Students Of Success

“Let’s meet for lunch” may sound like a fun business invitation, but remember there’s no such thing as a “free lunch.” What you do or say could either make or break a deal. So, as host or guest, if you feel lunch is an inappropriate place to hold your meeting, offer a different possibility.

For the times you decide to “do lunch,” here are a few tips to make your luncheon meeting as pleasant and profitable as possible.

Begin by choosing the right place to meet and eat. Avoid loud, busy restaurants. You can pick some place you already know or you could allow your guest to choose their favorite spot. That way, you can avoid mistakes - like taking a vegetarian to “Fat Bubba’s Rib Joint.”

Always confirm the time and place so there’s no miscommunication or embarrassment and be sure to arrive on time dressed appropriately. If you have a limit to how long you can spend eating, let the other person know. And definitely turn off your cell phone. It’s rude to take calls during a business meal.

Start the meeting with a warm smile and firm handshake. Thank the other person for either inviting you or accepting your invitation. Some pleasant, getting related small talk is important to set the proper tone, so don’t jump right into talking business. Wait until the food order is placed or at least allow the other person to make the first move.

Almost every restaurant in the country now has their menu posted on the web. Check it out ahead of time, so you know what to order in advance. Never smoke or drink and never order sloppy. (Let’s face it, there’s no way to eat a double bacon cheeseburger with extra sauce without looking like a pig.) Also, if you’re the guest, never order an appetizer, dessert or the most expensive entrée, unless your host encourages it. Even then, be appropriate.

Know your table etiquette (forks on the left, knives on the right, etc.) and always mind your manners. Don’t be looking around the restaurant to check out what other people are doing. Focus first on the conversation at hand and secondly on the meal. And never speak rudely to your server. Be polite at all times.

If you’re the host, it’s your responsibility to pick up the check and cover all costs, including the tip, parking and coat check. And if you’re the guest, be gracious and express appreciation. Let the host know you enjoyed their company and the meal. (But not to the point of asking for a “doggy bag.”) A thank you note sent to the host on the following day is always a classy thing to do.

As schedules get busier, the business lunch is becoming more popular. When handled with style, grace and charm, breaking bread together is a great way to get to know someone on a more personal level, as well as an efficient and effective way to conduct business.

Katie Byrd will take you by the hand and teach you the skills she’s used to journey from a financially-strapped, bad credit nightmare to debt free abundant living. To find out more visit: http://abundanceandwealth.bellaonline.com

Prenuptial agreements are like insurance policies. You do the paperwork, and then hope you’ll never need it. However, since half of marriages end in divorce within the first seven years, you may want to consider a prenuptial agreement before you walk down the aisle and say, “I do.”

Since you could later be engaged in a nasty, costly, and emotionally draining divorce some day, you should consider a prenuptial agreement as a precaution. Below we have given you some information on what is in a prenuptial agreement and whether it could be useful for you.

A prenuptial or ante nuptial agreement is a document signed by two people who intend to be married. It describes their rights and obligations should they get divorced. A prenuptial agreement informs the court how they want their assets and property divided up.

Divorces become messy when parties cannot agree on the distribution of property, such things as the house, the house, stocks, and bonds and whether one party should pay the other alimony, now known as “maintenance” in most states. Assume that the husband has $1,000,000 in his own name prior to the marriage. A properly drafted prenuptial agreement can award that same $1,000,000 to him after a divorce, notwithstanding what he does with the money, such as purchasing a home in joint tenancy or shifting the money into other accounts. Without a prenuptial agreement, the wife might be entitled to one-half of the $1,000,000 or more, depending on the financial circumstances of the parties at the time of the divorce. The prenuptial agreement is a powerful and valuable tool that can favor the husband, protect the wife, or serve both of them fairly. It is a question of circumstances and intentions.

Candidates for prenuptial agreements used to be just older individuals with huge estates that they wanted to protect from gold diggers for their children from previous marriages. Since more millionaires are born every day, the candidate pool is growing by leaps and bounds. Now everybody has something to protect: an unpublished author, the budding inventor, anybody with a lucrative profession or a good idea. So, before you dismiss the idea of a prenuptial agreement, assess your situation in life and your long-term future in deciding whether a prenuptial agreement is right for you.

