Book Health Reviews

Business Loan Solution to Start and Run Your Business

2012-02-22T09:53:00.001-08:00

Starting and running business could be impossible without capital on your hands. It could be the very first thing you think even before you set a strategy about how to run your business. The reason is very simple, your ideas in business will mean nothing without money that supports the business. Therefore, looking for business loan must be the best idea for you who want to start or run your business, but you do not have enough cash on your hands.

Even though finding business loan is the best idea to run your business, you could be so depressed because of the process it takes to get the money you need. There are many lenders proceeding your loan application too long so that you may loss your desire in running your promising business. When it happens to you, you should try to find other trusted lender who will help you very quickly with easy application, especially if you are planning to run your business in a big city such as Los Angeles, California or Oklahoma. Remember, in a big city, you probably need to compete not only in running your business but also in getting financial helps such as California business loans or business financing Los Angeles.

However, you still have a very big and wide opportunity to get the financial help for your business. Even though you have a kind of competition to get the loan you need, there is still a trusted lender to whom you can apply for the loan very easily. You just need to apply online and wait for about 24 hours until your application is preceded. Besides, your chance to get the cash is big even if you live in a big city. For you who live in Oklahoma, for example, you do not need to worry about getting business loans Ok that you really need to run your business.

Cookie Dough Fundraiser for Promising Fundraising Events

2012-02-22T09:48:00.002-08:00

For years, fundraising is considered as one of the most effective ways of raising groups’ or communities’ money. Commonly, fundraising events are activities of selling products of which the groups or the communities are going to get profits so that they are able to raise their financial for some reasons. Various products can be sold on the events, but mostly the products are affordable products so that they will be sold out. Therefore, finding the best ideas must be very essential for your community is going to do fundraising activities. The ideas here are related to what products you will sell on the events.

One of the most popular fundraiser is cookie dough fundraiser. This kind of fundraising offers cookies as the products being sold. However, finding information related to what cookies might be the best for your fundraiser will help you so much. Frozen cookie dough may be the best idea for you since it is one which is getting more and more popular today. Another idea you may look for is candle fundraising. This idea comes with people’s love to the candles. They like to set candles inside their houses and offices so that selling the products on fundraising will be very promising. In addition, if you are a student, you should look for any ideas of school fundraising that will help your group raising the money. Just find the ideas, do the fundraising and raise the money!

How to clean your skin

2012-02-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

The First Quickly Clear Acne Following These Simple Tips

Acne is conceived as a problem only teenagers have, but people of any age can suffer from acne. This article helps shed light on causes of acne as well as ways to treat it. Understanding how to clear your skin can help you eliminate your acne.

Reducing stress will put you in a better position to control acne. Stress produces hormones that are not only bad for your overall health and body, they also wreak havoc on skin. You can reduce stress in many ways, like yoga or even listening to music. Acne can become worse when you are experiencing stress; try to get it under control.

Try drinking apple cider vinegar to get rid of your acne! The vinegar helps to rid your body of any impurities. Apple cider vinegar can be mixed into different drink recipes or consumed plain. It is ultimately up to you to choose how you prefer to drink it.

Keep hydrated to help eliminate your acne. Dehydration leads to dry skin, which results in dead skin clogging pores. When your pores are clogged, your acne will get worse. Ensuring you get 64 ounces of water every day will keep your skin moist and keep the skin shedding process going smoothly.

Touching your face and pressing on pimples will only make it worse. By reducing the amount one touches their face, they will lower the amount of oils that can be transferred. Also, by avoiding popping pimples, one will avoid getting painful infections that may result.

Consider using natural skin care products to aid in ridding yourself of acne.

Harsh chemicals found in many store-bought brands can do damage to your skin, beyond what you're already experiencing. Your pores can become blocked and your acne will actually get worse! Natural products with anti-bacterials can help you heal your skin.

It sounds crazy, but do you believe that using a cellphone can cause acne breakouts?

Cell phones collect oil from your face and hair and then puts it back on your face. You may clean your phone with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol to remove these oils. When talking on your phone, you should hold the device an inch or so from your face.

To keep acne from getting out of control, you need to come up with a strict cleansing routine. Make it a habit to wash your face regularly, keeping your skin as clean as possible. Use a cleanser specifically chosen for your skin type to wash your face every morning and evening. Do not wash too much, because that can cause more oil to be produced. One of the most important steps you can take against acne is regular facial cleansing.

Safeguard your skin from the damaging effects of acne by resisting the temptation to pick at your pimples. When you pop a pimple, you can cause the spreading of bacteria, and that will result in blemishes. If you were to repeatedly pick at skin in the same spot, it could cause skin to break open and scar the spot once it heals.

Acne is not only for teenagers. For a large number of people, it can extend well into adulthood. The skin care treatments on how to clear your skin in this article may help you combat this common skin affliction and keep it under control for a good time to come.

3 Steps to Skin Care

2012-02-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

WATER! Hydration! I cannot express enough how important water is for overall health and most importantly skin! Not only drinking water, lots of water, but cleansing the skin regularly, particularly the face from make-up and all the things we are exposed to in the environment everyday: smog, soot and exhaust to name a few. I have heard recommendations from two to eight (8 oz.) cups of water a day, and tap water is great. Most bottled waters use tap water, and if you have a reusable water bottle, you will not only be taking care of yourself, but the Earth too. Go green! Some suggest if you have dry skin you might try bathing with cold-pressed castor oil and olive oil.

Cleanliness is next to... fill in the blank. It is so important for looking and feeling good. I bug my twelve year old son all the time to wash his face at least twice a day; I am trying to establish a lifelong habit; he just doesn't see the point yet. He'll be a teenager next month; he doesn't see the point much in anything I have to say - but that is a whole different article. The point is clear, fresh skin that keeps one looking and feeling younger. Clear skin is healthy skin, and healthy skin is good-looking skin. Nothing sallow about it. Change your pillowcases weekly to keep oil from your hair transferring to your face. Jojoba oil does not cause break outs and actually regulates oil production. Wash your brushes with a clarifying shampoo to kill oils and product buildup.

