Archive for August 29th, 2007

Should you buy text links?

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

You can rank number one (Or at least in the top ten) for just
about any search phrase by just buying text link ads, even if
the web site isn’t related to the search phrase in anyway, it
can still rank in the top ten of the search results. Some web
site owners see this as the only true way to the top ten. So,
should you buy your way to the top? Or should you play it safe?

Some say it’s better to be safe than sorry. While others say if
you play it safe and never make it to the top ten of the search
results, your losing anyway. So, it must be much better not to
play by the rules and get a top ten ranking and make a little
money before you get banned from the search engines. Well, it’s
not that easy and you can see the cons and pros in both ways.

First let’s look at the pros of playing it safe. The first one
is obvious and it’s that you have a lot less chance of getting
banned and much safer. At the same time you can peacefully sleep
at night without worrying whether you’ll be banned the next day
you wake up. It also allows you to save money and spend it else
where, such as PPC (Pay Per Click) search engines, banner
advertisement, mailing list and offline advertising. You can
also rank number one without buying text link ads if you provide
good content because many other webmasters will link to you just
because you have good content and it provides their users with
valuable information. You could also exchange links with other
web sites. If you correctly SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
your web site you can get a fairly good search engine ranking.

There are also several cons of playing it safe. Besides the fact
that text link ads help improve your search engine ranking, they
also bring in a good amount of traffic. In order to get a good
amount traffic from links you would need more than just a few
backlinks, but since you won’t be buying them, you will not
being getting that many web sites linking to you and most of
them are from web sites that are not popular among internet
users.

All the major search engines see backlinks from quality sites as
a vote for the web site being linked to, by playing it safe it
will take much longer to get a top ten ranking because of the
lack of backlinks. It can take years before you will rank for
any popular search term because you will only be getting links
the natural way. Without many backlinks you’ll also have a hard
time getting in the search engines.

Now the pros of buying text link ads. Buying text links ads will
help improve your search engine ranking, which can bring more
traffic than from a link from any web site because. Each link
acts as a vote your web site in the search engine’s eye, so the
more you buy, the higher you’ll rank. If you buy an enough text
link ads your web site can rank number one for just about any
search term.

Text link ads can also send a fair amount of visitors that’s
targeted. Resulting in more and new customers. Getting a link
from a web site that’s trusted and well known can help build
your web site’s brand and increase your credibility because
visitors will see the link as a recommendation to your web site.
Which will also help bring in new customers because they trust
you more than they did before.

The cons of buying text link ads make many people think twice
about buying text link ads. It will cost a lot of money to buy
text link ads. You need to pay for your link to stay on a web
site for at least two months before you will see any major boost
in your search engine ranking. You may never get your money back
because there’s so many things that can go wrong.

It can also hurt your search engine rankings if you don’t do it
correctly and safely. You should never buy a lot of text links
ads all at once, some search engines can detect this and may ban
your web site from the search results due to this. There are
other ways the search engines can find out that the links are
being sold, meaning some links on certain web sites may never
count in the search engines.

The Conclusion - Now that you have seen the pros and cons you
can decide for your self whether you should buy them or not.

Hair Extensions - The Fast Way to Grow Your Hair Out

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

Some people who weren’t blessed with good hair are actually envious of those people who have the luxury of being able to wear their hair long and keep it that way in spite of whatever hassles that long hair may bring to a person. From taking a longer time in taking a bath as well as having to deal with all sorts of monthly hair treatments just to keep that long hair in tip, top, shape.

Fortunately, for those who are at times in the mood for longer hair, there are actually hair extensions that are proven to be a safe and fast way for people to be able to have longer hair. Through hair extensions, people will be able to have the length of hair that they want whichever time they want their hair to be long and for only several days (which means people who have hair extensions need not to worry about the hair extensions upkeep in the long run). Hair extensions are actually great for people who are thinking of growing out their hair into a long, luxurious mop from a short, boyish style hair cut.

