Feng Shui: Water-Snake Year 2013-14 Correspondences

People's unique Birth Year Energies can be adjusted to changing Qi energy-patterns via 5 Elements Feng Shui. Improved, health, fortune and prospects may ensue for those complying with Heaven's Law whilst here on Earth, of their own free-will.

In China and the Far East the Snake is considered a 'lucky' Birth Sign. There, family planning frequently takes Year Animals and Elements into account when choices are made.

Water: Snake Year 2013-14 Year Element

Water Correspondences

Water's Wealth connexions are many (e.g. current accounts, currency, floatation, cash-flow and income-streams). Communications (see above) physical and verbal are linked similarly (e.g. stream-of-consciousness accounts, word-flow, gushing compliments etc). Use the South East 'Wealth' Sector of rooms and dwellings for placements, rather than the North (Helpful People) Sector, for maximum effectiveness during this period.

Crystals and Minerals:

River-bed pebbles are useful for display during this period. Agate, Opal (particularly Fire Opals) and Topaz have auspicious links to the Snake Sign. Crystal/mineral boats, water-features, bowls, fish and figurines can activate appropriate sectors of locations.

Backgrounds:

Metal backgrounds (colours, materials etc) will also encourage healthy Qi-flows within dwellings during this period as Metal supports Water in Feng Shui (tanks, taps, pipes and pans confirm this, Metal even melts and flows when heated). As Water supports Wood, materials of this nature can be highlighted in foregrounds similarly.

Colours

Black (Big, Sea/Salt Water); Blue (Small, Fresh/Drinking Water).

Materials:

Mirrors, plastics, glass (plain and coloured), natural crystals, silk.

Motifs, Images and Motifs:

Snakes, Taiji Symbols, water-features, Aquaria, the 'Chan Chu' (3-Legged Toad or Money-Frog) crystal-boats and ships, Fish, Lakes, Rivers, Landscapes (especially Water-Colours).

Designs

Serpentine, waves and wavy patterns (especially in pastel colours) Willow-patterns and coiling, undulating meandering designs are particularly appropriate.

Scenes and Tableux:

Particularly appealing at this time should be Bodhisattva Kuan Shi Yin, Daoist Immortal and Shaolin Temple Patron Deity's images and statues (particularly Aquarian water-bearing ones). Traffic-flow, communication and travel use, Roads, Streets, and Street scenes also represent Water in Feng Shui terms. Photos, replicas and even drawings can be part of these via 5 Elements Feng Shui's 'resemblance' principle.

Overall

Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui consider the influence of Year Animals and Elements in their forecasts and cures. Both play life-long roles (although Elemental influences are still relatively unknown in the West) affecting people and events.

Regarding infants born and nurtured during this period, 5 Elements Feng Shui may help balance and harmonise their initial and later environments. Older Snakes (and others) sharing Water as their Year Element can also benefit from 5 Elements Feng Shui, like individuals of all Birth Year Animals and Elements.

Create Great Message Board Content Easily: Tips From Top Publishers!

While every message board owner would love to preside over a thriving community engaged in provocative dialogue, it does take some planning and execution to get there. To that end, some thought should be given to defining the content and perspective your community will promote. It bears mentioning that while this chore is often overlooked in the planning process, the more clearly you define the core "personality" of your community prelaunch, the easier it will be to market your site and attract members in the future.

A clearly defined theme provides two distinct advantages: By promoting a niche interest, you increase your message board's visibility in the search engines as a specialized "authority" site: Secondly, you make it easier for people to determine if their interests are the same as yours. Niche communities, while often small, tend to have a more passionate following where enthusiasts will seek your forum out vs. you having to find and attract them.

Once you've settled on the identity and subject of your message board, the next step is to decide which topics will best support that identity.

The first topics you post to your board should be limited to a short list of the most interesting and compelling issues that relate to the core subject. Resist the urge to create lots of topic categories until they're necessary or members request them. When visitors see a message board with a huge list of categories it can be daunting and discourage them from participating.

Also, excessive categories can dilute thread and post counts making the forum appear less active.

Content Creation

If you're passionate about the subject of your message board, generating that first content should take little effort and even be enjoyable. Consider choosing a topic you would have liked reading about when you first got interested in the subject. Next, create some content that's a little more provocative and insightful. Perhaps write about current events or developments related to your board's topic. As you continue posting content and marketing your site, your forum community will grow and begin to offer considerable content for users to browse.

On a side note, try to make posts long enough to be informative but short enough so readers won't stray or lose interest.

