Archive for January, 2009

Isn’t MLM One of Those Pyramid Schemes?

This is a question that we often get asked.  And the answer of course is “Definitely Not!”  Though MLM and pyramid schemes may seem to share some similarities, there’s a BIG difference which makes MLM legal and pyramiding ILLEGAL.

In pyramid schemes, income is generated solely on the process of recruiting others into the pyramid. Sometimes a product or service of questionable value is involved, but you are most often buying into the right to recruit others and collect money.

This is illegal!  Also, in pyramid schemes, those who get in first and are at the top win, while everyone else loses.

In a legitimate MLM company, representatives are paid only on the movement of products or selling of services, not merely recruiting.

Sometimes, there’s also compensation based on the training and managing of your marketing team.

Also, in an MLM company, no matter where you are positioned or when you joined, you can advance to the very highest income levels, and pass those who sponsor you.

Multi Level Marketing is nothing more that a business model that uses independent distributors with a multi level commission payout plan to move products from production to the consumer.

But you ask, “Isn’t the shape of an MLM organization similar to a pyramid?”  And the answer to that question is yes, but that is true of all hierarchical organizations.  For example, the shape of all normal businesses is in the shape of a pyramid.  There is something like a President or CEO, several Vice Presidents, more Division Directors, Group Directors, and finally the workers that make up the bulk of the workforce.  Each level down has more people at that level.

The same holds true for governmental departments, and the military.  At the top of a governmental department, there is the Secretary, then Deputy Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, heads of lesser groupings and then the mass of workers.

All these organizations are shaped like a pyramid, so it is not the shape of the organization that makes a difference.  It has to do with the actual selling or not selling of products of value.  If real products are being sold and consumed, and the movement of these products from production to the end consumer is the primary purpose of the business, then generally the company is a legal entity.

If the primary purpose of the company is to simply recruit more and more members and there is no real product of value being sold, then you have a illegal operation.  Chain letters are an example of this kind of activity. 

What makes a MLM company different from a traditional retail company is the manner in which the sales force is paid. In traditional retail and direct sales companies, the salesperson is a company employee and earns a commission on only the products he or she sells directly.  In MLM companies the salesperson is not an employee of the company, but rather an independent distributor.

The magic of MLM is that independent distributors earn commissions not only for their own efforts, but also on the efforts of other distributors that they recruit into the business.  Earning 1% of a hundred peoples efforts is always better than earning 100% on your own efforts, as John Paul Getty noted.

The term “multi level” comes from the process where by one distributor recruits other people to become distributors and the new distributors are placed under them in what is known as a downline.  Each distributor is paid a retail commission on the products they sell themselves, and a wholesale commission on the products their downline sells (down to some designated level).

The larger downline a distributor can recruit, the larger will be his or her commissions as they will earn a wholesale override commission on all the products moved by their downline organization down to the designated level.  These commissions can add up quickly for distributors with large downlines.

Nevertheless, a controversial new ebook has recently been published that reveals why prospecting and recruiting is actually destroying many MLM businesses… why a business opportunity is literally the last thing you want to be selling… and… how to make money REGARDLESS of whether you sponsor anyone in a MLM business or not!  Click here to learn more => The Renegade Network Marketer

Is it worth using a reverse phone lookup website for a prank call?

This is a question that only you can answer, but how badly do you need to know who owns that number?

If you have been getting nuisance calls then you can just report them to the police and then it is in their hands. If you trust them to pursue it then that should be the matter finished. Of course if you really want to make sure that someone is going to take action then you need to get in touch with their service provider. The service provider should be able to do much more and it could lead to the person making the calls being disconnected.

You will really struggle to phone their service provider though without the use of a reverse cell phone service as without them then I don’t know of any other way of identifying who they are with (unless you phone their voicemail and they haven’t changed their message then sometimes you can tell from that). Even though there is a small charge involved then you can’t argue that the easiest option is to use one and dig up the service provider and the details of their name and address.

Then go to the police and report them and give the name and number, of course you should still go to the phone company too.

That combo gives you the best chance of getting the person into trouble (just make sure it wasn’t a wrong number first!). Even that doesn’t guarantee that they will stop, it depends on the person and the reasons behind it - but having their name gives you an advantage and if you confront them with the evidence and let them know you will just keep reporting them then most people will be too cowardly to carry on when you obviously know it is them.

Three Parts to Clear Acne with Proactive Acne Treatment

Statistics show that virtually all young adults suffer from acne at some point or another and up to 40% of adults experience a few episodes of breakouts as well. There is no known absolute cure for acne but there are countless treatment plans for the skin problem, resulting in a billion dollar market worldwide. One of these treatments, Proactive acne solution, has been very successful in clearing up mild to moderate acne in many people.

Proactive acne solution is not recommended for severe nodular or cystic acne but for the majority of the population who have the mild to moderate cases it has been a godsend for many. It is a simple three part process that must be completed twice a day for maximum efficiacy. Many people show great progress in one to two weeks with Proactive acne solution.

The Three PartProcess

Proactive acne solution consists of three different products which work to stop the acne causing bacteria in its tracks. The first part in the treatment is the renewing cleanser which contains the main ingredient benzoyl peroxide. The cleanser in the Proactive acne solution contains tiny particles of grain which act as a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin cells, unclog skin pores and work deeply to start a bacteria attack.

The second step in the Proactive acne solution is made up of a refreshing toner which is alcohol-free. The toner serves to remove dead skin cells and maintain a balance in your skin tone all the while preparing the skin for the next phase – the repairing lotion.

The third part of the Proactive acne solution uses a lotion with tiny pulverized benzoyl peroxide that works its way into the pores to stage a defense against the bacteria. This repairing lotion will help heal acne you already have as well as prevent new ones from popping up.

Other Important Information

The Proactive acne solution treatment was developed by two dermatologists who spent years studying ingredients to come up with an effective option for clearing up acne. This three-step treatment plan uses prescription quality benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria as well as other natural ingredients like chamomile and aloe to prevent your skin from drying.

