New Road Runner & Coyote Shorts from Warner: The Matt O’Callaghan Interview
(Matt is the Director of the three new CGI/3D Road Runner/Coyote shorts; this interview focuses on Fur of Flying which is currently in theaters accompanying Legend of the Guardians.
Read more on Animation World Network

PRINCETON: Area activities honor our independence
Many people braved the heat and humidity to participate in area celebrations of the nation’s 235th birthday.
Read more on The Princeton Packet

Technorati Tags: Coyote, From, Interview, Matt, O’Callaghan, Road, Runner, Shorts, Warner

How Can We Swipe 2 Master Secrets From the Winning Olympic Bid to Use in our Advertising Promotions?

How many goose bumps did you get when the Olympic bid announcement was read out, citing London as the victorious city for hosting the 2012 Olympics?

Let me tell you that I was shaking with emotion when the result was read out. It was such an exhilarating feeling.

Though, after the celebrations drew to a close, I decided to take took a closer look at the winning bid. “Why was it so successful?” I asked myself.

After collecting and putting all the pieces of the bid together, I’m convinced that there were two strategies used that any one of us can borrow and apply to effective use in getting our advertising messages to be super responsive.

The first ‘Master Secret’ was the use of a ‘CELEBRITY’ to spearhead the campaign.

It’s true that the Olympic bid was somewhat spluttering mid way through its campaign and something was needed, something drastic was needed in order to lift the flagging feeling of the bid.

Enter -(Lord) Sebastian Coe.

You may or may not remember the 800, 1500 meters and the one-mile battles that happened between Coe, Cram and Ovett in the early 80′s. Now, THAT was compelling viewing!

With that pedigree and history behind him, introducing Coe as the main ambassador of the bid, was a touch of genius. It gave credibility and a unique tie in to what the games were all about.

With hindsight or not, it’s fair to say that the London bid wouldn’t have had the same sparkling result if it were left to the politicians and other ‘dignitaries’ to lead the challenge.

Reason?

They’re not OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST CHAMPIONS! And… most are not ‘favourites’ with the general public.

So, how can you and I use the idea of a CELEBRITY to boost our response in the market place?

Well, all we need do is find a ‘Coe Comparative’ in whatever field we’re doing business in.

Say we’re a local butchers and we want to promote our new range of quality meats that have a certain zing and flavour to them. Something that just isn’t available anywhere else in the local area.

How about getting the editor of the local paper to be in the promotions saying something like, ” Geoff Swan of The Local Gazzette Swears He’d Never Buy Meat From Anywhere Else Than Blah Blah Butchers… The Meat’s Just Too Tasty, Just Too Succulent and Just Great Value!”

When everyone else’s shouting ‘we’ve got cut priced sausages’, you’re wading in there with a ‘glamour’ promotion that the likes of which many customers would never have seen before.

And that means… interest and… custom, plenty of it!

That tie in with a celebrity alone will draw in the customers. But, couple that with great offers, warm and friendly service and a continual communication, it’s possible you’d dominate the local area in pretty quick time.

Or, say you’re a local solicitor trying to get new clients, why not do a promotion that says something like, ” Nancy Kwan of The Chinese Gourmet Cook in Henderson Road Had Her Legal Problems Solved in Double Quick Time By Joe Blow Solicitors.”

Again, it’s quite unlike anything the regular ‘punter’ would’ve seen. And that ‘uniqueness’ in the marketplace is what all businesses, practices, services, etc, strive for.

See, the publicity by having a ‘CELEBRITY’ attached to your promotions, is like having an endorsement from someone in the local ‘public eye’. Someone the locals trust. A Seb Coe if you will.

Okay, the second BIG SECRET that the London bid pulled out of the hat was… presenting thirty children from a local East End School to be part of the bid! It drew the emotional strings like nothing else would have.

More than that, the children were a ‘promise of the future’.

Meaning, the Olympic Games will give these children the opportunity to have their minds and hearts filled with the passion and inspiration and spirit to be someone great. To achieve the highest honour in sport – THE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL.

Having that promise ‘come to life’ in the form of those children, was again, a master stroke.

So, how can you incorporate a ‘promise of the future’ for your promotions and advertising?

Alright, let’s say that you’ve a auto repair shop dealing in cars that are 10 – 15 years old, and your expertise is to ‘bring back to life, good as new’.

Now, the way to bring the ‘promise of the future’ in the marketing and promotion for this auto repair shop, is by way of a testimonial picture showing a BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURE.

Of course, the AFTER picture is the ‘promise of the future’. It’s what all customers would want their car to look like. It’s what they want their ‘old banger’, to aspire towards.

Showing a customer the powerful future plusses in what a product or service will give them, is a proven and tested way of ensuring the sale.

