Google and Yahoo News

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 50 million Americans get news online on any given day. In comparison, only 27 million Americans watch network TV news on a typical evening. The Internet is quickly becoming the preferred news source over television, magazines, and trade publications.

News web sites like Yahoo News, Google News and MSNBC Searchbot receive millions of visitors every day. If fact, Yahoo News ranks ahead of MSNBC.com and even CNN.com, while Google News ranks ahead of USAToday.com and the NYTimes.com.

You can tap into these massive traffic sources through the use of press releases. Additional benefits of distributing your press release include possible media exposure, pickup of your release in online publications, increased link popularity to your web site, additional search engine rankings on your target keywords, and increased traffic to your web site.

However, there's much more to press release marketing than simply whipping up an article and sending it out to the world. You must take time to optimize your press release properly.

Press releases should be optimized in much the same way that search engine optimization specialists optimize ordinary web pages to achieve higher rankings. In doing so, you will receive much higher visibility.

For example, one press release from MarketingExperiments.com resulted in 2,200 visitors and 5 interview requests by journalists. This is the power of a highly optimized press release.

Listed below is an outline of how to create an optimized press release for your own website and how to distribute it for maximum exposure.

The first and most important element is to search for keywords and phrases that are likely to deliver qualified leads to your website. A good press release combines targeted keywords with creative writing that makes for a compelling read.

To find these lucrative keyword phrases, begin brainstorming what people would search for when looking for your products. If your products or services are targeted to a particular geographic area, you might want to include these locations in your keyword phrases as well. It is best to target up to 3 keyword phrases.

Once you have done this, you can head on over to http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/ to do some additional keyword research. Simply type in your list of potential keyword phrases and this tool will give you a list of related keywords and how many times they are searched for per day. This information can aid you in choosing which keyword phrases will bring your press release the highest amount of exposure.

Now that you have chosen the best possible keywords, it's time to integrate these targeted keyword phrases into your press release. You should include your keywords in the headline, the title, sub-headings and the first two paragraphs. Search engines place much of their emphasis on the title and the beginning paragraphs.

Your title should reflect your strongest keywords, not the name of the company. Include local modifiers if possible. Although it's often nice to see your company's name in print, it's unlikely to bring you the exposure you deserve. Instead, use targeted search phrases that are likely to be used by your potential customers.

You should also optimize your press release by integrating targeted links within the content. Many press release distribution services and news wires now offer the option of purchasing a hyperlink. You simply convert a keyword phrase within the release into an active hyperlink. This will increase search engine visibility for that keyword phrase and also drive additional traffic back to your website.

Where to Send Your Press Release

There are a wide variety of places that will allow you to syndicate your press release. However, there are only a select few that you really need to focus on. Here are some distributors that will help you get the exposure you deserve.

http://www.prweb.com
http://www.businesswire.com
http://www.internet.com
http://www.prnewswire.com

In addition to press releases, you can also get your content into Google and Yahoo news directly. If you publish frequent news and articles, your site may very well qualify as a news source.

You can submit your site for inclusion to Google News at http://www.google.com/support/news/bin/request.py . However, keep in mind that Google is looking for sites with an editorial review process and multiple contributors. If you are accepted, Google Newsbot will hit your site very frequently and you will receive an extra stream of quality traffic to your web site.

You can also suggest your news site be added to the Yahoo News index. Simply go to http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/news/cgi_submitsource and fill out the form.

Besides syndicating your press releases online, you should also seek exposure offline. You do this by building a media list of local newspapers, trade journals, magazines, web sites, radio and television shows.

If you want media coverage, you must identify target publications and their editorial calendars. Send journalists and editors personal emails with pitches on your story.

You can begin building your own media list at http://www.mediapost.com, http://www.afr.com, and http://www.abyznewslinks.com.

I have one last tip on getting into Google News. To quickly get your articles into the Google News search engine simply perform a search on Google News for relevant keywords, take note of the sites that are getting picked up and find out if any of them allow you to submit articles or press releases. If so, you have found a direct pathway to getting your content into Google News.

One of these places can be found at http://www.americanchronicle.com. Simply visit the site and scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click on the link that says "submit work". From there you can sign up to be a contributor.

If accepted as a contributor, you will then be able to submit articles along with your picture. Many of their articles are syndicated on Google News and are available to the millions of searchers who go to Google News each and every day.

Now that you know how to optimize your press releases and articles for maximum exposure, I urge you to begin an aggressive press campaign to increase exposure to your brand, gain quality inbound links, and increase your website traffic.

Latest SEO News and Thoughts

Yahoo! launches ’social search’ in Britain

“Yahoo! will launch a service today that allows users to ask other people’s advice, when looking for anything from a good hotel or bar to an apple pie recipe, rather than rely solely upon electronically generated search results.”

