Top 10 Dumbest Things Pro Athletes Do

There seems to be an endless stream of idiotic things professional athletes do. I guess if you put a bunch of young men together, give them a boat-load of money and lots of free time, what can you expect? When beautiful women, the media and the luxuries of life are thrown at them, their cockiness and stupidity are only amplified. Here are my top ten, but of course there are lots more. However, we must always remember, they are only human too.

1. Me Make Good Play!

Ever see NFL players beat their chest like a gorilla after they just made a good play? I guess it's a Tarzan thing or something, but they look kinda ridiculous. Maybe if I was out there on the field and I was a 170-pound kicker watching a defensive lineman beating his chest after a sack, I may be a little intimidated, but overall, they look really silly doing it. (I attended a professional all-women's football game this year and saw a 350-pound woman do this, which was particularly scary.)

2. The God Factor, Part I

I hate it when players point up to Heaven and thank God after a good play too. Bear in mind however, that I am not criticizing religion or anyone for having faith in God. But this just looks lame. It happens a lot in MLB for some reason. A strikeout will cause Pedro Martinez to do the chest-touch and double-index-finger-point to God as if he and God were chatting earlier about possible pitching strategies in the locker room, and the strategy they chose together worked, so he had to personally thank God using his direct line.

3.The God Factor, Part II

Locker rooms, sidelines, dugouts, bullpens, and court sides are often full of praying men. One question: "If you are praying to win, and your opponent is praying to win, who does God choose?

4. Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You?

Why do pro jocks get arrested for drug and/or gun possession so much? Of course, lots of people do this one unfortunately, we just happen to hear about the famous athletes who do. C'mon guys, keep the drugs at home, stop driving while high, and for crying out loud, stop packin'! You don't need a gun. Who's going to harm you? You're six six and weigh 275 pounds!

5. It Wasn't Me!

Telling Congress you don't do steroids, then getting caught doing steroids is pretty dumb. I loved watching the clips where Rafael Palmero sat pointing a finger at the Congressional hearing stating with disgust and confidence, "I do not take steroids." And then the next clip showing him apologizing profusely for taking steroids.

6. I Love You To Death

Murdering ex-lovers doesn't happen very often fortunately, but my list wouldn't be complete without at least mentioning O.J.

7. Rabbits

It seems that there are a lot of NBA players out there who use the phrase, "My baby's mom" a little too often. And there's too many pro athletes' offspring introducing their buddies as "My brother from another mother." Ever hear of a condom?

8. How Much Bling Bling Do You Need!?

It's fascinating to watch professional athletes blow through all their millions in their first year or two and then have nothing left at retirement, which is usually only a few years later. How many fifty-year-olds are still playing pro sports? Not many (minus golfers of course, who will drag their canes and oxygen tanks with them on the fairway). So why don't pro athletes save a couple of bucks?

9. Love My Hog

It's not too smart to get injured off the job when you're a pro athlete. Cleveland Browns Kellen Winslow Jr. crashed his motorcycle recently and will now miss the 2005 NFL season. Jay Williams, a number one draft pick of the Chicago Bulls, also got into a motorcycle accident and has not played since. What's with motorcycles anyhow? Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

10. "When You Come To a Fork in the Road, Take It" - Yogi Berra

Saying really dumb things in the media seems to be a particularly easy thing to do if you're a professional athlete. I looked in a lot of places online to come up with a good list here. My problem was that there were so many good ones, I wasn't sure which ones to pick. But here are a few gems:

a. Paul Hamm, Gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."

b. Baseball player Tito Fuentes, after getting hit by a pitch: "They shouldn't throw at me. I'm the father of five or six kids."

c. Football coach Ray Malavasi: "I don't care what the tape says. I didn't say it."

d. Baseball player Dizzy Dean, after a 1-0 game: "The game was closer than the score indicated."

e. Boxing Analyst: "Sure there have been injuries, and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."

f. Soccer commentator: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field."

g. Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh Steelers coach: "We're not attempting to circumcise rules."

h. Jim Wohford: "Ninety percent of the game is half mental."

i. Joe Theismann: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

j. Charles Shackleford of the NCSU basketball team: "Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious."

k. Shaquille O'Neal, on his lack of championships: "I've won at every level, except college and pro."

As I already asked before, what can we expect from professional athletes? They often reflect society as a whole. Too much time, money and fame at a really young age can augment stupidity, simple as that. We all say and do dumb things, but thankfully, we don't have microphones and video cameras pointed at us all the time. As Norman Einstein used to say, "Really smart athletes stay away from problems because they can predict the future with their ESPN."

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How to Hit the Ball Like Raphael Nadal

He isn't nicknamed "The Bull" for nothing. Tennis' #1 player Raphael Nadal had risen to #2 in a remarkable amount of time, then proceeded to sideline Federer and finally took the throne this year. The aspects of his game that shot him up to #1 include speed, defensive maneuvering, and power. But the most important aspect is one that is admired the world over- his ability to generate massive amounts of topspin, exceeding 3200 rpm! By following these simple rules, you will form the foundation for hitting topspin, and by sticking to them, you will become a topspin pro.

Rule #1- Proper Grip

You have to grip your racquet with the semi-western or western grip. This is imperative. Without the racquet, one could not play tennis, and without proper grip, one can't swing the racquet correctly. If you can't swing the racquet correctly, you can't hit correctly. Grip should be the number one priority in your game. Make sure to switch to either the semi-western or western (the latter is used for hitting with the most spin) and keep it. At first, it will feel weird, but keep swinging with it and you'll eventually get in the habit of using this grip.

Rule #2- Proper Ball Positioning

Have the ball in front of you, by at least 12 inches (meaning your racquet should contact the ball 12 inches in front of you). This should be 12 inches from your lead foot. Whether you hit the open stance or closed stance forehand is up to you, but make sure the ball is in front of you. Everyone hits at a different distance, so start off with 12 inches and try to find your optimal contact point.

