How does the parallel rate affects online transactions?

Abbeyme:
Last time I checked, registering Paypal with FBN acct is most easy...

You can tweet at their account @firstbankngr

i tries it still not working. each time i try to register, the website reloads.

hello guys, there is a wordpress product i do like to buy to develop a site for my client, but the problem i having is that, the product payment can only be done through paypal. i have tried opening a paypal account with first bank but all to no avail. i really need someone who have a working paypal account enabling transactions, whom i can send the money to, to help me purchase the software. if you really want to help, please send your phone number and your facebook name to juniorarthur62@yahoo.com. thanks all

The nigerian currency (naira) still keeps falling despite the ban on atm usage abroad. This shows that the nigerian apex bank has not able to proffer a lasting solution to the dollar margin. Things are not be added up correctly. A nation that inculcate and imbibe the usage of atm card on nigerian, which they entire echo as " cashless policy or cashless economy, did not see the supposed outcome that will befall them. Should I say that the nigeria cbn governors both past and present are "clueless". Nigeria do not know the real problem they are battling.

MrAlozie:


Hi,

CloudFlare protects and accelerates any website online.

You cant host websites on cloudflare rather cloudflare is only a service used by web hosting company's to automatically optimize the delivery of your web pages so your visitors get the fastest page load times and best performance.

Regards.

. Thanks

Hello everyone. I just need someone to explain to me what cloudflare services is all about. Want to know the difference between cloudflare and hosting services. Thanks

Do you think the average nigerians knows the meaning of fuel subsidy?

My short list of negotiating tactics:

1. Don't negotiate. Tell the salesperson and sales manager that you'll sign the paperwork the minute they hit your target figure. Politely decline any counter-offers, give them your phone number, and leave. If the price you've proposed is within the realm of possibility, they'll call you at some point.

2. Follow-up on Saturday or Sunday nights an hour before closing time. Call and ask to speak with the salesperson or manager you've spoken to before. Remind them you're a buyer when they meet your figure, but that they shouldn't waste your time if they won't.

If your offer is possible, the opportunity to do one more deal before the end of the day might compel them to work with you... especially if the dealership is having a bad weekend.

3. Follow-up on the last day of the month. Again, salespeople and managers are often under pressure to find one more deal before the month ends. A deal that didn't make sense on the 25th might make sense on the 31st if the month hasn't met expectations.

4. Follow-up on days that have had terrible weather. A major snowstorm, a day of wind and rain, etc. can dramatically affect car sales. Call and remind the salesperson or manager that you're happy to come down when they meet your offer. Again, the fact that they're not selling cars might get them to bend in your favor.

5. Rinse, wash and repeat. Do the same process concurrently with a couple of other dealers in your area. Make sure they have the car you want, and then give them their mission.

6. Know what a car is worth. If you're buying a new car,
Edmunds.com and
TrueCar.com provide "true market" estimates that are reasonably accurate. If you're buying a used car,
KBB.com is a great resource, as it will tell you both retail value and wholesale (aka trade-in) value.

My suggestion is to try and buy a new car for $500-$1000 less than true market value. This is aggressive, but assuming that you've got time and you're willing to work the phone, you can often find a dealership willing to dip into their holdback (financial reserve) to make one more deal.

If you're buying a used car, I'd try for a 10-15% discount off of wholesale (trade-in) value. It's damn difficult, but every now and then a dealer will take a car in on trade at below market value. If you make this kind of aggressive offer, you might get it every now and again.

Of course, you can always just offer true market value (new) or wholesale value (used). That will make getting a deal much easier...but what's the fun in that?

7. Secure your own financing if you can. A great way to avoid the drama in the finance office is to get a loan from your local credit union. However, if you're buying a new car and you want to take advantage of a special interest rate (like 0%), you're going to have to work with the dealership's finance person.

Quite frankly, I don't see what the big deal is about going through finance. It's true that you're going to be brought into a small room with a very good salesperson, and that he or she is going to pitch you all sorts of stuff. You're an adult. You can handle this. Be polite, but say no to everything. It's not personal, it's just business.

If you've got bad credit, the dealership finance office is going to help you out (at least a little bit). However, this doesn't mean you need to do them a favor and buy a warranty or something... just say no.

8. Always be polite. In some of the other answers to this question, I've read suggestions about telling the dealer to "take it or leave it," threatening to walk out, etc. This is all bad advice.

There are a lot of things that suck about working at a car dealership, not the least of which is being treated like crap by most of the people you deal with. While dealership employees learn how to "warm customers up" - it usually only takes a minute or two to get a stranger to laugh and relax a little - it's emotionally draining.

source:http://emegr.com/blog/view/24371/the-best-techniques-for-negotiating-with-car-dealerships

DonChippy:
Gosh! I hate aggressive prayers. I even hate aggressive praying churches.

. Are u a witch or wizard?

