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Top SEO Software - Do I Really It?

By Oliver Hetzel

It can be difficult to determine the top SEO software available because there are so many kinds out there to choose from. Once you think you have found the best product, it is important to continue monitoring and researching the top SEO software due to the frequent changes and improvements to existing software as well as new SEO software being placed on the market daily which can result in your original choice becoming outdated.

So how do you decide which one is right for you? Whether we meet all your needs? The obvious advice to help you find the absolute SEO software, is to do your homework. Put a little a bit of time and effort. Do not go just by what their sales pitch tells you. If you've listened to that, then all single products on the market would be a better choice SEO software.

Instead, you will have to research a little more intensively to locate legitimate top SEO software. Take the time needed to check out blogs and forums which focus on internet marketing and SEO software. Determine what works and doesn't work for other people and apply that knowledge to your own purposes on your website. In doing this, you'll increase your knowledge about top SEO software as well as gain infinite information about online marketing that can contribute to your success.

You might not even need software that is designed specifically for SEO. Another option is to sign up for a package of tools and online services which you can get for a once-off fee or monthly subscription. This will unlock all the tools you could wish for, as well as high quality SEO software.

You would be better off if you join a good membership based service. Because it will have all the up-to-date software and will be able to offer you troubleshooting help as well as a ready membership driven website with quality tools including forums you can be part of.

When selecting SEO software, you must be sure that the one you choose is a right choice for you. The term Top SEO software is not objective, you have to think for yourself. The best SEO software for you should be the one you can afford yourself and the best for your requirements. As already told, do an independent work and don't trust the hyperbole of the sales page. A good SEO software should have testimonials from real users.

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What To Know About Reseller Web Hosting

By Landon Martinez

There are many times that you might need to have web hosting services. Some of these things might occur for you in the business world. You might own or run a company, and you might want to have web hosting because you would like to have your company operating online. If you want to have web hosting for this, you are going to have to buy it. You also might want to have web hosting for a personal or family web space.

Maybe you have decided that you would like to be able to have a web site where you can showcase your family or keep your family and friends up to date on what has been going on in your life. If this is case, you might also find yourself in need of web hosting.

No matter why you have web hosting in the first place, there is always the possibility that you might need to resell it. Reselling web hosting might be tricky, but it can be done, and there are several things that you know before you attempt it.

Things To Know

First of all, there are several things that you should know when you are Reselling web hosting. You should know that you are going to have all of the information availed before you begin to resell it. This is because you are going to want to make sure that you are able to answer any questions that the buyer might have when it comes to web hosting. You should be able to answer any questions while you are Reselling web hosting. These specifications would include how much space included in the web hosting, as well as if the space in unlimited or if it is subject to maximum limits. You should also be able to tell them if there are any specifications about how their pages have to be set up when you are Reselling web hosting.

Another thing you should be able to tell someone when you are Reselling web hosting is how well the site operates. You should be able to give them an idea of how often the web hosting is down or when it needs to be fixed. The person who is buying it should know how they can go about getting their site up and running again if it should go down for some reason or another.

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Searching For An Exciting Home Based Business? Tvi Express Is Ideal

By Mike McClain

With the cost of living on the rise there are growing numbers of people who want to work from home. Working from home means you can arrange your own working hours, be the boss and have financial freedom. There are many home based businesses out there all of which attract workers. A great home based business TVI Express is very popular right now.

Travel Ventures International Express (TVI Express) is a business within the travel industry. It works by allowing workers to run their own websites through which travel related products and services are sold. With so many people worldwide arranging their vacations and so on online this business is growing rapidly. Here are just a few of the reasons that people are joining this business:

TVI Express is a business that is already trading. It works with and sells products and services from tourism industry leaders such as Sheraton, British Airways and Avis to name but a few. As these names are so well known anyone joining TVI Express does not have to work to sell the products. So if you are looking for a business that does not require cold calling etc to make sales, this is for you.

The website that is used to sell the products will be built for you. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to create a website, TVI Express will take care of this for you. Your customers will then use this website to book and pay for their vacations.

When you work from home with this type of business it is totally up to you when you want to work. For people with children or elderly relatives to care for this is perfect. It means you can work whenever you have the spare time. You don't have to sign in during the nine to five office hours, you can work during the day or night, the choice is yours.

Stock is not an issue with TVI Express either as you will be selling vacations and flights etc. A lot of home based businesses ask workers to purchase and store stock which will then be sold on. This meant that anyone with a small home or no money to purchase stock would miss out.

In addition to this as soon as you have joined up to TVI Express you do not have to pay out any fees. Some work at home businesses require a monthly fee from workers, but not TVI. This means that every penny you see after you have joined will be your earnings.

As well as great earning potential, TVI also offers incentives for workers. These come in the form of holidays, villas, luxury cars and so much more. You can even take advantage of a six night break in a top hotel when you join the business.

So if you want to escape your job and be your own boss you can do it with a home based business. This home based business TVI Express offers anyone the chance to change their situation for the better and enjoy life and a greater income.

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Need Corporate Capital Fast? Your First Call Should Be To A Turnaround Consultant

By James Scott

Most companies who are on the venture capital trail are not set up properly to attract investors. When an investor looks at your business plan and private placement memorandum they are looking for certain things. Of course funding sources look for the obvious, a solid business model, positive cash flow, industry genre with solid future growth, recession proof business (if there even is such a thing) and minimal debt.

Countless companies are turned down for funding because they lack the basics such as: an advisory board, board of directors, solid executive staff with a well groomed pedigree, reasonable share price, business plan and PPM that spell out the risks for the investor and an original marketing strategy that covers all the angles. These are just a few of the most common mistakes that companies make out of naivety and by not taking the time to hire an expert to properly structure them to make the entity appeal to investors.

Seasoned expansion and turn-around consultants can step into a company and immediately zone in on the issues that will hinder a client's investment magnetism. Often times it only takes 2 to 3 weeks to completely reorganize a company to make it stand out like a beacon in the turbulent finance industry. If you are seriously considering the idea of raising capital with a private placement memorandum, traditional institutional loans, venture capital or a public offering don't be penny wise and dollar foolish.

Spend some money and hire a consultant who is completely submerged in the finance industry to take control of the elements of your corporation that are seen as 'black eyes' to investors so that you can achieve the capital you're seeking.

The reality is, raising capital for your company is easy and straight forward if you've taken the time to examine your business objectively and sought out the expert analysis of an industry expert consultant who will run your company through a formula and make the necessary changes to increase your ability to raise capital.

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Be A Dynamic Student

By Dr Jay Polmar

BE DYNAMIC THROUGH SPEED READING is an amazing course that you teach to yourself. It comes with audios, software, and course manuals to teach you to build reading speed, comprehension, concentration and focus. And also stimulate long-term memory.

The other factor is eidetic or auditory memories. You can remember everything you have ever seen or heard, even if you weren't paying attention to what was said. Your brain/mind, like a computer, stores all memories.

Learn the various methods used in the BE DYNAMIC THROUGH SPEED READING, and you'll notice some intentional redundancy, repetition! It is techniques repeated over and over, with visualization and various other added methods that will help you achieve the results you desire and be the best you can possibly be.

All of this will make you a better student, employee, communicator, and decision maker in your life. And only one of your benefits will be that you will cut reading time on reports, memos, correspondence, newspapers, novels, non-fiction, magazine, etc. You will save time, and the saying goes ..."time is money".

If you didn't know this, let me clue you in to the reality that writers get paid by the word in articles and by % of gross sales (royalties) in book publishing; usually the thicker the book the higher the price and the higher the royalty. Writers are unnecessary verbose. What this means is there are many words within sentences that are just there as fillers; what you have to learn to do, through the Be Dynamic Through Speed Reading program, is only read the words that are essential.

