The LuxMob Info Tags

Anger is an emotional state caused by a real or perceived grievance (a cause of distress). You can be angry at other people, events, and even yourself. Physical conditions such as hunger, fatigue, pain, hormonal imbalances, and even sexual frustration can cause levels of anger to become elevated. Some even feel that genetic predisposition can cause some people to be more angry than others. Getting angry not only affects you emotionally, but physically as well. Your blood pressure increases, you have an increased level of adrenaline in your bloodstream and your heart beats faster. These are all natural responses to threats. It goes back to the basic fight or flight response that is programmed into each of us.

So, can we control our anger? The answer to that question is an overwhelming yes. With some basic techniques you can learn to manage your own anger levels. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t get angry at all. Many injustices and our own values give us valid reasons to become angry. What it does mean, though, is that you can control what angers you and how you respond.

The first step in taking command of your anger is to change your thinking. Believe it or not, changing some of your beliefs and expectations can decrease your anger immensely. When you expect people, including yourself, to behave a certain way and a different behavior surfaces, this can cause a great amount of anger. Perfectionist thinking causes a tremendous amount of anger as well. So, instead of expecting people to be flawless, give them a break, and give yourself one, too. If you don’t anticipate a perfect situation you won’t be angry when it doesn’t pan out.

Another way to help dissolve anger is to stop thinking in terms of always and never. Nothing is black or white; all or nothing. Everything is somewhere in between. If you get into the habit of thinking this way, you are less likely to become angry over any given situation. Of course, some situations are bound to cause anger, especially if you feel that something is unjust. But it is up to you how angry you get over any situation. You can be incensed or your can become enraged, but it is in your control.

A final way to prevent anger is don’t jump to conclusions. This can be one of the biggest causes of anger. Learn to talk out a situation instead of assuming you know the answer. No one is a mind reader. If you ask for clarification in a given situation you may be surprised to find out you misread the other person and their intentions. This can diffuse anger very quickly.

Remember, how you feel about any given situation is up to you and you alone. It stems back to your beliefs, values and expectations. Alter those and you can alter your anger levels.

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

The Pistons’ new-found offense under Flip Saunders has blown a gasket these last two games in Cleveland while the Spurs’ once-suffocating defense has been shredded by the Dallas Mavericks in three consecutive games. The 2004 champs (Pistons) and the 2005 champs (Spurs) both lost last night on the road.

Detroit now finds itself in a 2-all tie with Cleveland after winning the first two games, while San Antonio finds itself in a 3-1 hole.

My free play for Tuesday is on the Hou Astros over the SF Giants at 8:05 ET. I lost a tough one in OT last night with the Spurs, ending my four-game playoff winning streak. I start a new streak tonight with my 15* Game 5 Showdown Play on the Clippers/Suns. In MLB, join me for another of my exclusive Las Vegas Insider Plays (4-0 start in May 4) plus a Triple 15* Report.

The Pistons lost last night 74-72, despite a “Guaran-Sheed” from Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons averaged just 74.5 PPG in their two-game stay in Cleveland, while shooting 36.3 percent from the floor. Detroit scored 35 points in the second half of their Game 3 loss (86-77) and then 34 points in the second half last night. Detroit was outscored 33-21 in the fourth quarter of Game 3 and last night they scored just 13 points in the final period (Cavs had 21).

The Spurs once again couldn’t stop the Mavs from scoring, as Dallas survived in OT, 123-118. Dallas has now averaged 113.3 PPG in three straight wins, getting to the free throw line an amazing 125 times (have made 102 for a .816 percentage). Devin Harris has been a key for the Mavs, as he was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 2. Harris has averaged 20.7 PPG (58.3 percent shooting) these last three games, after scoring a total of just 20 points in Dallas’ first five playoff games this year.

Duncan continued his fine play for the Spurs with 31 points and 13 rebounds plus Parker and Ginobili combined for 59 points but the Spurs still lost. Since Duncan joined the team in 1997, the Spurs are 0-5 when trailing this late in a series.

The Spurs now join the Nets in this second round (also down 3-1 to the Heat) , as teams facing a huge uphill battle. Just eight teams in NBA playoff history (163 series) have overcome 3-1 deficits to win a best-of-seven series. However, both teams need look no further back than this year’s first round, when the Suns did just that in beating the Lakers.

With all four series having now completed four games, home teams are 10-6 SU (7-9 ATS) in this second round with 11 of the 16 games going ‘over’ the total. Followers of the “Zig-Zag” theory got shut out last night (0-2 ATS), after opening the second round 8-2. Home teams went 31-14 SU (22-21-2 ATS) in the first round with 22 of the 45 games going over. “Zig-zaggers” went 19-16-2 ATS in the first round.

