President Bush has proposed a very interesting health care plan.

Employers now get an unlimited deduction for health care. This would change.

The cost, of an employer plan, would become income to the employee but against that, the employee would get a large deduction.

In about 80% of the cases the deduction allowed, would be larger than the income received.

The excess would be applied to taxable income, thus reducing the tax of the recipient .

Mr. Bush’s plan would give every family a “standard deduction” of $15,000 and every individual a “standard deduction” of $7500.

Most Americans who are privately insured, are covered through their employer. The average cost of family plans provided by employers is $11,500. About 80% of employees have plans worth less than the amount of the deduction they would receive.

Those with plans worth more than $15,000 would pay a higher tax under the plan.
If a worker has an employer family plan worth, for example, $16,000, he would add $16,000 to income, subtract $15,000 and pay a tax on the $1,000 excess.

Most workers with plans worth more than $15,000 would be higher income workers.

Some employees with expensive employer sponsored family plans could still benefit as long as the plan was worth less than $15,000.

For example, a family plan worth $14,500, would add the $14,500 to a worker’s income, but would offset it with the full $15,000 deduction wiping out the $14,500 of income and leaving $500, which would be applied to and reduce taxable income, by the leftover $500.

Even though this employee had an expensive plan, he is still in the 80% group that would save.

It gets better. If that same employee were to switch from a low deductible plan to a high deductible plan, for example, to a plan costing $10,000, he would then have a deduction of $5,000 instead of $500.

It is further likely he would make more economical health care choices, which is badly needed to bring down health care costs nationally.

An employee with an employer sponsored family plan worth only $5000 would add $5000 to income, deduct $15,000 from taxable income, thus shave $10,000 from taxable income.

Those 17 million Americans who pay for their own health care insurance would have no insurance income to declare, therefore they would just take the full deduction, for their appropriate filing status.

The deduction could also be taken against payroll taxes.

Middle income families could save thousands under this plan; singles could also do very well.

This plan would increase taxes on upper incomes and decrease taxes on lower incomes.

Congress’s Joint Committee On Taxation (JCT) has recently reported that this health care plan would save the government $333 billion dollars over ten years. The function of the JCT is to “score” tax policy changes.

Democrats dismissed and derided this plan when it was proposed. They should look more closely. Estimates run as high as 10 million for lower income individuals who would gain coverage. Finally, benefits to millions of others and the nation seem to be very positive.

Mick McNesby is a former tax advisor, consultant and negotiator. He was a frequent guest on political talk shows in Atlantic City, N.J., discussing the benefits of the lower cost of government. He can be visited at http://conservative-politics-infofind.com

Phone Numbers

The standard American telephone number is ten digits, such as 555-555-1234. The “area code” consists of the first three digits and sometimes must be dialed even when making a local call. If you are calling a number outside the originating area code, you may need to dial “1″ before the ten-digit number if using a residential landline phone, such as 1-555-555-1234. Check with your hotel prior to dialing long distance as they tend to have their own specific dialing requirements.

Phone numbers with the area codes “800,” “888,” “877″ and “866″ are “toll-free” numbers that are billed to the owner of the number, not to the caller, so you may call them for free from any phone, notably from any pay phone. Note that many hotels still charge a connection fee to dial these numbers from a room phone.

Emergencies

To obtain assistance from emergency personnel, dial 911. Use this number to reach the police or fire department, and for medical help. 911 can be dialed for free from any phone (even a pay phone. For directory assistance, dial 411 (a charge may apply). In the event of a spider or snake bite, contact the poison center at 1-800-222-1222.

Cell Phones

Cell phone coverage is generally good in populated areas but, unlike some parts of the world, different carriers have exclusive systems and areas. This means that your service in one area may be terrible, but your friend’s phone with a different service provider would work great. In addition many subways and buildings have mediocre or non-existent coverage. GSM mobile telephones in the United States generally work at different frequencies than in other countries, with 1900 MHz being the most common. Recently 850 MHz is being used in cell phones, particularly on the Cingular Network. You may need a tri- or quad-band telephone to work in the U.S. Check with your cellular provider regarding equipment/service compatibility before traveling.

