Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Chain E-Mails and Unnecessary Bulk Mail: Stop the Insanity

Not everything that comes through the mail is valid. Most of the mail I receive--be it through US Post office or my e-mail--is just plain annoying. Still, there must be some people, even friends, who assume that I enjoy receiving so much garbage. They do not get it, even when I tell them, that the deletion of such stuff is an imposition on my time.

Why do they do it? I think, because someone else has sent it to them to be forwarded to a number of people, friends being the key word, and they don’t have the backbone to stop the chain. When this type of a chain e-mail comes from a friend, it is worse than getting it from a stranger, because I can’t block his e-mail since I want to keep my friends.

Chain letters, first in snail mail then in e-mails, started out as pranks or jokes or for circulating information, whether the receiver wanted to get such mail or not and whether he got the joke or the purpose of the mailer or not. In the beginning, I used to send the chain e-mail back to the sender to make him understand, but now I just delete it.

Then sometimes, I get another e-mail scolding me why I broke the chain. Some of the letters used to come with a warning such as: “If you break this chain and do not send this to seven other people, great misfortune will follow you and someone close to you will face adversity.” Nowadays, these types of warnings are passé. Still, the bulk mailing and chain letters remain as the preferred mode of communicating someone’s objectives that do not concern the receiver.

On the other hand, I enjoy receiving personal letters and e-mails from friends greatly and I love it when a friend e-mails me an article or a URL that he knows will interest me. I even like the bulk mail if the content is of concern to me and is sent by someone I know or work with in some capacity.

There are numerous kinds of unconstructive bulk mails and chain letters. A true list would fill volumes. A few examples to those are: addressing one’s soft side by imploring help to the poor, sick, missing, or dying people; political truths or falsehoods under the guise of news; matchmaking or meet-your-soulmate mail; online rumor against one institution, company or person; virus warning hoaxes; mail of advertisements with doctored photos or pictures; e-mail activist petitions that ask a person to add his name to a list; a prize for nothing frauds; and pyramid schemes hiding under false pretenses. Most of these are scams to get the receiver’s money, but even when they aren’t, they are just as leechlike because they take up your time and inbox space.

Although the Federal Trade Commission came up with a “Do Not Call List,” there are no laws I know of that forbid sending junk e-mail and chain letters, leaving spammers and swindlers free to gather e-mail addresses or personal information leading to identity theft and other harassments. FTC acts like a powerless waif against spamming and scamming mail and e-mail.

I believe, the best way to fight this trend is to not to forward any chain letter to anyone else, even when the content appeals to us and even if we think we know and trust a respectable company or business. Most scammers hide behind well-known names, associations and companies. The only weapon to fight this ill is to break the chain and just delete the e-mail from our inbox.Not everything that comes through the mail is valid. Most of the mail I receive--be it through US Post office or my e-mail--is just plain annoying. Still, there must be some people, even friends, who assume that I enjoy receiving so much garbage. They do not get it, even when I tell them, that the deletion of such stuff is an imposition on my time.

Why do they do it? I think, because someone else has sent it to them to be forwarded to a number of people, friends being the key word, and they don’t have the backbone to stop the chain. When this type of a chain e-mail comes from a friend, it is worse than getting it from a stranger, because I can’t block his e-mail since I want to keep my friends.

Chain letters, first in snail mail then in e-mails, started out as pranks or jokes or for circulating information, whether the receiver wanted to get such mail or not and whether he got the joke or the purpose of the mailer or not. In the beginning, I used to send the chain e-mail back to the sender to make him understand, but now I just delete it.

Then sometimes, I get another e-mail scolding me why I broke the chain. Some of the letters used to come with a warning such as: “If you break this chain and do not send this to seven other people, great misfortune will follow you and someone close to you will face adversity.” Nowadays, these types of warnings are passé. Still, the bulk mailing and chain letters remain as the preferred mode of communicating someone’s objectives that do not concern the receiver.

On the other hand, I enjoy receiving personal letters and e-mails from friends greatly and I love it when a friend e-mails me an article or a URL that he knows will interest me. I even like the bulk mail if the content is of concern to me and is sent by someone I know or work with in some capacity.

There are numerous kinds of unconstructive bulk mails and chain letters. A true list would fill volumes. A few examples to those are: addressing one’s soft side by imploring help to the poor, sick, missing, or dying people; political truths or falsehoods under the guise of news; matchmaking or meet-your-soulmate mail; online rumor against one institution, company or person; virus warning hoaxes; mail of advertisements with doctored photos or pictures; e-mail activist petitions that ask a person to add his name to a list; a prize for nothing frauds; and pyramid schemes hiding under false pretenses. Most of these are scams to get the receiver’s money, but even when they aren’t, they are just as leechlike because they take up your time and inbox space.

Although the Federal Trade Commission came up with a “Do Not Call List,” there are no laws I know of that forbid sending junk e-mail and chain letters, leaving spammers and swindlers free to gather e-mail addresses or personal information leading to identity theft and other harassments. FTC acts like a powerless waif against spamming and scamming mail and e-mail.

