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3 Simple Steps for Revealing Marketing Secrets of the Expert

April 30th, 2008

Learn the easy method I use to reveal marketing secrets. Details of my findings using this method are also disclosed.

Two years ago, I began using ezine advertising as the cornerstone of my online marketing efforts. From the need to determine the most productive and cost effective ezines to advertise in, I stumbled upon a method that revealed the secrets of successful online marketers.

The Method
My method is easy to follow. There’s 3 basic steps:

1.Examine several communication tools the experts use such as an email or sales page.
2.Compare these tools and search for similarties.
3.Collect the common points and implement those findings.

For example, suppose I want to find out how to construct or improve a sales page for a product I own or have resell rights to. The first thing I do is to get online and do a search. In this example, I search using the phrase “internet marketing experts index”. Second, I open every sales web page the search produces in a multi tab browser (Mozilla). Third, I compare the pages looking for similarities. I note these down in Windows notepad, taking care not to overlook details such as fonts, colors, graphics, etc. Finally, I incorporate the information I collected into my own sales pages.

Now you know my method. Next, I reveal the secrets my system has uncovered. The following sections disclose the common factors of various communication tools.

Web Sales-Copy Page
I’ve looked at, and studied countless web sales pages. (I estimate at least 50) Most of them have:

Red verdana headline in quotations
Testimonials (usually near the top)
Time or quantity limitations
A guarantee symbol graphic
Photo scan of their signature
Professional photograph
Background logo images
An audio or video
Free bonuses
Prices ending in the number 7

Most Cost Effective and Productive Ezines to Advertise In
I’m currently subscribed to about 30 ezines that I advertise in. My experience has shown that the most cost effective and productive ezines to advertise in usually have:

A testimonial page
Contact info including phone number and address
Solo ads running regularly (If they sell solo ads and you never see any, it’s a bad sign)
A form for submitting ads
Require subscribers to double opt-in
Have a long waiting period for running my ad (indicates a very popular ezine for advertising)

Email Advertising
About 15 of the newsletters I’m subscibed to are from online experts like Yanik Silver, David Vallieres, Mike Filsaime, Russell Brunson, Len Thurmond, and others. When they send an advertisement in the email I note the common points are:

An irresistible headline that poses an open-ended question or statement
It’s personalize
Short double spaced paragraphs
Bulleted benefits statements
Limited time of offer or quantity available
Special price or bonus for limited number of responders (i.e. the first 50 customers get half off)
Guarantee
P.S. that states a major benefit

Note: I save the most persuasive ads in a separate folder for study.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
I learn a lot about my competitors’ SEO techniques by examining their linking campaign. I initially do a search for keywords related to my website. Next I get the url’s of my competition. Finally, I use an online tool at http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop to reveal the following:

How many links my competition has
Who links to them
Ideas for who to approach for link exchanges
Other related websites

I also use SEO Elite, a free tool to compare:
Keywords used
Keyword Density
Meta tags
Meta Description

That’s just some of the specifics. More can be revealed by examining the benefits statements listed on the expert’s sales page or in their emails. You can get clues to the info. you need to study. For example, one benefit statement for a sales page info. product might say “The 3 Things Every Sales Copy Page Must Have to be Successful.” So, now you know you’re looking for 3 things they ALL have in common.

Remember to get the big picture, look for similiarities, then study the details. That’s the key to reveal the marketing secrets of the masters.
About the Author

Greg Root started using ezine advertising almost exclusively since 2003 and owns and maintains ‘The Ezine Ad Tester’ at http://www.maxprofitpro.com/ . See the results of his ezine advertising campaigns to find the best ezine advertising resources on the internet.

Male “Menopause” - The Alternative Anti-Aging Approach

April 30th, 2008

Andropause is a syndrome resulting from the deficiency of hormones, especially testosterone. It’s onset and symptoms may not be as dramatic as female “menopause”, but its effects can be just as serious. It is interesting that hormone replacement is quite routine in women but barely even addressed in men. The decline in hormone levels in both sexes has an adverse impact on one’s state of health. Starting around age 25, DHEA and testosterone levels begin a progressive downward trend. With falling hormones, it is much harder to maintain muscle mass. Things begin to sag and fat begins to form increasingly thick layers around the lower back and abdomen. Stamina is affected and exercise intolerance occurs. Osteoporosis is well-documented in women and occurs in men as well. This can result in hip and vertebral compression fractures. Wrinkles that carve deep crevices in the face are partially due to testosterone deficiency. Libido is reduced and even impotence may develop. These changes are all a result of male “menopause”.

