Tuesday, October 12, 2010

5 Tips to Simplify Your Web Design

1001 Ways | 5 Tips to Simplify Your Web Design.

Simplicity rules! It makes a websites look sleek, reduce nagivation confusion and it helps achieving desired goals and results (I.e., more signups, subscribers and sales). But too often it seems elusive to simplify your website design. No matter how hard you try, you can’t make your work look like Apple’s. So what does a website designer really needs to do? Fret not, for there are 5 starting points to simplify your website design.

A simple website design shouldn’t be a daunting all-or-nothing ordeal – you can simplify your design by taking small steps. Simple tasks like putting the focus only on the essential elements of your website, getting rid of the unnecessary, reducing the number of pages your site has, getting more content above the fold, and limiting the number of colors you use. You can always fine-tune and improve your simple design, but the important thing here is to get started.

Ready to start simplifying your website design? Awesome. Without further ado, here are 5 starting points to simplify your website design.

source : hongkiat.com

Monday, October 11, 2010

Careers to Enter Right Now

Careers to Enter Right Now.

Get back to work faster by knowing where jobs are in high demand

If you’ve been out of the workforce for a couple years, getting back into the swing of things can be tricky. With the economy still in recovery mode, the job search is not only competitive, but extremely stressful.

However, there are some fields that offer more promise than others and focusing on those offers you a better chance of landing a steady career the second go-around.

Learn a little about why the three listed below each has the potential to be a great profession and find sites to help you get started with your job hunt.

Health Care
A recent survey by Manpower, an employment services firm, found that nurses, technicians and doctors make up three of the top 10 U.S. jobs in demand this year (the others: skilled tradespeople, sales reps, drivers, restaurant and hotel staff, managers, engineers and customer service reps).

And the U.S. Department of Labor reports that the home health aide field, which requires only short-term training, will grow 50 percent by 2018. For more information, read the Health Care Careers Directory at ama-assn.org.

Environment
Concerns about global warming have led to demand for better use of renewable energy, explains John Challenger, CEO of outplacement consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas in Chicago. Between January and March 2010, 83,000 clean energy jobs—from farmers to administrative assistants—were created, reports the Council of Economic Advisers. That number is expected to grow, says Challenger. Check out the primer on eco-friendly jobs at nrdc.org/energy/greenjobs.

Startup Companies
Last year, 69 percent more job seekers than the previous year opted to start their own firms instead of pounding the pavement for a new position, according to a Challenger, Gray & Christmas study. Which means those fledgling firms will likely be looking for staff (you). Start your search at jobnob.com, which lists networking happy hours and video job fairs, and connects you with startups that offer both salaries and alternative compensation—often a mix of equity and cash.

source : womansday.com

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Top 5 Ways To Make Money Online

1001 Ways | Top 5 Ways To Make Money Online.

This entire website is a testament that there are hundreds of different ways to make money, both online and off.

But today we are going to have a look at the top 5 most popular ways to make money online.

Make Money Building Niche Websites
Make Money Writing Your Own Blog
Make Money Advertising CPA Offers
Make Money Selling E-Books
Make Money Taking Surveys

Make Money Building Niche Websites

We all know that yourbest shot at making money online is to appeal to a specific group of people – a niche market interested in a specific topic. If you try to appeal to everyone then very few people will actually buy what you’re selling.

That’s why topical content sites are a great way of making money. You simply pick your topic, build a site around it and wait for the money to start coming in. So long as you focus on a profitable topic you’re home free…

Make Money Writing Your Own Blog

Moreand more people are realising that blogging is one of the best ways to start your own online business. It requires minimal start up costs, you can build an impressive and loyal readership over time and once you know how to monetize your blog it can also bring in a decent income that will keep on coming even on the days when you don’t update your blog.

There are several ways to set up a blog online. You could use WordPress, Blogger, or another free site that hosts your blog for you; or alternatively you can set up your own blog under your own domain name.

Make Money Advertising CPA Offers

With the internet such a large part of our lives today, more and more individuals are looking for opportunities to make money online. While some are doing it to bring in some extra cash, others are looking for full-time careers and are being quite successful with their endeavors. Many are doing this by becoming marketers of CPA opportunities. You, too, can make money marketing CPA offers.

Make Money Selling E-Books

Make no mistake – e-books are big business online. No matter what you search for there will be someone out there selling an e-book on it.

But the best thing about them is that they provide one of the most potentially lucrative businesses you could ever hope to start online. So long as you do your homework and don’t try and cut corners you can start making inroads into this business within days of deciding to get started. There is plenty to learn but none of it is beyond you – and even if you don’t think you’re up to the job there are plenty of people you can call on to help you.

Make Money Taking Surveys

Are you looking for a legitimate way to make money online? Maybe you want some extra spending money. Or perhaps you need the money to pay bills. Either way, getting paid for filling out simple surveys can be a fun and lucrative way to earn that extra cash.

