As you may recall, Cisco recently shut down its Flip Video division. Cisco has always been into networking infrastructure and networking equipment, so how did they end up buying and running a division that focused on dumbed-down camcorders? They didn’t really belong in that sphere, so they shut it down.

And then there is Canada Post. They’re in the business of postal services (though there’s not much of that going on with the current strike action), but did you know that they’re involved in comparison shopping too? If you go to the Canada Post website, you’ll find a section where you can shop for an iPod touch, among other consumer electronics, as well as clothing, barbecues, and power tools.

But why? They might be able to make a decent side income from the affiliate deals, since all the “comparison shopping” leads you to e-tailers like Dell and NCIX, but that’s not at all related to Canada Post’s core business. Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on taking some market share away from other couriers? After all, with the given strike, any purchases that go through the Canada Post Comparison Shopper can’t get delivered via Canada Post. They’re almost (but not really) advertising for alternatives like UPS and Fedex.

Then again, there are many companies that decided to expand their business portfolio and have done so very successfully. Apple really only sold computers for the longest time, but now Steve Jobs and crew are doing very well with cell phones and tablets too, not to mention digital music and movie sales. Sometimes, expansion works.

Maybe this Comparison Shopper is at least generating some positive cash flow for Canada Post as they sort out this whole strike thing. Some money is better than no money.

The following post is a paid review but all opinions expressed are entirely my own and not affected by the compensation I received to write this review. Check the advertising page for information on how you can have your site or product featured on Beyond the Rhetoric.

When you’re spending up to hundreds of dollars on a smartphone, you really should be spending a little more to protect it too. Catering to a very specific market is WesWare Online, an e-retailer that supplies a wide range of BlackBerry cases and skins for a number of different models.

The site focuses exclusively on BlackBerry devices, so you won’t find any cases for your Android smartphone, Apple iPhone, or Nokia device. Many corporate users have BlackBerry devices, but regular consumers like them too. That’s why the cases span from super conservative to very eccentric.

For instance, the Freaknik case is pretty loud. You could say that it shows off a little bit of urban flair (or whatever you want to call it) and it won’t be the style that is suitable for everyone. Because the skins and cases are quite varied, though, you’re bound to find something that is more in line with your tastes.

Most cases on the site are only about $12 or so and they offer a flat shipping charge of $2.50. This is regardless of the number of cases in your order. For United States deliveries, you can expect shipping to take between two and five days, whereas Canadian deliveries take between seven and fifteen days. From what I can tell, WesWare will not ship internationally.

Yes, you could just as easily go to eBay or any number of other online marketplaces to find your BlackBerry case, but WesWare is a pretty good bet too. They offer some bigger brands in the realm and the prices are definitely reasonable. If you need a BlackBerry case or skin, give WesWare a visit and see if anything catches your eye.

However, larger companies may appreciate the added functionality and utility of the Microsoft Exchange system. At the same time, they may not want to deal with all the hardware and support that goes into using that system. That’s why they might want to consider the Hosted Exchange services offered by a firm like Sherweb.

Let’s take a moment to review how this service works, why you might want it, and how much it costs.

In short, Sherweb will allow you have the enterprise-level functionality of Microsoft Exchange without having to deal with any of the servers and other hardware that go into having that secured corporate-level system. By using Exchange, all of your employees can have access to common calendars and email inboxes, synchronizing across computers (and smartphones) as needed.

The Hosted Exchange service offered by Sherweb is compatible with most computers, as Outlook 2007 is included in the price, as well as many mobile devices. These include the ever-present BlackBerry, as well as other smartphones like the iPhone, Windows Mobile devices, and Symbian handhelds.

As you can see, the necessary infrastructure for Microsoft Exchange can be quite complex. Depending on the size of your business, it simply may not be cost-effective to take on these responsibilities yourself. It may be much more affordable (and more stress-free) to go with a hosted Exchange solution.

Included in the infrastructure are the firewalls, EDGE server, exchange hub, anti-spam measures, Exchange mailbox cluster, backup storage, and more. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, just so that you can see you have a 1pm with a very important client.

