Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming increasingly more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise the use of alternative text for that images in your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to provide descriptive text. Additionally, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, really; search engines have a similar problem as blind users. They can't see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, attempting to stuff it with keywords, looking to achieve a certain keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now since it once was.

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which might result in a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings will not benefit from this plan.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud too.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text which is then repetitions of numerous keywords. The page would be not even close to accessible, and, to put it bluntly, will be found quite annoying.
What is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used like a description or a label to have an image, though many people use it for the reason that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or a description, it is not!

What used inside an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose that the image would.

The thing would be to supply the same functional information that a visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the look is unavailable. Ask yourself this question: If you were to replace the look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is really a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text should be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If the image is supposed to convey the literal items in the look, a description is suitable.

If it is meant to convey data, then that information is what is appropriate.

If it is designed to convey using a function, then your function is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility as well as for valid XHTML.

For images that play only a decorative role within the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it's the function of the image we are attempting to convey. For example; any button images shouldn't include the word "button" in the alt text. They ought to emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. Exactly the same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the remainder from the text because that's the way it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also required to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in america.

It is important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are things that serve no purpose other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (in many cases) fulfill the marketing departments. There isn't any content value (though there might be value to some sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there's something there which will enhance the usability from the site for someone using a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is actually the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the atmosphere or set the stage so to speak. These graphics aren't direct content and could 't be considered essential, but they're essential in they help frame what is going on.

Attempt to alt-ify the 2nd group as makes sense and is relevant. There might be instances when doing so might be annoying or detrimental with other users. Then try to avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's important to understand this content inside for those users.

Most times this will depend on context. The same image inside a different context may need drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. How you go in this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the image may be the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes can also be so as.
The main reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the pictures are there. You need to figured out exactly what function a picture serves. Consider what it is concerning the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason for standing on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what are the page is attempting to explain. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. What would you say when encountering a particular image to create the page understandable to the listener?

Besides the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they're invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the URL of a full description of the image. When the information contained in a picture is essential towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost if the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It may provide for rich, expressive documentation of the visual image.

It should be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of an image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of the image...The goal is by using any length of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that the long description conjures a picture - the look - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for that totally blind."

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're best just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not essential to incorporate it, and if you don't have a strong urge to get it done, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the entire page to operate, then you've to include the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a lot about the function of your image and its context on the page.

The same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in a single spot, although not in another. If an image provides simply no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to make use of. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt will be required and maybe a long description will be in order. In many cases this type of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Search Engine Optimization Tips

Listed here are key stages in optimizing images:

Select a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens within the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores as a word separator, like for example "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For instance, when the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's going to assume the file is really a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's likely to assume that it is a graphic;

Ensure that the text at the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose a great chance to help your website with your images searching engines. Begin using these steps to position better on all the engines and drive increased traffic for your site TODAY.

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine marketers and usability engineers want to understand why we go to websites and what we do after we arrive at a search results page. They ask questions like:

• Are we satisfied with where we landed?


• Did the engine provide accurate results listings?


• Was our click choice a positive one?


• Did we stay on the site or leave?


• If we left, what search result better matched what we wanted to find?


• Was it the search results or did we have a bad experience with the web page we landed on?

Both search engines and human factors related fields study our intent.

Author Matt Bailey points to the depth of the importance of intent in his new book, Internet Marketing: An Hour a Day.

“Search engines are integrating more multimedia and allowing deeper access to documents and media earlier in the search process. They are attempting to determine the intent of the searcher and deliver results accordingly.”

What is our intent? Why do we visit the Internet? Why do we use search sites such as Google and Youtube?

In a 2009 ComScore study (comScore, 2009), they found that “Nearly one out of every ten minutes a person spends online around the world is spent on a Google site.” This includes the search engine itself, Youtube, which they own, Google books, email, Google reader and more.

Clearly, marketers want to be sure their clients’ websites perform well in Google’s web properties. Not doing so can wreck the success of a business.

Search Behavior = People Who Search

Shortly after search engines and information sites appeared on the Internet, case studies zeroed in to understand why, who, where, when, where and how humans use them. Hot on the trail, too, were analysts interested in learning about site traffic, popularity, rank and how to make money from it.

Many of you were guinea pigs during the 1990’s when web page backgrounds were gray with black text, and animation, 3D images, scrolling text boxes, rotating banners and blinking images were all part of a typical user interface.

As fun as all those things were to create (I loved animating images), web designers had to buckle to user preferences.

Search engines learned what we really come to the Internet for. Perhaps search engine sites are not suitable for certain subject types when it comes to information searches. In order to improve search engine design and SEO marketing efforts, we try to understand user intent and goals for searching.

It’s been well established at this point that search engines are used by us to find information. What kinds of information are most popular?

A recent study from Australia on who uses search engines found that half of search engine queries were looking for a particular website, while the other 50% were split between ecommerce and popular culture searches.

The study also pointed to what is referred to as “leisure searches”. The findings present the idea of search sites not only for information gathering or shortcuts to web sites, but they’re also sources for leisure, with one in six of all searches estimated as being leisure searches.

The Australian study offered some surprising details for anyone wondering what we’re searching for, by subject. Adult site searches fell into the middle, with ecommerce being second, edged under a tad by popular culture topics. Health, weather, contemporary affairs and government are the least popular searches.

The study stood out from others because it included and factored in the lifestyle of their participants. This is different than user testing labs or Eye tracking tests. To their surprise, lifestyle choices had no measurable impact on the type of search queries. In fact, new questions were raised on user –searcher behavior.

For example, do Internet users tend to go to particular trusted web sites for information on healthcare, computing and contemporary affairs, rather than use search engines? Does the distribution of the most ranked subjects searched for represent user interests or the suitability of search engines for looking up certain types of topics?

Another study (Broder, 2002) narrows search engine user behavior as informational, navigational, transactional and leisure. Half the searches in the study were navigational and one-third, transactional. Half of all searchers know where they want to go.

What Does This Mean To Search Marketers?

The most obvious is that it’s time to accept usability studies into marketing strategy. And, user experience professionals can no longer devalue the role of search marketers. Both camps provide essential skills and expertise needed for web site projects.

A lot of what’s happening on the Internet is relationship building. The global community wants this so badly they invented social networking sites and social marketing to drive interest and generate revenue from these new site sources.

Emotional web design is no accident. We’re emotional beings. Empathy makes us connect with others.

“In life and business, focus on creating win-win situations. Look beyond the immediate sale in order to connect with customers as people.” – Steve Harper, The Ripple Effect.

Despite our developing mental models and creating user personas, we remain on the edge of understanding who uses our stuff. Wouldn’t it be grand if stakeholders got out of their offices and actually interacted with the people who use their websites?

I’ve often wished I could video people who multi-task at home, with one hand on a laundry basket, an ear to the cell phone and a hand reaching for the laptop nearby. What does that busy person search for and how? Can we make their experience less stressful?

Division between marketing and user experience will dissolve as both approaches discover they need each others’ data to do a better job for their clients.

There’s no question that a passion for usability and search engine marketing leads to their fascinating cousins, like information architecture, findability, captology, analytics and neurology. There’s also no question that money can be made by optimizing for and advertising in search engines.

Studying user behavior is a win-win for search engine technology, search marketing and website usability and human factors.

Cited Resources:

Broder 2002; A Taxonomy of Web Search (PDF)

Waller, Vivienne 2010; Not Just Information: Who Searches for What on the Search Engine Google?

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: Just Behave

Gather close, dear friends and hear my words of warning. Gird yourself, for my tale would make any enlightened man or woman stagger back in disbelief. I do not share such news with you lightly. It is not my errand to harm or discomfort your mental or psychological wellbeing.

