Funny pictures

From beautiful prints to award winning books

From beautiful prints to award winning books, I compiled the top picks that every book lover and collector must have.

Wild Malaysia

If you have been looking for a source of inspiration concerning the wildlife and scenery of peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah, this is it ... The book is well organized with individual sections on peninsular Malaysia, with many subsections, and on Sabah and Sarawak. It is a coffee table book that you will use. - Unique & Exotic Travel Reporter

Photographs by: Gerald Cubitt

Text by: Junaidi Payne

Publisher: New Holland

Wild Malaysia - The wildlife and landscapes of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah is a coffee book on Malaysia''s beautiful wild life - produced in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature. The pictorial study is illustrated with 400 beautiful pictures of plants, insects, fish, reptiles and many more of each in its natural habitat making it a visual testament to Malaysia''s enormous wealth of species. Accurately and visually stimulating, the book has individual chapters that wonderfully express peninsular Malaysia''s coastal areas, islands and hill forests, the stunning islands of Sabah, and the magnificent rivers and cave systems of Sarawak. Also included in the book is a complete list of conservation areas in the country. Wild Malaysia was carefully recorded and compiled by Gerald Cubitt, who is one of the world''s leading natural history photographers, and Junaidi Payne, a professional conservation biologist and Senior Scientific Officer with World Wide Fund Malaysia.

The Gathering

A remarkable must-read novel from one of Ireland''s most important and innovative writers.

Author: Anne Enright

Publisher: Vintage Books

A novel about love and disappointments, it is narrated by Veronica, the sister of Liam, whose death brought the nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan together for Liam''s wake. They discover that even though it helped, it wasn''t the drink that killed him - it was what happened to him as a boy in his grandmother''s house in the winter of 1968. The Gathering is a family epic, condensed and clarified - tracing the line of hurt and redemption through three generations of the Hegarty clan - starting with the grandmother, Ada Merriman - showing how memories warp and family secrets fester. The 2007 Man Booker Prize winner, The Gathering is the fourth novel from Irish author Anne Enright. She sticks true to her writing style - daring, witty and insightful where her distinctive intelligent twists the world a fraction and gives it back to us in a new and unforgettable light.

Mister Pip

"Rarely can any novel have combined charm, horror and uplift in quite such superabundance" - Independent

Author: Lloyd Jones

Publisher: John Murray (first published by Penguin Group)

Set in one of the more remote islands off Papua New Guinea, Mister Pip is a heartwarming tale about a girl, Matilda who comes of age amidst a cruel civil war. After all the ''white men'' had fled the island, Matilda''s school going days came to an abrupt halt, only to resume with ''the only white man in her village'', a scraggly Mr. Watts, as the teacher who is obsessed with Charles Dickens'' Great Expectations. Matilda''s mother comes across as a rigid, overzealously religious lady who surprisingly, from the depths of remote Papua New Guinea, still manages to resemble rigid, overzealously religious people in any society.

The story interweaves several lessons to the readers - the profound effects that civil war has upon its people; the cruelties of war that might not be reported in the news; the need to have an outlet to escape in most dire situations, like Matilda who had her imaginary Pip as her friend and her mother who had God by her side); and the fact that we in a war-free country are just so darned lucky! That said, to have the story set in remote Papua New Guinea is refreshing. No one could do it better New Zealander Lloyd James'' who hit the nail on the head with the depiction of Matilda''s maturing process with progressive thought flows and expansion on her vocabulary.

Concise, engaging and filled with well-developed characters, you''ll close the book feeling a tad melancholy, slightly thwarted from the lack of humanity displayed by the ''redskin'' soldiers, but mostly with a sense of hope for Matilda. There is just no wonder how Mister Pip made the shortlist for the Man Booker Prize. A good and easy read, this book will leave you turning the pages vehemently until you finish reading it.

The Raw Shark Texts

"A cult in the making" - Time Out

Author: Steven Hall

Publisher: Canongate

Eric Sanderson wakes up in a place he doesn''t recognise, unable to remember where he is. All he has left are journal entries recalling Clio, a perfect love now long gone. It seems that the trouble lies with a conceptual shark that is wiping away his memory, and he has to piece together his memories and his life before the shark attacks his memory again.

