A Cruise Vacation That Can Include Airline Reservations

An air-sea cruise is when your cruise vacation has been booked with airline reservations to get you to the ships port and back home again. The cruise line buys its tickets in bulk from the airlines. They find out where you are coming from for your cruise travel and book you passage from a nearby airport to one close to the cruise ship's home port. Each cruise line has its own policy on how they deal with the sale of airline tickets, so here are some cruise tips in that area.

What is the cost of the tickets if I book them with my cruise?

The amount will be quoted when you book and will be shown on your bill.

If I need to cancel, are the refund policies different for the plane tickets than for the cruise?

No, as long as you cancel before the penalty phase begins.

Is there a service fee charged to have the Cruise Line issue my Airline reservations?

Only if you use their air deviations plan. The fee is around $50.00 each.

Do I have any choice in which Airline is used?

Yes, if you use there air deviation plan.

Can I get credit for my frequent flyer mileage if the cruise lines books my airline reservations?

No. You can use your frequent flyers if you book on your own.

Can I fly nonstop or have any control over the route that is taken, or do I just get what ever they find?

Here again, use the air deviation plan.

How do I get from the Airport to the ships pier?

If you have booked an air/sea cruise vacation the cruise lines will supply you with a voucher for a shuttle bus. If you booked your own airline reservations it will be up to you to get to the port.

Is there a shuttle service available from the airport where youll be arriving? Is there a charge for this service or is it included? Is the service included if you dont book your flight through the Cruise Line?

If you book your flights through the cruise lines, there will be a shuttle and you

use your transfer.

How and when do I meet up with Cruise Line personnel?

They will be standing in the baggage claim area and will hold a sign with the name of the ship. They will direct you to the shuttle.

How is my luggage handled, do I have to pick it up at the airport or is it automatically sent to the ship?

You will have to pick it up at the airport and then the shuttle will take it to the ship with you.

What accommodations, if any, are made if the Airline they use causes me to miss the ship?

If you have booked with the cruise lines they will accommodate you by getting a hotel room for the night and a flight to the next port.

There are many advantages to booking an air-sea package for your cruise travel. The cruise line takes care of the airline reservation. Since cruise lines buy in bulk and usually provide a discount package rate, the ticket price is generally lower than what can be found in the general market. The transfer of luggage is easier, and a free shuttle will take you from the airport to the docks for your cruise vacation.

The cruise line will have your flight information and will be able to track your flight in case of a delay. Others on the cruise might be on the same flight and they might just hold the ship waiting for you to board. The biggest advantage is that if anything goes wrong to delay you, the cruise line will generally become more involved in getting you to the ship.

There, of course, are disadvantages as well to booking an air-sea package. You might be able to find a better deal on your own, or you may have to fly an airline you dont like. You will not get credit for frequent flyer miles by going through the cruise line, and you might not be able to fly non-stop. Finally, you might end up flying a longer route than youd pick for yourself.

You could book your own airline tickets, but only do so if you can get a better deal. The strongest consideration should be how confident you are in being able to make it to the ship for your cruise vacation on your own. If you are already flying in a few days early, know youll be there on time and you can save over the air-sea on plane tickets and shuttle costs, then you might just consider going it alone. But, remember you are going it alone. In many cruise reviews it is recommended that you book your airline reservation with the cruise line.

The cruise lines will be more likely to make accommodations and work with the airline if their booking didnt get you to the ship on time. They will be better able to track your late flight and might even delay the ship if they know youll only be slightly late. There have been many cruise vacations that have delayed the departure from port especially if there is a large group of cruise travelers on a late plane.

Depending on the circumstances, they might even rebate some of your cruise or give you a discount toward your next cruise vacation with them. However, the airlines are independent contractors. Most cruise conditions of carriage state that since the airlines are independent contractors the cruise line makes no warranty and assumes no responsibility for any failure or delay in their contractors services. This is another reason to purchase a strong trip insurance package.

When you book your own airline tickets for your cruise vacation, if the route you picked to make it to the ship fails, you are on your own. Dont risk missing your cruise travel over a few frequent flyer miles. No matter how you get to your cruise vacation, try to avoid this situation by booking a flight that leaves you plenty of time to get you to and from the pier to the airport. It is recommended that your go on the internet and read the many cruise reviews on this subject.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com Atalanta Blog93696
Cathee Blog5545

Types Of Notebook Computers

Notebook, notebook computer, laptop, and laptop computer are different terms for a small computer, which is mobile, and weighing about 1 to 6 kg or 2.2 to 18 pounds, depending upon the model. In 1979-1980, Bill Moggridge of GRiD Systems Corp. designed one of the first laptops and named it as the GRiD Compass 1101. It featured the clamshell design where the flat display folded shut on the keyboard. In May 1983, Gavilan Computer Corp. introduced and first marketed as a laptop, known as Gavilan SC. About this same time, Sharp Corp.Ltd., announced their laptop Sharp PC-5000.

In 1989, Compaq introduced Compaq LTE, which was a laptop of a smaller size, about the size of an A4 paper notebook, and it popularly came to be known as a notebook computer or notebook. Thereafter the terms laptop and notebook began to be used interchangeably. Nevertheless, the terms, notebook and laptop are incorrect terms, as due to the heat, many laptops cannot be placed on top of the lap, and most notebooks are not the size of an A4 paper notebook. However, what manufacturers usually call as a notebook, end-users prefer to call it as a laptop; hence both the terms are used.

According to the functions and the models of notebooks, they are generally classified as: Ultraportables (screen is diagonally less than 12 inches, weight is 1.7 kg or less); thin-and lights (screen is diagonally from 12 to 14 inches, weight is from 1.8 to 2.8 kg); medium-sized laptops (screen is diagonally from 14 to 15.4 inches, weight is from 3 to 3.5 kg); and desktop replacement computers (screen is diagonally from 17 to 20 inches, weight is 4 to 6 kg).

The concept of laptop was to make a device that could use the same software of a desktop computer, but much smaller in size to enable mobility and support mobile computing (ability to use the computer while in transit). Thus, further innovations have introduced transportables (which can be moved from one place to another without supporting mobile computing); tablets (which feature touchscreens and support mobile computing); ultra mobile PCs (which are very small and compact tablet PCs); internet tablets (which support internet and mobile computing); personal digital assistants (PDAs), which are pocket-sized and support mobile computing; handheld computers, which represent expensive tablets or PDAs; and smartphone, which is a PDA or a handheld computer with cellphone integration. Over the development phases, these classifications got blurry at times, and many machines fused functionalities of other categories.

Notebooks can be used for various purposes. Commercial purposes like attending phone calls, receiving and sending emails and faxes, typing out letters and printing them, making presentations with pie and bar charts, and taking data from one place to another can be achieved by any standard notebook. However, high fliers prefer thin-and-light notebooks and for regular office work, ultraportable notebooks are preferred. Both are wireless notebooks so they can be remotely accessed. Scientific purposes are best suited with a notebook that features fast computing speed, good 2D and 3D graphics display, and a large memory, like desktop replacement notebook, and a thin-and-light notebook. Artistic purposes require animation, 2D and 3D drawings, interior & exterior designing, arranging music compositions, post-production audio-video work, etc., which can be fulfilled by desktop replacements, gaming notebooks, and mainstream notebooks.

Educational institutions normally do not prefer notebooks due to its high chance of being stolen. Additionally, they prefer that their assets do not move around within the premises in the hands of students who may be careless. However, to keep up with the times, and to be considered as techno-savvy, they do invest in notebooks. The types of notebooks best suited for educational purposes are mainstream notebooks, and desktop replacements. Students need a notebook to do projects, prepare study notes, and to play some games in their spare time. They need to take the notebook wherever they go, hence, size and weight are major considerations. The type of notebook that fulfills student needs is a thin-and-light notebook with locking facility so that they can lock it with their backpack. Most students report late submission of projects due to their notebooks being stolen.

So no matter what the purpose one might have for using a notebook, it seems that mobility will always seem to be the main reason for such a product purchase. Nowadays with so many models being offered with affordable prices, it seems that notebooks will always be a product in demand. After all it is one of the best selling computer hardware for quite some time. And that says it all.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for http://www.polomercantil.com.brAnna Maria Blog20405
Camila Blog16346

The Truth About Earning $1,000 or More Weekly From Affiliate Programs

Everyone is talking about them. Almost everyone is a member of at least a few of them. Affiliate programs are hot. You can usually sign up for free and be selling products within 5 minutes. The web sites, sales letters, and order shipping are all done for you. All you have to do is promote.

But...Is anyone making money from these programs except for the affiliate program owner?

It is a surprising statistic when you find out that only around 10% to 20% of affiliate members do enough to ever get a check. Then, only a small percentage of those go on to earn really good incomes from affiliate programs.

