Brick And Mortar World

Question: Is a prescription necessary to purchase glasses legally? I always thought a prescription was necessary, just like it is when purchasing a prescription drug. However, I recently ordered glasses online for the first time (from a well-known site based in North America), and there was absolutely no verification of my prescription whatsoever. They did not ask for a copy of my prescription, or even my optometrist's contact information. I just entered my data and the glasses showed up at my door. So how does this work? Would I have been breaking the law if I didn't actually have a prescription? And can anyone walk into a real-world brick & mortar store and do the same thing--just tell them the prescription and they'll make your glasses?

Answer: Except for reading glasses you should have a prescription to purchase them. It is not illegal if you do not, but if the numbers you provided to the website were not correct you won't see as well as you should. I am sure there are some places that will verify your RX with your doctor, most of the online places I order from do not verify the RX. I altered my RX one time when I ordered eyeglasses because I felt the RX I had been given by my doctor was too strong so I reduced the numbers a little. The eyeglasses the doctor prescribed made me feel dizzy and gave me headaches. I went back to the doctor twice and complained. He refused to do anything and gave me some long speech about me not being able to adjust to the correction. I went to a different doctor a few months later who listened to me and agreed that the eyeglasses previously prescribed were too strong for me. The numbers I used were almost the same as the new RX doctor prescribed. I would not suggest doing this under normal circumstances, but I was thankful that the RX was not checked in my case.

Question: What software is available online or brick & mortar to translate my chat conversation from English to Italian? I have several folks I chat with online throughout the world and use real time chat. I don't know if there is such a thing as auto-translator that translates automatically as I type out text in English and spits it out in another language. Any suggestions? Fairly PC literate but all I find online doesn't seem to answer my request.

Answer: You can go to worldlingo.com. They have a free online text translator that you can use.

Question: What is the easiest brick and mortar casino to win money at? I'm just looking for a casino with the least amount of pro's and the most amount of begginner level players like myself. What is the best casino you know of to play poker in... it can be anywhere in the world.

Answer: Though there's not a lot of difference in skill between low stakes games, still there are some places I found softer than others. In Tunica I found the *Hollywood Casino* to be populated almost entirely by novice players. It's a good place to beat low stakes no limit hold'em. If there's not much action there (it's a tiny room), then try Sam's Town, or pretty much anyplace in Tunica (I love The Grand, by the way). The most active places are Binion's and Gold Strike, and the caliber of play isn't that much tougher unless it's tournament time. In Vegas, you're better going to the places that aren't really known for poker, and don't host big tourneys. *Excalibur*, for instance, has a large poker room, but no experts in sight, and tons of loose but passive gambley types. You can beat up the limit players here, as well as the no limit. These are the kinds of places where you can get your feet wet, and win some money pretty consistently with a little knowledge and solid play, though unfortunately you will have to graduate to higher stakes and somewhat tougher games if you want the money you make to cover expenses. As a whole, I'd recommend Tunica as the best city in the U.S.A. for low stakes poker. Vegas has more serious players, but the real experienced ones don't hang around the lowest stakes games in the off-the-beaten-path casinos. Atlantic City is generally a grim and unpleasant place, the expenses are high, and there's even a bit of toughness in the low stakes games, from some players who actually come to win. I wouldn't particuarly recommend any other places I've been (Colorado, Missouri, Connecticut, NYC), but the biggest gap in my experience is California. I imagine there are some super juicy games, which I've never had the good fortune to participate in.

Question: (cont) Should conversations at my church be monitored? continued... He said that if many IP adresses show a search being done on topics that indicate a growing public awareness, (or fear), that a "safety valve" of websites that link to such topics can freeze up the computers that go to those sites, thus acting like a spray of water on a fire. But he said that this "valve" only is effective until it becomes commonly known. After too many learn of it, they stop researching and begin to respond in the brick and mortar world using voice, leaflets, footsteps and whispers. By then, it's too late. People desperate for truth create a vacuum, and it's soon filled with exaggerated and untrue information, and this exascerbates and already serious situation. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night. I wondered if all this close communication, made possible by the cell phones and internet, may very well be like bundled tinderwood, dry with fear, and just ready to ignite with the smallest spark. It seems to me that if our governen

Answer: i think so. all that sex talk church goers do. its disgusting. only sex they should be talking about is with jebus.

