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Have you ever read an article, intended to explain RSS in simple terms that, begins well, but soon descends into confusing jargon or information overload?

If so, take heart, I was in the same place a few months ago.

Often the best way to understand something, is to use it. RSS is no exception.

So rather than try and create a definitive explanation of RSS, this article will tell you how to use it. I guarantee once youve done so, everything will that much clearer.

If a website you visit utilizes RSS, there are a number of ways it will communicate this.

The most common way is to show a little orange button with the letters XML.

Alternatively, you may see words such as "ATOM", "RSS", "Site Feed" or variations on these.

What they have in common is that they will link to a webpage that, in most browsers, looks like gibberish.

It doesnt matter one way or another, what is important is the address of the web page they link to.

To demonstrate, I will relate how to read a site feed for my website, The Nettle Blog. Dont confuse RSS with blogs (web logs). They are two separate concepts. The only reason you see them together so often, is that blogs are the perfect website to take advantage of site feeds. More on that later. Here we go

Click on thislink to go the site feed for The Nettle Blog. Ignore the content in the window, just make a note of the URL in the web address bar. It should read: http://feeds.feedburner.com/thenettle

Now youve got the web address for the site feed, keep it safe somewhere. Youll need it again in a moment.

The next step is to use an RSS reader to make sense of the site feed. There are lots of these available and if you are a heavy user you would probably want to purchase a nice piece of software.

But to begin with, start with something simple and free. Start with Bloglines.

Go to www.bloglines.com/register/ and create a new account.

From the "My Feeds" section of your account you can add new site feeds you want to keep track of.

Select "ADD", enter the URL you copied and hit "Subscribe". You can preview the results, but skip that stage for now. Select "Subscribe" again and the title of the site feed will be transferred to the left-hand window.

Well done. You have now subscribed to your first RSS feed.

To read it just click on the title and you can view all the messages in that feed within a selected time period. The feed will most likely record news related to the website the feed belongs to.

In this instance, the site feed to The Nettle Blog records each new entry to my blog. If you find something of interest, most entries have a clickable link you can follow.

Anytime you find a website you like with a site feed, make a note of the URL for that site feed and add it to your Bloglines folder.

Now comes the clever bit.

In the left-hand column of your account is an "Extras" list. Select Download Notifier and choose the correct file to download the Bloglines Notifier This file is only 100k so any half-decent connection should complete the download in just a few seconds.

If the download is successful, you should see a small, blue icon with the letter "B". Double-clicking it will short-cut you to Bloglines.

Right-click on the icon and you can adjust the settings. Specify how often you want Bloglines to check messages for you.

When Bloglines checks your site feeds and finds that one or more have been updated, a little chime will play and the Bloglines icon will show a little red marker. This means one of the feeds you have subscribed to has something new to say.

So there you have it. A spam-free, hassle-free way to keep track of websites you have an interest in. Providing of course, that they have a site feed. If they dont, ask them why not.

Part two of this article will show webmaster and ezine publishers how they can easily publish a site feed for their website and track the visitors, free of charge.

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Loan insurance can be a valuable lifeline if the worst thing should happen and you are unable to work due to involuntary unemployment, an accident or prolonged sickness. A policy will cover you for a specific amount of money and for a period of time, usually around 12 months, sometimes up to 24 months, which means that you would be able to continue to met the monthly repayments on a loan, credit card or other borrowing. However it can only be a valuable lifeline if you have purchased the policy correctly.

Policies have exclusions within them and these are usually hidden in the small print, so unless you specifically read the small print, they can go unnoticed. This could mean that if you try to claim for something that is excluded, then you simply wont get paid and will have wasted the premiums as well as have the financial worry of how to cope. Unfortunately the majority of people buy a policy alongside their loan or credit card from their and do not bother to read the small print, believing that they have bought a policy they are eligible to claim on.

In order to get the right policy for you, then it is essential that you shop around go with an independent specialist provider who knows the ins and outs of the sector and so can give you the benefit of their knowledge. Along with this, the standalone provider is able to offer you the cheapest premiums on a policy and this usually can make a huge difference compared to the price quoted by the high street lender.

With finances often being stretched to the limit after all, this is why you take on a loan in the first place - then it is of course wise to get the essential cover for the cheapest premium possible. The high street banks have been well known for charging premiums that are way above the odds in favour of making huge profits, even if this means giving the consumer poor advice when it comes to their policy. So loan insurance can be a valuable lifeline, but only when taken out correctly, so do thoroughly research the marketplace before you buy.

Simon Burgess is Managing Director of the award-winning British Insurance (http://www.britishinsurance.com), a specialist provider of low cost income payment protection insurance (PPI), mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) and loan payment protection insurance.Live Mortgage Leads
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Just when corporate America thought it had met all of the reporting and auditing demands resulting from the Sarbanes Oxley Act (http://www.tidwelldewitt.com/sox.htm), another piece of Senate legislation is pending that would assess huge fines for financial service companies and other data managers that fail to adequately protect personal data.

The Personal Data Privacy and Security Act (S1332) is a regulatory hammer pending in Congress that supporters say will help ensure that data brokers utilize adequate data privacy and security systems. The pending legislation provides for fines of up to a maximum of $35,000 per day for violations of certain sections of the act. Its a sign of the times, and no one is going to be off the radar. Get ready for son of Sarbox.

This legislation underscores the need for companies outsourcing their business processing services to make sure their vendors have the necessary internal and external safeguards in place. The SAS 70 (Statement of Auditing Standards No. 70) (http://www.tidwelldewitt.com/sas70.htm) audit is quickly becoming the industry standard for making such determinations. We are seeing a significant upsurge in demand for the SAS 70 in this era of heightened awareness about maintaining confidentiality of personal information.

Companies outsourcing their business processing services such as claims management, credit card processing, information technology and other data-based processes should now insist their service vendors undergo a rigorous examination under the SAS 70. The SAS 70 is simply an auditing tool that outsourced financial service providers use to demonstrate to their clients the integrity of their processes.

For companies not already utilizing SAS 70, the pending S1332 bill which may come up for full Senate consideration in this term of Congress is a prudent step toward meeting expanding federal data security regulations. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), one of the co-sponsors of S1332, puts it this way: Insecure databases have become low-hanging fruit for hackers looking to steal identities and commit fraud during a time when we are seeing a troubling rise in organized rings that target personal data to sell in online virtual bazaars. His co-sponsor on the bill is U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), so it is a bipartisan initiative that has a reasonable possibility of passage.

HOW TO CHOOSE A SAS 70 AUDITOR

In choosing a SAS 70 auditor (http://www.tidwelldewitt.com/), you should:

Make sure the audit will not be done with a standard template, but will be customized for you and your data vendor.

Choose a firm that has significant experience in SAS 70 audits, one that can take it to full completion and then stand by its work if you come under regulatory scrutiny or face a legal challenge.

Ask for examples of their SAS 70 work in the past or at the present time.

Ask if their clients have survived a regulatory or legal challenge to their data control standards.

Find out if the firm has a specialized SAS 70 unit that performs only that type of work.

Determine if the potential auditor is a consulting firm only. If so, they cannot legally sign off on the audit (only a CPA firm can do this).

TWO TYPES OF AUDITS

There are actually two levels of SAS 70 audits service organizations must complete:

In a Type I report, the service organization provides a description of its controls at a given time. During the audit, the service auditor evaluates the accuracy of that description and whether the controls were suitably designed to achieve the specific control objectives.

A Type II report includes the information from the Type I, as well as an analysis and results of detailed tests conducted on the service organizations controls over a period of at least six months.

In order to be sound, SAS 70s must be performed by outside auditing firms with significant experience in this specific type of audit.

MARKETING VALUE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED

Service organizations receive significant value from having a SAS 70 engagement performed. A service auditors report with an unqualified opinion that is issued by an independent accounting firm differentiates the service organization from its peers by demonstrating the establishment of effectively designed control objectives and control activities.

Rather than look at the SAS 70 as just another audit process to be endured, smart service providers see having an SAS 70 as a seal of approval they can use in their marketing efforts, similar in industry to the ISO 9000 designation or Underwriters Laboratories seal of approval. Having completed a SAS 70 audit also helps service organization build trust with their customers and get repeat business and referrals to others.

