Portland native Don Courson has been in construction trades for some 50 years. In that time he has continually heard complaints from various tradesmen breathing dust of all sorts from mixing mortar, grout, for tile, cement, skim coating and Ardex and Mapei self-leveling products. Courson has invented the solution to this problem and it isn’t a Dust Mask. In fact, the thing is akin to a macro paperclip and he has just released it to the public.

His design is based on the theory that the best way to keep hazardous dusts from your lungs and skin is for the dust to never get there in the first place.

Courson’s invention is called the Tuxedo No-Dust, because the contraption makes mixing concrete dustless enough that you could do it in a tux. Simple and efficient, the Tuxedo No-Dust is the missing ingredient that connects your average shop-vac to a five-gallon mixing bucket, sucking the mixing dust from the air as you work and protecting both your lungs and skin in the process.

“Recently the E.P.A has become more concerned and vocal about the dangers of concrete and grout dust and have begun publishing papers regarding this concern along with guidelines and laws that it proposes to soon enforce to protect workplace air quality,” said Courson. “The agency has even gone as far as to hint that certain job site air quality regulations are probably on the horizon.” (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/hip-goodwork.html) This corresponds with recent reports by the CDC regarding safety devices developed to protect workers from concrete dust (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2009-115/)

Courson’s tool is an idea whose time has come and, because it is so simple, it is probably a little tardy. Here’s why: Health related illness connected to concrete and grout dust includes chronic bronchitis, Silicosis and cancer (from chromium compounds found in some cements). And cement and grout dust on skin or eyes can cause burns, rashes, and other kinds of irritation. Workers can become allergic to this dust if they have contact with it over a long period of time.

At this time, Tuxedo No-Dust is available at:
Cronin, 5230 N. Basin Ave., Portland, OR
T&A Supply Co., 4825 N Basin Ave., Portland, OR
Dal Tile, 3240 N.W. 29th Avenue and Yeon Street, Portland, OR
White Cap, 920 N.E. 58th Ave., Suite 900, Portland, OR

For more information, please visit http://www.tuxedonodust.com or http://www.breathnoconcretedust.com

Neal Schnitzer has improved on an innovative way to assist cash-strapped folks who own property using a fast, easy, safe closing within Escrow.

“I buy real estate notes, full or partials, whereas many only buy the full amount and they take too big of a discount so working with me ends up a win/win,” said Schnitzer. “I get the people the cash they need today, not 30 years from now.”

Leveraging his assets, along with the buying power of his company and that of friends and family, Schnitzer can typically get the seller a higher dollar amount for their note, filling a unique niche which results in higher cash payments for sellers who need to sell a portion of their note to cover unexpected bills such as medical payments and the like or who have an opportunity to invest.

Working from his office in Portland, Oregon, his service is available nationwide, and Schnitzer can even help people outside of the United States with their Real Estate Mortgage Notes.

Here is how Schnitzer’s service works: When people take on a mortgage note they typically create a good income stream and the note originates with a high rate of return and with real estate as collateral meaning this was a smart thing to do with investment money. However, with so many incredible real estate opportunities for someone with cash, note owners now may be wiser from an investment standpoint to sell their real estate note at a discount in order to buy another amazing deal for cash, making the note owner come out way ahead with investment property.

“Cash is King and I am helping people get access to it,” said Schnitzer.

Additionally, since Schnitzer has been in business for so long, he is able to help people, once they have cash from selling part of their note, to finance even larger projects if they do not have enough capital to make a 100% cash offer. He also helps to design future notes, structured in a manner that will garner high returns. All of this adds up to equal a complete service that note sellers cannot get anywhere else.

For Real Estate Mortgage Note Sellers to determine for themselves if anyone else can beat Schnitzer’s service, note owners are encouraged to request a free quote from his website at http://www.mortgagenotesbuyer.net/

You may feel the earth shake under your feet, but despite rumors to the contrary, we are in no way responsible for the recent succession of Earthquakes in San Diego in Southern California, even though we DID just roll out a hot new SEO model that has already caused rumblings in the SEO world:

On-Spec ads have traditionally been unofficial, proposed advertisements to ad agencies. They are usually from creative, “regular dudes” or grassroots startups who sit down at a computer and bang out ads that are much better than anything the suits could ever dream up, and The SMT has just started doing them beginning with a “Portland Jewelry” or “Portland Jeweler” campaign.
Remember that iPod Touch ad with the CSS soundtrack? That was created by an 18-year-old student attending Leeds University. Spec ads are usually edgy and fresh.

