James L. Paris's Blog, page 159

Trump Confidant Says that Clinton Aide Huma Abedin May Be Saudi Operative

Roger Stone, the well-known political consultant and former advisor to the Trump campaign, has made some serious waves in the couple of days by publicly suggesting that Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin is a Saudi spy.

Abedin, a Muslim, has served Mrs. Clinton in various capacities for many years now. While presently vice chairwoman of Clinton���s current campaign for the White House, she also served as a personal assistant to Clinton during her 2008 run for the presidency, and worked as Deputy Chief of Staff at the State Department during Clinton���s tenure as Secretary of State. During his interview Wednesday with Breitbart News Daily���s Stephen K. Bannon, Stone said of Abedin: ���Most of the experts I���ve spoken to conclude, looking at the various facts regarding Huma���her rise, where she came from, her family background, her various connections���conclude that she is most likely a Saudi spy, which is my own conclusion.��� Abedin���s close, personal relationships with some of the most powerful people in the United States have long been scrutinized on the basis of concerns that she has connections to Islamic terrorists.

Back in 2012, five Republican members of Congress, including Michele Bachmann and Louie Gohmert, claimed, in a letter addressed to the Inspector General of the State Department, that Abedin had family connections to the Muslim Brotherhood and associated groups. In the letter, the congressmen and women challenged Abedin���s eligibility for a security clearance, based on what they claimed was her associations, through family members, to terrorist organizations. No action was taken in the wake of these claims.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Bitcoin Well Above $700 Hitting Two Year Highs

Bitcoin is moving sharply higher and experts are offering three reasons why. First, Chinese investors are buying the digital currency to protect the value of their assets as the country plans to devalue its currency. Secondly, with the likely exit of the UK from the European Union, all of Europe is on the brink of a major financial cliff. Lastly, the amount of new Bitcoins coming into circulation will be reduced by half beginning in July. For more details, check out this article at Coin Desk.

Helping you make the most of God���s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Alligator Drags Toddler Into Lake At Disney World

If Central Florida did not already have enough bad news in the last week, with two horrific shooting incidents, a toddler has been dragged away by an alligator at the Disney World Resort. Living in Central Florida now for thirty years, I can tell you that both locals and tourists do not take the risk of alligators at all seriously. They are regularly seen roaming area golf courses, backyards, and even show up in people's swimming pools. 

Disney has an enormous problem on its hands with this latest incident. The resort prides itself on its commitment to preserving the natural setting and wildlife indigenous to the marsh lands upon which the 28,000 acre complex is located. Virtually every hotel and resort area has ponds and small lakes that are home to all manners of wildlife, including alligators. This particular attack took place at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. I have been to this resort many times, and they have a beautiful man-made sandy beach for guests to enjoy. Not sure how they can ever guarantee that this won't happen again.

Experts typically say that these kinds of attacks are very uncommon, and are usually caused by people feeding alligators, which causes them to lose their fear of humans.  The latest on this tragedy is that it is now a recovery mission, and any hopes of finding the toddler alive seem to have faded. I can only imagine the grief of this family, coming to Orlando for a wonderful week of vacation and having it end this way.

Helping you make the most of God���s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

 

Why The Answer To Online Income For Most Is Affiliate Marketing

Yesterday I dropped an e mail to nearly 15,000 of our subscribers sharing an article from a year ago about the Amazon Associate affiliate program. I have not done any writing or speaking on affiliate marketing in quite a long time, but the truth is that it represents an ever increasing percentage of my personal income. What we have been learning at ChristianMoney.com is that it is far more efficient for us to do the research, and recommend other people's products rather than always creating our own. 

The idea behind affiliate marketing is that you share information on products and services you like and recommend, and you get paid a percentage of each sale. What I love about affiliate marketing is that I don't have to deal with billing, shipping, customer service, or providing the end product or service. I am paid simply for the referral.

There is a lot to know, however. For one thing, you must disclose on your website or blog that you are getting paid for your links. There is also the matter of finding good products and services you can recommend with integrity. Lastly, you need a way to build traffic to a platform (website or blog) to get clicks to your affiliate links. 

I found a great site that covers everything you really need to know about affiliate marketing, called Affilorama. One thing I especially love about this site is that they have a lot of free information that you can tap into. Yes, they also have a paid side for those that want more information, but I thought I would share this valuable resource with those that were inspired by the article yesterday on Amazon Associates.