Rule #3- Proper Backswing

The backswing is the taking back of the racquet. Forming a loop is the best way to get your racquet in position to generate huge topspin. Practitioners of the loop include Raphael Nadal, Fernando Gonzales, Lleyton Hewitt, and Carlos Moya. Take the racquet above your head, loop it, and have it near waist level. You don't need a really big loop, but any kind of loop is optimal.

Rule #4- Proper Racquet Positioning

After finishing the loop, make sure your racquet is below the ball. The more it is under the ball, the more topspin you will get when you swing. It really is up to you. Also, have the stringbed be parallel to the ground. Make sure the strings are facing down (they don't have to be exactly parallel).

Rule #5- Proper Swing

So now the ball is in front of you, you have gone through the backswing, and have the racquet under the ball. Now, you start the swing. The swing should be from low to high; this is so you can put spin on the ball. You want to "brush" up the back of the ball- by brushing, your strings move vertically, so the ball is forced to spin forward.

To get a better understanding of this, watch Novak Djokovic in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AJYfkJ4hc&feature=related At 13 seconds, he's ready to do the swing- he positions his racquet beneath the ball, then swings low to high. At the contact point, his stringbed is facing the ball, and as he swings up, the strings move up, imparting spin. All you want to aim for is swinging the racquet down to up, so the strings move low to high, and this makes the ball spin forward.

Rule #6- Proper Follow Through

You may be surprised at the way Novak finishes his swing. After he contacts the ball, it seems like he creates an arc with his racquet. This is the follow through. Without it, your swing isn't complete, and you won't get as much topspin on the ball. Creating this "arc" is vital to imparting topspin. With this follow through, your ball is more accurate and you get a cleaner swing. If your racquet follows this "arc," you naturally impart spin on the ball. Novak finishes with his racquet over his shoulder- you may do this, or you may finish with the racquet at waist level. Andy Roddick is known for doing this.

If you have never hit with topspin before, it feels like a new sensation, a completely different stroke than what you're used to. If you stick to these 6 important rules, you will get used to striking the ball this way. The key is to "brush" up the ball with your racquet, to achieve topspin. Now that you know how to hit topspin, try to hit it as good as Nadal. It's time to "Vamos!" Get out there and give it your all!

Check out Abeed Rahman's website at http://www.freewebs.com/expert1 Any comments, questions, or opinions can be emailed to triple14@hotmail.com

Three Famous Blondes all Dead: Marilyn Monroe-Jayne Mansfield-Anna Nicole Smith

On the sad news that Ann Nicole Smith had died in Florida, I naturally reflected on Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Anna Nicole recently lost a son and gave birth to a baby. Her death will continue to generate a frenzy because there is money involved. The father of her child will be first in line with a blood sample to be checked against the DNA of the baby, the obvious inheritor of Smith's wealth. That wealth could be humongous after the courts decide on what she should inherit from her aged husband.

The first thing I said to my wife was that Anna Nicole's death would probably be interpreted as murder. I don't really think that she was murdered but if she was found dead like Marilyn Monroe, someone is going to start the murder myth. I hope I haven't started it here right now. Tomorrow the autopsy will be held and eventually the results will be revealed to the public. By then the murder theorist will have a well developed scenario and they will use the autopsy to reinforce it. The motive will be murder, of course.

I wrote an article on Marilyn Monroe and showed how theorist develop what I called "obvious truths." UFO-ologist use that tactic all the time. The media loves stupid thinking and will join on the bandwagon. A good story can make you a good deal of money on the lecture tour and by authoring books.

Anna Nicole seemed to have little talent other than gaining publicity. Like many nobodies with great bodies she started as a Playboy Bunny®. Hugh Hefner said he hoped that she was now happy with her brother. I didn't know that Hugh actually believed in anything of a religious nature but I guess he does. Marilyn Monroe on the other hand had acting talent. Jayne Mansfield, who died in a horrible automobile crash, was probably in between the two talent-wise. A good summary of Anna Nicole's life can be found at http://www.hollywood.com/news/3654096

It saddens me to see young lives cut short. The media attention to a famous person can cause disaster. They thrive on the media but the media and money drives them to drink and drugs. James Dean's death at age twenty-four is a good example where money put him in fast cars and reckless behavior. Dean was a talented actor and is still missed by his fans. Read about the car accident at http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/deandies.htm

It seems that the celebrity life goes double time. Jayne Mansfield died racing to get to New Orleans in the wee hours of the morning. Her three children survived. Read about the death of Jayne and a number of other celebrities that died in auto accidents at http://www.who2.com/deathbycarcrash.html including Princess Grace (who may have suffered a small stroke ) and Princess Diana.

I hope that Jayne's death will be a warning to other celebrities with more money and than they can spend and more fame than they can tolerate. That includes athletes who are not use to celebrity status or money. The call to fame can be very rapid in our media circus. Many celebrities we old folks don't even know other than we see them on television walking down a red carpet dressed to the "Tee." We don't know why they are celebrities but they are in some obscure soap opera or such where we never see them--but they have money.

Here is some advice for celebrities that were not born rich and don't know how to handle money and fame:

Stay away from drugs and avoid excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages. Prescription drugs can destroy you. Don't go to multiple doctors for prescription drugs. Some over-the-counter drugs are not safe.

Don't drive and drink. Avoid high speed and reckless driving and stay out of cars having such a driver. Wear your seat belt.

Learn how to manage your money and don't trust others with your money to the extent that gives them control. New friends and experts can hurt you. Trust the banker in your home town if you know one well. Let him lead you to proper asset management.

Don't over do it. You have to have some time off from work. Drug usage is often because of overwork.

Why am I writing this? Celebrities don't read my stuff.

Well, the rules are good for everyone.

Rest in Peace, Anna Nicole.

The End

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com), a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

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

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

How to Find an Email Address Fast - Some Things You Can Try Right Now

If you have tried to find an email address before then you know how hard they can be to find. Email addresses tend to get elusive when you need them the most. Maybe the email address has changed, or maybe you just can't remember it for whatever reason. Either way, there are some things you can try.

