DELL Inspiron Duo tips and tricks

Hi!

As you can see, I am typing this post on the Dell Inspiron Duo. I really enjoy my Duo as it best fills all holes that have been missing in a mobile tech experience.
A list of some things the Duo is good at:

1. On-the-Go Office Editor (Word, Excel, Blogging, Presentations)
2. Web Surfing (more like Gliding) Experience.
3. Media Enjoyment (Music, Video etc.)
4. The Intended Windows 7 Tablet Experience

The Cons

1. Dell tried their own Tablet Experience and Failed.

How to tweak your Dell Duo
This is how the Dell Duo Looks and feels out of the box:

1. Windows 7 Input Panel is not configured to its optimum usability (almost intrusive really)
2. I bought an HD Screen for a reason I want to use all of it (bar is too big)
3. Scrolling is choppy and just bad.

---

1. Correcting the Windows Input Panel

FOLLOW THESE STEPS:


Place the Title Bar of the keyboard in the middle of the screen, then Drag the lower right corner down so that it stretches to the bottom of the screen.

Dock the Input Keyboard to the Bottom of the Screen:

Now the keyboard is easy to type on.
Notice that the scrolling bars and windows automatically adjust to the keyboard. Very similar to what happens on the ipad when needing to type.
Additionally when you flip the screen, the keyboard automatically adjusts to profile and so does the windows.
Personally I like browsing the web in portrait, and heavier typing in landscape.

Go to Tools and then to Options:

Check to show the Input Icon in the Taskbar, and uncheck the intrusive tab version.
Remember to also check Apply

Notice now, that the Input launcher is in the Taskbar.
Now launching the touch keyboard is as easy as a touch of your thumb!
Note: You can change the size of the button by “Unlocking the Taskbar”. Also, tapping the button a second time will also close the keyboard.

Top 10 sporting airline disasters

10

Alianza Lima Peru Football Team

1987

The 1987 Alianza Lima air disaster took place on December 8, 1987, when a Peruvian Navy Fokker F27-400M, chartered by Peruvian football club Alianza Lima, plunged into the Pacific Ocean six miles short of its destination. On board the flight were a total of 44 players, managers, staff, cheerleaders and crewmembers, of which only the pilot survived the accident. The team was returning from a Peruvian league match when the aircrew thought they noticed a malfunctioning indicator on the control panel, which appeared to show the planes landing gear had not deployed. The pilot requested a flyby of the control tower so that spotters on the ground could confirm that the plane’s landing gear was down and locked. Upon receiving visual confirmation of safe configuration for landing, the plane went around for another attempt at a landing. The Fokker flew too low and plunged into the Pacific.
Following the crash, the Peruvian Navy shut itself off from the press, and did not release the results of its investigation, nor did it allow private investigations to take place. Allegations were made that the accident had been caused by the aircraft’s shoddy mechanical condition, and the Navy concealed the truth in order to save face. It was not until 2006 that the results of the official inquiry into the cause of the disaster came to light. The investigation cited the pilot’s lack of night flying experience, his misreading of the emergency procedures related to the landing gear issue, and the aircraft’s poor mechanical condition as contributing factors to the accident. The Peruvian Football Federation chose not to end the football season early, despite the loss of what amounted to the majority of Alianza’s team; the club played their last few matches with retired volunteers, players from its youth teams, and players loaned by a Chilean club. The accident was disastrous for Alianza, who lost their most promising squad in a decade.

9

US Amateur Boxing Team

1980

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007 crashed near Warsaw, Poland, on March 14, 1980, due to mechanical failure as the crew aborted a landing and attempted to go-around. All 87 crew and passengers died. On board were many members of the 1980 US amateur boxing team, many of whom were contenders to qualify for the 1980 US Olympic Boxing Team (the US subsequently boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow). The team was going to Poland for boxing matches against Polish and Russian amateur boxers. Flight 007 departed New York City at 21:18, and after nine hours of an uneventful flight, it was approaching Warsaw Airport at 11:13 local time. During their final approach, about one minute before the landing, the crew reported that the landing gear indicator light was not operating, and that they would go-around and allow the flight engineer to check if it was caused by a burnt-out fuse or light bulb, or if there was actually some problem with the gears deploying.
Nine seconds after the last voice transmission the aircraft suddenly entered a steep dive. At 11:14:35, after 26 seconds of uncontrolled descent, the aircraft clipped a tree with its right wing and impacted the ice-covered moat of a 19th-century military fortress. At the last moment the pilot, using nothing but the plane’s ailerons, managed to avoid hitting a correctional facility for teenagers. On impact, the aircraft disintegrated; a large part of the main hull submerged in the moat. The moat had to be drained to allow the air crash investigation team to recover parts of the disintegrated plane. The body of the pilot was found lying on the street about sixty meters from the crash site; other bodies were scattered between the plane parts. According to the Polish government’s Special Disaster Commission, the crash was caused by defects in materials, faults in the manufacturing process of the jet engine’s shaft, and weaknesses in the design of its turbine.
Not on board the plane were other members of the US boxing team, including Johnny “Bump City” Bumphus who made the US Olympic team at 139 pounds. Bumphus would later go on to a successful professional boxing career and earn the title of WBA Light Welterweight Champion.

