Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
The following is an article by Dave Cottrell an AdlandPro Business Community friend. The article was written in 2005 but I feel it could be very helpful in wading through all the hype when you're looking for a good, home-based business.
Note that You can help to protect yourself against scammers by going to http://scambusters.org
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Baby Boomers, Scammers
And Snake Oil Salesmen
by Dave Cottrell
© - All Rights Reserved
www.TipsNTools.com
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Baby Boomers (BBr) make up the single largest group on planet Earth at this time. If you are a BBr, you have a LOT of company!
Generally speaking, a BBr is someone who was born between 1946 and 1964. This means that ALL BBrs are now over 40!
The BBr group has always been known for being very active and on average, more financially stable than any large group in history. After WWII, the economy boomed in many areas of the world, creating undreamed of wealth especially for westerners. Many of the things we take for granted today would have been considered lavish luxuries for previous generations (cars, washing machines and driers, tvs, electric lights, vacations, etc., etc.) Prior to the BBr generation, people were content to have enough to eat and wear, and a roof over their heads!
(Next time you hear someone born before 1946 reminiscing wistfully about the "good old days," remind them that most people at that time walked everywhere, had one pair of shoes, one set of work clothes, and one set of "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes!)
The Baby Boomer generation has always been known for being very active, travelling extensively, playing hard, and doing everything possible to deny the aging process. But the fact is, BBrs ARE getting older. Add this to the fact that BBrs have more disposable income than any previous generation, and you open up a HUGE market for products that claim to improve health and/or slow the aging process!
Do an online search for "health supplements" and you will find 7,481,585 pages on MSN and 6,760,000 on Google!
High quality health supplements ARE good for most people. However, not all health supplements are high quality. Many of the products offered are simply a concoction of high-priced chemicals thrown together under a fancy name and some very questionable claims.
Back in the "good old days" of the "wild, wild west," scammers known as "snake oil salesmen" used to travel from town to town selling bottles of elixir (read - health supplements), guaranteed to cure virtually all known ailments and conditions. They preyed on people who were suffering, selling them nothing more usually than a concoction of alcohol and some bad-tasting goop dumped in to make it taste legitimate (in those days, the worse medicine tasted, the better it was for you!!) Some of these "medicines" had highly toxic ingredients added like mercury and arsenic. See ChemHeritage.org/EducationalServices/pharm/asp/asp21a.htm
So what IS a true health supplement? It is something that is taken in addition to the regular food you eat every day. Under FDA guidelines, it cannot claim to cure or treat any condition, ailment or disease. Such claims are illegal unless the product has been subjected to rigorous testing and then labeled as a drug. Today's snakeoil salesmen generally get around this by using "unsolicited testimonials" from people using their products. (The FDA is creating increasingly strict guidelines in this area, too.) It is also worth noting that the Placebo Effect is being seriously studied by accredited researchers at this time. See http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar02/placebo.html and http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume1/pre0010002a.html
Many of the popular supplements available in local stores and pharmacies are chemically derived vitamins and minerals. Such minerals are virtually impossible for the body to absorb, and without them, the vitamins will not be used either. Most pass through the body doing little, if any, good. Taken in large doses, some vitamins and minerals are toxic and actually increase the risk of serious medical conditions. See this document from the Australian government and this one from American Longevity Information Center
The best source of useable vitamins and minerals is from the natural food you eat. This means that it is very important to eat a regular, balanced and varied diet of unrefined foods. It is especially important to include an abundance of green, leafy vegetables, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables.
Due to the fast-paced lifestyle of BBrs, pollution, and other environmental factors, it is often wise to use supplements. However, the best supplement is one that is totally natural, like a whole juice or berries from a very nutrient-rich plant. Before choosing such a supplement, do some online research. While the company producing the supplement may make many incredible claims supported by so-called "unsolicited" testimonials and "doctors", a quick search online will reveal much about the nutritional value of the source plant used for the supplement, as well as information on the health claims about the plant, research, and validity.
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Dave Cottrell markets online and off, writes like crazy, and publishes several newsletters and websites including www.tipsntools.com.
© 2005 Tipsntools.com
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Have yourself a Super Saturday!
Jun 3, 2006
Jun 2, 2006
Beware About Video Ads
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blo...
As You probably know, Google will start selling video ads this week (though actual details on when and where are still sketchy). But based on what IS known, it looks like a lot of people are actually going to LOSE money (but the few who do know what to do will actually MAKE money)!
If You care about online video, this article be a real eye opener as the hype on this topic starts building in the coming weeks....
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Beware: Google Selling Video Ads
by Jim Edwards
© Jim Edwards - All Rights Reserved
www.TheNetReporter.com
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In a bold move, online advertising and search giant Google.com announced it will start selling online video ads this week to distribute across its partner network.
Curiously, Google will reportedly not display the ads on their main site, Google.com.
The company states that it's their effort to deliver richer content demanded by advertisers and consumers that drives this latest advertising venture.
On the surface, it makes sense.
Video represents the hottest trend online right now and advertising revenue made Google the darling of Wall Street and restored investor confidence in viability of the Internet.
But once you get beyond the euphoria of another Google success in the making, some serious questions need addressing before we all mortgage the house and pour the cash into Google stock.
As I just stated, when Google starts displaying video ads, they will not play on their main portal site.
The video ads will only display on partner sites most likely displaying AdSense.
AdSense is the commission driven advertising distribution system the propelled Google to financial stardom.
When a partner site displays the AdSense code, Google pays a percentage of ad revenue to the site owner displaying the ads.
Now it appears, those sites will also, at Google's option, display video ads.
Actual details of how the program will work and how advertisers include their videos in the system or display them remains sparse.
A search of the Google.com site, the AdSense.Google.com advertising section, and even the http://www.google.com/press/ site yielded very few clues to the actual inner-workings of the new video ads.
But, over the next few weeks, I'm sure the details of the program will become apparent to all.
Despite the excitement over the video ad buzz, I have two very real concerns about how video advertisement will play out with this new system.
First, the fact that Google.com will reportedly not display the video ads on their own site really bothers me.
Why would they do this?
If the advertising method means such a boon to advertisers, why wouldn't they exploit it on their own site?
The answer: despite all their testing on Video.Google.com, they don't know how video ads will play out.
Rather than experiment on their main "cash cow" site at Google.com, they want to work out the kinks on other people's sites.
If you ask me, that's not a very nice way to treat the people who made you multi-billionaires.
Second, considering the fact that most advertisers who choose to use video will simply play regurgitated TV commercials, video ads on Google will debut with mixed results.
Why?
Because standard TV commercials don't wok for producing measurable results that online advertisers can track.
A whole new world of direct-response video advertising must emerge for advertisers to successfully exploit this new opportunity.
The real winners at the start of this expansion in video advertising will be the businesses with products that sell best when people can see a demonstration or before and after pictures.
These require the least skill in direct-response copywriting and create the most impact when viewed by potential customers.
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Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making videos posted online...
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU To Painlessly Create, Post and PROFIT From Your Own Money-Making Online Videos... Without Being a Computer Geek or Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!" => www.WebsiteVideoSecrets.com
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Have yourself a Super Friday & enjoy your coming weekend!
As You probably know, Google will start selling video ads this week (though actual details on when and where are still sketchy). But based on what IS known, it looks like a lot of people are actually going to LOSE money (but the few who do know what to do will actually MAKE money)!
If You care about online video, this article be a real eye opener as the hype on this topic starts building in the coming weeks....
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Beware: Google Selling Video Ads
by Jim Edwards
© Jim Edwards - All Rights Reserved
www.TheNetReporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
In a bold move, online advertising and search giant Google.com announced it will start selling online video ads this week to distribute across its partner network.
Curiously, Google will reportedly not display the ads on their main site, Google.com.
The company states that it's their effort to deliver richer content demanded by advertisers and consumers that drives this latest advertising venture.
