Music Online Glossary - When Music, Music Careers and PCs Collide

The Internet has proven to be where music can be discovered, reviewed, discussed, shared, and purchased. Musicians know this and get online to upload their music and become a part of the world wide music machine process. They come on the Web at every age, at every experience level - musically and computer savvy. From youngsters starting out to seasoned musicians just learning where the computer on switch is, the workings of being on a computer can be overwhelming with everything else they have going on in their lives.

The Web also allows musicians access to music knowledge. Artists will come across difficult terminology and phrases that they do not understand. Compiled in the following mini glossary are music business, digital, organizations, record biz lingo, computer terms and basic need-to-know info. Hopefully, something listed here will help you navigate music online a bit easier, and so you know, this glossary is an excerpt of an extensive list found on Artistopia.

A&R - Artist and Repertoire, aka talent scouts: a record company liaison whose duties may include to find, select and develop the music artist, band and/or songwriter.

Affiliate Program - a way to earn income by linking your Web site to another site, depending on the action taken by the visitor.

ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers which licenses and distributes royalties to it's members' copyrighted works.

Bandwidth - has nothing to do with the size of a band but is a measure of the amount of information (data) that can be sent over a network connection in a given period of time. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits per second.

Bitrate - The number of kilobits per second of data in your audio file. The bitrate you choose when creating an MP3 file determines the size and quality of the resulting MP3. The highest commonly available bitrate is 320 kbps and the higher the bitrate, the closer the encoding is to the original source of music.

Blanket License - allows the user to perform any or all, in part or all, of the songs in the ASCAP repertory. What a warm and cozy license.

Business Manager - an artist or band manager that specializes in the financial matters, including planning, investing, income, taxes, decisions and contracts.

Buzz - to get people talking about a new artist, band, song or album, creating intense excitement and/or rumors.

Clause - a chubby fellow in a red suit is Claus: in a record contract, there might be certain limitations, specifications, or modifications that stipulate the final outcome of that contract.

Concert Promoter - with duties including ticketing, PR, marketing, and booking, this agency or agent responsibilities are for concert event promotion.

Content - to make the Search Engines happy and have pages rank well in a search result, a good quantity of well written text aligning with the site's keywords and theme updated regularly is a Webmaster's steak and potatoes.

Cookie - no, not chocolate chip, but a piece of software that records info about your visit to a Web site, then holds the info until the server requests it.

Copyright - a set of exclusive rights regulating the use of a particular expression of an idea or information, in our case artistic properties, the songs and sound recordings.

Derivative Work - a new work based on or resulting from one or more preceding works.

Digital Licensing - the use of copyrighted music compositions including downloads, on demand streaming, limited use downloads and CD burning.

Distributor - the agency or agent that handles the sales and shipment of the music (records, CDs) to the marketplace or basically, gets the product to the consumers.

Domain Name - a sign post on the Internet, it is a unique name that identifies an Internet site.

DRM - Digital Rights Management is a technology that protects a piece of intellectual digital property such as a music, video, or text file.

Encoding - the process of converting audio to or from a compressed format like MP3 or WMA.

Exclusive Rights - under copyright law, the privileges that only a copyright owner has with respect to the copyrighted work.

Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) - a file format for audio data compression that does not remove information from the audio stream, as MP3, AAC, and Vorbis do.

Grammy Awards - an award ceremony for all genres presented by the Recording Academy for outstanding achievements in the recording industry: a gold megaphone for your mantel.

Groupie - what's the point of being an act without groupies? Overly enthusiastic fans with much love to offer.

HTML - HyperText Markup Language, programming language for the world wide web. A web browser interprets the code written and displays it for a web page and web sites. Some very basic knowledge of HTML may help on some sites.

Hook - a pirate: a music phrase, a passage, an idea - something (catchy and/or repetitive) that makes the song stand out and be more appealing and remembered.

Hype - sensational and extreme promotion of a person, idea or product.

Indie - an independent artist or band that desires to do-it-all-themselves and/or not affiliated with a larger record label.

Intern - usually a college student job at a record label in a no or low paying position, more of an apprenticeship learning the ropes and gaining business experience.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) - how and who connects your computer or network to the Internet, whether dialup, DSL, Cable, T1 or T3.

Master Recording License - pertains to the recording of a performance itself, which are usually controlled by the record label.

Mastering - the final stage and preparation in a recording before weapons of mass duplication, includes the consistency of audio levels and quality perfecting.

Mechanical License - the use of copyrighted musical compositions for use on CDs, cassettes, record albums.

Music Contracts - all the various bits of paperwork used in the music business, always read the "fine print" to the many contracts - recording, management, finders fee, general release contracts. When the contracts come in - time to get an Entertainment Attorney.

Music Industry - all things pertaining and related to the business of music, dominated by the Big Four major labels: Sony BMG, Warner, Universal and EMI.

Music Publisher - provides services such as marketing, pitching and promoting works written by songwriters. Deals with the commercial exploitation of music catalogs and songs.

Press Kit - aka media kit, a prepackaged set of promotional materials for a music artist or band for distribution including song samples, bio, historical info, photos and contact information.

Producer - duties include: controlling the recording session, guidance of the artist(s), coaching, organizing, scheduling of production resources and budgets, as well as supervising the process of recording, mixing and mastering.

Publishing Royalties - income paid to the writer of a song.

RIAA - Recording Industry Association of America, the organization that represents the interests of record labels and producers in the USA.

Ripping - means to take an audio CD and record it to a computer in an uncompressed file format (wav). Digital audio extraction from one media form to a hard disk.

Roadie - the road crew that travels with a band on tour. These hard working individuals do everything but the performance, are technicians, do the set up and take down, security, bodyguards, pyrotechnics, and lighting.

Sampling Rate - the number of samples taken per second when digitizing sound. The higher the number, the better the quality of the digital reproduction.

SoundExchange - an independent, nonprofit performance rights organization that collects and distributes digital performance royalties for recording artists and record labels when their sound recordings are performed on digital cable, satellite TV music, internet and satellite radio.

Sound Recording - the copyright of the recording itself (what you hear, the entire production) as distinguished from the copyright of the song (words and music owned by the songwriter or publisher).

Synchronization License - aka "synch" license, allows the user to reproduce a musical composition "in connection with" or "in timed relation with" a visual image, motion picture, video, advertising commercial - from the copyright owner of the music.

Talent Agent - or booking agent, the representative of the music artist(s) that sets up the live performances.

Vanity Label - a celebrity recording artist is given a label within a label and runs under the umbrella of the parent label.

