Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

All my life I have had tremendous sexual energy. Lust that’s been hard to work off. If this Olympian type carnality could have been properly harnessed… I would have been like King Solomon.

With five hundred descendants.

And God help the world if that was the case. One of me is enough.

When you lust all the time, let’s face it, even for the luckiest of us, Brad Pitt for example. I don’t care who you are, there’s only limited opportunities to expunge it.

But it has to be expelled somehow.

This has led to some extremely embarrassing moments. My parents, like most parents of the Baby Boom generation, taught me shame of the human body and sexuality….even though they had me, and my sister.

I got my first orgasm doing chin-ups on a glass shower stall.

No joke!

I had been feeling queer lately (odd, not gay). I was sixteen. Or maybe, fourteen. What else do you do with your spare time when you’re fourteen in 1964…except chin-ups? Like every day in P.E.

I decided to do a little exercise in the shower. So I did chin-ups flat up against a glass shower door (gripping a metal bar overhead). My developing male organ was, how can I put it delicately, making up and down contact with the glass.

Suddenly, I felt very good. The best I’d ever felt in my life to be exact. Gee! I said. These chin-ups sure are certainly pleasant today for some reason. I wonder why? Like, it’s the easiest set of chin-ups I’ve ever done.

I just, can’t seem to stop doing them.

Oh, this is great. I’ve just set my own personal best record for doing chin-ups. Why is it I don’t feel tired? Why is it I can do so many of these? Am I superman? What’s going on?

And then, powww!

“Wow!” I shouted. “What is that?”

The rest is history.

Suddenly, to no great surprise, chin-ups became my favorite sport. Chin-ups in the shower. Not regular outside chin-ups. I started taking five showers a day. I had never in my life been so clean.

My parents were puzzled.

I became a chin-up swinger, a lothario, a clean-freak nymphomaniac.

“I think I’ll take a shower,” I told my mother.

“You just took one two hours ago,” she would say. “Okay. What’s going on?”

Sex is like a narcotic. The more you do it, the more you want, and you have to expand, enlarge the experience. I decided to move up a notch and to start the action this time with a sexy costume, the only one I had at the time…my PE jockstrap.

Like a stripper, I would remove this after a few chin-ups…and…you know the rest.

I was doing the first set of chin-ups, the hot water running, really getting into it…and the door burst open and my parents came storming in (this was before drug problems with teens).

I was caught red-handed…or rather..hand over head.

I could have easily told them, “hey! I’m practicing for the Olympic Games.”

It wouldn’t have worked. Whatever you do when you’re fourteen, they assume it’s dirty.

They’re right.

But they couldn’t stop me from taking showers.

The sessions continued.

© Copyright 2006 by SammonSays.com

John Sammon is the author of two books and writes a weekly humor column you may access at http://www.Sammonsays.com

To write successful copy, you need to know as much as you can. It goes beyond reading background materials, reviewing old marketing pieces and doing some cursory research on the Web.

You need to get inside peoples’ heads.

Start with your clients. They know their business and their customers better than you do. (If they don’t, they should. You can help them learn more.)

How? Use a marketing/creative brief to get the information you need to ace the copywriting (and marketing) assignment. (A marketing/creative brief is a tool used by ad agencies and corporate marketing and creative departments.)

Following is a marketing/creative brief adapted from one I used during my stint at a Seattle ad agency. Even though I now work solo, I still use it today.

(Begin form)

Marketing/Creative Brief

(Note: Designed for B2B; much of this brief is also applicable to B2C.)

Good input is key to a successful project, campaign, or marketing program. This marketing/creative brief is designed to elicit good input. But it takes thorough and thoughtful answers on your part. Please answer the following questions carefully.

1. What is the description of the piece(s)? (Ad, Web site, brochure, radio script, direct mail, etc.)

2. What is the marketing focus? (What products or services are we telling about?)

3. What is the communications problem that the piece(s) must solve? (Awareness, positioning or repositioning, product introduction, category introduction, etc.)

4. Who is the audience? (Demographics, title, function, responsibility, etc.)

5. What is their point of view about the product, service, category?

6. Who is the secondary audience(s), if any?

7. What business problems or issues does the product(s)/service(s) solve for the audience(s)? (Efficiency issues, profitability issues, operations issues, technology issues, etc.)

8. What effect do we want the piece(s) to have on the target audience(s)? (Purchase, phone call, visit Web site, request more information, increase their awareness, etc.)

9. What can we offer to achieve the desired response? (Demos, situation evaluation, sales collateral, personal visit, white paper, etc.)

10. What is the single essential message we must tell the target audience(s) to achieve the desired effect? (Be as concise as possible.)

11. What evidence is there to support our claims? (Features and benefits, testimonials, case studies, etc.)

12. Can anyone else make a similar promise?

13. Are there any technology issues to address? (Compatibility, operating systems, hardware requirements, etc.)

14. What specific industry issues must be addressed? (Trends, etc.)

15. Are there any industry, product or competitive issues to be avoided?

16. What tone should the piece employ? (Hardhitting/serious, educational/informative, humorous, etc.)

17. What do you like about your current piece(s)? (Look and feel, tone, messaging, functionality, etc.)

18. What don’t you like about your current piece(s)? (Look and feel, tone, messaging, functionality, etc.)

19. What overall impressions (look and feel, etc.) would you like the piece(s) to make?

20. Will this piece(s) be used with any other pieces? (proposals, collateral, letters, etc.)

21. How will the piece(s) be used (online, leave behind, trade shows, mailed, etc.) and at what point in the sales cycle?

22. Any other comments?

(End form)

Admittedly, getting clients to answer these questions isn’t always easy.

That’s why it’s best to be flexible with the use of a marketing/creative brief. You can ask the client to fill it out. You can use it to interview the client. You can fill it out yourself for the client’s review. Any sort of collaborative approach works well.

In the end, stress to your clients that if they want more clicks, more leads and more sales, they need to actively participate in the input process.

One you have all the information you need, you’re ready to write a winner.

(c) 2005 Neil Sagebiel

Neil Sagebiel is a veteran copywriter who has served clients such as Microsoft, The Seattle Times, Lucent Technologies, March of Dimes, Airborne Express and Unisys. To sign up for his FREE expert tips to help you write better and sell more, visit www.neilsagebiel.com.