In what ways can you use these powerful ‘OLYMPIC STRATEGIES’ to your benefit and gain?

If you spend a little time applying what you learn in these emails, you’ll see such an advantage in your business that it isn’t funny.

Go get ‘em tiger!

Technorati Tags: Advertising, From, Master, Olympic, promotions, Secrets, Swipe, Winning

Work from Home Employment Opportunities and the Risk of Coming Across Scams

Work from home employment opportunities is certainly a great place for one to commit his or her time, effort, as well as skills in. It may be said that it is the holy grail of several work as well as profit opportunities which traditional positions cannot offer. People looking for work coming from Canada, USA, along with other countries are using this major boom. However, with its escalating boom you will discover people who view it as a possible prospect for deceptive dealings, which is annoying. It would go to show, that there are actually just some individuals who have got absolutely nothing better to do other than creating a negative image for a good business. Stay on alert now because it looks like these kinds of bad businesses like scams will not disappear that easily.

Each time we hunt for work from home employment opportunities particularly when it’s originating from a freelance site there are actually possibilities that we will encounter internet frauds. Frauds are designed as tricks to make you hand out your money as well as private details. As you keep on browsing the internet you’ll come across them a whole lot, therefore it is much better if you know the red flags in order to avoid being a victim.

The Indicators of Scams

The two primary alert indicators for a probable scam will come in two types. Scammers provide you with wonderful promises. These people aim to suck you in by making promises. As an example they’ll tell you that they have the shortcut to success that only a few people know. Well, first off if they discovered a method to get rich quick then they won’t share the secret to you.

Scammers try to acquire your personal information. They pretend that they are genuine financial institutions or businesses to the extent that they will utilize actual business logos as well as the identity of actual company staff. They approach you with emails, websites, as well as telephone calls with requests that might sound like real. They’d let you go around in circles until you’re convinced, then once you start to believe them, they will provide you with reasons to persuade you to give away your personal details, like your credit card information, password and also bank account.

When applying for work from home employment opportunities there are hints that will inform you in case you are being scammed. Sometimes if the offer seems too good to be true, then it likely is. Employment offers or advertisements that provides huge salary claims but seem to lack specific details and also requirements about the job itself means there’s something wrong. Since when it’s a authentic work offer then every detail from the skills to the working hours would be present.

If you ever come upon a situation in which somebody asks that you send money to them or use your credit card on the web so you could be hired then you no longer need a 6th sense to see that there’s something going on behind the scenes. And if you are looking for a job, it is apparent that you never need to pay your employer so that you can begin working. It truly is the other way around.

Scammers will not exist if there are no people to be scammed. This statement is true. If we will not allow ourselves be fooled then we won’t encounter such circumstances. So to find work from home employment opportunities without a hitch we all need to be observant and smart.

Technorati Tags: Across, Coming, Employment, From, Home, Opportunities, risk, scams, Work

RV Lifestyles: How To Get The Most From Free Bush Campsites

The ever-spiraling cost of RV lifestyles — plus those increasingly crowded tourist parks — is prompting many RV travelers to consider overnighting on free bush sites. Sure, no real surprise there, but paradoxically, very few of our fellow travelers actually follow through on the idea.

And that’s a pity. After all, those who for valid and various reasons choose to remain with mainstream RVing miss out on much that this lifestyle has to offer. That’s certainly true in terms of outdoor enjoyment, and the sense of freedom that comes with a night or two of self-reliance.

As it happens, help is at hand: Not only can RV bush camping be a safe, hassle-free experience, the extra gear required is negligible. Indeed, getting onto a site deep in the backblocks can be far easier than squeezing your caravan or motorhome into a crowded tourist park. And depending on how adventurous you choose to become, you probably already carry the equipment that’s needed.

So, if we press ahead with the notion that bush camping might at least be worth a try, your earliest thoughts are likely to focus on how to assess the suitability of any potential free site that you chance upon during your travels.

Checking potential bush sites

Given that safety and comfort are high priorities for all of us, the most important step in utilizing a bush site is to have a careful look over it while there’s still plenty of daylight. This upfront assessment should include (1) the condition of the track going in, (2) the overall practicality of the site, and (3) whether you’ll be able to get your RV out of there in the event the track peters out, or if rain sets in later. In the majority of cases, the best method of weighing it all up is to check it out on foot — before you commit to an unknown sidetrack.

If your tow vehicle is 4×4, one or two track deficiencies should present no problem, but with conventional transport extra caution might be wise. Be absolutely certain, for instance, that the track is wide enough for both vehicle and caravan/trailer, keeping in mind extended mirrors, tight bends, and close trees or overhanging branches. Is there sufficient clearance underneath the RV? Are wheel-ruts in the track likely to result in dragging the bottom? Any mud, rocks, or steep sections? Could the drive in be made easier with some minor track repairs?

