Paul's Tips

What Should You, As A Business, Charge?

BigPaul — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:19:49 +0000

Of the many skills needed to stay in business, knowing how to set fees for your services is one key to successful marketing. Yet the underlying methods and issues on setting fees are too often unfamiliar to service providers, consultants, and other entrepreneurs.

Pricing plays a central role in how much (or little) you earn for the work you do, and in the psychological subtleties of your business relationships. Set prices too high, and you may lose valuable business. Lowering prices may garner you assignments and projects you’d otherwise miss. But too-low prices can also translate to working unnecessarily long hours, to earning less than you should for your efforts, and, in the worst case, to earning less than you need to turn a profit.

According to Launchscore.com, a site that offers startup business data to fledgling entrepreneurs, pricing is a major, major factor in the success of any regionally focused business. Basically, if you don’t price it right, you could fail before you begin.

FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGIES

There are several strategies you can use to set fees, ranging from asking for the going rates to raising your rates until clients say ouch. But …

Recovering Data with RAID Recovery

BigPaul — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 18:02:01 +0000

RAID or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks is a giant leap in the sphere of data storage and data recovery. RAID technology was developed because of the rising costs of high capacity drives in the servers for storing data. Added to it was the fact that the amount of data that needed to be stored was also increasing. In today’s world, where everything is computerized and the servers are getting overloaded, buying more and more high capacity drives is out of the question. The solution to this problem is the incorporation of raid hardware.

As the acronym RAID suggests, raid recovery uses an array of low cost drives to replace singular high capacity drives, mostly for redundancy and protection. This is because a collection of these inexpensive drives has greater capacity than a single costly drive or large capacity storage device and also can recover easily from system hazards like a circuit problem. In cases of a system failure in the server environment, raid recovery can easily be performed without shutting down the system. The success of the data recovery depends on the version of RAID that is used. Over the years, different versions have come on such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10.

Repairing Your RAID

When people cannot access their files or folders in their computer, they start to panic. People always think that their data is gone for good. The truth is, in most cases data and documents are safely stored within your hard disks. If you have a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks), your inability to access data might occur due to some of the drives being corrupt. RAID recovery can be done to repair your hard disk drives and restore previous data.

When you send your hard disks for raid recovery, the technician will firstly categorize your issue into one of the two categories – hardware based issue or software based issue. Next, the computer expert will test which of the drives are the ones that are causing problems. In addition, based on their assessment, they can then carry out the appropriate actions to repair your RAID. Even if your whole RAID becomes corrupt or inaccessible, do not fear as RAID recovery will be able to help you regain access to yur documents and data inside your hard drive. So if you think you are facing any RAID issues, drop by your local computer store or consult the help of specialists on the Internet.

Internet Still A Thousand Times Bigger Than We Would Have Thought

BigPaul — Thu, 03 Dec 2015 22:20:34 +0000

What is changing now that’s relevant to this discussion is the communications infrastructure. It may not matter how much capital Cisco, US West and others invest in the next stage of high-speed Internet access. Instead, it will be the smart group of vendors, telcos, ISPs and, yes, military conversions that will drive the next generation of global networks. For example, it is no secret that submarines can already communicate with optical transmission up to 4000 miles, and have been able to do so for some time. Could this mean that optical amplifiers will play a big role in the next-generation Internet? The “magic” will come to the applications that require high-speed access and microbrowser capability.

Too many corporate intranets are already tied to costly, slow portals that get bogged down in messaging traffic, much like AOL can with consumers on a busy e-mail day. However, as this generation of AOL “newbies” gets used to online services and begs to have the Web subsume their growing data appetite (more – for less money!), will these end-users really want to have their telephone, mail, TV, movie rental, virtual meetings and classroom-based education bogged down on one portal?

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Calculating Internet Costs Of Email

BigPaul — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 15:21:00 +0000

Taking the free hours included in the basic rates of America Online (AOL), CompuServe, or Prodigy and considering a daily mail exchange of 10 minutes a day, times five days a week, times four weeks, I get an on-line hour count of 3 to 4 hours per month. Now, before the flame mail starts again, this assumes that users are composing and reading messages off-line.

The extra 20 percent I added (taking the total to $12 to $14 per month) for perusing other areas of these services is predicated on the typical usage of a bunch of these nontechie users here at my office. Several of you suggested my math wasn’t based on an apples-to-apples comparison. Well, if you run any of the commercial services for 40 to 50 hours per month, yes, you are likely to get a whopper of a bill. I’ve had my share of $200 CompuServe bills in the past, but in my experience, most folks won’t use the services like this.