Resist the urge to sever the very Internet connection with which you receive my message. I shall soon relieve your stress with a simple technique that will counter the malevolence that I describe.

I reveal my knowledge only because you may in fact be a person possessing an enterprising mind. If this is true, I know you will see in my tale of woe and tragedy the shadow of immense opportunity.

My Tale

I have, in my professional pursuits been privy to the plans of many a starry-eyed business person. So eager are they to tap the keg of the Web that they have made themselves drunk with anticipation, even before a single sip of the digital elixir has crossed their lips.

They are handy with their search tools, clever in their keywords and pen pay-per-click ads that seem to dance upon the page.

It is all for naught, for the heady traffic pours into vessels so riddled with hole and crack, that from this torrent these businesses can scarcely moisten their lips. The websites to which they deliver their click-through treasure fail in their basic duty of capturing and converting the bounty.

And so, they make changes. They replace the ineffective cup with a bowl and then a pitcher and then a saucer, each equally as impotent; each delivering little sustenance to them.

Take your kerchief now from your pocket, dear friend, for my tale will bring tears to your eyes.

In their quest to find the proper vessel these misguided souls fail to see the true opportunity. It is as if they are blind, and yeah, they truly are.

They stick their inferior containers out into the flood and clinch their eyes tightly closed as if looking upon something abominable. Thus, they see only the result, and not the cause of their famine.

But lift your head now and let the brightness of joy return to your face, for I can tell you now that you need not suffer as they do.

The True Opportunity

The core of the matter is this: the opportunity lies not in the container, but in the holes and cracks.

Yes, each little imperfection offers up a chance to be corrected, each tiny fault a hope of repair. And when enough of these imperfections are discovered our cups will fill with abundance on which our businesses will become sated.

Do not dismiss me now expecting tales of split tests and multivariate monstrosities, for I offer a much simpler way of stripping the blindfold from your eyes.

I offer you: the Serial Test.

Behold, The Serial Test

I chuckle now as I think of the simplicity and power of this trick. It begins with the ability to measure traffic and track the very leads and sales that sustain you.

You may choose Google Analytics or Clicky for its simplicity. Enterprises may prefer Omniture or Webtrends. It is of little consequence to me.

It is only important that you be able to gauge the level in your cup as compared to the visits flowing into it.

Seek not absolute accuracy, but seek instead consistency of measure and no more.

Tread lightly! You must bring change in small steps, patiently and purposefully. Seek to join a crack or fill a hole.

Change a headline, reduce the number of fields in your form or add trust-building symbols to the page. Change but one thing at a time.

Accompany each change with a hypothesis, a thesis for what you expect the change to do for you. Most of the time, your hypothesis will simply be this:

“This change will increase the percentage of visitors who take action; who convert to a lead or a sale as measured by ___________.”

You must fill the blank, my friend.

Will you measure calls you receive from the Web? Will you measure completed forms? Will you measure revenue per click? It is up to you.

All I ask is that you choose a measure for which you know the current value and that will reliably rise or fall as your fortunes change.

Test Duration

Hold fast! Do not rush off to ogle your analytics, for we must first discuss statistical significance. Do not be disheartened. This term, though bulging with syllables simply means that you must let enough time pass before you review the results of your change.

There are ebbs and flows within even a calendar week that must be considered. I say you shall let no less than a week pass before you evaluate any change. This assumes a heady stream of traffic.

To ensure validity, you should let enough time pass for 100 conversions to occur or for thousands of eyes fall upon your change before you harvest your learnings.

Measure your current page, which we call the control for an appropriate amount of time. Then measure the changed page, which we call the treatment for such a time as well. Then will you be ready to glean insights that will fill your cup.

In many cases you will find a difference between the two. The treatment will offer an increase or decrease over the performance of its brother. But, don’t rush to the conclusion, for if the change is small, it is wholly invalid.

Only Big Differences Count

Do not think me foul that I must reveal that a serial test does not control for natural changes in the marketplace. Just as the temperature fluctuates from season to season, so too will your conversion rates and independently of changes to your site.

Therefore stake your decisions on large changes. If your treatment causes a drop of 20% or more, you can be comforted that it is an inferior vessel. Cast it aside and restore the control. This is truly an honorable result!

If your treatment brings a bounty of 20% or more in increased conversions, rejoice. You have found a new control.

Otherwise, retain your control and try something anew.

Repeat & Grow

Tarry but a moment, dear reader, as you must prepare for the next test. Choose another change. Create your hypothesis. Select a measuring stick. Launch your treatment at the appointed time and wait patiently for statistical significance.

And as God is my witness, I say that you will have prepared yourself to ease into a more profitable and fruitful pursuit: the split test.

Your new-found skills at selecting what to change, at choosing metrics and knowing how long to test will serve you well. The split test will control for seasonal and competitive fluctuations that plague even the most stalwart of serial tests. Riches will be yours for the taking.

Hark! I offer gifts with my glad tidings. For your pleasure, I offer my very own test planning document to guide you through your most pressing serial test.

Use it in good health and growing prosperity as it guides you to online success. With it, you will rise above the blind rabble who would dare to compete with you.

You will have questions, no doubt. Please share them in the comments for a rousing response from me and other smart readers like yourself.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: Conversion Science

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There has been a lot of talk as to whether or not social media is the front runner in another inflated internet bubble waiting to burst, leaving users “virtually” friendless and clueless. Will everyone be out of the loop, with no one keeping track of daily deals, happenings or status updates? Warren Buffet confirmed this fear stating that although it’s not as big as the dot com bubble, social media is not long term by any means. However, industry trends and buyer behaviors are stating otherwise.

Facebook has proven beneficial to marketing efforts for B2C companies, but B2B marketing has struggled to find its footing on the platform. That’s where LinkedIn has emerged as the go-to medium for B2B marketers.

A recent study done by BtoB Magazine, showed that when asked “Which of the following social media methods does your company currently use for your B2B marketing (i.e. not personal use)” 72% of B2B marketers said LinkedIn. After reaching more than 100 million users, LinkedIn has solidified its niche as Facebook in a business suit, and B2B companies have taken notice.

The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing (an annual report done by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company) found that 61% of B2B marketers who participated in the survey acquired a customer through LinkedIn. The targeted and measurable aspect of inbound marketing is what makes it so attractive to smart business owners who are tired of spending money on marketing with no proof that it’s working. Former Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s, M. Lawrence Light said, “It no longer makes economic sense to send an advertising message to the many, in hopes of persuading the few.”

Continued on the next page


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NFL owners, union resume mediation in Minneapolis

The NFL and its locked-out players have completed their first day of mediation under a court order and will meet again Friday as they try to resolve their labor dispute.

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Gwyneth Paltrow makes bulimia fancy again. - Robert Pattinson is spreading disease. - Emily Browning stars in a movie about high-end date rape and,

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New Google <b>News</b> for Opera Mini - Official Google Mobile Blog

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Given the current cost of components, a prepaid contract-free iPhone with less internal storage would likely earn Apple only about 16 percent gross margin if it were priced at $300, a new analysis has estimated.



Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company took a closer look at the prospect of a hypothetical "iPhone lite," to see if it would be in Apple's best interest to build such a product. A cheaper iPhone has been viewed as a strategy that would work to Apple's advantage in emerging markets like China.



In February, both Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a smaller and cheaper iPhone that it could sell contract-free. Soon after, The New York Times chimed in, and claimed that while Apple is not working on a smaller iPhone, it has explored opportunities in developing a cheaper handset.



Wolf largely agrees with the Times, and doesn't see a smaller iPhone with a new form factor as something that would be in Apple's best interest, even though it would be the easiest way to cut costs and created a cheaper handset.



