By Thomas Pretty
Argentina Tours Can Provide A Hugely Varied Experience, Taking In The Wide Range Of The South American Nation's Landscape And Geographical Extension As This Unique Country - A Federation Of 23 Provinces And The Beautiful, Bustling Capital, Buenos Aires - Is One To Check Off The List Before You Die.
Buenos Aires, voted the second most desirable city to visit by readers of Travel & Leisure Magazine, is a top tourist destination all of its own with a rich history, world- renowned cuisine and one of the greatest numbers of theatres in the world.
The city is an essential stop on all good Argentina tours, featuring beautiful architecture, particularly in the area around the city core comprising the Montserrat and San Telmo regions - the Catedral Metropolitana, for example, erected during Colonial times, and the famous Banco de la Nacion Argentina building.
The history of the Tango is firmly ingrained in Buenos Aires, and the barrios in the southern region of the city - while not often a stop on tours - are a source of much of the city's early Tango history and now host a growing arts scene. Theatres throughout the city regularly play host to Tango shows which are a common stop for people on Argentina tours, as are the areas of Palermo, Recoleta and Puerto Madero - fashionable neighbourhoods with many social and cultural events and a vibrant nightlife scene.
The Northern region is a common destination featuring many waterfalls including the beautiful Iguazu Falls - part of the Iguaza National Park, a subtropical rainforest area - and shares the famous Devil's Throat fall which is shared with Brazil. The Northern Region is also home to the Tren a las Nubes, or Train to the Clouds; a train service which connects the Salta Province of Argentina to the Chilean border in the Andes mountain range - at over 4,200 metres above sea level - and stops at many small towns along the way giving a real taste of life in this province.
Many Argentina tours will also pay a visit to an area of the country's southern expanse, which contains the well- known Los Glaciares National Park where glaciers which drain from the nearby ice field melt into the Lago Argentino; the freshwater lake in the area. This part of the country is also home to Ushuaia, notable for being the farthest south city in the world and San Carlos de Bariloche, a city well known for its skiing resort, but also has a great range of sights, water sports and treks.
Other common stopping points found on Argentina tours are Mendoza to the east of the Andes where many wines and olive oils originate - voted one of the top 10 historic places in the world by National Geographic magazine in 2008. You have to visit Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands) in Santa Cruz is host to many sites of archaeological and paleontological importance and gets its name from the paintings of hands made approximately 9,000 years ago; and Caviahue, a region of snowy mountains, glaciers and rainforests is a sight to behold.
Argentina is a nation of much variety, natural beauty and culture, and many good travel agents can provide all the information necessary to plan a tour of the region that you will never forget.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Thomas Pretty is an award winning travel journalist with many years of experience travelling and writing about South American detinations. Find out more about Argentina tours at http://www.jacadatravel.com/
9/29/2009
9/01/2009
How to Write Your Own Content
By Hans Hasselfors
If you have a small budget or you are very interested in creating your own content you should make yourself familiar with the necessary steps required when writing content for business use.
Create a Draft
When you start writing you should begin with a draft of your information. Regardless of whether you are writing a paragraph or a book you should write down the basic thought or information that you are trying to put across to your audience.
Many times a writer will go back to the draft for reference or as a starting point if the first efforts are not satisfactory. By preparing a draft you will not need to worry about whether you remembered the points that needed to be covered or what the purpose of the writing was.
You may only need a few words or brief sentences for your draft. Writing your thoughts as well as your references or quotes down ahead of time will free your mind to create compelling content without trying to hold all the important details in your head as you work.
If you are writing an article or report you should just write the thoughts down as they come to you for your first draft. You can go back and edit it when you've put everything on paper. If you're writing longer content, such as a book, you need to create a table of contents along with a brief summary of each chapter as a basis for getting started.
Do not be concerned with proofreading or accuracy on your first draft. If you need to do more research or check a fact you can go back and do it later. Getting started can be the hardest part for most writers. Avoid getting caught up in making it perfect the first time and you will find it much easier to progress from beginning to end without too much stress.
Make it Clear
When you've finished your first draft you will need to read it over from start to finish and make notations of areas that need clarification or rewording.
Sometimes the information you write down makes sense to you but is not clear to others. This can easily happen when your writing is based on information you already know but are taking for granted that your audience is also aware of. Even if your readers SHOULD have some knowledge of your topic, if you don't clarify the basis for your comments they may find the information confusing or misleading.
Carefully read over your information or ask for an objective opinion. If you must do the final check for yourself it is easier to catch mistakes if you leave the information for a while and go back to it later for a fresh look. Try to look at it from the perspective of your reader and determine if they would understand the language or explanations easily.
Accuracy and Proofreading
When your writing is finished it is important to check it for accuracy. Are dates, statistics or facts accurate? Are you using proper spelling, especially for names and places?
It is very easy for readers to double check your information when they are browsing the internet. If something strikes them as being 'off' they may actually go see if what you state is referenced somewhere else on the internet.
Proofreading should always be done before publishing your content. Using a spell checking program on your computer will catch most spelling errors but you should try to have a second party review the final copy to catch mistakes that you may have overlooked.
Writing your own content can give you a great sense of accomplishment and ownership. While trying to maintain a professional writing style can be very important, it is also effective to allow your own personality and style to shine through and permits your audience to connect with you.
As interesting as the writing process is, there are some warnings to keep in mind when you choose to write for yourself.
Learn more about the many benefits of using content. Visit at: http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com, and download our free report "The Importance of Content" from the members area!
Article Source: Articles Engine
About the Author:
This article was published by Hans Hasselfors from http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com. Visit our article directory for more articles about writing.
If you have a small budget or you are very interested in creating your own content you should make yourself familiar with the necessary steps required when writing content for business use.
Create a Draft
When you start writing you should begin with a draft of your information. Regardless of whether you are writing a paragraph or a book you should write down the basic thought or information that you are trying to put across to your audience.
Many times a writer will go back to the draft for reference or as a starting point if the first efforts are not satisfactory. By preparing a draft you will not need to worry about whether you remembered the points that needed to be covered or what the purpose of the writing was.
You may only need a few words or brief sentences for your draft. Writing your thoughts as well as your references or quotes down ahead of time will free your mind to create compelling content without trying to hold all the important details in your head as you work.
If you are writing an article or report you should just write the thoughts down as they come to you for your first draft. You can go back and edit it when you've put everything on paper. If you're writing longer content, such as a book, you need to create a table of contents along with a brief summary of each chapter as a basis for getting started.
Do not be concerned with proofreading or accuracy on your first draft. If you need to do more research or check a fact you can go back and do it later. Getting started can be the hardest part for most writers. Avoid getting caught up in making it perfect the first time and you will find it much easier to progress from beginning to end without too much stress.