Fantastic!!! Cc lalasticlala

All this is caused by those so call nigerian entertainers who parade their latest cars and money on social media. This entices the younger generation of getting quick money instead of working hard for it. They pass the wrong message

[quote author=Strahovski post=40850585]Hmmm i have read the whole stuff and OP, i think i can reproduce what you are going through. Normally i would make a trash comment and port to the next thread but from what you wrote, i can see some sincerity and willingness to solve the issue. So i would help you

First, Your wife! She is young(She is 22 now) , her emotions are heightened up and this is a big deal for her considering where she is coming from(Her Family). I presume she does everything you want, when you misbehave she would still be the one to apologize and i can also sense that she is in love with you. Trust me, she is a girl, her father is not a problem! Do you think she does not have another bank account where the boys are sending her money? (Another set of "toasters", so if she wants out, she would get out! I have dealt with cases like this during my days. She loves you man, and you are taking advantage of it because it turns you on.. So follow these steps and see how it turns out:

- Communicate with her: Confess your crimes and tell her how it turns you on. Confess you do it intentionally. And observe her response(Dont be surprised she knows already) If you dont fix it, in the future, she might be using the hurt/pain to get things from you because "It brings you closer to her"
- Consult a marriage Counselor or Therapist: You need some counseling! You need to know that she is your wife and not an object of pleasure!
- Start feeling her pain: Make her pain your pain! When you start feeling her pain, you wont be the pain anymore.
- Find another way to please yourself: Yup, it can be a video game(You are a young dude), poker, or a friday night out with your wife every week.
- Make her the boss when it comes to sex: You do it her way! Not your way! At least for now *wink*
- Find out what turns her on: Its time she is the one turning on not you! You have had enough. Because all that is turning on in her is her pain.
- Be closer: Watch movies together, go on weekend time out, attend church programs together.. make her feel loved.

So Op, when you have tried it for about 3 - 6 months you would re-wire out of the idea that you should hurt her first.

Hope i helped

You can update me on the situation and i would be happy to help. Send me a mail, i will give you a call!
hmmm
[/quote you are really mature. You are good

To be competitive in today’s online community, your website must give visitors a good first impression. The content they find on your website says a lot about your company’s mission, professionalism and attention to detail. I frequently run across websites featuring content that was clearly thrown together quickly without much forethought. The following five tips will help you give potential clients an accurate and favorable look at your enterprise.

1. Outline tangible goals.

To develop effective site content, you need to sit down and outline some tangible goals. Without goals, you’ll have no way to measure how successful your content is. For example, most website owners are looking to maximize their lead generation and conversion potential. Take the time to determine what exactly you expect your content to do before you write (or rewrite) it.

2. Use short phrases with action verbs.

Writing for the web varies from traditional writing in a few keys ways. Generally speaking, you should keep your site’s content short and sweet. Potential clients don’t want to waste time deciphering flowery language just to see what your company does. Spell out what exactly you do and how it will benefit them. Then tell them what they need to do to take advantage of your services.

3. Employ a personable tone.

When researching companies online, consumers want to know that they’re working with real people and not automated machines. Your content should encourage a conversation with your client, not speak at them in a condescending way. Use a first person narrative to share personal experiences and give the reader a sense of conversation. Use a second person narrative to encourage clients to take action, such as filling out a lead form. This site on why you should be a
motivational speaker is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. The content here asks consumers questions and then gives answers and advice in a friendly way.

4. Proofread everything multiple times.

Poorly written content will not garner leads and convert sales as effectively as professionally written content. Granted, some people won’t notice grammatical flaws, but you can bet that the ones who do will reconsider working with a business that can’t take the time to ensure accuracy. If you don’t have a professional writer or editor on hand, I highly recommend that you find one to contract for certain writing assignments. You don’t want to play a guessing game when it comes to
building trust in the online perception of your company.

5. Update your content regularly.

At the bare minimum,
update your site’s content at least once a year. Admittedly, this can be quite the undertaking for sites that feature dozens of individual pages. Don’t forget to re-evaluate your content every time you’re planning a redesign for your website. When you change your site’s layout, you need to consider how you could maximize your content within new constraints.

As a parting message, make sure you don’t just throw out your original information when rewriting content for your site. Doing so could adversely affect your site’s SEO. Every time you rewrite content, run a split-page test to determine which language converts users better. Direct half of your traffic to the original content and half to the new content. After the test is over, determine which content was more successful in converting clients, and then consider why that might be.

Nobody’s perfect, but you should make every effort to ensure potential clients get the right message from your site’s content.

credit:http://emegr.com/blog/view/27353/five-tips-for-improving-your-website-content

People are often confused about what it means to have self-esteem. Some think it has to do with the way you look or how popular you are with your friends or others. Others believe that having a great body will help you gain self-esteem, while others think you actually need to have accomplished something in order to have good self-esteem.

Boiled down to its simplicity, self-esteem simply means appreciating yourself for who you are — faults, foibles and all. It seems like other cultures don’t grapple with self-esteem as much as Americans do, perhaps because of the emphasis we seem to put on materialistic indicators of self-worth (like what kind of car you drive, what school your kids attend, what your grades are, how big a house you have, or what your title is at work).

The difference between someone with a healthy or good self-esteem and someone who doesn’t isn’t ability, per se. It’s simply acknowledgement of your strengths and weaknesses, and moving through the world safe in that knowledge.

Which brings me to the question I’m often asked — how can I increase my self-esteem? Here’s how.



People with a good and healthy self-esteem are able to feel good about themselves for who they are, appreciate their own worth, and take pride in their abilities and accomplishments. They also acknowledge that while they’re not perfect and have faults, those faults don’t play an overwhelming or irrationally large role in their lives or their own self-image (how you see yourself).