Dr. Jay Polmar and his team wrote the "Be Dynamic Through Speed Reading" program to share these valuable tools with students to help them get the most out of their reading experience. In the past two years he has worked with other educators to bring students the Perfect Learning System (www.perfectlearningsystems.com) which includes Be Dynamic, mind mapping comprehension and memory supports, plus special speed reading software developed to match the Perfect Learning System.

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How You Can Find Carrollton Texas Day Care

By Kelly Mayberry

In Carrollton Texas there are many different child care centers that are equipped to look after your child. But when you are going back to work, you do not want to leave your child in any day care, you want the best for their needs. Here are some tips on how you can find the best Carrollton Texas day care for your child.

When you know that you will have to return to work and will need child care services, then you should begin planning as far in advance as possible. Finding child care vacancies at centers that meet your needs can be difficult and if you leave it to the last minute then you are likely to end up stressed out and settling for anywhere that offers a place.

If you are looking for Carrollton Texas day care, then you need to identify your needs, your child's needs and your budget. An important thing to think about is the amount of time that you need care and the opening hours of the center. You can have a lot more flexibility if you contract the services of your own nanny, but this is the most expensive option and is not viable for everybody. Most people will end up putting their children into child care centers.

When you are looking for different child care centers you can find them in the Yellow Pages or by contacting the Department of Human Services. A great way to find out about good child care centers is by asking your friends, family or acquaintances who they have look after their children.

When you have made a list of the centers that are possibilities you should visit them to get a real feel for the way your child would be cared for. There are certain questions that you should ask to ensure that you know everything you need to in order to make an informed choice.

Questions to ask include: what training does the staff have? How many children to a room? What is the staff to child ratio? What are the fees? Are there extra costs or fees? Is the center accredited or registered and if so with whom? What activities are the children involved in? What are the child care philosophies of the center? How do they discipline or manage children at the center?

With a bit of forward planning and investigation you can find the ideal child care center for your child. Your Carrollton Texas day care center can meet all your needs and those of your child, which will make the change of routine easier for both of you.

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Is Windows 7 Really Better Than Vista?

By Julie Johnson

When Microsoft released their Windows Vista operating system it was supposed to be their next great version of Windows. Unfortunately, Windows users and critics did not agree with Microsoft, and Vista may be one of the biggest failures that the company ever had when it comes to the their PC operating systems. Windows quickly re-grouped and began work on Windows 7, which would answer all of the complaints and bugs that Vista users were quick to point out. So now that Windows 7 is available, how does it compare to past versions of Windows? Well one thing is for sure, it cannot be worse then Vista.

Microsoft did have users test their new operating system before it was made available to the general public. Of the 550 users who test Windows 7 before its release, many had at least minimal familiarity with Windows products prior to this trial. Of these 550 users, 61% are using the system for home and personal use mostly, 25% said they were using it for both home and work equally and about 14% found themselves using it almost entirely for their business needs. The testers were also split between users who installed the Windows 7 operating system into a clean computer, and users who installed it directly over Windows Vista.

The results of this testing were very good for Microsoft and Windows 7. Only a very small fraction of the testers has trouble with the installation of Windows 7, which is to be expected when you are installing any new operating system onto a PC. The one area of the installation which caused the most issues for the testers was compatibility with drivers and other software, which again is to be expected when installing a new operating system. A handful of the testers did end up having their computer crash during the installation process, however the percentage of users who encountered this was very small. This testing helped Microsoft prove that the installation of Windows 7 is significantly better than the Windows Vista installation, and the very small number of issues that arose during testing should not be a concern for consumers.

In general user experience has been beneficial with only about 5% of people reporting that they were not satisfied with the overall performance of the operating system itself. As compared to the test run for Windows Vista before it was released, this had about half the users complaining about it before it got out of the gates.

Microsoft's promise of their best operating system ever may have finally come true with Windows 7. Microsoft learned many hard lessons from the Vista operating system, and took those lessons, along with significant feedback from the user community into consideration when developing Windows 7. That being said, there are of course some bugs and glitches in the Windows 7 operating system, but Microsoft is hard at work resolving those issues, and distributing patches and updates automatically to Windows 7 users. As long as Microsoft remains diligent in fixing Windows 7 issues as they arise, then their is no reason why any PC owner should not upgrade if they have the chance. This is especially true if you are still using Vista and it is making you miserable.

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Common Sports Betting Futures Mistakes To Avoid

By Ross Everett

Sports book futures bets are an increasing popular and potentially profitable way to wager on the outcome of a full season. There's a few common mistakes that novice players make that can be easily avoided by paying attention to the following:

You gotta shop around: More specifically, you have to 'shop points' just as you would with a straight bet. This is crucial in all forms of sports betting but particularly key with futures wagers. There are often greater variances in the prices from book to book on future plays than any other type of wagering proposition. The reason for this is simple--most books are less concern with what the 'other guys' are doing as they are with keeping their own position 'in balance'. All in all, the sports betting marketplace just doesn't react as quickly to changing futures prices as it does to individual game lines.

Don't try to pick the winner in a competitive marketplace: This may sound sort of counter intuitive since the general idea of betting on futures is to determine the actual winner but it's really not. Like everything else, its essential to always be mindful of the value you're getting. In a futures market with several legitimate contenders at the top the price offered is seldom high enough to properly compensate for the risk you're assuming. Here's an example: in a hypothetical NCAA hoops tournament Duke is +200 to win the national championship. They've certainly got a shot, but at a payback of only 2/1 its hard to justify a wager at this point with the potential for so many interceding events that can make a championship more problematic. Such events as injuries, a tough tournament draw or even just going into a slump at the wrong time can happen to any team but when you bet a higher priced team--a 'dark horse mid major at 15/1 for example--you're getting "compensation" for assuming the "risks" of betting on a proposition with so many unknown variables.

To put this in more theoretical terms, the "true odds" of Duke winning the NCAA Championship are almost certainly higher than the price we're getting. Obviously, determining the "true odds", or actual probability of a future event is an inexact science but think of it this way: if the NCAA tournament was played 100 times would Duke wind up winning 50 of those? Given the number of other good teams and the propensity for upsets along the way, its doubtful. For the sake of argument, lets say that Duke has a 33% chance to win the tournament. That means that I wouldn't consider a bet on Duke to be a good value unless I was getting a price that a) accurately reflected the true probability of their winning and b) gave me some compensation for assuming the "risk of the unknown" inherent in taking the position so far in advance. At +500 I might be interested, but at +200 the value just isn't there.

In a less competitive field, there can be instances where even a big favorite is a good value. For example, lets say a book was to take action on a bikini contest between a Victoria's Secret supermodel and three members of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The model would essentially be a 100% probability to win the contest, meaning that even a high chalk price would be a good value. Risking a lot of money to win a little is a tough thing to justify, however, even if the math makes sense.

Don't get seduced by big underdogs: Sports betting is not a place to make the "big killing". It may happen occasionally, but more often it doesn't. While a sports book might offer a huge price on a cellar dwelling team to win the World Series, the big payback does not mean its a good value. On a practical level, there's probably nothing wrong with throwing a few bucks on a wager like this with a huge payback if the impossible occurs. My only problem with this is that making too many bets like this just perpetuates bad sports betting habits. If you're strictly a recreational player, no big deal. If you aspire to bet professionally, or at least want to pursue it with some degree of seriousness I've always maintained that you need to develop discipline that's not situational. In other words, if you want to be a serious sports bettor you need to approach it with a consistent level of seriousness at all times. If you want to chase a huge, life altering jackpot go to Las Vegas and play the Megabucks slots or buy a Powerball ticket.

