Using Stop Loss Orders to Determine When to Enter a Trade

Many people enter into trades with little more than a desire for profit. In Forex we normally use between 50 – 400 to 1 leverage. Because of the large amount of leverage we are able to use, simply hoping for a profit is not enough. Traders need a solid plan before the pull they trigger. When planning any battle, successful generals begin at the retreat and work their way backwards. Traders should do the same. The first and most important decision is when to admit defeat and retreat. Survival to fight another day is more important that going down with the ship. This article proposes that traders take a different approach to figuring out when and where to place their next trade. The approach is simple. Just like the generals, start by figuring out when to get out. This may sound strange, but if you apply this idea to whatever other methods you are using to determine your entry signals, your bottom line should improve. The overall idea is simple, rather than first looking for a good entry point, look for a point where you would want to be stopped out. At this point you are probably saying “who ever wants to get stopped out?”

The answer is, not the majority. But let’s look at several statistics for a moment to get some perspective. Depending on who you believe, anywhere between 75-95% of all retail Forex traders blow out their account within one year. So it seems that the 5-25% of traders who are winning are doing something different then the majority who are losing. One of those main differences is not being bothered by getting stopped out. Many new traders complain that they hate trading with stops because they have been stopped out of a trade that almost immediately turned around and would have been a huge winner had they not run the stop. They take that to mean that they should not trade with stops. Trading without some kind of risk management is like playing Russian roulette by yourself, it may not be the next pull of the trigger that kills you, but pull it enough times and sooner or later it’s a sure thing. Trading without risk management is much the same. You may get away with it for a while, but the lesson you are learning will sooner or later prove deadly.

There are many forms of risk management, from the extremely complex, like cross hedging with options, to the very simple, such as using stops. The use of stop loss orders is one of the simplest and often most effective way to manage the risks of any given trade. The reason many traders have had a bad experience with using stops is not the fault of the stop itself, but rather the placement of the stop. Most traders get into a trade and then decide where to run a stop, if at all. They often have a fixed dollar amount that they are willing to risk per trade and they then place the stop loss order accordingly. All of this on the surface sounds like a good plan, but in practice it often leads to the scenario mentioned before, where the trade gets stopped out and then the market turns on a dime and goes the way the trader had originally anticipated, leaving them to mistakenly blame the stop. The individual points that led to the stop being placed are not bad in and of themselves, but put together this way, they often lead to the frustration mentioned above.

So let us look at these issues from another angle. Rather than getting into a trade and then deciding where to get out, let’s determine the exit point and let that dictate where we get in. To do this you will need a chart. Choose the chart’s time-frame based on how long you intend to hold the trade. If you only hold your trades for a few hours then a 15 or 60 minute chart should be fine. If you are more of a swing trader, then daily or even weekly charts would be best. Currencies tend to trend more than most other markets. However, they do not trend all the time. In fact the opposite is true. Most markets only trend about 30% of the time. The remaining 70% of the time they are trading within a range or chopping. Therefore, learning how to trade the chop is paramount if you want to be a trader for years to come. What follows is a simple yet effective way to trade the chop.

Trading the Chop

First, start by looking at long term support and resistance zones. Markets tend to have certain zones that they “bounce” off of time and time again before penetrating them. These zones are what you want to look for. Start with weekly or even monthly charts, no matter what time-frame you trade in. This will tell you in an instant whether the market is trending or choppy. Once you determine the underlying market condition, look for significant areas of support and resistance. Finally, move to a daily chart and then to a 60 minute chart. After going through these different time-frames you should be able to find a number of these zones. The best are those that coincide through all the time-frames. That will only happen if the market is at or near relative new highs or lows. When it does happen, though, it is time to sit up and pay attention. However, you do not need to wait for perfect conditions to use this method. You only need a support or resistance zone in whatever time-frame you are comfortable trading. Once you have identified these areas on a chart, you need to look closely and determine where that level would be broken and place your stops accordingly. A move through this level would signify that the market is breaking out from the previously established range. Once you find what the highest high is in the case of a resistance level, or lowest low in the case of a support level, you need to go a certain distance beyond that so you are not stopped out by a move of only one or two pips beyond these levels.

There are many ways to determine how much extra distance to give each market. One way that I have used is to simply look for the next closest Fibonacci number. This method is not scientific, but one that has served me well over the years. The Fibonacci sequence is one that was discovered by a mathematician all the way back in 13th century. The sequence is as follows: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144… For the purposes of using them for stops I normally only use 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, and 89. So if the last two digits of the highest high in a resistance zone had been 25, then you would use either 34 or 55 depending on which particular market it is in. The more volatile, or greater the average true range (ATR), the wider you should go.

Once you identify the zone you can then come up with your exact stop point.

Look at the daily chart of the USD/JPY and you can see that we have had significant resistance between roughly 121.50 and 122.25. Each time the market has reached this zone it has failed to follow through. There have been three attempts to break out from this zone, each one being lower than the last, forming a descending trend line. This is what you want to look for. Once you identify the zone you can then come up with your exact stop point. Simply find the recent highest high, in this case 121.66, and then find the next closest Fibonacci number (89) and you have your stop (121.89).

Determining your entry point

Now that you know where you are going to run your stop you can use that to determine your entry point. This is the point where you want determine how much actual money you are willing to risk on the trade. Most money managers will tell you to never invest more than 1% of your account on one trade. That rule really only works for traders using 50k or more. Most traders start with less and therefore are forced to break that rule. Starting with a $5,000 account and only risking 1% would mean that you can only risk $50 per trade, which in some cases is less than the bid/ask spread once you enter the trade, so it is obviously not realistic. But try to keep the amount you risk on any one trade as low as you can. Trading is a long-term endeavor. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that your next trade is “the big one” and you are sure it will work, and therefore put half or even all of your account into it. That is not money management, it is gambling. But let’s say you are comfortable risking $400 on a trade, or 40 pips on a 100k contract. Looking at a Daily chart of the USD/JPY, you can see that the most recent high was 121.66. Using the Fibonacci stop idea you would run your stop at 121.89 because 89 is the next closest Fibonacci number above 66. Now you have your stop well above a significant point of resistance. To calculate your entry point, simply subtract the 40 pips you are willing to risk from your stop point to arrive at 121.59 (121.89 – 40 = 121.59). The next day the market traded up to 121.63 so a limit order at 121.59 should have been filled. Once the order is filled, you can trail your stop with the market or move it to coincide with other support and resistance zones within the range. Your target would be somewhere near the bottom of the range. In this example your target would be a move to 119.50 or below.

So let’s review this method. First determine if the current market is trending or chopping. Then look to identify areas of support and or resistance. Next find the highest high in a recent resistance level or the lowest low in a support level. Determine the next closest Fibonacci number and you have your stop point. Then take the amount you are willing to risk per trade and either subtract it from your stop if it is a short trade or add it to your stop if it is a long trade. You now have both your stop and entry points, and you are only risking whatever amount you determined you were comfortable with. Your stop is placed at a level that signifies a change in the recent trend, and therefore is mush less random than most other stops. This method is not to be used exclusively, but it is one that can compliment whatever other indicators or patterns you are using to determine you next trade. This method should help you avoid getting stopped out at insignificant points that have you selling near highs and buying near lows within the established trading range.

Extra Cash Online

For college students and other people who feel burned out trying to balance paying the bills and living at the same time, ads like these can prove to be irresistible. Many of them make perfect sense and easily hook you based on good concepts. Unfortunately, many times the product or service does not match the brilliance of a great idea for making money from home or through the Internet. As I’ve learned myself, the further you go down this road, the more excited you get. You basically get hooked, and if you aren’t careful, you will end up working hard and falling further into debt than you can imagine. Much like gambling, the lure of easy money and independence can make just about anyone fall prey to work at home scams that feed off your dreams to get to your wallet so they can go on to the next victim.

Hopefully, you will never fall victim to these scam artists. However, the fact of the matter is that these scammers would not be wasting their time if they were not making any money. And as long as people continue to get mixed up in this business, these scammers are going to stick around to trick more and more people.

The best way to keep a scammer’s claws away from your credit card is to do thorough research on each opportunity that you are considering. This means doing much more than simply reading a bit about it online. In my personal experience, I have been taken by companies who were savvy enough to pollute the Internet with staged testimonials, guarantees, questionable references to big name endorsements, and even appearances in the Better Business Bureau.

