Tomcat F 14

1. The ports. You should make sure that laptop has lots of USB ports for devices such as printer, mouse, flash drive, digital camera, etc. If your laptop does not come with many USB ports, you will need an USB hub. If you plan to connect your laptop to a TV, you will need an s-video port.

2. CD/DVD. Most of laptops come with a CD writer\DVD reader drive. If you want to copy DVDs, you will need a DVD writer drive. At this time the maximum speed for burning a DVD is 16X.

3. The hard drive. The speed of hard drive is measured in rpm or Rotations per Minute. Try to find a laptop that has 4200rpm or 5400rpm. A laptop with 40 Gigabytes is sufficient for an average person.

4. The memory. Your laptop should have at least 1 GB of memory. However, you can get a notebook with 512 MB and work with Windows XP. You should avoid a laptop with only 256 MB of memory.

5. The processor. You can choose between Intel and AMD. At the moment, Intel has the best processor for a laptop called the Core 2 Duo. The speed of processors is measured in Gigahertz. The bigger the number, the faster the processor is. There are also Dual-Core processors. It means they can process two things at the same time. As a result, the power of the processor is doubled.

6. Size. You should choose a smaller screen if you carry your laptop a lot. Typically a 14.1 inch screen is considered small. A 17 inch screen is considered big. A 17 inch screen is heavier and use up more battery life. You can get a 15 inch or a 15.4 inch.

7. The warranty. Each laptop computer should come with one year warranty from the manufacturer covering only defective equipment. You can also get an extended warrantycovering any accidents you may have.

8. The brand. Average brand of laptop is Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer and Compaq. The better brand of laptops is Sony, Toshiba, Alienware and IBM-Lenovo.

Alex Fir shares a wealth of information on his website Laptop Computers Center. If you want to learn more about buying a laptop go to www.laptopcomputerscenter.info/blog/ http://www.laptopcomputerscenter.info/blog/

Reuters - The chairman of the House Financial Services Committee has told lawmakers that a federal bank regulator will seek authority to increase the deposit insurance limit to a level above its current $100,000, said a source familiar with the chairman’s thinking.

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This is a lovely gift for anyone who loves sewing or needlework. The base of the hat is like a book for storing needles and the top of the hat stores the all-important thimble, so you always know where it is. This needle case is rather fiddle to make, so take your time.

You will need…

Some pieces of felt, embroidery thread, and a print out of the pattern pieces. Which can be printed out freely at the SantasPostbag website.

Cut out the pattern pieces from the printed out sheet. Place the pattern pieces on the felt and pin into place. Put the pieces around the edge of the felt and close up next to each other because this saves fabric. Cut around the pattern pieces, there is no need to leave a seam allowance, cut right up to the patter.

Each pattern piece says on it what part of the hat it is and how many you need to cut.

Use embroidery thread to sew your hat together. Embroidery thread is usually made up of six strands. Split the thread so that you only use three strands to sew with.

Get the two top hat pieces and prepare to sew the circle to the top edge of the shaped top hat piece. Use blanket stitch to sew the hat together. Curl the shaped piece around to follow the circle piece. You may find that the two ends of the shaped piece overlap at the end. Trim the ends so that they meet nicely and over sew them together.

The top part of the hat now needs to be sewn to the brim of the hat. The top part sits over the hole in the hat brim. The blanket stitch will show on the inside here.

The two inner discs need to be sandwiched between the top part of the hat and the base of the hat. The inner discs are slightly smaller and need to be placed off centre so that the edge touches the back of the needle case; this will be the hinged area.

Attach the threat to the left-had side of the hinged area and blanket stitch 3cm through all four layers.

After the hinged area, keep the thread attached to the hat. Edge the brim of the hat with blanket stitch.

Re-join the thread to the base of the hat at the left-hand side of the hinged area and edge the base with blanket stitch.

Cut out some flower shapes in contrasting felt. Tack the flowers to the hat with a couple of stitches, to finish off the hat.

