Rabu, 14 Maret 2012

Are You Ready To Buy A Home Theater Audio System?

Are You Ready To Buy A Home Theater Audio System?



 
Are you ready to buy a home theater audio system? Here are several tips to help you find the right audio system for you.

1. Spend some quality time with the room you are going to put your new home theater audio system. Believe it or not but the room is as much a component in your home theater system as any of the electronics you will ever buy. Ask yourself which room you will be putting your new system in. Consider whether or not this room is going to be used solely for you system or will it be used for other activities. Will there be any size considerations for the components and speakers you plan on using with the dimensions of the room?

Consider drawing a map of your room and sketch the possible placements of your furniture, components and speakers. Measure the room's dimensions and write them down. Make a list of all the inputs you currently have and will continue to use. Make a list of the inputs you intend to add to your new audio system. You should write down which components are going to need cables and wires. Also, write down the approximate lengths of those cables and wires. Once all of this is worked out carry this information and map with you when you go out to buy your new audio system.

It is important to arrange your room for optimal picture and sound by reducing screen and hard surface reflections. Do not forget the TV picture is not very pretty when light is reflecting off the screen. Also, audio is not so wonderful when sound waves are reflecting off hard surfaces like bare walls and windows.

2. Decide on what you want to experience when you settle down on your couch with your partner and a big bowl of popcorn. Ruminate on the experience you want before you ruminate on your budget. Is it stereo, surround sound, or primarily movies?<
 



3. Spend a few hours looking around on key sites and forums and you will know more than most. Friends, family, trade and consumer magazines and inquiring jaunts to your favorite electronic store will help you gain customer leverage. Do not buy anything at this point. Get as much information stuffed into your brain that will help you when the time comes for you to buy your system.

4. Revisit the drawing of your room and your research. You will ultimately end up with two, possibly three choices. By now you should be a confident consumer. Decide what you absolutely want.

5. There are values out there the trick is to be an expert on home theater audio systems. Keep your eyes open for great deals. Big electronic stores offer promotions, online manufacturers can offer radically lower markup than retailers and online auctions offer access to deals all over the world.

6. Don't get stuck with a mismatched TV size for your room. The key here is balance. If the TV is too big then you tend to see the details of the screen, not the image. If the TV is too small you might feel like you're sitting in the nosebleed section. Here is an equation to help you decide the best screen size for your room.

2.5 x The size of you TV screen = Suggested viewing distance

For example: If your TV is 36" then according to the equation you should sit about 90" from your TV (36 x 2.5 = 90). Note that this chart in only a reference.

Good luck finding the home theater audio system to fit your needs. Enjoy shopping and make the experience fun.

Selasa, 13 Maret 2012

Paralegal Schools

Paralegal Schools




Paralegal Schools offer many options to help you get formally trained as a professional paralegal.

Typically a paralegal school will offer an Associate's Degree Program or a Certificate Program. Also you may find some paralegal schools that offer a Bachelor Degree or a Master Degree.

The Associate's Degree will take around 2 years of study, the Certificate will only need a few months, while the Bachelor's or Master's degrees will require 4 years.

As a whole the job market now require some shape of formal training and diploma. Gone are the days where only some typing skills and a clean pair of shoes assured you a job.

In order to qualify for a Paralegal Certificate you need an Associate or a Bachelor's degree, but some schools require only a high school diploma or a GED.

Also you may want to consider online paralegal schools. The online courses offer many advantages like schedule flexibility and reduced costs. Each course completed is credited towards the degree. A great advantage of online schools is that many will let you pay each course individually...

You may have already discovered that paralegal schools and online paralegal schools are very abundant to say the least. So I recommend that you take a special approach to select your own school and training. If you plan to study in a formal classroom versus an online paralegal school then obviously the physical location of the schools will help narrow the search, because you may prefer an institution that is close to your home. This step being taken I recommend that you analyze the current job market listings and that you note the training requirements for paralegal or legal assistants hiring. This will greatly help you select the amongst the school offerings and will almost guarantee you a strong position on your future job market.




Many job listings will ask for a Bachelor's Degree and/or a Certificate and specialized experience and many Junior Paralegal jobs will require training and some general experience.

