We are good at talking, but we have trouble listening. One sage
said, “The only reason we listen is because we know we get to
talk next.” Here are some tips that can change your listening
behavior now. Names! First, repeat a person’s name when you
first meet him or her. This will make you listen first and talk
second. You want to have a mental set to become a better
listener, and repeating a person’s name will help you do that.
Don’t hesitate to ask a person to repeat the name the second
time, especially if the name is unusual. You are showing concern
for the other person, which is an important aspect of listening.
Use the person’s name in your response. “Is this your first time
here, Suzanne?” Ask a question! Second, when you are
anticipating making a comment on what a person has said, ask a
question instead. This will keep you listening longer, and often
the added information will help you make a higher quality
contribution to the conversation. Get information before you
give information. Pause! Third, don’t rush to answer the phone
when it rings. Pause a moment so that you can be mentally ready
to listen to the person calling you rather than thinking about
what you were doing when the phone rang. Taking these few extra
seconds to think will make you a better listener from the
beginning of the phone conversation. In addition, listen as
though you are going to report the message to someone else. This
keeps you focused on the main reason or idea of the call.
Streamline! Fourth, eliminate clutter around the phone and your
desk so you won’t easily be distracted when you are talking by
phone or have a person talking to you in your office. Notes,
pens, folders, clocks, and knickknacks can distract you, and you
may not even be aware of the distraction until you realize you
have no idea what the person just said. Choose your time! Fifth,
when possible choose your listening time during the part of the
day when you are mentally alert. If you are a morning person
make your most important appointments, interviews, or phone
calls during that time. If mornings are difficult for you, make
afternoon calls. You lose listening acumen when you are tired
physically or mentally. Admit! Finally, don’t be afraid to admit
that you’re having a hard time listening and make necessary
adjustments. You might say, “I’m sorry I missed that last point.
Please repeat that for me.” Or “I’m having a hard time
concentrating; let me move to another chair.” Or “Could we pick
up the conversation at a later time this afternoon? I need a
break and some lunch.” Any of these responses will tell people
that you want to listen to their messages, and that what they
have to say is important to you. Some listening skills, such as
suspending judgment, dealing with biases, and avoiding
daydreaming, take time to develop because of the mental
self-discipline they require. Following these tips, however,
will improve your listening immediately.

Before you get to the holiday shopping and wrapping, there is a
fork in the road. Will you travel the holiday route of stress and
depression this year or will you follow the path that says
“Seamless Joy?”

You probably want to get to the place called “Get it all done.” In
that place, all your gifts are bought, your cards are sent, your
tree is up, your parties are planned and the new candles fit
perfectly in the menorah. The action is designed and completed. That’s a great place to
head to but before you go rushing down the road, let’s check the map.
If you quickly glance at your past trips to “Get it all done,” I’m sure you’ll recall that
there are a couple of different ways to get there. One way is rushed, irritated and
disturbed. The other is thrilling and joyful. The second is colored with eager anticipation
of the beautiful smile that will appear on the face of your loved one when the paper
comes off the gift you just bought.

As you stand at the fork in the road and choose which path you will take this year, I
invite you to consider these directions to “Get it all done” that take you along the path
of seamless joy.

Set Two Intentions

Before you leave the house, do you check to see if you have your wallet and your keys?
It’s a good idea to get in the habit of checking two more things and these are your
intentions – one outer, one inner.

1. Outer Intention. This starts out as the list you’re accustomed to. Let’s say you want
to buy a scarf for your mother. Well, that’s nice but it doesn’t have much umph. In fact,
many of the items on your list may feel like a chore, routine or obligation. You can
energize them and bring greater joy to your life as you light up these activities with
purpose.

Let’s see if we can turn your scarf-buying experience into a true gift for your mother.
One that will warm her much more than even the finest silk. Simply get a feeling about
the outcome you are aiming towards. Instead of aiming at the goal of checking that
scarf off your list, try this. Spend a little time getting the feeling of the best possible
outcome of this scarf-buying adventure. Soak your mind in some affirmations,
visualizations and most importantly, feelings that you would like to have spring from
this. Here are a few possibilities:

A. Mom loves the feeling of this scarf. As soon as she opens it, she closes her eyes and
holds it up to her cheek with a soft smile.

