What Is A Blue Moon? When Is The Next Blue Moon?

"Once In A Blue Moon"

Over the years we have all at least heard, if not used the term, "once in a blue moon". Where does this come from and what does it represent?

Certainly it does not refer to the actual color of the Moon becoming blue. It is based on the occurrence of two full moons within any given month when you follow the "trendy" definition. This is the widely accepted definition as of this date in history. In the past, a blue moon was the third full moon of any season containing four full moons. This definition comes from various editions of The Farmer's Almanac.

So, keeping it simple, the blue moon is the second full moon that rises in the course of any given month.Lunar cycles are 29.5 days therefore somewhat less than an actual month. With this being said, there will never be a blue moon within the month of February as there simply is not enough days in February to host two full moons.

On average blue moons occur approximately every 33 months or close to every three years. It is from the period time between these blue moons that came the saying, "once in a blue moon", to signify that it does not or will not happen very often. There are exceptions to this time between full moons. An example is January and March of 2018. There will be blue moons within both of those months.

According to what I call the "trendy" definition of the blue moon we experienced a blue Moon in August of 2012. The first full moon was on August 2, 2012, and the next full moon, the blue moon, was on August 31, 2012.

Following the August 2012 blue moon, the next blue moons will occur in July of 2015, January & March of 2018, and October of 2020. (To view all future Blue Moons, click the link below to view the Blue Moon Calendar.)

Following the definition of the Farmer's Almanac, with the third full moon within a quarter, the next blue moon was on August 21, 2013.

Which ever definition you find yourself following, as you can see, the blue moon is a rather rare occurrence. Keeping that in mind, when you use the phrase, "once in a blue moon", you are accurately describing what you consider to be a rather rare event within a period of time.

Note: There are atmospheric conditions that can occur at times that will actually make the moon appear to be blue in color. Haze and smoke in the atmosphere can certainly alter the color of the moon as well as other astral bodies that are floating around out there.

One must keep in mind, however, that these atmospheric conditions are not what is referenced when thinking about the term, "once in a blue moon".

Blue Moon Calendar

An Alternative Log In For Your Yahoo Email While You Are Not Being Allowed To Log: Troubleshooting

Log In Error Message Yahoo Mail and How To Troubleshoot It

Here it is, the alternative sign in for Yahoo mail while this glitch is going on not allowing folks to sign in and where it keeps asking you for log in information and password over and over.

This link works when you get that message after you try to log in to verify your password, or to reenter your password.  Multiple attempts fail when this Yahoo email glitch is going on.

So.....click below to log in to your Yahoo mail when you are being unable to do so in the normal manner.

This link is to a version of Yahoo email "Neo" that is working:

https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/b/launch

Hope that helps.

Selling On Amazon: An Insider's Review

Earning Money On Amazon

Over the past several years I have been an Amazon Seller.  In other words, I sell items on Amazon.com.  This has opened the door to make some honest extra earnings.

There is always a pretty steady stream of orders in my inbox.  I am not a super seller or anything like that, but I do make enough in profit to pay a bill or two every month.  Supplementing your income is a rather nice thing in this day and age!

Many people are intimidated at the thought of becoming a seller on Amazon.  Actually, a good review of the policies and rules is wise, but once that is done, it is not hard nor cumbersome to sell on Amazon.

Some seller have a very large catalog and focus on many different types of items.  Many do as I do, find a specific area and stick with those types of items. 

You can become a seller on Amazon with no problems and you don't need to have start up money.  You can list for free.  I was a free listing merchant for about two years, just recently upgrading to becoming a Professional Seller.  The upgrading does have some great advantages, but should only be used once you are established and have a decent flow of items moving on the site.

A great page to check out your options of becoming an Amazon Seller and how to make money on Amazon is to check out this link: Sell on Amazon and reach hundreds of millions of Amazon customers

I would love to hear from other Amazon Sellers in comment here on this blog post.  You can discuss the pros and cons of being an Amazon Seller, or give some advice to my readers from you experience of selling on Amazon.

If you have questions about becoming an Amazon Seller, feel free to post them in comment here on the blog or over there on the right, as you scroll down, you will find an email link in my "About Me" that you can reach me at.

How To Make A Low Fat Egg Salad Sandwich

Low in fat but high quality protein

Low fat foods have proven to be healthy for many various types of medical problems, especially those with diabetes. I am diabetic and had the doctor's instructions to go with a low fat diet. There are plenty of prepared foods out there that are low in fat, but many simply did not replace the craving for the more fatty foods of the same variety. In order to work around this, I started experimenting with various avenues of creating my own low fat foods that satisfied that "void" I was feeling. This Low Fat Egg Salad Sandwich recipe is one of those self-created low fat foods.

Any time of year is a great time to pack up a lunch and head outdoors. This sandwich makes a great addition to any outdoors activity, whether it is a picnic, a fishing trip, or sitting on the sidelines watching your favorite game. You may well want to increase the amount of the egg salad as others will certainly want to have a sandwich as well! This recipe is for two servings, as that is what we always make around the house for just the two of us.

This is an example of utilizing natural foods (yogurt) in place of the traditional mayonnaise and coming out with a delicious sandwich that is very low in fat content and remains a high quality protein.                                                            

Cook Time

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 12 min
• Ready in: 42 min
• Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs, hard boiled, mashed
• 2 oz. Yogurt, substitute skimmed milk
• 1/2 tsp. Chile or Mustard
• 1/2 Small Whole Wheat Pita Bread, unleavened - or use natural grain bread without fat or sugar
• 1 Small green onion, chopped
• 1 Large mushroom, sliced
• 1 oz. Alfalfa Sprouts
• 1 Tomato, sliced

Instructions

1. Cook eggs until hard-boiled, remove egg yolk and give to your pet.
2. Dice all ingredients (finely) and mix with the yogurt. Add natural spice of your choice.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for aging - optional, but adds flavor!