Note that most paralegal schools will help you get the required base of experience thru internships or externships with various field experience and hands-on training. Also in the case of a career change, a good portion of your actual experience may apply to one of the many specializations of this field. In most cases only a couple years of related experience will be required.

So if you plan a career change or if you want to qualify for an interesting career you may find that Paralegal Schools are the fast track to a really decent salary (40K to over 100K is the norm) and some neat extras like bonuses and a fair amount of independence on the job.

Houston Charity Center Helps 1,500 Families In Need

Houston Charity Center Helps 1,500 Families In Need




The Houston Charity Center, an independent charity and thrift store dedicated to helping struggling families, now provides free assistance to over 1,500 families per year in the Houston area. The center provides emergency food, clothing and household essentials free of charge to families with substantiated needs.

The facility is easy to locate at 14105 South Post Oak Road in Southwest Houston. The well-stocked and neatly organized thrift store features gently used name-brand clothing, fabulous home-decor items, quality furniture, appliances and a number of one-of-a-kind bargains.

"We love what a good charity thrift store means to the community," said co-founder Virginia Bowen. "Where else could you possibly find such bargains and at the same time know that you are providing resources that help struggling families get back on their feet."

At The Houston Charity Center shoppers can be assured that their purchases and donations help the center provide food, clothing and household essentials to families in need. The charitable assistance programs are made possible by generous donations of non-perishable food, clothing, furniture, appliances, left-over garage sale lots, home-decor items, etc.- collected daily by the center\'s prompt, scheduled donation pickup service.

"By working together for the common good of our great city, we can achieve the extraordinary," Bowen said. "No organization could singlehandedly respond to every family in crisis in a city as large as Houston. We encourage our supporters to assist additional organizations as well, such as Goodwill, Purple Heart and the Salvation Army. You can contribute to our charity effort by shopping at our store, by monetary contributions and / or by donating clothes, furniture, appliances, food, utility items or vehicles."

The center welcomes referrals from all churches in the greater Houston area. When a church or non-profit group becomes aware of a family in need, that organization can send the family to the Houston Charity Center for assistance. The Church or non-profit group should provide the family with a letter of referral written on the organization\'s letterhead. Referrals should include the church or non-profit\'s contact information, type of assistance needed and a brief summary describing the crisis situation.




"We are totally focused on meeting the needs of low-income families who are trying to make ends meet," said Bowen. "When you donate or shop with our organization, you play a vital part in restoring the hope and dignity to families who have found themselves in difficult situations."

About The Houston Charity Center
The Houston Charity Center Thrift Store and Auction is becoming the largest charity thrift store in Houston. Through purchases and donations, the Houston Charity Center provides food and household essentials to struggling families. The center processes up to 12 new truckloads of merchandise weekly and features furniture, appliances, clothing, home decor and one-of-a-kind treasures. The retail and wholesale departments of The Houston Charity Center operate from 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday and from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays.

Donation arrangements can be made by visiting their website at HoustonCharityCenter.Org. The Houston Charity Center also encourages the support of other like-minded organizations in the Houston area. For more information on donating or shopping at the Houston Charity Center Thrift Store please contact:

Searchers Follow Ancient Traditions

Searchers Follow Ancient Traditions




In the past year 36 percent of all Americans age 18 and over used approximately form of complementary color and option practice of medicine to deal with illness. These therapies range from acupuncture to herbs, from stress relieving meditation to botanical products, and have in park that they ar not presently considered part of conventional music. The recent survey of 31,000 Americans conducted by the Centre for Disease Control and the Subject Center field for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Home(a) Institutes of Health) stated that once supplication said for wellness reasons was added to the realm of complemental and choice medication, so the number rises to 62 percent of all Americans adding mutually exclusive methods to mainstream medicament. The entire completing and alternate interface with conventional medicinal drug is still somewhat inchoate as modern medical specialty looks to the Negro spiritual side and religious traditions turn to their earliest healers. To provide a sense of the perspectives of researchers and searchers alike, NCR offers the following snapshots of close to apparitional and intellectual and wellness-oriented descendants of the Greek healers, fathers of modern medicate, Eastern mysticism and the Christian monastic tradition Sleep disorders authority Sat Bit S.

