Do You Text Chat (IM) Online?

IM (Instant Messaging) - man, we thought we had it made in the shade when we stumbled over this unique way to communicate! Outside of talking person-to-person on the phone, IM was the next best thing. Texting talk was endless and cost was nonexistent. Well, those were the good old days of yore ? you know, those days of glorious innocence.

Just as we were getting oh so comfortable, happily IMing away to each other, then came the cloak-and-dagger entrance of the treacherous "IM villains". With their ominous arrival, the party abruptly ended. It seemed like overnight, our instant messaging (IM) turned into instant mercenaries, and the carnage was strewn all over the Internet.

First, it was one by one, then the numbers increased and starting growing exponentially, as friends began receiving, and inadvertently sending, viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Then it went from bad to worse, as report after report surfaced describing the grisly results of innocent victims losing their identity because these villains had accessed their personal and confidential information. Truly this was the darkest of times for all IMer friends ? regardless of the IM service we were texting on.

How could this have happened? And more importantly, how can we protect ourselves?

Well, I found out that these villainous hackers had accessed a nifty little program originally designed to benefit us, and twisted it to intercept our conversations traveling across the internet. They now have a profitable tool to use that intercepts our data packets and sends us a virus, and duplicates it by sending the same ugly bug to everyone on our Buddy List.

Once a hacker has gained access to our Buddy List, they trick our friends into thinking WE, (a trusted source), are sending them a file to download. Then when our friends innocently download the file, these villains can then access their computers as well, and use the personal and confidential information gathered to line their own pockets. How it affected businesses whose employees used IM to communicate?well, I will just let your imagination take over from there?because the hackers let theirs do the same.

A lot of us were thinking that we had nothing to worry about because we had anti-virus software on our computers, and that provided the protection we needed. Wrong!

Anti-virus software is not designed to protect our data packets traveling across the internet. There are still no anti-virus applications that directly monitor IM traffic. This is due to the difficulty in finding IM traffic as it is often embedded inside http packets. And what is worse yet is that Forrester's, Root stated that "In 2005 and 2006, we expect IM to get hit with some serious attacks?"

But, don't despair! I have discovered a cure!

In fact, I discovered the best of both worlds. What I have found is a computer phone (in "techy" terms known as VoIP ? voice over internet protocol) that is optimally secure. One of the many features of the computer phone is the IM that is built into it. Thus, the IM instant messages are sent over optimally secure lines rather than openly public lines on the Internet -- AND I can also actually talk to friends from my computer phone any time I want. The "good old days of yore" are back with even more !!!

Here's what a computer phone is all about.

The computer phone was the creation resulting from taking the convenience and features of the telephone and combining it with the power of the Internet. Pretty ingenious I think! Although most computers have a built in microphone, some do not. Mine was one of those computers that did not. So, I ran down to a local store and bought one for $5. Then, much to my delight, I found out that it easily plugged into the back of my computer.

Here is what is really incredible about a computer phone. I can talk, IM, make 3-way calls, transfer a call to my cell phone if I am running out the door, and much, much more.

Actually, I have become so accustomed to the convenience of the features on my computer phone, that it actually becomes frustrating when I cannot IM a friend I am talking to on their cell phone or telephone. You see, often times, I find great sites to share with my friends, so I have to slowly spell out the location over the phone and repeat the letters so they get the right site, then wait for them to repeat it back to me, rather than quickly IMing them the site and letting them click on it right then and there.

One final word of wisdom -- over 90% of all computer phone (VoIP) services out there do not operate on secure lines. The one I am using is optimally secure because they have their own proprietary high end encryption codec (code) with patented technology that is hosted in a professional facility. You just can't get any better than that!

Want to try a computer phone out for yourself?

You can download the software and try it out for 7 days absolutely free and without any contract, obligations, or hassles. Here's the place to visit http://www.free-pc-phone.com Oh, and yes, you will love this?.if you use a dial up connection to the internet, these computer phones work too, in addition to satellite, cable, and wireless connections.

Dee Scrip is a well-known and respected published author of numerous articles on VoIP, VoIP security, and other VoIP related issues. http://www.free-pc-phone.com

Small Things

When my dad was nearing the end of his life he began searching his heart to see if there was anything left undone - some unconfessed sin, a misdeed, anything at all he needed to make right before he faced God. He constantly prayed that the Holy Spirit would bring to his remembrance anything he needed to make right with his fellowman. It was during this time that he came across a rusty old garden tiller at the edge of his garden. It belonged to a farmer down the road who had sold it to Dad, but, when it didn't work, the farmer returned his money to him and told Dad just to bring it back any time.

"I thought I took this back years ago," he told my mother as he pulled the tiller out of the mass of weeds.

"Well, I know you meant to do so," Mom replied. "It never did work. Just haul it to the dump and forget it."

"It doesn't belong to me," Dad responded and started cleaning the tiller up, breaking it free from the years of corrosion and debris. Finally, he loaded it on to his pickup truck and drove to the farmer's house. The man was surprised to say the least when Dad showed up with the forgotten tiller after so many years. When Dad apologized and offered to pay him for it, the man responded with tears in his eyes, "Why, that thing never was any good! I am the one who tried to cheat you. You are an honest man."

When talking with him about the incident a few days later I remarked. "Dad, that was such a small thing! Surely you don't think God required you to take that old tiller back to him?"

