Brazeau County Wildfire - Critical Alert Issued, Screen Caption from Google Maps

The critical alert was accompanied with an information that there is a wild fire west of Range Road 91 and Twp 475, in a northeast direction from Highway 620, near Lodgepole – a hamlet in central Alberta. Strong wind leaves residents on stand-by to be evacuated on short notice. To this point, evacuations have been voluntary.

Global TV Edmonton reported that RCMP estimated the wildfire to be up to 8 hectares in size, but officials from Alberta Wildfire believe it is a lot larger. According to the message left on the Alberta Wildfire Facebook page, the fire is already 100 hectares in size.

Several dozen municipal and Alberta Wildfire firefighters, supported by helicopters, light aircraft, heavy machinery and waterbombers are attempting to extinguish the fire.

The Brazeau County wildfire sparked almost exactly a year after a devastating fire destroyed much of Slave Lake in Alberta.

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• Mystery Shopping – Explaining What It Is And How It Works
• Is Mystery Shopping Ethical?
• Mystery Shopper Guidelines – What NOT To Do

In this article we’ll look at the real scoop behind Mystery Shopping and elaborate on how to do it, how to get started and make it one’s business:

Mystery Shopping is as varied as the people who try to do it. It is a multi-faceted job, and a challenge to anyone who attempts it. Each Mystery Shopping Organization has its own policies and procedures, and each one is unique in other ways too. There are several kinds of assignment in the mystery shopping field. There is everything from surveying small, two person businesses, to timing employee performance for huge retail giants. There are also many ways in which the shopping experience may be accomplished. There are in person-shops, telephone shops and on-line shops, among others.

Mystery Shopping Is a Serious Business, Photo by Ollie Crafoord , Flickr (Illustration Photo, Not a Mystery Shopper)

How Do People Become Mystery Shoppers?

The most common question people ask when Mystery Shopping is brought up is how they could get involved and make Mystery Shopping their bread?

Typically, a mystery shopping applicant replies to an ad either online or in the newspaper. Sometimes the mystery shopping ad will represent the activity as “fitting your lifestyle,” “fun,” or something you’ll be able to do at the drop of a hat, very casually. They show pictures of smiling, laughing groups of people, each carrying a bag from a retail outlet. This gives the wrong impression entirely. There are many prerequisites for being a mystery shopper. Some applicants are disillusioned by the requirements of the job.

A reliable car is a must, as well as a computer, scanner and fax machine. The applicant must have good language skills, both spoken and written. Many times the instructions include prohibitions against shopping with a friend or children. Each assignment is different, and great emphasis is put upon following instructions to the letter.

What Kind of Job Is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shopping is a job, like any other, with good and bad points. The Organization which hires your services expects a high standard of work and retains the right to refuse payment for a job which is not done to their specifications, including the timely reporting of the assignment. Even after a long day of assessing and note-taking, the Mystery Shopper is only getting started on the work-load. The online questionnaire which must be received within a limited time by the Organization, is usually detailed and exacting. The Shopper must account for everything that took place during the shopping interaction. Every aspect of the Shopper’s experience is reported and examined. Every comment must be categorized as friendly, cool, or downright rude! The appearance of the entire store (or website) must be reported, along with an estimate of employee’s knowledge about the items for sale.

Each Organization has its own system for payment, and some pay better than others. The shopper should keep a strict record of the assignments completed, and check that payments due have been received. Pay-Pal is my preferred method. Other methods include checks, money orders, and escrow arrangements.

What Related Jobs Will I Discover While Researching Mystery Shopping?

A mystery shopper may get involved in a variety of tasks some of which include:

Mall Audits

Here you go to specified malls and strip malls. Sometimes you are asked to take photographs of the signs around the mall. Other times, you are asked to report about how many empty spaces are on the premises. If there’s an empty store with a For Lease sign, you may be asked to photograph that. I’m not sure of what use this information is. Perhaps the owners are keeping an eye on the mall managers.

Promotional Activities

This activity is the one engaged in by the “sample ladies,” in grocery stores. There is information to be had about this on the web.

