Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Return Of The Monster
The Monster of the title is none other than Dollar Monster. Anyone who had dealings with Dollar Monster previously believed the beast had been slain by its owners but, it seems, it had just been banished and now is baaaaaaaaaack (as it says in its ads). Presumably the owners of Dollar Monster believe they have remained out of sight long enough for people to have forgiven or forgotten the events of 2004.
Dollar Monster pretends to be a friendly little monster who will help you to make money. It says: "DollarMonster's #1 priority is helping you make money!" In fact, its clear from the website that Dollar Monster will make the money for you and you can just sit back in your easy chair and do nothing. Dollar Monster claims to be the lazy person's way of making money; that should be a big enough hint that this program does not offer a legitimate way to make money.
Dollar Monster is a money doubler. Money Doubler programs enjoyed a brief spell of popularity back in 2004. Their popularity ended as one money doubler program after another closed owing members large sums of money and the whole money doubler industry was exposed as being a scam consisting of numerous pyramid schemes. The surprising thing is that the new Dollar Monster website refers to 2004 and to the notorious Easy Chair Club (sometimes described as the biggest Internet scam in recent history). It would seem more sensible for this site to pretend to have no connection whatsoever with the Easy Chair Club or the Dollar Monster that existed in 2004. In fact, it would seem more sensible to open up using an entirely different name because the people who joined Dollar Monster (or its sister site, My Magic Doubler) the first time round aren't going to be sucked in again and will warn people not to take part in the program.
The way money doublers work is that you pay money to the program, other people sign up after you and also pay money in. When enough has been paid in by new members, you get paid double the amount you first invested. The people whose money was used to pay you, get paid when members have paid enough cash in after them and so on
When money doubler programs are first launched, the cycle time is very short (it can be a matter of hours) but as more people join the cycle time gets longer because the number of new members required to cycle existing member positions grows exponentially. Eventually, the cycle time becomes so long the program ceases to attract new members and, when the cash injections dry up, the doubler stalls. With no new recruits bringing in cash, the members on the lowest level don't get double their money back, they lose all the money they paid in. At this point, the program and its owner normally disappear.
Money Doubler programs can survive for anything from a matter of hours up to several months. The ones that disappear within hours are normally run by outright crooks who had no intention of paying any money out to anyone. As soon as they have obtained a substantial sum of cash, they just vanish with it. If you are lucky you might avoid these particular crooks and might even make some money. One thing that is guaranteed is that if you aren't lucky enough to join at the right time, you will lose your money.
I hope the return of Dollar Monster does not signal the start of a new money doubler craze. People who were not around in 2004 might take to money doublers as a replacement for the rapidly declining autosurf for cash programs. In 2004 I fell for the story that money doublers were legitimate programs and the money they paid out came from advertising revenue. I speak from experience when I say that if you want to make money on the Internet, you have to work for it. Dollar Monster and similar money doubler programs are not an alternative to working for a living.
Visit Elaine Currie at her Work At Home Income Directory Website to start your Home Business today. http://www.HuntingVenus.com
Dollar Monster pretends to be a friendly little monster who will help you to make money. It says: "DollarMonster's #1 priority is helping you make money!" In fact, its clear from the website that Dollar Monster will make the money for you and you can just sit back in your easy chair and do nothing. Dollar Monster claims to be the lazy person's way of making money; that should be a big enough hint that this program does not offer a legitimate way to make money.
Dollar Monster is a money doubler. Money Doubler programs enjoyed a brief spell of popularity back in 2004. Their popularity ended as one money doubler program after another closed owing members large sums of money and the whole money doubler industry was exposed as being a scam consisting of numerous pyramid schemes. The surprising thing is that the new Dollar Monster website refers to 2004 and to the notorious Easy Chair Club (sometimes described as the biggest Internet scam in recent history). It would seem more sensible for this site to pretend to have no connection whatsoever with the Easy Chair Club or the Dollar Monster that existed in 2004. In fact, it would seem more sensible to open up using an entirely different name because the people who joined Dollar Monster (or its sister site, My Magic Doubler) the first time round aren't going to be sucked in again and will warn people not to take part in the program.