With Yahoo now joining the social search network it won’t be long before SEO dies and have to merge with SEM. In basic web site structure SEO research I have come to find that when you compare the top ten results of a search term in Google, Yahoo, and MSN you will come up with surprising results. In Yahoo and MSN you can see that keyword density, web site structure, and easily measurable results that you can just outdo to get to the top. MSN being the easiest, with Yahoo next because backlinks coming into effect more strongly, and Google last.

With Google comparing the same basic web site structure you come up with a totally different story. You will find that you cannot rely on the this data at all! Keyword density appears to have no effect with Google results. Nor does the structure, proximity, and placement of the keywords on the page. Although all of these factors are still important in Google they play a smaller part than what they used to. You will find top positions held in Google that barely even mention the keyword phrase in the copy sometimes. This is because Google grabs information from different sources to help determine high rankings.

Some of the things that Google considers are:

1. Age of the Domain Name
2. Age of the Web Site
3. Age of the Backlinks Pointing to the Site
4. Popularity of the Site through use of Social Bookmarking
5. Popularity of the Site through ISP Information
6. Popularity of the Site through Google’s Browser Toolbar

Did you know that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) sells the browsing habits of it’s customers to the search engines? This information is applied to Google’s algorithm as well.

‘Social Bookmarking’ or ‘Tagging’ is a method of bookmarking a site online with just services as DIGG, Furl, and Del.icio.us. Google takes information from these sites to determine the popularity of the site and applies it to its algorithm. This is why I see SEO going from strict results of keyword density and merging with SEM that applies ways to gain web site popularity. You can read more about this information in this search engine placement article that I wrote.

With Yahoo launching a ‘social search‘ in Britain that tells me that Yahoo won’t be to far down the road in following Google’s footsteps in bringing more accurate and relavant searches.

The next thing in SEO news is Google’s CEO joining Apple’s Board of Directors.

After reading this article it makes me wonder if Google will become more integrated with Apple Computers. It is true that Eric Schmidt would offer great experience to the board, but it makes me wonder what would become of this. Did Google’s idea of creating ‘Google Computers’ phase out? Will Google become the default search engine on Apple computers?

We will find out more in the future.

This is Michael Rock signing off. Have a great day!

Supporting Local Flavors

In the last 10 years Americans have seen a boom in local food markets and for good reason. While Americans continue to buy more fast food, they still expect perfect ingredients and they are finding them.

So why are they turning to their local markets more and more? In a nutshell they want fresh, healthy produce with great flavor. There are numerous other benefits to buying local products and it would seem Americans are now rediscovering what their local growers have to offer.

FRESHER

Care for fresher ingredients? Locally grown items are usually harvested 1 or 2 days before hitting the market making them significantly fresher then traditional store bought ingredients. For those folks lucky enough to live in rural areas, many of your local ingredients may be available to you the same day they are harvested. Produce flown in from other parts of the country or world is considerably older given that on average they travel 1,500 miles to get to your dinner table. These products may be harvested before they are ripe because of the delay in getting the product to market. Given that produce loses nutrients quickly, a recently harvested crop is preferred for its ripeness alone.

SAFER

Local food is often safer, too. Even when it’s not organically grown, small farms tend to be less aggressive than large factory farms about using chemicals. While biotechnology companies have long been experimenting with genetically altered produce, small local farmers do not have access to these seeds and most would not use them even if they did have access to these seeds. For those consumers opposed to using genetically altered produce, locally grown produce will offer the best product.

BUILDS COMMUNITY

When you go to a local market you get a chance to see the grower and talk to them eye-to-eye. You get to see their reaction when you ask them if the use chemicals. You get to see how proud they are of what their hard work has produced. And you get to see that happiness in their eyes when you support their farm with a purchase. This opportunity to meet the growers in person goes a long way in creating a sense of community and maintaining tradition in addition to supporting local growers financially.

BENEFITS OPEN SPACE & LOWER TAX DOLLAR SPENDING

As we have become wrapped up in the conveniences of the corner grocer, we seem to have forgotten how valuable our farmers are to our local communities. If you grew up in a rural area, you most likely remember the vast open space and picturesque countryside the crops created. As long as the small local farms exist this open space will not be developed into commercial property. Why is this important? Aside from maintaining the beautiful landscape, it is also most cost effective for the region, supports a cleaner environment and affords wildlife a greatly desirable sanctuary.

On average almost four times as much tax revenue is spent on services for a residential area then is spent on services for farms, forest or open space. For instance for every $1 collected in taxes from a residential area, almost $1.20 is spent on services to support that area. Conversely, only $.34 is spent to support rural area for each dollar collected. Because farms contribute more taxes then they require in services, local farmers make for a surplus in tax revenue. In addition to the lower cost needed to support rural areas, they also help to clean 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry.

By continuing to support local growers today, you are ensuring that they will be around tomorrow. In fact more and more non-chain grocers are carrying locally grown products. They must, it’s what consumers are demanding.

