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	<title>The Online Lodge</title>
	<link>http://online-lodge.com</link>
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	<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:52:20 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Thinking about selling your home?</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/thinking-about-selling-your-home/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/thinking-about-selling-your-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:52:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/thinking-about-selling-your-home/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Owning a home is the original American dream. It&#8217;s the old frontier spirit, wanting to claim your own tuft of the New World. Then again, these days it also makes perfect economic sense. Experts estimate that all of the homes in the United States alone are worth a combined $14 trillion. That goes a long [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Owning a home is the original American dream. It&#8217;s the old frontier spirit, wanting to claim your own tuft of the New World. Then again, these days it also makes perfect economic sense. Experts estimate that all of the homes in the United States alone are worth a combined $14 trillion. That goes a long way to explain why a housing boom has been sweeping the globe. </p>
<p>Where there is a boom, though, there may be a bust. Read any headline from your local newspaper, and you&#8217;ll see headlines such as &#8220;Bye-Bye, Housing Boom&#8221; to &#8220;Housing Boom is Leveling Off.&#8221; Some economic forecasters predict a bubble that may be about to burst. They make you wonder: am I missing the boat?</p>
<p>Whether you&#8217;re looking to cash in on this real estate bubble before it popsor simply wanting to move to a bigger home or move across the countryselling your home can be more a nightmare than a dream. Not only do you have to find and trust a real estate agent. You need to prep your home for open houses. You need to haggle with prospective buyers. Not to mention, you have to worry about the moving and selling of all of your valuables.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s almost enough to make you want to live in one home for the rest of your lifejust as folks did in your grandparents&#8217; day. Then again, your home is worth a percentage of that $14 trillion. Don&#8217;t you want to see just how much?</p>
<p>As hectic and horrible as selling a home may seem, it really isn&#8217;t so bad if you break it down into a few simple rules. If you don&#8217;t believe us, read the rules for yourself.</p>
<p>Fuss over the faade. Your home&#8217;s future owners do not want to worry about repairs and renovations as soon as they move in. So make certain they don&#8217;t. Be sure to have your home immaculately clean before you invite prospective buyers over. Redecorate if your interior is outdated. And invest in minor renovations if necessary. You&#8217;d be surprised what a coat of paint can do.</p>
<p>Focus on the fine details. Prospective buyers will leave no stone unturned when they visit your home. They will test every light switch, run every faucet, and lift up every toilet seat. Everythingand we mean everythingshould be in working order before your open house.</p>
<p>Double check for blown out light bulbs and leaky faucets. Scrub the bathroom and clean up any ring around the bowl, tub scum, and any other nasty surprise.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t settle for maybes on safety. Ensure that there are no safety hazards anywhere on your property. Something as small as uncovered electrical sockets or as large as an unfenced pool can scare off buyers, especially parents of small children.</p>
<p>Create a soothing selling atmosphere. Imagine the last time you visited a bed and breakfast. Your home should be as welcoming and accommodating as that. One easy way to accomplish this is by brightening up the place. Turn on all your lights for your visitors. Plus, fluff up your bedroom. After all, most people want the bedroom to be the most comfortable spot in the house. Make sure it isat least when buyers are around.</p>
<p>Clear the joint. Along with the last rule, there is the standard real estate practice of vacating the premises when buyers come for tours. This is done for good reason. Buyers are there to evaluate your home, not meet your sisters, sons, cousins, and cats. So send your family to the mall for a day of shopping, or to the park for a picnic.</p>
<p>Cut the clutter. All of your stuff can get in the way, too. That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s important to start packing and storing your personal belongings as soon as you know you&#8217;re going to move. An empty house is a cleaner looking house is a more attractive house. You don&#8217;t want your perspective buyer opening a closet and having a bowling ball fall on their head, do you?</p>
<p>Make a killing on said clutter. One option is to simply move your personal items to your new home and create instant clutter there. That&#8217;s the way of the pack rat. Or, you could sell what you no longer need and turn a quick profit. That&#8217;s the way of the fat cat.</p>
<p>If you choose wiselythe latter optionbe sure not to hold your garage sale on the same days as your open houses. Neighbors in their undershirts and jeans on your front lawn do make for a great sales ploy. Instead, it makes you look desperate and could hurt you come negotiations. Schedule your yard sale on separate days.</p>
<p>Better yet, sell your goods online. Classified Web sites allow you to negotiate with potential buyers, get the best rates for your stuff, and ship it off at your own convenience. And it&#8217;s all accomplished on your own time, inside your own home (where you can wear your undershirt and jeans and no one will care).</p>
<p>Take a deep breath. Lastly, never let the home-selling experience overwhelm you. Sure, there are a load of responsibilities to take care of. But that is what your real estate agent is there for. They handle all of the grunt work. They do all of the hard talking with the buyer. They make all the follow-up calls. And they showcase your home for you. Your job is just to smile, be polite, and answer the buyer&#8217;s questions if they come up.</p>
<p class="articletext">
<p class="articletext">
Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services for individuals and businesses to market their products and services online. For global and localized classifieds, please visit<br />
<A HREF="http://www.buysellcommunity.com" rel="nofollow">www.buysellcommunity.com - Free Buy &#038; Sell Classifieds</A></p>
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		<title>Qualify Prospects Using Direct Mail Marketing</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/qualify-prospects-using-direct-mail-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/qualify-prospects-using-direct-mail-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:29:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/23/qualify-prospects-using-direct-mail-marketing/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When a prospect responds to your lead generation sales letter, how do you know if the prospect is a qualified lead or not? By qualifying them before they respond.
