Alt Attribute & Search engine optimization

SEO Optimization images is becoming more and more essential in SEO (Seo optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is really 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 supply descriptive text. In addition, we recommend using a human-readable caption and descriptive text round the image.

Why would they ask us to do that? The answer is easy, really; search engines like google have a similar problem as blind users. They cannot 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 particular keyword density, which is not as relevant for rankings now as it was previously.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for the site's ranking. Even without such a penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from this tactic.
This method also puts persons who use screen readers in a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that actually read aloud the items in what's displayed on the screen. In browsing the web, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine hearing a paragraph of text that is then repetitions of many keywords. The page will be far from accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute should not be used like a description or a label for an image, though many people use it in that fashion. Though it might seem natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

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

The goal would be to supply the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the image itself is unavailable. Think about this: Should you replace the image with the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it generate the same response?
Some examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is a magnifier or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If the image is meant to convey the literal items in the look, then a description is appropriate.

If it's designed to convey data, then that information is what is appropriate.

If it is meant to convey using a function, then the function is what should 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 merely a decorative role within the page, use an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers do not bother users by uttering such things as "spacer image".

Remember that it is the function of the image we're trying to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be based on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Try to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that's how it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly remember that a graphic image can there be.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used since the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. Also, they are 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 stuff that serve no purpose other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there may be value to a sighted user).

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

II. Mood-Setting

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

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

For example; Alt text that is just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you get this content in there for all users.

Most times this will depend on context. Exactly the same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you go in this example is 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 in order.
The reason many authors can't figure out why their alt text isn't working is they don't know why the images are there. You have to determined precisely what function an image serves. Think about 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: since it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what are the page is trying to describe. Knowing what the image is for makes alt text easier to write. And exercise writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. An amount you say when encountering a particular image to create the page understandable to the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you've got a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is within between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received via the keyboard. (A lot for device independence). So make use of the title attribute only for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points towards the Link to a complete description of the image. If the information contained in an image is important towards the meaning of the page (i.e. some important content will be lost if the image was removed), a longer description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display should be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

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

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

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

In many cases, you're better off just choosing your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to work, then you've to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal about the function of the image and it is context on the page.

Exactly the same image may require alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, although not in another. If an image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to use. But if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe a long description will be so as. Oftentimes this type of thing is a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key steps in optimizing images:

Select a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Avoid using underscores as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For instance, if the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume the file is 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 is highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent opportunity 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.

SEO Optimization

Note the Client companies are based in either the US or Canada and the “percentage of traffic outside key service areas” are based on each client’s target market.

For instance, if a client only services the US only, any traffic outside the US would be traffic outside their service area.

Evaluating Your Own Traffic For Relevance

To use our own web design and Internet marketing business as an example, we service both Canada and the US, but were getting 24% of our traffic from other international countries. Big portions of that traffic were companies looking to sell their services to us.

These international visitors would fill in our web forms and call us to inquire, untimely skewing our website analytics data by not giving us a real understanding of how our website was performing to quality prospects.

A solution had to be implemented to significantly reduce the amount of resources we were dedicating to people outside our service areas.

Ultimately, we didn’t want to be contacted from people we couldn’t help. The four possible solutions we considered were:

1. Create a custom report in Google Analytics to filter out the unwanted data (reporting related)


2. Adjust the content of our website (website related)


3. Block the traffic from specific Countries from viewing our website (server related)


4. Don’t change anything.

Option #1

When evaluating the first solution, creating a custom report to filter out this data in Google Analytics, this would clear up our analytics data. Implementing a filter would provide a more realistic picture of quality prospects we could service in our geographic area instead of those prospects or solicitors in other counties we don’t service.

This option didn’t run the risk of blocking any traffic or robots that we do want. It’s also a simple filter to add in Google Analytics. We set up another Profile with the country exclusions filters. A new Profile was the preferred approach, rather than going through the extra steps of creating Custom Reports.

However, setting up analytical filters doesn’t fully resolve the issue, since these visitors could still access our site, fill in web forms, and contact us, ultimately wasting resources that we could dedicate elsewhere.

It wouldn’t give us a true picture of what was going on. It also wouldn’t resolve the problem – we didn’t want to be contacted by companies from some outside countries.

Option #2

Updating the website content to say you only service a specific area is another solution that we considered.  This would inject more geo-targeted keywords into your site, which would help in local SEO. Adding a graphical map, drop-down options and/or links that allow the visitor to select their country would help qualify visitors.

Some of the downfalls of this option include spending a much higher amount of time to implement versus the other options. The success of this would also be dependent on how honest the visitor is.

Assuming visitors are reading your website content, adding geo-targeted keywords into your site would set a clearer expectation of service area delivery. However, this option still doesn’t resolve the issue of sharing contact information that allows unsolicited visitors to contact us and invalid web form data.

Option #3

How about blocking or filtering visitors automatically based on their IP address? When considering to block website visitors by IP it’s important to first evaluate the reliability of the IP address(es). The accuracy of an IP list is over 99.5% on a country level and 80% on a city level. The smaller the location, the less reliable the IP address.

Internet Service Providers change IP addresses they designate to customers. Some change them more frequently than others, which is why you want to keep the database of IPs updated. Scheduling a monthly update is typically a good routine if city level IP authentication is required. Country level is much more static.

The benefit of blocking the country via IP address would not only clean up analytical data, but also ensure our sales funnel was more efficient and provide a more accurate picture of real prospects in all systems. We needed to consider other issues in this approach.

One concern was the potential for a search crawler coming from an IP in the location we were planning on blocking. For example, there was a possibility that Google’s search crawler would also be blocked if it came from the same country. The implementation of this option is more technical. One would need to obtain a list of IP addresses for the desired locations and update the websites htaccess file.

In our example, the inquiries from some countries became so frequent that we couldn’t ignore it any longer. After much debate, we decided to ban the countries; however, we would only ban one at a time to evaluate the effects.

For instance, one of the largest traffic sources, accounting for approximately 20% of this, was from India, a market we don’t service. These Indian visitors were companies looking to sell their services to us.

We executed the ban in the polite Canadian way. We also implemented the Google Analytics profile with the country filter to monitor future website statistics versus the past.

Those visitors that came from our blocked list would land on a different page that displayed a nice message. It read: “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.”

In sum, the tests have gone over very well. Banning the country from our website has significantly cut down the number of unsolicited calls, emails and web form requests. It also gave us a much more accurate picture of how our website was performing within our own target market and service area.