Make it Clear
When you've finished your first draft you will need to read it over from start to finish and make notations of areas that need clarification or rewording.
Sometimes the information you write down makes sense to you but is not clear to others. This can easily happen when your writing is based on information you already know but are taking for granted that your audience is also aware of. Even if your readers SHOULD have some knowledge of your topic, if you don't clarify the basis for your comments they may find the information confusing or misleading.
Carefully read over your information or ask for an objective opinion. If you must do the final check for yourself it is easier to catch mistakes if you leave the information for a while and go back to it later for a fresh look. Try to look at it from the perspective of your reader and determine if they would understand the language or explanations easily.
Accuracy and Proofreading
When your writing is finished it is important to check it for accuracy. Are dates, statistics or facts accurate? Are you using proper spelling, especially for names and places?
It is very easy for readers to double check your information when they are browsing the internet. If something strikes them as being 'off' they may actually go see if what you state is referenced somewhere else on the internet.
Proofreading should always be done before publishing your content. Using a spell checking program on your computer will catch most spelling errors but you should try to have a second party review the final copy to catch mistakes that you may have overlooked.
Writing your own content can give you a great sense of accomplishment and ownership. While trying to maintain a professional writing style can be very important, it is also effective to allow your own personality and style to shine through and permits your audience to connect with you.
As interesting as the writing process is, there are some warnings to keep in mind when you choose to write for yourself.
Learn more about the many benefits of using content. Visit at: http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com, and download our free report "The Importance of Content" from the members area!
Article Source: Articles Engine
About the Author:
This article was published by Hans Hasselfors from http://www.SubmitYourNewArticle.com. Visit our article directory for more articles about writing.
8/21/2009
Affiliate Marketing Balance: The Key To Super-Affiliate Success
By Doug Champigny
Successful affiliate marketing is based in large part on your ability to drive targeted traffic at will, and on effectively building and operating double opt-in mailing lists targeted to each niche you're attacking. This article is aimed at those already active in the affiliate marketing arena, so if you haven't got a handle on those two activities go back and learn those first - you need the firm base they provide in place first to build your super-affiliate status.
If you're already rocking the affiliate world, it's time to start delving deeper into the super-affiliate strategies that can build a truly profitable LONG-TERM business for you. And to achieve that kind of success and be a true super-affiliate, you need to balance your efforts between short & long-term opportunities.
Balancing your short-term needs versus your long-term goals is only common sense, yet PLANNING for it is most-often overlooked by average affiliates. There are any number of immediate affiliate opportunities - you grab your affiliate link, fire off an e-mail to your opt-in list and watch commissions rack up. A number of factors influence how many sales you make - the size of your lists, how well you pre-sold the product, how tightly your list is targeted to that niche, etc - right down to your track record in only promoting tools and opportunities that are truly helpful to your readers.
Be that all as it may, you'll most likely make commissions in the same range as you usually do. Add a few good tweets on Twitter to help keep your earnings up to your current standard. And your money you've earned will arrive somewhere between the same day, a month later (standard) or two months later. That's why it's short-range: the commissions were earned in a day or two, comes in now or in the near future, and you are ready to move on to the next product or service you're promoting.
Long term affiliate marketing strategies, on the other hand, involve a lot more time investment but pay off for (hopefully) a lot longer. For best results, focus these campaigns around either big-ticket items with hefty price tags or opportunities that can provide residual commissions like membership sites, services, etc. Both higher commissions because of the price and ongoing commissions from the initial sale make these worth putting a lot more time and resources into.
The difficulty lies in the time it takes to get these campaigns built, optimized and running effectively - while they definitely can pay off big time, you still need to pay the bills while building and promoting your promotional empire for that offer.
And that's where the balance comes in. Start by focusing all your time and effort into short-term opportunities until you've got enough coming in to meet current needs and next month's - remember that the bulk of this month's commissions will arrive at some point during next month. (each individual merchant posts payment terms in their affiliates' section - be sure you know when each pays out.)
As soon as you've generated enough to cover you for this month and next, switch your focus to your next long-term promotion. Now that you know the bills are paid and you've got spending money, mobilize your entire affiliate marketing arsenal of tools to promote either a long-term residual commission opportunity, or a 4 or 5-figure product/service.
This is when you take the time to write and submit articles, create & submit videos, press releases, etc, either post to your existing blogs or set up a new highly-targeted blog, arrange interviews to use for teleseminars, podcasts, list-building gifts, etc., write an e-course in the topic, produce one or more viral report on the subject, set up e-zine ad swaps and all the rest. Most affiliates never put that much into promoting an affiliate marketing opportunity - but then affiliates seldom, if ever, make what super-affiliates do...
Just be careful not to get too wrapped up in promoting the big-dollar and residual opportunities to the extent that you run into cashflow problems - as soon as the month ends, switch back to your short-term efforts to build your cashflow back up for that month and the next.
Hopefully by keeping to those balances affiliate marketing activities you'll avoid cashflow shortages as you build up your online business and your mailing lists, and get to the point where the recurring commissions from your previous promotions more than meet current needs - at which point you can focus that much more on the events that make you the greatest affiliate commissions.
Because at that point, you're well on your way to becoming the next super-affiliate rockstar!
Article Source: Articles Engine
Doug Champigny is a world-famous Internet marketing mentor, speaker and super-affiliate regularly seen on the leaderboards of top online launches. For more affiliate marketing help from Doug, visit his Affiliate Marketing Training Blog and be sure to sign up for his e-zine!
Successful affiliate marketing is based in large part on your ability to drive targeted traffic at will, and on effectively building and operating double opt-in mailing lists targeted to each niche you're attacking. This article is aimed at those already active in the affiliate marketing arena, so if you haven't got a handle on those two activities go back and learn those first - you need the firm base they provide in place first to build your super-affiliate status.
If you're already rocking the affiliate world, it's time to start delving deeper into the super-affiliate strategies that can build a truly profitable LONG-TERM business for you. And to achieve that kind of success and be a true super-affiliate, you need to balance your efforts between short & long-term opportunities.
Balancing your short-term needs versus your long-term goals is only common sense, yet PLANNING for it is most-often overlooked by average affiliates. There are any number of immediate affiliate opportunities - you grab your affiliate link, fire off an e-mail to your opt-in list and watch commissions rack up. A number of factors influence how many sales you make - the size of your lists, how well you pre-sold the product, how tightly your list is targeted to that niche, etc - right down to your track record in only promoting tools and opportunities that are truly helpful to your readers.
Be that all as it may, you'll most likely make commissions in the same range as you usually do. Add a few good tweets on Twitter to help keep your earnings up to your current standard. And your money you've earned will arrive somewhere between the same day, a month later (standard) or two months later. That's why it's short-range: the commissions were earned in a day or two, comes in now or in the near future, and you are ready to move on to the next product or service you're promoting.