Wagering value is just as important at the bottom of the barrel as it is at the top. Just because you're getting a huge potential payback on a big dog doesn't make it a good value. Make sure that the payback you're getting presents an overlay situation--even on a huge underdog.

Don't waste your money on ridiculous prop bets: Occasionally sports books offer ridiculous bets to get press or to be funny. For example, a book once offered odds on Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Bruce Willis all hopping into bed together and releasing a video tape of the proceedings. You'd no doubt get a huge payback were this to happen, but the 'true odds' of such an event transpiring far exceeded even a big potential payback.

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How Much Is To Much Good Advertising?

By Julie Johnson

Many businesses employ SEO management because they believe that the more customers who find their web site, the better it will be for them, but this is not always true. More web advertising is not always better, especially if your business is not equipped to handle a large increase in your customer base.

When you advertise your business through the internet, and create your own web site, you need to carefully monitor the impact that this advertising is having. The more you advertise and grow your web site, will hopefully mean more traffic at your web site, and more potential customers. You need to monitor your web traffic, and your growth, to make sure your business is built to handle the increase in customers, or you at least have a plan in place that will allow you to quickly expand your business to meet your growing needs. Many business do not have this plan in place, many do not even think about the long term consequences of advertising via the web, all they care about is increasing the amount of traffic to their site.

If you are not careful, however and fully monitoring your results, this can actually crash your business. Depending on the size of your operation, you must be able to keep up with the flow of new business and maintain a good business reputation. If you take more orders than you have product available or employees to service them, then in essence it wont be long before your business suffers from better than expected advertising results.

If you have a small business, and you are working hard to improve your web sites rankings in various search engine results lists, this may sound contradictory to your current goals. The reality of the situation is, though, that if your web site were to suddenly be on the top of the list, for every relevant search on all of the major search engines, it is very likely that your business would not be able to handle the increased demands. In the end it is more important to make sure you are meeting the needs of your existing customers, and slowly grow your business, then to attract as many new customers as possible.

So manage your internet marketing, just like you would any other aspect of your business, and you will find that you need to accept growth in steps and that there is such a thing as too much good advertising.

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Increase Sales With A Press Release

By Brock Hamilton

If you sit down and look at your local newspaper then chances are you will have or have already seen a press release that was put out by a big company. You sit there and think to yourself "I wish my business could do that." The good news is that your business can be just like the big boys in that regard. Many companies never realize that they have a wonderful marketing tool at their disposal when it comes to the press release.

Yes the big companies have long since mastered the art of writing the press release. If you are willing to take a chance and try new things then you too can master this and compete on a whole new level of business.

The big advantage to this type of marketing is that it will get your company name out there and as a result will allow you to give people insight as to what all you can offer them as far as products is concerned. Now if you are sitting there saying that your a small business and don't have anything to say then you are not looking at the bigger picture. You don't have to announce a massive news event in order to put a press release out. It can be as big an event as you want it to be or as small as you want.

What kind of event would you want to put a press release out for, here are some examples. Announce something that is happening at your company. Maybe you are celebrating the hire of a new HR person. Maybe you want to celebrate an anniversary or a new product line. These are just a few examples of events you would put a press release out for. No matter how small you may think something is you can always make a event out of it and use it in your company's marketing.

A good idea to see just how effective your release truly is. Have a contest, offer a free product to the winner, you will be shocked at the large number of entries that you will receive. In the long run just make it a point to follow up with any and all leads that you get.

Maybe you are offering a class at your company then this is the right time for a press release. This will show people that you are excited about your business and are wanting to get other people to share in your excitement as well. Maybe you are having an annual sale that you want the entire world to know about then you will issue a press release. The best part of a press release is it is practically free marketing for your business. This will be a tool that if you use it wisely will pay off for a long time to come in the future. Just make sure that you harness the raw power that a good press release has and use it to your full advantage to get effective marketing.

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Insider Knowledge With Teleseminars

By Gavin J. King

For those of you who may not know, teleseminars are one of the best tools you can use to roll out your newest products or services. Using a website for the foundation of your marketing is a great idea, but you have to have a way to sell your products to clients, not just show them. Any number of several great ideas could be used for this. It is hard to personally connect with web users through a website. The web site may not have generated the kind of interest needed.

To get things going, have one person establish a good time to host the conference call. Affiliate networks, websites and direct emails can be great ways to get the word out about the time and topic of your teleconference. The whole purpose here is to drum up as much interest as possible.

After a possible client opts into attendance of the teleconference, you simply give them their access code and the phone number. Without this critical information, attendees will not be able to get into the teleconference at all.

The conference call can be any length. The host is the person who set up the teleconference call. The guests are the registered users who have dialed the number and entered the access code. The guests cannot attend if you do not make sure they have the access code.

There are times when the information is offered for free. When it isn't about your products, or you are giving attendees something of great value, you can charge an attendance fee. It really depends on your approach in the conference. Many Internet gurus have learned that by holding a tele-seminar they could generate interest in a new product.

Your presentation should stir up the attendees and get them to want to know more about your product. They will then log into a particular web site to buy the product. In this kind of setup, the teleconference would be free.Making money this way is both easy and fast, so don't hesitate to do it. As teleconferences increase in popularity, you will understand why they are used so much. Many companies have made the platform their base for income. Some of them are even free. There is nothing holding you back from doing your own teleconference.

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Ideas For Press Releases

By Brock Hamilton

Have you heard all of the buzz going around about press releases but are not exactly sure how this can benefit you and your company? Then you need to read this article and discover some of the ideas that people will write a press release about. Many people are lost when it comes time to write their press release and don't have a clue about what to make as their topic for a press release.

Back when it was hoped that a press release would be picked up by a member of the press and published so that thousands of people would be able to see this and decide to go and visit your business. This basic concept is still in place, but these days it is a more effective tool that is used in the world of marketing your business. These days anybody can put out a press release about anything that is going on at their company.

If you are sitting there and saying that you have nothing to write about in your press release then you are mistaken and taking the wrong approach to the whole thing completely. Stop putting your press release into a pre-fit box and instead let it be more of a news article, this approach will allow you to have a better perspective as to what to put in your press release. The following are just a couple of ideas that you will be able to use in your press releases.

1. Maybe you are announcing a new venture in your company. This would be the ideal place and method upon which to announce this.

2. Are you ready to launch a new product line? The a press release is ideal for such an announcement. Making the announcement of a new partnership between two individuals and or companies.

3. If your company has received an award in the recent weeks or months.

4. maybe you and you company are offering a series of articles for publishing and are wanting to announce this.

These are just a few of the things that you will want to publish a press release for as these are milestones in your company and you will want to share all of these with the rest of the world.

Press releases are a wonderful way to get the message that you have out to the public and to let them know that an event in your company has recently occurred and therefore you are making an announcement as such.

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The History Of Reno's Mapes Hotel

By Ross Everett

On January 31, 2000, the historic Mapes Hotel in Reno was imploded by 75 pounds of explosives tucked into the art-deco structures support columns. The destruction of the Mapes put an end to years of efforts to preserve the building via lawsuits, redevelopment proposals, and grass roots action. The National Trust for Historic Preservation took up the cause of the Mapes, and challenged the destruction in a suit that eventually reached the Nevada Supreme Court.

