Reading a book while washing the dishes is an impossibility — unless you have a dishwasher. But with the advent of audio books, you can now enjoy a good book while doing just about anything. For instance, have you ever thought about learning a new language? Audio book courses can give you an edge in learning a new language or skill; they can even help you increase your spiritual and mental awareness while you go about your daily life.

With downloadable audio books and an mp3 player, you now have the freedom to absorb information and gain new knowledge in almost any situation. You can be inspired by a volume of poetry while you walk the dog, or laugh along to a humorous play on your way to work.

We live in an era that presents possibilities like never before. For example, you can now transport your important business files, music and even famous works of art right in your very own pocket. The ability to “multi-task” is almost essential in the fast-paced world that exists today. Thankfully, we have adapted by creating impressive new technologies to help us do just that.

Technologies have been developed allow us to take in information and entertain ourselves while we carry out our daily tasks. Of course, there are situations when multi-tasking with audio books would be inappropriate, such as if you are in a business meeting, for example. It would not impress your boss at all if she hears you repeating Spanish phrases while she is going over the quarterly reports.

However, many people find that listening to audio books as they perform the more mundane day-to-day tasks, like cleaning the house or cross-referencing a stamp collection, makes these chores easier and much more enjoyable. Audio books make it possible for students to cram for the big exam while cleaning up after last week’s bash. Business professionals can brush up on their Japanese before the big business trip as they tend to the garden.

A large majority of audio book users report that listening to their audio books while doing their chores actually reduces their stress levels and improves the quality of their work. One theory suggests that this is due to the fact that the brain is performing more than one function at the same time and exercising areas that aren’t normally used to carry out these tasks.

These are just some of the reasons audio books are treasured by those among us who simply do not have the time to devote to reading a book.

Margret Lilin is the webmaster at AudioBookFanClub.com, an online mega store that provides a wide selection of discounted audio books in various categories. The site constantly gives away surprise gifts and bonuses to subscribers and customers.

To search for bargain MP3 players please visit our sister site IncomePlaza.com

You are welcome to reprint and republish this article to your websites, blogs, ezines, online and off-line newsletters, etc as long as you do NOT change the article in full or in part, leave all of the links active, and the resource box is intact.

Have you ever heard of a Kubotan, mini-stick, or self-defense keychain? Whether you have or haven’t…

Imagine a night, like any other night. The cool air, perhaps a light breeze, with only the sights and sounds of the city for company. A solitary figure walks alone along an apparently empty street. Until, out of the shadows, another figure appears and the unthinkable happens. An assault is about to occur to another innocent, peaceful person seeking only to get where they’re going.

In another story - in another time and place, this situation could have a very different ending. But, this is not just any night. It’s not just any place with any characters. At least, not as far as the attacker is concerned.

No, tonight should be just any other night. The criminal assailant, skilled at what he does from the experience gained from countless other nights, assumes that his victim will comply like all the rest. If they resist, as others have tried, they will simply be beaten or worse as compliance is necessary. In fact, in this attacker’s mind, it’s demanded!

But, unbeknownst to this subhuman, bent on taken what he wants rather than working for it with respect and honor like the rest of us, his world is about to change - his illusions about his own superiority or ability to be in charge of these situations, crushed.

Imagine, as the assailant is doing, how the poor, lonely victim, surprised by the sudden appearance of this unknown stranger, is overtaken be fear and a sense of panic and bewilderment. Imagine how they must feel as their heart sinks - their breathing changes - their heart begins to race and pound ferociously in their chest.

Can you imagine what being in a situation like that must feel like? Can you?

The assailant can. Because he’s planned for it. He knows how little attention people in general give to the world around them, to say nothing of the attention they give to their own safety and self-defense until it’s too late.

So, he steps from the darkness and confronts his victim. He watches the rather bland, but calm, look of a person doing what they always do, change into the startled, confused, and contorted shape that he’s looking for. He senses his own elation and rise in confidence as he sees the signs that tell him that his ploy, like so many times before, is working.

But then, just as he takes hold of his would-be victim - just as he’s spitting the commands for money and the threat of punishment for not complying, he senses a strange feeling unlike any he’s ever felt before. At least not in this situation.

Suddenly there is a crushing, almost burning-like pain focused in his grabbing hand and radiating up his arm. He feels his knees unconsciously bend as they somehow lose the strength necessary to stand. Though he tries, his body seems to be completely out of his own control.

Across from him but intimately connected through responding actions, the defender’s face changes from its initial look of surprise at the change in circumstance to look of contempt and intense commitment. As she digs a small, metal bar, no bigger than a marker into the small bones on the back of her assailant’s hand, she watches his legs give out.

