A week ago, I noticed a dramatic decline in my blog traffic. Thinking that it might have something to do with Google’s Panda update for 2012, I put off checking the site and changing the manner of ad placement. This week, though, after writing some articles for a client, I thought again of checking on my site and I was shocked to see that instead of my site’s admin page, a red alert warning from Google filled the page. Anyone who was supposed to have found my site were warned that The Writer Mom was a carrier of a malware! I was so upset I could hardly sleep.

I immediately contacted the company hosting my site and asked them to help me clean my site from any malicious software. A reply from them confirmed my fears–my site had been hacked! The web hosting company informed me that the hacker had injected malware into the site through one of the plugins installed in my other site (all my sites share the same hosting plan). They also informed me that they had removed the infected script and have cleaned the site from the infection. I was also told to update my site to the latest version of WordPress to prevent any more attack.

The problem did not end after the removal of the malware. The warning was still there, staring right back at me everytime I try to open either the site’s admin page or homepage. Worst, the site was still blacklisted! Fortunately, I found that I only had to request Google to have my site removed from the blacklist.

It took quite some time before Google responded to my request. Now, I am happy that the red alert warning has been removed and that my blog traffic is picking up again. From this experience, I learned a lesson. I realized that it is important to update to the latest version of WordPress everytime there is a new release as it can significantly help your site be protected from any malicious activities. Hackers abound these days and we need to be vigilant to keep our site safe from their meddling hands.

Finding freelance writing opportunities that pay well is not an easy task. While there may be hundreds of online writing sites that accept writers from all walks of life, most of these sites pay only pennies to their writers. The more lucrative sites or those that pay a higher fee for the hard work of writers, on the other hand, most often accept only writers from the US. Fortunately, there are still a few writing sites that allow international writers to earn more from their hard work and one of these is Constant Content.

Constant Content is an online marketplace for publishers and writers. It provides publishers an easy way to obtain their needed content while at the same time providing writers an avenue to sell their articles. Founded in 2004, Constant Content boasts a unique system that serves both publishers and writers alike. Unlike other freelance writing sites, Constant Content provides writers a better opportunity to earn by giving them first hand decision on how much they want to earn from the articles they have written. Basically, writers can decide the price for their articles, thus, giving them the opportunity to make the most out of their writing efforts.

The downside to Constant Content is that writers may have to wait longer for their articles to be picked up or bought by clients. There is no guarantee that the article may be sold at any time. In my experience, though, I found that the best way to sell and earn on the site is to write articles that are requested by the client. This way, your articles have more chances of being sold.

Another downside to using Constant Content is that it takes a large chunk out of your sales (35%). However, since you have free reign on how much you want to sell your article, you can always price your article higher so you could still make a good income out of it.

There are three types of usage license by which an article can be sold at Constant Content: usage rights, unique rights, and full rights. With usage rights, you can continue selling and earning from the article even if you have sold it to another client. With unique rights, you can still sell the article to other clients, but it will be removed from Constant Contents database once a client purchases it. Selling the article for full rights means that you are relinquishing all rights to the article to the purchaser and the purchaser can do anything he wants to do with it.

Constant Content has very strict editorial guidelines and to remain in its roster of writers, you must follow their writing guidelines strictly. Articles must be free of any errors and must pass their required format.

For more information on how to write for Constant Content and start earning good income from your writing, you may visit their website and read their FAQs page for writers.

Want to know more about which sites pay international writers? Read about them here.

Dog constipation is as common in dogs as it is in humans. Like humans, when dogs have this condition, they may experience mild to extreme discomfort and inconvenience. To people, constipation in their pets may not seem so much like serious trouble, but fact is that when canine constipation is left untreated for a long time, it may take a toll on the animal’s health.

Dog constipation may be caused by a number of reasons but whatever caused the problem, the good news is that it can be easily treated with natural remedies. One of the most natural ways to treat dog constipation effectively is to give the pet diet that is high in fiber. A fiber-rich diet can help loosen the stool and ease the dog’s constipation problems. It can help boost the animal’s digestive system.

Keeping the animal hydrated is another way to naturally treat dog constipation. Proper hydration can lubricate stool, making it easier for the pet to defecate. To keep the dog well-hydrated, it is best to give the animal ample amount of water after each meal. It also helps if your pet has easy access to drinking water all the time.