8

University of Evansville Basketball Team

1977

On December 13,1977, a chartered DC-3 carrying the entire University of Evansville basketball team crashed in a field near the Evansville Regional Airport. Every member of the team and coaching staff on the plane was killed. One player was not able to attend the game and thus was not on the plane; however, soon afterward, he was killed in an automobile accident. The team was on its way to Nashville, Tennessee, for a game against Middle Tennessee University when it crashed in rain and fog about 90 seconds after take off from the Evansville Airport. Twenty-nine people died in the crash including fourteen members of the basketball team and its coach. Three people did survive the crash but died shortly thereafter. The NTSB determined the cause of the crash was improper weight balance and the failure of the crew to remove external safety locks.

7

Cal Poly Football Team

1960

The Cal Poly football team plane crash occurred on October 29, 1960, when a twin-engine C-46 prop liner, carrying the California Polytechnic State University football team, crashed on takeoff at the Toledo Express Airport in Toledo, Ohio. The World War II vintage aircraft broke in two and caught fire on impact. Twenty-two of the forty-eight people on board were killed, including sixteen players. The follow up investigation concluded that the aircraft had been overloaded by 2,000 lbs above its maximum certificated gross takeoff weight and that there was a partial power loss in the left engine prior to the crash. Prior to takeoff the weather at the airport steadily deteriorated until by the time of the accident the visibility was zero. Because of this crash, the FAA published a notice prohibiting takeoff for commercial aircraft when the visibility is below 1/4 mile, or the runway visual range is below 2000 ft.
The pilot who made the decision to take off was flying on a license that had been revoked, but was allowed to fly pending an appeal. At the time of the crash, Bowling Green State had been the easternmost opposing school that the Cal Poly football team had ever traveled to. The university canceled the final three games of the 1960 season. Cal Poly alumnus and NFL Hall of Fame coach John Madden’s fear of flying is commonly attributed to the crash, although he has said it instead stems from claustrophobia. Madden, who played football for Cal Poly from 1957–58, and was coaching at the nearby Allan Hancock Junior College at the time of the crash, knew many passengers aboard the plane. As a result of the crash, Cal Poly did not play any road games outside California until 1969.

6

Wichita State Football Team

1970

On Friday October 2, 1970, the Wichita State University football team was aboard a Martin 4-0-4 aircraft when it crashed into a mountain eight miles west of Silver Plume, Colorado. The airplane carried 36 passengers and a crew of four; 29 were killed at the scene and two later died of their injuries. It was one of two planes carrying the Wichita State University football team to Logan, Utah, for a game against Utah State University. The two aircraft were dubbed “Gold” and “Black”, after the team colors. “Gold”, the plane that would crash, carried the starting players, coaches and boosters, while “Black” transported the backup players and other support personnel. The pilot flying “Gold” had not been rated to flay a Martin 4-0-4. In addition, he planned to take a scenic route, which would depart the normal flight path going over the Rocky Mountains. The crew flying the other team aircraft, “Black”, would adhere to the original flight plan and take a more northerly route towards Wyoming after departing Denver, using a designated airway. This planned route allowed more time to gain altitude for the climb over the Rocky Mountains.
While the aircraft were being refueled and serviced in Denver, the pilot of the Gold Plane purchased a map to use to point out landmarks on the scenic route he planned for the final leg of the journey. After take-off in clear weather, the two planes took divergent paths away from Denver. Having departed the normal flight path, the overloaded Gold plane entered the mountains and became trapped in a box canyon and was unable to escape. At 1:14 p.m. the “Gold” aircraft struck trees on Mount Trelease, 1,600 feet below the summit, and crashed. The NTSB report stated a belief that many on board survived the initial impact, and a few survivors escaped the fuselage before it burst into flames, killing any others who had survived the crash.
The NTSB found the primary cause of the crash was “The intentional operation of the aircraft over a mountain valley route at an altitude from which the aircraft could neither climb over the obstructing terrain ahead, nor execute a successful course reversal. The game was canceled, and the Utah State football team held a memorial service at the stadium where the game was to be played and placed a wreath on the 50-yard line. The remaining Wichita team, with the NCAA allowing freshman players to fill out the squad, decided to continue the 1970 season. Wichita State ended varsity football after the 1986 season. Wichita State University built a memorial for those who had died from the crash called Memorial ’70. Every year on October 2, at 9 am, a wreath is placed at this memorial.

5

Torino A.C. Football Team

1949

The Superga air disaster took place on Wednesday, 4 May, 1949, when a plane carrying almost the entire Torino A.C. football squad, popularly known as Il Grande Torino, crashed into the hill of Superga, near Turin, killing all 31 aboard, including 18 players, club officials, journalists accompanying the team and the plane’s crew. The Italian Airlines Fiat G212CP airplane carrying the team flew into a thunderstorm on the approach to Turin and encountered conditions of low cloud and poor visibility. They were forced to descend to be able to fly visually. While descending for Turin, the aircraft crashed against the base of the rear wall of the Basilica complex at the top of the hill of Superga. Italian authorities cited low cloud, poor radio aids and an error in navigation as factors contributing to the accident.
The emotional impact the crash made on Italian sports fans was profound, as it claimed the lives of the players of a legendary team which had won the last Serie A title before the league play was interrupted in 1944 by World War II and had then returned after the conflict to win four consecutive titles (1946–1949). At the time of the crash, Torino A.C. was leading Serie A with four games left to play in the season. The club carried on by fielding its youth team (Primavera) and in a sign of respect their opponents in each of these matches (Genoa, Palermo, Sampdoria, and Fiorentina) also fielded their youth sides. The disaster seriously weakened the Italian national team, which had included up to 10 Torino players. Torino itself would not claim another title until 1976. Of the entire squad only one player remained: Sauro Tomà missed the trip to Portugal due to injury.