The way money doublers work is that you pay money to the program, other people sign up after you and also pay money in. When enough has been paid in by new members, you get paid double the amount you first invested. The people whose money was used to pay you, get paid when members have paid enough cash in after them and so on
When money doubler programs are first launched, the cycle time is very short (it can be a matter of hours) but as more people join the cycle time gets longer because the number of new members required to cycle existing member positions grows exponentially. Eventually, the cycle time becomes so long the program ceases to attract new members and, when the cash injections dry up, the doubler stalls. With no new recruits bringing in cash, the members on the lowest level don't get double their money back, they lose all the money they paid in. At this point, the program and its owner normally disappear.
Money Doubler programs can survive for anything from a matter of hours up to several months. The ones that disappear within hours are normally run by outright crooks who had no intention of paying any money out to anyone. As soon as they have obtained a substantial sum of cash, they just vanish with it. If you are lucky you might avoid these particular crooks and might even make some money. One thing that is guaranteed is that if you aren't lucky enough to join at the right time, you will lose your money.
I hope the return of Dollar Monster does not signal the start of a new money doubler craze. People who were not around in 2004 might take to money doublers as a replacement for the rapidly declining autosurf for cash programs. In 2004 I fell for the story that money doublers were legitimate programs and the money they paid out came from advertising revenue. I speak from experience when I say that if you want to make money on the Internet, you have to work for it. Dollar Monster and similar money doubler programs are not an alternative to working for a living.
Visit Elaine Currie at her Work At Home Income Directory Website to start your Home Business today. http://www.HuntingVenus.com
Border Collie - The facts every owner of this dog breed should know
Bred for their intelligence and herding instincts, Border Collies are descended from British herding dogs. A medium sized dog, Border Collies will grow to about 19 to 22 inches and 30 to 45 pounds. They will live about 12 to 15 years. Border Collies have medium to longer hair that comes in a variety of colors and are prone to shedding. Border Collies need to be brushed regularly to keep the coat healthy and dirt free. Border Collies are also known for their stare. Though their eyes can be brown, amber or blue, it is the Border Collie stare that people remember. This is part of the herding instinct, and a Border Collie will attempt to herd almost anything, including cars and children.
Great care must be taken with a Border Collie to ensure it does not hurt itself or others. A fenced in yard and plenty of leash training is a must with this breed. Border Collies are easy to train due to their intelligence, but, because of their desire to work, Border Collies must have work to do. If they are not given tasks to perform and room to roam, they will become bored and destructive.
They must have a lot of stimulation and activity to stay happy. Though good with children, Border Collies may attempt to herd them and, to keep the 'herd' in line, Border Collies have been known to nip. Border Collies usually do not do well with other animals, due to their herding instinct, and can become aggressive with other dogs of the same gender. Border Collies can be excellent household pets, but must be cared for by a family willing to give them the training, attention, care and activities they need. Border Collies are not recommended for people who live in apartments or those who do not plan on spending a lot of time with their pet.
Border Collies do have some breed specific issues. Some are prone to hip dysplasia, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Collie Eye Anomaly. Many Border Collies are allergic to fleas and some are prone to epilepsy and deafness. Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a shoulder lameness that can develop between the ages of 4 to 12 months. Border Collies have also been known to work themselves to exhaustion and suffer from heat stroke in the hot weather.
Because Border Collies are very physically active, they are prone to athletic injuries, such as pulled muscles, cruciate ligament ruptures, cuts and punctures, ripped toenails and footpads.
There is a website that has great information on Border Collies and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:
http://www.dogandcatfacts.com
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
Great care must be taken with a Border Collie to ensure it does not hurt itself or others. A fenced in yard and plenty of leash training is a must with this breed. Border Collies are easy to train due to their intelligence, but, because of their desire to work, Border Collies must have work to do. If they are not given tasks to perform and room to roam, they will become bored and destructive.
