Being listed in search engines and ranked high on searches is the overall goal a webmaster is trying to achieve when dealing with search engines. Search engine optimization is probably one of the most commonly used words among webmasters. In the Internet market becoming much more critical to business success this is almost natural.
While the professionals know how to verify search engine rankings and listings, the normal user or startup webmaster might not know how to verify these things. The often just type their domain name into the search engine of choice and are happy if they get a result back that includes their domain name. But there is a little more these startup webmasters should know about.
Every page indexed by a search engine is a possible landing page for visitors to enter the website. As more pages get indexed the higher number of possible entry points to the website. But how can a webmaster verify how many pages are currently in the index of a search engine?
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=site=omainName.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=site=omainName.com
Replace "DomainName.com" with the actual domain name that needs to be verified. A webmaster should also run the following variation to get an impression of what is really out there.
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=site:www.DomainName.com
http://www.google.com/search?q=site:www.DomainName.com
The next thing a webmaster should check is to see how many other websites are linking to his/her website at all. As almost everyone knows nowadays - the higher the number of links pointing to a website (incoming links) as higher the possible search engine ranking on search can be (and we all want that number 1 spot, right?!). The problem is that Google will never show you all incoming links to a website. But even a ball park number can be helpful in finding out if the SEO work of the past paid off. So, how does a webmaster can get this ball park number of incoming links?
http://www.google.com/search?q=link:www.DomainName.com
This command will show the 'ball park' number mentioned above. It will give the webmaster a hint how successful the website is and how many people/websites are linking to it.
By researching the information of how many pages and how many links to/for a website are registered/indexed in a search engine a webmaster can gain important knowledge. This knowledge makes it easier to see what works and what does not work when it comes to search engine success for a website.
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Choosing a Web host
There are some simple rules to follow when looking for a web host. The first rules is to avoid free hosts whenever possible, it is easy to think that a free service is preferable to paying a monthly fee however with web hosting this is defiantly not the case.
Paid hosting has several important advantages over free hosting. Firstly you will receive more useful features with paid hosting. Technical support will be much better with help available when you need it. Generally speaking Paid hosts will have much faster connections to the internet so your site will appear quicker. Most importantly with paid hosting you won't have to display a banner on each page advertising the Hosting Company and advertising to the world that you are on a free host. With excellent hosting packages starting from $6.99 per month there is no reason why you shouldn't go with a paid host.
The second simple rule concerns what operating system to choose. You will find hosts offering you Windows Hosting or Linux Hosting, it is tempting to choose windows as it's a name everyone knows and many people mistakenly believe that because their PC runs windows they need a Windows Host but in this case they'd be wrong. Whichever hosting package you choose you will receive a control panel through which you administer your site these are graphical environments through which you can control many aspects of your website from configuring your web mail and installing forum software to creating a database. Take a lead from the marble halls of business most major companies host their websites on Linux Servers. Linux Servers generally runs faster and are more secure than a windows server. This is partly due to how the operating systems are built. Windows try to include every possible function in the base package whilst Linux allows the host company to add the functions they need.
The final thing to consider when choosing a host is the list of features they offer. If you don't know much about html you can look for a host that supplies you with free website building software and some of the better ones will even supply free Domain names. You should look at a number of different companies and compare what they offer as standard with their hosting plans. Technical aspects to consider are; the amount of disk space available to you and how much monthly bandwidth you have to use. Look at how many email accounts you can have the more the better. Customer support features should not be overlooked check to see what their response time is and if it's anymore than an hour look elsewhere, also consider if they offer a money back guarantee.
Look to see what additional services they include in the package for example do they offer daily backups? Make sure that they offer support for PHP as this is quickly becoming the programming language of choice with web programmers.
To conclude when choosing a website Host look for a paid host with Linux hosting and then compare the packages on offer from a variety of companies.
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Paid hosting has several important advantages over free hosting. Firstly you will receive more useful features with paid hosting. Technical support will be much better with help available when you need it. Generally speaking Paid hosts will have much faster connections to the internet so your site will appear quicker. Most importantly with paid hosting you won't have to display a banner on each page advertising the Hosting Company and advertising to the world that you are on a free host. With excellent hosting packages starting from $6.99 per month there is no reason why you shouldn't go with a paid host.
The second simple rule concerns what operating system to choose. You will find hosts offering you Windows Hosting or Linux Hosting, it is tempting to choose windows as it's a name everyone knows and many people mistakenly believe that because their PC runs windows they need a Windows Host but in this case they'd be wrong. Whichever hosting package you choose you will receive a control panel through which you administer your site these are graphical environments through which you can control many aspects of your website from configuring your web mail and installing forum software to creating a database. Take a lead from the marble halls of business most major companies host their websites on Linux Servers. Linux Servers generally runs faster and are more secure than a windows server. This is partly due to how the operating systems are built. Windows try to include every possible function in the base package whilst Linux allows the host company to add the functions they need.
The final thing to consider when choosing a host is the list of features they offer. If you don't know much about html you can look for a host that supplies you with free website building software and some of the better ones will even supply free Domain names. You should look at a number of different companies and compare what they offer as standard with their hosting plans. Technical aspects to consider are; the amount of disk space available to you and how much monthly bandwidth you have to use. Look at how many email accounts you can have the more the better. Customer support features should not be overlooked check to see what their response time is and if it's anymore than an hour look elsewhere, also consider if they offer a money back guarantee.
Look to see what additional services they include in the package for example do they offer daily backups? Make sure that they offer support for PHP as this is quickly becoming the programming language of choice with web programmers.
To conclude when choosing a website Host look for a paid host with Linux hosting and then compare the packages on offer from a variety of companies.
Read More!
Setting up a Web Server - The Most Important Step to Hosting your Website from Home
You might be trying to decide whether you want to host your website yourself rather than pay a hosting company. Maybe you just want to learn how it is done, or you want to save some money by doing it yourself. In this article I'll discuss the most important part of hosting your website from home, the web server.
The word "server" sounds scary and because of this many people think only a professional hosting company can host a website. This is not true. A server is nothing more than software that runs in the background listening to requests from "clients." The client in our case is an internet browser, like Internet Explorer.
How do you get a web server? Most Windows operating sytems come with a web server that just needs to be installed. There are also web servers than can be downloaded for free, like Apache. I'm not going to go over how to do this. In this article I'll discuss the concepts and what's needed to get your web server up and running and serving your site to the public after it's been installed. Every web server is different but the concepts are the same. By
going over the general concepts that are true for any web server, you'll know what to look for regardless of the software you are using.
Like I mentioned before, a server is just software that runs in the background. A web server is a server that listens to requests from internet browsers for a specific page, finds that page in the computer it is running on and then sends it to the browser that requested it. Keeping this in mind, can you believe there are actually just two things you need to do to have your web server configured?
1) Tell your web server where to find your web site. Your website probably consists of multiple pages. You need to tell the web server the path of the folder where you keep
your pages. For example, when someone types www.yourdomain.com/main.html, the server will look in the folder where all your pages live, and look for file main.html.
2) Tell your web server about your default page. This is the page that is displayed when someone types www.yourdomain.com in their browser without specifying a page. The web server already has some default page names like "index.html" so if you have a page with this name
it will be displayed by default when no document is specified in the request. You may also add some more default file names to your web server. If you don't want to name your file "index.html" you can tell your web server that your default page's name is "mainpage.htm."
This is basically all there is to configuring your web server. Actually, there is more, but these two steps will allow your web server to start serving your website. Of course, there is also more to hosting your website from home, like getting a domain name, dealing with your router if you have one, but these topics are beyond the scope of this article. I hope I've convinced you of how easy it is to set up a web server, which happens to be the most important step to hosting your website from home.
Read More!
The word "server" sounds scary and because of this many people think only a professional hosting company can host a website. This is not true. A server is nothing more than software that runs in the background listening to requests from "clients." The client in our case is an internet browser, like Internet Explorer.
How do you get a web server? Most Windows operating sytems come with a web server that just needs to be installed. There are also web servers than can be downloaded for free, like Apache. I'm not going to go over how to do this. In this article I'll discuss the concepts and what's needed to get your web server up and running and serving your site to the public after it's been installed. Every web server is different but the concepts are the same. By
going over the general concepts that are true for any web server, you'll know what to look for regardless of the software you are using.
Like I mentioned before, a server is just software that runs in the background. A web server is a server that listens to requests from internet browsers for a specific page, finds that page in the computer it is running on and then sends it to the browser that requested it. Keeping this in mind, can you believe there are actually just two things you need to do to have your web server configured?
1) Tell your web server where to find your web site. Your website probably consists of multiple pages. You need to tell the web server the path of the folder where you keep
your pages. For example, when someone types www.yourdomain.com/main.html, the server will look in the folder where all your pages live, and look for file main.html.
2) Tell your web server about your default page. This is the page that is displayed when someone types www.yourdomain.com in their browser without specifying a page. The web server already has some default page names like "index.html" so if you have a page with this name
it will be displayed by default when no document is specified in the request. You may also add some more default file names to your web server. If you don't want to name your file "index.html" you can tell your web server that your default page's name is "mainpage.htm."
This is basically all there is to configuring your web server. Actually, there is more, but these two steps will allow your web server to start serving your website. Of course, there is also more to hosting your website from home, like getting a domain name, dealing with your router if you have one, but these topics are beyond the scope of this article. I hope I've convinced you of how easy it is to set up a web server, which happens to be the most important step to hosting your website from home.
Read More!
Yes, You Can Use Hyphens in Your Domain Name: It Makes Them Easy to Read.
Most of the desirable one-word, two-word, and three-word dot com domains are taken. However, if add plurals and hyphenated terms, there is still some gold left in the domain name game. If you find that you need or want to use a phrase or a compound word with two or more words strung together, you can use hyphens. All of the search engine robots read a hyphen as a blank space so you don’t gain or lose anything when you use hyphenated words.
