H-1 B Permit Amendments Are Troublesome, Allege Critics

The H-1 B Visa is a Non-immigrant Permit from the US Immigration even as the same enables the US companies/recruiters to hire workers from abroad for an out-of-the-ordinary task or a job, on a temporary basis. During the tenure of the permit--in case the employer fires the workers, or the latter leaves the job--then he has to file a petition for a new & an altered position.

This covers the jobs involving mathematics, engineering, architecture, medical sciences, etc. To pocket this permit, it's essential that the applicant holds a Bachelor's Degree. The presence of a sponsoring recruiter/firm is also crucial for the said purpose.

Reportedly, a new set of changes have been made public in the given visa class even as this may make things complex for both the recruiter & the aspirant, allege some critics. These changes become effective from October 1, 2012 onwards.

Visa Petition Costs Higher Now

The important change is the bringing down the number to 10 from 100 under the LCA petition. One LCA application will cover 10 present petitions at the cost at which the same was employed to cover more petitions earlier. The latest changes are turning out to be rather costly--the reason being the costs related to immigration processing and legal matters would head north, add critics.

They (the critics) further say that the changes are pretty costly--not just in the terms of soft money but also in the terms of other key resources, including time. While, earlier one LCA single application required 30 minutes or so, now in the changed scenario, it would gobble-up not less than 45 minutes.

Further, with the existing changes, a firm has to cough-up nearly $18,750 for the purpose of processing 100 applications even as the same is much more costly. Furthermore, earlier, the applications for the LCA petitions were not charged on an individual basis, now they are being charged like this. As a sizeable section of the IT organizations submit visa petitions for close to 4,000 H-1B permits per annum, it means the overall expenses would get multiplied for the applicant firms.

Name of the Candidate

While earlier the organizations were required to just mention the actual figures of the workers traveling to the US on the said permit, now--thanks to the changes-- they will be required to suitably mention the names of the workers also.

The firms find it rather hard to suggest the names well in advance-the reason being it really depends upon the project at hand, and its unique requirements as to who will be eventually offered with the job. So, this change has invited a great deal of troubles for the firms.

Perhaps, these amendments have been introduced as the IT firms have several audits carried-out in a given year. Besides, maybe, Washington DC wants to be kept in the loop about the overseas workers' engagements, besides their movements inside the US well in advance.

Whatever may be the case--the detractors continue-- the development has brought in its wake troubles for the firms keen to usher-in trained workers from abroad into the US.

Easy Fundraisers

You are probably here searching for information on fundraisers and fundraiser ideas. We want to make your fundraiser easy for you, it doesn't have to be a difficult task setting up your fundraiser, and in fact the easier it is, the higher your success rate!

You know that you would like to host a fundraiser for your company, school or organization to raise funds but how can you set your fundraiser in motion? This fundraising article will help you to plan your fundraising event so that it's easy and successful!

What are your fundraising goals? This is most important question, the more specific your fundraising goals, the more successful your event will be. How much money do you need to raise from your fundraising event? How many people will be involved? When will it start and how long will your fundraiser last? If you are on a deadline for the funds you need to fundraise, be sure to allot yourself enough time for the fundraiser to end.

Volunteers and several of them will assure that your fundraiser will run more smoothly. If this is your first fundraising event you should allot yourself some extra time should any unexpected problems arise.

Picking the right product for fundraising is vitally important to your fundraising event. While there are so many neat fundraising options make sure to pick a product that you think your target audience will like, something that creates an impulse buy! Depending on how much money you need to earn, will also be a factor in your deciding.

Candles, Chocolate, Magazines and coffee are four of the top fundraising products that are commonly chosen for fundraising events. They are items that most people will like and buy on an impulse. They are reasonably priced, most people will buy more than one and they are products people would normally buy anyway. This will make it easier for you and your organization.

We suggest your fundraiser be no less than one week but no more than two, three tops. One week is not quite long enough to get the momentum going but anything past 2-3 weeks, takes away the sense of urgency to "buy today".

Taking money at the time the order is placed is your best option. The last thing you want to do is chase someone down for money because things come up or to be short. So we advise you take the money before handing over the products.

And that's it in a nutshell; our fundraising tips that should help you get your fundraiser going with a bang! Remember organization is essential to help your group meet your fundraising goals.