Witches and Pagans Combine The Mundane and the Magical Worlds Daily

Caught Between Two Worlds

Many Witches and Pagans will find themselves leading two lives. One mundane one where we interact with co-workers, insurance companies, paper delivery persons, etc. In the other we are walking between the worlds in order to connect with divinity, take control of our lives, work as agents for transformation and connect with ourselves.

Does this split between the mundane and spiritual have to occur? There should be some way to integrate these two aspects of one's life. But when demands that seem totally outside of the mythical and magical begin to dominate our time and thoughts, sometimes it seems easy to get swept away by it all and watch our magical and spiritual practices get pushed to the wayside of things.

We find sometimes that we allow this split to occur in our life and end up neglecting one side of things or the other. We start beating ourselves up for it because we can be extremely hard on ourselves having exceedingly high expectations. However, living this way is not healthy nor productive and if you stress yourself out over things this much, you just end up getting really tired and then nothing you want to do gets done.

It seems that more than balance is being called for here. One of the hardest lessons I've dealt with, and that always seems to crop up at least once in a turn of the wheel, is learning how to live magically in the mundane - or in other words - making the mundane magical. Chief Two Trees used to tell this story of this woman he once knew who worked in a textile factory and her job was knotting materials all day long on an assembly line. This sounds like at first glance a terribly mundane and spirit suppressing type of job. However, when asked about it, this woman said that yes, it could get boring, but she had learned how to make the process magical for herself. If there was something she needed to work magic for in her life, she would knot her need into the material she was working with, over and over, day after day until her need manifested. Witchcraft and spirituality do not have to be separate from her work.

Learning how focus on the magical and mystical while doing things that are of the mundane world is not as hard as one would think. Start with one thing. Once that is in your mind try focusing on this mundane "thing" and see if you can associate something magical or mystical about it. Some, like myself, are blessed to work with animals on a daily basis. That is part of the mundane employment world. However, gaining the ability and insight to see the divine qualities of the animals and feel the divine energies that radiate from the animals allows for the transition to flow from the mundane world to the magical world.

Should a commute to work be part of one's mundane world, learn to open your eyes and actually see what is happening and going on around you as you commute. In most circumstances you will be able to see something from nature along the way. Focus on the beauty, the creation, the divinity and magical qualities such a creation. Once again, you are then making a transition from the mundane to the magical with a simple thought process.

The more that you achieve an integration of the two worlds, the more at ease your life will become. Things will come together, flow smoothly around you and create a positive environment for yourself and others.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - An Oversaturated Market

SEO Research

While Hub Hopping on HubPages, I notice a large amount of hubs with SEO in the title. Of course, many of these are what I refer to as simply "ad" hubs. Selling a product or service. Still, it appears to be a very popular subject.

I have browsed other sites as well, with community generated content, and have found the pattern repeated over and over. The overall majority of these articles I find elsewhere are very similar in what they have to offer. I see repeated information that appears to have been shared with just a jumble up of words.

I realize the importance of Search Engine Optimization, as we all want to improve the visibility of our hub or web page in the eyes of the search engines. As an author, we do know that we have to tweak things at times.

As important as this is, when I put just "SEO" in to Google search and I received a return of over 224,000,000 results. That is a tremendous amount of material!

So you write a article here or elsewhere on SEO and where, in that list, will it appear? My guess it would depend on how well you applied SEO to your article.

It appears that folks realize the popularity of SEO based articles and have totally over saturated the web with such material. I have read approximately 20 articles on SEO, and as stated, a lot of repeated information in just various formats of presentation. I have scanned an additional several hundred SEO articles and see the same pattern.

Good luck in your search for those SEO articles, Ebooks, Technical Reviews, software and more, as you sift through the large mountain of information out there. Some advice for those with limited time to research would be to take the top ten to twenty search returns and work with that and you will have the basic information. If you are interested in other aspects of SEO, then be sure to narrow your search down by adding additional words and terms to your search.

It will be interesting to see how well this hub does as it will fall within that quarter of a billion other listings out there.

SEO article update: 06-16-2013

This article has been up and running for right at a year and a half now. I have checked SERPs and have not found this article in the top 20 pages.

I would presume that the reason for this is the subject matter of this article. Just far too many other pages out there with the keyword "SEO" in them. This is what this article was about, an experiment to see what happens when a keyword is overused in Google.

Folks trying to capitalize on keywords, most of it spamming content, works to the disadvantage of those "honest" persons who have chosen SEO as a career.

I deem this article a success, within the parameters of it being an experiment. It has proven out the "fact" that people are the ones who are ruining what we get in our search engine results.

Darkness: What Is The Dark Path?

The Dark Path Defined

To being with, let me state that I do not follow or practice the Dark path, but have encountered it and been associated with those that do practice the Dark path. One must keep in mind that there are balances to be kept, which does allow for the Dark path. Also, the Dark path is not all about evil and doing wrong as suggested by our ever so popular media. This article is an attempt to answer the question that people have asked me, "What is the Dark Path?"

The definition of a Dark path has always been a little cloudy and hard to put down. One reason for this is because the Dark path is an individual one that each person defines how they operate and what actions they will partake of in accordance to his or her own views. However this doesn't help the curious or the potential initiates looking into what this path actually consists of. It doesn't give them the answers in a clear format from which to base their start or exit from. I hope that I can help give a very basic view of what Darkness truly means.

The definition that I like to give my view of the path is simply this; It is a path that teaches and works through self empowerment in to accomplish self realized and or individual goals. Seems simple enough right?

No, alright then in Guardspeak: You gain power to do what you want.

Breaking this down we can see that the goals we make are for ourselves to accomplish using the power and means that we have acquired to see them through. Power is gained for the benefit of the self to secure our needs and wants. It is used as the individual sees fit. This power is not gifted from others but gained and owned once again by the self.

Darkness is about living life on your own rules and in your own ways to accomplish whatever it is you want in life. Accomplishments can range from caring being gave to the sick, to yes, ruling the world. Two completely different paradigms it would seem but yet the Dark path allows for both. It is this broad based thinking in regards to Dark pathed spirituality that confuses many people. However once again in breaking it down, the common theme in it is that it is an empowered conscious movement of the self to fulfill its own unique goals.

