“How To” Start Trading The Forex Market ? (Part 4 )

How Currencies are quoted and what moves individual currencies?

ONE of the best advantages in FOREX Trading is

The amount of money you need to place a trade (known as "margin") is all that can be lost !

You have to know, that despite the super-high leverage offered by some Forex brokers up to (400:1); meaning if you put up $ 1000 the broker will allow you to trade like you really have $400.000).

Forex trading is still less riskier than Stock or Futures Trading, where you can loose more than you have deposited in your account.

This type of LEVERAGE does NOT EXIST in the equities or futures market

In the Equities or Futures markets, very often, sudden and dramatic moves occur, against which you can’t protect yourself, even by having placed your protective stops.

Your position may be liquidated at a loss, and you’ll be liable for any resulting deficit in the account.

But because of the FX market’s deep liquidity and 24-hour, continuous trading, dangerous trading gaps and limit moves are almost eliminated.

Orders are executed quickly, without slippage or partial fills. And finally, there are no margin calls. For your protection, the broker will automatically close out some or all of your open positions if your account equity falls below the level required to hold the positions.

Think of this as a final, automatic stop, always working on your behalf to prevent a debit balance.

Currencies are traded in dollar amounts called “ LOTS”

In Forex trading, with most Brokers, you have the choice between 2 different lot sizes.

Standard Lots or Mini Lots.

One Standard lot is equal to $100,000 in currency. The margin requirements, using a 400:1 Leverage, would be US$ 250, in other word you control $100,000 worth of currency for only 250 US dollars.

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You mean, depositing $250 with a broker, I could trade 100,000$ worth of currency ???

NO, be aware, that your account size has to be more than the required margin of US 250. For example, if you place an order to buy 1 Standard lot ( @100,000) of USD/JPY and USD/JPY is quoted as 112.10/112.13, you buy USD/JPY at 112.13.

Your account balance would be $220, because you paid 3 pips or $ 30 for this trade.

If you would close this trade immediately, you have to sell it at 112.10 (the bid price) , for a loss of $ 30.

In fact you could not get executed on this trade, as the brokers trading platform would reject your order, for the reason of having insufficient funds in your account).

So, your account balance has to be minimum $280. $250 for margin and $30 for the trade.

BUT....IF, after you have initiated the trade to buy USD/JPY at 112.13, and the USD/JPY falls the next second 1 pip ( approx. $8), your position would be closed automatically, because of margin deficit.

I will explain later about having an adequate account size to trade the Forex Market.

Currencies are always traded in pairs in the FOREX. The pairs have a unique notation that expresses what currencies are being traded.

The symbol for a currency pair will always be in the form ABC/DEF. ABC/DEF is not a real currency pair, it is an example of a symbol for a currency pair. In this example ABC is the symbol for one countries currency and DEF is the symbol for another countries currency.

Some of the most common symbols used in Forex are:

USD - The US Dollar
EUR - The currency of the European Union "EURO"
GBP - The British Pound or cable
JPY - The Japanese Yen
CHF - The Swiss Franc
AUD - The Australian Dollar
CAD - The Canadian Dollar

There are symbols for other currencies as well, but these are the most commonly traded ones.

A currency can never be traded by itself. So you can not ever trade the USD by itself. You always need to BUY one currency and SELL another currency to make a trade possible.

Some of the most traded currency pairs are:

EUR/USD Euro against US Dollar

USD/JPY US Dollar against Japanese Yen

GBP/USD British Pound against US Dollar

USD/CAD US Dollar against Canadian Dollar

AUD/USD Australian Dollar against US Dollar

USD/CHF US Dollar against Swiss Franc

EUR/JPY Euro against Japanese Yen

The currency left of the / is called the base currency.

The currency right of the / is called the counter currency.

When you place an order to buy the EUR/USD, for instance, you are actually buying the EUR and selling the USD.

If you were to sell the pair, you would be selling the EUR and buying the USD. So if you buy or sell a currency PAIR, you are buying/selling the base currency.

The best way to remember is, by just thinking of the entire currency pair as one item.

If you buy it...you buy the first currency and sell the second currency. If you sell it...you sell the first currency and buy the second currency.

That means you would to be able to short-sell with no restrictions so you could make money when the market drops as well as when it rises.

The problem with traditional stock market or commodity trading is that the market has to go up for you to make money. With FOREX trading you can make money in all directions.