Have you even noticed that a lot of celebrities nowadays tend to sometimes have longer hair then shorter hair the next? Well, it certainly is not a work of magic but a breakthrough in the field of both beauty and fashion wherein top hairstylists nowadays are doing these hair extensions on people who do not have the patience nor time to grow their hair long. When it comes to growing one’s hair, there are certainly a lot of things that a person needs to do in order to keep it looking beautiful. Of course, when it comes to growing one’s hair, it is highly important that you actually maintain it in a good condition otherwise long hair will just make you look untidy.

Through hair extensions, having long hair is really a breeze. You just come in the salon and have it made and after a few hours, you have perfectly nice long hair. Hair extensions are actually highly in demand hair treatments at the salons nowadays wherein a lot of their clients all want to have some hair extensions added to their natural mane in order to look a little more girly, sophisticated and even a bit sexy.

For most people who come to the salons for a hair extension treatment, they usually opt to have the human hair extensions in order to achieve a natural look as compared to the synthetic type of hair extensions that actually has a different texture. And since human hair extensions are highly in demand nowadays, be prepared to shell out a little more cash for these human hair extensions, because human hair extensions can actually set you back around $1,000.

If you are worried about having to spend the whole day at the salon while having your hair extension treatment, then you really need not worry about a thing since having a hair extension treatment is actually a quick and easy method wherein you will end up with a wonderfully dramatic fix for your hair and the hair extensions can actually last you for five full months (but of course, you need to be go on a little easy when you brush, style or wash your hair).

Another popular option when it comes to having hair extensions, is to have the synthetic type of hair extensions which is the less expensive choice as compared to the human hair extensions and contrary to what other people might say, synthetic hair extensions actually looks just as natural as the human hair extensions that are extremely pricey.

But how are the hair extensions actually applied to your natural hair anyway? Well, the hair extension is actually placed on a small part of your hair. Your hair and the hair extension will be sort of braided together so that the hair extension will have something to hold onto. Next, after the braiding session of the hair extension treatment comes the bonding session wherein a bonding solution for your hair extension is applied then heat will then be applied to the treated area which will secure the hair extensions to your natural hair.

For more great wig and hair extension tips and ideas check out: http://www.lookingforwigs.com

Corvette History — Chevrolet’s Corvette SS Could Have Been a Contender

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

It was a classic story of a promising car that didn’t have a chance to really prove itself. And from it was born one of the more significant legends of Corvette history.

The Corvette SS began in 1956 as a pet project of General Motors’ styling director Harley Earl, who wanted Chevrolet to take on the big names in international endurance racing. Earl’s initial idea was to design a racy body, drop it onto a Jaguar D-Type chassis, and swap the Jag’s six for a Chevy V8.

But that notion wouldn’t do for Corvette engineering guru, diehard racing fan Zora Arkus-Duntov. When he heard of the plan, he pushed for an all-new chassis design that would incorporate ambitious engineering concepts. Duntov’s arguments won out, if for no other reason than the fact that the D-Type’s main structure was a monocoque configuration and therefore had no separate frame to drop any sort of body onto.

To save time, Duntov purchased a Mercedes-Benz 300SL frame and from that drew much of the inspiration — if not verbatim design elements — for the Corvette SS’s structure. To this platform, he added a race-prepared 283-cid Chevy V8, a de Dion rear axle, and an experimental braking system.

The car’s hasty debut was the 12 Hours of Sebring, in early 1957. Juan Fangio and Stirling Moss had initially agreed to pilot the car in the race, but development delays plagued the car, giving the superstar drivers second thoughts. These misgivings proved well founded — replacements John Fitch and Piero Taruffi battled a number of gremlins from the very beginning of the event, and were forced out after just 23 laps.

The SS nonetheless showed considerable promise when it was running well, and the team looked forward to trying the car at Le Mans that year. Unfortunately, the Automobile Manufacturers Association enacted its infamous racing ban before the June event, relegating the Corvette SS to being a testbed and show car.

