Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Phenomenal Power of the Human Mind
Do you see Jesus?
Concentrate on the 4 dots in the middle of the picture for about 30 secs .
Then look at a wall (near monitor)
a bright spot will apear
Twinkle a few times & you will see a figure
What do you See? or even who do you see?
Look at the chart & say the color not the word.
Left – Right Conflict : Your right brain tries to say the color but your left brain insists on reading the word.
Sony launches Vaio JS1 All-in-one PC Not to forget the NS1 laptop
Sony's ever-popular Vaio brand may now come in both business and home flavours, but the addition of the Vaio NS1 and Vaio JS1 adds a little breadth to the latter.
Sony Vaio NS1
The NS1 apparently brings together 'design values and quality to create a notebook that is well balanced and accessible for casual everyday users'.
More importantly it also boasts the X-Black LCD widescreen display, a 15.4-inch screen size, Draft-N wireless networking and a whole range of colours.
If you pick up the flagship of the range you can also add Blu-ray play back to that list.
Sony Vaio JS1
The Vaio S1 is aimed at those people who don't want to take up too much room with a PC.
A 20.1-inch 1680x1050 res screen and a compact keyboard, combined with 3 GB of RAM, 500GB HDD and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor are likely to make this an attractive prospect.
"These products make Sony's overall quality and distinctive design available to a wider audience than ever," said Hidetoshi Takigawa, marketing director for Vaio in Europe
"The focus is on ease of use and the specifications and features that people need at this level, and that means excellent overall value. They are a great introduction to the VAIO brand and all it stands for."
By Patrick Goss
Facebook 2.0 comes to the iPhone A Facebook update that won't have the fans up in arms.
When Facebook forced its website re-design on to the public this month, there was an outcry that hasn't been seen since Opal Fruits turned to Starbursts, Marathon merged into Snickers, Hulk Hogan mutated into Hollywood Hogan.
Groups, including the hilariously spelled 'Facebook said if i get 5,000,000 people in this group they'de change it bak', cropped up, pleading for the social-networking giant to go back to the old design.
So, with some trepidation, Facebook has rolled out its new-look iPhone app and by all accounts the company seems to have gotten it spot-on.
Just like Facebook
Out are the cumbersome upload options; in are upload options in keeping with the website. Any photo you load in, you can caption, tag and tweak to your heart's content.
The news-feed is now the same as that of the website, so your prying eyes will be able to see everything your mates do, all from the comfort of your iPhone.
Another big tweak is the search options. Now you can look for someone by name, and have the option to ask them to be your friend. Simple but oh-so effective.
To get the Facebook application, it's available now for free from the iTunes App store.
By Marc Chacksfield
Monday, September 29, 2008
Simple Money-Saving Tips. Save Thousands Of Dollars Per Year.
1. Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill.
2. Slow down your internet service. I went to the slower internet service option with my cable company and saved $15 per month. And I haven’t noticed a difference when surfing the Net.
3. Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.
4. Buy a refurbished Mac: I’ve written about this before because it is a great way to buy not only computers, but iPods and iPhones as well. You can check out the details on how to buy a refurbished iPhone here.
5. Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run.
6. Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit. I did and my mortgage company agreed to reduce the rate by more than 0.50%. And if you are looking for a home equity loan, is a great place to check out available options.
7. Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask.
8. Refinance your mortgage. If you can reduce your interest rate by one percent or more, it is often beneficial to refinance. This is particularly true for those with high rates due to less than stellar credit scores. If your score has improved, you may qualify for a better rate. I would start by asking your current mortgage lender about lower rates. Here’s a refinance calculator to help you determine if refinancing is right for you.
9. Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.
10. Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.
11. Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.
12. Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night. You find Red Box locations here.
13. Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.
14. Subscribe to magazines that are must reads. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand. Update: Amazon offers some great deals on personal finance magazines.
15. Buy your car over the internet: Search the internet for information on the car you want and then send e-mail requests to dealers for the best price. Even if the dealer is located in another state, the cost to have the car delivered may still be worth it. I paid $500 to have a Honda Odyssey shipped 500 miles and still saved $1,000 over the best local price available.
16. Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.
17. Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.
18. Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay out in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. My favorite rewards card is American Express Gold Card. It does have an annual fee, although follow this link (American Express) to apply and the first year fee is waived. You can also check out my review of several travel reward credit cards.
19. Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).
20. Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. I’ve saved thousands of dollars using 0% balance transfer credit cards. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings.
21. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.
22. Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings.
23. Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.
24. Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.
25. Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $250 or even $500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount.
26. Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $500. Why? The $250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.
27. Get rid of your home telephone. This is a great way to save money. Many don’t do it because of the 911 service, and that’s understandable. But if you’re comfortable relying on a cell phone, there’s no reason to keep a land line. If you do, consider reducing your service to the minimum and only use the phone in an emergency.
28. Consider VOiP telephone service. We use Internet phone service and have saved substantial money over Verizon service. The phone service has been very reliable, and you’d never even know the signal was being carried over the Internet. Lingo is a great option for VOip telephone service, which costs just $21.95 a month for unlimited local and long distance calling in the U.S. and over 20 countries, and even gives you the first month of service for free (check out my Lingo Review).
29. Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.
30. Eliminate some cable service. Note that I’m not recommending getting rid of cable completely, although that’s certainly a way to save money. If you must have cable, take a look at all the charges on your cable bill and consider getting rid of some of the service. Try it for a month and see if you really miss those last 500 channels.
31. Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.
32. Get healthy. Your health will directly impact the cost of life insurance and, in some cases, can reduce the cost of your health insurance.
33. Cancel the health club membership. Seems to contradict the previous tip, but evaluate how much you really use your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.
34. Pass on extended warranties. A $129 two year extension on a $300 product is just not worth it. Warranties are insurance, and we rarely need to insure such a small amount.
35. Take your lunch to work one more day a week than you do now. Eating out at lunch is fun, so I wouldn’t eliminate it completely. But taking lunch just one more day a week will keep money in your pocket.
36. Buy low cost mutual funds. This is easy to miss because the money doesn’t come out of your pocket each month. But keep an eye on the cost of the mutual funds in your 401(k) and other investments. My rule of thumb is that no fund should cost more than 1% and the combined cost for all your funds should be less than 0.50%. If you don’t believe that even a half percent can make a big difference, read this.
37. Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.
38. Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.
39. Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.
40. Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.
41. Stop smoking. Need I say more?
42. Drink less alcohol. It costs money and ads calories.
43. Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.
44. Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are exactly the same as their branded counterparts and cost less.
45. Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.
46. Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy more than just books. It sells just about anything and sometimes at substantial savings.
47. Consider MythTV PVR in replace of TiVo type services. I just ran across MythTV and am still investigating it. I pay $15 a month to my cable company for a DVR box and would love to save the money. If you’ve used MythTV, let us know how well it works. You can get more information about MythTV here.
48. Use Open Source software when possible. I use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop ain’t.
49. Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too.
50. Buy energy efficient appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.
51. Stay married. Yes, I did say 51 “painless” money-saving tips. Yes, I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. “Isn’t marriage about love”, you ask. Sometimes. “You don’t know my situation”, you say. True. But I lived through the emotional and financial pain of two divorces as a child, and I’ve been married to the same women for more than 19 years, so I know plenty. Am I telling you not to get a divorce? Of course not. I am telling you that divorce will wreck your finances and your spouse’s finances.
Written by DR
Source: http://www.doughroller.net
15 jobs that pay $50,000 -- and might be hiring.
Receiving a paycheck is always nice. Even if you don't love your job or you think you deserve more money, making a deposit in your checking account feels good.
You can pay bills, buy food and even splurge on the occasional luxury. The chance to find a higher paying job with a bright future is always appealing, but in this gloomy economy, it's even more attractive than usual.
To help you figure out what your options are, we've come up with a list of 15 jobs that earn in the $50,000 range and are expected to increase in demand between now and 2016.
With the annual median salary for full-time workers in the U.S. at $33,634, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these careers will help you earn well above the average salary.