4

Manchester United Football Team

1958

On 6 February, 1958, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the “Busby Babes”, along with a number of supporters and journalists. 23 of the 44 people on board the aircraft died in the crash. The team was returning from a European Cup match in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, against Red Star Belgrade, but had to make a stop in Munich for refueling, as a non-stop trip from Belgrade to Manchester was out of the aircraft’s range. After refueling, the pilots attempted to take off twice, but had to abandon both attempts due to problems with the port engine. Fearing that they would get too far behind schedule, the Captain rejected an overnight stay in Munich in favor of a third take-off attempt.
By the time of the third attempt, it had begun to snow, causing a layer of slush to build up at the end of the runway. When the aircraft hit the slush, it lost velocity, making take-off impossible. It ploughed through a fence past the end of the runway, before the port wing hit a nearby house and was torn off. Fearing that the aircraft might explode, the Captain tried to get the survivors as far away as possible. Despite the risk of explosion, goalkeeper Harry Gregg remained behind to pull survivors from the wreckage. An investigation by the West German airport authorities originally blamed the Captain for the crash, claiming that he had failed to de-ice the wings of the aircraft, despite statements to the contrary from eyewitnesses. It was later established that the crash had, in fact, been caused by the build-up of slush on the runway, which had resulted in the aircraft being unable to achieve take-off velocity.

3

United States Figure Skating Team

1961

On February 15, 1961, Sabena Flight 548, a Boeing 707 bound from New York to Brussels Belgium, crashed during the approach for landing. All 72 on board were killed, as well as one person on the ground. Among the dead was the entire United States Figure Skating team, who were en route to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. There was no indication of trouble on board the plane until it approached the Brussels airport. The pilot had to circle the airport while waiting for a small plane to clear the runway. Then, according to eyewitnesses, the plane began to climb and bank erratically and crashed suddenly in a field near the hamlet of Berg. The wreckage burst into flames. All aboard were killed instantly. A farmer working in the fields was killed by a piece of aluminum shrapnel, and another farmer had his leg amputated by flying debris from the plane.
The exact cause of the crash was never determined beyond reasonable doubt, but investigators suspected that the aircraft might have been brought down by a failure of the stabilizer adjusting mechanism. All 18 athletes of the 1961 U.S. figure skating team and 16 family members, coaches and officials died in the crash. The loss of the U.S. team was considered so catastrophic for the sport that the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships were cancelled. American President, John F. Kennedy, issued a statement of condolence from the White House. He was particularly shocked by the disaster. One of the skaters killed in the crash, Dudley Richards, was a personal friend of President Kennedy and his brother Ted Kennedy, from summers spent at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Because the casualties included many of the top American coaches as well as the athletes, the crash was a devastating blow to the U.S. Figure Skating program, which had enjoyed a position of dominance in the sport in the 1950s.

2

Zambian National Football Team

1993

The Zambian national football team was flying on a military plane on its way to Senegal for a 1994 World Cup qualification match, when the plane crashed in the late evening of April 27, 1993. All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players, as well as the national team coach and support staff, were lost in the accident. Two other members of the national team, who were playing in other countries and who had made other flight arrangements to attend the game, were not aboard and survived.
The flight from Zambia to Senegal required three refueling stops and at the first stop, in the Congo, engine problems were noted. Despite this, the flight continued and a few minutes after taking off from a second stop in Libreville, Gabon, one of the engines caught fire and failed. The pilot, who was tired from already having flown back from Mauritius earlier that day, then shut down the wrong engine, causing the plane to lose all power during the climb out of Libreville Airport. The plane fell from the sky and crashed into the water 500m offshore.
A new team was quickly assembled and faced up to the difficult task of having to complete Zambia’s World Cup qualifiers and then prepare for the upcoming African Nations Cup, which was only months away. The resurrected team defied the odds and reached the final against Nigeria, only to lose. In spite of the loss, the Zambian side returned home as national heroes. After the crash, Zambia fell into seven days of official mourning. The 18 players, coaches and crew members were buried there with official honors as tens of thousands of fans poured into the capital’s streets and grieved for what many said was one of Africa’s greatest teams. An official report into the plane crash blamed a mechanical fault in the left engine and the pilot inadvertently shutting off fuel to the functioning right engine by mistake because of a “poor indicator light bulb”.

1

Uruguayan Old Christians Club Rugby Team

1972

Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, also known as the Miracle in the Andes, was a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a rugby team and their friends, family and associates that crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972. The last of the 16 survivors were rescued on December 23, 1972. The story of the Andes Survivors is well known; popularized by the book “Alive” and the 1993 film of the same name. On Friday the 13th of October, 1972, a Uruguayan Air Force twin turboprop Fairchild FH-227D was flying over the Andes carrying members of the Old Christians Club rugby union team from Montevideo, Uruguay, to play a match in Santiago, Chile.
Due to bad weather and limitations of the airplane, the flight could not fly over the Andes Mountains and instead had to proceed through one of the “passes” through the mountains, to reach Chile. The pilots misjudged their position and, thinking they were at the pass, flew instead into a mountain, leading to a controlled flight into terrain. But the plane did not smash head long into the mountain. In a last ditch effort to gain altitude and clear the top of the mountain, the pilots clipped the peak at 4,200 meters (13,800 ft), neatly severing the right wing, which was thrown back with such force that it cut off the tail, leaving a gaping hole in the rear of the fuselage. The plane then clipped a second peak, which severed the left wing and left the plane as just a fuselage flying through the air. The fuselage hit the ground and slid down a steep mountain slope before finally coming to rest in a snow bank.
Of the 45 people on the plane, 12 died in the crash or shortly thereafter; another five had died by the next morning, and one more succumbed to injuries on the eighth day. The remaining 27 faced severe difficulties in surviving high in the freezing mountains. The survivors had little food and no source of heat in the harsh conditions, at over 3,600 meters (11,800 ft) altitude. Faced with starvation and radio news reports that the search for them had been abandoned, the survivors fed on the dead passengers who had been preserved in the snow. Rescuers did not learn of the survivors until 72 days after the crash, when passengers Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa, after a 12-day trek across the Andes, found a Chilean huaso, who gave them food and then alerted authorities about the existence of the other survivors. Only sixteen would survive. Their survival in the high mountains of the Andes and final rescue just before Christmas 1972 would become known as The Miracle in the Andes.