That’s all the confirmation she needs to tell her that the technique she learned so many months ago in a self-defense class was working perfectly. As they assailant struggled to regain control of his own body, the defender suddenly changes tactics and slams the blunt end of her small, almost hidden weapon into her attacker’s temple, sending his head back and to the side.

Recognizing a new target open up as his head moves in response to the bone-jarring strike she just delivered, she drops the weapon, known as a Kubotan, or self-defense keychain, down into his shoulder, just behind the attacker’s collar bone. Hooking the tiny weapon behind the clavicle, she pulls toward herself, grinding the metal implement into the thin and highly sensitive bone.

The assailant, once weak in the knees from the initial attack to his hand, is now reeling in pain and dazed from the powerful shot to the side of his head. The overwhelm caused by the combination of attacks and the resultant short circuiting of his nervous system causes him to drop to his knees before his assumed victim. Now firmly in control of the situation and standing over her damaged and confused would-be assailant, the defender, with a final look that says, “how dare you even think that you could do this to me!”, delivers another bone-crushing strike to her attacker’s face with a well-place knee before running off into the night and back into her life.

Imagine, seeing a lone, solitary figure, sprawled out on a dark street. The now motionless figure, a man who once had the misguided notion that everyone else in the world was a victim from which he could take what he wanted without respect or concern, lies unconscious and still.

Sounds like a commercial, doesn’t it? Except it’s a scene that has been played out more than a few times involving a small, simple, and easy to learn and use weapon known as a Kubotan, or simply a self-defense keychain. A powerful little weapon that can turn even someone with little to no formal self-defense training into any attacker’s worst nightmare.

This simple story shows how the lives of two people, would-be attacker and victim, experienced firsthand the power and effectiveness of this inconspicuous little weapon. And the results changed both of their lives forever.

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. A senior teacher in the Japanese warrior art of Ninjutsu, he specializes in teaching the ancient ways of self-protection and personal development lessons in a way that is easily understood and put to use by modern Western students and corporate clients. He is the author of the book, href="http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/kubotan-book.html">KUBOTAN: Self-Defense Keychain and the best selling Safety DVD, href="http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/self-defense-video-danger-prevention-tactics.html">Danger Prevention Tactics: Protecting Yourself Like a Pro To learn more about self-defense and other subjects related to the martial arts, self-protection, personal development & self-improvement, you can subscribe to his online newsletter, at href="http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/newsletter.html">http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/newsletter.html

One of the most effective classroom management strategies a teacher can use is also the strategy that teachers are most skeptical of.

Why?

I’m not sure…

This simple teaching strategy has a positive impact on the student-teacher relationship and greatly reduces classroom management issues and behavior problems.

Of course, there is more than a slight connection between the teacher-student relationship and classroom management.

So what’s this simple teaching tip?

Teachers need to give their students a break…

That’s right an actual 2-3 minute break during class.

Now many teachers may say that there is no way they can give a 2-3 minute break in the middle of their 50-minute class when they are already so pressed for time. To those teachers I say, “I am willing to give a 2-minute break to get the other 48 minutes back.”

The fact is, if you give a 2-minute break you can get so much more out of the rest of class.

Of course, you must teach this procedure just like you must teach every procedure (teach the students exactly how much time they have, what they can do and can not do, and exactly what you expect of them when the timer signals that break-time is over.)

I promise you, if you do this right you will be amazed at the results.
I use this teaching strategy with my own 8th grade social studies classes and I can honestly say that when that timer signals that their break is over…you’ve never seen 14 year-olds get back in their seats and ready to work faster.

Break-time for students is truly a powerful teaching tip!
However, like all the teaching tips I suggest, I can not make you try it…only you can do that…

Along with teaching middle school social studies full-time, I also teach a course on classroom management as an adjunct professor at a local college. Recently, one of my college students confided in me that she thought I was absolutely nuts to suggest she give her 7th grade math students a break during class time.

But, she decided to have an open mind and gave it a try. This is the difference between an effective teacher and an ineffective teacher. The effective teacher is willing to take risks.

Needless to say the student was thrilled with the results. She set a timer, gave her students specific directions, and when that timer went off signaling their break was over, those students got right back in their seats, were refreshed, and motivated to learn.

Giving students a break during class time does not only aide in classroom management, but it also contributes to building on that critical teacher-student relationship.