A colleague of mine who invested in vending machine placement services even went so far as to physically go to the manufacturing plant to tour the warehouse as well as contact the Better Business Bureau of that state. What he received, in return, were twenty malfunctioning candy machines with a list of local businesses who had apparently agreed to receive them. Not only did none of these businesses know what he was talking about, many of them were hostile when he showed up to place them.

What you want to do is check message boards such as the ASK section of Yahoo.com. Another simple method of weeding out the scams from the genuine opportunities is to go to a search engine and simply type in the company name followed by the word “scam”. If you do this, and you are barraged by an endless list of complaints, you my friend have found a nugget of gold in a sea of mud.

In terms of the Better Business Bureau, it is best to contact them directly to ask about any complaints, and also find out how long a company has been listed. The Better Business Bureau operates state by state. They will be able to tell you if they have any complaints on file. If they do, you will want to avoid the opportunity at all costs. But if it appears that a company is doing business the right way, you can continue your own research.

Being in the Business Bureau is not necessarily that hard to accomplish. Many scammers can use their money and connections to set up a front to initially qualify for the Better Business Bureau just long enough for them to collect their cash from unsuspecting victims, close shop, create a new identity and start again.

Before you decide to do anything, attempt to get in touch with the company that you are interested in. Can you get a human being on the phone? Do they have an actually physical address? How long does it take them to respond to your e-mails, if at all? If you cannot even talk to the company before you start, there is not chance that they will be around when you really need them. I once made quite a bit of money selling vacation vouchers on auction sites. The marketing plan was sound, and the money saving vouchers was a hit. Only problem was, I could never get in touch with their customer service department to handle my customer inquiries and complaints once I realized that the promises that existed in writing on the vouchers were misleading at best. This proved to be such a problem that it took me over a year to recover from the negative publicity on my auction site.

Of course, there are legitimate home based businesses out there. With the Internet and all the low cost, web producing tools available, there seems to be a renaissance in entrepreneurship. Basically, just find a product or service you can market online, and do your research. Sell on EBay if you don’t want to build your own website. You can have a website their and all search engine marketing is already done by EBay. The Small Business Association has an office in downtown Tacoma and contains invaluable information on their website http://www.sba.com. Since small business is the backbone of our country economically, sources such as these are eager to help you create a plan with realistic expectations.

However, like anything else worthwhile, you have to do your homework and work hard at it. The problem is that too many people make you think you can practically go online and make money just clicking on a mouse. You want to steer clear of any business that asks to you to pay for their “Top Secret” e-book that will teach you how to make an automated income.”

Think about it, if you are in dire need of cash, can you imagine any other situation in which you would not only work for free, but pay for the privilege to work. There are no magic formals or secrets worth paying for. All of the information in these e-books can be found for free through your own research if you have common internet skills.

If you don’t want to work hard and just make a few easy extra bucks without donating your blood or volunteering to be a guinea pig, it is possible to make some good extra money filling out online surveys or through mystery shopping. There are real opportunities out there which require no fee to get started. Not only that, several of them will even give you a $5 bonus just for signing up. If a company such as this is legitimate, they would be making lots of money through the success of its members. Companies that require that $49.97 start up fee only make money through the fee and only want to teach you how to get other people to do the same. The products are all useless lists and general information that anyone with a functioning mind could figure out on their own, or get for free by doing their own research.

In 12 years of trying to make a living on the Internet, the following are the best companies I have ever encountered for making a few extra bucks filling out surveys, playing games and mystery shopping. They probably won’t pay the rent, but if you’re interested in making an extra $400 or $500 a month or eating out at nice restaurants and going to movies for free, you may want to check these out:

Mystery Shopping Providers Association: ." target=new>http://www.mysteryshop.org/shoppers/">.

This site contains all the information you will ever need on starting up as a mystery shopper. It is also a portal for the best sites to go to for mystery shopping jobs online, and they don’t require that you invest a penny.

InboxDollars.com. (you can sign up for free and get $5 just for signing up. You can make a few hundred dollars in one day, theoretically, if you are willing to use a credit card to sign up for free or paid trials. Just make sure you have the patience to fill out the long surveys and keep detailed records so you can remember to cancel your free trials before you get charged. Also, you can fill out surveys to make a dollar or two which are completely free. I’ve made about $400 with this site.
http://www..sendearnings.com

http://www.treasuretrooper.com.

http://www.tiktikcash.com. By far the best of the survey sites. The free surveys are tremendous. You can make a dollar or two in one minute. This site has the shortest, most painless surveys. I made over thirty bucks in less than after signing up.

How To Get The Truth Out of Anyone!(Part 4)

Phase Three – Eleven Silver Bullets: How To Get The Truth Without Beating It Out Of Them
To convey honesty and truthfulness in your message, use the following techniques: Look the person directly in the eyes. Use hand movements to emphasize your message. Use animated gestures that are fluid and consistent with the conversation. Stand or sit upright – no slouching. Don’t start off with any statements such as “To tell you the truth…” or “To be perfectly honest with you…” Face the person straight on. Don’t back away.

Liars need an incentive to confess. The payoff for confessing needs to be immediate, clear, specific, and
compelling. You can’t just tell a person what he’ll gain by being truthful or lose by continuing to lie; you must
make it real for him – so real, in fact, that he can feel, taste, touch, see, and hear it. Make it his reality. Let him
experience fully the pleasure of being honest and the pain of continuing the lie. Involve as many of the senses as
you can, particularly visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Create images for the person to see, sounds for him to hear,
and sensations that he can almost feel. You want to make this experience as real as possible. First state the
positives, then state the negatives, and then present the choice.

Silver Bullet 1: If You Think That’s Bad, Wait Until You Hear This!

This bullet works well because it forces the liar into thinking emotionally instead of logically. It alleviates his guilt
by making him feel that he’s not alone, and it throws him off by creating a little anger and/or curiosity. Plus he
thinks that you and he are exchanging information, instead of his giving you something for nothing.

Sample question formation: “The reason I’m asking you these questions is that I’ve done some things that I’m not
too proud of, either. I can understand why you might have… In a way I’m almost relieved. Now I don’t feel too
bad.” At this point he will ask you to get more specific about your actions. But insist that he tell you first. Hold out
and he’ll come clean.

Silver Bullet 2: It Was An Accident. Really!

This is a great strategy because it makes him feel that it would be a good thing to have you know exactly what
happened. He did something wrong, true, but that is no longer your concern. You shift the focus of your concern to
his intentions, not his actions. This makes it easy for him to confess to his behavior and “make it okay” with the
explanation that it was unintentional. He feels that you care about his motivation. In other words, you let him know
that the source of your concern is not what he’s done, but why he’s done it.

Sample question formation: “I can understand that maybe you didn’t plan on its happening. Things just got out of
control and you acted without thinking. I’m fine with that – an accident, right? But if you did this on purpose, I
don’t think that I could ever forgive you. You need to tell me that you didn’t do it intentionally. Please.”

Silver Bullet 3: The Boomerang

This bullet really throws a psychological curveball. With this example you tell him that he did something good, not
bad. He’s completely thrown off by this. For example, you want to see if your interviewee has lied on her resume.

Sample question formation: “As we both know, everybody pads his resume just a bit. Personally, I think it shows
guts. It tells me that the person isn’t afraid to take on new responsibilities. Which parts were you most creative with
on this resume?”

Silver Bullet 4: Truth or Consequences

With this bullet you force your antagonist to work with you or you both end up with nothing. This is the exact
opposite of the boomerang. Here the person has nothing unless he cooperates with you. Since you have nothing
anyway (the truth), it’s a good tradeoff for you. Let’s say you suspect that your housekeeper has stolen from you.

Sample question formation: “I’d rather hear it from you first. I can live with what you did/what happened, but not
with your lying to me about it. If you don’t tell me, then it’s over. If you tell me the truth, things can go back to
how they were. But if you don’t, then we have no chance here, and you’ll have nothing.”

Silver Bullet 5: Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

Human beings place a premium on that which is scarce. Simply put, rare equals good. You can dramatically
increase your leverage by conveying that this is the only time that you will discuss this. Let him know that (a) this is
his last chance he’ll have for explaining himself, and (b) you can get what you need from someone else. Try
increasing the rate of your speech as well. The faster you speak, the less time he has to process the information, and
it conveys as stronger sense of urgency. Give a deadline with a penalty for not meeting it. Deadlines force action.
If the guilty party think that he can always come clean, then he will take a wait-and-see approach before tipping his
hand. Let the person know that you already know and have proof of his action. And admitting his sins now will
give him the opportunity to explain his side.

