Reprint Article Headlines ? the Reader is Secondary

A great headline can be the difference between having your free reprint article published once (on your own website...) and having it published hundreds, if not thousands, of times all over the Internet.


Sure, the content has to be worthwhile; it has to be helpful, informative, and not just a sales spiel. And there's no denying that a well written article can be very compelling. But if your headline doesn't cut it, the article won't stand a chance. The best article in the world will never see the light of day without an effective headline.


Now, more than ever, article submissions need a good headline. But it's not just the reader you have to worry about. In fact, the reader is secondary! When it comes to reprint article headlines, your main focus should be the publisher.


You may think the requirements of a good headline haven't changed over the years, but they have. Unlike headlines for traditional newspapers, magazines, etc., which target only the reader, online article submission headlines target first the publisher, then the reader.


So how do you write a headline for an online publisher?


Here's a few tips...


1) State your domain


No matter what your business, you can be sure that potential publishers of your article are inundated with information every day. Imagine hypothetical 'Publisher Pete'. He's the webmaster of a high PR site. He receives hundreds of article submissions every day. Additionally, he farms article submission sites (aka 'article banks', 'article submit sites', 'free-reprint sites') for articles on a regular basis. Because so many of the article submissions he sees are spam or unrelated, Publisher Pete is quick to dismiss anything that isn't obviously ? and immediately ? relevant to his website. So make sure your headline signals the general subject area of the article submission, not just the exact topic.


2) State your argument


Every website has an agenda. Whether it's to sell, persuade, or inform, there's always an angle. When our friend Publisher Pete looks for free reprint content for his website, he wants something that complements his agenda. If he's selling chemical garden fertilizers, he doesn't want an article about the evils of chemical fertilizer. Nor does he want an article espousing the virtues of organic fertilizer. He wants an article promoting the value of chemical garden fertilizer. If that's what your article is about, make sure the headline lets him know.


3) Don't make empty promises


Sensationalized headlines may work in traditional media, but they're not so effective in online article submissions. Few things frustrate an online publisher more than being lured in by a promising headline which turns out to be nothing more than hot air. For publishers who take the time to carefully filter content before publishing, empty headlines are nothing more than time-wasters. For publishers who are a little less meticulous, empty headlines result in a site which is characterized by disjointed, contradictory, low-quality content. Either way, the publisher isn't impressed, so make sure the headline of your article is relevant to (and validated by) the body of your article.


4) Put yourself in the publisher's shoes


Always think about ways to make the publisher's job easier. It's as simple as that. Brainstorm 5, 10, 20 headlines, then put yourself in the publisher's position and ask which one you'd choose. That's the best headline for your article submission.


5) Think about your publisher's readers


Publishers want articles that readers will open. But remember, your publisher's website may cater to an entirely different type of reader to your website. Whenever you find yourself thinking about your secondary audience (the reader), make sure you're thinking about the publisher's readers ? not your own. That settled, you can go on to focus on regular audience-headline considerations such as making the headline attention-getting, targeted, and benefit driven.


Conclusion


With the emergence of article submission as a great way to generate a high search engine ranking, and the associated proliferation of article submission spam, the right headline is more important than ever. The important thing to remember is that you're faced with a gatekeeper, and you need to address their needs first.


By following all the publisher-focused tips above, you'll not only see your article published many more times, you'll also see it published on more relevant websites. This will help both your ranking (because links from relevant sites are always the best) and your click-thru traffic (because the audience will be more relevant).


Happy headlining!

About The Author

* Glenn Murray is an SEO copywriter and Article Submission Specialist. He is a director of PublishHub and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com or http://www.publishhub.com for further details, more FREE articles, or to purchase his e-book, 'SEO Secrets'.

Busy, Busy, Busy

?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me with a wet diaper! Enough of that silliness. Most you know what I'm talking about though, right? That's us! Busy. Doing what? Stuff. What kinds of stuff? All kinds of stuff. Like what? You name it. Give me an example. Can't. Why not? Too busy?

OK ? that's it! Blow the danged whistle! We need a Time Out!

Holy Smokes, Folks! We're going outta control. No, not all of us of course. But there are enough of us pushing our physical, mental and emotional limits that it's worthwhile talking about it. Let me ask you this. When was the last time you just kicked back and looked at the clouds to see what cartoonish kinds of figures or shapes you could see in them? Or the last time you touched a plant leaf and really thought about how it felt and how amazing it was that it was an actual living thing? Or the last time you strolled leisurely down the road or path and thought about nothing in particular? Or the last time you watched a baby sleep and enjoyed the feeling of being a part of a great creation? Or the last time you leaned back in an easy chair and snoozed ? not because you were completely worn out, but just because it seemed like a neat thing to do?

