Inetsoft report designer

If you have a boss like mine, who constantly needs 'feeding' with stats and reports, you may well see the benefit of taking a look at some software like the Inetsoft report designer. Delivering a good report means that you can effectively communicate your results in a way that can be quickly understood. Visual diagrams, flow charts and graphs can get the message across far more effectively than a dry text report. Visual illustrations stimulate ideas far more quickly that written reports, and provide a focal point so that all parties can be clear about the central themes under discussion. Forecasting using diagrams and graphs is also a good way to dynamically demonstrate your arguments.

Update

I am not looking anywhere near on target for getting all my content from 'Livewyre.NET' transferred to a Wordpress platform. The end of November deadline is looming, and I am no further forward than I was a month ago.
However another WP project I had using a 'co.cc' domain has collapsed because the domain has been withdrawn - it was a free domain, and it is no surprise that it has diasppeared to be honest. I had tried to revive it using a '.tk' domain, but whilst editing the domain settings, the whole WP database threw a wobbly and I can't log in at all now...!
It's not exactly a huge problem as it was an experiment that is not really vital - lesson learned though, first lesson on free domains, second one on making too many changes to a WP site in one go...
The 'End of November' deadline was a self-imposed one, so I can just put it back, life in general gets very busy around this time of year and I have another hefty batch of cassettes that I am turning into CD's for a client, so that comes first.... Work is still very very busy ('normal' 9-5 work that is), so all things considered, it is better that I look after 'real' work before progressing with the online stuff.
I still hope to find time to develop the WP site, but will have to set a new dealine...

Fender Pawn Shop

I have been interested in music and hung around with musicians for a long time, but it wasn't until I saw the fender pawn shop mustang from guitar center that I was even aware that Fender had a 'pawn shop' series. It's a brilliant concept summed up by the description 'Guitars that should have been, but never were' a range of guitars made up of a variety of Fender parts which were not originally meant to be put together. Some are even deliberately built to look like modified 'left-hand' guitars. I have to say,  I really love this concept, and admire Fender for their 'off the wall' thinking.

Shanghai Translation Services

The economic world grows smaller by the day, and at a time when China is becoming more of a major player. China has, up to now, had a fairly insular economy plenty of exports, but little in the way of imports - this is a trend that is destined to change, and has already done so in many sectors.
I am sure that many UK, US and other Western companies can see the value of translation services in Shanghai in order to make sure their products are properly promoted above their competitors.
Already, car companies such as BMW and Jaguar/Land-Rover are finding increased demand for their products, so much so that TATA, the Indian owners of Land-Rove/Jaguar are planning to build new factories in China solely to meet local demand for their luxury products.

Particularly since the Olympic Games were held in China four years ago, we have seen a new market opening up and becoming more accesible to Western products and commerce. Dealing with this emerging 'new' China will mean that is will be necesarry for a new understanding of language and culture to be absorbed by those wishing to enter trade agreements.

Companies that can build bridges between the two cultures in terms of translation and mediation services will become more prominent as relationships are forged over the coming years

Phishing emails

Unsurprisingly, the more online activity you get involved in, the more your email address gets abused by fake emails. Personally I can receive up to four or five a day - at work we get dozens every day. Some are relatively easy to spot, for instance the 'legacy' scam where you are told a previously unknown relative has left you money in a will - or the 'cash movement' scam where you are invited by the relative of a deposed dictator to help move millions of dollars with the promise of a cut... These are designed ultimately to get you to pay a charge for the transaction which will never actually happen... Frankly if you fall for these, you shouldn't be allowed to have a bank account in the first place.
More worrying is the scam mails supposedly from your bank or from Paypal etc.. Some banks may actually use email communications, I know mine does, so people can be drawn in - the things to look out for here are:

• Are they using an email address that you have given to your bank? 
• Do they use your name in the email? 
• Is there a link in the email asking you to 'log-on' to change your settings or contact the bank? 