They also require various levels of experience and education, so workers from all walks of life can find opportunities.
Here are 15 jobs that pay between $50,000 and $59,999:
Accountants and auditors
Annual median income: $57,060*
Projected employment in 2016: 1.5 million
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 18 percent
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Audiologists
Annual median income: $57,779**
Projected employment in 2016: 13,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 10 percent
Compensation, benefits and job analysis specialists
Annual median income: $52,180*
Projected employment in 2016: 130,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 18 percent
Conservation scientists
Annual median income: $56,150*
Projected employment in 2016: 21,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 5 percent
Detectives and criminal investigators
Annual median income: $59,930*
Projected employment in 2016: 125,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 17 percent
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
Annual median income: $58,380*
Projected employment in 2016: 104,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 25 percent
Insurance appraisers, auto damage
Annual median income: $51,500*
Projected employment in 2016: 15,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 13 percent
Insurance underwriters
Annual median income: $51,264**
Projected employment in 2016: 111,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 6 percent
Landscape architects
Annual median income: $50,843**
Projected employment in 2016: 32,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 16 percent
Librarians
Annual median income: $50,970*
Projected employment in 2016: 164,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 4 percent
Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing (excluding technical and scientific products)
Annual median income: $50,750*
Projected employment in 2016: 1.69 million
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 8 percent
Subway and streetcar operators
Annual median income: $50,520*
Projected employment in 2016: 7,800
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 12 percent
Surveyors
Annual median income: $51,630*
Projected employment in 2016: 74,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 24 percent
Teachers, postsecondary
Annual median income: $56,120*
Projected employment in 2016: 2.05 million
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 23 percent
Urban and regional planners
Annual median income: $53,967**
Projected employment in 2016: 39,000
Increase between 2006 and 2016: 15 percent
*Salary and employment figures based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By Anthony Balderrama
CareerBuilder.com Writer
Source: http://www.cnn.com
Jennifer Aniston: Marriage on the Horizon?.
It was a massive Hollywood heartbreak when Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt called it quits. But it looks like the former “Friends” star may be tying the knot again soon.
Spotted looking super hot in a belted green summer dress in while visiting a friend in Hollywood Hills Tuesday, the “Break-Up” hottie is reportedly planning on becoming Mrs. Mayer.
A source close to Aniston told press, “She’s at an age where she is thinking with her head not just her heart. No way would she still be with anyone if marriage wasn’t a real option.”
But don’t expect to see another mega-expensive, super flashy event like Jen’s wedding with her “Fight Club” stud ex-husband. She’s gonna keep things a little more low-key this time around.
The source revealed, “She doesn’t want anything elaborate or showy. They are just a perfect match. And everything about that will come through in this beautiful wedding.”
Source: http://www.celebrity-gossip.net
Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens: Goodbye Sweden. A Sweet Couple Indeed.
They’ve been having a marvelous time promoting the upcoming High School Musical flick over in Sweden. And earlier today (September 29) Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens said goodbye.
The “Seventeen Again” stud and his “Identified” songstress girlfriend gave an interview with Starlounge MSN at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm before racing to the airport to catch an outbound flight.
And Miss Hudgens looked flirty in a beige minidress with matching heels, while Mr. Efron charmed the Swedish press in a blue longsleeve henley with dark trousers.
Zac and Vanessa have been working overtime on promotion, ahead of the big October 7th UK premiere of “High School Musical: Senior Year.”
Source: http://www.celebrity-gossip.net
Sunday, September 28, 2008
$700 Billion Bailout Plan Released - Legislation details plan to enact historic bailout of nation's financial system.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The federal government would provide as much as $700 billion in a far-reaching plan to rescue the nation's troubled financial system, according to a bill posted online by leading Democratic lawmakers on Sunday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she hopes the House will take up the bill on Monday. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he believes the Senate can move on the legislation as early as Wednesday.
Pelosi said the provisions added by Democrats will protect taxpayers from having to pay for the bailout.
"We sent a message to Wall Street - the party is over," she said at a press conference with Reid and other Democratic leaders from the House and Senate.
