:Forest Folk

Pondering whether to take the plunge into making phone calls over the internet? Do you have trouble making head nor tail of all the related terms? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is being tipped as the technology that will rock the telecoms industry. Internet telephony digitises the sound of a human voice so that it can be routed through the Internet. You can now make VoIP in the UK calls that cost a tiny amount of calls made through a standard line. It is revolutionizing the way that people keep in contact.

However, as often arises with new technologies, it is sometimes hard to understand what all the new terms and jargon involved mean. As a result of this this article will try and explain the technical jargon that you will encounter. So let’s get started on deciphering some of the jargon

? Bit rate: This is the speed at which data moves across the Internet. The term can also be used as a measure of the speed of an Internet connection which is often quantified in kilobits or megabits per second.

? Broadband: This is a generic term for high speed Internet over cable or ADSL

? IP: This stands for Internet Protocol It is the standard that underpins all services on the Internet.

? SIP: This stands for Session protocol for creating modifying or terminating sessions It is the Internet protocol used by most VoIP services

? Softphone: A softphone is a computer application that is used to provide telephony functions. It is often used in conjunction with a headset

Hopefully by explaining and simplifying some of the terminology that surrounds the VoIP services this article should help clarify what VoIP is about and the elements that are involved. Find the service that is right for you. Join the VoIP revolution and start enjoying cheap calls and other cool services!

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Presenters say the darndest things…

- “I’m sorry but I have a cold today so my voice may sound a little funny.”

- “I just found out about this presentation yesterday, so I didn’t have as much time to prepare as I would have liked.”

- “I wanted to get copies of our reports, but couldn’t…”

- “I meant to bring…”

- “Oh, I should have told you about it earlier…”

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

I call these APOLOGIES, EXCUSES, and CONFESSIONS. It is always surprising how often and how easily presenters use these kinds of NEGATIVE phrases in their presentations.

Up until now, that is.

If you want to WOW your audience, you have to adopt and live by the motto:
NO APOLOGIES, NO EXCUSES, NO CONFESSIONS.

I can tell you from experience, it isn’t easy to do–but it will serve you well in your business career.

Here’s why you should avoid these kinds of negative comments. When you APOLOGIZE, MAKE AN EXCUSE, or CONFESS at any time during your presentation, you are in essence saying to the audience, “Don’t expect a lot from me today because I’ll probably disappoint you.” It never fails to amaze me how many presenters do this before, and often many times throughout, their presentations.

DOING YOUR BEST MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY “I’M SORRY”

The kinds of APOLOGIES I often hear in presentations go something like this: “I apologize if you can’t hear me too well, but I have a cold today.” OR “I’m sorry I didn’t bring in a sample, but I couldn’t arrange it on such short notice.” OR EVEN “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you that earlier in my presentation.”

The truth is, if you have a cold or don’t feel well, sooner or later the audience will figure it out and because you didn’t use it as an EXCUSE for why you might not perform well, they will respect you for your effort. I have given some of my best presentations when I wasn’t feeling 100%. I attribute it to the fact that I overcompensated by really being “on.” It is possible to perform well despite feeling poorly. And, at minimum, you owe it to your audience to try!

Instead of the statement “I’m sorry I didn’t bring in a sample, but I couldn’t arrange it on such short notice,” try framing it in the positive, “I am working on getting you a sample and I can deliver it next week.” Isn’t it just as easy to PROMISE, rather than APOLOGIZE?

As for the statement, “I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you that earlier,” my question is, why would you APOLOGIZE to the audience for forgetting something they had no idea you’d forgotten? If they think you’ve done it exactly as you were “supposed” to, what possible benefit do you receive from clueing them into your error? I advise you never to APOLOGIZE for making a mistake that the audience didn’t notice first.

In the presentation context, APOLOGIES are almost always unnecessary. NEVER APOLOGIZE for anything, except perhaps if you step on an audience member’s foot or if you have so much energy that your booming voice blasts in their ear. Even then, your APOLOGY should be framed positively… “I am sorry. I am so excited to be here, I nearly broke the microphone!”

“PARDON ME,” AND OTHER LAME EXCUSES YOU HATE TO HEAR

EXCUSES are things we say to eliminate the responsibility we have for our success (or lack there of it). Like APOLOGIES, EXCUSES tell your audience not to expect a lot from your presentation because you have very good reasons (i.e. the EXCUSE) for not being able to deliver.

