Web Designing - What's It All About?

What does web designing mean anyway?

That's pretty simple as it is basically a way for your prospects and/or customers to find you from the comfort of their own home.

By just using their home computer and having an internet connection, business can reach more and more customers
than ever before. The ability to talk and build that all important relationship with a customer all the way in
Europe, is astonishing.

Now how in the world do you accomplish this!?

Well, it's really not difficult if you have the right know how and the right tools. There are many places today on the world wide web that offer specialized training for building a website. But you don't have to go that route, as these sites are usually extremely expensive and take a very very long time to learn.

You could of course hire someone to do your web designing but this will cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars and you won't have much control over the design.

The other route you can take is to do it yourself, this is not as hard as it might sound. There are many tools out there called WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) where you just type in your content and you have a website. Again, not much control over your layout design.

The best way to get started on web designing is to learn just a little HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)
Then you can either purchase or get for free, templates. These are sites that are built without any content, they already have graphics on them and easy to follow instructions anyone can follow.

The best place I know of that offers great tutorials on learning HTML in the shortest amount of time is http://www.w3schools.com/html

This is a free resource and you learn at your own pace right on your computer.

Just remember, that when you do learn web designing, first consider the purpose of your website, this will make things easier on you, espeically when you need to edit your web designing.

Web-Designing made easy! Don't outsource and pay hundreds to thousands of dollars, when you can learn it all step-by-step with this awesome new product. http://www.laurasbasicstowebdesign.com -- web designing

Where Everyday is a Mall Day

A set of buildings that contain retail stores, with connecting walkways, allowing visitors to walk from store to store is a shopping mall, or some may call a shopping centre. Since the 1920's strip malls started to become very popular due to the rise of suburban living. In some countries such as the United Kingdom, strip malls are called retail parks, out-of-town shopping centres or precincts.

While a shopping centre is usually referred to as an open-air retail complex, in North America the shopping mall is considered an enclosed retail structure, simlply abbreviated as the Mall. In some countries such as Ireland the mall is pronounced "maills" and are very small shopping centres placed in the middle of town, with a mixture of small local shops also known as ma and pa shops and a variety of chain stores. The term "Mall is gradually growing in use, especially among the younger generation.

The history of the shopping centre can date back to as far as the 10th century A.D. Isfahan's Grand Bazaar, Tehran's Grand Bazaar is still one of the largest covered markets in the world, with 58 streets and 4000 shops, this great bazaar was built around the 15th century. Opening in 1774 in Oxford England, The Oxford covered Market is still in existance today. In London the Burlington Arcade opened in 1819. Which the concept of the Arcade was introduced as The Arcade, built in Providence Rhode Island ,in 1828, thus introducing the concept to the United States.

In Morgan Park, Duluth, Minnesota, an early indoor mall was built in 1915 holding it's grand opening on July 20, 1916. The Architect was a gentlemen from Chicago and the building contractor was one of Duluth's own. Two-stories with a full basement the shops in the building were located on all three levels. Some of the shops were accessible from both inside and out, but, all the stores were located within the interior of the mall.

With the rise of suburban living, and the automobile culture in the United States, shopping took on a new style of shopping centre, taking away from the downtown shopping experience in the mid-20th Century. The fully-enclosed shopping mall did not appear however until the 1950's. The Northgate Mall built in north Seattle, Washington, USA was built in 1950, Northland Shopping Center built near Detroit, Michigan, was built in 1954. Both of these Malls were built as open air shopping centres, that were late enclosed as malls.

Where Everyday is a Mall Day, and shopping is Fun, Looking for Bargians http://www.malladay.com/articles

Should You Hire an SEO Company to Promote Your Website?

Going for the gold...reaching for the summit...obtaining notoriety for your website is the goal of the seo company. There are distinct advantages in hiring a qualified seo specialist to perform for you the necessary elements in reaching for the grand prize of page 1 rank on Google, Yahoo, and MSN.

The obvious results are increased traffic to your website, branding of your url for search engine placement, giving people the idea that your site is at the top of the Google search for a reason. That reason being that you have the best information about the keyword category that they are searching for and possibly, they will come to your site and signup for the project that you are promoting.

Its really all about keywords, ad content and linking on the net. There are absolutely no magic buttons, even though some disreputable so-called gurus, may tell you that there are software programs that will do it all for you...but you need to fly right past that notion. There are NO programs that allow instantaneous success on the net. In order to become successful on the information highway you need to blend all the necessary ingredients together for the perfect seo campaign. It requires consistent and diligent work to obtain these positions.