How long has it been? An extremely long time? Never? Hmmm?

Many of us unfortunately, are the proud owners of the skewed assumption that we must always be doing something. OK, for those of you who have a tendency to get overly technical, we are always doing something ? even when we're doing "nothing". You know what I mean. I'm referring to our obsession with physical and mental (and sometimes emotional) activity. We go to work, do stuff, talk with folks, go home, go to the store, go out to an activity, run errands, pay bills, haul the kids around, fix meals, do yard work, do house work, fix stuff, paint stuff, reorganize stuff, buy more stuff, watch TV, surf the web, and on and on. Even our vacations are so crammed with "doing" that we're pooped puppies by the time we get back home.

Yeah, I know. I have heard time and time again, "But I just have sooo much to do that I can't get it all done in a day!" Hmmm (again?). And I think to myself that there are several possible reasons for this comment. This person may be in a survival mode of operation and his/her day is filled to overflowing with more than one job, caring for loved ones and trying to meet the demands of everyday living. This can be tough, but we do what we gotta do. Or this individual may just be a bit disorganized and have a difficult time establishing logical priorities. Or, maybe he/she isn't really all that busy but for some inner reason would like others to think he/she is. Or maybe this person has a difficult time saying no for a variety of reasons. Or perhaps this individual has become so accustomed to being busy or having some type of auditory input or stimulus that to do otherwise is uncomfortable ? again, for a variety of possible reasons.

We all have our individual, special reasons for being busy and admittedly, many of the reasons are completely valid. I'm suggesting however, that none of the reasons are valid enough. Every single one of us needs time to kick back for at least a few minutes each day to recharge our physical, mental and emotional batteries. And the busier we get, the more critical this re-charge becomes.

Most of us know, or have known, people who have succumbed to the Go-Go-Go Syndrome. We have seen everything from burn-outs to complete physical, mental or emotional collapse. Suddenly, the go-go-go has turned into a stop-stop-stop. Everything that seemed to be such a high priority dropped dramatically in its ranking ? probably closer to the level it should have been at in the first place.

I think it would be very beneficial if we all made the small effort that it takes to reserve at least fifteen minutes a day just for us. Fifteen minutes for a time out to relax, meditate or just let the old brain cells cool down. Fifteen minutes to regroup and recharge our batteries. Just fifteen minutes. About one percent of our day. OK, considering all the other possible options, it might not be the absolute best fifteen minutes you've ever enjoyed in life but it's still worth doing. Give it a try. You'll like it?

About The Author

Gene, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog along with affordable books and materials written to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of life's "secrets for survival" in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It's a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. This article is an excerpt from Gene's blog posted on 12/2/03. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathzcom/

gene@nupathz.com

S is for Spying, Surveillance -- and for Software as Well

Words we choose to describe things and phenomena often show our attitude towards what we say. They imperceptibly reflect our opinions and judgments, prejudices and preferences, moral convictions and beliefs. Whether we like it or not, good deal of words we use are biased, or should I say "slanted", --positively or negatively. Two people will call the same thing differently, depending on their points of view.

Look at this example: "Monitoring", "surveillance", "control", "data interception", "gathering evidence of wrongdoing" -- on the one hand; "sleuthing", "spying", "eavesdropping", "snooping", "peeping", "prying", "tapping"--on the other. A neutral "information gathering device" vs. negatively loaded "bug"--choice of words clearly shows whether we approve or disapprove it.

If you feel you have right to do so, you are "monitoring my kids' online behavior"; your resentful kids, however, might think you are to poking your nose into their lives. The same at work--but here it is you who is the person under surveillance, and your opinion might differ from the CEO's, who probably thinks that "workplace surveillance software improves employees' performance and prevents violations of security policy and corporate code of conduct" (or something similar).

Most of arguments on this issue start right here; the crucial point is whether those who perform monitoring are authorized to do so.

Computer monitoring and email monitoring have been in the limelight for several years, and public interest is not going to fade. The very issue of monitoring is extremely complicated. Here technical matters become directly connected with wide range of political, legal, economic and moral issues. The data interception technology has everything to do with a wide range of very serious matters--from identity theft to various aspects of national security.

The problem is that this technology is a double-edged sword. Software used for parental control or workplace surveillance often apply the same mechanisms as malicious programs used for data stealing and plain spying. But there are differences.

