Top 100 Universities
Top 100 World Universities
Here is a list of the top 100 Universities in the world by rank as determined in a study from the Institute of Higher Education,
A detailed description of the criteria used, rankings by geographic area, FAQ's and the questionnaire itself can be found at: http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2004/2004Main.htm
World Rank Institution Country Total Score
1 Harvard University USA 100.0
2 Stanford University USA 77.2
3 University Cambridge UK 76.2
4 University California - Berkeley USA 74.2
5 Massachusetts Inst Tech (MIT) USA 72.4
6 California Inst Tech USA 69.0
7 Princeton University USA 63.6
8 University Oxford UK 61.4
9 Columbia University USA 61.2
10 University Chicago USA 60.5
11 Yale University USA 58.6
12 Cornell University USA 55.5
13 University California - San Diego USA 53.8
14 Tokyo University Japan 51.9
15 University Pennsylvania USA 51.8
16 University California - Los Angeles USA 51.6
17 University California - San Francisco USA 50.8
18 University Wisconsin - Madison USA 50.0
19 University Michigan - Ann Arbor USA 49.3
20 University Washington - Seattle USA 49.1
21 Kyoto University Japan 48.3
22 Johns Hopkins University USA 47.5
23 Imperial Coll London UK 46.4
24 University Toronto Canada 44.6
25 University Coll London UK 44.3
25 University Illinois - Urbana Champaign USA 43.3
27 Swiss Fed Inst Tech - Zurich Switzerland 43.2
28 Washington University - St. Louis USA 43.1
29 Rockefeller University USA 40.2
30 Northwestern University USA 39.5
31 Duke University USA 38.9
32 New York University USA 38.7
33 University Minnesota - Twin Cities USA 38.3
34 University Colorado - Boulder USA 37.8
35 University California - Santa Barbara USA 37.0
36 University British Columbia Canada 36.3
36 University Texas Southwestern Med Center USA 36.3
38 Vanderbilt University USA 35.1
39 University Utrecht Netherlands 34.9
40 University Texas - Austin USA 34.8
41 University Paris 06 France 33.9
42 University California - Davis USA 33.6
43 Pennsylvania State University -University Park USA 33.5
44 Rutgers State University - New Brunswick USA 33.4
45 Tech University Munich Germany 33.3
46 Karolinska Inst Stockholm Sweden 33.0
47 University Edinburgh UK 32.9
48 University Paris 11 France 32.5
48 University Southern California USA 32.5
48 University Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh USA 32.5
51 University Munich Germany 32.4
52 University Rochester USA 32.0
53 Australian Natl University Australia 31.9
54 Osaka University Japan 31.5
55 University California - Irvine USA 31.4
56 University North Carolina - Chapel Hill USA 31.2
57 University Zurich Switzerland 31.1
57 University Maryland - Coll Park USA 31.1
59 University Copenhagen Denmark 31.0
60 University Bristol UK 30.6
61 McGill University Canada 30.4
62 Carnegie Mellon University USA 30.3
63 University Leiden Netherlands 29.8
64 University Heidelberg Germany 29.7
65 Case Western Reserve University USA 29.6
66 Moscow State University Russia 29.5
67 University Florida USA 29.3
68 University Oslo Norway 29.2
69 University Sheffield UK 28.8
69 Tohoku University Japan 28.8
71 Purdue University - West Lafayette USA 28.7
72 University Helsinki Finland 28.6
73 Ohio State University - Columbus USA 28.5
74 Uppsala University Sweden 28.4
75 Rice University USA 28.3
76 University Arizona USA 28.1
77 King's Coll London UK 28.0
78 University Manchester UK 27.9
79 University Goettingen Germany 27.4
80 Michigan State University USA 27.0
80 University Nottingham UK 27.0
82 Brown University USA 26.8
82 University Melbourne Australia 26.8
82 University Strasbourg 1 France 26.8
85 Ecole Normale Super Paris France 26.5
86 University Vienna Austria 26.3
86 Boston University USA 26.3
88 University Freiburg Germany 26.0
88 McMaster University Canada 26.0
90 Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel 25.9
91 University Basel Switzerland 25.8
92 Lund University Sweden 25.6
93 University Birmingham UK 25.5
93 University Roma - La Sapienza Italy 25.5
95 Humboldt University Berlin Germany 25.4
95 University Utah USA 25.4
97 Stockholm University Sweden 25.2
97 Nagoya University Japan 25.2
99 University Bonn Germany 25.1
99 Tufts University USA 25.1
100 Aarhus University Denmark 25.0
Here is a list of the top 100 Universities in the world by rank as determined in a study from the Institute of Higher Education,
A detailed description of the criteria used, rankings by geographic area, FAQ's and the questionnaire itself can be found at: http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2004/2004Main.htm
World Rank Institution Country Total Score
1 Harvard University USA 100.0
2 Stanford University USA 77.2
3 University Cambridge UK 76.2
4 University California - Berkeley USA 74.2
5 Massachusetts Inst Tech (MIT) USA 72.4
6 California Inst Tech USA 69.0
7 Princeton University USA 63.6
8 University Oxford UK 61.4
9 Columbia University USA 61.2
10 University Chicago USA 60.5
11 Yale University USA 58.6
12 Cornell University USA 55.5
13 University California - San Diego USA 53.8
14 Tokyo University Japan 51.9
15 University Pennsylvania USA 51.8
16 University California - Los Angeles USA 51.6
17 University California - San Francisco USA 50.8
18 University Wisconsin - Madison USA 50.0
19 University Michigan - Ann Arbor USA 49.3
20 University Washington - Seattle USA 49.1
21 Kyoto University Japan 48.3
22 Johns Hopkins University USA 47.5
23 Imperial Coll London UK 46.4
24 University Toronto Canada 44.6
25 University Coll London UK 44.3
25 University Illinois - Urbana Champaign USA 43.3
27 Swiss Fed Inst Tech - Zurich Switzerland 43.2
28 Washington University - St. Louis USA 43.1
29 Rockefeller University USA 40.2
30 Northwestern University USA 39.5
31 Duke University USA 38.9
32 New York University USA 38.7
33 University Minnesota - Twin Cities USA 38.3
34 University Colorado - Boulder USA 37.8
35 University California - Santa Barbara USA 37.0
36 University British Columbia Canada 36.3
36 University Texas Southwestern Med Center USA 36.3
38 Vanderbilt University USA 35.1
39 University Utrecht Netherlands 34.9
40 University Texas - Austin USA 34.8
41 University Paris 06 France 33.9
42 University California - Davis USA 33.6
43 Pennsylvania State University -University Park USA 33.5
44 Rutgers State University - New Brunswick USA 33.4
45 Tech University Munich Germany 33.3
46 Karolinska Inst Stockholm Sweden 33.0
47 University Edinburgh UK 32.9
48 University Paris 11 France 32.5
48 University Southern California USA 32.5
48 University Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh USA 32.5
51 University Munich Germany 32.4
52 University Rochester USA 32.0
53 Australian Natl University Australia 31.9
54 Osaka University Japan 31.5
