Poker Quartet

I rarely suffer from what writer’s complain about the most and that is: writer’s block. Oh, sure, if I must write on a subject that I am not familiar with, then a certain amount of trepidation and the occasional blankness will set in. Still, if I accept a project I do so believing that I know enough about the topic to produce a compelling piece. Writing isn’t difficult for most accomplished writers, but you must get started. Here are some things that help get me going:

If I am stuck, I write some sort of outline. Okay, maybe not a formal outline but something containing a topic sentence; 2, 3, or 4 main points; followed by a conclusion. As you can read there are three parts to any article: an introduction, the body, and a conclusion. Sometimes certain parts of the article I have more to write about than others. For example, I may have my main points for the body, but I don’t have the introductory part down just yet. No matter, I keep working on my outline until I get something solid.

Once I have all three pieces together, I start to write. Okay, I start to “type” as almost all of my writings are created from scratch via Microsoft Word. There was a time when I had to write on legal sized lined paper and then move it over to a word processor. No more. Today, I rarely “write” anything as I have gotten so accustomed to my laptop computer. Thanks, Dell!

When I am done writing, I check my work to see if it makes sense. Sometimes nothing I write is all that sensible, so I delete what I write and start over again. This is a rare occurrence, but it does happen.

After I come up with a reasonable draft, I scour it to check for misspellings, grammar usage, prose, etc. Many times I have the “bones” of the article, but it lacks “meat” or substance. In these particular cases I “flesh out” the article which usually involves refining sentence structure, clarifying a thought, swapping out words, or inserting or deleting entire sentences or paragraphs.

If I feel reasonably certain about what I wrote, I will do a final run through it to make sure it sits well with me. Occasionally, I put an article to the side and go do something else or I “sleep on it” and take a fresh look at the article the next day.

So, if you are having difficulty writing, simply get started. At least if you start your writing assignment you will have less to do later and you will no longer feel as if your undone article is some sort of albatross around your neck.

Now get started.

Copyright 2006 — Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including: advocacy, automobiles, aviation, business, Christian themes, family, news, product reviews, travel, writing, and more. Please visit Matt’s blog for absolutely stunning and humorous writings from the master himself!

Indian Market

One more week of volatility and we ended the speculation in the “red”. This was expected, because 10K is always a huge number and bigger round number than any other. If you see the performance of DOW Jones(USA), that too hovered around the 10K mark for a little while before actually breaking it off and moving ahead. That doesn’t necessarily imply that BSE will behave the same way. But a big road block is a road block for sure. With Budget session just around the corner, it is fair to assume that this kind of volatility will continue for some time.

Technically, BSE dangerously close to forming lots of negatives. MACD negative divergence leads to either minor or major corrections. Similarly, MACD crossover. Most importantly, as you can see from the chart below, We are so close to the lower support channel/trendline that we can hardly afford to go down. Even if we do, we should recover pretty soon. Otherwise, it would be a nasty one. If you look closely at the two trendlines, upper one being the resistance and the lower one being support, both of them are narrowing down as time is passing by. This is extremely bearish for medium-to-long term. Why? Because, the scope of the index going down is very very limited and if it does break the support line, then we could see a “blood bath” and indices may just roll south.

US Market

Dow finally made new highs. This time Nasdaq did not really help much and it hardly gained any pace last week. There were a few good and few bad news. One of the bad news being US Budget deficit climbed to the highest levels ever and it does not seem to be taking any breaks. The average savings rate has been the lowest(in negative) ever in the country, because everyone is just about spending and nobody really saving. This is definitely not good for the longer term.

Technically, We have a clear breakout on our hands. But as you can see, the trendlines are pretty narrow and unless we break the upper one, it may serve as a resistance. As we mentioned in our analysis a couple of weeks back, the lower trendline did in fact give good support and DOW has been climbing up ever since. MACD seems to be supporting this cause and has clearly moved above zero line. Next week will be crucial one as we did NOT have 2 weeks above 11K in the recent past.

