Masamuru Ltd.

If you want to design a web site, you should follow nine rules of thumb.

1. General Impression

Your web site is like a window display of your business. If the impression that it creates is not good enough visitors will simply leave.

Your site must be:

Neat Organized Attractive Professional

It is better if your site shows less than too much. Over crowded websites, with too many flashy elements, create a negative effect on your visitors.

2. Message

The first question that visitors ask themselves when coming to your site is “What can I gain from here?” Visitors are not impressed that much by promotional offers of free goods and services. They are looking for ways in which your site can be useful to them. If your site should offer one or more of the following:

Entertainment Information Advice Helpful tips

Contact with people who share same interests, links to other interesting sites. Your corporate site should provide information about your business and products and services. A business site should be simple to navigate and offer products and services that located in a simple way and ordered quickly.

3. Fast download

Your site should load as quickly as possible. Market research shows that the average surfer leaves a site that fails to load in 7 seconds. For a dial-up modem that means a maximum of 56 kilobytes. So avoid large graphics and flash animations. The opening page of your site should not overwhelm your visitors with too much information or you risk loosing them. Many Internet sites offer advice on how to increase the download speed of your site. Look for such articles read them and follow the suggested advice.

4. Graphics and Design

The graphical design of a website is crucial for a positive first impression. Every graphic element should help present the main idea of your site. Funny images are not appropriate for a business site, but they can be a good choice for an entertainment one. Graphics load slowly so use them sparingly and efficiently. Try to keep the overall size of your web pages around 30k. Individual pictures should be about 6-8k. Additional 2k adds about one second to download time. Right-click on an image and check its properties to find out its size. The choice of colors is also significant since different colors provoke different feelings. The warm colors like orange and red increase the pulse rate and stimulate the senses. Cold colors like blue and green have the opposite effect. Yellow is considered a happy color because it reminds us of the sun. Select the right colors for the emotion that you want to create. People read a text from top left down to bottom right. Place your images accordingly. Images that have a directional aspect should point to the most important part of your page. If you use the image of a bird its beak should point to inside the page and not outside. This is valid for all images: Faces should be turned to the center of the page. Cars should face the center of the page. Neckties, roads and other prolonged objects should point from left to the right and from top to bottom. You should put your navigation bars down the left side of your page, as well. This will keep them visible for your visitors.

5. Readable texts

Here we do not consider choice of words (we will deal with this later on), but rather the appearance of words on a page. To impress word should be surrounded by sufficient white space. Use dark texts on light backgrounds (preferably white). Dark backgrounds make visitors feel confined and depressed. Bright backgrounds make texts difficult to read and red, orange and purple backgrounds can be dazzling. The text color you choose is equally important, different browsers interpret colors in different ways. A text that looks fine on your browser may be illegible on a different one. Divide your text in columns to make it simpler and faster to read. It is easier to follow a column than a large chunk of text that stretches across the whole page. Choose fonts that are available on all computers and that are easy to read like Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond and Courier. Exotic fonts like Gothic, Script, Westminster, or Cloister look attractive in headings, but not all users have them installed on their computers. In this case, your visitor’s browser will render the missing font with a system one and ruin the effect that you are aiming at.

6. Easy Page Flow

Most people do not handle well large pieces of information. We have already suggested that you divide your page into columns that would separate the text vertically but you should also use headings and sub-headings that separate it horizontally. Write short statements for the key facts on your page and use the statements for headings. Examine each section to check if you can break it into smaller pieces. Write a short statement for each of these pieces and use these statements as sub-headings. Use the same font for all your headings and subheadings. Make them bold and increase the font size for headings. It will make simple to spot the large and bold headings and subheadings that are the same size with the text but bold. If you follow this advice, your visitors will be able to see the key points of your page at a glance. Write your headings carefully, because if you grab your visitors’ attention with them they will stay and read on. If you want to attract your visitors’ attention to other parts of the text you can make some sentences bold or change their color. Use this approach carefully, because some colors are difficult to read even on a white background.