Anniversary Blues

Jamie and Kurt are a sweet, successful couple in their early thirties. In spite of loving each other deeply, they often find themselves in conflict over seemingly minor issues, as most couples do. Recently, just one week before their wedding anniversary, they had a particularly hurtful argument. Jamie had expressed her unhappiness about Kurt's busy schedule and the limited time he finds to spend with her. As usual, Kurt promised to try harder and they got through it. But having not dealt with the real issues at hand, the problem was bound to resurface. Jamie unknowingly began planting the seeds for their next bout when she decided to bring up the subject of their anniversary.

"Kurt, I just wanted to remind you that next week is our anniversary and it's really important that we plan something special for us."

Kurt took a deep breath and responded, "Jamie, you know I don't really like celebrations."

"Oh come on Kurt. It's really important to me." Nearly pleading, Jamie continued. "When you really love someone, you try to do what is important to them, right? I made the plans last year and now it's your turn. Why don't you surprise me...something really romantic! Okay?"

Silent and distant, Kurt gave a slight nod, which was all the assurance Jamie needed that this anniversary would be exceptional. She could barely work that week fantasizing about what Kurt would do to demonstrate his everlasting love. Finally, the day arrived! Kurt had agreed to be home by six o clock. By twenty past six, Jamie was anxious. With each glance at the clock, her pacing quickened. At last, Kurt walked through the door looking tense and clutching a bouquet of red roses. Jamie took the roses with a wary smile, anticipating what was coming next. Without even so much as a glance, Kurt turned around, got a beer out of the fridge, and sank into the couch, grabbing the remote control.

Jamie watched intently, feeling her blood turn to ice. "That's it?" she asked.

"That's what?"

"That's it? It's our anniversary!" Jamie's tone grew sharp. "You said you would plan something special and romantic and this..." shaking the roses in her clenched fist, "this is it?"

"I never said I would do anything," Kurt retorted. "I told you it wasn't my thing."

"Don t lie to me! You nodded yes!"

"No, I didn't. I didn't agree to anything. You always want me to prove that I love you. I hate that! Even if I did want to do something for our anniversary, I certainly wouldn't want to after you tell me you expect it! Sullenly, Kurt turned back to the TV. You take all the fun out of everything.

Jamie dissolved into tears. "Well if you knew how to show me you loved me, I wouldn't have to say anything."

Without a word, Kurt turned off the TV and left the house.

Once again, Jamie and Kurt were left feeling unheard and unappreciated. Their conditioned response was to blame each other for their hurt feelings and angry behavior.

In order to understand how things went so wrong, we need to look at the interaction in terms of their intention to learn or their intention to protect.

Jamie starts out trying to control Kurt by making him feel guilty. Kurt, not wanting to be controlled and not able to communicate how being controlled makes him feel, moves into resistance, which is his form of control. Jamie thinks that laying on more guilt (control) will accomplish her objective to have a romantic anniversary. Since Kurt is frustrated with his inability to express his brewing feelings, he moves into silence (control). Finally, when Kurt comes home late and sits on the sofa, he demonstrates passivity (control) to which Jamie responds with anger (control). Kurt uses more resistance (control) and Jamie uses more anger and guilt (control). Kurt gets defensive (control) and disappears (control). Attack, resist, blame, defend, on and on...Sound familiar?

Neither Kurt nor Jamie want to hurt each other. Unfortunately, they are also not open to learning about their own feelings and behaviors, or each other's. Resorting to controlling behavior keeps them safe and eliminates the need to effectively communicate their fear. Fear is what motivates their intention to control and in the face of fear, their love dissipates.

Instead of each person taking full responsibility for his or her own happiness and unhappiness, they gave that job to each other. Imagine that your feelings are a child within. Imagine what would happen if you had an actual child that you kept trying to give to others to take care of. That child would feel scared and insecure most of the time. Yet that is exactly what happens when we make others responsible for our feelings - our child within feels scared, insecure, angry, depressed, and anxious. It is only when we take responsibility for our own feelings, which we can do through the intent to learn, that we will feel secure enough to give up the need to control and resist control.

It would be easy to blame Jamie for their problems - if only she didn't get so needy and angry, everything would be fine. It's just as easy to blame Kurt - if only he was more attentive and caring. Yet until both Jamie and Kurt are willing to take responsibility for their own feelings, and until loving themselves and each other is more important than controlling or not being controlled, their conflicts will continue.

The act of taking responsibility has nothing to do with blame or fault. Each person taking full responsibility eliminates the need to be right and that is an essential step to a mature and reasonable outcome. What if Jamie had started with, "Kurt, I love celebrating our anniversary and you hate it. Can we talk about what would work for both of us?" They could have more easily resolved the issue. And what if Kurt had responded to Jamie's initial controlling statements with caring and openness instead of resistance, such as, "Honey, you know I don't like celebrations, so please don't expect me to plan something. Let's talk about how we can make it work for both of us." Either one of them could have moved into an intent to learn and taken responsibility for creating what they wanted.

