Trust, Expectations and SEO – A Shady Past – SEM
Posted on | September 1, 2010 | No Comments
Definition: Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The art of optimizing web pages so they will show up in the ranks of the search engines.
Years ago when SEO first came onto the scene it got a bad rap. Ever since SEO has been overshadowed with this stigma that the art of getting websites ranked and searchable on search engines is somehow some kind of witchcraft or voodoo. The truth of the matter is that it has nothing to do with witches or voodoo, you simply need to be a guru! Get it right people!
Alright, all kidding aside, SEO really has dragged this stigma along with it. The art is now questioned, poked and prodded and to be honest, for good reason. There are so many SEO people right now but only a small fraction of them are actually qualified to do SEO. The biggest problem is that technology is constantly changing and the SEO professionals must keep on top of the search engine trends and algorithm changes. Separating the good from the bad is not as hard as one would think. If you are looking for SEO and do not know what to ask or what to do here are a few great questions you should be asking your SEO expert.
1. Do you submit my website to search engines?
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS: You do not have to submit to search engines anymore. The search engines as long as the tagging on the site is correct will come to you.
2. How many keywords can I use in my META Keywords tag?
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS: META keywords are not used anymore by the search engines, this was dismantled years ago, however, if you do put anything in you should keep your keywords/phrases below 10.
3. Do you have statistical data to show me proven results?
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS: Yes, every SEO should have statistical data to show you based off of other jobs they have completed.
4. What components of a website do the search engines actually currently (2010) look at?
THE CORRECT ANSWER IS:
a) Title Tags
b) Description
c) URL Structure (url slugs)
d) Content
e) H Tags
When choosing your SEO expert be sure to do your homework on what you want from them. There are so many aspects to SEO that often times the expert does not have enough direction from the client. Understanding all the parts to SEO will certainly help you as a client to determine what exactly you want to do. SEO is multi dimensional in scope so be sure to know what you want before contacting your SEO expert. Here are a few aspects of SEO that you may or may not have been aware of.
On-Site SEO: This is dealing with all the tags on a physical website and making the page viewable by search engines.
Off-Site SEO: This essentially is building links to the website from other sources than your website. This is called link building to some. The SEO expert will need to scour the web for sources to have links that go back to your website. This is very time intensive.
Social Network Marketing: This is quickly becoming something that SEO professionals have to contend with. If you want to be found on the social networks you can expect the SEO person to be able to set this up for you and also manage your social profiles for you, however, it is recommended that you be involved in the social networks as well. So do not expect miracles from the social networks unless you are involved in this process yourself. The SEO professional will never know your business better than you know it.
What to Expect
Expecting SEO to be a magic recipe is a common mistake many have made. For some sites SEO is all they need to get a steady flow of targeted traffic, but this is not the case for every site that has SEO. There are simply some genres that are more popular than others and this will always relate to more traffic and ultimately dollars than others. In most cases you can expect a return on investment through simply the traffic and eyes on your website; however, if you are operating an online store, this is something that must have constant management and promotion. With so many business types and models it is difficult to gauge an exact number for the traffic flow. All that can be said is that the traffic that you leverage through SEO will generate targeted traffic, in, more than likely more quantity. Sales when related to SEO can NOT be guaranteed.
Cannabis on Curing Cancer
Posted on | August 31, 2010 | 1 Comment
As the funded study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on cannabis and cancer had revealed no link between smoking marijuana and cancer aggravation, more substantial questions came to light. Based on the findings of NIDA, marijuana smoke has the possibility of protecting the user against its own inherent carcinogenic properties although most people know that marijuana smoke consists of carcinogenic compounds.
In a more recent report published online in Forbes.com, smoking cannabis and cancer are again being associated; however, the report suggested that marijuana might be a cure for cancer. The researchers of Harvard University have discovered through laboratory and mouse studies that delta -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) separates the growth of tumor into half in cancer, specifically in the lungs.
At the same time, THC obstructs the ability of cancer to spread. According to a pulmonary specialist, Dr. Len Horovitz of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, THC appears to have an effect that suppresses certain lines of cancer cells. The researchers have also asserted that THC represses lung cancer through suppressing the epidermal growth factor, which is a molecule enhancing the growth and spread of aggressive small cell lung cancers. This is truly a development in the association between smoking cannabis and cancer.