Bonus

Marshall University Football Team

1970

The year 1970 was to prove a grim year for college football program travel. Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered commercial jet flight from Kinston, North Carolina, to Ceredo, West Virginia. At 7:35 pm on November 14, 1970, the aircraft crashed into a hill just short of the airport, killing all 75 people on board. The plane was carrying 37 members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football squad, eight members of the coaching staff, 25 boosters, four flight crew members, and one employee of the charter company. The team was returning home after a 17–14 loss against the East Carolina Pirates. At the time, Marshall’s athletic teams rarely traveled by plane, with most away games within easy driving distance of the campus. The team had originally planned to cancel the flight, but changed plans and chartered the Southern Airways DC-9.
On the return flight to West Virginia the flight crew were informed to descend to 5,000 feet. The controllers had advised the crew that there was “rain, fog, smoke and a ragged ceiling” making landing more difficult but not impossible. The airliner was on its final approach when it collided with the tops of trees on a hillside 5,543 feet (1,690 m) west of runway 12. As a result of the impact, the plane burst into flames and created a swath of charred ground 95 feet (29 m) wide and 279 feet (85 m) long. According to the official NTSB report, the accident was “unsurvivable”. The aircraft had “dipped to the right, almost inverted and had crashed into a hollow ‘nose-first’”. The fire was very intense and the remains of six individuals that were discovered on the plane were never identified.
The National Transportation Safety Board investigation concluded that the crash was either the result of the crew misreading the airplane instrumentation, or a faulty altimeter. Many team boosters and prominent citizens were on the plane. Seventy children lost at least one parent in the crash, with 18 of them left orphaned. The crash of Flight 932 almost led to the discontinuation of the university’s football program. However, students and Thundering Herd football fans convinced the university President to reconsider and the school began rebuilding the program. They brought together a group of players who were on the junior varsity during the 1970 season, other students and athletes from other sports; many of these players had never attempted to play football before, and the team played on.
On November 12, 1972, the Memorial Fountain was dedicated at the campus entrance to the Memorial Student Center. Every year, on the anniversary of the crash, the fountain is shut off at the exact time of the crash, and not activated again until the following spring

How to get a good leadership qualities

A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion."

A leader must be able to communicate his or her vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, inspiring others to do the same.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.

Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the team, only opportunities to achieve something great.

Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if … ?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is, “I know this is a dumb question ... ”

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.

Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that being underassertive or overassertive may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.

A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the work environment. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.

Intrinsic traits such as intelligence, good looks, height and so on are not necessary to become a leader. Anyone can cultivate the proper leadership traits.

World's Largest Cruise Ship Pulls 360s with Joystick

GENESIS

Price Tag: $1.2 billion
Completion Date: 2009
Total Length: 1180 feet
Passengers: 6400

In the cruise ship industry, the battle for bragging rights has turned into a QE2-size slugfest. In 2003, Cunard stole the crown for world's largest cruise ship when it launched the 151,410-ton Queen Mary 2; three years later Royal Caribbean topped it with the 154,000-ton Freedom of the Seas. Now, Royal Caribbean is set to raise the stakes yet again with the 220,000-ton Genesis, slated to launch in 2009 from a shipyard in Turku, Finland. (A second Genesis will launch a year later.) Why is bigger better? "Having more real estate, we can provide more deck area," says Royal Caribbean's Harri Kulovaara. "That means more entertainment options and better amenities."
Make no mistake, Genesis will be no lumbering behemoth. The ship's three main propellers will swivel 360 degrees on independent bearings. All will be driven by electric motors powered by the ship's central bank of six diesel generators, and steered by an integrated navigation and control system. From the bridge, the captain will be able to move the ship in any direction — forward, backward, sideways — with the flick of a joystick. No tugboats required.

Sizing Up: Boats

Knock Nevis

Claim to fame	Largest ship ever (now retired)
Length	1504 feet
Displacement	564,763 tons
Launched	1981
Capacity	4.1 million barrels

Emma Maersk

Claim to fame	Longest ship (in service)
Length	1303 feet
Displacement	156,907 tons
Launched	2006
Capacity	11,000 shipping containers

USS Ronald Reagan

Claim to fame	Largest warship
Length	1092 feet
Displacement	98,235 tons
Launched	2003
Capacity	85 aircraft and a crew of over 6000

Tips for online auctions

For just a moment, try to comprehend the power of the Internet. Every day, there are millions of people from around the globe “surfing the web.”

People run their business from the Internet, search for love, research succulent recipes, plan vacations, and best of all – they SHOP! People that shop are always looking for a bargain, not just any bargain, but something spectacular.

The most popular public auction site, eBay, is where people gather to find anything from dishes to jewelry to houses and just about everything in between. Last year there was even a mother sold on eBay!

You can purchase amazing original artwork from China, have it signed by the artist, and shipped directly to your home. Perhaps you are trying to find 12 yards of Toile to reupholster your couch. You might even be looking for a new lawnmower or different power tools. The great news is that eBay has it all!