The advantages of hiring a qualified and tested seo specialist to handle the promotion of your website are many...I will list a few below.

1. If you do not have the time to devote to your mlm project or service, then the hiring of the seo specialist will free up your time for other pursuits. Successfully promoting on the Internet does require time and effort. Unless you have the time to spend doing it, the money that you will pay for the seo's craft will be good money spent.

2. If you do not have a clue as to how the Internet actually works then hiring the seo master will be far better than buying ludicrous software programs that they claim will drive motivated visitors to your sites for only $297. Bottom line here...and take it from someone who knows...there are NO programs that will drive traffic. There are only time tested and proven strategies and Internet marketing techniques that do work. So, you will actually save money by hiring the expert rather than trying to do it all by yourself.

3. When the seo expert places your website on the top notch of a keyword category you will be putting your project, your goods, or your services in the best possible position for traffic and will ultimately make sales. There is one rule in marketing...NO TRAFFIC=NO SALES! If no one ever sees your site...and unless you have a top position on Google they probably will not...then you are dead in the water. The money that you invest in building your online business will be dollars well spent. No seo specialist will ever tell you that they will make sales for you. This is an unspoken law of seo promoters. There is absolutely no way that the seo specialist can guarantee sales for its clients. Its a false statement and if you are ever in contact with one of these pseudo-masters...you are urged to not become involved with them. They are out to steal your money.

4. The successful seo master can save you time and money by telling you the programs to become involved with...and those to stay away from. Any seo guru will be the best judge of programs (or should be) and he or she can ultimately save you money in the long haul by not becoming involved with certain programs.

All in all the ultimate goal of a successful Internet marketing campaign is to make sales. You know that a top spot on Google does not insure this success by any means. You get into an entirely different area in the content and appeal of your site...the different promotional elements of that site and other features that lead to success with a website.

Websites only need one thing to become successful. They need to offer the best information about the program promoted. The do not need fancy graphics and flash presentations. As a matter of fact, search engine spiders do not read graphics, so those may appeal the human eye, but are absolutely not necessary for promoting on the Internet.

You may have built what you think is the greatest website on the Internet, but unless someone sees that site...what are the chances that you will ever make money with that site? The answer would be almost zero.

Hiring a qualified and proven seo master will be the best money that you ever invest in your new online business.

Butch Hamilton is an SEO|SEM Specialist. Living on the internet has become a way of life...a succesful way of life. His talents for obtaining top positions on the search engines have led him to the point in his life where he has always wanted to be.

"Life-What a Ride!"

Says Mr. Hamilton, "Writing has always been my passion. Gone are the days when I placed blatant ads on the internet for exposure. I have found my life's work in writing articles.

Reliable and credible information is what the internet is all about to Butch Hamilton. His experience as a self employed building contractor...steel fabrication...has led him on an incredible journey.

He now resides in his beautiful home in Texas with his wife. Writing is the passion behind his successful promoting ability on the net.

Butch Hamilton's Quote: "What we think-is what we become."

http://ButchHamilton.com

http://butchhamiltonsbestdomains.com

http://butchhamiltons-search-engine-optimization-services.com/SEO_Services_For_You.html

Web Coach Tip - "Weekend Warrior" Website Construction... NOT!

Last Sunday at church a prominent building contractor approached me and asked quite innocently, "What do you charge to build a web site?"

I cocked my left eyebrow, looked him square in the eye and asked, "what would you charge to build a house?" He half-heartedly laughed and said, "Well my dear, that depends on what type of house you want!"

My point EXACTLY!

He paused for just a second... (do you see the "ah-ha!" light bulb appearing?) It was at that moment he realized that there is a lot more to creating a website than one might assume.

I went on to explain that just like building a new home, to build a website you need:

• - a well thought out blueprint
• - appropriate codes and permits
• - equipment and materials
• - an experienced labor force
• - and a solid footer and foundation to build the home on

Then you can begin:

• - framing in the house
• - installing electrical and plumbing lines
• - hanging drywall
• - installing windows, staining trim, installing cabinets, cupboards, bathroom fixtures
• - painting, plastering, carpeting and a bunch of other "-ings" plus millions of other annoying little details

So what does building a house have to do with a website?

EVERYTHING!

Let me break down your home, and your homepage.

