lawgiver

One of the biggest reasons I didn’t get into the home party business sooner than I did was that I always hated those silly games played at home parties, wedding showers and baby showers.

I really thought it was ridiculous that grown women wanted to play silly games. But once I saw that I could earn a decent income working part time at something fun - home parties - I decided that maybe I could tolerate a few silly games.

The problem with playing games is that you have to award prizes. Finding inexpensive gifts becomes something important to each demonstrator. You don’t want to spend so much on prizes that you’re not making any money, especially if sales are low. There will be some parties hardly worth leaving home. And there will be others where you’ll sell twice or three times the average. The numbers average out.

Some home party plans have small gifts available thorough them. If not, here are some inexpensive gift ideas:

Check your local craft or sewing store’s bargain bin. One year, a sales rep discovered battery-operated white candles with brass holders in the bargain bin at our local craft store. A set of 6 candles was on sale for $2.50. That was a bargain. She gave one candle for a prize, meaning the prize cost her only about 42 cents each.

Visit the closest dollar store to find sets of things - magnets, candles, etc. Give only one of a set for a prize.

Are you crafty? Make inexpensive bookmarks or ornaments to give away.

You get the idea. Find something inexpensive to give as prizes. If you start your business giving out more expensive prizes, your guests will expect that at the next party booked.

If you’re like I was and don’t like playing games, there is one game that satisfies the need of those who want games and doesn’t bother those who don’t like them. Playing one game shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone.

When you’re preparing for your party, place an inexpensive gift in a plain brown paper bag. On the outside, write “WORM.” You might want to paste a gummy worm on the outside of the bag also.

As the party begins, hold the bag in your hands and say, “My name is _______ and this is a worm.” Then pass the bag to the person on your right and ask her to say her name and “this is a worm.” While the bag is being passed, pay attention to the introductions of the guests, in case you didn’t get their names when they came in. Everyone likes to be called by name. Remembering names is good business.

When the bag has been passed to each guest, take it back and ask which guest was the first to arrive. Hand the bag to the first guest to arrive, saying, “Well, everyone knows the early bird gets the worm.” Some people attend multiple parties, and they’ll remember this game and make a point of at least being on time. Word gets around that being early or on time is rewarded at your parties. And if parties can get started on time, you’ll be leaving on schedule as well.

Another game that is simple to remember is one that is also played at wedding and baby showers. For a home party, it’s called “match the hostess.” The hostess and each guest need a piece of paper and a pencil. You can either ask questions about your products or about the season or about anything else you desire. Ask about 8 questions. The hostess reads her answers and the person who matches the most of them wins. The problem with this game is that if everyone knows the hostess rather well, there may be 2 or three winners. You’ll need enough prizes just in case that happens.

Questions could be:

About products:

Which is your favorite product?
Which product does the hostess have in her kitchen (or bathroom or living room) right now?
Which is your least favorite product?

About seasons:

Christmas
Name 1 reindeer.
What’s your favorite Christmas carol?
Name another Christmas carol.
What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Do you prefer red or green?

If the guests are real game players, here’s one that gets rather wild. Tell the guests that if the answer to you question is yes, they should move one seat to the right. If the answer is no, they should stay where they are. Guests end up sitting on top of one another and laughing about it. The first to arrive back in her original seat wins. (Again, you need to be prepared for multiple winners.)

Sample questions (You need more questions than guests. It’s a good idea to have a list of as many as 30 or 40 questions, in case none apply and they all just sit there.)

Do you have blue eyes?
Are your ears pierced?
Did you make your bed this morning?
Are you wearing any red?
Are your toenails painted?
Are you driving a green car?
Do you have more than 3 children?
Do you have more than 6 grandchildren?
Are you having fun?
Are you wearing a black slip?
Are you wearing brown shoes?
Did you bring a purse?

When people have fun at home parties, they tend to buy more. So, playing a few games is often worth it in terms of sales. Just be sure you don’t spend too much on gifts or prizes.

While you’re shopping for gifts, you might want to find a simple thank you gift for your hostess too. Many home party plans have a thank you gift built into the program. But a simple gift from the demonstrator is a nice touch too.