Complete Newsletter

John Drass has been dealing stocks for over 10 years and has over 7 years Experience in Technical analysis. John has contributed articles and his know-how to various newspapers, websites and organizations across the world.

To stay relevant or even solvent, a company must keep itself informed. That’s why research, of both the in-house and outsourced varieties, is essential. At ConductSearch.com keeping tabs on who’s doing what in the marketplace is key to our success, and it doesn’t matter whether our information comes via mailman or email – at the end of the day, it’s still content, right? Recently, I happened to come upon the work of a reliable investment banking firm that specializes in Chinese tech research, New York Global Securities. I learned that New York Global thinks as highly of search advertising’s positioning in China as I do of it was here in America. They initiated coverage of a major Chinese Search Engine, Baidu (which translates to “a hundred times”), with a “Buy” rating.

Funny enough, ConductSearch.com and Baidu, the Chinese search giant, have something in common. But what, you ask? Baidu is based in mainland China (we’re not quite there, yet) and has little American presence. Yet, both companies, one small, one large, and on opposite sides of the earth, share a sentiment associated with search advertising – a sentiment shared by search advertisers all over the earth – namely, that there’s still brilliant opportunities in the field. As players in search advertising, no matter what the size or where we are, we must avail ourselves to these favorable conditions.

We’re no GE, but we’ve got exclusive search technology surpassed by none, while Baidu, an indexer of 700 million pages, is located in a country that didn’t even have Internet access only 7-8 years ago. Incredible, sure, but these are hardly unique success stories in the field.

One great aspect of search is that as it evolves, advertisers grow increasingly aware of its effectiveness. This makes the task of selling the revolutionary concept much less difficult, and industry forecasts indicate this advertiser confidence with predictions of continued search advertising growth through at least 2010. Advertisers simply can’t get enough of measurable, targeted end-users.

According to Andrew Collier, New York Global’s analyst who’s recommending Baidu, the Chinese populace is even more receptive to Baidu’s relevant advertising than would be Westerners since existing Chinese advertising channels (that’s print, TV, and radio) are relatively weak.

So enticing is China’s advertising landscape for the accommodating platform of search, that Yahoo and, as of last January, Google, have launched Chinese versions of their popular search engines themselves. Baidu is sure to meet some stiff competition from Google.cn. Says New York Global’s Andrew Collier: “search is one of the best advertising models for the Chinese market because of its ability to target a specific customer base.” Do no evil and do much business, right Google?

In the meantime Baidu, with a 50% share of the Chinese search market, is reaching targeted customer bases within China. Search, by its flexible nature, adapts well to that frenzied economy. Massive ramp ups in Internet connectivity has been all the impetus needed. New York Global rates Baidu (BIDU) with a “buy” recommendation largely due to its positioning as a provider of this highly effective search advertising platform.

The deep reach that search advertising provides Baidu in connecting with Chinese Internet users contrasts greatly with the Chinese Internet Portals whose total end user numbers are still too small to deliver mass goods to large audiences through banner ads and the like. So, too, is this a problem with traditional media, where government ownership is essentially a monopoly, thus preventing a healthy advertising environment. In China, Internet search marketing shines brightest in a sky of less than stellar advertising opportunities.

Maybe I’m biased, but I believe it’s the best means here in America, too. Domestically, my company or yours might not have 50% of the search market, but, like any firm involved with search, we do have the same wind of opportunity blowing at our backs as Baidu.

Jeff Conduct
Director of Marketing
ConductSearch.com
http://www.conductsearch.com
marketing@conductsearch.com

Corporate gift giving ideas are best discussed within the company level. Gift giving can be a touchy issue and it will be great
to have another colleague(s) to brain storm it. The benefits of corporate gift giving can never be underestimated and its time to put on your thinking cap. Very often that customer is also shared by another colleague in the company. Your colleague might have sent the customer a gift before and by now have some knowledge about the customer personal tastes or interests.