To help generate a steady stream of engaging content that will keep people interested, we've assembled a list of ideas top publishers use to bolster their offerings. Consider using some or all of the following suggestions as they apply to your community:

Develop an editorial calendar: One useful technique is to think longer term about content management. Consider setting time aside on a weekly or even monthly basis to review board content and map out a direction and schedule for the introduction of new topics. Reviewing current discussion trends in your message board will also help you to stay abreast of your community's interests and brainstorm new topics accordingly. Schedule topics in advance: To build on the previous suggestion, scheduling topics in advance provides the opportunity to develop ideas more fully over time so they're better when you finally post them to your community. Make a list of interesting things you've discovered about your topic: Whether it's an amusing YouTube video, a provocative article making the rounds on the internet or some fantastic discovery in the news, gathering a few interesting links into a bullet-point posting is a fun way to keep your board fresh without spending a lot of time or energy. Map (mastermind) ideas: Start with either brand new content ideas or refer to interesting topics previously discussed in the forum and then brainstorm ways those subjects can be expanded into new topics. Then, take those new ideas and think about ways they too can be expanded into different, new posts. This technique can potentially help you identify countless new topics to write about. Turn research into content: any time you spend searching for answers or information relating to your message board's topic, take notes of everything you come across and turn that into content. If this information is valuable or compelling to you, there's a good chance it will be meaningful to others who share your same interests. Review posts made by forum members: Not surprisingly, this can often be a goldmine of ideas for new content. By reviewing the posts of your forum members, you can often find information or opinions that spark ideas for compelling new discussion topics. Interview an expert: invite a recognized authority in your niche to drop by your forum for an interview to share their opinions and expertise with your community. This is a great way to give your readers a relevant expert's opinion and perhaps even learn something about the topic yourself.

While the list above is by no means exhaustive, it will hopefully equip you with some new tools to continue building content. As an added bonus, the list below describes different types of perspectives forum publishers take when formulating new posts. Experiment with some of these and you might find they open up the hidden writer in you. Sift this list for ideas to craft additional new content:

Instructional Posts: Instructional posts explain how to do something. Try adapting this perspective to your writing and you might be surprised at the response. Instructional content is some of the most sought after and viewed content on the internet. Reviews: Another highly searched for term on the web is 'review'. Reviews come in every variety and can cover a broad range of topics. Provide an insightful opinion on an issue relating to your board and ask readers for theirs. Top 10 (or 5, 7, etc) Lists: One of the easiest, and most provocative posts to submit are ranking lists. They're popular with readers, can easily be expanded into subsequent posts, and are always reliable for stimulating responses from the community. Profiles: Pick an interesting personality in your niche and do a little research on them to present to your readers. Illuminate how they've reached their position and write about the characteristics and habits they have that others in your niche might like to develop. Rant: Get passionate, say what's on your mind and tell it like it is. Rants are great for starting discussions and can be fun if done in the right spirit. Just be aware they can also spark a flaming thread. Be sensitive to your community but have a little fun in the process. Link Posts: The 'link post' is always popular and is simply a matter of finding a quality post on another message board or blog. Link to it with an explanation of why you're linking and include a personal comment or a quote from the post. Adding a comments makes these posts more engaging and useful to your readers. 'Problem' posts: Another popular theme constantly searched in Google is that of the problem/solution format. If there is a genuine problem relating to your forum's main topic, bring it to light and begin a discussion about possible remedies. This is where the power of the community can shine as people contribute suggestions, observations and personal experiences as they relate to the 'problem' you've showcased.

Now that you've reviewed a few "best practices" for generating fresh forum content, it's time for the real fun to begin. Start your engines and begin writing!

Hopefully this article has provided a future reference for the continued creation of engaging content for your message board. Stay tuned for our next installment in this series on building a successful, self sustaining forum where we'll discuss more tips, tactics and strategies. Click here for previous articles in our Forum Building series. Thanks for reading!

Prepare for Spring Storms - Tips for Business Owners and Home Owners

Spring is a great time of the year. Brown grass turns green. Trees and bushes burst with buds. Flowers poke up through the soil. But not all is this serene. Spring also brings lightning storms, tornadoes, floods and hurricanes.

Are you prepared for the losses that could occur in your home? If you are a business owner, have you taken precautions to help keep your employees from being at risk? Taking that one step further, are you prepared so you don't have to shut down your business for a few days, weeks or even possibly permanently?