It isn't the affiliate program either. Although some affiliate programs have pitifully small payouts (5% to 10%) and limit their members that way, the real problem comes with the fact that affiliates have no idea how to sell from their affiliate sites. The affiliate owners usually don't have any idea how to help them either.

I own several affiliate programs myself, so I have spent a considerable amount of time studying my top affiliates and the top affiliates in programs all over the Internet.

The principles below are true of almost everyone of the top affiliates in every program I have looked at. If you want to succeed and earn at least $5,000 or more per month from affiliate programs, then you will have to be following the five steps below. If you don't, it just isn't going to happen...and you have no one to blame but yourself.

1. Create Your Own Web Site.

Although almost every program gives you a web site to use to promote with, you really shouldn't be promoting with that site. The top affiliates always have their own web sites which they promote from. Then, they link to the affiliate program sites.

I never drive traffic directly to any of the affiliate programs. I drive it to my site, get their name on my opt-in list, and then promote affiliate programs. If you are serious about earning profits online, then you will do the same.

Having your own site and linking to your affiliate program gives you some additional advantages as well:

* You can write up a short two to four paragraph endorsement and testimonial for the site yourself.

* You can generate subscribers to your opt-in list first (this is the key to Internet profits).

* If the affiliate program ever stops or changes your link, you still have all the traffic you worked for at YOUR site (this happens quite often).

If you don't currently have a web site, but want to earn through affiliate programs, you need to get one today.

2. Generate Traffic

You can't earn a single penny in any affiliate program without generating traffic to your site. No traffic equals no income. Combine the right ingredients of an opt-in list, good site design, and the right sales offer...and your income will be directly proportional to the targeted traffic you generate.

An advantage that I didn't mention above in why you should own your own domain is getting listed with the search engines. The pages given to you by your affiliate program owner aren't going to receive virtually any traffic from the search engines. They won't have top rankings because there are at least 1,000 other pages just like them (from the other affiliate members) and many software programs create pages which can't even be indexed by the search engines.

Having your own domain will give you the freedom to create web pages which achieve high rankings on the search engines. Each of the major search engines such as AltaVista, Infoseek, Hotbot, and the others have their own ranking algorithms which change virtually monthly.

You can stay on top of them though by using a program such as Web Position which actually monitors the search engines for you and helps you prepare doorway pages which will achieve the top rankings you are seeking after...and the traffic which comes from having those top rankings.

Search engines are not the only way to build traffic to your site. You can trade links with sites, place free and paid classifieds, and even use banner advertising. There are dozens of ways to generate traffic. If you want to make money from your affiliate programs, you will be using them.

3. Start an Opt-In List.

I checked my affiliate members' checks this month and noticed a very interesting trend. All top 10 affiliates have their own opt-in email lists and are pretty aggressive marketers to those lists. They all mail to their opt-in list at least weekly and the number one affiliate this month mails to his list every single day.

That is where my income is coming from also. Over 90% of my income comes through using opt-in email in one way or another...either through my newsletters or through my autoresponders with follow-up. If you don't know how to use email, then your always going to be living on barely get by street in the online market.

The web sites which I send the most traffic to have one purpose to them...and one purpose only...to sign them up on my newsletter lists. All of the content that I have on my site is for that one purpose.

If you can't get a visitor to sign up for a free newsletter, then you aren't going to be able to get them to fill out your order forms and order. Get them on the list, and then start emailing them as often as you can put out good content (along with the ads).

4. Develop a Unique Web Position.

Here is a trick to increase your sales from ANY affiliate program, but people rarely ever mention it. Any successful web site finds a way to make their products and or services unique from their competition.

When you are an affiliate though, you have thousands of competitors selling the exact same product at the exact same price. Every other affiliate in that company is your competition!

You will have to become unique if you want to beat the other affiliates competing against you. You may think it would be difficult to do, but it isn't.

All you have to do is add on some extra bonuses to those people who are purchasing from you. For example, if you're an affiliate for a video course, then add in a special free report on the same subject which is ONLY good for those who order from you. Your free report can be emailed to those who order so it won't cost you a penny of your commissions.

If you own an opt-in list like you should, you could give a free ad to anyone who orders an affiliate product from you. For example, you could write that anyone who orders the ________ (you would list the product here) before midnight tonight will also get a free ad ($30 value) in your newsletter...or three free ads. Buy submission software and submit their site to 1,000 search engines if they order today.

Do something like this and tell your opt-in email list subscribers and web site visitors about it. You will be setting yourself apart from the competition and be giving your purchasers an even better deal than buying from the affiliate owner!

Special limited time offers work extremely effectively when combined with your own opt-in list.

5. Generate Multiple Streams of Income.

If you follow all four of the principles above, then you are going to be able to earn money from many different affiliates programs, and that is exactly what you should do. You should join several non-competing programs which sell products to the same targeted market.

For example, if you have chosen to sell to Internet marketers, you may join:

An Internet Training Program A Web Hosting Program An Autoresponder program A Business Opportunity You can find several programs which target any specific niche group.

You can be earning 3 to 10 streams of income from the same visitors at your web site and subscribers to your newsletters. Having several streams of income helps every visitor to your site be worth more money to you!

-----------------------------

This article may be reprinted providing it is published in it's entirety, including the author's bio and link to the URL displayed.

John J Farina is a successful affiliate marketer. He provides expert reviews on which affiliate programs to join and which ones to avoid like the plague. He shows people how to actually generate substantial income on-line using very simple, easily modeled systems. An example of such a system that you can study and duplicate is at: http://www.johnnysreviewsite.comBrandie Blog88745
Blisse Blog61234

FTP Hosting For Small Businesses

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an authentic and secure communication protocol designed to exchange information from one computer to another over the Internet. Irrespective of business volume, sharing information or exchanging files on the World Wide Web is a common phenomenon in every business process. Most of us are familiar with Email to share files and other information over the Internet.

The importance of FTP hosting service increased remarkably for smooth and secure business communication. File Transfer Protocol can restrict unauthorized users to intervene in the business process. If you are running a small business and looking for a secure as well as efficient communication protocol then register for a FTP hosting service. FTP hosting service will provide you a secure network with a FTP server and a Client server to exchange information over the Internet.

Selecting an FTP hosting service for your Small Business

Internet is the right place to make sufficient research on FTP hosting service providers and service charges. Free hosting services do not provide the facility of File Transfer Protocol, most cases you have to pay for this secure file transfer service. First you have to register for a selected FTP hosting service. It is recommended to select your primary domain name and secondary domain name based on the name of your company. During the registration process you have to select the period and other facilities for FTP hosting service and based on that service provider will allocate a separate space for your small business in their server.

FTP hosting service to ensure a secured network in Small Business process

FTP hosting service allows you to share all types of files (text, image, audio, multimedia etc.) to targeted FTP account holders. FTP service providers will allocate FTP accounts with unique user name and password. Therefore you can create multiple FTP user account under the registered FTP site. FTP hosting service will allow only authorized account holder to access the server that is allocated for your business. Through your FTP account you can upload copies of the files in the server. Only authorized clients, vendors or end users can view and download selected files from your FTP site through their account.

Security of digital information is necessary in Health Care Services. If you are running a small business where you have to share medical report, research papers and other types of private document then it is recommended to go for Standard FTP. Standard FTP comes with the feature like encryption, which is not available in general FTP hosting service. In this process the system will encrypt the content of the file before uploading the file in the server.

Features of FTP hosting services for Small Business

For small business you can go for basic FTP hosting. Following are some features of basic FTP hosting:

Sufficient space in the FTP server to store any types of files. You have to select the storage based on your business volume.

Web-based Control Panel

Sufficient Sub-FTP accounts for clients, vendors and employees

Daily statistics of the activities along with daily backup facility

Directories, which are protected by Password

Additional security features like Secure FTP or SSL. These features are optional and are not available with general FTP hosting services.

Based on the requirement of your small business you can enjoy additional disk space and/or additional monthly file transfer through FTP server by paying reasonable amount per month to the service provider.

Cost factors

For small business money matters, therefore it is important to select the right FTP service provider. It is observed that, some special software is required to utilize this unique file transfer service. Since you have to pay the bill for FTP hosting service throughout the period therefore it is better to select the an FTP hosting service that does not require any extra software to support the process of exchanging files over the Internet. By this you can save some extra cash for your small business.

Values of FTP hosting services are quite affordable for small business operators. So register for FTP hosting service for your small business and experience an efficient and secure process of transferring files from one location to another.

Mike Jewson is a Network Engineer with "InstantFTPsites.com". You can learn more about "FTP Hosting" services online at http://www.InstantFTPsites.comArdeen Blog75650
Brittne Blog73718

The Jason Project Takes Math and Science Education Out of the Classroom

What It Is

The JASON Project is headquartered in Ashburn, VA. Its mission is to inspire in students a life-long passion for learning in science, math, and technology through hands-on, real-world scientific discovery. It is named in the spirit of the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts.

