What Is CLASSID

Before you go ahead and download a registry cleaner understand why it is necessary. As a web page loads on your system, you may be prompted to install several ActiveX components before the page can be fully downloaded. This is so that the browser can interpret the ActiveX components and display them properly on the system. This only would only occur if the controls used in the web page were not already on the system. If you decline permission for the installation, the page will not function properly. However, once these ActiveX controls are on your system, you won't have to download them again, even when you come across them on other web sites. These download clutter up the registry over time and need to be removed with the help of some registry shareware cleaner.

Other ID Tags

So how can the web page determine that the required ActiveX controls are not installed on the system or not? The browser does this by referring to the CLASSID in the OBJECT tag of the web page. To cut a long explanation short, an ActiveX control is added to a web page using the and container tags. The CLASSID is unique to each ActiveX component; it is with the CLASSID that you specify which control you are using. The Registry has a special section for CLASSID and they run into thousands of IDs. The useless records in the Registry have to be removes with the aid of a registry cleaner. Free PC registry cleaners are available for download and help keep the system running smoothly. If you were to look at a CLASSID it would look something like this: Class ID: 99B42120-6EC7-11CF-A6C7-00AA00A47DD2.

So How Does CLASSID work

CLASSID is a unique registry-identifying component that is used to identify an ActiveX control. The actual download process consists of six different steps. First, Internet Explorer will process the OBJECT tag in the browser code and get your requirements from it. Then Internet Explorer will determine if checking different things needs a download. Then Internet Explorer will process the CAB file and the INF file. Then the control and its dependencies will be installed. Finally, the control will show up on the screen.

The Registry is the centre of all records for the system. The registry records all the activities such as the users and the hardware details of the system. It also records where what program or file is located on the disk. This is why the registry gets filled up with redundant entries over time and as it gets older it keeps building up and slowing down the system. Registry Repair and Cleaners are ideal for such times when your computer has grown sluggish and irritatingly slow. PC registry cleaners can greatly enhance the speed and performance of your system.

It is all code language and you need not understand the technicalities of it. Suffice it to know that if the browser determines, through the CLASSID on your browser that your system already has that CLASSID in the registry the browser will load and display the page, else it will prompt you to download that particular control.

A Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comAlexia Blog81881
Cassandra Blog76912

Meeting Your Family's Health Needs With An HSA

Making sure that your family is able to stay healthy partly depends on having a good health insurance program for them. One of the more recent new additions to the health insurance industry is called the Health Savings Account (HSA). This new program enables you to have reduced insurance rates because of a higher deductible, and a tax deferred savings program with it. Here are some of the features of this program.

Reduced Rates

By getting a health insurance program with a high deductible, you are able to greatly reduce your monthly premiums. This is an especially good way to go, if you are younger and currently have pretty good health. The deductible amounts are pre-determined by the government, and you are required to have deductible amounts between $1,050 and $5,250 for singles, and it needs to be between $2,100 and $10,500 for families.

Savings Are Tax Exempt

One of the great benefits of this type of plan is that, like an IRA, you enjoy tax-free income, and interest on the amounts you have in the program. You can put into the plan money that comes off the top of your taxes. There are limits, though, and for singles it is up to $2,700, and for families it is $5,450. A little extra benefit is that you are able to take off of your taxes any money that is deposited into the account all the way up to April 15th. So, if you are coming up to tax time, and find you need to reduce your taxes some more, you can put it into your HSA, and find the tax break you need.

Better Coverage

The new HSA's have an extra real nice feature - they cover more. Some things that you may not have been covered for under another type of policy, you may find that you are covered for with an HSA. This could actually allow you to get a better coverage for less. Things like dental coverage, therapy, even non-prescription medicines and some alternative treatments may also be covered, and even some mental illness treatments, too.

You Keep Control

Under an HSA, you are the one in control of the money. It is yours to use. You can take money out of the account when you want, but only the money that is used only for medical purposes is tax-exempt. Generally, you will be given a card, like a credit card, that gives you access to the account. Whenever you use money from the account, the insurance company automatically gets a receipt, and it is subtracted from your account, and your deductible - and it remains tax exempt.

Like any other insurance policy, once you have paid the deductible amounts, the rest is up to the insurer to pay. By having the high deductible you reduce the premiums considerably. The savings account can also provide a good hedge for your medical insurance program for the future, too, because any money not used toward the deductible remains your money to use next year, if you need it. On the other hand, the money in your HSA might also be used to provide some money for retirement - assuming you maintain your good health.

Joe Kenny writes for the Personal Loans Store, allowing visitors to compare UK loans and also focuses on personal loans for UK residents.Cari Blog33326
Alana Blog50562

Orange Bowl Tickets Are For More Than Just A Football Game

Orange Bowl tickets offer football fans and travelers several options. Not only is the Orange Bowl one of the premier college bowl games every January, but the game itself is located in one of the most exotic travel destinations in the United States - Miami and South Florida. Fans and families alike have worked their vacation and/or travel plans around this game, and a look at its history and other attractions will explain why the Orange Bowl is always worth the effort to see.

Game History

The first Orange Bowl was played in 1935, when Bucknell defeated Miami 26-0. For 33 years, the Orange Bowl was basically an at-large bowl game, in that the bowl committee chose the best two teams it could attract. However, the Orange Bowl started its history of tie-ins in 1968 when it began to host the champion of the former Big 8 Conference every season.

This tie-in remained in place until the late-1990s, when two things happened that change the landscape of the participants. The first was the formation of the Big 12 Conference, as the Big 8 basically added four teams from Texas after the now-defunct Southwestern Conference folded. This may or may not have had a direct effect on the teams invited, but another event in 1998 led to a shift in the games participants.

In 1998, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was formed, and this changed the alignment for all of the major bowl games - the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl and ultimately the Rose Bowl. A system was put in place to manufacture an on-field championship game between the two top-ranked teams every season, and each of the four new BCS Bowls agreed to host the new national championship game on a rotating basis. Therefore, every four years, Orange Bowl tickets give fans the chance to watch the national championship decided on the field. As of now, when the Orange Bowl is not hosting the big game, they will host the ACC champion after that conferences recent additions.

Overall Event

The Orange Bowl is much more than a football game. In fact, the game itself is a culmination of a week-long celebration in Miami. There are parades, parties, receptions, and even a high-profile college basketball tournament called the Orange Bowl Classic. This years tournament will feature national champion Florida, and the games are played in town.

Not to mention, there is an event even within the game itself thats as famous as the football battles that take place - the Orange Bowl halftime show is perhaps the most famous halftime performance in all of sports, and every year presents a new and intriguing theme with stars of music, sports and film making appearances. There are many attendees who are at the game specifically for the halftime show.

Overall, the Orange Bowl is a legendary event. The games are always battles between two highly-ranked teams, and several national championships have been decided in Miami. However, Orange Bowl tickets also give fans the chance to see much more than college football under the Florida sun in January.

Written by Jay Nault, sponsored by http://www.stubhub.com/ . StubHub sells Orange Bowl tickets: http://www.stubhub.com/orange-bowl-tickets/ sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and more to just about any event in the world.Alena Blog78898
Bertha Blog39159

College Essays Editing: Must-Do Check-Out Before Turning Your Paper

Essay writing is not over until your college essay is carefully edited and checked for mistakes. It is your last chance to go through a paper with a fine-tooth comb and eliminate the drawbacks, defects, and shortcomings you let slip in the writing process. Only when your college essay is carefully and accurately edited, you may be sure it is all shipshape, impeccable and ready to turn in.

However, editing is not an easy task to accomplish. To edit your essay successfully, you must be aware of several issues that are especially troublesome in essay writing. Below you will find a list of points you need to revise when editing your college essays. Following these steps will allow you to make an accurate review of your paper and ensure it meets the demands of your instructor.

So, to edit your college essays professionally, you must make sure that:

1. you have followed your instructors guidelines concerning the essay length, format and referencing;

2. there is a lead-in sentence to the title of your essay, which is up-to-the-point and eye-catching at a time;

3. the introduction of your essay is attention-grabbing, amusing, and thrilling. What is more, it must set up an issue and lead in to the thesis of your essay;

4. your essay has a thesis statement, namely a clear assertion you will write your entire essay around. The thesis statement must be placed within the first paragraph of your essay and fit in a single sentence;

5. each paragraph of the essay covers only one idea that supports your thesis statement;

6. body paragraphs are written in the exact order of the thesis statement. Otherwise, your essay will appear to be tangled and odd;

7. paragraphs have topic sentences placed at the beginning, supporting evidence in the middle, and your interpretation of the evidence at the end of the paragraph;

8. at least one quotation is included in a body paragraph. Be sure that the concept of the quotation is explained before it is presented to the readers;

9. there are no one-sentence paragraphs in your essay. It is a taboo for college essays;

10. conclusion of your essay is as interesting and memorable as the introduction. You should gracefully exit your essay with a wrap-up sentence and impress the readers with a profound thought, or a quotation;

11. your essay is coherent. The essay ideas must be interconnected in the paragraphs by means of smooth word links and transitions;

12. sentence structures are clear, you do not appear to be too wordy and eloquent;

13. you have defined important terms and concepts that are unknown to the public at large and need to be explained. Remember to be consistent in their use;

14. you have demonstrated your own understanding of your college essay topic;

15. you did not refer to yourself in your essay, unless it is allowed by your instructor;

16. there is evidence of wide reading and research;

17. there is no irrelevant material, obvious padding, or redundant language;

18. your essay is formatted according to the correct guidelines for citation and your bibliography list is completed according to the corresponding guidelines;

19. there are no grammar and punctuation mistakes. Make sure the words are in their initial meaning and not misspelled.

In other words, you have to make sure your college essay is exemplary in all respects: essay structure, grammar, approach to writing college essays, smooth language, etc. This might seem to be a pretty big piece of work to be done. But do not fall into temptation to skip it, for without editing your college essays are doomed to fail.

