Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

Puppet shows on your own puppet stage are not only great fun for children, but are
also rich with developmental benefits that include nurturing creativity, teaching
pretend play and allowing positive reinforcement. Puppet shows are also dramatic
performances, and some simple rules of thumb will help make performing easier
and more rewarding for the children, as well as clearer to understand for their
audiences.

CHARACTER VOICES: Encourage each child to make up a character voice they think
suits the puppet, or that they can perform well. Remember there’s a great deal of
flexibility and creative license in matching the role to the puppets on hand. The
child can mimic a specific character from movies or TV that suits the part, such as
the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz,” Mickey Mouse’s high falsetto, and so on.

WALKING: To simulate a puppet walking or running across the stage, encourage the
children to take it beyond merely sliding the puppets across the stage. Rather, have
them bounce the puppet slightly up and down to represent each step as they move
from one position to the other. These small “step-size” bounces can create more of
a sense of excitement on stage and also allow puppeteers some great opportunities
for jumping from view and other fun, dramatic moves.

BODY LANGUAGE: Show your children how to use pauses for dramatic or comedic
effect, explaining to them how controlling the puppet’s body moves is as important
to their acting as their enthusiasm on stage. A pause and a slow turn by the puppet
to the audience can pull the viewers into the puppet’s exasperation or its “thought
process.” Paul Winchell, the great puppeteer and ventriloquist, was a master of the
slow turn. Think of all the other ventriloquists and puppeteers you’ve seen.
Sometimes a hesitation plays as well as a spoken line. Slightly vibrating the puppet
can communicate fear or can be used to create a double-take of surprise. Holding
up the puppet’s arms can communicate glee. A puppet’s hand on its chin shows it’s
thinking. Hunching the puppet forward can mean sadness. Help the children
develop their own “body language” moves. Most animated cartoons use the same
techniques.

TALKING: With moving-mouth puppets, the natural tendency for most is to SHUT
the puppet’s mouth in sync with each syllable. But humans do the opposite, and so
should puppets. It may take practice, but try to teach each child to OPEN the
puppet’s mouth with every syllable. Sid worked with the Muppet puppeteers once,
and that’s the first thing they taught him.

GENDER NOTE: In adapting our collection of Aesop’s Fables scripts, we’ve referred to
the animal characters in the neuter “it,” because we don’t know if a boy or girl is
ultimately going to play the part. (Aesop seemed to assume all animals were male.)
When you find a script to adapt, you may have to switch pronouns, too. But the
children will usually point that out right away. Don’t let the gender of the original
material keep you from performing a script you think works well with your puppet
cast.

Puppets aren’t, by construction, as fluid and flexible in communicating the emotions
as humans are. As humans, we can roll our eyes, frown, smile and show how we
feel in the subtle ways. If a child is having difficulty making the puppet
communicate a certain emotion, have him stand in front of a mirror and try to
express the emotion without the puppet. Point out if the child has tilted his head,
drooped his shoulders or any other natural movements he has drawn upon to
express the emotion. Then help him to translate these movements to the puppet.
This will help the child become more aware of and comfortable with his emotions,
and your puppet show will be richer and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

The Creativity Institute is an online educational toy store and information resource
dedicated to helping parents enhance creative development in children, from infant
through school age. The store handpicks each educational toy based on its potential
for bringing out creative potential in children and includes such items as people and
animal hand puppets and puppet theaters, toy musical instruments, art supplies and
building blocks.

Gwynn Torres and Sid Berger founded The Creativity Institute to help parents boost
creativity in children. They are both former advertising creative directors who’ve raised
five creative children between them. Visit their site at: http://www.creativityinstitute.com/

>From Entity to Enterprise in 90 Days

There are many ways to create a profitable online business
ranging from free do-it-yourself instructions to the “business
in a box” solutions. Which ever method you choose, there are
proven methods of increasing the visibility of your company as
well as the amount of income it generates for you.

How do some online businesses go from relative obscurity to
household name in a very short period of time? While the number
one answer might be advertising, it is also the most expensive
method of gaining recognition. It is also extremely important
that every aspect of your business model from administration to
product fulfillment is flawless as you must create credibility
to match that sudden increase in visibility.