Diamonds may not be a girl’s best friend but wedding anniversary jewelry ideas are still the thought that counts. Anniversary rings are becoming a standard part any married women’s jewelry collection and a wise husband will keep that in mind. That isn’t to say that such things are expected but it could be the source of some discontent if they aren’t ever given. Each wedding anniversary doesn’t require a new ring though the round numbers like twenty-five years or so need to be considered for one. Semiprecious stones are fine for most anniversary gifts and settings choice needed be rigidly gold, silver or platinum. Rather personal preferences are to be considered as there are more rigid fashion dictates for gold on the fiftieth and silver tone on the twenty fifth anniversaries. Platinum or white gold would do nicely.

For those with a lower budget a nice sterling silver ring with a semiprecious stone such as tanzanite would do nicely for the special wedding anniversary. To make it even more special you can pay someone to inscribe a message to your beloved on the inside of the ring band. If you feel like a ring would be to much of the same old, same old you can branch out into other types of jewelry with the same theme. Necklaces, anklets, bracelets, earrings, even jewelry for other types of piercing should your loved one have them would make great pieces of anniversary jewelry.

These pieces of jewelry can be purchased both online and in the store. If you do decide to purchase jewelry online you can save a lot of money, because online retailers don’t have the worry of paying for a storefront. You can also be scammed so do be careful. A reputable online dealer will still be registered with the Better Business Bureau just as any other business in the states would be. They should also offer you a return policy and have their payment system set up so that your personal information is as protected as possible. Keeping these tenants in mind you should be able to find a nice moderately priced piece of jewelry for your spouse.

The higher the PR of your site the higher will be its search engine position. So the goal is to get lots of sites linking to your site. But quality is much more important than quantity. The higher the PR of the sites that link to yours the more they boost your sites PR.

When planning your effort, always remember than one link from a PR-6 or PR-7 site is worth indefinitely more than hundreds of links from PR-0 or PR-1 sites.

In addition, you should aim to include your link on pages with as few other links as possible. Pages with over 25 links have little value. Additional factors that go into the algorithm include the amount of different sites that point to yours (10 links from 10 different sites count much more than 10 links from the same site) and the inclusion of your keywords in the text of the links.

As a general rule of thumb, a one-way, high PageRank link will give your site a PR two points below that of the linking page. So a link from a PR-8 site should get your site a PR-6. However, at the lower end of the scale, I have seen a PR-5 turn a new PR-0 site into a PR-4.

The effects of having a high PageRank (PR)

Most industries, market niches and business sectors only have a PR5 or PR6 site as the top ranking result. The implication is that you can dominate a niche or local market on search engines without investing too much money or time. For example, you can buy keyword rich text links on networks of sites that have a PR of 8-9 for $ 500-2,000 a month. Doing this is likely to get you a PR of 6 or 7 right out the gate. The implication is that your site will appear as number one when users search Google for key phrases related to your market niche.

Where to start

Before starting to actually work on improving your PR, be sure to install the Google Toolbar on your browser. The Toolbar shows a value (on a log scale) of 0-10 for each website that corresponds to the underlying PR of that page. The average website with little or no marketing support is typically PR1 to PR3. Google is updating the PR level it displays in the Google Toolbar about once every three months so patience is required until you can see the results of any PR building campaign.

Since PR is all about links you’ll have to know who already links to you. You can either use the Google Toolbar by selecting “Backward Links” or type in Google “link:www.yourpage.com”

The easy ways

There are two easy ways to get a site with high PageRank:

Buy one – at any given time there are thousands of websites offered for sale on ebay and other sites with moderately high PR. You can buy one in an industry of your choosing and adapt it to your needs.
When your site is new you will have a PR of 0. But that’s not a problem if you, or a close friend, own another site with a high PR. Lets say the other site has a PR5 website. If you link to your new site from all the pages of the high PR site, then the new site would automatically get at least a PR4. If you don’t own a high PR site and neither do your friends, don’t worry. There are other options.

Buy Links with High PageRank

You can easily buy PR buy renting text links from sites that have high PR. Links can be acquired through numerous intermediary sites such as Linkadage, Linkauctions or Text-Link-Ads. Typical rates for high PR links are:

PR5 text link: $7-20/mo.
PR6 text link: $25-$50/mo.
PR7 text link: $65-$100/mo.
PR8 text link: $100-200/mo.
PR9 text link: $ 700-1300/mo

But buying links is best if used as a short term strategy to support a campaign for several months. For long terms purposes, move away from the pay for high PR links and seek other methods such as high quality reciprocal link partners, directory listings or improved content.
Directory Links

The most popular directories are Yahoo and DMOZ. But paying $ 299 a year for inclusion in Yahoo’s directory is usually not a wise investment since too many sites are listed in each page and the PR benefit you’ll receive is inadequate. Inclusion in the DMOZ is free and important but unfortunately most sites get rejected or ignored.

You should seek those directories that have a high PR on their homepage but more important also on the category that interests you. The PR your website will receive from inclusion on these directories is also a function of the number of other links on the page where your site’s link will appear. The fewer links, the higher the PR you will receive. So your top priorities are directories with high PR and few other links in the relevant category page. Visit Directoryarchives to find lists of niche directories to submit your link.

Some of the older directories have over time built up a PR6 or PR7. But the smaller and newer directories typically buy their PR through text links ads on more popular sites. In turn they typically charge a $ 25-40 registration fee. Some of these newer directories have smaller category structures which mean that you may buy a link that will deliver a PR4 or PR5 that may last many years for that one time fee.

Copy your Competitors

It’s quite easy to find out where your competitors get their links from. If you don’t know who your top competitors are, all you have to do is query Google for the main key phrases in your market and the result page will list your top competitors. Next, Visit the homepage of each competitor, and in the Page Info dropdown box of the Google Toolbar, select “Backward Links”. You will then see a list of pages that link to the page you are visiting. It won’t list every page, but will list all the ones worth getting a link from. Write down the URLs linking to each competitor and continue until you have some one hundred URLs from about 10 competitors. Than, send a personalized email to the owner or webmaster of each of these sites requesting a link or a reciprocal link.

