Wednesday, June 29, 2011

How to Achieve a Favorable Attitude in the Office


Having a favorable attitude is generally beneficial to yourself, co-employees, and to the whole organization of the company.

Take the constructive side of every situation in the office.  Deal with the problem proactively and see the positive side of it.  Focus on the solutions and not reiterating what happened and pointing fingers to others.

Think optimistic and show enthusiasm, it is contagious.  Expect the unexpected but do not let it affect your spirit to be depressed by it.  Keep working to be more productive rather than dwelling on what happened.

Give others a self importance and self worthiness regardless of their position in the office.  Respect others opinion.

Keep values and bring it to your work.

Common Office Manners

Never discuss salaries to other employees.  If you have problems with your own, talk to your superior and the Human Resources Department.

Do not create intrigue against other employee and play office politics.

Keep a formal attitude towards executives or higher in rank.

Avoid personal calls unless it is an emergency call from family or relatives.

Do not make a habit to take the blame to others.  Always be responsible for your acts and subordinates.

Always make allowances for others and give the benefit of the doubt.  Make a proper investigation and gather data before making judgment.

What is E-Marketing?

Marketing plays an important role in the success of the business.  With the use of Internet, Marketing takes a different level into E-Marketing.


Marketing is the process by which companies create customer interest in products or services. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business development. It is an integrated process through which companies build strong customer relationships and create value for their customers and for themselves. (source : Wikipedia)

Marketing plays a vital role in a business, the success of the company can be achieved through effective Marketing. It is important that Sales and  Marketing team go hand in hand to achieve Sales goals.  A marketer should know how to discover and develop marketing ideas for their business

E-Marketing (Electronic Marketing) are also known as  Internet Marketing, Web Marketing, Digital Marketing, or  Online Marketing. Here are some of the types of E-Marketing used by Internet Marketers:

  1. E-Mail Marketing – a customized marketing letter or flyer  to target market
  2. Creating a website
  3. Social Media Optimization
  4. Pay-per-click advertising
  5. Paid search engine listing
  6. Blogging
  7. Classified Advertising
  8. Search Engine Marketing

The advantage of E-Marketing is primarily to reduce the Marketing campaign cost. A cost effective advertising company which executes marketing plans is vital to the success of the company. One way to deal with it is to look for advertising networks that offers deals or coupons for both companies with either small or large advertising budgets. Check  adknowledge coupon for Adknowledge bidsystem to optimize exposure of  advertisements to targeted market in different categories chanelled through various social media websites, emails, web applications, and other top 500 websites.  It ensures return of investment of the company.

Second is the fast result of the campaign.  It can be monitored easily with complete statistical data through  the use of  tracking software or web tracking capabilities.  Web analytics tools help evaluate e-marketing campaigns and take the necessary actions based from the statistical results.



Sunday, June 26, 2011

The General Knowledge Show: How Coins are Made

Contributing AuthorAnastasia Meredith Oh

Coins are made of copper and nickel because they are cheap.

A mint can made commemorative coins out of silver. This silver goes into a casting furnace to be melted at 2100 Degrees Farenheight, and when it comes out the silver is shaped into a long bar 5 inches wide, and 1.5 inches thick. This long bar is then cut into a 30 inch long bar before it is placed in a roughing mill.


The mill uses 9 tonnes of force to push the silver bar between 2 rollers which squeeze the bar so it becomes thinner. To make the bar 0.5 inches thick it may be passed into the mill up to 12 times. After this the bar still needs to be reduced in height, so it goes into a finishing mill to be made into the final height needed for the coin, which varies depending on the design and denomination.

A blanking machine stamps out blank coins from these strips of silver. The excess silver from around the circular holes, called cissel is taken to be re-melted in the casting furnace.

The blank coins are then fed into the rimming machine, which has a spinning wheel to press a raised edge or rim onto each coin. The coins are placed into a tub of water, cleaning fluid and steel beads which polish and smooth the blanks because the steel beads act as an abrasive agent.
When the blanks are removed from the tub they are separated from the beads using a sifter before being hand dried with a towel which ensures there will be no water marks on the coins.
The silver can become very brittle as it is being worked, so brittle that if somebody hit it, it could shatter. To prevent this, the silver is frequently placed into an annealing furnace.

The design is made from photos and artwork and is designed on the computer. When the mint approves this design it is engraved onto a large plaster disk with a 10.5inch diameter. This is a negative design, before they cast a positive mould, on which the artists adds some more detail. From this a positive mould is made from rubber mould. A negative mould is made of epoxy, before a pentagram reduces the design by 1.5 times its size onto a brass disk. This reduction can take 36 hours!

The brass model is then fine tuned by an engraver using a microscope, and the lettering is put on. After this it is back in the pentagram, where a stainless steel matrix. The matrix is then turned into a negative dye.
The dyes are installed into a press; there are 2 dyes per press, as both sides of the coins needs to be designed. The coin is then stamped 2 times to ensure high quality. Circulation coins are just struck once.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Travel Tips: Staying Safe While in a Hotel Room

Staying safe while travelling is important even if you are in a hotel room.