Question: Where can I find brick and mortar stores that have volleyball shoes? I'm looking to try on some Mizuno, Asics, Adidas, or other volleyball-specific shoes, but I can't find any around the San Francisco Bay Area. I have tried sports basement shoe pavilion footlocker finishline sport's authority world of shoes no luck w/ those

Answer: Here is a store locator for MIzuno http://216.52.207.42/DealerSearch_Volleyball.asp?ZipSearchSubmit=1&ZipCode=94563&Radius=50&Category=Volleyball Here is a store locator for Asics http://asicsamerica.findlocation.com/results.aspx Adidas does not have a store locator, but they do have an on-line store http://www.shopadidas.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2012805&cp=2019627.2039609 And here is an on-line store that carries all three brands http://shop.volleyball.com/Home/Footwear/VolleyballShoes/MensVolleyballShoes/tabid/187/Default.aspx

Question: Do Artists ruin their chances of signing with a traditional gallery by posting work on the internet? Has anyone ever run into this problem or know of someone who did? I've encountered a number of art competitions which specify that entries found to have been shown somewhere else will be disqualified (Idiotic concept if ever there was one -- What if the Beatles had been banned from playing their songs on American radio because they'd been played previously on British radio??) and wondered if the same nonsense is prevalent in the brick-and-mortar art gallery world.

Answer: Well posting your art work on-line has a lot of pros and cons, some are very stupid. With more then 90 million people using the Internet a year, somebody is bound to view your art. Some people may try to steal it if you're not careful. Make sure you sign every peace of art you post up, even publish your art if you can. Then try to find an Internet site made for displaying art. I use www.Deviant art.com. It covers every art topic imaginable. My honest opinion is you will be more likely to succeed in your goal by posting your art work on-line. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected]

Question: Please review my site, photography, and if you think I should open a brick and mortar gallery.? I am considering my future plans both on the web and in the real world. I would love feedback on my site, the photography, and any thoughts on a brick and mortar gallery in Maryland. Thank you for your time... http://www.dajdesignsphotography.com

Answer: How many people do you know that have images such as these on their walls and the photos were not taken by them? Most people don't.

Question: Anybody know a reputable, brick and mortar University where I can get my PhD in Education or an EdD online? I already teach college English and want to get a doctorate in Education, but I can't leave my teaching position to get it. I am concerned that an "online only" institution (like Capella or others) will not be repected by academia. But, all the regular universities near me in CA seem to have strict rules about working or diffficult schedules for classes. I want the best of both worlds. Low-residency programs would work too. Thanks!!

Answer: You may want to look into Argosy University. They just started offering Masters and Doctorates in Education online. They have been offering them at their brick and mortar schools for years. I believe the web address is online.argosyu.edu. I have heard good things.

Question: Do degrees from Online Universities hold weight in the real world? Do companies respect online degrees as much as ones from a brick and mortar school?

Answer: I would regard online universities as the absolute last resort for someone seeking higher education. The quality of education these programs offer is minimal - there is simply no substitute for the kind of dynamic interactions and discussions that commonly occur in face-to-face college courses. Also, the quality of educator is significantly less at online universities - the best faculty choose to teach at real colleges and universities. Both the pay and work environments are far superior to online universities. So, for great classes from great instructors, go to a real college or university. Also, because of the minimal training they offer, employers and graduate institutions place little value in degrees earned from online programs. Many of these programs lack even basic accreditation for the degree programs they offer. Bottom line - you will receive little if any personal or professional benefit from online universities relative to what you could have received from a real college or university.

Question: Integrating e-commerce with bricks and mortar? I am new to the world of e-commerce and was able to find a great deal of information online relating to starting an e-commerce site. However, I have not been able to find a good website that explains the essentials of integrating an e-commerce site with a bricks and mortar operation. Does anyone know of a site I could visit that would explain this to me? Also, from what I have gathered thus far, I need to check there is integration between the shopping cart, POS software, merchant account, gateway, merchant processor, host, SSL certificate, virtual terminal and PCI compliance companies. I have an understanding of the role each of these play, but am confused about integration in general. Which of these components to my e-commerce/bricks and mortar operation would I need to check for integration? Are there any components I am not mentioning? Hopefully I've made my question clear...thanks for the help.

