Tournament Info Us open

The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year. Held in Flushing Meadows, New York, it boasts a party atmosphere, as last year 712,976 impassioned fans swarmed to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Kim Clijsters stole the show yet again in 2010, extending her winning run in New York to 21 matches with her third title there and second straight. Chris Evert has the Open Era record with six US Open singles titles.

This year the event runs from August 29 to September 11. Our website will have full coverage of the event, as will the official tournament site. For extra content, visit our Facebook page.

2 killed in Missoula car vs motorcycle crash

MISSOULA- Two people are dead after a car collided with a motorcycle on Brooks Street Friday afternoon.

The crash happened around 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Brooks Street and Dore Lane. Police say the driver of the car was making a left turn off of Brooks Street and collided with the motorcyclist.

Police say a 19-year-old male driving the motorcycle and the two female passengers were taken to local hospitals. The motorcyclist and one of the passengers died. Police say the other female is in the hospital.

Police are still investigating the crash and the intersection of Brooks and Dore Lane will be closed until further notice.

There were no other occupants and the names of the victims are not being released at this time. The MPD is asking for any witnesses to the crash to contact Detective Stacy Lear at (406) 552.6283.

Former NHL enforcer wants hockey hits to end Wade Belak's death raises questions about effects of injuries, says associate coach of Cowichan Valley Capitals

 

Wade Belak #3 of the Nashville Predators poses for his official headshot for the 2010-2011 NHL season September 17, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Photograph by: John Russell, NHLI via Getty Images

Former NHL tough guy Dale Purinton, who was both a friend and foe of Wade Belak, says it is time to take body-checking out of hockey.
Belak was found dead in Toronto this week at the age of 35. He was the third NHL enforcer to die in the past four months, raising questions about the long-term effects of hockey injuries.
"They have tried everything to reduce injuries and nothing has worked,'' said Purinton, who is now the associate coach with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the B.C. Hockey League.
"They have tried new helmets and equipment, suspensions and different boards but so far nothing has worked. The players today are so strong, quick and big," he said.
"I don't mind seeing the fighting element left in the game because then everyone is accountable. Not too many players have had their careers end due to a fight.''
Purinton had known Belak for years. "We battled each other in the Western Hockey League. He was a great team guy and he will be missed."
Purinton's stand against hitting is in sharp contrast to his 11-year professional hockey career. In four years with the New York Rangers, he amassed 578 penalty minutes in 181 games.
"I played hard all the time and I didn't shy away from anything," he said.
Purinton also played 25 games with the Victoria Salmon Kings in 2004-05. In that time he was suspended twice. He was released after the second incident.
He says his thinking has changed because he is behind the bench and has three small children.
"There are no players in our league like I was. Our league has put a stop to that style of play. In our league, you can only fight five times the entire year before you are suspended."

DIXON- What is black and white and black, weighs about a ton, and tastes delicious? If you ever drove on Highway 200 near the National Bison Range, chances are you know exactly what I'm talking about. Even from a distance, they catch your eye. And apparently, they even stop traffic. "I get a lot of traffic on the road," said rancher Jerry Hamel. "They stop and take pictures, especially in the summer time," BueLingo Cattle Rancher Jerry Hamel said.." They're called BueLingos, but most people call them something else. "Oreos because they can't remember Buelingo," said Hamel. "Everyone can remember Oreo cookies." And when Jerry Hamel tosses Dixon's famous melons their way, they come bounding for joy. The Buelingo is a relatively new breed--created in the late 1950s by a rancher and his son-in-law, a professor at North Dakota State. It has a belting gene that features its unique oreo-like pattern, but it's what's inside that really counts. "The high butter fat in the milk makes calves grow. You get a 600-pound calf in a short period of time and they keep growing," said Hamel. "The cutability is really good, grading, really juicy, tender, flavorful meat on them." They are a mixture of several breeds, including Dutch Belt, Durham, Black Angus, and Chianina. "Most are docile. It's all how you handle them." And Jerry knows exactly how to do that, thanks a certain sweet-tasting Dixon fruit. "That tames them down a bit--the melons," said a chuckling Hamel. "You get a closer relationship with them." Jerry has about 150 head of cattle right now. He will send about 100 of them to slaughter that includes clients in in Pocatello, Ronan and Missoula.

DIXON- What is black and white and black, weighs about a ton, and tastes delicious? If you ever drove on Highway 200 near the National Bison Range, chances are you know exactly what I'm talking about. 

Even from a distance, they catch your eye. And apparently, they even stop traffic.

"I get a lot of traffic on the road," said rancher Jerry Hamel. "They stop and take pictures, especially in the summer time," BueLingo Cattle Rancher Jerry Hamel said.."

They're called BueLingos, but most people call them something else. "Oreos because they can't remember Buelingo," said Hamel. "Everyone can remember Oreo cookies."

And when Jerry Hamel tosses Dixon's famous melons their way, they come bounding for joy.

The Buelingo is a relatively new breed--created in the late 1950s by a rancher and his son-in-law, a professor at North Dakota State. It has a belting gene that features its unique oreo-like pattern, but it's what's inside that really counts.

"The high butter fat in the milk makes calves grow. You get a 600-pound calf in a short period of time and they keep growing," said Hamel. "The cutability is really good, grading, really juicy, tender, flavorful meat on them."

They are a mixture of several breeds, including Dutch Belt, Durham, Black Angus, and Chianina.

"Most are docile. It's all how you handle them."

And Jerry knows exactly how to do that, thanks a certain sweet-tasting Dixon fruit.

"That tames them down a bit--the melons," said a chuckling Hamel. "You get a closer relationship with them."

Jerry has about 150 head of cattle right now. He will send about 100 of them to slaughter that includes clients in in Pocatello, Ronan and Missoula.

Repairing hair from the summer heat

 

Actress Sofia Vergara attends the premiere of "The Smurfs" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on July 24, 2011, in New York. Celebrity hair stylist Jen Atkin, who coifs the bombshell tresses of Sofia Vergara and Christina Hendricks, shares her expert advice on how to repair your hair from all that summer fun.

