The Niceties of Life

By John Berling Hardy

"I did not attend his funeral; but I wrote a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

Niceness is now universal in our society. Everyone and everything is nice to one another, by way of being nice to themselves. Niceness has come to define us, so that when historians come to write of our era they will speak of us as people who were unfailingly "nice".

No. Instead, I would suggest that it will be our niceness which really distinguishes us from those who inhabited other epochs.

This niceness should not be confused for genuine kindness or goodness. It is, at its root, an obsession with being thought well of, not merely by our peers, but by the entire TV audience. Niceness is a sham; sugar-coated narcissism. What lies behind kindness is genuine caring for the other. The energy behind niceness is somehow cloying, as if you were imploring someone to like you. The former is generous, the latter obsequious. The former comes from strength, the latter from weakness. Where one flourishes, the other cannot. Kindness and niceness are mutually exclusive.

Political correctness is not easy to define. It is the philosophy of emptiness, of stripping society bare of those distinguishing features which made it interesting in the first place. It is neither racist nor sexist - it opposes both forms of discrimination, being in essence both the opposite of discrimination and a form of discrimination in its own right. In the past propriety was determined dogmatically, but under political correctness dogmatic thought is ruled intolerant. Despite this, proponents of the phenomenon tend to be no less zealous in applying it than the dogmatists who preceded them.

And the result of these machinations? A world devoid of colour and expression; a bland world of sameness and conformity: in a word, a world of niceness.

It is the coup de grace on the part of the players who designed the game. Now they can do as they wish and cover their tracks with long speeches dripping with false sentiment. Anyone who speaks out against their schemes is marginalized for being too negative. As our rights are taken from us, and as we are herded about we are completely oblivious to the fact that we are in a gigantic prison, because it is so very, very nice!

About the Author:

John Berling Hardy helps people with easy practical strategies on how to deal with the manipulators they encounter. For more of his writings please visit www.playingtheplayers.com

Do Distance Learning Degrees Impress Employers?

By Mary Jack

Distance learning degrees and online degree programs have become popular since the internet became a household name. This has opened doors to a great opportunity for those wishing to pursue further education. But just as it is with everything new, the internet has also presented challenges and created room for sale of unscrupulous degrees and diplomas. The figures released by USA Today indicate that in 2003, over 400 diploma mills were in operation and the number was on the increase. Surprisingly, this dubious operation of degree mills seems to be thriving in an industry currently estimated at $500 million per year.

However, despite all the unpleasant information going around about distance learning degrees, the fact is there are plenty of legitimate universities and colleges offering online degree programs. These colleges are legitimate and not involved in any way in offering dubious and fake diplomas. Instead, these colleges are going the extra mile to provide quality education online by taking advantage of all available instructional resources such as quality instructional design coupled with video lectures, online digital libraries and proctored exams to ensure their students get quality education and a valid, qualified diploma. Unfortunately, numerous employers have not yet been sold into this alternative way of acquiring education, thus they still regard such degrees as invalid or dubious.

To avert the confusion, 6 accrediting agencies were set up by the National Education Board of the U.S government with the role of providing accreditation to colleges and universities who meet a set educational standard. This ultimately differentiates the legitimate colleges from the fake ones. Students enrolling in these accredited colleges can rest assured they are receiving quality and qualified education. Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) is an additional accrediting body which solely exists for the purpose of providing accreditation to colleges that offer distance learning degrees. DETC is a legit body that falls under the umbrella of the US Department of Education and CHEA.

Other distinguished specialized accreditation agencies exists that are designed to accredit specific course programs. Programs that meet the set standards of excellence are given accreditation by these specialized accredit ting agencies based on area of specialization. A good example of such an accrediting agency is International Association for Management Education (AACSB) which accredits accounting related programs. Also American Health Information Management Association is tasked with accrediting health programs in different colleges. It is worthy to note that all these accreditation agencies have to be recognized by CHEA for them to be considered as legit agencies.

Why does accreditation matter to a student? A college accreditation agency evaluates the different aspects of colleges or universities against minimum standard criteria to determine if the particular institution meets set basic requirements that determine the quality of education it should offer. College accreditation is important to ensure that the quality of education, facilities in a college and support given by that college meets certain standards while specialized accreditation checks the excellence of specific programs regardless of the institution offering that program. Likewise it means specialized accreditation check on course content and the curriculum of the program against pre-determined standards of the distance learning college or university.

