Tyrone

With all the time and money spent on designing products that are user friendly, why is it that tried and true features that have worked perfectly well for decades are being replaced with ones that dont? Wing windows in cars (sorry if youre too young to know what Im talking about) were great. You could angle those little triangles to direct the flow of air where you wished. Better yet, you knew that if your pooch stuck her nose out that little space, there was absolutely no danger of her falling out. Im told that the electric window (yes, children we used to have to crank them open and closed) caused the demise of the wing window but I dont believe it. Surely they dont have to be mutually exclusive.

Lest you think Im an old fuddy duddy, let me assure you Im not. I love the latest gadgets if they serve a purpose. And Im so into computers that I even own (and occasionally wear) a heather gray tee shirt that says in powder blue. And speaking of computers here is another example of replacing what works with what doesnt. All my old laptop computers all had a wonderful thumb wheel switch to control the audio intensity (or as they erroneously say, the volume). What a concept an analog device to control an analog feature! In no time my thumb learned just how far to turn the switch to achieve the perfect loudness level, and it only took one little motion. In contrast, to adjust sound intensity in my current laptop computer I have to press either an increase loudness button or a decrease loudness button. And pressing these once usually does not do the job, so I press one over and over and over oops too loud; now press the other button once - oops too soft. Well, you get the picture.

This obsession with digital is being taken to absurd extremes. Its now invaded household appliances. We have a new dishwasher. Unlike the old one, it has no dials just buttons you can press either on or off. All you can do with this machine is turn it on, pause it, make it resume, or stop it. Its supposed to save on energy, yet its shortest cycle (rinse only) is 90 minutes and there is nothing you can do to shorten it! Who needs to rinse dishes for 90 minutes? How can this possibly save energy? I am told that all new dishwashers are like this, and that washing machines and driers are close behind.

As they say, its time to get real. People are real. Besides, we were here first. Hey all you designers please give us some people-friendly technology before things get even worse.

This article was written by Debby Gilden, Ph.D., freelance PowerPoint designer and instructor. Please visit her Web site www.PPTprincess.com.

The worldwide Global Positioning System (GPS) network was designed by the US Department of Defense, as a way to track ones exact location anywhere in the world.

The GPS network consists of 24 navigation satellites, which orbit the planet at a height of approximately 12,000 miles. These satellites each orbit the earth twice every 24 hours, and they are set up in such a way that they can send signals to any location on the planet, whether it be land or sea, and no matter how remote.

The 24 GPS satellites are continuously beaming positioning data, which can be picked up by GPS Devices on the ground, and used to calculate exact latitude and longitude coordinates. Depending on the device that is used, this data can be accurate to within a few meters.

Some GPS devices also provide advanced features such as dynamic mapping and detailed driving directions.

Despite the common misconception that GPS-enabled devices are prohibitively expensive, and only useful in scientific and military operations, many of these useful gadgets are primarily designed with the consumer in mind. For example, GPS handhelds can be carried around on ones pocket, and are very useful for a number of functions. Certain companies, including Nextel GPS, have even begun integrating GPS technology with common consumer products such as mobile phones.

About the Author: Jeremy Maddock is the webmaster of www.GPSDevices.info, an informational site about GPS Devices, and TeleClick.ca, a useful telecommunications news resource.

Audio books are not just for adults. Children can appreciate stories that are heard as well as those written on paper. Since a number of audio books include a cast of readers as well as sound effects, it is easy for even young children to get caught up in the excitement of the story as it is being told. What a wonderful way to get youngsters to engage their imaginations!

Audio books are great for people of all ages because they can be enjoyed in a variety of settings. Listen to them while commuting to and from work, at the gym, or while relaxing. You can even

Vacation Time
With vacation season upon us, an audio book is a great way to keep children from becoming bored on long car rides. If you are not interested in listening as well, have the little ones use headphones. That way, all of your children can listen to their favorite stories at the same time!

