DNS Propagation Explained - or Why You Have to Wait the 72 Hours

So you found a perfect domain name that was not already taken, figured out how to register it, paid for hosting (leasing space to store all the files that will be publicly accessed as web pages) with a WHP - aka Web Hosting Provider (such as bsleek.com) and even uploaded your website to the WHP's servers, or had a professional design firm create a web site for you.

Alas, it looks like the results of your hard work, of your money spending and of the headaches you got from trying to make sense of all the technobabble were in vain? Why can't you see your website instantly - after all, is't this the promise of the e-commerce age?? Hey, when they took your credit card payment, that went pretty fast!! Is it that nobody really cares about customer service anymore? And what is this "propagation" nonsense those techies are trying to bamboozle you with?

Bamboozle

Is your new Web Host Provider a lemon? Did you make a big mistake chosing it??

All this has to be very frustrating, unless you understand exactly how things work. Over the next few paragraphs, I will try to demistify the DNS propagation process, by telling you in plain English, what DNS propagation is, how it works, and why is it that the only thing we can do to speed the process up is.... wait.

DNS stands for Domain Name Server. I know the word Server is intimidating and you are thinking "oh sure, another article written in technicalese language". Think of a server as a regular computer, like the one you are using now to read this. That's right! Your beloved computer can be a server too. We call a computer a server when that machine is up and running and providing a service ("serving" something, whether a web page, a text document, etc.)

With the language barier lowered, I will tell you that DNS can be tricky, especially when first registering a domain name or transferring your website to a web hosting provider. The strangest things can happen that would lead you to believe that your new web hosting provider is at fault.

99.99% of the time the Web Hosting Provider is not to blame and I will explain why.

There are a number of things involved in DNS that I will familiarize you with. Sorry, but it has to be done. Again, like everything else in life, once you understand how things work, things will look much brighter.

Things you need to hear about are:

- IP Addresses

- Service Providers

- Domain Names

- Domain Name Registrars

- DNS

- The Propagation Process

1. IP Addresses

Our computers talk to each other by identifying themselves using numerical addresses much like the address on your home or for your telephone. When one computer wants to speak to another computer, it all boils down to an address or what we call an "IP Address".

Here is an example: 64.247.43.26

As you would imagine, the number of possible addresses, while immense to the untrained eye, is actually limited and we are almost on the verge of exhausting all the numbers.... Here's a piece of trivia for all interested in cool facts: Typically, service providers (see below) receive thousands of IP addresses to be used on their networks. IP addresses in the United States are assigned by ARIN, the American Registry for Internet Numbers. They are the assigned numbers authority and they control who gets IP addresses in the US.

2. Service Providers

The service providers will use IP addresses to identify their network equipment so that they can conduct business on the internet.

There are many different types of service providers but for the purpose of this article, I will only discuss two of them.

The ISP (or Internet Service Provider) is the company that provides you with access to the internet. Without them, you would not be able to send email or surf the world wide web. When you connect to your ISP, they will assign your computer one of their IP addresses. This IP address will be used to identify your computer while you are connected to the internet.

The WHP (or Web Host Provider, such as bsleek.com) is a company that provides a means for individuals or businesses to publish a website on the internet. When the website is published, it is placed on a special computer known as a server that is connected to the internet via a high-speed connection. The WHP has already assigned this server one of their IP addresses.

Now, let's summarize what we have learned so far by looking at a typical internet users experience:

Let's say that you want to surf your newly published website. You connect to the internet and your computer gets an IP address (much like a phone number, a license plate, etc) from your ISP. You then open up your web browser and type in your website's domain name: yourdomain.com.

Then you hit enter. Your computer sends a request. That request is blasted across the internet jumping through routers and gateways, across wires and beamed to satellites and back down to Earth again. After traveling several thousand miles in just a few milliseconds, it finally arrives at your WHP's web server because it contains the IP address of the computer you are looking for.

The server then responds by sending a copy of the website's home page back to your computer because it knows the IP address of the computer that made the request. You are now looking at your published home page in merely a few seconds and being proud of the pretty colors you picked for your menu buttons.

How did this all happen? Read on:

3. Domain Names.

A domain name is what you typically enter into your web browser when you want to visit a website. We also use them when sending email.

Website: [http://www.yourdomain.com] / Email: user@yourdomain.com

Domain names provide a fast and convenient way of reaching our favorite websites and sending email to each other. It is easy to remember the name of a friend's website or a company that you like to shop with rather than trying to remember a number like: 64.247.43.26

What are we missing here? The mechanism that translates numbers into names (that is, IP addresses into domain names) and vice versa. Suspense....

4. Domain Name Registrar

If you want to have your own domain name you will need to register one through a company called a Domain Name Registrar. The domain registrar has tools that allow you to search for and register an available domain of your choosing. The registrar is more or less at the top of the whole naming scheme chain.

If you were able to read this far and even stay focus, congratulations - you ar a very determined individual. And now, as a reward for reading this much of my article, I will talk about... DNS, which is the topic you came here to read about in the first place.

5. DNS

DNS is a software program that runs on a dedicated computer known as a DNS server. DNS serves two primary functions:

1) To translate domain names into IP addresses.

It's much easier to remember a domain like mydomain.com than a sixteen digit number like 64.247.43.26. DNS servers make translating or "Resolving" this information fast and seamless. When your computer needs to know the IP address for yourdomain.com it asks a DNS server (usually the one provided by your ISP.)

2) To act as authority for designated domain names.

Wherever you decide to host your website, the network you are on must have its own DNS servers. In fact, it is an industry-wide standard to have at least two DNS servers or more. These servers will act as the authority for your domain name because your network provider will put a special entry in their DNS server as it relates to your domain name that says: YOU ARE HERE! Technically this is known as an "A" record for "Authority".

There are literally hundreds of thousands of these DNS machines world wide. They ARE the yellow pages of the internet and they contain information about your domain name. Keep in mind that no single DNS server holds all the domain names for the internet; they only hold the names that they are responsible for, and a few pointers to find the rest.

Some DNS servers strictly store names while others are doing the work of providing lookup services for computers that need to look up names. Many DNS servers do both. Technically, the server that is responsible for a particular domain is called the "Authority". Remember the "A" record?

There are a few pieces of crucial information stored in a DNS server with regard to your domain name. This information as a whole is known as your "DNS Record". In it you can find a variety of other pieces of information (or records) about your domain name. For the purposes of not altering your sanity, in this article I will focus only on the domain name, the 'A' record (or your WHP's DNS servers).

6. The Propagation Process

As I said before, your domain registrar is the one responsible for publishing your domain name at the very first (called root) DNS level. When it is published, it is placed into a directory that is broadcast out to primary DNS servers around the world.

The primary DNS servers broadcast out to secondary DNS servers and so on and so forth.

This process is known as propagation and it can take upwards of 72 hours to complete. Propagation refers to the amount of time it takes for all the DNS servers everywhere around the world to recognize the fact that either a new domain is being registered, a domain name has been changed, or that the authority for that domain has changed.

Other reasons why it takes so long is obviously the size of our planet and the total number of DNS servers that require updated information. DNS servers are always updating themselves and changing dynamically during the course of any given day. When or why one DNS server will receive updated information before another is a complete mystery - really!

In most cases, your DNS propagation will complete well within the 72 hour period but you can't be sure that everything is fine until you wait out the 72 hours! Once propagation is complete, anyone, anywhere on the internet should be able to visit your hosted website.

