Chemical Plant Explosion And Fire In Iran and A Refinery Fire In Richmond CA - Any Relation?

Do you believe in coincidence, because generally speaking I don't? You see, there will be, just based on probability, so many coincidences in our given realm at any one time. However, when they happen in very close proximity, one needs to start asking the questions, and playing a little bit of detective. Let me give you one such instance which came up recently in the global media.

You see, I live in California and I'm now paying four dollars a gallon for gas. It turns out there was a California refinery fire, which sent 100 people to the hospital for smoke inhalation, and that refinery is responsible for about 16% of the fuel for California. Due to supply and demand, now you know why I'm paying so much for gasoline. Interestingly enough, just the day before there was a petrochemical plant fire and explosion in Iran.

There was a news alert coming in from CBS on August 6, 2012 titled; "California refinery fire sends scores of residents to hospital with breathing problems," which incidentally occurred only one day after the Iranian chemical plant fire and explosion killing 1-person and injured 16, quite serious; cite: Chemical Info article; "Fire Kills One at Iran's Biggest Petrochemical Plant."

We know that Iran has insurgents in the United States, and they have admitted to sponsoring terrorism in the past to serve their political will, and stated in the global media that they have sleeper terrorist cells here in our homeland. Was this a retaliation? It may have been, we don't know, at least not yet. It is hard to say if the petrochemical explosion in Iran came about due to foreign spy operatives there. Anytime there is an explosion in any of the facilities in Iran, they automatically suspect that it is the Western world which is behind it.

Whether it was or wasn't, Iran might believe it was, therefore launched a secondary attack in reciprocal response here the United States. If so, this could be considered an act of war through state-sponsored proxy terrorism. If it is so, would I be surprised? Not in the least actually, and that's why I dare to ask a question at a time when no one is talking, the Department of Homeland Security won't comment, and we are further marching towards war in the Middle East.

Economic sabotage, and attacks on our oil infrastructure have already been part of Iran's plan to get back at the Western world for economic sanctions, which they believe are an act of war upon their civilization and society. Some might say that my creative mind is making links and connections which don't exist. I don't allow my mind to do that, and yes this is speculation, but it comes from a deeper understanding of geopolitics, international terrorism, and the reality of current events on the global stage. I ask that you please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow is the Founder of the Online Think Tank, a diverse group of achievers, experts, innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, futurists, academics, dreamers, leaders, and general all around brilliant minds. Lance Winslow hopes you've enjoyed today's discussion and topic. http://www.worldthinktank.net/ - Have an important subject to discuss, contact Lance Winslow.

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Do Publications Continue To Exist Over Digital Media?

Print media is the periodicals that are given out in a printed form like newspapers, which are delivered to the public. These periodicals can be distributed manually or the customers can buy them. Publications are wide-ranging as different topics are covered in it. Some periodicals may feature only a particular section like sports, entertainment, business, politics, and lifestyle while other periodicals may cover current happenings in your area. bay area newspapers and other publications are the best way through which you can keep up with the latest events. These events could be in their community, state or country. You can also read about any special interests, if you have any. For example, there are cookery features in newspapers which are great material for cooking fans.

Advantages of print media:-

• It is cheap and handy.

• You don't need access to a computer to read the latest news, a periodical can be bought from the roadside also.

• Newspapers and magazines help customers remember information. The biggest plus to publications is that, it can visually kindle your memory. So, if you have an advertisements print, you can always remember it and keep it as reference.

• Social media and online content are mediums that have flourished today.But newsletters have been read since a century. Many of us would want to go back to reading those good old newspapers.

• Prints still keep you excited. Printed content seems more credible to people. You would probably respond to International newspapers classified than an online advertisement.

Is print media still useful?

To tell the truth, today, digital media is appropriate for national distribution. But, there is more importance given to print media by businesses, as it is also appropriate for local information.

Technology is occasionally annoying or excess of its use. Older people prefer following this medium. It is tricky for them to get a hang of the digital media. Also, you can even save more with it. Lots of people still prefer reading newspapers as they are portable and wireless. If you don't like the internet, you can use newspapers and magazines for marketing also. This way, you can find out your advertisement expenses for planning funds accordingly.

Print media directly connects with a huge niche of people. It is a great way of putting across to people, products, news, articles, even products on commercial terms. Digital media is not that astounding as it seems. People still love reading news papers with a cup of tea in the morning. For, the working group reading news via the internet is the best alternative. Even they can glance through a newspaper while just waiting at the airport! Regardless of what you do, prints are still preferred by a lot of us. Needless to say, print media continues to exist over digital media, owing to traditionalism that prevails among people.

Desi Tribune is a US based publication and the most credible among bay area newspapers. It covers all important local and international news. Its online version is available featuring current events in the US and the world.

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9/11 Something Fishy Happened That Day

As I saw the videos of the planes impacting the world trade center's twin towers, I was beside myself with disbelief. It was too much to process mentally. It seemed like a movie. There is no doubt that the events of September 11, 2001 are known by every human on the planet, and has affected the world deeply.

The "official" story, which was not properly investigated, is that the world trade center buildings came down because Islamic terrorists flew planes into the buildings. But, what about world trade center building no.7? No planes crashed into that building, and yet it came down, allegedly due to an office fire. That's something which makes one go, "Hmmmmm!" Can a normal office fire actually bring down a building? 1560 architects and engineers, under the collective name, "Architects and Engineers for 9-11 Truth", are taking this issue to court in America. They say that there is NO WAY a simple office fire could get hot enough to melt steel-reinforced concrete columns. I personally have seen people's homes completely burned out with no structural damage to the concrete structure whatsoever. Thusly, I had found myself taken in by conspiracy theories regarding the fallen world trade center buildings. However, new information has come to light, which sets the record straight. Let me say that there has come forth a Ph.D. scientist who has debunked all the previous explanations about how the world trade center buildings actually came down. Her name is Dr. Judy Wood.

Dr. Judy Wood is a scientist, and she collects evidence, not theories. She has written a book with her findings, entitled: "Where Did the Towers Go?" Herein below, I shall elucidate some of her findings, evidence only; and, you decide where the towers went. Okay?

1. From scientific observation of the collapse of the world trade center towers, Dr. Wood found that the buildings fell, or actually were pulverized, faster than the laws of physics would allow. If in a free fall, as from a controlled demolition, it should have taken 9 seconds for the towers to fall. In fact, it took only 8 seconds for the buildings to be mostly pulverized and the remainder to hit the ground.

2. As alluded to above, the buildings, for the most part, didn't fall, but were pulverized mid-air.

3. The twin towers were destroyed from the top-down, not from the bottom-up.

4. The upper 80% of the twin towers was turned into fine dust and did not crash to the ground. Many of the cleanup crew were surprised at the lack of rubble.

5. The upper 90% of world trade center no.7 was turned into fine dust and did not crash to the ground.

6. Remaining steel beams that were found were not melted, but rather had a "swiss-cheese" appearance. That is to say, they were full of holes.

7. According to eye-witness accounts, some things did spontaneously combust, without the existence of high heat, while other things did not. In fact, some of the "first responders" said that the dust cloud felt cool.

8. There was no evidence of any burnt human bodies.

9. The windows of surrounding buildings had odd-shaped holes "cut" out of them.

10. The north wing of WTC 4 was left standing, neatly sliced from the main body which virtually disappeared.

And for me, here are the clinchers:

11. The WTC1 and WTC2 rubble pile was far too small to account for the total mass of the buildings.

12. The WTC7 rubble pile was too small for the total mass of the building and consisted of a lot of mud.

I don't know where the towers went, but Dr. Wood suggests that they went into dust. They were mostly pulverized, disintegrated, separated into in nano-particles. What could do something like that? An airplane? No. Jet fuel? No. What? Do we even have the technology on this planet to do something like that? I don't know. Do you?

In any case, Dr. Wood's data conclusively proves that the buildings did not come down by controlled demolition as many conspiracy theorists are suggesting. However, to their credit, it does look somewhat like a controlled demolition. The elements of thermite, an ingredient in bombs which consists of aluminum and oxidised iron, were found in the rubble. But, Dr. Woods says that those ingredients could be found if steel and aluminum were pulverized into their base elements.

So, my dear conspiracy theorists, I love you, but we were wrong. There is no way on God's green earth that controlled demolition could account for 80 to 90% of the world trade center buildings just disintegrating. 9-11 wasn't an inside job; it was something far more nefarious than our minds can even comprehend. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

At the beginning of this article, I posed the question: "Where did the towers go?" I think that Dr. Wood has sufficiently answered that question. The question that remains is: "How did they go?" This article, being an opinion piece, I'm allowed to speculate and give my opinion. But, I have no opinion to answer that question. I do not have the necessary knowledge to explain how a building can be pulverized mid-air by some unseen force. However, I can give you my opinion as to why the world trade center was targeted for destruction. And I shall.

The world trade center buildings weren't just any buildings. They were icons of democracy and a free-market economy. Clearly, to me, those buildings were targeted to cripple the free-market system. In addition, the destruction of those buildings was to instill terror in the hearts of humankind. On both accounts, it worked. There is no doubt that the events of 9-11 set in motion a series of event that has led to our current market failures; and, there is no doubt that people have been terrorized by the events of 9-11. My next question is who would want to do such a thing? Who stood to gain by such a heinous deed? I don't know. Do you?