B. As she drapes the scarf around her shoulders, her beauty is revealed. It brings out
her ever-youthful spirit.

C. Unbeknownst to you, the color or the pattern or the fabric or something about the
scarf you chose, has special meaning to her. She wonders how you knew to pick this
one out. It truly brings her joy.

You can also include in your intention that the shopping experience is fun, efficient and
easy. You find the right scarf quickly and you get tremendous value for the money you
spend.

Once you mull this over to the point where you can feel it all rolling smoothly ahead,
you are ready to set your inner intention.

2. Inner Intention – This is all about your state. This is where you shift perspectives
from victim of the world to creator of your own experience. This is where you
pronounce that regardless of circumstances you are going to enjoy this day.

Nestled within your inner intention is a deep understanding that there is nothing but
the present moment. And while you are sifting through racks of scarves and your coat
is getting heavy on your arm and the sun is getting lower and the cashier’s line is
getting longer, you are in command of your own state. You know that this, like all
others, is a sacred present moment. You remember that you have the choice of feeling
burdened by the circumstances or you can choose joy in your now.
Set the intention before you even leave the house. Then, when your coat gets heavy on
your arm, it will be a reminder that you have a choice. You can be weighed down by
your coat or you can be elevated by your spirit.

Joy is Everywhere

Once you set your two intentions in motion you have chosen the path of joy. Now, how
do you stay steady on that path? How do you maintain seamless joy all the way to “Get
it done?”
Fortunately it’s not something that you have to do anything about. It’s sort of like your
heart beat. You are not in charge of keeping it going. The all-pervasive, always present
vibration of the universe, when experienced by a human being, feels like joy. And
because the vibration is seamless, the joy is too. It’s just a matter of whether or not
you stay tuned in to it or not.

• So there you are in the department store, your coat on one arm, five different
scarves on the other and you can remind yourself – joy is available now. “The universe
is vibrating and when I tune in, it feels like joy.”

• And there you are, waiting in line and you can remind yourself – the universe is still
vibrating and joy is everywhere for the taking.
We are cultivating a mystical awareness within mundane moments. This paves a path
of joy through otherwise trying activities. It levels the playing field. Because in success
and failure, the universe is always humming. And in gain and in loss, the same
vibration (that translates into joy) is available to all.

If you decide to take the path of “Seamless Joy” on your way to “Get it all done,”
remember to set your intentions before you leave the house. And then follow through
with an honoring of the eternal now as it manifests. Look for the glow of eternal
consciousness in the department stores and businesses. It sits cloaked in your most
mundane reality.

I wish you seamless joy this holiday season.

© Rebbie Straubing

You can receive Dr. Rebbie Straubing’s Free e-Course,
“7 Secrets for Manifesting Your Heart’s Desire,” at
http://www.yofa.net

Rebbie is a workshop leader, Abraham Coach, and writer.

To find or harmonize a relationship, visit http://www.GreatRelationships.net

Increase your awareness of Divine Love and begin a meditation practice in 3 minutes at the Affirmative Contemplation website, http://www.AffirmativeContemplation.com

When you think of going for a debt consolidation then it is not just bringing all those debts under one lender that you have in mind. More than that you wish to save the money that you have to pay in the form of high interest rate and, in many cases, you want to save your creditability as well. Low interest debt consolidation is useful in lowering the amount you pay as monthly installments so that you have more money at the end of the month. Low interest debt consolidation enables one to improve his/her credit score.

However, instead of rushing to the lender for a low interest debt consolidation, you should first do some homework and searching to arrive at the interest rate that suits your budget and the amount you need.