A refining mask is also available to add to the Proactive acne solution and it works to enhance the positive effects of the treatment plan. The mask is soothing and incorporates sulphur, a common ingredient used for years in the treatment of acne. The sulphur in the Proactive acne solution refining mask conditions the pores of your skin and gives the healing power of the whole treatment a boost.

In order for Proactive acne solution to work its magic and give you clearer skin, you should use the products twice a day – once in the morning and once at night before bed time. Being consistent with this treatment solution is the key to clear, healthy skin.

http://www.laser–hairremoval.com/blog

How To Open An Online Merchant Account

An online merchant account is an account that is known as a “Payment Gateway”. It is not a very difficult task to open an online merchant account.

A payment gateway is a software that your web developer or engineer will have to incorporate into your web site. This is software that may or may not include a shopping cart, a system that allows visitors to your online merchant site to browse through your products and add them to a virtual cart, much like a shopping cart at a super mall. The visitor will ultimately keep or remove items from the cart and pay for the remaining items through the payment gateway.

A payment gateway may or may not be linked to your merchant bank account. This depends on the type of online merchant solution you have chosen. You may have had the software created especially for your site; in this case the software will naturally accept all credit cards and will be linked to the major credit card processing companies such as VISA or MasterCard. The software will also be linked to your merchant bank account. Customers can use this software to pay for services and products using credit cards, debit cards and bank transfers.

When someone uses a card or online banking to make a payment the user is connected to the bank that issues the card and the money is transferred to the bank within a matter of days. Nevertheless, you may go ahead and complete the transaction by delivering the product to the customer as the payment will definitely come through.

Online merchant solutions are a way of taking your business to your customers instead of waiting for them to come to you. The online payment systems are an added advantage as anyone will like to have convenience at their fingertips.

What is a good price to pay for a website to be designed for ecommerce with your own server?

Basic web ecommerce shopping cart solutions capture email addresses, send receipts and send a thank you to buyers. However, most shopping cart services do much more.Shopping cart programs today help with website hosting, QuickBooks links, pricing, tax calculations and digital product downloads. Basic e-commerce systems commonly offer ready-to-use store templates or wizards that guide you through the setup process and help you get your store up and running. They also come with ready-to-use shopping cart soft that keeps customers purchases as they select them, calculates prices, collects the information about customers and then submits credit card information to your bank. When getting a website quote make sure these items are encluded. Basic computer literacy skills are strongly recommended. However, if your computer skills are weak, you may need extra patience with yourself and your computer.

Your visitors experience is more important than the design itself but design and usability should go hand-in-hand. Please, please, please do not hire someone who is a print designer or skilled illustrator familiar with the Adobe Creative Suite and can do fascinating things with color. Website design for small businesses and Search Engine Optimization , in particular, are tricky subjects; the instructors recognize this fact and are more than happy to clarify any aspect of the workshop that might be confusing to people. An interesting upshot of attending the SCORE workshops is that small business owners are given the opportunity to meet and network with those in their field?professionals with similar interests and knowledge of the local business environment. Website is search engine optimized and has back-end control panel for site editing and creation of new pages and products. Centauria previously designed a corporate identity package for the firm, including logo, business cards and stationary.

Small business web design is not just about having a website for the sake of having a website. It’s an extension of your business.

Teeth Whitening

When toothpaste no longer gives you that bright and shiny smile, teeth whitening is a viable alternative. Perfect white teeth are frequently advertised by various teeth whitening products.

It’s no wonder many people are looking for ways to whiten their teeth, what with all the television advertising for these products.

The obvious candidates for teeth whitening are people whose teeth have discolored because of age, possibly due to smoking or other factors.

When teeth whitening was proven to be effective, more people were curious and wanted to try it. There are now various ways for people to have their teeth whitened.

Teeth whitening systems are methods you can do yourself at home. These consist of whitening gels that you place in a mouthpiece for a specific number of times. Before buying a teeth whitening system, it is a good idea to read the labels first to make certain that they are approved by the American Dental Association. It is very important that you only do as instructed and don’t overdo it.

Professional teeth whitening is the most effective method for teeth whitening. Before being treated for teeth whitening, your dental professional will make sure you have healthy teeth and decide which whitening method is best for you. Any problems like gum issues or cavities need to be dealth with first. A good teeth cleaning should also be done by your dental hygenist. Your dentist will let you know what to expect from the procedure.

Teeth whitening is not permanent. The process will need to be repeated from time to time to maintain your whitened teeth.

The Oldest Surviving Carpet in the World

The art of Persian Oriental rug weaving has been around for centuries. Carpet weaving is an essential part of Persian art and culture and dates back to ancient Persia. Over time this art underwent many changes, but the principles and level of quality remained the same.

Wool is the most common material used for carpets, but oftentimes silk would be used to weave these precious oriental rugs. Silk carpets date back to the sixteenth century of oriental carpet weaving. Silk is more expensive, and less durable, but the value does tend to increase with age.

Unfortunately, over the passage of time, materials such as wool, cotton and silk start to decay. This leaves hardly any remnants for archaeologists wanting to research the history of Persian rugs and carpets.

In a very beneficial archeological discovery in 1949, the oldest Persian carpet in the world was found. The carpet was found in the grave of a Scythian prince amongst the ices of the Pazyryk valley in Siberia. It is thought that perhaps the ice from the mountains preserved the carpet, which has been dated through radiocarbon testing as being woven in the 5th Century BC.

The Pazyryk carpet is 283 by 200cm in size and has 36 symmetrical knots per cm squared. This oriental carpet indicates a long history of evolution of this art, because of the advanced weaving technique that can be matched up to the technique of latter centuries. The Pazyryk carpet is considered to be the oldest carpet in the world.

Internet Home Business Reviews

When people start out with an idea in their head that they’re going to start an internet buiness, they don’t realize that looking for something to promote is only just the start of their quest for having a real business.

So, you might look for home business reviews to see what programs or home business opportunities are right for you, or at least the most highly recommended.  However, if you look around and ask aorund you’ll soon realize that most internet marketing gurus are at the top of their game because they had created their own program, product, or service.