If you can stimulate a child's love of learning when they are young, that drive to learn new and interesting things will stay with him or her right into adulthood. Remember, not all learning has to take place in a formal environment. Certainly, school is important, but we should be open to learning new things in a variety of settings.

Audio books and their print counterparts are just two examples of ways that one can receive information. One is not better or more effective than the other; think of them as two sides to the same coin.

Lifelong Learning
In our ever-changing world, it's important to always continue learning and growing. Our children may well be drawn to occupations that don't even exist yet! By continuing to learn new skills, we can keep ourselves marketable as far as employment is concerned.

There is yet another reason for wanting to keep learning, though.it's fun! If you have not yet listened to an audio book, why don't you try it? If it's been awhile since you "heard" a good story, then it's time you rediscovered this wonderful way of learning.

Charles Nielson, founder and leader of InstantAudioLearning.com, is passionately pursuing the role of audio in learning and education. The Mission of Instant Audio Learning is to make learning fun and easy. Visit InstantAudioLearning

The world is full of people and organizations promoting illegal scams to suck your hard-earned money out of your pocket, bank account, or from your credit card account. Here are a few of them.

Envelope Stuffing Scams

Joe Simple reads an ad in a magazine or receives a letter that invites him to make money by stuffing envelopes. He sends in $40.00 for a kit and gets nothing in return.

Mary Blank reads a similar classified ad opportunity. She sends in $35.00 and gets a single sheet that tells her to place the same ad she responded to using her address as the money recipient. She is to then send out the same single sheet in reply.

April Think-Little sends for a mailing kit. She spends $53.00. She gets supplies and sends out the materials as instructed. No money comes in! She is told that nobody ordered from her mailings so there is no profit.

Billy Lee Dream-World sends out $65.00 for an envelope stuffing opportunity. He makes his mailings and then is told they were not done quite right and that there will be no pay but that he should try again.

Companies and individuals promoting these scams are operating illegally. The Federal Trade Commission has targeted the larger envelope stuffing schemes. It has leveled charges against numerous work-at-home schemes throughout the United States.

Nigerian E-mail Scam

I call this the Nigerian Scam but other countries have joined the party. Montreal Canada is a world center for scam generation. If you get an e-mail, a letter, read a classified ad, or get a telephone call from some strange character in some overseas place offering you a take of millions, RUN LIKE HELL!

When we lived in Arizona a neighbor use to call me and say something like, John! Ive just won $100,000.00 from Readers Digest!

I would say, Now, Pearl, dont do anything! Ill be right over! (Although she has passed away, Im not using her real name.)

She would tell me she got a call from Montreal and that all she had to do was send $2500.00 to get her big prize. I would call Readers Digest and the Canadian Governments scam hunters and then tell her not to send any money because it was a scam.

The Nigerian Scam goes like this. Abdul Mahogany sends you an e-mail and tells you that his great uncle was a government official who died in jail. His uncle held large amounts of cash in a Swiss bank. To get the money from the Swiss account, Abdul would have to travel to Switzerland and have the money transferred to an account in the United States. Abdul will give you half of the zillion dollars if he can transfer the money to your account. All he needs is YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER AND THE TRANSFER NUMBER TO YOUR BANK (which he can get on his own once he has your bank account number)!

Abdul does not go to Switzerland (except for skiing on his winter vacation). Abdul does not have money transferred INTO your account. Abdul does transfer money out of your account into his. ABDUL EMPTIES YOUR ACCOUNT. You are furious and humiliated. You call your bank, the Chamber of Commerce, the police, and even the FBI. And what are they able to do? NOTHING! You have been had.

The Internet is full of sites covering the Nigerian Scam. There is a good cartoon at http://tinyurl.com/ke3qq

Direct Mail Scams

One thing about mail scams is that the United States Postal Service takes action against such scams. For example, see http://www.usps.com/judicial/1982deci/12-118d.htm where the Service took action against Group One Communications of Jensen Beach, Florida. The Service took almost every line of their mail promotion and declared it false advertising. Here is the final judgment: Therefore, I conclude that Respondent is engaged in conducting a scheme for obtaining money through the mail by false representations in violation of 39 U.S.C. 3005 and that a False Representation Order, substantially in the form attached, should be issued against Respondent.