The most important reason for using hyphens is readability. Your keywords are ranked by robots. Your website is read by human beings. If your domain name is theanythinggoesguide.com, it would be much easier to read it as The-anything-goes-guide.com.
A domain name as well as an online business is a long term proposition. You might have to put a bit more effort into your upfront marketing efforts, but don’t be afraid to use hyphens in your domain name. If it’s easy to read, memorable and enhances your online image, hyphens can add to the lasting appeal of your domain name.
Remember that the purpose of the domain name is to make sure that customers remember your web address when they need to get information or buy a product. Anything that is easy to read easily wins out over a long jumbled mess of letters.
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The most important reason for using hyphens is readability. Your keywords are ranked by robots. Your website is read by human beings. If your domain name is theanythinggoesguide.com, it would be much easier to read it as The-anything-goes-guide.com.
A domain name as well as an online business is a long term proposition. You might have to put a bit more effort into your upfront marketing efforts, but don’t be afraid to use hyphens in your domain name. If it’s easy to read, memorable and enhances your online image, hyphens can add to the lasting appeal of your domain name.
Remember that the purpose of the domain name is to make sure that customers remember your web address when they need to get information or buy a product. Anything that is easy to read easily wins out over a long jumbled mess of letters.
Read More!
Domain Registration For Great Search Engine Ranking
A solid keyword domain name is the key to establish a strong presence and making the resources of the Internet more reachable. With a great name, it's always easy to reach new and existing clients. Therefore, a number of companies are ready to spend a large amount of money to get hold of and promote a good keyword rich domain name.
Choosing a keyword domain name can be vital to the success of a website. In order to take advantage of search engine traffic, people choose keyword domain. By selecting a domain that is equivalent to a keyword search, websites are able to rank higher for targeted keywords and thus benefit from added traffic and more potential clients. Whether to opt for a brandable domain or a keyword domain is a choice one must make in accordance with their business plan.
Follow these simple rules to maximize the benefit of a keyword domain, accomplish success in directory submissions, and enhance site keyword density:
Structuring
Order the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in such a manner that more vital keywords are listed before those that are less important. For example, if he target keyword is "money" then money-online.com would be more effectual than online-money.com.
Length
1. A majority of studies confirms that a number of people use two words or more in a search; as a result phrases are very useful.
2. Always stick to two-three keywords, with hyphens in between.
3. A lengthy, complex URL is more likely to be rejected by directory editors’ sites from which one would like to receive links.
Correct English and Must Make Sense
1. In order to execute directory submissions and link popularity campaigns, the URL should be grammatically correct.
2. When examined by an editor, "money-online-white.com" might sound like a less-reliable resource while "white-money-online.com" sounds more justifiable and is less likely to be questioned.
Put together "power words"
In order to create a distinctive domain name that is still available, one way is to add another less important word to the mix. A few examples include: now, top, just, goto, pro, guide, online and find etc.
Avoid using most popular keyword phrases
There is intense competition for keywords in the marketplace, so stay away from the most popular keyword phrases. It is impractical to think that a new website could rank number one on a popular phrase like “Shop Online”. A number of well-known companies who have been on the Internet for a few years will have the big advantage of link popularity and click popularity.
Try to register a .com domain
Always use ".com". In case it is a business website, avoid using domains ending with "ru" or "org". At once, one can consider registering a ".net" domain, but as most people are familiar with ".com", it is better to stick to convention.
In addition to the above, an understanding of the domain name system (DNS) is also vital while choosing a domain name. The DNS is set up to make regular words map to IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. In order to connect all computers on the Internet, an IP address is used by networks. A domain name can be up to sixty-three characters, comprising of letters, numbers, or the dash symbol. For example, in the world of computer networking, the web address fishing.com becomes the IP address 124.133.1.1. However, it's the domain name that people around the world use when looking for Web sites or sending an e-mail.
Finally, it is very important to choose a keyword phrase very carefully. This can be considered as one of the most critical decisions one will make regarding the success or failure of a website. One must identify the exact phrase that searchers will use to find a website. The more targeted the campaign is, the more increase in sales will be achieved.
Read More!
Choosing a keyword domain name can be vital to the success of a website. In order to take advantage of search engine traffic, people choose keyword domain. By selecting a domain that is equivalent to a keyword search, websites are able to rank higher for targeted keywords and thus benefit from added traffic and more potential clients. Whether to opt for a brandable domain or a keyword domain is a choice one must make in accordance with their business plan.
Follow these simple rules to maximize the benefit of a keyword domain, accomplish success in directory submissions, and enhance site keyword density:
Structuring
Order the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) in such a manner that more vital keywords are listed before those that are less important. For example, if he target keyword is "money" then money-online.com would be more effectual than online-money.com.
Length
1. A majority of studies confirms that a number of people use two words or more in a search; as a result phrases are very useful.
2. Always stick to two-three keywords, with hyphens in between.
3. A lengthy, complex URL is more likely to be rejected by directory editors’ sites from which one would like to receive links.
Correct English and Must Make Sense
1. In order to execute directory submissions and link popularity campaigns, the URL should be grammatically correct.
2. When examined by an editor, "money-online-white.com" might sound like a less-reliable resource while "white-money-online.com" sounds more justifiable and is less likely to be questioned.
Put together "power words"
In order to create a distinctive domain name that is still available, one way is to add another less important word to the mix. A few examples include: now, top, just, goto, pro, guide, online and find etc.
Avoid using most popular keyword phrases
There is intense competition for keywords in the marketplace, so stay away from the most popular keyword phrases. It is impractical to think that a new website could rank number one on a popular phrase like “Shop Online”. A number of well-known companies who have been on the Internet for a few years will have the big advantage of link popularity and click popularity.
Try to register a .com domain
Always use ".com". In case it is a business website, avoid using domains ending with "ru" or "org". At once, one can consider registering a ".net" domain, but as most people are familiar with ".com", it is better to stick to convention.
In addition to the above, an understanding of the domain name system (DNS) is also vital while choosing a domain name. The DNS is set up to make regular words map to IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. In order to connect all computers on the Internet, an IP address is used by networks. A domain name can be up to sixty-three characters, comprising of letters, numbers, or the dash symbol. For example, in the world of computer networking, the web address fishing.com becomes the IP address 124.133.1.1. However, it's the domain name that people around the world use when looking for Web sites or sending an e-mail.
Finally, it is very important to choose a keyword phrase very carefully. This can be considered as one of the most critical decisions one will make regarding the success or failure of a website. One must identify the exact phrase that searchers will use to find a website. The more targeted the campaign is, the more increase in sales will be achieved.
Read More!
Public Domain - Internet Gold Mine
With the advent of the internet and the ease of which information can readily be downloaded and compiled you would think that more people would realize that the public domain is a source of wonderful wealth that can be tapped into for huge profits.
I have spent the last 4 years "discovering" little known secrets of this information that is readily available to those who know where to look. Or should I say "prospect". That's exactly what it is. It's Mining. When you mine the internet, you are not mining little rocks in a quarry or dredging a cold river looking for that elusive nugget of gold. You are searching for the gold of the future, and of the past. Information becomes your ore. You now become an information prospector. A "Millennium-Age Gold Miner."
The tools of your trade are much different today than in the days of old. Your "pick-axe" has evolved into your mouse, and your "gold pan" is your hard drive. Your computer is the dredge and your internet connection is your "claim". In the old days when a prospector found gold he would drive a stake in the ground and this would become his claim. You are doing the same thing when you sign the contract for your internet connection. You are staking a claim to the largest source of wealth in the world. Public Domain Information.
You transcend the boundaries of the physical world by entering a realm in which it is possible to find riches in the deepest recesses and crevices of the web. The public domain is the undiscovered country of the information age. It's mysteries are deep as oceans and it's knowledge as expansive as the universe. The public domain now becomes ultimate natural resource.
Information has always reigned king since the beginning of time. There are millions of us who know not the sheer power and value of the information that is freely available to anyone who knows where to look.
The new millennium, and the information-age is very much like the GoldRush of 1849 in which hundreds of thousands of people rushed westward in a stampede of gold seeking pioneers. Some were young, some old, some in between, but all sought a common goal. Gold. Only this time it is different, the gold we seek in this age is information, and it's not mere thousands, but hundreds of millions people who are on this new quest blazing new trails and forging great new paths to wealth.
Information is abundant and widely available. You can mine this gold at anytime, from any place in the world. You do not have to travel vast distances facing the perils of the land to stake your claim. All you need is a computer and a connection to the web. From anywhere in the world you are able to seek out, find, download, and refine your treasure from the warm and cozy comfort of home.
Never before, in the history of man have you been able to procure such wealth so quickly. You are able to locate information on any subject in an instant, and your results are displayed before you faster than you could have ever imagined.
Your "gold pan" quickly become full of the valuable information-ore. Each time you find a nugget it motivates you to find more. You become entranced with the new found riches and it almost becomes obsession. The desire to find more pulses through your veins like a hot drug, steadily increasing your craving for more. The more you find the more you want. It the realization becomes obvious that you have "Gold-Fever" and now you can't stop searching for more information.
This is what the public domain is. It's an internet goldmine chock full of free information ready for the taking.
Stake your claim!
Eric Wichman is founder of PD Times a public domain resources site specializing in free resources for web content and references for webmasters, researchers, marketers, and businesses alike. Be sure to tell your friends about this great new resource for businesses using the public domain
Read More!Domain registration and copyright violation
One of the most important aspects of choosing a domain name registration is that it should be non-infringing. This is not an easy task since most unique names have already been registered. The number of useful domain names from the marketing point of view have become extremely limited. Several companies now register variations of their trademark names as a preventive measure against infringement. For example, check www.coke.com, www.coca-cola.com, and www.coca-cola.com, or try www.3m.com and www.mmm.com.
