Hello from Barcelona

Hello from Barcelona
by: Susanne Pacher

This is my first ever blog and I´ll have to be very brief since I only have about 11 minutes left at the Internet cafe. I am sitting here at the Maremagnum shopping mall in the port of Barcelona.

Theresa and I just came back from our tour on the blue Tourist Bus. (20 Euros for 2 days). What a fabulous city!

Yesterday we had dinner in the Gothic Quarter and got serenaded by one musician / music group after another. And today the bus tour, beautiful weather, brilliant sunshine, about 28 degrees Celsious.

We started in the port area, snaked our way past the Casino, the Olympic Village, the Zoo, through the Gothic Quarter to the hussle and bustle of Plaza Catalunya. Along the way we had a quick peak at Gaudi´s masterpieces: Casa Battlo and La Pedrera. The we came across the middle part of the city, up to the hill of Montjuic where we visited the Poble Espanyol (Spanish village), a beautiful 1929 replica of buildings from villages throughout Spain.

Then we passed the Olympic stadium, the Teleferic cablecar and came back down into the city where we are just starting to relax now in the harbour.

Tonight we´ll probably head up the Ramblas and check out some authentic Barcelona Nightlife.

About The Author

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the t-ransitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

"Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons".

The story with photos is published at Travel and Transitions - Travel Stories (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/hello_ibiza_1.htm).

How To Win At Sports Betting

How To Win At Sports Betting
by: Ellison Mansfield

If you've read any of my articles before, you know I always emphasize the fact that there are many viable systems for any type of gambling. Sports betting is no exclusion. I've tested and found success with several sports betting systems (see http://www.insidersystem.com/sports.html), several of which would allow someone to quit their job and make a full time living at it. Here is just one simple system for you to test for yourself...

Take your fixed odds coupon and decide on one of the following three numbers - 13 - 32 - 38. For this example we will choose number 32. Once you have made your choice place the score of 1-1 in the correct score section next to the teams that are playing at number 32 on the coupon for that week.

We simply back this number every week until we have a win. The three numbers I gave you have proved themselves to be quite consistent at attracting the score of 1-1 (One all).

With this bet you will need to increase your stake after a few weeks if you haven’t won by then. The following is recommended;

- Weeks 1 to 5 use a 1 point stake.
- Weeks 6 to 8 use a 2 point stake.
- Weeks 9 to 10 use a 3 point stake.
- Week 11 - 4 points
- Week 12 - 5 points
- Week 13 - 6 points
- Week 14 - 7 points
- Week 15 - 8 points
- Week 16 - 10 points
- Week 17 - 12 points and so on....

A point can be anything, £1 or £2 etc. If we assume that we have a win on week 6 we would have placed a 2 points bet here. This would win us back 11 points at odds of 11/2, plus our 2 points stake, making 13 points. During the previous 5 weeks we lost 5 lots of 1 points, so all in all we’ve made 8 points profit.

As you can see, this system played consistently over the long term can bring you regular winnings. Until next time, please bet responsibly, and continue to educate yourself to master your skills and gain the edge over the casino, the bookie, or whoever you're playing against!

About The Author

Ellison Mansfield

Yes it's true: Ellison Mansfield has made a career out of gambling. He's flown under the radar for virtually his entire adult life, beating the casinos and stockpiling his winnings. After holding onto these secrets and amassing a private fortune over the past 16 years, he finally decided it was time to come out and share some of his knowledge with the world. Please see http://www.insidersystem.com for the latest winning tips and strategies.

Learning How to Play Poker Online

Learning How to Play Poker Online
by: Jeff Dragt

Poker is not entirely a game of luck, but rather a game of skill and how you can take the cards you are dealt and make them win. This requires knowledge of odds, bluffing, and the general rules of the game not to mention the other cards opponents have showing. So, if you are interested in playing poker online you can really learn how to play well and win money. It's not just about what you are dealt, it's how you play the cards you are dealt so focus on learning rules and strategy before you begin playing poker online for money.

Learning how to play poker in a real casino or with other people can frequently be intimidating and your nervousness and anxiety will take over making it more difficult to think and play your hands efficiently. Of course, in time, this wears off as your confidence builds, however there is a way to avoid this situation altogether and that is with online poker. You can easily enter an online poker room and start practicing and learn how to play. Also, most of the top poker sites have poker rooms where you can practice and play for free, so take advantage of this situation and log some hours in the practice poker rooms. You will build your knowledge of the game as well as your confidence and once you have become good enough you can give a paying room a try. You wouldn't enter a marathon without training and you should not enter an online poker site without practicing if you do not want to lose your money.

Strategy Strategy is important and this is the key factor that will help you win many games even if the cards did not fall just as you were hoping. Also, many players lack strategy and are too cocky to think they need it, so simply do some research on the strategy for your preferred poker game and implement these as you are practicing. The more your practice the easier strategy will become and before you know it your brain will simply be thinking in a strategic way. This is important and it will train you to become a really great poker player.

Of course, the online free poker games seem silly to many and just a way to pass the time like Solitaire or any other computer game. However, if you are truly interested in becoming a better player all you have to do is really focus on the practice games as if they were real games and the money was real as well, implement the strategies you are learning, focus on mistakes and why certain moves did not work, and you will really become a better poker player. When you are a better poker player you may begin playing for money online and will be prepared to play against the many talented card players that are in the online poker rooms.

Keep in mind, however, that the play tables are not as well laid out as the money tables, so after a few hands you should be able to learn and start winning a few hands. However, if you are not winning with the play hands after a couple hours of playing then you either play poorly or are not implementing the strategies you have learned, and likely a combination of both. Remember, if you are losing on a regular basis in the play tables then there is no reason to enter the money tables because you will lose again and this time real money. So stay focused when you are learning how to play and understand that if you can't win at the free tables you will never win at the pay tables. Once you have played the free games for a while and start winning some, then you should move on to some of the cheap real games. There are games for one cent and two cents online, so you should consider playing those as your second step in the quest to become a good poker player. While the free games will help you learn how to play the game and the basics, you must take a step up every once in a while to challenge yourself and to learn more in order to become a better player. As long as you continue practicing and moving up a step at a time you will become a great poker player and win a lot of money. However, if you try and join the professional players when you still are learning the rules of the game you will simply lose money and your self esteem. Don't let this happen and take it one step at a time.

Becoming a Player Now that you know how to become a player you need to start practicing. Check out some of the top 10 poker room sites on the Internet and then start playing the practice hands. By doing this you will be able to learn a lot faster and save your embarrassment for a bad move because you are in front of your computer screen and nobody can see you. In the past, learning to play poker took a lot of time and guts because individuals had to endure playing with those better than themselves and individuals who would surely beat them for some time. However, you can avoid this situation altogether by simply playing the free games online and taking advantage of all that is made available to you. Then, when you finally do make it to the money games you will be able to hold your own and will likely win which is a ego booster and will only help you to continue playing well. Don't think the free online poker games are a waste of time, but rather utilize them and make them teach you the ins and outs of poker so you become a truly great player.

About The Author

Jeff Dragt has been writing for a variety of poker websites and has been playing poker online for over 5 years. http://www.holdemgambling.com.

Poker Know Your Limits

Poker – Know Your Limits
by: Adel Awwad

Whether you’re playing poker in a casino with your chips right in front of you or playing an online poker game in an internet casino, it’s easy to get carried away when you’re betting. If you’ve had to hitchhike home from Las Vegas because you broke the bank or if you are on the verge of getting a divorce due to the fact that you can’t afford to pay the internet bill because of your internet casino habit, take the problem seriously. There are meetings and support groups available for you. Ask your doctor for help.

However, if your problem is a little less serious than that: you tend to get a little overzealous with your betting when stakes are high and the heat of the online poker game is at a boiling point, then here are a few things for you to try. You can have fun playing online poker without losing your shirt – or having to worry about money at all. All you need to do is set a few guidelines for yourself!

-Set a limit. Just like you might hand your credit cards and ATM card over to your best friend and go to a brick and mortar casino with a specific amount of cash in your pocket, so too should you go to an online casino, use your credit card for one specific amount and then put it away.

-Enjoy a free amateur game. If you’ve bet your limit but still feel like playing online poker, play a few free amateur games. Most internet casinos have plenty to offer. If you enjoy yourself, maybe the next time around, you’ll throw your money onto their online poker table.

-Keep track. By all means, don’t lose track of how many deposits you’ve made into your internet casino account. Just because you might forget doesn’t mean it didn’t happen!

About The Author

Adel Awwad is the webmaster of Online Casinos - Copyright © 2005 http://www.casinoguide.ws All Rights Reserved. This document may be freely redistributed in its unedited form and on the condition that all copyright references are kept intact along with the hyperlinked URLs

Poker Lingo For Amateurs

Poker Lingo For Amateurs
by: John Harding

The World Series of Poker has sprouted many followers in the last couple of years. Amateur tables are popping up all over the world and friendly cash games are everywhere come Friday night. Whether it is for thrill or profit the so called sport of poker has the attention of many onlookers year round. While Amateurs know the basics of the game they usually get lost in all the poker lingo spoken at the casino poker tables. While some is lingo is made up by experienced players to throw off the amateurs, some are actually well known terms in the poker world that any amateur trying to make it big should know. Below is a guide to all the poker lingo you could ever want to impress your friends or intimidate an experienced opponent. Take a look.

