Ever come across a site that claims broadband phone is also
known as VoIP or vise verse? Or a web page that explains
PC-to-phone is VoIP? How about Internet phone service? VoIP
right? Wrong! VoIP is neither broadband phone, PC-to-phone
or Internet phone service. It’s time to set the record
straight once and for all.

VoIP is an abbreviation for Voice over Internet Protocol.
VoIP is a technology that makes such things as broadband
phone service, PC-to-phone, and Internet phone service
possible by using the Internet to send and receive phone
calls. The technology is VoIP while the means are broadband
phone or PC-to-phone and the like.

So now we know what broadband phone isn’t, I suppose this
would be a good place to explain what it is, exactly.
Broadband phone service as discussed before, uses VoIP
technology to send and receive phone calls using your
regular everyday household touch tone corded or wireless
telephone.

Technically broadband phone service doesn’t even need your
computer to work, you just need a broadband Internet
connection, and both DSL or cable broadband will work.
You’ll also need a broadband telephone adaptor to plug your
phone line into instead of the usual wall jack. Pretty
simple huh?

What broadband phone service allows you to do is bypass your
telephone company, and connect your call directly to the
same grid your phone company uses. Can you guess what that
is? Right, the Internet. All this time your phone company
has charged you just to connect your call to the Internet!
What a rip off, right?

Now just wait, it gets better. So far Uncle Sam and the
telcos have not been able to tax or collect on sir charges
as had been the case for many years with your landline phone
company. Right now additional charges are very minimal. Did
you know that taxes and hidden fee’s can make up as much as
20% of your landline phone bill?

Now on to PC-to-phone service. PC-to-phone works in much the
same way broadband phone works, but without an adapter.
Instead you just need a headset or speakers and microphone
and PC-to-phone software installed on your computer. You can
use PC-to-phone to call someones phone from your computer,
and sometimes people can even call your computer.

Now before you get excited, PC-to-phone is not free. The
cent per minute rates are low for long distance, but you
normally get charged the same amount for a local call. Whats
worse, PC-to-phone services actually do no service for you
at all. It uses the software that you downloaded and host on
your computer to track your calls, and doesn’t cost them a
penny when you make a call. You’re just paying for the
software over, and over, and over again.

Internet phone service is just a vague term for broadband
and PC-to-phone type services. So now that you know what
VoIP is not, and what broadband phone service and
PC-to-phone is, why are you still using that landline phone?
Broadband phone service is without any doubt the cheapest
phone service on the planet and is the best way to take
advantage of VoIP technology. Not to mention, it finally
gives you a way to “stick it” to your phone company.

A good juicing book will go a long way toward helping you to
make the most of your juicer. If you are a juicing newbie, it is
reassuring to have access to recipes and tips to get you
started. If you are an old hand, discovering a fresh
combination, or a spiced up new taste, will inspire you to
experiment. If you’re eager to get down to the basics (and
more!) of making healthy and delicious juices, take a look at a
juicing book called “Ultimate Juicing: Delicious Recipes For
Over 125 Of The Best Fruit & Vegetable Juice Combinations” by
Donna Pliner Rodnitzky.

Great-tasting fruit and vegetable drinks are described in easy
and fun recipes. Try Adam’s Apple, Berry the Hatchet, The Beet
Goes On, Grin and Carrot, Heard It Through the Grapefruit, or
any of the others in this entertaining collection.

Each recipe in the juicing book is accompanied by a nutritional
analysis which guides you in preparing healthy drinks at home.
This down-to-earth book avoids the temptation of making
extravagant claims regarding the health and spiritual benefits
of juicing.

In eight chapters Rodnitzky describes the nutritional value of
fresh-made juices and proper selection, preparation, and storage
of produce. Juicer selection is also discussed without
attempting to influence the reader regarding specific brands:
the juicers are described purely in terms of their functionality.

Rodnitzky’s juicing book also contains a comprehensive index
which makes the book very useful for everyday use in the kitchen.

A book that homes in on the healing and therapeutic values of
juicing is “The Juicing Bible” by Pat Crocker and Susan Eagles.
The authors show how many ingredients found in your local
grocery and health store can contribute to improving a variety
of health concerns with daily juicing.