Once your colleague has agreed to your suggestion to send the customer a gift, with the combined budget, the choice of gift is probably limited by ones’ imagination. Isn’t a better choice to present a uniquely memorable gift than to present 2 ordinary gifts from the same company?

Corporate gift giving ideas should adhere the following concerns:

1) Timing of gift
That well sought customer of yours is probably an Anchor customer to another rival company. Everybody budget for gift can never
be the same and it is best not to send your gift within that same working week. Worst, if your gift is heaven and earth apart in comparison! Although this is a very difficult question to answer but with some efforts through getting to know your customer better daily, subtle hints can generate a wealth of knowledge about your customer for your benefits.

2) Gift policy
It is better to be safe than sorry in checking out the gift policy of your own company and the customer. You might be new in this company and what is being practiced in your previous company might not be applicable to the present company. Incurring personal expense and yet against your company policy can be detrimental for career advancement.

Most companies have some sort of gift policy for the recipient. It is probably set on the number or the value of the gift.
Others can be vague and define it as a “token” gift. In some extreme, no gift is allowed !

3) Desired gift

The effort of getting a desired gift out-weights a less desirable gift for the relationship building. Since the intention is clear, might as well make it a superb corporate gift giving idea to the delight of the customer! How, you will wonder? Well, can you still remember that perfect timing of the gift for the customer birthday through constant conversations and subtle information gathering questions? Am glad this suggestion brings a smile to your face!

Basically the above are just some of the corporate gift giving ideas which you knew but just didn’t find time to polish it
to perfection to bring your relationship with your customers to the highest degree.

For more great ideas on corporate gift giving solutions, visit Corporate Gift Ideas Guide

If you are keen on breeding Goldfish, you should know that it’s not an easy task. It will take a lot of patience, a lot of space in the tank and quite a bit of money too. Don’t get into breeding if you think it’s going to be profitable, because it isn’t! Breeding goldfish is best left to a professional but if you still want to breed them, here’s how to begin:

Decide on the breed: You also must decide before hand what variety of goldfish you want to breed. Ideally, if you are a beginner you should decide on breeding a good quality single tail type fish like the comet.

Pair and choose the breeds: You must choose high quality goldfish to breed high quality goldfish. The goldfish you choose should be two-four years. A good quality goldfish would be assessed according to its finnage, body shape, size and color. They should be at least 4-6 inches or larger and very healthy. It’s better to breed with younger fish as the older ones might produce eggs that are deformed and infertile.

* The ideal female goldfish would be heavy at the rear, protruding on the left part of her body and her anal area would be soft.

* The ideal male goldfish would be a great chaser and there should be signs of his breeding tubercles on his gills and pectoral fins.
Begin with two females and three males. The idea is to have two males for every female.

Time to breed
Here’s the time plan to breed goldfish -

* You would need to plan a year ahead in the months of July or August. This is when most breeders sell their surplus fish at cheaper rates. If you skip this period than would find it hard to find a good breeding quality pair of goldfish.

* During the winter you must feed the fish and help them build enough body mass to last the winter and be ready for spawning in the early spring. By October or November, your fish would need less food and this is the time to not only clean the fish but also separate the males from the females.

Cleaning the fish: The solution you need to clean the fish is one measure of Terramycin, 80 drops of Formaldehyde and 6 drops of copper sulphate in four gallons of water. The solution should be at the right temperature and the fish should get enough oxygen to breathe. Allow the goldfish to remain in this solution for 20 minutes and then move them to a separate container of clean water while you prepare a spawning tank.

* Make sure you make the new tank a natural spawning area with bushy natural plants, artificial fibers or spawning mops and coconut fibers, all materials that can receive the spawn. Goldfish need such props for spawning.

Size of the spawning tank: You will need at least a tank that can hold 20 gallons of water. If the fish were bigger than you would need a bigger tank.