All these factors have led to a crisis of domain names and given rise to increasing cases of infringement of domain registration. A number of companies have taken legal action against other companies or individuals over alleged copyright violation on the domain names.
There are some fundamental guidelines and cross-checks for selection of a domain name registration.
You must carefully select some names that are relevant to your business model. You must be able to justify your reason for using the name. Your domain name registration should principally consist of a name you are using as a trade name, trademark or corporate name.
It is better to select more than one name since you are not sure about the availability of the required domain name.
Now, search the website of one of the prominent domain name registrars to check if the required name is available. If the name has already been registered by someone else, the search result will provide you with optional names that are similar to your requirements. For example, for the name "ford", the search result may give you similar names like "aboutford.com" and "fordbusiness.com".
If the domain name that you are looking has already been registered but there is no content being displayed at the domain, try to find out the details of the owner of the domain. It is possible that he/she may be genuine and have yet not published any content.
It is also possible that the owner does not plan to create a web site and is willing to give you the domain at the original price. You must confirm that the seller has ownership rights for that particular domain name.
Choosing a domain name registration that is same as or quite similar to another well-known trademark, may lead to legal action. The regulations governing these issues are dealt by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
It is very likely that you would lose right of your domain name registration if you have intentionally chosen a name similar to another domain name so as to confuse potential visitors to the site. For example, if your site deals in consumer electronics goods made by a Samsung competitor, do not choose the name "samsungbusiness.com" since a court is most likely to pass a verdict that you selected this name to divert attention of Samsung customers.
There could be others reasons of losing a domain registration. It may be found that you have never carried out any business under that name or there is no person in your company similar to that name. Another reason could be that you intend to sell that domain name to your competitor for financial gain.
If your domain name is same as your name then you may be allowed to continue to use it, inspite of the fact that it is similar to someone else’s domain name. But the usage of such a name is governed by certain conditions set by court. For example, Mr. Suki Nokia, who runs a cosmetics business, may be allowed to use the domain name "nokia.kr" but he would be barred from using his site to demonstrate any electronics-related information or advertising.
It is also possible for you to use a domain name that is similar to another's trademark if your objective is not to criticize the other person’s business.
In the non-cyberworld, two companies may have the same name if they do not conduct a similar business or do not have similar product lines. Roxy Electrical and Roxy Laundry can coexist comfortably. However, in the web world, both Roxies cannot own the "roxy.com" domain name. The laundry Roxy could register under "roxy.laundry" and the electrician under "roxy.electrical."
A very useful tip is to buy all three of the top level domains - .com, .net and .org. You should also buy all possible misspellings of your domain name before anybody else takes advantage of this fact.
You have put a lot of money and energy into building your business and if you are forced to give up the domain name, your business is likely to suffer due to it. So, you need to put your best efforts in choosing a domain registration that is both
Read More!
All these factors have led to a crisis of domain names and given rise to increasing cases of infringement of domain registration. A number of companies have taken legal action against other companies or individuals over alleged copyright violation on the domain names.
There are some fundamental guidelines and cross-checks for selection of a domain name registration.
You must carefully select some names that are relevant to your business model. You must be able to justify your reason for using the name. Your domain name registration should principally consist of a name you are using as a trade name, trademark or corporate name.
It is better to select more than one name since you are not sure about the availability of the required domain name.
Now, search the website of one of the prominent domain name registrars to check if the required name is available. If the name has already been registered by someone else, the search result will provide you with optional names that are similar to your requirements. For example, for the name "ford", the search result may give you similar names like "aboutford.com" and "fordbusiness.com".
If the domain name that you are looking has already been registered but there is no content being displayed at the domain, try to find out the details of the owner of the domain. It is possible that he/she may be genuine and have yet not published any content.
It is also possible that the owner does not plan to create a web site and is willing to give you the domain at the original price. You must confirm that the seller has ownership rights for that particular domain name.
Choosing a domain name registration that is same as or quite similar to another well-known trademark, may lead to legal action. The regulations governing these issues are dealt by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
It is very likely that you would lose right of your domain name registration if you have intentionally chosen a name similar to another domain name so as to confuse potential visitors to the site. For example, if your site deals in consumer electronics goods made by a Samsung competitor, do not choose the name "samsungbusiness.com" since a court is most likely to pass a verdict that you selected this name to divert attention of Samsung customers.
There could be others reasons of losing a domain registration. It may be found that you have never carried out any business under that name or there is no person in your company similar to that name. Another reason could be that you intend to sell that domain name to your competitor for financial gain.
If your domain name is same as your name then you may be allowed to continue to use it, inspite of the fact that it is similar to someone else’s domain name. But the usage of such a name is governed by certain conditions set by court. For example, Mr. Suki Nokia, who runs a cosmetics business, may be allowed to use the domain name "nokia.kr" but he would be barred from using his site to demonstrate any electronics-related information or advertising.
It is also possible for you to use a domain name that is similar to another's trademark if your objective is not to criticize the other person’s business.
In the non-cyberworld, two companies may have the same name if they do not conduct a similar business or do not have similar product lines. Roxy Electrical and Roxy Laundry can coexist comfortably. However, in the web world, both Roxies cannot own the "roxy.com" domain name. The laundry Roxy could register under "roxy.laundry" and the electrician under "roxy.electrical."
A very useful tip is to buy all three of the top level domains - .com, .net and .org. You should also buy all possible misspellings of your domain name before anybody else takes advantage of this fact.
You have put a lot of money and energy into building your business and if you are forced to give up the domain name, your business is likely to suffer due to it. So, you need to put your best efforts in choosing a domain registration that is both
Read More!
How A PROCESSOR Is Made
Sand. Made up of 25 percent silicon, is, after oxygen, the second most abundant chemical element that's in the earth's crust. Sand, especially quartz, has high percentages of silicon in the form of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is the base ingredient for semiconductor manufacturing.
After procuring raw sand and separating the silicon, the excess material is disposed of and the silicon is purified in multiple steps to finally reach semiconductor manufacturing quality which is called electronic grade silicon. The resulting purity is so great that electronic grade silicon may only have one alien atom for every one billion silicon atoms. After the purification process, the silicon enters the melting phase. In this picture you can see how one big crystal is grown from the purified silicon melt. The resulting mono-crystal is called an ingot.
A mono-crystal ingot is produced from electronic grade silicon. One ingot weighs approximately 100 kilograms (or 220 pounds) and has a silicon purity of 99.9999 percent.
The ingot is then moved onto the slicing phase where individual silicon discs, called wafers, are sliced thin. Some ingots can stand higher than five feet. Several different diameters of ingots exist depending on the required wafer size. Today, CPUs are commonly made on 300 mm wafers.
Once cut, the wafers are polished until they have flawless, mirror-smooth surfaces. Intel doesn't produce its own ingots and wafers, and instead purchases manufacturing-ready wafers from third-party companies. Intel’s advanced 45 nm High-K/Metal Gate process uses wafers with a diameter of 300 mm (or 12-inches). When Intel first began making chips, it printed circuits on 50 mm (2-inches) wafers. These days, Intel uses 300 mm wafers, resulting in decreased costs per chip.
The blue liquid, depicted above, is a photo resist finish similar to those used in film for photography. The wafer spins during this step to allow an evenly-distributed coating that's smooth and also very thin.
At this stage, the photo-resistant finish is exposed to ultra violet (UV) light. The chemical reaction triggered by the UV light is similar to what happens to film material in a camera the moment you press the shutter button.
Areas of the resist on the wafer that have been exposed to UV light will become soluble. The exposure is done using masks that act like stencils. When used with UV light, masks create the various circuit patterns. The building of a CPU essentially repeats this process over and over until multiple layers are stacked on top of each other.
A lens (middle) reduces the mask's image to a small focal point. The resulting "print" on the wafer is typically four times smaller, linearly, than the mask's pattern.
In the picture we have a representation of what a single transistor would appear like if we could see it with the naked eye. A transistor acts as a switch, controlling the flow of electrical current in a computer chip. Intel researchers have developed transistors so small that they claim roughly 30 million of them could fit on the head of a pin.
After being exposed to UV light, the exposed blue photo resist areas are completely dissolved by a solvent. This reveals a pattern of photo resist made by the mask. The beginnings of transistors, interconnects, and other electrical contacts begin to grow from this point.
The photo resist layer protects wafer material that should not be etched away. Areas that were exposed will be etched away with chemicals.
After the etching, the photo resist is removed and the desired shape becomes visible.
More photo resist (blue) is applied and then re-exposed to UV light. Exposed photo resist is then washed off again before the next step, which is called ion doping. This is the step where ion particles are exposed to the wafer, allowing the silicon to change its chemical properties in a way that allows the CPU to control the flow of electricity.
Through a process called ion implantation (one form of a process called doping) the exposed areas of the silicon wafer are bombarded with ions. Ions are implanted in the silicon wafer to alter the way silicon in these areas conduct electricity. Ions are propelled onto the surface of the wafer at very high velocities. An electrical field accelerates the ions to a speed of over 300,000 km/hour (roughly 185,000 mph)
After the ion implantation, the photo resist will be removed and the material that should have been doped (green) now has alien atoms implanted.
This transistor is close to being finished. Three holes have been etched into the insulation layer (magenta color) above the transistor. These three holes will be filled with copper, which will make up the connections to other transistors.
The wafers are put into a copper sulphate solution at this stage. Copper ions are deposited onto the transistor through a process called electroplating. The copper ions travel from the positive terminal (anode) to the negative terminal (cathode) which is represented by the wafer.
The copper ions settle as a thin layer on the wafer surface.
The excess material is polished off leaving a very thin layer of copper.
Multiple metal layers are created to interconnects (think wires) in between the various transistors. How these connections have to be “wired” is determined by the architecture and design teams that develop the functionality of the respective processor (for example, Intel’s Core i7 processor). While computer chips look extremely flat, they may actually have over 20 layers to form complex circuitry. If you look at a magnified view of a chip, you will see an intricate network of circuit lines and transistors that look like a futuristic, multi-layered highway system.