If you’re having an outdoorsy summer -- you’ve hit the beach many weekends, hiked regularly, logged some solid pool time -- chances are your hair needs a little rehab before fall.
It may be fried from sun or chlorine. It may be crunchy and brittle from salt water. It may be frizzy from heat and humidity.
Celebrity hair stylist Jen Atkin, who coifs the bombshell tresses of Sofia Vergara and Christina Hendricks, has some expert advice on how to help hair recover from all that summer fun so it will look fresh and shiny for the new season.
Problem: Overexposed colour.
Solution: "The sun’s UVA and UVB rays work to fade hair colour faster on people who spend a lot of time outside, especially during the summer," Atkin says.
Her No. 1 fix is to simply wear a hat. Supplement the accessory by choosing hair products containing antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc. "Antioxidants work to fight free radicals before damage can be done to hair," she says. Atkin recommends Nioxin System 1 Scalp Treatment, a leave-in treatment with botanicals, antioxidants and vitamins to help safeguard the hair against residues and DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a naturally occurring substance in the body that weakens hair follicles.
Problem: Damage from sun and sea or chlorine.
"The pool, sea air and (salt) water can really do a number on hair, especially when combined with sunlight," Atkin says. "Not only does chlorine discolour hair, it damages proteins in the hair cuticle."
Solution: If you’re planning a Labour Day getaway, take a product like Frederic Fekkai Beach Wave Spray, not only to amp up the sexy-surf texture but also because the spray contains sea kelp, which hydrates and blocks moisture loss. It also has a UV shield that helps prevent colour from fading.
If you’ve been swimming regularly, Atkin recommends using a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove mineral buildup and pollutants.
She also suggests using a moisturizing treatment or mask (such as Frederic Fekkai Salon Colour Care Moisture Mask) in order to keep hair nourished and looking shiny. "Choose a protein- and nutrient-rich product and don’t skimp on the time," Atkin says. "Leave it on for at least 15 minutes to ensure proper penetration of the hair shaft. You can also leave it on your hair while sunbathing."
Problem: Frizz or out-of-control curls.
"When curly hair becomes damaged or dry, the curls frizz out," Atkin says. "And if you live in a humid climate, this issue gets even worse." And warning: Summer may be winding down, but heat and relative humidity will probably continue through September, and possibly into October.
Solution: To tame frizz and curls, Atkin advises trying these home remedies.
Carbonated water rinse. Carbonated or sparkling water reduces frizz because of its low pH level. "This is a good treatment if you often let your curls air dry because it will help to eliminate the frizz caused by humidity," she says. After washing hair, give it a final rinse with carbonated or sparkling water.
Apple cider vinegar. This is a natural remedy that’s very effective in preventing frizzy hair and adding shine. Wash your hair as you normally would and give it a final rinse with equal parts water and apple cider vinegar.
Beer. Beer replenishes moisture in the hair. Dark beers often provide the most nutrients and moisture. Just coat hair with the beer and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse with cold water -- which will also help get rid of the smell.

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/life/summer-guide2011/Repairing+hair+from+summer+heat/5339435/story.html#ixzz1WssjW5hu

Diamond Eternity Bands – Representing The Circle Life And Love

Time is described by each passing second that turns into a minute which turns to an hour, a day, a month, a year, a decade and so on. Time flies by without you even realizing it. It doesn’t wait for anyone and goes on ticking in its own pace. Everyone’s time on this earth is finite and destined to run out but eternity is a philosophical and mythological concept that defines that life and presence of an individual in this world is infinite and destined to be spent under God. Circle of Diamond Eternity Bands is the connotation of infinite love and commitment to your partner for life.
Diamond Eternity Bands

Because of their popularity there are a lot of sellers of Diamond Eternity Bands with a variety of different styles and designs. There are two types available, one with diamonds studded all the way through the band and the other with diamonds studded only half way around the band. The ones studded with diamonds only half way through are re-sizable and are mostly preferred. They can be gifted on the occasion of a child’s birth, completion of anniversary, or as a memento to signify a special memory. The most traditional way to wear a diamond eternity band is to wear it behind the wedding band, but today men and women prefer to wear either one of them at a time.

The culture of accessorizing with jewelry dates back to 2000 BC, when people used to adorn themselves with jewelries made of papyrus, reeds, stones etc. The trend of wearing rings has been in vogue since then. Before rings were worn mostly by women to symbolize that they were married and committed to a man and devoted to bring up his family with unconditional love and care. With the advance in time, expensive and sturdier metals are being used in the rings striking symbolism a chord higher. Diamond Eternity Bandsare some of the most popular items to be gifted on anniversaries to signify the years already spent to together and future years together.

A great gift as a memento on a child’s birth, on marriage anniversary or on buying of first house together, Diamond Eternity Bands are perfect for any such occasion that you want to remember for life. With time even memories start to fade away, but they can be always refreshed and relived anytime with these rings in your possession.

At ItsHot.com we help you immortalize your love with our Diamond Eternity Bands at affordable prices. We have a great selection of Diamond Eternity Bands available in white gold, yellow gold, rose gold or platinum to satisfy any taste and budget. We provide a 1 year warranty and 30 days money back guarantee and all Diamond Eternity Bands will be delivered to you with free FedEx service throughout USA. Log in online at www.ItsHot.com or stop by our New York City showroom to find and purchase your diamond eternity band at the guaranteed lowest price today!

Thompson Falls Dam now helping fish

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THOMPSON FALLS- The "circle of life" is complete again after being blocked for almost 100 years.

When we stopped by recently, PPL Fisheries Brent Mabbott was measuring and weighing fish caught below the 32-foot high Thompson Falls Dam.

He used a 45-step, state-of-the-art, tallest of its kind in Montana, fish ladder that rises 72 feet from the Clark Fork River below. It was designed by and paid for, in full, by PPL Montana.

The numbers are astounding. PPL spent a million dollars in research on building the facility, then $7.5 million on construction. They also blew out 2,500 tons of rock and then laid down 1,600 cubic yards of concrete.

The ladder is the first of its kind in the Continental United States, built specifically to accommodate threatened bull trout. "We blocked the bull trout so we need to try to eliminate that block," Mabbott told us.

Of the approximately 1,600 fish that already climbed the ladder this year, very few are bull trout. "The fact that we only got two of them tells you the plight they're in. They're in trouble," Mabbott observed.

Here's how the 56-foot long ladder works. Fish are attracted to a small opening at its base by discharged water then once inside, they swim against a strong current. The individual steps, or pools, are five feet wide, about six to 10 feet long, and have openings at the top and bottom of each entrance.

"The ladder is not easy to negotiate. 45 different pods with six to eight cubic feet of water spilling through every one of them, so they're fighting velocity. The drive to go to their native streams is much greater than other outside factors," Mabbott explained.

The fish eventually reach the final 17-foot deep gathering pool. Working similar to an elevator, the water level rises and the fish come to the surface where they eventually flop their way toward a holding tank, where they're examined, the data recorded, and biologists inject what's called a "pit tag" into them so they can track the fish movements.

The day we visited the dam, eight fish made the trek, among them rainbow and brown trout, northern pike minnow and even a small mouth bass. They're then released above the dam and their journey complete.

"It works. We're getting fish over this thing. We took away the barrier for fish moving upstream," Mabbott said. "I've been a fisheries biologist for 35 years and it's fun to know we're making a difference here."

There are two fish biologists do not release into the Upper Clark Fork River, the walleye and lake trout. A lake trout climbed the ladder earlier this year, so Mabbott returned it back below the dam.

Hurricane Warning issued for Philadelphia

Just in: The National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane Warning for the city of Philadelphia. New York City has a Hurricane Watch, meaning hurricane conditions are not yet imminent, but maybe in the coming day or so.

This afternoon, Irene has weakened ever so slightly. However, it will still bring about extensive, region-wide power outages, and potentially significant damage to the high-rise downtown areas of Philadelphia and New York City. Storm surge will also be significant in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River (Philadelphia), Chesapeake Bay, New York harbor, and Long Island sound.

