Car Reviews
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I love cars; big cars, sleek cars, new models and given chance would like to know all about them (Who doesn’t?). My passion lead me to the Car Connection. What I saw there is simply amazing. Any car lover will love those pictures because they present the emotional proposition present in all cars. I explored the site and read through some useful and in depth reviews that can be helpful for any car lover or buyers.
Have look at Chevrolet and see what you find there. It is amazing to know so much about this dream car. Given the value and satisfaction, Chevrolet has earned a great repute in automobile industry. Stand at any road and you can’t miss seeing that Chevrolets.
Experts from TheCarConnection.com have spent extensive time in the driver's seat driving and testing before writing their observations. I suggest car lover explore the Car Connection and see what they are offering. If the quality reviews and images do not move you, nothing will.
The Car Connection presents one of the biggest collection of car images. Imagery is good and gives the feeler of vehicle being shown. In addition to the images, the reviews at the Car Connection are also informative and interesting. Reviews focuses on design, interior and user experience and performance. What is more, the car reviews are posted often. If you are interested in cars. Visit the Car Connection.
posted by Shirazi @ 11:09 AM,
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How You Read Manuals?
Mostly the brochures are artistically laid out and presented whereas users’ manuals are like government notifications; life less, color less and totally technical. The brochure gets the bigger share of budget as compared to the manuals. This indicates that most concerns treat potential users so much better than existing users and focus accordingly?
I think this should be other way round. I am not suggesting that marketers should stop making the documents to be given away for free. What I am saying is the focus should change. Users should get much nicer manuals, the way they want to, including online. That will help the potential users to buy and existing users to learn?
Paying more attention and better budget allocation to product manuals and support will help everyone. There is no harm in trying to get new customers for anyone, particularly those who are in the market for short term but those who are here for long term must refashion their focus and invest more users’ manuals. It is the users manuals that can bring loyal users, passionate users, repeat customers and can form the bases of what is called customers relationship.
Here is the simple philosophy: Users manuals will get passionate users who will get others. The better users get at something (through learning from freely available manuals), the better the user experience. The better the user experience, the more likely they are to keep trying to use the same product. Nobody is passionate about something they are stuck with. Helping your users learn is the best way to up the odds they'll become repeat customers.
Creating fabulous users’ manuals might be a far better use of the budget than creating fabulous ads and brochures. If traditional advertising and marketing is becoming less and less effective, why not move all that talent including designers, artists, copywriters and others from before the sale to after the sale?
I think this should be other way round. I am not suggesting that marketers should stop making the documents to be given away for free. What I am saying is the focus should change. Users should get much nicer manuals, the way they want to, including online. That will help the potential users to buy and existing users to learn?
Paying more attention and better budget allocation to product manuals and support will help everyone. There is no harm in trying to get new customers for anyone, particularly those who are in the market for short term but those who are here for long term must refashion their focus and invest more users’ manuals. It is the users manuals that can bring loyal users, passionate users, repeat customers and can form the bases of what is called customers relationship.
Here is the simple philosophy: Users manuals will get passionate users who will get others. The better users get at something (through learning from freely available manuals), the better the user experience. The better the user experience, the more likely they are to keep trying to use the same product. Nobody is passionate about something they are stuck with. Helping your users learn is the best way to up the odds they'll become repeat customers.
Creating fabulous users’ manuals might be a far better use of the budget than creating fabulous ads and brochures. If traditional advertising and marketing is becoming less and less effective, why not move all that talent including designers, artists, copywriters and others from before the sale to after the sale?
posted by Shirazi @ 11:00 AM,
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Accor Hotels 3-day Super Sale
Traveling for leisure and or pleasure is a result of growing economic activities and resulting prosperity, better quality lifestyle, increasing awareness and above all wish to “be there and do that”. Everyone wants to travel to Asia Pacific - the region that is always on the wish list of most travelers from around the world (myself included).
What makes Asia Pacific region attractive for traveler? Landscape beauty, serene environment, history, people and culture. On top of all that, if one has luxurious accommodation and modern amenities at affordable rates, it makes best setting for vacations and or a romantic retreat. Thanks to Accor - a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions – that they are offering 3-day Super Sale.
Explore Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific and choose from one million hotel rooms at amazing rate across Asia Pacific (in courtiers from Thailand to Korea, China, Japan, HK, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Taiwan, India to Bali) at very affordable rates (starting as low as US$30 per night). Travelers can take advantage of savings when they book on-line between 27 - 30 October 2009. You can advance book your travel and vacations now for stays between December 09 to April 10. What is more, the Accor 3-day Super Sale coincides with record-low air fares across the Asia Pacific region, allowing travelers to enjoy some of the world's most exciting cities at bargain rates.
Have a look at Accor 3-day Super Sale and see what they are offering and how. Better still plan your next Asia Pacific vacation with Accor and have an enriching experience.
posted by Shirazi @ 8:55 AM,
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Writing Thoughts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Laura Spencer
What is blog to me? I can tell you how I’ve progressed and what I’ve discovered along the way.
Blogging was a grand experiment for me. First, I wanted to see if anyone would read my blog. Secondly, I wanted to see if it would help my freelance writing business. Now, I am wondering if I can make money from it. Finally, I want to see if it can make a difference, however small.
Initially I thought, and perhaps others might think, that blogging is mainly about writing. What I’ve discovered is that, while it helps to have good writing skills, there is so much more to blogging. Successful bloggers must be: lifelong learners, social individuals, relevant, readers, and disciplined. (Of course, everyone has their own definition of success and yours may be different.) I’ll address each area individually.