1. Take a Self-Esteem Inventory.

You can’t fix what you don’t know. This is one of the core components of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Before you get to work on putting CBT to work, you have to spend a fair amount of time identifying irrational thoughts and what-not.

The same is true for your self-esteem. To simply generalize and say, “I suck. I’m a bad person. I can’t do anything.” is to tell yourself a simple but often convincing lie. I’m here to tell you that it’s not true. We all suck from time to time. The solution isn’t to wallow in suck-age as the core of your identity, but to acknowledge it and move on.

Get a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle of it. On the right-hand side, write: “Strengths” and on the left-hand side, write: “Weaknesses.” List 10 of each. Yes, 10. That may seem like a lot of the Strengths side if you suffer from poor self-esteem, but force yourself to find all 10.

If you’re having difficulty coming up with a whole 10, think about what others have said to you over the years. “Thanks for listening to me the other night when all I did was talk your ear off!” “You did a great job at work with that project, thanks for pitching in.” “I’ve never seen someone who enjoyed housework as much as you do.” “You seem to have a real knack for telling a story.” Even if you think the Strength is stupid or too small to list, list it anyway. You may be surprised at how easy it is to come up with all 10 when you approach it from this perspective.

This is your Self-Esteem Inventory. It lets you know all the things you already tell yourself about how much you suck, as well as showing you that there are just as many things you don’t suck at. Some of the weaknesses you may also be able to change, if only you worked at them, one at a time, over the course of a month or even a year. Remember, nobody changes things overnight, so don’t set an unrealistic expectation that you can change anything in just a week’s time.

2. Set Realistic Expectations.

Nothing can kill our self-esteem more than setting unrealistic expectations. I remember when I was in my 20s, I had thought, “I need to be a millionaire by the time I’m 30 or I’m going to be a failure.” (Don’t even get me started about how many things are wrong with that statement.) Needless to say, 30 came and I was nowhere close to being a millionaire. I was more in debt than ever, and owning a home was still a distant dream. My expectation was unrealistic, and my self-esteem took a blow when I turned 30 and saw how far away such a goal was.

Sometimes our expectations are so much smaller, but still unrealistic. For instance, “I wish my mom (or dad) would stop criticizing me.” Guess what? They never will! But that’s no reason to let their criticism affect your own view of yourself, or your own self-worth. Check your expectations if they keep disappointing you. Your self-esteem will thank you.

This may also help you to stop the cycle of negative thinking about yourself that reinforce our negative self-esteem. When we make set realistic expectations in our life, we can stop berating ourselves for not meeting some idealistic goal.

3. Set Aside Perfection and Grab a Hold of Accomplishments… and Mistakes.

Perfection is simply unattainable for any of us. Let it go. You’re never going to be perfect. You’re never going to have the perfect body, the perfect life, the perfect relationship, the perfect children, or the perfect home. We revel in the idea of perfection, because we see so much of it in the media. But that is simply an artificial creation of society. It doesn’t exist.

Instead, grab a hold of your accomplishments as you achieve them. Acknowledge them to yourself for their actual value (don’t de-value them by saying, “Oh, that? That’s just so easy for me, no big deal.”). It may even help to keep a little journal or list of things you accomplish. Some people might even do this on a day-by-day basis, while others might feel more comfortable just noting them once a week or even once a month. The key is to get to your smaller goals and move on from each one, like a connect-the-dots game of life.

It’s just as important to take something away from the mistakes you make in life. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, it simply means you made a mistake (like everyone does). Mistakes are an opportunity for learning and for growth, if only we push ourselves out of the self-pity or negative self-talk we wallow in after one, and try and see it from someone else’s eyes.

4. Explore Yourself.

“Know thyself” is an old saying passed down through the ages, to encourage us to engage in self-exploration. Usually the most well-adjusted and happiest people I meet are people who have gone through this exercise. It isn’t just about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, but also opening yourself up to new opportunities, new thoughts, trying out something new, new viewpoints, and new friendships.

Sometimes when we’re down on ourselves and our self-esteem has taken a big hit, we feel like we have nothing to offer the world or others. It may be that we simply haven’t found everything that we do have to offer — things we haven’t even considered or thought of yet. Learning what these are is simply a matter of trial and error. It’s how people become the people they’ve always wanted to become, by taking risks and trying things they wouldn’t ordinarily do.

5. Be Willing to Adjust Your Own Self-Image.

Self-esteem is useless if it’s based upon an older version of you that no longer exists. I used to be good at many things I’m no longer good at. I excelled in math while in high school, but couldn’t do a calculus problem today to save my life. I used to think I was pretty smart, until I learned just how little I knew. I could play trombone pretty well at one point, but no longer.

But all of that’s okay. I’ve adjusted my own beliefs about my self and my strengths as I go along. I’ve become a better writer, and learned more about business than I ever knew before. I don’t sit around and say, “Geez, I really wish I could play trombone like I used to!” (And if I cared enough to really think that, I would go and take some lessons to get good at it again.) Instead, I evaluate myself based upon what’s going on in my life right now, not some distant past version of me.

