Jane says…..

Keeping pace with today’s digital era, education is fast becoming a commodity that can be acquired online. This has paved the way for those students who wish to earn degrees, yet not in a position to attend regular classes in a university or a college.

Online nursing degree programs have particularly gained prominence of late, because among other reasons, the demand for nurses is estimated to grow exponentially in the coming decade. An online nursing degree program is aimed at preparing you for the mainstream job market while you retain the advantage of learning from a place of your choice and at a pace of your liking.

Since nursing as a subject requires practical competence, many online nursing degree programs will only allow you to complete the non-clinical portion of your coursework via online classes, while arranging clinical lessons at a medical facility near your home. As you can imagine, there are no schools that allow you to fulfill clinical requirements online.

Let us now look at some important features of online nursing degree programs:

1. Compared to easy pacing of coursework by some programs, many others that are affiliated with traditional universities will require online students to maintain same quarter or semester schedule as on-campus students.

2. While some online nursing degree programs allow the students to commence the course at any time, there are many that are structured like traditional classes/degree programs, which means that students are made into groups and scheduled to go through together. In the latter case, there will usually be a designated start date.

3. Although online nursing degree students generally do not meet instructors and classmates in person, it is seen that communication via email or online discussions often proves equally rewarding. The other benefit in favor of online students is that they usually receive instructors’ lectures in written form.

4. Online nursing degree programs commonly offered are RN-to-BSN and MSN degrees. Although some institutions do offer a variety of advanced degree and certificate options, but they are rather few. In most cases, only one or a handful of degree programs are offered online.

5. Students, who wish to receive credit for work experience while pursuing online nursing degree program, generally have one or two options depending on the institute they plan to attend. Many institutes now allow students to complete proficiency exams such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) in lieu of course-work in areas in which they have work experience or knowledge gained though independent study. If you are planning to enroll in an online nursing degree program, you will be happy to know that there are certain distinct advantages associated with it, enumerated below, though not all may be available together for a particular program. 1. You will be able to complete your online nursing degree coursework quickly and conveniently.

2. Online nursing degree programs are less expensive than traditional programs. While the cost widely varies by school and degree program, students may expect to pay anywhere from a little less than $100 to more than $300 dollars a credit, with average tuition for online programs sponsored by public universities generally falling in the $110-170 range. In addition, registration or enrollment fees may also be charged, though out-of-state tuition is not typically charged. Overall however, online nursing degree programs cost less than their traditional counterparts.

3. Flexible online nursing programs allow you to work around personal commitments. This is especially true for female nurses who are would-be mothers or have home and kids to look after.

4. Your curriculum can be tailored to meet your specific goals and you may be studying an up-to-date curriculum that addresses the critical needs of the health care industry.

5. If you work hard, you may look forward to completing your online nursing degree in just 2 to 3 years, or even sooner if you have qualifying credits or prior work experience.

Copyright 2006 Linda Raye

Linda Raye, editor at NursingChoice, is well known for her writing on healthcare topics. Nursing is one of her passions.

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Uganda has developed its lodges and hotels into world class. Kampala for example has 3star, 4star and five star hotels and the serena group has acquired the Nile hotel and renovated it it a 5 star deluxe facility at a cost of $18M. Lodges will be found in wildlife areas like queen Elizabeth.

Semilik Safari Lodge

The lodge has eight double rooms that allow for total comfort. Guests are also accommodated in large canvas tents with permanent thatched roofs. The tents have en-suite bathrooms with running water and private verandas with a breathtaking view. Sofas are piled with cushions, with ample lounging spaces. The lodge’s resident chef offers a creative mix referred to as the ‘Best food in Uganda’. Everything is homemade, from the fresh bread to the soups. The lodge employees are from the surrounding communities.

Semilik Safari Lodge offers guests interesting activities like chimpanzee trekking, guided walks and hiking, jungle walks fishing, bird-watching, spot lit night drives, game drives and visits to local communities. The lodge is working closely with the Indiana State University of the US in primate research projects. The cost for double rooms for foreign non-residents is US $296 and for East African Nationals US $218.

The mystery of Kabale

Bunyonyi Safari Resort (BSR), located deep in the highlands of Kabale District, southwestern Uganda, is a secret yet to be discovered. Located on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, this unique tranquil place has spacious, self-contained and spacious cottages right at the waterfront. Guests can tour the numerous islands on the lake by motorboat. ‘Bunyonyi’ means ‘little birds’ and, indeed, at BSR guests are woken up every morning by the chirping of numerous birds. Some of the areas across the lake are famous rare bird species. Lake Bunyonyi is about 900m deep and it winds around numerous hills, creating islands. It has signs of volcanicity and mystery still surrounds its formation. It is a bilharzias-free lake and therefore safe for swimming. The area is also mosquito-free.

BSR have a pad out in the water for guests to sunbathe ands swim in private. Form there or the balcony, one can occasionally view the elusive water birds, the otters, as well as the surrounding hills. Guides will take guests round and give them the historical and cultural backgrounds of some of the islands. Visitors can also meet the pygmy tribes. In the evenings, one can enjoy a barbeque dinner with a campfire by the lakeside.

Lake Bunyonyi is one of the places in Uganda where guests can get clayfish, BSR’s specialty. The cuisine is mostly African but the chef is well versed in all continental dishes. Self-catering is also allowed at a minimal cost for small groups. Bunyonyi Safari Resort extends from the cottages to a small hilltop overlooking the lake. From this vantage point, the view of the Lake Bunyonyi, its surrounding islands against a backdrop of the volcanoes of Muhavura is splendid. The hall on this hilltop is furnished with a bar, a pool table, darts and other games. It is ideal for conferences and parties. The surrounding gardens are well manicured and beautiful.