Giving your dog a good exercise may also help alleviate constipation problems. Exercise can promote muscle movement and lead to increased metabolism as well as peristaltic movement in your pet.

In some cases, milk may be a good natural dog constipation remedy. However, you should be careful when giving milk to your pet. Some dogs are lactose intolerant and giving them milk may cause them more harm than good. If your dog does not have a problem with lactose intolerance, milk intake may help them resume a normal bowel movement.

Adding mineral oil or olive oil on your dog’s diet is another natural treatment for dog constipation. Mineral and olive oil can provide lubrication to your pet’s stool, facilitating easier bowel movement. Be careful when using this method, however, as wrong administration may lead to diarrhea. Be sure to mix only a small amount of oil in your pet’s food when using this method to treat constipation.

Administering herbal remedies is another great alternative for treating constipation in dogs. There are a variety of herbal remedies that can help facilitate normal bowel movement in dogs. Some common herbal remedies for treating dog constipation include ginger and Aloe Vera juice to name a few.

These remedies may not be a surefire way to treat constipation in your pets. Results may be on a case to case basis for each breed or type of dog that you have. If your dog’s constipation problem persists, the best thing you can do is to seek the help of a veterinarian. The vet can prescribe the best medication for your beloved pet.

Halloween is that time of the year where we can step out of our usual clothing and mask ourselves in costumes that usually project our greatest fears or our greatest desires. Wearing Halloween costumes has been a most loved tradition in America and in many other parts of the world and this tradition is not only participated by kids but by adults as well.

There are several types of Halloween costumes that people can choose to wear during the celebration of Halloween. These include the scary types, sexy types, humorous types, and the superhero types.

Scary Halloween Costumes

These are the types of costumes that people wear if they want to really look scary. After all, being scary is what Halloween is all about, right? Scary Halloween costume designs can range from undead creatures of the night, vampires, creepy characters from movies, nightmarish creatures, and other characters whose looks can simply make your cringe and send chills down your spine.

Sexy Halloween Costumes

Oh, well, Halloween may not always be about being scary at all(I take it back). There are some Halloween costumes that are made for people who want to flaunt their sexiness during this once a year event. These costumes are often used by people who do not want to don the usual scary costumes for Halloween. These costumes can be anything sexy, like sexy nurse’s uniform’s, police officer’s uniform, sexy fairy outfit, sexy witch’s outfit, or whatever as long it projects sexiness. Take a look at some sexy costumes for Halloween here.

Humorous Halloween Costumes

These costumes are meant to encourage laughter in the crowd. They are often created with irony and pun-filled designs meant to tickle anyone’s bones.

Super Hero Halloween Costumes

Most kids love these types of Halloween costumes but these are not restricted for kids alone. Super hero Halloween costumes can also be worn by adults. Get into a Batman suit, a Spiderman suit, Harry Potter suit, or any other super hero and enjoy Halloween celebration at full blast.

The Brain-Eating Amoeba, scientifically known as Naegleria fowleri, is a parasite found in warm bodies of freshwater, such as lakes, ponds, hotsprings, and rivers. It is also sometimes found in soil, particularly in areas that are in close proximity to industrial plants, unchlorinated swimming pools, or generally in areas where there are warm water discharges.

The brain-eating amoeba cannot be passed from one person to another but it can be highly dangerous to those infected.

How the Brain-Eating Amoeba Infects People

The brain-eating amoeba can enter the human body through the nose. From there, it can start infecting the human central nervous system, climbing along nerve fibers towards the brain. Once this parasite penetrates the brain, it can consume the brain cells resulting to a fatal condition known as Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Infection can usually occur in a person after diving or swimming in lakes, rivers, unchlorinated swimming pools, or in any warm bodies of freshwater. Drinking contaminated water may not result to Naegleria fowleri infection.

Symptoms of Naegleria Fowleri Infection

Symptoms of Naegleria fowleri at its initial stage may mimic the symptoms of bacterial meningitis. At the initial stage of the infection, an infected individual may experience the following:
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Stiff neck

Initial symptoms can be felt by the infected person 1 to 7 days after the occurrence of the infection. Later on, when the infection has progressed, an infected individual may experience confusion, hallucinations, loss of balance, lack of attention to surroundings and other people, and seizures. Naegleria fowleri infection can occur rapidly and can cause death to the infected within 1 to 12 days only.