If you do locate a viable site, what’s it like overall? For example: Is it fairly level? Is there enough room to maneuver and turn your outfit around? Does it appear to be the local gathering place for motorized sleazoids? Is the site polluted beyond easy clean-up? Are there fences close by, or farmhouses within earshot? Is it far enough from passing traffic? Look up: Is there sufficient clear space to avoid parking the RV beneath overhanging branches? And if you’re set up for solar power, will panels receive enough sun? In forested areas, what’s the current fire danger status? Is the site adequate considering the length of stay you have in mind?

Yes, that’s quite a raft of questions. In fact, in your early days of bush camping a pocket checklist is not a bad idea. After a while, though, this whole ‘assessment’ process won’t take much longer than the walk in. Negatives tend to leap out at you!

Getting onto the site

OK. Everything looks pretty good so you decide to drive in.

Next rule: Take it slowly. If possible, have someone walking alongside to watch for any nasty surprises. Decide in advance what hand signals and yelling are meant to indicate. Nonetheless, the driver is the person in the hot seat, so tricky decisions are, ultimately, his or her call — within reason, of course.

As you negotiate a bush track in an RV, try to think in four dimensions: above, below, left and right. Visualise where the wheels are going — or where you want them to go — and what the rear of the RV is likely to do. Take the corners as widely as surrounding vegetation permits. If potentially damaging branches obstruct your path, get someone to hold them aside or, as a last resort, remove them.

Despite all this caution, if you get boxed in, don’t panic. Back up if possible, very carefully, and under the watchful eye of your outside guide. A caravanner’s worst-case scenario might involve unhitching, then re-hitching at an acute angle, with the vehicle now facing the preferred direction of travel. Not a lot of fun, but a long way short of dangerous. Besides, it’s all part of bush camping in an RV!

Setting up camp

Without doubt, you could strike one or two potential hazards, but most often you’ll reach the site without drama. Nevertheless, once you’re in there, still more decisions confront you! After checking once again for overhanging branches, where’s the best spot for the RV? If you want to use an awning, will it fit in the space available? With privacy in mind (ie, visibility from passing traffic), which direction should the outfit face? Does the site provide natural run-off in the event of heavy rain? Where might a campfire be set up to avoid filling the RV with smoke? Should RV or vehicle be positioned to form a windbreak?

Well, finally, you have the rig in position! However, if you need to get it level — for optimum performance of LPGas refrigeration — first check its side-to-side attitude (using a spirit level). If it needs to come up on one side, the quick solution is to drive (or tow) it onto suitable blocks of wood.

Having double-checked side-to-side, now check for level front-to-rear. To get this right, caravanners may need to resort to anything from complete unhitching, to minor elevation of the tow hitch using the jockey wheel (after setting van and vehicle handbrakes).

The point is, bush sites aren’t tourist parks. The job of leveling an RV may take a little time but is worth the trouble, not just for the fridge, but for your general comfort, too.

Finally, lower the stabilizers firmly onto (more!) blocks, chock the wheels if the site is sloping, and drop the step (if necessary). Now it’s time to take a well-earned break!

Getting comfy

Once you’ve recovered from the adrenalin surge, you might give some thought to making the camp comfortable. Most often, top of the list is an awning — and with an outside shelter in place, you’ll really start to feel at home. (By the way, on bush sites a full caravan annexe is rarely an option, no matter how good the site may be.)

A small garden rake is handy about now so that the area beneath the awning can be cleaned up a little, perhaps in preparation for some type of ‘floor’, such as a section of shade cloth. Obviously, for a stay of only one or two nights, you probably won’t bother. But with a floor down and a bit of camp furniture set up you can get yourself quite comfy.

Another job you might have to think about is the sullage outlet hose. A single-night stay presents no problem, but beyond that you don’t want kitchen water (and food particles) accumulating beneath the RV, attracting every ant and critter from miles around. It’s best to run the hose to a small pit covered with leaves or grass to give water a chance to soak away — while the flies are kept at bay.

Some other improvements to consider (though also time-dependent) might be:

· Establishing a bush toilet (and an obstacle-free path to it).
· Positioning a bush shower.
· Where to string a clothesline.
· Location for the generator.
· TV antenna.
· A campfire and firewood.
· Barbecue or outdoor kitchen.
· Rubbish container for non-burnables.
· Door mats (inside and out).
· Ant deterrents (plus removal of branches resting against the RV).

Other issues

In some parts of the country it is entirely possible to set up your RV for quite lengthy stays on bush sites. But there are a few issues that, while hardly worth considering for just a night or two, do increase in probability with the passage of time. No doubt the two of concern to most travelers are security and bad weather.