Hormone replacement has been available for women for decades and the positive results continue to multiply. In Anti-Aging medicine, it is expected that maintenance of hormone levels in the youthful range (that of a 25-30 year old) will provide substantial health benefit. Proper monitoring of hormone replacement is a relatively recent innovation that makes this therapy much safer. We can now insure proper dosages in the accepted normal physiologic range. Cancer risk is greatly reduced by this refined approach to replacement therapy.

The decline in testosterone occurs as a result of multiple causes and treatment should be directed accordingly. Aromatase (an enzyme that converts Testosterone into Estradiol) increases as we gain years. This increases raises the free estrogens and lowers the free Testosterone. Prostate cancer is correlated with high circulating estrogens. Aromatase inhibitors, such as chrysin, nettle extract, and Arimidex can inhibit aromatse. Testicular atrophy leads to decreased testosterone production. A course of treatment with HCG stimulates testicular development and can boost Testosterone production. A complete vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant supplement plus a proper diet help to correct nutritional deficiencies. DHEA and possible melatonin replacement also serve as alternatives and as adjuncts to testosterone therapy. A diet that includes a large amount of legumes, especially soy, is helpful in providing the necessary building blocks for our bodies to manufacture hormones. Maintaining cholesterol in the normal range (not to high or to low) is also critical for hormone synthesis. Testosterone replacement can be accomplished by the use of creams, pills or even injection. It is best if the physiologic patterns natural to the body are mimicked, which makes injection less favorable. Creams containing natural testosterone are well absorbed through the skin, bypass metabolism by the liver, and are easy to apply, thus making them superior to pills. The potential risks of testosterone administration include increases in red cell mass, worsening of sleep apnea, changes in plasma lipid levels, and fluid retention. There is some concern that testosterone replacement might exacerbate benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). There is no change in PSA with testosterone therapy. You are not a candidate for this replacement therapy if you have an active testicular or prostate cancer. Finally, testosterone supplementation may produce adverse side effects if administered to men with normal levels, hence the importance of monitoring.

With proper replacement, you can expect to regain muscle mass, increase bone density, increase stamina, increase libido, reduce your risk for a variety of cancers and Alzheimer’s disease, and live an improved quality of life.

Dr. Rod Rojas is a board certified physician and Medical Director of IHC SKIN LASER AND ANTI AGING CLINIC, member of the prestigious American Academy Of Anti-Aging Medicine.

If you are suffering any of these symptoms, give us a call at The Skin Laser and Anti-Aging Clinic 843-757-8717.

We will be very happy to assist you.

The Art of Stoozing to Make Money from Credit Cards

April 30th, 2008

Make Money from Stoozing

Stoozing, this is a sophisticated method of making money from credit cards that offer 0% introductory periods, the method requires cast iron discipline in never spending on the cards.

But, I hear you all ask - what is stoozing and can I do it?

Stoozing, in the simplest terms is borrowing money from credit cards that offer a 0% introductory deals and saving that money in a savings account for the duration of the offer on the credit card. Then, the stoozer will apply for another 0% introductory credit card deal from another provider and transfer the whole balance from the first card onto it. This way the cash balance never has to leave the savings account and can be held like this for a long period of time earning 5% + interest!

Find a 0% Credit Card suitable for stoozing

Stoozing and Offset mortgages

Offset mortgages allow your savings and current accounts to be used to lower the amount of interest you pay on your outstanding mortgage balance e.g. if you have a mortgage outstanding for £80,000 and a savings account containing £10,000 the bank will only calculate and add interest on the outstanding £70,000; effectively saving you interest by the savings amount, at the same APR as your mortgage. This APR is often equal or greater than their typical savings account. This is similar to overpaying on your mortgage or other loans except the money is not locked in, and still accessible to remove again later.

As the money residing in your other accounts is no longer earning interest, but reducing outstanding debt, it also means the savings money is also not subject to tax unlike a normal savings account. By offsetting in this way with savings, it is possible to greatly reduce the number of years that the mortgage will run for. Instead of paying off the mortgage for a typical 25 year period, with regular capital payments at the existing level, you can shave several years of the completion date. Once you have an offset mortgage, the more savings you have, the lower your mortgage interest will cost. This is where Stoozing comes in. Instead of using your own money locked away to reduce your mortgage, use the 0% balance transfers from the credit cards to put money into your linked savings account using the same Stoozing methods.