Keep adjusting your self-image and self-esteem to match your current abilities and skills, not those of your past.

6. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.

Nothing can hurt our self-esteem more than unfair comparisons. Joe has 3,000 Facebook friends while I only have 300. Mary can outrun me on the field when we play ball. Elizabeth has a bigger house and a nice car than I do. You can see how this might impact our feelings about ourselves, the more we do this sort of thing.

I know it’s tough, but you need to stop comparing yourself to others. The only person you should be competing against is yourself. These comparisons are unfair because you don’t know as much as you think you do about these other people’s lives, or what it’s really like to be them. You think it’s better, but it may be 100 times worse than you can imagine. (For instance, Joe paid for that many friends; Mary’s parents have had her in sports training since she was 3; and Elizabeth is in a loveless marriage that only appears to be ideal.)
* * *

I know I made this all sound easy. It’s not. Changing your self-esteem takes time, trial-and-error, and patience on your part. Make an effort to be more fair and more realistic with your own self, however, and I think you may be pleasantly surprised by the results. Good luck!
source:http://emegr.com/blog/view/27334/6-tips-to-improve-your-self-esteem

Perception is a very real issue for leaders. They must decide how they want employees to view them and act accordingly. Typically, leaders choose a combination of stoic, strong, closed-off, and loud-mouthed. Some even want to be seen as assholes. While this is a strategic decision — usually designed to maintain respect and avoid inappropriate situations — if you’re completely avoiding a personal connection with your employees, you’re making a big mistake.

Employees who feel valued and appreciated by their leaders are infinitely more likely to go above and beyond for the company and hold themselves accountable for their part of a project. Most importantly, they will be happier in their roles. If leaders disregard the importance of connecting with employees, they lose the benefit of a dedicated, long-term team.

employee

Some find it difficult to personally connect with employees while still maintaining a position of authority — I think the trick is to simply show them you care. Below are 11 ways leaders can demonstrate their appreciation for employees.

1. Go above and beyond to personally help them. It isn’t enough to simply assist your employees with work issues — a great leader should keep his eyes open for ways to help out with personal issues as well. My co-founder had difficulty trying to find a place to rent, and I saw her frustration every day. Instead of throwing money at the problem, I went to the complex where she wanted to live and talked to the manager. She got a spot within a week. To this day, I think she knows I would do anything in my power to support her, which has created a loyalty that’s hard to break and invaluable in a business relationship.

2. Relate to them; don’t act like you’re above them. If you’ve ever been in a culture where the executives have their own parking spaces and make you carry their luggage when traveling, you know firsthand what it feels like to think your leader doesn’t care about you. When I sense an employee’s having a problem, I think about what I’ve gone through and share with him how I did or didn’t overcome the situation. As a leader, employees sometimes place you on a pedestal, but putting yourself on their level by showing your own vulnerability and imperfections helps them overcome their challenges.
Recommended by Forbes

3. Show you care about their personal life. While you shouldn’t be chiming in about your employee’s new boyfriend/girlfriend or meeting up for an all-night drinking binge, it’s completely possible to show you care about your employee’s personal life without being creepy. When one of our employees postponed a honeymoon, we set up a little beach retreat at the office as a substitute.
The trick is to let your team know that you don’t just see them as worker bees.

4. Show interest in their significant others. I’ve always been baffled by companies that don’t allow significant others at work events, like Christmas parties. Why would you not want to include your employee’s No. 1 supporter? Work is a lot easier when you have support at home, so I want my employee’s partner to know I appreciate him or her as well.

5. Back them up with clients. We have a “no-asshole” client policy in our office. If an employee complains about a client treating her poorly, we look into the situation and fire the client if necessary. It doesn’t matter how much a client is paying you — if you have talented employees who know you have their back, you’ll be rewarded with a higher return than your biggest client could ever offer you.

6. Do things that set you apart. Being creative with employee perks can go a long way. It doesn’t have to be costly; it just has to show that you’ve thought about making your employees’ personal or professional lives a little better. To get the creative juices flowing, here’s a
list of unique perks other companies have offered employees.

7. Be real and transparent with them. If an employee asks for feedback, be honest — don’t BS him. That doesn’t mean you should be unkind, but shielding employees from the truth will do nothing but hurt them — and your company. Transparency is usually accompanied by a few uncomfortable conversations, but those conversations prove you care enough to deliver the hard truth, which will mean a lot to employees. As a bonus, that truthful and transparent feedback will also garner better results.

8. Make time for them. It’s hard for employees to feel appreciated when their leader is too busy for a simple chat. It can be easy to get caught up in day-to-day projects and appear too busy for the people around you, but by holding yourself accountable for regular conversations with your team members, employees will feel valued and respected.

9. Little things do matter. A quick email to your team after a win or a note of encouragement during a big sale can go a long way, especially if you’re working with a limited amount of time. I try to send an email around Thanksgiving or Christmas expressing my appreciation for each member of my team. It doesn’t have to be a “Jerry Maguire”-style email — just type a few sentences to explain why you value them.
If you can’t think of anything you value about each employee, consider that a red flag.

