[] Great Questions

has posted a new item, 'Great Questions'

You need help with your investments. But how do you find the right advisor for
your needs and goals? * Where do you start? * Which advisor is right for you?
* How do you know you are asking the right questions? Selecting an investment
advisor can be a daunting task. Answering the following questions will improve
your chances of success. # 1: What do I want to accomplish? The most important
question investors can ask is one they ask themselves. It is essential to know
what you want to accomplish. As Steven Covey said, "put first things first." *
Do I want to manage my own investments? * Do I want advice on how to manage my
investments? * Or, do I want to hire a skilled manager to direct my investments
for me? These are different questions, requiring clear but distinctive
answers. For example, if an investor determines she would like advice on how to
manage her investments, then she needs to be prepared to take some
responsibility for her investment's performance. That is because advice is just
an opinion or recommendation about what should be done. Ownership for her
investment's performance still rests squarely on her shoulders. On the other
hand, if an investor hires a portfolio manager to manage her investments, then
by definition that manager is taking ownership and responsibility for the
performance of that account. Once investors are clear on what they want, what
questions should they ask a potential advisor? # 2: How do you get paid? This
is the most important question an investor can ask a potential advisor. Why is
this question so important? Because aligning compensation with the investor's
goals, growing his account, is the most powerful way to ensure his goals are
realized. Advisors and financial planners are compensated in many different
ways, but the majority of advisors either charge commissions or fees, or both.
Commissions Commissions or sales charges come in several forms. First, investors
pay a commission when they buy or sell a stock, bond, or Exchange Traded Fund
(ETF). Investors may also pay a commission when an advisor sells them a mutual
fund. These charges are often called sales loads or sales fees. Commissions
tend to work best when an investor knows exactly what he or she wants, or if
that investor plans to make very few transactions. The problem with
commissions or sales loads is that the investor pays the advisor up front.
Imagine if realtors were paid up front to sell a house. What incentive would the
realtor have to ensure the house actually sells? Additionally, commissions can
often drive a product sale, which may not meet the investor's goals. Fees There
are two types of fees. First there are flat or hourly fees, similar to how an
attorney or CPA bills his or her clients. With hourly fees it is important to
define up front which services will be performed, and to receive an estimate of
the total cost. The second type of fee is based on assets under management.
This fee is usually between one and three percent of the account balance per
year. This compensation method works best when an investor hires an advisor to
manage his or her portfolio. When the compensation method is a fee, based on
assets under management, the advisor can only get a raise if he or she grows
the investor's account. # 3: How will you invest my money? It is critical that
the advisor has a clear plan for investing the client's money. * How will the
advisor determine which investments are right for the client? * Is the plan
customizable or one size fits all? * Will the plan change with the client's
changing goals? * How would the investments change in a deteriorating
economic environment? The answers to these questions should be clear and
intelligent. Ask for clarification about why the advisor's recommendations fit
your goals. If the prospective advisor is recommending mutual funds, ask why he
or she is not using index funds. Because according to Morningstar, the mutual
fund rating company, 90% of all mutual funds and annuities fail to outperform
the S&P-500 index. # 4: Do you have an exit strategy? This is where most
advisors fail. Nothing goes up forever. Therefore, it is imperative to know
when to take the chips off the table. Warren Buffett once said that there are
only two rules to investing. Rule #1: Don't lose money. Rule #2: Never forget
Rule #1. POP QUIZ: If your portfolio loses 25% of its value this year, what
return would you need next year to break even? Investment Year #1 Starting
Value = $100,000 Return = -25% Ending Value = ? Investment Year #2 Starting
Value = $75,000 Return = ? Ending Value = $100,000 Did you get the correct
answer? If you lose 25% of your portfolio, it takes a 33.3% return, just to
break even! If you lose 50% of your money you need a 100% return, just to break
even! That is why it is critical not to lose money. The main reason so many
investors lost money in the last down market is that they, or their advisor,
did not have an exit strategy. An advisor needs to have a predefined plan for
what he or she will do if an investment loses money. Remember, there is no
reason to be emotionally attached to any investment. Investments are designed
for one thing and one thing only: to make money. # 5: What is your track
record? This is where you find out if an advisor is driven by results or
commissions. When investors hire an advisor for recommendations, or to manage
their account, they need to make sure that the advisor has a track record of
success. * How have the advisor's client accounts performed in down markets? *
How have the advisor's client accounts performed in up markets? * How does the
advisor's performance compare to a benchmark, like the S&P-500 index, in up and
down years? This is where you want to ask for numbers to back up the "sales
pitch", and it should not take days to get them. If the advisor sidesteps this
question or downplays performance, do not walk away, run! Making sure the
advisor has a history of success is critical. After all, if you are not paying
to receive results, what are you paying for? Summary Well formulated questions
are the tools used to dissect any problem. Take time to ask tough questions of
yourself and potential advisors. Key questions to ask are: 1. What do I want to
accomplish? Create a solid foundation by defining your goals. 2. How do you get
paid? Make sure compensation is aligned with your goals. 3. How will you invest
my money? Ask tough questions. Expect intelligent answers. 4. Do you have an
exit strategy? Make sure the advisor has a predefined plan to prevent major
losses in your account. 5. What is your track record? If you are not paying for
results, what are you paying for? These questions should provide an investor
with an excellent base for hiring an advisor. Once you find the right advisor,
you move beyond solving a problem, you create results. Contact Talisker
Investment Group at (208) 860-4244 or www.taliskergroup.com. (c)2005 Talisker
Investment Group, LLC. About the Author Daniel Wiggins is the President and
Chief Investment Officer for Talisker Investment Group, LLC. He is considered a
leading investment manager in the area of delivering absolute returns.

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[] Great Questions

has posted a new item, 'Great Questions'

You need help with your investments. But how do you find the right advisor for
your needs and goals? * Where do you start? * Which advisor is right for you?
* How do you know you are asking the right questions? Selecting an investment
advisor can be a daunting task. Answering the following questions will improve
your chances of success. # 1: What do I want to accomplish? The most important
question investors can ask is one they ask themselves. It is essential to know
what you want to accomplish. As Steven Covey said, "put first things first." *
Do I want to manage my own investments? * Do I want advice on how to manage my
investments? * Or, do I want to hire a skilled manager to direct my investments
for me? These are different questions, requiring clear but distinctive
answers. For example, if an investor determines she would like advice on how to
manage her investments, then she needs to be prepared to take some
responsibility for her investment's performance. That is because advice is just
an opinion or recommendation about what should be done. Ownership for her
investment's performance still rests squarely on her shoulders. On the other
hand, if an investor hires a portfolio manager to manage her investments, then
by definition that manager is taking ownership and responsibility for the
performance of that account. Once investors are clear on what they want, what
questions should they ask a potential advisor? # 2: How do you get paid? This
is the most important question an investor can ask a potential advisor. Why is
this question so important? Because aligning compensation with the investor's
goals, growing his account, is the most powerful way to ensure his goals are
realized. Advisors and financial planners are compensated in many different
ways, but the majority of advisors either charge commissions or fees, or both.
Commissions Commissions or sales charges come in several forms. First, investors
pay a commission when they buy or sell a stock, bond, or Exchange Traded Fund
(ETF). Investors may also pay a commission when an advisor sells them a mutual
fund. These charges are often called sales loads or sales fees. Commissions
tend to work best when an investor knows exactly what he or she wants, or if
that investor plans to make very few transactions. The problem with
commissions or sales loads is that the investor pays the advisor up front.
Imagine if realtors were paid up front to sell a house. What incentive would the
realtor have to ensure the house actually sells? Additionally, commissions can
often drive a product sale, which may not meet the investor's goals. Fees There
are two types of fees. First there are flat or hourly fees, similar to how an
attorney or CPA bills his or her clients. With hourly fees it is important to
define up front which services will be performed, and to receive an estimate of
the total cost. The second type of fee is based on assets under management.
This fee is usually between one and three percent of the account balance per
year. This compensation method works best when an investor hires an advisor to
manage his or her portfolio. When the compensation method is a fee, based on
assets under management, the advisor can only get a raise if he or she grows
the investor's account. # 3: How will you invest my money? It is critical that
the advisor has a clear plan for investing the client's money. * How will the
advisor determine which investments are right for the client? * Is the plan
customizable or one size fits all? * Will the plan change with the client's
changing goals? * How would the investments change in a deteriorating
economic environment? The answers to these questions should be clear and
intelligent. Ask for clarification about why the advisor's recommendations fit
your goals. If the prospective advisor is recommending mutual funds, ask why he
or she is not using index funds. Because according to Morningstar, the mutual
fund rating company, 90% of all mutual funds and annuities fail to outperform
the S&P-500 index. # 4: Do you have an exit strategy? This is where most
advisors fail. Nothing goes up forever. Therefore, it is imperative to know
when to take the chips off the table. Warren Buffett once said that there are
only two rules to investing. Rule #1: Don't lose money. Rule #2: Never forget
Rule #1. POP QUIZ: If your portfolio loses 25% of its value this year, what
return would you need next year to break even? Investment Year #1 Starting
Value = $100,000 Return = -25% Ending Value = ? Investment Year #2 Starting
Value = $75,000 Return = ? Ending Value = $100,000 Did you get the correct
answer? If you lose 25% of your portfolio, it takes a 33.3% return, just to
break even! If you lose 50% of your money you need a 100% return, just to break
even! That is why it is critical not to lose money. The main reason so many
investors lost money in the last down market is that they, or their advisor,
did not have an exit strategy. An advisor needs to have a predefined plan for
what he or she will do if an investment loses money. Remember, there is no
reason to be emotionally attached to any investment. Investments are designed
for one thing and one thing only: to make money. # 5: What is your track
record? This is where you find out if an advisor is driven by results or
commissions. When investors hire an advisor for recommendations, or to manage
their account, they need to make sure that the advisor has a track record of
success. * How have the advisor's client accounts performed in down markets? *
How have the advisor's client accounts performed in up markets? * How does the
advisor's performance compare to a benchmark, like the S&P-500 index, in up and
down years? This is where you want to ask for numbers to back up the "sales
pitch", and it should not take days to get them. If the advisor sidesteps this
question or downplays performance, do not walk away, run! Making sure the
advisor has a history of success is critical. After all, if you are not paying
to receive results, what are you paying for? Summary Well formulated questions
are the tools used to dissect any problem. Take time to ask tough questions of
yourself and potential advisors. Key questions to ask are: 1. What do I want to
accomplish? Create a solid foundation by defining your goals. 2. How do you get
paid? Make sure compensation is aligned with your goals. 3. How will you invest
my money? Ask tough questions. Expect intelligent answers. 4. Do you have an
exit strategy? Make sure the advisor has a predefined plan to prevent major
losses in your account. 5. What is your track record? If you are not paying for
results, what are you paying for? These questions should provide an investor
with an excellent base for hiring an advisor. Once you find the right advisor,
you move beyond solving a problem, you create results. Contact Talisker
Investment Group at (208) 860-4244 or www.taliskergroup.com. (c)2005 Talisker
Investment Group, LLC. About the Author Daniel Wiggins is the President and
Chief Investment Officer for Talisker Investment Group, LLC. He is considered a
leading investment manager in the area of delivering absolute returns.