Find a 0% Credit Card suitable for stoozing

Stoozing cannot last much longer…

The situation can’t last though. Already Barclaycard and MBNA have introduced one-off charges on transferred debt, based on a percentage of the amount, and other card providers are expected to follow this strategy. Also, as the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report notes, card issuers are likely to become increasingly selective about which customers they offer balance transfers to and there will be a much stronger focus on customer retention. They may also increase other fees, such as those imposed for exceeding credit limits.

Useful information has been brought to you by Phil Sproson, owner of http://www.quote-engine.com - a comparison engine for loans, credit cards and everything financial

Designer Fashion by Matches Fashion

April 29th, 2008

When graceful shoppers of the city of London are in need of a bit of much needed serious retail therapy Matches Fashion supplies them with the clothing fix they are looking for and the designer fix the fabulous buyers need. Based in England Matches provide the best of international designer collections along with a focus around both classic elegance and cutting edge fashion. Matches Fashion additionally supply British and International shipping which is a treat for all worldwide Matches Fashion elegant shoppers. For expert style advice and top designers including Stella McCartney go to Matches Fashion online.

Matches Fashion is one of the most triumphant designer fashion style stores in London. They have thirteen clothing boutiques dotted around; 3 of the larger designer boutiques are located in Richmond, Wimbledon and uber cool Notting Hill. Along with their high end designer fashion boutiques Matches Fashion of course have a stunning website. You can buy your much-loved AM Eyewear t-shirts and shoes on the internet no matter where you live in the United Kingdom or America. Making the Matches Fashion name always available to you.

The informative website itself currently holds nearly 700 distinct designer jackets in stock; there are plans to grow this to approximately 800 Like tons of other designer clothing boutiques around these days Matches is forever updating their stock bringing in jumpers that are the top must haves of the season. Every season Matches Fashion are focused on picking out the key skirts and editing the international fashion collections down to decide what Matches actually want to look at stocking that season. This takes much preparation but there has not been a season where Matches has not been correct with the slip ons they are providing for Matches gorgeous shoppers. Stocking only the latest dreses from designers such as Boem Freda, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney to mention but a few, anything you buy from Matches Fashion regardless of what fashion designers make is, is bound to turn heads.

Creating Rubber Stamps: Not All Methods Created Equal (Part 2 of 3)

April 29th, 2008

Welcome back! In part one of this three-part series, the advantages and disadvantages of laser-engraved rubber stamps were discussed. As discussed in the first article, although laser engraving has a high start-up cost, its quality and efficiency are second to none. In this segment, you will learn the benefit and fallbacks of a photoengraving stamp-making method.

Making a rubber stamp through a chemical or photopolymer process will also require significant start-up costs. Depending on the equipment capabilities, quality, or size, a photopolymer stamp-making kit may cost anywhere from $400-$4000. This process requires a significant amount of labor and tends to have a higher turnaround time.

The first step of the photopolymer process involves creating a negative of the image to be engraved. To begin, create or obtain a completely black graphic on a completely white background. If the graphic has colors, save or convert it to a monochrome or two-color format. A simple graphics editor, such as Paint (which automatically comes with a Windows OS) will allow the user to “Save As” and choose a “Save as type” as “Monochrome Bitmap.” This will convert the colored graphic into a black-and-white bitmap file. Once the image is completely black and white, using a graphics editor (again, Paint will work), invert the colors. This will create a white image on a black background.

Turnaround time for a rubber stamp will vary greatly, as this variable is contingent on the creation of a metal plate. If you are creating stamps for fun, you will need to have enough graphics to fill both a metal plate and a matrix (mold) board. The metal plate and matrix board can be made on a partial board; however, this is not an efficient use of materials and may make for uneven molds and/or stamps. If maximum efficiency is desired, enough graphics will need to be obtained to create a full metal plate. Additionally, the photopolymer process does not allow small businesses to make custom rubber stamps efficiently, as these rubber stamps tend to be made for a one-time order and the mold is no longer needed.

Depending on the materials at hand, the metal plate may need to be made by an engraving company. Once the metal place has been engraved, it is placed in a machine with the matrix board and, with a combination of heat and pressure known as vulcanization, the matrix board is made into a mold. The rubber is cut to the size of the mold, placed in the vulcanizer, and creates a rubber stamp through a similar process of heat and pressure. Be warned: as a mold is put under heat and pressure every time a rubber stamp is created, it may only last for 40-60 stamp vulcanizations.

