Autobiographical Memory

By Eric Hartwell

Autobiographical memory is the area of memory where people store information about themselves. There are several domains included in autobiographical memory. Self-description is the domain that stores information about a persons sense of identity. In this domain, for example, facts such as a persons favorite flavor of ice cream, what their political or moral viewpoint is and whether or not they like red wine are elements of self-description. Emotional memory is the domain that not only contains a persons memories of an emotional experience but also helps them to control their moods. If a person broods over a particularly bad memory or a memory which triggers a negative feeling or emotion, he or she can change this mood by recalling a contrasting emotion, thinking of a memory which brought them joy or happiness instead.

The domain of event memory makes up the largest part of a persons autobiographical memory. Three separate but connected domains make up this part of memory. Specific events in a persons experience of the world, general events about a wide range of actions involved in an event such as going to the doctor or the grocery store and a preserved summary of a persons life. This summary enables a person to answer questions about his or her life such as Where did you grow up? and Where did you go on vacation last year?.

The process of event memory is usually begun at the general-event level, the information the person is seeking to know is usually at the specific-event level. For example, if a person is attempting to retrieve the memory of having stayed at The Plaza Hotel, the starting point for accessing this memory is most likely the general event staying at hotels. Through time, specific events are consolidated into a general event. For example, all the occasions where a person has visited family for the holidays become one generic script which incorporates all the vital experiences and actions that are representative of the going-home-to-visit-the-family-at-holidays event. Once the specific event is included in this general event script, only those particular events where something unusual/compelling/entertaining occurred will distinguish it specifically. The force of these generic scripts in the memory often triggers people to misremember details of a specific event, simply because t hey are representative of the event as a whole.

If a person has not yet experienced an event and does not have an existing script for the experience, the event is more likely to be remembered. The memory for an event will be stronger for experiences where the event cannot fit into a mold of what the persons preexisting expectations are of what will happen. A persons typically routine event can cause a lack of memory function due to the fact that these events are routine or already scripted. For example, if a person always puts their keys on the hallway table when they arrive home, the person will expect the keys to be there. If they have broken that pattern because of an unexpected circumstance, such as answering the telephone, the person might not remember they left their keys near the phone instead of the hallway table since the script in their memory tells them the put the keys on the table, as per the script.

In order for our brains to remember a specific event, a unique element helps a person recall that event as distinguished from a similar event. The nature of the event, who was there (the people involved), where it occurred (the location) are particular pieces of information that can more readily recall the memory.

Eric Hartwell oversees "The World's Best Homepage" intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on articles for free.

Create Photographic Images in a Sea Cave

By Laurie McArthur

Photographing in a sea cave, although not without its safety hazards, provides a challenging and rewarding photography opportunity. An accomplished wilderness photographer, gives basic tips on handling the difficult light, and other issues encountered in a cave between the high and low tide lines.

Personal Safety

In my part of the world, on the Sapphire Coast of NSW, Australia, there's not much in the way of animal life in a sea cave to seriously harm you. It can be pretty scary, though, so you may not wish to go alone.

There could be the odd eel that can give you a nasty bite with it's powerful jaws and razor sharp teeth, but this is unlikely. Crabs will get out of your way, so the worst you'll get from them, unless you grab one, is a fright. The floor of a sea cave will probably be slippery in places, uneven and be home to many sharp and abrasive shellfish. Wear some substantial footwear and beware of brushing hard against the sea cave walls. Be on the lookout for deep holes in the sea cave floor. It wouldn't do to step into a hole of water over your head, camera and all.

Consider photographing in the cave at low tide, around full moon, when there will be king tides. Although the low tide will be lower, the incoming tide will rise faster, so do your safety homework thoroughly.

Be sure you won't be cut off by the rising tide, either in the cave or on the return walk or climb to dry ground.

Level and Quality of the Light

Generally speaking, the light at the sea cave entrance will be bright, high contrast and directional. As you move further into the sea cave, the light level will drop and the light quality will become softer and throw less shadow.

Consider whether you'll need a tripod. You'll probably need some means to steady the camera. A monopod is useful, giving some support while avoiding the hassles created by tripod legs in such a rough situation.

A monopod can rest on the sea cave wall or floor, or else can be rested on your knee when crouching or even tucked down your belt when standing. This will steady the camera enough for an extra couple of stops of light.

Light Temperature - Colour of the Light

Depending on how far you venture into the sea cave for your photographs, the light may be quite cool and will need warming up to bring out the most satisfying colours. In the case of colour film you'll need a warming filter and may need to give your processor special instructions. With a digital camera, simply set the white balance to the shade setting. Try the maximum warming available.

Subject - What to Photograph in a Sea Cave

A huge question! Ultimately it's up to you and determined by what you see. But here are some suggestions to get your imagination going:

• The walls of the sea cave with their texture, colours, plant and moss growths and shell fish.
• Colourful, rounded rocks on the sea cave floor.
• Loose seaweed, carried into the sea cave by the tide.
• Shapes in the rock of the extremities of the sea cave.
• The interplay of light and shadow on the sea cave walls, roof and floor, especially if there is an extra opening to let the light in.
• Looking back at the sea cave mouth, with the abundance of light creating flare and blending with the surrounding dark sea cave walls.
• Reflections on the water.
• Can you find someone to model for you in such a place? A girl in a long white dress, perhaps? The girl who would accompany you to a sea cave would indeed be a supermodel so be prepared to pay her well in prints or cash.

Photographic Lighting in a Sea Cave

Use flash with the camera hand held, or light up the interior of the sea cave using a torch, with the camera on a tripod, and a long exposure.

My own preference is to use the available light with a monopod or tripod. A tripod will allow for a large depth of field in low light. The quality of light bouncing off the water and wet walls of the sea cave is a pleasure to use, adding a dimension to your images that can't be achieved in out door landscapes. This is arguably the most gratifying light for illuminating the close-up or distant landscape within a sea cave.

Laurie McArthur is a wilderness landscape photographer based on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Laurie's sea cave images may be viewed at www.southimage.net/aragunnucamping/seacave01.htm along with other digital landscape images.

Computer Security Training

By Ken Marlborough

Computer security training is considered as one of the hottest programs for the new millennium. It is a major part of information technology that prepares students to protect computers and networks. Computers undergo constant attacks from various virus programs and instances of frauds that cause the loss of millions of dollars annually. Computer security training programs assist users to overcome these difficulties. Colleges and universities, technical schools and online programs are the main arenas that provide advanced computer security training.

As all other IT programs, computer security training programs also start with foundation classes. Fundamental programs offer students a comprehensive knowledge about the tools and techniques to manage risks, and to detect and prevent computer attacks. Some of the major concepts discussed are hackers, software piracy, viruses, identity theft, stalking and credit card fraud. Students learn the latest technologies for protecting systems such as securing the operating systems, audit techniques, identification and authentication, cryptography and other network security mechanisms. The security training also encompasses sessions in threat assessment, incident investigation, system security administration, risk management and online security testing. Those who look for a career in computer security technology development get advanced training in system security engineering, software design, development and testing, secure operating system design, and design and application of net work security techniques.

