Combine the power of the Internet with the evolution of digital media, apply the principles of “social networking,” and you have the main ingredients for the recipe that is revolutionizing the way business is conducted today. All you have to do is look at the wildly successful companies that have been built on the social media platform (MySpace, Ecademy, Linked-In, Flickr, Facebook, etc.) or the unprecedented growth of the Blogosphere and you’ll quickly know it. will recognize. Social networks are here to stay.

While social media clearly allows large corporations to be more productive by extending their brand and having better communication throughout the entire value chain, it is its impact on small businesses that is perhaps most impressive. The ability of social media to level the playing field for the individual professional and small to medium business is truly amazing. It was the Internet that established the global economy, but it is social networks that are making it happen.

A bit of history… The term “social media” in its most classical sense is best defined as the study of how people interact with each other. Study the dynamics between nodes (people) and links (their relationships). Since the term was coined in 1954 by JA Barnes, its importance has leapt from the halls of academia to gain visibility in the boardrooms of global corporations. It has evolved from the study of human relations in sociological, anthropological and psychological settings to the study of professional relations and organizational theory in business settings.

When all the buzzwords and tech jargon are stripped away, social media is all about aligning interests and motivations to build influence. There are smart, well-established business people with virtually no networks and little real influence, and there are what on the surface appear to be shadowy individuals with huge networks who wield tremendous influence.

Social media analysis has shown that the greatest amount of power and influence within the corporation does not necessarily reside at the top of the organizational chart, as one might think. Studies have found that the people who have the most influence in a company are the most trusted people with the broadest base of connections, and not necessarily the person with the highest rank or the biggest title. Likewise, the same applies to external networks… It’s about quality (are the people in your network meaningful?), character (do the people in your network trust you and do you trust them? ) and the relevance (are the people in your network capable of exerting an influence that is aligned with your needs?) of the people in your network who matter.

The last and most important ingredient in building your network is that you must be a contributor… The old axioms “you will reap what you reap” or “give and you will receive” have never been truer than when applied to social media. If you are truly motivated to provide value and benefit to your network members, you will receive value in return. However, if you are a user and abuser of your network, only taking from others and giving nothing back, you will bleed your network dry only to see it crumble before your eyes.

With the right motivation, careful construction, and active management of your network, there’s no reason to assume you won’t be successful. Focus on leveraging the most important spheres of influence for the mutual benefit of your network members. By adopting the suggestions in this article, your network will grow geometrically as it spans industries, geographies, and cultures.

A scene you could see in any American home today.

Wife: Billy needs another pair of sneakers. The ones I bought him last month are already worn out.

Husband: How much is that going to cost us?

Wife: You can probably find cheap ones on sale for $25.00.

Husband: Hell, can’t you do better than that? I have to take my car to the workshop this week.

Wife: That’s the best I can do. He needs shoes. Buying cheap shoes doesn’t fix anything anyway, they’ll wear out quickly and we’ll have to buy more in a month or so.

Husband: How much do good shoes cost, shoes that will last?

Wife: $100-$125, easy.

Husband: HOLY $%^&!!! That’s crazy!

Wife: You have to give me some money today anyway, the baby is out of diapers and formula.

Husband: What, you think I’m an ATM? I already have two jobs! Because you’re not here

buying things on sale at the supermarket instead of name brands all the time.

Wife: I hate those cheap brands, they are horrible. Name brands are better. Cheap brands are useless and you end up spending more money on things that wear out quickly or don’t work, like shoes.

Husband: Then you will have to do better to reduce household expenses, I can’t afford more than I am. I don’t have it. We don’t have to eat steak twice a week, you know?

Wife: Why do I always have to find ways to stretch the dollar? You always blame me. Why don’t you get a better paying job? I’m tired of living like this.

Husband: I’m doing the best I can. The gas continues to rise. Taxes, tolls and everything else keep increasing. We have to do something or we will be on the street. Don’t use the air conditioning all day for example, you are increasing the bill.

Wife: It’s too hot for the baby. He cries a lot when he is uncomfortable and extreme temperatures are dangerous for him.

Husband: I guess you’re right, but I don’t know what else to do. There isn’t enough money anymore. Does something have to give somewhere?

Who in this economy isn’t tired of being broke? This scene is too common. How many families are struggling just to make ends meet and losing all their savings in the process. That’s not even the worst. Unemployment is at 8%, foreclosures are at an all-time high, and while the government may say inflation is only 2%, it sure seems a lot higher when you’re at the gas pump or buying a bar. of bread. How many people do you know who don’t have a job or are struggling to find it? How many foreclosures do you see driving down the street?

