Global Sourcerer

Landlords and rehabbers take notice - you may soon be focused on the new concepts of “Virtual Real Estate Investing“. There are many variations on what this term means, encompassing everything from using the internet to aid in real estate investing efforts to participating in online games such as SecondLife.

To separate fact from fiction, I asked Bryan Ellis of BryanEllis.com for comments. He’s the man many consider to be the father of this new form of investing.

Ellis says he adopted the term “virtual real estate investing” sometime before Y2K after he realized that making money online is conceptually very similar to making money with physical real estate.

Bryan Ellis cites the similar strategies one can employe to make money from “virtual property” and “physical property” as a primary parallel of the two markets. “These types of assets - websites and physical real estate - can be monetized in very similar ways like buy lo/sell high, leasing/rental and advertising opportunities” he says.

I must admit: Its easy to see the parallels. For example, if you’re the owner of a desirable property, its desirability is (in a business context) largely due to its being in a location that is of interest to others. Similarly, ownership of a desirable domain name is valuable for the same reasons. So it doesn’t matter if you own physical real estate or virtual real estate - you’ll likely use similar strategies to turn them into money in your pocket.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing, Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

One of the most undervalued blessings is God’s will to make every individual a unique creation. It takes all kinds of people to do the great work of the Lord’s kingdom, and it’s a good thing that each of us has special talents, callings, and gifts to serve this purpose. Working together, we can accomplish great things. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t value unique character. In fact, being different often translates to being misunderstood.

Take it from one who’s been there. I am certainly not like other people. I was raised in a Christian home where faith, hope, honesty and integrity still mean more than anything else in the world. Above all, my brother and I were taught to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not to compromise our faith for any “easy way out” the world may offer. I was lucky to marry a wonderful man that was raised with the same values. Then I entered the work force. Although college did prepare me to face working with people that hold different values, there was no way to brace myself for the harsh reality that waited.

At first things went well. I worked for a wonderful person that trained me well and had faith in my ability to learn and grow. After a year and a half in that position, I was promoted to another job that required me to move to a different office. This too went fairly well, until we consolidated three years later. Then everything changed. It went from a small, easy-going office to a large formal setting where cliques were common and conformity was prized above all else.

It didn’t take me (and everybody else) long to find out something vital about my character: I’m a non-conformist. Although I tried blending in and making people happy, I eventually grew frustrated with putting on an act. My sense of right and wrong was tested at several points, and I found myself falling back on my faith. I was relieved to find that when I was put to the test, I turned to the Lord and not the easy way out - but I was the only one happy about this personal discovery. To put it kindly, my sense of ethics was more sensitive than they liked, and their cliques frustrated me. Fortunately, we consolidated again two years later, and I was transferred to another section with wonderful people of faith that shared my interests and values. It took a while to flush the poison of conformity out of my system, but God bless them because they were patient and understanding. I still thank God every day for delivering me from that situation. Although I wore it as a badge of honor, two years as the office freak was quite enough.

That was a hard time for me, but I learned a lot about my faith and myself. One of the most important things I learned is that God values you as an individual, even if other people don’t. What really matters is if He can use you, not if other people can use you to get ahead and make themselves look good.

Although the world may say, “the ends justify the means,” God does not accept this excuse. Christians are the light of the world, and if you prayerfully follow the Lord’s way and do what is right, He will always work things out for the best in the end.

God needs all kinds of people working for Him, and each of us meets certain requirements. If He can use a fiercely independent, non-conformist like me, He can use you as well. Christ died for us to have a union with God and an opportunity to be all we can be. Stand up, and be proud of who you are in Him! After all, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31 RSV) It doesn’t matter, because His opinion is really the only one that matters. The world may make us pay a price for doing what is right, but the Lord will always see us through to the eternal rewards.