"In our view, the iPhone would not be an iPhone if the display were, say, cut in half," he said. "Such a move would (dramatically) reduce the value of the iPod module for video viewing as well as the size of web sites accessed through the Safari browser. A smaller screen would also degrade the experience in using some applications, not to mention the possibility that some applications would probably have to be rewritten to accommodate a smaller screen."



iSuppli estimated that the 16GB iPhone 4, when it launched last June, carried a bill of materials of $188. The iPhone has an average selling price of $625 with a carrier subsidy, while gross margin is usually around 50 percent, suggesting that additional costs like assembly, software, testing, licenses and warrantees add up to $100 or more.



Ruling out the possibility of a smaller iPhone, Wolf said Apple could reduce internal storage from 16GB to about 4GB, but that would only reduce the bill of materials by $30 to about $157. By his estimation, such a handset would still have a total cost of $270.



"Apple would at best break even if it priced an iPhone Light at $250; and it would earn a modest 16% gross margin if it priced it at $300, which we regard as the high end of the range for a prepaid phone," Wolf wrote.



Gross margins of just 16 percent would be a number uncharacteristically low for Apple. For example, in its last quarterly results for the 2010 holiday buying season, Apple reported margins of 38.5 percent, or more than twice Wolf's estimate for a low-cost, no-contract iPhone.



"We suspect that the iPhone's designers and engineers have thought about this a lot more than we have so that the cost savings would be somewhat greater than we've estimated," Wolf said. "If, for example, the expenses incurred beyond the cost of components could be materially reduced, Apple might be able to earn a gross margin of 20% pricing the phone at $250 and 33% gross margin pricing it at $300."



The possibility of a cheaper iPhone with fewer features was hinted at by Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook earlier this year. Cook, in an interview with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, said Apple doesn't want its products to be "just for the rich."



Cook reportedly said that Apple is planning "clever things" to compete in the prepaid handset market. He also stated that Apple is "not ceding any market." He also referenced China, where Apple has found great success of late, and noted that it is a "classic prepaid market."

Given the current cost of components, a prepaid contract-free iPhone with less internal storage would likely earn Apple only about 16 percent gross margin if it were priced at $300, a new analysis has estimated.



Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company took a closer look at the prospect of a hypothetical "iPhone lite," to see if it would be in Apple's best interest to build such a product. A cheaper iPhone has been viewed as a strategy that would work to Apple's advantage in emerging markets like China.



In February, both Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is working on a smaller and cheaper iPhone that it could sell contract-free. Soon after, The New York Times chimed in, and claimed that while Apple is not working on a smaller iPhone, it has explored opportunities in developing a cheaper handset.



Wolf largely agrees with the Times, and doesn't see a smaller iPhone with a new form factor as something that would be in Apple's best interest, even though it would be the easiest way to cut costs and created a cheaper handset.



"In our view, the iPhone would not be an iPhone if the display were, say, cut in half," he said. "Such a move would (dramatically) reduce the value of the iPod module for video viewing as well as the size of web sites accessed through the Safari browser. A smaller screen would also degrade the experience in using some applications, not to mention the possibility that some applications would probably have to be rewritten to accommodate a smaller screen."



iSuppli estimated that the 16GB iPhone 4, when it launched last June, carried a bill of materials of $188. The iPhone has an average selling price of $625 with a carrier subsidy, while gross margin is usually around 50 percent, suggesting that additional costs like assembly, software, testing, licenses and warrantees add up to $100 or more.



Ruling out the possibility of a smaller iPhone, Wolf said Apple could reduce internal storage from 16GB to about 4GB, but that would only reduce the bill of materials by $30 to about $157. By his estimation, such a handset would still have a total cost of $270.



"Apple would at best break even if it priced an iPhone Light at $250; and it would earn a modest 16% gross margin if it priced it at $300, which we regard as the high end of the range for a prepaid phone," Wolf wrote.



Gross margins of just 16 percent would be a number uncharacteristically low for Apple. For example, in its last quarterly results for the 2010 holiday buying season, Apple reported margins of 38.5 percent, or more than twice Wolf's estimate for a low-cost, no-contract iPhone.



"We suspect that the iPhone's designers and engineers have thought about this a lot more than we have so that the cost savings would be somewhat greater than we've estimated," Wolf said. "If, for example, the expenses incurred beyond the cost of components could be materially reduced, Apple might be able to earn a gross margin of 20% pricing the phone at $250 and 33% gross margin pricing it at $300."



The possibility of a cheaper iPhone with fewer features was hinted at by Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook earlier this year. Cook, in an interview with Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi, said Apple doesn't want its products to be "just for the rich."



Cook reportedly said that Apple is planning "clever things" to compete in the prepaid handset market. He also stated that Apple is "not ceding any market." He also referenced China, where Apple has found great success of late, and noted that it is a "classic prepaid market."

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The PPIC study Kolko co-authored sheds light on why historically California’s economy has grown on pace with the national economy even though it usually ranks low in surveys of states whose laws are favorable to business.

While the research suggests many factors that determine long-term economic growth lie beyond the reach of policy makers, Kolko cautioned that policy could still someday trump warm, sunny days on the Pacific coast.

“If California loses its ability to incubate and encourage fast growing industries to be here, that would be unfortunate” in the long term, she said.

Kolko identified two policies in particular, a simpler tax structure rather than a lower tax rate, and a lower share of government expenditure on welfare and transfer payments, as means of hastening economic expansion.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

The PPIC study Kolko co-authored sheds light on why historically California’s economy has grown on pace with the national economy even though it usually ranks low in surveys of states whose laws are favorable to business.

While the research suggests many factors that determine long-term economic growth lie beyond the reach of policy makers, Kolko cautioned that policy could still someday trump warm, sunny days on the Pacific coast.

“If California loses its ability to incubate and encourage fast growing industries to be here, that would be unfortunate” in the long term, she said.

Kolko identified two policies in particular, a simpler tax structure rather than a lower tax rate, and a lower share of government expenditure on welfare and transfer payments, as means of hastening economic expansion.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Multiple Sources Confirm New Nintendo HD Console - <b>News</b> - www <b>...</b>

Game Informer has heard from multiple sources that Nintendo will unveil its new home console at this year's E3 – or maybe even sooner.

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Big Media Falls for GE <b>News</b> Hoax (Cont&#39;d) - Giovanni Rodriguez <b>...</b>

The Week takes a short look at what yesterday's GE news hoax may have actually accomplished: --"It was a glimpse of an ideal world." Idea here is that the fake storyline might have helped people imagine a world where businesses "biggest ...

Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Questions to Think about

Roofing Vancouver - Faq's

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion as an expert opinion. Most contractors will provide you with a totally free estimate. Get a summary of a couple trusted contractors and phone them well in advance of when you want to obtain your roof fixed to help you compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this with your spouse or partner. (The kids could care less...at least the young ones.) Truth is, nobody wants an ugly roof the same as nobody wants to be viewed with bed hair. If you've got a good quality roof and you just have to repair it, it's worth it to pay for the price of the original shingle rather than doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen very often (we hope!) and so make a decision that best suits you and your family well or it'll stick out like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Should I replace the roof in order to sell the house for additional?

Consider this cautiously before making a decision. Depending on the roofing material you choose, a new roof lasts between twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you have to check the year from the roof that's currently over your head first. Are you at year 18 of a 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of the 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the quality is what makes the rooftop last longer, but when you're not planning to remain in your present home throughout your life, the higher expense might not be worth neglect the. Although a brand new roof can enhance the worth of your value, the increase might not be enough to cover your investment and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it a good idea for me to repair the rooftop myself?