After the rubber has been pressed, it can be cut into individual stamps. As the rubber is quite thick, most stamp enthusiasts agree regular scissor are not sufficient. Kai Scissors are a considered an essential tool in the arts and crafts world. These scissors can be found at crafts stores or on the web, and Kai Scissors makes 15+ styles and sizes of scissors. Mounting foam is also needed to ensure the block the stamp is mounted on does not come in contact with the surface to be stamped. Once the rubber and mounting foam have been cut, the stamps are glued to a wooden mound and are ready to impress!

We have discussed laser engraving, photoengraving, and one last stamp-making method is yet to come! Next, learn how to make rubber stamps, without any special or expensive equipment, from the privacy of your own home!

Gwendolyn Lee is a statistician and analyst of Internet-related metrics for custom rubber stamps at www.rubberstamps.net. She has researched and implemented business models to maximize profitability, efficiency and advertising tracking.

The Pledge of Allegiance Defiled Through History

April 28th, 2008

The Pledge of Allegiance Defiled Through History

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the united states of
America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Information
Please Almanac 1949

Do you notice something missing? Something you were trained to
say in that pledge? Perhaps you did not know that the states of
American, once united, were actually Republics and nations in
themselves.

The big missing words we were all trained to insert in that
pledge of allegiance was “under God.” How did “God” which is
clearly the realm of the cult churches find it’s way into the
minds of simple Americans? When did church and state combine in
America? How did something so anti-American find it’s way into
the pledge?

The insidiousness and relentless pursuit of the church to take
part in all activities of government, providing the government
with docile sheep in exchange for tax subsidies on their
profits. Those long nasty tendrils of the church digging deeper
into the government and the peoples of America, contrary to the
Constitution and our heritage. Throughout history the church has
long been an enemy of the people. From their early corruptions
to the crusades, the onslaught of the Dark Ages, the
Inquisition, the slavery inflicted by the Papal States, morphing
into the Holy Roman Empire were all dispicable. As the onslaught
of the information ages made it necessary for their efforts to
take a more clandestine footprint, the Powers and the Church
became rivals for the same property and wealth; like a catfight
that continues today.

But the American Republic was founded to prevent the cults from
abusing the government and blackmailing the people and their
servants. Separation of church and state is a founding principle
in the American Republic. So why and when did “under God” get in
there?

It was 1954; George McCarthy had the people up in arms over
Communism. Communism at that time was what we call “liberal
democracy” in the corporate United States these days. A birth to
death government that handled all your affairs in exchange for
more than half your gross production value and full control of
your actions and life, the new American age. Under his guidance
the church was fully integrated within the educational system
through adding “under God” into the pledge. America was not
founded “under God” if anything it was founded outside of cults
and Americans were created by Europeans that left the church and
their infamous tortures in Europe behind to emigrate to the new
world for the freedom from the churches it provided.

The original pledge did not even contain the “one Nation” until
the civil war and in fact was just an indivisible Republic.

Today you will not hear a politician utter the words Republic.
Why I was once told off quite harshly in a forum for suggesting
that America was a Republic and told quite affirmatively that
the only republic was China. They then questioned if I was a
communist! Silly United States subjects do not understand their
own history. Most are learned professors of the 10 minutes Fox
News segments that propagate the propaganda from the Powers,
hypnotically enjoining them to drink another beer, have another
look at your favorite sports figure, or check out some girlie
bar, while telling you today George Bush and Putin have agreed
on “rule of law” and Democracy. America was supposed to be
guaranteed a Republic and severely warned by it’s forefathers
about the evils within Democracy. Democracy where a simple mob
can rule the masses and disrespect of personal freedom and
property can be manipulated into the minds of the masses through
media. The corporate president will exclaim everyday how we will
force Democracy and “rule of law” on the world when we are
supposed to be a Republic with “inalienable rights” and no one
seems to notice or care.

Rick Siegel thinks outside the box at Rick Siegel WebSite.

Arthritis Pain: Why Visualizations May Be Able to Provide Relief

April 28th, 2008

Over 100 different types of arthritis exist, but by far the most common are the “osteo” and the “rheumatoid” varieties. Both may be subject to influence by your subconscious through the use of visualization statements.

Visualization statements represent the specific language that your subconscious wants you to read back to it to help ease your pain. They’re simple and are targeted directly at the main factors that could bring you relief.

You can obtain these statements by learning how to communicate directly with your own subconscious mind. The process is straightforward and can be done at home by working with a facilitator over the telephone. You you need no special skills and no previous experience in working with the subconscious.

Here’s a recap of the two major forms of arthritis, and the role that your subconscious may be able to play to help bring relief:

Osteoarthritis

Arthritis literally means “joint inflammation.” But oddly enough, the form of arthritis that is most common in the world–osteoarthritis–generally does not involve inflammation.