In fact, there’s quite a lot of money to be had — and the cool thing is that you can earn it in your spare time. Any time you can spare a few minutes — or a few hours, you can make money.

source : 101waystomakemoney.com

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Conan O’Brien Gets His Own Foursquare Badge (and a Blimp)

Conan O’Brien Gets His Own Foursquare Badge (and a Blimp).

As Conan O’Brien prepares to make his big return to late night television on November 8, the comedian is also returning to his social media roots for a Foursquare promotion of giant proportions — blimp-sized, in fact.

Team Coco, in partnership with AT&T, has launched the The Conan Blimp into the skies above Philadelphia. The orange eye sore will travel all over the east coast for the entire month of October; Conan fans who spot it can check in to the blimp to unlock a special Conan badge on Foursquare.

The Conan Blimp also has its own website complete with a live cam and an always-updating map. True Conan fans that don’t want to miss their chance at the badge can also follow Team Coco on Foursquare and Twitter for updates on the blimp’s whereabouts.

The campaign is as transparent as they come — those blimp checkins will get distributed to all corners of the social web and spread the message that Conan is back. Still, it’s a massive undertaking that is both strange and fascinating. The month-long east coast blimp trip is sure to be one giant spectacle, and it seems fairly safe to assume that it will attract a fair amount of stares — and possibly even Foursquare checkins.

The blimp-badge partnership is also an interesting indicator of how location, checkins and entertainment marketing can go hand-in-hand.

Foursquare tells us that the startup’s participation in the campaign was orchestrated by Jonathan Crowley, sibling to Co-founder Dennis Crowley and the man at the company handling media partnerships of late.

What’s your take on The Conan Blimp and Foursquare badge? Marketing win or shameless ploy? Share your thoughts in the comments.

source : mashable.com

5 Digital Camera Etiquette Tips

1001 Ways | 5 Digital Camera Etiquette Tips.

Now that so many of us carry digital cameras everywhere, we're finding new and amusing ways to annoy one another with them. We post awful photos of obviously drunk acquaintances, and push camera phones so close to people's faces that it impedes their ability to blink.

Every new technology comes with its own shiny set of social problems. A few suggestions on digital camera etiquette:

1. Examine your priorities.
Unless you're a professional photographer, recording an event should take a backseat to experiencing it. It's fine to use your camera phone, just don't hide behind it.

2. Protect minors.
Only parents get to decide whether it's OK to post images of their kids online. Ask them first, and respect their answer. As you know, once an image is out there, it can end up anywhere, so be sensitive to possible misappropriations. And mind your privacy settings, especially when it comes to bathtub photos, and shots of kids running jaybird naked through the sprinklers.

3. Accentuate the positive.
You know that photo of your mom where one of her eyes is half closed and she seems to be snorting? Or the one of your best friend where his martini is about to spill, and his eyes aren't working as a team? Take those down. Otherwise, your friends will start to back away when they see you approaching with a camera. As an added measure of kindness, give your friends editing rights. Tell them you'll remove non-group photos that they find embarrassing or unflattering.

4. Give credit where it's due.
If someone else took a photo on your camera and you decide to upload it, credit their compositional skills in the caption.

5. Blur identifying elements.
If you're publishing online, it's nice to blur out license plate numbers, and street addresses. If you really want to play it safe, block out anything that associates you with an organization, like college logos on sweatshirts, or the baseball cap that has your workplace on it.

What's your pet peeve when it comes to digital camera etiquette?

source : mylifescoop.com

Friday, October 08, 2010

How To Grout (Video)

1001 Ways | How To Grout (Video).

Video Summary

You have come this far, the tile is down and cut to size, you have mixed the grout, and you don’t want to mess up the ceramic tile project now. It could all blow up in your face at this point. The grout in the joints is still soft, since you just put it down.

To avoid making a mistake, you have to strike the grout joints the correct way. As seen in the older grout, there are no holes or imperfections in the tile joints. In the new grout (1:15), there are some holes or low or high spots. To smooth out the grout joints, get a large bucket of clean water and a large grout sponge. A grout sponge is a special sponge with rounded corners. It has no sharp edges like a standard sponge.

Wet the sponge and squeeze all the water out of it. It is critical to get out as much water as possible. You don’t want to put extra water on the grout. Too much water will dilute the cement in the grout and ruin it. It will crumble and fall apart.

Once all the water is out of the sponge, take it and lightly rub across the grout joint. You will notice that the rough, sandy grout now takes on a smooth, even finish. Just barely touch the sponge to the grout. If you are matching new grout with old grout, you have to blend it. Push a little of the new over onto the old to blend it together.

Be sure to rinse the sponge frequently. Keep it clean. Use a light circular motion over the grout joints. Use very little pressure - just a gently wiping to smooth the grout. Flip the sponge over to get another clean side. If you push down hard on the sponge, you will dig the grout out of the crack.