On the surface, it makes sense.
Video represents the hottest trend online right now and advertising revenue made Google the darling of Wall Street and restored investor confidence in viability of the Internet.
But once you get beyond the euphoria of another Google success in the making, some serious questions need addressing before we all mortgage the house and pour the cash into Google stock.
As I just stated, when Google starts displaying video ads, they will not play on their main portal site.
The video ads will only display on partner sites most likely displaying AdSense.
AdSense is the commission driven advertising distribution system the propelled Google to financial stardom.
When a partner site displays the AdSense code, Google pays a percentage of ad revenue to the site owner displaying the ads.
Now it appears, those sites will also, at Google's option, display video ads.
Actual details of how the program will work and how advertisers include their videos in the system or display them remains sparse.
A search of the Google.com site, the AdSense.Google.com advertising section, and even the http://www.google.com/press/ site yielded very few clues to the actual inner-workings of the new video ads.
But, over the next few weeks, I'm sure the details of the program will become apparent to all.
Despite the excitement over the video ad buzz, I have two very real concerns about how video advertisement will play out with this new system.
First, the fact that Google.com will reportedly not display the video ads on their own site really bothers me.
Why would they do this?
If the advertising method means such a boon to advertisers, why wouldn't they exploit it on their own site?
The answer: despite all their testing on Video.Google.com, they don't know how video ads will play out.
Rather than experiment on their main "cash cow" site at Google.com, they want to work out the kinks on other people's sites.
If you ask me, that's not a very nice way to treat the people who made you multi-billionaires.
Second, considering the fact that most advertisers who choose to use video will simply play regurgitated TV commercials, video ads on Google will debut with mixed results.
Why?
Because standard TV commercials don't wok for producing measurable results that online advertisers can track.
A whole new world of direct-response video advertising must emerge for advertisers to successfully exploit this new opportunity.
The real winners at the start of this expansion in video advertising will be the businesses with products that sell best when people can see a demonstration or before and after pictures.
These require the least skill in direct-response copywriting and create the most impact when viewed by potential customers.
-=-
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-creator of an amazing course that will teach you step-by-step and click-by-click how to get your own money-making videos posted online...
"Finally! A Quick and Easy Way For YOU To Painlessly Create, Post and PROFIT From Your Own Money-Making Online Videos... Without Being a Computer Geek or Paying Outrageous Fees To A Webmaster!" => www.WebsiteVideoSecrets.com
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Have yourself a Super Friday & enjoy your coming weekend!
Jun 1, 2006
A New Born Filly!
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Today, I didn't post an article because I'm sharing the good news to the new addition to my family pets. Yesterday, at 7:30 am I went to Savanna (horse) shelter, opened the door and I was happy to see the new born filly (girl)!
I knew she would have it any day as the lasts few days she was acting different. Her milk sac has gotten real hard and had wax at the end of her nipples. It's so good to finally have this waiting period done, it can become a little stressful!
I took my time yesterday to imprint the filly, touching her all over every 2 hrs so she may get used at humans touch. Today, she was coming to me and seem to enjoy my company, she runs a lot too and looks very happy! I'm putting on the harness every 2 hrs for 10 minutes at a time then taking it off so she don't get her legs caught into them.
I get my foal training at HorseKeeping and Horse Training Care Info. They have all sort of help for your horses.
Below is a picture of Savanna when she was 10 yrs old and with her very first filly. I've taken a lot of pictures yesterday when the filly was just a few hours old. As soon as I develop them I'll be very happy to share her newborn with you, she is gorgeous !!!
Have yourself a Super Thursday!
Today, I didn't post an article because I'm sharing the good news to the new addition to my family pets. Yesterday, at 7:30 am I went to Savanna (horse) shelter, opened the door and I was happy to see the new born filly (girl)!
I knew she would have it any day as the lasts few days she was acting different. Her milk sac has gotten real hard and had wax at the end of her nipples. It's so good to finally have this waiting period done, it can become a little stressful!
I took my time yesterday to imprint the filly, touching her all over every 2 hrs so she may get used at humans touch. Today, she was coming to me and seem to enjoy my company, she runs a lot too and looks very happy! I'm putting on the harness every 2 hrs for 10 minutes at a time then taking it off so she don't get her legs caught into them.
I get my foal training at HorseKeeping and Horse Training Care Info. They have all sort of help for your horses.
Below is a picture of Savanna when she was 10 yrs old and with her very first filly. I've taken a lot of pictures yesterday when the filly was just a few hours old. As soon as I develop them I'll be very happy to share her newborn with you, she is gorgeous !!!
Have yourself a Super Thursday!
May 30, 2006
Have You Lost Your Focus?
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Today's article is about what happens when we lose focus. This happens to everyone but what's important when one lose focus is to get back on track !!! Michael in his article is sharing some ideas on dealing with distractions and setbacks...
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Have You Lost Your Focus?
by Michael Angier , founder and CIO
www.SuccessNet.org
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We all know how important it is to focus on what we want.
But what happens when we LOSE focus?
It's easy to do, isn't it?
We get distracted. Something captures our interest and diverts our attention away from our chosen objective.
We suffer setbacks. Things don't work out as planned. Someone lets us down. Circumstances change and good plans go bad.
We get interrupted. An important matter takes precedence--sometimes for long periods of time.
We, or members of our team, get sick or hurt. We don't have the energy we had before and often find it slow to get back in the game.
These things happen to everyone. And we have to be careful we don't think we're being singled out. The "Why is this happening to me?" question gets us nowhere.
We must first recognize that we've lost focus. And at the earliest opportun?ty, we must recommit. We have to get back on the horse we fell off from and ride again.
And this is what separates the winners from the losers.
The loser says it's too hard. He says it's not worth the effort.
He thinks it's just "not in the cards" and he quits.
But the winner doesn't take the setback personally. She dusts herself off and recommits to the plan. She sees the setback as just that--a setback--not a sign that it's not to be.
What do YOU need to refocus upon? Is it a positive habit? A goal? A toleration you said you'd eliminate?
Revisit your reasons why. Focus on the results you will produce and not on what's not worked well. Because what you focus on expands.
Today's a new day. The past is just as historic as if it had happened a thousand years ago. You can't change what's happened or not happened. But you CAN recommit. You CAN refocus.
You can start anew.
So do it today. Remember the power of TNT--Today, Not Tomorrow.
Related Article
What Happens When We Don't Make it?
Successful people don't reach all their goals. In fact, they miss more than they make. I talk about what happens when things don't go as planned.
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Copyright Michael Angier & Success Networks International.
Used with Permission.
Michael Angier is the founder and president of SuccessNet. Their mission is to inform, inspire and empower people to be their best--personally and professionally.
Download their free eBooklet, 10 ESSENTIAL KEYS TO PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS from www.SuccessNet.org/keys.htm or by sending a blank email to keys@SuccessNet.org.
More free subscriptions, books and SuccessMark Cards are available at www.SuccessNet.org.
-=-=-
Have yourself a Super Tuesday!
Today's article is about what happens when we lose focus. This happens to everyone but what's important when one lose focus is to get back on track !!! Michael in his article is sharing some ideas on dealing with distractions and setbacks...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Have You Lost Your Focus?
by Michael Angier , founder and CIO
www.SuccessNet.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
We all know how important it is to focus on what we want.
But what happens when we LOSE focus?
It's easy to do, isn't it?
We get distracted. Something captures our interest and diverts our attention away from our chosen objective.
We suffer setbacks. Things don't work out as planned. Someone lets us down. Circumstances change and good plans go bad.
We get interrupted. An important matter takes precedence--sometimes for long periods of time.
We, or members of our team, get sick or hurt. We don't have the energy we had before and often find it slow to get back in the game.
These things happen to everyone. And we have to be careful we don't think we're being singled out. The "Why is this happening to me?" question gets us nowhere.
