Should A Christian Listen To Secular Music?

Many Christians struggle with this question. Many secular musicians are immensely talented. Secular music can be very entertaining. There are many secular songs that have catchy melodies, thoughtful insights, and positive messages. In determining whether or not to listen to secular music, there are three primary factors to consider: 1) the purpose of music, 2) the style of music, and 3) the content of the lyrics.

1) The purpose of music. Is music designed solely for worship, or did God also intend music to be soothing and/or entertaining? The most famous musician in the Bible, King David, primarily used music for the purpose of worshipping God (see Psalm 4:1; 6:1, 54, 55; 61:1; 67:1; 76:1). However, when King Saul was tormented by evil spirits, he would call on David to play the harp in order to soothe him (1 Samuel 16:14-23). The Israelites also used musical instruments to warn of danger (Nehemiah 4:20) and to surprise their enemies (Judges 7:16-22). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul instructs Christians to encourage one another with music: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19). So, while the primary purpose of music does seem to be worship, the Bible definitely allows for other uses of music.

2) The style of music. Sadly, the issue of music styles can be very divisive among Christians. There are Christians who adamantly demand that no musical instruments be used. There are Christians who only desire to sing the “old faithful” hymns. There are Christians who want more upbeat and contemporary music. There are Christians who claim to worship best in a “rock concert” type of environment. Instead of recognizing these differences as personal preferences and cultural distinctions, some Christians declare their preferred style of music to be the only “biblical” one and declare all other forms of music to be unwholesome, ungodly, or even satanic.

The Bible nowhere condemns any particular style of music. The Bible nowhere declares any particular musical instrument to be ungodly. The Bible mentions numerous kinds of string instruments and wind instruments. While the Bible does not specifically mention drums, it does mention other percussion instruments (Psalm 68:25; Ezra 3:10). Nearly all of the forms of modern music are variations and/or combinations of the same types of musical instruments, played at different speeds or with heightened emphasis. There is no biblical basis to declare any particular style of music to be ungodly or outside of God’s will.

3) The content of the lyrics. Since neither the purpose of music nor the style of music determines whether a Christian should listen to secular music, the content of the lyrics must be considered. While not specifically speaking of music, Philippians 4:8 is an excellent guide for musical lyrics: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” If we should be thinking about such things, surely those are the things we should invite into our minds through music and lyrics. Can the lyrics in a secular song be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy? If so, then there is nothing wrong with a Christian listening to a secular song of that nature.

However, much of secular music does not meet the standard of Philippians 4:8. Secular music often promotes immorality and violence while belittling purity and integrity. If a song glorifies what opposes God, a Christian should not listen to it. However, there are many secular songs with no mention of God that still uphold godly values such as honesty, purity, and integrity. If a love song promotes the sanctity of marriage and/or the purity of true love—even if it does not mention God or the Bible—it can still be listened to and enjoyed.

Whatever a person allows to occupy his mind will sooner or later determine his speech and his actions. This is the premise behind Philippians 4:8 and Colossians 3:2, 5: establishing wholesome thought patterns. Second Corinthians 10:5 says we should “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” These Scriptures give a clear picture of the kind of music we should not listen to.

Obviously, the best kind of music is that which praises and glorifies God. Talented Christian musicians work in nearly every musical genre, ranging from classical to rock, rap, and reggae. There is nothing inherently wrong with any particular style of music. It is the lyrics that determine whether a song is “acceptable” for a Christian to listen to. If anything leads you to think about or get involved in something that does not glorify God, it should be avoided.

Ref: www.gotquestions.org

Telecom data price war in Ghana– under the magnifying glass

It is established that there is a domestic telecoms voice calls price war in Ghana. But the war extends to data services as well, which is where the industry is moving now.

The operators try hard to draw Mobile Number Portability (MNP) into the data price war by saying things like “we offer the best data value so you can port your number to us and enjoy great value”. But the magnifying glass can show that, strictly speaking, MNP has nothing to do with that because there is actually no need port a data card.

Each of the telecom operators have been bragging about having the highest internet speed at the lowest price. And they each do so passionately, as if they have all the details about what competition is offering.

