Happy Mother's Day

Here are a few tips to guide you when planning for that perfect gift for your Mom.

Flowers

If sending these along to your mom wasn’t the first idea that popped into your head, we’d recommend seeing a neurologist. That said, women have an uncanny ability to discern the quality of flowers, so don’t think she won’t know you opted for the cheapest bouquet you could find. Conversely, by taking the high road  she’ll know you’ve done something special and show her pleasure by placing them prominently in her house for everyone to see.

Why? Though it may seem trite, there’s a reason why giving flowers on Mother’s Day is popular. Like flowers, being a mom is a beautiful thing, and beautiful things definitely deserve each other’s company

Gift card

This isn’t the type of gift we recommend every day, but in the case of moms who spend the majority of time shopping for others, receiving a gift card to their favorite shop can often break down their selflessness for a change by giving them the treat to shop for themselves. Don’t assume, however, that you can pass this relatively easy gift off without putting some thought into some attractive packaging and a well-written card.

Why? The saying goes “it’s the thought that counts,” but the fact is letting moms choose their own special gift will guarantee they get what they want.

Gift basket

This idea may seem better suited for a corporate convention, but not every gift basket is created equal. Packed with her favorite foods, and useful tools to make cooking them a real pleasure, a customized gift basket from a Supermarket is a very classy gift. However, if you’re really looking to earn good-son brownie points, you should be the one to prepare this gift’s goodies for her as an added way to show you care.

Why? Food is meant to be shared with loved ones, so if you play your cards right, she might just let your stomach benefit from your good taste in gift giving as well.

Spa Treatment

While celebrating all of her accomplishments as a mother, many women find themselves reflecting on all the time that has passed to get here. By giving the gift of home spa products she can treat herself to a relaxing day at home while marveling at all she has accomplished. More importantly, though, her day of home pampering will also give her skin a more youthful appearance akin to the days when she focused on herself and not her kids.

Why? Every mom needs to be reminded of the beautiful woman she is as an individual, no matter how much you’d rather not think about it.

Home decor

Men may brush these tokens off as pointless knickknacks, but unique home decor accessories are the kinds of gifts that detail-oriented moms love, because they help distinguish and freshen up the sanctuary that is her home.

Why? The old throw rug on the couch has started to resemble the Dead Sea Scrolls and this soft merino wool should provide her comfort even when you’re not around.

Sweet treats

Unless she’s in the extreme minority, your mom will always appreciate sweet treats. Chocolate of course, is certainly a safe bet, but if you’re really looking to impress, sending an edible arrangement of her favorite fruit dipped in chocolate takes this gifting concept from the minor leagues to the pros. Made to be as beautiful as they are tasty, they’re also great for sharing when the family gets together

Why? Sending over a basket of treats will make her feel great and indulge her sweet-tooth urge she so often says no to.

Greenery

The process of caring for a living thing is an instinct that typically stays with moms long after they’ve kicked you out. To cater to this instinct, give her beautiful greenery she can also tend to, such as a gorgeously packaged flower plant for the house.

Why? Apart from adding color and wonderful fragrance to her home, raising plants doesn’t result in dirty dishes and unmade beds, the way raising you did.

Perfume

Some moms wear perfume every day, while others save it for special occasions. Regardless of what bucket your mom falls into, giving her a bottle of her own favorite fragrance will save her a trip to the department store and keep her smelling like she prefers.

Why? Scent is the most powerful sense attached to memory, so make sure you always remember your mom in the best possible way.

Massage

Mother’s Day gifts are all about making moms feel good, and nothing fulfills that goal more directly than giving mom a massage and spa treatment. Lucky for you, giving this gift just got easier thanks to many massage palours in Nairobi nowadays

Why? After a lifetime of making you feel good when you needed it the most, treating her to a day of relaxation is one small way of paying her back.

The other simple last minute but very special gifts include

• A watch or wall clock
• Pair of shoes
• Necklace
• Earings
• Glasses
• Coffe mugs
• A set of Plates
• Picture frame

Happy mothers’ Day!

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Rainy and cold Weather

HYPOTHERMIA is a dangerous lowering of a person’s body temperature. Violent shivering is an early warning sign as the body tries to warm itself. Although the shivering will stop as the body temperature continues to drop, watch for drowsiness, confusion or altered speech. Seek medical attention immediately: while waiting, keep the person warm and dry, and slowly give warm liquids to drink if conscious.