Use these questions to test the validity, and email that starts, Dear (blank) or Dear User/Dear Customer... can be ignored, if they don't know your name they are NOT your bank. Naturally many of us have multiple email addresses, is the email address used the one you gave to your bank or to Paypal? if not, you can ignore/delete it.
Pretty much all of these scams will use a link to get you to click on something that is designed to get information for you - NEVER click on a link in this type of email. If you think you should log-on to your bank website, by all means do (via your normal link in your 'favourites'/'bookmarks', or by typing the URL directly into your browser), but NOT via the link given in the email - whatever it looks like, it is certainly not directing you to your bank.
If you are still uncertain, before taking any action, simply forward the email to Paypal or your bank using an email address provided by the bank - they will be able to tell you if it can be ignored. You can use 'spoof@' for suspected bogus Payal emails, each bank may have it's own reporting procedures.
Don't be caught out, treat every unsolicited email as potential spam, and a few you were expecting may catch you out. I have seen loads supposedly from credible courier companies asking for payments before deliveries are made - again, treat these with the utmost caution, even if you are expecting a courier delivery.

Aluminum Bleachers

Somewhere for your spectators to sit or stand makes a nice addition to any sports field, but it's not often that you see aluminum bleachers for sale in your local hardware store! Check out the deals on line for your local sports field whatever the sport. Available as simple benches, full blown 15-row elevated stands, these aluminum bleachers are practical, safe and good value.

Improve the view of your spectators by giving them pride of place on your sports field.

Tourmaster Transition 3 Jacket

Here is maybe the perfect present for the biker in your life - available in both women's and men's sizes, the Tourmaster Transition 3 Jacket makes a great statement especially if you both have wheeled steeds and can go out together as a matched pair...

This top-line motorcycle jacket comes in five different colors and frankly looks great in all of them - this one matches my new blog color-scheme...

You can't skimp when it comes to safety, but this bit of kit not only ticks all the boxes, but comes at the right price too - consider one of these for keeping your loved ones safe and looking dapper at the same time this Christmas.

November Update

To be honest, it feels like December already, I'm already making plans for Christmas - have got my daughter's present and the diary is filling up with Christmas commitments...
I usually take a few days off to help out with some school Christmas events, so I need to get that sorted soon, we are also intending to travel to my home town for Christmas, so there is a hotel room that needs booking for Christmas Night (maybe boxing day if I can persuade my wife..)

My 'day job' is still hectic at the moment, so very little opportunity to get much done with websites and blogs and the like. For some reason, I have found myself drifting back towards 'MyLot' recently. It's like a question and answer forum where you can earn a few cents each time you participate. It takes a while to reach the $10 payout, but you can make freinds (and enemies!) doing so...

I am still finding blogging opportunities, and converting cassettes into CD's so will have some extra money for Christmas if I keep working at it... I have always been a great advocate of the idea that 'saving' money is every bit as good as 'making' money, and I have just clinched a great deal for a bike for my daughter from eBay. I was thinking of spending about £120 on a bike, but found a used one better than I could have afforded (if it were new)  for just £30 on eBay from a local seller. The bike is in really great condition too, and has even been recently serviced.

So the preparations for Christmas are coming together, it'll all be over in a few weeks!

where to buy indoor fountains

Now I'll be honest, I didn't think there was room in my humble dwelling for an indoor fountain, however I do know where to buy indoor fountains because I found this one... and discovered that even the most compact of homes can have a fountain and bring tranquility and a peaceful ambiance to even a modestly-sized room.

The perfect gift for someone who loves the outdoors, and needs a little of the outdoors bringing into their home, these indoor fountains come in all shapes and sizes to suit everyone. Ranging from tabletop affairs like this one, up to full floor to ceiling sheets of cascading water, these indoor water features can be subtle shades of Feng Shui or just full-blown bling!

How you are helping Facebook scammers

'How many faces can you see?'

'Like if you see the monkey'

'Type 'jump' and see what happens'

Hands up if you have seen these updates pop up on Facebook and wondered what their game was? Well, I'll tell you.... selling Facebook pages at $200 a pop is what it's all about - if you can come up with one of these a day, you could clear $1000 for a five-day week.

Let's face it, if you think about it, typing 'jump' in a comment is not going to do anything on a Facebook page - if you read the comments, half of the them are from disgruntled people complaining that it didn't work, I have news for you - it works perfectly.

It works perfectly if it is your task to build up likes and comments on a Facebook page, these are Facebook 'currency' making page updates appear higher in news feeds. When the page gets tens of thousands of 'likes' and comments over a few short days, the details of the page are changed and someone buys a ready-made highly-ranking fanpage. By clicking these links, liking and commenting, you spread the net around your friends aiding and abetting cyber-criminals in their quest for easy money.