Lifelong learning is an important blogging skill, not only to start a blog, but also to keep it going. There are so many areas to learn about. First, I needed to learn the best platform for my blog. There are a lot of questions a new blogger faces. Would I use a free platform like Blogger, or will I go with my own domain name and a hosting company? (I use my own domain name with BlueHost.) When that decision was made, I needed to learn how to manage my content, comments, and blogroll. I needed to learn how to download files to my site. I needed to learn how to use widgets. In fact, with a blog, the learning never stops. I probably learn at least one new thing every day.
Successful bloggers are social individuals. Unlike the diaries and journals that I was familiar with as a child, blogs are public. I decided very early on that I was not going to blog in a vacuum. I enabled my comments (with a spam filter turned on, of course) and I make an effort to interact with my readers. I answer their comments. I visit their blogs. I correspond through e-mail with several of my readers on a regular basis. I know people today that I wouldn’t know if I didn’t blog, and my life is richer for it. I also use some of the networking tools that the Internet provides. (It seems like there is a new tool out there every day.) Currently I am on: Blogg-buzz, MyBlogLog, SpicyPage, StumbleUpon, and Technorati.com. Last, but not least, I joined a blog network, GackInk, where I can mentor and be mentored.
Successful blogs must be relevant. When someone reads my blog they need to find something to hold their interest or they won’t return. Finding something relevant can be a stretching process for the blogger. I know that the questions “how would somebody use this information?” and “would anybody find this interesting?” stretch me. I’ve found that, if I have a question about something, usually others have the same question. That question is an opportunity for me to research the question and blog about it. I also find relevant topics for posts on forums, other blogs, and in everyday life.
I’m a big believer in the value of reading. I believe that the best writers were readers first. Reading definitely prepares me to blog. I read just about everything I can get my hands on: the newspaper, books, magazines, advertisements, other blogs, and the list goes on. Reading helps me recognize the difference between good writing and bad writing. Reading broadens my horizons and introduces me to new ideas and concepts. Reading also entertains me and gives me a reason to laugh. In short, reading has made me a writer and writing has made me a blogger.
Finally, bloggers have to be disciplined. One factor that many blog experts recommend for blogging success is consistency. It’s important to post new material on your blog on a regular basis. You’ve probably been frustrated, as I have, by finding an enjoyable blog, only to discover that there are no new entries. I try to have between three and five new posts on my blog each week. Most of them time I really enjoy blogging. It’s fun. It stimulates my creativity. I can post things that help others. I get to “meet” new people. However, to be totally honest, there are those days that I just don’t feel like posting. Maybe I’m sick. Maybe I’m buried with work. Maybe there are other issues bothering me. It helps to have a backlog of posts for those times. But sometimes, it just takes discipline to get that new post out there.
So, with WritingThoughts, my grand experiment goes on. I continue learning, making friends, finding what’s relevant, reading whatever I can, and discovering how to be disciplined in my approach to blogging.
What is blog to me? I can tell you how I’ve progressed and what I’ve discovered along the way.
Blogging was a grand experiment for me. First, I wanted to see if anyone would read my blog. Secondly, I wanted to see if it would help my freelance writing business. Now, I am wondering if I can make money from it. Finally, I want to see if it can make a difference, however small.
Initially I thought, and perhaps others might think, that blogging is mainly about writing. What I’ve discovered is that, while it helps to have good writing skills, there is so much more to blogging. Successful bloggers must be: lifelong learners, social individuals, relevant, readers, and disciplined. (Of course, everyone has their own definition of success and yours may be different.) I’ll address each area individually.
Lifelong learning is an important blogging skill, not only to start a blog, but also to keep it going. There are so many areas to learn about. First, I needed to learn the best platform for my blog. There are a lot of questions a new blogger faces. Would I use a free platform like Blogger, or will I go with my own domain name and a hosting company? (I use my own domain name with BlueHost.) When that decision was made, I needed to learn how to manage my content, comments, and blogroll. I needed to learn how to download files to my site. I needed to learn how to use widgets. In fact, with a blog, the learning never stops. I probably learn at least one new thing every day.
Successful bloggers are social individuals. Unlike the diaries and journals that I was familiar with as a child, blogs are public. I decided very early on that I was not going to blog in a vacuum. I enabled my comments (with a spam filter turned on, of course) and I make an effort to interact with my readers. I answer their comments. I visit their blogs. I correspond through e-mail with several of my readers on a regular basis. I know people today that I wouldn’t know if I didn’t blog, and my life is richer for it. I also use some of the networking tools that the Internet provides. (It seems like there is a new tool out there every day.) Currently I am on: Blogg-buzz, MyBlogLog, SpicyPage, StumbleUpon, and Technorati.com. Last, but not least, I joined a blog network, GackInk, where I can mentor and be mentored.
Successful blogs must be relevant. When someone reads my blog they need to find something to hold their interest or they won’t return. Finding something relevant can be a stretching process for the blogger. I know that the questions “how would somebody use this information?” and “would anybody find this interesting?” stretch me. I’ve found that, if I have a question about something, usually others have the same question. That question is an opportunity for me to research the question and blog about it. I also find relevant topics for posts on forums, other blogs, and in everyday life.