Some sales reps like to give a simple gift to each guest or to any guest who brings someone with them. (Remember, the more people, the higher the sales.)

Now, let the games begin!

Marilyn Mackenzie has been writing about business, home, family, faith and nature for over 40 years. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com which is a site for creative writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/kenzie.

With millions of single people trying to find their match over the internet, it is often hard to stand out among the crowd unless of course you have the body of Eva Longoria or Brad Pitt.

And we can’t all have Hollywood looks. (This is perhaps why some people resort to editing their photos on Photoshop in order to appear good in their profiles!)

Still, there are ways to make the most out of a free online dating site and make others take notice. The secret is to initiate action and to not just wait for people to view your profile and get to know you. Below are some tips that can help you make the most out of your online dating service account whether it is for free or not.

1. Make a Vavavoom profile!

Making a profile that is interesting and inviting does not mean that you have to invent some exotic name and out of this world experience. You and your life can be interesting too with just the right words. One advise is to write down things about you that is interesting. Do you have an interesting job or an interesting hobby? Have you gone to places and done things that may seem exciting for other people?

Include it in your profile. As much as you can, veer away from cliché statements that are often seen in profiles in online dating sites. It can be tiring to see the same things written profiles. You can also include some funny stories or anecdotes that can serve as hook to your audience. This will make them remember you more.

Also, make sure that your profile is grammatically correct. Not only will this be an easy read for people but you will also come across as educated and refined.

2. Upload a nice photo

This does not mean that you will be putting photographs of your pretty cousin or your gorgeous brother on your profile. Search through your albums for a photo that you feel shows the best side of you. Often, the best photos are those where the subjects smiles widely. This is inviting for those people who are reading your profile.

Also, make sure that the photo that you upload is clear and distinct. If you are only putting some hazy shot with you meters away from the foreground; might as well leave it blank. Use a photo, which other people can see and study.

If you think you don’t have much photo that is worth uploading, enlist the help of your friends and relatives. As much as possible, put a solo shot. If you don’t have one, make sure that your caption can identify who you are in a group shot.

3. Break the ice

Using the online dating service does not end in writing a profile and uploading your favorite photo. Try to also search through the hundreds of singles for people who interest you. Once someone catches your eye, let him or her know. This is all done virtually so being rejected is not really as painful; so what the heck, take the plunge.

You can try writing a letter that states how you like their profile or what aspect of their site has caught your eye. Put on the letter your name. This makes the letter more personalized and more inviting for the person being sent to.

If you are too shy to actually write a letter, try putting a smiley sign or just plain hi! If the person you sent it to likes your profile, he or she will respond back with a hi. Be as polite as possible as some people who do this come across as potential stalkers such as those that write the words “destined,” “soulmates,” or “love.”

Remember that your letter is your way of making a great first impression so be on your best behavior.

Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor and a certified hypnotherapist. For more information go to: http://www.soulmatestogether.com/personals.html http://www.aperfectharmony.com or http://www.a-1hypnosis.com.

DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It is a service that makes the use of existing copper telephone wires for delivering data services at extremely fast speed rates. It does not hamper the existing telephone line. You can surf the Internet and talk on the phone, simultaneously.

DSL offers speeds that are around 5 to 25 times higher than a typical 56Kb dial-up connection. It is an always-on type of connection. This implies that websites would load quickly, downloads would be faster, buffering of videos would be fast and smooth and the domain of Online games would be illimitable.

Based on the types of service, DSL can be can be categorized in three divisions which are ASDL, IDSL and SDSL.

ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. It offers download speed of 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of 384 K. In order to acquire a ADSL connection, your location has to be within 3 miles of your local telephone office. Also, a DSL router is needed for this type of connection.

IDSL is a ISDN Digital Subscriber Line service which requires an ISDN router. It provides a connection speed of 144 K. in this type of connection distance is not a component to be considered.

SDSL means Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. The speeds available under this type of DSL connection depends on the distance between your location and your local telephone office. The speed of downloads and uploads can go up to 1.1 Mbps.