Sure it's. Before you do, consult an expert first. You can perform it yourself, but you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' With respect to the extent of the repair, you might or may not convince you. Either way, it helps to obtain a professional eye on the problem first and perhaps a free quote so you can do the math later and see if it's truly worth your time and effort, sweat, and cash to become mister or miss fix-it.

5. When is a great time to find the roof replaced?

Weather may cause delays from days to weeks. Most people prepare yourself to have their roof replaced in the summer when they have a friend is going to be home throughout the day for a solid two weeks. Once you've this period in mind, create a call to some trusted contractor months in advance to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and odds are, they're the most reputable. Preparing in advance from the summer also provides you with time to ask around more and compare costs...especially if you want to have the roof made by a particular date.

 

The Top Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

Is there a leak in your home's roof? Perhaps you have lost shingles or tiles in a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof more than 20 years old and showing its age? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

If the response to these questions is "Yes" it is time to call the very best roofing contractor Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For over a century Crown Roofing has been the roofer of choice among our Vancouver neighbors. We provide complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to complete roof replacement. All while using finest quality materials, installed with precision and the highest degree of customer support.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES NO LESS!

The roof of the Vancouver home is the first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice along with other weather conditions. Make sure it's up to the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has got the depth of experience and successful history to make sure your roofing system will be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing continues to be the most successful roofing company in Vancouver is our resolve for our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our very own and we were creating a roof to protect our very own family. That's what neighbors do, and you will rely on Crown Roofing being here to aid you and back our work. In the end, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

Obtain a FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION Of the Vancouver ROOF.

Visit the Roofers Vancouver for any FREE inspection and evaluation of the roof. Give you the very best roof for your Vancouver home, in the cost effective. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Make your Home Beautiful

Not many people understand the value of a solid roof, but your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company does. From first hand experience, they will be in a position to tell you why you need a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

The local Tacoma Roofing company is well aware how important a financial investment your property is for you personally, especially as it is a lasting one. Your house might have been damaged slowly through the years and also you need to take steps to minimize this damage. For a number of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a matter of pride. You will find those too who'd prefer to turn their property into a economical and efficient living place. Your roof is an integral part of your house and plays a role in each one of the aspects mentioned above. Because of this, you should employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofer.

Kinds of Roofs installed by a Tacoma Roofing contractor

One of the more common kinds of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, but they can be easily taken care of with a trusted Tacoma Roofing contractor. It's vital that you nip roof problems in the bud before they become too expensive or dangerous. You are able to schedule a scheduled appointment using the Tacoma Roofer to consider a glance at your roof to determine if you will find any issues or potential problems with it. If you will find, they might be in a position to tell you how to deal with them.

A Tacoma Roofing company Helps you to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors associated with a house, primarily the rooftop and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying weather conditions, every single day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters might be necessary. In some cases you may have to replace them completely. Usually, whenever your gutters show signs of trouble, your homes roof must also be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there may be, a skilled Tacoma Roofing contractor can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

In case your gutters often clog all too often, or you will find leaks across the walls of your house, it may imply that there's debris piled-up on the top. Loose branches, piles of leaves, along with other light objects that are swept onto your roof throughout a storm can all contribute towards damaging your roof, which damages could be lasting. An educated Tacoma Roofing company will explain that birds, mice, and other types of rodents often build nest within the debris that collects on the roof. While these nests may look rather innocent, they are great at collecting moisture, be responsible for loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your house. In addition, it may also cause vermin infestation. After a storm, your Tacoma Roofing contractor will claim that you inspect your homes roof for any signs of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages by using a Tacoma Roofing company

However top quality the rooftop might be, it is going to wear out with time. There are shingles that are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just associated with warranty produced by the manufacturers. They hardly ever last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last more than fifteen to twenty years. Within an area that is prone to storms, shingles or even the entire roof may need to be replaced every 10 years. Having a Tacoma Roofing contractor, the cost is going to be less than what you believe.

If there you lose any shingles, or there is some damage to them, a Tacoma Roofing contractor can help you. Damaged shingles can lead to indoor leaks, since the substrate from the roof becomes exposed to the elements. Shingles that are loose or broken can slip off and pose a possible hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles produce a gap which allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to build up underneath the adjoining shingles, which creates a "domino effect" that affects other shingles and they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation will be produced by your local Tacoma Roofer, if you call them track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing company will be in a situation to inform you what the best option is perfect for your homes roof. In case your roof isn't inside a good shape, it's advised that you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing company can take you through the various roofing options available for you that will fit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofer: Improving your Home's Efficiency

Your homes roof shelters you against storms, sleet, and hail. By providing adequate ventilation, your roof protects your house from overheating, by holding within the heat, it keeps your house warm. That's why you ought to prepare your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for any kind of weather emergency. A professional Tacoma Roofing contractor can offer help in this situation.

First of all, inspect your roof thoroughly for just about any and all sorts of kind of damage, prior to the beginning of a year. The gutters should be clear, debris shouldn't be piled on or trapped under shingles, there should be no homes of squirrels or birds within the eaves or attic, and the roof ought to be structurally sound. For that last part, you'll need the help of the local Tacoma Roofing company. It can be quite dangerous to climb onto the roof of your house. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofer is available in. He'll read the strength and security of your roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make certain that it is in proper working order. They'll be able to point towards issues that you have to keep an eye on and problems you might not have spotted.

You will need all the assist you to could possibly get from the Tacoma Roofing contractor. You are able to help your roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to assist prevent debris from forming in your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and may even tear them down. Check the fasteners on your gutters and if they're loose, tighten them. Take steps to alter worn screws and brackets. If you have a chimney in your home, inspect the bricks and mortar signs and symptoms of wear. A reliable mason can be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofing contractor, if you will find any repairs to become done.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Someone You are able to Count On
When you realize or suspect that there's a problem, your Tacoma Roofer ought to be contacted. They can use their knowledge and expertise to get your house back in ace condition simply by focusing on the rooftop. Your roof deserves attention. So call them today, to enable them to get down to caring for your roof.

 

What is Difference Between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are getting a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you may be wondering what the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To begin with, the one huge difference is that often times an industrial roofing company may have signed an agreement with and be obligated to some roofing union in able to work on union commercial jobs.

If this is the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from focusing on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if a commercial roofing company has not signed an agreement having a union they might be outfitted just for commercial jobs and that means that their workers and equipment may not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors in general often run smaller companies and therefore, are more in a position to bid competitively on residential jobs, which tend to be small compared to comercial jobs. Actually, quite often residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, in which the contractor that you talk to may be the one which actually does the work about the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more epensive and a larger bond is required for a commercial roofing work which will make it not economical for any commercial roofing contractor to do residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is that commercial jobs can run on a tighter time period for any number of reasons, requiring an industrial contractor to employ a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs less profitable for them.

 

Difference Between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Did you know that the roof of the house or building has a huge effect on the entire structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or other disasters leads to a considerable loss of property everywhere. The type of materials used to construct the rooftop which should be sturdy and long lasting, the way in which the roof continues to be installed as well as its timely maintenance are very crucial. There are two types of roofs that are utilized on all the buildings that people see around us: commercial and residential. Although it may seem that commercial roofing is done only for businesses or offices and residential roofing is done for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences tend to be more complex than that.