Calling Cards

Calling cards are easily obtained from most convenience stores. Some hotels, vending machines, and most every supermarket also sell these easy-to-use calling cards. Since most hotels have very steep fees for phone use a calling card can save you a lot of money. Be aware that hotels may charge fees for local calls and toll free calls as well as long distance. There should be a card in your hotel room that outlines all the phone fees. If not, contact the front desk for information before making a call.

TIPS!

• 1 ( one ) is the Telephone Country Code for the United States.

• 011 ( zero one one ) is the International Access Code to dial out from ‘within’ United States of America.

Hilary Basile is a writer for http://www.myguidesusa.com

At MyGuidesUSA.com, you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. StateGuidesUSA.com (http://www.stateguidesusa.com), part of the MyGuidesUSA.com network of sites, provides comprehensive information for those living, working and traveling in the United States via 50 individual state portals.

Most of us dream about one day attaining financial freedom or working from home. At the same time most of us are risk-averse and resist change only feeling comfortable if each day presents us with good ole status quo. If this is the year that you told yourself that you’re going to change all that then this is the year that you should start your own business. Owning your own business can be very rewarding. There’s just something about that entrepreneurial rush you get when your success completely depends upon your efforts and your decisions. Of course there are risks and there are startup costs and everyone including your brother in-law is telling you that you will fail. I’m telling you, “So what!” Every successful business faced risks, startup costs and naysayer’s. You can always find reasons or obstacles not to do something but wouldn’t you rather put your efforts towards committing to one action that moves you closer to your dreams? The point of this article is simply to motivate you into exploring another option for owning your own business. The option I’m referring to is network marketing…yes I said it, network marketing.

There was no way while sitting through all of my MBA courses that I could have envisioned myself in network marketing which is essentially a business model completely unmentioned in my ten of thousands of dollars of advanced schooling. Well all of that changed after I stumbled upon the right opportunity not just for myself but also for my family. Part of network marketing’s appeal is that the profile of success can be anyone, blue collar or white collar, man or woman, young or old, prior business experience or no business experience, any education level and any nationality. The product and the pay plans are the same for everyone so the only variable determining one’s success is you. People from all backgrounds have found success in network marketing and determining who will become successful or not is absolutely impossible because the only commonality among those that have found success in network marketing is determination…so don’t rule yourself out. Network marketing is an attractive business option because you can avoid large startup costs such as franchise fees, leases and equipment costs. Network marketing also has very low cost of entry, with the potential for exceptional revenue. One thing that you should keep in mind is that network marketing is not a get rich quick scheme. These are legitimate part-time businesses that will require consistent effort from you in order to get them started but the possibilities of a growing residual income make them worth the effort.

I know that when you mention network marketing to somebody that it will evoke every different emotion possible. Some people will become immediately turned off and claim that all of them are pyramid schemes while others will instantly pay more attention because they personally know someone who has generated additional income or wealth in network marketing. The truth of the matter is the landscape for network marketing has changed and its appeal is expanding daily. Many of us today enjoy many products we’ve bought from someone in network marketing such as candles, skin care, cosmetics, vitamin supplements and kitchen gadgets.

So why is the landscape changing for network marketing? Why is the industry experiencing continuous growth? I attribute most of this growth to a couple of strong forces.
1. A large scale lifestyle shift driven by the Baby Boomers
2. Endorsements validating the overall network marketing business model

Let’s start with the lifestyle shift. For one, vibrant baby boomers can expect to live a long and active life long past retirement and most of them want to remain active while generating the income necessary to support their lifestyle. Unfortunately many of those close to retirement watched a lot of their golden year’s money diminish when stocks tanked in 2000 and they are now forced to generate additional income to help pay for retirement. In addition to the large portion of the population nearing retirement there was one event that influenced many to slow down and seek a wellness lifestyle. That event was 9/11. All of us were touched by the horrific events of 9/11 which demonstrated in a moment’s notice how everything one values in life such as time with our loved ones can be gone in an instant. More and more people desire to work for themselves in their own home business because it affords them the flexibility to spend more time with their family and friends or the opportunity to coach their child’s soccer team.

