What Will Happen To Me When And After I Die? Part Three

In parts 1 and 2 we have discussed the moment when you have just passed over to ‘the other side.’ We have mentioned your immediate sensations and feelings along with your sudden awareness that, if all goes well with you, all that you ‘believed’ before about ‘life after death’ and the ‘afterlife’ has now passed with your mortal shell. You did not change into an orb, pyramid or flickering flame of light. You did not grow wings and change into an angel. You did not become a shard of an enormous crystal and you did not become part of a giant tapestry. Instead, you became and remained as YOU are, as you were, in every detail. For example, if you were bald here then, bald you will remain. If you are overweight here then, overweight you will remain. If you were just over one meter tall here then, one meter is what you will remain. Whatever and whoever you were before your passing is how we ALL remain after death.

Frequency

However, as we have discussed, what *does* change are all your physical disabilities and pains. If you were confined to a wheel chair before your death then, with a little nudge from your friends, you will finally leave that chair. If you were blind, deaf or dumb before your death then, all these faculties are immediately returned to you. If there were any limbs missing then these are also immediately replaced. In fact, so quick are these replacements that it takes a good few minutes before you even realise it. On top of all this, any heartache or ingrained pain that you learned to live with here is something else that you are released from. So, not only do you receive all the feelings and sensations that I mentioned before but that, because you too are a Sovereign Entity in your own right, you are made whole once more. All that has gone now. We don’t need it anymore.

Oh, and one other thing, although it is so commonly ‘believed’ yet, we do not suddenly fly up to some imaginary place above us to some distant heaven and leave Earth ‘behind’ us. This has always been misinterpreted. What *actually* occurs is that, far from going ‘up’ and ‘out’ you, in fact, don’t ‘move’ away at all. When you come to realise your own heaven, you will find that it is really only a few steps away from where you are now. When we speak of heaven or, The Astral Plains, what we are really talking about are varying frequencies of being. All that has happened to you, as you will see, is that, without your conscious knowledge, you have changed frequencies as painless and as carefree as we change frequencies on a TV, CB or radio. (For computer buffs, all we do is change our IP address Ok?).

Your Funeral

And so, whilst all this is going on and, whilst you make the adjustments to your new sense of being – or rather, remember the *proper* one – because we have all done this a million times over and more before this life – your own funeral is approaching…

You can not only feel it but can also see all the plans being made for the burial of your body. Whilst this is taking place, what also becomes apparent is that, besides seeing and actually being present by the sides of all those who knew you, two other things become possible.

One: You can feel and see almost every thought concerning you. This is made apparent through all the auras and ‘central being’ of all those present. As if that wasn’t enough yet, added to this is that you can actually feel these thoughts as well. And so, it goes without saying that, what you are ‘hearing’ from this perspective is absolutely the truth in every detail. There is no mistaking or misinterpreting any of it.

Two: The very moment that anyone around you even thinks of you, (and it doesn’t matter which way they do) you can follow that thought and be with him or her instantly to hear the rest of that thought. And so, by the time that you and they have reached your funeral, you know *exactly* how everyone *really* thinks about you deep down and, believe me, when this happens, you’re in for a few surprises.

The Truth

It is at this time that you, only then, come to realise the full import of your personality, your character and your influence upon everyone you have known. You come to learn this in its fullest and brightest light – a light that also leaves absolutely no room at all for mistakes. What you will hear, sense and feel throughout this time and the times to come, will *always* be just as open, just as truthful. On our astral plains, our spirit world and worlds beyond, lies and self-deception never play another part in your growth. It is pointless and serves no purpose what-so-ever – but then, by then, you wont need to be told this. You will be too busy living it yourself.

The surprises to come in all our cases, *may* go something like this:

1/ The person you thought was your best friend is actually and secretly your worst.

2/ The person you loathed proves to have loved you more than anybody.

3/ Your spouse was in love with someone else but ‘put up’ with you. (or)

4/ The spouse you ‘believed’ didn’t love you at all actually loved you with all his/her soul.

5/ Your children thought you were a proper nightmare but didn’t know you anyway.

6/ Your friends down the pub thought you were very amusing but actually believe you to be a prig.

7/ The ‘idiot’ at work actually admired you above all else and honoured your every word.

8/ Whatever you thought about yourself yet you were just about the worst lover going – or that, whatever you ‘thought’ about yourself, you were the best.

9/ Your grandchildren couldn’t separate you from ‘The Simpsons’.

10/ Everyone argues over what you left behind but the right person doesn’t actually get it.

11/ The friends you thought were gone forever all turn up and truly regret not having spent more time with you – or, don’t turn up at all because they’re too ‘busy’ and couldn’t give a damn anyway.

12/ Your pet feared the daylights out of you or, will die with you.

13/ Although many will have a good chuckle at the things you did but will secretly despise you and are only there to make up the numbers.

14/ Everyone will buy flowers but only a few will actually mean it.

15/ Some will be heavy hearted because they really and truly miss you – including your grocer.

