Writing Information
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SEO Trade Secrets - 8 Great Tools for Search Engine Optimization

SEO Trade Secrets - 8 Great Tools for Search Engine Optimization By Glenn Murray * About 80% of website traffic comes through search engines. And research shows, if you’re not on the first 2 pages, most people won’t find you. This article isn’t about how to achieve a high ranking. That topic has been done to death over the past few months. We all know the basics now… Submit your site to the. . .

How to Spam Google and get away with it

I bet you are eager to find out just how to do this. "Spamming Google" that is, and getting away with it. Maybe you want to try this method out or maybe you are another SEO guy waiting with baited breath to downplay this concept. Well, I hope you are ready for the answer regardless. First, let's go over what is “bad Spam”. I'm not entirely sure that there is good spam, but for arguments sake. . .

How my page Rank went from 0 to 5 in one update. How yours can too.

Increase Your Google Page Rank! This article will put a damper on web sites that sell information which will supposedly increase your page rank. I may make some enemies here, but this is already common knowledge. In fact, to make sure it worked, I designed a new site just for this purpose. Before you shell out money for an ebook, software, or CD telling you how to do this; read this article. I. . .

Getting Listed in the Top Three Search Engines for Free

by Jinger Jarrett http://www.killermarketingarsenal.com The search engine wars are on again. In an effort to beat each other for the number one position, each of the big three search engines is changing its search engine model or changing its site. THE SCOOP In the number three position is Google. In their bid to compete, they have changed their model from just a search engine to becoming a wo. . .

Out of Exile: How to get un-banned from Google.

I am banned from Google...Help! What did you do to get banned? Can you get un-banned? Yes! But first you need to know what you did to get banned. Google will not tell you. A sure sign you have been banned is that your web site is missing a page rank. By, that I mean the PR bar is Gray. That is usually the first indication. To double check that, enter site:www.yoursite.com into Google. Replace “. . .

SEO Tips for Google®

Getting a high ranking on Google is a big achievement. There are many factors that go into pulling a high page rank. I have put together a small list of things that should not be overlooked when optimizing your site. Let’s start from the top: META Tags- Sorry, but Google doesn’t read META tags. That includes the KEYWORD tag. Some search engines, however, still use them. URL- Having a keyword o. . .

How To Write Little Tiny AdWords Ads That Bring Giant-Sized Profits

by Karon Thackston © 2004 http://www.copywritingcourse.com It seems to be a phenomenon. You try Google AdWords Select, your ad gets “disapproved” by the powers that be at Google, you count your losses and give up. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are two primary factors to succeeding at Google AdWords. The first is getting the right keywords. The second is writing little tiny ads. Ne. . .

"What You Did Wrong With Your Domain Name(s)!"

Trying to improve search engine rankings is just like a rubics cube. A puzzle that can keep you occupied for hours. How many times have you heard "They keep changing the rules?,” and the frustrating part is...they don't even tell you what the rules are in the first place! It's a proven fact, in trying to improve search engine rankings, that growing your site thru link popularity, by slowly a. . .

MLM and SEO. Bad Business! No Business!

MLM has been around way before the Internet. It is a few steps above a chain letter. Well, maybe more then a few steps. MLM has paved the way for people to have their own business. It can start out as side money and flourish into a very profitable business. Now, you are probably saying to yourself “Joe, what do you know about MLM?” Well, folks in the early days I did MLM. Yes, I am a not proud. . .

PPC v Natural Search – A Cost Comparison Case Study

The attraction of Pay Per Click (PPC) online advertising is undeniable. Each click costs virtually nothing, you only pay for the clicks you get, and you set your own daily budget so you know exactly how much you’re going to spend. Most importantly, your listing appears . . .

Optimizing Flash. Can it be Done?

Since the inception of Flash, it has been the programming medium of choice for many companies. Most professionals recognize the superior visual aspects that Flash has to offer. Unfortunately, Flash is also very hard to optimize. Many SEO firms would rather tell you Flash can’t be optimized than to try and optimize it. No, optimizing a Flash site is not simple by any means, but it is entirely po. . .

