Apart from the chat rooms, instant messengers and electronic mails created for communication and dialogue beyond turf are the emerging innovations that help man build opportunities for interaction. The need for a personalized and human face aspect of building online communities is slowly changing the technological landscape of the Internet.


Blogs / “weblogs” or blogging are the newest gift of Internet technology to people all over the world. These are updated posts, crop up entries or personalized life snippets, of mundane or bizarre in nature. For most, a “blog” is a personal, unedited, and authentic journal meant to be shared in an online community. Blog site is a place where bloggers can publish anything; his thoughts, feelings, photos, special events, experiences, comments on issues and so on. It is more of an online diary with videos, links, documents, newsletters and opinions on just about any topics you are interested.


Blogs are made to welcome the insights and opinions of all and therefore, should not be written to sound intimidating and too formal. This kind of blog is a sure way to put off the readers. In the basics of blogging, conversational tone would be more appropriate to reach the desired audience.


Blogging is all about individuals reaching out to other individuals. Having a blog has its own set of advantages:

? Freedom of Expression. If you want people to hear you out and give their own opinion, this is the best way to create a line of communication;
? Networking is at its best. Having a blog is a good platform for exchanging genuine ideas from consumers to you as marketer of a certain product. Sound opinion and point of view is better than just showing the price quote;
? Excellent advertising platform. Blogging is a new way to advertise products, a refreshing change from the traditional advertising outlets and it is cost-effective.
? Gauging public opinion on products and services. The key is nice and catchy titles with new ideas presented in your content. This is an assurance of quick and repeated responses from your readers. Blogs is an excellent spot for the exchange of ideas between the seller and the consumer. Good for measuring public opinion regarding services and products, even political and business matters alike.
? Useful tool for internal communication. This will help your company to build a knowledge-based community of employees. Also good for harnessing employee relations and identifying human resource issues in advance.
? Other benefits like search engine optimization (SEO) will help your blogs to be seen often by as many people as you wish. This is very good exposure for your products and services.


Many blog hosting services are available on the Internet. But the basic question is which one of the services will be the best to start off your business blog program? Business people are usually clueless to recent technological innovations which would help them maximize their marketing potentials. For these beginners, it is best to study first the services offered by blog hosts. An ineffective business blogging program may damage marketing opportunities instead of enriching them.


A company may decide to do the following depending on its capacity and needs: 1) Host their own blog service, 2) Pay someone else to host the service, or 3) Setup a “blog aggregator page” and ask the employees to select their blog hosting services individually. There are paid and free services available for individuals.


For business blogs, they are required to have the latest blogging features; if not, this will prevent them from maximizing their marketing, public relations and SEO potentials.


Keep in mind that blogs should have the following basic essentials:


COMMENTS. Welcoming comments provide opportunity for dialogue. In business blogs, they are a good customer feedback mechanism. This helps develop better customer relations based from loyalty and trust. Blogging is an innovative way to converse with your customers.
TRACKBACK. This helps in maximizing company and product exposure. Through this service, consumers can get back to you for more posts and updates without the difficulty of locating you. If your blog is popular in a specific online community chances are links going back to your blog site are everywhere online, other blog sites or even websites.
CATEGORIES AND TAGS. These both help in classifying blog searches for ease of navigation and on site search. Categories act as libraries because it classifies posts by subject matter such as business, distance learning, e-commerce, online auctions, etc. Tags, help in the classification, especially in the blog search engine Technorati. Possible customers and new clients locate blogs about certain topics of interest by just clicking the tags.
RSS FEED. Really Simple Syndication is the feed from your blog that is sent out over the internet, and collected through the various newsreaders and aggregators.


If your company is to establish a business blogging program, considerable options should be made available by the hosting companies shortlisted for the services. Free blog hosting services are popular but they are much appropriate for individual online journals. Paid blog hosting services offer unlimited packages best for your company’s needs. You may want to suggest checking out some blogs that use the host first, read and examine their layout and design. Another important thing to consider is a reliable technical support the host has.


After, choosing the blog host, a team should be ready to plan the design and structure of the blog: The team should:
? create a style that meets the needs of the audience;
? establish an open, credible tone;
? schedule weekly updating of blog - ideally, a few times a week;
? include weblinks of other website and blogs;
? blog post should be in the “first person;”
? focus on the business blog objective; and,
? maintain an honest, engaging conversational quality.


