5 Important Rules in Website Design

When it comes to your website, extra attention should be paid to every minute detail to make sure it performs optimally to serve its purpose. Here are seven important rules of thumb to observe to make sure your website performs well.

1) Do not use splash pages

Splash pages are the first pages you see when you arrive at a website. They normally have a very beautiful image with words like "welcome" or "click here to enter". In fact, they are just that -- pretty vases with no real purpose. Do not let your visitors have a reason to click on the "back" button! Give them the value of your site up front without the splash page.

2) Do not use excessive banner advertisements

Even the least net savvy people have trained themselves to ignore banner advertisements so you will be wasting valuable website real estate. Instead, provide more valueable content and weave relevant affiliate links into your content, and let your visitors feel that they want to buy instead of being pushed to buy.

3) Have a simple and clear navigation

You have to provide a simple and very straightforward navigation menu so that even a young child will know how to use it. Stay away from complicated Flash based menus or multi-tiered dropdown menus. If your visitors don't know how to navigate, they will leave your site.

4) Have a clear indication of where the user is

When visitors are deeply engrossed in browsing your site, you will want to make sure they know which part of the site they are in at that moment. That way, they will be able to browse relevant information or navigate to any section of the site easily. Don't confuse your visitors because confusion means "abandon ship"!

5) Avoid using audio on your site

If your visitor is going to stay a long time at your site, reading your content, you will want to make sure they're not annoyed by some audio looping on and on on your website. If you insist on adding audio, make sure they have some control over it -- volume or muting controls would work fine.

Searching for an Accounting Job

Accounting graduates, have broader choices and specific paths to follow with their careers. Accounting requires a lot of skills when it comes to business and that is why every company has an employee that is an accounting graduate. If you are an accounting graduate, you can apply in any kind of firm. Areas may include tax, audit, financial analysis and management accounting.

It is best that you apply for a job that matches your interests and expertise. There are careers that have been proven by most accounting graduates to bring them to the top of the success ladder and you may want to consider entering these fields.

If you are an accounting graduate who excel in public accounting, the entry-level positions that best fit this skill are Tax Staff, Consulting/ Management Services and Staff Auditor. With these positions you will do your duties reporting to a senior. Once you have acquired three to six years of experience in any of these positions, you may then want to consider applying for the higher levels like Tax Senior, Senior Auditor, and Consulting Senior where the position entails reporting directly to a Manager. After six years of excelling with these potions, then you may consider the positions Partner level and Senior Partner.

Having an edge with corporate accounting, one to three years of experience will qualify you to become a staff member in Internal Audit, Tax Accounting, Management, and Financial Accounting. Moving up the higher lever after three to six years, you will be eligible for the Senior Level for Internal Audit, Tax Accounting and Management Accounting. Six years thereafter, you may want to consider aiming for the positions like the Tax Manager, Internal Audit Manager and Financial Accounting Manager.

Expertise in Financial Management, Staff for Financial Planning, Cash Management, and Credit Analysis are options for entry-level positions. Once you have gained the enough experience, you may aim for the Treasury Operations, Credit Analysis and Senior Financial Planning. Higher positions will include Treasurer, Manager for Credit Analysis and Financial Planning.

These career options are traditional paths that were found to fit best for accounting graduates.  However, it does not mean that they are the only way to climb up the success ladder. You should go beyond not just limit your skills to accounting. It is still recommended that you gain enough work experience, acquire knowledge in different aspects of education, and continue to improve your character to be a step ahead with other job seekers.

FOREX (Foreign Exchange Market)

The foreign exchange market is also known as FX or it is also found to be referred to as the FOREX. All three of these have the same meaning, which is the trade of trading between different companies, banks, businesses, and governments that are located in different countries. The financial market is one that is always changing leaving transactions required to be completed through brokers, and banks. Many scams have been emerging in the FOREX business, as foreign companies and people are setting up online to take advantage of people who don't realize that foreign trade must take place through a broker or a company with direct participation involved in foreign exchanges.

Cash, stocks, and currency is traded through the foreign exchange markets. The FOREX market will be present and exist when one currency is traded for another. Think about a trip you may take to a foreign country. Where are you going to be able to 'trade your money' for the value of the money that is in that other country? This is FOREX trading basis, and it is not available in all banks, and it is not available in all financial centers. FOREX is a specialized trading circumstance.

Small business and individuals often times looking to make big money, are the victims of scams when it comes to learning about FOREX and the foreign trade markets. As FOREX is seen as how to make a quick buck or two, people don't question their participation in such an event, but if you are not investing money through a broker in the FOREX market, you could easily end up losing everything that you have invested in the transaction.