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How to Start Trading the Forex Market; (Part I)

In this series of articles, Martin Maier presents one aspect at a time about the world of forex trading. This aeries is helpful to those new to forex, and also for revision. This is part one of the article series:

What is FOREX or FOREX MARKET?

The Foreign Exchange market (also referred to as the Forex or FX market) is the largest financial market in the world, with over $1.5 trillion changing hands every day.

That is larger than all US equity and Treasury markets combined!Unlike other financial markets that operate at a centralized location (i.e. stock exchange), the worldwide Forex market has no central location.

It is a global electronic network of banks, financial institutions and individual traders, all involved in the buying and selling of national currencies. Another major feature of the Forex market is that it operates 24 hours a day, corresponding to the opening and closing of financial centers in countries all across the world, starting each day in Sydney, then Tokyo, London and New York.

At any time, in any location, there are buyers and sellers, making the Forex market the most liquid market in the world.Traditionally, access to the Forex market has been made available only to banks and other large financial institutions. With advances in technology over the years, however, the Forex market is now available to everybody, from banks to money managers to individual traders trading retail accounts.

The time to get involved in this exciting, global market has never been better than now. Open an account and become an active player in the largest market on the planet.

The Forex Market is very different than trading currencies on the futures market, and a lot easier, than trading stocks or commodities.

Whether you are aware of it or not, you already play a role in the Forex market.

The simple fact that you have money in your pocket makes you an investor in currency, particularly in the US Dollar. By holding US Dollars, you have elected not to hold the currencies of other nations.

Your purchases of stocks, bonds or other investments, along with money deposited in your bank account, represent investments that rely heavily on the integrity of the value of their denominated currency the US Dollar.

Due to the changing value of the US Dollar and the resulting fluctuations in exchange rates, your investments may change in value, affecting your overall financial status.

With this in mind, it should be no surprise that many investors have taken advantage of the fluctuation in Exchange Rates, using the volatility of the Foreign Exchange market as a way to increase their capital.

Example: suppose you had $1000 and bought Euros when the exchange rate was 1.50 Euros to the dollar. You would then have 1500 Euros.

If the value of Euros against the US dollar increased then you would sell (exchange) your Euros for dollars and have more dollars than you started with.

Example:You might see the following:EUR/USD last trade 1.5000 meansOne Euro is worth $1.50 US dollars.

The first currency (in this example, the EURO) is referred to as the base currency and the second (/USD) as the counter or quote currency.

The FOREX plays a vital role in the world economy and there will always be a tremendous need for the exchange of currencies.

International trade increases as technology and communication increases. As long as there is international trade, there will be a FOREX market. The FX market has to exist so a country like Germany can sell products in the United States and be able to receive Euros in exchange for US Dollar.

RISK WARNING:
Risks of currency trading: Margined currency trading is an extremely risky form of investment and is only suitable for individuals and institutions capable of handling the potential losses it entails. An account with an broker allows you to trade foreign currencies on a highly leveraged basis (up to about 400 times your account equity). The funds in an account that is trading at maximum leverage may be completely lost if the position(s) held in the account experiences even a one percent swing in value, given the possibility of losing one's entire investment. Speculation in the foreign exchange market should only be conducted with risk capital funds that, if lost, will not significantly affect the investors financial well-being.

Veteran Trader Martin Maier
Founder of Fenix Capital Management, LLC http://www.fenixcapitalmanagement.com

He is the developer of various futures and commodities trading programs and his systems have been ranked and rated by various large American Investment Profile Rating Companies such as STAR and MAR.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Martin_Maier

Little House On The praire (DVD) review

Nominated for 17 Emmys, including one Golden Globe for Best TV Series - Drama, Little House On The Prairie is one of the most popular shows in television history. Based on the autobiographical series of "Little House" books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show explores the inner-workings of a small town and family on the 19th Century American frontier. Director/Co-Executive Producer Michael Landon (of Bonanza and Highway to Heaven fame) also wrote one-third of the episodes (in addition to playing a lead role as the family's father, Charles, when the actor originally cast for the part failed to show). Charles would go on to become one of the show's most popular characters, and Little House On The Prairie would become an American favorite, boasting ten successful seasons to its credit…

