วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 30 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

How To Write Persuasive Articles

You may be wondering what persuasive writing has to do with articles. After all, you're not exactly selling something with an informative article, are you? Yes, you are. You at least want persuade the reader to keep reading until he gets to your link at the bottom. Use the following tips to get more traffic by writing persuasively..

Persuasive Writing

1. Headlines. Questions are great attention-grabbers. "How Much Can You Make This Year?" will get more readers than "Make More Money." Paint a picture in seven words or less, if you can. "A Thousand Dollars Fell Off My Table," might lure them in. Titles like,"10 Ways To..." or "Avoid These Six Mistakes When..." or "How To..." are popular too.

2. Description. Most article banks require a description, which lets the reader know what the article is about, so you get readers who are actually interested in the topic. The second purpose is to make them want to read your article. Try hinting at things and leaving the reader wanting more: "If you're making these errors, you're losing money every day. Learn to avoid the most common optimization mistakes."

3. Article body. Write in your natural style, but keep paragraphs short, or readers will lose interest. Also, if you can hint at incompleteness, you're more likely to get visits your site. Don't say, "Here's how to write articles." Say, "Here are just some of the techniques I use to easily write new articles." You want them to go looking for the other techniques - on your site.

4. Subtitles. Subtitles and headings break up an article, and make it easier to read. They also help to optimize the article if they contain good keywords. You'll notice I often use subtitles, like the one coming up...

The All Important Resource Box

The point of online articles is to get traffic, which you get from the link in the author's resource box - if the reader clicks on it. You have to invite them to your site. Don't ever just put your name and a link. At least put "To learn more, visit..." or something similar.

One of my most-clicked links reads, "To learn more, and to see a photo of the house Steve and his wife bought for $17,500, visit their web site: http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com." You'll find an example of another one that has worked well for me below.

Steve Gillman writes on many money-related topics. To learn more, and to subscribe for FREE to "Web Site Optimization Secrets," go to: http://www.TheMoneyMakerSite.com

วันจันทร์ที่ 27 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Time Management? NO!

Many people want to be coached to manage their time better. I say NO! to that. You cannot manage time anyway; it just keeps ticking away no matter what you do.

What you can do is manage yourself based on the two concepts I keep mentioning: self-knowledge and self-acceptance. Following are four principles to maximize the time that you have. They take time to incorporate into your life at the habit level. Don't give up. Keep practicing.

1) GOOD ENOUGH

Accept that no human being is meant to do everything. We all have our uniqueness; things we do better than others and vice versa. Perfection is not a human condition. Cut yourself some slack and adopt the concept of "good enough". You can rework your resume 50 times. Is it really so much better than a much earlier draft? You can shop for the perfect dress endlessly? Wasn't the first one you tried and liked as good as the 15th? How much time did you spend past "good enough"? Demand higher standards of excellence where it really counts.

2) SPECIALNESS

Concentrate on excelling in what you do well, what you would enjoy doing better, and new areas you would like to learn. Delegate, hire, share, partner with people who complement you or can fill the needs you have in areas you don't enjoy or do not know that well. Don't ever berate yourself for not being able to do it all. Appreciate your talents and excellence and flaunt them. They are you, yours and very special. Let others have their specialness too. The results will not only save time but enrich and free you.

3) ENERGY AND TIME

Know and honor your energy levels. Are you a morning person, do you have an afternoon slump? Your time will be best used if you pace the tasks you have to do based on this knowledge. Do the most challenging at your peak energy time. Build in your Joy Breaks (see last month's newsletter) both as rewards for finishing a formidable task and to refresh yourself at low energy periods.

4) FOCUS IN THE MOMENT

Develop habits that help you focus on what you are doing in the moment. Do not allow yourself to think of what you have to do next while you are doing what you are doing. Put a "do not disturb" sign on your door and do not take phone calls. By putting everything else out of your mind while focusing on the task at hand, you will be using your time efficiently. If you get stuck on something, take a break. Move to something else, get the information you need to continue, change scenery, stretch, whatever it takes, but don't sit there stuck.

Note: The suggestions I make are not one dimensional or simple. The questions I suggest you ask yourself have multiple answers and may be different on different days. I suggest you keep them all in a file or notebook and refer back to them regularly. You will gain a lot if you do.

About The Author

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at DL@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web at http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at http://www.coachingforyournextlevel.com/newsletter.html

วันศุกร์ที่ 24 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Windows Screensavers Explained

In this article you will find some background information about screensavers and their history. You will also learn how Windows screensavers differ from other programs and how you can use it to your own advantage. Also there are some tips for users owning laptops, notebooks or CD-burning devices.

Have you ever asked yourself a question like "What is a screensaver actually?" I did. And now I will gladly share the results of my investigation. As you can see easily, splitting the word "screensaver" into two words will give us the phrase "screen saver". This isn't a rocket science and it's clear that the phrase suggests our subject somehow saving the screen. So the word "screensaver" can be applied to some sort of good things that save the screen of our so much beloved baby-computer. But what does it mean exactly? Who is going to harm our computer screen? Who could be such a bad person? The answer lies in the exact definition of screensavers.

If you are a meticulous person then you can search the Internet and come up with some of the existing definitions. But don't hurry. I will list some of the most often found. Here they are:

  • A moving picture or pattern that appears on your screen when you have not moved the mouse or pressed a key on the computer for a specified period of time. Screensavers prevent screen damage that is caused when the same areas of light and dark are displayed for long periods of time.

  • A program that "wakes up" after a certain amount of time has elapsed with no keyboard or mouse activity and blanks the screen or displays various moving objects across the screen; these are used to prevent your screen from getting "burn in".

  • An animated picture or graphic that can be programmed through the Display control panel to come on the computer screen after so much inactivity time has elapsed. The main reason for a screensaver is to reduce wear and tear on the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) inside the monitor that can burn out or become etched if the same window is left on for extended periods of time.

The picture is getting clearer, isn't it? Let's make it plain. The "burn in" or "damage" used in these definitions refer us to the time before 90-ies. At that time many cathode ray tubes in TVs, computer monitors or elsewhere were prone to be damaged if the same pattern (e.g., the WordPerfect status line; the Pong score readout; or a TV channel-number display) was shown at the same position on the screen for very long periods of time. The phosphor on the screen would "fatigue" and that part of the screen would seem grayed out, even when the CRT was off.