It has reached the point that the SAS 70 is no longer optional for outside vendors providing financial and I/T services to clients. Given the stakes now, companies just cant run the risk of assuming that an outside service provider is doing all of the right things. The SAS 70 audit (http://www.tidwelldewitt.com/) is one way they can be certain those vendors meet all of the requirements of Sarbanes Oxley and the new Senate legislation under consideration.

SAS 70 was first developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in 1992, but was not widely applied until the Sarbanes Oxley Act became law in 2002. Following implementation of the Sarbanes Oxley Act in 2005, SAS 70 audit reports became essential to full compliance with the acts external service control requirements. If you havent asked if your service provider is SAS 70 compliant, you should do so right away.

Mitch Poole is an Atlanta managing member of Tidwell DeWitt and directs the Sarbanes Oxley and SAS 70 initiatives within the Regulatory Compliance Group. Mitch Poole has more than 30 years of experience and direct responsibility in financing, financial reporting, acquisitions and divestures, shareholder / owner relations, strategic planning, accounting, risk management, IT management, human resources including employee benefit plans, labor management, and equipment management.Mortgage Lead Transfers
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If you are sending your adult children off to college you know that there are three school related expenses which make up the bulk of your budget: tuition, room and board, and textbooks. The first two expenses are mostly fixed and predictable costs, while the third is impossible to predict as well as a potential budget buster. You may not be able to predict textbook expenses, but you certainly can reduce them by following these three important steps:

1. Shop Online. Your college bookstore has an ironclad grip on textbook inventory, right? Well, at one time that was a true statement. Today, thanks to the internet, websites have sprung up that sell new and used textbooks at prices much lower than those found on campus. Shop with those retailers who have clearly outlined payment, shipping and handling, and return policies. Scan auction sites too for additional savings.

2. Shop Retail. The big bookstore retailers as well as some of the office supply stores carry some titles. At the very least your student can purchase all of his or her supplies off campus, saving you big money in the process.

3. Shop Used. Your campus bookstore knows that having used textbooks on hand will keep them somewhat competitive. The trick with textbook publishers is that yearly updates can make used copies obsolete: planned obsolescence in action! Still, when I was in school I had one professor who encouraged students to pick up the outdated copies of one book since he knew the cost was outrageous and he planned on referencing it sparingly. Your student may also learn that some of the titles on the professor's list are optional, not mandatory purchases.

Students today no longer have to feel as if they are being held hostage by outrageous textbook prices. Have your student shop wisely and your budget will remain on track.

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Researcher, Nancy Adler conducted a monumental study in the mid 1980s to address myths about women and international business. Her study investigated if commonly held myths about women in international business were true including: women are not interested in International business, women were not willing to travel overseas for a variety of reasons namely family responsibilities and women would not be viewed as credible in overseas business due to the local perception of women. Her study results revealed that many of these false perceptions were indeed myths often held by male managers and HR personnel, and that women were interested and willing to conduct business overseas.

Today many of these same myths still exist despite the dramatic increase of women in business and women owned businesses and women traveling overseas.

Here are some facts published by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) (www.dol.gov), The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) (www.nawbo.org), and the Small Business Administration (SBA) (www.sba.gov), on women in the work force:

Women account for over 46% of the work force in America and this is expected to increase to 48% by the year 2005.

Women comprised 43% of employees in American executive, administrative, and managerial occupations in 1995 and this number is growing.

Businesses owned by women number 8 million in the U.S., and they employ one out of every four workers. They are growing at double the rate of all businesses.

33% of women business owners report that they exported in their first or second year of operation and the majority reported that they were successful on their first transaction.

In 1998 over 23 million Americans traveled overseas and the primary areas of travel were Europe, Asia, Japan and Latin America.

It is no longer just a rumor that women have become major players in the U.S. workforce and in the global business environment. More and more women are traveling overseas to conduct business for their corporations or for their own business ventures.

Despite these significant advances of women in International business we still find commercial guidebooks that suggest that women should not be in International business. Most books in this genre were written by men and either do not address womens particular issues in international business or, worse, they suggest that women should not even be sent on foreign business assignments due to role differences which these men perceive to be unconquerable obstacles. In contrast, my own research (1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998) indicates that women can and are successful in international business, despite the variety of viewpoints they encounter around the world. Specifically, my research has demonstrated that establishing credibility during the initial stages of business is one area that businesswomen find critical to their success.

Establishing Your Credibility

For men, credibility is often derived from their gender and their status in the company. For women, credibility is more often derived from their individual skills. Women report that they often have to work extra hard to establish credibility because of their gender.

Some women explain:

When I conduct business in most countries I am consciously aware that my male colleagues have more credibility than I do, just because of gender differences. In most countries women are not expected to have significant positions of authority, so I am frequently viewed in the same way. I am first assumed to be an administrator, not the decision-maker in the group, whereas my male colleague is first viewed as the manager or decision-maker. I feel I have to work doubly hard to establish my credibility before I can effectively conduct business and Im aware that I need to do this immediately so that the business can start. (Chicago)

When I travel outside the U.S. for the corporate office, I am viewed as foreign first, and female second. However, I feel I am still met with some degree of skepticism as to what my role is and how much authority I have for the corporate office. Due to this, I take extra steps to make sure that the proper introductions are made in advance to limit concerns that men might have about my credibility. (Los Angeles)

As a woman business owner I realize that I am not the norm in many countries. Therefore I have to develop methods by which to establish my self and my company as credible for my foreign business associates. This requires preparation and advance communication about my firm, our success and our viability -- perhaps more than is required for men who run their own firms. (New York)

Here are some pointers for establishing credibility:

Be visible. Attend and host meetings between your company and your international counterparts whenever possible. International travel is often associated with decision-makers in a firm, so being present adds to your credibility.

Introductions are important, particularly for women. If you are doing business with a firm for the first time, have yourself introduced by a higher-ranking person in your company who already knows the people with whom you will be dealing.

If you cannot have someone introduce you, ask a higher-ranking person in your company to send a fax or written correspondence in advance, outlining your title, responsibilities and background.

Make sure your business card indicates a distinctive title such as Manager or Director so that your position can be clearly understood. If there is any doubt about your title, it may be automatically assumed that you have a lesser role than other members on your team.

Some women wear a school ring or a graduate school pendant to subtly advertise their background. Others wear corporate pins designating tenure, thus demonstrating their level of experience.

In general, foreigners will often look and respond more to the men on your team than the women. This is because there are fewer women in executive positions outside of the U.S. Prepare for this by advising your colleagues of tactics that will help you and the other female members, including making seating arrangements that will place you in a position of authority.

If someone appears confused about your name and rank, offer him another business card, even if you have already given him one. This is a subtle way of reinforcing your title and ensuring acknowledgment of your participation as an active member at the meeting

Women should lead business discussions where possible. If there is only one woman and everyone is of equal rank, let the woman take the lead to help establish her credibility.

A female team leader may experience a problem establishing her credibility unless team members defer to her as the authority figure on the team. American men need to be aware that their tendency to jump in and answer questions, especially when a woman is speaking, undermines her authority and the teams effectiveness. Women should advise team members not to answer questions directed to her and to otherwise defer to her whenever appropriate. A good response when asked a question that should be directed to a female colleague is: Jane is the best person to answer that question.

Be professional. Present yourself in a sincere, confident, professional manner, both in appearance and speech, to create a good first impression. Be yourself. Do not come on too strong, but dont defer when it is appropriate for you to respond. Deferring to age and position is, however, always acceptable for both sexes.

Be aware of womens roles in other countries. If you understand where women are in their own corporate environment it will give you insight into how the culture may perceive you.

The Role of the Manager

Managers can be very effective in international business by helping to enhance their teams credibility. The manager can introduce the staff members by title and outline their areas of expertise, act as moderator to refer questions to the appropriate team member, and highlight the staffs achievements.

In particular, managers can help in the following ways:

It is important that all team members, including management, understand their roles at the meeting and, more importantly, that they do not act out of role. If one of your colleagues is acting out of role, call for a break to explain how the group loses effectiveness when it is not cohesive.