We must first recognize that we've lost focus. And at the earliest opportun?ty, we must recommit. We have to get back on the horse we fell off from and ride again.
And this is what separates the winners from the losers.
The loser says it's too hard. He says it's not worth the effort.
He thinks it's just "not in the cards" and he quits.
But the winner doesn't take the setback personally. She dusts herself off and recommits to the plan. She sees the setback as just that--a setback--not a sign that it's not to be.
What do YOU need to refocus upon? Is it a positive habit? A goal? A toleration you said you'd eliminate?
Revisit your reasons why. Focus on the results you will produce and not on what's not worked well. Because what you focus on expands.
Today's a new day. The past is just as historic as if it had happened a thousand years ago. You can't change what's happened or not happened. But you CAN recommit. You CAN refocus.
You can start anew.
So do it today. Remember the power of TNT--Today, Not Tomorrow.
Related Article
What Happens When We Don't Make it?
Successful people don't reach all their goals. In fact, they miss more than they make. I talk about what happens when things don't go as planned.
-=-=-
Copyright Michael Angier & Success Networks International.
Used with Permission.
Michael Angier is the founder and president of SuccessNet. Their mission is to inform, inspire and empower people to be their best--personally and professionally.
Download their free eBooklet, 10 ESSENTIAL KEYS TO PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS from www.SuccessNet.org/keys.htm or by sending a blank email to keys@SuccessNet.org.
More free subscriptions, books and SuccessMark Cards are available at www.SuccessNet.org.
-=-=-
Have yourself a Super Tuesday!
May 29, 2006
Let's Remember THEM
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
THE FINAL INSPECTION
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in h*ll."
~Author Unknown~
It's the Soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Soldier, not the politicians that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It's the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.
If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the Military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
Have a safe Memorial Day!
THE FINAL INSPECTION
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in h*ll."
~Author Unknown~
It's the Soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Soldier, not the politicians that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It's the Soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.
If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for the Military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women who have served and are currently serving our country and pray for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
Have a safe Memorial Day!
May 27, 2006
Lots Of Soldiers Coming Back
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
With "Memorial Day" here, it's the day to remember all the brave men and women who have laid down their lives for the American nation. Join me in celebrating the day with heartfelt gratitude and sincere reverence. We must thank all those war veterans and departed soldiers who gave up their lives for the country.
A lot of our Soldiers are coming back and there are highs of home coming. Home coming can turn to depression if a family fails to adjust. The dark side of home coming for some may be slow and painful. War changes everyone !!!
Here are some tips that can help families give support or help someone they know who is a soldier. This can help to readjust to a some what normal life!
*Give a vet some space-
Most won't want to talk about the violence they witnessed right away.
*Then lend an ear-
When the time comes, prepare to listen. The recollections may come out over the course of weeks or months, as your loved one reformulates the memories into meaningful stories.
*Recognize that things are different now-
The world has changed. A spouse may have taken on new responsibilities. There may be some jealousy over what has been missed. Bring your vet up to date slowly, one issue at a time.
*Understand the vet's need to spend time with war buddies-
Families need to know that the vet's lifeline to peers often makes the difference between coping and withdrawal into isolation.
*Expect a period of adjustment-
It can take six to eight weeks to get back to something that approaches normal, both physically and mentally.
*Get help-
If problems persist for more then 3 months then they need to seek professional help.
*Take a screening test-
A new online test offered by the department of defense called the mental health self assessment, it lets them identify if there is a problem before urgent problems begin.
MilitaryMentalHealth.org the site also covers information about mental health and substance abuse services covered by the DOD. Hope this helps others or pass it along to someone else who it might help.
Many Blessings to our Soldiers.
With "Memorial Day" here, it's the day to remember all the brave men and women who have laid down their lives for the American nation. Join me in celebrating the day with heartfelt gratitude and sincere reverence. We must thank all those war veterans and departed soldiers who gave up their lives for the country.
A lot of our Soldiers are coming back and there are highs of home coming. Home coming can turn to depression if a family fails to adjust. The dark side of home coming for some may be slow and painful. War changes everyone !!!
Here are some tips that can help families give support or help someone they know who is a soldier. This can help to readjust to a some what normal life!
*Give a vet some space-
Most won't want to talk about the violence they witnessed right away.
*Then lend an ear-
When the time comes, prepare to listen. The recollections may come out over the course of weeks or months, as your loved one reformulates the memories into meaningful stories.
*Recognize that things are different now-
The world has changed. A spouse may have taken on new responsibilities. There may be some jealousy over what has been missed. Bring your vet up to date slowly, one issue at a time.
*Understand the vet's need to spend time with war buddies-
Families need to know that the vet's lifeline to peers often makes the difference between coping and withdrawal into isolation.
*Expect a period of adjustment-
It can take six to eight weeks to get back to something that approaches normal, both physically and mentally.
*Get help-
If problems persist for more then 3 months then they need to seek professional help.
*Take a screening test-
A new online test offered by the department of defense called the mental health self assessment, it lets them identify if there is a problem before urgent problems begin.
MilitaryMentalHealth.org the site also covers information about mental health and substance abuse services covered by the DOD. Hope this helps others or pass it along to someone else who it might help.
Many Blessings to our Soldiers.
May 26, 2006
"Oh No, They're Leaving!
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Are People LEAVING Your Web Site Without Buying? Of course they are! In fact, most of your web visitors will leave without buying -- up to 99% is the average. What's a marketer to do? Turn those lemons into lemonade.
In today's article Alexandria gives you 4 ways to generate revenue from all those people leaving your site! Enjoy...
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4 Ways to Make Money from People
Who Are LEAVING Your Site!
by Alexandria Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
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Oh no... are people leaving your site without buying?
Get used to it! In fact, an average of 99% of your first time visitors to your sales pages will leave without buying or even contacting you.
But don't get upset. Get richer!
Use what's called an exit pop. Now, I know pop-ups can be incredibly annoying. But they WORK. Almost all the people I know doing over $1 million each year online use exit pops in strategic ways to seriously boost their bottom lines.
Here are four ways to generate revenue from people leaving your website, using exit pops:
1. Get them on your list.
Because most people will not buy from you at first visit, it's extremely important to have a way to follow up with them. After all, they're already interested in what you have. That's why they're at your site! So these people are worth their weight in gold to you.
But how to follow up? Well, here's where your ezine comes in. Your ezine list is your key to ongoing revenues and generating income on demand.
One of the best places to get people on your list is actually as they're leaving. It's kind of like the "Columbo" strategy of your website. (What did he used to say on the way out the door? Something like, "By the way..." or "Oh, one more thing...")
These exit pops often work BETTER than a pop-up that appears as soon as someone lands on your site. Why? You give the visitor a chance to get to know you first, before you ask them for their email. Let them take a look around, grow to trust you and your website.
One of my exit pops says, "Congrats... You've Won a FREE Subscription!" It has an eye-catching graphic representing my ezine and gives a raving description of it as well. Also the opt-in form is right in the box, which you always want. Don't make folks have to click around to sign up. If you'd like to see what mine looks like, go to EzineQueen.com. You'll see it when you leave.
From what other marketers are sharing, the "congrats" exit pop is one of the all-time best performing exit pops for building your list.
2. Ask them WHY they're leaving.
Why not find out the reason they're leaving in the first place? For example, one of my exit pops says, "WAIT - Can I ask your advice? Please tell me the biggest reason you're leaving without giving my 'Boost Business With Your Own Ezine' system a try. I'd really appreciate it, and your answer is completely anonymous. Thanks."
I looked for the most popular answers and then made some adjustments to my sales page. For example, several people said, "I don't have a website yet." So I revised my sales copy to include the fact that you don't need a website to get started publishing an ezine.
Knowing this kind of information will help you make a LOT more sales down the line!