Want to improve your relationship with your students? To gain an arsenal of effective teaching strategies that will improve your relationship with your students, make sure to read “eTeach: A Teacher Resource for Learning the Strategies of Master Teachers” @ http://www.TeachingTeacher.com

Invisible Filaments and Vortexes in Space

In the author’s article Acupuncture Meridians and the Cosmic Spider Web it was noted that astronomers have actually detected a “universal web”. Vast filaments of hot gas tracing the web have been “seen”. Astronomers using NASA’s X-ray satellite observatory, Chandra, “viewed” the filaments stretching for millions of light years through space, with one passing through our own galaxy. Astronomers say that the filamentary structures are so hot that it would generally be invisible to optical, infrared, and radio telescopes. These filaments connect rotating galaxies and form circuits with currents flowing through them. Being invisible, they are by definition components of “dark matter and energy”. They can only be detected indirectly by radiation from matter that condenses around them.

Invisible Filaments and Vortexes within Subtle Bodies

Just as the universe generates a web of filamentary currents (or filaments) that plays an important part in the large scale structure of the universe, the subtle body of a human being generates a web of filamentary currents – which has been identified as a web of (acupuncture) “meridians” by the Chinese and “nadis” by the Indians. These currents are more formally identified in plasma metaphysics as “Birkeland currents” i.e. currents that form when charged particles course through magnetic field lines. These meridians are invisible and form circuits with currents flowing through them. Nevertheless, they have been detected indirectly by radiation from matter that was injected into them. The large scale structure of the universe, with a web of filaments punctuated with rotating galaxies, undoubtedly bears a strong resemblance to the web of acupuncture meridians or nadis punctuated with rotating chakras (or vortexes) and acupoints that is found in the etheric components of the physical body.

Earth’s Unexplained Electromagnetic Field

Blake Levitt, in his book, Electromagnetic Fields, notes that the natural background voltage increases with altitude. Between the lowest layers of the ionosphere and the Earth’s surface, there are about 360,000 volts; from the top of the Empire State Building to the sidewalks at its base, there are approximately 40,000 volts; and between the head of a six-foot man and the sidewalk, approximately 200 volts. At the Earth’s surface, the voltage is approximately 100. This sounds alarming, but in fact hardly any shock potential exists because there is (apparently) no current; it appears to be just background voltage and static DC fields. Scientists know very little about this huge reservoir of natural power — how it functions or what governs it. Just like the pattern of voltage gradients over the biomolecular body studied by Robert Becker, Harold Burr and others, the pattern of voltage gradients over our planet is difficult to explain — based on current scientific theories.

Perhaps, just like us, the Earth has a subtle electromagnetic body – often referred to by metaphysicists as the “physical-etheric” body. It can also be identified with Earth’s dark matter halo – as described in the author’s article Earth’s Dark Matter Halo. According to plasma metaphysics, both subtle bodies and Earth’s dark matter halo is composed of a magnetic plasma of super (i.e. supersymmetric) particles.

Earth’s 3d-Double

There are two physical-etheric planes and bodies. The lower (energy) physical-etheric plane is an extension of our home universe – it is not actually a separate universe. The higher (energy) physical-etheric universe is a separate universe – although it has the same spacetime signature as our home universe. As the name implies, it is a physical universe — and has 3 space dimensions and 1 time dimension just like its physical-dense counterpart. However, it has a higher energy level, reversed charge and reversed parity (i.e. it is spatially reversed – being a “right-handed” universe as opposed to our “left-handed” universe). Matter and force particles in our universe are reflected as (more massive) force and matter particles, respectively, in the higher energy 3d-Double universe. In other words, Earth’s 3d-Double is like a mirror-image of the physical-dense Earth that is ordinarily visible to us. The spatial relationship between the two ‘Earths’ can be explained through an analogy: Imagine a figure on the left page of a book and its mirror image on the right page; then fold the two pages so that they come close to each other. Under M Theory, the 3d-Double universe could be classified as a “3-brane” universe which is “less than a millimeter away from our home brane.” In this case, the analogy would be of two flat branes folded over each other and less than a millimeter apart.

The Earth’s 3d-Double probably has a “tear-drop” shape (like the physical-dense Earth’s magnetosphere) due to the solar wind from the physical-etheric Sun. It can be considered a planet (in its own right) in a physical 3-brane, which shares the same gravitational field as the physical-dense Earth. Although co-rotating with the physical-dense Earth, being larger, it possesses a rotational speed which is somewhat slower. Hence, a day in Earth’s 3d-Double would be slightly longer than a day in the physical-dense Earth (assuming it is measured at the same geometrical point on the two near-spheres).