Look at it this way…  If your hobby was bird-watching or birding, then you’re likely to know something about that niche topic, right?  So, tell me this, how many birders out there know internet marketing as well as the average newbie to internet marketing? Not many…  Therefore the avid birding enthusiast should create their own product or even a suite of birding guides to help promote themselves as an authority in this niche.

That’s why it is so important for you to focus on what your passions are if you want to have your own business. Promoting someone else’s program or product is good if the program stays around forever, but at the end of the day, you do not own the program, site, service, and are left without any branding of any kind in the long run.

Promoting someone else’s product doesn’t give you a business, it just makes you a good employee of that company…So, the next thing you need to do once you accept these facts, is to discover niche affiliate marketing and how to do niche research properly. The reason this is so important is because not all your passion niches will turn out to be profitable.

Creation of the Bomber Jackets

As early as World War I when airplanes had open cockpits, pilots began seeking clothing to provide warmth and comfort in the cold temperatures of the open skies.  Thus the birth of the legendary “Bomber Jacket” or “Flight Jacket” was born.

Over the years, there have been many variations from the unofficial and popular early leather flight jacket of 1915 through 1917 to later official military issue bomber jackets such as the 1931 “A2 Bomber Jacket.” 

Originally, pilots and crews wore whatever they could find because no formal or official clothing was issued to handle the extreme cold and weather conditions the pilots faced in world war I.  Heavy long leather jackets quickly became popular with tight snug cuffs around the writs, tight fit around the waists, and high collars to help protect from the cold.  These are the design principles that are at the core of what today we commonly think of as a flight jacket or bomber jacket.

At the end of world war I, the US army created the Aviation Clothing Board and started distributing these heavy leather jackets.

By the time World War II broke out, the US Air Corp was distributing the A-2 Bomber Jacket.  The Navy and Marine Corp were issued a similar jacket that became known as the G-1.

As aircraft technology developed throughout the war, airplanes were now flying at much higher altitudes and much higher speeds.  Temperatures inside these planes – often flying with open doors – plummeted!    And the stylish bomber jackets started to give way to a much warmer jacket with a lining of wool or fur.  These new jackets were popularized by the B3 Bomber Flight Jacket, a large wool and fur lined jacket with large cargo pockets.

Ground personnel and flight crews quickly adopted the pilot’s B3 Bomber Jacket and the new B7 Flight Jacket became the instant rage.

A decade later introduced the new age of the jet with its enclosed compartments and more attention needed to be paid to the warmth, comfort, and safety of the pilots.  The B-15 Flight Jacket was designed out of nylon and other synthetic materials to keep the pilot both warm and dry.  The lighter weight and more flexible comfort was also appreciated.  As jet technology continued to develop, the MA-1 jacket removed the fur collars because they interfered with the harness of the pilot’s parachute.  Today, you can often find both the B-15 and the Leather MA1 Flight Jackets with and without the fur collars.

A classic flight jacket or bomber jacket is consider a both a stylish and practical piece of clothing.  Suitable for a night out on the town or a practical outdoor excursion – and should be in every man’s closet.

Taekwondo Federations

World Taekwondo Federation Tae kwon do is a full contact sport where you are allowed to kick to the head (throwing punches to the head are not allowed), it is not very dangerous to practice Tae kwon do in the proper circumstances with a qualified instructor. In a Taekwondo bout, full protection is used to protect the competitors heads. To reduce any chance of a head injury, a competitor allowed to engage in a competition for three months if one was knockedunconciousst by a blow to the head. If the same incident happens again after these three months, they would not beallowed to compete for six months. Another knockoutto the head after this six month period results in a final exclusion of competitions.

ITF Tae kwon do is only semi-contact. It is not allowed to attack the head with full force. All the same, it is allowed to throw punches to the head, by using the so-called “killing-blow”, stopping just an inch before the target. To reduce injuries, ITF use gloves at sparring-competition.

The Olympic Taekwondo gave all of us a chance to see some of the best fighters in the world compete on the biggest stage well done to all of them

Taekwondo is known for its sensational aerial kicks. The participant should learn the basics of taekwondo through choreographed sequences of combative moves , the breaking of boards or other materials, and free sparring. They will also receive instruction in principles such as courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and self-control.

For a more relaxing hobby what about getting yourself some gardening equipment and sorting out your garden

Want to go To Australia

Who doesnt want to live and work in such a relaxed and warm environment as Australia Lots and lots of people dream about moving down under but not many actually make the commitment If you really want to emigrate to Australia do your research online first and find out everything possible before you start spending money

How do I get an Australian visa and is it easy ? What are the options and how much red tape is involved Emigrating to Australia is time consuming dont think it will happen overnightHere are a few things to think about

Faq Emigrating to Australia

There is the DIY approach where you find all the documents and answers yourself which is very slow but a lot cheaper there is of course still costs involved.Or you can go with a specialised firm that does this for a living it is your choice

Australian Migration agents

An Australia working visa. Managers, qualified professionals and skilled trades people are especially in demand under the Skilled Visa program. Schemes are available for skilled visas on a permanent or temporary basis, and are all based on points needed to emigrate to Australia as set out by the Australian Immigration Department. With the Australian job market advertising over 150,000 jobs each week and unemployment at its lowest in 10 years, being eligible for an Australia work visa has never been more possible. There is a huge demand in the plumbing, security, printing and the building trades in particular.

How does the Australian health service differ from ours and important facts you need to consider before you take the plunge

Family Visa. If you have an Australian partner, or members of your immediate family are permanently based in Australia then you may qualify for one of several family stream visas. Your application to emigrate to Australia can be done online. The Government of Australia encourages emigration in order to bring families together. Under the Family Visa Emigration Programme, migrants considering emigration must be sponsored by a close family member or fiancé(e) living in Australia. There are 4 schemes to choose from in order to find out if you are eligible for emigration. Select the one that best describes your situation. The sponsor must be either an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, and would usually be 18 years of age or older.