Embedded in this theme of self empowerment is the aspect of being the individual. Not necessarily standing out of the crowd but not maintaining a sheep herded mentality. Those of the Dark must be able to break out of herded restraints and moralities in order to fulfill what they wish at times. They seek not to unify themselves completely with any organization but to stand apart when needs be to fulfill any greater objective they might have.

Below are some of the personal meanings of practicing the Dark path shared with me by some followers of the Dark path:

The ends will always justify the means so long as at the end your position is one of advantage and not of liability.

Power is what keeps those at the top in charge.

Might is the arm that will crush those that are not strong enough to defend against it.

If you cannot be unpredictable then you cannot win for any real length of time.

I might protect myself and others that I cherish with pre-emptive attacks.

I might disguise my movements and slide behind another who will then take the brunt of an enemies attack for me.

I seek those that will advance my position, and court those that will sustain it.

Friends are allies, but allies will not always be friends.

I understand that sometimes gains cannot come before a loss.

I understand that sometimes gains might end up meaning a decline before the end hits.

Life is a gamble, you play the cards as luck is most often made by those with greatness rather than greatness coming from luck.

I use what works be it spellcraft, be it direct energy manipulation, or even rites of invocation.

I understand that limiting yourself on any level especially in terms of energy most often means an inability to act when a new situation appears.

I am both a fist and a treaty, yet each one acting as a sword which slices through my opposition.

I am of the Dark and it is that alone in which I follow.

In conclusion, it is my hope that this article has presented a good understanding about what the Dark path is and what is associated with it.

Thinking Of Upgrading Your Sprint Phone To A Smartphone? Think Hard!

Use Caution If You Are Considering Renewing Your Sprint Contract And Upgrading Your Device!

Having been with Sprint for over five years I speak from some experience as a customer. I become eligible to upgrade my device on August 01, 2012. I enjoy checking out the options available prior to the eligibility date and have been online for a couple of days "checking things out."

One of the options that will become available to me is to upgrade to a smartphone. In the past I have not had a smartphone. I have had the standard phones as well as what Sprint calls a "feature" phone, but not a smartphone.

With high expectations (which have now been shattered) I started looking around. I found numerous smartphones that would become available to me for free upon renewing my contract with Sprint for two years.

My first concern (there is a major second concern, so read to the end) is that I noticed that Sprint was offering to waive the activation fee, online, for a new phone for new customers or for existing customers that added a line. I read the fine print and found that this did not cover customers who have been loyal to Sprint over the years who were considering renewing their contract. In other words unless I am a new Sprint customer, or added an additional line I am going to be charged a $36.00 activation fee. Now this fee is for a number that is already activated, my current number. I have, in the past, activated my phone myself by going online, therefore, no Sprint employee had to be paid to do this.

I popped into the Sprint forums and have read hundreds of posts about this $36.00 activation fee and 99.9% were loyal Sprint customers who felt this fee is very unjust. Many have left Sprint for other providers due to this single issue. It seems that Sprint will not, under any circumstances, waive this $36.00 activation fee.

Losing so many customers over a gain of $36.00 does not seem to be a good business model at all. To gain $36.00 in revenue, they are losing vast numbers of customers who were paying into the hundreds of dollars a month for service with Sprint.

My decision on renewing a contract with Sprint just based on this first concern is leaning towards not renewing my contract and going elsewhere.

There is more, however! If you are looking to upgrade to a Sprint smartphone your monthly rates will go up an additional $10.00 per smartphone device you add to your plan. That is correct! This is even if you have one of the "unlimited" data plans currently with Sprint. Unlimited does not cover smartphones. The $10.00 a month charge is for data use and data use alone. Sprint justifies this additional charge because "on average" a smartphone user will use "up to" ten times more data a month. This leaves the current Sprint customer astonished that suddenly their "unlimited" plan has been deemed as limited in some way.

In the background, behind this window I am typing in, I have the HTC EVO 4G LTE phone up on the Sprint website. A great phone, a great smartphone. Retails on Sprint without a contract for $549.99. If you upgrade you can get it for free. All the best features are on this phone that one could hope for that I can see. This phone ships with the Android 4.0 OS as well. Great battery life for talking and standby. I could go on, however, suddenly this upgrade I was hoping to make is becoming an unreality. Should I go this route, my Sprint bill for two lines will go up with the additional one time activation fee as well as this new "data" usage fee monthly.

The information contained in this article is NOT on the Sprint webpage where you view the devices that Sprint offers for sale online. You have to wait and get into the "fine print" of your plan to see the additional charges that you will have should you choose, as an existing customer, to upgrade your device to a smartphone and upon renewing your two year contract. Even if you have a smartphone and upgrade, your bill will go up as stated.

Therefore, please do be aware of "hidden" charges that Sprint has become so well at squeezing into their contracts but not openly displayed or discussing on their website sales pages.

Animal and Human Nature, The Western Conflict

Animal Nature

Humans' relations to animals and our participation in the world bring forward our innermost instinctual selves, the highest in the order of our biological senses and being and the core element of our consciousness. Traditional peoples around the world have incorporated this sense into their relationship with animals, as they see all animal species as having equal rights to life and a place on Earth.

The ones who live in contemporary cultures have largely disassociated themselves from their natural instinct for affiliation with other forms of life. The once sacred Earth Community that nurtures human life has become "outside", a place filled with malevolent natural forces that must be controlled or otherwise guarded against. Fear, control, and exploitation of the "outside" or the other as enemy is deeply embedded in the psychology of Western society. To this end, much of modern science and technology has been mobilized to guard against or to war against the other, be it a mountain, a forest people, a religion, or the world of insects. From ideas in books and film, through education, government, and science, the message and therefore the practical belief, has been one of fear and the need for domination and control of nature - its plants, animals, insects and even its microorganisms.