Treatment for Naegleria Fowleri Infection

There is no clear treatment against infection caused by Naegleria fowleri. Laboratory results have shown some drugs to be effective in fighting the organism but the effectiveness of these drugs remains unclear. All Naegleria fowleri infections have been found to be fatal even when infected people are treated with these drugs.

How Common Are Infections Caused by Naegleria Fowleri?

Naegleria Fowleri infections are very rare. Some symptoms felt by certain individuals may not really be a sign of the infection but of other diseases, such as bacterial meningitis.

Resources:

Naegleria Infection

Disclaimer: Information found in this website is intended for providing general information only and should not be regarded as professional advice. Consult your doctors if you need professional advice.

I came across a job posting searching for freelance writers at Craigslist weeks ago and thought of sending in my application. The supposed writing position was intended for experienced writers and rewriters and the promised payment was $0.0175 to $0.025 per word for unique articles and $0.025 to $0.0175 per word for rewritten articles. My application was met with a positive response – I received a response email from a certain Valerie Kermann and was given further details about the position and job description. I was then told to send an email to her supposed colleague who went by the name Victoria Douglas.

The email from Victoria contained a .pdf attachment which included instructions about my first assignment. I was asked to write 30 articles, which was to be returned back after 14 days of receipt. Wary of the large volume of initial assignment, I tried Googling Morgan Media Services, Ltd. and the names of people behind it but did not find much information that can assure me of the company’s legitimacy. I did find a website bearing the name of Morgan Media Services, Ltd. but it said the site was under maintenance.

Despite having second thoughts about the legitimacy of the company, I went on writing the articles, which were mostly reviews about an online gambling site. When I had finished 15 of the 30 assigned articles, I came across a posting at Craigslist warning other writers about the scam activities of Morgan Media Services.



I emailed the poster and asked for more details about the information she has gathered about the company. She said she found out that the website (which was supposedly under maintenance) was created only weeks before and the Whois information of the site contained information that was way too different from the information supplied to her by the people who contacted her about the writing assignment. She also said she found a facebook page bearing the name of Morgan Media Services, Ltd. but it was in Arabic, contrary to the claims of Valerie and Victoria that their office is located in London. Lastly, she said there is no such place as Westbrookshield in London, the address where Valerie and Victoria said their office was located.

My warning alert heightened upon receiving this information from the Craigslist poster. I sent a message to Victoria asking more details about payment for the project. Her response was less than professional, although she did answer my question. She didn’t sound professional to me at all, not like the way a real manager would respond to people she has contact with.

That email sealed my belief that the company may indeed be fictitious and not legit. I stopped writing the articles and waited until the supposed deadline. The deadline has passed but I have not received any correspondence from them asking me about the articles they have assigned to me. A legit company wouldn’t just disappear without a word, right? If they don’t hear from their writers on or after the agreed date of submission, they usually send emails asking about progress of the projects.

I am not certain whether Morgan Media Services, Ltd. is indeed a scam. I am just sharing my experience with this company to my fellow freelance writers so they might also be aware of the possible consequences that may befall them if they write for this company. If there is someone out there who has a positive experience with Morgan Media Services, Ltd. and who can vouch its legitimacy, please let us know.

Dogs are prone to contracting certain diseases and disorders at any stage of their life. Like the health conditions experienced by humans, these dog illnesses and diseases can affect canines at varying degrees – some can be mild while others may put the life of the animal at extreme risk. In both instances, it is important that dogs are given proper attention and medication once any irregularity in their health is noticed.

There are quite a number of health conditions that can affect dogs. Some of them are listed below.

Canine Arthritis

Canine arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that can affect dogs regardless of age and breed. It is characterized by severe pain in the dog’s joints, leading to the extreme discomfort of the animal. Canine arthritis can come in various forms and may be caused by a number of different factors. Treatment can vary depending on the type of arthritis that is present. Forms of dog arthritis include hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis, elbow dysplasia, hypertrophic dog arthritis, knee dysplasia, osteochondrosis, and degeneration of the shoulders.

Canine Urinary Tract Infection

This is one of the most common diseases that can affect dogs of all breeds and age. The main culprit behind this condition is bacteria that have penetrated the dog’s urinary system. Canine UTI is a highly treatable disease but it may also be fatal, particularly when not treated at the soonest possible time. UTI in dogs can lead to a number of complications that may be extremely harmful to these furry pets.