Long term affiliate marketing strategies, on the other hand, involve a lot more time investment but pay off for (hopefully) a lot longer. For best results, focus these campaigns around either big-ticket items with hefty price tags or opportunities that can provide residual commissions like membership sites, services, etc. Both higher commissions because of the price and ongoing commissions from the initial sale make these worth putting a lot more time and resources into.
The difficulty lies in the time it takes to get these campaigns built, optimized and running effectively - while they definitely can pay off big time, you still need to pay the bills while building and promoting your promotional empire for that offer.
And that's where the balance comes in. Start by focusing all your time and effort into short-term opportunities until you've got enough coming in to meet current needs and next month's - remember that the bulk of this month's commissions will arrive at some point during next month. (each individual merchant posts payment terms in their affiliates' section - be sure you know when each pays out.)
As soon as you've generated enough to cover you for this month and next, switch your focus to your next long-term promotion. Now that you know the bills are paid and you've got spending money, mobilize your entire affiliate marketing arsenal of tools to promote either a long-term residual commission opportunity, or a 4 or 5-figure product/service.
This is when you take the time to write and submit articles, create & submit videos, press releases, etc, either post to your existing blogs or set up a new highly-targeted blog, arrange interviews to use for teleseminars, podcasts, list-building gifts, etc., write an e-course in the topic, produce one or more viral report on the subject, set up e-zine ad swaps and all the rest. Most affiliates never put that much into promoting an affiliate marketing opportunity - but then affiliates seldom, if ever, make what super-affiliates do...
Just be careful not to get too wrapped up in promoting the big-dollar and residual opportunities to the extent that you run into cashflow problems - as soon as the month ends, switch back to your short-term efforts to build your cashflow back up for that month and the next.
Hopefully by keeping to those balances affiliate marketing activities you'll avoid cashflow shortages as you build up your online business and your mailing lists, and get to the point where the recurring commissions from your previous promotions more than meet current needs - at which point you can focus that much more on the events that make you the greatest affiliate commissions.
Because at that point, you're well on your way to becoming the next super-affiliate rockstar!
Article Source: Articles Engine
Doug Champigny is a world-famous Internet marketing mentor, speaker and super-affiliate regularly seen on the leaderboards of top online launches. For more affiliate marketing help from Doug, visit his Affiliate Marketing Training Blog and be sure to sign up for his e-zine!
8/18/2009
How Do You Know The Right Fish Oil Dosage?
By Peter Clark
What is the right fish oil dosage? I constantly see questions about how much fish oil should I take.
How much do you take? What about the recommended dosage for fish oil capsules for someone with preexisting heart disease, do they take more Omega 3 supplements?
The first place to look is the website of the American Heart Association. They recognize the heart benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids, and they deal with the question of what is the proper dosage of fish oil for both people with no preexisting heart problems, and for those who do have preexisting heart conditions.
Lets look at what they recommend.
But first lets talk about where to get your fish oil. Why not just eat a lot of fish? Firstly it's expensive, but there's other problems too.
Fish can be contaminated and for this reason the FDA tell us not to eat too much.
But the best fish oil supplements go through a rigorous decontamination process so they aren't contaminated. But not all fish oil supplements are contamination free.
And the second thing to be aware of is that there are large differences in how much Omega 3 fats you get from different types of fish. Oily fish are better than non oily fish.
The AHA recommendations for people with no known heart health problems is for a minimum of 2 fish meals a week (of the right types of fish). Now of course as stated that doesn't make it easy. What if you want to take fish oil capsules because fish is too expensive?
The AHA recommendation also includes the statement that evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.
So healthy people should take around half a gram to 1.8 grams of fish oil (EPA and DHA) a day from either eating fish or fish oil supplements.
And for people who have heart disease already:
For those with documented Coronary Heart Disease: 1 gram of EPA and DHA a day. (Note that those with known heart health problems should consult a doctor before starting any supplements).
And for those seeking to lower triglycerides: 2 to 4 grams per day. Again, consult your doctor.
So there's some more specific recommendations. Now lets look at another source.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on 11th August 2009 the recommendations are at least 500 mg per day for those with no known cardio vascular issues, and 800 to 1000 mg per day for those with known pre existing heart disease problems, of EPA and DHA.
The next question is, what ratio of EPA to DHA? There isn't yet sufficient science to tell us, its still being studied.
What's the conclusion? Firstly, those with known heart disease should take more fish oil than those without.
We don't know what ratio we should aim for between EPA and DHA, but otherwise it's reasonably clear.
A minimum of a half gram a day of EPA and DHA together for healthy people and about double that for those with known heart issues. More for lowering triglycerides.
The best fish oil supplements money can buy have 280 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA in them. (Double the amount of DHA than your "average" capsules). So they have a total of 400 mg.
So 2 capsules a day will give you 800 mg in total, around the level proposed by the AHA. And the recommended dosage, (taken from the label), for adults is 2 capsules a day.
So with no known heart issues take 2 capsules a day of the best fish oil capsules, up to double for other "average" fish oil capsules, depending on what is in them.
So if you're wondering how much fish oil should I take we hope this gives you some guidelines. There are no formal exact guidelines, these things are still under study.
But taking the recommendations of the AHA as a basis, we can draw some conclusions about the recommended dosage for fish oil supplements.
And the conclusion, 2 capsules day (of the best fish oil capsules, not all) corresponds with their own recommendations.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Want to know more about the Fish Oil Benefits? Or about how to get the right Fish Oil Dosage? Visit Peter's Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
What is the right fish oil dosage? I constantly see questions about how much fish oil should I take.
How much do you take? What about the recommended dosage for fish oil capsules for someone with preexisting heart disease, do they take more Omega 3 supplements?
The first place to look is the website of the American Heart Association. They recognize the heart benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids, and they deal with the question of what is the proper dosage of fish oil for both people with no preexisting heart problems, and for those who do have preexisting heart conditions.
Lets look at what they recommend.
But first lets talk about where to get your fish oil. Why not just eat a lot of fish? Firstly it's expensive, but there's other problems too.
Fish can be contaminated and for this reason the FDA tell us not to eat too much.
But the best fish oil supplements go through a rigorous decontamination process so they aren't contaminated. But not all fish oil supplements are contamination free.
And the second thing to be aware of is that there are large differences in how much Omega 3 fats you get from different types of fish. Oily fish are better than non oily fish.
The AHA recommendations for people with no known heart health problems is for a minimum of 2 fish meals a week (of the right types of fish). Now of course as stated that doesn't make it easy. What if you want to take fish oil capsules because fish is too expensive?
The AHA recommendation also includes the statement that evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.