Linda Correli is a staff writer for http://www.go2essay.com/. She specializes in writing History, Literature and English essays and book reports, as well as admission essays, personal statements and letters of recommendation.Alayne Blog65959
Bella Blog63179

The Clean Up Of A Tragedy

There's been a violent crime, a serious accident, or a suicide has occurred. The police, investigators, and paramedics have left the scene. The remains of this terrible tragedy are still there. You assume the local police, fire department, or the city has someone to take care of this, however, you are told it is up to you. You are the the victim, part of the family, the property owner,or local business owner.

In some cities, local police departments or the coroner's office may have a list of local companies that are known in the industry as CTS- Decon (crime and trauma scene decontamination). If your local police departments or coroner's office cannot provide you with this list, you can check the local yellow pages or perform an internet search using such keywords as 'crime scene clean-up,' 'suicide clean-up,' etc. These are the companies that are called in when the investigation is completed. It's time to clean,decontaminate, and remove the bio-hazardous waste. Make sure that the CTS-Decon companies that you contact are licensed, have the proper insurance and bonds, The should also be able to provide such documentation upon request. Their bio-recovery technicians should be properly trained and able to provide you of an accurate assessment of your situation.

If you are a property or business owner, your home owner's insurance all of your costs minus your deductible. If you are the victim of a crime, most states have a program to provide compensation and support to victims of crimes and their families.

Most bio-recovery companies will work directly with your insurance company. You will need to provide the name of your insurance company, your policy number, agent's name and contact information.

After providing this information, the CTS-Decon company will work on your behalf with the insurance company and it's agents, thus allowing you to focus on other issues that may need your attention.

Bio-recovery technicians will clean, disinfect, deodorize, and dispose of all contaminated waste. This may include such items as furniture, fabrics, carpet, padding, sub-flooring, or any item which may be contaminated with blood, body fluids, or tissue matter.

In the event of a crime, there may be numerous areas covered with fingerprint dust, pepper spray/tear gas which may have been used as well. This must be included in the clean-up process.

Richard J Graf is owner of C S R Crime and Trauma Scene Management a Bio recovery company based in Nashville, Tn. Richard has written many articles on Crime and Trauma Scene Clean Up. For more information please visit http://www.crimeandtraumascenecleanup.comBelle Blog47291
Albertina Blog76974

Point-And-Click Sales Letters

Sales Letters. You want to learn more about sales letters and how you can seal the deal when visitors come to your sales page.  Take a minute! Ask yourself  what all these "gurus" know that you don't?  The fact is that most online marketers are missing the key to online sales.  They have no idea what it is that forces visitors to read their content and begin pulling out their credit cards ready to purchase products before they are even finished reading the sales pages.

Before we go into the key to making online sales, I want you to be aware of one major thing. Everyone wants you to think they are making money online, but here's a big secret. Everyone IS NOT. There are only a select few bringing in the hundreds, thousands, and even millions of dollars online every year. But these marketing gurus all have something in common, which is the key to online sales. They all have a marketing formula that they have created, copied, or even tweaked. And when they have found the formula that works, they stick to it.

Each of these gurus formulas can vary widely from each other, but all of their formulas have one point of commonalitythe sales letter. Have you ever wanted to make sales letters like these gurus? Of course, everyone has. Did you know that these gurus do not spend hours working on their sales letters? They actually only spend a small amount of time on their sales letters. They use point-and-click technology. Well, now you can use the exact same point and click technology they use when they design their sales letters. The key to the masters making online sales is sealing the deal at the POS, point-of-sale. When it comes to the point of sale, dont you think you would rather have the same technology in your hands that the masters have? Of course, why wouldnt you want that?

If you want more information on this leading-edge technology, visit the link below:

http://www.ezcogtemplates.com

Bradley G. Smith developed a passion for developing web sites while he was a college student. Today, he spends most of his time developing scripts for Web 2.0. He is a freelance professional web designer. To view his most recent script, you should visit http://www.ezcogtemplates.comCarine Blog54868
Ardeen Blog75650

Celebrity Fragrances: Selling Across The Spectrum

It seems that in todays show biz world, its not enough just to sing, or act, or dance, you have to be an entrepreneur and become a brand all your own. One place where this is apparent is in the fragrance industry. It seems like everyone whos anyone has their own fragrance these days, and usually more than one. Some bonds between the names and fragrances of celebrity perfumes are pretty clear, while others are a bit more tenuous. Heres a breakdown of some scents to help you smell like your favorite celeb.

In the celebrity fragrance market, Jennifer Lopez is a prolific perfume designer, with several scents, each theoretically connected to an aspect of J Los lifestyle and passions. Still was introduced in 2003. It is a floral scent of freesia, honeysuckle, orange flower, rose, and jasmine. The floral fragrances are complemented by an eclectic mix of scents like sake, earl grey, and white pepper. Miami Glow is more of a fruity scent, with coconut, pink grapefruit, passion fruit, and black currant, that also has some floral scents of orange flower and heliotrope. Finally, the sweetness is tempered a bit by amber, musk and wood. Her newest scent, Live Luxe, is meant to embody the feelings Lopez has about dancing, as well as her passion for all things luxurious. It has peach, pear, apple, and melon scents, along with freesia and honeysuckle, as well as sandalwood, vanilla, and musk.

Jessica Simpson appears to be cashing in on her reputation as a sweetie with her Dessert Treats beauty line, which includes fragrances that smell like your favorite sugary treats. Her two perfumes are Candy and Cupcake, while her other beauty products come in scents such as banana split, bubble gum, and creamsicle. They are apparently all edible as well and taste just like their names.

Britney Spears has used her provocative image to market her fragrances, Curious and Fantasy. Curious was Britneys first perfume, and it is a floral featuring the magnolia from Spears home state of Louisiana, along with vanilla and musk. Curious In Control is a darker and more complex fragrance, with essences of orchid, crme brulee, and black vanilla bean. Fantasy, marketed as a sort of love potion, is a fruitier scent, with lychee fruit, quince, and kiwi. The heart scents are sweet, with flavor of cupcake, and chocolate orchid. The scent is rounded out with musk and woods.

Cathy Peterson writes about http://www.perfumefragrancecoupons.com/Coupons/Perfumania.com.html, http://www.perfumefragrancecoupons.com/Coupons/FragranceNet.com.html and http://www.perfumefragrancecoupons.comArdenia Blog72137
Brynna Blog61396

International Baccalurette Programs Heat Up Charlotte

Davidson IB Middle Wins Schools of Distinction Award

The science program at Davidson IB Middle, one of the schools in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area, has been recognized as a School of Distinction by Intel and Scholastic. Intel, the world renowned computer chip maker, and Scholastic, a leader in textbooks and educational materials, chose Davidson for honors in the field of science achievement, bringing both pride and bragging rights to Charlotte schools. As the principal of Davidson states, This award is a testament to the dedication of my students, teachers, parents and the community. My entire staff works together to make sure our students get an excellent education.

How Davidson was Chosen

Intel and Scholastic seem to agree. They awarded Davidson the Schools of Distinction Award after evaluating the school on a number of criteria. Among other things, Davidson showed its strengths in strategies for incorporating critical thinking skills; hands on investigative experiences, and project based learning. Davidson, like other Charlotte schools, is challenging the next generation of scientists and engineers with its comprehensive science program. The Intel and Scholastic award will help the school to further its science education goals and set a positive example for other Charlotte schools in the areas of science education.

The winning schools were chosen in each of the following eight categories: academic achievement, literacy achievement, mathematics achievement, science achievement, technology excellence, leadership excellence, professional development, and collaboration and teamwork. Davidson, as an exceptional Charlotte school, looks forward to using this award to help continue to build a competitive science program and lead the nation in science education innovation.

What Does Winning Mean for Davidson and Charlotte Schools?

As recipients of this prestigious award, Davidson IB Middle will receive a $10,000 grant from the Intel Foundation and several other prizes ranging from curriculum materials and professional development resources to computer hardware and software. All of these things will help Davidson stay on the cutting edge of science education and fulfill the goal of constant improvement and innovation in educating future scientists. In addition to these monetary prizes, the school also puts Charlotte schools in the map as a place of science and math strength among national secondary schools.

Whats Special About Davidson

Davidson is one of many Charlotte schools that is taking the forefront in science education and it shows. While Davidson has won national recognition for its programs, the real work is the daily learning that takes places at Davidson and other Charlotte schools. As part of the International Baccalareute Program, Davidson focuses on providing real world connections between textbook learning and applications. Some of the projects done at Davidson serve as a model for other Charlotte schools. These projects included using a special backyard stream to learn about biology as well as real world chemistry applications, such as water quality tests.

Davidson is lucky to have many local community partners to help in its quest for high level science education. As a Charlotte school, Davidson works alongside Davidson College on environmental studies projects with university professors and resources. Because of its unique position, Davidson has won both state and national competitions, leading to its rank of 15 overall in the United States.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/North-Carolina/Charlotte/index.htmlBecka Blog80028
Carolyn Blog16175

How Search Engines Work

How Search Engines Work

Many Search Engine Optimisers believe there may be upwards of 1,000 factors that determine a pages rank within the SEs listings. However, its possible to breakdown these factors into just four groups.

Keyword Prominence
Keyword Density
Spam
Links from other sites

All four factors have evolved over time and are concerned with creating more relevant results for the user. Also all four factors are or can be determined by keywords

Keyword Prominence

Search Engines study where and when a keyword appears on a web page, such as in a sub heading, link or paragraph. A search engine also evaluates where in each of these whether they are the first in a sub-heading, the second word in a link or at the end of a paragraph. Search engines decided on what level of prominence would be the most relevant to a surfer and weights its formula accordingly

Keyword Density

Search Engines study the frequency of a keyword within a page and also the frequency within particular areas such as sub-heading, links or a single paragraph. Again Search Engines decide on the level of frequency that it believe would create the most relevant results for the user and then amends its ranking formula

Spam

In relation to keywords, Search Engines have decided that if the two above factors are abused then the web page must be spam and penalise it accordingly. This is usually called keyword stuffing as the page is filled with keywords with many irrelevant or inappropriate

Links from other sites

Search Engines also rank web pages by the pages that link to them, it important that for a web to obtain a high ranking it must get links from other pages with high prominence and density for that keyword.

