One of the more frustrating issues with any software upgrade is that just when you got used to using the old tools and were very comfortable with them, things changed and now who must learn a new menus. Well, thanks to the people at www.addintools. com you can now download the classic menus for several office tools. For example, they offer the classic menu styles for Office 2003 to be used with your Office 2007. You don’t need any training or tutorials for Microsoft Office 2007 if you have ever used old versions of Office. What a great concept and great idea to make life easier for all of us. Why not bring back the menus and tools of Word 2003 and use the classic style main menu and standard toolbar? This could be a good message back to Microsoft where we love the product and we love these classic menus, Why did you ever take them away. Plus, www.addintools.com offers the classic menus and tools for Word 2003. What I really like is the 60 day money back guarantee which should give us all the time we need to see if the product is as good as they say. What is more is that they offer free updates and product support for 24 months.  This is great company that stands behind there product and meeting the customer needs. Why spend so much time retraining yourself when this type of product is available?

One of the best ways that we can get our image across to our customers is in the uniforms that we wear.  If you think of a restaurant, each person has the brand on their uniform, while at the same time the uniform allows the customer to know what our role is within the business. We take this for granted, but our customers expect it. At the restaurant, what the host is wearing immediately tells the customer what they do and what type of restaurant this will be. This goes for the chef as well whose chef shirt is critical. We all look back at the kitchen and asses the professionalism of the chef. I found a solid company that can produce these uniforms for us at www.iDbyLandau.com. Look at the chef jackets and you will see that the iD0104 projects a different statement than the equally nice iD0131. Take a look at these chef coats again, you see the difference in image and branding. You need to take the time to put yourself in your customer’s shoes. iD by Landau has put together a great site with nice images to make a sound buying decision. I appreciate the way they use models so I can get a real life idea of what my restaurant will look like. iD by Landau also has many other uniform styles to shop for. They create uniforms for small businesses, Spa’s, hotels plus they can help you withe your Logo and monogram needs! I love a site that is so laser focused. This is where business needs to be!

Traditional advertising is continuing to take a back seat to Internet marketing. Just think of the millions of English speaking people who connect to the Internet everyday to explore, learn, shop etc. If you want to get your message across in a meaningful way, it will take a professional firm to help you with web and graphic design. I found a solid portland web design firm named at www.cyphondesign.com. This firm is best known for its portland web design services working with major companies like Intel. They have a long list of Portland, OR companies that have benefited from their expertise and up to date knowledge of all the new technologies in web and graphic design. Look at their portfolio in their portland web design solutions and you will see some very professionally made designs that have helped Porland, OR companies get their message out. Other companies such as Movidis, Firefly Technologies and Strategic Contact have all used this portland website design firm to maximize their marketing efforts. They offer a multitude of services in website design including: branding, animations, flash sites, shockwave and application integration. With graphic design, they offer solutions for brochures, packaging, logos, annual reports and books. This is the kind a firm a business needs so that they can focus on their core business and let the experts take care of the technology and graphic design. Plus, this is a very easy website to use that is laid out well and easily communicates what their expertise is. Basically, Cyphon offers affordable, professional, high quality web and graphic design to any type of business be it for profit or not. Any Portland, OR firm must look at the premier design firm: Cyphon Design

Our family is huge on crafts these days for entertainment. Its fun and educational. We are starting out with clay projects and we need all kinds of supplies like lead free glaze pencils. We found AMACO/Brent to be the finest and most professional site to use for the unique craft supplies. For example, they make 572 different liquid glazes for both professionals and families like mine. They are then broken out for easy shopping, into categories like low and high fire glazes, under glazes and over glazes. I really like the photography they use on this site to give a good graphic detail of the items they sell. Our children like the variety of glaze chalk they have for sale. They come in delightful pastels and hues that the kids love, especially for spring! Take a look at the example image on the glaze chalk page to see what you can create with these colors. It is titled, “Our First House” which gives some idea of just how these colors stand out. Our favorite tab is the Kids and Crafts page, where you learn that they also produce modeling clay and magic mud which our children just cannot get enough of. You may be interested in downloading there 2009 catalog to get an even better idea of what they sell. I found the site to be very easy to use, with all sorts of links to more information on neighborhood clinics with a great help staff when needed. 90 years from experience speaks for itself!

I have friends who are considering a corporate move to the United Kingdom. Its hard to believe, but yes there are plenty of jobs in the world and they still need top talent and will pay to move them overseas. One of the issues that they must think about is affordable car insurance. Your local carrier in the US is probably not licensed in the UK and would it not be nice to find affordable insurance from those who know what they are talking about? The family will need specifically Van Insurance because unlike the US, they really do not drive too many SUV’s over there. The streets are much smaller and not as wide.