The core of the bill is based on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's request for authority to purchase troubled assets from financial institutions so banks can resume lending and so the credit markets, now virtually frozen, can begin to operate more normally.
But Democrats and Republicans - concerned about the potential taxpayer cost - have added several conditions and restrictions. Key negotiators for the financial rescue plan will be busy trying to line up votes on Capitol Hill on Sunday to support the accord they reached soon after midnight.
Among the provisions of the draft bill:
- The $700 billion would be disbursed in stages, with $250 billion made available immediately for the Treasury's use.
- Curbs will be placed on the compensation of executives at companies that sell mortgage assets to Treasury. Among them, companies that participate will not be able to deduct the salary they pay to executives above $500,000.
- An oversight board will be created. The board will include the Federal Reserve chairman, the Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, the Federal Home Finance Agency director and the Housing and Urban Development secretary.
- Treasury is allowed the option to take ownership stakes in participating companies under certain circumstances.
- Treasury may establish an insurance program - with risk-based premiums paid by the industry - to guarantee companies' troubled assets, including mortgage-backed securities, purchased before March 14, 2008.
- One provision requires the president to propose legislation to recoup losses from the financial industry if the rescue plan results in net losses to taxpayers five years after the plan is enacted.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson first announced the administration would seek an economic bailout plan on Sept. 18, after meeting with key lawmakers in the House and Senate - a meeting that left lawmakers looking ashen when they spoke to the press afterwards.
If enacted, the rescue plan would be the most dramatic and extensive government intervention in the economy since the Great Depression. President Bush on Sept. 24 gave a prime-time address to the nation in which he urged lawmakers to pass his plan and warned that the "entire economy is in danger."
The aim of the rescue is to unfreeze the credit markets - short-term lending among banks and corporations. The core of the problem is bad real estate loans that have led to record foreclosures when the housing bubble burst and home prices declined.
In the past two weeks, the banking world and Wall Street have been reordered by a wave of collapses and corporate mergers. The most recent development was the seizure by federal regulators on Thursday night of Washington Mutual, once the nation's largest thrift and a major mortgage lender.
The chill of the credit freeze has been felt far beyond Wall Street, as well. Businesses large and small have seen the cost of borrowing spike higher.
At the same time, the scale of the administration's plan - and the quick pace of the debate over it - has given pause to many Americans and lawmakers worried about its potential cost to taxpayers.
"We begin with a very important task, a task to stabilize the markets, to protect all Americans - and do it in a way that protects the taxpayer to the maximum extent possible," Paulson said early Sunday morning.
CNN's Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.
By Jeanne Sahadi, CNNMoney.com senior writer
Google opposes anti-gay marriage measure - Posted by Natalie Weinstein
Google has taken a public stand against Proposition 8, an anti-gay marriage measure on the November ballot in California.
Co-founder Sergey Brin, who made the announcement in a blog Friday afternoon, acknowledged that it is unusual for his company to take stands on issues outside the tech realm. The company "especially" avoids taking stands on social issues, he said, because of the diversity of its workforce.
However, Brin said, "it is the chilling and discriminatory effect of the proposition on many of our employees that brings Google to publicly oppose Proposition 8."
"We should not eliminate anyone's fundamental rights, whatever their sexuality, to marry the person they love," he said.
Brin did not mention whether Google will do anything else to oppose the measure, other than taking a stand.
The official site opposing the proposition includes a long list of backers. No companies are listed there. However, on Thursday, Levi Strauss & Co. and PG&E became co-chairs of the No On Prop 8 Equality Business Council. And in July, PG&E donated $250,000 to the campaign.
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10052913-93.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0
Apple selling unlocked iPhone 3G in Hong Kong - Posted by Natalie Weinstein
Apple has made an unlocked version of the iPhone 3G available in Hong Kong, letting consumers pick whichever carrier they so choose.
This is in sharp contrast to Apple's policy for the almost everywhere else on the planet. Unlocked iPhones are rampant worldwide, but that isn't something that Apple has sanctioned.