Sample question formations: “I want to hear it from you now. After tomorrow, anything you say won’t make a
difference to me.” –––– “I know what happened/what you did. I was hoping I would hear it from you first. It would
mean a lot to me to hear your side of it. I know there are two sides to every story, and before I decide what to do, I
want to hear yours.” Hearing this gives him the feeling he still has a chance if he confesses. After all, what really
happened can’t be as bad as what you heard. Confessing now is a way of cutting his losses.

Silver Bullet 6: Reverse Course

You convey to him what happened or what he did was a good thing insofar as it allows you and he to establish an
even better relationship – personal or professional. You give him an opportunity to explain why he took that choice.
You also blame yourself.

Sample question formation: “I understand why you would have don’t that. Clearly you wouldn’t have unless you
had a good reason. You were probably treated unfairly or something was lacking. What can I do to help so that it
doesn’t happen again?” Keep interjecting the following phrases: “I take full responsibility for your actions. Let’s
work together to see how we can avoid this from happening again. I understand completely. You were right to do
what you did.”

Silver Bullet 7: I Hate To Do This, But You Leave Me No Choice

This is the only strategy that involves threat. You let him become aware that there are going to be greater
ramifications and repercussions than just lying to you – things that he never thought about. You rely on his
imagination to set the terms of the damage that you can inflict. His mind will race through every possible scenario
as his own fears turn against him.
Sample question formation I: “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.” This will propel
him to respond: “Do what?” At this point he’s waiting to see what the tradeoff will be. But do not commit
yourself to an action. Let him create in his own mind scenarios of what you will do unless he confesses. Sample question formation II: “You know what I can do, and I’ll do it. If you don’t want to tell me now, don’t.
I’ll just do what I have to do.” After this statement, pay close attention to his response. If he focuses on what
you will do to him, the odds lean more toward guilty. However, if he reasserts that he’s done nothing, he may
in fact be innocent of your accusation. The guilty person needs to know the penalty to determine if it makes
sense for him to stick to his story.

Silver Bullet 8: I Guess You’re Not Allowed

Never underestimate the power of appealing to a person’s ego. Sometimes you want to inflate it, and others times
you want to attack it. This bullet is for attacking. It’s truly saddening how fragile some people’s egos are.

Sample question formations: “I think I know what it is – you’re not allowed to tell me. Somebody else is pulling
the strings and you’ll get in trouble. You’d tell me the truth if you could, but you don’t have the power to do so.”

Silver Bullet 9: Higher Authority

As long as the person believes that you are on his side, he’ll take the bait. All you have to do is let him know that
anything he’s lied about can now be cleared up in seconds. However, if anyone else finds out about it later, it’s too
late. Let’s say that you want to know if your secretary leaves early when you’re out of the office.

Sample question formation: “The vice president from corporate is coming in today. He’s asked about your hours,
so I’m going to tell him that you come in early on the days that you leave early. Do you remember what days last
month you finished up early and took off?” This is disarming, and you’re not yelling at her or demanding answers.
You’re on her side, and you’re going to work together to smooth things over.

Silver Bullet 10: The Great Unknown

You can obtain maximum leverage by explaining how the ramifications of his deceit will be something that the
suspect has never known before. Even if he believes that you are limited in what you can do to him and in what the
penalty will be, the severity of the penalty can be manipulated in two major ways to make it appear much more
severe: time and impact. Time: Give no indication of when the penalty will occur. When things happen unexpectedly, the degree of
anguish is more potent. Impact: Convey that his entire life will be disrupted and drastically altered for the worse. He needs to see that
this event is not isolated and will instead have a ripple effect. When bad things happen we are often comforted
in knowing that it will soon be over and the rest of our life will remain intact and unaffected. But if these things
are not assured, we become increasingly fearful and concerned.

Silver Bullet 11: I Couldn’t Care Less

A primary law governing human nature is that we all have a need to feel significant. Nobody wants to be thought of
as unimportant, or feel that his ideas and thinking is irrelevant. Take away a person’s belief that he has value and
he’ll do just about anything to reassert his sense of importance. Your apathy toward the situation will unnerve him
immensely. He will begin to crave recognition and acceptance, in any form. He needs to know you care what
happens, and if talking about his misdeeds is the only way he can find out, he will.

Sample question formations: “I know and I just don’t care. This is not for me.” ––– “I’ve got other things to think
about. Maybe we’ll talk some other time.” ––– “You do what you have to do, that’s fine with me.” To be more
powerful, stare at him. When you stare at someone he often feels less significant and will seek to reassert his value.

How To Get The Truth Out of Anyone!(Part 3)

Phase Two – Eleven Attack Sequences

Attack Sequence 1: Direct Questioning

Stage 1. Ask your question directly. Give no advance warning of the subject you’re about to bring up or of any feelings of mistrust. Never reveal what you know first. Ask questions to gather information to see if it’s consistent with what you already know. The way you present yourself can greatly influence the attitude of the other person. Three powerful tips for establishing building rapport:
1. Matching posture and movements – if he has one hand in his pocket, you put your hand in yours.
2. Matching speech – if he’s speaking in a slow, relaxed tone, you do the same.
3. Matching key words – if he’s prone to using certain words or phrases, use them when speaking. Ask a question that you know will produce a response similar to how you expect him to react. In other words, if he waves his arms around no matter what he’s talking about, you want to know this. Use a relaxed and non-threatening posture, and square off so that you’re facing each other. Never, ever interrupt. You can’t learn anything new while you’re talking. Ask open-ended questions.
Stage 2. Silence.
Stage 3. Really? At the end of his answer respond with “Really?”
Stage 4. Sudden Death. Follow with “Is there anything you want to get off your chest?”

Attack Sequence 2: Lead and Confine

Stage 1. Ask a leading question. For example, “you were back by two A.M. last night, weren’t you?”
Stage 2. Reverse course: You’ve got to be kidding! For example, “I was hoping you did, so you would have gotten it out of your system. Please tell me that you’ve done it, so I know that it’s over with.”
Stage 3. This is not going to work. For example, “I thought you were somebody who had a sense of adventure. Someone who knows how to live a little.”

Attack Sequence 3: Time Line Distortion Scenario: You suspect several employees in your store of stealing money

Stage1. Setting the scene. Let the conversation turn casually to stealing and say, “Oh, I knew right from the start what was going on.”
Stage 2. It’s no big deal. “You had to know I knew. How else do you think you could have gotten away with it for so long? I hope you don’t think I’m a complete idiot.”
Stage 3. I appreciate what you’ve done. “I know that you were just going along with it because you were scared of what the others would do. It’s really okay. I know you’re not that kind of person.”

Attack Sequence 4: Direct Assumption / Shot in the Dark

Stage 1. Set the scene. Be somewhat curt and standoffish, as if something heavy-duty is bothering you. This will cause his mind to race to find ways to explain the “error of his ways.” Stage 2. I’m hurt. Say, “I’ve just found something out and I’m really hurt [shocked/surprised]. I know you’re going to lie to me and try to deny it, but I just wanted you to know that I know.” You establish that (a) he’s guilty of something and (b) you know what it is.
Stage 3. Holding your ground. Say, “I think we both know what I’m talking about. We need to clear the air, and we can start by your talking.”
Stage 4. Continue to hold your ground. Repeat phrases such as “I’m sure it will come to you” and “The longer I wait, the madder I’m getting.”
Stage 5. Apply social pressure. “We were all talking about it. Everybody knows.” Now he begins to get curious about who knows and how they found out. As soon as he tries to find out, you’ll know he’s guilty.

Attack Sequence 5: The Missing Link Scenario: You think that your mother-in-law may have hired a private investigator to follow you around.

Stage 1. List facts. Tell her something that you know to be true. “I know you’re not very fond of me, and that you objected to the wedding, but this time you’ve gone too far.”
Stage 2. State your assumption. “I know all about the investigator. Why did you think that was necessary?”
Stage 3. The magic phrase. “You know what, I’m too upset to talk about this now.” The guilty person will honor your request because she won’t want to anger you further. An innocent person will be mad at you for accusing her of something that she hasn’t done and will want to discuss it now.

Attack Sequence 6: Who, Me?