For more info IMGi Search Engine Marketing

IMGi Internet Marketing's aim is to develop clients' businesses by 1. Attract more visitors; 2. Convert more visitors to customers; 3. Retain more customers. http://www.imgi.co.uk/summarysearchenginemarketing.htmAlisha Blog535
Alissa Blog93267

Introduction to Heavy Equipment Operating

Construction equipment operators operate machinery to move earth, building materials, or other heavy objects. Youll find equipment operators working at industrial, residential or business construction sites. You can also find heavy equipment operators working at mines, bridges, dams, even at offshore oil rigs. The working conditions are nearly always out doors, meaning construction equipment operators have to deal with changing weather conditions. Sometimes the work may be suspended because of the weather. Conditions of a particular job might even require the heavy equipment operator to work throughout the night.

There are different types of construction equipment operators. Paving and surfacing equipment operators operate machines to spread and level material such as asphalt or concrete on, for example, roads. Tamping equipment operators operate machines to compact earth or other fill material on roadbeds or footings. Pile driver operators operate machines to drive beams of wood or steel into the ground to be used as footings or supports.

An operating engineer is a more generalized heavy equipment operator. They can operate multiple pieces of equipment such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, fork lifts or cranes. Theyre also usually charged with the task of maintaining the equipment they operate. For the most part heavy equipment operating is a dirty, greasy, demanding job requiring multiple skills and talents.

Construction equipment operators usually start out by learning on the job with light equipment and work their way up from there. Employers look for high school graduates with a mechanical aptitude, but with modern advances in equipment with computer control systems and GPS, formal training in a vocational school or apprenticeship program is preferred. Such educations usually require a few years apprenticeship with experienced operators along with on the job training. Some pre-qualifications for a heavy equipment operator would be: good physical health, good balance (some jobs require the operator to work at great heights), eye hand foot coordination and the ability to judge distance. Construction equipment controls may require the use of both hands and feet and accuracy in placing objects and tools in precise locations.

Heavy equipment operating can be a rewarding job for those who take satisfaction in seeing buildings and other man-made structures and knowing they had a part in building them. The pay is on the high side as far as construction workers go and as long as civilization grows, theres no end in sight for the need of heavy equipment operators.

Luke GarfieldBeckie Blog25150
Allx Blog36175

Tips On How To Study History

Before we actually dive into this vast subject, I would like to touch on a few things. Firstly, studying history is like studying any other type of subject in that it demands participation and a big amount of patience. The successful student forces him or herself to study, of course there are certain tactics to make the whole thing go by easier and more effective.

Having that said, you should know that the following advice is what I feel is the most appropriate approach to studying history, it does not imply (by any means) that it is the only way to study history, we should have this issue clear. Secondly, if this way of studying does not fit your way of learning, throw it out and never look back! What! Did I just tell you to dismiss my own advice? Well, yes, but only if you find it reprehensive enough to the degree that you feel that the advice will actually give you worse result than benefit. Albeit, here it goes:

Studying history is often perceived as boring I have to disagree, its not just boring it is really boring if you dont know how to tackle it! Heres my take on the two elements you should always look at when studying history:

a) The Reasons/Causes behind an event.
b) The Consequences that followed.

By understanding why things happened and what the events led to, you have in fact answered most of the questions. This is what any person studying history should look at, in contrast to getting caught on all the details. So the first action you need to take when you've received a new history assignment is to write down all the possible causes to the event and the consequences that erupted due to the causes.

You will find that most of the time, finding the consequences is by far easier than trying to understand why it happened in the first place.

Adam Abderisak, a.k.a. "Study Coach" is an education instructor and entrepreneur. His latest work is a study guide entitled "Study Guide Pro". Be sure to visit his website to check out some of the most "lethal" study techniques known to man: http://www.study-habits.com/study-guide.htmlAlaine Blog7726
Caitlin Blog62463

The Right to Win

Winning in business is so much better than surviving, or worse yet, struggling. Winning means going home feeling really good each day. It means making payroll easily. It means investing in new projects and new ideas without shuddering to think of the impact of a mistake. Statistics show that industry leaders produce better profits.

I really don't want to run any business that can't win. It's just not worth it.

Does your business have the right to win? Having the right to win means that your business and your team has what it takes to dominate your marketplace. It's about whether you will win the competitive struggle with all your rivals. To be clear, a business can't win in every marketplace. But you, as owner, get to choose where to compete.

On the one hand, you may choose a niche market in a defined geographic area. If the niche is defensible, lucrative, and you have what it takes to win, great! Alternatively, if you've got what it takes, you may seek to dominate one industry segment worldwide.

So what does it mean to earn the right to win? It means that no competitor offers a package of products and services that is better than what you offer. It means that you are the first firm they think of when they need what you specialize in.

Now, if you are lucky enough to have no competition - you can run the business poorly while overcharging, and still do really well! Innovators the world around have enjoyed this for a short time. But competition will find you. And they will want to steal away your right to win.

When I think about the right to win, a number of attributes come to mind.

Quality & Value. You will offer a better quality/value proposition. That could be cheap products at unusually low prices, or it could mean complex, high value services at excellent (but still high) prices. Either way, for your target customer, they'll find your products or services to be a better deal than your competition.

Knowledge. You will know more about your subject than anyone else. You'll take all the courses you can find. You'll have resources you can turn to when you need to learn more. You'll be the local top expert.

Continuous Improvement. Knowing that the competition is trying to unseat you, you'll continually be trying new things, new ideas, new services. They may be taking aim at you, but you're a moving target. You'll embrace foreign competition, new materials, new regulations and other marketplace changes as an opportunity for you to shine and a chance for competitors to stumble.

The Team. Your people will be top quality, and will be pulling your business forward. Anybody that is not great in their position will be re-deployed into the workforce.

Finances. You have enough working capital to run the business well, and you keep the books in good order. You know where you stand, are profitable, and know what you can afford.

Sales and Marketing. You keep your business at the top of the mind of all your prospects. They enjoy doing business with you. You truly understand what your customers need from you.

Operations. You are efficient and productive. Waste is not tolerated. Your costs are as low or lower than your competition. On time delivery and on budget costs are the norm.

Evaluate each key competitor on the above attributes. First pass, do it on what you know about each of them. Evaluate your own business too. Do you come out on top? Be honest with yourself! If you don't come out on top, craft a plan to close each gap. You don't have to be the best at everything, but you need to be close on everything, and the leader overall. If you don't have a clue about your competition, start studying them now. Ask you customers about the competition - they're a great source.

What if it's impossible to close the gaps? If you realize that it's impossible to have such a fine business so as to earn the right to win? You have an important choice to make. If you are happy with the way things are and you like the lifestyle you have now, great. Not everyone is driven to make the most money, or be the most successful. But if winning is your dream, and the business you are in can't get you there, think about changing businesses.

Even if you're not close to dominating your marketplace, the right to win is a concept that will push you and your business to be the best. It's a good quarterly exercise to engage in with your staff. Often painful at the start, but as you close the gaps, you'll notice the difference on the bottom line, and in your pride.

Robert Sher is the principal of CEO to CEO, which guides business leaders as they navigate critical passages. An active CEO for 23 years and running, and a director in the Alliance of Chief Executives. Author of The Feel of the Deal; How I Built a Company through Acquisitions. He has taught entrepreneurship to executive MBA students for many years. He may be reached at Robert@ceotoceo.biz.

Robert Sher is the principal of CEO to CEO (http://www.ceotoceo.biz) and collaborates with business leaders as they make difficult decisions and tackle key projects. He is the author of a book, The Feel of the Deal; How I Built a Company through Acquisitions. (http://www.thefeelofthedeal.com) Mr. Sher has been a CEO for 23 years and running, is the author of several columns stemming from his work as a consulting CEO.Beilul Blog17263
Ailyn Blog9270

Sometimes Parents "Win" By Giving In

Mom I want to put lavender and green streaks in my hair. All my friends are doing it.

Needless to say Moms hair turned a few colors on the spot. And Dad? Whats left of his hair was standing straight as he responded, No daughter of mine is dying her hair green and purple!

The battle lines were drawn.

At this point parents usually get into power struggles with their child. Scared about the sudden demands for unfamiliar changes parents are immediately worried that their child is heading for trouble and try to protect her by saying no. It is often believed that the issue is hanging around with bad kids. In these post-Columbine days, there is also confusion about what represents normal adolescent behavior and signs of a deeper problem. In simplest terms, if your teen still makes some reasonable connections with you, albeit less often, and her general behavior has not undergone sudden, marked changes, she is probably just being a typical teen.

Part of your anxiety is the sense that the older she gets, the less control you feel you have over your teens behavior. (Of course that control has been an illusion anyway but thats another story!) When parents just say no (to borrow a popular phrase) they are likely to only intensify their teens resolve to do what they are not being allowed to do. Anger and disconnection are the probable outcomes when teens feel they are not being heard or understood. Think about how you have similar feelings when a spouse doesnt take the time to really listen to you.

A suggestion when teens begin to push the limits is to switch from the benevolent dictator model that most parents use with younger children to the collaborative management model that is so effective in the business world. Actually it helps if this has been a gradual transition through the childhood years, but, if not, its time to make a conscious change. The latter model requires parents to recognize the limits of their influence over their children while at the same time recognizing that they are not as powerless as they often feel with teenage children. The primary tool in using this model is the art of successful negotiations.

Your 14-year-old says, This 11 oclock curfew is for the birds. All my friends stay out until twelve and some get to stay out till one on Saturday nights. I feel like a jerk being the first one to go home every weekend. I want a later curfew!

A frequent reply is We think youre too young to stay out that late. Theres nothing to do at that hour but get into trouble. Sometimes the parent throws in, Im sure all your friends dont have such late curfews.