The other side of buying is the selling. Anyone can sell anything on eBay. Open an account, list your product, and wait for the bids to start coming in. There are secrets to being a power seller on eBay. While it is true that anyone can sell, to be successful, you need to know the inside secrets. One woman made over $250,000 last year on items sold on eBay. She is just one out of thousands and thousands of people that make a ton of money just selling merchandise.

Are you ready to learn how to be an eBay seller? You will find it to be easy, fun, and exciting.

1.
Collectibles

Hot sellers on eBay are collectibles such as coins, stamps, or dolls. You can check out the collectibles category to get a better idea of what people love to buy. Anything that will move up in value would fall in this category.

2.
Consumables

This popular category would include anything that people use and then would need to buy again such as lotions, perfumes, camera film, candles, etc.

3.
Information Products

In this category, you would sell anything that can be sent on a CD or floppy disc or downloaded from the Internet. This is another popular category.

4.
Start at Home

When you first get started, it can be a little unnerving. The best option is to start by looking around your own home. Think of items that you would sell in a garage sale. However, instead of pricing each item and lugging it outside hoping for a nice sunny day, you can advertise them on the Internet.

5.
Just eBay

Although there are several other quality auction websites, eBay is by far the most popular and most successful. Although you could start using all the other sites, by spreading yourself out too thin you take the risk of getting things mixed up. In reality, it is better to use eBay and focus your attention and efforts on this one site. You will not be disappointed.

6.
Look Around

Navigate through each section to familiarize yourself with all the different pages. You will find a site map and help tab, which are very useful tools. It will take a little time to get used to the site but start by looking. As you start selling, navigating will become much easier.

7.
Quick Response

When you have an item listed on eBay and a potential buyer contacts you with a question, respond quickly. It is important and actually critical to your success to check your account several times a day. Answering a question could be the difference between you getting the sale or the buyer going elsewhere.

8.
Trustworthiness

It is extremely important that you handle your account with integrity. The number of positive comments and amount of stars earned are what will be the deciding factor for many buyers. Be professional, polite, and stand by what you sell.

9.
Accuracy

When you list your item(s) on eBay, write an accurate description. You do not have to write long paragraphs of rambling information but provide exact measurements, colors, condition, etc. Be extremely precise when it comes to your description.

10.
Buyer Contact

Once your item(s) have sold, be responsive to the buyer. Contact them in a quick manner, thank them for their purchase, and provide the required information for payment.

11.
Sending Items

In your description, provide accurate details regarding shipment. Make sure the item(s) are sent within the time you stated. In many cases, people purchase something for a specific purpose and if you do not ship it when stated, not only do you mess up their schedule for the item but you have probably lost a customer and opened the door for a negative feedback.

12.
Professional Wrapping

When you wrap your item(s), wrap it professionally in nice, clean tissue paper. If breakable, be sure the item is wrapped with bubble wrap as well. Include a business card with your website information, name, address, or a printed out statement showing the item(s) name, item(s) number, price paid, and a small hand-written note thanking the buyer for their purchase.

13.
Payment Options

The more options you can provide potential buyers, the better your chances of making the sale. Your options include PayPal, which is an online payment service, Billpoint, eBay’s payment system, personal checks, money orders, or cash. Remember that you will have buyers from around the world so an online payment service is extremely helpful.

14.
Shipping / Handling

You should always charge actual shipping costs. Several options can be added to your account that provides the actual costs. Another option is to state that you will provide actual shipping at the end of the auction, based on the destination zip code. Overcharging customers for shipping and handling is frowned upon and will result is unhappy customers.

15.
Insurance

Insurance is usually a good idea but in general, it should be an optional feature, with the decision left to the buyer. Remember two important things about insurance. First, insurance is VERY inexpensive. Therefore, in your description, you should state how much insurance would cost and recommend it. Second, you should also state in the description that if insurance is not purchased, you are not responsible for lost or damaged items.

16.
Go the Extra Mile

You want every customer to be a happy customer. If you have to do a little more research on shipping, or negotiate on price, remember that the customer is the reason you will have success. Therefore, be prepared to go the extra mile in providing them with superior service every single time.

17.
Auction Price

Set your auctions low, which will help encourage more bidding. The more bidding you have, the higher the price will ultimately go. In addition, if you add a “Buy Now” option for your auction, keep this set at a reasonable rate as well.

18.
Listing Category

When you choose which category to list your items, choose wisely. You will find some categories that are similar yet just enough different that it could make a big difference in how your item(s) is sold. Look at other items listed and choose appropriately.

19.
Sell by Lots

If you have two or more of one item, you can list it as a “lot.” For example, if you had five bottles of suntan lotion purchased from a salvage store for .50 each, and you decided to list them on eBay for $1.00 each, rather than list each one separately, another option is to sell them as a lot. Often times, people perform their search based on lots. However, if you had one bottle of suntan lotion, one bottle of regular lotion, and one bottle of aloe vera, you would want to list them as their own item.

20.
Completed Items

Look through completed items to research the prices paid by buyers for other auctions similar to yours. This will provide you with a better idea of what a good asking price would be if you were not sure where to start.

21.
Photographs

While auctions without photographs can and do sell, auctions with photographs sell much better. People like visualizations and want to see what their money is getting them. Make sure your photograph is clear, focused, and depending on the item (such as rings, shoes, etc.), offers more than just a straight view.