BSR is offering special full board rates this season of US $40 per person per day. Visitors should look out for BSR’s new introductory package of US $110 per person for a two-night weekend that includes accommodation, meals and transport to and from Kampala, and lake tours. The minimum number of this tour is 12 people sharing in doubles. This tour can be combined with gorilla trekking in Bwindi or a visit to Lake Mburo National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park at an added cost.

Hotel industry comes of age

The Uganda hospitality industry has evolved rapidly into a dynamic institution that places the interest of the client above all else. A visit to Uganda may be marked by stops in the following regions represented by a number of towns: Jinja, Mukono, Kampala, Entebbe, and towns within the refreshing tour circuit of western, north-western and north-eastern Uganda. In all these regions and towns, the hotels meet international standards and offer value for money.

Kampala, Entebbe and Mukono

Central Uganda boasts the country’s top hotels, with Kampala having hosted major international and regional conferences. Kampala has a variety of hotels that cater for different categories of tourists.

Colline Hotel

Colline Hotel is an old establishment in Mukono about 15 kilometres east of Kampala. The three-star hotel boasts a town-countryside tropical setting. It is an hour’s drive from Entebbe International Airport through Kampala along Jinja road. The hotel has more than 100 self-contained rooms, with 24-hour room service, DStv and direct telephone communication. It caters for transit tourists heading to and from Kampala.

Mukono’s unique setting in an area with bird life is reinforced by its high service standards. Colline offers guests unhindered access to all facilities such as the steam bath and health club. With a large garden, swimming pool and well-equipped health centre, Colline Hotel is another home away from home.

The hotel has two restaurants, Maxims and Kob, serving continental, international, oriental and local cuisine. It has three bars fully stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The hotel has a launders residents’ linen. Cultural troupes perform there regularly, keeping the guests fully entertained.

Hotel Africana

Hotel Africana overlooks the beautiful Uganda Golf Club’s par 72 Kitante course. The hotel is 40 minute drive from Entebbe and a mere three-minute drive to the city centre. It has 115 rooms compromising five suites, 23 deluxe rooms and 87 twin-bedrooms. The rooms are elaborately furnished to meet client needs. They are individually air-conditioned, have private baths and showers, telephones, multi-channel TV, radio and fridges. For children under three years, accommodation is free of charge while those between three and 12 pay half the rate of a single room. There are also rooms with connecting doors for families, and there is a large swimming pool.

Hotel Africana has a well-designed purpose-built, air-conditioned conference and banquet rooms, complete with modern audio-visual facilities, to cater for any function. Due to its location, the hotel offers a suitable venue for workshops of 10 to 250 people and outdoor functions of up to 1,000 people. The conference rooms are equipped with a high-speed wireless Internet connection.

Holiday Express Hotel

Located in the heart of Kampala at the junction of Luwum and Dastur Streets, Holiday Express Hotel allows business tourists to access vital services such as foreign exchange, downtown shopping and transport in and out of Kampala. The facilities are designed to meet regional and international standards. All the 42 rooms are soundproofed to allow maximum comfort. This eliminates the CBD-related cacophony. The hotel has a special rate for East African nationals. All the rooms are fitted with TV with more than 10 channels and a spacious study area. Holiday Express has hosted business tourists from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Congo.

Hotel Equatoria

Hotel Equatoria is part of the Imperial Group of Hotels chain - Grand Imperial, Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel, Imperial Resort Beach and Hotel Equatorial. It is located in Kampala’s central business district, about 40 kilometres from Entebbe International Airport. Its strategic location provides an ideal environment for conferences, meetings, workshops, parties, recreation and rest. Hotel Equatoria has features that supplement its quality of service. Recently the hotel added 30 more shops to meet the shopping needs of the guests. Hotel Equatoria has one of the biggest shopping malls in the country and 89 air-conditioned rooms, 24 of which are executive class, with satellite television and in-house movies. Security is guaranteed as an electronic key card system is used. The executive rooms have a sitting area complete with speed special satellite Internet connections, mini-bars and direct dialing telephone services.

Grand Imperial Hotel

The Grand Imperial Hotel is one of the first hotels in Uganda built in the colonial era. It is the only hotel that has been used by every governor of the colonial era. The 103 rooms, including suites, reflect the urban elegance and easy southern charm of the city. The hotel, part of the Imperial Group of Hotels, is centrally located in Kampala, and is just a 30 minute drive from Entebbe International Airport. All the rooms have high-speed Internet connection, electronic safes and mini-bars and direct dialing telephone services. The hotel has a swimming pool, saunas and Jacuzzi, massage rooms, steam and spa baths, a shopping mall and a large secure car park. It also offers free personalized airport service, forex bureau and doctors on call 24 hours.

Imperial Resort Beach Hotel

The five-star Imperial Resort Beach Hotel is situated in Entebbe on 27 acres of landscaped gardens on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is only a seven-minute drive from Entebbe International Airport, and a 30 minute drive to Kampala. The hotel is the finest convention centre in Uganda and a global landmark, offering technologically advanced conference facilities overlooking the lake.

With 191 rooms on six floors, extensive conference and banquet facilities and restaurants and bars, it is an ideal venue for meetings. A modern amphitheatre, 1 km private beach stretch along Lake Victoria, swimming pool and health club are just some of the delights.

Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel

The Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel has hosted a number of key conferences, including a summit of African leaders and former American President, Bill Clinton. It has modern well-equipped conference facilities, high-speed internet connection in all rooms, electronic safes and mini-bars, direct dialing telephone service, swimming pool, saunas and Jacuzzi, large secure car parking, free personalized airport service and a doctor on a 24-hour call.

