Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly Newsletter

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Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #114 Jan. 30, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
IRS Free File Is Not A Free-For-All
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
"Anticipating" Your IRS Refund Can Cost You Plenty
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
IRS Free File Is Not A Free-For-All
Copyright 2003 Wayne M. Davies Inc.

Wayne M. Davies is author of the new eBook, "The Tax
Reduction Toolkit: 29 Little-Known Legal Loopholes That Will
Reduce Your Taxes By Thousands (For Small Business Owners
and Self-Employed People Only!) Don't file another tax
return until you visit:
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/toolkit.html

Editor's Comments: Wayne Davies is, as most of you know,
this newsletter's resident tax expert. We have a special
contest giveaway this week thanks to Wayne, so check it out
after you've read this great article (one of many to come)!
------------------------------------------------------------

Looking for a way to reduce the cost of income tax
preparation this year? Then you came to the right place --
maybe!

The IRS has launched a new program this year -- it's called
"Free File", and it enables you to prepare and e-file your
personal income tax return online for free.

But, alas, there is no free lunch and likewise this
"free" program isn't really free for everyone. You have
to meet certain eligibility requirements to take advantage
of Free File, so read on!

Simply put, Free File is a new government program that
enables certain qualifying individuals to both prepare
and e-file their income tax returns for free -- online.

The IRS has entered into a partnership with 17 private
tax software companies who each offer their services to
the public at no cost.

But here's the catch: not everyone qualifies, and each
of the 17 software companies has different eligibility
requirements.

Generally speaking, lower income people qualify, as
do people of certain ages and those who live in certain
states.

(Gee, sounds confusing, doesn't it? Guess that's why
it's a government program.)

There are 3 main requirements. You only have to
meet one of these criteria to qualify:

1. Income -- if your income is below the following
amounts, you qualify. Take note: there are several
different qualifying amounts, depending on the
software vendor.

TurboTax -- $27,000
FreeTaxReturns.com -- $28,000
H&R Block -- $28,000
TaxBrain -- $12,000
CompleteTax -- $33,000
Efile-Tax-Returns.com -- $28,000
FreeTaxUSA.com -- $30,000
TAXSLAYER.COM -- $30,000
TAX$IMPLE -- $28,000
Free1040TaxReturns.com -- $25,000
ezTaxReturn.com -- $40,000
TaxEngine -- $9,200

Only one vendor allows you to qualify if your income
is above a certain amount. TaxACT.com is free if your
income is greater than $50,000.

2. Age -- if you are above or below a certain age,
you qualify.

TaxBrain -- age 50 or older
OnLineTaxes -- age 20 or younger

3. State of residence -- if you happen to live in
one of the following states, you qualify.

FileYourTaxes.com -- Arizona, Georgia, Michigan
or Wisconsin

eSmartTax.com -- Illinois, N. Carolina, Ohio or
Georgia

And there's one more: TAXSLAYER.COM lets all
Active Duty Military personnel file for free.

Here's a few points to keep in mind.

First, you still have to prepare the return
yourself, and you have to do it online at the website
of each software company. So, the point here is
obvious: Free File is a viable option for
do-it-yourself-ers only.

If you're not inclined to prepare your return
yourself, Free File is not for you.

Second, you must use the vendors web-based
tax preparation software and you also must e-file right
from the vendor's website. Maybe you've been using
one particular software for awhile -- your software
company may not even be in this program, so you'll
have to learn a new program, which may not be worth
the extra time.

Third, and most importantly -- all this hype about
Free File is really a mute point if you don't qualify.
And most middle-class and upper-class folk don't
qualify.

If you make more than $50,000 and happen to like
TaxACT.com, you're in business. Or if you happen to live
in one of 7 states, you're also in luck.

Otherwise, this program is probably more for your
children than for you.

To get all the details, go to the IRS website at
http://www.irs.gov and click on "Free Online Filing --
Are You Eligible". You'll find complete information
on the program, including links to all 17 vendors,
and a Frequently Asked Questions page. Enjoy!

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From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Whew, what a week! I bought my tax software (given the
article above, maybe I shouldn't tell you which one...HA!),
started "finishing off" the bookwork from last year (my
calculator doesn't have any numbers on the keys anymore...),
and filled out some interesting forms from the Republican
National Committee explaining to them why they shouldn't
keep sending me their stuff with pre-paid envelopes included
with them... :D

By the way, not to start waxing political, but I caught
John Stossel's special on 20/20 last week and was highly
impressed! I got a copy of his new book ("Give Me a
Break") and my wife has been reading it. She thinks it's
awesome. I'll let you know.

One more quick note and then we'll get into this week's
contest. Settle down there, buckaroo. I had a couple of
emails this week asking about my Tech Updates articles and
when the next one would print. Well, given the time of year
and such, I've decided to move the Tech Updates articles to
a bi-weekly showing. So you'll see one next month, then
again in April (probably AFTER tax day), and so forth.

Now for the good stuff! Wayne Davies has loaded us up with
a really awesome giveaway this week. This one's cool since
there is a grand prize as per usual, but there are also
great freebies for everyone who enters to win!

Go to http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com/contest/ for the nitty-
gritty. Basically, we have a set of Wayne's books ($97
value) to give away in our drawing PLUS everyone who signs
up will get Wayne's awesome three-part series of reports on
taxes. Go to the site and check it out!
http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com/contest/

A random winner will be selected from entries and announced
next week! Wayne will personally send the winner the books!

Tax season is upon us and you can't be without this great
information. If you want to just get the books and be done
with it (though I highly recommend those reports), there is
a link on the contest site to go get those books now. But
get this: these aren't actually available until Sunday,
February 1st! So you're hearing about them here EARLY!

Aren't I the best? :)

What are you waiting for? Christmas? CLICK THE LINK NOW!
http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com/contest/

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Readers Talk Back!
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"Check this out There is a web site called fontifier that
allows you to make your own handwriting into a font file
that you can load into word and type your own handwriting on
documents etc. How cool! Tony did it last night. The only
tip is that when you do step 3 only select the box around
the letters to make your GIF file do not make your gif out
of the whole page. http://www.fontifier.com
Have fun"
--Raphael C. ( http://www.fleecyfeet.com/ )

Editor: Hey, that is kind of cool! A little dangerous too,
though. ;)

"Hello Aaron!
In the busy state that I'm in right now, (trying to get my
very first product on a website and up for sale), I
completely forgot about that contest! WOW! I've never won
anything before! And thanks for the free bag of dirt! :)"
--Bruce O.

Editor: Thanks, Bruce, and you're welcome! Thanks for
entering our contest and good luck with the new site.

"Hi Aaron - I was going to go out and look at notebook
computers this afternoon. Sat down to eat my cereal and
read email. There was your ezine with the first article
being about mobile offices. It was very good. It helped me
ask a few questions and the answers I got were positive for
the one I am considering. Thank you! It was so timely for
me."
--Jean M. ( http://www.jeansuniques.com )

"The following is an email spam scam being sent out:
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the national insurer of
U.S. bank accounts, warned Americans on Friday that a
convincing e-mail scam is making the rounds. advertisement
The fraudulent e-mail claims to be from the FDIC and informs
recipients that their bank account has been denied insurance
as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security into "suspected violations of the Patriot
Act."
--Mark I. ( http://www.dotcom-it.com/oaa/ )

Editor: Thanks for the info, Mark!

