Friday, November 30, 2018

Business VoIP Service

The new age businesses are looking to integrate VoIP into their setup of communications throughout the office. This technology, which is something that virtually every modern workplace has, is growing in popularity and works via your existing broadband connection, eliminating the need for a landline or even a cell phone and is significantly better than both.

When it comes to VoIP for Business service

It is imperative that you make certain the service contains the features that you need for your business. In addition, you need to ensure that you are aware of all the requirements on your end for the VoIP system to work efficiently.

For example, if your corporation already has a large amount of phone lines then you will likely be required to have a better high-speed internet connection than a business that only has one or two phone lines. The reason for this is to ensure the quality of voice that is transmitted through the phone service.

Comparing Business VoIP Service

When it comes to choosing the company you would like to obtain your business VoIP from - it is imperative that you evaluate the following

- Sound quality of the phone service

- Customer service quality

- Technology capabilities

- Up-front costs

- Operational costs

- Other implementation costs

- Quality of security provided

In addition, you need to determine whether or not the business service will operate on open standard internet protocol (IP) to route your calls. Open standard IP will greatly reduce your costs such as eliminating licensing fees while providing you greater flexibility when it comes to customization as well as new feature integration. Moreover, there will be no limitations on future business expansions.

Return on Investment Comes with the Right Business VoIP Set-up

In order to get the best return on investment or ROI, as a business, you need to find the right business VoIP solution to implement within your business. This is a critical move and it is not one that should be overlooked. The wrong VoIP set-up could drastically drop your business' reputation leading to a decrease in customers and sales. The right Business VoIP Service, however, could very easily give your reputation a significant boost, an increase in sales as well as customers, and provide you the ability to connect with your employees and customers in ways you have never been able to before. See why VoIP for Business is right for you.

For more info go to: http://broadbandbuyer.com/VoIP-for-Business/business-voip.htm

BroadBandBuyer.com



Los Angeles, California Highlights

Los Angeles is a very fascinating city and a great place for anybody to take a vacation. Visiting Los Angeles and the surrounding areas could be one of the best and most memorable experiences that you will ever have. Tourists seem to get excited about everything from the simplest things to the bigger things. For some reason, tourists always like to see the famous Hollywood sign and especially visitors from non-coastal states like to go to the beach and see the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

If you like more of an adrenalin rush of fun and are planning to come to the city of Los Angeles, you will be in reasonable driving distance from several amusement and water parks including Six Flags Magic Mountain, Hurricane Harbor, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Raging Waters and other places like the Los Angeles Zoo and Griffith Park.

If you are really interested in the Film Industry, you can go to the tapings of numerous television shows where you can see your favorite stars live and in person. Or if you prefer to be in front of the camera instead of in the audience, there are several advertisements in newspapers, magazines and posted on telephone poles looking for all kinds of people who want to be background Extras in movies, television shows and commercials. No experience is necessary. Be sure to go down Hollywood Boulevard and look on the ground for the stars of your favorite entertainers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

You can go to Staples Center, home of the 9 time NBA (National Basketball


Association) World Champions Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson has moved on from playing professional basketball, but you will still see his name all over Los Angeles. He is involved with a few businesses around town including some 24 Hour Fitness locations, the Magic Johnson Theatres located in the Crenshaw Shopping Center, Starbucks Coffee and Magic Johnson's TGI Friday's Restaurant.

Right across the street from the Forum in Inglewood where the Lakers used to play for about 30 years until a few years ago, is the Hollywood Park Race Track and Casino. They only have horse racing a few months out of the year. But you are in "Luck" because the Casino is in full swing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to satisfy your gambling needs. It is one of the few places around here that at least so far, they still have FREE parking.

For Baseball fans you can go to Dodger Stadium, home of the former World Series Champions Los Angeles Dodgers. You would not want to go to Dodger Stadium without eating one of their famous Dodger Dogs.

Not only do we have professional sports champions, we also have our very famous cross town college rivals, the U.C.L.A Bruins and the U.S.C Trojans who have both brought back team championships to the city of Los Angeles and they both have had their students and alumni bring back Gold Medals when they were representing the United States over the years in the Olympics.

If you want to see another historic Sports site, then go to the Los Angeles Coliseum. Not only was it the home of the Rams and then the Raiders, way back when Los Angeles used to have a NFL Football team, but it was a major venue for both the 1932 and the 1984 Summer Olympics. If you watched the Olympics then you saw the Los Angeles Coliseum during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the Track and Field events. The Olympic Torch is still there.

While you are at the Coliseum, it would be well worth your while to walk over to the California Science Center in Exposition Park. It is a great educational learning experience for both adults and children. The Sports Arena is in that general area. Also, within walking distance in that area are several museums that you might be interested in going through.

You would not want to miss out on spending time on the 405 San Diego Freeway which runs along the west side of Los Angeles County so you can enjoy the bumper to bumper traffic that we all get to experience so frequently. Most people in the area call it the world's largest parking lot. Your foot rides the brake of your car while burning that expensive gasoline. Usually you are either at a full stop or traveling at a snails pace. Just hope that they do not have a vehicle accident on the freeway ahead of you because the snail would actually beat you in a race.

If you leave the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) which is right next to the Playa del Rey Beach on the far west side of the city, you can get on the 405 freeway and head northbound. When you are finally able to get through the traffic, you can visit the J. Paul Getty Museum which is just before you get to the valley.

You can go to Marina del Rey just north of the airport where you can enjoy a dinner cruise on the ocean or bring your fishing pole and go out on one of the all day fishing boats or just hang out in the Fisherman's Village that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and has food, drinks and gift shops. There are places near most of the beaches where you can rent bicycles. There is Bike Path the runs along the side of the Pacific Ocean right on the beach. If you like rollerblading, rollerskating and / or skateboarding, then you will really like Venice Beach.

Normally from the west side of Los Angeles if you are at or near the Playa del Rey Beach and look up, you can see the planes taking off over the ocean. If you are somewhere east of the airport you can see the planes coming in for a landing. But if you look up and see a helicopter, don't get confused. It is probably not a guided helicopter tour. More than likely it is the Los Angeles Police Department Helicopter chasing down a suspect with the news media helicopters trying to get their shots and doing their best to stay out of the way. Police car chases are very common around here. You hear sirens from emergency vehicles coming from all directions. But that is Los Angeles' finest keeping our city nice and safe.

In all fairness, as a traveler you really need to make the safety of both yourself and your family a top priority no matter what city in the world you visit.

If you want to go on another cruise, you can go to Catalina Island. You can go over there, have some fun and come back the same day if you want or you can stay for several days if you really like it. There are numerous activities out there.

Another historic site that you would not want to miss is the street corner of Florence and Normandie Avenues which was where the 1992 Los Angeles Riots all began. Most of the businesses that were burned to the ground during that time have been rebuilt since then, so of course they look much better and more modern. Others may never be rebuilt.

On the far south side of Los Angeles County is Long Beach where you can see the Queen Mary Ship that is docked. You can tour the ship. Also, while you are in Long Beach you can visit the Aquarium of the Pacific for underwater adventure. Just like the California Science Center, it is another great educational learning opportunity for both adults and children.

For shopping, it depends what you are interested in. You can get just about anything you can think of at the malls which are located all over the place. The Del Amo Mall in Torrance (the southern part of Los Angeles County) is one of the largest malls in the United States. If you are looking for discount clothing and other merchandise, then go to the garment district in downtown Los Angeles. If you want the expensive stuff, then go down Rodeo Drive and the Wilshire Boulevard area in Beverly Hills. Just east of Beverly Hills is the Grove where you can check out the Farmers Market that has been serving Los Angeles since 1934. The area has been changed, expanded and built up over the past few years.

Wilshire Boulevard is one of the main business streets in Los Angeles that runs from the beach to downtown Los Angeles. So if you want to drive down Wilshire Boulevard just for fun, you can start by the Santa Monica Pier overlooking the Pacific Ocean and it will take you through the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. When you get to downtown, be sure to take a look at the Los Angeles Civic Center area.

Another interesting street to drive down for fun is Crenshaw Boulevard. You can start at Wilshire Blvd and go southbound on Crenshaw Boulevard. It will take you through the inner city of Los Angeles. Your trip will take you by the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Shopping Center, Leimert Park in the Crenshaw District, then through Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Torrance, Rolling Hills Estates and all the way down until you end up in Rancho Palos Verdes in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County.

Check the schedule of the Los Angeles Convention Center. They always have some type of entertainment, business or informational seminars, expos or workshops going on over there. You might find something going on that you may want to attend.

There are countless food and beverage locations all over the Los Angeles area from fine dining restaurants to fast food places and every shade of grey in between that will satisfy any appetite. You just have to find the ones that match your taste. There are all kinds of entertainment, dancing, activities and shows even in addition to all of the things that are mentioned above.