16/ Some will feel a great sense of relief that you’re now right out of their picture and couldn’t feel better.

17/ Your neighbour down the road will remember the one good turn that you did for them about 20 years ago and will still be feeling grateful to you.

18/ Some will think you to be the most selfish git to have walked the planet.

19/ A few will believe you to be a saint.

20/ A lot of people will say that they ‘hardly knew you’ but that you have their ‘regrets’ anyway – which means that ‘tradition’ told them to say this but they rarely mean a word of it. (Some do though).

21/ A few miles away, someone you knew is having real difficulty with your passing – someone who loved you so much but never told you. He or she is not sleeping at all well – and you can feel this too.

22/ Whilst people are talking about you, amongst all of this, you will feel a great sense of plenty of unfinished business with just about all of them – and yes, even your enemies.

You didn’t mean this to happen. You didn’t mean to say it that way. You meant to love more, be involved more, and be a part of their lives more. But you weren’t – you didn’t – and that’s that.

Oh dear me, this particular time in our transition can be very hard indeed – and it’s coming to all of us. So, it’s not so much ‘death’ that is the concern here but what we leave behind us that is.

So, the funeral is here at last and soon, you can get your sweet butt out of there and begin your own process of making some kind of sense out of this, your last incarnation. Your mind will be running around with all kinds of things to think about but, because everyone else has turned up, you feel that you must too. And so, you do.

By the time that they trundle your cast off down the church aisle, you are already filled with all kinds of information about your last life. But, suddenly, all of this doesn’t seem to matter now. You know you’re going to sort this out later. And so, for the moment, you push it all aside and, in many cases, follow your own coffin towards the plinth. It is as you walk down that aisle that you also become acutely aware of the *general* feeling in the room and of the *general* feeling about you. You, at this time, are the very centre of all the attention. And so, as all thoughts are directed towards you, from this, you may then gain the overall and final picture of how things *really* were between you and ‘them’. In all but a very few cases, by this time and, regardless of personal differences or whatever, there is a general sense that you will be missed after all.

You see, a peculiar thing happens at funerals.

When we attend funerals, we are all confronted with the unthinkable – namely, mortality. We are confronted, in no uncertain terms, that none of us are here forever and so, to a much greater power, we all bow to the might of death. And, what a feeling that is. Suddenly, regardless of any kind of differences, character flaws or whatever all now seem so superficial and even childish. What most of us do instead is become extremely introvert and concentrate on one thing only – to bury whomever it is we have come to see off. We have a great desire to do it as best we can but, whilst we’re all doing this, we don’t know why we do.

I will tell you.

Although on the surface we may feel glad, sad or indifferent to this passing yet, without fail, right in the very deepest heart of us, we have a knowledge that very few bring to the surface in that, with all said and done, we really do belong to each other. Like an enormous family, we realise that we really are attached to one another in some very deep and holy way. As we are setting this person on his or her way and are making our final goodbyes, deep within us begins a resonance of this knowledge and, as one body, one mind, one heart and one soul, we salute the life that has just ended on this plain of existence and we do it with respect and common acknowledgement. Consciously or unconsciously, we all honour the life just passed and bow to the greater power that exists within and outside of us all.

Meantime, although you yourself will feel, in a very real way, this same sensation yet, on the face of it, you, like everyone else, are waiting to hear what some may say at this, you final material event. Most of the time, this can be very entertaining because, most of the time, most people make you what you know is an exaggeration of the good parts and a profound playing down of the ‘not so good’. But, so what. It’s fun. You’re enjoying this.

At the wake or after funeral get-together, you’re there still, mingling with this person and the other, to feel, hear and see what you really meant to them all. You have an over-whelming desire to hear every little remark – not from naive or false egotism – but from a deep need to learn all you can about yourself to either enhance or play down at some future date. You see, whether you are aware of it or not yet, at the back of your mind still is a huge sense of the ‘All That Is’ and, for that, you feel a deep need to improve, grow and expand. And so, you wont even attempt this without knowing the truth – your foundation to future growth.

Finally, when the day is over and you’ve got all you need, quietly and, without any further fuss, you make your exit and leave them to it.

Usually, there is somebody there to guide you away and that; often this may be a family member. But, again, whether you are aware of it or not and, whether your family members are there or not yet, at your side, the whole time, is your most loving Guide. If you knew of your Guide then that person will have made him/herself known a lot earlier than this. But, if you don’t ‘believe’ in Guides – haven’t heard of them or couldn’t give two hoots well, this person will make themselves known a little later when you have finally acclimated to your new life. But, they are there *anyway* and are always there regardless of whatever our ‘beliefs’ may ever say – and yes, even if you ‘believe’ them to be ‘evil’, don’t exist or are not necessary. They are.

Then, when you decide to leave, that is the moment that your life truly begins and that, for you and, for the moment, death wont have any meaning to you at all. From then and for always, only life will exist forevermore. And, when you realise that all of it, every little, tiny, single moment of it, was WELL worth it…

…*That’s when the fun truly begins and where the love of all loves, reigns you in and welcomes you home!