Is RSS Here to Stay or Gone Tomorrow?

RSS is totally hot. We have seen it everywhere, from John-Doe blogsites to major news websites. If you haven't heard of RSS before, that's okay, because I hadn't either until a couple of months ago! RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, or whatever you want it to stand for. I have seen it also stand for RDF Site Summary, but it really doesn't matter. What's important is what it does. He. . .

Reprint articles hijacked by text link ads - Great for authors!

We all know that online publishers earn revenue from our free reprint articles. They place pay-per-click ads on the web page that contains the article, and the advertiser pays them whenever someone clicks on the ad. Most use programs like Google AdSense which automatically identify the subject of the article and deliver an ad related to that subject. But did you know that publishers can do a si. . .

Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy?

by Karon Thackston © 2004, All Rights Reserved http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword With all the shuffling that’s been seen in the search engine world within the last year, the issue of obvious optimizing has become a hot button. The current line of thinking is that most engines (especially Google) are on the lookout for sites that purposely make an effort to optimize their pages in order t. . .

Find Out How Microsoft's Plans Could Make Your Subscribers Beg You for RSS Content!

Microsoft recently announced that they will be releasing a new browser version sometime this summer. The new browser version was to be released with Longhorn, the code name for their next operating system to replace Windows XP, but they decided that they needed to release it sooner than that. Many think the reason is because Firefox, the new popular browser, has introduced some key features th. . .

8 Easy Online Ways to Market Your Book For Free

Marketing your book whether you went the POD, e-book, or traditional route can be a daunting process. Figuring out what works and what doesn’t can take time, energy, and if you’re not careful a lot of money. When I first self-published my science fiction novel GETTING OUT ALIVE, I had already done quite a bit of research into ways to market my novel that didn’t eat into my pocket book. Here are. . .

What to look for when shopping for a SEO specialist.

When, shopping for a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) company/specialist you need to be aware of a few things. If someone offers you fast results they may be pulling your leg. If you aren’t listed on search engines the average time to be index takes around 4 weeks. Someone offering submissions in less then that is coning you. Websites that are already listed and are just being updated will hav. . .

10 Things to Expect from Your SEO Copywriter

From the perspective of a business owner, webmaster, or marketing manager, the change exhibited by the Internet is profoundly exciting, yet profoundly disturbing. The information (and misinformation and disinformation) it offers, the business benefits it promises, and the . . .

Just What Makes Your Computer Tick?

Maybe you want to upgrade your system and you’re spending the weekend trying to make it work. Or perhaps, your system is acting strangely and you are pulling your hair out trying to figure out what to do. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to know how your computer works in order to do anything with it, especially in a technical manner. Know your system One of the first things you’ll . . .

Writing SEO Copy – 8 Steps to Success

Writing SEO Copy – 8 Steps to Success By Glenn Murray* We all know that the lion’s share of web traffic comes through the search engines. We also know that keywords and links to your site are the two things that affect your ranking in the search engines. Your keywords tell the search engines what you do, and the inbound links tell them how important you are. This combination is what determines . . .

From Idea to Published Book ... How to self-publish the easy way!

I've been involved in publishing for over a decade now as an author, editor, and project manager; however, it wasn't until just a few years ago that I decided to move into self-publishing. Indeed, my first few projects involved consulting for others and, now, I am involved in my own, personal projects. It has taken a while for me to come back around to my own works, but in the process I learn. . .

How to Market Your Business While You Sleep; Ten Foolproof Systems

For many Net marketers, marketing is a love-hate relationship. We love the traffic and sales that a good push brings … but we have to force ourselves to do it. So lately, I've been looking for systems anyone can implement that get the job done while you're pursuing other interests. The Net really is designed to do exactly this - so let's take advantage of it. Please do note, these tasks are sp. . .

Why Blogs Are Beating Out Ezines ... And Matter So Much to Your Platform

I was all set this morning to write about something totally different in this issue ... but thanks to the power of blogs, I'm here to deliver a totally different message. Namely the ascendance of blogs over ezines. First of all, you may notice that you're not getting a whole lot of issues of this ezine from me. Why? Because I've come to understand that blogging is faster. It's more immediate. . . .