These two specific program functions are typical to spy programs:

First, preliminary configuration of the monitoring module (it is usually called "client" or "agent") is possible, with a compiled executable file as a result. This file, when installed, doesn't display any messages or create windows on the screen. It "hides itself" and "shows no signs of life". It is impossible to notice whether the particular PC is being secretly monitored or not. Of course, the user is not aware of being spied ? until the consequences show up.

Second, spy software always has built-in means of remote installation; as a rule, the pre-configured module (agent) is installed into the target PC remotely. Then the files with obtained information are sent via local network or emailed to the person who installed the spy program.

Last, but not least ? spyware is always used illicitly and behind the user's back ? here monitoring is performed by a person who has no right for it. Unlike spyware, legally used monitoring programs are seldom used furtively. Though in many states it is officially permitted not to let employees know about monitoring, companies--especially large ones--rarely make a secret out of it.

Remove these two functions - and you will get a monitoring program instead of spy software. If it is impossible to pre-configure the monitoring module and install it remotely; if you should have administrator privilege to install the program, it is monitoring software, not spyware.

As we can see, monitoring products in themselves are neither good nor bad. Compare them with a knife--one may use it both for cutting cheese and for stabbing a neighbor to death. Tool is only a tool, but be careful--this one is of a dangerous kind.

Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at Raytown Corporation, LLC--an independent monitoring and anti-monitoring software developing company. Its products are based on innovative technologies the company's R&D department developed. Learn more--visit the company's website http://www.softsecurity.com/

Doctors of the Air

We met at a Saturday afternoon fund-raising and promotional rally sponsored by a para-church organization. His calling card introduced him impressively. He was the pastor of an independent church congregation not aligned with any denomination, and a radio preacher. They called him "Doctor". And why not? After the good reverend's name, his calling card displayed the symbol D.D. for his honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

He was at least fifteen years my senior. For reasons I cannot explain, we became friends. I learned he never attended college or seminary. One day I dared to ask about his degrees. With what I hoped was jest, he quoted part of the thirteenth verse from the third chapter of the apostle Paul's first letter to the young pastor Timothy, which says that a minister "doth purchase to himself a good degree." So I was not surprised to learn later that his honorary degree was from a diploma mill--the same school from which ultimately earned his doctor of theology (Th.D) degree.

Radio and TV preachers, who are typically within the charismatic, evangelical, fundamentalist fold, are not known for having much formal education or having credible academic credentials. Some religious media ministry celebrities are college or even high school dropouts. One college drop-out who conducted a religious radio broadcast for decades told inquirers that he took a few correspondence courses from a Bible Institute but received most of his training from the Holy Spirit. Still he introduced himself as "Dr," and used an N.D. (Doctor of Nutripathy) degree to promote himself as "Dr." in media ministry and as a nutritional therapist.

What is nutripathy? Gary A. Martin, D.N., Ph.D., Th.D., D.Sc., who originated the system in the late 1970s, allegedly thanks to divine influence, taught that "nutripathy is a religious science of experiencing mental, financial, physical, social and spiritual health using specific universal laws."

While no other media minister I know holds the highly suspect Doctor of Nutripathy degree, other radio and TV preachers rely on honorary degrees as the base for their "Dr." title. I doubt that the use of the honorary doctorate and the abuse of the "Dr." title it conveys has been more popular than among ministers, including media ministers. While the honorary doctorate has no academic standing, because of the "Dr" title, it is a popular degree among those in some ministry settings who have little or limited formal education.

When a featured speaker is introduced as "Dr," people who listen to religious radio and view religious TV programs have reason to ask, what kind of "Dr" the title means: Is the reference to a D.D., (honorary doctorate with no academic value), the Th.D. (doctor of theology), a research degree strictly in theology, a D.Min. (doctor of ministry) a degree based on the practice of ministry, or a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy), a research degree that adds knowledge to the field in which the degree is pursued?

With the information in hand that the answer to the degree question asks, the next would be: What school awarded the degree? Just as it is no surprise that so many ministers, including those in media, seek honorary doctoral degrees, it should surprise no one that some Doctors of the Air are created by doctorates granted that are diploma mill degrees.

Dr A H Barbee is a minister and educator. He has served as church pastor, conference speaker, consultant to nonprofit organizations, businesses, Fortune 500 corporations, and professor offering courses in the humanities, management and organizational studies with five colleges and universities. He holds the Ph.D. in Human Resource Development.

infocite@yahoo.com

Top Three Secrets To Becoming A Better Thinker

We all know there are ways to become a better thinker. We should read more books. We ought to go to lectures and concerts. We need to visit exhibits and appreciate art. We can take classes and expand our horizons through travel.