While the efficacy and justification of demolishing the Mapes is debatable, one thing that is not is the glorious history of the hotel. It was built in'47, and signaled the start of the modern era of casino gambling. Despite the notoriety of Bugsy Siegel and the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was the Mapes that became the first building in the nation to have a hotel, casino and live entertainment under one roof. It also became the hotel of choice for celebrities staying in Northern Nevada. Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe stayed at The Mapes during the filming of 'The Misfits'. Joseph McCarthy, America's famed anti-Communist crusader, admitted to a reporter over cocktails in the Mapes Lounge that he really didn't have a list of Communists in the US despite his frequent and vitriolic insistence to the contrary.

During the 'Rat Pack' era of the 50's and 60's it became along with the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe the place to be seen in Northern Nevada. The 11th floor, window walled Sky Room Lounge hosted performances by a roster of entertainment legends including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Milton Berle and Mae West. Downtown Reno struggled during the'60's and 70's but the Mapes continued to prosper. The hotel finally closed in'82, due to financial problems experienced by the Mapes Family brought about by their other Northern Nevada casino holdings.

Reno never experienced the massive growth that occurred in Las Vegas and southern Nevada, and for that reason the destruction of the Mapes is more open to debate than the hotel demolitions to the south. Even the demolition of The Sands--perhaps the most historically significant casino in the state--is hard to argue against given the inability of such a small property to compete in the current Las Vegas marketplace and in light of the value of the mid-strip real estate. The old properties may have historic value to pop culture historians, but their survival doesn't make economic sense. They're simply 'analog players in a digital world'.

That's not the case in Reno, where vacant land and/or buildings ripe for redevelopment are abundant downtown and in the other casino areas of the city. The official reason that the Mapes had to come down was that the city needed the land to expand its vision for downtown redevelopment. While this is certainly a much needed effort, to suggest that the existence of the Mapes was a barrier is absurd. In fact, many of the proposals rejected by the city would have gone a long way to enhance the revitalization of downtown Reno and included artists lofts, office space and other mixed used properties. Despite receiving a number of viable concepts for the Mapes Building, the City Redevelopment Authority rejected all of them and the Mapes was destined for demolition.

The role of the City Redevelopment Authority was questioned throughout the process. Overlooking the Truckee River, the hotel was on a prime location between the downtown casino area and the riverfront district. A number of sound financial proposals were presented that would preserve the integrity of the structure including condominiums, office space, and perhaps most viable, upscale senior apartments. Oddly, all of these proposals were turned down by the citys Redevelopment Agency which continued to maintain that demolition was the only viable option despite copious evidence to the contrary.

Following the 2000 demolition, the lot remained vacant for over a year until a temporary ice skating rink was hastily constructed the following winter. The property has been improved and the rink is now permanent which, while not in itself a bad use for the land, further calls into question the efficacy of demolishing the structure. It would appear that the city had no clue what to do with the land, but for whatever reason wanted the building brought down. This has led to all sorts of conspiracy theories, from the City Development Agency having financial incentive to raze the hotel to rumors that the building was haunted and was destroyed to keep the Reno area from being overrun with paranormal activity. Whatever the reason for the decision, the city of Reno has lost a beautiful art deco treasure that played a significant part in the economic growth of the state.

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Take Your Company Public: Take Your Small Business Public

By James Scott

Are you trying to raise capital for your business? Have you been turned down by institutional lenders for loans and corporate lines of credit? Why deal with the hassle and embarrassment of perpetual declines and risk losing your business because of lack of cash? Wouldn't it be great to raise capital quickly and easily for your company without constantly having to fill out scores of credit applications to stay afloat?

The important thing to realize is that if you are a small or medium size business and even if you are a start-up you can take your company public on OTCBB. When going public you really have two viable options: first, most people consider the IPO, but very few qualify because of the necessity of massive amounts of capital in reserve, SOX 404, extensive time in business and finding a broker dealer to take you through the process; the second option is taking your company public OTCBB (over the counter bulletin boards), this process is inexpensive, lightning fast, minimal qualifications and offers start-ups and small/medium size business the ability to raise gargantuan amounts of capital from investors worldwide.

There is no other way to go public on a legitimate platform. With Pink Sheets and Reverse Mergers you'll only get burned so buyer beware! Are you short on cash? A popular mechanism for raising the initial capital to go public via OTCBB is by using a Private Placement Memorandum (Regulation D Rule 504) with a built in mini/maxi.

Right when you hit that minimum you can start using capital to grow your company while simultaneously initiating the 'going public' process.

The moral of this story...even if you're a startup or small business owner you can raise capital by going public! Get informed and get funded.

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Investor Mind Control: Is It For Real?

By James Scott

Discovering the 'thumbscrews' of investors is crucial to getting them to take action. In over a decade of dealing with global investors there are several elements that I've discovered to be universal truths about the mind of the private investor (angel investor, accredited investor).

When talking to an investor for the first time, it's more important to listen than to speak. It's more important to ask questions than answer them. It's more important to discover their needs and wants than to exclaim your own. Your first conversation with an investor should be all about piercing the armor and finding the trigger points that prompt a reaction that gets to the center of their 'childlike' state.

What I mean by this is, investors, just like anyone else, has insecurities that are rooted in their childhood and what they are outwardly today, is typically a polar opposite of what they are on the inside. For example, an arrogant, chest beater seems proud and obnoxious on the outside but the reality is that they are over compensating for an insecurity that is rooted in an individual or collection of childhood incidents.

Maybe they were made fun of as a child, maybe they're father was verbally abusive, maybe their teachers would single them out in class opening them up to playground mockery. When talking to these individuals it's important to listen to their voice and intonation when the conversation topic changes. Take notes on their psychological adjustments to the conversation. After you feel you have discovered the triggers that induce the 'pleasurable' responses, end the call, and set your second phone appointment with them.

On that second call, you want to have your conversation ready to go using the triggers you found in the first conversation. Play off of those insecurities that you found, become their best friend without being chummy but it is your mission on this call to be the "guy that understand me" to the investor. You want the overall tone of this conversation to have the response from your target along the theme of, "wow, this guy gets me" , "I can see investing in this company".

By using this method and not coming across as 'fake', you have become an investment opportunity and a shrink all rolled into one. You want to be the one person that this investor can lower his guard to because everything he says, you seem to be the one person who understands him at his deepest level. You seem to naturally be tuned into his insecurities, emotions, needs and wants. Sound strange? Try this out on the next investor you talk to, I guaranty you will be shocked with the results.

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Local Community Marketing Through Door Hangers

By Hema Mahesh

Door hanger is an effective component of marketing campaign. It is well suited to a personal business like a homely eating joint. If you look around, you will find that a few restaurants are promoting their joint through door hangers in competent manner and are getting good response. This idea is well suited for small enterprises and helps to improve their businesses.

The central point of interest is the message that you give in the door hangers. This is the route to impress customers and it needs expertise of some class. The writing has to be professionally tailored to highlight salient features of the business so that customers find it relevant to the business. The message should be qualified enough to increase the confidence of customers to test the product or a service.

As a store owner, you must give due consideration to the creation of a door hanger. The vital thing is the message in it, which is the key of achievement. Messages that you convey should be to the point, clear and genuine. Door hangers are most economic to produce and bring direct customers for the business.

You have to make arrangement to hang them by moving around your locality. It is not thrown away like the ordinary pamphlet, which we are given in stores. People read door hangers normally and come to know a product or a service. It is therefore compulsory to produce door hangers attractive and significant to draw attention of the people.

That is why this is regarded as an efficient marketing tool. The door hanger is often targeted to impress a certain section of people or a community who share common interest being in the same locality. The local promotion is increased by using door hangers. Local sales are backbones of any business organization and improving local relation strengthens it.

A properly managed door hanger marketing is able to reap rich fruits for your sales revenue in a short time. The effective message communication is achieved nearly cent percent in door hanger printing and retail store owners benefit from this simple tool of marketing.