I got a letter one time with an offer and I asked the local postmaster if the offer was legal. He said that legal or not the offer would not bring income to anyone. They do not pursue every complaint. They go after the big guys.

I questioned an MLM program once on its legality and I was told that because the monthly fee was so small ($7.00) that the program would be too small potatoes for the federal government to investigate in the near future. They are working on the big stuff.

MLMs and MLM Promotion Scams

Some MLMs are scams in themselves. I was in one once where the federal government shut it down as a simple pyramid. The operators were required to pay back the money collected. However, the operators were allowed to pay the money back in merchandise. This was good for them because they could buy a fishing pole from China for $3.95 and get $150.00 credit for providing the merchandise. Thus if they owed you $300.00 they could give you a fishing pole and a cheap pair of binoculars worth a total of $13.95. How in the heck they got away with that Ill never know.

The particular MLM was one of those Right Leg / Left Leg varieties. My Right Leg was growing like crazy but I could never get enough new members in the Left Leg to make one penny. So who was getting the monthly profits from the Right Leg? Why the big shots at the top. They could keep the program solvent with that money.

Im in an MLM now that doesnt have that kind of payout. Still, you can lose your shirt by paying promotion companies to promote for you.

A friend of mine told me he used a promotion company to get him new members in an MLM. He paid over $800.00 for the promotion company to make a mailing of 1000 for him which they did. He got 10 new members. That is a 1% return and any direct mail operator can get rich on such a return if he charges enough for his service or product. See http://tinyurl.com/s6xf8

Then my friend paid the promotion company to mail 4000 more. He expected 40 new members. Nothing happened!

He told me that he contacted the promotion company and they first told him that he had missed the mailing (a group mailing). Next they told him that the mailings were actually made but the return was zero. Instead of getting 40 new members as expected, he lost over $3500.00. Ive advised him to contact his states Attorney General for restitution and to see what the Small Claims Court requirements are in his state.

A good rule for MLM and Direct Mail operators is this: Never pay a promotion company or a print and mail company to make mailings or place classified ads for you. You have no control over what happens after you pay them.

Many people who could have made it in an MLM or Direct Mail programs have lost their capital before they could really get started.

Making a First Class direct mailing yourself cost about $600.00 per thousand. Promotion companies and print and mail firms make money by charging you above the mailing cost. They typically charge as much as twice the actual mailing cost.

The mailings are often sent by Third Class and some seldom send out mailings when they say they will. You can wait for months for your mailing results instead of two weeks from you own First Class mailings.

Some promotion companies may be making more money on their promotion activities than in the MLM they are supposedly working. However, they are gaining members at your expense so they are successful on two fronts, the MLM income and their promotion income.

Promotion companies are in the same program as you are. They are your competition. Never give your competition a break by paying for their leads. Promotion companies are actually curtailing your promotion activities by draining your capital.

Shared leads from group mailings or group classified ads are controlled by the print and mail or promotion company, not you.

Placing your own classified ads means that the leads generated are yours and not shared with somebody else.

Ive seen folks in MLM spend thousands of dollars for promotion when they could have used a simpler approach and made money. MLM is tough enough without having your money skimmed off by a promotion company that promises you the moon and gives you the shaft.

Direct Mail Gifting Programs

An informal but pretty comprehensive description of Gifting Programs is given at http://tinyurl.com/haou8 I get these programs in my mailbox every week. Typically you join a club for a fee. Then you send out the same offer but you get nothing for your first member. His contribution goes to your sponsor, not you. After that you collect money as gifts. These programs are illegal even if some product is given to the member on joining. Ive talked to people who have been in these programs. They are not rich as described but instead very disappointed.