For instance, the Consumer Manager at Tigo, Rosy Fynn told this writer “we may not have the best price for pay-as-you-go, but we have the most affordable offers on bundles.”

The Innovation Manager, Marketing at MTN Ghana, Nana Osei Afrifa also claimed “MTN has the lowest data bundle rate of 0.8 Ghana pesewas per megabyte at a download speed of 7.2megabits per second, which is the fastest on the market – seven thousand times faster than any other network is offering. Even our pay-as-you-go rate is 6 Ghana pesewas per megabyte which is three times lower than the 20Gp offered by our closest competitor. We also give 50% discount on all bundles at night and about 70% per cent of our customers take advantage of that.”

Vodafone Ghana claims their internet cafes have the fastest internet broadband download speed in Africa (40megabits/second) and the best network quality, which gives value for every pesewa paid for Vodafone data and voice services.

Airtel also claims to have a bundle that offers 1.2Gp per megabyte of data download and a speed of up to 7.2megabits per second.

Expresso is the only telco that does not exercise its bragging right on internet speed and prices. It is not surprising because Expresso does not brag about anything at all.

But those were just the claims; the telcos are entitled to their claims, however no one telco is entitled to its own facts. This article would state the bare facts for the public to measure the claims against the facts.

First of all, it is important to point out that Expresso offers the lowest prices of 5Gp per megabyte on pay-as-you-go, which is marginally lower than MTN’s 6Gp. Vodafone and Airtel do 20Gp per megabyte on pay-as-you-go.

Tigo’s pay-as-you-go offer is the most expensive on the market. The credit starts running out once the modem gets connected, even if you are not browsing the internet.

But the magnifying glass is on the prices and download speed of the bundles on the various networks, because that is what they all brag about.

MTN
The market leader, MTN has seven mobile broadband prepaid bundles and three extra for postpaid. The bundles have no brand names. The prices range between 0.8Ghana pesewas and 3.3Ghana pesewas. The lowest price on MTN, which is the 0.8Gp, is on only one unadvertised postpaid plan (GHC800 for 100GB), but the lowest price on an advertised prepaid bundle is 1.5Gp per megabyte, and that is on the 200MB for GHC3 bundle; and it is for only 24 hours, meaning after 24 hours one loses every unused credit on that bundle.

Besides, on MTN’s postpaid bundles, if one outruns the credit in the bundle, every additional credit consumed costs 3Gp per megabyte and not 0.8Gp. But compared with other pay per use offers on the market, that 3Gp is the lowest.

MTN does not tell the consumer its lowest rate is on only one postpaid plan, and that, prepaid customers can only get as low as 1.5Gp per megabyte. They usually quote the lowest, as if that rate applies to all their bundles. They don’t talk about the other bundles that cost between 3.3Gp and 1.5Gp per megabyte. Customers only need to dial *138# and the bundles speak for themselves.

It is worth noting that MTN’s 0.8Gp/megabyte bundle sells at GHC800. They even reduce the price by 50% at night. But it would be interesting to find out how many MTN customers actually patronize a bundle worth GHC800. It could as well be that the bundle exists only in name because it is convenient for MTN to cite it as the lowest on the market, but it may be of no relevance to customers.

But it is worth noting that MTN says it gives 50% discount on all bundles at night and that brings the lowest prepaid rate to 0.75Gp/megabyte, which is by far the lowest on the market. This also means the 0.8Gp/megabyte on the GHC800 bundle also comes to 0.4Gp/megabyte at night. MTN says more than 70 per cent of customers use the internet at night, which means majority are taking advantage of the huge discount at night.

Again, MTN claims the 7.2megabits/second maximum speed on its 3.5G network is the highest default speed on the market, but the magnifying glass would show that is just the theory and nothing close to the reality. Again, is it the speed one person gets at a time or it is shared speed? MTN would never make that clear. Besides, Vodafone also claims to have modems with speeds up to 28.8megabits/second.