Be sure not to grout too large of an area. If you grout too much, you won’t be able to clean up and smooth the excess grout before it starts to set up. If it dries before you get to it, the project can be ruined.

At this point, the surface of the ceramic tiles will still be covered with lots of grout residue. This film needs to be cleaned up before it dries and you have a nightmare on your hands. To clean the surface, wet and squeeze the water out of the sponge and gently wipe in long strokes across the tiles. The grout residue will start to come up in the sponge. Repeat until the tile is cleaned. Pull across the tile very light and let it float over the joints. You need to remove as much of the grout film off as possible.

Even after this is complete, there will be one final cleanup step. Watch the Finishing Floor Grout Video for this final step.

source : askthebuilder.com

Surprise E-Cigarettes Dangerous

Surprise E-Cigarettes Dangerous.

FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients that a laboratory analysis of electronic cigarette samples has found that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze.

Electronic cigarettes, also called “e-cigarettes,” are battery-operated devices that generally contain cartridges filled with nicotine, flavor and other chemicals. The electronic cigarette turns nicotine, which is highly addictive, and other chemicals into a vapor that is inhaled by the user. These products are marketed and sold to young people and are readily available online and in shopping malls. They are also available in different flavors, such as chocolate and mint, which may appeal to young people.

The FDA’s Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis analyzed the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands of electronic cigarettes. In one sample, the FDA’s analyses detected diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze that is toxic to humans, and in several other samples, the FDA analyses detected carcinogens, including nitrosamines.

These products do not contain any health warnings comparable to FDA-approved nicotine replacement products or conventional cigarettes. Because these products have not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval, at this time the agency has no way of knowing, except for the limited testing it has performed, the levels of nicotine or the amounts or kinds of other chemicals that the various brands of these products deliver to the user.

The question is, when does the FDA begin to treat any form of nicotine as the dangerous, addictive drug it is.

source : naturalmedicine.com

Light Effect on the Typography

1001 Ways | Light Effect on the Typography.

Because someone requests me to write the tutorial using a blending mode, this time will discuss the Color Dodge. Color Dodge is blending mode that is very important to create light effects in photoshop.

The idea behind this work is about the nuclear which is also known by the term ‘nuke’, is one of the most promising electric energy generator in the world today. Utilization of nuclear energy is increasingly growing in many countries. Because nuclear power plant is a powerhouse of the most reliable for the present and future. With increasingly advanced technology, security, safety has been proven, and cheap electricity prices, this will change the public perception of nuclear technology.

Final Image Preview

Before we get started, take a look at the image we’ll be created.

1001 Ways | Light Effect on the Typography

Follow the steps here

source : grafisia.com

How Crazy Will Fox News Get?

Very, very crazy indeed.

Here’s an absolutely deranged segment of Fox News’s web show “Strategy Room,” promoting the idea that we’re in the End Times, that the economic downturn and the “One World Order” is prophesied in the Bible, and that Barack Obama is the Antichrist.

Yes, really. This is the “news” network behind the rise of the far right, and this clip is one of the clearest examples yet of the sheer insanity driving the propaganda they promote.

They’re telling the rubes the world is coming to an end.

Favorite quote:

For Christians who really kind of read the Scriptures, and believe in them and believe in these prophecies, this is really wonderful stuff. But for people outside the Christian church, what you’re talking is really crazy stuff.

Ya think?

source : littlegreenfootballs.com

Underground: graphic novel thriller set in a cave

Underground: graphic novel thriller set in a cave.

Caves are great locations for thrillers. I enjoyed The Descent, a B movie about a group of women spelunkers who get lost in a cave and have to fight a horde of blind humanoid monsters.

And I really enjoyed Scott Sigler's EarthCore, about a platinum mining expedition in Utah that goes horribly awry when the mining party bumps into an ancient race of violent creatures that live in an immense underground network of caves three miles below the surface of the earth.

Underground, a 136-page graphic novel by written by Jeff Parker and illustrated by Steve Lieber, doesn't have any malevolent mutants, but I can look past that. It still has bad guys, in the form of ruthless and relentless human scumbags who want to kill a pair of Kentucky park rangers who have witnessed their dynamiting of the caves as part of a sleazy business plan.

The artwork is just superb. It doesn't seem easy to draw the interior of a cave in a way that's realistic and interesting, but Lieber handles it with aplomb. The coloring, by Ron Chan, is very effective: in the cave it's monochromatic, and outside full-color, which give the cave scenes creepy and intense mood.

Lieber also illustrated Greg Rucka's Whiteout, which was mominated for four Eisner Awards (Best Limited Series, Best Graphic Album, Best Writer, and Best Penciller/Inker). I haven't read it yet, but it's on my list.

source : boingboing.net