Distance learning degrees from accredited institutions assure graduates, parents and prospective employers any degree earned is well deserved. The work completed has met the standards of adequately preparing people in their major area of study. Conversely, it also means colleges and universities not granted accreditation do not meet the standards of excellence required. Nevertheless, for the student who is only taking classes necessary to an area of specialization, only the courses need that all important stamp of approval.

The onus is on the employers to evaluate the credibility and validity of a campus offering distance learning degrees. Due to the rise in fake diplomas, it has only made employers become stricter in checking every applicant's diploma to ensure it is a valid one from an accredited institution. And since this can sometimes be complex and cumbersome for the employer, as a job applicant, you can make this process easier by providing any vital accrediting information to your prospective employer as you make your job application. This will ensure your application is not over-looked and will elevate your chance of landing a job interview.

About the Author:

Get help on accredited distance learning degrees as well as campus-based colleges and universities where you can attend college.

You Can Find Happiness With Three Keys

By Fred Freddman

Believe it or not there are only 3 Secrets to a Happier Life. These secrets are powerful, universal and absolutely necessary if you are to live happily. Secret #1 - Know Yourself, Secret #2 - Love Yourself, Secret #3 - Be Kind to Others. This may sound overly simplified but lets explore what it really means.

#1 - To find yourself is a real challenge for most people. The reason is simple. It is because from early childhood we were taught that we are not all good. Certainly our parents and teachers were well intentioned. They wanted us to measure up to some standard that they thought was important for our happiness. Unfortunately they were wrong. There is no standard (or shouldn't be) other than our own and there is absolutely nothing fundamentally wrong with any of us.

But in reality you are your own ideal, you only need to discover who that person is. You are a unique individual with special talents and desires all your own. To find that person you need to uncover your long buried (perhaps never seen) passions. That's right, your passions. These are the people, places and things that you are deeply attracted to in life.

Look for your passions and you will find yourself. Most of us aren't really in touch with our passion because we have been trained not to be. But trust me, they are within you and just below the surface. The things that attract you or that make you curious are your keys. Pursue your interests, your curiosity and your attractions. Eventually you will discover who you really are.

#2 - Loving yourself is the next task. Once you know who you are, you must learn to appreciate that person just as you would your own child. There is something truly lovable about you as there is everyone. Give yourself credit for being someone worthy of your love.

In fact, what others may label as bad may be your best, bravest and most courageous qualities. After all, it takes courage to go against the accepted way of doing things. Only you can label yourself as bad and you shouldn't. Love your self like your own child because you are a child of God and you deserve that type of love.

#3 - Love Others. Never forget that essentially they are no different from you. We are ALL worthy. Of course they may not realize their own goodness or act on it all of the time. None of us do. but at core, they are just as special and worthy as you and you must see this in them or you will also fail to see it in yourself.

Believe it or not, the other people you find in your life are there for a reason. These are precisely the people you need to show you parts of yourself that you may be out of touch with. Yes, its true, we attract the people we need in order to learn more about ourselves. Everyone in your life has a purpose and that purpose is to teach you something about yourself that you my not know or have forgotten.

And there you have it ... the three secrets to leading a happier life. Even though most of this may sound familiar don't discount it. Its familiar for a reason ... because its true and you will keep hearing it until you get it. the universe intends for you to master these three universal truths and you can't graduate to ultimate happiness until you do.

About the Author:

Fred Freddman enjoys writing articles so people can live happier lives. If you liked this article, you might also be interested in his articles on saving on health insurance at Health Insurance for Individuals and Individual Health Insurance Plans.

What Your Body And Soul Crave

By Masami Sato

As the proverb goes, health is wealth. And in this instance we are talking about the wealth of the human spirit. Good food is necessary for our health because our body is able to absorb its full nutrients - it is exactly so with our life. When we accept life in its sum total, relishing all its phenomena and sensations, our soul will be able to imbibe its entire range of 'nutrients', comprehending the full meaning of our existence, and letting us live our life to the utmost. Masami Sato shares the secret of living a full life in this excerpt from her latest book, ONE.

