Online security is a hot topic. But why is household security not anymore? We might just don’t know it but our own neighborhood may be infested with nasty burglars that lurk like phantoms at night. Burglars are skillful and wise people. They would get away when they are dumb. I have read one time in the news saying that one burglar uses Google Earth to choose his next victim by looking at the roof material. Cool, yeah, but unfortunate for the victims.
Here are five simple ways to make your homes not really burglar-free but at least less prone to evil burglars:

1. Have a dog – nothing beats an angry dog shouting to the whole world that a stranger is trying to break in your house or yard. Since we have chickens at home, and cockfighting chickens are quite expensive in the Philippines, we are prone to chicken thieves. Our dogs are always helpful to alert us even in the midst of the night that a stranger is near the fences. But again, some dogs can be tamed even by the burglars by, guess what, food.
2. Befriend a neighbor – when you are close to your neighbor, they would help you look for your house while you are gone. You do the same too when they are away. Cooperation is good in the neighborhood.
3. Do not forget to lock doors – some people are forgetful and it is through this that they get burglarized. Even when you are at home, doors must be locked. Burglars are not the only ones on the lose but also criminals.
4. Build an effective barrier – I’ve seen houses in some villages that have fences of about 3 feet. That looks pretty but it also looks easy prey. This does not mean though that you will build castle-like fences or monstrous gates. Just build fences that are high enough not to let a burglar climb easily. Broken glass above cement fences are common in our country. Also make sure door locks are not cranky or easy to work around. Change padlocks often.
5. Install a security system – if you’ve got the money, why not install an electronic security system? If all else fails, technology will help. A home security system will be helpful when you are far away and nobody is near to stop the crime. Even though this will cost some bucks, this is an effective way to shoo away pesky burglars. Burglars may be wise but they are still human and they know how to get afraid. E.g. In America, ADT security systems are installed in many homes since burglary is quite widespread in the semi-urban areas.
   

Always remember, there is no victim when there is no one willing to be victimized. Always avoid yourself into becoming a victim of your own irresponsibility.

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Not all businesses are following the corporate way of managing things. Some just let the money flow in and flow back without even taking note if there is a gradual increase or not. Some are just satisfied of profits of any amount. But I have read that this should not be so. A responsible business person must have a keen eye on the growth of his business whether it is going upwards or downhill. One good measure for the state of a business is the rate of return.

The rate of return, also known as return on investment (ROI), is the ratio of the amount of money gained or lost relative to the capital or amount invested. ROI is in percent form which will indicate a growth if positive or a decline if negative. ROI analytic tools nowadays are being used by corporations and small businesses alike to foresee results and to analyze every running corner of the business. The biggest advantage when you determine your business’ return on investment is you will know where your business is strong at and where your business needs improvement. In that way, you could also set an ROI goal for the next period.

Those in the business world always deal with money. Money must be looked at with a sharp eye. Analyzing the cash flow and the outcome of your business endeavors would be a good move to a brighter business future.

Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiki99/

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In this post, I will be talking about one of the uniquest games ever created virtually. But let me have the overview first. This game is all about money, stock market, trading, and a lot more in line of those. This game was created at first as simulators for MBA students in the USA. But now, it has been opened to the public for those who want to test their monetary handling skills.

Wall Street Survivor, the Fantasy Stock Market Game, is one of the coolest virtual games I have ever encountered. And what's more is that I don't think it is just a game. I think it is an online laboratory for aspiring stock exchange career persons. Wall Street Survivor is a nothing-to-lose game since everything is virtual, so no real money is spent and lost or gained. But wait, not really nothing to gain because prizes are always given just like in any other game. Let's have a sneak peak in the serious game of money since I registered in the game too even though I have no idea.


The dashboard.


Trade Stocks.


Trade Options.

Those are some screenshots I made in the game. I haven't tried playing it real because I really have no idea how to do stock exchange. This game is highly recommended for business-minded people or those enrolled in a business administration or finance course.

Now, those interested in the stock exchange market but are anxious of their amateur skills, they can simulate everything in this game. This game is very helpful in the business world. Less losses and more gains then for all players!