The internet is an environment where creative genius is a
suitable substitute for cash when it comes to gaining visibility
for your company. As a matter of fact, there are many
individuals who have quickly become millionaires just by
repeatedly applying one successful business model within
different product markets. Occasionally these individuals will
share the secrets to their success for a fee, so I was
overwhelmed by the time-tested strategies and course material
which I found for absolutely no charge while researching ways to
improve my own online business.

One of the most important strategies discussed is changing your
attitude towards your competitors and viewing your competitors
as potential partners. It is important to have some service or
product that you are willing to cross promote with them, for a
commission of course, but even more importantly for the exposure
to their customer base. Since there is no brick and mortar
presence, your business can only grow by exposure to new
potential clients. It may cost you a small percentage of your
first sale, but a large percentage of satisfied customers will
return. It is a difficult concept for a new online business
owner to grasp, but the majority of your company’s value is
determined by the size of your customer database. The faster you
build your client base, the faster you will catapult your income
to seven figures or more. I would guess that the thing to do
would be to partner with as many companies as possible, as
quickly as possible, and then position your self for total
domination.

Marketing online is so much different than I would ever have
imagined. The whole concept of the more you give, the more you
get, is so foreign in the physical world, but a necessary tactic
of online survival. Another way of increasing your customer base
is through the use of viral marketing. I know that it sounds
like you are spreading a contagion, but that is in fact the
concept. In a nutshell, you create an information product for
whatever your market happens to be. As you are writing it, think
about how much it would be worth if you sold it. Once you are
satisfied that you have created a premium product, make certain
that your name and contact information appear in various
conspicuous places, and give it away. Not only can you literally
trade it for a prospect’s name and email address, but you can
encourage them to pass it on to their friends. Ideally, a file
which requires their name and email to unlock it would be
something to consider.

Hopefully, this information will also help you with increasing
your business. Best of luck to you.

Joseph Napolitano

This barely scratches the surface as to what is available at
… http://www.InternetProfitMentor.com …as well as 12 Hours
of really instructive videos.

If one thing is for certain, each of us will experience some form of adversity while we are still breathing on this Earth. Unfortunately, some of us will experience more than our fair share of adversity, either in the workplace or in our personal lives.

Over the years, I feel I have been fortunate to experience unpleasant and often times, life-altering situations. Although at times I find it difficult to sustain a positive attitude while working through adverse situations, whether it be the lose of a job, a relationship breakup, looked over for a promotion or battling a major health issue, I know deep down that by working through and learning to find purpose and meaning in these situations is where I will encounter my greatest triumphs.

I have often said “we may ‘go’ through adversity, but we may not know how to ‘get’ through adversity.” Each time I experience something unpleasant I ask myself “what can I learn from this situation and how has my past behavior contributed to my current state?” Instead of burying my head in the sand just waiting for time to pass, or the Universe to forget about the situation, I actively work through the adversity, which helps ease the pain and frustration.

As I assess what I have learned and how I have grown through the years, I have shaped 10 survival strategies that have allowed me to get through the tough times. They include:

* Patience – This could be the hardest of all to achieve although one of the first thing we must develop when faced with adversity. The key to developing patience is to know in the end everything will work out the way it’s intended to. Also key to developing patience is surrendering your self to the fact that there is a time frame for everything. I like to use the analogy - that if you want to have a baby even though you (or your wife) may be pregnant you still have to wait the gestation period before the baby actually arrives.

* Forgiveness – Forgive the other person for wronging you. By not allowing yourself to forgive you utilize a great deal of negative energy as you harbor old thoughts and feelings. Learn to forgive and use this same energy in a positive way to take back your life. While forgiving the other person make certain you forgive your self for any misgivings or shortcomings, otherwise half the negative energy still remains.

* Acceptance –Accept the hand you were dealt - even a pair deuces can win the game.

* Thankfulness – Be thankful for the adversity. Adversity is God’s way of saying “you are worthy of my teachings.”

* Detachment – We have all heard the phrase – “If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you it’s yours. If it doesn’t, it never was.” If something is meant to be a part of your life, it will materialize, so there is no need to desperately hold onto anything.