At my direct mail lead generation firm, our definition of a qualified lead is someone who meets four criteria:
Authority: They have the authority to buy
Readiness: They are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When a prospect responds to your lead generation sales letter, how do you know if the prospect is a qualified lead or not? By qualifying them before they respond.</p>
<p>At my direct mail lead generation firm, our definition of a qualified lead is someone who meets four criteria:</p>
<p>Authority: They have the authority to buy<br />
Readiness: They are ready to buy now<br />
Budget: They have the budget to buy<br />
Need: They need your product or service</p>
<p>Anyone who meets some of these criteria but not all is simply a lead that needs to be cultivated. This process is called lead development, lead nurturing and lead cultivation.</p>
<p>One way to discover if your prospect meets these criteria is to ask some qualifying questions on your business reply card or website landing page. That way, you know how much time, energy and money to spend on each inquiry.</p>
<p>Here are five questions that you can ask in your sales letter&#8217;s reply device or on your website landing page to qualify your leads, learning where they are in their buying cycle.</p>
<p>What is your role in the purchase of this product?<br />
[This question determines their authority]</p>
<p>When will you make your purchase?<br />
[This question determines their readiness]</p>
<p>Has a budget been approved to buy this product?<br />
[This question determines their ability to pay]</p>
<p>How many employees or sites need this product?<br />
[This question, or one like it, determines their need]</p>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"><img height="60" width="46" src="http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Alan-Sharpe_8042.jpg" border="0" alt="EzineArticles Expert Author Alan Sharpe"></div>
<p>Alan is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation consultant. As President of Sharpe Copy Inc. (<a href="http://www.sharpecopy.com)" rel="nofollow">http://www.sharpecopy.com)</a>, Alan specializes in helping businesses generate leads, close sales and retain customers, using cost-effective, compelling direct mail and email marketing. Alan also uses his direct mail advertising services to help charities raise funds and raise awareness of their causes, using fundraising letters.</p>
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		<title>Understanding That Online Writing is Business Writing Will Make You a Fortune</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/17/understanding-that-online-writing-is-business-writing-will-make-you-a-fortune/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/17/understanding-that-online-writing-is-business-writing-will-make-you-a-fortune/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:06:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/17/understanding-that-online-writing-is-business-writing-will-make-you-a-fortune/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Never before in the history of the business of writing have opportunities opened up and presented themselves on such a large scale and in such huge quantities for writers to easily win so much regular business and revenue.
If you know anything about writers of old you will know that they mostly starved, some to death. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Never before in the history of the business of writing have opportunities opened up and presented themselves on such a large scale and in such huge quantities for writers to easily win so much regular business and revenue.</p>
<p>If you know anything about writers of old you will know that they mostly starved, some to death. Yes, they often had to pay such a high price for their love of writing.</p>
<p>Today everything has changed so dramatically and so suddenly. Thanks mainly to the internet and the huge hungry market it continues to build at high every day, the business of writing has been changed forever.</p>
<p>Sadly however, many writers are yet to fully wake up to the new realties of the internet and the fresh and different business and revenue opportunities that are suddenly within such easy reach of any writer. Many offline writers are still stuck saying that they will never write $3 or $5 articles (see my article on this controversial subject at</p>
<p><a href="http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com/2005/06/" rel="nofollow">http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com/2005/06/</a><br />lots-of-extra-money-waiting-to-be-made.html</p>
<p>Yet the same writers had no problem starting off their careers writing 10-cents-per-word articles in the old days. Some even wrote for publications that pay in copies and others that don&#8217;t even pay (just to get clippings of their published work. And yet those clippings were not anywhere near as effective as &#8220;online writing clippings&#8221; - that is your articles posted free at article sites, can be today).</p>
<p>But for you to succeed as an online writer you must first understand that all online writing is business writing. In the bricks and mortar world business writing is writing about boring stocks and sometimes boring companies and trying to explain why they are so successful or why they have failed. Incidentally I personally find such writing fascinating.</p>
<p>In online writing, the business writing is different. You can write on any subject, giving a lot of useful details and advice but in the end, you must find a way of getting readers to do what you want them to do. Your objective could be to get them to visit your website or blog for more information and this win higher traffic, which gives you many possibilities. Or your objective could be to get them to head straight to your affiliate website.</p>
<p>In other words your writing is always business writing because the end objective is to sell something, even if it is just ideas. And yet the moment your writing looks like it is selling, it will be shunned and people will not want to come anywhere near your writing. A good example is this article that you are reading so eagerly. It is actually selling something. Get my point? The kind of writing articles do online is very different.</p>
<p>Any writer who understands that all online writing is business writing puts themselves in a very good position to make a fortune from their online business writing.</p>
<p>For example it will become much easier to attract clients because no website will assign you to write something that does not help them sell something.</p>