Resetting

A company which has a display in a store will pay to have people restock the display and keep it tidy.

Theatre Audits

The mystery shopper is asked to do various types of information gathering at the movie theatre. Assignments include counting the number of people who attend first run movies, and asking the management to give you ticket information, among other things.

You can see that mystery shopping is a widely varied job. If you choose well, you can really make this kind of employment work for you.

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When a mystery shopper is setting out on a “shop” he should be as prepared as possible to carry out the Mystery Shopping Organizations’ guidelines. These extensive instructions will arrive in his mailbox and be printed out for careful study. But those instructions are to be committed to memory.

1. Do Not Take Any Paperwork, Questionnaires, or Instructions into the Store with You.

This is the one single most common reason that the unwary Secret Shopper is identified. Your Secret Shopping days with that retail store are finished once you are “outed.” And you will not be paid for your final performance. The scheduler will now have to send another shopper in to carry out the instructions. And the second shopper’s job will be harder because the staff there will have their awareness about Secret Shoppers heightened. He will need to be very unobtrusive to succeed. If you have related paperwork in your car, put it out of sight. An observant employee who is out of doors may spot the company logo on your paperwork.

Mystery Shoppers Must Follow Certain Guidelines To Remain Secret, Photo by Elsie esq, Flickr

Some first time Mystery Shoppers are very nervous, and worry that they may forget parts of the assignment. They want to take something into the store with them, even if it is only few words to keep them on track. If this is the case, you must make it as unobtrusive as possible. Keep the wording to a minimum. Try to look like any other shopper. Fortunately, it is not unusual to see people referring to shopping lists in stores. The best plan is to make a normal shopping list, but with your reminder words on there. This brings us to the next “do not.”

2. Do Not Get a Fresh, New Notebook.

Use a store flyer, which you have previously obtained. Write out an appropriate shopping list on the flyer. Use a thick, clear pen. Then use a pencil to write a few reminder words on there for yourself. Flyers are usually colored, and the pencil is barely visible. This prevents a helpful sales associate from reading over your shoulder:

• Milk
• Bread
• Eggs
• Did the Employee Greet You Upon Entering?

Although you may look unremarkable when scanning your shopping list, this leads us to our next forbidden move.

3. Do Not Make Obvious Notes While You Are in the Store.

This may present a problem if your instructions call for you to gather information on anywhere from nine to twelve employees. Some companies suggest that you find empty aisles in which to scribble some hasty notes. Others tell you to slip into the washroom and make notes while in there. I feel that these strategies will eventually draw unwanted attention your way. How you handle this challenge is really up to you. Each person develops his own system.

4. Do Not Affix on Employee’s Nametag

Part of your assignment will be to get the names of the employees who assist you. Do not make your attempts to read the employee’s nametag so obvious that he figures out what you are doing. In our everyday interactions with people, we unconsciously follow some fairly strict rules regarding how we give eye contact. When someone holds onto eye contact for too long we feel uncomfortable. We feel that they’re staring. Also, if someone keeps breaking eye contact with a person in order to read his nametag, that looks shifty and odd.

If you cannot get a good look at the name, you can describe the employee. Some companies make provision for this by having a “Description Box” available in the online reporting tool. This prevents Mystery Shoppers from describing an employee in a way that may be rude. The Description Box uses age, sex, hair color and style, height, glasses etc. to identify the employee. These identifiers ensure a more objective description.

These suggestions are offered to help anyone who is considering giving Mystery Shopping a try. I find it a good way to make a few dollars. If you have a car and a computer with an internet connection why not give it a try?

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Q. Is Mystery Shopping another way of saying “spying?”
A. Yes! No! Maybe!

Think of it this way. The retail industry is attempting to increase customer satisfaction. The best way they can do this is by getting input from customers. Management employees cannot be everywhere at once in the store. It’s not possible for every customer’s experience to be monitored, and quite often the only time a customer sees a manager is when there is a problem. Mystery shoppers are trying to deliver a “snapshot” to the head office. No, not a physical photo! Carrying cameras and tape-decks is a sure way for a mystery shopper to be identified. Once a mystery shopper is “outed”, he obviously cannot continue working with that specific store.