Artistopia - The Ultimate Artist Development Resource http://www.artistopia.com is an artist development and community on the web providing music artists, songwriters and bands all the tools needed for displaying their talent, music business collaboration, marketing and networking. Online since 2003, Artistopia develops advanced technology solutions that leverage the Internet to both the music artist and music companies respective advantage. Full Glossary at Music Online Glossary

Della Griffin: Jazz and R&B Pioneer (Part 1)

Della Griffin, a legendary jazz singer and one of the first female drummers, was born the 19th child out of 20 on June 12, 1925 in Newbury, South Carolina to William and Mary Gilliam. Though born in the south, Della Griffin grew up in Jamaica, Queens, NY.

As a child, Della Griffin took an early interest in entertainment. She devoutly listened to big band singers and jazz tunes each day on the radio. She began dance lessons when she was 8 and took up singing, which became her ultimate love, three years later, after her brother-in-law, a trumpeter gave her a Billie Holiday (1915-1959) (whom later with her husband, became a close friend) record. Upon receiving the Billie Holiday record, Della “immediately reallocated her weekly allowance from paying for movies to buying all of Holiday’s records as well as records by William “Count” Basie (1904-1984), Charlie Barnet (1913-1991) and other swinging big bands of the day.”[1]

In addition, because of her passion for singing, Della Griffin frequently sang the latest songs around the house. She especially loved to sing in front of company and guests. It was a habit she carried into old age. As a result, her foster children were blessed to hear special renditions of “Today Is Your Birthday,” the title song of her first release, each birthday.

Tragically when Della Griffin was 12, her younger sister, Nancy, the family’s 20th child, contracted pneumonia and died. Yet Della persevered. Her love for music and dreams of becoming a performer remained undiminished.

Within a few years, after graduating with the Class of ‘43 from Jamaica High School (JHS) in Queens, NY, Griffin began singing professionally. She performed in local clubs and dance halls in South Carolina. Upon discovering the enthusiastic interest her performances commanded in the segregated south, Della in search of an even bigger audience, returned to New York where she and Frances Kelly decided to create a group in 1950. Per Della Griffin, “I always liked show business. I liked Billie Holiday. I was working with another girl [in a factory that manufactured shoulder pads.”[2]] and we decided to put a group together and sing. Any place they would let us sing, we would sing.”[3]

Afterwards, they recruited three additional members, Chris Towns, a mutual friend of theirs who was a pianist and songwriter, Pearl Brice, a childhood friend of Della’s, and Rachel Gist, “a Harlem club soloist.” They named their group the Enchanters, which in 1951 became one of the first female R&B groups “paving the way for [such famous female groups as] the Hearts, the Bobbettes, the Chantels and the Shirelles.”[4]

With the group in place, Della Griffin performed as the lead singer, Francis Kelly sang bass, Pearl Brice alto, and Rachel Gist, the youngest at 17, soprano, while Chris Towns played the piano and produced many of their songs. During their existence, the Enchanters “booked themselves into every venue available to them”[5] impressing one club so much that it even invited them to hold rehearsals in their building during off-hours.

As the Enchanters’ success grew, Della took a bold step in inviting Jerry Blaine (1910-1973), owner of Jubilee Records and label of “the Orioles,”[6] a male music group, to attend one of their performances in November 1951. “Intrigued at the thought of a female group,” Blaine agreed and attended their concert at Showman’s club (next to the famed Apollo theater on 125th Street in Harlem, NY) where he listened to them perform “I’ve Lost.” He was immediately impressed and invited the group to sign a contract the following day. Recording began within a week with “Today Is Your Birthday,” a sentimental love song which had been given to them by Blaine and had been previously performed by the Sugartones (Onyx label), “How Could You Break My Heart,” “I’ve Lost,” “Housewife Blues,” and “You Don’t Know I’m Not In Love With You.” Della Griffin was the lead singer in all five songs, with bandleader Buddy Lucas providing male vocals in “Today Is Your Birthday.”

With the recordings completed in one session on November 28, 1951, Jubilee Records included “the Enchanters’ as ‘Something New & Different!’”[7] in their 1951 Christmas trade ad that included its list of performers, most notably the Orioles, Buddy Lucas, Edna McGriff, and Earlington Carl Tilghman (1928-1981) known as “Sonny Til,” who became a good friend of Della’s. This was even before Jubilee Records introduced the Enchanters and announced who they were just after New Year’s Day in 1952 when they released the group’s first record featuring “Today Is Your Birthday” and “How Could You [Break My Heart],” a blues/rock song.

Fueled by the positive critical acclaim and success of their single, the Enchanters began touring the country. They performed at theaters “on The Chitlin Circuit”[8] and at the Apollo in New York City, The Howard in Washington, D.C., and The Royal in Baltimore, MD. Everywhere the Enchanters went they received an enthusiastic positive response. As a result, Shaw Artists Corporation signed on to represent them in March 1952.

Jubilee Records released the Enchanters’ second record in April 1952 that consisted of “I’ve Lost” and “Housewife Blues.” It was met with “a comparable reception.”[9]

With their success, Della Griffin and the Enchanters performed as part of the Amsterdam News’ 15th Annual Midnight Benefit Show (for the newspaper’s charitable fund) on December 12, 1952, appearing with “Milton Berle (1908-2002), Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), Aaron ‘Red Buttons’ Chwatt (1919-2006), ‘Duke’ Ellington (1899-1974), Arnett Cobb (1918-1989), Billy Eckstine (1914-1993), Vito ‘Vic’ Damone (b. 1928),”[10] etc. In addition, the Enchanters’ who felt that they “were not receiving the attention afforded [to Jubilee’s] male groups like The Orioles [and] The Marylanders”[11] left the label.

Then to compound matters, Rachel Gist who had entered into a troubled marriage that bore her two children, and Pearl Brice, also married, decided to quit the group, with the latter choosing to become a housewife. By this time, Della Griffin was married to her first of three husbands, Jimmy Simpson, who had been managing her group.

Despite the adversity, Della Griffin and Frances Kelly were determined to continue. They chose Gloria Alleyne (b. 1931) and Sherry Gary of the Dorsey Sisters, a relatively new female group, to replace Gist and Brice, respectively. They then renamed their group the Dell-Tones after Della Griffin their lead singer and drummer, the first female with such a role in a well-known group.

Following this, Della’s husband, Jimmy Simpson got them a record deal with Brunswick Records where they recorded “My Heart’s On Fire” and “Yours Alone” that prominently featured Griffin as the lead vocalist and Gloria Alleyne as the second lead and bridge, respectively on June 3, 1953. The record was released a month later.

The Dell-Tones then performed for a week at Harlem’s Baby Grand (near the Apollo) in December 1953, working with comedian Julius “Nipsey” Russell (1918-2005), a resident act dubbed “The Playboy of Harlem.”[12] Shortly afterwards, dissatisfied with their lack of releases, the Dell-Tones left Brunswick Records and signed on with Eddie Heller’s Rainbow records, where they recorded “I’m Not In Love With You” (released in April 1954) and “Little Short Daddy.” As usual, Della Griffin was the lead singer on both tracks while background music was provided by the Kelly Owens Orchestra.