Consider at length the nature and extent of your present and possible future assets. A prenuptial agreement can be a very simple document running only a few pages that segregates each party’s assets owned before the marriage, or it can be a very complicated document that runs dozens of pages because it deals with income and assets acquired during the marriage, the payment of debts, attorneys’ fees, alimony/maintenance, and other financial matters. The next hurdle is raising the issue with your intended spouse, a very unromantic event. It helps to get it over with early. Perhaps you could blame it on someone else, such as your parents who may want to involve you in a family business, or possible business partners.

If you have no one to hold responsible, just be honest. Tell your future spouse that you intend to be open, fair, and honest, and the fact that you will be revealing all your assets is a sign of trust. Assure your intended that he or she will be protected during the negotiation procedure and in the prenuptial agreement, and stress that the document is something you feel is necessary and wise before you get married. The most important thing is to discuss it earlier instead of later, so that the degree of pressure before the wedding is mitigated.

Couples do not usually break engagements because of disputes over prenuptial agreements. In almost every instance, the agreement is signed and the parties are married. It is also completely appropriate to state that you will not get married without a prenuptial agreement; case law has indicated that this will not invalidate an agreement if made before the wedding.

The best way to avoid charges of duress or coercion is to tell your future spouse early on that you want the prenuptial agreement. Sometimes, such documents are signed shortly before the wedding, but have been the subject of negotiation for months. A well-drafted agreement will recite the fact that, even though it was signed shortly before or on the wedding date, negotiations began much earlier. It is for clauses like this that you consult experts.

Eventually, a prenuptial agreement will be fashioned so that you and your future spouse both accept it. The terms may not be what you initially envisioned and may not be what your intended would want. But that is the nature of compromise.

Note that Legal Helper Corp. - http://www.legalhelpmate.com/prenuptial-agreement.aspx

- provides an easy-to-use, quick, and economical online method for creating Prenuptial Agreement (Premarital).

Jeffrey Broobin is a free-lance writer on family and finance issues; his main goal is to help people during their complicated period of life.

Website: http://www.legalhelpmate.com

Email: : jeffreyb@legalhelpmate.com

One of the most devastating experiences I went through was having an ectopic pregnancy (actually, I had two). Most ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube, and occassionally, the tube can be salvaged, but more often than not, the damage to the tube is so severe, it must be surgically taken out. If you can catch the ectopic early enough, it is possible to treat it medically. My first ectopic had to be removed laparoscopically, however for my second, I was given a drug called “Methotrexate” which stops the pregnancy from growing in the tube so it can expel naturally.

Aside from the inevitable depression that follows most miscarriages (I’ve read that up to 70% of women suffer some form of depression following a miscarriage), If you’re over 40, and have had an ectopic pregnancy, you are most likely saying to yourself, “I don’t have time for this!” You want to try again right away, but you’re still recovering from surgery. When I was going through fertility treatments, my doctor told me I had to wait until I had 3 full menstrual cycles before we could try again. What??? Three Months???That sounded like an eternity. Even if your ectopic pregnancy is treated medically with Methotrexate, you are warned not to concieve for a full three months after being given this drug because it could cause birth defects if you conceive while it is in your system.

If you are trying to get pregnant naturally, you feel like the removal of one of your fallopian tubes is a major setback because it can essentially cut your chances of conceiving in half. But as long as you still have one tube, you can still get pregnant. Interestingly, my mother’s first pregnancy was ectopic and she went on to have three children. And, even though I was over the age of 40, I conceived 4 times with only one fallopian tube. So, optimally it would great to have both tubes, but you can still do just fine with one.

So, what should you do if you’ve had an ectopic pregnancy?

Don’t think this is the end of the world. Yes, it is a setback, but as long as you still have one functioning tube, you can still get pregnant.

Take care of yourself. Know that you can try again. Even if you’re in your 40’s, just the fact that you got pregnant should be encouraging. You can use this 3 months before you try again to get your body ready. Eat foods that promote hormonal balance and overall health. Mentally go through the greiving process so you’re receptive to trying again.

Get emotional support. Join a support group, or join an on-line support forum. There are many women out there who’ve gone through this experience. It is very comforting to talk to others who know what you’re going through. It’s also encouraging to see others in your situation succeed.

Sandy Robertson is the author of “You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally”. She is a stay-at-home mom who also writes and teaches part-time at a local community college. She has volunteered as the women’s support group leader for her local infertility organization and she continues to speak to women and couples struggling with infertility.