No way! I can get into just as much trouble before eleven.

Hes right. So are you. And that is one of the key points. In dealing with most of the demands made by adolescents parents will find valid issues on both sides of the argument. It is important to recognize the significant issues pressuring your teen to push for changes especially the need to belong, to fit in with a group of friends. In fact one could characterize the parent-teen conflict as primarily the struggle between parents and peers for influence over your teens behavior.

In order to maintain a healthy and successful exchange it is important that all parties come away from the table feeling heard, understood, and with a sense of having a solution that is win-win rather than win-lose. For example, in responding to the request for a later curfew, try starting the discussion by saying, Youre right. Those two words have an amazing way of diffusing an argument and creating a context for working out a solution. You are getting older and probably many of your friends do have later curfews. Were not ready to make 12 your regular curfew but were open to some kind of change. What do you suggest?

One outcome of this discussion could be that the teen is given a monthly wild card for a 12:00 curfew to be used as decided by the teen. The understanding is that if this goes well in a couple of months it will increase to twice monthly. While some teens might still object experience has been that most are willing to work with their parents in this manner because they expected to be turned down and are surprised by the willingness of the parents to really listen and be open to change. It also gives the teen the chance to earn increased privilege and have control over when to cash in the wild card. Thats especially helpful when theres an important party coming up and he wants to be able to stay out later.

Meanwhile you feel good about having slowed the process of increased freedom and walking away with a feeling of still having a role in guiding your teenager.

But what if there doesnt appear to be room for compromise? For example your 16-year-old daughter asks to go away for the weekend with her 18-year-old boyfriend to visit some of his friends at a nearby college. Whenever you believe the risks are too high you are going to say no as you should. When the screaming dies down, try to understand the pressures on your daughter to do this. Part of it may be the fear that her boyfriend will decide to find an older girlfriend who has more freedom. There might be an alternative that is acceptable but sometimes there just isnt. In that case all that can be done is to validate her concerns but stand firm that this is not for 16-year-olds.

The reality is that sometimes teenagers challenge their parents with requests that they want you to turn down because they are scared but cant say no. They need you to be the mean parents who wont let her go as a face-saving device. Your teenager wants you to be strong. But how can you tell when she wants you to say no? Take your cues from the teen. My rule of thumb is that the more rigid and uncompromising she is, the more likely she doesnt want you to give in. If its really important, shell try to work out an acceptable compromise with you. For example, in this request, you may know a daughter of a friend who attends the college and would be glad to have your daughter stay with her. It could be also kept to a shorter visit with you agreeing to pick her up or arranging a bus ride home.

Meanwhile what happened to the request for green and lavender streaks? The solution may lie in limiting the amount of hair to be colored, and perhaps even agreeing to have it done by your hairdresser, though usually half the fun is the kids doing each others hair. On this one you need to question why its such a problem for you. One parent gave her okay except that it had to be done after attending a major family function that was coming up soon.

The idea of joining in the process is often helpful. A request for a tattoo was responded to by a father saying that because of the health risk and the permanence of it, he would say okay only if he could go along. His presence was negotiated to make sure it was sterilized equipment, a really skilled person, and that he would have some say about size and location. The son said okay but never got around to making the appointment. A daughter asking for a nose jewel got a similar response; with the parent wanting to make sure it was safe and getting confirmation that the hole would go away after it was removed. The daughter did it, wore it for several months, and then stopped wearing it. Meanwhile she and her mother had a better relationship.

There is an irony to all this that must not be missed. The more you insist on having control the less you have. You actually have greater influence on your teens life when you give up control in small but steady pieces. It also better prepares them for future years when they will have to make decisions on their own.

Dr. Kalman Heller is a clinical psychologist, now retired, who specialized in providing services to children, families, and couples since 1968. He has written over 150 columns about parenting and marriage which are available on his website, http://www.drheller.com. He is a frequent media resource.Alayne Blog65959
Ally Blog5222

What Is an ActiveX Control And How Is It Related With The Registry ?

ActiveX is a technology that was developed by Microsoft to enhance the display of images, video and animation in their browsers. ActiveX components are a set of rules that guide the browser to display hi-resolution images and streaming video properly.

It should suffice to say that ActiveX is a technology that was developed to bring the power of Object Linking and Embedding or OLE as it is popularly known, to empower web browsers and particularly Internet Explorer, to display such objects. When web pages with embedded ActiveX components are downloaded, the corresponding controls are also downloaded and automatically launched by the operating system of the computer. This can, over some time, clutter up the registry with unwanted data and controls, thus slowing down the system drastically. This will mean having to clean up the registry with a registry cleaner periodically. ActiveX controls are actually used by windows to display very rich interfacing activity such as animation, video images, virtual reality that used 3D technology, high resolution images and the like.

ActiveX Prompts For Registry Cleaners

When downloaded into your computer, an ActiveX control is actually packaged as an .OCX file. There are cases when more .OCX files are downloaded and needed for a web page. The .OCX files like ActiveX controls need to be registered on your system before they can be used. Registering means that a program capable of doing this, queries the ActiveX control and saves specific information about it into Windows Registry, so that the operating system can find it and therefore be able to use the ActiveX control. However, one must keep in mind the importance or cleaning up the registry periodically. The Internet has the best registry cleaners available free. So, make use of them to keep your system running smoothly.

Pro's and Con's Of ActiveX Controls

It is important to understand that with all the 'pros' of ActiveX technology also come a few 'cons' as well. ActiveX is a very powerful tool and is sometimes used by individuals, with a flair for the technology, to create ActiveX controls with malicious intentions. These 'corrupt' ActiveX controls can wreck havoc on your system and leave you helpless for no fault of yours. After all, you know that ActiveX is supposed to help your system run some programs, right. So why not download an ActiveX control when you are prompted to do so? It is for this reason that Microsoft has developed the ActiveX security system.

In Windows XP operating system, this security system is embedded in the Internet Explorer. The registry of the system automatically blocks the download and installation of any ActiveX component in the Registry of the computer. Apart from this is an ActiveX component has to be installed the computer will prompt the user to check for the signature of the component. If the ActiveX component is registered with Microsoft the ActiveX is verified as authorized and is allowed to be installed in the registry of the computer. If the ActiveX component is not verified the systems offers the user a choice of not installing the ActiveX control.

Some Advise For Internet Explorer Users

If you are using Internet Explorer you should ensure that you are using a security level set to Medium or above in Internet Explorer. You can do this by going to tools in IE and select 'internet options' then click on 'security' and slide the level to medium or higher. Now, after reading about the entire automatic downloads of controls and stuff, it makes sense to download a free window registry cleaner and use it periodically to clean the registry of your system. There are enhanced registry XP cleaners to clean the complex registry of Windows XP as well.

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comAlie Blog17127
Bebe Blog75406

Can Bath and Spa Gift Baskets Motivate the Weary?

The kids are screaming. The approaching deadline for the proposal lurks in the back of your mind. The spouse has issues that need attention. The television news spews forth a constant flow of negativity. Alas, the strain of existence has taken its toll on you both physically and mentally!

You search for a soothing and invigorating outlet to ease your troubled mind. What is a good way for you or someone that you know under trying times to take a step back and relax a spell? What can be experienced within the privacy of the home without the pitfalls of trekking throughout the highways and byways?

Bath and Spa Gift Baskets just might be the sea of tranquility that you are looking for. They also may be the ultimate way that you can quickly convey your sympathy and understanding to a friend or family member who simply needs a break in the action of a busy and challenging life. These as gifts can be that refreshing reminder to someone fatigued that you sincerely care and would like to offer the gentle spirit of a helping hand.

Life gives us a variety of ways to gain a more blissful balance. There are choices of ways to rejuvenate, relax, unwind, and cleansing ourselves of the tension that surrounds us. Travel, fine dining and entertainment of sorts, however, may not be within the realm of possibility due to budget or time considerations. There will always be limits as to what can be accomplished regarding life's luxuries.

That's why Bath and Spa Gift Baskets can be the solution to easing life a tad without adding a burdensome price tag later. You can get or give the melting away Aahhhhhh's without the grimacing credit card Eeeeekk's next month! A pampering spa weekend at home could be exactly the remedy for what ails you or a friend in need.

Brian F Connors is the owner of Gift Basket Paradise and wishes to share the benefits of both the giving and receiving of bath and body products. He invites you to consider the bath and spa gift baskets available at http://www.agiftbasketparadise.com/bath_spa_gift_baskets.html Barbara Blog55330
Camel Blog76521

What Kind Of Loan Do You Need?

At some stage in almost everyonmes lif they ask themselves, what kind of loan should I get? It's true that this subject gets less attention than it deserves because it seems that nearly everyone's in a hurry to get the money and move on to the higher priority which is whatever they wanted the loan for in the first instance. Let's start with this.

How much do you know about loans? This article intends to briefly describe the most important types of loans, so that you can get a global view over this issue.

The process of lending goes like this: the borrower receives an amount of money which he pays back to the lender within a fixed period of time. The cost of the service is reffered to as interest rate. Loans may be secured or unsecured, with periods of time ranging from a week to even more than 20 years, and with annual interest rates of one up to three digit percents.

SECURED LOANS

Mortage

A mortage is a common type of loan generally used in purchasing properties. If you want to purchase residential or commercial real estate and you cannot afford to pay the full value immediately (and this happens in most of the cases), you can arrange a mortage. You lend money and purchase the property and the financial institution is given security

by the title of the house until you pay off in full.

Home equity loans

By using the equity in your home, you can receive a significant amount of money that you have to repay over a fixed period at a low interest rate. If you fail to repay, you may lose your home. However, this is a popular source of finance.

Car loans

You can take out this kind of loan if you want to purchase either a new or a used car. The loan is secured by the car itself. The loan period is shorter than mortgages , as it corresponds to the useful life of the car.

UNSECURED LOANS

Credit card debt

The name of this type of loan comes from the small card issued to the user of the credit card system.You can pay those who accept credit cards without exceeding a preestablished credit limit. Basically, you borrow money from the issuer. With every purchase made, you agree to pay that amount of money plus an established interest.