Afterwards Della Griffin and the Dell-Tones embarked on a 43-day tour with Jimmy Forrest (1920-1980) on the “Night Train Tour,” which also included R&B “luminaries Granville ‘Stick’ McGhee (1917-1961) known as ‘Spo-Dee-O-Dee’ and Jimmy Smith (1928-2005).”[13] They also sang for performances by the Kangaroos, a dance troupe, alongside Arnett Cobb and Jean-Baptiste “Illinois” Jacquet (1922-2004), renowned jazz saxophonists, and performed at the Apollo, The Howard, The Royal, and made appearances in Lexington, KY, Little Rock, AK, Mobile, AL, New Orleans, LA (a legendary R&B and jazz city), as well as in the Canadian cities of Toronto and Quebec City, the latter where they also sang in French.

By this time, Gloria Alleyne who became known as Gloria Lynne, had aspirations for her own stardom. She left the Dell-Tones during the summer and signed on with a management team led by DJ Stan Pat of WTTM in Trenton, NJ and Jubilee Records. Subsequently, Gloria Alleyne had several successes including her hit song, “I Wish You Love,” which peaked at #28 on the charts in 1964. She was replaced by Shirley “Bunny” Foy.

More turmoil followed when Sherry Gary who had come with Gloria Alleyne from the Dorsey Sisters, also decided to leave. Yet the Dell-Tones went on, replacing Gary with Renée Stewart, who had been a gospel singer since she was five (having sung with the 3 Chimes, with her sister Beverly and Lily Mae Belle while attending P.S. 99 in the Bronx, NY) and a member of a “short-lived female group, The Solirettes.”[14] It should be noted that Renée Stewart had decided to audition at the last minute while accompanying a friend, Vicki Burgess, to the group’s trials.

By the summer of 1955, Della Griffin’s original partner, Frances Kelly also left with family taking priority over music. She was replaced by Algie Willie. The Dell-Tones then signed with Sol Rabinowitz’s Baton records, one of the first labels to put out a full-length R&B album, where they recorded four singles – “Don’t Be Long,” “Baby Say You Love Me,” “My Special Love,” and “Believe It” with Della performing as lead vocalist accompanied by Maurice Simon’s tenor sax.

Shortly after the release of their first Baton Records single that featured “Don’t Be Long” and “Baby Say You Love Me,” the Dell-Tones were invited to The Godfrey Show in Philadelphia, PA, where they anticipated performing “Baby Say You Love Me.” Instead, the Dell-Tones were told they couldn’t sing any of their songs because “they sounded too white.” Having been assigned a song they were not interested in, “their hearts weren’t into it… [and thus] they didn’t give it their all.” “That’s not what we were about, so of course we didn’t win,” Della Griffin later recounted.[15]

In December 1955, Gloria Alleyne Lynne’s new manager, Stan Pat signed the Dell-Tones and brought them back under the fold of Shaw Artists Corporation for bookings. The Dell-Tones then began a weeklong tour on December 30, 1955 at the Apollo, performing alongside Sonny Til and the Orioles, before returning to The Royal along with saxophonist Illinois Jacquet on February 3, 1956. This was followed by Baton’s release of “My Special Love” and “Believe It” in March 1956.

A month later, the Dell-Tones toured Canada where they performed at the Flamingo Club in Hamilton and the Esquire Show Bar in Montreal. In addition to her singing, Della Griffin also played the drums while Chris Town, the pianist also sang. At the same time, the group also added a second saxophonist, Frank Henderson, to assist Illinois Jacquet. Yet Della Griffin remained “the only lead.” “The others were lazy… When I got sick before an appearance and couldn’t sing, no one else would do it,” she reflected back to the time when the Dell-Tones had to cancel a show. “We had to come home without appearing.” [16]

The Dell-Tones next appeared for the opening of Club Basin Street in Miami’s Hotel Sir John for a four week engagement starting May 16, 1956 where they replaced Frank Henderson with Gloria Bell, who had played for “Duke” Ellington, as bassist. This proved to be the group’s last gig since a scheduled 11-week summer engagement at Club Harlem in Atlantic City was cancelled after Gloria Bell and Renée Stewart (the latter who eventually wrote “the celebrated R&B street anthem ‘I Call To You’[17]) left “to get married and settle down,”[18] followed by Chris Town who went on to work as a Broadway producer. It also did not help that their latest release, the “My Special Love/Believe It” single floundered after showing early promise in Philadelphia, PA and Virginia.

Afterwards, because of Della’s close friendship with Sonny Til, whom she took in and cared for, for the last two years of his life, the remnants of the Dell-Tones and his Orioles merged. The new group consisting of Della Griffin, Sonny Til, pianist Paul Griffin who became Della’s second husband, Diz Russell, Jerry Holeman, Aaron “Tex” Cornelius, Billy Adams, Shirley “Bunny” Foy, Renée Stewart who returned, and Algie Willie, produced two singles, “Voices Of Love” and “I’m So Lonely” in June 1957 and made several appearances in New York City clubs.

However, by the end of 1957, this group, The Kings And Queens, had also fallen apart. Della Griffin then went out on her own performing with an organist and saxophonist. At times she shared the stage with singer Etta Jones (1928-2001), a Grammy® nominee who went on to her own success following her hit single, “Don’t Go To Strangers.”

Della’s music career came to a decade-long hiatus starting in 1961 when she married Paul Griffin who wanted her to devote time to family matters. “When I married Paul, he wanted me to take time off,” Della Griffin stated during an interview. However the hiatus was not permanent since Della’s second marriage did not endure. “After we broke up, I started making the rounds again. I was scheduled to sing at The Blue Book on 146th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue (in New York City), for two weeks and wound up staying for years,” she added.[19]

~Continued in Part 2~

__________________

[1] Della Griffin. Musicmatch®, Inc. 2004. 3 August 2006. [http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/artist.cgi?ARTISTID=886881&TMPL=LONG]

[2] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[3] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 86.

[4] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[5] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 86.

[6] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[7] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[8] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 88.

[9] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 88.

[10] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[11] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 88.

[12] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[13] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.

[14] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.

[15] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.

[16] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[17] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.

[18] Marv Goldberg. Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks: The Enchanters/Delltones. 2004. 4 August 2006. [http://home.att.net/~marvart/Enchanters/enchanters.html]

[19] John Clemente. Girl Groups. (Krause Publications. Iola, WI., USA. 2000) 89.

William Sutherland is a published poet and writer. He is the author of three books, "Poetry, Prayers & Haiku" (1999), "Russian Spring" (2003) and "Aaliyah Remembered: Her Life & The Person behind the Mystique" (2005) and has been published in poetry anthologies around the world. He has been featured in "Who's Who in New Poets" (1996), "The International Who's Who in Poetry" (2004), and is a member of the "International Poetry Hall of Fame." He is also a contributor to Wikipedia, the number one online encyclopedia.

