Life is a Song68856

With so much of todays business being transacted online, computer security is a major issue affecting businesses and consumers. For online businesses, there can be problems in the form of stolen credit card information, mailing or personal information. If you are selling information, your content may be hacked into and copied. This affects the business and customer adversely, since the customer is likely to blame the online business. This erodes the image of your business and discourages other customers from trusting you with their information. No one likes their email inbox to be bombarded with viruses and spam. If they feel that your site has something to do with it, your business and reputation will suffer long term damage. To avoid problems with your businesss computer security, follow the guidelines listed below.

Never allow external storage devices Do not permit anyone to take data out of your system in any form of external storage device, such as floppy disks, CDs etc. for any reason. Obviously, this compromises your safety and that of your customers.

Limit employee access Restrict employee access to files, folders and areas within the system that they require in their day to day work. Do not allow anyone to gain access to any information that they do not require. Make sure that you install systems that lock out employees who do not have authorization.

Third party outsourcing Outsource your payment system to a third party such as PayPal, so that your liability is reduced in case of any computer security problems. This third party will have the necessary technological support to ensure that the customer and your business are safe. But to be sure of this, you will need to do a thorough check on your selected provider or choose a reputable one.

Check on your technology vendor It is important to ensure that your technology vendor has taken steps to protect the server and the software in your system appropriately with firewalls etc. If it is possible and affordable, look into getting a third party security audit of the system from both ends the server provider & the software at your end since leaks may be from either end. Pages that contain sensitive data should be appropriately protected with software security locks.

Newsletter email lists If you have a newsletter, make sure that your online business keeps its mailing list secure and that no recipient can tamper with it or gain access to the list. This is essential in protecting the privacy of your customer information.

Affiliations with reputable associations Form affiliations with trusted business and computer security organizations, such as BBBOnline, to ensure that customers feel safe coming to your site. The additional benefit of this is the identification of any flaws in the security through a check up.

Educate customers It is imperative to educate your customers about computer safety. Ensure that they know your online business will not send them emails soliciting information and that if they receive any such mail, they should report it to you at once.

Content Protect your content by ensuring that it is safe behind firewalls and other applications that prohibit unauthorized entry. As for public content, simply provide your visitors with updated and informative content regularly since good quality cannot be copied.

William King is the director of UK Wholesalers Drop Shippers & Trade Suppliers, Wholesalers Suppliers & Drop Shipping Trade Directory, and Dropshippers & Wholesale Drop Shipping Products Directory. He has 18 years of experience in the marketing and trading industries and has been helping retailers and startups with their product sourcing, promotion, marketing and supply chain requirements.

New figures have indicated Britons paid out 48.7 billion in unexpected bills and charges over the last 12 months. Research by Abbey revealed that in the past year 79 per cent of consumers were forced to pay for something they had not budgeted for - each time setting them back an average 1,375 - which could impact upon their ability to make repayments on personal loans, credit cards and other forms of borrowing.

Reza Attar-Zadeh, head of savings for Abbey, said: "You never know what life is going to throw at you.

"However, you can prepare for the unexpected through building up a 'buffer savings fund' to help deal with these shock events." He suggested that building up "a fund of at least three months' salary" could help consumers with any unexpected debt management difficulties. Other areas which were reported to place pressure on consumers' abilities to make loan repayments included parking tickets, surprise bills and travel expenses.

To meet these expenses some 37 per cent were reported to have used their credit cards, with a further seven per cent of respondents borrowing money off a friend or relative. The study also indicated that those living in the south-east could be experiencing the worst debt management difficulties with 83 per cent of residents in the area forced to make unforeseen payments.

Meanwhile, consumers in Wales and the south-west were said to be able to handle their finances better - as only two-thirds dealt with unexpected expenses in the past year. Home repairs were reported to account for the largest proportion of unexpected expenditure, costing a total of 19.2 billion - an average of 1,206 per adult. Last week figures from National Savings & Investments indicated that a third of Britons are 'financial fantasists'.

The study revealed that 33 per cent of consumers take out personal loans or count on higher wages in later life to cement their financial future.

Abbi Rouse writes for All About Loans where visitors can apply for http://www.allaboutloans.co.uk

Structured settlement is generally known as the replacement for the conventional lump sum cash settlement. In brief, a structured settlement is a contracted arrangement where the insurance company agrees to pay a predetermined periodic payment to the claimant. Most of the time, such payment is used to resolve personal injury tort claims or to compromise a statutory periodic payment obligation.

Structured settlement system was first introduced in Canada back in 1970s, followed by United States in the early 80s and then to the European countries. As the system is recommended by the Federals, structured settlement is a popular alternative to the lump sum cash settlement in United States.

Advantages of structured settlement system

Tax advantage

In United States, favorable tax treatment rules have been extended to the cash received under annuity payment agreement in order to encourage the use of structured settlement system. For instant, money income from structured settlement payment are not included in gross income when filing tax, this means that the payment from structured settlement is non-taxable.

With the money made with tax free dollars while maintaining a tax write-off, the annuity payments from a structured settlement system provide a steady cash flow to start a business or securing home mortgage installments.

Avoid dissipation risks

Besides, the structured system offers a perfect income stream where dissipation risks are minimized. It is very common for a lump sum settlement recipient to finish all the money in a short time as the money is like lottery winning. Most of these lump sum money are wasted in ineffective investment or unrealistic luxurious instead of securing life long income stream.