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Do You Have Time For World Peace?

Have you ever left a seminar, training class, or other event, all energized to take action and do something new? You left the event all energized and excited. Yet, nothing happened.

Chances are, taking the action and making the intended changes turned out to be more difficult than you ever thought about. What's worse, the entire plan probably just faded into non-existence after a few days.

What happened? NOTHING.

It is simple. As soon as you returned to your normal daily routine, the normal mundane needs of daily life took over and pulled you right back to where you were. Habit had you feeding the family and pets, going to work, fixing dinner, responding to emails etc... For most people, everyday life is where everything new comes to an end. They become stuck, remain stuck, and have no idea they are stuck. All the new and exciting plans are soon forgotten. The more time passes, the less likely any of the new plans will ever be acted on.

When you take time away from your normal daily life, your time and energy are freed up for something new. When you return to your normal daily life, the normal way of life takes over. The old routine still occupies 100% of your time just as it did before you found a new interest.

The next time you are excited about new activities, schedule time for the new activities. Make room in your old routine. Scheduling time will enable you to get unstuck from old habits and make the changes you planned.

The same is true of world peace. The world has lived, fought, and negotiated the same way for thousands of years. We know how to make time to develop war, anger, and hatred. We watch and cheer for violence on TV. Weapons development is only one way war is in constant development. We spend little time on peace.

Do we know how to develop peace? How often do news programs or other forms of media present ideas that support world peace? We have all heard about anti-war movements - sit-ins, marching against war, etc... Supporting anti-war efforts is not the same as supporting peace. What has been done to support world peace? Very little. What can be done to support world peace?

Imagination.

"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." Albert Einstein

Imagination made air travel a reality. Imagination made TV a reality. Imagination made modern technology a reality.

The world we live in could be a world without war.

Imagine the world we live in as being a world of peace. Pay attention to how much time you focus on violence through TV, radio, or even discussions. Try moving your attention to peaceful efforts and focus less on violence. Does this mean sticking your head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich? No. This does mean moving your attention away from what is not wanted and refocusing your attention and efforts on what is wanted. Meditate on your own inner peace. This meditation will develop your inspiration, joy, and peace over time. The peace that is developed within oneself will be reflected throughout the rest of your life. This is one way of supporting and spreading peace. This is how you can get involved.

Make peace a part of your life.

Therese Black's 1World Peace Plan was inspired by a chance encounter with the Queen of England and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. For more information on the 1World Peace Plan, go to http://www.thereseblack.com/

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Berenice Abbott

Berenice Abbott was born on July 17, 1898 in Springfield, Ohio. She studied in public schools in Columbus and Cleveland and took her college degree in Ohio State University but left in early 1918. She moved with friends from Ohio State University to New York's Greenwich Village where the anarchist Hippolyte Havel adopted her. She lives in an apartment on Greenwich Avenue with several others, like the philosopher Kenneth Burke, literacy critic Malcolm Cowley and the writer Djuna Barnes. She initially got interested in journalism but later on shifted her attention in theater and sculpture because of her interactions with some artists such as Eugene O'Neill, Sadakichi Hartmann and Man Ray.

In 1921, she went to Europe to study sculpture, first in Paris then to Berlin then back and forth. She worked in Paris as an assistant to the famous photographer Man Ray. She was greatly influenced to pursue photography when she fiat saw the photographs of Eugene Atget. In 1925 to 1929, she was able to establish her own enviable reputation when she was given the opportunity to exhibit her first one man show of photographs which she entitled Portraits Photographiques. Her photos were both stunning and honest-a rare combination of portrait photography. She has this talent on finding the best in people and trying to understand their true characteristic and identity.

In 1927, she soon met Eugene Atget. Atget personally came to her studio at 55 Rue du Bac to be photographed by Abbott. When she finished printing the portrait of Atget, she went to Atget's apartment but found the apartment empty. Atget had died. Abbott then gave Atget's photographs to his old friend, the actor Andre Calmette. Forty years later Abbott wrote in The World of Atget, "Their impact (referring to Atget's photograph) was immediate and tremendous... a sudden flash of recognition- the shock of realism unadorned... "

In 1929, she left Europe and went back to New York. There, she discovered her passion for the city. She worked as a professional photographer taking a series of photographs of American businessmen for Fortune magazine. Later on, she started to document New York City with her camera. She also photographed scientific subjects for Life magazine.

Abbott's successful photographic career continued. In 1930, she had another one man show of her photographs at the Contemporary Art Club in Harvard. Since then, she continuously has her exhibit all through United States.

In 1934 to 1958, she taught photography at the New School for Social Research in New York. She also photographed Routh One along the Atlantic coast and discovered the state of Maine in 1954. In 1958, she worked on a huge project for the Physical Science Study Committee of Educational Services, Inc. where she has to produce photographs of physical phenomena.

Today, Berenice was known as one of the famous photographers. For over 60 years, she displayed her unique ability to create consistently strong photographs, may it be portrait or cityscape.

Browse other biographies at Famous-Photographer.net and be inspired with the life of world's most famous photographers.

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Why Green Events Are Increasingly Becoming the First Choice Amongst Organizers?

Nowadays, with sustainability dominating the charts across majority global issues, an increasing number of event organizers are planning to go green with the events that they are organizing. This helps them to move up a step ahead in the path to reduce environmental burdens. The motive behind green events is to eliminate the negative impact on the environment. Usage of energy efficient materials, proper treatment of food wastage, usage of recyclable materials, etc. are some of the elements that need to be taken care of whilst organizing a green event.

Though events bring together thousands of people and contribute to the local economy but environmentally and socially it leads to creation of tons of waste, use of exorbitant amounts of electricity and increase in carbon monoxide emissions. As per reports put forward by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism's contribution to climate change accounts for approximately 5% of all carbon monoxide emissions. Organizers must therefore strategize on serious efforts to reduce carbon emissions and play a part to a greener and better environment.

Let me now outline some of the benefits of organizing green events that are increasingly making it the preferred choice amongst modern day event organizers.

Contributes To Environmental Protection:

Green events can contribute greatly towards overall environmental protection. By incorporating and implementing sustainable practices while event planning like choosing an energy efficient venue, ensuring composting of food waste, usage of recyclable materials can greatly ensure preservation of the planet.

Improves Company's CSR Responsibility:

Going green largely reflects the organization's commitment towards ensuring a sustainable environment. In a company's Corporate Social Responsibility lies its duty to ensure welfare of the host community and the environment as a whole via basic elements of event planning, implementation and its evaluation. Going green add to the element of welfare for both, thereby enhancing the company's CSR.

Cost Effective:

Green events are quite cost effective since the bulk of the necessary equipments used are either biodegradable or can be re-used for future use. This allows companies to reduce waste and cut costs thus allowing organizers to gain a significant competitive advantage.

Increase Awareness amongst Participants

These sustainable events can pave the way by example a brilliant stage and great means to spread the message of reducing environmental burdens amongst the attending participants and staff. The benefits of such events initiate more awareness of the greening process amongst attendees. This will help participants to become a part of more long term solutions therefore altering their environmental practices and the decision-making process. Such consciousness also helps them grow into better human beings and contribute greatly to the environment.

These are some of the benefits that organizers can enjoy once they go green.

Jonathan is a professional event planner. Event professionals worldwide are increasingly relying on automated software to streamline the online event registration, payment management, and attendee relationship management. Acteva is the market leader in providing event registration solutions at competitive price.

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Planting Trees, Replenishing The Earth, And Shopping Strategically

It seems like everyone is interested in talking about the environment and the state of the planet these days - and quite frankly, most of these people have very strong opinions that they have formed already; while many people end up engaging in "deep discussions" (which, more often than not, resemble "arguments") about whether or not the planet is in immediate and dire need of help, the thing this conversation fails to acknowledge is the simple fact that - regardless of the current state of the planet - each of us should be doing our small part to make sure we leave Earth a better place than we found it.

One of the big things you will see people discussing is "trees," with the extremists on one side pointing to all the paper we use on a daily basis and highlighting all the trees that were cut down in order to make this paper, and with the extremists on the other side pointing out that all the trees used for paper are grown on tree farms and have no effect whatsoever on the natural growth of all other trees; what both sides rarely take a look at, however, is the fact that the continuous expansion of human civilization causes us to continually move into areas where trees once thrived - knocking them down to make room for ourselves! Because of this, it will help to team up with initiatives that are centered around planting trees - because every little bit of replenishment helps!

Another thing to be aware of is the fact that each and every one of us has a responsibility to encourage others to do their small part - and where others are confused as to what, exactly, this means, we have a responsibility to educate them!

And finally, you should recognize the fact that there are some corporations that do nothing at all to replenish the Earth's resources they are using, and there are others that do as much as they can to pitch in on taking care of the planet - and when you shop strategically, you can also help to make a big difference.

Even though there is a lot of debate as to "exactly what the state of the planet is at present" - and even though you may have your own opinions formed on the topic already - there is no reason for you to not do your part to take good care of this marvelous planet we are all blessed to have; make sure you are doing your small part to help, and in the long run this will add up to make a big difference in Earth's wellbeing and preservation.

