Make a decision

The first key to making a living online is to decide exactly how you want to do it.

That may sound a little obvious but too many people embark on an Internet career these days without knowing exactly what it is they want to do to do.

There are many ways to make money online ranging from affiliate marketing to freelancing and a world of activities in between. Deciding which one you want to dedicate your time to will make a considerable difference to your level of success.

Find out exactly what it is that you want to do then you’ll find it a lot easier to establish the foundation of your career. However a lot of people don’t know where to look or worse, what to look for.

So ask your self first what are you good at? What is it that interests you?

If you have a skill that you already know how to monetize you may be looking at a career as an online freelancer. Hiring out your skill to those in the need for a fee which you can set at whatever your talents are worth.

Or you could become an affiliate for the skills, talents or services of someone else. Affiliate marketing is making masses of monetary rewards for many on line marketers receiving a percentage payout of up to 75% of any sales that they generate.

Alternatively you may have a product or service of your own that you would like to introduce to the market in which instance you will need to consider promotional methods, delivery methods and storage if it’s non-digital.

There are many many more ways of generating an income online and if, like I was when I was a newbie, you’re not sure which of the many methods are best suited to you then it’s important that you take your time and do some research.

Make a list of the topics that interest you the most. Look through that list, is there anything there that you already have training in? Could you teach other people how to be successful in any of those areas? What would you like to learn more about?

Throughout the life of you career it is really important for you to make plans like these and focus on an end result even though you may not be quite sure how you are going to get there yet.

Napa valley olives and olive oil

The history of olives and olive oil can be traced back to at the least biblical times. When the waters of the great flood subsided and Noah sent forth a dove it was an olive leaf she returned carrying in her mouth. It is known that as long as 6000 years ago olive oil was used as fuel in lamps. Maybe it was this olive oil that created such a beautiful Genie for Major Anthony Nelson to rescue in the popular television sitcom I Dream of Genie.

Today in modern grocery stores there are dozens of gourmet olives widely available. Gone are the days of canned black olives and green olives with pimentos as the only choices. For those of us who remember the days of opening a can of black olives and placing one on each finger then systematically biting them off here is the new olive.

Nicoises: Is a earthy rich olive commonly used in salad. The curing of this olive in red-wine vinegar gives it a distinctive taste.

Green olives with herbs de Provence: This vibrant citrus flavored olive is a delightful blend of herbs de Provence spices and large green olives. It is an excellent choice to use in surf dishes and with sweet spices.

Mount Athos green with Sicilian herbs: This is a second olive that utilizes herbs to dominate the pallet. Rosemary, garlic, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes give this olive a spicy appeal.

Mount Athos green stuffed with garlic: For a modern twist on the martini this olive is an excellent choice. It is stuffed with rich flavorful garlic and lends itself well to pizza as well as martinis.

Mount Athos green olives with sun-dried tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes give this heavy olive an intense flavor that is sophisticated and ideal for snacking.

Sun-dried olives: The drying of this olive gives it a rich flavor that blends wonderfully in sauces for serving over pasta.

Kalamatas: A tangy black olive cured in red-wine vinegar that can be from Italy or California. The California variety is denoted with a 'c' spelling rather than a 'k'.

Alfonsos: This robust winey tasting olive is soft and similar to the kalamata. It is a popular choice in antipasto salads.

Halkididis: Very similar in flavor to the kalamatas this olive is excellent blended with cream cheese and garlic for a flavorful dip.

Lucques: This meaty buttery olive contains pits but is still a wonderful choice with provolone cheese and bruchetta.

Living a better life in times of chaos

Is your life full of chaos?

Challenges such as stress, anxiety, illness and depression all contribute to a chaotic life. So how do you rid your life of the obstacles to your happiness and change it for the better?

Yehuda Berg says the answer lies within a group of sacred letters from the biblical story of Moses and the Red Sea. In his book "The 72 Names of God," Berg says that through 72 three-letter combinations taken from three biblical verses, you can find the strength to eliminate negative forces that keep you from living a fulfilling life.

The book explains that the 72 names are not "names" in the literal sense, but visual mantras that are activated spiritually rather than vocally. These spiritual tools come from a tradition called Kabbalah, which is today the fastest-growing global spiritual movement. Contrary to popular belief, Kabbalah is not a religion and you do not have to be Jewish to study it.

According to the teachings of Kabbalah, everything, including our destiny, begins and ends with our own individual behavior. The apparent randomness that we encounter in life is actually a system of cause and effect. Furthermore, the ability to overcome challenges lies in the power of mind over matter.

"The 72 Names of God" encourages readers to meditate on the names and follow through with a physical action to implement positive change in their lives.

Here are a few of the names and their applications:

* Healing: Think about others who also need healing. Be accountable. Blaming someone or something else absolves us of responsibility. Accepting 100 percent responsibility brings about the energy of healing.