At the end of the day, some of the former recipients might have found themselves with no cash flow, relying on loans for family living expenses, or even relying on direct public assistance as a source of support for the rest of their life.

Flexibility

The payment stream in a structured settlement payment has no limitation at all. Depends on the arrangement between beneficiary and the insurance company, payment stream can be made the same each year, or increase annually; the payment period can be fixed at a certain length of time, or it can be set as lifetime basis. Besides, the structure settlement can be sold for instant cash as well during necessary. Selling a structured settlement provides the convenience in case that you need some instant cash to overcome major expenses in life such as buying a house or returning a loan.

To learn more about annuity payment and selling your structure settlement, visit http://www.structuredsettlementfaq.com

Article by Teddy

Finding a suitable cord blood donor for medical purpose is marked with many issues. In many cases, people are not able to get the perfect match for their medical needs. A large number of people die waiting for a transplant due to this reason. This particularly holds true for adoptive children. They may not have any biological sibling or family member to look out for matches. Besides this, children without siblings and people belonging to certain races or ethnicities, who dont have access to other people of their race in their area, also face problems. Cord blood storage in a cord blood bank provides an answer to this problem.

Moreover, finding a match does not guarantee the success of an umbilical cord blood transplant. This is because our human body is programmed to reject anything it finds "foreign," even if that thing comes as your lifesaver.

Become Your Own Donor

Imagine a situation where you dont have to consider the above issues. How about becoming your own donor? Then, you can always get a perfect match and reduce the risk of rejection to a great extent. Sounds too good to be true? But it IS true! cord blood banking has made it true!

Cord blood stem cells work extremely well in transplants because they shoulder the responsibility of non-functioning cells that they try to replace. For example, the body of a leukemia patient stops producing the adequate amount of white blood cells in the bone marrow. Before the discovery of cord blood stem cells, leukemia patients had to wait anxiously to find a suitable bone marrow donor and then have a transplant, which had its own uncertainties. It might either work or not.

However, the scenario has changed with the discovery of cord blood stem cells. Now, the match is guaranteed, as the blood comes from your body directly, and the stem cells rapidly convert into cells that will turn into normal functioning bone marrow. This will ensure the generation of white blood cells to combat the deadly disease.

Cored Blood Stem Cells - The Wonder Cells

Since stem cells have the amazing ability to transform into any type of cells, cord blood is a kind of wonder tool to treat and many scary diseases such as various types of cancers, sickle cell anemia, genetic or immune system disorder, and others.

With cord blood, you dont have to go through a horrible waiting period while finding a suitable match. Doctors can start your treatment immediately, thus, allowing you complete recovery since the disease will not have taken full control of your body.

Besides this, you can become a cord blood donor yourself to save your sick sibling or family member. You need not run from pillar to post searching for a suitable donor to save the life of your loved ones. Well, this really is a giant leap on earth itself!

Stop waiting for cord blood donors to save your loved one! Be your own donor and get treatment immediately.

The process of Cord blood banking or cord blood storage is a perfect answer to store cord blood stem cells in case you, your kids or someone in your family needs an umbilical cord blood transplant.

Cord Blood Banking has all the details and answers you have regarding the process and need for cord blood storage.

Recipients of monthly payments may not be aware that they may sell structured insurance settlement payment rights to organizations that can, in return, provide a lump sum of cash to be used by the seller immediately. Although the promise of regular payments through a structured settlement may sound appealing at first, many recipients find that having access to cash, even if it amounts to less than the total annuity payment over time, is a better deal.

People who decide to sell structured insurance settlements do so to have money at their immediate disposal, rather than to have to wait for expected payments. The lump sum payout is basically a cash advance that can be spent as needed or saved or invested for future use. People who decide to sell structured insurance settlement payment agreements find that having access to cash at one time can pay off debt, cover unforeseen medical and education expenses, allow for large purchases, and even treat the family to a dream vacation.

Some people choose to use the additional cash to take advantage of investment opportunities that might yield more money over time than the settlement offered. Regardless of what they decide to do with the money they receive, people who sell structured insurance settlements regain control of the money awarded to them and are able to do with that money what they choose in the present, rather than having to wait years for the series of payments to arrive.

Those choosing to sell will want to do some research to be sure they get the most out of the transaction. Reputable buyers offer many options to sellers and can customize agreements to suit individual needs since no two arrangements are alike.

How Do I Start the Selling Process?

If you decide you want to sell structured insurance settlement payments to a buyer, you should first find out what types of programs are offered. Understand that when you sell a structured insurance settlement, you will receive less money than was awarded to you originally; however, that money will immediately be yours to do with as you please.

And dont forget that due to the natural flow of inflation, structured set payments are actually worth less over time. This is why it makes sense to get a lump sum now. A reputable buyer will also suggest that you consult an attorney and have him or her look over the agreement you are planning to make with the buyer.

Whether you decide to continue receiving periodic payments or to join those who have decided to sell structured insurance settlements, remember that the money was awarded to you, and you have options of when to receive your money and what you can do to make it work best for you.

Jamie has been working in the finance industry for many years and is a contributing editor to http://www.selling-your-note.com. Learn how to sell structured insurance settlements and get a free quote from a top note buyer on our site.