22.
Competitor Analysis

Just like any other business, you need to know what your competitors are doing. This will help you make the best possible decision when it comes to your own auction. Before listing your item(s), do a search for the same type item(s) to see what their descriptions looks like. Find different aspects from different sellers and use them to form one comprehensive site for yourself.

23.
Mister Lister

If you have trouble listing your item, use eBay’s service, Mister Lister, to help you get your items listed with ease. This is just one of many outstanding services provided by eBay.

24.
Size and Weight

If possible, stay with items that are smaller and lightweight. Remember that whatever you sell, you have to ship. Items such as furniture, lawnmowers, etc. are generally sold through a manufacturer or wholesaler. As an independent seller, you want to sell items that are easy to manage.

25.
Shipping Options

Set up accounts with several overnight couriers such as Federal Express and UPS. Once again, the more options offered, the better your auction will be received.

26.
Weighing

In order to provide accurate details and help in determining shipping costs, you need to know exact weights. The best option, which will save you many unnecessary trips to the post office, is to purchase an inexpensive quality scale for weighing your packages.

27.
Postage

Instead of always running out of stamps or having to run to the post office to ship a smaller item, fill out the information located at stamps.com where you can print stamps directly from your home computer.

28.
Shipping Rates

A quick and easy way to determine shipping costs is by visiting iship.com. This will allow you to provide shipping information to the buyer quickly, which in turn prompts quick payment.

29.
Reserve Auctions

Instead of listing your auction starting at a minimum bid, you might try setting a low reserve price, which attracts some bidders. Once your item(s) sells eBay then refunds your reserve auction fee.

30.
About Me

This important page needs to be completed. This is your opportunity to brag to your customers about the excellent service and amazing products you provide. Tell buyers about your guarantees, your integrity, and anything you like to encourage buyers to check out your auctions.

31.
HTML Code

If you want to bring life to your auctions, you should try using HTML tags. A strong recommendation by eBay is to avoid flashing animations since they actually create a distraction from your items. If you do not know how to use HTML, eBay offers an HTML tutorial page or you can hire someone to do this for you for a reasonable fee.

32.
Weekend Listings

To increase your chance of selling your item(s), work the amount of time you choose for your auction (7 or 10 days) to end on a weekend (there are some exceptions listed further down). The reason is that more bidders visit eBay on the weekends and since people jump in at the last minute to get a bargain, you increase your chance of a sale.

33.
Headlines

Do not add symbols such as asterisks (***) in your headlines. Although they may add a little punch to your headline, they also mess up how your auction is posted since asterisks are a part of HTML code. In fact, if you use asterisk, there is a high probability that your auction will not even show up.

34.
NetMechanic.com

If you have a photograph that is too large for eBay’s specifications, you can shrink them down using netmechanic.com. When you first get started, working with photographs can be a little challenging. Do not give up – eBay offers this service for this very reason.

35.
Checkout

If you choose to use eBay’s checkout system, make sure every box is checked when you list your item(s). This option can be helpful when used correctly, but can also be confusing.

36.
Community Boards

Pay attention to the community boards provided by eBay. They offer valuable information and helpful tips that can ultimately save you time and effort.

37.
Flaws

Advise potential buyers of any flaws in your products. If you are selling a plate that has a small chip, mention this in the description. If you are selling fabric and it has a small tear, disclose this information. The majority of eBay buyers are looking for bargains, which means minor defects can often be overlooked. The worse possible scenario would be to keep a flaw hidden and then have to deal with handling returns as well as losing a buyer.

38.
Negative Feedback

Unlike other sites that use a feedback system, eBay’s feedback is sacred and taken very seriously. Negative feedback is never removed. Therefore, if you leave negative feedback rather than trying to handle a tough situation between you and the seller, this could give you a bad reputation. If people see that you consistently leave negative feedback because your buyer did not pay as quickly as you like or whatever reason, buyers will be leery of buying from you in fear of getting negative feedback themselves should something go wrong.

39.
Second ID

One of the great features on eBay is the benefit of having more than one ID. If you will be doing a lot of selling, this doubles or triples your chance of selling and setting up different types of auction sites.

40.
PO Freebies

If you use the Priority Mail option through your post office, they will provide all your supplies free. This would include boxes, labels, and tape. Best of all, they deliver all these supplies directly to your door. In addition, go to USPS.com or UPS.com and request mailing supplies.41.
Post Office Box

Rather than use your home address, rent a mailbox at your local post office. This maintains the security of your home address while ensuring that everything comes and goes out of one place. These boxes are very inexpensive and well worth the small investment.

42.
eBay Canada

When you get ready to sell items on eBay, consider signing up for eBay.ca (Canada). The Canada site is not as large as the US version of eBay so there are considerably fewer listings, which means that you have a greater chance of selling your item(s) since there is less competition.

43.
Excluded Items

Although eBay accepts just about every type of item, there are a few exclusions such as explosions, corrosive material, etc. Before you go through the entire process of listing your item(s), make sure you are not listing something forbidden by checking out the do’s and don’ts listed on eBay.

44.
Category Guide

Use eBay’s Category Guide, which is a helpful tool to ensure you place your auction item(s) in the appropriate category.

45.
Auction Title

Just as using a strong title for a book, your eBay auction title needs to captivate buyers. You are allowed 45 characters for your title and you need to use common words that will draw attention. Use this space carefully and to your advantage. Think of words that will be easily found when people conduct a search. For example, if you are selling six yards of fabric you could say something like, “Stunning material – Don’t miss this great bargain.” If you are selling fishing poles, try something like, “Love to fish? GREAT buy on fishing poles!” Since the search option on eBay looks for specific characters, you should try to list the item both singular and plural. As an example, for the fishing poles, you could list the auction as, “Fishing Poles – Get your fishing pole now!” Avoid wasted words such as WOW or Look Here. Buyers are looking so there is no need to tell them to look. Again, as buyers looking through the listings, the titles are what will capture their attention. Make your impression a strong one!