Atlantic Hurricane Irene Heads Toward Florida

Hurricane Irene, the first of the 2011 Atlantic season, picked up strength as it moved toward the southeastern Bahamas on a path that could take it to Florida by week’s end, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Irene, with maximum winds of 80 miles (129 kilometers) per hour, was about 90 miles west-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, as of 9 a.m. East Coast time and is moving west-northwest at 14 mph, according to an advisory by the Miami-based hurricane center.
“We definitely think it’ll make landfall in the southeastern part of the U.S.,” said Kristina Pydynowski, a meteorologist with State College, Pennsylvania-based AccuWeather Inc.
Irene may even reach Category 3 strength with sustained winds of at least 111 mph, she said. The NHC website says a storm of this magnitude would cause “devastating damage” with a “high risk of injury or death.”
The NHC expects the hurricane to pass over Puerto Rico this morning and reach the north coast of the Dominican Republic later today. Irene will veer northward over the next few days, bringing it across the Bahamas by Aug. 25 and the east coast of Florida the next day, they forecast.
“If you’re in south Florida, now is the time to get prepared,” the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency said on its website.
Orange Crop
Florida’s orange crop is vulnerable to tropical weather if the area is exposed to strong winds. Orange-juice prices have climbed 20 percent from a year earlier as frost and dry weather hurt the Florida crop. Futures for November delivery closed at $1.6415 a pound on ICE Futures U.S. in New York last week.
“Its a bit of a wait-and-see at this point in time. We need to get a couple days nearer to see what the damage is going to be” to the orange crop, Jim Dale, senior risk meteorologist at British Weather Services at High Wycombe, England, said by phone.
A hurricane warning in Puerto Rico has been changed to a tropical storm warning. Hurricane warnings continue for the north coast of the Dominican Republic, while watches are in force for the north coast of Haiti and the Central Bahamas. Warnings are issued for areas where hurricane-force winds are expected in the coming 36 hours and a watch is issued when there is a possibility of hurricane-force winds in the coming 48 hours.
Storm Winds
Hurricane-force winds extend outward for 15 miles from Irene’s core, and tropical-storm-force winds extend for 150 miles, mostly to the northwest and northeast of the core, the center said in its advisory.
The storm may drop 5 to 10 inches (13 to 26 centimeters) of rain across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, with as much as 20 inches in some areas and “life- threatening flash floods,” the hurricane center said. A storm surge may lift water levels by as much as 4 feet above normal tide levels along the coast of the Dominican Republic, it said.
Hovensa LLC’s St. Croix refinery is located on the U.S. Virgin Islands, where a tropical storm warning is in effect. The refinery has a capacity of 525,000 barrels a day.
Gulf Unlikely
The storm probably won’t enter the Gulf of Mexico, home to 31 percent of U.S. oil output and 7 percent of natural gas.
“It looks like most of the models are looking somewhere along the east coast from Florida up to North Carolina,” said Travis Hartman, meteorologist with MDA EarthSat Weather in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “As far as energy purposes it looks like the Gulf is going to get away from this one. The Gulf is probably pretty safe right now.”
A storm becomes a hurricane when winds hit 74 mph. The last hurricane to hit the U.S. was Ike in 2008, which was a Category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale when it went ashore near Galveston, Texas. The last major hurricane to hit the U.S. was in 2005, according to the hurricane center.
Farther to the west, Tropical Depression Harvey is quickly weakening over southern Mexico and is expected to dissipate by the end of the day, the hurricane center said.

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Hurricane Irene sparks more cruise itinerary changes

(Updated Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m. EDT) Hurricane Irene, the ninth named storm and first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, is hammering the islands of Turks and Caicos as it surges for the Bahamas. Weather conditions have forced lines to alter itineraries for some 15 cruise ships, and Royal Caribbean is preparing to secure and evacuate Cocacay, its private Bahamian island resort.
The National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. EDT advisory places Irene some 50 miles south-southwest of the popular cruise port of Grand Turk. Maximum sustained winds have weakened slightly to 90 miles per hour, but the storm is expected to intensify into a major hurricane by Wednesday night or Thursday.
Irene has been tracing a path through the Caribbean since forming Saturday. According to Reuters, 800,000 people in Puerto Rico -- half of the island's electricity customers -- were left without power when the storm brushed the island's east coast, felling trees, swelling rivers over their banks and flooding some roads. President Obama has declared a state of emergency, which releases federal aid to help with local response efforts. Early Tuesday, Irene skirted the north coast of the Dominican Republic, bringing heavy winds, rain and surging seas.
Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Jewel, which is in the midst of a week-long Bahamas and Florida cruise, arrived in Great Stirrup Cay Tuesday (NCL's private Bahamian island) as originally planned. Instead of calling on Nassau Wednesday, Jewel will spend the day at sea, then head north en route to its New York homeport. It'll reach N.Y.C. on Saturday as scheduled.
Norwegian Sky is in Nassau Tuesday as scheduled. The ship will cancel its Wednesday call in Great Stirrup Cay and spend the day at sea instead. Depending on the path of the storm, the ship may also have to cancel its call in Freeport on Thursday. Sky completes its four-night cruise on Friday in Miami.
Royal Caribbean
Monarch of the Seas will not call on Cococay, the line's private Bahamian island, Tuesday. The ship, which left Port Canaveral Monday on a four-night Bahamas cruise, is in Nassau today and will spend the next two days at sea before returning to Port Canaveral Friday.
Majesty of the Seas will not be able to call on CocoCay Wednesday. Instead, the ship is sailing directly to Key West, where it will arrive at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and stay overnight until 6 p.m. on Thursday. Majesty is scheduled to conclude its four-night Bahamas and Florida cruise in Miami on Friday.
Royal Caribbean reversed the itinerary for Oasis of the Seas, which left Fort Lauderdale on Saturday for a week-long Western Caribbean cruise. The ship visited Cozumel on Monday; is spending Tuesday at sea; calling on Falmouth, Jamaica on Wednesday; and visiting Labadee, the line's private peninsula in Haiti, on Thursday. Oasis will spend Friday at sea before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday as scheduled.
Freedom of the Seas, which left Sunday from Port Canaveral on a week-long Western Caribbean cruise, is sailing a reversed itinerary. The ship is now calling on Cozumel (Tuesday), Grand Cayman (Wednesday), Falmouth, Jamaica (Thursday) and Labadee (Friday).
Oasis' sister ship, Allure of the Seas, is visiting all the ports originally scheduled on its week-long Caribbean cruise, but in a slightly different order. The ship will visit Nassau, Bahamas on Saturday (August 27) instead of Monday (August 22). Visits to St. Thomas (Wednesday) and St. Maarten (Thursday) will take place as planned.
Royal Caribbean has scrambled the order for Serenade of the Seas' seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise, which left from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Sunday. The ship is now visiting Aruba (Tuesday), Curacao (Wednesday), St. Kitts (Friday) and St. Thomas (Saturday).
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Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival Pride, which left Baltimore on Sunday for a week-long Bahamas and Florida cruise, will sail a revised route. The ship will now visit Port Canaveral (Tuesday, instead of Wednesday) and Freeport (Wednesday), after which the line will determine the remainder of the itinerary based on Irene's projected path.
Carnival Triumph, which sailed from New Orleans on Saturday for a week-long Bahamas and Florida cruise, is swapping its Bahamas calls for visits to Western Caribbean ports. The new route includes stops in Key West (Tuesday, as planned), Cozumel (Wednesday) and Progreso (Thursday).
Carnival Destiny, which departed Miami on Monday for a five-night cruise to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau, will instead visit Key West (Tuesday), Cozumel (Wednesday) and Costa Maya (Thursday).
Carnival Conquest, which left Galveston on Sunday for a week-long Bahamas and Florida cruise, will now sail a Western Caribbean itinerary. The new route calls for visits to Costa Maya (Wednesday), Cozumel (Thursday) and Progreso (Friday).
Carnival Victory had to cancel Monday's call at St. Thomas and is proceeding to Barbados for its scheduled call on Wednesday. Spokesman Vance Gulliksen said the line is still evaluating the remainder of the itinerary. Victory is on a seven-night cruise from San Juan.
Carnival Liberty, in the midst of a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami, stopped in Grand Turk Monday instead of spending the day at sea as originally planned. The line is evaluating the remainder of the itinerary.
Carnival Miracle, which embarked from New York Thursday on an eight-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, is sailing an altered itinerary. Instead of visiting San Juan, St. Thomas and Grand Turk, the ship called on Grand Turk Monday and is visiting Half Moon Cay Tuesday.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line likewise has no changes at this time for its one Bahamas-based ship, Disney Dream.
Weather Outlook: Possible Affected Ships and Ports
The core of the storm will move near or over the southeastern and central Bahamas Tuesday night and Wednesday, and near or over the northwestern Bahamas, where the cruise ports of Freeport and Nassau are situated, by Thursday. A hurricane warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos, and all of the Bahamas.
The current forecast shows the center of Irene making landfall Saturday afternoon somewhere near the northeast part of North Carolina. Meteorologists expect Irene's impact to be widespread along the East Coast. The last time a hurricane made landfall in the U.S. was in 2008, when Ike's 100 mph winds slammed into Texas, severely damaging the Gulf Coast, including the popular embarkation port of Galveston.