Find the greenest offers on the planet! http://www.naturallygreenoffers.com/

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The Royal Family: Why Are Some People Obsessed With The Royal Family?

Over the ages the purpose of the royal family has changed. Today they are not only an attraction for people from all over the world and for people in Britain: they are also idolised and worshiped by thousands of people.

The royal family are the modern day celebrities and this is of course a far cry from their original purpose. However, unlike other celebrities that are often elevated and then toppled by the media; there identity is rarely tarnished.

Modern day celebrities are all too familiar with being scrutinized and pulled down, some get back up and others do not. One of the reasons that this doesn't happen to the royal family is because they are generally portrayed as being perfect human beings. And out of this perception is the creation of an incredible illusion.

A Deeper Look

Here I will present my own views on this obsession and they are not to be taken as the absolute truth. My intention is not to label the royal family as being appropriate or inappropriate or as good or bad, but to simply look at the psychological dynamics that are involved.

On The Surface

No matter what one is talking is about, something exists because it has a purpose and the royal family are no different here. On the surface they could be described as individuals that posses esteemed quality's such as; morality, integrity and compassion.

As a result of this, The Royal Family, are role models to people from all over the world. How they behave and the way that they conduct their life is what people of honour are made off. Their behaviour is magnified as a result of there being so many examples in the media of people who act without a sense of morality or who are without higher values.

Two Options

Now, this can either cause one to see these people in two ways: as role models and an example of how life can be lived. Or one can end up seeing them as superior and out of this superiority comes the feeling of being inferior.

And if one feels inferior to something, then one can either worship or disdain that which is causing them to feel inferior.

The Royal Illusion

One of the things that the royal family have done extremely well in upholding, through the assistance of the media, is the royal illusion. As part of this illusion, they are treated and perceived differently and are almost seen as being above other human beings.

Questioning The Unquestioned

However, in order for an illusion to exist it has to be believed and if it's believed, it will never be questioned. If one has been brought up by to see life a certain way by their caregivers and then grows up to see that the majority of society see life the same way; it will be unlikely that another way of seeing life will ever be considered.

Fairytales

Life is made up of many illusions and falsities. When children are younger they are often told fairytales. There are also numerous films that can be watched by children about princess and princesses.
These fairytales are not meant to be taken literally and contain a deeper meaning or message. They are symbolic in nature as opposed to being literal.

And in the modern day royal family we have a fairytale that has been manifested into a reality. It would appear that this manifestation doesn't carry a deeper meaning or anything symbolic.

A closer Look

I mentioned above, that something only exists because it has a purpose. And in order to understand what psychological needs the royal family are fulfilling; I believe we have to look at the role of the ego mind, childhood development and the inner child.

Although the royal family are perceived differently and live a life that is materially and socially different from the majority of people on this planet, they are still human beings. And inherently they have no more value than anyone else and they will also live and die like everything else.

A Projection

What this means, is that the only reason they have such power and influence over people is due to what an individual has not realised within themselves. Here the parts that have not been realised will end up being projected externally. This is what the ego mind does and it does this as a result of seeing life through polarities.

To the ego mind, everything is split and separate; wholeness does not exist. And through projecting these parts outside they will show up in certain individuals or groups of people. If one is conscious of this process then they can embrace what is within, but if this doesn't happen then these external figures will be seen as being superior or inferior.

Childhood

This way of looking at the world and others is usually formed and influenced in ones childhood. Whether one had their developmental needs met during this time and to what degree they experienced trauma, will go a long way to defining what one will unconsciously seek or not seek in other people as an adult.

As an adult it will not matter that these childhood needs were neglected all those years ago and no longer have the same importance; because one will be pulled back to these moments. This will happen through the defence mechanism known as regression.

Here one will regress to their wounded inner child and have the same feelings and behaviour that they did all those years ago.

Inner Child

The power that this Wounded inner child has over present behaviour and feelings cannot be dismissed or minimized. One can become completely overwhelmed and lose all awareness through regressing to the wounded inner child. And this wounded inner child, just like a real child, has a strong need to be safe.

So How Does This Relate?

If an individual regresses to their inner child, as a result of certain childhood needs being neglected or trauma that needs to be processed, one will perceive these needs as coming from someone else. They will also see other people as mother and father figures. And this will mean that certain people will be seen as being superior and as having more power.

And if this wounded inner child didn't have a functional or happy childhood, it will constantly be looking to make everything perfect and to receive what it didn't have all those years ago.

With one regressing to this wounded inner child that has such a strong need to be safe; one will then feel more of a need for external support and familiarity. The ego mind is conditioned during these early years and sees what is safe based on what is familiar.

The Royal Family

So in many ways the royal family are there because they are being perceived as parental figures. There are seen as god like and worshiped, which is the way children typically see their parents.

Through the illusion of the royal family being perfect, they give some people that have regressed to their wounded inner child the perfect parents that they never had. Here people's wounded inner child can identify with the image that is being portrayed.

And through the royal families familiarity and there constant exposure, they create a sense of being safe in people and this creates an inner stability through external familiarity.

Conclusion

Each of these elements is not necessarily dysfunctional if one is aware of what is taking place, but if one is not aware it can lead to an obsession and to seeing the royal family as more than they truly are. This will not assist in ones realisation as a human being and will cause one to be perpetually trapped in an illusion.

My name is Oliver J R Cooper and I been have been interested in self enquiry for over eight years. For just over a year, I have been expressing my understandings with these transformational writings. One of my intentions is to be a catalyst to others, as other people have been and continue to be to me.

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Transformational Writing

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Mayfair - A Potted History

For many the name Mayfair is instantly recognisable as the most expensive property on a UK monopoly board and, to a large extent as a result of that association, it is considered one of, if not the, most prestigious areas of London. In reality, it does a good job of living up to that billing and is home to some of the wealthiest commercial and private inhabitants in London, but how did it all come about.

The May Fair

The area of London that we now know as Mayfair, was until the late 16th century farmland on the banks of the old River Tyburn, on the fringes of the city. As may seem obvious, the name of the area was derived from a fair that was held on the site every May and which ran for almost a hundred years from the late 17th century onwards. The fortnightly fair began life in Shepherd Market as a livestock market but later evolved into a broader proposition with a variety of trade stalls and entertainments such as jugglers and theatre.

However, as it grew it attracted more and more 'undesirables' whilst, at the same time, the area surrounding the fair was increasingly being built upon and gentrified as a result of its position on the outskirts of the city as well as its proximity to the royal estates. The fair and the area's new Georgian residents therefore made uneasy bedfellows and in 1764 the fair was moved to Fair Fields in Bow following complaints from the locals.

The Urbanisation of Mayfair

Consequently, the transition of Mayfair from a rural area to an urban district coincided with the decline in fortunes for the fair. From the mid 17th to 18th centuries the streets replaced the fields with the names of many still harking back their original uses - the most obvious example being Shepherd Market where it all began. The urbanisation was driven by local and wealthy land owners such as the Grosvenor family (later to become the Dukes of Westminster) as well as the Royal family (indeed much of the area has in fact remained in crown possession to this day) and so the new streets were filled with sumptuous Georgian mansions and townhouses which were sought after by London's elite.

Mayfair's streets spread to fill some of London's prime real estate; leading off the grand Regents Street to the east and filling the space between the royal parks and estates of Hyde Park to the west and Green and St James parks to the south with their royal palaces. The area became part of the traditional parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields - a parish of central and west London, encompassing the city of Westminster - and with that location, combined with the its fashionable buildings and architecture, its allure was guaranteed to the present day.

Modern Mayfair

Mayfair is now synonymous with elite London, home to the rich and the powerful and it has gained this reputation for good reason - not just due to its prime location on a monopoly board! Situated within the city of Westminster and surrounded by the royal estates to the south and west, it is also bordered by the up-market Marylebone to the north and the commercial and entertainment hearts of London, Oxford Street, the west end and Soho just to the east, making it an incredibly convenient as well as prestigious place within the capital to live.

However, most of the area is actually non-residential. It is home to a good proportion of London's high-end commercial premises with some of the most exclusive shopping in the world. Savile Row, the world famous street of bespoke tailors is found to the east of Mayfair as is the most definitive street of high-end fashion shops (clothing, jewellery and art etc) in the country, Bond Street, with its unrivalled portfolio of designer brands.

In addition, Mayfair is the location of high profile foreign embassy offices, with the most obvious example being the US embassy in Grosvenor Square, as well as cultural hots spots such as the Royal Academy of Arts. Due perhaps to its location, architecture, fashion and cultural offerings and prestige the area also contains most of the top hotels in the capital with names such as the Dorchester and Claridges.

With all these delights on offer, the brand of Mayfair has never been stronger and it continues to be known all over the world. From humble beginnings it is now one of most desirable places to live not just in the UK, but Europe and beyond.

© Stuart Mitchell 2012

If you are keen to find out more about living in West London then visit Estate Agents Mayfair.

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No Gain Without Pain for Workers

Finding work during a recession typically takes time and effort. For some, however, the search for employment can end up costing more than its worth.

