The Thursday update - August 7th
What's on my schedule today?
Today's 
BlogTalkRadio? TalkShoe? ...a Podcast?
...a new tutorial? ...or maybe a hot news item!
I'll update this webpage every day!
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~  Daily Posts ~
Thursday 8-7: I re-learned the same ol' lesson again: "Don't use free software programs unless it's impossible to do it yourself."

Case-in-point: When the Google SEO Sitemap came out about a year ago, I used a simple free program that "did a Google Sitemap for me." It did do it for me but did it wrong, and I doubt if the Google Spider. Fortunately, it's an XML file and I've now learned enough to do it myself.

I see folks almost every day that get sucked in to get-rick-quick programs simply because they haven't learned enough to bring in their own customers. When an e-commerce foundation is established, products or services will sell from the e-commerce person's own website.
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Wednesday: I searched the XML source code of a bunch of popular websites and was shocked how some of these guys (employees, I assume) have taken an elegant little program, such as RSS 2.0, and turned it into a huge monster.

I suspect the motivation is to make the simplest program impossible for anyone (but them) to use ... job security, protection of "turf," etc.  If I caught an employee doing that, they would be looking for a new job the next day. This is a factor that causes e-commerce businesses to fail.

For one thing, 90% of all RSS feeds should not contain more than a dozen <items> ...beyond that, it's simply unnecessary clutter that will annoy the subscribers.
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Tuesday: I spent way too much time attempting to clarify iTunes' RSS tag formats. It may be my imagination (I don't think it is), but it seems the Apple programmers want to offer just enough information to "almost" make their additional code validate.

Conclusion? The iTunes folks are either unskilled at writing tutorials, they really don't want "little people" to write your own XML code, or they're not to bright. It's something I will be able to easily accomplish after i get through it once--it's nothing more than copy/paste.
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Monday: For Promotion: I find myself trying to "Make the past a better place to remember!" ...by going back to Bloglines and e-books. There are a gazillion blogs to post to and a glut of information to peruse.

I rejected the blog method of promotion at one time when I found it peppered with get-rich-quick rip-offs. Although time consuming, it's not difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Regarding
BlogTalkRadio and TalkShoe: I have badges from both talkcasts scattered throughout my catalog. To keep them current, I'll continue to do 15 minute shows. For that opportunity, I'm grateful to these programs. Unfortunately, as a direct promotional tool, I haven't found them to be useful.

In the past week, I did a profusion of shows as a test ...with no results. My stats show large numbers of streamers and down-loaders--I find these numbers difficult to believe.
~ ~ ~
A few folks have ridiculed my ideas about an e-commerce foundation. Why not, they argue, draw on the expertise of someone already successful?

So this is the thought for today:
Describe for me anything worthwhile that doesn't require a foundation.

Want to become a brain surgeon? Medial school and internships are the foundation. What about a Realtor? Before a new agent accepts the first client is there anything to learn? How about an airplane pilot? Can someone just sell you a pilot's license and off you go? If you want a mom & pop grocery store--is there anything there to learn? Of Course!

So why would anyone think a complex issue such as an e-commerce business would be possible without some sort of foundation?
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Sunday: Yesterday, and this morning, I worked on my WDS Library Catalog to make it easier to navigate. Try doing what I did today without some HTML Editing Skills. Take a look at the catalog: >click<
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Saturday: I'm happily taking care of clients--kind of a core group--that want a real website for a real e-commerce business.
~ ~ ~
Friday: I'm getting orders! ...for my $4.95 E-Commerce Foundation program. I'm incredibly grateful to my real friends for your trust.
~ ~ ~
Thursday: I've developed a new concept. I'm going to use TalkShoe and  BlogTalkRadio to showcase it. If you don't make the show, you can hear it in theTalkShoe Player below. >ScrollDown< It will be a tutorial about the foundation of e-commerce. You can check it out here: >click<
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Wednesday: I'm leaving Twitter, Facebook, Ning, and programs of that type. They are great for some but I didn't seem to resonate with the membership. I may do an occassional TalkShoe and a BlogTalkRadio show. I'm not sure.  I had a better response during my podcasting days so I'm going to melt back into that group--that was a happier home for me. I may post something here from time to time.
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Tuesday: I'm increasing my skill with iTunes RSS Feeds.
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Monday: If you want to make money with e-commerce and you don't know how to build websites or control RSS Feeds, Don't quit your day job!  For more information on this topic, listen to the TalkShoe Player: >FastScroll<

Keep your eye on this: There is a new search engine that plans to challenge Google. It's calling itself
Cuil, pronounced cool. It has tens-of millions of venture capital and has gone on-line today.
It has a webpage layout that uses a magazine-style that I like a lot.  Here's the home page: http://www.cuil.com/  

If this new search engine succeeds (and I'm betting it will) there will be a window of opportunity to promote your website ...but if "you Snooze you'll lose!"