TIP: Be careful when using a screensaver on a computer with an LCD screen (most laptops and notebooks). A pixel on an LCD screen is on when it's dark; therefore, blacking the screen as some screensavers do would cause more damage.

Eventually CRTs which were resistant to burn-in (and which sometimes went into sleep mode after a period of inactivity) were developed. But in the meantime, solution was found: home video game systems of the era (e.g., Atari 2600s) would, when not being played, change the screen every few seconds, to avoid burn-in; and computer screensaver programs were developed.

The first screensavers were simple screen blankers - they just set the screen to all black, but, in the best case of creeping featurism ever recorded, these tiny (often under 1K long) programs grew without regard to efficiency or even basic usefulness. At first, small, innocuous display hacks (generally on an almost-black screen) were added. Later, more complex effects appeared, including animations (often with sound effects!) of arbitrary length and complexity.

And now we live in the world full of fun and entertaining screensavers. Many of them produce amazing and very attractive effects. You can find a screensaver on any theme you like, download it, install and enjoy.

This means that a typical screensaver is a program. And it really is. But isn't there something different? Is there something that distinguishes a program running as screensaver from other typical programs? You're right, there is a bit of mystery. In order to demystify it we should plunge deeper into screensaver mechanics. But don't be afraid. It isn't complicated at all.

First, as you already know, screensavers are launched automatically by the operating system.

TIP: Be careful if you use CD-Burning devices regularly and your system is configured to launch screensaver after some period of inactivity. Some screensavers produce very sophisticated effects but for the price of intensive CPU load. If you leave your computer while CD-Burning software is working, screensaver will be launched. This can sometimes lead to the CD-R/RW disks burned improperly.

During their installation process screensavers are copied to the system directory (years ago users had even to copy screensavers by themselves). Once they are there, Windows finds them and puts in the list of available screensavers. You can see this list in the Display Properties dialog. But how does the system know that the program in its system directory is a screensaver? The answer is simple. Any screensaver program has a name ending with ".SCR" extension, while a typical program has the ".EXE" extension at the end. This is the first difference.

Second, almost every screensaver has a bunch of settings allowing you to change its appearance in many ways. This isn't a much difference because many typical programs have options and settings too. The difference lies in the way the user invokes configuration dialogs. Windows provides the only way to do it. It's the Display Properties dialog mentioned above. Other programs usually have their own buttons or menus to do that. Why are we talking about it? It's simple. The whole process means that the system has a way to communicate with screensavers: to launch them, preview and configure on your demand while other typical programs don't have it. Usually they are simply launched and that's all. This is the second difference.

So what? How can we use it to our own advantage? Imagine yourself downloading a new screensaver, running it and finding it rather amazing. The screensaver can be so amazing and entertaining, that you would like to show it running on your screen to the friend of yours. But wait. How do you do that? What if your system is configured to launch the screensaver after 5 minutes of inactivity only? Or after 10 minutes or even more? Will you wait for this eternity? You can say that there is always a way to launch the screensaver from the Dialog Properties. But in order to do that you should launch the dialog, find the Screen Savers tab and click the Preview button. Quite a lot of things to do. And if you are willing to demonstrate two or even more screensavers the things get complicated even more. And what if the screensaver you've found looks best when the whole desktop wallpaper is seen on the screen? The Display Properties dialog will simply destroy this unique beauty you were willing to share.

Now imagine that double-clicking an icon on your desktop could do all this. Simple action, no unnecessary dialogs. Sure, some preparation steps are needed. But they are done once. After that you can enjoy launching screensavers using icons as many times as you wish. Is it worth doing? Try it, the result can be very effective. Once you manage the process, you can proudly call yourself a "Professional Screensaver User". If you like the idea then there's the way to achieve it:

  • Use Windows explorer to navigate to your system directory. Usually it is C:Windows or C:WindowsSystem if you use Windows 95/98/Me. If you use Windows NT/2000/XP, then you should look in C:WINNT or C:WINNTSystem32

  • Look through the list of programs there. It can be quite large, but you can easily find the name of the screensaver you are looking for. Alternatively you can use the "Find Files or Folders" facility.

  • Once you've found it, use the right mouse button to drag the file onto the desktop. After releasing the mouse select "Create Shortcut Here" from the popup menu. The icon for the screensaver should appear on your desktop.

    Now you can launch the screensaver at any time. Simply double-click the created icon. Enjoy! I will be glad if you feel a bit more control over the system.

    About The Author

    Roman Kramar is a software developer who enjoys writing screensavers as his time permits. Visit his site at http://www.elasticsystems.com/ to find out more about screensavers and his work.

    webmaster@elasticsystems.com

  • วันอังคารที่ 21 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Denominations Gone Wild: What Happened To Unity?

    The Bible teaches that Christians ought to practice a single faith. It reads: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). Yet, today, every man does what is right in his own eyes. What's the solution? Pastors and elders must set the church in order.

    The apostles did not lay down different worship patterns at the various churches they established, as the following apostolic warning indicates: "If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice - nor do the churches of God" (1 Cor. 11:16). Likewise, God had told Moses, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mount." Just so, after correcting many deviations from the God-given pattern, Paul the apostle told the Corinthians "The rest I will set in order when I come" (1 Cor. 11:34).

    Moreover, those who care to look into it will find that the phrase "set in order" represents a technical, liturgical term found three times at the end of Exodus as a summary for the refrain, "just as the Lord had commanded Moses." Exodus 39-40 uses the phrase "set in order" specifically of those three symbols most prominently regarding the Church and its holy jurisdiction -- the table of showbread (representing the Lord's Supper), the lampstands or candlesticks (portraying the churches themselves in Revelation 1-3) and the altar (symbolizing the prayers and praise of the saints in the New Testament).

    This order whereby the apostles and prophets laid the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20) does not refer to "order in general" (where orderliness sits opposed to chaotic worship), as many commentators have falsely surmised. Rather, it has in mind the priestly order assigned to care for the worship of God so that it proceeds precisely as God has commanded, without deviation or exception. Liturgical care and precise obedience to the biblical pattern of worship form the basis of the Holy Spirit's applause given to both the prophet (and priest), Samuel, and to King Josiah, in these words:

    "And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept" (2 Chronicles 35: 17-19).