* Unconditional Love: You should offer unconditional love to others if you want to have peace and serenity in your life. Love has the power to eradicate all forms of darkness. When you offer love to your enemies, you destroy their darkness and hatred.

* Eliminating Negative Thoughts: When negative thoughts - worry, anxiety, fear, pessimism, uncertainty - invade your mind, focus on thoughts that move you forward, not backward.

* Letting Go: Human nature is to hang on to past regrets and earlier traumas. But you cannot live a fulfilling future if you are hanging on to an unhappy and cynical past. This name gives you the courage to let go.

8 simple tips on potty training your child

Have you tried potty training your child and it just isn’t going well? Some children fight every potty training attempt you will make, while other children are interested in potty training. You as a parent will be able to tell when your child is ready to start potty training. Two or three years of age is the average age for your child to start the potty training process. Here are some simple methods to help make it easier on both you and your child.

1. Start practicing using the toilet around the age of two. Go out and purchase a small potty chair or a potty seat that fits over the regular sized toilet. If you are potty training a boy make it has a shield in front so they do not make a mess. Bring the potty chair into the room that your child spends most of their time in on a day or weekend when you have some free time. Let your child run around in just a shirt with their diaper off. If this nudity bothers you then have your son or daughter wear underwear. If you have them in a diaper they will never get the idea that when they urinate it will run down their legs and make a mess.

2. Clear your schedule before starting to potty train your child. Pick a time when you know that you and your family’s routine it least likely to be disturbed with vacations, guests, moving to a new house and so on. Long holiday weekends are a great time to start potty training your little one.

3. Decide what words you will use to describe body parts, urine and bowel movements. Try not to use words like “dirty”, “stinky,” or “naughty”. Using these negative terms can make your child feel self-conscience and ashamed. Talk about urination and bowel movements in a simple, matter-of-fact way.

4. Use your child’s favorite action figure or doll on a pretend potty, explaining “the baby is going pee in the potty.” Put diapers on their favorite stuffed bear and then eventually graduate the bear to underwear.

5. Discuss with your child the advantages of being potty trained. Talk to them about not having diaper rashes anymore, not having to take time away from playing to have their diaper changed and the wonderful feeling of being clean and dry. Help them understand that potty training is an important stage of growing up.

6. Use books and videos to help your child understand the process of potty training and see other children learning to use the potty. There are lots of books and videos available online or in your local bookstore. Let your child look at their favorite book while sitting on the potty to help the minutes pass by.

7. Get out your calendar and declare a potty day. This is the day that your child would like to start potty training. Use a bright color and circle that date. Keep reminding them that “potty day” is almost here.

8. Does your son or daughter like to unroll the toliet paper? Try squashing the roll so that the cardboard roll inside is no longer round. This way, it will not unroll as quickly. Also, little ones who are potty training will not get too much paper per pull on the roll.

Usually it takes several practice sessions for a child to understand what they are supposed to be doing and be totally potty trained. Just remember to keep trying, your child will eventually understand and be successful.

Home loan pre-qualification vs. pre-approval

Once you've decided to buy a property, the first step is not to go house hunting. Instead, you should find out what you can borrow. In doing so, it is important to understand the difference between loan qualification and approval.

Pre-Qualified

Getting pre-qualified for a home loan carries little if any weight when it comes to actually getting the loan issued. Let's take a look at why.

Its time to buy your first home and you've done the research. The first step is to find out how much you can borrow. Down to the bank you go for a sit down with a friendly home loan officer. This person asks you questions about finances, salaries, credit and so forth. You might even be asked to fill out a short questionnaire. After a surprisingly short time, the bank officer suggests a loan amount of around $300,000 is probable. Being really helpful, the bank officer even prints out a form letter with your name and the pre-qualification amount of $300,000. Wow, that was easy...perhaps to easy?

The problem with pre-qualifications is they are based on best guesses. The bank officer looks at no hard facts. When it comes time to actually apply for the loan, you can be assured the lending institution isn't going to be willing to guess. In fact, you might be told you don't qualify for a $300,000 home loan when push comes to shove. You might only qualify for $250,000. In nightmare situations, you might not qualify at all because of credit problems. In short, home loan pre-qualification is a waste of time for the most part.

Pre-Approval

Getting pre-APPROVED for a home loan is definitely your best option. Getting pre-approved for a home loan is an excellent strategy because you actually go through the process. Issues such as income, credit scores, personal wealth and so on are resolved. At the end of the process, the bank agrees to issue a loan up to a certain amount contingent on an appraisal of the home you eventually decide to buy. The lender will produce a letter indicating as much, and it is a very valuable letter.

A pre-approval letter is instant gold in the real estate market. If you were selling a home, would you prefer a buyer with a pre-approval letter or one without? The answer is obvious and leads to another advantage. In the current market, it is likely you will be bidding against other parties for property. A seller is much more likely to select your bid because they know the loan process will go smoothly. This can make all the difference when it comes to closing a deal.