46.
Abbreviations

Saving space in titles can be important if you have a longer description. Look at other auctions selling the same type of merchandise to get an idea of the types of abbreviations that will work. As an example, you could write, “Do U love to fish?” or “Gorgeous material 4 sale.”

47.
Buyer’s Questions

When you write your description try to think of questions buyers may have so your description will answer as many possible questions as possible. This will save time in relaying messages back and forth. This would include the manufacturers’ name, condition of the item(s), special features, warranties, color, defects, etc.

48.
Focus

Before you post your photos, make sure they are focused, aligned, centered, etc. A bad photo can stop the sale of your item(s) just as a good photo can help make the sale. In addition, if there is a difference, even slight, in color from what the actual item is and how it shows in the photo, be sure to describe any discrepancies in detail.

49.
Pricing Methods

If you find that starting a price low and building is not working for you, try various pricing methods to find the one that you are comfortable with using. A great feature now offered by eBay is fixed pricing, which is something many people like to use.

50.
Page One

The very first page is the sell form where you will find three choices. This is a valuable forum where you will determine your pricing method. Do not skim through this page but read all the detail and make good choices.

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Tips to keep your hair longer - thinning hair in women

You have been aware that more hair than usual appears on the floor after a shower. Do you get worried or hope it is just a phase and will pass. If you suddenly notice a significant amount of hair is falling out then the very first thing to do is to visit your doctor.
You need to find out if there is any medical reason why you are experiencing sudden hair loss, and that can be hormonal changes due to pregnancy that will pass. If however there is now specific medical reason why your hair is thinning, then I have some tips to help you keep your hair for longer.
1. Stress - one of the biggest causes of problems in our bodies, and can also affect the hair. If you are in a stressful situation be it at home or work, then this could be causing your hair to come out. Look at what you can do to reduce stress in your life, more downtime or "you time" everyday will certainly help.
2. Diet - are you eating well and getting the right nutrients you body needs? This is also important if you have stress in your life. The right diet not only helps us to feel good, but provides our body with everything it needs to function properly. If you have been skipping meals, or eating too many meals on the run, then you are probably not getting enough of the right vitamin and minerals. Vitamin B group is helpful for good healthy hair.
3. Exercise - also important to help against stress. Exercise is important to maintain healthy shiny hair. Exercise helps to increase and improve circulation. Improv3ed circulation means more blood getting to the scalp which can lean to healthier hair. Healthy hair is strong hair.
4. Hair products - some hair care products have a harsh effect on the scalp and the hair follicles, which can damage the hair follicles and lead to thinner hair. To protect your hair always use gentle products. Heat from hair dryers used excessively can lead to damage to the hair strands. To keep you r hair looking healthier look for alternatives to heat treatments.
These tips will help you protect your hair, but will not stop thinning. There are products available to prevent the hair follicle from becoming damaged which leads to hair loss. These products like Rogaine which is applied to the scalp. These products have to be used continually. Hair loss will continue if the treatment is stopped.

The most effective tip I can give you, is to decide early to look after your hair. If you suspect your hair is thinning then take immediate action to maintain the hair you currently have for as long as possible. It is always easier to protect what you have than to replace lost hair.

Facts about channel tunnel

The Channel Tunnel, or "Chunnel" constitutes an ambitious effort to span one of the most important waterways in the world. The English Channel stretches between France and Great Britain, separating the UK from continental Europe. It as served as a protective barrier in the past--helping to keep England free of invasion from Napoleon and Nazi Germany among others--but can serve as a barrier to travel and trade. For thousands of years, passage across the Channel was limited to boats and ferries (though plane travel appeared in the 20th Century). The Channel Tunnel changed all of that forever.

History

1. Plans for building a passage across the English Channel can be traced to 1802, when Albert Mathieu drew up an optimistic plan involving horse-drawn carriages and an island midway across the Channel. British national security concerns soon nixed it, along with numerous similar proposals. In the later half of the 20th Century, however, Britain and France had become close allies, and security concerns were lessened. Even then, it took some time before a proper plan came to fruition. The Treaty of Canterbury, signed in 1986, officially commissioned the project. Tunneling began in June, 1988 on the French side and December of that year on the British side. The Chunnel officially opened in May, 1994.

Specifics

2. The Channel Tunnel actually consists of three separate tunnels: two railway tunnels and a service tunnel between them. The two terminals stand at Folkestone on the British side and Coquelles (near Calais) on the French side. It runs just over 31 miles, and transportation is permitted for Eurotunnel Shuttle, Eurostar passenger trains and freight trains carrying cargo. Services exist allowing travelers to take cars through: the cars are placed on trains and then unloaded on the far side, allowing for easy transport.

Speed

3. The biggest advantage of the Channel Tunnel has been the speed of overland routes between Britain and France. The rigmarole of air traffic is eliminated, and there's no need to take a slow-moving ferry. High speed trains traveling through the Channel Tunnel can complete a trip from London to Paris in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Traffic Levels

4. Traffic levels have not been what the Channel Tunnel builders anticipated, and the endeavor has often operated at a loss. Freight tonnage varies between 1.2 million and 3 million per year, though that number has steadily declined since 2001. The number of passengers using the Chunnel averages about 15 million per year.