Andrea Barthwell, who once claimed that marijuana caused lung cancer, had an experience at an ONDCP press conference of being asked persistently to cite an evidence for her claim. She was not able to cite a reference and so most people found her claim funny. However, an inverse association between smoking cannabis and cancer seemed to be funnier for most people. This is because people have the notion that if marijuana users do not get cancer, then so are tobacco users.
Consequently, many people believe that marijuana smokers fail to acquire lung cancer because of their reduced consumption as compared to that of cigarette smokers. However, people are overwhelmed with reported studies that THC suppresses cancerous cells and that an inverse association between smoking cannabis and cancer is indeed possible.
Among other things, such development leads people to assume that when THC is applied to the lungs through methods other than smoking, it might be even better. Each year, it has been evident that the debate over use of medical marijuana and cancer development becomes less.
Furniture Rises Above Pvc Pipe
Posted on | August 27, 2010 | 1 Comment
So you’ve created an outdoor living room. Now you’ve got to furnish it.
A roofed, outdoor entertaining area demands glamour, sophistication and comfort. As you browse in patio shops, you will see a lot of furniture and accessories that deliver all the above.
“Outdoor furniture used to be the stepchild of the industry,” said Leonard Cole, owner of Showroom 84, a casual furniture store in the Miami Design District. “PVC pipe was the mentality. Today, the market has come alive. It’s a more eclectic mix.”
Consumers are buying “more stylish and more expensive outdoor furniture,” said Gary Ecoff, president of Carl’s Patio in Florida. “It’s part of the trend to improving your home and spending more time at home. People want better quality and value, combined with ease of maintenance.”
While veteran manufacturers of outdoor furniture are producing more stylish collections, the 65-year-old Ethan Allen chain is offering outdoor furniture for the first time this spring. The Home & Garden Collection includes Spa, which combines teak with silver-tone aluminum; Metro, which has geometric design elements and clean lines; Trellis, alive with garden themes such as vines; and Atrium, graceful pieces with neoclassical design elements.
Those are just a few of the trends in casual, outdoor furniture, as spotted by The Summer & Casual Furniture Manufacturers Association. Here are more:
Styles: Whether your taste for indoor furnishings is traditional or contemporary, you’ll find both in patio furniture. British Colonial mixed with an Indonesian feeling comes through with teak and cane furnishings. Turn-of-the-century styling in wicker creates a nostalgic, front-porch ambience. The “good old days” feeling is conveyed by Adirondack chairs, in wicker as well as wood these days.
Shapes: Lane Venture’s rounded, swivel wicker lounge with plush cushions; Brown Jordan’s sophisticated Havanaclub chair, and Shae Designs’ Steamer elongated deck chair illustrate that shape’s the thing for 1998. Wood furniture tends to have straightforward lines, while cast aluminum and wrought iron show off curves and contours.
Materials: “Outdoors under cover” is the key phrase to remember when choosing casual furniture. Wicker, rattan and other wovens such as banana and water hyacinth should be used under cover. Acrylic mesh, vinyl strap, cast aluminum and fiberglass can be used around the pool.
Manresa Restaraunt – Los Gatos, California
Posted on | August 9, 2010 | 3 Comments
Dinner at Manresa was highly anticipated and to be quite honest, it did not disappoint. Seafood dominated the tasting menu on the night that I was there and I have to say that the selection of ingredients was varied and extremely fresh. You could still taste the briny flavor of the sea permeating through luxurious dishes like the abalone and foie gras and the assorted shellfish in bonito broth.
“Into the vegetable garden” gave us a taste of what grows in Manresa’s biodynamic garden at Love Apple Farm. And because the vegetables were crisp and definitely at their peak, I would have enjoyed more vegetables used throughout the various courses.
I will upload more photos when I have a chance. Since the lighting in the restaurant was dim (even though we sat in the back room near the windows), the photos need quite a bit of re-touching.
Here are the rest of the photos…finally! The descriptions will be up shortly.