The difference between a credit card and a debit card is that the former does not remove money from your account at each transaction. Every month you receive a statement indicating the amount owed for each purchase and the total one. You must pay at least a part of the bill by a due date. The interest charged by the credit issuer has a much higher rate than the ones charged in many other types of loans.

Personal loans

The most popular personal loans are the payday loans. You can borrow from $100 up to $1000 for a short period of time (regularly two weeks) and at a very high interest rate (you pay something between $10 and $20 for each $100 borrowed). If you cant pay back at the established payday date, you can pay the finance charge again and roll the loan for another two weeks. For instance, if you borrow $400 for a two-cycle payday loan period (meaning a month, usually) and the finance charge is $15 you get to pay back a total amount of $520.

Bank overdrafts

You qualify for this type of loan if you have a bank account in good condition.When the withdrawals from your bank account exceed the balance, the account gets a negative balance and it means that your provider is offering you credit. In case you have a prior agreement wth the provider and you have an established overdraft limit, any withdrawals within that limit are charged at an agreed rate. Otherwise, the interest rate might be much higher.

Credit facilities or lines of credit

A line of credit is a flexible way to get extra funds for expenses such as house repairs, vacations, or even to purchase an object you desire but dont have enough money for. In order to qualify for this type of loan you must have a clean credit history and a fixed income. The total amount of money you can make use of is established from the beginning and it depends on your income.

Corporate bonds

A bond is a loan in the form of a security. The issuer (the borrower) owes the lender (the bond holder) a debt and he must repay the principal and the interest (the coupon) within a fixed period of time. This fixed term is also called maturity and it is usually longer than one year. The bond issue might contain other stipulations too.

When you consider getting a certain type of loan, you must be very cautious regarding abuses. You must read the contract carefully, paying attention to each detail and make sure you understand all the terms. Otherwise you may find yourself in an awkward position relating to the loan by not being able to repay it.

Bill Darken - There's a good student loan area along with more relevant general loans assistance such as home, car, and consolidation loans. There are highly informative eye opening articles and up-to-date loans news as well, see it here at home equity loan or if the previous link is not working, you can paste this link in your browser - http://loans-only.com.Cassandry Blog14584
Alexia Blog95951

Home Schooling: How Parents Need To Manage Their Time

Making reports, filing papers, fielding phone calls and placating your boss at the office takes only eight hours. Do you rest when you return home? The answer is no as you have to prepare dinner, share stories with your husband, spend time doing homework with the kids.

This is a situation typically encountered by working mothers, who for 24 hours and 7 days balance the innumerable demands of career and home. The children are however always at the receiving end and this is the problem. The reason for this needs to be asked.

The cause being the tendency of parents, particularly mothers to submit their children to schools with the faith that the children would be provided the best education by the institution.

Some parents however, in todays changing world have realized that in order to provide the best education to their children sending them to school is no longer the best option. This is the reason for their choice of home schooling to provide their children the kind of education they desire for them.

Most parents devote their time and attempt to give their children the best education at home in home schooling. This does not imply however that more time should be devoted to home schooling than to household chores. Home schooling uses the one to one teaching method as its fundamental tenet. The reason being children can understand the concept quicker and easier due to a more individualistic method.

To plan the right amount of time needed in home schooling given here below are some guidelines:

1. Learning style of the children.

Examples can be found that the time requirements in home schooling may be dependent on the childrens learning style. An example would be that you would have to dedicate much less time if your child can learn things at a much quicker pace. You would however have to dedicate more time explaining certain concepts of the subject matter being taught, if your child requires more time to understand the things which are taught to him.

2. The kind of method used.

Teaching methods relating to home schooling are many in number. However they differ regarding the time required by the parent to be dedicated to each program, as each has its individual teaching method.

3. The number of children within the family.

Having many children in the family would mean long hours of teaching similar to a typical classroom setting where usually the number of children are many. The reason being that you would have to inculcate in students the substance of the subject matter, and would have to explain all over again if one of them fails to understand the idea.

4. The age of the child.

More time is required in home schooling, the lesser the age of the child. The reason being that in comparison to children at the higher levels younger children tend to comprehend things being taught much slowly.

The vital factor is having quality time to spend with your parents or students though from the overall point of view the time needed may be influenced by these above-mentioned factors.

Phil Kuermam is involved with an online homeschooling project that informs and educates the homeschooling enthusiast through well-written articles. Discover informative articles geared towards Homeschooling Resources, Curriculums, & Programs. http://www.homeschoolingresource.org.Ann Marie Blog93443
Ardyce Blog22234

Decision Made On What Sort Of Digital Camera You Want

You have now decided to go a head and purchase a digital camera, but like many other electronic devices available to consumers now days the digital camera is changing all the time. You may find that for the same amount of money you would have spent a few months ago on a camera you will now get one with more and more features such as megapixels, storage space and zoom facilities. This article will hopefully provide you with a few hints and tips on what you should be looking for and how to choose the best camera for you.

There are a number things that you will need to consider when making this all important purchase. Firstly you need to work out how much you are willing to spend, some can cost from as little as ten dollars to ones that will cost a thousand dollars or more. You will also need to decide what you will be using the camera for as well as how much you are going to spend. The best way of solving this is by writing down a few simple questions such as will I be using it to take family pictures? Will it be used to take photographs of the landscape? Will I be traveling a lot? Will I need it for taking lots of flash photography? By having these questions in mind it will make your choice of camera easier.

Now that you have decided on how much you want to spend and what it will be used for you can look at a range of potential cameras that fit in to your criteria and build up a list of the ones you are interested in and include details such as price and the features that each one has to offer.

Below I provide a list of features with a short explanation that should be included when you are making up a list of features for the cameras that you are interested in.

Firstly there are Megapixels. Many cameras now come with an ever increasing number of megapixels and many people ask if the more megapixels a camera has is better. Having more megapixels all really depends on whether your are going to print photographs (especially enlargements) or you want to zoom in and crop the fine detail out of large photographs. Or is it just that you want to look at them on your computer and may be occasionally print of a few small prints. I would suggest that you look at using a 2 megapixel camera for the latter as you will find that most computer screens have a resolution of 1024x768 which even when viewing a photograph on a full screen which equates to less than 1 megapixel. Even a photograph (4x6) printed off will have a DPI higher than 300 which will be more than enough to produce a high quality print.

However, if you plan to print enlargements of your photographs then you need to look at the different print sizes and what megapixels are required to produce high quality prints. The table provided below shows you the photograph size and the megapixel required.

Photo Size - Megapixel
4x6 - 2
5x7 - 3
8x10 - 7
11x14 - 14
16x20 - 28
20x30 - 54

However, if money is no object where the purchase of your camera is concerned then the more megapixels you have may out weigh other features that could be available to you. For example should you spend money on the extra megapixels or a better lense, or an external flash unit? Really, it all depends on how you camera will be used. So remember to decide what your camera will be used for and make the decision on what is more important to you based on this.

Next is the Zoom feature. In some cases it is very handy to have the use of a good quality zoom on your camera, especially say when you want to take a good quality portrait photo where the object/persons face fills the complete photo frame, whilst when taking a photo of a group of people you want to make sure that everybody is in it.

You will find that there are two types of zoon now available, optical and digital. The optical zoom works by physically moving the cameras lense and changing the focal length of the picture. By changing the focal length you are able to make objects or subjects appear bigger than they are and that will fit the full photo frame. Whilst a digital zoom works by using built in software in the camera to clearly define a certain section of the photo that you are interested in taking. Then once this has been chosen the software inside will remove the rest of the photo surrounding the area and will then enlarge the chosen section and this will fit into a complete photo frame. Unfortunately the one downside of using a digital zoom is that the quality of the enlarged photo is less than that of the original photo taken.

So in conclusion if you are serious about taking photographs and not just to use it for taking those all important holiday snaps I would suggest you opt for the optical zoom and from a practical point of view a digital zoom should not be considered as a zoom lense at all.

However you need to be careful when looking at a camera you are thinking of buying as not always do the manufacturers stipulate whether the zoom figure specified is actually optical or digital. It can become quite confusing for those people who do not understand the difference between these two. So for example if a camera says it supports a 5X optical zoom and 10X digital zoom then is being advertised as a 10X zoom camera you can see how the confusion can arise. A 10X digital zoom can be done to any camera just by using some simple PC software.

Once you have compared different cameras zooms then always compare their optical zoom capabilities as well. Really you can totally ignore the digital zoom figures that you will be provided with.

Allison Thompson who lives in Spain and is a work at home mum has set up a site with her husband Mark that is specifically tailored to the needs of those interested in digital photography. If you would like to learn more then please visit http://www.photoreport.info.Amitie Blog50477
Bertha Blog6383

Breastfeeding Is An Ideal Method Of Feeding And Nurturing Infants

In recent years especially research consistently shows breastfeeding infants provides a multitude of compelling advantages to:

* Infants
* Mothers
* Families
* Society

These advantages include:

* Health
* Nutritional
* Immunologic
* Developmental
* Psychological
* Social
* Economic
* Environmental

Human milk is uniquely superior for infant feeding. All other commercial substitute feeding options differ markedly from it. Breast milk is easily digested and contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. The health benefits to mothers include lower rates of certain breast and ovarian cancers.

Regardless of the superiority of human milk against all other infant feeding options, health professionals agree that there are rare exceptions when human milk is not recommended. Breastfeeding is not advisable if one or more of the following conditions is true:

* The infant is diagnosed with galactosemia (a rare genetic metabolic disorder)

* The infant whose mother has been infected with HIV, is taking antiretroviral medications, has untreated, active tuberculosis, is infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I or type II, is using or dependent upon an illicit drug, is taking prescribed cancer chemotherapy agents that interfere with DNA replication and cell division, is undergoing radiation therapies (radiation therapy requires only a temporary interruption in breastfeeding)

Human milk is the preferred feeding for all infants, which includes premature and sick newborns with some rare exceptions. The final decision on breastfeeding an infant is the mothers. It is the role of the pediatricians to provide parents with complete, current information on the benefits and methods of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding should begin as soon as possible after birth, usually within the first hour.