If you have exchanged emails with the person you're looking for, then finding their email address will be easy to accomplish. All you have to do is look for the email address in your archive of messages.

The first thing you're going to have to do is utilize the search feature of your web-based email account. You are going to want the service you're using to search through all the folders, especially the trash. Make sure you use all aliases of the person you are searching for, since some people don't use their real name.

If you don't find them then you can try searching for it on the net. To do this you will have to utilize one of the popular search engines available. Put their name of the person into Google and hit search.

See if one of the pages that come up has the email address you need. More than likely you're going to get a lot of results, and many of them are not going to be relevant to your search.

So what you can do is try adding something else similar to the person you're looking for. Type in their nick name or home address and this will narrow your search. This is not a highly efficient search tactic since you're basically hoping it will come up with something relevant.

Unlike phone numbers there is no phone book that keeps email addresses. However, there are some good email services that have large databases you can search and find the email address you're looking for. These services will provide you with an email reverse search, which is the easiest way how to find an email address.

For the fastest and easiest way to find someone Email Reverse Search. This is by far the best Reverse Email Search Service out there Click Here

Do You Use Sarcasm? Don't! It's Deadly... and the User? He's an Adult Bully!

"Ouch, those words hurt. I know you were joking, but what you said isn't funny."

"WHAT are you saying? Would you please be quiet? You are embarrassing me in front of all of these people!!!!"

"Oh my gosh.. I can't believe she said that to that person. Doesn't she know that SHE is the one who looks bad?"

Have you ever mumbled these words to yourself after someone used their razor sharp tongue to slice you or someone you know? Have you ever felt your temperature rising and meanwhile you had a smile plastered on your face?? Someone just zinged you and it was couched as a joke, but it really stung like a bee?

These are some of the internal things that are going on in the midst of a person who doesn't have control over their tongue. They use sarcasm and they think it's funny. They think that they're the big shot, because they're constantly on top. They can get out of any situation without hurting. They can survive any where because no one is going to take advantage of them!

I know. I used to be a user of sarcasm. I used to be the one who would unintentionally hurt people.

I'm not any more. I've learned that it was a defense mechanism for the hurt I felt inside. And now, I want others to know, there is HELP for you.. and the other side? IT:'S BETTER!!!

I experienced a person who was throwing zingers every chance she got. If you'd ask her to hand you a pen, she'd make you beg. If you said, "How is your day, she'd say, "it was good until I saw you". People laugh. They smile. But really, what is happening inside is they are screaming, 'GET ME AWAY FROM THIS PERSON!!!"

It's hard to look back at myself and realize that I was a repeat offender. I was the young and cocky one. I was the one making a lot of money so I could shoot down anyone and win. My bank account told me that I was as cool as they come. I was successful on the world's eyes and nothing I could say or do could hold me back. I knew how to play the "Nice" game. I had clients who knew me as a loving and fun agent, and I knew that I worked hard and could make them happy. What else did I need? Who else did I need? I had money and a close friend or two, and my mom and dad always loved me... so everyone else could just kiss off!

In reality? I was hurting. I knew that I didn't have the ability to be vulnerable. I knew that I was covering up a lot of sensitivity that was hurting. I didn't ever MEAN to be mean, or a bully, but I couldn't seem to help it. Every time I'd get close to someone, I'd end up saying something mean, sarcastic or cocky that would turn them off to me. I hated it, yet I didn't know how to stop it.

I was an adult bully. And if you use sarcasm? You are too!!!

Let me tell you how it starts. You were bullied yourself. You had to pretend to be bigger and tougher than you really were so you wouldn't be hurt all the time. Your verbal finesse got good because you were defending yourself. It probably happened to you when you were a kid. You were probably defending yourself from an older sibling who picked on you all of the time or even a parent who thought that teasing was funny. Maybe it was common place in your family to tease one another. Maybe the others enjoyed the back and forth joking, but you? You were a more sensitive person who took it to heart. You had no other way to survive but put up your dukes.. and strike back.

At the world!!!

I keep thinking about that song that my son is learning in preschool, "Hit me with your best shot. Come on and hit me with your best shot.. fire away" It's a Pat Benetar song and it's a classic. You can see how the victim of bullying can BECOME the BULLY!!!

How do you get over it? Well, it's not always easy!! But it is possible!!! Start by STOPPING ANY SORT of SARCASM. You'll catch yourself over and over, but find an alternative way to express yourself. Put a rubber band around your wrist and snap it every time you are sarcastic, but just STOP DOING IT.

Next, everyone who is around you knows that it is a defense mechanism. We've all watched Dr. Phil or Oprah enough to know that you are truly hurting inside. It's NO SECRET. You are a BLATENT ADVERTISEMENT for what it feels like to be hurting inside. TRUST me... the SECOND you say something sarcastic, people know that you are on the defense. You aren't fooling ANYONE!!!

Myself included. When I go back to those old habits, which I occasionally do when I'm challenged, I know that the person is just ruffling my feathers and that I can back down and still have my self esteem in tact. It sometimes takes a minute, but I usually get there.

The ULTIMATE thing you can do is to find someone to discuss how you were so hurt as a child. You can go back and relive those things so you can find it in yourself to forgive those people and be able to move on as a healthy person. Yes, THERAPY is a great place to do that. And don't give me that , "DON"T TELL ME TO GO TO THERAPY CRAP" or say, "that' s too touchy feely for me".

I know. I used to say the same thing. But trust me, when you really have courage, you'll face yourself. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to do. And when you really have courage, you'll be able to discuss yourself with another person. And in the context of therapy, it's confidential. You might even shed a tear or two. "OH NO.. HORRORS!!! SHEDDING A TEAR!!! "

Ooooops.. there I go again!!! Sorry.

I just want to tell you, that a healthy man or woman has all sorts of feelings. Good, bad, indifferent. They are all apart of the human psyche. We are supposed to be able to express anger. And you should express anger if you were bullied as a child. And if you don't address this bad habit that you endured, you'll possibly pass it on to your family and that will continue the hurt at a deep level.

