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e_Marketing Blog Different Remote Blogging Interfaces We've been testing our new remote blogging interface for the Link Builder Network called Blogging Central, and while doing that I decided to enumerate some of the alternative remote blogging interfaces I am aware of. These include some very interesting and quite powerful programs. Here are the ones I've looked at: Windows Live Writer - This is a slick program from Microsoft that interfaces with many different blogging platforms including Wordpress and b2Evolution - the two I am most interested in. I haven't actually tested it with other platforms such as blogger.com, but I am assuming it will work. For better or worse it lets you create complex posts that include tables and css elements. As with some others, this program requires you to individually configure each blog account you want to access. When you are dealing with more than 50 accounts, as in the case of the Link Builder Network, this can be a royal pain. Scribfire for Firefox - Scribefire is a Firefox plugin. In other words, it only works with the Firefox browser. Scribefire is a very slick way to interface with many different types of blogs - including Wordpress, Blogger, Moveable Type, and a few others - but not b2evolution. It lets you create relatively complicated post layouts using tables and images, and it even lets you edit previously created posts. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to setup your logins. You will have to manually enter more than 50 blog logins for the Link Builder Network. And you will have to do that for each computer you want to use it with. w.Bloggar - This is another free program that has been around for a while and has gone through a number of versions. It is currently in version 4.03, so you can be sure it is fairly stable. This program will interface with all our Wordpress and b2evolution blogs. It takes a bit of getting used to, and you must set it up for each of the blogs, but once set up it is quite efficient. We have used w.Bloggar for approximately 12 months to make posts for clients, so we know it is reliable. It is a bit more restricted on the formatting side - no tables, for instance - but this is probably a good thing. You can also load all your account logins and passwords by entering them into am .xml file and loading them all at once - a major time saver to be sure. There are other programs like these, but I am not familiar with them. The advantage of Blogging Central is that it is a dedicated system designed especially for posting to the Link Builder Network Wordpress blogs. Once in the system there is no need to login to each blog, and you can send the same post to as many as 4 blogs at once. I will have a Blogging Central video up very soon. Awesome Free Graphics Get free web graphics, Photoshop tutorials and action scripts at the Graphics Club Monthly blog - Free Web Graphics. For example, here are some free Photoshop 3D box action scripts. Max is also promoting his new membership site called Graphics Club Monthly, and giving away one free month's worth of graphics. What Good is an "Interface"? I just read over my previous post and realized that unless you are already familiar with posting to a number of blogs, it is probably not clear what I am talking about. The problem is this: you have access to a number of blogs - either ones you have created yourself, or others you are allowed to post to - and you need an efficient way of posting to them. Normally this involves actually going to the blog, logging in, posting, and then logging out. But what if you want to post to 25 or 50 different blogs, as is the case with the Link Builder Network? This becomes a very time consuming process. Is there a way to create blog posts and just "send" them to the blog? Yes, there are several programs that will do this, and I've mentioned 4 of them in the previous post. The one we created for our own set of blogs is called "Blogging Central", and you can have access to it by joining the Link Builder Network. |
SBO-Linknet.com is the home of the Linknet Publishing Network. This is a growing network of active websites covering various areas of interest from Online Marketing to Golf to Personal Health and Real Estate. Safeguarding Your Personal Information From Identity ThievesMar 7, 2006 -Linknet Finance News Safeguarding Your Personal Information From Identity Thieves Mar 7, 2006 - Linknet Finance - by Etienne A. Gibbs, MSWTo stop identity thieves in their steps, there are several things you can do. You can begin by freezing access to your credit file. An identity thief doesn't just steal your credit card and personal information to start buying crazily in your name. He gets new cards, opens new loans, and leaves a long trail of unpaid bills in your name. He even uses your identity to commit acts of terrorism or other crimes. What are you to do? == Loan Officer Training - Mortgage broker training = Identity theft occurs more frequently than you would like to believe - and is committed frequently by someone you know. This is what happened to Linda Foley, a magazine writer, who learned that her own employer had swiped her identity to open cell phone and credit card accounts. Now Foley, along with her husband, fight back as the Co-Executive Directors of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) in San Diego, California. Can This Happen to You? After Bridget J. Thomas learned that her identity was stolen by a bank employee at a branch 300 miles from the one she used, she was shocked. And that was just the beginning of her nightmare! When the thief was caught, she was working at a different bank in a different state. After her arrest, collection agencies continued to hound Ms Thomas. Setting the Record Straight Might Not Be All That Easy - or Quick! Setting the record straight is the tip of a nightmarish iceberg