Extreme Research: 10 Snappy Rules For Success

So you want to learn to research well, and not waste any time. Let's do it. Here are a few NECESSARY preliminary points. First, adopt an aggressive I-am-taking-over-this-place mindset. 2. Develop a system for executing the research process. By creating your own rules to follow systematically, you really speed things up. Don't have one? No worries. You can use mine. I happen to have "research an. . .

SUICIDE VACCINE

END suicide!!! (and the suicide/terrorism & bombings that accompany it like a death-head)!!!, [that's real prevention, isn't it??] Read with the kind of open mind that conquers the unknown....... "SUICIDE VACCINE": (short version **) ...........You don't have to believe in God to sense that there are unseen, negative forces at work against the human race; vast, heartless, loveless and unsymp. . .

Copywriting Makeover: Search Engine-Friendly Can Also Mean Visitor-Friendly

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a big role. You want to have excellent copy that appeals to both your visitors and the engines in order to create pages that will rank highly. However, sometimes there can be potential problems with fitting copy into certain types of sites. Due to space constraints, page . . .

The Five Deadly Fears of E-Newsletter Publishing

1. Fear Of Having Nothing To Say As a small business owner, you know a lot more than you may realize. And although running out of material is the number one reason cited by small business owners for not launching an E-Newsletter in the first place, I have never come across anyone who knew enough about a particular industry or topic to start a business in it, who didn't also have a nearly endle. . .

Should I re-design my site?

Why would my site need a redesign? There are a lot of reasons your site may need a re-design. Some may be more obvious than others. You may have asked yourself the question: Can my site benefit from a re-design? Hopefully, by the end of this article, you will have an answer. The most common reason to redesign a site is that it's outdated. If your site hasn’t been updated in the last 3 to 5 ye. . .

How to Make Time for Your Soul

The locust are buzzing. The fireflies flashing, and we can almost swim in Lake Champlain. That means it's just about popsicle weather, which is the perfect time to get serious about your dream. There's more daylight, less squeeze in schedules, and more time to connect with your soul. These are some great ways to tweak your routine to better serve your dream. Dig in before the summer slips by. Y. . .

The Galileo Conspiracy: 5 Questions Your Science Professors Hope You Never Ask

As a young lad, I took on my first scientific experiment simply because I could. Like most curious youngsters who own walky-talkies, I could only resist for so long the urge to bury one of them (well behind enemy lines) in the bread aisle at the local grocery store, to see what startled shoppers might make of extroverted wheat. This, my first foray into the field of agorology -- the very scient. . .

Intro To Voice over Internet Protocol -- Save Money With Every Phone Call

You've probably heard about Voice over Internet Protoco (abbreviated VoIP or VOIP). It is one of the hottest computer technologies today. VoIP was developed to provide voice communication between computer users at different locations. Although still used in this manner, it's been developed much further -- into a full-fledged telephone network that allows us to place telephone calls through th. . .

How to run a successful link exchange program.

Link Exchanges are a very time consuming project. The time it takes to find the sites to exchange with, contact them and place a link on your page can seem like an eternity. The hardest part about link exchanges isn’t the research, it's the waiting. This article will give you some tips to help speed response time to your requests. "How long does it normally take?" you ask. The average wait c. . .

Take Your Good Idea One Step Further

Whether you're an executive, manager, professional, or entrepreneur, you need to think ahead. When you do it in a formal sense, it's called it planning, when you do it informally it's something like speculating. Whether you're planning or speculating, the exercise represents just the tip of the iceberg. For the plans or scenarios to amount to something, they have to be implemented. In turn, tha. . .

What is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Part 1: Biological Basis

Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences is based on the premise that each individual's intelligence is composed of multiple "intelligences," each of which has its own independent operating system within the brain. These intelligences include: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist. The verbal-linguist. . .

