Bonsai Care
Well, you have got the watering and feeding of the Bonsai down. Think you're home free. Not a chance. There are still things you need to do successfully to realize the full beauty of these little Japanese wonders. Since the care of the root system is essential to the survival of the trees you need to know the how and when of re-potting your bonsai. This is one of the many steps to proper Bonsai Care.
The importance of Re-potting
The young bonsai trees grow quicker and need to be repotted about once a year. The older trees not so often and eventually get to a point where repotting every 5 years is sufficient. Repotting should be done in the late winter or early spring. This is when the buds begin to swell. First, you should prune your bonsai. Take away any unwanted or long branches. If your bonsai is kept outside it should be placed undercover for a few weeks before repotting. This will help dry the soil. You need to carefully remove the tree from its original pot. Check the root carefully. If they are bound then it is definitely time to transfer it to another pot. If the roots still have some space to grow (a few inches is sufficient) then it does not need repotting.
Remember, repotting at the correct time is essential for Bonsai Care. Place it back into its original pot. Now the fun parts. You don’t simply stick the tree straight into a larger pot. Your tree has to be almost groomed before it moves into its new home. First, the original surface soil must be removed from the roots of the tree. This can be done by hand or by using a nylon scrubbing brush. Be careful not to damage the root system while doing this. This is a sure fire way to kill your tree and make all of your previous Bonsai Care skills worthless.
Preparing the roots
Once you have completed this task you need to use a small paint brush to remove any dirt that is stuck in the roots. Soil tends to collect around the roots and using a paint brush will help insure that you do not do any root damage. This process helps the trees look and feel healthier. The next steps require a Bonsai comb. The roots need to be combed out and due to the delicate nature of the trees it is doubtful that the use of a human comb would be advisable. You need to comb from the underneath and using scissors prune away up to 1 third of the roots. Once you have done this you need to cut small wedges out, around the base of the roots. Sounds radical, but this allows for fresh soils to collect and will keep your tree healthy.
Well if you haven’t run away by now you probably won’t, time for the last bit of Bonsai Care. Now that your tree is happily groomed it is time to prepare the pot. You should put a layer of grit on the bottom of the pot and then what ever compost you have chosen to use. Now that its pot has been prepared, our little friend needs to be positioned. Once you have him sorted out begin putting in the soil. You have most likely figured this out by now but place the soil in gently. Why? You guessed it, to avoid root damage. Hopefully the information that you have learned hasn’t sent you running and your Bonsai trees to the compost heap. There is a lot to learn and a lot to do correctly to insure your tree makes it to adult hood. It maybe easier just to have kids. Bonsai Care is an art and it has been said that the care and maintenance of these trees is an art form in and of itself. However, the rewards can be grand. The trees are beautiful when cultivated properly and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have mastered the art of Bonsai Care.
We provide bonsai care for various popular species of Bonsai tree.
Visit Mishobonsai.com for all your specific bonsai seeds, tools, needs and supplies.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Electric Shavers Vs Razors
Have you battled between the 2? If you are like most other men out there I am sure you have! I know I have bounced back and forth. I just wanted to take a moment and share with you some of the pros and cons of each so that you can maybe make an educated decision on which one would work best for you!
First we will look at Electric Shavers!
Pros:
There are several advantages electric shavers have over the good ole razor. It is definitely more convenient to have an electric shaver. It takes much less time to shave your face. It is also mobile! Which means you are running late to work you can always have one stashed in the car so you can shave on the way to work or the safer method just shave in the bath real quick when you get there. Shaving and driving don't always mix well. Another advantage of electric shavers is that you aren't always having to replace blades and what not. If these advantages look good to maybe an electric shaver is what you need.
Cons:
There are also several disadvantages to electric shavers. Some say they don't shave close enough! Some peoples skin is more sensitive and they irritate it. It is an electrical device which means that it can have problems if not properly maintained. And replacement parts can be kind of pricey.
Nest we will take a look at the good ole razor blade!
Pros:
Many people prefer razors over electric shavers because they get you a much closer smoother shave. They are also very simple to use no electronics or anything that could go wrong or break. Some people have sensitive skin that an electric shaver will irritate real bad.
Cons:
Razors are very sharp! You may cut yourself if you are not careful with what you are doing. Razors are not as mobile as electric shavers therefore it is not as convenient you can't just whip at a razor anywhere and give yourself a quick shave! You also have to constantly replace the razor heads with new ones because they dull quickly.
So if you are busy on the go professional I feel electric shavers will meet your needs better, however if you are someone who is quite detail oriented and wants things done precisely you may like using the good ole razor better! But its your decision! I recommend trying both and seeing which one fits you better!
Source for the best mens shavers [http://www.electricshavers4less.com/index.php?cPath=1].
Mens Electric Shavers | Men's Electric Shaver
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Introduction to the Online Nursing CEU
For those in need of completing nursing CEU credits, online options may be a new area. This introduction to the online nursing CEU will help you get started in your research of online CEU options.
State Requirements
An introduction to the online nursing CEU would not be complete without a mention of state requirements. Before you choose a CEU program, first determine if your state requires specific CEU credits. Many states do require these as new health care issues arise. Before you spend time and money on other CEU programs, first determine if you need a specific program, and then you can research to see if the required CEUs are available through an online program.
Variety of Options
No introduction to the online nursing CEU would be complete without a mention of the many options from which to choose! If you have met your state's requirements and are looking for CEU options to further your career or to learn more about a particular area of health care, look no further than online! Regardless of your interests and career goals, you can find a CEU program. Again, ensure that your state licensing body will accept the credits before enrolling.
Costs
As soon as you begin researching online nursing CEU options, you will see that many CEU programs are free. Others are quite expensive. Some of the differences are the number of CEU credits offered by the program. Free CEU courses can be quite good, but as with all CEU credits, some research into the provider and your state's acceptance of the credits is necessary. This holds true for expensive programs as well! A pricey course does not guarantee its quality nor that it will be accepted by your state.
Where to Look
As a professional nurse, you're likely involved with one or more professional organizations. Contacts through these organizations can be a great way to learn about online CEU options and to talk with others who have completed the courses. Ask others for their opinions about any courses you are considering.
Online LPN Programs
Online LPN Nursing Programs
State Requirements
An introduction to the online nursing CEU would not be complete without a mention of state requirements. Before you choose a CEU program, first determine if your state requires specific CEU credits. Many states do require these as new health care issues arise. Before you spend time and money on other CEU programs, first determine if you need a specific program, and then you can research to see if the required CEUs are available through an online program.
Variety of Options
No introduction to the online nursing CEU would be complete without a mention of the many options from which to choose! If you have met your state's requirements and are looking for CEU options to further your career or to learn more about a particular area of health care, look no further than online! Regardless of your interests and career goals, you can find a CEU program. Again, ensure that your state licensing body will accept the credits before enrolling.
Costs
As soon as you begin researching online nursing CEU options, you will see that many CEU programs are free. Others are quite expensive. Some of the differences are the number of CEU credits offered by the program. Free CEU courses can be quite good, but as with all CEU credits, some research into the provider and your state's acceptance of the credits is necessary. This holds true for expensive programs as well! A pricey course does not guarantee its quality nor that it will be accepted by your state.
Where to Look
As a professional nurse, you're likely involved with one or more professional organizations. Contacts through these organizations can be a great way to learn about online CEU options and to talk with others who have completed the courses. Ask others for their opinions about any courses you are considering.