During that time you may experience strange occurrences. This is because not every DNS server that needs to know, knows about your domain name. Take your ISP for example. They use two DNS servers, well, 24 hours after making your nameserver changes, only one of your ISP's DNS servers might receive the update regarding your domain name and the other might not.

If only one of these servers can resolve your domain to an IP address and the other can not, what you will experience would be as though your website was going up and down. One moment it is there, the next it is not.

Here is another example:

A friend of yours can see your new website and you can not. This is most likely because his ISP's DNS servers are able to get the information at that time, where your ISP's DNS servers can not.and wait another 72 hours. Ouch!

Here is a neat one:

You are transferring your hosting to a new WHP. During propagation you are working on development of some pages in your website. But you notice that when trying to view your most recent changes, they appear and then vanish or they don't appear at all.

Think about the load-balancing DNS servers again. One server has information about your OLD WHP and the other has information about your NEW WHP! This can be a weird experience and may take some time to figure out. What you really need to do is WAIT OUT THE 72 HOURS!

You see, if you avoid making changes to your website during a transfer/propagation period, you will always have a consistent functional website available to your visitors. They won't know that you have switched WHP's because as far as they can tell, they are just browsing your website. They won't realize that you are in a state of propagation and that from one minute to the next, they are potentially browsing your site from two different WHPs.

All of these occurrences are very common and each one of them will result in a phone call to the WHP asking why the server is going up and down. In reality the server is fine and your WSP is one of the finest. The problem is that the domain owner has not let 72 hours pass by, after which these and other similar problems will have vanished.

So as you can see, your Web Service Provider is not at fault, you just must have patience and wait the full three days before you can try to determine if your website is experiencing a problem or not.

DNS Propagation Explained - or Why You Have to Wait the 72 Hours

---

Andrei co-owns Bsleek - a company that specializes in web design, hosting, promotional items, printing, tradeshow displays, logos, CD presentations, SEO and more. Andrei has amassed an extensive technical knowledge and experience through his career as the CIO for a major travel management company and through his past careers in military research, data acquisition and airspace engineering. He also consults for Trinity Investigations, a New York based PI firm.

--- Bsleek - Redefining cheap web hosting [http://www.bsleek.com/hosting/]

Getting Good Deals on Airline Tickets

Today, most people purchase their airline tickets online, and that is the best option actually, as most travel websites and airlines do offer better deals online. Add the fact that it a lot more convenient to book your flights online than going to airline ticket offices.

How to get the best Deals on Airline Tickets

Tickets

The first thing you can do is to search for the best websites that can offer you the best deals. To do this you need to at least search and inquire with at least 5 websites. The trick is to get quotes and compare them. Sometimes to get the best deal is to get your hotel accommodations with your airline tickets. That way, the travel company also gets better commissions.

If you have any particular airline in mind, you can go to their website first, the try other sites too. If another airline or travel company can offer you a better deal then you can opt to change airlines.

What could the Best Deals on Airline Tickets?

The best deals are usually those with include the whole travel packages. With travel packages you can get discounts on both your tickets and your accommodations. Plus the fact that you will not need to find a good place to stay at your destination.

If you are traveling on business, this is the best choice. You cam also inquire if they do offer business ticket discounts.

Travelling with a group is another way to get great deals. Most airlines and travel agencies offer big discount with additional promotions for people who will boom for a group.

Another way to get good deals on airline tickets is to book way ahead of time; like 8 weeks before your planned departure. Most airlines offer great deals if you can book for that long, the reason for this is that they can reserve you ahead of time, and no matter what happens only can use that ticket. If by any unwanted turn of events and you wouldn't be able to travel on your scheduled date, you can not get a refund, and the airline earned from you. So you must be willing to take that risk, if you are willing to get the best deal.

Another good deal is to get round-trip tickets. Most airlines would prefer it if you would be willing to get a round-trip ticket, the same thing with the 8 week rule applies here. If you will not be able to travel back home on the specified date on your ticket, you can not get refund.

Where can you get Better Deals on Airline Tickets?

You can either get your airline tickets on airline websites or at travel agencies websites. There is not much difference actually, as the travel sites also get the tickets from the airlines.

But if you are going to a place where you do have any specific place to stay, then booking at travel websites will be better as you can also book your hotel accommodations with them.

If, on the hand, you happen to have a good place to stay on your destination, it better to book your flight with airline websites. All you need to do is to fins the right site and to know when si the right time to book.

Getting Good Deals on Airline Tickets

Get access right now on crazy deal to find the Cheapest Airline Tickets Possible. Find great tips and advice on how to get Cheapest plane tickets possible on the net.

How to Invest Your Money Like a Professional

Few of us are taught anything about of money when we are young, such as the magic of compound interest or the dangers of debt, so it is not surprising that investing is a mystery to most people. This is one reason there are so many dodgy spruikers offering "get rich quick schemes", and why they do so well.

The future starts now

Bamboozle

You can learn how to become rich just by waking and breathing the air each morning. If you follow some simple steps - and avoid the trap of falling into debt - your future wealth is (almost) guaranteed.

4 steps to financial freedom

Here we set out in four easy to understand steps all you need to know about creating wealth the tried and trusted way.

Why investing is for the long term

For most people, the focus of investing is the stock market. After all, this is historically where most wealth has been created. But the spotlight on rising and falling stocks can create the illusion that stocks must be constantly bought and sold according to their day-to-day value. Wrong. Like most wise investments, the true value of stocks lies in their long-term performance.

Risk vs Return

Essentially, investing is putting your money into an asset which offers a financial return. There are only two ways to make money out of an asset: via the income it generates or by the asset increasing in value. The best assets (shares and to a lesser degree property) combine both of these. Others, such as gold, art and antiques often increase in value but generally offer no cash income.

Assets are divided into classes according to their returns. The rule of thumb is the higher the risk of the asset, the higher the return.

Classifying assets according to the risks and returns:

Cash: The safest way to store your cash is in an interest bearing savings account. The asset is protected and the risk is low, which is why the return is also low - but not always. In times of high interest rates and falling stock and property markets (like the present), cash is often a top performer.

Property: A house or office building generates income via rent, but you can also make money from its appreciating value. The risk is higher, the property market could crash or your tenants might trash the joint, so the rewards are higher.

Bonds:Shares: The sexiest of the lot, because the returns are traditionally the highest. The company in which you buy shares will share its profits with you, by issuing a regular dividend. The share value will increase (or fall) as the company's fortunes change. Shares go up and down all the time, thus the high risk, but the historical trend is that markets rise over the long term, which - you guessed it - means a higher reward.

Let the experts look after your investments - why you should go with a managed fund

1. They take the worry out of investing.
2. They let you diversify your investments, so you spread your risk. Diversification means putting your eggs in more than one basket. Different asset classes (shares, bonds, property etc) perform differently over time.
3. They allow you to invest your money a little at a time.

Fund managers are happy to take your money in installments as small as 00. As you add to your investment your money will start to grow. Getting rich won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

Different types of managed funds

Shopping for a fund can be like walking into Bunnings, there's just a wide range to choose from. Whatever floats your boat, there's bound to be a fund for you.

There are three main types of managed funds: retail, listed investment companies (LICs) and index funds.

Retail managed funds: There are many of these funds, in which you buy units rather than individual shares. When you've narrowed your search, get stuck into the prospectuses and product disclosure statements to make your pick.