Of course, it is possible that they will. Give a user a free (or company paid-for) account and the old who-cares-what-the-charges-are attitudes appear. But this is pretty rare,

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Keeping Your Data Storage Safe

BigPaul — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 04:12:36 +0000

There are usually indications that should alert you to the fact that the storage locations for you files may be in a dangerous position. There are sounds that will signify to you that if you do not take the chance to have a proper back up for your documents then you might have to resort to the services of computer data recovery.

The first sign that you should watch out for is the presence of sounds that do not seem normal. These include sounds like clicking and scratching. When you hear these, you need to take appropriate measures to have your documents stored in other locations as well. Usually, you may notice too that the computer may shut itself down unexpectedly. This is an indication that soon, you might lose your hard drive.

Also, when you suspect that you might have lost some files, or even worse, if you have water damage on your hard drive, read this, and then contact an expert as soon as possible. Resorting to issues like refrigeration may just result in even more complications. Consequently, trying out some recovery methods that have not been proven to work will only make the work of computer data recovery a hard nut to crack. You may make the process even harder by trying to get to the hardware parts of the storage system.

Server data recovery comes as a result of loss of data. Data loss is one of the worst nightmares one can experience especially for the person who uses their computer all the time. In the present world, computers are a very essential part of everybody’s life, from the businessperson to the student. People use it to communicate, store data and sometimes work with them in the offices. Computer data loss comes because of several things.

One, if you are constantly using the internet, you get exposed to viruses. This requires you to have a strong antivirus which is very necessary for your computer’s protection. When you purchase an anti virus, you should put into consideration one that you can update. When your computer is attacked by a virus, one of the signs is that you tend to lose your data without necessarily having it deleted. Also, you may have accidentally formatted your disk losing all the data that was in it. This is one thing that may lead to panic and confusion making you act in a way that could lead to further damage of your hard disk. When you realize this has happened, simply switch your power off to avoid any overwrites. Computer data recovery is a process that could take hours or even days. This depends entirely on the way the data has been lost.

With increasing use of computers, there exists a chance that they might fail on you, or suffer some sort of damage that will cause the data and information contained within to be lost. The good news is, the data can be retrieved, but only if the correct computer data recovery methods are utilized. The cost for doing this will vary with the circumstance though, and often times will require some investment on the part of the owner.

Computer data recovery tools, software, hardware, and professionals have become increasingly popular nowadays. This is because the number of data recovery cases keeps rising, despite the overwhelming information available on how to keep data safe. Among the most common is having a backup of the data, something very simple to do, but ignored by many. If you do not have a backup of your data, please do so now. It will save you unnecessary expenses in the future.

Back to the costs of computer data recovery, and hardware failure will cost more to repair than a simple deletion. The expert will base their price on the situation at hand, and whether or not you have been involved in the rescue efforts. Getting involved is sometimes a good thing (like disconnecting a virus attacked server from the network), while other times its bad (physically moving a hard drive that fell from its perch). In any case, survey the situation, and then call in the expert guys.

Everyone including myself would love something that is easy to learn and use. One advantage of using computer data recovery software is this. Every of the software available in the market has a wizard to use. This makes the process simple and very exciting. When you use online software recovery, you do not need to think a lot. All you have to do is to click your next button on the wizard and sometimes the option of a yes and no. Just in case you have never had any knowledge about computer data recovery before, you do not have to panic in any way since the procedure that is provided for you is simple.

Another good thing about the use of software is that you do not need an expert unless your hard disk is badly damaged. When you have been faced by a natural disaster or physical damage of your hard disk, you will need to immediately inform a specialist. This is because a hard disk is a very sensitive part of the computer and if it is tampered with, you might not be in a position anymore of recovering your data.

Software is easily available. One place that you can always find one is on the internet. All you need is just an internet connection and you can download your software.

Tips On How To Do A Computer Data Recovery Process By Yourself

“The first step for you to do is to determine the cause of the loss of data. For example, if you have accidentally deleted a file or two and they are not even on your recycle bin, try and look for your backup copies before panicking. They might just be hidden somewhere. Also, try using your search option on your computer to help you in searching for the file. If you fail to find it, this is the time you will need a software which will help you in the recovery of this kind of data. The software can be downloaded from the internet or purchased at the computer shop. Whenever you purchase this software, check all the details about it to ensure that it is compatible with your operating system and hardware.