Imagine that you are a Romanian national who wants to work as a chef or chambermaid in the UK. This is a perfectly legitimate aspiration, because after all, as an EU citizen you are entitled to seek employment in other EU nations.

You start off by paying a recruitment agency £500 (€620) to find you a job. Upon completing your first month of employment in Britain, you pay another agency the remainder of the finding fee - a further £500.

However, you cannot embark upon your new career in the UK without applying for a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). The course takes a year to complete and costs at least £800 (€1,000).

The news that you must obtain this qualification is broken to you over the course of a 15-minute premium-rate phone call to the recruitment agency. This sets you back a further £15 (€19).

By now, your quest for employment in the UK has cost you well over €2,000.

The sum is a small fortune, regardless of whether you already have a job in Romania, where the average salary is €450. If you were looking for work in the UK because you couldn't find any at home, the €2,000 would have to be conjured out of loans or precious savings.

Many Romanians and Bulgarians have to rely on recruitment agencies to find employment in the UK because of restrictions imposed by the British government when their countries joined the EU in 2007.

The rules make it technically impossible for a Romanian chef or waiter to knock on the door of a London restaurant and start work the next day. Instead, they have to secure a job before they leave for the UK. Then they have to apply for a specific work permit as well as registering for an NVQ, which eases their way into employment.

The paperwork to get all this sorted is extremely complex. Many recruitment agencies offer to expedite the process, for a charge of around €1,000. The fee is not illegal - but some people are questioning whether it's really fair.

In the construction industry, similar rules have exposed Romanian and Bulgarian workers to exploitation. Over the coming months, I shall uncover more about the effects of these restrictions.

Read more articles by Sorana Stanescu, and many more by award-winning journalists, on the leading English-language news site covering the Balkans; http://www.balkaninsight.com/

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Torn Apart By a Tornado

It is hard to put into words what it is like when your world is torn apart by a tornado. I live in Carthage, Missouri near Joplin, where on May 22, 2011 my family and I survived an EF-5 tornado. Unfortunately, 161 people and over 7,000 homes did not.

The pictures on television cannot accurately portray the reality of the city after that storm. Much of the city's infrastructure and landmarks were destroyed. I am a US Naval Academy graduate, Class of 2000 ('00 for short). As it happens, during this time a team of midshipmen (the name for Academy students), led by one of my classmates, LCDR John Woods '00, were in the area for a USNA summer training evolution through the Oceanography Department called SWIFT (Severe Weather In-Field Training). Two days after the storm, the training group diverted to the Joplin area to assist with Search and Rescue before returning to Annapolis. During their search in the debris field just outside of town, the team found a tattered American flag in the woods and took it with them back to USNA.

Those mids never forgot Joplin or the aftermath they witnessed of the storm. Four of the members of the original team, along with six other members of MAG (Midshipmen Action Group), decided to return to Joplin in March 2012. Led by Midshipman Stephanie Migut '12, this group of ten mids gave up their spring break. My guess is they gave up a lot to come to Joplin, but looking back on it, I bet they were glad they chose "the road less traveled."

The storm was ten months ago. Joplin has come a long way since then; yet there are still jarring reminders of what happened. Houses still in shambles and businesses are still torn apart; the rebuilding of lives continues. The midshipmen were put to work with a local Lutheran church-based foundation called Transform Joplin. The team worked on cleaning glass and debris out of yards for people who were unable to do so for themselves, re-shingling roofs and preparing housing foundations for new homes. The mids worked very hard for Joplin, and the families they helped are incredibly grateful.

As a Blue & Gold Officer for the Four States area (SW Missouri, SE KS, NW OK and a tiny bit of AR), I jumped at the chance to support these mids when they offered to visit a local school to promote the USNA STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) program. At a local elementary school, Stephanie Migut '12, Ryan Schmidt '13, Marhall Liu '14 and Lucille Lu '14 conducted science experiments with the kids and answered their sweet, very honest questions. Who knows? Maybe one of these young fourth graders will become a midshipman one day.

Remember the flag the mids had found during shortly after the tornado hit? John Woods arranged to have the flag delivered to CDR Timothy A. Rexrode, CO of the USS MISSOURI (SSN 780) to fly over the submarine in honor of Joplin. A case was made specifically for the tattered flag at USNA which was then presented to the Mayor of Joplin, Mike Woolston, during the mids' trip. The Mayor is a former Marine Corps officer who was touched not only by the fact the midshipmen brought the flag back home but that they were helping Joplin's citizens. There is a plan to build a museum in Joplin dedicated to the tornado, and the flag will be prominently displayed there.

Toward the end of the trip, the mids and I travelled south of Joplin to Bentonville to meet with the Arkansas alumni, most notably RDML Luke McCollum '83, at Wal-Mart headquarters. There we had a short leadership symposium with other Walmart alumni where we told sea stories and some lessons learned for the mids. After a wonderful lunch together, we all visited Crystal Bridges, the brand new Museum of American Art in Bentonville. Again, the visitors to the museum were amazed to see midshipmen in uniform. It was uplifting to have civilians, adults and children stop the midshipmen to ask them about where they were from and their experiences. The more we can promote the Naval Academy the better!

To bring this story to a close, I can only say I was intensely proud of the midshipmen. As we transit through the Academy and leave its hallowed halls, we can only hope that the classes that come after us will continue to uphold the traditions and honor of our school and the Navy. This team showed the Southwest Missouri area the best of what the United States Naval Academy stands for.

It should be noted that funding for the trip was made possible by the USNA Alumni Foundation, and assistance with lodging and food were provided for by alumni from Missouri and Arkansas.

Lori Buresh
CEO, The Professional Development Team

Learn more about how leadership training and process management can make a difference for your business! Visit us on the web at http://www.the-pdt.com/ or email info@the-pdt.com

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Interesting Things About Marylebone

Marylebone is an area of London in the City of Westminster district. It is an interesting place full of history. It is situated in West London with nearby areas including as Mayfair, Regents Park and St. John's Wood. Buckingham Palace is around a mile to the south of Marylebone. Below are some interesting facts and stories about this area of London.

The area got its name from a church originally known as St. Mary's Church. This is situated on a stream, with streams once commonly referred to as Bourne's. Due to this the wider area around the church became known as "St. Mary at Bourne". This name developed into Marylebone.

The world famous Harley Street is situated in Marylebone. The medical profession is what it is known for due to the large number of private medical practices which have operated out of Harley Street over the years. There are currently believed to be more than 3,000 people working there related to medicine. It was named after the Harley Estate, the estate of the Harley family.

Marylebone is home to one of the four stations in the original Monopoly board game. The others are King's Cross, Liverpool Street and Franchurch Street. The history of Marylebone Station goes back to the nineteenth century having been opened in 1899. It is the only terminal station in London to host only diesel trains.

The area has connections to the so-called "home of Cricket", Lords Cricket Ground. Originally the ground was in Marylebone but the current ground, which was the third built, stands in nearby St. Johns Wood.

The area is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, although referred to as the Manor of Tyburn. The Doomsday Book states that the population at the time was less than 50 people.

Marylebone hasn't always been part of London; it was formally its own town. As London and Marylebone both grew, though, they eventually merged and Marylebone officially became part of the city of London.

The fictional character Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street and Baker Street is in Marylebone. The 221B address didn't exist at the time of the stories being published as the numbers of Baker Street didn't reach 221. It has since expanded, though, and does now reach this number. Number 221 has been the address of the Abbey National Building Society, and they used to employ a secretary whose sole responsibility was to answer mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes. There is a plaque on number 221 describing it as Sherlock Holmes's address with a museum in the characters honour nearby.

Many famous people have lived in this areas of London, which is a much sought after location. Charles Dickens lived at Devonshire Terrace and Jimi Hendrix lived in Brook Street and died in the nearby Samarkand Hotel. John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a home in the area while fellow Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have also lived there at one time or another. Other famous residents have included Madonna and the poet T.S. Eliot.

Andrew Marshall ©

If you are looking for a home in Marylebone visit Estate Agents Marylebone.

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Church Contradicts the Teachings of Jesus Christ

Christians follow certain things that go against the teachings of Jesus Christ. For instance, when I quote to a Christian Matthew 19:16-17 that how Jesus denies even the slightest suggestion of divinity. That Christian brother tries to answer me by attempting to quote the context of the verse and verses after it. They start quote to me Matthew 19:20, but leave verses 18 & 19 in the middle. So what is wrong with these verses? Well there is nothing in the verses, wrong is what the church teaches and what Christians practice. Because the church preaches that the commandments were nailed to the cross as St. Paul claimed. But it goes against the teachings of Jesus Christ. As Jesus says in Matthew 19:17, keep the commandments and when he is asked what are these commandments, Jesus says,

"Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The Christians do not follow this teaching of Jesus Christ, but instead they follow the teachings of the church and St. Paul, which contradict the teachings of Jesus. They do the same thing with John 14, they quote the verse 14 and 20, but leave the verse 15 and 21, where Jesus tells them to keep the commandments.

Jesus Christ even went on to say in the Gospel of Matthew 5:17-20,

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

This is not the only teaching of Jesus that the Church contradicts; in fact the doctrine of Trinity also goes against the teachings of Jesus Christ. As this post "Trinity" claims, the word 'Trinity' does not exist in the Bible. And the verse closest to Trinity (1 John 5:7) has been thrown out of the Revised Version of the Bible as an interpolation.