Listed investment companies: These operate much like retail managed funds, but instead of buying units, you buy shares that trade on the stock exchange. This means you have to buy and sell through a stockbroker, but online brokers can reduce your fees. Their greatest advantage is that some of the largest and most reliable LICs have very low fees. For example, one of the biggest, the Australian Foundation Investment Company, has an MER of about 0.13 per cent, which leaves most other funds for dust. Unlike retails managed funds, they don't offer a savings program. One way around this is to set up an online broking account which, together with the broker's high-yielding savings account, will set you on your way.

Index funds: Price is the main advantage of index funds. They operate by investing in an index of say, the top 200, 100 or 50 companies. For that reason there are no highly paid fund managers to pick stocks - it's all done by the market. Their great advantage is that they always pay what the market pays, which, as we've seen, is a solid return over time. Also, they offer great diversification. For a tiny investment you can have a share in all 200 of Australia's top companies. On the downside, some of the best funds have fairly high entry levels, around 00.

Things to watch out for when picking a fund manager. Concentrate on three standout features:

1. Asset classes the fund invests in Bonus points for a fund that allocates a portion of its investments overseas. After all, big as it is in land mass, our island country constitutes only 2 per cent of the world economy.

2. Fees If you are referred to a fund by a financial planner he will inevitably charge a fee, which is passed on to you. Then there will be entry and exit fees, and ongoing fees, often called management expense ratio payments (MER). All these vary considerably and add up over time. Pay close attention to the fees each fund charges. Entry and exit fees vary by as much as zero to 5 per cent. MERs can vary from 0.75 per cent to 2.2 per cent or more. Typically, the MER is higher for shares (high risk) than it is for cash (low risk). Some funds also have performance fees, where they are paid a bonus for exceeding a set return, and buy/sell fees. The only way to check and compare is the offer document for the fund. Read it very carefully.

3. Performance Examine the fund's prospectus or PDS. These can be dense and complicated documents, but it's worth taking the time to poke through them. The best prospectuses are those that are clear and concise and attempt to educate investors. The worst ones are easy to pick: they try to bamboozle you with complex formulas.

How to Invest Your Money Like a Professional

Visit www.barefoot.com.au for more free information and advice about personal finance from Scott Pape - for the best credit card recommendations, mortgage and interest rate reviews, loan comparisons, recommended high interest savings accounts and the best sneaky deals and discounts in town!

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

You can find Six Flags St. Louis discounts online for the new season. A season pass is on sale for .99, but this offer probably won't last long. Now is the time to take advantage of low prices before the season really gets going. Hurricane Harbor is also getting ready to open, and if you want to go swimming this summer, you'll need a combo pass.

Season pass holders get hundreds of dollars worth of freebies! By becoming a "Funatic", you'll get tons of rewards sent to your email after every five visits. These freebies include a Skip the Line Pass, free drinks, free tickets for friends, and so forth. This offer is only available online, and you have to become a member in order to receive Six Flags St. Louis coupons.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

With a pass for the entire season, you can go all the rides you want, whenever you want. There are many exciting rides, including Superman: Tower of Power, Mr. Freeze, Ninja, The Boss, Screamin' Eagle, and the Boss. The Boss is has been rated as one of the top 5 wooden coasters in the country. It goes up to 66.3 mph and features four drops, a 570 degree helix, 52 degree high-banked turn, spirals, a 15 story maximum drop.

There are a lot of upcoming events and shows this season. One big event is the Bamboozle Roadshow Festival on June 13. This tour features bands like Third Eye Blind, All Time Low, and Good Charlotte. And, of course, there is going to be a spectacular fireworks show on July 4! In October, Fright Fest is going to transform the park into a spooky playground. You can expect to see hair-raising shows, go on haunted rides, visit haunted hoses, and so forth. There will be a trick or treat trail for kids.

Kids have their own section at the Six Flags St. Louis. Bugs Bunny National Park has rides such as Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots, that offers kids a chance to fly on pint-sized planes. Then there's the Yosemite Sam Tugboat Tailspin, on which younger guests will have a blast as they rock every which way on their boats. Taz's Twister is a fun "twister" ride that spins round and round, and Duffy Duck's swings are really fun as well.

Obviously, you'll want to take your family back time and time again this season. There are so many rides, concerts, and attractions that you won't want to miss. Your best bet, again, is a season pass, as being a pass holder entitles you to hundreds of dollars worth of Six Flags St. Louis discounts and regular freebies!

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

Learn more about Six Flags St. Louis discount tickets and how cheap they are if you order them online. You can go for as many times as you want this season with the purchase of one, cheap Six Flags season pass! Indeed, you can save even more money if you print out coupons.

About the author:

Nadav Snir operates a website which includes tickets to the best amusement parks in the world - Six Flags parks. To get the best ticket prices, visit: http://Great-Info-Products.com/Tickets/six-flags-tickets.html

Overcome Middle of the Night Panic Attacks

One of the recognized symptoms of stress is waking up in the middle of the night, usually around 3 o'clock, and worrying about your troubles. Why this happens to us isn't very clear. But lying awake in bed in the middle of the night with only your fears as company is a sure way to make your stress worse and to leave you with a sleepless night. So, for all those who experience panic attacks in the quiet of the night, here is a foolproof way to resolve them, put your mind at complete rest, and send you back to sleep with pleasant dreams.

1. Recognize You're Panicking. The first thing you must do if you wake up at night in a cold sweat is to recognize what is happening to you. Don't worry about why. That will just add to your worries. Simply recognize that you are having a panic attack and use this awareness to trigger the steps that follow. Know with absolute certainty that when you do this, your panic will disappear and you will feel right again.

Bamboozle

2. Accept Your Panic. Now recognize that you have two choices in what to do with your panic. First, you can... well, panic. In other words, you can trigger the sympathetic branch of your autonomic nervous system and do what your ancestors have done for thousands of years: go into flight or fight mode. This means that you can lie there and grit your teeth against all the anguish going on in your head or you can curl up into a ball and try to hide from it. The trouble with this reaction is that it validates your panic and gives it power over you. The scenario you are creating is: my worries are my tormentors and I am the victim. The alternative reaction is to accept it. Simply say to yourself: ah, there's that panic attack again. Don't resist it, don't run away from it, don't judge it, and don't judge yourself. You will find that your surprise tactics will completely bamboozle your panic and put you into a winning position.

3. Notice Your Body Reactions. When we have a panic attack, the thoughts, feelings and reactions are often simultaneous. That means that when you recognize you are panicking, you will often also be reacting in different parts of your body. We now know that our thoughts have a far greater influence on our bodies than we used to believe. Hans Selye's theory of how stress creates disease is directly based on the idea that our thoughts trigger certain chemical reactions which then appear in different parts of our bodies. Some people get a feeling of drowning or going under, others tremble; some get butterflies or churning sensations in their stomach, others throbbing headaches; some feel as if they've been punched in the belly, others get a tightening of their hands and feet. For the moment, just notice where in your body you're reacting.

4. Breathe Evenly. You're now going to take the first positive step to resolve your panic and it's a physical one. You're going to get rid of all those uncomfortable bodily sensations by practising slow and rhythmical breathing. Simply breathe in to a slow count of 4 or, if you can manage it, 6 or 8. Then breathe out slowly to the same count. Do this rhythmically and consciously and very soon your bodily discomfort will disappear.