Some trends never change like the fact that 80% of all the millionaires are self employed. The self employed understand firsthand how to use the power of leverage to create wealth. You need to leverage either assets or the efforts of people (employees). This fact is drawing strong support for network marketing from the celebrity personal finance authors. Celebrity endorsements have come from David Bach (”The Automatic Millionaire”), Robert Allen, Mark Victor Hansen, and Robert Kiyosaki (”Rich Dad, Poor Dad”). When these authors speak people listen so you can start to see why interest in network marketing is growing more popular everyday. Add in to that mix well known economist Pilzner. Even the world’s greatest investor, Warren Buffet, helped further legitimize network marketing when Berkshire Hathaway purchased Pampered Chef and two other direct sales companies. You will even find some of the older network marketing companies actively traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ.

The bottom line is that network marketing is not just a legitimate business opportunity it’s a great home based business that can provide a rewarding lifestyle. So, if you haven’t looked at network marketing in the past, you just may want to.

Possessing a passion for small business and home businesses, Steve and his family run SafeHouse Farm Alpacas and Agel Chicago. Businesses like these were attractive not only for their financial potential but for the lifestyle they bring as well. There are plenty of home businesses out there like alpacas or the wellness products that are not only profitable but they’re just a lot of fun and something that the whole family can do together.

If you’re interested in learning more about a home business in the wellness market that helps others feel great then request more information on Agel Home Business.

With spring fast approaching, Easter is nearly here. One of the most enjoyed holidays is Easter and part of the reason why this holiday is so much fun is the food associated with it. If you are cooking an Easter dinner with your friends or family this year, here are some good tips for some tasty Easter recipes.

Maple Syrup Ham and Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
One of the most requested types of food to eat during Easter is ham and you can sweeten up the taste of it by adding some delicious maple syrup. While your store bought maple syrup should work, try to purchase maple syrup that is 100% pure and not made with corn syrup. Adding pure maple syrup will add a sweet, delicious taste that your friends and family will like.

You can simply complement your maple syrup ham with some yummy sweet potatoes smothered in miniature marshmallows. Sweet potatoes will be your maple syrup ham’s best friend. For an added treat, add miniature marshmallows and you will surely get some smiles from children and adults alike.

Easter Bunny Cookies
Although chocolate bunnies are essential to Easter, cookies can also be a desired treat. Just like Christmas cookies are fun to make and yummy to eat, so are Easter Bunny cookies. Most grocery stores, discount stores, and craft outlets sell Easter Bunny cookie cutters to make your favorite chocolate chip or sugar cookie into some exciting Easter Bunny shapes.

Easter Egg Cup Cakes
Easter Egg cup cakes are a wonderful way to add enthusiasm to the holidays for your kids. Easter Egg Cupcakes are an easy and fun way to bring color to any Easter dinner dessert. Instead of using cup cake holders, try to use small waffle cones to hold your cup cake mixture. Once baked, add coloring, sprinkles, candy, etc. to your creation.

Easter Bunny Carrot Cake
Easter Bunny carrot cake is a great way to add color and excitement for the whole family. What goes better with bunny rabbits than carrots and a yummy carrot cake goes with an Easter dinner. You can simply buy a carrot cake and decorate the top yourself. Many people create their own icing adding food coloring to color the carrot cake to look like an Easter egg.