Sherri Fulmer Moorer is a freelance Christian/Inspirational writer from Columbia, SC. Her writing focuses on applying faith to everyday living situations, and is based on her own personal experiences and the experiences of those around her. Her goal is to show people that the battles they face in life are shared by others, and how the Lord can use their experiences to build faith. She is the author of Battleground Earth - Living by Faith in a Pagan World (PublishAmerica 2004), which is a book about spiritual warfare and discovering faith in day-to-day living. For additional information, please visit the Battleground Earth web page at http://hometown.aol.com/bgearth/index.html

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 30, 2002

Kendra and I have been dating almost six years. For the past three years I have constantly asked myself if she is the one. I can never come up with the answer.

I fantasize about being with other women, and it is not because Kendra lacks beauty. I feel disinterested in intimacy with her, but it was not like that in the beginning. If you asked me three years ago I would have told you I was not missing out on anything. Now that cannot be true.

I guess the biggest problem in my mind’s eye is time. Because we have been together for so long, I’m not sure if I am just staying out of convenience. I am accepted by her family, she is accepted by mine, and our friends think we suit each other perfectly.

I asked my mother about her relationship with my father. She explained they were each other’s best friend. They share the same goals and that works for them. I asked if their sex life was still strong. My mom said they don’t have it nearly as much as in the past, but that it still happens on occasion.

Just recently I went away for a month to work out of the country and met Lissete. We connected on many levels. I promised her I would end things with Kendra when I returned home, and at first I felt great about my decision. In the course of a month Lissete and I made plans for her to come here from Holland.

Then one morning I awoke from a nightmare and felt sick to my stomach. I felt I made a mistake. I felt sick the entire day until I got the nerve to call Kendra. She agreed to meet. Suddenly I was quick to make things work with Kendra, and we decided to give it a second try.

I told Kendra about Lissete. She was upset, of course, but understood it was over in my head. Now here I am, one month later. The first few weeks were great, but I feel us slipping back to where we were. I can only think of the other girl. Lissete was heartbroken and tried to warn me this would happen, but I wouldn’t listen.

Now I don’t know what to do. Kendra will never break up with me, leaving me to do the dirty work if it has to be done. Who is to say I wouldn’t have the same sex boredom problem with the other woman. Once again I find myself asking if I should just marry this woman who loves me to death and go on with life.

Ward

Ward, whoa! Can you hear what you’re saying? Things were not right with Kendra so you ended it. You felt you deserved better. Then things were wonderful with Lissete until you felt the burden of her arrival.

Getting back together with Kendra was the easiest way to prevent that, but breaking up again is not dirty work. It is solving a problem you created. People say the grass is always greener on the other side, but that is not quite right. It is only when things are wrong in our own yard that the other side looks more inviting.

What gives things value is our emotional attachment to them. It is what makes a job not a job but a calling. But without that emotional connection things always get boring. Without love there is no lasting passion.

What you love you can do again and again, never getting bored. It isn’t boring to be with someone you really love. If your passion is horses, you never get bored with horses. The movie you love, you have seen more times than you can count. But movies which are no more than special effects are boring. There is nothing to care about.

Wayne & Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com.

Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com.

Which SEO hat do you wear? Is it white or black? Or perhaps it’s a subtle shade of gray. Well, wherever you are on this spectrum, if you are like 99% of the SEO-fixated webmasters out there, you are doing all you can to get visitors to your site. Where you used to optimize your keywords meta tags, you now worry about anchor text and XML site maps.

So, you finesse your site, schmooze the algorithm du jour and begin to climb the slippery search engine rankings pole. But this is where you have to leave your SEO tricks behind and start thinking conversion.

Whoa there! Conversion? That’s all about making sales on shopping sites. My site’s a forum! I don’t sell anything. What has conversion got to do with me?

Everything, my friend. Everything….

SERP Conversion

You want visitors to come your site, right? That’s why you climb greasy SERP pole, after all. (And why you lay awake at night wondering when the next Florida, Hilltop or Bourbon algorithm earthquake is going to hit.) But what does it matter if you reach the peak, but no one clicks through to your site anyway?

The fact is that you have to convert prospective visitors even before they arrive. You have to pique their interest, tweak their curiosity and make sure they click your link and not the other guy’s. And all you have to use are words. No technical tricks will help you now - your only tools are plain ol’ words.

