Website Basics-Dot ORG, NET,BIZ, etc....
by Richard James
There is a school of thought that the dot com domain name is the Gold Standard, the only type of domain name extension (or TLD) worth owning. Indeed there is some merit to this. As the original type of domain name since the internet�s inception, far more dot coms have been bought up versus all other extensions (as of August 2006, over 50 million dot coms were registered versus 6 million dot nets and 4 million dot orgs, for example). Be that as it may, there is still good reason to consider other domain name extensions besides, or possibly in addition to, the dot com extension.
First, consider the fact that with so many dot coms already spoken for, it is far more likely that you will be able to find the name you want as a dot net, org, biz, or info. And although it is arguable that in the minds of most net surfers dot com is king, the walls are coming down in that respect also. In fact, when was the last time you searched for something through Google or Yahoo, and upon finding the results and clicking to go to a website, did you really pay attention to the extension of the domain name? Most people don�t surf the web by typing in memorized domain names.
Dot net is generally the second choice after dot com for most buyers of domain names. But that is changing as well. Dot org, originally the extension for non-profit and government websites, is now available for all, even commercial sites. And it gives off a more social, more community oriented connotation. Dot biz, while open to all, actually gives a professional sound to a domain name, leaving little doubt that commercial interests are involved. Dot info, again open to all comers, gives the impression that the user will find waiting for them a site rich with content and pertinent information.
Many savvy web builders these days will lock down not only a dot com domain name, but every other available extension along with it as well. When you purchase mygreatgizmo.com, and then also buy the same domain name with the dot net, info, biz, org, etc., you are performing a preemptive strike against the competition, a hedge against someone capitalizing on your good domain name in the future. And you are able to point as many domain names to a single website as you wish.
The bottom line here is that there is good reason to consider other extensions in addition to dot com. With the vast majority of web surfers using search engines to find websites, coupled with the fact that dot net dot org dot info dot biz extensions are more and more recognized and accepted, going forward there is no reason to limit yourself to only dot com domain names.
A couple of final thoughts: consider country specific domain names if doing business only in your home country. Dot US for the United States, dot EU for Europe, dot CA for Canada, dot UK for United Kingdom (dot co uk is most popular) as well as the New Zealand nz domain name. And coming on strong in the last year is dot MOBI domain names, the only domain name for mobile devices. The land rush is on for this extension, and dot MOBI domain names will be discussed in a future article.
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Friday, May 9, 2008
Need To Buy A Baby Gift Find Out How
Need To Buy A Baby Gift Find Out How
by Melissa Fishman
You do not have to go through the trouble of walking from one baby gift shop to another just to find that perfect baby gift. A wide variety of baby gifts is within your reach from the comfort of your own home. A great way to get a baby gift is to have a child to choose the gift. Baby Gifts are a lot of fun to not only give but to receive when you are expecting. Personalized baby gifts are unique keepsakes to commemorate your baby's birth. All he or she really needs at that point are food, love, warmth, and shelter. Remember, cool baby gifts are not just for the baby.
Friends, family and colleagues usually throw baby showers; this is to honor the couple that is expecting a new born baby into the world. The purpose of the shower is to bestow gifts upon the parents-to-be so that is generally items that are necessary for babies. It doesn't matter if your baby shower is in an elegant restaurant, or a banquet hall or a warm cozy home.
When having a new baby come into the world the parents will need the obvious supplies, diapers, soap, lotions, powder and many other products will be a necessity for the baby. There are so many different gifts to purchase that most gifts will fit any type of budget. You can purchase inexpensive items and have them personalized and this will make an exceptionally great gift. Of course the greatest gift you could give is the baby furniture, this will help the parents out with a tight budget. Personalizing these items can be arranged. Clothing and related items are always welcome gifts, and if these are personalized, are valued that much more.
Think outside the box quite literally. Pretty baskets are great to hold an assortment of gifts and many craft stores put them on clearance quite often. The gift that you give is for the mother and the baby, but the baby does not know what it wants or needs so you must make the gift suitable for both. Upscale baby gift baskets are a great choice for the uncertain shower attendee. No matter what theme you choose baby gift baskets will make a lasting impression. Everyone loves chocolate so including chocolates in the basket is a great gift. Baskets are usually divided into girl themes, and boy themes. Gift baskets can be used for many different occasions, births, baptisms, baby showers and first birthdays and even many different holidays.