EXPRESSO
Expresso has five mobile broadband bundles on its EVDO network – Cliq, Cliq a Day, Cliq Regular, Cliq Premium and Cliq Gold. The prices per megabyte range between 2Gp and 0.92Gp. Expresso has a bundle that offers 1Gp per megabyte and another that offers 1.2Gp per megabyte. All those are much lower than the lowest price on MTN’s prepaid bundle.

Expresso claims to have internet speeds of between one and 3.1megabits per second on its EVDO bundles. Expresso is a CDMA network and operates at a frequency of 800Megahertz, which, according to experts, could give customers better real speed than on the GSM networks in Ghana, which operate on a frequency of 2.1gegahertz. But Expresso would need enough cell sites to leverage that strength.

TIGO
Tigo has four bundles; Lite Browser, Super Browser, Mega Browser and Ultra Browser.

The highest price per megabyte on Tigo is 1.3Gp and the lowest is 1.15Gp, which is also lower than MTN’s lowest for prepaid but higher than Expresso’s.

But Tigo claims a lesser maximum speed of 3.6megabits/second on its 3.5G. Again, that may not be relevant as the evidence would show in this article that speed is affected by several factors outside the control of service providers.

AIRTEL
Airtel also has four bundles; Airtel Lite, Airtel Extra, Airtel Daily @ Phone and Airtel Daily @ PC.

The highest price on Airtel is the Airtel Daily @ PC, which is 10Gp per megabyte, and it is also the highest on the market. Airtel says its prices and others are under review. The lowest advertised price on Airtel is 1.5Gp per megabyte. Airtel claims to have a bundle called Rebate Extra that offers 1.2Gp per megabyte (12GB for GHC150), but that is not included in bundles displayed on its website; and the magnifying lens shows the price is not 1.2Gp/megabyte; it is 1.25Gp/megabyte. Simple mathematics, so why would Airtel quote 1.2?

Airtel also claims to offer 3.5G speeds of up to 7.2megabits per second, just like MTN, but Airtel does not claim it is the fastest, because it is not. At least Airtel admits it is shared speed and not necessarily speed for each customer.

VODAFONE
Vodafone has a total of seven prepaid and postpaid bundles; One Day, One Week, Browser, Streamer and Downloader for prepaid; and Bundle XL and Bundle XXL under postpaid.

The highest price per megabyte on Vodafone is 3.3Gp just like it is on MTN, and the lowest price is 1.6Gp, which is marginally higher than MTN’s 1.5Gp for prepaid. Vodafone claimed to have a bundle that offers 1.24Gp/megabyte, but there is no evidence to support that. Even if it is so, that rate is still higher than MTN’s 0.8Gp on postpaid, Tigo’s 1.15Gp on prepaid, and Expresso’s 0.92Gp.

But on paper, Vodafone claims to have speeds of up to 28.8megabits/second on a 3.5G, which is four times MTN’s 7.2megabits/second, and yet MTN claims its 7.2megabits per second is “seven thousand times faster than what competition is offering”.

So why would MTN claim that it’s 7.2megabits per second is the fastest on the market? Vodafone offers from one megabit/second upwards on fixed broadband; and that is what MTN compares its modem speed to, and not to Vodafone’s highest modem speed of 28.8megabits/second. MTN conveniently compares apples with oranges; besides, 7.2 is not “seven thousand times” higher than 1; simple mathematics.

Obviously MTN’s postpaid 0.8Gp/megabyte is the lowest on the market (on paper), but its 7.2megabits/second is not the fastest advertised default modem speed on the market; Vodafone advertises the fastest of 28.8megabits per second. But the lowest prepaid rate on the market is Expresso’s 0.92Gp on Expresso Cliq Gold. The highest bundle rate for prepaid and postpaid, is Airtel’s Daily@PC, which is 10Gp per megabyte.

The worst pay-as-you-go offer is Tigo’s and the most affordable pay-as-you-go is on Expresso, 5Gp/megabyte. But Tigo’s highest prepaid bundle rate of 1.3Gp/megabyte is the lowest upper limit compared with MTN, and Vodafone’s 3.3Gp, Expresso’s 2Gp and Airtel’s 10Gp.

It is critical to note that most of the bundles of time limits of between 24 hours, one week, 15 days and one month, while a few, usually the ones that have high upfront payments, have unlimited usage time. But unlimited usage time does not mean the credit is infinite.