Ante: The initial money thrown into the pot to induce betting. This is done before the flop.

All In: When a person decides to put all his chips in to bet on a certain hand. No Limit Hold’Em is the most popular game and All Ins are allowed as many times as a player wants. In Limit Hold’Em you cannot bet more then the pot itself.

Backdoor: Backdoor is a reference to when players are chasing a card that has not come up yet but has a good chance to. Having 4 cards of the same kind is a backdoor flush draw, having four cards in a row is a backdoor straight draw.

Bad Beat: A Bad Beat occurs when a player has a large advantage over the other and the last card beats the big hand by luck. Bad beat is usually used to imply that the player with the weak hand should not have been in the hand at all and it was by mere luck that he won his underdog hand.

Blind: In Texas Hold’Em, the game uses blinds instead of antes. The blinds are forced bets to induce some money in the pot by the two people sitting to the left of the dealer. The first person to the left of the dealer is the “small blind” and bets a smaller amount. The second person to the left of the dealer is the “big blind” and bets twice what the small blind has.

Bottom Pair: The lowest pair out of the cards out on the table.

Check: When a player decides to not bet he calls “Check”. This is the option of betting zero dollars.

Check Raise: When a player checks with a strong hand hoping another opponent will raise. The player then re-raises with his strong hand thus getting more money out of his opponent in the pot.

Drawing Dead: When a player is trying to make a hand that will still not win the pot.

Flop: The first three cards that are “flopped” onto the table. These are also called community cards.

Heads Up Play: When there are only two players playing a certain hand they are considered “heads up”.

Muck: A pile of unused cards usually in front of the dealer. These come from folded or burned cards. To “much your cards” is to fold them by throwing them into the muck pile.

The Nuts: Likely the favorite expression of any poker player. The Nuts indicates a hand that is mathematically unbeatable with the cards on the table.

Offsuit: When the two cards you are dealt are of different suits.

Pocket: The two cards dealt to you in Texas Hold’Em that only you can see.

Rake: The total amount of money that the casino’s dealer takes out of every pot.

The River: The last card to be flopped on the board. The 5th card to come out in a Texas Hold’Em game.

Short Stack: The short stack is referring to the player with the least amount of chips at the table.

Tell: A tell refers to a players action when he or she has a good or bad hand. Some players take off their sun glasses when they have a bad hand. Other players tend to itch their right hand when they have a good hand.

The Turn: The fourth card to be flopped onto the table in a Texas Hold’Em game.

These are the necessary terms in order to keep up with the pros. There are hundreds of other terms in the world of poker, yet they are much less needed or too experienced for the amateur. Learn this lingo and impress your friends or play at experienced tables and wow the crowd. Lastly, poker is a great game, but the greatest player in poker knows one this: When to know you’re beat. Everyone likes to hold’em, but sometimes you get that feeling and you just have to fold’em.

About The Author

John Harding is a respected poker author. More articles can be found at http://www.poker-prophet.com Poker Prophe

Slot Machines -Buy Your Own For Fun And Excitement 2

Slot Machines - Buy Your Own For Fun And Excitement!
by: David Olsen

Whether you’re searching for the perfect game room item, or avidly love slot machines, you’re sure to find just the right one to fill your desires. Not only does the Internet offer several gaming sites, there’s also a wealth of slot machines for those who want to purchase that special machine.

One machine you’ll find that is very appealing is the pachislo slot machine. The pachislo slot machine is imported from China. Remember these are real slot machines that are just like ones that you’d find in a casino. The prices of the pachislo slot machine is very reasonable. These slot machines come with a full user’s manual s well as information as to how they have been tested.

There is some basic information you’ll want to get the best benefits from your slot machines. You’ll want to know about things like how to do modifications that will change the style of play, payout percentages, payout combinations and other important ways to have fun with your slot machines. After all that’s the whole goal… to have fun.

Most slot machines are tested before shipment by running 10,000 coins through the machine. This give a purchaser a real-time test of the factory configured payout results. You’ll have an idea of what to expect as far as payout levels and operation of the slot machines.

If you’re looking for some of the older slot machines that were used before computerization of slot machines occurred, the Internet is still the first place to search. You can find lots of information about different slot machines, as well as people who will have these collector items for sale.

You can’t find a better conversation piece for those special entertainment occasions than slot machines. A brand new model or one of the collectible slot machines, either way it’s sure to liven up any crowd and be one of the most spirited and entertaining events you’ll have.

If you’re interested in starting your own collections of antique slot machines, you should definitely begin by searching the Web. While you may know just which slot machines you want to begin your collection, you search will be much easier of you do it online. In addition, you may get the best deal for your money online.

No matter what your reasons, owning your own slot machines is a fun and exciting adventure. Nothing revs up the excitement quite like slot machines. Have fun and enjoy.

About The Author

David Olsen has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website is all about the many variations of Online Slots. Visit His site to learn more http://www.onlineslotmachines.us. Mr. Olsen works from home and is married with one young son.

Slot Machines Buy Your Own for Fun and Excitement

Slot Machines - Buy Your Own for Fun and Excitement!
by: David Olsen

Whether you’re searching for the perfect game room item, or avidly love slot machines, you’re sure to find just the right one to fill your desires. Not only does the Internet offer several gaming sites, there’s also a wealth of slot machines for those who want to purchase that special machine.

One machine you’ll find that is very appealing is the pachislo slot machine. The pachislo slot machine is imported from China. Remember these are real slot machines that are just like ones that you’d find in a casino. The prices of the pachislo slot machine is very reasonable. These slot machines come with a full user’s manual s well as information as to how they have been tested.

There is some basic information you’ll want to get the best benefits from your slot machines. You’ll want to know about things like how to do modifications that will change the style of play, payout percentages, payout combinations and other important ways to have fun with your slot machines. After all that’s the whole goal… to have fun.

Most slot machines are tested before shipment by running 10,000 coins through the machine. This give a purchaser a real-time test of the factory configured payout results. You’ll have an idea of what to expect as far as payout levels and operation of the slot machines.

If you’re looking for some of the older slot machines that were used before computerization of slot machines occurred, the Internet is still the first place to search. You can find lots of information about different slot machines, as well as people who will have these collector items for sale.

You can’t find a better conversation piece for those special entertainment occasions than slot machines. A brand new model or one of the collectible slot machines, either way it’s sure to liven up any crowd and be one of the most spirited and entertaining events you’ll have.

If you’re interested in starting your own collections of antique slot machines, you should definitely begin by searching the Web. While you may know just which slot machines you want to begin your collection, you search will be much easier of you do it online. In addition, you may get the best deal for your money online.

No matter what your reasons, owning your own slot machines is a fun and exciting adventure. Nothing revs up the excitement quite like slot machines. Have fun and enjoy.

About The Author

David Olsen has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website, Play Video Poker, is all about video Poker with special attention paid to Online Poker. Visit His site to learn more http://www.playvideopoker.us. Mr. Olsen works from home and is married with one young son.

The Evolution of Video Poker

The Evolution of Video Poker
by: David Olsen

Video poker has been around for over 30 years. It started out when casinos noticed that many people liked to play cards but were too scared to actually sit down at a poker table. Video poker allowed these players to play poker without having to look their opponents in the eye. With the explosion of online casinos Video Poker’s popularity grew exponentially. This growth in turn led to the development of new versions of video poker. Here we'll take a look at some of the more important developments in the video poker world.

1. Multi Hand Video Poker

Multi Hand Video Poker is like "normal" video poker on steroids. As its name implies, you're playing more then one hand at a time. Common variations include Jacks or Better (of course), 10's Or Better, Deuces Wild and more. The Games come in 4, 10, 50, and even 100 hand versions. Multi hand video poker is an exciting twist on standard single hand video poker. Today, most online casinos have at least one multi-hand version.

2. Power Poker

Power Poker is Microgaming's version of Multi-Hand Video Poker and is probably the most popular multi-hand version on the web. Currently there are 11 different Power Poker Games in 4, 10 and 50 hand versions. Playing Power Poker is like playing the single hand version of the game. You start with the same 5 cards in each hand. You then select the card(s) you wish to hold. The remaining cards are discarded and new cards replace the discarded ones. Winning hands are determined by a redefined payout schedule.

3. Progressive Video Poker

Progressive Video Poker is yet another exciting variation of good old video poker. Progressive Video poker follows the same rules as a non-progressive version of the same game. The difference is in the payout of the royal flush. Often times, progressive jackpots build through multiple casinos, so potentially the pot can be huge. When playing a Progressive machine, it's crucial to play the max coins on every play, that's the only way to win the jackpot.