Speke Resort & Country Lodge

Speke Resort and Country Lodge is a luxurious resort on the shores of Lake Victoria in Munyonyo, 12km from Kampala. This resort is spread over 50 acres of pristine land. It hosts leisure travelers, business and executive groups, weddings and other special travellers, business and executive groups, weddings and other special events. It is the epitome of an ultimate resort in the Great Lakes region. The emphasis is on exclusivity and comfort, with the décor incorporating ethnic design elements from various African communities.

The resort extends for over 400 metres along the shores of Lake Victoria. Landscaped gardens with indigenous plants and trees attract colourful birds and butterflies. Wide and well-lit pathways link the cottages, apartments and public areas. It includes 10 self-contained cottages, 20 serviced studio rooms, 11 one-bedroom apartments and 24 two-bedroom apartments with the latest amenities such as telephones, internet access and satellite TV. It has a large swimming pool, a restaurant, grocery, bar and an equestrian centre with 29 thoroughbred horses. There is a jetty where guests can hire speedboats

Mweya Safari Lodge

Mweya safari lodge is located on a peninsula in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It offers sumptuous meals and luxurious accommodation and there are amazing views from every room, an abundance of game and birds. Easily accessible by air and road, Mweya Safari Lodge is the perfect place to start a refreshing experienced of Uganda.

Paraa Safari Lodge

Built in the early 1950s, Paraa offers visitors the dramatic Murchison Falls and a large variety of bird and animal species. Winston Churchill walked the 85 kilometres from Masindi to view the falls. Paraa is sandwiched by Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert in north-western Uganda and Murchison National Park. During Uganda’s political turmoil, the lodge collapsed but today the story is different. Guests can access it from Kampala by road or air

24 hours in Kampala

I had decided to venture into the unknown - Uganda. With only a sketchy knowledge of the history of the country, I had covered most of Kenya and my visits to Tanzania were becoming monotonous. Coming all the way from Mombasa, the thought of flying to Nairobi then to Entebbe offered a mixed package. On the one hand, I would arrive fast and embark on my working holiday, but on the other, I would miss invaluable experiences that my grandchildren would love to hear.

I settled for the long journey by road from Mombasa. The Mombasa to Nairobi trip was uneventful and by morning, I was on my way to the Malaba border. Through the Kenyan towns of Nakuru, Eldoret and others, which I knew like the palm of my hand, we reached the border and disembarked, passport in hand. I eyed the surroundings curiously. We completed immigration formalities and set off from Malaba through Tororo to Kampala. The Owen Falls Dam provided a spectacular view of the source of the Nile. And Kampala beckoned.

By 6:30pm, the bus arrived in Kampala. Dusk was swiftly giving way to night and I had not made any accommodation arrangements. I tried to recollect the names of some of the hotels and approached an all too willing taxi driver (here they are called ’special hires’). I addressed him in English and mentioned the names of the various hotels that came to mind, three to be precise, but he immediately ruled out two as being upcountry! So, he took me to the one in town. It was a three-star hotel. I was caught in the horns of a dilemma. I didn’t wish to appear as someone with no clue of what I wanted, yet I had this ominous feeling that the cost would subject my pockets to unwarranted, self-inflicted shock therapy. I decided to bite the bullet and approach the receptionist, who appeared rather busy with some clients. I waited. The wait seemed rather long; I know places in my home city (Mombasa) where the moment you step in you are literally lavished with service.

I boldly confronted the receptionist and politely asked her to attend to me. Turning the look of being offended by my perceived interruption, she promptly read out the room rates. The figures sounded rather odd; USh 100,000 etc. I settled for the cheapest, which was USh 100,000. Someone told me the Kenyan Shilling was quite strong regionally so I need not worry, just spend and be happy. I fished out a wad of notes and counted USh 100,000 for that night. I was shown the self-contained room with a sitting area, a TV with numerous channels, among a host of other things. I settled in the room, took a shower, started counting the money while reconverting the currency mentally to Kenya Shillings, and realized that i had spent a whopping KSh 8,000 even before dinner!

I was however determined that the little shock therapy would not ruin my first evening in Kampala. Furthermore, there was no way I could dine at the same hotel as that would choke any attempts at sampling Uganda’s growing economy. I moved to Steers on Kampala Road around the CBD. There was little difficulty in following the directions to the fast food joint. They seemed more efficient than the three-star hotel.

It was Friday and I began my nocturnal tour at about 8:45pm. The city was teeming with not just vehicles, but human traffic too. I got a ’special hire’ to the ‘happening places’ as the seemingly enlightened driver called them. He quickly noticed two things: that I was new in Uganda and that I was from Kenya!

The driver through the city took me to what he rated as a client-friendly pub in the heart of the city and a couple of other places after which I thought: “well, i now know Kampala!” I decided to go it alone and the next 24 hours were a real rollercoaster ride. I entered what I later was told was a sleazy joint (not my type) and moved on to what surprised me most - a Kenyan nyama choma joint. There was a good number of Kenyans and Tusker flowed like water. It felt good to be ‘home’ again. The joint-hoping craze went on, this time with a group of homeboys who seemed to disappear in what I considered dark alleys, only to re-emerge stone drunk! I was told that they had gone to ‘re-charge the Tusker’ with some potent traditional gin by the name Kasese Kasese.