Newborns should nurse whenever they show signs of hunger, which include:

* Increased alertness or activity
* Mouthing
* Rooting

All the above signs will appear before crying. Crying is a late sign of infant hunger.

Newborns should nurse about 8 to 12 times every 24 hour period until satiety. This is usually accomplished within 10 to 15 minutes on each breast. If the infant is non-demanding in the early weeks after birth, they should be aroused or awakened to feed if 4 hours passes since last nursing.

Do not give supplements such as water, glucose water, formula and so forth to breastfeeding newborns unless advised by a health care professional due to some kind of medical indication. With adequate breastfeeding knowledge and practices, supplements are rarely needed. Pacifiers and supplements should be avoided and if used at all, only after breastfeeding is well established.

Newborns and breastfeeding mothers should be seen by a pediatrician or other knowledgeable health care professional when the newborn is 2 to 4 days of age. At that time, infant weight and a general health assessment should be done as well as observing breastfeeding for evidence of successful breastfeeding behavior. In addition the infant should be assessed for jaundice, adequate hydration and age-appropriate elimination patterns. The infant should have at least six urinations per day and three to four stools per day by 5 to 7 days of age.

Some obstacles to the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding include:

* Insufficient prenatal breastfeeding education
* Inappropriate interruption of breastfeeding
* Early hospital discharge in some populations
* Lack of timely routine follow-up care and postpartum home health visits
* Media portrayal of bottle-feeding as being normal.
* Commercial promotion of infant formula through hospital distributions of discharge packs, coupons for free or discounted formula, television and general magazine advertising

The highest rates of breastfeeding are among higher-income, college-educated women, 30 years of age living in the Mountain and Pacific regions of the United States.

The AAP strongly recommends breastfeeding as the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants and recognizes breastfeeding as most important in achieving optimal infant and child health, growth and development.

Source: AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Connie Limon, Trilogy Field Representative. Visit http://nutritionandhealthhub.com and sign up for a weekly nutrition and health tip. The article collection is available as FREE reprints for your newsletters, websites or blog. Visit http://www.healthylife27.com to purchase an arrayAlmire Blog25954
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4 Things To Consider When Applying To College

When applying for college, do you only think about what you're going to do when you get there? Or do you think about what the college is going to do for you? Applying for college isn't just about fun and games, it's about picking the right college; the college that will help you succeed. So the next time you sit down to fill out those college applications, keep these four tips in mind:

1. Goals.

How often have you heard friends wish theyd gone to a different college? A college that was more suited to their interests and dreams and not their checkbook? A big mistake is to assume that every college has what youre looking for. Take the time to research the colleges youre interested in and rank them by academics: courses, degrees, accreditations, and the ability to transfer and further your education.

2. Interests.

As much you want an education, if its not fun and exciting, youre sure to stop attending classes. So the next thing on your list to rank is interests: what are the teachers like? Do they make class fun and interesting or do they simply read from a list of notes in a monotone voice?

3. Extra-curricular Activities.

Lets face it, no college would be complete without fraternities, sporting events, clubs, and so forth. But what you need to keep in mind is how these events and clubs will benefit you in the future. Will they look good on your resume? Will they provide additional skills? Or are they simply a fun way to get distracted?

4. Financing.

No matter what your list says, the final ranking truly does come down to finances. If you dont have the funds to attend college, youll need scholarships, grants, and student loans. Make sure your college admissions officer understands how these programs work so that you get the best deal possible.

The Institute of Allied Medical Professions, also known as IAMP, has an established record for turning out some of the best medical students in the country. To learn more about IAMPs medical schools, our courses, or the industry visit our blog at http://iampedu.blogspot.com/ or our main website at http://iamp.edu Belita Blog29303
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The Value of an Online Degree

Many people wonder, What is the true value of an online degree? In reality, there is no price that can be put on higher education. In todays world, the job market has become extremely competitive. For every position that becomes available, there are dozens of applicants who are trying just as hard as you to get that position. Because of this, employers have to be extremely selective when they are attempting to pick the best candidate for each position that they offer. When employers are evaluating new candidates, there are several factors that they seriously scrutinize.

One of these factors is work experience. In the eyes of employers, work experience is one of the most important things that a candidate can possess. Relevant work experience is normally a strong indication of a candidates ability to succeed in a specific field. However, it is important that any work experience you have, whether in a related or different field as the current job that you are applying for, have a positive reference attached to it. Almost all employers, especially those interviewing for positions with multiple applicants, will call your previous employers, supervisors or managers. Although you can write whatever you want on your resume, these phone calls serve as a true test of your character. By having a direct conversation with an authority figure from your previous job, a potential employer can find out various facts about your character, abilities and interactions with other people. Although in some situations the person that is contacted may not provide the most accurate picture of you, most potential employers will put a lot of weight into these conversations that they have. Therefore, it is extremely important that you try as hard as possible to end your term of employment on a pleasant note.

Although work experience is an extremely important factor for employers when they are evaluating potential job candidates, it is not necessarily the single most important factor. The other factor that is just as important, if not more important, in the eyes of employers is the candidates educational background. Regardless of the type of job that you are applying for, a strong educational background is extremely important. If you do not have a college degree, there are many employers that will not give you any further consideration for a job, regardless of how much work experience you have already obtained. For many who did not have the opportunity to attend a traditional college, this is a very scary prospect. However, this is where the true value of an online degree shines through. Thanks to the multitude of online degree programs which are available, people who never thought they would have an opportunity to earn a degree are now accomplishing their goal on their own terms.

Thanks to the design of online degrees, anyone can earn one on their own schedule. Unlike traditional colleges and universities, online degree programs are designed with busy individuals in mind. Whether you have a full-time job or a family to take care of, an online degree program allows you to obtain a degree in your precious spare time. This is one of the things that truly show the value of an online degree. By obtaining an online degree, you are opening the door to a multitude of exciting opportunities. Whether you are looking for a promotion within your current company or a new, more lucrative career, an online degree is the best way for you to accomplish your goals. For more information about online degrees please visit http://www.speedydegrees.com/

As you can see, there is truly no price that can be put on an online degree. The value that an online degree gives you far outweighs any monetary investment that is required. Regardless of the reason you are interested in obtaining it, the value that an online degree will add to your life is tremendous.

Harris Jhosta is holding the market experience of IT industry and immense business solutions for about 2 decades now. His vast experience in the related field gave him the acclamation and renownship in many sectors of business. For more information about online degrees, please visit http://www.speedydegrees.comAura Blog76786
Aloisia Blog76167

Why Shoppers Use Internet Coupons?

Many people are desires to buy certain things or obtain certain pleasures from life. The fact is that only a small portion of people succeed in doing this. Many of them have to abstain from making unnecessary expenditures due to their mediocre financial condition. Our desires keep increasing even though they are limited by lack of adequate funds.

In order to boost their sales, most companies have introduced the concept of discount coupons. These coupons offer a discount of nearly 25 to 50% concessions on your purchase. With these coupons in hand, even a person making his living on undersized pay packets can also fulfill some of his desires.

In the earlier days, discount coupons were offered through newspapers, magazines, etc. however, these days; internet coupons have become very much popular. These are usually found on the websites of the companies. These require you to fill some personal information in order to obtain the discount coupon. The various advantages of online discount coupons are:

Unlike the coupons from magazine and newspapers which can be used only once, online coupons can be used any number of times.

Customers can download coupons easily from the company website and this increases the popularity of the company.

It is easier and cheaper to obtain discount coupons on the internet as you dont have to buy newspapers or magazines to get them.

These help the buyers to save a lot of money.

The advantage of using online discount coupons for the customers is that they can test a new product using coupons at the discounted rate.

With the reach of the internet expanding day after day, it is now the best method to reach out to your customers. Every second there is a customer searching for one product or the other on the internet. They are also looking for ways to minimize their expenditure and save some money. So by providing free online discount coupons, your product and your company will come into the view of the customer and hence your business flourishes. It is a very good way to increase your clientele. This is such a fun and innovative way to promote ones business. All the top retailers advertise savings for their customers online. Small businesses are finally grasping the concept.

So every company, new or old must provide online coupons so that its business increases and the customers also benefit from it.

Cathy Peterson writes about http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com ,http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/Site59.com and http://www.traveldealsdiscounts.com/discount-travel-deals/Hotels.com.Amelita Blog81166
Allyn Blog84473

Retro Home and Bedroom Furnishings: A Look at the 70's and 80's

Every twenty to thirty years, it seems that fashion tends to come full circle, with trends simply being recycled and updated. It could just be the vicious circle of history repeating itself, but it seems that even home design is doing the same thing. If you take a gander at the home furnishing offerings today, you'll find that many of the decorations and designs are "retro"', imitating the wave of the late 1970's through the 1980's. In case you weren't around for the original styles, or have chosen to block out most of than span of time from your memory, let's take a trip back and look at the blast from the past that is piled on store shelves today.

Tie-Dyed Clothes. Remember when bright, tie-dyed colors were all the rave? In the early eighties, everything was a starburst of six and seven different colors that didn't really match and could make your eyes water with the brightness of the design. Home furnishings have begun to incorporate this design again, with wall hangings of tie-dyed starbursts, throw rugs in the pattern, bedspreads full of tie-dyed spots, and even some couches artfully designed in such a manner. If you like the bright, anything goes style, this may be for you!

Psychedelic. Okay, so in the sixties and seventies, there were reasons for glow in the dark, psychedelic paint and black lights, though these excuses were usually less than savory and not entirely legal. Today, though, the bright T-shirts and posters have returned, with many individuals covering walls with glow in the dark designs and even painting whole walls in psychedelic paint, installing black lights in their recreation rooms or game rooms for entertainment purposes. This retro design option, coupled with disco lights that are more reminiscent of the late seventies, can really take you back to "the day"', especially if you put in the right music!

