The Brotherhood of Web Development And Web Designing

On a broader scale, web development includes the process of web designing, as the development of a website will include the process of designing. But the skills that a professional needs for web development jobs are different than those for web designing work. Still we will say that it is a brotherhood of professionals as one cannot live without the other.

Like in a brotherhood, every member will have a defined role in the organization, so does every person in a web development organization. There will be developers as well as designers who will be skill-ready for professional work in their own domains. Like in a Venn diagram these domains may overlap at some functions but majorly remain different. They need to maintain an understanding of each other's capabilities as well as roles.

The creativity and artistic streaks need to be showed in produced designs by a good web designer. The creative streak needs to be individualistic but the integration of the designs needs to be possible, and the designs should be attractive as well as productive. Then the role of a web development professional starts, the logic of these designs and integration into the website development procedure. The production and maintenance of the website will involve web development skills.

Very similar to human brain the web development and web designing are the two sides which together form a good website development organization. They need to work together with synchronization and understanding so as to reduce the work load and increase the throughput of the organization. If there is some communication gap or misunderstanding between two teams then the resultant production could be really bad design and functionality of the website.

The term web designing is generally given to the design process relating to the front-end (client side) design of a website including writing mark up, and this is the grey area which causes troubles in the brotherhood. As it is the responsibility of both the web designing and web development teams. The back-end (user side) is solely handled by the developer and the work is generally not seen by the client other than the functionality which the user will feel and observe.

The look is governed by the designer whereas the fell is governed by the developer. The users interaction while observing the graphics, images, designs, etc. is affected by the skill level of the web designing which has been done on the website. Whereas the client's experience with the features, working, user-experience, etc. will be governed by the development teams skills. When both of them work in unity they produce marvels which are a delight to the user as well as the client, to the customers as well as the customers of the customer.

In the world of website development, all the members need to work efficiently in order to bring smiles to the internet users. Brotherhood of web designers and developers has been united since the dawn of web services and will remain so till the internet survives.

Overweight Child? 10 Ways to Help Your Child Lose Weight and Stay Fit

With the number of obese children in this country continually on the rise, it is more important than ever to pay attention to what your child is eating. Children have also become more sedentary as their favorite types of entertainment have switched from active play to video games.

If you have an overweight child, it is up to you to help him lose weight so that he will be healthier now and as an adult. The eating habits that are developed as a child will carry over into adulthood, so it is important to get him into the habit of eating right while he is still young. Here are 10 tips that will help you guide an overweight child to lose weight and be healthy.

o Set a great example by eating healthy food, and working out yourself. It is much easier to promote healthy eating and fitness when you are actually practicing good habits yourself.

o Stress the importance of good health, and eating correctly, rather than focusing on a number on the scale or a size.

o Visit the doctor for a checkup, especially if your child seems to be craving sweets, urinating frequently at night or frequently during the day, has blurred vision, or unexplained fatigue. Along with the increase in obesity, juvenile diabetes is on the rise as well as an increasing number of children who are developing adult onset diabetes.

o Fast food is one of the biggest problems for obese children. Portion sizes are overly large, and the food is packed with fat and sugar. Even if you have to cook ahead of time and freeze the meals, avoid the drive through window.

o Always have fresh fruits and vegetables available for kids to snack on. One of the healthiest ways for an overweight child to lose weight is to increase the nutritious, high fiber foods that they need for healthy digestion and for their vitamin requirements. Variety is the key to getting everything they need. This will also supply antioxidants which will boost their immune system.

o Can't seem to get them moving? Start by incorporating some sort of outdoor activity for fifteen minutes every day. It can be shooting baskets, passing a football, or swimming if that is an option. Once they get into the habit, you will likely find them doing it for longer periods of time without having to prompt them. It's all a matter of finding the activity that they enjoy enough to put the effort into. A new bike, scooter, or pair of skates can go a long way towards encouraging healthy outdoor play.

o Start with a good, hot breakfast. Kids who skip breakfast or eat sugary toaster pastries can't function as well and they will be starving early in the day. This leads to more unhealthy snacking when their sugar level drops.

o Don't expect them to give up sweets completely. There is nothing wrong with having a small dessert after they have eaten a healthy dinner, just not in place of it.

o Focus on things you know your child likes and that are good food choices. Make them available so that he chooses them in place of foods that will contribute to the problem.

o Don't reward with food-instead choose fun activities, small incentives like stickers or other non-food rewards.