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New Apple CEO Tim Cook: It’s Apple’s job to convince people to spend a little more on better products

Tim Cook is quite a familiar face and voice to those of us who cover Apple obsessively. He’s been calmly present in Apple’s earnings calls for years, and served multiple stints as an interim CEO — first in 2004, then in 2009, and he’s been at the helm of the company since January of this year while Steve continued to battle health issues. So, while the final departure of Steve Jobs from the CEO role is surprising, Tim Cook is plenty familiar with the job. According to Steve Jobs, Tim’s name was already down in an existing CEO succession plan, and he clearly has Steve’s blessing. Jeff Williams — who already reported to Cook as Senior Vice President of Operations, will be assuming the COO role.

While Steve Jobs is famous for his product sense, Tim Cook is known as the genius behind Apple’s ability to keep inventory low, ship products quickly, and milk extremely high profit margins. He has served as Apple’s COO since 2007, before that working as the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations. Before joining Apple in 1998 he worked in similar roles at IBM and Compaq.

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 Apple is known for having many successful product launches. But it had some unsuccessful ones too.

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February: Union presses for succession plan
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Reactions to the end of the Steve Jobs era
Read story
Fortune ran an in-depth profile on Tim Cook in 2008, which remains the definitive document on the man. If you’re looking for something more brief, Apple has a tiny profile page of its own. The Fortune profile includes one particularly relevant quote from Tim himself: “Come on, replace Steve? No. He’s irreplaceable… That’s something people have to get over. I see Steve there with gray hair in his 70s, long after I’m retired.” It seems like Tim’s time has arrived much sooner than he expected.

One great, telling anecdote about Tim Cook, who is known as rather mild-mannered, has popped up in multiple profiles:

Cook’s relation with supply chain is best described by an anecdote reported by CNN, related to the period when Cook joined Apple in 1998 to straighten the operational morass that Apple was in. In a meeting convened to tackle a problem in China, he had said: “This is really bad someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty-minutes in the meeting he chided Sabih Khan, the then operations executive, saying “Why are you still here?”. Khan responded by immediately booking a ticket to China, sans a change of clothes.

Tim’s shared his own opinions on the Apple philosophy on recent earnings calls. When asked if Apple had to cut prices in order to increase sales, Cook offered a variation on a theme: Apple only makes products its people would want to own, and it doesn’t go after the lower price. In fact, Cook thinks it’s Apple’s job to convince people to spend a little more on significantly better products, and he points to China as an example of where that strategy has been a success.

Mac sales were up 28 percent to 3.76m. Tim Cook said that the Mac is “enormous” in Asia and that the US had a “surprisingly strong” quarter, before noting that the Mac has had 20 straight quarters of outgrowing the PC market, which he thinks is stagnating. “We seem to be the only guys that are really focused on building innovative products.” He also sees a “great future” for both portables like the MacBook line and desktops like the iMac.

Tim Cook shares a few personal discoveries during the 2011 commencement address at Auburn University including his thoughts on joining Apple, “the best decision that I ever made.”

Steve Wozniak: Steve Jobs had all the business sense

As the sun sets on the Steve Jobs era, many are looking back to Apple’s founding days. And it’s impossible to look at Apple’s history without mentioning co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Wozniak and Jobs were high-school friends who formed Apple when they were 26 and 21, respectively. Wozniak left the company in 1987 but remains on its payroll. In April, Wozniak told Reuters that he would consider returning to Apple if asked, though he said that the company could probably afford to be a little more open.

A computer engineer by training, Wozniak has said that Jobs brought business sense and drive to the company that Wozniak just didn’t have. Woz, as he’s most often known, had the skills and the inventive spirit, but couldn’t match his partner’s passion for marketing and developing.

“He always wanted to be one of the important people and had a focus that there are very few people that drive the world forward.” Wozniak told the Post in 2010.

You can see Jobs’ natural salesmanship come through in this 2001 clip of him introducing the concept of the Apple Store:


In a Wednesday interview with Bloomberg, Wozniak reiterated his point, saying that Jobs is the “greatest technical leader of our time.” He said that he was surprised by the news and wished Jobs all the best. “I’m just hoping...that Steve will have a lot more time for his life,” he said.

Despite Jobs’ decision to step down as CEO, Wozniak said that he’s sure that Jobs will continue to monitor in his capacity as chairman as the company goes forward, and that his influence will remain with Apple.

“Company culture doesn’t change overnight,” he said. “The sort of products you make, how you make your decisions, the quality of the people working there doesn’t change overnight.

Because of Jobs’ strange history with Apple, namely his 1985 ouster as chairman, Jobs has already had some say in what he wants his legacy at Apple to be.

In a 1985 interview with Newsweek reposted today by The Daily Beast, Jobs responded with this answer when asked if he felt his company had been taken from him:

To me, Apple exists in the spirit of the people that work there, and the sort of philosophies and purpose by which they go about their business. So if Apple just becomes a place where computers are a commodity item and where the romance is gone, and where people forget that computers are the most incredible invention that man has ever invented, then I'll feel I have lost Apple. But if I'm a million miles away and all those people still feel those things and they're still working to make the next great personal computer, then I will feel that my genes are still in there.

Where to Place and How to Choose Living Room Sofas

Living room sofas are central to the décor of the living room and it's often the most used furniture piece of all the house. The living room of a house is the place where members of the family come to relax, unwind and pass a good time after a busy day at the office. Chatting, watching TV, entertaining guests or just reading a book are common usages of the living room, provided and potentiated by the furniture and general ambience of the room.

There are several factors important for creating a fresh and joyful living room, where all members of the family feel comfortable and relaxed. Bookcases, end tables, Living room sofas, lighting arrangements and entertainment gadgets, all these pieces allow you to pass a nice time watching TV, playing games, chatting with your family or entertaining the guests. Special attention should be paid to the living room sofa, as the central and essential furniture piece of all the décor.

Making the right choice when choosing Living room sofas depends on the available space, the furniture set of your living room, your needs and budget. With such a generous offer available nowadays, it can be rather tricky and time-consuming to select the perfect one. If you have a large living room and expect a large number of guests visiting you often, then you need a large size sofa to provide comfortable seating options for everyone. If you don't have to accommodate many visitors on a regular basis, you can choose a 3-seat, stylish sofa to match your needs.
When it comes to furniture pieces so often utilized like Living room sofas, quality and durability should be the main keywords in your quest for finding the perfect sofa. The fabrics, as well as the structure of the sofa should be of high-quality if you don't want to repeatedly change it or waste money on reconditioning. Make sure the sofa fabric, as well as the shape and style of this furniture piece match the color and style scheme of your room. Inappropriate mixing of styles and colors will not serve your purpose of tastefully decorating the living room.