Free Contests May Not Cost You Money, But They Can Still Cost You

If there’s no entry fee, why not enter? If I don’t win, I don’t lose anything. Many a new writer has been burned by thinking this way. Free competitions may not cost you any money to enter, but they can still cost you. The Big Beware: Are You Selling Your Rights by Entering? Beware of competitions that have no entry fee but a statement saying they have the right to print your work, regardless o. . .

Three Benefits of Learning How To Concentrate

We all know that being able to concentrate on a given task is, in most cases, a necessary part of completing it. Without focus our mind wanders, and the body soon follows – to the kitchen for a drink or snack, to the den to check on the kids, outside for a breath of fresh air... the list of distractions is endless, especially for people who work at home. Without the ability to focus our minds, . . .

Scotland - Relocate To This Beautiful Country

My wife is an expert on Scotland. She writes about it for a living. Although born in the south east of England, she is a Robertson through and through and has returned to her roots,bringing me along with her. I'm very grateful! And, I'm not the only willing settler in this great country. The Scotsman recently reported that immigrants 'accounted for 68 per cent of population growth in Scotland . . .

Wedding Gifts - Something Old, Nothing New..!

The old tale about a bride and groom receiving half a dozen toasters from well-meaning relatives on their wedding day has passed into 70s history. But, what to buy the modern couple? It's a question that is guaranteed to drive their guests to near insanity. Toasters, bed linen, TVs, pots, pans and all the rest of the boring household necessities are fine but... let's face it, they aren't fun to. . .

Do Your Ads Add To Your Bottom Line?

Creating ads that present your product or service to other businesses is much the same as creating ads for consumers. The difference, of course, is that you’re selling to a tightly defined niche market as opposed to a wide swath of the public. But the basics are the same because you’re trying to persuade another human being to take a closer look at what you’re selling. Here are ten tips to help. . .

Looking to Sell Your Book for a Good Price?

Free Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. TITLE: Looking to Sell Your Book for a Good Price? AUTHORS: Marshall Masters PUB DATE: July 2005 CATEGORY: Writing, Publishing WEB SITE: http://doieasylink.net ARTICLE: . . .

What is the Theory of Multiple Intelligences? Part 2: Cultural Influence

Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences developed as he worked with brain injured adults and autistic children. He identified distinct portions of the brain that control specific human abilities or talents like analysis, classification, speech, self-awareness, etc. He has identified eight distinct abilities that he refers to as "intelligences": verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical,. . .

8 Quick Ways to Nurture Your Creativity

One of the really great things about creating your dream are those times when you go into a trance. That's when you look up after three hours and discover that the rest of the world has gone to bed while you've been creating your work of genius. And this is when your creativity is at its absolute sparkling best. Here are some elements you can put in place that will help you slide into that exal. . .

How to Write an Ad That Adds to Your Bottom Line

Whether your company is business-to-business or business-to-consumer, selling almost anything in today’s economic climate is a challenging task. If your sales effort feels like you’re pushing boulders up steep hills, it’s time to take a close look at your media advertising, especially the advertising you do in newspapers and magazines. The kind called “print.” Print advertising, unlike broadc. . .

Don’t Let the Global Village Prevent You from Sharing Your Family History

There was once a time when grandparents sat amidst a group of wide-eyed grandchildren telling stories of days gone by. As the global village shrinks and families spread out across the nation and the world, the tradition of sharing family stories orally is in decline. Oral tradition – passing stories by word of mouth – has been the primary means of sharing family histories until the very recent . . .

Pennies From Heaven

The birds in my neighborhood like to poop on my car. I'm not saying this to impress you, I'm only telling you what happens. Each morning, when I come out to go to my office, my car is covered. No matter what part of the driveway I park in, and regardless of who else's truck, bicycle, baseball glove or Frisbee is lying next to it in plain sight, my car is the only thing that gets hit. I have t. . .

Connect with Spirit

Spirit - All Around Us, All of Us, Every One of Us ANY time we connect with something or someone, we're also connected with Spirit (also known as God, the Universe, Higher Power, the Source). While our personal definition of Spirit is unique, when we connect with that Spirit it immediately connects us with something outside of ourselves. This connection also joins everyone and everything on thi. . .