Khalsa was raised in an American Catholic family. In the 1970s he became interested in altered states of awareness, particularly higher states of cognizance. Through yoga he became a Sikh, studied physiology, neuroscience, biological rhythms and sleep. Today he teaches at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and at Harvard Medical Schoolhouse. Khalsa is a interchangeable and explorer World Health Organization acknowledges, "We're fair starting to enter the arena. We at the rim of the crater, equitable peeking into it."




For Longo the paper was a kind of way station in his own journey. "I examined the Ruler [of Benedict] in terms of healthy lifestyle. The essence is that work and entreaty is a balanced lifestyle," he said. Longo pointed to the numerous -related references in the Convention "that positive directions from Benedict as to how the monks were to live in order to live a productive life." Because he "needed to delve into that Normal More deeply," Longo produced his symposium paper. And the result of his research. "I believed it's protected my soul, to be honest. Probably it my as well." When Donald Moss, and so president of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, prepared his 2002 address to the organization, he was aware that what was happening with the head/consistency movement "is we're bringing together just about of the old ghostlike disciplines in new forms." Moss, a clinical psychologist and psycho-physiologist at Saybrook Graduate Schooling in San Francisco, explained, "I am a Christian but I also spent a year studying Buddhism at a temple. And I've found that while concepts of divinity may divide people, our ghostly traditions take us closer again. That we go inside and find quiet, I have Thomas More in commons with the Buddhist WHO is contemplating than with the Christian is not." Overcome the divisions of theological system by focusing on spirituality and the possibility of healing suddenly exists on a different plane between global religions. Those fresh insights into the oneness of religion and belief, insights possibly beyond anything envisioned currently by ecumenists or those at the forefront of interfaith dialogue.

Men's Neckties

Men's Neckties




In one form or another men's neckties have been around for centuries. What started out with Chinese warriors and Roman soldiers has through history become the necktie of today. Cravats worn by European gentleman in the 1700's are closely linked to today's ties.

Today's modern neckties are attributed to Jesse Langsdorf who patented the all-weather wrinkle-free tie in 1920. After World War II men began to take an interest in their fashion. Ties were being introduced in bold geometric designs using silk and rayon fabrics. Ties of this time were worn at up to a five inch width. In the 50's ties started to thin down somewhat and were called Slim-Jim ties by some, with some of these being nothing more than bootlaces worn as ties. In the 60's the tie became again wider sometimes seen in widths of 5 or 6 inches and in psychedelic designs.

Today a gentleman has a large variety of ties to choose from. From novelty ties to custom silk ties. Anything goes as far as novelty neckties, from a hula dancer, to a picture of your pet, from your favorite sports team logo to a Christmas tree. Most of these designs of ties are priced between $20.00 and $30.00.

Custom silk neck ties are very popular. There are numerous companies here in the United States and in Europe who specialize in custom made silk ties. These tie manufacturers use only the finest pure silk fabrics and linings and each and every tie is handmade. Did you know that the lining of the tie can affect it's weight and the size knot it will make? I didn't, but don't worry. These high end tie manufacturers will suggest the proper lining to be used.

Today there are many designer ties to choose from in department and men's clothing stores. Many of today's top men's fashion designers such as Furmagalli, Gucci, Valentino, Arami, and Zegna have silk neck ties in their collections. These ties can run anywhere from $75.00 to $150.00. You can find many good deals on these types of ties doing an online search.




Searchers Follow Ancient Traditions

Men's Neckties




In one form or another men's neckties have been around for centuries. What started out with Chinese warriors and Roman soldiers has through history become the necktie of today. Cravats worn by European gentleman in the 1700's are closely linked to today's ties.

Today's modern neckties are attributed to Jesse Langsdorf who patented the all-weather wrinkle-free tie in 1920. After World War II men began to take an interest in their fashion. Ties were being introduced in bold geometric designs using silk and rayon fabrics. Ties of this time were worn at up to a five inch width. In the 50's ties started to thin down somewhat and were called Slim-Jim ties by some, with some of these being nothing more than bootlaces worn as ties. In the 60's the tie became again wider sometimes seen in widths of 5 or 6 inches and in psychedelic designs.

