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“Why should you be afraid?”, I can hear you ask.

I just got an email from my friend Miche who said,

“My laptop is sick at the hospital. Hard Drive failure.
Am praying data can be retrieved.”

Her exact words.

Ohhhh : tremors of fear running up and down my spine!

Why?

Because … and I have to be honest … I haven’t *backed up* my laptop for ages!

Oh I can hear your derisive laughter, your looks of scorn … I can feel your disbelief.

Me – of all people – admitting this. My friends call me “TechieGirl”!

Well, the best part of my friend’s scary dilemma is that it’s forcing me into action!

I’m dusting off the cd burner and plugging into the power, plugging it into the USB slot – now how *hard* was that? I’ve got a stack of blank cds gathering dust on my desk … why not use them?

Hmm … why not do a *big* backup on the first of each month, and a *mini* backup every Monday [or Tuesday or Friday ... whatever works best for you]?

::::: Plan it! :::::

OK – stick with me here – open your online Diary or Appointments Database or hard-copy Diary and make an appointment *with yourself* – which part of the week could you devote say a half hour to, to do a quick backup? What about when you sit down to open the mail, or read a report, do your return phonecalls? If you work from home, why not start the backup as soon as you get out of bed so it’ll be done by the time you’ve had your walk, eaten your breakfast, and showered.

I can hear you saying, “Oh it’ll take too long … I’ll do it later … tomorrow … next week … next month …”. And then one day I’ll be getting an email or a call from you saying, “If only I’d backed up the computer …”

Imagine losing all your documents, projects, databases, passwords, software settings, names, addresses, phone numbers, email names, website links – YIKES! I’m scaring myself again!!!!

If I lost even *one* thing in that list above, I’d be in BIG trouble – REAL BIG trouble.

::::: What do I backup? :::::

Good question. The most important thing NOT to backup is your software.

You do have all the original cds, don’t you? And you made copies of those cds when you bought the software, right, as a *backup* in case the original cd failed? Didn’t you? Yeah, I thought so … no-one bothers to do that, but it’s the one thing which could save your hair from going white overnight after your computer dies.

MUST backup:

* LOGINS, ALL passwords, FTP access codes, banking details, etc. Where do you currently keep this info? Please don’t tell me it’s in a little book on your desk … oh so easy to get lost, to get put in someone else’s pocket, to go walk-about. You should have a password-protected spreadsheet or document, or even better – a password-protected database. I have a database which I open as soon as I create a new login, or add myself to a mailing list, or join a new news group etc – paste the info in *as* you create it, to ensure you’ll *never* forget it. Sure, you sometimes get confirmation emails with this data … but if your computer has *died* … get the picture? You can’t access the emails!

* CLIENT documents / projects / websites (if you’re a developer), in fact ANYTHING which could cause grief if you lost it or didn’t have a copy of it. If you’ve printed a lot of this stuff, what would you need if you had a *fire* and lost all your paper files? Think about that. Hard. Now make a list and maybe have a backup cd for each Client or group of clients, depending on your business.

* EMAIL software folder which should include ALL your emails. You do *keep* all emails don’t you? Please tell me you’re not one of those people who deletes emails as soon as you read them (business ones I mean). Have you ever considered that emails are a form of *database*? I can search my Eudora software for any word or phrase and in a nanosecond I have a list of emails relating to that item (all neatly filed in their email folders … but that’s *another* article!). I *love* Eudora’s features! Getting back to business, emails with historical information on projects are invaluable to see who said what and when they said it. It’s a timeline, tracking resource, for a project’s life.

* PHOTOS, personal, professional – unless you’re using them all the time, these can be kept on CDs on a regular basis. When you download from the digital camera, save to cd straight away and save space on your hard drive [note to "self" : follow own suggestion]. If you have photos related to a project or client, save them to the Client cd you created earlier, if there’s space.

* FINANCIALS. All your spreadsheets, MYOB or whatever other software you use to track financials. Every document which the tax department might one day want to see … for the past 7 years. Business plans, budgets, everything relating to your business which you’ll need to continue to *be* in business.

* FAXES – do you use online faxing like I do? Where every incoming fax comes into my inbox as an email? From now on, whenever one arrives, put it into a folder called FAXES or save with your client data. Faxes are also a record of what’s transpired – another form of database. Plus if you use this kind of fax service, you’re saving trees. >

* INSURANCE. Keep quotes etc on your computer? You’ll be needing these.

* DATABASES – all of them. A must. Trust me, you’ll kick yourself if you need one of these you didn’t bother backing up.

* COMPUTER DESKTOP. OK – what’s still sitting on your desktop which hasn’t be put away or filed yet? Probably a bunch o’stuff – clear this up before you backup, make your job that little bit easier.

