Donnette

In this article I'm going to explain Internet phone service in simple terms. Hopefully this will help you make an informed decision about whether or not Internet phone service might be for you.

Let's start with some definitions

Very often you'll see Internet phone service referred to by an acronym: VoIP. What this stands for is "voice over Internet protocol."

"Protocol" is another word for "rules." So Internet protocols are the rules and technologies that make the Internet possible. It's a collection of all the rules that everyone follows so that equipment from one vendor is able to communicate just fine with equipment from another vendor.

In brief, Internet protocol says that you take multiple data transmissions (like emails), break them into pieces (or "packets") and send them along multiple different lines simultaneously. The information is then reassembled at the end and brought to the receiver in the proper way so that it can be easily understood. This means more speed, efficiency, lower costs -- and a tremendous amount of upside expansion capability.

Here's how Internet protocol makes Internet phone service possible

In the old days, you were connected to the person you're talking to buy a copper wire. Your conversation with this other person took up the entire wire -- nobody else could use it. This is not very efficient. And as demand for phone service went up, capacity could not keep up with the demand. The phone companies literally could not string enough copper wire fast enough.

The solution? Send the voice messaging using Internet protocols -- VoIP.

The owners of these networks realized that they could attract new customers for their networks by offering Internet telephone service that saved money on local and long-distance calling. And of course the telephone companies themselves branched out with this service as well.

So that's how it works.

Now let's see if we can answer some questions that will help you make an informed decision about whether Internet phone services are for you.

Here's how you can take advantage of Internet phone service

There are couple of ways you can go. One way is to bundle your Internet phone along with your Internet service and your cable TV. If you live in an area where this is available that could be a cost-saving solution for you depending on how much you are spending now.

You can also contact your existing phone company to see if they offer Internet phone services.

A third option is to go with an independent Internet phone service company. There are many vendors out there, e.g., Skype, Packet8, and VoIP.com. And these are just a few of the popular Internet phone services out there. Be careful, however, because there's been a shakeout in the market. Vonage and SunRocket are two companies that recently suffered setbacks and there may be more before the shakeout ends and consolidation takes over.

Will you need a special phone line?

No, but you will need to have your own high-speed Internet connection. And unless you opt to go with a PC-to-PC or PC-to-phone plan, you will need to have an adapter to sit between your phone and the Internet connection. Once you've done that, you're good to go as far as hardware is concerned.

Conclusion

Hopefully we've answered some of the most urgent questions that you may have had about Internet phone service. I would encourage you to a look around in your area and find out who the providers are, what their plans entail, and then make an informed decision on your own.

Ara Rubyan is not a part of the VoIP industry, nor does he sell VoIP services, nor does he pretend to be a guru of any kind. Instead, he is like you: a consumer, a business owner, and someone who has been researching the industry so that he could make an informed decision about the best VoIP service for his needs. Now, he's put all his research (so far) in one convenient location and he's sharing it with you, no strings attached.

For more info on Internet Phone Service, visit Ara Rubyan's VoIP Solution.

With so many people coming into the home business industry and with the boom of the internet, you might be realizing that people who use the power of the internet in their MLM business are having huge success.

Truly, with the internet MLM success is much easier. The amazing thing about using the internet (which people in the past did not have access to) is that it serves as a great vehicle for lead generation and once you acquire that skill, internet MLM success is really so simple.

Using lead generation on the internet you can get an endless stream of new prospects through your marketing channels (you always want to make sure you have more than one) , because we have an opportunity, when using the right tools for keyword research and search engines to uncover the hungry markets looking for an MLM opportunity.

So here' what happens.

You are going to learn how to set up landing pages (landing pages are those you have set up on the internet to capture names). Obviously you need them to fill out the forms you are going to create and so the way you do this is to offer them something of value in exchange for their email addresses and phone number - for example -- an irresistible offer, possible a free report or video training...

Voila, you'll have more leads than you can handle and the best part is these people will be open and receptive to your message. So set up these systems, do your research for hungry markets and then set your landing pages. This is how I build a quarter of a million dollar MLM business in less than 15 months and you can learn how to do this too!