S. Roberts is one of Santa’s Helpers and writes for www.santaspostbag.co.uk http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk a Christmas educational & activity website. The pattern printout can be obtained here www.santaspostbag.co.uk/posh-hat-needle-case-to-make.html http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/posh-hat-needle-case-to-make.html SantasPostbag is in association with www.bigboytoyz.com http://www.bigboytoyz.com .

AP - A Jamaican judge has cleared Grammy-winning musician Beenie Man of tax-evasion charges, saying the government never informed him of his legal rights.

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Don’t roll up your eyes and groan at the mere mention of class . Not all classes are as bad as those in your school and college were. In fact, a digital photography class promises bounties of fun and it is guaranteed that it will be one class of your lifetime, which you would not want to skip at any cost.

The soaring popularity of digital photography has seen digital photography schools springing up in almost every nook and cranny of your locality. So, which one to enroll to ensure your money’s worth?

Any good digital photography school worth it’s salt will offer intensive training and impart comprehensive knowledge in almost all the aspects of digital photography. And this also includes enlightening you on the internal mechanism of a digital camera. You can expect there will be no shortcuts either.

Your digital photography class will start out with an introductory session that will give you an overview of the camera setup and what digital photography is all about. You will be trained on the functions and settings of your camera so that after the completion of the course you will know your camera like the palm of your hand and will be better able to appreciate the scope of digital photography.

Being well versed in the parts and workings of a digital camera ensures that when you go to buy one for yourself, you can make the right choice.

Digital photography classes, as a principle, concentrate on teaching you the manual mode of photography. This is because the hallmark of a great photographer is definitely his skills in wielding control over how his photographs turn out. And wielding control entails that you do not let the camera decide when the flash should be used or being spot on with the focus and exposure settings without the intervention of the camera’s in-built scene modes.

There are many digital photography classes that arrange field trips for its students. And you will surely agree that a hands-on experience in outdoor shooting is actually far more beneficial than a theory class. Besides, a few bouts of outdoor filming will also ensure that your lighting issues are sorted out. Thus, the nitty-gritty of lighting like using filters to tone down the tints of a photo taken in the harsh midday sun or the details of night photography are best appreciated when tried first hand.

A stint at a digital photography class will hone your photographic skills manifold times with in-depth training in composition and blending the rules of traditional photography with the digital photography mode. The fine points of filming in different settings and churning out optimum results should also be a part of the curriculum.

Digital photography classes are particular about details. Therefore, you will not be stopping at filming lessons only. You will be taken through the editing and processing of digital photographs too. You will be taught the ways and means of accessing the images stored in the camera’s memory cards and the PC editing tweaks that will transform even the drabbest image into an enchanting piece of art. Besides, you will also be educated on how to compress the digital image files and have them uploaded on the Net.

There are hundred and one things that you can do with your digital images. Printing is definitely one of them. And you can be sure that your digital photography class instructor will teach you the fundamentals of getting digital prints.

A digital photography class is an excellent way of acquainting yourself with the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of digital photography. Attend one and flaunt your skills with the lens and the shutter.

Connie Fillmore is a successful writer and publisher of photography related issues, for more informative articles go to www.digitalphotographyguy.com http://www.digitalphotographyguy.com .

LiveScience.com - The short answer: a lot. The long answer: depends on how you look at it.Whatever your viewpoint, here’s how $700 billion - the figure inked in the initial dead-in-the-water government bailout bill for Wall Street - compares to other vast sums.NASA in fiscal year 2009 will launch several missions into space and pay for hundreds of people to operate a host of space telescopes and even remote robots on Mars and run a PR and media department that puts most large corporations to shame. The agency’s budget: $17.6 billion, or 2.5 percent of the bailout sum. …

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Down Spot! Down Princess! Down Rover! Down Peaches! … Down Comet! Down Cupid! Down Donder and Blitzen! I’ve heard that command many times, from many desperate dog owners, directed at many determined dogs. The jumping dog is a universal problem, but a better understanding of what’s motivating the behavior can go a long way toward addressing it.