Follow the procedure using the wizard provided for you and determine whether your data has been retrieved or not. Another thing you can do to find your lost data is to seek help on the internet. Presently, there are

online companies which offer the computer data recovery procedure through the internet. Log onto the website, sign up to create an account and follow the computer data recovery process. The admin of these websites should be able to help you achieve your goals of recovering your data.

Have You Paid Your Home Property Taxes?

BigPaul — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 12:11:59 +0000

Having a home of your own comes with many benefits. You are required to pay property taxes every year as you enjoy the many benefits that come with having a roof over your head. You can learn how to file tax online to meet set deadlines. It is vital to consult a tax professional for back tax help to ensure the home remains yours. Penalties and late charges can accumulate if you do not observe set deadlines. You can call the IRS office to be advised how to pay off back taxes. It is important to be vigilant to ensure you file the right tax amount.

If you are struggling to pay your property taxes, talk to a tax professional to find out if you are eligible for a compromise. Paying your taxes in installments is possible when you request for back tax help from the IRS office. You must have a credible reason to be considered. Be careful when you approach companies that promise tax relief to avoid being swindled. Furthermore, you should never pay upfront to receive help; get in touch with a tax attorney to be advised further, if your local IRS …

How To Stop Snoring – Devices And Remedies

BigPaul — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 21:31:27 +0000

“Sleep–it was all I could thing about,” recalls Michael, a computer programmer in Chicago, IL. “I was so tired that I couldn’t do my work, and I would collapse on the couch when I got home. My wife thought I was just lazy. My fatigue was literally ruining my life until my doctor diagnosed my sleep apnea. It was such a relief to know it wasn’t all in my head.”

Michael is far from alone in dealing with sleep apnea, which is one of many types of sleep disorders – it’s known to most of us as snoring. Medical experts in sleep disorders report that 80 million Americans have serious sleep problems, and, of these, about 10 million have sleep apnea that needs treatment.

Steve Birch, product manager for Healthdyne Technologies in Marietta, GA, agrees that the impact of sleep apnea can be devastating. “With severe sleep apnea, patients are excessively sleepy during the day. It affects their work, personal lives, and activities such as driving and operating heavy machinery. They may wake up with a headache, lack energy, and even experience personality changes,” he notes. “Lifestyle and quality of life can be seriously affected.”

And, there can be serious health consequences. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, an estimated 38,000 cardiovascular deaths occur each year due to obstructive sleep apnea. The commission also states that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea are seven times more likely to have automobile accidents as the general population. The commission has also noted that obstructive sleep apnea, and snoring in general, can be treated effectively with snoring mouthpieces.

Another complication is the need for additional physician information on sleep disorders. Recent reports indicate that 95% of patients with sleep disorders remain undiagnosed. If your doctor suspects that you have sleep apnea, you may be sent to a sleep lab, or you may be equipped with a sleep apnea monitor to use at home. From the results of these tests, your doctor can determine if you have sleep apnea, and, if you do, what type you have and the best method of treatment.

Types Of Sleep Apnea

There are three forms of sleep apnea:

1) Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common form (up to 90%). Structures at the back of the throat (pharynx) collapse intermittently during sleep, blocking airflow. Because of this obstruction, the person tends to snore (another symptom) and struggles for breath. He or she briefly wakes up, resumes breathing, and goes back to sleep. Some people repeat this cycle hundreds of times a night and often are completely unaware of the problem.

2) Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) results from your brain and your body’s nervous system failing to coordinate, in effect “forgetting” to tell the body when to breathe.

3) Mixed Sleep Apnea (MSA) is a mixture of both OSA and CSA. Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most obvious symptoms of OSA. It is more than simply being drowsy–it is a chronic inability to stay awake. Snoring, possibly with gasping or choking, is another obvious symptom. Irritability is also common, due to a continuing lack of sleep.

A Treatable Problem

Obstructive sleep apnea is a treatable health problem. The most common form of treatment used to involve surgery, but Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP, pronounced “see-pap”) is now the most widely prescribed form of treatment and can be used for both obstructive and mixed sleep apnea. There are a number of stop snoring devices as well as sleep apnea treatments that work. You just have to understand how to stop snoring, which isn’t as easy as you might think.

Patients using nasal CPAP sleep with a small nose mask, which delivers various levels of air pressure through tubing connected to a CPAP unit. The level of air pressure adjusts for different patient requirements. This pressure prevents the collapse of tissue in the throat, keeping this passageway open for breathing.