In a healthy joint, a spongy material called cartilage covers the ends of the bones so that they don’t rub up against one another. In osteoarthrtitis, either due to a genetic cause, repeated overuse, or some other reason, the cartilage becomes less elastic over time. This makes it susceptible to damage and deterioration.

As the cartilage wears away, bones may rub together, the tendons and ligaments in the joint may become stiff, bone spurs may appear, and other abnormalities may occur. The result is that the joint becomes painful. Cartilage has no blood supply, and can be nourished only through movement. But pain reduces movement, making the problem worse.

Inflammation is generally not a problem in osteoarthritis, but permanent joint damage is. If the subconscious is brought in before permanent damage has occurred, visualizations may be able to help increase the flexibility of your cartilage and the surrounding tendons and ligaments. Even a slight increase in elasticity may be enough to alleviate some of the pain.

We have not yet worked with a participant who has osteoarthritis. But we have had good results working with back and extremity pain, which involves focusing the subconscious on increasing the elasticity of tendons and ligaments. If it has provided elasticity there, it may be able to do the same for cartilage.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Like osteoarthritis, the rheumatoid variety (called RA) involves a problem with cartilage–but it occurs for an entirely different reason.

In RA, your immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. It sends in white blood cells, which produce chemicals that cause inflammation. This swells the joint lining and wears down the cartilage, narrowing the space between the bones. As the cartilage wears away and the inflammation continues, the joint becomes swollen, tender, painful, and difficult to move.

While we have not yet worked directly with RA, we have worked with psoriatic arthritis pain, which produces joint inflammation in a way similar to RA. Visualizing that the immune T-cells are put into action only when the body is truly attacked by an outside invader seems to work for some cases of psoriatic arthritis, and may possibly work for rheumatoid arthritis.

Reducing the Pain Signal

Imbalances of the joints or the immune system such as the above are a major trigger of pain signals in arthritis. Putting these factors back in balance is thus a preventive measure, one that helps to keep the pain signal from being generated in the first place.

But an important part of your pain relief strategy also needs also to be to attempt to reduce the pain signal once it has been generated. This can be approached by focusing the subconscious on numerous chemical weak points (we call them leverage points) where it may be possible to use visualizations to reduce the pain signal.

If you can learn to engage your subconscious, you most likely will be able to identify which leverage points apply to you. You can then use visualization statements to give your subconscious the daily reinforcement it needs to possibly take the edge off your pain at those points.

Ben Plumb is CEO and President of The Visualization Group, Inc. The company’s service is delivered by people like himself who personally suffered from years of chronic pain, and used the visualization method described in this article to obtain relief when nothing else worked. For more information, please visit http://www.thevisualizationgroup.com.

(c) 2005 The Visualization Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The methodology and program disclosed in this article are Patent Pending.

Food and Wine Pairing

April 27th, 2008

Types of Wines and Pairing Each with Food

When only one variety of grapes is used to make a wine, the wine is called a varietal and is named after that grape. Regulations vary by location, but in California at least 75% of the juice in a wine must be of a particular grape in order for the wine to be labeled as a varietal.

Pairing White Wines with Food

Chardonnay
(Shar-doe-nay)

This popular dry white wine is more full bodied than other white wines. Chardonnay has aromas of fruits and acidity. The aroma typically has flavors of lemon or grapefruit. Fermentation in new oak barrels results in a rich, buttery taste often described as toastiness, vanilla, apple, nutty, or toffee. Chardonnays aged in French oak result in a milder flavor than those aged in American oak.

Food and Wine Pairing: Chardonnay goes well with chicken, seafood, and fish.

Sauvignon Blanc
(So-veen-yawn-blah)

Lighter than Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc usually has a grassy citrus aroma. Flavors range from apple, pear, green tea, limes and freshly mowed grass. You can often detect a little smokiness. California Sauvignon Blancs sometimes have a melon flavor. This is a crisp light wine with a strong acid finish. It is also called Fume Blanc.
American Sauvignon Blanc tends to be grassier than those produced in New Zealand.

Food and Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with salads, poultry, seafood, and cheese.

Riesling
(Rees-ling)

Rieslings have a floral aroma. They range from very dry and crisp to intensely sweet depending on where it is from. German Riesling is slightly sweet and balanced with some acidity. California Riesling tends to be sweeter.

Food and Wine Pairing: Rieslings go well with chicken, fish, pork, and spicy foods.