Each of us has the choice to begin to notice our intention.

If each of us changed our intention from controlling to loving, and learned to take responsibility for our own feelings, we would each be participating in healing our relationships and thereby healing our planet.

How To Create A Successful PPC Revenue Website

A website earning with PPC revenue is one of the best business models for an Internet business. This is because it's simple to understand and implement. You could be earning hundreds of dollars within a few short months if you do things right. I'm going to share a few valuable tips with you here so pay attention.

Here is a quick introduction to the PPC revenue model. Basically, you are trying to set up a website that earns from advertising revenues. You publish content on your site in an attempt to attract targeted traffic. Next, you place ads on your site. You don't earn money just by placing these ads. Instead, you make money when someone clicks on an ad. This is why it's called Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. Advertisers pay you only when you send them targeted clicks. Here is a step by step guide on how to get started quickly.

Step 1: Pick something you like. Take this seriously and treat your sites as a genuine business. It's hard to be motivated to work on your sites if you are not interested in them. So it's important that you pick something that you are interested in. Also, do your research to ensure that you pick an active niche with lots of advertisers. Learn as much about the industry as possible. If you see many different products selling at profitable margins, that is a good sign.

Step 2: Publish quality content. When you are getting started, you will need to promote your website. Start by adding a handful of articles. Make sure that the articles are interesting to read and unique.

Step 3: Next, learn everything you can about traffic generation. Don't just stick to online marketing methods. Use word of mouth marketing as well. You need to be aggressive in marketing when you are just starting out so as to build up momentum. After 6 months or so, the site should pick up steam and make money on its own. But before it reaches that stage, you will need to work hard to promote your site.

If you are on a tight budget, I recommend using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to drive traffic to your site. SEO requires some effort upfront but if you can get your sites to rank, you will be receiving free traffic from the search engines.

Step 4: Master the art of ad placing. Don't just paste ads all over the site. Space them out so that the content still looks readable. You do not wish to chase your web visitors away. If they find your content difficult to read, they may never return. But that does not mean you hide your ads. Remember that if nobody clicks on ads, you earn nothing. So place the ads in visible spots, but make sure you space them out.

After your first website is successful, you can go on to start new sites and snowball your income. Sign up for a hosting plan that allows unlimited domains. You will then be able to create new sites without incurring additional costs.

A Few Tips to Reduce or Eliminate E-Mail Spam

The first and probably most important technique for preventing unwanted spam is to simply not give out your e-mail address to any person or business that you do not personally know and trust. This may seem a bit counterproductive to the whole purpose of having an e-mail account, yet it really is the first line of defense in the battle of reducing or eliminating unsolicited e-mail, or simply spam. While it can happen with personal e-mails the sharing or distribution of your e-mail address to sell-able lists typically will occur from the business sector. It is from these sell-able lists that the unwanted spam is born. Try and separate personal e-mail accounts from business related e-mail, which will reduce your personal e-mail exposure to the marketing lists.

Another very helpful strategy for cutting down your spam intake is to have specific e-mail accounts for specific tasks. For example, an e-mail address specifically for public use such as online shopping or signing up for this free trial or that promotion. These public addresses can go ahead and fill up with spam because you don't care. It's not your personal e-mail that has all your private information associated with it. Keep in mind however, when doing any type of online purchase to be cognizant of the privacy policies and how much information you include. There are many companies offering free e-mail services and these are superb for using as a public e-mail.

Finally, even though it does not occur from the private or personal e-mailing sector as often, the sharing of your e-mail address without your knowledge or consent does happen. How does this happen is answered in the information I am about to share with you about how to prevent it. Typically you give your e-mail to a friend and that friend gives it to another. Also, the person you gave your e-mail to is a "feel good" e-mailer, who feels it necessary to send you and all their other friends, co-workers, and acquaintances the joke or 'pass it on' e-mails. In these e-mails they Carbon copied you and everyone else. There it is, your e-mail and 99 other e-mails of people you don't know, some of them business e-mails, who also do not know you but now have a listing of all the included e-mail address. That is how your private e-mail that you only shared with one person has been transmitted around the internet world. So, the technique to prevent this is to very directly and firmly, yet in a nice polite way, inform anyone with whom you share your private or personal e-mail with to not share your e-mail with anyone without first contacting you, and to never include your e-mail in any of their mass mailings. This will prevent any misunderstanding and keep your private e-mail spam free.