Even the word "beneficial" is a judgment call based on modern conditioning with regard to the natural world. We love our pets as long as they conform to deeply entrenched attitudes about animal nature. But usually we project upon animals the worst of who humans are. Anthropomorphic projections upon animals are reflected in everything from cartoons children view to commercials for the latest tennis shoes. Animals must serve humanity or be done away with; after all, it says so in the Bible. We have been conditioned to act, think, and project prejudicially toward animals, and as for the insects, we lack both the emotional and intellectual appreciation that would bring forth any true appreciation for their role and importance in the natural order.

Animals raised for food are given little thought at all. They are certainly not the focus of prayers, dance, art, or ceremony as they were in earlier times. So called "wild animals" are confined to lead desolate lives in zoos apart from their homes, the real sources of their natural being. We say we do this for their protection, their own good. We have simply become adept at rationalizing our "bio-phobia", our basic fear of nature. Ask "What good is it?" and "How can we further our plans?" These questions and their underlying orientation form the basic foundation for the modern Western worldview of humanity as well as nature.

We have little awareness that globally there is the equivalent of a biological "holocaust" in play, and that every day the Earth experiences the extinction of hundreds of microbiota, plants, insects, and animal species. The biodiversity of live is dwindling and with its loss, we lose the biological web of life upon which we depend, we incur a real but largely hidden danger; in the life of the land or this planet lies our human lives. We ignore these relationships at our own peril.

In contrast, Native cultures usually look at all species as sharing a circle that is inclusive of all life, a circle that embraces science, art, community and spirit.

Native cultures have much to teach non-Native cultures from their inclusive vision of life - about listening to the "noise of the infinite in the small." All animals including insects are necessary for the biological functioning of the biosphere and the survival of all living things. The known benefits of the honeybee, the earthworm, silkworms, lady bug, various beetles, ants and spiders balance out their perceived harmfulness to humans.

An entire species may be condemned to extinction if humans deem its behavior or appearance unacceptable. This is the prevailing modern Western cultural attitude towards animals. In many ways this attitude has also characterized Western attitudes towards Indigenous cultures that have traditionally afforded kinship to the entire animal world.

For Native people, knowledge of animals was important to all aspects of their lives. Learning about animals was a lifelong task integrated in every aspect of tribal life. Practical knowledge included characteristics of animal behavior, anatomy, feeding, patterns, breeding, and migration.

Techniques of hunting and fishing ranged from simple to complex and required long periods of teaching and learning, but these skills were always learned in the context of detailed understanding of the natural ecology of tribal homelands.

Native hunting combined great creativity and flexibility with complex rules of conduct and acts of spiritual significance. Through long apprenticeship and experience the hunter came to know his prey, where and when to hunt and the topography and weather conditions most appropriate for hunting. He also knew the myths, songs, rituals and history that were woven into the context.

Author note: Some people will try to understand the relationship between humans and animals by going to zoos or places like Disney Land or Disney World which have animals that people can interact with. Knotts Berry Farm is another such place. This will not show any type of "natural relationship" between humans and animals.

Teddy Redsun - Native American Hip Hop Artist Focusing On Tribal History And Children

Teddy Redsun Native American Hip-Hop Artist

Teddy Orii (Redsun) is a rare Cherokee Native American music artist. He performs hip hop music for a vast audience, focused on children interaction at his concerts and Native American tribal history. This is done without the use of profanity. Redsun also loves to incorporate motorcycles in his live performances.

Redsun is in the process of writing a series of children's books that will focus on bringing a better understanding of the Native American culture, present and past. The overall scope of the books will be to present an optimistic message and create focus on his music which is hip-hop and appropriately "clean" for young children to view and enjoy. You can view some samples here of the artwork and text to be incorporated in these books.

Redsun has performed at the Cherokee Heritage Center Amphitheather, Creek Nation Casino Native Fall Music Festival, and L.A. Music Awards (he was honored as the Best New Artist in Southern California.) He has further performed at CBS studios, maintains a live concert venue, does shows at elementary and junior high schools, as well as various festivals and churches in several states.

Delving into the featured video at the top of this page, Tribes....To me this is a top rate performance and message to the youth of a nation. The music video is attractive to the younger generations due to the presentation in hip-hop style. Tribal history is presented in a fashion that makes it very informative and most interesting, inspiring further research, perhaps, by our youth.

Redsun has a great library of music as well as several music videos and I have yet to find one that does not resonate with my heart.

The question was raised by several to me about is Redsun a member of the Cherokee National Historical Society. Yes, he certainly is a member.

The EPK video, which you can view HERE, is a great video in which you can hear Redsun give his thoughts and reasons for doing what he does and the style in how he does it. There is also some great "live" music concert footage included in this video as well.

What is Malware? - How to detect and avoid using Malwarebytes

Malware can kill your machine!

There are times that your antivirus software will not detect all things that can hop aboard your computer while surfing online. You can pick up things from visiting a reputable website without that website having anything to do with what your system picks up. Hackers will plant malicious programs on various sites through Javascript ads and other various means. One of the biggest threats today is malware.

An example that may help give a better perspective on this is what my wife and myself went through a couple of years ago. As AT&T U-verse Internet subscribers, we got the paid for version of McAfee antivirus software for free, included in our internet subscription. To us, that sounded wonderful, as we had always ran the AVG free version of antivirus software in the past. So we both installed the McAfee and went about our business..after uninstalling the free version of AVG.

Within a matter of weeks both of our systems picked up malware that got by the McAfee antivirus software. With my wife's system, total loss! Had to replace her system. With my system, I had to have Dell work on it, as it was under Dell warranty still. The hard drive was trashed.

We got both systems back online and once again, I picked up some kind of malware. I contacted McAfee and they did a remote session with my laptop in an attempt to troubleshoot the matter. After various attempts they downloaded a free version of a software program called Malwarebytes on my machine and scanned my machine. Within minutes, Malwarebytes picked up what McAfee could not find, isolated the malware and solved the problem. What this showed me was that I needed to do two things, install Malwarebytes on all my systems and let McAfee go. I reverted back to the AVG free version for my antivirus protection.