55 University California - Irvine USA 31.4
56 University North Carolina - Chapel Hill USA 31.2
57 University Zurich Switzerland 31.1
57 University Maryland - Coll Park USA 31.1
59 University Copenhagen Denmark 31.0
60 University Bristol UK 30.6
61 McGill University Canada 30.4
62 Carnegie Mellon University USA 30.3
63 University Leiden Netherlands 29.8
64 University Heidelberg Germany 29.7
65 Case Western Reserve University USA 29.6
66 Moscow State University Russia 29.5
67 University Florida USA 29.3
68 University Oslo Norway 29.2
69 University Sheffield UK 28.8
69 Tohoku University Japan 28.8
71 Purdue University - West Lafayette USA 28.7
72 University Helsinki Finland 28.6
73 Ohio State University - Columbus USA 28.5
74 Uppsala University Sweden 28.4
75 Rice University USA 28.3
76 University Arizona USA 28.1
77 King's Coll London UK 28.0
78 University Manchester UK 27.9
79 University Goettingen Germany 27.4
80 Michigan State University USA 27.0
80 University Nottingham UK 27.0
82 Brown University USA 26.8
82 University Melbourne Australia 26.8
82 University Strasbourg 1 France 26.8
85 Ecole Normale Super Paris France 26.5
86 University Vienna Austria 26.3
86 Boston University USA 26.3
88 University Freiburg Germany 26.0
88 McMaster University Canada 26.0
90 Hebrew University Jerusalem Israel 25.9
91 University Basel Switzerland 25.8
92 Lund University Sweden 25.6
93 University Birmingham UK 25.5
93 University Roma - La Sapienza Italy 25.5
95 Humboldt University Berlin Germany 25.4
95 University Utah USA 25.4
97 Stockholm University Sweden 25.2
97 Nagoya University Japan 25.2
99 University Bonn Germany 25.1
99 Tufts University USA 25.1
100 Aarhus University Denmark 25.0
Sell Yourself
Because of the anonymous nature of the internet people are generally more skeptical when it comes to doing business online. Owing partly to famous internet scams sensationalized by the media and to bad personal experiences online, people are less likely to trust a party whom they've never met in person.
As an online marketer, you face the challenge of building trust and loyalty without the benefit of a physical handshake, a face-to-face meeting, or even a smile. To this end online forums can provide an excellent way to build meaningful relationships with people and attract new customers.
By joining a forum in your area of expertise, you gain access to a community that shares your interests as well as a pool of potential customers. There are countless forums dealing with just about any topic imaginable. The vast majority of forums do not charge you a fee to register or post messages. Many allow you to include with your posts self-promotional "signatures" that you can use to promote your business and link to your website.
A good way to locate a forum relevant to your line of business is to do a keyword search using one of the major search engines. Why a major search engine? A Google search for "website marketing forum," for example, will not only return dozens of relevant forums on website marketing, but will also give you an indication of how highly they are regarded by the search engine giant, as gauged by how high they rank for that key phrase. Forums that rank higher on the search engine result pages (SERPs) are the ones of which you'll want to become a member.
Forums allow you to share knowledge and gain reputation as an expert in your field. Offering concrete advices that are immediately useful to other people is an especially effective marketing technique. Once you've gained credibility in your field, you will be sought after for your professional expertise without your having to promote yourself.
Participating in forums is also an excellent way to humanize yourself and your business. When people deal with you, they'll know that they're dealing with a real person, not a nameless, faceless business entity. By staking your reputation online, you demonstrate that you are willing to accept some degree of accountability for your actions.
If you're a generally honest and agreeable person in the real life, there is no reason to hide behind a company name when conducting business online. The personal qualities that make you likable in the real world will also make you likable in cyberspace. Indeed, establishing meaningful relationships online is a lot like making friends in the real world. After all, on the other side of the terminal is a real person with real emotions just like you.
Another key to meaningful online relationships is to create an atmosphere of openness and transparency. Although you normally use a nickname to start and respond to posts in public forums, you should use your real name in private correspondences. It is good practice to begin your messages with a salutation, addressing them by their real name whenever possible. A little courtesy can go a long way in building loyalty and trust.
Apart from selling your personal qualities, you must have something of value to offer to people-- and at prices that are fair to everyone! On a venue where your personal reputation is not at stake, you can price a widget for any amount you want and hope someone will come along and buy it. When you do business on forums, however, you must be extra value-conscious when pricing your product or service. If you overprice your widget, you risk receiving flames from other members that could harm your reputation. This is why it's so important to research what other members are charging for a similar widget and to price yours competitively. Often you'll end up charging lower prices to members of your forum than to other customers with whom you have not developed as close a relationship for the same widget.
Building positive relationships is about making people feel important. Just as you want to feel good for having sold your product or service, people want to feel good for having bought it. This is why it is so important to promptly answer their questions and attend to their concerns. Listen to their inputs and incorporate their ideas into your business practices. This is how you make your customers a part of your team. It's not a stretch to speak of your customer as a member of your team. When you really think about it, no business can exist without its customers. Teamwork is not limited to interacting with other members of your company. It also takes teamwork to build a constructive, mutually beneficial relationship between you and your customers.
As an online marketer, you face the challenge of building trust and loyalty without the benefit of a physical handshake, a face-to-face meeting, or even a smile. To this end online forums can provide an excellent way to build meaningful relationships with people and attract new customers.