~ ~ ~
Are you interested in starting a work-at-home business? Contact me by email, tell me what you're looking for, and we can talk. I never charge for a conversation: wdslibrary@gmail.com.
o

o

I record both BlogTalkRadio and TalkShoe shows frequently. The latest recorded shows will be on these two players. I've recroded 6 additional shows at TalkShoe under another ID number (see below).
 

The title is ShoeString E-Commerce ...found under the business category.

You'll see my call-in count-down and the dial-in phone number at the
BTR Webpage. Click the button to hear my latest show.

Both show durations average 30 minutes.
My TalkShoe show (ID5757) is active. I often do an unscheduled shows at a moments notice. Refer to the RSS feed. 
Click the player's button to hear the latest show. You can play earlier shows by clicking the little [v] button inside the player.
Carl Weisbrod   >email<  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I've redesigned my ebay me page and put up one instructional item. Here's the link to that   page: >ebay<  ...or you can subscribe using the following RSS link. 
~ ~ ~
Are you interested in starting a work-at-home business? Contact me by email, tell me what you're looking for, and we can talk. I never charge for a conversation: wdslibrary@gmail.com.
Carl Weisbrod   >email<

Return to the WDS Library Index Page: >click<
...or the Course Catalog: >click<
Questions? Send me an >email<
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Validator
TESTonly
Z-TEST: http://www.wdslibrary.com/Z-TEST.xml
PC Combo Test: http://www.askcarl.net/SamplePCcombo.xml
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Sunday: I decided I'd rather have 50% of something than 100% of nothing, so I'm offering the following: If you have strrong networking skills, I'd be happy to offer you an on-going associate split per referral on a 50/50 basis--That'd be $6.50 each for the following hot-off-the-press tutorial: The WDS Podcast/Tutorial Combo (How To promote Using RSS 2.0): http://www.wdslibrary.com/Large.html#RSStutorial
This is the free companion podcast: http://www.wdslibrary.com/pt2Combo.mp3
                                          ~ ~ ~
If you see any of the catalog listed courses you think you can promote, we can do the same 50/50 deal. I'll send your half immediately to your PayPal account.
Look over the catalog: http://www.wdslibrary.com/CatalogNew.html

The P/T Combo course on Monetizing a Podcast is interesting, but I'll need to increase the $3 price to make it worthwhile.

As you will see, my P/T Combo courses aren't for the faint-of-heart, but participants will develop powerful skills lasting a lifetime.

If you're interested, email me and I'll add your name and PayPal email to my list: >email<

Carl Weisbrod

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Saturday: I've encountered more than I expected of a "give-up factor."  When the achievement of a goal becomes difficult, many give-up much too quickly.

Phase Two of the
"give-up factor" can be to seek someone (e.g., a guru) or a thing (e.g., a job) to help achieve the goal.  This dependency on external sources can be problematic.  Rip-off artists are very much aware of the "give-up factor" and write their ads accordingly.

A "guru" is someone believed to be smart enough to carry one over the top-dead-center of a difficult learning curve. A job or hobbies can be a "next-best-thing" approach to bring a measure of satisfaction to dull the frustration of unachieved goals.

A better approach is to not give up but plow through the difficult times while maintaining your independence from gurus, empolyers, or distractions.
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Friday 7-25: I recorded an updated TalkShoe Show yesterday. I'll get a BlogTalkRadio show on-line today.

On promotion: For heavensakes! ...people are buying programs hoping they will "do the magic" that brings the traffic that will make the sales. Don't spend your money and take all that time--what a waste!

There is no secret or no razzle-dazzle program! Just do this: Build many RSS feeds (you must write them yourself): update as often as possible--daily is best, validate the feed, submit to any free program that will take XML files
(ping, listing, etc.), and repeat, and repeat again, and repeat yet again.

This is basically what these (sometimes) expensive programs are doing, but you can do it far better yourself.

You must, however, know how to build RSS/XML programs (which is easy). If you don't know how, I suggest you learn how! Reveiw this catalog listing: >click<

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Thursday: I put a lot more work than expected into my last PT Combo (The Promotional Power of RSS) ...the possibilities just kept unfolding.  I searched Google and couldn't find anything that covered the same concept. Would you like to listen to my free podcast about RSS? >audio< I have another unique concept: How To Monetize a Podcast. >click<
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Wednesday: Gad! When the economy is in a slump, the rip-off artists seem to come out of the woodwork.

First, it was the recurring nightmare of Ponzy Schemes, now it's a spyware/Adware infestation.