Security. Provided the site is reasonably concealed from passing traffic, and appears to hold little interest for others, all should be well. In any case, you might prefer to remain in ‘departure mode’ for the first night, avoiding the use of jacks, awnings, and so on. Also, if the main road is close by, keep lights and fires to a minimum, while maintaining a low profile but high awareness. Of course many travellers continue to rely on their trusty canine friend. Nevertheless, keep in mind that, in the bush, you are probably far safer than you ever were back home!

Bad weather. If you prepare for extreme weather before leaving home, you already have it beaten. By rigging awnings with adequate guy ropes, pegs and tensioners, having extra tarps on hand to cover anything stored outside, and by keeping a small mattock or shovel handy to redirect any pooling rainwater, inconvenience will be minor. Of course it does pay to keep up with local weather reports in an effort to stay one step ahead of these particular gremlins. And if the exit track becomes a little shabby, early departure may be the smartest option when foul weather sets in.

Like most bush campers, you’ll no doubt find that the first time is the hardest; so much to think about, so many minor concerns buzzing around in your head! Next morning, though, as the sun peeks through the trees, warming this private piece of real estate, I can guarantee that you’ll feel much better about the decision you made the night before.

From that point on, each bush camp just gets easier.

Technorati Tags: bush, Campsites, Free, From, Lifestyles, Most

Cyber Safety Facts and Tips for Protecting Children from Internet Dangers

Statistics on cyber safety are real and are only getting worse, so how do we keep kids safe online? Here are some tips for parents and kinds about how to make sure cyber safety of using the Internet.

Cyber Safety Tips for Parents

1. Educate children to be “Internet Safe Kids” by making sure they use safe internet practices at all times, especially when using chat rooms, instant messaging and social networks such as Facebook, as these are the most popular and the most dangerous for our kids.

2. Set boundaries for your kids’ computer and internet use. Stress to your child never accept unsolicited email, files, photographs, videos or attachments from online strangers.

3. Along with education is just as importantly to monitor your child’s internet use at all times. Parental Control Software(http://www.surveilstar.com/) gives your kids the freedom to use the internet, at the same time flagging any behavior you feel is inappropriate.

Education and Monitoring software are by far the best ways to keep your kids safe online and have Internet Safe Kids!

Cyber Safety Tips for Kids

* Never respond to an unsubscribe on a pornographic email.
* Tell your school if it is school related. Schools have a bullying solution in place.
* Don’t erase the messages—they may be needed to take action.
* Protect yourself—never agree to meet with the person or with anyone you meet online.
* If bullied through chat or instant messaging, the “bully” can often be blocked.
* If you are threatened with harm, inform the local police.

SurveilStar(http://www.surveilstar.com/download.html) — Protect Your Children Against Cyber Dangers

Tһе internet һаѕ become a second world tο υѕ. It іѕ аlmοѕt impossible not tο υѕе tһе internet when every раrt οf our lifestyle іѕ connected tο іt аnԁ һаѕ ѕοmе need οf іt. Lеt’s face іt, wе саnnοt prevent our children frοm using tһе computer. Tһаt іѕ nοt tһе solution fοr your kids’ safety οח tһе internet. If parents аrе tο keep tһеіr children safe online, tһеу need tο bе responsible enough tο educate themselves аnԁ tһеіr children аbοut tһе reality οf cyber dangers аnԁ take tһе nесеѕѕаrу steps tο exercise tһе proper parental controls without delay.

If you are really concerned about your children’s online safety you can install computer monitoring software like SurveilStar this is a parental control software solution and will help you protect your kids against from cyber dangers.

To start an all-out strategic battle to protect my kids from online cyber dangers, while still letting them safely enjoy the games and resources that are available on the Internet, SurveilStar is the perfect solution that can be used for filtering web site content and monitoring the web sites my kids are viewing on the Internet:
Parental Control Software

SurveilStar comes with an advanced content filtering module which allows you to block websites on-the-fly. Our goal as parents should be to allow our children to experience the benefits of the internet while protecting them from the dangers. The use of parental control software allows you to achieve both of these goals. Parental control software allows your child to freely use the internet but also allows you as the parent to fully monitor this usage.

Parental control software allows you to monitor who your children are communicating with via email, chat sites, and instant messages. In addition, it allows you to actually view what your children are viewing on the internet through the use of recorded screen shots. Parental control software allows you to log websites your children visit that contain keywords you have selected. SurveilStar parental control software is easy to install and set up.

The goal of parental control software is not to violate your children’s right to interact with their friends but to learn of any problems early so they can be dealt with quickly before any real harm can come to your child.

After parents have learnt the cyber safety facts and tips, they must believe that it is necessary to install a parental control software on their local computer for protecting kids from cyber dangers.