    If one heeds the tone carefully here, he might note that this compliment comprises as much an indictment against Israel as a lauding of the fidelity in worship displayed by the prophet and king favorably named in the passage. It also tells us that God takes note when His people deviate in the least from, or conform exactly to, His own established worship pattern. He cares.

    In the New Testament, "order" in the churches refers to the priestly order of Melchizedek. Hence the saying of Paul, "Follow me as I follow Christ." The context tells us here that Paul was making a point about the pattern of worship (liturgy), meaning "Following the apostolic pattern, as we have delivered to you the teachings of Christ." The apostolic duty requires Paul to perform the liturgy of the churches just as Christ -- the head of the Church as High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek -- dictated by his words and deeds. The Lord Jesus sets the pattern. Here the saying applies, "My House, My rules." Christians -- pastors and elders -- must not deviate from this pattern. For the one Lord commands it, the one faith requires it, and the one baptism we shares promises this obedience in worship.

    Conclusion: The extraordinary diversity in worship patterns among religious groups today -- which many applaud as "blessed diversity" -- shows that our churches and nations are filled with all manner of idolatrous fancy and man-made innovation in worship. This shows a disdain for the commandments of God, and a hostility toward His word. And that is precisely how He regards it. The Bible itself insultingly calls this "will worship," meaning worshipping God by the doctrines of men, rather than by the acceptable divine pattern found in the commandments of God. Col. 2:22-23 reads, "...Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men ... Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

    Let the reader recall that diversity in Israel's liturgy among its kings came only through REBELLION without exception, starting with Solomon's idolatry. Rather, the Bible commands that we must have "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." And this ONE faith which God commmands has a name in the Bible. It is called "The faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12). It is this faith alone we must practice in the churches. And if anyone wants to be contentious about this, the apostles and prophets had no other practice - nor did the churches of God.

    Carson Day has written approximately 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, many with very insightful, if alternative, viewpoints. He presently writes for Ophir Gold Corporation, and specialized in the history of ideas in college. He has been quoted in the past as saying "What box?" and remains at large despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.

    You can visit the Ophir Gold Corporation blogsites at http://scriberight.blogspot.com (Writing With Power), http://ophirgoldcorp.blogspot.com (OGC's Free Web Traffic), or http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (Church and State 101)

    วันอาทิตย์ที่ 19 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Self-Recovery from Addiction: Taking Responsibility for Your Life

    I've had several coaching clients come to me who, while they wanted to move forward in life, were actually stuck in a self-destructive addiction. Of course, I cannot directly confront them about their addictions, as they had to open up to me that it was part of the problem that was keeping them in the same rut in which they found themselves day-after-day. As we worked together to make plans and open doors, the addiction was left open for them to examine and realize that they needed to overcome the situation, and cut loose that anchor to move forward to a fulfilling life.

    I'm not speaking of any particular addiction, as we all have one or two in our lives. However, for sake of discussion, the primary addictions that people fall to when they find that their lives are faltering are alcohol and drugs. Of course, these usually come into play once their addictions to depression and negative situations overtake their lives and they feel as though they have no where left to turn. But, as we peel away the negative situations and tend to the depression through medical assistance, they are better able to accept that now they must eliminate the substance addiction.

    --- Abstinence or Control ---

    Many commercials on television promote "responsible drinking". What exactly is "responsible drinking"? It is a relative view that places you to judge how much is enough. Yet, after your first drink, your judgment is impaired. As I've heard from many people, "one is too much and 12 are not enough." The best way to manage yourself responsibly is simply not to do it at all --- abstain.

    --- Disease or Responsibility ---

    The idea of addictions being a disease creates an uneasy feeling for me in that, for the most part, it is a choice and a responsibility as opposed to an illness. While I do agree that certain physical illnesses can cause people to turn to substance abuse, the abuse and addiction in and of itself are resulting actions and not diseases. It does seem that the disease concept has become popular because it is the nature of addicted people to dignify their conduct. The disease concept conceals the actual reason people abuse various substances while it discourages initiative and responsibility.

    --- Involuntary Addiction ---

    This area of "involuntary addiction" is the center of much controversy. Many people are addicted to medications at the hands of medical practitioners who do not monitor their patients, but instead simply ensure that their prescriptions maintain a certain response. Of course, many people do require long-term care; however, others only require assistance through medication for a short time.

    One example is that of a woman I worked with some years ago who was terribly addicted to Valium, Paxil, and Prozac. She wanted to get off of everything. Of course, I could not counsel her on the medical aspects of her situation, but I did refer her to a medical acquaintance who could assist her. In the end, after six years of involuntary addiction, it took her two years to get back on her feet and lead a productive life. We did work through some situations to angle her life toward her new Vision, but it was her choice to alleviate herself of the medication and "give life a try." In essence, we were able to replace her physical addiction with a mental and emotional addiction --- a direction in life.

    --- How did I become addicted? ---

    Addiction is a natural function of the human body, based entirely upon the "pleasure principle" --- the tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Addictive substances have the ability to disrupt the motivational hierarchy of needs by displacing other motives in life. They can also desensitize the ability of other, natural rewards to motivate behavior.

    The addict usually places substance use as their top priority, while losing interest in life's other rewards. This desire to experience the effects of the addictive substance combined with the lack of interest in natural rewards is classified as a "loss of control." Essentially, the normal controls on the individual's life have lost their significance and behavior focuses on the acquisition and use of the addictive substance.

    It's interesting to note that we can become addicted to situations as well as substances. For instance, some abused women come to feel a certain way about themselves in abusive situations. To ensure that this feeling remains, they seek out relationships that compound their feelings. Destructive indeed, but one that they feel is necessary.

    --- How can I tell if I am addicted? ---

    Determining addiction is complex in that it is based on many different signs for different types of addictions. But, the one definite, yet simplistic, indicator is that you keep going back even after you know that you don't want to do it again.

    Those nights that you lay in bed with a massive hangover even after you swore that you'd never do it again. The morning you wake up and have no idea what you did the night before, again. The bruises and black eyes that you have from the fight with your mate, yet you return. Again, the simplest indicator is that you "keep coming back."

    More complex indicators are physical and emotional changes as well as affects on your social presentation and associations. For instance, massive weight change, the "need" to have it or do it again, anger, loss of sleep, health problems, avoidance by certain social associations, or even being banned from establishments are important indicators.