By joining a forum in your area of expertise, you gain access to a community that shares your interests as well as a pool of potential customers. There are countless forums dealing with just about any topic imaginable. The vast majority of forums do not charge you a fee to register or post messages. Many allow you to include with your posts self-promotional "signatures" that you can use to promote your business and link to your website.
A good way to locate a forum relevant to your line of business is to do a keyword search using one of the major search engines. Why a major search engine? A Google search for "website marketing forum," for example, will not only return dozens of relevant forums on website marketing, but will also give you an indication of how highly they are regarded by the search engine giant, as gauged by how high they rank for that key phrase. Forums that rank higher on the search engine result pages (SERPs) are the ones of which you'll want to become a member.
Forums allow you to share knowledge and gain reputation as an expert in your field. Offering concrete advices that are immediately useful to other people is an especially effective marketing technique. Once you've gained credibility in your field, you will be sought after for your professional expertise without your having to promote yourself.
Participating in forums is also an excellent way to humanize yourself and your business. When people deal with you, they'll know that they're dealing with a real person, not a nameless, faceless business entity. By staking your reputation online, you demonstrate that you are willing to accept some degree of accountability for your actions.
If you're a generally honest and agreeable person in the real life, there is no reason to hide behind a company name when conducting business online. The personal qualities that make you likable in the real world will also make you likable in cyberspace. Indeed, establishing meaningful relationships online is a lot like making friends in the real world. After all, on the other side of the terminal is a real person with real emotions just like you.
Another key to meaningful online relationships is to create an atmosphere of openness and transparency. Although you normally use a nickname to start and respond to posts in public forums, you should use your real name in private correspondences. It is good practice to begin your messages with a salutation, addressing them by their real name whenever possible. A little courtesy can go a long way in building loyalty and trust.
Apart from selling your personal qualities, you must have something of value to offer to people-- and at prices that are fair to everyone! On a venue where your personal reputation is not at stake, you can price a widget for any amount you want and hope someone will come along and buy it. When you do business on forums, however, you must be extra value-conscious when pricing your product or service. If you overprice your widget, you risk receiving flames from other members that could harm your reputation. This is why it's so important to research what other members are charging for a similar widget and to price yours competitively. Often you'll end up charging lower prices to members of your forum than to other customers with whom you have not developed as close a relationship for the same widget.
Building positive relationships is about making people feel important. Just as you want to feel good for having sold your product or service, people want to feel good for having bought it. This is why it is so important to promptly answer their questions and attend to their concerns. Listen to their inputs and incorporate their ideas into your business practices. This is how you make your customers a part of your team. It's not a stretch to speak of your customer as a member of your team. When you really think about it, no business can exist without its customers. Teamwork is not limited to interacting with other members of your company. It also takes teamwork to build a constructive, mutually beneficial relationship between you and your customers.
Affiliate Programme
Have you ever dreamed of putting your destiny into your own hands? Or have you imagined that you could earn commission on a brand-name or niche product just by placing a link on your website or in your email? If you have, you may want to try affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is essentially a website network. It is a modern variation of the practice of paying finders' fees for introducing new clients to a business. Nowadays, affiliate marketing is primarily conducted online as the number of people surfing the Internet for what they want is growing exponentially. It is a popular method of promoting web business in which an affiliate is rewarded for driving traffic (visitor, subscriber or customer) to merchants' websites through his efforts. Commission may be made depending on a certain value of registrant (pay per lead), sale (pay per sale), or any combination. Simply put, it's about paying people money for helping merchants sell products.
Let's say you created a website dedicated to promoting computer repair services/consultations and reaching out to potential customers. While your service is basically fixing PC problems, you notice that your clients also need registry cleaner utilities for the maintenance of their computers. In this case, affiliate marketing could involve contacting software developers selling registry fix or repair products, posting links to their sites on your website, and collecting a percentage of profit for each purchase those companies receive. In the long run, you can exchange links or sign contracts with the companies you are affiliated with. When someone browsing for computer maintenance or repair service on their websites clicks the link to your website and then decides to contact you for a consultation, the website that sends business your way will then receive commission
In fact, you are not required to have your own business as far as affiliate marketing is concerned. You can make a living selling any products without having to take orders or maintain your inventory.
How is this done? Build up a website to promote the products you are interested in. Make sure to include appealing articles about the products. After your website is established, contact online companies selling similar products and set up affiliate agreements. Those who hit your site and become regular visitors will inevitably be interested in ordering the products advertised on your site. Once an advertisement link is clicked by your site visitor and a purchase is made, you will receive commission.
If you don't have a website, you can still earn money through affiliate marketing by generating targeted traffic to the websites you're affiliated with. Google Adwords is the most important PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising system on the Internet. It allows you to directly advertise your affiliate links in the Google search engine results and on their partner networks.
The key to be successful in affiliate marketing is simply driving traffic to your site consistently. The more hits on your website, the more chances you have of gaining profit from purchases made through your links. Promoting your website through eZine and Banner advertising and providing free newsletters for subscribers would be promising ways to generate traffic to your website. Once your site consistently achieves a lower ranking in Alexa toolbar (which means your website is popular), other website owners or companies will be more likely to join forces with you in affiliate agreements.
Affiliate marketing is essentially a website network. It is a modern variation of the practice of paying finders' fees for introducing new clients to a business. Nowadays, affiliate marketing is primarily conducted online as the number of people surfing the Internet for what they want is growing exponentially. It is a popular method of promoting web business in which an affiliate is rewarded for driving traffic (visitor, subscriber or customer) to merchants' websites through his efforts. Commission may be made depending on a certain value of registrant (pay per lead), sale (pay per sale), or any combination. Simply put, it's about paying people money for helping merchants sell products.
Let's say you created a website dedicated to promoting computer repair services/consultations and reaching out to potential customers. While your service is basically fixing PC problems, you notice that your clients also need registry cleaner utilities for the maintenance of their computers. In this case, affiliate marketing could involve contacting software developers selling registry fix or repair products, posting links to their sites on your website, and collecting a percentage of profit for each purchase those companies receive. In the long run, you can exchange links or sign contracts with the companies you are affiliated with. When someone browsing for computer maintenance or repair service on their websites clicks the link to your website and then decides to contact you for a consultation, the website that sends business your way will then receive commission
In fact, you are not required to have your own business as far as affiliate marketing is concerned. You can make a living selling any products without having to take orders or maintain your inventory.