Remember, whatever the look, style and content found on your blog is a reflection of you and your company.

Summary:
To look at how to have confidence you need to understand that the typical person is always going to have some areas in their life that they are more confident than others.


Keywords:
confidence building, self confidence, lack of, gaining, how to be, Peter Murphy


Article Body:
If you are struggling with how to have confidence in your life, you are not alone. Most people think that self-confidence is something that lucky people have, people who can do anything and everything.

Part of the problem with confidence is we think we have to have tons and tons of it and all the time. The reality is, that not everyone knows how to have confidence in all situations.

Self-confidence is really an attitude a person has, that allows them to have a positive view of themselves and the situations life may put them. People with a confident attitude are realistic. They trust in their own abilities and believe that they will be able to do most of what they want to do in life. They know they can’t do everything.

To look at how to have confidence you need to understand that the typical person is always going to have some areas in their life that they are more confident than others.

You can be very athletic and comfortably confident in your athletic abilities while not feeling confident when meeting new people. Chances are you are confident in more ways than you may realize. The key to discovering a realistic self-confidence is to remove some of the false beliefs you may have developed.

1. False Belief:

I believe that to be successful in life I have to be competent in all the important areas of life.

Realistic Belief:

I know that achievement-based thinking is not the true way to feel worthy. I get some satisfaction when I achieve things that I set out to do, but I know that failures have nothing to do with my personal worth. I was born worthy.

2. False Belief:

The past has shown me how to have confidence in myself or not. My past is my most important guidance-system.

Realistic Belief:

As we grow we don’t have the same vulnerabilities we did when we were young. You’ve gained some awareness on what you think should continue to influence you in life. You choose which areas of the past that you’ll allow to steer the present, but you don’t have to be a slave to the past.

3. False Belief:

Everybody knows that bad things happen more than good things. The good things I do can’t be given too much importance with all the bad. People remember the bad so I should, too. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, I’ll have less bad results.

Realistic Belief:

I know that if I win 4 out of 5 times, that dwelling on the one time I lose and how terrible I feel is not a positive outlook. I know I can’t win all the time! It’s enough for me to do well at something most of the time.

I can use how good it feels to win next time things aren’t falling my way, because I know it’s only a temporary setback.

Learning how to have confidence has a lot to do with learning how to have a more realistic attitude towards life’s ups and downs.

Summary:
We all know a Weasel. You know, that person that threatens to take down your organization by using every sleazy tactic in the book to advance their careers regardless of how it effects others. Warriors, Workers, Whiners, and Weasels: The 4 Personality Types in Business and How to Manage Them to Your Advantage by entrepreneur Tim O'Leary takes a refreshing look at the different personalities we encounter and how to handle them.

The premise of the book is that essentially ev...


Keywords:
business, motivation, humor, career


Article Body:
We all know a Weasel. You know, that person that threatens to take down your organization by using every sleazy tactic in the book to advance their careers regardless of how it effects others. Warriors, Workers, Whiners, and Weasels: The 4 Personality Types in Business and How to Manage Them to Your Advantage by entrepreneur Tim O'Leary takes a refreshing look at the different personalities we encounter and how to handle them.

The premise of the book is that essentially everyone fits into one of four personality groups – Warrior, Worker, Whiner, or Weasel. O'Leary defines each as the following:

Warriors, who confront change, see possibilities, innovate and manage to win!

Workers, who deal with the ups, downs and challenges of everyday corporate life dependably, and who can reliably implement the change and direction established by the Warriors.

Whiners, who get through life by complaining about everything they do, who profess negativism and dissatisfaction wherever they go, and blaming others for their own shortcomings.

Weasels, who lurk everywhere and threaten your career and life-goals through their own deception and insecurity and who spread these feelings quickly throughout the organization.

The book is designed to help you recognize what group you fit into, give you the necessary tools to get to the group you want to be in, and learn how to effectively deal with people in each group. The book really does a great job of forcing you to truthfully analyze yourself. O'Leary warns you that you might not like what you find, but also is quick to point reinforce that you are in control and that you can make the changes in your life to fit into the group that you desire.