    --- How can I achieve recovery? ---

    Recovery is your choice. You must first choose to acknowledge its existence and then you must choose to do something about it. Acknowledge that you are not a victim and take the responsibility that you chose to enter into the addiction. By doing so, you are taking control to be able to take responsibility for choosing to not be addicted any longer.

    Abstinence is the first step to recovery. Immediately stop what you're doing, whether it is through counseling, medical assistance, or simply ceasing your addictive actions. Of course, it is easier said than done.

    One thing that we do in my coaching sessions is, once a client seeks assistance from qualified medical professionals, we immediately begin to replace the addictive situation with something else that is of benefit. For instance, many of those clients who are addicted to some substance or situation are because they don't know what else to do or need to move in a direction away from a current situation. With nothing else in life, they drink, use drugs, or continually place themselves back into situations that are consistent and provide the "comfort zones" that keep them in an arena that feels safe.

    --- A replacement addiction? ---

    While replacing one addiction with another does not sound appealing, indeed, it is a path that is essential to the success of recovery. For instance, while I may not agree with support groups, many people find them useful and a necessary part of life. Indeed, while these are a replacement addiction for the other addiction, they are not as harmful as the addiction that they replace. At the very least, such support groups are a reasonable replacement of the addiction until the person is strong enough to stand up against their previous addictions.

    For many of my clients, they have found that by defining a plan for their life, instead of meandering to the point of getting lost and addicted to something else that is harmful, they are better able to cope with their recovery. With help from their medical professional, along with a life plan, they can remain focused and busy while working toward their Vision. In the process, their values change to the point that they no longer require a substance to give them the necessary feelings that they pursue.

    One example was a young man whose father committed suicide. It threw him into a cycling depression where, at one moment he was fine and, over a period of months, he would be depressed again and have to work to recover from the depression. In the process, he turned to a serious alcohol addiction, which nearly disrupted his entire life. After focusing on the core depression and working with his doctor to stabilize his emotions, we worked together to find a way to piece together a new life. Indeed, with the loss of a family member, life does change, yet he was unable to cope with this change as he was caught in the life he had prior to the loss.

    Realize that the addiction can take on a mind of its own and will eventually do anything to ensure that it gets what it wants. It can begin to define you. However, it is essential to turn that hunger into something else with a different focus and desire. That is the core success of recovery.

    --- What's next? ---

    Inside of every addicted individual is the original person who was full of wonder and excitement about the possibilities that lay ahead. Somewhere along the way, this person became lost and fell prey to the pleasures of their addiction. They instinctively decided that the greatest pleasures that life comes from the use of a substance and they reordered their life to accommodate this new desire at all costs --- this is the destructive point of addiction. It is here that they must make a choice and engage in a fight for survival.

    There are a number of pitfalls common to self-recovery from addiction. Those who want to help you, but were never addicted themselves, have little to share on the subject, as their experience and beliefs are based on information provided by equally misinformed books and experts. Additionally, our society sees addiction as a noble affliction and denies that self-recovery is possible. As a result, society does not reward, and sometimes punishes, people who accept personal responsibility for their addictions and their recovery.

    Realize that, if your environment has changed because of your addiction, all is not lost. If your family left or you lost your job or even if you lost some aspect of your life, the final decision that you make to move on with your life is the one that matters the most above all. You still have yourself and, in the long run, that is truly all that matters. Spend some time with your real self, as you might be surprised at the hero you just found!

    About The Author

    Edward B. Toupin is an author, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki Master, technical writer, and PhD Candidate living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. Check out some of his recent print and electronic books as well as his articles covering various life-changing topics!

    For more information, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his site at http://www.make-life-great.com or http://www.toupin.com!

    Copyright (c) 2004 Edward B. Toupin

    วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 16 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Sports Nutrition Made Simple

    Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose weight, and an abundance of energy throughout the day.

    1) Hydrate with water throughout the day.

    2) Avoid processed foods

    3) Eat plenty of lean meats (fish, poultry, and lean beef)

    4) Avoid Starches and Sugar (breads, grains, pasta, etc.) Never eat these alone.

    Breakfast ? Protein (1 egg with 2-3 egg whites, plenty of fruits and vegetables, water) Lunch- lean meats and plenty of fruits and vegetables, water Dinner ? lean meats and plenty of fruits and vegetables, water

    Eat every 3 hours and snack on fruits veggies.

    Before practice or games ? hydrate with water and snack on fruits.

    Once you begin to practice or begin pre-game practice, start drinking a sports drink. You should be able to replenish your sugar (glycogen) stores with a sports drink.

    If the athletes like the taste of sports drinks, they will likely drink more. Sports drinks also replace electrolytes lost with sweating.

    At half time ? fruits and sports drink

    Right after practice and games ? Fruit smoothie with some protein powder, fresh fruits.

    So where are all the starches (pasta, breads, etc) that we think of as pre-game meals?

    This is important:

    What athletes need are carbohydrates that do not raise the blood sugar rapidly but also replenish the muscle glycogen stores. That comes from fruit and veggies.

    If you have waffles and bagels for breakfast before the games here is what happens:

    Those starches (high glycemic foods) are rapidly turned into sugar; the body senses the rise in blood sugar and releases insulin. The insulin grabs the sugar and stores it as fat. The brain and the muscles now do not have enough sugar to function as effectively. You now have low blood sugar. So you are dumber, slower, and fatter. Not the best way to start the game or practice.

    The only time you want to eat the starches is during or after exercise to rapidly replace your sugar stores.

    Avoiding the starches will also help with weight limits. Starches bind more water and therefore result in more weight.

    Dr. Jeffrey Banas, is a Sports Chiropractor and Strength an Conditioning Specialist practicing in Gilbert, AZ. He can be contact at 480-633-6837 or by his web-site at http://www.sportstraining-weightloss.com

    วันจันทร์ที่ 13 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Unique Beach Wedding Receptions

    The most unique beach wedding reception ideas are sparked by imagination not tradition.

    Never mind etiquette, tradition and timelines. That information is outdated and stuffy. Do what will make you and your guests happy. It is a time for fun and celebration, not pomp and ceremony!