“Using the CPAP unit is simple,” says Birch. “Turn on the unit and place the nasal mask over the nose. The mask is attached to a hose, which is attached to the unit. After making any adjustments on the mask to eliminate leaks, you lie down and go to sleep.”

As with most industries, competition within the market has created a better product. “Industry wide, competition always brings improvement,” observes Mark Estes, product manager for the Sleep Disorder Breathing Products at Respironics in Murrysville, PA. “Systems offered today versus those offered eight years ago have become much more patient-oriented. Today’s CPAP systems are quieter, simpler to use, and easier to live with and travel with. They look less medical, blend into the home decor, and have convenient features that make it easier to use and clean.”

According to Estes, “The key is that CPAP systems can make a great difference for the patients, who become more productive and active. They sleep better and feel better. It really does make a difference in their lives.”

Some Available CPAP Products

The use of CPAP systems to treat sleep apnea is available only with a physician’s prescription. All information on CPAP systems listed below was provided by the manufacturers.

* DeVilbiss Health Care, a division of Sunrise Medical in Somerset, PA, offers the Revitalizer Soft-Start CPAP system, which comes with a blue carrying case and shoulder strap. The automated “ramp” system begins at a low pressure, and gradually increases pressure to the prescribed level. A pressure transducer continuously reads and compares the operating pressure to the preset pressure and makes instantaneous adjustments.

* Healthdyne Technologies, Marietta, GA, offers the Tranquility Plus nasal CPAP system, which reacts to the user’s breathing pattern, reducing the pressure during exhalation and allowing more natural breathing. “Ramp” feature enables the user to fall asleep more comfortably. A “Leak Test” switch lets the user set and seal the mask. Compact design and trim profile make it easier to use for travel and at home.

* ResCare, San Diego, CA, offers the Sullivan APD 2 nasal CPAP system, which has a simple system set-up, ease of operation, and is user friendly. Light-weight and portable, it is ideal for the traveler and outdoors person, and is ultra-quiet for patient comfort. The slim design allows a reduced space requirement. It comes with battery option and automatic international voltage compatibility.

* Respironics, Murrysville, PA, offers the REMstar Choice CPAP system. With the wireless remote, REMstar Choice can be set away from your bed and still maintain push-button control. Various mask sizes and headgear assure a comfortable fit. “Ramp” function can be started with the remote or ramp button on the unit. Small and lightweight, it is easily portable, with DC power for travel.

Snoring can be a brutal for you and your loved ones. Your loved ones cannot have a proper night’s sleep and you might not even feel a thing throughout the night. According to experts, snoring can be the cause of very serious problems such as heart disease and marital issues. But do not fear, as there are many remedies to help you stop snoring.

One of the main solutions on help to stop snoring is by having a sound sleep. Try to sleep at the same time every day. A change in sleeping pattern might affect your muscles, especially if you are one of those folks who like working late into the night. Another solution is to ensure you’re consuming sufficient fluids. Without sufficient fluids running through your body, your nose and the soft palate will become stickier due to the lack of liquid. And this might lead to snoring, too. Those are two of the many remedies on how to stop snoring. There are still other remedies, which are available for free from doctors or books.

Why do people snore, and how do you stop snoring? These are the top two questions that people normally ask. Snoring is a sound which starts at the back of a person’s mouth – the place where many soft tissues meet. Snoring occurs when these tissues start vibrating. Experts have discovered that snoring occurs more often in men, compared to women. They also noted that snoring increases with age.

The next big question is how to stop snoring. There are basically many remedies that you can try to stop yourself from snoring. One of the common answers to snoring is to change your sleeping position and your posture. People who sleep on their back are usually have a higher chance of snoring. This is because in this position, the flesh of a person’s throat will relax and block the breathing passage. If you are a smoker, this might also be the reason why you snore. Smoking not only is detrimental to your health, it also causes lung and nasal congestion, which will lead to snoring.

Email Privacy On Everyone’s Watch

BigPaul — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 04:29:46 +0000

“Invasion of Email is more of a threat today just because so many more people are using Email,” says Phoenix attorney Michael Lechter, a specialist in intellectual property law at Meyer Hendricks Victor Osborn & Maledon.

“It used to be that everything was on paper and tucked away in a drawer someplace,” Lechter says. “Someone browsing through such information is much easier in its electronic form. Sure, there are passwords, but passwords can be broken.”

Another local intellectual property law expert in Phoenix is Sherman Parrett of Snell & Wilmer.