This out of the box story weaves together much like Momento, where time jumps and essential moments of the plots come random at best, leaving you constantly on a high adrenaline alert. Combining elements of sci-fi, romance and memoir, fans of the likes of authors such as Isaac Asimov and Orson Scott Card or fans of Trainspotting, Run Lola Run and Life of Pi should definitely not give this book a miss.

The originality of this book is not just in the plot, but in the deliverance. Unconventional and mind boggling, the story is entangled in puzzles, codes and, in parts, is even a flip book of pictorial falling text that express the character''s confusion in trying to piece together his life. It''s a psychological thriller that doesn''t have you hiding under the bed in fear, but looking under the bed for perhaps the fourth dimension that you may have missed the last time you looked.

Top 10: Signs She's Cheating On You

It's a sad fact, but there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. So, although you might be in love with your better half, there's always a chance that she might be cheating on you. Contrary to what your macho side might think, you may not be the center of her universe after all.
Women are typically detail-oriented; if she's cheating on you, you'll have to start paying attention, as she'll likely cover her tracks better than a practiced thief. If you're looking for a starting point for your detective work, you can rest easy; we've compiled a top 10 list of signs she's cheating on you. While all the cheating signs that follow may not imply that she is in fact cheating on you, each is definitely a warning that something is amiss with your ladylove. Depending on the scenario, you may need to look further for more signs she's cheating on you, do some relationship maintenance or simply break up.

Number 10 She detaches herself from your family

The fact that she no longer wants to attend your family's functions or hang with your friends is one of our signs she's cheating on you. This sign may be indicative of cheater's remorse on her part, which means that she likely feels guilty about cheating. The less she immerses herself in your circles (which contain people who are painful reminders of her sins), the less mental anguish she'll have to endure.

Number 9 She nags you incessantly

Gone are the days when the two of you could communicate with harmonious precision. Now, every sentiment you express sets her off and she finds any excuse to lash out at you.If such an about-face sounds familiar, she may be subconsciously trying to justify her little tryst. Nagging you helps eliminate or at least ease her nagging guilt. So if she habitually begins to point out your every flaw, you may want to get to the bottom of what's really going on because it's one of our signs she's cheating on you.

Number 8 She has a mysterious friend

A telltale sign that your woman is cheating arises when a mysterious friend inches his way into the picture. Whether it's someone she claims is a coworker or an old friend from way back, she keeps this friendship under wraps and is hesitant to share any general details about him, much less introduce you. And it doesn't take a Ph.D. to figure out why.

Number 7 She deflects simple questions

You should be suspicious of your girlfriend when she refuses to answer the simplest and fairest of questions or answers questions only after repeating them back to you, which usually indicates a mind that's searching for a lie. Be wary of times when, rather than reveal that she got home at midnight, she begrudgingly asks, "Why do you want to know what time I left the coffee shop?" If she gets defensive about disclosing information that she used to volunteer without hesitation, she may be hiding something or someone and it's one of the surest sings she's cheating on you.

Number 6 She shifts priorities away from you

If she is involved in a hot and heavy romance with someone else, you'll definitely feel a shift in her daily priorities. Suddenly, there are no more implied Sunday dates at the movies or something always comes up on dance-lesson Thursday. There is a tendency for most philanderers to schedule meetings with their new flame as often as they can, which results in a complete disregard for previous engagements.

Number 5 She puts more effort into looking sexy

You may like her just the way she is, but that won't stop her from trying to dazzle her new fling. Just as you tried to impress each other at the beginning of your relationship, she'll try to impress her new flame with a sudden urge to improve her style, change her makeup and alter her physical appearance for the new man in her life. So, while her desire to look sexier is one thing, not caring about your opinion on the matter is quite another.