5. Kill Your Fear. Now that you have stabilized your physical reactions, you're going to deal with your mental state. This is the thought or thoughts that caused you to wake up in the first place in panic. When you start to investigate, the thought that's worrying you will almost certainly be a fear: fear of some harm befalling you, fear of some awful tragedy that you are convinced is going to happen, fear itself. The next thing you must do is very important. You must tell yourself that your fear is not real. You may believe that what you fear is really going to happen; all the evidence tells you it will; all the experts tell you; it is inevitable. However, quietly tell yourself that absolutely nothing on this earth is 100% certain. Don't take issue with what you've been told. Just quietly tell yourself that your F.E.A.R. is False Evidence Appearing Real. It isn't real at all. If this is a bit tough to do, here's a way that will really nail it. Check yourself here and now. Almost certainly you will be in no immediate danger. You will probably be safe, warm, comfortable, in no harm, OK. Hold on to this important reality. It is far more real than your imagined fears.

6. Profit From Your Panic. You've now dealt with your physical reaction to your panic and the mental cause itself. You now need to take the experience and actually profit from it. Say that again? Did you say, "profit"? Yes, you don't just want to control your panic, you want to make it a valuable experience. And the way to do that is to move up a notch from the physical and mental reactions and react spiritually. Here are 3 ways you can do that.

o see the panic attack as a problem and all problems as gifts from God. I know that this might be hard when you've just woken up in a cold sweat, but if you can see the attack as an experience that will help you grow and become stronger, it will be a valuable experience for you. If you are comfortable with your spiritual side, this will be easier than if you aren't. For example, one way to do this is to tell yourself that the situation that is worrying you has been sent by God to test your faith. Not to harm you but to make you stronger. You may perceive it to be your worst nightmare, but in the grander scheme of things this could be the greatest thing that has ever happened to you. Since you really don't know, believe the latter. And when you do that, something really strange will happen to you. You'll sense yourself thanking God for sending you the problem. Your fear will dissipate and be transformed into gratitude and joy.

o put your situation into context. The chances are that the thing you are worrying about is nothing like the monster you first believed it to be. Instead of focusing on the monster, focus on all the wonderful things in your life. In other words, count your blessings.

o see the joke. Now you might think I've really gone over the top. Joke? In the middle of the night just after panicking? Well, yes. Don't you see the funny trick your mind and body has just played on you? It made you believe one thing when something else was really true. So, just smile at things. If you can, let out a chuckle. And if nobody else is going to mind, let out a roaring laugh.

7. Let Go. There's one last important thing you have to do before dropping back to sleep. Take all your worries, metaphorically package them into some kind of container and hand them over to God (or whatever higher being you believe in). Simply let go of all your problems and worries and believe with absolute certainty that God wants you to pass them over to him knowing that if you don't know how to deal with them, he most certainly does. Let go and let God.

There is nothing trivial about waking up at night in a panic. It can be a most terrifying experience. But it can also be managed. Follow these 7 steps and you will find that, not only will you be able to manage your panic, you will actually come out of it an infinitely better person.

Overcome Middle of the Night Panic Attacks

© Eric Garner, ManageTrainLearn.com

For instant solutions to all your management training needs, visit ManageTrainLearn and download amazing FREE training software. And while you’re there, make sure you try out our prize quiz, get your surprise bonus gift, and subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter. Go and get the ManageTrainLearn experience now!

Implementing Social Security - Part 3 - Old-Age Assistance

Title I of the original Social Security Act of 1935 addressed the need to help the elderly. It has been estimated that in 1934, roughly half of the nation's elderly citizens lacked the means to be self-supporting. Prior to 1930 there was virtually no public aid for the elderly, though between 1930 and 1935 the situation became so desperate that by 1935 thirty states had some form of old-age pension or relief set up. However, these independent efforts by the states were inadequate and distinctively discriminatory; favoring people in particular areas or industries that were politically influential in the states concerned.

Title I of the Social Security Act imposed a mandate on each U.S. state to develop a comprehensive plan for providing the elderly poor with some relief. Each state had to develop a plan on how to provide relief and appoint an agency to oversee its implementation and operations in that state. After developing such a plan, it would be submitted to the Social Security Board (see Part 2) for review and approval. Once the plan was approved, the federal government would make an annual lump sum payment to the state to help offset the expense, although it was required that the states themselves would also cover at least a portion of the expense [Section 2 (a)(2)]. Five percent of the lump sum payment by the federal government could also be used to offset the state's administrative expenses.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

Because of the discriminatory practices found in the independent state initiated old-age pension plans, the Social Security Act included strict anti-discriminatory measures. These included ensuring that the old-age pension would apply to all legal residents of the state, would apply equally in all districts and subdivisions of the state, requirements that set the qualifying age at more than sixty-five years (with some one-time exceptions), and any citizenship requirement that would exclude any U.S. citizen. These measures did not, however, effect institutional discrimination still prevalent in the U.S. at the time. This meant that African-Americans, Native-Americans, women and others that had lesser legal rights could still be excluded legally.

The federal government was also concerned that the individual states would attempt to swindle the federal government, by implementing a good plan, getting the approval of the Social Security Board, and then changing it radically from what was approved. While the states retained the administration of the plan, Section 2 (1)(5) specifically mandated that the states provide the means to maintain the approved plan. The state agencies were also required to document the work of their program for review by the Social Security Board upon request. Further, if the Social Security Board deemed changes to the approved plan to be too much, the Social Security Board had the right to stop federal payments to states. Just to be sure, this right to halt payment was done on a quarterly basis, so that the state could not implement changes for part of the year and then return to the approved plan later and still receive full payment.

Title I, like all of the original Social Security Act of 1935, has underwent many changes and is not recognizable today. However, this represented the very time that the elderly throughout the country could count on some form of public assistance if they were in need.

Implementing Social Security - Part 3 - Old-Age Assistance

Wendy Polisi is one of the founders of Social Security Insider Secrets. To find out more about social security retirement and social security disability benefits, please visit her at Socialsecurityinsidersecrets.com.

Park City Discount Lift Tickets - Tips, Tricks For Cheap Park City Lift Tickets

Park City discount lift tickets are sometimes hard to come across. Here is some information about the ski resort and tips for finding cheap deals on skiing and boarding at Park City, Utah. Park City Resort located 35 minutes from the Salt Lake International Airport is considered one of Utah's best ski resorts. With a whopping 3,300 acres of snow that is buried in 355 inches of powder per year, the Park City Ski Resort positions itself as one of the nation's top ten ski resorts. After successfully hosting the alpine giant slalom and snowboarding events for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Park City Mountain Resort continues to expand recreational offerings for winter-sports enthusiasts. Choose from a wide selection of terrain from beginner to expert that allows the entire family to ski at the level they want, anytime they want.

Park City Resort Profile:
Season dates: November 22, 2008 - April 12, 2009 (Weather Permitting)
Hours of operation: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Night Skiing: Scheduled to open Dec. 25, 2008 and close after March 30, 2009
Acres of Terrain: 3,300 acres
Lifts:16
Runs: 107
Average Snowfall: 355 inches
Difficulty of Terrain: Beginner 17%, Intermediate 50%, Advanced 33%

Tickets

When it comes time to book your Park City lift tickets, it is best to start shopping online. Many online ticket deals sell bundled tickets and can pair your activities with other discount vacation amenities such as; lodging, car rentals, ski gear, flights and more. Generally speaking, if you book these items in a group, you can save as a ski package.

Search online for the best rates on lift tickets. Internet distributers sometimes have great ski free stay free deals for lodging and lift tickets. Spend a couple of minutes searching "discount lift tickets Park City" and you might be rewarded with some of the best deals on ski tickets. Many times the confirmation of your tickets are sent to you via email with a voucher that you bring to the ticket office in exchange for your physical ticket.

