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The Factors that Affect Car Insurance Rate

2010-01-03T22:48:00.001+07:00

Auto insurance, which is important for drivers and car owners to help them pay the damages in case of an accident, is a legal requirement on all states, or at the very least, strongly recommends people to have this coverage.

According to auto insurance companies, the rate or premium of coverage will depend on several factors including:

• Age of the policy holder. Younger drivers, specifically teenagers, have higher premiums because they are more likely to encounter accidents and are more reckless drivers than adults.

• Gender. Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. According to road safety experts however, the trend is slowly changing.

• The place where the policy holder lives. People who are living in congested cities have higher insurance rates than those who are living in suburban or less populated places.

• Marital status. Several studies suggested that married people, especially those with children, are more cautious drivers compared to singles.

• Car’s value. The more expensive the car is, the higher the premiums for the policy holder.

• Multiple cars. Many insurance companies give discounts for people who have insured their other cars to the same provider.

• The purpose of the vehicle. Insurance companies require higher premiums for vehicles used for commercial purposes such as delivering, touring customers, and transporting goods.

• Driving history. A good record means that a person is less likely to encounter accidents, thus, insurance companies require lower rates.

• Education. Usually, people with better education are offered with lower premiums.

• Credit rating. According to insurance lawyers, companies charge people with a higher premium if they have poor or no credit history.

• Auto theft protection devices and safety equipment. If drivers will install such devices, the premium (especially for the theft coverage) will be greatly reduced.

• Occupation. Several studies suggested that certain professions have a greater chance to be involved in a car accident. For instance, a delivery driver has a higher risk to accidents compared to a computer specialist who sits all day on his office.

• The total miles driven annually. People who often use their cars are more likely to encounter traffic accidents compared to those who rarely travel.

• Distance traveled from the house to work.

• Years of driving experience. People who have an extensive driving history with clean records (no traffic tickets and violations) will have lower insurance premium.

• Impressive school grades for teenage drivers. Some insurance companies provide discounts for teenage drivers who have good grades in their schools.

How Keep Your Car Insurance Rates Low

2010-01-03T22:44:00.000+07:00

Car insurance rates are calculated accounting in various factors that determine the “risk” of the driver.

A “high-risk” driver will have a higher car insurance rate while a “low-risk” driver will pay a lesser premium.

The factors that are considered for calculating your car insurance rates are:

• Age - According to studies, teen and elderly drivers are more likely to be involved in a car accident than other age groups.

• Car model – Insurance companies also consider the possibility of your car being stolen. A more expensive car is much more likely to be stolen than a simple car.

• Accident History – Involvement in previous accidents automatically makes you a high-risk driver. If you are liable for multiple accidents, some insurance companies may even label you as “uninsurable.”

• Location – If you are living in a highly populated area, your insurance rate will be higher as there is more possibility of being involved in an accident than in areas with a small population.

• Gender – According to statistics, males are more involved in an accident than females, giving them a higher car insurance rate. However, recent studies show that female related accident rates are catching up to men

These calculations may seem unfair to some, but it is the way it is and insurance companies are not likely to change its methods anytime soon.

The least you can do is to try and decrease your car insurance rates. The key to that is showing that you are a low-risk driver.

Here are some tips you can follow to decrease your car insurance rates:

Take a Driver’s Education Course

Although it is not required before getting a license, a driver’s education course could slash about 10% from your car insurance rate.

It will show that you are serious about being a responsible driver, and who knows, you might actually learn how to be a defensive driver after.

Buy a Safe Car

An expensive sports car is more likely to be stolen and an SUV is prone to rollovers. Buy a simple car like a sedan.

It will greatly lower your car insurance rates.

In addition, some insurance companies also give discounts for cars that are environment friendly.

Use One Insurance Company

If you insure your home and other properties together with your car with one insurance provider, you should receive discounts.

This also applies to multiple cars. Insuring all cars under one insurance company will lower your car insurance rate.

Add Safety Features to your Car

Safety features such as automatic seatbelts and side airbags will prevent or lessen injuries during an accident.

Less injuries means less claims for insurance companies, so it should lower your car insurance rate.

Add Anti-Theft Devices

Adding anti-theft devices and parking your car in a garage reduces the risk of your car being stolen.

The reduced risk of theft would reduce your car insurance rate. Discounts can reach up to 25 percent.

Those are just some of the ways to keep your car insurance rates low. The best way to keep them low, though, is to avoid accidents.

That is why it is important that you consult a car accident attorney if you are involved in one. They will help make sure that if the accident is not your fault, then the claim will be made from the liable party’s insurance company and not your own.

Hostway Web Hosting Review

2010-01-03T13:18:00.000+07:00

Hostway has been reviewed as the best hosting company especially for their shared hosting packages. The company has garnered ample popularity in the hosting industry for its cost effective and highly reliable hosting solutions. No matter what your hosting requirements or the level of your online enterprise; the company has a hosting solution that would perfectly match your needs.

The company was founded in the year 2001 and has emerged as a leader in hosting services, serving millions of customers and companies worldwide. The company has set itself in a league of its own by offering highly advanced hosting products and solutions coupled with professional and prompt services. In fact, many analysts believe that Hostway has revolutionized the hosting industry in a bi way and its success graph is consistently on the rise. The company offset a range of comprehensive hosting plans to its customers and has also developed highly advanced hosting programs and tools to meet the increasingly demands of customers worldwide.

The company offers an extensive range of hosting services and features including business web hosting http://www.hostingcoupons.org/, e-commerce web hosting solutions, emails, domain names, dedicated servers http://www.hostingcoupons.org/web-hosting/server/, web design services, website marketing solutions and much more. For most potential customers, choosing a web hosting provider is a rather daunting task. With Hostway, the work is almost a no-brainer as the company offers an -inclusive package coupled with comprehensive features and professional services. This is validated by the fact that Hostway is offering its services to over 400,000 customers worldwide and the figure is consistently on the rise.

The company focuses on offering its customer many value-added hosting features, tools and services as well as a superior support system. Furthermore, the hosting company endeavours to offer all this at an affordable pricing structure; thereby offering the much needed value for money hosting services. The company has its global headquarter in Chicago and their data centres are equipped with state of the art equipments and security mechanisms, therefore making the company highly reliable and professional. Another distinct feature is the utime guarantee offered the company. Hostway offers an uptime guarantee as well as compensation depending on the individual requirements of the customer. This way, they dedicate the required resources in order balance out the necessary uptimes.

It is important to note that any web owner should not only focus at building a simple web presence but rather aim at business growth by gaining access to reliable hosting technology and user-friendly tools and interface.