Stage1. Setting the scene. He suspects that his ex-girlfriend broke into his house. He phoned to let her know in a very non-accusatory way that that there had been a break-in and some items were missing. The following type of conversation would ensue:
Winston: The police are going to want to talk to everyone who had access to the house. Since you still have a key, they’re going to want to speak with you. Just routine stuff, I’m sure. Of
course you’re not a suspect.
Ex-Girlfriend: But I don’t know anything about it.
Winston: Oh, I know. Just policy, I guess. Anyway, one of my neighbors said that she got a
partial license-plate number on a car that was by my house that day.
Ex-Girlfriend: (After a long pause) Well, I was driving around your neighborhood that day. I
stopped by to see if you were home. But when you weren’t, I just left.
Winston: Oh, really? Well, they did a fingerprint test too. That should show something.
Ex-Girlfriend: What test?
Winston: Oh, they dusted for prints and…
Stage 2. Inform non-accusatorily. Casually inform your suspect of the situation.
Stage 3. Introduce evidence to be rebutted. As you introduce the evidence, look to see if every one of your statements is met by explanations from him as to how the evidence could be misunderstood. For example, you suspect that a co-worker had shredded some of your files. You would first set the stage by letting him know that you can’t find some important files. Then say, “Well, it’s a good thing my new secretary noticed someone by the shredder the other day. She said she recognized his face but didn’t know his name.” An innocent person would not feel the need to explain in order to avert the possibility that he might be wrongly accused.
Stage 4. Continue. Continue with more facts that the person can try to explain away. But in actuality, as soon he starts to talk about why the situation might “look that way,” you know you have him.

Attack Sequence 7: Outrageous Accusations

Stage 1. Accuse him of everything. In a very fed-up manner, accuse him of doing every imaginable dishonest and disloyal act.
Stage 2. Introduce the suspicion. Now introduce the one thing you feel he really has done, and in an attempt to clear himself of the other charges, he will offer an explanation for his one slip-up. Say, “I mean, it’s not like you just stole a file, that would be fine. But all these other things are unspeakable.” He responds, “No, I just stole that one file because of the pressure to get the job done, but I would never sell trade secrets!” The only way to prove his innocence to all of your outrageous accusations is to explain why he did what you really suspect of him of doing.
Stage 3. Step in closer. This increases anxiety in the guilty. He feels he’s being closed in on.

Attack Sequence 8: Is There a Reason?

Stage 1. Introduce a fact. For example, if you want to know if your secretary went out last night when she said she was sick, “I drove by your house on the way home. Is there a reason your car wasn’t in the driveway?” Had she been home sick, she would simply tell you that you were wrong – the car was in the driveway.
Stage 2. One more shot. “Oh, that’s odd, I called your house and I got your machine.” If she’s guilty she will look for any way to make her story fit your facts.
Stage 3. Stare. Staring makes someone who is on the defensive feel closed in; your glare is infringing on her personal space, inducing a mental claustrophobia. Lock eyes with her and ask again.

Attack Sequence 9: Third-Party Confirmation Scenario: You suspect one of your employees is having someone else punch out on the time clock for him.

Stage 1. Accuse outright. After gaining the assistance of a friend or coworker, you have this person make the accusation for you. Such as “Mel, I was talking to Cindy, and she told me she’s getting pretty tired of your having someone else punch out for you so you can leave work early.” At this point Mel is concerned only with Cindy’s disapproval of his actions. Your friend is thoroughly believable because we rarely think to question
this type of third-party setup.
Stage 2. Are you kidding? “Are you kidding? It’s common knowledge, but I think I know how you can smooth things over with her.” See if he take the bait. A person who’s innocent would not be interested in smoothing things over with someone else for something that he hasn’t done. Stage 3. Last call. “Okay. But are you sure? At this point, any hesitation is likely to be sign of guilt because he’s quickly trying to weight his options.

Attack Sequence 10: The Chain Reaction Scenario: You suspect several employees in your store of stealing money

Stage 1. Setting the scene. In a one-on-one meeting with the employee, let them know that you’re looking for someone to be in charge of a new internal theft program for the entire company.
Stage 2. The iron is… “We’re looking for someone who knows how it’s done. Now don’t worry, you’re not going to get in trouble. As a matter of fact we’ve known about it for some time. We were more interested in seeing how efficient you were. Quite impressive. Anyway, we feel that since you know how it’s done, you’ll know how to prevent it. Granted, it’s pretty unusual, but this is an unusual instance.”
Stage 3. I told them so. “You know, I told them that you would be too afraid to have an open discussion about this. They were wrong, I was right.” Look for hesitation on his part. If he’s guilty, he will be weighing his options. This takes time. An innocent person has nothing to think about. Only the guilty have the option of confessing or not.

Attack Sequence 11: Condemn or Concern

Stage 1. I’m just letting you know. The key with this sequence is not to accuse, just to inform. Let’s say that you’re working in the customer service department of a computer store. A customer brings back a non-working printer for an exchange, claiming that he bought it just a few days before. He has the all-important receipt and the printer is packed neatly in the original box. Upon inspecting the contents you find that a necessary, expensive, and easily removable component of the machine is missing, a clear indication of why the machine was not functioning
properly. Here are two possible responses you might get after informing the customer of your discovery.
Response 1. “I didn’t take it out. That’s how it was when I bought it.” (Defensive)
Response 2. “What? You sold me a printer that has a missing part? I wasted two
hours trying to get that thing to work.” (Offensive)
The person who utters Response 2 has every right to be annoyed; it never crosses his mind that he’s being accused of anything. The person who gives Response 1 knows he never even tried to get the printer to work because he took the part out. It doesn’t occur to him to become angry. He assumes that he’s being accused of removing the part and become defensive when you inform him the part is missing.

How To Get The Truth Out of Anyone!(Part 2)

II. Becoming a Human Lie Detector:

The clues to deception can be used with great reliability in everyday situations and conversations. However, if you
must know the truth in a given situation, this part provides you with a sequence of questions that virtually guarantees
that you will know (a) if you’re being lied to and (b) what the truth is if it’s not obvious from the lie. When used in
order, all three phases offer you the greatest opportunity to get at the truth.

Phase One – Three Attack-Sequence Primers

Primer 1

The objective here is to ask a question that does not accuse the person of anything but alludes to the person’s
possible behavior. The key is to phrase a question that sounds perfectly innocent to an innocent person, but like an
accusation to the guilty.

Suspicion: You feel that your girlfriend was unfaithful the night before.
Question: “Anything interesting happen last night?”

Suspicion: You think a coworker told your secretary that you have a crush on her.
Question: “Heard any good gossip recently?”

Any answers such as “Why do you ask?” or “Where did you hear that?” indicate concern on the person’s part. He
should not be seeking information from you if he does not think that your question is leading. He should also not be
interested in why you’re asking the question unless he thinks that you may know what he doesn’t want you to know.

Primer 2

The objective here is to introduce a scenario similar to what you suspect is going on, using specifics.

Suspicion: You suspect one of your salespeople has lied to a customer in order to make the sale.
Question: “Jim, I’m wondering if you could help me with something. It’s come to my attention that someone in the
sales department has been misrepresenting our products to customers. How do you think we can clear this up?”

Suspicion: A hospital administrator suspects that a doctor was drinking while on duty.
Question: “Dr. Marcus, I’d like to get you advice on something. A colleague of mine at another hospital has a
problem with one of her doctors. She feels he may be drinking while on call. Do you have any suggestions on how
she can approach the doctor about this problem?”

If he’s innocent of the charges he’s likely to offer his advice and be pleased that you sought out his opinion. If he’s
guilty he’ll seem uncomfortable and will assure you that he never does anything like that. Either way, this opens the
door to probe further.

Primer 3

The objective here is to introduce a scenario similar to what you suspect is going on, using general terms.

Suspicion: You think a student has cheated on his exam.
Question: “Isn’t it amazing how someone can cheat on a test and not realize that I was standing behind him the
entire time?”

Suspicion: You suspect a coworker of bad-mouthing you to your boss.
Question: “It’s amazing all the backstabbing that goes on around here, isn’t it? And these people doing it think that
it won’t get back to the person involved.”

Suspicion: You think that your girlfriend may be two-timing you.
Question: “It’s amazing how someone can be unfaithful and expect not to get caught.”

A change in subject is highly indicative of guilt. However, if he finds your question interesting and he’s innocent,
he might begin a conversation about it since he’s unafraid to discuss the subject.

How To Get The Truth Out of Anyone! (part 1)

In an ideal society there would be no need for lies. But we live in a world of deception. And whether you want to
play or not, you’re in the game. The question is, do you want to win?

I. Signs of Deception

Once you realize that you’re being lied to, should you confront the liar immediately? Usually not. The best approach is to note the fact in your mind and continue with the conversation, trying to extract more information.
Once you confront someone who has lied to you, the tone of the conversation changes and gathering additional facts becomes difficult. Therefore, wait until you have all the evidence you want and then decide whether to confront the person at that time or hold off to figure how you can best use this insight to your advantage.