The SERPs will show words from two of three places. Two of these you can control and one you can’t:

1.Your title tag.
2.Your meta description tag.
3.A directory description.

(For example, Google is known to use DMOZ descriptions in their SERPs, and Yahoo uses their directory descriptions in theirs.)

Now, there’s not much you can do about how Yahoo or DMOZ editors describe your site, so don’t worry about number 3. But do what you can do: Place your value propositions clearly in 1 and 2, and use them to lure searchers into your website.

So you have to convert people before they even get to your site. But that’s not all…. You want them to stay, right?

Flash Conversion

No, this has nothing to do with being blinded by bright lights on the road to Damascus. Nor am I telling you to go and make a 100% animated website.

This “flash” is that split second, that tiny window of opportunity that opens up when a searcher arrives at your site and decides whether they have actually found what they are looking for… or not.

Typically, you’ll have a couple of seconds to persuade the new visitor to stay and hang out. That’s all you get. It’s the ultimate in speed-dating. So, how do you wow your “date”? Do you show him a page of scraped “content” interspersed with Adsense ads? Not if you want this to be a lasting relationship.

Follow these tips and be sure to impress your “date”:

1. Have a clear theme

Ranking high for “blue widgets”? Then be sure your visible title, copy and images are clearly focused on them.

2. Have a clean design

Imagine you are taking a first date to a movie. Do you pick her up wearing your pajamas in a dirty, trash-filled car? Or do you clean the car, wash your face and dress to impress? Of course you want to impress her, so you make sure you look (and smell) good.

It’s the same with your site: Clean design, a nice text size and pages that don’t scroll from here to eternity are going to float your first-time visitor-date’s boat.

3. Write clearly and focus on your “date”

Waffle on about yourself and your date will get bored. She wants you to be interested in her. And in terms of your site, that means giving her what she wants to know as quickly and succinctly as possible. This comes down to your ability to write and communicate. So, if you are like Steve Martin in “Roxanne”, make sure you get a someone else (a copywriter) to compose the lines to wow your “date” for you.

OK, so let’s say you have successfully wooed your first-time visitor date. He’s here and he has decided to stick around. You’re going steady, getting to know each other a little more. That’s all you want, isn’t it?

No, it isn’t! You want to pop the question, of course!

Getting hitched

You’ve made all this effort and spent money on getting your “date” this far, so you want to get the most out of your investment, right? You want to hear those sweet words, “I do”:

I do… want to click your Adsense ads. I do… want to become a forum member. I do… want to buy that cool digital thingy.

So how do you turn a whirlwind romance into a successful proposal? Try these ideas for size:

Have clear navigation

You want to make your date dizzy with excitement, not frustration! Make sure you have clear, consistent, well-labeled navigation and make your visitor-date’s time with you a pleasure, and not a reason to reach for the Advil.

Have a clear proposition

What do you want your visitor to do? Buy something? Sign up for something? Join something? Whatever the point of your site is, it does have a point, right? So don’t beat about the bush, and don’t hold back waiting for the right moment: Make your “proposal”, and make it clear and direct.

Happily Ever After…

You thought that was the end of the story? Wait a minute, it’s not over yet! I thought you were in this for a long-term relationship, not a one night stand?

I know, you were thinking that having made all that effort while you were dating, you could ease off now that you’re “married”. But don’t you know that the real rewards start here?

So what are the secrets of a long, blissful relationship with your visitors?

1. Feed them!

You convinced him to come visit once. But how often will he come back if all you give him are the same old leftovers? Cook him up something juicy and delicious, and have him salivating for more:

Enliven your content with new, relevant pages and, not only will you set the search engine robots drooling, but you will also find you have a hoard of visitors coming back for seconds. And in this age of fast-(visitor)-food creation tools called blogs, there’s really no excuse anymore.

2. Shower them with gifts

Everyone likes a gift - and not just on birthdays, anniversaries and at Christmas:

Money talks, and if you are selling anything through your site, then discounts and other offers to previous visitors and customers will draw them back like magnets. Throw in tempting freebies as well and you will have a potent marketing mix.