Blah, blah, blah. Those are the easy answers.

If we really want to become better thinkers, there are three ways to do it that are guaranteed to get you tuned in to your brain and everything going on in it.

Ready? Here are the top three secrets to becoming a better thinker:

#1 Interrupt yourself.

That's right. The next time you find yourself talking for any period of time, or even thinking about something for more than a few minutes, simply stop. Ask yourself: "Where did this thought start?" "Have I had this thought before?" "Have I already examined this concept at length?"

We tend to reiterate our opinions. We repeat ourselves (like I did right there). Imagine all the time we spend on thoughts that just aren't taking us anywhere new and interesting. How many times have you had the same conversation?

Make a habit of stopping yourself to check in. Steer your thoughts or your conversation in new directions. Make room for new ideas by recognizing and interrupting repetitive thoughts, and you'll make huge strides toward becoming a more excellent thinker.

#2 Appreciate lulls.

You know when you're talking to someone, and there's a moment of silence before anyone says anything? Our tendency is to jump in, even if what we have to say is pointless. We talk for the sake of filling up that few seconds of silence to keep that pause from becoming uncomfortable.

Next time you find yourself with an unexpected moment of silence, try this: Smile and nod. You'll look thoughtful, and you won't fill the air with silly-sounding expressions of agreement. Once you get good at the smile-and-nod routine, you'll find that you'll use that moment as a way to be open to new thoughts that wouldn't normally have room to sprout through your typical "uh-huh, that is so true" or "yeah, I totally agree with that" comments.

Appreciate those moments during the day when you have no choice but to be silent and patient. Waiting for your email to download? Standing in line at the checkout? Riding in an elevator? Fill the lull with observations. Look around. Notice scents. Pay attention to lighting. Listen. Think of these pauses as opportunities to sharpen your senses. Enjoy a Da Vinci moment.

#3 Define Your Life Philosophy.

Quite frankly, I don't understand how this one gets so neglected in our culture. We do a whole lot of talking about being authentic, honoring our individuality, and finding our true passion. Well, how can anyone be true to themselves if they haven't taken the time to figure out who they are? If you don't know your values and beliefs, you're never going to get to where you think you ought to be.

A defined life philosophy serves as a road map. It gives you landmarks to recognize, navigation tools to guide you, and a clear destination. Just like the greatest road trips, you may end up going in a completely new direction that's nowhere on that original map. That's okay. But knowing your starting point is the most crucial part of any journey.

Fate, birth, death, love, freedom, responsibility, morality, faith, destiny--these are the concepts we need to explore in order to develop and define our own unique life philosophy. Thinking about these ideas is the coolest thing we can do. We feel alive and connected whenever we dig deep into the Real Stuff.

Don't shy away from delving deeply. It's the only way to develop as a thinker and as a human.

Take these three secrets--interrupting yourself, appreciating lulls, and defining your life philosophy--and run with them. Pick one as a New Year's resolution and commit yourself to mastering it.

Vow to become a better thinker in 2004. It may be your most meaningful--and enjoyable--resolution ever!

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. This article appeared in the Friday Mind Massage, a free weekly ezine serving up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

How to Stop Bad Breath In 4 Refreshing Steps

OK, no more excuses. Here's how to stop making everyone laugh behind your back after getting a whiff of your noxious breath.

Do you secretly fear that your breath is making people gag? Well you can stop the paranoia right now. Here's how?

Step 1: Scrape your tongue

The first source of a rotten mouth is a tongue smothered in festering bacteria. If your tongue is fuzzy white, you can bet that that layer of filth is making your breath hideous. Scrap off that white coating with a soft toothbrush or a special tongue scraper- you can get one from any drugstore.

Step 2: Gargle with diluted hydrogen peroxide twice a day

After you scrap off those bacteria, you can mix one part water with one part hydrogen peroxide and gargle with it for 45 seconds. The hydrogen peroxide gets real foamy in your mouth, but it helps to kill the excess bacteria that make your breath stink.

Don't overdo the hydrogen peroxide though. Give yourself 2-5 day breaks from the hydrogen peroxide because too much of this solution in your mouth can decompose the enamel on your teeth.

