WittyInfo

Reputation Defense: Protection Strategies, Tools, and Your Rights

NoelG — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:46:41 +0000

Personal reputation defense is a major part of managing your online reputation. Even if you don’t think that a defense strategy is necessary, you may be surprised to find bits of information about yourself floating around the Internet – information that employers, friends, and family members may have already found.

So, what can you do to stop negative information from being posted about you? First, let’s talk about some defensive steps you can take to monitor and protect your personal reputation.
Reputation Defense and Monitoring Tools

Google: This is likely the first and easiest personal reputation defense step you can take. Simply by Googling your first and last name (putting quotes around it, like “John Smith”), you can find any number of web pages associated with your name. If you find material that you’ve put on your own sites that you don’t want appearing in search results, then you can ask Google to remove it. If someone else has posted it, however, then you’ll need to ask the owner of that website to remove it.Google also has a tool you can use to monitor your online reputation, called Google Alerts. Simply set up an alert using your name (again, in quotes), and you’ll receive an email anytime Google finds a new web page with your name in it.
People Search Engines: By using search engines specifically for finding people, like Wink, Pipl, Spock, or ZoomInfo, you can many times find information that Google hasn’t picked up on. Some even offer additional tools for you to protect and defend your personal reputation. For instance, Wink allows you to join the site and create a profile page that Google will pick up on. Spock automatically “tags” your content with certain keywords found within the content. Sometimes these tags can be taken out of context and applied wrongly; however, you can join Spock for free and receive alerts anytime your profile has been changed.
Blog Search Engines: Bloggers talk about anything and everything, and if you have a higher profile within a certain niche or industry, they could be talking about you. Blog search engines like Technorati, Google Blog Search, and Icerocket are excellent reputation defense tools to help you find out who is blogging about you.
Public Records: Use a service like ChoiceTrust to order a free public records report, which will show you what employers see when they conduct a background search on you.

Ideal Time to Repot a Healthy Orchid

NoelG — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:41:56 +0000

Repot your orchid when it is active so that it has sufficient strength to reestablish itself quickly.
Repot when new growth is emerging, when you can see new roots as little bumps on the underside of the growth (less than a quarter inch). This will help decrease the the chances of root breakage. Usually new growth comes out after the blooms fade.

Try not to repot when the orchid is in bloom because it needs its energy to sustain the flower. Repotting may shorten flower blooms.
If you have an orchid that blooms and sends out new growth at the same time, wait until the flowers are gone and the roots of the new growth are at least six inches. If the roots get injured during repotting at this stage, they have the ability to branch out new root tips along the length of the root.
Most orchids only need to be repotted once every year or two.
If a plant is disturbed after the growing season is over, it may take substantially longer period to reestablish itself.

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Alabama Scooter Laws

NoelG — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:31:38 +0000

General Statutes: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeofAlabama/1975/coatoc.htm

Legislative URL: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/

DMV/DOT: http://www.ador.state.al.us/motorvehicle/index.html

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Best Bonsai Trees for Beginners

NoelG — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:23:25 +0000

It makes sense for beginners to choose Bonsai trees that are the easiest to grow. An example is the Blue Star Juniper known for its slow growth and ability to thrive indoors and outdoors (although they must be protected from harsh winters).

Other varieties include the Bonsai Japanese Red Maples, Vecchis Albero, Fig Bonsai trees (Ficus), Bonsai tree desktop, Bush Cherry Bonsai (flowering species) and Grapevine Bonsai (you can have a miniature vineyard indoors).

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The Future of Personal Reputation Management

NoelG — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:31:25 +0000

Because we live in a plugged-in, online world, personal reputation management is becoming more and more of a necessary life skill. No longer is it just for Communications and Public Relations students at colleges and universities – personal reputation management is an essential skill that students of middle and high school age will need to learn before they find their own personal reputations negatively impacted.