Online LPN Programs
Online LPN Nursing Programs
Monday, January 11, 2010
3 Quick Ways To Start Your Own Online Business In Less Than 24 Hours
The Internet and online business especially are becoming more and more popular by the day in todays world simply because people are starting to see the true benefits of the web, consumers are starting to trust the web more, and more importantly, the start up costs for a online business are next to nothing compared to the offline world of business start ups.
The only set back most people run into when wanting to start one of their own online business is How and Where to get started.
I did a search under the keyword term "home based business" and the search results returned 575,000,000 results for that keyword alone.
That's a pretty intimidating number for someone wanting to start their own home based business on the web wouldn't you say?
These were the same obstacles I was up against when I first ventured into the online world of business.
But I didn't let that stop me and I hope that won't stop you either from wanting to start your own online business.
So, I saved you the hassle and put together 3 of the quickest ways for ANYONE(that's You) to start their own online business with next to no investment required and can get started in less than 24 hours.
Are you ready? I hope so.
Business Model #1. Affiliate Programs.
Affiliate Programs are simply programs set up by the business owner for others to sign up for and promote for the business owner for a agreed upon commission(usually between 10 - 75%).
The great thing about Affiliate marketing is it doesn't cost you a single penny to get started, you don't have to worry about refunds or customer service that come with owning your own product.
All you have to worry about is generating the traffic to your affiliate link and collecting your commission cheques.
This is the quickest way to get started online... Period!
Here's a few Affiliate Directories to give you a start:
Associate Programs - http://www.associateprograms.com
Refer It - http://www.refer-it.com
Business Model #2. Resell Rights.
Resell Rights are simply products that have already been created and are available to anybody who is willing to pay for the Resell Rights to market them.
The upside to this is you get Ready-To-Go websites with PROVEN sales letters that convert. The best part of all is... you get to keep 100% of the $Profits$.
The draw back is you can't claim those products as your own. The original creator of the product maintains full rights. You just get to keep all the profits.
Not such a bad trade off wouldn't you say?
Business Model #3. Private Label Resell Rights.
Private Label Resell Rights are simply products that are ready to be branded with your name to it.
What I mean by that is you get full rights to the product or products and are able to claim them as your own even though you didn't create them yourself.
This is the fastest way for anyone to start a online business who really doesn't have any experience or knowledge on how to create their own products.
The other really cool thing about Private Label Resell Rights products is they come with Ready-To-Go websites which then again saves you time and money in having to create them yourself.
Well there you have it, 3 Quick Ways To Start Your Own Online Business In Less Than 24 Hours.
The easiest way to locate any of the above via the search engines is by entering something like this into there search engine web form:
affiliate programs + "what your niche is"
(Note: make sure you use the quotations around what niche you want to target. Very Important!)
This will save you time and target your search much better, where as if you were to just enter 'affiliate programs' into the search engine web form you would get a gazillion results, leaving you frustrated.
Now, the only thing left for you to do Right NOW is make a decision on what you would really enjoy doing as a business online.
Once you've figured that out the only thing left for you to do is put together a... Plan For $Profit$.
Online Business Opportunities
Affiliate Marketing Program
The only set back most people run into when wanting to start one of their own online business is How and Where to get started.
I did a search under the keyword term "home based business" and the search results returned 575,000,000 results for that keyword alone.
That's a pretty intimidating number for someone wanting to start their own home based business on the web wouldn't you say?
These were the same obstacles I was up against when I first ventured into the online world of business.
But I didn't let that stop me and I hope that won't stop you either from wanting to start your own online business.
So, I saved you the hassle and put together 3 of the quickest ways for ANYONE(that's You) to start their own online business with next to no investment required and can get started in less than 24 hours.
Are you ready? I hope so.
Business Model #1. Affiliate Programs.
Affiliate Programs are simply programs set up by the business owner for others to sign up for and promote for the business owner for a agreed upon commission(usually between 10 - 75%).
The great thing about Affiliate marketing is it doesn't cost you a single penny to get started, you don't have to worry about refunds or customer service that come with owning your own product.
All you have to worry about is generating the traffic to your affiliate link and collecting your commission cheques.
This is the quickest way to get started online... Period!
Here's a few Affiliate Directories to give you a start:
Associate Programs - http://www.associateprograms.com
Refer It - http://www.refer-it.com
Business Model #2. Resell Rights.
Resell Rights are simply products that have already been created and are available to anybody who is willing to pay for the Resell Rights to market them.
The upside to this is you get Ready-To-Go websites with PROVEN sales letters that convert. The best part of all is... you get to keep 100% of the $Profits$.
The draw back is you can't claim those products as your own. The original creator of the product maintains full rights. You just get to keep all the profits.
Not such a bad trade off wouldn't you say?
Business Model #3. Private Label Resell Rights.
Private Label Resell Rights are simply products that are ready to be branded with your name to it.
What I mean by that is you get full rights to the product or products and are able to claim them as your own even though you didn't create them yourself.
This is the fastest way for anyone to start a online business who really doesn't have any experience or knowledge on how to create their own products.
The other really cool thing about Private Label Resell Rights products is they come with Ready-To-Go websites which then again saves you time and money in having to create them yourself.
Well there you have it, 3 Quick Ways To Start Your Own Online Business In Less Than 24 Hours.
The easiest way to locate any of the above via the search engines is by entering something like this into there search engine web form:
affiliate programs + "what your niche is"
(Note: make sure you use the quotations around what niche you want to target. Very Important!)
This will save you time and target your search much better, where as if you were to just enter 'affiliate programs' into the search engine web form you would get a gazillion results, leaving you frustrated.
Now, the only thing left for you to do Right NOW is make a decision on what you would really enjoy doing as a business online.
Once you've figured that out the only thing left for you to do is put together a... Plan For $Profit$.
Online Business Opportunities
Affiliate Marketing Program
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Adventures with Hypnosis
In 1949, I had a real problem with a dental phobia. Four dentists had turned me down as a patient. I had two abscessed teeth and a mouthful of other cavities. My dental phobia was so bad that it had forced me to go to a hospital some years earlier in order to have three abscessed teeth removed while I was unconscious.
I went to a dental convention where I found the recommended dentist who did hypnosis. He couldn't work on my teeth, but he said he thought he could help me. So, at the lunch break, I went to his room with several other dentists, and he hypnotized me with a “standard” induction technique. Then, he taught me a psychological trick of relaxation. If I raised my left hand whenever I felt my right hand becoming a fist, indicating tension, the dentist would stop, and I would relax my right hand, and lower my left hand.) I didn't believe it would work, but I made an appointment with the last dentist who had turned me down and had recommended hypnosis.
For the first few minutes, I kept raising my left hand, and he stopped immediately. After that, I didn't need to raise my left hand much at all, and he worked fast.
He pulled the two bad teeth, and drilled and filled a dozen more in one single hour and half session. I had Novocain for the bad ones, and didn't need it for the others. Both the dentist and I were amazed at this, and he asked if I were really twins
To me, a 22-year-old engineering student, this was a genuine “miracle”, and I started to learn all I could about this miracle cure. I read everything I could find, from the 1700's literature about Mesmer, Coue, etc, up to Erickson, Barber, etc.
I became an electronic engineer, and pursued this as my major career, but my avocation continued to be hypnosis, and by extension, psychology. (Much of behavior psychology is similar to hypnosis). I used it professionally, taught it in a major university to doctors, and continued to learn about it. I performed some “shows”, and considered a career as a stage hypnotist, but was more interested in using it for helping people, as it had helped me.