The first step towards low interest debt consolidation is that you make the best use of your property to be offered as collateral to the lender. Your home, car, bank account or any property is enough to assure the lender of his loaned money. Since the aim here is to avail low interest rate, see if the collateral is of a higher value or is easily saleable, such as an automobile. On having such a security, the lender normally agrees to the low interest rate asked by the borrower. But the amount you ask from the lender also plays a big role in determining the interest rate.

Lenders usually offer loan for low interest debt consolidation in the range of £5000 to £70000.You surely would be asking the amount that pays off all your previous debts. But it will benefit you even more in bargaining for low interest rate if the amount asked is less than the value of the collateral.

You can get the loan from many sources. Look for small local banks or financial companies, as they will easily offer the consolidation loan at low interest rate to enhance their business. Also compare the interest rates of different lenders online so that you choose the right one.

Loans for low interest debt consolidation can be availed on variable or fixed rate of interest. If you opt for the variable rate you may get low interest rate in the initial stage but chances are that the interest rate may escalate within a few years and you end up paying more. On the other hand, interest rate remains at the same lower level in a fixed rate loan option.

The repayment duration also is of great importance in availing debt consolidation at low interest rate. Low interest debt consolidation should not stretch beyond 10 years and better keep it within 5 years in order to avoid bigger interest cost in the long run.

Keep these basic but vital tips in mind when you have decided to opt for a low interest debt consolidation to avoid the pitfalls on the way.

Alex Jonnes is associated with Easy Debt Consolidations. He is Masters in Business Administration and writes on various finance related topics. To find Debt consolidation loan bad credit, Low Interest Debt Consolidation visit www.easy-debt-consolidations.co.uk

Do you know that 3 out of 4 people in the United States do not
have car theft protection systems or any car anti theft device
installed on their cars? Well even if they do, most them do not
even bothered to activate these car anti theft devices. Just
think about it, when was the last time you left your car idling
outside while you were busy picking up snacks from the gas
stations?

Let’s face it, car theft “market” for these car theft folks have
been literally blooming and striving like a twister on steroids.
According to Insurance Information Institute, US, the average
value of a motor vehicle reported stolen in 2003 was $6,797,
compared with $6,701 in 2002. The latest key statistic says that
for every 25 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United
States.

So instead of trying to be so alarmed with these figures, it’s
time for you to take the bull by the horns and get started in
doing every bit to prevent car thefts.

1) Lock it up. Lock your vehicle at all times, close all windows
and sun roof and take your keys

2) Don’t be dumb by hiding keys in your car. Never hide second
set of keys in or on your vehicle. The car thieves can outsmart
you by knowing all the hiding places.

3) Hide valuables Don’t think about leaving your valuables in
your car and left to be seen by the potential car thieves. Items
left in the open attract car thieves.

4) Protect Your Data - Beware of Identity fraud. Don’t ever
leave any important documents such as bank statements, credit
card bills/statements, or other personal information in your
car. Car thefts can use this vital information against you and
steal your bank money by accessing your bank or credit car
accounts.

5) Do not dispose your Car registration Some drivers literally
take convenience up to the extreme. They often leave their car
registration or car titles inside their car. Doing so may help
the car thieves to dispose your car faster than you can ever
imagine.

6) Parking Strategy Do you know that parking at the right place
may literally prevent car thefts and protect your car
altogether? It is best to park in well lit areas with plenty of
pedestrian traffic.

7) Stop idling and learn to increase gas mileage. By leaving
your car unattended might literally pose a danger to your car of
being stolen, especially when you are at the convenient stores
or ATMs. The ebook “Gas Mileage Tactics” at
http://www.extragasmileage.com will reveal to you that not only
learning to stop idling will prevent car thefts, but also the
potential wastage of gas and wear and tear of your car. So
you’ll get two sides of the same coin literally.
Prevent Theft by Towing. You’d be surprised that thieves
nowadays use tow trucks to steal vehicles. At the most extreme
cases, some of them might pose as the bank credit officer and
tow your car away in the broad daylight. So always use your
emergency brakes and leave your transmission in the park
position. You should also turn the wheels toward the curb.
Although these steps will not 100% prevent auto thefts, but
somehow or rather, this will make up a nightmare for the
potential car thieves who use tow trucks to steal vehicles.