Why is it many of us (in fact, most of us) occasionally experience some kind of empty feeling in our life? It is like being hungry. When we eat, we feel satisfied and become less interested in food. But as some time passes, we get hungry again. Then all of a sudden we feel so attracted to the smell and thought of food. We can also feel some kind of hunger when we are not even physically hungry-just after eating something. Some of us stay being hungry all the time.

Perpetual emotional vacuum is not the best of feelings. Then how do we live our lives to the maximum? How can we be more fulfilled forever?

Maybe the answer is straightforward: just live our lives fully. The word 'full' holds the meaning of entirety. Then the secret to live a life in entirety is only to live it fully.

Let us begin by looking at an example of this 'completion' with something very close to our mind - our stomach.

Whole Food VS Part Food

We are used to the usage 'whole food.' People say that taking whole food is the secret to the vigour and wellbeing that we require. How is whole food better than 'semi food?'

A complete grain pulsates with a life of its own. If one keeps the complete grain in water, drains it off and keeps it for a few days, it germinates. It has got a full life. When we consume such an item, our body absorbs the full spectrum nourishment. It has the ability to clean, cure and nourish various body cells.

And just like the example of a grain, most traditional eating includes eating whole animals as well. Eating whole fresh fish used to be more common than taking a part of fish and throwing the rest away. It was the same for meat and the same for vegetables.

'Semi food' at times is more sweet and aromatic but does not offer much nutrition. We may savour its taste, but we could become a victim of a long-time malady if we only ate 'semi food' every day of our life.

So, to make up for the missing half, we began to take nutritional supplements. We have been trying and researching for pretty long to find the perfect equilibrium. It gets more and more difficult as we slice the food up, add preservatives and transport, and even try to supplement with other parts coming from various sources, places and seasons. Some of the nutrients are not even from natural resources. They are synthetically generated. After it is tested and analysed, it is approved for man's consumption. But however hard we try, we cannot merge the 'bits' from different sources to make it alive.

Part Life-'Sweetness' of Life

So, if we view our life now, a lot of what we are doing is akin to eating 'semi food.' Just relishing the sweet taste of life but discarding the actual nourishing part. And if we immerse this 'semi life' in water with other bits and kept it under the sun, could it sprout and develop into a lovely full life?

Whole food is not (as some people view it) insipid. It is in reality very tasty if prepared expertly. But as the demand is minimal, it has become costly. It will in fact prove to be cheaper in the long run though, as we will not have to spend on medicines later on. When more people will opt to have it, it will normally become less costly because it is a simple food with little wastage and processing.

Our life is identical. When we are only conscious of the 'sweet taste' and discard the remainder into the dust bin because we do not realise its worth, we may be jettisoning the most important component. And that which we cast out could have the maximum power for the substantiation of our life and our financial system. It also needs more vigour and sources to throw it away. Better yet, that which we throw away comes at no cost.

So, what is that we are not looking at?

Imagine a life where we didn't really feel we were missing anything there.

The secret is right here. The secret of a complete life.

Whole Life-The Complete Life

When it is 'entire', it does not matter how large the entire is. It can swell concurrently. It can still hold within it all the parts to support itself as a full living being. Once it matures into a specific size, it can manage to live even without some of its components. Like plants can survive even after being consumed a bit by birds or trees can flourish even after they lose their leaves. But if we disregard the proportion for a very long time, ultimately it can begin creating a critical inequity. Then it could become too problematical to come back to normality.

We do not have to revert to Stone Age to find entirety. Entirety exists in the current. All we should do is watch intimately; watch intimately enough to actually see.

When we start seeing our life as a whole and stop throwing away what nourishes our life the most, we start feeling more and more fulfilled without looking for 'things' to fill holes and dents of our life. Everything finally falls into place. We now understand the mechanism of our world in a very different way.

Yes, it is now time to discover how we can fashion (and perceive) this equation consistently and affordably.

The actual sustaining element of our life is what makes us feel joyful deep down. It is like that component of food that makes our body strong in the long-term. Emotions we feel in our everyday life are the real solution to our permanent happiness. And there are emotions that make us feel more absolute.

The smiling visages we see when we acknowledge the merit of others. The happiness we feel when we give others gifts. The tenderness we feel when we see our children being happy. The motivation we get when we sense that our life is full of substance ..