Step 3: Eat foods that make your breath smell better

There's a ton of food you can eat to make your breath smell better. And the fact is, you usually smell like what you're eating. Drink teas like peppermint, Moroccan mint, jasmine, hibiscus and lemon balm to freshen up your mouth. Don't add sugar because you'll totally ruin the cooling effect if you do.

Add fresh foods like ginger, parsley, cilantro and scallions to your meals. Make sure these foods are not cooked. Eating them raw helps restore the natural balance of colon bacteria, which ultimately leads to fresher breath.

Step 4: Empty your colon

OK, imagine this: your colon is directly tied to your mouth. If your colon is a filthy overcrowded cesspool, your breath will stink on an astronomical scale. That's why stinky smells either go out the anus, seep through the skin, or puff out of the mouth. Which way do you prefer?

Eating bran will help you cleanse your colon. You can also try an herbal laxative. Whatever you do, do not take drug to get regular unless your doctor tells you to. That's because most constipation drugs make your colon weaker and less efficient at pushing out the garbage and that's the last thing you need.

One other thing, you always want to make sure that your stinky breath is not the result of some fungi invasion. Here's a simple fungus test that you can use at home: First thing in the morning, spit into a class of water. Don't drink this. Let the water set for the day. If at the end of the day, you see stringy white substances in the class, you could have a fungal infection.

Now, stop making people dizzy and start making them smile with your newfound methods for fearlessly fresh breath.

Are you a pro at yo-yo dieting? Let Naweko show you how to go from slob to sexy using the secret mind tools that even fitness models won't tell you about. Get the real scoop on how to lose weight and keep it off at http://www.Noixia.com, home of "Skinny Fat Chicks: Why We're Still Not Getting This Dieting Thing" ISBN:0974912212.

Displaying Your Wedding Bouquet

The great day has come and gone, and you are now happily married. You now want to showcase your silk bouquet as a memory of the wonderful occasion. A good display will help to really show off your wedding, and will also help to make sure the bouquet stays in tip-top condition.

There are a few things you should think about when displaying your bouquet. In particular, you must be very careful about displaying your bouquet next to a window. But I'll tell you more about that later...

Anyway, there are 3 ways you can display your bouquet: in a display cabinet; on a shelf; or on a table.

Displaying In A Glass Display Cabinet

The ideal way to display your silk bouquet is in a glass display cabinet. This works really well with a picture of your wedding behind the bouquet, so that your flowers have a backdrop for other people to admire them in their full extent.

Displaying On A Shelf

Another place to display your bouquet is on a shelf. Try and use a high shelf, so that the bouquet is out of the way - you don't want people knocking it over! A couple of small wedding photo's either side of the bouquet will look great, and will really draw the eye to the display.

Displaying On A Table

If you have a posy, then you can display it in a vase, on top of a table. Try and use a table out of the way (A corner table, or dining table maybe), so that the posy doesn't get in the way of your everyday routine. If you place blue and white stones at the bottom of the vase, it will give the impression that the flowers are sitting in water. It looks spectacular, and is definitely worth a try.

Whichever way you to decide to display your bouquet, there are 4 simple rules you should pay attention to:

1) Put the silk bouquet in a place where it will draw attention. A well displayed bouquet makes a great talking point, and will remind you of the happy day every time you see it.

2) Make sure the bouquet is out of the way. You don't want to be knocking it over, or pushing it aside all the time. Perhaps you'll be careful, but what about your children, or your pets?

3) KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. Many people get carried away when setting up their bouquet display, and add too many photographs and other wedding items. This makes the display look cluttered, and the bouquet stops being a focal point. You want the display to be VERY simple, so that eye is drawn to the the bouquet.

4) Be sure to avoid direct sunlight hitting the bouquet. Direct sunlight is very bad for silk bouquets, and will make them fade and lose their color. Ideally you want natural room light. If you have your bouquet anywhere near a window, make sure the sunlight doesn't directly hit it!

Peta D'Silva has been making silk bouquets for over 14 years. She is the webmaster of http://www.visionsofsilk.com, a website featuring a catalog of bouquets that can be bought, as well as easy-to-understand articles about creating your own silk bouquet.

About Window Ledge Gardening

The growing of flowering or foliage plants on window ledges is a form of gardening in which most people can indulge. Those who live in flats, and others who have no gardens, and especially invalids who are confined to their rooms, derive an enormous amount of pleasure from this form of gardening.

Window ledge plants would be more popular if it were not for the fact that a considerable amount of work is involved in filling and emptying the boxes. In addition there is the watering problem, drainage water dripping on to the heads of people in the streets is liable to cause some annoyance. By taking proper precautions in constructing the containers and setting them in position, most of these difficulties can be overcome.