Link exchanges

A common practice to increase PR is to exchange links with other sites, a practice also known as reciprocal linking. You can start by looking in a directory such as About.com or DMOZ for reputable sites with a topic somehow related to yours. If at all possible, your partner’s link page must be accessible from their homepage, have a decent PR and not contain too many outbound links. Open each URL to learn a little bit about each site and find a contact email and than send a personalized email asking for a reciprocal link.

In addition you should set up a links page that is easily accessible on your site to offer reciprocal linking opportunity.

You should note however that link exchanges and reciprocal linking are slowly becoming a thing of the past as this technique has been abused, and search engines have increased their capabilities to detect it. There is strong evidence that search engines give more weight to one-way links (such as links from directories or from articles).

Writing articles

This is a great way to get links from important pages with high PR and it is successfully used by many top marketers. Basically, you write articles related to your field, and allow others to publish them for free in websites and newsletters. At the end of your article, you include a resource box (a small bio) with a link to your website. The link should include the full URL spelled out (http:// …) since some sites copy just the text and delete the links. Now you’ll have to publicize your articles by finding sites that post articles. Type your main keywords + “articles” in Google to find potential sites. Before spending the time to send your articles check each site to verify it has a PR of at least 4.

As your articles get published, your links will spread like wildfire and your PR will increase. The bonus is that many of the sites that publish articles are respectable portals or news sites and such sites are likely to have a high PR.

Getting Links without Even Asking

My favorite way to get links (but the most time-consuming) is to simply have the best site on the Internet in any specific niche. Even if you think there is nothing unique about your website try to find a small niche where you can specialize. Interestingly enough, if your site is focused around a theme and is well written, providing tons of useful information and is constantly updated, you often won’t have to seek out links at all. Other sites will simply link to yours. The better your content, the more one-way links and reciprocal link offer you will get over time.

Guest Book Signings

Another linking strategy is guestbook signings, as most community-based sites allow free signature links in forum posts. So participating in popular forums related to your industry is likely to increase your PR. You can search the web the old fashioned way. Find a guestbook, drop a note with your URL or signature and move on, or you can pay a guestbook signing service a few dollars to auto-sign your name and site URL in several thousand guestbooks.

Keep in mind, that this technique is questionable since there is a dispute among search engine optimization specialists if this technique is effective or not. It is speculated that search engines may apply filters to prevent guestbook links from increasing PR.

Get a Blog

Blogs are the newest hot trend on the Internet and are also valuable as an online marketing tool. They make it simple for the average joe to write online and even add content to their site on a daily basis with just a few clicks of the mouse. This dramatically changes the way information is shared and distributed. With blogs anyone can easily become a source of valuable information. The search engine companies recognize this and make it a point to spider the blog networks on a regular basis.

There are in fact several blog programs available that you can either load into your own domain with ease or that you can use from a third-party, remotely-hosted server. One popular service is Blogger.com by Google. Adding a blog by Blogger to your new website will ensure it gets spidered within days.

There are actually a few ways to get one-way inbound links with blogs. The first way is simply to host a blog on your website and update it frequently. People tend to link to blogs because they provide content that is constantly being updated. The second way is to submit it to blog directories. Just like website directories, there are tons of blog directories you can submit to for free. Just do a search on Google for “blog directory” and you will find them. The third way of getting inbound links with a blog is to host it somewhere other than on your website. Then, provide a link from your blog to your website. After you have done that, you can submit your blog to directories for the extra page rank and added exposure.

This article is published by Dave Gilis of PromoteTOP Web Marketing. PromoteTOP is a leading provider of website marketing services, including guaranteed search engine placement. The company offers industry-specific marketing plans that cater to websites in the travel, tourism, hospitality, real estate, financial services, legal, medical, gaming, health & pharmaceutical industries.

The PromoteTOP Website (http://www.promotetop.com) provides a valuable collection of free Internet marketing tools, articles and resources.

You can freely reprint this article with this resource box included.

Are you planning to sell on eBay? Or have you tried in the past but not had much success with your online auctions? If so, here’s a strategy that has worked very well for me.

In my experience, the auction lots where I created a useful collection of related items got more bids and closed at higher prices than auction lots that were all one thing.

For example, instead of listing an auction lot of a simple strand of rose quartz oval shape beads, why not create an auction lot of a neat little “designer collection” of beads?

In this case, you could group some of those rose quartz oval beads with garnet rondells and freshwater pearl beads. These three stones work really well together, and this auction allows the winning bidder to have a lot more creative fun than he or she would with a group of all the same kind of bead.

Combo auction lots like this tend to be more valuable and useful to bidders. In a single auction and for one shipping price, they can get a variety of items instead of just one.

Another advantage of making combined auction lots is that your auction listings will contain more keywords that are being searched for by a much bigger group of bidders. For example, our designer bead collection auction could be found by bidders searching for rose quartz beads, bidders searching for garnet beads, and bidders searching for freshwater pearl beads.

That’s a significantly larger group than just bidders searching for rose quartz beads. And a good portion of bidders from all three keyword searches will be watching and considering your designer bead collection auction.

Now here’s where it gets really good:

Not only do you have a higher demand for your combo auction lots - you also don’t really have any competition for the exact auction lot you’re offering. Other sellers might offer rose quartz ovals, or garnet rondells, or freshwater pearl beads - but not all three together in one temptingly color-coordinated auction lot. If a bidder wants this bead combination, your auction is the only one available to bid on.

So according to Economics 101,

high demand + low supply = higher closing price.

You can make tempting kits or package deals of other auction lots no matter what your niche is. Here are a few ideas:

* assorted colors of polymer clay plus some basic clay tools

* inkjet cartridges plus two packs of fancy printer paper

* padded shipping envelopes plus tape

* scrapbooking pens, stickers, and a paper cutting tool

To bidders, these combination auction lots are much more appealing and valuable. If you’re a regular seller of combo auction lots, you’ll quickly gain a following of eBay buyers who always check your current auctions to see what irresistible new combinations you have available.