4. Online Poker Rooms

Online Poker is not technically a video poker; however, since there are obvious similarities between the two, I felt a brief overview should be included here. In video poker you are playing against a machine, winning and losing hands are determined by a static payout schedule. However, when you're playing online poker, you are playing against real people. There is no predetermined payout schedule, you can win as much as your opponents are willing to wager on each hand. Also, and more importantly, Online poker allows you to bluff, meaning in theory, if you're a good enough bluffer, you can have the worst hand at the table but still win, if you've been able to convince your opponents to fold. This is the main reason for the huge popularity in online poker.

Lastly, as you can see, video poker continues to evolve. What started out as a game for would-be poker players who were too intimidated to sit down at a real table, has, with the advent of Online Poker, come full circle. Today a poker player can sit down at a virtual table with players from around the world. Amazing...

About The Author

David Olsen has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website is all about the many variations of Video Poker. Visit http://www.playvideopoker.us to learn more about Progressive Video Poker, Online Poker, Multi-hand Video Poker and Power Poker

The Legality of Online Poker

The Legality of Online Poker
by: Jeff Dragt

The topic of whether online poker is legal or illegal is frankly quite interesting. Typically, gambling is managed by each individual state, and as a result some states have legalized gambling and casinos and others do not. However, the internet is not something that can be managed by each state because it is global, there are no controls so to speak by individual countries, states, or governments on the Internet because it is like another world. But, back to the legality of poker online, a question that has no answer or many answers depending on how you look at it. There is no precedent set for gambling online, as a result there is no way to say that gambling online is legal, illegal, or none of the above. In fact, you could answer yes, no, or maybe, and be just as right with any of these answers. The Wire Act is one issues people say that makes gambling online illegal because it bans gambling by phone, however there is no precedent set that makes this statement valid regarding Internet gambling. As a result, while there are plenty of ways to infer gambling online is illegal, there is no way to prove so until a precedent is set. Setting a legal precedent requires someone being charged with playing online poker and then being found guilty. As of yet, not one single American soul out of the millions who play online poker each and every day has ever been charged, fined, or convicted of this act.

You might find this information not very helpful because your question is whether or not you can safely play poker online and not worry about breaking the law or being subjected to prosecution or fines of any type. Well, there is no outright answer, which favors playing poker online because there is nothing saying you absolutely cannot play poker online. Even if your state does not have legalized gambling or casinos, you can still play poker online and not worry about the authorities catching you and giving you a ticket. At the moment in time, finding all the online poker players, and fining them is not the main goal of states, and until there is some definitive statement regarding online poker you should play your heart away. Additionally, the fact that no legal precedent exists regarding online poker means you really have nothing to worry about.

However, if you are really concerned about the legality, or illegality, of playing poker online you should play and keep your ear out for any new information on the subject, or else avoid the game altogether because if you are so worried about the legality of online poker you won't really be able to enjoy playing the game.

Online Poker Beginnings Poker and gambling has been popular for years, however many states have outlawed the activity relegating die hard fans to travel to the likes of Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or even the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina to play their beloved game. However, not everyone can afford to travel to one of these destinations to play poker, nor do individuals have the time to do so on a regular basis. So, what was the average person who loved poker supposed to do if his buddies couldn't play one Saturday night? Before online poker there were few options, now, no matter where you live you can play poker online to your hearts desire. You can play at night, in the morning, while eating lunch, or working as well. Online poker allows you to play your favorite game whenever and wherever you like!

At first, people thought this was an amazing idea, but they were also very cautious as well because the Internet was new, there was little understanding on how one could actually win money in an online poker game and then receive the money, there was mistrust, and simply confusion. But, the poker websites started offering security measures, large bonuses, and benefits for online players and little by little individuals started playing poker online.

The first players of online poker shared their success stories with friends and family members, as well as boasting about the security measures and the safety of playing online. This word of mouth advertising in addition to the advertising by the online poker sites really attracted new players and now in just a few short years online poker sites are some of the most popular sites on the web and there are people who play online poker every single day. If you had asked poker players 20 years ago what they thought of playing poker at home on a computer rather than in the casino you probably would have gotten some really strange looks and resounding negative responses. However, the age of the Internet has changed people and whether it is shopping, paying bills, or playing poker online the Internet is making everything easier and more accessible to the masses. Before, poker was a game of the wealthy who had the money to spend on a long vacation to a poker hot spot. Now, poker is a game of the every day man or woman that enjoys a hand of poker, but has neither the time nor the money to travel all over the country to play.

This huge growth in online poker is what has so many people worried about the legality of it and whether or not laws will be passed to regulate online pokers sites. While the future is unknown regarding online poker sites and whether they will be considered legal, illegal, or just another website remains to be seen, but until then simply log on to your favorite online gambling website and play to your hearts desire.

About The Author

Jeff Dragt is a writer for http://www.onlinepokerchaser.com

Your Book is a Business

Your Book is a Business
by: Dr. Jamie Fettig
Think like a businessperson, not an author.

Once the final draft is written, you’re no longer an author. You’re an entrepreneur with a product to sell, and it’s critical that you start thinking that way. Instead of spending your time on editing and proofreading, you’ve got to invest your time in marketing activities. That means finding the answers to three critical questions:

a. Who is your audience?
b. What will compel them to buy your book?
c. What methods should you use to reach them?

At this stage, you need to think about capturing leads, producing sales material, getting testimonials and positive reviews, and arranging publicity events. Your focus should be on all the ways you can create awareness of your book.

The best way to get started in thinking like a businessperson is after your final draft is done but before you go to print, sit down and write out the answers to these questions:

• What is my marketing budget?
• What resources do I have in place already?
• What people do I know who can help me?
• What are my sales goals for the year?

Keep your expectations realistic.

The average self-published book sells only about 3,000 copies, and the average book issued by a publisher sells only a few thousand more. For every bestseller, there are hundreds of books that sell moderately and disappear. So you’ve got to keep your expectations realistic, or you’ll set yourself up to get discouraged and quit trying to market your book.

Rather than worry about the overall number of copies sold, I recommend to people that they set their goals, especially for a first book, like this:

a. Monetary goals. For most authors, selling enough copies to break even is a very worthwhile goal. If you can do that, you’ve done great!
b. Career goals. Your book might give a big boost to your speaking career, medical practice or other endeavor.
c. Publicity goals. Your book could position you as an expert in your field, so that you get invited on radio programs, TV, speaking engagements, etc.
d. Publishing goals. Maybe your book is noticed by a publisher who wants to re-release it, or you are offered a chance to write future books.
e. Networking goals. You meet agents, designers, journalists and others who could be wonderful contacts for the future.

Your expectations for your book should not be centered on copies sold. Instead, focus on developing and executing a brilliant marketing and PR plan, making key contacts, and finding ways to create value for readers, for the media and for organizations who might make big bulk purchases. If you focus on those things, sales will take care of themselves.

Concentrate on meeting all 5 types of goals. That way, even if your sales are only moderate, but you do brilliantly in getting publicity and making contacts, you can consider your book a success.

Have a solid, long-term marketing plan.

Before you ever get close to even finishing your first draft, sit down and map out the basics of your marketing and promotional plan. The key questions you’ll need to answer:

• What is my marketing budget?
• When should my book be ready?
• Who is my audience and what need does this book meet?
• What will my price point be?
• How many copies do I need to sell to break even?
• How many copies do I want to sell?
• What marketing channels will I use to reach my readers?
• What relationships can I leverage to make bulk sales?
• What relationships can I leverage to get press coverage?
• Who will design my Website?
• Do I need a marketing staff?
• Will I do an e-newsletter?
• Will I hire a distributor or ship the books myself?
• Do I want to be in the bookstores?
• Will I do “guerilla” marketing?
• What ancillary products can I produce (tapes, CDs, etc.)
• How can my seminars/consulting/current business support this book?

That’s a lot of material, but it’s all important. Take a couple of months and figure it out. You can also cut some time off your learning curve by learning from others who have done it already.
About the author:

Are you interested in the one seminar that has created more Best-Selling authors than any other seminar? A seminar put on by the guy who has sold more books than every other book in the history of the world except the bible? Then get yourself to the Mega Book Marketing Seminar and train yourself to be a mega-successful author and become a sought after speaker. Make the difference with your book that you want to make. To Register and for more information go to http://www.bazuji.com/book

Your Book Not in Book Stores? Don't Worry

Your Book Not in Book Stores? Don't Worry
by: Dr. Jamie Fettig

Trying to figure out how to get your self published books into book stores? Don't worry about it because you can get more book sales easier and with less effort elsewhere. Some useful tips for you and your book from Mark Victor Hansen, who has sold more than 100 million books so far.

Sure, we all want to look on the shelves at Barnes and Noble and see our books there. It's thrilling. But it's really not necessary. I see so many authors waste their time and money paying distributors and driving from store to store, delivering books when they should be selling directly to the public. The Internet makes it possible.