If you get a too-good-to-be-true offer (especially one that promises to drive traffic to your website), type something like Adware Spyware into Google and see if the company is on one of the lists.  If they are (and they probably will be) I suggest you dump the offer instantly if not sooner.

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Tuesday 7-22: The free half of the WDS Podcast/Tutorial Combo is on-line. Now, I'm really pressured to get the second half done--working feverishly. Listen to this 40-minute podcast about using RSS feeds for promotion:  http://www.wdslibrary.com/CatalogNew.html#PTrss

I've noticed the resurfacing of a new (or recycled) bunch of Adware/Spyware. This stuff is
like a recurring nightmare, and one more rip-off to discourage new users from developing an e-commerce business.

In light of our failing economy, there's a huge need for the internet venue, so it's especially sad to see these formally discredited programs coming back.
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Monday: I'm focused on the task of getting PT Combo #2 on-line.
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Sunday: Have you even been in this situation ...or are you now in this situation?

Everybody has both income and outgo, but your outgo is the larger number. Every month you get a little further behind.  One by one your schemes and dreams of bringing in more money are dashed, and one by one creditors (maybe in a similar situation to yours) bump up your monthly expenses, Inflation increases the cost of everything, and unexpected expenses eat away at money set aside for necessities. You worry about a job lay off, health problems, family needs, unexpected expensive, and ultimately, for some there's foreclosure.
How stressful is that?

Don't think the rich and famous don't have the same worries; it's just on a grand scale. The  irony is the relatively small amount it takes for you to live is actually a huge plus.

When the rich and famous get into financial trouble, there may be no way out. There's a 1920's poem with that as a central theme--later popularized by a Simon & Garfunkel hit by the same name. The original poem was written by Edwin Arlington Robinson, 1869 -1935. It's titled Richard Cory. Reference: http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/canam/robinson.htm

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We People on the pavement looked at him
He was a gentleman from sole to crown
Clean favored, and Imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But Still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning", and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich--yes, richer then a king--
And admirably schooled in every grace;
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light
And went without the meat and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Depressing, yes? At least there is a better solution for the poor and unknown: see LifeStyles of the Poor and Unknown under e-books). One "better solution" is to sit in front of your computer and pull in some new income ...even if only at the level of minimum wage. Do you need more money? ...just work more hours.

Maybe one part of a solution is here: P/T Combo #2.
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Saturday:  I just love having the use of an extensive catalog! This catalog is a webpage from which lots of work gets done, and it's a great place to do e-commerce planning. You'll see why if you go there ...or better yet, subscribe using this RSS link: 

I've cleared up some thinking on the future of my WDS Podcast/Tutorial Combo program. You'll find them listed by clicking the Podcast link at the top of the catalog page. If you subscribe, it will take you there and you will know when I add something or make significant changes.

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I should have P/T Combo-RSS completed today. I keep thinking of new ideas to squeeze in so the completion time continues to get pushed out. Please be patient with me--it will be worth the wait.

If you haven't yet, >ScrollDown< and try the conversion from TXT to XML in about a minute. As I suggested, most have been amazed.

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Friday: Most of us have been snoozing our entire life ...but not to the point we don't understand "it's about money" ...but we don't take this truism far enough to understand how money motives damage our day-to-day life.

Politics is certainly about money (and power), the economy is about money, and technology is even about money. Few will be interested in selling something that doesn't make money no matter how good it is.  I'll discuss several examples on this topic.

In the area of health, no one will deny that the best prevention of chronic degenerative disorders is nutrition and exercise, and most of us will die from one of these disorders--or a combination thereof.

So what is the stock and trade of the medical profession? They're selling pills and elixirs driven by politically-connected pharmaceutical companies ...rather than diet and exercise. modern medicine is about intervention not prevention. Physicians use pills, chemicals, and surgery for health care, and it does (many times) keep us alive, but at what cost?

Recognized as the greatest heart surgeon of all time, Michael DeBakey, recently passed away at 99. He wrote extensively about the value of diet and exercise. He saw first-hand the damage caused by the American diet coupled with a sedentary lifestyle.

Along these lines, "Google" breast cancer surgeon: 
Robert Kradjian
, Watch a video: by Bill Harris, M.D., listen to this interview with Ruth Heidrich >ScrollDown< or even read my e-book, The Australopithecine Diet ...I sometimes send a comp copy of the e-book.

Wouldn't that same profit-motive drive infuse the internet? It certainly does.