How to Find the Best Life Coach

Life coaching or mentoring is a booming industry and it is one which we associate with this last decade. Before then these titles were not ones which were bandied about as part of everyday conversation. Rather, we would refer to having a mentor in what would be considered almost exclusive circumstances; you would have a mentor in University or perhaps a mentor at work. Few people would refer to having a mentor in more personal circumstances.

It is good to see the explosion of popularity within this industry. What is more important to you - your business or your personal life? Why would you have a mentor at work and yet no mentor when you are dealing with more personal issues?

In the UK, life coaching and mentoring programs would seem to have caught on just as rapidly as in the USA which is something that I personally find quite interesting. For years now, residents in the USA have been familiar with various forms of counseling and therapy and these are seen as both positive and the norm. In the UK, however, many people secretly shiver at the very thought of needing to see a counselor.

Why has there been this change in attitude in the UK? Why are people more open to life coaching and mentoring than to counseling or various other forms of therapy? The answer I think lies in the way in which these programs are presented. Life coaching and mentoring are promoted as "life enhancement programs" as opposed to counseling or therapy which are thought of more as ways in which to fix something which is wrong; and who wants to think that they have something wrong, especially when it comes to their mind?

The fact is that the way in which something is advertised to us or presented to us can totally change the way in which we perceive it. The color of the advertisement or the shapes or pictures used impact upon us greatly. The simple act of altering one word in an advertisement can have the effect of changing a sales ratio by 80%. That may seem outrageous to you, but it is true; it is fact. I think that the use of a different title lies at the heart of why life coaching and mentoring is found to be more popular and acceptable than various other forms of "therapy".

When you look deeper than just the titles, one can see that a therapist's job (irrespective of their "title"), is to help their client to adjust their thinking and behavior to enable them to best achieve their goals. The client on the other hand will tend to seek out the therapist/therapy/life coach/mentor who has been presented to them as the most appealing, be that on the basis of something which they have read or seen on TV, heard on the radio or had recommended to them by a friend.

What is very clear is that there are many of us who feel in need of help or guidance. As children we learnt many things by being shown or copying. We are good at learning in this way; we are accustomed to it. And so perhaps a further appeal of the words "mentor" or "life coach" is that we are in fact looking for someone else to tell us what to do, instead of looking for a way in which to work things out for ourselves. In reality however, it is you who is living your life, and the best way in which to really learn and grow is to find things out for yourself.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that we do not need guidance. Guidance is a great asset. But no therapist/mentor/life coach can "do it" for you; they can only ever guide you, no matter what their title is.

I'm going to recommend something here which I think is a great place in which to start. But first I want you to know that my opinion is completely biased - I am a hypnotherapist and I do sell hypnosis mp3 downloads. So, I'm recommending hypnosis downloads as one of the best forms of life coach or mentor which you can find.

I am really passionate about what hypnosis can do to change your life. Not only that, hypnosis downloads are available instantly, and they are inexpensive. Even if you feel you want to seek a 1 to 1 appointment with somebody, a hypnosis download is a great place to begin and to open your mind to possibilities before you start searching to find the right "therapist" or coach.

Hypnosis is a state of relaxation which allows you to take a step back and see things more clearly. In hypnosis you have easy access to your subconscious mind which is the part where instinctive patterns of thought and behavior are stored; hypnosis therefore makes it easier to change these types of deep rooted patterns which may have been holding you back. With hypnosis not only can you find it easy to stop doing the things which you no longer want to do, you can sow the seeds for successful strategies in an environment which will nurture them and allow them to grow more quickly and with more strength.

Hypnosis downloads are a very powerful and effective life coach. I just hope that I have presented this option to you in a way which you find to be appealing.

Roseanna Leaton, specialist in hypnotherapy downloads to be your mentor in life.

P.S. You can grab a free hypnotherapy download from my website and see how effective this form of life coaching is.

With a degree in psychology and qualifications in hypnotherapy, NLP and sports psychology, Roseanna Leaton is one of the leading practitioners of self-improvement. You can get a free hypnotherapy download from http://www.RoseannaLeaton.com and peruse her extensive library of hypnotherapy downloads to inspire you.

How to Prevent, Detect, & Remove Computer Viruses

Is your computer acting strange? Think your computer might be infected with a virus? Ready to throw your computer out the window? Don't get rid of your computer just yet. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to detect, remove, and prevent your computer from being infected with a virus.

A computer virus can do a great deal of harm to your computer. This malicious software can do everything from erasing your computers hard drive to installing monitoring software, such as a keystroke logger, to record every keystroke typed on your computer. This could ultimately lead you to becoming a victim of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the USA.

Many viruses even use your computer as a platform to send viruses to other people. For example, a person infected with a virus could be unknowingly sending a virus to everyone they email. Or that cute little joke that you forwarded to all your friends could be infected with a nasty virus.

How To Detect & Remove A Virus

To be certain that your computer is indeed infected with a virus, you need to install anti-virus software. Be sure to remember that anti-virus software is only as good as the last update. This is because new viruses and other malware are created every day. Internet security companies are constantly playing a cat and mouse game to detect the newest viruses and other malicious software. Don't have anti-virus software installed on your computer? It is good to know that there is free anti-virus software available for download on the Internet. You can also do a free online virus scan to help you detect any viruses installed on your computer.

Most anti-virus software will automatically remove any viruses or other malware that it finds. However, if you are infected with a virus that cannot be removed by anti-virus software software there are free virus removal tools available online to remove viruses.

How To Prevent Becoming Infected With A Virus

Like human viruses an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure when it comes to preventing having your computer being infected with a virus or other malicious software. It is good to know that there are some simple steps you can take to prevent having your PC infected with a virus, spyware, or even a Trojan Horse.

1. Avoid using file sharing programs such as Kazaa, Bearshare, and Limewire. These programs allow you access to millions of other computer users files, such as games, music, and other files. Unfortunately, that free game or MP3 music file you just downloaded could very well contain a virus or other malicious software.

2. Next, avoid opening an email attachment from someone you don't know. In fact, don't even open an email attachment from someone you know, unless you know specifically what the attachment is. Your friend sending you that "cute little joke" might not be as internet security savvy as you are. That email attachment might contain more than you bargained for, being bundled with a computer virus or other malware.

3. Be sure to keep your operating system up to date. Enable Windows Updates to download and install the newest updates automatically. To configure Windows Vista to install updates automatically, click the Start button, followed by All Programs, Windows Update, and Change settings. Now, select Install Updates Automatically. Use the drop down menu below to select the time and date to install new updates. Finally, click on the OK icon.