If you are not visiting someone who has a car that you can use, then you should probably rent a car because waiting around for public transportation in Los Angeles will use up most of your vacation time. Have fun.



Top 5 Best Home Business Ideas

It is an ideal time to get started in your own home-based business as the unemployment rate is increasing day by day and there are no signs of improvement in the economy. If you are wondering, why should you give preference to home-based business over any other business type? Well, it is simple, the start-up investment needed to get going, flexibility of a job nature and great money-making opportunities are not found in any other business type nowadays.

There are various home-based businesses and in this article I will mention the top 5 home business ideas which can help you to start earning quick cash.

1 - Affiliate Marketing

It could be as simple as setting up a blogging site and reviewing products in your favorite niche to refer others. It would not be wrong, if I would say, it is a fast growing home-based business online nowadays as it can help you to earn huge cash if you would understand the tips and tricks.

2 - Freelance Writing

This is another decent way to start a home-based business if you have writing skills. There are number of websites that allow you to offer your services in ghost writing, short stories of technical writing. Some of the more popular jobs in writing are - writing topic related articles, e-book writing and auto responder emails etc.

3 - Business Coaching

Many small businesses cannot afford to have a full-time business coach, therefore if you have expertise it can be a great way to start a home-based money-making opportunity. It is always recommended to start offering your coaching to local businesses first and then expand it to a global market.

4 - Technical Support

This may be the avenue for you, if you are pro at assisting people to solve issues and technical problems. You can even produce your videos to show people step-by-step guide on how to resolve their common technical issue and that you can sell from your site.

5 - Blogging

Blogging has also been a one of the successful method to start home-based business as people has been making six-figures per year from it easily. If your blog is interactive and helpful for others, you can display ads and offer affiliate products and services to earn huge money.

Above mentioned are all very popular and successful ideas to start a home-based business but it is recommended to go with something you are passionate about, so that enthusiasm and passion will come across when you are doing it. This way, you will not be able to earn money out of it but will love your job too.



What is the Average Reading Speed ​​and the Best Rate of Reading?

The average reading speed of a child in primary school is around 200 words per minute (wpm). By the time we reach adulthood, it has not improved very much, as, on average, most adults read at a rate of about 200 - 250 wpm. While comprehension at this rate is considered reasonable, at 250 wpm it will be difficult to read large amounts of information in a short period of time.

Certain individuals claim to read at times of 10 000 wpm or even 25 000 wpm and say they are still able to understand all they have read. Even though rates like this may be achieved by these individual individuals, a speed of 1000 - 1200 wpm is the rate at which contestants read at the World Championship speed reading competitions. Therefore, if your average reading speed comes anywhere near this rate, you can consider yourself doing fantastically well. Do not feel that you need to reach championship levels in order to achieve your learning and reading goals. It is up to each and every individual to decide how far to push the speed limits!

For a person interested in increasing his abilities, a goal of 500 - 800 wpm is an excellent target. At this rate it is possible to get through large quantities of work in a short time and maintain a comprehension level of about 75% or more. This is an excellent level of comprehension and probably more than adequate for any of your required purposes. Compare this to the average reading rate of adults (200 - 250 wpm), where their comprehension level is only half or slightly more of the material they have read.

800 - 1000 wpm would be an outstanding achievement. In order to have reached this level, an individual may have invested in an excellent speed reading course and practiced speed drills. Believe it or not, comprehension at this level is also outstanding, reaching levels of 100% or very close to 100%.

Results of 100 - 200 wpm is considered a basic reading rate. In adult terms this is a below average speed, but for children between the ages of 6 and 12, it may be considered as average. Only low levels of comprehension are achieved at this rate. An adult who reads at this pace will be amazed at what some of the simple techniques will do for his reading speed. Reading at any pace below 100 wpm will probably be read by someone who is still learning to read or perhaps by someone who is reading in a second or third language. At this rate comprehension will be difficult.



How To Start A Photography Business

If you are a keen photographer why not considering turning your hobby into a business. The field of photography is vast and can incorporated:

  • Weddings
  • Portraits
  • Commercial
  • Stock
  • Pets
  • Scientific
  • Food

As you can see there are a range of niches within photography. I know a couple of people who make a very good living simply taking photos of food. Most photographers will concentrate on a couple of niche areas and build up their reputation in these fields, getting well known in a niche area is vital to survive in a competitive market such as this one.

The beauty of self employment is that there are no job interviews, no courses to sit and no qualifications to get before you can start. Anyone can become a photographer. That said I would not advise setting up until you know your equipment inside and out and are confident that the photos you take are of a professional standard.

If you would like to further your credentials you could possibly participate in a short photography course at your local college or community center or even enroll on a more in depth night class at a local university.

Professional photography equipment is very expensive to buy despite advances in technology have made good quality equipment affordable for everyone. Ideally you'll need to purchase the following. You'll need a decent quality camera, a tripod, lightbox, filters, lighting, a certain decent photo processing software. The good news is that this stuff is affordable and you can pick up a lot of bargains on eBay. In addition to this decent software came be had for free check out http://www.gimp.org/ for an excellent example.

OK, so you've made your mind up, you've got your equipment and you're ready to start, now where are those customers gonna come from?

  • Portfolio - Keep it simple here, you do not need to show your customers everything you've ever taken. Just show a decent mix of the shots you can take showing the quality of your work.
  • Website - This is vital it can be used to showcase your portfolio, an e-commerce facility can sell your work and you can consider using AdWords and search engine optimization methods to drive traffic to your site and increase your customer base.
  • Paint a picture - If you're showcasing your work to potential clients, try to use framed shots rather than just images on a screen these paint a picture in your clients eye and make them much more likely to buy.
  • Use promotional flyers and postcards to showcase your work, put these in local shops, libraries, community centers etc.
  • Consider using other local business to promote your work. You could provide local coffee shops, cafe's, gift shops etc. with framed pictures to put on their walls, these could also be offered for sale giving you an extra income stream.

You'll need to register with the appropriate body for tax purposes. In the UK you need to register with Revenue and Customs. You've got three months to register once you've started trading but you need to keep your records from day one. Bookkeeping does not need to be a complicated business at its most basic level just need to record everything coming in and going out of the business. That said there are a number of sophisticated systems out there on the market such as Sage Accounts and Quickbooks which you can buy to make the process easier for you.

To assist with this it's always worth setting up a separate business bank account. Most high street banks will allow you a fee free period to use their services. Once this period is up you will usually pay charges based on the number of and nature of transactions you make.

You may also want to consider public liability insurance although not necessarily a legal requirement it'll cover you for any accidents or accidents that arise as a result of you being in work. Typical cover will be in the region of 2 million pounds but as the risk for this type of business is minimal the premium should be easily affordable.

Overall, setting up a photography business can be very straightforward and well within the reach of most amateur photographers to turn their hobby into a business.



Types of War

War has been defined in various ways. For present purposes, we may define was sustained sustained intergruop violence in which state military forces participate at least one side or on both sides in the case of interstate war and generally on only one side is the case of civil war. In a world of standing military forces it is hard to say exactly where peace ends and war begins. A military battle that is not sustained over time may or may not be considered a war. The brief Chinese-Soviet border clashes in March and July 1969, for example, entailed several small battles at a few points along the border, in which some hundred of people were killed. Similar ambigous is a long term violent struggle involving irregular forces, such as in Northern Ireland. There, uniformed British military forces waged a sustained violent struggle with a non state army, the Irish Republican Army (IRA), until a cease-fire that has held on and off since 1995.

Thus, many different activities are covered by the general term war. Consequently, it is not easy to say how many wars are going on in the world at the moment. Wars are very diverse. Several types of war tend to arise from different situations and play different types of roles in bargaining over conflicts. Starting from the largest wars, we may distinguish the following main categories.

Hegemonic War is a war over control of the entire world order - the rules of the international system as a whole, including the role of world hegemony. This class of wars is also known as global war, world war, general war or systemic war. The last hegemonic war was World War II.

Total War is warfare by one state waged to conquer and occupy another. The goal is to reach the capital city and force the surrender of the government, which can then be replaced with one of the victor's choosing. The 2003 Iraq War is a classic case. Napoleonic Wars, which introduced large-scale conscription and geared the entire French International economy toward the war effort. In total war, the entire society mobilized for the struggle, the entire society of the enemy is considered a legitimate target.

Limited War includes military actions carried out to gain some objective short of the surrender and occupation of the enemy. For instance, the US led war against Iraq in 1991 retook the territory of Kuwait but did not go on to Baghdad to topple Saddam Hussain's government. Many border wars have this character; after occupying the land it wants, a state may stop short and defend its gains.