Invisible Filaments and Vortexes on Earth

Shells, electrified sheaths and filamentary currents are signature structures of magnetic plasma. Filamentary currents are present not only in space but in our subtle bodies and also within and enveloping both the lower and higher physical-etheric components of the Earth. These filaments are what have been called “ley lines”, “dragon lines” or simply “energy lines” which are alluded to in Chinese Feng-Shui studies and elsewhere (for example in the practice called “Earth acupuncture”).

The terrestrial Birkeland currents (in the lower physical-etheric plane) that circle the Earth are invisible from its surface, with the exception of auroral discharges. These currents originate far from Earth and they flow into the upper polar atmosphere and out of it along magnetic field lines of the Earth. The currents from space that flow through the polar regions via the auroras continue into the Earth’s magnetic field lines to cover the Earth with weak Birkeland currents. These Birkeland currents are the ley lines of the lower physical etheric plane in the metaphysical literature. There are also ley lines associated with the higher physical-etheric body or Earth’s 3d-Double. As explained in the author’s book Our Invisible Bodies, subtle bodies, including orbs (which evidence the nuclei associated with subtle bodies), travel along Birkeland currents by redistributing charges on their bodies. Ley lines interpenetrate the Earth (like Earth’s magnetic field lines) – they do not necessarily follow the contour of the surface of the Earth.

The structure of filaments and vortexes has been characterized very often as a spider’s web. Native American peoples have referred to the network of currents on Earth as the “Spider Woman’s Web”. Francis Hitching described ley lines as “the radial threads on a spider’s web.” According to Tom Graves, the lines form the “focal points in a vast multilayered cobweb somewhat reminiscent of a micrograph of nerve cells and their ganglia” and are “the circulation and nervous system of the body of Earth.” Some consider Earth as a living being; and like human beings the Earth has meridians (filaments) and chakras (vortexes).

When the ley lines (or filaments) cross they “pinch”, collapsing to form nodes with intense magnetic fields, which give rise to vortexes (or chakras) within our planet as charged super particles (such as qi, prana and kundalini) rush in using helical or spiral paths. Depending on the direction of spin, vortexes can either absorb or emit energy. Vortexes which emit energy are probably the ones that have been identified as “holy” or “sacred” sites by various spiritual traditions. These sites are also sometimes identified as “warps” in the paranormal literature. This is not surprising – just as practically every galaxy has a black hole (which warps spacetime) lurking behind it, every Earth chakra has an intense magnetic node which may have similar effects.

Ley lines, or leys, connect ancient holy sites — just as cosmic filaments connect galaxies in space and meridians connect chakras in our subtle bodies. Ley lines are in fact Birkeland currents. Birkeland currents imply electric circuits that comply with Kirchhoff’s circuit laws. Chinese acupuncture often describes the various meridians in subtle bodies as ‘microcosmic orbits’ or circuits. In the same way that a person can be healed by Chinese acupuncture, sites on Earth can be healed by “Earth acupuncture” – making the site more conducive to receive incoming energy by multiplying and enlarging pathways.

Conclusion

There are networks of Birkeland currents (or webs of filamentary currents) in the subtle bodies of the universe, the Earth and even our own bodies. These various networks are interconnected – like the circulatory system in our biomolecular bodies – with large arteries connecting to smaller arteries and capillaries. And just like the circulatory system the network distributes and transfers energy from one point to another. This forms a complex energy system connecting us to the universe. The currents that give rise to the auroras on Earth originate far from the Earth and connect to the Earth as a whole though the global magnetic field. Individual human energy systems are therefore integral components of the universal energy system.

“The human energy system is like an electric power plant that runs in patterned circuits…This energy system forms a microcosm of the universal energy patterns that run like templates throughout nature and the cosmos, from the galactic and solar systems down to the cellular, molecular, and atomic levels of existence.” - Daniel Reid

© Copyright Jay Alfred 2007

Jay Alfred is the author of three books on a new field called “plasma metaphysics”. The books include Our Invisible Bodies, Brains and Realities and Between the Moon and Earth. Plasma metaphysics is the application of plasma and dark matter physics to the study of our high energy subtle bodies and their corresponding environments. These bodies include the “bioplasma” bodies and “astral” bodies found in the metaphysical literature. Plasma metaphysics provides an internally consistent framework for the study of these bodies against the backdrop of modern physics. The books are available at Amazon online bookstores.

If you read the newspapers, you probably see a lot of stories about the health problems that the country is facing. You see headlines of people suffering from heart attacks, cancer, and other illnesses, but you may not have heard an easy (and delicious) solution to some of these headlines - beer.