Dogs jump up on people for two reasons mainly. First, and probably most common, is the jumping dog who greets this way. This can simply be from over-excitement - they “jump for joy.” Dog behaviorists also point out that this is partly instinctive. Dogs lick each others faces when they want to give a super nice greeting, a likely reflection of lower ranking members of a wolf pack licked the faces of the higher ranking wolves returning from the hunt. In addition, puppies in a den jump over one another for their mother’s attention. More specifically, they target her face, as a mother typically regurgitates food for her litter, another reflection of the wolf pack.

Also, this behavior can be positively reinforced during greeting times, when a jumping dog is met by an excited owner who immediately praises, feeds, walks and/or plays with their pet after getting “jumped,” so to speak. Jumping becomes part of this routine. It is rewarded and reinforced.

Another reason for jumping, which is less commonly the case, is that they may be trying to establish dominance. Dogs jump up on each other through what’s known as “teeing off.” In particular, they rest their head or paw (or both paws) on the shoulder of a dog they want to dominate and exert a bit of downward pressure. Because we walk on two legs, we’re more difficult to tee off on, but the motivation is the same. The dog may be trying to express his dominant status. In these cases, they often jump up once and more or less lean on you.

It’s important to identify this behavior by seeing it in the broader context of your relationship. First, realize a disobedient dog isn’t necessarily a dumb one. If they don’t listen to you, and push and pull you around some, they may have decided not to recognize you as their superior in the pack hierarchy (while still thinking the world of you as a companion!) Whether it’s male or female, a dog that consistently jumps on you may be exhibiting one of many behaviors of the signs of Alpha dog.

You should learn more about Alpha dog behavior, and if you suspect that the jumping is in fact an expression of dominance, then it is likely that your training will need to involve heavier corrections. This just means you might need to do more than simply ignore the dog while jumping and train them to Sit and Settle before getting your attention. For instance, water squirting, sharp “growling,” or even forcing the dog down and holding them down until they are still are all corrections that will short circuit this behavior.

Martin Olliver is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team ( www.kingdomofpets.com http://www.kingdomofpets.com ). For more great articles on problem jumping, visit: kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/jumping_dog.php http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/jumping_dog.php

NewsFactor - RealNetworks is feeling heat from the movie studios involving its just-released RealDVD software, and is firing back with a lawsuit.

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The Epilator: Quick and Easy Long-Term Hair Removal
Information and Tips for the Pioneering Epilator User

A lesser-known form of hair removal that is quickly growing in popularity is the epilator. The epilator is a small electronic devise (about the size of an electric razor) that functions in the same way as tweezers. You can use it anywhere on your body where you have unwanted hair - from bikini line to back and legs.

The epilator works when the user rolls the devise across the surface of the skin where the unwanted hair is growing. Inside of the body of the epilator are “pinching” devises that basically pinch anything that they come into contact with, including even the smallest hairs. After the hair is pinched, the devise continues to roll across the skin, pulling the hair out as it moves.

Because the epilator pulls the hair out at the root, the hair will not return to the surface of the skin for several days up to several weeks, leaving the skin smooth and silky. Unlike shaving, which only removes the part of the hair follicle from the skin’s surface, the epilator acts as a long-term solution to getting rid of unwanted hair. Therefore, the epilator is recommended for individuals that frequently get “five o’clock shadows”, or stubble by the end of the day after shaving.

The epilator is an electronic devise and can, therefore, be difficult to master at first. Here are some tips to help you use your epilator like a pro:

1. Always use your epilator after a hot shower or bath. The hot water will help to expand the pores and relax the hair root, making the hair easier and less painful to remove. Keep in mind that the epilator is an electronic devise and should not be used in or near water.

2. Pull the skin taught, tightening any excess skin by holding it down. As the epilator rolls across your skin, it will pinch and pull anything in its path - including loose skin.