Care Giving for Mesothelioma Sufferers

2010-01-03T13:00:00.000+07:00

If you are a caregiver for someone with mesothelioma, you already know, or are learning quickly, how drastically your routines must change. Fortunately, there are seemingly endless sources of support for you as the caregiver, as well as for your loved one with this diagnosis.

Start with an Internet search to learn about mesothelioma (the disease, causes, treatments, care giving, support, options–everything you can find) and print out as much as you can. You won’t be able to remember it all. Make a file and organize it into categories so that you can easily find what you need when you need to know it. Then devise a plan to investigate each aspect of your care giving in an orderly manner. If you jump around from topic to topic, you’ll surely get confused, forget things and become overwhelmed. Make notes and file them with your topics.

Also, be aware that there are many sites that offer unreliable or biased information, so consider your sources carefully. One place to start might be the American Cancer Society where you can learn many facts about malignant mesothelioma and what you and your loved one will be dealing with. This will help you in giving support and caring for emotional and physical needs. As you meet with the medical team members, they can help you devise a care plan that includes caring for your own needs, as well.

You will need to find out what resources are available to you in your area, and which are covered by insurance, which by volunteers, which by support groups or local services. Meal delivery services for seniors and the disabled is one such service that could relieve you of meal preparation at least once a day. Remember that you will not only be taking care of both of your needs, but may have to carry out many requests to make your patient more comfortable. Requests such as bringing something to drink or snack on, something to read or do, change a TV channel and other small adjustments might begin to overwhelm you. Let your patient do as much for himself as possible.

Some of the things you’ll have to learn that are specific to your role as caregiver include:

• How to coordinate your care plan with your patient’s medical team’s plans. Decide who will take the patient to his or her appointments. List all questions ahead of time and make sure you are satisfied with the answers. Report all symptoms

• The specific type and location of mesothelioma your patient has and how it will affect him or her. This includes stages and treatments associated with different stages, and other options, such as clinical trials, and how each of these will affect both of you physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially and financially.

• Nutrition for mesothelioma patients. Your team will probably include a nutritionist who can advise you both of dietary needs at different stages of treatment, and ways to streamline meal preparation and shopping to reduce your work.

• Medications and supplements

• How to assist with activities of daily living, such as bathing, hygiene, dressing, mobilizing, changing a bed with someone in it, and especially assisting someone who is weak or in pain.

• Emotional support and understanding the emotions a patient and caregivers will experience. These can include frustration, anger, depression, hopelessness, euphoria, annoyance, exasperation, denial and many more that you are not accustomed to dealing with at this new level. Learn how to listen, don’t contradict or judge, and never disagree with your patient’s description of his or her emotions. Emotions are neither right nor wrong–they just are, and if your patient is feeling any particular emotion, that is the fact, though you might wish it were not. If your loved one is not ready to talk, wait until they are. They are losing control of almost everything in their life. Allow them to control what they need to express.

• Caring for your patient after treatment, which could be surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, fluid drainage, or other less imposing treatments. Each type of treatment will require specific types of care.

• Caring for yourself is as important to your patient as it is to you, so include yourself in the care plan. If you burn out or injure yourself, your loved one has lost his or her primary caretaker. Know your limitations and seek help where you might otherwise push yourself.

Rest will be one of your greatest needs. Are respite services available in your area? These services provide people to cover for you for a day or two while you physically leave and take respite somewhere else.

Maintain your routines, hobbies, interests, social life, outside activities as much as possible.

Your loved one is not the only one suffering emotional pain. You will be, as well. Caring for another person 24 hours a day, seven days a week would wear anyone out. If you have someone who can relieve you one or two days a week, take advantage of the opportunity to refresh yourself.

Ignore those who are critical of your caretaking unless you and your patient agree that a change would be an improvement. If the two of you are satisfied, and your caretaking is going well, realize that there is just so much you can do. If others insist that more can be done, and you and the patient are open to this, suggest that they provide the missing care as you would welcome all the help you can get.

• Delegation and available support. List individuals and groups. What can they best offer in the way of help or assistance? Can you rely on them for regular help? Do you have alternate sources of help? Get them to commit to a schedule and to specific ways of helping so that you can plan and organize. If you have family, friends, or volunteer organizations, or if your patient qualifies for in-home care services, you can delegate many of your tasks. These can be anything from running errands, to light housekeeping, meal preparation, bathing and other assistance with personal hygiene (for the patient, not you.) You might delegate bill paying, shopping, laundry, or any number of duties that would free up your time and energy for caretaking.

• Are everyone’s affairs in order, including yours? Advance directives. Wills. Bills. Taxes. Licenses. Important papers. Important contact information. Does a trusted person know where these papers are?

• What if something happens to you? Do you have a backup plan to care for your patient? Does a reliable person know of your plan, and are they ready to carry it out, if necessary?

• Legal matters. You will want to seek counsel from an attorney with experience in mesothelioma cases. If you are eligible for compensation, you will have to file for this within time limits set by statutes of limitations. If you are entitled to compensation, this will provide financial assistance for medical bills, caregivers and other expenses, as well as other losses, such as income and more.

Troubleshooting Internet Explorer 7.0 Issues

2009-12-28T18:36:00.000+07:00

Introduction:

Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) is light years ahead of its predecessors, but by no means does that proclamation mean that the browser is perfect. You are still going to encounter issues with IE from time to time.

Here are some of the concise guides that deliver some troubleshooting steps that will clear up the majority of issues we encountered with IE7.

Issues with Internet Explorer 7.0 with solutions

Problem: Crashes or hangs

If IE crashes, the most likely problem is that there's a buggy add-on (Toolbar or Browser Helper Object). In order to verify and isolate the buggy add-on, follow these steps:

1. Start IE in No Add-ons mode, either by right-clicking the Desktop icon, or clicking START - RUN and typing: iexplore.exe

-extoff

2. Determine if IE fails.

3. If not, use Tools - Manage Add-ons to disable all browser extensions and toolbars.

4. Restart IE and re-enable browser extensions one-by-one.

5. Once you've found a broken extension, contact the manufacturer and ask for an update.

(Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=928426)

If IE still crashes often, even when browser add-ons are disabled:

• Please ensure that you are running the very latest version of your anti-virus, anti-malware, and/or firewall programs.

• Please ensure that the drivers for your graphics card are up to date.

• If you have Google Desktop installed, please ensure that you update to the latest version of Google Desktop.

• If you have 7-Zip or other Windows Explorer extensions installed, please ensure that you update to the latest.

Problem: Cannot connect to Internet using IE after updates installed

If you see the "Page Cannot be Displayed" error after installing Internet Explorer updates from Windows Updates, it's possible that you have a 3rd party firewall installed that is blocking access because the IE files have been updated. Please see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942818/en-us for more information.