But the story doesn’t end there. In 1958, Earl’s successor, Bill Mitchell, bought the spare Corvette SS chassis. He then collaborated with his staff to design a new body for it and he campaigned the car himself — “privately,” so as to dodge the AMA ban. Mitchell’s racer was significant for introducing one of the most beloved of all Corvettes shapes, the 1963-67 Stingray design.

For more articles on historic race cars and vintage sports cars, along with drive-test articles on today’s hottest performance cars, go to http://www.autiv.com/.

David Bellm is a seasoned test driver and automotive historian. His work has been featured in a wide variety of online and print publications.

Essential Tips on How to Get a Credit Card

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

Banks and their marketing associates and divisions are vying with one another to capture a thick slice of the “credit card pie.” Offers by phone and mail of free credit cards, pre-approved credit cards, cards with special bonanzas, money back schemes, low introductory rates, and umpteen other perks pour in tempting you everyday.

A credit card is just a form of borrowing that does not come free. Credit terms, interest rates, fees and more can lay a stress on your bank balance. Credit cards are a temptation to spend now and pay later. What invariably happens is that people spend more than they can handle.

Informed consumers must always weigh carefully the pros and cons and compare different options before deciding on a credit card.

Before you decide find out

The advantages of a credit card are that it is a safe alternative to cash. Prevents loss as well as theft of cash. Using a card wisely can build a good credit history which helps when you need a loan or subsidy. It is useful in emergencies like accidents, urgent hospitalization, and unavoidable circumstances like natural calamities and so on. It grants a breather and gives you time to pay the bill. Some memberships offer travel or accident insurance to the card owners at no cost. They also offer privileges like discounts at restaurants, shopping malls, and holiday packages.

The other side is that you can get carried away and live beyond your means, ultimately falling into debt.

To be eligible you need:

• To be at least 18 years old.

• Have some income or the backing of credit worthy parents.

• Have an operational bank account.

• A telephone.

• A good credit rating. Your monthly expenses must not equal or exceed your income. Ideal expenses must account for approximately 50% of your income.

• To get a Visa or Master card your income must exceed US$ 12,000 a year. Or, you need to apply for a secured credit card where you pay upfront a certain amount of money as security deposit.

There are many kinds of credit cards to choose from. Unsecured standard and classic cards are those with a credit limit of US$ 2000 and generally charge higher interest rates and offer lower or less favorable terms than the platinum and gold cards. Unsecured platinum and gold cards are for people with high credit ratings, and the limits for these cards are between US$ 2000 to US$ 100,000.

Here are a few links that will give information and opportunities to apply for cards online:

• Visa at http://www.usa.visa.com/?country=us&ep=v_gg_new provides information, gives tips, and has listed a number of financial institutions that offer Visa cards and a wide range of services. One can apply for a card online.

• MasterCard International at http://www.mastercard.com/index.html is comprehensive with information, advice, and options of choosing and applying for a card online. They have an online form which when filled will give information of which card would be ideal and a channel which provides instant comparison of various card options.

• CreditCards.com at http://www.creditcards.com/ has articles, FAQs, a site map, and online application channels.

Tips:

• Pick a card because it has the lowest APR.

• Pick a card because all its terms and conditions have been carefully vetted by you. Read the fine print.

• Never pick a card because it is free for a year or life.

• Do not choose a card because it offers a low introductory rate.

• Do not choose a card because it has a cash back policy or great rewards programs.

Choose wisely and live debt free.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1866Creditcards.com/, the premier website to find information on Credit Card including topics on credit card market, credit cards, business card credit comparison, card credit processing, credit card reviews, credit card offers, card credit deals and more. He also freelances for the premier Airport Parking Site http://www.1888Airportparking.com

Are You Still Standing Toe to Toe?

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

How many times do you practice techniques with your training partner and you stay in the same spot? Next time you are training, see how much you and your partner move. You will find you move very little or not at all. You see, when you are training, or doing ANYTHING for that matter, you always try to seek the path of least resistance. This is natural and can be viewed as a good thing (more on that later). Because you concentrate on the repetitions and the minutia of the detail, how hard we are hitting, what we look like, you are forgetting the big picture. And its easier to stand in the same spot. I am constantly reminding my guys- MOVE FORWARD!