For your business:

Review your Evacuation and Take Cover procedures with your employees. Review your Business Continuity Plan so this information is fresh in your mind. Determine if your asset inventory is up to date. Check the exterior of your building. Secure loose siding, shutters and shingles. Inspect trees and trim branches that are brushing against the building or could fall and take down a power line. Inspect the interior of your facility for structural integrity. If you discover any problems areas, contact a general contractor. When a severe storm is imminent, ensure that you have plenty of plywood, nails, tarps and any other supplies appropriate for your area of the country and the type of storm developing. Purchase a generator if you don't already have one.

These easy steps will help you ensure everyone's safety and reduce the amount of damage you'll experience. Additionally, you'll most likely be able to be back in business much faster since you were properly prepared for the worst when it finally does happen.

For your home:

Purchase a generator. This may seem like a frivolous expense, but it can be used for so many different disasters. When there is a severe hurricane or tornado, you could be without power for weeks. Think of all the items in your house that require electricity: appliances, electronics, power tools, lights and heaters. Imagine not having a refrigerator or television for more than a couple hours. Now think of how your life will be if you are without them for days or even longer.

Other items to consider when preparing your residence for the spring storm season:

Talk to your family about your Take Cover and Fire Escape plans. Be sure to include even the youngest child. Talking about it when calm and not "in the moment" will give them a sense of security. Assign someone the responsibility of the family pet. Review your personal property, or home, inventory to ensure that all recently purchased items have been added. If they haven't, contact your inventory service provider to update your file. Call our insurance agent if you have made any major updates to your home in the past year. The worst time to find you are underinsured is when you're filing a claim. Inspect the exterior of your home and tack down any loose shingles, shutters or siding. Look at all of your trees and shrubs. Cut back any branches that are up against the house. Cut off or trim branches of trees that could fall on power lines. When you are facing a storm that requires extra reinforcement, purchase the supplies appropriate for your geographic area and the type of storm you are facing.

Home owner or business owner - or both - being prepared before the storm is bearing down will help you in many ways. You'll be at ease financially, emotionally and have a comfort level from knowing that you're ready.

Badminton Essentials - Choosing a Badminton Bag

A badminton bag is used in carrying badminton rackets as well as other equipment like nets and shuttlecocks. It is rounded on one end, tapering at the other, roughly taking the shape of a racket. Depending on design and style, it can also carry as many as eight rackets, with separate compartments for shuttlecocks.

Kinds

Over-the shoulder: Over-the-shoulder badminton bags are lightweight and slim, with a long strap slung behind a shoulder. They can normally carry about one or two rackets and have compartments on the straps or outside of the bag for shuttlecocks.

Duffel: Duffel badminton bags, on the other hand, are large tote-like bags that come with compartments to house several rackets. They can carry a maximum of eight rackets and have zippered sections for accessories such as clothes and shoes at the sides. While a badminton bag generally tapers on one end, duffels are different. Some duffel badminton bags are cylindrical or rectangular, much like any regular sports bag.

Buying tips

When it comes to buying a badminton bag, look for one that can fit all your rackets for convenience, with extra room for new ones. Make sure your rackets all fit comfortably into the compartments, with at least an inch of clearance from the walls of the bag to the tips of your rackets. And since you're looking for convenience, choose a bag that is easy to carry around. If you're driving, look for a bag that you can quickly secure to your car's roof or will easily fit in the trunk. Cushioned handles are also a plus because they make it more comfortable for you to carry your bag.

Shut Up And Sing

What is it with these performers and their politics? Do they really think that people who pay $100 or more to hear them sing want to hear them utter political opinions? The audience pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to see and hear a performer PERFORM. You want to spout politics, run for freakin office, you moron! When performers use a paid venue to play politics they are abusing the paying audience, the venue, the sponsors and everyone connected to their artistic performance. It's an inappropriate venue and inapproprite behavior to voice your political viewpoint, you jerk! And they wonder why people boo.

Somebody pays a small fortune for their ticket to see them perform and ends up being subjected to a political opinion from someone who makes millions of dollars a year but doesn't have a real job, doesn't have to live in reality and doesn't have a clue about the real world! Yeah, right, tell me about your political views while I'm sitting here waiting to be entertained by you. That's why I came here and that's what I paid for isn't it, you ungrateful clueless idiot. You want to spout off, do it for free. Yes, free. Why don't you perform for free then you can say anything you want to your audience. Then it's fair and balanced. Then the audience gets what it pays for.

And what about the incident in Orange County, CA where the performer makes a comment about Linda Ronstadt and audience starts booing and the performer responds with how America used to be a place where you could openly discuss your views. Ha! Twenty thousand people and he's the only one with a microphone! Open discussion, my ass.

So, a word to the wise. You want to keep performing, keep making millions, keep living in your fantasy world? Shut up and sing.