10. Create opportunities for new experiences. Pay attention and accommodate when an employee shows interest in different aspects of the business. Last year, we had an editor show interest in content strategy and eventually move into a leadership position within the company. Although we typically send salespeople to conferences — as that’s where potential clients will be — we sent our editor, giving her the opportunity to step outside her usual editorial responsibilities and use what she learned from meeting potential clients to better develop content strategy.

11. Be aware of the expectations you set. You can do all of the above and let it go to waste if you don’t set proper expectations.
Entrepreneurs are prone to getting overexcited and overpromising results to employees, which can lead to trouble. When a leader sets expectations too high to realistically meet, it unravels team morale even if she’s nailed the acts above.

Before your employees will believe in, or care about, the long-term vision of the company, its culture, or its success, they need to feel that you see each of them as a person — not just an “employee” to execute your to-do list. They need to feel that their leader — and the company — is invested in them. Once you show your team how much you value them, there’s nothing they won’t strive to accomplish

credit:http://emegr.com/bookmarks/view/10597/simple-ways-to-show-your-employees-you-care

Emmaesty:
13 years old in 100l is not possible. when did he finish secondary school? 12? That means he entered secondary school at the age of 6 At what age did he start nursery school then.

. It is possible. they skip classes

That is why I sometimes dislike coming to nairaland to see all this rubbish post in frontpage. They make it look like Nigerians are poor low life people. Go to reddit and digg and how to put post in frontpage.

When I look back, remembering the days I first decided what I wanted to do with the life I have, regardless of whether I will succeed or fail. That 17yr old me was self- exploring the work of craftsman on the world wide web, what the geeks of today call web- development. During the course of my adventure, I faced lots of challenges with Web Hosting and even my first domain was confiscated because I was in Nigeria, never received a refund and so my quest led me to find a way to host without being kicked out… that was how Aimtech Hosting Company (GigaLayer) was born! The other side of me has always been a business enthusiasts, when my friends were reading James Hardley Chase’s, I read Robert Kiyosaki’s. Should you come home, they also nicknamed me ‘CEO’ because of my keenness towards entrepreneurship and my only topic of discussion in the sitting room. I have read a lot of business books, still reading and learning more in the area of Marketing, Sales and Leadership. (But hey, I’m a Physicist) I graduated from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, 2nd Class honours in Physics. You may want to ask why I went to study something else in University? Well, I was naturally good in Mathematics and Physics, got distinctions in my O'Levels. (this is also a story for another day) The thing I discovered is that, passion has a way of giving us direction in life, it shapes who we are and what we become. No matter how much we try to hide it or follow others track, our own inborn path will eventually outrun us. The sooner we identify our passion, the faster we will gain a sense of direction. God made us all differently, with our own unique inborn creativity and affection; the challenge is to identify it. I find passion to be the biggest thing at driving people to success, through the ups and downs you will still strive. I remember the saying, passion never fails. “You need passion and energy to create a truly successful business” – Richard Branson. I tend to work late hours, spend 12 hours a day working without feeling exhausted only to sleep eager to wakeup for yet another day! What else could have cause this? Money is only a distraction, the Devil against success. Many people go for it, taking jobs they don’t enjoy only to get burned out frustrated and crushed. I’ve been there before, doing things I don’t enjoy for one reason or the other; in the end it’s always a regrettable action. If your day job is not what you love, you’ll end up with sleepless nights thinking of what you love. – @mukoshy (May, 11th 2013.) As at today, I run a web hosting company empowering over 1,000 customers and growing; I’m also learning as we grow. What is your passion, what drives you to work everyday?

A Japanese rocket lifted off Tuesday and successfully put the national space programme's first commercial satellite into orbit, officials said, as Tokyo tries to enter a business dominated by European and Russian companies. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries oversaw the launch from Tanegashima Space Center in southwest Japan. The launch of the H-IIA rocket was originally scheduled at 3:23 pm (0623 GMT), but was delayed by roughly 30 minutes because a small ship unexpectedly came near the space station. The rocket successfully launched at 3:50 pm, carrying the TELSTAR 12V communications and broadcasting satellite for Canadian satellite operator Telesat. About four and a half hours later, it released the payload as planned, said an official of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. "The release was successful and the satellite is on course to the scheduled orbit," the official told AFP. The satellite later successfully entered an oval orbit, Kyodo News reported. Japan wants to become a major player in the satellite launching business. It has tried to improve the H-IIA rocket to cut the cost of each launch to make its programme competitive.

Forgive me the “formulaic” title! I want to change it to say: How to Find Your Wife in Five Doable Steps. Because it is doable, by God’s grace.

To any single Catholic guy who thinks he has an argument for why finding his spouse is impossible, I say to you:
That’s Nick Vujicic; he has no arms or legs, and he just got married

Yes, he has a beautiful wife, and he has no arms or legs. But I’m not here just to shame you; I’m going to help you find your future spouse!

Before we begin, to forestall any objections, note that these suggestions 1) are suggestions, 2) are for those men who have discerned their vocations and discovered that it is to marriage, and 3) assume that you are praying, receiving the sacraments, and otherwise doing your best to respond to God’s grace and grow in virtue.

1. Introduce Yourself after Mass

I went to daily Mass for a long time. Over the course of maybe four years, I saw several attractive, faithful young women there. Usually they wouldn’t go as consistently as I did–all the more reason for me to show up every time!–but they’d be there: this young woman every other Saturday; that young woman on Mondays.