Civil War refers to war between transactions within a state trying to create, or prevent, a new government for the entire state or some territorial part of it. The US Civil War of the 1860's is a good example of a secessionist civil war.

Guerrilla War which includes certain kinds of civil wars is a warfare without front lines. Irregular forces operate in the mid of and often hidden or protected by, civil populations. The purpose is not to directly confront an enemy army but rather to harass and punish it as as to gradually limit its operation and effectively liberate territory from its control.

In short, Wars are constantly taking place between states as well as in the states since theception of history itself. It will remain to the world exists because of various desires of individuals and state-actors as well.



Global Business? Speak the Language and Content of Your Client

According to many sociologists, in the last decades we have been experiencing a "sea change" in several fields of humanity, from technology, science, economy to politics. This huge shift they talk about is called "Globalization" and it has seriously affected our lifestyle, our habits, the entire social structure and hence the way we deal with the contemporary world.

As a matter of fact, our world seems to have been experiencing a sort of time-space compression since 1972, as a famous anthropologist and geographer, namely David Harvey, affirmed in his famous book The condition of Postmodernity: An inquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change (HARVEY, David, The condition of Postmodernity: An inquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change, Blackwell, 1992). Think out to the rapid flow of information triggered by the ICT revolution that nowdays enables us to send a message to the other side of the world in real time through "a click on the palm of our hand". Think out to the increased flexibility of the means of transports thanks to the technological advances that enable us to move through the world in a matter of hours. All these improvements have made the world get smaller and smaller in a metaphorical sense so that today in the business field organizations are no longer bounded by their geographical location.

All of a sudden, their markets have no limits at all and they can start looking at new opportunities overseas where they could not even imagine going only some years ago. In other words, what happens is that they become global and, as they achieve this new status, their new customer targets are no longer exclusively composed of local clients. New global segments emerge that share more or less the same lifestyle thanks to globalization. For instance, the Chinese women of the emerging middle-class act like and identify themselves with the American women.

Companies willing to internationalize have a desperate need to start off from internationalizing their communication ... but, would not it be enough to use English for their foreign communication ?? Perhaps, the jury is still out on this issue but No ! We definitely think No and we are going to show you why below.

Multilingual communication: fundamental for going global in business

In today's global economy multilingual communication is an essential tool to succeed in business because:

  • Buyers in every country are increasingly demanding products or services described in their own language
  • companies that realize the point above too late inevitably lose market shares and 33% reduction in long-term profitability of the product life cycle on average, according to McKinsey & Co
  • companies' global brands decline in value if they speak a non-local language
Unfortunately, it seems that many organizations are failing to address their efforts towards localization and translations along with creating relevant and valuable multilingual digital content. If they do it, most of the time is just an accidental process without yet a carefully considered plan nor relying on a well-conceivable strategy behind it.

Redefining the value of content management: towards multilingual global content management

The user, potentially interested in a product or service just just Googles it on the Internet and guess what? Among the Google's list of results, he picks out and clicks only on those delivered in his own language. This action will be repeated in any touch point of its online journey before ending up purchasing the searched product or service.

Therefore, what a business would better do is to start redefining the value of its content management and upgrade it to a multilingual global content management. The later drives the global customer experience, increases the customer satisfaction, promotes the brand awareness, its consistency and supports the time to market goals. Moreover, since the content is a significant corporate asset, it must be managed as any other corporate asset, since it is imperative to turn it into a multilingual one and working relentlessly on its translation to the client / user's idiom.

As the former German Chancellor Willy Brandt once said:

If I'm selling to you, I speak your language. If I'm buying, dann müssen Sie Deutsch sprechen.

(Then we must speak German)

Although one might be induced to think that simply embedding a Google Translator plugin into his business website would do the trick, it would soon find out how short sighted this choice is. Not only would translations turn out to be of poor quality but this would also heavily affect the reputation of its business and brand.

Furthermore, a global economy is more and more requiring not only a multilingual content but also a content which is appropriate to the targeted population. In other words, a business must meet the expectations in terms of localization and translation processes of a targeted country, otherwise even a perfectly translated message may sound weird for a native speaker.

For instance, a Spanish firm could use in its website an expression such as

llevar el gato al agua - to take the cat to the water

to highlight that they have fulfilled a very complex task in a particular job, a feat.

Clearly, the English translation does not convey the same meaning of the original Spanish one and a web user would feel puzzled when reading this expression. As a consequence, that business would not be perceived as professional and its reputation would soon break down into pieces. It goes without saying that the user / potential customer would dash off to another business website and, sometimes, buy a product or service from the competitor.



How to Get Rid of Collembola (Also Known As Snow Fleas, Springtails and Ectoparasites)

If you've never heard of Collembola, you're not alone. Until last years, it was thought that these soil borne creatures were essentially harmless. Even doctors vehemently denied that springtails were likely to infest human hair and skin. Folks who suffered from chronic itching, biting and crawling sensations were often considered delusional, but that mindset is slowly changing. Mounting evidence suggests that these micro-tiny pests can be surprisively invasive.

Thanks to the tenacity of folks like Dr. Frans Janssens and his colleague, Dr. Kenneth A. Christiansen, the scientific community is beginning to recognize that springtails can pose a very real threat to human comfort when present in large numbers. The two researchers collected scores of reports from homeowners, doctors, and pest control operators in several countries, including many regions of The United States. Within the gray areas between casual testimony, scientific observation and concrete medical documentation, a startingling picture emerged. Collembola are everywhere, and it's not impossible for them to latch onto humans and animals.

As residents of fertile soil, springtails are likely to be found just about anywhere. The more you water the lawn and apply fertilizer, the happier they'll be. They are considered the most abundant arthropods on earth. Since prehistoric times, they have survived frigid winters and very hot summers, but their numbers decrease exponentially under dry conditions.

Pet owners are particularly vulnerable to collembola infestation. Dogs and cats who traample through moist soil or wet grass can pick up springtails and transport them into the home; However, it's not particularly that springtails will stay attached to pets like fleas without an animal's immune system is compromised (for example, if there's a fungal infection of the skin.) Springtails are easily transferred between humans and animals. Close contact is not necessary. These acrobatic creatures can jump three to four feet. You may not always notice them catapulting through the air. They can be smaller than the head of a pin.

If the thought of a few springtails in the house makes you paranoid, relax. Their ability to divide and conquer will greatly depend upon environmental factors. Do you enjoy growing potted plants indoors? Does your basement tend to flood after a good rain? Can you smell mold behind the bathroom wall? Are you still waiting on a plumber to fix that leaky pipe under the kitchen sink? Who was president the last time you cleaned your air ducts? A moist, moldy environment is like Disneyland to a springtail.

Getting rid of an advanced collembola infestation can be difficult because springtails are not classified as insects. They are defined as hexapods, primitive descendants to modern day bugs. According to organic scientist David Glassel, chemical pesticides have no effect on the hexapod. Only natural insecticides will do the trick, and the best remedy is cedar oil.

Step By Step Guide to Eliminate Collembola Infestation:

1.) Treat yourself and your pets with a topical cedar oil insecticide approved for use with humans and animals. Avoid cosmetic or aroma therapy grade cedar oil. It's not purified, and it usually comes from certain forms of cypress trees. Cedar oil that is formulated for home protection will kill ALL TYPES of parasites on contact, including springtails, lice and all forms of mites. If you're tempted to use an over the counter kit designed for lice control, do not bother. It will not work, it's not enough to cover large areas, and it's just plain not good for you. Such products contain Lindane, a chemical banned for use with animals by the Environmental Protection Agency.

2.) Spray couches, beds and carpets with a fine cedar oil mist. A proper household formula will be very light and pure. In other words, it will not stain fabric.

3.) Use a cedar oil fog machine to penetrate unseen cracks and crevices in the home. Normally, fog machines are considered optional, but advanced springtail infestations require aggressive measures. If you believe your infestation is severe, or if you've actually SEEN large groups of springtails moving over floors and walls, do not mess around.

4.) Use the fog machine to treat air ducts or hire a professional air duct cleaning company. Many people are shocked to discover they have mold in their air ducts. It is not uncommon for mold to develop in your heating and cooling system from the condensation of your air conditioner. Springtails feed upon mold and thrive in moist conditions. Mold can also aggravate asthma and allergies. Air duct treatment addresses all of these difficulties.

5.) Purchase the highest quality furnace filters available at your local store. Filters designed for allergen and dust mite removal are best. Change filters frequently.

6.) Hunt for places where moisture accumulates. Patch leaky roofs and pipes. Seal cracks around basement windows. Pay special attention to bathroom walls and cabinets under sinks.

7.) Remove household plants, especially decorative trees sitting in large potted containers filled with soil. Remember that springtails can be transported directly into your home via bags of potted soil.