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Gone are the days when businesses have to clamor to the traditional ways of inviting people to try their products or services which is through ordinary mail. Nowadays, since the internet has grown and everything is going into the web, marketing has also upgraded its processes to focus on e-mail marketing since almost everyone nowadays have their own e-mail address.

So why is e-mail marketing hot? Aside from the one mentioned above, e-mail is sent very fast compared to ordinary mail, obviously. People are also getting more accustomed to opening their virtual inboxes rather than the steel one near their gates. E-mail produces no clutter; no tree wasted for paper and envelope. Besides, e-mail can be easily disposed of; just click Trash.

Because of the convenience and popularity of using e-mail nowadays, companies' list brokers are rapidly acquiring the most updated consumer mailing lists for the companies they serve. Why is this so? A good marketing list and strategy through e-mail can mean many return sales if and only if it is done with proper timing and manner. We all receive marketing e-mails whether we like it or not. Some of which we directly consider as spam and some of which we give a second look. The ones with interesting intros and products may well get the attention of buyers. Targeting the best array of potential buyers is also one use of getting a good marketing list.

Marketing is a hot topic. But since we are in the modern age, e-mail marketing is hotter.

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Visit www.whocelebstweet.com for more details about celebrities in Twitter!

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Are you a TV addict? I am an internet addict but I was once a TV addict. When I was a kid I used to wake up early together with my sister to watch Rave and Niea 7 in AXN. Those were my first two animes and they were only subtitled then. But I had the time of my kiddy life. Anyways, ever since TV was popularized, more and more related technologies have also started to pour in and out of the horizon. Bright minds are doing an unending research and upgrading of television technologies and improvements. From cable TV, we are now in DIRECTV.

Blog Television offers this package called PLUS DVR: "For the TV fan on the go" for those TV show enthusiasts who just can't seem to remove their hyper butts away from the sofas and those who can't live without consuming every ray the TV screen radiates. In short, the ordinary TV addict. This Direct TV package offers a total range of 200 plus channels to savor on. HBO, Showtime and Starz all are offered free in the first three months. Great. Just great.

So those still in the cable TV (like our family), that's old technology. DirectTV.com's satellite TV offer is the new one. And it sure will be invading every household there is. But I wonder why I haven't heard of this near our place? Makes me wonder.

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Who loves traveling? I do. But since I am still at school and am still a dependent to my parents, I am not yet capable of financing my own travel fantasies which include highly expensive destinations and adventure trips. I, however, do small travel hops around the near places whenever I can or whenever it is free. But sometimes traveling can be tiring, especially rugged adventures. To attain maximum fun and less body fatigue, proper traveling outfit must be followed.

So why did I made my title like that? I am talking about shoes and so shoes it will be. I have tried hiking and sometimes, wearing an uncomfortable shoe could be stressful to my foot. Even multiple rounds at the mall with the wrong shoe could be a curse. So what’s the right shoe anyways? I am not a shoe person. I have only two pairs at home, a sneaker pair and my high school leather one. I am that don’t-care about apparel. However, I know how important it is to wear the proper outfit when doing an activity. The wrong shoe on a many kilometer hike could cause damage to the foot. The wrong upper garment on a sweaty activity could cause different reactions on the skin. A good traveling backpack and hiking shoes may be cool. Whatsoever. That is all what I understand and I know it is true.

So the next time you and I am traveling, we have to think, am I wearing the right traveling or outdoor gear? If yes, oh well, let the adventure begin!

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The recent buzz in the show Britain's Got Talent when senior lady Susan Boyle made a standing ovation has rocked even the online sphere. Now, it has gotten to dNeero! Here is a survey not only talking about Boyle's song I Dream A Dream but also to other newly famous singers' pieces.

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I really wanted to live a techy life wherein I would have great gadgets around me for fun, convenience and many other uses. But since I am still a student, it is not easy to have them all. I also learned not to bug my parents anymore about personal wants. Through my saving skills and a little earning here and there, I successfully bought myself a laptop which I am using right now. But human as I am, my wants never end; I don’t get satisfied.