Oyster in urchin jelly, nori croustillant
Into the vegetable garden…
Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane
Los Gatos, California
Telephone: 408.354.4330
Wooden Sailboat Plans – Learn The Art Of Boat Building!
Posted on | July 28, 2010 | 2 Comments
I have a hope, to make my own sailboat. Nothing at all really complicated, a little simple one sheet skiff, or perhaps it is a canoe. Some wooden sailboat plans would hit the spot right now. During my dream, the previous few centuries have slipped away, and it’s really a nice early summer day somewhere within the North-East of what has come to be called The modern World, perhaps on St. Lawrence river, or among the Great Lakes, or one of the many waterways that criss-cross the Canadian Shield.
My small sailboat plans are sketched on a few sheets of worn and creased foolscap, or possibly parchment. The craft of stitch and glue boat building, learned through the native Algonquins and utilised by them to build their great war canoes, I now put to some more tranquil use. The stitching cures in strong summer sun. It’s a sturdy boat, and take me long and far. Early in the day I slide out from our small settlement, gliding quietly throughout the stillness, hearing the swish of river reeds about the sides of my boat, the soft splash of my oars in water. Casting a line within the waterto catch my meal. Through the night, the smell of smoke from my campfire and the sound of crickets chirping, and the following morning, onwards once more.
This is actually the world the proud and independant fur traders made their own. Men with a flavor for adventure along with a calling towards wild locations, they negotiated with all the native peoples for that magnificent bounty from the prosperous boreal forests, returning to the settlements or perhaps trading outposts for additional trade goods, provisions, powder and ball for that musket. And then returning to the lake.
Within my dream, this really is my personal world. I paddle through the extensive, primeval widerness, over the uncounted and immeasureable rivers. Through gorges along with rapids, past sheer cliffs as well as islands choked by fir and then spruce, and stair-like waterfalls, dipping my blade in the mirror-flat lakes while the call from the loons echoes from the way distance.
It’s my dream, anyway. How realistic could it be? Unrealistic, I suppose. For instance, I can’t travel back in time three hundred years. For another (and knowing things about boat building, it is likely you noticed this), the skill of stitch and glue boat building is rather modern development, not the method learned through the Algonquins, not something they had within the time of Radisson and Groseilliers as well as the voyageurs . So please forgive my little anachronism. Remember, it is every bit a dream.
And in ways, that makes my dream very likely to come true. Building your own personal boat is a lot, less difficult today than it ever was in past times. No, you simply can’t get rich off of the fur trade, but those primeval forests criss-crossed and dotted with a thousand rivers and lakes remain out there. You are able to still recapture that feeling, that sense of adventure. All that’s necessary to get started is a boat…
Employment Discrimination Against Medical Marijuana Users is Legal in California
Posted on | July 28, 2010 | 1 Comment
Well, the California Supreme Court finally released its opinion in Ross v. Ragingwire Telecommunications, Inc., S138130, today and I have to say I am disappointed with the opinion, although I think the dissenting opinion was completely on the mark.
The Decision
The Court decided that employers can terminate employees in California who use medical marijuana with a doctor’s prescription for a valid medical reason and not be held liable for doing so under state employment discrimination laws.
The majority spent almost all of their opinion talking about how the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 (the referendum that decriminalized medical marijuana under California law) does not explicitly say employers are prohibited from terminating an employee for using medical marijuana at home.
However, the majority seems to have forgotten that the case was brought under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”) and not the Compassionate Use Act (“CUA”), seemingly concluding that because the CUA was not violated, neither was the FEHA.
The only reason that the CUA has any application here at all is by virtue of the fact that it is the reason that the plaintiff can say he was not breaking state law. Arguably, if state law says something is illegal, then state anti-discrimination laws cannot be held to protect an employee who breaks it. However, the fact that the plaintiff broke no California law should mean that the legality or illegality of the conduct is a non-issue.
FEHA Disability Discrimination Analysis
In California, employers are required to “reasonably accommodate” individuals with disabilities, which basically means that they need to work with the employee and their doctor to determine what the employee needs to be able to do their job and treat their disability. In Ragingwire, the employee simply wanted his employer to allow him to use medical marijuana at home during non-work hours.