Problem: IE always starts in "No Add-ons" mode

The problem is that you're launching Internet Explorer using a shortcut icon that has the "-extoff" command line parameter. That parameter causes IE to start without add-ons. Thus, every time you use that shortcut icon, IE will start in No Add-ons Mode.

1. How do you normally start Internet Explorer? Right-click whatever icon you're using to start IE, choose "Properties" and remove the -extoff part of the shortcut.

2. If you click the green START button, click Run, type iexplore.exe in the RUN box, then hit the ENTER key, IE will start with Addons enabled.

Problem: IE opens small windows

IE opens new windows at the size of the last closed window. If you find that IE is opening small windows, do this:

• Close all IE windows.
• Open one new IE window.
• Adjust that window to the size you prefer. Do this by dragging the window borders. Do not use the maximize button:
• Close the IE window.
• New IE windows will open at the size you chose.

Problem: ClearType Text appears fuzzy

IE7 turns on a text-smoothing technology called "ClearType" by default. ClearType is scientifically proven to make text easier to read, particularly on LCD flat panel monitors.

If ClearType looks fuzzy on your monitor, you might want to try the ClearType tuning wizard, which can help you adjust the display of ClearType.

If you still don't like the appearance of ClearType, you can turn it off by unchecking the checkbox: Tools - Internet Options - Advanced - Multimedia - Always use ClearType for HTML.

Problem: IE Startup takes a long time (>3 seconds)

1. IE may start very slowly if you have a huge number of sites listed in your Restricted or Trusted sites zone. Some tools, like "SpyBot Search & Destroy" will place thousands of sites in these zones if you use their "immunize" feature.

2. Follow the "Crashing on startup" steps above to see if starting in No Add-ons mode starts much faster

3. If you're not using a proxy, uncheck IE's "Automatically detect settings" option on the Tools - Internet Options - Connections - LAN Settings dialog.

Problem: Slow Page rendering

1. Increase the connection limit. This tweak allows IE to make up to 16 connections per server.

2. Ensure that both "HTTP1.1" checkboxes in Tools - Internet Options - Advanced are checked.

Problem: IE7 Setup fails to install Internet Explorer

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917925

Problem: My address bar won't turn green?

IE7 includes a cool new feature that turns the address bar green when a secure site presents an Extended Validation certificate:

If you're having trouble with this feature, on a site you know has an EV certificate:

1. Ensure that you either have the Phishing Filter set to "Automatic" mode or Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Security > Check for Server Certificate revocation checked.

2. If that doesn't work, install this: Windows Root Certificate Update and restart.

Problem: After installing, IE7 starts then vanishes

It's possible that one of IE's DLLs isn't installed correctly

1. Click START - RUN and type cmd
2. In the command prompt, type cd\
3. In the command prompt, type cd Program Files
4. In the command prompt, type cd Internet Explorer
5. In the command prompt, type regsvr32 IEPROXY.DLL

(Reference: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=928427)

Problem: Error message about PSAPI.DLL

If you install IE7 and the following error message begins to show:

The procedure entry point GetProcessImageFileNameW could not be located in the dynamic link library PSAPI.DLL

1. Search your hard disk for PSAPI.dll.

2. Any copies of this DLL that are found outside of the Windows or Windows\System32 folder should be renamed to PSAPI.bak.

Problem: IE always goes to http://runonce.msn.com/runonce2.aspx instead of my homepage

If IE7 always goes to the RunOnce page on startup, even after you've tried to save the first run settings, it's possible that the mechanism that IE is using to save the settings does not work for some reason.

You can prevent IE from going to the RunOnce page and cause it to go directly to your homepage by running this script.

For more info, check out this Knowledge Base article.]

Problem: IE always goes to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx instead of my homepage

If Internet Explorer always goes to this page on startup, it's likely that you have an anti-spyware package (like "SpyBot") that prevented IE from correctly modifying your registry.

Try running this script. Note: you may need to disable your anti-spyware tool temporarily for the script to work.

Problem: On startup, IE always shows an error message about the AOL toolbar

If you see the following error message every time IE starts:

"Cannot find 'file:///C:/Program%20Files/AOL%20Toolbar/welcome.html'. Make sure the path or Internet address is correct."

..then you've hit a bug in the AOL Toolbar.

Try running this script. Note: you may need to disable your anti-spyware tool temporarily for the script to work.

Problem: I installed a "branded" version of IE7, but I'd prefer a "plain" copy without toolbars and customizations.

An article on this topic can be found here: How to remove branding in Internet Explorer 7.

Problem: Malware / Adware

If Internet Explorer is behaving strangely (crashing, visiting unwanted sites, etc), it's possible that there is malicious software installed on your computer.

As a first step, you should allow your antivirus software to scan and attempt to repair your computer. Additionally, you may want to try the following Microsoft tools:

• Windows Defender
• Windows Live OneCare
• Windows Live Safety Center
• Malicious Software Removal Tool

You should also ensure your computer has all the security updates available at Microsoft Update.

Problem: My searches are redirected to unrelated sites and I cannot connect to WindowsUpdate or antivirus websites

If Internet Explorer searches are redirected to unrelated sites or search engines, it's possible that your computer was infected with malware (see the previous tip). However, if your computer is not currently infected with malware, it's possible that at some time in the past, malicious software altered your computer's DNS settings. DNS works like an "internet phonebook" that maps URLs (like "windowsupdate.microsoft.com") to internet protocol addresses (like "207.46.225.221").

To determine if a malicious DNS server is configured:

- Go to Start -> Control Panel ->Network Connections.

- Right click your default connection, usually Local Area Connection or Dial-up Connection, if you are using Dial-up, and left click on Properties.

- Double-click on the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item

Check to see if you're set to something other than "Obtain DNS servers automatically". If so, contact your ISP to ensure that the address specified is correct, or set the "Obtain DNS servers automatically" checkbox. Then restart your computer.

Problem: After opening many tabs, Windows and IE paint abnormally.

See http://blogs.msdn.com/tonyschr/archive/2005/05/25/desktop-heap-limitations.aspx

Problem: A remote user is having networking problems with Internet Explorer. How can I collect information about his system to help me to troubleshoot?

Have the user run Netcheck and send you the log file.

Problem: Overlong headers result in HTTP/4xx or HTTP/5xx errors, particularly on devices like routers or webcams

Problems of this nature are usually caused by one of the two request headers in yellow being longer than the device expects.