They must have a lot of stimulation and activity to stay happy. Though good with children, Border Collies may attempt to herd them and, to keep the 'herd' in line, Border Collies have been known to nip. Border Collies usually do not do well with other animals, due to their herding instinct, and can become aggressive with other dogs of the same gender. Border Collies can be excellent household pets, but must be cared for by a family willing to give them the training, attention, care and activities they need. Border Collies are not recommended for people who live in apartments or those who do not plan on spending a lot of time with their pet.
Border Collies do have some breed specific issues. Some are prone to hip dysplasia, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Collie Eye Anomaly. Many Border Collies are allergic to fleas and some are prone to epilepsy and deafness. Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a shoulder lameness that can develop between the ages of 4 to 12 months. Border Collies have also been known to work themselves to exhaustion and suffer from heat stroke in the hot weather.
Because Border Collies are very physically active, they are prone to athletic injuries, such as pulled muscles, cruciate ligament ruptures, cuts and punctures, ripped toenails and footpads.
There is a website that has great information on Border Collies and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:
http://www.dogandcatfacts.com
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's.
Learning the Hard Way: The Essentials of Halloween Dog Costume Design
Many dog clubs and animal organizations sponsor activities throughout the year where you and your pooch can bond. This is especially true at Halloween, when you and your dog will have an opportunity to take part in costume contests, parades, and other events to show off your creativity. Our local Humane Society, for example, has a "Howling Party," while our dog club has its annual "Fun Fair." Other organizations put on dog parades. The best part about all of these events is that you are able to show your dog off in costume!
Even if you are staying home this year and waiting on trick or treaters to come by, consider having your costumed dog go with you to the door. Or, if you have trained him to open the door to greet guests even better! If this is the case, your dog should also be trained not to jump on guests when they arrive. A well-costumed dog greeter might have neighborhood children running away before they get their candy should he jump upon them.
Before I became a dog owner, I thought it was silly, unfair, and perhaps a bit inhumane to dress dogs up for Halloween. Since those days, I have become a dog owner and now realize dogs love to participate in all activities (except a trip to the veterinarian). Participating together in Halloween festivities with your favorite furry friend is another opportunity for you to cherish your time together.
WORDS OF WISDOM ABOUT DOG COSTUMES:
Over the years, I have learned a few lessons about dressing dogs up for Halloween. Every year when Halloween approached, I would work feverishly trying to create the perfect dog costume. Spending hours sewing together parts of old-fashioned mops, I attempted to make my terrier into an instant Komondor (a.k.a. Hungarian Sheepdog). For a day, I wanted him to feel like one of those amazing dogs with a Rasta-style hairdo. When people spotted him, they would exclaim, "Hey it's a dog in a dog costume!" But, I really thought, It's a dog in a people costume!
As I walked proudly down the street with him in his Komondor costume, he decided to shake until his costume des mops dragged along between us. From a distance, I thought he might get by looking like a street cleaner. But to my despair, he didn't. As crowds watched, he simply looked like a dog dragging a huge mop down the street how embarrassing!
This is when I learned the first two essential rules for dog costumes:
1) Keep the costume light.
2) Keep the costume simple.
The next year, I had a puppy to dress up. Constructing an adorable lightweight costume was my only goal. Since the puppy loved carrying objects in her mouth, I covered a stick in leather for her to bite and carry. Then, I attempted to put a pair of panties on her. She frantically yelped, bounced, and wiggled them off, and consequently refused to let me near her with the undergarments in hand.
This is when I learned the third essential rule of dog costumes:
3) Always give your dog a trial run before assuming she will wear any costume you muster. Or, better yet, have your dog wear the costume around the house before Halloween so that she will get used to it. Don't learn the hard way.
The following year, I made plans to take my older dog to the Halloween dog parade again. Since I had learned from experience, I chose to fashion a costume that was simple, easy to make, and lightweight. My dog was going to be "a walking billboard!" I glued two rectangular pieces of foam core together with material in the center and was going to lay it over the top of my dog. This time, however, I was determined to be smart about it by letting him get used to it beforehand following my own third rule.