Right now, what’s been on my mind is either an iPod Touch or an iPhone or even a humble iPod Nano. They’re all from the iPod line, right? If not for my travel this May, I could have saved the money in buying either of those. But right now I am broke and all I do is dream endlessly for that gizmo. I just instill in my mind that good things come to those who wait. I will wait when I get to real work after graduation before I gift myself some cool goodies.

If only, if only, I am eligible for a fast cash advance. But I am not. For one, I am not working full-time as I am just an intern for the meantime. Second, I am not earning $1,500 a month! That’s humongous. And lastly, I have only a savings account, not a checking account in the bank. So there, I am not qualified. That means, I have to save, save, save.

I dream of an iPhone.

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I can’t really speak about my blogs because all my three blogs are hosted for free using Blogger. But as a blog hopper and an on-looker, I definitely have a say on some blogs who are hosted somewhere. Actually, we may only quite hear about GoDaddy, Bluehost and Hostgator most of the time but there are loads more of other web hosts that offer their services to the online people. And just like offline businesses riding competition, each webhost has something good to say about itself. But some don’t.

It is a pain in the ass not only for the blog owner or administrator but also to the blog’s readers when a blog goes down because of unstable servers and web hosts. Aside from not getting updates the time you want it, it annoys you when you have actually chosen to visit a dead site. On the blogger’s side, it would be an extreme loss of traffic, usually when the outage reaches up to a week. But even an hour could be worth something.

So definitely, if one would choose to purchase a service from a web host, it is practical to put in mind that you get what you pay for. Surely, checking out customer reviews would be the best thing to do before purchasing a web host service. Web hosting can be quite complex but it is always understandable. So they say.

P.S. Look at the picture, free hosting eh?

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People's creative minds don't only flow through rustic brushes and digital frames. They all do anywhere. From abandoned walls to armchairs, from lamp posts to your skin, art and style will flow and grow whenever it can. Establishments alike have abolished the boring specific look and have consumed the coming of what's "in". Uniforms, banners, walls and furniture of corporate and big establishments all carry a label to support aesthetics, breaking the gaps between beauty and profession.

Hospitals around the world have still flowed with the issue of to wear nurse scrubs or not. FYI, nurse scrubs differ from the traditional nurse uniform in its design and texture. Basically, scrubs are more wearable, washable and likable. Many have said that the old nurse uniforms are dull, too common and are left out by time. Putting style into perspective, and with technology at hand, scrubs have been created. The only issue now is that patients who are not familiar with scrubs, may think that the nurses are cleaners. Funny.

Personally, I have seen the sides of both perspectives. I have seen nurses commuting in ordinary uniform. I have also seen a number of nurses wearing scrubs. For me, there is no difference. The only misnomer it could bring in a country who are very "traditional" is that the nurses wearing scrubs may not actually be real nurses at all; they may be mistaken as hospital assistants. But this is not a big problem. People may soon get used to seeing Landau medical scrubs, a typical scrubs brand from the Landau uniforms line.

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Heroes is really a serious TV show. There is some heavy drama mixed up with some ass-kicking action all the time. But what happens when the serious goes goofy? Being a fan of Heroes, I always look for great finds related to the show and the cast. Aside from reading Jack Coleman's blog, I also look for videos and cuts that are out of the main show. Two of my finds are all commercials for NBC. I just hope you also enjoy the short videos. That is why I am sharing this to all.





By the way, Jack Coleman talks about the Feelin' Alright video on his blog. You better check it out right there! Feelin' Alright!

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Some upper-class elite people or even the ordinary ones are typical about their home lighting. For them, a well-made house would look dull without the fitting lighting and fixtures. How would you appreciate a mansion when it is dim? You would not see the features well.

George Kovacs is the pioneer in lights. His designs have the distinctive touch of the fusion of clean lines with unexpected twists and curves, resulting in pieces that had a modern appeal with a retro flavor. If you are well-informed about the kinds of lighting and the special brands or terms, you would probably meet the word George Kovacs often. George Kovacs is often a name synonymous to modern design. Wall sconces, chandeliers, table and floor lamps are all part of the Kovacs genius' for creating contemporary lighting that is revolutionary in design and practical in use. George Kovacs lights are a favorite among the elite, Hollywood people, politicians and many more. Common folks can also hang a George Kovacs at home, no worries.