Low Fat Fallacy

I guess we all know that obesity is at epidemic levels. It's drummed into us from all angles. Isn't it strange that we have the biggest range of low-fat foods available but we keep getting fatter?

Isn't somebody going to stand up and say "It hasn't worked"?

In the 70's and 80's we were told that fat was the enemy, and carbohydrates were good. The USDA Healthy Food Pyramid had carbs as the base (6-11 servings per day). There was however, little mention of the quality of these carbohydrates.

Manufacturers were quick to respond, and began bringing out "Low Fat", "Fat-Free", and "Lite" versions of various food products. These are generally the biggest selling items, and have resulted in lot's of clever marketing tactics - in fact anything to make the consumer feel guilty, and look for the "Fat-Free" option.

Milk - Is Whole Milk Really That Bad?

Most of our modern milk undergoes the process of homogenisation. This process forces the fat globules into an atomiser (i.e. tiny holes) that will form tiny particles. These particles are then evenly dispersed throughout the milk, giving the milk a uniform appearance. Most of our low fat, trim, super-trim milks are created using this process.

However, recent research has shown that structural changes do occur in the homogenisation process. In unhomogenised milk, an enzyme called xanthine oxidase would pass throught the digestive system, and be secreted harmlessly through the bowel. The homogenisation process allows this enzyme to enter the bloodstream.

Some researchers are saying the enzyme attacks the issues of our heart and arteries, encouranging an increase in cholesterol levels!

Low Fat Hasn't Worked

The evidence of the last twenty years, is showing us that just choosing a low-fat version of a food is not helping us lose weight. In fact, we need to question, the processes that go on to make certain foods "low fat".

Many blame a high amount of refined carbohydrates (white flours, sugars) as having an impact on our weight problem.

Why Are We So Fat?

More and more evidence is showing that we eat too much, and exercise too little. Our lifestyles are very sedentary, and portion size has increased. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) has concluded that "we eat a lot - a whole lot more than we used to, and most of the increase comes from refined carbohydrates (sugar)."

In the 1970's the average person ate 136 pounds of flour and cereal products per year and now it's up to 200 pounds. The increase is almost all from processed, white flour, high sugar foods. In addition, everything has been super-sized. Example: 1955 McDonald's French fries - 2.4 ounces, 210 calories. 2004 Super size Fries - 7 ounces, 610 calories.

What's The Answer?

Don't get too hung up complex nutrient ratios told to you by the latest diet book. You need to find what works for you and your body. It's a process of trial and error. Start with a diet, then keep working at it until you find what is best for you and your health.

Try to eat whole unprocessed food where possible, and eat little and often to regulate your energy levels. Go easy on all the refined foods - it's hard - because everywhere you go - most of the food is made from cheap refined flours and base products.

Also try to get out and stretch your legs more often.

Above Ground Pool Decks: DIY Vs Hiring Someone

There's nothing that matches the feeling of dipping yourself into comfortable, crystal clear water in the middle of a hot summer. Above ground pool decks can provide the perfect platform for many summers' worth of enjoyment. Of course, when it comes to the building process, you have two choices. You can either do it yourself or you can hire a contractor to do the work for you. This isn't always the easiest decision to make. It's much more expensive to hire someone, but the results are almost certain to be better. Then again, if you're handy, you may be able to do it cheaper while still maintaining a certain standard of work. Here are some things to consider when making your decision.

Traits for DIY

There are a number of indications that you would be ready to take on this project yourself. You should be possessed of a great deal of patience, first of all. No construction project goes exactly as planned, no matter how experienced you are. You will run into setbacks. That schedule you hoped to stick to will gradually be pushed back. It takes patience. You'll also simply need the time and energy a project like this requires. If you only have a couple of hours on Saturday to work, it's going to take forever to finish. Obviously, above ground pool decks also require that the builder have some kind of carpentry experience.

Benefits of DIY

Above ground pool decks aren't the most complicated building project by any stretch of the imagination. If you have carpentry experience and a knack for woodworking, you could very well do a good job. Obviously, nothing is quite as satisfying as having something beautiful in your backyard that you built with your own two hands. You can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labors, enjoying that proud sensation that comes along with doing work of this nature.