A computer security professional has a good idea about the planning, co-ordination and implementation of security techniques to protect computers from illegal attacks. They are also trained in educating users on computer security, monitoring the network for security breaches, installing safety software and taking instant action against cyber attacks.

Online computer security training is a new trend that teaches the latest technologies to save computers from online attacks. Online certificate and degree programs are available. Recognized online training programs help to attain credentials in security training. These valuable skills are useful for marketing yourself to computer security firms.

As a mandatory technology for this century, many offices and organizations employ computer security personnel to take care of crises during their normal functioning.

Computer Science Education.

How To Brief A Graphic Designer So Your Project Stays On Budget

By Ruth Clare

Most people understand that if they decide to change the location of a bathroom halfway through construction of a house it is going to cost them extra money. Thats why they spend so long making sure the plans are right before they begin.

But it is amazing the number of people who dont apply this same logic to business. Say, for instance, when they use a graphic design firm. A lot of people begin working with a designer with only a vague brief, then make important decisions on the fly, or even change their minds halfway through.

When you consider that graphic design fees are usually based on the number of hours and concepts required, it's hardly surprising that this slapdash approach can end up blowing your budget by hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

A stitch in time saves nine:

The following checklist can be used as a guide in preparing a brief for a graphic design project. By briefing the designer correctly you will have clarified your own thinking about the project and will in return receive an accurate estimate of costs. All suggested topics in the briefing checklist are considered relevant, although not all will be necessary depending on the type of project.

Graphic Design briefing Checklist

Strategy

1. Who is the target audience?

2. What do you want people to do / feel when they receive the item? (This gives the graphic designer an idea of the overall tone you want.)

3. What key message do you want this project to deliver? e.g. my company is friendly and funky

4. Do you have printed samples that give the kind of impression you are after? (This is not for the graphic designer to copy, but a way to clarify language i.e. when you say the word funky it will conjure up a different image in your mind than it will in the designers mind.)

5. How does this product / service benefit the customer? (whats in it for me?)

6. Have you done similar things in the past? Have they succeeded or failed? Why do you think that is?

7. How will you measure the success of the project?

Practicalities

1. What exactly are you getting designed right now? e.g. number of pages, format etc.

2. What information needs to be included in this project? (words/ logos/ images/ photographs etc) Are these things ready to go?

3. Is this item to fit within an existing style? If so, do you have samples of the existing style?

4. Do you need a new style created? If so, what other applications will the style apply to?

5. Are there any other branding requirements the graphic designer needs to consider? (colour schemes, logo usage, typefaces, paper stock etc.)

6. What are the deadlines on this project?

7. Do you need the graphic designer to co-ordinate production of artwork (illustration/ photography) or copywriting. If yes, give details.

8. How will your target market receive the designed item? e.g. in the post, from a brochure stand, via the web

9. What are the print requirements? (Number of copies, colours, size)

10. Do you need the graphic designer to co-ordinate pre-press and printing?

11. How much project management (meetings / updates etc) will the job involve?

12. Who will the designer be dealing with on a day-to-day basis?

13. How many people will be involved in final approval of the project? (These people need to be involved from the very beginning if possible so they dont put their two bobs worth in when the project is nearly completed.)

14. What is the budget?

If you brief your designer correctly from the beginning you will get the results you want with less hassle and at a lower cost to you.

Ruth Clare is a professional copywriter with a passion for putting the customer first. She runs a graphic design business, Mono Design, with her husband in Melbourne, Australia http://www.monodesign.com.au.

Preservation of Fine Art Photographs and Other Art on Paper

By Andrea Sperling

If you want your fine art photographs to last for your lifetime and your childrens lifetime, too, its important to think about where you hang the art, as well as environmental conditions like sunlight, humidity, soot and extreme temperatures.

When picking up a photograph, avoid getting fingerprints on it by holding it by the edges or putting your hands on the back. The natural acids in your hands can break down the photos surface over time. Also consider wearing white cotton gloves when working with photographs.

Consider environmental conditions when hanging photos and other artwork on paper like watercolors, etc. Keep the photograph away from direct sunlight. The more the photograph or work-on-paper is exposed to light, the greater the damage will be. It accumulates over time and one day you suddenly notice that your image has faded, yellowed and become brittle.

Ultraviolet light can cause the most damage, so use UV (ultraviolet) shielding, nonglare glass or Plexiglas to prevent the image from fading if its going to be in a sunny room. And by all means, keep the shades down when youre not using the room so the sun wont reflect onto the images. No amount of preservation matting and framing will save your art from too much sun.

Keep your art away from rooms where there is a lot of humidity and moisture to prevent mold from growing inside the frame. Bathrooms, sunrooms and kitchens can cause extensive damage to photographs and other artwork.

If you must hang art in the bathroom make sure the surface of the art does not touch the glass. Use an acid-free window mat to help prevent moisture condensation getting on the paper and to create space between the art and the glass so the paper can breathe. Make sure the frame is sealed properly with backing paper so moisture doesnt enter and damage the art. If you live in a hot, humid climate, this is especially important.

Avoid putting art near open windows if you live near a freeway or in a city where exhaust fumes and soot can accumulate on the surface. Its also important to keep art away from open windows or any other area where there can be extreme temperature fluctuations.

Andrea Sperling is the founder of the online fine art photo gallery for the home called Will It Look Good Over The Sofa. To see her site, visit =>http://WillItLookGoodOverTheSofa.com

Holographic Traffic Cops of the Future

By Lance Winslow

Have you ever seen a traffic cop standing in the center of the street when the power goes out directing traffic or after a big game directing traffic to keep the flow moving? Have you ever considered how dangerous this really is? Have you ever stopped to think that someone not paying attention or talking on their cell phone could at anytime mow over the traffic cop? Hey now be nice, as you probably deserved that last ticket, so dont go there. You are evil I cannot believe you just thought that?

In any case my point is this, with the up and coming future advances in Holographic Technologies, which are getting closer to becoming reality we may soon be able to design a Holographic Police man to stand in the intersection so you can run him over all you want; no harm, no foul.

I propose we put holographic projectors in the police cars to display the 3D or 4D in Virtual Reality, just like what Microsoft is planning with the next generation of our 360 X-Box Video Games in our living rooms. The system will run off the police cars extra alternator for juice and will not need the power grid, so if the power is out after a severe thunderstorm, Hurricane or Earthquake, the police car can drive up point it, turn it on and restore the flow of traffic without risking his life. This will insure an end to the chaos and smooth traffic flows and prevent injuries. Because as a taxpayer the last thing we want it to pay for medical bills from a flattened policeman. Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - Online www.WorldThinkTank.net/

How to Become a Successful Freelancer Designer on the Contest Forums!