Little House On The Prairie follows the lives of the Ingalls family as they settle on the banks of Plum Creek in the township of Walnut Grove, Kansas during the 1870's. A true pioneer family, the story is seen through the eyes of the Ingalls' middle-daughter, Laura (Melissa Gilbert), who experiences all the normal growing pains and emotions of a young girl growing up on the prairie. Carpenter Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon) and his former school teacher wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), head up a family of three that includes two additional daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush). The town also includes a loveable cast of supporting characters, such as Walnut Grove School teacher Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), town doctor Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), pastor Robert Alden (Dabbs Greer), family friend Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), the wealthy Oleson family, and a host of other characters…

The Little House On The Prairie DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which the Ingalls family travels from Big Woods, Wisconsin to the more open and fertile lands of the Kansas prairie. Along the way, they make friends with Mr. Edwards (who helps them settle), have a run-in with some Indians, and fight a dangerous fire… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Ma's Holiday" in which Charles and Caroline decide to go on a second honeymoon, and "Circus Man" in which a traveling salesmen tries to hoodwink the people of Walnut Grove into the notion that he possesses magic healing powers…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Little House On The Prairie (Season 1) DVD:

Episode xx (Pilot) Air Date: 03-30-1974
Episode 1 (Harvest of Friends) Air Date: 09-11-1974
Episode 2 (Country Girls) Air Date: 09-18-1974
Episode 3 (100 Mile Walk) Air Date: 09-25-1974
Episode 4 (Mr. Edwards' Homecoming) Air Date: 10-02-1974
Episode 5 (The Love of Johnny Johnson) Air Date: 10-09-1974
Episode 6 (If I Should Wake Before I Die) Air Date: 10-23-1974
Episode 7 (Town Party, Country Party) Air Date: 10-30-1974
Episode 8 (Ma's Holiday) Air Date: 11-06-1974
Episode 9 (School Mom) Air Date: 11-13-1974
Episode 10 (The Raccoon) Air Date: 11-20-1974
Episode 11 (The Voice of Tinker Jones) Air Date: 12-04-1974
Episode 12 (The Award) Air Date: 12-11-1974
Episode 13 (The Lord is My Shepard) Air Date: 12-18-1974
Episode 14 (Christmas at Plum Creek) Air Date: 12-25-1974
Episode 15 (Family Quarrel) Air Date: 01-15-1975
Episode 16 (Doctor's Lady) Air Date: 01-22-1975
Episode 17 (Plague) Air Date: 01-29-1975
Episode 18 (Circus Man) Air Date: 02-05-1975
Episode 19 (Child of Pain) Air Date: 02-12-1975
Episode 20 (Money Crop) Air Date: 02-19-1975
Episode 21 (Survival) Air Date: 02-26-1975
Episode 22 (To See the World) Air Date: 03-05-1975
Episode 23 (Founder's Day) Air Date: 05-07-1975




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Classic Television DVD: Shows on DVD Give Rise to Growth in Collectibles Demand

TVLand and Nick-at-Night are not the only places we find classic television shows. They are cropping up more and more places. Classic TV collectibles are popular items on auction sites such as Ebay. Enter "Classic television show collectibles" into your Google-powered search engine and you will find around 170,000 possibilities.

Run through a few of those results and you will find everything from classic television DVDs, lunch boxes, costumes, watches, salt and pepper shakers, vintage posters, and dolls. A quick search on Amazon.com found "The Best of Donny and Marie (DVD) Volume 1 (1976)." There are websites and online stores whose sole purpose is to sell classic television paraphernalia. These sites are capitalizing on the baby boomer's affinity for nostalgia. Collectors are scooping up the vintage collectibles.

There are companies who are bringing back the collectibles by manufacturing "New Vintage" collectibles. New metal lunch boxes with Donny and Marie, Superman, The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, and even the Dukes of Hazzard are popping up all over the place. With true vintage lunch boxes going for hundreds of dollars, these "replacements", although lacking authenticity, are an affordable option for those who just want to revisit the good old days of classic television.

The release of classic TV DVDs has made it possible for people to sit back and enjoy hours of their favorite shows from yesterday. The appeal of these shows for many is the "down-home" nature of the comedy. They don't rely on profanity, off-color remarks, or blatant sexual angles for their humor. They remind us of a simpler time. Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher, The Partridge Family, The Walton's, The Brady Bunch, and many more shows take us back to a time when it was okay to say things like "Gosh" and "Golly." It was more than okay to love your family and country. It was expected. It was safe to turn on the television with the family and enjoy a nice show together.