So healthy people should take around half a gram to 1.8 grams of fish oil (EPA and DHA) a day from either eating fish or fish oil supplements.
And for people who have heart disease already:
For those with documented Coronary Heart Disease: 1 gram of EPA and DHA a day. (Note that those with known heart health problems should consult a doctor before starting any supplements).
And for those seeking to lower triglycerides: 2 to 4 grams per day. Again, consult your doctor.
So there's some more specific recommendations. Now lets look at another source.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on 11th August 2009 the recommendations are at least 500 mg per day for those with no known cardio vascular issues, and 800 to 1000 mg per day for those with known pre existing heart disease problems, of EPA and DHA.
The next question is, what ratio of EPA to DHA? There isn't yet sufficient science to tell us, its still being studied.
What's the conclusion? Firstly, those with known heart disease should take more fish oil than those without.
We don't know what ratio we should aim for between EPA and DHA, but otherwise it's reasonably clear.
A minimum of a half gram a day of EPA and DHA together for healthy people and about double that for those with known heart issues. More for lowering triglycerides.
The best fish oil supplements money can buy have 280 mg of DHA and 120 mg of EPA in them. (Double the amount of DHA than your "average" capsules). So they have a total of 400 mg.
So 2 capsules a day will give you 800 mg in total, around the level proposed by the AHA. And the recommended dosage, (taken from the label), for adults is 2 capsules a day.
So with no known heart issues take 2 capsules a day of the best fish oil capsules, up to double for other "average" fish oil capsules, depending on what is in them.
So if you're wondering how much fish oil should I take we hope this gives you some guidelines. There are no formal exact guidelines, these things are still under study.
But taking the recommendations of the AHA as a basis, we can draw some conclusions about the recommended dosage for fish oil supplements.
And the conclusion, 2 capsules day (of the best fish oil capsules, not all) corresponds with their own recommendations.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Want to know more about the Fish Oil Benefits? Or about how to get the right Fish Oil Dosage? Visit Peter's Website Healthy Omega 3 Fish Oil.
8/17/2009
How to Achieve Internet Marketing Success: Become a Success Story
By Cris Santeiro
Internet marketing success is achievable, but not by all. A lot of people don't have what it takes to succeed and they fall by the wayside. They do not make it. However, there are some that do make a great living online. There are certain basic traits that these people share.
Achieving internet marketing success is not something that happens to you by a stroke of luck or accident. You really have to have a strong mind and know that you will be successful no matter what. It is a decision that you make. You commit yourself to success. There will be challenges and there will be failures along the way, and they are all part of a learning curve.
The book "Think and Grow Rich" is an excellent book to read at the beginning of your internet marketing career. It is important to acquire an understanding of a positive mindset, and to receive some guidance from someone who knows how to achieve success. I myself read this book, and was immediately launched into a powerful thinking process that has not left me. It is necessary to direct your mind in a positive direction in order to be successful in internet marketing.
Internet marketing success requires a lot of effort and dedication. Do not think that it is easy or that you are going to become rich right away. There is a lot to learn and there is no way to learn it all in one day. You have to take your time to discover the different strategies, the different ways of promoting, how to use different tools to help you in your business. If you have an open mind, you will learn something new every day, as there is so much useful information available.
Some strategies are more effective than others. Some swear by PPC, and other people lose a lot of money on PPC and never get to master it. Some people love article marketing and publish articles constantly, while others hate to write. Some people become experts at keyword research, which is very important in internet marketing, as all marketing is based on effective keyword research.
Most successful internet marketers do a little of everything. So it is important to find out what works for you and to learn to do it effectively. There is a lot of competition and most internet marketers work long hours.
It is important to make yourself known in the internet marketing world. Most people feel more comfortable buying from people they trust, or a name that is well-known. So it takes time to brand yourself. You cannot just appear in the internet marketing world and be a celebrity overnight.
Go to forums. Every internet marketing niche has a forum where people go and talk to each other. There is excellent information in forums from your peers. There are many great internet marketers in these forums, and they share their knowledge and you can find many gems.
You can also brand yourself by going to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. If you are active and present yourself as an expert, without boasting, but by being helpful and contributing important information, you will start establishing yourself as an authority and gain the trust and respect of others.
Your reputation on the internet is based on your honesty and trustworthiness. Don't launch a bad product. Don't even recommend a bad product, or you will have a hard time regaining people's trust. Excellent customer service is required to install trust and confidence. Always take care of your customers. That is first and foremost.
These factors are absolutely necessary for internet marketing success. If you do not have the right mindset, if you lack dedication and commitment, if you do not make a name for yourself, or if you do not gain the trust of buyers, you will not stand a chance at a profitable internet marketing career.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Don't continue putting off your internet marketing success . Discover how rich people think and claim your own success. Develop the traits of a successful entrepreneur.
Cris Santeiro has written extensively about internet marketing. For more information and to subscribe to her free newsletter (and receive a free IM Resources ebook) visit her website at CrisSuggests.com
Internet marketing success is achievable, but not by all. A lot of people don't have what it takes to succeed and they fall by the wayside. They do not make it. However, there are some that do make a great living online. There are certain basic traits that these people share.
Achieving internet marketing success is not something that happens to you by a stroke of luck or accident. You really have to have a strong mind and know that you will be successful no matter what. It is a decision that you make. You commit yourself to success. There will be challenges and there will be failures along the way, and they are all part of a learning curve.
The book "Think and Grow Rich" is an excellent book to read at the beginning of your internet marketing career. It is important to acquire an understanding of a positive mindset, and to receive some guidance from someone who knows how to achieve success. I myself read this book, and was immediately launched into a powerful thinking process that has not left me. It is necessary to direct your mind in a positive direction in order to be successful in internet marketing.
Internet marketing success requires a lot of effort and dedication. Do not think that it is easy or that you are going to become rich right away. There is a lot to learn and there is no way to learn it all in one day. You have to take your time to discover the different strategies, the different ways of promoting, how to use different tools to help you in your business. If you have an open mind, you will learn something new every day, as there is so much useful information available.
Some strategies are more effective than others. Some swear by PPC, and other people lose a lot of money on PPC and never get to master it. Some people love article marketing and publish articles constantly, while others hate to write. Some people become experts at keyword research, which is very important in internet marketing, as all marketing is based on effective keyword research.
Most successful internet marketers do a little of everything. So it is important to find out what works for you and to learn to do it effectively. There is a lot of competition and most internet marketers work long hours.
It is important to make yourself known in the internet marketing world. Most people feel more comfortable buying from people they trust, or a name that is well-known. So it takes time to brand yourself. You cannot just appear in the internet marketing world and be a celebrity overnight.
Go to forums. Every internet marketing niche has a forum where people go and talk to each other. There is excellent information in forums from your peers. There are many great internet marketers in these forums, and they share their knowledge and you can find many gems.
