How to Become a Millionaire Using the Internet

Work from home! Automatic cash machine! Be a millionaire Hawaii beach bum! Turnkey business! We've all heard it. Don't be a bumpkin, folks; the people making the big bucks passively are the ones you hear in the radio ads.

Not to say that you can't make money on the internet; you can. That's the good news. But here's the catch: like everything else, it's a lot of hard work. How do I know? Because I make a living this way and I work seven days a week.

Maybe in a few years I can slack off, but not yet. So how's it done? Well, since it's the internet (thanks for inventing it, Al Gore!), you need high-speed access. Then you need to build your own website with tools like DreamTemplate, use someone else's (like Ebay), or provide content for other people's sites.

You can make money on your site doing affiliate marketing for companies like shareasale.com.

So how does doing your own thing differ from buying a turnkey "business" from the scam artists? You have to stand out in the crowd by providing your own angle. The scam artists are selling the same internet store to as many suckers as they can. At a huge profit.

Want to see how I do it? Check out the content I provide for other sites at http://www.examiner.com/x-7913-Houston-Running-Fitness-Examiner where I write fitness articles and http://homerenorepair.suite101.com/ where I'm the feature writer for the home improvement topic.

And finally, to see the site I've built, just click on the banner below!

How to Touch Up Furniture

Do you have a piece of wood furniture or two that's got a few dings? Not quite enough to warrant the effort of stripping, puttying, sanding, and refinishing? Been there, done that. Well, there's an elegant solution that you can DIY in just a few moments (say, right before the company arrives)!

This little bit of touch-up magic comes in the form of a marker; it looks kind of like a magic marker and you can pick them up at most home improvement centers. It's nowhere as complicated as web design.


I know, it sounds lame, but it really does work. The brand I'm familiar with is Mohawk, which is a company under the same corporate umbrella where RustOleum resides. That says quality to me.

The real trick is in matching the shade. I learned how to do this when I was the Engineering supervisor at the Marriott in Houston's Medical Center where guests seem to get a sardonic pleasure in abusing furniture in ways they would never at home.

Don't even get me started about the damage done by the Hurricane Katrina refugees...



Anyhow, they only come in a certain number of shades. Here's the trick: swipe with a shade slightly darker than your finish and quickly wipe with a cloth. After wiping it'll be lighter than the marker says.Repeat with the swipe 'n wipe until you've got a match. Each swipe will get you closer. Using the chisel edge of the marker, you can even match grain patterns with practice.

Learn how we can increase your sales, develop your brand, and generate interest in your site.

How to Repair Stripped Bolt Hole Threads

Not many things frustrate me more than bolt hole threads when they strip out. I don't think anyone would be in disagreement with me that it always happens at exactly the wrong time. Who wants to spend an hour and a half searching for a tap and die set and then digging up a bigger bolt?

But there is good news! There is a cheap and easy DIY fix! I don't recommend doing this on your engine block, for obvious reasons, but it will work wonderfully in a number of light duty situations.

And further good news; it doesn't require any expensive new tools either. The initial thing you'll need to do is back out the bolt. This should be easy; it's already stripped, right? You might have to use vice grips on the head and pull while turning it counter-clockwise.

Next, fill the bolt hole with a compound, either Liquid Steel or J.B. Weld. This stuff has the advantages of wood glue and finishes like metal. You've got to love the folks that invented those products!

They're so good they don't even need to hire Billy Mayes to hawk them on TV. Next, coat the bolt (preferably a new one) liberally with liquid soap, including the head.

Run the bolt back into the hole and wipe up the excess that squeezes out around the bolt head. Do this gently; remember that you're making new threads.

When the compound is dried, you're set! You can now screw or unscrew at will.

It's Time to Monitor Concrete Slab Foundations

They tell me that Summer doesn't start officially until June 21, 2009. That's also Father's Day and the Summer Solstice, so that gives us three reasons to get out and dance by the light of the moon.

Problem is, here in South Texas, we didn't get the memo about summer starting so late. It's already sliding into the 90s on a daily basis so it's a good thing that we've got a couple of other things to occupy our minds on the 21.

I ran a 5K race on Saturday and it was already hot at 7:30. I was slooow. Since the run was put on by my running club, I wasn't too embarrassed. I guess I'll just have to to train harder and prepare mentally.