Suitable Window Ledge Plants for a Spring Display

Some of the most popular plants for spring are as follows:

Arabis albida (double variety)

The procumbent stems of this plant are clothed with grey hairy leaves and bear spikes of double, white flowers.

Aubrietia

It is more compact in growth than Arabis and forms a close carpet of blue, pink or purple flowers.

Bellis perennis flore pleno (Dwarf Double Daisies)

These dainty, free-flowering plants are ideal for window-boxes. There are red, pink and white varieties.

Myosotis (Forget-me-not)

This popular spring-flowering plant is obtainable in several shades of blue and forms an ideal carpeting plant for many types of bulbs.

Primula (Polyanthus)

The Polyanthus does not do well in a hot position and should therefore be used for window boxes which are set in a shady spot. These plants make a bright display, and many variously coloured forms are obtainable.

Suitable Window Ledge Plants for a Summer Display

Here again much information can be gained by visiting the public parks in summer, and making notes of the plants used for filling the flower beds... from florists shops many of the plants given in the following list will be readily obtainable. For example :

Ageratum houstonianum (mexicanum)

This is easily recognised by its compact, upright stems which bear small tufts of blue, fluffy flowers. There are numerous varieties in different shades of blue. The plants are compact and the bedding varieties range in height from 4-9 inches.

Lobularia maritima (Alyssutn maritimum)

Commonly called the white or sweet alyssum, this plant is used extensively for edging and carpeting flower beds. The variety Little Dorrit is the most popular. It grows 2-4 inches in height and forms a compact mass of white, sweetly-scented flowers. Lilac Queen and Violet Queen are two excellent varieties of recent introduction.

For edging, the variety Magic Carpet, which has a creeping habit, and forms a profusion of small blooms in many shades of colours, is most attractive.

Begonia semperflorens

For freedom of flowering and for providing a continuous display in summer the varieties of this species of Begonia are unexcelled. The plants grow about 6 inches tall and produce masses of flowers of various shades of red or pink.

Visit http://www.realniches.com/archives/category/gardening/page/2/ to know more about modern indoor gardening.

Visit http://www.realniches.com/archives/2005/06/treatment-of-the-rooted-cuttings.html to learn more about treatment of rooted cuttings.

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What Are Circuit Breakers?

Circuit Breakers are devices that stop the electrical current of a circuit in the event of excess or very high voltage. Circuit breakers are handy, not only because they can protect against electrical fires but also because they can be reset. When a fuse blows out, it must be replaced each time, whereas circuit breakers are easily reset when tripped.

Each appliance in your home receives electrical currents by way of electrical circuit breakers. Circuit breakers are considered to be either main or individual. The main circuit breaker controls power to the entire house while individual circuit breakers transmit power to individual appliances.

Electrical circuit breakers are probably the most important safety feature in a building. A circuit breaker measures the amount of heat produced by the current or by the magnetic field created by the small coil inside the breaker. When the current becomes too high, the breaker will cut off the circuit to stop it. Fuses serve the same function but can only be used once. Anyone who has blown a fuse can tell you it is much easier to have circuit breakers.

Electrical circuit breakers are also useful for shutting down power to the entire house. If you need to do some electrical maintenance, either for the entire structure or individual electrical wires, shutting down the main breaker can be a safety tool. Although electrical waves are invisible, we all know they have great potential danger. You should label each individual electrical circuit breaker so it is easily accessible for future use.

Direct current, or DC circuit breakers, are commonly used in automobiles. DC circuit breakers, unlike alternate current (AC) breakers, only deliver currents in one direction. These types of circuit breakers are a renewable energy delivery source, and special precautions should be taken when using them.

Since all batteries have the capability of producing enormous amounts of energy when short-circuited, care should be taken to properly install the breaker, fuse and disconnects in a vehicle. Autos should have additional protection against over current for the battery and each of the branch circuits. Vehicle fires sometimes result when the owner does not take proper precautions.

DC circuit breakers often have plastic beads inside of the fuse. When the current becomes too heavy, these plastic beads can melt and fill the void inside the fuse and prevent an arc from forming. If the current is very heavy this can cause electrical fires. While DC circuit breakers are effective in preventing damage from an overload of current, they are only effective to a certain degree. Any power source using DC technology should have a backup master fuse to protect the vehicle against total short-circuit.