In fact, there are many good reasons NOT to be in bookstores:

* You don't have to pay a distributor, who will take a cut of your profits.
* You don't have to worry about shipping and returns.
* You don't have to fight for shelf space.

In most cases, selling direct to the public, or through bulk sales to institutions, is a much better way to turn your book into a revenue stream. With the Internet, tradeshows and other events, and seminars, you have multiple ways to sell direct, pocket 100% of the profits, and save yourself the hassle of trying to get into Borders.

I also recommend selling on Amazon.com. They do take a substantial chunk of your sales price, but it's a wonderful way to generate buzz about your book. Otherwise, unless you can truly benefit from the prestige of being on the bookshelves, leave the bookstores to John Grisham and Stephen King.

Pursue bulk sales.

Ninety percent of new authors are only focused with getting people into bookstores to buy their book. And it's great if you can do that, but I give them all the same advice: do not overlook bulk sales. They can turn your book from a money-loser into a profit center in a few months. Bulk sales are a gold mine.

What do I mean by bulk sales? I mean selling your books in large quantities to an organization, which could mean anything from a corporation to a school district to a non-profit group to a church. You'll have to give the organization a price break for buying in bulk, but you'll get dozens, hundreds or even thousands of your books into people's hands, which dramatically increases your word-of-mouth and viral marketing.

Promoting bulk sales is a pretty straightforward deal. Simply look at your book and ask yourself what companies, organizations or affinity groups would be interested in the book for their employees or members. If you've written a book on corporate team building, make a list of corporations where you have personal contacts. If your book is about exercise for seniors, try contacting AARP. And so on. Marketing bulk sales is usually about personal contact, either by letter or direct mail.

When you're going after bulk sales, try to get to the "gatekeepers," the people who can make the decisions for a large organization. It makes much more sense to talk to 20 people who have the potential between them to order 10,000 books than to sell them one at a time. Even if you only get orders from three of those gatekeepers, you'll sell a few thousand books.

Be sure to offer a good bulk rate discount for your bulk buyers. The more books they buy, the bigger the price break. If they buy over 1,000, give them 50% off. You'll still make money and you'll start winning readers.

Always build your mailing and e-mail lists.

There are two kinds of lists: physical mailing address lists and e-mail lists, and you should always be building both. They are your promotional lifelines to your potential readers and customers, and everything you do to market your book should have some component that gathers contact information of prospective buyers.

The best way to build your list is quite simple: get people to come to your Website, offer them something of value, and require them to give you (at a minimum) their name and e-mail address to get it. The kinds of things you can offer:

* Downloadable excerpts from your book.
* A subscription to your e-newsletter.
* An advance discount on your book.
* An audio CD or other ancillary product.

Be creative. Is there something that pushes your target audience's buttons? Offer it to them. This kind of "opt-in" list, where people consent to receiving future information from you, is the gold standard of marketing.

Some other reputable ways you can build your list:

* Take names or business cards at a tradeshow or conference.
* Membership lists from organizations of which you are a member
* Get respected colleagues to e-mail their lists asking their contacts to go to your site to find something of value to them.

But always, always be building your list. And make sure that your database software is solid, proven, regularly maintained, and backed up weekly.

About The Author

Dr. Jamie Fettig

Are you interested in the one seminar that has created more Best-Selling authors than any other seminar? A seminar put on by the guy who has sold more books than every other book in the history of the world except the bible? Then get yourself to the Mega Book Marketing Seminar and train yourself to be a mega-successful author and become a sought after speaker. Make the difference with your book that you want to make. To Register and for more information go to http://www.bazuji.com/book

Tips For Football Betting

Tips For Football Betting
by: Rob Mellor

How depressingly gray would be a world where everything is governed by a set of universal rules rigorously shaping everything? Isn’t it better if we strike back with a chance to confound the tweed coated straight laced brigade and weave a little exotic odds into life that are not really approved of. It is precisely this change that inspires even the most sober of us to risk a couple of quid. But the art of a successful competition is to not only create a game that has a real chance of success for the entry stake, but allows us to lose that stake without significant damage to our ongoing lifestyle. Placing bets on football matches using various tips and tactics helps us achieve this motive.

In this article we shall thus discuss about the major tips and tactics that help us make the best of our money. Football betting is not like the other traditional casino games. Those games are games of chance where the house always has a built-in edge. Football betting is different in that you can choose which games to wager on and which games to pass on. By only betting on games that have a positive expected return and passing on games that have negative expected return, the football betting enthusiast can thus turn the tables on the sports book and put himself in the position to always have the edge.

Basic knowledge of sports handicapping is required

Football betting requires a basic knowledge of sports handicapping. You need to understand what goes into determining the spread and how to arrive at an educated guess at the game outcome. Football handicapping is part science and part art. The best football handicappers not only know how to analyze the statistics, they also have an instinct gained from years of experience. To acquire these skills and instincts the punter needs to do handicapping for him self using picks and recommendations from other bettors as simply a starting point.

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information

Handicapping is all about acquiring and using the right information. You are attempting to predict the future. You do that by looking at what has happened in the past, which is where statistics are useful, and by looking at the current situation, which is where the latest news is critical.

However one should always remember that even the best handicappers are rarely right more than 58% of the time. Our goal should be to win more than 50% of the bets.

About The Author

Rob Mellor owns the www.football-systems-uk.com website helping people change there life and earn a second or even first income from soccer betting. Please visit the site to get a free football betting tips.

Video Poker Games – How Real Do They Play

Video Poker Games – How Real Do They Play?
by: David Olsen

Video poker games are the software version of a simulation of playing poker in a real life setting. While nothing beats the real life game, these video poker games offer real fun and lots of winning chances.

Another type of video poker games is those that are designed to help you learn and improve your skills in a real life games. There’s video poker games available for just about every type of traditional poker games. Here’s a list of some of the more popular video poker games: Omaha Hold 'em, Texas Hold 'em, Seven Card Stud, Blackjack, the World Series of Poker event, and Caribbean Stud Poker. You will also find many variations.

There’s video poker online, as well as in your land casinos. You can also get these video poker games for your handheld electronics. No mater how you choose to play video poker games, you’re sure to find excitement, fun and lots of chances to win.

Some of the most popular online video poker games are Texas Hold’em, jacks or better video poker and deuces wild video poker. There’s several sites online where you can download the software, and play for free or real money. For the poker fan, there’s a wealth of opportunity for fun, excitement and many winnings.

If you’re looking to learn strategy, several video poker games have been designed to teach you strategies and the rules. There’s several produced by the world’s most talented professional poker players. What better way than to learn from the professionals.

Just as in person-to-person poker, the video poker games involve chance and skill. One of the neat things about video poker games is that they are available whenever you want to play. The online gaming sites that offer video poker games are never closed. You don’t have to worry about who is going to show up or if you’ll have enough people to play. There are always people playing online video poker games no matter the time of day or night.

The basics of the rules are pretty much the same as when you’re playing with the traditional 52-card deck. With video games, the rules, the table bets, and other things that must be determined in real life are already set for you. All you have to do is read the rules, and begin play.

If you haven’t played video poker games, you owe it to yourself to check them out. Beware, they’re lost of fun and can be addictive.

Have fun and good luck.

About The Author

David Olsen has been writing about online casinos and casino strategy for over five years and is considered an authority in the online gambling world. His latest website, Play Video Poker, is all about video Poker with special attention paid to Online Poker. Visit His site to learn more http://www.playvideopoker.us.

Virginia Is For Lovers With Plenty Of Bed And Breakfasts

Virginia Is For Lovers With Plenty Of Bed And Breakfasts
by: Shawn Everett

The state slogan for Virginia is "Virginia is for lovers" and there are plenty of bed and breakfast locations to help lovers spend some quality time together in a peaceful, relaxing and special atmosphere that simply cannot be found in a hotel. As a result, if you live in Virginia or are simply passing through, consider a Virginia bed and breakfast for your accommodations and you will certainly enjoy your stay even more.

Virginia is a very diversified state in the fact that there are mountains, city, the beach, and everything in between. And, no matter where you find yourself in Virginia there will be a bed and breakfast to meet your needs. Of course, there are more bed and breakfast locations in the cities especially closer to Washington D.C., but there are so many bed and breakfast locations that you can truly find just what you are looking for no matter where you find yourself. It might be difficult to just happen across a bed and breakfast in Virginia however because they are generally houses with signs, but nothing to compete with the big lit signs of hotels. As a result, you should plan ahead and look for Virginia bed and breakfasts in one of the many bed and breakfast directories available. Doing this will allow you to find all the bed and breakfasts listed in Virginia and you can check out rates, amenities, and then contact the b and b to make a reservation. Having your stay planned in advance will make you rest easy.

A bed and breakfast in Virginia is really a great option because it is almost as if you are staying at home, but with someone preparing a full breakfast for you and willing to meet your every need and even whim. As a result, a bed and breakfast can be an enjoyable and very romantic place to stay. If you are planning a trip to Virginia, check out the bed and breakfast options and you will more than likely choose to stay in a bed and breakfast on your next trip to Virginia.

