Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Immortalized On The Web, Do You Let It All Hang Out?

There is a lot of talk on the net about SEO (search engine optimization) especially for those hoping to profit by their writing and selling. When a webmaster uses keywords, even inadvertently, it assists the search engines to help others find your site, your posts in a thread and in comment sections.

What could become a problem is in many discussion groups, blogs and websites on the net where individuals discuss their intimate personal details that should stay personal, and those discussions become searchable under key words which can be brought up by request to various search engines. These eventually become cached on the web, so even if the poster succeeds in removing posts, they are still available for viewing.

While it might not be likely that those who have posted will be instantly recognized by someone searching on the internet, TMI (too much information), especially of the personal kind, can end up searchable or cached on the net with the right combination of search words.

This is particularly true if you belong to a site that permits links, or does not have a way to block links, that people are posting along with their discussions or comments. Those utilizing a search engine can sometimes bring up much more than anticipated.

If you are recognizable on the net and applying for a job, remember that current trends are not only to pull your credit report, but also pull a background check that very often includes doing a search on the internet. TMI can kill your chances for employment even though your skills might be impeccable.

If you want to be comfortable on the net, discretion in what you post anywhere is something to keep in mind.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Do You Drive While Texting Or Chatting On The Phone?

Several years ago my brother-in-law was hit broadside at his driver's door by a woman running a red light while she was busy chatting on her cell phone, hadn't noticed she had a red light, so she just kept going until she hit him. My brother-in-law was fortunate, he was driving a larger extended cab truck (a personal truck that was large enough to transport his whole family) and was the only one in it at the time of the impact. The woman was in a car. The outcome may have been much more serious had the woman also been in as large and heavy a vehicle.

Both survived the accident with injuries, but the damage to the vehicles was tremendous. All this because the woman wasn't paying attention while driving. Both were very lucky that neither vehicle exploded.

Some of our lawmakers have recognized this growing problem and now, because people cannot put all their priorities on safety, we are going to lose the right to make or receive calls while behind the wheel. If you really need to talk, get a headset and a dashboard mount so there's no fumbling with the phone. Spending a few more bucks per month financing a vehicle option that lets you speak hands free might be a good choice as well.

One of the problems with using cell phones while driving is the ability to do text messages. Younger people seem to have more readily embraced this form of communication, even while driving, which makes the situation even more dangerous.

Here's a recent article about regulating everyone's behavior behind the wheel. We can probably look for more of the same to come in our own states. Virginia Considers Ban On Driving While Texting I wouldn't be a bit surprised if our laws continue to become even more restrictive because of other's lack of responsibility behind the wheel.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Employee Work As At Home Communicator - Might Be Good For Those With Disabilities

Unresearched, but for those looking for a stay at home career where you can work from your own home office it's worth a look. Benefits available, base pay and possibility of bonus earnings. Here's the information you need to begin, and this might be a good opportunity for work for those with disabilities.

http://www.infocision.com/Careers/Pages/WorkFromHome.aspx

Friday, January 11, 2008

Cute Baby Greaser Cartoon

Have you committed yourself to easing back a little this year and laughing more? Laughter is very good for you. Lighthearted is even better, it doesn't impose any unnecessary emotional stress. Watch and laugh at this video.


Thursday, January 10, 2008

Kopi Luwak Exotic Coffee -- I Won't Be Buying It

All I can say is NO, NO, NO, Nooooooooooo, I am not buying it (even if I had that kind of money), I know where it came from and I can't stomach this. Watch the video and see if you agree or not.

Friday, January 4, 2008

Unresearched Customer Service, An At Home Job at Cloud 10 Corp

So many people now have their own office space/computer set up that as long as you have the necessary equipment, a quiet space and desire for a job, there are legtimate companies out there looking for you.

The business behind the link to Cloud 10 Corp. is unresearched here, so for all links of this nature, it is in your best interest to do your own due diligence to check out these opportunities before you apply.

Customer service has become a large part of the available work for moms and dads who need to work at home. What did catch my eye on Cloud 10 was their statement that their at home professionals were employees and that there are advancement opportunities. They did not mention they were currently hiring, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a try if your research on them finds them to your liking.

http://www.cloud10corp.com/careercenter/ahp.html

If you currently work for Cloud 10 it would be nice to leave some feedback here for others.

Telecommute From Home And Use That English/Writing Degree

This lead is totally unresearched, but it looked as though it might be a good opportunity for a stay at home mom, dad or grad if you have the proper background in English or writing and can satisfy yourself that this is a solid company. The website notes it is taking applications for additional qualified editors. It seems quite a bit skimpy on details*, but if your careful research turns out to your satisfaction, it might be a good opportunity for you.

http://www.simplyenglish.com/employment.htm

Job Hint: Most any of the WHA people can tell you to never put all your eggs in one basket, especially if you are relying on a certain level of income. Always have additional and non-competing sources -- non-competing sources so that if a certain market goes sour, you aren't caught off guard.

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*Skimpy details aren't always a tipoff that something is not legtimate. A company might simply be protecting its internal data from competitors.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Got Kids? Gerber's Coupons Are On The Net

Got Kids? Gerber has some nice coupons for you. I particularly like coupons directly accessed from the company source. Many more stores are now accepting coupons printed from the web so you have a good chance to match up sales with coupons and reap a windfall. Just check your grocery flyers and if you haven't used self-printed coupons there before, give them a call before you go so you don't have a wasted trip.

http://www.gerber.com/coupons
http://www.gerber.com/special

You can always look up the name of the company you like to purchase from, so many have websites now, and often welcome you to sign up for the promotions, both email and online and you can also just print out coupons. It would be a great idea to have a separate email address for these kinds of things so they all arrive and are available in one handy place.