The Best Blog Platform

What is the best blog platform is probably a bit of a loaded question. Overall, I'd have to say that the self-hosted version WordPress wins the award hands down. But not in all cases. There are times when I think it would be better for bloggers to use other platforms.

Why is the self-hosted version so good? Well, you install it for free into your own paid hosting. The software is free to download and use, although if you have a website designer do the work for you they are entitled to charge you for their set-up time.

Free Installation

Once it is up and running you can install, again for free, plugins to do many jobs for you. From extra security to search engine optimisation they are all available to download for free. Themes, the basic layouts of your website, are also available for free from loads of different pages.

So the self-hosted version of WordPress is fully customisable and has plenty of add ins available. And it is free. What can be better?

The Downside Of WordPress

Well, for some people, the process of a registering a domain name, setting up your own hosting and then FTPing the files to your new website, whilst not being overly complicated, is still slightly technical. It is possible for anyone and everyone to follow a few basic instructions and load and install a WordPress installation, but I can understand why some people would back off from the idea and prefer something else.

So what is there?

Blogger Is A Good Second Choice

Well, I would say hot second favourite is Blogger. It seems that if you don't use self-hosted WordPress, then you are probably going to use Blogger. Blogger is easy to set-up and to start blogging. Sign up to the service, find an available name and you are up and running.

So it is perfect for those frightened of the technical aspects of self-hosted WordPress, whilst also avoiding the website hosting and database hosting fees. The only downside is that you have a Blogger website name. This is not as profitably as having your own website name if you are getting into the field of sponsored posts and so on.

But they have a fix for this. With Blogger you can follow their instructions, by your own domain name and use that for your blog.

So for the technically minded, willing and able to handle the hosting aspect, I would recommend installing WordPress, whilst for those wanting a quick and easy entry into the blogging world, go for Blogger.

There is one exception!

If you are blogging about certain niches, then there can be specialised systems set-up ready for you. I use WordPress for all of my blogs, except for my running blog. Why, well if you look at a specialist service provider who concentrates on blogs only from one niche, you can get one very big advantage.

This huge advantage is summed up in one word - Traffic. If you pull a lot of people with the same interests together and they all start to blog, they read the other blogs on the system.

But I still think self-hosted WordPress wins the day!

If you want any more advice the best blogging platform or want someone to set-up a self-hosted version of WordPress for you, please do contact me through my Merseyside Web Design website.

Keith Lunt

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Lunt

Live Lobster for Princely Delicacy

Lobsters are the princely delicacies to toss up and tease your tormented palate. You do not dare to dig deep into your pocket for a royal flavor and unforgettable taste in a celebrity restaurant. The live lobster is the most favorite dish for the sea food lovers. It is also the most expensive sea food but the foodies do not rue baring their wallet to have its divine succulence. Many are eager to know the meaty facts about the lobsters. I do hope my readers will get to learn a lot from the following set of questions and answers.

Why to Choose the Live Lobster? First of all, the live lobsters are the tastiest. They do not pose any threat of health hazards. In case of the lobsters, the process of decaying starts as soon as they die. The dead lobsters are very harmful for our health. So, the live lobster is the ultimate choice to relish great taste and avert health hazards.

How to Kill a Lobster in a Not-So-Cruel Way? Humanity does not support killing the other creatures for a gourmet gala. But our sinful greed does not feel a prick of conscience in killing animals for a tasty affair. So, it is best to adopt a technique that does not border on cruelty but just robs the life of a live lobster in the most humane way. Many are used to plunge a sharp knife into the back of a lobster's head to kill it whereas a few boil it to death. But whatever process you chose, the lobsters will continue to flop and splash water even after they die.

How to Prepare a Live Lobster for Cooking? Preparation of a lobster is very much different from that of a shrimp. Always make sure to cool the lobsters. Twist the claws to make them come off the joints. Hammer the claws to crack them. To remove the tail, bend the body towards the backward direction. Take care while breaking the flippers. Make it a point to de-vein the live lobster. The lobster liver must be discarded. The liver is easy to identify as it is green in color.

How to Whip up a Mouth-Watering Live Lobster Dish? You can either boil or steam the lobsters; it is up to your choice. If you want to boil the lobsters, take a pot and fill ¾ of it with salted water. Boil the water and then immerse the lobsters into it. If they are 1-2 lbs. in weight, you need to cool them for about 18 minutes. For the lobsters above 2 lbs., boil them for at least 25 minutes. If you like to steam the lobsters, put them on a plate placed on a pan of boiling water. Make sure to add salt to water. Place the lid on the pan so that steam does not escape. Steaming a live lobster takes the same time as mentioned above. When the lobsters are properly cooked, they change their color from brown and greenish blue to bright brown or red.

Make Smith who is a chef has vast knowledge on shrimp. For more information on live lobster recipe he suggest to visit http://getmainelobster.com/