Let us imagine a city where the only living accommodation is a standard apartment. Every unit is identical, and there is no difference in their values.

Suppose that the current value of the apartments in January, 2007, is $500,000 and that the value fluctuates with market conditions in the normal way.

You can enter a contract to buy or sell an apartment whenever you wish, but the City Fathers have decreed that contracts can only have an completion date on the 3rd Friday in March, June, September, or December each year.

If it is currently January ‘07, you can enter into a contract for completion in March-07, June-07, Sept-07, Dec-07, March-08 etc.

Any citizen of the city can take either the buy or sell side of the contract. Assume there is a very liquid market for the apartments, so citizens can choose to buy or sell contracts whenever they wish (prior to the contract expiry date).

Now, let us assume that the contracts themselves can be bought and sold in a market place, with the contractual obligations being instantly transferred to the new “owner”.

It is not hard to see that if I hold a contract to purchase an apartment at $450,000 in March-07, and the current market value in Jan-07 is $500,000, I should be able to sell this contract to another trader in the market for roughly $50,000, less discount. (You might get less if the market expects prices might drop back a bit before March, or more if the market expects prices to continue rising.)

Alternatively, I might hold a contract entitling me to sell an apartment for $585,000 in June-07. Clearly this contract has value because the current market price has now fallen to $500,000. I should be able to get approximately $85,000 for it, less discount. (Again, you could get less if the market expects prices to bounce back up before June, or more if the market expects a further decline.)

Our final assumption in this hypothetical scenario is that you are required to pay a performance bond, which we call the “margin”, whenever you enter an open position by buying or selling a contract. For example, you might be required to put down 10% of the full price ($50,000) to guarantee that you will meet your contractual requirements.

Note that you are allowed to enter a contract to sell an apartment even if you do not currently own one! Thus you could enter a contract to sell an apartment for $530,000 in June-07 (6 months from now) even though you currently own nothing.

If you hold the contract to expiry, you must deliver on your commitment. You can do this by, say, building a new apartment in the interim, or by planning to buy an apartment just before you are required to sell. Obviously, you hope that the market price will decline before you make your purchase, so that you make a net profit.

What I have described is a Futures Market in Apartments. There are three groups of people who might be interested in using this market.

Commercials

The first group is the genuine participants - people who are actually looking to buy or sell an apartment. In a Futures market this group is called the “Commercials”.

Say you want to buy an apartment a year from now, and you fear prices will shoot up during the year. You enter a contract to Buy at an agreed price of $500,000 a year from now. This locks in your purchase price, and you will only lose out if prices actually fall during the year.

Conversely, you may be a developer planning to have new apartments for sale eighteen months from now. Your budget is based on selling the apartments at the current market price, but you fear a sudden drop in market prices could take away all your profit. You could enter contracts now to sell apartments for $500,000 in June-08, thus guaranteeing the price you will receive at that time. Of course, you lose out if the market rises during that period, but you are protected against a disastrous market crash.

The original futures markets were in agricultural products. The Commercials were (a) farmers growing crops and (b) organisations purchasing the crops. For example, coffee growers in Brazil and Starbucks are Commercials in the coffee markets.

Farmers sell futures contracts to achieve guaranteed prices for the coming harvest crops, even though they may not have planted them yet. The organisations buy futures contracts to guarantee the prices they will pay for the harvested crops.

Both sides benefit by getting certainty in their businesses, aiding planning and budgeting. They can continue their business operations knowing they are protected from the vagaries of wild price swings.

Hedgers

The next group is known as the “hedgers”. For example, you might be a landlord who owns 10 apartments. This is $5,000,000 of capital value, and you are worried that it is going to be eroded during a market downturn which you anticipate will hit over the next 9 months.

You sell 10 contracts at $500,000 and plan to buy them back just before contract expiry in Sep-07. If you are right and the market price drops to $460,000 by then, you will make $40,000 profit per contract, or $400,000 in total. This exactly offsets the decline in the capital value of your 10 units which are now only worth $4,600,000.

However, if you were wrong and market prices actually rise to, say, $530,000, you will be buying the contracts back for a $30,000 loss per contract, $300,000 in total. This exactly offsets the increase in capital value of your properties which are now worth $5,300,000.

In other words, the hedger sets up a futures trade which is neutral whether the market rises or falls. The hedge protects against a potential disastrous loss of value, but at the same time it gives up the opportunity of windfall profits if the market moves in your favour.