It was well past midnight. Back home, I would be worried about the police and robbers but here that did not bother the Friday night crowd. I met a young woman who said she was a Ugandan university student and we went to a disco. I do not remember the names of the clubs because we entered no less than three that night. The mood was real carnival with folks partying hard. I learnt a lot from the student on why people seemed so relaxed and at ease with foreigners.

The last disco we entered was playing a floor-closing number. It was 5:30 in morning. I escorted my guide to a special hire, paid for her trip back to campus wherever it was, and I took mine to my USh 100,000 hotel room. Later, some homeboys who promised to show me a ‘more affordable’ place lived up to their promise. I moved to an equally decent hotel within the CBD for less than half the previous cost!

I spent the afternoon visiting the famous Makerere University, Entebbe International Airport and its environs, the National Museum, Ndere Cultural Centre, the palace of the Kabaka of Buganda and the National Parliament. I went to bed early that Saturday evening because of the long journey ahead. In any case, the bus was set to leave at 7:00am on Sunday. I arrived back from Kampala with fond memories, having spent 24 great hours in Kampala. I most likely will go back, particularly to visit my university friend whom I guess must be about to graduate.

Robert Muhoho is a tour consultant in Kenya and has planned business and vacation safaris for over 10,000 tourists in the East African region. He is a tour operation- major and involved in National tourism policy development in Kenya.

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If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Abruzzi region of central Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Abruzzi is located on the central eastern part of Italy on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The area is 2/3 mountains and 1/3 hills. Over time Abruzzi has belonged to the Romans, the Lombards, and the kingdom of Naples. While this area was once very poor, its income is now growing. Abruzzi and Molise were a single region from 1948 to 1965. Its population is 1.275 million.

Agricultural products include grapes, olives, wheat, sugar beets, tobacco, saffron, pigs, and sheep. The Adriatic Sea and inland lakes and streams provide a wide variety of fish and shellfish. If I remember correctly, the first time that I heard of this region was decades ago, when I learned that according to Craig Claiborne, at the time Food Editor of the New York Times, Italy’s best food was found in Abruzzi.

Abruzzi has no large cities. Its administrative center l’Aquila has a population of about 70 thousand. But big cities are hardly a requirement for good wine. Few would ever claim that Italy’s best wines come from Rome, or the surrounding area.

Abruzzi devotes about eighty two thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 10th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 110 million gallons, giving it a 5th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (not very much rosé), leaving 10% for white. The region produces 3 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 1 DOCG red wine, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 17% of Abruzzi wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Abruzzi is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, a few more white and than red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Trebbiano and Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Trebbiano d’Abbruzzi, felt by some to be Bombino Bianco.

The best known Italian red variety is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is the most widely exported Italian DOC wine.

Before we reviewing the Abruzzi wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with local wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with a Pizza Rustica, Cinnamon-Scented Pie Stuffed with Proscuitto, Cheese, and Eggs.

Then move on to Polenta sulla Spianatora, Polenta (Cornbread) Topped with Sausage in Spicy Tomato Sauce.

For desert enjoy a Crostata di Ricotta, a Ricotta Tart.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Abruzzo Illuminati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Riparosso” 2004 DOC 13% alcohol about $11.50

The marketing materials state that this wine has hints of an Amarone (a much more expensive wine) or a Ripasso ( a more expensive wine). There are raisings, currants, and tar on the nose whilst the taste profile is ripe, mellow fruit flavors of raspberry jam and ocha. It doesn’t contain a lot of acidity so drink it within a year. Pair it with pizza, burgers, or any meat dish that you tend to eat during the week.

This wine is said to complement pasta, red meats, and savory cheeses.

I found the Riparosso to be somewhat robust, with cherry and plum flavors. I didn’t have the feeling that I was drinking a regular Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, but instead almost a Ripasso, a wine that I prefer. This wine managed to feel full-bodied even with its light tannins. It balanced nicely the tanginess of barbecued eggplant loaded with garlic, and demonstrated notable spiciness when paired with a meat ball and vegetable stew. Its acidity was pleasant. I did not discern all the flavors listed above. For me the dominant flavor was black cherry. The final meat dish that accompanied this wine was a barbecued boneless rib steak with a spicy curry and cumin sauce. The wine seemed to pick up strength to accompany this meat, which by the way, we don’t eat on a regular basis during the week.

I tasted this wine with two related cheeses. Pecorino Toscano is a soft, nutty cheese. Interestingly enough, I found that the wine was no longer robust, it seemed to soften to accompany this mild cheese. In the presence of a Pecorino Fiore Sardo, a balsamic sheep’s milk cheese with a stronger flavor and coarser consistency than its Tuscan cousin, the wine almost magically picked up flavor to meet the challenge.

Final verdict, as you can tell this wine is a definite keeper.

Extra note. Several months ago on a whim I bought a $6 bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Given the realities of the marketplace, I really doubt that any producer can come up with a decent bottle at that price. At first the wine was terribly acidic. I held out, finished the bottle and the last glass was almost OK. Yes, there are bargains, such as this Riparosso, but few in the $6 range.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com . You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

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Your Web site needs to do more than make your company look good. It has to support your overall business operations - customer service, sales and marketing and collaboration. Whether you’re planning an intranet or Internet site, don’t start before you check your strategy against this comprehensive checklist.

The following checklist and the associated answers will facilitate the analysis process ofr designing and building the website that allows your company to turn the corner.

GENERAL

1. Where did you hear about us?

2. Do you have a domain name? If not, do you have ideas on one? If so, what is it?

3. What is your company name? Do you want to use the entire name on the site, logo, and graphics?

4. Do you have special features in mind like ECommerce shopping cart, BLOG, RSS, Forms with emails, EZine, Newsletter signup, autoresponders, advertising landing/call-to-action pages, etc.?