9) Park in your garage. If you have a car porch / garage in your
house, always park your car at those places and never park them
outside of your house. Lock the gates or the garage as well as
your car windows. 10) The “One” is not enough. There are many
car anti theft devices that are mushrooming in the auto market
like nobody’s business. Although I will not say that these car
anti theft devices may 100% prevent car thefts altogether, but
at least it will prolong their time to steal your car and bring
them one heck of a tough time to hack into your vehicle. So if
you happen to park your car in high theft areas, never rely on
just one device alone. Use as many as you can.

Here are some of the car anti theft devices you can use. a)
Vehicle Alarm Vechile Alarms are one of the most common security
alarm in a motorcar today. It pays in actually invest in a good
car alarm system. Most auto alarm systems are equipped with
motion sensors as well as impact sensors. As series of
high-decibel tones are blasted out when somebody is trying to
steal your vehicle. High quality car alarm systems may include
an automatic kill switch and may also use flashing headlights
and horn in addition to sounding the siren.

b) Steering Wheel Lock This is a simple device which looks like
a long metal bar with a lock that fits on the steering wheel.
When fitted on, it prevents the steering wheel from being
turned. It’s a pretty inexpensive way to safeguard your car.

c) Starter disablers. There are quite a few of common starter
disablers in the market. They serve as the one last extra
safeguard to your car in case the car thief has broken into your
car. These devices e.g armored collars will prevent them from
breaking into the steering column to hot wire the vehicle. Some
disablers may be used to prevent the flow of electricity of fuel
to the engine, thus making it impossible for the thieves to get
the car running.

So here are the top car theft protection tips for you. Apply
them and you will see your vehicles better protected.

If poker is your game, then you should check out all American poker. The game all American is a version of draw poker. Here are the basic rules on how to play and win at all American poker.

You will receive five cards from the dealer. Then you must choose which cards you want to keep and which cards you will discard. You have the option to discard all five cards and receive new cards. If you have a pair of jacks or better then you win. By playing more coins you also increase your payout amount. All American poker is played with a single deck and is reshuffled after each hand.

The higher your hand is, the higher your payout will be as well. Here are the winning hand values for all American poker from lowest to highest: pair of jacks, 2 pair, 3 of a kind, straight, flush, full house, 4 of a kind, straight flush, and finally a royal flush.

When playing 1-hand of all American you can place the following bets: $.05, $.25, $.50, $1.00, $5.00. For each hand you can play anywhere from 1-5 coins which will increase your payout. When playing multi-hand all American, meaning 3 or more hands you can place these bets: $.01, $.05, $.25, $.50, $1.00. You can choose between 3 hands, 10 hands, 52 hands, or 100 hands.

All American poker is easy to pick up on and easy to win with especially when you increase the number of coins you play per hand.

Bhawan Singh
http://www.playercitycasino.com

This is Tara Johnson, Chief Technology Officer for My
Net-Marketing Center, LLC, with an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.

=> Internet Multimillionaire Howard L Moreland went crazy today!

No kidding.

Howard ordered me to make a NEW change to our 2-tier Affiliate
Program whereby we now are going to pay YOU 400% commissions
just for being in our daily TOP 5’s.

This is really insane!

Do you know what this means?

It means that whereas before if you sold say 10 copies of ‘My
SUPER Free Ads Secret’ where you would have made $48.50 per sale
on Level 1, NOW you will make a WHOPPING $194 per sale, or
$1,940!

And just for being in our daily TOP 5’s.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It’s important that you realize that although
this is quite unprecedented (as we are the ONLY affiliate
program bold enough to payout this way) we actually have NO
PROBLEM paying you this way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s actually quite easy for us to pay you like this — it’s
just you must admit Howard has really done something that nobody
else has ever done on the entire Internet (but then again,
that’s just Howard for you).

If you recall, Howard L Moreland is the guy that started just a
short while back and in record time went from just $174 invested
in his first website, to making now more than $6.3 million a
year online!