You may view the latest post at
http://www.richproject.co.cc/?p=4374

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posted.
Best regards,
admin
k_malee@hotmail.com

[] Do You Really Want to Know the Truth?

has posted a new item, 'Do You Really Want to Know the Truth?'

Back in 1992, Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise co-starred in a movie entitled A
Few Good Men. The high point of the film, in my view, was a classic, heated
exchange between their characters, during which Kaffee (the military attorney
played by Cruise) says: "I want the truth," and Col. Jessup (Nicholson)
responds: "You can't handle the truth." The movie makes Jessup the villain.
That's not surprising in a courtroom drama that's based on finding the truth in
order to separate right from wrong. But the screenwriters could just have easily
turned it all around. If Jessup were editing the script, he would have become
the hero defending the American way of life. Unlike Kaffee, who could only
perceive truth through the narrow perspective of precedent case law, he saw the
bigger picture. In his view, the rigidity of black-and-white morality needed to
be bent into shades of gray to serve the greater good. The truth that Jessup
perceived was well beyond Kaffee's ability to handle. Kaffee's view of truth was
far too limited to contain the reality of Jessup's world. However what neither
of them could see was that "the truth" simply does not exist. There is no
universal, definitive Truth (with a capital "T"). The best each of us can muster
is our own version of truth, determined by the point from which we choose to
view reality. And our only sin is in believing that others must join us in
seeing things as we do. There have always been those among us who, claiming to
speak with the authority of God or on behalf of a totalitarian regime, have
advocated their version of Truth. These people -- not too different in other
ways from the rest of us -- became ensnared by the assumed validity of their
doctrines. Despite their impressive robes or uniforms and their persuasive
pronouncements, they turned out to be little more than bigoted bullies who
historically have been astonishingly effective in bending our minds and wills.
Perhaps, the time has come for us to think for ourselves. But how can we when
our minds are already made up? Someone has already done all the thinking for us.
And we, seeking the blessings of our leaders and the safety of consensus,
continually nod in agreement. Besides, we enjoy being part of our larger
families and we seem to enjoy the comfort of singing from a common hymnal. The
next time someone asks you for the truth, you might want to think twice before
answering. It takes far more courage to venture into the domain of truth than
you might realize. It is a never-ending journey into the unknown, requiring that
you turn your back on everything familiar and move to places you've never dared
explore. You leave the solace of certainty far behind as you venture beyond the
walls of belief. While part of you is curious, another part would probably
rather not take the risk. Eagles concerned about safety nets don't soar; sadly,
they eventually lose their ability to fly altogether. However, as any eagle
will tell you, overcoming the fear of leaping from the nest is the only way to
fulfill its destiny. When you finally summon sufficient courage to loosen your
grip on the truths you've bought into and let go of set beliefs, you will make a
remarkable discovery: What you see depends upon where you're looking from. Every
time you change the point from which you view, not only does what you see
change, but a new aspect of yourself emerges as well. You become the eagle
circling ever higher on unexpected updrafts, each new turn providing a fresh
point from which to view. All the burning issues that seemed so pressing and
compelling yesterday fade into obscurity and irrelevance today. New truths
reveal themselves in kaleidoscopic succession until you realize that each of
these, too, is little more than a temporary resting place. You linger for a
while, absorbing the epiphany it offers, and release it in order to move on to
the next vista that piques your curiosity. As your awareness grows, so does
your ability to accept multiple realities. You soon come to realize that right
and wrong, like Truth, are merely expressions of perception. They appear
immutable only to those who refuse to change the points from which they view. If
such people are so deeply rooted to their beliefs that they are unwilling to
relinquish their vantage points, why should it be surprising that what they see
never changes? The only way they can justify their deep-seated fear of change is
to preach and find fault with those who are not in agreement. By finding others
wanting, they reinforce their own self-righteous perceptions, giving rise to the
separation that inevitably finds expression in covert or overt hostility. This
clinging to the idea that there is a universal, definitive truth lies at the
core of the difficulties with religions, political systems, financial
institutions, ecological movements, the business and corporate world, as well as
almost every personal relationship you have ever had. However, where it does its
most insidious damage is within the complex mini-world of the individual. When
you trade your curiosity for the identity and sense of belonging that comes with
adopting the beliefs of those around you, the totality of who you really are
becomes overridden by your external persona -- the person you now think you are.
In theory, the way out of this dilemma is simple. Albert Einstein encapsulated
it in a few words: "No problem can ever be solved at the same level of
consciousness that created it." However, in practice this is far easier said
than done. For what is required is for you to summon the courage to break free
from your comfort zone -- your habitual, ingrained patterning -- and soar. When
was the last time you found yourself in a heated argument with someone and
suddenly realized that both of you were absolutely correct even though you were
in opposite camps? How easy was it for you to disengage from the inevitable
he-said/she-said (attack/defend) syndrome and view the interaction from outside
the arena of conflict? Once you have actually achieved this breakthrough, you
are immediately confronted by an incredibly interesting question: If I am the
one arguing, then who is the one watching me argue? With that extraordinary
question, everything in your life is about to shift irrevocably. You are ready
to leap into the void in which your tidy world of certainty becomes increasingly
fuzzy. The higher you soar, the more right and wrong are seen to be two sides of
a m?bius strip, blending and disappearing into each other. You now understand
truth anew; it is no more than a memorial to a stuck point of view -- a roadside
marker warning passing motorists to stay alert. Do you still want the truth?
Whatever for, now that you're among the eagles?About the Author ?2005.
Jean-Claude Koven is a writer and speaker based in Rancho Mirage, CA; Author of
Going Deeper: How to Make Sense of Your Life When Your Life Makes No Sense.
Selected by both Allbooks Reviews and USABookNews.com as the best metaphysical
book of the year. See: www.goingdeeper.org. This article may be forwarded,
distributed, posted, or published without limit, but please do not alter the
text in any way. Please notify if published.

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[] Are You Thinking Of Hiring A Criminal Defense Attorney?

has posted a new item, 'Are You Thinking Of Hiring A Criminal Defense
Attorney?'