In 1979, I left electronic engineering, and turned to psychology. I went back and obtained a Doctorate in Psychology based on my education, life experience, and my doctoral dissertation. I became a successful Behaviorist Psychologist for years in private practice in Florida. I gradually converted to an Orthomolecular practice when I found that these types of therapies worked better than any “talk therapy”, although talk therapy is sometimes useful as well.
Hypnotic Relaxation
During this many years of study, and later career as a psychologist, I realized that what that original dentist who hypnotized me had actually done. With hypnosis, he had simply given me a “new” conscious tool of relaxation. Using this simple tool, I could actually change something in my unconscious called a “phobia”. It wasn't really a miracle, though I had thought so at the time. Adding this knowledge to my knowledge of Pavlovian “conditioning responses”, I came up with what I called the Bate Relaxation Technique.
This is very simple, yet it can be very powerful - much more powerful than most realize because of its simplicity. It starts with a general hypnotic induction technique of relaxing the body muscles, starting with the toes and going up to the scalp and face. Then, in a state of muscle relaxation, ask the subject to visualize a very beautiful relaxing scene he/she is in. Describe the scene. Ask them to concentrate on how beautiful and very relaxing it is.
Then, ask the subject to memorize the feelings of relaxation and concentration they are feeling at that time. Have them put these feelings into their memory like a photograph. Then, give them a post-hypnotic suggestion that they can now recall those feeling any time they simply count to three. End the session, and have the subject stand up, take a deep breath and simply count to three.
It's simply amazing how the shoulders often slump 2-3 inches or some other muscles that the subject usually tenses from stress relax. I describe the “strange” feeling as sort of a “blah” feeling. (As subjects stand up from the session, their “normal” pattern of muscle stress takes effect, and the “instant” relaxation is definitely experienced.)
I then tell the subject that they now have the pattern, but it up to them to use it often, several times a day, even if not needed, for the next week or so. This will set this pattern into their unconscious as a “conditioned response”. (Remember Pavlov's dog?) Now, they have the same tool I got from the original dentist, but it is much more enhanced and valuable. It instantly relieves stress of any kind.
Driving a car a long distance is very stressful. My wife and I recently drove over 20 hours straight thru, with me driving about 14 of those hours. At 78 years old, that's not “usual”. The secret - we both simply count to three every so often and are able to relax behind the wheel. Muscle tension is very tiring, and few are able to relax this muscle tension behind the wheel.
This relaxation technique is very useful in many ways in helping to solve psychological problems of phobias, compulsions, and even some serious physical problems. I was able to solve dozens of Asthma problems in all persons between 7 and 15 years old, and was often successful with older persons as well. (Kids in this age range are very suggestible; some adults are too cynical.)
The system is simple, but effective. First, teach the relaxation. Then, have the patient emulate a really bad asthma attack. “Come on, get really bad, your throat is closing more and more.” It's getting worse and worse.” When the patient really starts to become in distress, say, “Now, count to three”. As he gets to three, he relaxes, and says, “Now, it's gone, and you are in control”.
Many years ago, I did this routine on the 14-year-old son of lifelong friends. When I was visiting them a few years ago, I walked into the store of the son, and he recognized me immediately. I was surprised as it had been over 20 years since he had seen me. He said, “Do you think I could ever forget the man who cured my Asthma?”
It was another great day for my ego.
There's nothing magical or even mysterious about it. All you are doing is teaching a new “trick” to the unconscious mind. This “trick” of instant relaxation is learned as a conditioned response by repetition and use. It becomes a tool for the conscious mind to use in all types of situations to reduce stress. As everybody knows, stress ages us, diminishes the immune system, and helps to kill us.
The various forms of yoga and other meditation techniques are similar, yet different. They relieve stress of course, but are of little use in immediate stressful situations. This relaxation is immediate.
This also can be used for self-hypnosis, positive statements and visualizations.
I also used it for patients that wanted to stop smoking as a “substitute” for that instant craving that comes to an addicted smoker.
One idea makes a lot of people “afraid” of hypnosis. The idea that another person has “control” over them, and can make them do literally anything. Every experiment ever conducted has shown that this is simply not true. Hypnosis cannot force a person to do anything that is against his/her moral code. The unconscious mind is very protective, and is what we are working with either with hypnosis or subliminal training.
There is some possibility of “indirect” misuse of hypnosis. I once witnessed a hypnotist demonstrating this. He had a very attractive woman who was very hypnotizable (instantly into somnambulism by snapping his fingers). He hypnotized her, and told her to take off her clothes. She awoke instantly and was embarrassed, but had no conscious memory of why.
He then hypnotized her again, and this time, told her that she was at home in her bathroom with the door closed, and she was going to take a bath. She calmly started to take off her clothes. He stopped her before she got too far, but she was obviously going to completely strip.
It was interesting how he stopped her. He told her that someone had come into her home, and was near the bathroom door. She said, “Don't come in. I'm not dressed”.
He then had her get dressed, and woke her. She had no memory of the incident.
When I was a young man, I had a girlfriend who I had sex with once or twice. And she had been hypnotized several times as well. One night I wanted sex, but she didn't. I used the cue that hypnotized her, but to no avail. She refused, even hypnotized. So, the idea that someone can make you do something you do not want to do is false. I can testify to that personally. Our unconscious mind is very protective of us in all ways, even though some ways may be wrong.
Of course, if you work with either hypnosis or subliminal training, or virtually any type of serious psychology you have to be aware of the unconscious mind, as that entity is always what you are trying to influence.
Hypnotic Age Regression
This is a very useful tool for a psychologist, or, for that matter, any doctor of any stripe. Under even “light” hypnosis, it can be used to “pull” details from the life of the patient that he/she has forgotten consciously. (The unconscious memory has everything in it.)
There are several “tricks of the trade” involved. After my Relaxation Technique, I used a “deepening” technique that went something like this, “Now, I want you to imagine and visualize yourself going down an escalator as I count to ten. One, imagine yourself stepping on and feeling the steps form under your feet. Two, as you move down, relax even more. Three, as you go down further, concentrate more and more. Four, and as you relax more, you can concentrate more. Five, this positive circle of concentration and relaxation continues as you move down.”
Continue with similar repetitions thru nine, and then, “Ten, step off the escalator into a room. This room is yours alone. It is only in your mind, and no one else can ever get into it. You can make it anything you want. In this room, you can do anything or visualize anything that will help you to be a better person. In this room you can remember anything you want.”
Next, I would start the questioning. For example, a man came to me to try to find a lost valuable diamond engagement ring. He and his fiancé had broken up, and she had returned the ring to him. He remembered taking the ring, but when he got home, he couldn't find it at all. I did the above technique, and then started.
I said. “I want to you to go back in time to the moment when she handed you the ring. Where were you and she at that time?”
He replied, “We were in her living room.”
“Alright, see yourself taking the ring. What did you do with it?”
He said, “I'm putting it into my small watch pocket of my jeans.”
“OK, now you are leaving her. What happened next?”
“I'm getting into my car, and driving home”
“Good, what happens next?”
“I'm going into my bedroom, and changing clothes.”
“Why?”
“I have to go to a baseball presentation dinner.”
“OK, what did you do with your jeans?”
“Oh NO! I had put them in the washer!”