Try this little experiment (you'll be amazed!). Open a text file (right-click and choose "new" and then "text document") on your computer's desktop, and paste in the text between the dotted lines:
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>sample</title>
<link>http://www.wdslibrary.com</link>
<description>PC Combo Sample</description>
<item>
<title>PC Combo</title>
<link>http://www.askcarl.net/RSS2ScreenShots.html</link>
<description>This is a RSS sample for the PC ComboTutorial.</description>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Save and close the file.
- Right-Click the file icon and choose rename.
- Change the extension from TXT to XML
and reopen the file. It will ask if you want to change the name and click "yes."
Holysmoke! You've just created a bare-bones RSS feed that will validate.

Why isn't anyone (but me) talking about how easy it is to work with RSS feeds? Because you can't sell support services or software by giving away trade "secrets." ...that's why!

On the alternative energy front, check this out: http://www.permaculture.com/

Reference: Alcohol Can Be a Gas! by David Blume
~ ~ ~
Thursday: Yesterday was interesting. When I pick a topic for a P/T Combo program, my first student is myself. I tend to get interested in concepts I'm not sure will end up as valid. It doesn't always work in my favor. Sometimes I start with a premise (hypothesis) only to find it won't fly--or I have nothing new to offer.

My first P/T Combo was on monetizing a podcast. I let the logic flow to its natural conclusion, which was the possibility monetizing a podcast without losing subscribers.

The usual approach is to attract impressive numbers of subscribers and then sell ad space. The trouble with that approach is many podcasters tackle topics that might not appeal to the multitudes (or to the advertisers) or perhaps enjoy going against-the-tide a little bit.

In the case of the RSS Feeds, I was excited to discover that individually-built RSS Feeds as a promotional tool can be more powerful than I first thought. The pregnant phrase is "individually-built." The one-size-fits-all RSS programs, such as Google's Feed Burner, is actually a poor promotional tool.

I should have The P/T Combo RSS on-line in a couple of days. The podcast segment (as always) is free and complete in itself.

For me the excitement is the idea that an e-commerce person can sit in front of a computer and generate cash flow--without spending money or wasting time. T
he individually-built RSS Feed has that potential--it really does!

I think everyone realizes there is no substitute for hands-on promotion as found in
the Tipping Point principle. This holds true for the RSS Feed as a Promotional Tool.

I suspect this concept will be reflected in the soon-to-arrive Web 3.0.

~ ~ ~
Wednesday: I recorded a couple of talkcasts with both BlogTalkRadio and TalkShoe.

I continue to struggle with my SMS vs IM concept. It's difficult to find bare-bones programs on-line. Generally they've been Geekized, i.e., enhanced in a way that eliminates the possible use for my purposes. It makes me wish I was a programmer and could write these things from scratch.

Thinking of that, I see frequent examples of Geekized programs that began as wonderfully useful only to be "enhanced" until they no longer function reliably. It reminds me of my youth when friends would take reliable automobiles and soup them up until they guzzled gas and broke down regularly.

I'm about to pull my P/T Combo series together including the How-To Monetize and Promoting With RSS editions by adding a program on building the foundation for an e-commerce business. Check the catalog for details. >click<
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Tuesday: I've gotten stuck while developing the concept of instant notification. It seems like a natural to combine either an IM or SMS system with RSS. I want to offer it for my How-To Promote with RSS for the P/T Combo series. So far I've only found the code for computer to cell phone and that goes a step beyond my purpose.

For promotional purposes, the computer to computer "heads-up" is more useful. I'm only interested in something in which the code is required on the sender's side.

I'm looking for an small chunk of code such as those used by Microsoft to let users know a patch or update is available. It must be super-simple and open source. I know it's out there, I just haven't found it yet.

Any ideas?
>email<
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Monday: I spent the day attempting to figure which source code, IM or SMS, will best fit a model for How-To Promote with RSS from my P/C Combo series.
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Sunday: I dumped my Twitter "following" group again. I hated to do that, but I can't get into the chat. I'm searching for unique ideas--I need some challenges. It must be my problem because I have the same problem with TalkShoe.

Todd Cockrane, Dave Winer, Ruth Heidrich, Adam Curry, et al. have some good innovative ideas, but so many seem to be "serving leftovers" over and over again. I probably do that too. 
Please send me an email with your unique ideas: >email<
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Saturday: The PC Combo RSS program is going great--it may be the best tutorial I've done so far.
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Friday: I'm making steady progress on the free portion of the podcast and tutorial How-To Promote with RSS. This is the second in my PT Combo series. You can follow this program from this catalog link: >click<  

The PT Combo approach depends on two carefully produced podcasts; the first is free and the second is $7. Bundled with the second podcast is an elaborate screen-shot webpage linked to either external websites or an internal supplement location.

The participating user will end up with complete control 
of their own RSS program without using templates or software programs. To accomplish that, I must build two sets of detailed notes for the two separately produced podcasts. The on-screen part of the program is an elaborate webpage of linked screen shots and a supplemental addition.