So many health products for sale! So much money to be spent! Yet, in your kitchen, you may have just what you need to give you optimum health. Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey. It is important to note that they must both be organic and raw. The modern types that you buy in the grocery store will not work, as all the healing elements have been removed. Did you know that this little combination will take care of a variety of health problems? I will give my disclaimer now. If you are ill or have a chronic condition, don’t stop taking your medication abruptly. Take the apple cider vinegar tablets together with your medication and notice how much better you feel. There are various ways to do this. You may mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, together with two teaspoons of honey in a glass of water and drink this three times a day. Some people love it and say that it is quite a refreshing drink. I do not share that opinion, so I opt to take the tablets. Whichever route you decide to take, remember, they must be organic. Do not get the watered down commercial brand.

I first discovered an advertisement about apple cider vinegar and its health benefits, not even a month after I lost my mother. I had cared for her for four years and it had worn me down emotionally and physically. Where once upon a time I came first and she sacrificed for me, life had done a backward flip and now she came first and I sacrificed for her. Therefore, many of my health concerns went unattended. No, I would not advise anyone to sacrifice in this way, but when faced with the position of full time caregiver, this is so very easy to do. You tend to forget about yourself, fully intending to take care of yourself later . . . and later . . . . and later . . . . .By the time mother died, I had asthma, for which I was taking a variety of inhalers, sinus headaches, Osteoarthritis, so bad in my hips that it was extremely difficult to go up two steps. I have always been wary of prescription medicine, so I never asked for the latest miracle pills on the market. After several of them being taken off the shelves, I am most glad that I didn’t.

Well, normally I just take a quick look at advertisements and then just toss them. However, this one was different. There was something about it that made sense, it might really work. The benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey. I read through the entire article and it convinced me to try it. I don’t remember what exactly they were selling but I knew that I could use their methods for just pennies a day.

Optimum health has to do with your body’s alkalinity. This was something new to me. Apple Cider Vinegar gives your body the exact alkalinity it needs. If you have too much, it will reduce it. If you have too little, it will increase it. It is good for a variety of conditions. Started early enough, you will not have to worry about depending on prescription pills. Of course, this is in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise. While caring for mother, I noticed that so many prescription medicines cause side effects, necessitating you to take additional medicines to alleviate those side effects. Well, this can turn into a vicious cycle and too often does. I became very aware of this as I cared for my mother through her illness. By the time I realized what was going on, it was too late. I am not even taking into consideration the expense involved.

I have been taking Apple Cider Vinegar tablets for seven months now and I maintain that if I had given these to mother from the minute she came to live with me, right now she would be running a marathon without her oxygen.

This is what Apple Cider Vinegar has done for me. I have no asthma. I take no inhalers. I have no sinus headaches. And the most amazing of all …….. Drum Roll Please! I am not allergic to cats anymore. Yes, apple cider vinegar will take certain allergies away. I will not say all allergies, as I am not positive, but it will take your animal allergies away. Imagine, no more dreadful allergy shots. I now have an indoor cat, Maggie May. Oh yes, the osteoarthritis. Gone. I am limber and can climb stairs. I can get on a bus without having to be helped up and I can sit on the floor and get up again. This is my personal testimony.

Now, let me list all the benefits of apple cider vinegar, whether you take two teaspoons mixed with two teaspoons of honey, in a glass of water, or if you take tablets. Since I have found tables, that is what I do, since it is much less painful than the other alternatives.

Apple Cider Vinegar is good for:

Obesity; Overweight; Arthritis; Asthma; High Blood Pressure; Blood – Provides the elements necessary for perfect clotting. Blood will not clot abnormally and it will also prevent hemorrhaging.

Colitis; Coughs; Diarrhea; Dizziness; Ear Discharge; Eczema; Tired and Sore Eyes; Fatigue; Food Poisoning; Hair Loss; Hayfever; Headaches; Hearing; Heartburn; Hiccups; Insomnia; and, last but not least, Kidneys and Bladder

These are only some of the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.

Hippocrates treated his patients with Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple Cider Vinegar has been discovered in Egyptian urns as dating back to 3000 B.C. The Babylonians used Apple Cider Vinegar as a condiment and preservative. Julius Caesar’s army took Apple Cider Vinegar to stay healthy. It was used as a healing agent in Biblical times, and in the Middle Ages it was sold as a healing tonic. Christopher Columbus used Apple Cider Vinegar in his voyage to prevent scurvy. Apple Cider Vinegar has a myriad of uses. Not only is Apple Cider Vinegar used for over all health, but it is also used as a cleansing agent to remove germs, bacteria, and odors. It can even be used to remove stains and spots.