If you believe juicing is a healthy alternative and want to
learn how to make it part of your daily life, this book is
designed to appeal to you. It shows how juices, teas, bitters,
and tonics can be made with easy recipes. You are likely to find
references to many of your questions and concerns regarding a
number of ailments.

In the first section of this juicing book the authors list the
properties and healing qualities of almost 100 herbs, fruits,
and vegetables.

This is followed by a section listing 60 common ailments, and
the recipes specifically aimed at providing relief for these
conditions.

The final section contains more than 150 recipes, and gives
details about the types of juices to focus on from season to
season during the year.

Another enlightening juicing book is “Juicing for Life” by
Cherie Calbom and Maureen B. Keane. If you are looking for
meal-in-a-glass juicing, this book will show you how. Part One
describes “The Basics” of juicing with excellent guidelines. It
includes a useful set of “Juicing Tips”.

The second part of the book deals with various disorders or
ailments, and offers general recommendations regarding diet,
nutrients, and beneficial juicing recipes.

Part Three offers diet plans, with suggestions for basic healthy
eating, as well as many different types of cleansing diets.

>From the master of juicing, Jay Kordich, you have ‘Juiceman’s
Power Of Juicing’ available. Apart from recipes, this book will
give you background about the benefit of juicing, the methods,
and nutrition. It will also explain how common ailments can
improve with the use of fresh juice.

Also available is ‘Jay Kordich’s Live Foods - Live Bodies’ by
Jay and Linda Kordich. If you are looking for all Jay’s secrets
to longevity, you will find it in this book. The book covers
topics such as the power of juice therapy, the importance of
enzymes, the power of uncooked greens, and Jay’s own inspiring
story. Many tasty and tempting recipes are included.

These are just a sample of the many great books that are
available. A juicing book will either focus on the equipment you
need and the methods involved in the process of juicing, or
alternatively on recipes and the healing qualities of fruit and
vegetables. The best books offer a combination of these, but you
are likely to find something of value in any book you choose.
Enjoy!

For more information visit www.Best-Juicing.com

Businesses routinely maintain copies of correspondence and memos. Far to often, however, they do not extend this practice to email correspondence. Email correspondence is no different then your normal paperwork. You must keep copies of all of it to protect your business in any litigation.

Currently, only banks and broker-dealers are obliged to retain e-mail and instant messaging documents for three years under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules. Beginning July 2006, all public companies will also be required to do so under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Notwithstanding these laws, your custom and practice should be to maintain copies of all email correspondence. Email is considered evidence and courts are hammering businesses that do not maintain email records. Judges are often ruling that the failure to maintain and produce email records means the business in question is hiding key evidence.

In the recent Perelman v. Morgan Stanley litigation, a judge’s ruling on the failure of Morgan Stanley to produce email was key factor in the issuance of a $1.45 billion verdict. Based on the failure to produce email records, Judge Elizabeth Maass issued a pretrial ruling that effectively found Morgan Stanley conspired to defraud Perelman in a 1998 deal. Morgan Stanley is not the only business defendant to have this problem.

In the summer of 2004, UBS bank was found by a judge to have “willfully destroyed” email evidence in a discrimination case. UBS was ordered to pay costs and a jury returned a $29 million verdict.

Email Policy

To protect your business, you must have a procedure in place to maintain email communications generated through the business. Failure to keep these records can lead to rulings in litigation that your business willfully destroyed evidence. If this occurs, the judge may issue significant monetary sanctions, automatically find you liable or take other harsh steps that assure a victory for the Plaintiff. As if such developments are not bad enough, there exists a second risk associated with email communications.

Maintaining email communications, however, can have a downside. The problem arises, of course, when a communication contains statements that are damaging to your business. Yes, the proverbial catch-22 situation.

To avoid such disasters, your business must develop a clear policy on email communications and train all employees to comply with that policy. Employees must understand the business environment is not one in which jokes, flippant remarks and so on should be made in email communications.

Richard A. Chapo is a San Diego business lawyer with www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com - a San Diego business law firm in San Diego, California.