This fraction of a ready wafer is being put through a first functionality test. In this stage test patterns are fed into every single chip and the response from the chip monitored and compared to "the right answer."
After tests determine that the wafer has a good yield of functioning processor units, the wafer is cut into pieces (called dies).
The dies that responded with the right answer to the test pattern will be put forward for the next step (packaging). Bad dies are discarded. Several years ago, Intel made key chains out of bad CPU dies.
This is an individual die, which has been cut out in the previous step (slicing). The die shown here is a die of an Intel Core i7 processor.
The substrate, the die, and the heatspreader are put together to form a completed processor. The green substrate builds the electrical and mechanical interface for the processor to interact with the rest of the PC system. The silver heatspreader is a thermal interface where a cooling solution will be applied. This will keep the processor cool during operation.
A microprocessor is the most complex manufactured product on earth. In fact, it takes hundreds of steps and only the most important ones have been visualized in this picture story.
During this final test the processors will be tested for their key characteristics (among the tested characteristics are power dissipation and maximum frequency).
Based on the test result of class testing processors with the same capabilities are put into the same transporting trays. This process is called "binning". Binning determines the maximum operating frequency of a processor, and batches are divided and sold according to stable specifications.
The manufactured and tested processors (again Intel Core i7 processor is shown here) either go to system manufacturers in trays or into retail stores in a box. Many thanks to Intel for supplying the text and photos in this picture story. Check out Intel's site for full size images of this entire process.
Reseller Web Hosting - A Cheaper Alternative ?
There comes a time when the internet bug hits us all and we tend
to acquire a wealth of domain names and web sites to feed our
frenzy.
We start out with the best intentions, set up a personal home
page with a few details about ourselves, then create more for our
family, then our business and before we know it we have several
domain names and web sites spread across several web hosting
companies.
A more convenient approach would be to set yourself up with a
reseller account with one hosting company.
Most people assume that to have a reseller account, you need to
be in the business of selling hosting. This is not true. Anyone
can set up a reseller account and enjoy the benefits of saving
money and also having the convenience of only dealing with one
company for all your hosting needs.
I'll take my hosting reseller http://www.HostingRevolution.com as
an example. They provide a very competitive reseller account
priced at $35. Their Reseller's Package allows you to host 100
Domains. You are allowed to give every Domain you host up to
20GB's of monthly transfer and up to 2.5GB of storage.
Previously I had over ten domain names and associated web sites
that were costing me around $5 - $10 a month to host. The average
months hosting costs were around $50 - $60. Therefore, by setting
up a reseller account and transferring my domains and web sites
over to my reseller account I made an instant saving of $15 a
month.
Now, another extension of this would be to start selling hosting
to your friends, after all, you have a reseller account. So if
you have ten friends, ask them if they would like web hosting on
your server, maybe offer it free to them and ask them to
recommend your services to their friends, these can then become
"paying" customers. Now YOU can get people to pay for hosting and
make back the monthly reseller fee. Just sell ten accounts for $3
a month and you have instant income of $30 to offset the $35
reseller fee you are paying. So you get hosting for $5 a month
for as many domains and sites as you like.
So, with the reseller account you have helped yourself, helped
your friends, and possibly started making money as well Read More!
to acquire a wealth of domain names and web sites to feed our
frenzy.
We start out with the best intentions, set up a personal home
page with a few details about ourselves, then create more for our
family, then our business and before we know it we have several
domain names and web sites spread across several web hosting
companies.
A more convenient approach would be to set yourself up with a
reseller account with one hosting company.
Most people assume that to have a reseller account, you need to
be in the business of selling hosting. This is not true. Anyone
can set up a reseller account and enjoy the benefits of saving
money and also having the convenience of only dealing with one
company for all your hosting needs.
I'll take my hosting reseller http://www.HostingRevolution.com as
an example. They provide a very competitive reseller account
priced at $35. Their Reseller's Package allows you to host 100
Domains. You are allowed to give every Domain you host up to
20GB's of monthly transfer and up to 2.5GB of storage.
Previously I had over ten domain names and associated web sites
that were costing me around $5 - $10 a month to host. The average
months hosting costs were around $50 - $60. Therefore, by setting
up a reseller account and transferring my domains and web sites
over to my reseller account I made an instant saving of $15 a
month.
Now, another extension of this would be to start selling hosting
to your friends, after all, you have a reseller account. So if
you have ten friends, ask them if they would like web hosting on
your server, maybe offer it free to them and ask them to
recommend your services to their friends, these can then become
"paying" customers. Now YOU can get people to pay for hosting and
make back the monthly reseller fee. Just sell ten accounts for $3
a month and you have instant income of $30 to offset the $35
reseller fee you are paying. So you get hosting for $5 a month
for as many domains and sites as you like.
So, with the reseller account you have helped yourself, helped
your friends, and possibly started making money as well Read More!
How to register your domain
When you launch a new website you must register a unique domain name with an authorized registrar. When the internet was first starting, all domain names and IP addresses were registered through one organization, Internic. Eventually Network Solutions took over the role as “keeper” of the internet domain names. Today, there are hundreds of websites where you can register your domain name but Network Solutions still maintains the main database of domain names. Some websites charge as little as $2.95 per year for your domain name while others charge as much as $35 per year for the exact same service. Some even offer one year free if you register your domain name with them and host your website on their servers. Why pay $35 when you can register your domain name for much less at another website?
So why does Network Solutions charge $35 a year if they are the keeper of the database and their resellers charge a fraction or even nothing? Who knows and who cares! Register your domain with one of the cheaper providers and you'll be fine. A word caution - be care who you choose to host your website. Getting a free year of your domain name isn't worth it if your webhost is unreliable and your website is down more than it's up.
You pay for your domain name on a yearly basis. It's a separate charge from your webhosting bill. When you register your domain name choose the autorenewal option if it's available. This way your domain name will not expire if you forget to renew it. If your domain name expires, it's free for anyone else to register so you need to stay on top of when it's expiring. Also registering your domain name for a 3 to 5 year term will often save you money. For example, godaddy.com charges $8.95 a year for your domain name but only $7.25 a year if you register for a 5 year term.
When you register your domain you can create different contact names. The three contacts are Administrator, Technical and Billing. Most of the time the same person is all 3 contacts. If you web designer registers your domain name for you, make sure you are designated as the Administrative contact. This gives you control over the domain name and you must be notified if someone is trying to make changes to your record. If you aren't one of the contacts then someone can transfer ownership of the domain name without your permission.
To see a record of your domain name, go to www.networksolutions.com and use their WHOIS utility which is located in the bottom left corner of their home page. Simply enter your domain name and click Search. You'll see the complete record of your domain name, where it's registered and where your website is hosted. For a complete video of how to use WHOIS, visit www.valiss.com/video/whois/whois.html.
When you register your domain name you'll have to the option of making it a private registration. I highly recommend paying the additional fee to make your information private. If you leave your registration public anyone can look up your domain information which includes your home or business address and your email address. Many spammers scan public domain registration records to find valid email addresses to spam.
I always use a yahoo or hotmail email account when registering my domains. This way if spammers to find my email address, I can just get a new “throwaway” email address and I won't receive spam at my primary email address.
Always make sure your domain record remains locked. Locking your domain name is a feature implemented a few years ago. When you want to transfer your domain name to a different registrar you must unlock it. Once it's unlocked the new registrar can “pull” your domain name from your current registrar. Once the transfer is complete, the domain name will be locked to prevent anyone else from “pulling” your domain away from you.
About the author:
Ted Prodromou spent over 25 years in the computer industry working for IBM, Digital, and Cellular One. Today he's the owner of Valiss IT, a consulting firm that provides personalized web design and small business marketing solutions. Visit http://www.valiss.comfor lots of free “how to” articles about marketing your business online.
Copyright 2005 Valiss IT, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This article may be reprinted only if it remains unchanged.
Read More!
So why does Network Solutions charge $35 a year if they are the keeper of the database and their resellers charge a fraction or even nothing? Who knows and who cares! Register your domain with one of the cheaper providers and you'll be fine. A word caution - be care who you choose to host your website. Getting a free year of your domain name isn't worth it if your webhost is unreliable and your website is down more than it's up.
You pay for your domain name on a yearly basis. It's a separate charge from your webhosting bill. When you register your domain name choose the autorenewal option if it's available. This way your domain name will not expire if you forget to renew it. If your domain name expires, it's free for anyone else to register so you need to stay on top of when it's expiring. Also registering your domain name for a 3 to 5 year term will often save you money. For example, godaddy.com charges $8.95 a year for your domain name but only $7.25 a year if you register for a 5 year term.
When you register your domain you can create different contact names. The three contacts are Administrator, Technical and Billing. Most of the time the same person is all 3 contacts. If you web designer registers your domain name for you, make sure you are designated as the Administrative contact. This gives you control over the domain name and you must be notified if someone is trying to make changes to your record. If you aren't one of the contacts then someone can transfer ownership of the domain name without your permission.
To see a record of your domain name, go to www.networksolutions.com and use their WHOIS utility which is located in the bottom left corner of their home page. Simply enter your domain name and click Search. You'll see the complete record of your domain name, where it's registered and where your website is hosted. For a complete video of how to use WHOIS, visit www.valiss.com/video/whois/whois.html.
When you register your domain name you'll have to the option of making it a private registration. I highly recommend paying the additional fee to make your information private. If you leave your registration public anyone can look up your domain information which includes your home or business address and your email address. Many spammers scan public domain registration records to find valid email addresses to spam.
I always use a yahoo or hotmail email account when registering my domains. This way if spammers to find my email address, I can just get a new “throwaway” email address and I won't receive spam at my primary email address.