It took Howard just months whereas most Internet
Multimillionaires made their fortunes over many years.

For instance: the late, great Corey Rudl who started IMC and
made millions over a 10 year period — or Yanik Silver who has
over 30,000 affiliates after about 5 years, whereas we’ve
already gotten 10,000’s of affiliates in just weeks with our NEW
2-tier affiliate program!

Not even the likes of Yanik or Corey ever did anything like
Howard paying YOU 400% commissions! (IMC pays perhaps an extra
$20 on sales of its Internet Marketing Course “if” you are ever
lucky enough to qualify!)

No, Howard is far, far bolder than anyone else on the entire
Internet — and he can certainly afford to be!

So, if you want to learn more and take advantage of all this,
then all you need to do is join FREE at:

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That’s it!

Howard makes it easy, and you’ll discover as soon as you’re
inside our Exclusive Super Affiliate Resource Center exactly how
YOU too can be earning upwards of 400% in big, thick commissions
FAST!

Tara Johnson, CTO/CIO, Vice President,

MyNetMarketingCenter, LLC

http://mynetmarketingcenter.com/r/sub/admarket/

FREE Advertising Solved!

http://www.MyBestAd.com

UNDERSTANDING THE UK CAR MARKET - Traditionally, purchasing a
new car in the UK has always been an expensive pursuit.
Manufacturers have been able to restrict the means by which we
buy new cars in the UK - they have been able to dictate who can
sell a particular brand of car to you and where they can be
sold. While in recent times the prices of new cars in the UK
have been falling, they remain well above those in other
European countries - this means that it’s possible to save a lot
of money on cars if you’re prepared to do some research and buy
your car from a source outside the UK. This may seem like a
hassle, but with several thousands of pounds to save it can
prove to be more than worthwhile - and if you have a thing for
travelling then buying from abroad can help satisfy your
wanderlust while saving money on your new vehicle.

WAYS OF CUTTING THE COST OF YOUR NEW CAR - As we saw above, we
can really save some cash by purchasing our new car from Europe
- an option that we’ll investigate in more detail shortly.
However, first we’ll take a look at ways to cut the cost of your
new car within the UK itself. Research - Approach the purchase
of your new car as you would if it were a home. If you were
going to buy a new home you would probably consider several
different ones, perhaps in different areas before making your
choice. Similarly, you may have a preferred make and model but
do not stop yourself from considering other models. If you are
on a budget ask yourself what t is that you’re looking for from
your auto - is space important because you have a family?
Whatever your requirements write them down and then list all the
makes & models that fit your criteria. You’ll probably notice
that there may be savings of a couple of thousand between 2
different cars that both fit your requirements. When researching
which is the cheapest & best possible option for you, this
process of identifying close substitutes to your preferred
choice is vital. You will need to investigate the car’s
“platform”, compare to its rivals and then make a choice based
on this. So what do we mean by looking at the cars “platform”?
Simply a platform is the very basic structure upon which the car
is structured - the core upon which the fittings and body are
structured. Many different cars are actually derived from the
same platform. For example Ford uses the Mondeo and Fiesta
platforms to produce a wide variety of individual cars from the
Puma to the Probe and much more. So lets say you really like the
look of the Ford Galaxy - you should then investigate other
similar cars built on the same platform. Once you have done this
look at the offerings of your rivals - get hold of some car
magazines and see which cars are listed next to your preferred
choice. There may be some big price differences that you can
expose to your advantage. Tip - Avoid paying high prices for
“special editions” - this is rarely little more than different
seat covers or some other small changes. What you’re actually
paying for here is the “exclusive” factor. Buy An “Ex Fleet” Car
And Make Some Serious Savings - The Ex Fleet market in the UK is
huge and certainly worth considering if you wish to make some
significant savings. Ex fleet cars are commonly sold at
http://www.global-ebooks.com/UKGovAuctions.htm , car
supermarkets, and used car dealerships. Typically, the mass
sellers such as Ford, Vauxhall, Nissan, Peugeot and others all
sell to the ex fleet market. Buy A Pre Registered Car & Save
Money - Pre registered cars are classed as “sold” by
manufacturers, mostly to make their sales figures look better.
Usually the cars have only a few miles on the clock but because
they are classed as “second hand” they tend to be much lower in
price. In effect you will enjoy a car that is practically new at
a seriously reduced cost. Franchise dealerships and car
supermarkets are the places to find these gems. A lot of pre
registered cars also come with a manufacturers warranty which
makes the deal all the more sweet. Buy A Car From A UK Auction -
Thousands of cars are sold at very low prices through auctions
that are held in the UK. This includes liquidation sales for
companies that have gone bust as well as government held
auctions where all kinds of items including cars are sold off at
very low prices. For more details on auctions try the
http://www.global-ebooks.com/UKGovAuctions.htm