As a woman, you should advise management that your personal credibility may be jeopardized if your role is undermined, and that this could hinder the success of the team at any follow-up meetings.

Managers can help enhance the credibility of female teammates by reinforcing their authority during the meeting. For example, if a woman is not receiving the appropriate respect, the manager may once again bring attention to her role and authority.

Despite commonly held myths about women in International businesswomen are traveling and conducting business internationally in increased numbers and they are successful in their business dealings. Establishing credibility in advance is one of the key areas where women can do to ensure her business success.

Tracey Wilen is Author at http://www.globalwomen.biz/.Live Mortgage Leads
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You have put too much time and money into your business to take it for granted. But, that is exactly what most of us do when it comes to what is dollar for dollar your most powerful marketing tool, your business card.

A typical business card has name, address, phone number, fax, and email? Guess what? Nobody cares! When it comes down to having to contact you your prospective customer will find a way. But you havent even given them a reason to do business with you yet and you are already set to close the deal. You havent conveyed why they should do business with you, what benefit they will receive from doing business with you, why they should do business with you vs. your competition, or why they should trust you.

All anyone wants to know is what you can do for him or her and how he or she will benefit from doing business with you. Period. Does your business card convey that message? The answer is probably no. If a prospect cant look at your card and tell you exactly what you do, why youre better than your competition and what benefit they will receive by doing business with you, then its not doing its job. Fire it!

There are two types of people that are going to get your business card. Those that you give it to, which means that you might have 60 seconds to introduce yourself, introduce your business, tell them the benefits of doing business with you, and build trust. The second type of person is he or she that receives your card down the line and doesn't know you from Adam (or Eve). Youre not there to do the talking so you have to depend on seven square inches to generate new business for you. Can you depend on your business card to do that? You can if you have a custom designed full color business card. Not a card designed using a template that makes your business look generic, a custom designed full color business card that makes your business unique.

Mark Hannah is President of Full Color Resources http://www.fullcolorresources.com, suppliers of custom designed full color business cards. Mark is also an authorized Duct Tape Marketing Coach http://www.ducttapemarketing.com and committed to the success of small businesses.Live Mortgage Leads
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With fantasy drafts looming just over the horizon, for most of us this is a time of last-minute web-site perusing and web-site scouring in hopes of cooking up that special lineup that will get us a coveted fantasy football championship. In the search for that magical recipe, we all need one key ingredient: a good, strong defense. Take a minute and peruse this portion of our fantasy cookbook that will let you in on the top five fantasy defenses that should slide under the radar in most drafts this summer.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Year after year we look to this team to be a fantasy defense standout, but like rice pudding without raisins, they seem to be missing that one necessary bit of pizzazz that moves them from average dessert to dining delicacy. This season, we think Denny Green's finally getting it right. He focused more on defense in the draft this season, spending first and third round picks on cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric Green, which should help round out a now solid secondary that actually has the depth to incorporate productive nickel and dime schemes. With third and fifth round picks used to bulk up a linebacking core that needed a little help, the Cards have properly rounded out a defense that has always had a strong defensive line. A look in at the numbers reveals that Arizona allowed just 20.1 points per game in 2004, good for 12th in the league, while only allowing 35 touchdowns (T-9th in NFL). At 9th in passing defense (189.8 yd/gm) they force teams to pound the ball, which always eats up clock and lowers point totals, which are necessities for any fantasy defense. Overall, the Cards were right in the middle of the pack in turnovers, 30, with 15 picks and 15 fumble recoveries. However, they had a turnover differential of just +1. This typifies the missing link for the Cardinals in the recent past -- they've lacked a strong offense to help keep the defense rested and off the field. But, it's hard to have an offense when you don't have a good quarterback or running back. Finally, Denny Green has seen the light and has drafted a quality running back in J.J. Arrington to compliment a quarterback, Kurt Warner, who can actually get the ball to his top flight receivers. To boot, this team held on to Josh McCown, which gives them the option of now one of the best back-ups in the league. Expect a top 10-15 defense out of the Cardinals, who might now have the tools to get it done in the NFC-West.

4. Miami Dolphins: No matter how bad their record, never count this team out as having a bad defense. They are like the Atlanta Braves of the football world , as whoever they put out there on defense knows how to get the job done. Despite a troublesome 4-12 record last season, the Dolphins quietly allowed just 22.1 points per contest. Digging a bit deeper, one might realize this number would have been still lower had the Dolphins not thrown 8 interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (no other team had more than 4). This alone would bring down their points allowed down to 18.6 per game, good for 8th in the league! This problem should be remedied as Miami is going to get back to the type of football that kept them in the playoffs year after year in the recent past: running the football. With Ricky Williams cleared for camp and Ronnie Brown ready to roll, this team is going to spend down after down between the tackles and little time in the air. That means low-scoring, fast games - a great defensive recipe. And like a true master chef, Dave Wannstedt still had his faculties about him enough to draft 4 defensive players after Arrington, including Matt Roth (Iowa) and Channing Crowder (Florida). Add these ingredients to a defensive dish that already includes names like Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, Tebucky Jones, Kevin Carter, and Sam Madison, and you're staring at one tasty treat. Still not convinced? Keep in mind this Dolphin defense was still 2nd in the league against the pass last season (162.0 yd/gm) and will finally be happy and healthy up front on defense to stop the run. This is a great year to get back on a perennial favorite defense that many will have written off.

3. Houston Texans: "Four". That is the number that typifies this defense. Not only does 4 represent the number of marshmallows I can fit in my mouth at one time, it also signifies the number of rushing touchdowns the Texans allowed all of last season. Four - wow, that's easily best in the league. However, that might lead you to believe that they have a suspect secondary that gives up a lot through the air. Not so. With Philip Buchanon, Dunta Robinson, Marcus Coleman and Glenn Earl back there, they have the names to get it done. This year should show a cohesiveness to this group, who still managed 22 interceptions last year (5th in NFL), that may have lacked a bit in the past, as these young players are all maturing and learning the NFL game and how to play with each other more and more. Regardless, this team still only allowed 21.2 points per game, and keep in mind they play Indy twice every year. They gave up 10 or less points in 4 games last season and helped sure up the middle of their d-line by drafting DT Travis Johnson (Fla St.) in the first round. Taking Vernand Morency (Okl St.) in the 2nd round of the draft helped solidify a ground game that should keep this young, active defense well-rested this season, making them more appealing than a rack of ribs and an ice-cold beer for this year's fantasy fanatics.

2. Washington Redskins: This defense was my personal choice for fantasy drafts last season, which worked out wonderfully. This new season has whetted my appetite for drafting them once again. Quietly, the Redskins were a defensive juggernaut last season. Playing in the low-scoring, grind-it-out NFC-East, they are in the perfect division for low-scoring games. With Steve Spurrier at the helm, they could never play this type of football -- they were too loose and gave up too many big plays. Now, in just one season under Joe Gibbs, the Skins have turned this defense into what many have been hoping it would blossom into for years. In '04 they were 7th in the league in pass defense (186.1 yd/gm) and amassed a solid 40 sacks (T-9th). With numbers like that, it would be natural to assume their run defense was suspect. Not so! In fact, it was quite the opposite, ranking 2nd in the league at just 81.5 yards per game, allowing league bests of 3.1 yards/carry and 76 total first downs on the ground! It's hard to score on a team with numbers like these. Perhaps that's why the Skins were 5th in the league in points against (16.6 per game) and tied for 4th in the league in total touchdowns against (30). Now, Spurrier would have thought this cake was finished cooking and let it simply cool by the window. However, Gibbs is a wise old man and decided to tinker with the icing a bit, drafting CB Carlos Rogers (Auburn) with the 9th pick in the draft and adding a couple of solid linebacking prospects with his 5rd and 6th round picks. Rogers has brought a nice little position battle to camp, which should raise the levels of play of all involved. This defense will by dangerous again this year and, perhaps, is worth your pick on fantasy draft day.