* EXCEPTION to the SOFTWARE RULE above – if you’ve bought any software online, or downloaded any software or programs of any kind for which you did not receive a cd, then back it up. If you’ve still got the Installer file, save that – it’ll save time.

* BROWSER Settings – go through your browser Preferences screens, take snapshots (like printscreen) of those settings – it’ll save you a TON of time if you have to set up your email and ISP settings at a later date.

* PDFs : have you downloaded any pdfs or purchased any ebooks? Are they all in the same download folder, or in a PDF or eBook folder? You’ll want to save these.

************
YIKES!
************

Oh boy – I just looked at my hard drive – 222 folders of stuff – I need to do some serious sorting and computer *housekeeping* before I do a backup, otherwise it’ll take forever to sift through all that stuff! So here’s the list of things to do:

* tip : do it in bite-sized pieces, baby steps, little chunks each day

* make a list of things you want to backup – think about your client info etc

* do your computer housekeeping, put things away in folders, then put those folders in main folders to tidy up your own special filing system – do this on one day so it’s not too overwhelming

* on the next day, make sure you have spare cds – you might need a few, depending on how much filing needs to be done; go buy cds if you need to. Consider buying Read Write cds, rather than the regular cds – if you want to be able to add info to cds later.

* if you’ve got an internal cd burner in your computer, you’re a lucky dog – if you’ve got an external one, plug it in and make sure it works

* when you’re ready, start the software you need to backup (usually Toast or something similar)

* be prepared for this to take at least an hour, maybe more if you’ve got a ton of stuff, but *don’t * put it off! An hour spent now could save you *weeks* of worry and work in the future!

* when you’ve done the first *big* backup, pat yourself on the back, you’ve accomplished a very important business task!!!

While you’re feeling smug and proud of yourself, think about when you should do your next backup. How much work would you be ok about losing? One day’s worth? One week’s worth? How about a month of work? Whichever is the one you choose, make *that* the amount of time before you do your first *mini* backup. Don’t be afraid to set other backup procedures for times which suit you, your projects, your clients.

The main question you need to ask yourself is,
………………………………………………………………..
“How much work would it be OK to *lose*
without it affecting me or my business?”
………………………………………………………………..

::::: DON’T FORGET :::::

Label your cds. How are you going to file them? In a cd box? Will they be in a hard plastic shell or sleeve? Where would it make sense to *see* the client name on the cover, when it’s in the box? How easily would you be able to find a cd in that box? You can write on cds with thick permanent markers, or if you’re really keen, you can print onto cd labels (available from many stationery companies).

Keep 2 backup copies.

If you don’t work at home, it might be worthwhile keeping a backup copy of the backup – one at work, one at home. Just in case.

Now that I’ve scared myself silly, I’m off to dust the cd burner and make a latte – don’t expect me to reply to your emails over the next few hours, I’m doing a backup!

About the Author

© Teena Hughes * Director of Build A Website Tonight, successful ebusiness owner, and loves to help people get their business started.
http://www.BuildAWebsiteTonight.com
Free eZine :: Fabulous Forum

REDISCOVERING THE MIND:

From the viewpoint of a modern microbiologist, we hear the call for integration and common sense in sciences that are all too often devising separate stakes and battlements to pontificate from, on high. The ‘experts’ thus proving their ignorance because the result inevitably is specious ego and puffery. Truth did not divide herself up for prissy ‘nerds’ to prevail upon, with their massive convolutions and devious attempts to practice buffoonery upon her.

In August of 1980 Psychology Today ran an article by Harold J. Morowitz, professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University. I recommend a complete reading of this article for anyone who has suffered through a complete exposure to all that our modern education system is comprised of; as it tries to convince you that everything is ‘black and white’ and that no soul exists through avoidance of its instruction (except a few artists who defy the norm).

“REDISCOVERING THE MIND;

Physical scientists are returning to the view that thought – meaning mind – is one of nature’s ultimate realities’.

The study of life at all levels, from social to molecular behavior, has in modern times relied on reductionism as the chief explanatory concept. This approach to knowledge tries to comprehend one level of scientific phenomena in terms of concepts at a lower and presumably more fundamental level… Reductionism at the psychological level is exemplified by the viewpoint in Carl Sagan’s best selling book THE DRAGONS OF EDEN.