Professional Link Building for a Prominent Online Presence

By obtaining the expertise of a reputable SEO agency you are really able to make the most out of your online marketing campaign and are sure to see a huge increase in your company revenue. There are two varying types of link building, both of which have proven to be successful techniques in increasing a websites online presence.   The first type is one way links, which offer surfers east access to your website through a numbers of entry points. Although these are very beneficial to your online success, they have to be done properly in order for you to reap the benefits; otherwise the effects could even be detrimental to the reputation of your company. The incorporation of one way links portrays your website as being somewhere that is well worth visiting and as search engines are more likely to rank your site higher the more helpful it appears to be, the chances of your site being at the top of the search engine results pages are hugely increased. However, this can be quite an arduous process and requires an in-depth knowledge of many aspects involved in online marketing to be successful, which is why the majority of online businesses are now seeking the services of a professional SEO company for greater success online.   The other type of link building available is aimed at creating reciprocal links which are sought after from other websites which allow you to place your link in return of your site linking back to theirs. This means that you will be associated with their website, it is advantageous that they sell products which relate to what you have to offer in some way or other in order to gain traffic in the way of your targeted audience. Reciprocating links are only good for your website when they are incorporated carefully to be helpful to your visitors, if this is the case then search engines are more likely to give you a high ranking as their aim is to provide people surfing the net with the most relevant results for their specific needs.   With both types of links being imperative to ensuring your success in the online marketplace it is vital that you obtain the services of an SEO company that are highly revered in providing only the highest quality services. This will ensure that your online marketing plan is an absolute success and give you the edge you need over your competitors, This is especially important within the world of today where the majority of people are turning to the internet to find their products and services, offering great convenience and efficiency. The most successful link building will ensure that your incorporated keywords are able to obtain the highest possible ranking for your company website.   Ranking Solutions are an expert SEO agency that offer years of experience and the finest techniques for the most effective online marketing plan, ensuring that your company website is able obtain and maintain a high ranking within the search engine results pages. Working alongside you in order to provide you with the highest returns on such a wise investment by optimizing the design of your existing website with a range of techniques which have been carefully researched in a way to provide you with an increase in revenue and put you streets ahead in what you have to offer as a company. The leading company guarantees each and every one of their clients the most sophisticated services for their success online, offering the most professional approach to a wide range of business for many years.

War on Salt

Can anybody tell me what happens to that good old pretzel, hotdog, butter biscuit, popcorn with extra butter or frozen dinner, once we consumed it. Have we indulged with our eyes and hands but forgot the effect it has on the temple (body). We are all guilty in that we go for the things that taste and we definitely don't read the labels for nutritional facts.

We consume sodium (salt) on a daily basis which can be a good thing or bad. We should pay very close attention to the amount of sodium we consume. Our bodies need a certain amount of salt daily, between 180mg-500mg.

Many African Americans suffer with high blood pressure. Looking at this specific population the average daily sodium intake for those age 2-60 is 1,333436mg. Restaurant and processed foods are a major contributor to the high rates of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. They have caused nearly 400,000 deaths each year. But many people love salt.

This is 75% of our daily salt intake. We also should drink plenty of water. As believers we must pray and eat right everyday; taking the proper vitamins and prescribed medications from the doctor. As it is often said " If you take one step God will take two". Make sure you get to where you need to be in your daily christian walk by being healthy.

Facts on Salt:

1. Most sodium is consumed in the form of sodium chloride which is table salt. Other forms of sodium are also found in food, so watch out for salt and sodium.

2. Try to have less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day-- that's the same as 6 grams of salt a day or about 1 teaspoon.

3. That includes ALL sodium and salt-- what's in the product, and added in cooking and at the table.

4. Processed foods account for most of the sodium and salt consumed.

5. Check food labels--sodium is in some foods you might not expect, such as soy sauce and some antacids.

6. Kosher salt and sea salt are just that--salt. Don't forget to include them in adding up your sodium intake for the day.

7. No Sodium=less than 5mg per serving day

Low Sodium=140mg or less per serving day

See the idea of watching salt intake into our bodies is not suffering with water retention. Drinking lots of water will actually help fluid retention.

From Sister Chef

List Building Tips - The Crossover Newsletter

In this installment of List Building Tips, I want to go over the crossover newsletter. When you see how this works, you will find that it is absolute genius. No, I didn't make up this idea. I learned it from some very smart marketers and now I'm going to pass it along to you. You're really going to love this.

We all know, at least we should know, that the best way to run a newsletter is to send out regular content on a regular basis so that the members of your newsletter get valuable information that they can actually use and look forward to the next installment.