Residential roofing is usually completed by just one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes an entire team to complete the job. This is because a commercial roof is commonly larger in terms of sq ft than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs need to be made carefully keeping the character and purpose of the building in mind. For instance, when there is a cafe or restaurant in the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes will be required. Residential roofs tend not to have such components apart from a chimney or two at the most.
Commercial roofs tends to be flat in design to support further changes in a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks along with other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is a lot more expensive than residential roofing due to the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Often the patching or maintenance jobs are done in segments unlike for any residential roof where the repair or replacement work can be carried out a short time. This is one more reason why the equipment used for residential roofs is often smaller and less costly too.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to accomplish compared to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. In this phase however, it is important to make sure that there are no leakages, cracks or any other visible deterioration signs as it can certainly cause considerable damage to the entire building.
It is important to install the right roof for a building based on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that utilizes first class materials and has the best equipment for the job or your investment risk turning to be considered a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to purchase a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If your business is seeking to have work done on its roof, you should work with commercial roofing contractors which have a keen understanding of any special needs that a business might have. As an example, a roofing job can often be disruptive for that operation of business as always. Because of this, it might be essential for the business to be temporarily shut down, or for the roofing to take place after business hours have ended. A roofing contractor that understands these needs can function plus a business to make sure that these types of issues are minimized.

First of all , a company must do when it is trying to find commercial roofing contractors is to find out who other businesses in the region are working through. Obviously, this information will 't be helpful whether it may come as an indicator from competitors, but there are circumstances in which it's not too hard to find this information from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing is not an industry-specific service, this information is easily available.

It's a wise decision for any business to get in touch with a minimum of three commercial roofing contractors to create bids on the price. In this way, the company could obtain a better price. It's also vital that you make sure that each of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. This information are available by permitting in touch with the state contractor's board. This makes it possible to determine if there has been any claims filed from the company previously.

When looking at bids, it is just as vital to look at what services are now being offered and which products is going to be used as it is to look at the overall cost. The costs can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as possible to choose the cheapest bid, this isn't always your best option. In many cases, more costs now will mean fewer costs in the long run due to an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the quality of the work, it's a wise decision to check with the Bbb to be able to see if the business has been accredited, and if it's not, to a minimum of see what its rating is.

 

Selecting a Commercial Roofing Contractor

When you are looking for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you have to look for a contractor who understands the special needs of the commercial roofing project. For instance it may be harder to operate on the business during business hours so either the business has to be shut down for that repair or replacement or even the job has to be done after conventional business hours. May be the roofer you are thinking about to do the job ready to operate around your schedule constrictions that might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you start your research for a roofer not only do you need to answer those questions but you also want to hire a company which will do a high quality job with no great deal of time delays. Going about finding someone can feel as an obstacle by itself but there are some ways to make the search easier.

Ask people around you for referrals and then try to find at least three contractors to provide you with written bids on your job. Prior to going any more you need to make sure that the contractors you are considering are fully licensed and bonded. A simple search with the state contractor's board will verify in case your roofer is licensed and when there are any past judgments or claims against their license.

Once you select three or four roofers to place bids, you should prepare yourself for that bids to be widely varied. Roofers will have brand preferences that will vary and could element in pretty much than the next guy for a labor estimate. The greater detailed an itemized bid may be the more helpful it will be for you to see where the cost will be incurred. Don't, however, pick a roofer based solely on the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to consider, but if they're low because of low quality workman ship it might not be worthwhile in the end.

As the saying goes, you generally get that which you purchase, so if you are able to afford a mid-priced bid it's always smart to increase within your budget instead of down. Additionally you should select your roofer based on how professional they were and just how comfortable you anticipate you will be dealing with them.

Finally your cost will be different based on which kind of roofing material you select along with the cost to haul your old roof towards the landfill. Should you be looking for places to cut corners on your roof, instead of cutting labor set you back might want to ask about metallic roof option. Metal roofs could be economical and efficient making them overall money savers for that long term, and on commercial buildings they may be very low maintenance. Plus since they can be put along with a current roof, you don't need to have the old one removed and hauled away, that make a big effect on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, doesn't have to become a struggle. For more information, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net

 

Seattle Roofing Contractors - How To Find The very best

In your home of rain and sleet, commercial coffee and grunge, and also the famous space needle, you'll find a home which will suit you. Seattle, Washington can be a good place to construct a house, however, you need Seattle roofing contractors to help you out. Your homes roof is, in the end, the crowning glory of your house, as well as your strongest line of defense from the elements. You must have something which is not only built to last, but created to attract and make your home more beautiful

Harsh Weather

How come roofing contractors essential in this part of the country? Because Seattle is usually bombarded by rain along with other harsh climate conditions, you'll need a roof that may withstand all of the forces of nature. With this in mind, you need individuals who be aware of Seattle weather best, and who know what materials can best get into your roof for it to last far longer in the region. On top this, you have to blend with the remainder of the houses in your living area, which means you cannot simply get whatever roof you please.

In most these aspects, a Seattle roofing contractors should be able to help you out. All that you should do is search for Seattle roofing contractors online to be able to get the best value for your money without wondering if the contractor will suddenly run away with it and then leave you roof-less.

Why the Contractor Model Works

If you want to put up your homes roof by yourself, you'll have to purchase a whole lot of materials, secure permits and licenses, and obtain materials which are suited to help you stay safe against harsh extremes of Seattle weather. This means that if you're a DIY kind of guy or gal, you will have to go through a good deal of legwork to get the job done.

On the other hand, a Seattle roofer can perform all of the jobs for you and provide a package that may help you save time and money. Because contractors operate under licenses and purchase materials in large quantities, they are able to get discounts on building materials that you would not otherwise get if you were buying merely for your own home.

Roofing Associations

Most roofing contractors also belong to roofing organizations which are bound by strict guidelines and standards. If they prosper on the roofing job, they are able to showcase their roofing contractors association; when they do poorly, they can ruin the trustworthiness of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors within the association from getting good roofing jobs. There is a lot of pressure to complete well, to help you be confident that prefer a roofing job completed in Seattle, you can get a contractor from the roofing association to assist you.

For example, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with over 500 roofing contractors in the Puget Sound. This group has over fifty years of roofing experience and experience dealing with Seattle roofing contractors, therefore it will know what type of roofing you would like. The Roof Brokers group can hook you up using the contractor that you'll require so you don't have to look for contractors individually.

What In the event you Demand from Your Contractor?

When you finally get a contractor within the Seattle area, you need to do a lot of research about the roofing contractors themselves. Request a summary of previous companies or persons the contractor caused to get a clear view of the roofing contractor's work ethics and roof quality. Your roofing contractor should also possess the appropriate working licenses and city licenses needed by the Seattle city government.

Select a Seattle roofing contractors that insures its employees, which has courteous workers who'll respect your thinking and ensure that the needs are met. Make sure that you obtain the best value for your money: if you're not satisfied using the job, you need to be guaranteed either money-back, or perhaps a free, new roof. Moreover, you also require the workers to find the job done on time, so be strict with your deadlines - and find a contractor that is as strict as you are.

You'll need guarantees and warranties in your roof, so look for a contractor that can meet your financial allowance and roofing needs. If you get in touch with good Seattle roofing contractors, you may be guaranteed a good roof and a better house right in this fantastic city.

Choosing the proper Roofer Company for Replacing Your homes roof

The shingles in your roof degrade and you are minded to find a roofer to change the them. Maybe you have already called a few and are evaluating which contractor for your upcoming roof repair. How do you choose the best contractor for caring for your roof? Listed here are a number of things you should look at when searching for the best roofer.