Disaster Scams

Katrina brought out the scammers by the thousands. Scammers often use good causes to bilk you of your money. If some one calls me on the telephone and says that he is from the Benevolent Variety of Police Charities, I hang up.

There are many web sites that use scams to bring you to their site so that they can sell you their safe programs. Therefore, you have to be alert even when you are looking for scam information. By fighting scam Internet operators gain a lot of customers. I have a personal friend that does this. At any rate, even these sites can give you good anti-scam information. One site is http://www.scambusters.org/ You can read about the Katrina scams there.

Conclusion

The old saying is If something seems to be too good to be true, it is too good to be true!

We have to be alert to everything that is going on.

We have to watch what we read on the Internet, the letters we get in the mail, and the telephone calls we get while we are trying to watch reruns of Bonanza.

If you suspect something is fishy, then make a search on the Internet for complaints against the company or program. Ask your postmaster about it if it comes in the mail. Check with your banker or the Chamber of Commerce in your town.

Before you join any new program, make a search on the Internet using key words such as scam, complaint, the name of the program, etc.

Most scammers are in a hurry to get you when they use the telephone. Never give these crooks one inch. Hang up!

Never ever take money out of your bank account for a scammer (stranger) nor ever give your bank account number to anyone whatsoever no matter who they say they are. Never ever give anyone your social security number on the Internet or on the telephone.

Make sure your computer is secure. Use your privacy system to warn you if you want to email your telephone number or any other personal information. Talk to your banker about how to protect your accounts.

The Attorney General of your state has information on all kinds of scams. Go to your states web site and give the Attorney Generals office a call when you have a complaint or when you have a question on a possible scam.

I was overcharged for months by a telephone company. They refused to give me back my money. It took me a while to get my money back but the Attorney General of Arizona, who is now the Governor of Arizona, got every cent of my dough back. Dealing with the telephone company was a pain but when I told the Attorney Generals office they were not cooperating, the hammer came down. I got my money!

copyright2006 John T. Jones, Ph.D.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He is Executive Representative of IWS sellers of Tyler Hicks wealth-success books and kits. He also sells TopFlight flagpoles. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.aaaflagpoles.com

Vitamin B12 injections are an effective and tested cure for patients suffering from a deficiency of the vitamin. Although there is much dispute vis--vis oral supplementation of cobalamin and nasal sprays, these injections are the classical, prescribed and accepted remedies for speedy recovery.

Patients suffering from pernicious anemia are treated with a regular dosage of vitamin B12 injections. This is due to the fact that they are unable to absorb sufficient vitamin B12 from their dietary food sources and therefore require intramuscular injections to aid absorption. Nowadays, there are substitutes in the form of oral supplementation; however physicians generally resort to this classical treatment.

Research findings show ample evidence to reveal that cobalamin injections of 1-2 mg per day can quickly correct deficiencies. It is not apparent whether smaller amounts, such as the 25 mcg or so found in multivitamins, are sufficient to cure deficiencies. Such a claim is substantiated by the fact that although oral supplementation with vitamin B12 is safe, efficient and inexpensive and most multi-vitamin pills contain 100-200 microgram of the cyanocobalamin form of B12, many multivitamins cannot be chewed, which is important for its absorption.

The body's ability to absorb vitamin B12 is reduced with increasing age. Older people are often detected to have a more potent vitamin B12 deficiency, even in cases where they do not suffer from pernicious anaemia. Moreover, an intake of vitamin B12 from food sources decreases markedly with an increase in age, probably because of a lack of stomach acid. The conventional way of fixing a vitamin B12 deficiency has been through intramuscular injections. Experiments also reveal that vitamin B12 intramuscular injections are useful healers of neurological disorders such as progressive memory loss and lethargy.

To maintain vitamin B12 status, the alternatives to high oral doses of cobalamin (500-1000 micrograms daily) are routine intramuscular injections at a dosage of 1 mg per month. This also helps to lower homocysteine levels in the blood, thereby reducing the probability of heart diseases and strokes.