New parents can never have enough. Choose one of these baby shower gifts and you will have given a gift that will become a favorite. These baby shower gifts are choices that parents will love. When getting gifts for parents make sure you get something they can use now and not have to store away, they will have enough to stock up on. You can include many different items in a gift basket; you could include chocolate, cookies, baby food and candies to name a few. As everyone knows new parents love to take pictures so adding picture frames and photo albums is a great idea and is something that can be used.
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The Secret Of A Great Drink!
The Secret Of A Great Drink!
by Elizabeth Ellis
What do you do when you�re down with flu on a cold rainy night? Or you just need a break from your clutter of work? What do you reach for every morning on the breakfast table?
Drinking a cup of beverage, be it coffee, hot chocolate or simply a cup of hot milk, is just one of those things that you do as part of your daily routine.
However, we usually do not realize what it is that helps make this moment a good one. It is of course, none other than that favorite mug that each of us definitely own. As we are creatures of habits, we tend to use the same mug every single time we have our drinks, till the mug sees its first crack sign or till it�s broken.
But sometimes, we do get bored of using the same mug repeatedly, forcing us to make our way into that store to find another one to help us to begin our day. Most of us would like to find a funky one to replace our old mug, but the choices available seems to be those dainty floral patterns or colored mugs, or those �World�s greatest dad!� or �My friends visited New York and all I got was this lousy mug!� types of mugs. Living in such a clich� world, how on earth are we going to find a mug that is creative or unique enough to go with our coffee every morning?
What if I told you that you are now able to create a mug personalized according to your liking? May it be a simple phrase from the bible, some cute cartoons, a picture of your sports fan, loved ones, or even you! The search is over! Technology these days are so frighteningly advanced that you can create these mugs in a blink of an eye. The quality of the imprinted photos does not fade with every rinse and wash. Trust me, these photo mugs still retain their vibrant image exactly like the day you got it although it has been coated with enormous amount of saliva and soap over the years.
What is so amazing about these personalized photo mugs is that they are more functional and better utilized than the average-normal-over-the-counter picture frames. These cute and innovative mugs do not only serve as decorations but also they do not accumulate dust and needs regular cleaning. Unlike photo imprinted T-shirts, they do not fade or get wrinkled. It also does not make you feel bad whenever you throw a T-shirt with your best friend on it into a washing machine and watched it being spun and squished dry. These mugs are the perfect gift for any occasion, be it birthdays, weddings or just a token to celebrate the greatest of friendships. The most important aspect of a gift is not measured by the price value (as much as it is wrongly assumed in this materialistic world) but rather how personal it is to a person. I believe that by transforming a normal looking mug into a personalized one complete with pictures that captures a moment in time which means a lot to them, forever embedded in a mug. That is pretty much as personal as you can get.
My dad and I used to love to share a great cup of coffee brewed to perfection before we start the day. That short but meaningful moment is the true essence of our relationship. Now that I�m out of town, I miss him as much as he misses me. So, I decided to take a picture which is of him and me when I was around four years old, fishing together, and make it into an 11oz photo coffee mug. This way, whenever he drinks his favorite cup of beverage, he�ll be seeing me and thinking of me and vice versa. Isn�t it always better to share that special experience with someone? When we are alone, the smiling picture of your son will put you into a much better mood and draws out the cold lonely feeling of drinking a cup of hot chocolate on an empty piece of table.
So why wait any longer, get your own photo mug today at your nearest store. It is guaranteed to make that cup of coffee, hot chocolate or fresh milk taste much better than any you have tasted before.
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Translation Matters � Insights Gleaned from a Professional Translator
Translation Matters � Insights Gleaned from a Professional Translator
by Thomas Mayhew
Being married to a Professional Translator for nine years and having experienced translation from an executive point of view has made me very keen on ensuring the quality of a translation. My first article dealing with translation, entitled �Translation Matters - Helpful Tips for Translation Service Buyers� focused on my insights gleaned as an executive responsible for procuring and overseeing translation projects.
The insights that I have gleaned, as one married to a professional translator, over the past many years indeed center on issues of quality. As they say, the pen is mightier than the sword and that metaphor certainly applies to the work of a translator. While quality is generally a tough idea to market (a separate issue), it is critical to the success of a translation project and thus it does receive attention by the best translation companies. So, how do we check the ability of a translator? By evaluation, of course.