3. Start slowly. You will be able to feel the epilator latch onto your hair follicles. The slower you work, the more thorough the hair removal job will be.

4. Move in the direction of the hair growth. Unlike shaving, which requires that you go against the grain of the hair, the epilator makes it quick and easy to go with the grain of the hair. When the hair is pulled out with an epilator, you will tend to not get the red bumps that you might otherwise get with a razor.

5. Your skin may be sensitive after you use the epilator. You may use a mineral oil to soother your skin. It is not advised that you use lotion, however, as the chemical agents in lotion can lead to rashes and skin irritations.

6. After your hair removal session, wipe your epilator clean so that hair does not clog the machinery.

Many people find that once they start using the epilator, they don’t want to go back to traditional shaving or waxing. Indeed, the epilator is quicker and longer lasting than shaving, yet without the painful side-effects that often accompany waxing. If you haven’t given it a try yet, there’s no better time; you have nothing to lose but unwanted hair!

Tamra Cantar is a freelance writer on topics of interest and has a website dedicated to providing the visitor with useful information and resources for hair removal. Visit www.hair-removal-systems.info http://www.hair-removal-systems.info for more articles and information on the Epilator and other hair removal techniques

Reuters - Nepal’s new Maoist-led government has appointed a 6-year-old girl as a “living goddess” in a town near Kathmandu, for the first time snapping the link between the ancient ritual and the ousted monarchy.

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You can’t have a party without a dip.

What is the first thing you serve guests at a party? At any function for that matter.

It’s the Dip.

There are so many options at the store for pre-made dips. Some are good but some are at best, ‘pretty average’.

Some are cheap, and they probably taste it too. Some are expensive but are they any better.

And how many times have you bought a pre-made one from the store and wish you had not.

I will admit, I am guilty of this. It looks so nice in the display at the store. Bright labels and glowing pictures, it’s so easy to just pick it up. But….

If it tastes Yuk, what use is it. How embarrassing to start the party with something less than fantastic.

So we need a recipe.

No, no wait. Don’t run away.

I mean something that is really easy. Really, really easy. As easy as picking that item off the store shelf. I mean there is the rest of the party to worry about, we need something easy.

Now some dip recipes require cooking, Well we don’t want that. Some other dip recipes call for soaking and heaps of exotic ingredients.

No, NO, NO!

What we need is a really, really simple recipe.

And here it is. This is our families secret dip recipe, which gets rave reviews every time we serve it. Someone always asks for the recipe, which is a bit embarrassing because it is so simple.

Take one jar of corn relish and one tub of cream cheese, mix equal quantities together.

Yep that’s it. So Easy and yet So Delicious. Make it up the day before or two minutes before the guests arrive - it won’t matter.

Until our next Cooking Encounter

Enjoy Cooking!

Lisa “The Crock Cook”

Lisa Paterson loves sharing her food ideas with you. She shares them with you at her websites on www.a-crock-cook.com http://www.a-crock-cook.com - www.chinese-fortune-cookie.com http://www.chinese-fortune-cookie.com and www.cupcake-creations.com http://www.cupcake-creations.com .

AP - Melamine tainting has been found in another 31 brands of Chinese milk powder, the state product safety administration reported Wednesday.

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As all the world now knows, Berlin’s Deutsche Oper closed a production of Mozart’s perennially harmless opera Idomeneo, because of “incalculable risk” due to a threat from a Muslim group or individual over the director’s decision to include a scene in which the heads of Mohammed, Jesus, and Budda are presented without their accompanying bodies.

The heady scene is reportedly an effort on the part of the director to mix opera with his own anti-religious sentiments.

While Mozart was not above being a bit of a rabble rouser - note the antagonism he bestirred among the nobility due to the amorous ways and eventual comeuppance of the broadly ignoble Don Giovanni - we give him the belated accolade of Clever Monkey of the Week for not finding if necessary to present disembodied prophets in the original production.

The oper avowed that it shut down the production “with great regret,” but government officials other than the security forces were not pleased.