So, how much does it cost? The basic hosted Exchange service chimes in at $8.95 per mailbox per month, so multiply that through for the number of employees that you have. This includes 3GB of storage per user and no setup costs. There are additional premiums, like larger SharePoint capacity (100MB included), if you need it.

For more information, check out SherWeb.com. Myself, I’ll stick to the free services offered by Google. That’s one of the pros to being a one-man show.

Times are a-changing.

Growing up, I was largely told to stay away from people who had tattoos. I was told that these people lived on the fringes of society, belonged to gangs, or were otherwise caught up in no good. They’d be members of the Triad, for example, and I didn’t want to get mixed up in that.

While there were certainly perfectly good people who happened to have tattoos, it wasn’t really that mainstream a thing to do. You’d see them on rock stars and professional athletes, but it was much more uncommon to see them on a white-collar worker who was supposed to be a “well-to-do” kind of person. Perspectives haven’t completely changed, but they are definitely shifting.

In my own East Vancouver neighborhood, I’m starting to see more and more tattoo parlors show up on many blocks. There’s one on Main Street near 30th Avenue that used to be a dry cleaner. There’s one near Victoria and 33rd. They’re popping up everywhere and, even some of the affluent and “conservative” people I know have tattoos. Then, there are people like Leo.

To my knowledge, which is fairly limited in this realm, it’s not any cheaper to get a tattoo today than it was ten or twenty years ago. The cost of tattoo supplies is probably about the same, adjusted for inflation. It’s just that more people are getting them and, thus, more tattoo parlors can then be supported. And they don’t have to be hiding in holes in the wall.

All kinds of celebrities have tattoos. From Angelina Jolie to Britney Spears, David Beckham to Hayden Panettiere, celebrities from all genres are not opposed to some ink on their skins. We probably could not have said the same about folks like Humphrey Bogart or Marlon Brando, right?

At the same time, there are just some people that I can’t imagine ever getting a tattoo. He may be the root of all evil, but I seriously doubt John Chow would ever go under the needle, so to speak. I wouldn’t either.

What do you think? Are tattoos and piercings much more mainstream today than they were even a few years ago? Are they more commonly perceived as “artistic” or “personal” expression these days, rather than a symbol of rebellion and fringe society?

Part of the appeal of leading the dot com lifestyle is that I am not bound to a single location or a single schedule. This added flexibility allows me to continue running my freelance writing business from just about anywhere I have a reliable Internet connection. That’s why I’ve found that many of my vacations in recent years have become working holidays. For instance, I was in Las Vegas in January for the Consumer Electronics show.

To some people, this may sound counter to approaching a healthy life-work balance and there may certainly be some truth to that. I don’t think I’ve had a true holiday for some time now, so it might not be a bad idea to start searching for some good vacation deals. At some point, it pays to unplug completely from the matrix, leaving work behind if only for a few days at a time.

I’ve had the opportunity to go on a cruise or two, but I have not yet experienced the all-inclusive resort just yet. One of the biggest names in this realm is Club Med and while they may not be the cheapest option for a tropical vacation, they do offer some of the best all-inclusive resorts on the planet. It’d be nice to relax next to the pool with an ice-cold drink, wouldn’t you say?

While I can certainly appreciate some well-deserved rest and relaxation, I always feel compelled to do something when I am on holidays. I want to see the attractions and make the most of what the destination has to offer. Some people will stick to the resort, but it is worth noting that organizations like Club Med offer various activities as well.

For instance, you can consider some of the horseback riding vacations listed above. Riding a horse around in Morocco or Indonesia would be quite different than my experience at Sea to Sky Stables, that’s for sure.

I don’t have any plans to hit up an all-inclusive resort this year — my main trip will likely be to Los Angeles for E3 Expo 2010 — but it is something that I want to add to my international travel bucket list. Freelancers need time to unwind too, you know.

Whatever the case, it’s a good idea to educate yourself on the matter before making any important decisions. In a very literal sense, these decisions could mean the difference between life or death. In much the same way, you can arm yourself with a wealth of knowledge even before stepping foot into a doctor’s office.