The utility of vitamin B12 is not restricted to curing deficiencies. Injections can also serve therapeutic purposes. A vitamin B12 injection acts as a stimulant for energizing the body, through cobalamin, which transmits its anti-stress elements to the human body. For example a recommended effective cure for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is 6-70mg dose of vitamin B12 intramuscular injection per week for 3 weeks.

Vitamin B 12 provides detailed information on Vitamin B 12, Vitamin B 12 Creams, Vitamin B 12 Deficiency, Vitamin B 12 Injections and more. Vitamin B 12 is affiliated with Topical Vitamin C.

Michael Sedge has been selling his photos and articles to foreign markets for more than two decades. His book (THE WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO GLOBAL MARKETS), can open the door to these markets for other photographers. I talked with Michael and asked him about marketing to foreign buyers.

I first began selling images to foreign publications in 1983, Michael says. Today, more than eighty percent of my photographs sell in places outside of North America -- in Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is not difficult to sell overseas. In fact, technology today has made marketing to foreign publications as easy as selling to your local newspaper.

How do you get started? I asked.

Start first with an email query letter. It's the best way to approach international publications for the first time. It saves on expensive overseas postage and often will bring a faster reply than will an unsolicited submission of photos. Include a list of your stock images for the photobuyer or art director. Initially, concentrate your efforts towards publications printed in English. Australia, England, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa all have English language periodicals, as do nearly all other countries in the world. In England, Off Duty; in Singapore, Her World; in Italy, Neural; in Sweden, Scanorama; in Germany, Visuel; in Spain, Lookout; in Costa Rica, FIPP Magazine World.

How do you locate these and other markets? I asked.

Finding foreign markets is not as difficult as you might think. One good source is the International Writer's and Artists Yearbook www.writersandartists.co.uk. This 600-plus page book is published in England and lists more than 4,500 overseas markets. It is available in major bookstores in the United States, or your library, through the Inter-Library Loan Service.

The Willings Press Guide, www.willingspress.com, also published in the UK, is found in many libraries, though it does not list rates or specific editorial needs.

When Mike sends selections of his images, he says, I prefer to send thumb-nails to foreign publications. For most editorial needs, these are sufficient. And I ship any photo packages by courier -- UPS, Fed Ex, etc. This provides me with a method for tracking shipments by the Internet, or through a toll-free number. Also, my experience is that if you utilize courier service to deliver images, the client often returns this courtesy, and returns your package the same way after use. Of course today almost everything is digital, with electronic delivery making things a lot easier.

Opportunities to display your photo story, essay, or individual images on your (or a photobuyers) web page now present an effective marketing tool, and as more and more international photobuyers are becoming Web-savvy, youre able to get your work in front of increasing numbers of buyers.

I asked Michael what reception he gets if he submits digital submissions.

Foreign buyers who are accustomed to dealing with English-speaking photographers, are at the forefront when it comes to Internet literacy. You have an advantage dealing overseas with buyers who are Internet-ready. They can view thumbnail submissions and make their decisions in a matter of hours. You then have the opportunity to submit a high-resolution image on-line, or send a disk to them overnight. The digital revolution has transformed the possibilities of foreign marketing!

NO CROSS-READERSHIP CONFLICT

Like periodicals in the United States, nearly all overseas magazines use one-time publication rights, reports Mike. This means you are free to sell and re-sell your package and images as many times as you wish. Because there is no cross-readership conflict among foreign publications, international photobuyers welcome the opportunity to buy their material this way.

International editors are accessible by email, and nearly all use faxes. And in most cases photo editors abroad like using these modes of communications for initial contact.

The financial return, in many cases, can be greater with overseas publications than domestic U.S. markets. Foreign in-flight magazines average $750 for a short text-photo package -- and most use lots of photo essays. Publications for women pay in the $100-$200 range per photo, while travel magazines pay $150-$250 per photo. Many international publications will pay with a bank draft in U.S. dollars, often drawn on a U.S. bank. Cashing checks is, therefore, no problem. Others may offer to make a wire transfer directly into your account.