* Now that the fish are clean and the tank is clean too, do not feed the fish anything for the next two months except some amount of live food like insect larvae,worms, and brine shrimp. This preparation will help the females develop healthy and the males, milt that is needed to fertilize the eggs.

* If the winters are too cold in your area, you can consider using a heater.

* Watch the male goldfish developing breeding tubercles that look like white pimples on their gill covers and the pectoral fins.

* Watch the females become rounder body as it fills up with roe or eggs.
How do you spot the spawning moment?

* Spawning usually happens in the early morning.

* The colors of all the goldfish will look brighter then before.

* The fish would group together while swimming.

* The males will be chasing the females at random.

* Finally the active males zero in on one particular female and chase her more than before.

* The chase will intensify with the male getting aggressive and pushing against the female goldfish till she ejects her eggs.
* As the eggs are out the male will fertilize them by depositing milt over the eggs.

* The eggs will fall through the water, landing on plants. They stay in the same spot till they hatch.

* The spawning may begin again after some days of rest.

Point of note: Goldfish eat their eggs. Of the 10,000 eggs that are laid in one spawning session, hardly any will be left if the fish are not removed. So once the eggs are laid, move the parents back to another tank.

Dane Stanton – www.goldfish-secrets.com

Dane Stanton is an expert on goldfish health care. To visit his website visit http://www.goldfish-secrets.com for more information on Goldfish care and other aquarium related topics.
*Recommended*

For parents, keeping our kids safe is a constant top priority. But even with the best intentions it’s possible to overlook some potentially harmful household poisons. According to the National Academy of Poison Control Centers, 92 percent of all poison exposures occur in the home, and 52 percent of poison exposures occur in children under the age of 6.

Following is a list of the most common poisons among children. Take note of them and make sure these items are securely out of your child’s reach.

1. Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

Cosmetics contain many chemicals, some of which are even toxic to adults, but because children are smaller, and their metabolic rates are faster, a small amount of chemical or toxin can cause a serious reaction.

Most poisonings occur when children are not being watched closely, such as when parents are busy making dinner or entertaining friends. Keep all cosmetics and personal care products in cabinets that children cannot reach or are locked with child-proof closures.

This includes everything from shampoo, shaving cream and toothpaste (the fluoride in a tube of toothpaste can be detrimental if swallowed by small children) to mascara, lipsticks and perfumes. Even if you don’t think it’s dangerous, play it safe and keep it securely stashed away.

2. Cleaning Substances

This one is a bit more obvious: cleaning products are ripe with caustic detergents, harsh chemicals and toxic residues. Should a child inhale cleaner fumes or put an object in their mouth that contains cleanser residue, the effects can be lethal.

Many cleaners also contain corrosive agents that can burn the skin on contact, and other products, like antifreeze, taste sweet so a child may not know it’s dangerous to drink. And, the bright colors are attractive to a child-Windex looks exactly like blue Kool-Aid, for example.

As with cosmetics and personal care items, always keep cleansers out of the reach of children. You can also quit using them altogether if you opt to clean your house with PerfectClean terry wipes and mops, whose ultramicrofiber construction enables the clothes, mops and dusters to reach deep into microscopic crevices (NO other cleaning tool available even comes close!) and remove everything in their path: all forms of dirt, dust, hair, dander, and the biological contaminants too small to see with the naked eye-without the need for chemical cleansers!

PerfectClean products are 100% safe, and are meant to be used dry or dampened with some water, which is ideal for homes with small children where poisoning is a major concern.

3. Pain Medicine/Fever Reducers

One study found that up to 40 percent of pediatric household poisonings occurred while a parent was using the product. Pain medications (or other medications) may look like candy to a small child, but their developing bodies cannot handle the adult-sized dosages and will process the drug much differently than an adult.

For this reason, it’s never a good idea to encourage your child to take a medication by saying that it “tastes like candy.”

If you take a medication, always be sure to take out only your necessary does and then put the rest in a secure location. The medicine cabinet is one of the worst places because children can easily climb up to them via the sink and open the door.