7. Navigation

There are two reasons why you should put your navigation bar on the left side of your page -

People read from left to right and from top to bottom. Web surfers expect to find navigation bars on the left of web pages. It is a good idea to put a button at the bottom of a long text that would allow the visitor to return to the beginning of the text. When you create a page design that you like use it on every page of your web site, it will make your web site predictable and will help your visitors find the information they need. Save a blank page with the layout, columns, logos, standardized graphics, alt tags and navigation bars built in. Use this page as a template for all pages that you create for your web site and just fill in the content that you like.

8. Privacy and Customer Opinions

It is invaluable to get prospective customers to trust you, if you run a corporate site. Tell your visitors how you are protecting their private information. Set a privacy page that explicitly lists how and what information you collect from your visitors, how you keep their e-mail address, how you accept and process their orders, who has access to this information and what precautions you take with information collected from minors. People like to know what your customers think of your products and services. Invite your customers to share their opinion, they would love to know that it is appreciated. Make a dedicated page with the opinions of your customers. Offer links to their web sites in exchange of their opinion. This can be beneficial for both parties involved.

9. Spelling, Grammar and Word Choice

These are of crucial importance. If you are not careful here, all your efforts are in vain. Poor spelling and careless grammar and punctuation are the easiest way to lose visitors. Spelling and grammar mistakes tell that the site owner is lazy, careless, and unprofessional. Your visitors would not like to do business with you. What can you do? Take steps to polish your own writing. Hire somebody to check and edit your writing. Hire somebody to write the text of your pages for you.

One thing that every one of us has to have within this day in period is a fast rate broadband connection so that you yourself may converse with friends & family through e-mail and also Microsoft Messenger or maybe import your chosen files as speedily as possible from across the entire web. Compare Broadband UK enables people to see just how rapid ones web connection is by letting all of the public to carry out the entire Broadband Speed Test and should perhaps all of the public find that your web connection you currently have is not rapid enough then you yourself can in a matter of minutes change your broadband connection so that it better accommodates just where every body live. Compare Broadband UK does this service for clients hassle-free. We are living during a fast advancing era aren’t we.

In the new Compare Broadband UK website you have the quick and easy ability to carry out a Broadband speed test. The whole of the speed check reports concerning the actual net speed for all uploads and downloads possible through your current broadband. From all that we can all will then be able to access the pace of a broad band internet connection and once you’ve landed there you can realise if for any reason you yourself want to adapt your current net package.

The speed test can find out your current download pace, this is the rate your present internet connection is able to download files from the whole of the web, it is useful to have a good connection speed for this service as it is what you yourself will then use to import images, wav files and e-mails in addition to sizeable attachments. The public then enjoy the broadband upload rate this is the speed with which your present connection move info back to the net, this service is important for each online gaming and web phone calls. This is where Compare Broadband UK comes in very helpful. All that you need to do is quickly just put your details onto the website and type what it is exactly you yourself are trying to look for and it will consequently prop up a collection of the cheapest & most rapid broadband offers available for you. The prices might range from 4 pounds per month to 50 pounds depending on what exactly you are searching for. Compare Broadband UK uses your area code to find out exactly what it is the fastest speed targeted at your particular post code. Find the internet speed with Broadband Speed Tests from Compare Broadband UK.

Every avid independent filmmaker has dreamed about making that special interest documentary, or short film to show off their creative prowess. Many have great ideas and want to “wow” the film-festival scene, or video renters with their big project.

But once you have the film “in the can” (no easy feat), how do you move from a couple of master DVDs with the “Sharpie” marked hand-written title inside a secondhand CD case, to a pile of cardboard boxes full of shiny new, retail-ready DVDs, with UPC barcodes and polywrap sitting on your doorstep?

