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Microsoft Great Plains software development, customizations, reporting. Microsoft Dexterity programming as reliable alternative to newer technologies and platforms, such as .Net, C# and VB MS Visual Studio development, eConnect, XML: Web Services.

Alba Spectrum Group is proud to announce Microsoft Great Plains Dexterity group development headcount increase. We are serving USA nation-wide from our Dexterity project management facilities in Houston, TX and Chicago, IL. Luis Leung (Alba Spectrum Texas) and Andrew Karasev (Alba Spectrum Illinois) are lead project managers for Microsoft Great Plains Dexterity customization, integration, reporting, form modification projects. Some Microsoft Dexterity technological features:

? Sanscript. This is Dexterity programming language. It is actually compiled and stored in Dynamics.dic with development source code. Dex is cursor oriented DB accessing programming language, however you can also call MS SQL Server stored procedures (with SQL Select statement aggregation logic)

? Alternate Forms. Technically you can modify any form you like in Dynamics.Dic - original Microsoft Dynamics GP objects repository. But you might encounter future upgrade issues - original forms are subject to redesign by Microsoft Dynamics subdivision without any notice

? Dexterity Reports. As software developer you can create new Dexterity report, assuming that you will also provide new Dex form, where report will be getting parameters

? Dexterity Alternatives. In 1990th the alternatives were VBA - you could modify Greta Plains form with Modifier and include VBA scripting into your modification - Dynamics.vba is the dictionary, storing your modification. In 2000th you have .Net instruments, such as eConnect with XML Web Services interface. Technically eConnect is very powerful, but comparing to Dexterity - Dex has access to all Dynamics GP objects, while eConnect is secondary enabler - it has access to objects, covered by eConnect development team. Future direction will probably give more options to Business Portal developer, using either eConnect or manipulating another future interface for Great Plains objects

? Dexterity Advancements. These are typically related to Microsoft Great Plains Source Code Programming. Very good extension is posting server, allowing ecommerce developer automatically post GP batches in such modules as Sales Order Processing, GL, Inventory Control, POP, and others

? Comparison to Other Microsoft Dynamics Products. Microsoft Dynamics ERP family include Axapta, Navision, Solomon and with some restrictions Microsoft CRM. Dexterity should be compared with similar technologies: Axapta Microsoft Dynamics AX - MorphX / X++, Navision Microsoft Dynamics NAV C/SIDE

? Heterogeneous. Or cross platform software development: Oracle, IBM, Sybase, Ingress: Oracle Financials/Ebusiness Suite, Lotus Notes Domino. Microsoft SQL Server technology gives you Linked Server concept, Oracle gives you similar technologies, plus from Java/J2EE you can create various JDBC/ODBC bridges or native drivers

We are always available by phone: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com, or skype: albaspectrum

Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group ( http://www.albaspectrum.com http://www.enterlogix.com.br ), serving clients in USA Nationwide: Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Denver, Orlando, Washington, New York, Seattle, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Toledo, Detroit, Austin, Des Moines, Springfield, Naperville, Aurora, Schaumburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Canada: Montreal, Ontario, Vancouver, UK, Australia, New Zealand and internationally: India, China, Pakistan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ireland.

Are planning to invest money in buying your dream car? Buying your first car with your own money is a very special feeling. Nissan is one of the major manufacturers of car in the United States. Cars made by Nissan are increasingly finding favor among the public. There are many Nissan dealers in New York who can assist you in buying your car. Car dealers are plenty in number and all you need to do is find out the best car dealers in your city who will be able to help you in buying the best cars.

There are different ways of finding out a good Nissan car dealer in New York. The internet is one source through which you can find out a car dealer. You only need to have access to a computer that has internet enabled in it. Just take some time out of your busy schedule and find out a good Nissan car dealer in New York. Simply type out the keywords based on which you are searching for the car. Instantly you will be supplied with a list of dealers who help out people who want to buy as well as sell cars.

Car dealers can be helpful to customers in many ways. Other than buying cars from the car dealers, you can also sell your used car through the car dealer. Buying used car is also a good option for people who want to buy a car. Used cars are ideal for people who do not have enough money to buy a brand new car. Used cars can sometimes be found, that are less then even a year old and some of them even come with factory warranty. The car may not be brand new, but used cars are also a great option for anyone who wants to buy a car.