Gewurztraminer
(Gah-vurtz-tra-meener)

Gewurztraminer has a spicy aroma and fruity flavors of peach, apricot, tropical fruits, and lychee. It can be dry or sweet.

Food and Wine Pairing: Gewurztraminers go especially well with spicy Asian dishes and pork sausages.

Pinot Grigio
(Pea-no-gree-zhe-oh)

Pinot Grigio is light and crispy with almond, lemon, and vanilla flavors. These wines are also called Pinot Gris.

Food and Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio goes well with seafood and salmon.

Pairing Red Wines with Food

Cabernet Sauvignon
(Ca-burr-nay So-veen-yawn)

Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich full-bodied wine. Aged in oak, this is a complex wine with cassis and blackberry flavors as well as hints of bell pepper. To make these wines drinkable sooner they are often blended with other grapes. French Bordeaux is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot to soften the tannins. When blended with Merlot and perhaps Cabernet Franc as well, this Bordeaux style blend is called Meritage in the United States.

Food and Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic wine to serve with red meats.

Merlot
(Mare-lo)

Merlot is softer tasting than Cabernet Sauvignon due to having less tannins. It is a smooth, dry wine. Merlot is often described as having the flavors of boysenberry, black cherry, herbs, and mocha.

Food and Wine Pairing: Merlot is best with poultry and grilled meats, but actually goes well with most foods.

Pinot Noir
(Pee-no Na-wahr)

Pinot Noir is a smooth silky wine that is extremely fruity. It is characterized with aromas and flavors of black cherry or rose petals along with hints of spiciness or herbal qualities. Pinot Noirs are enjoyed for their soft velvety texture. High in alcohol, they are full bodied but not heavy.

Food and Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir is best served with grilled salmon, roast beef, lamb, duck, and mushrooms.

Sangiovese
(San-gee-oh-ve-zee)

Sangiovese is a medium bodied dry wine with earthy aromas and berry, plum, spicy, or floral flavors. It has a smooth texture. Sangiovese is the main grape used to produce Italian Chiantis.

Food and Wine Pairing: Sangiovese goes especially well with pasta and other Italian foods.

Barbera
(Bar-bear-uh)

Barbera is often used as a blending grape. As a varietal it can exhibit aromas of berries, plums, or cherries with hints of vanilla, toasty, or smoky flavors.

Food and Wine Pairing: Tomato based pasta dishes are perfect matches to serve with Barbera.

Syrah
(Sah-ra)

Syrah is a hearty wine noted for its complexity of aromas and flavors including raspberry, plum, smoke, and white pepper. It is a dark red wine, sometimes almost black in color. This wine is also called Shiraz.

Food and Wine Pairing: Syrah is great eaten with duck, wild game, steak, and beef.

Zinfandel
(Zin-fan-dell)

Zinfandel can be light to full bodied. It can be rich and spicy or lighter and fruitier. Aromas and flavors that are typical include raspberry, jam, black pepper, and licorice.

Food and Wine Pairing: Zinfandel is wonderful with steaks, grilled meats, and tomato based dishes.

Kathy and her husband Steve spend much of their free time involved with enjoying and tasting wine. Their Web Site, http://www.cheers2wine.com reflects their interest in wine and exploring the wine regions of California.

Sing Me A Love Song On This Valentine’s Day

April 27th, 2008

What makes a great love song? The truth is, a songwriter didn’t compose a great love song, a singer didn’t sing a great love song, but the ones who listen to it make it great, especially when two twine together as one - a romance. We, therefore, are the ones who pick it one in “Top 10 love songs” or “Best love songs ever.”

Even my ex-boyfriend and I used to have that as our song - “Lover, I don’t have to love” by Bright Eyes. It seemed foolish because its song title, lyrics, and even melody are bittersweet and melancholy. We didn’t understand why we were listening to this song over and over, maybe just because we both found it a remarkable rhythm at that time. However, love don’t live here anymore. Now I have to forget the sad tune, find myself a new squeeze who sings me a new “our song.”

Ah, Valentine’s Day! Every February 14, and during the weeks leading to this day, couples send beautiful flowers, meaningful cards, and sweet chocolates to their darlings and explore their romantic sides. And a perfect dreamy night with serene melodies is the norm. So, sing me a love song and be my Valentine! When your sweetheart comes to say this to you, what song will you choose? There’s no better time than Valentine’s Day to turn our musical choices passionate.