Considerations For Blocking Traffic By Location

If you’re considering this strategy, some factors to consider when filtering visitors include:

• Why do you want to filter website traffic?


• Which locations would you want to filter?


• How much traffic do you currently get from locations outside your service area?


• How important is this traffic?


• How to funnel visitors outside your service areas?


• The accuracy of the IP addresses locations in mind.


• Effects of non-human visitors.

A few months after we implemented this, we received a direct mail package that contained pens with our logo on them from a company that wished to sell us branded pens.

Guess what it said under our logo? “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.” We had a good laugh. Someone obviously didn’t read what they printed. It was evidence that our website block was working and a nice souvenir.

The key takeaway, as always, is monitor your traffic and conversions. Track where your quality traffic is coming from and decide for yourself if you should block the traffic of certain countries. Make sure to proceed with caution to ensure that you are not missing some opportunities.

Think outside of the box for other ideas of how you can use that traffic. Perhaps referring the traffic to a partner or creating a unique service for specific markets is another option to consider.

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

Related Topics: 100% Organic - Search Engine Optimization Tips | SEO: General

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Bench Craft Company on the art of insurance

Fewer than 1 percent of website visits come directly from a social media URL according to research just released by customer satisfaction analytics experts ForeSee Results.

The company surveyed 300,000 consumers on more than 180 websites across a dozen private and public sector industries. The referring social media sites covered were not just the usual suspects like Facebook and Twitter, but over 40 sites including Flickr, Foursquare, Scribd, Stumbleupon, Meetup and Youtube.

It’s not all bad news for social media marketeers. 18 percent of site visitors (averaged across surveyed websites) report being influenced by social media to visit a website. However, there was considerable variation in the results for different companies.

The social media budgets of marketers is constantly increasing as the survey data to the right shows. Forsee Results’ research showed that the resources companies put into social media and the results they receive vary wildly. Spending more money does not automatically lead to higher numbers of visits to websites, brand awareness or sales.

Promotional emails are also sometimes neglected in favor of the more glamorous social media, in spite of the fact that such emails influence 32 percent of purchases.

Companies themselves seem a bit confused about their objectives when it comes to social media. Internet Retailer Magazine surveyed 400 U.S. companies (19 percent of them retailers) in December 2009 and January 2010. It found that 74 percent of companies wanted social media to drive traffic to their websites, while only 56 percent wanted it to increase sales. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Next Story: Why mobile app success is more than just download numbers Previous Story: Battle brewing at Microsoft over retail store expansion

Fewer than 1 percent of website visits come directly from a social media URL according to research just released by customer satisfaction analytics experts ForeSee Results.

The company surveyed 300,000 consumers on more than 180 websites across a dozen private and public sector industries. The referring social media sites covered were not just the usual suspects like Facebook and Twitter, but over 40 sites including Flickr, Foursquare, Scribd, Stumbleupon, Meetup and Youtube.

It’s not all bad news for social media marketeers. 18 percent of site visitors (averaged across surveyed websites) report being influenced by social media to visit a website. However, there was considerable variation in the results for different companies.

The social media budgets of marketers is constantly increasing as the survey data to the right shows. Forsee Results’ research showed that the resources companies put into social media and the results they receive vary wildly. Spending more money does not automatically lead to higher numbers of visits to websites, brand awareness or sales.

Promotional emails are also sometimes neglected in favor of the more glamorous social media, in spite of the fact that such emails influence 32 percent of purchases.

Companies themselves seem a bit confused about their objectives when it comes to social media. Internet Retailer Magazine surveyed 400 U.S. companies (19 percent of them retailers) in December 2009 and January 2010. It found that 74 percent of companies wanted social media to drive traffic to their websites, while only 56 percent wanted it to increase sales. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Next Story: Why mobile app success is more than just download numbers Previous Story: Battle brewing at Microsoft over retail store expansion

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New York Yankees reliever Pedro Feliciano likely done for season

Yankees lefty Pedro Feliciano will get a second opinion on his injured shoulder, but an MRI indicates he's likely done this year.

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Former ABC <b>News</b> President David Westin Announces Next Move - The <b>...</b>

He's named president and CEO of the News Licensing Group, launching this summer.

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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 ...

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We’ve been hearing all kinds of Chatter that the next version of Final Cut Pro will debut in Vegas at NAB next week.  Thing is, we hear this every year and Apple hasn’t really done a NAB properly in awhile.  That’s OK, we’ll take that we can get.

Rumors are flying that Apple will be using the Vegas Supermeet to announce the next version of Final Cut Pro. Supposedly, Apple will be taking over the entire event for their announcement, cancelling all other sponsors, including AJA, Avid, Canon, BlackMagic, Autodesk and others, who were set to give presentations.

Philip Bloom just confirmed with me that Canon has canceled his appearance at the Supermeet. Canon was told last night that Apple has demanded ALL “lecturn” or stage time exclusively. Some sponsors who were not using presenters may continue to sponsor the Vegas event, but none of them will be presenting on the stage. I can’t imagine any news that would warrant this kind of “take-over” other than to announce and demonstrate the next full version of Final Cut Pro and possibly an entirely newly designed FCS4.

(UPDATE: Avid confirmed that Supermeet (Michael Horton) told them last night that their sponsorship had been cancelled. According to Avid, “Apple doesn’t want anyone to have stage time but them.”)

Who’s up for Vegas?

We heard the first concrete details about Apple’s all new Final Cut Pro coming during Spring this year, and recently some new information has come to light. Final Cut Studio expert Larry Jordan was one of the people at Apple’s meeting, demonstrating the upcoming upgrade to the professional film-making software.

Jordan can’t say much about the upgrade, due to an NDA with Apple, but he did say it is a “jaw-dropper.” Besides the “jaw-dropper” part, the thing we are taking most from his blog post is the fact that Apple allowed him to write it up. It appears that Apple already considers the software public knowledge. Afterall, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did tell a 9to5mac reader to buckle up for it.