Keeping alert while you are in a hotel room is necessary inspite of the security provided by the hotel.  Many crimes and untoward incidents takes place in hotels especially in a country side areas or unfamiliar places..  Here are some tips to keep you safe and sound:

Always take care of your room keys and make sure that  you know where it is at all times.

In choosing your room, avoid those too near from exits.  Criminals always look for an easy access way out.

Never open your hotel door without looking at the peephole first.  Do not open if you do not know the person and  if you are not  expecting a visitor.  If it looks a hotel personnel and you did not called for it, call the hotel information immediately.

Never invite strangers or acquaintance you just met to your room.  Transact your business outside your room, meet them in public  places such as restaurants.   Criminals used to be in disguise as nice persons.

Protect your Valuables
Keep your important things secure inside the hotel, valuables can be kept in a safety deposit of your hotel.

When leaving the hotel, do not leave a laptop or other tech gadgets lying on the bed or in the room. Properly close them and put it inside the luggage bag.

A laptop is recommended to have a password protection and only bring important computer files on the laptop while travelling.  Back-up and just leave other data back home.



Travel Tips: Protect Yourself While Travelling

Protect yourself while travelling either you are inside the hotel room or outside in public places.


Tourist attractions are the main target of thefts since tourists are not familiar with the place and  its people. 

 1.  Be alert on people who will get your attention by distracting you with questions.  Thefts do not usually go alone, they work as a group.  You are distracted by one, others will try to get your wallet or bag.

 2.  Crowded places or in public transportation such as buses, trains, and subways are also prone to pickpockets.  Keep your bag close to your body and be alert to those who jostle you.

3.  Bring the bulk of your cash on an internal pouch and  just allot small amount for petty expenses.

 4.  Protect your valuables  especially if you bringing laptop, camera, and other valuable things outside.

 5.  Be aware of the motorcycle or bicycles passing behind.

 6.  Do not make yourself an easy target, here are some of the people you should be aware of :
  • People who are around you while you are in a bank or an ATM machine.
  • Sitting in parked cars and they are looking at your direction.
  • Loiterers in public places such as in parking lots, alleyways, and doorways.           
 Avoid dangerous places where you can be easily attacked:
  • Isolated and badly lit ATM machines.
  • Isolated streets,. Elevators, rest rooms, laundromats, building exit area especially at night.
7.  If you have your own car, read “Things to Avoid Car Thefts” for safety tips.

More Travel tips at Traveltips2Deals

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Arthritis Home Remedies

Helpful home remedies to ease the pain during arthritis attack.

Arthritis is a one of the oldest and common illness of man.  The number of people with arthritis is increasing yearly and a lot more will have in the coming years.  During winter season, arthritis attacks severely, here are some helpful home remedies to ease the pain during attacks:

Control the weight
If you have an arthritis, try to maintain body weight.  Overweight people will have more difficulty or pain since there will be more pressure on the joints.  The bones will be more stressed which increases the possibility of inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Use ice to ease the pain.    Cold treatment is good for a stressed joints usually after work.  A gel pack or an ice on a plastic bag is recommended to apply for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove for 10 to 15 minutes.  Repeat process atleast for an hour.

Use of herbal remedies.  Herbs can also help ease the pain  of  arthritis, but not necessarily treat them.  For those who want to try alternative medicines, according to Dr. Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., the most beneficial herb is the willow bark.  This is because  willow bark contains salicin, which is similar to aspirin.  Tyler is a professor of pharmacognosy at Pardue University and author of the book "The Honest Herbal".

Increase in Vitamin C intake.  "Studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis are deficient in Vitamin C" says Robert H. Davis, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the Pennsylvania College of Podiatic Medicine.  He adds that taking Vitamin C will help arthritis patients, but to be sure consult your doctor before trying this therapy to avoid further complications.

Having an arthritis can be a serious illness especially if it hinders you from working and living the normal life.  Discipline in food, lifestyle, and positive attitude will help one battles this illness.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Claude Debussy

Contributing Author:  Anastasia Meredith Oh 

Claude Debussy was born in 1862. His parents owned a shop, and his mother was a seamstress. He was French, and composed impressionist music. He started piano lessons at age seven, with an elderly Italian gentleman. At eleven years old he was entered into the Piano Conservatoire. He stayed in the Conservatoire for twelve years, and studied many other instruments such as organ and solfeggio.
He started giving piano lessons to a patron of Tchaikovsky’s children, and began accompanying a singer to earn a little money. She is said to have given him emotion and professional support.
Debussy won the Prix de Rome, and was admitted under scholarship to Académie du beaux arts.
He was inspired by Wagner’s chords and harmonies in his pieces, but in the end, Debussy chose a different style.

Early Works

Debussy used the notes from the pentatonic scale and the whole tone scale. Some of his pieces were inspired by Wagner, but not many. Debussy chose to break away from the simple A-B-A formation of pieces, which had been the main structure of music since Haydn.

Claude wrote three Nocturnes, in 1899. The had huge contrast to the Wagnerian style. Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande was premiered in 1901. This took ten years to write, and was his only complete opera. This was a hugely influential piece for the young French composers.