Introduction

Perthshire lies in central Scotland, around a one hour trip north of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Perth has a mainline rail station. If you don't have time or inclination to travel too far north when you visit Scotland then Perthshire is a perfect destination allowing you to see dramatic mountainous scenery at the start of the Scottish Highlands.

Unique Points

The scenery and natural beauty of Perthshire is stunning. There is so much countryside to see, full of trees, rivers and mountains with walks for all abilities. There are many typical small Scottish towns such as Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy and Crieff. Perth is a very attractive city which lies on the banks of the River Tay.

Perth

I really like Perth, it's quite a laid back yet grand small city. In central Perth there are 2 parks, a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants, with promenade along the River Tay. I always think of Perth as the "Fair City". However it is not officially a city, it was not approved by the Scottish Executive in the its list of Scottish cities but that has not changed my perception. Perth is a city full of flowers. In Summer there are hanging baskets everywhere. Branklyn Gardens is an interesting small garden run by the National Trust for Scotland. Its star exhibits are blue poppies. Cherrybank Gardens boasts the largest heather collection in Europe.

Perth Museum and Art Gallery looks very impressive from outside with its copper dome and columns. The museum is one of the oldest local museums in Scotland, built in 1824 on the site of a Domenican friary. There is currently an exhibition of 19th century Scottish landscapes many of which portray Perthshire. The Black Watch Museum is on Dalhousie Castle and charts the history of the regirment. The Fergusson Gallery has a large collection by the Scottish Colourist Duncan Fergusson housed in a former water works building, dating from 1832. Perth Festival of the Arts runs annually during from mid May. Horsecross was set up to run Perth Theatre and the new Concert Hall. Various musical events are held around Perthshire.

The Caithness Glass Visitor Centre is located in a industrial estate, where the A9 heads north from Perth. You can watch the glass blowers making the paperwieghts. There is also a kids play area, a restaurant, shop and exhibition. Scone Palace, just outside Perth,was the location of the coronations of Scottish Royalty, when they would sit on the Stone of Scone during the ceremony.

When I am in Perth l like to do a circular walk starting by crossing the river on the railway bridge, at the end of the prom, then along the river bank and through Rodnay Gardens (pictured alongside) with the flower beds and scupltures. You can either take the first bridge back to across the river or continue along the riverbank to the next bridge. I was very sad a few years ago when the council cut down all the lovely mature trees along the river bank to improve flood defences, however I do like the new prom.

Dunkeld

Dunkeld lies 20 miles north of Perth. The Telford Bridge over the Tay was built in 1809 in response to a survey of the roads in Scotland. It is still quite a landmark. Dunkeld Cathedral was first built as a monastry in 730. Much of the town was destroyed during the 1689 Battle of Dunkeld. The "little houses" in Cathedral Road (pictured alongside) are 18th century merchants' houses which were renovated in the 1940s and are now let to local tenants.

The Beatrix Potter Garden is situated in the nieghbouring town of Birnam. to the west of the River Tay. Beatrix Potter spent 12 childhood summers holidaying in the area. During one holiday she wrote a picture letter to friend which developed in "The Tale of Peter Rabbit". The garden celebrates her books with bronze sculptures of several characters. Birnam is also associated with Shakespeare's Macbeth with the reference to moging Birnam Wood to Dunsinane, However the tale of the real Scottish King Macbeth has little in common with the protagonist of Shakespeare's play.

When I visit Dunkeld I usually park at the Hermitage, with its beautiful woodland and river walks. The Hermitage is just off the A9, just north of the Dunkeld exit. When I was doing research for this guide I was surprised to read about the 2 follies erected during the creation of the Hermitage by the Duke of Atholl in the 18th century. I felt pretty foolish as I always though the one of the follies was for real, Ossian's Cave the supposed home of the 3rd century poet. The other folly, Ossian's Hall, a grand room overlooks the Black Linn Falls in the River Braan. The Hall must have been magnificent when it was lined with mirrors to reflect the waterfall and had shutters of coloured glass. The Hall has been recently renovated by the National Trust for Scotland. Until recently the Hermitage was credited with containing the tallest tree in the UK. However recent measurements have meant that a tree near Inverness has knocked the Hermitage's contender into 2nd place. I like to walk from the car park at the Hermitage along to Ossian's Hall, cross the bridge there, turn left and walk along the path, then down to Rumbling Bridge and into Dunkeld. The Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre, home to a pair of breeding ospreys is a few miles north east of Dunkeld.

Pitlochry

Pitlochry is probably best known for the hydro electric dam and salmon fish ladder. The dam was constructed at the confluence of the River Tummel and Loch Faskally. A salmon ladder was also built to enable the estimated 5000 Atlantic salmon to return upstream to spawn. The ladder consists of 34 ascending chambers along 310 metres. I would recommend a fairly easy circular walk around Loch Faskally, which should take around one hour. Start at the salmon ladder go up the steps behind the salmon ladder and turn right walking alongside the Loch. Then go through a gate and turn right down hill on a minor road, You will come to a footbridge on your right, crossing the loch, after crossing bridge turn right, you will see cafe and boat hire on your left, walk up slope and you reach main road back into Pitlochry. The Dunfallandy Stone is an 8th century Pictish cross slab is located one mile west of Pitlochry. If you would like to visit a whisky distillery there is The Edradour Scotland's smallest distillery and The Blair Atholl one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre started life in a tent in the early 1950s. due to rationing of bulding materials after the 2nd World War. The founder, John Stewart visited Pitlochry during WW2 and promised to return after victory. The present theatre building was constructed in 1981, If you stay in Pitlochry for a few days you can see a different play every evening. A Garden celebrating around 80 Scottish plant collectors and botanists as been developed around the theatre. Pitlochry Golf Course has been in existence for around 100 years and was christened the "Switzerland of Scotland" in a golf magazine in the 1950s.

