyond the number of times a term appears on a page and examines all aspects of the page's content (and the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if it's a good match for your query.
Page Rank is rated on a scale of PR-0 to PR-10. A site with a ranking of PR-10 is much higher than one rated PR-0. When a site has a high page ranking, there will be more opportunities for search engine users to locate and view the site. Thus, more traffic will be routed to that site because it is viewed by the web community as a valuable resource.

What Does This Mean For You?

In theory, the more "popular" a website is, the higher its PR will be. Here's a quick recap on how to sustain strong "link pop" and Google PR:

To Improve Your "Link Pop":

" Generate as many one-way, non-reciprocal links as possible. Make sure your link is listed by credible websites ONLY.
" Your "Link Pop" can be improved when the websites that link to yours have a higher Google PR than you do. This is considered a heavily weighted "vote" towards your site. However, do make sure to link to pages with various PR's.
" Create reciprocal links with websites that are relevant to yours. If your website sells cat toys, link to a pet lover's site, and cat-sitting service, etc.

It Doesn't Matter If:

" You provide one-way links to other sites that are relevant to yours. As long as you don't have too many uncategorized links, this will not hurt your site's "Link Pop"; however, it does not directly contribute to improving it.

Tips to Avoid Diminishing Your Site's PR:

" Do not submit your website to "Link Farms" or "Free-For-All" (FFA) directories. Google views these as spam sites and will thus lower your PR.
" Exchanging links with irrelevant websites can lower your PR. ONLY reciprocate links with similar credible sources. Just think: "Is this valuable to my readers?"
" Make sure to vary your links. A reciprocal-link campaign with no non-reciprocals tells Google your site isn't worthy of one-way links.

The bottom line: A strong "Link Pop" and "Page Rank" equals more visitors to your website!

And a great way to increase your websites link popularity is to submit your website to free link directories.
Submit your website to 300+ link directory fast and easy with the Directory Submitter

How to plan a great vacation

Making sure your vacation goes according to plan is not difficult to do, but it does need to be planed carefully.

First you need to decide where to go, this year I have decided to go to Holland for my vacation. Once you have decided where you want to go on vacation you can start to plan the things you want to see and do. In Holland I am interested in the Van Gogh museum, the Rembrandt museum and the Casino.

I have always enjoyed casinos, so this is going to be my first chance to go to a casino in Europe, so how can I pass up the chance to play some European Roulette, and I have been practicing at an online casino, ok I have to admit I have also been "practicing" poker and blackjack, please don’t tell my wife.

After you have figure out where you want to go and what you want to do when you are there you can get a feel for where you want your hotel to be.

There are many different websites that offer the best prices on hotels, so make sure to check several of them before making a final decision. Most of these sites will offer pictures of the hotel facilities and the different rooms.

After looking at the hotels pick the top 3 and do a search on the internet for them. Try to find reviews from people that have stayed there before. The hotels site is always going to tell you how great the hotel is, but if someone were annoyed enough to trash a place or tell you how great it was, then you can be pretty sure they are telling you the truth.

The first hotel I was looking at for my Amsterdam trip said it was close to the center of the city, in a nice area, but reading reviews from former patrons told me the area was filled with drug addicts and homeless, and this is not really what I want to see on my vacation, so I found a much nicer location. It is a little farther from the city center but it is near the museums we want to go to, so by being closer to them we can get up early walk to the museums and spend the rest of the time walking around looking at the shops and attractions inside the city's center.

Now all that is left is packing the right clothes. Unless you are going to someplace where the weather is always a constant, make sure to pack clothes for both good and bad weather. My trip is in a week and the weather is expected to me mostly sunny and in the 50's but there is a chance of rain so I will be packing a coat for the rain, ad extra socks just in case.

If you are gong to be in Europe and plan to visit a casino you should know that in Europe casinos are more upscale then in the USA. They will not let you in wearing your shorts a T shirt and sandals, most casinos require men to wear a tie and jacket or a turtleneck.

It is also always helpful to buy a travel guide for where ever you are going. Besides having helpful recommendations for things to see and places to eat, many of them offer discounts for attractions.

Well the only thing left is to go and have a good time, I know I will.

Employment taxes depositing with the irs

If your business has employees, you must pay employment taxes. The payment system can be a bit confusing, so this article discusses how to go about depositing employment taxes with the IRS.

Depositing Employment Taxes

To pay employment taxes, you must deposit the money with the IRS. As is typical with tax situations, the payments are not actually made to the IRS. Instead, you must deposit the employment taxes with a federal depository. Moving the burden to the private sector, the IRS requires most banks to act as depositories. If your business has just started hiring employees, ask you bank if they act as a depository. If they do not, you may want to change banks.

To deposit the taxes, you forward money per the bank specifications. You will also need to file a Federal Tax Deposit Coupon, Form 8109, with the deposit. The IRS typically sends these forms to you at the beginning of each calendar year. If you don’t receive any, you can download the form from the IRS site or ask your tax professional.

When To Deposit

You must deposit employment taxes either once or twice a month. The IRS will send you a schedule at the end of each year for the subsequent year. As a general rule, you want to file within a few days of each pay period.

Failure To Deposit

Collecting employment taxes is a high priority of the IRS. Since the taxes include money deducted from an employee’s paycheck, the IRS views an employer’s non-payment as a form of theft. If you fail to pay, you can expect the IRS to come down hard on your business and, potentially, shut it down. In short, make absolutely sure you deposit the employment taxes.

In Closing

There is no other way to put it – paying employment taxes is a pain. Just make sure you pay them to avoid the wrath of the IRS.