And when someone asked Jesus that what is the most important commandment, Jesus repeated what Moses had said earlier, "Shama Israelu Adonai Ila Hayno Adonai Ikhad". (Mark 12:29) Which means, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord."

So it is must for every Christian to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and keep the commandments. Especially the first commandment and thus believe in that God is One.

Liaqat Qazi is a student of Islam and Comparative Religions, who runs a blog called Peacebook, where he discusses issues about all major World Religions. He also discusses the most controversial issues about Islam and other religions in a logical way, with proof from the religious scriptures.

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Cops Vs The Mentally Ill

Several of my family members and friends are employed by law-enforcement. On the other hand, having spent a better part of my life in the arts, several of my close friends and loved ones have had bouts of mental illness. (The arty types are more sensitive and high strung and typically have more instances of mental problems than other groups.)

Since I am concerned for the welfare of both sides and having no interest in seeing either side win (whatever that means) I can better address the controversy without personal feelings or prejudices becoming an issue.

So let's get ready to rumble!

First we must logically and without preconceived notions, look at what the police were hired to do. Simply put, their job is to be the first line of defense against criminals.

Period.

By definition criminals are people who, willingly and knowingly, break the law for personal gain with no regard for the pain and suffering they cause their victims.

Now let's look at the mentally ill. One of the facts of mental illness is that the brains of the people suffering from it are malfunctioning and sending them incorrect information. We should not blame them for this anymore than we would blame a person with an extremely high fever for hallucinating. A perfect example is people with phobias. Because your brain is functioning properly, you cannot understand why a seemingly 'normal' person would become nearly catatonic with fear at the sight of a spider, or being trapped in an elevator, or being on the roof of a tall building. People with phobias don't understand it either but in those instances their brain reads these circumstances as life threatening and throws the body into a panic.

I'll give you an example. Imagine you are relaxing during a flight home from some tropical paradise. You're looking out the widow, watching the world below go by when suddenly, there's an explosion and you see the wing buckle, then snap off. The oxygen masks drop down and the plane suddenly plummets at an ever increasing speed. People are flying out of their seats. The ground below is rushing toward you, people are screaming. Your heart is pounding, you can't think, you want to run but there's nowhere to go. You're going to die, you're going to die, you're going to die!

Can you think of any scenario more horrifying?

Well, my friends, that very feeling is what claustrophobics go through when they get stuck in an elevator.

Clearly, people who are mentally ill are not criminals. But since the brains of the seriously mentally ill are sending them seriously wrong information, their actions often are.

Which brings us to the subject of police brutality against them. Typically people who join law-enforcement have some college education, some military background and enough self confidence and courage to believe they can confront criminals in dangerous situations and win the day. They are trained how and when to confront criminals, how to secure a perimeter, how to get hostages to safety and how, when necessary, to use lethal force.

What they are not trained for and what they cannot be trained for is how to anticipate the actions of a psychotic. Any psychiatrist or specialist in psychiatric disorders will tell you that because you cannot know what a mentally ill person's brain is telling them, there is no way a police officer or anyone for that matter can prepare themselves for what the psychotic might do. They may appear docile and ready to surrender one moment and charge at you with butcher knife the next.

And if a medically trained and licensed psychiatrist, a person who has spent their entire career studying mental illness cannot figure out how to get a dangerous psychotic to surrender peacefully, then what chance does the average police officer have? Therefore for the protection of both sides, the responsibility of apprehending them should be taken out of the hands of the police and turned over to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

In these situations the police would be called in to determine whether the person is a criminal. In this case let's say a person is wielding a samurai sword and chasing people down 5th Avenue declaring that the teen-age mutant ninja turtles are harboring members of AL-Qaida. Seeing that this person is clearly suffering from mental illness, the cops call for an ambulance then walk away and let the EMT's handle it.

This way as the person lops off heads and punts them into trashcans, the paramedics can focus on reasoning with him and appealing to his humanity and the cops can go back to focusing on their real job, fighting crime.

This is truly a win-win situation. With the police prevented from engaging violent lunatics, the police brutality law-suits would dry up. They would not longer have to risk their lives dealing with psychopaths and the only downside would be the brutal slayings of innocent people whose only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Besides, their murderers aren't bad people. They're sick people who aren't responsible for their actions. And they can't be blamed for not taking their meds because again, they're not responsible for their actions. And you can't jail them because that would be a terrible thing to do to someone whose only crime is being sick.

Now here's something to ponder.

You've all heard of Typhoid Mary. Irish immigrant and a typhoid carrier who became a cook and spread the disease killing many of the members of the families she worked for. She was eventually apprehended and placed in a leper colony called Little Brother Island off the coast of the Bronx. For 5 years she fought for her freedom, denying she was a carrier because she herself had never been sick. Finally she was released on the condition she never work as a cook again. She agreed.

Several years later she was apprehended following a major typhoid outbreak and multiple deaths at Sloan Maternity Hospital where she worked as a cook under an alias. She was sent back to Little Brother Island and remained there until her death in 1935.

Imagine doing that to a person whose only crime was being sick!

This summer, the long awaited sequel to 'Noon The Rise to Power' will be released. The title is: 'Noon 2, The Resurgence' and it picks up right where the first one left off.
To get your copy of Noon The Rise to Power go to http://www.amazon.com/NOON-The-Rise-Power-ebook/dp/B004EBTGZG/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1339201377&sr=1-8

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Sexual Child Abuse - Penn State Aftermath

No doubt like me; you are sickened by the Penn State child sexual assaults; as you were no doubt sickened by previous mass incidents of child sexual assaults by Priests, Clergy, Rabbis. The non-reporting and cover-up syndrome at Penn State is no different than clergy cover-up for sex offenders within the religious fabric of society.

While the media, professionals and collegiate officials debate how to handle the Penn State tragedy, including the systemic cover-up by university leaders, and others; like myself; you want the public to know how sexual abuse impacts children's lives.

You no doubt heard commentators make innate and blatantly calloused comments: 'What's done is done,' 'There's no one left to go after,' 'Why punish the students and the athletes by placing sanctions on Penn State?' Unlike the religious entities and Penn State University the damage quickly fades into the back ground; sexual abuse does not fade into the back ground.

It's time to heal those who bear the aftermath, and it is time for society to pull their heads out of the sand about sexual child abuse and sex offenders. In my book "If I'd Only Known... Sexual Abuse In Or Out Of The Family: A Guide To Prevention," I set-forth the details and the stark aftermath of sexual child abuse and how to prevent it in or out of the family. If these commentators, professionals, clergy or collegiate officials were the victims, or their children were, I know they would demand restitution and changes going forward so that a tragedy of this nature would be prevented.

Hearing the supporters of the university's football program nullify the damage is reminiscent of a society that is in denial about the full scope and magnitude of sexual child abuse aftermath. Penn State's board could do the noble gesture and make it easy for themselves by self-imposing the 'death penalty' option - temporarily shutting down the embattled football program.

As horrific as sexual child abuse is, left untreated by a protocol specifically focused on sexual child abuse recovery, rather than treating the symptomatic behaviors and physical maladies, the volume of lifelong negative consequences is worse than the initial assault. Children often hear the voice of their abuser in their minds-telling them they're bad, they're ugly, they're worthless, that no one would believe them, or no one would care or they wanted and/or liked the sexual assault-long after the abuse occurred and/or was reported. The emotional torture continues until the recovery process is in an advanced stage.

Without a recovery process specifically focused on sexual child abuse the lasting scars, include, but are not limited to:

• Difficulty managing emotions. One of the strongest signs of well-being is the ability to manage adversity, to keep emotions balanced. "For sexual abuse survivors, a lasting legacy is the opposite of well-being." Sexual abuse survivors usually have difficulty expressing feelings, which are then bottled up, often leading to sporadic periods of depression, anger and anxiety. Many survivors use excess alcohol and/or drugs to numb the pain.

• Feeling a core sense of worthlessness, dirty or damaged. The physical side of sexual abuse is one aspect, what haunts survivors is the voice of the abuser, constantly reinforcing a lack of personal value. As time passes the survivors mature into adults, who are unable to invent in themselves. With a deep sense of being damaged, they often feel incapable or unworthy of career success and higher-paying positions.

• Difficulty trusting relationships or people on any level is omnipresent. 80% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by family members, 19% is perpetrated by people the child knows and trusts-- family friends, church leaders, teachers, sports coach, scout leaders, et al. U.S. Government statistics reveal 1% of children sexually abused are abused by a stranger. Children who can not feel secure within the family, the most fundamental relationships, develop deep and pervasive trust issues. Relationships are often doomed because the survivor trashes good relationships, fearing their partner will ultimately either control, hurt or abandon them as was the case with the trusted family-member perpetrator. More often than not, survivors are drawn to an abusive person because they do not know what a healthy relationship feels like or entails.