La Mer was a symphonic piece which had a large range of “Colors”.
In 1901, Debussy wrote a set of pieces for piano, pour le piano. These pieces had texture, and harmonies, which would prove important in the creation of jazz music. These were similar to Chopin.

In his late works, Debussy wrote some ballets for Ballets Russes. He also wrote some violin, harp and flute sonatas, although these had thinner texture. He also wrote another set of piano sonatas, which included his most famous pieces. The Pianist Claudio Arrau regarded his piece canope to be his greatest piece.
Many operas were started, although due to his death, none of them were finished. These were based on Shakespeare’s As you like it and The fall of the house of Usher and Joseph Bendier’s La Legende de Tristan.
Debussy had a turbulent private life, he fancied Gabrielle Dupont for nine years, before he decided to marry her friend Rosalie Texier, who was a fashion model. In 1904 he left her for Emma Bardac, who was the wife of a Parisian banker.

On March 25th 1918, Claude Debussy died of Cancer, he was surrounded by German artillery during the spring outbreak of world war one.

He had many influences on other composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Olivier Messiaen, Bela Bartok, Pierre Boulez, Henri Dutilleux, and the minimalist music of Steve Reich. Debussy will always be remembered amongst the musical community. He was a brilliant composer, and his music will go on forever.

 

The General Knowledge Show: How Mozzarella is Made

Contributing Author:  Anastasia Meredith Oh


Mozzarella is made from milk, like all other cheeses. It is transported from the dairy farm to the processing plant in a tank, which is always sterilised, kept at 3 degrees centigrade and can carry up to 30,000 litres of milk! The milk inside the tank is around 4% fat and 3% protein.

When the milk gets to the plant it is stored in huge towers called cyloes, which can carry up to 250,000 litres of milk each! Each type of cheese has certain percentage of fat, and any excess fat can be removed by a milk separator.
In order to stop the milk from fermenting it is sterilised, which kills the bacteria and other microorganisms. As this happens small samples are taken to ascertain the nutritional values of the milk in different vats. These samples are done through microbiological analysis to ensure perfect quality.

A 25,000 litre curdeler is used to turn the milk into cheese. Renict, which is a enzyme which causes the milk to curdle. The milk is constantly heated and stirred by agitators, which also cut the whey into small lumps. This process takes around half an hour. The temperature, like  the fat content varies depending on the type of cheese being made.

After being curdled the cheese is moved onto large tables where the excess liquid is drained off, which takes around 25 minutes. The liquid, known as lacto serum, is concentrated and becomes a milk by product.
Once the cheese particles have been completely dried, and removed of water by the strainer, and stirred they are taken to the moulder, which cuts the cheese up ready for the cooker. When it comes out of the moulder the mozzarella already has its stringy texture. The moulds which the cheese is put into is rectangular in shape, and each one can hold up to 2.5Kg of cheese. Salt solution, also known as brine, is used to keep the cheese cool when it falls from the moulds, and also helps to add some salty flavour. They are kept there for 2-4 hours at a constant temperature of 2 degrees centigrade.

1400 blocks of cheese can be made from 30,000 litres of milk, and it only takes between 8 and 12 hours to do so.




Sunday, June 19, 2011

Planning Your Travel and Completing Travel Requirements (Part 3)


Planning Your Travel and Completing Travel Requirements (Part 1)
Planning Your Travel and Completing Travel Requirements (Part 2)


Health Insurance
Becoming ill or being hospitalized overseas are possibilities when traveling abroad.  Having a health insurance is an important travel document that will cover the cost of your medical treatment.  Check with your health insurance policy if traveling abroad is included.  If not, there are short-term health insurance policies for a period of time.  Ask travel agent in obtaining this type of health insurance.
If you have health conditions, request for a medical certification from your doctor that you are fit to travel.  The certification should also include a prescription of medicine to certify that you need to take these medicines when you travel.  Avoid transferring the medicines to another container, it is recommended to keep the original container with labels.

Credit card for your travel.
 image via Wikipedia
Money
Avoid a large amount of cash during travel, bring traveler’s check or credit card instead.  Make sure that you have the telephone number of your credit card company in case the card is lost or you will have a problem when using the credit card.

Planning Your Travel and Completing Travel Requirements (Part 2)

After having the passport and visa, ticket and accommodation are the next  important travel requirement for travelers.


Airplane Ticket
Reserve the flight in advance to avail promotional fares and be able to get the best flight time and seat.  Get all the details pertaining to promotional tickets, check any restrictions to decide on your options.
If you are purchasing a ticket through a travel agent, make sure that every details are communicated well.  Emphasize your seat preference in the airplane so you get what you want.  Passengers with young children are often seated in the bulkhead rows to give them much space. Some prefer to be on the window side to have a good view or others prefer the isle seat so they can easily go to restrooms and move around. 
Once you have the  ticket, make sure all the details are correct.  Reconfirm flight details from the airline atleast 72hours of the actual  flight.

