Certified Blogaholic

Certified Blogaholic still has a Google PR of 0, as in nada. I’ve been reading through the web for weeks and trying out the tips and suggestions by webmasters and bloggers. But I would like to be able to maximize all the information and implement them on my blog in order to improve my PR by the next ranking.

Lucky for me I discovered Bloggingfingers.com and was able to download the Blog Monetization Strategies ebook by Matt Jones for free. I was initially bent on making money only through get paid to blog sites. After reading the book, I realized my blog has more potential to make money than I thought. I can also make a lot from advertising. As a matter of fact, those who have been in the industry for a while make tons of money from advertising alone. But what I really like about the book is that the first part discusses important online advertising terms. It is the ideal book for newbies like me. It is likewise organized and segregates Niche blogs and Flagship blogs. Matt Jones even prepared monetization scenarios for both types of blogs.

Whether you’re a neophyte blogger or not, the ebook will prove valuable you. As an added bonus, Bloggingfingers even gives people who download the book a chance to win $300. If that is not incentive enough, I don’t know what is. Download the free Blog Monetization Stratgies e-book here .

Nokia’s new multimedia cellphone boasts of a GPS, a high-speed internet connection, and a 5 megapixel camera. It is said to be a cheaper version of the Nokia N95, except that it is smaller and has a longer battery life.

The N82 utilizes HSPDA technology which allow users to surf the net almost as fast as a normal computer. It can also be used in many parts of the world being a quad-band cellphone. It has a built-in Assisted GPS (AGPS) together with Nokia Maps. Aside from bluetooth technology, it also has WiFi connectivity like the N95. And of course, it has all the regular features of a Nokia cellphone like MMS, SMS, a music player, accepts a microSD card of up to 2GB, video, and games. Read the rest of this entry »

As I mentioned in my previous post, blogging has now become an opportunity for many internet junkies to make money. I started late but I am trying to catch up. Good thing there are a new sites coming out that offer opportunities for bloggers like me. With the leading site already clogged with bloggers grabbing at limited opportunities, new sites give new bloggers a chance to show their mettle.

Bloggerwave is a new addition to the industry that is certainly making headway. I recently applied and got my blog approved. This is now my chance to prove myself. Bloggerwave is based in Europe and focuses on giving advertisers quality promotions from quality blogs. They have improved their service with efficient servers and developed a system that will benefit both advertisers and their bloggers. Hopefully, there will be more opportunities here than in other paid to blog sites.

With so many get paid to blog services in the net, bloggerwave is one of the few that is sure give the rest a run for their money.

I entered the blogosphere too late. I was so focused on my current job that I neglected my real first love — computers and technology. By the time I realized the web was teeming with opportunities, everyone else has taken the plunge. How could I, the first person to have a desktop PC in our class, come in too late to the huge opportunities that the technology offered?

Now, even my talent in writing couldn’t help me catch up with the rest of the pack. Opportunities are so rare for new blogs like mine. I read other blogs and know that mine is world’s away from theirs. I feel I’m moving at snail’s pace. But I’m a fast learner. I know I will make it soon. I am learning everyday. A couple more sweat, a little perseverance, and I will make it.

One of the fastest growing economies in the world is China. No wonder it is called the sleeping giant. Its vast human resources has made it the number one choice for subcontracting of products. Manufacturing is not the only industry it is currently improving. With growing economy comes growing technology.

Recently, I stumbled upon China Webmasters Forums. It seems that the Chinese people are now trying their hand in web design, web hosting, and even internet marketing. Imagine being able to sell cheap products online. However, to achieve ecommerce, they are now improving their skills in web development. I browsed through the forum and found they have threads under web design and development, web promotion, and other threads which includes ecommerce.

Someday, China will be a force to reckon with in the worldwide web.

China came out with a number of dual active sim mobile phones in 2007 to meet the growing demands of people carrying 2 or more cellphones. Attempts to get this market niche was made several years ago with gadgets that will allow sim switching on any cellphone. This initial attempt, however, proved unsuccessful since it requires switching the cellphone off to make the other sim active — meaning both lines are not simultaneously active. Now, technology has found a way to make two lines active in one cellphone. The problem with the China phones is that these come in cheap designs or substandard parts.