The worst of it is that, while some of the pictures are funny, such as the bear creeping up on the man.. others are emotive pictures and statuses such as 'like if you want to fight cancer' or a picture of a disabled child, a disfigured person, an injured animal - imploring you to click, comment and 'like', exploiting the picture, and exploiting you the Facebook user.

OK no-one gets hurt, but if you are one of those that complains about unwanted news feeds and invasive Facebook activity, just make sure you are not falling for this scam. If we stop clicking, it stops happening, as simple as that!

Linking in with Twitter

I have started my quest in earnest to properly link in with Twitter, embracing the social phenomenon that many of us just don't 'get'...
My first step was to dust off my old (largely unused) Twitter account and give it an overhaul in the form of a new background in keeping with my new colour schemes, and a new description in my profile. I have linked the account in with a Facebook account and am in the process of signing up to various Twitter directories.
My aim is to twitter a link to a well-written article and see what response is forth-coming. The article will be about something I have noticed about Facebook - that should at least be a subject close to the heart of the twittersphere. I haven't actually decided where to place the article yet, but it will probably be either on this blog or possibly as a Facebook status update - maybe both??
I have about 14 directories to sign up to and am currently about half-way through. I am not sure that I can make a big enough impact straight 'out of the blocks' so to speak, but I have seen great results with other sharing services such diggit etc.. so maybe if I get it right, the traffic will follow.
I am also halfway through an overhaul of Livewyre.NET (all part of the plan) - I have brought about half the content over to a Wordpress platform, and will be looking to have this completed by the end of the month - not only getting all the content across, but re-writing 'tired' articles to make them more punchy and relevant. I only wish I had more time to devote to this - it would be nice to think that I can just sit back when it's all done and watch the traffic build up - but experience tells me that it is not usually THAT easy!

Popcorn!

Popcorn is fun – everyone in the family from the smallest child to your Grandma and Great-Grandpa, knows that popcorn is fun, and nothing is more fun than making your own popcorn at home. The trouble is that making your own popcorn the old fashioned way can be messy, and to be honest the results are not always as great as you anticipated. When that germ of an idea started to form in your head, you were thinking of buckets flowing over with creamy light sweet popcorn, and what you got was tough hard kernels...not sweet enough, not buttery enough. What you and your family need (Christmas IS coming you know..) is your very own 'perfect results every time' professional popcorn popper machine. Light, fluffy, sweet, buttery popcorn while you sit down in front of the TV with the family, or snuggle up in your own private home theater! With your own popcorn, you can even make a TV movie feel like your own private theatre without all the expensive additional equipment. If you are lucky enough to have a room dedicated to movie watching, a popper popcorn is every bit as important as the 7.1 surround sound system, the state-of-the-art Blu-ray player or the high quality speakers. If you want to create a real cinematic atmosphere in your own home, you will be able to wow your friends and family with perfect popcorn to accompany the show whether it be the latest blockbuster, or the premier of your own home movie. There are products available for small kitchens ranging to products for full-blown cinemas, whatever the size of your venue, you can get a popcorn machine that will suit your needs and your pocketbook. If you are considering a popcorn machine for your home or business then Click here for more products.

October 2012

2012 is fast coming to an end, November and December always seem to be really busy months with the build up to Christmas - This year I have been dragged into a couple of projects at the school my daughter attends, I usually do the PA sound for the Christmas plays, and have also committed myself to do sound for the school pantomime too - this is usually a fairly hilarious affair with parents and teachers making fun of themselves and each other.
October was a good month in terms of online income, I had a large cassette to CD project to carry out which brought in nearly £200, about £50 of which had to be re-invested in blank CD's and CD cases. There were a couple of other smaller orders, and a few other revenue streams that yielded a few pounds here and there giving me £162 profit overall. My contextual-adverts earnings are up significantly this month too, not sure why, but not complaining!
I have been really busy getting to grips with Wordpress and finally feel I am making great progress - not enough to switch this blog over, but enough to consider it very seriously for lots of future projects. I have also been extremely busy with my 'day-job' too and have been promised a bonus for all my hard work - all very handy for Christmas, but also need to get that credit-card balance down too...

ceramic beads

Always on the lookout for unusual and beautiful gifts (especially this time of year), I came across some ceramic beads recently. As far as I can see, these could be used either as a gift for the crafter amongst your family and friends, or if you are a little crafty yourself.. as part of a special individual gift for someone important in your life.