Let me teach you what I know so that you too may learn that every single word I have said here is absolutely true and that, for you, you wont have to ‘believe’ anymore but will KNOW.

I Thank You For Your Time

Bob Daulby

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bob Daulby is a world renowned, global expert on matters of life after death, the greater life and Our Worlds Beyond. He has contacted and communicated with all kinds of entities from the spirit world, otherworldly beings as well as inter-dimensional entities and different time-lines. He can teach you to do the same in a very safe, sure and positive manner at: http://www.ourworldsbeyond.com/ so that everyone may glean limitless knowledge, love and understanding as well as adventures beyond dreams. Please visit
http://www.ourworldsbeyond.com/ and this gift too can be yours.

Tighter Abs – The Simple and Forgotten Stomach Vacuum!

I’m talking about the Transverse Abdominal Muscle. This is part of your midsection that runs horizontally across the abdominal wall underneath your internal and external oblique muscles. The TVS (Transverse Abdominis) muscle is responsible for pulling the abdominal wall inward and therefore forcing expiration.

The next important part of the Transverse Abdominal muscle is that it acts as a personal weight belt to stabilize your spine and pelvis region. The stronger your TV muscles are puts you at a much smaller risk of having lower back pain and will help you on heavy lifts such as squats.

Why else should I strengthen my Transverse Abdominis muscle?

Well, for the point of this article, Tighter Abs! When this muscle is stronger it holds everything else in. This can easily trim 2-4 inches off of your waistline in a matter of only 2-3 weeks.

How to train this muscle

The main exercise you must learn is called the Stomach Vacuum. To perform this you actually pull your belly button up and in toward your spine as far as you can go. While doing this don’t forget to breathe. This exercise can be done standing, laying on your back, laying on your stomach, seated or kneeling position.

Variations and Workouts

The basic workout calls for 3 sets holding in the full stomach vacuum for 20 seconds each set. Increase this up to 60 seconds as it strengthens.

The passive workout calls for tying a string around the midsection (right around the belly button) in a tighter almost full stomach vacuum position. You can leave this on anywhere from 10 minutes to all day. It serves as a constant reminder every time it tightens that you need to pull it back in.

Conclusion

Now that you know what to do there are no more excuses for the distended belly, you can do these exercises during work or sitting at a computer! Stay motivated and best of luck!

Brought to you by Patrick Flaven owner of TopBodybuilder.com

http://www.TopBodybuilder.com – Web Guide for Bodybuilders and serious minded athletes.

Links for Debt Advice

Links for debt advice

The New Year is nearly here and it got me thinking about the likely increase in numbers of regular folk needing help with personal finance issues. I’m thinking debt advice and debt help services here in particular . . . I imagine that many consumers will have over spent in the Christmas period and that a few will wake up with a bit of a financial hangover.

I put together a quick list of useful debt advice resources where where you will be able to find lots of useful debt advice on personal debt and debt management issues. Please note that I’m not endorsing any of these debt advice resources . . . they’re just a list of useful websites I found when researching debt advice myself.

The sites are a mix of commercial, not-for profit and informational resources offering a wide range of help and debt advice with debt management, including debt management plans, free debt management plans and general personal finance advice.

As ever, I’d suggest you use your own judgement when using this debt advice resource list:

PS: from what I understand, the majority of debt advice comes for free from charities & Government bodies. It also appears that a number of debt advice companies will also offer free debt advice in the first instance . . . after that, their advice comes as part of a fee charging service:

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/debt.htm
www.cccs.co.uk
www.debtadvicetrust.org
www.communitymoneyadvice.com
www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk
www.debtadvisersdirect.co.uk/debt-advice/debt-advice.asp
www.gregorypennington.com/debt-help.asp

Net Working for Community Fund Raising Events

Have you ever been to a community fund raising event and were under whelmed by the number of people that showed up and you consider that perhaps people don’t care? I think people do care, however they need to be invited to these events and that means you need to do a little extra networking to get them there.

Net working for community fund raising event is not so difficult and if you have a committee with 10 people and want to organize a community fundraising event you may find that you can need to use your networking skills from the group to reach out and touch other people who indeed will reach out and touch others on top of that.

If your community fund raising event also has a silent auction and other types of things you can get people to donate their items for the silent auction and then give them a free ticket to the event. Once they are there are you might be able to sell the other things and get them to participate in the silent auction and perhaps buy something.

So what you have is someone who did donated a gift or a prize to be auctioned off who also brings their money to buy someone else’s gift that cost you nothing to get. All this can be done through networking in your community.