4. Use an alternative web browser to Internet Explorer such as Firefox or Opera. I personally use Firefox for the majority of my web browsing. Even if alternative web browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, have security flaws, hackers are more likely to go after the "big fish" and attack Internet Explorer. This is because the majority of Internet users still use Internet Explorer to surf the Net. In fact, an independent study shows that, in 2006, IE users were vulnerable to online threats a massive 78% of the time. Firefox users? Only 2%.

5. Install firewall software, some of which can be downloaded for free online. Windows Vista and XP is actually bundled with a firewall. Just be sure to ensure that the Windows firewall is on.

6. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, it is crucial to have anti-virus software installed on your computer. You might be happy to hear that there is free anti-virus software available to download online. Just be sure to keep it up to date.

When it comes to internet security an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure. Isn't it good to know that there are some basic steps you can take to help prevent having your computer infected with a virus and other malicious software? However, if your computer has been infected with a virus or other malware, it is reassuring to know that there are free internet security software and tools available to detect and remove them.

Visit my Free Internet Security & Privacy Software page for free firewalls, antivirus, anti-spyware and other free internet security and privacy software. Chris Hecker is the webmaster of Internet Security 101. This site contains free info, links, articles, and tutorials on Internet security and privacy.

Interview With Patrice Dickey, Author of "Back to the Garden - Getting From Shadow to Joy"

As a speaker, award-winning author, workshop leader and life coach, Patrice Dickey helps others align their vision and values to create richer, more meaningful lives on every level. After having reinvented herself numerous times through many paradigm pitfalls and life shifts, she knows how to walk the talk!

Her passion today is her courses and workshops in spiritual growth and life transition. In the past, for 15 years she was one of fewer than ten female Dale Carnegie Sales Training instructors in the world, consistently receiving outstanding ratings.

She is author of the inspirational book "Back to the Garden: Getting from Shadow to Joy," its companion audiobook, "Selected Chapters from Back to the Garden," and a series of DVDs on self- empowerment, including "Treasure Maps: Charting Your Path to Lifelong Success" and "Influence Made Easy: Making Connections That Sell."

Published in 2006, "Back to the Garden" has won five awards in contests including Writers Digest, the international IPPYs and Best Books USA in inspirational/spiritual categories, as well as first prize for non-fiction from the Atlanta Writers Club.

In demand as a speaker for corporate workshops and keynotes on topics including "Think the Life You Love" and "Influence Made Easy: Making Connections that Sell," she has been an instructor in Atlanta, Georgia, at Emory University's Center for Lifelong Learning since 1999. She developed and teaches popular classes "Get the Life You Love" and "Yogativity™ (Yoga to Tap Your Creativity)." She is also a Registered Yoga Teacher.

PD Communications, her successful PR consulting firm which she ran for 16 years, served such clients as British Airways, some of the world's top surgeons, health and wellness clients, and other high caliber, high profile organizations.

She still regularly contributes articles to national and regional magazines on wellness, health and top destination spas. (Somebody has to do it! She laughs).

Tyler: Welcome, Patrice. To begin, will you tell us how you would define "Back to the Garden." Is it inspirational, self-help, autobiography?

PD: Hi Tyler-it's really a great magical garden comprising all those elements you mention, with plenty of weeds, dirt, rocky places & hard-packed clay; as well as the hopeful perennials, the colorful blooming annuals, fragrant shrubs and ornamentals. It's a ramble down the Path of Possibility, through the valley of the shadow and back to joy. In other words, Life.

In 2006, shortly after the book was released, I was interviewed by James Taylor of FGTV on his half-hour show "Writers in Focus." James has interviewed the GREATS like Frank McCourt, Cormac McCarthy and innumerable others in his career, and the taped interview he did of me is available on my website at http://www.patricedickey.com

He commented that as a professional librarian he could place "Back to the Garden" in any number of categories: the memoir, the autobiography, as well as inspirational, educational and spiritual-and most of all the "Honesty Section." It was a great compliment to me when he said, "This is an authentic book."

Tyler: Patrice, why did you choose the title "Back to the Garden: Getting from Shadow to Joy?"

PD: For several reasons. Part of the back story is that it evokes the innocence of the Woodstock generation and Joni Mitchell's stunning song (also covered by Crosby, Stills & Nash on the Woodstock album) about getting back to that Eden in our hearts & minds-a time when we believed we could make a really positive impact on the world, and we fought for change in society.

Now, we Baby Boomers who have "had it all" need to step up to the plate and SAVE the garden for future generations-by altering some of our destructive habits like rampant consumerism-those misguided attempts to fill ourselves up by buying THINGS-as well as our dependence on resource-suckers and gas-guzzlers. Also by teaching our children to enjoy unstructured time in nature so they WANT to save it.

Another reason is that, before I really stepped onto the path of Self-Awareness, Self-Acceptance, Self-Respect and Self-Love, which I describe in my book, I had the proverbial "black thumb" and couldn't keep a single plant alive.

My outer realm reflected the tragedies and self-hatred of my inner life-I was not very kind to myself or others-including plants!

Now, my home in the Enchanted Forest of Avondale Estates supports a beautiful garden, numerous flowers and plants, and it is a place of healing for all. I work with coaching clients on my screened porch three seasons of the year, and for them just to look out over this beautiful expanse is a healing and calming experience.

Yet another reason I chose the title "Back to the Garden" is that I love the gardening metaphor. The garden and nature beautifully exhibit the cycles of life. In our rush-rush society, we're hypnotized (often by advertising and the media) into thinking that when one phase comes to an end that we have to immediately leap into the next thing-not true!

When we come to an ending, we must be willing to spend some time in the void, learning the powerful lessons there and regaining our strength, before the next new beginning.

Look at the way seeds, when planted, spend a long time in the dark before they spring forth into their glory. Then they cycle through life as well, eventually replenishing the soil when their remains are mulched under. There's also the whole drama of the animals, the birds and the insects in the garden. We all have our places in life and our unique, specific roles.

And, getting right down to the gardening metaphor, people don't relate to the glossed over version of life-they relate to the DIRT! We all have plenty of manure in our lives, and it's our choice whether we'll use it as fertilizer, or just leave it in a big stinking pile. There's plenty of dirt in this book-my own and other people's!

Tyler: Great metaphor, Patrice. You said you were not kind to plants in the past. What brought you back to Nature and its ability to heal?

PD: Tyler, I've got to tell you, in attempting to heal myself of the classic (and somewhat more dramatic than most) family issues, I've experienced just about every form of shrinkage and therapy known to man. For me it was either heal or die.

I couldn't stuff it under like a lot of people choose to do with work or sex, exercise or shopping or food, gambling or alcohol or drug addictions-and since I'd seen how addiction and mental illness worked on my mother, I knew that path was not for me. I had to find balance.