Advantages of DSL

No installation of new wires is required. DSL uses the present telephone line to connect to the Internet. It provides extremely fast connection. Depending on the offer, you would not even have to pay for the DSL modem installation charges, since it is provided free by some of the companies on selection of the appropriate plan. The download rate is much higher in DSL connections. Many business organizations have gained the benefits of DSL. A DSL connection is very secure.

Disadvantages of DSL

The quality of your DSL connection depends on the distance between the DSL providers office and your location. Nearer you are, the better quality connection would you get. So, consumers located far from the local DSL office may face some trouble. DSL provide high speeds for downloading stuff but upload speeds are not that good.

DSL vs Cable Modems

The services provided through a cable modem can sometimes slow down or get hanged. It depends on the number of users accessing that particular service. But, in a DSL connection there is no such problem. The speed of DSL is consistent and high. This does not allow any kind of conjunction on the network. It provides more security than the cable modem connections. The popularity of DSL has risen to new heights which has resulted in disconnections and up gradations of the cable modem connections.

Toh Poh Leng owns and operates http://www.dsl-upgrade-help.com Dsl Upgrade

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I walked to pick up my kids from school, another successful year of sports, educational toys and activities having been crossed off my list. Summer vacation was upon us and I was elected camp director for 2 months, having met the stringent requirement of a heartbeat and not being present for the vote.

Some may have been amused by the conspiracty, certainly the Cheshire cat grins on Jack 5, and Charlotte 7 were a clue, but the ear plugs and aspirin my wife gave me along with the first aid kit made me feel like the petrified slave awaiting his fate in the Collisseum tunnel in the move Gladiator.

Well, the joke would be on them I counterred. The kids thought discipline would vanish like Harry Potter on his Quiddich broom, and my wife pictured me tied like Rocky and Bullwinkle to a train track with 6 weeks still to go.

I knew I would face near mutiny if I tried to run an NFL style training camp, my preference, so I decided on a Meatballs meets Jacques Cousteau approach instead.

My objective was to keep up their learning but without the obvious educational toys that were a part of our activities the rest of the year, and also to let them have some unwind time and unstructured time that would test their imagination and organizational skills.

My first hurdle was their attention span. At that age it lasts about as long as they can keep one of Dad’s secrets from Mom. So I deceided that we needed to keep moving, but not in a hot, noisy polluting car. No we would go green and bicycle everywhere this summer. My rationale was that we would come across a playground every 30 minutes, a street corner every 2 minutes and a new question every 7 seconds. A perfect match for their active minds.

I would let our environment be our cirriculum. Our first excursion was to the heart of our pretty little city, the beach. No problem I thought, we lived on top of a big hill only 10 blocks away. Heck, we could pack our swimsuits, towels and a lunch, there was lots of room in my backpack. So off we went.

Well, our first stop was — the end of our court. A stop sign at the end of a quiet street which I always rode through without stopping, after looking both ways of course. “Stop Jacky, Stop” yelled Charlotte, evidently the only one mature enough to follow the rules of the road. Jack slammed his pedals backwards, threw his bike to the ground and thrust himself forward like he was running from the dentist. “Jacky, you have to stop at a stop sign, and you too Daddy”, Charlotte said, making me feel 5 years old and 3 feet tall. “I didn’t see it Charlotte”, was Jack’s excuse, I was frantically reviewing a series of them in my head to see which one might suffice. It was no use, I was as defenceless as a husband who had forgotten his anniversary. Best to take my lumps and make it up, big time. “You are absolutely right Charlotte”, I said and proceeded to lecture them both on the rules of the road.

So off we went, down, down, down, coasting, braking, looking, stopping and coasting some more, all the way to the beach. This was great I thought. It was a hot day so a visit to the water park was due. As Jack and Charlotte jumped and squealed in the cool spray, I sat with all the moms on a vench reading a collection of People, Style, Better Homes and Gardens and Sports Illustrated.