Consider if you will all the neighborhood watch groups, the service clubs, the chamber of commerce, the PTA, and all the clubs in your community. Invite them all and have them invite all their friends to. Please consider this in 2006 and vote for Lance.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Lance Winslow - EzineArticles Expert Author
Reconciling Biblical Numbers: Three Million at Sinai is making a Mountain out of a Molehill

Reconciling Biblical Numbers: Three Million at Sinai is making a Mountain out of a Molehill

Imagine a historian 500 years from now constructs the following proof. “The culture of 1960’s widely accepted homosexual activities. Evidence can be found in the theme song of a popular cartoon of the era, ‘The Flintstones’. This is a cartoon involving the implied homosexual activities between the two male lead characters Barney and Fred with no visible objections of their wives which they mutually took for procreation. The theme song ends: ‘we’ll have a yabadoo time… we’ll have a gay old time.’[1] Clearly, this open admission was made in front of millions of watching viewers and there is no archeological record of a single objection to their categorization as being gay.” Do you accept this method of proof to be valid?

The answer to the quandary is obvious to most in our generation: the dictionary changed. Beware of the word ‘obvious’ because it paints with a very broad stroke. Try asking some children what the word ‘gay’ means. However, provided a dictionary from the 60’s and a later (revised) dictionary survives to reach the time of future historian, someone will be able to correct his/her faulty logic. Think though, what if the dictionary did not survive?

Take for example, this ’simple’ statement from the Torah: “And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children.” (Exodus 12:37)[2] This is an account of how many Israelites left Egypt and then went on to witness the revelation of God at Sinai. The Torah appears to go out of its way to repeat this figure again in Numbers 1:46 just for emphasis: “even all those that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.”[3] So now we see two places where the Torah states that there were 600 thousand men of military age leaving Egypt.

If you can now quickly accept the fact that the Torah says that there were 600 thousand military age men that left Egypt, I accuse you of swallowing your theology without chewing first. 600 thousand military aged men generally implies a total population of three million.

* For comparison: “In the 1967 war in which Israel defeated the combined forces of its Arab invaders, Israel’s population of 2 million provided only 264,000 soldiers.” [4] So a modern day army capable of defeating 3 nations simultaneously is of size 264,000.

* “Alexander, who controlled Greece, Macedonia, Thrace (Southern Yugoslavia), and a little bit of Western Anatolia, was able to raise between 90,000 and 100,000 troops total, with about half remaining in Macedonia when he invaded the Persian Empire.” [5]

* Hannibal of Carthage took 20,000 soldiers and besieged Rome for several years causing 50,000 Roman casualties before his defeat in 203 B.C. [6]

* “It is estimated that the whole population of Egypt at the time of the exodus was between 2 and 5 million. According to the above estimates of the population of Israel, the people of Israel would be the population of Egypt.” [7]

* “Archaeologists have shown that the land of Canaan was never invaded by 3 million Israelites after the exodus from Egypt. At this time in history, the land only had a population of between 50,000 to 100,000 (at most), and there never was a massive population increase in this time period.” [8]

* “There are thought to have been 20,000 in the entire Egyptian army at the height of Egypt’s empire.” [9]

* The ability to supply an army with food and provisions was a limiting factor to the size of ancient armies. “The figure of 80,000 seems to be a sort of natural limit to the size of these ancient armies.” [10] The credulous may be able to slip out of supply problems for the ancient Israelites by invoking ‘manna from heaven’. However, it’s for certain that God did not provide for their enemies. Thus, the limiting size of an opponent would appear to be around 80,000. The Torah claims that the Israelites had 600,000 military aged men. Thus, they could easily defeat any army they came across without the fear described in the Torah. Deuteronomy 7:17,18 “If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I how can I dispossess them?’ Thou shalt not be afraid of them thou shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt.” [11] There were no larger nations than 600,000 military men, and thus why would the Israelites be afraid of any of them?

* “The population of ancient Israel was probably about 300,000 at its maximum in the time of David.” [12]

* Assume for a moment that the population involved in the Exodus actually was 3 million. Then consider the verse Deuteronomy 7:1 where the Israelites “… cast out … seven nations greater and mightier than [themselves]“. [13] That would mean that there were 7 greater nations in ancient Israel before the conquest, making the population at least 21 million (7 x 3 million)! There is absolutely no archaeological proof for this. Further, archaeology bounds the population to 300,000 at the height of the Davidic rule. Moreover, the current population of modern Israel (in 2006) is 6 million.

* The ancient Israelites sojourned at Kadesh-Barnea for approximately 38 years. 3 million would have left some manner of record there. However, “Not even a shard from the Bronze Age has been found (Finkelstein and Silberman 2001, p. 63), despite thorough excavation of the site and surveys of the surrounding area.” [14] Some have argued that it wasn’t the business of the ancient Israelites to leave relics for archaeologists to discover. Archaeolgists retort that modern archaeology is “quite capable of tracing even the very meager remains of hunter-gatherers and pastoral nomads all over the world” (Finkelstein and Silberman 2001, p. 63). [15]

* These points are a good starting point for problems with the 600 thousand figure. Consult the footnotes for more. So we see that the number 600 thousand is a historically impossible number. With that many military age men, there is no need for any miracles in warfare: Israel would conquer the entire Middle East and likely the rest of the world shortly thereafter.