By the fact that they went to daily Mass I knew that they were serious about their faith. Ding! That’s the most important prerequisite for my future wife already met.

I met three young women who went to daily Mass: two by directly introducing myself to them afterwards and one through a mutual friend (more on that below). You heard right. After seeing one young woman at Mass and adoration many, many times, I got up the courage, said a prayer, and after Mass when she was leaving introduced myself to her.

Was it a bit awkward at first? Sure it was. It’s like a cold call, and if I can avoid such a thing, I would. But there’s also no shame in being direct like this, especially if it doesn’t seem like your circles are overlapping for a more natural meeting.

After chatting a bit, I asked her if she would like to get lunch sometime. She said yes, and I got her number. This particular relationship went nowhere. But that was God’s will, and we discovered it quickly. Good!

St. Al’s

Occasionally I went to an afternoon Mass at a different parish, St. Albert’s. It has a modern design, and by that I mean an ugly one. No matter, Mass is Mass. I noticed a young woman who would be there sometimes. I might see her once every month or two, since I also didn’t go to that Mass everyday.

So one day after Mass I literally just waited outside for her to come out. She prayed for a while in the church or read or something, so I just sat there on a bench. She came out and I greeted her. Yup, directly like that. And I’m not a Tom Cruise-confident guy either.

You know what she said to me: “I was wondering when you were going to introduce yourself!”

That’s right: she had been waiting for me to say hello. Why? Because clearly we were like the only two young people going to that Mass, week in, week out. I asked her if she wanted to go grab a quick bite to eat. She said sure, and we went to a burrito place.

I learned she played soccer (bonus points, as that’s my favorite sport) and that we had a mutual friend in common through it. We talked on the phone several times, but I realized we were not at the same place spiritually when she told me once: “Yeah I read the Da Vinci Code and it really taught me a lot about our Catholic Faith.” Say whaaa Things that make you go hmmm. Okay, so that didn’t lead to more, but the point is that you can meet people this way and you never know, you might meet your future wife.

2. Spread the Word

In olden times and (still) in places like India today, your family and extended family would help you find your future spouse. Not so anymore in moronic America. No worries. I started asking my friends at church to “be on the look-out for me.”

And not but a few months later, a dear elderly Irish couple, whom I knew through daily Mass and volunteering together at the St. Vincent de Paul Society, told me they had a young lady who they wanted me to meet.

Turns out this was a young woman I had seen for over a year at daily Mass. We had never met as it just hadn’t happened, but she was a beautiful lady. The kind who intimidates most guys, who seems “out of their league.”

We immediately recognized each other when we met for our date. I took her to lunch; we talked on the phone afterwards for a time, but it never went further. We weren’t a match, intellectually speaking. That’s the way it goes, disappointing, but good to get to meet a great young Catholic woman nonetheless.

The moral here is to not be ashamed of asking your Catholic friends, especially married couples and older ones, to keep an eye open for you. This is what extended family used to do.

3. Join the Young Adult Group

Yes it has some people in it that you would never date in a million years. But it also has people who share your faith and who know other people who you may meet and it’s just possible that your future spouse will be one of the people who joins the group. It’s a great way to have shared activity in a group setting where you can meet people.

If the young adult group doesn’t exist, start the group! Or drive/move to an area that does have one.

Related to this, even if there isn’t a young adult group around, make sure you go to the events where young Catholics are likely to go. Theology on Tap, for instance. I went to these for years, and nothing came of them. Then one day I went and guess what? I ran into an old soccer buddy of mine from high school. And his sister was there, a faithful and attractive young woman whom I had paid no attention to when we were growing up.

I asked her if I could walk her to her car after Theology on Tap was done; she obliged, and I asked her for her number. We hit it off right away and began a relationship that almost led to marriage. God has other plans for both of us, but through our courtship I encountered the theology of the body and became devoted to the Holy Family. Bam! God works good from all things.

4. Try Online Out

I can hear the caterwauling already: “Online dating is terrible!/doesn’t work/is dumb/is unnatural/is for losers and desperate people/is expensive.

Look, I spent almost five years on two Catholic singles websites before meeting Katie. I sent hundreds upon hundreds of messages to young women over those years. I boarded planes and flew across the country on two occasions to meet someone. And guess what? Eventually one of the messages I sent was to Katie. And the third plane I got on took me to where she was. And now we’re married and couldn’t be happier.

Katie and I would not have met had we not both tried the online thing. Wouldn’t have happened, short of God bilocating me to Podunkville, New Mexico.

Will you meet your spouse online? The odds are against it. But, the odds are also against you meeting your spouse at church, or at a bar, or at a bar-mitzvah, or at the circus or at a concert or wherever. The whole point is that you avail yourself of this avenue for potentially meeting your future wife. Maybe God will bring you together through it, just as he brings people together sometimes through speed dating events.

I’d say more here, but Katie and I are writing a book on this (no expected publication date yet; it’s a back-burner project), so you’ll just have to wait til then.