Scams to be wary of
A FOREX scam is one that involves trading but will turn out to be a fraud; you have no chance of getting your money back once you have invested it. If you were to invest money with a company stating they are involved in FOREX trading you want read closely to learn if they are permitted to do business in your country. Many companies are not permitted in the FOREX market, as they have defrauded investors before.

In the last five years, with the help of the Internet, FOREX trading and the awareness of FOREX trading has become all the rage. Banks are the number one source for FOREX trading to take place, where a trained and licensed broker is going to complete transactions and requirements you set forth. Commissions are paid on the transaction and this is the usual.

Another type of scam that is prevalent in the FOREX markets is software that will aid you in making trades, in learning about the foreign markets and in practicing so you can prepare yourself for following and making trades. You want to be able to rely on a program or software that is really going to make a difference. Consult with your financial broker or your bank to learn more about FOREX trading, the FX markets and how you can avoid being the victim while investing in these markets.

Credit card anyone ?

 

The emergence of electronic age made almost everything possible to people. Determining and curing terminal diseases made convenient, reaching uncharted territories became a possibility, and most of all; everyday life of people is made easy by the technology. We now have more convenient stores, easier means of transportation and a variety of gadgets that makes work and pleasure almost effortless.

When it comes to finances, technology—through efficient banking system and services—has given people better alternatives and options how to manage their finances. Among the so many financial management schemes that emerged, one alternative stands out among the rest—the credit card.

Credit card, especially to working people and those who live very busy lives, has become an ultimate financial “savior.” More than just being a status symbol or an add-on to expensive purses and wallets, credit card has revolutionized the way people spend their money.

But, more than the glamour and the convenience credit card brings, there is much more to this card than most people could ever imagine.

Credit Card 101
Before indulging much into the never-ending list of the advantages and disadvantages of having a credit card, it is very important for people to first have a brief realization of what credit card really is in order for them to maximize its potentials.

In layman’s terms, credit card is a card that allows a person to make purchases up to the limit set by the card issuer. One must then pay off the balance in installments with interest payments. Usually, credit card payment per month ranges from the minimum amount set by the bank to entire outstanding balance. And since it is a form of business, the longer the credit card holder wait to pay off his or her entire amount, the more interest pile up.

Since having a credit card is a responsibility, only those people who are of legal age and have the capability to pay off the amount they are going to spend through their credit card, is allowed to have one. Actually, most of the adults in the U.S. use credit card because this is very convenient compared to carrying cash or checks every time they have to purchase something.

It is also equally important to be familiar with the different types of credit cards before you begin to build up credit card balances and to avoid having a nightmare of debt. Since credit cards are indispensable to most consumers, it is a must that they understand the types of card that include charge cards, bankcards, retail cards, gold cards and secured cards. All of these types come in one of two interest rate options—the fixed and variable. Actually, it doesn’t really matter if you decide to have a fixed-rate credit card because the interest rate remains the same. Compared to variable rate cards where rate may be subject to change depends upon the credit card issuer’s discretion, fixed-rate carry higher interest rates. Basically, credit card grantors issue three types of accounts with basic account agreements like the “revolving agreement” a.k.a. Typical Credit Card Account which allows the payer to pay in full monthly or prefer to have partial payments based on outstanding balance. While the Charge Agreement requires the payer to pay the full balance monthly so they won’t have to pay the interest charges, the Installment Agreement, on the other hand, asks the payer to sign a contract to repay a fixed amount of credit in equal payments in definite period of time. Another category of credit card accounts includes the individual and joint accounts where the former asks the individual alone to repay the debt while the latter requires the partners responsible to pay. The common types of credit cards available through banks and other financial institutions also include Standard Credit Cards like Balance Transfer Credit Cards and Low Interest Credit Cards; Credit Cards with Rewards Programs like Airline Miles Credit Cards, Cash Back Credit Cards and Rewards Credit Cards; Credit Cards for Bad Credit like Secured Credit Cards and Prepaid Debit Cards; and Specialty Credit Cards like Business Credit Cards and Student Credit Cards.

Now that you have an idea how many types of credit card there is, it is now time to review your goals before applying for one. Some of the things you should consider is how will you spend with the credit card monthly, if you plan to carry a balance at the end of the month, how much are you willing to pay in annual fees, if you have a strong credit history and is does your credit in need of rehabilitation. Once you have an idea of what you are looking for choose the right credit card for you by researching the information you need that will fit your basic needs. You may also review the credit cards you’ve research and compare them.
Shopping for a credit card?
Regardless of the type of credit card you choose, be sure to discuss your specific financial needs with your financial advisor or accountant before applying for any credit card. It is a must that you understand the benefits of having a credit card like safety, valuable consumer protections under the law, and the accessibility and availability of services. The most popular credit cards include Chase Manhattan Bank, Citibank, Bank of America, BankOne, American Express, Discover® Card, First Premier Bank, Advanta, HSBC Bank, and MasterCard Credit Cards.