1. Buffalo Bills: Our top sleeper choice for fantasy defenses for the 2005 season has to be the Buffalo Bills. This team has all the ingredients, has passed the taste-test, and is ready for Betty Crocker's cookbook. Look at the numbers here. The Bills were 8th in the league allowing just 17.8 points per game in 2004. They allowed just 6 rushing touchdowns all season, good for 2nd in the league. Their passing defense was 3rd in the league at just 164.0 yards per game, totaling 45 sacks, good for third in the league. This well-rounded D was also 7th in the league against the run at 100.2 yards per game. Ok, now, sit down and brace yourself. Without much press, this Bills team grabbed a league best 39 turnovers! Only Carolina had more interceptions and only 3 teams recovered more fumbles. Overall, Buffalo allowed under 10 points 3 times last season and 20 or less points in 12 of their 16 contests. You could almost make the argument that this was the best defense in the league and almost certainly top five. Not much has changed in the offseason and this team continues to improve on offense, which should help the defense as well. Further, the Bills dodge the Colts again this season and play a soft out-of-division schedule including Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Oakland, which should help in turnover differential and low point totals. This is the steal of the fantasy draft this season, so if you have the chance, be sure to grab up the Buffalo Bills defense on draft day.

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Southend United returned to the top of League One with a 2-0 win at Yeovil. Available at 13/8 before kick off, a first half goal from Mark Bentley and one from veteran Shaun Goater extended the Shrimpers unbeaten run to 12 games. Steve Tilsons side are 7/2 to win the division outright.

Colchester set a new club record of nine consecutive wins as they came from behind to beat Bradford City. Colchester, 8/11 before kick off, fell behind after 37 minutes but hit back through Richard Garcia (2) and Chris Iwelumo. Second placed Colchester are two points behind leaders Southend with two games in hand and are 11/4 favourites to win outright.

Friday night saw Swansea City edge back into third with their first win in five games against Bournemouth. The 4/5 Swans scored the winning goal through midfielder Andy Robinson on the stroke of half time.

Barnsley, at 10/11, kept up the pressure with a win against Bristol City. A goal in each half from Marc Richards secured the third successive 2-0 victory for the Tykes.

Brentford adapted quickly to life without striker DJ Campbell, a 500,000 signing for Birmingham City, by crushing Walsall 5-0 at Griffin Park. The 8/11 odds looked the safest bet of the day as goals for Isaiah Rankin, Ricky Newman, Paul Brooker, Sam Sodje and a penalty for Kevin O'Connor eased the Bees to victory.

Huddersfield lost ground in the promotion hunt going down 2-1 at Tranmere on Friday night. David Graham cancelled out an early Carl Tremarco goal but the home side stunned the Terriers when former striker Delroy Facey netted the winner with six minutes to go for 7/5 Rovers.

Veteran striker Paul Hall's 100th league goal denied Gillingham an unlikely 7/2 victory and extended Chesterfield's unbeaten run to 15 matches. The Gills took the lead through Tommy Black but Hall ensured the Spireites a share of the points with a last minute strike.

Neither Rotherham nor Hartlepool did their relegation battle any good with a goalless draw. Both sides occupy a position in the bottom three and shrewd punters will have got on at 23/10.

While Rotherham and Hartlepool were cancelling each other out, Swindon edged out of relegation for the first time this season with a 2-1 victory over Doncaster. The Robins, 7/5 before kick off scored through Ricky Shakes and Charlie Comyn-Platt to earn Iffy Onouras side their third win in a row.

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There's Not A Bulletin Board In Existence That My Mortgage Marketing Program Doesn't Like

Yes, I love bulletin boards. Now, just so you know...I'm not talking about "electronic bulletin boards" found on the Internet. That's a different topic for another day. I'm referring to those old fashion "cork boards" that in order to post notices require the use of push pins, thumb tacks or even staples (a bulletin board no no).

Today in some cities, bulletin board marketing is so hot that there are companies that exist for the sole purpose of providing this service to people who want their signs posted on bulletin boards. These service companies also distribute your fliers in stores and shops and post them in windows and hand them out at concerts and events. In some cases they'll help design and plan your promotion and even write and distribute a press release for you.

If a service like this is not available, the bulletin board idea is still a winner. Just do it yourself! The cost is extremely low and your investment is only your time and energy. This is still one of the all time great origination ideas for Mortgage Professionals and the returns are great.

Here are a few things to think about if you're considering about implementing your bulletin board marketing program:

1. Every townhouse and condominium complex has a bulletin board. Your job, should you wish to accept it, is to find the location of that bulletin board and gain access to it. You may find it in a common laundry area or even located within the clubhouse or pool area. If so, you may need permission to gain access and post your notice. Have no fear...you'll find that this is rarely denied. Remember, you're providing a valuable financial service to the residents and the complex itself.

2. Apartment complexes also have bulletin boards. Unfortunately, you probably won't be welcomed with open arms since you're really trying to help qualified renters move out of the complex. But, I have on occasion found a forward thinking property manager that allowed my notices to be posted. Their logic: They can't prevent qualified renters from looking at home ownership as an option...so, why not allow the postings. Don't forget to remind the property manager that you track your leads and that you never forget the source of where those mortgage leads come from. I'm continually amazed at the good things that can happen when you just ask.

3. Bulletin boards can be found in hospitals, fire and police stations, Laundromats, supermarkets, local building supply stores (Are there any left?), plumbing supply, electrical supply, bookstores, company employee lounges, waiting areas, your local Dunkin Donuts (mine has a great one), and a myriad of other locations where people happen to congregate.

4. Every business has a bulletin board and it may be accessible by employees only. Should that be the case, ask an employee or the manager to post for you. Remember, you're providing a valuable service not only to their employees but to the company as well. All companies want to retain their good employees and home ownership and/or good financing guarantees they'll stay in the area for the foreseeable future.

5. The notice that you post needs to be on the small side. A full page flier is usually too big as it over powers and dominates the bulletin board. You'll probably find full page fliers removed within minutes of their placement, so don't even go there. Half page fliers are better and postcard size fliers (Avery postcards 4.25" X 5.5") are the ideal size. You could thumb tack multiple business cards or cards especially designed with your message however, your message size is severally restricted and your response will be low using this size.

6. The best responses come from fliers that have a multiple "tear offs" at the bottom. You've seen them and probably torn one off and placed it in your wallet or purse as a reminder to call. This extends the life of your little flier as it won't disappear with the first person interested in your offer. Yes, it's a pain to set up initially, but once it's done, it's done forever. Your little flier is ready to work for you for many months and years to come.

7. Lastly, visit your bulletin boards on a regular basis and treat them well. Replace notices that show wear (and tear :-) and those with only a couple tear offs remaining with brand new ones.

You've worked hard to gain access to your bulletin boards...maintain them well...and, you'll be surprised at how well they will reward you and your mortgage business with good solid mortgage leads.

Tom Domin is the author of "101 Ways to Originate Mortgages" and publisher of "Tom's Mortgage Tips" a twice monthly Mortgage Newsletter geared for Mortgage Professionals. Put your mortgage career on the fast track and sign-up for FREE at http://www.MortgageMarketingToolKit.com/ Mortgage Leads
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Whether youre a first time buyer or a veteran of the real estate game, buying a home can be a mammoth process. Its an emotional time often accompanied with difficult choices. Those same difficult choices are tied directly to costs and your ultimate return and happiness.

Finding the right home for your familys needs is hard, but managing to avoid paying too much is a another mastery of skills entirely. The following will show you not only how to make sure youve found the right house, but also how to negotiate the right price.

* Know what youre shopping for before you start -

This first step is understanding what you are seeking. Your family has certain needs which must be fulfilled. Also there are many desires which may or may not ultimately be fulfilled. Take an unemotional look into those needs and desires.

Do you choose a three-bedroom home with room for your family to grow or the one with a large back yard, perfect for entertaining? Is having a large kitchen more important than having an extra room?

Two lists should be created - a wish list (your desires) and a reality list (your needs). The reality list consists of those items which your family really needs.

They are non-negotiables. On the other hand, the wish list contains those items which would be nice to have. Prioritize the lists and the goal is clear - your next home needs to have most, if not all, of your reality list items and hopefully a few of the top wish list items. These lists will keep your efforts channeling in the proper direction.

* Shop for a mortgage before you shop for a home -

Getting a loan pre-approval is the smart way to shop for a home. It tells the sellers that youre a serious prospect and youll know in advance the maximum mortgage you can afford. Make sure you get a commitment in writing.