* Understanding: Why This vs. Why Me? – I feel our first inclination when something negative happens to us we ask “why me?” Normally asking this question doesn’t provide any answers other than making us feel guilty for having asked it in the first place – really, why not you? No one is immune to pain. Simply reword the question and ask “why this?” By asking “why this” it typically leads us to understanding our past thoughts and actions that may have (karmically) contributed to our current state, allowing us to get to the root of the situation.

* Meditation or Quiet Time – I always say “it is only in the silence can we hear God’s voice.” Allow for quiet time to reflect up your desires and listen closely and intently to what is happening all around you – you will find your answers in the silence.

* Maintain a Creative Mind – Eliminate boredom otherwise it will lead you toward frustration and depression. Take up a hobby, do some writing, volunteer your time or spend time with friends and family. Any, or all of this, will make you feel good about yourself, allowing you to want to move forward.

* Work Toward the Future – Even if you do not feel things are moving forward, work on creating the future you desire. You can plant tiny seeds by going back to school, read material that is related to your desires, commit by writing out your goals and desires or network with like-minded people. Each step you take, no matter how small moves you toward your future.

* Trust – Let God and let God. All we really have control over is our actions and a gut feeling (or hearts desire) of what we hope the outcome of our lives to be. The rest is up to a higher power greater than our own. Trust the Universe will provide you with exactly what you need when you need it.

Linda Furiate is a personal coach, mentor, astrologer and author. She is also the creator and host of Portraits in Determination, a cable access TV program showcasing the lives of those who have suffered adversity and have grown emotionally and spiritually as a result of their experiences. Stayed tuned for October 21, 2005 @ 4:00 p.m. PST to hear live on the internet a weekly radio version of the show – log onto http://www.health.voiceamerica.com For more information log onto http://www.portraitsindetermination.com

Traditional medicine that is given to improve Acne condition may have side effects on us. That may be the reason why some people may prefer natural methods instead of pharmaceutical ones. Here are some examples of natural acne remedies.

When going to a natural practitioner, one of the first things that he will tell you is that “it’s what’s inside that count”. That’s the main difference with traditional dermatologist, they will tell you that what you eat has no effect on your skin. But the truth is that a healthy diet can have positive effects on your skin, as well as in your life in general.

Some of the guidelines you may follow are:

- Drink six glasses of water a day.

- Try to find organic produce.

- Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

- Boil you food and avoid fried foods.

- Eat fiber rich foods such as lentils and beans.

- Go light on the caffeine, only two cups of tea or coffee a day.

- Stay away from sodas they have too much sugar and caffeine.

If you still want to intake some extra diet supplements, here are some supplement suggestions.

- A good daily multi vitamin.

- Vitamin C.

- Antioxidants blend of A, C, E, zinc, selenium.

- A fatty acid supplement such as primrose oil or fish oil.

In any case, it is always better to talk with a qualified nutritionist to help you with deciding what supplements you should take.

When cleaning your skin daily, you may have a routine that includes washing and moisturizing with the best natural products. Have a facial monthly. This will help keep your skin healthy and glowing. Your aesthetician will help you to identify your skin type and make recommendations about cleansers and moisturizers.

This facial routine should include an exfoliation once or twice a week, depending on your type of skin. And, if you suffer from acne as an adult you will still need to keep your skin moisturized. Make sure that you use an SPF on your skin everyday.

There are no miracle treatments for Acne problem, but having a good cleaning routine and a healthy lifestyle will help. And when you choose the best product to treat Acne, have in mind that no matter witch treatment you choose, you may wait at least 6 to 8 weeks to see results.

Paid advertising such as Google AdWords is a lucrative way to bring targeted traffic to your website fast. You just need to set up an account with a small activation fee of $5 and you can start bidding on keywords and gain ranking in the SERPs on the right side of the organic search engine listings instantly. Everytime someone clicks on your ad, you pay Google a few cents or dollars depending how much you are willing to pay as maximum cost per click(cpc) for your different keywords.

