The Internet Made Copywriting Easier

Posted on January 11, 2011 by admin

The internet has made it possible for many people to leave their dependable and boring office jobs to build freelance and consulting careers of their own. One of the fields that has most benefited from the resources available on the internet is copywriting. Both sides of the equation have gained from the tools available on the web, which makes copywriting one of the internet’s biggest success stories.

The first side of the equation is publishers who need quality copy. With websites, microsites, social media, and other channels now demanding content, publishers of all sorts are looking for good writers who can compose targeted copy for a variety of audiences and purposes. Instead of having to hire and support regular staff writers, these publishers can contract with freelance writers on a per project basis. This ensures that they get the highest quality writing at the most affordable price. Given that publishers need more and more content, the ability to find cost-effective writers for each specific assignment is invaluable to their bottom line.

On the other side is the writers themselves. They are able to offer their services to the widest variety of publishers, which means that instead of being limited to one subject, they are able to write about just about anything under the sun. In addition, they are now able to bid on copywriting jobs that used to be closed to in house writers. With greater access to projects and the ability to work on their own schedule from the comfort of their own home or the nearest coffee shop, the dream of being a freelance writer has become a reality for many.

From Copywriter to Innovator

Posted on December 19, 2010 by admin

While the internet if full of overnight success stories and the usual rags-to-riches stars, there are far more examples of people who have worked solidly and steadily to build a career and then transferred those career skills to the internet to create something new and exciting. An example of the latter is katie yeakle .

More than twenty years ago, Yeakle was a copy editor in a top direct marketing company. She honed her craft and worked to understand as many aspects of the business as she could. Through the years she held many titles, including product manager, editorial coordinator, marketing manager, fulfillment supervisor, and publisher.

In the late 1990s, Yeakle realized that the internet was going to serve a vital role in transforming business and that that transformation would allow average people to leave their boring, monotonous corporate jobs to forge new independent careers that they could control themselves. Working with several partners, she formed AWAI (American Writers & Artists Inc) to provide those budding freelancers with information and resources to help them become successful copywriters and graphic artists.

Today Yeakle is still happily working as AWAI’s executive director. Helping to design new programs in website marketing, travel writing, and public relations to offer even more options to those seeking to switch careers.

A Career in Criminal Justice

Posted on December 13, 2010 by admin

With the job market still severely depressed, workers are asking themselves what they can do to better position themselves for the industries that are still growing or are expected to grow once the economy recovers. Getting additional training or degrees is an important part of that preparation. Additional education can be the key to starting or improving a variety of criminal justice careers .

The field of criminal justice is one that is actually growing, and quite rapidly. While entry level law enforcement jobs don’t require a degree, many specialized criminal justice positions do. And those already in the field should always be looking for opportunities to get extra training on new techniques and technologies. Those that want to advance to the top levels of their specific career will want to get not just basic degrees, but should plan for extensive graduate level work to ensure they are fully qualified for advancement.

The actual field of criminal justice is so much more than law enforcement, lawyers, and judges. The field includes intelligence gathering such as the FBI and CIA, support positions like paralegals, court reporters and exotic jobs like Air Marshals and even game wardens. Technology has its own place, with computer forensics, crime scene technicians and lab analysts. These jobs all require a thorough understanding of applicable laws and criminal procedure as well as scientific, security, or administrative skills.

Roasting Your Own Coffee

Posted on December 6, 2010 by admin

Any frequent drinker of coffee knows there is a fine line between a good cup of coffee and a bad cup of coffee. What they may not know is that avoiding bad coffee is pretty simple. It all comes down to freshness.

Although roasting coffee helps enhance the flavor of the bean, it also decreases its shelf life by causing it to loose flavor faster. While you can check the dates and buy limited quantities at a time, the best way to get the freshest coffee is by roasting the coffee yourself.

There are a couple of different ways to roast your own coffee. One of the easiest is by using a hot air popcorn popper. You will also need a large mixing bowl and a colander.

Start by pouring the coffee beans into the popcorn popper. You can use the same amount of coffee as the popcorn machine recommends for popcorn. Set the bowl under the chute so that it collects the chaff. (If possible you may want to take this outside so it doesn’t make a mess in your kitchen.) When everything is ready turn it on. It is important that you watch it closely to achieve the desired roast . A light roast will take about 4 min and a dark roast about 6.

When the beans are a little lighter than you prefer pull them out. (They will continue to roast until they cool down.) Pour them into the colander and agitate them until they are warm to the touch.

You can begin preparing a cup in your home coffee makers right away, but it important that you store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Once you taste the freshness of this coffee, you’ll never go back!

Sometimes Smaller is Better

Posted on November 18, 2010 by admin

In recent years there’s been a return to the early idea of “bigger is better” when it comes to cars. This was the overriding belief through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Then came the oil crisis and suddenly smaller was better. That lasted for awhile and then minivans, SUVs, and Hummers convinced Americans that once again bigger was better. That idea lasted until gas prices rose again and then the economy crashed and now, once again, smaller seems to be better.

A big advantage that small cars like the honda fit have over larger vehicles is gas mileage. In a tough economy, anything that reduces monthly expenses is a big plus, so cars that don’t guzzle gas are much more attractive. Although lots of people argue that the appeal of the hybrid cars in the last decade was about environmental-consciousness, many people invested in them in anticipation of the next gas crisis.

In the past, buying a small car meant that sacrificing seating, hauling capacity and other features of big cars. While a fit can’t compete with a full-sized SUV, it does have adjustable seats that can be reconfigured to increase cargo area and is engineered to provide the maximum head and leg space for its size. Smaller cars are also much more maneuverable than larger vehicles, able to park, turn, and fit into spots that larger cars couldn’t dream of.