When I hear the 'Yeah, but,' argument from people who are in denial and defend and thereby allow sexual child abuse to continue, whether it is the tragedy of Penn State, the Catholic Church, Judaism, Protestant or Mormon Church, my convictions that society needs to do more to raise awareness about sexual child abuse rises another octave. Society needs to raise awareness on how sex offenders are created; how sexual abuse offenses can be prevented; and enforcing the law, which requires professionals and persons in authority to report the abuse when the person first suspects there is reason to believe an adult is on the verge or already has sexually abused a child.

In the final analysis, we have a responsibility to protect our children so they can reach their greatest potential, free of adults who may exploit and alter that divine gift-potential.

No more denial. No more cover-ups. No more excuses or reasons for any child being sexually abused by someone who has authority or responsibility for the child's well-being.

Dr. Neddermeyer has developed and facilitates workshops on preventing sexual child abuse, identifying would-be sex offenders and the signs of sexual abuse. http://drdorothy.info/?page_id=9

Dorothy M Neddermeyer, PhD has studied human health and well-being for decades, earning a Masters in Clinical Social Work and a Doctorate in Metaphysics. In 1994, she founded Genesis Consultants, Inc. a personal and professional consulting firm. She facilitates Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Transformation (EPST) a highly effective protocol to Transform the root cause of all issues and symptoms. EPST is direct, focused and combines creating health while transforming the past. She is a keynote speaker and offers programs for schools, organizations and in corporate settings. http://drdorothy.net/

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Doing The Little Things On Your End To Take Care Of The Planet

One of the really big topics of discussion these days - especially with this being an election year - is the state of the environment, and what we need to do in order to take better care of it; of course, this "discussion" tends to entail a pair of people taking opposite sides, with one person claiming that the environment has never been in worse shape, and with the other claiming that there is nothing wrong with the environment at all. No matter whether the truth is one extreme or the other (or, of course, is something in the middle), the one fact all of us ought to be able to agree on is that this planet is a blessing, and we should all be doing the little things we can do to take care of it, regardless of how "desperate" or "perfectly fine" we believe the situation to be.

One of the really great things you can do, if you want to take care of the planet, is to simply make an effort to be cleaner with your energy usage; by doing simple things such as unplugging appliances that are not in use and carpooling or taking public transportation whenever you have the chance to do so, you will be able to both save money and put the planet in a much better position for the years that lay ahead.

Another wonderful thing to do - that may seem small at the time, but that will actually build to make a big difference - is to help replenish the earth's resources; by not only conserving, but also giving back, you will be able to keep the planet moving in the right direction. In other words: recycle, and encourage others to recycle as well!

And finally, you should make an effort to make strategic and informed shopping decisions in your role as a consumer; after all, it is the largest corporations that will be able to make the biggest difference - one way or the other - in the direction the environment goes, and when you do your best to only shop with companies that are committed to green practices and energy-saving activities, you will make your voice heard, and will cause other companies to follow suit (as the saying goes, after all, "money talks").

There is definitely plenty of debate these days regarding the current state of the environment, but amidst all this debate, the important factor being lost is the fact that this planet is a gift, and each of us should be doing what we can to make sure we are taking care of this planet; start doing your part to keep Earth green - and even though it may seem like the things you are doing are too small to make a difference, these "too small" things will start to add up, until you are truly impacting the direction of the world!

~Esther Ingram

Do your part to take care of the planet!
http://www.beautisticgreenoffers.com/

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Fame: Why Do Some People Want To Be Famous?

In today's world fame is not merely seen as a by-product or as a consequence of achieving something; fame is pursued directly and as a goal in and of itself.

With there being numerous examples of people who place fame as the ultimate achievement in life and above anything else; it might seem that fame is what one is on this planet to attain.

In the past one typically became famous through what they had given to the world. And although this might have not always been something that benefited humanity, it was usually something significant.

In the modern day world, there are people that are routinely in the media who are classed as being famous simply for being famous.

Needs

It would be easy to say that the majority of people who are famous today have very little to offer and that they are famous simply because they have been in the media so often. But if these people are in the media, then they are fulfilling certain needs that society has.

These needs may be different to the needs of long ago, at least on the surface, but they are needs nevertheless. And unless people needed what they were offering, then these people wouldn't be elevated to the position of being famous.

Two Sides

On one side we have the desire of some individuals to be famous. And on the other side we have the individual that is prepared to look up to and assist in another person achieving fame. It is a symbiotic relationship; where In order for one to exist, the other also has to exist.

Now, as I have stated above, fame per se is not negative or dysfunctional, it is often unavoidable and merely a consequence of doing something that one enjoys. For an individual that enjoys singing, playing an instrument or for someone who enjoys acting, due to the nature of what they are doing, it is often natural for them to become famous.

Fame

However, this type of fame is not pursued directly by the individual. It just so happens that what they like doing, interests enough people and therefore they will become famous.

The other type of fame is not achieved through people appreciating and valuing what one has to offer the world, the other type of fame is fuelled out of the need to be famous.

And how this person achieves this is not important, all that is important is to be famous.

Questions

One might ask: is being famous the highest possible achievement in today's world? Is this the whole purpose of life itself? Let's pause here and take a moment to reflect on this modern day obsession and addiction.

Is This New?

What is clear to see is that this is a relatively new occurrence in the world, at least in its current expression; but I think it would be naive to think that this means it is a desire that didn't exist before.

The reasons that motivate an individual to want to be famous may have existed for a long time, before this craze came to the fore in today's world. What today's world has created, with the development and power of the media and through the internet, is a platform for fame to exist and to grow like never before.

Survival

One might also argue that this has a lot to do with our survival needs and that the more people one knows, the better chance one has of surviving. And I believe there is an element of truth here, and what it also clear to see is that in the modern day world, one doesn't need to be famous in order to survive.

A Closer Look

I believe that in order to understand people's motivations and behaviours, one has to look not only at another's current psychological disposition, but also at anothers childhood development.

Ones childhood may have occurred many years ago and one may have no interest in psychology today. The body might have changed and one may have had many experiences since that time, however one thing has remained.

The Inner Child

How the inner child affects ones life today will depend on the quality of their upbringing and also if they have done any work on themselves. The needs of a child are going to be radically different to the needs of an adult.

A child is described as being egocentric and this is ultimately because the child doesn't have the capacity at the age to be any other way. This is neither good nor bad; it is just how a child is.

The child has to rely on its caregivers to take care of every need it has. This could be to do with being loved unconditionally, being emotionally mirrored and validated and being accepted and approved of.

As Time Goes By

When these needs are not met during ones childhood, ones inner child will have been wounded during these important stages. And what this will then do is influence and affect ones present day needs, wants and behaviours. The wounded inner child is also what conditions ones ego mind.

Here one will regress to the wounded inner child and will then become emotionally dependent on others. And this is because a child has no way of validating or approving itself; it has to gain this externally through its caregivers.

Insatiable Needs

These needs of the inner child cannot be fulfilled directly and this is due them being childhood needs and not adult needs. As the child has no way of fulfilling these needs, it meant that these needs were insatiable and needed to be constantly fulfilled by caregivers.

And when one regresses to these needs today, it is like an abyss; these needs can never be met directly and will only lead to obsessive and compulsive behaviour.

One has to grieve these forgotten needs and to acknowledge and validate what happened. This is possible through awareness, observing what is occurring and feeling these original feelings and not through the attachment to what happened.

Similarities

What is evident among people who want to be famous or who are famous is there constant need for attention. It is as if they have no identity other than the one that is given to them by other people. Whether they feel good or bad or love or hate themselves is being defined by the views of other people.

The ability to approve or accept themselves internally does not seem to be in action. And although they are adults, their behaviour is very similar to that of a needy and egocentric child.

And just like how a child can only be regulated through other people, people that desire fame also often exhibit this inability to regulate themselves.

What this shows is how powerful this wounded inner child is and that as long as it is left unobserved, it will continue to affect and influence ones life.

The Other Side

So what about the people who help to elevate these individuals, what is their benefit? What is occurring here is an action of the ego mind called - identification. Here the ego mind will identify with people who are expressing the behaviours that it wants to display.

And through this process one can feel and experience these things through the attachment to the other person.

Conclusion

I believe that the obsessive need for fame in today's world is a consequence of ones childhood. On the surface these people can be judged as attention seekers and as being self centred.

While this is an appropriate description; I believe that what we are seeing is the emergence of ones wounded inner child. And this child is craving all the things that it didn't have taken care of many years ago. This age regression will continue to appear, until one has validated and acknowledged these neglected childhood needs.

My name is Oliver J R Cooper and I been have been interested in self enquiry for over eight years. For just over a year, I have been expressing my understandings with these transformational writings. One of my intentions is to be a catalyst to others, as other people have been and continue to be to me.

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The Citizen's Revolution: The End of Banking, Business and Politics As We Know It

A revolution is on the way. People are fed up. In the midst of economic strife across the western world, millions are being forced to accept the loss of their jobs, businesses, homes and living standards, as punishment for the greed and excesses of the banking and investment community on our planet. And yet what has happened to those who perpetrated the crime of screwing up the world of finance for everyone?

Nothing!

Why are the bankers and investors not in prison?

You might expect that prisons would be filling up now with individuals who stuffed their pockets at the expense of their fellow citizens. But no they still carry on much as before, out of sight, anonymous and not being held accountable for their actions.

So why are governments and police not tracking them down, exposing them and charging them with crimes?