You can go for modern trends or classic styles when selecting Living room sofas and you'll achieve the same comfort and sophistication in the most frequently used room of all the house. You guests will be delighted to spend time in a cozy and elegant environment, not to mention the good time you and your family will have each moment, after long and tiresome working days. If you don't compromise over quality and comfort, you'll be able to enjoy and relax each moment spent in your house, without making large investments.

Enhance your Living room with excellent Living room sofas - Visit our site for the full catalog of furniture for every room in your home

Dunham and friends return

When ventriloquist Jeff Dunham hits the stage, there's no telling what — or who, rather — he's got up his sleeve. It could be crotchety old Walter, beer-loving hillbilly Bubba J, furry screwball Peanut, the lovable Latino José Jalapeño on a Stick or
By OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writers Don't miss Jeff Dunham tonight on the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Main Stage at the Wisconsin State Fair. What's better than stand-up comedy? How about stand-up with puppets. Ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings his act to the
Dunham will bring two new characters to his arsenal: Achmed Junior and Little Jeff. Expect more of the personalities that helped Dunham draw big crowds to the grandstand the past two years. Tickets go on sale at 10 am Sept. 30.
Jeff Dunham is at the DCU Center in Worcester on Oct. 21. Tickets are on sale beginning Aug. 19 at 10 am through all Ticketmaster outlets and locations including ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are priced at $43.50.
Jeff Dunham, who was born in Texas, America in 1962 is well noted stand-up comedian. He has done many television shows. Some of his noted television shows are Star Search, unhurried point to with David Letterman,

Comedian Jeff Dunham returning to Toledo

Comedian Jeff Dunham, whose concert two years ago was the first major show at what was then known as the Lucas County Arena, is returning to Toledo for a show at the venue Nov. 27.

Tickets for Dunham's show at what is now the Huntington Center go on sale Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. through the Huntington Center box office, Ticketmaster, all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, and by phone at 800-745-3000.

His show will be on a Sunday at 5 p.m. Ticket prices have not been set.

He features "sidekick" puppets and he has added two new characters to his repertoire — Achmed Junior, the son of Achmed the Dead Terrorist, and Little Jeff, who is a doppelganger for the comedian. It's a new show and if you want a sneak peek there will be a Comedy Central special called Controlled Chaos on Sept. 25.

Then, Drive Traffic!

I’ll be straight and to the point - without readers your blog will never make money. You need new readers and faithful ones that will keep coming back and spread the word. How do you get people to come to your blog in the first place? And, once you get them there how do you keep them?
Getting Traffic to Your Blog
Search Engine Traffic – Pay attention to keywords and phrases when you publish your blog posts and other pages. These will help your blog rank higher in the search engines and bring targeted visitors (those really interested in what you have to say) to you.
Word of Mouth – Give some incentive for your readers to tell others about your blog. You can offer contests and giveaways where the winner has to link to the contest or post a Tweet on Twitter about the contest, etc. We’ll talk more about these things in a bit.
Comment on Other Blogs - Find blogs that fit with yours and visit them, read what the author posts and make comments on their posts. When you make comments on other blogs you are normally given the opportunity to link to your site – use it!
Article Marketing – We talked about article directories earlier, but this time you’ll be the one submitting the articles for others to pick up and post on their websites and blogs. Be sure you link to your blog in the resource box so people who read the article can visit your site to learn more.
Learn how to implement article marketing in a way that effectively drives tons of targeted visitors to your blog with this – Easy Article Marketing
Hold Contests & Giveaway Freebies – Contests and free items are hot! Everybody loves a good freebie and the chance to win something. There are tons of things you can giveaway on your blog – from reports to physical products. Some people have found success with using a weekly freebie (Freebie Friday) post. Don’t be afraid to create your own free content and give your readers the opportunity to pass those things on to others. Just don’t forget to include a link to your blog within the content so they’ll know where to find more of your great information.
Here's a free report about holding a contest on your blog:
http://www.webtrafficbasics.com/BoostTrafficwithaBlogContest.pdf
Add a Product Review Section – Create a section on your blog just for recommending products that your readers would be interested in. For instance, if your blog is for those wanting to work from home, include reviews of work at home job sites, products that help make the work at home office more efficient and things of that nature.
Everybody looks to others before making a purchase to get advice and opinions. They don’t want to spend their hard earned money on something they’ll never use or that doesn’t give them what they were hoping for. Be the one to share your opinions about products and services (don’t forget to add your affiliate links within the reviews) with your readers.
Add a Recipe Section – If it fits your market another item that is hot on the Internet is recipes. Add a recipe section to your blog and watch your visitor numbers rise. Recipes are a cinch to add to your blog and you don’t have to write them yourself. Check out YummyPLR.com to get your hands on PLR recipes you can add to your website each and every month.
WebTrafficBasics.com – Sign up for this free course where
you’ll learn how to drive traffic to your blog.
Keeping Your Visitors Around
The best way to keep your readers coming back is to offer them quality, valuable content on a consistent basis. That’s what they come for so give them what they want.
Another great way to keep your visitors coming back is to give them the opportunity to sign up to receive reminders about your blog. You can do this with an RSS feed and a newsletter or ezine. Keeping in touch with them on a regular basis, whether weekly, twice a month or monthly, will keep your blog and you fresh in their minds.
The Time is Now!
You are now equipped with more than enough information to create your own blog, or take your current blog to the next level, without typing the letters of your keyboard or spending hours of your precious time at the computer. The only thing left to do now is apply what you’ve learned.
You’ll find a list of resources I personally recommend below. You can check out the ones you think will help you and leave the ones you don’t need. Whatever you do, never, from this point on think you have to spend the rest of your life writing your own blog content. Heck no, life is too short for that, right? ;)
Best of Luck! I hope to see your blog making you profits and hitting the top of the best blogs lists soon!

Monetizing Your Content for Passive Blogging Profits

Once you start compiling your content and adding it to your blog, it’s time to start thinking about how you can make money with your new found information. I’ve got a few ideas to help you get started, so let’s get to it – I know this is what you were waiting on wasn’t it?
1. Promote Affiliate Programs
Finding products you can promote within your content is a great way to make money with your blog. One way to do this is to sign up for an affiliate program for the items you would like to promote. Once you’ve found them and signed up you’ll receive a link (your affiliate link) that you can use to send your blog readers to the product. When they make a purchase using your link, you’ll be rewarded with commissions.
When posting your content, think of items that will compliment the content and search for affiliate programs for those types of products. For instance, if you’re posting an article that discusses using video online, you could promote the software you use to create your own videos. Do you have a product or service you love and couldn’t live without? Put together a product review and use your affiliate link to send your reader to the company’s website. A word of caution with reviews – a reader can tell if you’re just pushing a product to make a sale so be honest. If there is something you don’t like about it, tell them.
You can find affiliate programs in many places, but here are a few I recommend:
The Company’s Website – More and more business owners are realizing just how much creating an affiliate program for their products and services can increase business. Check right on the company’s website for information on how to sign up for their affiliate program.
Affiliate Networks – You can find tons of products in every market you could dream of here. Just sign up for a free publisher account, locate products you’d like to promote. That’s all there is to it. www.ClickBank.com
Free Affiliate Articles – If you're looking for content that is ready for affiliate links visit www.FreeAffiliateArticles.com and you'll find a bunch.
Mom Affiliate Network – If you cater to the mom market, I highly recommend checking this site out for family friendly products. You’ll also find programs to help Internet marketers and those who want to work from home here. www.MomAffiliateNetwork.com
Search Engines – Many times you can put the type of product you’re looking to promote plus the words “affiliate program” into your browser’s search feature and you’ll find lots of options.
2. Adsense
Do you see those blocks of ads on blogs and websites throughout the web that “Ads by Google” at the bottom? Those are ads published via Google’s Adsense program.
Google sends targeted ads based on the content that appears on your blog. You can sign up for an account with Google’s Adsense program for free. Once you sign up you’ll be able to set up the type of ads you’d like fed to your blog (text ads, block ads, banner ads, and more). As the content on your blog changes, Google changes the ads and you’re paid whenever someone clicks on the ads.
When done correctly, you can make very good money with Adsense, but it does take a bit of testing and tweaking to find the combination of ads that will work best for your individual blog. People are used to seeing these ads and although many people do ignore them, there are many more who will click the links and you’ll be compensated when they do.
3. Resale Rights Content