How then do we reconcile the Torah’s twice repeated 600 thousand figure with the contradictions with history this causes? Recall our flawed Flintstone proof. The problem was with the dictionary we were consulting. In this case, the problem occurs with the translation of the Hebrew ‘eleph’. “The issue of Exodus 12:37 is an interpretive one. The Hebrew word ‘eleph’ can be translated ‘thousand,’ but it is also rendered in the Bible as ‘clans’ and ‘military units.’” [16] Consider the following Torah quotes. Where the Hebrew word ‘ELEPH’ is used, I will CAPITALIZE the translation.

* “And he said unto him: ‘Oh, my lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my FAMILY is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.’” Judges 6:15 [17]

* “and he shall be as a CHIEF in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.” Zechariah 9:7 [18]

* “And the CHIEFS of Judah shall…” “In that day will I make the CHIEFS of Judah like a pan of fire among the wood…” Zecharaiah 12:5,6 [19]

* “Similarly, in the assault [by Joshua] on Ai (Joshua 7-8) the true proportions of the narrative become clear when we realize that the disastrous loss of 36 men is matched by the setting of an ambush, not of 30,000 [ELEPH] men of valour, but of 30.” [20] Other quotes where you get different meanings depending on which translation you use are:

* 1 Samuel 10:19, 23:23

* Micah 5:1 (It should be noted that even fluent Hebrew speakers can be victims of the translations they use: They can be using a modern interpretation of ‘eleph’ [thousand] erroneously.)

Further, there is a possible confusion between the word ‘alluph’ (chief) and ‘eleph’ which look identical in Hebrew without vowels. [21] This is a little tricky to follow without an example. Take the words ‘ant’ and ‘not’. If you remove the vowels from both you get ‘nt’ and ‘nt’. In ancient Hebrew notation (as in other semitic languages) the vowels were omitted. I cn qckly prv tht th hmn mnd s cpbl f rdng ths. [22] Thus, “‘Alluph’ is used for the ‘chieftains’ of Edom (Genesis 36:15-43) probably for a commander of a military ‘thousand’ and almost certainly for the professional, fully-armed soldier.” [23] What should become apparent is that there are other interpretations and meanings for the Hebrew word ‘eleph’. See footnote [24] for a description of the etymology of ‘eleph’. So far we’ve seen ‘eleph’ mean ‘family’, ‘clan’, ‘chief’ and ‘armed man’.

An academic caveat, we must beware of denying biblical numbers outright. While we are forced to question them in the case of the 600 thousand figure due to archaeological evidence, there is likewise archaeological evidence that certain numbers from the Bible do match with current records. “For bible numbers: The size of the Assyrian army approximates the number of troops stated in 2.Kings.” [25] It is important that we do not apply our logic in an all or nothing manner, denying the veracity of all bible numbers.

How then do we reconcile the fact that the Torah twice repeats this 600 thousand figure? Recall that in Numbers 1:46 [26] we have a repetition of the 600 thousand figure, with a further refinement to 603,550 suggesting the Torah means thousands here, not anything else. John Wenham offers the following explanation of the census figures using the tribe of Simeon as an example: “Simeon: 57 armed men [chiefs, eleph] 23 ‘hundreds’ (military units). This came to be written: 57 ‘lp 2′lp 3 ‘hundreds’. Not realising that ‘lp in one case meant ‘armed man’ and in the other ‘thousand’, this was tidied up to read 59,300. When these figures are carefully decoded, a remarkably clear picture of the whole military organization emerges. The total fighting force [of the Exodus Israelites] is some 18,000 which would probably mean a figure of about 72,000 for the whole migration”. [27]

So what are the consequences of adopting a translation of ‘eleph’ that would lead the Exodus numbers to be in the 10’s of thousands? First we harmonize the Torah account with the account of archaeology. In so doing, we have a much more tenable historical account which reconciles with the world of science.

However, in so doing, we may unseat a famous theological proof known as the Kuzari proof which holds that 3 million witnesses witnessed the Sinai revelation and hence this public revelation could not have been faked. I imagine that Kuzari adherents will be equally impressed with 10’s of thousands of witnesses as they were with millions, so secular Jews needn’t be interested in this obstacle. The Kuzari proof was broken long before archaeology was invented and for many other reasons beyond the numbers. A further discussion of the flaws of the Kuzari proof can be found here: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=98052

In summation we must reconcile the Torah history with archaeology. “Later rabbis such as Maimonides taught that when scientific evidence contradicts a current understanding of the Bible, that means that we are obligated to reinterpret that verse in accord with science. For many traditional rabbis, such a position was not heresy.” [28] In a more global sense, we are obligated to teach our children theologies which reconcile with observable phenomenon.