A very common hedge occurs in currency markets when a company agrees to make a major purchase some time in the future in a different currency. The risk is that the exchange rate will move against the company before the delivery date, meaning that the price will be significantly higher in the company’s own currency than it had budgeted. (Conversely, the rate could move in its favour and the price in local currency would be cheaper.)

The company can set up a hedge in currency futures which guards against an adverse move in the exchange rate, but sacrifices windfall gains if the rate moves favourably.

Speculators

Reverting back to our hypothetical scenario, the final group of people is the one I belong to - the “Speculators”. We have no interest in buying or selling an apartment, have nothing to hedge, but just want to make money.

A speculator generally takes a view of the market - expecting it to either rise or fall - and buys or sells futures contracts accordingly. The speculator may hold the contract for years, months, weeks, days or minutes! The speculator never holds a contract to expiry because s/he does not want to have to get involved in actually buying or selling a physical apartment.

Some people see the Commercials and Hedgers as the legitimate players in the Futures markets, with the speculators being looked down upon as mere gamblers who don’t create or contribute anything. However, it turns out that the speculator makes an extremely important contribution to the market by providing liquidity.

If the market place were confined to Commercials and Hedgers, then they might well find that when they wanted to buy or sell, there would be no market participant prepared to take the other side of their contract. Speculators, who are prepared to assume risk in return for the chance of profits, fill this gap. Never be ashamed of being a Speculator!

Examples

#1 Let’s consider an example of entering a contract to Buy (known as going “Long”). It is now Jan-07 and we go long a June-07 contract at $500,000. A few weeks pass by and the City Fathers publish a report about a predicted property shortage which causes the market price to move up to around $530,000. We decide to take our profit and sell our contract in the Market. Since our contract gives its owner the right to buy an apartment with a current market value of $530,000 for just $500,000 we can sell it and expect to make a profit in the vicinity of $30,000.

#2 Now an example of entering a contract to “Sell” (known as going “Short”). It is Jan-07 and we go short the March-07 contract at $500,000 in anticipation of some bad economic news. Sure enough, the very next week, the City Fathers front up with the bad news that unemployment is gathering pace and the economy is turning sharply downwards. There is a bit of upheaval in the markets, and overnight the value of an apartment drops to $440,000. We now hold a contract guaranteeing a price of $500,000 in March for a commodity valued at $440,000. We go to the market and buy a contract at $440,000 to offset our short contract, taking a profit of about $60,000.

Leverage

One vitally important concept I haven’t mentioned yet is “leverage”. Remember I said that you have to pay a deposit, or margin, whenever you buy (go long) or sell (go short) a contract. Suppose the margin is $500,000 - the full purchase price. Then in example #1, we pay $500,000 margin and make $30,000 profit (6% return). This is a conventional transaction with no leverage.

If the margin is reduced to $50,000 then the $30,000 profit represents a 60% return on the capital invested! We now have 10-1 leverage on our investment. Suppose that in #2 above, the margin is $40,000. Then the $60,000 profit is a return of 150% When you consider that such returns may have been achieved in just a few days, then the annualized profit potential is enormous.

However, never forget that leverage is a double edged sword! Suppose that in example #2 the market did not plummet as you had hoped. In fact, the price of an apartment rises to $560,000 and when we buy it back we realize a loss of $60,000. Now we have a negative 150% return.

What is worse, we have lost more money than we invested! When there is no leverage, you cannot lose more than you invest even if the price of the underlying commodity falls to zero. In a leveraged investment, you can lose much more than you invest if you don’t manage your trade properly.

Summary

- There must be an underlying commodity which is absolutely standardized. e.g. 5,000 bushels of soybeans of a specified grade; 5 times the value of the Dow Jones Industrials stock price index; 100 troy ounces of refined gold. There are literally hundreds of commodities traded in the world’s futures markets.

- Participants can enter a contract to puchase the underlying commodity at an agreed price on some future date. This is known as buying a contract, or going Long.

- Participants can enter a contract to supply the underlying commodity at an agreed price on some future date (even if they don’t own the commodity now). This is known as selling a contract, or going Short.

- There must be a market where contracts can be freely traded. The contracts are not personalized, so their obligations and benefits are immediately transferable to a new owner.