3. Send them “love” letters

Anyone who has been in a long-distance relationship (like my wife and I were for a year and a half), knows that if you can’t be together, the next best thing is a letter or email. For your website, this means an interesting ezine that is light on sales pitch and rich in information.

4. Start a family!

Not literally! But you can create a “family” atmosphere by adding a forum where your visitors can interact with each other - not just with you and your site. People are social animals, so use a forum to keep them coming back.

OK, so perhaps I overstated it a little in my title. SEO is not dead, so don’t forget about it quite yet. Just remember that it will only get you so far: If you want to actually achieve anything with your site, then you need to focus on conversion like a laser.

About the Author

Stephen Munday lives in Japan. His most recent project is a Japanese name translation website where you can get your name in beautiful Japanese calligraphy.

This article is © Stephen Munday 2005. Permission is given to reproduce this article in whole with the URLs correctly hyperlinked.

Public entries intended for friends could become an embarrassing exposure.

The number of places where young people go to bare their souls, to vent, to gossip is increasing. These places are the blogs - where people post their innermost thoughts for any number of Web surfers to see.

“My philosophy is to be totally honest - whether it’s about my neighbor’s dog or my opinions about Iraq war, since the people who read my blog are friends or acquaintances of mine.” said Sarah, who lives in suburban Illinois and has been blogging for three years.

But some people find that a price can be paid for putting one’s life online. Maya Marcel-Keyes, daughter of conservative politician Alan Keyes, had some discussions on her blog about being a lesbian, and this became an issue during her father’s recent campaign for U.S. Senate because he made anti-gay statements.

Such incidents can cause personal and public dramas, often taking on a life they wouldn’t have if the Web had not come along and turned individuals into publishers.

Other people think that some blog entries about partying and dating exploits will have ramifications down the road.

“I would bet that in the 2016 election, somebody’s Facebook entry will come back to bite them,”, says Steve Jones, head of the communications department at the University of Illinois at Chicago, referring to a networking site for college students and alumni, that is something of a cross between a yearbook and a blog.

Some traditional blog sites, like Xanga, LiveJournal or MySpace, which allow easy creation of a Web site with text, photos and often music, have gotten more popular in recent years, especially among the younger set.

Pew Internet & American Life Project made some surveys completed in recent months and found that nearly a fifth of teens who have access to the Web have their own blogs. And 38 percent of teens say they read other people’s blogs.

I’m increasingly hearing stories about the risk of posting a blog, says Amanda Lenhart, a researcher at Pew. For example, a man whose daughter was a college student looking for a job. He typed his daughter’s name into a search engine and found her blog, with a title that began “The Drunken Musings of ….”

“And they surely have some discussions” said Lenhart, chuckling.

They call me Foggerty and I’m an art student at the Art Institute of chicago. www.thechicagonewsblog.com/

At present many people prefer to procure their swimwear on the Internet; purchasing online is an unproblematic and correct way to shop in the warmth of your own house.

It’s crucial to make sure while purchasing swimwear online that it fits you right. When you buy swimwear on the Internet always check that the store provides a useful quality sizing chart that presents all of the measurements you may require. With the assistance of a sizing chart one can guarantee to get a swimsuit or bikini that fits perfectly, reducing the demand to swap for another size. By and large most of the swimwear retail stores don’t allow an exchange of goods so it is typically always better to choose an online shop where exchanges are allowed. Some online shops will accept the returns of swimwear if the tags and the original wrapping are also returned along with it. Find eye-catching and sexy lucia cami tops, ebony long trousers, imogen silk camisoles and imogen silk Wraps from Lepel.

Swimwear is an expected aspect of the summertime; despite this a substantial majority of full-figured females feel intimidated at the thought of shopping for swimsuits & bikinis that fit properly. These women even think about wearing caftans by the swimming pool or at the beach rather than looking unpleasant. Designers & shopkeepers have recognized the fashion issues of the overweight woman, & are finally featuring a wide assortment of stylish bathing suit designs in bigger sizes, & one of the best places to uncover such swimwear is to acquire swimwear on the World Wide Web.