Now once everything is in place, you can guide as many people as you want through that channel and expect it will produce distributors out on the other end.

I am truly a proponent of your own lead generation and I am an expert at it online. Although you may want to start buying leads when you get started, solely for the purpose of building your momentum while you set up your lead streams on the internet, buying leads in my opinion is never the long term strategy.

It is must for you to learn how to market exactly to the group of people who is already looking for what you have to offer. Tap into markets that want what you have and you will find your conversion rates sky rocket.

Plus using your own landing pages does something else that company replicated sites can't - you start building a solid relationship with your prospect and they develop a loyalty towards you.

But what is the most important thing? It is to get out there and start creating internet campaigns as one of your lead vehicles, today, right now!

Take action as early as you can. The sooner you start pursuing your goal the sooner you will get to your destination. Using the internet, MLM success is the not far away...

To see what I did, you can visit me at http://www.TheMarketingCouple.com

Interested in creating your own lead streams but dont know how? Visit http://www.TheMarketingCouple.com to discover the step by step process for building a lead stream cash cow.

For all those who protest any effort to crack down on illegal immigration... for those who claim that we should pursue an open borders policy at all costs... I can only hope that you will study the story of Zina Linnik and reconsider a course which is putting our children at serious risk.

Police believe that 12-year-old Zina was kidnapped on the Fourth of July while watching a fireworks display. She was a child who was enjoying freedom, and the best of what America has to offer.

Now, investigators are questioning a 42-year-old convicted sex offender from Thailand in connection with her death. Terapon Adhahn had been living in the U.S. illegally. And now police are wondering whether he caused the death of an innocent girl.

Adhahn, who was found guilty of incest about 17 years ago, is being held for questioning in relation to the Linnik murder.

During a news conference, Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell stated, "Our hearts and prayers are with the Linnik family and we will continue to put forth our best efforts to bring the perpetrator of this senseless and horrific crime to justice."

Any suspect is innocent until proven guilty, and Adhahn is entitled to a fair hearing, if he is ultimately charged with Zina's death. He has, in fact, denied having anything to do with the girl's abduction.

Yet, Fox News is reporting that his conviction for incest should have prompted deportation. Let's be clearcourt records indicate he is a diagnosed pedophile. In addition, a search warrant indicates that girl's undergarments--a particularly damning piece of evidence--were taken from Adhahn's apartment.

The police chief says that the discovery of Zina's body caused "great anguish" for her family, Tacoma police, and FBI agents. This is a tragedy which will cause unspeakable grief for all those who knew and loved her. The fact that an illegal immigrant may have been responsible makes the tragic death all the more difficult to bear.

This nation was built through the courage, strength, and commitment of untold numbers of immigrants. Most of us, in fact, trace our ancestry to foreign lands. An immigrant who enters this country legally, who's willing to sacrifice for the sake of his or her newly-adopted country, represents the epitome of what makes this country great.

Unfortunately, there are some foreigners who are violent criminals who have no business being on our shores. We may not even realize they're hereuntil tragedy strikes. Why is it that some public officials are willing to ignore our immigration problem until some horrific event occursan event which makes us realize just how vulnerable we are to foreign thugs who have no regard for our lawsand no regard for our kids?

If you have a Ducati Hypermotard then you have several upgrade options to choose from when shopping for Ducati motorcycle parts. Your first option is to upgrade your exhaust pipes. One exhaust upgrade that you can buy is the Carbon Homologated Silencer Kit. This is a 2 in 2 carbon silencer that has been designed with titanium sleeves. This exhaust kit will not only help you to reduce the noise level of your Hypermotard, but it will also help to control its emissions. Your second option for upgrading your Hypermotard exhaust system is to buy the Complete Racing Exhaust Assembly Kit. This kit is a racing 2 in 1 exhaust assembly. It offers a stainless steel manifold, carbon silencer and titanium sleeves. There are two advantages of this exhaust upgrade. First of all it reduces the weight of your bike by 7 kilograms and secondly it improves your bikes performance.