Let’s face it, the economy has been in trouble since the housing bubble burst in 2008, but in reality, the US economy has been in trouble for quite some time. The American dream has become the daily nightmare of too many people. In this article, part 1 of a 2 part series, we will examine the reasons why the US dollar, and most other world currencies, appear to be shrinking. Instead of seeing and hearing fortune stories these days, look around you and all you see and hear are fortune stories. Statements like the following are very common:

“If only I had a few more dollars left over after paying the bills.”

“I can’t seem to get the dollar to stretch enough to make ends meet.”

“The dollar doesn’t seem to go as far as it used to.”

Unfortunately, this is all too true. How did we get this way? What happened to the great American industrial economy that used to lead the world in production, which has now led the world into a seemingly endless recession? Did we get lazy? Are we becoming obsolete in a global economy?

Not quite.

Maybe it’s not us, the American people, who are broke. Perhaps it is the almighty US dollar that is broken, destroyed by an ongoing fiscal policy that has robbed the present to pay past debts over many decades at the expense of the future, and that future has caught up with us.

The American economy was originally based on the exchange of hard commodities for goods and services. Furs, cattle, vegetables, and dairy products were exchanged for weapons and tools. Hard commodities like gold and silver, as has been the case around the world over the centuries, were exchanged as currency for the services and goods of doctors. In the case of the United States, specifically thanks to the gold boom in California in the 1840s and 1850s, gold became the main commercial asset used by citizens and the public. The gold standard became the norm. Gold in the United States was money. Banks exchanged IOUs for gold, allowing people to safely park their gold at banks. The value of one dollar of gold (one ounce) was equal to a $1 promissory note. Bank customers could earn interest by depositing their gold in the banks and could redeem these notes for their gold at any time. This exchange was the basis for the cash we use today. The promissory note, or “cash,” was a contract, a bond that entitled the holder to redeem the merchandise from him at any time.

America hummed for many years, growing steadily at a healthy rate. The trade was good. The production was fantastic. But then this fragmented nation, made up of independent states united as one union, came to a crossroads. The federal government wanted, or felt it needed, more power to unionize the states so that everyone in the country would keep the same rights and laws. Slavery became an issue between the North and the South. States’ rights became the mandate in the South and federal power the will in the North, causing great friction in Congress and at home. This dispute grew until the Civil War finally began in 1861. In Part 2 of this 2-part series, we’ll examine how Lincoln and the Civil War started the economy on its downward spiral, and how many administrations since then have furthered that spiral. .

Many people want to look good all the time, but hair is often a part of the body that they tend to ignore. They even tend to experiment with many hairstyles and products to go with the trend without being careful about the effects. For them, regular washing, combing and brushing is enough to keep their hair healthy.

It is never too late to start taking good care of your hair. If you want to keep a healthy crown of glory into your old age, the best way is to keep it the right way. Some of you may not know this, but there are actually techniques that can help you make your hair grow faster without having to use drugs or other chemical-laden products.

Now is the time to change your old ways when it comes to hair care. If you follow certain steps and are consistent, you can always get the hair length you want in much less time.

First of all, always be careful with your hair. Comb gently. Brush gently. Gently massage when cleaning. To avoid tangles after bathing, use a wide-tooth comb and comb through your hair in slow motion. Also, avoid pulling your hair hard, especially for women who like ponytails, braids, braids, and clips.
Second, avoid shampoos and conditioners that contain harsh chemicals. Choose the gentlest products that fit your specific hair type. This also goes for their hair styling products, from gels and sprays to mousse and hair straightening formulas.

Third, take multivitamins every day. Remember that not everything you eat every day contains the required daily nutrients that your body needs to grow properly. By taking multivitamins, you get additional nutrients. The vitamin B complex, for example, is essential for promoting hair growth. Other vitamins and minerals that aid in blood circulation, including iron, are also helpful.

Fourth, maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means eating a balanced diet every day, getting enough sleep, doing different forms of exercise, and avoiding vices like drinking alcohol and smoking. Avoid stress at all costs by taking time to relax when you can.

Fifth, don’t try to lose a lot of weight in a very short period of time. Experts say that sudden weight loss can also affect hair growth. This is because as your body loses weight, many nutrients are also removed. There are certain diets for people who want to shed extra pounds that are lacking in nutrients and when the body takes in less than the proper nutrients it can lead to hair loss.

Finally, you may want to use some organic remedies. These include the use of aloe vera, coconut milk, and rosemary, among others, to massage the scalp and hair. Some of these natural home remedies can be used on their own or mixed with other herbs and oils. They can be massaged several times a week into the scalp and hair to promote proper blood circulation and hair growth.

The key is to always be consistent and you will eventually reap the benefits.

REFLECTION ROOM

“Let your heart, then, be perfect with the

Lord our God, to walk in his statutes and

to keep his commandments…”

1 Kings 8:61

According to Jewish literature and traditions, great care was taken of the personal condition of each Israelite who entered the Temple for Divine worship. The Talmud dictated the following requirements: “No man shall enter the Temple with his staff or with his shoes on his feet, or with his outer clothing, or with money tied up in his bag.” Freemasonry has adopted portions of this ancient Jewish custom regarding the preparation of the candidate to enter a lodge.