This is also far-fetched given that any technology transfer
program would occur with public knowledge and at the very least
an Indian notification. U.S. assurances that the assembly has
peaceful purposes should be enough to deter any Indian response.
It is also unclear as to why India would perceive the assembly
as any more dangerous than Pakistan’s status quo nuclear
policies. Pakistan has a “First Use” policy in which it will
consider being the state to ratchet up a conventional war to the
nuclear level (Cotta-Ramusino and Martellini). It has also
clearly defined under what conditions it would use nuclear
weapons, and short of the transfer program occurring during an
India-Pakistan war India is unlikely to perceive the reassembly
as a veiled threat to use the weapons (Cotta-Ramusino and
Martellini). Addressing this concern is simply a matter of
constructing the transfer program in a way that is sensitive to
India’s interests and perspectives. Solutions might include
giving PALS to both India and Pakistan simultaneously,
diplomatic assurances to India about the nature of the program,
or timing the program so that it occurs during a period of
relatively low hostilities. Another objection made is that the
United States would damage its credibility abroad in deterring
proliferation by being seen as cooperating with Pakistan’s
nuclear weapon’s program (Limaye). By openly cooperating with
Pakistan, this argument holds that we would be legitimating
their nuclear program and would send a signal to other states
that there would be few, if any, consequences to developing
nuclear weapons.

An idea to defend oil infrastructure in the Middle East may need to take into consideration some of the available close at hand opportunities. For instance creating a mote like perimeter and filling it with oily, seawater and chemical polymer chains or “Goo” and then covering the mote with a layer of sand. This can be done easily by digging the mote, 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep and lining it with a plastic bottom. Then increase the underground pressure and drilling down and allowing the salt-water, which has been pumped in, to flow out into the newly dug lined mote.

Once the mote is completely filled and before any of the oily water moisture evaporates, create a dust storm to cover the “goo” with a layer of sand. Thus you have created a gooey mess, which not able to be penetrated by surface movement such as Camels, walking insurgents or suicide car bombers. It will be necessary for oil companies to defend their assets and it is also necessary that the United States stick to protecting Americans, due to costs and readiness to defend against future threats without over extending our resources.

If the Oil Companies are able to defend their own assets and secure the perimeters of their facilities against International Terrorists without such things which have been determined to be inhuman such as landmines or the outright shooting any trespasser for fear they might have hostile intentions, the human race is better served.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

No bird has as much myth and mystery surrounding it than the owl. Most perceptions of it are confused. It is not unusual to get contrary opinions of the owl. It has an ancient aura of mystery about it, in part because it is a nocturnal bird and night time has always seemed mysterious to humans.Often those with an owl as a power totem have a unique ability for seeing into the eyes and souls of others. Often these perceptions are discarded as wild imaginings or with such phrases as “now why in earth would I think that about this person?”. These kinds of imaginings, positive and negative, should always be trusted for they are seldom wrong.In addition, Owls fly silently. This is something all those with Owl as a totem should practice: Keep silent and go about your business. This will bring you the greatest success.Keynote to Owls: The Mystery of Magick, Omens, Silent Wisdom, and vision in the Night with their cycle of power being nocturnal and year round. Owls Hawks (Lunar / Nighttime) (Solar / Daytime) Great Horned Owls = Red-Tailed Hawks Barred Owls = Red-Shouldered Hawks Screech Owls = Kestrels Short-Eared Owls = Harrier Hawks Snowy Owls = White Phase Gyrfalcons Owl Gyrfalcon Wolves : My favorite of all the night children, and probably the most misunderstood of all wild mammals. Tales of terror and their cold-bloodedness abound. Although many stores tell otherwise, there has NEVER been any confirmed killing of a human by a healthy wolf. In spite of their negative press, Wolves are the exact opposite of how they are portrayed. Wolves are friendly, social, and highly intelligent. Their sense of family is strong and loyal, and they live by carefully defined rules and rituals.Keynote to Wolves: Guardianship, Ritual, Loyalty and Spirit, with their cycle of power being Year Round, Full Moons & Twilight. Spiders and Snakes: yuck! However I have been told that which we fear the most has the most to teach us. I must have an awful lot to learn!The Spider is the master weaver. To the Native Americans, Grandmother Spider kept and taught the mysteries of the past and how they were affecting the future. Spider reminds us to awaken our own sensibilities to be more creative in life.