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New Era - Cheap Web Hosting

By Veronica Carrillo

If you're looking for a free web hosting service, you must learn about the 2 basic models just so you know which one fits you best. No-Ads Free Web Hosting This type of free hosting service requires you to register or transfer domain name with them for at least 1 year. Price of new registration or transfer of domain name can cost anywhere from $15 to $35 depending on the "free" hosting service you go with. If you're smart, you can actually get a domain name for about $10 with a reputable domain registrar instead of paying that "free" hosting provider.

Opting for top web hosting service is a harrowing task most of the times as there are some very crucial features you require to take in consideration. What actually makes a web hosting service top rated can be decided by considering few important aspects.

Web space amount A top website hosting service offers you the required space on the server along with giving you assurance that in future it will render you with appropriate space amount for your site considering your needs of business. It is possible that you look for opportunities to expand you business in near future. For which you might need space also. So it becomes extremely essential for you that the hosting service you opt for should render you with sufficient amount of space particularly in case your site includes graphics as well as video clips.

Having said that, there's no free lunch. There's always a catch for the so-called free web hosting. You want no ads, money talks. You want to host at no fee, ads will appear on all your web pages. Simple as that. Here's my suggestion though. If you're creating website for personal use without the aim of making money, then model B is what you should go with since reliability and quality are not your prime concern.

A server with few websites on it that always is down is just as bad as a busy web server that's slow, but is generally always up. Look for sites that have at least 99.9% uptime or better. That may seem like a high number, but it's perfectly possible to do online.

In spite of some of the shortcomings found in shared hosting, it is a popular and reasonable choice for new businesses. Compared to other types of web hosting, it is cheaper and as a business grows, it can simply move to the next higher tier of hosting as necessary. Going in with a solid concept of what shared hosting means will make sure that you're able to start your online presence the right way from the start instead of having to correct mistakes along the way.

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How to Make Your Home Page Work For You to Get More Clients Online - Online Copywriting

By Veronica Carrillo

A website is a wonderful tool. It can be used to promote your offline business to attract new clients and increase sales. It can be used to generate sales for your online business. And you can even start a website for the sole purpose of generating passive income through various income streams. A website is a great way to make more money by getting more exposure, but a website is only as good as its ability to generate traffic. A website without a constant flow of traffic is worthless, no matter how well it is set up or designed. Traffic is king, and you ability to bring traffic to your site will determine your ability to use your website to accomplish whatever purpose you have for it, whether it be building your online or online business or generating passive income.

By learning and practicing the following website marketing strategies, I was able to increase the traffic volume on each of my website by over 1000%. They are easily mastered by anyone who takes the time to practice using them, and they are free. That's what makes these guerrilla marketing strategies, as they make the most out of free and easy available advertising mediums. Integrate each into your marketing campaign and you will surely experience enhanced website traffic.

Search Engine Marketing The search engines are the most popular way for people to find what they are looking for on the internet. Billions of searches are done each day, and millions of visitors are sent to deserving websites. Anyone who has a website needs to take time to get recognized, listed, and ranked by the search engines. SEO takes time to master and to practice, but the result it an automated source of free and targeted website traffic.

So their first question is, "Will you solve my problem?" Then they want to categorize your offering. If they're seeking help with career change, they want to know if you are a career coach, life coach, psychotherapist, career counselor or company recruiter. If they're trying to get out of debt, they want to know if you're an attorney, accountant or financial planner. Part of problem solving is gaining access. So your prospective clients want to know if you work virtually or in person. They'll want to know if you see clients individually or in groups.

Another really great way to get recognized as an expert in your field and have traffic funneled to your website is through the use of videos. Video is fast becoming the best way to promote yourself online and make people aware of your website and what you have to offer. With sites like YouTube making it really easy to get your videos online more and more people are starting to use this method to drive eager buyers to their sites every day.

These simple website traffic secrets are some of the most powerful ways to get your site flowing with traffic on a daily basis and the best part is it doesn't have to cost you a dime.

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No Charity Event For Motorcycle Club Members

By L.J. James

A few weeks back I received an email from a girl Kim about a Charity Motorcycle event she was working on for Bide A Wee an Animal shelter I worked at when I was younger. As I read the info I was looking forward to attending the event only to find it was being held at Jugs and Strokers the only "Biker Bar" on Long Island that does not allow Motorcycle Club Colors. I was pissed to find out I would not be welcome at this event. I then saw the email had been sent out to many other Motorcycle Clubs on Long Island. Pissed Off, I started writing a reply to the email and sent it out to the MC's here on Long Island. Here is what I wrote.

Hey everyone this is LJ James.

You may not know this but I worked at Bide A Wee in Wantagh for many years. I have some great memories of my time working there. As much as I love the place and think Bide A Wee to be a truly great organization, I will not take off my Colors to go inside Jugs & Strokers to attend this event.

I see this email is addressed to many different Clubs. Some of your beliefs may be different then mine and you may take your Colors off to attend this event. I would hope all of you have more respect for your Club then to do that, but these are my beliefs and may not be yours.

I think it is only fair to Kim who is working very hard for this very worthy cause that she know what your feelings are about the Jugs and Strokers policy in regards to Colors. Kim has spent a lot of time working on this event and I would hate to see her event fail because she is unaware of the Revulsion Jugs and Strokers has towards Motorcycle Clubs!!!

Not only is it an old out dated Policy that promotes the Division of Motorcycle Riders, it is also illegal according to NY State Law! I have been working hard to protect and promote Motorcycle Rights and Unity here in NY and world wide. I think it is time We started working hard to change what is wrong here on Long Island! There is an old saying, "if you want to fix the world start in your own back yard".

This is an event that, when I heard about it I wanted to attend. Then I hear it is being held at Jugs and now I am "not allowed to attend".

I am not a bad guy! You all out there know me. How many of your events have I covered in Magazines? How many of you have I DJed for? Not only your Club events but many of your personal family events! I've even preformed wedding ceremonies for a few of you and after I married you I Djed your wedding!!!

You too are also all good people. Your MCs have done many things to make Long Island a better place. You have fed the Hungry, Clothed the poor, and made sure every Child on Long Island had a Toy for the Holidays. Our patches stand for what is great about America! Why should we be made to feel that wearing our Colors is even the slightest bit wrong?

If you ask Jugs and Strokers, they might try to use the excuse "well its not your group its other groups who are the bad guys". That is a cop out, a lie, and an attempt to divide the Long Island Motorcycle Club world!!!

Over the past few years here on Long Island we have seen a Unity in the Motorcycle Club World that many still can not believe. Sport Bike Clubs and Cruiser Clubs riding and hanging together. AMA Clubs and 1% Clubs attend each others events. Law Enforcement Clubs and Outlaw Clubs Breaking Bread and Drinking together at events. I have seen every type of rider hanging out together. This is the Biker dream people!!!

There was a time when we were all told that you could not have a bar on Long Island where all MCs where aloud to mingle together. That there would be nothing but fights and problems. Then JDs Place opened and shortly after that, the Myth was put to rest.

The Motorcycle World here on Long Island has become something We are all very proud of. I call out to all of you MCs, independents, and MROs like ABATE, it is time to end the humiliating practice that Jugs and Strokers has been aloud to inflict upon the Long Island Motorcycle World for far too long!!!

I am tired of this bar being allowed to claim it is a biker bar for bikers, but if your a member of a Motorcycle Club and wear your Colors, you are some how an undesirable, and unwelcome. I say time is up, Jugs and Stokers! You have made enough money off the Long Island Motorcycle world! You need to stop being part of the Problem and become part of the Solution!!!