I’m a big believer in the value of reading. I believe that the best writers were readers first. Reading definitely prepares me to blog. I read just about everything I can get my hands on: the newspaper, books, magazines, advertisements, other blogs, and the list goes on. Reading helps me recognize the difference between good writing and bad writing. Reading broadens my horizons and introduces me to new ideas and concepts. Reading also entertains me and gives me a reason to laugh. In short, reading has made me a writer and writing has made me a blogger.
Finally, bloggers have to be disciplined. One factor that many blog experts recommend for blogging success is consistency. It’s important to post new material on your blog on a regular basis. You’ve probably been frustrated, as I have, by finding an enjoyable blog, only to discover that there are no new entries. I try to have between three and five new posts on my blog each week. Most of them time I really enjoy blogging. It’s fun. It stimulates my creativity. I can post things that help others. I get to “meet” new people. However, to be totally honest, there are those days that I just don’t feel like posting. Maybe I’m sick. Maybe I’m buried with work. Maybe there are other issues bothering me. It helps to have a backlog of posts for those times. But sometimes, it just takes discipline to get that new post out there.
So, with WritingThoughts, my grand experiment goes on. I continue learning, making friends, finding what’s relevant, reading whatever I can, and discovering how to be disciplined in my approach to blogging.
Labels: Fine Art of Blogging
posted by Shirazi @ 10:23 AM,
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Smoker's Smart Choice
Monday, October 26, 2009
This fact needs no clarification that e cigarettes are much better choice that smoking cigarettes, pipe or tobacco in any other form. What is more, e cigarettes are environment friendly and save those who are around smokers from passive smoking.
E cigarettes do not burn anything, there are no ashes and no mess associated with them. What is more, you can set them down anywhere you like. Have a look at E-Cigarettes Austria and learn more about electronic cigarettes.
No 7 E Cigarettes has Pre-Fabricated Store Displays for the retail environments along with Light-Up Displays available for night clubs and night life locations. They also provide customized starter kit solutions and specialized pre-configuration of the products as per rules and regulations to accommodate local requirement. For example if you are looking for starter kits to include zero nicotine cartridges, vs full strength, or a custom variety pack of strengths and flavors. Explore E-Cigarettes Belgium or E-Cigarettes Brazil and that will help you make informed decision.
E-Cigarette Wholesale sells locally in USA as well as in the international market. Approach them for volume purchasing and they will ship direct from Texas via FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, or DHL and offer a variety of Payment Terms. If you are located overseas we they ship straight to your distribution center, via air freight or cargo/container.
posted by Shirazi @ 10:04 PM,
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Backup, Share and Access Anywhere
Friday, October 23, 2009
Computers have become omnipresent. Everything (ok almost everything) is on computers. The number of computers as well as their usage is growing exponentially.
Consider a person, organization or a commercial concern that are having their data on computers. And what can happen if that data vanishes? Reasons can be any from Illegal operations, fatal errors, freezes or simple deaths of a computer. That is one of the reasons users need to have backup of what they have on their machines. But where to store so that you can access to your online assets any where you need?
Have a look at Livedrive Online Storage - features packed online storage service where users can upload and access their files from anywhere. What is more, users also get desktop sync software, which adds an L: drive to their PC. Access the same files on all of their computers as if they were using an external disk. The ability to view photos or videos, play music, view and edit MS Office documents and even retouch photos directly from their web browser. One click sharing of files with their friends, or with the world and easy integration with Facebook and Flickr. Explore the features and see what they are offering and how.
The best thing is that you can try the service for one month absolutely free. Livedrive’s free one-month trial is fully functional, and users get unlimited storage space.
posted by Shirazi @ 12:17 AM,
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Opinions, Ideas and Stories
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Roberta Ferguson
Blogging to me, is coming together in this large, vast world to share opinions, ideas, stories, and inspirations. It is the opportunity to have friends that you'd have otherwise not met. People share their personalities and photos with the world in hopes that other like-minded people will feel the same, or maybe differently. A blog to me, is a forum with an unlimited amount of possibilities as to what you can put on there for the world to see. Be it an online journal, a place to share family pictures, or a place to rant and rave about work and others of life's misgivings.
They also ask how do I make blogging easy. Well, I could say that I make blogging easy by taking whatever information I can find and sharing it with my readers, in my own voice. I put my personality out there and others do the same. Blogging is easy and I would encourage everyone out there to get a blog. If not to chronicle day to day activities, then to say something! Have a voice and be heard!
Blogging matters in life because it gives us an out. We can vent here and community members can laugh or cry with us, or agree or disagree.
I first started a "blog" around 1999/2000, the site was globalcrap.com. I raved about work and other stuff like that. People emailed submissions to me for posting and that was that. Back then, if you got a link from someone, that person was probably your real life friend. Then, when you linked to people, it wasn't because they paid for the link, it was because you genuinely liked what they had to say. This site was taken down immediately after my manager asked what it was. I replied that I didn't know and took the site down before he could find out for himself. I wish now that I would've kept it alive and going. It was all written in basic HTML and was updated by hand.
After that, I started tinkering around with blogs in December of 2005, at lonelynomore.net. I got the site name because I was reviewing dating sites and making fun of personal ads (I know, rotten, right?) at the time. Also, the domain name idea came from the Rob Thomas song of the same name.
Afterwards, I moved on to Yes, Mistress over at ClevelandBrew.com. They imported all of my posts, if you'd like to check them out. I was frankly evil in what I've said over there. Especially to the guy that hit my new car four days after I got it.
Then it was Earsucker.com. I love this site, it's all about music and the such. Hop on over sometime and say hi.