“I just found out about this presentation yesterday so I didn’t have much time to prepare,” is a common and frankly, over used, EXCUSE. Other then telling the audience NOT to expect a lot from you because you aren’t prepared to deliver, what positive purpose does this EXCUSE serve?

Before you make another EXCUSE, remember what it feels like to be on the receiving end of someone else’s excuses. If that doesn’t stop you, I don’t know what will!

“FORGIVE ME FOR I HAVE SINNED” AND OTHER CONFESSIONS TO AVOID

The CONFESSION is what happens when the presenter tells the audience something they have no business knowing. My favorite confession goes something like this…

“I’m really nervous today.”

The CONFESSION “I’m really nervous today” lets the audience know right off the bat that you will probably be a disappointment because you aren’t a very good presenter. It’s our strange attempt to set the bar really low.

So why do we make the CONFESSION? CONFESSING your nervousness to your audience lets you off the hook for performing well! While the audience may chuckle politely at your CONFESSION, many audience members stop listening carefully because they know that you are probably too “nervous” to meet their needs.

NEVER CONFESS to the audience your nervousness and chances are, they will not know. Remember that while anxiety feels bad, the truth is, it rarely shows. In fact, while you are worrying about your anxiety, the audience is concentrating on your message and whether or not you are meeting their needs.

I challenge you to live by the vow, NO APOLOGIES, NO EXCUSSES, NO CONFESSIONS. Your audience will thank you!

For much more about this and other Presentation Secrets, check out the book “15 Presentation Secrets: How to WOW Even the Toughest Audience,” by Debbie Bailey available at trainer2go.com/ebooks.html.

About the Author

Debbie Bailey is author of the book “15 Presentation Secrets - How to WOW Even the Toughest Audience.” She is well known for her life changing presentation skills classes. In addition to training at some of the most successful companies in Corporate America, Debbie has also taught Presentation Skills for United States Marines, San Diego State University, and UCLA Extension.

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provided it is unaltered and the resource
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4 Tips to Avoid Internet Scams

If you are new to the internet you will come
across numerous programs offering promises
of riches. You may know about people who have
become rich on the Net but you have also heard
about the scams.

How do you distinquish between the genuine and
the con men? Here are a few points to keep in mind
when assessing any opportunity.

1 ) How do you recognise a Scam?

Usually a scam offers a lot of money in a short space
of time for a small fee. You must must pay something
to make hundreds of thousands. The job that you will
be offered will be easy, not requiring any previous
internet experience and it will require a maximum
of only two hours work a day.

You will be given descriptions of the glamorous
lifestyle you will lead in a short time. Exotic
foreign holidays will be yours , and expensive cars,
a bigger house, and a permanent end to the hated day
job.

This income will be achieved usually through recruiting
other unsuspecting people into the program as your sub-
affiliates , who will generate passive income for you.

2) Are there any genuine Internet jobs?

Nobody wants an employee by their computer in
another part of the world performing routine tasks
such as placing advertisements, typing etc. when you
can get someone who is local just as offline businesses
do.

Genuine jobs can be applied for on the internet in
the usual way through filling out application forms,
sending off c.v.’s/resumes. These jobs are usually
offline.

3) What can you do if you are scammed?

Usually nothing. Scammers are clever. They demand
fees which are not big - usually less than $100.
In this way they do not attract the attention of the
Police who have more urgent crimes to deal with.
However, bigger scams are stopped by the Police
when large sums of money are involved.

4) What can you do to avoid Internet Scams?

Be careful. Anyone can have a website under a
false name and false postal address. Anybody can
start an internet business for a short time and
swindle money. Then disappear only to open up
again under another name on another website.

What characterises a genuine website?

A genuine website does not offer money
for nothing.
It has a clear contact address
There are products or services for sale.

A useful site to visit if you have suspicions
about any opportunity is
http://www.scamfreezone.com
It contains many articles about the more
popular scams.

If you are scammed, there is little point in
approaching the Police unless the sums of money
are big. Instead learn from the experience and
educate yourself about scams so as not to make
the same mistake twice.