"I don't rightly know," Dad acknowledged. "But when you pray and things like this happen, it's best not to take chances on missing out on receiving or being a blessing." Then his beautiful blue eyes misted with unshed tears, "And besides, I want to hear Jesus say, 'Well done'."

Small things. As I have learned to walk with God through the years, He has taught me how one small act of obedience can lead to major blessings. The Bible tells us: "Unless you are faithful in small matters, you won't be faithful in large ones." (Luke 16:10 NLT).

It is the little things that can add spice to or spoil your life. Solomon said, "the little foxes spoil the vine."

• - That "little white lie" does hurt.

• - "What they don't know" may not hurt them -- but could very well hurt YOU.

• - The clerk gave you to much change? It does not belong to you. Return it.

• - Two cokes came out of the machine when you paid for only one? Return the other to the vendor.

• - Did "something" tell you to perform an act of kindness to a stranger? Do it without question.

• - Learn to be faithful in the little things that (seemingly) do not matter.

Just little things. Just insignificant matters. But, it is when we are faithful in the small matters that God entrusts us with more. Be assured God will not use you to change the world until you have been faithful in the small things in your own house, on your own street, in your own town. Listen to the Holy Spirit within you. Be obedient to his gentle nudgings. God wants to know that he can count on you to obey him in seemingly insignificant matters simply because he brings it to your attention. It may seem like a "small thing" to you, but truth is, nothing is "small stuff" to him.

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." Mother Teresa

Linda Van Fleet is a freelance inspirational writer specializing in articles and features on Christian lifestyle topics, angels, Internet and social issues. Linda has 2 children and three grandchildren. Visit http://ibelieveinangels.com for great stories of faith, inspiration and angels.

? 2005 Linda Van Fleet All rights reserved.

What Do Mobile Auto Detailers Clean When it Rains?

A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to the weather perhaps more than any other business. There are ways to make money even on a rainy day if you are smart. A mobile detailer can do many things. They of course can specialize during these time on the interior detailing of automobiles, SUVs and mini-vans. It might not be as glamorous but there are plenty of latte stains on the inside of the modern American automobile.

Some mobile auto detailers get fewer than one or two complete auto details on rainy weeks. If they fail to market correctly they will perhaps get three interior details a week during the rainy weeks. They will probably discount their prices in fact merely to get the work. Some discount to $45.00 each in order to get the work on a rainy week. If you are a savvy consumer you will wait until it rains and ask for a good deal. If you were to break it down; 3 interior details at $45 is only $130.00 gross revenue, so you can imagine the independent operator is barely surviving.

If it rains for three weeks straight in February, which is already is a short month, then they will spend this on food and gas. At current fuel prices it would not take much for them to show a loss. In other words they cannot make the truck payment, rent or printing (advertising). Without these things the mobile auto detailer competitor is basically S.O.L. . No wonder these mobile auto detailers go out of business each year and eventually find a new trade. Many detailers are detailers because:

There is a sense of prestige working on fine automobiles.

There is a lot of freedom driving around all day.

They can act like big shots with business cards, car phones, pagers, etc.

When it rains, there are no fine automobiles to clean. Their regular customers are not interested and rejection sets in. There is no freedom when you are broke; they can't afford to buy gas. They can't act like big shots when they have to borrow money from their friends to buy gas. Their friends get tired of always buying them beer when they go out. It gets old quick and their friends stop calling. These are some of the reasons for turn over rates in the auto detailing business. There is plenty of work with 1.7 cars for every man, woman and child in America, but once it starts raining there are few takers. The strong survive and the rest take a dive. Think about seasonality in your business, do you have a plan?

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

A Company That Doesnt Need Public Relations?

Really? You mean there are NO perceptions and behaviors peculiar to that company's outside audiences that would help or hinder it in the pursuit of its objectives?

Wow! I need to know more about a company that can ignore what its key external publics perceive about the company AND how they behave. I need to know how such a company can disregard serious negative behaviors by people who make up an influential external audience, and still reach its business objectives!

In fact, it would have to be a miracle! I don't buy it because it defies logic!

The business world doesn't believe that's possible either because it needs public relations big time, and they show it every day.

How? By staying in touch with their prime external publics and carefully monitoring their perceptions about the company, their feelings about any current topic at issue, AND the behaviors that inevitably follow.

Possibly there is an angle here for your business.

Now, with what has been learned about that audience's feelings and beliefs, the public relations goal, corrective if needed - for example, a specific behavior change -- can be established.

Which then requires that a strategy be identified. There are just three choices here, create opinion where none exists, change existing opinion, or reinforce it.

It's a logical sequence. With the strategy now set, we need persuasive messages with a good chance of moving perceptions (and thus behaviors) in the organization's direction. And we make sure the messages talk not only to the current topic at issue, but any misconceptions encountered during our information gathering, and to any problems that might be brewing.

What will we do with our new messages? We'll carry them to the attention of our priority audience. We'll use communications tactics that are credible in the eyes of the receiver, effective in reaching him or her. We'll also want tactics that stand a good chance of moving opinion in that target audience, on the topic at issue, in the direction of the industry's position..

Fortunately, there are dozens of communications tactics to choose from: newsworthy announcements, letters-to-the-editor, news releases, radio and newspaper interviews, brochures, speeches and on and on.