Examples of George Kovacs lights are the following:


These lights fall under the George Kovacs lamps black contemporary. Take note that George Kovacs lightings and lamps are affordable, well-designed and original. So if you plan to light up your home, try George Kovacs. This brand design will give you light.

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We all have watched a lot of romantic and feel-good movies that depict runaway brides, running for their freedom or running for their new love. We became accustomed to such scenes that we don't take such incidences seriously anymore. How about the groom? Poor groom. Anyways, the runaway bride story does not actually only happen in the movies but in real life too.

The possibly biggest runaway bride case happened in Dulth, Georgia, USA four years ago (April 26, 2005). Jennifer Carol Wilbanks is supposed to be married to John Mason on April 30. But 4 days before the wedding day, Wilbanks vanished. Her vanishing act triggered a nationwide search and intensive media coverage which just lighted up the excitement of nosy people and the media. John Mason, the poor groom, was also suspected of murdering her. A day before the planned wedding day, Wilbanks called Mason and lied that she had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a Hispanic male and a white woman. Eventually, Wilbanks was found to be safe at all. Wilbanks' repeating of the false claims to investigating officers resulted in a felony indictment of giving false information to police, a charge that could have resulted in up to five years of imprisonment. Mason then married another woman, this time, a behaved bride.

For me, such act is wrong unless justified with very valid reasons. Very teleo-deontological indeed. Wilbanks has hurt and deceived a lot of people. For one, Mason must have been hurt. First, his bride is gone. And he was also suspected of murder. Poor guy. Good thing he found a non-runaway bride. Wilbanks also has caused an unnecessary stir in the media and in society. With all the worries, investigation and stuff, it all ended up that they were all deceived by one woman. Lastly, Wilbanks is a very bad example for brides-to-be. They may end up following the same tragic love story.

What happens to the grandeur preparations, diamond engagement rings, the reception, the guests and most of all, the feelings, when the bride has suddenly gone wild and went to a notorious adventure? People can be so insensitive sometimes, and this case, their whole nation was the victim. The groom is the biggest victim. Hey bride, thinking of running? Think again. Just walk the aisle.

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I don't know why but I really love swimming, may it be in the beach or in the pool, I just love swimming. Because it is Holy Week, beaches would be full because Filipinos love to go to the vacation spots during this time. We are not an exemption.

We went to St. Benedict's Monastery in the morning to pray the rosary and to visit Our Lady of Manaoag. After our prayers, we planned to do the Stations of the Cross but decided to do it another day because it was already past lunchtime. We had some pictures before we head for lunch.


I am with my family and my grandma, my godma, my cousins and their nanny. My mother took the picture.

We then planned to have our lunch either at the spring nearby or at the beach we just passed by going to the monastery. The Uragay spring is filled with people, so we decided not to spend the afternoon there. We then searched for a good beach spot with a good cottage. We found one in Danao City, paid only Php 100, discounted Php 100. The owner knew us. We then had lunch. The rest is history. The kids, my cousins, were really enjoying. Pictures of us and the beach after the jump.


The Lord has blessed us with a great weather.


Three beautiful doves were strolling around the area.


My cute cousins Sweet and Marco!


My sister Nikki and my cousin Sweet enjoying the massage of the rocks.


Nearing low tide.


My cousins again. I forced them to pose. HAHA.

Okay no picture of me? Because I am the photographer of the pack. HAHA. Anyways, after that we went home, everybody were tired but we all had fun. This is how we spend the first day of our Holy Week.

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Have you ever wondered what would happen to the world if all the old people are very good in using the latest technologies? I have witnessed how my mother (though she is not old yet) struggled in learning how to use the computer. But now she is already adept in using it. That is one proof that technology has built a generation gap between the present generation and the old one.