If you don’t, you are neglecting a fundamental truth in the world of combat. I don’t care if your boxing, wrestling, playing football or engaging in combat- one thing is ALWAYS TRUE. Those who are winning are ALWAYS TAKING GROUND. Every time I look at a techniques demonstrated it is always two guys standing there with one guy doing the move and the other guy standing there. This is good for demonstrations sake, but when you drill it you do it with movement. One of the mistakes I see Judo Players, Karate Practitioners and Wrestlers make is that they practice technique without any movement. Do you actually fight like that- NO. When you fight, you are constantly moving and adjusting. When you fight for real you are always moving forward. If you are moving backwards- you are loosing. But don’t worry, it will be over soon.

In the Old School Series Carl explains and demonstrates how to take ground in this simple explanation- Always be where your enemy is standing. Meaning you are constantly moving forward and taking ground once you have started your assault. Think about any boxing match. Not when people are stalking and feeling each other out. I’m talking about when a guy gets a good shot and the blood is in the water and he just starts throwing bombs and running the guy over. If the ropes weren’t there, his opponent would be in the cheap seats!

Take the Greek Phalanx for example. The majority of the casualties didn’t happen when both sides were pressing against each other. It was only when one side broke and retreated that most of the deaths occurred. Even in modern combat- during the first contact, it is uncommon to incur a lot of casualties. Once the enemy tries to break contact and retreat, most of the casualties occur.

When you train you must program yourself to take ground. When you are practicing make sure your foot work is stomping and deliberate. This accomplishes 2 things.

1. It will allow you to compensate for a wide variety of terrain and

2. You will be delivering stomps and scrapes to your enemy’s shins and feet.

Simply start at one end of your training space and work across the floor- always take ground. If your partner doesn’t move… MOVE HIM! Deliver a smash with your shoulder (OS 2 Advanced Strikes and Blows) and just keep driving.
Like Carl talks about through out the series- you take bits and pieces until you start taking off larger chunks. This happens rapidly and violently. You keep taking ground overwhelm and overrun your enemy.
Remember- Keep moving forward. Like my college football coach said,”If you’re gonna go, go. If you’re not gonna go, don’t go!

Copyright 2003 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com ©

EzineArticles Expert Author Damian Ross

Damian Ross is the owner of Zenshin and instructor of Tekkenryu jujutsu and Kodokan Judo. He started competing in the combative sport of wrestling in 1975 at the age of 7 and began his study of Asian martial arts with Moo Duk Kwan Tae Kwon Do at the age of 16 in 1984. In 1989, Shinan Cestari gave a seminar at Sensei Ross’s dojo. Sensei Ross has trained under Shinan Cestari’s direction ever since. In addition to Tekkenryu Jujutsu, Judo and Tae Kwon Do, Sensei Ross has also studied Bando. Sensei Ross continues his study of Judo under the direction of 8th degree black belt Yoshisada Yonezuka and Tekkenryu Jujutsu under it’s founder, Carl Cestari. Below are is a list of some of his title ranks
Yodan (fourth degree black belt) Tekkenryu Jujutsu under Carl Cestari
Shodan (First degree black belt) Kodokan Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka
Varsity Wrestling Lehigh University under Thad Turner
2nd Degree Black Belt Tae Kwon Do

Do Your Customers Speak English?