You need to create eye-popping artwork and have your project replicated. Using a reputable full service DVD Replication company like PacificDisc, Inc. to partner with is certainly a helpful option to ensure a professional end result, but to help with your DVD replication project, here are 4 easy steps to follow for good DVD replication results:

1. Prepare your DVD master.
To ensure the replication company can read your master, you either need to create a DVD-R master, or output your project to a DLT (Digital Linear Tape). DLT has been around for years and used to be the only way to replicate. Thankfully DVD-R technology has advanced so much over the past few years, that a pair of DVD-R masters are normally all that is required when working on a standard DVD5 project. Why a pair? Just in case one of the masters gets damaged in transit, you don’t waste time looking for another good master.

2. Create your artwork
You’ll need to design artwork for the DVD face, the outside of the case (commonly called a wrap) and, if desired an insert for the inside of the case (postcard, or booklet). All CD or DVD Replication companies will have templates on their websites that you can download and use to assist in layout of your art. Just make sure you download the correct template for your project, as there are many variables and you won’t want to waste time with the wrong layout.

While on the subject of artwork, it’s important to mention that you need to decide if your project needs a barcode (commonly called a UPC, or the black and white dashes inside a box on many products). If your DVD will be sold through retailers, you should have a UPC issued, as many retailers won’t stock an item without one.

3. Find a DVD replication partner
Although there are literally dozens of DVD replication companies out there (just type “dvd replication company” into your favorite search engine) not all DVD Replication companies are created equal. You’ll see all kinds of pricing models that will do an excellent job of confusing the heck out of you. Instead look for a partner who offers good pricing and tries to simplify the process. Make sure you are comparing the same thing when shopping around and watch out for hidden extras, like overage (where the replication company makes an extra bunch of discs and then expects you to pay for the extras). Watch out for setup fees, glass mastering fees, extra costs for offset printed discs, extra costs for 3-color vs. 5-color artwork.

A little homework up front will ensure your DVDs look great when they arrive and you aren’t left with the feeling of being cheated, or have crappy looking discs that nobody will want to buy.

4. Approve check discs and artwork proofs
Once you have found the DVD replication company, you will be asked to send in your masters, artwork and cash. Most replicators want their money upfront, as they start burning materials as soon as the project lands. Within a few days of delivering your masters, you should see either email proofs of your artwork (simple digital prints (PDFs) showing you how your art elements will line up when printed. If you ordered a hard proof, the DVD replication company will ship you a print proof printed from the actual printing press earmarked to print your job. With a hard proof, you know exactly what you’re getting before you print hundreds of them. If you request a check disc, you’ll get a small number of “silver discs” to ensure your project has come through the DVD-R (or DLT) master to “glass” master process successfully.

Assuming everything checks out, and you send back your approvals, within a couple of weeks, you should hear the beep-beep-beep of the FedEx truck backing up your driveway. After a quick signature, you should be the proud owner of a pile of cardboard boxes filled with shiny DVDs — your DVDs!

Morris Anderson is the co-Founder and CEO of PacificDisc Inc. – a smaller, more boutique replication company that specializes in helping first-timers through the CD or DVD replication process. Morris has over 20 years experience in the production field, having run three Television stations and an Independent Production Film company, prior to founding PacificDisc, Inc. To learn more about CD or DVD Replication or to partner with a first-rate DVD Replication company, visit www.pacificdisc.com.

With a hot summer in the air Matches is the very best place to see those marvellous a humid summer t-shirts. Of which there are a myriad of great clothing items this season as there are every other season. The very best things about acquiring from gorgeous shop is that the designer shop now have the astonishing summer sale on. Hundreds of reduced skirts that are just pleading you to pick up as part of this seasons best items and will give you the want to shop with the designer corporation again and again. Find the very latest Freda clothes at www.matchesfashion.com/catalogue/designer/freda.

The retailer is a small chain but this does not mean anything. Matches have enjoyed over 17 years of fashion success and now has a number of tons of designer fashion stores situated in popular areas such as Notting Hill. Along with this the designer organisation recently enjoyed the launch of the user friendly website. Now you do not even need to visit and be in busy London to try on the most fashionable sandals.

In fact it has been noticed that since the start of their website the retailer has allowed more and more trendy shoppers to become aware of the designer store and the incredible dresses the designer business stock from brands such as Freda and Marc Jacobs along with loads of others.