Finding a Contractor

Maybe you've decided that you don't have as much carpentry experience as you would be comfortable with. Maybe you don't have the patience to take on a project of this magnitude. In this case, you might want to think about hiring a contractor. There's certainly nothing wrong with that. If you have the money, it is an excellent idea. If you find the right contractor, you'll get an end result far better than what you could have accomplished on your own. Look for professionalism, a sharp gallery of previous work, and an excellent reputation when deciding whom to hire.

Business Architecture And Profit Centers

Business Architecture is about using architectural concepts in organizations. It is not only about design, but also about filling the organizational space with constructions; the various forms that you have chosen to implement a functional need in order to serve a certain purpose.

There are many functions in a company. A general function that is not specific to a certain purpose is the organizing activity itself. So besides having the function of Sales, Production, ICT and administration, there is also the function of organizing general activities. This could apply for any type of organizational unit within the company. Competition is a characteristic you could use to design an organization.

Before you design a new organizational structure (the construction to fit the characteristics) you also need to think about the main purpose. For (business) units the purpose is to serve a group of different clients. Profitability measures are needed to analyze the performance of each group. If the market circumstances change, the unit could shift its focus or increase incentives. Increase the competitiveness.

So far so good. The profit center issue is concentrated around other "units" like ICT, finance, Human Resources, etc. In literature you will find objections to convert these organizational parts to profit centers because the profits (more than the costs) can not easily be measured.

Another aspect why profit centers do not fit for these TYPE of (inter) organizations is often less attended. A profit center, like a business unit, requires a competitive organization. And supportive types of organizations like ICT, administration and Human resources are not competitive (that's why they are called supportive).

The rule for a competitive organization is that more resources should help to produce more output. For the same reason, incentives are possible for such kind of organization, where they are not driving the supportive organization.

To give an example: if you would ask four people to lift a car, and they manage, it is of no use to ask another four people to help them. The car is lifted (supporting) and that's it. More support is of no use.

Implementing a profit center requires a previous analysis. An Architectural view on your business might help solving bottlenecks. Be careful not to change organizational structures too soon.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Create the Right Atmosphere at Your Product Launch

When it comes to product launch parties it can be a little scary and intimidating trying to decide what's the best way to entice the most amount of people to purchase your product. I've been doing these parties for a while now and I'd like to think I've become a dab hand at it (as much as you can anyway). I've decided to share some of my secrets and thoughts so that if you're wishing to hold a product launch party you can do it with the least amount of stress possible. I hope you find this informative and useful.

Firstly I would always recommend keeping to a theme as much as possible. There is nothing worse than arriving at a party which has clearing been organised by someone who has a 'butterfly mind'. As it can look a bit busy and cluttered it can actually create a stressful atmosphere, which can lead to an unsuccessful launch as no one is in a positive mood. Although this all may sound silly the success of a launch party can depend on how our subconscious mind feels so as a planner we should think about everything from table decoration to lighting.

You want to take peoples breath away and make them feel special; special to be excepted into the launch party and that they then in turn should purchase one of the products. Sorting out things like Column lighting hire can be great for creating the perfect atmosphere. The best thing about column lighting hire is that it'll create the perfect setting but it all goes back at the end of the night so you don't have to worry about storage.

Don't forget seating plans are very important too. Consider who will be best next to each other. If people feel happy and that they're with friends they're more likely to spend and if one person spends on the table the others a likely to follow. I would also recommend having small circular tables so that everyone interacts and communicates so no one can be left not talking about the product. If you haven't got these types of tables you can easily sort out round wedding table hire. Although it obviously isn't a wedding round wedding table hire is the exactly what you need.

I hope these few simple suggestions will help you and that you have a successful product launch. Don't forget that it's always worth taking a step back and having a look at what you've done before the party begins. That way you can see any mistakes or wholes in the process before it's too late to change it.

Let's Concentrate on Personal Development!

These days, watching TV, listening to the radio, reading newspapers or internet news is real torture: nothing but sickening scenes, a horrible litany of killings, bombings, murder, rape...

It's no use dwelling on the "reasons" or justification put forward by those who perpetrate such deeds.

However, one thing is obvious: at the root of all conflicts, there is manipulation by so-called "leaders" and here is an undeniable fact for you:

If every human being just decided to ignore these so-called leaders and concentrate on personal development, that would be the end of all conflicts between people and groups of people.

So, I say to you:

- Concentrate on your personal development.

- Never allow yourself to be manipulated by politicians, religious leaders, or any type of leaders. More often than not, such people are hardly able to lead themselves.

- God is everyone's God. If you believe in God, you can lead yourself to Him (or Her, for that matter). You certainly don't need anybody for that.