There's a great tool that makes doing these exit surveys super easy, and you can see a demo at their site: www.askmyezine.com
3. Offer a down-sell or alternative.
Yep, that's right. Offer me something for less money. After all, I'm leaving anyway, with my wallet! Example: My "Boost Business With Your Own Ezine" system is a physical product, but for several months I tested a down-sell of a lower-priced digital version with fewer bonuses. I also configured the exit pop to appear only if the person had been on my sales page for at least 30 seconds, so I knew they were serious about the product and not just on my page to take a peek.
The tactic did pretty well, making me about an extra thousand bucks a month that otherwise I would not have gotten! That won't make me rich, but it sure helps cover my take-out sushi habit. I'll be testing some other down-sells like this one too. (Remember, it's all about trying new things and seeing how they work for YOU. That's what's so fun about Internet marketing!)
4. Send them to someone else's site.
Really! But not just anyone's site. Send them to a site with products or services that are related to yours, AND that will give you commission on any referred sales! That's called an affiliate program, and there are millions of companies doing it on the web. If you don't know of any websites that are related to yours and have an affiliate program, search the two biggest directories: ClickBank and Commission Junction.
Just remember to check out any company before you start sending people there. You don't want to taint your reputation by sending folks to a site with shoddy products or lousy service.
I've made several thousand dollars per month simply by referring my readers and web visitors to other websites. It's just one of my tactics. But some internet marketers even make ALL their revenues with affiliate programs - they don't sell any of their own products! It really works.
Don't Get Blocked!
It's a fact that almost half of all Internet users now have some type of pop-up blocker.
The good news is, whenever a new technology comes out, there's one close behind it that will make it obsolete.
There are several scripts for making pop-up boxes that cannot be blocked. My favorite that I use right now is a service that requires no programming and has dozens of fun designs you can choose and just type in your message -- www.QueenPopups.com
Just remember to please use these tools ethically! Don't drive people crazy with 10 different boxes appearing as they leave.
Choose one, use it strategically, and test, test, test. I promise if you try just ONE of these tactics above, you'll see some extra sales!
© 2005-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Alexandria's Small Business Marketing Blog.
-=-
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the award-winning 'Straight Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 19,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQueen.com
-=-
Have yourself a Super Friday & enjoy your coming weekend!
Are People LEAVING Your Web Site Without Buying? Of course they are! In fact, most of your web visitors will leave without buying -- up to 99% is the average. What's a marketer to do? Turn those lemons into lemonade.
In today's article Alexandria gives you 4 ways to generate revenue from all those people leaving your site! Enjoy...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
4 Ways to Make Money from People
Who Are LEAVING Your Site!
by Alexandria Brown, "The E-zine Queen"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Oh no... are people leaving your site without buying?
Get used to it! In fact, an average of 99% of your first time visitors to your sales pages will leave without buying or even contacting you.
But don't get upset. Get richer!
Use what's called an exit pop. Now, I know pop-ups can be incredibly annoying. But they WORK. Almost all the people I know doing over $1 million each year online use exit pops in strategic ways to seriously boost their bottom lines.
Here are four ways to generate revenue from people leaving your website, using exit pops:
1. Get them on your list.
Because most people will not buy from you at first visit, it's extremely important to have a way to follow up with them. After all, they're already interested in what you have. That's why they're at your site! So these people are worth their weight in gold to you.
But how to follow up? Well, here's where your ezine comes in. Your ezine list is your key to ongoing revenues and generating income on demand.
One of the best places to get people on your list is actually as they're leaving. It's kind of like the "Columbo" strategy of your website. (What did he used to say on the way out the door? Something like, "By the way..." or "Oh, one more thing...")
These exit pops often work BETTER than a pop-up that appears as soon as someone lands on your site. Why? You give the visitor a chance to get to know you first, before you ask them for their email. Let them take a look around, grow to trust you and your website.
One of my exit pops says, "Congrats... You've Won a FREE Subscription!" It has an eye-catching graphic representing my ezine and gives a raving description of it as well. Also the opt-in form is right in the box, which you always want. Don't make folks have to click around to sign up. If you'd like to see what mine looks like, go to EzineQueen.com. You'll see it when you leave.
From what other marketers are sharing, the "congrats" exit pop is one of the all-time best performing exit pops for building your list.
2. Ask them WHY they're leaving.
Why not find out the reason they're leaving in the first place? For example, one of my exit pops says, "WAIT - Can I ask your advice? Please tell me the biggest reason you're leaving without giving my 'Boost Business With Your Own Ezine' system a try. I'd really appreciate it, and your answer is completely anonymous. Thanks."
I looked for the most popular answers and then made some adjustments to my sales page. For example, several people said, "I don't have a website yet." So I revised my sales copy to include the fact that you don't need a website to get started publishing an ezine.
Knowing this kind of information will help you make a LOT more sales down the line!
There's a great tool that makes doing these exit surveys super easy, and you can see a demo at their site: www.askmyezine.com
3. Offer a down-sell or alternative.
Yep, that's right. Offer me something for less money. After all, I'm leaving anyway, with my wallet! Example: My "Boost Business With Your Own Ezine" system is a physical product, but for several months I tested a down-sell of a lower-priced digital version with fewer bonuses. I also configured the exit pop to appear only if the person had been on my sales page for at least 30 seconds, so I knew they were serious about the product and not just on my page to take a peek.
The tactic did pretty well, making me about an extra thousand bucks a month that otherwise I would not have gotten! That won't make me rich, but it sure helps cover my take-out sushi habit. I'll be testing some other down-sells like this one too. (Remember, it's all about trying new things and seeing how they work for YOU. That's what's so fun about Internet marketing!)
4. Send them to someone else's site.
Really! But not just anyone's site. Send them to a site with products or services that are related to yours, AND that will give you commission on any referred sales! That's called an affiliate program, and there are millions of companies doing it on the web. If you don't know of any websites that are related to yours and have an affiliate program, search the two biggest directories: ClickBank and Commission Junction.
Just remember to check out any company before you start sending people there. You don't want to taint your reputation by sending folks to a site with shoddy products or lousy service.
I've made several thousand dollars per month simply by referring my readers and web visitors to other websites. It's just one of my tactics. But some internet marketers even make ALL their revenues with affiliate programs - they don't sell any of their own products! It really works.
Don't Get Blocked!
It's a fact that almost half of all Internet users now have some type of pop-up blocker.
The good news is, whenever a new technology comes out, there's one close behind it that will make it obsolete.
There are several scripts for making pop-up boxes that cannot be blocked. My favorite that I use right now is a service that requires no programming and has dozens of fun designs you can choose and just type in your message -- www.QueenPopups.com
Just remember to please use these tools ethically! Don't drive people crazy with 10 different boxes appearing as they leave.
Choose one, use it strategically, and test, test, test. I promise if you try just ONE of these tactics above, you'll see some extra sales!
© 2005-2006 Alexandria K. Brown
WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Alexandria's Small Business Marketing Blog.
-=-
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," publishes the award-winning 'Straight Shooter Marketing' weekly ezine with 19,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.EzineQueen.com
-=-
Have yourself a Super Friday & enjoy your coming weekend!
May 25, 2006
"ID Thieves New Tricks"
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Today's article was past on at AdlandPro Community, this is to inform everyone of "thieves new tricks"! Be aware of the next targets that "The Department of Homeland Security" warns that are "becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers and viruses." and how.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"ID Thieves New Tricks"
How To Defend Yourself
By - Ed Shanahan
www.rd.com/idtheft
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Cybercriminals Are Getting Smarter, YOU Can Too!
Not long after I began my reporting for this article, I was in Washington, D.C., taking a cab from the airport, when my wife called.
"There's a message from Visa on the machine," she said. "There's something going on with the card."
Weird, I thought, pulling out my wallet. The card was right there. I called the number she gave me, and hit the voice-mail prompts ("Please enter the nine-digit telephone number at which you were contacted") and finally reached a live customer service representative. "Someone in the U.K. is trying to buy a money order for $3,400 using your card number," the woman said.