Now I have this blog. I'm happy that I can share some aspect of my life with you. Also, I've guest posted at ICYDK.com and PureBlogging. Hang around a while and see what happens next! :)
Blogging to me, is coming together in this large, vast world to share opinions, ideas, stories, and inspirations. It is the opportunity to have friends that you'd have otherwise not met. People share their personalities and photos with the world in hopes that other like-minded people will feel the same, or maybe differently. A blog to me, is a forum with an unlimited amount of possibilities as to what you can put on there for the world to see. Be it an online journal, a place to share family pictures, or a place to rant and rave about work and others of life's misgivings.
They also ask how do I make blogging easy. Well, I could say that I make blogging easy by taking whatever information I can find and sharing it with my readers, in my own voice. I put my personality out there and others do the same. Blogging is easy and I would encourage everyone out there to get a blog. If not to chronicle day to day activities, then to say something! Have a voice and be heard!
Blogging matters in life because it gives us an out. We can vent here and community members can laugh or cry with us, or agree or disagree.
I first started a "blog" around 1999/2000, the site was globalcrap.com. I raved about work and other stuff like that. People emailed submissions to me for posting and that was that. Back then, if you got a link from someone, that person was probably your real life friend. Then, when you linked to people, it wasn't because they paid for the link, it was because you genuinely liked what they had to say. This site was taken down immediately after my manager asked what it was. I replied that I didn't know and took the site down before he could find out for himself. I wish now that I would've kept it alive and going. It was all written in basic HTML and was updated by hand.
After that, I started tinkering around with blogs in December of 2005, at lonelynomore.net. I got the site name because I was reviewing dating sites and making fun of personal ads (I know, rotten, right?) at the time. Also, the domain name idea came from the Rob Thomas song of the same name.
Afterwards, I moved on to Yes, Mistress over at ClevelandBrew.com. They imported all of my posts, if you'd like to check them out. I was frankly evil in what I've said over there. Especially to the guy that hit my new car four days after I got it.
Then it was Earsucker.com. I love this site, it's all about music and the such. Hop on over sometime and say hi.
Now I have this blog. I'm happy that I can share some aspect of my life with you. Also, I've guest posted at ICYDK.com and PureBlogging. Hang around a while and see what happens next! :)
posted by Shirazi @ 9:44 AM,
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Mind Your Identity
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Given the security situation in the country (and also reported abuse of communication systems and channels), everyone must be cautious. It is possibility that someone might have got a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) against your ID (CINC). I suggest you check and find out the total number of SIM(s) registered against their respective CNIC number with each mobile operator.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has developed a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) information system to address associated risks on security and to ensure subscription regulations in cellular sector. {From Light Within}
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has developed a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) information system to address associated risks on security and to ensure subscription regulations in cellular sector. {From Light Within}
posted by Shirazi @ 2:00 PM,
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Mobile Accessories And Downloads
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Billions of mobile phones are in use worldwide. Mobile phone companies are always planning to launch new handsets, with newer innovations. Given the exponential growth and usability improving every day, analysts expect that cell phones will surpass the conventional landlines.
That is where Mobile Fun UK’s leading online retailer for iphone accessories and mobile downloads – comes in. Mobile Fun is playing an important role in accelerating mobile phone usage and making it easy. With a product range of over 5,000 globally sourced mobile accessories and over 100,000 mobile downloads available, Mobile Fun has become a market leader position within the very competitive mobile sector.
Explore the information and resource rich site and see what they are offering. I started at accessories section and was amazed to see to see the display. They cater to almost every need of any user; every assessor including iphone car charger and iphone case that I keep needing for my own use. Then there is an impressive collection of Real Tones, Java Games, Mobile Wallpapers, Video Clips and much more.
The site is neatly laid out and users friendly. Items are neatly listed (by manufacturer, by brand, by type) on the sidebar. They also have an efficient search function on the site. Users can also find out hot devices and or accessories that everyone is using. Imagery at the site is good. There are also enough supporting details with products that help you make an informed purchasing decisions.
Given my interest in iphones, I liked their blog. You can find a lot of useful information on the blog. There are news, views and reviews covering mobile phones and the industry.
I suggest if you are a mobile phone user (who is not using moblines these days?), then you must explore the site and see what all is available there. Better still try what they are offering. There is a whole lot out there and so much is already on my wish list. That is how you can use your devices as fun.
posted by Shirazi @ 1:10 PM,
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A storm in the form of a girl
Starr
Then I took a deep breath and quit waving my hands around like 'lil girl and got on with it. I have read some of the other folks response and I gotta warn you all now. I am not that deep. Or business-like. Or grown up.I blog simply because I want to be heard.
Ever feel like you are a walking contradiction? One person in your head and another with people? Yes, I know, shades of Sybil, but bear with me. I think, to a certain degree, everyone is someone else at least part of the time. Social Networking has exploded in popularity recently and I think I know why. You get to be yourself! Or someone like you ;)
I first discovered this phenomenon while playing Everquest. I started out playing with my ex husband and felt totally out of place. Within a short time, I had branched out and began to make friends outside of his circle.
The one thing that struck me instantly was how refreshing it was to have the anonymity of text. I didn't have to be June Cleaver, I could just be me. I formed some very strong friendships and one relationship that lasted years via that game. And I think it had to do with the ability to remain anonymous via the internet. Granted I stopped being anonymous but by that time I had also gained a far greater comfort level in just being me.