As the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, said, with all understanding for the concern about the security of spectators and performers, I consider the decision of the director to be wrong. Our ideas about openness, tolerance and freedom must be lived on the offensive. Voluntary self-limitation gives those who fight against our values a confirmation in advance that we will not stand behind them.

There was a redemptive bright spot on the Islamic horizon. Kenan Kilat, who is the leader of Germany’s Turkish Community, told the online newspaper Netzeitung that, while he could understand how the three-headed scene could offend Muslims, an opera is not a political forum.

He went on to say the nearly miraculous, I would recommend Muslims learn to accept certain things. Art must remain free.

We commend his wisdom and courage.

But evidently we still have an enormous cultural chasm to deal with. Imagine how far we are from the headline “Famous Muslim Opera Closed Due To Courtesy Toward Christians.”

Tom Attea, humorist and creator of NewsLaugh.com http://NewsLaugh.com , has had six shows produced Off-Broadway. Critics have called his writing for the theater delightfully funny, witty, with great humor and good, genuine laughs.

AP - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Monday that the government is ready to compromise to reach a security accord with the United States because Iraq still needs American troops despite the drop in violence.

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Since the Shih Tzu breed first became known to the western world there has been a variety of colors. The first and second prize winners at the Shanghai Kennel Club Show of May 30, 1930 were all black in color. These two solid black Shih Tzu were probably among the first Shih Tzu to ever appear in a western show ring. Their photographs can be seen in the China Journal June and August 1930 issues.

Black and white Shih Tzu was also frequently seen of the early days in the western world. Black and white Shih Tzu can still be “very” striking and are still a favorite of many Shih Tzu fanciers.

There are different opinions as to exactly what color was the favored color at the Imperial Palace. It has been said often that the golden-yellow, sometimes described as honey was the favorite color and only kept in the palace. There are countless entries in our passages of Shih Tzu history that tell us the Empress Dowager’s favorite Shih Tzu of all times was a solid black she called “Sea Otter.” There are also accounts that three of the Empress Dowager’s sleeve dogs were greyish-white.

The mention of solid white Shih Tzu in later standards reflect the fact that there was a leading French breeder in Peking who had a large number of all-white Shih Tzu. There has always been questions as to whether or not it was probably more the westerners who appreciated the solid white, as the Chinese saw the color white as a color of mourning.

It would be safer to say and believe that since yellow was the imperial color, a fact readily known by the golden-yellow tiled roofs of the Peking Palace. Yellow dogs were also more lion-like in appearance. The word “Shih Tzu” means “Lion” in Chinese. The Chinese tried to breed the Shih Tzu to resemble the lion, at least it was their idea of what a Lion looked like. Yellow was more likely to have been the Chinese favored color.

The white blaze, collar, socks and tail-tip combine to create a highly prized ensemble.

It is most likely that westerners had a very difficult time acquiring the yellow-colored Shih Tzu since it was regarded as being so precious. Therefore, the first Shih Tzu to appear in the west were the black and white, grey and white, brindle and white and a few solid blacks. Very few of the precious yellow-colored Shih Tzu were first acquired by the westerners.

The same holds true for the very small sized Shih Tzu. The small size Shih Tzu, which were most likely the Imperial and Teacup Shih Tzu, as many of us commonly nickname them today, (the Shih Tzu under 9 pounds in weight) were not readily available for the westerners. The westerners had access mainly to the larger size Shih Tzu that the Imperial Palace had sent out as rejects of their breeding program. There were a few able to get hold of the very tiny Shih Tzu we now commonly nickname the Imperials and the Teacup size, but not many, as this was the favored and most treasured size of the Imperial Palace breedings. The smaller size in Shih Tzu was a major goal of the Imperial Palace breedings lead by Empress Dowager.

Today’s AKC standard, however, states the weight of a Shih Tzu in order to qualify for the show ring championships must be between 9 and 16 pounds.

This article is FREE to publish with resource box.