"Definitely not me," I said.
"We'll block that, cancel the card, and issue a new one," she said.
"Okay. Thanks for calling."
As we went through the back-and-forth about a replacement card, I explained how almost the only time I used the one I'd just canceled was to buy gas-and only at a couple of stations. If it never left my possession, how could someone be trying to use it 3,000 miles away? "I couldn't say for sure," she said. "It could happen a lot of ways."
WE'RE ALL VULNERABLE
It's not news that identity theft-described by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act as "the use or attempted use of an account or identifying information without the owner's permission"-is rampant in the United States. Federal and state authorities alike have labeled it the country's fastest-growing white-collar crime since the late 1990s.
And why not? We live in an age where everything from tax records to Social Security numbers to credit card data resides in databases that can be hacked, phished or pharmed by anyone with sinister motives and enough know-how.
The number of people victimized annually was last estimated at about 10 million by the Federal Trade Commission. In April, the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that at least one member of 3 percent of all U.S. households were identity-theft victims in the last half of 2004. Chances are you or someone you know has been hit.
Yes, consumers have gotten savier-cyber streetwise, if you will. We shred financial documents and unsolicited, pre-approved credit card offers; check credit reports regularly; keep Social Security numbers as private as possible; delete e-mail from unknown senders as soon as it arrives; and frequently update antivirus, firewall and spam-blocking software. But for every scam we foil, the crooks are hard at work thinking up novel ways to rip us off.
ATTACKERS DON'T STOP
When it comes to high-tech fraud, one of the most common scams is "phishing." The bad guys who do it send out bogus e-mails in hopes of scaring, enticing or just tricking the naive into giving up personal information at fake websites that resemble those of legitimate financial institutions and other commercial outfits.
The volume of phishing e-mail has reached astounding levels. The software company Symantec (of Norton fame) pegged traffic last year at 1.5 billion messages a day; less than half were blocked before reaching their destinations. Gartner, a market-research firm, reports that in the 12 months ending in May 2005, phishers duped 2.4 million Americans into revealing personal info, costing victims, banks and credit card companies $929 million.
The good news:
Computer users are getting better at telling the difference between real and fake e-mail.
The bad news: Phishermen are adapting.
"Attackers are not going to stop," says Dave Cole, a Symantec director. "They're going to go after other applications."
Maybe you've heard of "pharming," in which legitimate websites are hit with malicious computer code that steers those visiting them to look-a-like sites. Data can then be harvested without a key being struck. In a twist, there's crimeware that instead attacks browsers (Internet Explorer, for one) and does its pharming from there.
Among the most insidious new cons: "keystroke-logging," in which software planted on a computer (perhaps via a virus) records everything a user types and passes it back to an identity thief. And don't forget "screen scrapers," which can snatch and send images of what's on-screen.
Spyware is another big problem. At its most innocuous, it's just an annoyance, spawning unwanted advertising, like pop-ups. In its more nefarious form, it can arrive as a "Trojan downloader," a program that lies dormant on a computer, only to perk up later to retrieve and install destructive code under a hacker's direction. "Once that gets into your system," says Cole, "you're in for a world of hurt."
In a University of Washington study released in February of 2006, researchers found that more than 1 in 20 "executable" (.exe) files they encountered during a massive Web crawl contained "piggybacked" spyware. And, on average, 1 in 62 websites launched what are called "drive-by download attacks," trying to force spyware on users who merely visited the sites.
Adding a disturbing wrinkle to all this shady activity is the fact that your own computer can be infected by hackers so that-unknown to you-it becomes one "zombie" among thousands in a robot network ("botnet") created to attack other computers. A recent federal case against one "botmaster," 20-year-old Jeanson James Ancheta, provides a glimpse into the scope of the threat.
Ancheta, of Downey, California, pleaded guilty in January to four felony counts. In doing so, he admitted taking control of hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers, using the zombie machines to send adware, and also selling spammers access to his botnet. In a just over a year, Ancheta earned $58,000 for providing these services. "He's a little genius," says James Aquilina, the assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles who prosecuted Ancheta. "He just decided to do bad things instead of good."
While Ancheta wasn't an identity thief, Aquilina says his ability to create and command a corrupt computer network and his willingness to make it available on the black market underscore how much harm botnets could do if employed to steal identities. "They are by far one of the most significant threats we face," he says.
CRIME IN THE CARDS
As my experience shows, PCs aren't always involved in digital identity theft. The Bureau of Justice Statistics' April report found that three-quarters of the 2004 incidents involved existing credit cards or other accounts. How does it happen? Thieves target account information embedded in ATM, debit and credit cards by breaking into or otherwise compromising the equipment and systems used for processing payments.
In March, for example, Citibank announced it was reissuing an unspecified number of ATM cards in Canada and overseas. The cards had stopped working for withdrawals.
Avivah Litan, a Gartner analyst, says the culprit was most likely "PIN block" card fraud, which she expects to see a lot of in the near future. In a PIN block theft, hackers break into computer servers used by retailers to store and process debit-card PIN codes collected when purchases are made.
At the same time, and off the same servers, thieves swipe the key codes necessary to unlock the encrypted PIN data. With that information, they can easily create counterfeit debit cards, which they use to clean out bank accounts. The reason Litan sees debit-and ATM-card theft rising? It's simple: Compared to credit cards, "they're better for getting cash."
That doesn't mean credit card data isn't at risk. It is-often via similarly porous processing systems. FBI cybercrime unit chief Dan Larkin says that's one possible explanation for my Visa problem. Or it could be that my account information was skimmed with a handheld device that can pull data straight from a gas pump. However it happened, it's likely multiple crooks formed the chain that broke with that call from Visa.
The person who stole the data could have sold it to someone on one of the online forums where thieves meet. Yet another person might have created a counterfeit card using my info, and sold it to the person who tried to buy the money order. But that's just one scenario: Larkin notes that with ID theft, "the trail is becoming more and more complex."
UNWANTED GUESTS
Another ripe target for identity thieves: the wireless network that more and more computer users are setting up at home. A failure to block access to these networks can allow prying eyes into your hard drive, where you may store financial information in programs like Quicken. Even people who are diligent about regularly updating their firewall and spyware software don't always enable encryption of their Wi-Fi devices.
Last November, Symantec personnel conducted an exercise in New York City. With a laptop running free software and a simple antenna affixed to their car, they drove through six different residential neighborhoods. Of the 5,700 wireless access points they found, 52 percent had no encryption whatsoever, making them available to anyone who wanted to hop on.
An unsecure wireless access point can open the door to more than just data theft. Last April, a St. Petersburg, Florida, man grew wary after spotting someone parked near his house using a laptop. Worried this person might be tapping into his wireless network for unsavory reasons, he called the cops. On arriving, they found that the man in the parked car, Benjamin Smith III, was using the homeowner's Wi-Fi service. A search of his laptop, police say, indicated he'd downloaded child pornography. (Smith has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.)
THE NEXT TARGETS
Where will the bad guys turn next?
The Department of Homeland Security warns that cell phones and other handhelds (like BlackBerrys) are "becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers and viruses."
Symantec's Cole sees instant messaging (IM) becoming a popular target. With its built-in "buddy lists," it has a cozy feel that cybercrooks find attractive. "The big thing about IM that has not been exploited yet," he says, "is that people trust it."
Cole also expects to see more attacks on browswers, and new efforts to embed crimeware on PCs. And he's already seeing phishers moving away from mimicking large institutions to posting instead as local credit unions and regional banks. Thieves, he says, are also eyeing popular blogs and networking sites like MySpace.com, again in an attempt to exploit users' trust.
It's possible, some experts say, that all this malicious activity is a good sign. Burt Kaliski, vice president for RSA Security, believes it shows that criminals are getting desperate.