Tuesday’s games

The Heat host the Nets at 8:00 ET on TNT with the Clippers/Suns game following at 10:35 ET. Miami is favored by 6 1/2 points (192 1/2) and the Suns are favored by five points (216). The Heat lost Game 1 in Miami (100-88) but have since won three straight games, scoring an average of 105.3 PPG while allowing just 91 PPG. Wade has topped 30 points in all three wins (30.7 PPG) and Miami has shown decent balance.

Shaq has scored between 16 and 21 points in all four games, averaging 19.0 PPG and 8.3 RPG. Walker averaged 18.0 PPG in the two wins in New Jersey, while Haslem has averaged 12.5 PPG for the series. Balance and depth are two things the Nets don’t have. Carter, Jefferson, Kidd and Krstic are combining for just under 78 PPG of New Jersey’s average of 93.1 PPG in the series (that’s just under 84 percent of the team’s points!).

The Clippers and Suns are tied at 2-all in their series and meet tonight in that all-important fifth game. Winners of Game 5, in a seven-game series tied at 2-all, have gone on to capture the series 85 percent of the time in NBA history. That fact has been in evidence already this year, as all four of this postseason’s first round series that were tied at 2-2 (Bulls/Heat, Kings/Spurs, Pacers/Nets and Wizards/Cavs), were won by the Game 5 winner.

Brand has been dominant for the Clippers in this series (29.3 PPG), while veteran guards Cassell and Mobley have combined to average 32 PPG. In its two wins, LA has dominated the boards, outrebounding Phoenix 57-26 in Game 2 and 55-37 in Game 4 (even without Kaman). Kaman missed Game 4 with a sore shoulder and could miss again tonight.

The Suns shot poorly in both games in LA (even though they won Game 3), averaging 41.3 percent from the floor, including just 27 percent from the three-point arc. The team’s 114-107 loss on Sunday marked the first time Phoenix had lost a game in this year’s playoffs when scoring 100 or more points (5-1). Many thought the Clippers couldn’t win at the Suns’ pace but that hasn’t been the case.

Two-time MVP Steve Nash was just 6-of-20 in Games 3 and 4 (0-6 on threes!) and the Suns are down to a seven-man rotation. Can Phoenix make the proper adjustments (as LA did in Game 4)? No team has been able to win two straight in this series.

Ness Notes is available Monday through Friday by 1:00 ET.

Larry Ness is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Larry_Ness.htm.

Holidays have the potential to send an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) into overload. Too many details to plan, kids to manage, and family to cope with can turn a good day into a stressful one. The following suggestion can help adults manage ADD during the holidays.

1. Know Your Own ADD and Plan Ahead to Deal with It

You know yourself better than anyone, so ask yourself “How does my ADD affect me on the holidays?” Make a list of all the things that tend to stress you out on the holidays, and make a plan to deal with them.

Do you tend to say impulsive things that you later regret? Plan to take a deep breath before answering questions, so that you can think about your words before you speak them.

Do hyper kids overwhelm? Plan to excuse yourself and take a brief walk when the kids are so noisy that you can’t think straight.

Does a family member really make you mad when s/he starts nagging or becomes critical? Plan a simple response that won’t fuel the fire, like “I’m sorry you feel that way. I’d rather talk about a great book I’m reading right now.”

Do you get antsy after a long day? Plan to end the day early, so that you don’t reach the point of irritability.

2. Don’t Expect Perfection

Accept that the day won’t be perfect. Nothing is! Whether you are hosting the holiday, going to a friend or family member’s, or visiting a restaurant, realize that something is bound to go wrong. That’s life. Don’t hold it against yourself, or the people around you. Whatever it is, do your best to move on and let it go.

3. Ask For Help/Accept Help

If you’re hosting the holiday, ask for help in the kitchen. This is perfectly acceptable, and most people are happy to help out where they can. If you’re offered help, accept it with gratitude! You don’t have to do it all on your own.

If you’re a guest, offer to take over a task that you’re good at or don’t mind doing. That doesn’t necessarily mean offering to cook or serve, it can mean keeping the kids occupied! (Or, in my family, keeping the dogs out of the kitchen!)

4. Remember That People Do The Best They Can

Long days with family members can often end in frustration and hurt feelings. Try to remember that people do the best they can with the skills and tools they have. Hurtful comments probably aren’t meant to be hurtful. If someone says something to you that you find hurtful or offensive, ask yourself “What is this person’s intention?” The answer will most likely be “to be helpful.” Don’t hold it against friends and family members who may not have the necessary skills to express themselves effectively.

5. Smile!

Set the tone for those around you by being positive, smiling often, and enjoying yourself!