While it’s easy to start advertising on Google AdWords, it’s not easy as just creating an ad, get clicks and sales start pouring in. Always remember this so that you don’t get deceived. Below are 6 strategies for you to get the most out of Google AdWords advertising.

(1) Getting Clicks

I’ve experienced it before and the problem most people are confronted with is to get sufficient amount of clicks that can convert into a sale for instance. The key to get clicks is to give people a compelling reason to check out your offer. You don’t have enough room to write a long ad so your primary objective is to get people to click on your offer among all the rest. Some people might not even know you are selling something until they click and get to your site and they don’t need to know that because your sales page is going to do the rest if it has attractive and powerful sales copy.

(2) Higher Bids

Next important thing is you need to bid high enough so that your ad appears among the top. I’ve found that you can still get a decent number of clicks even though you are on the second or third page of the search engine results for highly competitive terms. For less competitive, more targeted and cheaper keywords, you can appear on the first page, usually the most recommended. It’s very important to test which keywords are most profitable for you in terms of clicks and conversions. If a keyword isn’t getting clicks at all and you have bid high enough, most probably, your ad is not attractive in generating clicks. On the other hand, if you are getting many clicks and no conversion, your sales letter might not be doing its job properly. Perhaps, you need to tweak it. A sale for every 50 or 100 visitors is generally considered good on the Internet. That’s a 2% conversion for every 50 visitors and a 1% conversion for every 100 visitors. Everything above that is very good.

(3) Creating Different AdGroups

To get the most out of Google AdWords, you need to create different AdGroups for each keyword and ensure that your keyword is highly targeted, hence improving your conversion. It’s much work than just slapping one AdGroup, one ad and one maximum cost per click(cpc) for say 100 keywords. With different AdGroups, you can have different ads, different maximum cost per click(cpc). One of the main reason to create different AdGroups, is that you can add your targeted keyword phrase in your ad, be it the title or the description. It has been proven that people are most inclined to click on ads that contain the exact keywords they are looking for, so this is a good reason for you to create keyword-rich ads.

(4) Keyword Status

With Google AdWords, you no longer have disabled status keywords, on hold status keywords, trial status keywords and normal status keywords. You just have active or inactive keywords now. For inactive keywords, usually you will see a message like this “1 keyword(s) are currently inactive.
These keywords are marked in the status column below. Improve their quality through optimization, delete them, or raise the keywords’ maximum CPCs to the minimum bids indicated. (Raising the bids will activate the keywords.)”

Next to the inactive keyword, you will see something like “Inactive Increase quality or bid $1.00 to activate” or “Inactive Increase quality or bid $5.00 to activate” but it can also be other bid values. Usually, I just leave it inactive if it costs too much to activate and I delete it. This new method of keyword bidding evaluation is much more interesting than the previous method because most of the keywords are active and showing now, hence better advertising.

(5) Keyword Matching Options

If you are selling specific products, use exact match and phrase match for your keywords. With exact match, you just need to put square brackets between your keywords for eg [sports cars], hence your ad will only appear to people searching for that exact keyword phrase. Phrase match is a bit the same as exact match but double quotes are used instead of square brackets, for eg “sports cars”. This keyword phrase with double quotes will only appear to people searching for that exact keyword phrase plus any other keyword combined with sports cars at the beginning for eg “red sports cars” but not “sports cars red”. You also have negative keywords where you just put a minus sign in front of the keyword that you don’t want your ad to appear for eg -free. All people who type the word “free” in their searches won’t trigger your ads. The negative keywords applies mostly to phrase match and broad match which we are going to discuss.

The last one, the broad match, using keywords with nothing around it, is usually not recommended if you are selling specific products because you might not get very targeted visitors. For eg, if you use the keyword phrase “sports cars” as broad match, your ad might appear for people searching for “sports” or “cars”.

(6) Google Search and Content Network

You can also use Google search network such as AOL, Ask Jeeves, Netscape, Earthlink, Compuserve amongst others to get your ads appear on them too as well as Google content network, which represents all the sites that have Google AdSense on them.(You can read more about adsense at http://www.zineguru.com/article54.htm and open an account at http://www.google.com/adsense.) To enable these options, you just need to put a tick in the checkbox next to your campaign number and click on “edit settings” at the top of the campaign list. Then you can put a tick in the checkboxes for search and content network.