5. Your Turn

Okay, those were the things that I tried as a single Catholic guy. But I know that there are more, ones that could help out the guys (and gals) reading right now.

credit:http://emegr.com/bookmarks/view/10235/how-to-find-your-wife-in-five-difficult-steps

"I will tell you I don't dye my hair, and a
lot of my fellow leaders do," he said. "I'm
just saying. I won't say who -- but their
barbers know. Their hairdressers."
Hair has been a recurring topic this
presidential election cycle. GOP front-
runner Donald Trump had an audience
member at an event tug on his mane and
help him declare the famous 'do as real --
and also accused Democratic front-runner
Hillary Clinton's hair to be fake.
She has assured America her hair is real,
but also promised the nation won't watch
her go gray in office.
"The hair is real, the color isn't," she said.

BREAKING: Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the
suspected ringleader of the #ParisAttacks, has
been killed, the Paris Prosecutor's office says.

GOD is still creating miracles. Watch how this little baby was healed from coma.

A small Canadian diamond company has found what it says is the world’s second-biggest gem quality diamond ever recovered, and the largest in more than a century, at its mine in Botswana.

Lucara Diamond Corp. said on Wednesday that the 1,111 carat stone was found at its Karowe mine in north-central Botswana, one of the world’s most prolific diamond-producing areas.

Rough diamonds are shown during their sorting process at the Botswana Diamond Valuing Company in Gaborone, August 26, 2004.

The Type IIa diamond measures 65 millimetres by 56 mm by 40 mm.

The biggest gem-quality diamond ever found is the Cullinan diamond, a 3,106-carat stone found in the Premier mine in South Africa in 1905. It was cut into several polished gems, the two largest of which are part of Britain’s crown jewels

source:http://emegr.com/blog/view/10064/small-canadian-miner-finds-massive-diamond-in-botswana

Everyone has one friend who thinks people care about his or her incoherent ramblings on any given topic.

It also seems like anyone who has eaten at more than one decent sushi establishment starts a food blog.

There are some blogs that are great, but the majority of these sites are garbage.

Here are five ways to improve your blog:
1. Don’t be a terrible writer.

Many of those who consider themselves writers are actually lacking in that department.

Readers will generally tell a blogger if they thought an article or post was low-quality, or the shares and likes on the post will be lower than usual.

Writers can be developed, so if you’re thinking writing is a personal weakness, just listen to your readers and keep producing content.

All of this being said, some bloggers will not be willing to try to improve their writing, and they’ll just keep posting the same creative deficiencies day after day.

2. Don’t branch out too much.

Readers aren’t coming to a food blog to hear about the funny thing the author’s dog did.

Trying to keep the blog on topic is important, as too many topics can alienate readers who were fans of the blog’s original content.

Blogs that have too many sections tend to look like a place where orphan content is placed when it cannot find a home on a legitimate blog.
3. Ask readers what they want to read.

This is a
simple tip for bloggers that can help them to keep the content generated fresh.

The same, old regurgitated articles and posts day after day can become boring for readers.

If a reader wants to contribute an article, then a fresh perspective should be given a chance.

This cuts down on the time the site owner has to spend on the content, all while helping a loyal reader expand his or her portfolio.

Readers often enjoy a weekly themed article, whether it’s “Wacky Sushi Wednesday” or “My Life Sucks Monday.” It’s something to look forward to each week.
4. Give tips.

Ninety-day transformations are flooding everyone’s news feeds.

They can be extremely annoying, but if you’re blogging about a transformation or even about traveling, it’s important to give readers something useful.

Putting together tips can be used as a resource for many readers, and it will gain attention from new readers who want the travel or transformation tips.

Giving tips will also garner some traffic from search engines of people who need these specific tips.

Answer any questions in the comments, as this will make the readers feel a personal attachment to you and the blog.

If writing for the readers is the goal of the blog, then engaging with the readers is nearly as important as the content that is produced.
5. Redesign your blog.

If your blog looks like a GeoCities site from the 90s, then it’s time for a redesign.

Making a blog with a WordPress template is very simple for someone without a technical background.

A blog is an expression of oneself, but if you’re thinking about adding so many videos that it freezes smartphones and computers, then you should curb your expression a bit.

The color of the blog can also distract readers, and so can bright, flashing advertisements.

Just think to yourself whether you would have a good user review of a site if it had a certain feature.

If the answer is yes, then adding that feature is acceptable.

Blogging is a great outlet for expression that can actually be profitable.

A high school classmate of mine actually travels the
world for free because of his blog and travel-hacking skills.

Stand out from the crowd for the right reasons, and produce fresh and engaging content on a consistent basis.

credit:http://emegr.com/bookmarks/view/9312/improving-your-blog-content-to-gain-more-traffic-and-awareness

cc lalasticlala ishilove

In 1892 at Stanford University:
An 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education.
They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success.
The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $400. They promised to honour the cheque at the soonest possible.
“No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $1600 and told the two boys: “Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money you need for your fees. And just give me whatever is left”. The boys were surprised, and thanked him profusely.
It was a small act of kindness. But it clearly marked out Paderewski as a great human being.
Why should he help two people he did not even know? We all come across situations like these in our lives. And most of us only think “If I help them, what would happen to me?” The truly great people think, “If I don’t help them, what will happen to them?” They don’t do it expecting something in return. They do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do.
Paderewski later went on to become the Prime Minister of Poland. He was a great leader, but unfortunately when the World War began, Poland was ravaged. There were more than 1.5 million people starving in his country, and no money to feed them. Paderewski did not know where to turn for help. He reached out to the US Food and Relief Administration for help.
He heard there was a man called Herbert Hoover — who later went on to become the US President. Hoover agreed to help and quickly shipped tons of food grains to feed the starving Polish people.
A calamity was averted. Paderewski was relieved. He decided to go across to meet Hoover and personally thank him. When Paderewski began to thank Hoover for his noble gesture, Hoover quickly interjected and said, “You shouldn’t be thanking me Mr. Prime Minister. You may not remember this, but several years ago, you helped two young students go through college. I was one of them.”
The world is a wonderful place. What goes around comes around, pls help others, God will definitely help you.