It worked out great as he paced around the house and the billboard costume got some great laughs from friends and family members. I was happy that things would turn out better than the two years previous. As the parade began, we marched along together and he suddenly did the unexpected, as if he were planning it all along. He crouched down and the billboard became a non-flexible tent. He was able to walk right out of it, which got additional laughs from the crowd, but meant an immediate disqualification from the contest.
This is when I learned the fourth essential rule of dog costumes:
4) Expect the unexpected, even when you think you've thought of everything!
The following year, I tied a large helium balloon around the dog's mid-section and put a small lightweight blanket over him. The blanket had a little box sitting on it with two tiny stuffed animals. I had ribbons around the bottom of the balloon that I attached to the box. The costume was adorable, or so I believed. It was a balloon-ride costume. The bobbing balloon must have been more exciting to the other dogs because as soon as the other dogs got sight of him, they started pulling away from their owners in hot pursuit of the shiny red balloon. Fortunately, I had a pair of scissors and cut the string. Up, up, up it went. Bailey and I were free, but so was our balloon. And once again, we were disqualified from the parade, as had become a tradition.
This is when I learned the fifth and sixth essential rules of dog costumes:
5) Be prepared. Before you go to any gathering, think about what you should bring along In case something needs a quick fixing or if something goes wrong.
6) Bring your camera and have plenty of film. I wished I had gotten a picture of my dog in his balloon costume before I snipped the string. Check your camera batteries too. And, have a friend take some photos of you and your dog together you'll enjoy them later.
Last year, however, I took the easy way out. I purchased a Superman costume from a costume shop. Most costume shops now carry such paraphernalia. The costume was lightweight, which was a plus. I decided I would just use the cape and keep the other parts of the costume as back up. So, once again, we were off to our annual dog club "Fun Fair," and one of the featured activities was a Halloween dog parade with an award for "Best Costume".
My dog was dressed upon arrival. I tied the cape under his chin and that was it. Kids shouted, "It's Super Dog!" Adults responded by shouting "Not original!" Someone walked up to me and asked, "What happened? We expected you, at least, to be original." Feeling guilty, I sat there not taking home any awards. But, it was the first time my "Super Dog" participated in his very first Halloween parade. To me, he looked great and I was so proud of him. Then towards the end of the night, we were called over, along with several other "Super Dogs" with the same attire, for a photo shoot.
Submitted 10/26/2006
Copyright (c) 2006 Melanie Light
Melanie Light is an artist and art educator. She is site owner of Wheaten Works at http://www.wheatenworks.com, ArtZpet at http://www.artzpet.com and Petz Classic Dog Art at http://www.cafepress.com/petz . Her portfolio site can be found here: http://mlightart.com . You will find more artwork, gifts, and information on these sites.
Even if you are staying home this year and waiting on trick or treaters to come by, consider having your costumed dog go with you to the door. Or, if you have trained him to open the door to greet guests even better! If this is the case, your dog should also be trained not to jump on guests when they arrive. A well-costumed dog greeter might have neighborhood children running away before they get their candy should he jump upon them.
Before I became a dog owner, I thought it was silly, unfair, and perhaps a bit inhumane to dress dogs up for Halloween. Since those days, I have become a dog owner and now realize dogs love to participate in all activities (except a trip to the veterinarian). Participating together in Halloween festivities with your favorite furry friend is another opportunity for you to cherish your time together.
WORDS OF WISDOM ABOUT DOG COSTUMES:
Over the years, I have learned a few lessons about dressing dogs up for Halloween. Every year when Halloween approached, I would work feverishly trying to create the perfect dog costume. Spending hours sewing together parts of old-fashioned mops, I attempted to make my terrier into an instant Komondor (a.k.a. Hungarian Sheepdog). For a day, I wanted him to feel like one of those amazing dogs with a Rasta-style hairdo. When people spotted him, they would exclaim, "Hey it's a dog in a dog costume!" But, I really thought, It's a dog in a people costume!