At www.autonetinsurance.co.uk/ they have the solutions to this problem. You can save up to 70% on your van insurance and with one click you can get a quote. What is more, you can get quotes on pet insurance, motorcycle, business, travel and caravan insurance. For us on this side of the pond, caravan insurance is RV insurance. What I love about this company is that if you find a better deal with the same level of coverages, you will get your money back. They shop 40 carrier to make sure of it. That is what shopping on the Internet is all about and few companies seem to meet this demand. Thank you www.autonetinsurance.co.uk for doing so! Further, their site is very easy to use and navigate. Just click on the type of insurance you need, click on give me an online quote or call their phone number, enter your information and receive your quote.

Probably one of the better investments these days are Cd’s. There is a lot of competition, so I went out to the Internet to find the best CD rates and found selectcdrates.com I found the best cd rates out there from across the nation. For example, the I learned the federal funds rate today is 2.87% and that six month cd rates are around 4.44%. This site allows you to look up by state and by how many years you are looking to invest, say a 3 or 5 year Cd. Plus, they have a great FAQ page for the banking and cd industry. They also have a wealth of tips on such things as cd ladders and check clearing times. You will get a good education here and begin to make good strategies on which cd to buy.

No matter the economy, paper will always be in high demand. I appreciate the idea of a paperless company, but in reality there will be paper needs regardless. A leading suppliers of used Pulp and Paper Equipment is www.surpluspaperequipment.com. This company is a world wide leader in the marketing and selling of surplus Paper Machines, Vacuum Pumps and hundreds of other pieces of equipment with a experienced staff to meet our current economic changes. They are more than company that sells they equipment, they also service the the paper industry in the dismantling and transportation of used or surplus Pulp Mill Equipment. Surpluspaperequipment.com provides an “Asset Recovery Program” along with another unit called Surplus Paper Inc who specializes in Plant and Equipment liquidations. Plus, they offer the opportunity not only to shop their inventory but you can also post your surplus equipment for sale. I love niche companies like this, that target a select industry and do their very best to service them. This company is well known in the industry and a firm you can trust when these type of matters arise. I was also impressed with the format of the website as well. It is easy to navigate and when looking at the items for sale, the pictures and images do a good job showing the current condition of the used equipment. I also like the idea of registration of new users to keep the integrity of the site solid.

Have you ever wondered just how you would go about filing a home insurance claim and making sure that you had received the very best in settlement claim payouts? Probably not until the catastrophe happens, like a tree falling on the house or a fire etc. Step back and imagine for a moment trying to figure out just how much you lost, what items cost to replace, structures to be removed to waste and structures to be rebuild, the costs etc etc. The list goes on and on. I found mysmartclaims.com and I am very impressed. Their program is simply the finest and most professional out there. Their program is so comprehensive and developed to make sure the claim was accurate and that you received the right amount of money needed to replace your loss. Their Public Adjuster program is what you need to look into after you receive your settlement paperwork from your insurance agency. You have rights when buying home insurance and one of them is the right to re-open a claim within so many years depending on your State. In Florida you have 5 years, you will need to look into your state. You pay their $299 fee and begin to walk through their program. If you do not recover more than the cost of their fee, you get your money back. That is why I love these guys so much. This is what believing in your product should be all about! This is a very well made web site, along with informative graphs to show you the cost of their service and a lawyer plus some examples what other customers were able to recover after using their system. If you have an old claim you are still upset about, look into your state laws and if you are in the right time frame why not use this service because of the money back guarantee. It just makes good common sense.

Step right up with hat in hand and palm out. Dear Mr Government, so sorry that I loved the capitalist system and enjoyed its fruit for over 100 years, but now times are tough, brother could you spare a billion? Is this what we have come to. When the free market pushed back on government with the modern day dont tread on me lines, we now find ourselves at their mercy. The government I guess is now our insurance policy. Was Marx right all along, if so please feel that tremble under your feet because you do not want to swallow the Marx medicine anytime soon. I read now that automobile parts suppliers will need billions from the government but I do see that Ford wants nothing to do with it and good for them. Perhaps they will be the golden child in the new business textbooks to be written on how the weather the storm without a war to bail you out nor a government with their string-tied money.

Nothing like have the likes of our wonderful Senators at your board meeting. Then there is GM which said in the WSJ in re the billions for suppliers, “Wll help reduce the risk of vehicle production disruptions.” OK, the reason their is a disruption is because no one wants to buy your car. If they did, you would have good suppliers. Oversimplified you say? No, let the market forces do their work or do not get in the game. So now my next goal is to come up with a do dad government cozy item like you see around coke cans. What will they look like??