Where is the roofing contractor located? It is important to hire a roofer that's local. Then you will get the next step of service if the roofing company can be found near your house or has an office near your residence.
References. To determine the reliability of the contractor, references ought to be provided of the past clients who are willing to vouch that excellent service was received. This should not be the only real factor in choosing your future roofing contractor as some may claim they value the privacy of their clients and don't wish to bother them. If this sounds like the situation, ask for business related references. The places that provide the contractor with supplies can reveal the amount of materials and regularity of supplying the contractor to help determine their stability.
How does the roofer company handle complaints? There's a large number of problems that can arise throughout the progress of the roofing replacement. Ask what their process is perfect for handling complaints when they arise. It's also an excellent idea to get a past client reference who had a complaint which was resolved to the satisfaction of the client.
The payment schemes. Do you know the terms of payment to do the job? What is the down payment and amount due upon completion? While it is certainly reasonable that the substantial payment be made before a contractor begins work on a project, it is highly recommended that full payment is not made until following the entire job is finished.
Written contract. All terms of the roofing replacement ought to be place in a written contract. No the main contracting job should rely on verbal assurances.
Bonding. There are things that will go wrong with roofing installations that wind up costing quite a bit of money to repair. If this happens in your roofing replacement, you'll feel a great deal better understanding that your roofing contractor is bonded. This will supply the funds to fix whatever mistakes were made. Find a roofing contractor that's bonded.
Manufacturer Warranty. Quality materials for roofing typically have a warranty. You should verify that there is actually a warranty about the materials being installed. Request a duplicate of the warranty.
Period of time running a business Just how long has the company you are interviewing been in business? A short amount of time in business may reflect instability. If the contractor has been around business under 3 years, verify just how long they have actually been in the industry. A new contractor might have a long time experience working on roofs before they form their own business. Seek a company that's been around for three years, or in which the contractor has already established many more years performing roofing replacements. It can shouldn't be the only factor, everyone has to start sometime. Balance this with referrals and the other points raised in the following paragraphs.
Appropriate Permits. A Seattle roofer ought to know what permits are required for fixing your roof. They must be conscious of how you can obtain these permits on your behalf. Ask the contractor whether they will have the permits essential to repair the roof.
Liability. If your worker becomes injured, who's responsible for the worker's compensation? If the contractor's equipment damages your house, who is liable for the repairs? A great contractor will provide certificates of insurance for liability and worker's compensation before they begin fixing your roof.
Subcontractors. Verify if the contractor is going to be using subcontractors. If that's the case, it is highly recommended that everything contained within this article for verifying whether the contractor is credible should also be relevant to subcontractors. You should receive the names and license numbers of all subcontractors. You should verify whether each subcontractor can also be insured so you are not held responsible for their accidents.
Pending Legal Actions. It is important to verify whether there are any legal actions from the contractor. This is not only necessary for verifying whether the roofing company is legitimate (credible roofing companies should not need to defend themselves in court), it is also important because a lost lawsuit could cause the contractor to visit bankrupt. For those who have made a substantial deposit for services immediately prior to the company goes bankrupt, you can lose many thousands of dollars and not have your roofing completed.
Material Disposal. Who's accountable for getting rid of the waste generated from the roof being replaced? Will your contractor handle all aspects of this? Is there one more cost for getting rid of this waste?
NRCA Membership. Membership in local or national roofing associations, such as the NRCA, shows commitment to staying up to date with the very best methods for roof replacement and maintenance. Look for a roofing contractor having a high standard of education regarding their trade.
Replacing your roof is really a significant investment. Celebrate good sense to inquire about serious questions before using a roofing contractor. Here are some more tips that you should consider when choosing the very best roofer for your upcoming roofing replacement.

Payment. Do not make a full payment for services unless all jobs are finished.
Inspection. Do not create a full payment without having done your final inspection of all services rendered.
Workers liens. Do not fully purchase the roofing replacement job until worker's lien releases have been obtained.
Oral Agreements. No agreement should be made verbally without backing up on paper. Every point which are vital that you you should be made in writing.

 

To your SEO needs, you can check out Vancouver web design and Vancouver SEO company

It is true how the cyberspace is just about the biggest financial market nowadays. Practically things are anchored on the net. To date, there are many than 182 million internet sites on the net and still counting. If each of these websites offers the possiblility to make money, consider the limitless opportunities which can be based in the internet. More importantly, with the emergence of internet sites, the requirement for internet hosting and Search| Engine Optimization is significantly defined.

Seo is simply the process of helping the visibility of the site. As a result, if you would like your internet site being visible to visitors, you need to search for SEO Company. The optimization strategy considers how search spiders work and what individuals usually and what keywords they will use. The primary objective of SEO is making sites visible searching sites through the natural or organic way.

Organic search optimization or natural search engine marketing is a expression used in describing unpaid, algorithm-driven connection between any particular engine. Quite simply, organic SEO uses natural strategies in achieving search results ranking. While there's two camps that search optimization companies may fall to, which will be the 'White Hat' and also the 'Black Hat', organic SEO would not belong to the 'Black Hat' camp.

Organic search engine optimization is a highly specialized and complex practice which can literally dictate the success or failure of your web business. Since search sites often modify their algorithms, organic SEO is not very easy whatsoever. When search bots modify their algorithms, factors that allow your internet site to seem before clients are drastically changed too. Thus, so that you can cope up with these changes, SEO tactics and strategies has to be employed.

It is always ethical to utilize search engines engine optimization since search sites nowadays are becoming extremely advanced they can easily determine if an online site is trying to control their search indexes. Thus it really is empirical to utilize search engine marketing practices which are done in a way that appear natural.

The approaches employed by organic search engine optimization and artificial SEO are actually significantly different. Basically, organic SEO uses content when compared with artificial SEO's technical loopholes. Moreover, natural seo provides attracting links instead of linking schemes employed by artificial SEO. Natural SEO also creates valuable resource in contrast to artificial SEO's algorithm chasing. With all of these, it's possible to clearly understand why search engines engine optimization is better than artificial search engine optimization. Although the latter could be more difficult and complex, it creates favorable results that are beneficial for any site. Fortunately, there are tons of Vancouver SEO companies today that provide the organic method in affordable rates and packages.

Seo Appears to the picture

There was a time when search engine marketing was actually not necessary.

Even while late being a decade ago, if you developed a Web site anywhere, Google indexed it and you also gained visibility in its search results. Your page might have been with a free "estates" where anybody could give a page and Google didn't mind. It could likewise have been a pure affiliate page with no original content and Google still indexed it.

The situation is unrecognizably different now.

Affiliate pages with "cookie-cutter" content duplicated everywhere might never reach the Google index; exactly the same fate is likely for those pages you throw in on a free-for-all website. And also "proper" websites with your personal url of your website didn't achieve visibility one of the proliferating sites in millions.

These would not have mattered, with the exception of one thing. It was Google that provided the bread and butter for that an incredible number of smaller businesses which could not afford expensive marketing campaigns. If the site was one of the top few sites the appeared before a searcher's eyes when that individual sought out your products, you've got hundreds and also a large number of visitors, lots of whom even bought your products or services.

Search engine optimization (SEO) entered the scene. Internet search engine specialists "reverse-engineered" to identify the standards that Google consider for showing websites towards the top of its search engine results pages. These factors were then consciously included in your Web pages with the aspiration that Google will show your internet site one of the primary ten results it showed around the first page.

As more of the competitors adopted search engine optimization practices, things became difficult again. Your position begun to slip if the competitors did the SEO better. SEO battles became serious fights with every dirty trick being employed.

There have been "black hat" SEO practitioners who showed one page to find engines and another to human visitors. As search engines like google were not bothered with readability, you could fill the "search engine" page with pure gibberish, but gibberish developed in a way that the engine dutifully indexed high.

A war of wits followed between unscrupulous SEO practitioners and search engines. Google changed its ranking algorithms regularly to be effective around practices that allowed low value content to seem towards the top of its search results. All things considered, Google's success leaned on providing value to searchers, not merchants. And SEO practitioners developed new tricks.