“Every time we let ourselves believe for unworthy reasons, we weaken our powers of self-control, of doubting, of judicially and fairly weighing evidence. We all suffer severely enough from the maintenance and support of false beliefs and the fatally wrong actions which they lead to…. But a greater and wider evil arises when the credulous character is maintained and supported, when a habit of believing for unworthy reasons is fostered and made permanent.” — W. K. Clifford [29]

—————————————————————– ————— [1] http://www.cfhf.net/lyrics/flintstones.htm [2] http://mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0212.htm [3] http://mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0401.htm [4] http://www.infidels.org/library/magazines/tsr/1995/1/1num95.html

[5] ibid [6] http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/biographies/hannibal/

[7] http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/17_theexodus.html [8] http://www.encyclopedian.com/ex/Exodus.html [9] ibid

[10] http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=78&keyword_id=8&title= Army [11] http://www.mechon-mamre.org/e/et/et0507.htm

[12] http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/judaism/ancisr.html

[13] http://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0507.htm [14] http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/otarch2.html#sinai [15] http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/otarch2.html#sinai [16] Hebrew University professor Abraham Malamat as quoted in http://www.encyclopedian.com/ex/Exodus.html [17] http://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0706.htm [18] http://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2309.htm [19] http://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt2312.htm [20] John Wenham quoted in http://www.specialtyinterests.net/hebrew_numbers.html

[21] http://www.specialtyinterests.net/hebrew_numbers.html

[22] http://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/~mattd/Cmabrigde/ [23] ibid [24] http://www.specialtyinterests.net/im/hebrew_lexicon.html#aleph

[25] http://www.specialtyinterests.net/hebrew_numbers.html

[26] http://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0401.htm [27] John Wenham quoted in http://www.specialtyinterests.net/hebrew_numbers.html [28] http://www.encyclopedian.com/ex/Exodus.html [29] http://www.religioustolerance.org/kaiser_01.htm

The First Search Engine Marketing Method: Content That Meets Customers’ Needs

For your business web site, good search engine rankings and high user traffic depend on relevant content. More user traffic will mean more sales leads and then more sales. Beyond any technical tricks, content that meets the users’ need for three types of information is the best guarantee that search engines and users will find your site. The Google and Yahoo page rankings favor sites that have articles of about 1000 words and that use keywords relevant to the user’s search.

Once they find your site with a search engine, web users spend more time on sites where their needs are met. To understand why users come back to content rich sites, lets look at the ways that a successful website, like DVInfo, fills the three most important information needs of the website user.

The DVInfo.net online community boasts over thirteen thousand members and a quarter million posts. What makes users of DVInfo Community come back to the site on a regular basis? The users come back for relevant content that meets their needs.

Here everyone from Hollywood cameramen to new DV camera owners in Alaska meet to discuss digital video. Online communities can build powerful loyalty in users. Some unpaid users at DVInfo.net are posting their stories and answering other forum user’s questions nearly every day. What would happen to your sales if users were so loyal to your brand and your web site that they showed up every day to read new content?

At the Digital Video website (DVInfo.net), the presence of experienced video creators who can offer detailed explanations gives the site credibility. In this forum a rookie video camera user can learn from an experienced Director of Photography like Charles Papert, who has worked on TV shows like “The West Wing” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. Because of its highly relevant content and numerous links from other Digital Video content sites, the DVInfo.net site has a Google page rank of 6 out of 10.

For your business web site, the presence of reliable, helpful content builds the user’s confidence that they can trust your business. Reliable content and links from other relevant content sites also build the page rank of your business web site.

Now let’s look at what this means to a business web site that also wants to build more user traffic. Users have three major tasks they perform when using a content rich site like DVInfo.net Community or your business website.

Customer Need 1: Learn Enough About the Topic to Identify Needs

How does a new video camera user approach the DV INFO web site? A beginning video camera user may not even realize that the video he shoots can be edited to remove bad video shots, or tell a story. The new video camera user reads about the way more experienced users shoot video and edit video. Gradually he realizes that he can do more than just shoot home movies. He begins to want a PC that can edit his video. He learns because the web site community has rich content.

At first, your business web site customer may not even know he has a need for your service, or may not understand that need. Your website content should first focus on helping people understand their need without pushing a particular product at this point.

Customer Need 2: Learn About Alternative Solutions

Next, the DV INFO user studies the different ways to edit video. Should he get a PC or a Mac? He learns about video edit software by reading about other users and their experience with different brands of edit software.

During this middle stage, web site customers look for possible solutions and then narrow these down to make a decision. Website users need both rational and emotional reasons to make their decision, but content at this stage generally shows the benefits of a solution or compares it to other solutions. Many websites focus on the rational, technical description of a solution, although a study of Amazon.com’s product reviews found that the more subjective product reviews were as helpful to customers as the more objective reviews. This testimonial-style content helps alleviate fear and lets customers learn from other peoples’ experience with your product.