If you have been arrested or accused of a crime that has the potential of jail
or prison time, you may want to seriously consider hiring an attorney to
represent you. Unless you don?t mind the possibility of spending time in jail,
you?ll probably want the services of an attorney. Almost any expert will
strongly advise a person against representing him or herself in court unless
they are very knowledgeable about the field of law; and even then he or she will
still be discouraged from representing him or herself for a criminal case. Less
than one percent of people represent themselves in a criminal case. The vast
majority of people engage the services of an attorney. That is because it is
very difficult for someone to represent him or herself in court. You wouldn?t
want someone without any knowledge of how to do heart surgery doing a heart
transplant on you would you? Likewise, would you want to represent yourself in
court and face possible prison time without having the best possible legal
advice available to you? If a person cannot afford to hire an attorney the
court will appoint an attorney, typically called a public defender. The
constitution of the United States requires a person be provided with legal
representation if they cannot afford it. But it is only required if a person is
facing possible jail or prison time. If a person is only facing the possibility
of a fine, the court is not required to provide the defendant with an attorney.
A court appointed attorney may not cost the defendant any money or the defendant
may receive the court appointed attorney at reduced fees. It depends on the
income of the defendant. If a person wants a public defender they will be
required to fill out financial documents for the court to determine whether or
not they qualify for a public defender and also whether or not that they receive
the services of the public defender for free or at a reduced cost. If a person
qualifies for a reduced cost court appointed attorney, it is generally called a
partial indigency. At the conclusion of their case, the judge will require the
defendant to reimburse the county or state for a specific portion of their legal
fees. The rates are usually much lower than those charged by private defense
attorneys. If you do not qualify for a court appointed attorney and are hiring
one on your own, how do you find one? Personal recommendations from people you
know are almost always the best way to find an attorney. Other sources of
information to help find a criminal attorney are: Internet, Yellow Pages, your
civil practice attorney, your local bar association lawyer referral panel (if
they have one) and the Martindale-Hubbell publications. The Martindale-Hubbell
publications are available at most libraries and on the Internet. The
publications do their best to list every attorney in the US by geographical area
and lists the area or areas of law that attorney specializes in. When hiring a
criminal attorney on your own, try to interview several attorneys before hiring
one or ask your family and friends help you. It is important to find an attorney
you feel comfortable discussing all aspects of your case with. Some defense
attorneys offer a no cost personal interview consultation. One thing to remember
when hiring an attorney: make sure you hire an attorney who specializes in your
area of criminal law. Most attorneys will require an up-front retainer fee
which can be a significant amount depending on the type of criminal case you
have. Some attorneys charge a set fee for handling a specific type of case. But
it is more common for an attorney to charge by the hour. Some attorneys who
charge by the hour will set a cap fee for the case. That means a sum will be
agreed on that is the highest amount the defendant has to pay. If the hourly
costs reach this set amount, the lawyer will finish representing the defendant
through to the completion of the case without charging any more money. Although
contingency fees, which are where an attorney only gets paid if he or she wins
the case, are common with certain types of civil cases, they are not used with
criminal cases. Contingency fees are considered unethical and are not permitted
in criminal cases. In addition to knowing what fees an attorney will be
charging, a defendant also needs to know what services those fees cover and do
not cover. Fees such as the cost of expert witnesses are normally not included
in the normal fees of an attorney.

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[] 10 Ways to Prevent Holiday Spending From Straining Your Marriage

has posted a new item, '10 Ways to Prevent Holiday Spending From Straining Your
Marriage'

ROSEN LAW FIRM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 16, 2005 PRESS RELEASE 10 Ways to
Prevent Holiday Spending From Straining Your Marriage by Jessie Danninger, CPA,
Rosen Law Firm Everyday I work with couples going through a divorce and I know
finances in general, but especially over the holidays, can be a real strain on
the marriage. Here are a few financial tips for married couples to prevent
finances from putting a strain on the marriage during the holiday season. 1. Sit
down with you spouse and evaluate the money you have to spend this holiday
season. Couples need to know the family income and cash reserves to avoid
overspending or unnecessary penny pinching. Evaluate your expenses and set aside
a reasonable amount of funds based on real numbers that compliment the money
available. Dont set aside an unrealistic amount that requires you to charge
living expenses. 2. Agree on a budget and stick to it. Plan ahead with your
spouse about who will be responsible for buying which presents and how much
should be spent. Don't forget to budget for holiday decorations, travel, food
and drinks. This will help avoid disagreements, as well as surprises, when the
bill comes due. Make a pledge that for any purchase over a certain amount of
money youll consult with each other about the purchase beforehand. 3. Choose
appropriate times and places to discuss finances with your spouse. A busy
shopping mall or an inlaws home are not appropriate places to discuss family
finances. Worse, if the discussion turns into an argument you'll have an
audience. When you need to discuss finances with your spouse, select a time and
place where youre not in a public setting and are able to talk openly. 4. Donate
to a charity. Even if its a small amount, holiday charitable giving is always a
good way for spouses to pause in the whole spending malaise and be grateful for
what they have. And before the New Year is a great time to donate to a charity
since you can deduct it from your taxes in April rather than waiting until the
following year. 5. Don't feel obligated to buy everyone you know a gift. There
are less expensive ways to show people such as acquaintances, coworkers, or
your mailman, that you appreciate them. Keep in mind that if these individuals
weren't expecting a gift from you, they may now feel obligated to buy you
something. And don't let surprise gifts guilt you into buying a reciprocal gift
that you hadn't budgeted for. A gift can be accepted graciously without
obligating you to another purchase. 6. Don't wait until the last minute. When
under time pressure, often people aren't able to shop for the best deal. They're
so pleased to have found the right gift in time that they'll pay whatever
necessary just to check it off their list. If you wait until the last minute,
but want the gift to arrive in time, you may also have to pay higher shipping
costs. 7. If youre making charges this year on your credit card, sit down with
your spouse and pick out the credit card with the lowest annual percentage rate.
You don't want to make purchases on a credit card with a 14 percent annual
percentage rate if you have a credit card that offers a lower rate. If you are
purchasing large gifts that come with purchase incentives such as six months
same as cash, make sure you are financially able to pay off the purchase within
the six months as often these offers come with very high interest rates after
the promotional period. 8. Try to disassociate shopping with your emotional
state. Holidays inspire lots of emotions, not all of them good. You may find
that you're depressed during this time of year, you may feel guilty about the
effect of marital issues on your children, you may be stressed from spending
lots of time with family you don't see often, or you may even feel competitive
about gifts you're giving. Don't use spending to address these issues because
the relief will be temporary and you'll probably feel worse once the impact of
the excess spending hits. Instead find alternative ways to deal with these
feelingsget together with a good friend to talk, exercise, meditate or schedule
an appointment with a counselor. 9. Establish an inexpensive holiday routine.
If money is tight, as it often is during the holiday season, find new ways to
celebrate the season (and there are lots of ways) without racking up the credit
card. Be creative and innovative and remember the holidays arent about how much
money you can spend. 10. If you're from a large family, consider drawing names
from a grabbag. If you have a lot of family members, a grabbag can be a great
tradition for the holidays, so that everyone doesn't feel obligated to buy a
present for everyone elserather you can buy one nice gift for one person. ***
With offices in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Chapel Hill/Durham, Rosen Law Firm is
the largest divorce firm in North Carolina. Founded in 1990, the firm is
dedicated to providing individual growth and support to couples seeking divorce
by helping them move forward with their lives. Our staff of attorneys,
accountants, and specially trained divorce coaches expertly address the complex
issues of ending a marriage. Our innovative approach acknowledges that divorce
is so much more than just a legal matter. Practice areas include child custody,
alimony, property distribution, separation agreements, and domestic violence
relief. For more information on Rosen Law Firm, or for an interview, please
contact: Alison Kramer, Director of Public Relations, Office: 9192561542, Cell:
9195237104, akramer@rosen.com Rosen Law Firm 4101 Lake Boone Trail Suite 500
Raleigh, NC 27607 www.rosen.com Divorce is Different HereAbout the Author Jessie
Danninger is a financial analyst with Rosen Law Firm. She assist clients in all
financial matters relating to divorce, including property distribution, child
custody, alimony, and tax related issues. She is a certified divorce financial
analyst and CPA.

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[] What is my Personal Injury Claim Worth

has posted a new item, 'What is my Personal Injury Claim Worth'

Good Cincinnati personal injury attorneys should be able to give you a range
of what your case is worth. However be wary of anyone, insurance company or
attorney, that tells you what your case is worth in the early stages of your
recovery. This is because one needs to know the full nature and extent of the
injury before a claim cam be evaluated. The future needs to be reasonably
predicted by your doctor since a permanent injury is obviously worth more than
one the lasts only a little while. 1. The first thing to consider is
responsibility for the injury. Is it a clear cut case or are there questins
about who is at fault. 2. The second thing is whether the injury clearly was
caused by the event. did you go to the doctor right awat or was there an
intervening gap or subsequent gap in treatment. 3. How much were and will be
your medical bills. 4. Did you loose wages 5 How bad was your pain 6 Were
your activities affected These are only a few of the factors that go into
evaluating your claim. If you are an Ohio resident and would like further
information go to http://www.castellilaw.com or call an experienced Cincinnati
personal injury attorney About the Author Personal Injury Lawyer Cincinnati,
Ohio Anthony D. Castelli Cincinnati, Ohio phone (513) 621-2345 (800)
447-6549 fax (513) 621-2519 http://www.castellilaw.com EXPERIENCE Anthony
Castelli has courtroom experience in front of juries, having tried 20 civil jury
cases. He has handled thousands of cases ranging from the auto accident
"whiplash" injury to auto accident and product liability wrongful deat

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[] Mesophelioma Victims: Fight For Your Rights!

has posted a new item, 'Mesophelioma Victims: Fight For Your Rights!'