The retailer philosophy has constantly been to dress girls and men in trends and great fashion that suit their individual look, to always give you the desire to wear something more beautiful but allow you to wear the designer items, not for the designer items to wear you.

Every year the highly fashionable workers at Matches pick out what they believe are going to be located the key tops of each season, this is a talent that many buyers lack but year after year the corporation keep coming up with sexiest items. Just like every other great season, we know 2009 Summer at the fashion shop is going to be a designer clothing spectacular to look out for.

Are you in debt? Well, that is a real bummer no doubt, but one consolation to your predicament might be to know that you are not alone. In fact in the United States the average person has over $10,000 in credit card debt that will be paid off sometime in 2026 if they keep making their monthly payments. Ouch.

Did you know that the average citizen has 150% of the amount they make in a given year in short-term debt? This includes credit cards, car loans and other items bought on time. It is true, in fact if the average person if they were to lose their job they would be on the street and pushing a shopping-cart in just under 2.3 months. Their house would be in foreclosure, their credit cards max’ed out and they would be evicted.

You know even though you are not alone in this problem, you are playing with fire. You need to work hard to remove these burdens and having a garage sale or selling stuff on eBay, well that simply is not going to do it at all. All you will be doing is selling stuff that you bought at retail with your credit card, which you are still paying on and will be paying on until 2026, for pennies on the dollar.

You need to put together a strategy to get out of debt. If not you could be pushing a shopping cart down the street collecting aluminum cans, but at least there is a consolation, there are hundreds of thousands of homeless Americans doing this and you will not be alone. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

The best way you yourself can do to help the damaged environment is to green your apartment, just now you could in fact get a generous home grant if you’re about to make your home environmentally friendly. Although all that could be like an enormous challenge it is astonishingly easy and not all of it will cost you yourself loads of cash. now that is unbelievable. Before you start any difficult projects such as installing caravan solar heaters it is worth checking to see if you yourself qualify for achieving this great grant. When you discover what is the greenest project for your apartment using the DTI’s green programme, this can support with many aspects of emission efficiency, this green business has received more than six and a half thousand registrations worth approximately four and a half million to qualify for the home grant you must make sure you insulate your loft and cavity walls, fit low energy lighting and put in radiator controls and thermostats. The BBC Green site shows you how to use Cavity Insulation to reduce your carbon footprint.

Cavity installation is a brilliant place to start. Although this may look like a hard going DIY project I can promise you its not, this is a brilliant tactic to improve the energy efficiency of your flat. Most homes here nowadays were built after 1923 the walls are made up of 2 layers with a tiny air cavity in between the two layers, if you have an unfilled cavity wall then you yourself might well be losing a considerable level of the warmth in your apartment. Wall installation is definitely something you want to know about if you yourself desire to improve your carbon footprint. Cavity wall insulation is incredible for the UK.

By insulating the space you yourself will discover that you might well be helping to reduce climate change and co2 gases and help to save the universe one residence at a time which is wonderful. With the climate change and emissions we are dealing with, every house in the county should be as green as possible. You yourself might also help to eco friendly your flat with floor insulation as well as using green friendly oven cleaner products. For other awesome green friendly tips please visit BBC Green.

Can you point your toes and straighten out your feet?

When you kick on your back, do you tend to go very slow, stay in one place, or even go backwards?

Do you have a tough time with swimming drills because your kick is not propelling you forward fast enough?

Do you wear fins in workouts just to “keep up”?

Did you start out as a runner and pick up swimming later to become a Triathlete?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you may have Runner’s Kick!

Have no fear, there are things you can do. Even the worst of kickers can develop an adequate kick for freestyle, which is all you need for a triathlon swim. Here are some remedies:

1. Vertical Kicking. This drill has been around for a long time. Find water that is deep enough for you to kick in place. Let go of the wall, cross your arms, and kick in place in a vertical position (keep in a straight line), pointing your toes and keeping your chin above the surface of the water. Get your power from your quads and hips on this drill. Try 20 seconds at a time.