Easter Cocktails
For those adults that prefer to top off their dinner with a delicious alcoholic beverage, there are many flavorful cocktails that can go with the mood of an Easter dinner. For example, certain liquors come in numerous colors such as grenadine for scarlet, blue Curacao for indigo and mixing clear liquor with various fruit juices for multicolored Easter drinks. For those that like a cocktail without the alcohol, it’s simple to add color to your event with a host of fresh fruit smoothies, just by adding fresh fruit with cream or milk. Some people even add a little yogurt to the mix.

If you are looking for a great way to enjoy your Easter this year, take a look at the above Easter recipes.

For a free one week trial of a family friendly meal planning service, visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com

So, being a thoroughly modern person you have decided that you want to find a meditation and you are thinking of starting your search on the Internet.

Well you are in for a big surprise. Key in the word ‘meditation’ or ‘yoga’ and you are going to be overwhelmed by a multiplicity of choice. Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, Hatha Yoga, The Kabbalah, Tibetan Buddhism, Kundalini Yoga, Krishnamurti’s Choiceless Awareness, Zen, Vippasana meditation, the Ramana Maharshi meditation or perhaps Sahaja Yoga. There are many more.

Well help is at hand. Daniel Goleman has written a book called “Meditative Mind” in which he classifies all the different meditations in terms of the Vissudhimagga that was taught by the Lord Buddha. The Vissushimagga means the path of purification. There are two basic types of meditation: the path of concentration and the path of insight.

Thoughts enter your mind in a random manner. There is no pattern to their entry. The path of concentration has you direct the flow of your thoughts, fixing them onto the object chosen for the meditation. By forcing your wandering thoughts back on to the object your mind will eventually become absorbed in it and your awareness will experience a feeling of oneness with it. This is called the “point of entry.”

The start of insight meditation is the practice of mindfulness. You are required to pay attention to your thoughts and senses as they arise and to merely register or note your observation of the thought or sense impression without further comment, reflection or judgement. You simply pay attention to what is happening in and to you. In the beginning as in the path of concentration your mind will wander until you reach the point of bare insight where your mind develops the ability to observe all that is registering in your mind without the interference of wandering thoughts. With the achievement of bare insight you realise that your awareness is different from the object of your awareness.

Once you have reached the point of entry or of bare insight you then continue to achieve higher and higher levels of awareness until eventually you reach the highest state possible, which is variously called Nirvana, Nirodh, Moksha and various other names. This state indicates that you have achieved the point whereby you have acquired total self-knowledge and are freed from the perpetual cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

What actually happens here is that your kundalini awakens and rises up the central subtle spiritual channel called the Sushumna. The kundalini is the dormant spiritual power within each one of us, which resides in our pelvic bone. The disadvantage with either of the two paths of the Vissuddimagga is that normally it takes a very long time to get your self-realisation. More than one lifetime is not unusual. Remember that the Vissuddimagga means the ‘Path of Purification’. This refers to the fact that in addition to meditation the seeker has to purify his spiritual centres called chakras one by one. This is why the Indian yogis go to the Himalayan Mountains or the forests. They isolate themselves in order to concentrate on their spirit and not be interrupted by mundane life.

In the modern world it is well nigh impossible for the ordinary seeker to achieve their self-realisation using the paths of the Vissuddhimagga. There has however been a change in the firmament and it is now possible to achieve your self-realisation through taking to Sahaja Yoga. As impossible as it seems you can now get your self-realisation simply by asking for it. Any Sahaja yogi can give self-realisation. It is like one candle lighting another. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi developed Sahaja Yoga. She is a very high spiritual personality and can be described as a messenger from God.

With the Vissuddimagga you have to be spiritually perfect before you can get your self-realisation. With the Sahaja Yoga you are not perfect but you can work on trying to become spiritually perfect. The point is that your kundalini does the work for you. All that you have to do is to introspect on your self during meditation. What’s wrong with me? The path of Sahaja Yoga is a much faster and easier method of achieving spiritual perfection than the two Vissuddimagga paths. It’s like putting the roof on the house first and then building up the walls and windows etc rather than the conventional way around.