"I think it may be the last attempt by the fraudsters to get people to fall for their tricks," he says. That doesn't mean it's time to become less vigilant, he adds. In fact, Kaliski encourages consumers to demand more protection-increased encryption and identification methods-from those they do business with online. Even more encouraging: Authorities are getting better at catching high-tech thieves. How much better? Says prosecutor Aquilina: "Better than our targets might think."
To learn more about protecting yourself... visit www.rd.com/idtheft.
-=-
Shared at AdlandPro Community by Shirley Ruth Caron.
Have yourself a Super Thursday!
Today's article was past on at AdlandPro Community, this is to inform everyone of "thieves new tricks"! Be aware of the next targets that "The Department of Homeland Security" warns that are "becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers and viruses." and how.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"ID Thieves New Tricks"
How To Defend Yourself
By - Ed Shanahan
www.rd.com/idtheft
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Cybercriminals Are Getting Smarter, YOU Can Too!
Not long after I began my reporting for this article, I was in Washington, D.C., taking a cab from the airport, when my wife called.
"There's a message from Visa on the machine," she said. "There's something going on with the card."
Weird, I thought, pulling out my wallet. The card was right there. I called the number she gave me, and hit the voice-mail prompts ("Please enter the nine-digit telephone number at which you were contacted") and finally reached a live customer service representative. "Someone in the U.K. is trying to buy a money order for $3,400 using your card number," the woman said.
"Definitely not me," I said.
"We'll block that, cancel the card, and issue a new one," she said.
"Okay. Thanks for calling."
As we went through the back-and-forth about a replacement card, I explained how almost the only time I used the one I'd just canceled was to buy gas-and only at a couple of stations. If it never left my possession, how could someone be trying to use it 3,000 miles away? "I couldn't say for sure," she said. "It could happen a lot of ways."
WE'RE ALL VULNERABLE
It's not news that identity theft-described by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act as "the use or attempted use of an account or identifying information without the owner's permission"-is rampant in the United States. Federal and state authorities alike have labeled it the country's fastest-growing white-collar crime since the late 1990s.
And why not? We live in an age where everything from tax records to Social Security numbers to credit card data resides in databases that can be hacked, phished or pharmed by anyone with sinister motives and enough know-how.
The number of people victimized annually was last estimated at about 10 million by the Federal Trade Commission. In April, the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that at least one member of 3 percent of all U.S. households were identity-theft victims in the last half of 2004. Chances are you or someone you know has been hit.
Yes, consumers have gotten savier-cyber streetwise, if you will. We shred financial documents and unsolicited, pre-approved credit card offers; check credit reports regularly; keep Social Security numbers as private as possible; delete e-mail from unknown senders as soon as it arrives; and frequently update antivirus, firewall and spam-blocking software. But for every scam we foil, the crooks are hard at work thinking up novel ways to rip us off.
ATTACKERS DON'T STOP
When it comes to high-tech fraud, one of the most common scams is "phishing." The bad guys who do it send out bogus e-mails in hopes of scaring, enticing or just tricking the naive into giving up personal information at fake websites that resemble those of legitimate financial institutions and other commercial outfits.
The volume of phishing e-mail has reached astounding levels. The software company Symantec (of Norton fame) pegged traffic last year at 1.5 billion messages a day; less than half were blocked before reaching their destinations. Gartner, a market-research firm, reports that in the 12 months ending in May 2005, phishers duped 2.4 million Americans into revealing personal info, costing victims, banks and credit card companies $929 million.
The good news:
Computer users are getting better at telling the difference between real and fake e-mail.
The bad news: Phishermen are adapting.
"Attackers are not going to stop," says Dave Cole, a Symantec director. "They're going to go after other applications."
Maybe you've heard of "pharming," in which legitimate websites are hit with malicious computer code that steers those visiting them to look-a-like sites. Data can then be harvested without a key being struck. In a twist, there's crimeware that instead attacks browsers (Internet Explorer, for one) and does its pharming from there.
Among the most insidious new cons: "keystroke-logging," in which software planted on a computer (perhaps via a virus) records everything a user types and passes it back to an identity thief. And don't forget "screen scrapers," which can snatch and send images of what's on-screen.
Spyware is another big problem. At its most innocuous, it's just an annoyance, spawning unwanted advertising, like pop-ups. In its more nefarious form, it can arrive as a "Trojan downloader," a program that lies dormant on a computer, only to perk up later to retrieve and install destructive code under a hacker's direction. "Once that gets into your system," says Cole, "you're in for a world of hurt."
In a University of Washington study released in February of 2006, researchers found that more than 1 in 20 "executable" (.exe) files they encountered during a massive Web crawl contained "piggybacked" spyware. And, on average, 1 in 62 websites launched what are called "drive-by download attacks," trying to force spyware on users who merely visited the sites.
Adding a disturbing wrinkle to all this shady activity is the fact that your own computer can be infected by hackers so that-unknown to you-it becomes one "zombie" among thousands in a robot network ("botnet") created to attack other computers. A recent federal case against one "botmaster," 20-year-old Jeanson James Ancheta, provides a glimpse into the scope of the threat.
Ancheta, of Downey, California, pleaded guilty in January to four felony counts. In doing so, he admitted taking control of hundreds of thousands of Internet-connected computers, using the zombie machines to send adware, and also selling spammers access to his botnet. In a just over a year, Ancheta earned $58,000 for providing these services. "He's a little genius," says James Aquilina, the assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles who prosecuted Ancheta. "He just decided to do bad things instead of good."
While Ancheta wasn't an identity thief, Aquilina says his ability to create and command a corrupt computer network and his willingness to make it available on the black market underscore how much harm botnets could do if employed to steal identities. "They are by far one of the most significant threats we face," he says.
CRIME IN THE CARDS
As my experience shows, PCs aren't always involved in digital identity theft. The Bureau of Justice Statistics' April report found that three-quarters of the 2004 incidents involved existing credit cards or other accounts. How does it happen? Thieves target account information embedded in ATM, debit and credit cards by breaking into or otherwise compromising the equipment and systems used for processing payments.
In March, for example, Citibank announced it was reissuing an unspecified number of ATM cards in Canada and overseas. The cards had stopped working for withdrawals.
Avivah Litan, a Gartner analyst, says the culprit was most likely "PIN block" card fraud, which she expects to see a lot of in the near future. In a PIN block theft, hackers break into computer servers used by retailers to store and process debit-card PIN codes collected when purchases are made.
At the same time, and off the same servers, thieves swipe the key codes necessary to unlock the encrypted PIN data. With that information, they can easily create counterfeit debit cards, which they use to clean out bank accounts. The reason Litan sees debit-and ATM-card theft rising? It's simple: Compared to credit cards, "they're better for getting cash."
That doesn't mean credit card data isn't at risk. It is-often via similarly porous processing systems. FBI cybercrime unit chief Dan Larkin says that's one possible explanation for my Visa problem. Or it could be that my account information was skimmed with a handheld device that can pull data straight from a gas pump. However it happened, it's likely multiple crooks formed the chain that broke with that call from Visa.
The person who stole the data could have sold it to someone on one of the online forums where thieves meet. Yet another person might have created a counterfeit card using my info, and sold it to the person who tried to buy the money order. But that's just one scenario: Larkin notes that with ID theft, "the trail is becoming more and more complex."
UNWANTED GUESTS
Another ripe target for identity thieves: the wireless network that more and more computer users are setting up at home. A failure to block access to these networks can allow prying eyes into your hard drive, where you may store financial information in programs like Quicken. Even people who are diligent about regularly updating their firewall and spyware software don't always enable encryption of their Wi-Fi devices.
Last November, Symantec personnel conducted an exercise in New York City. With a laptop running free software and a simple antenna affixed to their car, they drove through six different residential neighborhoods. Of the 5,700 wireless access points they found, 52 percent had no encryption whatsoever, making them available to anyone who wanted to hop on.