Although having a credit card is synonymous to invincibility, this may also trigger a person’s thirst for material things and may lead into the temptation of buying something they don’t really need. A credit card bearer should always have in min that having a credit card is a big responsibility. If they don’t use it carefully, these may owe more than they can repay. It can also damage their credit report, and create credit problems that are quite difficult to repair.

Hardware Reset Mikrotik Tutorial

Mikrotik RouterOS password can only be reset by reinstalling the Mikrotik router, or using the reset jumper (or jumper hole) in case the hardware is Mikrotik RouterBOARD. For Mikrotik RouterBOARDS just close the jumper and boot the board until the configuration is cleared. For some Mikrotik RouterBOARDs there is not a jumper, but a jumper hole – just put a metal object into the hole, and boot the board.

The below image shows the location of the Reset Jumper on older Mikrotik RouterBOARDs like RB133C:

Note: Don’t forget to remove the jumper after configuration has been reset, or it will be reset every time you reboot.

Source : wiki.mikrotik.com

How to Create an Outstanding ‘Out of Frame’ Horse Scene

In this tutorial I will show you how to make a horse reach out of a frame with some simple, but cool techniques. Besides of the techniques you will learn how to combine colors to make the scene even more dramatic.

Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:

Step 1

Open up this picture in photoshop Frame Photo

Select the “Pen Tool (P)” and mark around it like on the picture below. It will help you if you’re holding down the left mouse-click when you’re on the wheels. This makes it more rounded.

When you have marked it all, right click on it and click on “make selection…” and press ok with the settings you see below:

When selected, press “ctrl+c” to copy and “ctrl+v” to paste it. Name the new layer “Frame” and delete the “Background layer” After this we still have some red spots inside the cogwheels. You can erase them by also using the “Pen Tool (P)”, select it with the same settings and delete.

Step 2

Now you’re going to do almost the same here. As you can see on the picture below, we’re going to erase the scene inside the frame, so we can design it just as we like. With the Pen Tool (P) you’re going to select the area inside. But mark around the cogwheels, because we want to keep them. When selected as on the picture below, click delete.

Once again we have some spots inside the cogwheels we need to erase. Do it in the same way as on step 1. As you can see on the picture there is two places I have erased the inner cogwheel because we don’t have all of it and therefore it’s better without.

Step 3

I think that the frame has a lot of grain, which will be prettier if we reduce them a little bit. So go to Filter>Noise>Reduce Noise… and use these settings.

Look if you can see the difference:

Step 4

Create a new document with these settings:

Now we need a black background for this document, so set the foreground color to #000000. Pick up the “Paint Bucket Tool” (G) and click on the document.

Step 5

Now go back to our old document and drag the “frame” to our new document by holding down the mouse button. As you can see on the picture below, the frame is too big. So hold down “ctrl+t” to transform the frame.

Before we get started with the fun part, we need to flip the frame horizontal, so go to edit>transform>flip horizontal… Now we have the highlight to the right, where the horse also will be jumping out from.

Step 6

Open up this picture in Photoshop http://www.flickr.com/photos/vegaseddie/3309223161/sizes/l/in/photostream/ and drag it into our document. Name this layer “horse”

Set the layer’s opacity down to 50 % so we can see where to transform it to. Hold down “ctrl+t” to transform it into around the same settings as I used:

When you’re finished transforming it you can set the layer’s opacity up to 100% again.

Step 7

Now we’re going to cut the horse out, so we can erase other parts of the horse. So you need to use the “Pencil Tool (P)” again, and mark the house. Take your time. It’s better that you cut it out in the exact same shape than thinking of being finish as quick as possible. When you’re finish marking the horse, right click on it and click on “make selection” and use the settings as you see below on picture 2. After that, hold down “ctrl+c” to copy and “ctrl+v” to paste it. Name the new layer “horse outside”.

Step 8

Go down to the “horse” layer, and create a layer mask.

Hold down the ctrl key while clicking on the thumbnail of the “frame” layer, so we have that selected. (Remember, you still need to be on the layer mask on the “horse” layer)

Now with your foreground color set to black hold down “shift+f5” to fill the layer mask with black, click “ok”, and hold down “ctrl+d” to deselect. Now it should look like picture 2 below.