Helping you make the most of God���s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
Follow Me on Twitter Twitter.com/jameslparis
Christian Financial Advice
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio

Trump: Obama is Angrier at Me than He is at the Orlando Shooter

President Obama appears to have gone from being amusingly irritated, to genuinely irritated, with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in the wake of the latter���s fiery rhetoric spoken in the days following what has quickly come to be known as the Orlando massacre.

Following the attack, Trump has been very publicly revisiting controversial ideas about securing the nation that he espoused early on in his campaign, ideas about heavily regulating immigration into the U.S., and even engineering some type of effective ban on Muslims entering the country. On Tuesday, President Obama, in responding to Trump���s latest hits on what the challenger sees as the current administration���s fecklessness on the matter of the terror threat besetting the nation, evidenced a distinct agitation, even outright anger.

Obama seemed especially upset at Trump���s calling out of both the president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for their refusal to use the term ���radical Islam��� explicitly in discussing the terror threat to the nation, saying on Tuesday, ���What exactly would using this label accomplish? What exactly would it change?���
Continuing, the president said, ���Would it make ISIL less committed to trying to kill Americans? Would it bring in more allies? Is there a military strategy that is served by this? The answer is none of the above. Calling a threat by a different name does not make it go away. This is a political distraction.���

For his part, Trump, speaking at a Greensboro, N.C. rally just a little while after the president���s comments, responded by saying, in part, ���He was more angry at me than he was at the shooter. The level of anger, that���s the kind of anger he should have for the shooter and these killers who shouldn���t be here.���

Many observers have long felt that the disinclination on the part of the administration to overtly identify radical Islam as the overriding security threat to the nation is a case of political correctness run amuck, and that this unwillingness has prevented the nation, as a whole, from doing what is necessary to defeat the enemy.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

How To Make Money And Get Free Stuff From Amazon.com

Note: The Amazon Associates opportunity is currently not available to residents of Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Rhode Island, or Vermont.

 Jim Discussing This Article On Live Radio In Chicago 

 

If you are a regular reader, you are no doubt aware that I have been involved in the world of Internet marketing for several years now. In the beginning, I was utilizing these Internet money-making concepts for the purpose of earning a living from this blog and my website (ChristianMoney.com). In hindsight now, I am realizing that a mistake I have made is not taking more full advantage of the Amazon Associates affiliate program. Yes, I have taught on this opportunity repeatedly in my workshops, but honestly tended to position it a lot lower on the ladder than it deserved. 

Why Amazon Associates May Be The Absolute Best Online Business

For those not familiar with the program, you can get more details at the Amazon Associates site. In a nutshell, Amazon will pay you a percentage of any sales you refer to them. For example, you can simply join the program for free and then start sharing links of items you recommend. You can do this through e mail, your own blog or website, or even through your social media account such as Facebook. The referral fees start at 4% but can be as high as 10% (based on your volume and the particular product category). Commissions are paid out as an Amazon gift card or good old U.S. cash through a direct bank deposit. 

If you have never participated in an affiliate opportunity, you may not know that the retailer (in this case Amazon) handles everything for you. You don't have to deal with customer service, refunds, shipping, returns, sales tax, etc... This is why this truly can be an amazing part time or even full time business opportunity.  

Where I Missed The Boat

Over the years I considered Amazon Associates to be viable, but not something that I believed could represent a major portion of my income. Why? Based on the commission schedule, I was not convinced that I could generate enough volume for this to represent a significant income stream. What I missed in this entire calculation was the Amazon 24 Hour Cookie. 

In recent months as I have begun promoting Amazon product links more frequently on my website and blog, I noticed something weird happening. As I logged into my account dashboard I saw dozens of purchases I was receiving commission credit for that I never promoted. I was getting paid on all of these purchases but I had to scratch my head wondering why. I knew that there was some kind of arrangement where Amazon would pay out on other purchases when one of my links were clicked, but I was pretty fuzzy on the details of how that worked. 