When I found balance within myself, and when I believed I deserved to have a happier life, I moved to the Enchanted Forest of Avondale, manifesting exactly what I had hoped for-a lovely, garden terrace level office in my home, a tranquil, private space, and a two-level screened porch (the hot tub sits on the 'Lido Deck'-so dubbed by the workmen).

I had not abandoned nature-and it had not abandoned me-through all the years before this. In my previous homes I would take long walks daily, and practice Tai Chi in beautiful public parks and gardens. That's one of the reasons I support Park Pride, which leads & advocates for parks & green space throughout metro Atlanta. I totally believe in the healing aspects of parks, and so does Park Pride.

Tyler: You referred to Eden, and gardens are often a Christian symbol. Is "Back to the Garden" a religious book, or will non-believers also find it helpful"?

PD: "Back to the Garden" is more of a spiritual book, although I do cite a number of examples from the Judeo-Christian tradition. I also include examples from many other great religious and spiritual traditions including Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam and even Greek mythology (and probably more-I've always been fascinated by humanity's search for meaning and inner peace).

Anyone who studies world religion will recognize that many of the same stories are reshaped by later generations-and other religions-to lend meaning to their current questions.

For those who are non-believers, they can substitute the words Love, Higher Self, Life Force or Nature for my shouts out to God throughout the book. It's all the same thing, essentially, and in my opinion too many wars are fought over semantics.

Tyler: Why should people read "Back to the Garden"?

PD: I'm sharing what I've learned over the years from hundreds of teachers and the authors of inspirational books who have helped me open my awareness to new possibilities and happier, more fulfilling ways of living.

As I tell participants in my own classes and workshops, once your consciousness expands into new worlds, you can never stuff it back into that smaller box where it used to dwell. It demands more!

Of course it's always our choice whether or not we'll pay attention to the clarion call of our Higher Self to grow into our full expression, into the joyous lives we're meant to live. Often books serve as guides into those rich realms within us that await our discovery, unlocking and sharing with others.

I offer this book as one potential key to the inner world: a different kind of "self-help" book, non-linear, without checklists and exercises, because the path of life rarely shapes up as a straight line.

Great thinkers throughout history, including John Lennon, have shared the wisdom that "Life is what happens when we're busy making other plans." Don't we know that!

The healing heart does not operate by lists and schedules, but by fits and starts, one step forward and two steps back, treading old territory until it suddenly breaks into the clearing of joy.

It grows into wholeness through hints, suggestions and the sudden flash of recognition-the Aha! epiphanies that it is not alone in its struggles. "Back to the Garden: Getting from Shadow to Joy" is an amble through the sorrows that darken our lives back into the light of full creative expression; of discovering who we really are; of finding ourselves, finally, "at home."

It is a ramble through the lives of many ordinary people whose positive outlooks, inner strength and heartfelt glory in life itself have made them my heroes and sheroes. May their heroic journeys serve as inspiration.

This meditative journey through my garden, into nature and through this world and the next with many beloved teachers is meant to help reassure, calm and guide any hurting or fearful souls who are in the healing process themselves, and all those who are seeking to pull themselves up to the next level.

In my studies of the workings of the subconscious mind, which believes whatever we tell it, good or bad, I have discovered that in conveying similar messages in many different ways, resistance begins to melt away and subtle, powerful positive shifts occur.

As people read, they too will shift in many wonder-working, powerful ways. Each individual's wellbeing does make a difference to the world.

Tyler: Why did you decide to write and publish this book?

PD: This book (and others) have been calling out to me for my entire life. In fact, I recently found one of my early "journals" (in which my mother wrote what I dictated when I was about four and couldn't write). It was the story of a little flower at a luau. I couldn't believe it-it had a joke at the end; I will immodestly say I chuckled when I re-read it!

Actually, I have written two other books before this one-both were "fiction" but of course we know fiction is often lots of thinly disguised fact!

I wrote those the hard way-a page a day-using the laptop computer. It's like breaking rocks, scrutinizing each word as it comes out; reshaping sentences until my head ached. I haven't done anything with those yet because of the MASSIVE editing they still need.... But some day perhaps.

On this third one, I decided that I would write a non-fiction incorporating the stories of people who have attended my "Get the Life You Love" class which I've taught at Evening at Emory since 1999. Now more than 19 classes-and lots of success stories! Over the years I collected the ones that really resonated and wrote them in my journal.

Then when I had the longhand stream-of-consciousness "framework" that I employed to write this book, I was able to insert vivid examples of people whose lives have really shifted using the ideas I teach.

I decided to publish it because, after having had a successful PR career for 20 years, I was ready to move on to the next thing, speaker and author-and it's always nice to have a platform-that's my book.

Tyler: I understand the book has many short stories in it. Would you tell us a bit about these stories-are they non-fiction or autobiographical?

PD: One is the story of the empty nester who appeared in my class through several uncanny bits of synchronicity-she had no clue what to do with her life, and she was in deep grief over the recent death of her sister from brain cancer. She completely reinvented herself by doing the assignments such as the Treasure Map. She followed the sychronicities and energy to evolve into her new life as a holistic chef. What a victory! She is an inspiration to me.

Other stories include the broke graduate student who was able to build a swimming pool in her back yard. "This is all because of that insane exercise you made me do, Patrice," she said when we sat by her pool four years after the class-it was the exact picture she had described in the Vision Vivid exercise!

Another is the story of my great friend Janet Smith, an artist in Memphis, whose head injury as a teenager, I believe, HELPED her develop her art-plus the story of her parents who owned Justine's in Memphis-a landmark restaurant-what great bon vivants they were!

Many others are sprinklings of poetry and song, mythology from Greek or Hindu or other religions, as well as my own stories about some of the uplifting, and some of the extremely harrowing experiences in my own family.

Part of my own story involves the many times I have used the techniques I teach in class to scrape myself up off the tarmac, after my mother paralyzed herself in an alcohol-fueled rage.

Tyler: Tell us a little bit about yourself and the path you've taken to reach where you are today. Your introduction is very impressive, but what has motivated you to be so successful and especially to inspire others?

PD: With all I've learned in dragging myself back from the brink of self-destruction, and with story-telling being one of my gifts, it's only natural for me to share these ideas that have been life savers for me. One of my favorite quotes in the class is: "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself!"

Tyler: Patrice, I understand you have a background in education. How has that influenced you in your writing?

PD: People tend to remember stories or vivid examples better than facts or expository writing-and so I make my points come to life by sharing how these ideas have helped real people in real situations make real changes.

In fact, I'd given a talk at the International Congress of Esthetics shortly after my book was published-a thousand skincare specialists and hair stylists in a convention hall in Dallas. Afterwards I sold hundreds of copies of my book-the people were thrilled to have a road map of how to "get the life they love!"