There is no easy way to build a program of this type, so, as much as possible, I build them to last.

~ ~ ~
Thursday: Building ShoeString tutorials for those that could benefit greatly from a work-at-home business... It's too large a task for one person, but nobody else is doing it so I'm giving it my best shot. If you're interested, I suggest subscribing to my WDS Library Catalog. If you would like to help, let me know--or go to work on your own.  >email<
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Wednesday: I'm working on this WDS Podcast/Tutorial Combo as we speak: >click< These things are lots of work, so it might take a couple of days to have it on-line. If you would like to see the first in the PC Combo series, click here: >click<
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Tuesday: Tutorials:  For a while at least, I'll use this webpage to feature the tutorial I'm working on for that day. I've got a few tutorials in need of attention and there's many that need to be written.

One example: Tutorials that support writing your own RSS Feeds is a much neglected area--most push software programs. An RSS Feed for promotional purposes requires the personal touch.

I haven't worked on my PT Combo program as vigorously as I'd originally planned, so I'll start with that.

My tutorial, How-To Monetize a Podcast, is a tutorial on writing tutorials. The first half is a free podcast, the tutorial part is $3.

If you have a moment, review the tutorial section of the catalog and request one you'd like to see expanded. If you have something you would like to learn, run it by me and I'll see what I can come up with--I love writing tutorials.

~ ~ ~
Monday: On the health front, This is really important for everybody to hear--not only seniors. The Senior Fitness Show with special guest, Dr. Ruth Heidrich. The show is hosted by Albert Motz with the BlogTalkRadio Network at blogtalkradio.com The show was recorded 7/5/2008 at 4:00 PM. This is the direct link to the show: 
Here is Ruth's Website: http://www.ruthheidrich.com
~ ~ ~
What's Functionally Illiterate? This is someone that can read a little bit but not well enough to make sense of complicated written instructions and certainly unable to read a book.

Functionally Computer Illiterate
is similar in concept. It's someone that can send email, surf the net, and even download programs. But that same person can't use basic tools such as an HTML editor, a graphics program or upload personal webpages. In my opinion, someone can be Computer Illiterate even when they can upload and download software such as website template programs and RSS feeds. Programmers design templates to be used by computer illiterate people.

The key to computer literacy, I believe, is the ability to use an HTML Editor such as KompoZer or Dreamweaver. For starters, a computer literate person should be able to manage the following files: HTML, JPG/GIF, MP3, and  RSS/XML. they also should be able to manage screen shots (BMP files) and add code to the source code of a webpage.

Computer literacy is relatively easy to develop and the skills will last a lifetime. Without computer literacy, a successful e-commerce business is difficult if not impossible.

I will soon do a talkcast to discuss this topic in both BlogTalkRadio and
TalkShoe. Note: This topic is now in the players below.

This is something interesting to think about. After I completed my two talkcasts, I listened to an interview with a systems designer. During the interview there was no mention of the type of client this person was set up to support. I could tell that the suggestions offered were directed toward a corporate system rather than a mom & pop business.

As an example, every car salesperson hopes to sell cars in the RollsRoyce or Ferrari class, but that high-end mentality might not provide good advice for the person looking for something to get back and forth to the grocery store.

A rule of thumb for e-commerce is it's much better to start low-end and upgrade if necessary.
Considering the plummeting depreciation of used computer hardware, going high-end and then discovering you've over-invested ...simply put, you can't put the tooth paste back in the tube."
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Sunday:  I'm adding an RSS feed for this page--you'll see it in blue in the above RSS list. For this, I'm using my special XML software. I've cut down the XML code to about half the size of the standard RSS 2.0 program. With this, updating time is about a minute. If you use the MyYahoo reader you can receive instant notification using the new SMS option. BTW, if you're interested in using this brief RSS system, you'll find it in the Tutorial Section of the WDS Catalog.
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I don't want to cover up what I'd written yesterday (Saturday)--I think it's important.

(I believe) those that proclaim personal computer illiteracy are similar to those that once remained functionally
illiterate in terms of the printed word.

In the 18th century, there was a massive increase of printed material driven by the technology of the high-speed printing press. Many folks discounted the usefulness of the new technology that resulted in a sudden profusion of books and magazines. In retrospect, we realize this was a self-imposed handicap. In the 18th century, those that expanded their reading skills were called Eggheads. Today, those that expand their computer skills are referred to as Techies.