Please let that sink in because a lot of people miss that, There is no point in getting somebody on your list if you end up losing them the next day because you gave them nothing to look forward to. I am on one newsletter now for I don't know how long simply because I know each installment is going to give me something that I can use in the way of information.

But let's be honest. Sometimes the well runs dry and we can't think of things to write. This could last for a day, a week, or longer. But, imagine that we had another source of information that we could tap into AND get additional subscribers in the process.

If you're like most Internet marketers, you're on at least one list. What if that list provided information that you didn't cover in your list? What if there was enough of an overlap that it would be great if your subscribers could get your newsletter AND this other person's newsletter.

Why not?

It's really very simple.

Contact the other newsletter. Ask them if they'd be interested in doing a crossover newsletter series. In other words, let's say the series was 7 emails. You could do the first 4 and they could do the last 3. That way, the members of your list, in order to receive the last 3 emails would have to join the other person's list. Naturally, you make them aware of this BEFORE the series starts.

Okay, how does this help you? Well, the other newsletter, the one doing the last 4 issues, is going to want THEIR subscribers to be able to get the first three issues that YOU'RE sending out. In order for them to be able to do this, they're going to have to join (you got it) YOUR list.

See how this works? So essentially what happens is this. All the members of your list who want to get the whole series will join the OTHER marketers list and all the members of HIS list who want to get the whole series will join YOUR list.

Will everybody join from both lists. Of course not. But even if you only get 10% of the people on the other list to join YOUR list and that other list has 10,000 members, that's not too shabby, don't you think?

Will there be people who are already on both lists? Sure. We all know that there are a lot of people who are on multiple lists and all know each other. But there WILL be some new folks. And THOSE are the ones you'll be getting by doing a crossover newsletter.

Can this work with 3 newsletters? It can. But more than two and it starts getting a little hairy. So I would keep it to two to begin with.

There you go; crossover newsletters. Give it a shot. You might find the results surprising.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Can UV Gel Nail Polish Damage My Natural Nails?

UV gel nail polish, like every other beauty product can cause damage to your natural nails if improperly removed. Simply wearing UV gel polish can not cause damage to your nails. The risk of damage usually occurs during the removal process.

If you're already familiar with UV gel nail polish, you'll know that getting it off your nails is not as straight forward as it is with regular nail polish. The process of removing UV gel is called a "soak off". It involves using acetone to dissolve the gel nail polish from your nails. The process can either be done by soaking your fingers in a bowl that contains acetone, or placing cotton wool soaked in acetone on your nails. Whichever method is chosen, the overall goal is the same - to safely remove UV gel nail polish from your nails without damaging your natural nails.

The amount of time it takes to complete the soak off varies from person to person. The average time is 10 to 20 minutes. It is very important to ensure the gel polish is not forcefully scraped off the nail, instead the acetone should be allowed to do it's job and break the bond between the natural nail and gel polish. Forcefully removing it will result in taking a layer of the natural layer off inadvertently as is it still stuck to the gel polish. If this occurs frequently causes damage, the natural nail will end up being thin, brittle, and weak.

There are a few things you can do to ensure you smooth and safe soak off. Here are a few tips to make the process go smoothly and quickly.

A week before you plan on doing your soak off, apply cuticle oil to your nails daily.

Always break the gel polish seal by gently rubbing the surface of the nail with a nail file. This will allow the acetone to penetrate all layers of polish that have been applied

Heat definitely speeds up the process so using a manicure bowl that allows moderately hot water to be placed under it will heat up the acetone, allowing the gel polish to come off the natural nail a lot quicker than it normally would. If you use the cotton wool soak off method, then placing your hands in a heated accessory such as the microwavable heat packs used for back and joint pains will do the trick.

Acetone can be very drying so always add a few drops of cuticle oil to your acetone before soaking off your gel polish.

Following these tips should ensure you are able to safely remove your gel nail polish leaving your natural nails healthy. The most important thing to remember is gel polish should never be forcefully scraped off the nail. If you get your nails done in a beauty salon or at a nail bar, make sure the technician isn't forcing the gel off due to time constraints. If the technician is running late on their next appointment, the temptation to force the gel polish off is much greater, so always pay close attention to the removal process. The alternative is to do your own soak off at a time that suits you.

The Fundamentals of Insulin

Insulin has two critical roles in the body that we cannot live without, yet it can be the root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and the repair of your cells. When you eat, a certain amount of the food will be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream. As the sugar levels rise, the body senses it and the pancreas secretes insulin to lower the sugar. This is insulin's second main function.