• Blueprint = Web site map, big dreams, and a copy of "The Secret" DVD
• Codes & Permits = domain, hosting, and a blessing from the all mighty FTC & WWW police.
• Equipment & materials = software, hardware, project collaboration tools, a large bottle of Tylenol, and a hard-working industrial coffee maker!
• Experienced labor force = seasoned project managers, staff developers, programmers, and the patience, wisdom and vision of Mother Theresa!
• Footer & foundation = Site architecture, database development, and lots of perks (beer & pizza) to keep your programmers happy
• Framing = back-end programming, directories, assets, and whatcha'majiggers
• Utilities = highly technical thingies that make the website more enjoyable
• Drywall = individual web pages with groovy gizmos
• Cabinets, cupboards & toilets = shopping carts, copywriting, and a common user interface
• Painting, plastering, and those other "-ing's" = Graphic and/or flash development & design - cosmetic surgery for websites!

And of course, those million other annoying little details don't go away either!

But seriously...

Building a house, a car, a rocket, or a website takes proper planning.

Nail down your plans, or else you may end up with a motor home that goes 300mph instead of a 3 bedroom condo! That's a visual!

Donna Payne is the Chief Web Goddess of The Web Coach.net a web development, coaching and marketing firm, and is known as the gal to call when youre feeling overwhelmed. Learn Money & Time Saving Techniques that everyone should know when working with a web designer or building a website yourself. Download your FREE "Quick-Start Web workbook" and accompanying MP3 at http://thewebcoach.net "No PAYNE - No GAIN!"

Prevent Pinhole Leaks & Slab Leaks & Conserve Energy by Controlling Your Hot Water Circulating Pump

If you have had 1 leak, more will surely follow - you can do something about it before further damage is done and additional money is wasted.

Circulating hot water is the fastest way to wear out your pipes. In fact 90% of all pinhole leaks and slab leaks happen in hot water lines for the following reasons:

1. Chemicals in water are corrosive

2. Chemicals in water when heated are even more corrosive

3. Chemicals in water when heated and circulated through copper pipes that bend around corners and turn up walls and curve around electrical conduit and sewer pipes and are reduced in size as water passes through a building is extremely corrosive

In order to understand the solution it is helpful to know what causes the problem. With a little insight into how domestic hot water recirculation lines or recirc loops are built and how they work we can see that the answer is as easy as flipping a switch.

Apartments, hotels and larger homes have recirc loops designed to move hot water to the farthest fixture from the boiler or water heater in a reasonable amount of time. Each loop has a pump pushing water through a copper pipe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each loop has multiple joints and fittings that obstruct the flow of water. Gate or ball valves and flapper checks and expansion tanks and whatever else the plumber had on his truck the day he built the line create disturbances in the flow path.

Water likes to flow in a nice straight line with no obstructions. This is called laminar flow - nice and smooth. Anything in the flow path can disrupt the flow and cause an eddy to form. Eddies are the bad boys, the unwanted visitor, the black sheep of the family.

Create a little friction, add in some turbulence and the next thing you know you have a leak.

As your reading this please keep in mind there are things you can do to reduce or even eliminate leaks. They are relatively inexpensive and I'll tell you what they are in a minute.

When water pipes leak many things can happen - none of which are any good. Pinhole and slab leaks, mold, wasted water, wasted energy, property damage, resident/guest complaints and inconvenience all mean one thing.

It cost you time and money.

The only question left is how much? Please refer to Table 1 for an idea of how much a leak can cost.

Table 1: The Cost of a Leak

1 $200 You caught the leak early and it wasn't buried in a wall or under a slab

2 $1,000 The leak was in a wall and you caught it early and it was relatively accessible after tearing out some drywall

3 $2,000 Same as above except you didn't catch it early and mold and light structural damage had occurred

4 $10,000 The leak was underneath a concrete slab but you were able to pinpoint the exact location

5 $20,000 Same as above except you had to chase the leak into another rooms

6 $100,000 + The leak went unnoticed until someone got sick and you got sued

So there is the doom and gloom. What's the solution?

Good question. The answer is there are a number of things you can do. As you go through my list keep in mind that people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time (based on a study by the California Energy Commission).

First, check your water pressure. 40 psi is high enough for most 1 or 2 story buildings. Be sure to check it in several places to find the lowest pressure in the building. Typically that would be the point furthest from the water meter. If you don't have a pressure regulator, put one in.

When implementing this strategy do it in stages. Drop the pressure by 5 psi at a time and wait to see if you have any complaints. Shower heads and aerators already restrict flow to 2.5 gpm or less. Newer fixtures like the Evolve line of low flow shower heads have pressure compensating technology built into them and work just as well at low pressure as they do at high pressure.