Better Internal Proposals

A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to the same association and he's been trying for quite some time, without success, to get support for one of his proposals. His lack of results came to mind when a reader asked for ideas about making internal proposals more effective. As she noted in her message, it's necessary to make a business case for proposals, including costs and returns. She's. . .

Productivity: So Many Small Things

We rarely see stories or articles about productivity in the newspaper or on TV. When we do, it’s usually just another story on the economy that defies understanding. Which is too bad. Our prosperous standard of living arrived, in large part, because of the ability of companies and organizations everywhere, and for the past several hundred years, to increase productivity. Productivity simply re. . .

Limited Time Only (Shh! It's A Secret)

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com Under normal circumstances, you'd shout it from the rooftops. After all, when you have something urgent to say, you want others to know about it, right? But when it comes to “limited time only” offers, lately I've noticed a disturbing trend. Copywriters seem to actually be hiding the phrase! Let me give you some examples. I receive. . .

Creating Your Writing Space

It's important to have a space set aside in your home for writing. It can be a big cushion in a corner of your closet with a notebook and pen, if that's all you have room for, or the back seat of your car if that's the only place you can get some peace and quiet, but it should be all yours, waiting for you whenever it's time to write. If you go with the more traditional desk (and I'm not knock. . .

New Accutane Requirements

New Accutane Registration Requirements Starting January 1, 2006 people with severe acne who need Accutane (isotretinoin), must enroll in the FDA’s new iPLEDGE program through a physician who is also enrolled. In an effort to reduce the number of birth defects caused by isotretinoin, these new rules require anyone involved in the use or distribution of Accutane to be registered in iPLEDGE and to. . .

Top 10 Common English Goofs by Web Authors

In reviewing and browsing web sites over the years, I have compiled a list of the most common misuses of English by web authors. Here they are in Letterman (reverse) order. 10. Who, which or that? "Who" (or "whom") refers to persons. "Which" refers to animals or things, never to persons. "That" can refer to either persons or things. Examples: The girl who was hungry. The dog that wagged its ta. . .

Productivity on the Job: Phil's New Nailing Gun

Increased productivity means people like Jane and Phil earn effectively higher wages than their parents. Here's why: Every time a company makes an improvement, a productivity improvement, it increases its value and its income. Whether it reduces a cost or adds value for which consumers will pay more, it increases its earnings. Some of those increased earnings go to higher (real) wages for emp. . .

Advertising and Community Relations -- Get the Best of Both Worlds

Have you ever noticed that in communities without big universities, high school sports take on an even bigger importance? That's what it's like where I live. But like everywhere else in the country, our high school sports are always looking for ways to make a few extra bucks. Enter the high school baseball sponsorship program. For a nominal fee (really nominal) businesses can display a banner a. . .

Guerilla Mythbusting: 5 Snappy Rules For Spotting and Exposing Popular Nonsense

College students tend to wax enthusiastic about the lessons they pick up in class. Curiously, this very admirable trait, a thirst for knowledge, has a downside to it. When one learns at a rate best described as "alarming," which college students often must do, little time exists to sit and sift through all that new material carefully. And this burdensome task would mandate yet more study time, . . .

What Makes A Good Media Story?

Media relations can be difficult, but also rewarding. And the lessons we learn from working with newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and online publications should increase the effectiveness of all our communication initiatives. That's because dealing with the media parallels our dealings with other stakeholders. In media relations, the competition to be heard and get a response intensifi. . .

When a Publisher Asks for Photos

Article may be used in free emags, newsletters, websites or print publications. Minor editing for grammar and punctuation is fine, just please keep most of article intact. Resource box at end of article MUST be included. Thanks. WHEN A PUBLISHER ASKS FOR PHOTOS by Pamela White While requirements from various publishers will vary by their reproduction process and their mechanical setups, you wi. . .