He writes: ‘My fundamental premise about the brain is that its workings- what we sometimes call ‘mind’ – are a consequence of its anatomy and, physiology and nothing more.’ As a further demonstration of this trend of thought, we note that Sagan’s glossary does not contain the words mind, consciousness, perception, awareness or thought, but rather deals with entries such as synapse, lobotomy, proteins and electrodes…

Werner Heisenberg, one of the founders of the new physics, became deeply involved in the issues of philosophy and humanism. In PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS, he wrote of physicists having to renounce thoughts of an objective time-scale common to all observers, and of events in time and space that are independent of our ability to observe them. Heisenberg stressed that the laws of nature no longer dealt with elementary particles, but with our knowledge of these particles – that is, with the ‘contents of our minds’. Erwin Schrdinger, the man who formulated the fundamental equation of quantum mechanics, wrote an extraordinary little book in 1958 called MIND AND MATTER. In this series of essays, he moved from the results of the new physics to a rather mystical view of the universe that he identified with the ‘perennial philosophy’ of Aldous Huxley. Schrdinger was the first of the quantum theoreticians to express sympathy with the UPANISHADS and Eastern philosophical thought. A growing body of literature now embodies this perspective, including two popular works. THE TAO OF PHYSICS by Fritjof Capra, and THE DANCING WU-LI MASTERS by Gary Zukav…

However, the only simple and consistent description physicists were able to assign to a measurement involved an observer’s becoming aware of the result. Thus the physical event and the content of the human mind were inseparable. This linkage forced many researchers to seriously consider consciousness as an integral part of the structure of physics. Such interpretations moved science toward the ‘idealist’ as contracted with the ‘realist’ conception of philosophy.

The views of a large number of contemporary physical scientists are summed up in the essay ‘Remarks on the Mind-Body Question’ written by Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner. Wigner begins by pointing out that most physical scientists have returned to the recognition that thought – meaning the mind – is primary. He goes on to state: ‘It was not possible to formulate the laws of quantum mechanics in a fully consistent way without reference to the consciousness.’ And he concludes by noting how remarkable it is that the scientific study of the world led to the content of consciousness as an ultimate reality.’…

The founders of modern atomic theory did not start out to impose a ‘mentalist’ picture on the world. Rather, they began with the opposite point of view and were forced to the present day position in order to explain experimental results…

The results of this chain of reasoning will probably lend more aid and comfort to Eastern mystics than to neurophysiologists and molecular biologists; nevertheless, the closed loop follows from a straightforward combination of the explanatory processes of recognized experts in the three separate sciences. Since individuals seldom work with more than one of these paradigms, the general problem has received little attention…

We now understand the troublesome features in a forceful commitment to uncritical reductionism as a solution to the problem of mind. We have discussed the weaknesses of that position. In addition to being weak, it is a dangerous view, since the way we respond to our fellow human beings is dependent on the way we conceptualize them in our theoretical formulations. If we envision our fellows solely as animals or machines, we drain our interactions of humanistic richness. If we seek our behavioral norms in the study of animal societies, we ignore those uniquely human features that so much enrich our lives. Radical reductionism offers very little in the area of moral imperatives! Further, it presents the wrong glossary of terms for a humanistic pursuit.”

The Minnesota Twins study has been on-going for decades and it has produced some remarkable results that few reports see the impact of in reference to the very nature of ‘humanistic richness’ and soulful potentialities. Only once is the top researcher allowed to mention ESP. Much as the Harvard study I have reported, the participants are family members but because they were separated at birth and (in this case) twins – there is a greater connection of ESP or psychic abilities than normal. Isn’t this just common sense? Who can doubt it, you might say! Yet most people think ESP is some weird attribute or freak of nature rather than a gift we all have ‘within’, if they think it exists at all.

The majority of people today do not know about Tesla’s ‘non-force info packets’, ‘free energy’, ‘energy from vacuum machines by Bearden’ or what layers of time/space are involved in all psychic phenomena. Thus those who say they believe in ESP are at a loss to explain and they avoid any real involvement with it. The scientists are similarly ignorant of these things and they (after all) are ‘experts’ like the doctors who deny the mind-body connection with the soul that is vital to psychic utilization. Our present culture DENIED these truly human and fantastic or exquisite depths of being.

About the Author

Columnist in The ES Press Magazine
Guest Writer at World-Mysteries.com
Author of Diverse Druids

The time of romance is approaching; if you would like to spice up your Valentines Day; can you imagine a better approach than scanning for a set of hot brand new bra and knickers direct from the BeCheeky web site? It does not matter whether you are a man searching for a magnificent goodie for his spouse or lady-friend or you’re a woman surveying the market – place to please her lover; you might behold the very choicest in alluring under-wear at the BeCheeky site.

Do not be worried if you’re not really the most imaginative shopper – the BeCheeky web-site is very effortless to navigate, & their high quality images are certain to give you a lot of ideas.

BeCheeky offer goodies to accommodate all personal tastes and budgetary concerns – superb gifts for women, such as bras, panties & luscious hosiery 2 just £12. They furthermore have men’s under-wear direct from £12 – and so there is really no reason for not treating your partner this Valentines Day.