- As the market price of the underlying commodity fluctuates, the value of contracts changes accordingly. People who buy (go Long) make money when the underlying commodity price rises, and lose money if it falls.

- People who sell (go Short) make money when the underlying commodity price falls, and lose money if the price goes up.

- Participants gain control over the full quantity of the underlying commodity when they buy and sell contracts. Because they only need to deposit the contract margin, this provides a leveraged investment.

David Bennett is an independent Futures Trader. He lives on the Gold Coast of Australia, trading financial and grains futures contracts in Chicago. Visit http://12oclocktrades.com for more articles.

If you want to incorporate your backyard landscaping ideas and make them a reality this year, then you can begin right away, even without having an overall design or a big budget. There are some simple and inexpensive things you can do to improve the landscape of your yard, and then you can add more ideas and plans little by little, over time, as your time and budget allows you to.

Some people begin with their backyard landscaping ideas by using potted plants, because these are easy to take care of and can be moved indoors if the weather turns cold or if you need some greenery inside the house to help with the interior decor. Potted plants such as tomatoes also provide food for the table, and many people make an herb garden with such things as lavender, thyme, rosemary, basil, and even hot peppers, in boxes or pots in the back yard or on the back patio.

Another set of backyard landscaping ideas revolves around recreation. Many people don’t have the time or interest to deal with keeping a garden of flowers or vegetables, but they are interested in having games to play in the yard, especially during the warmer times of year. You can easily set up games such as yard darts, horse shoes, croquet, badminton, and basketball in the yard, and you don’t have to invest lots of money to have the facilities set up and ready to go. And if you have kids, a sandbox is a great way to take advantage of some yard space, and to keep the kids happy. You can also but a portable swimming pool in the yard, and if the children are finished with playing in the sand, they can rinse off by going in the pool, before coming inside and tracking sand on the kitchen floor.

For lots of information on
backyard landscape designs and other landscaping related topics, visit
The Guide to Landscaping at
http://www.guide-to-landscaping.com

Creating a site blueprint using all the keywords generated from regular keyword research is one of the smartest things a content site developer could do. The advantages far outweigh the initial time (and tedium) spent to get it set up. These advantages include an increase in productivity, and an ease in maintaining motivation to develop more content as time goes on. With a blueprint, site navigation structure is generally more logical and user-friendly. And as sites age, a well-planned site avoids the chaos of one where pages added at whim. This makes it easier to maintain from a search engine optimization perspective - especially considering the trend towards the inclusion of latent semantic indexing as a ranking factor. Overall, developing a site blueprint can add significantly to a webmaster’s bottom line.

There is no doubt that it takes time to manually create a comprehensive site blueprint with a good keyword list. Given that, for a content site, one would probably have a minimum of 500 to 1000 keywords generated, a lot of sorting is involved. Such a content website would not normally use all of those keywords to create articles in the initial stages - unless page generators are used, or the developer has very deep pockets to hire writers. Neither of these scenarios is likely to apply to webmasters interested in building a good quality, sustainable business.

Yet it is an extraordinary waste of good foundation research to leave those keywords on the table. The reality facing most webmasters who don’t use a blueprint, and who continue adding articles to their site, is chaos. At best, the navigation becomes very cumbersome. It is certainly difficult to incorporate latent semantic indexing into such a site, and this can affect organic search rankings.

When a blueprint is created in a visual form, where the hierarchy of pages is represented in a tree, chart, or some kind of keyword map, it becomes very easy to pick up where you left off in days, months, and years to come. Instead of wasting time trying to figure out what needs to be done, it can be seen at a glance. If tree style editing software is used, notes can be left that eliminate the need to repeat any preliminary work completed, but lost on the hard drive. New ideas can be recorded next to the appropriate keywords. Synonyms can be listed. Essentially, the process is the difference between a well-organized filing cabinet and notes kept in 20 different places on the computer. That is a big improvement in productivity, and the benefits flow in a number of ways to motivation.

One of the problems facing webmasters is time management. A lot of time can get wasted doing non-productive things, and the tendency to seek those distractions out can be exacerbated by a latent sense of bewilderment (or overwhelm). You may know vaguely what needs to be done, but it can be difficult to get started without a clear plan. Without keeping track of what has been done and what needs to be finished, we aren’t able to hold ourselves accountable. Our websites can stagnate, and we wonder what happened to that income that once seemed so promising. A little bit of effort at the start of a new site can pay big dividends in the long run.