Answer: In the jargon of eCommerce, brick and mortar businesses are companies that have a physical presence (for example, a building made of bricks and mortar) - which offer face-to-face consumer experiences. This term is usually used to contrast with a transitory business or an internet-only presence. An example would be the brick and mortar movie rental shop vis-à-vis the competition from the new online rental services offered by Netflix. Check this: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/E-Commerce_and_E-Business it may be of some assistance

Question: How can I suceed in taking my high-end women's boutique online with a Yahoo Store? I own a brick-and-mortar women's retail store that's been in business since 1999. I have a good clientele already and need to know how I can succeed in the web world when most online shoppers want a deal. I want to start it low-budget, with a Yahoo Store. I would like to model it after high-end web retailers such as Vivre and Net-A-Porter.com. What are some strategies for succeeding in this? Thanks!

Answer: In my opinion, since you are high end, you will need to create a real website that is professional and impressive looking. Don't you think its hard to convey the upscale aspect on a low end website? Generally I'm really big on doing things with smart efficiency in cost but for something like this I don't think it will fly. There are ways though to develop a custom website with a very professional look by using contractors. In particular, there are some designers in India who, believe it or not, can build a very sharp website for a low cost. I would guess this could be as cheap as under $1,000. www.elance.com has a marketplace of vendors who provide their services in an auction bidding process. You have the abilty to review each companies portfolio, references, and rating before selecting. I have used it to great success. Good luck!

Question: As technology grew and with the advent of e-retailing the world has changed...? Thirty years ago we had only brick and mortar retail store. As technology grew and with the advent of e-retailing the world has changed. But has it? Are income statement, balance sheets, and statement of cash flow still necessary? BSM, PVM, and SSM needed? Is it needed for both brick and mortar and e-retailing business in the twenty-first century or are these chapters antiquated and are not necessary at all? In my opinion, brick and mortar stores are still valuable today. Balance sheets etc; are necessary and as businesses grow, electronic methods are required to streamline paper work. WHAT YOU'LL THINK?

Answer: Not everybody has access to internet, and there are many people who has doubts about the security of their personal data, their credit card numbers, etc... Also there are perishable goods which will never sell well through the net. So I think that there will be both kinds of elements in the future.

Question: Online Learning and a degree in Military History? I am currently working on my BA in Military History but am not sure how applicable it is in the real world. I don't have an interest in teaching, what other career options are available? I'm also doing this through APUS which is a nationally and regionally accredited university but I am wondering if employers look down on online degrees as opposed to "brick and mortar" schools.

Answer: As for career options, you can continue to go to school and eventually become a professor, which does of course mean some teaching, but can be a mainly research position. Or, you could do what I did (a history major who taught for several years before leaving teaching) - I'm a public historian. I work in the preservationist field. Particularly, I work for a state agency, though there are jobs like this available at country, municipal and national levels, with programs such as local history preservation, museum preservation and the National Register program. As a matter of fact, I work closely with a colleague who received his Master's degree with a concentration in military history - He is my agency's Military History Historian. I don't think that employers are particularly impressed by online graduate degrees. However, if (and this is a big "if") you are interested in Texas history, Sam Houston St. offers an online program that apparently is considered excellent by various state historians. Good luck!

Question: Where are some places around the world offering online courses/degrees for photography? Is it a good idea? In the US so far, I've found the Academy of Art University and Savannah College to have the best all around response vs Art Institute etc. I'm curious if there are any universities elsewhere in the world (ie Australia, UK, mainly bc of language but I speak spanish as well and am up for learning anything else) offering the same type of programs? I have read a lot of feedback and reviews on online courses not fitting all the hype and I do understand the benefits of brick and mortar. However, I help with the family business which happens to be travel and we are embarking on a trip around the world that consists of a few years. On top of that I'm always flying to visit friends around the world and the states. So, for awhile I've been split on settling somewhere so I can attend school and now that this online stuff has appeared it seems a godsend. However, all the research I try doing online really gets me nowhere and to no one. It took forever to find SCAD and AAU!! They aren't exactly linked very many places which is the main reason I'm curious over other places around the world being hidden. As for anyone that has taken online courses- better through a school? or through some of those online photog sites? I've really tried digging around, but haven't found any direct answers. These are some pretty huge decisions for me so I'd like to be as educated as possible on choices. Thanks a ton for anyone with help! Maybe you know someone enrolled or looking too?