    Long gone are the days of "assigned" seating arrangements and cookie cutter reception programs. Everyone waiting to be told what to do next. Yawn! Today, you can "have it your way". No, I am not suggesting that "Burger King" host your reception. But, you could, IF you wanted to! That's the message.

    To plan for your reception, you need first to know:

    * What is your theme?
    * What time of day you will be having your wedding ceremony?
    * What type of atmosphere do you wish to create?

    Answer those three questions and great beach wedding reception ideas will follow.

    Perhaps you will marry in a romantic sunrise ceremony followed by a breakfast reception. How about an early afternoon wedding followed by a beach barbeque? Plan fun activities such as a sand castle building contest or a volleyball game. Marry at sunset. Follow the ceremony with a wine and cheese reception and dancing.

    The size of your guest list and your budget will also help to determine which path you take.

    Buffet or food station receptions lend themselves very well to informal beach weddings and are the most fun. They are also cheaper! You can easily coordinate this type of reception yourself and eliminate the added expense of a caterer. Those special women in your family who love to cook would be honored to assist with this project I'll bet. Heck, knowing "Aunt Jo" and "Grandma", they will probably take over and you won't have to worry about a thing!

    Formal afternoon weddings will of course lead to the usual "sit down" planned menus. Caterers will be necessary. The advantage being that the whole affair will be tended to without you lifting a finger...for a price. In order to cut costs here, you will have to limit the menu and the guests.

    So, if you have a large guest list and a limited budget, avoid marrying late in the afternoon. Guests will be hungry and expect the dinner reception. Instead, stick with a breakfast, brunch or cocktail reception.

    The wedding industry dictates that a reception should be from three to five hours in length. Rubbish! A reception should be as long as it takes for you and your guests to enjoy each others company and have fun. It can last a couple of hours or all day if you like.

    Don't feel obligated to stretch the event out. Often, your older guests tire easily and would like to leave before the designated departure time anyway. If you are having a beach side bash, consider a "come and go" atmosphere. Let people know what time your departure will be so they can be there to send you off.

    As far as beach wedding reception ideas go, the rule of thumb is - there is no rule of thumb! Break the mold. Do something different, something fun, something memorable.

    Whatever you and your guests will enjoy most, IS the perfect beach wedding reception!

    Cindy English is the publisher of:

    Beach-Wedding-Themes.com
    Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance!

    All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com
    Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise!

    ? Copyright 2005 by Cindy English
    This article may be reprinted with no changes, omissions, or additions. All links must be left live and in tact.

    วันศุกร์ที่ 10 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Compost YES, Epsom Salts NO

    You'll often hear garden writers recommending the use of Epsom salts in the garden as a general rule. First off, I'm not one of those writers. Secondly, Epsom salts are essentially magnesium so if your garden soil is magnesium starved, adding the Epsom salts will seemingly work miracles. If your soil is not magnesium starved, adding Epsom salts is a waste of time, effort and money.

    A magnesium deficiency is often a problem when the soil is acidic or composed mostly of sand. So if your soil is acidic because you've been heavily feeding with chemical fertilizer or if you are in a housing development where sand is the rule rather than decent topsoil, you may need to add magnesium to boost plant performance. So a short term solution is to add some Epsom salts but the long term solution is to modify the soil pH so that it is less acidic and increase the organic matter content of the soil so it is less sandy. Lime make soils less acidic and you'll need a soil test to tell you how much to add while compost is the key to solving organic matter problems.

    The single best thing you can do and the quickest way to improve your garden's performance no matter your soil type or problem is to add copious amounts of compost. The old time gardeners used to use two to four pounds per square foot of composted manure. That translates into one quarter to one half inches thick in our modern gardens. Your plants will grow bigger and faster and the blooms and fruit will be bigger and healthier. You can get other vegetable gardening tips here.

    So forget the Epsom salts and pour on the compost for best plant performance. And more is better.

    Copyright Douglas Green 2005

    Doug Green is an award winning garden author of 7 gardening books and numerous articles. A former nurseryman, he now writes full time, gives presentations and enjoys the spring.

    วันพุธที่ 8 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Pool Decks ? Add Ambiance to Your Above Ground Pool

    Above ground pools are beloved by many and have gained in popularity over the years. Pool decks could be one reason why this is the case. You will never again have to climb a swimming pool ladder or wonder why you don't use your pool as much as you should. Landscaping around above ground pools and adding pool lights make a fantastic presentation and enhance any patio d?cor. Decks are not just a cover for the sides of the pool. They serve as protection, just as lights would serve as safety and protection for your family. Decks for a pool don't have to be terribly complicated to construct. They need to be non-slip, and well drained. They can be made of wood as a normal home's deck may be, or they can be constructed of tile or concrete. You are wise to consider alternatives for your deck besides wood.

    Chemicals, moisture and lots of sun don't mix well with wood. Composites are new on the market and more are being developed every year. They are initially more expensive than wood, but they will remain beautiful all the time. They offer a sure footed grip under wet feet, and don't require maintenance as regular timbers. The usual wood working tools can be used with composites also. They also won't splinter proposing other safety issues. Obviously, you want them to be as attractive as possible and versatile. You can have pool furniture made out of the same attractive material for a fabulous matching look on the deck. Add lights for evening enjoyment and some creative landscaping around the above ground pool and your will ready before you know it to impress the neighbors with a pool party.

    Decks that are built large enough can accommodate outdoor dining, lounge chairs, and watching the kids in the water. The size of your backyard may determine what type of deck you can construct. Since most above ground pools are round or oval, it will be easy to have a vision for your new deck. Your new deck can be an extension of your home; and connect it up to the pool. Some people do this with their hot tubs, but you could do the same thing with an above ground pool. Pool magazines will have lots of pictures for you to determine how you want this setting to be. The more attention you pay to the details such as pool lighting, plants, etc. the more permanent your above ground pool will look. The lighting allows an extension of your entertaining also. You want to be able to see at night; especially when children are involved. This is a safety issue as well as a way to make your pool more attractive. An unsightly pool doesn't have to keep you from entertaining, just put up a deck and you will be surprised at how fabulous you can make your backyard. Your pool is probably in a sunny location, so add plants that can take a lot of sun. Some plants may be severely affected by chlorine, so don't get them too close to splashing pool water. You want to soften the look of the deck, but not so much to put them at risk. The only reason I can think of for not installing a pool deck would be because you rent and your above ground pool needs to remain somewhat portable. Other than that, just add your fun accessories around the patio and a little water proof storage; you are set for fun in the sun and your next pool party with the neighbors.