Several months later I Googled the book, and was amazed to discover that a young woman had put "Back to the Garden" by Patrice Dickey on her MySpace as her favorite book-this is a 21-year-old esthetician in Broken Arrow, OK, who calls herself "SlapMeAndCallMeNorma" (which of course made me guffaw out loud!) Her comment, and this is probably the biggest compliment I could receive, was this: "Most amazing self help book I've ever read. It actually works!"

Tyler: I understand you are also very active in a number of other ways including being a motivational speaker, life coach, and yoga instructor. How do you balance these activities with your writing-do you find they fuel one another?

PD: They all fit together. Yoga keeps me sane and balanced and in good condition; plus I use a lot of yoga wisdom in my talks and workshops to help people who are extremely stressed. I include many of my realizations from yoga practices in the book as well.

Tyler: Patrice, your book is designed to help people transform their lives. What do you think is the main reason that holds people back from having the life they want, and how will "Back to the Garden" help them?

PD: As I discover whenever I ask this question in the "Get the Life You Love" class, it's FEAR. We can view FEAR as False Evidence Appearing Real, or perhaps even Friendly Energy Announcing Resistance!

We discuss that FEAR can be handled in several ways-we can Flee Everything and React or we can Face Everything and Recover. Fear really is an illusion; people can change their opinions of it-and this often takes a lot of inner work, which sometimes people are afraid to do!

Tyler: What do you think it is that people fear most, and what do you think is the secret to overcoming that fear?

PD: We took a survey in one class and people chose fear of failure and fear of rejection (public speaking was way up there too).

Basically, failure and rejection spell annihilation. This can be traced back to our earliest days on earth when rejection really DID mean annihilation. The Neanderthals banded together to face wild foes-and if they were rejected, or outcast, they would be destroyed in the wild.

There are many techniques to overcome fear-systematic desensitization (with the help of a professional counselor) is one.

Hypnotherapy has helped me overcome many of my fears of failure and rejection-for example during the process of writing "Back to the Garden" and stalled more than once, I used hypnotherapy to get jump-started.

Tyler: Is it true you are working on a workbook to go with the book?

PD: Yes, the workbook, as well as the series of DVDs, some of which are on my site at http://www.patricedickey.com -and the CD Audiobook of selected chapters. Plus I now have individual chapters available as mp3 downloads on my website for only $.99 apiece!

Tyler: What kind of reaction have you received so far from readers?

PD: People who take the time to TELL me their reaction say they absolutely LOVE it. Several people have bought ten or more copies to give to all their friends and loved ones. They say they laugh and cry over the tales. No doubt there are plenty of people who kept their opinions to themselves!

I recently attended a party where a lovely woman whom I'd never met told me she periodically recycles all her books-but that mine is one of the few that she cherishes and intends to keep.

Lots of testimonials are on my website at http://www.patricedickey.com.

I also produce a complimentary Ezine called "Your Guide to the Life You Love" which comes out at the right time, on a regular basis; it's filled with tools and tips, perspective shifts, and always some cool mind candy with that hopeful flavor! Folks can look at archived issues of the Ezine on the site.

There's a complimentary Ebook as well, entitled "101 Simple Ways to Kick the Depression Habit & Get Happier Without Prozac"-I've used these very techniques more times than I can tell you to scrape myself up off the dirt and start all over again. Whenever I'm really down, I take a look at my book again and remind myself just to do some of the things I suggest!

Tyler: Patrice, what are your future projects, dreams and goals? Will there be more books?

PD: Right now I'm partnering on some fabulous transformational workshops; people can learn more about what I'm up to at http://www.patricedickey.com. I'm also developing more uplifting electronic material like DVDs & mp3s.

As far as my next writing project, you know an author is never supposed to divulge what's next-it's like spilling the juju (wink!)

Tyler: Thank you for joining me today, Patrice. Before we go, would you tell our readers where they can find out more information about "Back to the Garden" and how they can purchase copies?

PD: It can be ordered at any bookstore, and if you really want to support the author, puh-leeze go to my website at [http://www.patricedickey.com!] (Did you know that when you buy a book from Amazon, the author eventually gets maybe about a nickel?)

At my site, if you like you can subscribe to the complimentary Ezine "Your Guide to the Life You Love" with tools and tips, perspective shifts and Cool Mind Candy with that hopeful flavor! There's also lots of articles and informative free interviews on the site if you're looking for something uplifting right away.

I have some great specials going right now too, where people can get the book & CD combo for about 1/3 the bookstore price.

Tyler: Thanks, Patrice. I'm sure readers will visit your site to learn more. Thanks for being with us today and giving us so much inspiration.

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by Patrice Dickey, who is here to talk about her new book, "Back to the Garden: Getting from Shadow to Joy," PD Communications (2006), ISBN 9780977086511.

http://www.readerviews.com/

Home Based Business - Things To Know

A simple and resourceful way to make a quick and steady income is with the home based business. If you want to start your own home based business you have plenty of opportunities available; most without complication. Once you get going you will quickly realize just how easy it is.

The Essentials:

Choosing the right product is the utmost essential consideration to be made. The most desired products today are electronic based where the delivery is electronic as well. Examples of these products are e-books, software, Mp3 downloads and ring tones. Having a unique product and selling approach will maximize the profits that are to be made.

It is better to opt for a product that is very much popular among the audience or is capable enough to gain popularity among your target audience.

Now that you know what you want to sell you will need a place to sell it; a winning website. Your website will not only be the location of your products but needs to be a place that people want to visit.

Finding a reliable and creative web host to take care of your website is essential unless you are a good graphic designer to create your own masterpiece website.

Now you have the desire, you have the product and you have the winning website now you need to ensure you provide a quick and easy payment and delivery system. Quick pay and quick delivery benefits both the customer and you.

Another consideration in the success of your home business is the content of your website. You will need to ensure interesting and informative as well as entertaining content to grab and hold the attention of all visitors.

Don't forget that your website needs to have detailed information about the products that are for sale. It is always a good idea to request feedback and comments, endorsements and testimonials of your products.

Finally, even the best website that offers the best products may not succeed if there is not a good amount of traffic. You can achieve positive traffic to your site with discussion forums, article marketing, search engine operatives and keyword research. Keep in mind your customers and make them happy.

Gordon Garza is a expert Internet Marketer and Mentor. Working with determined entrepreneurs around the world. Go To his website Big Ticket To Wealth. Gordon can help you to find Home Based Business Opportunity [http://www.BigTicket-To-Wealth.net]

CECT I9 Internet Set Up - Why Your Data Plan (Or Lack of One) And Its Settings May Be the Problem

Probably one of the most common emails that I get is from someone trying to set up Internet on a CECT and getting responses like "not enough memory" or "connection time out" or "no subscription," etc. There are many reasons that this happens and many times, there are quick fixes for this, which I will go over in this article.