Although not Jewish in origin, the Chamber of Reflection, which has been incorporated into a candidate’s preparation in some American lodges, is an updated version of the ancient initiation cave. However, it also serves to prepare the candidate to enter the holy land. Typically, the chamber is a small room lit only by a candle that casts a dim light on an array of decorations, including a human skull, human bones, a piece of bread, a flask of water, an hourglass, a saucer with salt and another containing sulfur. The candidate sits alone inside to silently contemplate the sacred significance of his intended Masonic journey.

Seated at a table, the candidate must write a philosophical testament that will later be read aloud in the lodge. To compose that testament, the candidate must search his soul for his true feelings about life, death and the transformation of the self from his material nature to his spiritual destiny. It should come as no surprise that the symbols located within the chamber are derived primarily from alchemy, the science and philosophy of metamorphosis.

Alchemists believed that the salt that is extracted from sea water by the evaporation process constitutes the element of fire delivered by water. Sulfur is to the human body what the sun is to the earth. The union of salt and sulfur symbolizes life and death, or light and darkness feeding each other. Therefore, while the general candidate for the Masonic degrees does not have a complete knowledge of alchemy or the symbols it employs, they are intended to meditate on esoteric matters such as the evolution and continuity of all life, as well as the fact that transformation from material life to spiritual existence is a matter of personal experience. Each and every human being will live, die, and live again, but no one can fully appreciate how it will feel until it actually happens.

For Freemasons, time spent in the Chamber of Reflection symbolizes the trials of life. The first lesson to learn is that nothing is inherently good or bad. People are responsible for making things better or worse depending on how they behave. Thus, the first lesson relates to the importance of accepting responsibility for one’s own actions.

The hourglass asks the candidate to reflect on the irreversibility of the passage of time. Material life is in a continuous progression towards decay and there is very little time available to participate in the development of the spirit. Bread denotes the transformation from raw to fully cooked, from raw wheat to bread fit for human consumption. A Mason is of no value to the world in which he lives simply because he has been initiated into the Order. Rather, he must prepare himself by studying and applying the knowledge he acquires if he is ever to benefit society and humanity. The vial of water represents fertility, or regeneration, of which purification, or baptism, is also a symbol. The regeneration explained in this symbolism is not that of the resurrection of the spirit and soul, but that of the resurrection to moral and virtuous life of the material body. The regeneration of the spirit and soul benefits the individual, while the renewal of the determination to live will benefit others. Most religions teach that unless a man renews his material life to do good works, he will not be fully prepared for eternal life.

It is essential that the candidate understand that Freemasonry does not teach that good works achieve salvation of spirit and soul. Rather, religions teach that lesson in various ways. Freemasonry instructs how a life should be lived, how the “works” of a human life are actually reflected in the “faith” one has. Therefore, the path for which the Chamber of Reflection prepares the candidate is the path to a better life, not the salvation that can only come by God’s grace, never by man’s own works and deeds.

The human skull that is placed in the chamber is intended to remind the candidate that death is the great leveler. No man can escape its clutches and no man can really know how he feels to be dead until he has experienced death himself. The skull is also intended to teach the candidate that death is also a source of life. As plant and animal life die to be consumed by human life, the truth that death contributes to life is profoundly illustrated. When a good man dies, his works remain and contribute to the welfare of those who continue to live. The opposite is true for a bad man. While his evil deeds die with him, the effect of those deeds can live long after he is gone. The lessons learned in Masonry enable the member to make his own death more likely to be a source of life to others, not a source of grievance and torment.

The symbols arranged in the Chamber of Reflection are also intended to instill in the mind of the novitiate the importance of distinguishing between what is real and what is fanciful. When man becomes attached to reality, he frees himself from the phantasms that so soon oppose light and darkness. Most of the time, misbehavior is the consequence of a confused imagination. In Hitler’s twisted fantasy, the Jew was responsible for the ills of his society. A serial killer often fantasizes that viciously and violently taking his own life brings pleasure.

Energy is the fruit of contradictory forces that resist each other. It turns into positive energy or negative energy depending on whether or not the dark side of life becomes too excessive. The light does not always shine in a man’s soul more than it always illuminates the earth. For approximately twelve hours out of every twenty-four hours of each day, darkness prevails. In man’s life, he does not always enjoy good health; for at least a few days, his body is sick. It is not about how to remove the darkness, because that is contrary to the laws of Nature. Rather, it is a matter of what to do when he is surrounded by darkness that dictates whether or not positive energy will ultimately prevail.