SurveilStar Parental Control Software is an ultimate invisible and undetectable easy-to-use activity monitoring and surveillance tool (surveillance software) for individual PCs. Focus on monitoring visited websites, received and sent emails, instant messages and transferred files let you keep an eye on your children online activities.

http://www.surveilstar.com/

Related Message Flag Articles

Technorati Tags: Children, Cyber, Dangers, Facts, From, internet, Protecting, Safety, Tips

Car Accidents in Los Angeles: Tips from a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

If I have an auto accident, do I have to stop?

Yes. California law says you must stop—whether the accident involves a pedestrian, a moving car, a parked car or someone’s property. If you drive away, you can be charged with hit and run even if the accident was not your fault.

You must also exchange information with the other driver—your name and driver’s license number, the vehicle identification number of the car you are driving, the name and address of the car’s owner, the name and address of your insurance company and your insurance policy number (or other evidence of financial responsibility, such as a bond posted with the Department of Motor Vehicles).

Hit-and-run penalties are severe. Depending on the damage or injuries, you may be fined, sent to jail or both. You also could lose your driver’s license.

If you hit a parked car or other property, try to find the owner or driver. If you cannot, the law says you may drive away only after you leave behind, in a conspicuous place, your name, address and an explanation of the accident, and the name and address of your car’s owner (if other than yourself).

You also must notify the local police or California Highway Patrol (CHP) either by telephone or in person as soon as possible.

You must call the police or the CHP if the accident caused a death or injury. An officer who comes to the scene of the accident will conduct an investigation. If an officer doesn’t show up, you must make a written report on a form available at the police department or CHP office as soon as possible.

What should I do if someone is injured?

The law requires you to give reasonable assistance to anyone who is injured. For example, you may need to call an ambulance, take the injured person to a doctor or hospital, or give first aid—if you know how.

If you are not trained in the appropriate first aid procedures, do not move someone who is badly hurt; you might make the injury worse. However, you should move someone who is in danger of being hurt worse or killed (for example, in a car fire) even if you do make the injury worse.

To help prevent additional collisions, try to warn other motorists that an accident has occurred. Placing flares on the road (only if there are no flammable fluids or items nearby), turning on your car’s hazard lights and lifting the engine hood are usually good ways to warn others on the road. Arrange to get help for anyone who is injured, and try not to panic.

How can I get help?

As soon as you can get to a telephone, call 911. Explain the situation and give the exact location of the accident, so that help can arrive quickly. Be sure to mention whether you need an ambulance or a fire engine.

Remain on the telephone until the operator tells you it is okay to hang up. Or, flag down a passing car and ask the driver to go for help. The driver may have a cellular phone in the car and can make an emergency call on the spot.

What information should I gather at the accident scene?

Since many records now are confidential under the law, you may not be able to obtain the information that you want from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). So be sure to get as much correct and complete information as you can at the scene of the accident.

You and the other driver should show each other your driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations. Then you should write down:

The other driver’s name, address, date of birth, telephone number, driver’s license number and expiration date, and insurance company.

The other car’s make, year, model, license plate number and expiration date, and vehicle identification number.

The names, addresses, telephone numbers and insurance companies of the other car’s legal and registered owners—if the driver does not own the car.

The names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and telephone numbers of any passengers in the other car.

The names, addresses and telephone numbers of any witnesses to the accident. Ask them to stay to talk to the CHP or police. If they insist on leaving, ask them to tell you what they saw and write everything down.

Try to identify people at the accident scene, even if they will not give their names. For example, if someone who saw the accident drives off, take down his or her license plate number. Law enforcement officials can trace the owner’s name and address.

The name and badge number of the law officer who comes to the accident scene. Ask the officer where and when you can get a copy of any accident report.

A simple diagram of the accident. Draw the positions of both cars before, during and after the accident.

If there are skid marks on the road, pace them off. Draw them on the diagram, noting the distance they cover. Mark the positions of any crosswalks, stop signs, traffic lights or streetlights. If you have a camera with you, take pictures of the scene, and of the other drivers and occupants.

However, do not place yourself in a position of danger in order to complete an accident diagram. Be aware of traffic conditions and skip any measurements that could place you in a position of harm.

Make notes, too, on weather and road conditions.

If the accident happened after dark, note whether the streetlights were on. Estimate your speed and that of the other vehicle. Be sure to record the exact time, date and place the accident happened.

If I think the accident was my fault, should I say so?

Do not volunteer any information about who was to blame for the accident. You may think you are in the wrong and then learn that the other driver is as much or more to blame than you are. You should first talk to your insurance agent, your lawyer or both. Anything you say to the police or the other driver can be used against you later.

Do not agree to pay for damages or sign any paper except a traffic ticket (see #6) until you check with your insurance company or lawyer.

