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Commission Junction: good alternative?

One of my New Year Resolutions is to launch at least one website that would generate money.
I took advantage of some extra vacation days to start reading more about affiliate marketing. Having a bad experience with one I was pretty reluctant and stubborn to think outside the box.

This is what I did so far:
-I have enrolled into Commission Junction affiliate program
– Being a little bit more educated I started understanding the information about various affiliate programs. I checked a few affiliates I may be interesting promoting.
– At that point I realized that I have to have a website more specific; mine it’s too general. It’s started as a blog to share my findings and dreams and now it’s time to move on to the next level. I will keep the categories but concentrate my writings to only two of three
– I can foresee a problem: getting accepted by the affiliates; if your website is not very popular (and mine it’s not so far) and does not have any marketing tools, like using adwords for example, the chances are that the good affiliates would turn down my application. But I am going to give it a try anyway.

My action plan includes:
– Fine tuning my website in order to put emphasis on something I know and I am interested about: health, diet and nutrition
– If my Google Analytics would start showing more activity to the site I would consider bidding for some adwords in order to get more traffic to the site, and consequently more money from affiliates
– I know that I am getting into a highly competitive territory, with savvy and veteran probloggers in direct competition with, therefore I will have to use my brain to find a still profitable niche. Good Luck to me!

That being said, I feel a little bit more confident about reaching my goal.
I had the pleasant surprise to realize that you are getting approved by Commission Junction as easy as getting into Amazon affiliate program.
I certainly hope that money will be better. So far I did not make anything with Amazon.
Even if I had visitors clicking on products, they did not buy. At least not from Amazon or not at that time.
I guess if they would have gone later on to Amazon to make the purchase, it would not have been credited to my website.

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What does my Horoscope look like for 2008?

Yesterday I spent some quality time on the net: I wanted to read the horoscope for 2008 for my family.
So, I started my quest for a free quality horoscope.
Easier said than done. I found some sites but the quality was less desirable.
Moving on I stumbled upon a mixed kind of horoscope on some Indian astrology site. Mixed because it refers to the western style horoscope with our typical animals zodiac, but adds to that influences of planets more characteristic to eastern cultures.

This is an abstract of my horoscope (Leo):
“Transiting Saturn and Ketu over the ascendant are capable to provide malefic results. There might be delay in your important pursuits. From beginning of the year to 29th of April 2008, Saturn and Ketu conjunction will provide bad results. If, remedies are done to remove ill effects of these planets, Transiting Jupiter over the 5th house and Bhagyesh Mars over the 11th house are fully capable to provide cherished consequences.”

I have started already feeling a sense of panic reading about the malefic influences. Considering that the past two years had been less than glorious, I needed a break. A good one.
Next step : Finding how to counteract the ill effects.
And I found it!

To counteract Saturn ill influence you have to wear a blue sapphire ring.
But there is a whole ritual to be followed; there is a certain day of the week, a certain time and even a specific mantra you have to recite.
Mantra: “Om Sham Shanaishcharaye Namah Om”.
Day for wearing: Saturday
Time for wearing: Sunset

Blue sapphire should be embedded in silver or mixed five metals or iron ring. It should be worn on the middle finger.
The ring should be kept in a copper bowl full of water on Saturday. Two hours before the sunset, the water is to be discharged.

To counteract the malefic influence of Ketu (the moon descending node) you have to wear a cat’s eye ring.
Apparently this gemstone is related to psychic powers, spirits and astral forces.
Cat’s eye is found in yellow, black, dark or smoky-green, and white. Common to all shades is the band of light moving across the stone (chatoyance). A gem having a white band of light is supposed to be best. Cat’s-eye shines like the eye of a cat in darkness, but it does not shine in total darkness.
Mantra: “Om Kaim Ketave Namah”
Day for wearing: Wednesday, Thursday or Friday
Time for wearing: Two hours after sunset

Cat’s eye should be embedded in silver or mixed five metals. The ring should be worn on the middle finger of the right hand.
The ritual asks for the ring to be washed with water and unboiled milk, while reciting the mantra.

Now the problem with quality gemstones is the price. So far I could not find any good quality one for a decent price.
The lowest price for blue sapphir was $300 per carat!!! Thinking that it’s recommended to use gems of at least 1.5 carat… you do the math.
I could not find any rings made with cat’s eye. I am still searching all the sources: ebay, google, you name it and I try it.