Make changes your child's diet one meal at a time and try to get him moving by going on family adventures that require getting outside and walking. Working together is the best way to help your overweight child get healthy, and stay that way.

Taming September - Avoiding Fall Frenzy

When September rolls around, does it generally hit you like a ton of bricks? Do you feel as if that invisible being in charge of your life has suddenly ratcheted up the speed on your treadmill? WAY up?

This year, take on September with some new tools and expectations. See if you can stand up to it more strongly than you have in the past.

After Labor Day, it's as if summer's message, "Enjoy life," is replaced with a shrill "Get back to work! Do you know how much there is to do??" And many of us are so shocked by the change in the message and the cool weather, that we give it all up, rushing back to our old habits of working too hard and playing too little.

But taming September is possible. Here are some practical ways you can do it.

Tie Your Hand to Your Hip Which hand? The one you raise when you volunteer for more responsibilities. September is not the time to take on anything extra. Just shifting gears into fall is hard enough. You're already dealing with its inherent tripling of the pace of life around you and the resumption of heavier schedules and obligations after summer's lighter load. Restrain yourself from chairing a committee, hosting 25 extended family members for dinner, or taking on yet another new project at work, especially if it keeps you at the office longer hours. Underline this suggestion twice if you or other members of your household are going back to school. And if you're job-hunting . . . tie both hands to your hips. Use strong rope when you tie your hand, because your hand will repeatedly and vigorously attempt its habitual "Yes." Remember you can always take on more in October, not to mention the entire rest of your life. Streamline Your Operation As you re-enter the faster-paced portion of the year, you will initially see things with an outsider's perspective. Leverage this to your advantage. For a brief moment, you'll have the consultant's fresh and objective point of view. In particular, look for ways to streamline your operation both on the home front and at work. Here are some examples: If you regularly drive your children places throughout the week, see if you can consolidate driving and trade off with other parents. Identify the repetitive low-level tasks that you do every week, and consider delegating them. Don't be stopped by financial considerations or failure of the imagination or money - there ARE ways to have other people do some of these tasks. Where are you spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere? Stop spinning. Get some help. Identify where technology could help you get things done more efficiently. Make the effort, take the time to learn and implement the new technology. Do not postpone harvesting and implementing your "consultant" ideas. Once you're entrenched in last year's MO again, you'll no longer have the perspective necessary to make the change. Keep Some Summer in Your Fall Imagine that you've been kidnapped into servitude, unjustly whisked away from your happy life. When your taskmasters aren't looking, take a break! Schedule a date for time for YOU. Get a massage. See a friend. Go for a bike ride. Walk along a body of water. Fuel yourself with what truly nourishes you. You must not get worn down! You owe it to yourself and all the people who depend on you. Now more than ever is when you need it, even though it may not look that way. Know, of course, that you have the strength and character to do what needs to be done, to rise to the challenge of yet another September. But take extra good, loving care of yourself. Make sure you don't become your own relentless taskmaster. Spread Calm You can do this with very little personal risk, cost, or effort. This is how it works. Assume that EVERYONE around you is overly stretched in September. Whether they acknowledge it or not, trust me, they are Septembered Out. Your highly essential task here is to a) know this and b) gauge your time and expectations so you can cut people a little extra slack this month. They will love you for it, and your life will run more smoothly. If you have followed the tips above, you will have the personal reserve to give others in your life the unexpected gift of extra slack. For example, your son will NOT be organized enough to buy all his school supplies in one trip, no matter how directly you request it. He will need to go back a second time. After all, he's only 8 (or 14). Pace yourself for it, so when he realizes what he forgot and asks you to take him again, you can be cool and calm and just do it. You don't have to get irritated. You might even take him out for a slice of pizza afterwards and ask him how his September is going. He will be shocked and pleased, even if he turns you down.

Try out these techniques and see how it goes. Be bold in using your whip and your chair. You'll avoid some of the stress and overwork you've experienced in the past, leaving you more available to enjoy September's own freshness, energy, and beauty.

And by the way, who IS in charge of your life?

Copyright 2005. Sharon Teitelbaum. All rights reserved.

5 Easy Linkback Strategies

If you are new to internet marketing, you may have heard about linkbacks. Linkbacks are one of the ways that search engines rank the importance of your site. Therefore they are important for Search Engine Optimization. There are many ways to get linkbacks and here are five easy ones that you can implement.