In preparation for the Masonic journey, whether or not that journey begins with a period of private contemplation in the Chamber of Reflection, the candidate should be led to reflect on where he is in his own life, where he wishes to be when his life is at hand. ends of the earth and the best way to travel between those two points. Many lodges in America have stopped teaching this valuable lesson early in a candidate’s Masonic career. Most of the time, the candidates are simply “set” by the way they are dressed, which is finally explained once he has started the journey. Little or nothing is said about what it means to follow Masonry, or why that pursuit is meaningful to man and society until after one or more titles have been awarded to the candidate.

Is it possible that by reinstating the important symbolism of the Chamber of Reflection in the operation of each Masonic lodge, some who leave the Craft after a very short trip will continue their search? Is it important to teach a candidate what is expected of him before he receives the Masonic degrees? Symbolism is a way of showing how words create images and how these images become elements of myths, imaginary tales that ring true because they follow winding paths that lead from desires to ideas and actions. Because Freemasonry communicates its wise and earnest truths through symbols that have been selected over time, it is most likely very important for a candidate for degrees to appreciate the meditation required of him before embarking on his journey. masonic.

For many Freemasons, the search for knowledge and wisdom is an ongoing process of study, application, revision of what has been previously studied, and further application of new lessons learned. This process is consistent with the exhortation often uttered in Masonic lodges: “gather what has been scattered and reconcile what appears to be contradictory.” Each of us has experienced the need both to conform and to be different. We have also experienced believing and not believing; certainty and doubt; and order and chaos. Those of us who are able to read this writing have yet to experience the difference between what we know as life and death, and whether or not there is a difference.

If in your Masonic career you were not allowed the opportunity to gaze into a Chamber of Reflection before receiving your titles, you may do so now by bowing your head and offering a prayer to the Great Architect that he understands where you are in your life. , how you got there and how you will travel to the end of your life. As in all Masonic matters, the choice is yours. As is also true in all Masonic matters, no man should undertake any great or important undertaking without first invoking God’s blessing.

The problem with a toxic friendship is that other people tend to dismiss it, but friends who are more like enemies or “foes” can be very abusive. Relationships between enemies tend to be more emotional (controlling, passive-aggressive, or demeaning) than physical. It is usually not as intense as domestic abuse, because friends find it easier, in most cases, to walk away from the abuse than romantic or family relationships. Because people tend to downplay being abused by a friend; the victims keep it a secret.

How to tell if a friend is a “frenemy” (alternate pronouns)

1. Gossip behind your back. If he says mean things about you to your friends or tells others secrets that you shared in confidence, he is trying to build himself up by undermining you.

2. It is unreliable. If he doesn’t keep his promises, or is always late, or is likely to not show up, he doesn’t care enough about you. He’s too out of control or too wrapped up in himself to be a good friend.

3. She is jealous or upset when something good happens to you. This is not the attitude of a friend, she is a competitor.

4. You only hear from him if he wants something from you. If he only contacts you when he wants a ride, or to take him to lunch, or help him with homework or a project, or be his “copilot” when he wants to troll at a bar; so he’s just using you, and he’s not really a friend. Friendship should go both ways.

5. It lets you know you’re second best. If she suddenly breaks a date or is unavailable if she gets a “better offer” from a date or a more popular friend, she’s not a real friend.

6. Criticizes you, your achievements, your family, your home, your job, or your friends. A good friend doesn’t subject you to a constant barrage of negativity and criticism. And if you are a good friend to yourself, you will not accept it. A good friend may feel the need to tell you a hard truth, but even that can be said with kindness.

7. She lets you pay for things and give her things and do things for her, but she rarely or never reciprocates. Even if there is a difference in her financial status, a good friend will try to match what she can afford: a home-cooked meal or gift in exchange for taking her out to lunch; or help him with something in exchange for something he bought.

8. He flirts with your girlfriend or someone he knows you are interested in, or tries to steal your best friend. This is not a friend, this is a competitor. A good friend will be happy to see you happy and support your other relationships.

9. When there’s a problem between you, she won’t admit she’s wrong, apologize, or talk about it. She blocks you and tries to make you feel guilty for not liking what she did. Friends can have problems, it’s a natural part of relationships; but good friends can talk it over, work it out, apologize and forgive each other.

10. He is jealous of your success or happiness. A good friend can support you and celebrate with you, even if you are doing better than him.

How to handle jealous friends with sensitivity and diplomacy:

• What a pain in the ass!! Late for lunch, always complaining or whining, won’t pay you back. But, she’s your friend, so what do you do? Work with her! It’s easy to teach, if you do it right. Let her know what she likes about what she does, then she’ll listen when she says she doesn’t like something. She uses silence: if she doesn’t like what she is doing or saying, don’t respond; she’ll get the message, without a word.