A good website blueprint can provide the structure for hundreds of articles. If webmasters want to add content on a regular and ‘natural’ basis (in the eyes of the search engines), a blueprint is a very visual and practical way to ensure the growth of a site. Search engines, and visitors are able to follow the intent of the site in a logical manner. And it should be simple to incorporate new keyword research. Organization at the start is one of the best ways to develop a large site - and search engines love large sites.

If you need any convincing on the importance of great content in website development, click here. Rebecca writes on developing and setting up viable home businesses here.

Pay close attention to this article because it contains marketing tactics that you have probably
never heard of. Let me briefly mention some very basic principles covered in the unique marketing system.

Ironically enough, guerilla marketing skills are used both in large corporations and small business.
However, even though large corporations have originally grown from small businesses using guerilla
marketing methods, they find the system itself is better suited for the smaller business. It’s also interesting that the principle that guerilla marketing was based on from the beginning still works
today. It’s been determined that it works because it is founded on how consumers react to a product rather than on experience or guesswork.

When using guerilla marketing methods, it is best to combine a number of skills by using the same principle in various ways rather than to rely completely on only one method. This means that you have to be open to different ways of doing business, advertising and getting clients. Stay on the cutting edge by using current technology, budgeting your time and resources, and making the most of your creative abilities rather than on spending money.

As you can see from these few tips, Guerilla Marketing can be invaluable to promoting a successful and profitable business. Not only is this system necessary to any new business owner, the plan it initiates is in some cases cost-free, and in this day and age that is rare. It is the most inexpensive marketing system and yet, it produces the greatest results in terms of profits. The best part, it does not require an entire lifetime to reach your goal.

Sure, it shows you how to gain new customers, but more importantly it shows you how to keep the ones you have. When a business has faithful customers, that business is going to grow. It’s that simple. Visit the website and discover this marketing system via download. You have nothing to lose but profits.

Richard Henderson runs his own internet marketing business from home and enjoys publishing articles and ebooks for websites as well as his own customers.
Check out this great new guide called Guerilla Marketing 101 which has all the latest methods for 2007.

http://www.guerillamarketing101.net/

An often overlooked aspect of balance is living in harmony with the environment. In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, many communities sponsor activities to heighten awareness of the environment and the role each of us play in preserving it. Each Spring, my family and I participate in a town-wide clean-up effort. We don heavy gardening gloves and set out with buckets and trash bags to clean up a nearby portion of state forest that borders a busy street. This quarter mile stretch seems to be a magnet for bottles, cans, cigarette butts and fast food wrappings. We are always amazed by how much we accumulate in a short time. We sort the trash into rubbish, which we throw away, and recyclables, which we clean and bring to the recycling area of our public works department. (We collect far more than what would fit in our curbside recycling bins.) Afterwards, it is so rewarding to admire the pristine woods.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stay clean for long. Within a few days, I often spot several new cans and wrappers as I walk or jog by, and I’ll come home with another handful of trash. This makes me realize that it’s not enough to do an annual clean-up blitz on Earth Day. To really make a difference, we need to think of every day as Earth Day. Here are some practices we can adopt to contribute to a greener planet:

REDUCE

If you’ve recently gone for a walk or a drive on a trash collection day, I think you’ll agree that we produce a staggering amount of garbage. There’s a disposable version of most consumer goods: contacts lenses, razors, grocery bags, paper plates, plastic utensils, juice boxes, and now even disposable cutting boards. Consider using cloth napkins, canvas bags for your groceries, reusable plastic containers for sandwiches, and refillable bottles for water and juice. Single serving packages may be convenient but they create more waste than buying in bulk. See how much you can cut back on what you throw away.

REUSE

Before you throw something out, think if there is someone else who could use the item. There are many organizations that welcome donations of clothes, shoes, furniture, household items, computers, books, toys, bikes, and even cars! One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure.

RECYCLE

Educate yourself about what’s recyclable in your area and take full advantage of curbside and town recycling. Bottles, cans, plastic milk containers, paper-including newspaper, magazines and junk mail all belong in the recycling bin, not the trash. From my observations, many people don’t realize that cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, egg cartons, and even cereal boxes can also be recycled. You may have to take some items to designated recycling bins at a local dump or public works department.