The Amazon 24 Hour Cookie

When someone clicks on one of my product links it places a small file on their computer (known as a cookie). Of course, Amazon will pay me my percentage if that particular item is purchased, but there is a much bigger opportunity here as well. Amazon will also pay me on any other purchase that this person makes within a 24 hour period. Once I really understood this it was a complete game changer for me. In fact, it does not even matter if the item I am promoting is actually purchased or not! The key is simply getting my link clicked on and then I make my percentage on everything that this person buys over the next 24 hours on Amazon. 

Why The 24 Hour Window Is So Valuable

Almost everyone these days buys from Amazon. In my own case, I buy everything from groceries to books to computers... Amazon is great at selling you once you get on their website with all of those product recommendations (are they reading my mind?). Whether it is the great prices, the legendary customer service and return policies, or the free shipping program, it is hard to resist buying something when you are browsing their site. The more people you send to Amazon the more chances you have to make money. So, imagine recommending a book or movie with a link you post on Facebook and getting the commission on a $500 computer purchase. Well, it happens to me all of the time. In fact, there are strategic times during the year that this works especially well. Of course, during the Christmas shopping season, but also around Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, and graduation season (just to name a few). 

How You Can Get Started Today

The best book I have read on this topic is How To Make Money As An Amazon Associate by Chris Guthrie. Another training I really like is the Amazon Niche Site Formula. What is unique about this program is that it teaches you how to set up so called niche websites. They will even set up your first website for you with a membership to their training program. There are some really amazing things you can do if you set up a website dedicated to a particular niche product category (e.g. Christian books, exercise equipment, nutritional supplements, etc...). Now, on this subject, there is one other program worth taking a look at. Chris Guthrie has a Wordpress Plug-In called Easy Azon. You will see that the plug-in really takes the idea of building a website filled with Amazon products to a new level. Lastly, I want to mention my own online training program. Guthrie also has a free online training on getting started with Amazon Associates. If you want to learn general Internet marketing and how to build Wordpress sites, consider tapping into my library of 500 videos and my unlimited support and coaching.  Another way to set up your own Amazon online store is with Associate-O-Matic.

Examples Of How You Might Approach This

You can simply post links to products you recommend on your Facebook and other social media. Some people start blogs where they write product reviews and include their Amazon links there. In other cases, some will start websites focusing on a particular product niche. For example, I have seen many Christians start Christian online bookstores, while others start websites based on a hobby. There is no 'one size fits' all way to work with Amazon Associates. You can go as far as your imagination will take you.

 

Retiring On Amazon Income

You might laugh, but part of my retirement plan is to live partially on income from the Amazon Associates program. Many of the webpages and blog articles I have created will continue to generate income for years to come. Yes, the work you do once can pay you over and over again using many of these linking strategies. You might even laugh more when I tell you that my Internet income is even planned out in my Will and Trust (yes, it even continues after I go on to my eternal reward). 

*** One important note: When you recommend something online, you should always disclose to your friends and followers that you are earning money from your link (FTC rules click here). See my own disclosure in the right hand sidebar of this blog. Even if this was not required, I think it is the right thing to do as a Christian anyway. 

Helping you make the most of God's Money!

  James L. Paris 
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com
Jim Paris 24 Hour Radio   

The Wearisome���and Dangerous���Reactions to the Orlando Massacre

If you have a Facebook account, chances are that you���re seeing all sorts of symbolic gestures from friends, friends of friends, etc., regarding the Orlando terrorist attack at a gay nightclub.

I know at least some of these folks truly mean well, even as I know others are just looking to go with the crowd in their gesture-making. Still, I think I���m more put out with those that actually are engaging in these gestures with great sincerity, because it speaks to either a pronounced misguidedness, or a very troubling unwillingness on their part to see the real enemy at our doorstep���both of which are, ultimately, dangerous to not just them, but to all of the rest of us, as well.

For example, many have been quick to guide the narrative of the motive for the attack away from radical Islamist ideals, and toward homophobia, more singularly. There is ample evidence���indeed, so much of it, that to suggest otherwise is silly���that Omar Mateen was motivated by radical Islam as much, or more, than he was motivated by his hatred of homosexuals. In the case of Mateen, I do not know if his homophobia was informed directly by his clear embrace of radical Islam. However, radical Islam���s enthusiastic embrace of the worst, most extreme examples of homophobia affords me the privilege of seeing this as a distinction without a difference; violent expressions of homophobia are an inherent part of radical Islam.