The collectibles associated with these shows are gaining in popularity. As many from those generations begin to find more time for hobbies and have a little extra disposable income, the collectibles are becoming more desirable. Donny and Marie dolls, which were released in August 1976 with an accompanying "TV Studio", are popular finds. Sonny and Cher costumes are popular at costume parties. The Partridge Family memorabilia is making a strong comeback, as well.

Some of these classic television shows are enjoying a rebirth due to remakes of the originals. The Brady Bunch surged forward after a new generation was exposed to a less-than authentic version of the show in the 1995 version. Even with the tongue-in-cheek style of this movie, many people began seeking authentic Brady Bunch memorabilia and collectibles. The market for these items soared. The same held true for the Scooby Doo collectibles after the 2002 release of the movie. This one was so popular a sequel was made. This remake has brought about a whole new market for Scooby Doo collectibles, new and old alike. After the movie was released classic Scooby Doo DVDs were flying off the shelves. With the popularity of these classic television remakes it is not unrealistic to expect many more to follow.

As with any commodity, as the demand increases, the price will rise. Many collectors search for pieces to round out their collection for a more intrinsic value, rather than simply price. A collection of classic television show collectibles may be worth a substantial amount of money, but it is the nostalgia that holds the true value. You can't put a price on the memories those collectibles will elicit, or the feelings locked deep inside that are released when you hold that Donny and Marie lunchbox just like the one you had as a kid.

To find that special classic TV DVD or other collectible it may be as simple as hitting search on your search engine. Whether it is a find at a garage sale or a purchase off the web, it is the joy of releasing that inner child and finding that peace that simple joys bring that makes classic television collectibles true treasures.

~Ben Anton, 2007

Sumber : http://www.tvcafe.cn/tv-information/classic-television-dvd-shows-on-dvd-give-rise-to-growth-in-collectibles-demand.html

Are Cheap Airsoft Guns Reliable?

There is always one key question On every shoppers mind - how cheap can I get it? This is true of airsoft guns too. We all expect to be able to get the best possible deal with anything we buy today. Fortunately investing in an airsoft gun doesn't have to break the bank - you can get some exciting models at very attractive prices.

The quality and features of your airsoft replica will depend on your budget. There are three basic types of airsoft gun - in order of expense they are:


Spring
These are the cheapest airsoft guns you can get. An internal spring shoots the pellet from the gun. They're single shot guns which means you'll need to cock the gun each time you want to fire one of the plastic bbs. This can get annoying at times but these guns can be purchased for just a few dollars.


Gas
Gas powered models add one immediate feature - automatic fire. With a gas powered airsoft rifle or pistol you don't need to cock the gun each time because it has a gas charge built in. These are far more powerful than most spring airsoft guns and slightly more expensive. This extra power comes at an added expense - the gas needs to be refilled. This can be achieved with co2 cartridges or a portable hand pump. For the added expense gas airsoft guns definitely feel more like the "real thing".

Electric
And finally the electric airsoft gun. Also known as AEG (Airsoft Electric Gun) these are the top of the range when it comes to airsoft guns. Each AEG has a tiny but very powerful motor inside which powers the firing mechanism. There is still a spring inside an AEG but this is controlled by the electronic motor to achieve high rates of fully automatic fire. One of the really neat things about this type of airsoft gun is that it can be loaded with miniature paintballs. A word of warning however - if a paintball breaks inside an AEG it can clog up the entire firing mechanism meaning you'll have to strip the gun down and clean it.


So with airsoft guns it's best not to focus on the word cheap. What you're looking for is value for money and the features that suit you most. You can buy an airsoft gun for less than $20. That doesn't make it cheap - just very good value for money. Regardless of the cost of your airsoft gun once your friends see your new "toy" they'll want one too!

Sumber : http://www.airsoftdude.com

The New World (DVD) Review

Directed and written by Terrence Malick, the talented artist behind The Thin Red Line (1998), great anticipation surrounded the release of The New World. The project was bold and ambitious enough to peak one's interest, but unfortunately, the film could not deliver on its promise. Entire scenes drift by with nothing in particular being achieved to either advance the plot, the theme, or the premise of the film. Unfittingly, the soundtrack featured blaring snippets of concert music reminiscent of Richard Wagner, which would be great if The New World took place in 19th Century Venice instead of 17th Century America. Much more should be expected from James Horner whose brilliant work has enhanced such films as Field of Dreams, Braveheart, Legends of the Fall, and Titanic. The New World soundtrack is disaster almost on par with the latter film.