A few decades ago hundreds of construction workers suffered from asbestos
exposure in their workplaces. Nowadays, a great number of these people are
suffering from malignant Mesophelioma. There is a period of 20 to 50 years
between the initial exposure and the development of the disease. The diagnosis
of Mesophelioma is quite difficult because the initial symptoms are very similar
to the ones from a common flu.People diagnosed with malignant Mesophelioma are
usually told that the expected survival rate is only from eight to twelve
months. During this period treatments and special cares to relieve the pain are
needed. When on time, there is a possibility of a surgery that can take out the
cancer. If not, chemotherapy (taking drugs to fight the cancer) and radiation
therapy (using high-dose x-rays to kill cancer cells) are the only choices that
will hopefully help the victim. These treatments are quite expensive. In the
worse of cases, he/she will die before legal measures are taken.If one of these
situations takes place, the patients as well as their families must look for
justice and fair resolution of this problem. Having to deal with pain and
suffering from the disease is enough; it is quite unfair to be in the position
of dealing with economical pressures due to the high monetary demands of the
treatments of this disease. That is why patients must know that they can set a
legal lawsuit against their former employers any time.If the Mesophelioma victim
did not file a lawsuit while alive a relative can take the "power of attorney",
this means that he/she can make legal decisions on behalf of the victim. This
should be done right after the death of the victim because the statute of
limitations limits the amount of time that you have to file the lawsuit. In many
states, there is only one year to file the lawsuit.About the Author: Do you want
to know more about mesophelioma cancer? Visit http://www.Hugesettlements.com to
find a mesophelioma lawyer

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[] Divorce And Health Insurance Benefits

has posted a new item, 'Divorce And Health Insurance Benefits'

Divorce causes major issues with health insurance benefits. Many families have
employer provided and/or paid for health insurance benefits that cover the
entire family. It is not uncommon to see situations where the other spouse is a
stay at home parent, with absolutely no access to health insurance benefits, or
employed at a job with either no health insurance benefits available or those
benefits available at a substantial cost. After a divorce, the spouse with the
family health insurance coverage can no longer cover the other parent. They are
no longer "family" members who can take advantage of one health insurance
policy. How to then ensure that everyone stays insured does become an issue for
negotiation and/or divorce litigation. If both parties do not have health
insurance benefits available and if the cost of obtaining those health insurance
benefits for the other party after a divorce become prohibitive, there is one
way to continue benefits without additional cost. That way is to enter into a
separation agreement, but delay the divorce. That way, the parties actually do
remain married and they can stay on the same health insurance plan even thought
they are separed. The parties can consent to waiting for one, two or more years
before either one files for a divorce. While the parties will remain married,
their property, custody, and support issues will be addressed in their
separation agreement. Under some circumstances, this is an optimal resolution.
For example, what if both parties want one spouse to remain at home for several
more years with young children, but they do still want to separate and divorce?
This option works for them. They can separate, agree upon getting a divorce and
all of the terms that they have to agree upon, but delay the final divorce so
that they can keep cost effective health insurance benefits in place. The above
example can provide some difficulties that must be discusse in detail with your
divorce attorney. For example, if you separate but do not divorce, your federal
tax filing status may be affected. Also, in some states, it is not as easy as in
other states to enforce a separation agreement. Or, in yet other states, it is
possible for one spouse to take the advantages provided by the agreement for a
year or two and then go to court and seek entirley different forms of financial
relief in a divorce action. Only a divorce attorney licensed to practice in your
state can advise you on these issues. Another option for couples divorce is
COBRA coverage. COBRA is a federal law which mandates that a person covered
under a health insurance policy be given the right to continue that coverage, at
their own cost, for a set time period if certain requirements exist. For
example, if you obtain a divorce and your spouse had family health insurance
coverage through his employer, the employer would have to provide COBRA coverage
for you after the divorce. That COBRA coverage would require that you have the
same health insurance policy, although your coverage would now be individual and
not family. You would have to pay the employer's cost for that individual
policy. It is not uncommon for a stay at home spouse or a spouse who has less
income or employment options to obtain COBRA coverage and to negotiate that
their spouse pay for that coverage for a specified time period after the
divorce. In doing so, this gives the spouse who did not have coverage available
some time to either obtain employment with coverage or become financially
settled and able to afford their own coverage.About the Author: Jean Mahserjian
is an attorney and the author of numerous websites and books devoted to helping
consumers through the process of divorce. To download free excerpts from her
divorce and custody books, visit: http://www.millenniumdivorce.com

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[] How To Get Banned From Google Adsense In Just 2 Clicks

has posted a new item, 'How To Get Banned From Google Adsense In Just 2 Clicks'

How To Get Banned From Google Adsense In Just 2 Clicksby: Michael OliverThe
darkest nightmare a hardworking affiliate webmaster fears is receiving a dreaded
Google Adsense Warning, or even worse, a notice that Google Adsense has been
disabled for the entire account. The notice starts out like this:"It has come
to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on the ads on your web
pages. We have therefore disabled your Google Adsense account. Please understand
that this step was taken in an effort to protect the interest of the AdWords
advertisers." Some webmasters use Google Adsense to generate 100% of their
website income and the account may hold many different websites. In that case,
every website is disabled at one time. An automatic disqualification can be
devastating, especially when Google has no obligation to explain its decision in
detail.Not only does the account become disabled, but also existing
click-through earnings are refunded back to the advertisers.Life gets tough, but
is it that easy to get an account banned? Yes it is.The terms of service every
Google Adsense Webmaster accepts, describes the easy do's and don'ts.Do use the
Adsense approved formats onlyDo keep your click-through data and income
private.Don't display Adsense on registration or thank you pages.Don't use
Adsense code and a competitor's content-targeted advertisement on the same
page.Don't encourage anyone else to click on ads.For a complete list, read the
Adsense policies and termshttps://www.google.com/adsense/policies
https://www.google.com/adsense/terms The easiest method an account can be banned
is by a Webmaster clicking on the site's own ads.Just how many click-throughs
are needed to get a site banned isn't exposed, but Google Adsense watches for
multiple clicks from the same domain. One person was banned who clicked twice
from the same domain within a 24-hour period. That doesn't mean that is Adsense
policy, because Adsense appears to place suspect sites on watch status until the
action is duplicated.Spikes in click-through percentages are hefty red flags.
Those are the changes worth becoming proactive over by emailing Google Adsense.
A site that rises from a consistent 1% click-through rate to a 10%
click-through rate on one day could become suspect. The actual percentage that
creates the flag isn't made public for obvious reasons.What's the safest way to
protect an account?Don't click on the site's own ads ever.Deceptive practices
work for a short time, but they always come back to hurt the originator.Follow
up with more tips to help protect your account status here
http://www.car-accident-advice.com/google-adsense.html About The AuthorMike
Oliver is a programmer/analyst who survived injuries from a serious multiple car
accident. After speaking with attorneys who looked to create a case and then
take up to 50% of any settlement, Mike Oliver knew there must be another way to
get the legal help he needed, conquer the insurance nightmares, and keep 100% of
his settlement without fear of a do-it-yourself-kit. He found it and saved
thousands of $$$. You can, too. Get the lessons Mike paid to learn Free at
www.car-accident-advice.com

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[] How SPAM Sells Sex, Greed and Survival

has posted a new item, 'How SPAM Sells Sex, Greed and Survival'

How SPAM Sells Sex, Greed and Survivalby: Michael OliverThe unsolicited email
people react to most is what yells for money through our base needs involving
sex, greed and survival.Selfish SPAMMER messages are more clear to understand
than all the subtle appearances of simple unsolicited email such as misdirected
messages with incorrect email addresses. The top 10 abusers generate most of the
unsolicited email worldwide. The top in this group are located in the US, but
often send from outside the country. Imagine offices scattered around the world
with more than 10,000 servers all sending out the same junk message amounting to
millions of emails sent per hour. Do you know anyone who has purchased male
member enlargement pills? It's one of the major messages junk emailers are
sending today. Like most messages that deliver useless products, this too will
pass. I don't know if any man would risk admitting to that purchase, but all
those pills are proven failures and yet they still sell. To some men the extra
money it costs is a response to desperate hope. Email and the post office is
less embarrassing and sometimes worth risk that nobody will ever know about.
Comfort found in useless options exceeds feeling lost in hopeless visions. If a
top junk emailer sends out 5 BILLION messages and gets just .001% in sales, he
has 5 million sales. Any one of the world's top 3 junk emailers can do that in
just over 3 months and they are highly motivated to continue their business
without concern as to what the excessive traffic is doing to the internet.
Selfishness dictates that the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.
Many daily spam messages are filtered into junk files without being read. AOL
now blocks more than 1 BILLION unsolicited junk messages each day. Delivering
the message, 'Do Not Buy From SPAMMERS,' to the relatively small customer base
would be as easy as a SPAM message getting through AOL. When the world is your
audience, the rules change. Mike Oliverhttp://www.car-accident-advice.comAbout
The AuthorMike Oliver is a programmer/analyst who survived injuries from a
serious multiple car accident. After speaking with attorneys who looked to
create a case and then take up to 50% of any settlement, Mike Oliver knew there
must be another way to get the legal help he needed, conquer the insurance
nightmares, and keep 100% of his settlement without fear of a
do-it-yourself-kit. He found it and saved thousands of $$$. You can, too. Get
the lessons Mike paid to learn Free at http://www.car-accident-advice.com

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[] Finding The Right Lawyer To Represent You

has posted a new item, 'Finding The Right Lawyer To Represent You'