GET / HTTP/1.1

Accept: image/gif, image/jpeg, image/pjpeg, application/x-ms-application, application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument, application/xaml+xml, application/x-ms-xbap, application/vnd.ms-excel, application/vnd.ms-powerpoint, application/msword, application/x-shockwave-flash, application/x-silverlight, application/x-silverlight-2-b2, */*

Accept-Language: en-us

User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.0; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30618; OfficeLiveConnector.1.3; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; MS-RTC LM 8)

Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate

Connection: Keep-Alive

Host: 192.168.10.1

These headers are dynamically generated out of registry keys. They can usually be trimmed by editing the registry without any important side-effects.

To trim the list in the Accept header, click START > RUN > REGEDIT.EXE. Using RegEdit, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents

..and remove elements from the "Name/Type/Value" list to remove values that aren't strictly required. Elements in red are of lower importance than those in black:

image/gif, image/jpeg, image/pjpeg, application/x-ms-application, application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument, application/xaml+xml, application/x-ms-xbap, application/vnd.ms-excel, application/vnd.ms-powerpoint, application/msword, application/x-shockwave-flash, application/x-silverlight, application/x-silverlight-2-b2, */*

A similar problem can occur with the User-Agent header.

To trim the list in the User-Agent header, click START > RUN > REGEDIT.EXE. Using RegEdit, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\Post Platform

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\User Agent\Post Platform

..and remove elements from the "Name/Type/Value" list to remove values that aren't strictly required. Elements in red are of lower importance than those in black:

User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.0; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.0.30618; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; OfficeLiveConnector.1.3; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; MS-RTC LM 8)

Building Back Links

2009-12-28T17:54:00.000+07:00

The key to building a long-term successful Internet business lies with your ability to pick up back links on a consistent basis. Back links are the purest form of gold in the online world. The more back links you have, the higher you will rank in the society of search engines.

Of course back links are just one piece of the equation for a successful online business. The formula is SEO or search engine optimization. There are two parts to SEO, off site and on site optimization.

The keywords you choose to use have to be placed on your website strategically so the search engines can recognize what they are. They should be placed in your title, META tags, h1 headers, h3 headers, and maybe even in some of your "alt" image tags.

The off site portion of SEO would include the back links and what words you use to anchor those links. An anchor link is the click able portion of the words. You would use the href tag to anchor or hyper link your keywords. When you anchor link your back links using the keywords on your website, it'll give it an extra boost in the rankings.

Now the question is how do you pick up back links? There are many answers to that question.

You can pick up back links by writing and submitting articles or asking a Link building Services to do it for you. The article directories you submit your articles to will allow you to leave a back link to your website in the author’s resource box. To get the most out of article marketing you should submit unique articles to each directory. Google will usually only count the back link from the first unique article and won't count duplicates. Its too easy to do and results in spamming.

You can also pick up back links from article directories, commenting on other blogs, participating in forums, press releases, and link exchanges using Link building Services or simply can buy high PR links for your website. The best way to pick up back links is to use a comprehensive strategy, a combination of each of the above.

It's also wise to make things look as natural as possible for the search engines. Too much can hurt, and too little means a dead website.

Setting up a daily game plan for what needs to be done may be the easiest way to make sure you are consistently picking up back links. Set a goal for each day and to stick with it. Ten to twenty back links a day and spreading them out in all directions will help get your website on the move up the rankings.

Promoting Your Website

2009-12-28T17:28:00.000+07:00

Promoting Your Niche Websites for profits

Promotion is one of the most important aspects of marketing an Internet website. It is through promotion that websites reach the targeted audience. Promoting a website can be done in a number of ways.

The quickest and easiest way to determine whether your website will convert is setting up a quick PPC campaign using google, yahoo or msn. Be warned this can be a very expensive exercise if you don't know what you are doing. Remeber google made $805 million in the last quarter. Mmm wonder why!

Another popular methods for promoting a website is through optimizing the website to achieve high search engine rankings. Although this can take time organic searches convert better than advertised searches

Another form of promoting a website is by interspersing website links with insightful comments on industry forums. Inbound links are yet another form of niche website promotion. This form of self promotion has the added benefit of contributing to one of the other forms of promotion by resulting in higher search engine rankings. This article will examine these three methods of promoting a niche website.

Using High Search Engine Rankings to Promote a Niche Website

Optimizing a niche website for particular keywords can be one method of promoting the website. Careful optimization can result in high search engine rankings which act as a form of free publicity. Internet users rely on search engines to provide them with the most relevant content for the search terms they use. Therefore, if your website ranks well in search engines your traffic will likely increase.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is serious business which is often best left to the professionals. Many savvy Internet marketers realize the importance of search engine rankings and are willing to invest in having their websites professionally optimized. Although this is an added expense it is worthwhile especially when you are fighting for rankings and an audience in a very competitive niche.

Promoting Websites through Industry Forums

Forums or message boards are online communities where like minded individuals or those who share a common interest come together to discuss the issues related to their common interest. Participation in these forums is one way website owners can promote their own niche websites. The key to promoting a website while participating in an online forum is to include a link to your niche website in your signature. The other part of the equation is contributing worthwhile information in your posts to give other users a reason to want to click on your links.

Using Inbound Links to Promote Niche Websites

Inbound links are another method of promoting a niche website. An inbound link is a link from one website which directs visitors to another website. Inbound links can be either reciprocal or non-reciprocal in nature. A reciprocal inbound link is one where one website posts a link to another website and in return the other website posts a link back to the first website. Both types of links are looked on favorably by search engines although non-reciprocal links are often given a slight advantage.

These inbound links can be an effective component of a strategy to promote a niche website. Visitors to websites who provide a link to your website are given the opportunity to enter your website. We have already discussed how search engine rankings can be part of website promotion but inbound links essentially rely on the popularity and high search engine rankings of other websites to promote their own niche website.

In negotiating deals for inbound links, website owners should look for other websites which complement their own website and have a similar audience. For example a website selling novelty basketballs might look for websites which sell basketball hoops. Caution should also be used to avoid link farms which do not offer significantly promotional value to a niche website. A link farm is a website which offers nothing more than a list of links to other websites. While these types of links may not be harmful to a website they are also not likely to be beneficial either.

Obesity in Women

2009-12-28T16:01:00.000+07:00

The issue of size is of special concern particularly to women because most people believe that physical attractiveness and beauty is dependent on having a slim body that reveals the shapeliness of a woman’s body. As such, it is not common for people to think of large women as unattractive. In fact, in most societies, a big body size, obesity, and being overweight are factors that do not agree with the term beauty. After all, in as much as “slim” is considered attractive, being weighty does not conform to beauty.

What Causes Women to Become Obese?