Nissan car dealers can also help people in selling their used cars. If you want to sell your car, you can sign up on the website of the car dealer. The car dealer will then add your car in his database and put it up for sale. Prospective buyers can log in to the dealers site and find out any car they want to buy, both used and brand new.

Before you actually go about buying a car form your Nissan dealer in New York make sure that you yourself go out and check the car. Take a test drive and try to learn as much as you can form your dealer. Unless you are fully satisfied with all your queries keep on asking and clarifying all your doubts. After all you are buying a car and you have all the right to ask as many questions as you want.

While finding out a Nissan car dealer in New York try to compare the prices offered by different car dealers operating in the area. Settle for the dealer who offers you the best price deal among the lot. Decide in advance what car you want to buy. If you are buying a used care make sure that the car is in the proper working condition.
Damian Miller is a famous car dealer.He has good knowledge of car market. he is also a great car engineer.After using and selling many type of cars he is suggesting Nissan Audi as he found it is the best.To compare and get full information about Nissan Audi and its various models visit http://www.biener.com

People are flocking to the internet by the millions, seeking a way to make money online. Some are only looking to make extra money to help pay bills, provide for their children’s college, or supplement their retirement. Many are seeking to make enough money to quit their job and make a fulltime living from home.

While all these goals are certainly achievable online, you need to know the facts about making money online. Without knowing the facts, you will be victim to the myths and lies that are prevalent in this industry.

The Facts:

If you are new to internet marketing, full of hope and excitement, you may not want to hear this, but 95% of all internet marketers fail. Is it really that hard to make money online? No, but it’s not that easy either. The good news is that you can be part of the 5% that are successful.

But you need to know why 95% fail, and more importantly, you need to know what the other 5% do differently to succeed.

So why do 95% fail? Well, there are many reasons people fail online, but here are the top 3 in my mind:

Ignorance: People simply have no clue how to make money online. There is a huge learning curve in this industry.

Can you imagine what would happen if hospitals recruited surgeons off the street without experience? What would the mortality rate be? At least 95%! Starting an online business without knowing what you are doing is the same thing. Ok, so nobody looses their life from a failed business. But you could easily loose your life savings. You should make educating yourself in this industry one of your top priorities.

Lack of Driving Desire: Many people dream of the financial freedom they can have through their own online business.

But few are ready to make the commitment necessary to realize their dream. This business takes work. It is an emotional rollercoaster full of ups and downs. If you don’t have a real burning desire to drive you through the obstacles and challenges, you will not make it. Rate your desire to succeed from 1 to 10. If you’re not at least an 11, forget it.

Now I’m not trying to frighten you out of your dream, but you need to be honest with yourself. This is a great business. It not only rewards you with financial freedom, it really develops you personally as well. The best reward this business gives is the person you become in the process.

But you have got to want it so badly that you will do whatever it takes to succeed.

Disillusionment: People fail when their unrealistic expectations are not met. They become disillusioned and quit. In fact, the only way you will ultimately fail is to quit.

As long as you keep learning and applying what you learn, you can ultimately succeed. This is the key to success in any endeavor. But the minute you quit, you fail. So don’t quit.

Now let’s talk about what it takes to have a successful home business online?

Essentials for Success:

Education: I know I already mentioned this, but it is that important. Building an online business without knowing what you are doing is like performing surgery on yourself.

You’re going to get hurt. I’m not saying you can’t do anything until you learn everything. In fact, a big part of your ongoing education will come from doing.

Simply invest time and money in your education as you go.

If you are going to use traffic exchanges, learn about how to use them effectively. If you are setting up an auto responder, read what you can about auto responders and how to write an effective series. And if you are going to use Google AdWords, you had better learn how first.

Don’t deprive your education because you don’t want to pay for a book, course, guide, or whatever. If you learn just one thing from a course that helps make you money, then that one thing will be worth far more over time than the cost of the course. One of my favorite sayings goes, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance”.

Mindset: Your thoughts are real things, and they are powerful! But they can destroy you just as easily as they can serve you. Invest in a copy of Napoleon Hill’s best seller, Think and Grow Rich. Read it. Successful People are always reading.