For middle-grade students, JASON's real-time, interdisciplinary science expeditions offer a unique opportunity to participate in real, standards-based, multidisciplinary research directed by leading scientists.

For educators, JASON provides the content and tools to effectively teach middle-grade science. The JASON Professional Development program offers accredited online professional development courses in science, math, and non-fiction literacy instruction as well as on-site workshops and coaching to help teachers become highly qualified and make the best use of JASON programs in the classroom. In addition to the award-winning JASON Science curricula, the JASON Professional Development offers educators a full array of online courses and onsite workshops to increase content knowledge. JASON Professional Development, supported by the National Science Teachers Association, enhances teachers content backgrounds and provides them with the tools to help students learn more effectively. JASON Professional Development offerings provide numerous classroom applications with demonstrations and hands-on learning activities.

JASON Math

Some of the many math expeditions led by the JASON project include the Mysteries of Each and Mars, From Shore to Sea, and Rainforests at the Crossroads. Each of these expeditions integrate mathematics concepts and skills with scientific themes. In addition the Math Adventures curriculum includes such activities as Geometry and Return to Titanic, and Proportional Reasoning and Disappearing Wetlands. These programs can be stand alone classroom projects or used to complement a corresponding JASON Expedition. Students will be introduced to real researchers and their work and have an opportunity to conduct similar engaging activities in the classroom and outdoors.

JASON is committed to giving educators exciting new ways to teach standards-based mathematics. As students use our hands-on approach to solving real scientific problems, the activities challenge them to learn important mathematics skills and concepts too.

JASON Science

Both JASON Expeditions and JASON Science Adventures provide teachers with a vehicle to implement new content and instructional practice in the classroom, and:

Make science real and relevant
Allow students to get to know and identify with real scientists
Introduce hands-on, technology-rich learning experiences
Help students ask better questions, and inspire an interest in science and a lifelong passion for learning

JASONs award-winning supplementary curricula are designed by the worlds leading scientists and educators. The curricula provide rich learning experiences using a hands-on inquiry based approach that mirrors the work of real scientists. The flexible instructional design allows for cross-curricular integration or single-subject implementation across disciplines. Not only are JASON Curricula based on national model standards for science, math, social studies, language arts, and technology; but they are also correlated to each states standards for science. JASON is proven to enhance middle-grade student learning outcomes.

Participating Schools

Currently the JASON project includes:
26 Primary Interactive Network Sites (PINS) in the U.S., Bermuda, Mexico, and Panama
22 regional networks
Over 1 million students reached annually
12 Student Argonauts
4 Teacher Argonauts
6 host researchers
3 student hosts
3 guest researchers

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information on schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.comAlida Blog9030
Alisha Blog535

Spyware: the expensive free extra

Everyone has heard the saying Theres no such thing as a free lunch. Its a saying which means that you pay for everything eventually, in one way or another. Even stuff which is free often has a hidden cost, and this couldnt be more true of a growing problem affecting thousands of computers worldwidespyware.

The reason that Spywareand its closely-related cousin, Adwarecan be described as a free lunch that is anything but free, is that it is often installed on a computer without the users consent by piggy-backing on some free software that the user downloaded from the internet, but then can end up costing a computer owner dearly.

A computer infected with Spyware can monitor the use of the computer and collect personal information without the users consent. Some of this personal information may be innocuous, but some may be extremely important and financially-sensitive, including passwords to membership sites, bank account details, credit card numbers and bank passwords. Not the type of thing anyone wants to fall into the hands of unscrupulous people. Some Spyware simply collects information to be used by marketing teams, though this does bring up issues of privacy, even if the information is not used for criminal purposes.

Adware could be said to be less malicious than Spyware, though it does operate in much the same way. Like Spyware, Adware is often downloaded along with a piece of free software and operates without the knowledge or consent of the user.

It is true that a lot of Spyware is simply used for marketing purposes and is not of the malicious type although it is still unwanted and unauthorized. When you suddenly see advertisements appearing that are completely unrelated to the web site they appear on, thats a pretty good indication that somehow Adware has been installed. Another side-effect of both Spyware and Adware can be an extremely slow computer as the programs hog systems resources.

Both Spyware and Adware embed themselves into the operating system of the computer, which can make it extremely difficult to remove them. This is especially true of the forms of Adware and Spyware which conceal themselves on the computerif the user doesnt know they are there he isnt going to try to remove them. Some types of Spyware can even bypass anti-virus software and then disable parts of it, which means the PC then becomes open to more infections from other Spyware of Adware programs.

So what is the best way to avoid a Spyware or Adware infection? Keeping your web browser up to date and ensuring your anti-virus software is the latest version is one way. But one of the simplest ways is to avoid downloading free programs from the internet. Those free programs may give you something cool to play withbut they may also give you something not so cool along with it. The next time youre tempted to download some free program that sounds good, remember the saying that there really is no such thing as a free lunchespecially when it comes to computer security.

Carl Formby owns and operates http://www.spywareremovalchoice.com, an online resource packed with information on Spyware RemoversAlys Blog70130
Caitrin Blog28441

All That You Need About Bad Credit Unsecured Personal Loans UK

Irrespective of the fact that we have a good or bad credit score, financial requirements may arise unannounced. In such a situation, what mostly happens is that we are not prepared for the urgent need that arises out of the blue. So in case you have bad credit but need money, then you can choose bad credit unsecured personal loans UK.

Bad credit unsecured personal loans UK are available to borrowers who are in urgent requirement of money but have a bad credit history including the following:

* Defaults
* Arrears
* CCJs
* Missed repayments
* Bad credit score

It is very important for a borrower to know his credit score before availing bad credit unsecured personal loans UK. This is so because a bad credit score attracts a high rate of interest. So to know exactly what should be offered to you, it is very vital to be sure of the exact status of your credit score. A credit score of less than 600 is considered to be low.

Bad credit unsecured personal loans UK are especially beneficial to tenants and non-homeowners as they have no collateral to offer for the loan. Moreover, another advantage is that by timely repayment of bad credit unsecured personal loans UK, the bad credit borrower can improve his credit history.

Through bad credit unsecured personal loans UK, an amount of 1000-25000 can be obtained. This amount has to be repaid in duration of 6 months to 10 years. However the approval of the loan is totally dependent upon the repayment ability of the borrower. As there is no security involved, the lender relies on the bank statements of the borrower.

The rate of interest offered in bad credit unsecured personal loans UK is higher than other loans. This can be brought down by proper researching preferably in the online market where the competition is very stiff and the lenders are ready to compromise. Thus, a bit of an effort of the borrower can make bad credit unsecured personal loans UK the most appropriate choice for bad credit borrowers.

Turk Malloy works as financial advisor in Easy Bad Credit Loans. He is offering loan advice for quite some time. To know more about Bad Credit Unsecured Personal Loans UK, bad credit loans, easy bad credit loans, bad credit personal loans UK visit http://www.easy-bad-credit-loans.co.uk/Ailis Blog88048
Arlena Blog122

Sat Tutor NYC enhances your skills to perform well in exam

Who does not want to study in the most reputed and recognized university in United States? Almost every student has a desire to join a university that can help to glorify his career and make him successful. Scholastic Aptitude Test or Scholastic Assessment Test also known as SAT is a test that is held yearly for the students to get an entry in best colleges and universities. Ideally, this is a golden opportunity for many students who are aspiring to seek a bright career in their life. So, to be a part of worlds most reputed and famous colleges, you need to have to get proper guidance from a SAT tutor NYC. If you are a dweller of New York City, then you are a lucky one because here you can easily find many tutors to provide you proper guidance.

Every student is not born with talent of the same degree and some of them find it extremely difficult to successfully clear the SAT exams. SAT tutors know what kind of teaching is needed by a student to sharpen his skills and so accordingly they prepare study materials for them. The tutor guides him in proper manner by providing materials that can help him to clear the exams. Moreover, a SAT tutor NYC knows what sort of teaching and guidance needs to be given to a particular student as he is an expert in this specialization. His ambition is to help students in clearing the exams this is what they are intended for. Along with this, the tutor also helps to boost the confidence level of students so that they can do well in their exams. Most advantageous part of SAT exams is that it is deciding factor for the eligibility criteria National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

SAT exams are held once a year in the month of October. The exam tests the competence of students in their chosen field. This test consists of five sections among which two tests for testing verbal reasoning skills and two tests for testing the mathematical skills and one test for testing writing skills of the students. A SAT tutor NYC is one who prepares students by enhancing their skills and knowledge with an objective to excel in the exams.Generally, SAT tutors are available on the preference level that is if a student wants to go for online classes then he can easily take classes from him. Similarly a student can take classes through private tutoring which is better from students point as they get individual attention from the tutor. This method is widely accepted as they get to learn more easily and in a better way. SAT tutor can also be seek out for group coaching and this student has to decide that which method of tuition is better for him.

