Give me a break.

We'd all be millionaires if claims like one above were true. If you're looking for a business opportunity on web where scams feed on dreams and weaknesses of everyday people, thing to remember is to *take your time*. Good opportunities don't disappear overnight.

To investigate an opportunity, check out following:

__Do You Know EXACTLY What You'll Be Doing?

Have you ever read over a business opportunity and at end of article you think, 'But what am I SELLING?'

You're not alone. There are endless opportunities touted online as being cream of crop, best of best, ultimate money-making opportunity destined to give you freedom and flexibility you desire.

They just don't tell you HOW.

Don't send money for more information. If they're not upfront about what's involved in their opportunity, then run other way and don't look back.

__Can You Independently Find Others Who Are Successful?

Message boards are a fabulous source of first-hand information from people who have been there, done that. Ask for other people's experiences with an opportunity before you join. If you can find a number of people who have had good experiences, that's great. If you can't, and all you hear are negative comments, then learn from them: even if you doggedly pursue it and find one positive testimonial, it won't mean much if you've heard 20 other negative comments.

__How Long Has Opportunity Been Around?

New opportunities don't yet have a history of success. There is no way of knowing how well average person will do with them.

Don't worry about 'getting in on ground floor'; it's far better to have a solid history that shows a viable business opportunity.

__Are You Selling an Opportunity or a Product?

When focus is on earning income by signing up others, you're part of what's known as a 'pyramid scheme'. To be brief: they're illegal.

The subject in my dream several nights ago I am very close to in real life. I recall replying something to effect that "I can understand why you think this, but world was not that great a place *before* 9/11 and terrorist attacks have only served as catalyst for positive, spiritual changes world needed to make anyway". Something in reality I have said to many people.

However, she rebutted, and this is verbatim: "You had better wake up and smell anthrax!"

I intensely dislike nightmares, and especially those that wake you up with a jolt like this did, but surreal conversation served as my own catalyst to change how I have been "existing" since September 11. I'll explain in a moment.

You may be having trouble sleeping or having dreams, or worse, nightmares related to terrorist attacks and current state of world. We are being told by experts that this is perfectly normal considering scale of senseless slaughter, onslaught of biological attacks and continual talk of more threats, even nuclear, and overall 'crisis coverage' bombardment in our lives day in and day out. I certainly believe them. If you weren't concerned about everything that is going on right now, including your own safety, you'd have to be pretty insensitive!

However, I believe biggest enemy we face right now is our personal preoccupation with these world events, and, level of "shutdown" we've allowed into our lives as a result. Just look around at what's happening, or better yet, not happening. Travellers and vacationers aren't flying and airlines and tourist industries are in deep financial trouble. People are avoiding public places and countless major events have been postponed or cancelled. You could probably hurl a good sized snowball through your local restaurants and not hit a patron. The stock market has plummeted and businesses large and small are beginning to fall by wayside in droves. People just aren't doing what they normally do and that includes spending money enjoying themselves.

Me? I readily admit that too many people have been in my miserable midst to hear me grumble in disgust about how slow my Internet sales have been. Not like me at all.