Mystery Shopping is Both Legal and Ethical, Photo by freefotouk, Flickr

The company wants to know how they can best improve their service. They want to be the customer’s first choice when he selects where he will spend his money. They rely on their employees to be friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Those are the basic qualities of a good salesperson. However, once that standard has been reached, the employee must go further. In an effort to gain customer loyalty, the salesperson must convey a personal interest in meeting the customer’s needs. The aim is to have the shopper feel appreciated for having visited the store. But the Head Office is sometimes a bit idealistic in their thinking.

Even if the executive offices are staffed entirely by former, humble stock boys and mailroom couriers, their climb to the top echelons generally takes time. With the passage of those ambitious years, memories of real retail situations may fade. The cash registers which chew up receipts are still out there! Some people are rude, or critical of everything in their lives. They take this attitude with them when they shop, just as they always have. Some customers will always spend hours trying on everything in the store and leave empty handed. We all have our little quirks. The retail employee must learn to take some lousy moments in stride. People skills are a must in the retail transaction. An employee of a pet shop who is allergic to pets should have the sense to reconsider his choice to work there. If a person is an introverted misogynous thinker, perhaps he should not work in retail.

The Mystery Shopper’s own attitude will greatly affect his experience in the shopping situation. It is unfair to go into a store with the intention of finding fault with the salesperson. Also, preconceived notions about the store’s superiority don’t make sense either. What is needed is an objective description of what the Mystery Shopper really experienced. To ensure fairness, the Mystery Shopper must stick to his instructions, and remain impartial.

I always try to give the salesperson a chance to shine. I approach them with requests politely. I try to use good judgement in choosing a salesperson to evaluate. If I see a worker heading out the door with a coffee and a brown bag I respond to those visual cues how any reasonable person would. I don’t try to interest him in my inquiry!

With a little common sense and a realistic attitude, there is no need to feel like a spy when mystery shopping. Give credit where credit is due when reporting to the company. Look upon your shopping experience as a chance to catch an employee doing something right! It will make his day when the manager calls him over to tell him that he’s just received a very positive report about him from company headquarters.

As you see, Mystery Shopping is not only legal, it is also ethical and makes very good sense.

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Is Mystery Shopping Legal?

Yes. Mystery Shopping is the latest quality assessment tool in the retail sector.

Mystery Shopping Can Be a Fun Experience, Photo by lisbokt, Flickr

How Does Mystery Shopping Work?

Company XYZ wants to improve its customers’ in-store shopping experience. The personnel manager approaches a selected individual Mystery Shopping Organization to ask about their services. The Mystery Shopping Organization explains their services to XYZ. Each Mystery Shopping Organization has its own policies and procedures. Some Mystery Shopping Organizations are huge and work with multiple retail outlets. Others are small, one man operations, possibly staffed by someone who answered an online ad promising to reveal:

“How to Start Your Own Mystery Shopping Organization. Using our guaranteed system, you’ll learn how to get in and get out with the profits. In no time flat you’ll be setting off in your yacht…”

The big companies are the best to work for, in my experience. Sometimes a big retail company even has its own Mystery Shopping department.

Two years ago a Major Grocery Chain was advertising in our local newspaper for mystery shoppers. They were running a three day information session/workshop/certification course. The venue was in a neighboring town. They undertook to pay for mileage there and back, accommodations and food. Nothing to lose there! Why not go?

It was quite a revelation to learn about the company’s standards. They really expect top service from their employees, and it shows. I’ve worked for that company ever since.

I looked online for independent Mystery Shopping Organizations and applied to many, many of them. Some of those organizations provided online training and testing, free of charge. Others tried to offer me a “Time-limited offer to become a bronze, silver or gold shopper” at a price which clearly indicated that someone at the head office was saving for a yacht!