Canine Liver Disease

This is one of the most serious diseases that may affect dogs. Dogs having this condition may die anytime if left untreated. Unfortunately, the condition is not often diagnosed at its earlier stages because dogs with this health problem may not show signs or symptoms, or if they do, the symptoms may be so subtle to be noticed by the pet owners.

Dog Seizures

Seizures in dogs often result from sudden abnormal neurological functions in the brain. This disorder can come in several types, each of which may be caused by a number of reasons and characterized by different symptoms. Some factors that may lead to seizure disorders in dogs include brain tumor, canine distemper virus, epilepsy, toxins, hypoxemia, hypoglycemia, liver disease, urinary disease, hyperkalemia, gastrointestinal disease, and Lyme disease to name a few. The different types of seizures in dogs are fused into two main categories, namely, focal and generalized seizures. Focal seizures affect only a certain part of the dog’s body while generalized seizures can affect the animal’s entire body.

Dog Mange

Dog mange is a type of skin disease in canines. The main reason behind this condition is the presence of termites in the dog’s skin. The termites burrow deep into the skin, causing dogs to experience extreme itching and discomfort. Pain may be felt by the dog and noticeable patches of dry, scaly skin may develop. The dry skin may worsen and develop into tiny wounds that secrete pus. Dog mange is a highly contagious dog disease. It may affect other mammals, such as humans. For more information about this disease, read Dog Mange: What is It and How It Affect Dogs?



Diamonds continue to have an extremely high price tag but people in these modern times are now presented with several various options. While they may not have the budget to buy the real ones, they may be able to get hold of some imitations that look so much like the most valued stones. They can go for either diamond simulants or man made diamonds and still enjoy some of the benefits provided by a real diamond.

There is a big difference between a diamond simulant and a man made diamond. For one, a diamond simulant does not contain the same chemical composition, atomic structure, and physical properties that real diamonds are known to have. They only “simulate” the appearance of the real stones. A man made diamond, also known as synthetic diamond, on the other hand, may contain the same chemical composition, physical properties and atomic structure as real diamonds only that they are created in laboratories instead of mined. Both may possess the same appearance and beauty of the real stones.

Simulated diamonds as well as synthetic diamonds need to be created with diamond-like properties to be considered as a great substitute for the real stones. Properties to be considered include refractive index, hardness, luster, durability, and color characteristics to name a few. Refractive index refers to the measurement of how light bends when it enters the stone. Hardness and durability refer to how the stone resist scratches and damage as it comes into contact with some other objects. Luster refers to the stone’s brilliance.

Simulants are broken down into different types and categories. These include cubic zirconia, moissanite, synthetic rutile, zircon, and YAG to name a few. Cubic zirconia or CZ is created out of zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and is among the most popular simulants because of its close resemblance to diamonds. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale and a refractive index of 2.15-2.18, a close comparison to the refractive index of diamonds which falls at 2.42. Introduced into the market in 1977, CZ is considered to be the oldest simulant used as a substitute for diamond. It is also considered as the second best diamond substitute. Cubic zirconia is not to be confused with zircon, another type of simulant.

Moissanite is considered to be the best diamond substitute in the world. Its close resemblance to the real stones makes it harder for even some of the most experienced jewelers to identify it as an imitation. Moissanite has a refractive index of 2.65-2.69 and has a hardness of 9.25. A real diamond has a hardness of 10. Compared to a real diamond, a moissanite has more brilliance and luster.

Other types of simulated diamonds may not easily fool unwary buyers as genuine stones because they may have characteristics that sell them out as fake diamonds.

Diamond simulants are primarily created for the jewelry-making industry. They differ greatly from man made diamonds on this aspect as synthetic diamonds are largely created for industrial use. The latter is primarily produced in high volumes and for the purpose of cutting tools in large industries. Recently, they have been used by the semiconductor industry as heat sinks.

For the first time in my freelance writing career, I have been scammed by an individual posting as a prospect client for my writing services. This fictitious character dropped me a message asking for my rates to which I diligently replied, not thinking for a second that he might be a hoax.