You can also brand yourself by going to social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. If you are active and present yourself as an expert, without boasting, but by being helpful and contributing important information, you will start establishing yourself as an authority and gain the trust and respect of others.
Your reputation on the internet is based on your honesty and trustworthiness. Don't launch a bad product. Don't even recommend a bad product, or you will have a hard time regaining people's trust. Excellent customer service is required to install trust and confidence. Always take care of your customers. That is first and foremost.
These factors are absolutely necessary for internet marketing success. If you do not have the right mindset, if you lack dedication and commitment, if you do not make a name for yourself, or if you do not gain the trust of buyers, you will not stand a chance at a profitable internet marketing career.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Don't continue putting off your internet marketing success . Discover how rich people think and claim your own success. Develop the traits of a successful entrepreneur.
Cris Santeiro has written extensively about internet marketing. For more information and to subscribe to her free newsletter (and receive a free IM Resources ebook) visit her website at CrisSuggests.com
8/15/2009
How To Keep Your Computer From Overheating
By Stephen Daniels
During the summer months, a computer that normally runs like a champ can suddenly begin experiencing lots of annoying problems. It begins to run louder, making irritating whirring sounds and sounding like it's struggling to work; otherwise, it completely seizes up and crashes - leaving you in the lurch. There's no doubt about it: excessive heat and computers just don't mix. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your PC cool and running like a champ - learn more by reading below.
Keep It Where It's Cool - If your computer isn't already near a vent that blows out air conditioned air in the summer, move it there. The A/C will keep the air around your computer nice and cool, minimizing the risk of overheating.
Aim A Fan On It - Don't have air conditioning? You can achieve similar results by buying a decent external fan and aiming it in the general direction of the CPU. By keeping the air moving in the vicinity of your computer, it has less of a chance to stagnate and get really hot.
Give It Space - Some computer desks have compartments for tucking your computer away; don't use them. Doing that keeps the computer cooped up and greatly increases the risk of overheating. Always make sure that your computer's vents have plenty of room to release the hot air from within.
Keep The Case Closed - As counter intuitive as it may seem, keeping your computer's case open can actually make an overheating problem worse. That's because dirt and grime can easily get into the internal fans, slowing them down or making them stop altogether. When you need to open the case, always close it back up when you're finished.
Clean Your Computer's Fans - As part of your computer's routine maintenance, you should periodically use a can of compressed air to clean each of its internal fans. Most computers have a fan at the top of the CPU, inside the power supply and there's usually also one near the front of the machine. The compressed air will blow all of the dust, lint and other debris off the fans, allowing the computer to keep cooler more efficiently.
Buy Better Fans - For a little bit of money, you can upgrade your computer's CPU fan to a higher performing model; buying extra fans for the case to blow hot air out and draw cool air in can further enhance your computer's functioning and it keep it from overheating.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Author resides in Portland, Oregon and writes articles based on personal interests and experiences.
http://www.sullmer.com
During the summer months, a computer that normally runs like a champ can suddenly begin experiencing lots of annoying problems. It begins to run louder, making irritating whirring sounds and sounding like it's struggling to work; otherwise, it completely seizes up and crashes - leaving you in the lurch. There's no doubt about it: excessive heat and computers just don't mix. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your PC cool and running like a champ - learn more by reading below.
Keep It Where It's Cool - If your computer isn't already near a vent that blows out air conditioned air in the summer, move it there. The A/C will keep the air around your computer nice and cool, minimizing the risk of overheating.
Aim A Fan On It - Don't have air conditioning? You can achieve similar results by buying a decent external fan and aiming it in the general direction of the CPU. By keeping the air moving in the vicinity of your computer, it has less of a chance to stagnate and get really hot.
Give It Space - Some computer desks have compartments for tucking your computer away; don't use them. Doing that keeps the computer cooped up and greatly increases the risk of overheating. Always make sure that your computer's vents have plenty of room to release the hot air from within.
Keep The Case Closed - As counter intuitive as it may seem, keeping your computer's case open can actually make an overheating problem worse. That's because dirt and grime can easily get into the internal fans, slowing them down or making them stop altogether. When you need to open the case, always close it back up when you're finished.
Clean Your Computer's Fans - As part of your computer's routine maintenance, you should periodically use a can of compressed air to clean each of its internal fans. Most computers have a fan at the top of the CPU, inside the power supply and there's usually also one near the front of the machine. The compressed air will blow all of the dust, lint and other debris off the fans, allowing the computer to keep cooler more efficiently.
Buy Better Fans - For a little bit of money, you can upgrade your computer's CPU fan to a higher performing model; buying extra fans for the case to blow hot air out and draw cool air in can further enhance your computer's functioning and it keep it from overheating.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Author resides in Portland, Oregon and writes articles based on personal interests and experiences.
http://www.sullmer.com
8/14/2009
Let Cost Per Action Programs Help You Make Money Online Fast!
By Dallas Cove
If you are reading this, you are probably trying to learn a way to generate money online. There are several ways to go about it: affiliate marketing, cost for each action (CPA), pay per click marketing (PPC) and even setting up your own online business selling products that you produce. It may not be the piece of cake that you thought it was to produce money online, despite all the gurus telling you how cool it is. I would tell you right now that zero friction marketing is the easiest.
First, we examine the problems with affiliate marketing, which constitutes the bulk of how you make money online. The method is easy: get traffic, they click on your affiliate link, and if they purchase the product, you will make commissions. Getting the traffic is quite tough if you do not know the tricks, but can be managed over time once you get the experience. However, you cannot control your traffic into taking out their card and click the PAY NOW button.
This difficulty is what I call the friction that stops your customers from binging you commissions. You may have the traffic and a wonderful sales sheet that can attract even the most stubborn people, but at the end of the day, it is whether they are willing to take out their credit card and part with some of their hard earned money.
Our quest is to eliminate this friction so that we can make commissions more reliably. If we can discover a way to allow our customers to try out precuts or services without having to pay, or just giving them information that they need, we are able to earn commissions and the customers do not need to pay a single cent! No more taking out credit cards and now more menacing PAY NOW click buttons!
The answer is zero friction marketing which is simply cost per action (CPA) with a twist. Once you have eliminated the need for the customer to pay, the customer is willing to but the service or product, and you make the commissions. These days, the pace of Internet surfers is very fast and you just have that much period to give the customers what you are offering. With zero friction marketing, you reduce the amount of time require to convert the customer.
The best aspect about zero friction marketing is that you can mix it with many modes of online marketing styles! You can use PPC and article marketing, or simply blogging. There are many ways of bringing traffic to the destination, so do not limit yourself to only a specific range of traffic methods.