For the next few months my wife and myself encountered no additional problems. We then invested in two licensed versions of Malwarebytes for our main machines, and I keep the free version of Malwarebytes running on my three lab computers.

Two years has come and gone, and none of the machines have had issues since we started running Malwarebytes in tandem with AVG's free version of antivirus. We surf the web tremendously and visit more than the average amounts of sites in the course of a day as we both do various work online that requires such.

Malware is designed to take control of your machine and from my experience, I can vouch that it does the job very well!

If you would like to visit CNET (safe download site), you can download the free version of Malwarebytes by clicking the link. Also, from the CNET site, you can download the free version of AVG antivirus, that I run alongside Malwarebytes.

Warning for Job-Hunters! Beware Of Those Amazing Internet and Email Scammers!

Keep An Eye Out For Internet Scammers!

Within the past several years, I have gained several certifications in a new field of employment that I am having to enter due to a previous on the job injury that deemed I could no longer do what I have done my whole life.

I have pursued IT courses in the computer and network areas of employment by going back to school at my young age of 55. So far I have received the CompTIA A+ certification as well as the ComptTIA Network+ certification and am working on my certification for Microsoft Windows 7 Configuration.

After receiving the two CompTIA certifications, I did an updated resume and posted it to LinkedIn, Monster as well as Craigslist, in hopes of getting some prospective leads for jobs. Needless to say, the job opportunities began pouring into my email inbox! I was delighted to start with until, over a period of time, I realized that the majority of those whom where contacting me were nothing more than scammers, criminals if you will! Scams after scams I received!

They are good at what they send you as well. The email will have a legitimate logo and email address on it, and the logo will even link to a legitimate site, that one would think would verify the email and source of the email. Not true. These all still were scams..

One offer I received was very legitimate sounding, wanting me to format seven laptops, install the O/S and various other programs on them as well as clean them. I was asked to bid on the job, which I did. Next thing I get are two certified checks in the mail, via Fed Ex, that was over the amount of my bid. I was asked to deposit the checks and then to pay the person via USPS the difference so that the laptops could be delivered. Well, needless to say, I went online and check on how to tell if such checks were fake, and sure enough, they were fake, lacking certain markings, interwoven threads and such. I have those checks still sitting here on my desk. Scam again!

Another offer was for a technical assistant, pretty much the same scenario... however I received a Postal Money Order for over the amount with instructions to deposit and Western Union the difference to another. Scam!

This list goes on, but I have learned from it. First of all, never deposit such things in your bank account as they initially be accepted by your bank and your account credited. It is further down the road that you will be notified that such items were fake and you will be held responsible at that point and out a good deal of cash as well.

Take the time to research, with is very time consuming when you get a rather large volume of offerings. I have learned that simply typing the name of the email contact into a Google search will take you straight way to forums and articles about this being a fraudulent scam.

You can also Google the particular payment document such as a Postal Money Order or Cashier's check to see what to look for if it is fake.

The whole scenario will leave you gun shy without a doubt. Last week I was contacted by a legitimate person wanting work done, and I had to screen him to make sure he was not a scammer. Lucky for me, he understood and did not take it the wrong way. I went out on the call and made a few dollars and hope for some referrals.

Lastly, be sure to report any such things to the proper authorities such as the FBI and the USPS. Remember to keep any and all emails you have received from the scammer as well as the payment documents including the envelope that contained them that was sent to you, as they will need to be turned over to the authorities.

Now, I am still seeking employment, and continuing to get bogus offers and sift my way through them. Hopefully the God/Goddess of Tech will smile upon me and send me a solid lead/job, and I can stop sifting through the offers!

What Are Otherkin?

Be Careful Of The Creation Of A Monster

There is something very destructive in the occult community for which I call a biased authentication. Commonly this aspect is put into place in the Otherkin community. Before I get started let me state that I have nothing against that community on the whole. Are there such beings that in the depths of their soul they are not human? I believe so, I also believe that the human soul can adapt and evolve or devolve in conjunction with it's experiences. If we are to get technical the only pure humans that are in existence are the newly born who by all means are without the taint that they will soon be exposed to.

It is good to get second opinions in regards to some spiritual matters that you have called into question. Those that are otherkin usually do so however simply because an individual agrees with something you have said or want to have said about you doesn't necessarily make it true. I have witnessed in communities an aspect of which I frown upon. Many times you get those that have in numbers proclaimed otherkin who by virtue of the group they are in all agree with each other that they are indeed what they say they are. That because they hold common traits with each other, dream the same types of dreams, hold the same kinds of lifestyles, think the same way, that they are indeed created of the same stock.

At first glance this doesn't seem so bad. However some groups gather numbers by allowing each other to be accepted for what they want to be accepted for. Rules are put in place because those at the top who make the rules see a need to order the structure by which others are eagerly wanting to participate in. We must see that some leaders use this as a form of control. The aspect of otherkin is allowed for in reference to people being able to be influenced by some level of manipulation towards an objective of the head figures.

Let me give an example. An individual who knows a few folks feel more than human tells them that through some means that first individual has gleamed their secret and is in fact one of the creatures that these others want to be. Thereby through his authentication they are otherkin. They have received acknowledgement for who and what they are. Some of these folks that want to be something more so much they need only the flimsy say so of someone else to confirm it for them. Also because they are afraid of being seen as crazy they will not want to discuss this aspect with very many. So they are locked into a social circle with a very small group in order to learn more about themselves. This gives the figure head quite a lot of influence. If they are knowledgeable enough and have a certain means of showing that off their rule will more or less be law.

This is the start of something very dangerous to those that are starting out. We see the verge a small cult like status being accomplished. The initial members will be very loyal because without the group consensus of what they are they will no longer have a place within that community towards the mindset that they have received and now fear being without. As the membership grows you gain more and more people acquiring the mindset that they too are special that they too have more power than the woefully pathetic humans that are below them. As more individuals amass more voices are heard towards the story line that the initial individual made. If someone disagrees they can simply be cast out fast enough so long as they are denounced properly to give everyone else an idea of the wrath at going against "home."