The Battle of Killiecrankie was fought 3 miles north of Pitlochry and there is now a visitor centre there. You can admire the mangnificent Queens View, is best know as the stopping place or Queen Victoria on her journey north to her Highland retreat Balmoral. However it was evidently first named after Queen Isobel, the wife of Robert the Bruce Blair Castle is in Blair Atholl, 5 miles north of Pitlochry. It is quite unusual in that it is whitewashed. Just north of Blair Atholl is the House of Bruar, known as the home of country clothing, There is also an Art Gallery exhibiting over 450 pieces.

Aberfeldy

Aberfeldy is a charming small town on the banks of the River Tay. The landmark Wade Bridge opened in 1733. Aberfeldy can be reached via the Small Glen. turning north up to A822 a few miles east of Crieff, in the village of Gilmerton. and then onto the A826, just north of Amulree. It is a most beutiful drive with a scenic descent into Aberfeldy.

The Aberfeldy Distillery was first opened in 1898. If you are luck you may spot a red squirrel as there is a colony close by. The Birks of Aberfeldy is a circular walk up to the Falls of Moness. There is a large car park at the start of the walk, off the A826 as you approach Aberfeldy from the south. The walk can be muddy and bit slippery and there is a an elevation of 170 metres, You can see a plaque at the spot where Robert Burns rested to compose the Birks of Aberfeldy.

The Watermill houses the largest bookshop in the Highlands, an art gallery and a cafe in a Grade Alisted former oatmeal watermill. They offer story times and book reading session for kids and there is a Childrens' Book Festival running from 12 - 13 May 2007. There are various events on offer such as music evening and talks by authors. I was very impressed by the Watermill. It has been a very sympathetic renovation, leaving in many parts of the mill machinerry. There is as impressive selection of books. The cakes in the cafe look scrumptious, I had to refrain as I had to get on with taking photos in the daylight.

The Crannog Centre has an authentic recreation of ancient loch dwellings dating back over 5000 years. They offer events such as weaving with wood or willow, musical evenings, underwater archaeology. The centre is in Kemore, 6 miles west of Aberfeldy, on the banks of Loch Tay. The National Kayak School offers one day introductory courses in sea kayaking and white water kayaking with the only white water run in the UK guaranteed all year on their doorstep.

Crieff

Crieff is a pleasant small town taking it name from the Gaelic for among trees, There are two walks in Crieff which I really like, . The Knock the wooded hill behind Crieff has several possible walk variations. Lady Mary's Walk is a gentler stroll along banks of the River Earn. Crieff Visitor Centre combines a exhibtion about 18th century castle drovers, the Thistle pottery visitor centre, a garden centre and a restaurant. Crieff Highland Ganes started in 1870 and have taken place annually in August except during the First and Second World Wars.

Drummond Castle Gardens are said to be one of the finest formal gardens in Europe is a couple of miles south of Crieff, close the the village of Muthill. I lived in Muthill for 3 years in the mid 1980s. I learned to drive in Crieff so have many memories of stalling the car on the uphill starts in Crieff.

You can read the full guide with photos and accommodation options at http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/Scotland/perthshire.html

Karen Bryan is a UK based independent travel consultant and writer. Her website Europe a la Carte, features less well known destinations in Europe. Karen believes that if you venture even slighly off the beaten tourist track that you will see more of the real Europe. The website now has a blog where you can read and comment about travel Europe. http://www.europealacarte.co.uk/blog/

Today's automotive windshields are not simple composed of glass as the name might suggest. Modern windshields are made from laminated safety glass that include two layers of glass sandwiched around a layer of PVB (polyvinyl butyrate). This is for safety reasons. During a crash or other occasion when the windshield is damaged, sharp pieces of glass will tend to stick to the PVB layer. This decreases the potential danger from flying glass, to passengers in the cabin of the vehicle. The PVB layer in laminated glass also serves to protect passengers and keep them inside the vehicle during collisions by exerting a cushioning effect.

Heat strengthened, alson known as tempered, glass is considered to be a form of safety glass as well. This type of glass is commonly used in vehicle side and back windows as opposed to windshields. Tempered glass crumbles into rounded glass pebbles which are relatively harmless, when broken.

Tempered glass cannot be repaired, but laminated safety glass can. This is why it is very common to see windshield repair services, but nobody typically offers to repair side or rear windows in the same fashion.

Modern windshields are no longer simple panes of properly-fitting glass. They are now complex, engineered glass systems with such elements as: heating mechanisms to melt ice; coatings to repel harmful ultra-violet radiation from the sun; shade bands to help the driver fight glare; high performance radio and telephone antennas; satellite uplinks; heads-up holographic instrument displays; and sensors to activate windshield wipers or close convertible tops. Because of dramatically increased performance expectations, the cost of the modern windshield has increased quite a bit as a result.