An extremely effective CPA method is to sign up with a reliable CPA firm and promote their trial offers which only cost $2.00 or $3.00 to the customer for shipping but pay the affiliate a very handsome commission to the tune of around $26.00 to $30.00! Can you imagine? All you have to do is sell the prospect on spending a few bucks for shipping an item and you get paid nearly ten times the amount! This is because the CPA firm knows that they can market repeatedly to the customer through email ads and that a certain percentage of them will always do business. And here you thought CPA stood for Certified Public Accountant? I did too at first! But, Cost Per Action marketing is an effective method for making money online and growing by leaps and bounds!
Article Source: Articles Engine
Dallas Cove is the author. Are you looking for an excellent online, autopilot money making system with an unlimited income potential? You can find one that is top notch by visiting this website: http://dallaswealth1.com
If you are reading this, you are probably trying to learn a way to generate money online. There are several ways to go about it: affiliate marketing, cost for each action (CPA), pay per click marketing (PPC) and even setting up your own online business selling products that you produce. It may not be the piece of cake that you thought it was to produce money online, despite all the gurus telling you how cool it is. I would tell you right now that zero friction marketing is the easiest.
First, we examine the problems with affiliate marketing, which constitutes the bulk of how you make money online. The method is easy: get traffic, they click on your affiliate link, and if they purchase the product, you will make commissions. Getting the traffic is quite tough if you do not know the tricks, but can be managed over time once you get the experience. However, you cannot control your traffic into taking out their card and click the PAY NOW button.
This difficulty is what I call the friction that stops your customers from binging you commissions. You may have the traffic and a wonderful sales sheet that can attract even the most stubborn people, but at the end of the day, it is whether they are willing to take out their credit card and part with some of their hard earned money.
Our quest is to eliminate this friction so that we can make commissions more reliably. If we can discover a way to allow our customers to try out precuts or services without having to pay, or just giving them information that they need, we are able to earn commissions and the customers do not need to pay a single cent! No more taking out credit cards and now more menacing PAY NOW click buttons!
The answer is zero friction marketing which is simply cost per action (CPA) with a twist. Once you have eliminated the need for the customer to pay, the customer is willing to but the service or product, and you make the commissions. These days, the pace of Internet surfers is very fast and you just have that much period to give the customers what you are offering. With zero friction marketing, you reduce the amount of time require to convert the customer.
The best aspect about zero friction marketing is that you can mix it with many modes of online marketing styles! You can use PPC and article marketing, or simply blogging. There are many ways of bringing traffic to the destination, so do not limit yourself to only a specific range of traffic methods.
An extremely effective CPA method is to sign up with a reliable CPA firm and promote their trial offers which only cost $2.00 or $3.00 to the customer for shipping but pay the affiliate a very handsome commission to the tune of around $26.00 to $30.00! Can you imagine? All you have to do is sell the prospect on spending a few bucks for shipping an item and you get paid nearly ten times the amount! This is because the CPA firm knows that they can market repeatedly to the customer through email ads and that a certain percentage of them will always do business. And here you thought CPA stood for Certified Public Accountant? I did too at first! But, Cost Per Action marketing is an effective method for making money online and growing by leaps and bounds!
Article Source: Articles Engine
Dallas Cove is the author. Are you looking for an excellent online, autopilot money making system with an unlimited income potential? You can find one that is top notch by visiting this website: http://dallaswealth1.com
8/10/2009
Yoga Off the Mat - About Perceived Limitations
By Paul M. Jerard Jr.
It is amazing what a Yoga session can do for personal growth. I am not referring to the physical body, as much as the mindset of the average Yoga practitioner. It is agreed that Hatha Yoga is a great form of physical maintenance, but let's look at the changes that take place within the mind.
Have you ever met someone who is quick to accept impending doom as the eventual outcome in all matters of life? There is always someone in the crowd who will tell you how your idea will never work. The same person will tell you how the sky is falling and the world will end tomorrow.
This negatively charged mindset knows that the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxies will collide in a few billion years. Then they theorize about how the Earth will be torn apart by a black hole during the collision of our galaxy and its closest neighbor. This is referred to as "galactic cannibalism," when two galaxies merge and a larger galaxy consumes a smaller one.
My questions are: Why worry about possibilities that are billions of years away? What will be the limits of humankind within a few billion years? Will inter-galactic travel be possible? What advancements will our descendants make in science, engineering, or medicine?
There is no limit to the possibilities that could advance, or end, the existence of humanity. The Earth is still safe, for the time being, and we can look for solutions to the problems of the present. For any of us to be consumed, with looking at our limits, is a form of self-created imprisonment.
Luckily, Yoga allows one to free the mind from dwelling on limitations. This principle of living in the present, and focusing on solutions, can be taught to a room full of students or practiced daily. Limitation is only a perception, which we create. Athletes set new records all the time. In professional sports, records only serve as measurements to be surpassed.
There are two Yogic principles to be considered when finding solutions to anything. These are timeless remedies for realizing the endless possibilities to find logical solutions that surround each of us.
1. Collective thought has more value than being a "lone wolf." Strong philosophies and societies pool the efforts of all members and progress forward as a result of collective efforts. It is also helpful if people are living within a "free society" that allows one to be creative.
2. What lies within each of us has the power to alter what lies ahead of us. Each of us has ability. The largest difference between two people is how we put our abilities to use.
Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Article Source: Articles Engine
Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html
It is amazing what a Yoga session can do for personal growth. I am not referring to the physical body, as much as the mindset of the average Yoga practitioner. It is agreed that Hatha Yoga is a great form of physical maintenance, but let's look at the changes that take place within the mind.
Have you ever met someone who is quick to accept impending doom as the eventual outcome in all matters of life? There is always someone in the crowd who will tell you how your idea will never work. The same person will tell you how the sky is falling and the world will end tomorrow.
This negatively charged mindset knows that the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxies will collide in a few billion years. Then they theorize about how the Earth will be torn apart by a black hole during the collision of our galaxy and its closest neighbor. This is referred to as "galactic cannibalism," when two galaxies merge and a larger galaxy consumes a smaller one.
My questions are: Why worry about possibilities that are billions of years away? What will be the limits of humankind within a few billion years? Will inter-galactic travel be possible? What advancements will our descendants make in science, engineering, or medicine?
There is no limit to the possibilities that could advance, or end, the existence of humanity. The Earth is still safe, for the time being, and we can look for solutions to the problems of the present. For any of us to be consumed, with looking at our limits, is a form of self-created imprisonment.
Luckily, Yoga allows one to free the mind from dwelling on limitations. This principle of living in the present, and focusing on solutions, can be taught to a room full of students or practiced daily. Limitation is only a perception, which we create. Athletes set new records all the time. In professional sports, records only serve as measurements to be surpassed.
There are two Yogic principles to be considered when finding solutions to anything. These are timeless remedies for realizing the endless possibilities to find logical solutions that surround each of us.