2. Use fins. Yes! I am a coach telling you to use fins. But not to “keep up” in workouts. IF you have ankle flexibility issues (Runner’s Kick), use fins for a few weeks, but wean off them as you get closer to your event. The shorter kind are best. I prefer Hydrofinz (see below) but other brands may work okay as well. Fins can increase your ankle flexibility, allow you to do swimming drills with ease, and strengthen the right leg muscles you need to kick.

3. Sit on your feet. For more severe cases of Runner’s Kick, sitting on your feet can greatly improve your ankle flexibility. In Yoga, just stay in “Child’s Pose” a little longer and gain this extra benefit.

4. Just stretch. In a seated position, take one leg and bring it out in front of you. Extend your feet and push your toes toward the ground. Hold for about 15-20 seconds, repeat with other foot. You can do this several times a day.

Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to use a kick board to improve your kick. For distance swimming and triathlons, you are wasting your time with the floatation devices!

Remember: You don’t need a super kick to have a great race in a triathlon. Your kick is mainly for stability and body rotation.

Have patience, stick with these drills, and you will lose your Runners’ Kick before you know it!

Kevin coaches masters and triathlete swimmers in San Diego, CA. He operates the website http://www.TriSwimCoach.com, a resource for future or current triathletes needing help with the swim. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. Kevin has also written an electronic book titled “The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming” which is sold on his website http://www.triswimcoach.com in downloadable form.

Consumer promotions advertised as contests, however, can require an entry fee or proof of purchase. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. 10 hours ago a Dutch online company begun with a online sweepstakes. This saves entrants time and effort. Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity. Many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. That should be super or marvelous to win 7455 euros. Thats terrific or really great to win 6623 euro. Absolutely fantastic micro waves to be won at sweepstakes websites. 7 weeks ago a Belgium webcompany took of a contest websites. Great plasmas to be won at dutch online sweepstakes. There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Before home computers were popular a common method of entry was a mailed one. Really anyone can win realy terrific speedboats every 9 days. The reason why contests are treated differently is that the winners are not chosen by chance but by an element of skill. Sweepstakes are generally easier and quicker to enter than contests. It will be really great or realy terrific to win 6987 dollar. In an effort to increase consumer demand for scratch cards and to help control the litter small problems associated with the disposal of non-winning lottery tickets. Many state lotteries also run a second chance sweepstakes in conjunction with the retail sale of state lottery scratch cards. Sweepstakes are also legally different from contests in the United States. Sweepstakes promotions are prohibited from requiring a purchase to enter. Fantastic swimming pools to win at dutch online contests. 3 months ago a European company has started with a dutch online sweepstakes. Everybody can win absolutely fantastic computers every 18 hours. Although some sweepstakes ask for a proof of purchase or UPC code, the sponsors must provide an alternate method of entry if they do so. Anyone can win great surfboards every 16 weeks at best sweepstakes by windeprijsvraag. Really everybody can win marvelous Ipods every 18 months. Sweepstakes are frequently used by fast-food restaurants to boost business. 9 days ago a Europe based dutch online company started a online sweepstakes. Terrific wakeboards to be won at sweepstakes websites. That will be super or fantastic to win 4500 dollars. 2 hours ago a Europe based dutch company took of a dutch online contests. Really great tools to win at contest websites.

As an avid do-it-your-selfer and amateur woodworker, I have swung my share of hammers. Many times I’ve gotten to the point where I did not think I had the strength to drive even one more nail! If you’ve been there, you know what I mean.

The last few projects I’ve done, a large deck to put a new hot tub on, new counter tops in my kitchen, and a vanity cabinet, I used air driven nail guns. If you have never used a pneumatic nail gun, you have no idea how much easier it is to build things. Not only easier, but more accurate, and a better-finished job.