Even more interesting (and fun) is visualizing the people you know and placing them into their appropriate categories. We have all encountered a Whiner or Weasel and it helps to know what makes them tick and how to effectively deal with them so that they don't negatively impact your life. O'Leary uses the analogy to the common cold – you can't completely eliminate Weasels from your life but you can take precautions to limit the frequency in which they enter your life and the damage that they do while they're a part of it.

O'Leary uses a mixes light-hearted humor with a fiercely intense attitude to combine a business book and a self-help book in an exciting fashion. One chapter might focus on a self-analysis, the next might be about personal stories from O'Leary's experiences, and the next about management. The book is well over 200 pages but reads at the speed of a book that's half that. I often found myself reading several chapters in a sitting, which is a testament to the writers’ ability to hold readers interest. If there's a downside (and it's not much of one), it's that O'Leary is so brutally honest that it may rub some people wrong, especially those who fall into the Whiner and Weasel groups.

Warriors, Workers, Whiners, and Weasels: The 4 Personality Types in Business and How to Manage Them to Your Advantage by Tim O'Leary is a must read for every entrepreneur, business owner, manager, and worker wishing to learn more about themselves, take advantage of their best traits, and protect themselves from those who could sabotage their career.

Summary:

It's been said that character is defined by what you do when you think no one is watching. What an illuminating concept that is.

Most of us have a public face and a private face. There are parts of ourselves we don't want the world to see. Typically, we tend to hide the aspects that would not be viewed favorably by society. Greed, lust, jealousy, pettiness, fear and so on. We also tend to hide our weaknesses. No one needs to know that we can wolf down a gallon of ice cream...

Keywords:

positive thinking,motivation,character,integrity,self growth,self improvement

Article Body:

It's been said that character is defined by what you do when you think no one is watching. What an illuminating concept that is.

Most of us have a public face and a private face. There are parts of ourselves we don't want the world to see. Typically, we tend to hide the aspects that would not be viewed favorably by society. Greed, lust, jealousy, pettiness, fear and so on. We also tend to hide our weaknesses. No one needs to know that we can wolf down a gallon of ice cream in an hour, do they? ;-)

I think most people are "good" at their core; decent, loving, compassionate and kind. However, even those we perceive to be good people are capable of unspeakable acts. How many times have you heard a convicted murderer's family member or friend say, "I just can't believe he would be capable of something like that. It's so unlike him." The killer projected one identity to the world, while secretly he was someone else entirely.

Okay, most of us are not murderers. Yet, even those of us who would be considered "good people" often think nothing of stealing, cheating on our spouses, or worse. What does that say about our character? Is it wrong only if we get caught?

How many times have you done something that you probably wouldn't have done if others had been there to see it? Would you feel embarrassed if these things were brought to public awareness? Did you act on your impulses only because you felt sure no one would ever find out?

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of "sin" lately. What is sin exactly? In the Christian religion, sin refers to that which displeases (or dishonors) God. The Ten Commandments warn us against adultery, theft, murder and more. Supposedly if you follow that list, you will remain in God's good graces.

In some earth religions, there is only one commandment: Harm None; which basically covers all angles in two words. Do nothing that would cause harm to yourself or another. Seems simple enough.

Yet, in both of these examples there are gray areas, aren't there? Sometimes it's hard to tell what's right or wrong. If we find money on the street and pick it up, is that stealing? Does it make a difference if it was $5.00 or $500.00? If we lie to protect someone's feelings, is that wrong? If we take some paper clips home from the office, is that stealing? Does it "harm" the company, really? If we flirt with someone other than our spouse, or fantasize about them, is that cheating? Or is cheating only the physical act of sexual intercourse?

In situations like these, how do we know the right course of action? How do we balance integrity with our impulses and desires? I think it can help to examine your motives and the possible consequences. What is your intent in this situation? What do you hope to gain from it? Could your actions harm another, or yourself? If your actions became public knowledge, would you be okay with that?

Maybe some of you are rolling your eyes at me right now, thinking, "What's the big deal? So what if I take a few things from work, or cheat on my wife? What they don't know won't hurt them." That may be true, but doesn't it hurt you in the long run? Don't those actions detract from the kind of person you are? Don't they dim your inner light? If it's true that we are all connected, then isn't it also true that harming another means harming ourselves? By disrespecting others, we disrespect ourselves and God.