Moisturizing, when drinking water you are moisturizing from within, but it is equally important to moisturize topically for protection and strength of skin cells. There is debate as to what the best moisturizers are -homemade or store bought-- on this one I say stick with what you are comfortable with and what you can afford; but do stick with it, in my opinion any moisturizing is better than none! I do recommend mohsturizers with some sunscreen as a daily preventative from sunburn, but this in no way excuses using a higher sun protection factor sunscreen and protective clothing when participating in heavily outdoor activities: hiking, boating and skiing. Winter can be misleading, it is cold out and DRY, so don't forget your routine during this season. If your hair is taking a serious toll, stop using gel as this can be very drying and instead use a leave-in conditioner, which minimizes damage and hair doesn't get crunchy.

5 Tips to Lose Weight

2012-02-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

Luckily, there is one easy way that you can distinguish the good info from the bad: plain and simple, if a weight loss tip sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. No goal worth achieving ever comes easy or free and losing weight is no exception. The will power to consistently maintain a healthy lifestyle will keep you on the right track to getting your body in shape--you have the power to really be the master of your own body. The foundation stones of weight loss are indeed diet and exercise, but it is always good to enlist the help of some solid weight loss advice along the way. Here are nine tips that can help you out on your weight loss journey:

Trust your gut: Everyone is equipped with a full signal--the stomach's way of alerting us that we have received enough food. Unfortunately, many of us don't listen to this signal and continue eating away even though our body is stuffed. You have probably heard that it is important to learn to trust your intuition or gut instinct. Well if you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, then it is important to listen to your*full signal too.

Stay Hydrated: The more you exercise, the more water your body needs as of our physical make-up is H20. However, water can also increase your energy and contribute to a full feeling that will cause you to snack and gorge less.

Walk at Every Opportunity: If you are seriously trying to lose weight then you should definitely be engaging in regular exercise. However, increasing the amount you walk can double your efforts-think about how often you take the car somewhere when you could be walking.

Make Meal Plans: Healthy eating requires deliberate planning. The fast food trap is easiest to fall into when you are stressed and looking for a quick dinner because you haven't taken the time to think about what you wanted to eat.

Find an Exercise Partner: Sticking to a workout plan is much easier when you have someone else who can motivate you and make it a social event. See if your spouse, family, or friends are willing to exercise with you regularly-it just might help you stay on track!

3 Easy Weight Loss Tips For Today

2012-02-11T07:33:00.000-08:00

Three easy tips you or anyone at all can use today to start losing weight faster and keeping it off longer. These tips are easy enough anyone serious about shredding weight and keeping it off can do it, plus helpful enough to remind every day dieters, as I call them, to remember what works!

Tip 1 - Proper Nutrition

More than just making sure you have a well rounded, balanced diet. Proper nutrition for someone losing weight can often mean that you need more food and energy than you did before. You're taking on a new you now and changing your life for the better with an aggressive work out plan, you'll definitely need more fuel to burn.

Also how often and how much you eat plays a vital role in your weight loss, but more on that later.

Tip 2 - Plan to Lose

And lose big! It doesn't matter how busy your schedule is. If getting back to the healthier more fit you is what you really desire then make a change. Do it now, write it down, schedule it in!

Then, and here's the kicker, simply follow through with your desires. If you reallx want to wake up 15 minutes early and get a quick cardio burst in the morning, set your alarm and when it goes off, don't even think about it. Just jump up, get active and get ready for the new you.

Weight loss is something we are all capable of achieving. Temptations like laziness or desires to eat favorite foods won't simply disappear. For many weight loss is more than a diet, but a life long journey of healthy fitness achieved 1 day at a time.

Tip 3 - Tell A Friend

Support from someone you know can be the easiest way to reach weight loss and fitness goals. Including friends in your work out might not be for everyone, but those who seek the moral support of others often have a higher chance of losing the weight and keeping it off.

You'll be surprised how having the right person helping you can make all the difference in the world.

A simple, proven plan of attack including a healthy diet and fitness needs with a gentle nudge in the right direction is often all it takes to start losing weight and keeping it off. I wish you the best of luck with your workout and weight loss success.

Some Tips to Burn Body Fat Fast

2012-02-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

Though, many are looking for fast, simple ways to burn body fat, they seem to be missing something, but what? You may have tried the dieting and exercising, but maybe you haven't tried it in the right way yet. Diet and exercise are two vital ways to burn body fat, but must be done properly to achieve adequate results:

Exercise in the Morning

Many people don't exercise in the morning. Mornings seem to be hectic and rushed, therefore, many exercise at night or when they have some free time during the day. However, the best time to exercise is actually in the morning. After sleeping all night, your body has used up all its calories and carbohydrates that are used for energy meaning your body is on empty. This means your body then must go to the body fat to get energy for you to exercise thus making it the best way to burn body fat.

For this to work, you must exercise first thing in the morning before eating breakfast. Once you eat, your body will use the food you have eaten as energy instead of using excess body fat. Exercising first thing in the morning may be a challenge, but it gets your metabolism up, is a great way to burn body fat, and keeps your stress levels lower throughout your day.

Eat Right

Of course when you are trying to burn body fat, you need to diet and limit yourself of certain foods. This, however, does not mean to starve yourself or skip meals. In fact, if you want to lose weight, it is advised to have 4-5 smaller meals instead of 3 big meals. Eating smaller meals keeps your metabolism going thus keeping your body burning those calories instead of storing fat.

A big problem that affects people is that they don't eat breakfast. Eating breakfast is what gets your metabolism started so you can burn fat and calories all day long. It also keeps you from snacking throughout the day, keeps stress levels down, and gives your body the nutrition it needs. Instead of waiting until the middle of the day, eat in the morning after exercising.

The two things that most people do to lose weight may not be being done accurately, thus, no results. If you want to see results, you need to exercise right when you get up; before breakfast or anything else. Exercising in the morning helps your body burn fat. Once you have exercised, eat breakfast to jump start your metabolism so it continues to burn fat throughout the day. If you follow these two steps, you are sure to see results.