You need to learn to control your thoughts and emotions in this business. You need to be positive. You will face many disappointments and challenges on the road to success. It really matters whether you believe you can succeed or not.

Because whichever way you believe, you’re right.

Never blame someone else or some program for your lack of success. Take ownership of your success. Your success is entirely dependant upon you.

A Hot Product or Service: This may seem obvious, but if you are going to be successful, you need a product or service people actually want. It needs to be something of real value. Stay away from fads that only last a short while.

You don’t need your own product or service. You can sell someone else as an affiliate. Or you can build a business reselling digital products. Whichever way you go, it’s important to due your due diligence. Research the demand for your product/service.

A Target Market: This goes hand in hand with a hot product/service. If there is a demand for what you are selling, then there is a market. But who is your market.

Who would want your product? It is important to identify or “target” your market as precisely as possible. Otherwise, you will waste valuable resources marketing to people with absolutely no interest in your product or service. Don’t try to sell steak to a vegetarian.

Define your market by asking questions. Some questions to ask are: What’s their gender? How old are they? What do they do for a living? How much money do they make? Where in the world do they live? Define your customers as completely as you can.

That’s your target market.

An Effective Marketing System: Now that you have a hot product, and have identified your market, you need an effective means to bring the two together. I’m not going into a discussion of all the different ways to market a product online, but I do think it is important to understand what an effective marketing system is, and how to develop one.

An effective marketing system is one that gives a reasonable return on investment (ROI). It not only needs to produce results, it needs to produce enough results to justify continuing with it. Also, your marketing has to be geared towards building your list of contacts. You will here a million times: “the money is in the list”. Building a list of contacts is not just important to your business; it is your business.

Set a marketing budget and stick to it. As you begin to make some profit, reinvest it into your business and increase your marketing efforts. Make a plan designed around your budget.

There are many free and paid ways to market. Decide on a mix that fits your budget.

Also, set a schedule and stick to it.

Setting a schedule with well defined tasks will help you to stay focused and increase your productivity. Don’t over do it. You don’t want to try and build Rome in a day. Don’t neglect your home, while building your home business. Once you have your plan, work it consistently.

Domain Name and Hosting: Even if you are planning on selling someone else’s product as an affiliate, you will want to invest in a domain name and hosting. Your domain is you own address (URL) on the internet. I recommend GoDaddy.com. Their prices are very reasonable, and the service is excellent.

Once you have your domain, you will need to host it someplace.

I recommend using Host4Profit. They have excellent customer service, and an easy to use control panel, all at reasonable rates.

Now why would you need a domain and hosting if you are selling someone else’s product? You will eventually want to use Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. PPC search engines will not allow you to advertise someone else’s site. You will need to set up a landing page that will send your visitors to your affiliate page.

You can also design and host splash pages for traffic exchanges.

You can set up email addresses on your domain, which will help give you a professional look.

Bottom line is, if you want to be successful online; you will eventually need your own website. For a great deal on your own website, click the link in the resource box at the bottom of this article.

Myths:

Get Rich Quick: Many people think that they are going to get rich quick online. It takes the average person 3 to 4 years before they start to make any real money online.

Do you have to spend 3 to 4 years to make real money online?

No, you can do it much quicker if you know how. It’s just that it takes the average person 3 to 4 years to learn how.

It also takes time to develope a large network of contacts and steady traffic to your website.

The simple truth is that building a long lasting, profitable business online takes time and effort.

You Have to be a Computer Geek: You don’t have to be a computer geek.

However, you should have basic computer skills. I would also suggest investing a little time in learning HTML. What is HTML? HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the language that browsers read.

Websites and many emails are written in HTML. You don’t have to master HTML, but a basic understanding is very helpful.

You Have to Invest a lot of Money: You don’t need a lot of money to get started. You do of course need a computer and an internet connection.

But beyond the hardware, you can start for next to nothing. However, to reach your goals you will need to invest more money.

The key is to focus on your plan and stay in your budget. Expand your budget as you begin to earn some money. Reinvest everything you earn at first. This way you can start a business on a shoestring budget and use your earnings to build it big.

Lies:

Money Without Work: There is no such thing. Even a crook has to work to rob you. Here’s a very true saying: “The only place you can find money before work is in the dictionary.” An honest business requires an honest effort.