Remember, that you should definitely consume all alcoholic beverages in moderation, and if you have any questions about whether this will benefit your health, you should talk to your doctor. Ok, we’ve told you the legal disclaimer, let’s get down to the facts and the research that show that beer, consumed in moderation, can actually help your health.

So how can beer help you to keep you healthy? Well, studies have found that it can actually be good for your heart, just like wine. If you are worried about your heart health, you should obviously exercise and eat right, but drinking two beers a day for men (and one for women), may give some people an extra boost. Remember, the advice is one to two beers a day, so drinking three or four beers a day won’t triple or quadruple these effects of the beer.

What exactly can beer do to help your heart? Well, according to a study done by Tufts University, the consumption of beer in moderate amounts can decrease your cholesterol level, reduce the amount of fibrinogen in your blood (which is a protein that is responsible for blood clotting), and increase the level of antioxidants in your body.

Are all beers created equally? Not really, because although you can get health benefits from all beers, dark beers are actually better for your health than lighter colored beers. Dark beer contains more flavonoids than light beer. Flavonoids come from plants, and are also found in chocolate and red wine. What are the benefits of flavonoids? Flavonoids have been proven to prevent cancer and promote a healthy heart. Sure, you can find flavonoids in other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, but they are also present in high numbers in dark beer.

If heart disease runs in your family, you may want to listen to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, which found in their research that drinking a moderate amount of beer daily can decrease your risk of coronary disease by about 30-40%. This is a great study to show your wife when she complains about you drinking a beer or two every evening. You can just reply with “Sorry honey. I’m doing it for us, not for me.”

No longer do beer drinkers have to switch to wine if they want to get the health benefits of alcohol, because now they can get them from their favorite beverage. Of course, if you want more information about the effects of beer on your health, you should definitely consult your physician. Beer drinking can be dangerous for people who have certain health conditions or who take some medications. If you are already a casual beer drinker, you don’t have to give it up to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Love beer ? Check out theses beer t-shirts

The Legend of Bass Reeves: Being the True and Fictional Account of the Most Valiant Marshall in the West
(Gary Paulsen, Wendy Lamb Books)

Ten year-old Bass Reeves and his mother were slaves on Mister’s ranch. Bass managed the ranch almost by himself. There is another slave on the ranch named Flowers, who couldn’t talk because “…he was whipped and beaten, and it made the thinking part of his brain shut down.” The three worked under the watchful eye of mean-spirited Mister.

When Mister drank he got even meaner. He taught Bass to play cards so he could have some company. After Bass got good at cards Mister put up the money for Bass to play, starting with nickels until they got to fifty cents. One night when Bass had won all his money, Mister bet Bass his, and his mother’s freedom. Bass was nearly 17 and longing to be a free man.

Then he caught Mister cheating. Mister threw down his cards and hit Bass in the head. Bass hit him back. Enraged, Mister pulled his gun on Bass. Knowing that he was about to die, Bass hit him with a whiskey jug. Mister went down. Bass believed he had killed Mister. When she heard the shot, his mother came running. In no time, Bass was running for his life, never to see his mother again. He escaped to Indian Territory and began his life as a free man.

Bass survived on deer and buffalo that he hunted. He learned to read the sounds and movements all around him. Once he had to kill two men in self-defense. Another time he saved a little Creek (Indian)girl from being killed by three wolves. He lived with the Creek nation for 22 years.

The historic legend of Bass Reeves really began when he was fifty-one. The US government needed someone familiar with the Indian Territory to be a marshall and they recruited Bass Reeves. From 1862 until 1907 Bass Reeves was a US Marshall bringing in fugitives. In 1907, the town of Muskogee asked eighty-one year old Bass Reeves to be the town constable. His story is exciting and worthy of investigation.

Dorothy L. Ferebee is the author of How to Create Your Own African American Library (published by One World/Ballantine/Random House) and the owner of http://www.booksforblacks.net. Ferebee is also on the staff of NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

If you enjoy drinking beer, but don’t enjoy the high prices of going to a bar or restaurant for a decent brew, you can brew your own beer in your kitchen. If you are tired of paying a lot of money for beer that you think tastes like cat piss, you should consider brewing it yourself.

Beer brewing is not really a difficult thing to do, if you have a bit of patience, you can really get a great tasting beer the first time you brew. If you want to do a bit of home brewing for the first time, you are probably going to want to get a kit that will help you. Then, invite a few friends to come over and give you a hand. Don’t forget that brewing beer isn’t an instant process, so you will have to buy a couple of six packs to tide you over until it is ready.