CUTTING THE COST OF CARS BY PURCHASING OVERSEAS – Importing cars
from overseas has never been a more viable option - and it’s a
great way of saving a lot of money on a brand new car without
having to compromise on features or status. It’s possible to
either do this yourself or use an agent. Using an agent does
cost slightly more of course but is a good option if you can’t
spare the time to actually go abroad yourself. DIY Importing -
There are several factors you need to consider if you wish to
import a car yourself - for a start you need to ensure the car
you purchase fits British specification. Finding a dealer that
will sell to you can also be an issue though this is less of a
problem than it used to be. Some Factors To Consider - Remember
that you’ll need to factor in a longer delivery time for your
purchase. The deposits required from European dealers also tend
to be much higher than in the UK (up to 30%) and be wary of
foreign exchange fluctuations in currency that can alter the
final price of your car. You will also have to insure the car
for delivery to the UK - phone some UK insurers or the
dealership itself and see what your options are. A survey of
http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/car_sector/can be very
useful and this site also links to various manufacturers that
will sell directly to the UK. Using An Agent - Agents that
specialise in providing discounts for UK buyers are becoming
more and more common. Typically these services will tailor the
extent of service you require - from giving you a list of
foreign names to actually handling all the paperwork & delivery
of the car. Try the following sites that offer discounted cars:
http://www.broadspeed.com/ http://www.broadspeed.com/
http://www.virgincars.com/default.asp http://www.jamjar.com/
Shop around to see where you can get the lowest agency fees
although they do tend to be fairly static.

More Tips, Tricks, Strategies, Contacts & Websites - We’ll now
look at other ways that you can try and hunt down some auto
bargains. Lets start off with car supermarkets - these are
absolutely huge dealerships, generally located at motorway
junctions outside major cities. These supermarkets have huge
amounts of stock and operate on wafer thin margins which means
you can save a significant amount by shopping about a little. A
list of good car supermarkets is given below:
http://www.autolink.co.uk/ http://www.carland.co.uk/
http://www.gtccar.co.uk/ http://www.motornation.co.uk/
http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/ http://www.trade-sales.co.uk/ Car
supermarkets sell both pre-registered and ex fleet cars so the
chances of hunting down a bargain are fairly good, particularly
for more mainstream brands such as Ford and Vauxhall. Remember
in the car industry a lot of premium goes toward the badge that
a car has - so if you’re not too fussed about the make you can
save thousands of pounds simply by taking advantage of this. The
other thing about car supermarkets is that unlike dealerships
there is very little pressure or badgering from salespeople.
Niche Operators - The second hand car market has plenty of niche
operators - smaller lots who specialise in selling very cheap
cars for example. If you have a good knowledge on cars you can
probably pick up a bargain by going to various niche operators.
Buying Online - Purchasing online is becoming increasingly
popular although some would argue that buying an auto online is
only for the very brave-hearted. Along with online options we
have already talked about (such as Jamjar, Virgin etc) there are
other online sources to buy from including
http://www.autobytel.com/ and http://www.autotrader.co.uk/ . The
car market is certainly more open and competitive now than it
has ever been. As the internet and online options to buy
continues to grow so will your chances to purchase your dream
car for less. As always, being prepared and doing research will
go a long way toward getting the car you want at a much lower
price. Find hundreds of dirt cheap car wholesalers & government
auctions at http://www.my-online-powerpack.com Subscribe to my
Online Powerpack newsletter for the hottest money saving ideas,
tips, suggestions and hundreds of real time discount alerts. To
subscribe send a mail now mailto:tukshad@global-ebooks.com

There are many reasons why you should take care of your computer. Number one, is that it’s a major investment for most people and you would probably like to keep it running for as long as possible.