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

Are you unknowingly restricting your market to more than half
of your potential customer base? Are you alienating an important
number of your visitors? If, your site is only in English and
not translated in other key languages, you undoubtedly are! Did
you know that as of 2005, around 300M users accessed the
Internet in English, while almost 700M users accessed it in
another language? If we were to make a crude assessment,
strictly English localized website are loosing 70% of their
potential customer base from the start. To be more specific, the
top ten languages used in the Internet, are in order, English,
Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Korean, Portuguese,
Italian and Russian (internetworldstats). Even in the
United-States, over 45M users access the Internet from home in
another language than English, Spanish being the main language
with over 26M users. The major companies recognize this
situation and offer their website in different languages, some
even going to the length of implementing specifically targeted
version of their website, based on the target language. However,
many websites or small business are neglecting this aspect, and
hence loosing out on a chance of increasing their market simply
by not repeating the same thing! Ironically, it’s the smaller
companies that should use the benefits of an easy and affordable
method of increasing their customer base.

So, what do I do now? Well, first you must determine the
potential market your website service or product should target.
Indeed, the necessity to translate your website in certain
languages may be constrained if your site usability is confined
to specific regions. Another good thing to do is to determine
the specific web pages that need to be translated. Opening your
website to the world doesn’t require the translation of your
entire website. If your site has a page that promotes the
Whistler Mountain in BC Canada to snowboarders, there is
probably no need to translate it in certain languages, as some
markets would not be concerned. Once you have established the
languages worthwhile for your site to be translated into, you
should then have a website like eWebSolving.com translate
your content. This affordable service will increase the audience
for your business and undoubtedly generate more conversions.

A Summer Camp Like No Other

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

Imagine spending a portion of your summer on a yacht sailing the crystalline waters of the British Virgin Islands - learning tropical sailing, scuba diving, and marine biology - from some very experienced, knowledgeable and friendly folks.

This is a different kind of summer camp - a moving, “live-aboard” camp – called SeaTrek. Here, high school and college aged students live and play onboard one of several 45-foot catamaran sailing yachts equipped with the latest safety equipment and onboard technology for 21 days.

Under the watchful eyes of a professional staff, SeaTrekers take full control of their live-aboard yachts while learning seamanship, sailing, scuba diving and marine science. This hands-on instructional approach continues throughout the voyage ensuring a thorough understanding of safe yacht operation, proper scuba diving procedures, and basic marine science.

Captains Monk and Kat, owners of SeaTrek Adventures, bring a wealth of knowledge of the sea, scuba diving and youth education to the students they work with each summer.

Captain Monk has 10 years experience on live-aboard dive vessels, having worked in the Bahamas, the US and British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Honduras, Mexico, Florida, Australia, Costa Rica and Hawaii. He has developed and directed several school age diving programs in conjunction with Texas A&M University and San Jacinto College. Monk worked extensively with Texas A&M’s Biology Department and The Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary as a research diver and dive supervisor.

Captain Kat currently teaches Environmental Science at the University of Michigan. She is an expert on island formation and geology, a photographer and a bit of a historian. She is an avid sailor, having led three previous adventure voyages, as well as having three years experience with world class live-aboard dive vessels. Kat has ten years experience diving the Great Lakes, Mexico, the British Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

Monk and Kat Both hold United States Coast Guard 100ton Masters Licenses and are both Instructor Trainers for the National Association of Underwater Instructors, CPR/1st Aid Instructors, and Divers Alert Network (DAN) Oxygen First Aid Instructors.

“”Our biggest thing is safety - making sure that the kids come home safe. We travel all across the US to meet parents in person prior to each trip. We hire the best sailing, diving, and biology instructors available. Every student receives personal instruction through every aspect of the voyage from raising the sails to tying up your hammock at night,” said Monk.

No experience is necessary, in fact, most Trekers have never sailed or scuba dived before. To be eligible, students must be at least 13 years of age and want to learn. “We offer programs for those who have never set foot in the ocean all they way up to programs for those who have logged hundreds of dives or days under sail.” Programs range from introductory scuba, sailing and marine biology for those with no prior experience, to highly advanced training for the most experienced “Trekers.”

Alex Cohen, age 18, has been sailing with Monk going on four years. “I’ve learned more in those summers than I’ve learned anywhere. I cannot think of a better way to spend my summers – it’s a great life experience.” Now an employee of SeaTrek, Alex says the leadership skills he has developed through his experience sailing with Monk have prepared him well for his professional goals, which include a career in medicine.