Try buying local flavors. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

UK News reviewed by The Bitch

Well darlings,

Before I kick off I'll just mention the response to last week's idea of decriminalising drugs, and the legalising and licensing of brothels - both because the current laws only make matters worse for society as a whole. There was a hefty e-mail response - nearly all supporting my arguments - with only three strongly in opposition, and strangely all three apparently more concerned about the brothels than the drugs.

I can only hope that the three objectors have seen the news where the police raided Cuddles, a massage parlour in Hagley Road, Birmingham and rescued nineteen women who are thought to have been tricked into being brought into the country only to become sex slaves. During the day they were locked up in a house and at night they were forced to work at the parlour.

This is just one such place in just one part of one city, and in that single case there were nineteen abused women involved - just how many more are there likely to be nationwide? Properly run licensed brothels with girls being registered and undergoing regular health checks would put an end to this trade in human misery. Under the law any massage parlour offering "extras" would have to be licensed as a brothel or be closed. At present prostitution is probably the largest entertainment business in the country - it's certainly the oldest - and possibly it's the only business there is without any regulations, inspections, or licensing at all. I still say legalise it, inspect it, and you could even tax it - for those who use these kind of businesses they would still likely find them to be cheaper than supporting the pimps - and they would certainly be a damn site safer for all concerned!

If our three objectors were amongst those nineteen unfortunate women, I guess they might see the argument in a different light! As for nobody wanting to live next to brothel - they wouldn't have to. The councils would only issue licences for appropriate areas. What's wrong with putting such places in the old deserted streets with boarded-up shops? Most towns have areas like this where a bit of life wouldn't go amiss. Seedy? What's seedy? With all its red lights Soho might be called seedy - but look how popular and financially rewarding the place is with its multi-millions of visitors every year.

Anyway, what's new? Well, I see that government ministers have come under pressure following the recent GCSE results showing what has been described as a "catastrophic" decline in the taking of French and German - both down by around 14% despite more than 90% of the people polled across Britain saying that they thought learning another language was an important part of a child's education.

Apparently people living in the South East are more likely to have attempted to learn a foreign language than those in the North. We're told that 78% of Londoners have tried to learn another lingo, whilst in Wales and the Midlands the figure is 65%, falling to only 61% in the West Country. In Scotland they say that 74% have tried conquering another language, with some 78% of the population wishing that they could speak one fluently. English perhaps, darlings? Tae ken the rantings o' the eejit an crabbit Sassenachs? Eh? What's that? "Thalla gu Taigh na Galla!"? What's that mean?

The day that we can all understand each other perfectly, the day the nations of the world can speak in one tongue, is the day that there will be fewer disagreements and wars. At the moment nations sign treaties with other nations - and then spend years arguing over what they mean! Whatever happened to Esperanto? It's over a hundred years old, yet few people have learnt it. I know it has its faults, and its critics - but at least it is common to all. Esperanto should be compulsory for all school-children the world over and then one day the planet will have a common language that in time will develop and mature naturally - in the same way as have all other languages. We have the answer - why do we keep asking the question? Had this language been internationally adopted a hundred years ago then by now every person would be able to communicate perfectly with every other person, no matter where they were in the world. They say that every journey starts with a first step. Darlings, on this journey that was made over a century ago. Isn't it time we now moved the other foot?

Now, if I mention: Lessonia and Laminaria, do you know what I'm on about? Are you perhaps thinking they might be a comedy double act, a couple that you may have missed on X Factor, or a pair of opera singers? Actually they are seaweeds - and like it or not you might soon be getting intimate with them.

British scientists have discovered that fast food (junk food that is high in fat and calories) can be made healthier by adding extracts from exotic seaweed. Believing that this will be "a valuable weapon in the international battle against obesity, diabetes, heart problems and diseases such as bowel cancer" they suggest the seaweed should be processed to produce alginate and then added to food in order to enhance its fibre content.

Yes folks, this is another additive to that stuff we once called food. What food manufacturer is going to turn down the opportunity of replacing even more of the item, that given the chance we'd really like to eat, with yet another additive - especially one that comes so highly recommended and is supposed to do you good?

We should all know by now that fibre is good for you, and that meat doesn't contain any fibre (that's why we eat vegetables with a meal), but when I choose to eat a burger or a hot dog (or any other junk food) I still want what I'm paying for, and that is decent meat in a bun - preferably bovine and not equine! I do not want to have to eat all this other rubbish that they commonly put in our food - and to which they now want to add seaweed. With a burger there is some fibre in the usual accompanying salad, but I suspect very little in the pathetic, pappy and boring bun that normally incases it all. So why don't they make the buns with more fibre if they are so concerned about our health? The fibre is already there naturally in the wheat to start with - it's only been processed out.

A well balanced diet of good food needs nothing added to it, and the occasional junk food meal won't harm anyone. People should be educated, informed, and then left to make their own choices - not force fed. If as much effort was put into marketing good food as is wasted on advertising all the junk that's out there now then we'd be a much healthier nation. In my mind if anything needs seaweed added to it to make it safe to eat then perhaps it shouldn't be out there in the first place!