SAT tutor have different kind of preparatory method as you are going to appear for a high level exam and so the tutor provides study materials accordingly. You can consider SAT practice tests and vocabulary lists that can help you to prepare your exams. Parents are very much worried about the test preparation and so they are in search of best SAT tutors to help them in clearing the exams. Guidance of a qualified and experienced tutor can help out to know techniques and methods that can help to excel in the exam. If tutor is himself a SAT pass out then nothing can be better than this.

Hugh Goldsmith is of the view that students must not dread the SAT exams or for that matter any other exams.He helps out students who want advice on any aspects related to exams. For more information on sat tutor NYC, visit http://www.prestigeprep.comAnna Blog23479
Bernadine Blog22851

Benefits of Computer Franchise Ownership

Entrepreneurs buying computer franchises can enjoy many benefits and minimize typical start-up risks, which can make ownership of these franchises an ideal situation for those looking to start their own business. Since new owners typically need help with marketing, financing and training services, will find these resources already available to them as part of computer franchise ownership.

Benefits

Buying a computer franchises has several benefits. You are getting an established product as well as operating procedures that are already in place. Training, advertising, advice and other financially draining items are also often already paid for, or available and set up as part of the franchise fee. This means you have the chance to enjoy profit much sooner than with other types of new businesses. All these benefits are part of the reason computer franchises have a greater rate of success than other computer businesses.

A Final Product With A Track Record

One of the best things about computer franchise ownership is that you are buying the rights to a final product or service with a track record. You will be able to use the trademark, name and all advertising tools. Customers will already be expecting good service and quality products your business name implies, which will decrease the time it takes to establish trusting relationships with your customers that will lead to future business.

Operating Procedures In Place

As the owner of a computer franchise, you will have a pre-made operating manual that explains procedures already in place. Because the procedures have already been working, you will not have to suffer through a trial and error process. You will already know what products and supplies people want and how sales and service calls are handled. And if you run into trouble, you will have people to call to clarify.

On-Going Training And Marketing

Owning computer franchises has many special advantages, including support from the company. You will get help with finding a location, management, marketing, hiring and training your employees. Many companies will also provide regular newsletters or workshops with tips to help grow and maintain your business.

Regardless of how many conveniences are waiting for you as a computer franchise owner, buying one still takes time, energy and a great financial commitment. However, buying a computer franchise can help alleviate a great deal of stress.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Small Biz Tech Talk. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg can help you grow your computer consulting business, the RIGHT way! Sign-up now for your free audio training program that features field-tested, proven Computer Consultants Business Tools at http://www.SmallBizTechTalk.comCecily Blog45072
Ashlan Blog77277

Its Payback Time: Remortgage To Solve Your Debt Problems

People in the UK owe more money than ever before. As it becomes easier and easier to borrow, whether in the form of credit cards, loans or countless other personal finance options, we are lured deeper and deeper into the debt trap, often to the point where we face an overwhelming financial burden that we have no means of repaying. Figures from the Consumer Credit Counselling Service reveal the extent of this problem the number of service users in extreme debt (owing more than £100,000) rose from 1.4% to 2.7% in just one year from 2004 to 2005.

Such debt problems are often compounded by a lack of understanding of financial matters, leading to poor decisions that send debt levels soaring even further out of control. Many individuals, for example, attempt to juggle their borrowing by taking on new loans or credit cards to repay others, thereby creating an even more tangled web of debt and often paying even more interest on top of that already owed.

Worse still, a great number of people find themselves spiralling more and more towards financial insolvency by failing to admit that they have a debt problem in the first place. Debt is very easy to get into but very difficult to get out of unless it is tackled quickly. Ignoring payment notices and credit card bills may sweep the issue under the carpet for a short while, but in the long term it serves only to exacerbate the situation as the interest mounts up and the payment notices become ever more demanding.

So if youve fallen behind in paying your bills its important to confront the problem before it escalates out of control. The first step is to analyse your finances. Work out your monthly income and expenditure to identify how much money you have left for debt repayment.

Then make a list of all your debtors, dividing them into priority and non-priority debts. Priority debts are debts that could lead to legal proceedings against you and could have serious consequences. For example, you could lose or be evicted from your home for mortgage or rent arrears, your gas or electricity supply could be cut off as a result of outstanding fuel bills, you could face bankruptcy or imprisonment for non-payment of income tax or VAT, or you may have goods repossessed by bailiffs for unpaid child support or council tax bills. Non-priority debts are not secured against your home or belongings and will not result in repossession of essential items. Examples of such debts are credit card or store card bills, catalogue account or hire purchase arrears, bank overdrafts or unsecured personal loans.

The next step is to contact your creditors to explain your financial circumstances, outline your budget and negotiate a repayment plan. You should be able to come to an arrangement that is realistic and manageable for you, although you may end up having to pay more interest over the long term to account for smaller repayment instalments. Its best to make some kind of regular payment to each debtor, but if this is not possible, ensure that you make payments towards the priority debts first.

Above all, dont panic and dont feel ashamed. Youre not alone in being in debt its a problem thats faced by more and more people in the UK and there are several charitable organisations who can help you. Both the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service publish practical information guides and provide free, confidential and independent advice in locations across the country to help people sort out their finances.

Furthermore, financial organisations now offer a wide variety of effective debt repayment solutions to suit individual needs. Good professional advice coupled with an appropriately tailored product can help eradicate debt for good.

One possibility is to combine all debts into a single debt consolidation loan. This has the advantage of making personal finances easier to manage, with only one monthly repayment to worry about. However, some such loans have very high interest rates and longer repayment terms and you could end up paying back a great deal more than your original debts.

A more and more popular solution is remortgaging, and there are now some very competitive and flexible products being offered in the UK market. Even with a poor credit rating, its still possible to obtain a remortgage product to suit your needs and help you get your finances back on track.

Remortgage to raise extra cash: a great number of homeowners in the UK have large amounts of capital in their homes that they could easily access to solve their money problems. If you have equity in your home (i.e. excess value above the amount of any loans secured on it), remortgaging is a simple way to tap into the value of your home and convert it into cash without having to sell or move house, and it can often be cheaper than a personal loan. Think of the possibilities as well as using it to completely clear all your debts, there are numerous other options: make that big purchase that youve always wanted a new car or luxury holiday. Alternatively, use it to supplement your pension to make yourretirement more comfortable, or make some home improvements its cheaper than moving and will increase the value of your house.

Remortgage to consolidate debt: bring all of your debts together into one regular repayment as part of your mortgage to make it easy to manage. If you look around, you will be able to find a good deal offering lower interest rates and you could end up saving a great deal of money on both your mortgage and debt payments. You might even be able to reduce the term of your mortgage.

A few words of caution though: before you do anything about remortgaging, check the terms of your current mortgage to see whether there are any redemption penalties or administration fees. You should also weigh up the risks and benefits of transferring your borrowing to secured debt.

On the whole, remortgaging can be an effective solution for clearing debt problems, enabling you to make a fresh start towards a healthy financial future. If youre a homeowner and youre looking for a way to manage your finances more effectively, speak to a mortgage expert soon to find the best package for you.

Author: Benedict RohanBerti Blog6630
Arlyn Blog5615

Forget Emailing Pictures - Use Free Online Photo Hosting Websites

There is a very good alternative to emailing photos; they are called free online photo hosting websites. People love to share photos. However, photos take up a tremendous amount of space and can really slow down your email, not to mention take up a tremendous amount of space in someone's inbox.

On a free online photo hosting website you open an account and load your photos directly to that site. You can then invite family and friends to visit your site, check out your photos and even comment on them!

The following photo hosting websites are some of the more popular sites on the net.

FaceBook

FaceBook is a social network of people who have photo pages. You can find new friends through the search or you can link to your own friends and family while uploading an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos.

Anyone with a valid email address can join FaceBook. If you register with your school or work email, you can connect to co workers or classmates. When you have registered you can find a regional network to join and then you can connect to people in your area.

WebShots

One of the largest photo and video sharing sites, WebShots has more than 400 million photos to check out and is a great hosting site for your own photos.

They have free and premium memberships that offer lots of storage, ensuring that you will never fun out of space. You can share videos, photos and slideshow on both WebShots and on your personal website. You can even order prints of your photos and create custom photo gifts.

PhotoBucket

The self proclaimed most popular creative hub on the web, PhotoBucket links billions of personal photos, graphics, slideshows and videos to many of the most popular websites and social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Craigslist and Blogger.

