Articles written by Les Jacobs - Page 5

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About me - Les Jacobs

An experienced reporter and editor who has worked for the Economist Intelligence Unit, Foreign Trade magazine, ChinaOnline.com and several trade publications - including CompuTrade International - I have been freelancing for the past several years, providing

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Personal Finance > Stock Market Investing in the stock market: 14 of 40
If you're new to investing, and you want to purchase shares of individual companies, consider "buying what you know." In other words, invest in companies you're familiar with. If you don't know any companies, invest in firms that make products or services you like. This is the investment strategy that was preached by fund ma... More..
Arts & Humanities > Writing & Rating at Helium Writing to maximize search engine (SEO) results: 4 of 11
If you want your work to get more hits on the Web, try using Google Trends to select writing topics and keywords. Google Trends (http://www.google.com/trends) is a site that specializes in the popularity of search terms. It enables you to see how often a particular topic has been "Googled" over the past five years, and how o... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in Asia The truth about China's military: Dramatic increases in military spending cause concern: 3 of 8
China announced in March that it is going to increase military spending by nearly 18 percent in 2007, according to Xinhua, the nation's official news agency. This marks the sharpest rise in such outlays in a decade. China's defense spending has become a cause for worry in the region in recent years, with officials in Taiwan,... More..
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes The first opera you should see: 5 of 13
The first opera you see should include at least one piece of music you already know and like. This will increase the chances it will be a pleasurable experience for you. For example, are you a fan of the "Three Tenors"? If so, and if you have a favorite aria, then you should see the opera that features that piece. If you don... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Becoming aware of racism: 13 of 33

On Saturday morning (May 24, 2008) I was shopping at ShopRite in Edison, New Jersey, when I heard an employee walk past me and say, angrily, to a fellow worker: "F_cking gooks!" ShopRite is a low-price grocery-store chain much like Ralph's in southern California or Jewel-Osco in Chicago. It has outlets throughout New Jersey,... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Babies (Other) Advice for parents of multiples: 2 of 5
As a stay-at-home father of triplet toddlers, I know how overwhelming it can be caring for multiples. Here are some tips to make the job easier. Planning ahead: Arrange for help Even before your newborns come home, ask as many family members and friends as possible if they will help you. They don't have to be experienced par... More..
Arts & Humanities > Historical Literature Book reviews: The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett: 2 of 5
What happens when an author of best-selling suspense thrillers writes about a Gothic cathedral in twelfth century England? He pens a hard-to-put-down, gripping historical novel, and that's exactly what Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" is. I knew Follett's writing from his smash-hit "Eye of the Needle," published in 1... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Commentary: First presidential debate analysis: 2 of 5
In the first presidential debate, broadcast live on Friday night, Sept. 26, 2008, Arizona Senator John McCain bested his opponent, Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Being an undecided voter leaning towards Obama, I thought he started out strong and I was very impressed with him at first. But once McCain warmed up and got rollin... More..
Home & Garden > Trees & Shrubs How to plant a bare-root tree: 4 of 9
Dig a hole that's wide enough to hold the tree's spread-out root system. Cut away any damaged roots. If using one stake, pound it into the hole now, slightly off-center on the windward side. You do this before planting the tree so as to avoid damaging its roots. Stand the tree up in the hole next to the stake and splay the r... More..
Home & Garden > Cleaning Products Best vacuums to buy: 10 of 21
The best vacuum I have ever used is the Panasonic MC-4620 bagless, straight-suction, canister vacuum. I am a stay-at-home father of three toddlers and I vacuum the kitchen and dining room floors and the living room carpet every night. I have used many different vacuum cleaners over the years, including a handheld Dirt Devil,... More..