<p>This business writing that is done online has become even more interesting in recent times because a huge market has developed for writers who can write content to attract specific Google adsense advertisements. Let me explain in a little more detail for the sake of the uninitiated. Most people who carry Google adsense advertisements quickly notice that it is extremely important to attract higher paying ads. The way to do this is by using certain keywords. Usually common keywords in most subjects will attract low bids (because there are numerous sites where these ads can be successfully posted) meaning that the revenue Google shares with the site owner carrying their ads, for clicks will tend to be low. More unique and rare keywords will tend to attract ads that have much higher bids on them. There are actually certain Google ads that pay as much as $100 per click.</p>
<p>The kind of business writing required here is where unique keywords will be used without the content losing its&#8217; original value and meaning. There are probably hundreds of thousands of sites that carry Google ads and many of them are not happy with their earnings and would like to earn more. Business writing from online writers who understand exactly what the client wants is in very high demand. By the way it is very easy for an online writer to quickly become an expert in this sort of business writing by simply setting up their own blog and applying to post Google ads and then learning and practicing their online business writing skills on their own site to start with. They can even use the same site to attract clients and writing business.</p>
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<p>Christopher Kyalo earns a living writing for various online clients. Visit his blog <a href="http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com</a> to read the following article; How to get lots of business writing online articles. He can be reached at strongwallafrica at yahoo.com</p>
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		<title>Guarding Your Dog&#8217;s Health</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/guarding-your-dogs-health/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/guarding-your-dogs-health/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/guarding-your-dogs-health/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know the adage &#8220;dog is man&#8217;s best friend&#8221; seem to run for ages now. But we have reasons enough to consider our dogs as vital parts of our daily existence.
They seem to have this special character to display love and loyalty, not to mention a unique fun that we can only witness from [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We all know the adage &#8220;dog is man&#8217;s best friend&#8221; seem to run for ages now. But we have reasons enough to consider our dogs as vital parts of our daily existence.</p>
<p>They seem to have this special character to display love and loyalty, not to mention a unique fun that we can only witness from them. That&#8217;s why, as much as possible, we will do everything we can to give them the best treatment and best health care, just like we do for our family members. Come to think of it- we even provide them their own insurance!</p>
<p>In this article, we will tackle some important dog health guidelines. Though considerably generalized for all breeds, information here are helpful still in maintaining our best friend&#8217;s optimum health.</p>
<p>Dental Care. Swollen, inflamed gums and secondary infections often cause the existence of other major dog health problems. It must be observed that a young dog&#8217;s teeth are brushed once in a week. Older dogs must have a regular session of thrice a week.</p>
<p>There are especially designed toothbrushes for dogs that provide cleaning of the rear teeth. It is not a good practice to use human toothpaste for them, instead make use of enzyme toothpaste that will prevent tartar build-up. There are also dental cleaning pads that will complement for tooth brushing, if not regularly done. Such pads would cleanse your dog&#8217;s teeth by means of enzymes incorporated on their surface, which are effective in removing stuck-up dirt.</p>
<p>Ear Care. We often overlook the ears of our dog, however this practice might lead to wax and dirt build-up that can cause infection and inflammation. Regular ear care will help remove ear debris and drying the ear canal. Thus, prevention of some major conditions that might as well cause us to give especial attention to those parts.</p>
<p>Ear care also entails the extermination of ear mites that typically reside in the inner ear of our dogs.</p>
<p>Nutritional Supplements. Dog foods are often lacking in nutrients essential for the optimum development and growth of our pets. Thus, it is very vital to supplement them with vitamins and nutrients to prevent deficiencies that might cause serious dog health complications. This is especially true for older dogs who no longer has the appetite to eat heartily.</p>
<p>Those dogs that work hard during the entire day also need supplements. And also for those that have recently undergone surgery and sickness.</p>
<p>Irritated and Sored Skin. Not only humans get skin irritations and allergies. Some dogs have extra sensitive skins that make them susceptible for bacterial and fungus attack which in turn may lead to wounds, scabs and skin diseases.</p>
<p>Hot Spots. These are characterized by skin areas, which are moist and inflamed. These are typically due to irritation from fleabites, substance irritation or allergies. These spots are usually extremely itchy which cause dogs to scratch and lick on them. Thus, the aggravation of the condition that can lead to serious wounds.</p>
<p>The most vital step in healing hot spots is to reduce the frequency of scratching. Afterwhich, spraying of skin relief products may prove beneficial n stopping the pain and itchiness.</p>
<p>If your dog display symptoms of conditions as listed here, it is wise to consult a vet immediately. He may provide you with some guidelines, which will aid greatly in preserving your pet&#8217;s health. It is also likely that he will prescribe you with  some medications that will ease the symptoms that your dog exhibits.</p>
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<p>Khieng &#8216;<b>Ken</b>&#8216; Chho - Online Dog Health Resources.  For more, visit Ken&#8217;s website: <a href="http://doghealth.1w3b.net/" rel="nofollow">http://doghealth.1w3b.net/</a></p>
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		<title>Your Transnational Real Estate Market Space &#8212; Catered to by The Property Index</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/your-transnational-real-estate-market-space-catered-to-by-the-property-index/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/your-transnational-real-estate-market-space-catered-to-by-the-property-index/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:03:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Investment Management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/16/your-transnational-real-estate-market-space-catered-to-by-the-property-index/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Property Index site has a vast range of property for sale in America, view the range online.