1. Article Marketing: This is one of the easiest strategies to execute. You write an article or have someone write one for you and submit it to article directories. Within the article you will included a "link" back to your website, thus you have a linkback from a high PR website. One strategy to use when writing articles is to research highly searched for keywords that are relevant to the article subject and then include them in your article, especially in the title. Articles need to provide valuable information to the reader or help them solve a problem.

2. Press Releases: This is a similar strategy to article submission but with a media like focus. Press releases are written in the third person and are concise and to the point. They present news worthy information about a major company change, acquisition, hiring, new product launches or services. It needs to have a catchy headline and a link back to your website.

3. Blogs: There are two ways that blogs can help build linkbacks. The first is simply writing blog posts to get the word out about your company and what you are selling. Blogs give you a chance to show your expertise and help build customer confidence. It is a good idea to offer something free in your blog, like a video or newsletter in exchange for a person's email address. The second way is to leave comments on other relevant blogs which include a link back to your blog.

4. Video Marketing: YouTube serves up over two billion videos a day and can be a great place to showcase your product or service. Also, videos are watched by people of different age groups, typically between 18 and 55, thus allowing you to reach a diverse audience. You can either provide a link in your YouTube profile or in text as an overlay during the video. Another interesting fact is that YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google so making videos to syndicate online will definitely be worth your effort especially now that videos are being indexed by search engines.

5. Social Media: In developing an online marketing strategy it is essential to leverage social media platforms for driving targeted traffic, branding and linkbacks. These include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. All you have to do is add updates on a consistent basis. You can then direct readers to your blog or website and keep readers informed about specials, new products or industry specific news that may be of interest to your followers. All of your top social media platforms have a high Page Rank thus giving your linkback some nice "link juice."

5 Reasons Why your Child in Special Education May Not be Getting FAPE, and How You Can Help

Does your child receive special education services and you wonder if they are receiving an appropriate education? This article, will discuss 5 reasons why your child may not be receiving a free appropriate public education. And also, what can you do about it? There is a lot that you can do to ensure a free appropriate public education for your child.

Reason 1: Many special education personnel have extremely low expectations, for children with disabilities. You must have high expectations for your child, just because they are not learning, does not mean that they can't. They may need to be taught a different way.

Reason 2: Some special education personnel limit or refuse to provide, educational and related services that children with disabilities need. Some special education personnel will even deny that a child has autism, so that they do not have to provide more intense special education services. It is your job as a parent to fight for the services that your child requires. Try to meet other parents, of children with disabilities, in your school district. Help each other advocate, and attend each other's IEP meetings. Together you will be a strong group.

Reason 3: The curriculums, that some school districts use to teach children with disabilities, do not work. Special education personnel are often reluctant to change methodology, even if the child is not learning. Investigate different curriculums, for your child's disability. Join disability organizations and meet other parents. This will allow you to share information with each other, what works.

Reason 4: Parents, are often forced to pay for independent educational evaluations (IEE's), to prove that their child needs certain special education services. If a parent must pay for an IEE, to ensure that their child receives a free and appropriate public education, then the education is no longer free. If your school district evaluates your child, and you disagree with the evaluation (or the way it is interpreted), then the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), gives you the right to have an Independent Evaluation at Public Expense. My book Disability Deception has an entire chapter on IEE's that will give you more information on this subject.

Reason 5: Many school districts suspend children with disabilities, for behavior that is part of their disability. Educate yourself on what IDEA requires as far as behavior/discipline. Special education personnel can suspend a child up to 10 days.

Within 10 days of a decision to change a child's placement they must convene a manifestation determination meeting. This meeting is being held to determine if the behavior is part of your child's disability. If it is, they must do certain things to include developing a positive behavior plan. If they determine that the behavior is not part of your child's disability, then they can discipline them as they would a non disabled child. You can file for a due process hearing, if you disagree with the school districts manifestation determination decision.

By knowing why most children do not receive FAPE, you can advocate hard for your child. They are depending on you, because they may not be able to stand up for themselves.

Planning the Best Baby Showers - From Baby Shower Decorations to Food

In the lead up to having a baby, for the parents everything can feel like a production. Besides the stress of the actual childbirth, you have to get the nursery together, deal with the insurance costs and make sure the child has a financial nest egg to start their life.