You may furthermore take the effort out of present purchasing with Be Cheeky – they will deliver almost everything ranging from bras and panties to suspender belts & tankinis, each and every product attractively gift wrapped and all set to shock your partner. BeCheeky additionally take the hassle out of selecting & matching for you by selling lovely matching bra and knickers packages. Going on holiday? Find swimwear

Going away somewhere that has beaches for Valentines Day? They have you catered for there also. Why not scan through their fabulous choice of swim wear and give your partner something to ogle at on the beach as well as the bedroom; all from first-rate brands such as Gok Wan.

It is not merely lingerie, underwear and swim wear on display from BeCheeky – they of course have got a considerable range of sexy gifts such as; massage kits, candles, lotions and body souffle; providing you even more ways to pamper your other at this sexy time of year.

Worried about acquiring that special Valentines Day lingerie for the big day? Fear not – order before twelve noon on Feb 13th and BeCheeky assure you’ll get your lingerie on time.

WHAT’S CREDIT

Being out on your own can be fun and exciting, but it also means taking on new financial responsibilities. The decisions you make now about how you manage your finances and borrow money will affect you in the futurefor better or worse.

Did you know that there are companies that keep track of whether you pay your debts and if you make payments on time? Then these companies make this information available in the form of a credit report and score.
A bad credit history can haunt you for a long timeseven years or more. That’s why the best thing to do is learn how to maintain good credit before there’s a problem. While this might seem complicated at first, it gets easier once you understand the basics of credit and how it works.
Credit is more than just a plastic card you use to buy thingsit is your financial trustworthiness.

Good credit means that your history of payments, employment and salary make you a good candidate for a loan, and creditorsthose who lend money or serviceswill be more willing to work with you. Having good credit usually translates into lower payments and more ease in borrowing money. Bad credit, however, can be a big problem. It usually results from making payments late or borrowing too much money, and it means that you might have trouble getting a car loan, a credit card, a place to live and, sometimes, a job.

YOUR CREDIT

Most creditors use credit scoring to evaluate your credit record. This involves using your credit application and report to get information about you, such as your annual income, outstanding debt, bill-paying history, and the number and types of accounts you have and how long you have had them. Potential lenders use your credit score to help predict whether you are a good risk to repay a loan and make payments on time.
Many people just starting out have no credit history and may find it tough to get a loan or credit card, but establishing a good credit history is not as difficult as it seems.

•You might apply for a credit card issued by a local store, because local businesses are more willing to extend credit to someone with no credit history. Once you establish a pattern of making your payments on time, major credit card issuers might be more willing to extend credit to you.

•You might apply for a secured credit card. Basically, this card requires you to put up the money first and then lets you borrow 50 to 100 percent of your account balance.

•You might ask other people who have an established credit history to co-sign on an account. By co-signing, the person is agreeing to pay back the loan if you don’t.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WORD MAKES

Credit cardYou can use a credit card to buy things and pay for them over time. But remember, buying with credit is a loanyou have to pay the money back. What’s more, if the credit card company sends you a check, it’s not a gift. It’s a loan you have to pay back. In addition to the cost of what you bought, you will owe a percentage of what you spent (interest) and sometimes an annual fee.
Charge cardIf you use a charge card, you must pay your balance in full when you get your regular statement.
Debit cardThis card allows you to access the money in your checking or savings account electronically to make purchases.

THE FINE PRINT

When applying for credit cards, it’s important to shop around. Fees, charges, interest rates and benefits can vary drastically among credit card issuers. And, in some cases, credit cards might seem like great deals until you read the fine print and disclosures. When you’re trying to find the credit card that’s right for you, look at the:
Annual percentage rate (APR)The APR is a measure of the cost of credit, expressed as a yearly interest rate. Usually, the lower the APR, the better for you. Be sure to check the fine print to see if your offer has a time limit. Your APR could be much higher after the initial limited offer.
Grace periodThis is the time between the date of the credit card purchase and the date the company starts charging you interest.
Annual feesMany credit card issuers charge an annual fee for giving you credit, typically $15 to $55.

Transaction fees and other chargesMost creditors charge a fee if you don’t make a payment on time. Other common credit card fees include those for cash advances and going beyond the credit limit. Some credit cards charge a flat fee every month, whether you use your card or not.
Customer serviceCustomer service is something most people don’t consider, or appreciate, until there’s a problem. Look for a 24-hour toll-free telephone number.

Other optionsCreditors may offer other options for a price, including discounts, rebates and special merchandise offers. If your card is lost or stolen, federal law protects you from owing more than $50 per cardbut only if you report that it was lost or stolen within two days of discovering the loss or theft. Paying for additional protection may not be a good value.