Cold weather safety tips

Protect your family from cold related illnesses:

• STAY DRY. Wet clothing loses its ability to insulate. Keep spare clothing, mittens and socks. Sample some of these clothing from our Clothing section on maduqa.com.
• LAYER CLOTHING. Wear a turtleneck under a sweater, glove liners inside of mittens, and double socks to maintain body heat.
• Set a TIME LIMIT for outdoor play. Have children check in after an hour outside. Make sure clothing, mittens and socks are still dry. When in doubt, bring everyone inside for a snack.
• Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.  Contrary to popular belief alcohol does not warm the body.  In fact it has an opposite effect by causing vasodilatation and decreasing the body’s natural insulating properties.  It also suppresses shivering, and impairs judgment.
• The ELDERLY are at especially high risk for cold related illnesses. If you routinely look in on an elderly or disabled person, check on them at least twice a day during cold spells.

Have a warm and productive day , wont you?

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Business Solutions

Your business needs a business management software. Before you let a business software vendor come in, demo, and sweet talk you into purchasing their “solution,” you need to figure out if what they are selling is a solution, or is it more headaches. Starting a business is a difficult decision, and something as innocuous as buying a software solution is the last thing you would think would cause problems. These solutions can be a source of bigger problems than the ones they solve and may end up being costly to your business.

Business Software Tips

• Read Business Software Reviews

The easiest research you can do is to read reviews. If you perform a search for the name of the software you will probably find someone talking about it. Make sure that your research is broad and wide to avoid falling into the trap of the paid reviewers. You may also consider searching only for the bad reviews to get a balanced view.

• Software Support Test Call

Has the company given you a business support line? Consider giving the company’s technical support a call. If not, this could be an indicator to a support contract.  Ask some basic information and see how helpful they might be. If they seem unwilling to help, this is an indication that they are not worth their solution or that they actually have a support contract that is supposed to be paid for separately. Their answer should give you a good indication of whether they have support contracts or not.

• Use Business Software Demos

If the company offers a demo, use it. Download the demo and use it like it is the only piece of software you have. Find problems, ask questions, try to break it, and see what happens. Try to use it with wrong data and see if the system is able to handle it and give warnings and give suggestions. Does it do backups of your data? Is it able to recover from system crashes? How is your data after that?

Business Software Solutions

Business software solutions are necessary, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent unnecessary expense. Be proactive in your research, or you may end up regretting your purchase. Don’t let the convenience of a salesman at your business’ door sway you to buy a software that might create more problems later.

Business Software Solutions Providers:

There are several business software providers that we can recommend:

Software Shop

Virtual Business Solutions Limited

Enfinite Solutions Limited

GFI Veritech Limited

FlipFire Technologies

Metcom Solutions

You can get others from The ICT Section of maduqa.com.

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Online-Internet marketing

One of the most challenging tasks is marketing.

You know how to do what it is you do really well, you know you can offer value to people, you just don’t know how to locate people (prospects) and convince them to use your services or products (become customers).

The Solution?

Step into the shoes of your ideal client and brainstorm how they would find your business…d they use the yellow pages, search engines, word of mouth…or from their friends. This helps you to refine who exactly your target market are and what would be the best marketing methods to communicate your message to them.

Try the internet…

Online Marketing

The Internet is fundamentally changing how people find things.  Your potential customers are on Google, Yahoo, bing or maduqa.com trying to reach you!…and your are nowhere to be found..but wait…you are busy coming up with strategies on how to market your business. What a contradiction!

Hey,..don’t start celebrating yet. The internet is for individuals who take their time and use smart tactics to create a purposeful website focusing on specific niche. But the good news for you is that you do not need to worry about this…we have already done this for you at maduqa.com. You just need to appear…register and start selling.The web could become the only marketing tool needed to acquire more clients than ever before  for your business. In fact they may be more clients than you can handle on your own.

It’s Not Too Late To Get Into Online Marketing

There is no good excuse for not initiating some form of online marketing. The real power comes when you use the web as a marketing process to help generate a constant stream of eager clients just dying to purchase from you. While this is not a straight forward process the principles behind it are quite easy to follow and merely draw from the skills you already have.

The important thing to understand is that right now is the best time to start building an online marketing system. The Internet rewards people who maintain a web presence for a long time with regular updates. This means that over time as competitors come into your online shop you can remain the leader because you have first mover advantage.

Let’s Make This Easy for You…

Go here and start selling..big time! You will thank me for this tip…and don’t tell everyone about it!!

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Did you know that many of these receipts have your credit card number printed right there for anyone to see (and use)?