Section 1:

• Body Language The person will make little or no eye contact. A person who is lying to you will do everything to avoid making eye contact.

• Physical expression will be limited, with few arm and hand movements. What arm and hand movements are present will seem stiff, and mechanical. Hands, arm and legs pull in toward the body; the individual takes up less space.

• His hand(s) may go up to his face or throat, especially to the mouth. But contact with his body is limited to these areas. He is also unlikely to touch his chest with an open hand gesture. He may also touch the nose or scratch behind the ear.

• If he is trying to appear casual and relaxed about his answer, he may shrug a little.

Section 2: Emotional States: Consistency and Contradiction

• The timing is off between gestures and words. If the facial expression comes after the verbal statement (“I am so angry with you right now” … pause … and then the angry expression), it looks false.

• The head moves in a mechanical fashion without regard to emphasis, indicating a conscious movement.
  
• Gestures don’t match the verbal message, such as frowning when saying “I love you.” Hands tightly clenched and a statement of pleasure are not in sync with each other.
  
• The timing and duration of emotional gestures will seem off. The emotion is delayed coming on, stays longer than it should, and fades out abruptly.
  
• Expression will be limited to the mouth area when the person is feigning certain emotions happiness, surprise, awe, and so on – rather than the whole face.
  

Section 3: Interpersonal Interactions – When we are wrongfully accused, only a guilty person gets defensive. Someone who is innocent will usually go on the offensive.

• He is reluctant to face his accuser and may turn his head or shift his body away.
  
• The person who is lying will probably slouch; he is unlikely to stand tall with his arms out or outstretched.
  
• There’s movement away from his accuser, possibly in the direction of the exit.
  
• There will be little or no physical contact during his attempt to convince you.
  
• He will not point his finger at the person he is trying to convince.
  
• He may place physical objects (pillow, drinking glass, et cetera) between himself and hisaccuser to form a barrier, with a verbal equivalent of “I don’t want to talk about it,” indicating deception or covert intention.
  

Section 4: What Is Said: Actual Verbal Content

• He will use your words to make his point. When asked, “Did you cheat on me?” The liar answers, “No, I didn’t cheat on you.” In addition, when a suspect uses a contraction – “It wasn’t me” instead of “It was not me” – statistically, there is a 60% chance he is truthful.
  
• He may stonewall, giving an impression that his mind is made up. This is often an attempt to limit your challenges to his position. If someone says right up front that he positively won’t budge, it means one thing: He knows he can be swayed. He needs to tell you this so you won’t ask, because he knows he’ll cave in. The confident person will use phrases like “I’m sorry, this is pretty much the best we can do.”
  
• Watch out for the good old Freudian slip. He depersonalizes his answer by offering his belief on the subject instead of answering directly. A liar offers abstract assurances as evidence of his innocence in a specific instance. Example: “Did you ever cheat on me?” and you hear, “You know I’m against that sort of thing. I think it morally reprehensible.”
  
• He will keep adding more information until he’s sure that he has sold you on his story. The guilty are uncomfortable with silence. He speaks to fill the gap left by the silence.
  
• He may imply an answer but never state it directly.
  

Section 5: How Something Is Said

• Deceitful response to questions regarding beliefs and attitudes take longer to think up. However, how fast does the rest of the sentence follow the initial one-word response? In truthful statements a fast no or yes is followed quickly by an explanation. If the person is being deceitful the rest of the sentence may come more slowly because he needs time to think up an explanation.
  
• Watch out for reactions that are all out of proportion to the question. May repeat points that he has already made. May also be reluctant to use words that convey attachment and ownership or possessiveness (“that car” as opposed to “my car”).
  
• The person who is lying may leave out pronouns and speak in a monotonous and inexpressive voice. When a person is making a truthful statement, he emphasizes the pronoun as much as or more than the rest of the sentence.
  
• Words may be garbled and spoken softly, and syntax and grammar may be off. In other words, his sentences will likely be muddled rather than emphasized.
  
• Statements sound an awful lot like questions, indicating that he’s seeking reassurance. Voice, head and eyes lift at the end of their statement.
  

Section 6: Psychological Profile

• We often see the world as a reflection of ourselves. If you’re being accused of something, check your accuser’s veracity. Watch out for those people who are always telling you just how corrupt the rest of the world is. Beware of those asking you if you believe him. They may respond with, “you don’t believe me, do you?” Most people who tell the truth expect to be believed.
  
• Look at whether his focus is internal or external. When a person is confident about what he’s saying, he’s more interested in your understanding him and less interested in how he appears to you.
  
• In a liar’s story, he will usually not give the point of view of a third party. To illustrate giving a point of view of someone else, “My roommate was so shocked that I would…”
  
• In relating a story, a liar often leaves out the negative aspects (unless the story is used to explain way he was delayed or had to cancel plans). The story of a vacation, for example, should have both positive and negative aspects of what happened.
  
• A liar willingly answers your questions but asks none of his own. For example, during their first intimate encounter, Randy asks his new girlfriend if she’s ever been tested for AIDS. She responds with “Oh, yes, certainly,” and continues on a bit about annual checkups, giving blood, etc. And then nothing! If she was concerned about her health, as her answer implied, then she would have asked him the same question. The liar is often unaware that coming across as truthful means both answering and asking questions.
  

Section 7: General Indications of Deceit

• When the subject is changed, he’s in a better, more relaxed mood. The guilty wants the subject changed; the innocent always wants a further exchange of information.
  
• He does not become indignant when falsely accused. While he is being accused the liar will remain fairly expressionless. The liar is more concerned with how he is going to respond than he is with the accusation itself.
  
• He uses such phrases as “To tell you the truth,” “To be perfectly honest,” and “Why would I lie to you?”
  
• He has an answer to your question down pat, such as giving precise detail to an event occurring two months ago.
  
• He stalls by asking you to repeat the question or by answering your question with a question. “Where did you hear that?” “Could you be more specific?” or even repeating your question back to you, at an attempt at sounding incredulous. For example, “Did I sell you a puppy with a heart condition? Is that what you’re asking me?”
  
• What he’s saying sounds implausible, such as “During the past ten years, I have never used a specific racial epithet.”
  
• He offers a preamble to his statement starting with “I don’t want you to think that…” Often that’s exactly what he wants you to think. Whenever someone makes a point of telling you what they’re not doing, you can be sure it’s exactly what they are doing. Such as, “Not to hurt your feelings, but…”
  
• He implies through a form of denial. You hear, “He’s having marital problems, but it has nothing to do with his wife’s new job.” What’s the first thing you ask? “What does his wife do?” Suddenly you’re in the exact conversation that is “supposed” to have no bearing on the facts.
  
• He uses humor or sarcasm to defuse your concerns, rather than responding seriously.
  
• He offers you a “better” alternative to your request when he is unable to give you what you originally asked for. Before you accept someone at his word that he has something better to offer, first see whether he has what you originally asked for. If he doesn’t, then you shouldn’t believe him.
  
• All of his facts relating to numbers are the same or multiples of one another. Watch out when facts, figures, and information have unusual similarities.
  
• There is evidence of involuntary responses that are anxiety based. Anxiety causes many things. His breather may appear as a deep, audible inhaling in an attempt to control his breathing to calm himself. Swallowing becomes difficult; he may clear his throat. His ability to focus on something is often diminished, unable to pay attention to what’s going on.
  
• He uses an obvious fact to support a dubious action. For example, let’s say that a guard is standing watch over a restricted area. It’s his job to check ID’s of those who enter. “I’m not sure you have authorization,” he says to a man attempting access. “I’m not surprised,” answered the man, “only a few people are aware of my clearance level. My work here is not supposed to be known by everyone.”
  
• He casually tells you something that deserves more attention.
  
• He exclaims his displeasure at the actions of another who has done something similar so that you will not suspect him. For instance, if he is trying to throw you off track of his embezzlement scheme, he may openly chastise another employee for “borrowing” some office supplies for personal use at home. Your impression is that he is moral person who objects to something as minor as stealing office supplies. Certainly he cannot be responsible for a large-scale embezzlement scheme.
  
• He may casually tell you something that should deserve more attention. “Oh by the way, I’ve got to go out of town next weekend on business.” If he doesn’t usually travel for work on the weekends, then you would expect her to make a point of how unusual the trip is. Her downplaying the trip makes it suspicious. When something out of the ordinary happens and the person doesn’t draw attention to it, it means that he is trying to draw attention away from it. Another tactic is running off a long list of items in the hope that one will remain unnoticed.
  