Connie Limon is a Shih Tzu breeder. She publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness for you and your pets. Discounts are offered to subscribers. Sign up at: www.stainglassshihtzus.com http://www.stainglassshihtzus.com

AFP - RealNetworks on Tuesday released software that lets people copy films on DVDs, sparking a heated legal battle with Hollywood film studios fearful of rampant piracy.

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Who, exactly, stands behind that website on your screen? Does that web page really belong to the company it claims to represent?

A handy little applet, known as a Whois , can tell you who is behind a web page before you make that final click or download that free offer.

What is a Whois?

A Whois is a software utility, or applet, that looks up information about individual websites. A Whois will reveal whatever information is currently available for any website.

A Whois will find the Domain Name and the IP Address so you will at least know the identity of the registered owner of the domain (website).

The exception is when an owner of a website lists it as private . In that case, the only information available is whether the website really exists.

How much, or how little, information available for a Whois query depends on what the owner of the Domain Name decides to make public. Thankfully, most serious businesses provide ample information.

Companies usually want to make it easy for customers to get in touch; they list every possible way to reach them. They list telephone and fax numbers, physical (street) and postal addresses, and of course email contacts, in order to attract prospective customers.

A personal website owner, though, might be wiser to list only the minimum required data, or even register as private . That way, she could avoid attracting unwanted sales pitches, spammers, or perhaps even worse.

Someone with a day job would not be at home during office hours, anyway. As well, who needs strangers from distant time zones phoning in the middle of the night? So he may not list his phone number.

How does a Whois work?

Not all Whois applications search ALL domains. Each Domain Registrar is responsible for maintaining a Whois over those domains (websites) registered with him. When the internet was in its infancy, each Whois was designated to search only one type of domain; there was one Whois for .COM , another for .ORG , and so on.

Even today, many Whois utilities are still dedicated to one domain type or to one Registrar (the agency where you have registered your Domain Name). To facilitate searching, we now have publicly accessible Whois software that can search all Domain Registrars plus all Hosting Servers for any type of domain.

We will consider two categories of Whois software:

a) Free Whois software

b) Affordable, commercial Whois software that you pay to use

Which type Whois is best?

That depends on how you are going to use a Whois, something you will only know after having tried a few different Whois services.

While learning how to use a Whois, the free ones are easy on your pocketbook and deliver results that are just as accurate as any other model. They all search the same data bases, after all!

When using a free, no-frills, Whois you may have to Cut-and-Paste the URL (web address) from your browser address bar to the Whois search box manually.

The free Whois will then probably present the information in a more primitive format — that is, in a long text-based list of line after line of data. This requires more work, as it is more difficult to glean the information that you need.

For infrequent use, a free Whois will do. It makes sense to start with free software until you know enough to decide whether to spend money on an easier program. It is quite likely that you may never need to buy a Whois program at all.

If you decide to buy faster, easier commercial Whois software, it can be had for $25 or so.

Any commercial program should install an icon in your browser toolbar so all you need do is click on the icon. Then the application reads the URL of the website currently in your browser window and looks it up automatically. No Cut-and-Paste contortions.

Finally, it should open a new, graphical results window where it displays the information in a neat, perceptible manner. You get all the data without the clutter of a text-based display.

What can a Whois tell you about a website?

Suppose you are searching the internet and you find an appealing site: HONEST-SITE.COM . First, you want to see who they really are. A Whois search usually tells you:

i) The true Domain Name, hopefully, HONEST-SITE.COM in this instance.

ii) The IP Address of the website, e.g., 123.45.0.234 (four groups of numbers from 0-255, separated from one another by periods (dots). Try typing those numbers into your browser address bar — it should bring up the same website again.

iii) Any other contact information available.

As well, you can expect to find information about who hosts the website (supplies the Web Server):

iv) The name of the Hosting Company (Domain Name Server or Web Server), e.g., WORLDSBESTDOMAINSHOP.COM

v) The IP Address of that Web Server, including contact email addresses and phone numbers

vi) The email addresses for their Administrator (ADMIN) and Webmaster (TECH).