About The Author

Shawn Everett is the owner of The Bed and Breakfast Connector http://www.bbconnector.com, a directory of bed and breakfast inns accross North America including Virginia.

What Is A Good Weight For Poker Chips

What Is A Good Weight For Poker Chips?
by: Johnny Hand

I have been playing poker since my college days. I went to a small school in western Massachusetts. The funny thing is back in those days we would use anything as poker chips. It was not uncommon for us to scrape our pennies together or even break open a bag of potatoes chips that we heisted from the dorm room across the hall to use as our poker chips. Well since then I have matured and in this article I will talk about 13.5g poker chips.

I highly recommend using 13.5g poker chips.13.5g poker chips are the heaviest chips available on the poker market today and are typically of the highest quality grade. These poker chips feel like casino quality chips because they usually are casino quality and are a ton of fun to play with. In fact, these chips are usually better then casino quality poker chips. Think about it a little. The companies that produce these chips have stiff competition and casinos would not pay that much money for the quality of the chips we get on the market! A typical casino uses the 11.5 gram chips that are 39mm in diameter.

The 13.5 gram chips are a little heavier and usually a stronger chip. Again I recommend these. For example, when you have your buddies over playing a tourney and they are dropping the chips on the floor and spilling beer on them. Figuring out what kind of poker chip to splurge on, especially if you play often is important too. Those of you who host poker games should make sure your chips can withstand the consistent handling. (see above about dropping on floor) 13.5g chips are perfect for regular players because the wear and tear that human hands place on chips can be a force. Poker chips are often handled aggressively, (everyone likes to shuffle them etc..) and the cheap ones just may fall victim to the trash can after a dozen games.

Your 13.5g poker chips will compliment your poker set nicely. Good poker supplies make a huge difference in the world. Don't ever even think about short changing your game if it is something you really like. Spend a few extra bucks to get something nice that will last you a lifetime.

You can find 13.5g poker chips pretty much anywhere now. I have seen them at casinos, novelty stores, gaming stores but more importantly online gaming stores. Online gaming stores are turning up all over cyberspace and will often provide you with far cheaper price options for your high quality poker chips. If you don't feel like hopping in your car and heading to a local store, then do yourself a favor and take a peek and see what you can find on the web. However, be careful, do some homework, and don't settle on a store that is not highly suggested by other poker nuts!

In conclusion, take your time when choosing your 13.5g poker chips. Do some quick research and find a reliable source for your poker chips and accessories. Make sure you find the cheapest price for the amount of chips your willing to purchase. So at your next poker tournament that you host you will look like a king and not a peasant!

About The Author

Johnny Hand writes for http://www.the-poker-outlet.com

Johny recommends:
http://www.the-poker-outlet.com/400-pc.-poker-chip-set-with-case.htm
http://www.the-poker-outlet.com/700-pc-poker-chip-set.htm
http://www.the-poker-outlet.com/ace-poker-chip-set-sale.htm

What to Look for In Online Poker Sites

What to Look for In Online Poker Sites
by: Jeff Dragt

Online poker game websites have become more and more popular these days as a casino establishment alternative. They are a convenient way of playing a variety of poker games in the comfort of your own home. Online poker websites make virtual poker games readily available to the beginner and advanced poker player alike. However, there are a few things one should consider when trying to choose the perfect online poker website in which to play this entertaining game. Safety is one key thing to consider when looking to play poker games online and researching the site ahead of time may make your poker play a bit safer than if you were to simply jump right in without a second thought. Secondly, another thing that a prospective online poker player should look into with regard to an online poker website prior to beginning play is good odds as people who play this game online for money are looking to win. A third thing to search for within online poker websites relates to the type of poker games that the websites are offering. Lastly, it is always good to do some research with regard to what the betting limits will be prior to choosing an online poker website which you would like to utilize.

As internet safety is becoming a more serious concern these days, it is extremely important to know how your money will be exchanged before, during and after the poker games and what financial information you are going to have to give out in order to play poker online. In a world where internet scams are overly present, it is important to make sure that you are utilizing an online poker website that is a secure website. Therefore, it is important to know in advance that your financial information will not be transmitted in such a manner where there may be an opportunity for someone to get a hold of it and use it in a wrongful manner. Checking into all available safety features prior to starting to play online poker on a particular website is definitely a smart move and one which I highly recommend that you look into.

Another thing to look for when choosing a particular online poker website prior to playing this wonderful card game is what type of odds are going to be present in the online poker game. Online poker is a great way of having fun and maybe making a little bit of money in the process; however, it is important to know what your odds will be prior to sitting down at the virtual poker table. You will most likely be able to research odds by going onto the online poker website which you are thinking about using and seeing what they have to say on the subject. If that particular website does not post any odds information on it, then you might be better off moving on to another site that does publish that type of information.

As there are a variety of online poker games available to the beginner and advanced online poker player alike, it is important to know what online poker game websites offer with regard to particular types of poker games. It will not do you any good to start using a poker game website that only hosts a few types of poker games, especially if all of the ones which the website offers are ones in which you may be unfamiliar with. Therefore, it is best to research the online poker website prior to beginning a poker game so that you know what type of poker game will be played. If you are unfamiliar with the type of poker game being played but still want to give it a shot, why not try looking at a few other websites that describe the type of poker game which is being played on your chosen website. By doing a little research you will be able to brush up on the rules of that particular game thereby increasing your odds of winning.

Since many individuals have a set amount in mind that they wish to spend on entertainment such as online poker playing, it is important to look at different online poker game websites to see what their betting limits may be prior to utilizing a poker website. By searching different online poker websites you will be able to determine which website best fits your means. By doing a little research up front you are able to find out whether you want to use that particular website or if another poker gaming website is more your speed. Therefore, checking out the betting limits prior signing on with a particular online poker game website is highly advisable for poker players wishing to play online.

Because using the internet to peruse different online poker game websites will only tell you so much, you should also consider asking for recommendations from friends and family members. If you know any friends or family members that play poker online for fun, you should inquire whether or not they have any recommendations concerning the better online poker game websites. This will allow you to gain insight into what websites host the best odds, what ones have the lower betting limits and things of that sort. It is also a good way of finding out whether these individuals have had luck with a particular website or have been not so lucky with regards to winning on another online poker game website. Recommendations are a great way of retrieving some background information prior to getting settled with one particular online poker website. Always consider your options prior to choosing an online poker website because there will be ones that are better than other websites.

These are just a few things to consider when looking to find the perfect online poker website. If you take these tips into consideration, chances are that you will find the perfect online poker website that will make all of your gaming dreams come true.

About The Author

Jeff Dragt is an avid online poker player who has been working in the poker industry for years. If your new to poker and want to find out more then please visit my website. http://www.onlinepokerreports.com.

Stuck With A Zero Marketing Budget For Client Gifts?

Stuck With A Zero Marketing Budget For Client Gifts?
by: Sean D'Souza
Would you really dare to give each client a gift of $500 this Christmas? What about something worth $2000? Or maybe $5000?

You think I’m joking right? I mean, here you are struggling with your 50 cent marketing budget and I’m giving you the key to your bankruptcy. At Christmas time, too!

Step up to the roller coaster and you’ll find out how Marie beat the system with some simple, yet smart marketing tactics and how you can too. Yeah, just like that…

Marie Ain’t No Santa Claus!

Nope! She’s just like you and me.

She can do the Ho! Ho! Ho bit, until she’s faced with the prospect of expensive client gifts. Oh sure she wants to revel in the spirit of giving, but her bank balance is screaming for some mouth to mouth resuscitation. And that’s something she can’t ignore.

What’s Worse Is Marie’s Clients Probably Won’t Even Like The Gifts!

Look at yourself. Did you really like that burgundy sweater you got last year? Or that gift basket full of calorie-ridden chocolates that made you wish you hadn’t seen them at all.

Let’s face it. Murphy’s Law, kicks in bigger and bolder at this time of the year than any other. On average (and often because you’re buying gifts in bulk) you’re giving your client a gift that’s so far off the mark that you might as well throw it in your own trash can and save him the trouble.

How Can Marie Play Scrooge And Santa Simultaneously?

There’s one simple concept every business ignores. It’s called Spare Capacity. Hotels are never totally booked, flights are never quite packed to the gills, and by golly, most businesses like yours and mine (no matter how busy) always have some free space and time.

Marie could use this factor to her advantage. If she approached my business, these are the steps she would logically follow.

1-2-3, Cha, Cha, Cha (Here Are The Steps!)

Step 1: It’s all in the way Marie puts it. If she simply asked me to speak to her clients, I might decline, but if she made it extremely tantalizing, I’d be only too willing.

“How would you like to meet with 20 new clients, that would be very keen to do business with you?”

That kind of question would get my curiosity wound up pretty quickly. She can then explain how she would be introducing me to 20 of her top clients. All I had to do was offer each of them an hour of my time. If I did a good job, I would get a whole bunch of new clients that would be quite eager to meet me.