Circuit Breakers Info provides detailed information about circuit breaker panels, circuit breaker manufacturers, plus advice on how to replace and install circuit breakers and where to buy used and surplus circuit breakers. Circuit Breakers Info is the sister site of Electricians Web.

Interview with Best-selling Entrepreneurial Authors Barbara Winters and Nick Williams

Ray Bradbury's quote, "You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down" may sound extreme but, as anyone building a business knows, it has a lot of truth in it.

As a newly self-employed journalist / writer and life coach, I found Barbara Winter's book, "Making a Living Without a Job" invaluable so when I got a chance to interview her and Nick Williams in London, I was delighted. Barbara advocates having Multiple Profit Centres so her approach is ideal for writers, coaches and other entrepreneurs as we often build our incomes by developing several strings for our bows.

Barbara co-founded the Dreambuilders Community with her friend Nick Williams. They are bringing entrepreneurs together so we can support and inspire each other. Between them, they have several decades of entrepreneurial experience.

Nick Williams has inspired countless entrepreneurs with his bestsellers including "The Work We Were Born To Do". Nick is also founder of Heart at Work London and a trustee Director of Alternatives.

Barbara remembers first becoming self-employed, "I couldn't find any kind of guidance for the sort of business I wanted so it was very trial and error. I didn't know anybody else creating a one-person business so I was a real slow upstart."

Nick says, "I always enjoyed working with people. I enjoyed helping people and being in service to people. So I began to think maybe that was what I was going to do but there was a lot of fear because I had to change my life and I didn't know how I was going to do it. So I think a lot of my teaching comes out of my experience and compassion."

Barbara wants to bring everyone together. She says, "I think we nag about that in the Dreambuilders Community, about building your own network of self-employed people. It's incredibly important."

Asked if he ever wanted to give up on his own dreams, Nick says, "I think, 'What else would I do?' Do I want to go work in a shop? No. Do I want to serve sandwiches? No. Really, I am totally committed to my life so any setback is just an obstacle to overcome. I get back on track by laughing about it."

Barbara adds, "Even in the dark times, I never believed it was permanent. With all the challenges, there was always a part of me that knew it was going to work eventually. It was something I still had to discover but I knew I would. And like Nick, I'd think, 'If I'm not doing this, what will I do?' And there was nothing else I wanted to do.

Nick says, "Once you get on the path, it's about committing. You have to just keep committing and saying 'I'll make this work.' So my focus shifted to 'How can I make this work?'"

From a coaching perspective, this makes complete sense. You decide on your goal, work towards it and check to see if you're getting the results you want. If you're not, work out what you can do differently to make sure you get the outcome you're after.

Nick and Barbara have different versions about their meeting. Nick says, "She stalked me."

Barbara says, "That's his version. You know, sometimes you meet people in your life and it's inevitable and that was it with him. I read his book and by the third chapter, I knew we had to work together. I'd never had that experience from reading a book before. I'd read books where I thought I'd love to meet the author but this was different. His email address was in there so we started emailing."

They are great ambassadors for self-employment. Nick loves, "being self-motivated, being able to generate ideas for myself and follow them through. If I have an idea I just do it. No committees or having to write papers and ask for permission. I like that ability to think and do."

Barbara struggled with loneliness but says, "In a way, that's really been a gift because I'm able to talk about it and understand people who find themselves on their own and feel very, very isolated. I've become a bit of a nag about the importance of having self-employed friends because they're the ones you call up and they understand exactly what you mean."

She adds, "We were talking about inspired parenting today. I think when people are happily self-employed and they have children, they become an amazing role model for them. So many people grow up with bad messages about work. Their parents go away all day and come back cranky. The children don't know what they did all day but it obviously didn't make them happy."

Nick says, "One of the things we can do with Dreambuilders is serve people by offering learning programmes. Someone who has an idea but doesn't know how to make it happen could come to our programme. We are looking at ways to create this for people. There's no course about it at university. People think you're either born with it or not but we could help people learn."

Nick and Barbara bubble with enthusiasm for all the embryonic businesses they want to support. They remind me of Mark Twain's quote: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that but the really great make you feel that you too can become great."

Top Tips:

Barbara: "I don't know how long it takes to do something I've never done before. Be gentle with yourself." Nick: "One of the ways through resistance is a sense of humour." Barbara: "Sometimes the people who are ahead of you are there because they were born before you." Nick: "How we deal with failure links with how we feel about fear. Most people are brought up to avoid fear or to defend themselves against it." Barbara: "When we see someone who's really masterful, we forget how long it took them to get there because we didn't see their failures." Nick: "I used to think, 'If I could just face these fears and be clear of them, I'd be alright.' The day I realised it was a daily activity, I was very disappointed."