1. Check credentials. This is more easily said than done. How do you know which school in Thailand puts out the professional translator vs. one that simply teaches language basics? That could require more digging than you have time for, but it is possible to ask questions of the translators themselves to resolve this, even if you get somewhat conflicted responses. One will likely emerge as the clear winner.
2. Choose a translator and an editor. Once the translator has given you their translation, send it to the editor. When the editor provides the edited version, take a good look at the corrections. Send the edited work back to the original translator to accept/reject the changes. Review any explanation given. If the process goes smoothly and you see no problems, you *may* have a good translator and editor on your hands. This is a typical quality check process good translation service providing companies use.
The next time around, you might try reversing the roles. That is, make the translator the editor and vice versa, repeating the process. Is the translator professional in his/her evaluations of the work of another, sticking to facts, such as punctuation, spelling, word choice, and free vs. literal translation, etc.?
Be sure to have a translator translate a document long enough to be a sufficient test of the capacity and stamina of the translator. Most translators can put enough effort into a paragraph, but how do you know it wasn�t done without assistance from someone else? That assistance isn�t likely to be made available to a translator when faced with a 2,000, let alone a 200,000-word translation project, is it? In other words, the translator can easily solicit lots of feedback for help with a special project, such that the translation reflects not the raw abilities of the translator himself.
3. Test the translator. If you are looking for a long-term relationship, this could save you some time and expense in the long-run. The way you approach the testing should be well thought out. The manner in which the testing is done is a significant discussion point amongst Professional Translators. You can say it makes for an exciting conversation catalyst. Some translators are happy to do tests for free. However, most professional translators are already occupied with projects and may not appreciate the extra bother. The best thing to do is to pay for a test if it is in your budget, especially for high-end projects.
4. Have a translator send a sample translation that can then be evaluated through another translator. This can be a good approach. Of course, the sample probably reflects the very best work of the translator. One can hope that the integrity of the translator is such that it reflects his and only his work.
Paying attention to detail when evaluating a translation is important. Even credentials cannot supplant the care and diligence of one translator over another. Even if I have three PhD�s in the areas of specific concern to your project material, I may not be a careful translator. In fact, I may be quite sloppy. If I were a hamburger commercial, I might be the one that drips ketchup all over before it gets to your mouth. Testing is critical here as well, as you can ascertain which translator follows your instructions explicitly.
Start your evaluation with a small project if at all possible. It�s easier to recover, if you make a selection mistake.
I hope these tips are useful and make a meaningful difference to your translation projects. If you�d like to write to me and offer other tips you�ve discovered, please do so.
In parting, I should say something better than �good luck� with your translation projects, so how about �good testing�?
Copyright Thomas Mayhew
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Keys to Finding the Best Videography or Videographer for Your Wedding in Orange County
Keys to Finding the Best Videography or Videographer for Your Wedding in Orange County
by Nicole Anderson
By the time you finish reading this article you will be armed with the information needed to select a quality videographer for you wedding. Most brides are not familiar with the video Here are a couple things to look for when hiring a videographer for your wedding:
1 � Meet the people
Nothing beats the feeling you get from meeting people face to face. On your wedding day you need to be comfortable with the people who are around you. Not to mention, how people conduct themselves in life is usually an insight into how they will conduct their work.
2 � SEE THEIR WORK
Ask to see finished videos and final DVD�s. Make sure the work is quality work and you like their style. Make sure they have completed weddings to show you.
Ask if it is a full time job for them or if it is a hobbie. You will find that some people with open weekends, a high quality camera and a Mac computer call themselves wedding videographers.
Some companies may have sample DVD�s and a few will have samples to view online like at viewweddingsamples.com.
You definitely do not want to be the first customer to a new guy starting a business. Let him find someone else to be the guinea pig. You want someone with experience. Weddings are a live event. Filming a wedding is more difficult than a stage shoot. There are no retakes on the vows. You need to get it right the first time, because there is only one shot. This means you need people with experience.
An amateur will have the following problems with the footage:
- Framing. Do they cut off heads? Do they have artistic shots or is it lifeless filming? A creative experienced videographer will have creative shots and entertain the audience.
- Focus. If they are inexperienced they will loose focus on a shot and not be able to get the focus back quickly.