Answer: This situation depends on a person by person basis. For some people, online schooling is simply not an effective option. For others, it's the best choice. For those that travel often, it is often a great idea. However, one concern is that you need to ensure you will have a reliable internet connection wherever you go. You may also need, at times, to print things out. Another matter to consider is that, although there is a professor for the course, they are not physically there for you, and not having that type of pressure causes some people to slack in their work. Before embarking on online schooling, you need to make sure that you will be putting forth your best effort. I'd like to note that as a traveler, constant changes of scenery make a photography course particularly convenient. One thing many struggle with in traditional classes is that in a small community, it's easy to run out of things to use for projects. Because your scenery will change often, you will have more experiences to photograph, and preserve memories at the same time. All in all, the choice of whether or not to pursue online education varies from person to person. I have a friend who tried it but did not complete her program because, without the constant pressure of having her professor right in front of her, she slacked and didn't get things done when she needed to. On the other hand, a relative of mine completed online schooling. She is now in a medical profession. On a side note -- I recommend you check with the school beforehand to find out whether film developing will be covered by the course. Developing requires the ability to set up a darkroom with absolutely "real" light, an abundance of chemicals, and it is very helpful to have running water. While the fact that you are traveling won't necessary render you unable to set up a darkroom, it will make it more difficult, and it might be important for you to discuss the issue with a professor before enrolling. Good luck!

Question: Why in the world are all these "online degree programs" so very very expensive? I have checked into the pricing of most every advertised "get you degree online here" programs that are advertised on tv and on webpages...WTF???? What is wrong with these people? There prices per credit hour are outrageous and highly unjustified and downright greedy and hec. WTF is the deal? They are in fact...so very greedy and ill priced.that most of them after spending 30 minutes navigating all over their site..you still will not have found ANY info on their cost for tuition...which makes it seem like it is a F***ing SECRET or somthing!!! i have had to write to most of them or fill out their little crap and let them bombard me with freakin' phone calls...just to find out or get any idea at all of their cost...that is how embearassed these people are of their greed...the go out of their way to absolutley avoid the issue on their FAQ pages and all the rest of their website areas.... Why is it so stupidly expensive at the "Online Only" colleges...you all know the names of them. University of Phoe***, Wald** University., etc... How in the world do they justify this staggering sticker shock of tuition fees when they should automatically be so much cheaper because they have no brick and mortar campus to maintain..which should in my mind greatly affect cost... My God man! I could goto HARVARD for the same money....these people.. WTF???? Please adivse. Why are they so expensive...??? Other than greed...and why all of them? How do THEY justify this greed/redicuous absurd tuition and fees...when everything is online. I feel sorry for the folks that do not realize their local communty college. or most any college anywhere nowadays offers most of their classes online, hence the same degree mostly from home....done online...or a substanial portion of it...but also with the benifit of a b&m place to goto when you have a problem or need help...a much better value of course by any way you look at it... all for much much cheaper. Without all the burden of massive student loans that these schools I am complaining about are so quick to push you into...they act like it's free money..you know you cannot even claim bankrupcy for student loans...you are stuck with them babies for life man.. These places are in my opinion...a ripoff...and they prey on the non prudent. How do these places justify their super expensive tuition and fees is my question..play devil's advocate and come to their defense...I cannot imagine? Thank you in advance for your time, Perry in FL Is answerer correct? I though these expensive online colleges are accredited and different than simply those "online degrees" that you buy.

Answer: It basically does have to do with greed. Most (possibly even ALL) of the online universities require you STAY at that online university in order to get your degree. You can't transfer your credits anywhere else. So if you decide that you do not like that online college, you would have to take those classes over again at whatever school you decide to attend next. Also, the internet goes everywhere. Strictly online universities can't determine whether you are in-state or out-of-state...so they basically charge one price like a private college/university would and it's extremely expensive. There are colleges and universities that are accredited and have degrees you can take completely online and they ARE transferable. There are a lot of community colleges (and even some higher universities) that do this. I would look it up if I were you.

Question: Where are some good locations in Michigan to find old, out of print White Wolf & World of Darkness books? I'm looking for old World of Darkness titles, particularly Changeling the Dreaming, Wraith the Oblivion, Mage the Ascension, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Vampire the Masquerade, and Demon the Fallen. I shop ebay and amazon but perfer actual brick and mortar stores. I'm looking for ideas on stores to check out in Metro Detroit, Michigan's Lower Penninsula, Northern Ohio, Chicago and North Eastern Pennsylvania. The cheaper the better, if you're a seller I am interested in purchasing large lots of books!

Answer: Do you know about Alibris? It's a prime place to find OP books. I searched for Changeling the Dreaming and found a number of copies, including a couple in Illinois. It's a little cumbersome to find the store location, but not too bad. One can also mail-order through Alibris, of course.