• Set limits: If he is often late, make sure he knows when time is important (he hates missing the first 5 minutes of the movie) and when time is not an issue (you can read a book or talk to a friend until he arrives). ) When time is important, tell him that if he is not ready by xxx, you will leave without him. It’s amazing how well it works.

• Don’t be too strict about it: if he has a good reason, or is just occasional, give him some slack. But don’t be a pushover either.

• Don’t react to unpleasant things, just politely ignore what he is doing or saying, and maintain a pleasant demeanor. Being an adult, whether or not. If you have to treat him like a naughty child, so be it; just don’t let it drag you into your own bad behavior.

• People who react this way usually feel a lot of emotional pain for their own lives. Be as understanding as you can, be willing to listen to your friend’s feelings to a reasonable degree, but don’t let their fighting ruin your good feelings about yourself. If you can, offer the friend time alone with you to help her feel special and important. Often, publicly thanking her for the good things she has done for her will help keep her calm.

• Understand the underlying causes of misbehavior: People who have always felt competitive with you are likely to misbehave in order to get attention that way. If someone’s behavior becomes a problem, set some limits. Tell your friend directly what behavior is unacceptable (such as making mean comments when you’re around other friends), and let them know that you can’t be their friend if their behavior doesn’t improve.

• Don’t be afraid to talk to your friends about what friendship means to you: is it okay to cancel a date with a girlfriend (or she with you) because you get a better offer from a man? Due to illness or family problems? How much loyalty do you expect in friendship and what does that mean?

• Be honest. Lying to your friend about breaking an agreement does more damage than breaking the agreement. If you do something with another friend, tell the truth, don’t protect the jealous friend. He gives her a false impression.

• Managing difficult personalities requires skill and knowledge. Here’s a technique that anyone can learn to use and it works every time.

Waiting time for adults:

If someone misbehaves in your presence, giving that adult a “time out” is a powerful and subtle way to fix the problem. Modern parents use a time out to discipline young children. An adult variation of time-out also works with any adult friend who is acting childish or misbehaving. Just become very distant and polite to the person who doesn’t treat you well. No personal conversation and interaction, no jokes, no emotions. Be very polite, so you can’t accuse him of being unpleasant or rude. There is no need to explain what you are doing: the problem person will get the message from your behavior, which is much more effective.

If you’ve never tried this, you’ll be surprised how effective it can be to become polite and pleasant but aloof. Most of the time, your friend’s behavior will immediately become more subdued around you, and often much more loving.

Eventually, he or she may ask you what’s wrong or why it’s changed, at which point you have an opportunity to tell him or her what the problem behavior is and why you don’t like it. Learning to put nasty friends on timeouts right at the start of the nasty behavior can make harsher tactics unnecessary. And if the person’s behavior doesn’t change, you can put them in “time out” and you’ll be protected.

Pearl Buck’s “The Good Earth” is the story of a simple farming family set in the early 20th century in rural China. Wang Lung is an ambitious young man who seems to be in complete control of his destiny. But as a young farmer, he abruptly discovers that the only thing he has out of control is the all-important rain that every farmer depends on and fears. The entire existence of this farmer is controlled by the rain that has the ability to provide him with times of festival, famine and flood. As Wang ages, he tries to adjust to the abysmal times that rain or lack of rain can bestow on him, but these conditions turn out to be defining events in Wang’s life.

Wang and his purchased wife O-lan, a former slave, tirelessly work the land with the help of a generous and consistent summer rainy season. Wang and O-lan are grateful that the fields and crops are irrigated without having to do the backbreaking work of carrying buckets of water slung from a pole on their shoulders. The irrigation of their fields provides a kind of small feast for the few farmers. Wang’s small plot of land produces onions, garlic, rice, beans, corn, cereals and wheat, the fruit of the land. This little party also helps support the animals on the farm. The ox that plows the fields is well fed and watered and the small collection of chickens and pigs are kept and then consumed. Furthermore, it can be reasonably argued that Wang’s children are well nourished during infancy with the healthy breast milk provided by O-lan.

At harvest, Wang is wise to sell most of his crops on the market while retaining only enough food supplies for family consumption during China’s long, cold winters. Unlike Wang’s scheming uncle, also a farmer but much less successful, Wang hangs food from the rafters of his house for the winter. In the market, Wang, despite his illiteracy, is astute in knowing how to sell his crops when prices are high while he stores crops that sell at low prices for future times when prices are favourable. Much to Wang’s satisfaction, his business savvy provides him with the precious silver coins with which he eagerly lines his belt. Any additional silver is secretly hidden in the walls of his apartment for future use. Wang has great respect and understanding for his hard-earned silver because it not only represents security for him, his father and his family, but is also saving for the purchase of more precious farmland. After buying rice land from the House of Hwang, he shouts, “To those of the big house it means nothing, this handful of land, but to me it means how much!” All this is provided by the rain for Wang and his family.