Parrett says, “There are very few Email installations that can’t be invaded by a devious computer hacker. If the system is totally internal to the company, it’s relatively easy to protect it with passwords and levels of access. If you want to interface with outside networks, however, it becomes more difficult.”

Various technological mechanisms can be built into one’s software program that tend to prevent their being copied, Lechter says in his “Intellectual Property Handbook,” published by TechPress Inc., an affiliate of the Meyer Hendricks law firm. These mechanisms can include encryption and non-standard formats.

Lechter writes, “Any physical security mechanism must be capable

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Hard Drive Failure Issues Strike Cebit Despite New Progress

BigPaul — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 09:16:31 +0000

There is little doubt at all that the Internet is changing the nature of communication. Some of the change is positive, such as (he says, modestly) Datamation’s CeBIT Online effort, which will let you visit the biggest computer show in the world without trekking to Hanover, Germany. I only hope our CeBIT effort adds a bit to the huge cache of valuable information awaiting IS professionals on the Internet.

But there are some disturbing communication issues with the Internet as well, which make me worry about the decline of civilized dialogue and the troublesome condescension of some fanatics-those with e-mail access but no manners.

MINDLESS FLAMES. Our Paradigm Shift columnists Sarna and Febish thought that the truly rude flak they were taking for suggesting that OS/2 might fail even though it’s a technically superior product was caused by OS/2 itself. Perhaps it’s something in the config files (SET ATTITUDE=CHILDISH.DLL). But no, it turned out it had nothing to do with Warp. It has to do with people who spend time on line obsessing in special interest groups.

In this case, a partial quote of what Sarna and Febish actually wrote was posted followed

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The Availability of Snoring Devices

BigPaul — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 10:13:53 +0000

When researching the topic snoring devices, we first source information on how they work and information about how effective they are. We learn that certain devices will not work in certain circumstances and that other snoring devices, no matter how effective, can be harmful to your health. Finding the best treatments will save you a lot of pain.

Also, we need to take a look at availability, where we can purchase these stop snoring devices and how consumer friendly these devices are. The CPAP mask, adjustable bed and dental appliances seem to be the more expensive and less popular products for the consumer. The nasal valve dilator, stop snoring pillows and stop snoring sprays all cost under $100, which makes then the cheaper option. Although they are cheaper, the price has little influence on the consumer’s choice to opt for these devices.

So where can we buy these products? These products can be found and purchased online, and at your nearest pharmacy. Depending on the retail stores, some of the products can be found in the health section.

Considering that some of these products are not very expensive, and that the availability of the products …

13 Tips That Can Help You Get A Business Loan

BigPaul — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:14:53 +0000

If you’ve outfitted your business about as far as you can on funds scraped together from checking-account float, birthday money, and your MasterCard, it might be time for a loan.

Maybe you’ve already asked your banker how to get a loan, and he or she has suggested that the whole process would be much easier if you put up your house as collateral, call it a home-equity loan, and forget about getting past the killer business-loan committee.

It’s true that business loans, especially for small, home-based businesses, are not easy to come by in this credit-crunch environment. But they’re worth the trouble: The sooner you start building a business credit history, the easier your borrowing will be down the road if and when you need big bucks for a major expansion. For that reason, even a small, more obtainable loan is worth pursuing.

When you start the loan-application process, your banker will probably give you the standard, but valuable, information about how to prepare a business plan. Follow those directions, but realize that it’s the inside tips your banker won’t mention that can win you the edge.

GET A LOAN

Here is a baker’s …

Eliminating the Bad Assumptions About How to Stop Snoring

BigPaul — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 01:47:22 +0000

People who do not understand snoring are sometimes quick to assume that people who have the disorder are disgusting. Instead of making premature judgments, the right thing they should do is to have an open mind about this medical condition. In addition, they must help the people they know to find out how to stop snoring. The disorder becomes a serious condition if it begins to affect the lives of sufferers in a lot of ways. There are cases of snoring that are easy to address depending on its origin. The best way of obtaining treatment is through medical intervention of qualified professionals.

Some individuals assume that snoring will eventually go away or fade and these assumptions are dangerous. Instead of holding on to this myth, it is more appropriate to look for the available treatments for stopping snoring. There are thousands of qualified medical experts who have studied the disorder and most of them have found the cure. Nonetheless, there are shady characters that would victimize poor sufferers by promoting false claims on how to stop snoring. To be spared from these people, patients must seek the help of credible institutions, which have …