For a novice, there can be an overwhelming amount of Mercruiser boat parts and accessories to choose from. Of course, it’s important to know what each part is for and what it does. Let’s take a look at Mercruiser sterndrives for a better understanding.

Sterndrives are a form of engine that uses both inboard and outboard components. They are notable in their appearance, as the engine is positioned just ahead of the boats transom, while its outdrive is completely outside the hull.

The mechanics of the sterndrive actually have their origins in the First World War, when the Isotta-Fraschini was introduced with two propellers rotating in opposite directions. Then in 1948 Mercury Marine merged a racing car’s engine to the lower section of an outboard motor. The result was an outboard motor that could out power anything available at the time. Nowadays, companies like Mercruiser have made these engines commonplace.

These engines are steered by moving the outdrive; there is no rudder attached. The outdrive can be switched out with compatible engines of appropriate power. This gives the user a variety of choices in terms of power and control.

Sterndrives revolutionized the way boats were powered over sixty years ago. Today they have become commonplace, but the adventurous are always looking for ways to up the ante in terms of speed and power.

By Ted Dhanik  

There are many different marketing channels a business can use to promote itself and products. Below are listed a few of the most popular and well known ones.

Television and Radio

Ah, the classic time of television and radio marketing channels. This is a great way to communicate a business brand and presence into large masses of audience viewers. It is true that channels are getting smaller viewing numbers as the shows are getting more specific to audiences. But television is still one of the best ways to reach the most people in the shortest amount of time. This holds true for radio.

Display Marketing

This refers to the marketing ads seen online, either ads that require a potential client to click on them to go to another page, or the banners listed on the sides or top of a website. It also refers to the ads that show up in search results. This form of marketing is great to reach localized, specific traffic that is interested and more likely to buy the product or business that is being promoted. Because it is highly specialized and specific, this type of marketing requires extensive research on its audience to be effective. However, the results are undeniable and almost immediate.

Facebook Marketing

A new addition to the marketing world and the biggest competitor of display marketing, this consists of the ads shown in the newsfeed of a Facebook account user. Similar to television and radio ads, the ad itself is not specified or directed to a certain user in any way. Actually, the channel it is using, Facebook, dictates which ads get shown and where. This marketing channel is popular because of the amount of views and traffic advertising it gets.

Guest post provided by Ted Dhanik, CEO of engage:BDR. Ted Dhanik focuses on high-performance marketing solutions for his clients. Ted Dhanik offers his wisdom on display marketing in his professional blogs.

By Phineas Upham

Daniel Dennett has little use for “navel-gazing” philosophers or people who are unwilling to accept criticisms of their own philosophical methods. This blunt approach to philosophy is in full display in his recently published new book “Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking.” As recently profiled by The New York Times, Dennett is unafraid to cross swords with other philosophers whose work he considers to be too fluffy or prone to intellectual flights of fancy.

Readers of “Intuition Pumps” won’t find long descents into hypothetical scenarios and broad-stroke assumptions. What they will find is the work of a philosopher more prone to use science to explain the working of the mind. In fact, it’s this type of approach that has occasionally put him at odds with some of the other major philosophers of the era.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com

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Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or LinkedIn page.

Ads in your browsers spells disaster especially if you click on one of them as this will load spyware on your system in the process. This applies to downloading free games or even music which will drop malware onto your system or even change your homepage too.

In knowing how annoying this can be, here are 3 ways to secure your web browser like a pro:

#1: Disable browser toolbars

If your browser seems to be giving you problems, then it’s time to remove every toolbar that you don’t need. Google already offers a toolbar that is legitimate while Yahoo also offers one that can save people’s time.

For both Internet Explorer and FireFox, all you have to do is right-click the toolbar and you can disable all of them or just the ones you aren’t using. It must be pointed out that Google Chrome does not offer this feature.

#2: Scan your computer for viruses and malware

If you think that your PC has a malware infection, then the first that you must do is run a anti-malware program to look for viruses, additional adware and malware. But one program won’t do – use a secondary program to remove the malware that the first one did not find. Some of these options include SuperAntispyware, Malwarebytes and Ad-Aware.