Resale rights content is content you purchase similar to PLR with one exception. You usually don’t have the right to alter the content in anyway. You purchase the content for your use and are given the rights to resell it, which allows you to then turn around sell the product yourself.

Normally, you’ll receive not only the product, but also the sales page and other web copy to add to your own website. You simply change the payment link to have it paid to you and whenever someone buys the product you get all the profits.

Master Resale Rights Content

If resale rights content isn’t good enough, there is also content you can purchase that comes with what’s known as Master Resale Rights. The difference between master resale rights and regular resale rights is:

Resale Rights – You can sell the product but you can NOT pass those same rights on to your customers.

Master Resale Rights – You can not only sell the product and keep the profits, but you also have the ability to pass resale rights onto your customers. They can in turn sell the product as their own.

Each product has specific rules on how you can and cannot use the content no matter which type you are given. Due to this make certain you take the time to read the rules before just throwing the product up for sale or offering rights to others.

Here are some examples of products that offer resale rights you might want to try for your blog:

• Small Reports Zone - Jimmy D. Brown
• Beginner Coach - Another Jimmy D. Brown product (this one has Master Resale Rights)
• Sweetie Reports - Alice Seba’s Monthly Report Club where members receive a new report each month and each one comes with Resale Rights
• FullTimeWahm - Comes with Resale Rights, although it isn't mentioned on the sales page.
4. Create & Sell Your Own Info Products
Ok, I know you’re probably shaking your head after reading number 4. You’re probably wondering how in the world you have the time to write your own information products when you’re trying to save time and energy by NOT writing all your own blog posts. Hear me out, I promise it’ll be worth it. 
Just like your blog posts, you can create information products that you can sell to your readers without writing all of the content yourself. The absolute best (and easiest) way to do this is by purchasing PLR content that centers around the topic of the info product you’d like to create and rework it a bit and compile it to create an eBook or guide you can then put up for sale. Here’s an example of what I mean:
Let’s say you have a blog about Green Living. One thing your readers would love to know is how to live a greener life without paying tons of money on things like solar panels, costly home additions, etc. You’ve decided you’d like to create an eBook to help them go green by making small changes to their everyday lifestyles without breaking the bank. You’d also like to show them ways they can not only live a greener life, but even save money in the process. We’ll call the product: “Go Green without Breaking the Bank: Small Changes You Can Make to Live an Eco-Friendly Life while Saving Money.”
The first thing you’d do is start searching for private label rights content that fits your subject. Next, you’ll want to compile all the PLR you’ve purchased into a logical, valuable document. Now, it’s time to add your own advice, tips, knowledge, etc. on the subject and form your finished product.
You’ve now created an entire eBook without having to write the majority of it yourself. Save your brain power for marketing your newly created product. Just remember, make any PLR you purchase your own by reworking it to fit your needs and add to or take away information as necessary.
Go to EasyPLR.com/bestplr.htm for the best PLR on a huge variety of topics.
Bonus Tip: To add value to your information product, record an audio version of your eBook and package it with the written version. You can also interview others in your field and add that too.

5. ECourses & Newsletters
Another great way to monetize your blog content is by adding free eCourses to your arsenal. You can put together eCourses that will give your readers further information about the topic of your blog.
For instance, if you run a blog about Labrador Retrievers, why not create a short 5 day eCourse that tells owners of Lab puppies the best tips and tricks for house training the newest member of their family. Or, create an eCourse that gives important information on raising Labs specifically.
You can use PLR content or take content you’ve previously posted on your blog to create your eCourses.
Grab pre-written PLR eCourses on Internet marketing topics at MostlySanePLR.com
Simply load the eCourse into your email management system (I use Aweber) and sprinkle promotions for affiliate products throughout the course. Once you have the course set up, copy and paste the HTML or JavaScript for the sign up box into your blog. Then market the course via your blog posts, on Twitter, and other places.
This brings me to the next step in making money with your blog – bringing in visitors.


6. Ad networks.
Ad networks are programs that serve ads onto your blog. Normally they pay per thousand impressions. (Usually described as CPM.) So, an ad network that pays $3 CPM would pay $3 for every 1000 times the ad was viewed.

There are many sites like this online and you can find them by searching google.

Where to Find Content for Your Blog?

Now that you know you need great content for your blog and why, it’s time to move on to the meat of this report. I promised I’d tell you how to get that content without wearing your fingers to the bone. So, here we go! Hang on it’s gonna be a fun ride!


1. Hire a Writer

There are freelance writers who make it their business to write articles, blog posts and more for website owners as well as bloggers. Most of these writers, also known as ghostwriters, charge per written piece and base their charges on the word count of the content you need. For instance, you can have a 300 word blog post written for X amount of dollars on the desired topic of your choice.

Normally, you will send the writer either a broad topic or even an actual title and they will in turn write the content for you following your specifications. Finding a ghostwriter is not hard, especially with the field growing by leaps and bounds every single day. The hard part is finding a writer you can communicate well with, afford, and who can write in a way that captures your voice.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when hiring a ghostwriter.

Finding a Writer

Ask for Recommendations - Ask around and see who comes recommended. You can easily get references from other bloggers, website owners, Internet marketers, and even on social media sites such as Twitter.

Search Engines - While this is an option, I would definitely ask people you know and trust for their suggestions for a writer first. Just because a person’s website makes it to the top of the search engine results and they “claim” to be an experienced writer, doesn’t mean they are.

Recommendation: Shelancers.com offers a variety of writers to choose from.

It Might Take More than One to Find THE One

Just as every blog is different, so are writers. Don’t get discouraged if you try one (or sometimes more) writer and he or she is not what you had in mind. Some writers can take any blog owner’s writing style and implement it in their articles and blog posts with no problem what-so-ever. Others don’t find it as easy.

If you hire a writer and find you don’t like their writing style or approach to a topic, move to another. I can tell you from experience; sometimes it takes going through a few writers to find the one that “gets it” and will whip out superb content that fits your personality as if you wrote it yourself.

Feedback is Crucial

When you hire a writer make sure you give them feedback once they’ve completed a writing project for you. If there was something you didn’t like about the article – the way they worded things wasn’t how you would have done it, etc. – let them know. A professional writer will be open to all types of feedback and offer to correct the issue with a re-write. By providing feedback, you are not only letting the writer know what you like and dislike about the content, but you are also building a relationship that will become very beneficial for both of you.