Its easier than ever to qualify for a home loan. Lenders have modified qualification rules and created programs designed to help people even if they have problems in their credit and employment histories. Many programs dramatically reduce down payments, so if moneys tight now you can still make that purchase.

First-time home buyers can benefit from the many lender programs that now exist.

Reduced down payment is an example of such programs.

* Pick the right real estate professional -

From finding the right home to selecting a lender to meet your financial needs to getting proper property inspections to negotiating the best deal, it can be taxing for even the hardiest of souls. You need the right Realtor on your side.

The right real estate professional must have the high level of care, skill and due diligence to ensure your best interests are at heart. They also have a team of other professionals to put at your disposal - lenders, lawyers, home inspectors, movers, etc.

Most sellers you encounter will have a team in their corner. Having a professional on your team is the best way to make sure you get the best deal possible.

* Make sure your agent knows what you are looking for -

Once you have a clear understanding of your reality and wish lists make sure your agent has those same lists. This communication is critical.

Otherwise youll both waste your time looking at home youre really not interested in and you could possibly miss out on the one that truly meets your needs and desires. Your shared goal is to find a place that meets your needs: your agent will then try to satisfy as many of your desires as possible.

A good agent will ask you many questions about what youre looking for and what you can afford. And then theyll listen carefully to your answers.

* Yes, that too... location, location, location -

The desirability and resale of your home-to-be depend on location more than any other single factor. The simple truth is - the value of your home is affected by the homes that surround it.

Assuming youve already considered the items that make up a desirable home and community - character, quality of schools, access to work and services, recreational facilities, entertainment, etc. - there are several elements that combine to make a good location.

Your first consideration is the neighborhood. Every neighborhood has its own unique character; you need to make sure youd be comfortable in the one youre thinking of living in. Take a long walk and observe carefully. Do people take care of their yards and homes? Are the yards fenced? Do children play in the streets? Talk to the neighbors and ask questions that give you a better feel for the area. Be careful not to appear judgmental - you might be talking to a future neighbor.

If the neighborhood is to your satisfaction, look at homes on the market in the area. Extremely large homes surrounding smaller ones tend to appreciate less than a large home among other large homes. Conversely, the smallest home in a neighborhood tends to be pulled up by the other homes on the block. However, it might take longer to sell that smaller home when the time comes because many people are unwilling to pay extra for the neighborhood.

The outer edge of a neighborhood is usually not good for resale value. There are noticeable dividing lines between unlike neighborhood. It could be a difference in architectural styles, home size, property use or something else. Look at a home in the middle of a community of similar homes; it will hold its value better.

An exception to this rule is a home on the edge of a neighborhood bounded by woods, park land, a golf course or other open space. Natural boundaries appeal to most buyers and these edge homes can actually command a higher price. The exception is when theres an unpleasant use planned for the open space. An open field with a babbling brook is nice; a new freeway, strip mall, or warehouse is not.

Other things that can negatively affect property values are traffic, sounds, smells, etc. Be sure to give the neighborhood a long, hard look. Preview the area at various hours of the day. The home youre interested in may be perfect, but if the neighborhood has problems, your investment wont be worth as much when the time comes to sell.

*Use your real estate professional to narrow the prospect list -

A good agent brings to the table an in-depth knowledge of the current housing inventory in the area and continually updates that knowledge by touring homes as they are placed on the market. This is to your advantage. Trying to personally see every available home that might fit your needs would be an overwhelming process . If you are thoroughly communicating your needs and desires to your agent, then your agent can help you narrow down the list of prospective homes to those that best suit your family. This will save you much time and energy.

When the time comes to settle on one home, you can do it with the confidence that youve made a well-informed choice.

* Show a little interest in everything you see -

As you tour the homes on your short list, find something to admire in each one.

If you dont show any interest until youve finally fallen in love with a home, then youve put yourself at a competitive disadvantage. Never let anyone know how badly you want a home - it will cost you money!

* Shop with your head, not your heart -

Dont forget the purpose of your reality and wish lists. Shopping for a home is an emotional process. Your heart will cost you money; using your head will save it.

* Dont ignore red flags when evaluating a homes pluses and minuses -

When evaluating the advantages and drawbacks of a particular property, be sure you know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable problems.

Some issues - peeling paint, worn carpeting, ugly wallpaper - are cosmetic and can easily be remedied. In fact, you can use these problems during negotiations to lower the asking price; after all, youll need to spend money to bring the house up to date. Make note of what you see that can be used to your advantage. Although hold back from nit-picking. If taken to extremes, you could end up alienating the seller and creating a hostile atmosphere.

Other problems may be warnings to walk away. Major foundation cracks, evidence of previous water damage, signs of serious dry rot or termite damage, antiquated electrical systems or plumbing - any one of these may cause to reconsider your interest.

Dont let a houses positive attributes blind you to very real problems. If you do, the chances are good that youll end up spending much more than you ever expected down the line.

* Hire a professional home inspector -

Failing to do so, made the biggest home buying mistakes list.

Spending a few hundred dollars for a professional home inspection may be the best investment youll ever make. A professional inspector brings experience in examining a great many homes, good evaluation standards and an unbiased perspective. And a written report can be an excellent negotiating tool.

A Typical Inspection Looks at:

* Foundation (slab, crawlspace, basement, etc)
* Electrical, heating and plumbing systems
* Floors, walls and ceilings
* Attic
* Roof
* Siding and trim
* Porches, patios and decks
* Garage
* Property drainage

Make sure you accompany your inspector on the tour. Youll learn a lot about the home youre thinking of buying.

Once you have your evaluation, the decision to proceed is yours. A home inspector only gives you a professional opinion of the homes condition, not advice as to whether or not you should buy.

*Not all fixer-uppers are good buys -

You may be the type who looks at a home in need of significant work as a challenge and an opportunity to make money. Many people have bought fixer- uppers at below market rates, invested a little sweat equity or a little more money on renovations, then eventually put it back on the market at a profit.

But if it isnt priced low enough, you wont recoup your investment of time, trouble and expense. Before you proceed , do a careful evaluation of what youll have to invest and consult you real estate professional to learn what you can reasonably expect to make when you put the home back on the market.

And be sure to include the unexpected. Theres no such thing as a sure thing.

* Choose a home with an eye toward future needs -

Buying a home is a large investment. If you can stretch a little today to buy a home that you can grow in - whether its having a child, running a home-based business, or having room to build an addition - do it. In the long run, it will probably be less expensive than moving up to a marginally larger home when the need does arise.

* Clarify who your agent is -

Make sure you know who the agent youre talking to represents. All agents have the responsibility to be open and honest with you and to let you know who they represent - the buyer, seller or both. On-site agents of new communities most often represent the seller (new home builder), not you.

* Ask for a written comparative analysis -

One way to ensure that you dont offer too much for a home is to ask your agent to prepare a written comparative market analysis. A CMA will show you the sale prices of comparable homes in the neighborhood. It also lists the asking prices of other homes in the area currently on the market.

You may find that the asking price is above what comparable homes in the neighborhood are actually asking for. Or you might even find another home in the area thats a better choice. When you make an offer, you can use the CMA as evidence to show the seller why you believe your offer is reasonable.

* Learn as much as you can about the seller -

Its true what they say... Knowledge is power. The reason behind a sale can often be used to your competitive advantage during negotiations. For example, a seller whose company has transferred him to another city is probably more motivated to sell than someone who is still looking for a new home.

Other signs of a motivated seller include a vacant house, or a house thats been on the market for several months with several reductions in the asking price.

* Keep your own situation to yourself -

Information can be used against you as well. How much youre willing to spend, the size of mortgage you can afford, your move-in deadlines - it all can be used to extract more money out of your pocket. Be sure to tell your agent everything they need to know to be effective on your behalf, such as, how much you have for a down payment, the size of the mortgage you can afford, etc. However, keep your personal circumstances and timeline to yourself.

* Use time to your advantage -

Just as you have a time frame in which you wish to buy, seller almost certainly has a deadline of his own. If you can learn the sellers deadline, its another piece of information that can be used to negotiate a better deal.