With windshields costing more than ever, it only makes sense to repair them, in incidences of damage, rather than replace them. There are many companies offering such a service, but NOVUS windshield repair is one worth investigating further. NOVUS is the dominant automotive franchisor in the United States, and NOVUS actually invented windshield repair, back in 1972 (and has repaired over 20 million windshields since then), and started franchising windshield repair in 1985. NOVUS has also made windshield and auto glass replacement service available since 1995.

Windshield repair is achieved by injecting a specially formulated resin into the damaged area. The resin is cured and polished, restoring structural strength and clarity to the auto glass. Most insurance companies will waive the deductible and pay the whole cost of a NOVUS repair. NOVUS can repair about 70% of the windshields it inspects. A general rule is if the damaged surface area on your windshield can be covered by a credit card, the odds are very good that it can be repaired. If you want more clarification or confirmation of this, call 1-800-77-NOVUS and your windshield will be examined by a skilled NOVUS technician at no charge to you. Once your windshield is repaired, the damage should be barely noticeable (no bigger than a sharp pencil point mark).

NOVUS guarantees their work. They guarantee that a NOVUS windshield repair will restore strength and clarity to the glass; will stop the spread of further damage, and will pass vehicle inspection in all states for as long as the customer owns their vehicle, or NOVUS will refund the cost of the repair. NOVUS repairs are also environmentally friendly and will extend the useful life of the glass, and will save you money over windshield replacement.

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.

More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/glassrepair and other sites around the internet.

Credit card fraud is fast becoming the most common financial crime in the world today. As a result, hundreds of millions of dollars are being drained annually from credit card holders and credit card issuers by unscrupulous criminals. In order to avoid the pitfalls of credit card fraud there are some basic things you can do to protect yourself.

Before looking at what can be done to prevent fraud from occurring, listing common situations where the fraud commonly takes place can be a helpful exercise. The scary fact is, all a would-be thief needs in order to begin wreaking havoc on your finances is your credit card number and the 3 digit CVV (Card Verification Number) located on the back of the card.

Common Fraud Risks:
Internet phishing (fish-ing) is a popular method getting you to surrender your personal information. You will receive and email from an unknown sender claiming to be a legitimate business asking to update or provide them with your personal information including banking and credit card details.

If you have a telephone you have received a call at some point stating: Congratulations you have just won an all expense paid vacation to The person on the line will tell you that all you need to do to qualify for the prize is join their club by providing your credit card information for age verification. This form of fraud comes at you from the phone, mail and internet.

When making a purchase at a place like a restaurant or gas station where the employee walks out of your sight with your credit card to complete your purchase they can easily record your information.

Some thieves are technically savvy and carry a portable card reader. They will give your card an extra swipe when they ring in your purchase at POS terminals. They get creative with this. I read a story where criminal set up a sign in a mall close to an ATM. The sign looked nice and said Free Debit and Credit Card Cleaning. Attached to the sign was a portable card reader. The would be thief was apprehended when he returned to retrieve his Credit Card Cleaner. One swipe of your card using these card readers and all of your credit card and personal information is recorded.

Thieves that go through your trash looking for receipts or bills with your credit card information.

There is no perfect way to protect your information from being stolen, but take the following suggestions into consideration and you will make yourself less vulnerable to an attack.

When handing your credit card to a cashier, attendant or waitress watch what they do with the card if possible. Your card should only be swiped once through either their register or a debit/credit terminal. For regular everyday purchases there is no reason why your card information should be copied by hand.

Be very careful about giving out your credit card information over the phone. If you are skeptical of the source chances are you have a reason to be.

On the internet make sure you only provide your information to sites that are secure. If you see https:// at the beginning or the URL you are about to enter your credit card information on the site is secure. The s indicates the site has a valid SSL Certificate installed on the web server ensuring any data you enter into forms on the website cannot be intercepted and deciphered by would be cyber criminals. This does not guarantee that the website itself is not run by criminals, only that your data cannot be intercepted during transmission, an important point to understand.

Do not write down your credit card number as a note anywhere. Always use the card itself when referencing the number. When disposing of any paperwork containing personal information use a paper shredder to shred it.

Always keep your receipts from any purchase you make with your credit card and open your bills every month even if you did not make a purchase to ensure there are no extra charges on the bill.

The bottom line is to be aware that credit card fraud is a lucrative business for criminal gangs and they are going to constantly push the envelope to find more devious ways to get your personal information.

There are some credit cards that are secure in more ways than others such as providing an additional level of security for online purchases. Review the features list for several credit card offers to find the one that provides the level of security and buyer protection that guards you to a level you are comfortable with while still providing the card perks you want.

Bryan Dufresne - Freelance writer based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Are you one of these people that have become addicted to on-line gaming?

Do you relish in the thrill of being able to pit your skills, not just against an on-line game, but against a worthy opponent who is also on-line at the same time?

How about joining in an online tournament across the globe?

Have you become so finely attuned to online gaming, that anything apart from the latest, coolest, and most challenging games, bores you to tears?

Have you been to an Internet Caf recently, and seen many of the booths occupied for ages while on-line games are taking place with much gusto (or perhaps you have been the one that was waiting patiently?' for your turn, or even trying to get in to send an important email).

Well, if you are one of these Gamers (do we have a word yet for an over-enthusiastic on-line games player?), do you ever have a pang of remorse about how much time you spend on this drug-like craze. No, of course you don't, but check this out

Would you believe that there are sites out there now that can offer you not just an opportunity for you to indulge in your favourite pastime, but also turn it into genuine money making home business?