At this point, we're back to the monitoring mode as we interact once again with members of the key target audience. With our communications tactics hammering away, we keep one eye peeled for signs of target audience opinion shifts in the industry's direction. The other eye, (and ears) stay alert for any references by print and broadcast media, or other local thoughtleaders, to our carefully prepared messages.

Our bottom line is, are perceptions and behaviors within the target audience being modified? If not, adjustments to both message and communications tactics - often a big increase in, and wider selection of tactics -- must be made.

Gradually, you'll begin to notice changes in opinion starting to appear along with a growing receptiveness to those messages of yours. This is real progress.

Should you still need encouragement to hang in there with your brand new public relations program, consider this. A single issue - for example, a potentially dangerous, unattended perception among a key audience -- can spread like wildfire nudging any business closer to failure than success.

Now, don't you feel better about public relations?

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly ? 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net

Clean Slates and Fresh Starts

Hope, excitement and anxiety all wrapped up in fresh haircuts and new clothes. Pens, pencils and notebooks, the smell of a new box of crayons and a brand new book; it all speaks of such promise.

It's the first week of school and everyone starts with an "A". Children are on their best behavior as they cautiously gauge their new surrounding. But once those first days fade and familiarity takes shape, the playing ground is no longer even. A pecking order becomes evident as cliques form and personalities emerge. And it is this pecking order that can make children unintentionally cruel to each other.

If I could bottle up a time, it would be the first week of school. Every child, for at least those first few days, has a new beginning, a fresh start and is on his or her best behavior. If I could capture the essence that lingers in the air and label it "open when necessary," it would be an invaluable gift.

It is easy to overlook the suffering of others, especially when maturity and compassion have not yet developed. But as an adult, if you knew your child was taunting and teasing another classmate, would you ignore the situation and chalk it up to "kids will be kids," or take the time to correct the situation?

Maybe the little girl in the front row can't concentrate on her schoolwork because her parents are fighting. And the boy in the corner is withdrawn and tired because he spends his nights taking care of an alcoholic parent. Or maybe the overweight girl they laugh at is using food to bury her secrets and sorrows.

Although the harsh realities of social injustice are too heavy for a young child to comprehend, it is never too early to encourage empathy and compassion. If your child is quick to tease or judge, remind him that making fun of others is never cool. Ask him to put himself in the other child's shoes and just try to imagine how it would feel if someone made fun of him.

Remind your child about the first day of school when the slate was clean and everyone started with an "A". And encourage him to reach out and give his classmate another chance as if he held a magical bottle marked "open when necessary" filled with fresh starts and good behavior.

About The Author

Patricia Gatto and John De Angelis are the authors of MILTON'S DILEMMA, the tale of a lonely boy's magical journey to friendship and self-acceptance. As advocates for literacy and children's rights, the authors speak at schools and community events to foster awareness and provide children with a safe and healthy learning environment. For more information, please visit Joyful Productions at http://www.joyfulproductions.com

pgatto@ptd.net

Mobile Content: An Expression of Individuality

Cell phones were created with the purpose of facilitating communication on the go. With the advancement of technology, cell phones matured into devices that are able to send text messages, surf the internet and even play games. Today, cell phones are one of the most important items an individual could own. We bring our cell phones with us everywhere, and they have essentially become an extension of our own self and a way to express our own unique individuality.

Think about it. Your friends most likely all have cell phones. Each cell phone has a different background image, a unique ringtone and even a cute animated screensaver. No two cell phones are ever the same. Your friends have downloaded different games than you and purchased trendy faceplates to reflect their own personality.

The sales of mobile content and mobile accessories have sky-rocketed over the last few years and they are still expected to increase drastically. More and more cell phones are being purchased, and consumers are continually changing the look and feel of their own cell phone. This is definitely a market area of interest for savvy investors.

Opening a mobile content delivery store is the new thing. Successful business entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this new opportunity fast and making a name for themselves in the world of mobile media. "It's easy", says Larry Lehoux CEO of the Data Corp a leading developer in mobile delivery software. "We've taken a very complicated process and made it simple. Mobiletoolbox, provides all the tools needed to sell mobile media- including content conversion, mobile delivery and sales management."

If you are interested in opening your own online mobile multimedia store where you can sell mobile media such as ringtones, wallpaper, screensavers and games- please visit Mobiletoolbox's website at www.mobiletoolbox.com.

Michelle Lehoux is marketing coordinator for the Data Corp, a leading developer in digital software solutions

Military Payday Loans! The Before Pay Check Financial Fiasco, is History Now

Working under the most prestigious service of the country ? military ? and still struggling with ends to meet! Are finances crumbling on you? And you thinking of another job? Will it easy to maintain two jobs? How would it affect your life? Is there a guarantee that the second job will solve the financial crunch? Military payday loans can offer respite from these queries, if your cash problems are temporary.

'Temporary' is the term to concentrate when you are applying for military payday loans. Only small lived financial problems can sanction military payday loans. Urgent medical needs, several bills, and unplanned expenses which are not covered by paycheck ? military payday loans are normally meant for these 'emergency' situations.

Military payday loans are not very different from usual payday loans. Also known as cash advance loans, they are offered to qualified military personnel on their ability to repay the loans. For military payday loans, a borrower has to give a post dated check to the loan lender. This will authorize the lender to withdraw the amount form the bank account. The authorization can also be in the form of electronic debit. The loan lender will keep this authorization for a week which is usually the time during which the borrower can pay back the loan in cash in exchange of the original check. The borrower will then deposit the check in the borrower's account. Otherwise, if the borrower is not ready, the military payday loan can be renewed or rolled over. The military payday loan can be extended for any time period but the loan lender receives payment for every extensions.