Thanks to Charlie Sanchez

Related articles

• Next Final Cut Pro is a “jawdropper,” Apple considers it public knowledge, and will it drop at NAB? (9to5mac.com)
• Apple says last Xserve orders shipping in April, here’s what’s next for XSAN (9to5mac.com)
• Nasdaq to cut Apple’s weighting in rebalancing (9to5mac.com)
• Feeling the heat, HP and Dell execs lash out at Apple, pray iPad will fail (9to5mac.com)
• Certain MacBook Pro models ‘unavailable’ for reservation at many Apple Stores (9to5mac.com)
• Apple asks Toyota to remove the Scion theme from Cydia (9to5mac.com)
• New Final Cut Pro hits Spring ’11 and it’s the “biggest overhaul yet” (9to5mac.com)
• iOS 5 pushed to the fall: major revamp, cloud-based, WWDC preview? (9to5mac.com)

Seas0nPass jailbreak tool has for both Windows and Mac has been updated with the latest untethered exploit to untether the jailbreak on second generation Apple TV, running on the latest iOS 4.3.1 (4.2.1)

For those of you who don’t know, Seas0nPass jailbreak tool is like PwnageTool for Mac, or Sn0wbreeze for Windows, which can can create custom jailbroken .IPSW files for your second-gen Apple TV.

Before you proceed with the jailbreak, you will need the following:

• A Micro-USB cable


• iTunes 10.2.1


• iOS 4.2.1 (Based on iOS 4.3) for Apple TV


• Seas0nPass

All download links are posted at the end of this article.

Step 1: Download and launch Seas0nPass.

Step 2: Now select “Create IPSW” option to build your own custom jailbroken 4.3.1 firmware for Apple TV.

Step 3: Now wait for Seas0nPass to download all the files required for creating custom firmware.

Step 4: When prompted by Seas0nPass, connect your Apple TV using a micro-USB cable (leave power disconnected), and hold-down both the ‘MENU’ and ‘PLAY/PAUSE’ buttons for 7 seven seconds.

Step 5: iTunes should now open automatically to start the restore process.

Step 6: iTunes will confirm the restore when complete. Once done, your Apple TV will be fully jailbroken, untethered on iOS 4.3.1.

Once complete, remove the USB cable and connect the HDMI cable.

Once you are done with the jailbreak, you can install the following apps on your jailbroken 2nd-gen Apple TV:

• How to Install XBMC Media Center on Apple TV 2G [Guide]


• Plex Has Been Ported to Jailbroken Apple TV 2G ! [VIDEO]


• How to Install NitoTV Weather and RSS App on Apple TV 2G [Jailbreak]


• Apple TV 2G Gets Web Browser and Last.fm Apps via aTV Flash [Video]


• Exposed VNC Server Plugin Enables Remote Access On Apple TV 2G

Required download links are as follows:

Download iOS 4.3.1 (4.2.1) for Apple TV
Download iTunes 10.2.1 for Mac OS X
Download Seas0nPass for Mac OS X
Download Seas0nPass for Windows

You can follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook fanpage to keep yourself updated on all the latest iPhone jailbreaking and unlocking releases.

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It’s not such a wonderful time to be a doctor, patient, hospital, health plan or pharma company, but judging by the quality and quantity of entries received for this edition of the HWR, it’s a wonderful time to be a wonk.

A couple weeks ago CMS released draft rules for Accountable Care Organizations. Several bloggers weighed in on that development:

• Mark McClellan and Elliott Fisher at Health Affairs provide some historical context and argue that “those who care deeply about health care reform all have a common interest in the success of ACOs as a way of avoiding more classic fee-for-service payment cuts to providers.”


• On a more downbeat note, The Road to Health concludes, “Dr. Berwick and his colleagues at CMS appear to have taken the ACO concept and made it into a financial program that only delusional practice administrators, or physician organizations bent on financial self-destruction, could love.”


• The Healthcare IT Guy expects ACOs to be “far more lucrative and disruptive than Meaningful Use and likely to yield more patient quality improvements.”


• GE Healthcare puts the emphasis on ACO change management challenges: “Healthcare executives and management teams are left to focus on preparing their organizations for a cultural shift of seismic proportions.”


• HealthBlawg reviews the proposed rules and produces 8 takeaways. #2: “This is the Frankenstein regulation: A Medicare beneficiary must sit on the board of the ACO, CMS must approve all marketing materials before they are used.”

In the midst of the battle over funding the 2011 budget, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan came out with a plan to radically restructure Medicare and Medicaid starting in 2012:

• The Apothecary likes much of what he sees and thinks the proposal may force Democrats to devise a credible plan of their own


• John C. Goodman’s Health Policy Blog contrasts PPACA and the Ryan plan. “Obviously, the path we are on leads to an impossible place. So the only question is whether we are going to get off the current path in a planned, orderly way or whether we are going to let unplanned chaos do the trick.”


• Wright on Health is less impressed and wonders, “if Rep. Ryan is so adamant about reducing the deficit, why is he cutting taxes for the wealthy and cutting programs for the poor and the elderly?”


• Managed Care Matters is decidedly unswayed. “If you were looking for real solutions to the health cost problem, you’re going to be sorely disappointed… Unfortunately, he’s fallen into the same trap his Democratic colleagues did with their version of health reform – the Ryan plan does little to address costs.”


• The Incidental Economist takes issue with Ryan’s plan to convert Medicaid to block grants and cut spending. “Should Medicaid be cut back, more people will be uninsured. Contrary to what some wish you to believe, those who become uninsured will suffer worse health outcomes”

As if the ACO rules and Ryan plan weren’t enough, there’s more on Medicare in the blogosphere:

• The Covert Rationing Blog –always good for a lighthearted pick me up– “asserts that we are one giant step closer to the day when it will become illegal for all Americans to spend their own money on their own healthcare.”


• Dr. Liberty discusses CMS’s deliberations on whether to pay for Provenge, a pricey prostate drug. “Decisions are made on the basis of politics, and the drive is to cover everything, leading to higher costs.”

Amid all the federal policy blogging, there’s still some room for technology talk:

• Healthcare Talent Transformation has had it with Health Net’s repeated goof up’s leading to loss of confidential data. Although it may seem like there’s not much the average person can do, the blog argues, “You can make an impact on the security of your sensitive data by conducting due diligence when it comes to your insurance provider.”


• The Healthcare Blog offers a video collage of the new Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health. “The Center is  a pretty fascinating place–part tech and idea showcase and part meeting room. Certainly no other health care organization that I’m aware of has spent so much on a place designed to stimulate the imagination and enhance conversation–under the nose of the folks on Capitol Hill.”


• Meaningful HIT News features a podcast with mHealth Initiative’s Peter Waegemann, who’s shifted over from EMRs to ride the mobile wave


• Healthcare Economist delves into new papers that, “examined how to develop accurate algorithms to account for cancer stage in studies using claims data.”