About The Author

© Copyright 2004

Jennifer Koretsky is a Professional ADD Management Coach who helps adults manage their ADD and move forward in life. She offers a 90-day intensive skill-building program, workshops, and private coaching. Her work has been featured in numerous media, including The New York Times Magazine and The Times (UK). To subscribe to Jennifer’s free email newsletter, The ADD Management Guide, please visit http://www.addmanagement.com/e-newsletter.htm.

jennifer@addmanagement.com

This first verse completely sets the stage for you to be able to receive knowledge from the Lord. This first verse is literally telling us that God is wanting us to grow in the knowledge of Him and His Son Jesus.

“… but GROW in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)

This verse is only one short sentence long, but a lot is being said in it. After we get saved, God expects us to start growing in the knowledge that He wants to transmit to us. And the only way we can spiritually grow is by seeking after the knowledge that will cause this growth to occur in the first place! This right here is why a lot of Christians do not make much spiritual growth over the course of their lives after they initially get saved - because they are not seeking after the knowledge of God that will cause this growth to actually occur.

Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Receiving Knowledge and Wisdom

Now that we know that God wants us to grow in the knowledge that He wants to give to us, these next two verses will tell us the first step that needs to be met before God will even begin to release His knowledge to you. These two verses are specifically telling us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of being able to receive knowledge and wisdom from the Lord. Here are the two verses:

1. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)
2. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

Notice that in both of these verses it says that fear of the Lord is the “beginning” of being able to receive knowledge from God. In other words - if you don’t have a healthy fear of the Lord - then chances are, God is not going to be working with you very closely in releasing His knowledge to you. This first condition right here is another reason why many of God’s people are not getting more knowledge, revelation and wisdom being transmitted to them.

What exactly is God meaning when He says we must have a “fear” of Him? He obviously does not want you to be so afraid of Him that you then become to afraid to approach Him for prayer and to enter into a healthy personal relationship with Him. What I believe God means by the phrase “fear of the Lord” is that we are to have an extremely reverent respect for Him and all of His ways!

Many Christians have a good healthy fear of God Himself, as they know that He is all powerful and that He is God Almighty Himself. But where many Christians are getting into trouble off of these two verses is that they do not have a healthy fear of all of God’s ways. And one of God’s ways for us is that we try and stay out of sin - especially some of them more serious type sins.

If you are out committing adultery behind your spouse’s back, literally breaking one of God’s ten commandments - then chances are, God will not be imparting much of His revelation and knowledge to you since you are living in an obvious sin. If you are out committing this type of sin against God, then you are not showing much of a fear of Him, or else you would never have considered falling into this type of sin in the first place. Your actions may be speaking louder than your words.

If you have a true, healthy fear of the Lord, then you will not want to tempt your fate and what He wants to do with your life by directly disobeying some of these obvious commandments such as adultery, cheating, scamming others, verbally and/or physically abusing your spouse or your children, holding extreme unforgiveness towards others, etc.

If you have a good healthy fear of the Lord, then you will make every effort to try and live your life right and stay out of the sins that you know will get you in trouble with Him. We are all sinners and none of us is perfect. I believe that there is a certain amount of “slack” with the Lord on our own imperfections and some of the stupid things that we will do in this life.

However, where some of us will get into trouble with the Lord on the above two verses is when we blatantly enter into what I call “unacceptable” sins and behavior. And some of the sins mentioned above are unacceptable in God’s eyes for many of us, and they thus could cause God to pull back on you and what He wants to do with your life.

God will not be mocked! If you don’t fear Him and His ways and the way He wants you to live this life - then He may just choose to withhold any knowledge and revelation that He may want to impart to you. That is why the above two verses are so important for those that would really like to start seeking after the knowledge of God for their lives.

God will be more than willing to open up His storehouse of knowledge for you in this life - but only if you are willing to do your part - and your first step is making sure that you have enough of a fear and reverent respect for Him in that you are willing to stay out of some of these unacceptable sins and behaviors.

About the Author

Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible knowledge commentary and teaching.

The article was an excerpt from Michael’s E-book titled, Seeking After the Knowledge of God © 2005 by Michael Bradley. All Rights Reserved.

What’s in a word?
Apparently more than we might want.

For others, the ability to express yourself in the most meaningful way.

I have written articles before on how bizarre the English language can be and for that matter; many languages have special challenges with interpreting meanings.

There is one word in China that I heard has about 40 different meanings, (one source said the two words have over 80 meanings) depending on usage and emphasis. That word is Wu Li.
Gary Zukav (author of “The Seat of the Soul”) talks about it in his book “The Dancing Wu Li Masters.

For the book “The Dancing Wu Li Masters”, it means patterns of organic energy or physics.
Other more popular meanings are:

My Way
Nonsense
I clutch my ideas
Enlightened

For those who study both metaphysics and quantum physics, like myself, I find it interesting that it carries physics and enlightened as meanings.