By Kevin Sugrue

There is no better way of improving your skills, getting recognised and building up ideas than to compete in the Graphic Design Forums. With so many different contest forums on the web it is difficult to pick out the ones that are best suited to for you. There are literally hundreds of web sites offering freelance services and forums.

A good way to help you decide is to think about what kind of results you wish to get out of joining. Some people join to compete against other designers in the hopes of winning competitions and receiving financial rewards. Others join up to learn from their professional competitors and slowly build up their skills and reputation. The problem with competing for money is that unless you are a well established and talented designer with loads of previous experience you are unlikely to win many if any competitions. How do I know this? Well, I tried to do that exact thing for over a year and it rarely paid off for me.

It is important to understand that top professional designers with years of experience will be regularly showing of their creative skills by submitting their superior designs. They have a system in place for quickly and professionally come up with brilliant designs to meet the clients specifications. However, dont let this put you off as competing against the professionals will help you to improve your own works.

When looking at current submission think of how you could improve upon that design. I am not saying rip off their designs, as this will lead to your account being banned from the forums. Simply acknowledge their work and come up with something equally as original based on the guidelines set by the client and submissions already present.

Here are some useful design forums to look at:

http://www.sitepoint.com

http://www.namepros.com

http://www.designcontests.net

Next weeks article will focus on these forums in more detail. We will also discuss how to successful build up a reputation.

FreePhotoshopZone.com offers free photoshop tutorials and free photoshop articles! - http://www.freephotoshopzone.com

About Web Templates

By Lucia Luciova

WEB TEMPLATES

A web template is a tool used to separate content from presentation on the web design, and to the massive production of web documents. It runs in the context of a template system. Websites often require regular content updates, and standardization of appearance. A news website, for example, needs to be daily updated. Each news item will be contextualized by a standard presentation (page layout, structure, etc.). A typical strategy to automate this standardization is:

1. choose a web template system to maintain the website;
2. specify the "presentation standards" through web templates;
3. specify and update the content on a database.

WEB DESIGN

Web design is the design of web pages, websites and web applications using HTML, CSS, images, and other media. Web design is part of starting a website (web development) which can include web server configuration, writing web applications and server security.

A website is a collection of information about a particular topic or subject. Designing a website is defined as the arrangement and creation of web pages that in turn make up a website. A web page consists of information for which the website is developed. For example, a website might be compared to a book, where each page of the book is a web page.

A website typically consists of text and images. The first page of a website is known as the Home page or Index. Some websites use what is commonly called an Enter Page. Enter pages might include a welcome message, language/region selection, or disclaimer. Each web page within a website is an HTML file which has its own URL. After each web page is created, they are typically linked together using a navigation menu composed of hyperlinks.

Once a website is completed, it must be published or uploaded in order to be viewable to the public over the internet. This is done using an FTP client. Once published, the webmaster may use a variety of techniques to increase the traffic, or hits, that the website receives. This may include submitting the website to a search engine such as Google or Yahoo, exchanging links with other websites, creating affiliations with similar websites, etc.

A relatively new technique for creating websites called Remote Scripting has allowed more dynamic use of the web without the use of Flash or other specialized plug-ins. Leading the various techniques is Ajax, although other methods are still common, as Ajax is not a fully developed standard.

WEB PAGES

A web page or webpage is a resource of information that is suitable for the World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser. This information is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may provide navigation to other web pages via hypertext links.

Web pages may be retrieved from a local computer or from a remote web server. The web server may restrict pages to a private network, e.g. a corporate intranet, or it may publish pages on the World Wide Web. Web pages are requested and served from web servers using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Web pages may consist of files of static text within the web server's file system (static web pages), or the web server may read files of computer code that instruct it how to construct the (X)HTML for each web page when it is requested by a browser (dynamic web pages). Web page is the main type of (and a referential for) web document.

WEB TEMPLATES SYSTEM

A web template system is a kind of "View subsystem" in a Model-View-Controller (MVC or similar) design pattern, to separate presentation from content, on web document production. A web template system is characterized by:

1. Template engine: the software, it processes input, transforming into web document. It have two typical entities on input:

a) Web template: a recipe with web document fragments, to transform content into web documents.

b) Content resource: a input supplier, like a SQL database or a XML file.

2. Template language standards: the language of the recipe.

Websites often require regular content updates, and standardization of appearance. A news website, for example, needs to be daily updated. Each news item will be contextualized by a standard presentation (page layout, structure, etc.). A typical strategy to automate this standardization is:

1. choose a web template system to maintain the website;
2. group news items into sets, with different presentation needs;
3. specify the "presentation standards" through web templates, for each set of news;
4. specify a content resource to generate or update the content of each news item.

The idea behind the "template method" is to separate content (data) from presentation (data representation), and to separate business-logic from presentation-logic. It have many advantages in using:

1. Ease of design change
2. Ease of interface localization
3. Possibility to work separately on design and code by different people at one and the same time
4. Etc.

PAGE LAYOUT

Page layout is the part of graphic design that deals in the arrangement and style treatment of elements (content) on a page. Beginning from early illuminated pages in hand-copied books of the Middle Ages and proceeding down to intricate modern magazine and catalog layouts, proper page design has long been a consideration in printed material. With print media, elements usually consist of type (text), images (pictures), and occasionally place-holder graphics for elements that are not printed with ink such as die/laser cutting, foil stamping or blind embossing.

Since the advent of personal computing, page layout skills have expanded to electronic media as well as print media. The electronic page is better known as a (GUI) graphical user interface. Page layout for interactive media overlaps with (and is often called) interface design. This usually includes GUI elements and multimedia in addition to text and still images. Interactivity takes page layout skills from planning attraction and eye flow to the next level of planning user experience in collaboration with software engineers and creative directors.

A page layout can be designed in a rough paper and pencil sketch before producing, or produced during the design process to the final form. Both design and production can be achieved using hand tools or page layout software. Producing the most popular electronic page (the web page) may require knowledge of markup languages along with WYSIWYG editors to compensate for incompatibility between platforms. Special considerations must be made for how the layout of an HTML page will change (reflow) when resized by the end-user. cascading style sheets are often required to keep the page layout consistent between web browsers.

To Go Or Not To Go - How To Decide If This Marketing/Design Project Will Bring In Revenue

By Jeremy Tuber

Deciding to move forward on a design and marketing project can be a big deal, but it doesn't have to be. Beyond the emotional benefits of feeling more confident when promoting your business and looking more professional in front of prospects, brand recognition and a myriad of other benefits, let's just take a look at the numbers.

For all of you number crunching, "Just bottom line it" business people out there, this bulletin will take a logical, methodical approach in helping you to decide whether to "Not go" or "go" on your next design project.

Step 1: Investments, Not Expenses
Smart business owners view design and marketing as opportunities to grow their business rather than drains that they just pour money down. Expenses, by nature are costs that you no longer expect to receive any benefit from. You should expect, not hope that your design and marketing project will yield a personal and a financial benefit to your company.