Important of Reading Management Books

2012-02-04T08:24:00.000-08:00

We all remember the days where we had to read books from school in order to pass our exams. Personally I hated reading and thought it was a waste of time. For me at that time, life wasn't very complicated: Went to school, played video games, played with my friends, watched TV and tadaaa it was bedtime again. When we get older, things unfortunately are becoming more complicated. One might do the same things as an adult, instead of "going to school", one now is "going to work". Difference is that you certainly reflect more of your actions now, than you did when you were young. A habit, which is accompanied with aging. Every life has it's ups-and-downs and almost everybody had to deal once or more with a broken heart, a dirty business trick or got into a conflict with a loved one.

My mother is a frequent reader and gave me a self help book, when my heart was broken once again. My life changed at that moment. That book gave me such great insights, which completely changed my way of looking at things. From that day I started reading more and I am still experiencing the benefits it has given me.

Three years ago I started my own business. From that day with few exceptions, I only started reading management books. Soon reading management books, became my biggest passion. I have read all the business must reads ever written. Did I learn from every book I read? No, I think Donald Trump certainly is a better businessman than author. But I do think that every book gave me new insights. If only I remember one sentence out of 200 pages I have read, but that one sentence helped me improving my life or it helped me while doing business. Then reading that book was of added value to me.

For me there certainly is a link between natural leadership and management books. By reading books about natural leadership I created it myself. I am really convinced that helped me becoming the successful businessman I am now.

If you ask me, what are the best leadership books or the best management books? I can't really answer that. I think that's always subjective. I suggest you just start reading and find out for yourself. Find out which books are of added value in your life, or of added value while doing business.

You might ask, but what is the book your mother gave you and did change your life? I am not going to tell you! The reason for this is that you can get disappointed when I tell you because your life may not change after reading it.

Point is, you have to find your "personal" life changing book yourself. The only way to do that, is to start reading good management books. So, what are you waiting for? Start today! Please let me know when you have found your life changing book, I am curious.

Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrants

2012-01-29T08:21:00.000-08:00

Cash flow Quadrants is the second book in the Rich dad series books written by Robert Kiyosaki.

In the first book Rich Dad Poor Dad, Kiyosaki explains the difference between working for corporation and owning a corporation, the difference between assets and liabilities and how the rich get richer by accumulating assets and poor become poorer because they work hard only to accumulate liabilities.

In This Book Cash Flow Quadrants, Kiyosaki Explains That There Are Four Categories Or Quadrants Of People:-

1. The Employees are people who does not own their businesses and who work for other people to get income.

2. The Self Employed are people who work for themselves. They own a small company or they are professionals for example doctor, lawyer or accountant etc.

3. The Business owners are people who owns companies and they have more than 500 employees who work for them and generate cash flow.

4. The Investors are people who don't work for money; they invest their money in different investments such as business, real estate, stock market and commodities etc. Their money work for them.

What Will You Learn From This Book?

This book is especially for those people who are currently working as employees or self employed and want to move in the business or investor quadrants.

It is for people who want to move beyond job security and begin to achieve financial security. It is not an easy journey but the prize at the end is financial freedom.

The Book Is Divided Into Three Parts

Part One explains the difference between people in the above written four categories. It will help you identify in which quadrant you are at the present and where you want to be in the future.

Part Two explains why you are not rich already. If you continue doing what you have been doing you will get the same results. To become rich you have to become a different person. You should become able to manage the money wisely before getting the money.

Part Three reveals the seven steps that will make you business owner and a better investor. The seven steps are following:-

1. It is time to mind your own business

2. Take control of your cash flow.

3. Know the difference between risk and risky.

4. Decide what kind of investor you want to be.

5. Seek mentors.

6. Make disappointment your strengths

7. The power of faith

This book will motivate you to move from employee to business owner because employee pay more in taxes. This book reveals how the business owners earn more money and pay less taxes than their employees.

You have to learn the rules and regulations of business and tax laws to pay less in taxes legally.

Kiyosaki says the true measure of wealth is not the money in the bank account but the ability to accumulate the assets that generate cash flow.

Below Are Written Some Of The Other Key Points Taken From This Book.

Don't work for money, Work to learn and improve your skills.
Own your own business instead of working for others.
Business owners pay less in taxes than employees.
Invest your time in financial education.
Investing is risky without proper financial education.
Find mentors and learn from them.
Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Learn from your mistakes.
Time is your most valuable asset.

9 Steps to Financial Freedom

2012-01-22T11:17:00.000-08:00

This book is written by Suze Orman and it contains 352 pages. In this book Suze Orman teaches you the philosophy of the personal finance. She encourages you to trust yourself and become responsible and honest to take control of your money.

Money is much like a person; if you treat it well and give it good labor, it will work happily for you. Financial freedom doesn't depend on how much money one person makes.

For example if two persons work in the same company and earn the same income, yet those two may be in different financial situation, one may deeply be in debt and other on the road to financial freedom.

Here are 9 Steps to Financial Freedom -

Seeing how the past holds the key to your financial future.
Facing your fears and creating new truths.
Becoming Honest.
Becoming responsible.
Being respectful of yourself and your money.
Trusting yourself.
Being open to receive all that you are meant to have.
Have faith everything works out for the best.
Recognizing true wealth

Step 1. Seeing How The Past Holds The Key To Your Financial Future

It is not important how much money you earn from your job, the important thing is what you do with the money you receive from your job. You can become financially free by changing your attitude and thoughts about money.

You must identify -

What are your beliefs about money?
What did you hear about money when you were young?
Is getting Rich good?
Do you believe Rich people are generous?
Do you believe Rich people are greedy?

You should clearly identify what you have learned about money till now. Is becoming rich and accumulating money is good?

Make a list of your fears.

Step 2. Facing Your Fears And Creating New Truths

The second step leads you to what should you do once you have identified your fears and beliefs about money from your past experiences. Once you understand what the fears are, your mind will automatically find the ways to tackle with those fears.

For example if you fear losing your job, your mind will tell you that you should improve your skills and working habits. You should start saving money.