Scams: There are all kinds of scams out there that prey upon the desperate, ignorant, and greedy. It is important to do the proper due diligence before joining any money making program or service. Here are a few tips to help you spot and avoid these internet lowlifes:

One thing that should get your B.S. alarm ringing is outrageous claims.

We all know that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Yet we still fall for wild promises. If someone tells you that for a price you can make $10,000 in a month, RUN. If they guarantee it, RUN FASTER. Evaluate claims with your own good sense, and don’t let greed get the better of you.

Another sure sign of a scam is if there is no real product or service of value.

Whenever you talk about multi-level marketing, someone always asks the question: “Isn’t that a pyramid scheme?” The truth is, almost all effective organizations, whether business or government, are pyramid shaped. This is so for the same reason wheels tend to be round. It really is the most efficient structure.

What makes a pyramid scheme a scam, is that there is nothing of real value flowing down the pyramid, only money flowing up. Everyone at the top makes money, everyone else pays for it. I only deal with programs that offer a product or service that I find valuable.

Check their customer service. Send an e-mail, or call them. If you get no response, run and never look back. Even if you get a response, what kind of response was it? Was it timely? Did it answer your question adequately, or did it just refer you to a FAQs page? The hallmark of an honest, well run business is great customer service.

Check their reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau, and see if there have been any complaints filed against them. Also checkout what the forums have to say about them. You can do a search on the program to find posts that mention the program in question.

You need to use a little discernment here. Remember, 95% of all online marketers fail. They fail because of laziness or lack of knowledge. When they fail, many of them blame the program and blast it in the forums. So if one or two people cry scam, it may just be a case of sour grapes.

Well I hope this is of help to you in your quest for success. Remember, anyone can be successful online, if they will follow 8 simple rules:

1. Study to learn everything you can about this business.
2. Apply what you learn.
3. Set realistic long and short term goals.
4. Make a plan to achieve those goals.
5. Work hard towards executing your plan.
6. Stay positive.
7. Be consistent.
8. Don’t Give Up.

See you on the beach!

Copyright © Douglas Canary
http://www.TNTMarketingStrategies.com

Doug Canary has been online since 2003. He is the webmaster of TNTMarketingStrategies.com.

The primary line of defence for your treasured vehicle, the car alarm was invented to match increasing demand for more security on cars. In olden times cars may have been left unlocked or unwatched, but in modern times car theft is an ever growing crime problem.

Car alarms are designed to make a loud noise, or sometimes even immobilise the engine, if a car is disturbed. This should scare away a criminal as it will attract unwanted attention. They can be found in different designs that are triggered by different stimuli. Some feel vibrations, tilting of the car, simply touching the car, opening of the doors, changes in battery voltage, or using sensors like infrared. The problem is that the more sensitive your car is, the more likely that it will go off by accident and you will need to rush of to turn it off. Accidental triggering happens all the time and sadly contributes to the problem of people ignoring a blaring car alarm, the opposite of the effect desired!

The modern wave of alarm companies have reduced their noisy alarms. Instead silent alarms which disable the engine make the car far more effectively protected. For a free some companies install tracking devices, meaning that if a car is taken they can relay data to the police showing the current whereabouts of the vehicle. The problem with these is they do not deter theft of items inside a car or vandalism.

One invention that makes a difference is a system where the triggered alarm sends a buzzer signal to the driver’s key chain, so that they know a car is being broken into without a blaring alarm. This is preferable for those who would prefer to be able to catch thieves in the act, usually more deterring than just a loud noise with the occasional passer-by glancing over.

John Gibb is the owner of car-alarm-resources3k.info, for more information on car alarms please check out http://www.car-alarm-resources3k.info

New Vaccine Could Eradicate Symptoms of Traveler’s Diarrhea

It is estimated that people traveling to Latin America have a 50 percent risk of developing diarrhea, most commonly caused by a certain bacteria. A pharmaceutical company based in Gaithersburg, Maryland is preparing for a clinical research study of an investigational vaccine for traveler’s diarrhea. The study will evaluate the study vaccine to determine if it may prevent or lessen the symptoms of travelers’ diarrhea from developing. The investigational vaccine is given via a patch on the skin that is worn for approximately six hours. Two patches are applied in the month prior to departure.