However, be sure to cooperate with the police officer investigating the case. But, stick to the facts.

For instance, if you were driving 30 miles an hour, say so. Do not say, “I wasn’t speeding.”

Technorati Tags: accidents, Angeles, From, Injury, lawyer, Personal, Tips

Living Off the Grid. Why Should You Un-plug yourself From the System?

Have you ever given any consideration to living off the grid? If you’re a bit taken aback with that idea, let me tell you some of the reasons why you might want to consider it a bit further.

First off you are going to reduce your dependence on dwindling resources: Do you want to depend on public utilities all the time? Living off the grid helps you stand on your own two feet and not rely on the governments and corporations. And whilst that’s a good feeling, this is the one that seals the deal for a lot of people. Can you imagine what it feels like to have no more electricity bills dropping onto your door mat? The green power solutions give you a pretty quick return on investment and after a while the power supply to your home is free!

Have you ever stopped to think about the people who planted trees years ago? They planted those trees for the benefit of future generations but never really knew the true extent of the benefits they were leaving for us. With the knowledge that we possess these days isn’t it our duty to help our future generations by giving them a greener, healthier world.

If you are thinking to yourself that it’s all a bit ‘tree huggerish’ and that it’s not practical to live off the grid, look around for alternate power solutions. I promise you, you will be surprised at how many people have already unplugged themselves and are happily living off the grid.

Technorati Tags: From, grid, Living, Should, System, Unplug, Yourself

Manny Ramirez Deserves Better From Red Sox Nation

Manny Ramirez is back from his 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs policy and he is back where he belongs: on the field, entertaining the masses. Clearly, Dodgers fans have embraced Manny and decided to overlook his mistakes. Leftover bobbleheads from Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night at Chavez Ravine can currently be found on eBay for nearly 0.

Tickets are selling out regularly and if you want to see the circus for yourself, only Golden Circle Tickets can secure the best Los Angeles Dodgers tickets available for you and your family.

So what? He tested positive for a banned female fertility drug which indicates he was either expecting a child or replenishing the testosterone depleted in his system after cycling off steroids.

So what? When he was with the Red Sox, he decked a 60-year old ex-Navy SEAL travel secretary who could not accomodate his request for over a dozen tickets to a game in Houston. If you think this was less than a fair fight, throw a punch at Jesse Ventura and see what happens.

So what? He dogged it during his final days in Boston in order to force a trade out of town since Red Sox ownership would not even consider a multi-year extension.

Adding a future Hall of Famer and perhaps The Greatest Right-Handed Hitter of All Time to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the weakened NL West made them instant favorites to win the pennant and represent the National League in the World Series.

Boston’s loss is Hollywood’s gain. Hollywood appreciates Manny for what he is: an entertainer, no different than Tom Hanks or Michael Jackson. All that matters is what they do on the big stage. Their personal lives our none of our business.

“I didn’t kill or rape nobody.” Manny Ramirez’ statement may have been flippant, but there is truth there. Baseball is not a matter of life and death. To the contrary, baseball is our escape from life and death. There is more anomisity directed at Manny Ramirez than there ever was towards those responsibile for misleading the American public about WMD in Iraq.

Consider all that Manny did for Boston. The 2004 World Series MVP secured the first Red Sox championship since 1919, effectively burying “The Curse of the Bambino” forever. You would think a city so desperate to get that monkey off its back would be eternally grateful towards its eccentric slugger, extending his contract for life and renaming Logan Airport to Manny Ramirez International Airport.

Instead? Ownership jerked Manny around with three consecutive years of team options on his contract. Free agents are used to over-performing in a contract year. Players routinely try harder – for lack of a better phrase – in order to earn the most lucrative contract possible. In Manny’s case, if he performed at this level, he would have his contract extended for a single season for a previously agreed upon number of dollars. The process would then repeat itself the following year and the year after that.

What would happen if he had a sub-par year? The Red Sox could have released him from their team with no financial penalty, leaving him a free agent in search of a new contract while coming off a lousy year. This was a lose-lose situation for Manny.

There is blame to be shared on both sides. Manny’s agent negotiated the contract and Manny signed his name to the contract. If they didn’t like the idea of three consecutive option years, they should never have agreed to it. Manny did not have to fake injury to stay out of games in order to force a trade.

To paraphrase Chris Rock, I’m not saying he should have punched a 60-year old ex-Navy SEAL, but I understand.

No region of the country was more gleeful than New England when it was announced Manny Ramirez was banned for fifty games. Bob Ryan and Dan Shaughnessy have been waiting for the other shoe to drop since the minute he left town. What have you done for them lately, Manny?

Every home run he hit, their blood boiled. They seethed with every joke he told in a press conference. “Just wait,” they’ll tell you, “he’ll break your heart, too.”