8.) Take aggressive measures to control animal populations on your property. Double bag garbage, and do not leave open trash barrels sitting around. Animal foods that are stored outdoors should be kept in airtight containers. Use traps or repellents to control rodents, raccoons and squirrel populations. Resist the urge to pet stray dogs and cats. Report any sightings of feral cats to your local animal control center.

9.) Beware of ultra rich potting soil and wooden landscaping materials. Based on calls placed to our pest control operation from all over the country, springtail populations are often introduced to the home when truckloads of new mulch or soil have been dumped on properties that previously had minimal landscaping. (Mulch traps moisture and promotes the growth of mold.) Seal any cracks around basement windows before distributing natural landscaping materials around the perimeter of the home. If you're worried about collembolla populations outdoors, there are super strength cedar oil concentrates designed to repel mosquitoes and kill insect populations in the grass and soil. Pet breeders, horse keepers, and livestock farmers use cedar oil concentrates to control all types of parasites in barns, pens and pastures. A generous treatment early in the spring or summer will do a lot to destroy eggs and control multiple insect populations before they explode. Veterinarian bills are EXPENSIVE. Destroy parasites before they destroy you!

10.) Last but not least, avoid chemical pesticides. In February of 2011, USA Today ran an article titled "Exposure to Pesticides in Womb Linked to Learning Disabilities." The study focused on peremethrin, a chemical commonly used to battle household pests. As disturbing as this sounds, the topic is nothing new. Scores of scientific studies have linked chemical pesticides to neurological disorders, breast cancer and birth defects in children living near farms where chemicals are sprayed. In a nationally televised ABC World News investigation, spot drop flea and tick drugs were found to cause 44,000 severe reactions in a single year, including multiple deaths.



Top 3 Online Business Ideas

Following are the business ideas that truly have the potential to give millions as the profit and ask for a medium level investment. An online company only requires some online set up costs and labor costs. The costs are certainly lower than making a company with a brick and mortar building which requires an extremely large investment.

A popular idea is to start a magazine online. If you are interested in literature, then maybe you can consider this. All you need are some workers including the editor and graphic designer and some investment to have your magazine printed, and of course interest in the work. You can promote your magazine online by using the social networking sites like Facebook or twitter and also posting ads on the billboards. Once you get enough subscriptions, your magazine will flourish, and you will be a millionaire in no time.

Another idea is to promote some information, some ideas or some of your experience. For this you only need to invest in making a website of your own and then start promoting your own information. For example, you want to promote your experience, ideas and knowledge about weight loss, then either you can start writing an eBook on it and sell it online or you can give information on your website.

You can earn from advertisements on the website or start selling a weight loss related product on it. Or you can also start an online newsletter for a subscription fee. Selling workshops online has also become a very popular method of learning. Worksheets have got a massive demand. You can create your own worksheet or outsource the work to someone and just earn form the profit from selling them. Likewise, you can come up with many different interests of yours that you can actually sell and make money.

Another terrific idea is to start an SEO company in which you can provide SEO services to your clients. This SEO industry is growing a lot nowdays as the number of websites grows. Every person wants their website to come to the highest rank in the search engine and so they require SEO services. What you need to set up an SEO company is your own website on which you have to increase traffic and get clients.

You also require knowledge about how SEO works which you can easily get from online courses. However, a lot of competition in this industry exists, and what you can do to have a competitive advantage is, to keep prices as low as possible and quality as high as possible. One would say that it is not possible to have these two together but actually in an SEO Company, it is possible. This is because the writers, who are required to write articles for website building and for search engine optimization, are available at very cheap rates from the Asian counties. These writers are also talented and can give a fairly high quality of work. With such low investment, there is a potential of approaching huge amounts of money because of its demand, which is continuously increasing.



The Samsung G800 - An Excitement for Lifetime

The Samsung G800 is styled in a unique way and has dimensions that add convenience to the user of this handset. This mobile is a big launch of Samsumg and the handset has lived up to all the expectations of its manufacturers.

The mobile has a 5MP camera that gives a resolution of 2560E1920 pixels. This camera can be used to capture pictures and record videos by zooming into the image with a 3x optical zoom. This mobile can be used in place of a digital camera to click sharp pictures. The photos can then be shared with other devices with the aid of Bluetooth technology. The users of this mobile can make use of the data cables to transfer files to a laptop or a compatible camera. The WAP browser also enables the user to visit various sites and download wallpapers, ringtones, games and videos. These files can then be downloaded and stored in the memory of mobile or transferred to a secondary device. The functionalities of the Samsung G800 are far more extended. This camera-phone is also a good music player and plays music on formats such as MP3, AAC, AAC +, e-AAC + and WMA. The FM radio brings the world of recent events, entertainment and commentary on games. The G800 also sends and receives emails with attached files.

The 160MB memory of the handset allows storing of files that can then be viewed on the TFT display screen at a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. Everything about his handset is perfect. The phone works on 2G and 3G networks, has dimensions of 101 x 51.1 x 18.8 mm and weighs 134 gms. Connectivity alternatives such as GPRS, EDGE, and 3G add to speed and so file transfer with this handset becomes fast. The battery gives a standby time of 220 hr and a talktime of 3 hr 20 min. So, the handset can be used for long hours without the risk of the battery charge getting elapsed soon. Once you buy this device, you can use it to fulfill all your dreams relating to photography and listening to music. This Samsung phone is available in the UK and also in other countries of the world.



Making a Girl Wet - 3 Simple Tips to Make a Girl Wet

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Why You Should Get Digital Business Cards

We live in the Internet age where a majority of our personal and business activities depend on computers and electronic devices. This digital life is what lead to the creating of the electronic calling card. The eBusiness card started as a novelty to become a necessary business networking tool.

What is a Digital Business Card?

These modern contact cards can now be sent and received electronically via wirelessly using tools, e-mail, internet, SMS, or by Bluetooth instead of using paper as a medium.

What are the Types of Digital Business Cards?

There are four main types of business cards; Phone contact cards, e-mail based business cards, social networking sites as business cards, and tools and applications such as Pokens or the iPhone used to exchange business card data.

The Phone calling card and the e-mail based digital contact card are quite interchangeable as you can send e-mail through phone now and you can also e-mail using your phone. The main difference is that phone-based digital calling cards operates from your phone and makes use of SMS or Bluetooth functions while E-mail based digital calling cards, operates from your e-mail account.

Examples of Phone-based digital contact cards are Contxts, TxtID and DUB. Contxts lets you send and receive calling cards via SMS, while TxtID is a service that works by having the other party text your username to a six digit number and where they will receive your contact info via SMS. To use DUB contact cards, an account must first be created on their website, thereafter you can then have it sent to other users by email or SMS, simply by sending a text message to the DUB site. These services start with free program options, but usually offer paid services that allow you to access more function or send and receive more digital calling cards.

For E-mail based visiting cards, companies such as Drop Card and Weavemet offer such services. Both of the companies offers services that works similar to Contxts and TxtID where you create a profile on their site, text the e-mail address to a dropcard number and your contact will receive your contact card in their e-mail.

The third type is using your social networking profiles such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Google profiles as contact cards. There is also a service that aggregates all your social network profiles like MyNameIsE which is a site that collects all of your social profiles into a virtual calling card that can be accessed via mobile web.

The last category of digital visiting card are devices such as iPhone apps or Pokens that you use with other people with the same devices where the device trades the contact information. Some of these apps specialize on contact data entry. Examples of these iPhone apps are vCard and BeamME.

What is the Advantage of a Digital Business Card?

Digital business cards offer a lot of advantages, here are some of them:

It's easier to create. Since digital business cards do not really require any aesthetic styling, you do not have to worry about designing one. The person you give it to will not lose it since digital calling cards cannot get lost or left behind because your contact will always have it in their email-account, phone, or other web based contact sharing account.

It's eco-friendly. Digital contact cards do not require paper so you will be helping the environment if when you use electronic business cards.

It's efficient. When handed a paper calling card, most people scan it or enter the data on their phones or computers, but if your calling card is already given digitally, the recipient will not need to go through the hassle of encoding it anymore.

As mentioned earlier, digital calling cards are often asked for, especially since most people use internet phones and iPhones where providing digital contact cards are more handy for these tech savvy people. It is really useful to get yourself a digital calling card in order to stay connected whether for personal use or for business purposes.



Why Does My Cat Bite Me First Then Lick Me?

If you're a cat owner you'll sometimes be puzzled by your cats behavior, especially when they give you a nip or bite and then lick you straight afterwards. This kind of behavior is very normal among cats as it's regarded as a sign of affection and not aggression. What your feline friend is trying to tell you is, they Love You, it's their way of giving you a kiss!