How is this done? Build up a website to promote the products you are interested in. Make sure to include appealing articles about the products. After your website is established, contact online companies selling similar products and set up affiliate agreements. Those who hit your site and become regular visitors will inevitably be interested in ordering the products advertised on your site. Once an advertisement link is clicked by your site visitor and a purchase is made, you will receive commission.
If you don't have a website, you can still earn money through affiliate marketing by generating targeted traffic to the websites you're affiliated with. Google Adwords is the most important PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising system on the Internet. It allows you to directly advertise your affiliate links in the Google search engine results and on their partner networks.
The key to be successful in affiliate marketing is simply driving traffic to your site consistently. The more hits on your website, the more chances you have of gaining profit from purchases made through your links. Promoting your website through eZine and Banner advertising and providing free newsletters for subscribers would be promising ways to generate traffic to your website. Once your site consistently achieves a lower ranking in Alexa toolbar (which means your website is popular), other website owners or companies will be more likely to join forces with you in affiliate agreements.
10 Questions
1. Attend trade shows and seminars that are related
to your specific industry. Pass out business cards or
brochures about your business.
2. Swap articles with other e-zines publishers. You
could get your articles published more often if in
exchange you publish their articles.
3. Ask people to link to your site's content. Some
people may not want to link to your home page but
might want to link to your content.
4. Convert your web site into an ebook. You could
offer your ebook as a free bonus for your product
or another business' product.
5. Create ebooks for other web sites or businesses.
You could create them for no charge in exchange
for an ad or mention of your web site inside.
6. Team-up with eight to ten other sites to promote
the same web site. Just include everyone's products
on the web site you are all promoting.
7. Give free e-mail consultations to your customers.
When you e-mail them back your advice include a
small ad for a back end product your selling.
8. Encourage your customers or visitors to e-mail
you questions about your product or web site. Just
include your sig file with your reply.
9. Give out free web space on your server. Many
of your visitors may want to publish their own web
site. Just require that they publish your banner ad.
10. Design web sites for other businesses for free.
Just require them to publish your banner or text ad
somewhere on their home page.
----
to your specific industry. Pass out business cards or
brochures about your business.
2. Swap articles with other e-zines publishers. You
could get your articles published more often if in
exchange you publish their articles.
3. Ask people to link to your site's content. Some
people may not want to link to your home page but
might want to link to your content.
4. Convert your web site into an ebook. You could
offer your ebook as a free bonus for your product
or another business' product.
5. Create ebooks for other web sites or businesses.
You could create them for no charge in exchange
for an ad or mention of your web site inside.
6. Team-up with eight to ten other sites to promote
the same web site. Just include everyone's products
on the web site you are all promoting.
7. Give free e-mail consultations to your customers.
When you e-mail them back your advice include a
small ad for a back end product your selling.
8. Encourage your customers or visitors to e-mail
you questions about your product or web site. Just
include your sig file with your reply.
9. Give out free web space on your server. Many
of your visitors may want to publish their own web
site. Just require that they publish your banner ad.
10. Design web sites for other businesses for free.
Just require them to publish your banner or text ad
somewhere on their home page.
----
Top Ten Things To Do In Sydney
Sydney is world renowned for its breathtaking harbour, busy but laid back lifestyle and glorious golden sandy beaches. Sydney is very multicultural and a definite must for any traveler. There is so much more to do here than you could ever imagine. It doesn't matter what your budget is you will still have the time of your life.
Here are my top ten things to do in Sydney:
1) Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera HouseThe Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous architectural landmarks in the world and it doesn't matter how many photos you have seen it will still wow you when you see it for the first time. Spend the morning walking around the Opera House and taking great pictures with the glorious harbour as a background.
If you would like to learn all about the history of this famous landmark you can book to go on a guided tour. They offer two tours which can easily booked online. The first tour is a standard one hour tour and very popular with tourists. The second tour is a very in depth tour offering backstage access but it is very costly.
Once you have seen all you want to of the Opera House take a stroll around Circular Quay. Here you will find some great cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy your meal with spectacular views of the harbour. One of the best bars in the area is the Opera Bar. This is a great place to grab a drink but it can be very busy on weekends.
2) Blue Mountains
Blue MountainsThe Blue Mountains are a world listed heritage and here you will really feel at one with nature. These mountains are named so due to the evaporating eucalyptus oil leaving a blue haze.
There are a lot of tours operating from the city centre so you can pick the best tour for you and your budget. Most tours stop off on the way at the Featherdale Wildlife Park for about forty minutes. This is not a huge wildlife park so forty minutes is enough time to see everything.
Once at the Heritage Park you can go on rainforest walks and ride the steepest railway in the world. There is also a great cable car so you can see great views of the mountains.
3) Bondi Beach
Bondi BeachBondi Beach is the most famous beach in Australia and well worth a visit. Bondi Beach is a great place for surfers, swimmers or for those who just want a day soaking up the sun.
Bondi Beach is very accessible from all parts of Sydney by train and shouldn't be much more than a twenty minute journey. Once at Bondi Junction you need to catch a bus to the sea front, the fare is very reasonable and you can purchase a train and bus ticket at the same time.
If you fancy doing a spot of shopping before you head off to the beach there is a great Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction. All the major Australian chain stores are there and there are some great places to grab lunch.
4) Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour BridgeThe world's largest steel arched bridge is an amazing sight, if you choose not to climb the bridge then walking along the footpath is a definite must.
Booking to take part in the bridge climb is easy to do online but it is a little bit pricy. The climb takes three hours when you include all the safety preparations. The climb is not too hard so all fitness levels can take part. Once you reach the top you will be greeted with amazing views of Sydney and this makes the price well worth it. You are not aloud to take cameras with you on the climb but you are given a souvenir photo of the whole group at the top of the bridge.
If finding out about the history of the bridge interests you then head over to the Pylon Museum situated on the Harbour Bridge. The museum is full of facts and there is a short video on the making of the Harbour Bridge. There is a charge for entry but if you have taken part in the bridge climb you will receive a free pass.
5) Taronga Zoo
Taronga ZooTaronga Zoo is a huge zoo opposite to the Opera House and is a great day for all ages.