- As much as possible, look at human beings for what they are i.e. as individuals, not as members of a group, class, race, religion, country, culture, color, race, gender etc.

- Go straight for the "humanity in all human beings"

Of course, we are all more or less influenced by the society we were born into, the culture we grew up in, the language we speak. But deep inside, we all have something in common.

Maybe the only thing that could force human beings to unite and actually love and appreciate one another would be invaders from another planet, all set to destroy any being with that universally human quality: humanity. So, however deep inside you you'd try to hide your humanity, they'd have a special device to sniff it out and destroy you.

Then of course, we'd all have to assume our common humanity, get together, and fight back.

So, if we must be "group-conscious", then let that group be Mankind, or - why not after all - the whole Universe and everything that exists.

Meanwhile, let's just concentrate on our own personal development. In the process and in other articles, I'll tell you about "know yourself", "love yourself" and "agree with yourself"

But "what" may you ask, "has all this got to do with Health, Beauty, and Wellness?".

The answer lies in one single word: BALANCE. Know yourself, love yourself, agree with yourself and you'll achieve physical, psychological, moral and spiritual balance.

And THAT, my friend, is the ultimate health, beauty, and wellness secret tip. But please always remember: "Let's know each other to better know ourselves"

Three Key Factors for Effective eBook Viral Marketing

If you are an Internet Marketer, you probably heard about Viral Marketing. It is often considered as the word-of-mouth on the Internet though you are not literally using your mouth to spread word about it. The term Viral is also synonymous to "Spread" which is also linked to something called a good virus. As all of you know, viruses spread like crazy especially when your computer is already infected. The same principle is used for viral marketing - to spread word about a company, product and services like a virus.

One of the most effective types of viral marketing is the use of ebooks for marketing purposes. If you are reading books from libraries or bookstores, these e-books are the same but you can only read it on the computer or any kind of handheld device with readers.

These ebooks look so simple but they are one of the most effective ways to get more traffic to your site and probably, get more clients and customers in the future. So what are the things that you need to do to fully utilize the benefits of using E-books for viral marketing?

EBook Creation

You might be shocked on this revelation since ebooks can also be considered as actual books on the real world. However, they are easier to create unlike the books that need to be published. As a matter of fact, you do not need to be a professional writer or editor to create an ebook. The content can be simple information about important facts on your niche market or product. You must keep in mind that the topic must be directly related on your niche or product. You can also try to look for topics that can easily get the attention of the readers.

The Format of the Ebook

You can convert your work into an EXE file, PDF, HTML, DOC or TXT but the recommended format to use is PDF because it is usable to both Windows and Mac. You must always consider the format that can be used by a wider audience. Do not make a gamble in using other formats that may not be opened on other computers or gadgets. PDF files are also compatible to handheld devices so they are the perfect choice.

Circulate Your EBook

After creating your E-book, the next last step is to allow it to circulate on the Internet. You can make use of document sharing sites and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and more. You can also use it to get names and emails from people without forcing them. However, make sure that you distribute your ebooks for free through the use of giveaway rights. Your goal is to gain as wider audience as possible for your business through this method.

You also need to allow the people to rebrand your ebooks so they will easily circulate on the web. After rebranding, they will give it away and it will be great for your online business. This is a particularly powerful tactic as by providing your readers with the ability to rebrand - for example by inserting a link to their web site or their affiliate link to one of your products or services - you are also providing them with an incentive to give your ebooks away and circulate widely which In turn helps to attract traffic and potential clients to your own web site.

When you start to create and distribute your own ebooks, or next time you produce one, bear these tactics in mind to help spread your products virally over the internet. Finally, be sure to insert details of your own web site, contacts details and other relevant information about your business in each of your so readers and potential customers to easily contact you.

Your Website Might Be Attracting Spam!

Unfortunately, simply by going online, you start to attract the attention of spammers. When you join websites of any sort, you attract more spammers. And, if you're not careful, when you start your own business, you bring on a host of life sucking, inbox filling, phone ringing spammers unless you are careful about how you went about setting up your website from the start.