AS MUCH AS NON-SMOKERS OBJECT TO PASSIVE SMOKING, I STRONGLY OBJECT TO HAVING TO SUFFER ADDITIVES TO MY FOOD JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO EAT HEALTHILY! PERHAPS THE REAL ANSWER LIES IN OSTRACISING THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO EAT UNHEALTHILY, JUST LIKE WE HAVE THE SMOKERS, AND NOT IN ANY FURTHER PLAYING AROUND WITH OUR FOOD!

So many things, additives, that we are forced to eat today come without any knowledge of the dangers that they may hold in the long term. To say that there is "no evidence" that something is harmful to you is not the same as saying it is safe - not by a long way! We ought to be erring more on the side of caution. It should always be remembered that today's experts all too often turn out to be tomorrow's idiots - and we have the whole history of all human life to look back through as proof of that statement, for no country or civilisation has ever been spared its share of such idiots!

Moving on, it may be a little early to bring this up, but that will only give you more time to sort out the deck chairs, polish the binoculars, and perhaps organise an alien themed party. On November 7th Mars' orbit will bring the planet as close as it will be at any other time during the remainder of the 21st century. It will be a mere 40 million miles from our Earth.

I have to thank the Swindon Advertiser (the best on-line local newspaper that I've found - check it out and see how it should be done!) for telling me that down south near my old stamping ground the Wroughton Science Museum, just outside Swindon, is to hold a 500-capacity evening spectacular entitled `Mars, Meteors and Mulled Wine' to observe and celebrate this astronomical phenomenon. Wonderful! I don't know of anything similar happening up here in the north - but what a great excuse / theme for a party, isn't it?

The "Adver" tells us that Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and the seventh largest; it is 142 million miles from the sun (49 million miles further than the Earth); its diameter is 4223 miles (3,703 miles fewer than Earth's); it has two moons to our one; and that Mars is not only the god of war but also the Roman god of agriculture. What it doesn't tell us is that he might yet become the god of Scotland too - once the Scots find out that some of the agriculture Mars undoubtedly looks after is that strange seaweed to be found in the Far East, South America, parts of Norway and off the coast of Scotland! I can already hear the well-oiled voices shouting: "It's ours, it's all ours! Get back you Sassenachs; get back!"

Finally, flying in the face of logic I see that a Dutch witch has won her battle to make the cost of her brooms and spell-making lessons tax-deductible. Magic! And in another story the German police are warning motorists that sucking a Fishermen's Friend might get them into trouble - didn't we already know that? Oh, I see - it's not what I thought! They are merely explaining to motorists that the essential oils contained in some throat sweets react in the same way as alcohol on hand-held breathalysers and may cause a test to show up as being three times over the legal limit.

That's nice to know, isn't it? If you've had a pint there are better things to chew on than a menthol sweet to camouflage the smell of alcohol! I mean, you could try seaweed! "Hello, hello, hello. Do I smell something fishy here? Have you been drinking?" "No officer, I wouldn't do that - I'm a man of fibre!"

Oh well, perhaps not!

Health News

Health News From Hurricane Beaten Florida

The hurricanes have been beating Florida to a pulp and causing untold property damage in that area of the country.

I have two good friends who live in the Tampa area, so I’ve been calling down there frequently to check on things.

I’ve already told you much about my friend Matt. And as you know, he and his family were over in China for awhile, so they missed much of the action (which is a good thing)

But my other good friend, Chet Rowland lives in Clearwater Beach, and he didn’t miss a thing.

In fact, I was watching my local news here in Seattle a couple weeks ago, and here’s this reporter doing a story on the Florida hurricanes.

But here’s the catch…

She’s standing on Clearwater Beach, with the pier in the background, trying to stay on her feet as the wind is howling through at incredible speeds.

I couldn’t believe it!

Not just because of the winds, but because I saw the pier in the background.

I recognized that pier, because it’s just down the beach from where my friend Chet lives..

So what do I do?

I immediately pick up the phone and give him a call.

Isn’t it funny how we react when we’re concerned about those we care about?

As the story unfolded, Chet, and those who live in that area didn’t fair too badly. But there were plenty of others who were seriously hurt by the hurricanes.

In fact, Chet even commented, “I’ll bet you’re going to have a lot of people from this area calling you as a result of these hurricanes.”

And he was right.

You see, in addition to running the Health Articles and News Update site, I’m also an indoor air quality expert, and my specialty is in black mold.

I work with people across the country, showing them how to locate, clean-up and prevent mold growth in their homes and workplaces.

Anyways, let me get on with the story.

I think it was only a couple days after I’d talked with Chet.

I get this email from a client in Florida.

She starts telling me how she had bought some of my products a few months ago (before the hurricanes). I’ll just go ahead and share it with you.