As I walked proudly down the street with him in his Komondor costume, he decided to shake until his costume des mops dragged along between us. From a distance, I thought he might get by looking like a street cleaner. But to my despair, he didn't. As crowds watched, he simply looked like a dog dragging a huge mop down the street how embarrassing!
This is when I learned the first two essential rules for dog costumes:
1) Keep the costume light.
2) Keep the costume simple.
The next year, I had a puppy to dress up. Constructing an adorable lightweight costume was my only goal. Since the puppy loved carrying objects in her mouth, I covered a stick in leather for her to bite and carry. Then, I attempted to put a pair of panties on her. She frantically yelped, bounced, and wiggled them off, and consequently refused to let me near her with the undergarments in hand.
This is when I learned the third essential rule of dog costumes:
3) Always give your dog a trial run before assuming she will wear any costume you muster. Or, better yet, have your dog wear the costume around the house before Halloween so that she will get used to it. Don't learn the hard way.
The following year, I made plans to take my older dog to the Halloween dog parade again. Since I had learned from experience, I chose to fashion a costume that was simple, easy to make, and lightweight. My dog was going to be "a walking billboard!" I glued two rectangular pieces of foam core together with material in the center and was going to lay it over the top of my dog. This time, however, I was determined to be smart about it by letting him get used to it beforehand following my own third rule.
It worked out great as he paced around the house and the billboard costume got some great laughs from friends and family members. I was happy that things would turn out better than the two years previous. As the parade began, we marched along together and he suddenly did the unexpected, as if he were planning it all along. He crouched down and the billboard became a non-flexible tent. He was able to walk right out of it, which got additional laughs from the crowd, but meant an immediate disqualification from the contest.
This is when I learned the fourth essential rule of dog costumes:
4) Expect the unexpected, even when you think you've thought of everything!
The following year, I tied a large helium balloon around the dog's mid-section and put a small lightweight blanket over him. The blanket had a little box sitting on it with two tiny stuffed animals. I had ribbons around the bottom of the balloon that I attached to the box. The costume was adorable, or so I believed. It was a balloon-ride costume. The bobbing balloon must have been more exciting to the other dogs because as soon as the other dogs got sight of him, they started pulling away from their owners in hot pursuit of the shiny red balloon. Fortunately, I had a pair of scissors and cut the string. Up, up, up it went. Bailey and I were free, but so was our balloon. And once again, we were disqualified from the parade, as had become a tradition.
This is when I learned the fifth and sixth essential rules of dog costumes:
5) Be prepared. Before you go to any gathering, think about what you should bring along In case something needs a quick fixing or if something goes wrong.
6) Bring your camera and have plenty of film. I wished I had gotten a picture of my dog in his balloon costume before I snipped the string. Check your camera batteries too. And, have a friend take some photos of you and your dog together you'll enjoy them later.
Last year, however, I took the easy way out. I purchased a Superman costume from a costume shop. Most costume shops now carry such paraphernalia. The costume was lightweight, which was a plus. I decided I would just use the cape and keep the other parts of the costume as back up. So, once again, we were off to our annual dog club "Fun Fair," and one of the featured activities was a Halloween dog parade with an award for "Best Costume".
My dog was dressed upon arrival. I tied the cape under his chin and that was it. Kids shouted, "It's Super Dog!" Adults responded by shouting "Not original!" Someone walked up to me and asked, "What happened? We expected you, at least, to be original." Feeling guilty, I sat there not taking home any awards. But, it was the first time my "Super Dog" participated in his very first Halloween parade. To me, he looked great and I was so proud of him. Then towards the end of the night, we were called over, along with several other "Super Dogs" with the same attire, for a photo shoot.
Submitted 10/26/2006
Copyright (c) 2006 Melanie Light
Melanie Light is an artist and art educator. She is site owner of Wheaten Works at http://www.wheatenworks.com, ArtZpet at http://www.artzpet.com and Petz Classic Dog Art at http://www.cafepress.com/petz . Her portfolio site can be found here: http://mlightart.com . You will find more artwork, gifts, and information on these sites.