Review: Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.thewriterslife.com/bb/mwd6/ I have to tell you, I was very skeptical in the beginning. Nervous even. I had one finger on the "buy now" button, and one finger poised, ready to request a refund. I guess, when I bought Michael Masterson's course, I was anxious that this would be one of those screaming, ranting, raving sales letter courses that tells you tha. . .

Email Interviews

Article may be used in free emags, newsletters, websites or print publications. Minor editing for grammar and punctuation is fine, just please keep most of article intact. Resource box at end of article MUST be included. Thanks. EMAIL INTERVIEWS by Pam White Reporters and writers know the value of face-to-face interviews. Follow-up questions are easy in real time allowing writers to chase a n. . .

Those Deadly Deadlines

Article may be used in free emags, newsletters, websites or print publications. Minor editing for grammar and punctuation is fine, just please keep most of article intact. Resource box at end of article MUST be included. Thanks. THOSE DEADLY DEADLINES by Pamela White My back hurts and head throbs. The lights are too bright; the temperature too cold. Is it the flu? Some as-yet unnamed dread di. . .

Communicating CEOs

I see a PR firm has done a survey on the amount of time Canadian CEOs spend on communication, and found they spend almost half of their time on communication. I think we're supposed to be impressed that CEOs spend that much time on communication. But, quite frankly, what else does a CEO do? And, if you consider both direct and indirect communication, wouldn't that be more like 90%? So, what do . . .

Six Tips to Better Photos for Food Writers

Article may be used in free emags, newsletters, websites or print publications. Minor editing for grammar and punctuation is fine, just please keep most of article intact. Resource box at end of article MUST be included. Thanks. SIX TIPS TO BETTER PHOTOS FOR FOOD WRITERS by Pamela White Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of taking photographs of your culinary creations for publication? Here ar. . .

Why Write Down Your Ideas?

Whether you're a manager, professional, or entrepreneur you need to think ahead. When you do it in a formal sense, it's called it planning, when you do it informally it's something like speculating. Whether you're planning or speculating, the exercise represents just the tip of the iceberg. For the plans or scenarios to amount to something, they have to be implemented. In turn, that usually inv. . .

How to Use Community Relations to Grow Your Business

Community relations is one of those marketing strategies that isn't talked about much, even though I venture to say practically everyone ends up doing it at one time or another. Basically, community relations is when you and your business become involved in your community. For instance: * Your business donates money to nonprofit organizations. * You or your employees volunteer at a fundraising. . .

Enough With the Upsells Already!

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.learn-copywriting.com It happened twice during the same week. All I wanted to do was make a purchase, and they were making every effort to keep me from it (or so it seemed). Why would a business who wanted me to buy from them so badly put enough roadblocks in my path to make me want to click off the site and go someplace else? The roadblocks that almost . . .

WOMEN’S PROGRAM FEATURED IN TIME MAGAZINE

Tending Your Inner Garden, a program of personal growth, creativity, and spirituality developed by two Iowa women, is featured in this week’s cover story in TIME magazine. The program, founded by Diane Glass of Carlisle and Debra Landwehr Engle of Winterset, is part of an article about women in midlife. Tending Your Inner Garden is included in a section of the article called Guides for the Inn. . .

Denominations Gone Wild: Whatever Happened to Unity?

The Bible teaches that Christians ought to practice a single faith. It reads: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). Yet, today, every man does what is right in his own eyes. What's the solution? Pastors and elders mus. . .

Technology & Communication

A study a couple of years ago found that 63% of executives were making fewer business trips because of technology. Instead of a plane trip, face-to-face meetings and a plane trip back, they used email, videoconferencing, or online meetings, according to the Accountemps study. If you're a manager who's spending less time with a suitcase and more with a mouse, you'll want to pay attention to the . . .

The Power of 'because...'

"Do it!", "Do it now!", or "Do it because..." Which of these commands is most likely to get the response you want? If you picked the third, the one that includes 'because', you'd be right. Of course, if you're a parent, aunt, or uncle you may know that already. The idea behind 'because...' is to provide an explanation or rationalization for the request you're making. In other words, the command. . .

