Some of you may know that I manage an online business and I have a database of customers that I have to send occasional email updates to. After two years, my list has gotten longer and harder to manage.

I recently asked a friend of mine how he manages his mailing lists, which has almost ten thousand names on it but he told me that he is not using any software or program except the “Group Contacts” feature that comes with his email client. I was surprised. Surely there has got to be an economical yet professional way to handle that lengthy list?

A search on the internet brought me to iContact Email Newsletter Tool. I find that it is a very cost effective solution for people who have to mange long mailing lists and it starts at only $9.95 per month for the basic package. Of course, right now, I can still manage my list manually and does not yet warrant a web-based solution like this but if my list grows as large as my friend’s, I would surely need help!

One of my concerns about sending bulk email, even though they were opt-ins, is the deliverability of it. Running an email marketing campaign would be useless if the emails keep falling into the junk folders of my recipients. I know I would not check my spam mail and I do not expect them to. Therefore, I need a program that ensures that each and every mail that I send out reaches my target.

I am going to let my friend know about this because with ten thousand names on his list, he surely needs a good bulk email marketing solution.

The other day, a reader reprimanded me for writing about gambling. Well, I have to disagree that gambling is evil. The problem actually stems from the way we handle gambling.

I started gambling when I was young. I shall not reveal the age as it would probably shock some people. Speaking from experience, I think that gambling is fine as long as there is no addiction or obsession to it. Instead, it is a great recreational sport to test your skills and sharpness of mind.

A few years ago, I started to be interested in poker after watching a show on TV. I was impressed that there are pro-gamblers who make and lose millions just playing poker. Of course, I am not in that league but that spurred me to do some research to see if and where I could make some pocket money.

A search on the internet returned a list of online casinos offering poker and to look for the best site is pretty daunting and confusing what with my lack of knowledge and experience.

Luckily, I was told that I should start my research reading review sites like WhichPoker.com. I am glad that I did because they give very comprehensive reviews of some of the top poker sites. I read their reviews of Pacific Poker, Poker Stars and Paradise Poker. According to Which Poker, Party Poker is the top online poker site but that does not mean that sites like Pacific Poker is sub standard. In fact, only the high scorers are featured on the site.

If you have been wondering, “Which Poker?”, wonder no more as you can make a better decision after reading such thorough reviews.

When I first discovered the internet, one of the things that fascinated me was that we could send and receive faxes on the computer over the internet connection. Back then, it was a BIG DEAL to own a fax machine at home and when we needed to send or receive fax, we would have to do it from an ‘office’.

However, since then, the internet has evolved so much that we could now do it from a computer and even PDA. Some people may prefer real document fax over Internet Fax which is email based but this is an ideal solution, not to mention, the most cost effective, for business people who are always on the move.

I personally know of executives who are in a few different countries every week and they live out of the suitcase. They equip themselves with electronic gadgets like laptop, PDA and smart phone and they keep in constant contact with their office via phone calls and email and faxes.

Metro Hi Speed offers two different packages to individual and small businesses as well as to corporate clients. At only a basic price of $12.95 per month to fax 1,000 pages, this price is really worth the mobility and freedom it accords.