If you can boil water, you can make a delicious beer (and if you can’t boil water, don’t worry, there are several kits that you can buy, which you don’t even need to boil water to make). Don’t worry; you don’t really need a lot of equipment to get a great tasting beer. You will need at least one large container to store the beer in while it is fermenting (impress your friends by calling it a ‘carboy’), a large pan (to boil water and mix ingredients in), a siphon tube, and a hydrometer (which will tell you whether the beer is done or not).

To make your first batch of beer, you are going to follow three basic steps: clean, brew and bottle. If this is your first time brewing, it may take a bit longer, but once you have the hang of it, the cleaning and brewing part of the beer making process should take about 90 minutes for each batch.

If you want great tasting beer, you need to make sure that you have the best water and clean equipment. If your containers are dirty, it is definitely going to affect the way that your beer tastes. If you don’t want to sanitize your stuff, make sure that you delegate the task to someone who will.

Brewing is about as easy as boiling water and stirring in the ingredients. The amount of each ingredient is going to change depending on the type of beer you are brewing, but all you have to do is boil some of the water and add the grains. Follow the instructions for the particular type of beer that you are making. The last step is to add the yeast, which will start the fermentation process.

Then the hard part begins: waiting. It takes at least five days for the beer to be ready for bottling, and depending on the type of beer, it can take a lot more time (which is why you are now glad that you took the advice of buying a couple of six packs to tide you over).

If you want your beer to look as great as it will taste, you can put them in glass bottles. This is the final step, and one that every brew master will like, because the sooner you put the last cap on the bottle, the sooner you can get out the bottle opener and pop open one of your handcrafted beers.

Love beer? Find beer t-shirts at http://www.twistpoptops.com

The hard drive disk of a computer is the primary storage device of the computer. It is a non-removable device that retains all the information when the computer is turned off. A fast hard drive supplies the computer with data as fast as it needs. Hard drives are measured in Gigabytes (GB) and the larger the number, the more storage the computer has. When looking at purchasing a new home computer or laptop, it is important to understand how the hard drive works with your computer and how much storage capacity you will need.

When saving information on your computer, the application is recorded on a magnetic platter inside the hard drive. Most hard drives have several platters that allow them to spin up to 15,000 times per minute. The amount of hard drive space the computer has will affect how much data that can be saved. The data on a hard drive can be deleted or erased from the memory at any time and does not need a constant power supply to save the information.

It used to be that hard drives were small and had a capacity of no more than 5 MB, now most new computers and laptops have no less than 40 GB. Some hard drive capacities can exceed 120 GB. Today, computers with these capabilities can store a massive amount of information, videos and photos without getting bogged down.

Choosing a hard drive can be confusing if you are not familiar with what to look for. Hard drives can have a very high capacity and they can be very small. It is important when looking at hard drive for your computer or laptop to know what you need. Performance in a hard drive can vary dramatically. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to save information and learning your hard drive is full. If you plan on using your hard drive to store a minimum amount of information, you may not need to spend the extra money on a bigger hard drive.

For storing large files, videos, music and pictures, your computer will need to be equipped with a larger amount of hard drive space. You can purchase 160 GB and bigger of hard drive space on most computers. The general rule of thumb for purchasing hard drive space is to purchase the largest amount of space you think you will need and that you can afford.

Price is another factor when choosing the right hard drive size. The most common size of hard drive for the money ranges from 60 to 80 gigabytes. These hard drive sizes are readily available on most operating systems. They are a good economical choice for computer users needing the computer for everyday storage and use.

Besides the size of the hard drive and purchase price consider access times and transfer rates when looking at hard drives. The transfer rate is how much data can be transferred per second. This can vary though, depending on the condition of the computer. A computer that is nearly full may have a much slower transfer rate.

Transfer rates come in either internal or external. The internal transfer rate is how fast the hard drive can read the date. The external transfer rate is how fast the drive can speed data to whatever it is connected to. Usually, the transfer rate will be a little slower than listed, so it is best to get a faster transfer rate. The external rate is link to the type of hard drive that the computer is using.

Be aware that hard drive speed is affect by the computer’s capabilities. If your computer is slow, a bigger and faster hard drive will do you little good. Also, if your computer is operating slowly, a bogged down hard drive may be the problem. If your computer system is running slow, deleting unnecessary files from the hard drive. Defrag is another option used to optimize slow hard drive systems.

Fragmentation of the hard drive occurs when the operating system breaks a saved file into separate pieces and stores them in other places. This usually happens when there is not enough room to store all the date. Defrag takes those stored file fragments and pieces them back together again. The process can be time consuming, but is a good way to optimize hard drive space and the speed of the computer.