YOUR PERSONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Banks and other financial companies may share your personal financial information with their subsidiaries and other companies. But you can limit some of that sharing if you want to. “Opting out” can help keep much of your financial information private and reduce unsolicited offers that come in the mail. But it also means you may not see offers that could interest you. Your financial institutions will send you a privacy notice once a year in your statement or as a separate mailing. Be sure to read these notices carefully. Get answers to your questions from these companies. If you decide you want to opt out, follow the company’s instructionsyou may need to call them, return a form, or go online. You can shop around for a financial institution with the privacy policy you want.

DO THE MATH

Keep in mind that credit card interest rates and minimum monthly payments affect how long it will take to pay off your debt and how much you’ll pay for your purchase over time.

Suppose when you’re 22, you charge $1,000 worth of clothes and CDs on a credit card with a 19 percent interest rate.
If you pay $20 every month, you’ll be over 30 by the time you pay off the debt.

You’ll have paid an extra $1,000 in interest. And that’s if you never charge anything else on that card!

KEEP YOUR CREDIT RECORD CLEAN

Good credit is important, now and in the future. In most cases, it takes seven years for accurate, negative information to be deleted from a credit report. Bankruptcy information takes even longer to be deleted10 years.
Know What Creditors Look for on Credit Reports
Understanding what types of information most creditors evaluate is important. Your credit report is a key part of your credit score, but it is not the only factor. You get points for other things like:

•Your bill-paying history

•How many accounts you have and what kind

•Late payments

•Longevity of accounts

•The unused portions of lines of credit

•Collections actions

•Outstanding debt

Where to Obtain a Copy of Your Credit Report

Credit reporting agencies don’t share files, so you’ll need to contact each reporting agency to make sure the information about you is correct. The three major credit reporting agencies are:

Equifax
1-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com

Experian
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion
1-800-888-4213
www.transunion.com

In some states, you don’t have to pay to get a copy of your credit report.

KEEP CREDIT CARDS UNDER CONTROL

Whether you shop online, by telephone or by mail, a credit card can make buying many things much easier; but when you use a credit card, it’s important to keep track of your spending. Incidental and impulse purchases add up, and each one you make with a credit card is a separate loan. When the bill comes, you have to pay what you owe. Owing more than you can afford to repay can damage your credit rating.
Keeping good records can prevent a lot of headaches, especially if there are inaccuracies on your monthly statement. If you notice a problem, promptly report it to the company that issued the card. Usually the instructions for disputing a charge are on your monthly statement. If you order by mail, by telephone or online, keep copies and printouts with details about the transaction.

These details should include the company’s name, address and telephone number; the date of your order; a copy of the order form you sent to the company or a list of the stock codes of the items ordered; the order confirmation code; the ad or catalog from which you ordered (if applicable); any applicable warranties; and the return and refund policies.
Finally, if you have a credit card, take the following precautions:

•Never lend it to anyone.

•Never sign a blank charge slip. Draw lines through blank spaces on charge slips above the total so the amount can’t be changed.

•Never put your account number on the outside of an envelope or on a postcard.

•Always be cautious about disclosing your account number on the telephone unless you know the person you’re dealing with represents a reputable company.

•Always carry only the cards you anticipate using to prevent the possible loss or theft of all your cards or identification.

•Always report lost or stolen ATM and credit cards to the card issuers as soon as possible. Follow up with a letter that includes your account number, when you noticed the card was missing, and when you first reported the loss.

PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

Identity theft involves someone else using your personal information to create fraudulent accounts, charge items to another person’s existing accounts, or even get a job. You can minimize the risks by managing your personal information wisely and cautiously. Here are some ways to protect yourself from identity theft:

•Before you reveal any personally identifying information, find out how it will be used and whether it will be shared.

•Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if your bills don’t arrive on time.

•Guard your mail from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after it has been delivered. If you’re planning to be away from home and can’t pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service toll-free at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.gov to request a vacation hold.

•When possible, put passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number or telephone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. It’s a good idea to keep a list of your credit card issuers and their telephone numbers.

•Don’t give out personal information on the telephone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or you know whom you’re dealing with.

•Protect personal information in your home. For example, tear or shred documents like charge receipts, copies of credit offers and applications, insurance forms, physician’s statements, discarded bank checks and statements, and expired credit cards before you throw them away. Be cautious about leaving personal information in plain view, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done.

•Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that the records are kept in a secure location.

•Never carry your Social Security card; leave it in a secure place at home. Give out your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary.

•Order your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year to make sure it is accurate and includes only those activities you’ve authorized.

•Carry only the identification that you actually need.
What to Do If You re a Victim of Identity Theft
If your cards, bills or identification have been misused to open new accounts in your name, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Call toll-free 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TDD: 202-326-2502.

IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT RECORD

A lot of people spend more than they can afford and pay less toward their debts than they should. To get control over your finances and to manage your debt, try:

BudgetingIn many cases, people design and then stick to a budget to get their debt under control. A budget is a plan for how much money you have and how much money you spend. Sticking to a realistic budget allows you to pay off your debts and save for the proverbial rainy day.

Credit CounselingMany universities, military bases, credit unions and housing authorities operate nonprofit financial counseling programs. Some charge a fee for their services. Creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you’re working with a reputable program to create a debt repayment plan. When you choose a credit counselor, be sure to ask about fees you will have to pay and what kind of counseling you’ll receive. A credit counseling organization isn’t necessarily legitimate just because it says it’s nonprofit. You may want to check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints against a counselor or counseling organization.

BankruptcyBankruptcy is considered the credit solution of last resort. Unlike negative credit information that stays on a credit report for seven years, bankruptcies stay on a credit report for 10 years. Bankruptcy can make it difficult to rent an apartment, buy a house or a condo, get some types of insurance, get additional credit, and, sometimes, get a job. In some cases, bankruptcy may not be an easily available option.

We have created http://www.CreditCardHelpDesk.com to be your one source shop for everything related to credit. You can learn everything you need to know about credit cards, mortgages, debt consolidation and more at http://www.CreditCardHelpDesk.com

Testing diodes is different from testing a resistor because you need a skill to do it. If you do not know or wrongly test a diode you will be unable to repair the equipment. A bad diode you think it is good. This will definitely waste your precious time.

A rectifier diode can fail in one of the four ways. It can become: -Open -Shorted -Leaky -Breakdown when in full operating voltage An analog multimeter or digital multimeter can be used to check for all the first three conditions except the last one where the diode breakdown in full operating voltage. From my of experienced in the electronic repairing line, i found that checking diode using analog multimeter is more accurate than using a digital multimeter. I could explain to you why i preferred analog meter. I do not know about you because i really came across quite a number of diodes where it checked ok using digital multimeter but failed when test with analog meter.

The first step on how to test a diode is to remove one of the diode lead. You can’t always be certain if a diode is good or bad if you perform in-circuit test, because of back circuits through other components. To be absolutely sure, you will need to lift, or disconnect, one diode lead from the circuit to avoid back circuits. Unless you are very sure about the board you are checking. Sometimes i do found bad diodes when checking it on board. Your experienced will tell you when to check a diode on-board or off-board. If you are new to electronic repair, i highly recommend that you check a diode with a lead removed from the board.

I will set my analog meter to x1 ohms to check for current diode leakage reverse and forward testing. Connecting the black probe of your meter to the cathode and red probe to the anode, the diode is reverse biased and should look like an open reading. Connecting the red probe of your meter to the cathode and black probe to the anode, the diode is forward biased and the meter should read some value of resistance. If you have two readings then most probably the diode is shorted or leaky and you should replace it. If you don’t get any reading either forward or reverse bias, the diode is considered open.

The real problem when checking a diode using the diode test function of a digital meter is that an open or leaky diode, the meter sometimes reads ok(0.6). This is due to digital meter diode test output voltage (which you can measure the output test probe using another meter) is around 500mv to 2v. An analog meter set to x1 ohms have output about 3V(remember the two 1.5V battery you installed in the meter!). The 3V voltage is enough to show you the accurate reading of a diode when under test.

Even if you have a good reading at x1 ohms doesn’t mean that the diode is good . You now have to set your meter to x10K to test the diode again. The output voltage of x10k ohms is about 12V(remember the 9v battery in your meter-1.5v+1.5v+9v=12v). Again the diode under test should show only one reading. This is exception to Schottky diode where it have two readings but not shorted reading. If the meter showed one reading then the diode under test is good. If it has two readings then most probably the diode is either shorted or leaky. The digital meter can’t test it because the output from the meter is only 500mv to 2V.

If a diode breakdown when under full operating voltage, there is no way to testing diode (unless you have a very expensive diode checker which specially designed to locate this type of problem).Substituting with a known good diode is often the only way to prove that an intermittent diode is causing a particular problem. Sometimes an intermittent diode could be locate using a coolant spray.

Caution: Be certain that power is removed from any circuit before performing any of the following diode checks, otherwise meter or circuit damage could result.

Conclusion-In order to correctly test diode function you need to set the analog meter to x1 ohms and x10K ohms range.

For the ultimate in home health therapy the new Infrared Sauna is sweeping the market for people who are looking for solutions for stress relief, weight loss, skin purification, and even pain management. The Infrared sauna offers cutting edge low heat technology to help you comfortably sweat your toxins away while at the same time allowing deep penetration of joints, muscles, tissues, and increased oxygen and blood circulation. The infrared sauna works by detoxifying the body and actually ridding it of pollutants like aluminum, cadmium, lead and even formaldehyde and other dangerous chemicals.