The rest of film isn't much better. Although it vividly illustrates the limitless possibility of early Jamestown and the majesty of the unspoiled wilderness surrounding it, the visual images are offset by poor dialogue and what seems to be an overly zealous attempt to manufacture a poetic awe-inspiring masterpiece of a film. Nevertheless, The New World does manage to summon images of the first European settlers and the hardship they must have faced. From this standpoint, one can say it has some reflective value for those who appreciate human history…

The New World begins by following the life of Captain John Smith (Colin Farrell). Landing in the New World with a convoy of Englishmen, he happens upon the Native American kingdom of Powhatan (August Schellenberg). Of course, most of the world knows the basic plotline. Smith's life is spared when his body is covered by Powhatan's beautiful daughter, Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher). Kilcher certainly displays the requisite physical beauty to portray the princess, but the script gives her little with which to work. Although a subject of controversy among historians, the film plays up the angle of a possible love affair between Smith and Pocahontas, but it accurately records her eventual marriage to John Rolfe (Christian Bale) and the couple's celebrated trip to London. But The New World's problems don't stem from historical accuracy, but rather from the fact that the preceding paragraph is a detailed account of everything that happens in a tedious two-hour fifteen-minute snoozer. In short, it's long and boring

As much as the film failed to live up to expectations, this much can be said for The New World: it accurately portrays the landscape of southeastern Virginia. That alone makes it immensely superior to Disney's Pocahontas which featured non-indigenous animals and forests peppered with waterfalls. Unfortunately, an entire generation of children gathered their personal knowledge of local geography from that film. From the perspective of set design, wardrobe, historical underpinnings, and the mere beauty of its images, The New World is a film to behold. However, from the standpoint of dialogue, plot, direction, and performance, The New World is an utter flop. Unless you're a history buff, and specifically a Jamestown junkie, avoid the film at all costs…



Sumber : http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Britt_Gillette

The Best Ways to Increasing Your Search Engine Ranking

The methods employed to increase your search engine rankings may seem like rocket science to you, so you have probably avoided dealing with this issue. I am here to tell you - the time has come to face your website! A high search engine ranking for your website is so essential that if you have the slightest desire to actually succeed in your business, there is no way you can continue to avoid this issue.

At least 85% of people looking for goods and services on the Internet find websites through search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. The idea of optimizing your pages for high search engine rankings is to attract targeted customers to your site who will be more than likely to make a purchase. The higher your page comes up in search engine results, the greater the traffic that is directed to your website. That's what search engine optimization is about.

You can immerse yourself in all the technical information available online to figure out how to optimize your web pages to achieve higher rankings. Or you can look at a few simple items on your pages, make some small adjustments, and most likely see improved rankings quite rapidly. The first item you should examine is the title bar on your homepage.

The title bar is the colored bar at the top of the page. Look at the words that appear there when you access your home page. To increase search engine rankings, the words on your homepage's title bar should include the most important keywords or phrases, one of which would include your company name.

Then click on all your links and examine the title bars on the pages you access. Each title bar on every single page of your site should contain the most important keywords and phrases taken from the page itself. However, avoid very long strings of keywords, keeping them to six words or less. Avoid repeating keywords more than once in the title bars, and make sure that identical words are not next to each other.

The next item to put under your microscope is your website content. Search engines generally list sites that contain quality content rather than scintillating graphics. The text on your site must contain the most important keywords - the words that potential customers will be typing into search engines to find your site.

Aim to have around 250 words on each page, but if this is not desirable due to your design, aim for at least 100 carefully chosen words. If you want to achieve a high ranking on search engines, this text is essential. However, the search engines must be able to read the text, meaning that the text must be in HTML and not graphic format.

To find out if your text is in HTML format, take your  

cursor and try to highlight a word or two. If you are able to do this, the text is HTML. If the text will not
highlight, it is probably in graphic form. In this case, ask your webmaster to change the text into HTML format in order to increase your search engine rankings.

Next we come to what is called meta tags. I know this sounds like something out of science fiction, but it is
really just simple code. Many people believe that meta tags are the key to high search engine rankings, but in reality, they only have a limited effect. Still, it's worth adding them in the event that a search engine will use meta tags in their ranking formula.

To find out if your page is set up with meta tags, you must access the code. To do this, click the "view" button on the browser menu bar, and select "source." This will pull up a window revealing the underlying code that created the page. If there are meta tags, they usually appear near the top of the window. For example, a meta tag would read: meta name="keywords" content=. If you do not find code that
reads like this, ask your webmaster to put them in. This may not do much for your search engine rankings, but any little boost helps.