"Hey, you saw me on my old Philson. Now that I've got a
guitar from the finest builders in Guatamala - Yngwie's
called and wants me to open for him on his summer tour!!!
"It may not be a Philson(TM), but if you play hard enough,
no one needs to know.(R)"
--Rob K.

Editor: hehehe, Rob is the "buyer" of my DoubleAxxe Air
Guitar which I listed on eBay as a joke.

Editor: My top score is 320.3, while Jim D. (who sent this
to me) has a top score of 332.9.
WARNING: This is addicting!
http://www.minijuegosflash.com/juegos/bateaping.swf

"Aaron, here is a link that I thought you might be
interested in, given your newsletter topics:
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/startingabusiness/
Also I forgot to ask you at breakfast -- do you have any
info, sites, etc. on starting a Nevada Corp. I have found a
number of companies that do it, with a search, but what I
need is info from those who have been there, done that --
potential problems, etc."
--Warren K.

Editor: Thanks for the link, Warren. I don't deal much in
incorporations, but I know that the star of this week's
newsletter, Wayne, does! Try his site:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?aaronicus/wmdctp

Whew! Lots of email this week!

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
"Anticipating" Your IRS Refund Can Cost You Plenty
by James H. Dimmitt
© 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free news-
letter with personal finance news and tips. You can
subscribe to the newsletter by visiting
http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com .
He is also author of "Identity Theft - How to Avoid Becoming
the Next Victim!" available at http://tinyurl.com/bc45

Editor's Comments: More great info!
------------------------------------------------------------

While accountants are reaching for aspirin, millions of
Americans are reaching for some fast cash this tax season.
Unfortunately, those who reach for fast cash in the form of
a "refund anticipation loan" are getting hit with interest
rates and fees that are out of this world.

The tempting ads are plastered in newspapers and on
television for "fast cash refunds", "express refunds", or
"instant refunds." The ads offer to get your refund in a
day or two, or in some cases even instantly.

What is a "refund anticipation loan"? It's a loan that
borrows against your anticipated tax refund from the IRS.
Refund anticipation loans, or RAL's as they are known in the
tax industry, carry annual percentage rates (APR's) of about
60% to over 700%, a fact that many consumers either don't
realize or simply overlook.

RAL's are marketed to people who need money the most such as
low and moderate income workers. A report by the National
Consumer Law Center notes that "about 40% of the 12 million
refund loan customers in 2000, were families who received
the Earned Income Tax Credit, the largest federal poverty
assistance program." And since the RAL's often use the term
"refund" in their ads, many of those who take the bait don't
realize that they're receiving a loan and not their actual
refund from the IRS.

The fees associated with RAL's are expensive. For example,
let's say the IRS owes you a refund of $2,000. In order to
get a RAL you pay the following: RAL loan fee = $75,
Electronic filing fee = $40, tax preparer's fee = $100.
Total fees associated with your RAL = $215 which is more
than 10 percent of your estimated refund. The APR on your
refund loan equals a whopping 142 percent!

Many low and moderate income workers are without bank
accounts and wind up paying an additional fee to set up a
one-time-use account so that their IRS refund can be direct
deposited.

Before giving in to the temptations of refund anticipation
loans, ask yourself if you really need your money that
quickly. If you can wait just a bit longer for your refund
you'll line your own pockets with extra cash rather than
forking it over to a RAL lender.

A great way to save money at tax time is to go to a
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. VITA sites
provide free tax preparation to low and moderate income tax-
payers and are sponsored by the IRS. They can be found in
libraries, community centers and other locations during the
tax season. To find a VITA site call the IRS general help
line at 1-800-TAX-1040 or visit www.tax-coalition.org.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2004 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/contact/index.shtml?newsletter]

To unsubscribe
[{UNSUBSCRIBE_LINK}]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #113 Jan. 23, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
On the Road Again: Technology for the Mobile Office
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
PayPal Payment Wizard
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
On the Road Again: Technology for the Mobile Office
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

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Every so often, I got out on the road to speak at a
conference, attend a meeting, participate in a seminar, or
just visit relatives or friends. These road trips usually
mean I'm away from my desk. It used to mean I was "out of
the loop" for the duration, with the exception of maybe
reading email.

Not anymore!

To have a successful mobile office, you need flexibility and
the right tools. Packing for these goals is essential: have
the right tools ready to go.

Notebook Computer
I start with my notebook computer. I have a Compaq, but any
computer that is a viable office-away-from-the-office is OK.
Most mobile professionals, including myself, who spend any
amount of time away from their desktop prefer a "desktop
replacement" notebook. This means sacrificing small and
glitzy to get larger and powerful. Besides, you need the
workout that extra six or seven pounds of computer will give
you while trundling through the airport. :)

I can't tell you what to get, but if it's comparable to your
desktop PC (my notebook, being a year newer, is actually
BETTER in many ways), it's probably good enough!

Security Tools
Now that you have that great notebook, you'd better make
sure it's as safe as possible. Get a basic security lock
(about $30) to lock up the system when you're away from it.
These are sort of like specialized versions of your
bicycle's chain lock.

I'd also recommend getting an extended warranty and/or
insurance on your portable system. It's guaranteed that
you're going to drop it, spill coffee on it, have it stolen,
or otherwise lose your system sometime. Best be prepared
for that. This also means backing up your important data
whenever you significantly move your system from one point
to another: carry plenty of CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, or USB sticks.

Remote Access
If you're going to be away from your desktop at the office
for any length of time, or if you'd rather not carry around
sensitive info on a system that could get stolen, you may
want to consider a remote desktop of some kind.

There are a lot of them and what you get will depend on your
needs. If you want full access and do a LOT of traveling, I
suggest GoToMyPC (http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-3216029).
This is easily the best of the best when it comes to remote
access. It's web-based, easy to use, and very powerful and
secure. You can even access from web-enabled cell phones
and PDAs!

If you're out rarely, need only limited access, and have a
way to get someone (co-worker, spouse, etc.) to answer the
phone and help you out occasionally, then two systems
running Windows XP can suffice. Windows XP comes with
built-in remote access software, but it's very limited and
you may need someone on the other end to activate or secure
your PC. I'd suggest using this only in emergencies and NOT
considering it your prime remote access source. It's very
insecure and somewhat buggy, in my experience.

For the middle-of-the-road user who doesn't travel
significantly, I'd suggest a halfway point. Pumatech offers
Intellisync GoAnywhere at about half the price of GoToMyPC.
It's pretty good software, though limited in comparison.
It's great for reading/responding to Outlook mail
(remotely), does pretty well over dial-up connections (on
the road), and allows access to files that you flag as
available (before leaving, of course). This is great for
those road warriors who mainly care about their email and
possibly backup presentation or other files (like myself).
If you don't need full control over your remote desktop,
this is the way to go for sure. Check it out at
http://www.pumatech.com/is_goanywhere_main.html

Cell Phone
Obviously, the serious road warrior has a cell phone of some
kind. Your cell plan is essential if you spend any amount
of time on the road. What are your long distance rates? Do
you even have long distance rates? How does long distance
usage affect your minutes? What sort of connectivity will
you have in Dallas, Podunk, or Egypt?