But one can reasonably say that for what the rain gives, the rain can also take away. It is not difficult for the reader to see that everything is going too well for the humble peasant family. Can lean times be brought forward? Can Wang’s fertile land fail them? Because the earth can only produce what the rain provides. The rains that should have come in early summer stopped, and day after day the skies shone with a cool careless brilliance. As the skies dry out and the clouds become incapable, Wang faces a devastating drought that nearly destroys him, his family, and his fellow villagers. Lack of rain leaves Wang’s fields dry, cracked and fruitless. He has nothing to sell in the market and almost nothing to feed his family. Animals starve or are poached for food. The villagers are left numb with hunger and idle as scattered leaves. Children are particularly affected as their bodies resemble bony skeletons, except for their familiar swollen bellies. Despair begins when people are forced to eat grass, tree bark, and even dirt. Worse yet, Wang’s neighbor Ching informs him of the horror: “In the village they are eating human flesh.”

The prolonged and unrelenting drought turns the villagers into evil, rabid dogs who, mob-style, resort to stealing from each other, including the last bits of Wang’s dried beans and corn. This is a terrible event for Wang because he doesn’t she has food for O-lan who is pregnant with her fourth child and her breasts are now barren and she is unable to feed her baby. The girl once cried from hunger but kept quiet. She was never the same as a result of starvation. O-lan’s strength in giving birth to her fourth child is a testament to her inner strength. What starvation agony this woman had endured, with the hungry creature biting her from the inside out, desperate for her very life! How hard must it have been for O-lan to mercifully squeeze the life out of the weak and malnourished newborn? In better times it would have been a sin to take the baby’s life, but in such desperate and otherworldly times it was probably for the best. The child, having been born a woman, facilitated the morbid decision of the young mother. O-lan proves to be the rock and foundation of the family and her strength and devotion to her family go unnoticed until the moment of her death.

Years later, after the rains revisit Wang’s lands and civilized life returns to the village, Wang is faced with another natural event affecting the average and routine life of this common farmer. Excessive rainfall fills the river to the north, and runoff from winter snows causes the mighty river to overflow its banks. A great sea now engulfs Wang’s fields. All forms of planting, cultivating, and harvesting cease and no work can be done. Fortunately, Wang was prepared for hard times, as he wisely stockpiled food rations and is owed sums of money from the grain markets. But now Wang faces a different kind of difficulty that changes his life in unexpected ways. Lack of work in the fields leaves Wang idle and at a loss for what to do with his time. To entertain himself, Wang drinks tea at the town’s teahouse. There he watches in horror as men play and mingle with wicked women. But Wang is swayed and cannot resist the temptation of a beautiful young woman. She was one of the loveliest, a small, slender thing, a body as light as bamboo and a small, pointed face like a kitten’s face. Wang’s wealth allows him to afford to buy the young woman as his mistress, and when the floodwaters recede, O-lan finds herself sharing his home with a new addition to the family. Of course, O-lan was hurt by the sudden and unexpected change in her husband’s behavior, but she accepted it and continued to serve Wang as the slave she once was.

In Wang’s old age, he does not remember all that the rain bestowed on his life. Instead, she looks back at the extensive fields that she acquired with great satisfaction. She takes pride in her herd of children and grandchildren. As Wang looks forward to his death, he takes comfort in the knowledge that he will be buried on his land along with the rest of his deceased family members.

Most people in Kerala, even in its capital Trivandrum, did not consider apartments/flats as an option for a home as recently as 10-15 years ago. However, in the last decade this has changed due to the scarcity of land and the upwardly mobile middle class wanting to move closer to the city.

The new nuclear families that broke with the traditional blended families were another important factor. The large families united in traditional houses were now two or more nuclear families with fewer members. The traditional “nalukettu” house styles were not more popular. Instead, 3- or 2-bedroom apartments became more common. With the rise of nuclear homes, home security, which was not a major issue during the joint family system, is best served by apartment complexes that typically have 24-hour security.

Now Trivandrum flats have changed the face of the city with many leading property developers building many housing projects and gated community villas in the city.

These can be attributed to many factors. The improvement of the financial situation of the middle class in the state is the most outstanding of them. Being the capital city, this is especially true of Trivandrum, which has a large number of governments. officials and other bureaucrats. The other contributing factors are the influx of foreign money through investments by non-resident Indians in the city. Also, the easy availability of affordable home loans for the middle class. This created a huge demand for quality living spaces.

In summary, the different socioeconomic factors contributed to the change in lifestyle that is also reflected in human habitats.

Property developers inside and outside of Kerala have identified this opportunity to create apartment and villa projects that can meet the demands of clients of all kinds, both low and high market. Apartments that are in the mid-range of the market are more popular in Trivandrum.