Commercial web sites, like Amazon.com, have User Reviews to allow purchasers to see how others liked a certain book. This reduces the customer’s fear of the unknown. The buyer at Amazon.com feels more confident buying a book about cave exploring, by Michael Ray Taylor, if 30 other users also liked the book. Good reviews or testimonials on a business web site overcome the buyer’s fear of the unknown.

Customer Need 3: Choose the Best Solution and Feel Comfortable

The DV INFO user settles on 1 or 2 video edit solutions and needs to learn more. If other users write about good experiences with the same hardware and software choice, the aspiring video editor starts to feel more comfortable. Especially if the cost is great, the good experiences of others reduce the user’s fear about making the wrong choice.

Finally, your business website customer chooses a solution, by purchasing a product, or choosing a service. Content at this stage helps people learn about their chosen solution and adapt to working with it. Technical support or sharing experiences and advice with other people who have also chosen this solution can help the customer use the product successfully. Good content at this stage strengthens the relationship with customers. This stage is ongoing and sometimes leads to more questions. This may mean additional sales for your web site.

This understanding of content could be the guiding force in creating different parts of your web site. Your website selling business services could have a web page that educates clients about the different problems that they may have in their business. Your second web page could offer several possible solutions to these problems. Finally, you could build consumer confidence in your services by showing user testimonials or case studies.

By writing your website content from these three client viewpoints your web site meets the three most crucial information needs of clients. This is the first step to earning good Search Engine rankings for relevant content.

Ed Hill does Search Engine Marketing and website promotion using PR methods. He works mainly with businesses, PR firms and web design firms.
Learn how search engine marketing can drive more traffic to your business website: http://www.edhillpr.com/

A NEW LOOK AT AN OLD RULE

The pre-teen “cleaned up” real nice and looked good in his new haircut. In fact, I was plum proud of my work. But, he was totally under-whelmed. In an attempt to get a smile, I said, “You really don’t need to be quite so excited about this haircut.” His mom laughed, but he didn’t.

After they left, another customer commented to the effect that the boy would likely have been happier about his haircut had it been his idea. “Probably so, I replied, “But apparently that was the golden rule in action. Mom had the gold. So she made the rule.”

After we enjoyed a laugh, I began to think more seriously regarding the real meaning of the golden rule. No question, in dealing with others, its value is as gold. Yet, few seem to really understand it, and even fewer apply it.

However, both the religious and non-religious have heard it: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Actually it’s a paraphrase of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:12. But, religious considerations aside for the present, what do the words mean?

For certain, the principle involves something better than returning meanness for meanness, rudeness for rudeness or injury for injury. Yet, we somehow feel justified in personal or business relationships when we mistreat those who have mistreated us. In response to such, we might simply ask, “How’s that working for you?”

Your response might be, “It sure doesn’t work as well as when I am nice to others.” Indeed! Yet, in light of such we sometimes misconstrue the rule to mean that we should simply repay kindness with kindness. And, that’s certainly an improvement over rude for rude. However, it doesn’t require much of us. Most can be nice to those who are nice to them.

“Well,” one says, “I think I apply the golden rule by being a completely harmless person. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.” That’s great! The world certainly has room for a lot more harmless folks.

But, the golden rule is pro-active. It’s not what we don’t do. It’s what we do. And what we do, if we apply the rule, is treat others as we would like to be treated – without regard for what another has done to us or for us, and without regard for future repayment.

Tough to apply? You bet! In fact, oftentimes my failure in applying the rule disappoints me. But, we must keep trying, because the benefits are well worth the effort. Though it’s a rare person who truly understands the rule and consistently applies it in every relationship, that individual is generally rich in friendships, family and business relationships, good health and happiness.

BARBER-OSOPHY: Enrich your life with the golden rule.

Copyright 2004, Sumerlin Enterprises.

Permission is granted for you to copy this article for distribution as long as the above copyright and contact information is included. Please reference or include a link to www.barber-osophy.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry L. Sumerlin, known as the Barber-osopher, is the author of “Barber-osophy,” is a columnist for the San Antonio Business Journal and speaks nationally as a humorist/motivational speaker.

Winter Holidays for the Carbon Conscious Traveler

Hundreds of keen snowboarders will shortly be finding their ski gear and dashing forth in search of the greatest snow.

And undoubtedly the results of your carbon footprint will be nearly as far down the list of vacation essentials as a turkey sandwich after Christmas.

But last Christmas, a tardy snowfall was in the headlines and tourists panicked about the smattering of snow dissolving nearly as soon as they put down.

Skiing business Chalet1802, based at the foot of Mont Blanc in Chamonix Haute Savoie in the Alps, is one of the only autonomous firms to go carbon neutral and offer skiers an environmentally friendly selection while booking their skiing trip.

Chalet1802 proprietor Owen said: Last year was a bit of a shock with the warmest winter in fifty five yrs in Europe. Ski skiing areas for example Avoriaz, Espace Killy and Les Contamines-Montjoie lacked clients.It was balmy and the snowfall did not settle so a lot of the early season ski season in the Alps was limited. We decided to become carbon negative to assist in the preservation the skiing resort.