These are all questions to answer if you plan to take your
phone with you on any trip. Most plans nowadays include
long distance or some kind of nationwide coverage plan.
Check yours before you go.

Power
All of these road gadgets require power. Don't forget to
bring your chargers and various plugins for these tools! If
you have a lot of tools and don't want to tote around all
the extra plugs, converters, etc., consider getting a
universal charger/plug adapter for your various wingdings.
One of my favorites is the USB charger, which charges most
small devices (cell phones, PDAs, etc.) through your note-
book's USB port. This means you only have to plug in the
computer to charge and then attach devices to it via the
easy wires included. You can get one of these at most
electronics stores for around $30.

Internet Access
Obviously, many things you'll need (especially the remote
access software discussed above) will require you to have
Internet access wherever you'll be. Many three-star and
better hotels offer Wi-Fi, high speed (via Ethernet), or at
least a phone-jack dataport for your Internet connection.
Make sure you bring the gear needed to use these options
(short phone cable for dataport, short Ethernet cable, and
a wireless card for the notebook).

Now for your actual access... Very few hotels offer free
access through their own ISP if they only offer dataports.
Generally you'll have to provide your own. Most likely your
Internet provider has coverage nationwide (AOL, Earthlink,
AT&T, etc.). If not, consider getting an extra dial-up
provider just in case. My own plan is through Earthlink and
I can log into their website before leaving town and get
local access numbers for wherever I'll be staying.

Conclusion
Hopefully this overview of portable gear for the traveling
road warrior will get you going with what you'll need. I
have a backpack specifically for my notebook, which includes
a special padded storage area for the computer, little
pockets and pouches for all the extras that go along
(notebook mouse, connection cables, cell phone pouch, extra
CD-Rs, and so forth). This means all of my gear is in one
location. So whether I go to the library, a client's
office, or out of town, I have it all ready on the fly.

Now if we could just do something about airport security
delays...

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Well, our drawing went very well. We had a TON of entries
into this one, making it one of our most successful yet!
The answer to our question is listed on the closed contest
page now: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com/contest/

Our winner is Bruce!

However...because of the great number of entries we had, I
also drew two more names...Bob K. and Marla, both of whom
will win a second-place prize of $5 towards anything at my
Web store: AWWStore.com!

All the winners should have received email notification from
me already.

Keep watching, as very soon we'll have a special giveaway of
some great tax-related ebooks from Wayne Davies, our small
business tax expert! He has a great suite of books, which
retail for about $100, that we'll be giving away FREE to
our next lucky winner. Stay tuned for contest details,
coming soon to a newsletter near you...

In the mean time, check out his website here:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?aaronicus/wmdctp

In other news, I had the priviledge of hearing Rep. Ron
Paul from Texas speak tonight at an event here in Salt
Lake City. Wow. One of the few politicians I'd vote for,
I think. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Good News! The 2004 Tax Calendar is Now Available
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=104682,
00.html"
--IRS

Editor: yeah. and there was much rejoicing. Seriously, if
you'd like to have a gander at the above Gestapo calendar,
you can do so, but you'll have to cut-and-paste the link. :)

"Microsoft reversed a decision to stop support for some
older Windows operating systems, saying some customers in
developing countries were not aware of the change.

Support for Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE had been scheduled
to expire Friday, and for Windows Millennium Edition on
Dec. 31."
--Anonymous

Editor: Interesting. I'm not really surprised that they're
continuing to offer PAID support for these products. The
older OSs are used enough that there must be a call for it
and it only makes good business sense on MS's part.

"Hi Aaron,
Where can I go to buy a high quality air guitar now that
Philson's out of business?"
--Kevin F.

Editor: Good question, Kev. As it turns out, >>I<< have
them available! I'll be listing antoher one on eBay soon,
as the last one sold to our mutual friend Rob. I've seen
him play, by the way. He needs all the help he can get...
good thing he bought the starter pack... Anyway, that one
is still on eBay for looksee:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=
2372949661&rd=1 [cut-n-paste]

Re: Portable Internet satellite [short email exchange]
"Aaron, this guy's site doesn't have any links (that I
could see) so that others could do the same."

Editor: Probably because he was linking to the Direcway
site that no longer exists for those mobile dishes.
That's my guess, anyway.

"I'm confused. Why would the writer of the letter and the
publisher of the newsletter (i.e., you) run this item if
the product is no longer available?"
--Warren K.

Editor: Mostly I ran it because the idea is pretty cool.
The dish is still available, just not from Direcway. I'm
not sure where to find them, but any RV sales lot or semi-
truck lot should have information. My own satellite for
my connection to the 'Net (non-portable) is a Direcway,
bought before they sold to Hughes.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
PayPal Payment Wizard
by the Staff at the Online Auction Academy
http://www.dotcom-it.com/oaa/

------------------------------------------------------------

PayPal has announced a new Payment Wizard button, which
allows Microsoft Outlook users to send payment request
emails complete with payment links straight to PayPal.

The setup is very simple. Just go to PayPal's website
( https://www.paypal.com/mrb/pal=79U4EPGPLAGLA ), sign up
(if needed), and then click the link for the Payment Request
Wizard. You will then download the install file (about 4
megabytes) to your computer. Remember: currently the Wizard
only works with Microsoft Outlook and will not work with
other email programs, including Outlook Express.

When you've downloaded it, close your browser and email
software, and then run the installation file. Installation
takes about three minutes.

When you re-open Outlook, you'll see a new button available,
labeled "Payment Request Wizard" with a little PayPal logo
on it. Clicking that opens a short series of windows that
will set up a new email to request payment.

You can choose the payment type: payment request, product
buttons, service buttons, auction payment button, and
donations. You can then choose the graphic to be used OR
you can set a text-only link.

Then just fill in the email as you normally would and hit
"Send!" You're done!

The recipient will get an email just like any other, but it
will have a PayPal button embedded in it that they can
click. This takes them directly to PayPal with all the
information pre-filled except for their password (as with
eBay instant payments).

This is a great little tool for the PayPal user who needs to
send payment requests to customers for whatever reason. You
can use it to follow up on buyer inquiries (providing a link
directly for payment instead of just giving PayPal contact
information), customer service questions, and even billing!

Try it out, it's FREE!

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/contact/index.shtml?newsletter]

To unsubscribe
[{UNSUBSCRIBE_LINK}]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #112 Jan. 16, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
Learning How To Fall
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Customer Satisfaction Is Your Business
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Learning How To Fall
... You have to learn how to fall before you can ride with
confidence! by Edward B. Toupin
Edward B. Toupin is an author, life-strategy coach,
counselor, and technical writer living in Las Vegas, NV.
Among other things, he authors books, articles, and screen-
plays on topics ranging from career success through life
organization and fulfillment. For more information, e-mail
Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his sites at
http://www.toupin.com or http://www.make-life-great.com .