Well the grim truth is that this kind of mass theft of public wealth has been pretty much legalized in the western world. But not only that. The deafening silence on this subject from the media and government must mean that the rabbit hole must go very deep, probably implicating far too many people in present-day, responsible positions...

Those who have profited from the economic crisis are likely to be great in number and in all walks of society, including those in government. What investments were in their portfolios before the crash of the banks we might ask? Are those same individuals who are drafting policies now for austerity upon their fellow citizens, actually partly to blame themselves for making the dodgy investments that caused the crisis?

Well, following the world's financial collapse over the last few years, it is clear now to everyone on the planet that it simply doesn't matter to those who own and run our world - if they can make money by creating and then profiting from economic depression, causing a nation to collapse, or even by starting a war, then it will happen and will continue to happen as long as the world continues to be run as it is. Morals, decency, ethics, human rights all go flying out of the window when money starts to talk.

Time to change the world

So it's time for a change. Real change. Not the empty, glib, vacuous proclamations for made by political leaders as they seek re-election, but deep, profound, earth-shaking change to alter the misguided and immoral basis upon which our world has for far too long suffered.

Consider that 80% of the world's wealth is owned by 2% of its population. There is enough money in the world for every citizen to have a yearly income of $30,000 and yet we allow 20,000 of our children to die of starvation every day on our Earth. Statistics like these shame our planet and any claims we make to be an advanced civilization...

But, if our leaders are too weak-willed to do anything about it, who will make the real changes that are necessary? Must it be left to the people to imagine and deliver a new world of hope and action? And has it already begun?

Indeed it has...

Politics

'People power' is gaining ground rapidly. The birth of international, internet democracy as powered by Avaaz shows how people can come together and overturn corrupt policies from politicians, money men and corporate power elites. 14 million people have joined Avaaz.

Money

Private banks that once had the monopoly and exclusive power to loan money are now being challenged by new concepts such as Zopa, where people who have spare money lend it directly to people who want to borrow it. Called 'peer-to-peer lending', it cuts out the banks completely.

Investment strategies and secrets once the exclusive domain of the super-rich, have now been blown open for the public to act upon to secure their own financial futures, one such being the Elevation Group, where people with specialized expertise get together and pool their knowledge for the benefit of all.

The arts

The music business, rapidly changing to create an even playing field, where bloated record companies that only invested in a small number of artists, consequently shutting out the vast numbers of talented musicians on the planet, have now seen their control of the market shrink as independent artists now promote their own music via the internet and distribute it digitally worldwide through prominent retail channels such as Amazon and itunes.

Also in the book world, publishers with limited budgets and vision are being side-stepped as authors now promote and distribute their own books independently through Amazon Kindle.

Self-knowledge

And not least, knowledge concerning the deeper workings of the human mind - awareness that used to be passed down through the centuries only by way of secret, mystical orders populated by the elite and the rich - has now been passed on to everyone by way of such phenomenally successful projects as "The Secret" allowing millions to have the opportunity to bring great success, happiness, fulfilment and financial abundance to their lives that was once only the preserve of the few.

The final message

Even though multi-national corporations and institutions still control the major established media and business channels worldwide, their traditional income streams are experiencing falling sales. This means the writing is on the wall, and step by step we have already begun to change our world into a fairer, more just and balanced society.

In the final event, necessity is the mother of invention. If you try to suppress and restrict a person's life, creativity and freedom, he or she will eventually wake up, resist and find a way to thrive. The human race will not be shackled by enforced limitation and stagnation. For, as nature intends, life will always find a way.

Article by Michael C. James

Michael C. James is a writer researching how human thought determines our life and experience as opposed to fate, chance or circumstance. http://www.thesecretabundance.com/secret_world.html

Free Video: The Elevation Group Financial Freedom Movement http://www.thesecretabundance.com/EVG_Intro.html

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Education Divides Rather Than Unites Society

The quality of education being delivered varies across private and public schools. Private schools being more costly can only be afforded by the relatively affluent class, whereas, public schools aren't a burden on the wallet and therefore preferred by the common man. Although some public schools do manage to impart education of a high standard, most pale in comparison to private schools. With more funds to invest in the education of its pupils, private schools enjoy a better reputation than public schools. The reputation of the school matters a lot when it comes to college admissions where once again public school students are at a disadvantage.

In some developing countries, such as Pakistan and India, women in general and the rural woman in particular, are discouraged from attaining education. Male children are given preference when it comes to sending children to school, particularly if the household has a limited budget. Even educated individuals make such absurd choices and such practices have secluded women not only from schools but also from the workplace.

The living conditions of an individual dictate whether he/she would be able to complete his/her education or not. Therefore, for a person, who can not even fulfill his basic necessities attaining education is a much more difficult objective than it is for a person living a relatively luxurious life. Children belonging to such impoverished families find it increasingly difficult to pursue education while trying to earn bread and butter for their families. Most of them are unable to complete their primary education, not because they chose to do so but because circumstances dictated so. In such circumstances education is not assisting such individuals from breaking through the poverty cycle and thus leading to a wider gap between the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated.

Education standards also differ across geographical boundaries, across continents and across poles. The West is generally envied by the East for its quality of education, the reason why a number of students from the East choose colleges in the West (only the rich are able to do so). Similarly those living in rural areas do not have access to the same quality of education as those who reside in urban areas. Improvements in technology have to a very limited extent countered this issue. However, the pace at which technology is improving is remarkable and soon enough location would not be an issue.

Attaining an education might be a difficult journey for some and indeed for others an impossible one, but education does play a pivotal role in guaranteeing higher chances of employment and better paying jobs. If education is made more accessible and the quality that is imparted more uniform such that the rich are not advantaged and the poor not disadvantaged and that gender does not determine one's chances of becoming educated and that an individual's location doesn't dictate the quality of education he/she is to receive, then only can education unite society.

A surface level assessment rather than a deeper analysis suggests that education is bridging the inequality gap. Such an opinion is arrived at without considering the roles gender,class and ethnicity play in determining whether an individual will successfully complete his/her education or not.

Has it ever occurred to you why certain individuals are more likely to attain an education while others constantly struggle to maintain their academic performance. Whether an individual's circumstances dictate the degree of success he/she is to achieve? How our educational system has failed to bridge the inequality gap?

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The Last Cattle Drive of Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight

Many people have heard of the famous cattleman Oliver Loving and the just as famous Texas Ranger Charles Goodnight. It has even been rumored that the movie "Lonesome Dove" was loosely based on these two great men and the last cattle drive they ever went on.

Oliver Loving was born in Kentucky back in 1812. He was a farmer in Muhlenberg County until the time that he decided to move his family to the Republic of Texas. In Texas he had 639.3 acres of land that stretched across the counties of Collin, Dallas, and Parker. By the time 1857 rolled around he had increased his land holdings to 1000 acres and he was raising cattle on that land.

Because the cattle were needed in other parts of the country Loving began to drive them out of Texas with the aid of his son William. He drove his cattle up the Shawnee trail to Illinois where he received a profit of $36 per head. This encouraged him to repeat the drive yearly and to allow William to drive herds for neighbors as well.

In 1866 Loving heard that there was a great need for cattle in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. He combined cattle with that of his friend and neighbor Charles Goodnight and they traveled the trail to deliver cattle to Fort Sumner. This route to Fort Sumner would eventually be called the Goodnight-Loving Trail.

The next year,Loving and Goodnight set out to Fort Sumner on another drive. This second drive to Fort Sumner would prove to be a bad decision for Loving. From the beginning the trip was plagued with foul weather and threats on Indian attacks. The cattleman were on guard and edgy. A few days before they reached Fort Sumner Loving and a scout were sent on ahead of the rest. Loving promised Goodnight that he and Wilson (the scout) would travel under the cover of darkness, but being impatient Loving reneged on this promise and traveled during the day.

The daytime travel drew the attention of some Comanche and Loving and Wilson were attacked. At the very beginning of the attack Loving was caught off guard and injured seriously. The two cattlemen sought refuge under an embankment and fought the Indians off from this position. Loving knew that they would have to help if they were going to survive so he sent Wilson to get help.

Loving remained under the embankment defending his position for several days, he had little to no food, and he lost a lot of blood. When the Indians left him he made his way in the direction of Fort Sumner, where a Mexican family found him and took him the rest of the way. His wounds developed gangrene, and he died a short time later.

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Little Things That Will Save You Money - And Will Save The Planet!

To some people, the phrase "save the planet" seems over-exuberant at best, and perhaps even downright fatalistic, as these people tend to believe that there is really nothing wrong with the planet at all, and that there is really no need to save it; on the other hand, there are those who feel that the phrase "save the planet" is overly-hopeful, as these people tend to believe that the planet is in such awful shape that it is beyond saving already! No matter whether you fall on one side or the other of this discussion, however (or, if you - like most people - fall somewhere in the middle), a couple things everyone should be able to agree on are that A) we should take care of the planet, regardless of the shape we believe it to be in, and B) saving money is always great!

One of the first things you can do to save money while also taking care of the environment is to pay closer attention to your use of water, as a lot of people leave their water running when brushing their teeth, or fail to fix leaks and drips in their homes, all of which can actually make a big difference over time - both monetarily and environmentally.