You must be in country for at least 7 days. Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. Participants will be compensated up to $900. In most cases, this would cover the cost of a 2-week language immersion experience (excluding airfare). In essence, you can travel for free! Currently, arrangements have been made so that travelers may participate in the study while in or near:

Cuernavaca, Mexico - Known as “The City of Eternal Spring,” Cuernavaca is blessed with a perfect climate and flowers year-round. The city is located only about 50 miles south of Mexico City. Cuernavaca is a popular weekend spot for the affluent from the capital because of the many restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and theaters.

Morelia, Mexico - Located about 4 hours from Mexico City or Guadalajara, Morelia is a university city with about 80,000 students studying at one of the four universities. Despite its size (pop. 800,000), the city is fairly compact, with everything of interest within walking distance of the central plaza. A climate of perpetual spring makes Morelia a nice destination.

Puerto Vallarta - Puerto Vallarta is located on the Pacific Coast and it is along Mexico’s west coast and it is the largest bay in the country. It is an ideal location where you may enjoy the beaches and at the same time explore the Mexican culture by traveling to the typical indian “pueblos”. Other activities are watching whales and dolphins in their natural environments or other watersports. There are also remote beaches which you can only get there by boat.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico - San Miguel de Allende is a charming town with cobblestone streets, flowering gardens and plenty of colonial architecture. The city was built on a hillside with a wonderful view of the Guanajuato mountains. Although, many people from the US have retired to the area, the city offers younger travelers plenty to do and live music can be found nearly every night of the week. With year round comfortable weather, San Miguel de Allende is a pleasant destination any time of year. The surrounding areas offer botanical gardens, natural hot springs and areas for hiking.

Antigua, Guatemala - In a country that treasures its colonial past, Antigua is a prized possession. One of the most beautiful colonial cities in all of Latin America, its charm and relaxed atmosphere attract students and travelers from all parts of the world. Antigua is home to more than 40 Spanish language schools.

John Slocum is the president of AmeriSpan, a leader in immersion language programs and study abroad since 1993. 85 cities, 35 countries. 25,000 past participants. http://www.amerispan.com.

We all have the same goal when it comes to buying a car and making sure we get the most possible for our trade-in.

At the least, we want to make sure that we’re not being taken advantage of.

So, with the advent of the internet and the myriad of car information now available to us, we point ourselves over to Kelley Blue Book to find this all-important value.

Later, when we’re actually negotiating with a Dealer, we find it’s not quite this easy. The Dealer’s trade-in figure is lower than the one we got from the internet.

So, we whip it out and ask for an explanation, and rightfully so.

The truth of the matter is that a vehicle’s “trade-in value” is not a number that is simply black and white. It’s quite “gray” actually.

You see, it’s not unlike valuing your own home. What is your home worth? Well, you can get a ballpark idea … maybe a general price range. But a precise and fair figure? Nope.

Why? Because there are a number of other factors that determine “value”.

What have similar homes (or cars) sold for recently? How long did it take them to sell? Is demand currently strong? Weak? Somewhere in between? What’s the premium currently being paid for extra features such as a pool or a shed (sunroof or leather)?

A Dealer tries to access such issues, and of necessity, “opinion” and “subjectiveness” are going to play a significant role. And much the same way as having your house appraised for a loan, you’ll get different answers from different “experts”.

Another factor is very fluid. The Dealer will certainly check what similar vehicles have sold for at the wholesale, Dealer-Only car auctions. Have there been a lot of them? Did the bidding of other Dealers indicate local Dealer demand?

What could he buy this same car for at the auction? If he’s unable to sell it, what price would he likely get for it at the auction? Does he have other similar vehicles in stock that have been difficult to sell?

And then, whatever figure the Dealer comes up with, he’s going to reduce it a bit further to reduce the risk he’s taking in investing in your car. He doesn’t want to lose the profit he’s making on your new car when selling or disposing of your trade-in.

So what’s a consumer left to do? Well, unfortunately, it’s negotiate, negotiate, negotiate … as unpleasant as it is.

The best alternative, however, is to sell the car on your own. Although this takes additional time and effort, it is often well worthwhile.

One way to do this is actually very simple: just put a “For Sale” sign in your back window. We’ve seen this for years, but now that virtually everyone has a cell phone, it often works quite quickly.