Let's experience these moments of our life fully and enjoy the flavour of our whole life. Then we will see how it is not so necessary to continuously fill our mind (and stomach!) with temporal gratifications-those types of things that make us even hungrier afterwards.

We can actually sense this pleasure, gratefulness and ardour in order to be aware of life as a whole at any moment despite the conditions. It is not about what we find, what we learn or what we accomplish that finalize our life in its entirety. It is about what we 'elect to' experience about our life.

Yes, our life in fact is already whole.

When we start taking actions based on this understanding, we can become true masters of the balance creation-long-term health, wealth, nurturing relationship and happiness.

About the Author:

Find out more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

Enhance Your Life With Chakra Healing

By Jai Dahalli

A Chakra Perspective

A chakra relates to and broadcasts the energy of life force; it is a point of alignment in the body. Chakra comes from the Sanskrit word that describes a constantly spinning wheel or the sphere aural energy we each have. Hindu text tells us that there are many thousands of chakra points in each of our bodies. The most vital of these chakra points are those which run along the spinal column up to the crown of the head. These are the seven chakra points.

The seven chakras involve the root, navel, stomach, the heart, throat, and brow and the crown chakras. These featured chakra points have the ability to transmit and receive energy from the general surroundings as well as those individuals in it and other influential elements of the surroundings. Chakras can influence activities of an individual that deal with emotional, spiritual, intellectual, mystical, psychological and corporeal issues.

There is a common thread that runs through the viewpoint of Chinese medicine, the explanation of modern psychology of human thought processes and consciousness, or the Hindus mystical perception of the external and internal experience of an individual. That is that the chakras are indeed distinct concerning their definitions or explanations.

No matter if we are sleeping or awake the chakras are continually in motion. Our actions, deeds, glandular processes, structure, appearance and any physical disorders are influenced by this constant activity. An imbalance develops and then makes it known in other areas of our life or body when one or more of these chakras malfunctions for various reasons.

This happens because all the seven major chakras correspond with the associated endocrine gland within our body. When there is any type of imbalance in the functioning of a chakra it influences our emotional and physical processes and then reveals a disorder in the normal pattern of behavior or activity by means of the endocrine gland it associates with.

Maintaining the Balance of Chakra Using the above as our point of beginning, we can assume safely that the majority of our ailments and illnesses are related to our chakras. Even though there may not be enough materialization of imbalance or illness, there may yet be concerns or emotions that come from our childhood that influence us spiritually, emotionally and physically.

One of the biggest causes of chakra imbalance is the repressed or forgotten emotional baggage we carry due to those past traumatic experiences. Many individuals habitually bury their bad memories into their subconscious, unaware that these emotional toxins that are buried inside them will influence their bodies on a cellular level. Therefore, it is essential to deal with emotional baggage once and for all in order to maintain a proper balancing of the chakras which ignites a healing process to begin on the physical self.

Healing the Body Chakras Activities such as Reiki, color therapy, aromatherapy provides balance by using the healing properties of crystals, gemstones and pendulums.

The performances of yoga breathing and physical exercises are beneficial to maintaining chakra balance within the body and it is something that many individuals enjoy participating in.

There are other methods of chakra healing, they are meditation to keep the mind focused on a thought, awareness or object for a specific amount of time, a guided visualization which can be done while using CDs or audio tapes in order to encourage relaxation techniques and natural healing in order to reduce stress while promoting relaxation and harnessing mind power.

Chakras work unaided to maintain our body although we cannot touch or see our chakras.

In order for the chakras to be in balance the body must be fed properly and enjoy good health. Each of the seven major chakras has specific foods that aid in maintaining balance.

The root chakra is nourished with foods rich in protein, spices and root type vegetables. Nuts, vanilla, cinnamon, sweet fruits and seeds such as caraway and sesame nourishes the sacral chakra that of our sexual being and creativity. Breads, cereals, pasta, yogurt, dairy products and spicy mints nourish our stomach or solar plexus chakra which enhances our sense of self love and self confidence.

Green leafy vegetables and green tea will nourish the heart chakra. The throat chakra benefits from the nourishment of consuming a lot of water and fruit juices as well as tangy fruits such as peaches and apples.