In this day and age, it is so important to keep fit. We are in a fast paced world where stress rules the day. Our cities are polluted and our food full of insecticide and preservatives. It is so important that we give our bodies the proper nutrients for optimum health. If we start while young, we minimize the risk of chronic illness. However, if have already burned the candle at both ends and find ourselves a little older, a little fatigued or maybe even have medical problems, combined with proper nutrition and exercise, Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey is Mother Nature’s supplement for optimum health.

©Luella May 2006

Luella May lives with her dog, Misty, and her Manx, Maggie. She has a bus route where she takes Bus Kids to church every Sunday. Luella loves music and singing.

Luella May is currently the co-founder and editor of “The Corner 4Women.com” http://www.thecorner4women.com/ and writes exclusively for her blog http://www.thecorner4women.blogspot.com/ and Luella’s Corner http://www.oakwoodgrafix.co.uk/blog/LuellasCorner/

People of all races and ages get acne. It is most common in adolescents and young adults. Around 85 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 24 develop the disorder. Nearly 17 million people in the United States have acne, making it the most common skin disease.

For most people, acne tends to diminish by the time they reach their thirties; however, some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin problem.

I remember when I used to get acne myself. Was that annoying. And it sure ruined my social life, that’s for sure. There is nothing more embarrasing than going out in public with acne all over your face. You know people are staring at you. You know they don’t want to get near you because of those ugly marks on your face. I think they think it’s contagious, which is not true at all. It’s a good way to lose friends quickly.

So, how did I get rid of my acne ? Well, before you can clear up your skin, you should know exactly who the enemy is and what you’re up against. Here’s a summary for you and some real honest to goodness solutions. It worked for me and it will work for you too.

What is Acne?

Acne is a disorder resulting from the action of hormones on the skin’s oil glands (sebaceous glands), which leads to plugged pores and outbreaks of lesions commonly called pimples or zits. Acne lesions usually occur on the face, neck, back, chest, and shoulders.

Although heredity may be a cause of this problem, it is more associated with hormonal levels and how you care for your skin (e.g. rubbing your skin too much will cause it). Chocolate and greasy foods are often blamed, but foods seem to have little effect on the development and course of acne in most people. In addition, dirty skin does not cause acne and neither does stress.

How Is Acne Treated?

You can buy over the counter medicine (OTC), see your family doctor, or a dermatologist (skin doctor).

Over-the-counter(OTC) Medicines

Benzoyl peroxide, resorcinol, salicylic acid, and sulfur are the most common topical OTC medicines used to treat acne. Topical OTC medications are available in many forms, such as gel, lotion, cream, soap, or pad.

Prescription Topical Medicines

Several types of prescription topical medicines include benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin, adapalene, and azelaic acid.

Some people develop side effects from using prescription topical medicines including stinging, burning, redness, peeling, scaling, or discoloration of the skin.

Prescription Oral Medicines

Oral antibiotics are thought to help control acne by curbing the growth of bacteria and reducing inflammation. Examples are clindamycin, erythromycin, sulfur, or isotretinoin. Some people experience side effects when taking these antibiotics, such as an increased tendency to sunburn, upset stomach, dizziness or lightheadedness, changes in skin color, and dry skin.

Other treatments

There are lazer treatments for rare serious cases and there are safe and natural herbal medications that work like over the counter medications, but often with less side effects.

How Should People With Acne Care for Their Skin?

* Clean Skin Gently with a mild cleanser 3 or 4 times a day.
* Avoid Frequent Handling of the Skin.
* Shave Carefully.
* Avoid a Sunburn or Suntan.
* Use Non-Oily Cosmetics.

In summary, there are many treatments out there for acne skin problems. Talk to your doctor if you’re unsure what to do. Try some of the suggestions mentioned here. In no time at all, you’ll look better, feel better, and you’ll be back out there enjoying your social life, your friends, and your family much more.