I'm interested to know what the feelings are of the rest of you!!!

(Because of this reply, Shortly after I wrote this the event was switched to another Long Island Biker Bar "Sick Moon Saloon" That welcomes all who Ride)

LJ James Proud Member Mortal Skulls MC AmericanBikerX.com

Discrimination On The Basis Of Clothing Or Club Membership Is ILLEGAL Article I, Section 11 of the New York State Constitution states "that no person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof." Article 4, Section 40 of the Civil Rights Law provides that "all persons within the jurisdiction of this state shall be entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any places of public accommodations, resort or amusement subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons." The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that individuals have the constitutional right under the First Amendment to wear clothing which displays writing or designs. Cohen v. California, 403 US 15 (1971). In addition, the right of an individual to freedom of association has long been recognized and protected by the United States Supreme Court. Thus, a person's right to wear the clothing of his choice, as well as his right to belong to any club or organization his choice is constitutionally protected, and persons or establishments who discriminate on the basis of clothing or club membership are subject to a lawsuit.

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Fireplace Screens - Learn Now Why You Genuinely Need One Today

By Jeff Bridges

Nowadays fireplaces are built in many different shapes and sizes. To enhance our homes even more today, you can choose between wooden, electric, stone or bricks and mortar. No matter which one you have in your home, Fireplace Screens will not only enhance your room, but will offer much needed safety as well. They are also a very elegant addition to the traditional splendor of some of the most gracious homes.

No matter what your fancy is today, whether it be ultra modern design or a contemporary one, or maybe you love a vintage look, they compliment any room from large to small.

Owning a fireplace is so rewarding if you think about curling up on the sofa in a heated room and just watching the flames dance. It is relaxing and can set the tone for an enjoyable evening for the whole family. But, it also comes with a lot of responsibility, in that the sparks and embers could cause a lot of damage in the room. The inevitable ember will fly from the fire which in turn burns your floor or even curtaining if close enough. If you do not take the necessary steps to combat this problem, you could end up losing your home to a fire.

You could spend hours choosing one as creativity is endless in this regard. Different materials like; copper, brass, glass or cast iron are used and combined with patterns and motifs, become magnificent pieces of art. Many designers would create their screens looking antique as if they just arrived from an ancient castle or villa.

Having said that, there a countless forms, shapes and sizes available to us which are decorated in wonderful art work and colors. We can also have screens customized to suit the fireplace's style and form. In stores today there are ones which fold up if you are not making a fire or those that stay in front of the fireplace and is used as an art piece to marvel at.

A word of advise, make sure you take the exact measurement of your fireplace as this could greatly help with sourcing the perfect fit for the open area. Also safety before beauty is the order of the day here. Make sure that your screen is 100 percent safe and won't melt or fall over.

Buying the right screen for your fireplace can help it esthetically, and keep the dirt contained. Some people choose to have multiple Fireplace Screens so they can change their decor with some screens for casual use, and others that come out on special occasions or holidays.

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Government Ban On Biker Colors In Bars !

By L.J. James

There is a new law in Virginia that will ban Motorcycle Club Colors in Bars. The law, originally aimed at Street Gangs, is causing quite a stir with Virginia Bikers. The law states that Bar & Restaurant owners will lose their liquor license if they allow patrons who wear "gang" related attire such as Club Logo's or Colored Bandannas.

These sort of "grey area" laws are extremely dangerous and a threat to everyone's freedom. Who decides what constitutes "Gang Apparel"? I'm wondering if Boy Scouts are going to be able to eat together at Applebees if they are in their uniforms.

According to news reports, many Bikers and Motorcycle Club Members in Virginia have already begun fighting this law. If a law like this is allowed to stand in Virginia, it won't be long until it is passed in other states across America!

We as Motorcyclists and Bikers (It does not matter what you call yourself) have to realize fast that we are all connected. It doesn't matter what you ride, what State you live in or who you Support, we're all in this together. What effects Me effects you and it doesn't matter what you happen to think of me.

When the local Bar you and your Brothers love hanging out at is told that you and all other members of Motorcycle Clubs can no longer go there or they will revoke the Bars liquor license, What then?

This is no Joke my Biker Brothers, every month there is another new law that is aimed not only Motorcycle Club Members, but all Americans. It seems that every time the Government wants to take away a freedom, they find a way to craft a new law for our "safety". What kind of Country is this turning into when you can't wear what you want and suddenly, your constitutional right to assemble is taken away from you?

Although there are many ignorant people out there that believe Motorcycle Clubs are Gangs, that's simply not the case. Most Motorcycle Clubs are made up of hard working, honest, law abiding, patriotic, American Citizens who enjoy a common bond, Motorcycles. It's what is in a persons heart that determines who they are, not the clothes they wear.

In the past year the government has taken away the Colors of one Motorcycle Club. A law enforcement officer can demand anyone sporting the Clubs logo to forfeit it. The theory is that the loss of the logo strips the club of its "gang identity."

Grant it, it appears that some of the Clubs members may have been involved in illegal activities, but that doesn't mean that everyone who rides a Motorcycle should be punished for it. In fact, less than 10% of this 600 Member Club was even accused of wrong doing.

In addition, the Government and law enforcement agencies have been spending millions of our dollars to influence friends and ex-members of Motorcycle Clubs in an effort to infiltrate these clubs in hopes of catching members doing something illegal. Often, when they find that the Club they've infiltrated is nothing more than a group of Patriotic, Law Abiding Men & Women, they'll fabric wrong doing so that they can justify the enormous amount of resources spent on these Fishing Expeditions.

Just imagine how much better off we'd all be if they used those resources to investigate the Corrupt Politicians, the Corporations that control our Country, Wall Street, and the other issues that are quickly sinking this great Nation.

What I want to know is, what will be the last straw? What's it going to take for us to say enough is enough? We can not fight these Laws and Fight each other at the same time! We need to work together to save what we are, who we are.

The Government has taken away our rights to ride the Motorcycle we want, to wear what we want and now to go where we want! Why are we still fighting each other? When are we going to wake up??

For more on this story check out the story on WTVR.com

I am your Bro, LJ James AmericanBikerX.com Saying Time is Running out!!!

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PPM Offering Basics: A Must Read If You Are Raising Capital

By James Scott

Are you a business owner raising capital with a Regulation D Rule exemption (504, 505 or 506) also referred to as a Private Placement Memorandum, PPM or Offering Memorandum? If you are using this mechanism to raise capital then you'll, no doubt, have to have a solid comprehension of the most distinct and important part of the Private Placement Memorandum referred to as the 'Offering Circular'.

When your consultant or attorney is asking you for details on everything from business location to management, from dividends to risk details, you need to make sure that this information is complete and accurate. You'll need to audit the documents after they are completed. A solid Offering Circular has kept countless companies from being sued by investors that didn't get the investment return they were anticipating.

While the business plan is meant to grab the initial attention of the investor or funding source, the Offering Memorandum is meant to spell out the down and dirty details of the venture so that you are protected from lawsuits down the road, while simultaneously exposing the various ins and outs of your venture to give a 'reality check' to the investor before they hand over the cash.

The offering circular needs to be powerful yet very compact without the redundancies of using space to say the same things over and over again to pull the investors attention from the negative to the potential profit margins or management's impressive pedigree. With all this said, yes it's true the offering circular is one of the parts of a PPM spells out the technical aspects of the enterprise with a focus on inherent risk of investing but this can be done in a balanced way to also demonstrate the positive aspects of your venture by giving solid descriptions of your management team and, in place, distribution centers and contracts in place ready for capitalization.