The brow or third eye chakra which enhances our sharpness of third eye sight and an in-depth sense of our own psychical gifts is nourished by consuming grapes, blueberries, grape juice and wine.

Our emotional and spiritual center the crown chakra requires a good detoxification. This is done by ritual inhalation of herbs and incense and fasting.

When we influence our chakras by stimulation, we do influence our health. When we do so we become more responsive in our everyday and spiritual life, while we are more able to tune in completely to our surroundings and various other elements of the metaphysical and physical environment in which we live our lives.

About the Author:

Jai Dahalli is one of the experts who writes for chakra-balance.com site. Visit here to understand how chakra balancing can give you a new lease of life and to get 29 Free chakra healing Audios.

How Empirical-Rational Thought Forced Out the Church

By John Berling Hardy

During the Middle-Ages the Catholic Church maintained a monopoly over determining what was and was not acceptable to believe. When the upstart Florentine Galileo Galilei came to them with a challenge, arguing that the Earth goes round the Sun, and not the other way around, he was dismissed as a rogue and an heretic.

Now, it seems the tables have turned and science, or rather conventional science, has replaced the Church as the guardian of orthodoxy. An example of this is the contention that, unless something can be measured and quantified, it does not exist. Extra sensory perception provides us with a good example. A phenomenon for which there is strong anecdotal evidence is dismissed as charlatanism, simply because it does not lend itself to being readily simulated under laboratory conditions. By extension, anything that is not measurable is treated as non-existent.

In our world there is very little that is truly measurable. For instance how does one measure kindness, graciousness, dignity, or love? Only the most diehard of the scientific realists would subject all their emotional attachments to their family and friends to the same ruthless scrutiny.

Consider now the way in which the rich and the powerful justify their methods by means of constant recourse to a litany of so-called facts. These need not be objectively true; they need not even be provable. What matters is that they are presented as irreproachable, and that they therefore come to be accepted by the speaker's audience as undeniable and fundamental. Note also how every society on earth has its own individual set of "fundamental" facts.

Like the Catholic Church of the Middle Ages, today's scientific establishment rejects all attempt to argue with its orthodoxy. The Inquisition used to use a test to determine whether a suspect was guilty in the case of a blasphemy. The subject would be bound and held underwater. If they survived they were held to be innocent. If they died, their guilt was maintained. Either way the Inquisitors could not lose - if the subject was allowed to live it was an instance of God's miraculous mercy; if he died he was a victim of God's just judgement.

The bias towards the tangible - that which can be proven by use of the scientific method - may be found in the way we treat the supernatural. Although the term refers specifically to those phenomena which are without natural explanation, the term is increasingly used to refer to anything and everything not rationalised by our contemporary science. This we cannot justify on grounds of logic. If a higher order exists it must control all things which we experience - both natural and supernatural. To suggest that one is validated by the laws of science while the other goes unexplained, existing outside their remit does not answer so many questions as it poses. All this merely goes to show how limiting our reliance on science really is.

What motivates us to adopt a scientific stance is nothing other than our own fear of the dark. It diminishes us in our own eyes. It erodes our sense of supremacy to think there are things in this world which are unknown, possibly unknowable. Why is it so difficult for us to simply say that we do not know?

About the Author:

John Berling Hardy exposes the scam which brought us to where we are todayFor more of his writings please visit www.playingtheplayers.com

It Really Is Not Difficult To Become Clairvoyant

By Madeleine Cole

Have you ever thought you could become clairvoyant? You can, but first, you need to understand clearly what clairvoyance is. What does it mean to be clairvoyant? In fact, this is one of the most interesting areas of the paranormal, and it's a topic of discussion as well. Talk shows often include clairvoyant guests who have apparently been able to look into the audience and diagnose sickness, solve crimes, or even tell someone how many children he or she would eventually have.

Those who have the power of clairvoyance are said to be using an extra sense that the rest of us do not possess. This sense enhances their knowledge giving them a window into the future and past and allowing them to see and hear events before they happen or in some cases to look at events that happened in the past.

Clairvoyance as a skill works because if you are clairvoyant, you can connect with the universe at large on a sort of spiritual or energy level instead of on the linear level most of us do. Clairvoyants are in the habit of opening up their minds and their spirits, so that their world becomes both deeper and clearer. They can see things most of us can't.