1)Due to bodily changes. When a woman has her menstrual period, there are hormonal changes that happen to her body. These changes may cause her to react in some form to the presence of food. Moreover, because there are various unpleasant experiences that one may feel because of hormonal changes, eating sometimes becomes the only release of tension available for women. Because of this, it is not surprising to think that women who are unable to cope with menstrual problems gain weight.

2)Due to peer or social pressure. Women who live in societies where there is tension or chaos or fast-paced are always looking for some way that will help them cope with such pressure. Unfortunately, for most, the easiest and most convenient way to express disappointments and frustrations is through eating.

3)Due to genetic factors. There are some women who can quickly increase in size. This is because obesity has been found to run in certain families. Because of this, women with a family history of obesity should be all the more careful when it comes to food consumption.

Effects of Obesity in Women

1)An obese woman suffers emotionally from the condition. Most of those who have weight and obesity problems tend to have a poor assessment of themselves, thus resulting in a downgrading of their self-esteem. This is truly harmful because once a woman thinks of herself as lowly, there is usually no motivation for her to try to maintain a healthy figure.

2)Health risks are common. An overweight woman is at the mercy of cholesterol accumulation. Because of this, heart diseases are a reality.

3)Moreover, kidney and liver problems are also a threat to obese women.

4)Obese people generally have a poor ability to break down sugar. As a result, sugar accumulates in the bloodstream, which can cause diabetes. Once a person contacts diabetes, there are various complications that one may eventually suffer from.

Along with the above-listed effects of obesity and being overweight, a woman who is overweight will need to spend a lot of money for treatments. In some cases, treatment takes the form of counseling or through a review of one’s personal standards. However, if the problem is not treated through counseling, the condition may require going through medical treatments that are costly and lengthy. As a result, obesity does not only pose risks to one’s health, the condition can also be a burden on one’s emotions as well as their budget.

Yoga: Helping You Cope with Menopause

2009-12-28T15:57:00.000+07:00

For a woman, her monthly menstrual cycle is a testament to her womanhood. It provides affirmation of her capability to give life and bear children. However, when menopause comes, it indicates not only the cessation of a woman’s capability to support life but also an unequivocal sign of aging. To a woman, the menopause is a bittersweet stage when one can look back with satisfaction at a life well loved yet looking forward at the sign that in a few years one will have to tackle aging problems. This can be a tormenting time for any woman, and it can cause emotional torment on her.

However, despite the dreadful imaginings that are attached to menopause, there is hope available that can provide relief from the emotional and physical woes with menopause.

One of these hopes is yoga. This ancient Indian art that is aimed at achieving Holistic physical and emotional balance offers hope that the woman’s menopause period need not be that difficult. Thanks to yoga, coping with menopause can be much easier.

Understanding the Benefits of Yoga

1)Yoga is a meditative procedure. Because of this, one will be able to achieve an inner harmony that allows one’s mind to be relaxed. In turn, this leads to better blood flow and promotes deep breathing that generally benefits the body.

2)With yoga, one will be able to learn to accept the inevitable things. This is because the art teaches people to become meditative and learn to focus on things other than those that cause strain on one’s thinking.

3)By its simple presence, yoga allows people to be preoccupied with something. This allows women going through menopause to have some diversions in their thinking instead of focusing only on menopause.

4)Yoga is commonly done by groups. Because of this, a woman will be able to cultivate friendships with various individuals. This is beneficial in that this system allows a woman to expand her social base. Likewise, this will also enable her to have more friends.

Knowing the Requirements for Yoga

Yoga can be done alone or with groups. When done alone, a woman must make sure that there will be the least disturbances. A key consideration here is to avoid doing yoga in the living room or in other areas where one is likely to be disturbed. Moreover, it would be better to have it during times when people are less likely to bother each other. At daytime, doing yoga at early afternoon is a great way to avoid distraction.

One must select a part of the house where one will have a dose of fresh air. Open the window and relish in the gentle breeze. The soft wind should be relaxing to both mind and body.

In order to make yoga more comfortable, one must sit on a praying mat that is comfortable. One must avoid doing yoga in bed or in soft mattresses because movements and shifting of these bases due to application of pressure can distract a person.

Bantu Korban Gempa, Blogger China Dipenjara 3 Tahun

2009-11-27T17:23:00.002+07:00

Malang benar nasib blogger asal China ini Huang Qi, niat hati ingin membantu korban gempa bumi melalui tulisannya, justru dirinya malah dijebloskan ke penjara oleh pemerintah. Alasannya, blogger tersebut dianggap menyebarkan rahasia negara.

"Dia terancam penjara selama tiga tahun penjara. Karena dianggap menyebarkan kritikan kepada pemerintahan melalui blognya. Dan itu dianggap membocorkan dokumen rahasia negara," jelas pengacara Huang Qi, Mo Shaoping, seperti yang dilansir melalui CNN, Kamis (26/11/2009).

Melihat hal tersebut Departemen Luar Negeri AS langsung beraksi dan melakukan protes karena memenjarakan blogger itu, pihak AS mengatakan kegiatan itu untuk mendukung upaya China dalam menegakkan hukum.

Huang ditahan pada Juni 2008 setelah bekerja untuk membantu anak-anak tewas yang keluarganya tewas karena gempa Sichuan pada 12 Mei 2008. Dia mengkiritik karena karena runtuhnya bangunan sekolah disebabkan dibangun dengan cara yang buruk. Huang yang merupakan pendiri situs hak asasi manusia 64Tianwang.com, telah menposting artikel karena mengkritik cara bantuan pemerintah kepada korban gempa sedang disusun.

Organisasi hak asasi manusia memprotes vonis penjara tiga tahun tersebut, Huang seharusnya tidak ditangkap dan harus segera dibebaskan.

Michael Jackson Dianggap Pura-pura Meninggal Saat Sekarat

2009-06-30T12:58:00.003+07:00

Tiga anak Michael Jackson ternyata menyaksikan momen saat ayah mereka meregang nyawa. Ketiga anak Jacko malah mengira kalau ayah mereka sedang berpura-pura meninggal.

"Ketiga anak itu langsung dibawa pengasuh ke ruangan lain. Tapi mereka mengira kalau ayah mereka bercanda. Dia (Jacko-red) memang sering berpura-pura mati untuk mengejutkan mereka," ujar seorang staf di rumah Jacko seperti detikhot kutip dari News of the World, Senin (29/6/2009).

Jacko memang ditemukan dalam kondisi sudah tidak beryawa oleh paramedis di rumahnya di Los Angeles. Sebelum paramedis tiba, ketiga anak Jacko, Prince Michael, Paris dan Prince Michael II, melihat ayah mereka terbaring tidak sadarkan diri.