To get to Taronga zoo you need to catch a ferry from Circular Quay. You can purchase a joint ticket at the ferry terminal which includes return ferry trips and the entry to the zoo. This is well worth doing as you can avoid queuing to purchase tickets when you arrive at the zoo.
The zoo is full of all different types of animals and you can also partake in an animal encounter for an extra charge. All the information relating to the animal encounters will be on your guide map along with the costs. The zoo also has a great eatery offering a wide variety of hot and cold food.
6) The Rocks
The RocksThe Rocks is an old fashioned part of Sydney with cobbled streets and tons of character.
The Rocks is full of quirky souvenir shops, great cafes and lots of bars with great beer gardens. This truly is one of the best places to spend a lazy afternoon in Sydney. At weekends you can also ride around the area in a horse drawn carriage.
The best time to visit the rocks is at the weekends when they have there local market. The market operates Saturday and Sundays between nine and five. You can pick up some really great hand made goods here and if space in your case is a problem for you some stalls will post your purchase home for you.
If ghosts and ghouls interest you then book to go on The Rocks Ghost Tour. You can book the tour at the Tourist Information Centre situated in The Rocks, the tour can be busy so you will need to book in advance. Partaking in the tour is a great way to spend the evening, all the hosts are actors so be prepared for a few laughs. The tour is great because you find out a lot of facts about ghost sightings but also about the local area.
7) Manly
ManlyManly is a picture perfect little beach town just a short ferry ride from Circular Quay.
The ferries run all day from Circular Quay and the prices are quite reasonable. Once there you can swim in the ocean, sunbathe, take a scenic walk, or spend all afternoon enjoying the sun in a great beer garden. Manly has a great laid back vibe and is a fun day out for all.
If you want to find out about marine life and reptiles then pay Oceanworld a visit. This aquarium is not as big as the Sydney Aquarium but it is still a nice way to spend a couple of hours.
8) Darling Harbour
Darling HarbourDarling Harbour is a great place just a short walk from the city centre and has tons of stuff to keep all ages entertained.
The Harbour has all the hustle and bustle of city life but in a much nicer setting. Here you can visit an aquarium, a wildlife park, watch a show at the IMAX theatre, shop or just chill for the afternoon in a great café or bar.
The Sydney Aquarium is one of top attractions in Darling Harbour. The aquarium is huge and could easily take you an afternoon to see everything. The aquarium is very educational which is great if you are going with children. The Shark tank is amazing and they have touch pools so you can get up close to nature yourself. When purchasing your ticket you can also buy a combined ticket for the Wildlife Park as well.
9) Pitt Street Malls
Pitt Street MallsThe Sydney city centre is a haven of shops and a real must for any serious shopper.
You could quite easily spend a whole day looking around all the malls and not go in every shop. Here you can find all the major shops plus a few quirky stores thrown in for balance. Shopping is not the only thing to do here they have Chinese massage stores, beauty therapists and a huge selection of hairdressers.
Eating in the city centre can be as up market as you would like. There are plenty of great restaurants offering all types of food but for those on a budget head to the food court for some great cheap eats.
10) The Royal Botanical Gardens
The Royal Botanical GardensHead to the lush Botanical Gardens for a quiet morning where you really need to feel at one with nature after living the city life.
Take a quiet stroll and admire the beauty of what nature has to offer. The gardens are splendid and there are lots of great places to have a picnic or sit and watch the world go by.
Mrs Macquarie's Chair was carved in 1816 so you can soak up a bit of history at the same time. This is a great place to take photos of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. The area can be quite busy before and after working times as it is a popular place with the locals to go jogging.
Entry to the gardens is free but if you wanted to make a contribution there are donation boxes around the park. There are also free maps around the park which are a good idea as it can be easy to get lost because of the size of the gardens. In the heart of the gardens there is a great café but it can be a bit pricey so if you are on a budget bring your own food.
Here are my top ten things to do in Sydney:
1) Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera HouseThe Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous architectural landmarks in the world and it doesn't matter how many photos you have seen it will still wow you when you see it for the first time. Spend the morning walking around the Opera House and taking great pictures with the glorious harbour as a background.
If you would like to learn all about the history of this famous landmark you can book to go on a guided tour. They offer two tours which can easily booked online. The first tour is a standard one hour tour and very popular with tourists. The second tour is a very in depth tour offering backstage access but it is very costly.
Once you have seen all you want to of the Opera House take a stroll around Circular Quay. Here you will find some great cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy your meal with spectacular views of the harbour. One of the best bars in the area is the Opera Bar. This is a great place to grab a drink but it can be very busy on weekends.
2) Blue Mountains
Blue MountainsThe Blue Mountains are a world listed heritage and here you will really feel at one with nature. These mountains are named so due to the evaporating eucalyptus oil leaving a blue haze.
There are a lot of tours operating from the city centre so you can pick the best tour for you and your budget. Most tours stop off on the way at the Featherdale Wildlife Park for about forty minutes. This is not a huge wildlife park so forty minutes is enough time to see everything.
Once at the Heritage Park you can go on rainforest walks and ride the steepest railway in the world. There is also a great cable car so you can see great views of the mountains.
3) Bondi Beach
Bondi BeachBondi Beach is the most famous beach in Australia and well worth a visit. Bondi Beach is a great place for surfers, swimmers or for those who just want a day soaking up the sun.
Bondi Beach is very accessible from all parts of Sydney by train and shouldn't be much more than a twenty minute journey. Once at Bondi Junction you need to catch a bus to the sea front, the fare is very reasonable and you can purchase a train and bus ticket at the same time.
If you fancy doing a spot of shopping before you head off to the beach there is a great Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction. All the major Australian chain stores are there and there are some great places to grab lunch.
4) Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour BridgeThe world's largest steel arched bridge is an amazing sight, if you choose not to climb the bridge then walking along the footpath is a definite must.
Booking to take part in the bridge climb is easy to do online but it is a little bit pricy. The climb takes three hours when you include all the safety preparations. The climb is not too hard so all fitness levels can take part. Once you reach the top you will be greeted with amazing views of Sydney and this makes the price well worth it. You are not aloud to take cameras with you on the climb but you are given a souvenir photo of the whole group at the top of the bridge.