Always make sure your domain record remains locked. Locking your domain name is a feature implemented a few years ago. When you want to transfer your domain name to a different registrar you must unlock it. Once it's unlocked the new registrar can “pull” your domain name from your current registrar. Once the transfer is complete, the domain name will be locked to prevent anyone else from “pulling” your domain away from you.
About the author:
Ted Prodromou spent over 25 years in the computer industry working for IBM, Digital, and Cellular One. Today he's the owner of Valiss IT, a consulting firm that provides personalized web design and small business marketing solutions. Visit http://www.valiss.comfor lots of free “how to” articles about marketing your business online.
Copyright 2005 Valiss IT, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This article may be reprinted only if it remains unchanged.
Read More!
Five effective ways of making money out of web templates
Web templates are the in-thing now-a-days and most of them are selling like hot cakes resulting into huge profits for web template providers. You too can cash-in on this web template craze and make money. Discussed in this article are five effective ways of making money out of web templates.
Five effective ways to make money out of web templates
1.) Creating turnkey pages from web templates
Turnkey websites are the hottest resource on the internet. If you are a web designer, web hosting company or simply own a website you can make good money by creating turnkey websites from readymade web templates.
What are turn key websites?
Turnkey websites are completely functional websites having relevant content, domain names and hosting. Depending on the type, turnkey websites can have shopping carts, interactive scripts, graphics forms, forums, live chats etc. All that a buyer needs to do is buy the website and he is ready to do business.
What you need to do?
In order to set up a turn key website business, you need to do the following;
1) Purchase professional looking web templates with resell rights or join a template membership program
2.) Modify the web templates by adding relevant content, links, images and graphics
3.) Purchase domain names and hosting accounts
4) Host the completed web templates as websites
5) Advertise/promote your websites for sale/rent by SEO and Email marketing
What will be your ROI?
You ROI Will surely be very high. This is because of the fact that the retail value of turnkey websites is around $200 - $500 per website and can also go higher based on the website quality. You can also go for renting your websites instead of selling them. As you will be purchasing web-templates for a cheaper cost your ROI will be higher. The best way to go about it is by joining membership programs that will give you access to a host of http://www.buytemplates.netweb templates at a low one time cost. Also make sure to host your sites with hosting service providers who offer unlimited domain name hosting. One good example of a turnkey website service is ready-set-web.com.
2.) Joining an affiliate program
Affiliate programs are quite popular over the net. If you have a well ranking website with a good traffic margin then you can very well join an affiliate program offered by many if not all web template providers. All that you need to do is promote their templates and you can make easy money in the form of commissions.
What you need to do?
In order to join an affiliate program you need to register yourself for the program. As soon as the registration process is over you will receive a link or banner advert that you can place on your website at strategic places. In case your website visitor clicks the banner and makes the purchase you get a part of the commission. Commissions can range from 2% to 10% of the actual sales proceeds. Most companies use tracking software programs or individual services like clicksgalore, commission junction etc. for tracking sales.
Some good web template providers who offer affiliate programs are buytemplates.net, templatehunter.com, templatemagic.net and webzonetemplates.com Before joining an affiliate program make sure that the template provider offers allied/complimentary services like web hosting, search engine optimization, content insertion, domain name registration, template customization etc. In fact the more the complimentary services offered the better will be your returns.
3.) Reselling/redistributing web templates
If you own a website that attracts good traffic or is likely to attract traffic in the future, you can go for purchasing templates as a bulk and reselling them. To get redistribution rights all that you need to do is purchase reseller templates that many web template providers offer today. Some good web template vendors who offer reseller templates are http://www.buytemplates.net , http://www.templatemagic.net and freewebsitetemplates.com. Purchasing reseller templates on your own and reselling them can fetch you more returns than by joining an affiliate program.
What you need to do?
All that you need to do is purchase web templates that come with resell rights. You can then modify the templates and sell them to potential customers with non-exclusive rights. You certainly need not be a html pro to start this business; instead you can partner with template providers who offer related services like template customization, hosting, SEO etc. and earn good commissions by referring your customers to them.
4.) Joining Referral based programs
Referral programs are very unlike affiliate programs in the sense that they do not involve you to place links or banner ads on your site. This is basically a word of mouth program and requires you to promote products by word-of-mouth. In case a customer referred by you joins a membership program or buys a web template and refers your name in the referral section, you get a commission. But such referral programs are offered by very few template vendors today.
5.) Web designing with web templates
If you are a professional web designer you can earn higher returns by making use of web templates. Firstly you can satisfy your clients with the speed at which you complete the work and at the same time get more ROI as the readymade website templates are way cheap. All that you need to do is buy exclusive templates and resell them after making modifications. One way to go about it is by joining membership programs offered by web template providers. This will give you access to a host of web templates at a one time cost. Most web designers can almost double their profits, take care of multiple projects and also retain customers by making use of this technique. Also web designers can attract new customers by lowering their service charges.
So what if you can’t make web templates on your own, you can still cash in on web templates by making use of these sales techniques. Read More!
Five effective ways to make money out of web templates
1.) Creating turnkey pages from web templates
Turnkey websites are the hottest resource on the internet. If you are a web designer, web hosting company or simply own a website you can make good money by creating turnkey websites from readymade web templates.
What are turn key websites?
Turnkey websites are completely functional websites having relevant content, domain names and hosting. Depending on the type, turnkey websites can have shopping carts, interactive scripts, graphics forms, forums, live chats etc. All that a buyer needs to do is buy the website and he is ready to do business.
What you need to do?
In order to set up a turn key website business, you need to do the following;
1) Purchase professional looking web templates with resell rights or join a template membership program
2.) Modify the web templates by adding relevant content, links, images and graphics
3.) Purchase domain names and hosting accounts
4) Host the completed web templates as websites
5) Advertise/promote your websites for sale/rent by SEO and Email marketing
What will be your ROI?
You ROI Will surely be very high. This is because of the fact that the retail value of turnkey websites is around $200 - $500 per website and can also go higher based on the website quality. You can also go for renting your websites instead of selling them. As you will be purchasing web-templates for a cheaper cost your ROI will be higher. The best way to go about it is by joining membership programs that will give you access to a host of http://www.buytemplates.netweb templates at a low one time cost. Also make sure to host your sites with hosting service providers who offer unlimited domain name hosting. One good example of a turnkey website service is ready-set-web.com.
2.) Joining an affiliate program
Affiliate programs are quite popular over the net. If you have a well ranking website with a good traffic margin then you can very well join an affiliate program offered by many if not all web template providers. All that you need to do is promote their templates and you can make easy money in the form of commissions.
What you need to do?
In order to join an affiliate program you need to register yourself for the program. As soon as the registration process is over you will receive a link or banner advert that you can place on your website at strategic places. In case your website visitor clicks the banner and makes the purchase you get a part of the commission. Commissions can range from 2% to 10% of the actual sales proceeds. Most companies use tracking software programs or individual services like clicksgalore, commission junction etc. for tracking sales.
Some good web template providers who offer affiliate programs are buytemplates.net, templatehunter.com, templatemagic.net and webzonetemplates.com Before joining an affiliate program make sure that the template provider offers allied/complimentary services like web hosting, search engine optimization, content insertion, domain name registration, template customization etc. In fact the more the complimentary services offered the better will be your returns.
3.) Reselling/redistributing web templates
If you own a website that attracts good traffic or is likely to attract traffic in the future, you can go for purchasing templates as a bulk and reselling them. To get redistribution rights all that you need to do is purchase reseller templates that many web template providers offer today. Some good web template vendors who offer reseller templates are http://www.buytemplates.net , http://www.templatemagic.net and freewebsitetemplates.com. Purchasing reseller templates on your own and reselling them can fetch you more returns than by joining an affiliate program.
What you need to do?
All that you need to do is purchase web templates that come with resell rights. You can then modify the templates and sell them to potential customers with non-exclusive rights. You certainly need not be a html pro to start this business; instead you can partner with template providers who offer related services like template customization, hosting, SEO etc. and earn good commissions by referring your customers to them.
4.) Joining Referral based programs
Referral programs are very unlike affiliate programs in the sense that they do not involve you to place links or banner ads on your site. This is basically a word of mouth program and requires you to promote products by word-of-mouth. In case a customer referred by you joins a membership program or buys a web template and refers your name in the referral section, you get a commission. But such referral programs are offered by very few template vendors today.
5.) Web designing with web templates
If you are a professional web designer you can earn higher returns by making use of web templates. Firstly you can satisfy your clients with the speed at which you complete the work and at the same time get more ROI as the readymade website templates are way cheap. All that you need to do is buy exclusive templates and resell them after making modifications. One way to go about it is by joining membership programs offered by web template providers. This will give you access to a host of web templates at a one time cost. Most web designers can almost double their profits, take care of multiple projects and also retain customers by making use of this technique. Also web designers can attract new customers by lowering their service charges.
So what if you can’t make web templates on your own, you can still cash in on web templates by making use of these sales techniques. Read More!
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Forex Market Overview
The global marketplace has changed dramatically over the past several years. New investment strategies are becoming more important in order to minimize risk, as well as to maintain high portfolio returns. Among the most rewarding of the markets opening up to traders is the Foreign Exchange market. Identifiable trading patterns, as well as comparatively low margin requirements, have rewarding trading opportunities for many.
In contrast to the world’s stock markets, foreign exchange is traded without the constraints of a central physical exchange. Transactions are instead conducted via telephone or online. With this transaction structure as its foundation, the Foreign Exchange Market has become by far the largest marketplace in the world. Average volume in foreign exchange exceeds $1.5 trillion per day versus only $25 billion per day traded on the New York Stock Exchange. This high volume is advantageous from a trading standpoint because transactions can be executed quickly and with low transaction costs (i.e., a small bid/ask spread).
As a result, foreign exchange trading has long been recognized as a superior investment opportunity by major banks, multinational corporations and other institutions. Today, this market is more widely available to the individual trader than ever before.