The next Ducati motorcycle parts that you can buy for your Hypermotard are racing camshafts. These parts are designed to improve the engines performance. To make sure that these parts create the most benefits for your bike you will want to install the Complete Racing Exhaust System on your bike in conjunction with the racing camshafts.

Now that you know what Ducati Motorcycle parts will make your bike go faster, you next need to know what parts will help you to slow down. The Racing Brake Caliper Kit is a part that your bike needs if you plan on racing. This product is made from a one piece aluminum casting and it includes a dedicated front brake line.

To get your Ducati pointed in the right direction you may also want to shop for Ducati motorcycle parts that will improve your bikes steering and control. One part that you may be interested in is the Cross-Mounted Aluminum Steering Damper. This part is designed to improver your bikes front end stability, which will help you to remain in control of your bike no matter what riding style you have.

In addition to a superior line of motorcycles, Ducati also offers a great line of custom bike accessories. These accessories include items like Ducati Monster upgrade, racing bike parts, 1098 accessories, engine performance upgrade kits, wheel upgrades and bike covers. Wrecked motorcycles, salvaged parts and accessories from major manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Ducati, Henderson, Yamaha, Buell and Kawasaki. Find the parts you need to repair your bike or restore a vintage motorcycle as a hobby or profession

When we think about giving from our wealth, most of us think of giving financially. However, there are other ways of giving from our wealth. Some of those ways are right in front of us every day. The following are some examples to consider:

1. Clothing. Clean out your closets and drawers of all clothing that is either too small or too large to fit you. Also, get out any clothing that you have not worn for a long time. Donate those clothes to a charity or church that will reuse the clothes or sell them to raise funds.

2. Books/Toys. Don't stop with cleaning out your unused clothing. Go through all of your books and any toys that might be in your home as well. If they don't get used, put them to good use by donating them.

3. Cellular Phones. It seems that many people are getting their cellular phones replaced every couple of years. What do you do with the old phone? There is an organization that redistributes those phones to people that might need one for emergency situations but can't afford it. Contact the Charitable Recycling Program at 1-800-527-4700 x301 for more information. They have collection sites across the United States.

4. Cars. Are you about ready to purchase a newer car? What are you going to do with the one you are currently driving? Many charities accept donations of used cars. Most of them sell the cars in an auction to raise funds for their cause. Checking with your favorite charity or doing a search on the Internet for "auto donation" will give you some options if you are considering this.

5. Eyeglasses. Don't throw out your old glasses or let them collect dust somewhere in your home. The Lions Club International has been collecting eyeglasses for approximately 80 years. They will put them to good use in developing nations.

6. Food. Every year the Boy Scouts in my area collect canned goods to donate to churches and shelters to help feed those who need the help. You can help by giving food to your local churches and shelters. Check in advance for rules on what they can and cannot accept.

7. Furniture/Appliances. If you are remodeling or have household appliances you are no longer using, consider donating them as well. Furniture and appliances may be accepted as donations at charities such as Goodwill Industries International, Inc. Call ahead to make sure they are accepting them at your location.

Not only will making these donations help others, but it will also give you some additional space and a great feeling. You may even be able to use your donations to reduce your taxes.

What are you waiting for? Start opening your closets, drawers and cupboards now and donate your unused items to help others. You may be wealthier than you realize.

Roger Carr is the founder of Everyday Giving. His life purpose is to help people help others. To learn more ways to give, sign up for the free Everyday Giving ezine at http://www.everydaygiving.com.

Fathers, take a moment to feel peaceful love for your children. Then, check out these crucial tips to make your child safer and protect your precious offspring from lurking danger.

1. NOW I KNOW MY ABC'S If your child is old enough to learn their ABC's, then teach them their phone number instead including 1, area code and number. Beginning at age two, children need to know their first and last names, your first and last names and complete address, including your town and state.

2. ROLE PLAY What if no one picked you up at school? What if someone knocks on the door with a package for you? What if Mom falls down and can not get up? What if someone told you we were dead or sick and wanted you to go with them to the hospital? Do you tell anyone on the phone that you are home alone? Teach your child to make an emergency call by dialing "911" or "0" in an emergency. Law enforcement officials would rather send out an officer on a false alarm then have a kid hurt or kidnapped.