MARKETING

5. Who is your intended audience? Are they regional, industry specific, company size specific, etc.?

6. Do you intend to provide a call to action - make a sale, call in to your office, fill out a form, etc?

7. Describe your ideal client and the specific attributes that we’ll be targeting in the website.

8. What are your website expectations, main emphasis and primary goals - increased sales, increased leads, etc.? Please prioritize.

9. What separates your company from your competition and what do you expect will draw clients to the website?

10. How do you plan to market the website?

11. What company properties do you want to emphasize on the website? Please prioritize.

IDENTITY

12. Do you already have a logo and other graphics to be used? If not, do you want to have one created?

13. Have you identified a tagline? That would be something like “Just do it”, “Reach out and touch someone”, etc. Here is some information on the subject http://advertising.about.com/od/copywriting/a/guesttagline.htm.

14. What keywords do you want to be found by in the search engines?

LAYOUT

15. Please provide a list of websites that you like and don’t like. Why do you or do you not like these sites?

16. Please provide a list of competitors websites.

17. Do you have ideas of the colors to be used, and colors you don’t like? Please provide example sites.

18. Do you have an intended website screen size - 1024×768, 800×600, or stretch to the entire width of the screen?

19. If the site isn’t the entire width of the screen do you have a preference for left or center alignment?

20. Do you have a horizontal or left-side vertical preference for the main navigation?

21. Please provide the main pages you need in the website.

22. Have you created the copy text for any of your pages?

23. Do you have existing business cards or other printed material we need to match?

24. Are you leaning towards custom drawn artwork or photographs?

POST-CONTRACT

25. Once we start designing the website we’ll need the following (Note that this information will be kept in strict confidence):

a. FTP access information - username and password

b. Hosting company and their tech support phone number

Michael A. Cordova is the President of 21st Century Technologies, Inc. Contact him at:

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While a number of topics are currently being discussed in the United States, one of the most controversial is that of the right to privacy. This hot button issue is made more complex in a post 9-11 environment. We struggle to find and maintain a balance between personal rights and public safety.

Most people would vigorously defend the right to privacy, feeling that the accessibility of too much personal information is not only an invasion, but morally wrong, and unconstitutional. After all, prior to September 11th, the United States had not been subjected to the overt terrorism that had plagued other countries.

The events of September 11th pervaded our false sense of security and caused us truly question if the enemy was in a far off country or our next door neighbor. In our post 09/11 world, the government’s responsibility to protect Americans has taken on new meaning. In an aggressive effort to protect us from the threat within, the government has adopted a “by any means necessary” approach even if that means listening in to phone calls, reading emails, reviewing library records or scouring through websites. The recent foiled plot of airline bombings in Britain is an example of how invasion of privacy can in fact keep us safe. The individuals stopped for this heinous crime were discovered first by a tip but second from police monitoring private activity which included phone calls.

In the instance where a terrorism plot is averted because of the invasion of privacy there can be no argument to the validity of the practice. Yet, we also know that innocent people have had their privacy invaded when they did not pose a threat to national security.

The national debate over privacy has repercussions on a smaller level as well. Corporations and employees struggle with privacy issues in the workplace. Companies also are seeking to protect themselves from a different kind of terrorism - that of legal and financial exposure caused by the actions of its employees, whether innocent or intentionally malicious.

Privacy is legally protected by the Constitution of the United States, and at the very core of America’s existence. As politicians, voters and special interest groups debate these constitutional issues, employees and employers seek to understand the rules of engagement within business.

Does an employee have privacy rights at work? How far can employers go in monitoring the activities of employees to ensure that they are protected from liability?

Employers not only have a right to monitor the activities of employees but a responsibility. Computer activity, including e-mails and phone calls can be monitored by the employer. In fact, some degree of monitoring is recommended. Emails are discoverable in legal action exposing employers to a great degree of risk. Even if the employer has a policy that expressly states that personal emails are allowable, the company still has a right to monitor individual emails.

Phone calls, except those placed on designated “for personal use” phones, can also be monitored. Call center and customer service employees are routinely monitored for quality assurance and training. There are however, federal and state regulations which must be adhered to which in many locations including notifying parties that the call is being monitored. Most employees will need to place or receive a personal call from work at some point in time. However, as a best practice, employees should use pay phones or cell phones when they must conduct personal business during the work day.

As we seek to balance privacy and protection on a national stage, we will undoubtedly make adjustments on a more personal level. We have already become accustomed to much of our lives being monitored through security cameras, electronic tracking and internet use so it is possible that what is now viewed as invasion will simply become normal. In the interim, it is wise to assume that what happens in Vegas, may not stay in Vegas!

Richard A. Hall is founder and President/CEO of LexTech, Inc., a legal information consulting company. Mr. Hall has a unique breadth of experience which has enabled him to meld technology and sophisticated statistical analysis to produce a technology driven analytical model of the practice of law. As a busy civil trial attorney, he was responsible for the design and implementation of a LAN based litigation database and fully automated document production system for a mid-sized civil defense firm. He developed a task based billing model built on extensive statistical analysis of hundreds of litigated civil matters. In 1994, Mr. Hall invented linguistic modeling software which automatically reads, applies budget codes, budget codes and analyzes legal bill content. He also served as California Director and lecturer for a nationwide bar review. Mr. Hall continues to practice law and perform pro bono services for several Northern California judicial districts.

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What are comp cards?

In a nutshell, comp cards (short for composite cards) are a form of advertisement and promotion for fashion, glamour and other types of models. They come in many different shapes, layout styles and sizes giving models the benefit of being creative when choosing how their promotional piece will look.