That was the story. He went home and found the ring stuck in the washer. (The usual story of such is that it gets caught in the “U” drain under a sink.) This illustrates the value of “age regression” as a memory aid.
Of course, it's also useful to uncover the beginnings of phobias and compulsions. A woman came to me with a cat phobia and asthma. I did the usual as above, and with a couple of other useful techniques found the problem. One “trick” is to say, “OK, now you are going back in time. It is your 15th birthday. You are awake in that morning. Do you have asthma?”
She replied, “yes.” (She had earlier said on intake questioning that her asthma had started very early. I start well past that so as to get the patient used to going back.)
“Ok, now you are ten years old, just waking up on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer.
“OK, you are now five years old, on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer
I worked back thru 4 and 3 and 2, 1, and started back in months. I got to the ninth month, and she didn't have asthma. Still she had no memory of anything that was related. So, I went to her tenth month, and went backwards, day to day with the same question. I got to the day when she did have asthma. Now I asked her, “What happened to you during the last day that caused you to have asthma? I am going to count to three, and when I get to three, you will remember everything. One, you're starting to remember. Two, memory is coming back. Three, you now remember everything.”
She then related, “I was lying on my back in a crib, and the cat jumped into the crib, and lay across my mouth. I couldn't breathe, or call out, and I was scared. I don't know what happened, but I think I hit the cat, and she went off me.”
It was two birds with one stone. Cat phobia, and asthma caused at that point. Asthma is often a “protective” device used to keep oxygen in the body. Most can easily breath in but have real problems breathing out. This was her case.
Then, we get to the really interesting part. Age regression to past lives. As an agnostic, I don't really know if the many stories I have heard from many persons are true, or something from the universal mind or what?
Probably the single most impressive story is from the man who came to me with two lifelong phobias that he had had since earliest memory. He was deathly afraid of fire and water. He thought that these phobias might be from past lives, and asked me to try to find out.
He was easily hypnotizable, and with little urging went back thru birth to the previous life. He had been a circus clown, and been burned to death in a circus fire. It was then simple to go back to a previous life to that. It seems that he had stolen a horse, and was caught. The vigilantes didn't have a tree, so they hanged him from a bridge. The rope broke, and he drowned. Of course, it took much more time to go thru, and some suggestions from me. He was cured according to a phone call a week later.
I've had several such interesting cases. Another was fascinating to me. Under hypnosis, a man kept saying, “All I can see is a bird”. I kept after him about this bird for 10 or more minutes, but he couldn't see much more than this bird. Finally, he said, “It's a black bird, and it's on my shield”.
I pressed him harder about his shield, and did he have a sword and a horse. He suddenly screamed, “There's blood all around me, and all over me and my horse. I'm killing people all around with my sword, and they're trying to kill me! ”
I questioned him closely, and it became evident that the date was 1066 at the battle of Hastings as the Normans conquered England.
Is the story true? I cannot say with any certainty, but it was impressive.
When I gave seminars and talks on hypnosis, I usually finished with doing my Relaxation Technique, and my deepening. Then, I would say, “In your room, sitting comfortably, I want you to let your mind go out of your body. Let it go out into space, and as you see earth behind you as that familiar blue and white marble, see space as almost velvety, with stars and planets being very clear and steady. It's really beautiful out here in space. Now, you are coming to a white cloud that is getting bigger and bigger, and you are now entering it. On the other side, there is another blue marble world. As you approach, it looks like Earth, but as you get really close, you see no huge cities, but beautiful parks and lovely buildings that seem to be a part of the landscape. As you come to it, and walk about, you notice that the people are all friendly, and the animals are all friendly, and the gardens and parks all around are simply the loveliest you have ever seen. You are filled with the same sort of happiness that it seems everybody there has. You are at peace with yourself and that place.”
“Now, it's time to leave, and we are going back into space again. Ahead of us is that same white cloud, and this time, as we enter it, we make a left turn, and we are now going back in time. The year is 1700 on Earth, and as we come back to Earth in that time, we are going to each go into a body in that time and place. I want you to look at your feet, and your clothes, and your surroundings, and have a sense of who you are in that body. Now, it's time to return. We are leaving this time and place, and going back thru that white cloud, and back to that blue marble of earth, and back to that comfortable seat, and into your own body again. As I count to three backwards, you are gong to awaken, not drowsy or sleepy or affected by my voice at all, and you will remember everything you experienced.”
Then, I count, “Three, two, one, awake fully awake. Now, how many persons really experienced that beautiful planet?”
About a third or more really did visualize it clearly. (A few were somewhat angry with me for not leaving them longer!) Then I asked, “Now, how many persons experienced themselves in 1700?” Surprisingly, about one third had very good and clear visualizations. One woman was indignant “I had bare feet, and scratched legs, and I was a serving woman”. She had a very high opinion of herself in this life obviously. Needless to say, these stories were very interesting, and varied. One woman impressed me with, “I was in a dark place waiting to be born.”
Of course, such stories do not prove anything. They could be products of imagination, or simply scraps of something from the unconscious or universal mind. However, or whatever they are, taken in bulk from honest persons with no known vested interest, they do prove something beyond our conscious knowledge.
An “Impossible” Story
Here's a true story that is unbelievable to many people. In reading about hypnosis, I came across an article where a professional hypnotist had claimed that he had been able to increase a woman's breast size using hypnosis. I dismissed that claim until in 1978; I read an article by Dr Ted X. Barber in the Journal of Clinical Hypnosis about hypnotic phenomena. This article discussed many different hypnotic phenomena, including several experiments at several different colleges that had all done a similar experiment. As I recall (at this much later date), each college used 8-12 women, all of whom were somewhat flat chested, and all wanted larger breasts.
All were carefully measured, above and below the actual breasts, and across them at the nipples. Once a week for 12 weeks, they were hypnotized as a group, and told to visualize things like, “See yourself in a mirror naked with larger breasts. Admire your larger breasts. See how good they look, and how good you feel with them. Now, see yourself dressed in a very becoming dress, and how well it looks on you with your new breasts. It increases your self-confidence as well. “
These comments were repeated several times. As I recall, the average for all of the various experiments was that 80% actually increased their breast size, and the average increase was 2.1 inches.
Let's take another deeper look at this. The average success rate for losing weight by hypnosis is considered to be less than 65%. In other less reported breast size experiments, DECREASING breast size in women with overly large breasts, the success rate was negligible.
In addition, this suggestion is specific - add body cells to a certain part of the body only! We have no knowledge if actual mammary cells were added, or only fat cells, but still!!!
I've won two bets from other psychologists that this story was published in a reputable scientific journal. I made a hypnosis tape specifically for “breast enlargement”, and heard for a few of the women who purchased it that it did indeed work for them. Unfortunately, few people report either success or failure.
Why doesn't hypnosis work better on the “lesser task” of losing weight, or losing breast weight? The explanation is difficult, but in my experience the social “advantage” to women of large breasts inhibits the unconscious from losing this “advantage”. Some women are “punishing” their selves (or their husbands) by being fat. (Sort of “love me for me, not for my body”). Motives of the unconscious mind are often murky and difficult for our conscious minds to understand. The computer analogy of “garbage in - garbage out” applies here.
Harmful Unconscious Ideas
The unconscious mind can be a force for good or bad. It apparently doesn't discriminate - again like a computer. If a virus gets in, it can distort many other programs in different ways.
Let's examine a very illustrative case. A woman brought in her 8 year old boy for hypnosis for bedwetting. I did the usual direct suggestion, and told her to keep him off all milk products for at least a week.