Still on the layer mask, select a black brush and paint the outgoing scene of the “horse” layer. It will afterwards look like this:

Step 9

I think that I have made my document too small, but don’t worry, it’s easy to fix. Go to image>canvas size (“Alt+Ctrl+C”) and use the settings you see below:

Now it should be a little bigger:

Step 10

Select the “frame” layer, the “horse” layer and the “horse outside” layer at the same time, hold down “ctrl+t” to transform it a little bigger. In order to maintain image quality you should always work with Smart Objects when possible. The settings of the transformation shall be like on the picture below:

Step 11

Now we’re going to give the horse some highlights. Start by creating a new layer upon the “horse outside” layer. Name the new layer “horse highlights” Set the blending mode to overlay and the opacity down to 85 % like on the picture below.

Hold down the “ctrl” key and click on the thumbnail on the “horse outside” layer, but still be on the “horse highlights” layer. With the color set to #fffcd9, you’re going to paint around the places as you see below.

Step 12

Now we’re going to add some drop shadows to the “horse outside” layer. Go to Layer>Layer Style>Drop shadows and enter in these settings:

Step 13

I’m not satisfied about the look of the frame yet. Go down to the frame, right click and click on “duplicate layer”, so we got another frame layer. On the new layer (“frame copy”) set the “blending mode” to “multiply” and the “opacity” down to 70%. It should look like this:

Now do the exact same thing to the horse layer with the exact same settings, so it’s going to look like this

Step 14

Now we’re going to add a little dept to the “frame copy” layer. Go to Layer>Layer Style>Bevel and Emboss and enter the settings you see below:

Step 15

Now we’re also going to add a little dept to the “horse” layer. Select the burn tool with “Midtones” in the “Range” and an “Exposure” on 50 %. Burn these places.

Step 16

Now we’re going to add some extra soil beneath the horse. So create a new layer upon “horse highlights”. Name it “soil”

Download this brush Debris Brush Set

Install the brush in Photoshop by select a random brush and load the brush this place:

Pick this color #22110a, and paint with the first brush, but adjust the size to around 5-600 px. After you have painted it, set the blending mode to “Multiply”

Step 17

Actually I think that we can make the horse look a little more outstanding. Right click on the “horse outside” layer and click on “Duplicate Layer…” And stay on the new “horse outside copy” layer

Go to Layer>Layer Style>Drop shadows to check the layer style off.

Now go to the old “horse outside” layer and blur this layer by going to Filter>Blur>Motion Blur and enter these settings:

Step 18

We can actually duplicate the “frame copy” layer one more time. Do that. On the new “frame copy 2”, set the blending mode to “overlay” and the opacity to 45 %.

Step 19

Now we’re going to make the scene a little more dramatic. Create a new layer right upon the “horse copy” layer (beneath the “horse outside” layer). Name it “clouds”.

On our new layer, select the “Rectangular Marquee Tool (M)” and select this place you see below:

Go to Select>Modify>Feather (“shift+f6”) and feather it with 30 pixels.

Now when have a black and white color in your color palette, go to Filter>Render>Clouds… Hold down ctrl+d to deselect.

Set the blending mode to “multiply” and the opacity to 70 %.

Create a layer mask, and pick up the “Gradient Tool (G)” With these settings:

Hold down shift drag the “Gradient tool” from left middle of the frame to about half way in the scene.

Now click on the “clouds” layer’s thumbnail, and go to edit>transform>distort and distort it like this:

Last, go to edit>transform>flip horizontal… The result will look like this.

Step 20

Now we’re going to make the reflection. This is a very easy technique. Make the “Background” layer invisible by clicking on the eye icon.
Now click “ctrl+a” to select all.

Go to edit>copy merged (“shift+ctrl+c”) and hold down “ctrl+v” to paste. Name the new copied layer “Reflection”.

Now go to edit>transform>flip vertical and drag it right under our original frame like this:

Now let’s make that “Background” layer visible again. But still be on our “Reflection” layer. Set the layer’s opacity to 30 %

Create a new layer upon the “reflection” layer, name it “reflection shadow”. Pick up the “Gradient tool (G)” with the same settings and before, and drag it from down to up like on the picture below:

Step 21

Create a layer upon all other layers. Name it “Blue”. Pick up this color #3f3e65. Pick up the “Paint Bucket tool” and fill the layer with this color. Set the blending mode to “overlay” and the opacity to 65 %

Create another layer upon the “Blue” layer. Name it “Brown”. Pick up this color #624b2b and fill the layer with this color. Set the blending mode to “color” and the opacity to 60 %