Here it is…

Kevin, I’ve been having health problems for months. After watching a news story on black mold, it got me thinking.

I then went on the internet and started doing some research and that’s when I found your website at www.getmoldsolutions.com.

I was a little skeptical to order anything online, but since you had that 30-day trial offer, I decided to give you a try.

I got your package in the mail and was amazed by everything you covered. You took me step by step through the process and made it so easy for me to find the mold problem in my home.

It ended up being water leak from the washing machine that was causing all the damage.

We got it fixed, and now I’ve never felt better. You have no idea what it’s like to have my health back again, and I want to thank you for that.

And now, with all these hurricanes, a lot of our friends will be needing your help too.

I’m helping them as much as I can, but I’m no expert, so I’m also telling them how to get in touch with you.

I’m so glad there are still people like you in this world who are willing to help others, especially in a time like this.

Betty Wiggins

And she wasn’t kidding either.

It’s like Chet and Betty both had a vision of the future.

We’ve had tons of people calling from the Florida area, and we’ve been making sure they get the help they need.

You see, people in Florida are now forced to deal with the water damage that’s been done to their homes because it’s so extensive.

But most people don’t realize how important it is to take care of any water damage, and to do so right away!

Water problems that aren’t addressed will escalate into a full blown mold problem, and this puts you and everyone in your home at risk.

Because the demand has been so high, I’m offering a no-charge teleseminar on October 11th in order to help get this valuable information into your hands.

If you (or anyone you know) needs to find out how to wipe out the black mold threat in your home, you won’t want to miss out on this.

Here’s just some of the topics we’ll be discussing:

• The 5 tell-tale danger signs of black mold... any one of these puts you, your family, and your home at risk
• How to find out if black mold is the cause of your health problems -- without a visit to the doctor's office
• The 3-step method to locating mold... that anyone can do, without spending a fortune to hire a professional

Arrogant Path To Extinction

If the richer developed Nations don’t help the poorer undeveloped nations on planet earth we are just speeding up the extinction of our species. People from the underdeveloped countries will continue to move legally or illegally to the richer nation seeking a better life, jobs and money to send home to their starving and deprived families. It is always the strongest, bravest and most resourceful that will leave driven by desperation to emigrate looking for a better life. They want the benefits, privileges and life style they envision available in the developed countries. They want what the “have’s “ have.

Some succeed in finding jobs but many fail unprepared for adapting to a new culture, and not having qualified job skills. Consequently, they often are forced resort to crime either in gangs or individually, or they may become dependant on their adopted countries draining medical and social services and costing the countries millions of Euros, pounds or dollars. Tax paying citizens of the richer countries resent supporting these interlopers.

Those who emigrate leave behind the elderly, women and children and the sick thus diluting their culture and the ability to protect themselves from marauding bands of warriors from neighboring countries as we see this in Africa today. This results in the deprived countries sinking farther and farther into despair and oblivion competing and fighting for fewer and fewer resources.

They lack the basic necessities required to sustain life like clean water, food, housing, good soil, access to health care, education, birth control, and immunizations from diseases long controlled in developed countries. They lack infrastructure to develop resources basic to modern progress. Requirements like roads, water, dams, bridges, tools for cultivation, animals for food and so on, are not available to them.

These same problems have existed from the beginning of civilization in tribal wars over food, rivers, clean water, and land boundaries, and oil. Today we see similar problems in the Southwest states of the United States, with illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central and South America risking their lives to get into the US to do any job that will allow then to send money home to their starving families. Similar situations exist with Africans invading Europe; eastern European country citizens moving into Germany, Austria; Asians moving to the United States; Cubans to Florida; Middle Easterners to Detroit, Israel and the Palestinians to name a few.

We must learn and fast that the deprivation of any of our fellow humans is a problem for all of us. Our current approach to solving these problems is like ostriches with our heads in the sand. Denial won’t work any longer. Instead putting out fires after they start we need to work on a formula of prevention. We must be more pro-active in helping poorer countries develop their natural resources, build their infrastructures, help them learn cultivation and modern farming methods, create jobs, and educate their people to improve the standard of living and quality of life. Together we can implement actions to save our species. And together we can construct a more humane civilization.

No peoples on earth today should suffer starvation; or die from rampant disease like the pandemic of AIDS in Africa, malaria, and dysentery from drinking dirty infected water. We collectively have the money, knowledge, resources and motivated people to work toward solving this problem. Many volunteer programs worldwide are able and willing to help the United Nation to create jobs, oversee and implement programs to achieve these goals.

It is imperative that we look at the BIG picture and set large goals and small achievable baby steps to move forward to raise the standard of living and quality of life for every human being. Education is key to giving everyone the opportunity to unlock and achieve his or her potential.