Benefits of comp cards

You’ll find that there are many advantages of having composite cards made to promote yourself as a model. Here are just a few …

Professionalism

There is an old saying in the modeling industry; If you want to be treated as a professional model, look like a professional model. This stands true for the images you show also.

When you present your composite cards with beautiful, well-chosen photos to an agency representative or a potential client, he or she knows that you are serious about your career and will treat you as such.

By no means does this insure that you will get a job with that client or agent but it sure puts you way ahead of many of the other models who are in competition with you.

You will not get a second chance to make a first impression!!!

Don’t be so anxious to start your modeling career that you skip a step which could open (or close) a door for you. Your composite cards are that important. Be a professional and hand them a comp card instead of a snapshot.

Most people don’t throw away pictures

By now you may be thinking; “What if I just have normal business cards made to leave with agents and clients?”.

Yes, you could have business cards made for less trouble and expense and I encourage you to do just that. Business cards are another way of presenting yourself as a professional model.

But, agents and clients sometimes throw out business cards or they put them in their pockets and lose them.

Most people hesitate to throw away pictures which is what your comp cards look like. They are more likely to file your composites along with the other professional models in their files for future reference so you have at least a small chance that they will see your photo again. Which, by the way, leads to …

What do you look like?

One more thought about business cards. Unless there is a photo on the card you leave the client still won’t remember your look when she is ready to choose models to represent. Now it becomes your business card against the other 100 composite cards she has on file. Who will win out? You guessed it!!

In addition to your headshot on the front of the card, the agent can also see 4-5 pictures on the back along with your all-important stats. This is your contact information and other important aspects of what you have to offer as a model.

Give yourself a chance to model

Give yourself a chance to be seen and contacted by always leaving your composite card with all contacts. There is a certain safety in numbers, the comp cards are not that expensive, so don’t be stingy with them.

Composite card layout and design

Below is an outline for basic comp card design to give you an idea of what your card will include. You can see examples of composites at CompCard.Com . Notice how professional these look as compared to just sending a photograph.

The layout is pretty simple for a two-sided card

Front - The front will generally include a photo covering the front of the card (I suggest a good, strong headshot here) along with your name in bold letters.

Back - On the back there is room for about four to six images showing different looks (indoor and outdoor) in a variety of outfits with at least one good full-body shot (swim wear or tight-fitting clothing).

Also, on the back of the composite will be statistical information such as …

Contact information (Who to contact, phone, email, web address, etc.)

- Height
- Weight
- Bust size / Cup size
- Waist size
- Hip size
- Dress size
- Shoe size
- Hair color
- Hair length (short, shoulder length, long)
- Eye color
- Type(s) of modeling jobs preferred (i.e. commercial, fashion shows, runway, glamour, artistic, promotional, etc.)

How and where to get composite cards

It’s really a simple process to have your comp cards designed and printed.

IMPORTANT: The first step is to have photos made by a professional model photographer who can give you usage and reprint rights. I can’t stress enough the importance of starting with great pictures. If you send in a snapshot that your cousin Irma took, you’re going to get a snapshot on a comp card — A disaster!!

With that said, there is no need to feel overwhelmed with the details of getting your comp card ready. There are many companies online such as CompCard.Com who have design styles and templates online which will help you every step of the way.

Remember too that there are many different versions of comp cards so it’s all up to you how your finished composite card will look.

Now you can start your modeling career off right by having professional composite cards you’ll be proud to show. Just do it!!

Bob Pardue is a professional stock and female photographer located in the Southeastern USA. Get a freemodeling mini-course by subscribing today…

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As a result of research and development that began more than two decades ago, National Prawn Company has completed phase one of a $350 million “modified extensive” shrimp farm on the Red Sea, 150 kilometers south of Jeddah. The $200 million first phase resulted in eleven farms and 2,800 hectares of ponds with projected production of 13,500 metric tons of whole shrimp a year. Phase two will add fifteen more farms and 3,500 more hectares of ponds capable of producing 17,500 tons a year.

National Prawn Company follows the codes of conduct and methods of production outlined under the United Nation’s definition of “Sustainable Development”. It produces antibiotic-free shrimp with no hormones and no preservatives using eco-friendly, sustainable shrimp farming methods. It uses low stocking densities and settling ponds to protect the local aquatic ecosystem.

NPC’s product line is currently marketed locally and internationally under the brand name “Al-Watania” and other brand names.

Work Force: More than 2,000 employees from 25 countries.

Broodstock: Specific pathogen-free, specific pathogen-resistant Penaeus indicus in its twenty-fourth generation.

Nauplii Production: 60 million a day.

Postlarvae Production: 180 million a cycle.

Processing Plant: Capable of handling 80 metric tons of head-on shrimp a day. M/S Marel/Carnitech (Denmark) supplied and installed most of the processing equipment. M/S Jonsson (USA) supplied the peeling machines and Mycon (Japan) supplied the refrigeration system. The plant is designed to process a wide variety of products from simple block frozen products to high-value ready to eat individually quick frozen and cooked products.

The shrimp reach the plant in less than an hour after harvest and are processed and packed in less than six hours after harvest. The plant has a large, fully automated chill room that can hold up to 25 tons of whole shrimp as it comes in from the farms.

There are three major processing lines, a head-on line with the capacity to handle two tons an hour, a headless line with the capacity to handle 1.2 tons an hour, and a peeling line with the capacity to handle one ton of raw shrimp an hour. Three plate freezers can freeze 20 tons of shrimp a day, and two spiral freezers can freeze three tons per hour. There are two flow pack machines from Sandiacre. As part of the worldwide marketing strategy, great importance has been given to the implementation of HACCP and ISO quality control systems.