“Don’t forget the salads”, shouts Rob. Obviously top priority in my husband’s mind. Not so long ago a picnic consisted of egg sandwiches, or tomato and cheese and a few bags of crisps. If you were lucky you might find someone had thrown in the odd scotch egg and some pork pie. Now our weekly picnics have developed into a competition for which all the wives are intent on producing some spectacular dish which would grace a dinner party table. Surely a picnic is supposed to relaxed and carefree?

Rob dashes into the kitchen and packs my home made salads, (potato and Mediterranean), coleslaw and fruit salad along with wine, beer and soft drinks into a ‘cool box’. “We’ll be late”, he says, “hurry up”. “Rob, where’s Susie ?” “In the garden, I’ll give her a shout”. Susie, our daughter, is six and lives for these picnics. She’s already wearing her lifejacket as she rushes in from the garden, dancing about in anticipation.

Rob finally loads everything into the Jeep and locks up the house. He treats every outing with military precision. Once we’re in the jeep he produces what can only be described as a check list. When he’s satisfied we’re all present and correct he starts the engine and drives the short distance to the river where our friends are waiting.

Susie and I climb on the catamaran which has twin hulls and makes me feel safer. Rob and a friend jump into their sailing dingy and set sail immediately. The others decide which dingy they’ll take. Mike’s sailing the catamaran and waits for them so we can all leave together.

I’m not keen on sailing, particularly along the River Nile but our picnics are an institution. I’ll be happy when we reach the island in the middle of the river where we always picnic. We’re not too far away now, almost at Crocodile Island where Rob and his friends sometimes go shooting. Each time we pass it I shudder. Rob and his friend, Neil, are well ahead of us. They can’t wait to see if the pit which Jeff and Pete are digging is ready. They left at six this morning to prepare the pit and the fire because we roast a whole sheep which takes hours.

Susie decides to make her presence felt. She calls to Mike who’s sailing along steadily. “Uncle Mike, Uncle Mike, tip it over, tip it over !” My eyes lock with Mike’s. “Don’t you dare! She’s a little Madam. She knows I hate sailing”. I turn to Susie who’s giggling. “And you, Susie, ought to know better than to ask Uncle Mike to tilt the boat. Just because Daddy tips it over doesn’t mean Uncle Mike will. He’s got more sense”. She snuggles up to me. “Well, I’m sailing back with Daddy. It’s more fun”. She jumps up and I watch her scramble across the boat, my heart in my mouth, terrified she’ll fall into the river. She turns around, displaying a cheeky grin and waves to our friends in the other boats. A few more minutes and we’ll be there.

Mike expertly steers the catamaran to the island. All the women are wearing bikinis and smother themselves in sun cream. The men have already erected a couple of tents for those who want some shade. Rob walks over to us. “Come and have a look at the barbeque, Jan. The sheep’s already on the spit. Susie, that’s enough sun cream. We’re going to have a look at the barbeque. Hold my hand.” We trudge through the sand and watch Neil basting the sheep. He’s using the sheep’s tail attached to a stick which he dips in olive oil and lemon juice to baste it. Pete’s turning the spit so the sheep will cook evenly. We all have a go at turning the spit for a while. That way it means one person isn’t doing all the work. It’s only half past ten and we’ve the whole day ahead of us. As I take a quick dip in the river I try to forget about the crocodiles and the deadly bacteria which thrive in its waters.

The men are drinking beer while I swallow gallons of Coke. I must have the cleanest stomach in the Sudan. Susie plays with the other children while we adults stretch out and sunbathe, each of us sporting tans in various shades of mahogany!! Suddenly it’s mid afternoon and the sheep is ready. The men take their turn to carve while we produce the ‘goodies’ we’ve prepared at home. Each of us is starving and we devour the food in record time. We send the children to rest in the shade of the tents but they never stop chattering and giggling.

Unbelievably, it’s time to return. The sun sets early in the tropics so we never stay later than five p.m. Before long everything is packed up and we’re ready to leave. Susie stays behind with Rob while he makes sure the fire is out, fills the barbeque pit with sand and clears up any left over rubbish. I again climb on the catamaran, which Mike’s sailing, along with several of our friends. We arrive back first and they drop me off at home.