Another alternative is to list your vehicle online since people shop for cars on the internet now far more now than reading newspaper classified ads. High traffic sites such as AutoTrader or Cars.com charge in the $40 to $70 range and usually the ad runs until the vehicle is sold.

Joshua Rose is an Auto Broker who goes to Florida Car Auctions (http://www.auto-broker-magic.com/Used_Car_Aucti.html) on behalf of car buyers. You can learn about going to wholesale auctions in your own area at http://www.auto-broker-magic.com/car-auction.html.

There are some people that believe antique cars should no longer be driven on our open roads. The reason they think this way is because these old vehicles are considered relics of the past that just cannot match the larger and efficient vehicles on the market today.

On the contrary, there are a lot of vintage collectors of these roadsters. People do this as a hobby or to hopefully get a return of investment later when the market value of these cars go up again.

A car is considered an antique if it is already 25 years old. There are not that many modern vehicles that are able to survive this long which makes the early models very unique. In fact, the price of these rare machines goes up because of the historical value each of these have.

There are those who believe that the term antiquated should only be given to machines that were made prior to the Second World War. These machines served as the pioneers of today’s vehicles since the technology back then paved the way for power steering, safety belts and other features that are required in all automobiles.

Are antique cars simple to preserve? The response is no. This is due to car manufacturers no longer assembling these vehicles and the parts making these both difficult to locate and costly.

Can the antique car be used daily? This really depends on the condition of the engine and since these are quite old, there is a possibility that these could breakdown. The brakes on the vehicle can also be a problem so checks must be done regularly.

Will it be a good idea to get insurance for the car? The answer is yes. These machines are rare and are not equipped with an alarm system which makes it easy for anyone to hot wire and drive off.

Where can a person buy an antique car? These vehicles can be purchased in a dealership. There are just a few around so the seeker can also try searching in the Internet and in the classified ads of the paper and automobile magazines.

Those who do not understand that much about cars ought to be accompanied by a knowledgeable mechanic. A trained technician should be qualified to look over the inside of the automobile and decide if it is in fact worth buying at that cost. The individual should also take the automobile for a test drive to get the experience of remaining behind the wheel.

Can the antique car be assembled by a person? The answer is yes. In fact, there are some associations who do this as a hobby and help the members find the missing parts in order to finish the vehicle. This can only be done if the individual is a skilled mechanic who knows everything about the car.

Will the person make a lot of profit assembling and selling the antique car? The response is no. In reality, more money is used up putting the entire vehicle together than finding somebody to buy it.

There are numerous antique cars to choose from. The person should look around and check if there is a model that is worth bringing home.

Antique cars represent a moment in history where traffic did not exist and people can take a trip on the country road. By doing some research and saving some money, the individual will be able to buy that dreamed roadster.

John Purdy operates sites offering resources and information on antique cars (http://www.antique-cars-for-sale.net) and mapping systems for your car (http://www.gps-receivers.net). Visit each of his sites today to find great deals on antique cars and GPS systems.

If you’ve been following the news lately, no doubt you’ve heard about the new MLB drug testing policy. While you may have heard about the policy you might not understand the specific implications of the policy and how it may affect your favorite players and teams.

The new policy was brought about by threat of legislation from Congress. Under the policy tougher penalties for steroid use are implemented. Under the new policy the players are to be tested during their spring training along with at least one additional test during the regular season as well as being subject to random testing throughout the regular season.

Under the previous policy, penalties were much less severe. For example, for a first offense a player would be subject to a 10-day suspension and then 30 days for a second offense. A third offense would rate a 60 day suspension. The new policy calls for a 50 game suspension for the first offense and a 100 game offense for the second offense. For a third offense the player will receive a lifetime ban. Additionally, after the first offense the player will be subjected to amphetamines testing as well as steroid testing. This is the first time the problem of amphetamine use will have been addressed by a policy with MLB. Under the old policy a player could not receive a lifetime ban until he had been hit with at least a fifth offense.

Under the previous policy testing was also conducted on a much less frequent basis. Testing was conducted at the beginning of spring training with no additional testing through the regular season other than random testing. Under this policy, it was quite possible for a player to only be tested once from the beginning of spring training throughout the regular season.