Salt Lake City has tons of ski rental shops located throughout the city and also in the Park City region. Many times these ski rental outfitters offer lift tickets at discount rates. The tickets don't provide huge savings but it will help with those budget minded skiers.

Park City Discount Lift Tickets - Tips, Tricks For Cheap Park City Lift Tickets

To purchase discount Park City lift tickets visit GetSkiTickets.com Here you can also find great rates on cheap Park City lift Tickets.

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

You can find Six Flags St. Louis discounts online for the new season. A season pass is on sale for .99, but this offer probably won't last long. Now is the time to take advantage of low prices before the season really gets going. Hurricane Harbor is also getting ready to open, and if you want to go swimming this summer, you'll need a combo pass.

Season pass holders get hundreds of dollars worth of freebies! By becoming a "Funatic", you'll get tons of rewards sent to your email after every five visits. These freebies include a Skip the Line Pass, free drinks, free tickets for friends, and so forth. This offer is only available online, and you have to become a member in order to receive Six Flags St. Louis coupons.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

With a pass for the entire season, you can go all the rides you want, whenever you want. There are many exciting rides, including Superman: Tower of Power, Mr. Freeze, Ninja, The Boss, Screamin' Eagle, and the Boss. The Boss is has been rated as one of the top 5 wooden coasters in the country. It goes up to 66.3 mph and features four drops, a 570 degree helix, 52 degree high-banked turn, spirals, a 15 story maximum drop.

There are a lot of upcoming events and shows this season. One big event is the Bamboozle Roadshow Festival on June 13. This tour features bands like Third Eye Blind, All Time Low, and Good Charlotte. And, of course, there is going to be a spectacular fireworks show on July 4! In October, Fright Fest is going to transform the park into a spooky playground. You can expect to see hair-raising shows, go on haunted rides, visit haunted hoses, and so forth. There will be a trick or treat trail for kids.

Kids have their own section at the Six Flags St. Louis. Bugs Bunny National Park has rides such as Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots, that offers kids a chance to fly on pint-sized planes. Then there's the Yosemite Sam Tugboat Tailspin, on which younger guests will have a blast as they rock every which way on their boats. Taz's Twister is a fun "twister" ride that spins round and round, and Duffy Duck's swings are really fun as well.

Obviously, you'll want to take your family back time and time again this season. There are so many rides, concerts, and attractions that you won't want to miss. Your best bet, again, is a season pass, as being a pass holder entitles you to hundreds of dollars worth of Six Flags St. Louis discounts and regular freebies!

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

Learn more about Six Flags St. Louis discount tickets and how cheap they are if you order them online. You can go for as many times as you want this season with the purchase of one, cheap Six Flags season pass! Indeed, you can save even more money if you print out coupons.

About the author:

Nadav Snir operates a website which includes tickets to the best amusement parks in the world - Six Flags parks. To get the best ticket prices, visit: http://Great-Info-Products.com/Tickets/six-flags-tickets.html

10 Things to Watch For When Buying a New Car

If the words of carnival king P.T. Barnum are to be believed, indeed "There is a sucker born every minute. And while you thought that car dealership is all about honesty and integrity, salesmen out there are out to get you wrong.

Some of them you would find are really genuine salesman who will go by the product and its features. Most others though are the aggressive breed of salesmen who will possibly call a spade, an axe. Before buying a car, you better be sure who you are dealing with.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

To be an educated, assertive consumer you need to do some research and serious number crunching. Spend a couple of hours with all the information resources available and you should be ready to buy a new car. Some misrepresentations that you would have to keep an eye on are as follows.

The credit cozen

You would often find a lot of dealers proclaiming that your credit history is indeed bad. And because of your credit history being bad, you might just have to pay a bit more for your loans - seems the retort of most salesmen. If you are damn sure your ratings are not jacked up, you are safe.

But if you have any doubt at all, you should check with the major credit bureaus before you even think of heading to the showroom. Remember, knowing your credit rating before you purchase a car is essential.

The transaction trick

Buying a car includes multiple transactions and they are - new car price, the trade-in value, and the financing. All these transactions are possible money-making opportunities for dealers, and as it happens in most cases, this is where a lot of dealers make merry.

One mistake people make is roll up all of them into one and negotiate on the price. This surely is a losing deal for you. Rather, treat them individually and negotiate on each transaction in entirety. This way you would surely get the best price for your car.

Enough research on the entire process is important if you wish to get the best deal possible. One thing though - Buyers need not think of the finance department of their dealers as their loan agents. It is not the dealers responsibility to get you the best rates.

The payment ploy

Assume that the car's value of ,000. If a dealer tells you could get the car in less than 0 a month, rather than getting all excited, you should watch the science behind this statement. Possibly, the dealer has counted in a huge down payment. Or, you may just have to pay the loan in more installments. Whatever be the case, you should know these terms and conditions in advance.

Rather than thinking on the lines of how much you need to pay for the car, you should be thinking how much you could pay for the car. There is a difference between both, a difference not many people understand.

The sticker shenanigan

The vehicle price listed on the window is known as the MSRP, or manufacturer's suggested retail price. Who cares? Do you really have to know all this? Not really! Just know the invoice price and work the MSRP from the bottom.

Visit some websites to get updated about the actual selling prices of cars. This is important because if you know the actual selling price of the car, you could eliminate any possibility of the dealer cheating on you.

Sticker price is the metric in the sales of some popular cars. One of the popular cars, the Honda Minivan is sold at the sticker price.

The holdback hustle

Sometimes you would find manufacturers giving cash incentives to dealers. These are called "holdback". This allows the dealers to expedite the process of pushing up the sales for models that normally don't sell all that well.

Find out if any holdbacks are included in the car deal. While it may not really impact your car deal anyways, but there is no wrong in asking either.

The financing four-flush

Some unscrupulous dealers have the practice of informing customers about the failure of the financing deal, days and sometimes weeks after they signed the purchase agreement. Senior executives of financing institutions say this is an absolute misrepresentation of the fact because all it takes for the dealers to check the financing is 15 minutes.

The objective of the dealers is simple - By telling you did not qualify for Car A costing ,000, they wish to trap you into Car B that costs ,000. Okay! Stay away from these guys then. Think about it - If you could not qualify for a lower priced car, how in the world would you get financing for a higher priced one?

The insurance illusion

Insurance is definitely a subject matter of solicitation but some dealers just do not seem to follow this. They would force you on buying an insurance for the vehicle. Gap Insurance is one of the most favored type of insurance policies. Assume that your car is worth ,000 and you owe ,000 on the car. If your car is considered to be a loss, the insurance policy will pay 00. Credit Life Insurance policies on the other hand will pay the remaining amount if you die before repaying the car.

As of now these policies may not make sense. The reason why this is being told to you is because you may watch out for these prices when you buy the car. You would possibly be in a position where you could decline or accept a proposal.

The rate razzle-dazzle

How about a 0% interest on financing a new car? Sounds tempting! Be sure you check the nuts and bolts of such a deal. Chances are that you would find the monthly installments for such a deal run very high. These in essence are short term, ones that last for 24-36 months. Loans of such short tenure are known to have high installments anyways.

Be sure to get your own financing before proceeding to get a dealer rebate. This works out because of two inherent reasons - 1) You have arranged for your finance so you do not have to rely on the dealer charging you some interest rate, and 2) If the dealer anyways is giving you a rebate, it should be taken from your finance that you have arranged.