Two hours later I’m wondering why Rob and Susie haven’t come home. What in God’s name can have happened to them? It’s dark now. They should have been back long ago. Maybe the boat’s capsized or maybe the crocodiles…. Don’t even think about it. Susie’s only six. She must be terrified. The phone’s out of order and I can’t call anyone for help. Please God, let them be safe. Please let me see them again. If You’ll just answer this one prayer I promise never to ask for another thing. My God! it’s eight o’clock. I’ll have a stiff drink. Better not, I might get drunk. I can’t sit here in the kitchen all night. Why not? I realise I’m losing it because I’m hearing voices. They’re getting nearer. Terrified, I glance round the kitchen and watch the door open. Two tired but smiling faces pop round the door. By now I’m sobbing. “Have you any idea what I’ve gone through?” Rob puts his arms round me. “I know it sounds ridiculous but we were becalmed. There wasn’t a breath of wind. We had no choice but to sit tight until the wind blew up again”. Susie interrupts. “It was so exciting Mummy. Daddy found some chocolate and drinks in the cool box. I can’t wait for next week’s picnic!!”

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Travel

I remember well the first ship that I joined that had a Satellite Phone on it. I joined as Chief Engineer on this tiny little Research Vessel on a tiny little river in Papua New Guinea and I never saw the ship when I arrived at the wharf, all I could see was this massive white Golf Ball perched high on the top deck. Looked as if it was pushing what little there was of the ship down into the water. I remained in awe of that UFO for the first half of the trip and for the remainder I wished that I could afford the six-pounds per minute that it cost to use!

Yeah, satellites and all that went with them sneaked up on all ship’s staff without notice or prior warning. Once upon a time we could leave port and not be heard from, left to our own devices until the next port but now we are being constantly monitored and required to send daily reports through to the company. No longer is it “have a safe trip and see you when you get there”, now it is “we’ll be watching you”. Ah, long gone have those days when we where a team all alone on the high seas!

Engineers never really became involved with the Sat phones for many years. One day sunbathing on the Monkey Island and the next a UFO had landed on your favorite spot. And the funny thing was that nobody ever really talked about it at all. If it had been a new generator or a new ballast pump then everybody would have been discussing it for months before and after. “At last we are getting a new one”, the Chief would say and the Captain would respond with “no more blackouts then eh”? Faxes and telexes would fly around and all would be posted for all to see, even the cook would become enthused due to the excitement surrounding him. “A new ballast pump eh?” the cook would say at dinner, “yep, 300m3/hour” the third would reply enthusiastically. The cook would then typically respond with “good, great, no more blackouts then, eh?” having totally crossed his wires. But the satellite remained a silent misnomer that was unheard of one day and then the next installed and running. I am never sure why this was as the whole idea and set-up far exceeds that of new machinery or anything else but there we have it. I would hazard a guess for the secrecy and lack of conversation regarding this advent - that of fear of such tremendous change. So new and so large an alteration in the way of life at sea, but this is only a guess.

And the Captains? Well, they all changed. Most became serious recluses (more so than before) and watched these phones day in day out, warding off Engineers and others alike from getting close. Padlocks and intricate codes were used to prevent usage other than by themselves, and those that could installed the phone in their cabins. It was a stressful time and lasted nearly ten years. Ten years of complete disintegration of any normalcy between Engineers and Captains and ten years of Engineers having to beg, borrow or steal to even get close to the Black Handset. I suppose it was such an advanced and sudden change that it took a while to get used to and become accepted as an everyday piece of equipment - just another one that may break down or require maintenance.

Of course over time everything got cheaper, the white golf balls became smaller and have all but disappeared. Handsets reduced in size from large and awkward monstrosities to those resembling typical household phones (except for the padlock that the Captains could never actually dispense with) and Engineers suddenly became necessary in the operation of the associated software. Why do I say that? Well, let me digress for a moment. When Engineers and Deck Officers step ashore in an unknown and distant port it rapidly becomes apparent that the Engineers are far more able to navigate their way back to the vessel. The same becomes clear when computers are involved. There is the Captain with a nice little sat phone and software through which he can do his departure checks, send daily reports, order stores, check his private email and on more advanced systems check the latest stock prices. But he has an ongoing problem as every time he presses “send” nothing happens, or he has lost his latest daily report to some unknown “chip with legs” inside the white box that hums.