It was encouraging to receive a couple submissions about  journalism:

• Disease Care Management Blog asks, “Is the kerfuffle over National Public Radio (NPR) the long delayed comeuppance for liberal bias run amok, or a narrow-minded attack on the inconvenient truths from journalistic excellence?” The blog reaches into the world of medicine and discusses of “framing” and its impact on patient decision making to provide an answer


• HealthNews ReviewBlog cites, “daily evidence of the need for improvement in health care journalism – especially when we see examples like hype of a tiny, preliminary study of strawberries for esophageal cancer.”

We always have room in the Health Wonk Review for some posts on medical ethics:

• Nuts for Healthcare looks at the pharma industry and concludes, “Doctors need to take a more definitive stand against the specter of industry influence. A good target? Industry sponsorship of continuing medical education.”


• Health Care Renewal is concerned that so-called government run programs are more private than we think. “The majority of Medicaid has been out-sourced to private health care insurance companies… We need to have some real discussions about the rise of corporatism in US health care, in other aspects of US society and around the world.”

And finally, a few odds and ends

• Workers’ Comp Insider provides resources for employers concerned about radiation exposure


• Colorado Health Insurance Insider chronicles the decline of bipartisanship in the creation of a health insurance exchange for that state. “Healthcare reform has become such a polarized topic that it’s difficult for lawmakers to have any stance other than for it or against it.  Even though the health insurance exchanges would be marketplaces that sell private health insurance, the word ‘exchange’ has been thrown around so much during the reform debates that many opponents of the PPACA see it as synonymous with ‘ObamaCare.’”


• Last week I went to a health care direct to consumer marketing conference to see former TimeWarner CEO Jerry Levin interviewed by OrganizedWisdom CEO Steve Krein. I also shared my thoughts in the video clip below

Thanks for reading the Health Wonk Review! The Incidental Economist hosts the next edition.

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Great news: Working population percentage drops to three-decade low.

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Roofing Contractors Vancouver - 5 Questions to Think about

Roofing Vancouver - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion as an expert opinion. Most contractors provides you with a free estimate. Get a summary of a couple trusted contractors and contact them well ahead of time of when you want to obtain your homes roof fixed so you can 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 seen with bed hair. If you've got a great quality roof and you just have to do the repair, it's worthwhile to pay the cost of the original shingle instead of doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen very often (we hope!) and thus make a choice that suits you and your loved ones well or it'll stick out just like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Must i replace the roof so I can sell the house for more?

Think about this cautiously prior to making a choice. With respect to the roofing material you select, a new roof can last anywhere from twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you need to look into the year of 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 the reason why the roof keep going longer, but when you're not likely to remain in your present home throughout your life, the higher expense might not be worth neglect the. Although a new roof can enhance the worth of your selling price, the rise may not be enough to cover neglect the and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it a good idea that i can repair the roof myself?

Sure it's. But before you do, consult a specialist first. You can perform it yourself, but you shouldn't be considered a complete ‘lone ranger.' Depending on the extent of the repair, you might or might not change your mind. In either case, it helps to obtain a professional eye about the problem first and perhaps even a free quote so you can do the math later and see if it's truly worth your time and effort, sweat, and money to be mister or miss fix-it.

5. Just when was a good time to get the roof replaced?

Weather may cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summertime once they know someone is going to be home during the day for any solid two weeks. Once you've this period in your mind, create a call to some trusted contractor months ahead of time to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and odds are, they're probably the most reputable. Planning ahead of the summer also provides you with time for you to discuss with more and compare costs...especially if you want to have the roof done by a specified date.

 

The Top Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

It is possible to leak inside your home's roof? Perhaps you have lost shingles or tiles in a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof more than Two decades old and showing its age? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

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

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

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES Believe it or not!

The roof of your Vancouver house is the first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice and other weather conditions. Make sure it is as much as the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has the depth of expertise and successful history to ensure your roofing system is going to be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing continues to be the most successful roofing contractor in Vancouver is our commitment to our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our very own and that we were building a roof to safeguard 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. After all, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

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

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Make your Home Beautiful

Not many people understand the worth of a good roof, but your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofer does. From first hand experience, they'll be in a position to let you know why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

Your local Tacoma Roofer is knowledgeable how important an economic investment your house is for you personally, especially as it is a lasting one. Your home may have been damaged slowly through the years and you have to take steps to reduce this damage. For a lot of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a matter of pride. You will find those too who'd prefer to turn their property right into a economical and efficient living place. Your roof is an integral part of your house and plays a role in each of the aspects mentioned previously. Because of this, you need to employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofing contractors.

Kinds of Roofs installed by a Tacoma Roofer

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

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, however they can be easily looked after by a trusted Tacoma Roofer. It's imperative that you nip roof problems in the bud before they become too costly or dangerous. You can schedule a scheduled appointment using the Tacoma Roofing contractor to consider a glance at your homes roof to see if you will find any issues or potential issues with it. If you will find, they may be in a position to tell you how to approach them.

A Tacoma Roofing company Helps you to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors of any house, primarily the roof and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying climate conditions, day after day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters may be necessary. In some cases you might want to replace them completely. Usually, when your gutters show signs and symptoms of trouble, your roof also needs to be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there might be, an experienced Tacoma Roofing company can examine them at length and suggest the remedy.

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

Reverse Damages by using a Tacoma Roofing company

However top quality the roof might be, it will eventually wear out with time. There are shingles which are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just associated with warranty produced by the manufacturers. They seldom require that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last more than fifteen to twenty years. In an area that's vulnerable to storms, shingles or the entire roof may need to be replaced every ten years. Having a Tacoma Roofing contractor, the price is going to be lower than what you think.

If there you lose any shingles, or there's some harm to them, a Tacoma Roofer can assist you to. Damaged shingles can result in indoor leaks, as the substrate from the roof becomes exposed to the sun and rain. Shingles which are loose or broken can slip off and pose a potential hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles create a gap which allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to build up under the adjoining shingles, which results in a "domino effect" that affects other shingles plus they become loose or broken. A thorough investigation is going to be produced by the local Tacoma Roofer, if you give them a call track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofing contractor come in a situation to inform you what the smartest choice is for your roof. If your roof is not inside a good shape, it's advised you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing company can take you through the various roofing possibilities to you which will fit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofer: Enhancing your Home's Efficiency

Your roof shelters you against storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your roof protects your house from overheating, and by holding within the heat, it keeps your home warm. That's why you need to prepare your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for any kind of weather emergency. A professional Tacoma Roofer can provide assist in this situation.