© John Lynch 2002

( John Lynch is an affiliate of the Internet Marketing
Center - http://www.marketingtips.com .cgi/650274 )

About the Author

John Lynch is an affiliate of the Internet Marketing Center - http:www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/650274

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There is something hard and difficult about finding the right printer cartridges for your specific needs. The good news is that you do not have to worry about where you can purchase them. You don’t have to hope that the office supply store down the street or in your local mall will actually be carrying them. You will find the printer cartridges that you need right here on the web.

In order to know which printer cartridges you need for your fax machine, your printer, your copier… you need to know several things. For most computer printers, you will be able to find out just what you need in the way of printer cartridges when they are ready to run out. A message will pop up and telling you so. In fact, it may even tell you what type you need to purchase. But, if not, you can find this out by referring to your owner’s manual.

What if you no longer have that owner’s manual though? Many people mistakenly can’t find it or they have thrown it away. There is no problem in this though, as long as you know what type of printer you have as well as what model number it is. This information is usually provided on the printer simply because they know you will lose it!

When the time comes to make the purchase on your printer cartridges, all you need to do is use the web to help you find it. You will find a wide range of products available and you may even be able to find some discounted printer cartridges out there as well. In fact there are some excellent opportunities for saving money on the printer cartridges that you need on the internet. You can find these by simply researching a few of the better websites that sell them. This is great news to all of you out there that hate spending money on those hard to find printer cartridges!

For more information please see www.ink-cartridge-deals.co.uk

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The last 12 months has seen a lot of attention thrown towards Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Sony’s Playstaion 3 and Nintendo’s Wii however a lot of interest has been seen in PC games. It’s obvious the Personal Computer is here to stay as a means of gaming.

Even though some manufacturers have put it a lot of effort, gaming desktops are usually thought of as being big, beastly, loud, overpriced and they are usually put in the corner of the bedroom. The consumer market has driven up notebook sales in the last couple of years. In fact in 2007 Laptop Computers were expected to take over their desktop counterparts in overall PC sales.

Despite the fact that that the majority of users don’t need mobility or even a laptop there is something about being able to move a notebook computer from one room to another and neatly packing it away out of site that we all find is a must have part of our lifestyle. The only complaint for gamers was that the majority laptops were not powerful enough for gamers. Any laptop marketed for gaming was also big, beastly, loud and just overpriced. Now things are looking different. First the Core 2 Duo processors started matching the pace of Desktop processors. Intel have done a super job marketing centrino and being the market frontrunner but AMD has pushed them enough to excel in the laptop market. Another contributor that has really been making gaming laptops a reality is Nvidia. The future of gaming notebooks seems good. Intel release the quad core processor in 2008. The Nvidia Geforce 9 series is also set for its entrance in the the market.

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DVD-R or the digital versatile disk recorders can be ideally used for storing still pictures, digital audios, graphics, and data sharing. The mini DVD-R is the perfect option for sharing data, and comes in handy at business presentations and conventions. The compact disc size of 3 1/8 inches has a storing capacity of about 1.46 G B. This roughly translates to 30 minutes of audio or video recording.

These write-once discs are highly popular with consumers and have high compatibility with all major DVD-R brands of recorders, DVD Rom drives, DVD players and DVD-R camcorders. Downloads from the Internet can also be stored.

These mini DVD-Rs are easy to transport and are ideal for archiving. They have a shelf capacity ranging from 30 to 100 years and are a trusted way of storing valuable data. This feature gains all the more importance once you realize no matter how efficient the computer, there is always a risk of things going awry. If your system crashes, you will end up losing all precious data and records. Therefore, it is always best to keep DVD-Rs handy because of their large storage capacity, their compactness, easy mobility and high shelf life. Using a high quality organic dye, the mini DVD-R ensures highly reliable audio and video quality and is readily available in the market.

If you are interested in buying a mini DVD-R, the best place to start searching is the web. You will come across innumerable companies offering attractive discounts and bargains.

Do remember to check out the quality of the DVD-Rs, especially in terms of their resistance to heat and ultra-violet rays. Most DVD-Rs have a high shelf life and come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Do a comparative study of a few websites and see what they are offering. This way you will be able to buy a mini DVD-R at a competitive rate.

DVDR provides detailed information about DVD Rs, DVDRs, DVD R discs, and more. DVDR is affiliated with Mini DV Tapes.

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