The client first asked if I could write articles about diamonds. When I answered yes, he then proceeded to ask about the rates of my services. When I told him my rates, he asked if I could lower it a little as he would be ordering in bulk of 10 articles and he was low on budget. I told him I don’t often give discounts but I could lower my rates to $8 a piece for him. He then replied if I could produce the articles within 24 hours. His reply sent a warning shot through my veins and I immediately replied that 10 articles within 24 hours and with that kind of rate I was giving him were impossible. I told him that if he really wanted to have the articles within 24 hours, I might be able to make some arrangements but he would also be required to pay additional fees for the expedite processing or production of the articles he ordered.

The fake client continued to make negotiations for his supposed articles and in the end, agreed to order only 1 article to be submitted within a 24-hour time frame.

I wrote the article and managed to submit it on the agreed time and billed the client for it. The fake client replied to my email telling me that he was processing payment and the money may be reflected in my Paypal account soon.

Days passed and no money entered into my Paypal account. I contacted the fake client and reminded him of his dues to which he readily replied that he would arrange the payment on the next day. The next day came and still no payment was made. So, I contacted him again, trying not to lose my patience and rant through email. He again replied and told me that he would process the payment by Friday (I emailed him on a Wednesday).

I waited until Friday only to learn that still no payment had been made. Saturday and Sunday passed without a word from the fake client. Come Monday, I sent him another email telling him that if he will not send payment for the article, I would publish it on one of my websites and he would not be allowed to use it for his own purposes. Again, he replied that he would process payment as soon as possible.

Another week came to pass and no payment was made. It was a bad experience for me. All writers know how hard it is to write a piece of article and not to be compensated for the effort afterwards. It wasn’t just an article written out of hurry. It was well-researched and well-written like an informational, high quality article should be.

This experience made me learn the following lessons:

1. An email that goes into your spam folder is likely to be spam. I actually found the email of the fake client on my spam folder but thought that it must have been a mistake so I moved it into my inbox and proceeded in making a reply to his queries. I know. That was silly of me. I should have known better.
2. A lowballing client may be a scammer. I have clients that have no problem with the rates I am giving and I love them! They pay well and right on time. Clients who low-ball providers, however, seem to take some time before they are able to pay what they owe their writers or providers and they seem to pay only after several proddings and email reminders.
3. When a client asks for a number of articles within a 24-hour time frame or within such a short period of time, take it as a warning sign. Don’t trust.

These are only some of the warning signs that a client may scam you. There may be more. If you have also been scammed by a client before, you may leave a comment and share to us your experience with scammers posing as legitimate clients.


Dogs have always been regarded as man’s best friend and like humans, they can suffer from certain diseases that can affect their overall health conditions. One of the most common health problems that may affect dogs is fever, although oftentimes, owners may not likely notice this condition in their pets.

Dog fever can be caused by a number of factors. Some of these include:

• Infection. Dogs are susceptible to infections that can affect any part of their body. The infections may be bacterial, fungal, or viral. Depending on the type of organism that has caused the infection, different kinds of symptoms may be experienced by the dog. Types of infection that may lead to high fever in dogs include lung infection, kidney infection, and brain infection.
• Diseases of the immune system.  Sometimes, a dog may suffer from certain immune diseases, leading to high fever.  
• Vaccination. This can cause a certain reaction in the pet’s immune system. Fever occurs as a result of the body’s reaction to the drugs or vaccine injected into the animal’s body.
• Inflammation. Sometimes, the fever may be caused by inflammation occurring in certain parts of the dog’s body.
• Cancer or neoplasia. This is one of the worst causes of fever in dogs. Cancer can come in many forms and may affect particular parts of the dog’s body, including the bone marrow, blood, kidneys, liver, lung, and virtually any organ of the animal’s body.
• Idiopathic causes. Also known as “fever of unknown origin” or FUO. When a dog is said to have fever due to idiopathic causes, this means that the reason behind the condition cannot be determined. The dog may be suffering from certain underlying causes that remain unknown to the owner or to the examining veterinarian even after several tests have been administered.



Canine temperature is naturally high, that is why it can be difficult for a pet owner to determine whether the pet is suffering from fever or not. A dog’s normal temperature is in the range of 101 – 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to the human normal temperature of 97.6 – 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit. To determine whether a dog has fever, the owner or the vet may look for symptoms or may use a digital thermometer to check abnormalities in the animal’s temperature. The digital thermometer is often inserted into the animal’s rectum for an accurate or near-accurate reading of its body temperature.

Resources:

Healthy Dogs

Fever in Dogs