To begin with, inspect your roof thoroughly for any and all sorts of kind of damage, before the beginning of a new season. The gutters should be clear, debris should not be piled on or trapped under shingles, there should be no homes of squirrels or birds within the eaves or attic, and also the roof should be structurally sound. For your last part, you'll need the assistance of your local Tacoma Roofer. It can be quite dangerous to climb to the roof of your property. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofing company comes in. He'll check out the strength and security of the roof and shingles, and perform a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it's in proper working order. They will be in a position to point to issues that you have to keep an eye on and problems you may not have spotted.

You'll need all of the help you can get from the Tacoma Roofing company. You are able to help your homes roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to assist prevent debris from forming inside your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and can even tear them down. Check the fasteners on your gutters and if they are loose, tighten them. Do something to change worn screws and brackets. For those who have a chimney in your home, inspect the bricks and mortar signs of wear. A trusted mason could be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofing contractor, if there are any repairs to become done.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Someone You Can Count On
When you realize or suspect that there is a problem, your Tacoma Roofing contractor should be contacted. They can use their knowledge and expertise to obtain your house back in ace condition simply by working on the rooftop. Your roof deserves attention. So call them today, to enable them to get down to working on your roof.

 

What is Difference Between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are considering hiring a roofing company to re roof your home or building then you can be wondering what are the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To start with, the main one huge difference is that often times a commercial roofing company may have signed a contract with and become obligated to a roofing union in able to focus on union commercial jobs.

If this is the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from working on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if your commercial roofing company hasn't signed a contract having a union they may be outfitted simply for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment might not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

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

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more expensive and a larger bond is needed for a commercial roofing work which can make it not economical for any commercial roofing contractor to complete residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is that commercial jobs can run on a tighter time period for any quantity of reasons, requiring an industrial contractor to employ a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs not as profitable for them.

 

Difference Between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Are you aware that the rooftop of the house or building includes a huge impact on the entire structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or other disasters leads to a considerable lack of property everywhere. The kind of materials used to construct the roof which should be sturdy and long lasting, the manner where the roof has been 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 might 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 are much more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is usually completed by just one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes a whole team to complete the task. This is because a commercial roof is commonly larger when it comes to square feet than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs are necessary carefully keeping the nature and purpose of the building in mind. For example, when there is a cafe or restaurant in the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes is going to be required. Residential roofs usually do not have such components apart from a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs tends to be flat in design to support further changes at 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 because of the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Usually 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 really is one more reason why the gear used for residential roofs is usually smaller and less costly as well.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to complete in comparison to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. During this phase however, you should ensure that there are no leakages, cracks or other visible wear and tear signs as it can certainly cause considerable harm to the whole building.
You should install the right roof for a building based on its purpose. Ensure that you hire a construction company that uses top notch materials and has the best equipment for the job or neglect the may turn to be considered a huge loss later.

 

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

If a business is looking to have work done on its roof, it is important to work with commercial roofing contractors that have an enthusiastic understanding of any special needs that a business may have. For example, a roofing job can often be disruptive for that operation of business as usual. Because of this, it may be necessary for the company to be temporarily turn off, or the roofing to take place after business hours have ended. A roofing contractor that understands these needs can work together with a business to make certain these types of issues are minimized.

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

It's a wise decision for just about any business to get touching at least three commercial roofing contractors to create bids on the price. In this manner, the business can often obtain a better price. It's also important to ensure that each of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. This information are available by getting in touch with their state contractor's board. This makes it possible to determine whether there has been any claims filed from the company in the past.

When examining bids, it is just as vital to check out what services are being offered and which products will be used as it is to check out the overall cost. The prices can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as it can be to choose the cheapest bid, this isn't always the best option. In many cases, more costs now will mean fewer costs in the long run as a result of a poor roofing job. To help investigate the quality of the job, it is a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureau in order to see if the business continues to be accredited, and if it's not, to a minimum of see what its rating is.

 

Picking out a Commercial Roofing Contractor

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

When you begin your research for any roofer you don't only have to answer those questions however, you also want to find someone that will do a high quality job with no great deal of time delays. Going about finding someone can seem like an obstacle in itself but there are several ways to result in 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. Before you go any more you have to ensure that the contractors you are thinking about are fully licensed and bonded. A simple search with the state contractor's board will verify if your roofer is licensed and if 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 a written bid is the more helpful it will be for you to see in which the cost are going to be incurred. Don't, however, select a roofer based solely about the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to take, but if they are low due to poor quality workman ship it may not be worthwhile in the end.

As the saying goes, you generally get that which you pay for, so if you can afford a mid-priced bid it's always smart to increase in your price range rather than down. Additionally you ought to decide your roofer based on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you'll be working with them.

Finally your cost will be different based on what type of roofing material you choose along with the cost to haul your old roof to the landfill. Should you be looking for places to cut corners in your roof, rather than cutting labor cost you may want to ask about a metal roof option. Metal roofs can be economical and efficient making them overall money savers for that long term, and on commercial buildings they may be really low maintenance. Plus since they can be placed along with a current roof, you don't have to have the old one removed and hauled away, which can make a big effect on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, does not have to be a difficult task. To learn more, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net

 

Seattle Roofing Contractors - How to locate The very best

In the 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 could be a good place to construct a house, but 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 created to last, but built to attract making your house more beautiful

Harsh Weather

How come roofing contractors so important in this the main country? Because Seattle is often bombarded by rain along with other harsh climate conditions, you need a roof that may withstand all the forces of nature. With this thought, you need people who know the Seattle weather best, and who know what materials can best go into your homes roof for it to last far longer in the region. In addition to all this, you need to blend with the rest from 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 assist you. 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 try to escape with it and leave you roof-less.

Why the Contractor Model Works

If you want to put up your homes roof by yourself, you will have to buy a good deal of materials, secure permits and licenses, and obtain materials which are suited to help you stay safe against harsh extremes of Seattle weather. Which 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 task done.

However, a Seattle roofing contractor can perform all of the jobs for you personally 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 should you be buying merely for your own home.