Two days later, she and her son were back. No success. This time, I did age regression hypnosis. He went back (with a little urging) to when he was 4. He was in bed almost asleep when he heard someone trying to get in his window. He was so scared that he wet himself, and cried out. The burglar (real or imagined) left. The unconscious “logic” to this boy - urination protects from intruders in night. It wasn't difficult to remove this logic (computer virus), and his mother said that he hadn't wet again a few months later.
The great master of hypnotic therapy, Milton Erickson, once had an almost comic situation that he solved in a unique way. It seems that a recently married couple came to him because each was a bed wetter. On their honeymoon, the bed was wet each morning, and each thought the other was very thoughtful in not mentioning it. After a few days, they each confessed and came to Erickson.
He made them agree to do exactly what he said, and then told them to kneel on the bed when they were ready for sleep and each had to urinate, and then sleep in it. They came back several days later, and they had kept their word. He then told them, “Since you did as I told you, tonight you can go to bed normally without the urination, and come back tomorrow”. The next day, they said the bed was dry in the morning, so he “allowed” them another dry night. Then another, and then he declared them “cured”.
These two stories illustrate the immense power of the unconscious for both good and bad. One of the major jobs of the unconscious mind is to “protect” the physical body (home of the unconscious mind) from harm. If a threat is perceived whether real or imaginary, it goes into action, even if the action may be harmful to itself.
Phil Bate PhD - Retired Orthomolecular Psychologist
Inventor and Patent Pending Holder for
Brain Wave Amplitude Changing via Auditory Training
hypnosis
quit smoking with hypnosis
I went to a dental convention where I found the recommended dentist who did hypnosis. He couldn't work on my teeth, but he said he thought he could help me. So, at the lunch break, I went to his room with several other dentists, and he hypnotized me with a “standard” induction technique. Then, he taught me a psychological trick of relaxation. If I raised my left hand whenever I felt my right hand becoming a fist, indicating tension, the dentist would stop, and I would relax my right hand, and lower my left hand.) I didn't believe it would work, but I made an appointment with the last dentist who had turned me down and had recommended hypnosis.
For the first few minutes, I kept raising my left hand, and he stopped immediately. After that, I didn't need to raise my left hand much at all, and he worked fast.
He pulled the two bad teeth, and drilled and filled a dozen more in one single hour and half session. I had Novocain for the bad ones, and didn't need it for the others. Both the dentist and I were amazed at this, and he asked if I were really twins
To me, a 22-year-old engineering student, this was a genuine “miracle”, and I started to learn all I could about this miracle cure. I read everything I could find, from the 1700's literature about Mesmer, Coue, etc, up to Erickson, Barber, etc.
I became an electronic engineer, and pursued this as my major career, but my avocation continued to be hypnosis, and by extension, psychology. (Much of behavior psychology is similar to hypnosis). I used it professionally, taught it in a major university to doctors, and continued to learn about it. I performed some “shows”, and considered a career as a stage hypnotist, but was more interested in using it for helping people, as it had helped me.
In 1979, I left electronic engineering, and turned to psychology. I went back and obtained a Doctorate in Psychology based on my education, life experience, and my doctoral dissertation. I became a successful Behaviorist Psychologist for years in private practice in Florida. I gradually converted to an Orthomolecular practice when I found that these types of therapies worked better than any “talk therapy”, although talk therapy is sometimes useful as well.
Hypnotic Relaxation
During this many years of study, and later career as a psychologist, I realized that what that original dentist who hypnotized me had actually done. With hypnosis, he had simply given me a “new” conscious tool of relaxation. Using this simple tool, I could actually change something in my unconscious called a “phobia”. It wasn't really a miracle, though I had thought so at the time. Adding this knowledge to my knowledge of Pavlovian “conditioning responses”, I came up with what I called the Bate Relaxation Technique.
This is very simple, yet it can be very powerful - much more powerful than most realize because of its simplicity. It starts with a general hypnotic induction technique of relaxing the body muscles, starting with the toes and going up to the scalp and face. Then, in a state of muscle relaxation, ask the subject to visualize a very beautiful relaxing scene he/she is in. Describe the scene. Ask them to concentrate on how beautiful and very relaxing it is.
Then, ask the subject to memorize the feelings of relaxation and concentration they are feeling at that time. Have them put these feelings into their memory like a photograph. Then, give them a post-hypnotic suggestion that they can now recall those feeling any time they simply count to three. End the session, and have the subject stand up, take a deep breath and simply count to three.
It's simply amazing how the shoulders often slump 2-3 inches or some other muscles that the subject usually tenses from stress relax. I describe the “strange” feeling as sort of a “blah” feeling. (As subjects stand up from the session, their “normal” pattern of muscle stress takes effect, and the “instant” relaxation is definitely experienced.)
I then tell the subject that they now have the pattern, but it up to them to use it often, several times a day, even if not needed, for the next week or so. This will set this pattern into their unconscious as a “conditioned response”. (Remember Pavlov's dog?) Now, they have the same tool I got from the original dentist, but it is much more enhanced and valuable. It instantly relieves stress of any kind.
Driving a car a long distance is very stressful. My wife and I recently drove over 20 hours straight thru, with me driving about 14 of those hours. At 78 years old, that's not “usual”. The secret - we both simply count to three every so often and are able to relax behind the wheel. Muscle tension is very tiring, and few are able to relax this muscle tension behind the wheel.
This relaxation technique is very useful in many ways in helping to solve psychological problems of phobias, compulsions, and even some serious physical problems. I was able to solve dozens of Asthma problems in all persons between 7 and 15 years old, and was often successful with older persons as well. (Kids in this age range are very suggestible; some adults are too cynical.)
The system is simple, but effective. First, teach the relaxation. Then, have the patient emulate a really bad asthma attack. “Come on, get really bad, your throat is closing more and more.” It's getting worse and worse.” When the patient really starts to become in distress, say, “Now, count to three”. As he gets to three, he relaxes, and says, “Now, it's gone, and you are in control”.
Many years ago, I did this routine on the 14-year-old son of lifelong friends. When I was visiting them a few years ago, I walked into the store of the son, and he recognized me immediately. I was surprised as it had been over 20 years since he had seen me. He said, “Do you think I could ever forget the man who cured my Asthma?”
It was another great day for my ego.
There's nothing magical or even mysterious about it. All you are doing is teaching a new “trick” to the unconscious mind. This “trick” of instant relaxation is learned as a conditioned response by repetition and use. It becomes a tool for the conscious mind to use in all types of situations to reduce stress. As everybody knows, stress ages us, diminishes the immune system, and helps to kill us.
The various forms of yoga and other meditation techniques are similar, yet different. They relieve stress of course, but are of little use in immediate stressful situations. This relaxation is immediate.
This also can be used for self-hypnosis, positive statements and visualizations.
I also used it for patients that wanted to stop smoking as a “substitute” for that instant craving that comes to an addicted smoker.
One idea makes a lot of people “afraid” of hypnosis. The idea that another person has “control” over them, and can make them do literally anything. Every experiment ever conducted has shown that this is simply not true. Hypnosis cannot force a person to do anything that is against his/her moral code. The unconscious mind is very protective, and is what we are working with either with hypnosis or subliminal training.