If you have heard that rich people are greedy and investing is risky, you will never invest your money to become rich. In this case, you need to learn investing and start investing with the help of professionals to get rid of these fears and myths.

Step 3. Being Honest With Yourself

To accumulate money, one of the important step is figuring out how much money you are earning and spending each month and each year. If you are spending more than you earn then you have two options - Make More Money or Spend Less Money.

You should consider making a budget to reduce your expenses. In the Budget, create the categories such as Rent, Electricity and internet bills, Food, Automobile and Clothes etc.

Now track your expenses for a couple of months to figure out how much money you are spending on which items. Each time you spend money to pay for something write it down. At the end of month try to figure out on which items you can spend less next month.

Step 4. Being Responsible To Those You Love

This chapter focuses on insurance and wills. You should focus on those people who depend on your income and who are truly important to you.

Suze Orman recommends consulting with experts to set up a good will if you own property or business. She encourages you to get a life insurance and disability insurance.

You must buy a life insurance that will cover the amount of money that is required by your family to survive for at least 10 years without your income. For example if your family's yearly expenses are $40,000, you should buy a life insurance that will pay $400,000 in case something happens to you.

Step 5. Being Respectful Of Yourself And Your Money

This chapter focuses your attention on putting your money towards retirement, eliminating debt and investing. First of all by creating budget you should reduce your expenses and with the money you will be able to save, you should pay off your credit card debt.

Then start investing for the early retirement, choose investment where you don't pay high taxes. By taking this one step, you will feel a lot better about yourself and you money.

Before You Quit Your Job - By Robert Kiyosaki

2012-01-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

Why is this important to me? This really comes down to if you are happy where you are at. Most people do NOT want the responsibility in running their own business. I can understand that because it is a real concern. If you have seen any of my other video summaries then you know I am a big fan of Inversion.

Basically this means that you need to look at both sides of the coin. For people who have never been in business for themselves, there is a rosy picture that you get unlimited freedom, you can pick your own hours, you don't have to answer to anyone. I can tell you that this is all crap. Now let's cut to the chase. Why is it that most people don't want to own their own business? In my humble opinion it comes down to the myth of security in their existing job.

This is a myth because your job could be cut tomorrow and then you would not have any security. If this is the only reason you are staying in your job then you are trading hours for money. Worse than that, if you hate what you do then you are building up a reserve of angst which will only get worse over time and spill into your personal life. Another reason why people don't go into business is because it is too risky. I am not sure what this really means. I think keeping the job you hate for money is more risky than going into business and bringing real value to the market place. Regardless this is a real factor so in your business planning you should mitigate this risk. One way to do that is to get educated at each end of the BI triangle.

The BI triangle is an excellent pictorial start of being successful in business. Let's discuss this now:

1. Mission - This is at the base because it is most important. This is your passion for the business. What are you passionate about? You need to have a real mission that solves a serious problem in a unique way. Mission is critical for true business success. Without mission you can still have a profitable business but then you are on the S side of the Cash Flow Quadrant. This means you basically bought yourself a job.

2. Leadership - For great information on true leadership you can study any of John C. Maxwell's books. He is the authority on true leadership. In a nutshell, with the right mission and a strong leader, you will be able to attract the right stakeholders. These include employees, customers, partners, vendors and financing. Jim Collins in Good to Great talked about Level 5 leadership. That is the holy grail. You can check out that summary for more detail. Here are two examples of Level 5 Leaders: Nucor Steel's Ken Iverson (Plain Talk - another summary) Kimberly Clark's Darwin Smith.

3. Team - The team members are critical to the success of the enterprise. You need to have the right people in the right seats on your bus. Without this then you are doomed to mediocrity.

4. Cash Flow - This is at the inside based because without blood the body dies so goes it with the business - without flowing money, it dies.

5. Communications - This is paramount because if you cannot describe and articulate your value then you are doomed. You need to know how to sell. You sell to customers, employees, bankers and other stakeholders. You need to refine this if you are going into business.

6. Systems - this has to do with infrastructure. You can sell customers all day but if you cannot deliver, install, train, bill and collect the money then the whole process crumbles. Good systems are better than hard assets. This is where you can gain a durable competitive advantage over your competitors. Focus here for continuous improvement and your business will grow.

7. Legal - I can write tons of dry pages about legal stuff that even the best insurance salesmen will HATE. Bottom line is that your business must be the right entity for protection and tax purposes. You must protect yourself from trade secret theft and non-competes from employees. You have to understand HR issues. Thus your legal advisers need to be good and educated.

8. Product - Notice how product is last. It is important but for your business to have any staying power than the product will change. IBM is a great business but if they put the product first then they would be out of business because punch card computers disappeared in the 60's.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

2012-01-03T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo is a great little book that explains some of the key elements of a typical Steve Jobs presentation. Jobs was not only a brilliant technologist, but also a master communicator and marketer. He not only founded Apple and went on to create incredible products, but took personal responsibility for introducing them into the marketplace. His keynote presentations and product launches were legendary. They were as important to the success of Apple as the products themselves. Here are a few of the key points Gallo makes about how Steve Jobs made effective presentations:

Tell a story: Everyone likes a good story. Steve Jobs was a master storyteller. He knew how to write the plot, describe the characters and their journey, and conclude with a happy ending. Often his story started with a significant customer problem to be solved and then ended with his latest product coming to the rescue. Like any good story, there are challenges to be overcome, villains to be defeated, and heroes who come to the rescue. A Steve jobs presentation is not your typical product launch. It engages customers in an exciting adventure and invites them to be part of the journey.

Deliver it with the audience in mind. A Steve Jobs presentation is not a typical business PowerPoint presentation. Although he may use some slides, he also uses other props, does product demos, and inserts videos or other media to grab and keep people's attention. More importantly, he tailors the messages for the audience. He uses basic techniques like selling benefits and not just product features; making three key points rather than five or six; and focusing on the ultimate a question everyone asks, "What's in this for me?"