The methods used by the Vissuddimargga meditation work by trying to subdue the mind. Sahaja Yoga says that instead of trying to subdue or control the mind, which is almost impossible anyway, why not ignore it and simply go beyond it. The Sahaja Yoga meditation is described as thoughtless awareness. Normally it is virtually impossible to do this but in Sahaja Yoga your kundalini simply takes you straight into thoughtless awareness.

In their book ‘From Here to Nirvana’ Anne Cushman and Jerry Jones say that there are five types of yoga: Jhana, Bhakti, Karma, Raja and Hatha. Ramana Maharshi was a Jnana yogi who taught that thinking the thought ‘Who am I’ would eventually lead to self-realisation. This is the mind being used to distinguish between the real and the unreal. Bhakti yoga is the path of love, devotion, and worship. Karma yoga is the path of selfless service. The Karma yogi does not renounce the world but rather seeks to serve humanity in a detached, egoless manner. This leads to self-realisation. Raja yoga is the path taught by the saint Patanjali around the second and third centuries AD. It is a systematic eight-fold path, which works through the quietening of the mind. Raja yoga includes a moral code, positive breath control and a meditation akin to the ‘ path of concentration’ talked about above. Hatha yoga is the classic ‘exercise’ yoga well known to people in the west. Raja and Hatha yoga are usually associated together. Sahaja Yoga includes elements of all the different types of yoga except Hatha Yoga.

References.
(1) From Here to Nirvana. 1998. Anne Cushman and Jerry Jones. Rider Books, London. ISBN 0712670610.

(2) Meditative Mind. 1996. Daniel Goleman Harper Collins Publishers, London. ISBN 07225 347 2

Huntly Reid is an experienced Sahaja Yoga practitoner.

Money

The United States uses the United States dollar ($) as its currency, divided into 100 cents (¢).American bills usually come in denominations of $1, $5, $10 and $20. Denominations of $2, $50 and $100 can also be found, but they are uncommon, especially the $2 bill. All $1, $2, $5, $50 and $100 bills, and older $10 and $20 bills are all green.

The standard coins are the penny (1¢, copper color), the nickel (5¢, silver color), the dime (10¢, silver color) and the quarter (25¢, silver color). Note: The size of American coins does not necessarily correspond to their relative value: the dime is the smallest coin, followed by the penny, nickel and quarter in that order. Large 50¢ and $1 coins are uncommon. $1 coins (silver or gold) slightly larger than a quarter have been introduced, but are uncommon.

There is a large variety of different coins in circulation. In many cases, for a particular denomination the coins will have an identical front but totally different backs. For example, for quarters (25¢), each state is commemorated on the back of the coin. This means that there are 50 different coins, in addition to the traditional eagle and the 1976 bicentennial commemorative quarter.

Conversion

The dollar is one of the world’s most common currencies and is convertible to most other currencies. Conversion rates vary daily and are available online. Foreign currencies are almost never accepted. Canadian currency is sometimes accepted at larger stores within 100 miles of the border, but discounted for the exchange rate.

Some U.S. banks will only change currency for customers. Foreign travelers are often the exception, as long as you have proper identification (passport) and a major currency. It is best to call ahead to verify that you will be able to make the exchange.

Note: It is not common to find currency exchange centers outside of major coastal and border cities, and international airports. Many banks can also provide currency exchange services, though certainly not for large amounts of money. You are best to bring dollars with you from your home country.

ATMs

Most automated teller machines (ATMs) can handle foreign bank cards or credit cards bearing Visa/Plus or MasterCard/Cirrus logo; note, however, that many ATMs charge fees of about $1.50 for use with cards not from the bank operating the ATM (this is often waived for cards issued outside of the USA but then again, banks in one’s home country may charge their own fees). Smaller ATMs found in restaurants etc. often charge higher fees.