Before The 401K, There Was Only Social Security

The very first Social Security check was sent through the mail in 1940 even though President Roosevelt had signed the Social Security Act into law, 5 years earlier. Ever since, many American retirees, especially those without a 401 retirement plan, have been grateful to receive that monthly financial safety net as they entered their retirement years. It’s difficult to believe that Social Security has been with us for sixty plus years.

In the original incarnation of the bill, Social Security benefits were only to be paid to the primary worker. But, before the bill went live, additional benefits for the spouse and children were added.

Many people mistakenly believe that the Social Security system is like an investment annuity, where you lend money to the government and let them invest it with the expectation that you will live off the resulting income. In truth, however, the system is closer to a government welfare program. The collection of payroll taxes , which funds the Social Security program, is handled under the authorization of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, better known as FICA. FICA is like the enforcement arm of the system. It ensures that every worker “contributes” his or her fair share to the government pool.

Every new generation of workers is obligated to care for the previous generation’s retirees. The sum of money that you eventually receive from the government has only a slight relationship to the amount of money that was withheld from your check over the years. From the very beginning, the system has collected over 9 trillion dollars from contributors and paid them out to recipients.

Property Selling ups and downs

Homes can go up or down in worth. If the Financial crisis has taught us anything, it is this fact.

Making money from the financial crisis is a tricky proposition. The governments and banks have conspired to create the “perfect storm” for savers. There seems no safe haven. With interest rates at all time lows, government bailouts and money supply growth, it is almost impossible to decide on which way to jump.

Even the luxury real estate market is not immune. Luxury property prices are falling faster than any market segment currently. Selling your home at a loss is almost inevitable for just about every buyer in the last ten years.

House industry will fall along with every other over valued asset. The odds are, prices will overshoot, and this is when the savvy investor will strike. But not until that time.

When that time arrives is a matter of conjecture, but one need sto be aware enough to take advantage when the opportunity arises to make money from the credit crisis.

Financial crises come and go, but the overwhelmingly obvious thing about them is the fact that wealth seems to polarize at the top of the money tree. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

This crisis is going to be a crisis of epic proportions. Perhaps rivalling the 1929 crash. There will be massive drops of Property values around the planet.

Timing is vital for re-entry into the market as an investor.

 

Bridge Information

How to unlock your iphone and be healthy

With Apple’s iPhone being so popular, it’s no surprise that people want to unlock it. When you hear the term “unlock iphone“, it basically means hacking your iPhone so that you can use it with a different service provider (the default is AT&T). Remember that the iPhone is actually a real phone, so you need a service provider for it. It turns out that many people are unsatisfied with AT&T, which is why they look for ways to unlock their iphone. The good news is that this is really pretty easy. There is lots of really cheap software (for $20 or less) that can perform the job for you.

Of course, while gadgets like the Apple iPhone are fun to play with, the thing you’ll always want to be most concerned about is your health. This is why keeping fit is so important. The popular advice of doing 30 minutes of daily exercise is in fact very good, because jogging around the oval or walking will help you refresh yourself and work better. If you are overweight, then exercising is crucial when it comes to weight loss.

Perhaps something even worse than being overweight is having yeast infection, which mainly infects females. Luckily, though, it’s relatively easy to get rid of yeast infection. Millions of people have had it over the years, and there are many safe, effective and natural cures out there. As with anything, if you have the drive and motivation to cure your yeast infection or lose weight, then it will happen.

Disclaimer: Always see your doctor before taking any medical advice.

Radio drama shows are enjoyable for all ages!

When I started commuting almost an hour and a half to work, I got really, really bored. That’s a long drive, and frankly the news plays the same 5 minute sound bytes over and over again. I was losing my mind.

That’s when I discovered radio theatre. I happened to be searching online and came across it. I don’t remember exactly what led me to it, but I’m so glad I found it.

My discovery led to some great old shows like The Shadow, Abbot and Costello, Lights Out, Campbell’s Theater. Very cool stuff. My drive to and from work for the day suddenly became a highlight instead of a chore.

However, the more I listened to the old time radio shows, the more I got interested in whether or not there were any new shows that were created in the same “spirit” as the old ones.

Sure enough, there were! Great shows like Red Panda Adventures and Black Jack Justice from Decoder Ring Theater products. Very cool stuff.

Now, any time I’m bored sitting in a waiting room or taking a long drive, or just whatever, I let radio theatre keep me entertained and enthralled instead of twiddling my thumbs.

To my great surprise, I often find myself wishing that my waits or drives were longer! Now how’s that for proof of how great these cool shows are?

A little in the area of products

It’s only going to help you out more in the long run.

There are many factors involved in why I say this. It’s as simple as that.

An aweber alternative can easily save you big money!

You can tell that I need to know this. The reason why I use a this that ravishes property for a finances. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. My blog is popular.

What is great about investments is dealing with learning about money instead of depending on making money through liquidation.. Should you be surprised that you must find a commonplace stock market that explains what you can do with credit.

I know that I make extra money but do you?

In order to provide an impressive this thing, examine your hard money base on your previous experiences. We will resume my impractical musings about learning about money which are a quite useless reinforcement of my disturbing thoughts .

My review of eboundhost made me plenty of money!

Try investing your money at work. You may not know the outcome.

Small Class Size Can Help High School Students Achieve

by Dave Delgado

How many of us can look back and think that we may not have reached our full potential in life? What if we had done better in school? What if we had gone to a better college?

The predominant attitude in today’s public schools has created a culture in which 16-year-olds are deciding they aren’t going to go to college. They think the material will be too difficult. They think they don’t have the necessary skills. They lack confidence in their own ability to learn and grow in an academic environment. They aren’t qualified to make the right decisions!

A lot has been said about the importance of small class size and individual attention in our schools. But small class size is only the beginning. The best high schools have not only smaller classes, which allow for more individual attention-they have highly qualified teachers who teach more challenging material.

AP courses, created by the College Board, have been around for fifty years. These are certified college-level courses that are taught in high schools. Their popularity has grown over the years, and they have become an essential part of the high school portfolio for anyone wishing to apply to a four year college or university. Many parents feel that these classes and their high expectations put too much pressure on young children, still in high school. But that isn’t how it was meant to be.