This is why baby showers are left to the new mother's friends and family, because the last thing a mother needs to worry about is getting the right baby shower decorations. While it's not exactly brain surgery, if it's your first time doing it planning the right baby shower can be a little bit stressful. There is figuring out the guest list, sending out invitations, planning games, getting food and drinks, and, most of all, making sure everyone has a great time. It might sound like a lot, but as long as you take it step by step it shouldn't be any more of a hassle then, say, planning a get together with your friends.

Maybe the easiest part of the planning is getting a guest list together. This is pretty much all on the expectant mother, whoever she wants she can invite. Chances are she'll already have a list in her head ready by the time you come with her with your inquiry. Just make sure you have enough room for everyone in either your or her residence. Picking the right invitation again falls under the discretion of the mother-to-be. Some women might not care what invitations go out (at that point you can purchase them at Target or Wal-Mart), while others might want something more formal. You might want to check shops like Paper Chase and Papyrus for a wide variety of cute (though somewhat pricey) invitation ideas.

When it comes to planning games for the baby shower, your best bet might be to check out the countless number of planning books that are out there or, more economically, you can check out internet websites which highlight baby shower games. Some expectant mothers might want to skip the games and make the shower a more streamlined affair.

Two of the most important components of the baby shower will be the food and the drinks offered during the affair. Let's face it: one of the main reasons to go to any party is to graze on the food and drinks offered at it. While freshly made party platters offered from local grocers are a good idea for any party, those looking to get the affair catered might want to look towards a chain restaurant that offers platters off different "ethnic" food such as Greek, Mexican, Japanese, etc. Make sure the food matches with the expectant mothers and attendees tastes. As for drinks: soft drinks, mineral waters, juices, and wine are always good ideas.

The key to making any baby shower a hit is making sure both the mother to be and guests have a good time. The combination of good food, drinks, fun games and an overall good atmosphere will make any baby shower a hit.

Legal Aspects of Managing Technology Textbook Review

Legal Aspects of Managing Technology written by Lee Burgunder is a fairly good textbook geared towards a college classroom. Unlike many other textbooks, it actually addresses legal cases that students are interested in. Therefore, this book is recommended by the author to be taught in an IT related business law class.

This textbook covers cases such as Napster, Grokster, and Live 2 Crew which are extremely applicable to this time period's college students who grew up with these issues. In addition, it thoroughly covers issues that will need to be understood when the average college student reaches the business world such as sarbanes oxley.

The read itself is rather complex, but is still understandable by the average English speaking person. Expect international students to have a bit more issues especially when reading some of the cases and new terminology that the average person may not be familiar with. However, it is still not an ultra difficult read for an average college student which can be a real deterrent to reading some of the other business law textbooks out there. If you are a student, expect this textbook to be a semi-difficult read, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The examples they give in this textbook are incredibly interesting. They even talk about Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory CD which most college students will be able to relate to as this is modern music that they probably hear in high school or college. The author tries incredibly hard to relate to the students which makes this a very worth while read.

Overall, Legal Aspects of Managing Technology is highly recommended over your average business law textbook. You will find students getting much more involved and interested in the cases because of how modern and technology based the examples are. As of 2009, this textbook is still very applicable to both professors and students.

10 Elements to Powerful (and Profitable) Presentations

In the business world, there are all types of presentations that we do on a daily basis: sales presentations, prospecting meetings, staff meetings, client meetings, introductions...the list goes on and on. Instead of reinventing the wheel every time you face a new presentation, knowing the 10 elements to a powerful presentation will cut down on your preparation and save you from unnecessary stress.

1. Theme: What is point of the presentation? You should be able to answer that question in one sentence. The benefit of having a theme: Knowing your theme during the development phase of a presentation you keep you on track and help you avoid tangents. It also helps your audience remember your message.

2. Opening and Closing: Yes these could be two different elements, but they serve a very similar purpose. The opening and closing are the bookends that give you the opportunity to once again state your beyond benefits (#3) and you theme. Ideally, your closing should tie into your opening, creating the feeling of coming full circle.

3. Beyond Benefits: The focus of the presentation is not you, it's the audience. Write down a list of the benefits of either working with you, implementing this method, following this strategy, using this product, or buying you services. Then, look at the list and for each item ask yourself this magic question, "So what?" See if you can take that benefit one step further and find the Beyond Benefit. What is the true end result that your audience is looking for? How will what you're offering make their life easier?