Owned by the same people who run WebMD, TheHeart.org aims to be a valuable resource for anyone looking for cardiology news and information in related fields. It serves as a medical information database largely for cardiologists, allied healthcare professionals, and referring physicians. As a result, the language used on the site can be a little dry and technical in nature.

In order to access any of the individual articles on the site, you need to register for an account. Membership appears to be free and they don’t verify your email address, so you can start reading the content right away. For example, here is an article discussing a warfarin alternative for stroke prevention.

A little bit of information can be a very dangerous thing, so I’m not suggesting that you should completely distrust the opinion of medical professionals. At the same time, don’t be afraid to ask questions and to request a second opinion. This is true whether you have a big insurance company paying your way or if you have access to a government-funded universal health care option.

Many of you may still see me as a “young man,” but I think it’s important to keep heart health in mind at any age. This is particularly true if you’re dining on foie gras burgers on a regular basis! TheHeart.org is not without its flaws — the information can be very esoteric and the layout cluttered — but it can still be a valued resource to the people who need it.

Many of us get caught up in making money and moving up the corporate ladder, but you have to remember that your health should be valued about all else. Without your health, any level of wealth is worthless.

I guess you could say that I started from a rather fortunate position. When I decided to embark on this freelance writing journey, I had enough money saved up that I didn’t need a full-time income right away. It also helped that the startup costs were remarkably minimal, because I already had a computer from which I could work.

If you’re looking to open a brick-and-mortar store or start some other kind of business, however, the startup costs can represent a major prohibitive factor. Thankfully, the government can help you in this regard. This review of Grants-Loans.org will describe some of the resources that are available to you if you’d like to start or expand your small business.

How to Get Government Grants

Just as there is a process to apply for student loans and grants when you want to go to school, there is also a lot of bureaucratic red tape to endure when you want a business-related grant too. You could try to solicit some seed money from venture capitalists, of course, but it’s nice to know that the government is there to help you.

When you go to Grants-Loans.org, one of the first tools you’ll want to use is the grants and loans wizard, accessible through the main link in the left sidebar. Going through that utility, you’ll learn whether you are eligible for Canadian government grants. Even if you are running an online business, the wizard will want to know your province of operations.

Following through on this wizard, you’ll learn what government programs you can use for your new or existing small business, leading you to the appropriate place to apply for these programs.

How Much Money Can I Expect?

Naturally, the amount of government funding you can get will range considerably. For instance, Koolhaus Games of Vancouver received more than $30,000 in government funding to “develop new technologies to enhance video games.”

By contrast, a canoe manufacturer was able to get a $300k+ loan from the government to purchase equipment and facilities. It really is dependent on your specific needs and the project at hand.

More to the Helping Hand

In addition to working as a “middleman” between you and the government in relation to small business loans and grants, Grants-Loans.org also has an impressive section filled with small business resources.

These articles can be a good place to start if you want to learn some tips related to cash flow, business acquisition, or even human resources.

Money Is Just the Beginning

Many people with regular jobs will tell you that they aspire to own their own businesses and be their own bosses. That’s a fair dream to have, but so many of these people do not take the necessary steps to realize their dreams. They say that they don’t have the funding to get started, so they remain in stagnation.

You also have to realize that money is a means to an end. If you can get some government funding through loans or grants, that may be your window of opportunity toward true entrepreneurship. Know that it can be a risky business, but the rewards can be positively immense.

Just as there are several advantages to working for yourself, there are just as many different choices you’ll need to make and responsibilities you’ll need to handle. For the Internet entrepreneur looking to make money online, selecting the right hosting solution for your websites can be of monumental importance.

When you have a smaller website like Beyond the Rhetoric, an inexpensive shared hosting option can be perfectly suitable, but what if your traffic starts to increase exponentially? This sounds like a good problem to have, but it is a problem nonetheless. In this review, we’ll take a look at the dedicated hosting that you can get through Hosting.com. That should be able to handle larger volumes, right?

Why Get Dedicated Web Hosting?

Whether you’re looking to make some passive income as a freelance writer and you’re using the web space for some other objective, a dedicated server is much more powerful than the usual shared hosting that you get with cheaper plans.