Note: For German travelers, customers of “Deutsche Bank” are not charged for withdrawals from ATM machines that are operated by Bank of America. If you intend to use your overseas bank card or credit card, be certain that you have a PIN (personal identification number) that will work internationally (usually 4 digits) and that you know how much each transaction will cost (minimum and percentage exchange rate fees).

Credit Cards

Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely used. Other cards such as American Express and Discover are also accepted, but not as widely. Almost all sit-down restaurants, hotels, and stores will accept credit cards. Authorization is made by signing a sales slip or sometimes a computer pad. When making large purchases, it is fairly typical for stores to ask for picture identification, but no additional security precautions are taken, so guard your cards carefully.

Gas station pumps, selected public transportation vending machines and some other types of automated vending machines often have credit/debit card readers. Note, however, that some automated vending machines accepting credit cards ask for the Zip code of the US billing address for the card, which effectively prevents them from accepting foreign cards. For gas stations, it would be advisable to check first with the station attendant inside.

Traveler’s Checks

It may or may not be wiser to bring traveler’s checks or use the ATM, depending on your bank’s policies. It’s always good to arrive with some currency on hand. Many establishments are unfamiliar with traveler’s checks, and may not know how to process them. You should have no trouble using a traveler’s check at a hotel or tourist site, but you may be out of luck at a grocery store or gas station.

American Express Travel cards would be a safe alternative to traveler’s checks. They work like credit cards but are pre-credited with the amount you determine.

Banking

In order to open a bank account in the United States, the federal government requires that you have a tax identification number or social security number. If you are visiting the United States for a while you can apply for a TIN.

Many “regular” checking accounts offer free online bill paying options. However, be aware, that “free” may not be so. Be sure to read the fine print. There are often other charges tied to checking accounts (which many travelers will know as “chequing” accounts) such as check processing fees, ATM fees and overdrafts.

TIPS!

• Recently many of the paper bills have been redesigned with additional security features including the use of microprinting, colors and larger faces on the bills. Old-design bills, however, are still in circulation. Keep in mind that if you return home with large amounts of old-design bills, your local banks may be unwilling to exchange them for fear of receiving older counterfeits.

• It may be wise to convert money in your home currency into U.S. dollars prior to arriving in the U.S. since it is uncommon to find currency exchange centers outside of major coastal and border cities, and international airports.

• Some establishments will try to disallow the use of credit cards for small purchases, but this practice is forbidden by the credit card companies. You can either pay in cash, or gently remind the cashier that they are required by the credit card companies to take cards for purchases of any amount.

Hilary Basile is a writer for http://www.myguidesusa.com

At MyGuidesUSA.com, you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. StateGuidesUSA.com (http://www.stateguidesusa.com), part of the MyGuidesUSA.com network of sites, provides comprehensive information for those living, working and traveling in the United States via 50 individual state portals.

At present there are many business scams on the internet,and it can be time-consuming to find those which are legal and legitimate. Nobody wants to be scammed by a home business, whereby losing all their hard earned cash.

I’m glad to say many work at home businesses are legitimate,in fact most quality home income sites display the best business icons from the best business bureau. This means they only advertise honest home income jobs.These are ideal for people wanting to earn extra income from the comfort of their own home.

One of these business ideas includes filling out online surveys. There are many people who complain that these such jobs don’t work financially-they never realise that patience and hard work is required in any home job success.

Filling out online surveys is a proper way that you can begin earning money online today. Companies around the world,especially the larger ones,have already been conducting online surveys for some time now.

They then research these surveys to determine whether their products are fit for supply to consumers-or if the products need to be re-designed or whatever for consumer success!. Anyway if doing paid surveys appeals to you,and you’ve been searching for a home-based business, then you can start to earn extra money from your home computer-with these online cash programs.

You can be rest assured that these companies are legitimate, and you will NOT run the risk of being scammed. These surveys are easy to complete ,and fun to do. You are providing a great service to the big companies ,who in turn produce better products and services for consumers. Big multinational companies have massive advertising budgets… and they want YOUR opinions fast.