Today a gentleman has a large variety of ties to choose from. From novelty ties to custom silk ties. Anything goes as far as novelty neckties, from a hula dancer, to a picture of your pet, from your favorite sports team logo to a Christmas tree. Most of these designs of ties are priced between $20.00 and $30.00.

Custom silk neck ties are very popular. There are numerous companies here in the United States and in Europe who specialize in custom made silk ties. These tie manufacturers use only the finest pure silk fabrics and linings and each and every tie is handmade. Did you know that the lining of the tie can affect it's weight and the size knot it will make? I didn't, but don't worry. These high end tie manufacturers will suggest the proper lining to be used.

Today there are many designer ties to choose from in department and men's clothing stores. Many of today's top men's fashion designers such as Furmagalli, Gucci, Valentino, Arami, and Zegna have silk neck ties in their collections. These ties can run anywhere from $75.00 to $150.00. You can find many good deals on these types of ties doing an online search.

Darth Vader: The Making of a Monster

Darth Vader: The Making of a Monster




Ever since his first appearance in "Star Wars: A New Hope," Darth Vader has slowly attained the status of a cultural icon, a near-universal symbol of villainy and oppression. The all-black attire, the distinct sound of his mechanically-aided breathing, and the imposing nature of his presence earned him a spot as one of the most intimidating fictional characters in history. His mere presence was enough to instill fear and anxiety in his lesser officers and his targets, effectively crippling most resistance forces by merely arriving. Not only was he known for causing fear and anxiety among enemies by reputation, he also caused fear and anxiety by his willingness to strike down his foes from the front lines, something his fellow commanders refused to do.

However, beneath the mask of near-mechanical dominance lay the mind of Anakin Skywalker, a young man confused by his emotions and fearful of his losses. Anakin Skywalker was a man of many traits, some of which led to his eventual transformation into one of the most memorable and sympathetic characters in popular culture. He was extremely loyal to those he cared about, willing to risk anything and everything to help them, and asking only that they be loyal to him in turn. He was a talented Jedi, skilled in mechanics, but somehow wary of why his exceptional talents didn't seem to be enough to earn him the rank of "master." Finally, perhaps on some level, he seemed to buckle under the pressure of what his peers believed him to be. He had a destiny, he was occasionally told, and he often felt the weight of that destiny squarely on his shoulders. These qualities, while generally positive, were eventually exploited by the Dark Side and used to fight the very things he was supposed to protect as a Jedi.

The weight of his destiny pressed upon him a form of performance anxiety, pressuring him and goading him to take more risks. His assumed destiny as "The Chosen One" placed a great burden on his shoulders, one that made him think that he should be able to easily achieve the feats Jedi far older and more experienced than he could achieve only with great difficulty. His performance anxiety eventually was turned into a desire for greater power, and a sense of inadequacy whenever events proved beyond his ability to control. With the right prompting, his performance anxiety became a full obsession with power, one that would drive him to become the second most powerful figure in an oppressive regime.

His increasing ability to use The Force, combined with his perceived lack of recognition from his Jedi Masters, became a twisted form of status anxiety. Indeed, within the films and the novels, he often expressed worry over how he seemed to be ignored by his superiors. His status anxiety led him to believe that his abilities alone should have earned him the rank of Jedi Knight and, later, Jedi Master. The young Jedi's status anxiety was aggravated to near-breaking point when he was appointed a seat within the Jedi Council – the ruling body of the Jedi priesthood – but was denied the rank of "Master," which was something all other members had. This apparent lack of recognition from his peers, combined with the ample praises given to him by those outside the Jedi, slowly built up into arrogance and overconfidence, as well as a resentment over his perceived "persecution."

However, the final nail in the coffin was his loyalty and devotion. He experienced separation anxiety when he was taken away from his mother as a boy. While he eventually learned to suppress it, along with all other negative emotions, it resurfaced and when he learned of his mother's death. His grief turned him into a killer, lashing out against his mother's killers and slaughtering them as if they were animals. His separation anxiety was even worse when he received visions of his wife, Padme Amidala, dying. His unwillingness to accept the inevitability of her death turned into an obsessive form of separation anxiety, making him willing to do whatever was needed to prevent her death. This separation anxiety and readiness to do what he thought must be done was exploited into convincing him to slaughter young and defenseless Jedi, as well as his more talented peers. Indeed, it was the separation anxiety turned into obsession that ultimately led to his downfall and transformation. Although, in some ways, it also led to his eventual redemption.