    Beverly Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying hammock styles, gas grills, outdoor kitchens, picnic tables, patio furniture and more. She gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

    วันอาทิตย์ที่ 5 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Street Smarts Vs Book Smarts, What Does It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur

    The latest series in "The Apprentice" features 2 distinct group of candidates. One group, who are only high school graduates are termed as "Street Smarts" by Donald Trump whereas, the other group are all college educated with some having MBAs and advanced degrees. They were termed as the "Book Smarts".

    What was revealed at the start was that the "Street Smart" group were mainly entrepreneurs and had a net worth 3 times more than the "Book Smart" group!

    What this goes to show is that you do not need a college degree to be an entrepreneur and rich. In fact, having a college degree may be more of an impediment to being a successful entrepreneur.

    Why is this so?

    For one thing, entrepreneurs cannot be conformist and stick "by the rules" and college somehow tends to train people to stick "by the rules". Entrepreneurs will always come up against obstacles and will have to find ways around these obstacles, many times, unconventionally.

    College tend to make graduates think in a similar fashion, hence, they tend to be highly trained clones with no personality. Entrepreneurs however know that they need to have their own USP, or "Unique Selling Proposition" to be successful and being entrepreneurs, will find or create their own USP to make a success of themselves.

    Entrepreneurs know that they need to think out of the box and create a niche for themselves as they do not have the resources to fight the big boys on their terms.

    For college graduates, there is always the choice of going to work for one of the big corporations. For entrepreneurs, failure is not an option as they would not get very far in a big corporation without a college degree.

    This is not to say that all college graduates are not entrepreneur material but that in most cases, getting a college education may not be the best route to being an entrepreneur as the education system is designed to produce workers and not entrepreneurs.

    Benjamin Seow is a longtime entrepreneur and a popular information publisher and has recently created an amazing system for increasing your free time AND profits in under 7 days at: ==> http://www.EntrepreneurMillions.com

    วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 2 ตุลาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    3 Keys to Better Online Copywriting

    Doing the copywriting for your own website without the proper knowledge and tools is pretty much like flying blind in a snowstorm without piloting experience or instruments.

    It doesn't work too well.

    A very basic knowledge of copywriting and direct marketing principles will take you a long ways on the Web.

    Here are three simple keys to writing better online copy. Armed just with these, you'll have a jump on 90% of the folks out there doing the copywriting for their own sites. And you'll increase the pulling quality of your site's copy today -- even if you've never written a word of copy in your life.

    1) Wake up your prospect

    In today's overkill ad world most people have become numb to standard sales messages. Television, newspapers, magazines, Internet, radio, etc. all blast us non-stop with advertising. After a while we just naturally tune most of it out.

    Copywriting great John Carlton says to imagine that your prospect is a giant blob sitting there on the couch or in a chair. Now what would you need to do to get that blob to take action to buy?

    Getting someone to stop... actually read your website copy... AND click through (or fill out a form) is serious heavy-duty action on the click-and-run Web. Your prospect has a million things on his or her mind.

    Reading your copy isn't exactly Priority One...

    So how do you wake your prospects up and get 'em to read your copy?

    The secret is right here in this headline:

    "ARE YOU TOO BUSY EARNING A LIVING TO MAKE ANY REAL MONEY?"

    This is from Joe Karbo's sales letter for his "The Lazy Man's Way to Riches" book. The letter was probably responsible for over a million dollars worth of sales for Joe.

    Joe's secret here, and one which you can use too, is based on a simple principle for getting a prospect's attention.

    You need to...

    2) Enter the conversation going on in your prospect's mind

    You should know enough about your target market to know what keeps them awake at night. If you don't yet, then you'll need to find out right away.

    In the example above from Joe Karbo, it's about working like a dog and barely making enough to pay the bills. Marketers like Joe who target opportunity seekers understand that frustrations about money cause a lot of people pain.

    But what concerns does your target market have? What problem(s) do they need solved? What itch(es) do they need scratched?

    You can find the answers to these questions fairly easily. Lurk on the forums where your prospects hang out... Read the online and offline newsletters, magazines and journals they read...

    Or better yet, just ask them!

    Set up a survey page on your website or else survey them through your newsletter or blog. Or use a Web tool like AskDatabase.

    Once you know what your prospects are thinking about most of the time your copywriting job becomes a heckuva lot easier. You'll be on a more intimate basis with your market. Which is never a bad thing...

    Good copywriting is wooing your customers in print, after all. Just like you would woo a prospective mate. And the more you know about them the more you'll be able to say the right things!

    So now that you know what bothers your prospects you'll need to...

    3) Make a compelling offer

    This is an area where most website copy really falls short.

    Ask yourself this question:

    What exactly is it that I want my prospects to do?

    You want them to buy! Right? Or at least opt-in to your newsletter... or get your free report... or sign up for your autoresponder series...

    In other words, you want them to take an action! You don't want them to browse around, look at your pretty graphics and then click out. The Web is just too too big. And your site is just one tiny place in that giant Web ocean. Once they leave, their chances of coming back are one in a billion. Or worse...

    So you need to use your copywriting skills to build an offer that forces them to make a clear decision.

    Make it irresistible. "Make them an offer they can't refuse," said the old godfather.

    He would've made a good marketer.

    By making your offer as seductive as possible, you force action. You force that clear decision. With pure lead generation sites this means they give you their contact info. With direct sales sites it means a sale. Or if it's a combination of the two they buy and/or give you their contact info so you can follow up.

    If your offer is good enough, then a good percentage of your prospects will be energized.

    Your copy will be like a jolt of electricity...Zap!

    That blob on the couch might actually get up and do something...

    So make your offer hot. Load it up with perceived value. Tell 'em how your product is going to make their life better. And give 'em a good deal!

    To summarize...

    Wake 'em up by entering the conversation already in their minds, and then make 'em an offer they can't refuse. If you do this, you'll instantly increase the power of your online copywriting. I guarantee it!