Practice and rehearse: The old adage, "Practice makes perfect," was just as important for Steve as it should be for everyone else. He made it look simple because he practiced what he needed to do and refined it through his rehearsals. Anyone who wants to give a brilliant performance knows the importance of preparation. Unfortunately most people don't spend enough time in rehearsals. If you want to give a memorable performance, then you have to practice like Steve.

The Google Story

2011-12-12T09:02:00.000-08:00

The story behind a success always makes for good reading. And, if such a story is presented like a drama, interspersed with audacious ambition, envy, struggle for control, rivalry, lawsuits, accusations, counter-accusations, and some humour, it would most likely make for some very engrossing reading. To top it all, this is not a work of fiction - in fact, it is not even a dramatization of reality. It is a chronicle of events that happened behind the scenes of what in the words of the author is the 'hottest business, media and technology success of our time'.

The book starts with describing a scene in 2003, where the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, address a high school in Israel. They explain how Google was born.

Page and Brin were PhD students at Stanford University. The idea of Google was born when Page conceived of downloading the entire web on to his computer to try and devise a search program for it. It was an audacious idea. While he had planned to finish the exercise in a week, he could manage only a portion of it even after a year. "So, optimism is important," Page told his audience, "One must have a healthy disregard for the impossible."

It was this optimism that helped Page persist with his plan. He kept downloading the web on to his machine, and Brin helped him mine the data and make sense of it. According to the duo, it took a lot of effort, a lot of night-outs, and a lot of working through holidays.

After this brief prelude-like beginning, the story goes back to the beginning - when Page met Brin.

Page and Brin were both PhD students at Stanford, and they had a lot in common. They were both from families which placed great value on scholarship and academic excellence. They both had fathers who were professors, and mothers whose jobs revolved around computers and technology. Computers, mathematics, and intellectual debates and discussions were part of their genetic codes as well as their day-to-day lives. It was only natural, then, that they got along with each other quite well, and started working together.

They also had an environment that was very conducive to innovation, experimentation and ideation. Stanford is known for churning out several successful technology ventures, including HP and Sun (Sun stands for Stanford University Network). People in Stanford are firm in their belief that sometimes, making a business out of a technological innovation delivers a much greater effect than writing a paper on it.

Also, at the time the two were together, there was a major IT revolution happening. The likes of Netscape were creating waves outside with unprecedentedly huge IPO's, and the Internet was touted to be the next big thing. As a result, venture capitals were skewed heavily towards funding technological start-ups. These circumstances created a setting ripe for research and innovation relating to the Internet, and Page and Brin believed that a robust search application was the one thing that Internet users most needed.

Search engines prevalent at that time provided service that was far from satisfactory. There were many in operation - the likes of Lycos, Webcrawler, Excite and a few others. All of them fell short. They would only display a slew of results that made little sense to the searcher.

At that time, another duo from Stanford was running a company which they had named 'Yahoo'. They devised a better search algorithm, by creating an alphabetized directory of Web Pages. Also, another new search engine called AltaVista came up. Its search algorithm was based, like other search engines, on the number of times the key word figured in the web page, but it displayed results using the now popular concept of web links. A link, essentially, is a kind of a pointer to another web page.

The idea of using links for a search engine excited Brin and Page. They started thinking of it on an entirely new dimension.

Coming from families that treasured academic research, Page and Brin looked at links as something akin to citations in academic research. In academia, a paper was considered good if it had citations. The more the citations, the better the paper. Also, not all citations were equal. Citations from quality sources enhanced the paper's value.

Using the analogy, the pair developed their search algorithm, called PageRank. It depended, among other things, the number of links that pointed to the web page. The more the links, the higher the rank. Also, links from the more renowned websites, such as Yahoo, would carry more weight than a link from a lesser known website.

Initially, the Google Guys named their search engine 'BackRub', as it was based on the links pointing backward to the site. However, they eventually decided that they had to come up with a new name. Because it dealt with vast amounts of data, they decided to name it 'Google'. Googol is a very large number - 1 followed by 100 zeros. 'Google', is actually a misspelling of 'Googol', something which many people do not know.

Google was first released internally in Stanford. From the beginning, it has maintained a clean and simple homepage, free from flashy animations and the like. It was an instant hit in the Stanford network.

As their database grew, Brin and Page needed more hardware. As they were short of cash, they bought inexpensive parts and assembled them themselves. They also tried all they could to get their hands on unclaimed machines. They did everything they could to keep their hardware cost at a minimum.

Initially, the duo attempted to sell Google to other major web companies like Yahoo and AltaVista. However, both companies could not accept Google, because, among other reasons, they did not believe that search was a vital part of the Web experience.

In the initial days, the Google guys were not sure of the business model. They did not know just how Google could make money. The motto of the company was 'Don't be evil'. They believed that advertisements on web pages were evil, and hence wanted to avoid having ads on their webpages. They were hopeful that in the future, other websites would want to use their search engine, and they could profit by charge these websites. They were also relying purely on word-of-mouth for their marketing. They did not advertise at all.

Google's database kept growing, and they started buying more hardware and recruiting more people. Initially, Google was funded by a $1 million investment by an angel investor named Andy Bechtolsheim. Eventually, though, they ran out of it, and needed more money.

They did not want to go public and raise money like many other companies did, for they had no intentions of letting their information go public, and they also wanted to have full control over the company. The only option, then, seemed to be to approach venture capitalists. The duo was convinced that they could get VC's to fund them, and at the same time continue to retain their control over the company.

They approached two VC companies, Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins. Both companies were impressed with the idea, and were ready to fund Google. However, because they did not want to give up control, the Google guys demanded that both companies invest jointly in Google.

Writing Business Plans That Get Results

2011-12-05T08:11:00.000-08:00

Beyond everything, the plan must also be result-oriented, which is the focus of this text entitled "Writing Business Plans That Get Results" with the subtitle "A Step-by-Step Guide" written by Michael O'Donnell. O'Donnell is a business consultant with the Promersberger Company in Fargo, North Dakota and specialises in developing marketing plans for the firm's clients.

As a staff member of the Centre for Innovation and Business Development at the University of North Dakota, he worked with inventors and entrepreneurs on a daily basis.