For more information about Barbara and Nick, see www.dreambuilderscommunity.com and www.alternatives.org.uk

Barbara Winter's 1993 book "Making a Living Without a Job: Winning Ways for Creating Work that You Love" began as a seminar she created and taught for several years. It has become the US's longest running adult education programme. Her most recent book, "Jump Start Your Entrepreneurial Spirit" is out now.

Nick Williams is the author of "The Work We Were Born to Do", "Unconditional Success" and "Powerful Beyond Measure". His most recent book, "How to Be Inspired" is also out now.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to order your FREE REPORT "Eight Common Business Goal Setting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" or "Eight Easy Ways to Improve Your Written Marketing Materials", send an email (stating your report preference) to eve@applecoaching.com or phone 01277 632085.

Eve Menezes Cunningham is an accredited life coach specialising in coaching entrepreneurs and writers. See http://www.applecoaching.com for more information.

She is also a freelance journalist / writer and specialises in personal development, business and social issues.

So Youve Decided to Hire a Freelance Copywriter - A Guide to the Collaboration Process

Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances are you will have to hire a writer somewhere along the line to create your marketing material. Here is some insight into the process, what is expected of you, and how to get the most out of your investment.

But before we start?

All your written background material please! Rather than set up a meeting, the most efficient way to get started is to send all previously written material to your writer. This includes brochures, business plans, press releases, articles, reports and whatever else you can find. The writer will then spend a few days to a week, depending on the assignment, taking a crash course on your business. Much like cramming for finals. Then?

Let the questions begin! (and there will be lots!)

You are the expert, so it's your job to fill in the blanks that the material doesn't cover. Some questions may seem redundant to you. But remember, in order to create strong selling copy, the writer must write with authority about your product or service. And specifics are where it's at.

Here are a few standard questions:

1. Who is your target audience? (age, income, gender)

2. What are the characteristics of your audience?

3. What is the tone of the piece? (friendly, formal, excited)

4. What are the features and benefits of your product or service?

5. Who is your competition?

Collaboration

The more open and communicative you are during the process, the better your copy will be. Hopefully your writer will have nailed down exactly what you envisioned on the first draft. But we're not mind readers! Business writing is still an art form and your writer's interpretation won't always be right on the mark (although hopefully close to it if they have any talent or listening skills). This is where revisions start. When going over the first draft together, it's best to be specific about what areas you need altered. An example of constructive feedback would be "I like this paragraph, but let's emphasize this benefit more". Or, "I want to change the tone of this section". By the second or third revision it should be 100%.

Trust your copywriter!

You may look at your copy and decide you could have written it yourself. Or you may want to take over half way through the process. After all, anyone can write - right? This is a common misconception. You are probably a fabulous salesperson out there with the customers. But the actual writing part is a different discipline. If you start playing around with a section here and a section there, you risk sabotaging the flow and structure your copywriter has toiled over to entice the reader into taking the desired action. Your writer will know which key words sell, how to write attention grabbing headlines and basically the difference between copy that sells and copy that sounds clever but is really just a load of hot air. And how will they have created such irresistibly, compelling copy? By lots of?

Brainstorming

Aah, that mysterious word that conjures up so many visions. Mostly, visions of your writer doing a whole lot of nothing. Except maybe, daydreaming. Yes, sitting around looking at pictures, reading, staring off into space, doodling on notepads, and making countless cups of coffee are part of brainstorming. But realize we're not just idly wasting time. There is a method to our madness. The actual writing is the last step of the process. First, we need time to digest all that new information we've just crammed into our heads. Then comes the concepting, sketching and arranging until finally it all gets typed into the computer and becomes the masterpiece that is your hard hitting, engaging sales copy.

Return on Investment

After the first project, your writer will have a pretty sound knowledge of your business. As you continue working together, they will become expert. The benefits of sticking with the same writer are obvious. Because they have invested the research time on the first project, you can simply call them up, explain the job and rely on them to create copy that clearly speaks with the 'voice' of your company. Not only that, but they will know how to present your features and benefits in the most appealing way to your audience. And most importantly, they will free up your time so you can get back to doing what you do best. The end result? More money for everyone. Happiness. And peace of mind.

Jenny Brown is a Vancouver based freelance copywriter. She helps large and small companies increase sales and look good by writing brochures, web content, sales letters, direct mail packages, ghost articles and more. Visit http://www.jennybrown.ca