    ? 2005 by Bruce Carlson

    Want to become a better online copywriter? Sign up for Bruce's The Dynamic Copywriter and see how easily you can improve your online copywriting skills and boost your sales!

    http://www.dynamic-copywriting.com

    วันอาทิตย์ที่ 21 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2551

    Plastic Surgery: Rhinoplasty / Nose Job Information

    What is a Rhinoplasty?

    Rhinoplasty is a very common procedure which aims to change the appearance of the nose to make it more harmonious on the face. The surgery can thin, turn up, augment, shorten or lengthen, and essentially change the shape of the nose. Rhinoplasties are commonly called 'nose jobs'. It can involve rasping of the nasal bones to remove a bump, resecting the cartiledge to change it's projection, trimming the cartiledge to make it smaller and more defined and a whole myriad of procedures.

    Most rhinoplasty procedures are done after the patient has stopped maturing on their face. This usually occurs at 16-17 in girls and a little later in boys. Rhinoplasty can be combined with a chin augmentation, which can help balance the look of both the nose and the chin. Sometimes a problem in one area creates a perceived problem in the other.

    Common reasons for choosing a Rhinoplasty

    Possibly everyone has a reason to dislike something about their nose. Whether or not that dissapointment is great enough for you to seek to change it is dependant on the individual. People looking to get rhinoplasty must remember that it is a cosmetic change only, it is also important to understand the limitations of the procedure - what can or can't be changed. There are realistic and irrational reasons for looking to change your nose.

    Common complaints of people seeking rhinoplasty: too large, too flat, large bump or convex profile, too wide or fat, too thin, too long, too short, too pinched looking, scooped or concave profile (ski slope nose), hanging columella, functionality - difficulty breathing, crooked, asymettry (nostrils or general structure), bumps, a bifid tip - an indent down the center of the tip, scar tissue, damage from accidents, hooked nose, upturned nose, pointy, bulbuous, lack of definition

    Common complaints or conditions of people who should not be seeking rhinoplasty: becoming more popular, life advancement, becoming more desirable, winning over someone, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or any other self image disorder, low self esteem due to no visible cause, weak chin, weak jaw, weak or prominant upper jaw, pressure from third parties, career advancement

    What your nose looks like on the inside

    View image at: http://gossip.bluelaundry.com/info/rhino/rhinoplasty.htm

    The bone structure of the nose makes up the upper part of the nasal area. It consits of ideally symmetrical bones which form a pyramid shape. This is commonly known as the bridge. The dorsum is the flat surface at the front of the nose caused by the meeting of the nasal structures. The glabella is where the bridge joins the forehead.

    The lower two thirds of the nose are made up of cartiledge structures. These consist of five large pieces, the septum, two lateral nasal cartiledges, and the two greater alar cartileges. There are also several smaller pieces of cartilege known as the lesser alar cartileges.

    The septum is a piece of cartilege that runs down the center of your nose, it divides the nasal cavity in half. The front part of the septum (furthest from your face) is the thickest, it is the thickest where it joins the nasal bones.

    The lateral cartilage is at about the half-way point down the nose. It is wide and flat, and has a triangular shape. The front part of the lateral cartilage is thicker, and the upper side of it is connected to the nasal bones, the lower part of it is conected with the greater alar cartilages.

    The greater alar cartilages are small and thin, and flexible. They are situated at the lower part of the nose, and is folded back upon itself, forming the tip and forming the lower walls of the nose. The two are connected at the center, and as they spread out from the center they become flatter, narrower and more oval shaped.

    The nostrils can be changed in a rhinoplasty as well, by excising sections from the floor of the nose or at the junction where the nose meets the cheek.

    The ideal nose

    There is no such thing as an ideal nose, an ideal nose is based upon the features of that person and what works for their face. A nose that may be attractive on one person may look out of place and actually detract from their good looks on another. Given that, time and time again people have searched for a formula to determine the perfect face.

    Leonardo Da Vinci Facial Thirds

    The width of the nose at the widest part of the base should be about the same distance as the distance between the eyes

    The length of the upper lip should be twice the distance between the lower lip and the chin

    A slight upwards rotation in the tip is better and more attractive

    Yale Medical University

    (a) The distance from the infraorbital rim to the base of the nose should be equal to the width of the nasal base (from the outside of each nostril to nostril) and ? the distance of the middle third of the face (brow to the nasal base).

    (b) The nasal length (radix to tip or RT) should equal the distance from the stomion to menton which equals 1.6 x TS (tip to stomion).

    (c) Ideal tip projection (alar crease to the tip) equals 0.66 x ideal nasal length (RT).

    (d) The line from the mid-glabellar area to the menton should bisect the nasal bridge, the nasal tip, and Cupids bow.

    (e) The nasal dorsum should be outlined by two slightly curved divergent lines extending from the medial supraciliary ridges to the tip defining points. (f) The width of the bony base is approximately equal to 80% of the alar base.

    (g) The width of the alar base is equal to the intercanthal distance or one eye width.

    (h) The alar rims should have a slight outward flare in an inferior direction.

    (i) Lines connecting the tip defining points, the supratip break area, and the columellar lobular angle form two equilateral triangles.

    (j) A line outlining the alar rims and columella resembles a gull in gentle flight.

    (k) With the eyes in frontal gaze, the nasofrontal angle lies at a level between the upper eyelashes and the supratarsal crease.

    (l) The nasal dorsum, in women, lies approximately 2 mm behind and parallel to a line from just above the nasofrontal angle to the tip defining points. In men, the dorsum is slightly higher.

    (m) 50-60% of the tip lies anterior to a vertical line drawn adjacent to the most projecting portion of a normally positioned upper lip.

    (n) Tip projection equals alar base width.

    (o) Tip rotation is determined by the degree of the nasolabial angle, measured as the angle between vertical and a line drawn through the most anterior and posterior edges of the nostrils (normal 95-100 degrees in women and 90-95 degrees in men) (nasolabial angle is not the same as columellar labial angle).

    (p) The columellar-lobular angle is approximately 45 degrees.

    (q) On a basal view, the outline of the nasal base forms an equilateral triangle; the lobular to nostril ratio is 1:2.

    (r) The upper lip projects 2 mm more than the lower lip, and in women, the chin lies slightly posterior to the lower lip; slightly stronger in men. The distance from the mandibular angle to the menton is ? the distance from the menton to the natural hairline (or trichion).