I'm getting ready to record more podcasts on an e-commerce approach that could be an economic hedge against the uneasy times we now face.
~ ~ ~
Saturday: Look at this study for heavensakes! (Click your back button to return here.) http://www.sitereviewauthority.org/work-at-home/indexv3_sq.html

I'm assuming this study is reliable. I'll be checking it out more throughly and if it is credible it suggests there must be an internet population that is at least misinformed, but more likely unethical, and maybe even evil. It supports my believe that most (if not all) get-rich-quick offers are at least exaggerations and probably fraudulent.

The only defense against the profusion of scams and rip-offs is to become better informed about what is (more or less) possible and then what is probably impossible.

Editorial Note: I checked the link above, and although it contained more subjective comments normally found in a research paper, I couldn't find anything that would discredit the findings or the author. The overall message is simple: Avoid all offers making promises using elements of my HAX Test.
~ ~ ~
Do you believe there is such a group as the Illuminati? How about The New World Order?

Here's a website I'm checking out as we speak:
http://www.trueconspiracies.com/

First Editorial Note: When you see the term Illuminati  or the phrase New World Order there will likely be some exaggeration or elements of a conspiracy theory. This can sometimes escalate a book into the NY Times Best-Seller List. Without regard to that, the concept of a banking cartel (The Federal Reserve, The World Bank, etc.) has been in the public record since 1913. Here's a couple of references that are reliable: http://chairmangov.com/
http://www.askcarl.net/Blog.html  (Scroll down for Podcast #19c and the show note references.)

Final comments:
So what am I telling you?  Forget about an e-commerce business? Absolutely NOT!!

If the worst-case scenario plays out, it could mean the destruction of the middle class and globalization. An independent lifestyle could be important to survival with the internet as the best venue to make a living. It would be important we draw on individual creativity and open source software. Then as now, it would be better to avoid dependency on the so-called geeks and gurus ...too many have shown themselves to be untrustworthy.

If you're not familiar with the function of an HTML editor and are dependent on Webmasters and templates, it could be a serious handicap.
CW
~ ~ ~
Friday 7-4: Happy Independence Day!
~ ~ ~
Thursday: TwitterSpam? Everyone is jumping all over Twitter  for too much down time.  I believe the problem is too many are blasting the Twitter system for quasi promotional purposes, or perhaps motives of vanity.

As I understood it, Twitter was designed as an easy and safe place for folks to contact friends with short messages and links.

When you see Twitter people following a thousand plus, it's a safe bet they don't have that many friends.

This reminds me of the 1990's spam onslaught inflicted first upon Newsgroups and then email. Neither has fully recovered from that obnoxious abuse. I think the same type of misuse is happening to Twitter as we speak.

For those that see a huge number of followers as a statement of popularity, what can I say? If it's done for promotional purposes, maybe I have a better idea.

Try this: Clean your following list down to those you really need to talk with (perhaps post your intentions). Then search the Twitter system for people you don't know but think a connection might be valuable.

To avoid wasting time, invite only those that follow reasonable numbers and type a personal note. Wait a few days and then drop those that don't respond. Repeat the process until you have a responsive list.

If this works as I hope it will, in time, you'll develop a meaningful list of Twitter friends. And these will be people you wouldn't have otherwise met. This is a good example of Tipping Point marketing.

~ ~ ~
Wednesday: Have you ever been on a quest all the while suspecting the thing you are questing doesn't exist?

I'm looking for (questing) a place to find people that long for a work-at-home job that would supply a living wage. Those I'm interested in are single moms that want to both support and raise their children from home ...elderly people who (because of inflation) are in danger of losing their homes ...people that must tolerate abusive employers or coworkers ...or folks that, for one reason or another, are unemployable.

Here's the problem: If you were able to assemble such a group, the rip-off crooks would descend like vultures with their wild promises of big money with little effort. And soon, after a profusion of broken dreams, the group would disappear.
~ ~ ~
Tuesday: There is no secret to on-line promotion; it's simply finding buyers. The problem is the digital demographic is made up primarily of sellers. A large percentage of potential buyers don't even own a computer and those that do use it as a toy. If they do respond, it's to one of the quintessential "impossible-dream" rip-offs. Once these potential buyers have gotten ripped off a couple of times, it's aloha to the computer as a solution ...and they go back to wasting time with video games and MySpace chat programs.

With my ShoeString E-Commerce focus, I'm looking for folks such as single moms, seniors facing foreclosure, and the unemployable. The internet could very well be the only venue remaining for these groups.

For most of us, on-line promotion is a hard-nut-to-crack, but it's not impossible.

Another Topic: I hear constant complaints that the Bush-Cheney administration got us in a prolonged war and sent the country spinning into bankruptcy.

I think they did exactly what they were put in office to do, i.e., support OPEC and the Military/Industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about), 
escalated the destruction of the middle class, and covertly prepare US citizens for the "New World Order" (aka, globalization).