Editor's Comments: Great inspiration here!
------------------------------------------------------------

About a month ago, I was hit by a car while riding my motor-
cycle. The car side-swiped me and took off. My bike bounced
off the car, shot out from under me, and I rolled under the
car. Amazingly enough, I stood up, picked up my bike, and
got to the side of the street without any problems. All I
had was a small bit of road rash on my elbow. I was lucky!

However, I'm not writing this to acquire oohs and ahhs, but
to discuss one important lesson I learned from this incident
that applies very well to life in general. The basic lesson
I learned here was that, now that I am confident in hitting
the ground and surviving, I have actually become a much
better rider. Of course, they do say that there are only
two types of motorcycle riders --- those who have gone down,
and those who have not.

--- Change and Balance ---

At the beginning of many of my coaching sessions, my clients
ask me why things fall apart, out of the blue, once they get
moving along in their lives. Believe it or not, there is an
answer. It has to do with balance, lessons, and traversing
new and unknown paths. In all cases, the only time we
encounter challenges is when we decide to move forward
toward a new goal. In our movement, we throw our
environment into an imbalance causing a chain reaction of
events around us to push balance back into the situation.

We usually see this surge for balance as a problem,
challenge, or issue and then back off to fall back into the
safety of the original situation. But, realize, that such
surges are merely in response to your own desire to change.
When you initiate change, your environment creates an equal
and opposite force against change. It is called "nature".

--- Crash and Burn ---

Once we are able to overcome the initial inertia of change
and move forward, we inevitably encounter challenges that
will cause us to stumble and fall. Such challenges are not
in place to cause us to quit, but are there to wake us up
and make us realize that we can endure much more than we
thought we could and still continue along our path. Falling
enables us to see our own character and abilities to prepare
us for the future challenges. This is a stair-step approach
to bettering ourselves and becoming stronger in our resolve.

However, the important part of falling is that you learn how
far you have to go to hit the ground. In many cases, we
fear falling because it's going to hurt. Indeed, wiping out
at 50mph is painful, but survivable. But, once you know
what it feels like and can maintain your wits when you hit
the ground, getting up and doing it again is easy because
you know that you will survive. In the end, you are better
able to pursue the ultimate goal because you are no longer
afraid of falling, or failing.

--- What's next? ---

I once heard the saying, "if you fall on your face, at least
you were moving forward." It's an interesting statement
because, the only way to fall forward is if you have forward
momentum when you fell. It's an excellent view to accept
when moving toward a goal as it can help make the potential
falls easier to bear. This, because, inevitably, we will
fall. But, so many times we get caught up in the negative
aspects of failure, or falling. Instead, view it as a wake-
up call or a way to desensitize yourself so that you can
focus on your goal. In this way, future falls won't be so
dramatic and our fear of falling won't get in the way of
achieving our desires.

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

I've been busy this week! I closed another deal to sell
books by two well known authors (Richard Mack, aka "Sheriff
Richard Mack" who's running for governor of Utah, see
http://www.Mack4Gov.com - a good friend of mine) and by
Randy Weaver, best known for the government seige on his
home in Ruby Ridge, Idaho. I will be exclusively selling
their books on eBay!

In addition, I have an exclusive (currently) selling
diatomaceous earth from a company called Perma-Guard. I
received a large shipment of it this week (after having sold
the trial balloons I received last month) and am ready to
start hitting those hard. I'm excited about that.

PLUS tomorrow I'll be receiving lobster (again) from our
good friend Jeff at http://www.lobsterpotdirect.com . I've
been working closely with Jeff since the beginning and have
been excited at the phenomenal growth of his business.
Even envious. :)

Now for our contest this week...

I mentioned DE above, right? Well, we're giving some away!
If you want to be a part of this, just enter our contest
at the link below by following the directions given there.
Good luck!
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/contest/

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Readers Talk Back!
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"Hi, Aaron,
Great issue! Yes, I identify with everything you've said
about working at home. I do have distractions, especially
when I'm doing something I don't really want to do. I do get
those "what's-he-doing-in-there?" looks from the neighbors.
And the eighteen-hour days and 1099's!

You might be interested in Will Bontrager's site at:
http://bontragerconnection.com/ontheroad/dishinstall.shtml

Will not only works at home, but his home is mobile! His
Internet connection comes from a satellite. I suppose he
runs into some "distractions" while on the road, but, hey,
no situation is always perfect."
--Roy Troxel ( http://www.webservertimes.com )

Editor: Thanks, Roy! You'll be interested to know that my
satellite is exactly the same, only it's the larger,
stationary model. :) They're from Direcway (now owned by
Hughes).

I'll also point out that Roy is the editor of the Web Server
Times (link above) and ran a great article last week titled
"High Tech in 1504 A.D." about DaVinci. I suggest you all
go check it out!

"Hi Aaron:
I'm grateful for your endorsement. Thank you for taking the
time to review my ebook and offer input. I'll keep you
posted on the rollout schedule; thanks, too, for the promo
you already put in your ezine! Keep up the great work.
Sincerely,"
-- Wayne Davies ( http://www.yousaveontaxes.com )

Editor: Thanks, Wayne! No problem at all. Folks, Wayne's
new ebook releases very soon and I will have a full-blown
review here in the newsletter for you then.

"What have you found to be the most coast effective way to
promote a web site. Look forward to remarks and experience
in this area."
--Gary R.

Editor: Hi, Gary. Currently, the best way I've found is
through newsletter advertising. I buy ads from many sources
around the 'Net, but EzineAdAuction is my favorite:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/eaa/

I also buy them on eBay, buy print advertising through many
sources (one of which I will be reviewing very soon), etc.

What you're selling will decide how you advertise as much as
your budget will. And don't skimp!

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Customer Satisfaction Is Your Business
Copyright 2004 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com
Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find
new customers and increase sales. He just released a New
Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast
With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a
newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll
find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com
or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

Editor's Comments: Another great article from Bob!
------------------------------------------------------------

Regardless of what business you are in - you are really in
the business of satisfying customers. The degree of customer
satisfaction you deliver determines the level of long-term
success you will achieve in business.

Make Customer Satisfaction Your Top Priority

Don't just make sales. Create customers - satisfied
customers. In addition to the immediate profit they provide
on the first sale, satisfied customers help you build your
business in 2 other important ways:

1. They become a reservoir of repeat buyers. For some
businesses that means repeat buyers for more of the same
product or service. For every business, it means buyers for
additional products and services.

2. They automatically refer more business to you from their
friends and business contacts. This is highly profitable
business for you because it doesn't cost you any time or
money to get it.

Never Promise More Than You Deliver

Never make any promises you can't (or won't) keep. Nothing
alienates customers faster than getting something less than
they expect from a business transaction. They won't do
business with you again. And they will tell everybody they
know about their unhappy experience - causing you to lose
future customers.

Tip: Handle customer complaints quickly and with a positive
attitude. Strive to preserve your relationship with the
complaining customer instead of your immediate profit from
them. They will reward you later with more sales and
referrals.

Always Give Customers More Than They Expect

"Over deliver" on quality and service. Always exceed your
customers' expectations. You will win their long term
loyalty. It also makes it difficult for competitors to steal
customers from you - even if they have lower prices.
Customers will not risk an uncertain experience with a
competitor when they know they will get more than they
expect from you.

