Spring Shoes Trend Report - Color Blocking
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Shoes Trend - Spring 2009
There's nothing like vivid blocks of color to herald in the Spring season. The more vibrant hues the merrier, and the better to make a statement with! Find some of our favorites here:
Spring Shoes Trend Report - Color Blocking
Spring Shoes Trend Report - Color Blocking
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Spring 2009 Trend Alert - Harlem Pants
The penchant for harem pants has been hanging around in the wings of fashion for a while appearing on the catwalk at Balmain and YSL for Autumn/Winter '08 but looks likely to be even bigger in the Spring. The Aladdin style trousers have already been worn by Naomi Campbell but are soon to be available in brighter shades. They were spotted on the Spring '09 catwalk at Alexander McQueen (left), Betsey Johnson (right) and Chloe (center) to name but a few.
The trend has now hit the High Street with great options available for under £50. It's best to choose a slightly cropped pair as they will be more flattering and team with a tight fitting top or crop top if you're feeling brave. This exaggerates the volume and balances the shape slightly.
The trend has now hit the High Street with great options available for under £50. It's best to choose a slightly cropped pair as they will be more flattering and team with a tight fitting top or crop top if you're feeling brave. This exaggerates the volume and balances the shape slightly.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
IT Show 2009 12-15 March 2009
Covering a record of 330,000 square feet of exhibit space - the largest in show history - sprawling over 5 entire show floors of Suntec Singapore (levels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6), the IT SHOW promises to be nothing short of amazing. The 2009 IT SHOW will be action-packed and fun-filled introducing more new product categories, spanning across industries aimed to improve the consumer experience.
More than 800 exhibitors will feature a dynamic and comprehensive line-up of the latest and hottest consumer technology gadgets from new next-generation digital televisions, wireless HD, coolest new multimedia phone, ultra mobile PCs, Digital Imaging, Wireless Technology, Portable Entertainment, HDTV, Plasmas, Gaming, MP3, Networking, Digital Media, Audio & Home Entertainment/Lifestyle Products, Broadband Technology, Multimedia, Security, Software, Consumer Electronics to a plethora of accessories all on display.
The 2009 IT SHOW will be a spectacular event where visitors will experience the latest in digital entertainment products, new gadgets & services combined with Exclusive Show Offers, Great Bargains and Huge Savings to create the ultimate consumer experience.
With 4 Metres of comfortable walkway in each of the hall, visitors can breeze through an extensive array of the Latest Tech Gadgets from over 800 Major I.T Manufacturers and Suppliers such as Acer Computer (Singapore) Pte Ltd * Altec Lansing * Apple * Asus Technology Pte Ltd * Benq Singapore Pte Ltd * Brother International Singapore Pte Ltd * Canon Singapore Pte Ltd * Casio Singapore Pte Ltd * Cisco Systems - Linksys (Asia) Pte Ltd * Compaq Singapore * Creative Technology Ltd * D-link International Pte Ltd * Dell Singapore Pte Ltd * Epson Singapore Pte Ltd *Fujifilm (Singapore) Pte Ltd * Fuji Xerox Printers Pte Ltd * Fujitsu PC - AsiaPac Distribution Pte Ltd * Hewlett Packard Singapore(Sales) Pte Ltd * Infocus Systems Asia Pte Ltd * JVC Asia Pte Ltd * Kingston * Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd * Lexmark * LG Electronics (Singapore) Pte Ltd * Logitech * Microsoft Singapore Pte Ltd * MobileOne Ltd * NEC Computers(S) Pte Ltd * Netgear * Nikon Singapore Pte Ltd * Olympus Imaging Singapore Pte Ltd * Packard Bell * Panasonic Singapore Pte Ltd * Pioneer Electronics Asia Centre Pte Ltd * Ricoh * Samsung Asia Pte Ltd * Sandisk * Seagate Technology International Pte Ltd *Sennheiser * Sharp * Sigma * Singnet Pte Ltd * Sony Ericsson * Sony Singapore Pte Ltd o Starhub Ltd * Symantec Singapore Pte Ltd * Targus Singapore * Toshiba (Singapore) Pte Ltd * Western Digital (S.E.Asia) Pte Ltd and many more..........