Roofing Associations

Most roofing contractors also fit in with roofing organizations that are bound by strict guidelines and standards. When they prosper on their roofing job, they are able to showcase their roofing contractors association; when they do poorly, they can ruin the reputation of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors inside the association from receiving targeted roofing jobs. There is a lot of pressure to complete well, so you can be reassured that if you need a roofing job done in Seattle, you can get a contractor from the roofing association to assist you.

For instance, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with more than five hundred roofing contractors in the Puget Sound. This group has over half a century of roofing experience and experience dealing with Seattle roofing contractors, therefore it knows what kind of roofing you want. The Roof Brokers group can hook you up using the contractor that you'll require so you do not have to look for contractors individually.

What In the event you Demand out of your Contractor?

Whenever you finally get a contractor within the Seattle area, you need to do lots of background research on the roofing contractors themselves. Ask for a list of previous companies or persons that the contractor worked with to get a clear view of the roofing contractor's work ethics and roof quality. Your roofing contractor must also have the appropriate working licenses and city licenses needed by the Seattle city government.

Select a Seattle roofers that insures its employees, which has courteous workers who will respect your thinking and ensure that your needs are met. Ensure that you get the best bang for your buck: if you're unsatisfied with the job, you have to be guaranteed either money-back, or perhaps a free, new roof. Moreover, you also require the workers to get the job done promptly, so be strict with your deadlines - and discover a contractor that is as strict when you are.

You need guarantees and warranties on your roof, so look for a contractor that can meet your budget and roofing needs. If you achieve touching good Seattle roofing contractors, you may be guaranteed a great roof and a better house in this fantastic city.

Selecting the Right Roofer Company for Replacing Your homes roof

The shingles inside your roof need replacing and you're simply minded to locate a roofer to change the them. Maybe you have already known as a few and therefore are evaluating which contractor for your upcoming roof repair. How do you select the best contractor for caring for your roof? Here are a number of things you should look at when looking for a legitimate roofer.

Where's the roofer located? You should hire a roofer that's local. Chances are you will receive the next step of service when the roofing company is located near your house or comes with an office near your residence.
References. To look for the reliability of the contractor, references should be provided of the previous customers who're prepared to vouch that excellent service was received. This should 't be the only factor in deciding upon your future roofing contractor as some may claim they value the privacy of their clients and do not wish to bother them. If this is the situation, ask for business related references. The locations 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 multitude of problems that can arise throughout the progress of the roofing replacement. Ask what their process is for handling complaints when they arise. It is also a great idea to receive a past client reference who had a complaint which was resolved towards the satisfaction from the client.
The payment schemes. What are the terms of payment for the job? What is the down payment and amount due upon completion? Even though it is certainly reasonable that a substantial payment be made before a contractor begins focus on a project, it is strongly advised that full payment isn't made until following the entire job is completed.
Written contract. All the roofing replacement should be put in an itemized contract. No part of the contracting job should depend on verbal assurances.
Bonding. There are things that will go wrong with roofing installations that end up costing quite a bit of money to repair. Should this happen on your roofing replacement, you'll feel a great deal better knowing that your roofing contractor is bonded. This can provide the funds to fix whatever mistakes were made. Find a roofer that is bonded.
Manufacturer Warranty. Quality materials for roofing typically come with a warranty. You should verify that there is actually a warranty on the materials being installed. Request a copy of the warranty.
Period of time running a business How long has the company you're interviewing been in business? A brief in time business may reflect instability. When the contractor has been in business under three years, verify how long they have actually been in the industry. A brand 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 3 years, or where the contractor has had a lot more years performing roofing replacements. This again should not be the only factor, all of us have to start sometime. Balance this with referrals and also 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 should be aware of how to obtain these permits for you. Ask the contractor whether they will obtain the permits essential to repair the rooftop.
Liability. If a worker becomes injured, who is responsible for the worker's compensation? When the contractor's equipment damages your house, who's responsible for the repairs? A great contractor will provide certificates of insurance for liability and worker's compensation before they begin repairing your roof.
Subcontractors. Verify whether the contractor is going to be using subcontractors. If that's the case, it is highly recommended that everything contained in this article for verifying if the contractor is credible should also be relevant to subcontractors. You need to receive the names and license amounts of all subcontractors. You should verify whether each subcontractor is also insured which means you are not held liable for their accidents.
Pending Legal Actions. It is important to verify whether there are any legal actions from the contractor. This is not merely necessary for verifying if the roofing company is legitimate (credible roofing companies shouldn't need to defend themselves in the court), it is also important just because a lost lawsuit could cause the contractor to go bankrupt. For those who have made a substantial down payment for services immediately before the company goes bankrupt, you can lose thousands of dollars and never have your roofing completed.
Material Disposal. Who's accountable for disposing of the waste generated from the roof being replaced? Will your contractor handle every aspect of this? Can there be one more cost for disposing of this waste?
NRCA Membership. Membership in local or national roofing associations, like the NRCA, shows resolve for staying up to date with the very best means of roof replacement and maintenance. Find a roofing contractor with a high standard of education regarding their trade.
Replacing your roof is really a significant investment. Celebrate sense to inquire about serious questions before using a roofing contractor. Here are a few more tips that you ought to consider when selecting the best roofing contractor for the upcoming roofing replacement.

Payment. Don't make a full payment for services unless all jobs are finished.
Inspection. Do not make a full payment without having done a final inspection of services rendered.
Workers liens. Don't fully pay for the roofing replacement job until worker's lien releases happen to be obtained.
Oral Agreements. No agreement ought to be made verbally without backing it up in writing. Every point which are important to you ought to be made in writing.

 

For the SEO needs, you can examine out Vancouver web design and Vancouver Search engine optimization company

There is no denying how the cyberspace is among the most biggest financial market nowadays. Practically everything is anchored on the internet. Up to now, there are many than 182 million web sites on the net whilst still being counting. If each of these websites offers opportunities to generate income, just think of the limitless opportunities that can be based in the internet. Moreover, with all the emergence of internet sites, the requirement for web hosting and Search| Engine Optimization is significantly defined.

Seo is actually the entire process of increasing the visibility of the internet site. As such, if you want your internet site being visible to visitors, you should look for Search engine optimization company. The optimization strategy considers how search spiders work and what folks usually and what keywords they use. The main objective of Search engine optimization is making internet sites visible searching sites from the natural or organic way.