Do you see the monster that is made?

Biased authentication for aspects such as this are too easily manipulated and abused for other's self gains. They are not accurate on any level besides perhaps directing you towards more understanding for your own aims. Self authentication on something like this I feel is much more important. Who cares what someone else says you are? Particularly those of the various Pagan Paths, you needn't the permission of anyone to pursue who you are and how you want to work.

*What are "otherkin"?

These are non-human souls that are born into human bodies. Some of those would be faeries, werewolves, angels, demons, vampires, etc., that fall within the defines of the otherkin communities. Some believe that actual fairy tales were just otherkin in their natural form. This is but a short definition and one can browse the net to find out much more.

Skype Error Troubleshooting Guide

How To Resolve Skype Issues

A most popular online communication webcam and audio software application, Skype, continues to have a few problems. However, the solutions to the problems, as well as questions, are easily resolved.

Skype is a wonderful avenue of communication that is used by individuals, corporations and even news networks for interviews. Overall, Skype is reliable unless there is an exceptional overload on the servers due to a holiday, emergency or natural disaster that generates the usage of Skype in a large manner.

Below you will find some of the common Skype problems you may encounter as well as the solution to the problems.

• Problem: You are not able to sort through the Contacts easily to find people that you want to communicate with.
• Solution: Using the option to sort your listing by the Country or Region should help you on this. Try entering a more precise and accurate search term. You will find that the more info you provide, the better the search results will be.
• Problem: No one can find your Skype name or you on Skype.
• Solution: Focus on adding more information to your Skype profile. Be sure to not overlook adding your country and language.
• Problem: Security! You want a secure password.
• Solution: The best form of a password is a combination of this example, 57aEd38-81. You will notice various attributes here. Pick your password then work with it to include some of what you see in this example. This is a very secure password.
• Problem: Not able to connect your audio to your Macintosh system.
• Solution: You will need to purchase a USB microphone or headset as this is what Macintosh accepts.
• Problem: You find that you have a bunch of contacts but only want to converse with a certain amount of them.
• Solution: Go to your contacts list and work on separating them into categories such as relations, friends, co-workers and such. Then you can click on your contact group and select the ones you wish to converse with.
• Problem: You would like to share a file with various contacts, simultaneously.
• Solution: Use your cursor and highlight the groups of contacts that you have previously created. Use the right-click on your mouse and select the group that you wish to transfer the file to and then select the option of "Send File". Of course you will need to locate the file you desire to send. The quickest way to transfer the file is to simply drag the file into the chat window of the group.
• Problem: Upon playing around with Skype you have changed the font style, size and such in the chat window, but now would like it to revert back to the default.
• Solution: The default setting that you can manually select is: Tahoma, 8 points, Western Script.
• Problem: You find that you have an overabundance of devices attached to your computer to use Skype.
• Solution: Go to Ebay or Amazon and buy a webcam that has a built in microphone that includes noise cancellation. You will find that this works wonders!
• Problem: In an attempt to use the video option on Skype, you encounter that the video is not working correctly after installing a video driver.
• Solution: Try installing the driver "after" turning off your anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-adware that you may be running.
• Problem: Your new webcam is not operating properly with Skype.
• Solution: First of all, follow the webcam instructions. Plug this device in when prompted and not before. Most of the time such devices will then install the needed video drivers automatically, prior to plugging in your device.
• Problem: I have done the above, but the video device still is not working.
• Solution: Go online and look for the latest updates for your video device.
• Problem: You have chosen to use a Skype phone number for your business and you find that you are getting calls around the clock.
• Solution: Make sure you set your local time zone when giving out your Skype number in ads or your business card.
• Problem: My USB headset is not working. I can hear nothing!
• Solution: Make sure that prior to starting Skype that you have plugged in your headset. If you are already in Skype, simply quit Skype and restart Skype.

These are some problems and solutions that work with Skype. There are many more, and to find out the solutions, one should do a Google or Yahoo search for the very "specific" issue that they may be encountering.

Skype is a wonderful social networking tool that is sure to be around for a very long time. Getting familiar with Skype and learning how to use Skype will work to your advantage.

Many families use Skype simply for staying in touch with distant family members. Nothing like the old land line method of just hearing a voice. Now, using Skype, you can not only hear those family members, but also see them. The cost? Nothing...Free... It does not get any better than that!

You can learn more about Skype here including the option of a free download of Skype.

The Awesomeness That The Planet Earth Has To Offer - Earth Day Reflectionsm and Discussion

Earth Day History

Welcome to celebrate and honor the planet and home we call Earth. With that in mind let's turn to Earth Day that was first recognized on April 22,1970, founded by Gaylor Nelson. When is Earth Day now? It has remained on April 22, and every year, around the globe, Earth Day has been celebrated.

What is Earth Day?

Gaylor Nelson was inspired by the anti-war movement that was ongoing with the students of the time. Using the same type of energy, he was able to create focus by the masses on the environment. A staff was created and events were planned across the land.

With the organization of various events, about 20 million Americans were in the streets, auditoriums and parks to draw major attention to having a sustainable and healthy environment. With the current political stance in Washington, D.C., Earth Day would not have happened as it did. What took place in 1970 is that a very rare political alignment was made. The Earth Day movement had support from BOTH Democrats and Republicans.

Another very important fact about the Earth Day of 1970 is that it led to the creation of the EPA, the United States
Environmental Protection Agency. It also opened the doors for the passage of Clean Air, Clean Water, along with the Endangered Species Acts.

In 1990 Earth Day went global when Denis Hayes organized yet another big campaign. The result of this was that upwards of 200 million people from 141 various countries supported the message of Earth Day and brought it onto the world stage. With this big campaign, focus was additional brought to the worldwide recycling efforts that opened the doors for the Rio de Janeiro United Nations Earth Summit in 1992.

Through the years, there has been more and more organization and numerous events to bring continued awareness and a broader scope of issues under the umbrella of Earth Day. The main one that stands out is the message sent from around the globe in 2000 to world leaders that the people wanted steps taken quickly in reference to clean energy.