DETOX

Pollutants are taking a toll on our air, water, soil, and health. There are environmentally friendly lawn and garden products that can be just as effective as pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Using compost as a mulch and leaving nitrogen-rich grass clippings on your lawn are just two natural landscaping strategies. Inside the home, you can choose non-toxic cleaning supplies. On the Internet you can find many recipes using common pantry staples like vinegar, salt, and baking soda to replace many household cleaners. Also, learn what items, such as computer and TV’s with their cathode ray tubes, oil-based paint, motor oil, mercury thermometers, and some batteries are considered hazardous waste, and find out how to properly dispose of them.

COMPOST

Ever noticed how quickly a banana peel turns brown? Compost happens! Purchase a compost bin or encircle a compost pile with chicken wire, and regularly toss in layers of: your non-meat and non-dairy food scraps–fruit and vegetable rinds, peels, eggshells, coffee filters and grounds, grass clippings, pulled weeds, leaves, pet hair and in a few months you will have what gardeners refer to as “black gold.” You can speed up the process by turning the compost, keeping it as moist as a damp-sponge, and adding a few layers of finished compost and/or manure to the mix.

PURCHASE WISELY

With every dollar you spend on organic foods or items made of recycled material (fleece, which is made from recycled plastic, is my favorite) it’s like casting a vote for the environment. Look for the recycling symbol, the triangle of three arrows, and select items that can be recycled or are made from post-recycled materials.

CONSERVE

Given our abundant spring rains, they probably won’t impose a water ban in our area this summer. Even so, it’s important to conserve our limited natural resources. Installing low flow shower heads, toilet dams, using a rain barrel, and not over watering lawns (anything over 1 inch per week is excessive) are some ways to save water. You can a substantial amount of electricity and money by replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent bulbs. You can also save gas by carpooling, using public transportation, consolidating errands, and buying buy fuel-efficient vehicles.

CLEAN UP

We all share this planet. If we all pick up after ourselves, our children, and our pets it will make a difference. Go the extra mile and pick up after others, too. Bring a plastic bag with you on your next walk or hike, and collect some litter. Eventually, it may catch on.

In the coming weeks, if you see someone bending down by the side of the road, don’t panic, it’s probably me or an inspired reader picking up trash. Wish us well, and if you are able, join us!

Grace Durfee is a Professional Certified Coach, trainer, and speaker who works with busy professionals, small business owners and career changers who want to achieve professional success while enjoying more balanced lives. She is also the author of the forthcoming Balance with Grace: Celebrate the Kaleidoscope of Life. To learn more and read her blog visit http://www.balancewithgrace.com

1. Build Credibility. Besides mentioning the benefits, you should also put in testimonials of people who have already used and benefited from your product or service. This builds credibility.

2. Make It Memorable For Your Reader. Most unsolicited mails get tucked into the dustbin. Your mailer should have something unique for people to consider spending more time on it. For example, a car repair service might include the top 10 tips for car maintenance and so on.

3. Emphasize Aesthetics. The letter should be user-friendly. It should have attractive visual impact. The aesthetics should be well defined. Also, it should be easily navigable.

4. Include A Call To Action. Include a postcard, prepaid envelope and/or an order form. If not appropriate, supply a toll-free telephone number, an email link, and/or your URL.

5. Always Include An Enticement. The letter should include an incentive for acting promptly - a discount, special offer, gifts, and so on.

6. Resist Doing “Mail Merge.” Technology has made life easier no doubt. But try to avoid writing mass mailers. Customize each letter according to the needs of the reader.

7. Forge Everlasting Connections. Try and forge everlasting relations with your customers. For this you have to “under-promise” and “over-deliver.”

8. Test Market. Whatever technique you intend to apply, always test the market.

9. Hit The Right Chord. Your sales letter should not be too formal and full of jargon. That might inhibit the reader.

10. One Final Tip: Before sending out the mailers, make sure you have calculated all aspects. You would certainly not want to be flooded with offers without having the appropriate resources.

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So, you have been on the internet looking at things you should not have been looking at. Can you really imagine of someone finds out what you are searching for, or the websites you have gone to? You have tried to delete url history, and all seems good. You actually think you are safe now, and no one will ever know where you were. Wrong! Data recovery software can pull up all of the history on your computer right now.