- Bad Audio. When you are filming a wedding there are no �re-takes� the audio needs to be captured right the first time. This is especially key during the ceremony and toasts. It is important to have a videographer who knows how to handle sound at your wedding or you may wind up with inaudible vows, which has been done to many weddings by amateurs.
- Camera movements. The shots should be steady and fluid. You should have no attention on camera shakes if you are watching a good video. You will notice the inexperienced videographers because of the shaky camera work or quick zoom in, zoom out shots.
Quality videographers will have tripods and steady camera equipment to avoid these camera shakes. During receptions and other times it may be appropriate to hand hold the camera for a more stylistic shooting.
- Lighting. A good videographer will adapt his equipment to handle low light or extreme light. The footage will not be too dark or blown out with white glares in the footage. The opposite is of course true of the bad videographers.
Some of the �rules� are broken intentionally from time to time to create certain effects. But you will be able to notice the difference.
They will also have lighting equipment or a camera mount light for times when the standard room lighting or candle light is not adequate.
3 � Ask good questions
There are some things you should find out about the videographers you are interviewing:
- How many weddings have you done?
- Will you be filming and editing the wedding or will it be done by someone else?
- What will my final DVD look like? Do you have a demo reel or sample wedding to show me?
- Do you have good microphones and wireless mics for the sound, especially during the ceremony?
The answers to these questions will give you a better idea about the company you are dealing with.
4 � Don�t skimp on the important things
There are some things you can bargain on but photography, videography and the wedding rings are not the things to skimp on. Why? Because these are the things you take with you FOREVER! and
You will get what you pay for in videography. If you have a company willing to offer you unlimited hours and a full edited wedding DVD for $1500 - RUN! I�ll tell you why. Anyone with skills in video filming and editing can make much more than that doing anything in the video world.
The average video is 2-3 hours preparation (meeting with the client, planning, etc.) 8-12 hours of filming plus travel time and 30-70 hours editing and mastering your DVD. If you have more than one videographer, they are paying a few hundred at least to the second videographer, equipment upkeep, supplies, etc. You get my point. A person who will do all this for what ends up being $10-$20 per hour is probably not who you want.
You will get what you pay for.
You can get good quality coverage and a nicely edited DVD for $2000-$3000 and add extras from there. These extras include multiple videographers, love stories, photo montages, extended hours of video coverage, etc. You can pick and choose what is most important to you and what you can afford within your wedding budget.
Armed with this information you can make good decisions and ensure you have a wedding video to view with your husband and family for decades of anniversaries to come!
If you have any questions regarding videography or how to choose a videographer feel free to email the writer of this article at cinemaweddings@cox.net.
Tom Wozny owns and operates Cinema Weddings Inc. Tom has been in the business of filming weddings since 1994. Cinema Weddings produces the highest quality videos and has many samples for viewing on their website www.cinemaweddings.com. Check out the samples or call for an appointment to discuss your wedding day needs at 800-625-8817 or 949-340-7428. Wedding videography services offered in Orange County, Los Angeles County and San Diego County, CA. *Will travel to destination weddings.
About The Author
Cafeteria Benefit Plans and Your Workforce
Cafeteria Benefit Plans and Your Workforce
by Scott Turner
Especially if you happen to be one of those unflinchingly ambitious micro-business entrepreneurs, I've been reading about everyday in pubs like Crain's Chicago Business, you'll eventually find that designing and offering up an attractive employee-benefits package will be an essential component of your future growth. An attractive health plan will do just that - attract - helping you recruit and retain crucial employees (meaning those fought over creative class/knowledge worker types Richard Florida is always yammering about). You'll also find that a generous group plan will help link your employees' interests to your concern's.
That said, there are a seemingly unlimited number of group benefits options to consider. One that you'll want to move to the top of your list is a Cafeteria Plan. The cafeteria brand of benefit plan can add a lot freedom to a employee compensation package, allowing your workforce to choose benefits options ala carte, if you will - selecting only the benefit options they're most interested in.
Perhaps I should start closer to the beginning � cafeteria plans, also known as the flexible spending account, the choice spending account or the section 125 plan, have become increasingly popular over the last few years because they're designed to offer employees a truly convenient way to pay medical expenses with pre-tax dollars; relieving them of the burden of federal, and state taxes.