Finding The Right Lawyer To Represent Youby: Dan BaldygaAdjuster Henry Hustle
from GiveAwayNothing Insurance tried to take advantage of you so youve decided
to obtain the services of an attorney. Here are some insights you should
consider:SMALL LAW FIRM VS. LARGE LAW FIRM: The size of the law firm has
absolutely nothing to do with how well that office will represent you and/or
handle your case. A large law firm (10 or more names on their letterhead) will
not impress an insurance adjuster into giving you a better settlement. On the
contrary, adjusters whove been around, know that huge law offices have
multi-million dollar clients with mind-boggling legal problems. Because of this
those types of law firms often do not put the time (nor concern) into a several
thousand dollar personal injury case that a small office would. The bottom line?
Youll receive more and better attention from a small law office. Many of the
best personal injury lawyers operate within the confines of a law firm with only
two, three or, at the very most, four associates.BEWARE OF LAWYERS WHO REPRESENT
DEFENDANTS:The practice of law has become incredibly specialized. Find a lawyer
who has experience representing claimants(called Plaintiffs in legalese) in
personal injury cases.(Youre a Plaintiff). Be careful not to be represented by
someone who is primarily an attorney for Defendants. These lawyers way of
thinking are usually too closely tied to the values, attitudes and mental
outlook of their cold and calculating insurance company clients.More often than
not theyll not extend themselves nor battle as hard - - consciously or
unconsciously - - to obtain top dollar for your claim.(To you four or five
hundred dollars more is a lot of money.To them its a drop in the
bucket)!COMPARISON SHOP: Talk to friends, acquaintances and/or co-workers who
may have been represented by a lawyer on their own personal injury claim.
Personal Injury lawyers normally dont charge for an initial consultation.But,
before you meet with them, find out if they do.If the answer to that is yes, go
somewhere else.While chatting with the lawyer, getting to know him and
(generally speaking) what your case is all about, you should find out:(1) How
long have they been in practice?(10 years - plus - thats good. 6 to 8 years is
just okay. 3 to 4 years is highly questionable. 2 years or less is totally
unacceptable).(2) Roughly what percentage of his practice involves personal
injury cases? If its less than 75% say goodbye.(3) Does he often represent
corporations and/or insurance companies? If he does than forge it, excuse
yourself and take a walk.Hes not a Plaintiffs attorney (youre a Plaintiff) hes a
Defendants attorney (the insurance company is a Defendant). Hes not for
you!PAYING THE LAWYER - THE WRITTEN FEE AGREEMENT: After youve discussed the
facts of your case you may be able to get some sense from the attorney how much
he thinks your case is worth, and how difficult it may be to get the insurance
company to pay that amount.(He probably wont commit himself. Hell do a song and
dance that would put Madonna to shame). Once youve grappled with that ask him
exactly how much hes going to charge you for handling your case?If youre at
fault for the accident and its only your damaged ego that demands legal action
hes going to charge you for every move he makes - - and there can be a ton of
them - - at hundreds of dollars an hour.If you have a case in which the other
driver is clearly at fault (and your damages are substantial) his heart will be
pounding with glee and hell be salivating furiously to have you hire him. In
that instance hell be quite willing to waive all potential charges.Usually, in
the majority of cases, it should be a straight Contingency Fee with no costs
assessed to you. Once your financial deal has been agreed upon ask him to put
that into writing, in his Written Fee Agreement.(If he balks at a Written Fee
Agreement you should begin to hum that old tune Ill See Ya Later Alligator, get
up, thank him for his time, and exit that office)Copyright (c) 2003 by Daniel G.
Baldyga. All rights ReservedDISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this insurance
claim tip FINDING THE RIGHT LAWYER is to help people understand the motor
vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyg nor ARTICLE CITY make any
guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any
professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance
adjuster, or claims consultant or the like. Where such professional help is
desired it is the INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services. Dan
Baldygas third and latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM
(How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss)can be found on the internet at
http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com. This book reveals "How To" successfully
handle your motor vehicle accident claim, so you won't be taken advantage of. It
also goes into detail regarding the revolutionary BASE (The Baldyga Auto
Accident Settlement Evalation Formula). BASE explains how to determine the value
of the "Pain and Suffering" you endured - - because of your personal
injury.Copyright (c) By Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights ReservedAbout The
AuthorFor over 30 years Dan Baldyga was a claims adjuster, supervisor, manager
and also a trial assisstant. He is now retired and spends his time attempting to
assist those involved in motor vehicle accident claims so they will not be taken
advantage of. Mail to: dbpaw@attbi.com

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[] Alternative Billing -- Win Win Strategies

has posted a new item, 'Alternative Billing -- Win Win Strategies'

Alternative Billing -- Win Win Strategiesby: Dan HarrisBetter Legal Billing:
Time Slips for the FutureOptions Abound, But It's Often Up to Clients to Suggest
Them In the old days of legal billing, lawyer's invoices usually a single page
of elegant letterheadcontained only the phrase, "legal services rendered," and a
hefty dollar amount. No time breakdowns, no list of activities performed or
equipment and supplies usedjust a final, usually shocking, charge. But client
demands and the evolution of sophisticated billing software have led to more
detailed invoices today. Itemized statements have triggered discussion among
businesses about whether hourly billing is the best way to be charged for legal
services. As the legal profession becomes more competitive and dependent on high
quality customer service, lawyers need to embrace alternate billing methods.
Fixed or flat fees, contingency fees, non-refundable retainers with discounted
hourly fees, blended hourly fees and variations on those themes are becoming
increasingly common. But many law firms have been slow to join this trend
lawyers still perform approximately 95 percent of their corporate legal work on
an hourly basis. What does that mean for your small business? If your company is
currently working with a law firm or looking for legal counsel, try requesting
alternate billing options. While many law firms rarely initiate different
options, they'll negotiate when brought to the table. If you want something
better than the old "bill by the hour" deal, try presenting one of these billing
structures: Project billing for routine issuesQuestions To Ask Your Legal
CounselIs the attorney experienced in business law or just practicing it between
drafting wills and selling homes? Does the attorney give advice in plain
language or does he use a lot of jargon? Is there good "chemistry" between you
and the attorney? Are the attorney's ethics and goals clear? What's the
attorney's track record with other businesses similar to yours? If your legal
needs include large but repetitive tasks, consider a flat-fee approach, also
known as project billing. If you need legal assistance on a large research
project involving several repetitive tasks with a fair amount of predictability
for cost estimation and time duration, request a dollar cap for predetermined
services. Be sure to compare estimated costs at the equivalent hourly ratea
projected cap that far exceeds any likely bill is really no cap at all. Once you
get a project billing estimate, don't hesitate to shop around. Making an
informed decision shopping around, comparing prices and services with other law
firms is good business sense, especially if you intend to hire a firm for a
single project. If you anticipate establishing a long-term relationship, mention
this as you're negotiating a project amount a firm may provide a better deal if
it expects future work from your company.Results-oriented optionsForget the
image of personal injury attorneys taking a third of any verdict or settlement.
Consider instead contingency fees fees based on the outcome of the case and the
performance of your counsel. Creative use of contingency fees can create
efficiencies in even the most high-level corporate settings. If you retain a
lawyer to help your company avoid litigation, couple a reduced hourly rate with
a bonus for successfully lowering your litigation outlays. You also can
establish an incentive based on a percentage of money won or saved in trial. If
you're a defendant in a case where the plaintiff has a strong shot at a $1
million settlement, negotiate a flat fee if the case goes to trial, plus a bonus
if the plaintiff ends up getting less than $1 million. If you're a plaintiff and
estimate your case is worth between $1 and $2 million, you might negotiate
services for a flat fee plus a percentage of any settlement over $1 million.
Contingency fees turn the matter into a shared risk or shared incentive, making
the law firm your business partner, not just representation. Contingency fees
can work well with both flat fee and reduced hourly fee arrangements. Because a
number of variations on the "pay-according-to-success" theme exist, you should
ask firms for the options they're willing to discuss. Multi-layered tasks If
you're shopping for a firm for substantial legal work involving a number of
legal specialties, consider using blended hourly fees. Rather than each attorney
billing at the usual hourly rate, the firm calculates in advance an "average"
rate based on the anticipated time each attorney spends on the matter. The value
of this arrangement is twofoldit helps define responsibility in a project and it
provides a fair price schedule for the client, who avoids paying a senior
partner's hourly rate for research that should be conducted by a junior
associateLegal "Insurance" Firms without in-house counsel that frequently hire
legal services might consider contracting with a firm. In this legal billing
option, firms and clients agree to a specific charge per month in exchange for a
predetermined set of legal services. The contract fee permits the client to pick
up the phone and talk to the attorney without needing to eye the clock. This
approach works like a legal insurance policy. It encourages companies to contact
their counsel on non-litigation, non-crisis matters, and to save money in the
long run by engaging in more preventive legal action. Just as in business, the
impetus for change comes from consumer demand. The sooner businesses take the
lead in securing more effectively tailored billing methods from their legal
counsel, the sooner they'll get better, more cost-effective legal
assistance.About The AuthorDan Harris is an attorney with the international law
firm of Harris & Moure, pllc. Website:
http://www.harrismoure.comfirm@harrismoure.com

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[] Google, Wherefore Art Thou Google? Sites Abandoned by Googlebot!

has posted a new item, 'Google, Wherefore Art Thou Google Sites Abandoned by
Googlebot!'