There is some possibility of “indirect” misuse of hypnosis. I once witnessed a hypnotist demonstrating this. He had a very attractive woman who was very hypnotizable (instantly into somnambulism by snapping his fingers). He hypnotized her, and told her to take off her clothes. She awoke instantly and was embarrassed, but had no conscious memory of why.
He then hypnotized her again, and this time, told her that she was at home in her bathroom with the door closed, and she was going to take a bath. She calmly started to take off her clothes. He stopped her before she got too far, but she was obviously going to completely strip.
It was interesting how he stopped her. He told her that someone had come into her home, and was near the bathroom door. She said, “Don't come in. I'm not dressed”.
He then had her get dressed, and woke her. She had no memory of the incident.
When I was a young man, I had a girlfriend who I had sex with once or twice. And she had been hypnotized several times as well. One night I wanted sex, but she didn't. I used the cue that hypnotized her, but to no avail. She refused, even hypnotized. So, the idea that someone can make you do something you do not want to do is false. I can testify to that personally. Our unconscious mind is very protective of us in all ways, even though some ways may be wrong.
Of course, if you work with either hypnosis or subliminal training, or virtually any type of serious psychology you have to be aware of the unconscious mind, as that entity is always what you are trying to influence.
Hypnotic Age Regression
This is a very useful tool for a psychologist, or, for that matter, any doctor of any stripe. Under even “light” hypnosis, it can be used to “pull” details from the life of the patient that he/she has forgotten consciously. (The unconscious memory has everything in it.)
There are several “tricks of the trade” involved. After my Relaxation Technique, I used a “deepening” technique that went something like this, “Now, I want you to imagine and visualize yourself going down an escalator as I count to ten. One, imagine yourself stepping on and feeling the steps form under your feet. Two, as you move down, relax even more. Three, as you go down further, concentrate more and more. Four, and as you relax more, you can concentrate more. Five, this positive circle of concentration and relaxation continues as you move down.”
Continue with similar repetitions thru nine, and then, “Ten, step off the escalator into a room. This room is yours alone. It is only in your mind, and no one else can ever get into it. You can make it anything you want. In this room, you can do anything or visualize anything that will help you to be a better person. In this room you can remember anything you want.”
Next, I would start the questioning. For example, a man came to me to try to find a lost valuable diamond engagement ring. He and his fiancé had broken up, and she had returned the ring to him. He remembered taking the ring, but when he got home, he couldn't find it at all. I did the above technique, and then started.
I said. “I want to you to go back in time to the moment when she handed you the ring. Where were you and she at that time?”
He replied, “We were in her living room.”
“Alright, see yourself taking the ring. What did you do with it?”
He said, “I'm putting it into my small watch pocket of my jeans.”
“OK, now you are leaving her. What happened next?”
“I'm getting into my car, and driving home”
“Good, what happens next?”
“I'm going into my bedroom, and changing clothes.”
“Why?”
“I have to go to a baseball presentation dinner.”
“OK, what did you do with your jeans?”
“Oh NO! I had put them in the washer!”
That was the story. He went home and found the ring stuck in the washer. (The usual story of such is that it gets caught in the “U” drain under a sink.) This illustrates the value of “age regression” as a memory aid.
Of course, it's also useful to uncover the beginnings of phobias and compulsions. A woman came to me with a cat phobia and asthma. I did the usual as above, and with a couple of other useful techniques found the problem. One “trick” is to say, “OK, now you are going back in time. It is your 15th birthday. You are awake in that morning. Do you have asthma?”
She replied, “yes.” (She had earlier said on intake questioning that her asthma had started very early. I start well past that so as to get the patient used to going back.)
“Ok, now you are ten years old, just waking up on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer.
“OK, you are now five years old, on your birthday. Do you have asthma now?” Same answer
I worked back thru 4 and 3 and 2, 1, and started back in months. I got to the ninth month, and she didn't have asthma. Still she had no memory of anything that was related. So, I went to her tenth month, and went backwards, day to day with the same question. I got to the day when she did have asthma. Now I asked her, “What happened to you during the last day that caused you to have asthma? I am going to count to three, and when I get to three, you will remember everything. One, you're starting to remember. Two, memory is coming back. Three, you now remember everything.”
She then related, “I was lying on my back in a crib, and the cat jumped into the crib, and lay across my mouth. I couldn't breathe, or call out, and I was scared. I don't know what happened, but I think I hit the cat, and she went off me.”
It was two birds with one stone. Cat phobia, and asthma caused at that point. Asthma is often a “protective” device used to keep oxygen in the body. Most can easily breath in but have real problems breathing out. This was her case.
Then, we get to the really interesting part. Age regression to past lives. As an agnostic, I don't really know if the many stories I have heard from many persons are true, or something from the universal mind or what?
Probably the single most impressive story is from the man who came to me with two lifelong phobias that he had had since earliest memory. He was deathly afraid of fire and water. He thought that these phobias might be from past lives, and asked me to try to find out.
He was easily hypnotizable, and with little urging went back thru birth to the previous life. He had been a circus clown, and been burned to death in a circus fire. It was then simple to go back to a previous life to that. It seems that he had stolen a horse, and was caught. The vigilantes didn't have a tree, so they hanged him from a bridge. The rope broke, and he drowned. Of course, it took much more time to go thru, and some suggestions from me. He was cured according to a phone call a week later.
I've had several such interesting cases. Another was fascinating to me. Under hypnosis, a man kept saying, “All I can see is a bird”. I kept after him about this bird for 10 or more minutes, but he couldn't see much more than this bird. Finally, he said, “It's a black bird, and it's on my shield”.
I pressed him harder about his shield, and did he have a sword and a horse. He suddenly screamed, “There's blood all around me, and all over me and my horse. I'm killing people all around with my sword, and they're trying to kill me! ”
I questioned him closely, and it became evident that the date was 1066 at the battle of Hastings as the Normans conquered England.
Is the story true? I cannot say with any certainty, but it was impressive.
When I gave seminars and talks on hypnosis, I usually finished with doing my Relaxation Technique, and my deepening. Then, I would say, “In your room, sitting comfortably, I want you to let your mind go out of your body. Let it go out into space, and as you see earth behind you as that familiar blue and white marble, see space as almost velvety, with stars and planets being very clear and steady. It's really beautiful out here in space. Now, you are coming to a white cloud that is getting bigger and bigger, and you are now entering it. On the other side, there is another blue marble world. As you approach, it looks like Earth, but as you get really close, you see no huge cities, but beautiful parks and lovely buildings that seem to be a part of the landscape. As you come to it, and walk about, you notice that the people are all friendly, and the animals are all friendly, and the gardens and parks all around are simply the loveliest you have ever seen. You are filled with the same sort of happiness that it seems everybody there has. You are at peace with yourself and that place.”
“Now, it's time to leave, and we are going back into space again. Ahead of us is that same white cloud, and this time, as we enter it, we make a left turn, and we are now going back in time. The year is 1700 on Earth, and as we come back to Earth in that time, we are going to each go into a body in that time and place. I want you to look at your feet, and your clothes, and your surroundings, and have a sense of who you are in that body. Now, it's time to return. We are leaving this time and place, and going back thru that white cloud, and back to that blue marble of earth, and back to that comfortable seat, and into your own body again. As I count to three backwards, you are gong to awaken, not drowsy or sleepy or affected by my voice at all, and you will remember everything you experienced.”
Then, I count, “Three, two, one, awake fully awake. Now, how many persons really experienced that beautiful planet?”