The policy stipulated that players who tested positive for steroid the year prior to the new policy taking affect would be treated as first time offenders under the new policy if they should test positive again.

It should be noted that in the event a player is banned for life after a third offense under the new policy, a player can apply for permission to return to the game two years after receiving the ban. An independent arbitrator can be assigned for the purpose of reviewing the Commissioner’s decision in this instance.

The policy also takes a stab at possession of illegal steroid use in addition to use of illegal steroids. Players convicted for the possession of illegal steroids are subject to a 60-80 game suspension for the first offense and 120 games to one year for a second offense. A lifetime ban is on the table for a third offense. Players who are convicted of steroid distribution face tougher suspensions for the first offense and are subject to a lifetime ban after the first offense.

Penalties for amphetamine use are slightly less severe than for steroid use. Mandatory follow-up testing is dictated for the first offense with a 25 game suspension for the second offense. An 80 game suspension will be given for the third positive test and at the fourth offense the penalty is left up to the Commissioner, which could include a lifetime ban.

Joe Kenny writes for the UK soccer forum site, FootballTalk.org. Join the football forum for free today and have your say!

Baseball is the American pasttime, you may be surprised how very few people actually know the rules of the game.

I went to a baseball game a few weeks ago and had the misfortune of sitting next to a group of very young, very boisterous children. Not that enthusiasm in the game is unfortunate, but they kept cheering at all the wrong times. Like when the opposing team batted a run in. And they were home team fans–they were dressed in full baseball regalia from replica batting helmets like these: http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com/MLB_Batting_Helmets-p-1-c-21-ss2.html to the stirrup pants.

My point is here that many children nowadays don’t understand how the game is played. They confuse offense and defense and cheer when the pitcher beans a batter. Maybe they just don’t like batters, but for some reason I don’t think that is the case. They do all seem to know the value of baseball cards, which is more than I can say for many baseball card sellers. Baseball cards are not in their heyday anymore, but they are still darn popular and are still worth a pretty penny (or couple hundred bucks!).

Well, while I was sitting and trying to enjoy the game, the kids kept asking their dad questions. The one question that I believe I heard no less than 8 times was, “What’s the difference between wooden baseball bats and metal ones?” This question tickled me almost as much as hearing the poor father of these curious children explain it to them over and over again.

I say we get kids back into baseball. I mean football and basketball have been attracting children for years, but baseball has sort of been on the decline for awhile. Why not have baseball camps and sand lot games in the summer instead of sitting the kids down in the air conditioning playing video games and watching television?

Joshua Miller is a sports columnist from Idaho, who specializes in his favorite sports, baseball. If you would like to read more of his articles, please visit http://www.sports-collectibles-store.com.

There are a number of “wishes” that I have for Google’s future. While I would like number one ranking for all of my important keywords and phrases, but I would be willing to settle for Google acknowledging at least a few of my wishes that will benefit the search community as a whole.

Google started out as the beloved child, a fledgling start up that was all heart, and today they are a “hated” brand. Why the fall from grace? In some ways Google is a victim of the too big, too powerful, and too successful affliction that attacks companies that achieve a level of success that few companies dream of. Now that does not mean that I am giving them a pass, they have room to improve and I really do not hate them. I just think there is a lot of areas they could improve.

I sat down and wrote an open letter to Google about my wishes and dreams for their future:

Dear Google,

Please consider the following for areas of improvement.

1. Usenet and RSS.

Please, I’m begging, (groveling if it will help) create RSS feeds for Google Groups keyword searches. Think of the value, you could monitor Usenet for company or product names using RSS feeds. This would be an extremely easy way for businesses (and Google users) to stay in tune with what is being said on Usenet and in forums about specific topics.

2. Privacy Policy.

Clarify Google’s privacy policy, and tell me EXACTLY how you are going to use the aggregate data you collect. While most of us realize that the personal information collected is of little value, the aggregate data is extremely valuable. Google is an extremely powerful company, and this collective data gives them a huge advantage in negotiating acquisitions or determining trends. Many of us respect Google, its size and power, but do not necessarily want to contribute to Google’s additional growth. Implement a way for customers wishing to pay a fee, to opt not to have their data aggregated or tracked.

