Burial Rituals Among the Luos in Kenya

There are more than thirty tribal ethics in Kenya. The two major ones are Luos and Kikuyus. The Luos are generally known in Kenya as a people who are seriously concerned with their burial place, far more than any other ethnic group. Growing up, I witnessed many burials including my own father. Details of the rituals different for all the forbidden, depending on the threatened sex and status in the society. A ritual is performed in certain, fixed ways to reflect how a particular death occurred, the good and bad deeds of the false, and the way the false and the ancientors performed the same rituals. There are some differences that reflect different areas.

For example, a young unmarried woman can not be buried in her fathers' homestead. The Luos believe that her unmarried spirit will follow other living girls in the village and make them not to be married also. This is changing with people who believe or practice Christianity. The Luos attitude towards their burial place evidently shows how they fear and respect the deceased ancestors. They perform more than ten kinds of different rituals for the banned, largely held in their rural homeland in the face of ongoing modernization and urbanization in overall Kenya. People are still buried in the homestead. Graveyard are for people who do not have families or sojourners.

There was a long court struggle in 1986 of a prominent lawyer SM Otieno who was married to a Kikuyu lady and stayed in the city center. Upon his death, his clan insured that his body be transported to Nyanza his birth place for burial. His widow fought for several months for the body to be buried in Nairobi where they had lived most of their lives. The clan won and the Judge ruled on their favor after six months. SM Otieno was transported to the village for burial. His widow did not attend the burial because of some Luo rituals which she was not prepared to go through. It was greatly through this court case that many Kenyans came to recognize and realize how deeply Luo people were preoccupied with their burial place. This is not a myth but a reality among the Luo tribe in Kenya.

Computer Backup: Are You Willing to Roll the Dice?

It is estimated that about 90% of households have at least one computer in the home. Computer Industry Almanac reports that at the end of 2011, there were 310.6 Million computers in use in the US. Studies suggest that the average adult spends between 5 - 8 hours on the computer per day between work and home. I believe that it is safe to say that computers play a huge part in our lives.

Computers are interwoven into just about every aspect of our lives. We use them to pay bills, preform business transactions, connect with our loved ones and the world. We use them to play games, check the weather, gamble, make travel arrangements and the list goes on. In the process of doing all those things, the computer has also become a place where we store important documents and pieces of information, as well as priceless memories, making computer backup essential. We want to keep our cherished memories and data for the long term.

Computer backup is simply the storage of your computers files on a medium other than hard disk. The process is done in order to protect your valuable information in the event it becomes inaccessible or unrecoverable via your computer. Backing up your computer is one of those things that you should just do. You do not want to learn about losing all your invaluable documents the hard way. Trust me.

I'm writing this article because I am one of the unlucky ones. The hard headed ones. I was one of the ones who put of today what I could do tomorrow. Mix that with my "It wont happen to me" attitude and you have the perfect cocktail of disaster. Goes down sweet but leaves a bitter aftertaste. The day of reckoning came and I was completely devastated. Backup your computer people!

I had an online jewelry business on Etsy.com. Building up my site, I had accumulated pictures and documents that I used to promote my business. This vital information was all neatly saved on my laptop. I was going about my business when Mr. Virus decided to pay me a visit. My computer was corrupted with no remedy that I could apply. There were mucho tears. I could not just take the hit and reboot from the factory settings, so I had to bring in the big guns. The Big Guns are NOT cheap. They were able to recover a large majority of my material but not all of it. Do not get me started on the money I lost because I had to close down my shop those few days while my computer was being fixed. It was a major headache and I had a major headache at the end of the ordeal.

This article is your life preserver. I'm trying to save you before you become me. Be smart and save yourself. Save yourself time and more importantly, save yourself money. Backup your computer today.

Why Hosted Exchange?

Hosted Exchange gives you all of the benefits of an Enterprise level messaging solution for your small or large business with lower costs and complexity.

Exchange Hosting Features: Hosted Exchange, Managed Exchange-Hosted Exchange Overview; Exchange 2007 Features and Benefits; Outlook Web Access; Mobile Messaging.