In fact, all the AdWords publishers that have allowed their ads to be syndicated in the content network, will appear in the form of adsense ads on other webmasters’ sites. If your ad is related to a specific topic, it can appear on some of them. If people click on the adsense ads, you pay Google according to your maximum cost per click(cpc), generally a bit less and Google pays a percentage to the webmaster. This is how it works. Generally, if you let your ads syndicated on the content network and if your ad is good and your bid, high enough, you can get interesting clicks. You might even be the only ad in the adsense space of the related site just because with the new Google AdSense rules, sometimes the highest paying ad can be the only one displayed even in a block usually comprised of 4 ads. Hence, it will fill the entire unit giving your ad more space and exposure. Less competing ads means more clicks for you.

How To Get Started With Google AdWords

If you want to get started with Google AdWords, sign up an account with them at http://www.google.com/adwords and conduct an extensive keyword research related to your business and start bidding on your keywords with your different AdGroups. You can use Yahoo! Search Marketing keyword research tool previously known as Overture at http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion.

Due to the fact that your ad is new, you will have to start generating clicks and increasing its value because Google looks also at the click through rate(ctr) to help determine your positions. Your maximum cost per click(cpc) might not be the highest but if your ad is getting more clicks than your competitors, your position will shoot up. So a bit smart marketing if you want. You might try to put a higher bid initially and generate clicks and after awhile, lower your bids to a reasonable amount because your ad might still be in a decent position due to the click through rate(ctr). In addition, I advise you to have a daily budget above the recommended one to ensure that your ads are displayed everytime. If Google recommends say $5 daily budget, put it $10 or even $20. This does necessarily mean that you will spend that amount of money daily although you can. It’s just a precaution to make sure that your ads are delivered well. You might not even meet the initial $5 if you are not getting clicks.

Conclusion

Google AdWords is a lot about testing and tracking which campaigns, AdGroups and keywords are working better for you and in the end, if you have a working campaign, stick to it and monitor it. Patience is important in pay per click advertising like AdWords. You might not see instant results but don’t give up until you see some results be it a sale or an ad producing clicks. But be prepared to blow a few bucks because this is how you are going to learn ie by testing and tracking. Google AdWords is an additional source of valuable traffic and can’t be ignored.

Good luck and happy advertising.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as
it’s not modified in any way including the author bylines,
plus the hyperlink must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is the webmaster of

Email Autoresponder which provides autoresponder review,
article and courses to boost your marketing efforts.

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The most important part of software development is the testing. Before you implement new software into a system you must be sure it won’t crash and that the proper bug checking has been done. Testing ensures that your system is running properly and efficiently and meeting all the requirements you have of it. To fully ensure that your system is free of defects, testing should follow a system test plan and must be thorough and complete. All too often people rush to implement a new program and then spend hours repairing the system losing many hours of productivity. The experts prevent this by using a system test plan. Basically, a system test plan is a systematic approach to testing a system whether it is a machine or software. The plan contains a detailed understanding of what the eventual workflow will be. This will help keep the project on schedule and make the integration of the new system as smooth as possible. We wouldn’t build a house without blueprints nor should we run a new system without having created a proper system test plan.
Creating and running effective tests requires time and resources. These are not assets most businesses have in abundance. What are the options? Do the job in house and stress out your IT group and possibly lose a lot of hours of productivity or spend a small fortune and hire a software development company to build you a system test plan and help you implement it. Typically I have found that the best solution is to turn it over to the pros. Find a company that delivers full-featured testing services. A company I consulted tried to implement a new system using GPS to track their delivery vehicles. They like most small business lacked the technical skills to implement or repair their system but also lacked a lot of extra funds. The result was the loss of many hours and temporary black outs that prevent the recording of new deliveries. Business was at a stand still. You often don’t go amiss spending a little extra in order to be careful. Before you blindly implement a new system at least consult a software development company and have them create a system test plan. Let’s look at some benefits of using a testing solutions professional.
Before you can begin developing an effective system test plan, you need to know where you are starting from. Many companies jump into a completely new system without really examining the existing one. In some cases they could have tweaked a few things and improved the efficiency and performance of their system to a satisfactory level. A testing solutions professional can deliver quality assurance assessments which evaluate your current processes. This will create a detailed map of where the current system is dropping the ball and exactly where the new system can improve performance. These professional consultants will analyze the data, make recommendations for improvements, and even assist in the development of a system test plan. This way you are not left on your own to execute the testing. This is a solid cost effective alternative to having a big firm come in and overrun your IT services while still maintaining the proper safety.