In November 2007, Samsung released the SGH-D880, the first dual sim standby cellphone manufactured by a reputable mobile phone manufacturer. However, it is not surprising that very little advertising and promotion was given to the SGH-D880. Mobile carriers will definitely not support any dual active sim mobile phone in the market since it will encourage subscription to another carrier. The rationale behind carrying a dual sim phone is to be able to take advantage of all bonuses or incentives provided by two different mobile carriers. It is also a must for those who travel in other countries who prefer to get a prepaid sim from the country they are in to save on phone bills. On the other hand, others prefer to separate their business calls with personal calls.

The Samsung Duos D880 does not carry lightweight features either. Like current mobile phones in the market, it has a 3 megapixel camera, 240×320 resolution at 262,000 colors, SMS & MMS messaging, internal memory of 46 MB, external memory slot of up to 2 GB, music player, video recorder/player, an FM radio, and bluetooth technology.

It is a slider-type cellphone which provide more space for the TFT-LCD 2.3″ screen. The Samsung D880 is a combination of black, gray, and mirror finish while the sides are a brownish chrome. The only setback I see is its 18.9 mm thickness. However, this is a small price to pay for a dual sim active phone which needs a lot more parts inside compared to single-line phones. Though a little bulky, it is still possible to fit inside pockets.

Overall, the SGH-D880 is the best alternative to other China dual sim mobile phones in the market. If you want style and quality with the dual sim technology, this is your best choice.

Reaching middle age can really be scary, especially for women. Nothing degrades a woman’s self-esteem and value than wrinkles and dry skin. Whereas men are said to gain dignity and authority with age, the effect on women is the opposite. At 38, my regimen now includes daily anti-aging products I use all over my body. Dermatologists recommend that women start taking care of their skin as early as 25 years old. But of course, arrogance comes with youth and most never bother to take care of their skin till they notice how it starts to deteriorate. Let me just provide you with helpful hints.

The first signs of age usually show on the face. It is important to keep it moisturized to keep wrinkles away. We all have different skin types and different moisturizers have different effects on different women. I already tried different brands . . . and I still want to try others to find a perfect match. Olay Total Effects – gentle works fine on my face. The one for normal skin makes my skin break out. I would get pimples on my nose and forehead. What I really want to try is Strivectin SD and La Mer. The price is a bit steep but I promise to try them within the year to find out if they are really worth the price. A new product that women are talking about these days is also Amatokin. Like La Mer, it is very expensive. Some women say that these expensive brands are all hype. Better alternatives mentioned by a lot of women are L’Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Face Cream, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer, Sonya Dakar Hydrasoft Lotion, Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer, and Clarins Hydra-Plus Moisture.

Read the rest of this entry »

I always wondered what magic lures so many visitors to Las Vegas. Can it really be the numerous casinos? Is there really such a thing as a gambling bug? Why would people risk hard-earned money on casinos anyway?

Just out of curiosity, I tried an online casino to experience the feeling that hooks so many people. They were right. It can be addictive. Losing doesn’t dampen your spirits. It actually motivates you to play more. Winning is the only option. Of course, the practical and sensible side of me always wins out in the end. I won a few bucks and as much as I would like to make more, I knew a smart player knows when to stop and play another day.

I realized though, that if I really wanted to play and make money, I had to learn the tricks of the trade. So, I started my research through the internet and tried to get my hands on tips to increase the odds of winning. I couldn’t believe what I found. I found Pro360.com and discovered that I didn’t have to go to any other site. Everything I needed to know was just a click away from me. Pro360.com is an online casino review site that assists players in choosing the best online casino. It will save players time and effort trying to figure out which one to play in. Online casinos are ranked, not only according to the general review of the site, but also according to player votes and best bonuses. Whatever a player believes is the best criteria, the ranking is available.

From Pro360.com’s ranking and those in the other categories, I made a shortlist of those I wanted to check out. I read the site’s review of the site which includes the editor’s rating and players’ ratings. It also provides a review of the game experience, bonuses, and trust score. All these information helped me choose the one that would give me the best playing experience and maximum earnings. If you are still uncertain about what to do, you can check out the Beginner’s Guide to Online Gambling when you click the link on the side column.

Gambling doesn’t necessarily mean a bad habit as long as you control your itch and play smart. Learn before you play at Pro360.com.

One of my close friends is currently in crisis right this moment.  Her eldest son is now confined in a hospital with dengue hemorrhagic fever.  It is a mosquito-borne disease which has become one of the leading cause of death among children here in Southeast Asia.  Despite all precautions taken by parents, it claims hundreds of lives each year.  Since cases have been increasing for a couple of years now, we have already become familiar to the symptoms.  Maybe that is the reason I find my friend’s reaction to it so infuriating yesterday.