Google, Wherefore Art Thou Google? Sites Abandoned by Googlebot! © August
30, 2004 As a search engine optimization specialist I often optimizeexisting web
pages for small business clients, upload them tothe site and see pages
re-indexed by Google within a week.This only happens with existing business
sites that have beenonline for a few years. Google seems to be updating
theirindex as often as every other week at this point and olderestablished sites
that are already indexed seem to be re-crawled on that twice a month schedule on
a fairly routinebasis.Two clients that hired me for recent work saw their
rankingsshoot to the top for a newly targeted search phrase in aweekend when I
did optimization on a Thursday and they wereranked instantly by Saturday. Now
keep in mind that thisdoesn't happen for everyone, only those that have been
onlinefor some period and already have significant content thatsimply needs
tweaking and proper title and metatag informationadded. They usually have
relatively good existing PageRank anddo well for other RELEVANT search phrases
already. I offer thatwarning only to avoid instilling false hopes in anyone
hopingto achieve the same instant ranking boost overnight.Those clients that do
succeed in this way are often thrilledwith the results accomplished in such
short order. I'd loveto be able to offer that type of ranking boosts to
everyone,but some are more equal than others when it comes to easy,inexpensive
SEO tune-ups that rev up your rankings overnight.Your mileage may vary.WHY DO
NEW SITES SUFFER?What is going on with newer sites that don't get crawled
formonths? I've got a client, a newer attorney directory thatoffers tons of
great information in the form of articles onspecific areas of law, links to
incredibly valuable andrelevant legal sites and over 600,000 attorneys listed
bypractice area and state. Yet the site has not been re-crawledby Google for
over 3 months! Now this would not be such a bigissue for many sites, but this
site is relatively new and we'veoptimized all the titles, tags & page text,
created a completesite map and placed links to all these resources on the
frontpage.I know that the site is not being crawled because Google'scached copy
of the front page shows it before we did thework four months ago, without the
new links and withouttitle tags. We've submitted the site by hand,
(manually)once a month for three months via the Google Add URL
page.http://www.google.com/addurl.html When the hand submissionfailed to get it
re-indexed for four months, we submittedthe sitemap page, which has not been
crawled at all. Googleshows only ONE page on this site, when in fact it
hasthousands of pages, a sitemap and dozens static pages!Part of the problem is
that this site must be dynamic, sincea database of over 632,000 attorneys must
be accessed,retrieved and served for any of those law firms searched forto be
returned to the site visitor. Google warns owners ofdynamic sites that Googlebot
may not crawl dynamicallygenerated pages with "?"" question marks in the URL.
This isto avoid crashing the server with too many concurrent pagerequests from
Google's spider.http://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html#A1 The solution to this
dynamic URL problem has been discussedwidely in search engine forums and
solutions have been bandiedabout including software provided by SEO's, URL
re-writetechniques for dynamic pages on APACHE
servershttp://www.alistapart.com/articles/urls/ and PHP
pageshttp://www.stargeek.com/php-seo.php to generate search enginefriendly
URL's. Others recommend simply adding static HTMLsitemap pages as alternatives
for the search engine spiders. In this instance the client's developer simply
said "Ican'tdo that (PHP solution) on this server". So we resorted toputting up
the static HTML sitemap pages with hard-codedURLS to the main 54 pages of the
site athttp://lawfirm411.com/Law-Firm-411-sitemap.html This shouldget at least
those fifty pages crawled by Googlebot, butGoogles' spider appears not to be
crawling this site at all.How do we know this? See for yourself by using the
followingquery in the search box at Google: allinurl:www.lawfirm411.comwhere the
result page shows ONE page in the results. If youtry that query on your own site
(replace your own domain namefor lawfirm411.com), you'll see the results lists
ALL yourpages.The site home page was crawled by Google four months ago, whenthey
took their "Cached Snapshot" of the page. You can seethis by visiting the Google
cached page
here:http://66.102.7.104/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=cache:www.lawfirm411.comwhere
the date of this snapshot is "Apr 20, 2004 07:42:19 GMT"and they haven't been
back since. The page in that snapshothas none of the newly added links, an
outdated title tag, andold content.This problem is not unique to this site. One
client we workedwith two years ago had a dynamically generated, framed
site!Those two site structures have always given search enginestrouble. Their
site was not crawled at all and only the frontpage showed up. Our solution was
to create a second domain(owned by the client), which had static HTML pages that
precisely mirrored the content of the client's framed,dynamically generated
site. Guess what happened afterGooglebot crawled the static site? Google indexed
the framedsite in full and then banned the static site from the index!Not an
approach we advocate, but the one that worked for thisclient.We're still
searching for ways to get Googlebot back toLawFirm411.com before creating that
new static site, butdecided to share this odd experience with the SEO
communitybefore going to any extremes. Google provides over 70% ofmost search
engine referred traffic to ALL of our clientsand we realized we can't site idly
by and see a major clientlanguish because Googlebot didn't like what it found at
theclient site on the first visit four months ago.This issue dogs newer sites in
other places as well. The OpenDirectory Project has also become notoriously slow
in addingnew sites to the directory and in this case, has not pickedup this site
even after 6 regular monthly submissions. Theweb playing field may have begun
tilting toward older,established sites and away from new ones. © August 30,
2004 As a search engine optimization specialist I often optimizeexisting web
pages for small business clients, upload them tothe site and see pages
re-indexed by Google within a week.This only happens with existing business
sites that have beenonline for a few years. Google seems to be updating
theirindex as often as every other week at this point and olderestablished sites
that are already indexed seem to be re-crawled on that twice a month schedule on
a fairly routinebasis.Two clients that hired me for recent work saw their
rankingsshoot to the top for a newly targeted search phrase in aweekend when I
did optimization on a Thursday and they wereranked instantly by Saturday. Now
keep in mind that thisdoesn't happen for everyone, only those that have been
onlinefor some period and already have significant content thatsimply needs
tweaking and proper title and metatag informationadded. They usually have
relatively good existing PageRank anddo well for other RELEVANT search phrases
already. I offer thatwarning only to avoid instilling false hopes in anyone
hopingto achieve the same instant ranking boost overnight.Those clients that do
succeed in this way are often thrilledwith the results accomplished in such
short order. I'd loveto be able to offer that type of ranking boosts to
everyone,but some are more equal than others when it comes to easy,inexpensive
SEO tune-ups that rev up your rankings overnight.Your mileage may vary.WHY DO
NEW SITES SUFFER?What is going on with newer sites that don't get crawled
formonths? I've got a client, a newer attorney directory thatoffers tons of
great information in the form of articles onspecific areas of law, links to
incredibly valuable andrelevant legal sites and over 600,000 attorneys listed
bypractice area and state. Yet the site has not been re-crawledby Google for
over 3 months! Now this would not be such a bigissue for many sites, but this
site is relatively new and we'veoptimized all the titles, tags & page text,
created a completesite map and placed links to all these resources on the
frontpage.I know that the site is not being crawled because Google'scached copy
of the front page shows it before we did thework four months ago, without the
new links and withouttitle tags. We've submitted the site by hand,
(manually)once a month for three months via the Google Add URL
page.http://www.google.com/addurl.html When the hand submissionfailed to get it
re-indexed for four months, we submittedthe sitemap page, which has not been
crawled at all. Googleshows only ONE page on this site, when in fact it
hasthousands of pages, a sitemap and dozens static pages!Part of the problem is
that this site must be dynamic, sincea database of over 632,000 attorneys must
be accessed,retrieved and served for any of those law firms searched forto be
returned to the site visitor. Google warns owners ofdynamic sites that Googlebot
may not crawl dynamicallygenerated pages with "?"" question marks in the URL.
This isto avoid crashing the server with too many concurrent pagerequests from
Google's spider.http://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html#A1 The solution to this
dynamic URL problem has been discussedwidely in search engine forums and
solutions have been bandiedabout including software provided by SEO's, URL
re-writetechniques for dynamic pages on APACHE
servershttp://www.alistapart.com/articles/urls/ and PHP
pageshttp://www.stargeek.com/php-seo.php to generate search enginefriendly
URL's. Others recommend simply adding static HTMLsitemap pages as alternatives
for the search engine spiders. In this instance the client's developer simply
said "Ican'tdo that (PHP solution) on this server". So we resorted toputting up
the static HTML sitemap pages with hard-codedURLS to the main 54 pages of the
site athttp://lawfirm411.com/Law-Firm-411-sitemap.html This shouldget at least
those fifty pages crawled by Googlebot, butGoogles' spider appears not to be
crawling this site at all.How do we know this? See for yourself by using the
followingquery in the search box at Google: allinurl:www.lawfirm411.comwhere the
result page shows ONE page in the results. If youtry that query on your own site
(replace your own domain namefor lawfirm411.com), you'll see the results lists
ALL yourpages.The site home page was crawled by Google four months ago, whenthey
took their "Cached Snapshot" of the page. You can seethis by visiting the Google
cached page
here:http://66.102.7.104/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=cache:www.lawfirm411.comwhere
the date of this snapshot is "Apr 20, 2004 07:42:19 GMT"and they haven't been
back since. The page in that snapshothas none of the newly added links, an
outdated title tag, andold content.This problem is not unique to this site. One
client we workedwith two years ago had a dynamically generated, framed
site!Those two site structures have always given search enginestrouble. Their
site was not crawled at all and only the frontpage showed up. Our solution was
to create a second domain(owned by the client), which had static HTML pages that
precisely mirrored the content of the client's framed,dynamically generated
site. Guess what happened afterGooglebot crawled the static site? Google indexed
the framedsite in full and then banned the static site from the index!Not an
approach we advocate, but the one that worked for thisclient.We're still
searching for ways to get Googlebot back toLawFirm411.com before creating that
new static site, butdecided to share this odd experience with the SEO
communitybefore going to any extremes. Google provides over 70% ofmost search
engine referred traffic to ALL of our clientsand we realized we can't site idly
by and see a major clientlanguish because Googlebot didn't like what it found at
theclient site on the first visit four months ago.This issue dogs newer sites in
other places as well. The OpenDirectory Project has also become notoriously slow
in addingnew sites to the directory and in this case, has not pickedup this site
even after 6 regular monthly submissions. Theweb playing field may have begun
tilting toward older,established sites and away from new ones. ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Mike Banks Valentine is the SEO for
http://www.lawfirm411.comContact him at
http://www.seoptimism.com/SEO_Contact.htm Improve Your Small Business Online at
our Ecommerce Tutorialhttp://website101.com/Free-Tutorials/index.html