And, if you’ve signed them, your signature is also right there for someone to carefully copy. This can lead to the most simple form of identity theft. With this bit of information, some unscrupulous person can be well on his way to making purchases either by phone or on the Internet using your credit card number.

You won’t know about it until you get your statement (a good reason why you should always study the charges on your card statements!). All they have to have, in most cases, is your mailing address, which can be looked up in a phone book or easily found on the Internet.

It’s not always possible to prevent credit or charge card fraud from happening. But there are a few steps you can take to make it more difficult for a crook to capture your card or card numbers and minimize the possibility:

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Today, an unprotected computer isn’t just vulnerable, it’s probably already infected. New viruses, spyware, trojans, worms, and other malware are created every day. New threats are disguised to bypass other security measures, and specifically designed to catch you and your PC off guard.

The virus landscape has also changed; viruses that used to be annoying pranks have evolved into pernicious threats capable of not only destroying your computer, but stealing your information and identity.

The benefits of installing a basic security solution on your PC are obvious, but the cost in system slowdown used to make it tough to bear. Luckily, modern antivirus software haven’t just improved their level of protection, they’ve significantly improved resource efficiency and overall speed. You can have ultimate protection without giving up your resources. With advanced technologies and straightforward usability, antivirus software is more effective than ever, and doesn’t require constant maintenance from you. Say goodbye to annoying security warnings and noticeable slowdown; current antivirus programs deliver constant protection and can actually speed up your computer.

The last generation of antivirus software brought advanced heuristic detection into the mix. Continuing to improve, the current lineup of antivirus products often incorporate further developed proactive protection with better behavior checking and even file reputation analysis. Several of the software incorporate ‘in the cloud’ security and other advanced technologies to increase safety and convenience. From gamer modes, to battery saving settings, to integrated web link scanners; antivirus applications are more versatile and have upped the ante for features and functionality.

On this site you’ll find a side-by-side comparison of the best antivirus software, helpful articles on computer security, security tips and tricks, buying guides, videos, and comprehensive reviews to help you make an informed decision on which security software is right for you.

• How to Remove/Prevent Viruses
• Top Rogue Scanners to Avoid
• Worm or Virus…What’s the Difference?
• Is Antivirus Software Enough?

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don’t Have To.™

Antivirus Software: What to Look For

All security software is not created equal. Like all consumer products, antivirus software has the good, the bad, and the mediocre. The choices for antivirus protection are many and varied. Although we haven’t reviewed each and every product available, we feature the absolute best antivirus software available today from a number of providers (including big-hitters, lesser-knowns, and new-comers), and compare them so you can match your needs with the right software.

Remember when it really comes down to it, effectiveness and usability can either make or break antivirus software. Security programs are only as good as their level of protection, and if you can’t figure out how to use it, you won’t. Our top-ranked antivirus software combine optimal security with user-friendly features and tools.

Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS uses to evaluate and compare antivirus software:

Scope of Protection
While most security solutions tout “multi-layered” protection, “360 degree” defense and/or even “100%” security, some are certainly more thorough than others. The best antivirus solutions will include traditional protection from viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware, but should also include defense from keyloggers, phishing scams, email-borne threats and rootkits. While antivirus programs are by no means full-blown internet security suites, they should protect from as many threats on as many fronts as they can.

Effectiveness
Antivirus is specifically designed to protect your computer, so if it doesn’t do that well, what good is it? All the features, bells and whistles, or sleek interface can’t make up for poor performance. We look at results from the industry-standard security software testers and professional security organizations to find the most effective software available and evaluate overall effectiveness. In general, our highest ranked programs are also the most effective.

Ease of Installation and Setup
Security software shouldn’t be a chore to install, and should have you protected as soon as possible. From download to install, to the first scan; implementing antivirus software should be quick and easy.

Ease of Use
Antivirus software is complex stuff, but shouldn’t require a degree in computer security. The best security programs have all the features security experts want, but are just as easily used by a beginner. Everyday computer users want a security solution that they can install and forget about; software that doesn’t require constant maintenance or have annoying interruptions. The best antivirus software is flexible enough to do exactly what you want to (even if that means running by itself).

Features
A well-rounded feature set takes a security solution from good to great. More than bells and whistles, added features provide security, usability and performance benefits.

Updates
Security software is only as good as its latest update. Viruses are being identified and added to signature databases all the time, so it’s important that your virus definition list updates accordingly. Modern antivirus software are equipped with automatic updates that perform regularly enough that you get faster updates that don’t slow down your system. The best security providers even “push” updates to you as soon as they’re available.