There are various things that you can do to help prolong the life of your PC, both hardware and software wise. It’s always a good idea to keep your computer clean. A clean computer runs faster and lasts longer.

Here are some ways to clean and maintain the software (your operating system) on your pc.

1. Run the defragmenter utility, at least once every month or two. In Windows XP this can be done by going to your Start menu, then All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then select Disk Defragmenter. The defragmenter will help ensure that your files are located at the right place on the hard drive and should boost the overall speed of your computer.

2. Clean up old files. When you install/uninstall software frequently it can leave many unwanted files in temporary and system folders. In Windows XP, you should run the Disk Cleanup utility once and a while to clean things up. This utility can be found by clicking the Start menu, then All Programs Accessories, System Tools, then select Disk Cleanup

3. Scan for viruses. Viruses can cause your computer to be slow or not work at all. You should always have a good virus scanner installed and keep it up to date. Some well known virus scanners are Norton, McAfee, and AVG.

4. Scan for other malware. Other malware can include spyware, adware, key loggers, and Trojan horses. These pieces of software can get installed without your knowledge when you install another program or visit a website. They can cause your PC to slow down considerably. Spybot Search & Destroy and Adaware are two well known malware scanners.

Here are some ways you can keep your hardware running smoothly.

1. Clean out the dust. Computers are notorious for accumulating dust. Every once and a while you should open it up and clean it out. This can be done with a vacuum cleaner or a can of dust remover.

2. Keep your PC cool. You should always make sure that you keep your computer in a well ventilated area. By doing this you help keep the PC cool and, therefore, will prolong the life of your hardware.

3. Buy quality hardware. When you buy new components for your PC try and get good quality parts. If you get components from respected manufacturers you can be sure that you will get good technical support and the parts will be well made and not cause problems with other hardware.

Theses are just a few little tips to help you keep your computer running for a long time. There are many other things that can be done but by following these few tips you can be sure that you will reduce future computer problems.

Dennis d’Entremont is the operator of
SaveLoad Video Game Directory and
Computers-Made-Easy.com.

Personal Credit

Having a personal line of credit is very important in today’s world. Obtaining your first line of credit can be difficult and once you obtain credit it can be hard not to fall into a pattern of debt. In order to maintain your credit you need to learn how to use your personal credit report.

There are three major credit bureaus that handle consumer’s credit reports. These three and their contact information are as follows:

Equifax 800-685-1111 www.equifax.com

Experian 888-397-3742 www.experian.com

TransUnion 800-916-8800 www.transunion.com

Each company may have different information in your file, so it is important to make sure you get all three. It is also relevant that you know the new law passed that allows consumers to get their free credit report from each bureau does not include your credit score. While having the basic information in credit report will usually be sufficient you may wish to pay for a copy just to get your credit score initially so you know where you stand.

Your Credit Report Information

Once you have your credit reports you will find information regarding your personal facts and credit history. What you will find on your report is:

1. Personal Information - name, current and former addresses, current and former phone numbers, current and former employers

2. Credit History - account names, length of time you have had account, amount of credit, amount of available credit, account status, payment history, debt.

3. Inquires - anybody who has asked for a copy of your credit report, usually includes why they requested the copy.

You need to check each section of your credit report for errors. Even if you think something is small you should still work to get it corrected as all three of these areas effect your overall credit score.

Work On Your Credit Score

If you receive your credit score you should look at the accompanying information that explains why your score is the number it is. Working to improve your score will help you obtain credit and get good interest rates on loans. It is wise to at least have an idea of what your credit score is so you are prepared when applying for credit.