Wow! Imagine that! When you get shouted at by your boss / partner for wasting time in front of that screen', you just turn round and say but it's my job'

Imagine telling your boss late (i.e. you roll in at 10.30 am) on one Monday morning that you just can't find the time to come to work any more you're too busy trying out the latest, coolest, and mind-challenging game to have a boring day time job any more. Anyway, you're making more money with your favourite pastime

If any of you are having a pang of conscience right now, forget it! The US Government, in a recent survey, stated that short periods of high intensity, challenging games actually stimulate the brain, making productivity at work increase, not decrease'.

The point is, that this phenomenon has become so big, it cannot be hidden away. The ground swell for on-line games has become unstoppable, as more and more of us have a greater amount of leisure time, more and more of us are taking part in this activity.

Bear in mind, we are not talking about gambling here, we are talking about actual games that have a great deal of skill involved, not just luck as in ordinary gambling.

As an active Gamer, you will be aware of the vast amounts of information contained on thousands of Games Forums and Chat Rooms, and if you are not an avid Gamer, then the language you will encounter may take some translation (not just from spotty faced teenager, but also the granddad in the next booth to you!).

So how can you possibly make a home business out of all this? I mean, to meet the quite strict gaming rules, stakes on games can not be more than around $10-$15 (although tournaments can be a lot higher).

But look at the way technology has moved to provide you with all the tools you need for effective on-screen performance. Next to porn sites (which I don't recommend) these games sites are driving technology forward, and with the surge in interest, comes masses of traffic to these sites.

Now, not to get too technical here, but the way to a successful web site is to enable masses of visitors (traffic) to come to your site very day. Alexa.com is showing about 4 times more traffic to some gaming sites than Virgin Atlantic, Ford, and Visa.

So, if you can the identify a Gaming site that combines all the latest, coolest on-line games, with people being able to identify who is available to play at any time, using a social networking facility, and an excellent and easy to understand pay plan, then join it while you can. Get in at the beginning, before millions join after you, locking in your (expanding) income stream while also enabling you to play the best games against the best opponents on the web (in fact - in the world).

Some of the world's biggest network marketers are calling this phenomenon the next MySpace, UTube, Google, EBay.

Look around carefully, as there are a number of sites in pre pre-launch right now, and although many of us may have missed massive opportunities in the past (who wanted Microsoft shares in the 80's at $1?), now is the time to search the net, and join one of a number of fledgling sites that will not remain embryonic for very long. Then, as they grow, so does your business and its Goodbye to your Boss, Hello Financial Freedom.'

Geoff Morris is a freelance Internet investigator. He certainly came up trumps with this pre-pre launch opportunity. Look at how you can Play Games and Get Paid here.

The number one reason small businesses fail is due to lack of experience. Lack of Experience in the industry the entrepreneur enters and in management, as well. The fact of the matter is small business owners nearly tear their hair out when attempting to coexist as the CEO, Director of Marketing & Sales, Customer Service and Office Administration. After all, wearing multiple hats is challenging, especially when theres only 24 hours in a day.

Todays technology supports an entrepreneurs ability to evolve into a savvy manager by computerizing internal business processes and simplifying intra-office communications with office automation software (OAS). With 90% of the market share, Microsoft Office allows opportunists world-wide to conduct effective personal information management using Outlook, prepare professional documents with Word, present proficient Power Point presentations, manage data effectively using Excel, and more. The question is, How can entrepreneurs fully utilize Microsoft Office for positive interaction with their business external environment? The solution is uniting a dynamic customer relationship manager (CRM) with the ubiquitous Microsoft Office suite.

With minimal resources and personnel, entrepreneurs can use CRM for Microsoft Office to efficiently communicate with their employees, customers, and vendors. A centralized contact manager not only streamlines common business processes but saves time and increases productivity. Whether youre a one-man show or have a network of a few employees, a contact manager combined with the power of Microsoft Office, can help build long-lasting relationships with company stakeholders and make it easier to clearly focus on succeeding.

For Administration:

A centralized database of client, employee, and vendor contact information, provided by a systematic customer relationship manager, simplifies every-day administrative duties including scheduling and messaging. Business owners and administrative assistants alike can easily use a CRM Office Add-on to pull up a contact record and schedule an appointment. By integrating with Outlook, the user can create appointments or tasks from a central location and it will automatically appear in their personal Outlook or on the companys public calendar (if in an Exchange environment). The same goes for messaging. Locate the contact record from any desk in the office, and send a message via email using Outlook.

For Marketing:

The everyday infrastructure of most businesses is already facilitated by Microsoft Office. Lets take writing 15 thank you letters, for example. Its almost commonplace to use Microsoft Word to create such a professional document. However, once the letter is complete, Word doesnt provide a way to automatically format each letter with the customers name and address. In addition, what medium will be used to deliver the professional documents to its respective targets, all 15 of them to be exact! Can Outlook do this? Sure, if email is the method of choice for delivery. First copy and paste the content of the letter 15 times into 15 emails and then enter the email addresses for each letter. The process is not only time consuming, but often painstaking, as well. Not to mention, thats only for 15 letters. What about 50, 100, 500 or even 1000?