Writer and jewelry artist Rena Klingenberg publishes jewelry marketing secrets several times a week in http://www.jewelry-business-blog.com. You’ll also find wisdom from eBay experts in her site’s collection of eBay success tips: http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/sell-jewelry-on-ebay.html.

Financial institutions face constant pressure to comply with regulatory mandates designed to prevent identity fraud and money laundering while still delivering excellent customer service, watching bottom-line results, and meeting business objectives. In today’s complex business environment, this seems like an almost impossible task. However, those regulatory mandates also create many opportunities to increase efficiencies and save money. By integrating identity verification into the overall risk management strategy, financial institutions can expect to see substantial benefits to their bottom lines, customer service levels, and employee productivity.

What is identity verification?

Identity verification is defined as “the process of using claimed or observed attributes of an individual to infer who the individual is.”(1)

For today’s financial institution, identity verification is a critical aspect of establishing a new relationship. True identity verification means reviewing the truthfulness of what a prospective customer discloses by screening the data against multiple sources, then analyzing the facts to determine whether a new relationship should be started. “Know your customer” has long been promoted within institutions as a sign of personalized customer service; however, with the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act regulations, identity verification is now the difference between success and failure in the ever-changing financial services market.

Why is identity verification important to financial institutions?

The increased role of the country’s financial institutions in securing the home front must not be undervalued. The purpose behind the USA PATRIOT Act is national security. No one will disagree that having a better understanding of the customer doing business at an institution provides increased security for the institution, its customers and the public in general.
The danger for banks is more than just monetary loss. Damage to a financial institution’s reputation created by noncompliance and the publicity surrounding terrorists opening accounts can lead to lost confidence in the institution and significant loss of customers, sales, and revenue. Recovering from negative publicity is a long, difficult, costly process.

Compliance cannot be ignored because penalties for noncompliance are severe. Regulatory penalties for the USA PATRIOT Act and OFAC regulations can range from $10,000 to $1 million per infraction.

How can a financial institution benefit from the USA PATRIOT Act?

Protecting Against Identity Fraud

Institutions need to prevent identity fraud while balancing the need to protect customer information with a customer’s requirement for quick, efficient service. Identity verification is clearly a first step in reducing the opportunities for fraud and taking action. Stopping the “bad guys” from opening a new account at an institution is the easiest and most cost-effective way to reduce a bank’s burden. That’s how “knowing your customer” can help—if identity verification becomes part of the defensive measures within the overall risk strategy, it can be a significant factor in preventing fraud.

Increasing Operational Efficiencies

The USA PATRIOT Act has driven financial institutions to review corporate policies and perform lengthy risk analyses. Identity verification technology helps integrate policies into normal routines by allowing frontline workers to gather needed information very quickly and efficiently instead of manually researching identity information by calling references and checking websites.

Improving Customer Service

The consummate benefit from integrating identity verification into an institution’s risk management strategy is a higher level of customer service.

From airline travel to school registration to doctor visits, society is accustomed to trading some privacy for the security of each individual and the country. However, customers do expect their financial institutions to protect their identity information and their fiscal assets. Identity verification programs allow new accounts to be opened quickly, creating a positive experience for the consumer while showcasing the methodology the institution has in place to protect its customers.

Identity Verification Options

Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act requires that financial institutions develop Customer Identification Programs (CIPs) that implement reasonable procedures to

• Collect identifying information about customers opening accounts
• Verify that the customers are who they say they are
• Maintain records of the information used to verify their identities
• Determine whether the customers appear on any list of suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations(2)

There are numerous options available to help banks implement identity verification programs to comply with the regulations, always aiming to make educated and proactive decisions about customers. The USA PATRIOT Act regulations allow a documentary or nondocumentary approach.

Documentary Solution

Traditionally, the use of manual or documentary solutions for identity verification has been prevalent in the financial services community. At many institutions, an employee will look at a driver’s license or passport to begin account-opening procedures. Institutions are relying on driver’s licenses and passports to be valid, but with the recent increase in forgery, it is difficult to have confidence that the documentation is legitimate.

Nondocumentary Solution

Since the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act, technology has improved within the area of identity verification. Identity verification technology offers a simple approach to integrating a CIP into an institution’s risk management strategy. In addition, identity verification technology gives an institution a cost-effective tactic for keeping up-to-date with ever-changing regulations.

For true identity verification, it is critical to screen presented data against multiple independent sources to ensure consistency. Checking one source will not provide enough information, and there is no single database that includes everyone living in the United States. This means an institution must confirm that the name, Social Security number, address, and date of birth are valid and associated with each other using various data sources. If the information is unvarying throughout multiple sources, the institution can make an educated decision that it is truthful. By using identity verification technology, organizations can have the tools, not only to verify identity, but also to screen against government lists and document transactions. Institutions can completely comply with the regulations, while also realizing the benefits of protecting against fraud, increasing operational efficiency, and improving customer service levels.

Conclusion
For financial institutions, the USA PATRIOT Act has created many burdens and opportunities. By embracing change and integrating identity verification into their corporate risk policies, institutions can protect against fraud, increase efficiencies, and keep service levels high while remaining profitable.

References

1. Committee on Authentication Technologies and Their Privacy Implications. National Research Council, Who Goes There?: Authentication Through the Lens of Privacy, Stephen T. Kent and Lynette I. Millett, eds., 2003, www.nap.edu/catalog/10656.html?onpi_newsdoc032503 (10 March 2004).
2. Department of the Treasury. Office of Public Affairs, “Fact Sheet: Final Regulations Implementing Customer Identity Verification Requirements under Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act,” 30 April 2003, www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/docs/326factsheet.doc (10 March 2004).

About the ID Verification Expert Authors:

Bruce Lowthers is an identity fraud expert within the financial services market with a specialization in the USA PATRIOT Act and OFAC compliance. He is currently a Vice President of eFunds Corporation.

Cleve Shultz has spent more than 11 years helping financial institutions run more profitable organizations through increasing efficiencies and improving service levels. Currently, Mr. Shultz is Director of Sales for the eFunds Mass Market Team.