Words are the best things that you can give a person. They are also the most painful thing that you can ever inflict upon another person if they are filled with venom. It's hurtful and it's nasty. And if you inflict horrible, mean jokes on other people and pass them off as funny, then you need help. You need to change. And if you don't, you'll hurt and be lonely for a very long time.

I'm happier now as a person. I'm able to laugh and cry and express every emotion that I'm capable of having. I know I'm an extremely sensitive person now, but that is what helps me in sales, and it's what I use as a coach. I can feel for others and know how they feel. I don't have an emotional void anymore. I feel free to love and be loved.

So please pass this on to anyone you know who uses sarcasm. I don't care if it's the priest or pastor of your church. If they use it, they can get over it. And they need to know, that they are being a BULLY!!!

Life on the other side can be great. But get to work guys.. and let me know what happens! I can't wait to hear what this blog stirs up. I'm sure it will..

But I'm ready. Give me your best shot! Fire away!!! I can handle it. But the question is.. CAN YOU?

COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS

Hi Mary------just finished reading y our blog. I have noticed or did you touch on this. That some people will say something to you that is kind of offensive--but they kind of laugh, if you say anything , they say you are too sensitive-that it was only a joke.. The fact of the matter is that it has given them a chance to vent, or dump on you , and given you no chance for a discussion about the matter.
Another thing I,ve noticed , some people will lash out, another tactic where they get to vent, and they will walk off in a huff. Never mind that they never can find the grace to apologize for their behavior. (E.M. Florida)

Mary, this is a FABULOUS story! It really spoke to me this morning. In fact, I've had quite a bit of trouble lately, not so much with sarcasm, but with a contentious spirit. I have become very quick to anger when things aren't going perfectly for me. I'm glad that I recognize it and can work on it. I have prayed that God will keep me mindful of my tongue and that I will say only things that will praise Him and edify others. Read the following scripture that I was focusing on this morning...Proverbs 21:9 & 19 and James 3 (the entire chapter). It's no coincidence that God led me there.

See you soon,

JT (Raliegh, NC)

Dude,

Hi there! I loved this essay - it was so helpful - right now I am really struggling with family issues (abusive in laws - my own mom's verbal abuse, etc) all of which has affected my marriage so much.....my husband and I got into a Marriage Course at church so we are finally looking at how we communicate...it's great and I am hopeful and I know God is still in charge of even this difficult time for me....

BUT just this morning at breakfast I prayed in front of the kids that God would from THIS MOMENT on make the words that come out of my mouth be spoken KINDLY. I have been convicted that although so much has changed in my heart -what is comiing out of my mouth often doesn't reflect it....
So - your blog helped! (I don't even know what a BLOG really is - yours is first I've ever tried but this was good)

Your talents are going to good use, girl....

(A friend from Europe)

Dear Mary,

Your article on sarcasm and adults bullys was amazing! What you are saying is completely true. My current boss consistantly uses sarcasm to make points and everyone says he is like a bully. After reading this artical I can confirm my boss is a bully. In fact just last week he came up with a one liner to make a "joke" as you say which was not funny at all. So un-funny was this joke that a small feeling of insult was left behind. Great article, I enjoyed reading it very much. If you have any more articles, send them I would love to read them, keep on writing.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC’s 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

African Dream Card - Why This is the Most Popular of the African Phone Cards

If you've been a long time consumer of African phone cards and other types of Africa prepaid phone cards, then you already know that the market is full of cards that are one-hit wonders. New cards come and go all the time, and some last barely a month before they disappear. Cards that last for several years are unheard of, and callings cards to Africa are no exception.

But one card stands above the rest: the African Dream card. It has been around since the early part of this century, making it one of the longest running Africa prepaid phone cards around.

What, then, is the secret to its popularity? Why has the African Dream phone card been able to achieve a rare status of consistency that does not normally exist in the industry? What is it about this card and how it is distributed that has helped it remain a mainstay among international callers?

If you know a thing or two about the industry, then you'll know that it is an extremely saturated market. Margins are exceptionally slim for suppliers, which leads many to place all sorts of hidden fees that siphon the funds away from the card and deliver a smaller quantity of minutes than they promise. This caused so many problems for consumers that the FCC decided to interfere. (Note: I wrote an earlier article that you can also find here on EzineArticles that talked about new FCC regulations that are intended to clean up some of the false advertising in the industry).

The African Dream calling card managed to remain competitive not only on rates but in actual minutes delivered. This led customers who tried the card once to come back and use it again and again, and to recommend the African Dream card to their friends, family, and co-workers.

The company behind the African Dream card showed consistency by not getting too greedy and ruining the formula in an effort to make more money in the short-term. This consistency paid off, and the African Dream phone card only continued to rise in popularity. This is especially remarkable given that this card has been around for so many years through good times and bad. When many providers played too many games and lost their customers, this card remained consistent and grew its customer base.

Secondly, the African Dream phone card was offered in a super-affordable denomination of $2, something that was not only rare for calling cards in general, but for Africa prepaid phone cards specifically. While the card also came in more standard $5, $10, and $20 increments, it was the low-entry price point that put it into the low-competition category of $2 phone cards that helped it the most. This price point not only made it affordable for people from all economic levels, but it also provided a good option to people who only needed a small number of calling minutes for use during emergencies.

Thirdly, along the same lines of the consistency mentioned above, the provider behind the African Dream card followed a long-term strategy that believed in building a customer base over a short-term strategy that relied on milking as much as they could out of existing customers. This strategy led the provider of the African Dream card to not play too many games with hidden fees on the card and drive customers to competitors. Again, this consistency allowed the African Dream phone card to not only increase in popularity over time, but to stay popular as well.