When approached the right way, these courses may in fact be a very good opportunity. The downside is that most high schools that offer these courses still pack 20 to 30 students into the class. So instead of being a positive opportunity, many students simply struggle with the work. On the other hand, when these courses are taught by experienced professionals in smaller classes – classes with only 8 to 10 students per teacher, each student gets the opportunity to be successful in a college level course.

A taste of this success is sometimes all it takes to turn a student’s life around. Students at the best private high schools, such as Cambrian International Academy, have stated in many cases that the first class made them feel as if they could accomplish anything. They take more of these classes in subsequent years, and then find themselves accepted to top universities in advanced standing. The AP credit transfers, and they start college as sophomores!

Now, 16-year-olds have more reason to make an informed decision about college.

 

How Facebook Shut Down My Account Without Warning

There’s been much buzz about Facebook lately and for good reason.  It has lapped and gotten much more buzz than its competitors MySpace and LinkedIn.

However, it’s achieved these lofty heights because it is believed to be far less spammy and more real than the other social networking sites in the marketplace.

Whether this belief and reputation is true or not is highly debatable because I’ve been a Facebook user for about 19 months now and have seen the level of spam slowly creep up.

I had over 3000 friends in my Facebook profile for launch.

I tell you this not to brag but simply to point out I was a heavy user of Facebook.  And admittedly most of these were business contacts not personal friends I had met in the off-line world.

I used it mainly for networking with people who are interested in the kind of business and markets I am in.

I even built up 4 groups with 500 plus members each and two of those groups had over 1200 members each.

Being a member of many groups meant I got more emails which wasn’t bad because I’d opted-in to them.  And lots of times I didn’t have the time to fully read through all of those e-mail communications from the groups I was a part of.

So the point is you must make sure your communications have highly valuable subject lines, with high levels mysterious and value provided so your group members will open them because it’s just like any other e-mail inbox in that you have to compete with many other messages for the attention of your group members.

Once you get a reputation for consistently providing them tremendous value they’ll open up most if not all of your e-mail messages as long as you continue to provide them the high level of value they’ve come to expect from your communications.

So I was bopping along enjoying my Facebook experience when…disaster struck.

Unfortunately, a crazy thing happened to me on Monday, January 12, 2009.

In checking my e-mails I saw a couple of notices from some of my Facebook contacts which I needed to respond to.  So I clicked on the link in the e-mail to go to the appropriate page on Facebook and it gives me the login screen.  “Okay, I thought I’d indicated to keep me logged in but no big deal I’ll just go ahead and log in again” I said to myself.

And that’s when the unthinkable happened…

It gave me the message and I paraphrase “your account has been disabled by an administrator”.

“How could this be?”  I asked myself

I hadn’t even log in to Facebook since Thursday of the previous week and this was Monday so how did my account get shut down over the weekend. There was no activity at all much less suspicious activity to warrant them shutting me down.

Since I began using the site in July of 2007 I’d gotten caught in their “account warning” filters twice. My account had been disabled due to this.

Basically, I had been adding friends in groups I was part of too rapidly with the same canned message using Roboform.  And so the Facebook administrators re-enabled my account after telling me not to do the suspicious activity anymore.

After the account mishap I’d been very careful and not done any friend adds because by that point many people were friending me.

So I was terribly vexed as to why my account got shut down.

After talking to a few of my expert friends I had a theory as to why it happened.

It seems Facebook is now cracking down on promotion to groups even though that’s the way they’ve wanted you to be able to mass communicate in the past.  I guess now with Microsoft and the other people being heavily invested they only want promotional messages to go out through their pay per click advertising system or their social ads.

In talking with my contact he said he talked with a few of his friends and had seen about eight groups deleted because the group admin was consistently making promotional e-mail communications to those groups.

I had sent out a subtle e-mail communication with a link to an opt in page to all four of my groups on Thursday.  I did this because I was helping a friend launch a new product about Google Friend Connect and I varied the words I used in each of those e-mails so as not to upset the Facebook gods.

Since this policy is new and I had no idea I sent out my normal communications and got slapped.

I have emailed the admins twice but to no avail. They won’t even give me a reason why or rightfully turn my account back on.

This is extremely unfair to me and all the thousands of man-hours I’ve put into building my profile as well as the thousands of connections I’ve made and the people who count on me for the information I provide them.

But it’s like falling into a black hole where there’s no person you can contact to get your account back.

So here’s what you should do…follow their rules as much as you can. Only add 20 or so friends a day and don’t send out anything promotional. Get people to contact you through other means to make an offer to them.

It’s still a great site, resource and place to meet people or valuable business contacts and more people are joining everyday…up to 140 million users now. Just beware of unannounced policy changes which can devastate all that beautiful work you’ve put in.

So happy Facebooking and beware.

DimBulb Blog

History of Mistletoe

History of Mistletoe

 

The mistletoe, native to the forests of Northern Europe, is a parasite implant on deciduous and evergreen trees which produces yellowish flowers and waxy white berries. Its closest relative in North America has yellowish flowers and waxy white berries, and is also commonly known as mistletoe. Notably, it is the official floral emblem of the State of Oklahoma.

The name mistletoe came about from two Anglo – Saxon words: mistel which means dung and tan which means twig. And so, mistletoe quite literally means dung on a twig. Mistletoe infers that life can spring up from dung. This leeching plant grows and thrives on the dung of birds on the branches of trees. As a result, mistletoe became the symbol of vivacity and fertility.

The Christmas and New Year tradition of embracing for the bashful and kissing for the brazen under a sprig of mistletoe dates back to olden Britain. Also, it was prevalent among the Druids who were the learned class of the Celts.

The Druids celebrated the beginning of winter ( winter solstice ) by collecting mistletoe and burning it as a sacrifice to their pagan gods. To ensure a year of good faith, peace, and familial harmony, they hung sprigs of mistletoe around their homes. Twigs of the evergreen displayed visibly outside their homes welcomed relatives, friends, neighbors and weary travelers and the mistletoe within encouraged them to embrace shamelessly. Feuding parties or foes who happened to meet under trees that contained mistletoe were required to lay aside their weapons and settle their differences.