Although the Property Index is actually a rather young agency, (they were registered only in March of 2007), they have quick established their expertise. As a matter of fact, they are a quite unostentatious agency specialised in offering [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The <a href="http://www.propertyindex.com/country/holidaysales/Properties-in-America/335/">Property Index</a> site has a vast range of property for sale in America, view the range online.</p>
<p>Although the Property Index is actually a rather young agency, (they were registered only in March of 2007), they have quick established their expertise. As a matter of fact, they are a quite unostentatious agency specialised in offering experienced guidance to anyone dedicated to let, sell etc. estate in most areas of the world. They avow to offer you assistance to determine smack what&#8217;s looked for fast as well as without pain. Property is available in most popular areas of the world today, one of the most called for areas being real estate available for sale in the USA. It should be quite easy to list the marvelous property on the market in the USA, the argument for picking properties here is the houses and apartments available and the opportunity of living amongst such a high-spirited and welcoming people.</p>
<p>It is one of the truly well-liked property markets today, and considering the beauty and great weather surrounding you here, how could you say no. Property in the USA is very rich in history and culture, this area of the world has been and is still home to a number of sophisticated civilizations. Only 25 years ago there was only very few of UK citizens keen on property in the USA. Ask any one single person who has moved to the USA and they will tell you the same thing. Some people would will view it as a mere craze and others will view it as a that&#8217;s more or less an addiction&#8230; Clients set on relocating to this region range from young yuppie couples looking for a bit of a new challenge to elderly clients who are looking to enjoy themselves and loosen up.</p>
<p>There might well be setbacks when purchasing property abroad &#8212; expectably there will be a hundred differentiated steps be it when budgeting, inspecting or finalizing the deal. If you only miss only a single action that may easily initiate huge setbacks and, more important, loss in financial terms. Obviously, as can be assumed with this well-liked area, property may be incredibly high-priced in this region and this, of course, is purely a result of the high market demand. Nevertheless real estate buyers are presently quite spoilt in terms of choice in a region blessed by fabulous land and shining surroundings. It doubtlessly has all just about anyone could relish and plenty more.</p>
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		<title>Cold Air Intake: An Awesome Performance Enhancer!</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/14/cold-air-intake-an-awesome-performance-enhancer/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/14/cold-air-intake-an-awesome-performance-enhancer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:03:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/14/cold-air-intake-an-awesome-performance-enhancer/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you are desiring to increase the power of your car without adding expensive after market parts, a cold air intake system is something you may want to consider. This system is designed to lower the temperature of the air entering your vehicle to maximize the power of your engine; the result is that your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you are desiring to increase the power of your car without adding expensive after market parts, a cold air intake system is something you may want to consider. This system is designed to lower the temperature of the air entering your vehicle to maximize the power of your engine; the result is that your car performs better and produces a cool intake noise. In addition, a cold air intake system will enhance the appearance of your vehicle&#8217;s engine bay. Installing a cold air intake system is not a difficult procedure &#8212; you can do it yourself. Let&#8217;s examine the steps you need to take to properly outfit your car with a cold air intake.</p>
<p>There are many companies offering cold air intake systems for your car, however you will need to find the right match for your particular make/model &#8212; a reputable auto parts supplier can help you in this area. Brands like AEM Cold Air Intake, Volant Air Intake, and K&#038;N Intake are some of the most popular systems for the do-it-yourself crowd and are worth your consideration when you are shopping for a system.</p>
<p>How difficult is it to install a cold air intake system on your vehicle? Not very. For the experienced car enthusiast it is a fairly simple procedure involving eight steps as outlined by Valvoline on an Acura that was refitted:<br />
<blockquote></p>
<p>1.  We begin by removing the factory air intake tube from the throttle body on the engine and the air box on the fender well. Two clamps are the only items that secure the rubber hose.</p>
<p>2. The stock air box lifts out easily once you&#8217;ve removed the screws that attach it to the fender well.</p>
<p>3. We raised the car on a lift to access the lower air intake and muffler (yes, muffler) Acura installed to keep air intake sound to a minimum. The tube attaches to the muffler and the muffler is held in place with a few screws.</p>