Just because you deleted the url history means nothing. Heck, if you half way know your way around the computer you probably deleted the cookies, then deleted the temporary internet files (if you have not yet, then don’t bother - it does not protect you), you found some images and deleted them, and then made sure you emptied the recycle bin. Good for you. Problem is all of your usage and places you have gone can still be tracked and found.

Your computer always keeps a record of everything going on. It makes temporary files, temporary sessions, sometimes writes information into 2 different locations for backup purposes, and a few other things. And not for the reason of tracking what you are doing, but to speed up your computer when you come back to the sites again. This way you do not need to wait on the computer to download the items, you already have them on your computer.

But, if they are on your computer, then anyone can find them. And if they have data recovery software, then you are in trouble. But, you do not need to let that happen to you. You can delete url history, and all other methods of tracking your computer usage. You need an internet history eraser, and a complete one: one that gets the images, cookies, videos, and all other proof of where you were. And with the spyware out there, it can work off of the data on your computer, and then start showing popups based on your viewing history. I am guessing you would not want some of the popups to starts appearing on your computer. Find a good internet history eraser and maintain your privacy and protect your privacy.

Michael Baker is a Computer Optimization Technician, and recommends Erasing Your Internet History to remove all files and protect your privacy.

Today there are new innovations in the world of home decorating. Have you ever wondered what your home would look like with a different color but have never wanted to take the time and effort to paint it? Now you can find out quickly and easily. All you have to do is buy some of the latest home decorating software that is available. This software always you to create a look in your home to see if you like it or not.

Some of the latest home decorating software programs include things that allow you to work on the inside and outside of your home from the comfort of your home computer. One of the leading software programs is the Visual Homes program. This program allows you to redecorate, remodel, extend or create a new home in minutes. All you need to do is put in your home specifications and then you can start changing wall colors and floor coverings until you find the one you like.

Another good home decorating software program is called Custom Home Designer 4.0. This is basically five programs in one. This program allows you to take a walk through a virtual world of home design. You can add or remove colors from the walls. You select the furniture that you would like and it gives you a chance to view the completed room. This program also allows you to view photographs and images of different rooms and homes that can be created and decorated by other people. You can then save the changes that you made to your room for future reference.

A home is never completed without new flooring is put in place. There are now home decorating software programs that allow you to lay down new flooring from the comfort of your sofa. Ultimate Floor Plans Plus is an older program but is still just as effective as the newest software programs available today. This program contains a whole selection of flooring materials as well as drawing tools to allow to you create the perfect room. You can select the type of flooring you would like to see in your home and then see what it would look like a the floor. This software also allows you to view the floor at multiple 3D levels.

There is other very useful home decorating software programs available today. Most can be purchased online, or you may find some available in your local computer retail stores.

For lots of information on
home
interior decorating and related topics, visit
Nr1 Home Decorating at

http://www.nr1-home-decorating.com

We’ve learned that the FBI and DHS have been handing out bulletins to law enforcement across the country warning that jihadists may be targeting US schools. Terrorism analyst Lt Col Steve Grossman recently warned that the US is vulnerable to a Beslan-style attack. Beslan, you will recall, is the southern Russian city where in 2004 Muslim jihadists took over a school and killed 332 people, 178 of them children. “The enemy is infiltrating us at all levels, and certainly school bus drivers are one area to look at,” Col Grossman warns. “And how about high school, middle school and elementary school cafeteria workers? Janitors? Delivery people?” Not a comforting thought.

Vice-president Dick Cheney, echoing the sentiments of many of our public officials, sometime ago pronounced that, “Another attack is a matter not of if, but when.” This coming from the second elected representative of the executive branch, whose very reason for existence is to protect us from such attacks. This is a little like your doctor telling you that malpractice is a not a matter of if, but when.

Should something like Beslan occur in this country with hundreds of American schoolchildren dead, those in government will be guilty of nothing short of criminal negligence. A terrorist conspiracy on the order of Beslan or 9/11 only becomes inevitable when the powers that be willfully choose not to take the necessary steps for its prevention. Those necessary steps today would entail common-sense ideological profiling: pay special attention to those adherents of ideologies bent on our destruction. The most powerful such ideology in the world today is Islam. Thus, putting two and two together, place restrictions on Muslims that would forestall the development of a major terrorist conspiracy.