Quick Note: Now if you've had design and marketing projects created before and felt they weren't worth the cost, I'd offer that the poor investment wasn't in WHAT you did, rather WHO you invested in. Designers that aren't experts in marketing, advertising and learning about your business are typically bad investments. To get the most out of your time and investment, you want to only work with business savvy designers who understand your business, goals, clients and competition.

Let's assume you're working with a terrific designer, and you're interested in having a tri-fold brochure designed. Ask yourself, "What do I need to make back on this investment to break-even on my investment?"

Step 2: Let's look at this example:
You will have design and printing costs = $1000

You will receive 800 units of marketing collateral at your disposal

From that marketing collateral you would expect at least 25 people to take action and buy from me (that's just over 3%). As a business owner, you have to ask yourself, "How likely is it for me to achieve just a 3% response on my project?" "Am I likely to get just 3%?" If the answer is yes, let's move on. If the answer is no, don't do the project!

Let's say your average sale is going to be $150.

Now do a few quick math calculations: Your breakeven point will be 7 people. ($1000 / 25 people)

Your Estimated Gross Revenue = Minimum # of people you expect to buy (just 3%) X Amount of average Sale

25 people X $150 average sale = $3750 Estimated gross revenue

Net Revenue is Gross - Expenses = $3750 - $1000 = $2750 Net Revenue (this is how much you made)

Your ROI, Return on Your Investment = 275%

You increased your money by 275%; was this a good project to invest in, you bet!

Step 3: The Odds and Ends You Want to Get Clear On
Beyond the ROI example, there are a few other questions you want to run through in deciding to "Go" or "Not go" on a project. These are quick, terrific tools that will help you be more decisive and more confident in those decisions.

If I do this design project, what's the likelihood I will be able to attract more customers? What will these customers mean in terms of dollars and cents?

What will happen if I don't do anything? Will I expect sales to go up or down if I don't do anything?

What might it cost me in sales if I don't do anything? Am I happy with the rate this company is growing? Do I need to take steps in order to make it grow? What do I plan to do that's going to make something happen?

Do I feel like I am losing out in sales and market share because I am getting lost in a crowd of competitors?

If I had a strong brand and professional marketing collateral, would that allow me to not compete so fiercely on price? Would that allow me to actually charge what my products and services are worth?

Granted, I've oversimplified the decision here in the interest of time, but the decision to "go" or "not go" isn't nearly as difficult as business people make it. What's the likelihood that you'll make back your investment? And what will happen to your company if you decide to do nothing? If you decide to ignore all of the intangible benefits from your project and just look at the ROI, you'll be able to make quicker and more decisive decisions about your projects in the future. Let me know if this has been helpful, email me and let me know what you think.

About Jeremy: I help small businesses build more confidence and credibility into their business brand. Through marketing and design initiatives; I help you feel better about your company. Making you feel good about your business gives you more confidence and less anxiety when you are networking, promoting or selling your business. If your business needs the reliability and talent of an in-house marketing and design department but doesnt want additional employees, salaries and benefits, give me a call at 480.391.0704 - I have a new approach for you.

If you are looking for more free insight and inspiration, youll want to get in on the Can-Do Confidence Builder. Emailed weekly, the Confidence Builder provides you with essential marketing and design insights that help you get the most out of your investment and help you to stay one step ahead of the competition. Email me at http://www.candographics.com.

Graphic Design Can Make or Break Your Web Site

By Peter Green

We all want high impact graphics for our Web sites - Right.

Sometimes it is easy just to pick a template that comes included with a site builder and or hosting package.

There are also thousands of Free templates that you can download from the Internet.

But for those of us who want full control of our design and graphics, it is first a matter of sitting down and choosing your site design and color scheme.

Your site theme, design or layout will play a major part in the size and number of graphics you will use on your site. Somewhere along the process you will have to decide on how many and the quality of your graphic images.

Images used on websites are usually Gif and jpg or sometimes png and the odd bitmap image. Gif and Jpg images can be adjusted in quality and size to be a smaller file size to strike a balance between quick loading and image quality.

You may have an awesome graphic but if it takes 2 minutes to load on your page, you will notice by checking your Web site stats you will notice a difference between the number of page requests and pages viewed.

As the purpose of your Web site is to attract visitors and for them to make a positive decision either to request more info, join your Newsletter or to make a purchase, every lost visitor is a lost potential customer.

The header at the top image on a page often includes a logo or the name of the company or website. This is usually the largest image on a page. So if it is the full width of the page of 760 pixels wide, and depending on the height it may be worth considering cutting it into two pieces.

There are two reasons for dividing an image into smaller pieces, firstly having your image load faster as two separate pieces and secondly as many browsers load 5 images at one time, your header should load faster.

There are also webmasters who prefer all images to preload before displaying the complete page and some sites have two images for the one button, the image you see on first viewing the page and the image you see when you hover the mouse, cursor over or click on the button. Often with buttons that use two images these will be set to preload with the page so that they are loaded or stored ready for when you click the button.

Note that different browsers may load pages in a different order. as a webmaster it is good practice to check your page in Netscape, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and the Browser that Google is possibly going to introduce soon.

Your site layout may differ in appearance in the different browsers and some of the latest http versions and scripts will possibly not work in older versions on certain Browsers.

There is a balance to make your page quick to load and to be pleasant to the eye.

Many sites are using a very small image as a background image, for example if you are placing your buttons across the page you can create an image that looks like a raised bar but only one pixel wide. As an image of say 25 by 1 pixel it will load very fast as a background, once the browser loads this image one time, it then multiplies the image across the page.

Many sites use this background approach for their header, side bars and or their buttons and insert the logo as a normal image and the buttons are added as text links over the top of the background image.

Backgrounds are generally a small image that when loaded by your browser sits at the top left of the web page and multiplies itself across and down the page. A background image can be as small as 2 or 3 pixels square and up to full screen size.

The simplest are the thin lines usually of two colors. The more complex may include a water mark of the company logo.

TIP, The fewer colors or shades used in any image either as a background, header of banner the faster it will load.

Here is a list of images that form the first impression of anyone who visits your Web site. Make that first impression count.

• Header
• Logo
• Buttons - bar
• Side panels
• Bottom bar
• Background image
• Product images
• Banners

These images can be for decoration or they can tell a story. The old saying is still true in that a picture can tell a story that would normally take a thousand words to express.

Create an overall color scheme for your site, one that uses contrasting colors where text is used and a theme where images are used.

With Web site templates you can easily change image color and add text in many basic graphic editing programs, but to create your own images you may require a more professional program.

Adobe GoLive Web site editor and Adobe Photo Shop allow you to build your site and edit images. There is an Adobe package that includes other Adobe products, a very good package.

Macromedia also have a Web site and image editing package in Dreamweaver and Fireworks.

But there are many free Web site and image editing software available. I find that when editing images I use Adobe Photoshop and Fireworks for adding and embossing text.