Suggestions for Selecting Saws

Suggestions for Selecting Saws




1. Pick a blade size

Saw blades are extremely expensive - the fewer of them you buy, the happier your wallet will be. If you plan on getting a miter saw, table saw, a radial arm saw, or some combination of these saws, pick a blade size and stick with it. While there are a variety of sizes available, the most common and popular sizes are 12" and 10". If you stay with the same blade size for all of your different types of saws, you'll be able to share saw blades between your saws. In the long run, this will save you a lot of money.

2. Cordless or corded

Batteries for cordless tools have made remarkable advancements during the course of the last several years. Tools that you would never think would have a cordless option, such as circular and miter saws, now offer cordless models. If you are thinking about getting a cordless saw and you have, or may someday have, other cordless tools, think about sticking with a single battery/manufacturer system -- that way you can use batteries between your tools. Extra batteries are extremely expensive -- it's often cheaper to buy a brand new tool than to buy replacement batteries. If you purchase several tools from the same manufacturer using interchangeable battery systems, you'll have extra batteries available to finish your job, this can significantly increase the amount of work you can complete.

Before deciding to get a cordless saw, remember that even though cordless technology is very advanced today, there will be limits to the amount of work that can be completed in a single session with a cordless saw. If you're a hobbyist or you don't use your saw for extended periods of time, a cordless saw may be a good solution for you. But if you are a contractor the type who will be sawing all day long, you will probably want to bypass cordless technology for saws that draw excessive amounts of power when cutting.

Battery operated saws are also more costly to purchase and to maintain. Your cordless saw may last for 10 or 20 years; but you'll be lucky if the batteries last for two. On top of the steeper cost up-front of a cordless saw, you can plan on shelling out more money in the future too as the batteries will need to be replaced eventually.
3. Do your reading before you buy

Saws are a big investment -- they are expensive and they get a lot of use in the typical workshop. Buying the right saw is important and even more important is to avoid getting a saw that doesn't work for you. Prior to buying a saw, surf the web for reviews, rankings, and opinions for the type of saw you are thinking about purchasing. If you use a saw for a week or so, you will form an opinion about it. But it is almost impossible to get a real feel for a saw just by studying the specifications. When you read the internet for saw reviews and rankings, you'll be getting the opinions of people who have worked with the saw and who have an informed opinion. If people have problems with their expensive new purchases, they are usually more than happy to let other people know if something is not good. Let their bad luck save you from getting stuck with the same bad saw.

Before getting a saw, read the user manual. You can learn a lot about how easy a saw is to use by reading the manual. If it takes a whole bunch steps and an iterative process to make sure that the table and blade are square, you can be sure that this will lead to frustration in your future. If you are thinking about a saw with several cutting configurations, look at the user manual to find out what level of effort is needed to alter the cutting configuration. If the set up is difficult and hard to understand, it may be more trouble than it is worth and you will be inclined to just not use your saw this way. Even though your saw has some neat features, if they are too hard to use, you won't use them. So why fork out the money for them? You can discover a lot of these sorts of issues just buy reading the manual before you purchase it.

Professors and Teachers Alike Continue Using Professional Development Plans To Keep Them Ahead Of The Game

The purpose of a professional development plan is to provide for continuing improvement in teaching, in other student interactions, in the quality of scholarly activity and other service to the university and community. The purpose of evaluation is to provide faculty with new information which will contribute to their teaching abilities. The professional development plan is intended to be supportive of a faculty member's and their desire for continuing trained growth and academic excellence. This process contributes to various personnel activities and supports the interest of each faculty member to achieve continuing professional growth and to pursue the highest possible level of academic excellence. Project activities included reading and discussing pieces of fiction and history, developing an interdisciplinary humanities curriculum, and video-taping and viewing classroom instruction. It's helpful when knowledge is shared equally between colleagues within and across different departments; reduced teacher isolation; and the development of an intellectual community for teachers within high schools and universities. However, teachers at different points in their career trajectory were differentially affected by this project.