Spot foreign exchange is always traded as one currency in relation to another. So a trader who believes that the dollar will rise in relation to the Euro, would sell EURUSD. That is, sell Euros and buy US dollars. Forex-Training.com has compiled the following guide for quoting conventions:
| Symbol | Currency Pair | Trading Terminology | ||
| GBPUSD | British Pound / US Dollar | "Cable" | ||
| EURUSD | Euro / US Dollar | "Euro" | ||
| USDJPY | US Dollar / Japanese Yen | "Dollar Yen" | ||
| USDCHF | US Dollar / Swiss Franc | "Dollar Swiss", or "Swissy" | ||
| USDCAD | US Dollar / Canadian Dollar | "Dollar Canada" | ||
| AUDUSD | Australian Dollar / US Dollar | "Aussie Dollar" | ||
| EURGBP | Euro / British Pound | "Euro Sterling" | ||
| EURJPY | Euro / Japanese Yen | "Euro Yen" | ||
| EURCHF | Euro / Swiss Franc | "Euro Swiss" | ||
| GBPCHF | British Pound / Swiss Franc | "Sterling Swiss" | ||
| GBPJPY | British Pound / Japanese Yen | "Sterling Yen" | ||
| CHFJPY | Swiss Franc / Japanese Yen | "Swiss Yen" | ||
| NZDUSD | New Zealand Dollar / US Dollar | "New Zealand Dollar" or "Kiwi" | ||
| USDZAR | US Dollar / South African Rand | "Dollar Zar" or "South African Rand" | ||
| GLDUSD | Spot Gold | "Gold" | ||
| SLVUSD | Spot Silver | "Silver" |
Spot Forex versus Currency Futures
Many traders have made the switch from currency futures to spot foreign exchange ("forex") trading. Spot foreign exchange offers better liquidity and generally a lower cost of trading than currency futures. Banks and brokers in spot foreign exchange can quote markets 24 hours a day. Furthermore, the spot foreign exchange market is not burdened by exchange and NFA ("National Futures Association") fees, which are generally passed on to the customer in the form of higher commissions. For these reasons, virtually all professional traders and institutions conduct most of their foreign exchange dealing in the spot forex market, not in currency futures.
The mechanics of trading spot forex are similar to those of currency futures. The most important initial difference is the way in which currency pairs are quoted. Currency futures are always quoted as the currency versus the US dollar. In Spot forex, some currencies are quoted this way, while others are quoted as the US dollar versus the currency. For example, in spot forex, EURUSD is quoted the same way as Euro futures. In other words, if the Euro is strengthening, EURUSD will rise just as Euro futures will rise. On the other hand, USDCHF is quoted as US dollars with respect to Swiss Francs, the opposite of Swiss Franc futures. So if the Swiss Franc strengthens with respect to the US dollar, USDCHF will fall, while Swiss Franc futures will rise. The rule in spot forex is that the first currency shown is the currency that is being quoted in terms of direction. For example, "EUR" in EURUSD and "USD" in USDCHF is the currency that is being quoted.
The table below illustrates which spot currencies move parallel to the futures contract and which move inversely (opposite):
| Forex Symbol | Currency Pair | Futures Symbol | Directional Relationship | |||
| GBPUSD | British Pound / US Dollar | BP | Parallel | |||
| EURUSD | Euro / US Dollar | EU | Parallel | |||
| USDJPY | US Dollar / Japanese Yen | JY | Inverse | |||
| USDCHF | US Dollar / Swiss Franc | SF | Inverse | |||
| USDCAD | US Dollar / Canadian Dollar | CD | Inverse | |||
| AUDUSD | Australian Dollar / US Dollar | AD | Parallel | |||
| NZDUSD | New Zealand Dollar / US Dollar | ND | Parallel |
Prophetic Nerds
I am an Internet creative writer and journalist and yet knowledge of the technical side of computers still eludes me. As I work with tech-heads I've always had a feeling that they were a different breed of people, with their strange language of numbers and abbreviated terminology. I've also had the egotistical belief that because they are always sitting at their computers, that somehow they were missing out on life, as opposed to people like me who try to spend as much time in fresh air as possible. Well, I had a wake up call today when I asked a few of my colleagues about the changing world of communication, television, film, and advertising that has begun to evolve at an alarming rate since the advent of the Internet.
First of all, after a short discussion I realized these people are just like me, they do all the things I do in their spare time. Secondly, I came to understand that a lot of these so-called 'nerds' are actually at the forefront of this revolution of technology and ideas that are changing our world for the better. Their well-kept secret is this: As they are the people designing these technologies that harness the power of the human imagination, they are actually prophets who can see into the future. I'm not saying that they are gurus who have mastered all aspects of life, on the contrary, I still believe that most of contemporary society still needs to focus much more time and attention on internal growth and understanding of our emotions and thought processes. However, as the tech-head jobs are usually based around ideas about how to make the world function better, they are miles ahead when it comes to knowing about which systems are going to implemented in the future.
Take communication for example. When the telephone was first invented by Alexander Graham Bell a lot of people questioned the worth of being able to speak to someone that they couldn't see face-to-face. Of course after the benefits were discovered, the whole paradigm of communication drastically changed. Everyone now felt that it was 'necessary' to have a telephone. Many, many years later came satellites and with them the ability to talk to people on the other side of the world. Recently we've had huge cables constructed of optical fiber laid along the ocean floor, and with them came light-speed telephone and Internet connections. Well, the future of communication is now on the verge of a new revolution in paradigm as voice-over-Internet communication comes into existence and evolves.
A good example of this technology in its early stages can be found at http://www.skype.com/. Skype is a company whose service of computer-to-computer and even computer-to-phone communication has already had around 115 million downloads off the Internet. The reason that it is so popular now is that compared to a normal landline phone call, it is super cheap! A few of my friends and colleagues use it regularly so I'll tell you how it works. In the case of computer-to-computer voice communication, each person needs either a headset with built-in microphone and headphones, or a combination of microphone and computer speakers/headphones. At this stage you both also need a Broadband Internet connection, but let me tell you, until the big telephone and Internet corporations put a block on the current system (some US companies already have), you can now talk to people on the other side of the world for relatively free! The only cost seen is where the amount of time you speak is subtracted from your allowable download limit. Talking to someone for an hour on the other side of the globe hardly takes any download usage and as the Internet is the medium, the 'phone call' is actually better quality than a landline but with equal speed so there's no time delay of speaker to listener like in the days of satellites.
The computer-to-phone service does have a fee but it still costs less than the rates on a normal telephone, although my friend says that the quality isn't as good as the other Skype method yet. What does this mean for future communication in our world? It means eventually telephone companies will probably have to become Internet communication providers, and by that stage they will probably raise prices, as they will be losing so much of the revenue that they make now from overcharging on telephone services. It's kind of like the situation we have with fossil fuels versus environmentally friendly energy production. Even though the technology exists, the oil companies aren't going to bring it out until they've made every cent they can from the old technology.
However, as the Internet is a new medium where the general public has much more power and freedom from corporation and government constraints, this new technology has a much better chance of being implemented into our society straight away. 115 million downloads of Skype alone means that if the phone companies try and block this sort of communication completely, people probably won't stand for it. This is also an important fact as it means that Internet nerds have a much better chance of bringing their ideas to reality, compared with nerds in other areas of human progress that are controlled more by big money-makers. As for now, if I were you I'd get onto Skype or another Internet voice communication provider and save your hard earned cash for as long as you can.
First of all, after a short discussion I realized these people are just like me, they do all the things I do in their spare time. Secondly, I came to understand that a lot of these so-called 'nerds' are actually at the forefront of this revolution of technology and ideas that are changing our world for the better. Their well-kept secret is this: As they are the people designing these technologies that harness the power of the human imagination, they are actually prophets who can see into the future. I'm not saying that they are gurus who have mastered all aspects of life, on the contrary, I still believe that most of contemporary society still needs to focus much more time and attention on internal growth and understanding of our emotions and thought processes. However, as the tech-head jobs are usually based around ideas about how to make the world function better, they are miles ahead when it comes to knowing about which systems are going to implemented in the future.
Take communication for example. When the telephone was first invented by Alexander Graham Bell a lot of people questioned the worth of being able to speak to someone that they couldn't see face-to-face. Of course after the benefits were discovered, the whole paradigm of communication drastically changed. Everyone now felt that it was 'necessary' to have a telephone. Many, many years later came satellites and with them the ability to talk to people on the other side of the world. Recently we've had huge cables constructed of optical fiber laid along the ocean floor, and with them came light-speed telephone and Internet connections. Well, the future of communication is now on the verge of a new revolution in paradigm as voice-over-Internet communication comes into existence and evolves.
A good example of this technology in its early stages can be found at http://www.skype.com/. Skype is a company whose service of computer-to-computer and even computer-to-phone communication has already had around 115 million downloads off the Internet. The reason that it is so popular now is that compared to a normal landline phone call, it is super cheap! A few of my friends and colleagues use it regularly so I'll tell you how it works. In the case of computer-to-computer voice communication, each person needs either a headset with built-in microphone and headphones, or a combination of microphone and computer speakers/headphones. At this stage you both also need a Broadband Internet connection, but let me tell you, until the big telephone and Internet corporations put a block on the current system (some US companies already have), you can now talk to people on the other side of the world for relatively free! The only cost seen is where the amount of time you speak is subtracted from your allowable download limit. Talking to someone for an hour on the other side of the globe hardly takes any download usage and as the Internet is the medium, the 'phone call' is actually better quality than a landline but with equal speed so there's no time delay of speaker to listener like in the days of satellites.
The computer-to-phone service does have a fee but it still costs less than the rates on a normal telephone, although my friend says that the quality isn't as good as the other Skype method yet. What does this mean for future communication in our world? It means eventually telephone companies will probably have to become Internet communication providers, and by that stage they will probably raise prices, as they will be losing so much of the revenue that they make now from overcharging on telephone services. It's kind of like the situation we have with fossil fuels versus environmentally friendly energy production. Even though the technology exists, the oil companies aren't going to bring it out until they've made every cent they can from the old technology.