The Druids believed that the mistletoe had healing properties. It was often prescribed for female infertility and as an antidote for poisons of all kinds. The gathering of mistletoe was a ceremony by the highest priests using gold knives. Such a carefree rite of harvesting mistletoe is dramatically portrayed in Bellinis opera Norma.

The Celtic Druids were not the only people who ascribed so many marvelous attributes to the mistletoe, the Scandinavians, who called it mistilteinn; also believed that it was the plant of peace, the plant of hope and the plant of harmony. The Scandinavian lore claims that the mistletoe belonged to Frigga, the Scandinavian star of inclination, and the embracing and kissing custom is thought to have come from this notion.

Mistletoe was also used for a decorative green in the Roman Empire during their feasts of Natalis Solis Invicti and Saturnalia. Due to its ties to idolatrous festivities, the Church banned the use of mistletoe when Christmas on December 25 was officially recognized as the birth of Christ in the the fourth century.

As an alternative to the mistletoe, the holly was ironically proposed even thought it too had strong associations with atheist rituals. Nevertheless, the hollys white flowers were to signify the purity of Christ, the acerbic leaves were to symbolize the thorns in Christs crown and the red berries as drops of His blood. Thus, the Holly became a Nativity tradition, but, surprisingly enough, the churchs ban on mistletoe which was in effect throughout the Middle Ages still persists today.

CribFace Blog

Holistic Dog Health is Practiced by Holistic Vets

Today there are an increasing number of veterinarians who are putting great stock in holistic dog health, making it a large part of their practice. A veterinarian who practices holistic pet care treats animals as a whole, rather than identifying a certain problem and prescribing one type of treatment related to that specific injury or illness.

For instance, if your dog has suddenly come down with some sort of rash on his skin causing irritation, redness, itching, a possible infection, and some fur loss, a “regular” vet would probably prescribe an antibiotic to treat the skin infection and then perhaps a topical ointment to address the itching.

A holistic veterinarian may also prescribe those two remedies, but there will be more emphasis on finding out what could have caused the rash to occur in the first place, which, of course, was the root of the infection. With holistic care, the dog’s indoor and outdoor environment, his daily lifestyle, eating habits and nutritional intake are all taken into consideration before attempting to diagnose or treat the animal.

If you cannot locate a holistic vet, the next best thing is to find a vet who is open to alternative treatment methods – one who is at least willing to listen to your views on the care and treatment of your dog, and take those views into account when dealing with dog health.

So if you want a holistic approach to dog health for your dog, and your current vet is dead against this, or even worse, tells you that you do not know what you are talking about and belittles your concerns, it may be time to find another vet who is more open to your way of thinking. First look around for a holistic vet, and if you cannot find one in your area, seek out a vet who does not dismiss alternative methods and is willing to integrate them into your dog health care regime.

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How To Start An Online Home Business

Internet marketing strategy is not child’s play, but it is not rocket science, either. You do not have to spend a fortune hiring an Internet Marketing Consultant, even if you have no previous experience and want to start internet business.

Internet marketing training for online businesses. Discover the secrets of successful direct sales and marketing businesses on the web.

Free to spend time with my family, doing the things I love to do. Today I am my own boss and YOU can be too! Free quick courses shows you how. Free training is available to start your business.

Web design service has been ranked in the top 5 list of hot online business opportunities by Entrepreneur magazine. Entrepreneur magazine is the most credible and popular resource for business opportunity Seekers, small businesses and Entrepreneurs. Web hosting for under $10 per month. These days, good web hosting plans include pre-installed Content Management Systems (CMS ) which means that minimal web design work is required.

Webmasters and site owners check out our available RSS news feeds to add fresh relevant content to your opportunity web site.

Create a Facebook group for your business. Write a humorous blog about your product or industry. Create a business plan and write it down. Having a plan will ultimately make your online jewelry business dream a reality because you will have a checklist of what needs to be done. Creativity leads to niches and niches lead to riches!

Traffic means advertising — you start selling advertising, and your own products, and then you are really in business. An alternative to starting your own online business out of your home is to become a WSI consultant who helps other companies expand. Traffic = customers = sales = money in your pocket.

Blogging has taken over the internet. They are easy to set up, easy to use and everyone is doing it but not everyone is making money with their blogs. Blogging is just about the best work from home options that is available to almost everyone!

Earn some good cash building web sites . Earn when sleep or when you are on vacation.

Add your own description and URL for any affiliate program or website you want to give an extra turbo-kick. That way, you have total control over what you want to promote. AdSense is a unique system of advertisement developed by Google that enables the owners of the websites to place custom built ads on their websites.

What is Joomla and Why Do I Need It?

Joomla Training is in high demand as Joomla, an open source CMS, is quickly becoming the Content Management System of choice by the vast audience of website owners who are updating their sites to fit into a Web 2.0 framework.

Learning Joomla is easy with Joomla video tutorials, and Web 2.0 is a term used to describe the next-generation of websites. These 2.0 websites provide such functionality as the ability to add and upload their own content, as well as write reviews, share images, videos, post in forums, just about anything.

Joomla is an Open-Source (this means it’s free), Content Management System (CMS), which simplifies much of the technical tasks of running a website, and turns them into a simple to use interface where just about anyone can become an effective webmaster.

If you’re one of millions of businesses with a website which has been unchanged for several months, or worse, several years, you’re not alone. Over 50% of all internet websites are older, Static (meaning they don’t change), without any Web 2.0 features.

Joomla is an affordable alternative, it’s free, and Joomla has a very large user community. Joomla’s easy-to use “Administrator,” or “Backend” interface allows even the most novice user the ability to effectively manage their website.

Joomla has thousands of Extensions and Plugins to expand core functionality of the system to provide additional features and benefits. This means, you can quickly and easily add new features to your Joomla website simply by installing them via the simple to use Administrator.