This issue occurs when you have been indiscreet about which website hosting company you have chosen to join up and work with. While some companies do give domain protection, many don't because they can make more money by selling the information tied to their websites to advertisers. Still other domain companies are easy to hack into for spammers or they can simply look up the details of the customers and then use that to sell to advertisers and spammers. Everything from your email address to your phone number and mailing address can be used by these companies to try to sell their products to you and in the process, clog up your inbox and phone line. Some of these advertisers are hackers in disguise too, meaning that you're at serious risk of being infected by a virus or a Trojan.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to head it off at the pass, so to speak; that is, by being very careful about which company you choose as your hosting company. Make sure that your domain name will be protected by the company and that they won't simply sell it to the highest bidder later. Check their security measure to be sure that it will be difficult for hackers to gain access to your contact information and ask plenty of questions about how they protect your information and contact information. If you really want to be sure, give the web hosting company a different email address then the one you usually use and a different phone number than the one for your site so that you don't get a sudden upswing in phone calls from spammers. Although this takes a bit more work, it's worth the peace of mind if you're really worried about getting clogged by spammers.

Spamming just a part of the online world, just as junk mail is a part of the outside world. However, you can take steps to protect yourself. Make sure that your web host will protect your domain name, won't sell it to a third party, has decent security measures against hackers and give them their own contact information for them to use to reach you so that if the spammers do attack, your main lines of communication will remain clear.

Review: eBook Secrets Exposed

If you want to make a lot of money with your own eBook and you only read one book on the subject in the next 12 months, I strongly recommend that it's 'eBook Secrets Exposed' by Jim Edwards and David Garfinkel.

The authors are both well qualified in this area. Jim Edwards has written five best-selling eBooks (including 'The Lazy Man's Guide to Online Business' and '33 Days To Online Success').

David Garfinkel is considered by many to be the world's greatest copyrighting coach. He's an award-winning business journalist and is also the author of several best-selling eBooks, such as 'Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich' and 'Killer Copy Tactics'.

There have been so many books on this subject that I really couldn't imagine how this book could add anything new.

But I have never before seen an eBook that explains so clearly how to do it. I got the feeling that you could literally walk in Jim Edwards' footsteps and get the same results he did (over 4,500 eBook sales in 9 months).

What makes this book very readable and enjoyable is that it's simply a long interview - David Garfinkel asks the questions and Jim Edwards gives the answers.

The book is packed with so many 'insider tips' that's it's difficult to know where to begin, but one of the most valuable tips is how to find out - before you write your book - if there's a market for it.

You do this by following Jim Edwards' 5-Step 'Ultimate eBook Success Formula'. The formula allows you to find out if there's a target audience that is already actively looking for the information you're about to sell online. And if so, if they are prepared to pay for it.

One of the interesting things you'll discover in this book is that competition is actually good for your eBook.

If you come up with an idea for an eBook and you find that there are no competing books, you need to get worried - it means there's probably no market for that idea.

But if there are books competing with yours, you're on safe ground - you know you have a market.

And don't be put off by competition: anyone who is serious about a particular subject will buy at least 4 or 5 books on that topic.

Many eBook authors who make big money quickly with their eBooks do resale rights. Instead of making $29 per sale, they're making $99 per sale. As you can see, resale rights can get you into serious money very fast.

But there are definite pitfalls with resale rights (such as finding out a few months later that your cherished information product has become a free eBook). If you want to avoid these pitfalls, you need to read Section 2 carefully.

You might think that best-selling eBook authors don't bother with affiliate programs. Wrong!

Jim Edwards shows you that one of secrets to making money with your eBook is to load it up with back-end affiliate links. But there's a right way to do this and a wrong way (more about this in Section 5).

But the real secret to how Jim Edwards made over $40,000 in one month from a single eBook is joint ventures - finding people with lists of 10,000 or even 100,000 and getting them to do a personal recommendation to their readers.

On the Internet it's not products that make money, it's lists (products don't sell, lists do). Or as Jim Edwards puts it: 'the power is in the pipes, in the distribution'.

Let's say your eBook is priced at $29 and you find someone with a list of 10,000 and they do a mailing that results in 3000 people turning up at your website.

And let's say that those 3000 visits result in 90 to 180 sales - you and your joint venture partner are suddenly making thousands of dollars in a few days.

Jim Edwards shows you exactly, step-by-step, how to set up a joint venture. He even shows you the exact same letter that he used to set up joint ventures for his book 'How To Write and Publish Your Own eBook in a little as 7 Days'.

One of the keys to making joint ventures work is what Jim Edwards calls 'the Santa Claus technique' (more on that in Section 2).

A question many people have is how to price their eBook. And it's crucial that you get this right. In Section 4 Jim Edwards reveals his 'pricing formula' - a very clever way to find your eBook's 'breakpoint' or equilibrium.

There's another very valuable tip in Section 17 - 'My Secret Method For Slashing Refunds' (this tip on it's own could be worth the price of the whole book).