A system test plan is the smartest thing a business owner can do when implementing a new system. Don’t blindly rush into the process. Make sure you know the current status of your system and where the hang ups are. Be sure to look over the recommendations made by the consultants and see if they will create the desired improvements. Allowing professionals to support and to monitor the testing of a new system will speed up the process and keep your business running smoothly.

Mark Keller is an Account Specialist for 10x Marketing, an internet marketing company. Learn how a system test plan can help your business check out Aculis at http://www.aculis.com/testing/system_test_plan.html.

Any type of strain put on the anus or anal area may cause
hemorrhoids. Tiny veins surrounding the rectum become inflamed
and a hemorrhoid is born. By reducing the strain put on the
anus, we can reduce the possibility of getting hemorrhoids.
There are a few basic things that you can do to alter your
lifestyle slightly in order to reduce the risk of developing
painful hemorrhoids.

Change your diet to include foods that are high in fiber.
Fibrous foods create normal stools that are able pass from the
body easily. Passing stool easily creates less strain on the
anal muscles and therefore reduces the risk of hemorrhoids.

Some foods that are high in fiber include: grains, foods high in
bran, fruits and vegetables.

Processed foods may be convenient but they also cause the stool
to harden due to their lack of fiber. These foods will increase
your risk of hemorrhoids so they should be avoided.

If you feel that increasing the amount of fiber in your diet is
difficult by just changing your diet, there are fiber products
available over the counter at your local pharmacy that will
soften stool. These products usually come in powder or pill
form. If you are unsure which type would be best for you,
contact your physician or pharmacist for medical advice.

In addition to adding fiber rich foods to your diet, you should
also increase your water intake. The rule of thumb is to drink
8-8oz. Glasses of water per day. Water will loosen your stools
again causing less strain on the anal muscles and decreasing
your risk of painful hemorrhoids. Change your toilet habits. Do
not wait until you feel like you really have to go. Putting off
going to the bathroom will give your stool time to harden while
waiting in your intestines to be expelled. Hard stool causes
increased pushing which in turn causes undo stress to the anus
which increases your risk of developing hemorrhoids.

The bathroom may be the only alone time that you can get.
However, reading or staying on the toilet for longer periods
then needed to take care of business can lead to the development
of hemorrhoids.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness. The French invented the bidet
for a reason.

A clean anal area decreases the chances of developing
hemorrhoids. Although cleaning with toilet paper alone is fine,
there are now flushable wipes on the market that will guarantee
a clean anus. They are safe to flush and safe to use in your
most sensitive areas.

Exercise is just good for you in general. It seems that
everything can be prevented by adding a little exercise to our
lives.

It is just common sense that if we are not exercising or leading
an active lifestyle, then we are sitting or leading a sedentary
lifestyle. Long periods of sitting cause strain to the anus. As
we know by now strain put on the anal muscles is what causes
hemorrhoids to develop.

A rule of thumb to follow is that you should stand and walk
around for at least 5 minutes every hour. Why that isn’t even
real sweat causing exercise. That’s a simple trip to the kitchen
for a glass of water!

In addition to not sitting for long periods of time, exercising
regularly increases blood flow through the veins. Increased
blood flow through the veins will reduce pressure on the veins
surrounding the anus and therefore reduce constipation.

To monitor or not to monitor kids online — that’s a question millions of parents face. On the one hand, software for monitoring kids’ online behavior is a relief for ever-busy Moms and Dads. On the other hand, parents should be very careful when relying on technology in such a delicate matter as parental control.
Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school, at their friends’ homes and in public places such as libraries and even from cell phones and video game consoles. Internet is everywhere, that is why kids and teenagers (and their parents, too) should be well aware of its dangers to avoid them.