1. Collective thought has more value than being a "lone wolf." Strong philosophies and societies pool the efforts of all members and progress forward as a result of collective efforts. It is also helpful if people are living within a "free society" that allows one to be creative.
2. What lies within each of us has the power to alter what lies ahead of us. Each of us has ability. The largest difference between two people is how we put our abilities to use.
Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Article Source: Articles Engine
Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html
8/04/2009
Why Home Ownership Is a Necessity During a Recession
By Volker Weiss
Many people are getting out of their house for some reason or another. Either because funds are getting tight or people are downsizing. More recently we have seen an increase for reason of foreclosure. Now that might be the best time to buy a home. The recession is hurting around the US, but that isn't a bad thing for a poised buyer looking for a great investment.
As people are running out of their houses, like Noah from the flood, the banks are willing to bargain more so they loose less. In troublesome financial times, home ownership could become more of a necessity for potential homebuyers.
Recession Investing is Top Priority
No matter where you are from, you can tell that the prices of houses are falling dramatically. People who could not afford to buy 6 months ago are now grabbing up the deals of their lives. Five-digit rice reductions could mean a tremendous decrease in monthly mortgage payments. But with prices dropping in excess of $100,000.00, that could mean a large return on your investment, which makes it a great time to purchase a home right now.
As the housing market begins to stabilize at a much lower pace than in previous years, your investment becomes more of a priority. With a purchase of a low dollar figure now, when the market starts to recover, there is going to be a huge jump in home prices and appraisal values in just a few years down the road.
Interest Rates
With the slump in the housing market, the interest rates have gone nowhere else but down. Lingering around the five percent mark for a 30-year fixed loan, the rates are down by almost 70 percent from just 18 months ago when they were around 6.8%. That is a huge jump when talking about long-term payments.
On a $500,000 loan with 20% down:
At 6.8% (2008 rates) your monthly payments are around $2,607.
At 5.0% (current rates) you are paying $2,147 a month.
That is a savings of $460 a month.
Multiply that by 30 years and you are saving $165,000 or about 25% of the original value. So the down payment practically pays for itself.
All it takes is a quick look at the numbers to see what an opportunity you could be passing up if you are not recession investing right now. Low interest rates are begging for houses to be snatched off of the market. Did you look for your dream home yet?
Buyer's Market
New construction is slowing down due to missing funding. Older neighborhoods are winding up as bank-owned communities. This is a buyer's market, which is another great reason that investing in property during a recession is a wise move. To top off the low interest rates, a $500,000.00 home was originally listed at $603,000.00 by the bank, which was, honestly, tired of losing money on it each month.
The bank now has one less property to worry about and you just saved a boatload of money, a win-win situation. Short sales can generally be listed at a 20% loss to the bank, but lately they have been bordering on the 30-40% loss range, making your investment property that much more affordable.
If you hold on to that property for 10 years, on the safe side, while the economy and housing market return to a previously normal state, with the interest rate and the reduced cost, you would have now gained a substantial dollar amount, breaking more than 50% of the value of the house.
That New House Smell
While the money is great, you should never underestimate the power of the new house feeling. To finally realize that you got such a great deal on a place you absolutely fell in love with is like none other. The joyful feeling that comes with home ownership - that "established" aura that radiates from within - is, amazingly, a great cure for the economic blues that is going around today.
Recession investing should be the top priority you have if you are thinking about buying a house. With the interest rates at an all time low and both, sellers and banks willing to haggle, there is no reason you should not already be three steps closer to being a recession investor.
Use the current market and economy to your advantage and grab up that high rate of return you are looking for or that dream home you have always wanted. Speak with your local Realtor to find out your current recession investment opportunities.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Volker Weiss - Maui Realtor(R/S) specialist focusing on Hoolei. Make your vacation last forever, check out Wailea Real Estate. For immediate help call VW directly at 888.572.6888
Many people are getting out of their house for some reason or another. Either because funds are getting tight or people are downsizing. More recently we have seen an increase for reason of foreclosure. Now that might be the best time to buy a home. The recession is hurting around the US, but that isn't a bad thing for a poised buyer looking for a great investment.
As people are running out of their houses, like Noah from the flood, the banks are willing to bargain more so they loose less. In troublesome financial times, home ownership could become more of a necessity for potential homebuyers.
Recession Investing is Top Priority
No matter where you are from, you can tell that the prices of houses are falling dramatically. People who could not afford to buy 6 months ago are now grabbing up the deals of their lives. Five-digit rice reductions could mean a tremendous decrease in monthly mortgage payments. But with prices dropping in excess of $100,000.00, that could mean a large return on your investment, which makes it a great time to purchase a home right now.
As the housing market begins to stabilize at a much lower pace than in previous years, your investment becomes more of a priority. With a purchase of a low dollar figure now, when the market starts to recover, there is going to be a huge jump in home prices and appraisal values in just a few years down the road.
Interest Rates
With the slump in the housing market, the interest rates have gone nowhere else but down. Lingering around the five percent mark for a 30-year fixed loan, the rates are down by almost 70 percent from just 18 months ago when they were around 6.8%. That is a huge jump when talking about long-term payments.
On a $500,000 loan with 20% down:
At 6.8% (2008 rates) your monthly payments are around $2,607.
At 5.0% (current rates) you are paying $2,147 a month.
That is a savings of $460 a month.
Multiply that by 30 years and you are saving $165,000 or about 25% of the original value. So the down payment practically pays for itself.
All it takes is a quick look at the numbers to see what an opportunity you could be passing up if you are not recession investing right now. Low interest rates are begging for houses to be snatched off of the market. Did you look for your dream home yet?
Buyer's Market
New construction is slowing down due to missing funding. Older neighborhoods are winding up as bank-owned communities. This is a buyer's market, which is another great reason that investing in property during a recession is a wise move. To top off the low interest rates, a $500,000.00 home was originally listed at $603,000.00 by the bank, which was, honestly, tired of losing money on it each month.
The bank now has one less property to worry about and you just saved a boatload of money, a win-win situation. Short sales can generally be listed at a 20% loss to the bank, but lately they have been bordering on the 30-40% loss range, making your investment property that much more affordable.
If you hold on to that property for 10 years, on the safe side, while the economy and housing market return to a previously normal state, with the interest rate and the reduced cost, you would have now gained a substantial dollar amount, breaking more than 50% of the value of the house.
That New House Smell
While the money is great, you should never underestimate the power of the new house feeling. To finally realize that you got such a great deal on a place you absolutely fell in love with is like none other. The joyful feeling that comes with home ownership - that "established" aura that radiates from within - is, amazingly, a great cure for the economic blues that is going around today.