I no longer play EQ but the bug for internet self expression stuck with me. Call it the siren song of text on a glowing screen. I blog to feel like I am heard. I blog to feel like someone, anyone out there, actually knows me. The really real me, not the one we all have to be to please bosses, spouses, parents and children. And if I can make someone else laugh it is icing on the cake.
Labels: Fine Art of Blogging
posted by Shirazi @ 12:01 PM,
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I Love Cars
I love big cars, sleek cars, new models and fast cars. Given opportunity I would like to know all about them (Who doesn’t?). My passion lead me to the Car Connection. What I saw there is simply amazing. Any car lover will love those pictures because they present the emotional proposition present in all cars.
I suggest car lover explore the Car Connection and see what they are offering. If the quality reviews and images do not move you, nothing will. Have a look at Volvo xc60 pics and see some of the most stylish cars in the world. Click the individual pictures below to see them larger. Browse through vehicle features, both inside and outside, watch a slideshow of the interior, exterior and dashboard highlights. See all the vehicle features come to life through the images. Similarly you can see Lincoln features come to life in Lincoln town car pics. Also have a look at Subaru forester photos and see another dream car and my personal favorite.
The Car Connection presents one of the biggest collection of car images. Imagery is good and gives the feeler of vehicle being shown. In addition to the images, the reviews at the CarConnection are also informative and interesting. Reviews mainly focuses on design, interior and user experience. and performance. What is more, the car reviews are posted often. Users can also get free Kia insurance Quotes, Kia financing quotes and check local classifieds. I have already bookmarked the site for my own future use. If you are interested in cars. Visit the Car Connection and enjoy.
posted by Shirazi @ 11:21 AM,
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The Intimate Side of CapCity
CAPaige aka CapCity
On this journey of life I moved from DC to NYC in 2001. I sought a house of worship for fellowshipping purposes as I searched for myself and traveling companions along this road of life. I began to visit the historic Black churches of Harlem. I was blessed to discover a place that felt like home in Abyssinian Baptist Church in 2004. I attended a free seminar led by Deacon Andrew Morrison; Managing Money God's Way. It was here that Brother Morrison drew the secret out of me: these gifts with which we have been blessed are not ours to hide.
On this journey of life I moved from DC to NYC in 2001. I sought a house of worship for fellowshipping purposes as I searched for myself and traveling companions along this road of life. I began to visit the historic Black churches of Harlem. I was blessed to discover a place that felt like home in Abyssinian Baptist Church in 2004. I attended a free seminar led by Deacon Andrew Morrison; Managing Money God's Way. It was here that Brother Morrison drew the secret out of me: these gifts with which we have been blessed are not ours to hide.I have been writing and journaling for many years, but kept most of my work hidden. I am an avid reader and privately a writer's critic. I did not think that my writing was ready for public viewing because I was comparing myself to my favorite amazing authors. Whenever I would read books that I found distasteful, I thought, someone needed to tell that person they weren't ready to be published. After Andrew's seminar I realized that I was making excuses for hiding my own writing by being a perfectionist. I had sent out a few attempts to publish, but the rejection slips were put into the boxes with the rest of my work. I decided that I didn't need to seek payment for all of my writing. I just needed to get it out of me and into a place where others could view it, others who didn't know me.
I began blogging the month that I stepped away from a sixteen-year-old teaching career, June 2006. I started with an online journal of self-discovery (CapCity to NYCity) where I simply discussed my own thoughts as I would in my closeted spiral-bound journals. I started a blog focused on relationships, intimate thoughts and experiences - The Intimate Side of CapCity, along with a blog that would serve as a place where I would be held accountable for my physical maintenance (Getting Physical) in August of that same year. My fourth and final blog was started in October of 2006 and was intended to be a professional portfolio and is my least active blog, for now (Teaching is Learning).
In addition to blogging I belong to the yahoo group of my favorite living author, Beverly Jenkins. In this group a young lady, Shai shared her writing successes, one of which was being a featured writer on The LoZone, which was being "hosted" by RichInSTL in the absence of the LoZone's author, Lolita Files. I wrote to Rich in March of 2007 and asked how to go about having my blog link added to their list. He looked at my blogs and emailed a reply that they needed to be updated more frequently in order to draw interest. That led me to focus more on my Intimate Side. I also ventured to other blogs and left comments, which drew more traffic to my blog.
The rest is an amazing history. In the three short months that I have been blogging frequently, I have "met" a variety of bloggers, been featured on The LoZone, been invited to join a compilation of bloggers for a publication, and have been approached for other writing projects. Blogging is significant because it has boosted my writer's morale, kept me from feeling isolated and gives me the confidence and faith that I am indeed, good enough to join the ranks of my favorite published authors. This is an amazing time to be a writer because of the immediate feedback that is possible along with the encouragement to keep me motivated to continue on this write path.
Labels: Fine Art of Blogging
posted by Shirazi @ 9:15 AM,
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Best Web Hosts
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
In this age of ongoing economic recession all over the world, businesses need to focuses on their online presence and take maximum advantages. Marketing people already know that a good website can be a valuable marketing tool. One of the most important factors for the success of any website is webhosting.
Before you host your assets online, businesses need to carry out a little research and find out a web hosting firm that has a good reputation within the industry. That is where Web Hosting Choice can help. Have a look at Web Hosting Choice and see what they are recommending and why. Web Hosting Choice has selected each host based on the credibility and the reputation of people who stand behind these hosting companies. They rate and feature hosting sites based on based on affordability, reliability, uptime and tech support.