However, as the Internet is a new medium where the general public has much more power and freedom from corporation and government constraints, this new technology has a much better chance of being implemented into our society straight away. 115 million downloads of Skype alone means that if the phone companies try and block this sort of communication completely, people probably won't stand for it. This is also an important fact as it means that Internet nerds have a much better chance of bringing their ideas to reality, compared with nerds in other areas of human progress that are controlled more by big money-makers. As for now, if I were you I'd get onto Skype or another Internet voice communication provider and save your hard earned cash for as long as you can.
About the Author
Jesse S. Somer
M6.Net
http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer doesn't like being called a nerd, but if nerds are creating a better life for the world, he might just deal with it.
Packet8 is broadband telephone and videophone service using
Packet8 is broadband telephone and videophone service using VoIP offering a Virtual Office for both Business and Residential maybe used via International Plans.
Taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones
More about Packet8 at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Packet8 is a broadband telephone and videophone service like no other. Taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones.
Packet8 offers a Virtual Office for both Business and Residential maybe used via International Plans.
Packet8 is an affordable and easy-to-use broadband telephone and videophone service. Designed with both residential and business customers in mind, Packet8 allows anyone with broadband (high-speed) Internet access to use their regular phone to make UNLIMITED calls to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
What do I get?
Unlimited calling for one low monthly rate.
When you subscribe to a Packet8 plan using our online store, you will be shipped a broadband telephone adapter (at no extra cost) or a standalone videophone (at a greatly discounted price) depending upon the plan. Along with the equipment, you will receive a 10-digit activation code. Packet8 will transfer your existing number or give you a new telephone number from the area code of your choice.
Packet8 offers several residential and business plans that are feature rich and include unlimited calling options. All plans include more cool features than are available from your old telephone company. Our retailer sellers may offer different packages, including free service months and rebates.
How does it work?
Packet8 routes your calls over the Internet.
By taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones, Packet8 is the complete voice and video communication service. Packet8 sends all calls to and from you through the broadband phone adapter or the videophone, which then route the calls over the Internet, instead of using the traditional public telephone network. There are no extra numbers to dial, no special instructions and no talking through your computer. Just pick up your phone, hear a dial tone and dial any phone number. Incoming calls ring your phone the same as any traditional phone.
Packet8 Broadband Phone Service offers two VoIP business plans:
Virtual Office, our most comprehensive business platform, is a hosted Internet PBX solution comprised of powerful business class features including a customizable auto-attendant, 3-digit extension to extension dialling, 3-way conferencing, conference bridge, multiple call handling, business-class voicemail, hunt groups, that come with a superior business-quality phone with feature rich controls and unlimited calling plans to the United States and Canada. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Business 2000, a VoIP telephone service that includes a single direct-inbound-dial line, has a basic business feature set including voicemail, 3-way calling, call forwarding, caller ID and call waiting.
Broadband Phone Service - Residential Plans at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Consumers can now enjoy unlimited local and long distance calling by adding Packet8 Broadband Phone Service (VoIP) to their high-speed Internet connections. There are several residential plans from which to choose, starting with Freedom Unlimited.
For consumers who live outside the U.S., the Freedom International plan allows you to have a U.S. phone number and make up 1000 minutes of calling to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers.
Residential subscribers who want to add pictures to their words, they can subscribe to the Freedom Unlimited VideoPhone plan. Using Packet8 VideoPhones and video and voice over Internet protocol technology, allows consumers unlimited time to see and hear loved ones.
Video in Color find out more at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Make Unlimited Video and Regular Phone Calls With Packet8 VideoPhone!
As Simple to Use as a Traditional Phone.
With the same ease as making a regular telephone call, Packet8 VideoPhone delivers high-quality, full-motion video and clear, delay-free audio over any broadband (high-speed Cable or DSL) Internet connection. Designed with both residential and business customers in mind, this powerful standalone videophone will enhance your calls immeasurably while saving you money on your phone bill. Speak with color and see what you've been missing!
Using 8x8's Packet8 broadband phone service, Packet8 VideoPhone subscribers receive UNLIMITED video calling and regular calling in the U.S. and Canada for a low monthly flat-rate as well as enjoying UNLIMITED worldwide video and audio-only calling to other Packet8 subscribers.
KEY VIDEOPHONE FEATURES
Plug-and-play device has no need for monitor or TV, keyboard, mouse, microphone, speakers or computer!
Regular dialling to other Packet8 VideoPhone for video calling or any regular telephone for traditional audio-only call
High-quality CCD camera
Auto-focus range: 2" to infinity
Up to 30 frames per second video quality
5" High-quality LCD screen
Audio/Video output for larger, external screen display
And many, many more
International Plans
International Plans are great programs to keep in touch with family, friends and schoolmates across the globe. Programs include flat rate pricing for unlimited calling to US, Canada and specified countries with all the great Packet8 features.
http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Virtual Office
Hosted PBX with a Powerful Feature Set for Small/Medium-Sized Organizations
Sound big at any size! That's the power and appeal of Packet8 Virtual Office, the broadband Internet-based PBX service for small and mid-sized organizations with big ambitions.
Virtual Office allows Packet8 subscribers anywhere in the world to employ a hosted PBX that permits an unlimited number of extensions for staff located in the same building or spread far and wide around the world. In addition to enjoying unlimited calls anywhere in the United States and Canada for a flat monthly fee, as well as rock bottom per-minute international rates, Virtual Office provides smaller enterprises with numerous corporation-class PBX features.
Sounding gigantic while paying puny! Virtual Office gives your small organization geographic independence and flexibility, providing you with feature-rich telephones that bring together dispersed staff to sound like one office location or to appear as satellites offices located all over the world. Virtual Office virtually eliminates large long-distance telephone costs for intra-organization phoning.
All Packet8 subscribers get world wide UNLIMITED calling to other Packet8 subscribers at no extra charge. Calls to non-Packet8 international numbers (outside the U.S. and Canada) are charged at a very low per minute rate. Check our international rates at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Signing up for Packet8 is simple. Setting up and using Packet8 is even easier.
http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Packet8
Taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones
More about Packet8 at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Packet8 is a broadband telephone and videophone service like no other. Taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones.
Packet8 offers a Virtual Office for both Business and Residential maybe used via International Plans.
Packet8 is an affordable and easy-to-use broadband telephone and videophone service. Designed with both residential and business customers in mind, Packet8 allows anyone with broadband (high-speed) Internet access to use their regular phone to make UNLIMITED calls to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.
What do I get?
Unlimited calling for one low monthly rate.
When you subscribe to a Packet8 plan using our online store, you will be shipped a broadband telephone adapter (at no extra cost) or a standalone videophone (at a greatly discounted price) depending upon the plan. Along with the equipment, you will receive a 10-digit activation code. Packet8 will transfer your existing number or give you a new telephone number from the area code of your choice.
Packet8 offers several residential and business plans that are feature rich and include unlimited calling options. All plans include more cool features than are available from your old telephone company. Our retailer sellers may offer different packages, including free service months and rebates.
How does it work?
Packet8 routes your calls over the Internet.
By taking advantage of a technology called VoIP (voice over internet protocol), high-speed Internet connections and 8x8's expertise in designing videophones, Packet8 is the complete voice and video communication service. Packet8 sends all calls to and from you through the broadband phone adapter or the videophone, which then route the calls over the Internet, instead of using the traditional public telephone network. There are no extra numbers to dial, no special instructions and no talking through your computer. Just pick up your phone, hear a dial tone and dial any phone number. Incoming calls ring your phone the same as any traditional phone.
Packet8 Broadband Phone Service offers two VoIP business plans:
Virtual Office, our most comprehensive business platform, is a hosted Internet PBX solution comprised of powerful business class features including a customizable auto-attendant, 3-digit extension to extension dialling, 3-way conferencing, conference bridge, multiple call handling, business-class voicemail, hunt groups, that come with a superior business-quality phone with feature rich controls and unlimited calling plans to the United States and Canada. Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Business 2000, a VoIP telephone service that includes a single direct-inbound-dial line, has a basic business feature set including voicemail, 3-way calling, call forwarding, caller ID and call waiting.
Broadband Phone Service - Residential Plans at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Consumers can now enjoy unlimited local and long distance calling by adding Packet8 Broadband Phone Service (VoIP) to their high-speed Internet connections. There are several residential plans from which to choose, starting with Freedom Unlimited.
For consumers who live outside the U.S., the Freedom International plan allows you to have a U.S. phone number and make up 1000 minutes of calling to U.S. and Canadian phone numbers.
Residential subscribers who want to add pictures to their words, they can subscribe to the Freedom Unlimited VideoPhone plan. Using Packet8 VideoPhones and video and voice over Internet protocol technology, allows consumers unlimited time to see and hear loved ones.
Video in Color find out more at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Make Unlimited Video and Regular Phone Calls With Packet8 VideoPhone!
As Simple to Use as a Traditional Phone.
With the same ease as making a regular telephone call, Packet8 VideoPhone delivers high-quality, full-motion video and clear, delay-free audio over any broadband (high-speed Cable or DSL) Internet connection. Designed with both residential and business customers in mind, this powerful standalone videophone will enhance your calls immeasurably while saving you money on your phone bill. Speak with color and see what you've been missing!
Using 8x8's Packet8 broadband phone service, Packet8 VideoPhone subscribers receive UNLIMITED video calling and regular calling in the U.S. and Canada for a low monthly flat-rate as well as enjoying UNLIMITED worldwide video and audio-only calling to other Packet8 subscribers.
KEY VIDEOPHONE FEATURES
Plug-and-play device has no need for monitor or TV, keyboard, mouse, microphone, speakers or computer!