3. Protect Your Customers.

For goodness sake, don’t make it so easy for people to rip off software companies. Why do you suggest cracks or serials on the Google Suggest tool? Please help protect the intellectual property of your customers!

http://labs.google.com/suggest

4. Stop Tracking Everything I do!

I login in to Writely (now Google Docs) and feel as if I am being stalked, you monitor searches, you monitor tracking through analytics, you monitor advertising through Google Adwords, you monitor money earned as a publisher through Google AdSense, and now you have connected many of the accounts together. Please give users a little privacy, or the ability to easily manage multiple logins.

5. Tell Me How Much I Make!

Clearly tell publishers what percentage range they can expect to receive when they serve AdSense on their content websites. Now, I understand that it might vary publisher to publisher, but disclose a range. Or at the very least, consider adopting a model similar to Amazon’s where publishers percentage of revenue earned is based on their volume.

6. Google Alert via RSS.

The current Google alert system is from the 1990’s (figuratively speaking) please offer an option to receive Google alerts via RSS feeds. I know you can setup a Google News search using RSS, it seems silly that it is not available via Google Alerts. http://www.google.com/alerts

7. Faster Blog Indexing.

Google is all about search, right? Why are they so slow at indexing blogs? In fact the Google blog search performs far worse than many of the blog specific search engines. Search should be Google’s strength instead of a weakness. Even the breadth of blogs searched, and the related blogs listed on Google’s blog search are on the thin side. Definitely room for improvement in this area.

http://blogsearch.google.com

8. Same Rules.

I wish that the rules were the same for all AdSense publishers regardless of the revenue that they produced. In talking with publishers, it is clear that there are a different set of standards, based on the revenue produced or traffic that a website receives. Keep the playing field even, if someone is using a subversive tactic, they should have be penalized regardless of their revenue.

9. Combat 2nd Generation Fraud.

What is second generation fraud? Fraudsters bid high for AdWords, what they are paying for keywords or phrasing is irrelevant, because the credit card they are using is fraudulent. They make legitimate affiliate sales through the website and profit from their “free” traffic. Google should help connect the dots on these sites, and ban the websites from their organic index.

10. Drop DMOZ.

Please either drop the Google Dmoz directory listings, or pay to staff DMOZ with reputable editors who can keep up. The Dmoz listings are hopelessly outdated and not reflective of current websites.

11. Protect Copyrights / Trademarks.

Google seems to flip-flop on the issue of allowing competitors to bid on branded words in their AdWords accounts. The current policy appears to be, that competitors cannot use a trademark in the advertisement, but competitors can still bid on trademarked terms. A company Google’s size should have more respect for trademarks. I really wish Google would stand firm on the issue of trademarks and prevent competitors from bidding on the terms.

12. Bury the Sandbox.

Dispose of the sandbox or aging delay, or heck get rid of both. Face it, valuable websites are created every day. The Internet is fluid and valuable websites should not be penalized because of their youth. The sandbox and aging delay, may deter spam sites, but there must be a better way.

13. Let Me Be Anonymous!

Why do you need my personal information? Does it really matter in the big scheme of everything that Google does? Why do you require my personal information?

14. Stop Putting US Companies at a Disadvantage.

Canadian and non-US companies can setup literally hundreds of AdSense publisher accounts, yet US companies are tracked using tax ID numbers hence they can only have one account.

15. Weigh Wikipedia Less.

Lets face it, ANYONE can edit Wikipedia. The information read in Wikipedia might be accurate one day and incorrect the next. Wikipedia is a nice resource, but is not a reliable indicator of information. Please do not use links from Wikipedia to indicate a sites worth. Wikipedia uses the same model as Dmoz which has languished, volunteers can only do so much.

16. Make an RSS Search Engine.

Why hasn’t Google done this? I am baffled. The blog search engine is not an RSS search engine, consider the power of being able to search ALL RSS feeds. There are a number of small RSS search engine portals available but there is not a clear leader, this is where Google could and should be.

17. Stop Buying Companies.

Stop the purchasing, Google is big enough already. Finish all the things that Google has started. Keep in mind that while the archives on the Internet might last forever, it is rare that companies retain power and clout for any length of time. Remember Infoseek, or Altavista? Focus on your strengths.

While my Google wish list might seem trivial, these are all things that Google could do to earn their way back into my good graces.

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.