<p>4. Here is the first piece of the new Cold Air Intake system. This tube will have the air filter attached to it in the fender and this is where the cold air will come from. You&#8217;ll need to feed the tube up into the engine compartment where it is held in place with a large nut.</p>
<p>5. With the lower pipe in place we installed the new high-flow air filter next. It&#8217;ll reside up in the fender where it will be somewhat protected from the elements. However, if you live in a particularly wet environment prone to significant rain, you should consider relocating it directly in the engine compartment as a large amount of ingested water can damage the engine.</p>
<p>6. The second pipe is installed next. A urethane connector allows you to attach the pipe to the throttle body where it&#8217;s held in place with two clamps, one for the throttle body and one for the pipe.</p>
<p>7. Here is the urethane sleeve connector for the upper and lower pipes. Before securing the lower pipe with the flange and nut we made sure our connection to the upper pipe was secure.</p>
<p>8. Here is the flashy finished product. You&#8217;ll immediately notice the air intake sound since it&#8217;s a noticeable growl over stock. Most power will be achieved at higher rpm where additional air is needed most.</p></blockquote>
<p>Of course, if you are not comfortable with installing the system by yourself, bring over a buddy who can talk you through the job. In the end you&#8217;ll have a car that performs and looks simply awesome!</p>
<div style="float: left; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"><img height="60" width="80" src="http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Matthew-Keegan_5183.jpg" border="0" alt="EzineArticles Expert Author Matthew Keegan"></div>
<p>Matt is a contributing writer for the <I>Car Part Stuff</i> and other leading sites.</p>
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		<title>Buying A Home After Bankruptcy - When Is It Smart To Buy?</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/13/buying-a-home-after-bankruptcy-when-is-it-smart-to-buy/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/13/buying-a-home-after-bankruptcy-when-is-it-smart-to-buy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:52:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/13/buying-a-home-after-bankruptcy-when-is-it-smart-to-buy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you have recently or previously filed bankruptcy.  You know how difficult it can be to get a home loan afterward.  You may be wondering how long it takes until getting approved for a home loan becomes easier.  Also, more importantly, when should you buy a home?
Most subprime mortgage lenders want borrowers [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you have recently or previously filed bankruptcy.  You know how difficult it can be to get a home loan afterward.  You may be wondering how long it takes until getting approved for a home loan becomes easier.  Also, more importantly, when should you buy a home?</p>
<p>Most subprime mortgage lenders want borrowers to wait anywhere from 2-3 years after a bankruptcy before they will approve you for a new home loan.  If your FICO credit score is above a 585 or a 600, you may be able to get approved for a new mortgage loan before that 2-3 year period.  However, is it smart to go and purchase a new home so recent after such serious financial troubles?</p>
<p><b>Build Your Confidence in Your Ability To Repay</b> - Its important to take some time before buying a new home after bankruptcy and re-establish new spending patterns.  Once you have filed bankruptcy, you are starting over financially.  Take that opportunity to change the habits that got you into a bankruptcy in the first place.  Practice spending much less than you make, instead of maxing out your income on debt.  Make all of your payments on time and build your new financial habits so that you can make your decision about buying a home with your new habits in mind.</p>
<p><b>Be Conservative in Your Purchase</b> - Avoid the temptation to max yourself out in debt again, now that your debt is gone.  When buying a home, choose one in a price range that allows you a cushion of income left over to save monthly.  Buying a home that is too expensive can get you into a foreclosure situation which is financially worse than a bankruptcy.</p>
<p><b>Don&#8217;t Buy Just Because You Are Approved</b> - Just because you can get financing, don&#8217;t automatically take the loan.  If there is a pre-payment penalty or an excessively high interest rate, consider waiting another 6 months to a year to reapply for the loan.  Its better to wait then to lock yourself into a bad mortgage loan.</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"></div>
<p>To view our list of recommended bad credit mortgage lenders online, visit<br />
 this page:<br />
 Recommended Bad Credit Mortgage Lenders Online.</p>
<p>Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan<br />
 Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.</p>
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		<title>Does Pay-Per-Click have a Future?</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/does-pay-per-click-have-a-future/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/does-pay-per-click-have-a-future/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:36:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/does-pay-per-click-have-a-future/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Reading the Google hit piece that appeared in Barron&#8217;s this week got me thinking about the whole pay-per-click model.  Pay-per-click (PPC) has been around for more a decade, and while Google has made some positive changes to it,  it&#8217;s showing its age.