Explore the Web Hosting Choice up to date Top 10 Web Hosts list on the internet and see what they are recommending. Better still try what Web Hosting Choice is recommending. Also go through their Learning Center – a very useful resource to for those who are new to web hosting. I picked up some ideas while going through this section. Explore Web Hosting Choice and exercise your choice.
posted by Shirazi @ 8:37 AM,
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IT in the Education
Like all other fields of human activities, information technologies are also pervading different aspects of education that has enhanced learning. Students have already integrated computers in learning, particularly in institutions for higher education where IT has been deployed and is being effectively used.
There is a visible divide between graduates from IT supported high-end institutions and those without it. This is a serious issue that merits attention at all levels.
IT has already made considerable impact in distance education. With the advent of computers and internet, learning is no longer restricted to time and place. Students these days have access to a vast amount of information and resources outside the confines of classrooms and auditoriums. Lifelong learning as advocated by religion, has enabled people of all ages to improve their education and learn new things.
Open universities and other institutions that use computers and the internet (also television, and satellites) offer education in any field anywhere around the globe. Of course this does not include problems created by the digital divide, unavailability of resources to an overwhelmingly large majority, lack of quality contents on the web, linguistic and cultural barriers etc.
However, the issue is not distant learning. In fact, the aim here is to consider physical employment of computers and IT infrastructure for delivery of higher education in classrooms, laboratories, and libraries in Pakistan.
Most public sector universities and business schools still lags behind when it comes to IT. The reason? Economically, Pakistan is not yet a very strong nation. Although official statements and statistics shown indicate that the economy has started to mature, still there has always been scaling-down in education and investment and has not been treated as top priority.
Hence, graduates from many public sector universities cannot compete with those who have studied in good private sector universities. While much progress has been made in making computers and the internet available to educational institutions in the past few years, the computer-student ratio has still not been met.
"You can see more than 25 students flocking on one computer and same number waiting for their turn," says Mohsin Khan, a university student. There have been hardly any concentrated efforts to prepare students to take advantage of IT and other resources that have been made available by the World Wide Web.
There are other serious problems besides funding. For example, most senior teachers lack technological literacy, which is the "ability to use the computer, equipped with CD-ROM player, modem, and phone or cable line, as well as output devices such as printers, to gather..., analyse, organize, and understand... information." Of course this does not mean the role of teacher sin universities, or their abilities for that matter, is questionable.
The fact is that many senior teachers have not grown up using computers as their students have. Some teachers have become computer savvy but quite a few have still not found the opportunity or the will to do so.
For several teachers, the best technology is still a piece of chalk (or at best, a marker) and a board and the best interactive exercise is class discussion (read class participation).
Undoubtedly this is a severe handicap. Those teachers who cannot make appropriate use of computers and the internet in teaching, have trouble keeping up with their areas of specialization and staying ahead.
Hence, it is difficult for them to excite, stimulate, and motivate students and prepare them for practical life, where employers seek graduates who can get along in the global marketplace. Clearly, only information technologies can help bridge the gap between an academic and professional environment.
Computer literate students who use the internet often indulge in plagiarism and have a good chance of getting away with it. The cut-and-paste phenomenon in the first place defeats the purpose of written assignments.
Spending time and effort in such unhealthy pursuit is unproductive and wears down standards in educational institutions. The practice stunts their productivity, as students are unable to think logically, construct own arguments, and draw inferences. It is difficult if not impossible for less savvy teachers to effectively check and put an end to such practices.
Now consider the other end of the spectrum: an educational institution that has classrooms equipped with multimedia, sound systems and projectors to deliver presentations and multi-purpose computer labs.
"I bring my assignments and presentations on a pin drive. Our teaching associates transfer assignments on the teachers' computers or I attach the removable drive with the computer in class and the multimedia software does everything else for me. Multimedia is not just a training aid but also adds variety to my work," says a business student from the Lahore School of Economics.
Educational software and subscriptions to online research achieve services such as JSTOR (Journal storage), work stations for syndicated as well as individual work in computer laboratories and work stations in libraries are complementing computing facilities.
There are networks with their own connectivity and bandwidth. Furthermore, students bring their laptops and work in their university as they have the facility to do so.
Of course, the extent of change, because of IT and the degree to which progressive higher education enterprises have adapted to these changes are quite impossible to predict in the long run.
For now they have already earned a good reputation for their graduates in the corporations and multinationals. Students in technology-supported institutions are confident and rely more and more on their initiative for knowledge exploration.
IT enables them to manipulate information in a way that steps up their understanding and hones cognitive skills and logical aptitude, thereby broadening their horizons.
Maybe one day policy makers will think of creating a national educational grid, which will connect public as well as private sector universities, providing online information and support for students, teachers and support and management staff.
However, all learning institutions must first have the physical infrastructure required to get wired up to the any such grid. Until such facilities are provided, it is futile to think about establishing a national grid, for it will be of no use to universities that have little or no infrastructure.
There is a visible divide between graduates from IT supported high-end institutions and those without it. This is a serious issue that merits attention at all levels.
IT has already made considerable impact in distance education. With the advent of computers and internet, learning is no longer restricted to time and place. Students these days have access to a vast amount of information and resources outside the confines of classrooms and auditoriums. Lifelong learning as advocated by religion, has enabled people of all ages to improve their education and learn new things.