Lastly, we come to the issue of link popularity. This is a factor that is extremely important in terms of search
engine rankings. Almost all search engines use link popularity to rank your website. Link popularity is based
on the quality of the sites you have linked to from your links page.

If you type in "free link popularity check" in a popular search engine, the search engine will then show you what sites are linked to your site. In the case that there aren't many sites linked up to yours, or that the sites
that are linked up have low search engine rankings, consider launching a link popularity campaign. Essentially, this entails contacting quality sites and requesting that they exchange links with your site. Of course, this requires checking out the rankings of the websites you want to link up with. Linking to popular, quality sites not only boosts your search engine ranking, but it also directs more quality traffic to your website.

Search engine rankings are extremely important for a successful Internet marketing campaign. Before you go out and hire a search engine optimization company, try taking some of the simple steps listed above, and see if you can't boost your rankings yourself. Don't ever ignore this all-important factor in Internet marketing. Remember, the higher your search engine ranking, the more quality customers will be directed your way.

Next Movie - Review

Based on the novel "The Golden Man" by Philip K. Dick and Directed by Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day), NEXT features Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, and Peter Falk. NEXT is also co-produced by Cage, who has starred in such box office hits as National Treasure, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Con Air, and Face/Off. NEXT is slated for theatrical release on April 27, 2007.


A potpourri of magic, terrorism and a built-in nuclear holocaust threatening to unleash itself, NEXT is focused around Cris Johnson (or should we say, "Magic" Johnson?) – a showroom magician from Las Vegas.


Cris has a secret gift which is not as menacing as the multiplier-effect of "The Prestige," but equally tormenting with its limitations as well as potential. Cris Johnson has the ability to peek into the future, but only a few minutes into it. It's difficult to change the future if all you got are a few minutes, right? Still there are things he can influence the outcome of, hence the extreme interest of certain organizations in his abilities, with their own vested interests.


Fed up by the interest-overkill in his unnatural gift by the outside world – government and medical establishment, and the numerous examinations he underwent as a child -- he goes underground. Maintaining a low profile under an assumed name in Vegas, he gets by, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling "winnings". But especially gifted people are also especially "wanted" -- in this case, for a big-time requirement.

Everything is fine until a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles. The countdown to extinction begins and time is running out. Government agent Callie Ferris uses all of her smiles and wiles to weed out and corner Cris to convince the tormented hero into helping her stop the imminent cataclysm and beat the ticking clock. Cris is ultimately faced with the daunting choice of saving the world or -- hold your breath -- the woman he loves. Ah, is that cliché or what? And all that in just under a couple of hours!


An action thriller, NEXT was shot in Los Angeles. Gary Goldman, Executive Producer, told Variety, "This is a movie that translates the excitement of the videogame experience into cinema."


NEXT, is a Saturn Films/Broken Road Production, with Gary Goldman, Jason Koornick, and Ben Waisbren as Executive Producers. It is produced by Nicolas Cage, Norm Golightly, Todd Garner, Arne L. Schmidt and Graham King.

Smallville (DVD) Review

Leaping onto the television landscape in Fall 2001, Smallville follows the exploits of a young Clark Kent in the years leading up to his emergence as the beloved Superman. Following a slew of TV renditions of the character's life since the comic book first appeared, Smallville sets itself apart by focusing on the lesser discussed niche of Clark's earliest developmental days. Superb casting and consistent writing have combined to make Smallville one of the more popular shows on television (especially in international markets), making the show one of the WB network's most successful creations to date…

Tom Welling stars in the imminent role of teenager Clark Kent, a refugee from the dying planet of Krypton. His ship having landed in the rural American town of Smallville, Clark is raised by locals Martha (Annette O'Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider - of Dukes of Hazzard fame) as their own son. Unlike some of the film and TV spin-offs, Smallville attributes powers to other individuals in the area as a result of some of the debris associated with Krypton's destruction. As a result, Clark is forced to keep his own powers a secret while battling against other individuals who are more powerful than traditional human criminal elements. The show also provides a glimpse into the early friendship experienced between Clark and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) as well as Clark's romance with two high school classmates, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). Part sci-fi fantasy and part teenage soap, Smallville is an instant television classic…

The Smallville DVD offers a number of exciting episodes including the series premiere in which the stage for the series is set by recounting the story of Clark's voyage to earth in the aftermath of Krypton's destruction. Clark meets Lex Luthor for the first time as well as a human mutated by the strange green rocks which accompanied Clark's spacecraft in the meteor shower… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Hourglass" in which the green rocks enable one man to reverse the aging process so that he can seek revenge on his enemies, and "Stray" in which a runaway kid named Ryan has the power to read minds, prompting his stepparents to attempt to exploit him for financial gain.