3. SECRET WORD AND PLACE Always decide a designated meeting place in theme parks or malls like easily recognized McDonalds Restaurants. Many children, who get separated from their parents, do not consider themselves "lost" if they are still having fun. Be sure to clearly define "lost" as not with Mom or Dad. Make up a secret family pass-phrase that no adult could guess, and that is a funny visual picture your child will remember, such as "The blue hippopotamus is hungry." Teach your child to ask permission from their parent, teacher or baby-sitter before they go anywhere.

4. TINGLY TUMMY Children have no experience with evil doers, but they do have survival instincts. They may not recognize a kidnapper or predator other than a funny feeling in their stomach that is warning them of creepy danger. Encourage this awareness by asking them in different situations, "Do you feel safe, does this feel right, can you sense danger?" when they are considering jumping off a high place, reaching to pet a strange dog, or when near a too friendly stranger or a loud bully.

5. BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY We teach our children to quietly acquiesce to adults but if they are taken by a stranger teach your child to throw a full blown tantrum, yelling, "Kidnapper, Help" while kicking and trying to break loose. Once they are safely away, they can go to an employee of the store, to a police officer or to a family for help if they get lost, frightened by an attempted kidnapping or predator. Tell your child not to stray from you in a public place because someone might try to steal them.

6. SMILE Police need a full face photo taken within the last six months or if your child is under the age of two, four times a year. Prepare a kit for each child that is an emergency box. Place a current photo, a detailed description of your child, including height, weight, age, eye and hair color, birthmarks, broken bones, scars, moles, physical characteristics or medical needs inside the box. Include names, addresses, and parents' names of your child's friends, favorite parks, and activities. Ask you dentist to prepare a full dental chart on your child that is updated with each new tooth change. Ask your doctor for a copy of your child's medical records and remind them to note on their chart that information is never to be released without your written approval. Consider keeping in a sealed envelope an old toothbrush, baby teeth, a bloody band aid or a lock of hair as a DNA sample for the highest level of identification. Arrange with your local police department to have your child fingerprinted (officers make it easy and fun) and give you the fingerprint card. Just imagine if someone said your child belonged to them, not you. The contents of the box will help prove you are the parent and help police find the child if he or she is missing.

7. JUST FOR A SECOND A tired, burnt out parent only needs to drop their guard for a second to allow a predator time to act. Always accompany your child to the bathroom even if other adults act uncomfortable. To protect your child, never hesitate to take a child with you to a men's or women's restroom regardless of the sex of the child rather than send them in alone. A child is not safe playing unsupervised in your yard, walking alone, home alone or left in a vehicle, ever. The parents that have a toddler leashed to them may seem harsh but imagine how you would feel if your sweet, attention deficit child or unruly toddler wandered off in the opposite direction. When you have two or more children the difficulty of maintaining safety and order can grow exponentially.

8. YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO BE WATCHING Is someone drinking while watching the kids and protesting it is only a few beers? Someone needs to be the designated care taker and be sober, watchful, capable and kind. Become aware if your spouse or baby sitter seems oblivious or less sensitive to their duties. Depression, illness, alcohol and drug use in a care taker can leave a child virtually unattended. Do not permit it to continue. If a spouse wants to drink while on duty, sell the car and hire a daycare to keep your children safe. Drop in on babysitters and daycares unexpectedly. Sit around and watch for awhile. Listen to what your child says happens there after you are gone.

9. CHECK YOURSELF Are you attracted to younger and younger people? Do your friends wolf whistle at adolescent girls? Are you looking at pornography that uses young teenage girls or boys made to look older? Usually troubled runaways succumb to posing for these photographs because they are destitute or on drugs. When you buy this kind of pornography you are helping to exploit these children. "Developing and championing "model legislation" with regard to child pornography is crucial to a successful outcome in the fight against child pornography. Strong child pornography legislation is currently in place in only 5 of the 186 Interpol Member Countries." (http://www.icmec.org/missingkids). Were you molested as a child? Sometimes if you were the victim you become extremely tuned in and more protective. Yet, too often old fear kicks in and leaves you powerless to protect a child, even when the truth is right in front of your eyes. Talk to a therapist confidentially and regain your ability to protect your children and others from knowing firsthand what you experienced.