To the World Bank and the oil people President Bush and VP Cheney are heroes. I predict you'll see them quietly establishing a residence in Dubai as they leave office--Cheney's Halliburton has already moved there.

~ ~ ~
Monday: I'm checking out a few other programs, such as Yonkly. I'm also adding to my Ning and FaceBook accounts. We'll see if these programs are time effective for me.
~ ~ ~
Sunday: If you think I've been watching grass-grow or going to the beach, look at some of the tutorials I've created over the past couple of years:

U-Stream, Google SiteMap, E-Mail White Lists, Dealing with Spam, Technorati, Adding Code to a WebPage, Research eBay Items, eBay Items for Free, iTunes, Linux, KeyWords & KeyPhrases, Video, Some VISTA Specs, Formating a Computer, Legal Considerations, Publish ScreenShots, Back Up Browser Bookmarks, Basics of Website Design, Dealing with CyberAbuse, Dual-Core Processors, Add FavIcons to a Website, Web 2.0 Promotion, Subscribe Using FeedReader, An RSS Feed With Notepad, PayPal Code for your Website, PayPal Access, System Restore, HardDrive Back-up, E-Books in PDF, and many more.

Yikes!!
I must be possessed by some kind of digital demon! {:-o

All are developed enough to support my clients, but many are not yet listed in my WDS Library Catalog.

~ ~ ~
Saturday: I think I'll start doing more Audio E-Mailing. With the system I use, I can send a voice message in less time than it takes to send an email text message.

There are all kinds of ways to record a phone message; you can use any computer VoIP phone system that is capable of saving an mp3 file
--then simply send the mp3 audio as a URL. After you're sure the recipient has received your message, erase it to preserve confidentiality.

I should write a how-to tutorial with a step-by step for this.  If you're interested, let me know: >email<
~ ~ ~
Friday: Need a good cry? These two videos might do it!
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513
http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/

Aloha,
Carl
~ ~ ~
WebHosts: A friend requested my BlueHost link: http://www.bluehost.com/track/wdslibra/text1
Over the years and four websites on-line, my experience with BlueHost has been excellent.
Here is a great searching method
Go to Google and paste this in the search box:
Top Ten Web Hosts
...and read several of the review webpages.

If a Webhost is not listed in the top five or so, it suggests they have too many unhappy customers. Usually the cause is from one or more of these issues:
-  Poor tech support
- T
oo much downtime
- Long holding times (more than 10 minutes/call)
- A
hard-to-use website
- Abusive billing procedures.
~ ~ ~
Thursday: We owe one more "ThankYou" to the cyber-crooks that are busy depreciating the internet. May they all rot in hell!

Be 
careful if you become involved with any program pushing free or cut-rate e-books. ebay will no longer sell electronically transferred e-books because so many had embedded malware and phishing schemes.  
ebay now requires that a CD must be mailed to the buyer.

Adding to that, I've heard the reputation for affiliate programs is also going into the dumper. And MLM programs, in my opinion, have always been a bad idea. I've written about the Ponzi Schemes in previous articles.

We all get a bit desperate when times are tough. Paradoxically, this is the time our politicians cut funding for watchdog agencies--the need increases as the funding decreases. Crooks will become very aggressive in this environment.

If a program remains with the author's server (i.e., sent as an HTML link), it's most likely safe. I suggest you be wary of any program that requires downloading.

Perhaps it's time to draw on your own creativity.
~ ~ ~
I've redesigned my ebay me page and put up one instructional item. Here's the link to that   page: >ebay<  ...or you can subscribe using the following RSS link. 
~ ~ ~
Are you interested in starting a work-at-home business? Contact me by email, tell me what you're looking for, and we can talk. I never charge for a conversation: wdslibrary@gmail.com.
Carl Weisbrod   >email<
As of June 14th 2008
...this is the new schedule for my TalkShoe shows
For now, I may not schedule these shows for more then an hour in advance. You can be notified by clicking the On-The-Fly RSS button at the top of this webpage: >Scroll-Up<
(1) ShoeString E-Commerce  ID#5757
Use the above player