In English, we have many words that people will interchange yet have different meanings, which can further confuse the receiver of your message.

Two such words are, effective and efficient.
Effective is doing the right thing, that which you set out to do.
Efficiency is doing whatever you set out to do well.

You can have one without necessarily having the other. Most people understand doing the right thing but not well, yet they get caught up on understanding how you can do the wrong thing well, efficiency without effectiveness.

Imagine you are on a sailboat traveling across the Pacific when you are informed:

We have some good news and bad news. First, we have picked up a great wind and can get back on our time schedule; however, our compass broke and we haven’t the slightest idea where we are.

So, they are traveling very efficiently, but not very effectively.

Even the spelling of words can cause grief and misunderstandings. I remember when I was in elementary school and the teacher would just say, sound it out. However, that doesn’t always work. There is the whole issue of synonyms and homonyms, as well as the issue that we have this habit if breaking the rules in order to have more expression and growth in our language. (Growth by the way is important).

Yet, one of the most enforced rules that I had to remember in schools was:

Use i before e (from here on it gets complicated)
except after c
or when sounded as ‘a’ as in neighbour and weigh.

But does it stop there, noooo.

Some more exceptions that don’t seem to follow any of the above are:

Counterfeit

either

foreign

forfeit

Height

seize

leisure

efficient

(and ironically or suitably) weird

Many more words can be spelling traps for people. They sound similar and many people are not sure where to put them.

Some common ones are:

Affect -a verb -to influence
Effect- a noun – a result, a verb- bring to pass

Allude –refer indirectly to
Elude – slip away

Can –ability
May- permission

Farther –physical distance
Further – abstract relationships of degree

Imply – A speaker implies

Infer – A hearer infers

Such as- examples
Like – resemblances

You can see why good communicators are in a high demand for many corporations and businesses. It is never too late to invest the time and effort into your self and master your ability to communicate on a higher level.

All the Best!
Maria Boomhower
The Master Communicator
To get a free report on Communication Mastery, go to:
http://www.falconfreedom.com
http://www.mariaboomhower.blogspot.com

P.S. If you like what you’re reading in this ezine, you’ll
love the book, “Overcoming Barriers to Communication.”
It’s a manual that helps you overcome the challengers that start with
Intrapersonal to Interpersonal and on to Mass Communication.
Overcoming Barriers to Communication

While it may sound elementary, the first place to start with acne scar treatment is prevention.

Most people cannot predict when they will have an acne outbreak or how severe that outbreak will be. If you suffer from acne outbreaks, having a good preventive treatment regiment is a proactive way to keep acne minimized, reducing the risk of scarring in the first place. It is as washing your hands to help prevent spreading germs.

Among all of the factors that can contribute to acne outbreaks, heredity is part of the mix. Additionally, heredity plays a factor in the amount of scarring you will receive from acne, or in other words, your ability to heal.

Almost all acne sufferers will develop some form of scarring, from mild to severe. The earlier in life that acne treatment is initiated, the more likely scarring will be minimized.

Acne scarring is the end result of the body’s healing process. The decrease of elastic fibers in the skin combined with thickened collagen groups that grow excessively contribute to scar tissue.

There are two types of scar:

Hypertropic Scars are the thick and discolored scars that show above the normal surface of the skin.

Keloid scars are discolored scars at the skin level or below and grow outward from the initial injury similar to a stretch mark.

There are several treatment options available to help reduce or eliminate the visible signs of scarring from acne.

Topical Solutions – Several topical solutions are available. These ointments are applied to the damaged area and are designed to hydrate the skin and remove dead skin cells, which allows for skin cell rejuvenation and replenishment, reducing or eliminating the appearance of scars.

Silicone Sheets – Modern research has shown that silicone is an effective treatment in scar removal. While the science of how it works is not completely understood, several companies manufacture silicone sheets and silicone based treatments that are designed to minimize or eliminate the appearance of acne scars.

Microdermabrasion – In microdermabrasion, a dermatologist uses a hand held buffing wheel and a special abrasive cream to remove the surface layer of the skin. When the new skin grows in, it is healthier and has more elasticity than the old skin, reducing or eliminating the visible signs of scarring.

Chemical Peels – A chemical peel uses a chemical solution of Phenol, Trichloroacetic Acid, and Alphahydroxy acids to remove the outer layers of damaged skin. Similar to microdermabraision and laser resurfacing, new skin cells replace the removed damaged cells, reducing or eliminating the visible signs of scarring.

Laser Resurfacing – Performed by a qualified cosmetic surgeon, a concentrated laser beam is targeted on the treatment area. As the laser energy penetrates the skin, it vaporizes the water and the surface layer of skin, leaving the deeper layers untouched. Laser resurfacing also helps to restore the elasticity of the skin by shortening the collagen fibers that are contained in the skin layers, reducing or eliminating the visible signs of scarring.