You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety!

That is great news to those who suffer day in and day out, year in and year out. I have and I know that you can too.

THE SYMPTOMS
For me it started with heart palpitations. My thoughts immediately steered to fear. Then my throat would become dry so I could not swallow. Then my body would feel “weird”. Dizziness and blurred vision. By this time I was convinced that I was about to die. I kept waiting for the symptoms to get worse and they did. I use to suffer from panic attacks so badly that I had to go to the hospital by ambulance. I was so embarrassed when the doctor checked me and told me that there was nothing wrong with me. When I had to go grocery shopping I would get a funny feeling in my stomach before I left the house. Once I got inside the grocery store I felt like I had to run out or else I would become overwhelmed. I dreaded the thought that I might have a panic attack in public. I had to talk to myself and prayed up and down each and every aisle of the store. I knew that if I ran out, my family would not have food and I would have to start all over again. The people in the store had no idea the personal torture I was experiencing. People at church had no idea how hard it was to sit in a large crowd.

AWARENESS When the symptoms first started, I had no idea what was happening to me. One day I was watching T.V. and some people were on a show talking about the symptoms and the light went on, “That’s me! That’s what I have been going through”. That was the beginning of my healing! Knowledge is power. I thank God that He allowed me to turn to the channel and hear those people talking. I also helped me to know that I was not alone. I suppose that those of you who suffer from the effects of anxiety are glad to hear that you are not alone.

Steps to Overcoming

1) READ Read as much as possible about anxiety and understand what are some of the causes. (Email me for link to books).

2)PROFESSIONAL HELP Go to a counselor or therapist to get to the bottom of the anxiety. The physical discomforts are trying to get your attention - Pay attention to a greater dis-ease within. Pray for God to send you to the right person. He will.

3)RELAXATION Listen to a tape or CD for RELAXATION This was one of the things that helped me tremendously. I needed to reprogram my mind with positive and true statements that were life giving and empowering. Click below for CD’s and cassette tapes to help you overcome anxiety and panic attacks. Breathing correctly is a part of relaxation.

4) EXERCISE Physical excercise has tremendous value. It releases chemicals that generate good feelings, called pheromones. It’s good to feel good!

5) HEALING IN GOD’S WORD Meditate on scriptures that enhance your trust in God. One scripture that helps me when I really let it sink in is: Matthew 5:25-34. Am I not more than a bird to God? You better believe it and so are you! Birds don’t work or store up food yet God takes care of them. Wow! The next time you see a bird think about that!

6) MAP YOUR JOURNEY Create a time line by drawing on a sheet of paper when your first signs of discomfort started. Write down what major events happened at that same time. Note the year/date. Go back as far as you can. This process helps you to take a bird’s eye view of your life. When I did this exercise, I found that the first time I experienced a full panic attack was in 1984 and I had just made a major move from someone very dear to me. I also discovered that there agoraphobia before any panic attack ever appeared. Do this it will help you understand what has been going on and what triggers extreme anxiety. (You may need to use than one piece of paper).

7)God’s Power to Heal
Remember,God still heals. We must let go of all the passed disappointments, and betrayals. God is not like any human being with whom we have had a relationship. God faithful and just. Jesus walked this earth so you can talk to Him about yours trials. Pray as the early disciples did, “Lord, increase my faith”. FAITH is the opposite of anxiety. Faith not only pleases God but keeps us trusting in God’s fatherly care. I am a witness!! Praise God!

If just one person is helped by this article, I will have accomplished what God set me out to do -Help someone along our earthly journey.

Pray for me. I will pray for you.

Glenda M. Thomas, Editor of Sister 2 Sister Newsletter

http://www.glendathomas.com/editor.html