Joomla’s built-in Search Engine Optimized linking system (this means the search engines love these types of sites) is managed automatically. You only need to add content, and provide some details about the content via the Administrator, and Joomla will produce well optimized links and titles, making your sites appealing and easily indexable to the search engines.

Visually, Joomla is just as stunning as any other website out there. With thousands of Free Joomla templates and several high-quality Joomla Template clubs, finding the perfect template for your site shouldn’t be a difficult task.

So let’s see, easy to use, search engine optimized, easily expandable, visually stunning, and it’s free. So why do you need Joomla?

Aussie Internet Marketing Kids

In January 2009 in Streaky Bay, South Australia, 2 Aussie kids filmed a YouTube video to promote their dad’s affiliate marketing ebook. They filmed it on the beach and this was their first effort to market online. They called themselves the Aussie Internet Marketing Kids. It is apparent that they live in the generation Y environment of technology and computers in their everyday life. They are naturals at it.

To start with they filmed their dad with a camera set up for YouTube. Afterwards they put together their own marketing effort on film.

Smart Online Profit Systems

Both kids are apprentices of the smart online profit systems. They have learned from the beginning and consider themselves internet marketing apprentices. They are unlikely to go down the path of a 9 to 5 job and are very likely to succeed at their task. They are little entrepreneurs in the making. And still, let us not forget that they are kids having fun, and lots of it to boot!

Promoting Dad’s Affiliate Marketing Book

So, off to the beach they went. The Aussie internet marketing kids wandered to the beach in Streaky Bay. The waves are crashing in the background from the Great Southern Ocean. They promote their dad’s affiliate marketing ebook and the video is only 26 seconds, yet it gets the message across in a genuine way that most adults cannot master. The future holds a lot of promise for these budding internet marketers. Maybe we adults can learn a lot from kids after all.

Life is meant to be fun. Kids teach us that by acting naturally. We need to unleash our inner child more often and learn from kids that life is not meant to be so serious all the time.

Why Using WordPress Is Critical For Your Online Success

In 2002 blogs took the world by storm, changing the way we did business online permanently. While most people at that time started with various blog platforms, eventually most of them shifted to WordPress. A powerful CMS that emerged from the need for a better blogging platforms, WordPress has since become so much more.

If you read any online blogging tips, WordPress is often positioned as a tool that well, creates a blog. But more and more marketers are finding that you can also use it as the |main|most important|fundamental} tool to upon which you can build a powerful business empire.

The most powerful function of WordPress itself lies in its ability to manage large amounts of text, audio and video content. With a hand-coded HTML site, after a dozen pages it becomes difficult to manage. Although you can use template-driven systems as well like SiteBuildIt or DreamWeaver, nothing beats the ease of WordPress.

Using the correct blogging tools you can easily turn WordPress into a static website, a membership site, an article directory, a complete e-commerce site, a sales page, an auction marketplace, and much more. In fact you can just about use it for anything.

Besides that, WordPress SEO optimization is another added bonus. Out-of-the-box, WordPress is pretty good at optimizing and creating search-engine friendly content. However you can also get more serious and install simple WordPress plugins to further improve your SEO score and get higher search engine rankings.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about WordPress is its flexibility. You can easily switch between different WordPress templates, and improve its capability by using plugins and even some custom coding. Did I also mention that it’s free?

So if you’re not already using WordPress, you should. The learning curve has reduced substantially in the past 3 years. Right now, even a 6 year old kid can understand how to set it up and use it. So go ahead, use WordPress to power your online business!

News

Mortgage Loan Modification – Save Your Home from Foreclosure

We have a real problem in the housing sector, affecting thirty million homeowners in the USA. More and more home-owners are losing their jobs, or having their salaries reduced. More and more home-owners are, through no fault of their own, falling late with their credit card, mortgage or car payments. These home owners are in real danger of defaulting on their mortgage loan and having their house suffer foreclosure. But there is an answer, and many home-owners are not even aware of this solution: it’s known as loan modification – sometimes referred to as loan mod.

Mortgage loan modification does not entail refinancing, so there is no credit check. It doesn’t entail debt consolidation. What it is, is renegotiating the existing loan to achieve a reduction in interest rate and, under special conditions, a lowering in loan principal as well. And it doesn’t involve extending the term of the loan. A new, reduced, payment amount is achieved which is sustainable to the homeowner. Loan modification is a true win-win solution for all parties concerned. To the home owner it can mean the difference between keeping or losing their house. As for the banks, it can mean no less than the difference between staying afloat or sinking.

There is no reason why home owners can’t arrange their own mortgage loan modification by contacting their bank’s loss mitigation dept. But it seriously is not recommended – the banks usually offer only a slight decrease in interest, or no reduction at all. Much better to use the services of a reputable loan modification firm, which employs its own team of dedicated loan modification lawyers, who do nothing but speak with banks all day every day and know how to accomplish a telling reduction. Doing it alone is akin to representing one self at a court of law – it is seriously not recommended. A good mortgage loan modification firm can achieve a 30 – 50% reduction in the interest rate without an extension to the length of time of the mortgage loan. It is well worth the fee they may charge to achieve this.

Daytona Beach Pizza — Delicious Pizzas From All Over The Planet

Although there is a controversy about where pizza comes from, many dishes similar to pizza have appeared globally and as far back as sixth century BCE, a time when Darius the Great, Emperor of the Persians, and his advancing troops heated up flatbread with any toppings they had at a given time. Plankuntos, a flatbread with assorted toppings, was cooked by the Greeks around the same time. That which was baked in stone with olive oil, herbs, peppers, and assorted meats, as in the third century BCE and through the first century AD, the Romans described a type of round dough of flatbread. Pizza had gained recognition as a favourite food, and even a staple, in many parts of the world by the twentieth century.

Though it took a long time for Italy to get over their fear of the fruit which they believed to be poisonous,in the sixteenth century, the Spaniards brought tomatoes to Europe from their colonies in the new world.