If you think of the Internet advertising process as a series of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Reading the Google hit piece that appeared in Barron&#8217;s this week got me thinking about the whole pay-per-click model.  Pay-per-click (PPC) has been around for more a decade, and while Google has made some positive changes to it,  it&#8217;s showing its age.</p>
<p>If you think of the Internet advertising process as a series of actions, it would go like this:</p>
<p>Impression -> Click -> Action</p>
<p>Back in the old days the metric was CPM (cost per thousand), and advertisers paid per impression (getting the ad on the screen).   CPM favored the publisher over the advertiser, as the publisher&#8217;s responsibility ended at the first part of the process.  DoubleClick, an early ad serving company, came up with their DART system to match the right advertiser with the right screen in order to maximize the return on CPM.</p>
<p>PPC moved the metric forward in the process, measuring success (and payment) based not on how many times the ad was served, but how many times it was actually clicked.  When most people think of PPC they think of Adsense, Google&#8217;s contextual advertising engine.  But PPC is employed in banner advertising, on big ad farms like Doubleclick and other companies, and in some affiliate programs, though the number seems to be waning.</p>
<p>The latest incarnation of search engine based PPC (thanks to Google), works like this:  you select keywords that you think people will use to search for stuff related to what you sell.  For example, if you sell pretzel dough you might want to advertise under <em>pretzels</em> or <em>making pretzels</em> or something along those lines.  Selecting keywords is way beyond the scope of this article, but there are plenty of companies out there that make a living helping you pick keywords.  Anyway, you then bid on those keywords and your ad is shown on the page with the search results.</p>
<p>With Adsense Google moved the context from the search engine results page to your web site content.  It reads your site and decides what keywords to use to display advertising on your site, just as it would with a Google search.</p>
<p>For affiliate programs it&#8217;s a little different, but the concept is the same.  You choose the ads (or pay someone a piece of the action to choose the ads for you), and they get displayed on your pages.  Rather than selecting the keywords explicitly, you are selecting the ads based on what you (or your agent) thinks people who have chosen to read your content may have an interest in seeing.</p>
<p>When someone clicks on the ad, you get paid.  It&#8217;s that simple.</p>
<p>For Adsense, appearing first on the list makes all the difference.  A study suggests that being the #1 choice increases your chance of being clicked by up to 40%, because a lot of people don&#8217;t look past the first entry (I always check the first few).  The difference in bids between the first position and second position could be staggering.   For example, 1900 people searched Google for the word <em>tax</em> yesterday.  The top spot in Adsense would have cost you $25.12.  Positions 2 and 3 drop to $6.96, and 4 and 5 would have cost you $4.24.</p>
<p>My experience with Adsense tells me that in this case the first position would probably pay Google close to $10.</p>
<p>As the publisher, this is a home run.   Every time the person clicks I get a $5 bill.  God, what a country!</p>
<p>As the advertiser, $10 to get the person in the door seems like a lot of money to me.   If I&#8217;m selling a high margin item (like maybe tax software or one of those quickie tax loans), it seems like it may be okay.</p>
<p>But I still have to get them to buy.    Conversion rates (getting the person to take some action once they&#8217;ve clicked on the ad and gone to your site) vary wildly, but I always use 1.5 - 3% of those who click on an ad.  That means that 97 - 98.5% of the people who click on the ad <b>do not buy</b>.  Let&#8217;s use 2% as an example.  That means that for all the five dollar bills flying into the publisher&#8217;s pocket, only about 2 people out of every hundred will buy anything.  So for every $1000 I spend I get 20 sales.  That means that every sale costs me $50.  Your results <b>will</b> vary, of course, depending on how targeted your keywords are and your industry and offer.  Get the conversion up to 5%, for example, and you will be down to $20 per sale, which is a little better.  I am designing a what-if tool to help with this, and I&#8217;ll post it when it&#8217;s ready.</p>
<p>One of the reasons for low conversion is probably click fraud.  If an unscrupulous person wants to make money in PPC, all he needs to do is find a bunch of people (or computers) to click on the ads on his website continually, and he&#8217;ll reap the rewards.</p>
<p>Barron&#8217;s believes that the smart money is getting out of PPC.  They cite FTD as an example:</p>
<p><em>Flower giant FTD Group (FTD) recently complained about the high price of search advertising. &#8220;During the Christmas season, certain online search engine costs increased significantly over the prior year, and as such we made the decision not to pursue the resulting high-cost order volume,&#8221; said Michael Soenen, chief executive officer.</em></p>
<p>First off, let me just say that as an advertising exec I pitched FTD, and they didn&#8217;t strike me as the brightest bulbs in the chandelier. That being said,  it&#8217;s easy to see why FTD wants out.   Being #1 or #2 in the keyword <em>Flowers</em> around Valentine&#8217;s Day would have cost between $6.25 and $10.00.    There were 100,000 searches on the days close to VD on that keyword, and 11,500 on <em>Flowers Delivered</em>, which would have cost between $5.03 and $6.72.</p>