It is also important to note that the amount of credit one buys has nothing to do with how long one could spend on the internet because while on the internet, some software programmes and websites update automatically and that eats into the credit and cuts down on how long one could use that credit for.

GLO
Glo has not started yet, but they have already started boasting of speed like never before, or that like never before. We live to see.

SPEEDS
For those networks which claim to offer data speeds to their customers (and not all networks do so), they are citing the theoretical maximum speed, which can only be achieved under perfect or laboratory conditions, and it refers only to the speed between the cell site and the customer. It is virtually unheard of for a customer to achieve this speed in real-world situations. But they throw those figures out there for two reasons; to brag and secondly because those are the only figures they can throw out there. The reality is totally different. But some admit in private that speeds are affected by numerous factors beyond them.

The first limiting factor is the signal strength the customer is getting from the cell site, which can depend on distance, frequency used by the network, and obstructions such as walls or other buildings – most people use internet indoors. A network having a cell site closer to you, or using a lower transmitting frequency, will produce better results, but not always predictably. Also, if you are moving while using the internet, the data will likely vary.

Again, a cell site is usually being used by other customers near you – so its maximum speed is shared by all the customers in that neighborhood at that time, and the speed you experience will depend on how many others there are and what they are doing on the internet. If they (or you) are just reading web pages, it is not using too much data. But if anyone is watching or downloading video or audio, it is a bigger burden on the network and things will slow down.

Inside a network, the facilities that bring the signal from the cell site to the central equipment is also shared among many users, and can slow down performance. Furthermore, the central equipment can become congested, and the network’s connection to the international internet as well as local internet can be overburdened and slow things down.

A customer’s perception of performance can also be affected negatively if he is trying to access a website that is also overloaded, as popular websites are prone to from time to time. Also, a customer’s operating system such as Windows, his anti-virus protection, and other software can be downloading software updates which are important to keep the computer running smoothly and safely, but this also can make the internet connection seem slow if you are using it at the same time.

So speed on the internet depends on several factors that the telecom operators have no control over, and yet they promise heaven as if they control everything and can prove that the customer is actually experiencing that speed. And while a customer could look at his modem software to see how the data is flowing at any given moment, there is no simple way for the customer to determine his average speed.

Similarly, although the National Communications Authority can measure data speed, this may not produce a number that is useful to consumers, as the individual experience depends on so many different factors.

In my personal experience as a consumer I have found, not based on scientific research though, that speeds on MTN, Expresso’s Cliq, and Tigo’s 3.5G modems are just about okay. You cannot really place one ahead of the other, because there is no obvious difference. Vodafone modems have not proven to be fast enough in my experience, but their internet café has also shown to be just about okay. I do not know about the 40 megabits/second speed they claim to have, and it is not clear if that 40 megabits applies to each user, or is shared among all users present in the café at a given time.

By the way, how sustainable are these offers being put forward by the telecom operators? That is for another day, however it is about time the regulator, NCA, woke up and sat up to ensure some sanity in the claims and counter claims to supersonic speeds and low prices, which do not march the evidence. Otherwise we only await the day a telecoms operator will claim “customers can now speak to God on our network,” and of course, get away with it.

from myjoyonline.com

Fuuny story – The Hairdresser & The Lawyer (LOL)

A hairdresser and a lawyer are seated next to each other on a flight from Tamale to Accra. The lawyer persuades the lady to play a fun game with him, but she’s so tired and politely declines the offer saying she needs to take a nap.

The lawyer says “oh, its going to be fun, we ask questions in turns – if i’m not able to answer yours, I’ll pay GH5 & vice-versa.”

The lady is still not interested. “Ok, you pay GH5 if u aren’t able to answer & I’ll pay GH500 if I’m unable to.” That caught her attention & she finally gave in.

The lawyer started: “what is the distance from the earth to the sun?” Without a word, the lady reached for her purse & gave him GH5. “Ok, your turn” said the lawyer smiling. The lady spoke calmly: “What goes up the hill with 3 legs & comes down with 4?” The lawyer took his laptop to search through his references, after some time, he started to send mails 2 his friends for help all to no avail. He then woke the lady up & gave her GH500. She took it & went back to sleep. The lawyer was baffled & woke her up “what is the answer?” Without a word she reached for her purse & gave him GH5.