Finally, the African Dream calling card was distributed through a handful of ultra-reputable wholesalers with a vast reach in the national market. Wholesalers like STS Prepaid, who had developed for themselves a reputation of honesty and straightforwardness, quickly realized the potential of the card and made it a focus point of their distribution. This caused the African Dream card to explode in popularity over all other Africa prepaid phone cards available at the time.

In conclusion, the African Dream card has enjoyed such longevity in the market due to its competitiveness in rates and minutes, as well as a consistency that has allowed it to build an expanding base of repeat customers. And by joining the ranks of $2 phone cards, the African Dream card was able to offer an extremely affordable price for people that needed to call Africa. With major suppliers like STS Prepaid, African Dream phone cards spread across the country.

Today, many cards have come out in an attempt to compete. The most serious of these is Ultimate Africa, a no-connection fee and no-hidden fee calling card that follows FCC guidelines and delivers exactly the amount of minutes it advertises. It has been steadily growing in usage over the years, so this might be the card of the future to watch for Africa prepaid phone cards.

Want to see what all the fuss is about? Visit our site to try the African Dream card or Ultimate Africa card for yourself!

Best,

Tom Cole - STSPrepaid.com Customer Service Manager

http://www.stsprepaid.com

Find the best deals and the most honest phone cards and cell phone cards from a range of popular and exclusive cards. Call anywhere in the world for the lowest rates. Use coupon code 'NEW501' for a discount on your first order!

30 Ways to Promote Your Website on a Shoestring Budget (Part 2)

16. Office Stationery & Merchandising Materials

It is extremely important that your website is included on ALL your office stationery so that customers can see it over and over again. That way they are more likely to remember it. If you've just had your letterheads printed, you can always add your website address on your wordprocessor, when printing your correspondence. For brochures, business cards etc, consider having small labels printed up. Your office stationery should include not only your website address, but also your email. Consider adding your details to:

- Letterheads

- Business Cards

- Flyers

- Brochures

- Labels

- Packaging

- Merchandise bags

- Catalogs

- Invoices

- Fax headers

- Display units

17. Pay per click (PPC)

Pay per click advertising is when an advertiser (you) pays for each qualified click that sends a search engine user to the advertiser's web page. PPC requires you to bid on keywords or phrases that relate to your business. The best known pay per click services are Google AdWords and Overture.

Generally you can bid from as little as a few cents per visitor. However, the more you bid the higher up in the search engine your advertisement will appear. Pay per click is a great way to deliver targeted and qualified visitors to your website at a very reasonable price.

It is a good idea to experiment with different PPC search engines to find the one that works best for you. In addition, you will need spend time testing your keywords and ads.

For more information check out:

Google Adwords - https://adwords.google.com

Overture - http://www.overture.com

18. Visitor Exchanges

There are many websites popping up on the net that are known as Traffic Exchange, Click Exchange, Visitor Exchange or Surf For Hits programs. People become members of these sites with the goal of generating free traffic to their site.

The way it works is quite clever.

You visit another member's website and in exchange someone visits the website of your choice. Most of these programs work on a 2:1 ratio. This means that for every two sites that you visit, someone else in that same Start Page program will visit your site.

Simple concept, isn't it?

The great thing about these programs is that you will receive all of this traffic to your website, without having to spend a dime!

One of the biggest benefits from these programs is the ability to develop a downline of people that will generate 1,000's upon 1,000's of click thru visits to your site over time! In other words, you receive credits for the credits they chalk up for themselves!

For more information go to:

http://www.web4business.com.au/FreeVisitors.htm

19. Articles

Writing articles is an excellent way for you to get free publicity. Getting an article published is free. The publicity you receive by having your article published in a newspaper, magazine or website can be worth thousands of dollars in equivalent advertising space. Well written articles yield better results than advertisements and earn you respect from customers, who see you as an expert in your field.

The best articles are "tips" or expert pieces. People are looking for guidance and will purchase from the experts who show them how to solve their problems.

Your article should include the following elements:

(a) The Headline

This should be attention grabbing and use power words and phrases, such as "How to ..." "10 Ways that ...", "Do you want to ..."

(b) Lead Paragraph

The first couple of sentences should tell your readers why they should read the whole articles. Show them the benefits they will gain or the pain that they will avoid by reading the article.

(c) Body Copy

This is where you inform the reader how to do something that will enrich their business or personal lives. Use short sentences and provide step-by-step directions that they can easily follow.

(d) Conclusion

At the end you will want to summarise the topics you covered and briefly review the main points. Since you have helped your readers they will most likely want to know more. This is your chance to make your sell by making them an offer with a call to action.

(e) Resource Box

The resource box should supply the reader with the following information:

- Your name

- Company name

- Contact information

- Website details

- How to order your product, etc

If writing an article seems too daunting for you initially, you can hire a ghost writer to do this for you - generally at a very reasonable price. If you need someone to help you with this, you may wish to check out:

http://www.elance.com

Once your article is written you will need to submit it to various publications on-line and off-line. For a listing of Australian printed publications, including the editor's details, you may wish to buy "The Australian Writer's Marketplace", available from most bookshops.

For a listing of on-line magazines (e-zines), visit: http://www.ezine-dir.com. You can then contact the editor of each magazine and offer them your article.

If you don't have a lot of time to submit your articles manually, you may wish to consider using article submission services by companies such as:

Submit Your Article - http://www.submityourarticle.com or

The Phantom Writers - http://www.thephantomwriters.com

For a small fee they will submit your article to thousands of publications.

20. Webrings

One of the more interesting ways to add some targeted traffic to your site is to join webrings. A webring allows visitors to surf through sites that are related in one way or another. They are free of charge to the owners, members and visitors.

Webrings deliver targeted traffic day after day and once they are set up they tend to stay set up with little further maintenance

Each webring is created and maintained by a person known as a ringmaster. This person accepts site submissions and validates that the site meets the topic of the webring. For more information visit: http://www.webring.org

21. Ezine Advertising

One of the best, cheapest and most targeted way to promote your product or service is through ezines (electronic magazines). Ezine ads reach people who want what you have to offer. As Ezines are generally based on a theme or particular interest and their subscribers have requested to receive them, you can be sure that they are going to be read.