Recently, I’ve heard some wonderful love tracks. So, narrowing down my list to just 10 “best of” tunes took a lot of thought. If you don’t find your favorites here, send me an email at kittykitcoldplay@yahoo.com. Now, cool off and sit awhile with me, and read some exciting stuffs about my picks of 10 romantic songs for Valentine’s Day:

1) You And Me (Lifehouse)
It makes my heart melt. There is a sense of peacefulness every time I hear this song. Such a melodious and gifted voice! All in all this is a true gem.

2) The Other Side of the World (KT Tunstall)
This nice radiopop is well crafted and remarkable. What I mean is that I keep remembering this song because I like the way she sings and phrases. A sparkling new singer-songwriter.

3) The Scientist (Coldplay)
The song is beautifully crafted and the unprocessed passion in Martin’s voice is almost heartbreaking. The best love song yet! An incredibly moving song!

4) You’re Beautiful (James Blunt)
Just beautiful tune! This piece means so much to me and although I’ve heard it many times I still enjoy listening even now. A unique voice that really stands out.

5) Smooth (Santana featuring Rob Thomas)
This has a nice Santana feel. This smooth song rocks. This awesome Latin song is just sensual and also great to dance with.

6) Wherever You Will Go (The Calling)
If I could make you mine, I’ll go wherever you will go. Thumbs up for the melody.

7) If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind (Agnetha Faltskog)
“And in the winter snow, my songs would keep you from the cold.” The lyrics are soooooooo nice and so is the voice of ABBA. It’s totally enjoyable to hear her crystal clear pure sound once again.

8) Crazy In Love (Eminem)
Love the title and love the song! And oh, the lyrics! Slim Shady finally created a non-classic-rap. It sounds like a poem “You are the meaning of my existence, “You’re essential to me, You’re the air I breathe, I believe if you ever leave me, I’d probably have no reason to be.”

9) The Look Of Love (Diana Krall)
The look of love sees the invisible in the visible and the sound of love is smooth. A gorgeous love song. A cuddle by the fireside with the one you love.

10) When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Westlife featuring Diana Ross)
Westlife is back to raise you up with a new cover of a famous song. Moreover, this song is a nice comeback to the pop ballads that made them well known. Just tell your honey that you adore her or him with this cute tune.

Why don’t you make your own love song CD with “our song” as a special gift for your significant other on this special occasion? You might want to visit another collection of Top love songs at http://www.audio4fun.com/lovesongcd.htm. They are offering full-length downloads of all tracks in the CD.

Louise shares an MP3 selection of best-ever love songs at http://www.audio4fun.com/lovesongcd.htm in recognition that you guys who are in love need to find “our song” for this Valentine’s Day.

Internet Based Lease Accounting Software: Creating Operational Effeciency While Crunching Numbers

April 27th, 2008

The leasing industry is yet to significantly harness the powers of the Internet. Despite the hype, the web enabling of the leasing process has been sporadic at best. While the industry has already taken to the Internet’s obvious convenience for credit scoring and front-end application processing, a larger and perhaps a more significant impact on productivity has yet to be realized. The advent of the lease life-cycle management model can realize this untapped potential for productivity and, if implemented well, can even directly enhance profitability. Online lease management and accounting software certainly has the makings of a paradigm shift in the lessor’s approach to the lease accounting software. More specifically, it holds enough promise to replace the client/server model just as the client/server model itself dethroned the main frame.

The Benefits of an Internet Model based Lease Management system

To implement, the Internet model is much simpler than its client/server based counterpart, demanding nothing more than a secure Internet server on which the lease accounting software and database reside. Each of the limitless number of computers accessing the server can run any operating system, be it Apple Macintosh or Windows 2000, with nothing more than access to the Internet. By inference, the type of Network and the leasing software’s compatibility to it no longer matters. Even the physical implementation of the network itself, in laying down the wiring and connections, becomes redundant when any authorized computer belonging to any authorized user, is part of the virtual network. In this respect, especially for lessors with multiple operations in different locations, the model used in the lease management software is a boon that takes no more significant effort to tie two computers into its virtual network as it does 2,000. Even training employees to use the lease accounting software becomes easy when there is one standard program worldwide. This immediate scalability and operating-system/network-independence of the leasing software model makes it possible for lessors of all sizes to experience IT benefits unknown in the client/server world.

It would seem that today’s nascent Internet technology compromises the functional power of the client/server model in their leasing software; complex algorithms required to amortize income or calculate yields appear hard or even impossible to replicate on a browser. Fortunately, however, with the growing sophistication of Internet developmental platforms such as Microsoft’s Active Server Pages, Internet applications run a tight race with client/server technologies. The Internet based lease accounting software enables yields and depreciation schedules to be calculated with the same click of a button. The lease management software facilitates reports to be sorted, filtered and queried to obtai any conceivable information available in the database. Income, IDC and residual can be accrued, blended and separated, just like they are in client/server systems.