• If he lies about one thing, everything he says is questionable.
  
• His story is so wild that you almost don’t believe it. But you do, because if he wanted to lie, you think that he would have come up with something more plausible.

Compiled By: John J. Webster

The Real Nature of the Concept of Time

What we call "time" is in fact a method by which we compare one moment to another. For example, when a person taps an object, he hears a particular sound. If he taps the same object again, he hears another sound. Believing that there is an interval between the two sounds, he calls this interval "time." Yet when he hears the second
noise, the first one he heard is no more than an imagination in his mind, merely a bit of information in his memory. Aperson formulates his perception of time by comparing the "present" moment with what he holds in memory. If he doesn't make this comparison, he can have no perception of time either.
Renowned physicist Julian Barbour defines time in this way: Time is nothing but a measure of the changing positions of objects. A pendulum swings, the hands on a clock advance. Briefly, time comes about as a result of comparisons of data
stored in the brain. If man had no memory, his brain could not make such interpretations and therefore, he would never form any perceptions of time. One determines himself to be thirty years old, only because he has accumulated information pertaining to those thirty years. If his memory did not exist, then he could not think of any such preceding period and would experience only the single "moment" in which he was living.

from:www.harunyahya.com

Free Radicals and Antioxidents

Oxygen is essential for life. After all without air we canÌt breathe. But
there is a dark side to oxygen. We know that when metal is left to the elements, a phenomena called oxidation takes place, and when we take a bite out of an apple, after a while it begins to turn brown. This is simply the natural aging process that is common to all things; our bodies suffer this same destructive process as well.

Oxidation takes place in our bodies through the interaction of "free Radicals". These "biochemical bad boys" are by nature unstable, and highly reactive. Oxygen is the basis for the development of most free radicals, and when oxygen is used to create energy, free radicals are the byproduct of our own metabolism. Even when the immune system is engaged in fighting its battles, free radicals are given off. So, it's impossible to escape them!

Not only does our body produce free radicals, but we are constantly under attack by free radicals from outside our bodies as well. can be found in the food we eat, for example, diets with a high intake of fat are more prone to free radical activity, because oxidation occurs more readily in fat molecules than it does in protein or carbohydrates.
Free radical generating substances can also be found in our chemically treated water supplies, prescription medicines and drugs, and in the air we breath. Air pollution contributes immensely to the spread of free radicals, as do processes like radiation, pesticides, solvents, fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, etc.--- things most of us are exposed to all the time.

But all free radicals aren't created equal! Some are actually good and necessary for normal health. Free radicals that are produced by the immune system are used to combat bacteria and viruses, while other free radicals are necessary for the production of vital hormones and in the activation of essential enzymes. ItÌs when there is an overproduction of free radicals that it becomes a problem.

Just what are free radicals? A free radical is a molecule with an unpaired electron. Unpaired electrons are very unstable, and highly reactive. They actively seek out and attack other molecules in an effort to steal one of their electrons so they can balance their pairs. This of course turns that molecule into a free radical, which is now unbalanced and needing another pair. The end result is often a chain reaction altering the structure of millions of molecules in a matter of nanoseconds
(a nanosecond is a billionth of a second) by tearing holes through cellular membranes creating havoc with the nucleic
acids, proteins, and enzymes inside. Collectively, these attacks are known as oxidative stress, and they are capable of causing cells to lose their structure, their function, damaging the DNA and enzyme systems, and eventually destroying them. This is what disease and the aging process is all about.

Can you feel the effect of free radical damage? Not immediately. But unless you take the necessary steps to help counteract these unrelenting attacks from free radicals, you run the risk of allowing cumulative damage to your tissues, joints, organ systems, and blood vessels. And you can feel these effects. Overall, free radicals have been implicated in the development of at least 50 diseases!
A partial list includes arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, cataracts, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, lung dysfunction; pancreatitis; drug reactions, skin lesions, and aging, to mention a few.

Heart disease and cancer are two of the most widespread diseases associated with free radical damage. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America today, killing an estimated one in every three Americans. Several factors, such as high blood cholesterol levels, hypertension, cigarette smoking, and diabetes, are chief culprits in the promotion of heart disease.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country. It's estimated that antioxidant deficient diets may account for as much as 35% of all human cancers. The amount of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables included in one's diet appears to have a significant impact on cancer risk.

There is help!
Anti-oxidants (or free radical scavengers) are the body's defense to these deadly killers. These specialized substances work primarily by sacrificing themselves by giving one of their own electrons to the free radical, thereby stabilizing its structure.

It's this antioxidant defense system that must protect us from the havoc of free radical damage. More and more scientific studies are linking low intakes of dietary antioxidants to an increased risk of heart disease. And many studies have also reported that a reduction in cancer risk is associated with a diet high in antioxidant vitamins.
Good sources of antioxidants are vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-Carotene and Selenium. Left unchecked the inevitable results of this oxidative stress is chronic disease and premature aging.

Many antioxidants can be obtained from food sources such as fresh fruits and vegetables, however when you consider our depleted soils and the number of pesticides we use, itÌs little wonder that our diets now need to be augmented with antioxidant supplements.

Starting Your Own Home Party Business

A dilemma faced by many women today is how to stay at home with their children and still bring in an income, whether it’s to help pay bills or just have some extra money for life’s little luxuries.

One of the fastest, easiest and least expensive ways of doing that is to start your own business as a consultant for a direct sales company. Also called home party businesses, there are over 43 million direct sales representatives around the world, and about 12 million just in the United States alone. The majority of direct selling reps are women, who go into business for themselves so that they can work part time, set their own hours and have the ability to make as much money as they want or need, based on the number of hours they’re willing to put into their business.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, then here are some things you need to know:

There are as many different direct sales companies and home party businesses as there are direct sales representatives. Most sales reps recommend that new representatives choose a company based on their interests and products that they would want to buy themselves.

Being passionate about your business goes a long way towards your ultimate success as a direct sales rep, especially during the times when you’re struggling to get bookings, recruit other reps or even marking your business.

Before starting to do your research, sit down somewhere where you’re not going to be interrupted for at least 30 minutes, and think about what you want and need from your business.

What are your goals? How much money do you want to make a month? How many hours do you want to work? Think also about your personality – is a home party business going to be right for you? (Do you like meeting and talking to new people? Do you like going out or going to parties? Are you motivated? Are you able to stay focused and on task? Do you tend to procrastinate? Although anyone can learn how to become a successful entrepreneur, it will be harder for you if you have to learn new habits at the same time you’re trying to build your business.)

Once you have a clear idea of what you want and need from your business, then it’s time to start doing your research about the different companies that are out there.

Make sure to thoroughly check out any home party company that you’re considering becoming a representative for. You’ll want to make sure that they have a good reputation, that they guarantee their products and that other reps are satisfied.

The percentage of your commissions, the cost of the initial sales kit, even the rate and schedule of pay should all be taken into consideration. Don’t just go by the sales literature – you want to figure out how much money you need or want to make a month. Then look at the amount of commissions you can make per party, and how many parties and how much in total sales you’ll have to make in order to reach that goal. If reaching your goals is going to require you to work longer hours or more than you’re willing or able to commit to, then choose another company.

Also you want to beware of any company that charges a really high amount for a sales kit, or requires you to pay for training. Your earnings should be based on the products or services you sell, and not on recruiting more people in under you. In fact, any time you’re told that your largest commissions are based on the number of people you recruit or the memberships you sell, be careful. Often times these types of companies turn out to be pyramid schemes or scam companies.

Also, check into the company’s return policy. You should be able to return any unused or unsold merchandise with no questions asked. If the company doesn’t have a clear an open buy-back policy, make sure to get it in writing before committing or signing a contract.

Don’t fall for the promise of easy money – instead, find a company whose products will help you to build a real, growing home party business of your own. A company that you’ll be proud to be associated with, and that will help you to achieve your goals.

Chinese Herbal Practices

Much of China’s early material on herbal medicine came from court physicians whose very lives depended on their ability to keep the Emperor healthy. If the emperor became ill, treatments were first administered to “commoners” displaying the same symptoms. If a treatment proved successful, it was then administered to the emperor, and recorded for other physicians who might follow. While this method was often unfortunate for the “commoners” who were used as the test subjects, it has proven itself remarkably beneficial to us, who have the benefit of these thousands of years of observation and experimentation. This kind of elaborate and detailed information is unparalleled in the history of any other field of medicine. The effectiveness of these precious herbs has proven itself in actual practice through the lives of millions of people. This wealth of knowledge past on from generation to generation is probably China’s greatest gift to the world.