Keeping on top of your personal credit information is important. If you know what is going on with your personal credit then you will be able to plan better for large purchases and not apply for credit needlessly.

Gerald Washam is the owner of a website devoted to personal credit and credit repair issues. Learn the secrets to repairing, improving and maintaining your credit score. Secrets THEY don’t want you to know. Visit us here http://www.creditrepaird.com to find your way to personal financial freedom.

The days of ruthless downsizing and drastic cost cutting are long gone. Nowadays, companies have realized that the best way to earn profit is only through growth – profitable growth. In this book, author Ram Charan provides 10 tools anyone can use to hurdle obstacles and achieve profitable growth.

These tools are:

1. Revenue growth is everyone’s business, so make it part of everyone’s daily work routine.

2. Hit many singles and doubles, not just home runs.

3. Seek good growth and avoid bad growth.

4. Dispel the myths that inhibit both people and
organizations from growing.

5. Turn the idea of productivity on its head by increasing
revenue productivity.

6. Develop and implement a growth budget.

7. Beef up upstream marketing.

8. Understand how to do effective cross-selling (or value/solutions selling).

9. Create a social engine to accelerate revenue growth.

10. Operationalize innovation by converting ideas into
revenue growth. One of the most critical points discussed
is the need for re-orientation of thinking. Most
businessmen and executives think about growth as
“home-runs” and more often than not disregard the “singles
and doubles”. Managers often look forward to the big
breakthrough or the grand new product without realizing
that home runs don’t happen everywhere – sometimes, they
don’t even happen in a decade.

Instead of aiming for that one grand home run, aim for singles and doubles. This is a surer and more consistent path. Of course, it is important to note that while aiming for singles and doubles, one should not exclude home runs. These singles and doubles come from an in-depth analysis of ALL the fundamentals of a business.

Another factor to be considered is the difference between
good growth and bad growth. Managers should dispel the myth that growth in whatever form is a victory. Although growth (both good and bad) builds revenue, only good growth increases not only revenues but also improves profits and is sustainable over time.

Bad growth, on the other hand, lowers shareholder value.
Unwise mergers and acquisitions are examples of bad growth. Price cutting to gain market share without cutting costs can also be detrimental to your company’s health.

Here are some questions that can help you diagnose whether or not you are part of a growth business:

1. What percentage of time and emotional energy does the
management team routinely devote to revenue growth?

2. Are there just exhortations and talk about growth or is
there actually follow through?

3. Do managers talk about growth only in terms of home runs? Do they understand the importance of singles and doubles for long-term, sustained organic growth?

4. How much of each management team member’s time is devoted to making effective visits with customers? Do they do more than listen and probe for information and then try to “connect the dots”?

5. Does the management team come into contact with the final user of your product?

6. Are people in the business clear about what the specific
future sources of revenue growth will be? Do they know who
is accountable?

7. Would you characterize your company or business unit’s
culture as cost cutting or growth oriented? If the answer is one or another you need to start doing both. Do people in leadership positions have the skill, orientation, and determination to grow revenues?

8. Does the company practice revenue productivity? Does it
think through whether there are ways to more effectively use current resources to generate higher revenues?

9. How well does your sales force extract intelligence from
customers and other players in the marketplace? How well is
this information communicated and acted on by other parts of your organization, such as product development?

10. How good are the upstream marketing skills- that is, the ability to segment markets and identify consumer attributes- in your business?

About the Author:

Ram Charan is coauthor of the landmark Fortune article
“Why CEOs Fail” and an adviser on corporate governance, CEO succession, and strategy implementation. He was named as Best Teacher by Northwestern’s Kellogg School and as a top-rated executive educator by Business Week. He is author of Boards at Work, coauthor of Every Business Is a Growth Business, and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review. (6/2000)

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla

Regine Azurin is the President of BusinessSummaries.com, a
company that provides business book summaries of the latest
bestsellers for busy executives and entrepreneurs.

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