Always be sure to consult a dermatologist before undergoing and treatment for scarring. However, all of these treatments have been proven to be effective, so once you find the right one, it is just a matter of time before the scarring is reduced or eliminated!

BIO:
Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and currently provides information on treating acne, pimples, and zits, via an objective informational skincare website, http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

The power coming into a computer is the most critical component, and it may be one of the most overlooked. It is just taken for granted that it will always be there and working properly. A top of the line processor and ultra powerful video card do nothing if a system does not receive the ample, stable power it demands. Having quality components providing and regulating the power supplied to a computer is critical, and this brief overview looks at a few areas worth consideration.

Power Supplies

Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) DC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower AC voltages required for a system to operate. The typical voltages required inside a computer are 3.3V, 5V, and 12V, where the 3.3V and 5V lines are generally used to power circuitry, and the 12V line provides power to run items such as hard drives, optical drives, and cooling fans.

Power supplies are sold in terms of their total power output, in terms of wattage. Choosing the correct power supply means not only finding one that will provide enough power for all of the components connected to the system, but also one that is the correct size physically, has enough connections for typical drives and fans, and if necessary, that also has special connections for things such as Serial ATA drives and modern video cards.

Choosing a power supply with enough power shouldn’t be much of a problem, as having more power than you need is never a bad thing. Just because a power supply is rated for 400W, or perhaps 600W, does not imply that it is drawing that at any given time. It just indicates the total power available to the various lines inside the computer. For those interested in getting a good idea of their minimum power requirements, this Power Wattage Calculator is a convenient reference. In addition to checking out the total wattage of a power supply, looking for strong amperage ratings on the 3.3V, 5V, and 12V lines is also recommended, as power supplies with identical total power ratings may distribute the power to the various lines in different quantities.

Power supplies come in a few different physical sizes, but the most common are designed to fit the standard ATX and micro ATX (mATX) form factor cases. A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W unit, measures 3.25” x 6” x 5.5” and features two cooling fans to not only cool the power supply, but to also help draw hot air out of the computer. A typical mATX power supply, such as this A-Power 320W unit, measures 2.5” x 5” x 4” and due to the smaller size features just one cooling fan. mATX cases are generally much smaller than ATX cases, and therefore have smaller power supplies, with generally lower power ratings, and fewer connectors.

The connectors on a power supply also deserve consideration. Most power supplies come with what looks to be an electric octopus of wires hanging off the back surface, and you need to make sure that somewhere in that tangled bundle are all of the connectors you need. The power supply should at least have as many connections as the number of drives, cooling fans, and other items found in the case. Up until recently power supplies had a fixed number of connections, and if you needed more, you needed to use splitters to distribute the power to all the components. Modular power supplies, such as the Ultra X-Connect 500W unit, are now available that eliminate that “electric octopus” all together, and allow the end user to connect just the cables they need. The flexibility of a modular power supply design not only lets you customize the connections to your needs, it also makes for a simple and tidy installation, since there are no extra wires dangling inside the case.

The selection of a high quality power supply may cost more money up front, but down the road it could wind up saving money. Many manufacturers now offer power supplies that consume less energy thanks to high quality internal components, advanced designs, and active power factor correction. These units are now able to provide the same power to the components in a computer, but due to increased efficiency, draw less power from the electrical outlet.

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are intended to protect your electronics from a brief increase in voltage caused by such things as lightning, rolling blackouts, and heavy drawing electrical equipment. A surge protector reacts to divert the extra electricity to ground, and thus protects your expensive computer equipment from damage. A surge is any increase lasting three nanoseconds or longer, so a surge protector needs to react quickly. Most surge protectors also include a fuse (or breaker), and if the surge is too great to be handled without interruption, the fuse will blow. Although the fuse may be destroyed, it’s a small loss compared to what it may have saved.

Surge protectors come in all shapes and styles. Some basic models can even be found at your local dollar store, but offer no more than a few outlets connected to a breaker. No serious protection is obtained, but many people just want more outlets, not protection.

More serious surge protectors will probably cost a bit more than a dollar, but will offer some peace of mind that your equipment is actually being protected. In addition to protecting from electrical surges, some devices include extra features such as conditioning to filter out line noise and ports to protect other lines such as cable television, telephone, and networking.