About a third or more really did visualize it clearly. (A few were somewhat angry with me for not leaving them longer!) Then I asked, “Now, how many persons experienced themselves in 1700?” Surprisingly, about one third had very good and clear visualizations. One woman was indignant “I had bare feet, and scratched legs, and I was a serving woman”. She had a very high opinion of herself in this life obviously. Needless to say, these stories were very interesting, and varied. One woman impressed me with, “I was in a dark place waiting to be born.”
Of course, such stories do not prove anything. They could be products of imagination, or simply scraps of something from the unconscious or universal mind. However, or whatever they are, taken in bulk from honest persons with no known vested interest, they do prove something beyond our conscious knowledge.
An “Impossible” Story
Here's a true story that is unbelievable to many people. In reading about hypnosis, I came across an article where a professional hypnotist had claimed that he had been able to increase a woman's breast size using hypnosis. I dismissed that claim until in 1978; I read an article by Dr Ted X. Barber in the Journal of Clinical Hypnosis about hypnotic phenomena. This article discussed many different hypnotic phenomena, including several experiments at several different colleges that had all done a similar experiment. As I recall (at this much later date), each college used 8-12 women, all of whom were somewhat flat chested, and all wanted larger breasts.
All were carefully measured, above and below the actual breasts, and across them at the nipples. Once a week for 12 weeks, they were hypnotized as a group, and told to visualize things like, “See yourself in a mirror naked with larger breasts. Admire your larger breasts. See how good they look, and how good you feel with them. Now, see yourself dressed in a very becoming dress, and how well it looks on you with your new breasts. It increases your self-confidence as well. “
These comments were repeated several times. As I recall, the average for all of the various experiments was that 80% actually increased their breast size, and the average increase was 2.1 inches.
Let's take another deeper look at this. The average success rate for losing weight by hypnosis is considered to be less than 65%. In other less reported breast size experiments, DECREASING breast size in women with overly large breasts, the success rate was negligible.
In addition, this suggestion is specific - add body cells to a certain part of the body only! We have no knowledge if actual mammary cells were added, or only fat cells, but still!!!
I've won two bets from other psychologists that this story was published in a reputable scientific journal. I made a hypnosis tape specifically for “breast enlargement”, and heard for a few of the women who purchased it that it did indeed work for them. Unfortunately, few people report either success or failure.
Why doesn't hypnosis work better on the “lesser task” of losing weight, or losing breast weight? The explanation is difficult, but in my experience the social “advantage” to women of large breasts inhibits the unconscious from losing this “advantage”. Some women are “punishing” their selves (or their husbands) by being fat. (Sort of “love me for me, not for my body”). Motives of the unconscious mind are often murky and difficult for our conscious minds to understand. The computer analogy of “garbage in - garbage out” applies here.
Harmful Unconscious Ideas
The unconscious mind can be a force for good or bad. It apparently doesn't discriminate - again like a computer. If a virus gets in, it can distort many other programs in different ways.
Let's examine a very illustrative case. A woman brought in her 8 year old boy for hypnosis for bedwetting. I did the usual direct suggestion, and told her to keep him off all milk products for at least a week.
Two days later, she and her son were back. No success. This time, I did age regression hypnosis. He went back (with a little urging) to when he was 4. He was in bed almost asleep when he heard someone trying to get in his window. He was so scared that he wet himself, and cried out. The burglar (real or imagined) left. The unconscious “logic” to this boy - urination protects from intruders in night. It wasn't difficult to remove this logic (computer virus), and his mother said that he hadn't wet again a few months later.
The great master of hypnotic therapy, Milton Erickson, once had an almost comic situation that he solved in a unique way. It seems that a recently married couple came to him because each was a bed wetter. On their honeymoon, the bed was wet each morning, and each thought the other was very thoughtful in not mentioning it. After a few days, they each confessed and came to Erickson.
He made them agree to do exactly what he said, and then told them to kneel on the bed when they were ready for sleep and each had to urinate, and then sleep in it. They came back several days later, and they had kept their word. He then told them, “Since you did as I told you, tonight you can go to bed normally without the urination, and come back tomorrow”. The next day, they said the bed was dry in the morning, so he “allowed” them another dry night. Then another, and then he declared them “cured”.
These two stories illustrate the immense power of the unconscious for both good and bad. One of the major jobs of the unconscious mind is to “protect” the physical body (home of the unconscious mind) from harm. If a threat is perceived whether real or imaginary, it goes into action, even if the action may be harmful to itself.
Phil Bate PhD - Retired Orthomolecular Psychologist
Inventor and Patent Pending Holder for
Brain Wave Amplitude Changing via Auditory Training
hypnosis
quit smoking with hypnosis
Monday, January 4, 2010
Debt relief 101: Understanding your options and avoiding the scams
The total consumer debt in the United States has ballooned to over two trillion dollars a full 100% greater than it was just a decade ago. As a result more people than are in need of debt relief services. But like with all burgeoning industries, there are a number of scams and ineffectiveness in many debt relief services. As a result, it is important that consumers considering debt relief know their options.
Debt Consolidation
The most well-known form of debt relief is debt consolidation. The principle behind debt consolidation is that by combining the many small debts, many of which are very high interest such as credit cards, under a single lower interest loan, you can get control of your debt. Under the single lower interest loan, the overall cost of servicing the debt, that is your total monthly payment, is lower than the combined total of the many smaller debts. That at least is the theory behind all debt consolidation programs.
Many programs go further, however, by limiting your discretionary spending. The theory goes, that because you have accumulated so much debt through your own uncontrolled spending, the debt consolidation lender will in effect act as your accountant too. The limitations placed on you by debt relief programs range from prohibiting major purchases like as a new car or home, all the way to those organizations which take your paycheck before you get it, and then dole out to you the remainder. While the latter version sounds intrusive, and certainly it is, it may prove for some individuals the best option as it will force a rationing of discretionary spending. But one thing you can count on with almost every debt consolidation program is the requirement that you cut up all of your credit cards. As credit is the number one contributor to consumer debt today, that isn’t all that bad of an idea.
Creditor Negotiations
But debt consolidation isn’t the only option available to those in debt crisis. Another option is to hire a creditor negotiator. These services, usually under the name debt management or debt managers, mediate negotiations between you and your creditors in the hope of lowering your total debt. In effect, these individuals bargain with your creditors, threatening them with the possibility of you seeking bankruptcy (in which case they get almost nothing) to try to get them to lower the interest rate, or the principle of your debt. This can be a very effective method for those unable or hesitant to secure a new larger debt through a debt consolidation loan.
The problem with both of these options is that they do not come for free. While many organizations present themselves as non-profit or even public servants, the reality is that almost every agency is in business because of the profits they can make off of you. For example, many individuals in need of debt consolidation are so thankful to find a willing lender that promises to lower their monthly payment, that they fail to examine closely the loan contract they are offered.
The Negatives and Scams of Debt Relief Programs
A common scam is to hide huge “service fees” or “debt consolidation fees” in the principle of the loan. So, if for example you have $50,000 in outstanding debt, your debt consolidation lender may provide you with a loan as high as $80,000, where the extra $30,000 is comprised almost entirely of fees. The lender then extends the loan out for years and years, so that your monthly payment is actually lower and as a result you do not ask any questions. Another, even more devious scam is to vary the interest rate over the life of the debt consolidation loan. For example, the lender might offer you a loan in which for the first two years the interest rate is an extremely low percentage, say 4%. But very quickly, the interest rate balloons to something like 15% at which point you will no longer be able to make payments and must go back to the lender and “consolidate your debt” once again.