We privileged humans are like children playing in a sandbox, selfishly holding on to our precious toys mostly gained from the hard work of others and given to us as gifts. When we don’t share bullies will take them away from us or two or more will gang up and together take them away with force if necessary and will do so with hatred and resentfulness at our selfishness, feeling no qualms or remorse at their means of our defeat. The fervor at their victory will encourage them to attempt more conflicts, riots and revolutions hoping for more victories. No one will win. We will all loose in the end one-way or the other.

We cannot afford to wait any longer, if we don’t act now the human species may not survive. The undeveloped countries are producing the most children and in time they will overrun the developed nations. The world population reached 5 billion in 1987 and just 12 years later it reached 6 billion in 1999. The United States Census Bureau reports that approximately one fifth of all humans that have ever existed in the last six thousand years are alive today.

Population issues alone clearly demonstrate this. Population projections indicate that the world population will reach, 7.6 billion by 2020, 8.2 billion by 2030, 8.7 billion by 2040 and 9.1 billion by the year 2050. The greatest increase will in the underdeveloped and developing nations in Africa, Asia, and India and among Hispanics. At the same time the United States and European population has decreased significantly with lower birth rates. On the average the developed nations are losing population, at the rate of 30% with each successive generation.

We are on the edge of a crisis living on the top of a sharp razor blade. Slice it one way and we will all survive, slice it another way and we will all die—and take humankind with us.

Over population isn’t our only problem but it speeds up and creates other problems like crowding, scarce food production, pollution of air and water sources, global warming and the consequences that go along with climate changes issues like melting ice caps, contamination and destruction of our oceans and forests, green house effect, to name a few. All are impacted by overpopulation and accelerated by uneducated and uninformed people living and dying at subsistence levels, which can lead to the possible extinction of out species.

If you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, worries or care for the earth is the farthest thing on your mind. Basic needs for survival come first. Only when these needs are met can someone focus on higher issues. When bellies are full, food, clean water, and shelter are readily available, then people can go to school, and learn about restoring scarce resources, not polluting, birth control, cleanliness, and preventive health care. Then they can participate in being good stewards of the planet and consequently raising the quality of life for themselves, their children and for all humans. A good place to start could be using Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs that brought the United States back from the disastrous great depression of the 1930’s. Two of these programs alone created 10.5 million jobs The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) and with Work Progress Administration (WPA). The United States is still enjoying the long-range benefits of these forward thinking projects. The construction component of the WPA built 650,000 miles of roads, 125,000 public buildings, 75,000 buildings, 800 airports, the Hoover dam and parks. The CCC constructed 3,982,000 dams as a form of erosion control, built 141,000 bridges, 44,475 buildings. They devoted full time to soil conservation work on 4 million acres in 31 states, and built park and picnic areas, planted trees for state, municipal and private forests. This program alone put 2.5 million physically fit unmarried young men to work, and sent money home to their families.

If we did this 75 years ago why couldn’t it be done today? While these programs were not flawless they were inventive. We could learn from and remedy any mistakes that may have been made then.

A second possibility is to take the best of the Marshall Plan implemented from 1948 to 1951 for the reconstruction and rebuilding many European countries after the devastation of World War 11. In just four years it assisted the economic recovery. Every country included, except Germany grew beyond the pre-war level. Industrial production increased by 35%, agricultural production increased, and poverty and starvation disappeared. With political reforms and under supervision of neutral parties like the United Nations this could solve the illegal immigration problems in the world today.

If we did this 60 years ago why couldn’t we do it today? We know how!

We are all connected, it is time to recognize this and act to save ourselves, all of us and create a brave new world for our descendants. Human survival depends on our actions today. Our challenge now is not to focus on why not and find all the reasons why it won’t work, but to ask WHY NOT! And go for it.

The End Times Are Now

First let me explain what is meant by the end times. The 'end times' is a reference to the end of time remaining before the lord Jesus returns to remove the christians (his believers and followers) out of the world before the 7 year tribulation starts.

Whenever normal every day life is threatened by something abnormal such as a massive earthquake, meteor shower, war, famine, or something else, there was always someone who thought or said 'surely this must be the end times!', this type of thinking has happened from right after Christ died on the cross over 2000 years ago, until present day.

These people surely did not read or study the bible, for if they had then they would of known that the end times could of not been here or had not even started, not until at least the year 1948. Once the year 1948 arrived, a great thing occurred that started what I call the 'winding of the prophetic clock key' this event was the creation of the independant state of 'Israel'.

Jesus talks about the end times in the bible and says that when the fig tree blossoms the end is near. Jesus used the descriptive analogy of a "fig tree" as pertaining to Israel, to instruct his disciples about how we could discern the timeliness of his return. Before 1948 there was no Independent state or nation of Israel.

Another thing Jesus tells us will signal the closeness of the end times is that Jerusalem will be controlled by the Jews. Since 400 B.C. the city of Jerusalem has been controlled by one Gentile superpower after another. Here are a few of the dates when Jerusalem was under control of forces other than the Jews: A.D. 70, the Romans; 614 the Persians; 637 Caliph Omar; 1099 the Crusaders; 1187 Saladin; 1250 the Egyptian Mamelukes; 1517 the Turks; 1917 the British and others, then in 1967 during the 6th day war from June 5 to 10 of that year the jews captured Jerusalem.