Individually crafted gifts show thoughtfulness and are completely unique (unless you are churning them out on an industrial scale).
In these financially austere times, an individual crafted gift indicates how much you think of someone without breaking the bank.

Catching up

Lack of activity on Munny4Hunny over the last few weeks is for two reasons:

1. Have been busy moving my Livewyre.NET web site over to a Wordpress platform - this has meant a complete reorganisation of the entire site which is packed with stuff... I am really pleased with the way it has gone so far - quite challenging, but in a good way. I have had to give some thought to how I want to organise the information in terms of 'categories' and 'tags' - I ahve not had to think in these terms before, so it has been quite a challenge to make 'sense' of this way of categorising information. In addition, the use of both 'pages' and 'posts' has made things both more complicated, and yet easier to handle. I really love the idea of a featured image which can either just be a picture for a snippet of the post, and/or an illustration within the post itself. I am using mostly images from 'dryicons' (great free resource for small images and backgrounds) which has given a kind of uniform feel to the site.
2. The 'busyness' of 'real life' has meant that I have had little spare time to pursue extra-curricular activities - I have worked two 12 hour days this week in order to meet a major deadline. I am hopeful that next week will not be quite so frantic. There is plenty to do, so I won't exactly be taking it easy...

I really want to get this Wordpress project to a state where I can re-launch Livewyre.NET, and am going to set a deadline of the end of November - this will entail getting all of the content from the old site onto the new platform, then editing each page and post to ensure the content is easy to follow and up to date. I have an 'SEO plugin' to help me ensure that the pages will maximised for SEO. The next stage will be then to tie in with twitter and use it to promote some of the content - I'm quite excited about finding out if this will prove a fruitful way of promoting the site.

wrestling singlets

Wrestling is one of those sports that is considered more highly in the US than here in the UK. Over here, the reputation of wrestling as a sport has been spoilt by the TV version of years ago which was little more than a rather physical pantomime. However in the US, wrestling is taken seriously at college level. I believe it is fairly well-documented that Tom Cruise was into wrestling as a youngster, so he probably has a good collection of wrestling singlets. In fact, wrestling is an ancient sport, much-loved by the Greeks, and one of those Olympic sports that has seemlessly transferred from Ancient Greece to the modern Olympic stage.

September 2012

September has been a decent month for me compared to others recently. I took a little over £100 last month, largely due to a contextual adverts company payment (shouldn't mention them, but they payout at £60). I also had over £20 for affiliate payments this month, so the bulk of the months payments were from passive income. I am doing some cassette to CD jobs at this moment which will take me over double last months total already for October, so income has been coming my way lately.

I hope my proposed plans for my website development will drive more passive income my way, but this 'passive' income sometimes needs a lot of frenetic activity to bring it to fruition. The yearly totals are low for  the 'half-way' point in the financial year, but I'm hoping for some increased activity for the remaining half-year.

Wordpress

I have just started 'updating' my main website 'Livewyre.NET' by attempting to put all the content onto a Wordpress platform. So far, it is going OK, I have 'played' with Wordpress before, but this is my biggest WP project to date, and one that I really want to get right. I am finally getting to grips with 'Categories' and 'tags', and although the site is not really a blog, I think this kind of structure will work well.

This is all part of my fresh strategy to harness the power of twitter and see if it can bring traffic and maybe even a bit of income. Also included in this strategy is a bit of 'rebranding' using some of my favourite graphics from the past, and updating them whilst lining them up with the theme I have chosen for the site - I may eventually bring this new branding into Munny4Hunny too...I'm going to be black and blue all over... watch this space!

cushions

We had a window-seat made for our dining room years ago, and we finished it off with some home-made cushions for which we had foam cut to fit the dimensions of the four seats.
We covered the foam with the same fabric that we had on our dining chairs and made frames which fitted onto the seats. More than ten years later, and those window seats still look pretty good, even if I say so myself, and they cost us only the price of the materials.

wine making kits

Anyone who reads this blog will know that frugal living is second nature to me, however I do like a few luxuries and the odd glass of wine is always welcome.
So I have decided that I am going to ask people to buy me wine making kits for Christmas so that I can eat, drink and be merry whilst still being frugal...

I may even start a new blog charting my wine-making progress, the triumphs and disasters in full technicolour.. I like full-bodied wines from the New World regions, but seriously doubt that my home-grown efforts will be able to rival my favourite tipple.