With shared hosting, your websites are stored on the same server rack as several other customers. Depending on your chosen web host, this could result in a lot of heavy congestion, especially if your server neighbors are utilizing the majority of the resources. If you pay the premium for dedicated servers, however, the resources related to that server are entirely yours. This gives you faster speeds and the ability to handle higher levels of traffic.

How Much Does It Cost?

You can usually find shared hosting (or even cloud-based shared hosting) for under $10 a month without too much trouble. Dedicated servers, on the other hand, can be much more expensive than that depending on your specific needs. Visiting the sites of most web hosts, you can browse through their available packages. Not so with Hosting.com, unfortunately.

When I went looking for more information, I could see some sample configurations which are indicative of what you can expect with dedicated servers through Hosting.com, but there was nary any mention of a specific price.

Instead, you would have to ask for a quote to find out the cost. This can be an immediate deterrent to casual passers-by and a price list really is something that Hosting.com should include on the site.

Help Where It Belongs

We should all count our blessings that we have the options that we do and that’s why it’s so important to give wherever we can. Thankfully, the folks at Hosting.com feel the same way.

The web host is contributing to the Haiti relief effort as part of a larger movement in the “normally fiercely competitive” hosting community. All proceeds are going to the American Red Cross and the funds will be used to mobilize relief workers, send supplies, and provide financial resources for recovery.

If nothing else, this helps to demonstrate that Hosting.com is committed to more than simple profit. That’s a definite plus in my books.

I’ve already said this several times before, but it is worth reiterating. There is so much more to freelance writing than just the writing itself. This is true of any home-based business, ranging from the accounting duties to customer service. Chances are that you’ll want a website too, so that opens up the can of worms containing domain names and web hosting.

You could take the route of traditional hosting, whether it be shared or a dedicated server. Alternatively, you could try the cloud-based hosting of Top Hosting Center. Over the course of this review, we’ll take a look at their various services, features, and price points.

Four Ways to Get into the Cloud

You can tell that Top Hosting Center has its focus placed squarely on the business market, but I see no reason why a casual personal user couldn’t use their services as well. The key advantage to cloud-based hosting is that your data is distributed across several servers; by doing so, you’re supposed to enjoy greater uptime and better reliability. If there’s a hardware failure on one server, your site can still be live. That’s not the case with traditional hosting.

There are four main services offered, each with their respective strengths and weaknesses: cloud shared hosting, cloud sites, cloud servers, and cloud storage.

These range considerably in price and scope, of course, so you’ll need to choose accordingly. For each of these, you can click on the “learn more” link to access additional information about what each of these entail.

Sharing the Cloud with Others

If you want the most affordable web hosting, then you’ll likely be looking at the cloud shared hosting. This is equivalent to regular shared hosting, except your sites would be spread out over several servers in the cloud.

For the shared hosting, the cheapest option is $4.95 a month and it provides you with just 500MB of storage. If you’re going to host any multimedia, 500MB probably won’t cut the mustard. The small bump up to the next package, at $8.95 a month, gets you 10GB of storage instead. Much better.

What Exactly is a Cloud Site?

I understood the fundamentals of using the cloud servers and cloud storage solutions. Those made sense. However, I wasn’t entirely sure what Top Hosting Center meant by a cloud site.

Looking at the comparison page, a cloud site is similar in scope to the cloud shared hosting, except it has guaranteed high availability (HA), SSH access on all plans, the ability to upload videos, and something called storage area network (SAN) storage. This is supposed to be more reliable with faster throughput.

Not surprisingly, those features come at a premium. Along with more disk storage, you can get unlimited monthly data transfer with the larger cloud site price plan.

Just Another Cloud in the Sky

Without having the ability to take Top Hosting Center out for a proper test drive, I can’t say for sure whether it really delivers on its promises. I haven’t tried cloud-based hosting myself, but when major corporations like Amazon rely on it, that’s got to say something.

The pricing seems fair and the range of services is admirable. If you’re looking for a cloud-based solution for your website or company, Top Hosting Center seems like a viable option to consider.