Prices for advertisements vary depending on the popularity of the ezine and the actual location of your ad. Top position ads generally cost more than those found mid-way or at the bottom. Most ezine publishers will also send solo ads (advertisements about your product/service) to their subscribers. However, this is generally more costly.

To get the most of your ad, ensure you develop a killer title or headline and that the ad is straight to the point.

The best way to get started advertising in ezines would be to contact the editors of various ezines and check their rates, publication dates and number of subscribers - go to http://www.ezine-dir.com or http://www.go-ezines.com for a comprehensive listing of ezines.

22. Publishing an Ezine or Newsletter

Whether you are the CEO of a multi-national corporate network or a stay-in-your-pyjamas entrepreneur, one of your primary business objectives should be to develop long-term relationships with everyone you communicate with - website visitors, prospects, customers, employees, suppliers, service providers etc. And one of the best methods of building strong relationships is through your own Ezine (electronic magazine) or Newsletter.

If you've been marketing on the Internet, then you know it may take several contacts with a prospective customer before closing a sale. What better way to make those contacts, without spamming... In addition, you can eventually make a nice income selling sponsor advertising and classified ads.

To publish an effective Ezine will take some time to develop and there are thousands of resources on the internet that will help you - simply go to your favourite search engine and type in "ezine publishing" or "ezine publishing articles".

In the meantime, here are some tips to get you started.

(a) Give your readers quality content - not rehashed or well-worn articles that have been published hundreds of times already.

(b) Write your own articles whenever possible or hire a ghost writer to help you. Talk to your readers as you would normally talk. Be yourself and let your sense of humour and uniqueness show through in your writing.

(b) Ensure the ezine has been properly edited, you have checked your spelling, grammar and formatting. Ensure all the links are working

(c) Personalise each issue for your subscriber. If your email software allows it, include a field so that your ezine is addressed to your subscriber by their firstname.

(d) Don't publish too many ads or too many affiliate links

(e) Ask for feedback to help you improve your ezine

(f) Stick to publishing a text ezine rather than HTML.

(g) Publish your ezine regularly and on time.

23. Media Releases

Having a story written about you and your business will not only bring you lots of new customers (at no cost to you), but will also provide you massive credibility. Stories about you in the media are far more believable, powerful and attractive than any ads you could possibly run. People will trust and respect you instantly.

A media release (also called press or news releases) should provide enough details to be informative, but it should leave out just enough information to be tantalizing that the media person calls you to find out more.

Your media release should feature the following:

The Headline

This is 90% of your release. Your headline will do almost all of the work in attracting attention to you.

The Summary

This is the first part of the media release and should tell your story briefly.

Credentials & Quotations

Insert quotes from other people and include the person's credentials

Call to Action

What do you want the person reading this release to do? You want them to call you for an interview. So provide your contact details and write a very brief outline of why you would be an interesting person to interview.

For more information about writing media releases visit:

http://www.pressrelease.com.au

http://www.elance.com

http://www.prweb.com

http://www.prnewswire.com

http://www.newsbureau.com

24. Radio advertising

You may have shied away from radio advertising, thinking the cost would be well over your budget and it may very well be if you were to advertise on commercial radio stations. But have you considered community radio stations? There are hundreds of them around and the great thing is that they will reach your local market. For community radio stations in your area, visit your local yellow pages or search on the internet.

25. Print advertising

Writing the Copy

When it comes to print advertising, you have to get to the point--fast. Your headlines should motivate readers to want to read on to learn more about your product, price and offer. Effective headlines address a pressing customer need or desire. The reality is that people care more about themselves--and what you can do for them--than about your business. You'll get a much higher response rate when your headline quickly answers the question, "What's in it for me?"

In the body of your copy, offer an incentive for the reader to call you or come to your store. You may want to offer a discount or a free giveaway

Placing the Ad

Newspaper ads are very effective for businesses that market their products and services locally. Not only can you reach a large number of people in a specific metropolitan location, but you can also target prospects via their interests (in the sports, lifestyle and business sections, for example).

Advertising costs depend on a number of factors, including the size of the ad, where it's placed, the day it runs and so on. Call and request a media kit from the newspaper or magazine so you can determine what advertising steps you can take that will fit with your marketing budget.

Consider placing print advertisements in local publications, national publications,
industry publications, target market specific publications, yellow pages, local directories, special catalogues

26. Postcards

If looking to target potential customers, don't overlook postcard marketing. Postcards achieve almost a 100% readership, while being simple to use and inexpensive.

Postcards:

- keep your name in front of customers

- generate a high return on investment

- are flexible, informative and creative

- have high impact and low cost

Postcards can be used to:

- generate website traffic and sales leads

- promote new specials or company awareness

- announce new products, websites, store locations

- thank customers

- use as a discount offer /coupon

Repetition is the key to effective marketing efforts and postcards offer an inexpensive way of doing it.

27. Word of mouth / Testimonials

Word-of-mouth marketing truly is one of the best ways to promote your business. The three most important things you can do to start the process of increasing your business through word-of-mouth include:

(a) Diversify your networks by becoming visible and active in the community. Participate in various networking groups and/or professional associations.

(b) Set up a contact list of businesses that are complementary and noncompetitive to you. For example: a lawyer, an accountant, a financial planner and a banker. All of them have clients with overlapping similar needs. They can all work with and refer each other easily. Another good example is a florist, a photographer, a travel agent and a jeweler. A referral for one of them becomes a referral for all of them.

(c) Building your business through word-of-mouth is about cultivating relationships with people who get to know you and trust you. People do business with people they have confidence in. It's not what you know, or whom you know, it's how well you know them that counts. If you go into this process understanding this one key point, you will have a better opportunity to build your business through word-of-mouth.

28. eBay

If you sell products (as opposed to services) in your business, one of the best marketing tools you can use is eBay. eBay is a community where individuals and businesses can buy and sell a vast range of new and used items at fair market prices.