If finding out about the history of the bridge interests you then head over to the Pylon Museum situated on the Harbour Bridge. The museum is full of facts and there is a short video on the making of the Harbour Bridge. There is a charge for entry but if you have taken part in the bridge climb you will receive a free pass.
5) Taronga Zoo
Taronga ZooTaronga Zoo is a huge zoo opposite to the Opera House and is a great day for all ages.
To get to Taronga zoo you need to catch a ferry from Circular Quay. You can purchase a joint ticket at the ferry terminal which includes return ferry trips and the entry to the zoo. This is well worth doing as you can avoid queuing to purchase tickets when you arrive at the zoo.
The zoo is full of all different types of animals and you can also partake in an animal encounter for an extra charge. All the information relating to the animal encounters will be on your guide map along with the costs. The zoo also has a great eatery offering a wide variety of hot and cold food.
6) The Rocks
The RocksThe Rocks is an old fashioned part of Sydney with cobbled streets and tons of character.
The Rocks is full of quirky souvenir shops, great cafes and lots of bars with great beer gardens. This truly is one of the best places to spend a lazy afternoon in Sydney. At weekends you can also ride around the area in a horse drawn carriage.
The best time to visit the rocks is at the weekends when they have there local market. The market operates Saturday and Sundays between nine and five. You can pick up some really great hand made goods here and if space in your case is a problem for you some stalls will post your purchase home for you.
If ghosts and ghouls interest you then book to go on The Rocks Ghost Tour. You can book the tour at the Tourist Information Centre situated in The Rocks, the tour can be busy so you will need to book in advance. Partaking in the tour is a great way to spend the evening, all the hosts are actors so be prepared for a few laughs. The tour is great because you find out a lot of facts about ghost sightings but also about the local area.
7) Manly
ManlyManly is a picture perfect little beach town just a short ferry ride from Circular Quay.
The ferries run all day from Circular Quay and the prices are quite reasonable. Once there you can swim in the ocean, sunbathe, take a scenic walk, or spend all afternoon enjoying the sun in a great beer garden. Manly has a great laid back vibe and is a fun day out for all.
If you want to find out about marine life and reptiles then pay Oceanworld a visit. This aquarium is not as big as the Sydney Aquarium but it is still a nice way to spend a couple of hours.
8) Darling Harbour
Darling HarbourDarling Harbour is a great place just a short walk from the city centre and has tons of stuff to keep all ages entertained.
The Harbour has all the hustle and bustle of city life but in a much nicer setting. Here you can visit an aquarium, a wildlife park, watch a show at the IMAX theatre, shop or just chill for the afternoon in a great café or bar.
The Sydney Aquarium is one of top attractions in Darling Harbour. The aquarium is huge and could easily take you an afternoon to see everything. The aquarium is very educational which is great if you are going with children. The Shark tank is amazing and they have touch pools so you can get up close to nature yourself. When purchasing your ticket you can also buy a combined ticket for the Wildlife Park as well.
9) Pitt Street Malls
Pitt Street MallsThe Sydney city centre is a haven of shops and a real must for any serious shopper.
You could quite easily spend a whole day looking around all the malls and not go in every shop. Here you can find all the major shops plus a few quirky stores thrown in for balance. Shopping is not the only thing to do here they have Chinese massage stores, beauty therapists and a huge selection of hairdressers.
Eating in the city centre can be as up market as you would like. There are plenty of great restaurants offering all types of food but for those on a budget head to the food court for some great cheap eats.
10) The Royal Botanical Gardens
The Royal Botanical GardensHead to the lush Botanical Gardens for a quiet morning where you really need to feel at one with nature after living the city life.
Take a quiet stroll and admire the beauty of what nature has to offer. The gardens are splendid and there are lots of great places to have a picnic or sit and watch the world go by.
Mrs Macquarie's Chair was carved in 1816 so you can soak up a bit of history at the same time. This is a great place to take photos of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. The area can be quite busy before and after working times as it is a popular place with the locals to go jogging.
Entry to the gardens is free but if you wanted to make a contribution there are donation boxes around the park. There are also free maps around the park which are a good idea as it can be easy to get lost because of the size of the gardens. In the heart of the gardens there is a great café but it can be a bit pricey so if you are on a budget bring your own food.
Learn Spanish Easily
With the popularity of the Internet has come the opportunity to partake in a plethora of new services. Who would have imagined that you could, for example, learn the fundamentals of the Spanish language from an online course? All you need is an Internet connection and the desire to learn.
Providers of online Spanish language courses offer a number of programs from whhich to choose. Online language-course services not only offer fast-paced Spanish language lessons but many also try to make the learning experience a pleasurable endeavor.
Various exercises are offered to assist online students in becoming more familiar with the Spanish language. Some providers use the "natural language acquisition" method which closely resembles the way children in every culture learn their own language. With this approach, online students build the foundation, attitudes, habits, skills and learning strategies that will help them to learn quickly the Spanish language.
Online resources are available, like English/Spanish dictionaries, online translators and other learning tools, that may be downloaded from various sites free of charge.
For those who want a more traditional education, there are online Spanish courses administered by expert language tutors and self-paced independent study programs. Some Spanish courses conduct weekly online "meetings" using live voice chat to provide students with a real-time exchange of information and to help them learn proper pronunciation. Spanish courses found online include introductory and advanced level Spanish, business Spanish, health care Spanish, Spanish and Law, Spanish for Emergency Situations, and Spanish for teachers.
All the courses online are administered by expert language tutors so you can be sure that you are learning correct Spanish. There are various Spanish learning resources offered to students in order to enhance further their knowledge of the language, including interactive drills on grammar, verbs, and vocabulary.
There are many benefits to learning Spanish online. You can study any time, from any location and most importantly at your own pace and you earn a certificate of completion that's acknowledged by educational institutions..
Providers of online Spanish language courses offer a number of programs from whhich to choose. Online language-course services not only offer fast-paced Spanish language lessons but many also try to make the learning experience a pleasurable endeavor.
Various exercises are offered to assist online students in becoming more familiar with the Spanish language. Some providers use the "natural language acquisition" method which closely resembles the way children in every culture learn their own language. With this approach, online students build the foundation, attitudes, habits, skills and learning strategies that will help them to learn quickly the Spanish language.
Online resources are available, like English/Spanish dictionaries, online translators and other learning tools, that may be downloaded from various sites free of charge.