Freedom doesn't come cheap. The 8GB version is available for about $695 (5,400 Hong Kong dollars), while the 16GB iPhone costs about $798 (6,200 HK dollars), according to Apple's site.
The "iPhone 3G purchased at the Apple Online Store can be activated with any wireless carrier," the site states. "Simply insert the SIM from your current phone into iPhone 3G and connect to iTunes 8 to complete activation."
Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10052965-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0
Friday, September 26, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Comfort and Design Technologies Evolve the Skid Steer Loader
The first skid steer loader, the Melroe M-400, was introduced more than 45 years ago and since its inception the compact equipment workhorse has evolved into a monster machine. Much more supreme than it’s 1960 self, the modern skid steer has evolved everything from its hand and foot controls to its overall brute strength.
Today’s skid steers are giving operators capabilities they have never before imagined, and they are doing it in style and comfort. While skid steers of the old ages caused aches and pains, modern loaders are smooth rides with easy-to-use joystick controls.
Keeping the customer in mind, skid steer manufacturers have developed a new pilot joystick control system. Before Caterpillar first introduced the new controls, operators had combination hand and foot controls. The hand levers would operate the movement while the foot pedals moved the bucket levers. With today’s system everything can be controlled with two joysticks.
There are two different control options available with the pilot joysticks, the ISO pattern and the H pattern. With the ISO pattern, the right joystick controls the attachments movement. Moving the joystick forward or backward will move the loader arms up or down, while tilting the joystick left or right will tilt the bucket up or down. With your other hand, the left joystick controls the movement of the machine. Pushing or pulling it will move the machine forward or put it in reverse, while tilting the controls left or right will rotate the machines direction.
With the H pattern, the loader arm and machine controls are split between the joysticks. To move the machine forward or put it in reverse you need to push or pull back on both of the joysticks at the same time. To rotate the direction of the machine push forward with one joystick and pull back with the other. To control the attachment, the right joystick moves the bucket (left or right to control the tilt) and the left joystick moves the loader arms (left or right to raise and lower them).
Some operators prefer the H and others the ISO, so to make it convenient some manufacturers such as Bobcat offer both, with their Selectable Joystick Controls you can change from the H to the ISO pattern with the flick of a switch.
A feature that was introduced in 1998 by skid steer manufacturer Case is Ride Control, which is often a popular feature to use with the joystick pilot controls because it minimizes material spills by stabilizing the loader arms on rough-terrain sites.
Some manufacturers today make ride control a standard feature, it uses additional hydraulics to smooth the ride and keep the load secure, which allows the skid steer operator to drive a little faster thus increasing efficiency.
In today’s day and age luxuries are everywhere, and there is no reason to stop short with skid steers. Its understood by most skid steer operators that comfort goes together with productivity, because the more comfortable you are, the longer you are going to be able to operate the machine. Because of this many manufacturers today offer cab packages that can give you any luxury you want. With features such as cooled glove boxes for a drink or boxed lunch, enclosed cabs with air conditioning and heat for extreme temperatures, deluxe suspension seats for bumpy rides and power outlets for music players or fans you might not ever want to get out.
In addition to this, cabs today are also much quieter than before because of sound insulation around fans and other noise generators. Some companies such as Mustang monitor noise levels in the cab before the loader ever comes off the production line.
With efficiency the number one factor behind the design of the industry’s compact workhorse, it’s understood that comfort and ability are compliments to the goal. What was once strictly a get-the-job-done machine has evolved to a first class comfort ride, and everyone is benefiting.
What Does a Good Sales Web Page Need? by J. Richard Kirkham by Sensei J. Richard Kirkham B.Sc.
As a means of increasing my affiliate products income, as of the date of writing this, I've been going to topic related websites in order to secure interesting products and services I may offer to others for a commission. Because I'm already Clickbank merchant, using them to pay my own affiliate partners and take my orders, I did my search for other merchants using the same service.
What I found is this: The great thing about the internet is anyone can try to start making money by making a sales web page. The bad thing about the internet is anyone can try to start making money by making a sales web page.