Sometimes their cat kisses can seem more like a bite or a sharp pinch which can hurt. Remember don't get angry at your cat as you can confuse the poor puss. If your feline friend gives a firm love bite than just be firm and say No! In time your cat will understand it's still OK to show affection but not to cause you pain.

The reason they do this is not to hurt you, they are simply kissing you like they would normally kiss another cat. Because cats have thick fur and their nerve endings in their skin aren't close to the skins surface like ours, they need to nip harder in order to express their affection.

For a cat, this type of affection is quite acceptable, but as a pet owner it's not the most pleasant experience being bitten. To stop this type of behavior you can train your cat not to bite, although this can take some time, patience and persistence before you can control this habit or stop it completely.

Although most cats enjoy affection try not to caress them too much as this can over excite them. An over excited kitty will exhibit many tell tale signs like purring, rubbing against you, chirping and a stiff tail that can quiver. Cats that are over excited usually can't control their emotions, so be prepared in case your cat wants to give you a kiss.


Make sure when you approach your cat too look at their tail first, as their tail is like their mood detector. Remember if their tail is quivering with excitement avoid contact as you might end up with a love bite.

Approach your cat when it's in a good mood, their tail will look calm and only the tip will gently move. On the other hand if they're unhappy their tail will flick from side to side, it's always best to avoid contact with them until they return in a better mood.

Living in harmony with your cat is possible, just try to be aware of their mood swings and if they do bite and lick you (kiss you) remember it's there way of saying I love you.



Postcard Marketing - A Few Simple Tips You Should Know!

Direct mail Postcard Marketing is nothing new. This method of marketing has been used by direct marketers for decades. Effective postcards need to be simple yet eye-catching. A postcard can also double as a gift certificate or a coupon. You can also use both sides of the card to promote your campaign. Your postcards should also have multiple ways to contact you. Your address, 800 number, web site, etc. If you offer multiple ways for someone to contact you, the more likely it will be that they will contact you.

If you have the time and money to invest, Postcard marketing can be very lucrative. From the cost of designing and printing postcards, to the cost of postage for delivering the postcards. These costs can vary greatly. The costs will range from $ 1500 to more than $ 3000 for 5000 postcards. How much you pay for shipping, designing and printing, can all vary depending on current shipping rates, and the deals that can be found for design and printing. The higher the quantity of postcards, the lower the cost per card. This, however, leads to a higher overall upfront cost.

With postcard marketing you can easily track the success / failure rate. If you send out 5000 postcards, a 5% response rate might be expected. That means you would have 250 responses. Of 250 responses you might again expect 5% to buy your product or service. That's 12.5 products or services sold for every 5000 postcards sent out. That equates to about 1/4 percent overall. These percentages are just an example and will vary significantly. The types of products and service being sold, and whether or not there's a market for that particular product or service at the time, are two factors that will play a major role in determining the overall success of any direct mail Postcard Marketing campaign.

In conclusion, direct mail postcards are more likely to be read than emails. For that reason, direct mail postcard marketing has proved to be very successful for a wide range of companies selling a wide range of products. However, it is not for every business or every product. I would not recommend this method of marketing to someone just starting out. In my opinion there are many other methods of marketing that are far more cost effective, and have far better results than direct mail postcard marketing. That being said, should you still choose this method of marketing, please make sure you do your homework. The more targeted your mailing list, the better the results will be.



Thursday, November 29, 2018

The Impact of Marketing in the Society - Can We Really Make a Difference?

Definitions

Marketing is generally thought of as the process of promoting goods and services to the end user. We can think of this as McDonald's advertising its Big Mac in such a way that we feel that we really need one for lunch. This demonstrates the advertising piece of the marketing mix, and is the element that most people identify with marketing.

Society is generally defined as the condition in which members of a community live together for their mutual benefit. Societies are more than just the individual members that make up the group, but the sum of the collective. We are all members of a society, and interact with the other members in that community. So what is the impact of marketing in the society?

Negative Connotations of Marketing - They Made Me Do It

Ever since society passed from a Subsistence economy (I grow my own food, make my own clothes, and don't need anyone else to help me) to a Trade economy (I'll grow some food to sell to you, if you will make some clothes to sell to me) we have had the challenge of marketing our products and services to others (Uh-oh, now that there are two people making clothes in my town I'd better let people know why they should buy mine). And ever since that first sales pitch there have been criticisms of marketing; like deceptive practices, high prices, unsafe products, and high-pressure sales - to name a few.

But many critics go further and claim that marketing has created false wants, promoted materialism, produced cultural pollution, and allowed big companies to gain significant political power. And there is an element of truth to all of these claims. Companies that have not performed ethically have had a damaging effect in society that the ethical businesses must now work through.

And the Good?

But it is hard to deny the positives that marketing has brought upon society as well. The wealth of technology at our fingertips today is directly related to the sales of these items and the continued downward pricing caused by the promotion of computers, cell phones, GPS navigation systems, digital cameras, MP3 players, etc. Dozens and dozens of these types of products are commonplace today, but seemed like luxuries for the rich just a few years ago. In fact, most of the people below the poverty line in the US today live better than royalty did 200 years ago -- with cars, heating and air conditioning, microwave ovens, cell phones, televisions, and other amenities now considered necessities.

More importantly, most medium to large companies now have significant charitable giving and service programs that donate large sums of money and time to needy organizations that make a difference in the lives of millions of people every year. Whether companies do this out of a pure heart or a need for positive publicity, the result is the same -- and many of the neediest in society are better for it.

Doing the Right Thing

As the public grows more knowledgeable and educated, they hold businesses to a higher standard than was once the case. The abuses of workers that were common a century ago are not tolerated by society today. Now corporate ethics policies drive decisions in the boardroom and the marketing department so that the end user (that's us) benefits in many ways. Doing the right thing is a good policy because people want to do business with someone they trust and respect. And the companies that are exposed as cheaters, liars, or abusers are generally shunned in the marketplace (Enron, anyone?).

The bottom line is that though there is a negative impact of marketing in the society, there is a positive to balance it out; and it is our job as society to reward the good guys with our purchases and punish the unethical companies by neglecting them in the marketplace. As we continue to do this over and over, we make Big Business aware that they will make money only if they honor their ethics policies and do the right thing on a consistent basis. In this way we can make a difference in the marketing tactics employed to sway our decisions. And that is a positive that we as a society can live with.



How iPad Kiosk Systems Can Help to Run Small Businesses

Small retail shop owners can use iPads and iPad stands to run and improve their small businesses in several ways.

Information centers


iPad kiosks can serve as information centres for walk in visitors. A retail shop owner does not have to be distracted from another buyer and the visitor too can get the information he wants from iPads that are enclosed in free floor standing units inside the door or in wall mount enclosures. The iPad can be loaded with information about products available and their prices besides deals, offers and loyalty programs that visitors can sign up for. A visitor can view the product, its specifications and even a demo. This frees up the retail shop owner who can focus on other important things.

Digital signage


One or a couple of iPads can be used as digital signage to display videos and product demos that will certainly engage visitors and possibly convert them to buyers. The effect is best achieved when such devices are enclosed in suitable enclosures that can be fitted on top of counters or on the wall. There is no doubt that videos and moving images are far more eye-catching compared to printed posters and do engage attention of visitors.

Payment processing


By offering card payment or bank transfers through iPads enclosed in stands on counters, retail shop owners can save valuable time and effort as well as offer greater convenience of shopping. Not every customer likes to pay in cash and when card payment is available they may even buy more. Restaurant owners can have a separate section where walk in buyers can view a menu, place order and make payment using the iPad. The same device can have a feature that requests buyer feedback that will help a retailer or restaurant owner improve services. Taking it a bit further payments so received can be ported to accounting systems. Small business owners need not employ assistants and they can save money too.

Shop windows


Retail businesses can have tablets in the shop windows that display deals of the day and this could encourage passers by to walk in and make impulsive purchases. The same tablet can display messages about the weather and other general information too as a public service. This helps improve the shop's branding.

Entertainment


Families shop or go to restaurants along with kids and kids need to be kept engaged. A tablet loaded with games is just the thing for kids. Keeping the tablets safely secured in stands and enclosures will prevent any inadvertent damage besides making it easy to use. Even adults can play or surf the internet while they wait their turn.

Software developers are coming up with more apps that help small businesses and iPads will help them save costs and improve customer services but what is an iPad without an iPad stand?



Raised Gardening - What Are the Advantages?

There has been a considerable increase in the number of people turning to their own gardens to grow their own vegetables to save money and to eat healthier food. Organic gardening is enjoying a level of popularity like never before and raised gardening seems to be the popular choice. A quick stroll around a few of the gardens in your neighborhood will reveal small board or stone sided rectangles in peoples' backyards housing mini vegetable gardens.