Writing With Power: 5 Snappy Rules For Success

Almost everyone could profit from enhancing their writing skills. From writing more crisp meta-tags – which search engine bots find quite sexy – to turbo-charging your blog readership by writing with punch, a skilled pen can propel any online effort in the right direction. But who has the time, money or know-how to tackle this daunting task, right? On the contrary, I have just the free and powe. . .

They Should Have Seen It Coming

A comedian once showed a newspaper to his audience. The headline read, "1-800 Astrology Business Goes Under: They Should Have Seen It Coming." Everyone laughed, including me. We chuckled at the irony of a real contradiction here. If such a business could provide the service they claim, then its owners should have succeeded where other businesses failed. In fact, if they really knew the future, . . .

Pumpkin, The Halloween Cat

PUMPKIN, THE HALLOWEEN CAT Copyright 2005, Michael LaRocca The neighbor's car pulled into my driveway. She got out holding a stranger in her arms. "I found this cat in my yard. Is he yours?" "No." "Oh. I thought he was." "Well, he's not." "Well, can you hold him until I drive away so he doesn't follow me home?" Oh yes, we all know how this story ends. He was a beautiful little fuzzy ball of ora. . .

Guerrilla Health Tactics: 5 Snappy Rules For a Healthier, Happier You

The subject of health care itself often seems plagued with conflicting advice, or even heated controversy. Witness the recent Cruise-Shields incident, which will doubtless occupy several chapters in future health and nutrition texts. So what to do about this advice-riddled and divisive field when you want to find out what you can do to better your own health? We suggest that you do a little res. . .

The Bush "There Or Here" Fallacy and the War in Iraq

Today we wish to examine a fallacy, or error in reasoning, which we have found springing up now and again in today's popular discourse about the so-called War On Terror. This one comes straight from the top -- well, not the VERY top -- but from Washington D.C. You have heard the President say it on national teevee, and so have we: "We either have to fight them [the terrorists] over there [i.e. . . .

“I Finally Discovered A Secret To FREE Content No One Else Has!”

There are many tips and techniques to improve search engine rankings and increase link popularity. One of the most powerful, yet simple method is sharing content, as in, writing articles that you then feed to article directories. Done right, this technique will drive an enormous amount of targeted traffic to your offer. Article writing can become a tedious, mind-numbing experience, for a number. . .

Story Telling With a Purpose

For a brief time, I tried to sell life insurance. And, the operative word was 'tried' I can assure you. Although I thought I did a good job on the presentations and scripts provided by trainers, I did not make a single sale. On the other hand, the veteran who trained me didn’t spend much time with presentations or scripts. He simply told stories about clients who spared their loved ones great . . .

Making the Intangible Real

How do you make the intangible real? How do you take an idea or concept, something that can't be seen or touched, and convey its essence to others, quickly and easily? That challenge faces many of us in this age of information and knowledge marketing. In advertising and other marketing communications, we have to convince prospects to respond to words and ideas. Intangibility is a challenge I of. . .

You, 5.0: How to Master Any New Skill Quickly

So you want to expand your horizons by securing a new talent. Whatever new ability you might pursue, you'll want to ensure your success by seeking to acquire the targeted "skill set" efficiently. Learning any new skill will force you to adapt to new conditions, and to master certain details; yet the skills needed to LEARN it, whichever skill it may be, will not vary. So to enable you to tackle . . .

Manage Communication to Add Value

Management guru Tom Peters says white collar workers and managers in functional departments need to protect their futures. They have to learn "the difference between doing totally acceptable work and creating very new value...." he notes, in an Industry Week article. In other words, people in departments like Human Resources and Finance need to become entrepreneurial. With that in mind, let's l. . .

Women’s Journeys: A Weekend of Wisdom, Wonder, and Celebration

Six women from across the country, including four from Iowa, will be featured presenters at “Women’s Journeys: A Weekend of Wisdom, Wonder, and Celebration.” This national spiritual retreat will be held July 29-31, 2005, at Sinsinawa Mound Retreat Center in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, just 10 minutes from Dubuque, Iowa, and Galena, Illinois. Topics of the presentations include creativity, writing,. . .