However, the free online photo hosting website is not the only method that members can share their photos. They can also share their digital media via email, IM and even mobile devices.

Membership is free and it is a great place to share you latest shots of your new purple Mohawk or your adorable new baby.

Flickr

Flickr is a fun site where members can keep a blog of memories that they have captured on their cell phone camera, or maybe they just want to post their best photos so that they can show off their talents and perhaps earn the title web celebrity.

Of course, they can post their photos to share with family and friends. Flickr is a free online photo hosting website, but it also helps members get photos to the people who matter to them. Members can organize their photos, share and keep in touch with others.

The free membership on this site offers you a lot of options, particularly if you have a lot of photos to store and share.

Yahoo! Or AOL Photo Album

Yahoo! And AOL photo albums are free online photo hosting websites and are very effective for sharing your photos.

You can save, send and share your photos through these sites. There is no fee attached, the services are both free.

You can set your albums to private or you can make them public. Additionally, you can designate certain albums as private and others as public. If you want some simple photo sharing, storing and organizing, these are two great sites to use.

J.O. Moen is author of the very popular information website - http://www.website-hosting-advisor.comBernadine Blog22851
Amalie Blog67704

Spyware Remover

Spyware invades your privacy. It is generally any software that invades computer systems mainly for advertising purposes, secretly gathering information from computer users then sending it back via Internet connections without anyones knowledge or permission, no less.

What happens is that spyware applications are most often packaged or bundled in with shareware or freeware programs as hidden components. So when you download programs from the Internet, you get the entire package, spyware included. Then once you install and activate the package, the spyware goes to work, monitoring activity of the computer users on the Internet, and sending the data back to home base.

Spyware Protection

Some Internet service providers (ISPs), like Earthlink and America Online or AOL are offering their own spyware protection built right in with the service packages. And there are a variety of adware and spyware removal tools to give your systems spyware protection, in budgets for all ranges from free on up.

Free Anti Adware

One of the top companies on the market today offering a no-cost solution is Lavasoft. They offer a free anti-spyware / anti adware download called Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition that can scan your hard drives, RAM, Registry, even external storage devices. It detects unwanted advertising, data-mining and tracking traces left to work throughout your systems. Simply download, install, activate and clean out your systems to get your privacy back.

Recent upgrades to this software include extended memory scanning that is an in-depth process now. The cleaning process of your system includes Code Sequence Identification technology that scans for unknown elements in your systems, an extended Registry scanning that now checks multiple-user set ups and more. The softare will also rid users of scumware, parasites, dialers, some trojans, malware and browser hijackers.

Adware Anti Virus and More

Computer users can get help with readily available anti-virus, adware & spyware removal tools, often via instant downloads. You can at least install no-cost applications on a trial basis to see what you think. Then continue use regularly with paid or free versions. Popular tool choices, listed in no particular order of preference, include:

- Hitman Pro
- SpywareBlaster
- AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
- Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
- Spybot - Search & Destroy

So take charge and protect your privacy. Dont let unwanted invasion enter and remain in your computer, sharing your personal information over the Internet with unknown sources. Fight back with an army of tools designed just to help you!

This article was written by Greg Johnston sponsored by http://nukeantispyware.a1wired.com. Antispyware Resources Site can assist you in finding the right AnySpyware Software that will help you fix any spyware problems. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing to http://nukeantispyware.a1wired.com.Ardyce Blog22234
Ariana Blog21607

Summer HEAT 2006 Offers Professional Development Opportunities for Teachers in Miami Dade County School District

An Overview of Summer Heat 2006

Miami Schools are offering a range of summer professional development courses for its public school teachers and administrators in order to help teachers meet federal requirements and learn new methods and approaches to teaching. Teachers are eligible to take one Summer Heat course. These courses will be offered during June and July. Most courses last about a week and meet from 8:15 AM to 3:15 PM daily.

The teacher must attend every day of the session in order to receive Master Plan Points. The Miami Dade County School Districts Master Plan Points Program help teachers earn the graduate level credits that they need to meet the Highly Qualified Teacher Status outlined by the No Child Left Behind Act. Six Master Plan Points per day are awarded for all the courses with the exception of those that grant actual college credit.

Professional Development for Teachers

Miami Dade County School District teachers benefit from a range of courses that help focus their teaching on special at risk groups as well as providing instruction in key subject areas. Many courses focus on the needs of children with Limited English Proficiency. These courses help teachers improve literacy of Limited English Proficiency students as well as learn culturally sensitive techniques for including such children in the general classroom. Other special groups include children with autism and children with behavioral problems.

In addition to these special groups, Miami Dade County School District teachers have the opportunity to enrich their teaching of various core subjects. Courses abound in all aspects of literacy and mathematics as well as science, the arts, and social studies. Both elementary and secondary education is covered, including preparation for teaching the Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations at the secondary school level. On the other end of the spectrum, special attention is also given to the design and implementation of Pre Kindergarten curriculum. Miami Dade County School District teachers are also given the opportunity to explore general instructional methods to promote leadership in the classroom, including the Continuous Improvement Model (CIM), Object Based Learning, and many others.

Professional Development for Administrators

Miami Dade County School District administrators also benefit from the Summer Heat course offerings. Principals, Principal Trainees, and other support staff have opportunities to learn how to improve their own performance and to help motivate the teachers on their staffs. The Principal Preparation Program runs courses for Principal Trainee both in their first and second year of training. Several meetings of the Assistant Principal Academy are scheduled to help teachers make the transition to administrative roles. In addition, the role of the school psychologist and the teacher counselor are also explored in various course offerings. The School Support Team also has a variety of courses to choose form in learning how to implement school reform.

University and Community Partnerships

Miami Dade County School District teachers and administrators rely on the support of many university and community partners. Courses take place at many Miami Dade County area schools in addition to universities and private businesses. Barry University, the University of Miami, the University of South Florida, and Florida International University all offer their campuses for professional development courses. The Miami Lakes Educational Center also plays a vital role in providing a location for Miami Dade County School District teachers and administrators to meet and share ideas.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.Carmon Blog8362
Bernardine Blog69586

Why Kids Need The Right Socks

We all know how important it is to get our kids fitted for the right size shoes, but how many of us go out of our way to make sure that we get the right socks?

Putting children in the wrong size socks can be bad for their feet. Too small and their toes are cramped and bent too large and theres no support or cushioning between their feet and their shoes; and theres no point getting shoes that fit properly if they have to accommodate excess sock when theyre being worn.

This doesnt mean that you have to pay over the odds for expensive kids socks, or change socks every time they change a shoe size. Just make sure that you pick well-made socks that will fit snugly on your childs feet, providing protection between their skin and the shoe.

Materials

Many kids socks today use Lycra. This material helps to make fabrics stretchy and fitting, so its perfect for socks for little ones. It makes it easier for them to put the sock on, but also lets the sock fit their feet really well for additional comfort. Cotton is a breathable material, so its ideal for socks, particularly if you have active kids that are running around all day. A combination of cotton and Lycra is common in socks for youngsters.

Sizes

Like adult socks, childrens socks come in a range of sizes, and one pair can fit feet within a set shoe size range. Make sure that you check the size range before you buy the socks. If your child has particularly narrow feet, it might be worth dropping down a size when it comes to socks and vice versa for children who have broad feet. Your childs feet grow at difference speeds, so there may be as much as a whole shoe size difference between the right and left foot. Each time you get your kids feet measured make sure you have the right size socks in the drawer.

Spend a little time getting your kids the right socks and theyll have miles of comfortable running and walking ahead of them.

The Sock Shop has a huge range of socks for men, women and children in its online store. Take a look now by clicking on http://www.sockshop.co.ukCamala Blog18872
Alys Blog70130

Talk About Real Life Drama

The latest crave in our society right now are those television shows depicting real life situations, without the benefit of a director or trained actors. This is called reality tv, so real in fact that more often than not the life of the persons involved in the drama are already subjected to danger that would not have otherwise been caused if the plot was not adopted in such a way.

Reality television has a constant following, owing to its non-dogmatic approach, dynamic turn of events, and unexpected twists and turns that even those who produced such show never expected to really happen. This fact also makes reality tv shows prone to accidents and physical injuries to those people who are subjected to said antics.

Producers of this type of entertainment usually make a disclaimer that all the participants in the series are all taken cared of, and all the necessary precautions to avoid injury are actually set-up. They even go to the extent of producing waivers originating from participants thereof that any act made by them contrary to what the producers have set as delimitations to the program are considered as acts of the participants themselves, and that the program would never be held accountable thereof.

Suffice it to say, reality television in its young age has already caused injuries to countless individuals, which would have been avoided if program was not started in the first place. Do not get us wrong, reality television is actually one of the greatest innovations in this medium of entertainment, and we acknowledge how it dynamically turned this medium what it is today. But as like all good things, those that are done to the extremes may cause irreparable injury at an even greater height.