10. CAN THEY TELL DAD Usually a child will try to tell an adult about molestation or incest once. If you do not believe them or tell them they are lying, often they will not tell anyone again. Let a child know that you will listen to them, believe them and stop anyone who tries to hurt them, even if the perpetrator is your best friend, grandpa, a relative or neighbor. Unfortunately, the child often knows the person who hurts them and that causes great confusion and guilt in the child. If a child is fearful or tries to avoid someone, you must pay attention, they are asking for your help. Some people use teasing and joking to grab and touch a child, then make fun of them if they complain. Those adults are using your child and hiding behind humor. Stop them. When your child puts personal information on their clothing or on the Internet it is an open door to every scumbag in the world. Simply say no to your child and explain why.

11. NEWBORNS In the past twenty years, the highest number of infant abductions has been in California, Texas and Florida. The profile of a typical abductor is an overweight female who usually plans the abduction ahead of time and takes advantage of an opportune moment to seize a baby. The woman often impersonates a nurse or healthcare worker and enters a hospital room and takes the baby for testing, etc. But an abductor could be anyone. "While it is normal for new parents to be anxious, being deliberately watchful over the newborn infant is of paramount importance. Never leave your infant out of your direct line-of-sight even when you go to the restroom or take a nap. If you leave the room or plan to go to sleep, alert the nurses to take the infant back to the nursery or have a family member watch the baby. .. If you are uncomfortable with anyone who requests to take your infant or unable to clarify what testing is being done or why your infant is being taken from your room, it is appropriate to go with your infant to observe the procedure...have at least one color photograph of your infant (full, front-face view) taken along with footprints and compile a complete written description of your infant including hair and eye color, length, weight, date of birth, and specific physical characteristics." (www.missingkids.com)

12. CALL THEM

Professionals are ready to help you. "Since 1982, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has spearheaded the national effort to prevent child abductions and return missing and exploited children to their families. In partnership with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), NCMEC continues to enhance and expand its ability to offer critical intervention and prevention services to families and support law enforcement agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels." (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200128.pdf). The Kentucky Missing and Exploited Children Unit was organized in 1984 to create a centralized clearinghouse to assist law enforcement agencies to locate and return missing children to their homes. Many stores, like Walmart, have a Code Adam plan of actionif a child is missing in the store, employees immediately mobilize to look for the missing child.

Check out http://www.missingkids.com, http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/missing/i_safety/icac.htm and http://www.take25.org for more information. The reality of today's world requires parents to be super vigilant and take precautions and preventative measures to prevent kidnapping, exploitation, Internet crimes, pornography and violence. Take the lead, Fathers, in protecting your children by being there, being watchful, and being trustworthy guardians.

Dr. Molly Barrow holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is the author of the new book, Matchlines: A Revolutionary New Way of Looking at Relationships and Making the Right Choices in Love, ISBN 159507158X. She is an authority on relationship and psychological topics, a member of the American Psychological Association and a licensed mental health counselor. Dr. Molly has appeared as an expert in the film, My Suicide, documentaries Ready to Explode and KTLA Impact, NBC news, PBS In Focus, WBZT talk radio and in O Magazine, Psychology Today, Newsday, The Nest, MSN.com, Yahoo, Match.com, N Magazine, Womens Health and Womens World. Take the new relationship compatibility test by psychology expert Dr. Molly Barrow. Please visit: http://www.DrMollyBarrow.com/ Love and healthy relationship advice for pre-marital, marriage, dating and business relationships.

It used to be thought that the unborn baby was protected from harm by the placenta which filtered out dangerous chemicals. The tragedy of the limb-deficient Thalidomide babies in the 1970's, however, connected the use of drug with very real consequences to the growing fetus. Additional anomalies were detected in off-spring of women who took DES.