As soon as I got to the office yesterday, my other friends told me about it.  They told me that my friend even sent her son to school despite all the obvious symptoms.  I didn’t talk to her.  I was too mad.  I was afraid of saying something inappropriate.  Her excuse was that her son had a quiz that day and that he was ok anyway.  Her son had high fever for over a week already.  She claims it was tonsilitis except when the rashes came out last weekend.  She was so scared that she kept going to the toilet to barf every now and then and couldn’t sleep.  Still she wanted to believe he was fine and decided to even send him to school.  That afternoon before she picked up her son from school and brought him to the hospital, she confided to someone that her son’s nose bled last Friday already.  It was a good thing she was already gone when I found out.

You might find it strange that I react this way for someone else’s son.  You see, another friend of mine lost her 2-year old daughter last year to diarrhea dehydration.  I didn’t want that to happen again.  Somehow, I partly blame myself for that death.  I was one of the expert parents around having had my first kid at 24.  Before her daughter died, I always told the mom that it was nothing to worry about and just to make sure she got enough fluids.  Apparently, it was something to worry about.  My youngest son also acquired dengue more than a year ago.  At the onset of his fever, I also disregarded it as something manageable.  Lucky for me, I was able to bring him to the hospital before it got any worse.  I swore I would never second-guess another disease again — especially if it involved children. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the fastest growing industry in the 21st century has been ECommerce. As the internet now becomes a worldwide commodity, online stores continue to increase on a daily basis. Following the footsteps of Ebay and Amazon, small to medium-sized online stores crop up as more and more entrepreneurs attempt to get a chunk of the growing market.

A critical part of putting up an online store is the shopping cart software to be used by its customers. A substandard software that will cause inconvenience to its buyers will eventually lead to its downfall. Thus, it is the vision of Ashop Commerce to provide merchants with a reliable shopping cart software that will increase sales and provide the store the necessary credibility and stability it needs. Ashop Commerce has now facilitated the success of over 1,000 online merchants and is considered the most intuitive shopping cart software in the world. It has been chosen by novice and professional merchants worldwide.

It has award-winning features which include easy-set up with no programming required, no graphic design skills required, no HTML required, and complete operational storefront. Management is further enhanced with inventory control, product reports, and sales analysis. And more importantly, security features utilize the MaxMind fraud protection that assures customers’ purchases are safe from hackers and protected from any possible online theft.

With all these features, it is almost impossible that Ashop charges very low monthly fees. There are no hidden fees and it provides merchants enough flexibility with its various pricing plans. No wonder it is the number one choice of new and potential online merchants. A merchant may choose the perfect pricing plan to suit the needs of his business that will translate to faster investment returns.

So, if you’re planning to start your own online business, try Ashop Commerce shopping cart software. No credit card required and they even offer a 10-day free trial. Try it now and see for yourself.

After garnering the best picture award for drama at the Golden Globe Awards this year, Atonement is the heavy favorite in the upcoming Oscar Awards this month. The movie is a the film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s bestselling novel and stars Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, and Saoirse Ronan. The film is a story of mistaken intentions, innocence, and a lie that can ruin a dream. Ronan brilliantly plays the part of Briony Tallis, a 13-year old fledgling writer with a vivid imagination. Briony’s schoolgirl crush on Robbie (McAvoy), the housekeeper’s son, leads her to mistaken conclusions on his character. As she watches the romance between Robbie and her sister Cecilia (Knightley) blossom, she mistakes Robbie’s amorous attention and advances towards her sister as sexual perversion. Her sexual naivety leads her to wrongly accuse Robbie of raping her underage cousin. She lies to authorities assuring them that it was Robbie that she witnessed doing the sinister deed when in fact it was her imagination, jealousy, envy, and innocence that led her to twist the truth. Read the rest of this entry »

Gambling is such a controversial hobby that it makes people think twice before trying it. The closest I’ve come to gambling is losing over 50 pieces of M&M’s to my brother. I do want to try the real thing though – slot machines, roulette, or even poker which I see in the movies. It seems so easy watching them. But I know it is a difficult skill to refine. If I can’t travel to try a real casino, I think I will consider an online casino. Maybe I will feel the same rush in my blood that I have heard so much about.