If you were a victim of a physical injury brought about by these types of entertainment, please feel free to obtain the services of the Mesriani Law Group. We would also like to proffer that any waiver of damages accustomed from the negligence of the producers of the show, or the circumstance upon which the show was placed is not valid, notwithstanding you signing the same it is not binding as a contract since its consideration is illegal. Even entertainment has its limits, life can never be the ultimate sacrifice.

Atty Gabriel Cosh is a legal advocate and a practitioner of law for over 10 years now. He is also an expert in the field of social legislation and personal injury cases.Brigida Blog16943
Aliza Blog30325

NextStudent Offers PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Students

According to Phoenix-based NextStudent, a premier education funding company, the proliferation of graduate and professional programs has led to new sources of education funding designed to benefit these goal-orientated students who are, in essence, beginning their career by continuing on in their education. As the job market in the United States continues to generate a need for applicants who are highly competitive in specified fields from technology to the ever-growing medical field, undergraduate students across the country are beginning to feel the squeeze as graduate and professional degrees become must-haves for even intermediate and entry-level positions.

The decision to continue education onto the graduate and professional level is one that oftentimes comes with considerable financial stress because of the continued financial obligation. However, NextStudents Graduate PLUS Loan (http://www.nextstudent.com/) Program may allow borrowers to fund up to the full cost of their education (less any financial aid received), including living expenses, books, supplies and even computers.

NextStudent now offers a PLUS Loan Program for graduate and professional students with rates starting as low as 8.5 percent. The Graduate PLUS Loan Program features the same benefits directly to graduate and professional students that parents of undergraduate students receive from traditional PLUS loans (http://www.nextstudent.com/plus_loans/plus_loans.asp). Because NextStudent Graduate PLUS loans are federally sponsored, they offer many of the perks of traditional PLUS loans, including eligibility for federal student loan consolidation (http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp), tax-deductible interest and a variety of repayment options.

Eligibility and Credit Resolution

NextStudent offers a simple online application process through E-Signature, and many prospects who apply online qualify within minutes. Also offered is a second look for borrowers who receive an initial denial because of unresolved credit issues. NextStudent has a PLUS Credit Resolution Team that has an 87 percent success rate at resolving borrowers credit issues, resulting in funded PLUS loans.

Graduate PLUS loans (http://www.nextstudent.com/plus_loans/plus_loans.asp) easily are accessible to many students. To qualify a student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. Although a credit check is required, many students with limited or no credit history still qualify for Graduate PLUS loans.

Flexible Repayment Options and Aggressive Incentives

With all the great incentives offered by NextStudent and its Graduate PLUS Loan Program, now is the right time for students to take the next step and go for their graduate degree.

NextStudent Graduate PLUS loans offer several repayment options including deferred repayment while a student is enrolled in school at least half time, and there are no prepayment penalties, ever. There also is a 3 percent cash rebate at repayment on the remaining principal balance after the first 12 months of consecutive on-time payments when student borrowers pay through Auto-Debit. In addition, a 2 percent interest rate reduction is available after the first 48 months of consecutive on-time payments when student borrowers pay through Auto-Debit. Student borrowers receive a .25 percent reduction when they choose repayment through Auto-Debit.

NextStudent, federal lender code 834051, is dedicated to helping students and their families find affordable ways to pay for college. NextStudent offers one-on-one education finance counseling and has a portfolio of highly competitive education finance products and services including a free online scholarship search engine, federally guaranteed parent and student loans, private student loans, both federal and private student loan consolidation (http://www.nextstudent.com/consolidation_loans/consolidation_loans.asp) programs, and college savings plans.

The NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine, one of the nations oldest and largest scholarship search engines, is updated daily, available free of charge, completely private and represents 2.4 million scholarships worth $3.4 billion.

For more information about NextStudent and its student loan programs, please visit the companys Web site at http://www.nextstudent.com/.

Jeff Mictabor is an enthusiast on the topic of student loan issues in the news. He has been writing for the past 10 years for a variety of education publications. He now offers his writing services on a freelance basis.Adriaens Blog46714
Anni Blog40475

Tips For Lowering Your Health Insurance Costs

Is the rising cost of health insurance getting you down? Don't feel alone. There are currently millions of uninsured Americans who simply can't afford to pay the outrageous premiums to get medical coverage. Fortunately, most states will step up and help low-income families cover their children at least, but what happens if mom or dad gets sick? Who's going to pay the bills than? What if the breadwinner of the family, whether it's mom or dad, is unable to work anymore and they run up large amounts of medical bills?

The system simply isn't working anymore, however, there are a few things we can do to keep our monthly premiums manageable, for those of us who can afford to make minimum payments to have a health insurance policy. With take a look at some of those.

There are things you can exclude from your health insurance policies that will decrease your monthly cost. This is the case on all policies so you'll need to look around but it is possible to do.

Another thing you might consider is to raise your deductibles. The deductible is the amount of the insurance company expects you to pay before they start paying anything. An example of this would be was called 80/20. This means that you'd pay the first 20% of the of the costs of your visit to the doctor and the insurance company would cover anything up to that. So the cost of $100 for your medical needs then you would be expected to pay $20 and the insurance company would take care of the other $80. You'd only pay up to a maximum amount every year on your deductible deductibles vary anywhere from zero to $5-$10,000.

The higher deductible you carry on your policy, the lower your monthly payment will be, however, if you carry a high deductible this means that you will be paying a large portion of your everyday medical care out-of-pocket.

If you could possibly set aside enough money that would equal your annual deductible amount you would be in very good shape because the average person only see the doctor once or twice a year. This would make your payments minimal, your out-of-pocket costs would be covered if you have the money set aside and you would be covered in case of any major medical emergency. Just another option to think about.

Joe Stewart is a former Health Insurance Agent that now provides helpful information to others. For more great information about Health Insurance, visit http://www.TheHealthInsuranceGuys.org right now!Aubry Blog88653
Ailyn Blog78658

Air Travel Not Always The Cheapest Travel Choice

Theres mostly bad information for travelers intending to fly on business or on vacation this summer, according to a recent article published in U.S. News & World Report. Not only have flight delays increased, but so, too, have the number of passengers affected per plane. For some, the news was worse than for others. Evaluating the nations major airports using a combination of the percentage of flights delayed and the average load of departing airplanes, the U.S. News article branded Detroits Wayne County Airport as the nations worst.

Official Department of Transportation numbers paint a frustrating picture for Motowns frequent fliers. Thirty-nine percent of flights at Detroit are delayed. Combined with an average load factor of just under seventy-seven percent - meaning that aircraft leaving the Motor City are almost 77 percent full - Detroits airport serves up the most misery to the largest number of people when flights miss their scheduled departure times.

Given the fact that I live not far from Detroit and make the occasional business trip to nearby Chicago or Cleveland, these figures got me thinking about the advantages - if any - of driving to these destinations. With the help of some other tips in the article, it was quite easy for me to price and then compare the cost of driving and flying to each of these cities.

The first step in the process was to visit http://fuelcostcalculator.com.

Run by the American Automobile Association (AAA), this website makes it easy to enter your starting point and final destination along with the make, model and year of manufacture of your automobile. Using MPG estimates for your particular make of car and the average gas price for your part of the country, AAAs fuel cost calculator quickly computes the distance in miles, the quantity of fuel required and cost of that fuel for a typical drive from lets say - Detroit to Chicago. In my case, I learned that I could expect to use 10.58 gallons of gas for the 275-mile drive to the Windy City at an approximate fuel cost at just over 33 dollars (33.23). The calculator likewise gave me the round-trip cost of the drive, in this case, 66.46.

To find out how this would compare to flying, I next pointed my Web browser to http://sidestep.com.

Sidestep appeals to me because it scours hundreds of airline and discounted fare websites for the best deal and then lets me book my flight directly with the airline company instead of using an intermediary like Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia. Dealing directly with the airline and not through a third-party ticket broker, makes it easier and possibly less expensive if fees are involved to change my flight if necessary.

While visiting http://sidestep.com, I located an American Airlines non-stop flight that would take me from Detroit to Chicago on a Tuesday and return me the following Thursday at a total round-trip cost of 119.00 dollars. Not a bad price by any means, but still approximately twice the cost of driving. And the price did not factor in the cost of airport parking or any extra airport charges or taxes.

Because I enjoy driving, the choice to drive to Chicago on my next business trip was an obvious one. My route takes me right by the Detroit airport anyway and Id rather spend my time driving through the scenic countryside of Western Michigan than battling long lines and possible delays at the airport. In addition, its nice to have my own car in Chicago and also gratifying to save on the cost of a rental car.