#3: Reset or uninstall your browser

So, you’ve tried everything and your browser is still giving you problems. It’s time to reset your browser even if you’ll lose customized settings and saved data. The reason for this is because the changes made by the malware and adware will be eliminated as well. Again, Firefox and Internet Explorer will allow you to reset your browser but for Google Chrome, you will uninstall and reinstall the program manually.

If you’re planning to go back to college soon, then you can be sure that a laptop is more than handy in such circumstances.

However, there’s a big difference between getting just what you need or going over the top with your purchase, and which results in a complete waste of money.

So, here are 4 things to keep in mind when buying a laptop for college:

#1: Long battery life

Regardless of how well you plan your day, there will be days where you will have to stay on campus for long hours, and a low battery will hardly help in the process. Look at models with Intel’s fourth generation processors as they might cost a little more but will have long battery life.

#2: A keyboard that you can use easily

Make sure you get a keyboard that is big enough for you to type out your term paper and assignments while also being backlit so you can see it if in a dark room. No matter what you’re doing, whether browsing the web, doing homework, chatting on social media, the truth is that the keyboard is vital to your ease of use of the computer.

#3: Big screen for multitasking

Look for a 14 inch screen as it will accommodate a number of tasks such as chatting with your friends on Facebook, writing a term paper and even listening to music as well. A small screen will make it difficult to do all of them.

#4: Install security software

There are two types of security software: one that protects your computer from malware while the other protects your laptop when it is lost or stolen. Avast Free Antivirus, Microsoft Security Essential are effective antivirus software that you can download while LoJack, Hidden and GadgetTrack will help you recover your laptop.

Finding yourself stuck with troubleshooting PC problems has become part and parcel of everyday Life.

However, just in case you think you need to call tech support, it’s not a bad idea to try fixing the problem yourself, regardless of your level of expertise.

There are a number of common problems that individuals are faced with, and which can be resolved without having to spend $50 on a tech support.

Here are 3 common PC issues that can be fixed easily:

#1: My computer is slow

First of all, you have to check as to whether your PC is the reason for a computer being so slow. In some case, if websites and downloads being slow, this is because their broadband connection is below par.

If it is your PC, then clear your hard drive of unnecessary files, remove startup programs that you don’t need. For the latter, remember not to disable a program if you don’t know what it does or if Microsoft is its manufacturer.

#2: My printer is not working

In this case, check whether the print job is in the print queue, check whether your drivers are up to date and it has enough toner or ink and paper to print. Turn it off and back on while unplugging the printer and plugging it back in. Most of all, check if ‘Use Printer Offline’ isn’t checked.

#3: Cannot open email attachments

If you cannot open certain email attachments, then it’s probably because you don’t have the right software for it. For example, if you can’t read a PDF file, you probably need to download a PDF reader namely Acrobat Reader or Foxit to do so. If you’re not sure what software you need to download, then look for the software which can open the file with the particular extension over the internet.

Boat engines are just like your normal engines that you have on your cars – it needs some paying attention to. Just because we don’t use it as often doesn’t mean that regular maintenance should be out of the question. In fact, since they’re not being used regularly, they’re more prone to greater wear and tear.

As some sort of added insult to injury, some others really don’t know how to take care of their boat engines. For example, did you know that boat engines need to be broken in properly? It might be common knowledge that you shouldn’t start it and go to full throttle right away, but it’s a lesser-known fact that you shouldn’t at spend 75% of the first five hours of use at full throttle, but should instend go to full throttle intermittently. This simple oversight may just cause your motor to substantially decrease its useful life, making it a more immediate concern to replace your engine parts.

Also, when it comes to changing parts, you have to make sure that you purchase genuine parts that are full compatible with the make and year model of your particular engine – like for Suzuki Marine Parts. There are designated parts supplied that will perfectly replace your system – they are safer, and more efficient to use, without having to compromise the integrity of your boat engine.

Don’t even risk asking some technicians place some band-aid solution to your machine if it’s evident that the problem is severe; don’t also think that cheaper generic parts give all the same benefits as original ones. Always go original.