Military payday loans are in fact very easy to qualify for. The first requirement with military payday loans is a current valid bank account and a regular income which being in military, you already have. A veteran or an active member both can apply for military payday loans. The loan lender can also look whether a person spouse or a family member can qualify for the loan. You might have to provide some personal information which may help in computing how much money you can take. Government identification makes it easy for military personnel to access military payday loans from any part of the world. Lenders have different policies with regard to loan lending, so they might not forward military payday loans to certain divisions of military. Military personnel can also be asked for paychecks, to see your monthly income. Because of the identification with the military, military payday loans are offered with bad credit also.

The interest rates of military payday loans are high. The typical interest rates charged are 25-30%. This can vary from person to person depending on the circumstances. Their resourcefulness can be put to use for education, home improvement, computer financing and any other personal need.

Military payday loans come with a downside. According to Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) Article 123a and 134, default with military payday loans is a punishable offence. There can be strict penalties including confinement, clearance, court marshal, transfer or even discharge. The consequences for military personnel are much stricter than regular payday loans.

There is a lot of hue and cry about military payday loans. These loans are in fact used to target soldiers. Instead of fulfilling emergency needs, they are dragging them into huge debt situation. The promise of quick cash seems promising at first. In order to pay for one payday loan, you take another and eventually have so much debt to pay and that too a very high interest rate. There are astounding interest rates the debt is so high without any possibility of payment. Military payday loans are strictly meant for short term shortfall. If military personnel are not sure about their ability to repay ? then it is not the course for them. There will be serious consequences on their financial position not to mention the emotional effect which affects their job productivity. In fact military personnel are the ones who are the prime targets of payday loans.

Military payday loans have grown in popularity and that has given rise to many loan lenders offering them. On one hand military payday loans are a good way to improve finances, but they can form a debt trap if not managed well. The best military payday loans do not discriminate between military personnel and would have interest rates lower than usual payday loans. A military profession doesn't always offer financial fulfillment like other working class. But with military payday loan, you can restore monetary concerns that sprout just before the paycheck delivers.

Few identifiers are necessary to identify your kind of loan. An unprepared borrower might find it very confusing to get out of the jargon of loans in UK. A loans borrower/user demands for timely, reliable, accessible, comprehensive, relevant and consistent loan service. Pamella scott is constantly trying to help you find such a loan service online.To find Secured loans,secured personal loans,secured debt consolidation loans in uk that best suits your need visit http://www.easyfinance4u.com

Forcing Inspiration

Most people, when they have to complete a creative endeavour, often tend to wait for inspiration. It is not unusual to find, therefore, that most people take inordinately long to complete projects or never finish them at all. Look at the infinite number of people with half-finished first-drafts under their bed. This reveals a lack of understanding of how the mind and creativity work, for the best way to find a bucket-load of inspiration is to force it out.

1) Engaging in the Task.

Simply engaging in the task generates ideas. By defining the work process, people can frame the mind for the coming task and keep work flowing.

2) Absorption in the project.

Absorption in a project creates inspiration for other, similar projects. Screenwriters know that they will come up with lots of good ideas for other screenplays while they are working on the present one.

3) Blocks.

One reason for a lack of inspiration is that the creator suffers from any of the many forms of evaluation apprehension. By forcing engagement in and completing the project, that creator can leapfrog blocks, which progressively decline with further projects. Confidence comes from having undergone a set of positive successful experiences.

4) Competencies.

Another reason for not embarking on projects is the lack of developed competencies. Competencies build up gradually over a set of positive experiences:

i) The experience curve shows us that in the early stages, relative lack of experience, knowledge and refined methodology limits performance to sub-optimal levels. With time these factors improve and productivity increases exponentially.

ii) Subliminal and subconscious learning ? when we are motivated by an endeavour we will become good at it by working at it on various cognitive levels.

iii) Subliminal and subconscious perception ? many skills and actions are initially learnt with much conscious effort, then, with practice, they come easily and smoothly. After complete automisation, paying attention may actually be detrimental.

The above concepts are encapsulated in common expressions such as, "you have to write a million words before you write anything good." Knowledgeable screenwriters know that it was really only after a certain number of completed screenplays that they really began to get good.

5) Process.

One of the most sustained myths about creativity is that it is not a process. In fact, inspiration and insight results from a definite process which includes:

i) Dividing the problem into sets of smaller problems.

ii) Intensely investigating problems.

iii) Forcing the production of ideas using creative versus critical thinking.

iv) Seeking stimuli.

v) Applying constant conscious thought.

vi) Engaging in rest and unrelated activities.

vii) Allowing incubation

6) Forcing prolific activity.

Forcing engagement in an endeavour triggers prolific activity ? and it can be concluded with a high degree of certainty that quality of output is closely related to sheer quantity. The single best creative product tends to appear at that point in the career when the creator is being most prolific.

In conclusion, inspiration is best attained by forcefully and consciously engaging in a project. Experienced hands will tell you, just do it!

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These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased at http://www.managing-creativity.com

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as the author's name, web address and link to MBA dissertation is retained.

Kal Bishop MBA
Kal is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller.