*************

A college student was in a philosophy class, where there was a class discussion about whether or not God exists, The professor had the following logic:

“Has anyone in this class heard God?” Nobody spoke. “Has anyone in this class touched God?” Again, nobody spoke. “Has anyone in this class seen God?”

When nobody spoke for the third time, he simply stated, “Then there is no God.” A student did not like the sound of this at all, and asked for permission to speak. The professor granted it, and the student stood up and asked the following questions of his classmates:

“Has anyone in this class heard our professor’s brain?” Silence.

“Has anyone in this class touched our professor’s brain?” Absolute silence. “Has anyone in this class seen our professor’s brain?” When nobody in the class dared to speak, the student concluded, “Then, according to our professor’s logic, it must be true that our professor has no brain!”

Time management and stress

Ask most people what makes them stressed and they will tell you it is not having enough hours in the day.

Time is today is the most valuable commodity. We all juggle choices, anxious to please family, workmates and friends – all of whom expect absolute attention to their priorities.

But what are your own priorities? What goals do you want to achieve – and what is most important to you? Try these tips to help you sort them out:

Determine your mission – set aside time to think and write about your life and goals. Writing such a ‘mission statement’ can help you work out what is essential to you in life: what you would like to be and what you would like to accomplish.

Understand where you spend your time – think about how you could best prioritise and itemise the many pressures in your life. Can you categorise your life in neat ‘important’, ‘quite important’ and ‘unimportant’ boxes? Or would a more complex chart suit your life: ‘urgent and important’, ‘important but not urgent’, ‘urgent but not important’ and ‘neither urgent nor important’ perhaps? Do not trivialise quiet times, sleep and other seemingly unproductive moments – they are essential for your health.

Review your roles – a clear set of roles will help you create order and balance in your life. Your roles grow out of and contribute to the fulfilment of your personal mission.

Identify goals – work out a goal in each role for the coming week. These do not have to be activities; they can be as simple as being more patient with your children.

Organise your week – plan the week ahead using a week-at-a-glance diary or drawing up your own chart. If something prevents you from completing an activity, do not worry. Just try to fit it in elsewhere or make it the first thing you plan for next week.

Evaluate your week – at the end of the first week, take a realistic look at how it went. What were the big successes? Which scheduling details were less successful? Identify turning points – those times when you consciously decided to prioritise one activity over another. Do your goals need revision?

Enjoy success – no schedule guarantees instant success, but remember you are in control. Re-evaluate your goals and roles each week, so you can close the gap between what is most important to you and how you spend your time.

Source: BBC

First date conversation tips

A successful first date conversation has less to do with what you say and more with how you say it. Below are five tips to help you talk your way to a second date.

Tip #1: Have confident body language
First dates can be nerve-racking for the sheer fact that you don’t always know what to expect. However, there are a few tricks to looking confident even when you’re quaking in your heels. First, maintain eye contact throughout your conversation (but don’t over-do it; it’s not a staring contest!) If you feel your voice becoming shaky, stop for a moment and take a deep breath before you resume speaking. Also, watch for any nervous behaviors like tapping your fingers on the table or shaking your foot. Besides potentially annoying your date, they are dead giveaways that you’re anxious. When all else fails, acknowledge the elephant in the room and admit you are excited to be there, but feeling a little jittery. (He’s probably nervous too.)

Tip #2: Don’t be a chatterbox
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in wanting our date to like us that we forget that we’re supposed to be evaluating his potential as well. Counteract this and avoid talking too much by asking him fun, insightful questions that will helpfully reveal what he’s passionate about. Some ideas to jump-start the conversation: Do you have any siblings? How about pets? Where has been your favorite place to travel to? Have you read any good books or seen any films recently? Don’t forget to follow-up on what he’s saying if anything in particular catches your interest.