When someone joins an independent Mystery Shopping Organization, he makes choices about every aspect of his employment. As an independent contractor can name his preferences regarding all of the variables, and there are endless variables. An applicant can state his choice of geographical area, preferred retail merchandise, availability, etc. Everything is self selected online. The applicant searches on the Mystery Shopping Organization’s live assignment site. He applies for the assignments he wants, and awaits an acceptance notification. Once he accepts the assignment, he downloads the details. On the day of the shop, he goes and does the shop, then goes online to enter his report.

Some companies want a scanned receipt to show that you really were there at the right place and time. All shopping experiences are unique. Some don’t require a purchase. Others do, and reimburse you. Some want you to pick up a $1.00 or $2.00 item, and do not reimburse you! You have to read the instructions with great care. It works best when everyone agrees to the conditions.

I hope this gives you some useful information about mystery shopping. I won’t guarantee you the yacht, but you can make a few dollars, travel a bit, and have a voice in this consumer-driven society.

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1. Crescent Moon Cabins, Dominica

Road from Crescent Moon Cabins in Dominica, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by janinephoto, Flickr

You could consider this hotel an eco-tourist destination. The complex of cabins is on the edge of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park near Riviere La Croix. Experience organic farming, handmade coffee, locally grown cocoa (not coca!), and other living-off-the-land types of activities.

2. The Garvault Hotel, UK

Garvault Hotel in the UK, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by Colin Kinnear, Geograph.org.uk

Said to be the most remote hotel in the UK, the Garvault is in the middle of nowhere – which is exactly what its boarders love. With only eight rooms, it can’t accommodate many. This allows for a unique, quiet experience for anyone patient enough to make the trek.

3. La Torre del Visco, Spain

La Torre del Visco in Spain, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by ARTESANIAFLORAE, Flickr

This hotel was once an estate that has since been transformed into one of Spain’s leading luxury hotels. With such high profile guests as the king and queen of Spain, it promises to provide a stay worthy of – well, royalty.

4. Redoubt Bay Lodge, Alaska

Redoubt Bay Lodge in Alaska, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by BobTheCorkDwarf, Flickr

If Anchorage, Alaska weren’t remote enough, this rustic lodge is another hour’s drive outside of the city. The activities to do here include flying around Cook Inlet, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife sighting on its thousands of acres of natural habitat.

5. Lake Vyrnwy Hotel and Spa, Wales

Lake Vyrnwy Hotel and Spa in Wales, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by Mance, Flickr

For the true Welsh experience, try the Hotel and Spa near Lake Vyrnwy. Local foods, miles of nature reserves, and its off-the-beaten-track location make for a truly memorable getaway.

6. Fjällnäs Reserve, Sweden

Fjällnäs Reserve in Sweden, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo from fjallnas.se

True to the hardy Swedish spirit, Fjällnäs Reserve is in the Arctic Circle. Built in 1882, the hotel hosts a number of skiing, hiking, and mountain climbing enthusiasts every season.

7. Summer Isles Hotel, Scotland

Enjoying a Drink at Summer Isles Hotel in Scotland, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by chatirygirl, Flickr

One of the best as well as most remote hotels in Scotland, the nature-oriented Summer Isles Hotel offers a peaceful experience for its guests. Its individual cottages truly deserve the description “quaint.”

8. The Beach House, Barbuda

Beach House in Barbuda, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo from barbudabeachhouse.com

The Beach House is one of those fabulous beach getaways most of us dream about. This luxury hotel knows it, too. Its small army of servers, cooks, and “service ambassadors” wait on your hand and foot to make sure your stay is really a dream come true.

9. Le Meridien, Tahiti

Le Meridien in Tahiti, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by p.lenedic, Flickr

Another white sands type of a getaway, this award-winning Starwood property boasts gorgeous weather and plenty to do away from the hotel. But with its beautiful pools, incredible food, and in-house features, why would you want to?

10. The Amanyara, Turks and Caicos

Amanyara in Turks and Caicos, One of the Most Secluded Hotels in the World, Photo by cdorobek, Flickr

Want an island experience that’s not scripted like something out of a Hollywood movie? Then Amanyara is for you. What this British West Indies hotel lacks in amenities it more than compensates for in rugged romance.