Help & Support
The best software doesn’t require reading an in-depth manual to use, but still has one available. For specific questions, troubleshooting, and additional help, the best antivirus manufacturers provide superior product support online and off. Additional support for software may come in the form of assistance over the phone, email, live chat, or through a number of additional resources (knowledgebase, FAQs, tutorials).

A well-balanced antivirus solution is effective, efficient, and easy to use. Combining all the right features with a usable interface; our top antivirus software choices deliver the best security and usability without a serious investment in time, money, or system resources.

Contact us for support and inquiries

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chill pill a notional pill taken to make someone calm

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We all like to think that we are good people to work for (well, most of us do), but is it true? I have been hearing from a lot of people about bad bosses lately – maybe it’s the economy – and one thing I noticed is that few bad bosses actually see themselves that way.

So, which witch are you? The good, or the bad?

Here’s how to tell:

1. You don’t micromanage: There are few things more frustrating than the boss who not only is not happy with your work, but tells you how to do it to boot! Great bosses trust that the people they hire are smart enough to do their job, even if you might do it differently.

2. You know how to have fun: People work for all sorts of reasons, pay is just one. We work to learn new things, meet people, sharpen skills, get ahead, and yes, socialize and try to have a good time. The best bosses temper work with fun, knowing that the latter reinforces the former.

3. You push, but know when to back off: Employees usually want to be challenged to do their best, and if they like where they work, they will strive to give that. Great bosses are like great coaches – they know when to push and when to back off so as to draw out the best from their team.

4. You have good manners: Some of the items on this list are intuitive, others less so. Saying “please” and “thank you” may seem like a little thing but in actuality, it’s not. The boss who does not say please or thank you usually makes people feel crummy. Having some manners shows respect and garners respect.

Read the rest of the interesting article here…

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Having been a non-employee for about 14 years now, I’ve made my share of stupid business mistakes.  I’ve also coached a number of people to start their own businesses, and I’ve seen many of them make similar mistakes.  This advice is geared towards small business owners, particularly people who are just starting (or about to start) their own business.

1.  Selling to the wrong people.

While sales are important to the survival of any business, you don’t need to push your business on everyone you meet, including friends and family.  Furthermore, it’s a waste of time to try selling to people who simply don’t need what you’re offering.

Selling to the wrong people includes trying to sell to everyone.  Some customers are much easier to sell to than others.  For example, my wife does web consulting for small businesses, and she’s learned that some clients are much harder to work with than others.  If a potential customer is broke and obsessively worried about every nickel they spend, if they want a web site but don’t know why, or if they simply don’t understand the Internet well enough, they won’t be a good client in the long run.  Feel free to say no to customers that are more trouble than they’re worth.  Let your competitors sell to them instead.  You’ll save yourself many headaches, and you’ll free up more time to focus on serving the best customers.

Just because someone is interested in doing business with you doesn’t mean you should accept.  In my first year in business, I probably said yes to at least 50% of the people who approached me with a potential business relationship.  I wasted a lot of time pursuing deals that were too much of a stretch to begin with.  I accepted lunch invitations from random business people who just wanted to “see if there’s a way we could do something together.”  Virtually none of them made me a dime.  If you think a meeting is pointless, it probably is.  Don’t network with random people just because you think you’re supposed to network.  Today I accept such invitations less than 1/10 as often.  If an offer doesn’t excite me right away, I usually decline or ignore it.  Most relationships simply aren’t worth pursuing.  Learn to say no to the weak opportunities so you have the capacity to say yes to the golden opportunities.

Continue with the article here….

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Developing a business idea is a matter of creating a vision, leveraging your strengths and determining what the market needs. These three steps should get you started.

• Create a vision
• Determine what you’re good at and what you like to do
• Figure out what the market needs

Create a vision

Close your eyes for a few minutes and conjure up a detailed image of what you want your life to look like in 5 years. Be as specific as possible.

• Where do you live?
• How do you spend your days?
• What kind of work do you do?
• Do you work alone or with other people?
• Who are you surrounded by?
• What do you do when you aren’t working?

Don’t limit yourself to these questions; create a vivid vision of yourself, touching on things that are important to you. These are all personal issues that will impact the type of business you pursue – being a city or country person; wanting to travel or sit at your computer; liking to meet people or work on the phone. This activity will help you create a foundation for choosing a business, making business decisions, and setting clear goals.

It is best to do this exercise with someone else and share your vision. If you can’t, write it down to make your vision more concrete.

Continue with the article here…

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