According to O'Donnell, this text will show you how to create a business plan that works. He adds that the text will guide you on what to include in each section of your plan, the most efficient ways to evaluate your company's products or services, marketing strategies, organisational structure, plans to achieve goals, competitors' strengths and weaknesses, etc.

The author says since a business plan is used for many purposes, that is, as a development tool, a management and planning guide, a mission statement, a sales document, etc., and is read by several different audiences, you need to tailor each part to the various needs of bankers, venture capitalists, partners, suppliers, accountants, etc.

O'Donnell stresses that you should structure and arrange the components of your plan for greatest impact; anticipate all questions that business plan reviewers will ask; and critique and package your business plan for winning results.

According to him, you need to feel comfortable with why you must go through the exercise of writing a business plan. He says if you do not understand the reasons for it and the benefits it will bring, in all likelihood you will do a less-than-adequate job and thus defeat your purpose before you ever get started.

O'Donnell adds that to be sure, writing a business plan is one of those hoops you must jump through. He stresses that your plan must reflect your ultimate goal and be able to accomplish many things for you and your proposed venture. O'Donnell educates that it is not prudent to try to make it all things to all people.

According to him, one plan will simply not suffice for all possible uses, and most seasoned entrepreneurs will write (or revise) a business plan at each stage of the company's development. The most successful of these will then write several plans, each adapted to specific players, says O'Donnell.

This text is segmented into 14 chapters christened "Modules", in addition to another section tagged "Finishing touches". Chapter one is entitled "The executive summary". Here the author says the executive summary is one complete module and the subheads should match the major headings or subjects you have covered in your business plan.

O'Donnell stresses that the entire summary should be clear and to the point. He educates that the language should be simple and demonstrate clarity of management objectives. Above all, the summary should show opportunity, O'Donnell advises.

He says the opening statement should grab attention, and you should state something about being the first to introduce the product or the customer demands being generated from your initial market research.

"Describe the nature of the business, i.e., type, location, business form, length, and state of operation. Describe current milestones reached and their financial results, i.e., reaching x amount in sales, evaluation and testing completed, prototype built. State what industry your product addresses," adds this expert.

Chapter two is based on the subject matter of "Table of contents". O'Donnell suggests that the length should be one to two pages. He says the following are a list of topics or issues you may include in the table of contents of your business plan, adding that depending on the importance of each issue to your start-up, any one can stand alone as a separate section.

O'Donnell educates that you can include sections such as the company; the industry; product and related services; research and development; market analysis; competitive analysis; marketing strategy; process and operations; and management and ownership. Others are manufacturing administration, organisation and personnel; milestones, schedule and strategic planning; critical risks and problems; and financial data and projections, etc.

In chapters three to nine, the author discusses table-of-contents-related concepts such as the company and industry; product and related services; research and development; market analysis; competitive analysis; marketing strategy; and manufacturing process/operations.

Chapter ten is entitled "Management and ownership". According to O'Donnell here, "Your readers are going to want to know how the company is managed as much as who is managing it. Demonstrate your awareness and understanding of the administrative details." He adds that you should explain the personnel needed and how you will fill and train these positions. Include an organisational chart that illustrates the company's structure, lines of authority, responsibility and delegation, guides O'Donnell.

The Sheer Versatility of Ebooks

2011-11-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Ebooks are not only beginning to rival conventional literature; they are also beginning to replace it. This is simultaneously a good thing and a bad thing, though the only downsides of this ebook revolution are sentimental. While one can simply not deny the charm of holding a brand new hardcover book from a cherished author, ebooks simply offer innumerable advantages over their aged ancestors.

Ebook sales have increased exponentially in recent years and this is due not only to the features and convenience that ebooks and ebook readers have to offer, but also their affordability. The top 3 ebook devices have all lowered their prices competitively and ebook prices themselves continue to be consistently and in many cases significantly cheaper than their conventional counterparts.

Ebooks for Recreation

We all love to occasionally sit down with a good book in hand, relaxing and unwinding in an alternate reality where the stresses and issues of the real world become irrelevant just for a few precious moments. Sometimes though, things can be a little bit off and it can be hard to fully immerse yourself. It might be too windy or bright. It might be too dark or hard to find the best lighting. It might feel awkward or uncomfortable to hold a book upright for hours even though you are fully engrossed in the story and want to continue. The text might be too small or the font too fancy. Perhaps you have an appointment and you know the wait is going to be long, but you don't want to carry around a large book with you the entire day. There are hundreds of little things that might throw off your delightful reading experience. Most of these problems don't prevent you from reading or enjoying the story, but added together might create just enough inconvenience to discourage you from reading as much as you'd like to.

With ebooks, all of these problems are never an issue. No amount of wind can force the pages to turn on your ebook and with anti-glare screens, its pages will never be reflecting directly into your eyes. Many ebook readers have features that allow you to read when the lighting is less than ideal and they are light and easy to hold upright. If the font is too small, make it bigger! If you don't like the font, change it!. The best part is you can carry around your ebook reader and thousands of ebooks wherever you go conveniently and easy. Carry it in your purse, read ebooks on your phone and carry it in your pocket. Take your entire online library with you everywhere with your huge collection weighing less than a pound.

Ebooks are even more exciting for entertainment purposes because of their various multimedia options. Have you ever had a book that was capable of showing full resolution pictures and video in color? Ebooks can even have audio. That's a big step up from the grainy pictures that are included in some paper books. Additionally, ebooks can be easily shared with friends via either portable media or printing. Never again will you have to worry about loaning out a book only to never see it again.

Ebooks for Education

Ebooks can be extremely valuable for educational purposes regardless of age. For very young children, interactive children's ebooks can make reading and learning a very fun experience with the charm of pop-up books that we all remember from our childhoods combined with modern technology to make them even more innovative and engrossing. Ebooks can be printed out removing the risk of them being destroyed or damaged by careless children.