Through the history of Earth Day, the internet has become a major player in the organization of events around the world to continue the focus on our environment and all that can and needs to be done to improve it and save it for future generations.

Earth Day now encompasses the issue of climate change and awareness as it becomes more evident with each passing day.

The sending of positive energies channeled into a healthier, cleaner and diverse world will provide for those future generations. Participating in Earth Day events will also create the needed energies and messages to accomplish this.

You can go online to search for local events in your area that you can participate in and make a difference.

Heathen Identity: Asatru, Wicca, and The Germanic Gods/Goddesses

Identity seems to be a hot-button issue in the Asatru and heathen communities, in a way that, for someone on their way in from the outside, seems to beg the question of when one will be safely inside the fold...if ever. I've watched a lot of discussion, and a lot of not-part-of-discussion posturing, and I think that although some of the points that come up are interesting and important, an awful lot of them come down to non-Wiccan communities having a sort of allergic reaction to any possibility that they will be lumped in with Self-Ordained High Priestess Nummymuffin Coocoolbutter by an unnamed observer.

Orthoprazy vs Orthodoxy

So first of all, we have to look at orthopraxy vs. orthodoxy. These are the two ways religions tend to build cohesion. Orthopraxy is "right action," which means that to belong, one must live the right way, follow the right practices, show up for the right rituals, and so on. Orthodoxy means "right belief," and it means that one must adopt the right beliefs. Now, obviously, these occur on a spectrum, because to some extent you have to have both. There's not much point in calling yourself a heathen if you don't believe in any of the heathen gods; and no matter how much you love Jesus, if you're loving him from the middle of a sacrifice to Ba'al, you're not a particularly good Christian. But on the whole, Christianity has tended to be weighted toward orthodoxy more than most previous religions - Islam is up there as well - whereas most pagan or tribal religions have been weighted toward orthopraxy. This means that the important thing is how you behave.

Why do I bring this up? Because there are modern heathens who seem to want it both ways: they want there to be rather strict rules about both behavior and the beliefs prompting the behavior. One gentleman said that to his mind, someone with Wiccan beliefs could follow the heathen gods and perform blot and symbel perfectly, and still not be a heathen. Now, this can only be termed orthodoxy: he wants to dictate what the mythical Wiccan can believe about the gods before even the more general "heathen" label can attach. But this is an entirely modern idea. To the best of my knowledge, we have no evidence - none! - that any ancient Pagan religion was weighted toward orthodoxy. We have, to the contrary, lots of evidence that they were orthopraxies. Certainly there's a minimum standard - the Germanic gods must be present, and must probably dominate the field (a new can of worms for later) - but there's only so far you can carry it and still be in tune with the original mindset.

The Varying Beliefs

Another interesting aspect of this, by the way, is the limited definition of "belief." Almost invariably, when the issue of right beliefs comes up, the two banners waved are Germanic Gods Only and NNV (The Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru) not the Wiccan Rede. This is a very narrow and, to my mind, superficial way of looking at what the original mindset of our ancestors was. No mention is ever made of whether it's important to have Yggdrasil as one's cosmological map, for example; nor of the Germanic concepts of time and fate (except by the occasional Saxon tribalist or Irminist), what the rituals or holy days really mean and their context, and so on. Sure, these things get discussed with some interest in the better neighborhoods, but they are never anywhere to be found when the "right belief" spectre raises its head. Germanic Gods Only. NNV, not the Rede. That's it.

Firstly, NNV and the Rede are not incompatible. It would be theoretically possible to keep both, which means, by orthopraxic standards, that attempting to do so is nobody's business until the person screws it up. Second, heathens worrying about the presence or absence of the Rede at all is the allergic rash reaction. If it is not a heathen concept, then it should not be relevant to the discussion at all. Third, and this goes back to the allergic rash as well: the popular conception of the Rede is not the traditional conception of the Rede. Judging the Rede as an idea based on what untrained solitaries who read a Silver Ravenwolf book think it is makes about as much sense as trying to understand the nuances of Christian theology by watching the snake handlers. The Rede: either understand it or ignore it. If you're not any kind of Wiccan it doesn't matter to you anyway. If idiots don't get that then it's their problem, not yours.

So okay, on to Germanic Gods Only. Surely it will not come as a surprise to anyone to discover that "The Germanics" were not one unified civilization. Neither were "The Celts" or even, for that matter, "The Greeks" (although they were a little closer). These are blanket terms for what were in fact a variety of tribes that shared distant ancestry and certain cultural markers in common. But, as we still have abundant evidence of today, each tribe could and did have a different set of gods, and different names even for those that were essentially shared by several tribes. Each had different "favorites," and gods could be present in some tribes and absent from others. So when we present a list of "these are the Germanic gods to whom we must keep troth," unless we are really being anal about uncovering a particular tribe's list, we are already generalizing and borrowing to some extent.

Add to this the overall kinship of all the Indo-European groups, the degree of interaction through both war and trade that we know took place and that we know historically always leads to ideas being exchanged, and particularly the fact that there has been scholarly debate over whether the Celtic and Germanic tribes are actually different enough to constitute two different groups. We don't know that deities never crossed the picket line between one group and the other. In fact, in other polytheistic religions past and present, we have plenty of evidence that this happens on a regular basis: for crying out loud, the Irish Brigid managed to become not only a Christian saint but also a Vodoun loa. As long as the overall structure (the orthopraxy) was kept intact - as long as, for example, Maman Brigitte showed a side of herself that fit in with Vodoun and accepted Vodoun-flavored rituals in place of her old Celtic digs - nobody worried about it.

From this perspective, I fail to see how Morgan (a near neighbor), for example, could single-handedly destroy every vestige of heathenism by appearing at a faining. The only reason to think so is the allergic reaction - the assumption/fear that even the slightest capitulation will lead inevitably to people inviting Thor and Yemaya to a peace pipe ceremony.