Different software give different results. I use a Sony camera, when I compared the software supplied by Sony and Adobe I found that a photo downloaded to the Sony image editing software where an area of a photo 3 pixels wide was displayed in Adobe Photoshop it appeared at 7 pixels wide. I don't have any idea why this is but I now edit all my photos in Photoshop.

Here is a Template Directory listing free site templates, buttons, backgrounds, 3D text creator, clip art and scripts.

http://www.itsyournet.co.nz/free-web-templates.html

If you are using a template or image downloaded from the Internet check to see if there is a copy right or if the template or image is supplied for personal use only, i.e. not for commercial use as a business Web site.

When considering creating a Web site you also need to give some thought to the hosting. If your site is a graphics intense site and people are going to download lots of images you need to consider the hosting package as there are so many different sizes and band width packages supplied.

Your finished Web site must be appealing to your target market. If you are marketing products or services to Businesses your site should reflect a business atmosphere, as opposed to a gardening site where you can display images of garden gnomes, bags of fertilizer and flowers.

Remember every Pixel counts when editing quality images. But the opposite is true for quick loading Web sites.

May your week be a highly graphical one.

PETER GREEN.

Editor of ~ The INDEX ~ ezine.

Editor@Internet-income-index.com

http://www.Internet-Income-Index.com

Your Free Weekly Internet Marketing News, Ideas, Resources and Sources Ezine.

Advertising Dos & Donts: Why Graphics Help You Sell - and When They Dont

By Andrea Di Salvo

Flip through the newspaper and yellow pages, surf the Internet, and pay attention to the pictures. It�s probably easy, because our eyes are naturally drawn to the pictures first. Ads and websites without graphics are boring; our eyes pass right over them. That�s why graphics are one of the most important pieces of your marketing layout.

Do use attractive, eye-catching graphics

You�ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: any piece of advertising has only about 5 seconds to grab a prospect�s attention. To grab that attention, you need real power. You need a graphic that reaches off the page, grabs the prospect by the lapels, and holds on for dear life.

It doesn�t matter what you�re selling; there is going to be some kind of picture that will help you do it better. Even if what you�re selling isn�t tangible, you still need a graphic. Prospects are always looking for an image, some clue to what the advertising is about, or �what they�re getting into.� As they read, they are forming pictures in their heads. If you don�t provide them with compelling images, the pictures they form may not be the ones you want them to form. Remember, people buy based on emotions. Pictures activate emotions.

So, pictures serve double duty. They pull prospects in and give them an idea about what you�re selling. That�s why a picture that ties in with the headline and content of your advertising is invaluable to your marketing success.

Don�t use graphics that aren�t related to your product or service

All right, we�ve established that people like pictures. However, not just any picture will do. A picture of a sunflower is pretty and eye-catching, but it isn�t going to help you sell lawnmowers.

Example: I pick up a magazine and flip through it, and come to an eye-catching full-page ad on the inside back cover. The whole ad is a comical picture of a woman washing a dachshund in her kitchen sink. The rest of the room is filled with dachshunds�on the floor, on the kitchen counter, on the table, and even portrayed on the wallpaper. In the corner of the page is the slogan, �The Bold Look of Kohler.�

It�s a funny picture, but with all due respect to Kohler, my first thought was huuuhhh�? It caught my eye, but I couldn�t connect the picture with the product. Even seeing the brand name didn�t help.

In your marketing, you want to use graphics to connect your prospect with your product. Compare the example above with this ad from another magazine: An ad for Rapid Refill Ink shows a woman browsing for printer cartridges in a clean, comfortable store. It might not be as exciting as a room full of dachshunds, but I understand the ad a whole lot better. Hey, it�s about ink!

Get the idea?

One last note on graphics: people are fascinated by other people. They like to watch them, look at them, and study them. For that reason, they�ll be especially attracted to your ads if you have (logical) pictures of people. So, if your prospects are human (which I�ll assume they are), using humans in your graphics will help you get, and keep, their attention in that meager 5 seconds.

Andrea Di Salvo's writing background includes features, editorials, reviews, profiles, poetry and fiction. She was the winner of the MOTA short story contest in 2002 and received honorable mentions for fiction from Writer�s Journal magazine in 2002 and 2004. Andrea also worked as editor for AVA (Advertise Virginia) Magazine from 2005 to 2006. Check out her blog at creativewithwriting.blogspot.com

Manufacturing Productivity-ERP & The Shop Floor GUI Timeclock

By Dusty Alexander

When it comes to the direct- versus in-direct costs associated with manufacturing labor, the question must always be asked, �Who�s in the plant, and what�re they doing?�. That is to say, when it comes to questions concerning the valuable, yet limited, resource of time, the tracking of personnel and their activities through any part of the day is absolutely necessary to eliminate waste, enhance productivity, and increase the bottom-line. In the past, the accounting of personnel time was simply a matter of marking time-in and time-out as indicated on a manually punched timecard. The �in-between� time of an employee was lost to managers and only measured by the amount of finished goods delivered at the end of the day. That it took a shop floor machine operator a half an hour to search for a tool before returning to the pending job on his machine was shrugged off as unreportable data.

With trending in manufacturing toward totally integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP), software technology advancements have now evolved to the point where employee time and attendance is measured in terms of value-added direct cost or non-value added in-direct cost. Today, shop floor personnel keep highly accurate accounting of their time via a computer-based, virtual timekeeping workstation where labor time and attendance is tracked and recorded according to labor type: direct, indirect, overtime, and so forth. With a simple visual display, the user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) guides the shop floor employee when they input data associated with their ongoing job functions. By monitoring employees, work centers, and/or machine production time in terms of being either on or off the clock, or at task on one or multiple jobs/work orders, a GUI in tandem with sophisticated manufacturing software is able to maintain an ongoing, real -time evaluation of productivity and plant work capability.

In addition to its many other functions, in terms of labor direct costs, the GUI is a �timeclock� in the traditional accounting sense. Employees simply clock into and out of work directly at an online workstation terminal. This labor tracking data then becomes part of an entire set of measures of time and attendance associated with any particular employee. Once clocked in, employees can sign onto jobs through the GUI and add this information to any cumulative employee work history maintained by HR. The work history data often includes listings of all of the jobs worked on by the employee (or in process), the start date/time, the end date/time, the hours worked on the job, and an indication whether or not the job is closed. Here, the GUI display can also be easily manipulated for listing any specified date range, and it indicates a total of hours worked by that employee during that range. When these direct labor time measures for a specific emplo yee are compared with the employee�s product output for any desired date range, a more advanced GUI system can even calculate efficiency ratings for that employee. A related benefit is that when payroll is integrated with a GUI timeclock system, there is more reliability in HR functions and a better accounting with the general ledger of the company.