Personally, I don't believe that God is angry and judgmental, sitting up in the clouds waiting to cast us into the pits of Hell for our transgressions. I do believe there will be a final "review" of our lives, and we will have to answer for the things we've done. But I think we will be our own judges. In the deepest part of ourselves, we know right from wrong.

We're not perfect, and no one is expecting us to be. We all make mistakes and do things we are later ashamed of. We are human, after all. But there is a big difference between making a mistake, and purposely doing something we know is wrong. We may try to fool ourselves at times and justify our actions. Maybe your husband doesn't pay attention to you, so you try to convince yourself that it's okay to have an affair with a man who does. Or your employer gives you a crappy raise, so you decide to make up for it in other ways, like stealing supplies or fudging your time sheet. They asked for it, right? You certainly have the right to do these things, and probably no one will stop you. Our greatest gift in life is Free Will. Unfortunately, it is also often our greatest curse. There are always consequences to our actions, whether they come now or later.

In the end, it's all a matter of personal accountability. Do we want to be a person of character, or not? It doesn't matter if we get caught or not. What matters is that we are defined by our actions. If I take something that doesn't belong to me, I am a thief. If I cheat on my spouse, I am an adultress. If I don't want to get caught, I probably shouldn't do these things in the first place. The truth has a way of making itself known.

Have you recently made the decisions to remodel your own kitchen? Do it yourself kitchen remodeling has rapidly increased in popularity over the past few years. One of the reasons for that is because of the internet. Online, you can not only find the materials, supplies, and tools that you need to remodel your kitchen, but you can also find detailed instructions on how to remodel your kitchen, whether it be all of it or just a part of it. For that reason, if you are looking to remodel your own kitchen, it may be a good idea to take advantage of the internet.

One of the many reasons why you should use the internet, to obtain a detailed set of directions on how to remodel your kitchen, is because it is free to use. When purchasing materials at your local home improvement store, you may not be provided with a set of directions. While many kitchen cabinets sets come with a set of directions, not everything else does. If you are purchasing a set of something, such as cabinets, you are more likely to get a set of directions than you were if you were just purchasing supplies. For instance, if you are interested in retiling your kitchen floor or installing new lighting in your kitchen, you may need to find directions elsewhere. It is always possible to purchase how-to books, but why would you want to, especially when you can get the same information for free online?

In addition to being free, you will also find the amount of information amazing. As previously mentioned, whether you are looking to remodeling your entire kitchen or just a part of it, you can easily find the directions or instructions that you were looking for online. For example, online, you should be able to find instructions on how to reinstall a kitchen countertop, install a set of kitchen cabinets, replace your kitchen flooring, as well as install new light fixtures. Essentially, whatever you are looking to do, you can find a detailed set of instructions online. You may also enjoy the fact that many of these directions comes with step-by-step drawings or pictures.

Now that you know why you should find kitchen remodeling instructions online, you may be wondering how you can do so. Online, there are, literally, an unlimited number of websites that offer you information, as well as instructions for most kitchen remodeling projects. One of those websites is likely to be a home improvement store. If you know the online website of one of your local home improvement stores, you are advised to visit it and look around. In addition to finding a detailed set of directions on how to remodel a particular part of your kitchen, such as your sink, you may also find the products, supplies, and tools that you may need or want to have.

If you are unable to find one of your local home improvement store’s online websites or if they did not have the information that you were looking for, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. That search should produce a number of results; results that you may have been hoping for. When using an internet search, to find kitchen remodeling instructions, it is best to tailor your search to exactly what you need. For instance, if you are looking for instructions on how to install a marble kitchen countertop, you may want to search using the words marble kitchen countertop installation. As previously mentioned, countertop installations instructions are just one of the many sets of kitchen remodeling instructions that you can find online.

In addition to being free and full of information, the internet is also easy to use. That is why you are advised to get the information that you need, as well as instructions, for you next kitchen remodeling project online. Why guess or pay may money for a how-to book, when you can get exactly what you need free, with the click of a mouse?