Saat tahu sang ayah benar-benar tidak sadarkan diri, ketiganya mulai menangis dan berteriak. Mereka ketakutan ayah mereka benar-benar meninggal. Ketakutan ketiganya makin menjadi ketika paramedis datang.

Apalagi kemudian, paramedis berlarian ke kamar dan membawa Jacko ke ambulans. Menghindari trauma, saudara perempuan Jacko, La Toya dan nenek mereka Katherine langsung mengamankan anak-anak malang itu.

Ketiganya kemudian dibawa ke UCLA Medical Center, menyusul Jacko yang ketika itu diketahui sudah tidak bernafas. Di rumah sakit, mereka diberi kertas dan crayon oleh keluarga. Mereka diminta menulis Get Well Soon untuk ayah mereka.

"Tapi terlalu banyak orang di sana, anak-anak pun pada akhirnya tetap berteriak dan menangis," ujar Deepak Chopra, guru spiritual Jacko.

Setelah pada akhirnya Jacko dinyatakan meninggal, Prince Michael, Paris dan Prince Michael II dibawa ke rumah keluarga sang King of Pop.

Wow, Pria Berjari Manis Panjang Lebih Agresif !

2009-06-26T13:13:00.000+07:00

Dalam kehidupan sosial khususnya di negara Asia seperti Indonesia, banyak orang yang mempercayai sebuah mitos. Biasanya mitos tersebut kita dengar dari orang tua kita secara turun menurun. Ternyata dalam dunia seks ada juga mitos yang berseliweran.

Berikut fakta atas mitos mengenai jari tangan Anda seperti yang detikhot kutip dari askmen, Kamis (18/6/2009).

Pernahkan Anda mendengar apabila laki-laki memiliki telunjuk yang lebih panjang dari pada jari manis dan sebaliknya bagi perempuan, orang tersebut berkemungkinan besar menjadi seorang homoseksual? Mitos seperti ini tentunya mengganggu Anda yang memiliki jari tangan seperti yang disebutkan.

Faktanya dalam 'digit ratio theory' bila seseorang memiliki jari manis lebih panjang, berarti orang tersebut mempunyai testosteron lebih banyak dengan sifat yang lebih hiperaktif dan agresif. Sedangkan bila telunjuk seseorang lebih panjang dari pada jari manisnya, artinya orang tersebut mempunyai lebih banyak estrogen, sehingga membuat orang tersebut lebih mudah gelisah dan sensitif.

Dari penjelasan di atas, seharusnya dapat disimpulkan bahwa laki-laki yang mempunyai telunjuk lebih panjang dari pada jari manis dan sebaliknya bagi perempuan berkecenderungan menjadi seorang homoseksual. Tapi ternyata kesimpulan tersebut salah!

Sebuah penelitian mengatakan bahwa seseorang yang memiliki kecenderungan menjadi homoseksual ialah orang yang kedua jari manis dan telunjuk mempunyai panjang yang sama.

Maling Ikan Pakai Google Earth

2009-06-15T13:05:00.000+07:00

VIVAnews - Satuan polisi asal Hull, Inggris menyebutkan bahwa pelaku kejahatan mulai memanfaatkan Google Earth untuk mengidentifikasi rumah-rumah yang memiliki kolam berukuran besar di kawasan Timur Laut Inggris. Tujuannya, untuk mencuri ikan-ikan Koi yang berharga mahal. Tercatat sebanyak 12 pencurian atas ikan mas raksasa yang harganya ratusan dolar di lokasi yang terpisah telah terjadi.

Salah seorang korban mengalami kehilangan empat ekor ikan dan bunga teratai dari kolamnya. Pada kejadian tersebut, tetangga korban melaporkan bahwa mereka melihat dua orang menggunakan sepeda dengan kotak di belakangnya serta jaring besar. Adapun korban lainnya melaporkan bahwa ia telah kehilangan 13 ekor ikan Koi dan pencuri juga mengambil peralatan penjernih air.

“Google menunjukkan apa isi kebun Anda dan Anda juga bisa melihat kolam-kolam milik orang lain,” kata juru bicara kepolisian, seperti VIVAnews kutip dari TGDaily, 30 Juni 2009. “Padahal, rumah yang disasar memiliki pagar setinggi delapan kaki dan berada jauh dari jalan. Kolam letaknya ada di sudut dan tidak terlihat. Kecuali Anda berdiri tepat di samping tembok pagar, Anda tidak akan mendengar aliran air,” ucapnya.

“Google Earth tidak dapat dimintai pertanggungjawaban atas pencurian,” kata seorang juru bicara Google. “Pasalnya, pelaku kejahatan juga menggunakan peta, ponsel, dan kendaraan. Tetapi tidak ada yang berpendapat bahwa teknologi tersebut juga bertanggung jawab atas kejahatan yang dilakukan. Tanggung jawab itu ada di pelaku kejahatan,” ucapnya.

Awal tahun ini, seorang pria berkebangsaan Inggris mendapatkan hukuman percobaan delapan bulan penjara dan 100 jam kerja sosial setelah mengakui bahwa ia memanfaatkan Google Earth untuk melakukan pencurian timah atap bangunan-bangunan bersejarah yang nilainya mencapai 170 ribu dolar AS. Tetapi ringannya hukuman dan menggiurkannya hasil curian yang didapat membuatnya mengulangi kejahatannya. Beberapa minggu kemudian, ia kembali tertangkap dan langsung mendapat hukuman penjara 12 bulan.

Arti dari Tangisan Bayi

2009-06-05T21:35:00.000+07:00

Bayi berkomunikasi lewat tangisan. Semua orangtua dan calon orangtua tahu ini. Tapi, tahukah Anda bahwa bayi juga bisa menangis ketika emosi Anda sedang negatif ?

Saking lembut dan perasanya bayi, mereka bisa membedakan sentuhan yang biasa (penuh kasih dan sayang) dengan sentuhan yang sedang emosi dari orang yang sama. Tak hanya itu saja, bayi memiliki tangisan berbeda untuk masalah yang berbeda.

Pada mulanya, tangisan bayi mungkin terdengar sama saja, tetapi bila orangtua cermat menyimak, lama-lama akan tahu “arti” jenis tangisan yang berbeda. Sampai dengan usia tiga bulan, bayi memang masih sering menangis, kemudian frekuensinya akan menurun dan orangtua biasanya dapat mengenali tangisannya.

- Bayi lapar, mula-mula terjadi tangisan yang ritmis, semakin lama semakin keras, dan akan berhenti setelah diberi susu.

- Mengantuk atau lelah, tangisannya berfluktuasi dalam hal nada serta volume suara dan tidak teratur. Tanda-tanda lainnya adalah mengisap jari, mengucek-ucek mata, menepuk-nepuk telinga, terlihat gelisah dan sesekali memutar kepalanya dari satu sisi ke sisi lain.