Tip #3: Keep your answers concise and upbeat
On a first date, you don’t want to be guilty of TMI. You both are just getting to know one another, so it’s best to accentuate the positive, as the saying goes. For example, if you’re currently unemployed (which is understandable in this grim economy) and he asks you what you do for a living, just mention that you’re currently between jobs and looking. Don’t go on and on about what a jerk your former boss was and how unfair it was that they laid you off. You risk turning him off and giving him the impression that you’re a high-drama person, even if you’re not.

Tip #4: Be prepared
Besides, waxing your legs and teasing your hair, brushing up on current events, both nationally and in your community, can come in handy on a first date, especially if the conversation should slow at some point. Even if you’re not a news buff, skimming a newspaper or taking a quick scroll through cnn.com should suffice, as men love to explain things anyway. Avoid sensitive subjects such as politics and religion, however.

Tip #5: Keep the date short
At this point, you should be well on your way to becoming an expert on at dating small talk however, even when you’re feeling major sparks, resist the temptation to do a marathon date or talk to each other all night long. It’s always best to leave them wanting more, so be sure to save something to chat about on the second date.

she knows

4 Ways To Test Your Relationship

If you really want to know if you and your honey have what it takes to make it for the long haul, try these four activities, all designed to put your relationship skills to the test. If your relationship passes with confidence, you can look forward to a healthy, happy, sustainable future together.

1. The road trip test

The road trip is the ultimate compatibility test. It may sound idyllic, but in reality, a road trip challenges a couple with its hours upon hours of idle time. Can you stand each other for that long? Can you compromise on music choices? How do you navigate the directions? Who decides on stops? Are you on the same page about planning or lack thereof?

The bottom line: How you copilot a road trip can tell a lot about how you might copilot a life together.
Relationship tests:

* conflict resolution
* ability to share quiet time together
* music compatibility (more important than you might think!)
* general likability

2. The 20 questions test

While you certainly don’t need to be two of a kind, you must be like-minded when it comes to your value systems and your viewpoints regarding the future. For this relationship test, you need 20 small pieces of paper, two pens and a hat or a bowl. Each of you writes down 10 questions you’d like to ask the other person. These questions should surround issues of morality (Do you believe in spanking kids?), values (Is cheating once grounds for divorce?) and future visions (Would you consider living in another country?). When done, put all 20 in the bowl or hat and take turns drawing the questions. Answer all 20 questions (both of you!) to get to know each other’s core better.
Relationship tests:

* honesty
* flexibility
* knowledge of self and partner
* dealbreakers

3. The Vegas test

The very thought of Las Vegas stirs up a lot of insecurities in significant others when a partner goes off for a weekend there alone. Maybe it is the excessive drinking, the scantily clad women or the tagline “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Whatever the reason, you must face these insecurities head and heart on, not shy away from them. After all, not dealing with them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. So with this test, you’re each going to take a guys- or girls-only trip to Sin City. During your respective trips, there are to be no obsessive check-ins.

The point of this trip is to trust and to feel trusted.
Relationship tests:

* trust
* fidelity
* good decision-making (i.e. drinking, spending money, etc.)
* self-assuredness

4. The sex cleanse test

No matter how fabulous your sex life is (or isn’t), looking at your relationship without sex can be extremely telling. You might find that sex is the tie that binds, and without it, you don’t have much — or you might find that you are brought even closer without sex. You will never know if you don’t try, but one thing is for sure: Once a couple starts having sex, sex becomes a big part of a relationship – whether you are actively doing it or actively talking about the fact you never do it. So for 30 days, take it off the table and pay attention to how the two of you treat each other.

Source: sheknows

10 business e-mails you shouldn’t send

(CNN) — Imagine a tiny boat afloat on a thrashing sea, water pouring through a gaping hole in the hull.

A sailor is frantically bailing dark, angry water, but no matter how much he scoops, the water line never seems to recede — more waves just pummel him in the face like a particularly insecure middle-school bully.

That, my friends, is our metaphor for the average worker’s e-mail inbox.

Yeah, we know, there are tons of new communication technologies out there, but e-mail still reigns supreme in the worker realm: A recent study even shows that e-mail eats up the most mobile time among Americans.