This is the best book on eBook publishing I've read in the last 18 months - in fact, while reading it, I came up with the idea for my next eBook!

You can get your copy of 'eBook Secrets Exposed' at: http://www.freezineweb.com/ese.html

Podcast Directories - Are They Worth Submitting To?

If you have started a podcast, and are hoping to get back links to your show, or help get discovered, you may have come across the idea to list yourself in podcast directories. Nearly anybody can set up a podcast, but getting site visitors can be difficult. As a result, podcasters can submit their feeds to the podcast directory sites to gain visitors. Is this beneficial, or does this strategy work?

What Are Podcast Directories For?

A podcast directory is a listing of syndication feeds that link to a podcast. They are typically coordinated by group or subject, and also allow the individual to find a podcast that pertains to just about everything and everything. Just as blog search directories help individuals find internet sites and blogs with the topics they are looking, a podcast directory site offers a searchable list of podcasts individuals can subscribe to in like manner. Users might also have the ability to obtain the accessible episodes from within the web site itself.

However, unlike a lot of search engines, though, a podcast directory site seldom gives you immediate results with simple searches or the subject matter by itself. All the feeds are either contributed by individuals who are attempting to help people locate or discover their podcast.

Considering that it's so effortless to make a podcast, a podcast directory often uses means to split the excellent feeds from the ones people do not like as much. A directory site might have a ranking system, or allow certain special features on the home page, or even allow website visitors to comment with their thoughts on a feed.

Website visitors to a podcast directory can easily thereby bring their very own podcasts, search for various themes or subjects that interest them, as well as even discuss those they want or object to.

Are They Effective For Being Discovered?

In my personal opinion? Not really.

First, you have to ask yourself how likely you think the audience you're aiming for is likely to visit a podcast directory in order to discover content. With the large size and quantity of options available to them, you need to do something to stand out. If you're original and have a brilliant title, excellent logo and other things to stand out amidst the myriad of other podcasters in your niche, then go for it. But if not, you're basically going to drown in the sea of other competitors.

You're better of aiming for word of mouth and sharing with any mailing lists of social media networks you're on, and encourage your fan base to share. I've seen the snowballing effect of this. Use other websites or offline advertising you have at your disposal to create awareness of your brand.

Podcast directories won't really help get new users to discover your podcast, but can possibly help with your feed site's Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and provide you a safe way to get a lot of back to your site, helping possible new searchers in Google, and Yahoo and other engines discover your podcast for other reasons based on searches they may already looking for.

Otherwise, I'm not so sure podcast directories are effective ways of being discovered in a very direct way. They just provide you back links to your site to get started.

Back to School Show & Tell

One thing you can count on during the first days of school is the inevitable question of "What did you do over the summer?" Here are a few creative ways to describe your summer experiences for the first edition of Show and Tell.   1. Flip Books Create a moving picture of your summer fun with a flip book. Start out with a Post-It pad or a pocket-sized spiral notebook. Draw the first picture on the last sheet of paper and work your way to the first page by changing the picture little by little. For instance, if you learned how to surf over the summer, you might start with a picture of you lying on a surfboard in calm waters. The next picture could show the waters growing a little choppier. The following drawings could be of you slowly turning, then standing on the board as the wave grows larger, and so on.   2. Summer Collage Illustrate your summer happenings with one of my favorite forms: collages. Simply use glue to cover a poster board or even several small postcard-sized papers with magazine cutouts, sections of road maps, photographs, movie and concert ticket stubs, restaurant menus, train schedules, and any other mementos from your summer.   3. Map It Instead of just telling the class where you went and what you did, pinpoint our summer destinations and activities on a map. If you stayed close to home, use a local road map. If you were able to travel to several cities and states, use a countrywide map. Glue magazine cutouts of activities, or actual photos of your fun onto the map. For example, if you went to a dude ranch in Dallas, glue a picture of a horse onto the map in Dallas. If you visited Mount Rushmore, glue a photo of your family onto the map in South Dakota. The same goes for rock climbing, swimming, snorkeling, and anything else you had a chance to enjoy over the summer months.   4. Seashell Memories Capture every fun moment of summer vacation on seashells. If you didn't get a chance to go to the beach, don't worry-most craft and hobby stores sell bags of seashells. Use acrylic paint and a clean paintbrush to paint pictures inside the shells. My son's summer shells feature an octopus in the ocean (from snorkeling-we didn't actually see an octopus, but he wishes he had), a colorful clown from a friend's birthday party, an airplane in the clouds, and the night sky filled with stars and a bright crescent moon.