Below is a list of episodes included on the Smallville (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 10-16-2001
Episode 2 (Metamorphosis) Air Date: 10-23-2001
Episode 3 (Hothead) Air Date: 10-30-2001
Episode 4 (X-Ray) Air Date: 11-06-2001
Episode 5 (Cool) Air Date: 11-13-2001
Episode 6 (Hourglass) Air Date: 11-20-2001
Episode 7 (Craving) Air Date: 11-27-2001
Episode 8 (Jitters) Air Date: 12-11-2001
Episode 9 (Rogue) Air Date: 01-15-2002
Episode 10 (Shimmer) Air Date: 01-29-2002
Episode 11 (Hug) Air Date: 02-05-2002
Episode 12 (Leech) Air Date: 02-12-2002
Episode 13 (Kinetic) Air Date: 02-26-2002
Episode 14 (Zero) Air Date: 03-12-2002
Episode 15 (Nicodemus) Air Date: 03-19-2002
Episode 16 (Stray) Air Date: 04-16-2002
Episode 17 (Reaper) Air Date: 04-23-2002
Episode 18 (Drone) Air Date: 04-30-2002
Episode 19 (Crush) Air Date: 05-07-2002
Episode 20 (Obscura) Air Date: 05-14-2002
Episode 21 (Tempest) Air Date: 05-21-2002

Tell me what your website does!

You know exactly what your organisation does and what your website offers its users. This information has probably become second nature to you, but first-time visitors to your site won't know this. As such, make sure you don't forget to tell them what you do.

As soon as new site visitors arrive at your website the first thing they need to know, before anything else, is what you do. You can talk all you like about how great you are, but unless you spell out what you actually do, they won't even know what you're so great at! This oh-so-overlooked yet such basic of information can be communicated to your site visitors in a number of different ways:

Page title

Don't just use the page title to tell me who you are; tell me what you do too. If your company is called Bloggs Ltd don't only place the words, 'Bloggs Ltd' in the page title as there's plenty of room for more information. If Bloggs Ltd sells widgets, a good page title might be: 'Bloggs Ltd - Buy widgets online'.

Note in this example, 'Buy widgets online' was used to describe what Bloggs Ltd does, and not 'Widget seller'. When describing what it is you do be sure to speak the language of your users, and don't talk from your point of view. From your point of view you sell widgets, but from their point of view they want to buy widgets online, so do bear this in mind when authoring the page title.

The page title is the first thing that appears on screen, and especially on dial-up modems can be the only thing that displays for the first 10 seconds or so. For many web users this is the first piece of content they'll read on your site.

The page title is also very important for search engines, which place more importance on the page title than any other on-page element. Descriptive page titles are also essential for blind web users utilising screen readers, as it's the first thing that gets read aloud to them upon arriving at the page.

Tagline

A good tagline is one of the most important usability features on any website. A good tagline should be explanatory and not vague, clear and informative and about four to eight words in length. A tagline is different to a company slogan, in that the former describes what the organisation/website does whereas the latter is designed to evoke certain feeling or create a brand.

'Priceless' and 'I'm loving it' are slogans by Mastercard and McDonald's respectively - they differ from taglines because they don't describe what the organisation does.

Taglines are so important because no matter on what page site visitors enter your website, they'll always be able to quickly gain an understanding of what your organisation and website offers. This can be especially true for site visitors coming into internal pages from search engines - by telling these site visitors what you do through the tagline, they may be more likely to explore your site beyond the initial page on which they enter.

Taglines are also good for search engine optimisation, as they appear on every page right at the top of the page, an area on to which search engines place importance.

Main heading

The main heading on the homepage is one of the first pieces of text web users notice, especially on clean well laid out websites. Sticking a 'Welcome to our website' may seem to be friendly and welcoming to you, but to task-driven site visitors it doesn't help in any way shape or form. A quick summary of what you do and/or what the website offers, in just four or five words can be highly effective (and very search engine friendly too!).