The secret to infrared saunas lies in their lower temperature infrared heat waves emitted, which due to their longer wavelength have the ability to penetrate deeper into the body’s tissue. Japanese studies on Infrared saunas have concluded that the sweat generated inside infrared saunas contains up to 300% more toxins than sweat expelled during exercise or traditional steam sauna use.

As your body stores waste and harmful toxins the regular use of Infrared saunas can help rid you of these toxin build ups, and burn up to 600 calories in a single infrared sauna session. Infrared saunas help to purify your body cells and detoxification is made safe and easy through the process of deep tissue infrared heat and elimination sweating. Your whole family can enjoy the safe benefits of using an Infrared sauna. Infrared saunas are now used in health and healing facilities for a range of health problems such as menopause, cancer pain, ulcers, fibromyalgia, and insomnia. In addition, other alternative healing practitioners have suggested Infrared sauna use for hemorrhoids, cystitis, and cirrhosis of the liver, gastritis, hepatitis, asthma, bronchitis, and it’s known to help with allergies.

Infra red saunas come today in custom sizes that are bound to fit in most any room in your home. If you don’t think you have the space it may be a pleasant surprise to know that you can even purchase Infrared saunas in portable and blanket models. If you feel your lifestyle could benefit from regular detoxification and elimination of pollutants, including burning significant calories in the process you owe it to your body’s health to explore the many benefits of Infrared Saunas.

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Fair sentences!
“Objective Subjectivity is to appreciate the subjectivity own by a being,
without to try deform it [contaminate] with the subjectivity of the
appreciator!” Josif Visarionovitsch Djugaschvilli [otherwise STALIN]
Sentences are divided in ” Sincere and Honest” and ” False and Dishonest”.
The second group is extremely complicated and it doesn’t fit to be analyzed
here [do to author's intellectual incompetence - note by translator]. The group remained we divided in: “Perfect sentences” are the Divine ones and
“Imperfect Sentences” are the Human ones.
Some sentences express facts [observed phenomena] and other desires [phenomena that should happen].
Opening the window: “it is cold!” or looking at the thermometer: “thermometer shows 12C”, the first sentence is “subjective”. The second, in the case of analog thermometer is less subjective. In the case of the digital thermometer the second sentence is objective!? But all the three sentences judges “tangible phenomenon”.
Other sentences on the “tangible” natural phenomena: “Delbert is cheerful
and happy”. -”Delbert’s brain is replete of endorphins”, are expressing the same phenomenon in a different way, they are almost totally impersonal and almost without any nuance of desire [subjectivity].
The sentence: “Rain should begin et 21 hours and finish at 4 hours, et
7 hours it should already be everything dry and the sun should shine!”
this sentence express the desire or the opinion [judging quality of the weather/climate] or the two!
Sentences that judge the intangible phenomena [moral, faith and justice]
are found in instincts. Most of the people possess almost identical
instincts. Nor like this a groups with genetic deviations. It is difficult
to analyze and to seek differences in almost equal judgments. But the
extremities, where the differences are expressive, are easy to analyze.
A student during a lively party declared, sincerely and solemnly:
“A MAN should be entitled to a woman a week!” the sentence was hazy;
hard to understand the meaning, lack to explain what is “right” in this
private case [in his conception]. The more lately it happened an injustice”
[according to his conception], the MAN [the student] was arrested;
because he disembowel [gutted] several women [what was "his right"].
An assaulter assaults a girl, this steps in the accelerator and flees,
the assaulter shoots the girl in back and kill her. The assaulter made “justice” according to his conception.
The sentence regarding intangible phenomenon is found in the individual
conception and this changes from individual to individual. Therefore a
universal Justice is a Chimera. In Catalonia, until Great Pompous,
Roman governor, prohibit, wealthy admirers god’s BAAL bought offerings
in fair, in Public Square. Great Pompous prohibited the sale in public;
ahead the sale was made in privacy. The Inquisition prohibited the
offerings of human being to BAAL and it punished offenders with death in
the fire. Since then the offerings are done in secrecy. The author of
the present has stand by e trial of a group of seven worshipers of BAAL.
The “acquired right” practiced during the millennia was undermined.
The credo freedom is one of the fundamental freedoms. In spite of this
most people finds correct to suppress this freedom brutally. It is the
conception of the justice of most that [almost] forms the laws.
The exclusionists seek a Chimera the “absolute justice”. Stalin had six
fingers on each foot. And as all abnormal ones he wanted to change the
world. God created the man with five fingers and for that reason Stalin
was expelled of the seminar.
Download Coffee Break Screen
http://oz.pro.br/coffee/coffee.zip
Sao Paulo, May of 2003 Konstantin 0tto

About the Author

Professor of mathematics’ philosophy retired
I write articles in four languages, since 1946.
More of them are specific. oz@oz.pro.br

In poker, you only look at your cards and the communal cards. When you play blackjack, you’re going to be looking hard at both your cards and the dealer’s cards. In poker, there is no dealer cards. This calls for a change of strategy and mindset in blackjack that you cannot use in poker. Once you’ve got an idea of what the dealer is sitting on, you can take a look at your cards. Here are a few statistics of the better (and surprisingly crappy) hands you’ll be holding as a blackjack player that will help you make your decisions.