I have to admit that I am using more bill pay methods online but with my new business up and running, I am going to need personal and professional checks to buy. Another friend recommended carouselchecks.com where you can find Checks here for sale in variety of professional and personal style format. With the purchase of business checks, they are now offering a free Logo and a free free binder. I really like this professional format to pay my supply stores and employees. Our family loves all the Checks with sports themes, kittens and especially the American Pride line. For the businessmen out there, there are especially checks for payroll and accounts payable. They also have computer Voucher checks you must take a look at. Carouselchecks.com has live online help to walk you through the process and offers great security to stop fraud. This is the last thing you need in the new economy where desperate people do desperate things. They also offer return label stickers, Ink stamps, checkbook covers and laser jet starter kits. I really like this well made site. It is easy to navigate and find the information you need. Plus, the pictures they use are very professional and are made from classic scenes using great photographers and artists. I think you’ll enjoy your shopping experience here!

Boy does my family need a vacation. I have heard about so many people going to the Caribbean, I think it is about time my family get a chance.  What we found on the Internet was an all inclusive vacation package from breezes.com which includes a great location and accommodations, with great all you can eat food all the time, premium brand drinks and a ton of water sports. Did I mention the cool golf? What breezes.com has done is bring the finest in caribbean resorts and taking out all the stops to make sure you have an amazing vacation. They have got properties everywhere, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Curacao, Brazil, Panama and the Dominican Republic. I love the fact that I can go to one place, who has properties throughout the Caribbean and has a special package with them all. With this economy, you want to make sure your dollar gets maximum impact. Further, these all inclusive caribbean vacations you will find special offers and customer testimonials. Plus there you will find maps to see what cities you can visit plus information on what makes each property different. It always seems that people have their individual needs and breezes.com understands that! They have really put together a well laid out website to that is very easy to use. I love the call anytime 800 number and the photographs of very happy vacationers. I am very jealous. This is a great time to travel and you have earned it.

Well after 50 years of Fm comes a great new innovation, HD Radio. Now we can enjoy great music without the hiss and being dropped off when listening to our favorite local radio stations in HD. The reception is free and there is no subscription to pay. Many of work out of cars and the radio is what saves us from so much windshield time. This is not a satellite radio, rather its an antenna based system so we fully enjoy our listening experience. Now you can find the best equipment at hdradio.com who is selling the Jensen JiMS 525i which is a HD radio system with iPod and iPhone docking station. This is amazing product that gets you the HD clarity in radio and again, no subscription fees! Plus, you must start song tagging where you can tag songs over the radio where it is tagged on your ipod, then dowload it onto your playlist and buy it. Its just amazing where technology has taken us. Analog is on the way out and digital is in, hence reducing static and making a clear radio sound. I really like the hdradio.com site too, with tabs to educational pages to learn how the technology works, a buyers guide, a station guide and product reviews from Cnet and others. I cant wait to get my order in!

Well it is that time of year again where many a couple has gotten engaged during this spring and now wedding plans are to be made. One site I would suggest in buying engagement rings is bluenile.com. These guys are a publicaly traded company on the Nasdaq which brings great validity along with the fact they are the largest online retailer of certified diamonds and fine jewelry.  Further, when buying diamond rings you must also know just what kind of stone shape you want. Finally, Bluenile has been profiled both in Forbes and the New York Times hence you should have no worry buying diamond rings online. Your ring is shipped free on FedEx and they provide a 30 day no questions asked full refund if you do not like the ring you bought. It does not get any better than this!

How many times have we all been in the hospital to find the nurses and staff wearing some very cool scrubs? I know my kids love to see Scooby Doo, sponge bob and all those kid ideas and I love it to because it has helped to take the edge off and keep their minds off their injuries. I have a good friend at a hospital to buy for and so when I looked for some scrubs for her, I found scrubsandbeyond.com which is a great site that sells among other items, print scrub jackets Cherokee Betty Boop and Peaches Healing power styles just to name a few. I also found print scrub tops like Landau Happy Go Lucky and my favorite, the Cherokee Paul Frank Hospital Visit scrub top. Finally, I found landau medical scrubs that can be shopped either by Outlet, Basic, for him or her and pants tops whatever. Basically, these guys are your one stop shop for scrubs! I love it and I love the fact that my shopping will now be made so much easier with a site that has a great reputation for quality brands and great customer service. Further, their site is very easy to use and navigate. They use the models well so that I know just how these scrubs are going to look. I did not realize just how many scrubs are out there. Its kind of fun to tell you the truth! Finally, do not forget to look and see if your favorite university is on the site. My friend went to Tennessee which we all now has a huge pride in their colors. She will love the top and bottoms sporting the bright orange colors. I hope her staff does!

With the new economy, I have found that this is a great opportunity to begin my new business. My partner and I still see a need for electricians in our area. We need a logo and custom embroidery to brand ourselves and set ourselves apart. That is when we went to threadsmith.com. They have the most useful site I have seen in along time. You choose the product, upload a design of your own or choose one of their own and then choose the coloring and size. I chose a light denim shirt, with a cool handyman logo and changed the colors around to suit my business which is home electricians. You then choose sizes and quantity and check out. Its that easy! When you start a business like me and need uniforms, go to threadsmith.com for quality, great customer service and a handy web site