Sorry, Boston. He’s just not that into you. He has already stated that he is more comfortable in Los Angeles than he ever was in Boston. Should the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series either this year or next year with Manny Ramirez batting cleanup, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt will build a golden statue of Manny in his prized parking lot.

We appreciate our stars in Los Angeles despite their obvious flaws. Hugh Grant and Divine Brown. So what? Michael Jackson and Macauley Culkin? So what? Mel Gibson and the Jews? Oh, that’s just silly ol’ Mel.

In the grand scheme of things, Manny didn’t kill nobody and he sure as heck didn’t rape nobody. Love him or hate him, we all want to watch him hit dingers. See him hit the long ball for yourself. Contact Golden Circle Tickets today for the best Los Angeles Dodgers tickets available every night.

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IRS Tax Debt and Benefiting From Online Tax Attorney Services

When you feel you need professional help or advice to resolve your IRS tax debt problems, it’s likely your problems have escalated to the point where you can’t deal with them yourself. In case of such a situation, the exact amount owed is not the issue, but your incapability to resolve the situation takes priority, since you in fact have two problems – your outstanding federal dues and your “inability” to solve the problem on your own i.e. how you plan to redeem your government dues. This is when you start thinking seriously about seeking professional help to effectively deal with the situation.

The major issue with the IRS is once your personal details are flagged for their “recovery” process, it’s guaranteed you’re going to face a lot many problems before the flag actually gets “removed” from their recovery list. And as long as your name stays on that list, you’re assumed to be “guilty as charged”, even if you’ve paid your taxes and don’t have any IRS tax debt pending. The IRS personnel might have “forgotten” to “remove” your name from their list. There are no solutions to this particular problem, except for “reminding” them your taxes are paid and you’re in the “clear”. In the event you actually owe your tax dues, it’s needless to say how serious your problems are likely to be. In case you feel the IRS are going to be sympathetic or show “compassion” for you and your problems – forget it. It’s not going to happen. It may well appear too many debtors that the IRS is “heartless” and will definitely demand their “pound of flesh”. In fact, the IRS is just a professional government body doing its “job” of collecting tax dues from American citizens. And they have to be strict regarding their recovery, since the citizens are definitely not going to “pay” on their “own” unless “forced” to redeem.    

The obvious question you’re likely to ask is “Ok, I know about this, what I do next? How do I get out of this mess?” The answer actually depends upon you. Fortunately, as far as Americans are concerned, things can be easier as far as paying your IRS debt is concerned. There are two main questions you need to ask yourself – “Can I do this on my own?” and “Should I be taking some professional help to deal with the problem?” If you feel you’ve the expertise and the experience to find a way out for yourself, it would be the best choice. However, it’s important to know that IRS can be extremely ruthless and very difficult “customers” to negotiate with. On the other hand, availing professional IRS tax debt help can be very beneficial, since you not only find a way to pay your dues and become debt free, but you also save a lot of valuable time, which can be utilized for beneficial purposes and for “income” generation.  

There are many “online” tax relief and settlement agencies available. Ideally, these agencies or companies employ a team of experts or taxation professionals whose basic objective is to “help” debtors find a solution to redeem their IRS tax debts and dues. They are used to dealing with complex problems and finding a suitable way out for your issues. They also advise, and if you have specific questions, they’re likely to provide to-the-point answers, so you can understand the problem from a “technical” point of view. They can help to “point” you in the right direction as to what you ought to be doing next, and how you should be “thinking”. Online tax relief services can also assist you with various queries such as dependent filings, international adoption tax rebates and investment filings. In case of audit related issues, the tax experts can provide suggestions related to how much tax you’ll end up paying eventually to the IRS, and the manner of reducing your net payable dues. The basic objective of availing profession help is to cater to your inability to pay the taxes, and how to request an “extension” to “redeem”.

Getting some advice from a tax attorney is perhaps the best place to start. By consulting specialized taxation personnel, you can avail instant IRS tax relief and come up with reasonable as well as manageable solutions for the amount that you owe as your taxes. The people’s ignorance about the IRS working and their legal rights is the primary cause why tax attorneys should be “hired” out.

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Hit the Inbox! 10 Tips to Keep Your Email from Going to the Junk Folder

In This Article…

If you’re beginning an email program or you’ve been sending email already but know that you’re going into your recipients’ junk mail folders, this article explains how to improve deliverability. In this article, you’ll learn how to optimize your email program to give it the best chance of making into a user’s inbox. This process is called “deliverability” and is the first step to successful email marketing.

What is “Hitting the Inbox”?

One of the greatest problems facing email marketers is making sure that your email goes to the user’s inbox instead of the spam folder. When everything is driven by whether a user opens an email, that means that the user needs to actually SEE the email first. In truth, how many of us check our spam or junk folders regularly?