First let us look at what a raised bed is. It is a small patch of land that is fenced in by either wood, stone, cinderblock or brick. In this article we cover some of the main aspects of raised bed gardening to help you make the transition from in-ground to raised bed gardening in a smooth way. The beds are built atop the native soil and may or may not incorporate the soil. The raised bed gardens can be built with a variety of materials. Alternatively you can simply pile up the soil and ingredients to several inches in height and go ahead and plant anything from herbs to vegetables.

Raised gardening is not a new concept and has been in use for centuries to grow cash crops. There are advantages to be had in using this method to grow a healthy garden, though it may be a bit more expensive than just digging up the existing soil and planting your vegetables. The raised beds are uniformly spaced out and the gardener can tend them from both sides quite comfortably.

When planning a raised garden you have to consider the cost of rot resistant, untreated wood, if wood is your choice of wall frame for the garden. Line the bottom with a hardware fabric or chicken wire to prevent the voles and moles from getting into the garden. If you think you don't have any in your garden, guess again! Look into the watering system you have, if your garden is going to be large enough to warrant more than a hose and spray nozzle you will need to have the connect laid on. You will buy the best quality soil and compost so factor that in as well.

Some of the advantages of having a raised bed garden are:

  • You have the opportunity to grow your vegetables in the highest quality soil and compost available. Raised beds help you build up a rich and fertile base for your plants and you can make the adjustments with compost and fertilizer very easily.


  • Soil drainage is far better in raised beds than in-ground gardens and you will not have to stand in puddle water in your garden. Make sure to line the bottom with sand and rocks to facilitate good drainage.


  • Weeds and slugs will mostly stay out of your raised garden; it is not so easy for the weeds to get into a raised bed garden. If you leave enough room between the rows you can even use your mower to keep things tidy.


  • A well laid out garden means less maintenance time and no need to bend over for ages tending the beds.


  • A well laid out garden means less maintenance time and no need to bend over for ages tending the beds.



Robinson Crusoe - Contest Between Man & Nature

Daniel Defoe was born in 1659 at St. Louis. Gille's, Cripplegate in London. He was a man of many shades. These different personal exercises are reflected in his literary contribution. He had done a numerous occupation during his life time. (1705), "The Apparition of Mrs. Veal" (1705), "The Hymn to Pillary" (1703), "The Essence on Progects" (1770), "History of the Union" (1708-09), "Reasons Against Succession of the House of Hanover" (1712), "General History of Trade" (1713), "Robinson Crusoe" Captain Singleton "(1720)," Mole Flanders "(1722)" Rexona or the Fortunate Mistress "(1724) and other important literary works will remain glorious through the ages.

Man has control over everything except nature. But the fact is false in case of Defoe's "ROBINSON CRUSOE". Defoe's hero Robinson Crusoe has total control over the environment. He is hardcore traveler. He loves to explore new and unknown places. Due to his bad luck, and also a storm, his ship has been destroyed and he comes to an unknown island. The island is not only unknown to Robinson but it is too lonely. Robinson does not able to find a single human being. He is totally confused. He feels confusion due to uncertainty of his destiny. He has no shelter, no food and no clothing. He is alone. He does not get even a rare shadow of any one in this deserted and lonely island. He finds nothing on the island to survive. He has no shelter, food, fresh drinking water, no proper clothing, and the very basic elements to live a life. He stands all alone and he has to face the Nature from now onward.

Robinson cries bitterly but there is no one who can give assurance. There is no one who can provide the best comfort and warmth. But he has to survive as he comes in a desolated island. Slowly and gradually he understands Nature. More over it can be interpreted that Nature some plays a major role in bringing the required liability in Robinson. Nature grooms Robinson to be responsible man. He is traveler, he runs from his much protected shelter, ignoring his parent's warning but he never takes life as seriously.

He has been cast into an alien island and now he really understands the life how tough it is. But in the novel Nature has been portrayed as very polite character. Nature gives her ever thing to Robinson. Robinson learns to make adjustment with adverse situation. He wins over the hostile location. Nature makes him much more experienced, courageous, and skillful. Robinson should be thankful to Nature. She gives him every essential goods to survive decently on such a strange place.

Robinson goes back to the damaged ship to bring the goods. He finds biscuits, rice, bread, cheese, goat's flesh, corn, wine, carpenter's tool, ammunition, arms, barrels, clothes, money and hundreds of other essential merchandise. He needs a roof to protect him and also to reserve the most wanted goods. He finds a suitable place where he can stock his goods. He even gets plenty of fresh water near his shelter. He starts using and exploiting the Nature from now on wards.

Nature teachers him to do many kinds of chores. He learns farming, baking, fencing, plowing, reaping and many other farm duties. He exploits Nature for his own purpose and Nature too helps him whole-heartedly. Robinson uses everything that he has brought from the ship but he can not use money. As in such a deserted island he can not able to buy or sell anything. So money or the wealth is just a useless thing to Robinson.

With the help of Nature he makes his personal life much more pleasurable and comfortable. He has everything. He prepares required furniture for his comfort, he reads the Bible, he learns that there are two farming seasons, he learns to make earthen utensils and also knows how to make them durable. He has goats, parrots with which he sees his leisure time. He remains busy all day with many kinds of works. But still he feels seclusion. Lonesomeness is the major problem for Robinson. He remains flourishing in utilizing the Nature. He makes all arrangement for his survival. He has full control over Nature. He remains victorious in the silent battle with the Nature.

Thus in Defoe's "ROBINSON CRUSOE" the protagonist has full power and control over Nature that Nature which can destroy anything within a fraction of second and that Nature which can be calm and serene at the same time.



How To Evaluate A Business Idea For Developing An Enterprise

Why Do You Need A Business Plan?

Planning is a process that never ends for all businesses. It is extremely important in the early stages of any venture when the entrepreneur will need to prepare a preliminary business plan.

There are different types of plans that may be part of any business operation. These include but not limited to Financial plans, Marketing plan, Human Resource plan, Production plans, Sales plans etc. Plans may be short term or long term or may be strategic or operational. Whatever the type of plan or the function, plans have one important purpose; to provide guidance and structure to management in a rapidly changing market environment.

A business plan on the other hand is a written document prepared by the entrepreneur that describes all the relevant external and internal elements involved in starting a new venture. It is often an integration of functional plans such as marketing, finance, manufacturing and human resources. It also addresses both short term and long term decision making for the first three years of operation. So, the business plan, or road map, answers the strategic questions of where am I now? Where am I going? And how will I get there? Potential investors, suppliers and even customers will request or require a business plan.

How I Prepared My Preliminary Project Proposal

In my case, I followed the following break downs keeping each section as brief as possible.

1. Background : In this section, I established the context of the project by giving an account of the problem it is trying to address.

2. State of the art: I gave an overview of existing and emerging technology in the field, including an account of rival technologies and a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the various options.

3. Proposal: I wrote an overview of the proposed project and the approach, ie the activities which I will be mandated to achieve the project objectives. Clearly establish the research element or novelty component in the proposal.

4. Consortium: an overview of the proposed manpower and establish the required ability to carry out the project successfully (eg skills, competencies, etc.)

5. Objectives and Deliverables: Identify (1) the objectives and (2) the deliverables of the proposed project.

6. Competitiveness: if applicable, establish the competitiveness or advantages of the proposed solution compared to other solutions, whether these already exist or are still being researched.

7. Cost: give an overview of the project cost (including start-up cost and working capital requirements).

8. Impact: this section should include:
i. Markets and Uses: identify possible uses and markets for the deliverables of the project.

ii. Benefits and Beneficiaries: identify the beneficies of the project's results (eg the project participants, the general public, third parties) and the manner in which they will benefit.

iii. Roadmap: give an indication regarding what further steps, effort, costs and timeframes are necessary before possible benefits can be realized from the deliverables or results of the project (unless these are realized within the lifetime of the project).

iv. Spillover Benefits: identify any secondary benefits of the project (eg facilitating participation in funding programs, improving Malta's ranking, strengthening Malta's reputation in a particular area, etc.)

Preparing a Detailed Business Plan
Stages of writing a business plan are: After deciding to go into business, before starting the business and when updating is required.

Business plans can be written for retail business, wholesale business, service business, manufacturing and any other type of business.

A business plan is written by doing the following:
Identifying all the questions that could have asked about the business.
Determining what additional information needs to be collected to answer all the questions.
Obtaining all the necessary information.
Comparison various alternatives
Making a decision on each question.

A business plan should:
Have a good appearance
Provide an index
Provide a summary
Number each copy
Be signed to show who is submitting it.
Depend on the nature of the business.

A business plan should be organized to carry a cover page, table of contents, executive summary, business description, marketing plan, organizational plan, operational plan, financial plan and appendices.