For high school and college students, research can be done easily and seamlessly using ebook libraries and search functionality. Sources can be hyperlinked and notes can be taken on every page. Hyperlinks within sources can be easily clicked and explored to find more information. These features can also be used for media publications to make research even easier. You will save hours of time by avoiding going to a real library and navigating through the endless aisles in addition to being burdened with having to return the books later. Each of your sources can be printed out for further reference.

Ebooks for Professionals

In the office, convenience, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and the ability to share information are of paramount importance where every second and dollar matters. Multitasking in the office can be done very easily with an ebook reader that can read documents and media aloud to you while you work on another task. Internet access on ebook readers that are able to utilize this functionality can integrate many of your activities together seamlessly allowing you to connected to the world at the same time as enjoying the features of your ebook device.

Ebooks for Everyone

Ebooks allow more people to both produce, distribute, and purchase literature because it is less expensive both for the buyer and the seller. These attributes complement the general accessibility of ebooks to almost everyone because provided you have an internet connection, you can get ebooks from anywhere in the world.

The sheer portability of ebooks allows any type of user to seamlessly integrate ebooks into their lives despite their use for it. Not only are the actual readers small and light, but you can store a virtually infinite amount of ebooks on your reader and take them with you wherever you go.

Ebooks are safer for the environment. Not only are no trees or ink consumed in the process of creating ebooks, but many more resources are saved from being wasted as ebooks require no materials to transport, produce, or distribute besides electricity.

Ebooks are fully customizable no matter what your use for them is. Text size, font, text to audio, page style, ink style, and more can be changed upon whim.

Ebooks last forever and cannot be destroyed unless you physically damage your ebook reader, in which case ebooks are easily backed up to be preserved indefinitely. Your ebook reader can be easily replaced as well considering the dropping prices of the devices and also taking into consideration that many of them come with warranties or insurance policies.

Bestselling Authors of the 1950's

2011-11-21T08:51:00.000-08:00

Once an author makes it onto the top selling list it seems that they will make it on the list at least once again. Just who are the authors who made it onto the annual Top Ten Hardcover Book List for the 1950's?

Using the Top Ten Books of each year in the 1950's as calculated by Publisher's Weekly, here are the authors who made it onto the list more than once.

Francis Parkinson Keyes was at the top of the Best Selling List more than any other author in the 1950's. Her first book on the list was Joy Street in 1950. Her other books on the list were Steamboat Gothic (1952, The Royal Box (1954), Blue Camelia (1957), and Victorine (1958).

What is fascinating about Keyes (rhymes with skies) is that she published at least 60 books starting with The Old Gray Homestead in 1919. Her historical novels gradually showed her increasing interest in the Roman Catholic religion. Keyes husband was a former Governor of New Hampshire and served in the US Senate for 25 years of their married life.

She published 10 other books during the 1950's that did not make it onto the Top Ten List for that year. One of the reasons that she might have been on the best-selling list so many times is that she may have been the author who wrote the most books!

Daphne du Maurier had 3 books that showed up on the Top Ten Best selling List of the 1950's. In 1952 My Cousin Rachel was a best-selling book that was later made into a movie and a serial TV movie. In 1954 Mary Anne was on the top of the charts followed by The Scapegoat in 1957. The Scapegoat was also made into a movie.

Daphne wrote over 25 other books and had 3 other books published during the 50's, all of those books being collections of short stories. Her first book was published in 1931 and her last one was published in 1980.

Edna Ferber had 2 books on the list, and both books were made into block buster movies. Giant (1952) was made into movie starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean. This was the movie that James Dean was filming when he died. Ice Palace (1958) was credited for helping Alaska achieve statehood.

Ferber wrote at least 32 books including several that were made into musicals. Giant and Ice Palace were 2 of the last 3 books that she published.

Francoise Sagan was a French author who wrote her first book, Bonjour Tristesse (1955) while on a break from school. Her second book followed closely in 1956 with A Certain Smile. Both books were made into movies. Sagan wrote 20 other novels and 3 short story collections. She was also a playwright with 9 plays to her credit.

Frank Yerby had four books on the top-selling list in the 1950's. Only one - The Saracen Blade (1952) - was adapted to film. The others were Floodtides (1950), A Woman Called Fancy (1951), and Benton's Row (1954). Yerby was the first African American to write a best-selling novel and to have a book purchased for screen adaption. He wrote at least 33 novels and had 11 books published in the 1950's.

Herman Wouk wrote one of the books that was on the best-seller list for a long time - The Caine Mutiny (1951). That book was adapted into a highly rated movie starring Humphrey Bogart. His other book that appeared on the top of the list was Marjorie Morningstar in 1954. That book was also adapted and starred Gene Kelley and Natalie Woods.

Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of over twenty works. He won a Pulitzer Prize for The Caine Mutiny.

John O'Hara has two books on the top list the first being Ten North Frederick (1955) followed by From the Terrace (1958). Both books were adapted to film. Ten North Frederick starred Gary Cooper and From the Terrace starred Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

His writing credits include at least 20 novels, two screenplays, two plays, and several newspaper and magazine columns and articles.

Kay Thompson was a children's author whose books sold enough to make it to the top of the Fiction Best Selling List. Her books are about Eloise, a six-year-old who lives in the Plaza Hotel in New York with her mother and her nanny. Eloise (1956), Eloise in Paris (1957), and Eloise at Christmastime (1958) were all at the top of the list. Eloise at Christmastime has been made into a TV Movie while Eloise in Paris will be released in 2012. Thompson was the godmother of Liza Minelli, and it is said that these books are based on her antics.

Battle Cry (1953) and Exodus (1959) were best selling books for Leon M. Uris. Both books were adapted to film. Battle Cry was based on his experiences during WWII. Uris actually helped write the screen play for the movie that was more popular with viewers than the critics. It is said that Uris sold the movie rights to Exodus so he could foot the bill for his research into the novel.

Mika Walteri is a Finnish writer whose books have been translated into more than 30 languages. The Adventurer (1950) and The Wanderer (1951) were his first two books on the best selling list for the 50's. The Egyptian (1954) was adapted to film and Marlon Brando was considered for the lead. After he turned it down it eventually went to a newcomer.

