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Here’s how to do it. We can observe ourselves. There are ancient meditation practices based on simple self observation.

We take a moment and just notice ourselves. This can be done by noticing the feelings in our bodies. Notice our breathing. Notice the inhale and exhale. You can do this as a regular practice as a powerful stress management technique. You can get fast relief when you find yourself in stressful situations.

If you wish, you can listen to a free audio meditation on self observation. This will help you get started. After you’ve used the audio for a while, you can practice self observation on your own.

What does this have to do with the ego? When we observe “our self” we are usually observing the ego. This observation tends to help us realize that we are not really the ego. This is a very powerful step in stress management. It skyrockets the way we experience life.

You can practice this throughout the day. You might decide to walk very slowly and observing yourself when you’re walking. This greatly increases your awareness and brings you into the Now.

Over time this can be amazingly relaxing practice of stress management. It brings amazing relief. You’ll get more insights about life. You can step out of life’s challenges. You can return to the challenges with a refreshed and relaxed state of mind.

Copyright 2006 by Jim Kitzmiller

Jim Kitzmiller is the author of Rocket Fuel for the Soul — Blissercise Self-Help Manual. The book’s bliss exercises (blissercises) surpass usual positive thinking approaches by bypassing the logical mind. The blissercises cover 46 different areas of life.

Jim leads self-help workshops and does spiritual coaching.

“How was school?” “Okay.”

“What did you do?” “Nothing.” “What did you learn?” “Nothing.” “How did you do?” “Okay.” If you frequently have conversations like this when talking with your children about school, take heart! You’re not alone. Let me suggest some guidelines that might solve your frustrations.

• Offer an option. Depending on the age of your daughter, you might want to ask if she is willing to talk about school. If she would rather not, try to respect her. Parents occasionally have activities or entire days they would rather not talk about. And many children who say they don’t want to talk actually do open up later, in their own time. Keep in mind that the option to not talk is a privilege. Parents do need to know what is going on. If your daughter never wants to talk with you, work hard to discern the reasons. (For example, think about this common reason, expressed beautifully by a 14-year-old girl: “It really bugs me that now that I’m a teenager my parents ask me about everything. Why do they care all of a sudden? And, they don’t just ask about school. Now they’re asking about friends and everything. Why don’t they trust me? Do they think they didn’t raise me right? Why weren’t they interested in my life a year ago? It just makes me not want to talk to them at all.”)
• Let your child initiate. When possible, let your son discuss his day when he is ready. Let him know you’re available and that you hope he will share.
• Listen. After asking a question,listen - really listen - to your children when they answer. Engage in a real conversation. Listen to learn and exchange ideas, not to judge. Many children tell me they don’t believe their parents really listen to their answers. This is one of the reasons they stop answering them.
• Create mutual conversations. Encouraging your son to ask you questions about your day may cause him to feel less singled out for “interrogation.” (Children I speak with often use that word when discussing this nightly ritual!) It’s as valuable for him to know specifics about your day as it is for you to know about his.
• Model vulnerability. Try a family sharing time of highlights and lowlights. It’s very important to know the good and the “bad” and when parents share, too, children often open up. Such times are also excellent opportunities to model right thinking about your successes and “failures.”

Children may never thank parents for asking about school, but many do appreciate parents’ interest. Parents shouldn’t give up. Following these guidelines should help rebuild trust and increase children’s willingness to share. More ideas to build understanding are available. I invite you to check out http://www.CelebrateKids.com and sign up for our free email newsletter here: http://www.celebratekids.com/newsletter.html From Kathy Koch, Ph.D., (”cook”), Celebrate Kids, Inc.

The invention of the internet was a master stroke of a genius. It is now possible to find out just about everything about anything or anybody. It has also made it very easy to perform a background check on any person, be they a potential employee or an associate.

You may be wondering why a background check may be necessary. Perhaps you want to find out something about your boyfriend or girlfriend - do they have a secret life? Are
they really married? With regards to employees, a background check can tell you if those temporary employees are going to be a risk or not.