Over the past several years China has made astonishing progress in both western as well as Traditional Chinese Medical practices. Today modern China is a far cry from what many have supposed it to be! Dr. Anna Cummings, a member of a British medical team sent to China to observe oriental healing methods, had this to say: “They have frightfully modern pharmacies with white coated, efficient technicians who go through these old remedies with fine-toothed combs, finding out what’s in them, and then working out modern recipes that duplicate and surpass the old remedies. Their achievements in this area are absolutely remarkable”. Dr. Dean, another member of the team stated: “Chinese medicine is, in my opinion, the best in the world. In my report, I am urging that the British government send teams of specialists over there as soon as possible to learn anything they can about Chinese methods”.

Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have been helping people live longer, healthier lives for over 5,000 years. TCM’s basic modality is the promotion of “whole body wellness” through a balanced systems approach, not in the eradication of a specific disease. In the United States herbal medicine generally refers to the use of plants that are native to North America or Europe. Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the other hand, uses plants that are mainly native to China and Asia.

Chinese herbal medicine is one of the most sophisticated medical systems in the world, and It’s the world’s oldest living philosophy of healthcare, being over 3,000 years old. Its uniqueness and value lies in the fact that unlike western medicine whose practitioners seem to have a penchant for either the surgical removal of body parts or the over prescription of drugs, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a noninvasive healing modality focusing on balancing the body’s systems “naturally“. When the body’s systems are in balance, they facilitate the body’s ability to heal itself. Consequently, with TCM the focus becomes prevention rather than crisis management of a disease.

TCM treats the body as a critically unified “whole” system rather than a bunch of separate parts. Consequently, the focus becomes balancing the whole body, rather than targeting a particular disease, and attempting to eradicate it through drugs or surgery.

With western medicine, on the other hand, the public is becoming more and more aware of its many shortcomings, particularly its inherently invasive nature, as well as the abuse of antibiotics and drugs. This over prescription of drugs is leading to dangerously high levels of toxicity and some have even died.

While Western medicine separates the systems and organs of the body into separate parts, and delves deeper and deeper into the particles that comprise their individual matter, Chinese medicine views the body and further, the whole person, as a unified organic whole. Spiritual, mental, emotional and physical aspects are all seen as interrelated and interdependent. TCM is a gentle, all natural, healing modality.

We have become a society, which is making increasing demands for alternative approaches to the care of our bodies. People want to play a roll in the control of their bodies and their health, and with the use of “natural remedies” they finally have that option. We have become just too wearied from our lives being under the absolute control of the physicians. From coast to coast and around the globe, Traditional Chinese Medicine is rapidly gaining support. Fully one quarter of the world’s population now use TCM. Doctors and healthcare professionals from every nation and culture are subscribing to the use of Chinese herbal remedies. Why? … Simple, because they work!

Americans spent over $3.2 billion for herbal remedies in 1997 alone, and while some assumed that the “natural remedies” craze was just a passing fancy, records indicate that herbal consumption is actually escalating. This phenomenon is being fueled by thousands of satisfied customers who, after exhausting all traditional possibilities, have turned to these “natural” alternative remedies.

How To Get Rich Online With Internet Marketing

Here is why most people fail in an online business:

They see the possibilities immediately: You can market a digital or dropship product to the entire world, the process is almost completely automated, and you can get rich very quickly.

They then reach out and study internet marketing and try and focus on expressing their niche interest.

They reach out and start buying marketing materials and going to seminars and hanging out in forums.

Often the get into debt in the process and sometimes their relationships fall apart as their significant other consider them short off dementia, but they are goaded on by this vision that they see as possible. A lot of stress happens when you suddenly become single-minded. Intense focus is both the secret of greatness and the root cause of burnout.

Finally, they get overwhelmed by the amount of information that is out there on this subject, spin their wheels, suffer from information indigestion, experience failure, and then quit.

Yet, remarkably, some people do amazingly well. They go through the same cycles but they come out winners. At this point, they start making in a day what took them a year in their previous dead-end jobs to make.

While this is a complex topic, there are two critical elements that a netpreneur has to sort through. How he or she sorts through them determines whether they stay in the game and win big or drop out and fail, going back to the dismal jobs and unfulfilling lives that they hoped to escape.

The first element to failing online is poor study skills.

It's easy enough to whip out a credit card and download an e-book or a software program that promises the end to the search. Suddenly, they see an end to poverty and the beginning of riches. Suddenly, they envision the death of pain and the birth of pleasure.

Unfortunately, they then have to actually read, study, and apply the information.

Most people don't get this far. It's easier to just get the next information package.

Often enough, they consider the information to be at fault; even if the person selling the information happens to have a fabulous track record, with lots of social and statistical proof.

They conclude that either (a) they got scammed or (b) some vital information was withheld from them. They become guru-haters.

The real culprit, however, is their own impatience, poor study skills, getting discouraged when there isn't instant comprehension, and failing to test the strategies out.

The short attention cultivated by surfing may help them process large amounts of information quickly, but there is also a time when they need to spend a large amount of time processing information slowly to comprehend and use it.

An e-book is just an e-book and a software program is just a software program”-until the information is read, studied, comprehended, and applied.

The second element to failing online is not understanding the learning loop.

Failure is a bitter experience. Most of us shy away from it. Yet in our reluctance to go through it, we fail to get to the other side, which is success.

You have to fail first before you can succeed.

Failure is the process of trying something out, learning about it, improving your performance, eliminating what does not work, and finally arriving at a formula for success.

Once you have this formula, then you can replicate that success over and over again.

What's more, when you refine that success, it gets even bigger.

Mastery consists of three phases: learning, applying, and responding to feedback.

It's a cybernetic loop.

If you focus on the feedback as feedback, you will go through cycles of failing that will then lead you to cycles of succeeding.

Unfortunately, most people don't let the loop run itself out. They respond to negative feedback as failure and stop dead in their tracks, discouraged, disillusioned, and upset. They only want positive feedback.

Yet the feedback loop is always both positive and negative. Some things that you try out work and others that you try out don't work. You will never know what works and what does not work until you try different things out.

Source:www.selfseo.com

What is a home equity line of credit?

A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because the home is likely to be a consumer's largest asset, many homeowners use their credit lines only for major items such as education, home improvements, or medical bills and not for day-to-day expenses.

With a home equity line, you will be approved for a specific amount of credit--your credit limit, the maximum amount you may borrow at any one time under the plan. Many lenders set the credit limit on a home equity line by taking a percentage (say, 75 percent) of the home's appraised value and subtracting from that the balance owed on the existing mortgage.

In determining your actual credit limit, the lender will also consider your ability to repay, by looking at your income, debts, and other financial obligations as well as your credit history.
Many home equity plans set a fixed period during which you can borrow money, such as 10 years. At the end of this "draw period," you may be allowed to renew the credit line. If your plan does not allow renewals, you will not be able to borrow additional money once the period has ended. Some plans may call for payment in full of any outstanding balance at the end of the period. Others may allow repayment over a fixed period (the "repayment period"), for example, 10 years.

Once approved for a home equity line of credit, you will most likely be able to borrow up to your credit limit whenever you want. Typically, you will use special checks to draw on your line. Under some plans, borrowers can use a credit card or other means to draw on the line.

There may be limitations on how you use the line. Some plans may require you to borrow a minimum amount each time you draw on the line (for example, $300) and to keep a minimum amount outstanding. Some plans may also require that you take an initial advance when the line is set up.


What should you look for when shopping for a plan?

If you decide to apply for a home equity line of credit, look for the plan that best meets your particular needs. Read the credit agreement carefully, and examine the terms and conditions of various plans, including the annual percentage rate (APR) and the costs of establishing the plan. The APR for a home equity line is based on the interest rate alone and will not reflect the closing costs and other fees and charges, so you'll need to compare these costs, as well as the APRs, among lenders.

Interest rate charges and related plan features
Home equity lines of credit typically involve variable rather than fixed interest rates. The variable rate must be based on a publicly available index (such as the prime rate published in some major daily newspapers or a U.S. Treasury bill rate); the interest rate for borrowing under the home equity line changes, mirroring fluctuations in the value of the index. Most lenders cite the interest rate you will pay as the value of the index at a particular time plus a "margin," such as 2 percentage points. Because the cost of borrowing is tied directly to the value of the index, it is important to find out which index is used, how often the value of the index changes, and how high it has risen in the past as well as the amount of the margin.