Tip: Surprise your customers with unexpected value. If you
sell products, include an "unadvertised bonus" with every
order. If you sell services, get into the habit of doing
something extra for every customer or client without
charging for it.

Let Customers Know How Much You Value Them

Let your customers know you are always thinking about them.
Communicate with them regularly. For example, create some
special deals just for your existing customers. And announce
new products or services to them before you announce them to
the general market.

Tip: Convert your customers into publicity agents. Develop
an incentive for them to tell associates and friends about
the value of your products or services. An endorsement from
them is more effective than any amount of advertising - and
it is much cheaper.

For example, reward them each time they refer someone who
becomes a customer. Your reward can be as simple as a credit
toward their next order from you.

You are in the business of satisfying customers regardless
of what products or services you provide. The satisfied
customers you create will help you build your business by
becoming repeat buyers and by referring new business to you
from their friends and associates.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #111 Jan. 09, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
The Realities & Challenges of Working at Home
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Disposable Digital Cameras: The Worst of Both Worlds
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
The Realities & Challenges of Working at Home
by Aaron Turpen of Aaronz WebWorkz

------------------------------------------------------------

While many tout the wonders and independence of working from
home, whether you've got a regular job that allows you to
telecommute or you own your own home-based business, they
often don't talk about the challenges that face the home-
based worker.

Not that I'm going to trade the benefits in for a "real
job," mind you…

Some of the challenges that face any work-at-home person,
whether they have been working from home for years or are
just starting out, are tough. For me, personally, they rank
in this order: self-discipline, loneliness, family over-
time, distractions, organization, and respect.

Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is by far the hardest thing to master when
working from home, whether you're working at your business
or not. While it's easy to envision yourself succeeding
and "getting things done," it's much harder when the real
rote and tackle of work is in front of you. Even if you
absolutely love your chosen profession, there are at least
some aspects of it that are tedious to you. These are your
biggest stumbling blocks.

For me, mastering self-discipline was the roughest part of
working from home. Other challenges on this list are easy
compared to this one, since most of them are just the
"excuse" you need to avoid discipline and getting things
done.

Loneliness (aka "Cabin Fever")
For some, this is no big deal. These are people we'd
normally define as "home bodies." I'm not one of those.
I'm an extremely social person. Luckily, email and (some)
phone interactions during the day abate this problem to some
extent. I've also got other things I do to keep my normally
fidgety self from collapsing in self-pity.

I walk the dog, I see a couple of friends for coffee at
least once a week, I participate in political activities in
my area, and I spend time with my family doing things… In
short, I have plenty of things I do outside of my work (and
office!) to keep me healthy socially.

Family Over-Time
This one's tough and can sometimes coincide with the lone-
liness problem. When your family members are home all day,
as you are, it can easily lead to friction, a breaking down
of "structure," and a lot of other similar problems.

For instance, when my wife is home with a day off or a short
day at work, we can sometimes get on one-another's nerves or
distract one another from tasks. I have several ways to fix
this.

The most preferable for me would be to own a large mansion
with rooms defined as "suites" and organized into distance-
separated sections defined as "wings." Since I'm not a
multi-millionaire (yet), this isn't feasible. So I resort
to plan b: a notebook computer and the library… I load the
stuff I'll need onto my portable computer, go to the library
and spend a few hours working there instead of at home.

Distractions
The above problem is also closely related to this one.
There are a million things in your home environment to
distract you: especially if the task at hand is particularly
unsavory for one reason or another. Computer games, hunger,
the dog, the cat, kids, spouses, and various forms of
procrastination are all things that can easily be
distracting to you.

In my own experience, the dog and computer games are my
biggest nemesis in this department. The only way I've found
to combat these issues is self-discipline using "rewards"
for good behavior. I promise myself that if I finish the
task at hand, I'll play that game for an hour or wrestle
with the dog for a while as a reward.

Organization
By nature, I'm not a meticulously organized person.
However, I do have certain habits which seem to facilitate
easy organization: namely I have a calendar and keep email
archives. :

I recently purchased a $4 pocket calendar/weekly day minder.
On my wall right next to the desk is a marker board on which
I write "To Do" lists (coded with special symbols like "*"
and "-->" to tell me importance of the item). I also have
two marker-board calendars (one for the current month and
one for the coming month) on which I keep short notes.
These basic tools keep me on track for the most part.

Other parts of organization include your office/business
files, your computer's data and backups, invoices and
debits, etc., etc. Coming up with **simple** ways to
organize these items is key to keeping yourself from feeling
"swamped" with details. I emphasize the word "simple"
because if your organization is too complex, you'll start
"cheating" and it will eventually fall into chaos. KISS is
a favorite military term: "Keep It Simple, Stupid."

Respect
Lastly on my list comes respect. Many people assume that
since you "work from home," you must be fiddling around with
some get rich quick scheme and burdening your spouse,
significant other, parents, the government, or someone else
with yourself as you while away the hours in a dream world.

These are people who see you during your best hours and
don't see the 16+ hour days you're putting in slaving in
your office, the struggle to coherently write a web page,
email, etc., etc. while functioning on three hours' sleep,
or your long battles with the IRS when filling out "self
employment" tax forms.

To work from home without going insane or maybe to jail for
attacking some nay-sayer, you'll have to grow a thick skin…
or make a lot of money you can flaunt in front of them to
disprove their foolish notions…either one will work. I
personally use the first while working towards having the
second. :)

So working from home isn't all gravy. Oh well. Nothing in
life is. The true beauty of working from home comes from
the independence, freedom, and self-reliance you gain in
"going it on your own." It offers opportunity, excitement,
mental stimulation, and more. Take pride in your choice!

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

I wrote the above article this week after learning that my
friend was shutting down his home-based business due
basically to his inability to keep family and work separate.
Many people are literally just not cut out for working at
home. Financially, he can't afford to rent an office and
work from there (my advice), so he'll find a "regular job"
and go back into the work force.

That's too bad as his business was just beginning to take
off.

On a happier note, our contest/giveaway went very well last
week! If you'll recall, we were giving away $5 certificates
to our Web store (http://www.AWWStore.com ) and held a final
drawing for a $25 certificate! Several of you searched out
the secret word in the store ("shinola") and sent in your
entries.

Well, besides all of you who got your $5 certificate just
for entering, we drew Brad L. as the winner of the $25
certificate! Way to go, Brad!!

I promise another cool contest soon. For those of you who
wondered what the word appeared in the descriptions for:
Diatomaceous Earth in a 5# bag (food grade)
(SKU-DE5lbPetandAnimal)
Patchwork American Flag Picture Frame
(SKU-EGG31769)
Uniden 5.8ghz Dual Dandset Phone
(SKU-PPUniden58ghz)

Finally, our website poll has ended with the following
results:
Online Holiday Shopping Poll
"Did you do at least half of your Holiday 2003 shopping
online?"