For instance, I know I can start writing something that’s in my head and when I get stuck, it’s nothing for me to whip it over to my writer and say “Help!” I have developed a relationship with her that allows me to feel comfortable throwing something her way without a second thought for improvement, additions, etc. I know that once she returns it to me I will not only be pleased, but it will read as if I’ve written it all myself because she and I have communicated and discussed my likes and dislikes so much that she could pass as me almost any day!

Review & Edit

I know I just said that I can send something to my writer and it would be like I’ve written it myself, but that doesn’t mean I can get away with not looking at the finished product. Even the best of writers have their off days, mine included.

Therefore, it is critical that any piece of writing you have someone else put together for you, should be reviewed and edited as necessary. Whether you’re making changes to put more of your own thoughts and opinions to it or simply adding monetization items, you must, must, must review each and every piece of content you have created for you.


2. Seek Guest Experts

You may have seen these on other blogs you, yourself frequent. Also commonly referred to as guest bloggers, guest experts are people who can provide relevant information to your readers in the form of guest posts. These are people who somehow tie in with your blog’s topic. For instance, if you own an Internet marketing blog you might consider approaching people from the following areas about submitting guest posts or becoming a regular guest expert on your blog.

• Social Media Experts
• Outsourcing Experts
• Web Design Experts
• Technical Experts
• Working from Home Experts
• Press Release Experts
• Affiliate Marketing Experts

The list could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

You invite them to be a guest blogger on your blog, set them up with their own login information or have them submit their posts directly to you so you can post them yourself.
Give them something in return for their efforts because most guest bloggers are not paid for their posts. Many times a link back to the guest experts’ site and possibly allowing them to promote their own products or affiliates products within their post is all that’s needed. But, with the growth in popularity of guest bloggers, it’s getting a bit harder to find people who will commit. If they’re good at what they do, they will be blogging on other sites as well as yours. Try to sweeten the pot a little to get them to stick around and continue posting.

Of course, you can pay them to submit information if you’d like. As a matter of fact, I myself have one site where I pay for submissions. I monitor the submissions and if we decide it is site worthy, we pay the author for the article once it’s been published. I’ve found this helps when it comes to having a steady flow of content.

One more thing about guest bloggers you may find helpful. If you know people who are just starting out they are more open to jumping on as a guest blogger than established bloggers or business owners. However, if you aren’t ranking extremely high in the search engines, your traffic numbers aren’t all that great or your blog isn’t quite as popular as you’d like it to be yet, don’t worry. It takes some time to get there, but with the help of adding all this great content and a few other essentials, you’ll be there before you know.


3. Hit the Article Directories

Article directories are databases full of articles that authors have submitted in hopes that others will pick them up and publish them on their websites and blogs. You can find articles on just about every topic of the sun at these directories.

The catch is that you must include the author’s resource box, which normally contains information about the author and a link to their website, when you publish it on your own site. They are great sources of information, but read the articles very carefully to be sure you are getting the content you want for your website. You wouldn’t want to place incorrect information on your blog and mislead your readers after all.

Here are some of my most favorite article directories:
Ezine Articles
Free Affiliate Articles (get articles that you can monetize with affiliate links in the resource bio)
LadyPens.com

4. Create Video & Audio

Audio and video are growing ever popular online, especially on blogs. You can publish your own audios and videos or you can link to ones that others have created.

Here are some ideas for creating your own audios and videos that you can publish on your blog:

• Interviews with experts in your field
• How-to videos
• Talk radio shows and podcasts
• Training
• And more

Don’t have audio or video creation software? No sweat – you can easily create short videos on your digital camera and upload them to sites like these:

YouTube
Flickr
Blip TV
12 Seconds TV

If you’re looking for audio help, have a glance at these sites:

AudioAcrobat
Blog Talk Radio


5. Add RSS News Feeds

As you probably already know, most blogs have what is known as an RSS feed. This is where, when set up by the blog owner, readers can subscribe to the feed and be notified of new posts to the blog via email or feed readers. If your blog doesn’t have one, I highly suggest you create one. It’s really easy with the help of a site like FeedBurner.com.

Just as blogs have feeds, so do news websites such as CNN, MSNBC, etc. You can have your blog set up to receive feeds from other blogs or websites automatically. When you do this, your blog will show the posts from the other sites. Your blog is updated automatically every time a post is added to that site.

What a great way to have constant content pertaining to your topic appear on your blog. Great for indexing in the search engines too.

6. Ask Your Readers

Another great way to get content is to ask your readers to submit questions, suggestions, etc.

Their information can be turned into content for your blog in many ways:

Q & A Posts – Ask your readers to submit their questions and then answer them right on your blog.

Create a FAQ Page – As you receive questions, add them to a frequently asked questions page on your site. Each time you update the page, let your readers know.

Product Reviews – If you sell products or provide a service, ask your customers for their opinions about these things. Sometimes, they will submit full fledged reviews and you can publish those on your blog.

Testimonials – While these may not be full posts on their own, you can combine some of them and post on your blog.

7. Newsletters & Emails to Subscribers

Do you have an email list? When you send emails to your subscribers or send out your regular newsletter, do you stop at that? Start posting the updates you send to your subscribers and your newsletters or ezines to your blog as well.

Some of your subscribers may not get a chance to read your emails before they are shuffled down their inbox screen or worse yet, they may have filters that are blocking your emails altogether. This will allow them to still receive the valuable information you have to share AND give you more quality content for your blog.

Of course, if you have a list that has sensitive information that you don’t want the whole world to see, skip on posting those specific messages. One example of this would be a membership site where you send members a download link each month so they can access their member’s only information. You wouldn’t want just anybody to have the ability to get that information.

But, if you’re adding a new product to your business for instance, go ahead and post the email you send to your past customers on your blog. You’ll get more exposure for your product and added content for your blog. It’s a win-win.

8. Load Up with Private Label Rights (PLR) Content

One of my favorite ways to add quality, topic related content to a blog is with PLR. If you don’t know what PLR is, let me fill you in on this wonderful little thing.

PLR content is created specifically for those who don’t have the time, skills or desire to create their own content on a consistent basis. You can find articles, blog posts, reports, recipes, marketing materials, and even web design PLR on the Internet. Someone else writes it and sells it. You buy it and have the ability to use as you see fit - for the most part. Most PLR sites do have rules to what you can and can’t do with the PLR once you purchase it, so be sure you review those before buying.

Recommended PLR Sites:
www.EasyPLR.com
www.YummyPLR.com
www.plr.me/easyplr (special offer on that page)
www.PLRSO.com (Internet marketing content)

Now, let’s see what some of the benefits of PLR include:

Inexpensive – PLR is normally cheaper than hiring a ghostwriter. You can normally buy a pack of PLR or sign up for a membership for very little. For instance, a ballpark average cost for a freelancer to write a 500 word article might run you around 10-15 dollars. With some PLR sites, you can buy 10-15 articles for that same price.

Variety – No matter what your topic, you can probably find PLR content for sale about it. The popularity of PLR has helped make it’s availability in a wide variety of markets bigger and broader than ever before.

Limited (some not all) availability – Although PLR is not exclusively yours like ghostwritten material, in most instances the number of times a particular package will be sold is limited. At least with a good PLR seller it is. This will limit the amount of times your content will be found on someone else’s site. (But, I’m going to tell you in a minute how to avoid that, even if the PLR you purchase isn’t limited to a certain amount of buyers.)

Time-Saving – As with the other ways to find content without writing it yourself, PLR saves you a TON of time. It’s already written for you, you just have to make it your own and it’s good to go.