Let’s say I charge $500 for a consultation. Marie could qualify her clients well, and give them each a voucher to meet up with me. In this consultation, they would have the opportunity to throw me any of their marketing issues and I would have the chance to wow them with my fancy footwork.

Step 2: Once we’re in agreement, she would create a voucher that she can give to her clients. This voucher offers them the specified time at my convenience (I only need to meet them in my free time). This voucher would offer them the benefit of some radical, unusual marketing either via the net, phone or in person. To make the deal sweeter, Marie could offer me 20 hours of her time to meet my clients.

Step 3: We give these vouchers to our respective clients for Christmas. We tell them that we’ve bought them a gift that will help them tremendously in their business and that the gift is worth $500 or $2000, as the case may be.

Any one of those solutions would be worth anything from $200 to $20,000, depending on what the client did with the idea.

How does that compare with your $20 gift right now?

Where Do You Start Looking?

There are no rules. Just because you sell product, it doesn’t mean you have to do this Christmas swap with products.

If you sell products like beds, start looking at chiropractors, massage therapists, interior designers. If you look around you, you will find dozens of businesses that will be more than willing to play Christmas gift if there is something in it for them.

If you sell services…ditto. Look for services as well as products. Every one has spare capacity. Services are most highly valued because they’re abstract and based on the person themselves, but you can find products that are sitting in someone’s warehouse and they’d be glad for you to take them off their hands, in return for access to your top clients.

Best of all, this solves the problem of the suitability of the gift. Wouldn’t a business be more excited by a highly prized service than another daily planner?

Why This Concept May Not Work For You

Marie, has got to make sure that I give solid information in the consulting session to her clients. Sales pitches are a no-no. Your swap must be a REAL gift, not some shoddily disguised sales pitch.

Pick your Christmas Partners carefully. A lot could go wrong here if all they’re seeing is dollar signs.

The second reason why this may not work for you is sheer laziness. You might find it easier to step into a gift shop and blow $1000 on gifts for your clients. It’s easy and it beats having to knock on doors and trudge through snow or sun (depending on where you live on the planet).

Hopefully You’re Not That ‘Duh!’

When you give your gift, all you’re doing is trying to make your current client happy (and that’s great!). With Marie’s concept, you’re actually getting a chance to meet another 20 new clients.

Say that quietly to yourself: Twenty new clients without you having to do any selling. You don’t even have to spend any advertising or marketing moolah to get them in the door. Best of all, they will actually be grateful to have you over.

Does that send a chill down your spine? What if you could do this deal with three people just like Marie? Would 80 appointments be good enough for you?

Are You Going To Have a great NEW YEAR Or What?

No one ever told you about Santa Scrooge did they? Well, now that you know, what are you going to do about it? This rocks, my friend. Now go there and create a New Year that’s really worth big bucks in your balance sheet.

If you do, the next time your banker hears Ho! Ho! Ho, he knows it’s not Santa!

About the author:
Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas onmarketing strategy,psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.comtoday and judge for yourself.

The Art of Employee Motivation

The Art of Employee Motivation
by: John Morris
If you think that your employees’ poor performance on their designated jobs is costing you a whole lot of loss profits, then instead of just doing a total overhaul of your employee roster, why not try to do some employee motivation tactics to get them to actually come around and be able to save your company from looming bankruptcy. It really is fairly easy and simple to rouse some employee motivation, you just have to take these techniques to heart:

People nowadays are concerned of the lack of importance that is being put into health care plans. Is your company one of those companies who does not provide their employees with the health benefits that they should be entitled too? This is a possible reason why your employees’ morale are down. You need to reassess the situation and try to give them the health benefits that will ensure them that they will be protected by the company that they have been loyal even in their times of sickness. Always remember that a happy worker is a satisfied worker so make sure to use this employee motivation tool in order to give your employees morale a much needed boost.

Remember, companies are usually employed with some women who will, most often than not, become mothers. So it is highly important that you know their needs especially during the time when they would want to avail of their maternity leave. It is important that your company, no matter what kind of product or service you offer, is always sensitive to your employees needs, no matter what gender.

When it comes to having a good health plan for your employees, you must be sure that your health plan is actually of any good or else it would not really do any good to your employees’
morale. Make sure that the health plan will be able to cover all their basic needs and it wouldn’t really hurt if you throw in some added kicks.

Basic health care plans that you can use for employee motivation actually covers the following: full coverage for any basic illness or injury, coverage of hospital payments in case the employee has to be checked in at the hospital or if there are some minor surgeries that need to be done.

Added benefits to further boost employee motivation through a health care plan is through having their dental health covered as well as their optical needs, eyeglass subsidies as well as free dental cleaning and check-ups will be a good treat for your employees and will surely be a great added employee motivation move.

Apart from having a good health care plan for your employee motivation tactics, you must also be able to provide for them some other additional care such as an insurance plan which they can rely on in case something bad happens to them and they are still of service to your company. Even if this employee motivation move will not be availed by the employee’s family during the time of his or her service, your employee can still choose to continue on paying for the premiums of the insurance plan even after he or she has retired from your company. Unfortunately for your employees, once they resign
from a job position at you company the said insurance plan will be revoked since the company will not be able to play for your insurance premiums anymore (remember, all the payments from these employee motivation tactics will actually come from the employee’s salary).

Another great employee motivation move for loyal employees of your company is to have a car loan ready for them, employees who have already served some considerable amount of years in the company should be entitled to a car plan wherein deductions from their salary will be used to pay for their vehicle of choice. This is a great employee motivation move since those who are not able to afford a car (a brand new car at that!) would actually want to continue staying in your company because of this added employee motivation benefit.

From time to time, especially during special occasions, you need to be able to give your employees some added morale boost by organizing events or parties that will foster camaraderie among your employees. A little good time certainly wouldn’t hurt anyone and this will all be in the spirit of good ole’ company fun. Employee motivation directed events such as Christmas parties and company picnics are surely a welcome treat to your seemingly overworked and over fatigue employees.

You must also remember to give your employees some time to unwind like providing your regular employees the benefit of having a two-week paid vacation leave. That’s the least you can do for your employees who you have held captive for the majority of the year in your office.

These are really simple and easy employee motivation tactics that you can do in order to boost your employees’ morale and be able to ensure a good upkeep of your company.

About the author:
For more great employee motivation info and advice check out: http://www.profitable-employees.com

The Basics of Borrowing Money

The Basics of Borrowing Money
by: Jose Valdez
Are you thinking about starting a business but have no money to do it with? Well, you're not alone. This article will tell you the basics of borrowing money.
A loan is money that is borrowed, and has to be paid back along with interest. If the money is borrowed from an institution such as a bank, this is called a commercial loan. Money that is borrowed from a friend or a relative is called a personal loan.
The borrower, or debtor, is the business or individual that takes out the loan. The lender, or creditor, is the source from which the money was borrowed. The term, or period, is the time that is specified during which the borrower has to use the money borrowed before he has to repay the loan. The maturity of a loan is when a loan term reaches its end. The Principal is the amount that is borrowed from the lender. When you or your business borrows money, the lender wants to know when they will get their money back. Keep this in mind when you are looking for a lending source.
If the business is not able to repay the loan, the lending source has a right to legally come after assets to recoup it's money. The extent to which you are personally liable depends on the business structure your business is operating under.
If you are approved for a loan, that you will have to make scheduled payments (typically on monthly basis) plus interest. A loan can sometimes be set up as a balloon loan. A balloon loan will typically require smaller initial payments and one lump sum of what was borrowed as the final payment at the end of the term.
Borrowing from Institutions
Business loans generally fall into two main categories: short term and long term loans. A short term loan is a loan that is to be payed back within one year. Examples of short term loans include:
Working capital loans
Accounts receivable loans
Lines of credit
Long term loans are loans that are to be payed back typically from one to seven years. Long term loans are typically used for:
an expansion of a business
the purchase of equipment
real estate
Most business loans that are used for starting a business are long term loans.

When you approach an institution for a business loan, it will be looking at you as the business owner as closely as it will be looking at the business itself. One of the ways lending institutions make money is by lending money and they want to be as sure as possible that they get back their money with the interest owed.

The time between applying for a loan and learning that you have been approved (or disapproved) can vary. If you are disapproved, you may be told almost instantly. If you are approved, it may take a few days though it usually takes longer. It may even take several months to learn whether you or your business has being approved for the loan.
Borrowing from Family and Friends
If you don't want to, or can't get a commercial loan, you can consider getting a private loan from family or friends. This is usually real informal. However, you need to be careful because this can lead to ruined relationships.
If you are getting a private loan, it is in the best interest of the lender to have an agreement put in writing. The written agreement should state the principal, the interest charged and the terms of repayment. This puts the lender in better position either write off the loan on his or her tax return or to legally come after you.
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Jose Valdez is the owner/operator of www.AGuideToStartingABusiness.com and www.AllHomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com


About the author:
Jose Valdez is the owner/operator of www.AGuideToStartingABusiness.comand www.AllHomeBasedBusinessIdeas.com

The Importance of Personal Background Checks -

The Importance of Personal Background Checks -
by: Steve Valentino
The purpose of personal background checks is to get a feel for the applicant’s character. Personal and professional references are a good starting point, however, experts in the investigative field caution employers on using this method solely. Prospective employees are obviously going to give references of people whom they trust will provide a good character reference for them. Those references may not necessarily be fabricating information regarding the applicant; they simply may not know pertinent information about him or her.