The rollover ruse

A lot of people make a decent move of trading up to a more expensive car. Sounds decent enough thus far! But the mistake they do is this - They trade up even when they are paying for the current car. This is a perfectly legal practice, but is risky. Here's why!

When a person trades up a car, he would roll over the payments of the existing car to the new car. Of course, the payments for the new car would still hold true. In essence, the person ends up paying more than the car's worth. God forbid if in the future, the person wishes to sell off the car or if it meets in an accident, the cover-up charges would be huge for the person.

The balloon bamboozle

Some dealers offer car loans with an exorbitantly high loan tenures. There have been some cases where people have been offered loans of about six to seven years. This could work in the scenario where you think you might have to pay lower. True, but there is a downside to it!

Remember, with time passing by the value of your car would go down. If you still end up paying for 6-7 years, chances are that you would have paid more than the actual worth of the car. Isn't that a loss for you?

On the other hand, you would find some dealers offering you cars at outrageously inexpensive rates for the moment. As you move down the road, you would find that the rates have gone up considerably higher. This scenario is still affordable especially when you have just started working and do not have a lot of money to pay for your car. Assuming your salary would increase with time, you surely would have some more money in a year or two to payoff your loans.

Experts from the financing industry say that understanding what you have to pay is critical. You may have bought a car worth ,000 and yet be paying only 0 per month. Remember though, you would still need to payoff the principal at some stage of your life.

It is important for you to be extremely cautious about these things. More than being cautious, you should be knowledgeable about dealer financing just so to ensure your dealer does not dupe you off.

10 Things to Watch For When Buying a New Car

Jim Warren writes of Japanese Mini Trucks. Topic areas include maintenance, as well as custom design and owner news alerts. Visit http://japaneseminitrucksguide.com for more information.

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

You can find Six Flags St. Louis discounts online for the new season. A season pass is on sale for .99, but this offer probably won't last long. Now is the time to take advantage of low prices before the season really gets going. Hurricane Harbor is also getting ready to open, and if you want to go swimming this summer, you'll need a combo pass.

Season pass holders get hundreds of dollars worth of freebies! By becoming a "Funatic", you'll get tons of rewards sent to your email after every five visits. These freebies include a Skip the Line Pass, free drinks, free tickets for friends, and so forth. This offer is only available online, and you have to become a member in order to receive Six Flags St. Louis coupons.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

With a pass for the entire season, you can go all the rides you want, whenever you want. There are many exciting rides, including Superman: Tower of Power, Mr. Freeze, Ninja, The Boss, Screamin' Eagle, and the Boss. The Boss is has been rated as one of the top 5 wooden coasters in the country. It goes up to 66.3 mph and features four drops, a 570 degree helix, 52 degree high-banked turn, spirals, a 15 story maximum drop.

There are a lot of upcoming events and shows this season. One big event is the Bamboozle Roadshow Festival on June 13. This tour features bands like Third Eye Blind, All Time Low, and Good Charlotte. And, of course, there is going to be a spectacular fireworks show on July 4! In October, Fright Fest is going to transform the park into a spooky playground. You can expect to see hair-raising shows, go on haunted rides, visit haunted hoses, and so forth. There will be a trick or treat trail for kids.

Kids have their own section at the Six Flags St. Louis. Bugs Bunny National Park has rides such as Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots, that offers kids a chance to fly on pint-sized planes. Then there's the Yosemite Sam Tugboat Tailspin, on which younger guests will have a blast as they rock every which way on their boats. Taz's Twister is a fun "twister" ride that spins round and round, and Duffy Duck's swings are really fun as well.

Obviously, you'll want to take your family back time and time again this season. There are so many rides, concerts, and attractions that you won't want to miss. Your best bet, again, is a season pass, as being a pass holder entitles you to hundreds of dollars worth of Six Flags St. Louis discounts and regular freebies!

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

Learn more about Six Flags St. Louis discount tickets and how cheap they are if you order them online. You can go for as many times as you want this season with the purchase of one, cheap Six Flags season pass! Indeed, you can save even more money if you print out coupons.

About the author:

Nadav Snir operates a website which includes tickets to the best amusement parks in the world - Six Flags parks. To get the best ticket prices, visit: http://Great-Info-Products.com/Tickets/six-flags-tickets.html

Advice for Scoring Front Row Tickets

There is always a part of us that hopes that we can score front row tickets every time we plan to attend an event. Of course, not everyone wants to sit up front, but the most of us think it's the best place to be. Although I do know people who like to sit back and be further from the action on stage, I have to agree that the front seats are best place to be during an event. Nevertheless, not everyone can sit in the front seats. You may not get what you are hoping for, even if the seats you want are further back when the public ticket sales begin for any event.

You can surf the Internet if you can't score front row tickets for your favorite act. The tickets you want are often available on ticket broker sites. However, you may find that you need to take out a second mortgage on your home just to afford these tickets. This is because ticket brokers jack up the price of the front row tickets that they have gotten their hands on.

Tickets

You can have a grand time in the second, third or even tenth row for most events, even if the front row tickets are the most wanted seats. It is also important that you consider the size of the venue. You have to think about where you want to sit if you can't get front row tickets on an act that is playing in a stadium. The last thing you want is to be up at the top of the stadium. If that is the case, you might as well stay home and watch TV. Compared to the elevated seats at the side of the stage, even the back floor seats will be sub par.

You should also remember that front row tickets often do not guarantee the best view. I found this out last year at a Wiggles show. A friend of mine was very excited when she got front row tickets. However, it turned out that the front seats were so close to the stage that she literally could not see half of the show. She had to contend with the stage blocking her view and a drum kit that was placed right before her. My friend ended up very unhappy with sitting in the front row because of the very poor view.

Advice for Scoring Front Row Tickets

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Front Row Tickets [http://www.yourentertainmentsite.com/entertainment/entertainment/some-thoughts-about-front-row-tickets.html]. Visit our site for more helpful information about Very Cheap Front Row Tickets [http://www.yourentertainmentsite.com] and other similar topics.

Mobile Phone - A Tool For Modern Fishermen In Ghana

It is prudent to be guided by some of the thought-provoking African proverbs like this
simple one: "A child who has never traveled before tends to think that only his mother
knows how to cook delicious soup."

Long, long ago; and long before the Pyramids of Egypt were built and before Amenhotep
IV a.k.a Akhenaton who was the first human being to proclaim monotheism or the concept of One God, passed through transition in 1350 B.C., traditional fishermen went
to sea with only two basic tools - a wooden canoe and fishing net. The canoe fishermen then could not sail into relatively deep sea to catch whatever fishes they wanted. They were compelled to spend long days and harsh nights at sea, all in vain like Apostle Peter and his colleagues before they met the Saviour, Jesus the Christ.

Bamboozle

Later in the 20th century or so, when automobile was invented and mechanical engineering advanced to a cert degree of perfection, canoe fishermen added one more tool to their implements - the out-board motor. This tool helped tremendously to make
sailing swift, fast and very smooth indeed. In fact, fishing became more pleasant and
enjoyable. The canoes were propelled by four- stroke engines and fishermen could go as
far as they wanted provided there was enough pre-mixed fuel in their petrol tank. The proud fishermen could ride and dive deep into the sea and chase fishes and harvest them in their very "dormitories" even when they are in the process of "procreating".