The main reasons why you should sell on eBay include:

- You can sell little or lot of practically anything from antiques to cars.

- Gain access to the millions of eBay buyers worldwide.

- Feel safe with policies and protections of the Community.

- Sell as an individual, small business, enterprise, and more!

For more information visit: http://www.ebay.com for selling globally or http://www.ebay.com.au for selling within Australia.

29. Viral marketing

On the Internet, viral marketing is any marketing technique that induces Web sites or users to pass on a marketing message to other sites or users, creating a potentially exponential growth in the message's visibility and effect. One example of successful viral marketing is Hotmail, a company, now owned by Microsoft. Their strategy is simple:

(a) Give away free e-mail addresses and services,

(b) Attach a simple tag at the bottom of every free message sent out: "Get your private, free email at http://www.hotmail.com" and,

(c) Then stand back while people e-mail to their own network of friends and associates,

(d) Who see the message,

(e) Sign up for their own free e-mail service, and then

(f) Propel the message still wider to their own ever-increasing circles of friends and associates.

Some viral marketing strategies work better than others. Below are basic elements you should try to include in your strategy.

(a) Give away products or services

Most viral marketing programs give away valuable products or services to attract attention. Free e-mail services, free information, free "cool" buttons, free software programs etc

(b) Provide for effortless transfer to others

The medium that carries your marketing message must be easy to transfer and replicate: e-mail, website, graphic, software download. From a marketing standpoint, you must simplify your marketing message so it can be transmitted easily and without degradation. Short is better.

(c) Scale easily from small to very large

To spread like wildfire the transmission method must be rapidly scalable from small to very large. Ensure you have enough resources, such as mail servers and staff that will be able to handle the increase in business.

(d) Exploit common motivations and behaviors

Clever viral marketing plans take advantage of common human motivations such as greed, the desire to be cool, hunger to be popular, loved, and understood.

(e) Utilize existing communication networks

Each person has a network of 8 to 12 people in their close network of friends, family, and associates. A person's broader network may consist of hundreds or thousands of people. People on the Internet develop networks of relationships, too. They collect e-mail addresses and favourite website URLs. Affiliate programs exploit such networks, as do permission e-mail lists. Learn to place your message into existing communications between people, and you rapidly multiply its dispersion.

(f) Take advantage of others' resources

The most creative viral marketing plans use others' resources to get the word out. For example, affiliate programs place text or graphic links on others' websites, authors give away free articles, news release can be picked up by a large number of publications as they form the basis of articles seen by hundreds of thousands of readers.

30. Joint Ventures

A joint venture is an agreement in which two or more businesses work on a project for a set period of time. Joint ventures can be long-term or short-term. With joint venture you can:

(a) Build long lasting business relationships.

(b) Increase your credibility by teaming up with other reputable, branded businesses.

(c) Get free or discounted products and services.

(d) Set up most joint venture deals with little or no money.

(e) Gain new leads and customers.

(f) Offer your customers new products and services.

(g) Get rid of your extra inventory.

(h) Find and create new distribution channels for your products.

To learn more about Joint Ventures, visit:

http://www.howtowritehypnoticjointventureproposals.com

There are many excellent ebooks on internet marketing. I would strongly recommend you pick up at least one or two and start reading. For a list of some great electronic books and tools, which are available for instant download, visit:

http://www.web4business.com.au/BusinessTools.htm

Ivana Katz is the owner of Websites 4 Small Business, a company specialising in the design and promotion of small and growing business websites. She believes that every business deserves to have a successful website, no matter what its budget is. For more information visit http://www.web4business.com.au or email info@web4business.com.au. To download your Website Plan go to http://www.web4business.com.au/WebsitePlanRequest.htm.

New Study Shows 53 Percent Of Subject Lines Are Broken

Are your subject lines broken? Even if you think you don't have a problem, you need to keep reading. A new study released by Pivotal Veracity shows that 53% of all subject lines are broken, meaning they'll be improperly rendered in your recipient's email reader! Fortunately, the study also gave us tips to make sure we avoid this pitfall.

For a test conducted with 18 major ISPs, the results are alarming. Basically, the problem boils down to a simple error - copying & pasting subject lines from a word processing program like Microsoft Word into your email program. MSWord and others like it show ASCII type characters when you're viewing your document, but they aren't ASCII encoded. Copy and pasting these non-ASCII encoded characters into your subject lines can render disastrous results of gobbledegook. And, we all know what that means. Not only might you lose a sale, you might even get reported as a SPAMMER.

Three simple solutions recommended by the report:

1. Don't copy & paste. Manually type your subject lines into your email program. This will help ensure your emails are deliverable and readable.

2. Use an ASCII text editor. If you're writing in English, and the copy you use only contains characters in the ASCII set, write your subject lines and emails in an ASCII editor.

3. Test, Test, Test! Be sure to test the emails you send in more than one email reader. Open an account with every major email receiver (Yahoo, MSN, Hotmail, Gmail, Excite, etc.), and send a test email to your account.

A freelance copywriter and editor, Kristen Michaelis publishes the popular monthly e-zine The Wonderworking Minute. Each edition of The Wonderworking Minute contains valuable hints and tips for helping you become a better marketer, communicator, and person. Sign up today for your free subscription to the e-zine and receive a FREE copy of her report “How To Gain And Keep Clients Through Strategic Partnering.” She and her husband Steve have partnered to create Wonderworking Words, a freelance copywriting services company. For more articles and tips like this one, check out The Wonderworking Words Blog.

Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication

More and more companies around the world are hopping national borders to conduct business. Regardless of the organization you join, you are likely to be dealing with people who come from various national, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. Communicating across language and cultural barriers at home will also challenge your skills. Without leaving your own country, you're likely to come into contact with people from a variety of backgrounds who work in your company, industry, and community.

Communicating with people from other cultures can be challenging. At the same time, your ability to foster successful communication between people of differing cultures will bolster your success in business and career. To overcome cultural barriers to effective communication, you must first learn what culture actually means. Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for behavior.
Subcultures, in turn, are distinct groups that exist within a major culture.