Determining how much money you can borrow is the first step in the purchase process. Just make sure you get a pre-approval letter, not pre-qualification guesses.

How forex can affect your company

If you work with a company that does international business, then you have a connection to the concept of Forex.

Short for foreign exchange, the concept has to do with calculating out the current rate of exchange between currencies of different countries.

Here are some of the factors that come into play when it comes to arriving at and updating those rates of exchange, and how that impacts the bottom line of your employer.

There are actually quite a few different factors that come into play in order to arrive at a current rate of exchange on the currencies of any two given countries.

For now, let's focus just on the economic issues that often come into play.

The most basic of the economic factors is the balance between imported and exported goods and services between the two countries. Ideally, the trade flow between the two countries will be somewhat balanced and very steady in nature.

However, should the situation shift so that the demand for a given country's goods and services decreases, then there will be a downward change in the rate of exchange between the two currencies.

What this will mean for your company is that any rates they have extended to foreign entities, if the rates were extended in something other than the currency of the country where the client resides, will yield less gross profit.

In some cases, the shift could become so severe that you cease to make any real profit off the business at all.

Of course, the flow of goods and services is not the only economic indicator that comes into play.

The fiscal responsibility of your government also comes into play when rates of exchange are put into place.

As an example, if your country is currently experiencing a budget deficit - that is spending far more revenue than it is taking in - this will unfavorably impact the rate of exchange of your currency.

Governments that over time have demonstrated the ability to incrementally cut their national debt rather than have a sudden upswing in deficit will enjoy a better rate of currency exchange with other countries.

For your company, that means anyone that you have quoted in terms of the currency of your home country will very possibly be making more profit for you today than they did yesterday.

Generally, companies tend to bill international customers in the type currency used by those clients.

For example, if you are a US based company that has a sizable UK clientele, you will bill those British clients in terms of British pound sterling rather than American dollars.

In order to provide conversions for billing, many companies opt to use the rate of exchange as of the day that the goods and services are actually billed, even if the actual usage took place earlier in the month.

This helps to keep the invoicing easy for your Accounts Receivable personnel as well as making it easy for your customer's Payables department to process. T

his can also keep the process of Forex from creating any type of credibility issues from arising for you or for your client.

It should be noted Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.

What you need to know about bluetooth headphones

Bluetooth headphones and accessories are one of the fastest growing trends in electronic technology today. Those little gadgets that fit snugly to the ear are fast becoming the hot piece of electronic equipment to own if you want to compete. This hands-free opportunity to communicate with other headphones, PDAs, laptops, and now, iPod technology makes it one of the fastest growing consumer purchases. Bluetooth headphones come in a variety of model and price ranges. For a moderate $40 dollars, you can purchase basic Bluetooth headphones with a standby time of up to 120 hours. This model is able to also receive calls while not attached to your ear, and has voice dial and regular dialing options.

For a little more, consumers can try the BlueTake GT400 G3 Bluetooth headphones. This one incorporates a sleek style in a nice shade of blue that offers an attractive alternative to other headsets. This one also offers a full line of accessories. Fans of Bluetooth headphones might also want to check out the VR-3 wireless cell phone speakerphone designed for a Bluetooth headphones set. For less than $50, this handy gadget can be used in your car. Another, larger speakerphone is also available for less than $75.

Moderately priced between $50 and $100 dollars, consumers may also opt to purchase Scosche wireless Bluetooth headphones, still less than $100. These Bluetooth headphones are a little more stylish than other models and come with a docking base system that can plug into your cigarette lighter. When you dock the Bluetooth headphones into the docking system, they immediately go to speakerphone mode. Moving on up the Bluetooth headphones models and price ranges, any fan of Bluetooth headphones may want to take a look at the I-Phono Plus Bluetooth headphones and Transmitter kit. This model enables wireless music listening capabilities. For less than $200, users are able to control play lists and listen to either music or incoming telephone calls with the easy flick of a switch. The kit does contain the Bluetooth headphones and a Bluetooth transmitter that will work with any stereo or audio equipment. Another choice for Bluetooth headphones, and one that still ranges below the $200 mark, is the Scosche Bluetooth headphones. These nifty gadgets have a flip down microphone and come with a full range of options and accessories as well.

Besides being the hottest selling item on many consumer electronic favorites listings, Bluetooth headphones and accessories will continue to ride the popularity wave. Newer models boasting additional options and capabilities continue to hit the market every few months. As prices come down, more and more people will be able to afford and enjoy such convenient technology. Be advised however, that bugs are still being worked out on several Bluetooth models, so make sure to do your research before you buy. Check out forums and feedback on various websites selling Bluetooth technology to learn more about particular models of Bluetooth headphones to make sure you purchase the one that best suits your wants and needs.