- Kesakitan, tangisannya keras dan melengking. Setengah berteriak, tangisannya panjang. Wajahnya memperlihatkan rasa tidak nyaman.

- Pipis atau BAB, tangisannya terdengar berteriak dengan suara yang keras. Napasnya agak tersendat karena temponya berubah lebih cepat disusul dengan suara tangisan berikutnya.

- Takut. Tangisannya tiba-tiba, keras, dan melengking seperti megap-megap untuk menarik napas. Tangisan itu akan menghilang kalau rasa takut sudah teratasi.

- Bosan atau kesepian, tangisannya pendek-pendek, kadang diam, kemudian menangis pendek lagi.

Pramugari Telanjang di Air New Zealand

2009-06-05T21:27:00.000+07:00

Sebelum pesawat lepas landas, para penumpang biasanya disuguhi pertunjukan yang penting namun membosankan: peragaan prosedur keselamatan dari awak kabin.

Namun, maskapai Air New Zealand dari Selandia Baru kini menemukan cara unik untuk membuat prosedur keselamatan menjadi peragaan yang menarik untuk ditonton: semua pemerannya tidak memakai baju.

Agar tontonan lewat layar video itu tidak menjadi film porno, tubuh pemeran dicat menyerupai seragam pramugari, pramugara dan pilot Air New Zealand. Dengan demikian, tayangan itu membuat para penumpang penasaran yang otomatis membuat mereka menyimak prosedur mengenakan sabuk pengaman dan memakai masker saat tekanan udara di dalam kabin pesawat berkurang.

Tayangan yang diperangkan pemeran yang cantik, sintal dan ganteng itu ternyata mendapat sambutan besar. Pada Jumat pekan lalu, 3 Juli 2009, jumlah pengunjung video prosedur keselamatan penumpang ala Air New Zealand itu sudah diklik 1,2 juta pengunjung di laman Youtube. Padahal video itu baru empat hari ditayangkan.

Dalam tayangan video berjudul "The Bare Essentials of Safety" itu tiga awak kabin dan seorang pilot memperagakan sejumlah prosedur keselamatan di pesawat dengan hanya mengenakan sepatu. Tubuh mereka rupanya sudah dicat sedemikian rupa sehingga menyerupai seragam. Bahkan, tubuh seorang pemeran pramugari dicat seolah-olah dia mengenakan selendang di bagian leher.

Tayangan video berdurasi 3 menit 28 detik itu dibuat secara apik sehingga tidak memperlihat bagian vital para pemeran yang bisa menimbulkan kesan cabul.

"Menurut sulit untuk membuat orang tersenyum dan video ini memberi peluang untuk menarik perhatian banyak orang," kata pimpinan pemasaran Air New Zealand, Steve Bayliss.

Menariknya, para pemeran ternyata bukan aktor atau model profesional, melainkan staf Air New Zealand.

U.S. porn industry HIV cases prompt investigation

2009-05-21T00:03:00.002+07:00

California health officials are investigating the Los Angeles clinic where a pornographic film actress recently tested positive for HIV, saying it has failed to alert local authorities to cases of sexually transmitted disease in the adult film industry.

Investigators from the state's Division of Occupational Safety and Health on Wednesday conducted a surprise inspection of the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation in suburban Los Angeles as part of the investigation.

The clinic tests performers in the $12 billion-a-year U.S. adult film industry, which is largely centered in the San Fernando Valley suburbs of Los Angeles, and issues work certificates for those who come up clean.

"We are investigating the clinic," Cal-Osha spokeswoman Erika Monterroza told Reuters.

"All talent goes through them for monthly testing and it seems like this clinic had received positive results for HIV as well as other sexually transmitted diseases and didn't report them to the county health department," Monterroza said.

The inspection comes a week after Los Angeles health authorities disclosed that there had been 16 unpublicized cases of HIV among porn performers since 2004.

Officials also expressed dismay that the unnamed actress who was found to be positive for HIV on June 4 was allowed to work the following day before taking second and third tests.

Monterroza said the AIM clinic had refused to tell county and state health authorities the name of the production company that filmed the actress after she had tested positive.

If AIM Healthcare was found to be in violation of state health laws, she said, Cal-Osha could issue an order shutting down the clinic.

Health officials now say 22 porn performers have tested positive for HIV, including five during a 2004 outbreak that prompted tougher testing and reporting rules.

Since then 1,357 porn performers have tested positive for gonorrhea and 15 for syphilis, according to county health data cited by the Los Angeles Times.

The porn industry includes about 1,200 actors employed by 200 production companies.

Madonna's adopted daughter said to leave Malawi

2009-05-20T23:50:00.001+07:00

Madonna's new daughter has flown out of her native Malawi on a private jet headed for London, an airport employee and a person familiar with Madonna's adoption proceedings in this southern African country said Saturday.

The airport employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James left late Friday headed to London, with a stop in neighboring South Africa. The girl, the second child Madonna has adopted from Malawi, was reportedly accompanied on the flight by a nanny, a child nurse and a third aide.

The person familiar with the adoption, who also was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the girl known as Mercy should have reached London on Saturday morning. Madonna has homes in England and in the United States.

Malawi's highest court had granted the adoption June 12, overturning an April lower court ruling that Madonna had not spent enough time in Malawi to be given a child.

The high court said the first judge had imposed too narrow a definition of residency, and lauded Madonna for her work with children in a poor country where half a million have lost a parent to AIDS.

Madonna's Raising Malawi, a charity founded in 2006, helps feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi's orphans.

Madonna adopted a son, David, from Malawi last year.

Children's welfare groups had expressed concern that rules meant to protect children were being bent because of Madonna's celebrity, and perhaps out of gratitude for what she has done for Malawi.

Madonna met Mercy in 2006 at Kondanani Children's Village, an orphanage in Bvumbwe, just south of Blantyre. It was the same year she began the process of adopting David, whom she found at another orphanage in central Malawi.

The girl's 18-year-old mother was unmarried and died soon after she gave birth. Since Madonna moved to adopt the girl, a dispute has arisen between the girl's maternal relatives, who agreed to the adoption, and a man who says he is the father and wants to care for the girl himself, but acknowledged he had never seen Mercy.

Madonna first traveled to Malawi in 2006 while filming a documentary on its devastating poverty and AIDS crisis.

In addition to David, the 50-year-old Madonna has two other children: Lourdes, 12, and Rocco, 8.

Reports that Madonna would in the next few days visit her charity's projects in Malawi could not be confirmed.