We'll look at seo in a number of articles, starting with an beauty at on-line or Internet marketing.

 

To your SEO needs, you can examine out vancouver web design and Vancouver Search engine optimization company.

 

Cedar Roofing: Many Benefits

Cedar shakes are only about the most eye appealing shakes on the market today. Frequently designed from red-colored cedar around the coniferous forests of northwestern United states of america, they're just the best roofer materials for proprietors preferring supplying their roofs an organic look.

Unique cedar shingles are naturally resistance against the weather, this is the key answer why cedar shingles are widely-used generally all over various climatic conditions. They're generally for sale in a few specific qualities. At least one is the shingle crafted from red cedar as the other is produced out of the vibrant variety. Red cedar shakes are made from tight-grained particles that will be previously saturated with tannic acidity that experts say is definitely an all-natural additive. Red cedar shingles which might be drizzled with creosote in order to avoid corrosion and so are desirable to homeowners simply because add a rich and unique check out one's property or home.

It is critical to observe that red cedars usually change dark-colored if exposed continuously to seaside weather. Consequently, sea side homes need white cedar shakes. Red cedar shingles are usually a much more expensive when compared with white cedar types, although cost factor doesn't diminish its reputation in anyhow. They could be preferably perfect for classic Colonial houses while white cedar shingles seem to be image suited to bungalows and bungalows which have been built in Nantucket design.

Through the years, classic cedar shakes have forfeit out in a place to synthetic shingles that emulate the cedar appear. Superior systems are used to make these kind of shingles use a for a longer period life-span when compared with unique cedar shingles. Most include advanced UV inhibitors and possess about 5 decades of steady guarantee. These shingles in many cases are great insulators and lots of superior ones give a chilly inside during summer season along with a warmer inside during harsh winters.

Cedar shakes, mostly for sale in honey, cinnamon, and silvery gray colors, need several quantity of repairs and maintenance. They might require initial treatment method before installation. White cedar shakes by way of example, could be addressed with bleaching oil which needs to be done nearly every six to seven years to boost their durability.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are generally CCA treated or otherwise not CCA treated. CCA represents chromated copper arsenate. CCA is a chemical that stops the increase of mold, mold and fungus so it helps maintain insects from eating away your own wonderful cedar roof. CCA cedar might make your homes roof stay longer, but CCA is NOT A fireplace TREAMENT. Cedar which has been fire treated can be acquired, but your roofing company have to special order it. CCA treated cedar shingles cost 15 - 20% a lot more than non-CCA cedar. Most cedar roofs usually are not CCA treated.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are fantastic, and they're also a good purchase. Information of terms including CCA, advanced quality, Number 1, blue label and black label will allow you to find the right cedar roof for your personal home.

Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC provides detailed information about shingles, cedar shakes, fiberglass shakes and much more. Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC is connected to the nation's Roofers Association.

You can learn more about cedar shingles, and obtain more articles and resources about cedar shakes at cedar roof shingles and shakes website.

 

Cedar Shingle Roof Vs Asphalt Shingle Roof

A cedar shingle roof remains highly coveted by homeowners. It's one of many oldest roofing products that has continued to be constantly in use within the more than 100 years. Just as much as new roofing materials carry on being developed, cedar shakes still endear themselves to a lot of. Below is really a comparison analysis of the cedar roof versus an asphalt roof.

Pros of Cedar Roofing shingles

Cedar shakes bring about greater air flow within the entire home. The shingles let the the place to find breathe well without trapping moisture around. This assists to keep the dwelling of the home who is fit longer. Cedar Shakes are durable and strong. They enjoy an increased potential to deal with bugs. A cedar shingle roof will operate well towards the various weather onslaughts. Storms, hurricanes, powerful winds and flying debris will barely damage the top of your cedar roof. Along with matures beautifully with the passing years, which makes it much more desirable. A cedar roof adds a definite charm to your residence. Cedar is instantly obtainable in lumber yards as well as doesn't require a lots of expertise or specialized tools to install.

Cons of Cedar Shakes

If rot takes hold, choosing compelled to change the whole lot. It is not easy extracting just the affected pieces. They may are already nailed down in a manner that each elimination proves difficult. Cedar Shingles don't last well to constant wetting. If you reside in a area where rainfall is heavy or frequent, cedar shingles aren't a great choice. Frequent wetting causes mold or mildew setting in. Replacement and repair might be a costly business. Your very best self protection against constant wetting should be to use wide overhangs. Also, in case your house is shaded by many trees or nearby buildings, cedar shingles have a tendency to develop mold. You will end up compelled to replace them sooner than you planned. Cedar Shingles tend to be flammable than asphalt shingles. Many areas use a building code in place that restricts cedar shingles to reduce the danger of fire. To set up a cedar shake roof, you need to have your financial allowance in regards to the higher side. Frequent maintenance may also be important to keep the roof who is fit. Mildew and rot are ever-constant threats to some cedar roof.

Pros of Asphalt Shingle Roof

An asphalt roof is one of the most inexpensive to get and install. These come in various designs and colours, which range from an ordinary, flat turn to a 3-dimensional look. Asphalt shingles have a superior potential to deal with fires unlike cedar roofing. An asphalt roof can certainly decrease the risk of fires caused by flying embers. Asphalt roofs are easier and cheaper to put in than cedar. Also, they are low maintenance roofs.

Cons of Asphalt Shingle Roof

Algae is a lot more prone to grow on asphalt roofing than cedar shingles. It causes the cover to produce somewhat from the stain which spoils the appearance. You can get an anti-algae coating carried out your asphalt shingles but this adds to the cost. With regards to stability, an asphalt roof is much more apt to be blown off by strong winds compared to a cedar roof.

Discover more about cedar roofing materials, and obtain more articles and resources about cedar roofing shakes at cedar roofing materials and shakes website.

 

How to locate Good Vancouver SEO Services

The amount of internet sites and e-commerce sites is actually constantly increasing because everybody knows that it can generate a lot of earnings. It's additionally caused another kind of services that assist businesses in attaining their goals and which makes them grow. Among these are the Vancouver SEO services; because the SEO industry is fairly young you will notice that any kind of Search engine optimization Vancouver organization will not be more than a decade aged. But you can be assured that they certainly understand what they have to caused by get a business growing.

If your business relies heavily on the Internet to obtain visitors to your website and also to obtain conversions, you certainly need assistance in search engine optimisation or even Search engine optimization as it is additionally recognized. When individuals place searching within their favorite internet search engine, probably the most most likely fits come at the top. If you wish to pull traffic to your site or even online business, you need to go ahead and take assistance of the Vancouver Search engine optimization company to obtain to the top of these search engine results. The actual Search engine optimization Vancouver providers supplied will be well worth the money spent and you will be seeing the returns shortly after.

Nevertheless, achieving a top rank on the internet might not continually be always easy and more therefore if yours is a very competitive business that they frequently refer to like a market. It's no surprise then that you need all of the assist that you can get. If you don't have the answer to "What is SEO?" then you need to first educate yourself on the topic. But your best option is to leave the job to people that realize it greatest; the actual SEO Vancouver experts in the Vancouver SEO company. You will have to shell out some money but you may reap the benefits as the years pass.

The actual Search engine optimization Vancouver professionals will start upon market and keyword research that is usually the actual starting place associated with SEO. You need to know the type of words or even key phrases which potential customers will be keying in to Google to get at your site. The Vancouver SEO company is going to do this particular tiresome job for a person as they possess a better idea about how people start their own queries. A person, from you need to provide them with a better knowing regarding your company plus some basic keywords on which they'd do their own research.