Here are some figures from the telephone survey made by the Pew Internet and American Life Project:

65% of all parents and 64% of all teens say that teens do things online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about.

These “things” usually means visiting sites parents find “questionable” or “inappropriate”, for example, so-called adult content. And, of course, chatting online.

What kids say in chat rooms, whom they communicate with and what they post on web logs and other public Internet places can get them into much more serious trouble than just viewing porn.

81% of parents of online teens say that teens aren’t careful enough when giving out information about themselves online and 79% of online teens agree with this.

Sometimes teenagers post online their first and last names, postal addresses, phone numbers, pictures and give lots of personal information about themselves. It enables a predator easily identify and find this teen.

Unfortunately, sex predators teem in cyberspace. Sometimes they immediately start sexually explicit conversations with children. If a kid or a teen is forewarned and taught to end such a conversation immediately, he or she is relatively safe, except for moral damage from such a talk.

But there are others. They gradually allure their future victims by attention, affection, kindness, and even gifts. These individuals usually devote much time, money, and energy to this process. They listen to childrenand pretend to empathize with their problems. They even are aware of the latest music, hobbies, and interests of children. Some time later this person may succeed in arranging a face-to-face meeting with the kid — you can guess what for.

Such crimes are on the rise, so there are now even special units where law enforcement officers pose as children in chat rooms to lure predators into a trap.

The problem is so serious that Federal Bureau of Investigation had to launch Crimes Against Children (CAC) Program in 1997. So every parent should read and memorize tips from “A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety” http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm

There are rules any teen should learn by heart: don’t believe everything they are told on-line, never reveal your name, age, birthday, graduation year, nickname or any other personal information while chatting.

Parents should talk to their children about online dangers. Moms and Dads must encourage their sons and daughters tell them about their online acquaintances, without fear of being scolded of punished.

But should parents use monitoring software? It’s a difficult question. Software for parental control is a useful tool, only if applied right.

My opinion is that monitoring software is “strong medicine”. Like any medicine, it has its own side effects that can be worse than the disease. Any medicine, if overused, can do harm. Computer monitoring is the last resort, when all the other means are exhausted. Don’t do it just because you think you should.

Using monitoring software will be appropriate if you feel you are losing control of the situation, or have lost it already.

For example, your teenage son or daughter seems to be completely withdrawn from family.

You don’t know his/her friends well enough–maybe you even haven’t seen them and doubt whether they exist at all. You have no idea whom he/she is chatting with. Your teenager receives phone calls from people you don’t know or is making long-distance calls to numbers you don’t recognize.
Your son or daughter gets letters, gifts or packages from people you haven’t heard about.

Every day he/she spends hours on the computer, especially at night. when you enter the room he/she changes the screen. Maybe you found pornography on your child’s computer. If your child uses an online account that belongs to someone else, you also should be alarmed.

Don’t keep the computer in your child’s bedroom. In fact, nearly three-quarters of home computers are located in a place like living room, according to the survey. A wise thing to do. If your child uses the Internet in a living room, it is easier to watch what he or she is doing online.

And, of course, there is a great variety of monitoring software products. Their purposes may vary from simply recording the time the computer is on/off to logging every keystroke your kid makes. Use one of them if you are sure it is absolutely necessary. But remember that your kid might be more technically savvy than you. Lots of them can erase their traces.

At any case, you must let your kid know you care for his or her safety — both offline and online.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexandra Gamanenko currently works at Raytown Corporation, LLC — an independent monitoring and anti-monitoring software developing company that provides various solutions for information security.
Learn more — visit the company’s website
www.softsecurity.com

I own several sites and make a nice sum each month from Google’s popular Adsense program. It took some time and experimentation to maximize my revenue. There are literally hundreds of articles and web sites dedicated to the topic of search engine optimization (SEO) and keywords and the placement of adsense ads on your web site. I have read many of these articles and resources and have implemented many of their recommendations.
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