For those who want a more traditional education, there are online Spanish courses administered by expert language tutors and self-paced independent study programs. Some Spanish courses conduct weekly online "meetings" using live voice chat to provide students with a real-time exchange of information and to help them learn proper pronunciation. Spanish courses found online include introductory and advanced level Spanish, business Spanish, health care Spanish, Spanish and Law, Spanish for Emergency Situations, and Spanish for teachers.
All the courses online are administered by expert language tutors so you can be sure that you are learning correct Spanish. There are various Spanish learning resources offered to students in order to enhance further their knowledge of the language, including interactive drills on grammar, verbs, and vocabulary.
There are many benefits to learning Spanish online. You can study any time, from any location and most importantly at your own pace and you earn a certificate of completion that's acknowledged by educational institutions..
Business
Discount Shopping is a great way to cash in on the special offers made by companies and stores offering a whole range of products and services. Discounts range from gift certificates, bargain sales, clearances to free shipping offers to even free product offers. Also available are last minute hotel booking deals and online reservations. People who make their ticket reservations online benefit from a discounted rate as compared to people who book their tickets the traditional way by standing in queues at ticket counters. This is a great way to benefit from discounted rates.
One can purchase almost all kinds of products, online or offline. Because of the rising competition in the consumerist market today, companies want to gain a higher market-share and they offer discounts on all sorts of products and services. Discounts, are however, usually seen on products like food items, grocery items, clothing, consumer durables like mobile phones, electrical appliances, digital cameras, MP3 players, DVD players, services like body massaging, gym memberships, club and resort memberships, face toning, weight loss, etc. Some companies offer discounts on bulk purchases.
While discounted shopping may be available in online stores, gift certificates are usually less available on the internet. Besides, these are not seen on the official homepage of the company often. It is usually an online dealer who offers a lot of discounts.
Benefits of Discount Shopping:
By far, one of the biggest benefits of discount shopping is, of course, the kind of savings you can make on your purchases. Discount Shopping offers you cheap, cut-off prices on even branded products and services that you would otherwise have to spend a great deal more on. It could be that otherwise expensive birthday gift, dream camera, high definition LCD TV, etc. With discount shopping, you get it at discounted prices, and there is no compromise on quality or after sales services.
Be sure to avoid scams, though. Get a clear picture of the actual price – compare the discounted rate, inclusive of the shipping price, taxes and duties, etc. against the market price. Read the fine-print very carefully. Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you read and understand the vendor's return and money-back policies. Be sure to read these terms very carefully.
Towards the end, we'd just like to tell you that all it takes is a couple of minutes to search and you could soon be saving a lot of money, and even time, if purchasing online. Do your research and act wisely to obtain the benefits.
One can purchase almost all kinds of products, online or offline. Because of the rising competition in the consumerist market today, companies want to gain a higher market-share and they offer discounts on all sorts of products and services. Discounts, are however, usually seen on products like food items, grocery items, clothing, consumer durables like mobile phones, electrical appliances, digital cameras, MP3 players, DVD players, services like body massaging, gym memberships, club and resort memberships, face toning, weight loss, etc. Some companies offer discounts on bulk purchases.
While discounted shopping may be available in online stores, gift certificates are usually less available on the internet. Besides, these are not seen on the official homepage of the company often. It is usually an online dealer who offers a lot of discounts.
Benefits of Discount Shopping:
By far, one of the biggest benefits of discount shopping is, of course, the kind of savings you can make on your purchases. Discount Shopping offers you cheap, cut-off prices on even branded products and services that you would otherwise have to spend a great deal more on. It could be that otherwise expensive birthday gift, dream camera, high definition LCD TV, etc. With discount shopping, you get it at discounted prices, and there is no compromise on quality or after sales services.
Be sure to avoid scams, though. Get a clear picture of the actual price – compare the discounted rate, inclusive of the shipping price, taxes and duties, etc. against the market price. Read the fine-print very carefully. Another important thing to remember is to make sure that you read and understand the vendor's return and money-back policies. Be sure to read these terms very carefully.
Towards the end, we'd just like to tell you that all it takes is a couple of minutes to search and you could soon be saving a lot of money, and even time, if purchasing online. Do your research and act wisely to obtain the benefits.
Computer
As more and more people make the switch from wireless networks to secure networks in their homes, there are a whole new range of security issues to be aware of. Too often people set up their wireless network and forget about the security implications.
However, this can be a serious oversight as people can easily access your personal information and is a common cause of fraud. In this article we advise you on some of the steps you can take to make sure your wireless network is secure.
Almost all computers with recent operating system and wireless capabilities will have the option to turn on a built in firewall. If you are using an older operating system you may want to install a third party firewall. Although this alone will not stop third parties from accessing your network, it will act to secure each computer on the network from unwanted network requests.
Creating secure user accounts is also advisable. Weak username / password combinations are exploitable should a hacker try to gain access to your networked computer via your wireless network. Stronger passwords will generally contain mixed case alphanumeric characters. You can easily find advice on writing secure passwords on the internet.
Most wireless routers allow you to access their configuration with your web browser. Be sure to change the default username and password that allows you to administrate your router to prevent unwanted access. If you do not, almost anyone could breach your network.
In addition, every network capable computer will have at least one MAC address that identifies it on your network. Granting access to your wireless network based on MAC addresses will filter out unwanted users and network capable devices. It is not foolproof, but it will discourage most would-be hackers.
Wireless routers also broadcast an SSID which is basically a name of the network that appears when a computer picks up its signal. By default, this will usually be the name of the manufacturer of your wireless router. Many companies identify their networks using the SSID and it can be a handy way to identify Wi-Fi hotspots when you are out and about. However, for the sake of your home network it is not really necessary so it is a good idea to stop broadcasting it entirely.
It should also be possible to encrypt the data that is sent between computers on your wireless network. However, you must ensure that all computers have the same encryption settings.
One of the main reasons that wireless home networks can have security issues is because the signal can often reach beyond the boundaries of your home. One major financial institution recently lost millions of credit card records because it did not have its wireless system properly secured.
Another method that is commonly used to secure wireless networks is static IP addressing. IP addresses are often assigned automatically on wireless networks. However, networks are much more secure if the IP addresses of all computers on a network are set by hand. This is not foolproof but will keep out casual hackers.