Organic search optimization or natural search engine marketing is really a saying used in describing unpaid, algorithm-driven results of any particular engine. Put simply, organic SEO uses natural strategies in achieving serp's ranking. While there's two camps with which search optimization companies may fall to, and these would be the 'White Hat' and the 'Black Hat', organic SEO could not come under the 'Black Hat' camp.

Organic search engine optimization is really a highly specialized and complex practice which could literally dictate the success or failure of an internet business. Since search sites often modify their algorithms, organic SEO isn't quite simple in any way. When search bots modify their algorithms, factors that enable your internet site to look before potential clients are drastically changed too. Thus, to be able to deal with one of these changes, SEO tactics and strategies should be employed.

It is usually ethical to utilize search engine optimization since search sites nowadays have grown to be extremely advanced that they'll easily see whether an online site is trying to govern their search indexes. Thus it really is empirical to utilize search engine optimization practices which are done in a way that appear natural.

The approaches employed by organic search engine optimization and artificial SEO are very significantly different. Basically, organic SEO uses content compared to artificial SEO's technical loopholes. Moreover, natural search engine marketing provides attracting links rather than 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 see why search engine optimization is better than artificial seo. Even though latter could be more difficult and complicated, it makes favorable results that are beneficial for any site. Fortunately, there are plenty of Vancouver SEO companies today that provide the organic method in affordable rates and packages.

Search Engine Optimization Appears to the picture

Once when search engine optimization was actually not required.

Even while late like a decade ago, if you created a Web site anywhere, Google indexed it and you gained visibility in the search results. Your page might have been in one of the free "estates" where anybody could add a page and Google didn't mind. It could also provide been a pure affiliate page with no original content and Google still indexed it.

Situations are unrecognizably different now.

Affiliate pages with "cookie-cutter" content duplicated everywhere might never reach the Google index; the same fate is probable for all those pages you add in over a free-for-all website. And even "proper" websites with your own personal domain name did not achieve visibility on the list of proliferating sites in millions.

These would not have mattered, aside from one thing. It was Google that provided the bread and butter for the millions of small businesses that may not afford expensive marketing campaigns. If the site was among the top few sites the appeared before a searcher's eyes when that individual searched for your product or service, you have hundreds as well as 1000s of visitors, many of whom even bought your products or services.

Search engine marketing (SEO) entered the scene. Internet search engine specialists "reverse-engineered" to identify the factors that Google consider for showing websites at the top of its search engine results pages. These factors were then consciously integrated into your Web pages in the hope that Google can have your site one of the primary ten results it showed on the first page.

As more and more of one's competitors adopted search engine optimization practices, things became difficult again. Your position begun to slip in case your 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 search engines and the other to human visitors. As search engines weren't bothered with readability, you can 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 appearance engines. Google changed its ranking algorithms regularly to be effective around practices that allowed low value content to look at the top of its search results. After all, Google's success depended on providing value to searchers, not merchants. And SEO practitioners developed new tricks.

We will take a look at search engine marketing in the number of articles, starting off with an beauty at on-line or Web marketing.

 

For the SEO needs, you can check out vancouver web site design and Vancouver Seo agency.

 

Cedar Roofing: Many Benefits

Cedar shakes are simply concerning the most eye appealing shakes on the market today. Frequently designed from red-colored cedar on the coniferous forests of northwestern United States, they're only the best roofer materials for proprietors preferring supplying his or her roofs a natural look.

Unique cedar shingles are naturally resistance against sun and rain, that is the key answer why cedar shingles are widely-used generally around various climatic conditions. They're generally for sale in a few specific qualities. At least one is the shingle made from red cedar while the other is produced out from the bright white variety. Red cedar shakes were created from tight-grained particles which can be previously saturated with tannic acidity that experts say is definitely an all-natural additive. Red cedar shingles which might be dipped in creosote to avoid corrosion and they are desirable to homeowners given that they add a rich and unique check out one's property or home.

It is critical to note that red cedars usually change dark-colored if exposed continuously to seaside weather. Because of this, sea side homes need white cedar shakes. Red cedar shingles generally are a much more expensive compared to white cedar types, even though 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 ideal for bungalows and bungalows which were integrated Nantucket design.

Through the years, classic cedar shakes have lost in a place to synthetic shingles that emulate the cedar appear. Superior systems are employed in order to make these kinds of shingles use a for an extended 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 many superior ones provide a much cooler inside during summer months and a warmer inside during harsh winters.

Cedar shakes, mostly accessible in honey, cinnamon, and silvery gray colors, need several quantity of repairs and maintenance. They might need initial treatment solution ahead of installation. White cedar shakes for instance, may be given bleaching oil which needs to be done virtually every six to seven years to improve their durability.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are generally CCA treated or not CCA treated. CCA means chromated copper arsenate. CCA can be a chemical that stops the rise of mold, mold and fungus so it helps keep insects from eating away your own wonderful cedar roof. CCA cedar could make your homes roof go longer, but CCA isn't A FIRE TREAMENT. Cedar which has been fire treated can be obtained, however your roofing company must 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 wonderful, and they're another good purchase. Information of terms including CCA, advanced quality, # 1, blue label and black label will assist you to select the right cedar roof for use on your home.

Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC provides more information about shingles, cedar shakes, fiberglass shakes plus more. Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC is associated with the nation's Roofers Association.

Uncover more about cedar shingles, and get more articles and resources about cedar shakes at cedar roofing materials and shakes website.

 

Cedar Shingle Roof Vs Asphalt Shingle Roof

A cedar shingle roof remains highly coveted by homeowners. It really is among the oldest roofing products which has always been constantly being used within the more than 100 years. Just as much as new roofing materials remain developed, cedar shakes still endear themselves to numerous. Below is often a comparison analysis of the cedar roof versus an asphalt roof.

Pros of Cedar Roofing shingles

Cedar shakes bring about far better air circulation within the whole house. The shingles let the where you can breathe well without trapping moisture around. It will help to maintain the dwelling of the home in good shape longer. Cedar Shakes are durable and strong. They enjoy a higher 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 surface of your cedar roof. The color matures beautifully using the passing years, which makes it much more desirable. A cedar roof adds a distinct charm to your residence. Cedar is quickly for sale in lumber yards and demand a lots of expertise or specialized tools to set up.