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Delayed Ejaculation Doesn't Have To Be an Issue for Men, Photo by rbbaird, Flickr

Men who start to doubt themselves because of delayed ejaculations are easy to spot in everyday life. You’ll see them in the bookstore. Instead of slavering over Hustler they’ll be in the men’s health department, stealthily looking in the index under “I”.

They’ll go to the gym as usual, but not to strut their stuff. They’re skulking in the background, balefully noticing the wrinkly old-timers, thinking, “Is this how it starts?” Their faith has been shattered. Just like Peter, when Jesus said: “Get on top of water and walk, for any sake! Nothing to it as long as you have faith!” Peter seemed to be saying: “Glub glub.” Yup. It’s all in the mind.

New age gurus always tell you that you’ll get out of life whatever it is that your mind constantly dwells upon. But a man who can’t cum doesn’t need to dwell, or even to mull over his delayed ejaculation. He doesn’t need to entertain the notion of coming out dry for one minute. The idea just has to flit through his mind for a nano-second and the damage is done. Then he becomes a victim of the old “What do you think of when I say DO NOT think about elephants?” syndrome. Here comes Jumbo! It would be much easier to treat this complaint if it had a physical cause. Although there can be physical reasons, the highest proportion of non orgasmic men don’t get to see the fireworks because they’ve lost faith in their own ability to produce that experience.

This puts the nervous male at the opposite end of the “speed of delivery” spectrum from where he started out. He seems to be cursed by the inability to fit himself into the generally accepted time frame for reaching orgasm. (Who’s checking this, and gathering data?) Early in his sex-life, he felt that he was coming too fast. Now he’s stuck with the opposite problem. Is there no middle ground?

It’s unfortunate that men put themselves through all this drama about coming, or not. Women are quite aware that it’s absolutely possible to have a satisfying sex experience without an orgasm. So, who is the man trying to fool when he fakes it? Is he protecting a woman from the sad truth that no genetic material was released? Why protect her? Who’s the failure? Is he faking it because he wants her to think that she got him to orgasm? Does he feel it’s her job? Or is he hiding the truth because he feels it reflects poorly on his masculinity? Any ideas?

While a condom may disguise the delayed ejaculation problem for the man engaging in anonymous one night stands, heaven help him if he tries to introduce the latex into an already established relationship which has never before involved prophylactics. His fidelity will be called into question. His problem won’t be that he can’t come. He may be told to GO!

Because he knows that sex is a mental phenomenon, he gets himself some Celexa to treat his growing depression. Maybe this’ll have the side effect of giving me a real gusher, he thinks. But the scene in his bedroom takes an unexpected turn. He’s been at it for 45 minutes, now, with no end in sight and a partner snoring away. At least she won’t be there with her measuring vial!

Women know when men don’t come. Each guy has his own death–throes type of come face. Each guy has his own strangling, drowning, gurgling vocalizations. Each simulates electrocution in his own way. Women know, and they accept it as Nature’s wisdom. Otherwise we’d have a squad of old men out there, stopping by the old Mattress Mary’s place on the way to the funeral parlor for a final go. Try getting child support payments out of a corpse!

Many men claim that women are less forgiving of a non-comer than they are of men who are impotent. This too has its roots in Nature itself. Women are hard wired to expect reproduction after sex. God, no! Not consciously! They laugh in your face if you tell them that. So, they far prefer it if men come, but it’s on such a deep primitive level that they only notice a fleeting urge to do a Lorena Bobbit before moving on.

Three tips for women who want to reassure a quivering, unproductive male.

• If he denies it, you deny it and move on.
• If he admits it and wants to discuss it, point out the advantages – no babies, no extra laundry.
• If he admits it and doesn’t want to talk about it – let it go.

So come on folks. Have some fun already! You’re not making a porno movie, are you? You don’t HAVE to have a cum shot! Delayed ejaculation is not as big a deal as you would have it.