Recyclable – One PLR article can be used over and over again. You can repurpose the same piece of content in numerous ways:

• Post it to your blog.
• Send it to your list.
• Create your own products with it.
• Use it in your affiliate program.
• Use it in your membership program.
• And so much more.

The possibilities really are endless when it comes to using PLR. The more you use it, the more valuable that one piece of content becomes to you.

One bit of advice if you’re using PLR content:

If you decide to use PLR on your blog (or anywhere else for that matter) rework it before posting it. You want to make the content your own in some way. There will be other people on the Internet that are using this same content and unfortunately some won’t see the need to make the content their own and put it up as is. You don’t want to be offering the EXACT same information as everyone else.

Make the PLR cater to your audience and target market. Add your own thoughts to it. Put a different spin on it, whatever you need to do to make it work for your needs without simply throwing it up on your blog in the same condition you received it in. This is what will set you apart from another blogger in your market. This is what will show your readers that you can be trusted and know your stuff.

I’ve now given you 8 ways to get content for your blog without having to write it all yourself. There are other ways, but these are some of my personal favorites and most popular ways. Pick one you really like or choose a combination of them.

Up next I’ll give you some ideas for making money with all this content!

Why is Content Crucial?

Here are a few reasons...

First of all, people come to the web for one thing and one thing only – information. Whether they're shopping for products to buy or looking for a natural remedy for their acne, they're hitting the web for information, advice, and help.

If your readers find quality information from you they're very likely to:

• Stick Around
• Sign Up for Your ezine or newsletter
• Twitter about your site
• Recommend your posts at places like StumbleUpon.com
• Sign up for your RSS feed
• Come back in the future
• Refer others to your site

Second, search engines LOVE content. The more pages you have on your website or blog filled with quality content, the better. Whether you offer product reviews, funny stories, or meaty training, quality content is rewarded by Google, MSN, and Yahoo, as well as the many other smaller search engines online.

Third, adding value to the Internet begins to establish you as an expert on your topic. By writing great information, your readers will begin to look at you as THE go-to person for information. You'll begin attracting interview and JV requests as well.

As you can see content really is important if you want to build a successful blog or website on the Internet. Without it, your site is just another in the World Wide Web. How can people find you if they don’t know you exist? By establishing yourself and providing your readers with quality posts and other valuable information they need and want, you will see that you can easily become one of the big fish in the pond.

But, what if you don’t have time to write constantly? Or, what if you don’t like writing? You’re in luck, there are many ways to add quality information to your blog without having to write it all yourself.

Before we get to that, let me tell you that while you can create a blog purely made up of content that you don’t write yourself, I wouldn’t advise it. If you want to really resonate with your readers, you have to let them get to know you as well. Don’t shy away from writing some posts yourself, but instead use these content creation methods along with your own writing to create even more quality information for your visitors.

Get Fishy in Your Diet

Fish allows you to maximize protein while keeping the fat and calories low. This is why fish is great for those people who are trying to lose weight and enjoy a healthier diet. There are very few foods that are capable of combing low fat and low calories, and then have high protein. High protein usually comes with high fat and high calories.

Many people are leery of fish because they have had fish that is not very fresh. Other people are leery because they don’t know how to cook it. Fish dishes can seem challenging but they are actually quite easy. The amount of protein in fresh and frozen fish and seafood is very high. It is much higher than sources such as beef, pork and lamb.

Tips for Healthier Living

 Stock your fridge with celery or carrots
 Keep a bowl of fruits ready to be eaten out on the table or kitchen counter
 Eat warm vegetable soup on a cold day
 Eat at least one salad per day
 Snack on apples and oranges or dried fruits
 Add sprouts, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes to sandwiches for variety.
 Garnish meals with grated or chopped carrots
 Eat two servings of veggies with each dinner
 Try vegetable stir fry
 Make vegetable kabobs on the grill
 Use baked apples or pears for dessert
 Add veggies such as carrots, cabbage, onions, lentils and peas to soups, stews and casseroles.

Understanding Portion Sizes

We have all heard the USDA report that we need to eat 5 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day. This is really confusing because that sounds like a whole lot of food. Exactly what is a serving?

A serving a fruit or vegetable may be:
 A medium sized piece of fruit
 One large slice of fruit
 Two pieces of small fruit
 1 cup strawberries, raspberries or grapes
 ½ cup of fresh fruit salad
 ½ cup of stewed or canned fruit
 ¼ cup of dried fruit
 ½ cup of 100% pure fruit juice
 ½ cup of cooked, canned or frozen vegetables
 1 side salad

Unlike other foods, the more the better when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables. Be sure to include as many servings of fruits and vegetables as you can when planning your meals.

Fiber Myths

There are several myths about fiber. The first is that the crispness of a food is related to fiber. The truth is that there is no relation here. The amount of crispness of a food product does not indicate the amount of fiber that the product contains. The crunch of lettuce, for example, is from the amount of water that it contains.

Secondly, many people think that cooking breaks down fiber. This is not true either. Cooking has no effect on the amount of fiber that the food contains. Peeling vegetables and fruits, however, will remove some fiber since the skins contain fiber. Edible skins, such as apple peel, are a good source of fiber.

No matter why you need to increase your fiber intake, you will find that it is a positive change to make in your diet. Increasing the amount of fiber you receive can have a large impact on your health.

Choosing Low Fat and High Fiber Foods

Raising the level of dietary fiber is important. At the same time it is important to lower the amount of fat in your diet. Adding dietary fiber to your diet is one of the most effective changes that you can make. However, many people consume way too much fat without enough fiber.

A good place to start is by knowing which foods you eat are high in fiber or which foods that are high in fiber that you could eat. Eating a diet that is rich in fiber will lower fat and other negative diet elements.

When you are boosting the amount of fiber in your diet you also want to do so at a gradual rate. Abrupt changes in fiber can cause abdominal pain, cramps, bloating and gas.

There are several high fiber foods including:
 Dried peas & beans
 Dried fruits
 Nuts
 Sesame seeds
 Sunflower seeds
 Berries

All of these foods have more than 6 grams of fiber per serving.

Foods which contain 4 to 6 grams of fiber per serving include:
 Baked potatoes with skin
 Apples
 Pears
 Barley
 Brown rice
 Bran muffins
 Lima beans
 Snow peas
 Green peas
 Sweet potatoes

Foods that contain 2 to 4 grams per serving include:
 Vegetables
 Citrus fruits
 Whole wheat bread
 Rye bread
 Melons

You will need to eat more of these foods to get the full effect, but that is okay because they are nutritious foods.

In order to have healthier eating habits for life, it is important to change the way you shop, cook and eat. A diet change should be something that you intend to continue with through life, so it is important that you develop good habits now that will allow you to do so.

When you go grocery shopping, get into the habit of hitting the produce section first. This is generally easy because most grocery stores have it conveniently located near the front door. You will want to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. These foods contain rich sources of vitamins and minerals. They also have a lot of fiber. Canned fruits and vegetables are okay if they are not in season.

When you are looking at baked goods, try to find those that are made with:
 Whole wheat flour
 Wheat bran
 Oat bran
 Poppy seeds
 Sesame seeds
 Oatmeal
 Raisins

It is also important that you learn to read labels. There are federally mandated labels on all foods that are sold. These labels are also standardized and contain certain information. Look at:
 Calorie content
 Fiber content
 Vitamin content

You can also find this information on meats, seafood and poultry as well.