It may not be able to “connect the dots” of the future by itself, but does this mean it’s not possible? If you want to move quickly in your career, keep in mind that mentors often already have a complete picture of where you’re going, because they’ve “been there.” They know what dots are and how they are connected. A great mentor also knows you well enough to see the points that apply to you personally.

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer, delivered a well-known commencement address to the graduating class of 2005 at Stanford University.

One of the stories he told was “Connecting the Dots.” He related to how dropping out of college gave him the freedom to “attend” a calligraphy class, and how 10 years later his love of calligraphy carried over to the first Mac. He said:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking back. So you have to trust that the dots will connect somehow in your future. You have to trust something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.” .”

Because I have a traumatic brain injury (TBI), I have a lot of trouble with my “stitches.” It’s comforting to know that even geniuses like Steve Jobs couldn’t connect their dots ahead of time. No one else could have made that connection to Steve Jobs when he took that class.

However, there is a level where we can get help with our points, which is really helpful. My experience has shown me that the “something” to “trust” can be a mentor.

Why? Because my mentor has a vision of my abilities, my future and my success that I can’t see. See the dots as if they were already connected; it is completely clear. I see them scattered everywhere.

He has been leading me to do certain things in a certain order, which I sometimes resist, because I don’t understand how it all relates. Tremendous opportunities often arose, all because I trusted my mentor’s vision and followed his instructions. In true Mr.90DayGoals style, he will say “It’s all part of the Plan”.

The bottom link is that the only way to connect the dots looking forward is to have these things in place:

1) A vision or goal that you need to do

2) A mentor who can see the points before you do

3) A big enough “Why” to keep going, even when you can’t see the next step.

Talk about your forgotten record holders! Has anyone heard of Jim Benton? The split end for the Cleveland Rams (not a typo, kids) was the first NFL player to gain 300 receiving yards in a single game. Benton caught ten passes for a staggering 303 yards in a 28-21 win over the Detroit Lions on November 22, 1945. But he is now completely forgotten.

Many people know that Wilt Chamberlain has never been left out of an NBA game, but on the other end of the spectrum is the shadowy figure of Don Otten, who, while playing for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in a game on November 24, 1949 against the Sheboygan Redskins, committed EIGHT personal fouls, setting an NBA record for hacking that will never be reached as long as the six-foul disqualification rule is in effect.

Exactly eleven years later, on November 24, 1960, Chamberlain set one of his many records by grabbing a staggering fifty-five rebounds in a game against the Boston Celtics. Does anyone out there think that record will ever be broken?

One of the most astounding records in all of Major League Baseball history belongs to Owen “Chief” Wilson, who while playing for the 1912 Pittsburgh Pirates hit 36 ​​triples, a record that on the surface may seem unbeatable, but one that has passed the test. of time – 88 years, to be exact. The truth is, since Wilson, no one has come anywhere near that three-packer total. In fact, the last time a player had that many 25s in a season was 1925, when Hall of Famer Kiki Cuyler recorded 26 3-pointers, once again for the Pirates. But Wilson is not only forgotten by virtually all but the most avid baseball historians, the record is rarely mentioned, possibly because, unlike most other long-standing records, it is never seriously threatened!

Different needs and different threat models lead to misunderstandings between people. Let’s say you want to leave the most anonymous comment possible on a social network. What do you need for it? VPN? Hill? An SSH tunnel? Well, it is enough to buy any SIM card and a used phone in the nearest store, then go a considerable distance from where you live, insert one into another, post your message and sink the phone. You have accomplished your mission 100%.

But what if you don’t want to just leave a single comment or hide your IP address from some site? What if you want such an advanced level of anonymity that it will create the most intricate puzzle leaving no room for any tricks at any level? And also hide the very fact of using anonymity tools along the way? This is what I am going to talk about in this article.

Perfect anonymity is above all a dream, like everything perfect. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get pretty close. Even if you are being identified by the system’s fingertips and other means, you can still remain indistinguishable from the mass of general Web users. In this article I will explain how to achieve this.

This is not a call to action, and the author in no way calls for any illegal action or violation of the laws of any state. Consider it just an “if I were a spy” fantasy.

Basic protection level

The basic level of protection and anonymity looks something like this: client → VPN/TOR/SSH tunnel → target.

Actually, this is just a slightly more advanced version of a proxy that allows you to substitute your IP. You won’t achieve any real or quality anonymity this way. Just one wrong or default setting in notorious WebRTC, and your real IP is revealed. This type of protection is also vulnerable to node compromise, fingerprinting, and even simple log analysis with your provider and data center.

By the way, there is a common opinion that a private VPN is better than a public one, since the user trusts his system settings. Consider for a moment that someone knows your external IP. So you also know your data center. Therefore, the data center knows the server to which this IP belongs. And now imagine how difficult it is to determine which real IP connected to the server. What if you are the only customer there? And if they are numerous, for example 100, it becomes increasingly difficult.