Second, turn off the pump when no one is using hot water. That's right. I said turn off the pump. As I mentioned earlier people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time. The pump only needs to be on when people need water.

There are 3 methods of implementing this strategy:

1. The Manual Method

2. The Guessing Method

3. The Automated Method

Manual Method

Have someone go to the switch and turn on the pump when you need hot water and turn it off when you are done. Might be practical for a single family home (certainly not convenient) but impossible in an apartment or hotel.

The Guessing Method

Plug your pump into a timer and guess when hot water will be needed. This may be a practical solution if the number of people living in the house or apartment or with a limited number of guests in a hotel and everyone has the same predictable need for hot water. Unfortunately when hot water is needed during an off period the timer gets disabled and never turned back on.

The Automated Method

Think about your recirculation line as a closed loop. When there is no demand for hot water, no water enters or leaves the system. When a hot water faucet is turned on there is a "leak" in the system.

When water leaves the system more water is added from the city water line through a cold water make-up line (this is the technical name for the copper pipe that brings cold water to your water heater).

If a flow sensor is placed in the cold water make-up line, any indication of water movement would mean someone is using hot water.

If the sensor sensed a demand (i.e., someone turned on a hot water faucet) it could turn on the pump. The demand would be met and the pump could be turned off automatically when the demand ended.

That is precisely how an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller works. The pump is only on when there is a demand.

As it turns out, there are many benefits to automating your recirc pumps operation:

Drastically reduces pinhole leaks and slab leaks - if the hot water is not moving, it is much less corrosive

Energy is conserved - since people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time, the pump will be off 80% to 85% of the time. That means the recirculation line isn't full of hot water and no energy is being lost. California Energy Commission studies indicate 37% less energy is consumed when an On-Demand Controller is installed.

Note: A sufficiently high speed pump is required (2,200 rpm or faster) to implement this strategy. If you have a high speed pump you will only need an On-Demand Controller. If not you will need a full system including a high speed pump.

In conclusion, cut your risks, lower your losses, reduce your energy bill and extend the life of you pipes and water heater or boiler by turning off you recirc pump with an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller.

Contact me directly at the email address below to find out if this solution will work for you or what other options you might have. To purchase the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller click on the link below.

Do it now and sleep better tonight knowing that one of your biggest headaches just got cured.

For information on the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller go to http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Mark Franklin is CEO of Saves You Energy, LLC a manufacturer and retailer of water and energy conservation products. As a civil engineer Mr. Franklin was involved in the design of multi-family and commercial projects worth in excess of $100 million

Mr. Franklin has worked with companies ranging from the US Navy to Embassy Suites and Biltmore Hotels to Stanford Student Housing. Pinnacle Properties, United Development Group and ConAm are among the apartment ownership and management companies that have used his products. School Districts like the Blue Valley School District in Kansas and ESCOs such as Johnson Controls have utilized his technologies to reduce energy consumption

Mr. Franklin can be reached at mark@SavesYouEnergy.com or visit his company's web site at http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Wood Post In Dirt

Installing Solar Panels For Your Home - House Remodeling Ideas

When it comes to installing solar panels for your home, many of my readers have asked if they should engage professional installers or go the DIY route. In this short article, I'm going to lay it out for you so that you can make an informed decision on which way to go - professional or DIY.

Read on!

Professional Installation

If you look through your local directory or the internet, you should be able to find a good number of companies that provide professional installation for a fee. The installer will first check whether your home is suitable for installation. This usually means a south-facing roof and an area with little tree cover. The company will then take you through the pros and cons of the system and at the end of it, you'll know the appropriate installation system for your home and the cost.

Talking about costs...professional installation doesn't come cheap. An average home solar panel installation costs about $26,000....and that's a hefty investment!

So what does this mean for the average home owner?

Assuming you're paying 15 cents per kilowatt for electricity. At a cost increase of 10% a year, it will take a long 10 years for your power bill savings to offset the solar panel costs! If the power charges are less or if you take out a loan to pay for the solar panel system, well, the payback time just takes longer!

DIY Installation

If you think installing solar panels on your own is a daunting task, rest easy. With the recent U.S. government push on home renewable energy, we're now seeing companies producing step-by-step instructional guides that take you through the entire process. Most of these packages are inexpensive (under $50) and come with videos so that you can learn exactly how assembly and installation is done. Nothing is left to the imagination.