Oh deary me! Scratching of the head ensues and attempts at throwing the computer or phone over the side are resisted. It is then that an Engineer happens to be passing by and that he notices that the Captain is suffering from high blood pressure. Then a couple of mouse clicks later the whole problem is solved, the missing file relocated or the email winging its way upwards or across the blue ocean. Yes, I have found that the majority of Engineers have an easier grasp or ability to understand computers and the software involved than have the Navigators. Not sure why and I am not going to get into this subject but believe me it is fact!

Satellite phones also changed the way of communication with the outside world. Before all communication from and to the ship went via the Captain. Every piece of writing could be censored or displayed at the Masters discretion but nowadays Chief Engineers, Mates and even Second Engineers are sending their own stores orders and emails to Head Office. Engineers talk directly to Superintendents about their mechanical problems, mates read incoming emails when alone on watch and all can be done without others being able to oversee or hear what is being said. The satellite phone has brought to the ship a sense of industry ashore, the ability to communicate and talk easily when and where you want without having to wait for a week or two or without having to use an intermediary to pass the messages along.

Nowadays a ship without some form of email/sat communication is improbable and all at sea are fully familiar with the system and expect to be able to use it when and where they want. All part of being at sea in the Modern day Merchant Navy one could say! Emails and mobile phones have become a part of life everywhere so why should seafarers be any different? Now with such systems being commonplace calls are cheaper and affordable. Emails can be written whenever the computer is free and sent at minimal cost, this cost often being carried by the company as pennies rather than pounds are involved.

Imagine the future, instant diagnosis of engine problems, expert advice at hand for the engineers. The Engineers have a serious problem and have broken down in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They are scratching their heads as to what has gone wrong and the only people that can help them are 2000miles away in an Office unaware as to the drifting vessels plight. Today we can call these experts up and describe the problem and thus gain invaluable insight into what may be wrong or what they can possibly do to rectify the problem. The future gives them this: A mobile phone to take down to the work site, a video camera to send instant pictures of area and problems to Head Office, a recording of full conversation to replay later (for insurance and blame), instant download of possible solution or temporary repair of the problem and immediate advice from the expert ashore who can see exactly what is going on.

Yep, that is the future that we will look towards, a few years down the line we have gone from haphazard and unstable radio communication to instant and clear access anywhere anytime!

What will the next fifteen years bring? Whatever it may be just make sure that you have an Engineer at hand.

Ieuan Dolby
10th October 2002

Bron Edinburgh Scotland in 1967. As a Seafarer has travelled the world for fifteen years but now resides in Taiwan writing and running the www.seadolby.com website.

Wholesale body jewelry offers resellers high profit margins along with high volume sales, when done right.

Resellers, whether flea market vendors, eBay sellers, or dollar stores, will be faced with competition from online and offline retailers who can buy wholesale body jewelry at a lower price.

To outmaneuver this competition in the wholesale body jewelry business, resellers need to have a strategic plan in place.

Part one of their plan deals with finding the best sources for wholesale body jewelry at the lowest possible prices.

For this reason I would recommend resellers to stay away from drop shippers when looking for wholesale body jewelry.

Since the drop shipper is set up to offer his products to thousands of other resellers, you will not be able to compete based on price. All the resellers are paying the same price to the wholesale body jewelry drop shipper, so how can your prices be lower?

When looking to buy wholesale body jewelry you want to get as close to the source as possible.

Since you will not be able to buy brand name wholesale body jewelry for a lower price than major retailers can, you will want to look for lesser known wholesale body jewelry sellers.

For instance, ABC Body Jewelry might not have the name recognition that Tiffany enjoys, but you can show customers that the quality is the same, and as long as your prices are lower some customers should buy the wholesale body jewelry manufactured by ABC Body Jewelry.

When you contact these companies looking for wholesale body jewelry ask them for their overstock, overrun, and closeout deals. You would be surprised at the wholesale body jewelry deals you can find from small manufacturers that are looking to move merchandise out.

You can find great wholesale body jewelry deals but it will take some solid leg work.

Donny Lowy is the CEO of http://www.closeoutexplosion.com, an online wholesale and closeout business, and http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com, an educational site for the wholesale and closeout business.