Hosted Exchange gives you the freedom to work. Location, time zone are no longer barriers. An increase in productivity follows.

Key Features:

o Your data is available online and is secure. This removes the risk of losing important e-mail stored on your local drives.
o Create mailboxes just by few clicks: The administrator can create an e-mail box just by few clicks. Assigning distribution groups is very simple.
o Unified messaging.
o Follow tasks and manage team projects.
o Collaboration tools.
o Manage tasks on the go from anywhere.
o Access your private and shared calendars.
o Access e-mails / tasks / calendar anytime: Since you e-mails / tasks / calendar is stored at a centralized location, you can access them from anywhere.
o Wireless Synchronization: You can read and reply to an e-mail schedule appointments and meeting from your wireless device and the changes gets synchronized with the central server. This way you can make changes from your wireless device and continue to track it from your desktop when you are back in the office.
o You can track availability of meeting rooms and participants schedule with Smart Scheduling.
o Backups ensure that you do not loose your e-mails. We have a 14 day back policy. This will ensure that you never loose any of your important e-mails.
o 24/7 support by Experienced Microsoft Certified Professionals: We have experience certified Microsoft Certified Professionals who are on standby to assist you, should you need any assistance.
o Outlook Web Access: This is a web based version of Outlook 2007 that is coupled with Exchange; gets you the best of both the worlds - easy navigation and enterprise level communication engine.

Top 10 Tips for Choosing a Web Designer for Your Business Web Site

How to Choose a Web Design Firm

Simple. You do your homework on them. Then, you start asking questions and taking notes. There are plenty of web designers available. You want to go with the best because, in fact, your web designer is in essence your partner. You want to choose a designer that takes YOUR business seriously.

What questions do you ask?

There are several important questions to ask when choosing a web designer for your business web site.

Creating your web site can be a tricky process. Choosing the best web design firm for your business web site is a very important decision. And if your company is like most small businesses, you probably do not have a web design experience. Building your web site will take time and work. And working with a web designer is no easy task. So choose the right web design company from the start and avoid do-over's, which can be cost and time consuming.

1. What kind of web experience do you have?

For starters, find out what kind of design experience your potential design firm has. Do they have experience with content management systems such as Joomla or Drupal, do they have experience working with "raw" HTML? Has the web design company created web sites similar to yours? Do they have relevant industry experience? If you want to sell products through your web site and accept credit card payments, does the web design company you are considering have experience with ecommerce hosting?

2. Do you have a portfolio that I can review?

An experienced web design company will have a solid portfolio of web sites that they have created for other clients. Ask for links to other site the design company has created and reviewed each one. Do you like what you see? Do the sites have a style that appeals to you?

3. Do you have any references?

In addition to reviewing web sites, ask for customer references. Contact their clients and ask them about their experience with the web design company. Were they happy with the results? Did they get what they paid for? How much did they pay? Would they recommend them? How long did it take? What did not they like about the company? How responsive was the company when they had questions?

4. What are your prices?

The most important step in pricing is to make sure the potential design company outline all of the prices associated with the work and puts it all in writing. Never enter into a deal without all of the costs are well understood up front.

Ask them a bit about how they manage payments. If they respond in a very business-like and professional manner, this is a good sign. If they throw out answers like - "Do not worry, we'll manage" or "Whatever you are comfortable with", do not be fooled. This is trouble waiting to happen. Get the price in writing before you begin the project.

5. Do you have experience with search engine optimization?

Most small business owners do not have it in their budget to hire a separate marketing firm to work on search engine optimization (SEO), so it is imperative that your web designer have experience in SEO. A good designer will know that design and SEO go hand-in-hand. Designing a web site for search engines with "clean" code that utilizes cascading style sheets is essential to getting your content indexed in the leading search engines, such as Google and Bing.

6. Do you have experience with social media marketing?

Many marketing firms do know the first thing about social media marketing. These firms are stuck in the past and are not as effective as they pret to be. Be sure that you work with a designer that knows how to setup a Facebook fan page for your business and design a customized Twitter profile. This is important because you will want your social media properties to mesh with the design of your web site. The web site and social media pages should complement one-another.