Feed Mill: Capacity ten tons per hour. BUHLER (Switzerland) installed the machinery and technology.

Intake Pumping Station: The intake pump station was designed to create a flow of 90 cu/m/sec at a static head of 2.5 meters. It is equipped with twelve Amacan submersible, vertical pumps. The length of the intake canal is 35 kilometers!

Drain Pumping Station: The return water pump station is designed for a flow rate of 90 cu/m/sec at a static head of 1.1 meters. It is equipped with seventeen Amaline submersible, horizontal pumps. The total length of the return water canal is 38.2 kilometers.

Shrimp Head Powder: The offal plant processes fresh shrimp heads into shrimp head powder, which NPC sells as a feed ingredient in laminated, polypropylene bags weighing either 25 or 50 kilograms.

Miles of Roads on the Farm: 157 kilometers, 57 of them asphalted.

Employee Community: Furnished bachelor accommodations are provided with dining halls, relaxation facilities, indoor sports facilities, supermarkets and a mosque. Essential utilities like power, water and sanitation are available around the clock.

Distribution: NPC has entered into exclusive agreements with distributors in U.S.A, Canada, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, Australia, Japan, China, UAE, Korea, Egypt, Bahrain, and Jordan. It is looking for distributors in Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, and Tunisia.

Employment: NPC is on course to implement its second phase and will be hiring people at all levels.

Yawar Nawaz

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Modern block advent candle holders http://www.maddylane.com/project10.html

“Lighting the way to the Holidays”

Hands-on time: Under two hours to make 4.
Total time: Drying time for the stain (8 hours per coat).
Skill: Moderate, with basic tool skills.
Project cost: Under $25.00.

Materials & tools:

4″ x 4″ wooden fence posts (two 30 cm high, and two 25 cm high)
Newspapers
Saw
Pencil and a ruler
Vise, drill and 1-1/4″ diameter drill bit, spade bit
Electric sander and medium to fine grit sandpaper
Tack cloth
Pre-stain by Minwax and a sponge brush
Minwax PolyShades (one-step stain & finish all in one) in colour of your choice (I used Natural Cherry gloss 390/490)
High-quality natural bristle brush
Tealight candles, 3 purple, 1 pink, 4 white
(Materials for this project are available at hardware stores).

Making block advent candle holders is a clever way to utilize pieces of wood leftover from other projects, such as last summer’s new deck or fence. Wooden posts are cut to size, and holes are drilled for the candles. Minwax PolyShades was applied to add rich colour with a durable protection while enhancing the wood grain - all in a single step. These modern-style candle holders can used year round.

Advent is a term for the period that begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and lasts until Christmas. The word advent is derived from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “to come”. The four advent candles symbolize the four weeks of advent. Typically, the purple candles symbolize joy, peace and love, and are lit on the first, second and fourth Sunday of advent. The pink candle symbolizes hope and is lit on the third Sunday. At midnight on Christmas Eve, the candles are replaced by white candles. Theses candle are used until the Epiphany. This tradition has long been practiced by several religious faiths. Families set up advent candles arranged in or around a wreath that is either set on a table or suspended from the ceiling. The circle wreath is a symbol of eternity and life, and the candles are the light of the world.

Measure and cut with a saw four wooden blocks in the sizes indicated above, or to any other size, as there are no rules for the height of advent candle holders, just as long as there are four. Traditionally, they are all the same size, but there is no set rule. I just decided to give these wooden holders a modern look.

On the top face of each of the blocks, draw an X (from each corner) with a pencil and a ruler to find and mark the centre.

Secure the wooden block in a vise, then drill a 1-1/4″ diameter hole, as deep as the tealight candle cup, in the centre of it. Stop and check if the tealight fits, then continue drilling if needed to adjust the depth. Repeat steps for each holder.

Sand the wooden blocks until smooth. Start with the medium grit sandpaper and finish with the fine grit sandpaper. Dust off with a tack cloth.

For uniform staining, first apply a coat of pre-stain to each candle holder. Let dry about 10 minutes. Apply a light coat (to avoid drip marks) of the one-step stain in your choice of colour to each of the candle holders. Let each coat dry for eight hours before recoating. Normally, at least two coats are needed for an even and polished finish, but additional coats may be applied for richer colour. I applied four coats, one in the morning and one in the evening over a two-day period. To avoid drip marks, after each coat application, wait five minutes and use upward strokes with the paintbrush around the top edges of the holders.

Once the stain is dry, insert a tealight candle into each of the candle holders.

Adorn with festive beaded wire if desired and let the count down to the holidays begin. The holders will look simply majestic when displayed in a row on a buffet, down the centre of a table or gracing a mantel, or placed inside a large wreath. Light one candle each Sunday, an additional one the next Sunday, and so on until Christmas.

Variations:

To make Hanukkah candle holders, cut eight wooden holders in the same size and height. Cut a ninth (and centre, the Shamas) holder taller. Stain blue, paint silver, or decorate with gold leaf accents, such as Stars of David.

To use tapered candles, simply drill a smaller hole at the other end of the wooden block, then turn them over to use different size candles.

No need to clean your paintbrush between each coat; simply kept it sealed in Glad® Press’n Seal™ wrap.

Minwax PolyShades also allows you to easily change the colour of currently stained or varnished wood items without stripping.