If you eat too much of any food, especially carbohydrates (starch and sugar) the levels of glucose in the blood rise to very high levels. In turn this triggers a large release of insulin from the pancreas. Your cells will take what they need and then insulin will begin the process of converting the excess glucose, fat and protein into fat and then put it all away in your fat cells. By combining foods the right way for your body, you will maintain optimum levels of insulin throughout the day.

The best way to control insulin and fight sugar cravings is to eat protein snacks when you are hungry or when you have severe "sweet" cravings. Also, try to limit yourself to three carbohydrate-containing meals per day and try to eat vegetables with most meals and snacks.

A particularly good snack is non-fat cottage cheese and salsa. The only vegetables to avoid in the evening are corn, yellow or orange squash, peas, beets and carrots. They have high simple carbohydrate (sugar) content.

Good natural sources of protein for meals or snacks are:

Chicken breast, Turkey, Fish, Lean Pork, Lean Steak, 7% fat (or less) Ground Beef, Egg whites, Egg Beaters, Tofu, Non-fat cottage cheese, Non-fat cheese, Non-fat cream cheese, Non-fat sour cream, Fat-free low-sodium Ham or Canadian bacon.

You can also try whey protein powder and protein bars, although you must be careful when choosing these since some contain sugar in one form or another (example: dexrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) Please read the food labels for all whey powers and protein bars. Sugars content (per serving) should be under 5 grams.

The key is to eat frequently throughout the day and also have a "real" sweet treat once a week, especially if that will help you stay away from sweets the rest of the week.

Be Well & Stay Fit

Aimee Deak Personal Trainer & Nutrition Analyst

Using Public Wi-Fi Safely

The British telecommunications company BT has recently announced that it is on target to turn on 500,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in London in time for the start of the Olympics in July. This news has only served to demonstrate the prevalence of the internet in today's society. More and more people are connecting to the internet while they are out and about in coffee shops, libraries or even on the train. The use of these hotspots or open wireless access, however, is not without risks. The release of the Firefox extension 'Firesheep' has helped demonstrate how easy it is to find and take over the sessions of people using open, unencrypted Wi-Fi and gain access to Facebook, email, and bank accounts. Convincingly named networks can also lead people to connect their computers to that of a hacker. You should not be dissuaded from using public Wi-Fi altogether, but can follow some simple rules and guidelines to keep your information safe.

Firstly, and most obviously, try not to visit websites that have sensitive information while you are using public internet. It may be tempting to buy something new or check your bank balance while you are out but it is in your own interest to wait until you get home. If you do need to access these websites on public Wi-Fi make sure that the data you are sending is encrypted. Most banking or e-commerce websites will use SSL ('Secure Sockets Layer') to encrypt important data. You can also use SSL on many other sites, although some will not use it by default. Both Twitter and Facebook will let you enable the use of SSL in your account settings while email clients such as Gmail and Hotmail will use SSL automatically. You can tell if SSL is being used if you see 'https' instead of 'http' in the address bar.

Choose your network wisely, if there are several networks that could be the free Wi-Fi offered by your local coffee shop, double check with someone who works there to find out which one it is. Try to choose hotspots using security technology WPA2 rather than WPA or WEP as it is stronger. Make sure that your computer will not automatically connect to unknown wireless networks and ensure your firewall is turned on. You can also check that 'sharing' is turned off; this is a useful feature for connecting to printers and other devices wirelessly when using a secure network, but when connected to a public Wi-Fi hotspot it could leave your computer wide open to unauthorised access.

One of the most important ways that you can use a public Wi-Fi network more securely is through the use of a VPN. VPN stands for 'virtual private network' and will create a 'tunnel' of encrypted data. VPNs are particularly popular with businesses; they are used by workers outside of the office in order to keep any data and information as secure as it would be inside the office. Many VPN providers offer 'business VPNs' to companies - this means that their members of staff who are out of the office can work securely and stay connected to the rest of the office. Personal VPNs or 'VPNs-for-hire' are equally available. There are hundreds of different VPNs on offer so you need to choose wisely and find one that you can trust as it will be handling your data and information. Using a virtual private network is a quick and easy way of securing your online activity in a public place and is a useful way to work away from the office securely.

Keeping your information safe on your own secure home network is extremely important, so it follows that you need to be extra vigilant while you are online out and about. Using public Wi-Fi safely need not be stressful; you just need to make sure you are aware of the potential risks and take steps to avoid them.

Anniversary Blues

Jamie and Kurt are a sweet, successful couple in their early thirties. In spite of loving each other deeply, they often find themselves in conflict over seemingly minor issues, as most couples do. Recently, just one week before their wedding anniversary, they had a particularly hurtful argument. Jamie had expressed her unhappiness about Kurt's busy schedule and the limited time he finds to spend with her. As usual, Kurt promised to try harder and they got through it. But having not dealt with the real issues at hand, the problem was bound to resurface. Jamie unknowingly began planting the seeds for their next bout when she decided to bring up the subject of their anniversary.