PLUS ! For every $100 paid or deposit placed during the show, you may stand a chance to win: 1st Prize: S$ 20,0002nd Prize: S$ 3,0003rd Prize: S$ 2,000And other attractive prizes(* Remember to redeem your IT SHOW lucky draw coupons @ Level 6 (Hall 602)- Suntec Singapore)
Details:
Venue: Suntec SingaporeLevels 1, 2, 3, 4 & 6
Dates: 12th - 15th March 2009
Opening Hours: 12 noon to 9pm Free Admission
BUS SERVICES TO SUNTEC SINGAPORE:10, 14, 16, 36, 70, 70M, 97, 106, 111, 133, 196, 501, 502, 518, 546, 700, 857
Saturday, March 7, 2009
HOW TO BOOST YOUR SEARCH ENGINE RANK AND INCREASE INCOMING LINKS
You're trying to decide between two big summer blockbusters. Everyone you talk to recommends one over the other, and the reviews seem to back them up.
You're looking for a new pediatrician and the same doctor's name keeps coming up as you pick the brains of your friends and neighbors.
You're trying to find the perfect romantic restaurant for your anniversary so you start to chat up some other couples....
You get the idea.
We turn to others for recommendations, and when one name keeps coming up we rank that movie, or pediatrician, or restaurant at the top of our list.
Search engines work the same way. Let's say two Web sites offer information on organic lawn care. The first site has 10 incoming links--a link from another Web site--and the second has 100. The second Web site will rank higher for an "organic lawn care" search, all other things being equal.
Like recommendations, not all links are created equal. The popularity of the linking Web page, the number of links on that page, the words in the link and the context of the other Web page all affect how much "weight" the link has. (This is similar to asking two friends their opinion of Chicago restaurants; if one grew up in Chicago, you'll probably give her opinion more weight.)
It's essential to get quality incoming links if the search engines are an important part of your Internet marketing plans. Unfortunately, some businesses have difficulty getting incoming links. Here are some hints on how you can increase the number of quality incoming links to your own site.
Create content that's link-worthy. No one will want to link to a site that doesn't offer good content, so start there. Don't expect links to your Web site if it's just an online brochure.
Create a free tool that your customers will want to use. Whether it's a productivity tool like an ROI calculator or an application that turns your name into an acronym for a killer cyborg, the idea is to create something that will get other site owners and bloggers to link to you. A link from a popular blog like Boing Boing may cause your idea to go "viral" and be spread throughout the Web.
Get links from professional organizations. Do you belong to a chamber of commerce? The AMA? The APA? Some other TLA? (Three Letter Acronym.) Many associations post links to their members' sites. If yours does, make sure they link to your site.
Get links from directories. There are hundreds of directories out there. Besides big names like Yahoo and DMOZ, there are plenty of specialized directories as well. Two good places to start are the Internet Search Engine Database for Web Directories and this thread from the High Rankings forum .
Post articles to an article distribution service. Web sites like iSnare, The Phantom Writers and eZine Articles will distribute your article for a small fee, getting you loads of exposure. Each Web site or eZine where your article appears will include a "resource box" for your sales pitch and a link back to your Web site.
Start a blog. With a blog you have complete control over the text, so you can include keyword-rich links that give your search engine ranking an extra boost. You may see better results if your blog has a different domain than your Web site.
Leave comments on other blogs. Whether you have your own blog or not, you can leave comments on other people's blogs. In doing so, you can link your name (or signature) to your Web site, creating more incoming links. However, if you're not adding to the "conversation" of the blog, the blog owner may delete your comments. In other words, intelligent comments only, please.
Post to discussion forums that target your customer base. There are discussion forums, a.k.a. Bulletin Board Systems (BBS), that target every demographic you can imagine. Find ones that target your audience and post (intelligent) replies to others' posts. Your signature file can include links back to your Web site.