Accommodation
If you are booking with a hotel, here the things that should be considered or questions to ask when making a reservation.
Is there any promotion that you can avail?
What type of room do you want? What type and size of the bed do you want?
Does the outside view of the room differs from garden view, pool view etc.?
Do you require a smoking or non-smoking room?
What are the inclusions of the hotel package you are getting?
What is their cancellation policy?
Confirm all the details before your scheduled flight with the hotel and make sure you have the contact number before the flight.

Read more Travel articles

Planning Your Travel and Completing Travel Requirements (Part 1)

Planning for your next trip?  Here are some basic tips in planning and completing your travel requirements.

Planning your Travel
Planning your trip begins with writing down all the necessary travel requirements.  With a checklist on hand , you will avoid missing some details of the trip.  Prepare an itinerary either your travel for a  business trip or a holiday vacation.  To maximize your trip, make sure you set an appointment and confirm details of the meeting in advance,  If it is a holiday vacation, search possible tourist attractions at your destination place, and reserve in advance.
Here are some basic tips  in completing your travel requirements:

Valid Passport

Secure a passport and make sure it is not expired atleast six months prior to your travel date.

Visa for your Destination Country
A visa is a permission given by a foreign or destination for a specified purpose and a length of time you can stay on that country.   This can be directly obtain from the embassy or nearest consulate of the country you plan to visit. Each country may vary on their requirements, be ready with your personal and financial records for your application.  Visa is stamped on the passenger passport once the application is granted.  Visit the embassy website for the specific requirements and forms you may need.   Refer also  to a travel consultant or agent  who are also knowledgeable on this matter.

Read more from Travel page



Friday, June 17, 2011

Smartphone Applications for Digital Moms


AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner.  Mom gets help from this application in cooking meals for the family.  Search menus by ingredients or dish types you want to cook for your next dinner.

Fooducate. Ensure she is buying healthy food.  Scan the grocery barcode on items to see what is inside.  It gives you the pros and cons of the item, provide healthier alternatives and lets you scan other items for comparison.

Save Benjis Application.  Shopping is the most common task for moms who constantly search for bargains and monitor her budget.  This application searches all the main stores and compares price to give a price idea of products.

Evernote.  One of the best apps for moms who keeps on organizing things.  Create text, voice or photo notes, and it syncs to your desktop. 

The Weather Channel.  Planning an outdoor vacation or party? This  freebie apps which gives a weather forecast that helps plan an event well.

Safety Browser.  Kids tend to click on phones to quest their curiosity, guard them against inappropriate content online with  this application for parental controls in your  device. Set further filters that allow or block specific websites or categories of websites.

Intuition Application. A smart personal assistant for moms.  Quickly capture your to-dos, tasks, grocery lists, ideas, appointments and wish lists.  Delegate your tasks and share information through Facebook or Twitter.  Get your daily dose of inspiration, fun, and money saving offers. 
Digital moms are indeed reflects the women today, but once in awhile it is good to  unplugged oneself and go back to basics.  Enjoy a cup of coffee back with the family or a friend. 

Emerging Digital Moms

How to Be a like a Digital Mom?
  • A high percentage of bloggers consist of digital moms where they spend time blogging for various reasons.  Most marketers consider the power of women share on the business market.  Their reviews on blogs are taking into consideration as they are direct consumers blogging about their experiences on products, restaurants,  and others alike.
  • A tech-savvy consumer who shops online.  Checks the latest shopping deals, bargains on sale, and various coupons from the Internet.  While others opt to join auctions  from eBay, the largest buy and sell network.  
  • A large number of digital moms embarks into home-based jobs or work-at-home  since this is an opportunity to earn an additional income while doing the household responsibilities.  Most common work  are engaging in an online business like buying and selling items, freelance writing, virtual assistants, web designers, and other field of expertise that they can work on in a freelance basis.
  • Plans travel requirements and buys airplane ticket online.  Avails the cheapest travel deals being offered in advance. 
  • An active member of social media websites, blog , and forums to interact with others of the same interest.  The most common are parenting, home-based jobs, shopping, beauty, and home renovation.  Some digital moms joins Facebook to checks on their children friends and network. 
  • Search for healthy recipes for the next  menu from a favorite cooking video tutorials.  Healthy pack-lunch for kids schooling.
  • Organize daily tasks with smartphone applications.

Care and Safety Tips for Contact Lenses


Care and safety use of contact lenses will spare you from eye infection. Here are some of safety tips  you can do to protect them:
  • When storing lenses, do not just add solution to the case. Dispose the old solution and replace with new one.
  • Avoid using tap water for cleaning, storing, and rinsing contact lenses. Water can include microorganisms that can cause infections.
  • For travelers, make sure that an appropriate contact lenses kit is with you when on vacation.
  • Do not wear contact lens in swimming pool, contamination from the pool is high. Use good quality goggles to protect eyes.
  • Store contact lenses in a safe and clean environment such as in your room instead in bathroom. This will avoid airborne contamination that may acquire inside the bathroom.
  • If you experience irritation and pain, immediately remove the contact lenses and check if there is a foreign body.  Consult a doctor if irritation persists.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Things You Can Do While Waiting at The Airport

Travelling is one of the best experience we can have especially if it is a personal holiday overseas trip.  It can be stressful processing travel requirements, preparing for the luggage, arriving at the airport, waiting at the airport before boarding the plane, seating at the plane during the entire flight, and getting luggage bags upon arrival.  We can only be relieved once we arrive at the destination hotel or accommodation house.