<p>Some simple arithmetic shows me that FTD nets about $6.20 per transaction across its network.  So the transaction is either a wash or a loss.  FTD is the number 1 ad on Google for their keywords, so I guess they decided to eat that first transaction, counting on continuity to save them.  According to Barron&#8217;s this isn&#8217;t going to work either:</p>
<p><em>One industry executive noted that the lifetime value of a customer acquired through Google for his/her business had approached zero.</em>  Oops.  So much for that theory.</p>
<p>So the answer seems to be that the big guys are getting out.  Using the <em>flowers</em> example, though, the top 5 ads are FTD, ProFlowers, Hallmark, 1-800-Flowers and Teleflora.  So I guess it&#8217;s going to happen over time.</p>
<p>So where is the future?  According to the inventor of pay-per-click himself, Bill Gross (formerly of GoTo.com), the future is in <em>pay-per-action</em>, which moves the metric down to the final part of the Internet advertising transaction, where we think it belongs.   There&#8217;s a terrific article on Seochat.com that has more information on this.</p>
<p>Pay-per-action is simple&#8230;both parties have a stake in the outcome of the click, whether that is a sale, a lead, or even an instant telephone call (more on that in part 2).  We think this is going to be the next big thing, and it&#8217;s already happening.</p>
<div style="float: right; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: white; background-color: white"><img height="90" width="80" src="http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Matt-DeAngelis_25608.jpg" border="0" alt="Matt DeAngelis - EzineArticles Expert Author"></div>
<p>Matt DeAngelis runs Affiliate Blog.</p>
<p>Matt is the former Chief Technology Officer of Modem Media, a pioneer in the Internet ad space.  As a foot soldier in the Internet revolution, Matt devised the technology behind ad campaigns and online presence for a good portion of the Fortune 100, including AT&#038;T, GE, John Hancock, Delta Airlines, Compaq, GM and many more.</p>
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		<title>Gaming Laptop Prices to Slip Due to Greater Competition</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/gaming-laptop-prices-to-slip-due-to-greater-competition/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/gaming-laptop-prices-to-slip-due-to-greater-competition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:24:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Technology Tips + More]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/12/gaming-laptop-prices-to-slip-due-to-greater-competition/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Just a time ago it looked like high performance notebooks were only being made by a few select resellers and were built to spec, not mass produced. Sure they were hardly made in significant qty&#8217;s however resellers did make a lot of cash on them. I am pretty sure everyone would have loved to have [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just a time ago it looked like high performance notebooks were only being made by a few select resellers and were built to spec, not mass produced. Sure they were hardly made in significant qty&#8217;s however resellers did make a lot of cash on them. I am pretty sure everyone would have loved to have possessed one however couldn&#8217;t actually justify it. Basically they were the best laptop computers around. They would create tons of buzz however I do not think loads of people would go out and <a href="http://www.rizeon.com">buy laptop computers</a> at high prices. As the large computer companies recognize the potential profits in gaming portables, the industry is changing.</p>
<p>They know there is money to be had here. They could command the sector. These companies have possibly been losing some money on average systems so this should be a welcomed opportunity. I am pretty confident that numerous people would buy laptop computers if marketed to everybody by these global companies. Small manufacturers definitely have their work cut out for them now. I am fairly certain that the established companies will seek to push the small ones out. People just feel much more confident making a large purchase from a familiar name.</p>
<p>In my opinion these manufacturers are bringing out the best laptop computers at this moment. This contains the potential to be increasingly positive for little retailers. Now and then the smaller resellers can supply the latest components faster and hence supply better specifications too. I guess the people that purchase gaming notebooks typically know what they are looking for. People like these are at times more concerned with the performance capabilities of a computer than they are in it&#8217;s design.</p>
<p>From a buyers position this is all a beneficial thing. Eventually high end kit for your money will be the result of this change. I say that somewhat hesitatingly though because the laptop computer business is a pretty fast changing place. Whether technology prices will be reduced on the whole is an additional topic however the best laptop computers are traditionally high priced. As the gaming laptop market becomes crowded with global brands, the majority will utilize a wait and see tactic.</p>