I recommend first reading several posts in the forum to get a better idea of what people are talking about, asking about, and how they respond to "helpful" replies from vendors. You can also learn a lot about your prospective clients this way, and what problems they face.
By replying to their posts in a helpful manner you can establish yourself as an expert and a good resource for when they're looking for a solution.
A few words on trading links: There's no harm in trading links with another Web site. If the two sites have a lot in common it makes sense to link to each other. However, there is currently little value from a search engine standpoint. The idea of reciprocal links has been so abused by Web site owners and "black hat" SEO experts that the search engines give little or no weight to reciprocal links.
In short, link to other sites if you think your visitors will benefit from the link and if it doesn't cause you undue harm, but don't expect a big spike in your rank.
A few words about link farms: There are a few "bad neighborhoods" on the Internet that can actually harm you by providing a link. Although some legitimate directories charge for links, generally it's a good idea to stay away from sites that sell links to anyone with money in their pocket.
In conclusion, incoming links can improve your search engine visibility and drive new traffic to your Web site. Be sure to set aside time or money in your Internet marketing budget for link building activities.
Interesting Metaphors
Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two other sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master. -- Sue Lin Chong, Washington
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it. -- Joseph Romm, Washington
She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again. -- Rich Murphy, Fairfax Station
The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup. -- Paul Sabourin, Silver Spring
From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30. -- Roy Ashley, Washington
Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake. -- Ken Krattenmaker, Landover Hills
Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. -- Unknown
He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree. -- Jack Bross, Chevy Chase
The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease. -- Gary F. Hevel, Silver Spring
Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can. --Wayne Goode, Madison, AL
They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth. -- Paul Kocak, Syracuse NY
John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
The thunder was ominous sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play. -- Barbara Fetherolf, Alexandria
The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon. -- Unknown
He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut. -- Sandra Hull, Arlington
The door had been forced, as forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of Jeopardy. -- Jean Sorensen, Herndon
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. -- Jerry Pannullo, Kensington
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
"Oh, Jason, take me!" she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night. -- Bonnie Speary Devore, Gaithersburg
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. -- John Kammer, Herndon
Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -- Barbara Collier, Garrett Park
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up. --Susan Reese, Arlington
It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before. -- Marian Carlsson, Lexington
The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. -- J.F. Knowles, Springfield
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM. -- Paul J. Kocak, Syracuse
The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium. -- Unknown
It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. --Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up. -- Susan Reese, Arlington
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword. -- Tom Witte, Gaithersburg
Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs. -- Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park
Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a first-generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened. -- Sue Lin Chong, Washington
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
Ah,but wait there's more...
Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut. -- Sandra Hull, Arlington
The door had been forced, as forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of Jeopardy. -- Jean Sorensen, Herndon
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. -- Jerry Pannullo, Kensington
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
"Oh, Jason, take me!" she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night. -- Bonnie Speary Devore, Gaithersburg
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. -- John Kammer, Herndon
Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -- Barbara Collier, Garrett Park
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up. --Susan Reese, Arlington
It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before. -- Marian Carlsson, Lexington
The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. -- J.F. Knowles, Springfield
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM. -- Paul J. Kocak, Syracuse
The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium. -- Unknown
It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. --Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up. -- Susan Reese, Arlington
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword. -- Tom Witte, Gaithersburg
Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs. -- Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park
Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a first-generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened. -- Sue Lin Chong, Washington
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it. -- Joseph Romm, Washington
She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again. -- Rich Murphy, Fairfax Station
The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup. -- Paul Sabourin, Silver Spring
From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30. -- Roy Ashley, Washington
Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake. -- Ken Krattenmaker, Landover Hills
Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. -- Unknown
He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree. -- Jack Bross, Chevy Chase
The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease. -- Gary F. Hevel, Silver Spring
Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can. --Wayne Goode, Madison, AL
They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth. -- Paul Kocak, Syracuse NY
John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met. -- Russell Beland, Springfield
The thunder was ominous sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play. -- Barbara Fetherolf, Alexandria
The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon. -- Unknown
He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut. -- Sandra Hull, Arlington
The door had been forced, as forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of Jeopardy. -- Jean Sorensen, Herndon
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. -- Jerry Pannullo, Kensington
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
"Oh, Jason, take me!" she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night. -- Bonnie Speary Devore, Gaithersburg
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. -- John Kammer, Herndon
Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -- Barbara Collier, Garrett Park
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up. --Susan Reese, Arlington
It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before. -- Marian Carlsson, Lexington
The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. -- J.F. Knowles, Springfield
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM. -- Paul J. Kocak, Syracuse
The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium. -- Unknown
It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. --Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up. -- Susan Reese, Arlington
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword. -- Tom Witte, Gaithersburg
Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs. -- Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park
Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a first-generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened. -- Sue Lin Chong, Washington
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
Ah,but wait there's more...
Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut. -- Sandra Hull, Arlington
The door had been forced, as forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of Jeopardy. -- Jean Sorensen, Herndon
Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. -- Jerry Pannullo, Kensington
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. -- Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington
"Oh, Jason, take me!" she panted, her breasts heaving like a college freshman on $1-a-beer night. -- Bonnie Speary Devore, Gaithersburg
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. -- John Kammer, Herndon
Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -- Barbara Collier, Garrett Park
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up. --Susan Reese, Arlington
It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before. -- Marian Carlsson, Lexington
The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. -- J.F. Knowles, Springfield
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. -- Jennifer Hart, Arlington
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM. -- Paul J. Kocak, Syracuse
The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium. -- Unknown
It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools. --Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up. -- Susan Reese, Arlington
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword. -- Tom Witte, Gaithersburg
Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser. -- Chuck Smith, Woodbridge
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs. -- Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park
Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a first-generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened. -- Sue Lin Chong, Washington
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall. -- Brian Broadus, Charlottesville
A-Z Tips to Increase Site Visitors
We said A-Z and we meant it. Here are 26 sure-fire ways to increase web traffic and site visitors to your website. Use some or all of them, and let us know which ones worked best for you.
- Optimize your site (SEO).
Win on the search engines when people search for keyword phrases related to your products or services.
(More about search engine optimization.) - Get your site listed in directories.
Submit your site to all the major web directories. This will generate traffic directly from the directories themselves and will also help to improve your link popularity. That helps you win on Google!
(More about web directories.) - Get listed in search engines.
Submit your site to all the major search engines.
(More about search engines.) - Get links to your site.
Get people with complimentary sites to link to yours. You offer rental kayaks on the beach. Ask the local restaurant owners to link to you, and offer to link to them. Ask the local tour guides, the real estate agents, the night clubs, and everyone else. Links lead to clicks onto your website and help to improve your search engine rankings. - Buy links to your site.
Buy text links on other websites. That means more spiders stopping by, more people clicking through, and better search engine rankings. - Buy banner ads.
Buy banner ads on other websites. It helps to build brand recognition. - Participate in a banner exchange program.
It won't cost you anything, and will lead to a few extra visitors. Plus, you're spreading your brand all over the place. - Participate in a WebRing.
Connect your site with other sites in your niche. - Pay for clicks to your site.
Pay for clicks or inclusion on the search engines so that people will see your site in the sponsored links section of the search results when they search for keyword phrases related to your products or services.
(More about pay per click.) - Set up an affiliate marketing program.
With affiliate marketing, you can either pay per click, pay per lead generated, pay per sale, or pay per customer acquired. - Use smart public relations (PR).
Get news coverage of your business and your site. Approach online and traditional media. This will often lead to others placing links pointing to your website, which leads to more clicks and also to improved search engine rankings. - Use E-mail marketing.
Ugly, but effective for the cost. Blast out your special offers, but be nice about it. - Use off-line marketing.
Promote your site. Put your url on all your license plates. Paint it on your car. Buy newspaper and yellow pages ads with your url. Put up flyers and stickers. Sponsor a little league team. Do anything and everything to spread the word about your website around your city. - Run regular promotions.