Patrick Dennis hit comic payday when he wrote the novel Auntie Mame (1955). This successful novel was followed up with Around the World With Auntie Mame in 1958. Patrick Dennis is a pen name for Edward Everett Tanner who based his novel on his own Aunt Marion. The book was adapted and the film starred Rosalind Russel in a hilarious film.

Robert Ruark's novel Something of Value rose to the best-selling list in 1955. This novel is about the Mau Mau rising in colonial Kenya and the movie starred Rock Hudson and Sidney Poiter. In 1959 he also published Poor No More and that was on the top of the book list too. He wrote three other books during the 1950's that were published, but did not make it to the top 10 books of the year.

8 Tips for Writing a Book Review

2011-11-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Here are 8 tips for writing an effective and compelling book review.

1. Don't be afraid to give your opinion.

Reviewing a book requires you to make a value judgment. Is this book good, bad, or somewhere in between? Think about why a person would want to read a book review. They want to know if it is worth their time and money.

This doesn't mean your review should be as simple as giving it thumbs up or thumbs down. As described in How to Write Anything, "Even movie critics...don't offer those verdicts until after they first talk about their subjects in detail."

It is also important to note that even a positive review can acknowledge weaknesses and still be positive. The reader will likely find it helpful if you point out any weaknesses in the book you're reviewing. Try to sandwich these weaknesses in between praise so that you don't begin or end on a bad note.

2. Develop criteria for judgment

Criteria means the rules or standards by which you judge that object. A good pizza, for example, might be measured by how greasy it is, the kind of toppings it has, the quality of the crust, etc. That's your criteria.

If you were reviewing a restaurant, your standards to judge that restaurant would likely include the service, taste of the food, and the atmosphere. If you were reviewing a movie, you might look at the costumes, the acting, the special effects, and so on.

It all depends on what is important to you as a reviewer.

As you read books, think about what makes a book stand out for you. Do you like books with action packed plot lines? Or maybe the writer's use of language is important to you. Whatever it is, decide on your criteria to help develop your review. It will give you specific points to make within the body of the review.
And it will help readers understand why you rated the book as "good" or "bad."

3. Back up your opinion

Having an opinion is great. Having an opinion with nothing to back it up, however, is not very convincing. Readers want evidence and reasons for why you are evaluating a certain book as "fabulous" or "boring." Even if readers don't realize they want this, support for your ideas certainly couldn't hurt.

For example, if you decide to review a Dr. Seuss book and you say it is an amazing book for children (opinion) because of his expert use of language and rhyme (criteria), you'd want to point out a particular example as support for that opinion. Let's see that rhyme in action.

Quote the book directly. Refer to specific chapters or sections. Supporting your ideas will ultimately help to convince your reader.

4. Consider your audience

Who are you writing for? What do they already know about the subject matter? What do they need to know? How you write depends so much on who you are writing for. You speak differently to children than you speak to adults. You interact with your boss in a different way than you interact with your best friend from childhood who knew you when you had braces and bangs.

Your choice of language changes depending on who you are speaking to or writing for. Your tone of voice changes, too.

As you write your book review, consider what your audience wants to know and what will interest them. Choose words that they familiar with rather than jargon that requires a glossary.

This is really a case of thinking about how you want to deliver your message so that the audience can appreciate it. It takes work, but it can pay off in major ways once you've mastered it.

5. Write with authority

Whenever possible, avoid the following words: probably and maybe. Avoid the following phrases: It seems, I think, In my opinion.

These words and phrases make your review sound less authoritative and less confident than you're aiming for. Even if you aren't feeling confident, fake it.

Look at the following example:

In my opinion, Dr. Seuss is probably one of the most interesting writers out there, though, maybe others might not agree.

Instead, say this:

Dr. Seuss is one of the most interesting writers out there.

We know it is your opinion; that is implied. No need to qualify your opinions with words like probably. Do not be afraid that others might disagree or get offended by your opinion on a book. Disagreement actually creates some of the most interesting discussion.

6. Avoid writing too much summary

A little bit of summary in a book review is helpful. The reader had not already read the book (most likely) and since you are trying to consider your audience, you want to make them feel like they understand the rest of your review. Summary is a great place to start by making your reader feel at home.

Too much summary, however, is not what the reader needs.

Here's what you need to know about writing summary:

· When summarizing a book, stick to just the main points. Answer the question: What is this book about?
· Try it limit your summary to no more than one paragraph or two unless it is essential or required to include more.
· Avoid writing about every single thing that happens in the book (And then this happened, and then..., and then...).
· Use summary early in your review to get the reader acquainted. It wouldn't make sense to suddenly give a summary at the end, after you've made your point.
· Use your own words. If the reader wanted to know what the publisher has to say, they'll visit the publisher's website or read the back of the book. Give us your unique interpretation.

7. Compare and contrast

Another way to help back up your ideas, as stated above, is to use a very familiar tool: compare and contrast. It may have been a while since you were in school, but you know how to do this. You do this every day.

For example, you compare your hamburger to every other hamburger you've ever had (even if only in your head, even if it happens so fast you barely register it). When someone asks you how Robert Downey Jr. preformed in Due Date, you might compare his acting to other films like Iron Man.

Comparing and contrasting helps the reader to understand. It gives you and the reader a common ground. Look at the book you are currently reviewing. Can you compare it to other books by that author? Or maybe you could compare it other books in that genre.

Or maybe this new book is incomparable. That would be worth telling your readers, too.

8. Organize your review

Organizing your review in even the slightest way can help your reader make sense of your ideas by giving them a structure. Even the best written story will be less remarkable if the chapters are out of order.
The basics of organization include a beginning, middle, and end. It's that simple.

Start with an intro that gets the reader warmed up and maybe even summarizes the book. Then, use the middle of your review to give your opinion and support it with quotes and examples. Use this chance to elaborate on your ideas. Then, wrap up your review with a brief conclusion rather than ending abruptly in the middle of your ideas.

It might not come naturally to you, but that is what revision is for. As you revise, consider moving information around and making it sound as effective and clear as possible.