An unsecure wireless access point can open the door to more than just data theft. Last April, a St. Petersburg, Florida, man grew wary after spotting someone parked near his house using a laptop. Worried this person might be tapping into his wireless network for unsavory reasons, he called the cops. On arriving, they found that the man in the parked car, Benjamin Smith III, was using the homeowner's Wi-Fi service. A search of his laptop, police say, indicated he'd downloaded child pornography. (Smith has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.)
THE NEXT TARGETS
Where will the bad guys turn next?
The Department of Homeland Security warns that cell phones and other handhelds (like BlackBerrys) are "becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers and viruses."
Symantec's Cole sees instant messaging (IM) becoming a popular target. With its built-in "buddy lists," it has a cozy feel that cybercrooks find attractive. "The big thing about IM that has not been exploited yet," he says, "is that people trust it."
Cole also expects to see more attacks on browswers, and new efforts to embed crimeware on PCs. And he's already seeing phishers moving away from mimicking large institutions to posting instead as local credit unions and regional banks. Thieves, he says, are also eyeing popular blogs and networking sites like MySpace.com, again in an attempt to exploit users' trust.
It's possible, some experts say, that all this malicious activity is a good sign. Burt Kaliski, vice president for RSA Security, believes it shows that criminals are getting desperate.
"I think it may be the last attempt by the fraudsters to get people to fall for their tricks," he says. That doesn't mean it's time to become less vigilant, he adds. In fact, Kaliski encourages consumers to demand more protection-increased encryption and identification methods-from those they do business with online. Even more encouraging: Authorities are getting better at catching high-tech thieves. How much better? Says prosecutor Aquilina: "Better than our targets might think."
To learn more about protecting yourself... visit www.rd.com/idtheft.
-=-
Shared at AdlandPro Community by Shirley Ruth Caron.
Have yourself a Super Thursday!
May 24, 2006
Detect A "2-Way Mirror"!
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Today I'm sharing with You "How To Detect A 2-Way Mirror". This information was past on at AdlandPro Community. Be aware of how to identify a 2-way mirror by conducting a simple "fingernail test" to make sure of your privacy and also for your safety!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
2 - WAY MIRROR!
By Mohamed Gani
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Have you seen a recent advertisement of a well-reputed Glass Manufacturing Company in our Television?
Then you must have known about the so-called " 2-Way Mirror ".
How to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not (Not a joke). Not to scare you, but to make sure that you are aware of it.
Many of the Hotels and Textile Show Rooms cheat their customers this way and watch your privacy. HOW TO DETECT A 2-WAY MIRROR?
When we visit Wash Rooms, Bath Rooms, Hotel Rooms, Changing Rooms, etc. how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging or fixed on the wall is a real mirror or actually a 2-way mirror. That is they can see you, but you can't see them. There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors (especially) female changing rooms, bath rooms, wash rooms, etc. etc. It is very difficulty to perfectly identify the surface by just looking at it.
So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty... what type of mirror, we are looking at?
CONDUCT THIS SIMPLE TEST:
Place the tip of your finger-nail against the reflective surface of the mirror and if there is a GAP between your finger-nail and the image of the nail, then it is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your finger-nail DIRECTLY TOUCHES THE IMAGE OF YOUR NAIL, then beware, it is a 2-WAY MIRROR. (There is someone seeing you from the other side). So, remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test". It does not cost you anything.
It is so simple to do. This is a really good thing to do. The reason there is a gap on a real mirror, is because, the silver is on the back of the mirror UNDER the glass... whereas, with a 2-way mirror, the silver is on the Surface. Keep it in mind...! Make sure and check every time you enter in Hotel Rooms, Public Wash Rooms, Public Changing Rooms, etc. etc. etc. (May be someone is making a film on you) !
Please share this with all your family members and friends... Thanking you!
Your Friend: Mohamed Gani
-=-
Have yourself a Super Wednesday!
Today I'm sharing with You "How To Detect A 2-Way Mirror". This information was past on at AdlandPro Community. Be aware of how to identify a 2-way mirror by conducting a simple "fingernail test" to make sure of your privacy and also for your safety!
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2 - WAY MIRROR!
By Mohamed Gani
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Have you seen a recent advertisement of a well-reputed Glass Manufacturing Company in our Television?
Then you must have known about the so-called " 2-Way Mirror ".
How to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not (Not a joke). Not to scare you, but to make sure that you are aware of it.
Many of the Hotels and Textile Show Rooms cheat their customers this way and watch your privacy. HOW TO DETECT A 2-WAY MIRROR?
When we visit Wash Rooms, Bath Rooms, Hotel Rooms, Changing Rooms, etc. how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging or fixed on the wall is a real mirror or actually a 2-way mirror. That is they can see you, but you can't see them. There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors (especially) female changing rooms, bath rooms, wash rooms, etc. etc. It is very difficulty to perfectly identify the surface by just looking at it.
So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty... what type of mirror, we are looking at?
CONDUCT THIS SIMPLE TEST:
Place the tip of your finger-nail against the reflective surface of the mirror and if there is a GAP between your finger-nail and the image of the nail, then it is a GENUINE mirror. However, if your finger-nail DIRECTLY TOUCHES THE IMAGE OF YOUR NAIL, then beware, it is a 2-WAY MIRROR. (There is someone seeing you from the other side). So, remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test". It does not cost you anything.
It is so simple to do. This is a really good thing to do. The reason there is a gap on a real mirror, is because, the silver is on the back of the mirror UNDER the glass... whereas, with a 2-way mirror, the silver is on the Surface. Keep it in mind...! Make sure and check every time you enter in Hotel Rooms, Public Wash Rooms, Public Changing Rooms, etc. etc. etc. (May be someone is making a film on you) !
Please share this with all your family members and friends... Thanking you!
Your Friend: Mohamed Gani
-=-
Have yourself a Super Wednesday!
May 23, 2006
10 Tips For NM Presentation
Welcome to Flo's Home Biz & Fun Blog...
Today's article has important tips for your business. Have You ever wanted to give a great presentation? Maria is sharing a few steps everyone can take to make sure your message has the best possible chance of being well received...
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Top 10 Tips For A Successful
Network Marketing Presentation
By - Maria Davies
www.LaddersOfSuccess.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
As network marketers, we often have important information to impart and our role in doing so is a major one. Many, many times I have had the pleasure of having people approach me to say how hearing me speak literally changed their lives due to the powerful message and the persuasiveness of the delivery. Most people in MLM are not trained presenters or salespersons but there are a few steps everyone can take to make sure their message has the best possible chance of being well received.
Here are my top tips:
1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Not every pitch will work for everyone so before you go to present the products or the business, whether it’s to just one person or to many, do a little research to ensure you’re presenting at the appropriate level. If your presentation is too lightweight, you’ll bore them; too in depth, you’ll confuse them. Either way, they will switch off and your vital words will fall on deaf ears.
2. WIIFM
Yes, that old chestnut, but it’s worth repeating as it’s so often forgotten. Bearing in mind tip no. 1, what are the challenges faced by this person or this group of people? How does your business opportunity or your product solve their problems? Focus on answering these questions rather than trotting out the mechanics of your offering. Your audience must feel you’ve prepared your presentation specially for them, even if it’s essentially the same one you’re giving all the time.
3. CONTINUALLY LEARN AND PRACTICE PRESENTING
One of the most important skills any network marketer can hone is that of becoming an accomplished speaker. It impacts so many other areas of your life as it massively increases your self-confidence. The more professionally you can deliver your message, the more readily it will be received, the more lives you will touch and the more money you will make in your business. Learning to present well is an investment in yourself and can give you the greatest return on the capital you’ve invested.