Another great move is to make the switch from standard light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs - and while many people think CFLs will cost them a lot more money, the initial cost of these bulbs is nothing compared to the fact that they last up to 10 times longer than standard light bulbs, all while using about 30% of the energy!

Paying closer attention to your driving is another awesome way to hold back on the energy you are using; by simply accelerating and decelerating more slowly, you will be able to use a lot less gas over time!

And finally, understand that there are lots of things around your house you can do to use less electricity - such as turning off lights when you are not in a room, and unplugging appliances that are not in use - and this will save you money on your electric bill, and will aid in protecting the planet!

There is definitely plenty of debate these days regarding the current state of the environment, but amidst all this debate, the important factor being pushed aside is the fact that this planet is a gift, and each of us should be doing what we can to make sure we are taking care of this planet; start doing your part to keep Earth green - and even though it may seem like the things you are doing are too small to make a difference, these "too small" things will start to add up, until you are truly impacting the direction of the world!

~Esther Ingram

Do your part to take care of the planet!
http://www.beautisticgreenoffers.com/

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How to Get Children Involved in Charity

We all know about the vital work that so many charities are doing around the world - and many of us would love for our kids to get involved with charities too, so that they can help contribute to and carry on the good work that is already going on. With this in mind, let's take a look at four ideas for getting your children involved in charity.

Sponsored projects

One popular option is to get your kids to undertake sponsored projects. This is something that many of them do at school anyway, so making sure you spend the time with them to make sure they understand why they are doing this will definitely help. Also, if you are raising money for a good cause, you can easily involve your kids by getting them to do things like sponsored swims or making cakes - if you tailor it to their interests, they'll be more likely to be keen to get involved.

Engage in volunteer work

Getting your kids into volunteer work from an early age can also help to get them involved with charity. For instance, helping out at a fundraiser or volunteering with older people are both popular options. Plus, if you are trying to persuade older kids to get involved with this sort of thing, they can sometimes be convinced if you let them know how good it will look on their CV - work experience is something that will help them as much as it will help the good cause.

Sponsor a child

If you want your children to learn more about charity and the lives of other people, sponsoring a child - someone they'll be able to relate to - is a good idea, particularly if you go for a scheme where you know which child you will be sponsoring and have some good information about them. It can help you children to understand different ways of life and why some people need help, as well as teaching them some of the ways they can help themselves.

Choose where to donate

Finally, getting your kids involved in charity can be made much easier if they feel like they have ownership of the project. For instance, letting them choose which charities you donate to and making sure that you do this regularly so that they can see the commitment is a good idea. If they get into the habit of supporting good causes while they are young, hopefully this will carry through into later life, too.

For more information about Must Have Gifts and charity gift ideas for those in need, you can click here.

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Hurricane Preparedness and Evacuation Tips

If you live in an area where there is a possibility of a hurricane coming onshore you need to know how to prepare for these storms. Unlike a tornado, these storms have enough warning time for the citizens in their path to prepare. The following tips will help you to prepare your family for the stormy days ahead.

Prepare an Evacuation Plan
The number one thing that you need to do before a hurricane strikes is have an evacuation plan ready. These plans are best made when there is not a storm threatening you.

• Plan where you will go in the event that the storm comes inland in your area.
• Decide who will be driving the vehicles that you are taking
• Decide which family members will be riding in which vehicles
• Make plans for carrying your pets with you
• Have emergency rations packed. Make one person responsible for packing the emergency rations in the vehicles.
• Have a check-list of things that need to be done before you evacuate so you can make sure you have everything you need

Packing Emergency Rations in Advance
It is a good idea that you keep a container packed with the emergency rations you would need during an evacuation. Pack these items in a container that is waterproof and has a good lid. Keep them in one place in the house and make sure everyone knows where they are located. Assign the job of placing these rations into the vehicle to one family member. Practice what you would do if ordered to evacuate so the person in charge of these rations can be familiar with their responsibility.

Things to pack in the box:

• A flashlight and batteries for the flashlight

• Enough water for everyone that will be evacuating to have drinking water for at least three days

• Non perishable food products. Pack enough for each person to have adequate food rations for three days

• Blankets and pillows

• Food for your pet

• At least three changes of clothing for each person

• Non prescription first aid medications like aspiring, Tylenol, allergy medications, bandages for minor cuts, antibiotic ointment, teething gel for infants, etc.

• Prescription medications for each person. The pharmacy will generally refill your prescriptions even if it is not time when a storm like this is threatening your area.

• Emergency cash

• Toiletries like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products.

• Your important documents like passports, deeds to land, titles to vehicles, birth certificates and professional licenses.

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Hypnosis - Goes To The Olympics

Many athletes; including Tiger Woods, golfer Jack Nicklaus, golfer, Frank Bruno, WBC Heavyweight Champion, players for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins, Andre Agassi, tennis star, Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls coach and LA Lakers, Michael Jordon, Kobe Bryant and Shaqu O'Neal, Richard Lee, the goalie of Brentford football Pat Cash, tennis have used hypnosis and visualization techniques for their success. Jimmy Connors used hypnosis to practice his winning tennis strokes prior to the US Open.

The Irish athletes commissioned a hypnosis practitioner to work with team members to help in their preparation for the 2012 Olympic games. The key focus is placed on the little mental factors that can boost performance under pressure.

High jump hopeful Deirdre Ryan is one of the Irish athletes to receive mental tutoring. Ryan said that hypnosis has helped with her subconscious thinking and also her level of confidence, heading into the games.

The hypnosis practitioner facilitates an altered state of mind and then teaches them how to reprogram their subconscious in order to regain control and regulate their bodies through breathing and heart rate.

Kevin McBride, celebrated Irish heavyweight boxing champion, prior to every fight, uses a personal hypnosis practitioner to hypnotize him into the right frame of mind.

Steve Hooker won the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal in pole vaulting after his hypnotist helped him visualize his success.

The number one issue athletes deal with the most - how to handle the nerves; how to overcome the mental anguish, to be confident and to perform their best.

Hypnosis has gained a wider acceptance with Olympic athletes and to the wider public with the aim of helping people to transform everyday stress, fears, phobias and personal issues while stating that these issues will be transformed completely.

The good news is; whether you are a celebrity or athlete or not your issues can be resolved with hypnosis! For example:

• Jackie Kennedy Onassis used hypnotherapy to deal with the tragic events in her life.
• Mel Gibson underwent hypnosis to help him deal with his issues.
• Sir Winston Churchill used post-hypnotic suggestions to stay awake and carry out his duties as Prime Minister during WWII.
• Albert Einstein used hypnosis sessions every afternoon. His theory of relativity came to him in one of those sessions. He often used trance states to develop his ideas.
• Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud developed psychotherapy as a result of learning about and practicing hypnosis.
• Orlando Bloom's mother called in a hypnotist to eliminate Orlando's addiction to chocolate when he was a child.
• Thomas Edison used self-hypnosis on a regular basis
• Aldous Huxley used trance states to explore the nature of Consciousness.
• Sylvester Stallone worked with a hypnosis practitioner while filming Rocky in 1975. Stallone, also used used self hypnosis to help him write the script for "Rocky". He then used hypnosis daily to overcome over 900 rejections for his script. During each day of filming "Rocky" he used hypnosis tapes. "Rocky" became an overnight success.
• Kevin Costner, actor, became seasick while making "Waterworld." A hypnosis practitioner helped him to overcome seasickness.
• Billy Joel, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore, Katy Perry, Debra Messing, Kate Moss, Ellen DeGeneres, Charlize Theron, Simon Cowell, Kevin Stone, Samuel Jackson, Winona Ryder, Ashton Kutscher, Brittany Spears, Charlotte Church, a Welsh singer and many other celebrities have stopped smoking with hypnosis.
• Celebrities Lily Allen, Sophie Dahl, Geri Halliwell and Chuck Clausen used hypnosis to lose weight.
• Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) Dutchess of York used hypnosis to stop biting her fingernails and for weight loss.
• Aaron Eckhart credits hypnosis for changing his life forever after being able to give up smoking and alcohol.
• Tony Curtis used hypnosis to overcome his fear of flying and to improve his career.
• James Earl Jones famous actor and voice of Darth Vader (Star Wars) used hypnosis to overcome stuttering
• Mufasa (Lion King) used hypnosis to overcome stuttering.
• Bruce Willis used hypnosis to overcome stuttering.
• Samuel L Jackson, Sean Penn, Sean Connery, Martha Stewart, Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin used hypnosis to improve their lives.
• Mozart composed the famous opera "Cosi Fan Tutte" while hypnotized.
• Lord Tennyson Alfred wrote entire poems in a hypnotic state.
• Seigei Rachmaninoff composed his "Second Piano Concerto" following a post-hypnotic suggestion given by Nikolai Dahl, a pioneer in hypnosis. Today, after over 100 years, this concerto remains one of the most exquisite and deeply moving pieces of music ever written.
• Princess Diana used hypnosis for public speaking and confidence.

What is stopping you from creating your success, your dreams and meeting your goals? Hypnosis can eliminate negative energy, fears, blocks, anxiety, phobias and improve self-confidence, self-esteem and ability.

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