Ken Black is the owner of Skin Care Reviews, a website specializing in Skin Care Information & Product Reviews, www.skin-care-reviews.com

The noted social scientist said that the world has become a
global village. Nothing illustrates this better than the
emergence of the mobile phone. A century ago, the wireless
radio, the telephone and the cable made possible the act of
communication, by sending and receiving of messages. Today a SMS
message takes am couple of seconds to reach a mobile phone,
anywhere in the world through the magic of undersea cables,
satellite transmission and local cell towers. This is a vast
improvement from the traditional methods of messenger, pigeon
post, sea mail, and the ubiquitous postman.

It is a vastly different world where your trusty mobile phone
becomes your best communication medium in times of festivities,
family occasions like birthdays, wedding days, anniversaries and
emergencies. It takes a few seconds to write and a second to
send it. Lovers, young and old, find it useful because the
messages remain private and ‘for your eyes only’ with none being
aware about it. It seems perfect that the I Love You message you
send reaches the intended destination straight and true like an
arrow. Of course, if the recipient’s phone number is a wrong
number, you have had it.

SMS messages can be short and sweet, or as long as you like, the
only limitation being that they do not exceed 150 characters.
When this happens, the message is split up and sent as separate
messages of 150 characters each. Book publishers have
appreciated this and are sending best sellers via SMS to
interested book lovers. Some SMS messages can bring the senders
lots of prizes through contests, sweepstakes and lucky
predictions.

SMS messages are cheap because mobile phone providers offer the
facility either for free or at a low price. Associations,
professional organizations, social welfare societies like the
Lions and Rotary Clubs, welcome the facility of sending SMS
messages announcing upcoming meetings, membership arrears
payment dates, payment due alerts and acknowledgements of fee
and subscription payments received.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions find it
useful to send short communications of impending semester dates,
examinations and results as well as fee payment due alerts to
students and their parents. The students and parents appreciate
the relevant information in the messages.

Credit card companies, banks and financial institutions and
marketing companies are able to generate new business from
existing consumer database by using this medium to remind
customers of payment or renewal dates, new offers available, or
as a means of addressing customer complaints.

And laughing all the way to the bank are the mobile service
providers, who earn a windfall amount in additional revenue by
splitting the premium SMS message call charges with the
companies.

For most people in the UK, home loans necessarily connote cheap finance. How can they not get cheaper finance when they have offered lien on home to loan provider? Loan providers however devise ways to overcharge borrowers who are not much conversant with the ways of the financial market. Interest is generally charged on the higher side, and borrowers also have to shell a larger sum as fees for the services of the lender.

So, does the concept of cheap home loans not exist? Cheap home loans do exist, but not as a rule. Cheap home loans have to be supplemented with sufficient efforts on the part of the borrower to make them possible. Though borrowers may not rest at any stage of the life of the loan and keep an eye on every cost that is added to the loan, efforts will have to be primarily made during the planning and decision making stage. The fate of cheap home loan is largely dependant on the work done during these two stages.

Every borrower need not be well informed about the rules and regulations of the financial market. The advice gained from external sources will be as much helpful as ones personal knowledge or experience. Among external sources, independent financial advisors are the most revered. Independent financial advisors are bound by Financial Services Authority rules to offer genuine expert advice. Because of the professional and independent advice that they offer, it will be difficult to discount their importance.

Home loans are offered against the equity in ones home. Equity is the approximate value that a house will fetch if sold. For a more appropriate valuation of equity, all mortgages and loans secured against home are to be deducted. Equity plays a decisive role in lowering cost of home loans. Lenders vie to lend to homeowners with larger home equity because of the potential safety that they allow. The safety will be in terms of the risk that a loan venture poses for the lending agency. As potential risk on home loans can be easily covered through repossession of the home itself, home loans are termed as low risk ventures. Accordingly, home loan borrowers are preferred over borrowers of unsecured loans.

Borrowers need to take maximum benefit of the preference shown by loan providers. Since, the number of loan providers dealing in home loans is very large, borrowers can easily compare and choose lender offering the best package. It is at this stage that the decision making skills of the borrowers are best utilised. Though inexpensiveness of home loans will be preferred, it must not be at the cost of the other virtues. Personal requirements of the borrower need to be held supreme during the search process. Thus, a lender who lends at the lowest APR may not suit the borrower if the amount lent is inadequate.

Borrowers can draw any amount between £1,000 - £500,000 as the home loan. The actual amount lent will depend on several factors like the equity in home, borrowers credit history, etc. The loan proceeds of a cheap home loan can supplement both mortgage and secured loans. For readers who are conversant with the uses of mortgages and secured loans, it will be common knowledge that mortgage proceeds are used for buying or constructing house or property and secured loan proceeds are used for other personal financial needs, like debt consolidation, home improvement, etc. Home loan proceeds can be used for either of the two. The tax benefits available to borrowers on mortgages will continue in cheap home loans too.