On-Spec is short for “on speculation”. It’s something you’re doing on your own to build your portfolio. This isn’t a “real” assignment. It’s material you’re creating to show potential clients or employers samples of your stuff. A real chance to flex your creative muscle.

It is work, such as SEO, that is done for a client without a contract or job order, for which the client will pay only if the work is to be used. When a job is done on speculation, the person doing the work takes the risk in the hope of making a profit, gaining a valuable credit, or for some other reason. In the SEO business, creative talent will often work on spec in order to establish a name in the industry.

For example, if you have no writing samples, you can write SEO on SPEC. You can take any SEO and give it your own personal touch. Make sure you clearly label it as SPEC SEO.

If you’ve always wanted to work in the SEO industry and you don’t have any experience, the dilemma can seem overhwelming. Many people figure they’ll never get a job in SEO for this very reason.

But there are ways around this obstacle.

Speculative SEOs are the key. These are SEOs you’ve created and hosted yourself.

Quick. Write an SEO site for one of the brands you see around you. You’ve just created a SPEC SEO, as it’s known in the industry. These SEOs show a potential employer/client your talent.

In your portfolio, you’ll really want to showcase your SEO.

Smaller agencies are generally more receptive to a portfolio full of SPEC SEO sites. Don’t rule out the smaller agencies in your search for an SEO position. It’s an excellent way to build up your portfolio so you can shed those SPEC SEOS in the future.

Another option to consider is an internship at a local SEO agency or a business with its own in-house web design team.

Internships at SEO agencies are competitive and you should research an agency to see their types of clients. This helps you determine what types of materials they handle so you can build your portfolio appropriately.

Companies with an in-house web design team manage most, if not all, aspects of their SEO. They have a complete web department that produces all sorts of materials for the company. The only downside is that the in-house group only produces materials for that one company. That’s generally not a problem because the types of materials produced are so various to promote the company and its products.

When searching for a position in the SEO industry, especially if you have little or no experience, you’ll have to rely on your SPEC SEOS to spotlight your ability to do the job. And while your talent may be great, don’t forget to show your enthusiasm. Enthusiasm can go a long way in this business.

For more on how we are doing this, check out The SMT’s “Portland Jewelry” and “Portland Jeweler” campaign, but don’t go blaming those San Diego Earthquakes on us!

According to Google, today’s hottest search was for When A Man Loves A Woman Lyrics, which is strange what with everything happening out in SE land today that could impact Website SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Website Ranking, Portland. Not to mention Website Promotion for Oregon companies that operate sites or conduct ecommerce business with China.

Today Google ended talks with China over censorship of search results in that country, redirecting its China search engine (google.cn) visitors to the Hong Kong-based service (google.com.hk).

Should an American company compromise its principles to gain access to world’s fastest growing internet market? State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley is reported as saying, “Were I China, I would seriously consider the implications when one of the world’s most recognizable institutions has decided that it’s too difficult to do business in China.”

For local companies, this may well influence how we do business with clients from China, affecting our Portland Website SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Website Ranking and Website Promotion for Oregon on Baidu, China’s #1 Search Engine now that Google has exited the country.

Google just announced a new search engine product (hopefully one to replace Google Product Search… That thing is so clunky), to help big online retailers make their websites easier to search.

With Google Commerce Search Google sets up a search function on an online retailer’s website, which Google says will dramatically improve user experience and drive sales.

The main selling points are that everything that has made Google a dominant company will help people navigate clunky retail websites that cause a major stumbling block to sales.

The AP in Seattle today reported that Microsoft and Yahoo may have finalized a Internet search advertising partnership aimed at narrowing Google’s chunk of the lucrative piece of the online advertising market pie.

Microsoft just recently launched Bing, it’s new search engine, which leads us to nickname the new Yahoo, Bing ad alliance as “Ying”.