You Data Plan And It's Settings: Probably the most common issue I see is someone who inserts a basic talk sim card into the phone and wonders why the Internet won't work. In order for the Internet (and usually MMS) to work, you must have at least a minimal amount of data included in your plan or on your card. As of this writing, there are a couple of options. Both T Mobile and AT&T have data plans that can be added on to your talk contract. But there is also another way if you don't want to be tied to a contract.

If you want to go prepaid (as many folks do that buy this phone), there are a couple of options. AT&T Prepaid and Pay As You Go allows data to be purchased on their cards at the rate of about 0.01 per 1 KB or about $10 for a MB. Now, if you are going to be online every day, this can get expensive. But, if you only want to check email and browse around every once in a while, this will likely still be much less than having a contact where you have to pay for data monthly even if you do not use it.

Sometimes, you can find T Mobile unlimited sim cards online (or cards from other carriers outside of the US.) As of the time of this writing, they are usually around $20 -$35 and they allow you unlimited email, Internet, MMS, talk, SMS, etc. for one month. The down side to these is that once they expire, they expire and you can't have the same number the next time you buy one. However, the upside of this is that you only need to buy these sims when you know you will be online and since it is unlimited, it is much more cost effective if you do a lot of browsing. Also, you don't have to activate the sim until you are ready. And since the phone has two sims slots, you can use one for low cost talk and the other for data, when needed.

The WAP / Internet Settings: So, once you've made sure that your sim has data included, you will need to program the card with the correct settings. Unless the previous owner or seller has set up the phone for you, you'll likely have to go in and change the default settings to point the phone to your carrier. These settings are completely different for AT&T and T Mobile, (most people will set up T zones for T Mobile and Media Net for AT&T) but there are several sources that will take you through this step by step. As long as you carefully follow each step (entering even one number wrong will throw the whole thing off) you should be up and running in just a few minutes.

The Correct Browser Or Mobile Site: Often, regular sites like Google are too big for mobile phones, thus the insufficient memory prompt. Instead, you'll need to use mobile Google, mobile MSN, etc. Most popular websites have variations made only for mobile phones. There is also a Java browser called Opera Mini that compresses regular sites down for easy viewing. Since the i9 supports Java, this is a good fit.

Can You Use The CECT i9 Without Internet Or The Two Sims?: Occasionally, I'm asked if you can just use this as a regular phone without the media, Internet, data or email? You absolutely can, but why would you want to? It's pretty easy and can be cost effective to use all the phone has to offer, but if you chose to fore go these things, you'd still have a touch screen phone with a great camera, web cam, MP3 / MP4 player, calendar, to do list, alarms, stop watch, Bluetooth, e book reader, etc. for a very cheap price. One great thing about these phones is that they are easily customizable to suit what you need in a phone.

The right set up for you really depends on how you are going to be using this phone and often you are going to or want to be online. If you have heavy use, unlimited will probably make more sense, but if you only get online once in a while, there's no sense in paying for data you won't use.

For resources for set up instructions that provide WAP, Internet and MMS settings for the CECT i9 as well as pre paid data options and other accessories ( like cases, chargers, skins, etc.) please visit http://i9accessories.com/

For much more information about the CECT i9 phone (video, photos, specs, pricing, etc.) please check out http://i9clonephonereview.com/

Guitar Facts - 4 Types of Guitars

Since their origins in the ancient east almost 5000 years ago guitars have evolved into many shapes, sizes and styles. The modern guitar is most commonly found in four familiar forms, each most suited to the demands of players in different styles of music.

In this article we'll look at four kinds of guitar and their usual styles of music. Although there is little reason not to try a guitar in a style it's not usually associated with most players stick to the kind of guitar most suited to the style of music they wish to play. If you plan to learn guitar you will find it easiest if you choose an instrument suited to your preferred musical style.

Nylon String Classical Guitar

Since Antonio Torres Jurado designed and built what is widely recognized as the first classical guitar in Seville in the mid nineteenth century the form of this instrument has changed little.

The classical guitar's familiar silhouette is defined by the balanced proportions of its rounded body. The top is often made of cedar which gives a soft warm sound while the sides and back are traditionally composed of rosewood.

Classical guitars possess wide necks suited to finger picking individual notes. The nylon strings, originally made from cat gut, are broader and softer than their steel string equivalents which make them easier on beginner fingers.

The guitar is most commonly used to play classical or flamenco guitar but is also found in folk, Latin and pop styles. The softer sound of nylon strings is favoured by many jazz guitarists.

The classical guitar's strings do not work well with bending techniques used in blues and rock music.

Steel String Acoustic Guitar

Steel strings for acoustic guitar were made popular by guitar builder C.F. Martin in the early 20th century. Martin moved to the USA from his native Germany in 1833 and used an X bracing system popular in America for the tops of his acoustic guitars.

Martin added steel strings in response to demands from players for louder guitars. The higher tension of the steel strings was supported by the stronger X bracing system used rather than the fan bracing more popular with European classical guitar builders at the time.

The steel string acoustic has evolved into a number of different shapes and sizes. The most common found today are concert, jumbo and dreadnought forms. All can be found in cutaway versions that allow easier access to the higher frets for soloing.

The steel string acoustic guitar has a flat top. Its neck is typically narrower and more rounded than classical guitars, although the width, profile and length of the neck vary depending on the guitar's intended purpose.

The steel string acoustic is one of the most versatile guitars and can be used to play just about any style. It is most commonly found in blues, folk, bluegrass, pop, rock and country music.

Hollow Body Electric Guitar

Despite steel strings, acoustic guitars were still not loud enough in large bands or noisy joints. But the arrival of electrified amplification in the 1930s created a real revolution for guitar players.

Electric guitars used a magnetic pickup fixed to the guitar's table to create a small current when the strings vibrated in its magnetic field. This current is then amplified by an external amplifier to produce sound.

Electric amplification gave guitars more volume and sustain. It also permitted use of lighter strings at lower tension which opened up lots of new playing techniques.

This kind of guitar is used in all modern styles but is most commonly associated with jazz, blues and rock 'n' roll.

Solid Body Electric Guitar

Early amplified guitars caused feedback problems because of their hollow body construction and loud playing volumes. Several builders developed guitars with solid bodies to overcome this problem.

The first successful commercial guitar of this type is the Fender Esquire, commercialized by Leo Fender in 1946. The Esquire became the Telecaster and Fender went on to create the legendary Stratocaster guitar in 1954.

These guitars use a solid piece of flat wood about an inch thick with a neck attached to it. The magnetic pickups are mounted in this solid piece of wood which vibrates less than the table of a hollow guitar to avoid feedback problems.

Names such as Fender with its Telecaster and Stratocaster and Gibson with its Les Paul model became icons of the rock era. These guitars are also used in many other styles such as the blues, funk, jazz, pop, country, just about anything in fact.

Want to learn to play guitar? Take the next steps to becoming a better player? Gary Fletcher shares tips and lessons you can use at http://www.notplayingguitar.com.