When authoring the offering circular demonstrate the risks with a well balanced demonstration of the system in place to overcome these risks and dominate your market niche.

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Take Your Company Public: Software Developers Can Raise Capital Fast!

By James Scott

Are you trying to raise capital for your start-up or corporation in expansion? Have you exhausted your traditional institutional sources and hedge fund contacts? Don't lose hope just yet! First of all, take all those pamphlets and brochures from banks and other traditional lenders that are lying all over your desk and toss them in the trash...they are absolutely useless.

Banks don't have your company's best interest in mind as they are hardly even staying afloat in this economy. Today's institutional financier isn't qualified to run a bath let alone a bank. Don't put your future in the untested hands of a 20 something knucklehead. After you've tossed all that useless info in the trash, clear your head and then look at your company and ask yourself a few tough questions: Is your company invest-able? Do you and your executive staff have a pedigree that investors deem as seasoned enough to take their money and make affective use of it and not lose it? What proprietary concepts/technology/patents do you have that give you a larger market share with the proper cash infusion? What is your current capital/debt situation?

If, after pondering these questions you've come to the conclusion you honestly, truly have something worth pursuing then the next step is to look at the reality that your company is worthy of a public offering. Stay away from Pink Sheets and be weary of reverse mergers and in reality your company won't qualify for the NASDAQ so the quickest way to raise public capital is the OTCBB (over the counter bulletin boards).

OTCBB is an SEC regulated platform that has a solid investor following and market makers that can effectively promote your stock to rapidly raise capital. Don't let these difficult economic times steal your dreams of corporate prosperity and personal growth.

If you have a solid business concept, there is a way to fund it. Look into the OTCBB, it's your best bet for an inexpensive public offering with a direct path to long term funding.

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Advantages of Cloud Computing Integration

By Tom Allen

Cloud computing integration has some prime advantages for companies looking for advantages both on the web and in networks. Cloud computing is simply a more user based web application form, where you can store, access, share, and change files and use applications in new ways. That points out some of the main advantages of cloud computing integration, but not all. This article highlights the very best reasons to consider cloud computing integration.

So what's the best definition of cloud computing? The word "cloud" is a metaphor for the web itself, but when you add computing you get a more virtual solution to save time and money by forgoing a detailed infrastructure. In a nutshell, cloud computing integration makes business easier, more effective, and more agile.

So how do you implement such a process if you have no experience in the field? Get with your IT professionals. Involve them in the cloud computing integration process. Keep both the business end and the IT end happy with the results.

It's dually important for cloud computing integration to involve, in some way, IT professionals who can often see immediate benefits. The nightmare scenario is business experts doing away with networks and applications which really should continue. That makes cloud computing integration which involves IT experts a big step.

SaaS - Saas is a form of cloud computing fast becoming integrated to develop infrastructures for creative ways to save time and money. Saas delivers one application through a browser to thousands of customers. For customers, you need no big investment on servers and software. For providers, Saas cloud computing integration also allows a minor investment of time and capital for easier interface than traditional networks.

Web Services in a Cloud - Web services in a cloud is a form of computing similar to SaaS, with many similar advantages. In short, web services in a cloud allow providers agility in using internet based applications, rather than using full applications over company servers and networks.

Cost Savings - For all the networks, hardware, servers, and applications any small to corporate business has, there is a major investment in money to keep them going. Cloud computing integration saves money for storage, access, networking, and more.

Platform Service Cloud Computing - Platform as a service is also similar to SaaS cloud computing. This form allows a more free use of certain applications on a server and database. There are some points where your agility hinges on what your vendor has in terms of design and capabilities.

Managed Service Cloud Computing - Managed service providing is one of the oldest forms of cloud computing. This creative form of cloud computing is best integrated into companies who want better control for IT workers and access from other employees. In short, managed service cloud computing allows more hands on usage of an application, network, or file system by those with technical skills.

Service Commerce Platforms - Cloud Computing Integration Form - Service commerce platforms are somewhat of a combining of SaaS and managed service providing where users can interact in dynamic ways. The most popular usage of this form of cloud computing is within trading environments.

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MMA Flashback: Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Title Changes Hands As Sobral Tops Southworth

By Ross Everett

Renato Babalu Sobral defeated Bobby Southworth by TKO to become Strikeforce light heavyweight champion in the co-main event of the promotions 'Destruction' card on Friday night. Despite leaving with the belt around his waist, it wasn't a highlight reel worthy finish.

A -350 wagering favorite despite his challenger status, Sobral was expected to use his world class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu skills and vast experience against superior competition to dominate the tough but limited Southworth. It didnt happen that way, as Southworth easily got the better of things in the first round.

The first round displayed Southworth's style in microcosm, with much of the frame spent pushing Babalu up against the cage or on the ground inside his guard not really doing much. Sobral had one effective strike the entire round--during a clinch against the cage wall the challenger rocked Southworth with a hard elbow strike that not only busted his nose but opened a huge cut over his right eye.

Upon seeing the gusher of blood Referee John McCarthy brought the ringside physician over to take a look. The doctor took some time to examine the cut, but eventually the round resumed following the consultation with only a few seconds remaining. As Southworth's corner futilely worked on the gaping wound during the break the doctor once again took a look and better realizing the severity and placement of the cut recommended to McCarthy that the fight be stopped. The veteran official complied, awarding Sobral the TKO victory and the championship belt.

The other half of the co-main event was decided in much more decisive fashion as Scott Smith knocked out well traveled veteran Terry Martin in a mere :24 seconds. Unfortunately, Martin didn't adequately close the distance against a fighter dubbed 'Hands of Steel' and was caught with a perfectly placed punch that knocked him out cold.

In the semifinal event, Duane 'Bang' Ludwig defeated Yves Edwards by unanimous decision in a very closely contested bout. Edwards was originally slated to face lightweight champion Josh Thomson until a toe injury necessitated his withdrawal. Ludwig took the fight on two weeks notice, and after a takedown clinic by Edwards in the first began to control the fight with his superior standup skills. Edwards' superiority on the ground in the first two frames wasnt enough to sway the judges who obviously favored Ludwig's more effective striking. All three judges scored the contest 29-28 Ludwig, and he may have earned himself a championship match as a result.

Earlier in the evening, Kim Couture made short work of overmatched Lina Kvokov as she TKOd her foe in 1:44 of the first round. Couture, the wife of UFC legend Randy Couture, gained even more notoriety for the courage she displayed in her professional debut last June. She had a much easier time here"despite the fact that both fighters entered with 0-1 records Couture was significantly more polished as she put Kvokov on the defensive from the outset with her sharp punching combinations. She recovered momentarily and survived the initial onslaught. The reprieve was only temporary, however, as Couture launched another barrage of punches prompting the referee to step in and wave off the non-competitive affair.

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Del Mar: Southern California's Horse Racing Capital

By Ross Everett

Though it is sometimes overshadowed by more famous tracks back East like Churchill downs and Belmont Park, Del Mar Racetrack in Southern California has a rich and fascinating history. Located 20 miles north of San Diego and known for its iconic slogan "Where The Surf Meets the Turf", Del Mar has not only hosted the best horses and jockeys on the planet but a 'who's who' of show biz elite.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was founded in the mid'30s, and they immediately turned their attention to building a world class horse racing venue. The names that were instrumental in the creation of Del Mar include a whos who of American entertainment--most notably Bing Crosby, Oliver Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy) and Jimmy Durante. At the time the facility opened thoroughbred horse racing was the second most popular sport in America behind major league baseball, and Del Mar's show biz roots further helped secure its place as an important stop on the racing circuit.