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New Zealand

New Zealand - One of Top 10 Richest Nations in the World, Photo by Airflore, Flickr

Ah, New Zealand – one of the most beautiful, stable, and safest places on the planet. New Zealanders form a great society of very friendly people. If you’ve ever met a New Zealander, you’ll agree. Of all the nations in the world, they’re ranked number one in social capital – most New Zealanders believe they can rely on their social network to support them in need.

United States

USA - One of Top 10 Richest Nations on Earth, Photo by Stefan Mendelsohn, Flickr

It’s no surprise that the United States is one of the richest nations. It’s also no surprise that it ranks number one in entrepreneurship and innovation among the countries of the world. Despite a low safety and security rating, its social capital is fairly high – among the top seven in the world.

The Netherlands

The Netherlands - One of Top 10 Richest Nations on Earth, Photo by Claudio.Ar, Flickr

The Dutch seem to have a balance on just about all the measures here. They have a great culture of innovation, personal governance, social capital, and economic indicators. They’re in the top twenty countries on measures of democratic institutions, education, and safety.

Canada

Canada - One of Top 10 Richest Nations on Earth, Photo by laszlo-photo, Flickr

Canada represents a great balancing act. The country ranks in the top ten on every measure – innovation, economics, democratic institutions, safety, personal freedoms, etc. – except for education and health. Even then, it’s in the top 25. And it’s beautiful, to boot.

Australia

Australia - One of Top 10 Richest Nations in the World, Photo by Peter Nijenhuis, Flickr

You can’t compare Aussies to their New Zealand neighbors. Actually, you can. They rank just a few spots below them but still have some impressive indicators. They’re in the top 10 on economics, education, and governance; and they’re in the top 5 for democratic institutions, personal freedom, and social capital.

Norway

Norway - One of Top 10 Richest Nations on Earth, Photo by Aconcagua, Wikipedia

Another European country on the list. Norway is the absolute best when it comes to education, safety/security, and social capital! Its economy and entrepreneurship ranks it in the top 10 on the planet, too.

Denmark

Denmark - One of Top 10 Richest Nations on Earth, Photo by josef.stuefer, Flickr

Another Scandinavian country on the list, Denmark is a tad less impressive than Norway, but it’s still among the top in the world. It holds the number one spot in governance, and it’s in the top five on personal freedom, safety/security, and education.

Sweden

Sweden - One of Top 10 Richest Nations in the World, Photo by Mark A. Wilson, Wikipedia

Another Scandinavian country?! What is it with those people? Swedes are in the top 10 nations on every ranking except health and economics – and even then, they’re in the top 20. I’m moving to somewhere in Scandinavia.

Switzerland

Switzerland - One of Top 10 Richest Nations in the World, Photo by Juan Rubiano, Flickr

The Swiss are simply an impressive people. They rank in the top three in regards to economics, democratic institutions, health, governance, and social capital. In fact, they’re actually number one when it comes to democratic institutions. The only surprising score is education, in which they’re 22 on the list. Still, that’s not a bad ranking, especially considering everything else.

Finland

Finland - One of Top 10 Richest Nations in the World, Photo by M. Passinen, Wikipedia

Who would have guessed we would finish the list with – that’s right – another Scandinavian country. They rank in the top for everything. Everything. They have a great economy, their people are trusting, they’re one of the safest places in the world, they have a culture of entrepreneurship, they’re healthy… what doesn’t Finland have?

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I Ching Explained

The I Ching is a book which was written and rewritten for thousands of years. Some people claim that the Emperor Fu-Hsi started the whole process. He was meditating on the banks of a river, when a tortoise clambered out of the water. When the Emperor looked closely at the animal, he noticed some markings on its shell. He was greatly inspired by those shell lines. He saw and understood the meaning of them, and this began the tortoise oracle belief system. From that humble beginning, the I Ching has developed. Now you can buy the I Ching book and an explanation of its sixty four hexagrams in most book stores in North America and numerous other countries.