Hunger was starting to set in, for me not the kids, so I yelled to them that they had 5 more minutes. Kids apparently don’t understand regular converstion outside. We sat down on the grass and I pulled out our lunch, melted squished cheese and tomato on a bagel. “That smells like stinky feet”, was Jack’s observation. I had to agree and I quickly avoided any comments on its visual resemblances. “Dad, there’s a hot dog cart over there”, Charlotte pointed out. Without second thought I was slathering an assortment of mustard, ketchup, relish, onions, sauerkraut and hot peppers on 3 jumbo dogs. Energy replenishment I told myself, and since their mother was not ther to provide a thorough nutritional analysis, I was making this executive decision.

Back on our bikes we cruised the boardwalk, mile after mile alongside the blue gray waters, boats sailing past, all the while the sun shining brightly. Suddenly Jack again performed one of his daredevil dismounts, this time seemingly unannounced.

Like an oasis in the desert, I stood there hot, sweaty and parched staring at one of the most beautiful sights I could have imagined, an ice cream stand. Without saying a word, only a coy glance amongst the 3 of us, we found ourselves in an all out sprint, with a roller derby finish. Charlotte, with her advantage of height over Jack and youth over me was the clear winner.

We sat on a bench entranced, enjoying our ice cream, the warm breeze off the lake, warm sunshine and the best years of our lives.

Now, just a quick call to Mom, you didn’t think we were going to ride back up those hills and ruin a perfect day, did you?

Ted Moryto is an engineer,father and owner of Brain Waves Educational Toys Canada at http://www.brainwavestoys.com

Craigielands

Are you looking to get away from Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Products? Than Linspire (a Linux based operating system) is one of the ways to go. In this article we will cover our experience with Linspire and trying to get out from underneath Microsoft’s thumb.

First we downloaded Linspire from their website paying a small fee of $19.95 with a coupon they offered through Google. The download is about 700 Megs. If you have a dial-up connection or high-speed light you may just want to buy the retail box version for around $59.95. When the download was finished we eagerly burnt it to CD and picked one computer for the install. Ah my laptop perfect specimen for this new operating system. We put the CD in and it booted from the laptop drive right into the install menu which also has the option to run from CD. Can this be true, we can just run the operating system from CD? We selected to run from the CD option, it took about 2-3 minutes and presto we were looking at a full working version of this new OS. It was amazing the menus, the “Launch” button all very similar to Windows, but it was not Windows. This is exactly what we wanted and more. So we decided to go ahead and do the hard drive install as the boot from CD option is more of a demo mode to try the software. We booted the laptop again into the Linspire install menu this time we selected install to hard drive. I stand up to walk away from my laptop which usually takes about 30-40 minutes to load windows completely. The Linspire install screen reads “Your installation will complete in 13 minutes”. What 13 Minutes? It must be calculating the time wrong, so I give it the benefit of doubt. Thirteen Minutes later I am cruising around in Linspire with all my drivers installed for my devices, it found every one. Now it is time to start installing the programs I work with on a daily basis, but wait Linspire has installed everything from DVD and CD burning software to an office suite that is compatible to Microsoft Office. To load this much into a windows box it would have taken me the better part of 2 hours. Linspire did it all off of one install in 13 minutes. I am sold, Goodbye Microsoft.

Over the next couple of days the family notices my Linspire computer and wants it put on their computers. No problem I will purchase this amazing operating system for the other computers. Then I start to read over my agreement for Linspire and it tells me that I may install it on all of the computers that my family owns. Wow, I picked myself up off the floor and waited a minute to clear my head. I am so used of Microsoft wanting me to buy more copies of something I already own, it never occurred to me that I could just install the software because I had bought it already. So I load up 2 other computers exactly the same install time as my laptop and I did not have to install one driver. We were all surfing the net and doing our basic daily routines for around twenty dollars.

Now it was time to add some new software to my system, games and other applications to make my life easier. Linspire comes with a program called CNR (Click-N-Run). When you create an account, CNR connects to their servers and will download and install software with one mouse click. This feature is an extra $19.95 a year for the regular service and has the same policy Linspire does as to which computers you can use it on. You get access to over 2,000 FREE applications everything from games to financial software. There are still a handful of applications and games you may want to buy and with a Gold membership you get a nice discount on those. As for anti-virus software you do not have to have it (Linux the operating system Linspire was developed from is not as prone to viruses) although it is recommended so you do not pass viruses through your Linspire computer to Windows computers which we all know get infected far to often.