The Fellowes Smart Surge Power Strip protects up to 10 devices from surges, as well as offering line conditioning and ports to protect your phone line. A highly appealing feature of such a surge protector is that 4 of the ports are designed to accept bulky AC adaptors. For those with surge protectors that weren’t designed to be this user friendly, there is still hope in the form of Power Strip Saver Cables. Basically just 7 inch long extension cords, these items can come in very handy when trying to connect multiple AC adaptors to a more traditional surge protector.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Many people familiar with Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) know that they can keep a computer up and running during a total power failure, but don’t know what else they do. Most UPSes will also provide protection from voltage surges and sags (when the voltage drops below normal), as well as protection from the possibility of a shift in the electricity’s frequency.

UPSes come in two varieties, standby and continuous, although standby versions are far more common and less expensive. A standby UPS allows the devices connected to it to run from the normal electrical connection until a loss of power is detected, at which point it quickly (in a matter of milliseconds) switches to the battery backup of the UPS. A continuous UPS always has the devices connected to it running off of battery power, while the batteries are recharged by the normal electrical connection.

UPSes are sold in terms of their capacity, in terms of VA (voltage multiplied by amperage). This implies that devices connected to the UPS can draw a maximum of so much amperage at a specific voltage. A run time after a power failure is also generally specified for a UPS based on a full load being placed on the device.

Selecting a UPS needs to be based on the intended use… A smaller unit, such as the Fenton 600VA, would be adequate for powering a typical desktop computer, monitor, and smaller peripherals such as a printer and lighting for what they rate as 15-23 minutes at full load. If multiple systems need to be powered, or perhaps there are plans for future expansion that will add to the power demands, a larger unit such as the Tripp Lite 1500VA may be more appropriate. The first two units are intended to be set in close proximity to the devices to be powered, perhaps on the floor behind a desk, but if you are seeking to add a UPS to a server, there are also rackmount solutions such as the Opti-UPS 1100VA.

No matter the application, sizing a UPS may seem overwhelming. One manufacturer, APC, has created a handy UPS Selector Application which will take some of the guess work out of choosing the right UPS for any particular application.

Final Words

A computer system is only as strong as its weakest feature, and many times that distinction falls on the power supply and related components. By choosing a quality power supply, surge protector, and perhaps a UPS, one can make sure that they have adequately strong and stable power to keep their system running now, as well as down the road when upgrades may increase the demand on their system.

Jason Kohrs
Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice

If you’re just starting out in internet marketing, you probably
feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available.
The learning curve is less like a hill and more like a cliff! If
you’ve been at this business for a while, you may be frustrated
that you’re still not making any money, or not enough money. You
may be wondering why no one is reading your ads, or why all
those visitors to your site are not buying anything and not
returning. Where do you start? How do you convert the casual
visitor to a return customer?

Relax and breathe. None of us was born an internet marketer. We
all have to start someplace. A great place to start is by
looking at something you already DO know, offline business. We
all shop somewhere. Pick a store you’re familiar with, maybe the
grocery store where you shop at least once a week. Pick a small
store to focus on, not a huge supermarket. Now pretend that’s
just an empty lot or building, and you’re an aspiring grocer.
What do you need to do?

There’s 3 big steps you need to take.

1) First you have to have a crystal clear picture in your
mind of exactly what you want to do. What do you want to
sell, and what do you want your store to look like? Spend some
time dreaming, so you can see everyone who is in your store and
what they are buying. Your store needs four walls, a floor,
doors and windows, and a roof. You need to decide on size, the
first step is to figure out what you want to sell. You think
about what people in your town need and buy regularly, the
availability of these products in other well established stores,
and decide on your niche and your location. Maybe it’s bread,
canned goods, cereals, candy, ice cream, soda, milk, and
cigarettes on a busy corner near a residential area with no
other store in walking distance. Maybe it’s a natural food store
in a yuppie neighborhood. Maybe it’s gas and snack foods near a
highway.

2) Secondly, you have to understand what you need to have in
place to make that dream come true, and how you’re going to do
it. What does your store need by way of infrastructure? You
need shelves, freezers and refrigerated cases, a counter and a
cash register. Probably you need a small office and bathroom as
well. You need electricity, lighting, heat, air conditioning,
desk, chair, phone, fax, maybe some music, paint, flooring,
security cameras and so on.

Once you decide on the layout of the store, you will know what
size of a building you need to build, buy or rent. How are you
going to finance this, and how will you afford to stock your
store, from savings or from a loan?

3) Assuming that you now have a fully-stocked and
operational store, how will you get people to shop there?
You could advertise in newspapers, radio and tv; put up signs;
offer door prizes and/or sales; offer free advice and
information (recipes, menus, shopping lists, health and
nutrition information, diet information); sponsor events (a
booksigning by a famous cookbook author, co-sponsor a food
related festival); build familiarity and trust by joining
social, charity or business clubs, or volunteering at local
events.

Fine and good, you say, but I still don’t know how to make money
online. Let’s take the example we just developed and convert it
to online business.