And don’t rely on child-proof containers. Studies have found that children can invariably get them open if given enough time.

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can also be dangerous. Never give your child any medication, even if it’s OTC, that is not specifically approved to be safe for children.

4. Coins and Thermometers

These objects present choking hazards to small children, who will often put small objects in their mouths immediately upon finding them left out on the floor or counter top.

If a coin larger than a penny is swallowed, an X-ray is generally needed to be sure it has passed through the esophagus.

Thermometers represent another hazard of mercury ingestion if they are broken. Mercury can emit a poisonous gas and is dangerous when swallowed, so be sure to clean up any broken glass thermometers thoroughly and safely.

5. Plants

Children may find the bright colors and different textures of plants irresistible, but some plants can be poisonous if touched or eaten. If you’re in doubt about whether or not a plant is poisonous, don’t keep it in your home. The risk is not worth it.

You can refer to the list in the box below for plants that should not be kept in homes with children. The list is not comprehensive, so be sure to seek out safety information on the plants in your home to be safe.

The following plants may be hazardous to your child, and should be kept out of reach or not in the home at all:

* Bird of paradise

* Bull nettle

* Castor bean

* Chinaberry tree

* Crocus

* Daffodil

* Deadly nightshade

* Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)

* Foxglove

* Glory lily

* Hemlock

* Holly berry

* Indian tobacco

* Iris

* Jimsonweed

* Lantana

* Larkspur

* Lily of the valley

* Marijuana

* Mescal bean

* Mexicantes

* Mistletoe

* Morning glory

* Mountain laurel

* Night-blooming jasmine

* Nutmeg

* Oleander

* Philodendron

* Poison ivy

* Poison sumac

* Pokeweed

* Poppy

* Potato

* Privet

* Rhododendron

* Rhubarb

* Water hemlock

* Wisteria

6. Diaper Care, Acne Preparations, Antiseptics

Children may suck on a tube of diaper cream or acne medication. These accidents typically occur because the items have been left out near a child’s reach.

Some topical products, such as those containing methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen)-ingesting1 teaspoon of some strengths of methyl salicylate can equal more than 20 adult aspirin tablets-camphorated oil, pennyroyal oil, oil of eucalyptus, and other concentrated essential oils can be extremely toxic to small children.

As with other questionable household items, keep all creams, ointments and preparations, even those that you use on your child like diaper cream, in an out-of-reach, locked or child-proofed cabinet.

7. Cough and Cold Preparations

Antihistamines, cough suppressants, expectorants and decongestants are often flavored like candy and may be mistakenly taken by children. Keep them, along with other medications, in a locked cabinet.

When giving your child cough or cold medicine, be sure that you are using the proper dose, and that another adult has not already given some to the child. If used incorrectly, cough and cold medications may cause agitation or drowsiness, and in large doses may effect blood pressure and heart rhythm.

8. Pesticides

Indoor pesticides, like mouse baits and roach traps, should be kept in areas where children and toddlers (and pets) are not allowed.

According to Dr. Mark McDonald, a pediatric intensivist at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, “Pesticides can quickly kill a child. Never pour pesticides into other containers,” he added, citing a case in which a parent poured plant fertilizer borrowed from a neighbor into a plastic soda bottle. The parent’s child took a drink from the bottle in the garage and, despite being rushed to the emergency room, was brain-dead in 17 hours.

9. Vitamins

Believe it or not, vitamins are a common source of poisoning for children. The pills can, again, look like candy, and the doses and concentrations of nutrients and vitamins can overwhelm a child’s system.

Treat all vitamins and supplements like drugs and keep them out of your child’s reach. And never give your child vitamins meant for adults.

10. Gastrointestinal preparations

Small doses or sips of these preparations, though perhaps soothing for adults, can poison a child. These are another category of household items that should always be kept in a secure location that your child cannot get into, and should be used immediately (not left out on a counter where your child may be tempted by it).

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