Lava Lamps, Most lamps are made to assist with lighting a room and giving you something to read by. On the other hand, in retro times, the lava lamp was more about putting on a show when it was dark in the room. Lava lamps have begun to grace the shelves of not only specialty and gag gift stores but also typical home decor departments in other stores, including superstores and department stores. Add to this the fact that the "lightning ball"' has also made a comeback from its loss of popularity in the mid-80s, and you've just jumped back in time.

Shag Carpets and Bean Bags. Rather than sitting on real furniture, designers are now suggesting a return to the basics. In the seventies, everyone had thick, shag carpeting, and now it's become popular again (as opposed to Berber, the thinnest possible carpet around), only this time it's not in mixed blue and green colors (thank goodness!). And, with the modification of the original bean bag chair that was so popular in the 80s to seat more than one comfortably on plush material or even leather rather than sticky vinyl, you can have your whole home outfitted retro style!

Ben Weissman writes articles on Beds, Modern Bedroom Furniture and Interior Design. You'll find more Decorating Ideas at http://Home-and-Bedroom.com. Make your bedroom into a personal retreat!Aimee Blog45285
Catherin Blog72289

Do You Need A Personal Organizer?

Is your house a disaster area? Do you have a job outside the home that doesn't give you time to organize your house? Perhaps you have a physical disability that prevents you from lifting or reaching up to put things where they belong.

Sometimes when you get so far behind in caring for your home that it seems impossible to find anything, it would be best to hire a personal organizer. Personal organizers are trained to look for ways that will help you get - and stay - organized.

Before you hire an organizer, you need to do some research.

1. Do you need your entire house organized or just a room or two?

2. Are there rooms that will be "off -limits" to an organizer, such as a home office or a teenager's room? Teens hate to have their space messed with!

3. Are there personal or expensive items that you will have to remove from a room before an organizer starts work?

4. Have you determined a budget for your organization project?

Now that you know what you need, here are some things you need to from a personal organizer before he/she is hired:

1. How long have you been a personal organizer? How much experience do you have? Do you specialize in a certain area of organization? (Will that area of organization be of help to me?)

2. Do you have a list of references? May I contact them?

3. What do you charge for a project? Do you charge by project, by day, or by number of hours worked?

4. Do you charge for the initial consultation? How much?

5. Are organizational supplies such as bins and baskets included in the project or will I have to purchase them extra? (This will help keep you on budget.)

6. Will I be involved in the decision making process for the project? (If not, interview someone else! It is your house, after all!)

7. Will you have an assistant or other people helping you?

8. Are you (and your employees) insured and bonded in case of accident, damage to property or theft?

If you do your homework before hiring a professional organizer, you will know exactly what to expect from him or her and he or she will know exactly what to expect from you. There will not be any nasty surprises at the end of the job.

Once the organizer has organized your home, it should be easier for you to keep it neat and tidy. Every item will have its home and you will only need to remember to take each item home after you have used it. If you let everything pile up again, you will just have to hire the organizer to organize it all for you again - and that doesn't make much sense - does it?

Jude Wright is the webmistress of 40 websites, most of which relate to Home Management. Visit http://cleanandorganized.com to see how YOU can become clean and organized.Amara Blog25866
Anastasie Blog83332

How To Make A Screencast

Screencast

Screencast is a digital recording of computer screens, full screens or screen regions and usually comes with an audio narration to describe the on-screen actions. The term screencast dates back to 2004 with an interesting story.

In 2004, a columnist Jon Udell invited readers of his blog to propose names for the emerging genre. In all the suggested terms, Udell selected screencast, which was proposed by both Joseph McDonald and Deeje Cooley. His "Heavy metal umlaut" screencast is a well-known example - which explains how Wikipedia works.

http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/gems/umlaut.html

Since then, the term screen has be known by more people and the use of screencasts has itself become more popular. Currently the new trend of screencast is documentary filmmaking of software-based social networking services like Wikipedia, del.icio.us. or digg.

In This Article

1. Screencast Types
2. Screencasting Tools
3. Guide Lines of making a screencast

Screencast Types

Product Tutorials: The screencast tells users how to use a software application or service by showing screen introductions. Usually, there is a recorded voice over to walk through the steps.

See examples below

Cracking WEB in 10 Minutes

http://userportal.iha.dk/~02882/Whoppix-wepcrack.swf

Short How-to: This kind of screencast usually is often short and demonstrate a simple guide or gives tips and tricks to solve a small problem or dig into a product feature.

See example below

Better use of Window s Search Feature

http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2005/01/25.html#a1157

Conversational Demos:

Conversational demos has more focus on the conversion rather than the screens. Usually, there are two voices for the screen. Often one is asking question about the screen and another gives the answer.

Software review:

If you are asked for writing a software review , you can always make a screencast to highlight some features.

User produced demo:

Some software applications are difficult to use and you sometimes have some unexpected troubles. Making a screencast to explain will help you a lot when you are talking to the technical support. You can even make you troubleshooting demo to share with your friends and families.

Of course, there are more types has not yet included in this article.

Screencasting Tools

For Window Users

Windows Media Encoder - Free but with high system requirements

http://www.videohelp.com/tools/Windows_Media_Encoder

Wondershare DemoCreator - Flash-based Screen Recorder

http://www.sameshow.com/demo-creator.html

For Mac Users

Snapz Pro X

http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/

Guide Lines of making a screencast

1. Know what you want to present

First and foremost, You'll need to have an idea about what you'll present, and you'll need to figure out which platform to use. Knowing your purposes of making a screecast is the first to come.

2. Make it real

Always to make a screencast in real and substantial scene. For example, it is for software demonstration or a network monitor, then work with the software or live network.

Of course , for reasons of logistics or security, this isn't always possible. But the more real we can make it, the better.

3. Interactivity is important

Interactivity engages viewers through the demo. If your screecast is just screen by screen, your viewers will leave soon. You can and Id argue you should record narration or insert background music to the screencast. Usually, some screencasting tools like DemoCreator enable you to add some visual aids to the captured screens like callouts, shapes, annotation buttons and animated images. Note that when a screencast is interactive it will engage the viewers in a conversation that steers it into unexpected areas.

KingMarsh is tech writer in the filed of integrating technology in training and learning. He write at this site http://www.sameshow.com where you will find free trial of PowerPoint to flash conversion tools and e-learning content development tools, free PowerPoint templates, useful PowerPoint techniques and PowerPoint resources.Bianka Blog45223
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Looking For Free Online Distance Education?

Is there anything like free online distance education? Yes and no. Want to know what I mean? I said yes because its available online. If you log on to the internet now and conduct a search using google, youll discover that there are lots of online institutions offering people like you free online distance education. This means that it does exist. I said no because nothing is free in this world. You have to pay the price before you can get anything good. In other words, there is no free lunch. It must be paid for.

Because of the power of the word free many institutions are using it and luring many people into what they term free online distance education. Many of the institutions doing this are online fraudsters. I believe you know them. They have a way of getting their victims. Many times I have received mails in my Inbox and bulk box offering free online distance education. I dont normally waste time about this. I delete them immediately. I advise to the same.

If any school claims to be offering you free online distance education, kindly and politely ask them who will pay for the downloaded materials, the building and maintenance of the website, the online instructors, the certificates etc. their answers will help you know the type of school they are. The fraudulent will have no answer while the reliable ones will give you good answers.

What youll get from free online distance education wont benefit your career in the long run. This is because the certificates youll be issued will not only be bogus but wont be useful for getting those good jobs youve always dreamt of. And moreover most employers of labour out there are very skeptical of online certificates. And they wont waste time contacting the online school you get it from. If the school is not genuine, they wont spend their precious time interviewing you for the job.

Once youre sure that somebody somewhere has to pay for everything used in transferring knowledge and skills online, you wont have detecting fraudulent free online distance education institutions.

Instead of frantically searching for free online distance education, its advisable you do comparison shopping in order to get affordable online institutions. There are online schools whose fee is quite affordable. Some exist that can even give you a loan for the duration of the program you want to enroll for. However, I urge you to consult your attorney before putting to such papers.

Ras Reed provides more detailed and free information on his website. Get more info at http://distanceeduguide.com/sitemap.html.Beverlie Blog40018
Alexa Blog39805

Domain Name Disputes

GOVERNANCE OF THE DOMAIN NAMES SYSTEM AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICIES

The objections of many to US control over the Internet and the functioning of the domain name system, led to the creation of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a not-for-profit entity established by the United States government to remove the DNS from U.S. Governmental control for the benefit of all nations, and to take over many of the management functions of the DNS.

The United States Government, in its June 5, 1998 Statement of Policy on the Management of Internet Names and Addresses (the White Paper), called for the privatization of the DNS in a manner that allows for the development of robust competition and that facilitates global participation in the management of Internet names and addresses. The need for change in the DNS was seen to arise from 1) dissatisfaction with the absence of competition regarding domain name Registrars; 2) the increasing occurrence of conflicts between trademark and domain name owners, and the fact that the mechanisms for overcoming these were seen as expensive and cumbersome; 3) the call from commercial interests for more formal management of the Internet; 4) increasing desire from non-U.S. interests in participation in the management of various aspects of the Internet; 5) the need for accountability in the decision of whether to add new generic top-level domains (gTLDs); and 6) the inappropriateness of U.S. agencies managing and funding commercial enterprises on the Internet.

The White Paper resulted in the formation of ICANN, which now, for the time being, has taken over many of the management functions of the DNS. The ICANN By-laws call for the creation of Supporting Organizations (SOs) to develop proposals for the improvement of various aspects of the Internet. The initial three SOs were 1) the Address SO - concerned with the system of Internet Protocol addresses, 2) the Protocol SO - concerned with the technical standards that let computers exchange information, and 3) the Domain Name SO. The SOs serve as advisory bodies and have the primary responsibility for developing and recommending substantive policies regarding matters falling within their specific responsibilities. Whereas the first two SOs relate to the more technical functioning of the Internet, the Domain Name SO (DNSO) is of particular interest to the intellectual property community.