7. What is your process for designing or building a web site?

Make sure you ask your potential web design company about the process that they use? Do they design a web site or do they build a web site? An experienced Internet professional should understand the difference between these two concepts. If they do not, they're probably not as experienced as they claim to be. Building a web site is a highly technical process, while designing a web site is a highly creative process. Many advertising firms specialize in web site design which does not necessarily require any web development skills whatever. At the same time, many firms design web sites, yet out-source the creative portion of the project. Find out from the beginning what the process if for the firm that you are considering.

8. How long will it take?

Perfectionism can be a huge stumbling block in the fast paced world of the Internet. Some designers are unable to compromise between quality and time to market needs. Test: See how long it takes until you receive a proposal.

9. What type of support is offered after web site launch?

If your design firm does not offer web site maintenance, you might want to continue looking. Most reputable design firms will offer "post-launch" maintenance for companies that do not have an in-house webmaster.

10. Which web hosting providers do you work with?

If your design firm does not know the first-names of the contact at their favorite web design firm, then this should raise a red flag. Most reputable web designers know not to choose a web host simply because they are the most popular or because they offer the cheapest web hosting. A reputable web design firm should know who to call and how to get results! Does your web designer work with a green hosting company? Environmentally-friendly web hosting is becoming more and more popular for business web sites looking to implement an eco-policy.

Getting a little recognition on the W3 is hard, even in a niche market (especially in a niche market). You have less than 10 seconds to convince a site visitor to stick around long enough to learn about the quality of your services, your products or your message. Web surfers are jagged out on information overload. If they do not see what they want to see on your home page or a landing page, they bounce. So, making a statement about your corporate culture and your business' core values ​​has to happen in the blink of an eye. Visitors will never even see the "About Us" page if you do not create a good impression - in 10 seconds. So, go green! An emblem or banner claiming that you employ green hosting makes an immediate statement about your on-line business. It says you care about the environment.

Do your homework when choosing a web design firm.

Good designers are creative people that need to think out of the box. Finding a good web designer is getting harder and harder. The good designers are being snatched by agencies and large projects. They are overloaded with work and often, you will not know about them because they do not have time (or need) to market themselves. Doing your homework and asking the right questions is important to decide if they are right for the job.

Financial Spread Betting and All Its Benefits and Pitfalls

To date, a lot of people will tell you that financial spread betting offering a very simple and tax free way of trading the markets whether you have engaged in any trading before or not. But it is also important for you to know that when you are trading spread stakes you may just lose more that the original margin deposit that you made. Financial spread betting is rapidly turning into a really fun and exciting way of speculating on the stock markets and also making some profit. This spread playing is dependent on the maximum that says the more correct your speculation is, the more money that you win.

People have fun with this spread playing for several reasons some of which are its simplicity, its flexibility and the fact that it is also rather cheap. Financial spread staking is bale to fit into any f the trading strategies that you use currently or any that you wish to use in the future. It is a well known fact that tons of people are now into trading while using spread betting so that they do not have to pay any taxes or any taxes. Yes, its tax free and commission free nature are just among its many benefits. It is just simple to open yourself an account, you do not need to large a capital and it also offers you plenty of leverage. It also allows you to trade in plenty of very small amounts all through out a range of markets.

If you are interested in spread staking, you will be happy to know that you can turn a profit when the market is booming or even when it is floundering; you may even trade in hundreds of different markets using just one account. It is really very convenient and profitable that way. Not to mention that it makes handling your accounts simpler as well. Think of this is your beginner's guide to spread betting and do not be afraid or lazy to do more research. You can never have too much information about something before you dabble in it.

Is Online Banking Right for Your Business?

Online banking is one of the best productivity tools out there. It decreases physical paperwork, saves time, and helps make sure all of your financial information is accurate and secure. It's much easier to track a budget and offers lots of different ways to stay on top of your finances. Unfortunately, online banking also presents its own security risks. To bank online safely, here are some tips to save you the trouble of hacked accounts and identity theft.