Another method employer’s use is obtaining a credit report on the prospective employee. While privacy advocates argue the necessity in reviewing credit reports, many employers find them to be full of important information. An employer can determine what types of credit accounts the applicant has open and their history of paying bills on time. For some employers, this is a good indicator of how responsible of an employee he or she will be. Employers also may draw a correlation between credit history, job performance and employee retention. Though these conclusions are heatedly debated, according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers do have the right to investigate much of a person’s credit history as a pre-employment tool.

Credit reports also contain pertinent job and address information. Some employers and private investigation firms use credit reports as a means of cross-referencing information supplied on the employment application. Though credit reports contain much needed personal information, they should be used in conjunction with other personal background check methods in order to have a well-rounded view of the applicant’s character and ability to perform the job duties.

This type of consumer report also contains information that may be valuable, although legally questionable, to the employer. Age and marital status are data that are often reported. Employers should already be familiar with privacy and equal opportunity legislation and be careful not to discriminate on the basis of these facts. The purpose of performing personal background checks is to ensure the safety and security of the company and violating Federal laws is out of the question.

Identity theft, criminal prosecutions, outstanding debt and bankruptcies are all examples of information that can be acquired through a personal background check. As an employer, it is your responsibility to only gather what information you need; information gathered should be directly related to the safety and quality of the company and more specifically, the job performed. For example, if a company needs to hire a receptionist, it might not be necessary to know whether or not he or she has filed bankruptcy recently. Other than using that as a tool to judge character, some information gathered through personal background checks may not be relevant to the position.

If an employer should require a more extensive background check, things such as who someone has dated, use of alcohol or drugs or personal lifestyle can also be obtained. Usually when a firm investigates a person’s background, they may interview neighbors, friends, associated, former co-workers and others to gain a picture of the person as a whole. Some of the information may be of interest to the employer and some may be irrelevant. It is important when hiring an investigator, to let them know specific information you are looking for.

When investigating a prospective employee’s background, it is vitally important to be honest about your intentions. Federal law requires employers to provide separate consent forms for each type of investigation to be conducted; it is also good business practice to be forthcoming about these matters. Background checks on employee’s can save companies money by avoiding potential lawsuits, theft, and costly employee retention. It is usually best to outsource the work to a private firm, if the information is very detailed. For some employers, searching at the local or state level is much more cost-effective and may produce the results they need without outsourcing.

About the author:
Background Checks Info provides detailed information about criminal, employment, online, executive, and personal background checks. Background Checks Info is affiliated with Original Content Web.

The Ins and Outs of Credit Card Debt Settlement

The Ins and Outs of Credit Card Debt Settlement
by: Kevin Erickson
Are you a self-confessed shopaholic who buys anything and everything that you get your shopping addicted hands on? Such thoughtless and impulsive buying will most likely result in the accumulation of a bunch of junk that will simply collect dust. Can you even remember that silk scarf you just had to have and since it was a virtual steal at 50% off you just had to buy it? Where is it now and how many times have you actually worn it? Is it still fashionable?

If you're like most people, chances are you'll have to rummage through bins and bins of collected shopping "litter" which you've accumulated through the years, just to be able to see that once precious scarf. You may still be in a state of denial by saying "Fashion goes round and round and that scarf will have its shining moment once again."

Unfortunately, many people fall into this mode of impulsive buying that they really can't afford and before they realize it they become saddled with debt. If you fall into this category, you'll soon need to learn a thing or two about debt settlement which can assist you in extracting yourself out of that self-imposed state of financial trauma and begin to start rebuilding your life bit by bit. And the time to start is now! Of course, you have to be honest with yourself, admit that you've got a serious debt problem and then humble yourself enough to seek the help you need to pull yourself out of this devastating ordeal.

First things first, a lot of people may actually think that they only have a few choices when it comes to solving their debt problems. The two most common options for those who are burdened with enormous amounts of debt are either to consider declaring bankruptcy or debt consolidation. Unfortunately, if you take the easy way out by declaring bankruptcy, it will leave an embarrassing and indelible mark on your credit report for up to 7 years, which will result in higher interest rates, less credit and if you try do qualify for a mortgage (some lenders do give loans immediately after bankruptcy) you will most likely not be able to get a loan to cover 100% of the financing you need. Normally, an 80% first mortgage and if you can get a second mortgage, it will be at much higher interest rate and probably only 10% of the loan value for a total of 90% of the loan to value and you'll have to come up with 10% down.

Clearly, everything will come with a higher price for a period of time but you'll have to weigh that with a straight debt consolidation solution in which you pay off your debt. However, in many cases you can negotiate with the collection agency and it's realistic to get 25% - 50% of the debt forgiven, if you can show that you'll continue to make monthly payments until the remainder is paid off.

Many of the debt settlement / debt consolidation companies were actually established by the credit card companies themselves. Why, you ask... because it only makes sense for the credit card companies to help you pay off your debt because they can either forgive some of the debt or reduce the interest rates, lower the monthly minimum payment requirements or some combination and get paid a portion of the money owed or receive nothing if you declare bankruptcy. What would you do if you were in their shoes? The answer is obvious. This is why a lot of people who have been saddled with debt are now being offered debt settlement. Of course, not all debt consolidation service companies are owned by credit card companies but many are.

Some groups offer debt settlement programs through arbitration. The "selling point" when it comes to these kinds of solutions is that debt settlement will actually help end your debt problems, without having to go through declaring bankruptcy, without having to pay overcharged debt consolidation program fees as well as helping you avoid getting caught in the debt consolidation trap that a lot of people have fallen victim to.

In many cases, what the organizations do that offer debt settlement services is negotiate your debt down with the collection agencies that have been given your case. I would encourage you to contact a number of companies to ensure you feel comfortable and that you are working with a quality company that doesn't over-charge you for their services.

On the other hand,if you would really like to save money, which only makes sense since you are already heavily in debt... then negotiate with the collection agency yourself. It's not difficult, rather than getting upset when you get called night after night simply tell the collection agency rep that you would like to pay off your debt but you can only do it if you can get it reduced and then ask them that you would like to get the debt you owe reduced by 50% - 60%, even 75% and ask them to see what they can do. Ask for a lot up front because as in any negotiation there's always a give and take. Believe me, they will go to work for you and your offer will be seriously considered because they only get paid when they collect and it's better to get their percentage on a smaller amount than "diddly squat" on the full amount.

Of course, you'll have to decide what route you want to take... bankruptcy versus debt settlement but shop around and realize that you do have options. The internet is full of companies offering their bankruptcy or debt settlement services, but be careful and don't let them push you around and never work with anyone you don't feel 100 percent comfortable with.

About the author:
Kevin Erickson is a contributing writer to the following websites: http://www.aneyeondebt.com/and http://www.debtmergeresources.com/.This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

What to Consider when Filing for Personal Bankruptcy

What to Consider when Filing for Personal Bankruptcy
by: Roy Barker
President Bush in April signed into law The Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act. This bill promises many changes to law, and will make it more difficult for the average person in financial trouble to have debts removed with bankruptcy. Recent social and economic changes indicate that those considering a bankruptcy should do so now, as the queue is getting longer.

It will be now be harder to file under Chapter 7 of the code, which allows the courts to wave consumer debt and give the debtor a new start. Filings posted will be tested and those who have a decent income it seems will have to file under a more strenuous Chapter 13, which demands repayment by installments and the assistance of a lawyer. Now looming, bankruptcy filings are not only higher than they were previously, but are also higher than expected. Acros the country, filings are substantially higher than last year, and some bankruptcy practitioners say that their business has increased dramatically.

To make it more confusing is another law, that requires credit card companies to establish a payment schedule that permits consumers to repay debts in amended installments. Since early year, most credit card providers have doubled their minimum payments. An average person with say $12,000 in credit card debt, will have approximate monthly payment increases from between $150 to $450, an increase most people can ill afford.

This increase in bankruptcy filings has overwhelmed bankruptcy lawyers, who face a burden of being liable for false information filed by clients once the new law takes effect. Certainly an unwelcome change. This additional liability, together with the additional tasks, has prompted many lawyers to raise fees subsstantally over the same time as last year.

What does this mean for bad debt? From here on, bankruptcy filings will be more confusing, complicated and costly. The system is already overloaded with bankruptcy cases. If you suspect you're in the bankruptcy category, you should move on it now. Waiting even another day could be too late.

About the author:
A contribution from Roy Barker owner and publisher of www.bankruptcy-aid.coma resource for attorneys and anyone seeking information.

