How to Make Your Own Cell Phone Ring Tones

Buying a ring tone for your cell phone can be expensive. This is, of course, assuming that you can even find the audio you want for your new tone. There might be a large selection available, but finding an obscure song or sound probably won’t work very well for you.

A cheap, easy solution is to create your own ring tones. If you have the audio source and a PC, you can do this in just a few minutes.

First, you’ll need a sound editor. Audacity is free and easy to use. Be warned, however, that this program does not currently support the WMA format. If you have MP3 files, however, this software is great.

You also need the audio source that you’d like to use for your ring tone. Typically, people want a song clip. If you own the CD, rip that track to your hard drive. You can usually get good results by creating an average-quality MP3. This is easy to edit with Audacity and the file size will not overwhelm your phone.

If you want to enjoy the full song, you should copy that audio file to a new folder before you open it in Audacity. That way, you won’t inadvertently chop up, mess up, or otherwise alter the original file. That copy is safe while you play with the new copy.

Open the song file in Audacity, or whatever audio program you’re using. Find the part of the file that you want to use for your ring tone. Mark the starting point and delete everything before that.

Go ahead and save the file - just in case your PC crashes, or something else happens. You don’t want to have to re-do this step in a few minutes.

Now, mark the end of the clip that you want to use. Delete everything after this point. Save your file again.

You might play with different effects, like a fadeout that begins the last two or three seconds of the clip. This can be fun; so can other effects, like increasing or decreasing the track’s volume. Feel free to experiment. This is your ring tone, so do whatever you think you’ll like.

Now you need to transfer the new ring tone from your computer to your cell phone. If your phone came with a cable and software, you can use this to connect the phone to the PC via USB port. This is a fast, free, easy way to transfer files.

But what if your phone didn’t come with this? Check online. Amazon, for example, sells cables and software that let you connect some phones to your PC. Search by your phone brand and model to find out if such a thing exists.

Test the new ring tone. If everything is exactly what you wanted it to be, you’re finished and can enjoy yourself. But if something is not quite right, you can go back to the PC and work on that copy of the file.

The more you practice editing sound files for ring tones, the better you will be at this fun hobby. Saving money, being able to find exactly what you want for your ring tone, and having control over the audio effects are all very good reasons to give this a try.

How to Make Living on Campus Easier

If you’re preparing for your first semester of college, on-campus life is brand-new to you. There are quite a few things that you’re going to learn over the next few months. Some of these things are incredibly important: they can save you a lot of time, money and frustration. No list or article can tell you everything that you need to know about campus life, but these tips will help you with some of the major things.

• Apply for housing as early as possible. At most colleges, the housing assignments are determined, at least in part, on a first-come, first-served basis. Besides: if you end up on a waiting list, you’ll be closer to the top than you would if you waited until the last minute.

• Contact your new roommates as soon as possible. Many housing offices will put you in touch with each other before you move in so that you can coordinate with each other. This way, you know who’s going to bring the refrigerator, who’s responsible for the microwave, et cetera. And knowing a little bit about your future roommates before you get there will make the transition a little easier.

• Make sure that the housing office knows about any special accommodations that you need. If you have a medical condition that makes it difficult for you to use stairs, the housing office needs to know so that the staff can place you in a ground-floor unit.

• If possible, look at the housing (dorm room or apartment) before you sign the contract. You need to know exactly where your new home is in relation to the rest of the campus (particularly your classroom buildings and other often-visited spots) and the condition of the unit.

• Be prepared to pay a deposit. You might have to sign your housing contract and pay the deposit before your financial-aid money comes in. Start saving your money now so that you won’t lose your place in line for lack of funds.

• Make a list of everything that you’ll need to take to college with you. Some dorm rooms come with refrigerators; others don’t. Know what is provided and what is up to you so that you don’t pack too much – or too little.

After you move in, there are a few things that you can do to make the semester as easy as possible.