Page from I Ching Book - Yi Jing, Classic of Changes aka Book of Changes, Song Dynasty, Image Source: Wikipedia

The inscrutable name “I Ching” is its own mystery. The word “I” means “Changes.” But the word “I” has another, equally valid translation. As well as changes, it also means “The Unchangeable,” or “Permanence.” How a word can mean one thing as well as its own opposite is fairly mind boggling to most western minds. Maybe it’s best understood by remembering the French quotation, “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.” The more things change, the more they remain the same.

This juxtaposition of opposites reminds the student of the I Chin that many of life’s experiences are common to all human beings, no matter who they are. We are all born. We will all die. And much of what happens in between, although it seems so personal, is in fact shared by each living person. Certainly, the details vary. But the root experience is identical.

The word “Ching” means book. So, although this book is known as the Book of Changes, its scope is really the universal struggles of mankind. The book sees the world as an orderly system, but a dynamic one in which change is constant. As people struggle with life’s rollercoaster ride, they often try to make sense of the trials which come their way. It’s a short step from there to looking at what will happen next, and to seeking advice and clarification about upcoming events.

Each of the sixty four diagrams of the I Ching has a meaning of its own. The poetic language of the symbols’ explanation is a piece of literature in and of itself. When the language of the symbols is interpreted by a knowledgeable, gifted psychic reader, the person having the reading sees his own particular problem with a new perspective. He sees his struggle as a universal condition, and is more likely to strive to create a balance in his life. That response is more in tune with the I Ching’s teachings, and less likely to be prompted by selfish interest.

Confucius, among others, left an important legacy in his interpretations of the I Ching’s diagrams. But the I Ching cannot be ascribed to any organized religion. It is a gift from the Chinese culture to the whole world.

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Don't Become a Victim of Incentivized Freebie Websites, Photo by mburtch, Flickr

And that’s the polite scripts. Some of them sound positively creepy, delighting in detailing, verbatim, what they said to their bosses when they quit to live the millionaire lifestyle. Some exaggerate, some outright lie. They’ll do whatever it takes to get you type in that credit card number.

After the prospective investor has survived the initial onslaught of those shrillest of barkers, he starts to see that there may really be some systems out there that seem plausible, if not perfect. Usually the catch is that to get rich quick, you have to be online steadily, 23/6. But with Incentivized Free Websites, people do gain rewards and some claim to live well on the proceeds.

When someone visits an Incentivized Free Websites, he’s eligible for a reward. No, not a million dollars, but a small amount of cash, or a prize that he can sell. So theoretically it is possible to pull in cash from these websites. The problem is that the advertisers who provide the incentive are somewhat savvy. They have to protect themselves from low quality traffic, that being traffic that loads up on free stuff before disappearing into cyberspace. So a person may feel as though the advertisers are mainly out to get their credit card number and email address. And Yes! They are.

On many of these sites there are opportunities to get wads of cash. That sounds great, right? But to get the cash a person must complete offers. And you’d better hire a lawyer before signing up for offers. “Free Trial” sounds great. But when the Incentivized Free Websites customer fills in his information there is usually a demand for the Credit Card number. That’s for shipping they tell you. Shipping? $1.95 to send me an e-book? $18.00 by regular mail, if you prefer.

If a person doesn’t read the terms and conditions with a magnifying glass, he may find that his “Free Trial” was only for 3 days. After that, they’ll oblige the customer by charging his Credit Card a small monthly fee of $80.00 or so. By accepting the free trial, you authorized the advertiser to start charging you the regular monthly rate, after the free trial is over. The person doing the offer in order to get the gift must notify the advertiser if he doesn’t want to take advantage of the product. But is this ethical?

Are people taking advantage of the system by doing offers to get a prize? It depends on the customer’s intention. If he’s out to defraud the advertiser and has no intention of giving the product even a brisk try, then his scruple-checker is malfunctioning. But if he confines himself to offers which interest him, and which he may want to continue with, his conscience will be clear. He is then well within his rights to cancel his membership and to be exempt from further charges, if the offer doesn’t suit him.

Like most net based schemes, Incentivized Free Websites are a morass of small print and big promises. Are you brave enough to try one?

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