* Check your emotions at the door during negotiations -

One of the costliest mistakes you can make is letting the sellers know how much you love their home. Once youve let it slip, you can forget about negotiating the price; the other side knows how motivated you are. In fact, a seller may see it as an opportunity to squeeze a little more money out of you even when youve made a good offer to start.

No matter how wonderful a home is, no matter how much you want it, keep it to yourself.

* Dont be afraid to negotiate -

You may be the type who prefers a hard-and-fast price tag on everything. I dont like to haggle is your approach. But negotiation is the key to getting a good deal. If your goal is to get the best home possible for the least amount of money, then you had better be prepared to play the negotiating game.

* Stay out of bidding wars -

Sometimes the sellers agent will try to scare a hesitant buyer with the threat of another serious potential buyer. Dont fall into this trap, it will only cost you money.

If there is another buyer, then the sellers agent will try to get a bidding war going. In these situations, whoever wins also loses because the buyer ends up overpaying.

If there isnt another buyer, theres a good chance that the sellers agent will come back with the other deal fell through. Be sure to let the other side know that you might be interested if that happens before you walk away.

* Know your hidden costs -

Theres more to buying a home than the mortgage. Dont forget to factor in mortgage insurance, appraisal fees, inspection fees, title insurance and every other dollar youll have to spend in order to know what youre really paying for your home. With the help of a good agent, you should identify all of the costs.

When listing your home, Duane Devalle takes the approach of utilizing a non-traditional commission structure to make every effort to maximize your profit. Duane look's forward to discussing with you his fair commission approach.Mortgage Leads
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Neighbourhoods:

Toronto has a multitude of ethnic neighbourhoods, including Greektown (where the action keeps going until way after midnight), Little Italy, Corso Italia, 3 Chinatowns, Korea Town, Little Poland, Little India, Portugal Village. Other ethnic communities also congregate in certain parts of town and you can explore Jewish, Russian, Ukrainian, Somalian and many other restaurants and stores. There you can browse for ethnic food, fashion and art from far away places and check out delicacies from the entire world in Torontos more than 7000 restaurants.

In addition to the ethnic flavour that Toronto so plentifully offers, there are a variety of other unique neighbourhoods. Downtown has several interesting areas to visit:

- the Financial District with all its skyscrapers. It also houses the "underground city" - 11 km (6 miles) of interconnecting passageways under the streets that feature more than 1,200 retail stores and services.

- the Downtown Entertainment District bars and dance clubs galore

- Queen Street West a hip and eclectic shopping area

- the Gay Village: this is where Torontos large gay and lesbian community congregates. Here you can find bars, shops, restaurants and open-air patios

- the Fashion District with a myriad of fashion outlet stores and loft apartments that were converted from 19th century factories

- Harbourfront with its boat cruises and the ferry terminal, restaurants and art, theatre and music venues

- Rosedale and Forest Hill: two stately very upscale neighbourhoods in a park-like setting

- Cabbagetown: a former working class area, it now houses beautiful renovated Victorian homes

- the Distillery District: North Americas best preserved collection of Victorian industrial architecture, formerly the Gooderham & Worts Distillery founded in 1832. It now houses galleries, artist studios and workshops, boutiques, retail stores, restaurants, bars and cafs

- The Beaches, one of my favourite areas, with its shops, parks, sports facilities, bike trails and beach volleyball facilities are Torontos version of California on the waterfront.

Check out more information on Torontos neighbourhoods here.

Main Sights and Architecture

Being a relatively young city, Toronto has a rather eclectic mix of architecture which includes

- the CN Tower, at 553 m the worlds highest free-standing structure

- the Skydome, a modern multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof

- the shiny downtown skyscrapers

- Historic Fort York, the site of the Battle of York during the War 1812 and the birthplace of modern Toronto

- Old City Hall, built in the Richardson Romanesque style

- the campus of the University of Toronto, Canadas largest university

- Casa Loma, built in the 1920s as a dream castle by Sir Henry Pellat, a wealthy famous Toronto industrialist

- Queens Park, the provincial government buildings, also built in Romanesque style

Culture: Theatre, Music, Museums

Toronto is the 3rd largest theatre centre in the world. Here you can enjoy Broadway-style musicals, homegrown productions, traveling road shows and classical concerts. Some of the great theatre and music venues include the Royal Alexandra Theatre, the Princess of Wales Theatre, the Elgin/Winter Garden Theatre, the Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, Royal Thomson Hall and many others.

A more complete list of theatres and production companies can be found at this link:www.showmetoronto.com/toronto_theatres.htm

Toronto also boasts a great diversity of cultural institutions and museums:

- the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum)

- the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario)

- the Bata Shoe Museum

- the Hockey Hall of Fame

- the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art

- the Bay of Spirits Gallery Torontos finest collection of native arts and crafts

- Black Creek Pioneer Village: a collection of 40 restored homes, tradeshops, public and farm buildings, with interpreters and artisans in period dress

- The Holocaust Centre of Toronto

- The Ontario Science Centre

Markets and Shopping:

- St. Lawrence Market: the citys original market, where farmers, artists and artisans ply their wares. Known for the freshness and high quality of its meat, fish and farm products.

- Kensington Market: known in the 1920s as the Jewish Market, Kensington Market today is a collection of merchants from around the world. Here you can find fishmongers, street musicians, impromptu speechmakers and shoppers all crowding the streets.

- The Eaton Centre, Torontos famous indoor shopping mall, built around an airy atrium, features 285 stores in the heart of downtown Toronto. It is one of Canada's great public spaces.

- The Bloor Street/Yorkville holds many upscale designer boutiques, antique shops, galleries, spas and restaurants.

www.torontotourism.com
www.city.toronto.on.ca
www.toronto.com
www.torinfo.com
www.showmetoronto.com

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Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year, and it arrives in less than a week. I thought it would be an appropriate time to write about the demons of internet marketing. By this I mean that whenever one ventures into the online business world, trying to make their fortunes online, there are always obstacles to face along the way. Let us call these obstacles "the Demons of Internet Marketing"!

Demon #1: The Demon of Trust

Our first demon when trying to find profitable home based business opportunities online is the Demon of Trust. With so many online, money making opportunities out there, which source is the one we can safely put our hard earned dollars into? Which internet guru is going to take us by the hand and lead us to success? Which opportunities are scams and which are real and legitimate? Well it takes some time to figure these things out, but the time you take to do your research into different opportunities will be well worth it in the end. Most of us delve into this or that hot new opportunity and lose a little money along the way, but if we know the business has a good reputation, have checked it out at the Better Business Bureau, have asked questions in forums and to direct contacts, have compared opportunities, and read books on the subject, then we can probably feel safe that the Demon of Trust is not going to knock us down.

Demon #2: The Demon of Money

The second demon we run across when we are deciding on a new business opportunity, or have already chosen one, is the Demon of Money. This demon can be nasty, as internet marketing ventures can be very expensive if we're not careful. First we have to determine if we have enough money to not only start, but to sustain a business online. Then we have to create a business plan and budget for ourselves so that we can maintain our business for the long term. After all, a web business is not something you quickly whip up, leave alone, and expect to bring in the bucks. A web business takes a little, or even a lot of money to maintain over time. Ask yourselves if you have enough to do it. Find out ahead of time what costs will be involved along the way. What do you have to pay for membership fees? What programs might you be asked to join? What advertising techniques will you have to pay a pretty penny for? What methods will you use to market your business and how much will it cost? Get an Excel spreadsheet together and track your expenses. If you do these things, the Demon of Money might not burn a hole in your wallet.

Demon #3: The Demon of Time

Running an online internet marketing business is no easy task. It takes hard work, energy, and consistent effort before you can expect to see results. Even if you realize it will take time, there are often unforeseen events that happen in our lives that prevent us from moving forward with our businesses. You have to account for the unforeseen when managing your time. You have to expect to do something every day to get your business rolling, even if you can only manage one small task. Making a daily to-do list really helps in this case. Write yourself a note about what you want to accomplish and set some goals that you will work towards achieving. It's a bad idea to try and do too much all at once, as it just leads to feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and burnt out. Just like with your money, you need to manage your time in a way that suits every other thing going on in your life: Your day job, your family, your friends, your athletic pursuits, your recreational activities, your rest, and your relaxation. If you can only do a business part-time, don't try to force yourself to make it full-time. You can only do so much if you want to stay healthy. Plan your days wisely and the Demon of Time will tire you out.