If you'd like to become clairvoyant yourself, you indeed can do this if you truly wish to. It's not always clear what it's going to take you 'make' you access your clairvoyant talents, but for some people, it may be a near death experience. In all cases, it's some sort of deep awakening, perhaps spiritual, that allows them to tap into this particular skill. Or, you can do it in a more roundabout (but arguably easier) way by practicing until you can access your clairvoyant skills.

To get started, first take a look at how developed your own personal paranormal powers are. It might surprise you to know that absolutely everyone is born with at least some 'clairvoyant' talent. Most children, for example, have these abilities and perceptions naturally, but are told to 'stop imagining things,' to 'grow up,' and other things that simply squelch this natural talent. As they grow, they also gradually learn to ignore these feelings and thoughts to take on what is more 'acceptable' in behavior.

To claim your clairvoyant powers as you once had them, you can use meditation to help you increase your self-awareness of these skills so that you can access these thoughts freely and without doubt. Meditation can also let you simply 'wash away' daily stresses and negative beliefs and thoughts, so that once they're released, you can become clear about how to keep them away, and put up boundaries so that they don't reenter your life.

Instead, when you meditate, focus on clarifying your thoughts and letting the universe give you information about what can happen next. When you're working on this particular skill, don't try to force anything; you will see and hear things that you may or may not think are real. That's perfectly fine. The universe will know the information you need and will let it come your way. Embrace this information and learn from it. When you're just starting out come your going to see things like images that are rather nebulous, or you may hear a voice speaking. You may see textures, colors, you may feel emotions, or you may have a very brief vision of something that's unfolding but not quite know what it is.

As you continue, you will learn to trust your clairvoyant instincts and will become more secure about what you feel, hear and see; as you meditate, these visions and sounds, and the information that comes to you, will be clear and sharp and will give you a better understanding of what's happening. Yoga as well can be a wonderful tool that can help you explore your connection to the universe spiritually, and you can also grow your knowledge of these signs and symbols often found when you pursue clairvoyance. To gain this information, you can read books and articles, as well as other information about clairvoyance.

As you pursue this further, you can also use palm readings, tarot cards, dream interpretation and other methods to scry for meaning. As you practice, you'll be better able to make sense of what you hear and see. In addition, as you continue to practice, you may meet other clairvoyants, and they, too, can help you develop your talents and see how far they can go.

When you become clairvoyant, one of the things you must do is to free up your negative energy by releasing other negatives from your life. If this is something you need to do, take a very close look at your home, family and work life, and adjust as necessary so the negatives go away. If anything in your life, in any area, causes you to feel negative energy of any kind, you can do a cleansing of your home or do other rituals that will release negative emotions and energy that simply stay in your life. This is something you can also do with work colleagues, relatives, or other people in your life that give you 'vibes' of negative energy, that give you chills, or that just make you feel out of sorts. To do this, you can practice what are called aura cleansings.

Aura cleansings don't harm people; they simply purge negative or stagnant energies where they need to be purged. To keep cleansings' results steady, you can also keep a crystal in your home or imagine yourself covered in white light whenever you sense negative energy; this can help you purge negative energies whenever they occur and can help you refocus, too. Keeping your chakras cleansed, too, can help you resist negative energy whenever it might arise.

In order to be clairvoyant, you have to believe that you have this power. If you have low self-esteem or you doubt your abilities, take heart; you can work on this low self-esteem and negativity in order to fully develop clairvoyant powers. However, you must be clear in order to trust them fully -- and trust yourself, too. Practice daily affirmations and learn to listen to that small internal voice or other internal cues so that you develop trust in yourself.

When you develop your clairvoyant powers, you'll see that you have a lot of resources available to you that you didn't know about before. Sometimes, famous clairvoyants can become famous themselves; they can author books on clairvoyance, they can do celebrity readings, or they can make television appearances.

About the Author:

The writer Madeleine Cole writes for the popular http://www.develop-clairvoyance.com site. Discover for yourself how easy it is to become clairvoyant. Discover previously undisclosed information. Anyone really can learn how to become clairvoyant when you visit here to receive twenty nine free develop clairvoyance audios and videos!