4. Stories: People process information intellectually, they buy based on emotion. Creating an emotional connection with your listener(s) leads to a relationship which leads to more business. So in your presentations, how do you create that emotional connection? Stories. Find a story that is analogous to your discussion. Use the story that ties into your theme. A great place for your story is in your opening and closing.

5. Powerful Questions: Anthony Robbins so wisely says "Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers." Your presentations should have opportunities for dialogue. Learn what your prospect or client is needing and wanting. Assuming too much is just bad business. Remember, it's not about you, it's about them. (Aside: If you are giving a keynote to a large group, you rarely want to open the floor for dialogue. However, you still want to ask powerful rhetorical questions to keep them engaged and thinking.)

6. You and We Statements: The first half of your presentation should have a high ratio of "you statements", ensuring that you are engaging them by stating their needs and the Beyond Benefits of what you're offering. In the second half, there should be a seamless transition to high ratio of "we statements". Subconsciously your audience will start to see you as already part of the team.

7. Options: When you're giving a presentation to a prospect or a current client trying to convince them to try a new endeavor, it always helps to give them options. I learned this from Alan Weiss. It then changes the listener's thinking from "Should I do business with Shari'?" to "How should I do business with Shari'?"

8. Talk Back: No, I don't mean be rude. When you ask your powerful questions, it is always a good idea to repeat what you heard. "I understand that you are looking to..." This will help you clarify the needs of your audience. Then, your audience will be thinking, "She knows what I need. We're on the same page!"

9. Planned Follow-Up: Make it easy on yourself! In the meeting, set a time and method for follow-up. This way it opens the door to make another "touch" with your client or prospect. That way you are not call out of the blue when they thought everything was said and done.

10. Preparation: This is the most important. Prepare for your presentation ahead of time! It is the most simple and yet the most overlooked. You never know what curve balls are going to be thrown your way, but if you have a plan and a clear picture in your mind of what you want to cover, you will always get back on track. Now that you know what the 10 elements are to powerful (and profitable) presentations are, you have an outline to follow and your preparation time will be cut in half.

Presentations are a vital part of any business. Don't lose business because of a bad presentation. Implement these 10 elements and watch your business grow!

June Gloom Got You Down?

What is with this June Gloom? Is everyone experiencing it or is it just us Californians? It seems as though it is never going away and I'm trying not to let it get me down. It comes at the most odd time of the year to me, right when you are truly enjoying the amazing spring sunshine and getting ready for those hot summer days it hits. It's crazy! It's like all of a sudden you are pulling out pieces from your winter wardrobe that you just packed away once spring hit. It definitely does not make sense to keep wearing the fabulous sandals and flip flops you just bought when it's sprinkling outside. I just don't get it, so I decided to do some research on this June Gloom and find out the facts.

According to Wikipedia (The Free Encyclopedia) June Gloom (also May Gray) is a California term for a weather pattern that results in overcast skies with mild temperatures during the late spring and early summer. The condition is prevalent in many parts of the world where marine stratus or stratocumulus clouds are common, particularly off the western coasts of continents-especially off Peru, Namibia, Western Australia, and California. Such cloud systems are persistent year-round off the coast, yet in certain seasons they blow ashore and create the gloomy "May Gray" effect on land. The June Gloom phenomenon has also been known to occur during the early fall in California.

Early mornings during this period are typically foggy, with an occasional drizzle. The fog turns to low clouds by late morning and early afternoon. Finally, by late afternoon, solar heating is sufficient to evaporate the clouds. Often the overcast will be evaporated ("burned off") quickly inland, but will linger along the immediate coast.

In California, the number of days from May to June that are gloomy vary from year to year. Cooler ocean temperatures, associated with La Nina, usually foretell a grayer period.

June Gloom has been reported by some Californians to bring on symptoms consistent with seasonal affective disorder. It is often cited as a time of depression. Did you know that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, repeatedly, year after year? The US National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up." The condition in the summer is often referred to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, and can also include heightened anxiety. There are many different treatments for classic (winter-based) seasonal affective disorder, including light therapies with bright lights, anti-depression medication, ionized-air administration, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and carefully timed supplementation of the hormone melatonin.

So if this June Gloom has got you down, you are not alone. This weather just seems to make me feel like hibernating. Thank goodness it will only be here for a short time then onto our sunshine filled summer we go.