Demon #4: The Demon of Advertising

Internet marketing involves a great deal of advertising if you expect people to find your business online and purchase products or services from you. We must select different forms of advertising to find out what works best for us. This, too, is no easy task, and it can be terrifyingly expensive. If we keep in mind that there are many free and effective ways to advertise and we find and use these methods, then we might survive. Article writing, blog posting, linking, and free classifieds are great ways to advertise our online businesses and don't have to cost us a cent. But of course, we are going to want to try some paid advertising methods, especially if we have the money to do so. We could select and pay for ezine solo ads, pay for an article submission service, or a ghost-writing service if we have articles written for us. We could pay for Google Adwords, or pay to get quality one-way links pointing back to our sites. We could pay for a press release or newspaper ad or flyer. The possibilities are endless. We have to find out what's right for us, and sometimes this just takes a little bit of dabbling into everything to find out what works. Then once we find out what works, we can get ahead of the Demon of Advertising by duplicating what we have done to get positive results.

Demon #5: The Demon of Traffic

Once we have our web businesses up and running, we must get visitors to our sites if we expect to make any money online. The Demon of Traffic gives us endless frustration as we try to find ways for people to find our products and services online. If you don't have a very specific and targeted niche market, then this can get crazy in a competitive internet marketing world. One of the best ways to get traffic to your site is by writing articles and placing the link to your site in the author's bio-box at the end. Article marketing is huge and your links will get spread around the net in no time, especially if you use an article distribution service that reaches thousands of publishers online. You should also try to get one-way links pointing back to your site by submitting your URL to different link directories on a regular basis. You can also get your links circulating by posting your link in different discussion forums, or making comments on other people's blogs. Your links are picked up by the search engines and will appear in the search results when someone searches for a particular keyword. You also want to offer a newsletter on your site and perhaps advertise your site by circulating and opt-in form in different traffic exchanges. Traffic exchanges are another way to get credits to show your links and build traffic to your site. The ways to generate traffic are endless if you are creative and again, find out what works best for you and duplicate your success.

Demon #6: The Demon of Downlines

If you are involved in a network marketing business, it is a real challenge to build a good downline to grow your network. You have to be willing to find prospects and communicate with them regularly if you expect anyone to join your business. You should be willing to offer your contact information, and accept phone calls to answer any questions your prospects may have. You must be willing to offer your support and assistance whenever it is needed, and you must go out of your way to make your customers feel like they are number one. You may even want to distribute business cards, flyers, brochures, or create a CD to demonstrate your product or service and give it away for your prospects to review. You may want to find network marketing distributors who are already interested in your business and have some knowledge already about it. If you are willing to communicate, support, and be there for your prospects and customers, then the Demon of Downlines can be beat.

Demon #7: The Demon of Sales

Last but not least is the Demon of Sales. Sometimes even when we are doing all the right things in our businesses, the sales just aren't coming in as we'd like them to. Once we build a list and have traffic to our sites, and we have advertised using this or that method, how do we translate our efforts into sales? How do we keep our current customers interested in our products and services and coming back to us in the future to buy more? Sometimes this is just unpredictable, but one thing you can surely do to help your business boom is to develop solid relationships with your client base. Once you have a list of subscribers to your newsletter, talk to them. Send them personal messages in addition to your business messages. Don't try to sell them something every time you write or talk to them on the phone. Show them that you care about their wants and needs, and care about making their lives happier in some way. Show them how your product or service will satisfy that need or desire. Show them that you are there and willing to help them at any time. Build rapport with them by asking them questions, and asking for their feedback. Get them involved in your business as much as possible. Once you have a good relationship, you have customers, possibly for life!

Liane Bate owns a Plugin Profit Site web business, is a member of Success University, and the IAHBE.Live Mortgage Leads
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It is resignation time. The time has come to move on from the present job. The time to reach out for a writing pad and draft out the resignation letter. So what do you do? Should you give a list of reasons why you are leaving? Should you feel guilty about leaving your team and the organization in a lurch? Should you give a list of reasons about how badly you were treated? Should you get sentimental and list out all that you gained and how wonderful it was?

The ideal resignation letter is the one that is the shortest, to the point. Give the date of resignation and enquire when the organization could let you go. The more detail you go into the more explanations follow. Giving reasons for leaving could be open to all kinds of misinterpretations, so a simple I would like to resign from the post of xx as on this date would do. There is no need to feel guilty about leaving the organization in a lurch because it is a professional relationship and just as you have a right to your career opportunities, the organization also has a right to throw you out when it does not need you. So there is really no need to feel guilt. But yes, if the job requires that you train someone else or to finish something that you have begun, it is only fair that you complete that part. If you are quitting due to some bad experiences, it is not a great idea to put that on paper because then the organization might get wary about your motives and stall the process. Just as well there is no need to get all sentimental about the organization because if for some reason you have to sue the employer, your letter will make it rather difficult to prove that you had a difficult time in the organization.

All these issues point out in one direction. When it comes to the resignation letter, keep it simple and straight, courteous and formal. Add a touch of gratitude because it always pays to be grateful. And most importantly keep it in mind that you may have to seek a reference from your ex-employers at some point of time in the future.

A sample resignation letter would look something like this.

Name
Address
Phone Number
E-mail

Date

Recipient's name
Company name
Address

Dear Ms/Mr. X:

Please treat this letter as my formal notice of resignation from Y. I would like to be relieved from my duties as Z in a weeks time. I hope that the notice period is sufficient and I would like to know whether I would be required to complete any particular jobs within this period.

I would also like to thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to work here.

Sincerely,

Signature

(Name, title)

cc:

Yulin Peng is a recruiting researcher and the owner of http://www.job-employment-guide.com. Please visit his site for more free employment tips.Exclusive Mortgage Leads
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Remortgage Tips

Most of us have all experienced hard times at some stage in our lives and received letters from banks telling us that they are going to charge us 27 for bouncing a cheque or non payment of a direct debit or standing order. Would you like to hit back? Would you like some remortgage tips?

Now is the time to hit back and take some of that money back from them by taking advantage of the discounts that they have to offer to existing and new borrowers. There are massive savings to be had by remortgaging and the bigger your mortgage, the more the potential savings. So, if there is massive saving to be had, why do people not remortgage more often?

Surveys conducted by lenders have identified that some people are just not aware, whilst others have said that they just could not be bothered. Some people have stated that the mortgage market is just too complicated. Bet you would like some remortgage tips?

Well, the range of UK mortgages has increased dramatically over the past few years and although this increase in mortgage types has added complexity, it has also introduced fierce competition, which has in turn resulted in the availability of some very attractive remortgage products for the customer. With over 10,000 mortgage products to choose from, how do we ensure that we get the best remortgages and cheapest remortgage rates?

Employing the services of a whole of market UK mortgage broker can pay dividends here as they have sophisticated computer software to narrow down the mortgage products and arrange the cheapest and best remortgages.

Consider this as a normal mathematical comparison. A 2% saving on a 100,000 mortgage works out at 2,000 per year and assuming that this saving can be made every year by moving the mortgage to another lender, it equates to an astronomical 50,000 saving over the normal mortgage term of 25 years. That equates to 40 per week, every week. It just doesn't make sense to be putting that sort of money into a lenders pockets when they already make billions of 's net profit per year.

If you are having trouble paying your current mortgage, loan or credit cards or you think that you are not receiving the best mortgage deal you possibly can, then perhaps it is time to think about finding the best remortgages. However, many people are unsure about the relative benefits and problems of a remortgage. Here are some useful remortgage tips to help you decide if remortgaging is right for you:

What is a remortgage?

A remortgage is when you replace your existing mortgage loan with a new one from either the same lender or a new lender. This is usually done to reduce monthly payments or to release equity. Remortgaging is usually carried out through a remortgage broker to find the best rates.