that can take months - even years to accomplish often with undue pain and suffering for the victim. In serious cases victims spend an average of 600 hours and ,400 in out-of-pocket expenses to repair their credit. Until they can prove their innocence, they are more likely to be: charged higher rates for insurance and fees for credit cards, rejected for student loans or home mortgages, arrested for crimes they did not commit. unable to get or keep a job, A Call From A Collection Agency Or A turndown For A Loan Is Often the Only Tip-off That Your Identity Was Stolen. A thief needs only one thing to open the doors to his windfall - your Social Security number. Unfortunately it is routinely used by government agencies, health care providers, utility companies, merchants, employers, and financial institutions. Often, your Social Security number is publicly available. That's how General John M. Shalikashvili, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, became a victim. His Social Security number and those of many other military officers were published in the "Congressional Record" and were later posted on the internet. Thieves used their identities to open 273 new credit cards accounts and run up a bill of over 0,000.00 in charges. Develop a Form of Defense To stop identity thieves in their steps, there are several things you can do. You can begin by freezing access to your credit file. By doing so, you cause your file to become off-limits to anyone who does not know the secret PIN (Personal Information Number) of your choosing. This sets the wheels in motion to protect you from the bad guys - anyone who attempts to apply for credit in your name. It causes their application to be rejected; although your credit cards won't be affected. And if you want to apply for new credit or let a bank, store, or agency run a background check on you, you can get a credit thaw. For example, if you decided to shop for a big-ticket item, like a car, you might thaw your history for auto dealers. Other Things You Can Do - Starting NOW! Periodically check your credit report for suspicious activities. Americans are now entitled to a free annual credit report from each of the three bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. If you elect to shop online, use a credit card rather than a debit card. With a credit card, you have the extra protection of maximum liability of .00 for unauthorized purchased. Learn more about "phishing" email scams, and other schemes, frauds, and cons to separate you from your identity and your money. For more information about these scams and about resources at your disposal, go to http://www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com/ In the Event You Do Become A Victim Here are some steps to take: Act fast and prepare yourself for an uphill battle uncooperative and unsupportive credit card and law enforcement agencies. For guidance and support, I suggest that you turn to organizations and agencies like ITRC (www.identitytheftcenter.org), the Federal Trade Commission (www.FTC.gov), and others. All can be found at http://www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com/. Call the fraud dept. of one of the three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit reports. (The other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified.) The alert lasts for 90 days and requires creditors to call you before opening new accounts in your name; however, a word of caution is in order here. There are no legal requirements to honor alerts and merchants who are eager to make a sale may ignore them. Close your credit card accounts and change the passwords on all your financial and banking accounts. File a police report. Although credit bureaus wont extend a fraud alert without it, be aware that local police departments may be reluctant to provide a report. Many may lack the resources to properly investigate the crime. Mail copies of the police report to all three credit bureaus with a cover letter demanding your complete credit file. Call every credit where you know a bogus account has been created and have them close your file immediately. Demand copies of all fraudulent applications for credit and billing statements. Creditors dont want to divulge that information, but they will if you enclose a copy of a police report and forward your request it in writing via certified mail. Conclusion: Face it, identity theft is a growing problem affecting everyone in some way or another. With the increase popularity of internet usage, it has become easier for cybercriminals to steal our identity. In 2002 alone, the victim total due to identity theft climbed to 10 million, a new high. The cost to the economy was up an astonishing 41 percent to .6 billion, according to The Identity Theft Survey Report, available from the Federal Trade Commission at the website (www.consumer.gov/idtheft/). Each year these totals are climbing with no apparent sign of slowing down. What are your chances of becoming a victim of some form of identity theft? According to the Federal Trade Commission is one in ten. "So what am I to do?" you ask. My recommendation is that first you educate yourself with information and resources at your disposal. Next, purchase identity theft insurance. Find more information at http://www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com/. Known as The Master Blog Builder, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, helps small business owners and non-profit organizations improve their customer relationship marketing. Often he comes across cases that are red flags calling identity thieves to come in. Hence, he started "Protecting Your Identity" blog. Contact him at http://www.masterblogbuilder.com for more information. Florida Mortgages - Let the Florida Mortgage Guide show you the right programs with our Free CD and workbook.
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