A week later and our Linspire computers are running great no hick-ups everything is smooth and quick no waiting like in Windows. Than the bomb drops, we wanted to play Diablo 2 and Swat 4 on our Linspire computers. We start to look into how to load the games here’s the part where Microsoft gets you. Most games require Microsoft DirectX to play and Linspire has no DirectX support. In short the only way to get the games running is to install a software package that will simulate a Windows environment in Linspire. The other down side is that in order to get the games working you will need to fine tune and tweak the software to get the games running properly. So unless you are a tech. or programmer you are not going to enjoy getting your games to work.

Another problem we noticed is that networking support between a Windows Computer and a Linspire computer is not at all that easy, and is very difficult if the Windows computer is loaded on a NTFS file system.

If you are looking for a nice cheap operating system for home use and do not have a network or play a lot of games, than Linspire is your alternative to Windows. Otherwise stay with your Windows computer for now.

Linspire offers a money back guarantee which we are not asking for, because we want to see this Operating System grow. So we all can get out from underneath Microsoft’s thumb should we so choose.

This piece was written by Lorne Deeks, an IT Professional with GITC. http://www.gitc.ca

Although it is not an unfamiliar sight to witness a Tarot reader drawing out cards from a deck of 78 to advice on problems ranging from relationships to career wellbeing, most people find it difficult to imagine doing the actual reading themselves. But the fact is that Tarot is now out there available for everyone to experience and learn. Although having a Tarot practitioner analyzing the symbols of the cards drawn is certainly an enchanting experience and probably “less risky,” a few of today’s Tarot lovers purchase their own decks and begin reading its cards with the help of Tarot manuals or mentors.

Starting to learn anything new is always a daunting experience and especially when one considers learning the Tarot cards can seem a bit odd; to say the least. This is probably the case because Tarot is associated with fortune-telling and future is the thing that excites human imagination the most. But Tarot, can in fact take people into a better understanding of the past and the present, assisting many to decode daily problems, and issues. Living in the information age, it is actually only logical to seek more information, on any given situation, before having to make a decision on the subject of interest. But the tremendous potential and effect Tarot relates to self-realization. That notion is probably less realized by those who wish to learn the future through Tarot, but in the end, this is where they are in fact led. Most often regarded as a method of predicting the future, Tarot is much less considered as a method used to better understand oneself. But, if you are interested in learning to read the Tarot cards, it is best if you keep in mind that you should do it primarily because it is one of the most effective methods to begin knowing thyself.

Since the Tarot cards have numerous different meanings depending on the order they are drawn and placed in relation to each other, many people quickly give up the effort of learning to read them. But experts claim that learning the meaning can be an effortless process, as well as rewarding and enjoyable. One of the simpler methods existing to learn the Tarot cards is through meditation. As practitioners reveal, you should begin by picking up a card from the pile and “studying” it for some time. You can always look up a guide for its “official” meaning, but the important thing here is to realize what the card you picked means to you. If the card suggests a positive career development, for example, it does not matter if in the Tarot manual symbolizes something entirely different. As long as it means this to you, it will always mean that when it comes up. As readers put it, “the card responds to you, not the other way around.”

By picking at least one card every day, you will slowly but surely familiarize yourself with the Tarot deck in a natural easy way. Keep notes and later read the Tarot manual to check how close your guessing was to the “original” meaning. The important thing here is to concentrate on the cards and let their images be “absorbed” by your brain. Ask questions and give answers to yourself in relation to the pictures you see and the story that the card is trying to convey. Remember that it does not matter how close to the “true” meaning you really are. What matters is how easily you will remember your original thoughts when you draw the same card later during this familiarization procedure. In less than a month you will be able to associate the cards together and “translate” their meaning. Remember that this is nothing more than a game to learn better yourself and how you react to a given set of variables. Then Tarot will be a fun experience to devote some time alone or with your friends.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for http://fortheloveofgames.net/ - In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for http://etenniscenter.com/ and http://recreationandmore.com/.