As of now, it looks as though Yahoo will handle ad sales and customer service and Microsoft will power search results and display the appropriate ads to display.

It is unsubstantiated, but expected that part of the deal includes Yahoo promoting Bing on its engine.

As of last week: Google is unrolling a Free PC operating system to rival Microsoft … Call it a touche’ to Microsoft’s recent attempt to tread on Google’s search engine turf with Bing. (Want to compare Bing vs. Google search engine results side-by-side? Check out http://bing-vs-google.com/)

Google pretty much much owns search engine land, but it only recently made a dent in the internet browser field with Chrome and it’s slight and simple

Office-like suite. The operating system, incidentally, will also be named Chrome, according to news reports.

Google made this last announcement a month after Microsoft launched Bing, its first search engine.

Chrome OS will be available in the second half of 2010.

Google is working with Acer, Asustek, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments on the project.

I thought I would share something I use with SEO clients in Portland that like a DIY game to play to see how I am helping them rank well in organic search results. Practice using Google’s Chrome Browser, Downloadable Here, alongside TyBit’s Search Engine Toolbar Downloadable Here.

The main reason I use Google Chrome to conduct targeted keyword searches for clients that want me to focus on certain phrases, is that Chrome immediately returns updated results from Google’s search engine before either Firefox or IE. I’m serious. Conduct your favorite search (or use a search for one of my clients, like “harvester repair” [csiequip.com], “portland computer repair” [1201.com], “Oregon coast excavating” [salmonrivercontractors.com], “Chinese food Portland” [szechuankitchen.com], “Portland sports bar” [cidermillpdx.com OR fryertuckchicken.com], “fried chicken in Portland” [cidermillpdx.com OR fryertuckchicken.com], or “Portland SEO” [streethelper.com]) in both FF and IE and you will see vastly different organic search results. Now do the same search in Google’s Chrome browser and you will get more recent search result rankings because Chrome clears out and refreshes your cache at a more regular and frequent rate (the precise rate is top-secret, but rumors report that the browser does this every twelve hours by default, and more often based on how often you conduct searches.).

Ok, now move on to phase two of this game. After you know your up-to-the-minute Google ranking, you will want to see where you rank in the other leading engines. You COULD do this by searching each engine individually, OR you can use TyBit to search all of the 16 most popular (except Google, but including MSN, Yahoo and Bing) engines at once and see the overall average returns and rankings for organic search results.

Try it. If you wonder if your SEO Company in Portland (or anywhere for that matter) is working for you, this is one way to check on their progress.

Have you seen the commercials for Microsoft’s new Search Engine, Bing? You will.Bing is Microsoft’s latest effort to take a chunk of the search engine market share away from Google.

Frankly, it is going to be tough for Bing to woo searchers to abandon Google.

Microsoft Corp. released the redesigned search site on June 3 (two days ago) in the hopes it will lure more surfers than Live Search and MSN Search were able to tempt.

For the past five or so years, Microsoft has been stuck in third place behind Google and Yahoo in search engine popularity. (Remember, this is why Microsoft tried taking over Yahoo last year.)

The first thing you’ll notice is that Bing lists “related search terms” on the left (Google displays this on the bottom), which is much more accessible.

After toying around with it a bit, Bing delivers good search results, but only if you know exactly what you’re looking for. If you misspell your query, you will get nothing near what you were searching for because there is no Google-like hint that pops up saying “did you mean” and your search query spelled correctly. In my opinion, if you want to lure users away from a very-forgiving and efficient search engine like Google, your engine needs to out-gun and out-class your adversary. So far, Microsoft’s New Search Engine, Bing doesn’t come close.

In a blog post, Google demonstrates how it traces a person’s eyes across search results pages.

The post reads, in part:

“Based on eye-tracking studies, we know that people tend to scan the search results in order. They start from the first result and continue down the list until they find a result they consider helpful and click it — or until they decide to refine their query … most users found what they were looking for among the first two results and they never needed to go further down the page.”

Google’s eye-tracking research helps advertisers to realize that the first search results page is the only one likely to be seen. Which is where good SEO and copywriting becomes worth its weight in gold…