While at the airport, patience is necessary for us not to lose our mood.  We wait for the queue while checking-in, time to board the plane, immigration, and finally wait the airplane to take off.  During the flight we, keep busy doing things so as not to be bored on the whole flight.  Here are some tips to make the most of the waiting time:

Have a list of the contact details of the persons who will fetch you at your destination airport.  Re-confirm your arrival and inform any delays in the flight.  While waiting at the airport, this will also the time you can  call the other persons you have an appointment in the coming days especially if you are in a business trip.

 Airline nowadays have an in-flight entertainment for passengers, enjoy the flight watching movies or listening to music.  Bring  a good book or a writing pad to keep you busy during the flight.

No matter things are planned, there are things that beyond our control.  Expect to encounter flight delays for various reasons such as aircraft mechanical problems, weather, and other reasons that the airline may informed the passengers.

Travelling is a journey, though roads are not always smooth, we can try to make the most of  it and enjoy it to the fullest.

Travel Guide : Airport Departure Tips

Start your hassle free trip by arriving at the airport early. Do you have unforgettable travel experience?
 
For those who travel overseas, airport hassles is a no-no to any trip.  There are so many consequences if you miss the trip, if your luggage bags are lost, etc.   To avoid missing the trip, re-confirm plane reservations before the flight atleast a day or two before the travel date.

Avoid checking-in at the last minute, it will create a stressful trip and some delays.  Check-in at the airport atleast an hour before the flight.  Give allowance to commuting time especially if you are not familiar yet with the way to the airport.  If you are having a car rental service, make a reservation before the travel date and emphasize the required time they are needed.

Make sure that you have all the necessary travel requirements before leaving your house or hotel.
During check-in, make sure that the airport personnel attach a destination tag to each of your luggage bags.  Check for the three-letter code of your destination airport.  Before leaving, make sure that you have the claim check for all your bags.

Seniors  or sick people can ask for assistance from airline personnel to accompany them in going to the airplane and give assistance during the flight.

While boarding the plane, make sure that you have the right seat assignment.  Check airplane ticket seat number, remember that it is better to be early so you can properly store your carry-on luggage in one of the overhead bins.

Bring some food inside your carry-on luggage such as small sandwiches, biscuits, or chocolates in case you will be hungry before the in-flight meals are served.


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Web Screen Sharing and Remote Access Productivity Tools


With the power of the Internet, almost all are possible.  With the screen sharing and remote access tools, it lets you work faster, reduce travel cost, saves time, and increase productivity  conveniently.  These are beneficial for personal or business use.


The core benefits of these tools are web conferencing, training, product demo presentation, easy collaboration for online meetings, tutorials, and online computer technical support.   Here are some of the screen sharing tools from the web and its  leading features:


Yuuguu
  • Instantly share screen with anyone and anywhere with a fast and secure platform.
  • No download for your participants. You only need internet connection and people can instantly see what you have on your screen through a  web browser with no special  plug-ins or add-ons needed.
  • Works with leading Instant Messaging softwares such as Skype, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and Google Talk.  Import your contacts who are not on the Yuuguu network and share your screen with them easily.
  • Easy screen sharing with users from Yuuguu Network.. Invite your friends and business partners to join for free with atleast five participants in a session for easy collaboration. 
  • Yuuguu free edition is time limited when sharing with people on on the network.  Experience more with Yuuguu Plus with unlimited use, plus the features of WebEx and GoToMeeting. 
  • Yuuguu is available for Mac OS, and Windows
TeamViewer
  • One solution for everyone
  • Remote administration of unattended servers
  • File transfer
  • Highest security standard
  • Online status display
  • Remote support without installation
  • Remote presentation of products, solutions and services
  • Works behind firewalls
  • Browser based access
  • Very competitively priced, free versions available
  • Optimized performance
Techinline
  • Two-way desktop sharing.  Both participants can view and control of each others computers, a bi-directional interaction between any two computers.
  • Customization and integration
  • Remote reboot and reconnect a computer without interrupting a running session.
  • Browser based solution which let the two participants connect through an internet access and a web browser anywhere in the world without a need for installing a software or program.
  • Easy connection process to a user client without having a long process of software installation or network configuration.  This will accelerate the support process more faster and better client service.
  • Reporting tool for previous sessions which can be converted to pdf or excel files.
  • Multi-monitor support allows you to see other monitors connected to your remote client computer.
  • Instant Messaging
  • Other features such as Firewall/Proxy transparency, Auto scroll and Auto-scale, File and Clipboard transfer
  • Techinline is available in Windows 7, 64-bit version.
Other screen sharing tools are glance,Mikogo, VyewMyPC, AdobeConnectNow, ConnectLoop, Skyfex,remotepc,JoinMe,Laplink, and many others.


Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tips on Giving Corporate Christmas Giveaways to Clients

Whether a small or large scale company, giving Corporate Giveaways or promotional items to clients is part of  marketing activities throughout the year for sales promotions, corporate events such as product launchings, and the most awaited Christmas Season.

Giving Corporate Christmas giveaways is a marketing tool for giving our clients a token of appreciation for being loyal to our products or services and doing business with the company throughout the year. This is also an effective form of advertisement for the next year with company logo imprinted on the giveaways will give the clients  retention of the company’s name and contact details.

Here are some tips on planning and working for your Corporate Christmas Giveaways activity :
Identify the specific requirements for your giveaways.  Identify your market so you will know the best item suited for your clients.

Standard Giveaways such as office accessories such pens, penholder, paper holder, desk calendars , planners, business diaries, utility tool items such as Swiss knife,food items such as bag of goodies, wines, and many others.
Customized Giveaways depends on the type of business or Industry. For computer related companies, computer accessories such as USB memory, notebook bags, and other gadgets are good giveaways for its clients. In a travel type of business, sample giveaways are travel bags, luggage tags, apparel, and other related travel items.

Work within the budget.  Know  how much budget is allocated for this activity. Some may vary allocations every year depending on the annual sales income of the company. There are high-end and low-end giveaways to choose from depending on the budget of the company.

Calendar the activity in advance.   Avoid the stress and rush orders for Christmas, by creating a  timetable for canvassing and ordering the corporate giveaways. When the “ber” comes on the month of September, you can already pick up your pen and start planning. Being ahead of the others will make you choose better and have a good purchasing deal. Price also tend to increase as the months nearing December because of more demands coming in with suppliers.

Canvassing and ordering your giveaways.  Have atleast three suppliers quoted for your selected giveaways for comparative study and let the best supplier gets your deal. After giving your requirements to the supplier, discuss the lowest price that they can give, minimum quantity order, payment terms, and other specifications as to color, placing of the logo, sizes for apparels.  A sample of their existing products is a must to check quality and a prototype sample of your order for final approval.

Look for a supplier with a competitive price, good quality products, easy to deal with, and give assurance to on-time delivery. Distribute your giveaways first week of December and make your clients happy.

Travel Tips : Arriving at The Destination Airport

After waiting from the flight, arriving at the destination airport can be tiresome. Getting the luggage bags is another waiting time, a worst thing that could happen is not being able to get luggage bags on time.

When getting your bags, make sure that you have the right luggage bags.  Colorful luggage bags are recommended since many bags are look alike.

If your bag is open, unlocked, or damaged, report immediately to your airline before leaving the airport.  Check the contents if there are missing or damaged.  Having a list of your things is advisable for easy reference.  

In case your luggage is lost:
Report your problem immediately and fill out the claim report.  Have your claim checks ready, if the airline takes them, make sure this is noted on all copies of the claim report.
Write down the detailed description of your luggage for them to easily identify your luggage.  Leave them a list of the contents of the missing luggage.   

Ask if your lost luggage will be delivered to your house or hotel without charge.  Is there any reimbursement or compensation you can claim for the airline liability for loss, delay, or damage it caused you.

Do not forget the copy of your claim report.  Get the name, position, and contact details of the airline personnel who assisted you for follow-up.

Sand Animator, Kseniya Simonova


Simonova, a sand  Animator artist and storyteller gained worldwide fame and became an online phenomenon through “Ukrainian Got talent”, she was the winner of 2009 contest.

She was born in 1985 and started drawing with sand due to the 2008 financial crisis. With  less than a year’s experience she joined the contest without knowing that she would win it and will gain world fame.  She uses lightbox, related dramatic music, amazing imagination, and  sand painting skills to tell her stories through this art.

Her amazing talent got YouTube with  14million views




Friday, June 10, 2011

The Magic of Sand Art

Sand art is the practice of modelling sand into an artistic form, such as a sand sculpture, sand painting, or sand bottles. The two basic building ingredients are sand and water.

Sand Art  Exhibit at Apeldoorn, Netherlands.  Apeldoorn is located at the province of Gerderland south east of Amsterdam.
Sand art.

Sand Art Festivals
Sand festivals or festivals of sand sculpture are exhibitions of sculptures made of sand carried out in various places around the world. These events usually include a competition.  Here are some festivals being held in some countries :

Berlin, Germany (02 World)
8th Sand International Festival “Sandsation 2010
The event will run from June 6  to  August 29, 2010
Theme : “Head in Sand” with 20 Sand Artists from different countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria,Canada,Denmark,Ecuador,India, Netherlands,Russia,Syria, Ukraine, and USA.

British Columbia,Canada (Harrison Hot Springs)
Annual World Championships of Sand Sculpture (also known as “Harrisand)

Victoria, Australia
Sand Sculpting Australia Festival 2009
Theme : "Dinostory"
 Sand Art Festival.
 image via wikipedia

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Remembering River Phoenix : Hollywood Hearthrob of the 80's

River Phoenix was born on  August 23, 1970 in Madras, Oregon USA. His untimely death in 1993 shocked Hollywood which includes him on the long list of celebrities who died young at the peak of their career. Here are other things about River Phoenix, a heartthrob and a promising actor of the 80’s.