What You Don't Want to Know About Bad Meetings

What You Don't Want to Know About Bad Meetings
by: Steve Kaye
Bad meetings are a cultural malady that senior executives pass on to new employees.

Long pointless meetings are useful in that they keep incompetent people from interfering with those who are working.

An employee who needs permission to buy a box of paperclips can spend tens of thousands of dollars worth of employee time on bad meetings.

Many people attempt to save time by Not planning. This false short cut guarantees that everyone will spend more time later.

Unstructured spontaneity leads to serendipity, which (in business) leads to bankruptcy.

Meetings are a magnetic opiate that keep people from the tasks they were hired to perform.

The main activity in many meetings consists of simple chit chat. If it's an important meeting, then this becomes sincere chit chat.

A meeting without an agenda is like a journey without a map.

A teleconference without an agenda is like a journey without a map, in the dark.

Most meetings are social street lamps attracting the unproductive moths in an organization.

People fail to prepare an agenda for two reasons. They think they’re saving time and they don’t know what to put in it.

Expecting a meeting to produce results without an agenda is like expecting the Easter bunny to leave eggs on your doorstep.

Bad meetings waste a fortune. My surveys show that companies waste almost 20% of their payroll on bad meetings.
About the author:

IAF Certified Professional Facilitator and author Steve Kaye works with leaders who want to hold effective meeting. His innovative workshops have informed and inspired people nationwide. His facilitation produces results that people will support. Call 714-528-1300 or visit his web site for over 100 pages of valuable ideas. Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.stevekaye.com

10 Ways To Bring More Balance To Your Life

10 Ways To Bring More Balance To Your Life
by: Michelle L. Casto


The World Health Organization has called stress a modern day epidemic affecting every person of every culture, educational status, and financial level across the world. Too much stress is the reason we end up sick and burned out. We know there must be something more than the hustle and bustle of modern-day life and yet forget to take the time to find our unique sense of balance.

Gandhi once said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” This is even more true in the modern world. It is essential then that you discover what will bring you a harmonious and balanced lifestyle. There are many ways to bring more balance to your life. Here are 10 ways I have found that work, which should get you thinking of even more uniquely suited to you.

1. Have Faith in a Higher Power

Voltaire once said, “Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” Having faith in a higher power helps you face even the darkest hours. Faith gives you peace of mind and an open heart. It lights the dark tunnel and allows you to walk forward courageously.

Action Step: Choose a favorite inspirational quote about faith and put it in your wallet.

2. Assess Your Life

Human beings are similar to a computer: we both operate on programming. What we put in, we get back. And if we put in or take on too much, we get overloaded, and then burn out. Assessing where you are now will help you to know what to do, where to go, and what to leave behind.

Action Step: List all the stressful events that have happened to you in the last year.

3. Live By Your Values

Choose to make life choices that stem from your core values---those things that feed your soul. Values are intrinsic beliefs and feelings that develop from our experiences, backgrounds, and culture. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that when your orient your life around your values that life is much more to your liking.

Action Step: Identify and define your top 5 values.

4. Develop Boundaries

Boundaries are physical, emotional, and spiritual barriers that keep us safe, protected and nurtured. Having healthy boundaries empowers us to say no when appropriate and attract what we want into our life and keep out “garbage.” Boundaries show others that you love, care, and value yourself.

Action Step: Set a clear boundary with someone close to you this week.

5. Change Your Self-Talk

Balanced living requires balanced thinking. When negative thoughts come up, shut them out and focus on the positive. Your personal operating software is often running off of outdated and old tapes. Consciously create a new tape and upload it to your brain!

Action Step: Choose an affirmation that you love and say it out loud ten times every day.

6. Take Control

You are in control of your own life. Nobody makes you stay in bad situations. If you are in a job you despise, an unhealthy relationship, do not wait until you get fired or dumped. Choose to change. Recognize the cause of your discontent and take action.

Action Step: Make a change for the better starting now.

7. Clean up and Clear Out

Your physical surroundings have a major impact on your sense of balance. So if you live and work in chaos and clutter, you will feel off center. Cleaning up and clearing out your personal (mind-set and relationships) and environmental (home, office, car) spaces brings instant rejuvenation.

Action Step: Tackle a drawer, closet, or garage by the end of the week.

8. Eliminate Tolerations

If you are like most, you are tolerating way too much. A toleration is anything that is stressing you, for example: things that are undone, incomplete projects, and toxic people, places, or situations. Eliminating tolerations is a great way to unleash stored energy and power.

Action Step: Eliminate 3 tolerations from your life today.

9. Practice Wellness

Wellness means having a holistic program (mind, body, and spirit). Take care of your body by eating healthy, getting regular exercise and enjoying rest. Nurture your heart and mind with good friends, fun adventures, and learning new things. Refresh your spirit by reading inspirational books, attending church, spending time in nature, etc.

Action Step: Do 3 extra things to take care of yourself this week.

10. Simplify Your Life

The key to live more simply is to downsize and release unnecessary things from your life. Simple living is about living deliberately. You choose your existence rather than sailing through life. It is about finding your unique balance. Simplicity asks: Is it right for me? How do I want to live my life?

Action Step: Write your philosophy of an ideal life, incorporating elements you most cherish.

There are many ways to bring balance to your life. It starts with making smart decisions and becoming more aware of what makes you happy. Stress is not going away anytime soon, so you may as well start today by creating a program to manage it. Discover what works best for you and commit to doing it on a daily basis. You will quickly learn that balance is not just a nice idea, but an actual reality!

About The Author
Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed., is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series, which includes books and workbooks on romantic relationships, career development, life purpose/life strategy, and stress management. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching. She empowers people to live with passion, purpose, & possibility and inspires people to freely shine their brightlight to the world. To learn more or to subscribe to the Get Smart! Live Smart newsletter, Visit virtually: http://www.getsmartseries.com or http://www.brightlightcoach.com. coach@getsmartseries.com.

12 Steps To Turbo-charge Your Visualisation

12 Steps To Turbo-charge Your Visualisation
by: Colin Joss


1. Every night, half an hour before retiring, go to your room, where you can be entirely alone and as remote as possible from noise and distraction.

2. Seat yourself in a wide and comfortable chair, or, better still, lie down on your back at full length. See that your clothing is loosened, so that you will suffer no distressing annoyance on this account. Compose yourself as if for sleep, assuming a position of restfulness, abandon and utter relaxation. Close your eyes, letting the lids rest lightly on your cheeks.

3. Shut your mind resolutely against every form of bodily sensation. Forget for the time that you are encumbered with a body.

4. Bar out of your consciousness every memory, every thought of the past.

5. Build a mental picture of the thing you want to have, to do or to be - the one thing that you immediately desire first and most of all. By this we mean nothing indefinite. We do not refer to ultimate aims that can come only as the result of long periods of effort. We mean something specific, something that can be yours tomorrow, something that in itself constitutes the next step in your chosen career.

6. See yourself finding the ways and means of realizing your desire, overcoming obstacles one after another, all the obstacles that can possibly arise. See yourself called upon to display, and displaying, alertness, promptness, courage, confidence, resourcefulness, patience, push, enterprise, expert knowledge, insight, shrewdness, tact, self-control, decision. See yourself face to face with the situation that confronts you in real life and manifesting the qualities and doing the things necessary to your purpose. Put yourself body and soul into this picture. Multiply details. Rivet your mind upon it.

7. Advance step by step, logically, wisely, consistently, to the climax of the drama. See yourself winning out. See yourself solving the problem, getting the thing you want, acting the part you desire to play. Detach your spirit from the flesh of this world and incorporate it in the mental image of yourself. Live the victory mentally until a sense of its reality permeates your soul.

8. Make your dream picture as delightful as possible. Dwell upon it with joyful satisfaction. Warm your heart with a feeling of thankfulness that that which you have so long desired is really yours. This feeling of gratitude, this emotional element, will bring forth associations that will give life to the picture and will animate your faith. Keep yourself tight shut in this dream world for at least fifteen minutes.

9. Arise and make your preparations for the night. Then upon retiring once more close your eyes and let your mind dwell upon your vision for five or ten minutes or until you fall asleep. Let it be the last thing in your thoughts as you become unconscious.

10. Every time you are awake during the night call the mental picture before you and keep it in consciousness as long as you remain awake.

11. In the morning, immediately upon awaking, repeat the procedure set out in the third, fourth and fifth instructions.

12. The more of your spare time you spend in this way, the more promptly will you actualize your ideals. By repeated concentration, every detail of the image of your desire will be so deeply engraved upon your mind as to exert an influence throughout the day. It will inhibit wasteful emotions and impulses. It will give you poise and self-possession. It will so inspire you with its promise as to awaken an energizing response in the profoundest depths of your subconsciousness.

By Colin Joss © 2006

About The Author
Colin Joss is the founder of Back Roads Marketing and publishes a free 'On the Back Roads' newsletter at http://www.colinjoss.com.