The important thing to installing solar panels is to find the right guide that is best suited for your needs. These guides will also recommend where you can get the parts on the cheap. So all in all, you're looking at about $200 to get your very own solar panel system up and running.

Technical support is usually just a phone call or email away, so that you can rest easy if you're stuck and need assistance.

The best thing about building your own DIY solar panels is that you can start small and later scale up the system to power more appliances at home. You can even go completely off-grid and take the power companies out of the equation! What's more, they will even buy excess electricity that you generate each month. And that's extra cash you could use!

So, Which Way To Go?

It all boils down to this. If you've deep pockets and want a hassle-free installation, get it professionally installed. But remember, it can take you decades for your investment to pay off.

On the other hand, if you're one who can follow instructions and don't mind a little elbow grease, then go the DIY route. For a low initial outlay of $200, you can easily recover your investment in a few months...instead of years!

Installing solar panels for your home can be a fun weekend project for you and your family. More importantly, you will go green and cut your monthly energy bills for good!

Want to build and install your own solar panels but don't know where to start?

Fret not! Many people just like you have successfully built these on their own to DRASTICALLY cut their monthly electricity consumption. They are already shaving $1000s off their energy bills every year. If you need STEP-BY-STEP guidance in installing one, I have reviewed the Best Online Guides on Homemade Solar Panels for your convenience. These highly recommended guides provide EASY-TO-FOLLOW instructions that will help you save money in no time.

Dave Keller is an Renewable Energy Specialist who takes pride in helping the average consumer save on their energy bills using simple DIY devices... and give power companies a run for their money! For a candid review of the best-selling guides, go to his website at http://www.HomeSolarPanels4u.com now.

Build Or Remodel - Constuction Tips

There are three possible scenarios involved in that question:

1. Stay where you are and renovate

2. Move to an existing house and renovate

3. Build a new house for you to move into

There are numerous considerations, not the least of which is how you feel about your existing location. That word - LOCATION - should be your primary focus. Do you prefer to remain where you are, or not? Is staying where you are an option, or are you forced to relocate due to a job change, or other issues?

If you wish to stay where you are, there's no reason to read this article. Remodeling and/or expanding the place where you now live is the least expensive alternative - by far.
Your aggravation levels will increase during the construction, but they will do that with either of the other choices as well. If it gets to be too much, you can move to a motel for 2 months, eat dinner out every night, and still come out cheaper than either option 2 or option 3. If you want to be in your present home, case closed.

So let's assume you have to move, and we'll concentrate on option 2 vs. option 3. There are two important aspects of this topic which apply to both.
In both cases you have to research the property with the building department to make sure you will be able to do what you wish. Verify zoning, lot size restrictions, and access to utilities.
You will have unknown costs (moving, insurance, taxes, financing costs, etc.) in either case.

Advantages of remodeling an existing house:
Fewer hidden (or unknown) costs. New homes often have impact fees, ground preparation fees, and higher permit fees than those imposed for remodeling.
Hard construction costs will be less (usually, but not always).
You can move into the house much sooner. If you have to leave your existing home quickly, you may not have the ability to wait for a new home to be built.

Advantages of building new:
Unrestricted design potential, allowing you to end up with a more modern, better insulated home, with better traffic flow than you would have in an older building. Also, older homes have less closet/storage space than new ones.
Your long term energy costs will be lower because all of your equipment will be running more efficiently.
Less disruption to family routine. While construction is happening, you're still living in your present house. Then you move into a finished product (possibly with some decorative items to complete).

I'm sure you noticed that I haven't listed costs in either list. The determining factor is going to be the extent of the renovation to the existing building. Depending upon the condition of the house, age, building codes and other factors, it can actually be more costly to remodel than to build new.

In either case, allow an extra 20% in your budget over and above any quoted costs you've obtained. 10% is for upgrades that you decide upon after initial pricing. The other 10% is for the rising costs of material and labor. If the price of oil goes through the roof again, 10% might not be enough.

If the older home was built between 1950 and 1978, there might be issues having to do with asbestos and lead paint. Make sure you get a professional inspection performed. You may also be required to bring the plumbing and electrical systems up to date.

In conclusion, renovating a home might be very rewarding, as well as the cheaper alternative. However, you have to do your homework before making the commitment, in order to insure that you're not stepping into a money pit. Every situation is different. Your decision will probably come down to what your sixth sense tells you. Regardless of how you choose, anticipate that moving into a new home will take more time and more money than expected.

Charles Gueli

Home Helper

http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com