Open universities and other institutions that use computers and the internet (also television, and satellites) offer education in any field anywhere around the globe. Of course this does not include problems created by the digital divide, unavailability of resources to an overwhelmingly large majority, lack of quality contents on the web, linguistic and cultural barriers etc.
However, the issue is not distant learning. In fact, the aim here is to consider physical employment of computers and IT infrastructure for delivery of higher education in classrooms, laboratories, and libraries in Pakistan.
Most public sector universities and business schools still lags behind when it comes to IT. The reason? Economically, Pakistan is not yet a very strong nation. Although official statements and statistics shown indicate that the economy has started to mature, still there has always been scaling-down in education and investment and has not been treated as top priority.
Hence, graduates from many public sector universities cannot compete with those who have studied in good private sector universities. While much progress has been made in making computers and the internet available to educational institutions in the past few years, the computer-student ratio has still not been met.
"You can see more than 25 students flocking on one computer and same number waiting for their turn," says Mohsin Khan, a university student. There have been hardly any concentrated efforts to prepare students to take advantage of IT and other resources that have been made available by the World Wide Web.
There are other serious problems besides funding. For example, most senior teachers lack technological literacy, which is the "ability to use the computer, equipped with CD-ROM player, modem, and phone or cable line, as well as output devices such as printers, to gather..., analyse, organize, and understand... information." Of course this does not mean the role of teacher sin universities, or their abilities for that matter, is questionable.
The fact is that many senior teachers have not grown up using computers as their students have. Some teachers have become computer savvy but quite a few have still not found the opportunity or the will to do so.
For several teachers, the best technology is still a piece of chalk (or at best, a marker) and a board and the best interactive exercise is class discussion (read class participation).
Undoubtedly this is a severe handicap. Those teachers who cannot make appropriate use of computers and the internet in teaching, have trouble keeping up with their areas of specialization and staying ahead.
Hence, it is difficult for them to excite, stimulate, and motivate students and prepare them for practical life, where employers seek graduates who can get along in the global marketplace. Clearly, only information technologies can help bridge the gap between an academic and professional environment.
Computer literate students who use the internet often indulge in plagiarism and have a good chance of getting away with it. The cut-and-paste phenomenon in the first place defeats the purpose of written assignments.
Spending time and effort in such unhealthy pursuit is unproductive and wears down standards in educational institutions. The practice stunts their productivity, as students are unable to think logically, construct own arguments, and draw inferences. It is difficult if not impossible for less savvy teachers to effectively check and put an end to such practices.
Now consider the other end of the spectrum: an educational institution that has classrooms equipped with multimedia, sound systems and projectors to deliver presentations and multi-purpose computer labs.
"I bring my assignments and presentations on a pin drive. Our teaching associates transfer assignments on the teachers' computers or I attach the removable drive with the computer in class and the multimedia software does everything else for me. Multimedia is not just a training aid but also adds variety to my work," says a business student from the Lahore School of Economics.
Educational software and subscriptions to online research achieve services such as JSTOR (Journal storage), work stations for syndicated as well as individual work in computer laboratories and work stations in libraries are complementing computing facilities.
There are networks with their own connectivity and bandwidth. Furthermore, students bring their laptops and work in their university as they have the facility to do so.
Of course, the extent of change, because of IT and the degree to which progressive higher education enterprises have adapted to these changes are quite impossible to predict in the long run.
For now they have already earned a good reputation for their graduates in the corporations and multinationals. Students in technology-supported institutions are confident and rely more and more on their initiative for knowledge exploration.
IT enables them to manipulate information in a way that steps up their understanding and hones cognitive skills and logical aptitude, thereby broadening their horizons.
Maybe one day policy makers will think of creating a national educational grid, which will connect public as well as private sector universities, providing online information and support for students, teachers and support and management staff.
However, all learning institutions must first have the physical infrastructure required to get wired up to the any such grid. Until such facilities are provided, it is futile to think about establishing a national grid, for it will be of no use to universities that have little or no infrastructure.
Labels: Education, Information Technology, IT
posted by Shirazi @ 7:27 AM,
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Hard Drive Removal and Installation
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Analysts and trend watchers say the over six billion computers have been sold worldwide. Every day computers are seen more pervasive and the interaction between users and computers is increasing.
When everyone (Ok, almost everyone) is using computers in work and life, knowing them more is an advantage. Given my interest and requirement, I keep learning how to do things with computers. In my quest to learn more, I was lead to an article titled Hard Drive Removal and Installation at web-articles.info – a free article submission directory.
People working with computers sometime need to remove hard drive from computer for testing, virus scanning, data transfer, disposal or more. It is fairly simple task but you need to know some basic. Read the article and it will help you go through the whole process from start to end. The article gives you step by step instructions of the process.
Similarly, I found many other useful articles at article directory including What to do in the garden in November. By the way, I am going to do what the article suggests. Have a look and learn what you need to.
posted by Shirazi @ 9:09 AM,
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Virtual Travel
Virtual world is seamlessly getting into real world. Social side of technologies is making the World Wide Web much more localized by bringing like-minded people together and in the process creating closely knit online communities.Combination of features like worldwide accessibility and instantaneous communication has made it possible for backpackers, globetrotters and other curious from all over the world to join together at different online platforms to exchange information, experiences and plans in their favorite pursuit; travel.
Subscribers range from the professional travel writers to hardcore travelers and adventurers and commoners who are simply interested in reading online. Travel communities are accessible by millions of interested people all over the world.