The starpower drawn to the course was unprecedented. Bing Crosby himself greeted patrons at the gate on opening day, and during the late'30s and early'40s it became a place to be seen for Hollywood A-listers and those who aspired for celebrity. In addition to known gambling enthusiasts like W.C. Fields, Edgar Bergen and Red Skelton, the Del Mar patrons during that time also included some of the top female stars of the era including Ava Gardner, Paulette Goddard and Dorothy Lamour

Del Mar was the site of the'38 match race between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti. Seabiscut won the $25,000 winner take all challenge by a nose, and this race set Del Mar betting and attendance records and remains one of the most famous races in history. The racing at Del Mar continued to flourish until the start of WWII, when the track went 'dark' for racing.

After the war, Del Mar reopened with a bang. The track reopened the day after Japan formally surrendered to Allied forces, and on that day Del Mar attracted over 20,000 fans through its gates who wagered what at the time was a record $958,476. The postwar prosperity was also a boon to Del Mar, which also benefitted from the Santa Fe Railroads daily Racetrack Special that brought bettors down from Los Angeles to enjoy a day at the track. During the latter part of the decade a new crop of Hollywood glitterati would flock to Del Mar, including Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Mickey Rooney John Holmes, Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Durante. Durante would become such a regular that the turf course at Del Mar would later be renamed in his honor.

The annual race meet at Del Mar remains a highlight of the summer to this day. Del Mar remains one of the top tracks in the country, and have recently upgraded their facility with a state of the art grandstand and was one of the first tracks to install a new synthetic racing surface.

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Redskins Offense In Disarray As Lewis Takes The Reins

By Ross Everett

The Washington Redskins are a mess right now. Head coach Jim Zorn has a tenuous hold on his job at best and after Sunday's---6 loss to Kansas City was stripped of his offensive play calling duties. Management installed newly hired 'offensive consultant' Sherman Lewis as the new offensive play caller and the team has set up an awkward arrangement for him to get the plays to the quarterbacks. For that reason, starting QB Jason Campbell has some serious misgivings about the efficacy of the setup.

Lewis has only been out of retirement and with the team for two weeks, and has spent this week trying to ingest a crash course on the Redskins' offensive schemes. While he was learning on the job, head coach Zorn was trying to put the best spin possible on the situation':

"I need to have composure. I need to understand what the reality of the situation is, and I think our players expect me to rise up. We expect them to play under adverse conditions. We expect them to risk it all. ... I'm conscious of what's going on. I'm not naive about what's going on, and yet I have to just hold back on any feelings and make the decisions."

Quarterback Campbell is more concerned about the convoluted system of getting plays from Lewis to him:

"There'll probably be a couple of plays I have in my head just in case if some reason it doesn't get in on time."

Here's how things are supposed to work-Lewis will sit in the coaches' box above the field and read the plays off a sheet. While Lewis has years of experience working in the so called 'West Coast Offense', Zorn left doubt that he really knows what he's doing at this point stressing that Lewis "doesn't know the protections" and "doesn't know the blitz schemes." Nevertheless, he'll be running the offense when the Redskins take on Philadelphia this Monday night.

Once Lewis figures out what to call, that's when it really gets tricky. He'll relay the plays via headset not to Zorn but to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith. Smith will then inform the quarterback what to run. Zorn is left in the role of a passive bystander on offense, though he will listen in to the playcalling on his headset.

Backup quarterback Todd Collins also shared his concern with the new arrangement:

"It is unsettling. I've never gone through this before. I've never had a play caller get changed in the middle of the season."

Lewis didn't exactly evoke a lot of confidence upon his hiring, where he revealed that he'd been calling bingo games at a seniors' center to kill time since his retirement in 2004. Still, Collins gave him a guarded vote of confidence;

"I know he's been studying last year's game against the Eagles and seems to have a pretty good idea how he wants to call the game this week. It's the same plays. He might coach them a little differently or highlight some different areas, but the offense hasn't gone under an overhaul or anything like that."

The Redskins haven't scored more than 17 points in a game this season, so maybe the thinking is that things can't get any worse.

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Saving Money On Wedding Photography

By Judy Wong

Unfortunately the cost of wedding photography is usually very costly, sometimes thousands of dollars. Every bride wants that perfect picture that captures that special day, but can not afford to pay through the roof for it. By following these few simple budgeting ideas you can save money on wedding photography.

Advertising for the right person

An excellent place to advertise is at a local college or university New photographers will cost a lot less and they will have new ideas and skills that they can use.

Go digital and save a lot

Go digital instead of getting prints. This will save you a profuse amount of money. You can now choose this as an option because most photographers will offer you the idea. Get a CD rather then prints and proofs of all your pictures. After you receive your CD look at online photo developers to print to photos for you.

Create your own wedding album

Scrap booking is an excellent way to personalize all your pages. No one will know your wedding and guests like you do. This way you can go through all of your photos and reflect on the memories. You will enjoy creating your album and not only that but you will also save hundreds of dollars opposed to having your photographer design an album, and they may not include pictures that your friends sent you as well.

How Many Hours?

How long do you really need your photographer around you? Instead of having them come with you when you re getting your hair done, make up done, and dress sized just get them to come for the ceremony and a bit of the celebration afterwards. Your bridesmaids will be able to take the pictures of the preparation for you and you will be surprised how many other people will send you their copies as well.

21st Century - use disposables!

Another excellent idea is disposable cameras. After everything is said and done all you have to do is drop them off at a photo development outlet, then go through the ones you really like and make larger prints for frames around your house. You will probably end up getting a few funny photos but a lot of wonderful ones as well. This will also give you a wide variety of pictures because your guests will be taking pictures of each other and not just at the bride and groom. Adding more detail to your album.

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Singapore Actual Day Photography

By Ray Wong

On a wedding day the two most important people are the wedding couple. To get some excellent portraits, the photographer should seclude the wedding couple from the celebration for a while to capture the intimate moments after the ceremony. This helps the couple to get away from the delight of their wedding as well.

The portrait session will give the photographer enough time to spend with the wedding couple to capture the pictures. On the wedding day it doesn't always happen because it is rare to have time on the actual day of the wedding. The time taken for pictures can well vary from an hour to no time at all. It can take up to an hour for the photographer to take the pictures.

The photographer will require some time with the bride and groom, but when is a good time?

Since the couple will still look fresh, most photographers believe that the window before the reception is suitable for the portraits.

Award winning photographer Bradley Hanson says that sometimes the bride and the groom would want to start the portrait session even before the ceremony. When the bride is getting ready is when he usually starts photographing.

Right after the newly-weds have exchanged vows is a great time for some photographers to have their portraits done, since they are still fill with all of the emotions.

For the perfect actual day session to begin, the newly-weds should set aside some time to spend with the photographer. They should find ways to politely lose the relatives and guests to acquire the beautiful moments, so that they can be cherished for a lifetime.

Too many people trying to take pictures of the newly-weds and crying for attention may very well ruin a good portrait session on the wedding day. As a result of this, most photographers choose to have the couple alone for the shoot so that it is not disturbed by anyone.

According to award winning photographer Shawna Herring, most newly-weds start feeling uncomfortable before the camera when the portrait session is about to start. Professional photographers try to talk to the camera-shy couple about things other than the portrait session so that they forget the camera is even there.

It is also recommended to choose a day before or after the wedding for the photo shoot and go with the photographer to a different location. To have a good relationship with the photographer this really seems to help loosen them up. In a short time, the couple may even forget the existence of the camera.

It is at times impossible to achieve the perfect alone time with the photographer due to a variety of reasons. The bride and the groom should work together with the photographer to find some alone time so that a really creative portrait session is achieved.

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