Phil Butler writes quality articles on the niche of home business and affiliate marketing. He is also the Webmaster of Moneyfromhome-works.com. Go here to find your new online work at home jobs Work at home income

PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the author’s resource box with live website link.

Once upon a time we just sent slides to editors. Now they want digital images at “300 dpi” as “TIFFs” or “JPEGs.” But what does that mean? Many of us have known the frustration of having large digital files rejected because they weren’t saved at 300 dpi. Sometimes editors aren’t really sure how resolution and print size work, either, and a simple change in resolution would make those photos suitable for print.

Vocabulary

dpi - Dpi, or dots per inch, is similar to ppi, pixels per inch. Dpi merely indicates how many dots (pixels on screen) will be printed. More dots per inch means more detail in the printed photo, so most publications require digital images to be saved at 300 dpi. But be careful! A small image saved at 300 dpi may have less image information than a large image saved at 150 dpi. This is why it’s also important to know the image size.

Image size or dimensions - Image size in inches, centimeters, or total number of pixels per side indicates how large the digital image will print on paper. Image size and dpi together form the image’s resolution.

Resolution - Resolution is a measurement of how much detail (dpi) will be printed in an image of a certain size (image size).

Resizing and Resampling Your Images in PhotoShop(tm)

Here’s how to make sure your images are saved correctly. First, check the publication’s guidelines. Most publications will ask for a certain dpi, usually 300. You want to save your image at 300 dpi with the largest dimensions possible. This can be done in many image programs, but Adobe PhotoShop(tm) is one of the most popular:

1. Open the image.

2. Find the menu command that says “Image Size” (under Image: Resize).

3. Make note of the pixel dimensions (height and width). These will change when you change the dpi, but you want to change them back so the picture won’t be blurry.

4. Change number in the Resolution box to 300 (this is the dpi).

5. Change the pixel dimensions back to their original numbers.

6. The Document Size in inches (or centimeters) will now be smaller. Since this is the size the image will print at, think about how large the photo will be in the publication. If the Document Size is very small, your camera may not produce images suitable for print publications. Otherwise, you’re good to go! Save the image and send to your editor.

PhotoShop(tm) also offers a Batch Processing option that can help you fix the dpi and document size on several photos at once to save time.

Format

Finally, there’s format. For the most part, authors don’t need to worry about this, but some publications have specific requirements, so it helps to be familiar with the differences between image file formats.

RAW - A special format used primarily by digital SLR cameras. RAW files are very large and rarely submitted for publication directly. Most people who are not professional photographers don’t have to worry about them.

JPEG or JPG - The most common image format, used by most consumer and “prosumer” digital cameras (”point-and-shoots”). JPEGs are “lossy,” which means every time the image is edited and saved, some information is lost so the file can be compressed. A JPEG file that has been saved many times starts to get pixelated “artifacts” and the image will look fuzzy.

TIFF or TIF - Some publications ask for TIFF files, which are “lossless.” TIFF files can be edited and saved many times without losing information. They tend to be larger than JPEGs.

An image editing program like PhotoShop(tm) can be used to convert images from JPEG to TIFF and vice versa using the “Save As” command.

Digital image resolution can be confusing for both writers and editors, but if you remember to consider both the image size and dpi, saving your images correctly is easy.

Melissa Barton is a freelance writer, editor and photographer, specializing in science and travel writing. Her credits include Geotimes, Transitions Abroad, Student Health 101 and other publications. Visit her online at Rosetta Stones Freelancing (http://www.rosettastones.net).

Many online Companies which generate massive profits by selling their product or service ,do so by affiliate marketing. Most of the affiliates are paid about 20 to 50 percent on each sale produced via their websites or pay-per-click ads. These sales are completed on the number of clicks ,listings ,leads and sales between the online company and the affiliate.