In Ghana, during bumper harvest seasons, some fishermen had no choice but to dump some of their catches back into the sea to avoid selling them at heart-broken prices at the
shore. Why? Because they did not have access to cold store facilities to preserve the extra
catches for tomorrow. Further more; they did not have the means to communicate with
their agents or customers beyond their immediate communities in advance to determine
whether their catches could be sold at competitive prices before else where. Thus, they
were at the mercy of some unscrupulous middle women fish mongers.

Today, at the threshold of the 21st century, thanks to Information Communication
Technology (ICT) particularly Mobile Telephony, fishermen in Ghana have added the
fourth most important tool to their fishing equipment - Mobile Phone. Ghanaian fishermen may be characterized as the latest segment of the Ghanaian society, especially
in the rural community to join the technological train wagon of mobile phone users.

On Wednesday November 23, 2005, this writer was invited in his capacity as a Journalist
interested in ICT or online-journalism or cyber-journalism to join a group of researchers,
headed by the Coordinator of the Technology Assessment Project (TAP) of the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr Amos Anyimadu on a study tour of some selected Districts in the Central Region of Ghana with particular focus on fisher folks of Moree.

Without attempting to bamboozle the reader with any ICT jargons such as "VSAT
Technology", "Telematics", "Mobile telephony", "Seamless Integration" and what have
you, suffice to say that the purpose of the study tour was simply to find out how Information Communication Technology for Advanced Development (ICT4D) policy of
the Government of Ghana was being impacted on the rural communities in general. In
this particular case the research was further narrowed down on how the fishermen of
Moree are making use of Mobile Phones to enhance their traditional fishing business to
improve upon their living standards.

Moree is a prominent fishing town along the coast of Ghana. It is about two hours' drive
west of Accra, off Accra-Takoradi road a few kilometers away from Cape Coast Township. It is located in the Abura, Asebu, Kwankese District. Moree now has a population of about 30.000 according to the 2000 population census. Even before the research team got to Moree, the team leader, Dr Anyimadu, decided that
a stop-over be made at Apam, another progressive fishing town in the Central Region to
briefly interact with some fishermen there to see whether the Mobile phone fiver in
Ghana has caught up with them, too.

In fact, we reached Apam rather late about 7.30p.m to 8.00p.m. We asked and were
directed to the real area where typical fishermen and women live. The first question Dr
Anyimadu asked in the language of the people (Fanti) was whether there was any
Communication Centre in the area. A wooden quiosk was pointed out to us. Even though
there was no electric light in it, it was operating as a Communication Centre alright.

Central Region fishermen were found to be very open and eager to offer information. As
soon as they were made to understand the purpose of our visit in their community at that
time of the day, the news spread like bush fires. They were told that we were a team of
researchers from the University of Ghana trying to find out whether they had access to
mobile phones. If yes, was there any way the communication gadgets were helping them
to advance the business.

Within a twinkle of an eye, we were invaded by people and any questions put to them
were responded to with alacrity. They even offered some information that we did not
anticipate. They talked about how they use the mobile phones to check from their agents
and customers from various parts of the country where the prices of fish were more
competitive.

One revelation we did not know until then was that some fishermen go to
sea only to buy fishes from other bigger fishing boats to come and sell. In a nutshell the
Apam fishermen are making good use of the Communication Centres and "Space to
Space operators" who are operating both fixed lines and mobile phones to enhance their
fishing business. Shall I digress a bit?

About 18 years ago, precisely in September 1988, just after 12 months of the establishment of an Apam Community FM Station, I personally went to spend seven days
in that town to administer survey questionnaires to a variety of respondents. The survey
was in connection with my Project Work in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Diploma in Journalism of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Accra. My topic was "Communication and Organisation of Rural People for Development: A Case Study of Apam FM Station". In fact the survey covered Apam and Mannford fishing communities. Even though the Station had been in existence for barely one year at the time, I wanted to know if it was making any impact on the rural people. As a matter of fact, the Apam Community FM Station was an experimental Project of the Ghana Broad Casting Corporation (GBC). The experiment was based on the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) concept of Rural Broadcasting.

What was fascinating about the Apam FM Station was that, at that time, Ghana was the
second country in Africa (after Kenya), selected by UNESCO to benefit from the
Community FM Station Programme initiated by what was known as the International
Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).The Station was
commissioned on September 26,1987 by the then Ag. PNDC Secretary for Information,
Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi on behalf of the then Chairman J.J.Rawlings.

One major benefit that the fishermen derived from that Community FM Station, according to the survey was that, every dawn before they embarked on their fishing
expeditions, they would wait and listen to the weather forecast for the day on the radio in
their own language before they went to sea. That service the Station was rendering them
was more valuable to them than anything else in their vocation or trade. It helped them
avoid storms and other unpredictable hazards at sea.

Thus, besides, relevant information, education, entertainment and other motivational programmes that the station was broadcasting to mobilize the rural folks for development as far as communication was concerned, the people were allowed to go to the studio to undertake some unique traditional performances themselves. Today the Apam Community FM Station is "dead". The fishermen lamented when I inquired on Wednesday 23 November, 2005 when the Technology Assessment Project team visited the town. Apam fishermen expressed the desire to have their Community FM Station back. According to them, the 10kw transmitter donated by UNESCO has broken down and the Station had been off air for the past seven years or so.

Now they had to rely on Adom FM in Tema or Peace F M in Accra to listen to the weather forecast. May I take the liberty to suggest that the District Assembly responsible for Apam, the Member of Parliament for that constituency in collaboration with GBC, if possible, should do some feasibility study of the Community FM Station and come up with a proposal for the consideration of UNESCO for technical support to see if that Radio Station could not be revived for the development communication of the rural people?

On Thursday November 24, 2005, the Technology Assessment Project study team
continued with their research findings at Moree. There is one Communication Centre in
Moree, called "Shalom Communication Centre". It has one fixed line. The land linetelephone number is virtually known to everybody in the town. With this strategy
whoever in the town receives a call from any part of the country through the
Communication Centre can be sent for to respond for a fee. The Communication Centre
owner also has a mobile phone in addition to his fixed line. There are three other people
who are operating "Table-top Space to Space system" in the town. Those who have
mobile phones have to search for a suitable location to position themselves in order to
receive network connectivity otherwise, their handsets will only be "museum pieces" in
their hands. Mobile phone operating companies should not only crowd themselves in
Accra and other big cities. They must consider investing in rural communities, too. They
will still make profit considering what we saw at Moree.

In an interview with the chief fisher of Moree, Nana Fin and some of his elders, the
Mobile phone has become one of the most important tools they are now using to enhance
their business as far as the fishery industry is concerned. According to Chief fisherman,
he himself has two mobile phones. He himself does no longer go to sea often. Therefore,
when his people are sailing, he gives one mobile phone to them to take along. He keeps
one with himself at home. With this strategy communication link is established between him and his fishermen at sea.

He explains that whenever there is any problem such as a shortage of pre-mixed fuel or
someone falls sick at sea the fishermen at sea use the mobile phone to communicate with
him at home. Then he will quickly respond and arrange for solution to whatever might be
the difficulty being encountered at sea. Nana Fin is very happy and proud for this
dimension brought about in their vocation thanks to Mobile Telephony. He recalls that
previously, when his fishermen went to sea for about three or more days without any
feedback, he would be restless until they returned safely. "But these days I am always in
contact with my people at sea if only they are within 30km to 40km radius away from
me. And I am able to know whatever is happening until they come back to shore", he said
with broad smiles in his face.