Owen said: We’re not trying to dictate to punters but we consider it is crucial to give the clients the choice without augmenting the cost of the vacation. When the guest book with us and goes to our Chamonix chalet they can further off set their carbon output and we take in the other prices. Of course we still have a sauna and a hot tub – clients want luxuriousness but not at the expense of the alps mountains, so we viewed methods of reducing the affect of a guest flying over here for a skiing holiday.”

The business have also joined with organisation Climate Care, which attacks global warming by making C02 deductions on behalf of people and businesses.

For further info on luxury chalets and carbon neutral ski vacations offered by Chalet1802 visit www.chalet1802.co.uk.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rates on the Internet

Are you searching around trying to pin-point the optimum foreign currency exchange rates? The online world is a wonderful place to have a look at what is on offer & secure the finest bargain. Still, it’s certainly not entirely about looking around the market the optimum exchange rate – extra fees, commission and transfer costs can often all unfortunately make a tantalizing exchange rate suddenly wretched value. Foreign Currency Direct are experts in trading foreign currency. If you have any questions why not check out their website.

In this sad time of world-wide economic trouble you really should work with an established business that you can trust – to not only find you the greatest rate possible at the sad time but of course to supply you with assistance and helpful advice. Foreign Currency Direct has been recognised in such esteemed publications as The Sunday period and The Observer as a leading firm with whom to have dealings with when purchasing foreign currency. And so, you can be secure in the knowledge you will be dealing with a professional, honest and greatly noted business.

Trading in foreign currency will often be a challenging business – the rates perpetually fluctuate, hence, if you do not have access to the most current figures & capable experience you will often wind up losing a significant amount of your investment. Foreign Currency Direct are without peer when you are working with currency exchange rates – operational since the year 2000 they have progressed from strength to strength.

Foreign Currency Directs exchange rates are calculated by using live interbank’ prices (the price at which one specific institution sells to the other) that are quoted in real time, meaning that they are more competitive than exchange rates offered by far less specialised financial institutions and building societies.

The only thing you have to do is open your account at Foreign Currency Direct and you 4 start trading – you may receive exchange rate quotes by phone, if you take the offer you shall get an email, fax or postal conformation of the contract.

Prepaid Credit Cards: Instant Relief from Past Credit Problems!

“Are you kidding me? You really never buy online?” Asks your friend.

Your friend continues his pursuit of the truth oblivious to your
discomfort. In the meantime, you fidget around while trying to find a graceful way out of this situation without revealing the truth.

You don’t want to tell him that you cannot buy online not because you are worried about identity theft. You can’t rent a car not because you are underage. The limitations you face are entirely related to the requirements of our credit based society. You simply don’t have a credit card. Your past credit
problems haunt you like a relentless dog in pursuit of a game. There may be a solution: Prepaid Credit Cards.

What are prepaid credit cards?

Prepaid MasterCard cards and/or prepaid Visa cards look exactly like a regular credit card. Neither you and your friends, nor the merchant who accepts MasterCard and Visa will be able to identify it as a prepaid credit card.

You obtain these prepaid credit cards by “pre-loading” them, which means you deposit cash into your account up-front, similar to a pre-paid calling card. Then you use your prepaid MasterCard or Visa anywhere these cards are accepted.

Prepaid Credit Cards are more practical than cash for many with
previous credit problems since you pay for your purchases before you even buy anything. This helps you plan your purchases better and avoid impulse buying.
Prepaid credit cards offer other advantages:

  • They are easy to get since they do not require stringent credit check or income verification.
  • They can be purchased online and at many retail stores.
  • They have very short credit card application.
  • They do not have any interest charges since you are not borrowing money.
  • They cannot lead into credit problems due to inability to pay borrowed funds. Again, you are not borrowing money.
  • Prepaid MasterCard or VISA have world wide acceptability virtually any anywhere VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

Don’t forget the downside of prepaid credit cards:

  • They are costly to get with set-up fees of $5-$50.
  • They are costly to maintain – “Loading” fee of $5 or more every time you deposit money into them.
  • They requires up front cash.
  • Some prepaid credit cards cannot be used for recurring payments like monthly subscriptions.

After all said and done, prepaid credit cards may be your only
solution to carry and use a credit card. With prepaid credit cards you no longer have to carry your past credit problems like a sign on your forehead. Instead you can reach into your pocket and pullout that prepaid credit card.

They may be a blessing that helps you take care of day to day needs and make personal changes to help you get on track to a disciplined attitude toward money and spending. If you decide to get a prepaid credit card, compare several offers and select the one that most closely matches your needs and special circumstances.

Don’t rush it.

And while you go about your struggles with this and other of life’s ups and downs, remember Robert Johnson who said, “Measure yourself by your best moments, not by your worst.”

For more information about free

Prepaid Credit Card,

Bad Credit Credit Card, and

Online Credit Card Applicationcheckout FreeCreditReport.ws

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