Cons of Cedar Shakes

If rot takes hold, you would be compelled to change the entire lot. It is not easy extracting just the affected pieces. They could have been nailed down in a manner that each elimination proves difficult. Cedar Shingles don't last well to constant wetting. Living in an area where rainfall is heavy or frequent, cedar shingles aren't a great choice. Frequent wetting causes mold or mildew to create in. Replacement and repair might be a costly business. Your better protection against constant wetting would be to use wide overhangs. Also, should your property is shaded by many trees or nearby buildings, cedar shingles have a tendency to develop mold. You will end up compelled to exchange them earlier 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 lessen the risk of fire. To create a cedar shake roof, you need to have your budget in regards to the higher side. Frequent maintenance can be important to keep your roof in good shape. Mildew and rot are ever-constant threats to some cedar roof.

Pros of Asphalt Shingle Roof

An asphalt roof is among the least expensive to buy and install. They are available in various designs and colours, which range from an ordinary, flat use a 3-dimensional look. Asphalt shingles have a great effectiveness fires unlike cedar roofing. An asphalt roof can actually decrease the risk of fires caused by flying embers. Asphalt roofs are easier and cheaper to put in than cedar. They are also low maintenance roofs.

Cons of Asphalt Shingle Roof

Algae is a lot more susceptible to grow on asphalt roofing than cedar shingles. It causes the rooftop to develop somewhat from the stain which spoils the looks. You may get an anti-algae coating completed in your asphalt shingles but this adds to the cost. With regards to stability, an asphalt roof is a lot more apt to be blown off by strong winds compared to a cedar roof.

Uncover more about cedar roof shingles, and get more articles and resources about cedar roofing shakes at cedar roof shingles and shakes website.

 

How to find Great Vancouver SEO Services

The number of internet sites as well as e-commerce websites is actually constantly on the rise simply because everybody knows that it can bring in a lot of profits. This has additionally brought about a whole new kind of providers that assist companies within attaining their set goals as well as making them develop. Among these are the Vancouver Search engine optimization; since the SEO market is pretty youthful you will notice that any Search engine optimization Vancouver company will not be more than a decade aged. But you may be assured that they certainly understand what they need to do to get your company developing.

If your business depends on the Internet to get people to your site and to obtain conversion rates, you certainly need help in search engine optimisation or Search engine optimization because it is more commonly recognized. When people place searching within their preferred internet search engine, probably the most likely matches come at the very top. If you wish to draw visitors to your website or even internet business, you need to go ahead and take help of a Vancouver Search engine optimization company to obtain up of those search results. The actual Search engine optimization Vancouver providers supplied will be well worth the cash spent and you will be seeing the returns shortly following.

However, achieving a top position on the internet might not continually be an easy task and much more so if yours is a very competitive industry that they frequently make reference to like a niche. It's no surprise after that that you need all the help that you can get. If you don't have the answer to "What is actually SEO?Inch then you need in order to first educate yourself on the topic. But your best option is to leave the job to people that know it best; the actual SEO Vancouver professionals in the Vancouver Search engine optimization company. You'll have to shell out some cash however, you may reap the rewards as time pass.

The actual Search engine optimization Vancouver experts will begin upon market and keyword research which is always the starting place of SEO. You need to know the kind of phrases or even key phrases that potential prospects will be typing in to Search engines to get at your site. The actual Vancouver SEO company will do this tiresome job for you because they possess a better idea about how exactly people go about their own searches. A person, on your part need to provide them with a much better knowing regarding your business plus some basic key phrases which they would perform their own research.

In case your Search engine optimization campaign starts with key phrases selection, then its backlink building which rss feeds seo; any good Vancouver Search engine optimization company can help you understand. The optimal method for your website to rank higher for a provided keyword is to have a excellent link building technique designed for this. The trick is to depart your link upon higher ranked web sites. The actual SEO Vancouver experts will tell you the most typical way of doing this is to publish content articles containing the required keywords within the correct percentage to article directory sites with backlinks aimed at your website in the resource box.

What exactly are you waiting for? Take the assistance of the actual Vancouver SEO company right here; the actual SEO Vancouver professionals can make your company develop so that you will reap greater profits.

 

Reliable SEO Services For the Business in Vancouver

Expert advanced Vancouver SEO services help you to are available in the top list of the actual search leads to attract traffic. Furthermore, the actual visitors of organic outcomes is going to be keen to buy items which services may prove to be helpful in your company.

You need Search engine optimization Vancouver to benefit your business through helping you to get the most presence from the internet search engine as well as therefore getting good traffic to your internet site. By using search engine rankings, these services will immensely help your web website get in touch with the world of individuals accessing web and therefore, sketching increasingly more traffic to your web site. Once the web site has begun generating traffic to this, your company will reap advantages as the website will end up probably the most searchable on the top search engines like google.

A business needs these kinds of services as the Search engine optimization experts have the basic knowing and knowledge of how to do it. You since the website owner may spend some time on the internet going through blogs, discussion boards, along with other supplies. However, you have to focus on additional facets of your internet website as well as Search engine optimization professionals focus all their efforts on SEO because this is the things they're doing greatest.

The actual SEO companies guarantee to increase more traffic to your web site regularly giving you an assurance that when people search for services or products, your web site occurs the top of most desired search engines like google like Yahoo, Google, MSN as well as America online.

Quite simply, to enhance web site traffic as well as visibility, it is vital that a web site ought to obtain up-to-date constantly. The entire process of seo isn't a one-time try. A successful Search engine optimization service includes advertising, position, web site marketing, link trades and many more. To be able to hold the changes to Search engine optimization techniques and techniques daily, expert Search engine optimization maintain skilled as well as officially experienced Search engine optimization experts, site creative designers, copy writers, SEO editors, advertising professionals as well as task supervisors.

An expert and result-oriented seo service includes the following:
. Study as well as report pre-optimization position
. Search phrase choice and optimisation
. Competitors analysis report
. Description associated with tags
. Themed hyperlink web page development
. Optimization associated with images
. Keyword-rich content material building
. Search engine optimization copywriting
. Hyperlink campaigns
. HTML coding
. Internet search engine distribution

SEO organizations offer the actual service of keyword research. These types of organizations will look at the customers' web sites as well as their competitors and will look for appropriate key phrases. These people follow the best methodology which will make sure online presence as well as publicity.

Right now, let us point out the advantages that will help an company's web site get to the surface of the search engines.
• Customized Search engine optimization answer
• Long-term top rankings in search engines
• Greater web site traffic and online sales
• Worldwide company coverage
• Corporate business identification
• Suggestions for business development
• Follow-up support
• Optimum returns

 

'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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