But instead of taking the necessary, modest, and overt measures that would protect the US from Muslim terrorism, Washington has chosen to aggrandize its power at home and abroad while leaving us open to attack. It is almost unbelievable to reflect on the fact that, five and a half years after the most spectacular terrorist attack in world history, US borders and ports remain effectively unguarded. We should bear in mind that 9/11 would never have come off had we simply enforced the laws that were already on the books - several of the hijackers would have been picked up on visa violations. Perhaps instead of spending half a trillion dollars trying to bring “democracy” to Muslim Mesopotamia, we could spend a tenth or a hundredth of that keeping jihadists off US soil.

The vague, ill-named “war on terror” amounts to a titanic power grab by the national security establishment in the service of its own - rather than the nation’s - interests. After another attack, can we expect an even more sweeping “war on evil?” But we are not at war with some shadowy “terror” lurking in every closet, we are war with Islamic jihad. The natural course is to name the enemy, fight jihad, and prevent the seeds of jihad - namely, Islam - from taking root in this country. But such an approach would deprive the national security establishment of the justification for its worldwide cloak-and-dagger game as well as the military expansionism we have been practicing since the collapse of the Soviet Union - to the tune now of 700 overseas US military bases.

The Founding Fathers warned against precisely the sort of thing that has transpired since 9/11: handing over the keys of the kingdom to a national security apparatus that operates outside effective constitutional controls. We should not be surprised that the Pentagon, CIA, NSA, FBI, etc., etc. are hungry for greater powers, but we should be outraged that our elected representatives have so cravenly give it to them. Handing our welfare over to largely secret and gigantically complex institutions while trusting them to act in our best interests is naïve at best and, for a free society, potentially suicidal.

Instead of aggrandizing the national security establishment that so failed us on 9/11, we should have culled the herd. Who in our defense and intelligence agencies was fired for failing to stop 9/11? Not the heads of the CIA, NSA, FBI, or DOD. Was anyone?

Washington today is seriously off the rails. That in and of itself is not too surprising. But instead of mishandling the environment, transportation, or health care, Washington is now recasting the very foundations of our civil society and leaving us exposed to the jihadist enemy. It is a crisis of the republic.

Gregory Davis received his PhD in political science from Stanford University. He is the author of Religion of Peace? Islam’s War Against the World from World Ahead Publishing. He is managing director of Quixotic Media and producer and director of the feature documentary Islam: What the West Needs to Know available this summer on DVD.

Ravensara ( Ravinsara aromatica ) has a soft, sweet aroma with a lightly camphorous scent, similar to Eucalyptus.

Ravensara has a reputation as a universal healing oil to be used for a broad spectrum of conditions.

It is especially beneficial for treating any type of respiratory illness like: bronchitis, sinusitis and flu.

Ravensara is an immuno-stimulant and promotes detoxification.

Its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties make it an excellent aromatic mist for use in a room. Or try a few drops in a bowel of steaming hot water.

Ravensara’s very gentle action as an immune support make it one of the safest anti-infectious oils to use with children!

Ravensara also acts as gentle and nourishing support for the nerves making it especially good for treating chronic conditions.

Good results may be obtained for infectious mononucleosis, shingles and cold sores.

For shingles I recommend blending it with Sandalwood and Myrrh for inhalation.

Ravensara’s tonic effect on the nerves make it useful for treating mental and physical fatigue.

May be beneficial in a blend with Neroli and Sandalwood for treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use certified organic essential oils, or oils that have been tested and are pesticide free.

Holistic MindBody Therapy, including pure essential oils, are gentle, noninvasive complementary forms of health care for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind and spirit and a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being. Holistic health care may produce satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

KG has developed massage training and holistic health programs for the spa industry, health clubs and clinics, schools, resorts, as well as for individual clients. She is a MindBody Therapist and Health Educator with advanced certification and training in Bowen Therapy, BodyTalk and Aromatherapy. She is the owner of Springhill Wellness Center and the founder & director of PurePlant Essentials aromatherapy products.

Click to order http://www.kgstiles.com/moreinfo/ravensara.htm RAVENSARA PURE ESSENTIAL OIL

Click to find out about KG’s other fine aromatherapy products http://www.kgstiles.com/pureplantessentials.html

Click to learn about http://www.kgstiles.com/presentations.htm KG’s Presentations and Workshops PUREPLANT ESSENTIALS

More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!