Get Ready For Bed....Bedding Bass That Is!

It's getting near the time bass will be on their beds. Not just any bass, but trophy size bass in Ohio. So, what are you going to use to catch those lunkers? Big baits of course! Well, not really. While large baits do catch big bass, sometimes they scare them away or intimidate them. That is when finesse baits come to play.

You can throw a finesse bait on the bed and the bass won't be intimidated at all. Matter of fact, he is probably thinking to himself, "I can take that little bitty thing". Also small baits don't stir up the bedding and bottom like bigger baits do. That doesn't mean you have to use light tackle, you can even use a flippin stick with finesse baits. I usually use the biggest weight line I can get by with even 25 pound test and a bullet weight. If there is a chance she could get entangled in cover near by, you will be glad you have the heavier line to horse them out with.

You want to experiment! Try throwing a big lure a few times on a bed, if that doesn't work, go to a finesse bait. You can try the finesse bait first and cast it a few times then try a larger bait. My point is different lures and techniques work at different times. Try a little lighter line if there's not much cover near by.

What has worked for me more than anything is finesse baits. If I see a bed, I use little baits and wiggle the lure or hop it. You will find these little baits stay on the bed longer too. Try a bright color so you can see the lure and see when a bass moves it.

One thing I would like to ask everyone.......please don't keep these bedding bass. If you catch a trophy, measure it and get a replica made. They are going to have young and that will mean more great fishing for all of us. I read a long, long time ago that only 1 out of every 100,000 eggs ever makes it to an adult bass.

Try the finesse baits and send me a picture of the bedding bass you catch. I'll share it with everyone that visits our website in our picture section.

Good Fishing To You!

Charles E. White has fished for bass for almost 50 years. He has fished from Florida to California and has caught more than 6,000 bass in his lifetime. His biggest bass is 12 pounds 14 ounces. Charles has helped many young people start their fishing career and has owned two fishing tackle stores in his lifetime. He now resides in Ohio. Charles is webmaster for: http://www.bassfishingweekly.com

Tackling Bad Credit

The first time I heard the term credit history was when I approached a lender for a secured loan. Being a first timer I was completely ignorant of the procedure and didn't even know that a credit record of our transactions is prepared by some credit reference agencies.

Thanks to the discipline in making the repayments to the loans and mortgages, I never let my credit history degrade. But there are many who are not as fortunate as me. A recent statistics revealed that one out of every five people is having a bad credit history, i.e. a sizable part of the population has defaulted at some point of time in the past.

Loan providers are not as generous to the people having a bad credit history as they are to people like us. Whatever be the reason of the default, loan providers always believe that the borrowers intentionally default on the loan. A play safe policy describes their dealings with such borrowers. The more cautious lot of lenders will immediately reject the applications. The remaining lenders provide for the security of the amount lent through a higher interest rate.

Lenders may peg the interest rate according to the risk perceived. Some lenders may try to overcharge borrowers who are facing an urgent need of money and lesser sources whom they can approach for a fulfilment of the need. Borrowers may thus have to pay excessively for the bad credit that they have acquired.

Are the borrowers responsible for the bad credit that tarnishes their credit history? In the legal circles, the borrower cannot be absolved of the responsibility, even though they are unintentional or due to his ignorance. "Ignorance of law is no excuse", thus goes the legal maxim.

Putting aside the legal point of view, we find that it is the lenders who are responsible for the majority of times. They try to sell inappropriate financial products to ignorant borrowers, by concealing basic details about the product or by misleading borrowers by furnishing wrong details. For instance, borrowers are advised to take unsecured loans, with the lender stressing more on the disadvantages of the secured loans. The borrower being ignorant about the loans market completely depends on the lenders advice, and thus takes unsecured loans which are more costly. These may become burdensome in the long run and may lead to defaults.

Bad credit history can be better understood by learning about the various causes of bad credit history. This can also give an insight the ways to escape the bad credit cases to maintain the credit image.

Arrears:

The number one reason for bad credit is arrears. Arrears are the result of failure to make the payments to the debts taken. While lenders believe that the borrowers do intentionally default on debts, this may not be the reason every time an arrear takes place. Borrowers try their best to be regular on payments, but the sizable share that they take of the salary or wages, leave too little even for the necessary expenses. However, borrowers cannot be absolved entirely of the responsibility of the arrears. Had the amount of debts been lesser, the chances of arrears would have lessened.

County Court Judgements

Except in cases of bankruptcy, it is difficult for borrowers to not pay the amount received. Lenders recover the amount through legal action against the borrower known as County Court Judgements. However, lenders fear dealing with borrowers who have County Court Judgements. They contend that it is difficult to recover the amount lent from people having CCJs. A few lenders may however accept two-three CCJs as admisssible. The rules to deal with the lenders may differ according to the lending policy of the lenders. Lenders however, stretch the rules not with a sense of generosity, but with the intention to get a higher rate of interest.

Individual Voluntary Arrangements

Individual Voluntary Arrangements or IVAs for short are drawn in order to escape bankruptcy. While the lender could have received a lump-sum payment, he has to make do with a monthly payment through instalments, because of the instalments. Thus IVAs are often counted along with the other bad credit causes and people with IVAs face difficulties in qualifying for the loans

Self employment

Self employment is treated as a bad credit case because of the lack of stability in income that characterises them. Profits comprise the main sources of income of self employed people. These are dependant on the operations and vary over the months and years. Lenders fear that the self employed people would not be able to make the repayments during the periods when the profits are low.