When skin care products fail to clear up your acne problems, it is an indication that they could be a result of hormonal imbalances. Below are some general guidelines on how to tell if your complexion problems are hormonal:

* You experience acne breakouts the week before your period, mostly on the jaw line, chin and neck.
* Irregular periods and/or excess hair on the face or body in addition to acne could signal a hormonal disorder. Consult your doctor.
* Your skin tends to feel much more sensitive during the fourth week of your monthly menstrual cycle.

Keeping skin acne free requires more than just diligent skincare. It is also a matter of timing your skin care according to your monthly hormonal surges. That is because monthly hormone fluctuations stimulate the skin’s sebaceous glands to secrete oil. The more oil our skin produces, the higher the possibility that acne problems will arise.

THE HORMONAL CYCLE 101

Your cycle begins on the first day of your period and can last anywhere from 21 to 40 days. In the first week after your period, your oestrogen level increases, helping to keep skin clear (oestrogen is the hormone that helps keep oil glands in check). When ovulation occurs around day 14 of your cycle, progesterone (another hormone) starts to surge and your potential for acne blemishes increases and peaks, just days before your period. That is when you will experience oily skin and acne breakouts.

WEEK-BY-WEEK SKINCARE

Week 1 (The cycle begins on the first day of your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Hormone levels are at their monthly low. Skin may appear dull or it could be recovering from premenstrual acne flare-ups.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Regular and gentle care.

* Use mild cleansers that contain soothing ingredients like Aloe, Chamomile or Green Tea. While washing, massage your face gently with the pads of your fingertips.

* Concealers are your skin’s best friends this week. Choose an oil-free one that contains Salicylic Acid or Sulphur, which can help to unclog pores.

* Treat skin to a moisturizing or exfoliating mask. Left on for 10 minutes, an exfoliating mask will remove any flakiness on the skin and have skin lightening effects on a dull complexion. The moisturizing element will provide much needed extra skin hydration.

* Treat lingering acne scars and blemishes with acne treatment products that contain Salicylic Acid or Tea Tree Oil.

TIP: Do not skimp on your moisturizer. Hydrate your skin regularly and choose moisturizers that are oil-free or comedogenic.

Week 2 (The week after your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: As oestrogen levels are rising, your skin condition is at its peak with a clear and balanced complexion.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Maintenance and prevention

* For most skin types, ranging from normal to combination skin, this is a good time for professional pampering. Since your skin is not overly sensitive, you can get a simple gentle facial done.

* If you have very sensitive skin, do not go for facials as this may have the effects of over-stimulating your sensitive skin and cause further problems. Opt for a simple regimen that consists of a mild cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer and a good acne treatment product (if you still experience acne breakouts during this week).

* Keep using the same mild cleansers you used in Week 1 and make sure that you keep your skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day. There is no need to carry out excessive cleansing as this may strip your skin of its natural sebum.

* Exfoliate your skin with exfoliating products that contain skin sloughers like Glycolic acid, Lactic acid or Salicylic Acid. However, if your skin is extremely sensitive, you should avoid using such exfoliating products as they may further sensitize your skin.

TIP: Always remove make-up before going to bed. Sleeping with your make-up on can cause pores to clog and trigger acne breakouts.

Week 3 (Ovulation)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: While your oestrogen levels peak, progesterone surges. These hormonal fluctuations cause oily skin flare-ups and acne breakouts.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Acne blemishes battling treatments and moderate exfoliation.

* Keep skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser, in the morning and in the night. Use an alcohol-free toner to deep-cleanse your pores.

* During other times, cleanse skin by using water only. Water is the natural healer for skin and can calm your skin without stripping your skin of its natural sebum.

* During Week 3 and Week 4, bring oil-blotting pads with you to mop up excess oil for a matte complexion.

* Pamper your skin with products that prevent acne scars and blemishes. They usually contain Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, Chlorhexidine and Tea Tree Oil.

* Use an acne clearing mask this week. For normal skin users, the mask can be used 2 times a week, while sensitive skin users should only use it once a week.

TIP: Resist the urge to squeeze your pimples. Apply a warm washcloth to the pimples for several minutes and follow with an antibacterial Benzoyl-Peroxide or Chlorhexidine product.

Week 4 (The week before your period)

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Your oestrogen plummets while progesterone continues to surge. Your skin is at its oiliest, and painful pimples, bumps or acne cysts flare up.

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Tender, loving care.

* Keep skin clean and fresh by washing your face twice a day with a mild cleanser, in the morning and in the night.

* During other times, cleanse skin by using water only. Water is the natural healer for skin and can calm your skin without stripping your skin of its natural sebum.

* Treat your acne scars and blemishes with spot treatments, in the morning and in the night.

* Declog your pores by using an acne mask at least twice this week. Sensitive skin users should only use an acne mask once a week.

* Look for foundations that contain Salicylic Acid, which will help clear pores. Also make sure that your make-up is labeled non-comedogenic so that it would not clog pores.

* Stay away from any sort of skin trauma this week. No waxing, laser treatments, microdermabrasion and facials. You are bound to experience extra discomfort on the acne affected areas if you do.

TIP: If the acne affected areas show no improvement and seem to be getting worse, you should immediately consult a dermatologist who can prescribe topical acne medication or oral antibiotics.

Ben Ong is a senior product development consultant at Acne Detox Skin Science. Backed by a team of experienced cosmeceutical researchers, Acne Detox Skin Science is a company that specializes in the formulation of acne treatment products that can help to rectify acne, pimples, acne scars, blemishes and blackheads. Please visit their official website for more information and tips on how to combat and treat acne effectively.

During a wedding ceremony, when people are joined together in
matrimony, they swear and vow to honor and respect each other
and to remain partners both during good and bad times.

But in most marriages, this is not always the case.

One out of every two marriages in America is failing
and will explode in divorce.

It takes two people to make a marriage succeed.

Marriages fail because of the differences in the two people
involved, because of conflicts and various problems in life.

Here are some marital insights to help you to cope with a divorce announcement.

No one is perfect, and happiness in life is a matter of learning
from our mistakes.

There is no greater emotional pain that can be inflicted upon a
woman than the announcement by her husband that he wants a
divorce.

Even if both parties have “seen it coming” for some time, and the announcement really comes as no big surprise, the actual
announcement is quite similar to a bomb exploding in your
face.