My grandmother's sister is the most powerful figure in our clan. She has no family and she is the richest among all of us. She once called my mother to ask if I could tutor her on using her Thinkpad Laptop so she could use it to process documents for her business and for the church. So I went to her house and taught her the basic of all basic things about the laptop computer. We had fun actually. She had a hard time using the mouse. She told me that it is hard for her to control her hand's weight when clicking because she has been used to manual labor work. I also taught her how to use MS Word, Paint, WM Player, Games and many more. She actually had fun. I just told her to practice her mouse clicking using Paint. I haven't been able to go back and check on her progress because I have been too busy with school. Maybe, she is practicing now. Or not.

Anyways, I think the hardest to teach about new stuff will be my grandparents. They did not finish elementary during their years but I am not ashamed; they sent their eight kids to university and all graduated, including my mom. Teaching them about the computer would be a bit hard, though may be possible.

I know a lot of bloggers are actually already old and belong to the sage-level generations but they still do good in blogging. And have you heard of senior chat rooms? They said that such chat rooms exist. I wonder how conversations go...

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The recent Page Rank update has brought broken feelings to some and simple joys to others. I am one of the latter. I never knew that Google was updating the Page Ranks of sites and blogs at the very start of April until one of my friends from Plurk plurked that his blog got a Page Rank of 2. Nervous, as I usually am when faced with unexpected things, I went to a Page Rank checker site and checked the PRs of my three blogs. I am at a static shock. My newest blog What About Bryan, which was PR 0 from the then previous PR update because it was totally new, got now a PR 1, at least. I am more than happy. My Bryan Karl dot Com, which was PR 1 at its conception, is now a PR 2. I am more than happy once again. And this blog here that you are reading has stood by the test of time. It is still Page Rank 3, thanks be to God.

Given that, it has dawned upon me that I should really take care of this blog. Of the three, this one has the only one without its domain of its own. But the three are still hosted on Blogger. Web hosting is very good only for those who are really going big time in blogging. I am still a student and I may not be capable of sustaining the cost. But I tell you, web hosting can really mean a lot.

How about you? How is your blogging life coming?

Photo

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Holy Week is a time to reflect and to pray. This is the time wherein we could put our busy lives into a peaceful halt and spend our moment thinking, reflecting and praying. Since the Holy Week is here, our family searched for that peaceful place in Carmen, Cebu since it was recommended by my godmother and my mother's friend. We went to St. Benedict's Monastery in Corte, Carmen, Cebu and explored the place last Sunday. We are supposed to go back there during the Holy Week proper together with many of our relatives, a family tradition.

One sought-for spot in the monastery is the Our Lady of Manaoag Rosary Center.



The place is very solemn and quiet that mere whispers can be heard. The building contains large paintings of the mysteries of the rosary. At the center is also Our Lady of Manaoag who is said to be very miraculous and will listen to your sincere petitions. There is also the framed veil of the lady, which is also miraculous.


The rosary center from the stairs


A good place to pray the rosary with your family or alone


Mysteries of the rosary


You write your name and address here


The miraculous veil of Our Lady of Manaoag

Before we went home, we prayed the rosary inside the rosary center. Our next stop is the chapel on the upper side of the place. We went up through a stair that lead us to the big statue of the Sto. Nino.


The stairs and Sto. Nino overlooking below


The stairs from the rosary center's view


Sto. Nino

You could also see the St. Benedict Monastery from afar.



The chapel, like the rosary center, is very serene and holy. Like the rosary center, no one is allowed to bring in slippers or shoes inside. Utmost respect to the place is being requested as said by signage.



Also below, near the street, is the Pieta. This is where the dead will be prayed over and blessed.



Overall, the place is the perfect place to spend the Holy Week on. Some may opt for Simala, but many people already found the place very commercialized. In the St. Benedict's Monastery, you would see no vendors. The place is 100% solemn.

Corte, Carmen is a far place from the city so commuting your way towards the place would be too much of a hassle. But if you are really determined into going to a very solemn place to reflect and pray, then this is the place.

More photos here.

Happy Holy Week everyone.