A background check is also useful if you require a babysitter or caregiver for your child, or if you are looking at daycare centers. You can’t be too careful with the welfare of your children. An online background check will allow you to find out if that person who will be transporting your child has a clean driving record and it will also assure you that they are not on any sexual offenders databases. You do not want to entrust the most valuable part of your life to someone who has speeding tickets or a drink driving record or someone who has a conviction for a sexual offense.

Any business owners who are looking to contract someone new can make use of a background check to investigate the legitimacy of the contractor. The Better Business Bureau in your local area is the best place to start your investigation into contractors as they can tell you if the contractor has any unresolved complaints. It will also provide you with the contractor’s mailing address and any company offices.

Dunn and Bradstreet have access to the Federal Employer Identification Numbers of all registered contractors and you can use these to investigate the finances of the organization you are considering. If you are concerned about criminal or unlawful activity, local court documents can be accessed online as well through a background check. It can be as thorough or as brief as you wish. Trusted banks, on the other hand, can give you a whole lot of credit history report for any institution or company that you might want to investigate.

There are times when a background check can take a great deal of effort. Because your time is valuable and better spent on what you do best, it is often best to obtain the services of a company that will perform the background checks online for you. There is usually a fee which is dependent on how much information you require. Some companies will offer subscriptions or memberships for organizations requiring regular ongoing background checks to be performed.

A few years ago, you would have expected to wait at least a few days for information that is now available for you to peruse in a few minutes!

In case you are unaware there is much more on the topic of repairing credit report quickly. We make the topics simple, visit debtjerk.com.

It may surprise you to know that one of the most popular questions I get asked by newcomers to internet marketing is related to buying a domain name.

Now I know if you’ve been around a little while you’re probably thinking “Buying a domain name! How hard is that? Just choose your name, click and buy!” But actually, on reflection, it can be a bit of a minefield out there…

From the minute you arrive at your preferred domain seller you’re bombarded with choices, processes and options that are designed to get you spend a deal more than, say, the $4.99 you Originally thought your shiny new domain name was going to cost you.

I decided to pop along to my local domain shop (read click on a bookmark and login) and take a look at exactly what’s on offer and whether all these add-ons and extras are totally essential.

* OK, so the first thing I see before I even type in the domain name I want to buy is that there’s a “Sale” on certain suffixes like .com .net .org

* I type in my domain name - domain-name-confusion.com - and click the ‘next’ button and ‘fantastic’, it’s available, but hang on… I can also buy domain-name-confusion.US .NAME .BIZ etc and many more. I can also choose from MYdomain-name-confusion, EASYdomain-name-confusion, domain-name-confusionONLINE, domain-name-confusionSTORE and myriad other combinations

* I decide that no, I’m just going to stick to my original choice of domain-name-confusion.com and so I don’t check any of the other boxes. I proceed on to what I think is the checkout but OH NO… again I’m being asked to STOP! Why don’t I protect my brand and increase my traffic by buying the .org .net and .info - and I’m even offered a really amazing “special price” to buy the job lot! And what’s more there’s a special box with a list of compelling reasons why I really should do this

* No thanks, I still want to stick to my original domain-name-confusion.com so I click on the checkout button, AGAIN!

Great! We’re onto the summary page where I’m told what I’m ordering.

But WAIT! Do I want my domain name certified for an extra $2.99? Do I want email adding to my domain for an extra $1.99? Is that Complete or Deluxe, Madam? How about Hosting, Sitebuilder, a blog or even some traffic driving software? Is that Standard, Deluxe or Protected, Madam?

* No, honestly, you’re too kind, but I simply want to buy the domain name! Click on the checkout button, AGAIN!

Phew, the checkout at last! But wait, do I want to add protection to my domain name and make it ‘private’? Do I want to add another domain name? Am I sure I don’t want the .NET OR .INFO?

Quite a marathon, huh? And, of course, when you are all wrapped up in the dream of having your own website and wanting to make it perfect from the outset, you are vulnerable to emotional suggestions. PROTECT, INCREASE, EXPAND, ATTRACT………

So let’s take a look to see if you need all these unfamiliar, but reasonable-sounding options?