It can be difficult to finally admit that the person you held hands
with so many years ago, and promised to love - honor - and obey
- to be supportive of, to stand beside in good times and bad -
through sickness and health - for richer or poorer -who no longer wants
you or your love, has turned out not to be an angel as you originally
thought and believed but a monster.

When you first hear the announcement for a divorce from your
spouse, it may sound unreal, and difficult to believe.

You may be thrown into a cyclone of self-denial.

It may take time to sink in your head.

And when it finally sinks inside, you may be overcome with a
feeling of betrayal, then guilt, then hot anger and finally perhaps rage.

You’ve to understand that these feelings are normal and don’t
let them destroy the rest of your life.

It is of the utmost importance that when you face this kind of
heart rendering situation that you find the courage to understand
that you can recover -that you will recover.

It will be hard, but you must immediately and absolutely turn
the page on that chapter of your life.

You must quickly and absolutely sever all ties with that
person - the one that has inflicted this pain upon you.

Get them out of your house. Get rid of all things that remind
you of them. Change your phone number.

If necessary, move into a new home or apartment.

Re-locate to another city.

You must put an immediate end to your
marriage.

Once a man/woman has announced to you that he/she no longer
wants you for a wife/husband, you have to start thinking about
your own survival.

It’s going to be similar to losing a vital part of your body,
but you must let go, and the sooner you do let go - completely
end that chapter of your life - the sooner you’ll be able to set
about rebuilding your life and ultimately finding the happiness
you want.

Between the time that your husband announces the end of the
marriage, and the time when you’ll find new happiness, you’re
going to hurt like you’ve never dreamed possible.

You’re going to go through a number of mental and emotional
phases - all of which are perfectly normal and necessary in order
for you to “heal yourself” of this great hurt.

You’ll never be able to enjoy love or attain true happiness until
you have discharged the past from your system and healed
yourself.

Think of all you’re going through as a wound similar to a gash
on your arm or leg.

It’s going to hurt, and you’re going to bleed, but with the proper
care and time, you will recover.

You must understand that divorce is quite common - you’re not
alone nor going through anything that a lot of other people haven’t
experienced - and that in order to “get well,” you must
understand the nature of the wound, what to do in order to heal
it, and as much about the pre-requisites to total recovery as
possible.

At first, you’ll probably deny that this is happening to you.

You may pretend that it’s just a bad dream or some sort of bad
joke he’s pulling on you.

This type of thinking is normal, but it only prolongs the agony
of your hurt.

You must face the reality of the situation - accept the fact that your marriage is over - and get on with the task of finding happiness
for yourself, immediately.

You’ll probably lay awake in bed at night and review “every
minute” of your marriage - thinking that in this or that
circumstance, you could’ve been a better wife, and from there
beg for another chance.

You’ll want to accept full responsibility - at least a big share of
the guilt - for the problems that caused the break-up of your
marriage.

These thoughts are only natural, but they cannot put your marriage
back together, and any attempts to “try one more time,” at this
stage will only cause you greater pain.

You must accept the fact that your marriage is over, and busy
your mind and yourself, with activities that don’t allow you time
to “rehash” the events of the past. Don’t allow yourself to dwell
upon guilt feelings.

Just because your marriage is over doesn’t mean that your life
is over.

The earth is very big with billions of people and you must
believe that there are many other human beings out there
who will love to become your partner again.

Accept your own short-comings; vow that you will profit from
what you’ve experienced; and then get on with your
life.

You’ll never be comfortable with yourself, nor find real
happiness so long as you’re dragging “guilt feelings” from your
past around with you.

Somewhere along the way, you’ll become so angry with your
ex-husband - the world - and even God, that you’ll be beyond
yourself in your ability to express it all.

If you feel you need it, go for a therapy and counseling.

It will be necessary that you express this anger - to get it all
out of your system -before you’ll be able to “feel good” around
men again.

Anger is the process of projecting onto another person, your own
sense of hurt and frustration.

It’s such a volatile and all-consuming emotion that unless you
give it an outlet, it will literally eat you alive.

Understand your anger, and manage it in a manner that will
benefit you - in such a way that your expression
of it is constructive to your regaining your emotional health.

A few things you might think about doing: write the complete
story of your marriage for your kids,; how you met, your
dreams and hopes, the good and the bad, the sacrifices each of
you made, and how - beyond either of your capabilities to
control - the marriage just came to an end… write in
precise detail exactly what is making you angry, and why.

Put it in letter form to your ex-husband and really tell him
everything that has been, and is bothering you.

Let him know that you are a person with wants and needs too.

Stand in front of a mirror and “rehearse” an angry
confrontation with your ex-husband and/or anyone else involved.

Make an appointment with your priest or minister; or find a
friend who’ll listen as you explain the frustration, hurt and
futility you feel.

Regardless of how you do it, it is an absolute necessity that
you let it all out. This anger and bitterness you feel is like a
poison that you must cleanse from your soul.

The sooner you get rid of it, the sooner you’ll be able to get on
with your life –re-gain your mental health and position yourself for happiness.

Finally, there’ll come a day when you’ll no longer be bothered
by thoughts of your ex-husband.

It won’t even bother you when you see him with another woman,
and that’ll be the day when you’ve finally accepted the fact that
your marriage to him is over.

You will have truly let go of him, and will be ready for a
new try at happiness.

Your progress from being rejected by your husband (or wife)
to acceptance of the fact that you don’t want him (or here)
if he/she doesn’t want you, and positioning you for a second
chance, won’t come easily.

It may take you about two and a half to three years.

You must understand the damage you’ve sustained, the healing
that’s required, and the time it’s going to take to get well.

May these insights into divorce and how to cope with it help
you to re-discover yourself and sustain you for a better future.

Warmly,

I-key Benney

I-key, a Millionaire CEO from New York City is the creator of “Mscsrrr: Millionaire Secret Cash System”, (online commodity trading) program which has helped thousands of ordinary people from all over the world to attain financial security and shining success during the past 2 yrs.

Mscsrrr Millionaire Secret Cash System helps you to generate $1,500+/Week for life, from home or office, part time or full time. No large investment or hassles. Win $1000-$2000 free “cash”…

The thought of what it takes to be a grown-up has been bothering me lately. Does it really have something to do with age or is there really such thing as a standard or requirements in becoming a grown-up.