Google vows to fight porn in China after govt rebuke

2009-04-18T22:59:00.001+07:00

Internet giant Google promised to work harder to eliminate pornography from its Chinese Web pages as state media reported authorities had shut down some of its search services.

"Google has continually taken measures against vulgar content, particularly material that is harmful to children, on the Internet in China," a statement by the company said.

"Google is currently stepping up its efforts in this regard."

Xinhua news agency reported that the government had already "stopped some of Google China's searching businesses and asked it to clear up its lewd content."

"Google China was ordered to suspend its overseas web-page searching services and associated word-search services," Xinhua said.

The report gave no other details.

Neither Google officials nor authorities that handle Internet supervision could immediately be reached to confirm the report.

A nonprofit group devoted to "traditional American values" on Friday followed in China's footsteps, calling on Google to be more vigilant about limiting access to online porn.

The Media Research Center's Culture and Media Institute released a self-conducted study to back a demand for Google-owned YouTube to be more "family friendly."

The study indicated that YouTube searches turned up pornography, crude commentary, and videos that serve as teasers for sex websites.

"There's sexual material, including soft-core porn, all over the site," Matthew Philbin and Dan Gainor wrote in report findings.

Media Research Center founder L. Brent Bozell III and institute vice president Dan Gainor signed a letter asking Google chief executive Eric Schmidt to personally look into the group's concerns.

The letter asked Google to explain what further actions it will take to "make objectionable material inaccessible to children."

The China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Centre (CIIRC) slammed Google China on Thursday, saying the US-based portal was continuing to facilitate searches for pornographic material.

"Google China's website has not installed filters to block pornography in accordance with the laws and regulations of our nation," the centre had said in a statement.

It said the centre "strongly condemns Google China and demands that it thoroughly clean up the pornographic and vulgar content on its sites."

"CIIRC calls on concerned departments in charge of implementing the law to punish (Google China) in accordance with the law," Thursday's statement added.

China has vowed to crack down on Internet content that it deems unhealthy, which has included pornography and information critical of authorities.

Computer makers were notified by the government recently that all personal computers sold from July 1 must be shipped with anti-pornography software, a move that has led to widespread censorship fears both inside and outside China.

China has the world's largest online population at nearly 300 million web users.

Authorities have a history of blocking websites they deem politically unacceptable or offensive, a censorship system that has been dubbed the "Great Firewall of China".

Google's statement said the company "strictly abides by all rules and regulations in China and will work to eliminate vulgar content."

Google was among 19 large Internet portals that the government named in January as continuing to provide links to pornography, ordering them to clean up.

At the time, Google was singled out as having failed to take action on government complaints that its search engine results contained a "massive number of links to pornographic web sites."

Xinhua reported separately on Friday that Beijing plans to recruit an "army of tens of thousands of volunteers" to scour the Internet for porn and report back to authorities in the capital.

New net timer could save sea turtles from drowning

2009-04-03T00:09:00.001+07:00

Fishery managers trying to protect rare sea turtles from dying in fishing nets have tapped a Cape Cod company to build a device they think can help balance turtle protection with profitable fishing.

The "tow-time logger" is a 7-inch, silver cylinder that attaches to fishing nets and records how long the net stays underwater.

That time is crucial if a turtle gets snared in the nets dragged behind fishing trawlers. Federal research indicates the vast majority of sea turtles survive entanglement — but only if the net is pulled up in less than 50 minutes.

With the logger, regulators can avoid other, potentially more onerous, restrictions on perpetually struggling fishermen — such as shutting down fishing areas or requiring turtle-saving gear that doesn't work well in all nets. In fisheries where they decide time limits would work best, they wouldn't have to depend on an honor system to make sure nets are pulled up in time.

"Turtles have also been around since the time of the dinosaurs," said Elizabeth Griffin of the environmental group, Oceana. "They're cool animals that I think most people want to see continue to exist."

The logger was built under a $25,000 federal contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by Onset Computer Corp., a Bourne-based supplier of data loggers for energy and environmental monitoring. It starts recording water depth every 30 seconds once the net drops below two meters. If the net stays under beyond a preset time limit, the logger records it, and the infraction can be discovered when regulators download its data.

The device's early tests at sea have been successful, and work is ongoing to toughen it for the real-life rigors, such as being banged on fishing boat decks. The company expects it to cost between $600 and $800, an expense that would fall to fishermen.

Even when the logger is perfected, regulators know limiting how long the nets stay underwater is no cure-all as they devise rules, which they hope to propose for public comment by 2010, to meet a new federal requirement to protect sea turtles from trawler fishing nets.

Some environmentalists say turtles shouldn't be kept underwater at all because even relatively short times of being trapped underwater without oxygen hurt them.

Griffin says there's also not enough data on how trapped turtles fare in colder waters, so no one really knows how long they can be kept under and survive.

The data logger at least makes briefer tow times a feasible way to protect turtles, if researchers can sort out what's safe, she said.

Fishermen are skeptical. They say short tows aren't practical in most fisheries, such as those in deeper waters, where a worthwhile catch is impossible if the nets must constantly be pulled up.

"It's a bad idea," said James Fletcher, a veteran fisherman and now head of the North Carolina-based United National Fisherman's Association.

"Nobody's going to love the idea," acknowledged Henry Milliken, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is part of NOAA. But he added fishermen might prefer limits on how long the net can be underwater to harsher alternatives, such as closing fishing areas.

"The idea is that we're looking at providing options to the managers in the future," Milliken said.

As the NMFS tries to determine which steps will or won't work, it's held public meetings this spring from New York to Georgia.

The turtle most frequently caught in trawl nets in the Atlantic is the loggerhead, the threatened 250-pound giants named for their relatively large heads. In U.S. waters, every sea turtle is listed as either endangered or threatened, so any turtle deaths in fishing nets hit the populations hard.

The most common way to protect turtles right now is the Turtle Excluder Device, often a circular, barred frame attached near the front of fishing nets. The bars are big enough for fish and other sea life to slip through, but too narrow for turtles, which bounce out of the net before they get caught.

The excluder devices have had success in some fisheries, including the Southeast's shrimp trawl fishery, but bigger species, such as horseshoe crab, monkfish and flounder, can bounce out along with the turtles and make the nets far too inefficient.

Greg DiDomenico of the Garden State Seafood Association, a New Jersey trade group, said since the new rules will apply to fisheries from Cape Cod to Florida — where the turtles swim — whatever shakes out is bound to be felt industry-wide. That includes "huge negative impacts on some fisheries," he said.

But with regulations coming, DiDomenico said his best hope is that regulators don't broadly force a turtle-protecting solution, including the time logger being developed, on a diverse fleet.