Cultures differ in several ways that affect communication:

• Stability: conditions in the culture may be stable or may be changing either slowly or rapidly;

• Complexity: cultures vary in the accessibility of information.

• Composition: some cultures are made up of many diverse subcultures and generally, the fewer the subcultures in a person's background, the easier it is to communicate, because you have fewer potential differences to consider;

• Acceptance: cultures carry in their attitudes toward outsiders, some are openly hostile, some maintain a detached aloofness, and others are friendly, and cooperative toward strangers.

By bridging these differences, you can successfully achieve intercultural communication. However, the four elements of culture are very general in nature. They don't say much about how to communicate with persons from other cultures. Here are the so called ten commandments of intercultural communication.

I. Be aware of differing social values;

II. Be aware of differing status symbols and how to demonstrate them;

III. Be aware of decision making customs: not all people like to make decisions quickly and efficiently;

IV. Be aware of concepts of time: not all people like to see time as money;

V. Be aware of personal space: people from different cultures have different 'comfort zones';

VI. Be aware of cultural context: people from certain cultures (called 'high-context cultures) rely less on verbal communication and more on the context of nonverbal actions and environmental settings to convey meaning. People from low-context cultures like the USA rely more on verbal communication and less on circumstances and implied meaning to convey meaning;

VII. Be aware of body language: learn the basic differences in the way people supplement their words with body movement;

VIII. Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another;

IX. Be aware of legal and ethical behavior;

X. Be aware of language barriers: English is the most prevalent language in international business, but it's a mistake to assume that everyone understands it.

Learning as much as possible about another culture will enhance your ability to communicate with its members. Read books and articles about the culture and talk to people who have done business with that culture's members. Concentrate on learning something about the culture's history, religion, politics, values, and customs. Find out about a country's subcultures, especially its business subculture, and any special rules of protocol.

Here are some tips when communication interculturally

• Take responsibility for communication

• Withhold judgments

• Show respect

• Empathize

• Tolerate ambiguity

• Look beyond the superficial

• Be patient and persistent

• Recognize your own cultural biases

• Be flexible

• Emphasize common ground

• Send clear messages

• Increase your cultural sensitivity

• Deal with the individual

• Learn when to be direct

Martin Hahn Ph.D. is an industrial sociologist with more than 20 years experience in teaching, management consulting, and corporate training. If you would like to get custom-made advice about your communication problems, please feel free to send your email to martinmim21@hotmail.com. All requests will be handled professionally and your communication problem will be handled in strict confidence.The above article is an excerpt from the ebook titled 'How to Communicate Interculturally' which can be purchased if you send an email to the author. Get additional info at http://www.martin-hahn.biz/pages/attraction/Travel_the_World__for_Free.html

Tornado Hits Idaho: Spuds Still Okay

We were driving through Hagerman, Idaho yesterday after visiting our grandkids in Seattle. We have a set of triplets up there plus their 4-year-old sister. The two boys think they are Stuka pilots.

For those of you who don’t know or remember what a Stuka was here is a description from [http://www.angelfire.com/ab4/airplanes/Stuka/Junkers_Ju87_Stuka.html:]

The Stuka was the most famous of all planes used by the Germans as a sturzkamfflugzeug (divebomber).

The Stuka was designed strictly as an army cooperation divebomber at the urging of General Ernst Udet. It is instantly recognisable with its inverted gull-wings, and fixed-undercarriage. The Ju 87 was ugly, sturdy, accurate, but very vulnerable to enemy fighters.

The Germans learned in the Battle of Britain that its use demanded air superiority. It was too slow, unmanoeuverable and underarmed, but its effectiveness in destroying vehicles, fortifications or ships, or just scaring people, was undoubted. Its accuracy was high when in a full dive that was up to 80 degrees.

Once the bomb was released it used an automatic pull-up system to ensure that the plane pulled out of the dive even if the pilot blacked out from the high g forces.

The Germans fitted the wheel covers with sirens that were used once the planes went into a dive to shatter the morale of enemy troops and civilians.

They also fitted whistles onto the fins of the bombs to ensure that the recipients knew just when the bombs were released and could track them on the way down.

Like the article says, the Ju 87 scared the hell out of everybody. That’s what my 19-month-old grandsons do to me when they climb to the highest elevations and then take a flying dive into my lap, or to the floor if they miss. My grandsons do not have the sirens nor the automatic pull-up system. The screams you hear are from Grandma, not the sirens.

Back to Hagerman

Hagerman is a small town on the Snake River. The area is known as Idaho’s “Banana Belt” because it can be a bit warmer there in the wintertime.

Driving though the town at 25 miles per hour we didn’t notice that anything was different. Maybe a tree down here or there but we didn’t see it. It certainly didn’t look like a tornado had buzzed through there the evening before.

We learned at the grocery store where we stopped before we got home that indeed a tornado had hit Hagerman.

We bought a newspaper and watched the news.

Well, it had been hit.

A couple of trees were down and a garage was shattered and scattered here and there. But we lived in Iowa for eight (8) years and we were not impressed. A television weather guy looked at the damage and said it looked like a 60 mile per hour wind had passed through. It was a Class Zero tornado, 5 being the highest.

The television news station said that Idaho gets about 5 tornados each year but that nobody ever gets to see them. They touch down out in the mountains or in the boonies somewhere and only the rattlesnakes get a good look. So having one hit near people was exciting indeed.

One family took video. Sure enough, the clouds were near tornado configuration, but not in the perfect configurations we got used to in Iowa. The vortex was there and the wind and hail were whipping things up including the family member who thought it was fun being out in the storm.

I wasn’t sure how to spell “hail,” there are so many ways, so I poked the word into Google Search. There I learned that hail is mentioned in the bible:

Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Psalm 148:8 See http://bible.cc/psalms/148-8.htm.

Hagerman got two of the four.

The End

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com), a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

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

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