To take advantage of a flexible spending account, eligible employees set aside a pre-designated amount each year, in order to pay for medical expenses aren't already eligible for coverage. The two most common types of flexible-spending accounts are dependent care reimbursement (also known as DCRAs) and health care reimbursement accounts. Employees pay for non-reimbursed expenses from these accounts. Unfortunately, flexible-spending accounts are "use-it-or-lose-it" accounts; meaning that any funds leftover at the end of the year can't be "rolled over," so to speak.
Exceptions To Those Limits Apply to Key Employees
Typically, funds set aside in a cafeteria plan's flexible-spending account are exempt from income, payroll, and unemployment taxes. This exemption generally also applies to payroll and unemployment taxes paid on behalf of employees. (Take a look at IRS Pub. 15-B for exceptions, including treatment of highly compensated employees and certain shareholders of Subchapter S Corporation's.)
Premiums paid to a group life benefits policy are typically exempt from income and unemployment taxes. In addition, premiums paid for up to $50,000.00 of benefits coverage per employee tend to be exempt from payroll taxes. For additional details, see IRS Publication 15-B.
You see, cafeteria plans offer you some versatility in putting together a benefits plan for your workforce. There are other categories of fringe benefits that you can offer your employees in a cafeteria plan that may be excluded from taxable income under IRS benefit-exclusion rules. Using a flexible-spending account -- namely, establishing a DCRA and HCRA -- may help to jump-start a cafeteria plan for your workforce. If you maintain a cafeteria plan, the IRS requires you to complete IRS Form 5500.
To help you keep track of employment-related costs, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a quarterly statistic called the employment cost index. The cost index measures changes in employee-compensation costs, which include salaries, wages, and benefits. In addition to publishing the quarterly cost index, BLS publishes an annual survey of compensation costs.
One last thing � the information above is practically for entertainment purposes and shouldn't be interpreted as financial advice. For advice specific to your firm's circumstances, don't hesitate get advice from a financial, tax or benefits consultant. You may even want to flat out hire an Interim benefits consultant or a full service benefits consulting firm. There are also a number of good sources of information on the Web you can take advantage of. The Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI), International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), and American Benefits Council are independent sources of truly "actionable" employee-benefit plan information.
About The Author
From the moment I joined the consulting team at cavalryHR (an interim staffing and recruiting firm based in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Boca Raton) I've been focused on offering businesses the tools to attract and retain a dynamic and talented workforce.
If your firm needs "the right experience at the right time," just give me a call during the day at cavalryHR's office: 312-251-9664, or just shoot me an email anytime via: http://www.cavalryhr.com
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Childhood Obesity and How Commercial Playgrounds Can Help
Childhood Obesity and How Commercial Playgrounds Can Help
by Brittany Hidahl
Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the CDC, since the 70s, the prevalence of obesity in children ages 6-11 has increased from 6.5. However, a recent RAND Corporation study says that school playgrounds and athletic facilities can be important tools in the fight against childhood obesity. Given these facts, it is more important than ever for children to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating right and getting regular exercise every day. At Creative Systems, we believe that we can get children active in a fun and creative way. Our play systems offer entertainment and activity for children of all ages. The combination of ground, elevated, and stand alone systems encourage children to climb, slide and swing. Children can enjoy their play and at the same time, receive valuable health benefits.
According to Dr. Amy Bohn, it is important that physical activities are fun. �Exercise shouldn't be a chore, especially for children,� she says. �With warm weather outside, kids can do a variety of activities that involve both fun and fitness.� Creative Systems agrees. This is why we believe quality playground equipment is so important for the physical and mental health of your child.
Creative Systems playground equipment not only encourages physical activity, but mental and social interaction as well. We offer a variety of play components, everything from slides to climbers to seesaws and rockers. Our playgrounds are not only safe and durable but also bright, colorful, and appealing to children of all ages. Our play systems are designed according to specific age groups so that children can have their own unique and age-appropriate equipment. Younger children can explore their creativity at our activity tables and play on our smaller scale play systems. Children of elementary school age will enjoy more physically challenging equipment. One of our main goals is to get your children outside, playing in the fresh air. On our play systems they can stay health and learn valuable lessons in their social interaction with other children their own age. Creative Systems supports the physical health of your child, as well as his/her psychological and social health.
For more information and articles like this please visit us at http://www.creativesystems.com . Scroll down then click on �industry links�.
About The Author
Creative Recreational Systems, Inc.
3039 Kilgore Road, Suite 130
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Phone: 916.638.5375
Fax: 916.638.5427
http://www.creativesystems.com