Number 4 She becomes autonomous

One of the biggest signs she's cheating on you is her breaking away from your little two-person unit to become more autonomous. She has dropped "we" from her vocabulary in favor of "I." Moreover, she does more things on her own and stops consulting you about future plans. In short, she conducts herself in ways that hint that she no longer needs you to hold her hand. Whether she's hoping you'll leave her or she's simply looking for more time to lead her "double life," it's safe to conclude that she wants you out of the picture -- she just can't build up the nerve to leave you.

Number 3 She has no interest in sex with you

When your relationship was new, the two of your were full of passion and open to spontaneous lovemaking. Now it's all a bit iffy, whereby you're rarely hitting the sheets and you're only doing so if and when she feels like it.On a slightly more ego-bashing note, she may suddenly become bored by your performance and appear to be thinking about someone else when you do make love. Cheating may be wrong, but you can't deny that unlawful sex is usually more exhilarating. So, if you can no longer satisfy her sexually, someone else may be rubbing her the right way.

Number 2 She's secretive about her schedule

She may claim to no longer have time for any extracurricular activities with you, yet she has one foot out the door the minute one of her girlfriends calls. Either that or she has been "going away on business" one too many times. And when she does leave, her whereabouts are sketchy at best and you are somehow always the last to know.Disclosing her itinerary to you at the last minute and overlooking your plans in the process can mean many things, one of which isn't that she's forgetting, but rather leaving you out.

Number 1 You become irrelevant

What could be worse than a girlfriend who nags you about absolutely everything? How about one who stops noticing that you're even alive? Just as No. 9 on our list of signs she's cheating on you is a possibility (she nags you incessantly), the opposite could be yet another clue of your loves cheating ways.All at once, she doesn't care if you don't want to go to the ballet with her; she'll just find somebody else with whom to go. And whatever opinion you may have, be it about how she looks or how you're feeling, is met with a tepid response. In other words, she doesn't place the same importance on what you think and what you do as she once did, especially on things that directly affect the relationship.

cheating in check

Don't delude yourself into thinking that your woman would never cheat and don't rush to judgment either; if she is guilty of committing any signs on the list, perhaps it's indicative that something is awry in the relationship . In any case, this is a great opportunity for you to address problems you may not have noticed before scanning this article.More importantly, don't let what may just be a bad case of jealousy taint your perception of her. Reading her the wrong way or jumping to conclusions can permanently sever a relationship; get all the facts before you confront her.

5 Things You Didn't Know: Greenpeace

Over the last 40 years, Greenpeace has established itself as a powerhouse within the environmental movement. Their numerous campaigns have seen both success and controversy, chiefly because of their methodology to create awareness, which supporters deem necessary, while critics claim it involves sensationalism and deliberate inaccuracy.

That being said, eco-warriors or eco-terrorists, here are are five things you didn’t know about Greenpeace, the foremost environmental organization in the world.

1- Greenpeace was originally a "Don't Make A Wave Committee"
In 1969, the U.S. government intended to carry out underground nuclear testing in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, a plan that some people feared would cause an earthquake and a subsequent tidal wave. An estimated 10,000 people demonstrated by blocking a U.S.-Canada border crossing, holding signs that said, “Don't Make A Wave. It's Your Fault If Our Fault Goes.”

Some of those demonstrators were members of the Canadian chapter of the Sierra Club. They had the idea to head out to the testing site by boat, but the Sierra Club objected to the idea. In response, they formed the “Don't Make A Wave Committee,” and in 1971, they set sail for Alaska in a boat they called "Greenpeace," a term offhandedly coined by founding member Bill Darnell.

In May 1972, the organization officially changed its name to Greenpeace.

2- The French government blew up their boat
The organization’s flagship Rainbow Warrior was docked in New Zealand’s Aukland harbor in the summer of 1985, when operatives of the DGSE, the French intelligence agency, carried out Operation Satanic. They affixed a pair of bombs to the hull and sunk the famous craft. While the event was certain to garner plenty of press, it’s hard to say if the plot would have been traced back to the French government -- in fact, all the way up to then-President Mitterrand -- if a photographer named Fernando Pereira had not rushed on board between explosions to get his equipment. He lost his life when the second charge detonated. Consequently, the operation became an international scandal.