Yes: 42.03%
Some, but not half: 40.58%
None: 17.39%

Total Votes: 69

Not bad, though I still expected more participation. Oh
well, I guess you all are busy. :)

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Thank you for the speedy delivery of Web Pages That Suck
which I won through your drawing. A total surprise (or was I
just not paying attention?) was the accompanying volume Son
of Web Pages That Suck.

I have dove into reading them and have found many things I
intend to implement on my web site to improve it. It is an
entertaining and educational book for those of us who are
not so very computer savvy!

Between the information I get from you and these books I
should be looking very professional (plus knowing how to let
the web know about me) very soon.
Regards,"
--Elizabeth A.
( http://www.stores.ebay.com/poorrichardsauctionaction )

Editor: Thanks, Elizabeth! I think your memory is fuzzy as
both books were included in the drawing. :)

"Hi Aaron:
I've just finished my 3rd ebook for small biz owners and the
self-employed. It's called "How To Incorporate Yourself For
Free"."
--Wayne Davies ( http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com )

Editor: If you all remember, Wayne wrote a good portion of
our newsletter's tax articles last year and it looks like
he's coming back with a vengence! His informative ebooks
last year were purchased by many of you at my recommendation
and I believe you definitely got your money's worth. Well,
I've got a copy of his latest (mentioned in his email) for
review and will be telling you about it soon. Wayne says
that his book will be online for purchase next week!

"Get organized is right! Thanks for the grat articles you're
always printing Aaron!"
--John M.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Disposable Digital Cameras: The Worst of Both Worlds
By Patty Hankins & Bill Lawrence
Patty Hankins & Bill Lawrence are the co-owners of Hankins-
Lawrence Images, LLC, a digital photography company based in
Maryland. HLI Photonotes, their monthly ezine, provides
information and tips for photographers. To subscribe email
hl_images@earthlink.net with subscribe in the subject or
visit www.hankinslawrenceimages.com.

Editor's Comments: Well, I was thinking of doing something
like this out of curiosity, but it looks like someone has
beat me to it and written a great article to boot!
------------------------------------------------------------

If you have been reading our previous newsletters, you know
that most of our photography is digital. Digital cameras
have been getting more and more market share, and most
consumer photography labs can now handle digital media.

Despite the increasing popularity of digital cameras, we
were amazed to read several months ago on Steve's Digicams
website ( www.stevesdigicams.com ) that someone was coming
up with a "disposable" digital camera. Given the cost of all
the components such as an imaging sensor and processor,
storage media, LCD screen to review the photos, etc. needed
for a digital camera, we wondered how in the world are they
going to produce a usable disposable digital camera for a
reasonable price.

The other day we saw them on display in our local Ritz
Camera, and we had to give one a try. We knew the
disposable couldn't equal the quality of photography from
our Canon SLRs - that wouldn't be reasonable for a
disposable camera. There were, however, two things we did
want to know. First whether the disposable digitals would be
a good solution for people wanting to try digital
photography before buying a digital camera. Secondly,
whether the disposable digitals would be a better option for
people who currently use the film-based digital cameras.

We realized the only way to know for sure - was to test the
cameras. So, we bought one of the disposable digital cameras
($10.99 plus tax). To have something to compare it to, we
also purchased a Kodak FunSaver 35 camera (400 ASA film with
flash, $7.99 plus tax). The third camera we used for our
test was our Nikon Coolpix 775, a two-year-old 2 Megapixel
compact digital camera (available used for $75 - 150).

The Disposable Digital Camera:

The Disposable digital camera we purchased was made by
Dakota Digital. The camera body is plastic, and feels like
it will hold up to some abuse. As photographers - we looked
for basic information that might help us take better photos
- however we couldn't find any technical specs for the
camera. It is a fixed focus camera, with what appears to be
a fixed aperture. It has some light metering capabilities
(no information provided on what they are) and a flash. The
flash is completely automatic, the user has no way to
control whether or not the flash fires. We assume the way
the camera varies exposure (using the light meter) is by
shutter speed. The lens looks to be the equivalent of a 50
mm lens for a 35 mm camera. You can take 25 pictures with
the camera.

One of the advantages of digital photography over film is
the ability to review your photo - to see if you got the
shot you wanted. If you did, great. If not, you know it
immediately and you can delete the bad image, and take
another one. With the disposable digital, this is not
possible since there is no LCD that displays images. The
lack of an LCD is not surprising for an $11 camera. In
addition to there being no LCD, there are no external
connections that allow you to connect the camera to a
computer or to a television to preview your photos.

One of the selling points for the camera is that now you can
delete unwanted photos. However, without an LCD or external
connections - how can you delete bad shots if there is no
way to see them? It will let you delete the most recent
photo taken - but how often do you know when you snap the
shutter that the photo isn't what you wanted. The only time
we used the delete function was to test it after we
accidentally pressed the shutter down.

There is good news for anyone concerned about filling more
landfills with disposable items. The cameras aren't really
"disposable". Ritz's recycling pledge promised that 100% of
the camera (excepting the batteries) will be recycled or
reused after you turn it back in. In many ways, you're
renting a camera, not buying something that will be thrown
away when you're done using it.

The competitor camera was the Kodak FunSaver 35 camera - it
has a fixed focus lens (looks to be 35mm) , fixed shutter
speed, and a manually activated flash. The FunSaver is
constructed mainly of cardboard, with a little plastic
thrown in. You can take 27 pictures with a FunSaver.

As a digital comparison, we used our Nikon Coolpix 775. This
is a two-year old digital camera, 2 Mega-pixel, has a zoom
lens, flash (user can control whether the flash fires), and
several modes for taking pictures under specific conditions.
It is a modest consumer digital camera. Currently, you can
buy a used Nikon 775 on Ebay for between 75 and 150 dollars.
It's successor, the Nikon Coolpix 2100 retails for $199.


Shooting:

We'll focus here on the digital.

The camera shoots like a typical disposable film camera,
with the exception that you turn on the power switch before
every picture. Basically, you point, look through the
viewfinder and shoot . For those used to digital cameras or
autofocus film cameras, you need to be aware of when the
disposable digital snaps the picture. We're used pushing
the shutter button halfway, getting a beep when it is
focused, and pushing it the rest of the way when you
activate the shutter. This camera simply beeps when it
takes the photo, and since it is fixed focus, there is no
"halfway" on the shutter button. It was a little hard at
first to realize that we had actually taken the photo.
However, from a shooting standpoint, the only difference
between this and the film disposable is that you get a
"beep" instead of a "click" when you push the shutter. The
LCD counter on the back show you how many photos you have
left. To delete the most recent picture, you press the
delete button on the back of the camera, then press it a
second time to confirm the deletion. The camera also has a
self-timer - where you push the button and then several
seconds later the shutter activates.

One other thing to be aware of - be careful where you put
your fingers. It's a small camera, and it's pretty easy to
cover the lens with your figure (Patty has a lovely photo of
her fingers - haven't done that in a very long time )

The Photos:

We took the cameras to the National Zoo on a sunny day this
weekend to try them out. Patty did most of the shooting.
She did get some very strange looks - after all how often do
you see a person pull camera after camera out of her
pockets, snapping what appears to the be the same photo with
each camera. After the Zoo, we took some photos indoors.
Finally, we tried using the cameras for night photography.