In case your Search engine optimization campaign starts with key phrases selection, then it is backlink building which feeds seo; worthwhile Vancouver SEO company can help you understand. The perfect way for your site to position high for any provided keyword would be to possess a excellent backlink building technique designed for this. The secret would be to depart your own link upon high rated websites. The Search engine optimization Vancouver professionals will tell you the most typical method of doing this is to submit content articles containing the desired keywords within the correct proportion to article directory sites with links back aimed at your website in the resource box.

What exactly are you awaiting? Take the help of the Vancouver Search engine optimization company the following; the actual SEO Vancouver experts can make your company develop so that you can reap greater earnings.

 

Reliable SEO Services For Your Business in Vancouver

Expert sophisticated Vancouver SEO services help you to are available in the very best listing of the actual organic search results to attract visitors. Furthermore, the visitors associated with organic outcomes will be keen to purchase items and these services will end up being helpful in your company.

You'll need Search engine optimization Vancouver to benefit your organization through allowing you to make the most visibility from a internet search engine as well as thereby getting good traffic to your web site. With the help of search engine rankings, these types of services will immensely assist your internet website get in touch with the field of people accessing web and therefore, drawing more and more traffic to your web site. Once the website has begun producing traffic to this, your business may reap benefits as the website will end up probably the most searchable on top search engines.

An organization requirements these kinds of providers since the SEO professionals have the basic understanding and understanding of how you can do it. A person as the webmaster can spend time on internet dealing with blogs, discussion boards, along with other materials. Nevertheless, you need to focus on other aspects of your internet site and SEO professionals concentrate almost all their initiatives on Search engine optimization since this is what they do greatest.

The actual Search engine optimization companies guarantee to improve increased traffic for your site regularly by giving you an assurance that after people search for products or services, your web site occurs the top most sought after search engines like google such as Google, Google, MSN as well as AOL.

Quite simply, to enhance web site traffic and visibility, it is vital that the website ought to obtain up-to-date constantly. The entire process of search engine optimization is not a one-time try. A successful SEO support consists of advertising, position, site promotion, hyperlink trades and much more. To be able to contain the changes in order to SEO methods and strategies every day, professional SEO services maintain skilled as well as technically experienced Search engine optimization specialists, site designers, copy writers, Search engine optimization publishers, marketing professionals and project supervisors.

A professional and result-oriented search engine optimization service includes the next:
. Study and report pre-optimization position
. Key phrase choice as well as optimisation
. Competitors evaluation report
. Description of tags
. Designed hyperlink web page creation
. Optimisation associated with images
. Keyword-rich content material building
. Search engine optimization copy writing
. Hyperlink campaigns
. Code
. Search engine submissions

SEO organizations also provide the actual service associated with keyword research. These types of businesses will appear at the clients' web sites as well as their competition and can look for suitable keywords. They adopt the most appropriate methodology which will ensure online visibility and exposure.

Now, let's point out the benefits that will help an company's site get to the surface of a search engine.
• Personalized Search engine optimization answer
• Long term best ratings searching engines
• Higher web site traffic an internet-based sales
• Global business coverage
• Business business identification
• Suggestions for company improvement
• Follow-up support
• Maximum results

 

'Counter-Terror' Policy Targets Uyghurs

2011-04-07
A new report says China uses the threat of terrorism to crack down on Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

AFP
Uyghur men and women chat outside a mosque in Urumqi, July 17, 2009.

China's anti-terrorism policy deliberately targets ethnic minority communities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans struggling for greater autonomy, according to a white paper by a rights group.

The policy equates terrorism with groups pushing for more self-governing rights, is too broad in scope, and shirks international human rights commitments, said the Hong Kong and New York-based Human Rights in China (HRIC).

The paper looked into human rights concerns within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional intergovernmental organization which includes China and five other member states-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan-with a total population of 1.5 billion people.

It said the SCO approach to counter-terrorism, modeled on China'sThree Evils doctrine, and highlighting principles of territorial integrity, noninterference in internal affairs, and social stability, contributes to supporting repressive regimes at the expense of human rights.

A failure to demand accountability from the SCO undermines the effectiveness and integrity of the international system in countering terrorism and advancing rule of law, peace, and security, HRIC said.

"China's approach to counter-terrorism is the Three Evils doctrine, and it links terrorism with separatism and extremism," HRIC director Sharon Hom said in an interview.

"This Three Evils approach is overbroad, highly politicized, and while not exclusively applied only to ethnic minority groups, it is regularly applied to Uyghurs and Tibetans in its practice."

Hom said other SCO member states follow China's lead by recognizing Xinjiang and Tibet as inalienable territories of China and repatriating its ethnic minorities who seek asylum within their borders.

"China has enormous clout in the SCO, and you can also see it in the ways in which the other SCO member states and the SCO will completely parrot China's line and China's policy on these two so-called autonomous regions."

Treatment of Uyghurs

The HRIC white paper said it found "serious issues" concerning China's treatment of Uyghurs, including the principle of non-refoulement and potential use of torture during interrogations.

Regulations specific to Xinjiang became part of China's domestic counter-terrorism legal framework in December 2009 when provincial-level lawmakers revised the region's Comprehensive Management of Social Order.

Through the revisions, Chinese authorities were ordered to specifically crack down on the three threats of "terrorism, separatism, and extremism" in the aftermath of the July 2009 ethnic violence in Urumqi which left hundreds dead, according to official media reports.

HRIC called the amendments "unique" to Xinjiang, adding that "such singular focus by the Chinese government ... suggests that the concept of terrorism has been applied in a biased fashion, with the Uyghur community the subject of intense scrutiny and suspicion."

It noted that while China does face real threats of terrorism, "the limited involvement of Uyghurs in terrorist acts cannot serve as justification of widespread repression throughout [Xinjiang] or the labeling of peaceful Uyghur activists under the rubric of the Three Evils."

Adherence to rules

But despite its reliance on the Three Evils doctrine, HRIC wrote, China continues to claim that it is acting to "firmly uphold and fulfill the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council," according to a statement by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

Under U.N. rules, China pledged to oppose the "arbitrary widening" of the scope of fighting terrorism and identifying terrorism with any specific ethnic group or religion.

"The Three Evils doctrine undermines this principled approach and, in doing so, compromises human rights guaranteed under international law, and international counter-terrorism efforts as a whole," HRIC said.

HRIC recommended that Beijing narrow its "Three Evils"-based approach to national security and reformulate its definition of terrorism.

On June 24 last year, Chinese authorities announced they had broken up a "terrorist" ring of a Uyghur separatist group, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), after arresting more than ten of its members involved in an alleged major plot against China.

The announcement said that information leading to the arrest had been obtained through the investigation of 20 "individuals of Chinese citizenship" who had been deported to China on December 20, 2009-the exact date that Cambodia deported 20 Uyghurs seeking asylum following the July 5 ethnic unrest in Urumqi.

The statement also indicated that several of the alleged ETIM members had confessed to participating in a wide array of terrorist activities during interrogation.

Human Rights Watch said in February that the Cambodian government has a "dismal track record" of deporting refugees granted asylum status by the UNHCR, particularly those from neighboring countries such as China and Vietnam.

Ethnic tensions

Millions of Uyghurs-a distinct, Turkic minority who are predominantly Muslim-populate Central Asia and the Xinjiang region.

Ethnic tensions between Uyghurs and majority Han Chinese settlers have simmered for years, and erupted in riots in July 2009 that left some 200 people dead, according to the Chinese government's tally.

Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness despite China's ambitious plans to develop its vast northwestern frontier.

Chinese authorities blame Uyghur separatists for a series of deadly attacks in recent years and accuse one group in particular of maintaining links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Reported by Mamatjan Juma for RFA Uyghur service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
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