Now, we come to interest rates that form the most talked about subject in cheap home loans. Typical APR on cheap home loan is in the range of 5.75% to 10.3% variable. The actual APR pledged to borrower may differ from the APR printed on the lender’s websites. Bank base rate changes and borrower’s individual credit circumstances may lead to differences in interest rate. Negotiations on interest rates are possible. Borrowers, who are desirous of entering into negotiations on interest rate, will have to increase the amount of fees that they are ready to offer. The objective of these negotiations will be to bring the APR to the desired level.

Cheap home loan is a product of several decisions and negotiations. Thanks to the large variety and options available to borrowers, the decisions that borrowers need to make on home loans have risen tremendously. However, the key to cheap home loans will not be in meandering through these decisions, but in making them correct. Consequently, the larger the number of correct decisions, cheaper will the home loan be, and vice-versa. It is now for you to decide where you want to stand- with those who are finding home loans burdensome because of incorrect decisions, or with those who are enjoying home loans at the cheapest of rates.

Daniel Louis works as a financial expert with Cheapest Home Loans . Having completed his Masters in Financial Economics from Said Business School, he has the necessary credentials to provide expert advice to residents in the UK. To find Cheap Home Loans - Home Equity Loans - Home Improvement Loans that best suits your need visit
www.cheapesthomeloans.co.uk

thy skin’s mine flesh,

with blood running through mine veins.

thy heart’s mine aviary,

to where i lay after mine flight.

thy eyes are mine road,

the road brightened by the mighty sun.

thy kiss is mine soul,

a soul longing for passion.

thy hands are mine friends,

they take me through mine bliss.

thy soul’s mine paradise,

the only one above the sky.

doth mine world and body be forever mine?

doth mine song from my heart for thine be heard?

let us be the only one flower with red roots to tip.

mine dreams will finish their quest if you’re here.

About the Author: Lynes Celeste,
16 years old,
a student,
from Rizal, Philippines.

Source: www.isnare.com

Internet games use the cyber world technology for playing. Games are extremely popular and constantly evolving.

There are:

• Games played using e-mail.

• Games played on a browser window by using a web address.

• Games played using Internet Relay Chat, Telenet, MUD client, or a Web based forum.

• Games that are graphic need stand-alone software that permits players to play with or against one another using an Internet connection.

The first game, MUD, was developed in 1978, and the market has burgeoned since then.

To play, one needs:

• A reliable Internet connection.

• A personal computer or game console.

• Selected software required by specific games.

One can play simple board games like scrabble, or bingo, or games like poker, mahjong, and pool. Another popular category is simulation games—these imitate real-life situations and cover aspects like combat, city planning, strategies, as well as flight simulation.

For serious gaming the computer performance must be optimized. This can be done by:

• Running the disk defragmenter and organizing the computer files. This should ideally be done once a month at least.

• Correct folder and file errors by using scandisk—use once a week and the computer will give trouble free performance.

• Clean your hard drives—get rid of Internet files, temporary files, as well as files in the trash/recycle bin. Clear the cache and uninstall programs that are not in everyday use.

• Update the operating system software. Download any new security patches. Keep video drivers updated.

• Clear space on the hard drive—store files on a back up system.

• Clear any spyware you have inherited from websites.

• Minimize number of programs running—when playing a graphic intensive game if there are too many programs running simultaneously the graphics will become choppy and game will be slow.

• Delete add on game files—wall papers and other paraphernalia will just clutter the computer.

• Run an anti-virus program regularly but disable it when you are loading/playing games. Antivirus programs slow down games.

• Always shut down the computer properly.

The Internet allows gamers to compete with people across oceans, on the other side of the world and anywhere in the universe. Some use PCs while others use consoles. What you use is a personal choice and depends on issues like costs and so on.

Before you buy a game you must:

• Consider “system requirements” – some games can run on systems that are not exact others need specific hardware.

• Find out if the game is single player or multi-player. Many games need the Internet—and, the broadband connection is more efficient than the dial-up connection. Many like Xbox Live only work on a broadband connection.

• Find out if the game can be played using a mouse/keyboard or whether it will need a full-featured joy stick.