OK. You have joined a couple of dating services and written a killer profile. You’ve uploaded a good picture and now you are going to chat with a contact. What now? How do you start separating those who have real potential and those who don’t have any potential at all? You need to find out something about who this strange woman really is and not just who she wants you to believe she is. It would be nice if women wore labels like “Gold Digger” or “Daddy’s girl”….but they don’t so it’s up to you to find these things out and you can’t just ask direct questions. You need to know what mistakes you can avoid making and how to impress this lady if you decide you want to do that.

After you are past the initial small talk, ask her, “What are the biggest mistakes guys make when dating online?” Listen carefully to her answers. She’s going to tell you a lot about herself and her views on men in general.

Next you should ask her, “What do you really think about online dating?” Now she will tell you if she has had any bad experiences dating o line and help you to avoid making the same things wrong.

Now for the all-important one…..”What caused the break up in your last relationship?” If she puts all the blame on the guy, you should probably move on to the next prospect. If she takes all the blame herself, you should probably do the same. If she says the breakup was by mutual consent or that the relationship just wasn’t right for either of them, you’ve heard the right answer. Move forward but always with caution.

Asking the right questions will give you insight and make you more confident when you meet the lady for the first time.

Steven M Schultz is a Restaurant Owner (The Hobnob Restaurant), a Professioanl Candy Maker (Columbine Almond Toffee) and a Webmaster. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University in Denver and participates in the martial arts, Haidong Gumdo (Korean sword) and Taekwondo.

Education

While many people’s living rooms look like a collection room at the Salvation Army, there are in fact reasons behind making living room furniture a collective design element, rather than a random showing of furniture.

The way that one sculpts pieces of clay into one static sculpture is the way we should look at living room furniture in terms of decorating. There are many reasons why living room furniture should be thought of in terms of sets, or relations to other pieces of furniture, none more obvious than the simple look of it.

When you have a bunch of furniture packed into a room, and if any, or all of it comes from a different location than the rest, the room is bound to look cluttered, and unorganized. Instead when it comes to living room furniture, make sure to buy in sets, or at least coordinate the colors of your living room furniture before installing them in the living room.

For those without an eye for design, or those that simply aren’t interested in spending their time dealing with this issue, here are a few tips.

1) Always buy furniture that will last, like leather, and stay away from cheap furniture at all costs. Chances are if a furniture piece is cheap, you will get what you pay for, and it will break. If it breaks, the chance of you going back to find the exact shade of color that the furniture was is slim, to none. Thus, you will end up buying a replacement that most certainly won’t match the rest of the set. Avoid this by purchasing only high quality furniture that has a warranty for replacement in case it breaks.

2) Another tip is to purchase neutral colors when it comes to your big ticket items like sofas, and easy chairs. Colors like beige, brown, and chestnut are easier to match to, than white, red, and yellow. The more toned down the furniture is in terms of color, the better off you will be to match the living room furniture with one, and other.

3) Finally always be sure to use living room furniture that comes in sets. If you purchase living room furniture set, typically a sofa, love seat, lounge chair, ottoman, and end table, you will be allowing the furniture company to do all the design, and matching for you. By purchasing in sets you don’t have to worry about matching, since the furniture is made by the same company, in most likely the same color.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com. Visit today to get more free tips on living room furniture to decorate a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

Education

In the wake of plethora of websites catering to identical products and services, the competition to attract traffic is getting graver and tougher. And why not, the incoming qualified traffic determines the net presence of any website, which in turn is decisive to the site’s over all turnover. Each website is vying for better ranking in Google and Yahoo search engines.

Studies have suggested that more than 80% of the net users approach various search engines to narrow down to websites containing relevant content. And maximum of these users consistently entrust Google with the task, only followed by Yahoo and MSN respectively. Thus, Google and Yahoo are the most prominent targets for seasoned web marketers in their quest for higher rankings in SERPs (Search Engine Ranking Pages).