A good professional development plan is an important part of effective technology use, and only high-quality professional development plans can ensure the maximum benefits from the time and money spent. Educational technology requires educators not only to become familiar with the technology available in their schools but also to totally transform the teacher role. Professional development plans help teachers learn new roles and teaching strategies that will eventually improve their students' achievement. Professional growth occurs in areas such as effective teaching, scholarly or creative activity, and active involvement in the high school and university community and professional organizations. Faculty scholarship and current knowledge of the discipline, together with a desire to improve pedagogy, are instrumental to good teaching.
Formative evaluation is used to modify or improve a professional development plan. It is conducted throughout the plan to provide feedback and to determine changes to be made during the program to make it more valuable to participating educators. There are a number of ways to collect information for the formative evaluation. Educators can be asked to think about their own goals for personal and professional growth; then, at various times throughout the professional development plan, they can be asked to evaluate the program's value in meeting those goals. Finally, and most important, is the effect on student learning. Test scores are not the only source of information on this point. Some technology use is reflected in ways not readily seen on test scores, such as increased time spent on writing, better inquiry skills, or more collaboration among students. The ultimate value of a professional development plan is their ability to transform the learning environment. The purpose of evaluating professional development programs is to determine if that transformation is happening and to specify what changes need to be made to ensure that transformation does occur.

Software

Finding The Right Property Rental Software

         If you run or manage a busy property rental agency, then you may be considering buying some software to automate the lettings process – making your office more efficient and cost-effective. There are many different software packages on the market, so how do you choose which is right for you? When you are looking at software suppliers, ask the following questions:

1. Do you offer a free trial?

Software developers and suppliers who are confident about the quality of their software will usually offer a free trial. This lets you see exactly how the software would work in the context of your business, and allows you to compare it with other packages you may have worked with or trialled previously. Software can be expensive, and you should always try and see it in action before you buy.

2. What about staff training?

It can be difficult to get to grips with new software, particularly for staff who are used to working with a different package, or who are not confident using computers. A good property rental software company should offer training to everyone who is going to be using the system. That way, the company can be sure that the software is being used in the right way, and the letting agents are confident that staff are happy using the system.

3. Is it flexible?

There may be elements of the standard software package that aren't applicable to your agency; or you may have additional requirements that aren't included. Ask the software company if their package can be tailored to your needs and those of your business.

4. Do you provide software support?

Most software packages have times when they don't do what the users expect them to. As the manager of a busy agency, you need to know that if something goes wrong with the system, there will be telephone and on-site support from the software company. In some cases, support will come as part of the package and in others you may incur a fee. Find out how your supplier works.

A new software solution is an expensive commitment for any agency. Before you decide to buy, make sure you're confident that what you're getting is right for you.

Meade EXT90PE Premiere Edition - Now Under $1000

Meade EXT90PE Premiere Edition - Now Under $1000




The Meade ext90pe premiere edition, much like its newer version ext105PE, is made expressly for stargazing. This great telescope retails for under $1000, although as an older version it's somewhat difficult to find the Meade ext90pe premiere edition, except used.

Until the Meade ext90pe came along the two biggest difficulties for an amateur astronomer were aligning their telescope and then actually locating celestial objects.

Meade's new ETX premier edition, first the 90E model, then the upgraded 105, resolved these astronomy issues, however. Now when you want to look at deep space with your Meade etx90pe or 105pe, your telescope will automatically level itself, point to the north and even set the time for you. All you'll have to do with your Meade etx90pe is tell it your location, or just instruct it about your zip code. Your ETX, with its patented automated alignment function, will point to the first star for alignment. Then you'll just have to use the telescope's wide-field software, called SmartFinder, which will center the red dot over the stars you use for alignment. This gives you incredible accuracy. With your Meade etx90pe reflector telescope it's that easy.

The telescope has ultra high coating for transmission, and a dual axis electronic controller and drive system.

With the purchase of the Meade telescope etx90pe premiere edition or its newer model, the 105, you get several additional items. You'll have a an Autostar brand computer controller, a deluxe model field tripod, an 8x25 viewfinder that is right angled, an eyepiece and instructions on how to use your Meade ext90pe telescope premiere edition.

Simple Steps to Your Own Website - Explained.