Opening paragraph

Perhaps the most important place on the homepage to tell your site visitors what you do, the opening paragraph must be short, succinct and straight-to-the-point. Just one sentence is enough to put across this most basic yet fundamental of information.

When writing this opening paragraph, remember to front-load the content (this rule actually applies to every paragraph on the website). Front-loading means putting the conclusion first, followed by the when, what, where and how.

Don't write a story with a start, middle and conclusion - generally speaking on the web, we scan looking for the information that we're after so put the conclusion first. This way, site visitors can read the conclusion first, which in this case is what your organisation actually does. If they want to know any more, they can then continue reading or jump to another section of the page. (To see front-loading in action, read any newspaper article.)

Exceptions

So, does every website need to tell users what the organisation does in these four different places? Well, not necessarily. We all know what Mastercard and McDonalds do, so it could definitely be argued that websites for household names need not explicitly say what they do. What these sites should do instead is tell us what the website offers, and this message can (and should) be put across in any of the above four ways - how else will site visitors quickly be able to find this out?

Conclusion

People are going to visit your site who don't know what you do. Before you can even begin selling to them you must tell them what your organisation and website does. In addition to fulfilling site visitors' immediate need (finding out what you do) you'll also be boosting your search engine rankings. If your organisation is a household name, then instead of explaining what you do, it may be wise to tell site visitors what they can do on your website.

Dirt Bike Trails

What are dirt bike trails?

While dirt bike racing and motocross is normally done on designated tracks that are set out and predefined, dirt bike trails are the equivalent of free ride. In some areas you can just head off to a decent dirt bike trail and ride how you want and where you want. Obviously there are usually some pretty basic rules to try and encourage safe riding and lower the risks of dangerous accidents but if you see a better route, you can take it.

There are many different difficulties of dirt bike trails; ranging from beginner trails to difficult trails and if you're new to trailing then you should start at the very beginning and work your way up as you gain more confidence, skill and exposure.

What are trails bikes?

Trails bikes are different to other types of dirt bikes, because they are designed for use both on and off road and while the ride on the road can be quite bumpy the bike gives you the perfect way to get you from one trail to the next. Obviously, this compatibility for both road and track means that the bikes are an all-rounder; they are good for roads and good for tracks but not exceptional at either.

The freedom that trails bikes and trail racing offers means that trail riding has a massive following and many trail bikers will tell you that it's the only real dirt bike riding there is

Can anyone try dirt bike trails?

Trails are an easily accessible form of dirt bike riding but in order to ride your trail bike on the road you will, of course, need the same license, tax and certificates as you would with a standard road bike. To ride them on a trail, though, this isn't necessary although some more organized trails will only consider experienced riders so check before you travel. There are many trails all over the world, and in some areas of the world you don't have to use the predefined trails, but you should always take care when riding anywhere that there may be unseen obstacles or pedestrians.

There are groups of people all over the world who travel together to find the best trails and even a cursory glance on the Internet can find a plethora of sites offering details, directions and even rider's guides to some of the best trails in the world. If you've got a bit of money to spare you can sign up to a premium site and get new trails added as and when they are opened or discovered. These have details of some of the more obscure trails in the world sourced by professional die-hard trail bikers.

Facing Rejection In Online Dating

You've chosen several photos from your online dating service and sent out your personal online profile. Now you are just waiting for the replies. You wait for a few days, and nothing. You start to feel as though you should go back to the bars, at least the rejection there is face to face. What went wrong?

First of all, these people don't know you, so you can't realistically take a non answer personally. Very often users of online dating services have a stack of profiles next to their PC and take their time returning emails, so don't get discouraged.

The worst mistake you can make is contacting people over and over. This can turn them off and give the impression that you are a stalker, some dating services online will cancel your membership or censure you if they receive reports of continuous attempts to contact ( as well they should. Remember, they don't know your motives any more than you know anyone else's when online.)

Another online dating tip is to contact as many people that have an interesting profile as possible. If you only contact two or three, and then wait weeks for a reply, of course you're going to get frustrated, but if you send contact emails to 20 different people, chances are you will receive several replies. Again, do not take it personally! There are over 100 free online dating sites to choose from, and those are just the free ones.

If you are continuously getting rejection emails (I do not mean no replies, but rather actual rejections) maybe the problem is your profile. Recheck it and see what it says about you. Is it honest and sincere? Did you send your best picture? Does it sound too needy or too non committal? Many dating services online provide help with putting together the perfect profile, and this service is usually free, so take advantage of the sites help windows, and keep trying!