A best example of affiliate programs at work ,is the number of online e-books Available on the world-wide-web. You may want to become an affiliate for online companies,and generate profits from sales made by visitors,transferred to your site.

Many thousands of people who generate additional income are doing so this way!.Indeed many people are making 5-6 figure profits by working at home.

But how does it work,and how can you earn money from it ?.

If you have a web site- this works by placing a link or links in the form of banners or text on your site, that will direct traffic to the online company website. If your traffic clicks on the link and purchases a product,sign up for a newsletter, or receives information requiring payment-you get paid!. It’s as simple as that !.

The great part of this for affiliates is that it comes without a charge and is simple to do, you recommend your site to guests for something they will surely like, somebody else does all the effort of giving the product or service, you merely get the payments.

The following are the things being offered by affiliate marketing:

Affiliate marketing businesspersons have their own scheme for compensation organization and they are:

* Pay per sale - affiliate takes a compensation from each sale being produced from affiliate links or ads.

* Pay per lead - affiliate takes a compensation for each direct/guide produced from affiliate links or ads.

* Pay per click - affiliate takes a compensation for each click produced from affiliate links or ads.

Listed below are some of the tips given to every affiliates who want to earn money from this program:

1. Clickbank is the no.1 resource for affiliate programs-search for the top earning programs here !.

2. Select affiliate programs that will ensure to compensate you 20-50 percent or above of the actual price of deal.

3. Begin on your own interest. In this manner, you are sure to work happy and willingly and treat affiliate marketing as a simple hobby.

4. Money, Commerce, Computer Software and e-books are all great ideas for you to begin in your affiliate marketing success !.

Now if you are already determined to involve yourself in affiliate marketing, it may be suitable for you to find laser targeted web traffic and encourage them to visit your sites and start promoting the product and services.

CBmall is an online affiliate store - here you will find many quality products to make money from!.

Phil Butler writes quality articles on the niche of home business and affiliate marketing. He is also the Webmaster of Moneyfromhome-works.com. Go here to find your new online work at home jobs…

Work at home income

PERMISSIONS TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in its entirety free of charge, electronically or in print, provided it appears with the author’s resource box with live website link.

Cheap car insurance in Philadelphia relies heavily on a number of factors. A Pennsylvania car insurance company will ask questions and request information about:

–Your driving record (number of points, violations, at-fault accidents)
–Your gender, age, and the number of years you’ve been driving (older females with several years driving experience tend to get the cheapest rates)
–Your vehicle (make, model, year, additional safety and anti-theft features)
–Your location (high crime rate, low crime rate)
–Where you store your vehicle when not driving it (especially important if you live in an area with a high crime rate)
–Your credit history (which may take a year or so to repair if it’s not quite impressive)

Cheap car insurance in Philadelphia is affected by these factors, but drivers can change several of them. For example, you can move to a safer neighborhood or begin storing your vehicle in a safer place; purchase a safer vehicle or add safety features to your existing vehicle; and work on improving your driving record and credit score.

You’ll just have to wait for some factors to change on their own, though. You’ll eventually grow older, and you’ll begin to rack up years of driving experience as you grow older. Pennsylvania car insurance companies view older, more experienced drivers as being less risky to insure than younger, less experienced drivers. Don’t worry though - once you get a few years experience and age behind you, you’ll have a better chance at cheap car insurance in Philadelphia.

One factor can’t be changed: your gender. Sure, you can undergo a sex change operation, but doing so in order to get cheap car insurance in Philadelphia? It’s highly unlikely this is a route you’ll take. Based on statistics, female drivers are safer drivers than male drivers. Don’t be discouraged: just because you’re male does not mean you can’t be viewed as a safe driver, too.

For free quotes and a lot of information about insurance please visit the following
recommended sites.

Get Cheap Car Insurance in Philadelphia Here
Get Great Information and Advice on Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance Quotes and Companies Here