Moving on���just as many of these people are clearly uncomfortable with calling out radical Islam, they are quick to point me to pictures of friends, Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds of members of the Muslim faith who have condemned the attack, are giving blood for the benefit of the victims, etc. That���s very nice, but the implication is lost on me, because I���ve never seen followers of Islam and followers of radical Islam as the same people. While I don���t happen to have any close friends of the Muslim faith in my life at present, I have had several in the past, and particularly during my years in college as well as in the military. Radical Islam has not prompted me to alter my visions or remembrances of them. I don���t see them now as being any worse because of the behavior of radical Islamists���because the way in which they prosecute their faith has nothing in common with radical Islam. In other words, condemning radical Islam need not be the same thing as condemning Islam ��� it is quite possible to do one without doing the other.

Also wearisome are the breathless attempts by so many to compare other ���mainstream��� religions to radical Islam, in a way that suggests they���re ���just as bad,��� or some such nonsense. I was listening yesterday to some talking head on a cable news show speak about Eric Rudolph, the Olympic Park Bomber. The panelist reminded us that among the attacks he perpetrated before he was caught���was the bombing of an Atlanta lesbian bar in 1997. Rudolph was an adherent of Christian Identity, itself a twisted version of Christianity, and you know where the talking head���s implication went from there - Christians are just as evil as radical Islamists.

No question, Eric Rudolph was a bad guy, and, yes, he cloaked himself in his ideas of Christianity as a way to try to justify his nefarious deeds. Problem is, Eric Rudolph was not part of an organized, active, global insurgency that sought, as an endstate, to install a bastardized, hyper-orthodox version of Christian rule over the entire world. So, for those trying to make these comparisons, because their personal discomfort in calling things as they really are when it comes to radical Islam is just too discomforting���.just stop; the illogic is so great that you���re all embarrassing yourselves to such a degree that it���s making the rest of us uncomfortable.

Another reaction prompting my head to want to explode are the calls to ���answer hate with love,��� that sort of thing. While it���s a charming notion, and while I don���t doubt the sincerity of maybe a few of the people I���ve seen espouse that idea, I accuse many of those folks of intellectual dishonesty, at best, and even cowardice. Unless they have lost complete touch with reality, they know that radical Islamists don���t care that you love them���although you are welcome to let them know that as they set to beheading you, and see if it changes their mind. I think we know the answer to that.

Like the saying goes���you can���t coexist with people who want to kill you. It really is that simple.

The overriding problem that results from the totality of these progressive reactions and notions is that society is ultimately made less safe for us all. By walking around with their heads in the sand, either from na��vete or cowardice, the people behind these ideas end up refraining from assuming the physical, mental, and psychological postures that are required from the vast majority of us to build and maintain a secure nation.

If you really want to make a difference, start by recognizing the enemy; see it for what it is. You can recognize the threat from radical Islam, see the evil that is personified by it, without diminishing your compassion, your regard, for anyone else, including other Muslims.

From there, take an interest in safety���your safety, as well as the safety of those around you. Remember that Omar Mateen was able to carve such a large, deadly swath of violence in such a short period of time because there were no ���good guys��� carrying guns where he was. He was, of course, in a gun-free zone���gun-free, that is, except for the ones he was carrying.

If you are already of this mindset, great. Now, engage those in your circle in the discussion. Social media can make this easy, because, if you���re like me, you have associations with people, like ���Facebook friends,��� who may not see the world quite as you do. Take advantage of conversation threads they start to chime in and, without hostility, suggest why their more progressive views of what took place may not be accurate, or may not tell the whole story.

However you can do it, do it. We all have a lot at stake here, and every day that too many of our own citizens wake up unwilling to see that we are at war with a terribly dangerous enemy���is one more day spent moving closer to eventual defeat.

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

World Champion Kickboxer Kevin Hurricane Hudson Joins Jim Paris Live

On this episode, Jim welcomes fellow martial artist Kevin Hurrican Hudson to discuss his new book, You Can Hit The Mark - Discover How Persistence Overcomes Natural Talent. Hudson shares his history inside and outside of the ring, his life in business, and success owning and operating three martial arts school. He also shares his Christian faith and how he applies the discipline of the martial arts to everyday life.

 

The Orlando Massacre - Are We At War?