Jewish control of Jerusalem is one of the most important signs because of Jesus’ statement in Luke 21:24. The disciples had asked Him, "When are you going to return and what will be the sign ?" Jesus replied, "Jerusalem shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." What was the Savior saying? Simply that the Jews would be scattered throughout the world and the city of Jerusalem controlled by Gentile powers until the time of His return. All the various Gentile groups—the Romans, the Persians, the Crusaders, the Egyptians, and others controlled Jerusalem from A.D. 70 until May 1967. Then, in June 1967 the Jews took control of Jerusalem for the first time in more than nineteen hundred years.

The disciples also asked jesus, not only what the signs would be that signal the countdown to his return, but also what the signs of the actual end times would be. There are many signs we are told that we will see in the last days just before jesus returns, they include:

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Earthquakes - Famines - Pestilences - Signs in space (sun, moons, stars, planets)

Luke 21:11 (King James Version) - "And great earthquakes shall be in divers (various, several) places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

Famines:

Since 1975 to present, there has never been a year, that there wasn't a famine some place on the earth.

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Earthquakes:

Earthquakes are happening more frequently and are getting stronger. From 1920 - 1990 a period of 70 years, there was 10 Major Quakes. From 1990 - 2005 a period of 15 years, there was 15 Major Quakes. And this is only the major quakes, in the year 2000 there were 22,256 total earthquakes detected. In 2004 there was 31,199. of course most were not even hardly noticed or occurred in unpopulated areas, but there numbers are growing rapidly every year, as well as the major quakes.

The United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction Just reported that between 1950 to 1959 there was 20 Major calamities costing $38 Million (1989 Dollar Value), in 1990 to 1999 there was 82 Major calamities costing $535 Billion.

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Pestilences:

Since the 1980's to present the number of new diseases that have formed is incredible. We now have SARS - AIDS - Herpes - West Nile - New Drug resistant TB - Mad Cow - New monkey pox virus with human-to-human transmission - and now the H5N1 (avian bird flu).

Data shows that both the incidence and severity of outbreaks of multi-drug-resistant pathogens have experienced a sharp upturn within the past 10 years. For example, Salmonella infections have gone up 25-fold in some countries in Europe since 1998. Similar increases are reported for haemorrhagic E. coli 0157 food poisoning: between 2002 and 2005, the frequency of infection increased 10 - fold in England and Wales, and 100 - fold in Scotland.

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Signs in the sun and space:

The sun has been going wild, every 11 years or so we were told that the sun goes through cycles where it produces numerous solar flares or storms. This past cycle has been the strongest and strangest ever recorded since scientists and others have been studying solar activity, because even though the time for this solar phase should have passed. the sun is still producing massive flares and outbursts, and it's getting worse. In fact the sun is getting brighter and hotter each recent year. This increase in warmth from the sun is warming the entire planet, and global warming is not longer just speculative, it's a fact. The 14 hottest years ever recorded occurred after 1980.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Antarica is warmer now then it has been anytime in the past 4000 years. Half the glacier ice in the European Alps has disapeared in this century.

The following news reports were just released: 'Warmest September Globally Since Beginning Of Reliable Instruments: The United States experienced its fourth warmest September on record, while global land surface temperatures were the warmest on record for the month, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.' and it's not just the U.S. but reports are coming in from around the globe, here's one from Australia: 'Australia headed for hottest year on record - SYDNEY (AFP) Nov 14, 2005 - Australia is having its hottest year on record and experts blame global warming for the trend, the government weather bureau reported Monday.

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Signs in society - peoples thinking and actions:

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (King James Version) - "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God."

These things are occurring every day and it seems everyplace, listen to peoples conversations, read the newspapers, watch tv shows, etc.... morals and putting others before ones-self are thinking that is almost gone. Sinful thoughts, and sexual perversion is becoming a common way of life.

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Preachers will not preach the biblical truth, and many will seek false and evil religions:

1 Timothy 4:1 - "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."

Churches and sermons have become watered-down to please church members. Many Pastors don't preach sermons anymore on the horrors of hell and the effects of sin. They have begun preaching about an all loving god, that loves everyone. This is true he does, but he is also a holy god, that cannot tolerate sin. And if someone lives a life of sin, they will be cast into hell. If you accept Jesus Christ as lord and saviour, the bible says you must also repent, a dictionary explanation for 'repent' says: 'To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it', so you cannot just ask for salvation, then live your old life, the bible clearly tells us that, read this carefuly, it's right from the bible: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Some Pastors are now even saying that Jesus Christ is not the only way to Heaven. We have removed the biblical truth and facts and have replaced it with what people want to hear, so they can continue their ways of living a life of sin.