Ten Things You Want to Know About River Phoenix
1.  Born as River Jude Bottom where his name was derived from the Beatles’ song “Hey Jude” and from the “River of Life” Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha.

2.  Parents are Arlyn Dunetz and John Bottom. An older brother to Hollywood character actor, Joaquin Phoenix.  He would be happy now to know about Joaquin success in Hollywood  who starred and gained awards for his award winning movies, "Gladiator" and "Wallk The Line".  Other siblings are Liberty, Rain and Summer.


3.  His first love was music. Together with his sister Rain, they dreamt of becoming recording artists. At the very young age, he often played the guitar with Rain performing on the streets to help his family financially. He was known as an actor, but by heart he was a singer, songwriter, and a well versed guitarist. He formed the Aleka’s Attic Band in 1987, and recorded a number of songs.  He also collaborated with his friend bassist from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael "Flea" Balzary for some projects.

4.  With no formal acting education, his career begun in Television in 1980 when he finally appeared on a TV show “Fantasy” with sister rain singing.  Other TV shows follows Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Celebrity, Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (with brother Joaquin). It’s Your Move, Surviving: A Family in Crisis with Molly Ringwald.

5.  His career jumped into film  in 1985 with the “Explorers”, a science-fiction film that landed him on the first major role. He also starred as a teenage Indiana Jones in 1989 film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" with Harrison Ford. Other notable performance was from the movie "My Own Private Idaho".

6.  His performance from 1989 film “Running on Empty” gave him an Oscar and Golden Globe-nomination for Best Supporting Actor category. While he finally won the Best Supporting Actor award from the National Board of Review. Other recognition includes a Best Actor award from Venice Film Festival, the National Society of Film Critics and the Independent Spirit Awards from the 1990 "My Own Private Idaho".

7.  Inspite of the fame, he was involved in several causes about animal rights, environment, and some political issues. He was a spokesperson for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and won their Humanitarian award in 1990 for his fund-raising efforts. From a Phil Donahue Show in 1990, he appeared with Lisa Bonet, Raul Julia, John Robbins who talked about vegetarianism, veganism, environmentalism, vaccinations, breast-feeding, ecology, rain forests, health, well-being, activism, Diet for a New America.

8.  Before his death, he had unfinished project, a never released movie entitled “Dark Blood” which was almost 90% completed.  His next project would be the "Interview with the Vampire" opposite Tom Cruise, the role later went to Christian Slater.

9.  River died at the age of 23 on October 31, 1993 outside the West Hollywood Viper Room night club. The cause of his death remains mysterious but reported as due to overdosed on drugs.  His going into drugs might be a result of his problems and depression due to the sad childhood experience he had with “Children of God”, a religious cult his family belonged to in the early 1970’s. At his previous interview, he mentioned that he was molested and lost his virginity at the age of four while in the cult. The family later separated from the cult because of the malpractice they have seen.

10.  River is a close pal to equally talented actor Johnny Depp who was devastated when the actor died.
He joined the wagon of celebrities whose death were associated with cocaine and drugs. His humanitarian works and  independent views that he fought during his short life would separate him from the list. Who would better know him but only the people who loved the young man, and friends who stood by him along the road. His fans from the 80’s had grown by age and life experiences. But for them River Phoenix will always be remembered who was been a part of their teenage life that once adored and cheered him.

Hollywood noticed his remarkable talents from his role in 1986 “Stand By Me” directed by Rob Reiner based on the novel “The Body” by Stephen King. With co-stars Wil Wheaton, Cory Feldman,Jerry O’Connell, and 24 TV series star, Kiefer Sutherland.  Movie Song "Stand By Me" performed by Ben E. King.

"For some, it’s the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it’s the time that memories are made of."


River Phoneix Filmography
Report about River Phoenix Death

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Wedding Preparations: Ideas for your Wedding Invitation


After deciding for your wedding theme and the final list of entourage, preparation for the wedding invitation comes next.  Make sure that all sponsors and entourage are already confirmed for the wedding before including their names on the list.  Decide on the type of invitation  and the vendor who will do it.  If you have time and creative, you can do your own invitation to cut cost and include your personal touch to it.  The type of card stock, aesthetics, and formality of the invitation speaks of your own style and what type of wedding you want to  have.  Here are some ideas to start with:

Classic or contemporary?  These two can be combined with the perfect balance by choosing the card stock texture with a contemporary sleek design.  The use of fabric flowers can replace the embossed or engraved floral print in the card stock.   
                                                                                                   
DIY Invitation.  Create custom design by using different material, a woodframe can replace the usual cardstock, think of materials that are not associated with invitations before.  Think out of the box and use imagination.  Come up ideas based from your wedding theme.  Other ideas are storybook  invites, comic cartoon design invitation. If you both love to travel, a passport inspired invitation will be a good idea.