Outline of a typical business plan is as below;

1. Title: Feasibility study Report on______________________
Commissioned by_________________
2. Project consultants
3. Table of contents:

Executive Summary
The Report
Project Background
Objective of study
Project description and
Loan promotion
Promoter
Location

Market and marketing plan
Potential customers
Competition
Pricing
Sales Tactics
Advertising and Promotion
Distribution.

Technical Feasibility and management plan:
Factory
Machinery
Overhead charges
Packaging materials
Raw materials Manpower and Labor costs.

Financial Projection / Feasibility:
Overview on capital requirement
Financial plan
Projected cash flow
Projected profit and loss account
Expected balance sheet
Break-even analysis
Source and application of funds

Organization Plan:
Form of ownership
Identification of partners / Principal shareholders
Authority of Principals.
Management team background
Roles and responsibilities of members of organization

Assessment of Risk:
Evaluate weakness of business
New technologies
Contingency plans.

Schedules:
12 months projected sales
12 months proposed purchase
Fixed Assets and depreciation schedule
Profitability index.

Thanks for reading



Reasons Which Make Video Games the Most Addictive Interface

Talk about video games and all heads start turning. In the present scenario where the technology is advancing rapidly, the games are gaining huge momentum. Whether kids, youngsters or even older people, all seem to have traveled with its addiction. These have been in existence for quite a while now and is also one of the largest source of entertainment around us. To understand it better, let us have a close overview of the types of games and the negative and positive effects it has.

Types of Video interface games- These are different kinds and have different skill sets, with time limits as well, some are quite basic while others are too advanced. A few of them are-

• Casual Play Games- These games are generally of small duration and are easy to play. They do not need any specific software or system.

• Online gaming - These types of games can be played on any sort of browser and thus attracts a larger audience, objectives strategy and role plays. These games need no specific operating system and are more often played by dedicated gamers.

• Social Network games- These are very common games which are played with the help of social networking forums in order to access its users.

Effects of Video Console Games- Playing such games comes very naturally to kids, something which needs not to be taught to them and they get well conversant with it as they keep playing and has its own effects, some of which are quite positive, while others which are detrimental to the health and the overall well-being. Let us take a look at its positive and negative sides.

Positive Effects

• It is said that playing video console games makes the brain very sharp and improves hand eye synchronization.

• They become more adept in facing situations later in life as the skill sets of each level are different and they have to keep the pace going in order to play the game.
Negative Effects

• It is more of an addiction and kids give it the earlier importance.

• The attention diverts from studies due to playing games

• Few games involve getting violent in order to kill the opponent and win it so the player starts practicing the same in the real life as well.

• Physical exercise gets reduced as kids want to play video games and not outdoor games.

Even though video games are the most comfortable and user friendly gadgets for people of all ages, especially kids, yet if proper care is not taken it can prove hazardous for the health. So it is of utmost importance that these are given for a stipulated time and are played under proper guidance.



Autoresponder - The Key to Running a Successful Online Business

In this article, we shall define what autoresponders are, and why you should utilize them to achieve successful online business.

If you run an online business it means you already own a website or a blog. Once your online business is setup, the next most important thing to consider is using an effective autoresponder.

Autoresponder defined

In simple understandable term, it is actually electronic newsletters forwarded automatically to your subscribers via your mailing list, and this is done at intervals that you specify or define. By sample, you can design and specify an autoresponder so that once a person signs up to your mailing list he or she will receive a welcome note from your business. Subsequently, you can send other messages such as business discount codes, invitation to connect on social media, new product launch, etc.

The importance of autoresponders

Using autoresponders for your online business keeps a large bulk of your email marketing automated, and that's if you setup things appropriately. With an autoresponder installed on your website, your subscribers will be able to receive specific vital key messages about your business. With this benefit, you do not need to bother about manually sending these messages out, as it is fully automated as set. This simply makes the importance of using autoresponders all the more clear. In short, they help you save time running your online business, loads of it.

How can you utilize autoresponders to help promote your online business?

• You can utilize them to forward custom birthday greetings with other related offers to subscribers on your mailing list.

• You can transition a subscriber from one phase of communication to another after they purchase an item/product. For example, you can move a subscriber from a 'prospect' level series of messaging to 'upsell' series of communication.

• You can forward mails to subscribers exactly one month after they purchased a product. This can be done to motivate them to renew a 'policy or guarantee.'

When autoresponders are utilized in such creative and meaningful ways, it can help generate substantial sales and income - with high returns on investment for your business.

To use them, you can sign up with popular providers such as MailChimp, Getresponse, Aweber, Mad Mimi or Campaign Monitor, etc. These providers are renowned for offering businesses robust autoresponders with dedicated tools for hosting mailing lists and forwarding newsletters and messages.

Finally, autoresponders when setup and used properly can help online businesses automate lots of marketing activities and tailor specific messages to a mailing list for profit making and client engagement.



Bitdefender Total Security Guide - A Look at New Tools, Improved Features, and Many of Your Options

How much security does your PC need? What about your other devices? Bitdefender Total Security offers all of the security and protection you need from all types of cyber threats. The newest edition also offers protection for iOS devices.

As far as comprehensive security solutions go, this is one of the best. With a subscription, you can install the suite on five different devices. It is compatible with Windows, Android, and macOS. Any of the iOS installations do not count against the total. You can also get an unlimited number of license with the family pack.

The iOS installation includes the following:

• Protection

• Account privacy

• Parental advisor feature

For Windows and other OS systems, you get tons of other great features for not only enhancing privacy and protection, but performance.

The performance features for Windows with Bitdefender Total Security include:

• Battery Mode

• Bitdefender AutopilotTM

• PhotonTM

• Global Protective Network

• Game, Work, and Movie Modes

The Game/Work/Movie Modes is very useful for those who enjoy entertainment and work on the same devices. Total Security 2018 detects whenever you are watching a movie, playing a game, or busy with work and will not bother you with unnecessary requests. Things like pop-ups and unimportant background activities are temporarily halted when you are in one of the Modes.

Other Benefits of Bitdefender Total Security

On your laptops, MacBooks, and Android devices, this suite offers everything from anti-theft protection to VPN and safe online banking.

Some of the new features, like Advanced Threat Defense, are new. This includes "app monitoring", which uses "behavioral detection" to monitor all of your active apps very closely. If anything suspicious is detected, instant action is taken to protect the device from infections. The new Safe Files feature prevents unauthorized changes to crucial files. All you have to do is add the folders to the "watch list" and their contents will be guarded against malware and ransom-ware.

Many of the features and tools from previous Bitdefender products have been improved. The Privacy Firewall provides powerful network protection and Password Manager keeps your passwords, sensitive data, credit card details, etc... in a secure vault for easy access for whenever YOU need them. There is also an option to auto-fill online forms.

For Android devices, the Anti-Theft feature can be used to remotely locate, lock, or even wipe data in the event that your tablet or smartphone is stolen or found. If anyone tries to tamper with it when you are not around, the camera phone takes a "mugshot" of the person and emails it to you.

This is just a small overview of all of the great things Bitdefender Total Security is capable of. There are various purchase / subscription solutions to choose from, all of which are affordable.

This Romania-based anti-virus software company really offers great products at an affordable price. Before you place your order online, be sure to look over Bitdefender Total Security coupons and other promotional offers to help you save on whichever subscription you choose.



The Difference a Holistic Business Approach Makes

A holistic business approach is a relatively new concept that is increasingly being accepted by the business world. To be a business that uses holistic techniques, it means that the entire organization is considered in its processes and policies, as opposed to focusing only on its specific components. By using the holistic approach to running a business, you will make sure that your business is running at its full potential, as opposed to simply having strong areas and weak areas.

Holistic approaches to business, such as the increasingly popular Six Sigma business strategy developed by Motorola, involve the consideration of the entire business situation instead of only a single time or portion of it.

In order to implement such a process, many businesses choose to reach out to professionals for help, with consultants such as the Six Sigma Champions and Black Belts who will help different team members to see the organization in an entirely new light.

This thinking is not simply "out of the box", but instead it believes that it removes the box altogether. In this sense, holistic business strategies allow business people to develop entirely new mindsets and beliefs about their companies and their roles within them. Dramatic improvements are made to help to maximize the potential of the business, and then take full advantage of that potential.

This type of business strategy is considered by many experts to be fundamental to achieving the successes that are desired. To reach the right goals, a proper foundation must be laid, and according to many, this foundation is a strong holistic business strategy.

The training for a holistic business strategy does not involve just a handful of an organization's team members, but will instead involve the entire team. After all, since the entire basis of a holistic business strategy is that the entire company and its situation must be considered in order to achieve success, this is only possible if the entire staff of the business is functioning on this same level.