Trim work is a breeze, using a pneumatic nail gun is like having an extra hand, you don’t need to hold a nail to start it, all you have to do is hold the piece you are nailing in position with one hand, place the nail gun where you want to drive the nail and pull the trigger. The nails that are used are coated so they lubricate as they go into the wood, that same coating melts because of the speed and pressure that the nail is driven under, and acts as a glue, helping make a much more secure attachment. Also because of the driving speed, splitting is almost eliminated.

Pneumatic tools have been around for years, however they were very expensive, and out of reach for most hobbyists and do-it-your-selfers, in the last few years they have become much more affordable and more readily available.

Part of the lower pricing and increased availability is due to the influx of imported tools and compressors, which are generally priced lower. Lower price does not always equate to an inferior product. If you shop around you should be able to find very high quality imported pneumatic tools at amazing prices. Mainstream manufacturers, bitten by falling sales, have begun introducing more affordable tools and compressors, and the high quality is still there.

One of the other welcome developments is the increasing availability of factory reconditioned tools, you can find reconditioned framing nail guns for under $200, that sold new for about $400, in some cases they even have a new tool warranty.

A portable electric 2-4hp air compressor with a 2-6 gallon air tank, which is sufficient for most projects, can be had for under a $100.00. Air hoses and accessories are readily available and inexpensive.

I use an electric drive 2hp air compressor with a 6 gallon tank. I have a framing nailer that drives either full round or clipped head stick feed nails up to 3 inches, a finish nailer that drives up to 2 inch finish nails, and another finish nailer that drives up to 1 inch finish nails as well as up to 1 inch staples. All are equipped with quick disconnect couplings to allow me to quickly change tools.

I still do on occasion have to use a hammer, however I’ll bet the one I use now will last forever!

Happy Building

Jim Newell

Please Visit http://www.secureyourstuff.net/nailguns.htm for a selection of imported nail guns, also listed on this site are air compressors, and accessories, as well as many other tools. Visit http://edotmall2000.com/power_tools.htm for more choices.

Jimmie Newell is an experienced computer user, and web publisher with many articles to his credit. Jim is the webmaster for a variety of websites.

At a conference I attended recently, one of the main speakers quoted a survey which showed that 65% of employees say that the most stressful thing about their job is their boss, and 58% of people looking for another job are doing so because they don’t like their boss.

It seems as though there is plenty of room for improvement amongst our leaders in business. These are the 5 qualities most often mentioned by my coaching clients and delegates at my training courses as being essential for leadership:

1. Integrity – employees want their bosses to show personal integrity in their job performance and in dealing with staff. They want to be listened to respectfully so that they can make their feelings known. They want to be treated fairly and see that their boss will stand up for what they believe in. Behaviour that is not acceptable must be seen to be challenged.

2. Enthusiasm – if the leader is not enthusiastic, then the team will sag. Leaders need to be capable of challenging existing assumptions and embracing new ideas, both their own and from the team. They must be able to take risks at times to push the boundaries of what can be achieved. Inspirational leadership is never complacent and encourages everyone to be creative.

3. Decisiveness – the leader has to take tough decisions, sometimes without all the necessary information. They have to know when and where to get help, but to take all responsibility for the consequences and be generous with credit where it is due. It takes a strong leader to encourage his staff to take risks themselves and not to blame them when the outcome is less than positive!

4. Transparency – team members invariably want their boss to be clear and straightforward in their communication. This enables a similar clarity throughout the team. They need clear objectives and a culture of honesty in which feedback, whether perceived to be positive or negative, can be given and received without fear of consequences.

5. Humanity – people want to be treated as individuals, not as units of production. They want a boss who takes the trouble to understand their strengths, weaknesses and circumstances, and who helps them to stretch themselves. Everyone wants to be recognised for their own unique contribution and the leader who can do this will be rewarded with so much more.

Andy Britnell is an executive coach who works with high achievers in both the private and public sectors who wish to fulfill more of their potential by thinking and behaving more effectively.

Sign up for my FREE e-mail coaching and FREE monthly newsletter Grow and Learn at http://andybritnell.co.uk/

Information about my coaching services can be seen at http://executive-coaching-for-business-growth.com/