Within the DNSO, are Constituency groups that were ratified by ICANN. These Constituency Groups are self-organized and made up of interested individuals and entities. According to the ICANN By-laws "[a]ny group of individuals or entities may petition the Board for recognition as a new or separate Constituency." The Constituency Groups make recommendations to, and select members for the Names Council, which is responsible for consensus building, and communicating DNSO recommendations to the Board of Directors. There are also various advisory committees within ICANN as well as an At-Large Membership with an "open and inclusive" membership.

The White Paper also called upon WIPO to develop a process designed to culminate in recommendations concerning domain name issues to be submitted to ICANN. This process resulted in the April 30, 1999 WIPO Final Report. The recommendations contained in the report relate generally to 1) Best Practices for Registration Authorities; 2) Administrative Procedures Concerning Abusive Domain Name Registrations; 3) Exclusions for Famous and Well-known marks; and 4) New TLDs.

A further WIPO domain name Report, WIPO2 RFC-3, Interim Report of the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process, April 12, 2001, was published for comment, which deals with the subjects of personal names; International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) for pharmaceutical substances; names of international inter-governmental organizations; geographical indications, indications of source and geographical terms; and trade names.

The WIPO Final Report stated that A constant consideration has therefore been to ensure that the recommendations of the WIPO process are practical and do not interfere with the functionality of the Internet by imposing unreasonable constraints on the high-volume and automated operations of domain name registration authorities,

One of the first actions taken by ICANN was the introduction of competition among Registrars in providing registration services for the .COM, .ORG and .NET gTLDs. Previously, Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI), under contract with the United States Government, had been the only Registrar authorized to provide these services. ICANN has now accredited numerous Registrars to provide competing registration services.

To ensure uniformity in the resolution of domain name disputes, ICANN has made accreditation to provide domain name registration services that all Registrars must contractually agree to be bound by ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy, outlined below.

When NSI was the only domain name Registrar, in order to prevent the increasing occurrence of disputes involving domain names, NSI implemented its on hold procedure. Under this procedure, a trademark owner, with a registered mark identical to the domain name in question could apply with NSI to place the domain name on hold, so that no one could use the domain name until the dispute was resolved, either amicably or through a lawsuit.

The NSI policy did not allow comparison of the goods and services covered by a trademark in relation to those associated with a given domain name. The NSI policy lead many trademark holders to engage in reverse domain name hijacking, by threatening to place domain names being used in good faith for goods/services unrelated to the trademark holders mark on hold, unless the domain name was transferred to the trademark owner.

Under the ICANN Registrar Accreditation Agreement, a Registrar must agree to abide by the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), which was adopted on August 26, 1999. The implementation documents for this policy were approved on October 24, 1999. Updates to these documents, if any, can be accessed on the Internet at Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy; and Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. The first day in which complaints could be submitted to accredited Dispute Resolution Providers was on December 1, 1999, for disputes involving domain names registered with Registrars, for various reasons, other than America Online, the NameIT Corp. and NSI. The first day complaints could be submitted in respect of domain names registered by these other three Registrars was on January 3, 2000.

The Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy is incorporated by reference into every Registrars Registration Agreement with domain name Registrants and sets forth the terms and conditions for resolving disputes between the Registrant and another party concerning the registration and use of a name.

The Policy provides that a domain name Registrant is required to submit to mandatory administrative (arbitration) proceedings if a third party complains with respect to a .COM, .NET or .ORG, and now a .BIZ, .INFO or .NAME domain name, to one of the ICANN accredited Dispute Resolution Providers. Current accredited Dispute Resolution Providers include are WIPO, Disputes.org/eResolution Consortium, the National Arbitration Forum, and the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution. Each provider has its own supplemental rules of procedure. A Complainant must assert to the chosen Provider that:

(i) the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or servicemark in which the complainant has rights;

(ii) the Registrant has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

(iii) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

Evidence of a bad faith registration, without limitation, includes:

(i) circumstances indicating that the domain name was registered primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name to the Complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark, or to a competitor of that Complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of the costs related to registering the domain name; or

(ii) the domain name was registered in order to prevent the Complainant from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that there is a pattern of such conduct; or

(iii) the domain name was registered primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of the Complainant; or

(iv) the Registrant intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to his web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainants mark.

As a defense to a complaint, any of the following circumstances, if found by the Panel, indicates the Registrant's legitimate interest in the domain name:

(i) the Registrant's use, or demonstrable preparations to use the domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or

(ii) the Registrant (as an individual, business, or other organization) has been commonly known by the domain name, even if he has acquired no trademark or service mark rights in the name; or

(iii) the Registrant is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent of commercial gain, to confuse consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue.

The remedies available under the UDRP are limited to requiring cancellation of the domain name or the transfer of the domain name to the Complainant. Either party can file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction at any time during a pending UDRP action. The Complainant has the choice of either a one-person or a three-person panel. If the Complainant chooses a one-person panel, the domain name Registrant is given the opportunity to choose a three-person panel, in which case the domain name Registrant will be required to pay half of the costs associated with the procedure. A Complainant or Respondent will usually choose a three person panel when they believe that they can secure at least one panelist who has ruled favorably in similar cases because a three person panel is comprised of a panelist nominated by each side, with the third panelist selected, if possible, from ranked lists submitted by the parties, but ultimately chosen by the dispute resolution provider.

Another important change that has benefitted trademark practitioners, particularly in the United States, was a United States law, which amended the Lanham Act by adding new Section 43(d), known as "The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA"). The ACPA was enacted into law on November 29, 1999 and, except for the damages section, applied retroactively.

Section 43 (d)(1)(A) states that:

"A person shall be liable in a civil action by the owner of a mark, including a personal name which is protected as a mark under this section, if, without regard to the goods or services of the parties, that person--

(i) has a bad faith intent to profit from that mark, including a personal name which is protected as a mark under this section

(ii) registers, traffics in, or uses a domain name that -

(I) in the case of a mark that is distinctive at the time of registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to that mark;

(II) in the case of a famous mark that is famous at the time of registration of the domain name, is identical or confusingly similar to or dilutive of that mark.

Liability under this section depends on whether the person registered or used the domain name in bad faith, and includes a provision whereby the complainant may elect at any time before final judgment to recover either actual damages and profits, or an award of statutory damages in an amount of not less than $1,000 and not more than $100,000 per domain name in the discretion of the court. Thus, unlike the stated policy of ICANNs UDRP, a domain name Registrant can be liable for merely registering a domain name in bad faith, without the necessity of use. It should be noted, however, that under the UDRP, certain panelists have found bad faith in cases of mere passive holding of a domain name.

Another important section in the ACPA is Section 43(d)(2) under which the owner of a mark may file an in rem civil action against the domain name itself in the judicial district in which the domain name Registrar, domain name Registry, or other domain name authority that registered or assigned the domain name is located, if the court finds that the trademark owner is not able through due diligence to obtain in personam jurisdiction over the person who would have been the defendant. The remedies available under this action are limited to a court order for the forfeiture or cancellation of the domain name or the transfer of the domain name to the owner of the mark.

In determining whether a registration was in bad faith, a court may consider the following nine non-exclusive factors:

(I) the trademark or other intellectual property rights of the person, if any, in the domain name, which takes into account the fact that various persons or entities can have the coexisting right to use a particular name. For example, an Apple Computer and an Apple shipping company would both have the theoretical right to register and use the APPLE.COM domain name. Since there can only be one APPLE.COM in use at a given time, it certainly pays to register your domain name early.

(II) the extent to which the domain name consists of the legal name of the person or a name that is otherwise commonly used to identify that person.

(III) the person's prior use, if any, of the domain name in connection with the bona fide offering of any goods or services.

(IV) the person's bona fide noncommercial or fair use of the mark in a site accessible under the domain name which recognizes that under certain circumstances a person can use anothers trademark in a domain name in a lawful way. Examples of such uses would be parody and comparative advertising.

(V) the person's intent to divert consumers from the mark owner's online location to a site accessible under the domain name that could harm the goodwill represented by the mark, either for commercial gain or with the intent to tarnish or disparage the mark, by creating a likelihood of confusion as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the site.

(VI) the person's offer to transfer, sell, or otherwise assign the domain name to the mark owner or any third party for financial gain without having used, or having an intent to use, the domain name in the bona fide offering of any goods or services, or the person's prior conduct indicating a pattern of such conduct.

(VII) the person's provision of material and misleading false contact information when applying for the registration of the domain name, the person's intentional failure to maintain accurate contact information, or the person's prior conduct indicating a pattern of such conduct.

(VIII) the person's registration or acquisition of multiple domain names which the person knows are identical or confusingly similar to marks of others that are distinctive at the time of registration of such domain names, or dilutive of famous marks of others that are famous at the time of registration of such domain names, without regard to the goods or services of the parties.

(IX) the extent to which the mark incorporated in the person's domain name registration is or is not distinctive and famous.

Bad faith intent will not be found where the court determines that the person believed or had reasonable grounds to believe that the use of the domain name was a fair use or otherwise lawful.

In any civil action involving registration, trafficking, or use of a domain name, a court may order the forfeiture or cancellation of the domain name or the transfer of the domain name to the owner of the trademark.

Experienced counsel should be consulted and utilized in determing the best method of resolving disputes involving domain names.

The law Offices of Michael D. Stewart can assist you in these and a variety of other issues. You may contact us at Michael D. Stewart, Esq. * Law Offices of Michael D. Stewart * 335 S. Biscayne Blvd., #UPH00 * Miami, Florida 33131 * midstewart@gmail.com * michaelstewartlaw.com * 1-305-394-8546 Telephone * 1-866-438-6574 Toll-free * 1-866-380-8986 Facsimile

© Copyright 2006-2007 Michael D. Stewart

Michael D. Stewart, Esq.Brittan Blog61403
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