Remortgaging for lower payments

One of the most common reasons to re-mortgage is to get lower monthly payments than you do now. If you are struggling to pay off your monthly payments, then you need to look for a better deal, as soon as you can. If you can find one, then ask your current mortgage lender if they can match this, if they would prefer to keep you as a customer at a lower rate than lose you altogether. If they cannot match the rate, then you should look at remortgaging.

Remortgaging to release equity

Another reason why people remortgage is to get hold of some extra money by releasing equity they may have built up in their property. This means that you borrow more than your current mortgage debt to release the money you have already paid into the property and this extra money may be used for debt consolidation or home improvements. This is especially useful if your property has gone up in price or if you have paid off a large percentage of your mortgage. It is like getting out a loan, but the rates are low as they are part of the remortgage.

Some Pitfalls of Remortgages

One thing that you should look at before remortgaging is whether or not it is really right for you. There maybe a number of costs involved, such as legal fees and penalties for changing mortgages. These fees could add up and might be more than you can afford. Also, if you borrow more money or you get lower monthly payments, it could mean that you will be paying the money back for a longer period of time.

Although a remortgage may seem helpful now, you could end up paying more long-term and if you are still paying the money back when you retired you might be left unable to make the payments without pension provisions.

Remortgaging can help you if you are struggling with payments or you need to free up some money. However, you should think carefully about whether or not remortgaging will be beneficial to you in the long-term but if you have a problem remortgage it could be the ideal situation. 100% adverse credit remortgages, self-employed and self-certification remortgages are all available in the UK mortgage market.

Some More Remortgage Tips

1) If the mortgage is small, look at the fees charged by the lender, as they will impact on the loan.

2) If the mortgage is large, it will be interest rate sensitive, not fee sensitive.

3) Use a whole of market mortgage broker.

4) Review the mortgage before the end of each deal.

5) On a repayment mortgage, have a monthly rest interest rate.

Joe Kocsis the author is an active UK Independent Financial Adviser, a whole of market Mortgage Broker. Follow this link http://www.mortgages2.co.uk for further informationMortgage Lead Transfers
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The key to increasing profits and lowering costs over time is continually testing one advertisement against the other one offer against another one headline against another and so on until you find the best performing piece.

This process is called testing and tracking and is one of the most critical components of marketing because it is a scientific method of discovering which elements of your marketing produce the greatest response.

One of the advantages that marketing on the Internet has over other advertising mediums is the speed of tracking response from marketing tests.

When marketing on the Internet you can track the response of your marketing efforts in real-time. This means that you can quickly gauge the success of the marketing test, implement the next changes immediately, and take it live instantly.

So, not only can you quickly implement new changes, but you can do so cost-effectively because you dont need to spend thousands of dollars to see the results of a test.

Then, when youve found the highest performing offer, sales piece or headline, you can roll it out offline, in magazines, newspapers and any other mediums.

By testing and tracking on the Internet first you ensure you get the highest return on investment for the lowest possible cost.

Alex Cleanthous runs a full service online marketing agency helping businesses generate profits from the Internet. For a free report on The 6 Critical Steps To Generating Profits Online visit http://www.webprofits.com.au.Live Mortgage Leads
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Rick It was learned on Wednesday that former Flyers star and current Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet could be in some hot water with both the NHL and the New Jersey State Police, after authorities busted a sports gambling ring he helped finance. According to authorities, Operation Slap Shot (real creative title there guys, I guess Operation Icing and Operation Crosscheck were both already taken) uncovered a sports betting system that processed more than 1,000 wagers with a total of about $1.7 million on professional and collegiate sporting events during a 40-day period. Tocchet has been identified as a partner and financier of the ring (along with a New Jersey state trooper), and State Police also say that "Police Academy 5" star and wife of Wayne Gretzky, Janet Jones, placed bets for players on the Coyotes.

No one involved has been accused of betting on hockey games, by the way. All bets were made on sports other than the NHL. So, were not talking about NHL players placing bets on their own games, like Pete Rose did. Still, this could be a major scandal for the NHL. Perhaps even more shocking to me was the fact that I had no idea that Rick Tocchet was still in the NHL! Did you know he was a coach on the Coyotes? And did you know that he and Wayne Gretzky, the Coyotes head coach, were BFFs? It got me to thinking with Tocchet turning to the gambling industry following his playing career (with a little coaching mixed in), what jobs do you think some ex-Flyers may be pursuing now that their playing career is finished, and what jobs do you think some current Flyers may pursue when they hang up the skates?

(Cue the dream sequence sound effects and graphics)

Mike Bullard Dentist (if anyone knows about dental work, it would be ol Gappy)
Tim Kerr Hunchback (years of back problems)
Dominic Roussel Motivational Speaker (centering around teamwork)
Ron Hextall Anger Management Coach (because he always kept a cool head)
Brian Propp Anything but a radio color analyst (damn, too late)
Peter Zezel Teen Magazine Editor (hell, he appeared in enough of those things anyway)
Eric Lindros Mafia Hit Man (fuhgeddaboutit)
Billy Tibbets Unemployed (its hard for a rapist to find a good job nowadays)
Kjell Samuelson Lumberjack (obviously)
Keith Primeau Lets just have Keith be able to run on a treadmill for 10 minutes without falling over before we give the guy a job
Chris Gratton Not sure exactly, but I do know that hed get a promotion then crumble under the pressure of higher expectations
Chris Therien First things first. Lets just get the guy to retire first and then we can figure out a job for him. RETIRE CHRIS!
Garth Snow Sofa Maker (hey, the guy likes padding)
Donald Brashear Professional Swimmer (just like the NHL, hed be the only black guy out there)

Those are just a few. And hey, lets make this interactive. Make sure to click on the forums link, reply to this column and add a couple of your own! You can use any current or former Flyer. Maybe theyll check in sometime if theyre low on ideas or worried about what theyre going to do when they decide to retire. In the end, theyll thank us.

In the meantime, Tocchet is expected to be arraigned within the next 7-10 days and will most likely be suspended by the NHL for his role in the gambling ring. And Rick, if you do end up having to do a little time in the pokey, tell Billy Tibbets we all said hello.

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Southend United returned to the top of League One with a 2-0 win at Yeovil. Available at 13/8 before kick off, a first half goal from Mark Bentley and one from veteran Shaun Goater extended the Shrimpers unbeaten run to 12 games. Steve Tilsons side are 7/2 to win the division outright.

Colchester set a new club record of nine consecutive wins as they came from behind to beat Bradford City. Colchester, 8/11 before kick off, fell behind after 37 minutes but hit back through Richard Garcia (2) and Chris Iwelumo. Second placed Colchester are two points behind leaders Southend with two games in hand and are 11/4 favourites to win outright.

Friday night saw Swansea City edge back into third with their first win in five games against Bournemouth. The 4/5 Swans scored the winning goal through midfielder Andy Robinson on the stroke of half time.

Barnsley, at 10/11, kept up the pressure with a win against Bristol City. A goal in each half from Marc Richards secured the third successive 2-0 victory for the Tykes.

Brentford adapted quickly to life without striker DJ Campbell, a 500,000 signing for Birmingham City, by crushing Walsall 5-0 at Griffin Park. The 8/11 odds looked the safest bet of the day as goals for Isaiah Rankin, Ricky Newman, Paul Brooker, Sam Sodje and a penalty for Kevin O'Connor eased the Bees to victory.

Huddersfield lost ground in the promotion hunt going down 2-1 at Tranmere on Friday night. David Graham cancelled out an early Carl Tremarco goal but the home side stunned the Terriers when former striker Delroy Facey netted the winner with six minutes to go for 7/5 Rovers.

Veteran striker Paul Hall's 100th league goal denied Gillingham an unlikely 7/2 victory and extended Chesterfield's unbeaten run to 15 matches. The Gills took the lead through Tommy Black but Hall ensured the Spireites a share of the points with a last minute strike.

Neither Rotherham nor Hartlepool did their relegation battle any good with a goalless draw. Both sides occupy a position in the bottom three and shrewd punters will have got on at 23/10.

While Rotherham and Hartlepool were cancelling each other out, Swindon edged out of relegation for the first time this season with a 2-1 victory over Doncaster. The Robins, 7/5 before kick off scored through Ricky Shakes and Charlie Comyn-Platt to earn Iffy Onouras side their third win in a row.

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