• Try to use the same computer every time you access your account. Using your login information on more than one machine increases the chances that someone could hack in and gain access.

• Try to make the computer you use one that will travel with you. Using a laptop for online banking means that even when you're not at home, you won't have to use your login information on a strange machine. This being said, don't leave your laptop unattended, especially if you're logged into a banking site or recently have been.

• If you absolutely have to use an online banking site from a strange computer, make sure to log out, shut down the browser, and clear all cookies and temporary files when you're done.

• Use a unique password. Yes, it is convenient to have the same password for all of your online accounts, but it's also a major security risk. Do not you use your online banking password for anything else; it may not be a major disaster if someone hacks your Twitter account, but don't let that mean they have access to all your money, too.

• Don't let your password be something easy to guess. That means no using anniversary dates, birthdays, your last name, your phone number, or any identifying information.

• Change your password often, at the very least every six months. Even if you password is unique and impossible to guess, it's a possibility that a key logger or other malware could pick up your password.

• As obvious as it may be, it bears repeating: don't share your banking password with anyone. Even if it's someone you trust, that information transfer could allow someone else to gain access to your account without your permission.

• Don't use your mother's maiden name for the security question. That's an easy piece of information to find on the Internet.

• Never respond to an email that asks for you to reply with your bank account number, your social security number, your log in information, or any other sensitive information. Legitimate institutions won't do this. These emails are phishing scams designed to gain access to your online banking information.

• Invest in good anti-virus software for your computer and keep it updated. This will help protect you from any malware or viruses that could find their way onto your computer and into your personal and banking information.

• Keep all software on your computer up-to-date. Software updates are often security fixes. The notifications telling you to update and the install/restart time may be annoying, but they're often crucial to keeping your computer secure.

• Pay attention to your bank or financial institution's log in page. If something seems to have changed, you may have clicked on an illegitimate link (this is especially true if you followed a link from an email).

• Don't enter personal information into a pop-up, even if you're on the institution's legitimate website.

• Be careful when opening email attachments, even if they appear to be from someone you know. Always double check to see if the person meant to send you an attachment, and delete emails with attachments from unknown sources.

• Be aware of common current email scams by checking websites like onguardonline.gov.

• Shop online only at reputable sites. If you're giving any credit card or payment information, it should be somewhere trusted, often through PayPal, which is secure. Double check this, and if you're not sure, err on the side of caution and find somewhere else to buy what you need.

How to Refinance Credit Union Style

Two of the primary lending institutions are banks and credit unions. Most banks answer to their shareholders and are like all companies seeking to make maximum profit. Credit Unions, on the other hand, are owned by their members or account holders. Therefore their loyalty is not to the shareholders like standard banks. Instead they seek to please their customers who are owners.

The Personal Touch

Because most credit unions are regional with fewer branches, account holders tend to develop a friendly relationship with the bank employees. While credit and cash flow are taken into consideration, a lower credit score may be overlooked, as the loan officer knows you, your business or employer and your reputation.

Lower Rates and Fees

Credit unions are considered not-for-profit. This can be a huge advantage for those looking for a refinance option. Because these unions are not looking to make a profit they can offer lower fees. So the loan fee and other typical bank fees charged on a refinance are typically much lower. In addition credit unions offers lower interest rates as this is in the best interest of their account holders.

Refinance Personalization

Because credit unions tend to focus on the individual, the loan officer is able to personalize the loan to suit the needs of the borrower. Larger banks are typically restricted to rigid rates and terms. A refinance loan can have unusual terms, collateral, or interest built in to the loan to help the account holder. For example, a credit union may be able to offer an interest only time period on a refinance or offer a longer amortization to lower the loan payments. They are also more open to creative financing and are better able to think outside the box when it comes to refinancing a loan.

Because these unions are small and more personable they afford more opportunities to a borrower seeking to refinance a loan. The underwriter can tailor the loan itself to the financial needs of the client and can offer lower fees & rates than conventional banks.