Getting your marketing email to actually go into the inbox is one of the most complicated parts of email marketing (and the part that fails the most often). Here are ten tips to keep your email from ending up in the junk folder.

1. Get on the Hotmail and Yahoo! White Lists

Hotmail and Yahoo! both keep lists of approved senders. Once you’re on that list, you’ll almost always go into the inbox. If you send a particularly spammy email, however, you can be removed from the list. The process can be frustrating and take a long time, but it’s well worth it.

2. If You’re Using Your Own Server, Make Sure it “Drips” the Messages

Spam filters at most email providers look to see how many messages you’re sending at a time. If you’re sending to a large list, even if you have a fast and efficient email sending server, have the server “drip” the messages out slowly. You really don’t want more than a couple thousand to hit any one email provider per hour if you’re playing it safely. 

3. Break Large Lists Into Smaller Ones

There are many reasons to break large email lists into smaller ones, but the best reason is that doing so will mean that the spam complaints that you receive when you send your email won’t be in one huge mass. It is inevitable that even loyal subscribers sometimes mark you as spam. If you send your large list in smaller segments, the email provider (Hotmail, MSN, etc.) will see less spam complaints bundled together at one time.

4. “Clean” Your Email List Frequently

Most, if not all, email providers’ spam filters penalize your domain or IP with a higher spam score (meaning you are more likely to end up in the junk folder) if they see that you are sending emails to bad email accounts. A bad email account is an address that doesn’t exist, has been disabled or has a full inbox. These addresses should be cleaned (or “pruned”) from your email list regularly to avoid this. If you allow them to add up on your list, you will eventually be flagged as a spam provider.

5. Provide a Clear Unsubscribe Link

Nobody likes it when somebody unsubscribes from their email list. However, providing a clear way to unsubscribe (and then honoring that unsub quickly) means that users are less likely to get frustrated and just mark you as spam. The number one criterion for ending up in the junk box is the number of spam complaints that you receive, so avoiding them at all costs is critical.

6. Encourage Your Customers to Add You as a Friend or Contact

Once a user has added you to his or her contact list, friend list or address book, you will always end up in their inbox. Use every opportunity to encourage those on your email list to add you as a contact. Comm100 suggests doing it in the email sign up conformation email, on the confirmation page and during most customer service transactions. A typical way to ask customers to do this is to say, “Ensure that you continue to receive the quality information from us that you enjoy by adding us to your contact list.”

7. Test Your Email to Seed Addresses BEFORE You Send to the Main List

Before you send your entire email list the message you’ve worked so hard on, send a test message to each of the big email providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN, Gmail, AOL and one generic office address that is viewed in an Outlook client). Send the test email using the exact same server and information that you’ll use with your main list. If you end up in the junk box on the test send, then you’ll end up in the junk box on your main send. The pre-send test means that you can try different subject lines and email content to try to figure out what sent you to spam.

8. Don’t Have Sloppy HTML Code

Spam filters check for bad html code, particularly if it looks like the code was done in Microsoft Word and then thrown into an email. Use a professional coder (preferably one who has done email templates before and knows the best way to make them resolve properly in an inbox) or a template provided by your email sending partner. 

9. Don’t Use “The Big Image”

Sending an email that’s all one big image file is a bad idea for many reasons. Foremost among those reasons is that spam filters look for those types of image-based emails. Big image files often carry hidden messages that would normally get caught in spam filters (words like “free”), so, when a spam filter can’t read any real text in an email and only sees an image, it assumes the worst.

10. Don’t Write Text that Sounds Like a Spammer!

This one should be obvious! The more “spam-like” text and phrases your email uses, the less likely it is to end up in the inbox. There are a number of free software solutions to check the “spam score” of an email before you send it, but there are also basic rules.

Don’t use the word “free” too many times.
Don’t use ALL CAPS.
Don’t use lots of colored fonts.
Only use one exclamation point at a time!
Stay away from words you’d see in spam:  drugs, porn, guaranteed winner.

If you’ve seen it used in a spam message that you received, don’t use it in your own email message!

Even if you do all of these things and do them perfectly, you may still end up in the junk box. Email spam filter criteria change almost daily and can be impacted by things that you have no control over. However, if you, as a habit, send good email that your clients want, you’ll get into the inbox more often than not. Be sure to follow the above guidelines because, once an email provider thinks that your email is spam, it is very hard to get back into the inbox!

One of the first steps to getting into the inbox is to choose a quality email partner. Comm100, who provided you with this spam tip list, offers a completely free, hosted email and newsletter solution. It’s both a great long-term and short-term solution to getting your email marketing off of the ground and into the inbox!

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