And this is not to mention that few people will bother to encrypt their drives and protect them from physical deletion, so they will hardly notice their servers rebooting to boot level 1 and turning on VPN logs under the excuse of “minor technical difficulties” in the data”. center.” Also, there’s no need even in things like this, because all incoming and outgoing server addresses are already known.

Speaking of Tor, its use itself can raise suspicion. Secondly, the outgoing nodes are only around 1000, many of them are on the block list and they are no-nos for many sites. For example, Cloudfare features the ability to enable or disable Tor connections through a firewall. Use T1 as the country. Also, Tor is much slower than a VPN (currently Tor network speeds are less than 10 Mbit/s and often 1-3 Mbit/s).

Summary: If all you need is to avoid showing your passport to everyone, bypass simple site blocks, have a fast connection, and route all traffic through another node, choose VPN, and a paid service should be better. For the same money, you will get dozens of countries and hundreds and even thousands of outgoing IP addresses instead of a VPS with only one country that you will have to configure painfully.

In this case, there is little point in using Tor, although in some cases Tor will be a decent solution, especially if you have an extra layer of security like VPN or an SSH tunnel. More on this below.

Medium protection level

A medium level of protection looks like an advanced version of the basic: client → VPN → Tor and variations. This is an optimal working tool for anyone who is afraid of IP spoofing. This is a case of synergy when one technology strengthens the other. But make no mistake. While it is really hard to get your real address, you are still vulnerable to all of the attacks described above. Your weak chain is your workplace: your work computer.

High level of protection

Client → VPN → Remote Workplace (via RDP/VNC) → VPN.

Your work computer should not be yours, but a remote machine with, say, Windows 8, Firefox, a couple of plugins like Flash, a couple of codecs, and no unique fonts and other plugins. A boring and simple machine indistinguishable to millions of people. In the event of a leak or compromise, you will still be covered by another VPN.

It was previously believed that Tor/VPN/SSH/Socks allowed a high level of anonymity, but today I would recommend adding a remote workplace to this setup.

Perfect

Client → Double VPN (in different data centers, but close to each other) → Remote workplace + Virtual machine → VPN.

The proposed scheme consists of a primary VPN connection and a secondary VPN connection (in case the first VPN is compromised due to some leak). It is used to hide ISP traffic in order to hide your real ISP address in the data center with a remote workplace. Then goes a virtual machine installed on the server. I suppose you understand why a virtual machine is so vital – to fall back to the most standard and banal system with a standard set of plugins after each download. And this should be done at a remote workplace instead of a local one, because people who used a virtual machine locally in conjunction with TripleVPN once opened the IP check site and were very surprised to see their real, real IP address on the “WebRTC” field. I don’t know and I don’t want to know what software some developer will develop tomorrow and install in his browser without his concern. So just don’t think about it and don’t store anything locally. Kevin Mitnick found out 30 years ago.

We have tested this setup, the delays are significant even if you set everything up correctly in terms of geography. But these delays are tolerable. We assume that the user will not place the servers on different continents. For example, if you physically reside in New York, place your first VPN in New York as well, your second in Mexico, etc., your remote workplace in Canada, and the final VPN, for example, in Venezuela. Don’t put different servers in the Eurozone as those governments cooperate closely, but on the other hand, don’t spread them too far apart. Neighboring countries that hate each other would be the best solution for your chain 😉

You can also add automatic website visiting in the background from your real machine, thus mimicking web browsing. With this, you dispel suspicions that you use some anonymization tools because your traffic always goes to only one IP address and through one port. You can add Whonix/Tails and go online via public Wi-Fi in a cafe, but only after changing your network adapter settings, which could also lead to your de-anonymization. You could even change your appearance so as not to be visually identified in the same cafe. You can be identified by various means, from your coordinates on a photo captured by your phone to your writing style. Just remember that.

On the other hand, most people are perfectly suited to an anonymizer, but even our anonymizer, after all our efforts to make it useful, still lacks browsing experience. Yes, a regular VPN is a normal and adequate solution to bypass simple blocks with decent speed. Need more anonymity and ready to sacrifice some speed? Add Tor to the mix. I want something else? Do as mentioned.

Fingerprinting, such as efforts to detect VPN usage, is very difficult to circumvent due to the time it takes to send packets from the user to the website and from the website to the user’s IP address (not accounting for request blocking). specific entrants). You can cheat on a check or two, but you can’t be sure that a new “nightmare” won’t appear overnight. This is why you need both a remote workplace as well as a clean virtual machine. So it’s the best advice you can get right now. The cost of such a solution starts from just $40 per month. But keep in mind that you have to pay with Bitcoin only.

And a little epilogue. The main and most important factor in your success in achieving true anonymity is separating personal and secret data. All intricate tunnels and schemes will be absolutely useless if you log in, for example, to your personal Google account.

Be anonymous!