The other thing that seems to bring on the rash is any similarity, or any comparison whatsoever, to Wiccan ritual of any sort. (Oh, and I forgot to mention the divine law that polytheists must be hard polytheists. But that's covered in orthodoxy vs. orthopraxy, I think, and by the whole rash thing. There are gradations that aren't noticed in this struggle. If you think that Oshun and Aphrodite ultimately spring from the same source, you're a mystic: if you think that you can call Oshun "Aphrodite" and give her Freya's favorite presents on Hathor's altar, you're an idiot.)

Comparing Mystery Based Ritual and Folk Ritual

So I'm going to go through basic Wiccan/witchy ritual structure and make comparisons. My basic theory is that many of the differences, while present, are exaggerated and actually stem from the difference between mystery-based ritual and folk ritual. We have evidence aplenty that these two forms, in a general sense, can exist side by side in the same religion. The Greeks, for instance, had several different mystery cults to which a person could belong simultaneously with following normal "city" religion without any conflict. In other tribal groups it is not uncommon for the shamanic class to participate in normal folk ritual but also to keep other rituals and practices that are unique to them. The needs of those who do magic and move between worlds are in general slightly different than the needs of other people, and likewise, the ritual needs when doing such work are slightly different than what is called for in normal religious celebrations.

1. Setting up the altar: Both Wiccans and heathens do this. What precisely goes there is a bit different, but then again, this also varies within each group between denominations, so there's not much of a set standard. Everyone, however, includes a drink, most traditionally but not invariably alcoholic. Most have a candle. Some Wiccans next have to say special woodgy over the altar to dedicate it.
2. Setting the ritual space: In old heathenry this didn't always have to be done, because there were permanent ritual spaces. However, in both new heathenry and Wicca this usually isn't the case, so - although this seems to be one of the most virulent topics for debate - both groups temporarily consecrate the space in some way. This almost always involves circumambulating the area ritually: a Wiccan while doing so creates an energetic vessel with strict barriers, while a heathen usually leaves it permeable. (Please note, however, that an Anglo-Saxon charm for casting a circle with a wand or staff does exist from olden times, and that Irminists do make use of this.) The heathen may walk the round carrying a flame and chanting, or carrying a hammer and chanting, or may instead use "The Hammer Rite," which I will hit next.
3. Acknowledging the directions: Heathens seem to be more open to this than neo-Celts, but not all of them do it. The Wiccan association of four directions to four elements is, I'll be the first to say it, entirely Greek in origin (as in fact, it was a Greek, Empedocles, who came up with the four elements in the first place, as well as the mystery of a cosmic balance between Goddess and God, Love and Strife). The Hammer Rite sometimes goes here, and it is very much influenced by ceremonial magic: it is basically a heathened-up equivalent of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. The Hammer Rite also acknowledges eight directions instead of four...but then again, so do some Witches. One thing that Wiccans are doing along with this step is acknowledging the level of beings that a heathen would think of as the alfar, disir, and/or wights. The heathen will also tend to do this, but rather than doing it here will give those beings part of what is set aside for the gods.
4. Invitation of the deities: Both groups seem to put it here. Wiccans will tend to invite one or a pair, whereas heathens will tend to invite the whole pantheon, perhaps with an emphasis on the deity or deities particularly associated with the ritual at hand. Wiccans of adequate training/talent "draw down," or "horse." There isn't really evidence that this happened in old heathenry, but some heathens do it anyway because it works and is a powerful way of experiencing the deities.
5. The sprinkling: By this point, the Wiccan will already have blessed a bowl of water, usually by putting salt in it and performing a simple charm, and sprinkled the area and the attendants. In old heathenry, what happened instead was that after the gods were invoked, a blood sacrifice took place, the blood was caught in a bowl, and this was used to sprinkle and bless the area and attendants. Nowadays this seldom happens, and a share of the ritual drink is usually used instead. Still, the overall idea of the thing seems to be the same. Irminists, according to James Coulter, save this step until the very end for some reason - they are probably seeing it as a final sharing of all the good energy of the ritual. That's my guess.
6. The celebrations and ritual dramas: To be honest, I'm still not solid on where this step goes for heathens. I know they have it: several books attest to it and suggest very amusing ideas on how it can be done for various holidays. The Troth seems to put it here in the middle, like Wiccans do, but for all I know, everyone else waits until after formal ritual is over. Wiccans and Irminists, not uncommonly, seem to like to sing here (Wiccans may also dance). This is also where the "what are we all doing here in the first place" speech tends to go, if present, for both groups.
7. Ritualized food and/or drink: In both groups: A ritual drink is shared around, out of a single cup (or horn, but even in heathenry cup happens) if possible. Wiccans tend to bless the drink in a particular way, referring back again to that Empedoclean borrowing that emphasizes sexual polarity. This is, again, a mystery-based addition. Heathens don't seem to need a special drink blessing, but will sometimes preserve the sanctity of the vessel by only allowing a woman of particular ritual standing to carry it from person to person. They also take this opportunity to specifically toast the gods, goddesses and/or wights relevant to the ritual and to themselves, which Wiccans usually do not. Ritual cakes do not have to be present for heathens, although in the case of the Troth, the ritually sacrificed animal cookies are "killed" and shared around at this point.
8. Bringing it home: At this point, everyone says thank you and goodbye to whatever nonphysical beings were invited. Wiccans, having put up a formal enclosure, have to take it down: heathens, who merely blessed the space, don't. Fires are put out, and everything is generally put back the way it was when the ritual started.
9. Post-ritual feasting: This is again common to both groups, and is in fact an Indo-European standard. Originally, the meat from the sacrifice would be cooked up and shared around at this point. The gods' and goddesses' share must, of course, be consigned to the fire or to its special leaving-place, and this happens at various points depending on the culture. Heathens and (trained) Wiccans both likewise dispose properly of the gods' share of the ritual food and drink, plus a portion of any other feast items, usually before going to the feast themselves (but not always).

You can see how those two structures are totally different. Many of us are "eclectic" in how we practice and live our spirituality. Overall, if it works for you, then by all means you are encouraged to pick and choose. It certainly works well for this author.