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[] For Publish

has posted a new item, 'For Publish'

AmericaEddie BruceI have to admit to being readily impressed by company names.
Maybe it's an age thing. You see, I was around when we had nationalised
industries here in Britain, you know, British Railways, British Gas, British
Steel, British Road Services, etc., etc. Those companies may have been
over-staffed and under-efficient but you always knew you could trust them, and a
product marked "Made in Britain" had class - in those days. Even after they
became privatised the word "British" in a company name still, in my subconscious
at least, gave that firm a stamp of approval. Those were the heady days when we
had some traditional industries and workers could rely upon union protection to
prevent their jobs being shipped out to third world countries.When a company
called PublishAmerica (http://www.publishamerica.com/index.asp) agreed to
publish my small collection of short stories, I was delighted. This wasn't a
'tuppence ha'penny' outfit but an organisation that boasted "America" in its
title. I've never been to America but I have made some good "virtual" friends
there and know how patriotic Americans are. How could you not feel safe doing
business with a firm that so proudly flew the flag of that famous super power?
When I checked out PublishAmerica's website, all red, white and blue with the
slogan "We treat our authors the old-fashioned way - we pay them," I felt truly
blessed. A publisher of high esteem (I believed the testimonials) recognised the
reader-appeal of my stories and my potential as a writer. Further encouragement
came from the "Why PublishAmerica?" page where I was told "The majority of our
books that are sold retail are sold in physical brick and mortar bookstores" and
"PublishAmerica can remove the stigma of paying to be published. With
PublishAmerica, you will have the very important distinction of having your book
ACCEPTED BY A TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY."Yet something about the company
name puzzled me. I mean, why not "The American Publishing Company" or similar?
As it stands "PublishAmerica" could be interpreted as an ambition to publish
anything and everything that was ever written in that country. Amazingly, that
interpretation very much sums up their objectives.In my enthusiasm I had been
studying PA's Author's Message Board, following links to previously published
author's websites and reading all the reviews and book excerpts I could find
(not realising that authors with anything pertinent to say are instantly barred
from posting). Then I read one of their books from cover to cover. Now, my own
education at an orphanage school in the Highlands of Scotland was very basic, so
my grasp of English Grammar left something to be desired. Nevertheless,
convinced I had stories to tell and the ability to tell them, I had joined
Internet critique groups to learn how to present them. When I read my first
PublishAmerica book my feelings were a blend of embarrassment, anger and
disbelief. The writer had obviously worked hard to put the story together and it
had the makings of an entertaining read. It reminded me so much of my own first
and only attempt at writing a novel - abundant clichs, suspect word selection,
contrived scenes and wooden characters existing in a plot that lacked cohesion.
It was in fact a story barely at the first draft stage, complete with spelling
and grammatical errors. How could an ethical, self-respecting publishing house
allow this to happen, I wondered? PublishAmerica/ScamAmerica are most definitely
NOT traditional publishers whatever their slogan implies. Recently interviewed
by Steven Zeitchik of Publishers Weekly, PublishAmerica executive director
Miranda N. Prather admits that her company DOES NOT EDIT FOR CONTENT, only for
grammar and spelling. For readers and writers everywhere this has to be the most
worrying statement ever made on behalf of a publisher. But it gets worse.
Simultaneously Ms Prather announced the creation of an affiliation between
PublishAmerica and Online Publishing Bookstore - Tome Toaster
(http://www.onlinepublishingbookstore.com). Quote "Authors that generate sales
and create a track record showing that they are able to promote as well as write
a book will be referred to PublishAmerica by Tome Toaster." So we have a
situation where a writer's ability to self-promote supersedes everything,
including the ability to pen a readable story. I find it a frightening fact that
PublishAmerica already have 10,000 published books in the marketplace (recent
announcement). Since they don't edit for content it is safe to assume that the
bulk of these are badly written at best. By choosing PublishAmerica, genuine
AUTHORS who have worked hard at sharpening their writing and storytelling skills
find their works irretrievably associated with some of the most inane rubbish
ever written, for the period of their contract - SEVEN YEARS! Meanwhile READERS
have the dilemma of finding a readable piece of fiction (or non-fiction) in an
environment awash with literary garbage.The scam is brilliant in its simplicity.
Instead of asking for money up front, PublishAmerica solicit a list of up to 100
of the author's friends and family whom they bombard with pre-publication flyers
offering discounted copies. The sting is in the book's cover price - anything
from 25-50% above the going rate for a similar book - ensuring that the
friends-and-family discount does not effect the publisher's profit. My own 136
page "tome" was originally priced at $19.95 then reduced to the still
prohibitive cover price of $16.95 when I expressed my disgust. Print-on-demand
format allows the publisher to recoup publishing costs almost immediately on
just a few such sales which are followed up by a "special" bulk purchase offer,
irresistible to the author who has received only two free copies for review
purposes. I invested three to four hundred pounds sterling and countless
frustrating hours that I could ill afford on a marketing project that was doomed
to failure from the start. PublishAmerica's lack of author support, only
answering phone calls for book orders and ignoring almost all email complaints,
is legend, as is the nigh impossible task of finding a bookseller willing to
stock PublishAmerica non-returnable titles. PublishAmerica have a branch called
PublishBritannica and I now realise how nave I have been to believe that a
company would necessarily show respect to the country whose name they cynically
exploit. Maybe such business practices are par for the course in today's
dog-eat-dog, winner-take-all world. I know there are "authors" prepared to buy
huge quantities of their books then sell them on to sympathetic, unsuspecting
acquaintances, mug gullible punters at book fairs and the like or just sell them
to each other. I just enjoy writing stories, being neither a super salesman nor
a confidence trickster. Is it too much to expect that a writer's work might
succeed on merit rather than misrepresentation and deceit? If companies like
PublishAmerica are allowed to legally flourish while exploiting new authors,
deceiving the reading public and stifling writing talent, apart from GENUINE
TRADITIONAL HOUSES, the book publishing industry will surely drown in a
dumbed-down literary quagmire of its own making.NOTE: Many authors who value
their work and who have fallen victim to this disreputable company are
campaigning to have the sole rights to their material restored. To those who
threaten legal action PublishAmerica offer a release agreement containing a
gagging clause. Authors who feel that they have been misled or defrauded by this
company are advised to write to - Office of the Attorney GeneralConsumer
Protection Division-Beth Silverman200 St. Paul PlaceBaltimore, MD 21202and BBB
of Greater Maryland1414 Key Highway, Suite 100Baltimore, MD 21230 -5189 WWW:
www.baltimore.bbb.orgEmail: info@bbbmd.orgPhone: (410)347-3992Fax:
(410)347-3936Eddie Bruce 23.11.2004. When a company called PublishAmerica
(http://www.publishamerica.com/index.asp) agreed to publish my small collection
of short stories, I was delighted. This wasn't a 'tuppence ha'penny' outfit but
an organisation that boasted "America" in its title. I've never been to America
but I have made some good "virtual" friends there and know how patriotic
Americans are. How could you not feel safe doing business with a firm that so
proudly flew the flag of that famous super power? When I checked out
PublishAmerica's website, all red, white and blue with the slogan "We treat our
authors the old-fashioned way - we pay them," I felt truly blessed. A publisher
of high esteem (I believed the testimonials) recognised the reader-appeal of my
stories and my potential as a writer. Further encouragement came from the "Why
PublishAmerica?" page where I was told "The majority of our books that are sold
retail are sold in physical brick and mortar bookstores" and "PublishAmerica can
remove the stigma of paying to be published. With PublishAmerica, you will have
the very important distinction of having your book ACCEPTED BY A TRADITIONAL
PUBLISHING COMPANY."Yet something about the company name puzzled me. I mean, why
not "The American Publishing Company" or similar? As it stands "PublishAmerica"
could be interpreted as an ambition to publish anything and everything that was
ever written in that country. Amazingly, that interpretation very much sums up
their objectives.In my enthusiasm I had been studying PA's Author's Message
Board, following links to previously published author's websites and reading all
the reviews and book excerpts I could find (not realising that authors with
anything pertinent to say are instantly barred from posting). Then I read one of
their books from cover to cover. Now, my own education at an orphanage school in
the Highlands of Scotland was very basic, so my grasp of English Grammar left
something to be desired. Nevertheless, convinced I had stories to tell and the
ability to tell them, I had joined Internet critique groups to learn how to
present them. When I read my first PublishAmerica book my feelings were a blend
of embarrassment, anger and disbelief. The writer had obviously worked hard to
put the story together and it had the makings of an entertaining read. It
reminded me so much of my own first and only attempt at writing a novel -
abundant clichs, suspect word selection, contrived scenes and wooden characters
existing in a plot that lacked cohesion. It was in fact a story barely at the
first draft stage, complete with spelling and grammatical errors. How could an
ethical, self-respecting publishing house allow this to happen, I wondered?
PublishAmerica/ScamAmerica are most definitely NOT traditional publishers
whatever their slogan implies. Recently interviewed by Steven Zeitchik of
Publishers Weekly, PublishAmerica executive director Miranda N. Prather admits
that her company DOES NOT EDIT FOR CONTENT, only for grammar and spelling. For
readers and writers everywhere this has to be the most worrying statement ever
made on behalf of a publisher. But it gets worse. Simultaneously Ms Prather
announced the creation of an affiliation between PublishAmerica and Online
Publishing Bookstore - Tome Toaster (http://www.onlinepublishingbookstore.com).
Quote "Authors that generate sales and create a track record showing that they
are able to promote as well as write a book will be referred to PublishAmerica
by Tome Toaster." So we have a situation where a writer's ability to
self-promote supersedes everything, including the ability to pen a readable
story. I find it a frightening fact that PublishAmerica already have 10,000
published books in the marketplace (recent announcement). Since they don't edit
for content it is safe to assume that the bulk of these are badly written at
best. By choosing PublishAmerica, genuine AUTHORS who have worked hard at
sharpening their writing and storytelling skills find their works irretrievably
associated with some of the most inane rubbish ever written, for the period of
their contract - SEVEN YEARS! Meanwhile READERS have the dilemma of finding a
readable piece of fiction (or non-fiction) in an environment awash with literary
garbage.The scam is brilliant in its simplicity. Instead of asking for money up
front, PublishAmerica solicit a list of up to 100 of the author's friends and
family whom they bombard with pre-publication flyers offering discounted copies.
The sting is in the book's cover price - anything from 25-50% above the going
rate for a similar book - ensuring that the friends-and-family discount does not
effect the publisher's profit. My own 136 page "tome" was originally priced at
$19.95 then reduced to the still prohibitive cover price of $16.95 when I
expressed my disgust. Print-on-demand format allows the publisher to recoup
publishing costs almost immediately on just a few such sales which are followed
up by a "special" bulk purchase offer, irresistible to the author who has
received only two free copies for review purposes. I invested three to four
hundred pounds sterling and countless frustrating hours that I could ill afford
on a marketing project that was doomed to failure from the start.
PublishAmerica's lack of author support, only answering phone calls for book
orders and ignoring almost all email complaints, is legend, as is the nigh
impossible task of finding a bookseller willing to stock PublishAmerica
non-returnable titles. PublishAmerica have a branch called PublishBritannica and
I now realise how nave I have been to believe that a company would necessarily
show respect to the country whose name they cynically exploit. Maybe such
business practices are par for the course in today's dog-eat-dog,
winner-take-all world. I know there are "authors" prepared to buy huge
quantities of their books then sell them on to sympathetic, unsuspecting
acquaintances, mug gullible punters at book fairs and the like or just sell them
to each other. I just enjoy writing stories, being neither a super salesman nor
a confidence trickster. Is it too much to expect that a writer's work might
succeed on merit rather than misrepresentation and deceit? If companies like
PublishAmerica are allowed to legally flourish while exploiting new authors,
deceiving the reading public and stifling writing talent, apart from GENUINE
TRADITIONAL HOUSES, the book publishing industry will surely drown in a
dumbed-down literary quagmire of its own making.NOTE: Many authors who value
their work and who have fallen victim to this disreputable company are
campaigning to have the sole rights to their material restored. To those who
threaten legal action PublishAmerica offer a release agreement containing a
gagging clause. Authors who feel that they have been misled or defrauded by this
company are advised to write to - Office of the Attorney GeneralConsumer
Protection Division-Beth Silverman200 St. Paul PlaceBaltimore, MD 21202and BBB
of Greater Maryland1414 Key Highway, Suite 100Baltimore, MD 21230 -5189 WWW:
www.baltimore.bbb.orgEmail: info@bbbmd.orgPhone: (410)347-3992Fax:
(410)347-3936Eddie Bruce 23.11.2004. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eddie
Bruce is retired and writes Scottish and English short fiction. A recovering
alcoholic, his works reflect the ordinary man's eternal struggle to find a niche
in life. Some of his acclaimed stories can be read at
http://www.adrifterslegacy.co.uk