Whether a decision like this adds up for you depends for the most part on your starting point and ultimate destination. Although its still very slightly cheaper for me to drive from Detroit to Los Angeles than it is to fly, for example, Id never consider making this long drive part of a business trip.

As a rule its the shorter trips, on the order of 250 to 450 miles, where driving makes sense. See for yourself by comparing the cost of flying and the cost of driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Washington, D.C. to Boston, or Miami to Orlando using the tools available at http://fuelcostcalculator.com and http://sidestep.com.

Matthew Paolini is http://Citybook.com's compliance officer for the Saint Paul, MN business Yellow Pages division.Anita Blog50681
Bertine Blog15025

National Child Passenger Safety Month Is On

It is September once again and it is the time to celebrate and spruce up the campaign towards informing everybody about child passenger safety. That is why September is actually referred to as the National Child Passenger Safety Month. This month-long campaign is actually a program that is sponsored by the National Automobile Dealers Association, or NADA. It has been developed and cultivated with the NHTSA which is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is an arm of the government.

And for this month, car dealerships, new or old, anywhere in and around the United States would be showing off their support for this month-long campaign. Their job is to actually host child safety seat inspections all throughout the month of September.

According to this month-long program’s organizers, the National Child Passenger Safety Month has been placed in this critical period for this is the same period when children start going back to school. With that thought, it also means that many children would be with their parents and grown ups on the road.

William Bradshaw is the NADA chairman and is currently one of the newest car dealers in the South Carolina region. He states, “Parents will do the right thing if they have the right information. Unfortunately, many parents don’t have the right information when it comes to child safety seats – and dealers want to change that.”

Though the right amount of Saab car parts made to ensure safety of passengers could help, it is also important to note that children should be protected much more compared to grown up passengers. In fact, the numbers of children who get seriously injured or even face death in car crashes can be really high that is why this campaign has been known to be very essential. In fact, statistics have it that there are more than 40,000 children under the age of four who get injured or who lose their lives because of car crashes. This is the annual report according to the data that the NHTSA has. The numbers are staggering and they are also very alarming.

Stacey WilsonBeatrix Blog25795
Cal Blog68320

Why People Resist Us

Theres a one-word reason most ideas never see the light of day: Resistance.

Resistance is often behind the glassy-eyed stares you get following a presentation, the sarcastic put-downs you have to put up with when you describe your vision for a new product or service, and other peoples abrupt departure from the water cooler when you approach, enthusiastic and ready to share an idea. What people are saying to you, either directly or indirectly is, Ive heard your idea and I dont get it, I dont like it, or I dont like you.

By understanding the resistance getting in the way of your ideas, you can work to turn opposition into support. How can you do it? Use clear language and good listening skills to head-off resistance before it takes on a life of its own. When you cant avoid it, learn how to recognize and address the three most common types of resistance so you can keep conversations moving forward and bring ideas closer to implementation.

Here are the three primary forms resistance takesand what you can do to make each work for you instead of against you:

Level 1 resistance: I dont get it. When you see a persons eyes glaze over, eyebrows furrow, or head tip slightly to one side or another, theyre sending you an unspoken message: I dont get what youre saying. Thats your cue to slow down and touch base with the person before they get so confused or lost in the morass of your idea that they lose interest altogether. After all, if people dont get your idea, theres no chance theyll support it.

Level 1 resistance involves the world of facts, figures, and data. It crops up often when people in highly-technical fields, like computer science, try to share their brainchildren with the rest of the company. They go to great lengths to explain how a software package or new hardware configuration can solve problemsand even generate profit over the long-term, and somewhere between the bits and bytes, underlying the multi-acronym sentences featuring POSIX, WYSIWYG, XT/AT, and UNIX, is a brilliant idea. Its just thatalasit can only be understood and appreciated by other high-tech experts.

If you find yourself in this position, step back from your idea and consider your audience. How can you communicate the idea to them in languageminus all traces of jargonthat they can understand? Will pictures, models, slides, an on-site walk-through, help? Clear, thoughtful, two-way communication is the key to overcoming Level 1 resistance.

Level 2 resistance: I dont like it. Sometimes your ideas can trigger an emotional response, typically rooted in fear, that causes another person to hem and haw about your idea or to actively oppose it. Some of the fears underlying these Level 2 responses include:

o The concern that something about your idea will make the other person look bad or lose status in the eyes of others.

o Worry that your idea will cost the person his job or endanger his financial security.

o Nervousness that your idea will cause the person to fail, perhaps as a result ofand in the wake ofyour success.

The emotions behind Level 2 responses get in the way of productive communication. If theyre never aired, these fears fester until what was once a tiny bump on the road to implementation is now an enormous boulder blocking your way. Recognize and address the fears underlying Level 2 resistance and your idea is more likely to continue moving forward.

Level 3 resistance: I dont like you. Picture this: Youre in a meeting with your accountant when she says, Ive got good news for you. Ive found some loop holes that will significantly reduce your taxes. A year agoprior to the Enron debacleyou might have welcomed both the accountant and her ideas with open arms. Now, however, the system of checks-and-balances she represents is tainted by what youve read and seen on television, and every idea she proposes gets run through a filter of suspicion in your mind. Thats Level 3 resistance.

While the other two types of resistance have to do with your ideas, Level 3 resistance is about yououch. When youre the one doing the proposing, your history with others, as well as their bias, prejudice or mistrust, influence how your idea is heard and received.

Level 3 resistance is the toughest to deal with because its so hard to believeand acceptthat there are people in the world who dont like you and everything you stand for. However, if you choose to deny or ignore it, your ideas will never get off the drawing board.

The key to dealing effectively with Level 3 resistance is to step outside yourself and see what others see when they look at youand what they hear when they listen to you.

Once youve made an effort to see yourself and your idea through anothers eyes, try these techniques for working through and moving beyond all three levels of resistanceI dont get it, I dont like it, and I dont like you:

o Focus on conversation, not presentation. Ask questions to find out whats going on in the other persons mind and why she opposes your idea.

o Listen carefully to what others say in response to your ideaboth verbally and through their body language and behaviors.

o Avoid knee-jerk reactions, like defensiveness, sarcasm and shutting down.

o Find ways to connect with others. Paraphrase their concerns to show that youre listening; embrace suggestions that piggy-back on your idea; and make it clear that theres roomand opportunityfor others to join you as you move forward to implement the idea.

Resistance at any level is good because it demonstrates that others hear you and are intrigued enough about your ideas to oppose them. That may sound like cold comfort, but its not: Figure out whats behind resistance and youll be well on your way to turning opposition into support.

Rick Maurer is an advisor to organizations on ways to lead Change without Migraines. He is author of many books on change including Beyond the Wall of Resistance. His web site offers over 100 free tips and tools for leading change successfully. Bobbee Blog54375
Allison Blog68240

Benefits of Having an Internet Fax Number

Having an internet fax number means one has already subscribed for the web fax service with any of the service providers. It is the customers unique address to which fax messages will be forwarded by the service provider server or sent by another person. If one has an internet fax number, he/she can readily start using the email fax, just like any other email message. In this article, well see some of the benefits of having an internet fax number, for a common man.

In fact, the benefits of having an internet fax number are pretty straight. They are two fold; it saves money as well as the precious time of the user. It is money saving because for using internet fax facilities, one need not have to buy any of those complex fax machines or other hardware and software. Instead, the customer can manage with a PC and a reliable internet connection, and the only money he/she may have to shell out is the monthly fee for the online fax service provider. If to calculate the costs per page send/received, it would be as low as 30-35 cents per page. If the user does not need internet faxing on a professional level, then he/she can opt for any of the free web faxing services. Then it is outright saving, and no expenses.

Internet faxing is a time saver because with email faxing, the need to go behind a fax machine to send or receive fax messages is completely eliminated. Instead, one can send/receive the messages at his/her mail inbox just like any other email. Also, with web faxing, it is possible to send multiple fax messages in one go, thereby saving lots of ones valuable time. Only the speed of the internet connection is a deciding factor here. Further, it is simple to use as opposed to the complex procedures of a conventional fax machine, and hence the entire process can be completed in less time.

To sum them up, an internet fax number is ones handle to this wonderful feature of the web, which bridges the gap between the traditional fax machines and web-based communication. It is quick and time saving and a customer could get one with less or nil expense. And what all he/she may have to do is to contact a suitable online fax service provider. So what you are waiting for?

Oliver TurnerAprilette Blog99104
Cassandre Blog66160

Decorating With Mirrors

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall!

Want a way to catch and reflect light in your home? Nothing does it better than a mirror. Mirrors are great for creating an illusion of space. Mirrors have been used to make commercial buildings look more spacious, and these same techniques can be used successfully in your own home.