Unemployment

Unemployment is a condition when a person is off work because of reasons that may be controllable or uncontrollable. Though these people receive aids from the government, lenders fear offering loans to them.

Miscellaneous reasons

Many more reasons may affect the credit history over a period. Sometimes these are as trivial as a divorce. However, if the lenders feel that these reasons are irrelevant to the persons finance, they may not discriminate on these bases.

Whatever be the cases of bad credit, no borrower is ever starved of credit, provided they have the patience to search over the hundreds of lenders and the readiness to pay the extra cost.

James Taylor holds a Master's degree in Commerce from JNU he is working as financial consultant for http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk To find a personal loan, bad credit loans that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk

Simple Risk Reversal Formula Will Send Your Sales Into Space (2 of 2)

Make A Bold Promise Then Back It Up With An Awesome Guarantee

We finished the last article with a mnemonic...

All these extra sales you're going to make are in the B.A.G.

A Bold Promise backed up with an Awesome Guarantee

So today we'll look at what makes a Bold Promise and the three elements of an Awesome Guarantee!

A bold promise should be something that your customer really desires and which most of your competitors would be too afraid to make. Some people use, "we won't be beaten on price", or "lowest prices guaranteed" but being the best on price is a stupid way to position your service business anyway. So stay away from price-promises and deliver a value-promise instead. A value promise means you can charge more instead of less - leading to higher profits.

Some Sample Bold Promises...

* I will double your orders in less than 12 months

* You will get at least 5 times your investment back

* This book will help you get beach fit in 6 months

* I will remove your ISSUE/PROBLEM/PHOBIA in 1 hour

* We'll deliver XYZ in under 60 minutes

* You'll learn at least 5 things to increase your revenue

Now on to the awesome guarantee. There are three things that make a guarantee awesome...

1. It's Unconditional. There should be no long list of conditions that must be met by the buyer in order to get their money back if you screw up. It should be simple and free of tricks - people should feel 100% confident that you are sincere when they buy.

2. It's Long. Now here's a funny thing - the longer you guarantee something for the lower your return rate. Why? Well if you give a piddly, tiny, guarantee period, people (in an effort to ensure their purchase was good) will spend that time looking for things that might be wrong. If they don't feel time pressure, they'll simply forget to look - after all they have all the time in the world... I recommend at least 30 days - but there's nothing wrong with months or even years - our Lean Marketing Toolbox is guaranteed for 5 Years - and I've had not one return yet!

3. It Creates A "Forced Performance Effect". This one works like magic. You not only remove risk by ensuring your customer gets their money back BUT you also penalise yourself for failure. This way people get a double-whammy! Not only do you remove their risk - you reverse it entirely - meaning it's in your interests to deliver what you promised!

Some Sample Awesome Guarantees

* You get a full refund and keep the product worth ?XXX - no questions asked

* The next time you visit it's on me!

* I'll gladly reimburse your fee and provide your next session free

* I'll give you a free 1 hour consultation/coaching session worth ?XXX

* We'll refund your money and give you ?XX For Your Trouble

Putting It All Together...

Simply bolting an Awesome Guarantee onto a Bold Promise can sound awkward and disjointed. So your final job is to a make the promise and guarantee with one simple statement.

Some examples...

If __________________ doesn't _______________, then _______________________

If this course doesn't give you at least 5 new techniques for boosting sales, then I'll reimburse your fee in full and pay for your train ticket home.

If this 6-week fitness programme doesn't help you lose at least 2 inches from your waist size, then I'll gladly give you your money back and a beach wear gift voucher worth ?25

If after one session of my NLP spider phobia cure you still can't hold a spider in your hand without fear, then I'll give you your money back and provide the next session free of charge.

________________________ or _______________________________

Double your sales success rate within 6 months or you get a full, no-questions-asked refund and a free place on my next course.

Read this book and find the man/woman of your dreams in 6 months or less or tell me what went wrong and I'll gladly buy the book back and give you a free 1 hour telephone coaching session.

Have fun with this and be creative - it's powerful. But never promise what you can't realistically deliver (guarantee or not) and make sure you can deliver on your awesome guarantee when someone calls you on it.

This one approach could literally transform your business and boost conversion rates beyond recognition.

'Dangerous' Debbie Jenkins
debs@debbiejenkins.com

(c) Copyright 2005 www.BookShaker.com

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Heart Matters

Your heart is between one to two times the size of your clenched fist. Contrary to popular belief, it is not located to one side of the body - it is located almost in the exact center of your chest. Due to the shape of the heart and chest cavity, the heart pounds against the chest wall on your left side, so the heart rate is stronger when felt there. Your heart is responsible for pumping about six quarts of blood throughout your body, with about the same amount of force that the average person applies when squeezing a tennis ball. The heart is not under voluntary control. A system known as the autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, is responsible for regulating your heart rate.

There are many ways to measure how healthy a heart is. A healthy heart should beat with a fairly regular rhythm that will change based on levels of exertion and oxygen requirements. A healthy heart has a high stroke volume, which refers to the amount of blood that is pumped out with each beat. A healthy heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood, so the resting heart rate of a healthy heart will be lower than average. Blood pressure is another indicator of heart health and should be in the healthy range of around 120 over 80, as determined by the national average.