Not surprisingly, even technology as complex as an Enterprise Resource Planning system, simultaneously used for solutions from global car-manufacturing to domestic chemical-production, runs on Internet-based applications today similar to the internet based lease accounting software. Leading ERP vendors including SAP, Oracle Financials and PeopleSoft, for instance, have tried and tested success stories of highly versatile and complex system that are browser based. “Lease Management Software”, says Jay Mehra, COO of Odessa Technologies, Inc., “though sophisticated in its own right, can quite easily be implemented on the Internet.” Despite the complexity, therefore, the functional powers of traditional models are easily captured in Internet-based applications.

Functionality of the Internet model and the Lease Management Software
While functionally the Internet application is interchangeable, its differentiating quality lies in its approach to data. By the very nature of their technology, client/server systems typically just crunch numbers. A good Internet based application, on the other hand, maximizes the value of that data, in addition to maintaining it. This translates into a direct value-add for the lessor’s operational efficiency. Sales staff can, for instance, be allowed to access the leasing software from anywhere they can connect to the Internet. During negotiations, they can obtain historic information about the lessee to make informed decisions for new business opportunities through the lease management software. The traditional one-way pipelines of data delivery thus become forums for information exchange.

Equally important, as shown by the diagram above, the new channels of Internet-driven communication can now enhance the lessor’s external relationships. Odessa Technologies, developer of a wholly web-based Lease management and accounting software, uses a series of independent web sites that ties the lessor with its various business partners. Through their lessee web site, lessees can get online help, access important account information, download invoices and even make secure Net payments enabled by the lease management software. Moreover, by leveraging the critical data residing within the Internet application, the lessor can even customize business promotions based on the individual lessee logging onto the system. Far from being just a tool that manages a part of the leasing business, lease management software thus becomes a way of conducting and even marketing the business. Through the Internet model the leasing software is able to bring about new sources of productivity, both direct and implied, are thus created from business relationships that are fuelled by information flow.

LeaseWave© - A new Wave in Lease Accounting Software
While the advantages of Internet-based applications are obvious, there is a conspicuous absence of such technology in the leasing industry. It is this gap between the ideal technology and what is typically available that Odessa Technologies, Inc. is fulfilling. With the release of LeaseWave©, a technology built entirely on Microsoft’s Internet platforms, Odessa brings the lease management process online. Through LeaseWave© and technological collaborations with companies such as CapitalStream and Ivory Consulting, the company offers a comprehensive solution that is entirely Internet based by way of the lease accounting software. LeaseWave©, at its core, provides for complete asset management and lease accounting functionality, allowing the lessor to efficiently manage any number of lease portfolios in the leasing software. Beyond this core, LeaseWave© provides a series of interactive web sites that connects the lessor with business partners including lessees, funding sources, auctioneers and banks via the lease management software. Each line of communication in the lease software employs secured socket layers for complete security and is even e-commerce enabled, allowing for secure online ACH and credit card payments.

It is common knowledge that front-end systems, such as CapitalStream’s CapitalStream - FinanceCenterTM are already leveraging the powers of the Internet. The efficiencies that they have realized, however, represent only the beginnings of a greater change. Still to be tapped are the efficiencies of large data-rich back-end processes. The web-enabling of lease management and accounting software, by companies such as Odessa Technologies, is a step towards this efficiency-realization. As Internet technology seeps into the back-end, the leasing industry stands to experience a rare paradigm shift: one where the technology drives the process rather than being driven by it.

Bios

Madhu Natarajan, CEO Odessa Technologies, Inc.

Madhu Natarajan became the CEO of Odessa Technologies, Inc. He has consulted for various companies including Caterpillar, Inc and Crowe Chizek, LLP; Madhu brings with him an extensive research based leasing background with 5 years of leasing software experience. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Business Administration from Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL; Madhu graduated Magna Cum Laude.
fax copy to 610-293-9903

Odessa Technologies, Inc. is the developer of LeaseWave©, a wholly Internet based Lease Management system. LeaseWave©, at its core, provides for comprehensive Lease Accounting and Asset Management requirements. Its direct impact on operational productivity is brought through eCommerce enabled and customized interfaces with the lessor’s business partners, including the lessee, funding source and vendor. Visit Odessa Technologies, Inc., online at www.odessatech.com or call 1-888-683-2484 for further information.

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