Try the following "decorating with mirrors" tips:

*If you have a wall in front of the entrance as you enter your home, then hang a unique mirror on that wall to open it up and add interest to the area.

*Try staggering mirrors on either side of a narrow hallway or stairway to give the illusion of width.

*To make a hallway or stairway appear longer, try positioning a mirror at the end which will double its length.

*Wrought iron mirrors are popular and can be used as a home decor accent with most decorating styles.

*Collections of unusual mirrors can be used behind a sofa or in a hallway. They can be arranged in groupings or combined with paintings.

*You can use several hinged mirrors placed together behind candles or flowers on a mantle or table, thus "multiplying" the effect of your decorative accents.

*As with your artwork, choosing the right frame for your mirror makes a world of difference. The frame adds to the look of the mirror and enhances the space around it.

*The use of long, tall mirrors spaced across a wall is a nice change from the more traditional wall-to-wall mirrors.

*Make sure mirrors reflect only attractive objects. Do not place a mirror directly across from a waste basket or cluttered area. Try placing it across from a window, a lamp, or a favorite painting.

*Miniature mirrors can be used as a decorative touch on throw pillows, curtains and placemats.

*Put a mirror on the ceiling of kitchen cabinets or the pantry which will help you see what's on the top shelf.

*Mirrors can also be used in the dining room to showcase your table decor. Use a mirror instead of a placement at each place setting. They will naturally draw attention to your table and by using bright and decorative dishes you will create a stunning display.

*Since mirrors come in all shapes and sizes, they offer limitless decorating possibilities.

*Make a mirror the focal point in a room. Consider investing in a really unique, classy mirror and frame that complements the rest of the decor in the room.

*Remember to hang mirrors at a usable height!

Lynn Cressy, owner of Lynn's Home Decor. You will find a variety of best price home decor and modern home accessories at http://www.lynnshomedecor.com.Celestyn Blog41106
Anita Blog59610

The Key To Online Branding

Branding is the process of building a favorable image for your product or enterprise. It differentiates your identity from others in this increasingly competitive world and is a key component of most business strategy.

To build a strong brand presence, your communication needs to be global. Hence the internet is a vital facilitator in any branding exercise since it has the power to deepen the relationship between your enterprise and your customers worldwide.

In this piece well talk about how you can integrate your website into your overall branding strategy.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that the name of your product, service or website finds a special place in the mind of your customers. How will you achieve this?

Have an attractive storefront: If you sell online, use images to your advantage. Employ an innovative website model with a focus on display backed by a description of your product. Visitors to your site are more likely to remember your product if they see pictures.

Choose a catchy domain name: This point needs your attention. Visitors recognize you by this name, hence choose a unique name that is easy to remember. It need not necessarily relate to the products that you sell, but must leave an impression. For example, Amazon doesnt relate to books or any other products that they sell, but it sure conveys a certain image. Incidentally, if your company has a long name, consider shortening it for use as the name of the website. Remember that many successful brands are three-letter acronyms such as IBM, CNN and BBC.

Design a memorable logo: By this we dont mean that you have to commission a complex work of art at great cost. Think of eBay, Google or Yahoo. All these companies have distinctive logos that most people are able to describe from memory. A logo creates a lasting impression in the mind of your consumers and brings worldwide recognition. Display your logo at all important locations on your site to enhance brand recall. A tagline as part of the logo may be a good idea, provided it reflects your business. Think of Wal-Marts tagline "Always low prices. Always."

Consider the following values before actually developing or refining the website.

Be consistent: A complete branding exercise requires targeting customers through various channels (radio, newspaper ads, event management, etc). Your message should be consistent across all channels. Only then will your identity be established uniformly in the minds of the audience.

Be creative: Branding is all about originality. So, you need to come up with new ideas to become a favorite. Think of ways in which you can differentiate yourself from your competitors. Can you be novel, without being wacky?

Reflect your qualities: The product or service that you offer is the real hero, and the website must reflect its personality. Sometimes the website has little resemblance to the other important business elements and this only serves to confuse the customer. Projecting the qualities of the product, service or company in a consistent manner will help people remember them.

Talk about yourself: The About Us section must also be an integral part of the branding effort. Think of what information will interest visitors, and compose this section accordingly. Generally, a brief description of origin, founders, size and important business milestones is appropriate.

Include a copyright statement: Your exclusive rights to your brands, trademarks and other intellectual property must be stated on the website. Not only does that give you legal protection but also another opportunity to remind the customers about who owns the brand. This is particularly important in cases where product brands are much better known than the company they belong to, and are often used in a generic sense.

A brand is quite often the most valuable property that a company may have. An online branding strategy goes a long way in cashing in on that value.

Hi, I am Akhil Shahani, a serial entrepreneur who wants to help you succeed. Over the years I have run many successful businesses & made many mistakes on the way. I have created http://www.aykya.com to help you benefit from all I've learned on my journey. Please visit us & download our special 'Freebie of the Month' as a thank you for your visit.Camile Blog5969
Brear Blog80671

Hot Hugs

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas? www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk has the answer.

Aromahome Hot Hugs are the perfect gift this Christmas.

Introducing Aroma Homes Hot Hug range designed to soothe, relax and bring comfort to your body during cold weather, when feeling tired or to ease general winter aches and pains. When heated they provide, comfort and warmth whilst slowly releasing the natural power and aroma of natural essential oils. Hot Hugs are an ideal bedtime Hottie to comfort and aid restful sleep.

These huggable hot hug characters have removable tummys that have been infused with a blend of lavender and camomile pure essential oils, and can be heated in the microwave. Give them a hug and enjoy a lovely warm cuddle they come in seven cute characters as below and are the perfect Christmas Gift this year that can be used time after time. Each product comes in its own innovative packaging.

Giraffe Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/giraffe-hot-hugs.html

Monkey Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/monkey-hot-hugs.html

Cow Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/cow-hot-hugs.html

Dog Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/dog-hot-hugs.html

Duck Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/duck-hot-hugs.html

Zebra Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/zebra-hot-hugs.html

Elephant Hot Hug
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/gift-ideas-for-women/womens-gifts/elephant-hot-hugs.html

Hot Hugs
Hot Hugs are cute cuddly animals from Aroma Home containing a removable bag full of natural wheat germ.
The lavender oil infused wheat pack can be heated in a microwave and the heat helps to soothe restless children to sleep.
Gentle, safe warmth with a lavender fragrance.
The warmth from a Hot Hug offers soothing relief for stomach aches and earaches.
Not recommended for children under three.

Another great gift idea from www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk
http://www.find-me-a-gift.co.uk/

Sarah HagueCarlyn Blog71758
Allianora Blog42810

A Comprehensive Review of Filling Medical School Applications

A medical school is an institution that teaches medicine and trains its students into becoming successful medical practitioners. Different medical institutes across the world provides quality education in the theoretical as well as practical aspect of the medical training. Some of the most renowned institutions include the Cincinnati Medical School, Caribbean Medical School, Arizona medical schools, and Mayo Medical School. The entry criteria in all of these medical schools vary considerably, ranging from the eligibility criteria including grades obtained and co-curricular activities undertaken. But with a properly filled out medical school application a medical student can seek admission in various medical schools in Canada and the United States of America.

There are a number of medical school applications through which medical aspirants can seek admissions in different medical schools across the globe. Some of the commonly used application forms that are most sought after for gaining admission in a medical college have been listed below:

* AMCAS - American Medical College Application Service
* AACOMAS - American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service
* TMDSAS - Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service
* OMSAS - The Ontario Medical Schools Application Service

Through the American Medical College Application Service, prospective medical aspirants can seek admissions in different medical schools in Canada and the U.S. The AMCAS is a service regulated by the American Medical Colleges Association. AMCAS acts as a common application among the various medical schools.

The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) offers the medical aspirants a very convenient and centralized medical application service for the recognized medical schools and it is provided online. In this online application service, students can submit one electronic application. After verifying the application, the AACOMAS distributes the information inscribed by the applicants to the different medical schools selected by the students. The admission in an Osteopathic medical school is very competitive and the different schools select their candidates from a very large chunk of the highly qualified students. It is advised to apply very early in order to get your information processed without being delayed.

The Ontario Medical Schools Application Service is a non-profit application service. It is a very convenient and centralized application service for seeking admissions in one of the six Ontario medical schools. They are namely:

* Michael G.DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
* Queen's University
* Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario
* University of Ottawa
* University of Toronto
* Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Hence, those who wish to apply for the Ontario Medical Schools have to submit only one set of information with regards to their qualification and regardless of the number of the medical schools they wish to apply for.

Similarly, for taking admission in a Texas medical and dental school, there is Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service through which applicants can apply to different medical colleges or schools in Texas.

Sandra Stammberger owns and operates http://www.medicalschooladmission.net Medical School AdmissionsAlice Blog54075
Anitra Blog52247