4. HANDLE DISSENTERS WELL
One of the major fears I hear from network marketers is that of being faced with doubting prospects or those who dispute what they’re being told. Unfortunately, the tendency is to dig in and fight your corner but this can turn the discussion into an argument and work against you, especially if you’re giving a presentation in front of a group. When you’re faced with negativity, always start your answer with “That’s a very good question…” and continue with your viewpoint. Wherever possible, turn things around to make your audience right. Download a free “one-sheet crib sheet” on this important subject at www.LaddersOfSuccess.com.
5. SHOW, DON’T TELL
Show the products you’re talking about. Let people feel, smell and see for themselves instead of just hearing what they are like. If you’re making a presentation about the business opportunity, remember that your company has probably done a lot to make things easier for you. Make sure you get the prospecting materials they offer, show the pictures of the top distributors, talk about them as if they are real people.
6. LET YOUR GUARD DOWN
People buy from those they know, like and trust. How can they do any of this if you won’t let them get to know the real you. You don’t have to be perfect, you can talk about your own challenges, beliefs, family, hopes and dreams. Doing so gives your prospects more opportunity to identify with you so you can use the similarities to build rapport.
7. STORIES INSTEAD OF FACTS
When we get excited about our products, we often delve into the features of the products, what works and why. This is all very exciting once you’ve had your first wonderful product experience, but it doesn’t make for a very exciting lead-in to your presentation. People want to know about results. They want the bottom line. There’s plenty of time to get to the detail later but to start this way could send most of your prospects to sleep (apart from the professors in the audience, of course). The best way to illustrate what your products or business opportunity can do is through telling stories. Use your own story or a case study of someone you know. Use emotive words. Remember, not just the facts, the feelings too.
8. MAKE ‘EM LAUGH
When people laugh they feel more relaxed and amenable. Every situation has a humorous side and if you’re telling a tragic story your prospects will welcome the respite that comes with a moment of levity. The golden rule is to move people: make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, then they buy. This is something I aim to do in every presentation because it means I’ve moved my audience emotionally. I appreciate this is an advanced technique, but if you learn how to do it, you’ll increase your success rate exponentially.
9. DON’T TELL – ASK
Instead of telling your prospects everything, get them answering questions. Rather than saying “Did you know that only 1% of people retire financially free?”, ask them “What percentage of people do you think retire financially free?”. This gets your prospects involved and if you word your questions correctly, you’re coaching them to the purchase decision rather than having to push them into buying. This is a technique I teach that I’ve perfected over the years. It works great for network marketers and women and I call it “pull selling”.
10. GIVE A REASON TO ACT NOW
Again, not being salespersons, many network marketers give a great presentation and then wimp out without asking for the order. Your prospect’s motivation will never be higher than it is at that moment so make sure you use this to your advantage. Think of reasons why they should place their order today. Some possible reasons might be because you are offering a special bonus OR prices are about to increase OR there’s an order deadline coming up so they’ll get their goods sooner OR you’re placing an order too so they’ll save on the postage OR you’re offering a discount on orders placed today OR you’re seeing someone else who could become a distributor and will go beneath them. Whatever it is, tell them, and secure the sale.
-=-
Have yourself a Super Tuesday!
Today's article has important tips for your business. Have You ever wanted to give a great presentation? Maria is sharing a few steps everyone can take to make sure your message has the best possible chance of being well received...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Top 10 Tips For A Successful
Network Marketing Presentation
By - Maria Davies
www.LaddersOfSuccess.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
As network marketers, we often have important information to impart and our role in doing so is a major one. Many, many times I have had the pleasure of having people approach me to say how hearing me speak literally changed their lives due to the powerful message and the persuasiveness of the delivery. Most people in MLM are not trained presenters or salespersons but there are a few steps everyone can take to make sure their message has the best possible chance of being well received.
Here are my top tips:
1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Not every pitch will work for everyone so before you go to present the products or the business, whether it’s to just one person or to many, do a little research to ensure you’re presenting at the appropriate level. If your presentation is too lightweight, you’ll bore them; too in depth, you’ll confuse them. Either way, they will switch off and your vital words will fall on deaf ears.
2. WIIFM
Yes, that old chestnut, but it’s worth repeating as it’s so often forgotten. Bearing in mind tip no. 1, what are the challenges faced by this person or this group of people? How does your business opportunity or your product solve their problems? Focus on answering these questions rather than trotting out the mechanics of your offering. Your audience must feel you’ve prepared your presentation specially for them, even if it’s essentially the same one you’re giving all the time.
3. CONTINUALLY LEARN AND PRACTICE PRESENTING
One of the most important skills any network marketer can hone is that of becoming an accomplished speaker. It impacts so many other areas of your life as it massively increases your self-confidence. The more professionally you can deliver your message, the more readily it will be received, the more lives you will touch and the more money you will make in your business. Learning to present well is an investment in yourself and can give you the greatest return on the capital you’ve invested.
4. HANDLE DISSENTERS WELL
One of the major fears I hear from network marketers is that of being faced with doubting prospects or those who dispute what they’re being told. Unfortunately, the tendency is to dig in and fight your corner but this can turn the discussion into an argument and work against you, especially if you’re giving a presentation in front of a group. When you’re faced with negativity, always start your answer with “That’s a very good question…” and continue with your viewpoint. Wherever possible, turn things around to make your audience right. Download a free “one-sheet crib sheet” on this important subject at www.LaddersOfSuccess.com.
5. SHOW, DON’T TELL
Show the products you’re talking about. Let people feel, smell and see for themselves instead of just hearing what they are like. If you’re making a presentation about the business opportunity, remember that your company has probably done a lot to make things easier for you. Make sure you get the prospecting materials they offer, show the pictures of the top distributors, talk about them as if they are real people.
6. LET YOUR GUARD DOWN
People buy from those they know, like and trust. How can they do any of this if you won’t let them get to know the real you. You don’t have to be perfect, you can talk about your own challenges, beliefs, family, hopes and dreams. Doing so gives your prospects more opportunity to identify with you so you can use the similarities to build rapport.
7. STORIES INSTEAD OF FACTS
When we get excited about our products, we often delve into the features of the products, what works and why. This is all very exciting once you’ve had your first wonderful product experience, but it doesn’t make for a very exciting lead-in to your presentation. People want to know about results. They want the bottom line. There’s plenty of time to get to the detail later but to start this way could send most of your prospects to sleep (apart from the professors in the audience, of course). The best way to illustrate what your products or business opportunity can do is through telling stories. Use your own story or a case study of someone you know. Use emotive words. Remember, not just the facts, the feelings too.
8. MAKE ‘EM LAUGH
When people laugh they feel more relaxed and amenable. Every situation has a humorous side and if you’re telling a tragic story your prospects will welcome the respite that comes with a moment of levity. The golden rule is to move people: make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry, then they buy. This is something I aim to do in every presentation because it means I’ve moved my audience emotionally. I appreciate this is an advanced technique, but if you learn how to do it, you’ll increase your success rate exponentially.
9. DON’T TELL – ASK
Instead of telling your prospects everything, get them answering questions. Rather than saying “Did you know that only 1% of people retire financially free?”, ask them “What percentage of people do you think retire financially free?”. This gets your prospects involved and if you word your questions correctly, you’re coaching them to the purchase decision rather than having to push them into buying. This is a technique I teach that I’ve perfected over the years. It works great for network marketers and women and I call it “pull selling”.
10. GIVE A REASON TO ACT NOW
Again, not being salespersons, many network marketers give a great presentation and then wimp out without asking for the order. Your prospect’s motivation will never be higher than it is at that moment so make sure you use this to your advantage. Think of reasons why they should place their order today. Some possible reasons might be because you are offering a special bonus OR prices are about to increase OR there’s an order deadline coming up so they’ll get their goods sooner OR you’re placing an order too so they’ll save on the postage OR you’re offering a discount on orders placed today OR you’re seeing someone else who could become a distributor and will go beneath them. Whatever it is, tell them, and secure the sale.
-=-
Have yourself a Super Tuesday!
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