Various types of training have different effects on the heart. Training that elevates the heart rate for even brief durations can increase the size of the heart. This will increase the stroke volume, and result in a lower resting heart rate. Training can also increase the rate at which the heart recovers from a bout of intense work. In other words, a trained individual will return to their resting heart rate faster than a sedentary individual. Exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure. In addition, regular cardiovascular exercise can increase the concentration of hemoglobin in blood, allowing the body to become more efficient at transporting oxygen to the cells that need it (as well as removing waste products such as carbon dioxide).

The average resting heart rate for an adult is around 72 beats per minute, or 75 for women and 70 for men. The lowest recorded heart rate is 28 beats per minute, attributed to a Spanish cyclist named Miguel Indurain. Many athletes have resting heart rates between the mid 30's and mid 40's. Bradycardia refers to a resting heart rate less than 60 beats per minute. It is simply a name for the condition of a slow heart, and does not imply an unhealthy heart or disease. Tachycardia refers to a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute, and is considered a very dangerous condition to have.

The notion of maximum heart rate was designed to help people safely and effectively exercise. The maximum heart rate is theoretically the most times that your heart can safely beat in the span of one minute. The traditional formula for computing maximum heart rate is 220 - age. I am 29, so my maximum heart rate would be computed at 191 beats per minute. As you can see, maximum heart rate will decrease with age.

It has been speculated that the generic equation for determining maximum heart rate is not very accurate. Individuals of the same age will have different sized hearts, stroke volume, blood pressure, resting heart rates, and other factors that would contribute to the maximum possible beats per minute. A few attempts have been made to "fine tune" the formula, but even those efforts may fall short. One formula is known as the "adjusted heart rate". It involves removing the resting heart rate from the maximum before applying a target formula. For example, if my target heart rate were 193, 80% of my maximum would be 154 beats per minute. In other words, my "target" heart rate at 80% is 154 beats. Using the adjusted method, I would first subtract my resting heart rate, apply the percentage, then add it back in. So, in this example:

193 (maximum heart rate) - 39 (resting heart rate) = 154.

154 x 80% = 123.

123 + 39 (adding resting heart rate back) = 162.

Therefore, instead of the traditional 154 beats per minute, my "adjusted target" at 80% would be 162 beats per minute. Another "tweak" to the traditional formula is known as the Tanaka method. Based on a study of literally thousands of individuals, a new formula was devised which is believed to be more accurate. The formula is 208 - 0.7 x age. Using this formula, my maximum heart rate when I was 27 would have been 208 - 0.7 x 27 = 189, or about 3 beats per minute less than the traditional formula.

So why even worry about your heart rate? Heart rate is a great indicator of training. In order to better understand heart rate, you must understand the various "systems" of energy that your body uses when you train. There are three systems that are always in effect, but one system will dominate based on the type of training. These systems are ATP-CP and glycolytic (both are anaerobic, or systems that do not rely on oxygen as the primary energy source) and aerobic.

The ATP-CP system is the system that bodybuilders are most familiar with. It is the system where your body is forced to perform work without the aid of oxygen. When you perform a repetition during a weight training exercise, your muscles contract and must generate force quickly to resist the weight. This action happens quickly, and your body is not able to use oxygen to fuel the contraction. Instead, your body will rely on stores of energy within the muscle cells, namely a compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate. ATP depletes rapidly, and is replenished by CP. Sports that rely on this system include power lifting, shot put, and short distance sprints.

Bouts of work lasting more than a few seconds will draw energy mainly from the glycolytic system. Once ATP and CP are depleted, the glycolytic system kicks in. This system takes carbohydrate stored in the muscle cell (glycogen) and breaks down the glycogen to replenish ATP. Sports that utilize the glycolytic system include mid-distance sprinting, basketball, volleyball, boxing, and football. These are all sports that involve prolonged periods of moderate activity mixed with short bouts of near maximal effort.

Marathon runners and other distance runners use the aerobic system. The aerobic system utilizes oxygen for energy. The blood transports oxygen, so this system has the largest influence on the heart. Any type of activity that is prolonged (more than a few minutes) and does not involve repeated bouts of near maximal effort would use the aerobic system as the primary source of energy. Keep in mind that all systems are being used, but the aerobic system becomes the predominant system.

The rate at which your heart is pumping can help indicate which energy system is dominant at any given period of time. This is where the maximum heart rate and target heart rates become useful. Traditionally, training "zones" have been determined based on percentage of the target heart rate. The common breakdown of these training zones is:

50% - 60% = low intensity
60% - 70% = fat-burning zone
70% - 80% = aerobic zone
80% - 90% = anaerobic zone
90% - 100% = maximal zone

The low intensity zone is ideal for burning calories without stressing your body. If you are recovering from a workout or an injury, on a reduced-calorie diet, or looking to burn additional calories with minimal impact on muscle gains, this a great zone to work out in. Brisk walking on an incline is an ideal way to reach this zone, and the main drawback is time. It takes the longest amount of time to burn a given number of calories when training in this zone.

The fat-burning zone is what I consider the land of myth. This is the most misunderstood zone in training. When you are at 60 to 70 percent of your target heart rate, the majority of your calories burned will come from fat, during that training session. Over 65% of your burned calories can come from fat. Due to this trivial fact, many people believe that this is the necessary zone to burn fat. This is not necessarily true. Any time you create a caloric deficit, or expend more calories than you consume, you will lose weight in the form of fat and/or muscle mass. While other systems may burn less percentage of fat, they can burn more calories and therefore result in greater fat loss!