No drug has been found SAFE for the unborn baby. Generally, the greatest danger from maternal drug consumption is seen in drug use during the first trimester of the pregnancy. Some drugs will only cause problems if taken with other drugs or if taken at a certain critical point in the development of the baby. It must be assumed that every drug the mother takes during her pregnancy will cross the placenta and reach the baby. This includes prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs like aspirin.

LABOR MEDICATIONS

The best and safest course to take is to avoid all drugs during labor. The effects of many pain relieving drugs last much longer in the newborn than in the mother. Barbiturates and sedatives may cause the newborn to have respiratory difficulties and sucking problems. Narcotics such as Demerol, Stadol, Dilaudid, etc., can affect the newborn's ability to breathe and alter the baby's behavior for weeks. Mothers who get a tranquilizer may also be lowering their baby's heart rate or temperature, cause poor muscle tone in their babies and alter the baby's responsiveness and behavior.

A great many American women receive PITOCIN at some point during their labor to initiate labor or speed up the process. It has a known side-effect of affecting the baby's heart rate causing oxygen deprivation. It has also been linked with newborn jaundice.

At the 1994 MANA Convention in Chicago, I spoke with numerous labor and delivery nurses from the area who were disgusted at the high rates of intervention at their hospitals. Many of these nurses claimed that their hospitals had about a 90% epidural rate! They acknowledged that the real risks of taking this form of regional anesthetic was never really mentioned to the women who asked for or accepted the procedure and other drugs. As more women receive this form of pain relief, hopefully more research and documentation on the adverse effects of this procedure will accumulate and be made available to the public. Currently we know that if any of the drug finds its way into the blood stream, the baby's heart rate may change and the baby may be depressed at birth. The passage of the baby through the birth canal is also affected due to the relaxing of the mother's tissue from the medication.

ALTERNATIVES FOR PRE-LABOR DRUGS

Many alternatives to drugs are available. For those who reach immediately for the aspirin bottle with a headache, relaxation techniques may be a good substitute. Allergy symptoms that include watery eyes, runny nose and coughs may be healed as much by honey and lemon as by all the cold medicines on the market. Massage can alleviate sore muscles and backaches and insomnia.

Many herbal preparations are currently for sale to alleviate frequent problems. Homeopathic remedies are also available in many drug stores. The low does herbal and homeopathic remedies available are generally safe when used appropriately according to the directions. Many books have been published to guide the consumer.

Yvonne Lapp Cryns has degrees in nursing and law. She is the co-founder of Nursing Programs Online.com -http://www.nursingprogramsonline.com , and Midwives.net - http://www.midwives.net Yvonne also produced a video about midwives: http://www.compleatmother.com/video2.htm

Carpet, it is great when it is clean but it can sometimes be trouble to keep it that way. Because of this fact many people are switching to hard surfaces. This is an expensive alternative and leads to other problems. But there is no need to replace your carpet. Read this article and learn some tips to keep you loving your homes carpeting.

The best way to keep enjoying your carpet is to of course keep it clean. To do this the best thing you can do is vacuum it often. Vacuuming removes dr soil which can build up in the carpet. A carpet can easily hold its weight in dry soil. Vacuum at least once a week. Twice would be better. Be sure that your vacuum is in good condition and that you are using a fresh bag. Replace bags or empty dust cups when they reach half full.

Another thing you can do to help improve your enjoyment of your carpet is to keep up with stains. Do not let them build up. Instead keep a bottle of spotter handy so that you can clean them as they occur. If you let them get away from you it might lead to you giving up on your carpet so stay on top of things.

To keep your carpet as free of dirt like pet dander and dust remember to change your homes air filter at least once a month to keep it from contaminating your home. When you replace it consider changing to a pleated higher efficiency filter which will trap more dust, allergens, etc. The fiberglass filters are really not all that efficient.

Hopefully these tips will help you maintain your carpe and increase your enjoyment of it. Good luck and happy housekeeping.

Learn more about Charleston carpet cleaning and upholstery at the authors website.