• Don’t wait until the weekends to do your laundry. Everybody in the building, it seems, wants to wash clothes on weekends – especially in the evenings. Check the laundry rooms periodically to see when they are the least occupied: you’ll save yourself a lot of time if you don’t have to wait long for a washer and dryer.

• Stock up on snacks and drinks at the grocery store. This is a lot cheaper than constantly feeding the vending machine or convenience-store registers.

• Make sure that you pay for your housing on time. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with late fees and other charges. Spend that money on something fun instead.

• Find a way to go off campus every now and then. If you don’t have a vehicle, use public transportation or your school’s system (if applicable). Staying on campus all day, every day, will become boring – and stifling.

• Meet your RA as soon as possible. He or she can answer your questions, help you find the best on-campus activities and give you advice about housing-related problems that might come up.

Doing these things will take a little time, but your semester will be a lot easier because of them. You’ll save time, money and frustration – and have more knowledge to pass on to the new freshmen next year.

Why, When and How to File for an Individual Income Tax Extension

If you are not ready or able to file your income taxes by the April 15th deadline you do have the option to file for an extension.  Depending upon your situation, filing for an extension using IRS Form 4868 will give you four to six months to file your income taxes.  Form 4868 applies to anyone who will be filing with forms 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ.  Understanding why, when and how to file for an extension can help you decide if this option is right for you.

Why file for an extension?

There are several reasons why you may need to file an extension.  The main reason people file is simply because they didn’t get their taxes done on time.  Other reasons include:
• You don’t have the proper forms, receipts, documentation, etc., to complete the tax forms.
• You are a U.S. citizen but live and work outside of the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• You are in a branch of the military and serving outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
• You live in an officially designated disaster area (flood, hurricane, earthquake, etc.) and some or all of your records have been destroyed or are not available.

While you do not need a reason to submit for an extension it is possible for the extension to be denied.  However, in most cases extensions are approved.

It is important to understand that even if you expect to receive a refund but cannot figure your taxes on time you still have to file for an extension.  Penalties and interest will apply if you do not file for an extension.

Does this mean I don’t have to pay my taxes until I file?

You are still liable to pay any taxes due at the time you file for the extension.  You will have to estimate your taxes due and pay when filing for the extension.  If you do not pay enough at the time of filing you will be charged penalties and interest on the unpaid portion when you do finally file your income taxes.

When do I have to file for an extension?

The good thing is you have until April 15th to file Form 4868 to apply for an extension.  However, the sooner the better if you know ahead of time you are not going to be able to complete your income tax forms on time.  Depending upon how you file for the extension, the IRS will let you know if your extension has been accepted or denied.

How do I file for an extension?

You can download Form 4868 directly from IRS.gov or go to your tax provider or local IRS office to get a copy of the form.  Many times your tax provider will help you fill out an extension form as part of their services while working on your actual tax return. 

Information you will need to fill out Form 4868 are your Social Security number, (and spouses number if filing jointly), your estimated tax liability for the previous year and the amount of tax already paid during that year.  If you know you will owe taxes it is better to overestimate this amount rather than underestimate.  It would be better to overpay and get a refund than to underpay and have to pay penalties and interest on the amount.

You can file Form 4868 electronically or mail it in.  If you choose to file electronically, you can have this done by your tax preparer or go through one of the authorized service providers listed on the form.  You can also file Form 4868 for free through “Free File” at IRS.gov if you earned $57,000 or less.  If you choose to mail it make sure it is postmarked no later than April 15th.

Unless you expect to receive a refund, you should make your estimated payment of taxes when sending in Form 4868.  This can be done electronically through E-file using a credit card, electronically through your tax provider, over the phone by using a credit card or mailed in with your form.  If done electronically, you will receive a confirmation number for both the filing of the form and the payment.  If you mail in your form with payment, you will receive a letter back from the IRS confirming your payment and extension status.

Once you have received your extension you can file your income tax return anytime within the extension period.  The best advice is to file as early as possible.  If you are expecting a refund, you will want to receive it.  If you have to pay additional taxes you will not want the penalties and interest to build up. 