Go Digital.  Aside from the invitation, a teaser invitation can be sent to your guests.  A music video or flash presentation will do if you commissioned a professional to do it and send it digitally through e-mail, mobile devices or how about uploading it to YouTube?.  Another option is to have a simple website dedicated for the wedding, couples with relatives abroad and with large number of expected guests can access the wedding details through the internet.  Wedding pictures can easily be shared on the website after the wedding.

Send out invitations one month before the wedding date, but informal invitation can also be done beforehand for relatives and close friends attending the wedding.  Consider the guests coming from out of the country, atleast inform them four  months before the wedding date.   

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Wedding Preparations: How to Choose The Right Wedding Theme

Planning for your wedding? Here are some considerations when choosing for your right wedding theme.


Your interest as a couple should be the first consideration since it is a celebration of your lifelong relationship.  There is no better theme than something that is close to your heart.  A beach-themed wedding is  a good choice if you are both close to nature.  Alternative choices  are glamorous movie premiere, a Victorian theme, garden wedding.

The tone of the event should be specified in the invitation according to the theme you have chosen.  Would you  like a formal wedding, laid back and casual, or a combination of both?  Consider the type of guests you have and the type of the wedding theme.

Consider the season when choosing your theme. Obviously,  an outdoor wedding theme such as garden and beach wedding themes are not a good idea during rainy or winter season.

A major consideration when choosing your theme is the budget.  Certain wedding themes can be costly compared to a low-budgeted wedding.  Weddings can be a blissful one without the lavish, a simple and creative wedding is still possible with proper preparations.  
With the specific picture of the wedding theme, you will be able to plan well the spefic details of the wedding based from the theme.

Read more about Wedding Preparations
Things to Consider for your Wedding Part 1
Things to Consider for your Wedding Part 2



Thursday, June 2, 2011

Monetize Your Weebly Website or Blog

Monetizing website or a blog is the current trend to earn online.  Here are some websites that you can include.

The purpose of creating a website can be either for business or personal use. For freelancers and online marketers, monetizing your blog is an alternative way of earning an additional income.   There are a  lot of ways to monetize a website, here are just a few of  them  for your Weebly website :

Google Adsense The most popular way of monetizing, Weebly has a ready button tool if you want to put Google adsense ads in your website.  Just drag and drop the button from basic menu to the page.  Read adsense terms and conditions carefully so as not to be banned by Google.

Paid-to-Promote Website.  Your website traffic can be monetized by using this website where you can earn a residual income.  Register and put the code in your website just like putting a code on placing a banner.   No need to register your website to PTP website, it will automatically detect your website through the code. 
Automatic payments  through Paypal  every 15th and 30th of the month with a minimum of only 0.10$.  To maximize earnings, place the banner code on top of the page and promote your website  extensively.   
Put banners from your other earning websites.  Depending on the theme of your website, put banners appropriately. Drag and drop a  "custom HTML" icon to your page and place the banner codes inside.

Adf.ly is a URL shortener that you can earn everytime someone clicks to you shortened link.  Payment is through Paypal and WebMoney with a minimum of $5.00. 

Here are just some of the ways to monetize your website or blog.  There can be many other ways, what is important is to study and read the terms and conditions first.  Choose what you think is best for your website or try them all and see what is effective.  Being patient is a key factor to achieve goals.

Read about Website Builder Tool: Create a Free Website with Weebly


Wednesday, June 1, 2011

C-Walk A Forbidden Dance?

Because of the origin associated with C-Walk to notorious street Crip Gang, some school principals did ban the dance with a fear of the gang rivalries and create violence. Parents are quite alarmed if their kids see skipping thinking that they have joined a gang.

Serious gang rivalries sprung between the Crips Gang (identified in blue color) founded in Los Angeles, California on the year 1969 by Raymond Washington and Stanley Wiiliams, is one of the largest and most violent street gang in the United States. While the Bloods Gang (red in color),  also founded in Los Angeles, California in summer of 1972 with same or more violent activities than Crips. Later members increased in the United States and other parts of the Europe.

But some C-Walkers mostly teenagers contends that they are dancing only for fun, and actually not gang members. It will only cause a fight if done in the wrong place or town where there might be some rival blood gang members, and if the C-walk is done with gang hand signs affiliated where Crip gang members popularized by its members.
Now the dance is hardly  banned because of its wide popularity, and already became part of the hip hop culture. It is just a regular dance says C-walkers who just want to have fun and want to master the moves of the dance. C-Walking competitions are held in hip hop dance clubs and some parties.
A dance considered unacceptable until it became popular on the mainstream. Tango, polka, and waltz dance style had been banned for a time that looks scandalous as coupled danced too close together.  In the 1980’s, “dirty dancing” as depicted in the movie starred by the late Swayze so as Lambada, a Brazilian dance  were banned for their sexy moves.

Whether C-Walk is just a trendy dance, it is still advisable for parents to take a look into their kids activities, who they hangout with, and the music they listen to.  For the oldies who can still spin,jump, hop get ready to sweat it out and enjoy the dance craze too.

Read about  C-walk Hip Hop Dance

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