If possible, place your wireless router in a part of your house or apartment where the signal will not travel too far beyond the boundaries of your home. If your home overlooks a street, do not put your router too close to this part of your home. In addition, if you are going on vacation or are going to be away for an extended period of time you should turn your router off while you are gone.
Even if you do not have a wireless network in you own home, it is important to know how to keep your notebook secure when you are out and about. You should make sure that your notebook does not auto-connect to other wireless networks. By default, both Windows and Mac OSX will display a warning before connecting to unknown networks and both will allow you to identify which networks you trust for automatic connection. When you are connecting to outside networks that you do not know, make sure that your firewall is turned on.
Too many people overlook the importance of securing their wireless networks. The steps outlined above should not take long to implement. While they may not guarantee 100% security, they are likely to deter any would-be hackers.
These are just some of the steps you can take to make your home wireless network more secure. There are millions of networks out there that are very poorly protected so if you take the time to put even a few of these safeguards in place you will most likely deter any would-be hackers.
However, this can be a serious oversight as people can easily access your personal information and is a common cause of fraud. In this article we advise you on some of the steps you can take to make sure your wireless network is secure.
Almost all computers with recent operating system and wireless capabilities will have the option to turn on a built in firewall. If you are using an older operating system you may want to install a third party firewall. Although this alone will not stop third parties from accessing your network, it will act to secure each computer on the network from unwanted network requests.
Creating secure user accounts is also advisable. Weak username / password combinations are exploitable should a hacker try to gain access to your networked computer via your wireless network. Stronger passwords will generally contain mixed case alphanumeric characters. You can easily find advice on writing secure passwords on the internet.
Most wireless routers allow you to access their configuration with your web browser. Be sure to change the default username and password that allows you to administrate your router to prevent unwanted access. If you do not, almost anyone could breach your network.
In addition, every network capable computer will have at least one MAC address that identifies it on your network. Granting access to your wireless network based on MAC addresses will filter out unwanted users and network capable devices. It is not foolproof, but it will discourage most would-be hackers.
Wireless routers also broadcast an SSID which is basically a name of the network that appears when a computer picks up its signal. By default, this will usually be the name of the manufacturer of your wireless router. Many companies identify their networks using the SSID and it can be a handy way to identify Wi-Fi hotspots when you are out and about. However, for the sake of your home network it is not really necessary so it is a good idea to stop broadcasting it entirely.
It should also be possible to encrypt the data that is sent between computers on your wireless network. However, you must ensure that all computers have the same encryption settings.
One of the main reasons that wireless home networks can have security issues is because the signal can often reach beyond the boundaries of your home. One major financial institution recently lost millions of credit card records because it did not have its wireless system properly secured.
Another method that is commonly used to secure wireless networks is static IP addressing. IP addresses are often assigned automatically on wireless networks. However, networks are much more secure if the IP addresses of all computers on a network are set by hand. This is not foolproof but will keep out casual hackers.
If possible, place your wireless router in a part of your house or apartment where the signal will not travel too far beyond the boundaries of your home. If your home overlooks a street, do not put your router too close to this part of your home. In addition, if you are going on vacation or are going to be away for an extended period of time you should turn your router off while you are gone.
Even if you do not have a wireless network in you own home, it is important to know how to keep your notebook secure when you are out and about. You should make sure that your notebook does not auto-connect to other wireless networks. By default, both Windows and Mac OSX will display a warning before connecting to unknown networks and both will allow you to identify which networks you trust for automatic connection. When you are connecting to outside networks that you do not know, make sure that your firewall is turned on.
Too many people overlook the importance of securing their wireless networks. The steps outlined above should not take long to implement. While they may not guarantee 100% security, they are likely to deter any would-be hackers.
These are just some of the steps you can take to make your home wireless network more secure. There are millions of networks out there that are very poorly protected so if you take the time to put even a few of these safeguards in place you will most likely deter any would-be hackers.
Mind Over Muscel
Embarking on a physical training program brings rewards that can be achieved by little else. Whether exercising to stay fit, feel good, or just to look terrific, you can add power to your efforts by employing the insights and techniques used by high-achievers to obtain that 'look' you've always dreamed of!
Before beginning your journey on the road to fitness you must realise that you are in total control and therefore should have a real desire to be fit. A wishy-washy approach to fitness, or anything else for that matter, usually ends in failure. It is therefore wise to keep yourself motivated.
By realising that the power of your decision adds much weight to the acquirement of any objective, you should fire yourself with enthusiasm for the task ahead.
The first and most important factor to employ is to release any past failures from your mind. Dwelling on past failures will only have an adverse affect on your current training.
If such thoughts occur ask yourself the question "why did I fail?" Perhaps you set your goals too high and they thus became unrealistic. Or your time frame for achieving your goals was too short or too long. Or perhaps you were just plain lazy! Whatever the reason look at it in an objective manner and learn from your mistakes. Do it differently this time.
A major problem that is constantly rearing its ugly head is lack of enthusiasm. Almost every keep-fit enthusiast suffers from this dreaded state at one time or another, from championship bodybuilders to first-time aerobics students. There is only one simple rule to follow when confronted with this negative state of mind - re-motivate yourself!
Before beginning your journey on the road to fitness you must realise that you are in total control and therefore should have a real desire to be fit. A wishy-washy approach to fitness, or anything else for that matter, usually ends in failure. It is therefore wise to keep yourself motivated.
By realising that the power of your decision adds much weight to the acquirement of any objective, you should fire yourself with enthusiasm for the task ahead.
The first and most important factor to employ is to release any past failures from your mind. Dwelling on past failures will only have an adverse affect on your current training.
If such thoughts occur ask yourself the question "why did I fail?" Perhaps you set your goals too high and they thus became unrealistic. Or your time frame for achieving your goals was too short or too long. Or perhaps you were just plain lazy! Whatever the reason look at it in an objective manner and learn from your mistakes. Do it differently this time.
A major problem that is constantly rearing its ugly head is lack of enthusiasm. Almost every keep-fit enthusiast suffers from this dreaded state at one time or another, from championship bodybuilders to first-time aerobics students. There is only one simple rule to follow when confronted with this negative state of mind - re-motivate yourself!
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