    The procedure

    - Open or closed

    Surgeons performing rhinoplasty have a choice between two types of incision methods. An open or closed technique differes in the incision method, an open technique the surgeon will cut open the nose exposing the inner cartileges. A closed percedure is done with cuts, usually inside the nose. This operation is done wihout visual. What's more important is the skill level of the surgeon. Some surgeons prefer one method over another.

    In an open rhinoplasty the cut is made across the base of the columella, the small wedge of flesh that creates and seperates your nostrils. The incision is usually made with either a "Z" or an inverted "V" cut, this help minimize the appearance of the scar. The scar that it leaves when healing is complete is usually very faint and eventually fades away on most people, sometimes there may be a faint pink line where the incision was made. In rarer circumstances a keloid scar can form, but this can be prevented or treated with post-operative care (Such as dermabrasion or kenalog injections)

    - Nasal augmentation

    Different shaped implant can be added onto the structure of the nose, increasing it's projection or width. There are a wide variety of materials to choose from, most doctors will use one particular material because they believe it to be superior. There are implants which can be harvested from your own body, and artificial implants to choose from.

    Bone grafts are usually taken from the patients ribs. There is a small percentage of absorption when implanted, as well there is a longer time for recovery. An extra surgery is performed to extract the graft. There are possibilities of bone infection as well as excessive calcification. Rib grafts have been reported to warp and deform, as like any graft.

    Cartilage grafts can be taken from the patients, either from their rib or ears. When taken from the ear a tiny sliver is extracted from the back of the ear, this is usually used in patients who have had too much cartilege removed. Rib cartilege is usually taken from the false floating ribs.

    Silicone implants have been used for facial implanting since around 1956. They are hard, yet flexible depending on how they are manufactured. Alloderm is donor tissue, through treating the donor tissue is stripped until it is only a protein framework. It contains no human cells. It can last up to two years, and in some cases indefinetly. The product is expensive. It will not mimick the look of bone, but can be used for cartilege implanting and structure work. Polyethylene is a plastic which is porous, resembling coral. Scar tissue can heal into these pores securing the iplant. Gore-Tex is a biocompatable micro-porous material which allows tissue to grow into it. It is soft, flexible and strong. Gore-Tex is easily carved for further personalization to each patients face and needs. Medor/Porex is a light weight high density polyethylene. The implant material has a long history of medical use without any harmful effects. Because of it's porosity, it does have one downfall. If at a later date the implant has to be removed, the operation will become more difficult as it has fused.

    - Ethnic rhinoplasty

    As with any rhinoplasty the goal is to create something that will work harmoniously with the patients face. With an ethnic rhinoplasty it is important to retain and incorporate that persons ethnicity into the final nose. A good rhinoplasty will create a nose that does not stand out or attract attention. In most cases the patient wants more projection and definition in the nose bridge, as well as a narrowing of the nostrils.

    Ethnic skin does have a higher chance of keloid scarring, which is the formation of excessive scar tissue. In pigmented skin, there is also the possibility of hypo or hyper pigmentation.

    Provided by http://gossip.bluelaundry.com

    วันพุธที่ 27 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2551

    Do you have a long-term partner yet?

    by: Chuck McCullough
    By now most people have realized that the Internet is not just about trying to make a quick buck.

    Most scams and get-rich-quick schemes have quickly faded and couldn't produce results if their life depended on it.

    So you are now left with coming up with strategies that will keep your business around for the long-term.

    If you are planning on having affiliate revenue be part, or all of your income, you need to find programs that you can hope will be around for a long time.

    It can be quite painful when a company you've promoted for many months decides to close their affiliate program, or they decrease commissions so far down that it isn't worth your efforts to promote anymore.

    When this happens you are left with starting over trying to find someone else that you can hope to earn a decent income from.

    When searching for an affiliate program that you hope to make your long-term partner, here are some things to look for:


    High-quality products or services - You can quickly destroy your reputation online by promoting shady companies with poor products. ALWAYS try to associate with companies that have great products.
    Companies that have YOUR interests in mind - Unfortunately there are many companies out there that simply view their affiliate programs as a cheap advertising and branding vehicle. Seek companies that view their affiliates as partners. You can tell when you have found one by looking at how the program is structured and what they offer in the way of support for affiliates.

    Programs paying commissions on multiple products - You will find that sometimes your visitors will purchase items that you had not recommended. Your income can build much faster when you get paid a commission for those sales as well as sales of products directly promoted by you.

    Lifetime commission structure - It takes time, effort, and money to send visitors that actually become customers of the affiliate program. Lifetime commissions allow you to get rewarded for future purchases of your customers. This model is great and you should really consider promoting at least one program that offers it.

    Some great programs that I highly recommend looking at, and ones that fit most, if not all, of the above qualities:

    Marlon Sander's affiliate program:
    http://www.affmatch.com/marlon
    (High commission structure on many different products that sell EXTREMELY well.)

    Ken Evoy's SiteSell affiliate program:
    http://www.affmatch.com/sitesell
    (One of the top affiliate programs offering great products that over-deliver on their promise of value.)

    Yanik Silver's affiliate program:
    http://www.affmatch.com/instant
    (Great products that sell well and offer high commissions.)

    You can also do quite well promoting programs that offer recurring revenue. This is where you promote services that require a monthly fee.

    With this type of program you get paid a percentage of those monthly fees for as long as the customer remains with the company.

    Some great companies with recurring commissions are:

    Aweber Autoresponders:
    http://www.affmatch.com/aweber
    (Autoresponders have caught on like wildfire and are very easy to sell.)

    Hosting.com:
    http://www.affmatch.com/hosting
    (Selling website hosting is one of the top ways to make money on the Internet, and most programs offer to pay you from each month's payments from customers you send them.)

    Match.com Personals:
    http://www.affmatch.com/match
    (Personals ranks up there on the top as well, offering you a percentage of the fees paid by customers that want to meet others online.)

    The most important thing to take from this article is that you must start looking for long-term partners and not waste any time trying to get rich over night.


    About the author:
    Free content for your newsletter or your website!

    You are invited to use this article in your newsletter or website. The only requirement is the inclusion of the following, after each article used:

    Chuck McCullough is the author of a new ebook titled:
    "Affiliate Mistakes: Maximizing Your Profits From
    Affiliate Programs!" Get your free Email Course at:

    www.affiliatemistakes.com
    chuck@affiliatematch.com