In order to achieve higher ranking, Web Marketers exploit the embedded logic behind higher rankings in Google - the pioneer in Search Engine technologies. According to one of the logics, Google rates web pages on the basis of incoming links as it evaluates them as “votes” of confidence in favor of the web page. Web marketers vie for maximum quality incoming links to the target website, while also making sure to not to delve into link farming. Link farming, which means being listed at a website dedicated to creating links to other sites for improved search engine rank, may eventually render the marketed website banned altogether on the search engine.

To achieve inbound links, SEOs (Search Engine Optimizers) employ many strategies, including buying links, inviting links, setting up reciprocal links or trade links with other businesses and even hire special link-building firms. The endeavors require a substantial marketing budget, as the site needs to buy links from certain directories, including Yahoo, for a specific duration; or appoint a special link-building firm. The invitation for links at times borders on spamming itself, which is harmful for the over all reputation of the site and discouraging too. Reciprocal links also have their con that implies vice versa outbound link to another website and valuable loss of qualified web traffic.

These SEO (Search Engine Optimization) stunts require a handsome marketing budget, which may prove to be too expensive for a small business on web. But there is no need to be hopeless. There is a unique SEO strategy, which solves many purposes simultaneously. Relatively economical and easier, Article Marketing, is an innovative means of web marketing. Article Marketing involves posting of information-based articles on other websites, forums, blogs and ezines for free. These articles are strictly revolving around the subject of the site itself.

Writing these articles is beneficial for the site from marketing point of view, as the site gets to attach a short bio and link back to itself in the ‘resource box’ that appears at the end of the article. The knowledgeable nature of the articles submitted helps in establishing the site as an expert of the field. Obviously impressed by the flaunted knowledge and expertise, the readers click on the link of the site and amount to lead generation. With progressive circulation of articles across hundreds of ezines and forums lead to increased site traffic and eventual improved search engine rank. Thus, Article Marketing achieves the desired goal in a unique and effective way, like none other. In fact, article marketing is so popular that there are software packages and websites dedicated to help sites syndicate their articles easily to hundreds and even thousands of other sites.

Jonathan White has been involved in article and other online marketing for over 4 years. He owns SimplySearch4It - Articles Marketing Directory & SimplySearch4it UK - Articles Directory http://articles.simplysearch4it.com

Reprint Rights

Almost everyone has heard about the legal proceedings regarding the distribution of music files online. Regardless of which side of the issue someone mind find themselves on, downloading music on the Internet has struck a chord with nearly everyone. For someone who owns or plans to own an MP3 player it is important to play by the rules to ensure they don’t wind up in the middle of this ugly fight. Here are a few online sources for downloading digital music legally that charge reasonable amounts and have respectable names.

1. AOL Music Now–America Online has been a major name in the Internet world since the early nineties and boasts over 1.5 million songs in their database for members to use. AOL’s service is available on a free trial and then for $0.99 per downloaded song.

2. F.Y.E.–After a free trial period, F.Y.E. (a leader in downloadable music) provides 1.2 million songs to choose from for a flat $1 per download.

3. MusicMatch–While MusicMatch does not offer a free trial period, the MusicMatch software will make personal recommendations for its users, among other services. They charge $0.99 per download.

4. MSN Music–Microsoft, another leading name in the Internet and in computers, offers one million songs that are available for $0.99 per download. Like MusicMatch, MSN does not offer a free trial period.

5. Napster–Napster, the name that started it all, is once again one of the premier outlets for music downloads, this time on a monthly membership fee basis. With around one million songs in their database, Napster offers downloads for $9.95 a month on up to three computers. Napster also offers a seven day free trial.

6. PassAlong–Relatively new to the scene, and sporting a smaller database than most download services of around 400,000 songs, PassAlong offers a nice perk in exchange. A member can earn bonus points that reduce the price of future downloads by making recommendations to their friends for certain types of music. PassAlong does not offer a free trial and starts at $0.99 per download.

7. PureTracks–Canadians benefit from WMA files from just $0.99 in Canadian dollars. Puretracks has over 1 million songs.

Barbara Jackson writes for several online magazines, such as http://products-site.com and http://super-reviews.com.

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