Peter Dobler is a veteran in the IT business. His passion for experimenting with new internet marketing strategies leads him to explore new niche markets.
Read more about his experience with home electronics; visit http://home-theater-systems.tip4u2.com

First, let’s talk about what MLM really is. MLM is simply a multi-tiered way of selling products and/or services through a direct channel of mostly part time distributors or associates. You have likely heard of some of the more well known ones such as Amway, Avon, Tupperware and Mary Kay. Amway is considered the grandaddy of them all, getting its start in 1959. There are several facets to MLM to develop an income stream that will generate the extra money a distributor is looking to add to their bottom line on a month-to-month basis. This includes direct selling, home parties, fundraisers and residual income. This last, residual income, is where the potentially large money can be made. Residual income is dependent upon a distributor building a downline, a group of distributors under them that are doing the same thing, that is selling product and recruiting their own distributors. This builds a “tree” not unlike a genealogy tree with you at the top. Typical commissions on your downline’s volume or quantity of products sold each month vary from program to program but tends to average 5% to 10% of total volume for the entire downline. Now that you better understand what MLM is, let’s look at some of the myths generated by the public and media that do not understand how this truly works.

Myth #1: It’s a scam
Bottom Line: This myth is generally perpetrated by former MLM’ers that were miserable failures. So you ask why were they failures? Any number of reasons could have led to their failure. Some were self-inflicted like not knowing what they were getting into, not knowing the business or product they were trying to pitch to other factors they were not responsible for such as no support or training (See #5 below)

Myth #2: It’s expensive to get started
Bottom Line: In most cases, no. Understand, though, that some MLM companies have an inexpensive way to get in but push you for the more expensive option, enticing you with better wholesale prices by buying into the more expensive option. Of course, better wholesale prices translate to bigger sales when selling at retail. They make this look very attractive and most people will opt for the more expensive plan without researching what they are going to sell, how best to sell it and how fast can they turn over the larger quantity of product they just bought.

Myth #3: All the money’s already been made
Bottom Line:…it depends. The factors that determine if this is a truth or myth is the maturity of the company (how long has it been in business), how many distributors they have (competition) and how common is the product (market saturation). Some good examples where this may be true includes Amway, Avon, Tupperware and Mary Kay. All these have name recognition and for good reason. They have been around a long time, their products are well known and everyone seems to be selling the products. Because of competition and market saturation, a new distributor is not likely to succeed too well. There are exceptions. Among the exceptions could be a smaller market or rural area where the products are not well known or the number of distributors is small or non-existent.

Myth #4: The products are overpriced
Bottom Line: Generally speaking, no. Most products are priced competitively with the rest of the market. Take great care when evaluating product pricing to insure you are comparing apples-to-apples. A lot of products are unique in the composition or make up of the product. Examples include weight loss products, candles and makeup. You need to be sure you are comparing general store bought products of the same composition or makeup as the product of the MLM company.

Myth #5: No one wants to help you after you sign up.

Bottom Line: This is generally not true. A distributor who wants to make money, especially residual income, will do everything in their power to support and train their downline. It is in their best interest because they make money as their downline grow their respective businesses and recruit their own distributors. Of course, this is no guarantee as you might find yourself signed up under a soon-to-be former MLM’er who is becoming disenfranchised with the business because they don’t know what they are doing and are no help to anyone else (see #1 above). To avoid this, be sure YOU know what you are doing, about the company, its products, your competition and product competition. You can also bypass your immediate upline person and get training and support from their upline.

If you are looking to start a home based business, MLM can be the way to go. No, this is NOT get rich quick but more like steady and consistent. It takes a motivated person anywhere from 3-5 years to build a consistent monthly income large enough to support their family so they can quit their full time jobs and do their home business full time. If one is willing to be patient and work hard, this is achievable and the rewards are fantastic.

So what do you look for in an MLM to be reasonably sure it will succeed for you? First, I would find out all I could on the company that you are considering. Only consider companies that market products that appeal to you, as a consumer AND a potential seller. Research the product and find an angle that will sell the product. Ideally, you want a product that will essentially sell itself. It must be competitively priced, of high quality and anything unique or semi-unique about the product will certainly help. How about the people already involved in the business? Just Google the name of the company and/or product and see how many web sites are out there, investigate their content and see if they are upfront about avenues of training and support offered, cost of getting in, compensation plan (residual income) and useful information about the products they sell, looking for that “angle” that will allow the product to stand on its own and sell itself. You’ll also want to check to see if the MLM has any kind of minimum volume of products you must purchase from the company each month to be considered a continuing active distributor. You will find a large majority do have quotas and sometimes these quotas can be steep.