I believe, the best way to fight this trend is to not to forward any chain letter to anyone else, even when the content appeals to us and even if we think we know and trust a respectable company or business. Most scammers hide behind well-known names, associations and companies. The only weapon to fight this ill is to break the chain and just delete the e-mail from our inbox.


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

Tips For Starting Dating Service Business In Los Angeles

Nowadays, finding a dream partner is not as easy as it used to be a few years back. The reasons for this are hectic professional lives and unfamiliarity with dating services. Singles in the U.S. would be glad to know that there are several online dating services. Hence, there is no longer a necessity for them to go and hunt for partners to socialize. They can just go online and browse for such sites that will offer them a lot of options. These sites are of different types: Some of them are broad-based and have members from different backgrounds looking out for several kinds of relationships; others provide specific services for members considering their interest, location, and relationships sought after.

If you are planning to set up such a service in Los Angeles, it could be a wise business decision, given the popularity of such services in the city.

As a provider of an Internet dating service, you need to facilitate individuals, groups, and couples to meet online and encourage them to develop either a romantic or a sexual relationship. You could also consider providing un-moderated matchmaking services by way of personal computers, cell phones, and internet. These services will enable people to exchange personal information and allow them to search for eligible partners based on the criteria of age, gender, profession, and location.

You may also provide the users the opportunity of uploading their photos to your website so that interested people can consider them for “hookups.” You may think of providing additional services such as online chatting, messaging through message boards, and web casting. If you are providing only basic services, allow the users to register for free. However, if you are offering additional value-added services, you may charge them an extra fee on a monthly basis.

Such a business could yield great results, if you take it up seriously and invest considerable time in it. Research reports show that U.S. residents spent nearly $469.5 million in 2004 on online dating facilities. This makes the segment the largest paid web content, according to market experts. Moreover, towards November-end in 2004, nearly 844 lifestyle and dating sites were operational, which marks a 38% increase since the beginning of the year.

Market analysts point out that online dating services are likely to grow significantly in the U.S., considering the growing population of divorcees. Moreover, the online dating service is an already established industry and has been instrumental in marriages of thousands of americans. The business just needs your focus and commitment for guaranteeing success. Make sure that you have a business plan in place to start with.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining "The Community of Small Business Owners” to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.


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

A Guide To Speed Dating

Speed dating is a relatively new dating method that has proven successful to this point. If you are new to the dating scene and live in a larger city you surely want to check out speed dating. It is easy, fun and a lot more effective than picking someone up and a smoky bar, grocery store or one of those 'never successful' blind dates.

There are, however, some tips that can help you out when embarking on a speed dating adventure. Ensuring these things are in order can help you not only get a date, but have a lasting relationship with your new partner. Consider this guide to speed dating, employ the techniques and have a great time.

Just like in any other dating scenario potential dates will be looking at your appearance. Now this does not only mean how handsome or pretty that you are, but also how you keep yourself, dress and the all important hygiene. Its essential that you make a good first impression because it is the difference between having someone that is interested in you or sitting alone for another Friday night. Here are some great tips that can enhance your speed dating and find you a mate at record speed.

A guide to speed dating tip #1

Your hygiene is an absolute must in any social, dating or other experience with people. If you a ride to a speed dating session with unkept hair, food in your teeth or dirty clothes others will likely assume that you are a slob and write you off. For a man if your nails are dirty, make sure that you rectify this before that date. Dirty nails or hands signify a laborer to women and may scare them off. Now you may be a laborer and are not concerned whether she knows or not what you do for a living. That is fine there is nothing wrong with working hard making an honest a living, but it is important that she sees you can separate your career from your personal life and take your hygiene very seriously. Plus, it is very dirty and there are a ton of germs that hide away underneath dirty fingernails so do yourself a favor and clip and clean them.

Hair that is too long, glittered or not clean is also not a good thing. This can signify you’re not concerned with your look and give off an unorganized type of attitude. Neither one of these thoughts is something that you want going through your dates mind.

A guide to speed dating tip #2

Since you are only given an allotted amount of time with each individual make sure that you plan your conversation before hand. It is a good idea to make a list of questions or comments that you find important before the date ever arrives. This can help in the matchmaking process and ensure that you find someone that is suitable for you. It is perfectly acceptable to take in a list of questions or other things that you would like to know about the person. Avoid personal questions that could be considered a prying attempt. You do not want to appear as a stalker, but you do want to get a good idea of the person themselves.

A guide to speed dating tip #3

Do not be rude if you are not interested in someone or the conversation is not going well. Always be polite. If you make a scene or are ugly to someone the woman or man of your dreams may see this which can be a huge turn off to most people. There is never any need to hurt someone's feelings or say something ugly just because you are not interested. You are only with each person a short amount of time so you can endure a conversation to avoid hurting the other person's feelings.

Speed dating is very exciting and can lead to a life of happiness with the person of your dreams. You must make sure that you present yourself properly, ask the correct questions and be polite.



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