Furthermore, with the Mobile phone he could verify the prices of fish at various market
places at Tema, Kumasi, Koforidua or even Accra before his people land with their catches. Other fishermen spoken to in Moree concurred with the Chief Fisherman. Messrs
Kobina Otu, Mark Pratt and Kofi Sarsah, all of whom have one mobile phone each were
very proud to possess the modern communication gadget which is making their business
more enjoyable. They are calling on mobile phone operators to come and open mobile
phone shops in Moree because more people are eager to acquire the equipment as part of
their fishing implements.

Nevertheless, the fisher folks of Moree have one particular problem which is militating
against the smooth operation of the canoe fishing industry in the area. According to
fishermen interviewed the basic problem is the use of very powerful lights by some
fishing trawlers or boats in fishing in their waters. They said this problem has been
persisting for over two years now and all efforts made to obtain the attention of
authorities concerned to help solve the problem prove futile. They complained bitterly
that the use of the powerful lights tends to drive the fishes away from canoe fishermen
who are not able to do deep sea fishing. In fact the Chief fisherman of Moree stated that
because of this problem the business of women fishmongers in the town has virtually
come to an end. "Now our women are leaving for Abidjan, Kumasi and other places
because they don't have work to do in our town" he lamented.

Mr. Kobina Otu, another leading fisherman, put his lamentation in a rather philosophical
fashion thus: "Look us," he chipped in. "We don't have forest into which we can go and
hunt for games or cultivate cash crops like cocoa and so on. Fishing is the only vocation
we depend on to feed ourselves, cloth our wives, and above all to education our children.
If today others are making it impossible for us to undertake our God-given career, then
what are we living for?", he queried hypothetically. Moree fishermen are therefore,
appealing to the authorities concerned to come to their aid by stopping those who are
using the powerful lights in fishing in their area of operation.

The Technology Assessment Project has been mandated by the Ghana Office of the
World Bank and other partners to undertake a radio production on Information and
Decentralized Development. A follow-up forum on Mobile Communication will take
place at Busy Internet in Accra on December 5,2005, while in-depth research findings of
the Moree study tour will be published in a book later. Ghana now has no choice but to
embrace ICT to accelerate its development strategy for the prosperity of the nation.

Mobile Phone - A Tool For Modern Fishermen In Ghana

Mawutodzi K. Abissath is a Ghanaian journalist, writer, poet and blogger. He is EzineArticles.com Expert Author, author of Kofi Annan the Great - poetry, Friends of Tomorrow-Poems for Young Childre and Co-author of Traditional Wisdom in African Proverbs.

He writes from Accra, Ghana

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

You can find Six Flags St. Louis discounts online for the new season. A season pass is on sale for .99, but this offer probably won't last long. Now is the time to take advantage of low prices before the season really gets going. Hurricane Harbor is also getting ready to open, and if you want to go swimming this summer, you'll need a combo pass.

Season pass holders get hundreds of dollars worth of freebies! By becoming a "Funatic", you'll get tons of rewards sent to your email after every five visits. These freebies include a Skip the Line Pass, free drinks, free tickets for friends, and so forth. This offer is only available online, and you have to become a member in order to receive Six Flags St. Louis coupons.

Bamboozle 2011 Tickets

With a pass for the entire season, you can go all the rides you want, whenever you want. There are many exciting rides, including Superman: Tower of Power, Mr. Freeze, Ninja, The Boss, Screamin' Eagle, and the Boss. The Boss is has been rated as one of the top 5 wooden coasters in the country. It goes up to 66.3 mph and features four drops, a 570 degree helix, 52 degree high-banked turn, spirals, a 15 story maximum drop.

There are a lot of upcoming events and shows this season. One big event is the Bamboozle Roadshow Festival on June 13. This tour features bands like Third Eye Blind, All Time Low, and Good Charlotte. And, of course, there is going to be a spectacular fireworks show on July 4! In October, Fright Fest is going to transform the park into a spooky playground. You can expect to see hair-raising shows, go on haunted rides, visit haunted hoses, and so forth. There will be a trick or treat trail for kids.

Kids have their own section at the Six Flags St. Louis. Bugs Bunny National Park has rides such as Bugs Bunny Ranger Pilots, that offers kids a chance to fly on pint-sized planes. Then there's the Yosemite Sam Tugboat Tailspin, on which younger guests will have a blast as they rock every which way on their boats. Taz's Twister is a fun "twister" ride that spins round and round, and Duffy Duck's swings are really fun as well.

Obviously, you'll want to take your family back time and time again this season. There are so many rides, concerts, and attractions that you won't want to miss. Your best bet, again, is a season pass, as being a pass holder entitles you to hundreds of dollars worth of Six Flags St. Louis discounts and regular freebies!

Six Flags St. Louis Discount Ticket & Vacation Guide - What to Expect This Season

Learn more about Six Flags St. Louis discount tickets and how cheap they are if you order them online. You can go for as many times as you want this season with the purchase of one, cheap Six Flags season pass! Indeed, you can save even more money if you print out coupons.

About the author:

Nadav Snir operates a website which includes tickets to the best amusement parks in the world - Six Flags parks. To get the best ticket prices, visit: http://Great-Info-Products.com/Tickets/six-flags-tickets.html

Score Dirt Cheap Tickets to New York

The weak U.S. dollar has made it very easy for European travelers to find some great deals on airfare to New York City - arguably one of the best tourist destinations on the planet. You can get cheap airline tickets to New York from London, Paris and almost every major city in Europe, making this a perfect time to finally make that trip to New York City.

Shopping, restaurants and theater are just a few of the things that make New York an awesome tourist destination. Many people have dreams of one day visiting the Big Apple and with the dirt cheap airline tickets available now you can make your dream come true.

Tickets

Airlines are competing with each other to rake in the Euros and pounds from Europe's travelers and they have their sights set on New York's tourist passengers. Combine this competition with a dollar that hasn't been this weak in decades and you've got the perfect storm for Europe's tourism crowd.

Follow these five tips to get a cheap ticket to New York and have the holiday of your life.

1. Don't travel during the peak seasons of summer and Christmas. You'll find the best ticket prices from February until April and again from September until mid-November. Take advantage of these off peak times for the cheaper airline tickets available.

2. Besides avoiding peak seasons avoid the peak days of the week for travel. Airfare is very different on different days of the week. Early morning and late night flights are also cheaper as they are less traveled. Keep both these facts in mind when looking for dirt cheap airline tickets to the Big Apple.

3. Plan you trip and book tickets at least two weeks in advance. Many times you'll find that tickets purchased in advance will be cheaper. The airlines regularly raise their prices beginning 2-3 weeks prior to the flight. By booking several months in advance you can secure your tickets at the very lowest prices.

4. Look into the different NYC airports to find bargain tickets. New York has three International airports, La Guardia, Newark and JFK, and the prices to each can be quite different. If you don't have a reason to fly into a specific airport you should definitely research the price differences between the three. You could end up saving a couple hundred Euro in the process.

5. Watch ticket prices to determine the trends. Even if you've already booked your ticket you should keep an eye on the prices as some travel agents will credit you the difference should a price decrease after you've purchased. You could knock an additional 10% off already cheap airline tickets this way.

If you've always dreamed of visiting New York then there's no better time than now. The dollar isn't likely to continue declining forever and oil prices will only increase the ticket prices. Take your high priced Euros and pounds and take the trip of a lifetime because ticket prices won't stay this dirt cheap forever.

Score Dirt Cheap Tickets to New York

To find out more about really dirt cheap airline tickets you should head over to the authors website. You'll find out how to get the cheapest airline tickets as well as other cheap travel tips.