Filing an individual income tax extension is easy and will give you peace of mind knowing you will pay your taxes on time and not have the IRS looking over your shoulder.

Here’s How to Write a Better Press Release

It used to be that writing a press release fell under the specialty of the PR man, but that kind of thinking is a relic of the distant past.

In today’s world of media manipulation and shameless self-promoting, anyone who has something to sell needs to know how to write a press release; whether you are selling a good, service, or yourself.  America today is in the grip of media overload and it isn’t going to get any less cluttered any time soon.  As a result, if your press release even smacks of looking non-professional, it will be filed under T for trash. 

The first rule of writing a top-notch press release, therefore, is to get yourself professional-looking letterhead stationary.

Spare no expense in getting yourself stationary that has the appearance of a Fortune 500 company, even if your “company headquarters” is the smallest bedroom in your house.   Like a web site, image is everything in the world of writing a press release.

The letterhead should include such vital information as the name of you or your company—and it only makes sense to shell out the minimum investment necessary to register a small business name—as well as the address, phone number and e-mail of the company. Of course, it should go without saying that the actual paper your letterhead is printed on is of the highest quality. If your letterhead doesn’t provide information such as your address or web site, then you should add that within the text of the press release itself. All contact information should be preceded by these words: For more information contact. The traditional method of writing a press release begins, in all caps, with this phrase: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. These words are aligned flush with the left margin and should include a date when necessary as part of the information contained within the release.  Should the inclusion of a specific date not be necessary, forego adding it since press releases may be filed according to date; those without a date tend to stick around longer inside the in-basket. Contact info is then situated in the release, followed by your headline.

The headline needs to be centered and typed in all capital letters.Study some actual newspaper headlines before trying your hand at this, since the headline of a press release should be reflect the terse style of a real headline. Your press release headline should be to the point and let the reader know in no uncertain terms what event you are publicizing. But it also needs to be catchy and stylish so that it grabs their attention. When a particular name or location or event is important, be sure to add that information to the headline. The headline is followed by the first paragraph, better known as the lead paragraph.  When writing this, keep in mind the journalistic tradition of making sure your lead paragraph contains the who, what, where, and when of the event you are looking to publicize. The fifth W—why—can wait until the second paragraph. When describing the why, don’t get loquacious.  Just simply explain exactly why this event is newsworthy.

As in journalism, there is a traditional progression that takes place within the press release: start with the most vital information and work your way down to the least important. And, above all else, avoid anything that you don’t really consider to be important. The keyword when writing a good press release is succinct.  It shouldn’t take anyone more than a minute to read a press release; forty-five seconds is even better and thirty seconds is your goal.

E-Procurement and E-commerce in Today’s Marketplace
What is e-procurement? 

E-procurement is the buying and selling of services or supplies from business-to-business  (B2B) over the internet.  An electronic procurement system that allows registered users to search and purchase your inventory over the internet.  The internet serves many B2B sites as an electronic marketplace where transactions are initiated and completed with just a few clicks of the mouse.

What is e-commerce?  E-commerce has the same fundamentals of e-procurement except it is on a smaller more personal scale.  Individuals who are registered on an e-commerce site may search for and purchase, or sometimes bid for, anything they need, normally over the world wide web.  Individuals and smaller businesses are also aggressively pursued by e-commerce purchase portals to sell their goods, of course for a commissioned fee.

E-procurement and e-commerce are changing they way the world does business.  It has opened up and opportunity for global markets to compete for business.  Any individual or business with a computer and internet connectivity can participate in e-procurement and e-commerce.  Many sectors of the economy are now approaching business in this way.  Businesses will benefit from e-procurement by eliminating overpayments and reducing the manual workload.  Individuals will benefit by having a wider variety of items to choose from and the added convenience of shopping from home.