Be wise and try a demo before making an actual purchase. Playing a demo benefits the player as well as game developer. Many online games offer free trial periods —beta testing is a great opportunity to find out if the game suits your taste as well as pockets.

Do your research thoroughly—usually there are several games competing for players within a genre. Read game reviews before taking the final step.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for http://www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com

One of the key factors in a successful business is to know what your customers or clients are thinking - about your business, your products, your services. As a business owner, you’ll get feedback from your current customers just in the course of day-to-day business. But the results can be skewed by the interaction itself, and so most business owners find it useful to allow their customers to answer questions anonymously. And that’s where surveys come in.

Some businesses hire market research firms to survey their customers or target customers. For new or smaller businesses, this can be an expensive proposition, and it’s helpful to have a set of resources in your tool box that offer the option of conducting your own surveys. Here are some great online resources you can use for surveys.

They range from the simplest polls which you can create and place on your web site to much more elaborate options. Many of them allow the survey respondents to see the results from themselves and others as soon as they complete the survey. Some of these companies offer a set of services for free as well as more powerful paid services; others offer free 30-day trials of their most robust services. Some are geared towards smaller businesses, other towards large enterprises with thousands of employees. There’s also a wide range of continuum between letting you design and add your own surveys to your web site, versus having them create a survey, find your target market, query them, and report back the results.

1. SurveyMonkey - If you have a large mailing list or want to send a lot of surveys, the best deal here is the professional subscription. For $19.95 month, you can send an unlimited number of surveys and receive up to 1000 responses per month.

2. Zoomerang - I love their slogan, “Easiest way to ask, fastest way to know.” Offers a basic product (free) plus paid packages geared to education, non-profit, and a professional version, which can send surveys in several languages, and has no limit on the number of responses you can receive.

3. SnapPoll - Simple site which offers you an easy way to put a one-question survey on your web site and receive results. Requires no sign-up, allows you to customize colors for the form, and prevent multiple “votes” from the same person. Free - supported by what they call “non-obtrusive advertising.”

4. PHP Form Generator - This is a free survey generator that is written as open source code. You can choose as many questions as you’d like - in any format - check, text, drop-downs, etc.) You do have to create your own stats, but it’s a fairly simple procedure for small surveys.

5. OneMinutePoll - Software - available at a yearly subscription price - that teaches you how to write surveys correctly to find out what your customers want, so you can provide it to them! Software automates your polls, generates code for your web page, and allows you to see results in real-time.

6. Advanced Survey - Free and paid services that offer both web page surveys and email surveys (where you invite participants - via email - to take a survey). You can ask multiple questions in one survey, and can ask yes/no questions, open-ended text questions, customizable number scales (Pick a number from 1 to 10 with 10 being best, for example), and multiple choice.

7. Question Pro - Very sophisticated system for surveying customers. Has predesigned templates for common surveys: Customer Satisfaction, New Product/Concept Testing, Product Surveys, Conference Feedback, and more. These surveys can also be designed with “branching,” where the answer to one question is used in a subsequent question. No free options here, but there is a 30-day free trial.

8. Relevant Tools - This company offers custom web forms with automatic email response for as little as $10/month for a basic membership, which includes up to 500 database records and up to 500 email messages/month.

9. HotScripts - A great resource for programmers and webmasters. It has a host of scripts in various programming languages and is constantly being updated by programmers from around the world. If you search on “surveys,” you’ll find lots of scripts in lots of programming languages you can use.

10.NetReflector - Offers a very sophisticated self-serve solution for the do-it-yourselfer, and assisted and automated solutions for companies who need to survey customers and/or employees worldwide on a regular basis. Offers webinars, articles, and other resources on creating the invitation, the importance of regular surveys, and using online technologies for surveys.

So whether you’re querying current clients and customers, a potential target market, vendors, or employees, these online surveys can provide valuable tools for smart business owners. You can set up and monitor your surveys or pay someone to do it for you, but online surveys are a great way for you to gain information. The results may surprise you, or send you in a new direction you hadn’t thought of. But one thing’s for sure; if you don’t ask your customers, clients, or employees, they probably won’t tell!

©2005 Maria Marsala, former Wall Street Trader. We help women CEOs and Presidents run more effective and efficient businesses while positioning themselves to achieve financial/personal success. Join “SIMPLE Solutions Ezine” to receive an audio and 2 reports. http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com