The employer generally must allow any accommodation that does not cause it to suffer an “undue hardship”. In order avoid liability for refusing a particular accommodation, the employer must demonstrate what sort of undue hardship it would suffer.
Here, the Defendant pointed to virtually no undue hardship it would suffer by letting Ross use his medical marijuana at home during non-work hours. Instead, it pointed to “red herrings” (which the majority readily adopted as some of its justifications) such as:
We cannot be forced to allow him to use drugs at work–The Court admits that Ross explicitly stated he was not asking for the right to use medical marijuana at work.
We cannot be held responsible for him coming to work under the influence–Again, Ross was not asking to be allowed to be under the influence at work. This is exactly the same as if an employee had an Oxycotin or Vicodin prescription and could potentially show up at work under the influence of their medication.
We cannot condone our employees violating the law–If you let your employees bet on sports such as running football pools, this is essentially the same thing. Under federal law simple possession of a small quantity of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable with a maximum $1,000 fine and/or a year in jail, whereas gambling in California is punishable by a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail. However, this argument is irrelevant where an employee is only using medical marijuana at home during non-work hours because an employee breaking a law on their own time does not create an undue hardship.
None of these arguments proves that the employer would suffer an undue hardship under these circumstances. Under the FEHA, a claim of hardship generally must be based on either (1) the fact that the accommodation would cost the employer too much to implement, or (2) it would be too inconvenient to implement the accommodation. (See Cal. Gov. 12940(m).)
The majority in this case simply glosses over this whole analysis (which is really the only question they needed to answer here) by conclusively stating “The FEHA does not require employers to accommodate the use of illegal drugs” with virtually no support for that statement. (p. 5)
The majority tries to support this statement by going into a long analysis of cases where it has held that (1) employees can be drug tested under certain circumstances, and (2) employees can be terminated for “abusing” drugs that have no “legitimate medical explanation”. Of course, neither of these arguments really has any application to this case, but I guess it sounds good.
Me and the Dissenters Make 3
The dissenting opinion, written by Justice Kennard (who was joined by one other justice to make the decision 5-2) gets the analysis right and reaches the right conclusions, in my opinion. Of course, my earlier post about this case makes his same points, but because we both seem to be in the minority it will probably be quite some time before our opinions are adopted.
It will, however, be interesting to see what the rest of the blawgosphere things about this decision.
DIY Oilcloth Table Cover
Posted on | July 6, 2010 | 1 Comment
I seem to be on a mission to ruin our dinning table with all of my craft projects. In order to save our meal companion from further abuse I thought it’d be a good idea to make a work tablecloth. I wanted something that could be cute enough for an informal dinner and durable enough for a kids painting party. It took me about a half a day to make and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Below are step-by-step instructions for the whole project.
Materials Needed
Oil Cloth
Measuring Tape
Scissors
Sewing Machine
Thread
Pencil
Instructions
Step 1: Measure the surface of your table. Determine how much of an over-hang you’d like. I left 5 inches on either side. Measure and cut your oilcloth to the table dimensions plus the overhang for each side. My table, for example, is 35″ x 35″ plus 5″ over-hang on each side so I cut my cloth to 45″ x 45″.
Step 2: To make the scalloped edge I created a template of 3″ scallops on my computer which you can download here. Print the template and trim out with scissors or an x-acto knife. On the the back of the oil cloth mark where the over-hang is on each corner. This will determine where the scallops will begin and end (see the image below). Trace the scallops pattern onto the back of the oil cloth with a pencil along the edge of the cloth. Once the scallops are drawn along each side cut them out with fabric shears.
Step 3: To stiffen up the scallops and minimize curling, stitch along the edge of the cloth about an 1/8″ in. I used a wide zig-zag stitch with a low tension level on my sewing machine so that the stitches were close together. Any decorative stitch would work here.
Step 4: For an accurate fit, place your cloth upside down and centered on your table. At each of the corners grab the extra cloth and pin it vertically and snug to the table edges. Sew shut with a straight stitch.
Step 5: To finish it off, trim the extra fabric from the corners,turn right side out and enjoy!