Again, the goal of ERP management is to integrate all functions of shop system flow and to make the most of the resources at hand�especially the resource of time. Regarding the human element of plant operations, to know who is the plant at any one moment, and what it is they are doing in those moments, is vital to truly assess productivity. With the development of the GUI time clock system as part and parcel of a sophisticated manufacturing software program, managers now have such tracking capability and are given the tools they need to make the personnel and production adjustments to fine tune ERP and reduce the actual cost of goods sold.

http://www.globalshopsolutions.com/optimized/erp-learning-center/erp-howto-guides/what-is-erp.asp

Dusty Alexander is the President of Global Shop Solutions. Global Shop Solutions is the largest privately held ERP software company in the United States.

Copyright 2007 - Global Shop Solutions. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author name credit.

Can Movie Theatres Compete with Home HD TV in the Future?

By Lance Winslow

The battle is heating up for market share, home movie theatre, X-Box, Playstations and virtual reality take on the big screen and theme parks. You might be surprised to learn that the war is just beginning. You won't believe how high the stakes are now and what lengths they are willing to go to get your dollar.

With High Definition TV on large screen plasma TV it will be so real, you will literally feel as if you are there. As price comes down due to overseas manufacturing and supply and demand, we will see more and more families charging the remaining balance on their credit cards for these systems, they will connect them to DVDs and it will literally be like virtual reality in your own living room. Recently video gaming companies took a stock price hit waiting for the hardware such as the X-Box II and newest Playstation to catch up enabling them to run the latest versions of the most popular games.

As these technologies continue to enter our home as we know they will, is there still going to be a place in our lives for our present day big screen Movie Theatres with $12.00 per person costs with the inclusion the impulse purchase of soda and popcorn value pack? The movie theatres will have to come up with a greater and greater entertainment value to get people to continue to patronize them and that is exactly what is on the minds of the boardmembers of Hollywoods biggest studios.

Sure people will be more than interested in a Friday or Saturday evening at the Movies, but what about during the week competing against the comforts of our own homes, coupled with the price of gasoline to drive there and the inflation Greenspan has warned us of? Will movie theatres need to upgrade to 3D movies or IMAX type movies? Will they have to for survival? After all movie theatres are a business, buildings and property are expensive and ROI is the goal and it must be achieved. We have seen in the last two decades the closing of thousands and thousands family and locally owned theatres for the larger Multiplex Corporate theatres.

One way for movie go�ers to feel a greater entertainment value and enhanced experience is in the adding of brain wave enhancement. That's right and the plans on the table now are absolutely cutting edge technologies. For instance brain wave manipulation inside the theatre for the viewers will send out frequency impulses of Delta, Alpha, Beta, and Theta Brain wave frequency. In large multiplex Theatres certain rooms will contain such a system, which would have sound devices in the walls, which were broadcasts into the theatre. Imagine a seen where the actors were tired after fighting a storm all night in a boat. You would feel tired, then as a big wave crashed over the bow, you would feel anxiety. In a love seen you would feel very peaceful and content, even somewhat aroused? Imagine the enhanced experience you would feel? The studios are and they are betting on it.

Since the technology is now available it could be deployed anytime now. Of course for scary movies where your heart would race wildly out of control, perhaps grandma might not wish to attend. Movies would have to be not only labeled; �G�, �PG-13�, �R� there might also be intensity ratings on 1-5. Meaning you would have to sign a waiver to see the movie and also submit that you are in good physical shape similar to that form they have when you enter a 10K running race.

Even as the movie industry plots the future successes and legal ramifications and potential lawsuits of these technologies, the home entertainment living room virtual reality will surely follow along with the holographic projections and surround a sound ambience.

The entertainment industry is about ready to face off as this technology is deployed. Which one will you choose?

"Lance Winslow" - Online www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Demographics For the Masses

By Wendy Cobrda

Information is the lifeblood of the economy. That�s especially true for businesses, because the ability to identify current customers and locate new customers makes the difference between boom and bust. So how do successful companies do it? Through targeted market research, which usually means arcane computer systems, large staffs, and six-figure budgets.

That situation is ripe for change, according to the CEO of Catosphere, Wendy Cobrda. �Many companies use the U.S. Census Bureau data, because of its low cost, but last year�s data often isn�t good enough for today�s marketplace�. And what if you need a finer-grained solution than the 10,000 foot view that the Census demographics offer? That�s where Catosphere�s epononymous web application enters the picture. Catosphere leverages databases covering U.S. Census data (updated with between-Census models and methods), vehicle traffic, shopping centers, market potential, consumer expenditure, and several others. Then the company carves out a subset of that data that applies to a user-specified geographical region. What results is a geodemographical study that captures the statistical �vital signs� of the target region. Surprisingly, the process of choosing a target region and obtaining the survey runs less than five minutes from start to finish. Once the customer chooses the tar get area and the type of study, Catosphere dynamically generates the study in either PDF or Excel format.

Although refreshingly usable (the �1-2-3� type instruction lists show up more than once), Catosphere also provides substantial flexibility. Reports can selected from ten categories, including aerial photographs. Target regions can be selected via Dbase databases, predefined geographic units, address intersections, a Mapquest-style map selector, or latitude and longitude. Reports may also be automatically branded with a business logo. In that way, Catosphere can help you convince the next level of management that you�re on the ball.

The company provides two avenues to obtain geodemographic reports � a la carte reports or subscriptions. Subscriptions range from one to three years, and across two detail levels, Basic and Premium. Per-report prices fall in the sub-$100 range; subscriptions range from $995 (Basic) to $2500 (Premium), but allow for an unlimited reports within the chosen target region. Subscriptions provide the most value to companies that need to keep abreast of volatile markets or require a great deal of detail on their target region.

In the age of micromarketing, businesses need tools to ensure that their marketing campaigns strike gold. Catosphere provides an intriguing tool that may help small to medium-sized businesses do exactly that.

Catosphere, LLC
http://www.catosphere.com
Wendy Cobrda, CEO

Winning Ideas for Trade Show Display Success

By Dick Wheeler

According to a survey by market research firm Exhibit Surveys Inc., trade shows are critical to marketing-oriented companies. Trade shows attract decision-makers, influence purchasing decisions, provide a point of contact for new customers, and make a lasting impression.

Think of your trade show display as the grand launch of your most valued new product or business service. Give customer prospects your best look and greet them with your most competent sales staff.

Here are the tips on how to succeed at your next trade show:

Pick the Right Shows � Select the trade shows that your targeted market prospects and competitors attend. Check out trade show directories on the Web. Get statistics for show attendance and a profile of attendees. Talk to former exhibitors about their trade show experience at the shows you select.

Plan Ahead �Determine the space size and dimensions of your trade show booth. Reserve a good location early for your booth by studying the floor plan. Avoid dead-end aisles, freight doors, poorly lit corners, obtrusive columns. Attendees usually turn right when they first enter the trade show exhibit hall and they look up so be sure to make your booth visible with dramatic overhead signage. Once you nail down your trade show booth number on the show management map, be aware of any booth rules and regulations that apply such as height limitations and any obstructions on show floor before planning your booth design.

