Something she said that day still sticks with me: your body is capable of healing itself - provided it's looked after well.  I'd like to think this law has been passed for the good of the ordinary people, but I fear it's more to do with eliminating a growing culture of alternative medicine. If people realise they do not need prescription pills for every ailment, the large pharmaceutical companies have a problem. When only their voice is being heard by decision-makers, it is the rest of us who have the problem.  As I say, I'm not a massive advocate of alternative therapies, but I am concerned when all forms of medicine are being controlled by the same corporations.

If this is something that concerns you too, I recommend taking a look at Gwen Olsen's website and getting a former insider's perspective on this industry.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that those who are yet to discover the truth about the economy and in particular about the Conspiracy Against Your Money, are awakened to what is really happening. It's not just something that affects the world of 'high finance', it is a conspiracy against all of us. When the economic collapse comes, those who are educated about the situation will be in a much better position than those who are not educated, and regrettably the majority of people will be in the latter category.

Please see my presentation about this Conspiracy Against Your Money - but better still, make a start to educate yourself now by obtaining a copy of the DVD 'The Conspiracy Against Your Money' - while it is still available. You can get it by following the links on my site. The information on the DVD is from former 'insiders': investment bankers who got out of the industry because they were so sickened by the malpractices they encountered regularly.

Remember - this is happening now, and while you still can, get the truth and find out why it is the system is geared up to work against you, not for you.

Pay freeze or cut for many in 2011 - BBC News

Download now or watch on posterous

conspiracy.mp4 (10370 KB)

I have made a new video demonstration using Pixlr - the free online image editor accessible from your browser. 

In this demonstration we show how it's possible to create a graphic image for use on social media, such as for your Facebook Fan page. Many of the regular Photoshop features such as layers, layer masking and effects are replicated on Pixlr so it is perfectly feasible to make yourself a handy graphic image even if your regular computer is out of commission. You can even save it online if you prefer. 

The video will play full-screen if you want to see the detail a little closer. 

This is a hitherto unforeseen implication of revealing too much information about yourself on Facebook or indeed any social networking site. While it would be a little flippant to advise people to think carefully before posting those party photos online for all to see, it is entirely possible that it would work the other way - your insurer might actually offer incentives online if you are seen to be adopting a more healthy lifestyle, for instance. If you are using your privacy settings so that such information is not so easily accessible, you could then actually be costing yourself money. Essentially it's a balancing act: demonstrate publicly that you are a responsible citizen and benefit from your insurer's discounts, or exercise your right to keep your life private, and miss out on their offers. The question is, are you prepared to sacrifice your privacy for a short-term gain? 

Could Your Facebook Profile Lead To Higher Insurance Premiums? (Daily Mail)

There is another side to this story which has broader implications than mere social media: the insurance firms are looking at partnering with the supermarket loyalty card schemes and banks - once they know your standing orders and whether you're buying pasta or pork pies, they will use that data and set your premiums accordingly. Something to bear in mind the next time you use your Clubcard. 

If the use of social media profiles by your insurer (or indeed, your employer) is something which concerns you, it is important to familiarise yourself with the privacy settings on your Facebook profile. Most are set by default to be visible - restrict these to your friends only. I will be producing a short guide to the privacy settings on Facebook in the near future. 

Experimenting with Posterous (www.posterous.com) - a test post