We got both the disposables "processed" at Ritz Camera. We
did get a few more strange looks when we brought in one film
and one digital disposable for processing. The photos were
done by the one-hour-photo place in only one-and-a-half
hours, and came back on 4x6 bordered prints on Fuji Crystal
Archive paper in both cases. With the digital, you get a
"free" photoCD and index print with your prints - total cost
(pretax) for processing was $16.74 for the 25 photos the
camera gives you, or $0.67 a photo. With the Kodak
FunSaver, the cost was $10.39 for 27 prints, plus $6.99 for
the photoCD (we asked for one to compare the photos) - Total
(pretax): $17.38, or $0.64 per photo. Granted, we declined
the ($0.99) index print with the film camera, but the "free"
photoCD with processing worked out more expensive per print
than the film processing plus buying a photoCD.

Using a loupe to examine the photos, we decided that both
sets of photos appear to be low to medium grade digital
prints. If either set are silver halide prints, then Ritz's
developing solution is way off. Comparing the two sets of
prints, we found the white balance was not particularly good
on the digital. Photos had a consistent blue-green cast,
while the film prints were warmer with more accurate colors.
The film camera prints also appeared to handle high contrast
situations (bright sunlight) better. The resolution
appeared about the same between the digital and film camera
prints.

The photoCDs had software for displaying the photos, for
those who need it, and a set of jpeg files of the photos we
took. File size was 700 to 1300 KB for the film camera, and
500 to 1300 KB for the digital camera. We don't know what
resolution the camera actually supports, but you get a 1280
by 854 pixel (1 Megapixel) photo with the digital camera,
and a 1536 by 1002 pixel (1.5 Megapixel) image with the film
camera. With the Nikon 775, you get a 1600 by 1200 (1.9
Megapixel) photo. Interestingly, we found the files made
from the film to be quite "grainy" and noisy. This could be
cleaned up well in programs such as NeatImage, but it was
annoying. The digital camera files were overly sharpened,
making some annoying halos, and the color balance was off
(too blue, but this is easily correctable). There was what
appears to be noticeable jpeg artifacting on close
inspection. That being said, for either camera's photos,
you could make a perfectly adequate 4x6 print (especially if
you clean them up a bit in a photo editing program), or have
a nice file to put on the web. Compared to the two
photoCDs, the Nikon 775 gives a smoother image with less
artifacts, in addition to a larger image.

Cost:

Between the digital and film (includes PhotoCD, so that you
have a disk of Jpeg files):

Digital: Film:
Camera $10.99 Camera $ 7.99
Processing $16.74 Processing $17.38
Total $27.73 Total $25.37
Per photo $ 1.11 Per photo $ 0.94

Add an extra dollar to the total on the film camera if you
want an index print - we have not found them useful.

We can't calculate a per photo cost for the Nikon 775. Once
you have the camera and a compact flash card, you don't need
to buy them every time you want to take pictures. The Nikon
came with cables that let you download your pictures to your
computer, or you can use a compact flash reader (about $30).
If you have a photo printer, you can print the photos you
want at home. Or if you don't have a photo printer, you can
take the compact flash or a CD with edited photos into
almost any camera store and they can make prints for about
50 cents a print.

Conclusions:

Our title sums it up. The disposable digital has the
disadvantages of some digital cameras, including reduced
dynamic range resulting in poor ability to handle high
contrast situations, a small and overly sharpened image
file, and increased expense. Unfortunately, it loses the
main advantage - the ability to review your photo
immediately, to see if you captured what you wanted to
capture.

If you are trying to decide if digital photography is for
you - we would recommend taking some pictures with your
current film camera or getting a disposable film camera.
Then when you get the film processed, have a photoCD made
or have someone scan your negatives for you. You can send
the images by email, post the web, and try a bit of editing.

Or if you're ready to go digital - then invest in a consumer
level digital camera such as the Canon Elph or the Nikon
2100. With the cost of processing, you don't have to take
very many pictures with the digital camera before the cost
of the camera is offset by the cost of processing your film.

Perhaps someday someone will develop a viable single use
digital camera. In our opinion, the Dakota Digital isn't
one. Compared to a disposable film camera, you end up
spending more money for photos that aren't as good, and
smaller digital files.

Please stop by our website ( www.hankinslawrenceimages.com )
for the online version of this article, which has photos of
the cameras in this comparison, and sample images from the
cameras.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
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back issues of this publication, please go online to:
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questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).

posted by Militant Libertarian  # Friday, January 09, 2004  

------------------------------------------------------------
Aaronz WebWorkz Weekly E-Zine
A Weekly Newsletter of Hints, Ideas, and Resources for
Friends and Customers of www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
Issue #110 Jan. 02, 2004
Aaron Turpen, Editor, aaron@aaronzwebworkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of the
Aaronz WebWorkz E-Zine. You are receiving this newsletter
because you requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instruct-
ions are at the end of this newsletter. Back-issues are
available online at: http://www.AaronzWebWorkz.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
------------------------------------------------------------

=> Feature Article:
Getting Organized in the New Year
=> From The Webmaster
=> Readers Talk Back!
=> Guest Column:
Beat the Post-Holiday Business Blues
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
=> Copyright and Reprint information
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information


------------------------------------------------------------
Getting Organized in the New Year

(c) Copyright 2000, Garth Catterall-Heart, All rights
reserved. SpiritWorks Software Development
Activity & Expense Tracker - Project, Time & Expense
Management System - Quickly and Easily Generates Invoices
and Reports. http://about-the-web.com/aetracker/?goarticle

Editor's Comments: Time to get organized!
------------------------------------------------------------

Are you ready for the New Year? Have you given any thought
to your New Years resolutions? Would you like to make more
money? How about having more free time for vacations or
enjoying friends and family? Getting organized can help free
up that spare time and make you happier and more productive.

Making lists can be an effective tool for getting better
organized. Begin by listing everything you normally do. Then
add to the list all the things you wish you had time for.
Here are some suggestions for important things to add to
your list: eating, sleeping, exercise, time with friends and
family, and inspiration (this could be time spent in prayer,
meditation, inspirational reading, or journaling).

Prioritizing your list is the next step. Remember that with-
out the proper amount of food and sleep, that you will
probably not have the energy to accomplish as much as you
would like to. Taking time to exercise will also increase
the amount of energy you have, and give you the mental
clarity you need, to be at your maximum efficiency.

Next create a schedule for a typical week. For the next
month or so, keep a journal or log of how much time you
spend on all of your daily activities. Try to stick to your
schedule, but even if you can't, make notes about how you
are spending your time. At the end of each week, look over
your journal and determine what things you do, which take up
your time, but are not as important as other things on your
list.

As you go through this process, make adjustments to your
schedule, trying to include more important activities. For
instance you may find that you are spending time surfing the
Internet or watching TV that could be better spent reading
or exercising. The discipline of following a schedule and
keeping a journal of your activities, may be just what you
need, to get into a routine of doing things that increase
your energy and productivity.

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about your finances?
Keeping track of the money you spend may be a good next
step. By tracking your expenses you can then prioritize the
things you're spending money on. Then you can decide which
things you can live without and not worry so much about how
you are spending your money. This will free up even more
time and energy for more important tasks.