Allow enough time to select, design and build a trade show display and take advantage of early show services discounts. You will be able to avoid costly rush charges and you are better able to insure against glitches. Identify the date of the trade show and also the move in date for your trade show display.

Set Objectives For Lead Development � Set trade show exhibit goals to reinforce your overall marketing objectives. Make sure the goals are reasonable and attainable, share them with your trade show exhibit team and set up systems to measure your results and validate your objectives.

Accurately qualify and measure your Return On Investment. There are software packages that allow you to identify a half dozen weighted multiple choice questions in advance that will determine how viable a client prospect is. You need to identify buyers, filter out those who are not qualified, and measure results. Rank your prospects as � A� (highly qualified), � B� (somewhat qualified), or �C� (poorly qualified) prospect. Have your sales force follow up on �A� leads immediately. Measure the results of these leads in stages from the number and dollar amount of proposals made to monies received from actual sales.

Build a Dramatic Display � Before deciding on what type of trade show booth you need, determine your space size requirements and determine the number of trade shows you will be exhibiting in the next 12 months. This information will help you decide whether to buy vs. rent. If you buy, there are three categories of trade show booths: custom, custom modular, and portable. Check out advantages and disadvantages of each. Light weight materials are less expensive to operate than the traditional all- wood displays. Use tension fabrics, woods, colored metal, layered graphics that use fewer shipping containers, have a current design trend look, and save on operating costs. Older traditional trade show exhibit booths can be obsolete because they are expensive to handle due to heavy weight, require larger size and number of crates to ship, and they are not consistent with current design trends.

Build Traffic by Being Creative� Start with a dramatic, attention-getting hanging sign. Upon entering the trade show exhibit hall the first thing attendees do is look up �Your overhead sign should have a unique design, shape and movement to it. Gobo lights traveling across a tension fabric can provide changing color and mesmerizing interest. New technologies bring high drama to your booth such as 3D video/laser image displays suspended above, your own interactive Website on large screen, robotics, holographics, waterscreen projections. Take advantage of your trade show exhibit supplier�s expertise on graphics, portability and cost management.

Recruit the Right Booth Staff � Although the sales function of your firm is usually fundamental to trade show exhibit booth staffing, you�ll want to make sure that you have representatives who match up well with the positions of those who visit your booth. If engineers visit your booth engage them with your engineer personnel. Also, make sure your staff knows how to engage, identify and qualify attendees as important leads, and dismiss those who are not key business prospects.

Send Pre-Show Notices to Attendees � Trade show exhibit surveys report that three quarters of show attendees make out their schedule for exhibit visits and seminar attendance in advance. Set up meetings with clients, prospects, and press ahead of time. Contact them months ahead through direct mail, email and personal phone calls. Give them your trade show booth number and location and have an incentive at your booth that will be of value to them. Link your incentive to a direct prospect benefit and make it redeemable only by visiting your trade show exhibit. One example is to cut a numbered gift certificate in two and send half of it in advance and have the remaining half available only at your booth.

Understand Show Services � You will need to have supplemental assistance from show services at the trade show exhibit hall. These are representatives and union laborers who provide a range of support services which include installation and dismantling, carpeting, furniture, lighting, phones, drayage and security. If you are aware of the nuances of these services and plan in advance you can save money while avoiding numerous pitfalls.

Control Costs � Consider weight when buying a trade show display. You save substantially on trade show exhibits using lightweight materials that reduce the size and number of shipping crates.

Follow Up Immediately �The hard work doesn�t end when the show closes � this is when you have to diligently follow up on all those sales leads. It�s best to respond to your top level � A� prospects immediately after the show. After the �A� prospects are all contacted, go on to the �B� level prospects. Be sure to have a well-planned strategy to close sales with these prospects. Tradeshow industry research shows that sales leads from a tradeshow are closed in half the time and at almost half the cost as leads from other sources.

Dick Wheeler, is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics ,and management services company. Go to http://www.proexhibits.com

Holographic Tourism

By Lance Winslow

The World of Virtual Reality is expanding into the tourist trade. Most major tourist spots in the world have virtual tours of their cities online and you can peruse much of it from a bird�s eye view online, similar to home shopping and virtual tours. Nearly all-major Universities either have such �Campus Tours� or they are in development to recruit future students and assist in decision-making.

Indeed the virtual tourist is a growing industry and it is bringing the world closer together too. With Google�s Satellite photos online on their map search feature, one can see exactly where something is and then zoom in for a closer look.

But what if you could bring the Smithonian Exhibits and other notable museums around the World into your own living room? Could it be possible? Wouldn�t that be the coolest? Well some visionaries in hologram 3D technologies are working on it right now.

You see, Holographic Technologies are getting closer to becoming reality and soon we can see the data on our computers in 3D, 4D and 5D. We will enjoy Virtual Reality on our 360 X-Box in our living rooms.

We will communicate in video conferencing with the image of the other people sitting next us, but not actually there. All this is on its way and even more, as the applications are endless indeed.

Perhaps the most promising of all Holographic Technologies is in turning your living room into a virtual reality cave with full motion holographic images, as you tour the Worlds treasures and wonders. Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - Online www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Photography Jobs- How to Become a Ski Bum, I Mean a Professional Photographer

By Brandon Baumgarten

A career in photography can be educational, rewarding and lots of fun! But where do you start? How do you get your first photography job? Do you work for an advertising company, newspaper, or modeling agency? Maybe if you are a photography major. So where does that leave the rest of us.

Depending upon your level of motivation and commitment, you can be a successful freelance photographer lining up your own work, but that�s another story OR you can find an employer to take you on and train you. Yep-sure, where are you going to find that?

How about an on-mountain photographer job at one of the Nations major ski resorts. Almost every major ski mountain has a photography program. Breckenridge, Steamboat, Vail, Copper Mountain Colorado, Heavenly California and Jackson Hole Wyoming will train outgoing and enthusiastic candidates to be professional photographers.

Have you ever wanted to become an extreme sports photographer? This is your chance. The action photographers shoot the ski/snowboard park and have private appointments that typically want extreme shots. Another part of the job is setting up on the side of a run and photographing skiers as they rip by. Your action shots get really good, quickly when you shoot a thousand pictures a day and you work on commission.

Do you have a zest for life, love working with families, would you enjoy working with a variety of groups or shooting child photography? Then a ski hill portrait photography job would be perfect for you. You set up your shop on the mountain at the scenic overlook. Families, groups, couples, kids ski right up for a photo shoot. it is not unusual to shoot 20-30 groups a day during peak periods like spring break, you can't buy experience like that, but you can get paid to do it!

You will learn valuable photography skills that you can use the rest of your life. You will gain the experience and confidence to go up to anyone, anywhere take their picture and sell it to them. You will learn a work flow that can be applied to many different types of photographic situations when you freelance on your own.

The whole world will open up for you and your love for the art of photography with real world experience.