Before I try my luck, I think it would be better to improve my odds of winning. I checked out the web and found Online Casino Links. It is an online casino review site which has a listing of over 100 of the best online casinos available in the internet. The casinos are ranked either according to rating, player votes, or best bonuses. Whatever your criteria, it would not be difficult to make a choice. Read the rest of this entry »

On February 10, 2008, the 50th Annual Grammy awards is set to honor the best in the music industry for songs and albums released last year. The Grammy awards is considered one of the most-awaited shows every year because of live (and sometimes unique) performances from the top music artists. Some of my best memories of music performances are not from concerts or live shows, but from the Grammy Awards.

I don’t want to reveal my age, but I will never forget Sting’s acoustic piano rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me” nor Bonnie Raitt’s live version of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with only Bruce Hornsby accompanying her. And who can forget Annie Lennox (still as Eurythmics) singing “Sweet Dreams” dressed as Elvis Presley — people couldn’t stop talking about it. Then there’s Aretha Franklin stepping in for the ailing Lucianno Pavarotti as she poured out her soul to the aria “Nessun Dorma.” And did you guys see the performance of Elton John and reformed homophobe Eminem doing “Stan” in the 2001 Grammy Awards? I have not developed a taste for rap, but the collaboration alone is unforgettable — Elton in a pink and lavander suit with Eminem in baggy jeans and cap. I believe the upcoming ceremonies will celebrate these moments in Grammy when the performers proved what they were really made of. I guess we miss these moments so much that they felt it was time to show the 21st century newbies how it was done.

For the nominees this year, I don’t want to delve deeper into the controversies of Amy Winehouse. So, let me just give you a rundown of the nominees for the major awards this coming weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

The smell of my mint tea wafts through my nostrils as I struggle to finish my annual reports at the office. Everything I’m writing about the company I’ve already written before. As I try desperately to drag myself out of this sluggish mood I woke up to, I rise from my workstation and walk around the room slowly. I know this feeling. It comes to me when my brain gets information overload. I also know the cure. I have to shift momentarily to another task. I go back to my laptop and open my blog.

Blogging has been my rescuer on days my brain refuses to work right. After an article or two, I can get back to my task at the office with a little more fervor. Other than the welcome distraction my blog offers, I am also given an opportunity to earn cash with blog advertising. I joined Smorty recently which widened my chances to connect with more advertisers worldwide. I get paid to blog about products, services and websites in various categories. For once, my opinion is worth something more. My skill to concoct and combine words helps advertisers to reach out to more people through the web.

As a matter of fact, there are several more sites bridging the gap between advertisers and bloggers. However, the glut in bloggers in the market has made it difficult to get opportunities. Smorty has given me an alternative source of opportunities. With so many people trying to blog for money, advertising jobs are difficult to grab especially for working people like me. Smorty has proven that having alternatives is better for the industry. Moreover, it drives every player in the field to do better. Inferior service or writing skills are not acceptable. At Smorty, bloggers like me get to choose from a variety of topics and even earn from their referral program. On the other hand, advertisers get more high quality bloggers from Smorty. Smorty assures that its bloggers are screened and evaluated to deliver excellent blog advertising to its customers.

Now, my head feels refreshed and ready for action again. Thanks to my blog. Thanks to Smorty.

Today ushers the start of the Year of the Earth Rat. It marks the end of the Fire Pig which is the last sign in the Chinese Zodiac. This means that it is now the beginning of another 12-year cycle. According to the Chinese culture, people born under the Year of the Rat tend to be straightforward, generous and easy going. They usually have happy, lively personalities and are very outgoing, although they can get very edgy when upset. During a crisis, rats are independent and reliable because they are level headed and intuitive. The Year of the Rat also brings good prospects and better opportunities since those born on this year generally love money and hate waste and idleness. They are also known for their charm and attraction to the opposite sex. They are hardworking, love material possessions and are likely to be perfectionists. Unfortunately, they can be thrifty and hot-tempered.

According to some analysts, this year would see women rising to power. I don’t know if this is their way of saying that Hillary Clinton will win over Barack Obama in November, but it sure sounds like it. They also predict that there might be several water problems worldwide, such as flooding and mudslides. But on the bright side, it will be a good year for economic recoveries. All those worrying about the US recession, which affects so many countries around the globe, can breathe a little easier. Maybe the forecasted US recession will not become full blown after all. Read the rest of this entry »