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A lot of businesses that widely use modern systems and software have adapted to using a different kind of programming language that goes away from the usual language used in applications. A+, like C/C++/Java, is a powerful and efficient open-source programming language available under the GNU General Public License. Like other strong programming language, A+ has its set of qualities that make it preferable in certain business environments. It embodies a rich set of functions and operators, a modern GUI (graphical user interface) with many widgets and automatic synchronization of widgets and variables, asynchronous execution of functions associated with variables and events, dynamic loading of user compiled subroutines, etcetera. Real world developers have used A+ to produce stunning applications and software for their clients.

Programmers or developers who want to get a job that requires A+ could get themselves certified to have a higher chance of being hired. The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is an organization that gives out professional certifications including for A+. The CompTIA A+ certification demonstrates competency as a computer technician. But how do you ensure you pass the test?

For one, you could study on your own. You could buy books, which are quite expensive. Programming language books are not that cheap. For another, you could find a training school in your locality. But this would be a hassle and an additional cost. The last option would be to stay at home and learn through online A+ training videos. These videos don't come out free but they are worth your money. You get what you pay for.

Being a developer or a programmer is not an easy task. There is not only one universal language out there. There are a lot. The concept may be the same but the syntax may vary widely. You have to ask yourself first before indulging into studying a certain language, is it useful to my career? You know the answer.

Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/julianb/

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I am no expert in relationships but all I could say is that if a couple has total and pure mutual understanding, then probably there would be less problems and conflicts between the two. I've heard a lot of stories telling that a simple misunderstanding led to the break-up.

If couples would just place one another in each other's foot, then the world would be a lovelier place. This is very hard to do though. Possible, but hard to maintain or even to build. Communication is the key.

In relation to this, here is a survey from dNeero entitled I Am A Boy. It discusses Beyonce's If I Were A Boy song.

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Marley & Me is a very heartwarming movie that talks about family life and family-dog relationships. I made a quick review and opinion on it on my other blog. See my Marley & Me post on my whataboutbryan.info blog. I am not doing another movie review here. Instead, I will be talking about dogs and how they are portrayed in the movie.

Marley, even though he is naughty, attention-seeking and boisterous, is still loved by his owners, John and Jennifer Grogan. He has already caused much damage in the house yet he was still kept. He truly is a part of the growing family. The ending is very sad; of course we all reach sad endings whether we like or not. John Grogan left a beautiful quote about dogs. It says:

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, or big homes, or designer clothes; a water log stick will do just fine. Dog don't care whether you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb; give him your heart and he'll give you his." John Grogan

That is true. Dogs won't really care if they are dressed like medieval people, or circus talents or just no dress at all. They are not materialistic unlike us humans. Dog grooming is necessary but too much expensive toys would be too much. They actually won't care where their toys come from. What they need is care and friendship, guidance and fun. A dog won't know if his master is a genius or is a too-much-of-an-ordinary guy. As long as you build bonds with him, he will follow and trust you.

Dog food is an integral part of taking care of the dog. Bedding may not be even necessary. This topic boils to one point. Dogs don't need the material things you provide. They need your care and guidance. As what John Grogan said, "give him your heart and he'll give you his".

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See? I still appreciate Entrecard even though I am at my most inactive with it. Yes, and I don't think I will be active with Entrecard again. My life has suddenly turned into a huge rush and giving time for dropping is like braking after each second on a motorbiking event. I greatly appreciate that there are still bloggers out there who drop by my blog and drop. Three of them still even completed one whole month. Last month I had to choose the top from the ten, but sadly, now it has reduced to three. I missed the days when I am on the Top 50 of Entrecard. Well, I am still enjoying my blogging life without that.

Here they are!

1. I Learn Online Marketing
2. Computer Aid
3. The Way I See It
4. Warcraft Blog
5. Lainy's Musings
6. Dallas Marketing Services
7. my review
8. verITableLIFE
9. Zero
10. Junkfoodaholic.com

The first three are on tie so using again the #ran of my calculator, I get 2, Computer Aid. For one month, your ad would be on the sidebar for a month. I don't want you to expect anything. This blog is in hibernation from Entrecard.

Have a great summer everyone!

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