That's right folks, with no training whatsoever you to can get started and make many of the same mistakes I've seen on some of these websites some of which may still even be uncorrected on my huge whatever you need discount type site.
Here are some of the conclusions I developed while studying these sites for product inclusion and sales potential:
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Use Your Title Tag
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Home Page doesn't give anyone including search engines enough with which to work. Would you open the door to a building without sufficient signage? Then why should a prospective buyer click on the link on a search engine that says Index?
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Description tags Come Second to Importance
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This is the description that search engines will use. It's your job in your description not just to describe, but to sell me on the idea of clicking on your link to visit your site. If your sales pitch sounds better than your description then put some of that pitch into your description tag!
Two book stores happen to be located side by side. Both have attractive store names, but one is offering comfortable chairs and coffee as you browse. The other store may offer the same thing but how do I know that without the description of the benefits of going into that book store? Which store would I go into? Which link would you click? The one describing benefits or the one with just the title?
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A Large Font Descriptive Compelling Title
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Okay, I'm at your page, you have about five seconds to get me to stay on your page and keep reading, listening, watching etc..
How to Take Strikes and Counter-Attack Even When You're Hurt http://KirkhamsebooksMartialArt/Martial_Arts_Videos/
This title obviously attracts martial artists, boxers and those interested in self-defense.
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Graphics
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Due to an experiment in making my sales pages copy and pasteable into emails some of my pages are lacking graphics. Graphics include a book cover please. Some of my older books still lack book covers and I'm finding a good titled, colorful book cover will attract attention, give prospects more confidence in your product and therefore potentially increase sales.
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Samples
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When I go to an off line book store, I'll read the cover, read the inside flap, table of contents and flip through pages. Admittedly, I'm still correcting this in some of my own ebooks, but I see the importance in giving the public the same options as they would in an off line book store. Providing a downloadable free version of your ebook would give your prospects the same privileges as if they trekked through the rain, paid $3.00 per gallon for gas and drove to their local book store. An on-line version with the page linked should be considered as an alternate option.
This will help with search engines and help with a problem I myself have. I will often download a sample of a product and sometimes not look at it for over a month. 'What's the hurry', I think to myself, 'it's on my hard drive.' Sometimes I feel reading it online will tempt me faster to buy.
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Customer Service
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Okay you're at the book store and you have a question about a book or you can't find the book you're looking for. So you look for the staff, which are no where to be found. What do you do? Well hopefully go to my book store, but probably go to the the next book store down the street, find an attentive staff member, get your questions answered and buy your book there. By the way, which book store will you refer your friends to?
My fellow authors and business friends, all of this is true on the internet, only your competitors are only a click away not a block away.
Don't worry about spam, you have filters just like a book store may have a staff member to screen calls. Worry more about having better communication with your guests than your one click away competitors have with theirs.
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Post Visit Contact
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Ever notice how book stores will do everything possible to stay in contact with you and get you to come back. They know you may not buy that expensive book, CD or DVD on your first visit. Being a multi-product store as opposed to a single product as some of you are including myself, the book store will send you offers and discounts in both snail mail and email. Every book store and coffee shop I walk into has a card for me they punch every purchase I make and after a set number I get a free product.
Do not forget about your prospects after they buy or after they leave your site.
The big point here being you're losing a lot of sales and future sales without offering incentives to stay in contact with your previous visitors as well as making it to their advantage to revisit your site due to fresh content. Do you archive your newsletters on your website with a link to those archives on the newsletter you're sending out? Do all of your newsletters contain a clickable link to your sales page. Giving prospects a chance to read your archives could peak their interest enough to buy your product. The links to your sales page will help your search engine ranking a bit as well.
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Conclusion
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Familiarity leads to comfort, comfort leads to confidence, confidence leads to increased sales and happy clients confident enough to buy again from you and refer others to your website. The next time you go to a successful book store or comparable off line store similar to your product or service, think to yourself, are my guests offered the same benefits?
The Advantages of On-Line Purchase of Promotional Gifts by Victoria Brown
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