So you want to build that website – for whatever reason, perhaps you've started a business or simply wish to share pictures of the new addition to your family. Let me tell you it's easier than you think – all you need is directions that you can follow and you will soon be online.

Let's talk what it will cost upfront. For $10 - $20/month you can have a working website (Imagine: www.yourname.com), available to anyone in the world with internet access. That's a trip to your favourite fast food joint. (Yes, you can afford it!) There are also some ways of getting a free site – still residing at www.yourname.com, but lets learn about all those weird internet terms first.

There are 3 basic components required to building a personal, custom website.
You need:
- A domain name
- A hosting account and
- Content written in HTML or some other web language.
I know, what's a domain name!!!?

Here is an analogy I teach:

You live in a home that is built on a certain piece of land (that you rent or buy). That piece of land has a specific address.

Your website (a collection of individual web pages) sits on a hosting account that you rent. That hosting account is found at a specific address – called a domain name.

Your Home Your Website
Your Street Address: e.g. 1 John St, Anytown
Your domain name: e.g. www.yourname.com
Your plot of land Your hosting account
Your physical house Your web content

Here is the 3 step process:
STEP 1: Choose your address
STEP 2: Rent some space on a computer connected to the internet
STEP 3: Build the house you want and place it on the space you bought in step 2

Let's explain each step:
STEP 1: Choose your address (a domain name)
With the internet you can choose what you want your address to be (your domain name). What are you selling? What would make a cool name? Understand that after over 10 years of public internet access – a lot of good names have been taken. So get creative, and be unique but understandable. An easy place to start with is your full name for a family/personal site or your product name for a business site. Make a list of about 10 possibilities that you like in this format www.yourdesiredname.com Move to the next step.

STEP 2: Rent some space on a computer connected to the internet (A hosting account)
With a quick search for the words "Web Hosting" on the internet, you get a list of web hosting companies – all eager to sell or rent you some space on their computer. GoDaddy.com and 1and1.com are some recommended companies – feel free to look into others, but there are thousands upon thousands – so don't waste your time searching for the cheapest (you pay for what you get, but $10+ will get you a decent hosting account.

Many of the hosting companies will either give you or sell you your choice of domain name at the same time you start your hosting account. Bring out your list from STEP 1, and when instructed in the purchase process, enter in your first domain name choice. You will be informed if that name is available or not. Keep trying out your names in order of your preference until you find on that is available. Finish the purchase process and let the hosting company instruct you on how to access you account. (They'll send you an email – and if you go with one of the companies I recommended, you can call them with your questions.)

STEP 3: Build the house you want and place it on the space you bought in step 2
You have some choices to make here:
A - You can ask someone to build you a site.
B - You can build it yourself.
C - Use a free website builder – (like a blog)
Each has its pros and cons.

The first option is great if you can afford it and can find someone reliable. If you want cheap, post a job at your local high school – someone in computer club will be able to help you for really cheap. The problem is that they may not always be around when you need them to make changes. Enter choice B

It's great to learn a new skill, and you can learn for free online – just invest a little time. Remember once you know how… you own that knowledge forever and you will never depend on someone else to build your site. Again search online for "how to build a website" They will tell you how to design, build and upload your site onto your hosting account form STEP 2.

If you don't really require a customized design and all you want to do is place some text and perhaps some pictures online. I suggest starting what's called a blog - these are often free, and have a really simple "HTML CODE FREE" way of adding your content. All you do is type and publish. You can often still have your own domain name here, but each blogging company is different. Again search online for blogging – and read what the various companies offer.


Content
There is one thing that is really important and that ONLY you can do! That is come up with the content and the idea. Think about what you have to offer and what problem it solves for your visitors and prepare your content so as to answer that problem. E.g. You write great jokes. People are looking for jokes… your website should give people some jokes and perhaps they can register for your daily joke email.
Write simply, write short, write clearly. As time goes on, remember to keep your site fresh. Keep the content updated and relevant to your ideal visitors.

The goal of this article was to give you easy steps of how to get a website for yourself. Naturally you can learn more about each step, and there are many people who can give you help, but now you can start the journey. Create your list of domain names, purchase a hosting account (including the domain name you want) and build your site and keep the content fresh.
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