With the added help of a customer relationship manager, repetitive tasks like letter writing, turn into routine processes. Create the letter template in Word and save it to the centralized database of the customer relationship manager. Next, pull up the 15 contact records of this weeks new clients. Select all 15 records and merge their contact information with the template into 15 letters. Besides the 10 minutes it takes to write the letter, the CRM creates 15 personalized copies in about 30 seconds. Hence, mass communicating is systematized and cost effective. The days of spending a week to do a mailing to the firms entire customer base can be done in just minutes through broadcast mailing, and even faxing or e-mailing, too.

For Sales:

Many businesses who implement CRM technology with MS Office notice benefits immediately. Once customer data is centralized and easily accessible by the sales team, the CRM becomes a great monitoring tool. The sales team is now able to conduct follow-up phone calls while having the power to view personalized, detailed notes unique to each client record or lead. Then a fortunate chain reaction is triggered. By personalizing the follow-up strategy, the customer ultimately feels more distinguished and treasured. Plus, a regular follow-up strategy helps the sales professional to build a relationship with the client, which will then increase client loyalty. To sum it all up, CRM technology makes the game of lead control a win-win situation for the firm and its clients. A CRM solution will also refine sales methods to better meet each and every need of a new prospect.

Now, add the capabilities of the CRM to Microsoft Office. From the contact record, sales professionals can add a note to their personal Outlook, write an entry in their personal Outlook journal, create an Excel spreadsheet for tracking monthly revenues or calls, email the contact through Outlook, send the contact a fax, and schedule the next follow-up call. Now the sales process is completely automated from a central point of location. Think about how much time is saved.

CRM Solutions Help Build Stronger Relationships

Its no secret; the vast number of customer relationship managers which are currently on the market. The question is which one is right for you?

Key factors to consider when evaluating a CRM solution:

Is the contact information you enter accurate and true?

Is the database constantly updated and maintained?

Can you easily retrieve and share contact information?

Are documents such as fax cover sheets, letters, labels and lists easily constructed with the program?

Can it communicate with Microsoft Office without complicated exporting procedures?

Does it enable users to easily communicate with each other and the outside world?

Does it send messages to cellular phones, PDAs, smartphones, pagers, email and two-way radios instantly?

Can employees effectively track communication with clients and vendors?

Does it include lead & campaign management features for prospecting?

The benefits of a CRM do not stop with just the needs of the customer -- it adds value to the business as a whole. Employees are happier and less stressed because processes and procedures are simplified, take less time and effort to execute and the details are taken care of. Employees become more organized and effective in achieving team goals. Management also benefits from increased employee productivity, lowered business expenses, reduced overtime hours, and goals are easier to meet. The business as a whole can run leaner because a good contact manager allows entrepreneurs and their employees to multi-task in a Microsoft Office environment, with ease.

Brandi Browning is the Director of Marketing of Advantage International, Inc. specializing in Microsoft Exchange, Outlook and Office Add-ins for calendar and contact synchronization, improved group task management, and CRM/marketing lead management solutions. Email any questions to brandib (at) diditbetter.com or for more information visit http://www.diditbetter.com

AC Cars, more formally known as AC Cars Group, Limited, is the name of an automobile manufacturing company based in the United Kingdom. As a matter of fact, AC Cars is one of the most old and established automobile manufacturing companies in the world. The first AC car to ever be shown was at a motor show in 1903, under the pseudonym Weller Brothers - another automobile manufacturing company.

In 1904, AC Cars was officially introduced as Auto Cars and Accessories. From the three wheeler that the company originally came up with more force in 1911 after they started to call themselves Auto Carriers, Limited and shortened that to the AC brand name.

New Beginnings

In 1913, the very first four wheeled sports car was put out in 1913. It was immediately a hit, but not many of these cars were made. The first World War emerged around that time and put a serious halt to construction of these sporty little cars. They were what people were looking for at the time, but with war times come hard times and more expensive labor as there is much less of it, and for that reason AC Cars had to put a halt to the production of their first little two seater.

However, by the year 1920 there were more things in store for AC motors. For example, they were working on a six cylinder engine by 1919 and they even had some of them running that same year.

After the war ended, the AC Car company picked up a contract that helped to pay the bills but didn't really advance the AC brand name too much. They manufactured carriage cars for the handicapped and invalid and these cars had small engines in them that AC also manufactured. This contract went on for some time, for about 30 years after the contracted was initiated in 1947. The contract that AC cars had with the government paid the bills, and many of them at that. The fact that it lasted so long gave jobs to a lot of people and it kept the economy somewhat functional.

AC Ace in 1953

The AC Ace is one of the more popular models of AC motor cars. The AC Ace was first introduced in 1953, midday through the government contract for the small engine vehicles. The AC Bristol was later introduced in 1957, a cross between the AC Ace and a Bristol car with the AC cars chassis and the Bristol engine to create the AC Bristol car. The AC Bristol car was a true winner, blowing racing fans away at Le Mans two years in a row, both in 1957 and 1958.

The Implementation of the AC Cobra

In the early 1960s, the AC Car company received a proposition that would change the face of their company. While many people probably think that the Cobra was always a product of the Ford company, that is just not so. A car was needed that could rival with then-champ Chevy Corvette in motor car racing in the United States and the new AC Cobra model stepped right up to the plate. The Cobra wasn't always the fastest, sportiest thing out there, either. As a matter of fact, the car topped out at 70 miles per hour after speeding in bad conditions was leading to accident after accident. In consideration of the safety of their passengers and probably the security of their assets as well, the AC Cars company reduced the limit to 70 miles per hour so that the car could go no faster.