Gazing Into Your Crystal Ball

1) First the concept. What do YOU want to do? What do the
people that frequent the internet want? First and foremost,
right behind email, people online are looking for information.
There are places online you can go to research hot topics, such
as Overture’s Keyword Selector Tool. Here you can see
how many times a word or phrase was searched in the last month.
You can do a Google search for these terms to see how many
websites are already available sharing that information. As you
keep narrowing down your focus, balance between your passion,
what other people want, and what’s already available. A very
small niche with very little competition with targeted
promotions can become a very lucrative business.

Your Shopping List

2) Now the infrastructure, the Short List:

a) internet real estate = a website. This can be an affiliate
site or your own. You can get a free website with no outside
advertising here: FiniteSite.

b) products: No matter what your interests, there’s an affiliate
program with products that fit; you may want to sell related
ebooks, Amazon.com books, etc. Clickbank is a good place
to find electronic information products.

c) tools: you will need a tracking system (known as a link
tracker); an autoresponder; a link rotator.

d) knowledge: you will need a splash page program and/or some
basic html and advertising knowledge. A free html tutorial is PageTutor.

e) an expense budget, no matter how small at first.

You Need More Than Two Cans and a String

3) Promotion: people enter your world (the internet) via
a browser. Since “the internet” is intangible, many people
confuse the vehicle (AOL or Yahoo!, for example) with the
destination itself, the internet. So let’s be gentle with our
potential visitors and make their journey from landing pad to
your neighborhood as effortless, pleasant and convenient as
possible.

If they are interested in buying widgets online, they will soon
realize that there are a million widget salesmen out there. So
they start narrowing down their search, and they comparison
shop. First and foremost, they are information gatherers. Where
do they go first? Probably to a search engine. Then they start
exploring. They visit a site; if it fits their needs, they may
bookmark it before they move on. When they move on, they may
return to their Google or Yahoo! search results, or they may
follow a link off of the page they visited.

So getting yourself listed in the search engines is important.
This does not require your own domain name, but a website where
you can control your page content is essential. A search engine
will not list a replicated affiliate website, such as
http://aff-masters.sitesell.com/marketing101209.html but it will
gladly list http://aff-masters.sitesell.com/. Search engines
want new, original information.

Your own domain name, carefully chosen, will help to brand
either your name or your website name. wallywalton.com
wallyswidgets.com widgetworld.com etc. If you get a free website
with finitesite.com, your url will be finitesite.com/wallywalton
or something like that. It might be
finitesite.com/member/wallywalton — I forget, it’s been a while
since I had a site with them With some work, you can get a
site with a url like this into the search engines. It’s a great
way to start if you can’t afford domain name, hosting etc.

Sooner or later, your site visitor will be ready for a purchase.
Maybe they will drive off to the nearest hardware store armed
with all their new information and buy a widget there. If they
found your site in the search engine, visited and bookmarked it,
maybe they’ll return and buy from you. Maybe they’ll buy from
the site they went to after your site. But 9 times out of 10,
once they’ve left your site, they’re gone forever.

And Now the Quiz, Purely Common Sense

How do you get them to come back? Here’s a pop quiz for you,
choose the best answer (it’s a no-brainer):

a) offering so much valuable information, they bookmark your
site and return on their own;

b) building so much trust and familiarity that, when they think
of widgets, or of asking for an opinion, or for buying anything
widget-like, they think of you (that’s called branding your
name);

c) promoting your website so much that, when they think of
widgets, they automatically think of your website (that’s also
branding, the name of your site in this case)

d) have a mailing list they can subscribe to (this might be the
online equivalent of a guest book in a store) and receive
updates on information on your website;

e) have contests on your site;

f) endorse other people’s sites and products, with an
appropriate byline including your own url;

g) give away things;

h) hang out in places online that your potential visitors
frequent (forums, bulletin boards, chat rooms, conferences,
seminars) and make friends, give away free information and
helpful links and tools, include your url in your signature
where allowed;

i) blogging and using RSS feeds to keep people thinking of you
and your widgets;

j) being a part of the search engine revolution and exploring
the world of tagging, or social bookmarks (creating your own
search engine with other like-minded anarchists
k) all of the above.

Each of these concept, infrastructure, and promotion ideas could
and will be an article in its own right; but this is your basic
outline for building your online business. The ultimate power of
the internet is to level the playing field for both major
corporations, little ol’ you, and everyone in between. A
business that fully utilizes the internet can throw away the
purchased leads list, because cold calling and cold emailing is
a thing of the past. Using the internet to its fullest business
potential means putting your message where your potential
customers can find it, and letting them come emailing, looking
and calling for you.

The cost of a satellite radio installation is broken down into two different groups, the startup (installation costs) and the monthly subscription to either XM satellite radio or Sirius satellite radio. Receivers and mounting hardware, the cost of activation are all start up costs. Recievers are available for your car, your home, your computer and now portable receivers are available. So how much does satellite radio installation really cost?