Recession investing should be the top priority you have if you are thinking about buying a house. With the interest rates at an all time low and both, sellers and banks willing to haggle, there is no reason you should not already be three steps closer to being a recession investor.
Use the current market and economy to your advantage and grab up that high rate of return you are looking for or that dream home you have always wanted. Speak with your local Realtor to find out your current recession investment opportunities.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Volker Weiss - Maui Realtor(R/S) specialist focusing on Hoolei. Make your vacation last forever, check out Wailea Real Estate. For immediate help call VW directly at 888.572.6888
7/29/2009
Open Source Intelligence Versus Human Life?
By Christopher Cox
Has Wikipedia damaged its reputation as a reliable, unbiased news source?
Maybe the question itself is tongue in cheek, but serious questions have recently been raised regarding the availability of information versus the possible threat to human life.
For the second time in recent history (you may recall the 2008 issue with British Prince Harry in Afghanistan), multiple news agencies agreed to withhold certain information in order to potentially preserve a life.
Last week, New York Times Journalist David Rohde, his driver and his interpreter escaped Taliban confinement in Afghanistan. Generally, this is the first that most people had heard of the incident in the first place, despite the fact that Rhodes and his team had been held hostage for seven months.
Believing that “publicity would raise Mr. Rohde’s value to his captors as a bargaining chip and reduce his chance of survival”, a loose confederation of Newspaper Editors, beginning with the New York Times Editor, agreed not to cover the story in order to avoid what they had perceived to be danger to their reporter.
Wikipedia, however, proved to be a different story. Operating under the philosophy that “everyone is an editor, Wikipedia traditionally encourages the free exchange and dissemination of ideas. Contacted by The Times, however, they faced a dilemma. Should they, in effect, censor news submissions regarding the incident, or refuse to do so at the possible (and, clearly, un-provable) risk to these men?
Wikipedia Co-founder Jimmy Wales made the determination that it was their responsibility to not print potentially dangerous information. This, of course, came with challenges. How could they justify disallowing edits and freezing certain pages without raising suspicion, and potentially bringing more awareness to the issue? A particular anonymous user based in Florida was particularly persistent in attempting to post information on the kidnapping, and could not, of course, be contacted to explain the reason for the multiple “unedits”.
Similarly, a colleague of Rohde’s at The Times, Michael Moss, begin editing the Wikipedia entry in order to reflect the pro-Muslim stories covered by Rhodes in the past, knowing that the Taliban has a solid grasp of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), and would surely research their captive in order to assess his value.
Clearly, another example of OSINT and countermeasures to its effectiveness… This is a scenario that each of us face to varying degrees on a frequent basis. While we may not be halting the spread of news to save a life, we certainly are avoiding the publication of certain pieces of information that could represent a threat to us or a benefit to an adversary. Will you allow the press release to mention the upcoming security system overhaul ? Will you allow the news reporter to take pictures inside your facility (and while you’re wearing your badge)? The Taliban are not the only ones that exploit OSINT , and your adversary is not always an obvious threat.
See the NYT version of the story at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/technology/internet/29wiki.html?_r=1
And the current Wikipedia “talk page” addressing the issue can be seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:David_S._Rohde (including very interesting arguments for and against)
Note: This article is NOT a position or statement on free speech or censorship. This message is meant to bring a relevant reminder to the value and potential issues surrounding Open Source Intelligence to the reader. Regardless of one's personal beliefs on the issue, it is worth noting that a) information is difficult to contain once it hits the 'net and b) that same information can be potentially damaging to individuals or groups.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Chris Cox is the Founder and President of the Operations Security Professional's Association (OSPA, http://www.opsecprofessionals.org), and takes a special interest in OPSEC Indicators versus OPSEC Vulnerabilities
Has Wikipedia damaged its reputation as a reliable, unbiased news source?
Maybe the question itself is tongue in cheek, but serious questions have recently been raised regarding the availability of information versus the possible threat to human life.
For the second time in recent history (you may recall the 2008 issue with British Prince Harry in Afghanistan), multiple news agencies agreed to withhold certain information in order to potentially preserve a life.
Last week, New York Times Journalist David Rohde, his driver and his interpreter escaped Taliban confinement in Afghanistan. Generally, this is the first that most people had heard of the incident in the first place, despite the fact that Rhodes and his team had been held hostage for seven months.
Believing that “publicity would raise Mr. Rohde’s value to his captors as a bargaining chip and reduce his chance of survival”, a loose confederation of Newspaper Editors, beginning with the New York Times Editor, agreed not to cover the story in order to avoid what they had perceived to be danger to their reporter.
Wikipedia, however, proved to be a different story. Operating under the philosophy that “everyone is an editor, Wikipedia traditionally encourages the free exchange and dissemination of ideas. Contacted by The Times, however, they faced a dilemma. Should they, in effect, censor news submissions regarding the incident, or refuse to do so at the possible (and, clearly, un-provable) risk to these men?
Wikipedia Co-founder Jimmy Wales made the determination that it was their responsibility to not print potentially dangerous information. This, of course, came with challenges. How could they justify disallowing edits and freezing certain pages without raising suspicion, and potentially bringing more awareness to the issue? A particular anonymous user based in Florida was particularly persistent in attempting to post information on the kidnapping, and could not, of course, be contacted to explain the reason for the multiple “unedits”.
Similarly, a colleague of Rohde’s at The Times, Michael Moss, begin editing the Wikipedia entry in order to reflect the pro-Muslim stories covered by Rhodes in the past, knowing that the Taliban has a solid grasp of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), and would surely research their captive in order to assess his value.
Clearly, another example of OSINT and countermeasures to its effectiveness… This is a scenario that each of us face to varying degrees on a frequent basis. While we may not be halting the spread of news to save a life, we certainly are avoiding the publication of certain pieces of information that could represent a threat to us or a benefit to an adversary. Will you allow the press release to mention the upcoming security system overhaul ? Will you allow the news reporter to take pictures inside your facility (and while you’re wearing your badge)? The Taliban are not the only ones that exploit OSINT , and your adversary is not always an obvious threat.
See the NYT version of the story at
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/technology/internet/29wiki.html?_r=1
And the current Wikipedia “talk page” addressing the issue can be seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:David_S._Rohde (including very interesting arguments for and against)
Note: This article is NOT a position or statement on free speech or censorship. This message is meant to bring a relevant reminder to the value and potential issues surrounding Open Source Intelligence to the reader. Regardless of one's personal beliefs on the issue, it is worth noting that a) information is difficult to contain once it hits the 'net and b) that same information can be potentially damaging to individuals or groups.
Article Source: Articles Engine
Chris Cox is the Founder and President of the Operations Security Professional's Association (OSPA, http://www.opsecprofessionals.org), and takes a special interest in OPSEC Indicators versus OPSEC Vulnerabilities
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