A SYSTEM

Have you refined your working methods into some kind of a system? I asked.

When I first began marketing my images abroad, I came up with a system which I think works for me, Michael says. I decided to send one query/stock list each week to a different foreign photo editor. After sixty days, I had received three replies (one sale), and had another five queries out. I continue sending a query/stock list overseas each week. Remember, because there is no cross-readership conflict, I can send the same photoarticle package to a couple dozen photobuyers. If they all use it, no problem, because their readers are in different countries, and usually in different languages.

The photobuyers are open to this, because they know I can invest more time and talent into my photos and photo stories when I know I can market them several times, which results in higher quality material for them.

Today, more than 25 years after I first began, I have some 1,000 stock lists on file with foreign markets. During the past five months, I have had images published in England, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Africa, the Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, and, of course, the United States.

TEN TYPICAL OVERSEAS MARKETS

Silkwinds (Inspire Publishing, 39 Jalan Pemimpin, #04-03 Tai Lee Building, 577182 Singapore) Lauren Li, Publisher, +65/6358-2289 (T) +65/6353 2542 (F) lauren@inspire-publishing.com www.inspire-publishing.com

Sawubona Magazine (1st Floor, 154 Pollofin House, Hendrik Verwoerd Dr., Ferndale 2194 South Africa) Lizeka Mda, Editor, 27 11 993 6300 (T) sawubona@mafube.co.za www.sawubona-inflight.co.za

Freebie (Level One, 29 Beach Road, City, PO Box 91344 AMSC, Auckland, New Zealand) Victoria Wells, Editor, 09 358 7295 (T) 09-358-7291 (F) freebie@jonespublishing.co.nz www.jonespublishing.co.nz/freebie_media.pdf

Diganto (Global Exposure, South Asia Rep Office, PO Box 3160, Baluwatar 4, Kathmandu, Nepal) Mr. Bheem Timilsina, Executive Editor, +997/14420848 (T) +977/14421179 (F) mediarep@mos.com.np http://www.majormedia.co.uk/diganto.html

Jetstar (54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia) Ms. Kyle Rankin, Editor, (02) 9282 8946 (T) krankin@acp.com.au http://www.jetstar.com

High Life* (Cedar Communications Ltd., Pegasus House 37-43, Sackville Street, London, W1S 3EH United Kingdom) Kerry Smith, Managing Editor, +44/(0)20-7534-2400 (T) +44/(0)20 7534-2401 (F) high.life@cedarcom.co.uk www.cedarcom.co.uk/

CSA Review (Czech Republic) Ms. Magdalena Chvalinova, +420 220 114 259 (T) magdalena.chvalinova@csa.cz http://www.czechairlines.com

CARA (Harmonia Ltd., Clanwilliam House, 2 Clanwilliam, Dublin 2, Ireland) Lizzie Gore-Grimes, Editor, +353(01)240-5300 (T) lizziegg@harmonia.ie http://www.harmonia.ie

Blue Wings (PO Box 100, 00040, Sanoma Magazines, Helsinki 00350, Finland) Ms. Johanna Hytonen, Managing Editor, +359 9 120 5883(T) +358 9 120 5988 (F) johanna.hytonen@sanomamagazines.fi http://www.sanomamagazines.fi

Atlantis (Edificio 27, 8, sala 32, Lisoba, 1702-801 Portugal) Zelia Carmezim, Executive Coordinator, +351 21 841 6463 (T) +351 21 841 5772 (F) zcarmezim@tap.pt http://www.tap.pt

Rohn Engh, veteran stock photographer and best-selling author of Sell & ReSell Your Photos and sellphotos.com, has helped scores of photographers launch their careers. For access to great information on making money from pictures you like to take, and to receive this free report: 8 Steps to Becoming a Published Photographer, visit http://www.sellphotos.com