A Whois reveals whatever information is available for any website, so you can see who stands behind it. And yes, as you have guessed by now, a Whois is a quick and ideal way to unmask faked (phishing) websites.

Paul Wolbers is an Affiliate SEO Marketer. Visit his website for more great tips, tricks and tactics designed to help you succeed online. www.PaulWolbers.com http://www.PaulWolbers.com .

AP - Obama, McCain use TV attack ads, bipartisan appeals to turn economic crisis to political gain … Palin says she represents ‘Joe Six-pack’ while noting $20,000 drop in stocks … Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel hold their first joint concert to benefit Barack Obama

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Millions of blogs fight for readership online (over 75 million by some counts), with thousands more being created every day. Making yours stand above the rest may seem like a daunting task, but here are ten suggestions for making your blog posts stand out from the crowd.

1. Write each post title so it grabs the reader’s attention. It is the first thing someone reads, and it should get your reader’s attention right away. Your title should both pique the reader’s interest and be informative. Do not write Business Writing Advice ; instead, say The Best-Kept Secret to Reducing Your Business Writing Worries. Longer titles have the advantage of describing in detail what your post is about; 8-12 words are a good range.

2. Keep sentences short and clear. A little goes a long way. Readers are busy people and they will not spend hours detangling complex syntax or sifting through blocks of text. Also, use strong language. Start a new paragraph every few sentences, and limit each post to 250 words, if possible. If you cannot write it in under 250 words, split it into two entries.

3. Break up the text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, and subheadings to make your posts easy to scan. Lots of white space on the page is a good thing-it allows your reader to take mental breaks and let the knowledge soak in. In addition, with the inevitable clutter of banner ads and side text, this technique puts some distance between your writing and all those distractions.

4. Keep current. No one wants to read old news. Your job is to stay up-to-date so your readers do not have to themselves. Read newspapers. Scour the web for references. For example, if you write a blog about business communication, subscribe to Google News Alerts using keywords related to the field, such as blogs, podcasting, instant messaging, business letters, memos, and business reports, so you will always be well informed. Posting items from last month or last year will lose your reader’s interest faster than you can say Enron.

5. Be bold. Timidity is an easy path to anonymity. Do not be afraid to create and state your opinions. Of course, there are some situations in which objectivity rules-but you have to give people a reason to read this blog by you and not by the person next door.

6. Be accurate. If you make a statement, be prepared to back it up. Know what your sources are and quote them accurately. Misinformation spreads like wildfire online; do not be the spark that sets it off or the wind that fans it.

7. Contribute to the conversation. Links are great-but then what? Do not just post links to the same tired sites, offer your reader something new. Contribute to the conversation. Your goal is to be the site to which everyone else is linking-so you had better have something worth writing about.

8. Stay focused. Once you have defined the theme of your blog, stick to it. A blog about piggy banks has no business posting about the latest innovation in alternative energy. Such a deviance will only confuse your reader and chip away at your virtual authority.

9. Use key words liberally. Keywords are, well, key. Harness your blog’s search engine potential by dousing your title and post with effective keywords that will help interested parties find your page in the vast, muddled blogosphere. This is one of the most important elements of getting your blog read-go at it with gusto.

10. Be consistent. Keep a schedule and stick to it. Post frequently-at least several times per week if you want to increase your potential of attracting new readers. Let your blog languish for weeks without updates and your audience will move on to fresher ground.

Maintaining an informative blog that people want to read takes hard work and good writing skills. Find what makes your writing unique-and flaunt it for all it is worth.

Courtland L. Bovee, one of America’s leading instructors in clear and effective communication, co-authors several leading college-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communications consultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Communication Strategies. Their website, Business Communication Headline News, the #1 business communication site on the web, is at www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com

E! Online - Tom Hanks is the latest to offer a tribute to the late acting legend, recalling their work together on the Chicago-based gangster film The Road to Perdition:

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