Online purchasing can generate significant savings for organizations and corporations by making larger group purchases, greatly reducing the cost per item.  By doing so these entities also are increasing informational accuracies and streamlining the buying process.  Automation of ordering frees a lot of time for the big purchasers, giving them time to concentrate on negotiating better deals.

Suppliers of products or services who use e-procurement will benefit by reducing administrative and transaction costs.  They will also find that they have improved their manufacturing cycles.  In doing this they will ultimately increase their bottom line.

Software companies are making some great programs that have templates for quick and easy access to other operational systems.  Menus are provided for quick and easy access to accounts, human resources, and payroll. 

Some software is even changing the way businesses do inventory.  They have automated the re-ordering of supplies with no human contact needed.  It is simply keeping track as transactions are made.

Information from registered users of e-procurement and e-commerce sites can be gathered and used in a variety of ways.  Users may not realize that when they register to do business, fill out a questionnaire, or place an order,  demographic information is being gathered and shared among other online entities.  This is commonly called profiling.  Registered users now have the opportunity to decide how their information is used or shared. 

A large number of business web sites trying to get new e-commerce clients offer e-mail newsletters for subscribers.  The newest trend is the e-mail opt-in list where users voluntarily sign up to receive emails, normally containing sponsored ads, about their products and other subjects that might interest them.  This is just another way to put their products in your in-box.

E-commerce and e-procurement sites are able to do business twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, making their products and services more available than businesses that are strictly running out of a store front with no online presence.

It is imperative that in today’s market place a business must start taking steps to insure they keep up with technology so they don’t get left behind.

Detecting Online Scams

Before conducting any type of business with an online organization, it is a very wise idea to make sure that the organization is not a scam. Doing so will not only ensure that you are dealing with a legitimate organization, it will also save you time and money. Scam organizations are designed for the sole purpose of getting money from unsuspecting people. There are a multitude of scam organizations around these days and they are not only found online. Despite the fact that these scam organizations do exist, the good news is that there are ways to detect them before you waste any time or money on them.

The first way to potentially detect an online organization scam is by using the PageRank feature found in the Google toolbar. The PageRank feature gives you a general indication as to how long the organization has been in business. Typically, a well-established company who’s had a website for several years will have a relatively high PageRank. Google normally updates the PageRank every 3 to 4 months, which means a new website will not have a PageRank right away. However, a website without a PageRank does not necessarily indicate that it is a scam so this method can be deceiving at times.

The second and more reliable way to check for an online scam is by performing a WhoIs Lookup. All you need to do to perform a WhoIs Lookup, is simply enter the website address of the online organization you want to check on in the Search text box and then click on the Search button. Then, under the WhoIs Output section, it will display all the information that is found for the website address you entered including the name and address of who the website is registered to, the date it was created and when it was last updated. Generally, if the creation date of the website you entered is several years old, it is a good indicator that the organization is well-established and has a good customer base.

Another way to check whether or not an online organization is a scam is by using the Internet. Through the use of a search engine, such as Google, you can find more information about the organization you are checking. Often times, people will share experiences they’ve had with online scams in forums, on message boards and even in blogs. Of course, anything written about the organization in question in these places should be taken at face value. It is not unheard of for people to make false accusations about online organization so this should always be taken into consideration.

Finally, the last viable method to detect an online scam is by doing a search for the company on the Better Business Bureau website. When doing a company search on the BBB site, you can either enter the name of the organization or the website address of the organization you want to look for. Once you do that and click the Search button, a list of matching companies will be shown. Clicking on the one that matches the one you searched for will bring up a new page displaying who the organization’s website is registered to, when the website was created and most importantly, how many complaints have been filed against the organization. If there are a lot of complaints listed, it is a very clear indicator that the organization in question is more than likely a scam.

With the number of online organizations ever-growing these days, you will undoubtedly encounter some that are scams along the way. Fortunately, there are tools available to help you detect these scams way before they can do you any harm. The most important thing to remember when dealing with online organizations is to be sure that you check for the legitimacy of any organization you intend on doing business with.