Fires

5. As of 2009, three fires large enough to necessitate its closure have broken out in the Channel Tunnel. The first took place in 1996, the second in 2000 and the third in 2008. No one was killed in those fires--Britain and France have coordinated emergency plans for most contingencies--but they have caused expensive damage to the Channel facilities.

Top 10 most expensive projects in the world

These most expensive projects in the world belong to several projects in the world that cost a lot of money to make amazing results. Those projects become masterpiece of the human civilizations. Here’s 10 most expensive projects in the world. Those projects is like a parameter of how advanced human technology is. So here’s the list that maybe will make You inspired to make something more amazing
10. The Pearl Bridge : $ 5 Billions
This bridge has a longest center span from other suspension bridges, at 1991 meters (6532 feet). Located in Japan and completed in 1998. Connecting the mainland city of Kobe on Honshu to Iwaya on Awaji Island crossing a busy Akashi Strait.

The Pearl bridge

9. The Large Hadron Collider : $ 6 Billions

LHC is the world’s largest energy particle accelerator. LHC is located in a 27 kilometers (17 miles) tunnel and 175 meters (570 feet) below the French-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland.

The Large Hadron Collider

8. The James “Sunny Jim” Rolph Bridge : $ 6.3 Billions
A series of bridges in San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. Establish a direct route between San Francisco and Oakland. Able to carry about 270,000 vehicles per day on two decks.

The James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Bridge

7. International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER): $6,5 Billions
ITER is a research / engineering project that could help to make the transition of plasma physics to future electricity generation mix (fusion power plant).

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

6. Trans-Alaska Pipeline System : $ 8 Billions

The Project consists of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, 11 gas stations, several hundred miles of feeder pipelines, and the Valdez Marine Terminal. Total length of 800.302 miles (1,287.961 km) and wide 48-inch (122 cm) pipeline delivering oil from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, Alaska. Private property of the Alaska Pipeline Service Company.

Trans Alaska pipeline system

Trans Alaska Pipeline System in Snow

5. PCU Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78): $8.1 Billions

PCU Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is to be the lead ship of her class of United States Navy supercarriers. As announced by the U.S. Navy on 16 January 2007, the ship will be named after the 38th President of the United States, the late Gerald R. Ford, whose World War II naval service included combat duty aboard the light aircraft carrier Monterey in the Pacific Theater.
Gerald R. Ford was laid down on 13 November 2009. Construction work began on 11 August 2005, when Northrop Grumman held a ceremonial steel cut for a 15-ton plate that will form part of a side shell unit of the carrier. The schedule calls for the ship to join the U.S. Navy’s fleet in 2015. Gerald R. Ford is slated to replace the current USS Enterprise, ending her then 50-plus years of service with the United States Navy.

PCU Gerald R Ford CVN 78

4. Le tunnel sous la Manche: $8.31 Billions

The Channel Tunnel (French: Le tunnel sous la Manche), known colloquially as the Chunnel, is a 50.5-kilometre (31.4 mi) undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent near Dover in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais  near Calais  in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point it is 75 metres (250 ft) deep.At 37.9 kilometres (23.5 mi), the Channel Tunnel has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world although the Seikan Tunnel in Japan is both longer overall, at 53.85 kilometres (33.46 mi) and deeper, at 240 metres (790 ft) below sea level.
The tunnel carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, Eurotunnel Shuttle roll-on/roll-off vehicle transport—the largest in the world—and international rail freight trains. The tunnel connects end-to-end with the LGV Nord and Channel Tunnel Rail Link high-speed railway lines. In 1996 the American Society of Civil Engineers identified the tunnel as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
Ideas for a cross-Channel fixed link appeared as early as 1802, but British political and press pressure over compromised national security stalled attempts to construct a tunnel. However, the eventual successful project, organised by Eurotunnel, began construction in 1988 and opened in 1994. The project came in 80% over its predicted budget. Since its construction, the tunnel has faced several problems. Fires have disrupted operation of the tunnel. Illegal immigrants and asylum seekers have used the tunnel to enter Britain, causing a minor diplomatic disagreement over the siting of the Sangatte refugee camp, which was eventually closed in 2002

Le tunnel sous la Manche

3. The Big Dig Boston: $14.6 Billions
A route of mega project main highway tunnel through the heart of Boston along the 3.5 miles (5.6 km). Initially, the plan was also to include the relationship between Boston with two major railway.

The Big Dig Boston

2. Three Gorges Dam : $ 26 Billions
Dam of the Yangtze River in the town of Sandouping, which is located in Yiling District Yichang, Hubei province, China. is the world’s largest power plants. Body of the dam was completed in 2006. contains 32 main generators, each with a capacity of 700 MW. Additional six generators at the power plant being installed underground.
the total electricity generating capacity of the dam will eventually reach 22,500 MW. Generate hydroelectric power projects, increasing the capacity of river navigation, and reduce the potential for flooding downstream floods by providing storage space. Until September 2009 the dam has produced 348.4 TWh of electricity.

Three Gorges Dam

1.International Space Center : $157 Billions
International Space Station (ISS) is a research facility developed internationally are currently located in low Earth orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled for completion in 2011, with operations continuing until at least until 2015. just like the moon, the station can be seen from Earth with the naked eye, this is the largest man-made orbiting ever in history. ISS serves as a long-term research in the laboratory, and is the site of daily experiments in the fields, including biology, human biology, physics, astronomy and meteorology, conducted in the microgravity environment. The station provides a safe location for testing the efficient, reliable spacecraft systems that will be needed for long-term missions to the Moon and Mars.

International Space Center

Do You have other larger projects than those projects?