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[] The Fabulous Fifties

has posted a new item, 'The Fabulous Fifties'

By the time the Korean War ended, in 1953, fifty thousand Americans had
returned home in coffins. With the end of the War came President Eisenhower's
promise of a bright future for the United States. It was the beginning of an
economic boom unlike any in the history of the Country. For the first time since
the Great Depression of 1929 America was not in crisis.By the time the Korean
War ended, in 1953, fifty thousand Americans had returned home in coffins. With
the end of the War came President Eisenhower's promise of a bright future for
the United States. It was the beginning of an economic boom unlike any in the
history of the Country. For the first time since the Great Depression of 1929
America was not in crisis. During the latter part of 1953 mass consumerism
was on the rise and money was in the bank. Americans moved up to the "middle
class" at the rate of one million a year and real wages were rising at an
unprecedented 4.5% yearly. It was a time of conformity when men, dressed in gray
flannel suits and white shirts, went to their white-collar jobs and women kept
the home fires burning in their pastel, "cookie cutter" houses of America's new
suburbia. Life centered around the stability of home and family and 97% of
marriageable men and women were married, it was a couples society and they were
all having children, the baby boom was in full swing..Americans began their love
affair with TV during the early part of the decade and by the mid 50s 3/4 of
them owned a television set and spent 1/3 of their waking hours watching I Love
Lucy, The Honeymooners, Jack Benny, Queen for A Day, What's My Line, Ed Sullivan
and American Bandstand. Consumerism flourished as television ads convinced
viewers of the need to keep up with the "Jones'" by owning the latest gadgets
and goods.For Black citizens, in the midst of this new American prosperity, life
remained unchanged but change was in the air. The 1954 United States Supreme
Court decision in Brown v. the Board of Education was among the most significant
turning points in the development of our country. It dismantled the legal basis
for racial segregation in schools and other public facilities by declaring that
the discriminatory nature of racial segregation ... "violates the 14th amendment
to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees all citizens equal protection of the
laws,"The southern states resisted integration. On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks,
weary from an exhausting day of work as a seamstress, boarded a bus in
Montgomery, Alabama. She sat in the black section at the back of the bus but
when the white seats had filled she was told to give up her seat to a white man.
Rosa Parks refused and in so doing became the first prominent figure of what
became the Movement. The twenty-six year old minister, Martin Luther King, Jr.
led the black citizens in a non-violent boycott of the Montgomery buses. During
the boycott white extremists bombed Kings home. The boycott continued for 381
days until, in 1956, the Federal Supreme ruled to desegregate the buses. In 1957
President Eisenhower sent in the 101st Airborne to accompany the Arkansas Nine
to classes at Central High in Little Rock. Three weeks earlier the black
students were prevented by white students, teachers and parents from entering
the school in spite of the Brown v. The Board of Education ruling.There was a
change happening in music. A sound that had its roots in black music and was
referred to as "race music" was becoming popular with white teens. Early in 1951
disc jockey, Alan Freed, realized that white teenagers with money to spend were
buying records of what had been considered exclusively Negro music a year
earlier. By the summer of that same year the "Moondog Show" premiered from
Cleavland. Disc jockey, Alan Freed, was "The Moondog" and played this new music
with a "beat". His shows were a phenomenal hit and Alan Freed is credited for
naming the new music, "Rock 'n Roll" Sam Phillips, a Memphis recording man and
enthusiast of black music immediately recognized a special quality in Elvis
Presley, who had been influenced by Southern black gospel and blues. On July 5,
1954 at Sun Records Elvis recorded "I'm All Right, Mama" with "Blue Moon of
Kentucky" on the flip side. Soon after, he was named "Most Up and Coming
Hillbilly Artist of The Year".By February of 1955 Bill Haley's version of "Shake
Rattle and Roll" had sold 1 million copies, Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" was on
the charts and then came Little Richard with, "Tutti Frutti". Rock'n Roll was
born, and here to stay. Even as parents disapproved of it as "devil music" the
kids couldn't get enough. The automobile became an American icon during the
prosperity of the 50s. The Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet sedans and Chrysler
station-wagons became symbols of the new affluent American society. The nation
was suddenly mobile and "Drive-in" became a part of the language and culture.
Public Works began the construction of an extensive highway system like no other
time in history and road trips in big-finned cars became a national
past-time.The Cold War between the world's Super Powers, America and Russia,
cast a shadow of fear over the Frivolous Fifties. The Atomic and Hydrogen bombs
were created and the military performed 200 above-ground nuclear tests between
1954 and 1958. There was failure after failure in the rocket launching
competition between the two countries until Russia realized success with it's
Sputnik on October 4, 1957. Americans found themselves watching the skies and
learning to "duck and cover". By the latter part of the decade Marilyn Monroe
had appeared as the first centerfold in Hugh Hefner's Playboy magazine and Ed
Sullivan had backed down by inviting Elvis to perform, two months after calling
him vulgar and exclaiming that he would never appear on his television show. The
youth had their own music and the Beats, with their hip new language, became the
forefathers of the 60s counter-culture.Profound economic, political, racial and
social changes had taken place in a short time. Happy Days? Yes, but complex and
evolving too. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vicki writes original content for her
retro website, The Nostalgic Boomer. She is a baby boomer who lives and works as
a Legal Assistant in a County Attorney's Office in Arizona and spends her spare
time writing poetry, fiction, articles for web content and creating web design.

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