With the free dissemination and availability of personal information online, one has to wonder about privacy implications. According to Daniel J. Solove, author of The Future of Reputation, social networking sites can work in conjunction with the law to help individuals to manage their personal reputations:

“…people should be given choices over how to control the dissemination of their personal information, and those reading people’s profiles should be aware of (and bound to) those preferences…the law could bar a prospective employer from trying to gain access to an applicant’s [social networking] profile uninvited.” (Solove 192-193)

As you can see, personal reputation management is of utmost importance in today’s online world. With the Internet being used more and more as a research tool to aid in the background check of an individual, learning about your personal reputation online and taking steps to manage it effectively are skills worth acquiring for your sake – both now, and in the future.

Coir Orchid Pots

NoelG — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:22:35 +0000

These eco-friendly pots are made from 100% biodegradable, organic material consisting of the dust and fiber from coconut husk. They promote faster plant growth with a strong root system. The container will not pull moisture away from the plant, nor will it fall apart when wet.

The plant will grow throughout the pot, including the wall. An orchid can be planted directly into the ground within this pot, skipping the transplanting step.

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Safety Factors for Electric Scooters

NoelG — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:14:23 +0000

There have been several safety improvements over the years to electric scooters and these have helped reduce injuries. The addition of better braking is a major improvement and there are several systems used on the current scooters. The simplest form of braking is the “pull type” brake that is very similar to the style used on bicycles. This type of braking system is usually installed on the front wheels and is used on the smaller, entry-level scooters.

The next style of brakes found on most of the scooters is the drum break and these are usually situated on the rear wheel on these scooters. This style of braking is more efficient that the Pull-type and provides safer braking over shorter distances. The top of the line models of scooters use a disc braking system and this can either be found on the front or rear wheels, and on some models it is used on both. This type of brake is the smoothest and most reliable of the three and is found on scooters that travel at higher speeds and need the advanced braking that disc brakes provide.
Another difference between the various models is the different drive systems used on these electric scooters, and they fall into one of three main categories: direct drive, chain drive and belt drive. The belt drive is the simplest and found on a lot of the entry level scooters. The chain drive is most common and provides the ability to adjust the speed and torque of the drive system by varying the ratio between the sprockets on the motor and wheel. The most sophisticated of the drive systems is the direct drive. This is found on some of the high-end scooters and provides for a smoother ride and more even acceleration. Some of the larger models offer turn signals and horns to alert others to your intentions and these can help improve your safety on the road as well.

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The Future of Bonsai Trees

NoelG — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:06:16 +0000

The art and science of growing and shaping Bonsai trees has a bright future. Man’s fascination with beauty and the environment will sustain this interest for decades to come.Just think – there are numerous Bonsai schools all across the US and around the globe, garden and home emporiums sell it, and the number of Bonsai clubs has mushroomed.

Bonsai trees have no direct link with religion, but there is a profound connection between Bonsai trees and the people who grow them – people who are passionate about a hobby that conveys both mystery… and joy.

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Building and Managing a Good Personal Reputation

NoelG — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:50:12 +0000

There are a number of things you can do to launch a good personal reputation management program.

Join social networking sites
Create and maintain a blogs
Comment on other blogs
Become a guest writer
Answer questions
Think before you type

Electric Scooters – All Kinds of Features

NoelG — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:28:35 +0000

Features — Since there are such a wide variety of electric scooters available, there is a big difference on the features each scooter offers. Some of the electric scooters include features that make them easier to charge and more comfortable to ride and are usually sold as an upgrade to the basic scooter. Several of the electric scooters offer the option to add seats to their models and this can be nice if you are traveling for long distances. Some of the better electric scooters fold up and can be carried more easily. This can be a big help if you travel with them and need to board a bus or train as part of your commute.

Another feature is the basic materials used for the electric scooters construction. This varies from steel to aluminum, and in some of the entry-level scooters parts of the scooter are plastic. The construction materials need to be considered when you are choosing your scooter since the weight they present can affect both the speed and distance the scooter will provide.

The last feature to consider is the tires. These vary from very simple hard resin tires like those found on a skateboard, to heavy-duty air filled tires on the more sophisticated scooters. Riding a scooter with decent, air-filled tires will give you a smoother ride than the solid tires.

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