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Wars and rumors of wars:

The 20th century has been known as the century of warfare. We have had the big ones of course like World War 1, and World War 2, and the cold war (the ultimate era of 'rumors of war'), we also had the vietnam war, korean war, and literally hundreds of other battles, including the gulf wars and other middle east conflicts to the present day rumors of possible war with Iran and North Korea over their nuclear programs.

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Ethnic unrest and tribal warfare has killed millions in this generation alone, and it's getting worse.

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Massive Hurricanes and freak storms:

Does the bible mention Hurricanes when it tells of signs of the Lords return ? It sure does, Jesus tells the disciples in Luke 21:25: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring." See them last 6 words: 'the sea and the waves roaring', the exact effects of hurricanes. 2004 was said to have been the costliest hurricane season on record, that was true until the 2005 hurricance season. At the end of Oct 2005, Beta, the 26th named storm of a record Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall near La Barra, Nicaragua. And now on Fri, Dec 30 2005 we have this NEWS - Tropical Storm Zeta drifts across the Atlantic. The 27th named storm of a record-breaking hurricane season, Zeta had top sustained winds near 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Forecasters said Zeta was not expected to become a hurricane or threaten land. This Atlantic hurricane season has seen more named tropical storms and hurricanes than at any point since record-keeping began in 1851.

Here in Northeast Pennsylvania, from November 6-12, we were struck with multiple severe thunderstorms and a tornado watch. This wouldn't be anything abnormal if it was summer, but this is November and we had not only multiple severe thunderstorms but a tornado watch and then a warning. According to local tv weathermen, we have never had as many severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning in this area so late in the year since record keeping began.

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I could go on and on, but this article would be to large for what I wanted. The facts are plain and simple folks, according to what jesus and the bible says, the signs of the end times are happening right now. There are some folks that say 'oh it says in the bible that the city of Damacus in Syria will be destroyed' and this hasn't happened yet, or something else hasn't happened yet. yes, that is very true but the signs that have happened or are occurring are the ones that the bible says will signal the return of Jesus, the other signs may occur during the great tribulation after his return.

So what does it all mean, 'The time of Jesus Christ's return is here !', I believe the countdown began in 1967 when the Jews took control of Jerusalem. .

Jesus told his disciples that the Generation that sees these things, 'The creation of israel as a nation, and most importantly 'Jerusalem under jewish control (1967) "This generation will not pass away (die)", before he (Jesus) Returns.

So how long is a generation in the bible ? bible scholars used to say a generation is 40 years. So if the countdown to the 'end times' began in 1967 when the Jews re-took control of Jersualem, Christ may return (rapture of believers) before Dec 31, 2007. Now some other bible experts like 'Jack Van Impe' are saying that a biblical generation is 52 years. This is pretty amazing, because it falls in line with some other amazing date predictions. If the end time countdown began in 1967 when the Jews re-took control of Jersuale, and if you add 52 years to that date, that gives you the year 2019. Now if we subtract 7 years from 2019 (7 years being the time of the tribulation period), that gives us the date 2012. Strangely, both the Mayan and Aztec calendars end on the year 2012, predicting some major event that changes the whole earth in that year. Is this event the rapture, the return of Christ ? When it comes to exact dates nobody on the earth really knows when Jesus will return. Jesus himself says no man knows the day or the hour when he will return. In Mark 13:32 (KJV) — "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." But Jesus doesn't say we cannot know or figure out the year that he may come.

I say, don't wait for the year 2012, I believe the time may be much shorter, the best thing to do is to be ready, give your heart and life to Jesus today, except his free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ before it's too late. You never know if you will have a tomorrow, a car wreck, heart attack, stroke, murder, or the return of the lord may happen this very hour, and then it's too late. All you have to do is believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, and ask him to forgive you of your sins, say the 'sinners prayer below' then repent, change your lifestyle and thinking by not living in sin, and if possible start going to a bible believing Church whenever you can, and be baptised if possible. The gift of eternal life is a free gift from the lord Jesus, all you have to do is want it, and ask for it. Here is a simple sinners prayer, it's all you need to say, just believe it: "God I know and confess that I am a sinner in need of your forgiveness, I believe that your son Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I now accept and receive Jesus's pardon for my sins, I want Jesus into my heart and life as my personal saviour, forgive me lord and save me, Amen'.

If you have just prayed that simple prayer and believed, you are now granted the gift of eternal life, Praise the Lord.

As I finish this article, the year 2005 has now ended, and 2006 has just begun, I sit here wondering what terrible things will happen in the world, and in our own country this year, but as the Bible says. "Don't let you heart be troubled, all these things (end time signs) must occur, but look up for your redemption draws near."

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If you want to learn a lot more about end time events that are happening every day, and Biblical things such as the Rapture, Armageddon, the Tribulation and more, then visit this website: ' Signs Of The End Times ', for daily End Times news articles, and lots of other great Christian reading.