"Kurt, I just wanted to remind you that next week is our anniversary and it's really important that we plan something special for us."

Kurt took a deep breath and responded, "Jamie, you know I don't really like celebrations."

"Oh come on Kurt. It's really important to me." Nearly pleading, Jamie continued. "When you really love someone, you try to do what is important to them, right? I made the plans last year and now it's your turn. Why don't you surprise me...something really romantic! Okay?"

Silent and distant, Kurt gave a slight nod, which was all the assurance Jamie needed that this anniversary would be exceptional. She could barely work that week fantasizing about what Kurt would do to demonstrate his everlasting love. Finally, the day arrived! Kurt had agreed to be home by six o clock. By twenty past six, Jamie was anxious. With each glance at the clock, her pacing quickened. At last, Kurt walked through the door looking tense and clutching a bouquet of red roses. Jamie took the roses with a wary smile, anticipating what was coming next. Without even so much as a glance, Kurt turned around, got a beer out of the fridge, and sank into the couch, grabbing the remote control.

Jamie watched intently, feeling her blood turn to ice. "That's it?" she asked.

"That's what?"

"That's it? It's our anniversary!" Jamie's tone grew sharp. "You said you would plan something special and romantic and this..." shaking the roses in her clenched fist, "this is it?"

"I never said I would do anything," Kurt retorted. "I told you it wasn't my thing."

"Don t lie to me! You nodded yes!"

"No, I didn't. I didn't agree to anything. You always want me to prove that I love you. I hate that! Even if I did want to do something for our anniversary, I certainly wouldn't want to after you tell me you expect it! Sullenly, Kurt turned back to the TV. You take all the fun out of everything.

Jamie dissolved into tears. "Well if you knew how to show me you loved me, I wouldn't have to say anything."

Without a word, Kurt turned off the TV and left the house.

Once again, Jamie and Kurt were left feeling unheard and unappreciated. Their conditioned response was to blame each other for their hurt feelings and angry behavior.

In order to understand how things went so wrong, we need to look at the interaction in terms of their intention to learn or their intention to protect.

Jamie starts out trying to control Kurt by making him feel guilty. Kurt, not wanting to be controlled and not able to communicate how being controlled makes him feel, moves into resistance, which is his form of control. Jamie thinks that laying on more guilt (control) will accomplish her objective to have a romantic anniversary. Since Kurt is frustrated with his inability to express his brewing feelings, he moves into silence (control). Finally, when Kurt comes home late and sits on the sofa, he demonstrates passivity (control) to which Jamie responds with anger (control). Kurt uses more resistance (control) and Jamie uses more anger and guilt (control). Kurt gets defensive (control) and disappears (control). Attack, resist, blame, defend, on and on...Sound familiar?

Neither Kurt nor Jamie want to hurt each other. Unfortunately, they are also not open to learning about their own feelings and behaviors, or each other's. Resorting to controlling behavior keeps them safe and eliminates the need to effectively communicate their fear. Fear is what motivates their intention to control and in the face of fear, their love dissipates.

Instead of each person taking full responsibility for his or her own happiness and unhappiness, they gave that job to each other. Imagine that your feelings are a child within. Imagine what would happen if you had an actual child that you kept trying to give to others to take care of. That child would feel scared and insecure most of the time. Yet that is exactly what happens when we make others responsible for our feelings - our child within feels scared, insecure, angry, depressed, and anxious. It is only when we take responsibility for our own feelings, which we can do through the intent to learn, that we will feel secure enough to give up the need to control and resist control.

It would be easy to blame Jamie for their problems - if only she didn't get so needy and angry, everything would be fine. It's just as easy to blame Kurt - if only he was more attentive and caring. Yet until both Jamie and Kurt are willing to take responsibility for their own feelings, and until loving themselves and each other is more important than controlling or not being controlled, their conflicts will continue.

The act of taking responsibility has nothing to do with blame or fault. Each person taking full responsibility eliminates the need to be right and that is an essential step to a mature and reasonable outcome. What if Jamie had started with, "Kurt, I love celebrating our anniversary and you hate it. Can we talk about what would work for both of us?" They could have more easily resolved the issue. And what if Kurt had responded to Jamie's initial controlling statements with caring and openness instead of resistance, such as, "Honey, you know I don't like celebrations, so please don't expect me to plan something. Let's talk about how we can make it work for both of us." Either one of them could have moved into an intent to learn and taken responsibility for creating what they wanted.