I have been so much blessed to be surrounded by people who cares for me. By people who are concern about how i can live life in such a way that i won’t have to pass through plenty of hardships or difficulties. By people who will forever watch over me and pick me up each time i fall.

Believe me, a “thank you” aren’t just enough to express how grateful i am to have these people–my family and friends. But sometimes i come to a certain point of wondering have i proven to them that i am a kid no more but instead a grown-up. A lady that can stand on her own feet. A woman who have her own way of pursuing her dreams.

I know that i have gained my parents’ trust. Though there have been times when i did question such. But likewise, through the years i have proven myself wrong ‘coz now i have fully understand why they have done some things that i thought rooted from their not believing in my decisions.

They have been supportive instead in all my undertakings. They are always been the shoulders i run to when i felt i have lost everything else. I now understand that i cannot take away from them their being protective of me. What seems to be causing doubts before is now perfectly fine with me ‘coz these gestures tell me how loved i am.

I have been gifted with friends who do not only accompany me during good times but who are always there when i am at my lowest. I must admit that i am unfair to them. They share to me their laughters including pains. It has always been my pride to be of help to them.

I am being used to hearing stories than my story being heard. I believe that i am a listener more than a speaker. And i like being this way. You might be concluding that i am selfish. But its not the way you think. I can say that i am never fair to some if not all of my friends. But inspite of this, am glad they have stayed with me and appreciate the being me.

Sometimes i think that maybe they have stayed because they see the real me. Its not that i don’t want to open up. It is just i have a hard time uttering the words to express how i feel. id rather forget and i am comfortable that way.

I do want to keep my private life, private. I guess this explains why. There has been times when i was hurt by friends who feel they have to do things for me. Maybe because i was too silent about issues that they felt something has to be done. And might as well take the initiative to do it on my behalf..

Though i admittedly felt bad about it because i feel my privacy was invaded. Still, i appreciated everything they have done. One thing that also haunts me is that probably they think am not a grown-up and therefore i needed someone to protect me.

But please am getting confused. How should i let them know i can do things myself. That i have a mind of my own. And i can stand for whatever i believe is right. Know what sometimes i just want to shout to the whole world that i am no longer the young girl they used to know. But now a lady of principle and faith. A woman with passion for freedom and drive to make life worth living.

All these years, the pain i have gone through without their knowing has made me who i am right now. The experience of going through trials all alone has made me stronger and it allowed me to be independent. It made me realize that there is no other person to heIp you no matter how plenty of friends you’ve got but yourself.

I am now a grown-up..a grown-up…a grown-up and nothing but a grown-up!!!

About the Author: young professional…who loves the written world!!!

Source: www.isnare.com

So many clients who are unattached and yearning ask the old question, “When will I
find love?” It’s actually a good astrological question, and can be seen in Western
astrology by many different patterns. Let’s look at some of them.
Of course, the most obvious item to focus upon is Venus, the planet of love. (For
“progressed”, think secondary or solar arc.)
VENUS
Progressed Venus conjunct Natal Sun (or vice versa, Progressed Sun conjunct Natal
Venus) is usually the best indicator of a year when the universe throws open the
doors and love walks into your life, and when you would draw another to you who
has affectionate feelings for you. This is a time in life when you would not be meant
to be alone. However, the love object may not be a romantic or permanent one. My
case studies reveal that, in one instance, this pattern identified the period that a
child was adopted by a never-married single parent (the child being the true soul
mate ), and in another, the pattern pointed to a love affair that put the final nail in a
disintegrating marriage and set the individual upon an important life path…but did
not result in marriage. In the former situation, the mother also had Progressed
Venus entering H7 (another obvious prognosticator) and conjuncting the Natal Part
of Fortune therein, and in the latter, the relationship could be seen in retrospect as
an important soul agreement though not meant to result in permanence.
Progressed Venus conjunct Progressed Sun (or vice versa, Progressed Sun conjunct
Progressed Venus) is very similar in nature, as would be Progressed Venus conjunct
ruler of H7. In the latter case, the nature of the planet acting as ruler would greatly
influence the type of relationship formed. For example, if Saturn, possibly an older
or serious partner; if Mercury, a younger or friendly type.

Likewise, Progressed
Venus conjunct Sun/ or Moon/Descendant midpoint, Progressed Sun conjunct
Venus/Descendant midpoint, or Progressed Ascendant or Descendant conjunct Sun/
Venus midpoint would also be good indicators of a period in the life-clock during
which a loved one might appear. (My observation is that this quest for love isn’t
really just about romance, because that’s not always lasting. The real issue seems to
be about permanence in love – that is, marriage or a long-lasting relationship – so
I’ll focus upon H7 rather than H5.)

Conversely, Progressed Sun conjunct Venus/Ascendant midpoint might signal a love
relationship (depending on the rulerships of the Sun or Venus), but might just as
easily indicate a period of comfort, self-love and personal beautification.
For those who work with declinations, similar indicators would also been seen by
Sun/Venus, Venus/Ascendant or Venus/MC parallels.

Of course, should any of these delightful aspects occur at a very young age, their
benefits will be pretty much wasted in terms of longterm attachments, but there are
stories of youngsters bonding with a friend or neighbor who later becomes their
true love…or at least their lifelong buddy.

A Venusian progression to itself – that is, Progressed Venus conjunct Natal Venus –
can only occur when the Natal Venus is retrograde at birth, and then turns direct
during the lifetime, or when a Natal (direct) Venus turns retrograde. And since
Venus’ retrograde lasts about 43 days (thus, 43 years by progression), being born
closest to its stationing would best ensure enough time for this return to occur.
Such a period will emphasize the nature of Venus’ natal significance at the same
time that it brings its Venusian qualities to the forefront. If natally well-aspected,
happiness can be brought forward; if afflicted, financial, romantic, or indulgency
problems can be emphasized.