Do You Need Extra Domain Suffixes?

You can register a .com domain name with several very reputable registrars for, say, $6.99/yr to $9.99/yr. Fees for registering the other possibilities, .info, .co.uk, .net, .org, .biz, .tv can range from $0.99 per year to whatever the registering company wants to charge.

But is it going to be worth it? And where do you stop with the combinations? .com, .co.uk, .info and then there’s the ‘do I add a dash ( - ) just-to-be-on-the-safe-side.com, .org, .biz’ ? I would say, probably not. The .com brand is so widely known that most people will automatically type in a .com extension on any website they are trying to find.

Private Registration

This option will keep your private details, name, physical address and email address unavailable to anyone checking the ownership of your domain on “Whois”. Internet law requires that all information about domain registration be publicly available and “Whois” maintains the databases that hold this information.

If you buy a private registration, your details will not be available to just anyone who wants to check your domain for specific ownership. There are many domain owners who don’t think this is necessary but, on the other hand, private registration can help you avoid spam, crank emails and unwanted phone calls.

It is worth bearing in mind that any emails you send from the US that are commercial in nature, like:

* Promoting a product or affiliation

* Suggesting that the reader visit your sales page

* Offering a discount for purchasing some product

are required, by the US Can-Spam Act, to have your correct, physical mailing address visible to your email recipients and the correct email address you sent the advertisement from, so this kind of defeats the object of private registration in some ways.

Protected Registration

This form of domain registration protects you from inadvertent expiration of your domain registration, including credit card expiration, failed billing or outdated contact information. It also makes it more difficult to accomplish most malicious domain transfers by Internet predators. Effectively, your domain would be held for you until you renewed the registration.

It can cost more than $25 a year for this service, depending on who you are using for this protection. If you are a small marketing venture, selling a piece of software, an affiliate product or an ebook on a niche product, you may not need this upsell. However, if later your domain starts making lots of money, and you decide that you do need it, you can easily add it.

Business Registration

This level of domain registration keeps need-to-know information about your business in the Whois database. That information can include a map to your store, website photo, business description, phone number and links to vital pages of your website.

The vital information your customers might need to facilitate business deals with your business is visible to millions of searchers in the Whois domain name database.

Do you need it? That would depend on the nature and size of your business and your budget. This would be more of a marketing/budget decision. A small, start-up website selling one ebook would probably not need this additional service.

How Many Years Do You Need?

Every time you register a domain name, regardless of the service you choose to use for the registration, you will be offered a multi-year registration at a discount. It is up to you whether you consider this offer to be a good deal, but you might want to consider something before you do it.

Are you positive that you will still want to own the domain name after the first year? Will you still be in business in a year? Will you have graduated to a bigger, much different online business or another business entirely?

If you take a multi-year package, the registrar will get all the money up front and you will not get a refund if you change your business or drop out entirely.

Hosting On The Domain Registry Site

This is a likely time-saving upsell you will be offered when you register your domain name. It seems like it would be an easy, time-saving option to buy. Your domain and website would be in the same place.

Most Internet Marketers, if asked, would advise against doing this. Putting all your eggs in one basket means your entire business disappears if the domain registrar quits doing registrations or generally just goes out of business.

A better choice would be to find another hosting company that provides the options you need to make your website what you want it to be.

Finally…

The multitude of domain registrars on the internet will guarantee that there will be more offers to upgrade or to buy packages with various multiple options that sound fantastic on the surface. Since it’s your money at stake, it might be wise to carefully consider what you actually need right now…not a year down the line. By then your needs could be far different than anticipated originally.

Paula Brett is a writer and internet marketer in several niches. She also runs the successful hosting company D9 Hosting, which specializes in hosting for beginners to Internet Marketing. You can find out more about her by visiting her blog at http://www.paula-brett.com/blog/

It’s arguably the most important word in the copywriter’s arsenal. It ranks right at the top with words like “free,” “new” and “savings.”