Fear is stalking the streets of Paris again.

France is under a state of emergency after a series of deadly terrorist attacks inflicted carnage and chaos at popular spots across the capital on Friday night.

The attackers ruthlessly sought out soft targets where people were getting their weekends underway: a busy concert venue, restaurants and bars, the French national stadium where an international soccer game was being played.
Night of terror in Paris

Already deeply shaken by
terrorist attacks in January, Paris was plunged into panic and confusion on an even greater scale amid Friday's assaults in which
more than 127 people were killed.

"It's kind of an under siege Paris right now," journalist Anne-Charlotte Hinet told CNN after attackers struck six different locations around the city.

Authorities warned residents to stay inside, the city has closed many public buildings, and military reinforcements have been mobilized.

meanwhile a
Syrian passport was found near the body of a Paris attacker outside the Stade de France, according to a police source.

credit:http://emegr.com/blog/view/9257/fear-grief-and-support-after-paris-attacks-put-french-capital-under-siege-as-127-people-confirm-dead

Broken News: President Muhammadu Buhari this afternoon explained that Power, Housing and Works are not under one man as many have said. He said, Babatunde is Minister of Power, Raji is Minister of Housing and Fashola is Minister of Works.

s*x is a beautiful thing and it is vital for any marriage to survive. it brings about emotional and physical bond. However, s*x is worth waiting for and it is best to wait till you are married. Here are 5 rules for first time s*x; 1. Mutual consent is required. In addition to this rule there are others that must be present – Mutual consent is required. okay you or she do not, what’s the point? Remember that we are not using the other as object, we must be loving. It is right that one of the two try things because the other person likes to do that, but they must be prior, and not imposed by force. 2. Absolute respect is mandatory. The great respect is mandatory. Respect means that you are aware of what the other person wants. You are ready to discover what they are capable both in s*xual matters. Your lover may have been damaged psychologically or emotionally from past relationships he had. In fact, in most cases almost all were disappointed once. At the other end may have experienced s*xual abuse as children. They may feel insecure about their se*uality. They may have low self-esteem as a lover. Can be quite inexperienced in s*xual technique. You must be extremely patient and sensitive to the limits of their se*uality. Therefore, respecting your partner and give the time necessary to make you feel right at his side. 3.The mutual care is required. Care is required. Love is always given and received as a gift. s*x without love can be great s*x, but if you add s*x care can become a warmth that connects two hearts and souls. This is s*x beyond technique. s*x with two lovers care becomes full. s*x with love from the fans overwhelmed. Care to connect the s*xual movements to achieve the creation of a deeper spiritual connection. Most men want an emotional connection and most will welcome a more spiritual experience of s*x, but are scared and do not yet know how. Most women need an emotional connection instead as input for a s*x carefully. 4.Open and honest communication is mandatory. Chivalry is used as required, and “rude” is used as mutually desired. With mutual consent anything is fine. But it is usually best to start with more gentleness and more impetuous progress slowly, and so you learn what they want and in turn what you would like it. Many women are passionate and “playful” as they feel secure. But if you have not established a high degree of confidence with it, “wild” may end prematurely with what might have been a passionate s*xual relationship and long term. 5.The kindness and chivalry are the norm, and what? Wild? is allowed if mutually agreed Open and honest communication is mandatory. Talk about s*x. Say what you like and what does not. A good way to do this is to offer options A and B and ask what she likes best partner. This prevents damage to fragile egos that young men are as likely as they learn to be lovers. If a man listens? I do not like that??, It’s easy to feel you’re hurting your family and that can make withdraw, get angry or react otherwise inappropriate. But if you give to your partner, for example, the choice between touching her breasts in one way or another, and asked what was best for her, you will not hurt your ego and learn faster like it. Thus a common lover becomes a great lover. If you need to stimulate their imagination to know what to try, read any of several manuals available in bookshops love. And then use some of the techniques explained here to discover the preferences of his wife. Once you consider honest with their attitudes then you can move comfortably in the physical aspects of love: as the act in question, the previous game, the game moments later and all juicy having s*x. East is an ancient tradition called? Warrior lover? Where the man is prepared physically, emotionally, and mentally for? Great battle?. This is not for dominating or defeating your lover but to bring the best in both and reach new heights in se*uality. The idea of creating the right ambience for lovemaking may seem artificial or calculated, but there is also a great lover of art. A secluded, candles, good music, good wine, a special meal, clean sheets may sound like a trite scene from an old movie but still work. Women love to be adored and creating a special place to love them shows that you love her too.