*If you want your scallops to meet exactly at the edges you may need to adjust the size of the scallops to fit your table. Use this formula to determine the specific scallop width for your table: Divide the length of your table by 3. Round that number up to the nearest whole number. Then take the length of your table and divide it by that whole number. That’s how wide to make your scallops. You can make your own template using your computer’s creative software. Note: If your table is rectangular you’ll have to do that formula for both the long and short side.
What are dedicated servers?
Posted on | June 25, 2010 | 2 Comments
What are dedicated servers? A dedicated server is not someone who is attentive to you in a restaurant. When you hear the term “dedicated servers” online it usually refers to the type of web hosting provider for a website.
If you have started an internet website, you are probably aware that you need a host. There are several different types of web hosting available. You can get hosting through a free server. This is usually used by people who want to have a personal web page for friends and family. A free server will most likely put their own ads on your web page so that they can generate income. There are also shared servers. A shared server is the logical choice of most businesses starting out on the website. Because internet hosting can cost hundreds of dollars per month, most small businesses choose a shared server so they do not have to invest so much money at the onset of their business. A shared server can be a good option for a small internet business or a personal website. There is no reason for a personal website owner to have a dedicated server. A small business or personal website can keep costs down if they share the cost of hosting with other businesses. However, if your business suddenly begins to take off, or you find that you want a lot more space for forums and shopping carts that your current shared server cannot give you, it may be time to look into getting a dedicated server.
Most of the websites host on 2 important servers, Linux Dedicated Server which supports PHP, Mysql and Windows Dedicated Server which supports ASP.Net, ASP, PHP, MSSQL, Mysql technologies for your personal or business website programming needs.
Dedicated servers host only your website. This means that all of the space and bandwidth on the server is yours and yours alone. You do not have to share hosting with other businesses. You can generally make your website as large as you want and include databases such as shopping carts as well as forums, that normally take up quite a bit of space. This also means that you have total control over the safety of your server and your website. You can add additional features that can make your site even more secure, to the benefit of both your customers as well as yourself. Dedicated servers usually cost a lot more each month to maintain, but there are different sizes as well as services available for this type of web hosting. When perusing the different options when it comes to dedicated servers online, you can generally find everything from larger servers to budget dedicated servers.
Handmade Cupcake Booties
Posted on | June 19, 2010 | 2 Comments
These cute little booties have cupcakes hand appliqued onto the booties. The cupcake with the flowers on top has beautiful beads sewn on to portray sprinkles on the icing of the cupcake.
The other bootie has a cupcake with a cherry on the top! They are just so cute and perfect for your little sweetie!
The appliques are made out of good quality wool felt. The boooties are made out of non pill fleece in pastel pink.
The booties come beautifully packaged ready for gift giving.
US Mint Accepts Orders for 2010 Gold and Silver Eagles
Posted on | June 19, 2010 | 5 Comments
Today the US Mint began accepting orders from authorized purchasers for the 2010 Gold and Silver Eagle bullion coins. The initial ordering date this year comes a bit later than usual and carries some special stipulations.
Only a select group of authorized purchasers are able to buy the bullion coins directly from the United States Mint. These APs then resell the coins to other dealers and the public, as well as facilitate a two-way market for the coins.
Usually Gold and Silver Eagles bearing the following year’s date are produced in November and December of the preceding year. This allows the US Mint to build an inventory of newly dated coins, accept orders from authorized purchasers in mid December, and deliver the coins in early January. This year, production of 2009 dated coins continued to year-end, pushing back the availability of the new coins.
The 2010 Gold Eagles will have a special ordering requirement. As of January 13, 2010, the US Mint had a remaining inventory of 51,000 of the one ounce 2009 Gold Eagles. As long as this inventory remains, authorized purchasers will be required to order Gold Eagles on a “3-to-1 basis.” This means that for every three 2010 Gold Eagles ordered, they must also order one 2009 Gold Eagle. Only one ounce coins will be available.
Both 2010 Gold and Silver Eagles will continue to be subject to the US Mint’s allocation program. This program rations the maximum number of coins that authorized purchasers can buy.