I’m talking about “you.”

“You” is the word that gets your prospect’s attention and keeps them involved. As Herschell Gordon Lewis says in “The Art of Writing Copy,” “Unless the reader regards himself as the target of your message, benefit can’t exist. Benefit demands a ‘We/You’ relationship.”

While the “We” in the “We/You” relationship is important, it’s better implied than communicated literally. If your goal is to put prospects first, then it’s best to have the “you’s” far exceed the “we’s.”

It’s the “you’s” that matter to prospects. They’re your workhorse for communicating your message and include all derivatives such as “your,” “yours,” “yourself,” “you’re,” and “you’ll.”

Powerful ‘You’

What makes “you” so powerful? For one thing, it addresses your readers directly. In effect, it says “Hey you,” which is much harder to ignore than “Hey somebody.”

Say “Hey you” in a crowded room and a lot of heads will turn. Say “Hey somebody” and a few heads might turn.

While your copy won’t actually say “Hey you,” it can clearly identify to whom you’re talking. Once you have your audience’s attention, use “you” to help keep it.

Personal ‘You’

Why does “you” get and hold attention? For one thing, it’s personal. It’s used in personal conversation every day. What do you think? How was your weekend? You’ll be glad to know …

When people say these things to you, they’re bound to get your attention and involvement. After all, they’re interested in your opinion. They’re interested in the things you do. They have something to tell you that will make you happy.

That’s the goal of you-oriented copy. Address your audience directly, personally and in terms of their interests. Be conversational and “you” will pop up in the copy naturally.

Counting ‘You’

It was mentioned earlier that “you” is a workhorse. A classic example is contained in “The Do-It-Yourself Direct Mail Handbook” by Murray Raphel and Ken Erdman. They highlight a “Newsweek” magazine subscription letter used for nearly two decades.

The subscription letter was written by direct mail expert Ed McLean, who used “you” nearly 30 times on the first page alone. More than 100 million copies of the letter were mailed, a testament to its effectiveness.

Try counting the “you’s” (and “you” derivatives) in your copy. Compare them with the number of “we’s” and first-person derivatives. If the “you’s” don’t outnumber the “we’s,” consider reworking your copy.

Excessive ‘You’?

Can you overdo “you”? Yes.

If you load your copy with “you’s” but forget the benefits, your message will have a phony ring.

“You” can’t save you if there’s nothing meaningful to offer your audience. Likewise, it will help put you over the top if there is.

(c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel

Neil Sagebiel is a former senior copywriter for a Seattle B2B ad agency who authors a copywriting blog called HEADLINES FROM FLOYD

Now well into August, July foreclosure rates have already made their way to the headlines and news reports. Considering that foreclosures in many areas of the nation may be hard to track due to the shear volume of foreclosures, some areas with low levels of foreclosures should be right on the mark. However, that does not seem to be the case, as there have been articles with conflicting numbers for just about every state, and in this case, the small state of Hawaii.

According to an article published by the Pacific Business News on August 14, 2008, “Hawaii had 229 foreclosure filings in July, up from 70 percent from June and up 169 percent from July 2007.” The article titled, “Hawaii ranks 40th for foreclosures in July,” offered this data from a foreclosure data provider based out of Irvine, California.

Another article published on August 13, 2008, again from the Pacific Business News offered the following information on Hawaii foreclosures: “Hawaii had a record 373 pre-foreclosure filings in July.”

The second article titled, “Hawaii homeowners are protected from fraudulent mortgage rescuers,” referenced a competing foreclosure reporting company based out of Fair Oaks, California.

The difference in Hawaii foreclosure filings for July is a staggering 144 foreclosure filings, or a difference of 62%. Considering these numbers are far from similar, reports of “record” foreclosure filings should probably be kept off the record. Not to mention the percentage increase from one month to another is probably off the mark.

The Pacific Business News also has a responsibility to keep out incongruous figures from their reporting. It could have easily been researched and perhaps an article based on the disparity should have been explored as well.

Chris Sopaz

Foreclosure Data