It is important to note that most of the ski areas will provide you with the proper camera equipment, uniform, and a mountain pass to get to your zone. You need your own ski/ snowboard equipment and Although they rarely provide housing they may have suggestions on how to get settled in to the area.

This isn't for everyone, if you really just want to ski, get an evening job doing something else from 3-11pm. You can ski all day, everyday.

If you love photography and skiing you better hurry up and get in touch with one of the resorts right away because they fill their photographer jobs in October and November.

I have been a top professional photographer at several western ski resorts including Vail and Breckenridge Colorado, Brighton Utah, and Grand Targhee Wyoming. The season starts Thanksgiving and ends in April. I have exceeded $100,000 in sales in one season, a few times. I started out at Grand Targhee where I landed my first professional photography job taking action photos of skiers on the slopes. Now I live in South Lake Tahoe, California and this will be my 3rd season at Heavenly. To view my gallery of action and portrait photography visit freelancephotographerjobs.com There are a lot of photography free tips and info too.

I also publish a blog at: lookatyourphotos.blogspot.com If you know someone that enjoys photography and sking or snowboarding, email this article to them. They'll get a kick out of it!

Brandon Baumgarten

"The Flow"

Why Christians (Men & Women) View Pornographic Web Sites

By Dr Bob Wilkerson

Why do Christian men and women choose to look at pornographic web sites? What do you think? Why do men and women, with a faith in Jesus Christ, choose to type words into a search engine that will lead them to pictures and movies that graphically display individuals in the sex act?

Some statistics on the wide spread use of sex sites among Christians.

A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event.

Out of 81 pastors surveyed (74 males 7 female), 98% had been exposed to porn; 43% intentionally accessed a sexually explicit website National Coalition survey of pastors. Seattle. April 2000.

34 percent of female readers of Today's Christian Woman's online newsletter admitted to intentionally accessing Internet porn in a recent poll.

In March of 2002 Rick Warren�s (author of the Purpose Driven life) Pastors.com website conducted a survey on porn use of 1351 pastors: 54% of the pastors had viewed Internet pornography within the last year, and 30% of these had visited within the last 30 days.

Statistics prove that Christian look at sexual material. Christian are choosing sin over a deep and personal relationship with Christ. The real question is why. Why do we as Christian choose to sin? I am not just talking about sexual sin but any sin. God gave us clear direction for a fulfilled life but we deliberately choose to disobey. Believe me, I am not one of those legalist that condemn those who fail. I have failed miserably in my Christian walk. I have abused the grace of God on more than one occasion. I have been guilty of looking and pornographic web sites. Therefore, who am I to judge? Again, the question is why do we choose to sin?

I believe the root of the problem with sin involves what we tell our selves about any given sin. It does not matter what the sin of choice is; a Christian has to believe and tell themselves several things in order to follow through with the sin.

Three beliefs that allows us to choose sin over obedience

1. I cannot help myself. I have to look at porno because my wife, husband does not satisfy me. I cannot help it because it is everywhere. I cannot stop myself from looking after all they send me email and I cannot stop myself from opening it. 2. It is good for me. I cannot help myself and it will help me deal with my anxiety if I have a release. It is good to view porno because that way I do not bother my wife, husband so much. This belief can take on various words but the main point is we justify our behavior, sin, by telling ourselves it is good for me and I can�t help myself. 3. No one will know. Sin always tries to hide. When we tell our self that no one will ever find out what I do late at night while my spouse is asleep. What they don�t know can�t hurt them. Yeah, right. What about God, He never sleeps or slumbers. Remember, eventually your sin will find you out. What are you going to do when your spouse does a history search and finds out you forgot to delete that site? What are you going to do if you�re found out?

I have mentioned a few beliefs associated with a Christian�s choice to sin, view sex sites, but I am sure there must be more. What do we do about our false beliefs that cause so much trouble? This might sound very simple but all we have to do is face the truth and change what we tell our self before we sin. Before you type in a word or words that will lead you to a sex site tell yourself the truth. I cannot without God�s help over come this urge. I can refuse to sin because I have power in Christ to say no. I don�t have to look, do anything that I choice not to do. I have a choice to live in freedom or to live in slavery to sex sites and lust. Moreover, when it comes to believing no one will find out remember God is watching. In addition, remember that eventually your sins will be made public. I know a few famous preachers that believed they would get away with their sin but they didn�t and neither will you.

Let me challenge you to try a different way before it is too late. Try telling yourself the truth it works if you work it.

What are Intelligent Numbers?

By Kieron James

Marketing Numbers UK

Marketing numbers, already prolific in the United States, are quickly gaining popularity in the UK. They are emerging as a powerful business tool that many organisations should not be without. These are special telephone numbers which may be used to eliminate geographical barriers, generate revenue and strengthen brand presence.

The major advantage for businesses of marketing numbers is that they are generally supplied with powerful number translation services such as voice and fax to email, time of day routing, call and fax broadcast, follow me or hunt group facilities and other valuable call handling functionality. Information about inbound calls (date, time, geographical area, duration) provides valuable marketing information to the business.

Freephone Numbers

Freephone numbers - typically with the 0800 prefix - are free of charge to callers within UK and to callers on some mobile networks. The charges of the call are borne by the organisation using the phone number, but can be as little as 2p per minute. Research has demonstrated that 61% of UK callers are more likely to call these numbers than standard charge numbers. 0800 marketing numbers offer an excellent opportunity for businesses to dramatically improve lead generation.

0845 Numbers

These have been described as local rate, but were actually introduced as ""LoCall"" numbers. Customers can call them from anywhere in the UK for just 3.95p per minute during the day and 1p per minute in the evenings and at weekends. Though some operators charge the business for inbound calls received on its 0845 marketing number, Numberstore offers 0845 marketing numbers with no ongoing line rental or call charges � a compelling reason for Internet Service Providers and companies to make themselves more accessible to their subscribers and customers throughout the UK.

0870 Numbers

0870 marketing numbers, historically referred to as ""national rate numbers"", offer all the advantages of 0845 numbers, though calls are charged at slightly higher rates. This means that businesses may also share in the revenue earned by the operators from their inbound calls.

Premium Rate Numbers

While these are not necessarily marketing numbers, premium rate numbers (090), are an excellent option for technical support, chat lines, phone-ins and competitions. The market for these services alone is valued at around ฃ2 billion in the UK. Here the charges for the call are borne totally by the caller while the revenue generated from the call is split between the telephone operator and the business receiving the phone calls.

Alpha-numeric Numbers

Any of the ranges described above may be used to generate memorable alpha-numeric numbers � eg 0905 057 HELP for a business support number or 0905 057 CHAT for a chatline.

To find out more about marketing numbers, visit www.numberstore.com which offers a wide range of tariffs and numbers, instant set up and online number routing services.

I write articles for http://www.numberstore.com Numberstore is a trading name of Zimo Communications Limited, a UK digital communications company established with quality of service as its principal objective.