Stage regular giveaways and spread the word about it. - Get published.
Write articles for publication on other websites. The author profile will link to your site. The article will show that you're an expert. - Publish yourself.
Write articles for your own site regularly. This will help you to win on the search engines and gives your visitors a reason to come back over and over. - Ask for reviews.
Ask for reviews of your self-published articles on other webmasters' websites. Ask for reviews of your website, your products, your software, your services. These will usually include links to your articles. - Write briefs.
Write daily or weekly news briefs focusing in on your industry or specialty area. This keeps your site "fresh" in the eyes of the major search engines and helps you to spread a wide net when fishing for top search engine positions. - Create a newsletter.
Ask your visitors to sign up for your newsletter, and encourage them to send it along to people they know. Send a newsletter regularly with teasers or lead-ins to your in-depth new articles or with special offers and the latest products. - Post in chat rooms.
Become active in bulletin boards and chat rooms focusing on your industry. Leave inciteful comments, and people will click on your profile, then visit your site. - Give away free stuff.
Offer something people want at your site. Give them a reason to come back and get more. Offer free downloads and update them regularly. Offer coupons or discounts. Content content content. - Give awards for excellent sites in your niche.
This builds more links back to your site and establishes you as a credible reviewer, an expert in your space. - Run a contest and promote it.
Photo contests, essay contests, goofy contests, random drawings, anything. Example: Messiest Garage in America contest on OfftheFloor.com. - Join your local business organizations.
Chambers of Commerce and other organizations will often add your site to their member directory. That's an added advantage over the obvious business-building and networking opportunities. - Create an RSS feed.
Give people another way to interact with your content. - Be accessible.
Build your site so that it is accessible to all browsers and to PocketPC and Palm Pilot users. Don't forget, people with disabilities buy things too. Make your site Section 508 complaint. Your competition probably hasn't.
We really couldn't stop at Z. This last suggestion is our most important one:
Be a good Internet citizen.
Provide useful resources on your website, resources that make people feel thankful that you put in the time and effort. Help every person who ever calls you on the telephone or emails you a question. When they ask "How can I ever thank you?" just say, "If you like my site and think it's useful, why not link to it?"
(More about good Internet citizenship.)
WordPress vs Blogger vs LiveJournal
WordPress, Blogger (blogspot) and LiveJournal are all blog-services that are free, allow users to input text, and are community driven and thus have privacy features.
Having used all three blog-services, I must say that out of WordPress, Blogger and LiveJournal, WordPress is best suited for my needs. Now I know I’m saying this ‘in’ WordPress, and so it looks like I’m sucking up, but actually I’ve found that WordPress, primarily because of it’s categories is more user-friendly for writing.
But let me give a more detailed explanation.
Blogger.com (Blogspot)
Blogger.com was the first blog-service I used. It was free, it was associated with Google (a company that I respect), and it offered me html editing (a feature that I really enjoyed using). But when I started using it for writing, I found that I really needed to categorise my work. Meaning, even if my blog was about one major topic, let’s say Linux, I wanted categories, like distributions, helps, reviews etc. Plus I also wanted to highlight a key post, something that would be accessible for all viewers easily. The way I worked around these needs to was to extend the links on the side, making special links for the posts I wanted highlighted. I also tried talking about one category in a month, so that the entire month becomes one category! It wasn’t that I would have stopped blogging if I didn’t get categories, but definitely I knew I needed them. I enjoyed blogspot, but something was missing. I knew it. (latest update: unconfirmed reports suggest that blogger now has categories)
WordPress.com
Enter WordPress! I saw wordpress.com in action when another beginner blogger needed my help to edit his wordpress blog. When I saw his blog, I immediately wanted it. I must honestly admit that I was attracted by the blogstats! (It was so cool that it was part of the standard feature). But when I saw categories, I was floored!!! In fact, I thought it was a paid site because it offered so many things that I needed.