Regular dialling to other Packet8 VideoPhone for video calling or any regular telephone for traditional audio-only call
High-quality CCD camera
Auto-focus range: 2" to infinity
Up to 30 frames per second video quality
5" High-quality LCD screen
Audio/Video output for larger, external screen display
And many, many more
International Plans
International Plans are great programs to keep in touch with family, friends and schoolmates across the globe. Programs include flat rate pricing for unlimited calling to US, Canada and specified countries with all the great Packet8 features.
http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Virtual Office
Hosted PBX with a Powerful Feature Set for Small/Medium-Sized Organizations
Sound big at any size! That's the power and appeal of Packet8 Virtual Office, the broadband Internet-based PBX service for small and mid-sized organizations with big ambitions.
Virtual Office allows Packet8 subscribers anywhere in the world to employ a hosted PBX that permits an unlimited number of extensions for staff located in the same building or spread far and wide around the world. In addition to enjoying unlimited calls anywhere in the United States and Canada for a flat monthly fee, as well as rock bottom per-minute international rates, Virtual Office provides smaller enterprises with numerous corporation-class PBX features.
Sounding gigantic while paying puny! Virtual Office gives your small organization geographic independence and flexibility, providing you with feature-rich telephones that bring together dispersed staff to sound like one office location or to appear as satellites offices located all over the world. Virtual Office virtually eliminates large long-distance telephone costs for intra-organization phoning.
All Packet8 subscribers get world wide UNLIMITED calling to other Packet8 subscribers at no extra charge. Calls to non-Packet8 international numbers (outside the U.S. and Canada) are charged at a very low per minute rate. Check our international rates at http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Signing up for Packet8 is simple. Setting up and using Packet8 is even easier.
http://tinyurl.com/59llv
Packet8
About the Author
None
Read More!My Trusty Predictions for 2005
Since this is my last column of the year, I will use this space to give you my trusty predictions for 2005. While none of these are guaranteed and any predictions are always fraught with risks, I'm reasonably sure the majority of them will prove to be quite accurate. They are based on my analysis of the personalities involved and the outcomes of similar situations from the past.
(1) The Iraqi elections will go on as scheduled. This is the one I'm the most sure of. Barring some kind of cataclysmic event,Iraqis will go to the polls on January 30. Because of terrorist activity, which will only intensify as that date draws closer, it is anyone's guess as to how many Iraqis will actually go to the polls. However, President Bush is bound and determined that these
elections will take place on schedule, come hell or high water. I doubt if anyone, other than God Himself, would be capable of changing the President's mind on this issue.
(2) Michael Jackson will be acquitted. Despite how bad Jackson might look, there's just not enough evidence linking him to the crime he's be accused of. Most of the stuff that makes him look so bad has nothing to do with this case. If he is acquitted, he should then do the "moonwalk" on the courtroom steps to rub Jane
Velez-Mitchell's nose in it.
(3) Gas prices will continue to drop. This is simply a matter of supply and demand. Oil and gas prices were way too high for way too long. This caused oil producing nations to cheat on their quotas and export more crude. Refiners increased their output as well to take advantage of the higher prices. As a result, there's now an oil glut, despite OPEC's announced cut in production. This will
continue to put heavy downward pressure on oil prices. I expect the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. to dip to $1.30 sometime in 2005 before recovering a little.
(4) Al Gore will re-emerge onto the political scene. He will start making more high visibility speeches as well as more appearances on the TV talk show circuit, in preparation for his run for the presidency in 2008. Gore will once again become a formidable candidate for the highest office in the land.
(5) Progress will be made in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will go on as planned. The new Palestinian Authority leader not be anywhere near the hard-liner that Arafat was. In response, Ariel Sharon will take less of a hard line toward the Palestinians. I'm not saying that 2005 will bring
peace between Israel and the PLO, but a step in the right direction will be taken. However, given their history, any progress could be just temporary.
(6) Bush will tackle tax reform, but chicken out on Social Security reform. Social Security reform, at least for 2005, will prove to be too much of a hot potato for the President and for Congress. Tax reform, although difficult itself, is the path of least resistance. I don't foresee a major overhaul, though. Look for some kind of simplification of the current tax code, along with some version of
the Lifetime Savings Account. The Roth 401(k) might finally become a reality as well.
(7) VoIP will start to take off. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows consumers to make phone calls over their broadband internet connections. It is much cheaper and less restrictive that standard phone service. Most people are still not familiar with it but the major phone companies, along with some smaller companies which specialize in that technology, will start to change that in 2005. They are already heavily advertising it on the internet. I expect a major TV, radio, and newspaper ad blitz to begin in early 2005.
(8) The Florida Marlins will stay put, but the Oakland A's and Minnesota Twins will start looking elsewhere. The Marlins will finalize their deal with the city of Miami for a new baseball stadium. They will then change their name to the Miami Marlins. However, the A's and the Twins won't be so fortunate. The A's will start serious negotiations with San Jose. The Twins will start looking at Las Vegas, Portland, Norfolk, or Monterrey, Mexico as a possible new venue. The Expos' relocation to Washington was Major
League Baseball's first relocation in 33 years. Now that the genie is out of the bottle, there could be several more in the next five years.
(9) The NHL season will be partially saved. There is no way the NHL wants to become the first major North American sports league to lose an entire season due to a labor dispute. Commissioner Gary Bettman and the owners will temporarily drop their demands for a salary cap and accept a modified version of the players' latest offer. This will allow the last 35-40% of the season, along with the playoffs, to proceed as scheduled. However, this will just be a short-term deal that will only take the league through the end of the 2005-06 season. Then they'll be right back to the drawing board.
(10) Next season's flu shot supply will be plentiful by October. I expect that everyone has learned their lesson from this year's fiasco. There will be at least one company, possibly two, producing the vaccine in the United States. Congress will pass legislation to ensure that the production and distribution of the vaccine will be
less risky for American companies. Also, the FDA will probably do a better job of monitoring worldwide supplies. Enough will be available for anyone in the U.S who wants one.
(1) The Iraqi elections will go on as scheduled. This is the one I'm the most sure of. Barring some kind of cataclysmic event,Iraqis will go to the polls on January 30. Because of terrorist activity, which will only intensify as that date draws closer, it is anyone's guess as to how many Iraqis will actually go to the polls. However, President Bush is bound and determined that these
elections will take place on schedule, come hell or high water. I doubt if anyone, other than God Himself, would be capable of changing the President's mind on this issue.
(2) Michael Jackson will be acquitted. Despite how bad Jackson might look, there's just not enough evidence linking him to the crime he's be accused of. Most of the stuff that makes him look so bad has nothing to do with this case. If he is acquitted, he should then do the "moonwalk" on the courtroom steps to rub Jane
Velez-Mitchell's nose in it.
(3) Gas prices will continue to drop. This is simply a matter of supply and demand. Oil and gas prices were way too high for way too long. This caused oil producing nations to cheat on their quotas and export more crude. Refiners increased their output as well to take advantage of the higher prices. As a result, there's now an oil glut, despite OPEC's announced cut in production. This will
continue to put heavy downward pressure on oil prices. I expect the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. to dip to $1.30 sometime in 2005 before recovering a little.
(4) Al Gore will re-emerge onto the political scene. He will start making more high visibility speeches as well as more appearances on the TV talk show circuit, in preparation for his run for the presidency in 2008. Gore will once again become a formidable candidate for the highest office in the land.
(5) Progress will be made in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will go on as planned. The new Palestinian Authority leader not be anywhere near the hard-liner that Arafat was. In response, Ariel Sharon will take less of a hard line toward the Palestinians. I'm not saying that 2005 will bring
peace between Israel and the PLO, but a step in the right direction will be taken. However, given their history, any progress could be just temporary.
(6) Bush will tackle tax reform, but chicken out on Social Security reform. Social Security reform, at least for 2005, will prove to be too much of a hot potato for the President and for Congress. Tax reform, although difficult itself, is the path of least resistance. I don't foresee a major overhaul, though. Look for some kind of simplification of the current tax code, along with some version of
the Lifetime Savings Account. The Roth 401(k) might finally become a reality as well.
(7) VoIP will start to take off. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows consumers to make phone calls over their broadband internet connections. It is much cheaper and less restrictive that standard phone service. Most people are still not familiar with it but the major phone companies, along with some smaller companies which specialize in that technology, will start to change that in 2005. They are already heavily advertising it on the internet. I expect a major TV, radio, and newspaper ad blitz to begin in early 2005.
(8) The Florida Marlins will stay put, but the Oakland A's and Minnesota Twins will start looking elsewhere. The Marlins will finalize their deal with the city of Miami for a new baseball stadium. They will then change their name to the Miami Marlins. However, the A's and the Twins won't be so fortunate. The A's will start serious negotiations with San Jose. The Twins will start looking at Las Vegas, Portland, Norfolk, or Monterrey, Mexico as a possible new venue. The Expos' relocation to Washington was Major
League Baseball's first relocation in 33 years. Now that the genie is out of the bottle, there could be several more in the next five years.
(9) The NHL season will be partially saved. There is no way the NHL wants to become the first major North American sports league to lose an entire season due to a labor dispute. Commissioner Gary Bettman and the owners will temporarily drop their demands for a salary cap and accept a modified version of the players' latest offer. This will allow the last 35-40% of the season, along with the playoffs, to proceed as scheduled. However, this will just be a short-term deal that will only take the league through the end of the 2005-06 season. Then they'll be right back to the drawing board.
(10) Next season's flu shot supply will be plentiful by October. I expect that everyone has learned their lesson from this year's fiasco. There will be at least one company, possibly two, producing the vaccine in the United States. Congress will pass legislation to ensure that the production and distribution of the vaccine will be
less risky for American companies. Also, the FDA will probably do a better job of monitoring worldwide supplies. Enough will be available for anyone in the U.S who wants one.
About the Author
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.
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