As an example, let's talk about the "aerobic zone." In this zone, intensity increases, so less of your calories are burned from fat. However, due to the increased intensity, you burn more calories per minute. Does this mean that you should avoid the aerobic zone if fat loss is your goal? Let's break this down.

It is estimated that 45% of calories in the "aerobic zone" are burned from fat. Let's say you run 6mph to reach the "fat-burning zone" and you run 9mph to reach the "aerobic zone". In one hour, you will run either 6 miles or 9 miles. According to research, a 175-pound person burns on average about 34 calories per mile. So, in one hour, you might burn:

6 x 34 = 204 calories, or
9 x 34 = 306 calories

In the fat-burning zone, you burned 65% of your calories from fat. This is 204 x .65 = 133 calories from fat.

In the aerobic zone, you burned 45% of your calories from fat. This is 306 x .45 = 138 calories.

As you can see, getting comfortable and going into the "fat burning" zone actually burned fewer calories. You might say, "What's the big deal? It was only 5 calories difference." But when you take into account total calories, you burned over 100 more calories in the aerobic zone. Since total calories expended have the largest impact on the amount of fat you will lose, obviously the aerobic method will result in more fat loss (provided you also resistance train so that you are not losing muscle) than the "fat-burning" method.

The fat-burning zone and below used the aerobic system. In the aerobic zone, you are still using the aerobic system of energetics, but may see a shift towards the glycolytic system. Once you reach 80%, you are venturing into the glycolytic and ATP-CP zones (over 90% is going to be predominantly ATP-CP). So heart rate relative to your maximum heart rate can help understand where your fuel is coming from and even how many calories you will burn. What is interesting to note is that the longer you sustain an elevated heart rate (i.e. aerobic zone or higher), the longer it takes for your body to recover by slowing down. This means you continue to have a faster metabolism and to burn more calories even after your training is done!

I mentioned these "traditional" zones because I don't like to follow tradition when it comes to monitoring heart rate. For one, I feel that perceived effort is just as valid an indicator. Why limit yourself based on a "zone" you must workout in, when you can simply push yourself to achieve your results! Another problem with the traditional method is that it does not take into account errors with the heart rate calculations - should I train in the same zone as someone whose resting heart rate is 75 beats per minute (my own resting heart rate is around 39 beats per minute)? I don't think so - I think that the lower resting heart rate is an indicator of advanced fitness and means that I can train more intensely. What if your heart is maxing out at 170 beats per minute instead of 193? Should you still "push the limit" because the equation tells you to? I don't think so.

Heart rate can still be a useful tool for training, but you must learn to use your body as the tool, not the equation. For example, if you want to understand what your anaerobic zone is, instead of plugging away at a formula, why not perform anaerobic work? I can guarantee that you will be using your ATP-CP system (a completely anaerobic system) when you perform a one-rep max. So instead of taking 90% of 220 minus your age, just strap on a heart rate monitor the next time you perform a maximum lift. Then, instead of relying on statistics, your body will tell you what your "anaerobic" zone is. This may not be traditional, but do you think your heart will lie?

Once you have this useful information, you can apply it to your training. If you are performing high intensity interval training, and would rather have your heart dictate the intervals than your perception, let your body be the guide. Start by walking on an incline for several minutes. This is your low intensity zone. Now go outside and perform an all-out sprint. This will be your high intensity zone. Now you simply build intervals between those two heart rates for your training. Again, no equation that has no clue what the size of your heart is or what your blood chemistry is like - let your body be the tool.

As a final note, heart rate can apply to resistance training as well. If you are looking to reduce body fat, calories are king. Should you rest 15 seconds? 1 minute? How about staying in the "aerobic" zone? Pick a target rate for your training. Your "75% effort" (somewhere between your sprinting and incline walking) could be the bottom line. Simply rest until your heart rate drops to that level, and then perform the next set. This will ensure your heart rate is always elevated to a minimal level while allowing sufficient recovery to move on. When you are training for strength or heavy lifts, how long should you rest? 3 minutes? 10 minutes? Again, why not let your body decide. Rest until you fall to the fat-burning zone or even less, then start the next set. For you, this may only take 2 minutes, while another person will recover after 10 minutes of rest. The key is that your body is telling you when sufficient recovery has taken place to perform the next set - not some rigid standard like "4 minutes" that doesn't take into account your specific, individual recovery ability.

When you are training, don't forget the most important muscle: your heart. Not only is it an indicator of health, it is a tool that can help to improve your health. Instead of relying on cookie-cutter formulas, you can use your heart as an interactive gauge to tailor your workouts to your own unique body. Learn that the heart matters and use the powerful information it provides to build your peak physique.

Jeremy Likness is an International Health Coach and motivational speaker. After losing 65 pounds of fat, he discovered his true vision to coach thousands around the world to better health. A Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Performance Nutrition, Jeremy is the author of the internationally-selling e-Book, Lose Fat, Not Faith and the companion 5-CD set. Jeremy has been published in major online publications including Tom Venuto's Fitness Renaissance and Bodybuilding.com. Jeremy's approach is unique because he focuses on fitness from the inside out. Visit Jeremy online at Natural Physiques.