As soon as I helped him out (I had never seen/used WordPress before, but it was pretty simple to use). I went to my own computer, registered and to my utter amazement I saw the feature to import blogs! Earlier the only thing stopping me from changing would have been the fact that I would loose all my earlier work. But the attraction of categories especially was so high I was willing to sacrifice older posts, just to start blogging in a new (more organised) world. But with the import feature I was able to import all three of my blogger.com blogs without too much problem. The only thing that happened was that because blogger and WordPress use images differently, I had to correct the links of a few of my photographs. Since my blogs are primarily text based, I found that not so bad.
Another feature that I really liked in WordPress was the ability to make static pages. This solved my problem for standard pages that I want everyone to be able to access. So for instance, this site has “which linux?” is on a separate page; it is a helpful quick-access page.
Then again, I really like the akismet spam protection… that protects my blogs by default. In my blogger.com account, I received only about 5 spam messages… which is not so bad considering that my site is not that important, but at WordPress it has already blocked a few spam messages without me bothering too much. Nice.
I was also impressed by the WordPress’ dashboard that was more user-friendly (and more feature rich) than blogger’s dashboard. In fact, initially I preferred blogger’s dashboard because it was simpler… but I’ve come to love WordPress’ dashboards and features.
Finally, I was complete impressed that wordpress.com is built with WordPress software which is open-source… both free and free! Wow, now this is a great example of a quality open-source product that I would certainly love to be associated with!
After all this (and more), I was entirely sold out to WordPress.
As I continued using WordPress, one thing I really missed (from my blogger.com days) was the ability to edit my page (CSS and all). Editing my page was something I really enjoyed in blogger.com and wish I could have it in WordPress.
To WordPress’ credit, it was offered user-friendly template changes which are non-destructive… which mean that when I change a template, it preserves my previous link customization. For those who have used blogger.com know that when you change a template you lose all your changes. To workaround, you need to have a copy of your relevant changes in a text file, and paste accordingly. This is unnecessary in WordPress that allows you to experiment in its limited but nice template range.
Another thing I missed was the ability to post through email. Blogger.com offers a helpful feature, where you have a unique email address for each post, and then, you just need to email your uploads. WordPress sadly doesn’t have this… maybe later it will.
Yet another thing I missed in WordPress was the ability to search other blogs from within the top-bar of blogger.com. In WordPress, while the search feature in our blogs are quite helpful (and better suited than on the top-bar in blogger), still I miss the ability to browse other sites.
LiveJournal.com
As time has gone by I’ve found that I’m also veering towards Community Blogging. For that the issue of private/user oriented blogs have come. I was told (through articles etc) that LiveJournal has good community oriented blogging support. Both blogger and wordpress offer users with varying rights (administrator, editor, user etc) so I was curious what addition did LiveJournal have to make community blogging better.
I registered and in comparison to both blogger and WordPress I found LiveJournal cluttered and effect-heavy. It reminded me of MySpace, Yahoo 360 etc. Not something that I wanted for my community driven site.
As it turns out, LiveJournal is actually very geared towards community blogging, with ‘friends’ links all over the place. It has cute icon driven editing sites, but from the looks of it, it’s got a pretty standard look. But the key thing that put me off… ADS! To add to their cluttered look, I had to deal with their advertising. I understand that these services, are services, but when it comes to ad-free to with-ads, I can’t even think of using LiveJournal that does such a tacky job with ad-placement. (latest update: recently, LiveJournal revamped it’s look and ad-placement and the site is looking neater. But if you hate ads (especially ones that you are not directly benefiting from), you will never like wherever they put them).
I also didn’t enjoy using LiveJournal and quickly abandoned my blog there and urged my “community” to shift to WordPress instead. We’re primarily text driven, so maybe WordPress is best for that.
Perhaps LiveJournal and other blog-services are better suited for more video-music-picture sharing sites… and for that aspect I’m not sure whether WordPress matches up or not.