Satellite Radio installation costs are broken down as follows:

Activation costs are the amount that both XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio charge to start service. Activation costs vary, where $5.00 with Sirius and $9.99 with XM will get you ready to go. Telephone activation is $15.00 with Sirius and $14.99 with XM. Monthly subscription costs then play into the cost, but these depend on some factors. Recent media campaigns are dramatically dropping the cost of installation and activation, both XM and Sirius are offering free activation in some instances. Further Detail at: www.TopSatelliteRadio.com

A typical cost of a car satellite radio installation can vary depending on whether you use a Satellite radio which is dedicated only to satellite radio reception or if it also can play CDs.

The typical costs are detailed below:

Receiver $75 - $125

Radio $125-250

Antenna $60.00

Labor $80.00

Activation $10

———————

Total $400 - $600

Typical costs for a home satellite radio installation:

For this to work, you must choose to install a dedicated stereo receiver unit. Common AM/FM receivers are very similar to satellite radio receivers. Your auxiliary input is used to connect and a antenna is used to receiver the streaming content.

The typical costs are detailed below:

Receiver $150-$300

Antenna $60.00

Activation $10

—————-

Total $220 - $370

Portable units are now being offered and can give you the ease of using your satellite radio anywhere you want! Each room in your house would require a home kit, which includes antennas, output cables, and power supplies. Home kits offer flexibility and ease of use as they can be plugged into your home stereo, computer, and boom boxes. Portable satellite radio installation costs are as follows:

The typical costs are detailed below:

Receiver $120

Home Kit $140

Boombox X 2 $100

Activation $10

—————-

Total $370

Scott Fish is the owner of Top Satellite Radio which is a resource for consumers seeking the history and facts about satellite radio. We also sell electronics related to Satellite Radio.

http://www.TopSatelliteRadio.com | Quick Access: http://www.TopSatRadio.com

sf@topsatelliteradio.com

Zen is so simple in theory.

The general idea is to be completely where you are, for whatever is happening, when you’re there.

If you feel joy, be there for it, and if you’re getting a route canal, be there for that.

In a sense, we can’t really escape from what is in front of us, though we try.

For example, at Santa Monica beach, I’m amazed at the number of rollerbladers, joggers, and walkers who anesthetize themselves with earphones tuned into music. Isn’t it enough, I wonder, to hear the ocean’s waves, the gulls jabber, and people laughing?

Why do we need a soundtrack when nature’s own is perfectly cool, ever changing, and in accord with deep rhythms and patterns?

Or, let’s say you try to avoid a certain amount of unpleasantness with your boss, choosing to suppress your negative feelings about a decision he made, instead of expressing them.

Where do you think those feelings go?

Do they vanish because we wish them away? Or, is it more likely that they get twisted into our back muscles, making us sore and tight?

We go to the chiropractor for relief, and we get some symptomatic help, but any reminder of our office makes us tense up, once more.

If you read my articles you know that I’ve unplugged from cable and satellite TV, so I watch very little, unless I’m on the road.

On a recent trip, I was watching the “Godfather” trilogy, which is still completely amazing after all these years, and what stunned me were all of the commercials for pain relief, and for maladies about which I had been utterly clueless.

If you actually suffer from any of these, please excuse me, but I think merely watching these ads can make you nuts, just by internalizing the idea that so many things can go wrong.

The thought came to me that there is probably someone out there who is taking 500 pills a day, a hypochondriac to be sure, but somehow he believes that he is so threatened by daily life that he must, lest his world will fall apart.

Do you know what that device is called in the middle of the washing machine that moves back and forth, relentlessly?

An “agitator.” That’s what TV is, but TV is also emblematic of everyday life.

Life agitates us, twisting us this way and then that way, lifting us, and then pummeling us.

The Zen question is: Can you “practice,” which is to say, can you maintain focus on essentials, on your basic work of waking up, becoming more enlightened about this experience we’re all having as humans, while you’re agitated?

For instance, from time to time, people come into my office while I’m writing, and they’re conversing loudly, sometimes disagreeing, and spewing hostility into the air.

My trained response is to continue writing, and to not resist their intrusions.

I’m not actually shutting out or blocking anything, but just continuing to focus on where I am in my writing. When I achieve this, I’m doing Zen.

Back to that buried conflict with the boss. Sure, you’re afraid to express your feelings, but can you still do it, though you’re less than completely comfortable?

That’s the time when Zen rolls up its sleeves and gets down to work!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. Headquartered in Glendale, California, he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

For more information about coaching, consulting, training, books, videos and audios, please go to: http://www.customersatisfaction.com