This is the primary talkcast. It's a 15 minute show about the e-commerce business. [muisc:Drifting&Dreaming/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~
If you click the ID numbers, you'll be taken to the player located at the catalog.
(2) The Website - Template or Do-It-Yourself? ID#17085
The store or office is the foundation of the brick-and-mortar business. The website is the foundation of the e-commerce world. The sucess or failure of your digital business depends on your website. I will discuss the various types of website in this 15 minute show. I'll answer questions in the second half. [muisc:Vincent/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~
(3) The Essential RSS Feed  ID#7249
RSS Feeds use the basic XML code. It's important to understand the function to have full control of this important promotional tool. I'll discuss RSS Feeds in this15 minute program. Callers are welcome in the second half of the show.  [muisc:Cloudy&Cool/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~
(4)The Essential Website Catalog  ID#7216
An e-commerce business is divided into thirds: (1) a website under the entrepreneur's control (2) an RSS program (3) a catalog. The promotion can then be done using, for example, a classified program. I'm always open to new ideas. [muisc: StormsNeverLast/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~
(5) E-Books: PDF or HTML?  ID#7176
A PDF program isn't a bad choice but an HTML format has some distinct advantages. I'll discuss these in the first half of the show. We can talk in the time remaining.  [muisc: AlleyCat/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(6) Hypnotism, Mythology, & Esoteric Topics ID#7267
http://www.wdslibrary.com  In the 1970s, hypnotism was number-one when measured against all other therapies. Since then, it has dropped off the list. What happened? I'll also cover the Psychology of Mythology in this 15 minute show. [muisc:SoToSleep/AlohaOe]
~ ~ ~
(7) LifeStyles of the Poor and Unknown  ID#7265
www.wdslibrary.com  As the title suggests, this talkcast is about ideas on living better on less money, including a "Lanai Garden." I'll give a tip with each show and I welcome participation.  [muisc:SideBySide/AlohaOe]

The RSS Feed for TalkShoe
http://www.wdslibrary.com/TalkShoe.xml

Bumper Music: The antique Hawaiian music is from a vinyl album: Hawaii Calls: Favorite Instrumentals Of The Islands, with Al Kealoha Perry. Presented by Webley Edwards on Capitol Records. It was recorded in the early 1950s and there was no registration or copyright information on the record jacket so it has become Public Domain. I concluded each show with the Hawaii Farewell Song, aka: Aloha Oe. This old album also displays no copyright information, but in respect for the artists: The Hypnotism talkcast uses a selection (Hypnosis) from a vinyl album, circa early 1950s. The composer was Harry Revel and the orchestra was conducted by Hugo Peretti. The album was titled And So To Sleep - Mercury Records. The Chet Atkins style Midi selections are found here: http://www.frettedinstrumentsnyc.com/

Notes:
When folks have a painful problem (mental or physical), the first question that should be asked is this: What is the diagnosis?
~ ~ ~
Wednesday: I just finished a How To Hypnotize show with TalkShoeBTR. With  BTR, you can use the player below, but for TalkShoe use the hypnotism ID link from the list below the players.

As a promotional tool, the catalog is much more powerful than the weblog or newsletter. I can't prove that, it's only a theory, but here's my rationale:

- A catalog, by its nature, carries the expectation of a place where things are sold. A weblog does not have that expectation so to sell there might be considered crass.

- In a catalog, a quick and easy payment system is expected. A blog is considered a place to experience the author's thoughts
chronologically and then have the opprotunity to interact, so including a PayPal link would be unexpected and perhaps resented.

- The more items in a catalog, the better. A weblog is better when focused on a narrow concept or topic.

- Reminiscent of the Sears Roebuck Catalog, a large catalog is desirable. Many people have fond memories of the Sears BigBook and Montgomery Ward's WishBook.  A large weblog might be considered unfocused and overwhelming.

- Two multi-billion dollar internet selling programs are
ebay and CraigsList. Both follow a catalog format.

I frequently see e-commerce websites in which the purchase opportunity is difficult to find and the price is included almost as an after-thought. Doesn't this suggests a lack of confidence in the value of the product or service?  

When the price is not included, this is the message I get: "We'll tell you how much it costs, but first a stronger sales pitch is needed."

Perhaps you'll find my WDS Library Catalog a useful model. If you go there, notice the use of multiple sales techniques as well as the servomechanism approach.
~ ~ ~
Tuesday: I'm interested to discover if a dozen regular 15 minute TalkShoeBlogTalkRadio show presentations will have some promotional value. Doing that is allowing me to scatter individual players in appropriate catalog locations.  

I think it depends on how well my short ramblings resonate with the demographics. ...and whether or not some will subscribe to the RSS feed.

The idea of a talkcast is to encourage interactive chat and this pretty much squelches that, so we'll see what happens.

~ ~ ~
Monday: More of the same so far today. In Hawaii, we're still in the wee hours. Maybe I'll have something later.

I'm adding some player codes to the catalog. An aside: Can someone with an e-commerce business be successful if unable to use an HTML Editor?
~ ~ ~
Sunday: I was a bit sorry to notice, for promotional purposes, the 15 minute TalkShoeBlogTalkRadio shows are more effective than the shows that are more interactive. As much as I like talking with my ta