At first this quick little car was getting left in the dust by the Ferrari so Carroll Shelby and the AC company decided to step their game up a little bit and they boosted the size of the engine, giving it extra speed and power on the track. Eventually Shelby sold the Cobra name off to the Ford Motor Company, who then modified the Cobra idea into the Ford GT sports car.

AC Cars is and always has been a legendary car company. It is one of the oldest in the world and is often overlooked for their critical role in the Shelby Cobra vehicle.

VehicleRide is everything the current and future of cars. Find cars at VehicleRide.com and post your cars for free. Free auto classifieds.

Through the life of the business cycle different sectors perform better than others. The different phases of the economy favour different sectors here is an overview:

RECESSION
Hot Stocks
- Consumer staples (food, forestry)
- Utilities (gas, electricity, energy)
- Large company stocks outperform Monetary Indicators
- Short term interest rates falling
- Long term interest rates falling
- Reserve Bank bias towards easing

Economic Indicators
- GDP contracting
- Inflation flat or down
- Manufacturing sector low and falling Sentiment
- Deflation worries
- Bank & Insurance adverts emphasise security
- Newspaper headlines emphasise layoffs
- Consumer confidence falling

EARLY RECOVERY
Hot Stocks
- Consumer cyclicals (autos, retailers)
- Technology (software, computers)
- Industrials (factory equipment)
- Small companies outperform Monetary Indicators
- Short term interest rates flat
- Long term interest rates flat
- Reserve Bank stops easing
- Difference between short-term and long-term interest rates decreasing

Economic Indicators
- GDP shows modest gains
- Inflation flat
- Manufacturing rising Sentiment
- Earnings worries still common
- Bank & Insurance adverts emphasise safety
- Newspaper headlines emphasise layoffs
- Income investments in vogue
- Consumer expectations rising

MID-CYCLE
Hot Stocks
- Technology
- Consumer cyclicals
- Large company stocks start to outperform Monetary Indicators
- Short term interest rates flat
- Long term interest rates rising
- Reserve Bank neutral
- Difference between long-term and short-term interest rates widening

Economic Indicators
- Factory capacity rising
- Hourly wages rising
- Manufacturing strong

Sentiment
- Inflation worries increasing
- Bank & Insurance adverts emphasise gains
- Sector funds popular
- Consumer confidence rising

LATE-CYCLE
Hot Stocks
- Energy & Technology
- Basic materials
- Large company stocks outperform Monetary Indicators
- Short term interest rates rising
- Long term interest rates rising
- Reserve Bank bias tightening
- Short term interest rates higher than long term rates

Economic Indicators
- Factory capacity above 90%
- Hourly wages rising
- Manufacturing slowing Sentiment
- Momentum (high growth) stocks popular
- Bank & Insurance adverts emphasise gains
- Newspaper headlines emphasise the word "boom"
- Consumer expectations falling

Rob Miraglia, Trading and investing has been part of my life I have dedicated 6 years t developing methods and specialist indicators to assist with business cycle selection and pin pointing moves in the market before they occur. At http://www.swingtradinglab.com/ we have specialist indicators that have been developed to achieve these outcomes.

Nothing lasts forever, including your relationship with your favorite set of wheels. Your trusty vehicle may no longer be up to the rigors of constant use, and is ready for semi-retirement. Or your family may have grown, and that ten-year-old two door Honda Civic is simply not expandable. But you dont think its expendable, either, and youd like to send it somewhere that it will be appreciated.

But where exactly would that be? You have a pretty good idea that any car dealer will offer you next to nothing for a trade, and you dont really want to try selling it yourself and having strangers knocking on the door at all hours of the day or night. Besides, a ten-year-old Honda two door, no matter how well you have maintained it, has long since had its warranties expire. You, or whoever its new owner will be, may be facing serious repair bills before very long. The market for your old car, to be blunt, is limited.

So why not look into car donation? Even if you arent someone who thinks very much about the needs charitable organizations, taking advantage of a car donation program will not only solve your problem of Honda disposal, it will provide you with a very nice financial benefit. How?

How A Car Donation Will Benefit You

A car donation to a charity will entitle you to a tax write-off on your next return. Depending on your tax bracket, that deduction could either significantly lower what youll owe to Uncle Sam, or significantly raise what Uncle Sam owes you in a refund. Are you listening?

If you make a car donation to a charity which decides that your old Honda is exactly what they need to scoot around and perform their charitable tasks, you can take a tax deduction for the Hondas fair market value as determined by Kellys Blue Book.

If you make a car donation to a charity which finds a collector of ten-year-old two door Hondas and makes surprisingly attractive offer on yours, both the charity and you will be happily recompensed, because youll be able to deduct the full amount of what the rather odd collector paid.

Your car donation, in other words, will not only have sated the appetite of the collector, it will have given the charity some much needed financial help, and either lowered your future tax burden or increased your future tax refund. Can you say win-win-win situation?

Just run an online search, and youll find plenty of websites which can get you on your way to making your charitable car donation!

You can also find more info on Car Donation In Florida and Car Donation In Portland. 1cardonationservices.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Car Donation.