If you are curious about implementing a holistic business strategy in your company in order to bring about its full potential, your first step is probably the internet. Have a look at the different holistic options available. Six Sigma is among the most accepted at the moment, but there are many options out there that will allow you to get the most out of your business and have it perform at its highest ability.



Advantages and Disadvantages of a Wholesale Business

The Wholesaler marketing is when a manufacturer of a product or good sells its supply to a company. The wholesaler will, in turn, sell it to the consumer, possibly even under the brand name of the company.

Advantages

Everybody can get benefits buying wholesale products because they have a low price. It is a good procedure for smaller shops because they can save money buying items to suppliers. But not only business people can buy in bulk. The only rule to buy in bulk products is to respect certain amounts of things. The wholesalers desire to sell the huge amount of items in order to win more money and then retailers or particular can sell it at higher prices.

Dealers are more interested in purchasing in bulk because they can buy all they need to one distributor. It is really difficult when you need to buy things from different suppliers because sometimes they don't have enough merchant. However, wholesalers ease this process that retailers can get products easily. It helps to save time and money.

People who deal with distributors have vast differences in merchandise. So, if you are interested in buying there, make sure you will have to choose among million of product.

Distributors can negotiate lower prices with the manufacturers in order to receive discounts or coupons. They can reach an agreement taking into account the number of products they are going to buy. Both get benefits of these deals because they sell more at one time and traders get products at a lower price.

Disadvantages:

Since the product will not pass through the business owner, the quality and condition of the product cannot be checked. If a supplier is unreliable and irresponsible, problems might arise and may affect your business deeply.

Traders need to have a big storehouse if they want to keep their products. If they have their own warehouse it is better but if they don't, they would have to rent it, what it means an additional cost. Warehouse are expensive and more if you don't have one.

A distributor has to control several things: shipping, marketing, and inventory. It is an exhausting work if you don't have help. A better option would be drop shipping because you don't have to keep your own merchandise.

Nevertheless, it has more advantages than disadvantages. It means that wholesale is a useful and alive process that is making our lives easier. Traders have a difficult work, but distributors normally offer extra support in order to ease their labor.



Household Budget is Key to Debt Reduction

What is a Household Budget?

Is not it just taking care of basic necessities and then making sure there is money set aside for entertainment? No, not at all. You see, that's how people get mired in debt. Most people get money and then spend that money right away. What comes in must go out. Individuals are consuming every penny they make - and sometimes more than that, as they are juggling high interest credit cards and other debts.

As a matter of fact, a household budget may be something you have thought of or avoided, even without realizing it.

A Household Budget will Help Reduce Debt

Your household budget is really a set of instructions that you as well as your family will follow in order to reduce your debts as quickly as possible. The faster you pay down and pay off all your debts, the sooner you can breathe easy while knowing you get to keep a lot more of the money you earned. But even more importantly - you will save a tremendous amount of money.

The longer your debts remain in force, even if you are making the payments against them on time, the more money you will have to pay in interest. Interest only accrues against outstanding principal debts, and it accrues according to percentages. So, the less outstanding principal balances you owe, the less interest can accrue. The faster you reduce all your debts, the sooner you will be able to stop paying interest.

By creating a household budget you are essentially creating a debt reduction budget. You are making sure that you are getting those debts paid down and paid off faster than you would without that budget. What that means for YOU is that you are saving thousands of dollars by cutting off interest accrual as fast as possible.

Benefits of a Household Budget

A household budget will help in reducing debt as well as assist you in organizing your finances. There are also many other great benefits, which include:

1. Building up savings as a safety net for unexpected expenses, lost job, or pay cut.

2. Giving you the ability to buy big ticket items with minimal or zero use of credit which gives you peace of mind

3. Assist you in long term savings to attain financially related dreams such as purchasing a new home, having enough money for a college education for your kids and a good nest egg for retirement.

How do I Create an Effective Household Budget

Believe it or not, you may think it can be time consuming to create your household budget but it is actually pretty easy.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Compare your current total monthly spending to your current total monthly income.

2. Reduce your spending where necessary so that your income, after taxes, is greater than your total expenditures.

3. Allocate your dollars appropriately so you are able to pay all of your basic living expenses and debts first.

Remember, the more you can pay against your debts without seriously changing your lifestyle, the better it will be for you. However, if you are in way deep over your head with debt, you might have to give up a few things that you've been financing, like that giant screen TV or entertainment system.

You may also have to find ways of increasing your income. Here are a few ideas:

1. Finding a second job that you can do from home on the Internet

2. Turn a hobby into some kind of business where you can get paid for your talent skills

3. Sell some of your items online at eBay or Craigslist

You have to be willing to take control of your finances, be discipline and as much as possible follow your budget consistently every month! As long as your cottage budget has you earning more money than you're spending, it's working for you.



Monday, November 26, 2018

Developing Your Financial Life And Understanding Of Money For The Long Haul

It's no secret that when you're financial life is going well life just feels right.

This can happen in fleeting moments where you know the bills are paid and you have a nice sum left over for whatever you want - it's a pretty good feeling to have.

But is that feeling consistent?

For most people it is not consistent at all, and there are too many times where the feeling of lack takes over - and that can be a nasty moment where you feel like your money just isn't going very far.

It's not a good feeling, and we tend to feel as if all of our money is going toward all the stuff we need to buy rather than what we want to buy.

It's literally a feeling that we never want to have, but can be a key sign of where we are with our finances.

It's not that we don't have enough money - it's that we don't feel like we have much money, and that's totally different.

This is sort of like understanding that your car is perfectly fine - runs well and doesn't give you problems - but you have a small but weird feeling as if it might break down soon.

Does that feeling really help you out at all - or does it just give you needless worry when you have a perfectly fine running car.

That's the different between feeling prosperous and abundance versus feeling poor and impoverished.

These are literally just feelings - and you can shift how you feel about your finances in an instant which might help to reveal a few truths about your situation.

Am I saying that poverty and abundance are just feelings?

Not quite - but the reality of having money versus not having anything start with emotions and having the belief.

That means that shifting the way you think is a very good thing, and actually way to propel you out of that feeling of lack and into the feeling of abundance that you know you've had before, but you would like to feel far more consistently.

This is not about making you just delude yourself into the fantasy of just thinking you are prosperous when you aren't - nope, we're not going that direction.

We are taking your old beliefs and shifting them so that you aren't so accustomed to thinking in terms of lack and having no money.

Sometimes we pick up negative money beliefs from people and others around us, and they don't enable us to have positive money habits long term - and that is a problem.

Other times it can be very frustrating to know that we picked up those negative money habits - believed them to be from us - and acted upon them thinking that we had to live forever like that.

It's sort of like thinking that you only work to pay the bills - which is a horrid way to think about life.

You can shift all of that through adopting positive money beliefs over time which will shift your financial outlook and your money understanding in general.

We are moving away from thinking foolishly about our money - having so much unnecessary spending - and pulling ourselves toward wiser spending habits that enable us to keep more of what we spend and dissolving all tendencies to spend our money on things we don't need.

This isn't a small thing either - so don't think this will happen over night.

Embracing stronger financial habits long term is about consistent behaviors we do over time - the small stuff we do on a daily basis that prevents us from spending our cash on the unneeded crap which ends up eating up all of our money.

Once you eliminate those horrid spending habits, that actually gives you a stronger budget and that is literally one full step closer to have stronger finances in general.

Most people don't really think like that, and it's that oblivious thinking that brings them less and less cash in hand after bills are paid each week - and that's not a good way to live, or a good way to manage your money.

One of the worst cases is to not have a budget at all - and that just leads to major unmanaged spending that doesn't allow you to have much if any extra cash at all.

If you don't know what your budget is, it is very likely that your spending will be out of control and your bills feels like they're your primary expense.

Though bills might be a necessary thing, they don't have to feel like a chore and something that you have to begrudgingly hand over on a routine basis.

When you feel and know you have abundance with your money situation the bills are just a necessary thing that you do that allows you to live, have shelter, and use your basic necessities at home and otherwise.

If you didn't have those things, life would be a lot worse off - and if there are some things in your bills you just don't need, you need to cut those things out of your life.

This is still part of the unnecessary spending part, and it even affects our bills and the stuff we pay routinely for but don't remotely use.

Removing all of that from your budget literally means that you are spending more efficiently and moving yourself away from poor financial management and understanding your money situation a whole lot better.

Just as it was stated earlier - the smaller steps add up to larger changes over time, and as you shift your money habits and adopt stronger budgeting going forward you will literally keep more of your money and spend far less on the stuff you never needed.

We're not talking about difficult or outrageously complex changes here - just small stuff that you can do on a daily basis that allows you to be far better with your money long term while embracing stronger finances through better money management habits.