You can never do too much research. I spent 10-12 hours researching everything I have talked about in this article before deciding to join a particular MLM. My research has paid off handsomely. While I did not choose to start with the cheapest option, they had a middle option that still gets me the minimum wholesale purchase price without an initially large outlay of cash. In the first 10 days, I sold nearly $300 worth of product for an initial outlay of about $200. Of course, your experience may vary but you see my point. I researched everything about the company, its products, compensation, avenues of training, etc. Yes, this product DOES practically sell itself so the effort put into selling the product does not require a great deal of time or work.

The intent of this article is NOT sign you up in this particular MLM but to give you an example of what happens when you do your homework and are thorough in doing it. This MLM I am involved in is not the only MLM that can get immediate results like I have. There are many good MLMs out there where you can be just as successful. Just do your homework.

If you have questions about this article you may contact the author via e-mail at doug@mysaviorjc.com

Doug Litten, Owner
Upper Room Enterprises
Kingsport TN

“Serving the community and our Lord Jesus Christ since 1990″

The jury of search engine experts over at SEOMoz has weighed in, and here are the top factors affecting search engine placement, according to them, with my comments.

1. Keyword Use in Title Tag - I have said for many years that if I had a gun to my head, and could do only one thing to a web page to optimize it, my choice would be the title tag. Put your keyphrases in your title tag, and remember to optimize each page individually (i.e. don’t overstuff your title tag, and have different title tags for each page that reflect the content of that particular page - otherwise, you may suffer from a duplicative content exclusion and find yourself in the supplemental results).

2. Keyword Use in Body Text - Duh. If your keyword or keyphrase isn’t mentioned at least once in the body text of the web page, then it does not seem your page is very relevant to that keyphrase, now does it? But don’t get all caught up in the keyphrase density myth - there is no magic number of times it should appear. Make sense to readers, and it will make sense to the search engines.

3. Relationship of Body Text Content to Keywords (Topic Analysis) - Google is smarter than you give them credit for, and just stuffing a keyphrase into a completely unrelated page won’t do you much, if any good. Your page should be on a topic which is semantically related to the keyphrase which you are targeting in your title tag.

4. Keyword Use in H1 Tag - Oh, for years the naysayers have been telling me that H1 tag keyphrase use meant nothing and that I was an idiot for thinking otherwise. Well the verdict is in and this is the fourth most important factor according to the SEOMoz article. At this point, therefore, we have learned to put your keyphrase in your title tag, include it in your body text, which body text is topically or semantically related to the keyphrase, and head up the body text with an H1 containing the keyphrase.

5. Keyword Use in Domain Name - This is one that I disagree with. I have seen absolutely no evidence of this at all. Do a simple search on the internet for most any search term, and chances are the top results do not have the search query in the domain name. I believe this may have minor importance, but don’t go and change your domain because of it. Seriously, you have much more to lose (such as age of domain, inbound linkage, site reputation, etc.) I regularly see clients at the top of Google with domain names containing nothing near the relevant search terms.

6. Keyword Use in Page URL - This is what I have called “descriptive file naming” for a number of years. I believe it is of some importance, again, however, is more of a factor when setting up a new domain than would be for an existing domain with high pagerank and inbound linkage. Changing your internal url’s for the sole purpose of meeting this criterion again is very risky, for the same reasons mentioned above.

7. Keyword Use in H2, H3, H… Tags - Well if it works for H1, why not for H2 et al.?

8. Keyword Use in ALT Attributes and Image Titles - SEOMoz incorrectly calls them an ALT tag, but it is not a tag, the ALT is an attribute of the IMG tag. Semantics aside, I believe this to be highly important, I would have ranked this above the URL and domain name items. Experience has shown me that image optimization (image file name, alt attribute, and title) is a wonderful way to make a page more relevant to a desired search query.

9. Keyword Use in Bold/Strong Tags - I always use this method, as well as keyword use within the EM (italics) tag. I believe this to be a moderately important factor as it helps emphasize to Google what your page is about, and what you consider important. Definitely on my short list of things to do for “on page” search engine optimization.

10. Keyword Use in Meta Description Tag - Again, one of my “big 4″ for on page optimization. The “big 4″ being: title tag, meta description, h1, and image ALT attributes. (I don’t include body text in my big 4 as I believe that is self evident). Definitely important, and again, each page should have custom title and meta description tags.

About the Author: Matt Foster is the President of ArteWorks Business Class, one of the top 15 href="http://www.arteworks.biz">search engine optimization firms in the world. For more information, please visit href="http://www.arteworks.biz">http://www.arteworks.biz.