-21: this is your money hand, literally. If you get it in two cards, it’s a 3/2 payoff. If you get it in more than two cards, you can’t possibly lose. Not a good idea to hit if you have 21.

-20: Is still a great hand, you’re looking great. You don’t have a guaranteed win, but the dealer has to get a blackjack to beat you. I wouldn’t recommend hitting on this either.

-19: This is the last great hand…the odds are still in your favor.

-18: Now you’re starting to get into sketchy territory here. This is where the odds slip onto the dealer’s side. It’s okay, but it’s not a terrific hand.

-17: Now we’re starting to get into garbage time. It’s easy for the dealer to beat, and there are too many cards that can bust you for you too draw. If you’ve got a soft 17 (a 17 with an Ace), hit it every time.

Now that you’ve got a better idea of what you’re dealing with, you can get to work with it.

Debt consolidation loan is a loan taken by the borrower to pay off his existing loans.Debt consolidation loan vests the borrower with so many advantages that it proves to be a real windfall for the borrower who has got trapped in the debt burden. Debt consolidation loans not only allow the borrower to win over the financial crisis but simultaneously give the borrower a whole lot of benefits. Debt consolidation loans allow the borrower to start afresh by paying all his debts and thereby managing his debt burden effectively.

Debt consolidation loans usually come on a lower rate of interest in comparison to what you are already paying to your lenders.Debt consolidation loan is used to pay your multiple lenders who are charging you a higher rate of interest on various debts like Store bills, Credit card bills and other petty debts that involve high rate of interest.Debt consolidation loan allows borrower to take benefit of economy of scales as you satisfy your existing multiple lenders by availing a big loan that usually entails a lower rate of interest.

A debt consolidation loans may be secured or an unsecured one. Secured debt consolidation loan mandates you to furnish collateral that is usually your house. Since the lender gets an assurance in the form of collateral, he can afford you to give debt consolidation loan at lower rate of interest entailing longer repayment period.

Unsecured debt consolidation loans do not require any collateral. The rate of interest is relatively higher in case of unsecured debt consolidation loans. However, the presence of too many lenders has rendered the UK financial market fiercely competitive. So, you can get unsecured debt consolidation loan at most competitive rates.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business administration and is currently assisting E-secured-Loans as a finance specialist.
For more information please visit: http://www.adverse-credit-debt-consolidation.co.uk

Though purchasing a product through a credit card is comparatively easier than paying cash, falling prey to debts through credit card transactions is even easier. Having high credit card debts is definitely not sensible. The interest rates of almost all credit cards are very high. Most people pay only minimum payment every month and manage to hold up high balances, thus losing a huge amount of money by paying interest.

By following certain precautionary measures credit card debts can be minimized as far as possible. Making the balance transfer to another card which has a low or zero rate of interest for a fixed period could be a good option. By keeping this balance at minimum interest rate, you can now pay off the other debts which have higher rate of interest. Ensure that you can make the payment before the end of the offer period, and keep another offer of balance transfer ready. In case a balance transfer cannot be made, it is better to pay off the maximum amount possible, so that the balance can be quickly brought to a minimum.

A tool for debt consolidation can be excellent in assisting minimization of credit card debts. The interest rate during loan consolidation is lesser than that of credit cards. A personal loan can save you a lot of money. The best way to minimize a debt on credit card is by self control, though it could be practically difficult. Reducing the usage of more number of credit cards is the foremost step in minimizing credit card debts.

Most people, if not all, while sorting out their monthly bills, will give more priority for payments on electricity, telephone or rent and keep their credit card payment at the bottom, but by then some small purchases would have been made by the person through his card and at the end the account may either be carried forward with huge interest or may be paid after the due date. A good method of ensuring card payments and controlling card debt is through auto-pay system on card accounts, wherein your bank will automatically pay the balance due from your account every month. For minimizing debts on cards, ensure that at least the balance due is paid off every month so that late fee and higher interest rates can be avoided as far as possible.

David is the owner of Loan Lenders, and Finance Basics websites. David provides great resources for people seeking information regarding loans, mortgages and remortgages.