If you have your own business, keeping closer track of the
time you spend on various activities, and all of your
expenses, may increase your profits because you will be able
to identify where you can spend your time more effectively.

Remember that better organization, plus the discipline to do
the things that produce the best results, will yield
increased productivity, and more time for recreation and
happy times.

------------------------------------------------------------
From The Webmaster
by Aaron Turpen, Editor
------------------------------------------------------------

Hooo-HAAA! It's the New Year! :) I hope everyone's looing
forward to a great one (sans, probably, April 15th) like I
am!

This week I've decided to do some more cool stuff to kick
off the new year.

I was disappointed in the results of the online poll we did
week before last (issue #108), so I've decided to re-run it
now that everyone should be coming back from holiday
vacations. So go ahead and re-vote:
http://www.aaronzwebworkz.com/contest/

Also, as a customer appreciation and for something fun to
do, I've decided to have a little contest. Go to my Web
store at http://www.AWWstore.com and browse through the
items there.

When you find the three products with the word "shinola" in
them, email me with the titles or SKU numbers of those items
and I'll put you in a drawing to win a $25 gift certificate
to my store good towards anything there (even shipping)!

Now the coolest part is, no matter whether you win or not,
you will get a $5 discount on ANYTHING you buy in the store
just for entering the contest!

Hey, what can I say? It's a brand new year, Wednesday is my
birthday, and it's time for something FUN to happen!

Happy New Year, everybody!

------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Talk Back!
------------------------------------------------------------
"I just wanted to send something to update people about the
"login scams" being perpetrated online. As has been pointed
out in previous editions of your news letter, most of these
scams center around ebay and paypal. well, I just got one
today from Bank One and a friend of mine told me he got one
for his Commission Junction affiliate account!"
--Laurel C.

Editor: Thanks, Laurel! I got one from Washington Mutual
a couple of weeks ago too, so I guess the scammers are
branching out! Everyone be warned! NEVER fill out a form
that is sent via email. Always go to the website in
question manually (i.e. "www.websitename.com") and find the
form from there. You'll save yourself a lot of identity
theft grief!

Re: issue #108: "Please encourage people to make audio some-
thing that only plays when the viewer requests it! How many
times have you been surprised by an insanely loud midi
rendition of Celine Dion at the wrong time?

Resist unless it really moves your product or establishes
the relationship.

Noise for noise sake is just noise. Most people can read
your message 10x faster than they can listen to your
plodding voice and can get to the meat of your offerings and
find the specific point that they are interested in a
properly designed site.

VOICE IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR A GOOD SITE."
--Rob K.

Editor: Thanks, Rob! Very good point!

"Aaron,
Just found a spam review that included Matador 3.5 and some
others @ http://www.spamfilterreview.com . The site had
some errors, maybe it's not accurate...
Spam Inspector 4.0 looked good for OE & IE-6, what is your
opinion? Thanks,"
--John S.

Editor: When I wrote my recommendation, it was after reading
PC Magazine's review of several different spam filters,
currently kept updated here:
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,4148,4795,00.asp

I tried out several of them (all of them that were either
free or had a trial period) and liked Matador the best.
This review was for the older version of Matador, before the
upgrade in November.

For those of you wanting to try out Matador, you can find it
at http://www.mailfrontier.com . You'll find a couple of
other reviews of their product linked from their website.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to send a comment or letter to the editor
for inclusion in this newsletter, please address it to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com?subject=TalkBack!.
All are welcome to give their opinion, criticism, or kudos!

------------------------------------------------------------
Beat the Post-Holiday Business Blues
3 tips to generate sales in Q1 2004
by Will Dylan
Will Dylan is the Author of "Small Business Big Marketing" a
powerful e-book for small businesses available through his
website www.marketingyoursmallbusiness.com . You can contact
Will at mailto:askwill@marketingyoursmallbusiness.com

Editor's Comments: Post-Christmas is the bummer time of year
for all online retail businesses...
------------------------------------------------------------

With the holiday buying frenzy over, both consumers and
businesses tend to pull back on their purchases in the first
few months of the New Year. Consumers are dealing with the
bills from the holiday season, leaving many small businesses
and even larger corporations looking for ways to boost
business. Coming of a less than stellar 2003, small
businesses can't wait for Q2 for things to pick up. If
you're one of them, here are some tips to stir up some sales
in the next few months.

Strike Advertising Deals - If sales are down from the
consumer end of the spectrum, that means that many companies
will also be pulling back on advertising expenses. After
all, they spent more than enough on ads over the holiday
season. When advertising slows down, newspaper and
television advertising reps get a bit concerned. Remember
they have holiday bills to pay as well, and they need to
sell advertising to help pay those bills. All of that adds
up to deals for small business owners and other advertisers.
You can get more bang for your buck by advertising at a time
when advertising sales are down, so consider running some
advertising for your business in the early months of the
year at a reduced rate. Remember not to pay the going rate
at this time of year. Always look for some type of discount
and if you don't get one then look to competing advertisers.
Somebody will offer you a discount to help fill their ad
space.

Offer Discounts - Dropping your prices is not a long term
solution for any business when it comes to generating sales.
However at this slow time of year it can be helpful to
discount your prices on a few items to help generate in
store traffic or traffic to your website. Just as you can
find advertising deals, your customers are also in bargain
hunting mode at this time of year. So give them what they
want and offer a small discount on a selection of your
product of service offerings. It will help to generate sales
and keep your sales figures up during a normally slow month.
You can even build a promotion around the fact that the
discount is related to this time of year, and will expire as
soon as normal business patterns resume. This may encourage
some customers to buy now rather than risk missing your
promotional offer. When it comes to sales, a bird in the
hand is worth two in the bush.

Prepare your Annual Business Plan - Don't spend all of your
time advertising and discounting. Even if your business is
traditionally slow at this time of year, there's lots of
time left in 2004. Spend some time now focusing on setting
objectives and developing tactics to help you meet your
objectives during this early part of the year, allowing you
to spend all of your time in direct pursuit of business in
the middle to latter part of the year when your business
picks up. Having a plan in place will help you generate
business while keeping your costs in line, and as always, a
good planning process helps you to learn more about your
business.

By seeking discounts, offering discounts where possible, and
working on your annual business plan, you can turn January
into a winning month for you business.

------------------------------------------------------------
If you wish to send your own articles to be reviewed for
inclusion in this publication, please send them to:
mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
Except where noted, this publication and all of its
contents are copyright (C)2002 by Aaronz WebWorkz, all
rights are reserved. To reprint an article, send an email
to mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com for permission.
------------------------------------------------------------
List Maintenance:
To subscribe
[http://aww.aaronzwebworkz.com/contact/index.shtml?newsletter]

To unsubscribe
[{UNSUBSCRIBE_LINK}]

This newsletter is produced by Aaronz WebWorkz, a complete
online services provider. To view information or to see
back issues of this publication, please go online to:
www.AaronzWebWorkz.com. Please direct all comments or
questions to the editor
(mailto:newsletter@aaronzwebworkz.com).