But debt consolidation lenders are not the only one’s trying to scam you. Creditor negotiators seem to offer a problem-free solution to your debt troubles. They offer to negotiate with your creditors, making the process seem infinitely more complex than it actually is. In truth, many individuals can simply negotiate with creditors themselves. The threat of bankruptcy is very real for many lenders, and as a result many are willing to offer you alternatives to the current high interest rates they are charging you. By cutting out the middle man credit negotiator, you can save much by way of charges, for the rather minimal hassle of calling the creditors yourself.
Both debt consolidation and debt management services fill important niches in a world where consumer debt is increasingly prevalent. It is important to remember, however, that these companies make money off of you. And because the industry is in a stage of rapid growth there are a great number of companies working on the edges of the law if not engaging in outright predatory lending. By entering the world of debt relief you are entering the world of scam artists and sub-prime lenders. Educating yourself before you enter the arena is the only way to ensure that you attain the best debt relief for you.
Kristy Sinsara
Kristy Sinsara
Debt Consolidation
The most well-known form of debt relief is debt consolidation. The principle behind debt consolidation is that by combining the many small debts, many of which are very high interest such as credit cards, under a single lower interest loan, you can get control of your debt. Under the single lower interest loan, the overall cost of servicing the debt, that is your total monthly payment, is lower than the combined total of the many smaller debts. That at least is the theory behind all debt consolidation programs.
Many programs go further, however, by limiting your discretionary spending. The theory goes, that because you have accumulated so much debt through your own uncontrolled spending, the debt consolidation lender will in effect act as your accountant too. The limitations placed on you by debt relief programs range from prohibiting major purchases like as a new car or home, all the way to those organizations which take your paycheck before you get it, and then dole out to you the remainder. While the latter version sounds intrusive, and certainly it is, it may prove for some individuals the best option as it will force a rationing of discretionary spending. But one thing you can count on with almost every debt consolidation program is the requirement that you cut up all of your credit cards. As credit is the number one contributor to consumer debt today, that isn’t all that bad of an idea.
Creditor Negotiations
But debt consolidation isn’t the only option available to those in debt crisis. Another option is to hire a creditor negotiator. These services, usually under the name debt management or debt managers, mediate negotiations between you and your creditors in the hope of lowering your total debt. In effect, these individuals bargain with your creditors, threatening them with the possibility of you seeking bankruptcy (in which case they get almost nothing) to try to get them to lower the interest rate, or the principle of your debt. This can be a very effective method for those unable or hesitant to secure a new larger debt through a debt consolidation loan.
The problem with both of these options is that they do not come for free. While many organizations present themselves as non-profit or even public servants, the reality is that almost every agency is in business because of the profits they can make off of you. For example, many individuals in need of debt consolidation are so thankful to find a willing lender that promises to lower their monthly payment, that they fail to examine closely the loan contract they are offered.
The Negatives and Scams of Debt Relief Programs
A common scam is to hide huge “service fees” or “debt consolidation fees” in the principle of the loan. So, if for example you have $50,000 in outstanding debt, your debt consolidation lender may provide you with a loan as high as $80,000, where the extra $30,000 is comprised almost entirely of fees. The lender then extends the loan out for years and years, so that your monthly payment is actually lower and as a result you do not ask any questions. Another, even more devious scam is to vary the interest rate over the life of the debt consolidation loan. For example, the lender might offer you a loan in which for the first two years the interest rate is an extremely low percentage, say 4%. But very quickly, the interest rate balloons to something like 15% at which point you will no longer be able to make payments and must go back to the lender and “consolidate your debt” once again.
But debt consolidation lenders are not the only one’s trying to scam you. Creditor negotiators seem to offer a problem-free solution to your debt troubles. They offer to negotiate with your creditors, making the process seem infinitely more complex than it actually is. In truth, many individuals can simply negotiate with creditors themselves. The threat of bankruptcy is very real for many lenders, and as a result many are willing to offer you alternatives to the current high interest rates they are charging you. By cutting out the middle man credit negotiator, you can save much by way of charges, for the rather minimal hassle of calling the creditors yourself.
Both debt consolidation and debt management services fill important niches in a world where consumer debt is increasingly prevalent. It is important to remember, however, that these companies make money off of you. And because the industry is in a stage of rapid growth there are a great number of companies working on the edges of the law if not engaging in outright predatory lending. By entering the world of debt relief you are entering the world of scam artists and sub-prime lenders. Educating yourself before you enter the arena is the only way to ensure that you attain the best debt relief for you.
Kristy Sinsara
Kristy Sinsara
Quality Online Roofing Resources
I recently had the need to come up with relatively useful definitions of some roofing terms and also some guides and opinions regarding roofing methods. I stumbled upon some useful online resources that provide the things that I need and also may also be helpful to other users out there.
Here is a list and some descriptions of some of the sites I have found:
1. Garlandco.com – It is a roofing company that has been in business since 1895. What generally caught my attention was their PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview of the most common types of roofing systems that are available in the commercial market place today. Other information include in the presentation are brief description, history and application of each system and lastly, the advantages and disadvantages of each roofing system.
2. Roofing.com – It is a forum all about roofing. Its main feature is a forum area where there are active members. All posts are related to roofing and most members are highly knowledgeable when it comes to roofing both in theory and in practice.
It also has a Knowledge base area wherein forum members can give inputs like answers to frequently asked questions and some roofing guides. Within this area, you can find the definitions to most roofing terms.
The site also has a section wherein you can view the number of roofing jobs available per state. It also has a directory of roofing companies categorized by state.
All in all, the site is quite user-friendly and highly informative. Most of my friends also think that it is one good online resource site if the subject is roofing.
3. Roofersreview.com – Is a highly informative site dedicated to roofing. Here you can find local roofers through browsing photos of their works. Also, this site has been suggested to me by members of Roofing.com. They say the pictures they upload to this site help them get quick answers from other users of the forum.
I would include the other sites that I find useful in another article which I may finish by next week. Until then, I hope you get the maximum benefit that you can from the following sites.
Dallas Roofing
Fort Worth Roofing
Here is a list and some descriptions of some of the sites I have found:
1. Garlandco.com – It is a roofing company that has been in business since 1895. What generally caught my attention was their PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview of the most common types of roofing systems that are available in the commercial market place today. Other information include in the presentation are brief description, history and application of each system and lastly, the advantages and disadvantages of each roofing system.
2. Roofing.com – It is a forum all about roofing. Its main feature is a forum area where there are active members. All posts are related to roofing and most members are highly knowledgeable when it comes to roofing both in theory and in practice.
It also has a Knowledge base area wherein forum members can give inputs like answers to frequently asked questions and some roofing guides. Within this area, you can find the definitions to most roofing terms.
The site also has a section wherein you can view the number of roofing jobs available per state. It also has a directory of roofing companies categorized by state.
All in all, the site is quite user-friendly and highly informative. Most of my friends also think that it is one good online resource site if the subject is roofing.
3. Roofersreview.com – Is a highly informative site dedicated to roofing. Here you can find local roofers through browsing photos of their works. Also, this site has been suggested to me by members of Roofing.com. They say the pictures they upload to this site help them get quick answers from other users of the forum.
I would include the other sites that I find useful in another article which I may finish by next week. Until then, I hope you get the maximum benefit that you can from the following sites.
Dallas Roofing
Fort Worth Roofing
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