The popularity of the pizza in Napoli skyrocket as tourists flocked to this northwestern Italian city just to try the pizza after Spanish soldiers spread the word of this wonderful new culinary delight,the seventeenth century.

In the 1700’s, India introduced a new kind of cheese to Italy that used water buffalo milk, called Mozzarella di Bufala.

The pizza has a long and delicious history. After the Queen of Napoli, Maria Carolina d’Asburgo Lorena, and the Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia tasted this gastronomic wonder, there was no turning back.

Pizza is a highly venerated food down under. For Australians, pizza is no joking matter. Classic Australian pizza is served deep-dish style, heaped with toppings; however, in addition they are famous for their Thick Pizza with a slim crust.

For having a delightfully thin and crispy crust and a unique assortment of toppings such as bananas, tropical fruit, and cinnamon,the pizza in Brazil is known.

One of the most distingusihing factors in France in the wood burning ovens which are used to bake their and different types of cheeses which are available as toppings.

Thick crust, fresh fish, and other local treats are what make Israeli pizza so special.

The main focus in Spain centers around seafood toppings. The people of Spain have always been renowned for their intense consumption of seafood, indeed citizens of Madrid consume more seafood per capita than any other European city.

Like the U.S., New Zealand has regional and local pizza rivalries as well. Deep-dish style appears to be preferred in Hastings, while thin-crust is seemingly the preference in Wellington.

Pizza is just as popular in Canada as it is in the United States; in particular, they have an astounding variety of square pizzas.

Italy feels like it contains an entire world. With pizza styles varying from region to region, rivalries about who makes the best pie go all the way to the local level. Call Daytona Beach Pizza to taste one of the best pizzas you have eaten before

Keys to Losing Weight

The key to any weight loss is eating healthy and getting exercise. Eliminate fast food and any other fatty foods from your diet. It’s very difficult to achieve the weight loss cure without taking this step. The positive changes a person experiences during and after weight loss is enormous. It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for quick effective weight loss techniques that will surely trim down those fats and get a healthier, happier body.

Weight loss is the result of a calorie deficit, so having more fat makes it harder. Actually losing FAT and not muscle requires a structured diet, including fat, but also some slow release carbs and lots of protein, weight training and a small calorie deficit. Losing weight is generally seen as primarily being a female issue, but everyone knows that it is not. Be that as it may, I have trouble picturing a room full of men discussing their love of ice cream, cellulite, chocolate binges, emotional eating and so on, of course on there way to learning how to lose weight fast. However, the concept of weight loss is very basic, burn more calories than you ingest and your body will react accordingly. Unless you have a something else going on like a medical disorder, this formula works for just about anyone.

Green tea weight loss is safe, effecting and can if used consistently assist with a permanent weight loss. With a quick search on the internet you would come to know that herbal weight loss is possible through herbal products such as Hoodia, Dandelion, Pyruvate, Aloe Vera. However, before opting for herbal weight loss products, it is necessary for you to consult with a herbal practitioner.

Now when it comes to weighing yourself, scale weight does not tell you if weight loss is from fat, water or muscle tissue. Scale weight by itself is not a good indicator of success. Losing weight and maintaining that weight loss is one of the greatest challenges any individual can undertake. Along with proper diet and exercise, a colon cleanse will help you achieve your weight loss goals and provide you with a cleaner, healthier body. Whether or not your goal is to lose weight fast or to simply become more caring of the workings of your internal systems and body overall.

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Coach Soho

Soho – district in Manhattan noted for its old warehouses converted into restaurants, galleries and theaters.

These astounding classic mini bags, wallets or purses are perfect for the theater, art gallery observing, or dining out. To name a Coach line Soho is genius! It is like the fine wine of handbags or accessories. It is classic by design.

The Coach Soho mini is a classic because it is the best of the best by Coach. It is the fine wine of Coach purses. It is the quality of the past that fits the trends of today. What makes the Soho so special? Besides their Signature materials, this small purse is the hallmark of a woman’s daintiness, femininity, endurance, style and grace.

I have a black Signature Coach with the soft leather trim and silver buckles Soho. I love this bag. This is the bag I use daily. It compliments everything in my closet. It is perfect for all occasions, whether a trip to the grocery store, work or an evening out, you really cannot go wrong with Bag Soho.

Let’s talk about durability. The Soho is also so incredibly durable that it can withstand my toddler’s destructive little fingers. This bag did not become a classic because it was crafted from cheap materials put together sparingly. It is classic because of Coach’s signature materials and vintage hobo design that are guaranteed to outlast any trend, style or fad.

The strap is small enough to be hand held without looking like a dingle berry but long enough to be held under your arm incase you need a free hand. My Soho is a zipper top handbag, but I also like the flip top design Soho in tweed brown, blue and black. It is more modern vintage than my Soho because it captures the essence of the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Let’s face it; the 80’s were not all that glamorous. Florescent colors such as pink were only hot because they fit the social trends to deviate from the norm to explore our individualities. The Baby Boom era accelerated world industries by making goods faster and cheaper. However Coach knows that trends of the past are destine to return, so they put a little spin on the classic 80’s style making Soho’s in tweed. Tweed was originally called twill because it was made of unfinished woolen fabric woven into a twill pattern instead of a plain one.

Have you ever noticed that a couch made with tweed has outlasted the ones made of other fabrics? Coach knows that quality is better than quantity. So it produces products that will last. Tweed use to be customary because it is moisture-resistant and durable but became obsolete because of the rate at which the economy was booming. Therefore most companies switched to more cost effective goods such as cotton and polyester.

Coach’s are a little more expensive but you can be assured it will last. Whatever you personality happens to be: red, black, brown, orange, green, multi colored, small, large, mini purses, or wallets, Coach has something to fit your individuality. You can be assured that the Soho line and hobo design will last throughout the years, making the trends of today the classics of tomorrow.

The Coach Soho reminds me of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Like Audrey Hepburn, her beauty, style and grace live forever as a vintage icon of what it means to be an individualized woman. The same can be said for the Soho. The varieties, quality and style will continue to dominate the accessory world making it ideal for just about any girl.