Each of us has the choice to begin to notice our intention.

If each of us changed our intention from controlling to loving, and learned to take responsibility for our own feelings, we would each be participating in healing our relationships and thereby healing our planet.

Maintaining A Healthy Diet While At Work

One of the problems that many of us face when we work for a living is the fact that it can be quite difficult to eat healthily through the day. As a matter of fact, we may find that we are simply grabbing something as quick as possible from vending machines or candy machines that may be at our place of business. Quite obviously, this is not going to result in our having the optimum health that we would desire and it can actually cause problems in the long run that are difficult to control. That being said, what are some of the things that you can do to ensure that you are eating as healthy as possible when you are stuck at work?

One of the more obvious points to eating healthy is the fact that you must be prepared in advance. If you are leaving everything to chance, it is likely that you are going to be hitting one of the candy machines in your office at sometime during the day. This can be disastrous for your waistline, as well as your overall health. If you plan in advance, on the other hand, and bring yourself some food that is healthier than what comes out of the vending machines at work, you will be in a better position. What are some of the options that are open to you?

Some people find that it is very beneficial to do all of their cooking on one or two days every week. If you cook on the weekend, it is often possible for you to cook enough that you will be good for the majority of the week. Having the food prepared in advance and even distributed in smaller Tupperware containers will make it easy for you to grab a pre-prepared lunch and take it with you in the morning. This will help you to avoid the fast food restaurants and the other unhealthy options that are available to you in the work environment.

Another thing that you are going to need in order to be successful with eating healthy is proper motivation. When you are first starting some type of a healthy eating regime, it can be very difficult to stick with it for the long run. As a matter of fact, it is often estimated that you have to go at least 21 days without a particular food or type of food before it becomes a habit. If you are able to stick with it for that long, you may just find that you are able to avoid it for the rest of your life.

One final thing that you should consider is the fact that being healthy is not just a matter of eating healthy. Exercise and getting plenty of rest are also going to play key parts in being healthy at work and in your home environment. Get outside and get some fresh air when possible and if all you can do is walk, by all means go for a walk. The more you spend time exercising, the less you will have a problem with your health.

Marketing Your Podcasts Made Simple

Podcasts can be a great way for you to expand your marketing message and get more sales for your business. If you want to know how to use podcasts to your advantage today, then you have landed on the right page! I want to show you how you can use podcasts to get you more traffic, and ultimately, more sales.

A podcast is simply a recorded media file that is typically created into an MP3 format. MP3 format is ideal for its small file size, along with the quality that it can maintain. When you make your podcast, you will want to submit it to all of the podcast directories. One podcast directory in particular that you will want to submit it to is iTunes.

iTunes gets so much traffic on a daily basis that you can use it to improve your business within a short period of time. If you find yourself not getting the traffic that you're looking for in your business, perhaps you should give iTunes a chance. It's a site that can do a lot of good for your business.

I'm not only a user of iTunes, but there's someone that I listen to on iTunes that is very popular. Her name is Suze Orman. You may have heard of her, or not. No matter the case, whenever I can't catch her show when it airs, I immediately go to iTunes to download her podcast to catch up on things that I have missed.

When you build up a following of people, people will start to do the same thing with you. They will check iTunes every week to see if you've posted anything new, because your advice is so sensational that they don't want to miss it at all. This is the power of podcasts and how it can help to drive tons of targeted traffic to your website or blog everyday.

Once I realized that podcasts can get me a lot of traffic and sales, I wanted to jump on it immediately. This is something that you will want to do also in your business. Just make a podcast about something related to your niche, so that you can develop content simply and easily.

If you're stuck on ideas, you should know that it's normal. Just do a bit of brainstorming and come up with topics that you can talk about. I'm sure that you can come up with a lot of topics to write about if you put your mind into it. Or simply join a forum in your niche and see what some of the main problems are, then turn this information into a podcast that you can promote on the forum, and on iTunes.

Now besides iTunes, there are many other podcast directories out there. These podcast directories serve the same purpose as iTunes, and a lot of people visit these other directories also for podcasts that they can listen to, or even promote on their blog or site. No matter what they do, you will want to submit your podcasts here also so that you can get a lot of exposure for your website.

Podcasts are not new, and have been around for quite sometime now. And if this is your first time hearing about them, you should know that you should enter into the podcast game now if you want to have the most success as possible with getting traffic to your website - because this is exactly what will happen once you launch your podcast marketing plan.

Good luck with using these podcasting tips to make more money in your business today.