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		<title>Great Christmas Gifts you can buy online</title>
		<link>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/11/great-christmas-gifts-you-can-buy-online/</link>
		<comments>http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/11/great-christmas-gifts-you-can-buy-online/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:57:14 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[It's Your Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://online-lodge.com/archives/2008/08/11/great-christmas-gifts-you-can-buy-online/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Looking for Christmas Gift ideas for your loved ones? With this little guide you can easily choose a suitable Christmas gift for your friends and relatives. Online Shopping for Christmas gifts rather than going to a local shop is very interesting. When you send Christmas gifts online, you save both time and money. Its also [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Looking for Christmas Gift ideas for your loved ones? With this little guide you can easily choose a suitable Christmas gift for your friends and relatives. Online Shopping for Christmas gifts rather than going to a local shop is very interesting. When you send Christmas gifts online, you save both time and money. Its also an easy way to shop for friends and family overseas. Finding high quantity gifts for Christmas is not a difficult task. Its only a matter of a few searches and mouse clicks. Let me show you what&#8217;s best for you to buy online with different types of Christmas Gifts to choose.</p>
<p>Online Christmas Gift Idea: Christmas Flowers</p>
<p>Consider Beautiful arrangement of flowers in flower vase, Bouquet or in basket. You can choose a wide range of flowers like roses, daisies, Lilies or mixed flowers.</p>
<p>Examples of online flower gift types to choose:</p>
<p>- Christmas Rose Bouquet<br />
- Two Roses In A Bud Vase<br />
- Six Roses In A Vase<br />
- flowers with Carnations<br />
- One Dozen Yellow Roses/Red Roses/White Roses <br />
- One Dozen Mixed Color Roses<br />
- Vase of Stargazer Lilies or Gerbera Daisies<br />
- Wrapped bouquet of mixed flowers <br />
- Fresh Flowers with Plant Basket<br />
- Vase of Dendrobium Orchids <br />
- Flower Basket or Flower Bowl</p>
<p>Online Christmas Gift Idea: Christmas Fruit Baskets</p>
<p>A basket filled with different types of delicious seasonal fruits will be a fantastic gift idea for this Christmas. With Fruits, you can also add cheeses, meats, crackers and other goodies like the following.</p>
<p>- Gourmet Fruit Basket<br />
- Grande Gourmet Fruit Basket<br />
- Plant and Fruit Basket<br />
- Delightful Christmas Fruit Tray<br />
- Christmas Tree Tower of Fruit and Gourmet</p>
<p>What about a small tower of orchard-fresh fruit and delicious gourmet sweets and treats, decorated with white snowflakes and shaped like a Christmas tree. Neatly tied up with an elegant red satin bow, the medium 3-tier tower includes seasonal oranges, pears and apples, Christmas select mix, cookies, pesto cheddar cheese, chocolate toffee, crackers and mixed nuts.</p>
<p>Online Christmas Gift Idea: Christmas Plant Baskets with Fresh Flowers</p>
<p>Sending a plant is a beautiful way to express thanks or to send cheer to a loved one. A beautiful combination of plants and flowers is also a good idea. You can include variety of plants combined with flower. What about sending Bonsai or Lucky Bamboo for your friend who is interested in Feng Shui.</p>
<p>Few examples are:</p>
<p>- Azalea plant in Christmas Gift Basket<br />
- Plant Basket with Fresh Flowers<br />
- Lucky Bamboo in Basket<br />
- Great Wall Of Chi - Collection of bamboo canes woven together.<br />
- Bamboo Forest Fountain<br />
- Zen Reflections Juniper Bonsai</p>
<p>Online Christmas Gift Idea: Christmas Sweet Baskets</p>
<p>A beautiful hand painted basket with delicious assortment of fine chocolates bars, truffles, fudge filled cookies, Cherry Delights, Coconut Delights, Mint Delights, Peanut Butter Delights and much more. You&#8217;ll be loved for ordering this basket of sweets from Online shops.</p>
<p>- Chocolate Delights Gift Basket<br />
- Coffee Connoisseur Gift Basket<br />
- Sweets-N-Treats Basket<br />
- Tea Time Christmas Gift Basket<br />
- Chocolate Lover&#8217;s Basket<br />
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries in Basket</p>
<p>Online Christmas Gift Idea: Christmas Cake Baskets</p>
<p>What about a basket filled with smooth and creamy cheesecake, chocolate cookie crumb crust, chocolate chips, caramel, lime flavored sour cream with or without fresh fruit toppings or embellishments.</p>
<p>- Turtle Cheesecake<br />
- New York Cheesecake<br />
- Marionberry Cheesecake<br />
- Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake<br />
- Orange Mango Cheesecake<br />
- Key Lime Cheesecake<br />
- Carmel Apple Crumb Cheesecake<br />
- Olde English Style Toffee Cheesecake</p>
<p>Now a days consumers feel very comfortable in giving both their credit card details and contact information of the recipient to online shops. Advanced data encryption technology ensures maximum protection to your personal details entered on online forms. So all that&#8217;s left now is just to go online and enjoy Christmas.</p>
<p class="articletext">
<p class="articletext">
Amy Tylor is the webmaster of Christmas Gift Ideas Site:<br />
christmas-gift-ideas.7try.com/<br />
and Christmas News Blog christmas-news.blogspot.com/<br />
(c) Copyright 2005. Amy Tylor, all rights reserved.</p>
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