While learning to scuba dive, students are also led by the onboard naturalist and marine biologist on a variety of learning experiences. “We have a full time biologist that works to introduce kids to biology. We offer a unique program where students can obtain school credit for completing a project while on the expedition,” said Monk, of the program that offers an impressive 2:1 student teacher ratio.

The culmination of the journey is when all students actively participate in operating the yacht themselves. “One of the biggest goals of each journey is that the students will be able to operate the 45-foot catamaran for 6 hours by themselves – this is the ultimate level of excitement and learning.”

To add to this exciting adventure, each SeaTrek vessel comes fully equipped with a kayak, windsurfer, kneeboard, wakeboard, water skis, and speedboat in tow. Although their programs are centered on water-based activities, each Trek also includes ample adventures ashore. SeaTrekers hike through old-growth rainforests, explore rocky inter-tidal areas, learn island culture from the locals, play beach volleyball, and even dance into the night.

Monk and Kat cordially invite students to participate in this amazing adventure. “Open yourself to a new experience…join us as we trace the voyages of early day
adventurers and discover a new you!”

For more information about Seatrek programs call 1-877-GO SAILING (1-877-467-2454) or visit their web site at: www.seatrekbvi.com

The Rewards and Risks Of Personal Freedom

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

We all need to decide whether to “play it safe” in life and worry about the downside, or instead take a chance, by being who we really are and living the life our heart desires. Which choice are you making?

One of the first things I noticed about my newly purchased parrot, was that he couldn’t fly. Chico’s wings had been clipped and he was stuck here on earth just like us humans.

Once the weather turned nice I took Chico and sat him on a branch of a tree in my backyard, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused. He walked back and forth on the branch looking like an agitated father pacing back and forth in the maternity waiting room. I was surprised to see that he didn’t flap his wings in an attempt to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable. I always wondered how he knew such a thing.

One day, while sitting on his branch, Chico got way more agitated then he had been when I first took him outside months ago. He was pacing back and forth and talking up a storm. Then all of a sudden, he stopped pacing, let out a spine tingling scream, and started madly flapping his wings for the first time ever. About three seconds later, he lifted off from the branch like the space shuttle at Cape Canaveral! I was amazed and shocked. Little did I know his feathers had been growing back in, and just like a sly convict, Chico had been biding his time until the moment was ripe for escape!

Chico made his break for freedom on a late Monday afternoon, and by late Monday night I knew he was not coming home. Finally, on Tuesday evening Chico returned, but stayed way out of reach. I talked to him and showed him some food, but to no avail. Then I took his cage inside so he would not relate coming back to getting locked up again. Finally, I made him a firm promise that if he did come back I would let him out every day the weather was nice. Shortly after making my solemn oath, he flew onto my shoulder and I took him upstairs.

From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him out early and he would fly around and be back before dark. This routine lasted for about two months and then suddenly Chico became ill. The vet said that he had contracted a disease from the pigeons in the neighborhood. Within a few days he died, and I mourned his loss.

Just once the thought crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly every day, he would still be alive. It was then that I realized that the quality of one’s life is much more important than the number of years one lives. What sense is there in being a bird if you can’t fly?

Chico made his initial break for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a chance when the conditions are right, knowing you too in your own way, were built to fly. If you don’t set yourself free, what will be the purpose of your life?

I would suggest that the quality of one’s life is dependant on feeling one’s essence, and living the design that is you. If you are a fish, your life needs to be all about swimming. If you are a bird, your life needs to be all about flying and spreading your message to all that you meet along the way. What sense is there in being you, if you don’t really let yourself free and express your heart?

Charlie Badenhop - EzineArticles Expert Author

About The Author

Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Benefit from his thought-provoking ideas and a new self-help Practice every two weeks, by subscribing to his complimentary newsletter “Pure Heart, Simple Mind” at http://www.seishindo.org/anger/index.html.