Which is why we think it’s high time to outline some of the most annoying practices when it comes to business e-mails — practices that might make your compatriots drown themselves in frustration.

Read on to avoid making these 10 mistakes:

1) “YELLING”

Ever get an e-mail like this?

Subject line: MY CLIENT URGENTLY NEEDS TO SPEAK WITH YOU!

Hot tip: When you type in all caps, you’re basically likening yourself to those crazy dudes who yell about the End Times on the subway (who are perhaps a bit subdued at present). Yeah, no one wants to talk to you.

2) Going all kindergarten with your fonts

Remember when LeBron James spurned the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined forces with the Miami Heat, prompting Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to pen a long letter on the team website tearing into James?

Remember what font Gilbert used? That’s right, Comic Sans — aka “The Great Underminer.” Stick to Helvetica, folks, and people will remember your sentiment instead of your poor choice of typeface. (To say nothing of pink fonts and Word Art-like signatures splashed across floral graphics.)

3) Misnomers

Unless you are supremely stupid, senile or illiterate, there is no real excuse for getting a business contact’s name wrong, because it’s right there in his/her e-mail address. Consider this cautionary tale.

If you’re prone to typos, well, then, that’s what copy-paste is for.

4) Emoticons

As we have stated in the past — back when we called for a brief break from the smiley — emoticons have reached “STD-like proportions since their inception, spreading from one person to another like particularly expressive herpes.”

OK, we can see the necessity of using a placating “smiley” in an e-mail to a contact who might need a spoonful of sugar to make the “your idea sucks” medicine go down. But nix emoticons from any initial e-mails with new contacts.

5) Overly informal greetings

“Helloz Sar-Sar! Imma tell you about a super rad product that, let’s face it, all of us gurlz should totally peep if you have a burnin’ hot love life but want to avoid burnin’ hot other things (you know what I’m talkin’ about!).”

No one has a strong enough stomach to deal with epistles of this sort on a daily basis. Save the LOLCat speech for when you’re old and gray and shooting off adorable, kitten-packed e-mails to your grumbling grandkids. They can’t fire you for being obnoxious.

6) Rambling

Allow me to narrate the internal dialogue of the average desk-bound minion: “Spreadsheets sure have a lot of lines… I’m hungry… I hope no one notices this hickey that Joe from accounting gave me after Happy Hour last night…. I’m hungry… Look! There’s a blue bird outside and it cocked its head at me!”

Get to the point. You have approximately three sentences to cut through said desk worker’s mental clutter before she — Oh, someone sent me a video of a dog hugging a turtle!

7) Unclear subject lines

Do you have important news? Then, by all means, say so in your subject line. Hiding a vital correspondence behind a “Subject Line: Hey” is not doing anyone any favors — except for your competition.

8) Sending too many e-mails in a row

You probably spend, oh, 20 hours per day glued to some form of computer-esque device (soon the machines will destroy us all), which means that when you don’t receive an immediate response to your e-mail, it’s possible to, well overreact — much like a clingy lover waiting for an answer on that “Dinner tonight, then a different kind of spooning?” text.

Don’t be a desperate loser. Wait at least 24 hours before sending a follow-up e-mail, unless it’s an emergency, in which case there’s this handy thing called the phone or, you know, the five-second walk over to your co-worker’s desk. Yeah, we know, real life communications are hard.

9) Clip art

I imagine most of you are intelligent enough to figure out why this is not OK.

10) Not using the right method of contact

Never message a business contact on Facebook. Seriously. Why? Because Facebook is where you go to look at pictures of people from high school when you’re drunk — there’s even a plug-in to prevent you from ruining your social media life whilst whiskey-soaked.

Sending a business-oriented message via Facebook is like wandering into a debauched party and expecting everyone to listen to you when you start talking about sales figures.

If you’re having issues finding someone’s professional contact info, sure, send him/her a message on Facebook or Twitter asking them for that info, but don’t carry on a whole convo right then and there.

Unless you’re looking for dirt on said contact, in which case be sure to send the ol’ message at around 4 a.m., when his defenses are down.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/05/25/business.email.netiquette/index.html?hpt=Sbin