Copyright MaddyLane Designs © 2006
maddy@maddylane.com
http://www.maddylane.com

Madeleine Langlois

Blog creative, design, hardware, holidays, love, time

I must admit when Designer Shoe Warehouse first arrived in my city, I was ecstatic. Honestly, it’s the only store I enjoying taking my time and perusing every isle. Now, If you’ve never stepped foot inside DSW, you have to find one and visit. For those of us who wear size 11 an up, it’s almost a gold-mine. Certainly, there are other stores that carry gorgeous shoes in larger sizes for instance, Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdale’s, JC Penny’s, Parisians, Payless and the list goes on…

Now back to you first-timers, you have to have a strategy to navigate through this store. If you’ve taken any type of time-management classes, you’re ability to utilize what you’ve learned will come into play.

Here are just a few tips on making the best use of your time and finding a pair of shoes made just for you.

1. Wear shoes that you can easily slip on and off.

2. As soon as you walk into the store, scan the entire store.

3. Quickly put together a game plan. Should you start in the dress shoe isles? It’s up to you.

4. Grab one of their mesh shopping bags. It makes carrying your shoes a whole lot easier.

5. I’ve found that scanning the shoe boxes to locate my size saves me time and unnecessary disappointment. You don’t get caught up in falling in love with a pair of shoes that don’t come in your size.

6. Look at shoes on both sides of the isle, it saves time.

7. Once you’ve covered one isle and have selected a couple pairs of shoes, take a second to try them on. If they don’t work, simply put them back on the shelf. No since in dashing to the next isle with shoes that you don’t want.

8. Always remember to grab one of the stocking footies before trying on shoes.

Now that you have a few tips on getting the most out of your shopping experience, go hunting for your next pair of fabulous shoes.

Andrea Pace proudly wears size 11. She is the author of 16pg, ebooklet; Your Feet Make You Unique: Tips For Women Who Wear Size 10 And Up.

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If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Sardinia region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea west of mainland Italy. Sardinia’s terrain is mountainous, and its beaches are excellent. Sardinia is known for archeological ruins and has become a tourist destination for the international jet set. Because of its exceptional location Sardinia has always popular, Invaders include Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Spaniards, without mentioning numerous Italian peoples. During part of the 18th and 19th Century it was united with the northern region of Piedmont in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. The population is about 1.6 million.

Sardinia’s administrative center is Cagliari, an ancient university town on the southern coast of the island. Its population is approximately one hundred sixty thousand. The famous author D. H. Lawrence compared this beautiful city to a “White Jerusalem.” Another city of interest is Sassari, which has the best collection of Sardinian art.

Sardinia is Italy’s leading source of organic produce, and includes nearly one-third of Italy’s land cultivated biologically. The climate is subtropical and more than half the territory is devoted to pasture land. Food is plentiful, it is said that there are over 500 kinds of bread, perhaps one for every village. The inland is full of meat, including lamb, goat, pork and game, while the coast teems with fish, lobster, and eel.

Sardinia devotes about 107 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 8th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 28 million gallons, giving it a 12th place. About 57% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving 43% for white. The region produces 19 DOC wines and one DOCG wine, Vermentino di Gallura, one of the two DOCG wines produced in southern Italy. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 15% of Sardinian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Sardinia is home to almost dozen four major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

There are no widely grown international white grape varieties in Sardinia. The best known Italian white varieties are Vermentino, Nuragus, and Vernaccia.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cannonau, known as Garnacha in Spain, and Grenache in France and elsewhere, and Carignano, known as Carignan in France. The best known Italian red variety is Monica, which probably originated in Spain, and may be related to California’s Mission grape variety.

Before we review the Sardinian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Melanzane in Pinzimonio, Smoked Eggplants in Mint-Basil Oil.

As a second course try Aragosta Arrosto, Roasted Lobster with Parsley and Bread Crumbs.

For dessert indulge yourself with Seadas, Pastry with Cheese and Bitter Honey.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Sella and Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna (V) DOC Reserva 2003 13.5% alcohol about $12.50

Cannonau wine may qualify as the mother of all European wines. It is made from the Grenache grape, which originated in Spain. The producer, Sella and Mosca, has the second largest contiguous vineyard in Italy. Over 6 million bottles are year are produced on an estate of more than 1500 acres. Some will say that such a humongous estate is unlikely to produce an outstanding wine. Such a claim may be incorrect, but this wine was far from outstanding.

The marketing materials stated that this wine is more or less ruby in color, tending to orange upon aging, with a light scent of grapes with a characteristic flavor ranging from dry to sweetish. It was aged three years in oak prior to its release and may be cellared for a decade or more. The wine is said to be particularly suitable to accompany red meats and seasoned cheeses. Uncork it at least one hour before serving.

I found that it had quite a light color for a red wine. To my mind, it was thin but pleasant with very little nose. I first tasted it with a rib steak marinated in a spicy sauce. This pairing brought out the fruit, and the wine was pleasantly acidic, but I would have preferred a more robust wine to balance the meat. I finished the bottle withy barbequed hamburgers, and it didn’t go quite as well. The wine was weak, perhaps affected by staying too long in the bottle.

Pecorino Sardo is a traditional sheep’s milk, semi-cooked hard cheese that comes in a “sweet” or “ripened” variety. The sweet variety is soft, and the ripened variety is hard. My cheese was ripened and treated with balsamic vinegar. A commercial roasted eggplant with sweet red peppers accompanied the wine and cheese. Everything went well together, the nutty flavors of the cheese balanced the wine’s fruit. In conclusion, I liked the wine best with the cheese. I don’t plan on buying this wine again, I found it a bit overpriced. Even though it didn’t cost a lot, one might have thought that a mass-produced wine from Sardinia would be somewhat less expensive.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com. You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

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