As hot as it is, and as dry as it's been, the dirt around our concrete slab foundations has been getting mighty dry. That can spell trouble as far as cracking goes.

If we don't keep an eye on conditions, we stand to be in for some expensive foundation repairs. Around here, that usually means piers or pilings, sometimes something proprietary like Olshan's Cable Lock technology.

Whichever it is, it's messy and expensive.

So, what to do? The best thing is to monitor it on a daily basis and water it as needed. The best method is to run soaker hoses around the slab's perimeter and water it enough to keep the repair demons at bay.

Does Father's Day Overlap Home Improvement?

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Father's day is fast approaching. This isn't going to be another "tie and soap-on-the-rope" year is it? Why not give him what he wants? And Dads, it might be time to start dropping hints, yes? What do we want? As Tim Allen would say, "Tools!"

Tools for Father's day are practical gifts. After all, this is something that us DIY types are going to buy anyway. And ladies, what better way to give your honey-do list a well-deserved nudge? Either that or find a handyman. Here are a few categories that might bear a bit of consideration:

• Automotive tools. That's right. In the economic recession we find ourselves mired in, we need to do all the repairs we can. Not many people are looking to purchase a new vehicle just now anyhow. Think about it; would you buy a car built by GM (Government Motors)? Or how about a Hummer now that the Chicoms have bought that division? And you thought you had lead paint woes before?

• Hand tools. Can't have too many of these babies. Just a couple of weeks ago I had to go to Home Depot and buy a set of torx screwdrivers to tweak the door strike on my Toyota Tundra. Who doesn't find themselves needing a pair of sharp Wiss tin snips now and then?

• Power tools. We can only do so much with hand tools, as much as we love them. Whether we're talking belt sanders, table saws, drill presses, or wood lathes, the choices are getting better and the prices are lower than ever.

Just a few home improvement tool ideas for Father's Day. You can thank me later.

Structural Integrated Panels (SIPs)

Northern climes are now thawed out enough to break ground for new construction, I suppose. It never gets cold enough to freeze the ground here. Bottom line, it's time to build, if the construction financing is available.

One green building technology to think about is Structural Integrated Panels, or for those into acronyms, SIPs.

So what are they? They're construction sandwich modules formed of exterior panel surfaces made of Oriented Strand Board (OSB). The "meat and cheese" is rigid foam plastic insulation.

Sustainable Benefits that Lead to LEED Certification


The benefits are many. First, OSB can be made from scrap material from other woodworking processes. Waste not, want not. Next, since the sandwich panels are designed by an architect using construction software, the shapes and sizes mean that they fit together on the job site like a jigsaw puzzle.

This means faster construction. There is minimal cutting and fitting, unlike conventional stud framing. This results in less scrap to haul off to the landfill.

Finally, the insulating value is effective. All these details add up to points that contribute to LEED certification.

Finding a Building Contractor

This is one of the hardest things about building green. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. It's hard enough to find residential building crews that even speak English today, much less understand and accept emerging construction concepts.

The best way to proceed is to work with an architect that has a few SIPs projects under his belt and use his network of general contractors and subcontractors.

So, take this green idea and run with it!

Take Advantage of Your Windows this Summer

Windows have been getting more attention in the past few years, and with good reason. The first reason is that they can save energy and lower electricity bills by taking advantage of natural sunlight.

The drawback? They can also let in the heat, making your air conditioner work harder and eliminating the savings you achieved on the lighting. unless you've invested in Energy Star low-E windows or installed solar window film.

Either of these two environment-friendly options can also reap you energy tax credits. You'll need them. Most taxpayers have yet to come to the realization that the "tax break" that Obama enacted by reducing withholding tax made no change on the tax owed.

Citizens used to getting a nice tax refund will likely have to cut a check to the IRS since they will have paid in less.

Windows also bring the beauty of the the outdoors inside. To really take advantage of this aspect of your windows, why not build a window seat as a DIY project. If you're not handy yourself, it's easy enough to hire a reliable local carpenter using Angie's List.

Depending on how fancy you want to get, the project can be done is as little as one weekend.

Be sure to update your homeowners insurance policy after making any of these home improvements.