OTHER PATTERNS

But besides these obvious involvements of Venus, there are other conducive
patterns as well. Slightly less obvious are:
Whenever the angles are involved with Venus or H7, there is a good chance of love
appearing in one’s life, such as Progressed Ascendant/Descendant strongly
aspecting Natal or Progressed Venus or ruler of H7, usually a positive signal for
marriage, or Progressed MC strongly aspecting Natal or Progressed Venus or ruler of
H7, another great time for love, even if the aspects are hard (because, after all, how
hard can a Venus aspect be?). In fact, either of these would be wonderful to
schedule a wedding around, as would Progressed ruler of H7 strongly aspecting
Natal or Progressed Venus. Even a less obvious aspect, such as Ruler of H7 in a
feasible aspect to an angle or a love-connected planet, might predispose to a
marriage-type energy.

A Progressed Venus in major aspect to Natal Neptune is frequently found at times of
romantic events such as weddings, but tends to glamorize the emotions and cloud
the reality of the relationship. Such unions will face greater-than-usual trials
regarding the longevity of the marriage, but can certainly survive the progression if
an effort is made after its passage to deal with the less-than-ideal characteristics of
the partner that would then be revealed.
Then there are indicators for relationship that just generally emphasize its potential,
such as Progressed Moon into Libra or H7, or Progressed planets into H7, or even
the Involvement of the Vertex when found in H7. (The Vertex, normally found in
Houses 5-8, by my observation works as a fulcrum around which key events are
shaped; thus, if in H7, key partnerships will be accented when the Vertex is
activated.) If the natal chart has planets in H7, progressions or outer planet transits
to them will certainly accentuate relationships (but such horoscopes will always be
dealing with partners – or consequences of the lack thereof – as that was part of the
life plan). Venus-Moon patterns often result in an individual’s general contentment,
but do not necessarily show romantic involvement; sometimes they signal the birth
of children.

In regards to harmony in a relationship once formed, look to one partner’s
Progressed Venus tracking another’s Progressed Sun, and vice versa, or both
Progressed Venuses tracking each other (a situation not always shown by
conjunctions between comparative Venuses in the natal charts, since this occurrence
will be determined by the age difference between the two individuals as well as their
natal patterns). Of course, the topic of synastry is a separate one, to be applied after
a relationship has been formed in order to analyze the positive and negative
potential between the two horoscopes, and so does not fall into the parameters of
this article.

LESS LIKELY TO BE PERMANENT

Finally, there are patterns that might spark love, but offer the least long-term
assurance of permanence:
Transiting outer planets conjunct Natal or Progressed Venus or ruler of H7 will play
up the qualities of these planets, but can be unpleasant or fleeting just as easily as
the opposite, depending upon the meaning of the transiting planet or the natal
potential of the transited planet. For example, Uranus over Venus might lend an
exciting but impermanent love experience while Saturn could be either restrictive or
serious. Neptune would probably cause delusional fantasies about the partner or
bring a weak or compromised person into one’s life whom one would wish to
rescue. And Pluto, of course, would likely offer a powerfully transformative
experience that could alter one’s approach to sex, love or money forever! Transiting
outer planets into H7, on the other hand, would likely highlight the need to deal
closely with others, but far less likely, the arrival of love.

A FALSE FEAR

Anyone who trusts in the truths of astrology should discard forever the fear that
aging ruins your chances for love. It’s a myth. For example, I had a 70-year-old
female client, an artist, who found a suitor when her Progressed Sun was sextile her
Ascendant while her Progressed Venus was opposite her Moon, and his Progressed
Venus was trine his Neptune, crossing his South Node. (The latter pattern shows a
love-connection from prior lifetimes.) Once meant to occur (by any of these afore-
mentioned patterns), the universe will go to great lengths to put two people
together. People will meet “accidentally” or on distant trips to places they will never
revisit, or will be introduced by a third party who will never again appear in either of
their lives. Coincidence or synchronicity will abound, and the non-astrologer will
remain amazed by such “luck,” whereas the astrologer will nod knowingly as the
Divine Plan is revealed through cosmic mathematics.

When one of these patterns kicks into your chart, you’ll watch the door of love open
wide in your heart. But it will be up to you to keep its flame kindled thereafter.
One caveat, though: as I said before, Venus symbolizes love, not necessarily
between two romantic partners. I have several examples in my files in which one of
these patterns brought a soul-mate into the life in the form of a beloved child.
Venus can also symbolize pleasure and financial wellbeing. The right match can
even bring pleasant financial conditions along with love (such as marrying well), if
the horoscope predisposes. But if the natal chart doesn’t do so, then positive
Venusian aspects will bring other types of love (such as the above-mentioned
never-married adopter whose difficult Natal Sagittarius Sun/Moon/Saturn t-square
precluded marital possibilities in the incarnation).

CASE STUDIES

Some case studies of Venusian patterns revealing strong love-based events in my
files are as follows:
Forty-six-year-old widow meets second spouse – Progressed Sun semi-sextile
progressed Venus, and Progressed Moon into H7.
Seventy-year-old-female is courted – Progressed Sun sextile Ascendant, and
Progressed Venus opposite Moon.
Divorced female meets second spouse – He: Progressed Venus conjunct Sun; Her:
Transiting Uranus conjunct Venus, and Progressed Moon in Libra. Life-changing
affair for female: Progressed Venus conjunct Sun.
First marriage for young eligible bachelor – Progressed Venus sextile Ascendant,
and sextile Node; Progressed Moon into H7.

(This article originally published in the February 2004 issue of Dell Horoscope
magazine. Reprinted with permission.)

Judi Thomases, http://www.WisdomPath.com, member of the AFA and the National Council
for Geocosmic Research, is an astrologer and spiritual consultant based in Rockland
County, New York. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Douglass College, founder of a
women’s spiritual network for meditation, teaching, and personal development, and
director of an interdisciplinary self-development center, she is a regular contributor
to Dell Horoscope magazine, and writes monthly columns of The Brotherhoods’
teachings. She has studied, counseled in, and written about metaphysics, astrology,
and intuitive sciences for three decades. In 1997, Judi began to “hear” the voice of
her spirit guides, who told her to expect a flow of teachings that she could use to
help and heal others. These guides, the Brotherhood of Light Workers, transmitted
“Wisdom’s Game” to her. http://www.WisdomsGame.com