Lenders sometimes offer a temporarily discounted interest rate for home equity lines--a rate that is unusually low and may last for only an introductory period, such as 6 months.

Variable-rate plans secured by a dwelling must, by law, have a ceiling (or cap) on how much your interest rate may increase over the life of the plan. Some variable-rate plans limit how much your payment may increase and how low your interest rate may fall if interest rates drop.

Some lenders allow you to convert from a variable interest rate to a fixed rate during the life of the plan, or to convert all or a portion of your line to a fixed-term installment loan.

Plans generally permit the lender to freeze or reduce your credit line under certain circumstances. For example, some variable-rate plans may not allow you to draw additional funds during a period in which the interest rate reaches the cap.

Costs of establishing and maintaining a home equity line
Many of the costs of setting up a home equity line of credit are similar to those you pay when you buy a home.

In addition, you may be subject to certain fees during the plan period, such as annual membership or maintenance fees and a transaction fee every time you draw on the credit line.

You could find yourself paying hundreds of dollars to establish the plan. If you were to draw only a small amount against your credit line, those initial charges would substantially increase the cost of the funds borrowed. On the other hand, because the lender's risk is lower than for other forms of credit, as your home serves as collateral, annual percentage rates for home equity lines are generally lower than rates for other types of credit. The interest you save could offset the costs of establishing and maintaining the line. Moreover, some lenders waive some or all of the closing costs.

How will you repay your home equity plan?

Before entering into a plan, consider how you will pay back the money you borrow. Some plans set minimum payments that cover a portion of the principal (the amount you borrow) plus accrued interest. But (unlike with the typical installment loan) the portion that goes toward principal may not be enough to repay the principal by the end of the term. Other plans may allow payment of interest alone during the life of the plan, which means that you pay nothing toward the principal. If you borrow $10,000, you will owe that amount when the plan ends.

Regardless of the minimum required payment, you may choose to pay more, and many lenders offer a choice of payment options. Many consumers choose to pay down the principal regularly as they do with other loans. For example, if you use your line to buy a boat, you may want to pay it off as you would a typical boat loan.

Whatever your payment arrangements during the life of the plan--whether you pay some, a little, or none of the principal amount of the loan--when the plan ends you may have to pay the entire balance owed, all at once. You must be prepared to make this "balloon payment" by refinancing it with the lender, by obtaining a loan from another lender, or by some other means. If you are unable to make the balloon payment, you could lose your home.

If your plan has a variable interest rate, your monthly payments may change. Assume, for example, that you borrow $10,000 under a plan that calls for interest-only payments. At a 10 percent interest rate, your monthly payments would be $83. If the rate rises over time to 15 percent, your monthly payments will increase to $125. Similarly, if you are making payments that cover interest plus some portion of the principal, your monthly payments may increase, unless your agreement calls for keeping payments the same throughout the plan period.

If you sell your home, you will probably be required to pay off your home equity line in full immediately. If you are likely to sell your home in the near future, consider whether it makes sense to pay the up-front costs of setting up a line of credit. Also keep in mind that renting your home may be prohibited under the terms of your agreement.

Lines of credit vs. traditional second mortgage loans

If you are thinking about a home equity line of credit, you might also want to consider a traditional second mortgage loan. A second mortgage provides you with a fixed amount of money repayable over a fixed period. In most cases the payment schedule calls for equal payments that will pay off the entire loan within the loan period. You might consider a second mortgage instead of a home equity line if, for example, you need a set amount for a specific purpose, such as an addition to your home.

In deciding which type of loan best suits your needs, consider the costs under the two alternatives. Look at both the APR and other charges. Do not, however, simply compare the APRs, because the APRs on the two types of loans are figured differently:

The APR for a traditional second mortgage loan takes into account the interest rate charged plus points and other finance charges.
The APR for a home equity line of credit is based on the periodic interest rate alone. It does not include points or other charges.

Disclosures from lenders

The federal Truth in Lending Act requires lenders to disclose the important terms and costs of their home equity plans, including the APR, miscellaneous charges, the payment terms, and information about any variable-rate feature. And in general, neither the lender nor anyone else may charge a fee until after you have received this information. You usually get these disclosures when you receive an application form, and you will get additional disclosures before the plan is opened. If any term (other than a variable-rate feature) changes before the plan is opened, the lender must return all fees if you decide not to enter into the plan because of the change.

When you open a home equity line, the transaction puts your home at risk. If the home involved is your principal dwelling, the Truth in Lending Act gives you 3 days from the day the account was opened to cancel the credit line. This right allows you to change your mind for any reason. You simply inform the lender in writing within the 3-day period. The lender must then cancel its security interest in your home and return all fees--including any application and appraisal fees--paid to open the account.

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The material on this site is adapted from the brochure "When Your Home Is on the Line." Single or multiple copies of the brochure are available without charge. Order the brochure by telephone, mail, or fax. Order on line.

What should people know about breast cancer?

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in New York State.

Each year, about 13,800 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and over 3,000 women die from the disease in New York State. It is estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime during her life.

Men also get breast cancer, but it is very rare. About 150 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in New York State.
Who gets breast cancer?

Breast cancer is more common among older women. The risk for getting breast cancer increases with age. More than three-quarters of women who get breast cancer are over the age of fifty. White women are more likely to get breast cancer than Black women. Also, women with high socioeconomic status (those whose family income is above average) are more likely to get breast cancer. Scientists believe this may be related to having their first child at an older age, fewer pregnancies, diet and possibly other factors shared by women in higher income groups.
What causes breast cancer?

At this time, scientists do not know exactly what causes breast cancer. We do know that certain personal characteristics increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer. These risk factors include:

* increasing age – as women get older their risk of developing breast cancer increases.
* family history of breast cancer – women whose relatives have had breast cancer (especially at an early age) are more likely to get breast cancer.
* breast cancer genes – about 5% to 10% of breast cancers are believed to be inherited.
* personal history of breast cancer – a woman who has had cancer in one breast is more likely to develop it in the other breast or in remaining breast tissue.
* history of benign breast disease – women who have a history of certain types of non-cancerous tumors and cysts in their breasts are more likely to develop breast cancer.
* hormonal factors – women who start their periods at a young age, start menopause at a late age, have their first child later in life, and have no full-term pregnancies may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Studies also show that exposure to high doses of x-rays increases a woman's risk of getting breast cancer. Although scientists are not sure, other studies indicate that taking birth control pills, exposure to certain chemicals in the environment, long-term use of hormone replacement therapy, use of alcoholic beverages, obesity and lack of physical activity may be associated with increased breast cancer risk.

Research has also shown that use of underarm deodorant or antiperspirants, underwire bras, induced abortions and silicone breast implants do not increase the risk of getting breast cancer.
What can I do to reduce my chances of getting breast cancer?

Most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors. Among women with average risk, breast cancer cannot be prevented. Mammograms, breast self-examination, and examination of your breasts by your health care provider increase the chances that breast cancer will be diagnosed early. Among women who have higher than average risk, certain drugs may be useful in preventing breast cancer. All women should discuss their risk and screening or prevention options with their health care provider.

Source : health.state.ny.us

NVIDIA GeForce 9900 GTX Card Design Exposed

While there's still enough time until the GeForce 9900 series shows up, hardware enthusiasts are trying to chop up every bit of information they can find. Today a few 3D sketches were leaked, showing a GT200 based card in computer 3D environment. The GT200 based card has a total of 16 memory chips onboard (8 chips are on the back side of the PCB), and will probably feature 1GB of GDDR3 memory. The card will be 10.5-inch long and come with a dual slot cooler manufactured by Cooler Master (model TM71). Other details are still a bit washed out, so I won't report them here. If you want to read them anyways, please be sure to check this page.

Source: VR-Zone

3DMark Vantage to be released today

3DMark Vantage will be released today. It's the new DX10 version of their FM gaming benchmark series. PCMark Vantage is the first objective hardware performance benchmark for PCs running 32 and 64 bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista. PCMark Vantage is perfectly suited for benchmarking any type of Microsoft Windows Vista PC from multimedia home entertainment systems and laptops to dedicated workstations and hi-end gaming rigs. Regardless of whether the benchmarker is an artist or an IT Professional, PCMark Vantage shows the user where their system soars or falls flat, and how to get the most performance possible out of their hardware. PCMark Vantage is easy enough for even the most casual enthusiast to use yet supports in-depth, professional industry grade testing.

My First Blog

Okay..This is my first blog
Thank u...every one..
next I will post in Indonesian..