Out of some major and hundreds of less noticeable travel forums on the Web, I have had the fortune to belong to a few and have been visiting some others for my travel information needs.
Exceptions apart, all virtual travel communities have some common features: Communities mostly provide a warm, trusting and supportive atmosphere. When members give information, they do it with great care and responsibility. They rely on each other more than they do on outdated travel guidebooks or on second hand and static information from conventional travel literature.
Visit any online community and one finds anything related to travel, along with flames and off topics, which are informative, sometimes funny or even annoying. The mutual exchange of information is not restricted only to destinations, affordable places to stay and dine in, security issues, maps, weather conditions there and where to have best bargains and how to find public restrooms or which Websites better describe any particular place. Or which dress a female anthropologist going to study Kalash clan up in northern district Chitral should wear during her extended stay there. It goes much beyond to helping in finding work, selling and promoting each others in local markets.
“Travel forums have become hunting grounds for meeting fellow travelers and making new friends. You really do not require any other reason to join a community or two,” says Atoorva Sinha who intends building up travelers’ community at Mindzwine.
Carla King is founder member of one virtual travel community called Wild Writing Women for female travelers. She emailed, “When we published Wild Writing Women -- Stories of World Travel (an anthology of women’s travel stories) -- we got a lot of publicity. People wanted to know how we traveled solo and weren’t afraid, and just how we went about it. We started giving workshops. We also started giving writing workshops and hosted a free monthly literary salon. People just gravitated, and we accepted them. We made a business of it and formed the online community. So it’s a profitable business for us to expand the community, and also, happily, it’s close to our hearts.”
Members are slow in response sometime. Chris Heidrich, the Director of a BootsnAll says, “One has to be patient in waiting for a response from members and insiders. It should be understood that it is a voluntary favor and some people do not come on board or check email as often.” Court who is always found on board in the same community adds, “Some time they may be away traveling to yet another location.”
The recipients of information have to keep in mind that what ever comes is based upon individuals’ personal experiences or empirical observations. One member may have had different experience than others. When I posted a query about Virtual Travel Communities (for this article) at BootsnAll community; the first reply referred me to Nick mediator at another community at Bali Blog who in turn advised me to email direct to all on his mailing list. The replies I am still receiving are varied showing so many perspectives. “There is nothing like variety,” says Nick.
The virtual world is composed of information rather than physical identities. Information spreads and diffuses. Those who belong to these impalpable spaces are also diffuse, free to take it or leave it.
posted by Shirazi @ 8:10 AM,
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Host Monster
Friday, October 9, 2009
Given the ongoing realization of the importance of powerful online presence, more and more businesses are focusing on their online exposure and are taking advantages. Marketing people already know that a good website can be a valuable marketing tool. One of the most important factors for the success of any website is trusted and unintrupted web hosting.
Before you host your assets online, businesses need to carry out a little research and find out a web hosting firm that has a good reputation within the industry. That is where Wpdesigner.com. can help. Have a look at Wpdesigner.com. – Provider of the most up-to-date "Top 10" list on the internet - and see what they are recommending and why.WPDesigner.com has hand selected each host based on the credibility and the reputation of people who stand behind these hosting companies. They rate and feature hosting sites based on price, server up time, reliability, ease of use, control panel and customer support.
In my own quest, I found hostmonster review and liked it. Read the review and find out features HostMonster.com offers. The Host Monster stands out for their wide range of features, massive transfer and storage quotas, and the option of hosting a limitless number of domains on just one account. Combined with 'the best support in the industry,' Host Monster are a fantastic choice for those wanting professional web hosting. Read the in depth review, better still try them and host your online assets at Host Monster.
posted by Shirazi @ 8:43 AM,
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Women Online
Thursday, October 8, 2009
When it comes to social-networking sites, women are more plugged in than men, according to data analysis by Brian Solis, president of Silicon Valley public-relations firm Future Works. Read at WSJ!
Labels: Data, Digital Divide, Women
posted by Shirazi @ 10:59 AM,
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Top Ten Picks
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Top 10 greatest geeks of all time
posted by Shirazi @ 6:35 PM,
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Is Blogging Fine Art?
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Internet is a lonely place without Blogging; a fine art, science, also economics. Blogs are different to different people. Fine Art of Blogging asks you to share your views on what is a blog to you?
You are invited to contribute your thoughts in general. In particular, write how you blog? Why?
How blogging matters in life and work? Success stories, motivations and inspirations. Answer these questions and more (add what you feel is important dimension) in a post and send in word document.
Read some of the writers bloggers (Every blogger is a writer. No?) who have already contributed and criteria for inviting bloggers to join Fine Art of Blogging.
posted by Shirazi @ 12:10 PM,
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What is a blog to you?
Internet is a lonely place without Blogging; a fine art, science, also economics. Blogs are different to different people. Fine Art of Blogging asks you to share your views on what is a blog to you?
Please contribute your thoughts on blogging in general. In particular, write how you blog? Why? How blogging matters in life and work? Success stories and inspirations. Answer these questions and more (add what you feel is important dimension for you) and email me.
Fine Art Claimer
My blogs are a resource for my writings. More often, I blog informally, sharing impressions, generating ideas to see how they invoke reactions, keeping track of others’ work in the fields of my interest, or simply ranting or pointing out things that come to my attention.
Also, I use blogging as a platform to prune ideas. This is where I meet others and share experiences. “I am neither geek, nor nerd, I am not a hacker, a phreaker, a programmer or any variety of technoid dweeb.”