Summary: I return to my initial statement. Of the three popular blog-services I’ve used, I’ve found WordPress by far the best to suit my needs. It is organised, simple/user-friendly, growing in features… AND open source. There’s not much more that I need.
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OTHER VOICES
I guess in a WordPress blog, you might probably expect a pro-WordPress review. However, I just read a post of someone leaving WordPress and moving to Blogspot. The main reasons seem to be the ability to edit CSS (layout) and the ability to have Adsense (the Google-based ad programme). This Adsense thing is really important to some people but WordPress doesn’t allow it. Another reason the author gives is that WordPress is a closed community, ie. ties you to WordPress blogs. While I know that is not true, because google recognises WordPress blogs, I still find myself going to other WordPress blogs more. So I guess some of his criticism is founded. The post is found here: http://dirkgently.wordpress.com/2007/05/10/im-leaving-wordpresscom/
For other opinions see: This post which is more studied (research oriented) and very informative, people might find this more useful: http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page5516.cfm And this post http://www.bloggingchannel.com/free-blogging-site.html has a simpler pro-WordPress studied explanation.
CSS background Property
Definition
The background property is a shorthand property for setting all background properties in one declaration.
Inherited: No
JavaScript Syntax
CSS properties can also be dynamically changed with a JavaScript.
Scripting Syntax: object.style.background="#FF0000"
Example
body body body |
Possible Values
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| background-color background-image background-repeat background-attachment background-position | You can declare from one to five background properties in this declaration Default value: Not defined |
How to Insert a Table Into a WordPress Blog Post
The default WordPress editor does not allow much HTML and it does not allow tables to be inserted. In this post I’ll show you a neat plugin that allows you to insert tables into your WordPress posts and exactly how to use it.
I was actually first asked about this a little while ago by Trevor Mulligan. At the time I had not needed to insert a table into any of my blog posts so I was unable to help him. A few days ago I published a list of over 100 CSS Galleries which are great for getting backlinks and traffic and I wanted to format the information in a table so I needed to figure out how to do it.
The wp-table Plugin
One of the reasons I love WordPress so much is that its functionality is infinitely expanded by the wide range of plugins available for it. One such plugin is wp-table by Alex Rabe. The instructions on that page work but I found it somewhat non-intuitive to use so I thought I’d do my own little write-up.
Setting up the Tables
Now here’s the weird thing - the plugin provides a table editor but that editor is separate from your blog posts. You create tables for your blog as a whole, each table gets its own ID and then to put a table into a blog post you insert a special tag. I would have expected the table editor to be built into the post editor but it isn’t which is why it’s a little confusing.
Once you’ve uploaded and activated the plugin you get a new option under the manage tab. You can see it below:
That screenshot also shows the one and only table I have at the moment which is the CSS Galleries one. There are two ways to create a table. You can manually add one by specifying the name and the number of rows and columns but that is restrictive as the drop-down only allows 20 rows.
Thankfully there is a second option to import a table from a file. You simply browse from a file on your computer and select a delimiter character to use. Here is a picture of that in action:
What I did for my post was to write the information out in Microsoft Excel (Open Office has the same functionality) and then export that as a CSV file. CSV is a Comma Separated file which means that each row in the spreadsheet is exported as one line of text with a comma character separating each column.
Inserting a Table Into a Post
Now once you’ve setup your table, inserting into a blog post (or page) is very simple. Make a note of the ID of the table which is 5 in the example above and then you use the following bracket notation to insert it:
Simple really.
Embedding Links in the Text
I hit a snag right away - a CSV file is plain text and I wanted to link to each one of the directories or the post wouldn’t have been nearly as useful. In Excel I was able to automatically turn the url’s into links but as soon as I exported them as a CSV they got stripped back to plain text.
However, the plain text can contain HTML so I changed the text of the link to the HTML required to display as a link using the HREF tag. I knocked up a quick program to do this for me so I didn’t have to do it manually for 100 lines of text!
Basically, if you want links in your table you have to ensure that the source text contains the full HTML to use.
Friday, March 6, 2009
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