On this episode Jim's shares his perspective on the Orlando shooting. The event hit close to home as Jim and his family have lived in Central Florida for nearly 30 years. Why he believes this is a 'Pearl Harbor' type event and that we are officially at war. Also discussed is Bitcoin's recent run up to $700 and the up and coming digital currency Ethereum.

 

When It Comes to Survival���the More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

As the world increasingly loses its mind (is there really any other way to put it?), many of us look for ways to get back in touch with how things ���used to be.��� Who, except for the most unhinged progressive, can really blame us? Look at the mess out there.
Oh, there���s plenty of life that is still good and decent���but, more and more that which is finds itself increasingly crowded out by that which is not.

As I get older, I find myself retreating just a bit more, in some ways. I still use modern conveniences, to be sure, but I live more remotely than I used to, in an effort to de-clutter my sensory surroundings���and, you know what? It works.

Some people would say I live in the middle of nowhere now. That is not really true, it���s not that remote���but, yes, I���m about a half-hour away from the first meaningful store of any kind in my immediate area. I have neighbors, and while we are all friendly, we keep to ourselves, for the most part. People who live here choose to do so in no small way because they want solitude.

An intrinsic part of all of that is coming to do more for oneself���and that includes relying methods of getting things done that are rooted in days gone by. I have come to more greatly appreciate ���bottom line,��� heavy-lifting types of approaches to getting by and staying safe that served as the foundation of how our ancestors accomplished those same things.

I was grateful to recently come across a resource that is after my own heart in this way, and I thought I would tell you about it. It is a manual that is themed on adapting the survival techniques used a long time���in some cases, a very long time���ago that kept people safe and well during times when great hardship often characterized just an average day in the lives of those folks. I���m referring to a comprehensive, highly-informative book called The Lost Ways, assembled by Claude Davis of Ask a Prepper.com fame. The Lost Ways features explanations of a wide variety of core survival techniques from yesteryear, detailed by people who specialize in keeping those techniques around and relevant.

Here is just a tiny glimpse of the kind of terrific information on self-reliance that you���ll find in The Lost Ways:

From Ruff Simons, an old west history expert and former deputy, you'll learn the techniques and methods used by the wise sheriffs from the frontiers to defend an entire village despite being outnumbered and outgunned by gangs of robbers and bandits. The lessons outlined here are those you can apply on behalf of the tactical defense of your own home.

From Patrick Shelley, a professional woodsman and trapper, you will learn how to build effective traps so that you can capture your own food sources the way it was done by mountain men of old.

From Erik Bainbridge, a Native American who took part in the reconstruction of the native village of Kule Loklo in California, you will learn how Native Americans build the subterranean roundhouse, an underground house that today will serve you as a storm shelter, a perfectly camouflaged hideout, or a bunker.

From Shannon Azares, you'll learn how sailors from the 17th Century preserved water in their ships for months, even years, on end, and how you can use this method to preserve clean water for your family at no cost.

From Mike Searson, a firearms and Old West history expert, you will learn what to do when there is no more ammo to be had, how people who wandered the West managed to hunt eight deer with six bullets, and why their supply of ammo never ran out.

From Susan Morrow, an ex-science teacher and chemist, you'll learn how to make a poultice, the soft, moist masses created from a variety of ingredients and applied to the skin to treat a variety of surface ailments. When the antibiotics run out during distressed conditions, it may well be your ability to create an effective poultice that makes the difference between life and death for you and those around you.

From Lex Rooker, you will learn how to make a superfood with basic ingredients that can be found in any Walmart. This amazing food was invented and largely used by Native American scouts as well as early western explorers who were on their own for months at a time. This nutritious food was light, compact, and high in protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins, and, if prepared properly, can last anywhere from a few years up to a lifetime without refrigeration!

There���s a lot of info in The Lost Ways, far more than can be adequately described in this space, but you get the idea.

The Lost Ways is available in both hard copy and digital formats. What���s more, it comes with a 60-day, money-back guarantee, which means that you have two fully months after you purchase to take it for a test drive.

I have lots of material on survival-related subjects, but, as a person who maintains an acute interest in the subject, I���m always open to more. The Lost Ways is right up my alley, particularly given the way my life is evolving, and it may well be a great fit for you, as well. To learn more about The Lost Ways, or to order your copy directly, Click Here.

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large