Solar Power Rebates

Posted on November 12, 2010 by admin

There’s a movement growing across the country of energy-conscious homeowners looking to switch from traditional electric power to alternatively generated options. The best example of this is in California. The state has created an initiative bringing together industry, utilities, and government to encourage homes and some businesses to convert to solar energy.

As part of this long-term initiative (it runs through the end of 2016), homeowners are eligible for California solar power rebates when they install solar panels in their homes. There are other programs for installing solar systems in new construction and even in business and agricultural endeavors. Because the state is covered by over a dozen different utility companies, the eligible programs vary depending upon which utility has jurisdiction over a specific property.

Homeowners in other states may also be entitled to government tax credits or utility rebates if they convert their homes to solar power . In some cases, utilities will even buy back any excess power generated by a home, so that individuals actually get paid for using solar panels. As more and more states follow the lead of California, look for even more incentives as well as educational programs to crop up all over the country.

Where to Find a Lawyer?

Posted on November 4, 2010 by admin

For most of the population hiring a lawyer is not something that we do on a regular basis, if ever. So when the need does arise we are often at a loss as to where the best place is to find a good lawyer. We have all seen the commercials on television for lawyers and, in most cases, are left hoping that there are other options.
The first place that most people go when they are looking for pretty anything is the Internet. From a hair salon to a Reno lawyer the Internet has it all. Because most law firms have websites, you can easily find the law offices that offer the specific services that you are looking for. You can also find reviews of different firms that can give you an idea of what they are like and help you make a decision.
If you have never hired a lawyer before it can be hard to know what you are looking for. Chances are you have friends, family, co-workers etc. who have hired a lawyer so asking around is a great way to get recommendations. Often if someone has had a good experience then they are more than willing to pass the firm or lawyers name along.
After you have a few possibilities it is a good idea to check them out yourself . Most lawyers will meet with you for free, or for a minimal fee, so that you can see if you are a good match. Because your lawyer will be representing you, it is important that you are comfortable.

Reliable Travel Insurance

Posted on October 23, 2010 by admin

A definition of insurance would indicate that it is designed to protect against financial loss . This applies equally to property damage, loss of income, loss of life, and even the costs associated with illness and injury. However, most people think of insurance in terms of security. It makes them feel less vulnerable, less at risk of disaster. And some people are willing to pay large sums of money for that feeling.

It seems strange, then, that many people who travel overseas neglect to buy insurance for their trip. Those who move overseas or study for a year usually stop and thing about their insurance needs, but even someone traveling for a short time should consider whether travel insurance would be a useful investment.

Many good companies offer policies — reliance travel insurance policies are one such example. They provide travel insurance for students, families, and senior citizens as well as individuals. Policies cover travel-related loss and delays as well as medical needs and even death benefits. A reliable insurance company will work with a traveler to ensure that all their needs are covered at a price they can afford.

It is definitely worth the time needed to research and negotiate a travel insurance policy even if it is never used. The ability to relax and enjoy traveling without feeling vulnerable is invaluable.

The Purpose of Online Bookmarks

Posted on October 20, 2010 by admin

Remember when a bookmark was an object placed in a physical book to show the last place a person was reading? Today when someone refers to bookmarks they are most likely referring to online bookmarks , not physical ones. The principle behind the online version is the same, to mark the place someone was, hence the transfer of the word from one realm to the other. Unlike physical bookmarks, online bookmarks are much easier to share and organize.

It’s probably better to think of web bookmarks more like the tape flags some people put in legal documents or the highlight students do in text books. They call attention to important or memorable items that viewers want to revisit. In the online world, this can be an article, blog post, reference page, video, picture, or anything with a unique URL. Having a system to mark these URLs is why web browsers have favorites, histories and bookmark features. Being able to easily organize and share these tags is the philosophy behind social bookmarking sites.

Bookmark sites take things a step further than simply consolidating and saving bookmarks. They allow users to organize their bookmarks by category and tag them by subject matter, thus creating a massive database of user-approved bookmarks that any web surfer can access. Some even encourage users to vote on or rank sites and that information is stored in the database with the link. Any page, video, or blog post that appears on the “most popular” list of a bookmark site has the approval of a large percentage of the site’s users, making it more attractive to searchers.

Understanding Coupons

Posted on October 14, 2010 by admin

It’s hard to believe, but there are shoppers out there who don’t know what a coupon is or how to use one effectively. During these tough economic times, more and more people are learning the ins and outs of effective couponing and sharing that knowledge with their friends and family.

At it’s most basic a coupon is a discount offered on the regular price of an item. Sometimes coupons can be applied to sale prices, further reducing the final price at the register. Traditionally coupons have been printed on paper. They are found in newspapers, magazines, newsletters and fliers. There are special companies that do nothing but print and mail out collection of neighborhood coupons in cities all over the country.

Today many coupons come in electronic form and can arrive via email, by visiting a website or even via text message or smart phone download. Electronic coupons usually need to be printed out for use in local establishments. Online retailers usually offer coupon codes that are entered during the online checkout process, since there’s no way to hand over a printed coupon. Coupons received on cell phones sometimes use a code to be entered at the register or may just require the phone to be swiped across the scanner the way a printed coupon would be.

The most important thing to note about any coupon is its expiration date. No matter what form it takes, an expired coupon is pretty much worthless. The other important thing is to read the fine print. How much of a discount and how many items must be purchased can dramatically change the final savings. Likewise knowing whether coupons can be multiplied or used with other coupons are important to saving as much as possible.

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