French intelligence officer Louis-Pierre Dillais is alleged to have been the ringleader behind Satanic. He currently works as an executive in Virginia for the U.S. subsidiary of Belgian arms manufacturer FN Herstal. Greenpeace considers him a terrorist and wants the U.S. government to deport him, according to federal law.

3- Greenpeace has been denounced by former members
As Greenpeace achieved a number of major victories during the '70s and '80s, it began to change its priorities. While this attracted new members to the organization, it sometimes enraged, embittered or turned off old members.

One-time Greenpeace president, Patrick Moore, left after 15 years and has since been critical of what he calls their “scare tactics,” writing in the Miami Herald in 2005 that the movement had “abandoned science and logic in favor of emotion and sensationalism.” Currently, Moore leads Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., an organization geared toward sustainable development.
Founding member, Paul Watson, left in 1977, around the time Patrick Moore became president because he felt Moore’s opposition to direct action campaigns compromised the organization’s original goals. Watson currently heads up the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Don White, who founded the organization’s U.S. branch, left in 1985 over “increasingly strained accountability to its supporters, and its accelerating drift away from wildlife issues,” and has since slammed Greenpeace USA, accusing it of “capitalizing… on claiming the accomplishments of others as their own while creating photo opportunities for fundraising.” Currently, White is the founder and president of the wildlife conservation organization, Earthtrust.

Bradley Angel was Greenpeace’s Southwest Toxics Coordinator, but resigned in protest in 1997 when Greenpeace International “betrayed” an agreement with tribal governments to fight a U.S. government plan to build a nuclear waste dump on sacred land. Currently, Angel is the executive director of the health and environmental organization, Greenaction.

4- Greenpeace was accused of deliberate misinformation
Robert Hunter, one of the organization's founders and a man credited with coining the terms “mindbomb” and “eco-warrior” was heavily influenced by media guru Marshall McLuhan’s theories about modern media. Early on, Hunter understood the power of visually arresting images -- baby seals being clubbed, dolphins getting slaughtered, Greenpeace activists courageously challenging whalers at sea -- in short, reducing complex issues into a matter of good versus evil, leaving no question as to who was who.

In 1995, Greenpeace mounted a successful high-profile campaign to get oil company Royal Dutch Shell to dismantle its Brent Spar oil platform on land, as opposed to deliberately sinking it -- a plan supported by the UK government. Greenpeace called for a worldwide boycott of Shell; activists occupied the platform, took a sample of its contents and reported it held over 5,000 tons of oil, 110 times more than Shell’s estimates. Shell eventually buckled to the boycott and public pressure, despite its own estimates ultimately proving to be the accurate ones.

More recently, in 2006 Greenpeace issued its “Guide to Greener Electronics," which rates vendors of consumer electronics on their use of toxic chemicals and recycling plans. Critics took exception to the report, in part because of its lazy criteria (“companies are ranked solely on information that is publicly available”) and in part because they felt press releases singled out Apple’s alleged poor performance for the sake of scoring headlines -- despite Apple’s reputation as an environmental leader with such groups as the Sierra Club and the company’s compliance with the European Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the RoHS).

5- Greenpeace enemies arranged for its audit
In 2003, the Washington-based, nonprofit corporation Public Interest Watch (PIW), which operates under the motto, “Keeping an eye on the self-appointed guardians of public interest,” issued a complaint to the IRS accusing Greenpeace USA of money laundering, misusing contributions and filing inaccurate tax returns. The result was an intensive three-month audit of Greenpeace USA.

Formed in 2002, the PIW website says its initial funding was “provided by business organizations,” but in 2006 the Wall Street Journal revealed the truth about that funding; virtually all of it came from a single source, a multinational corporation that Greenpeace has called the “No. 1 climate criminal,” Exxon Mobil.

While the audit found a handful of “deficiencies,” the IRS apparently saw no reason to revoke Greenpeace’s tax-exempt status. Nonetheless, PIW called the result “vindicating.”

Greenpeace is currently protesting the construction of a coal-fired power station in England; they just finished harassing the Japanese fleet during their annual whale hunt in the Southern Ocean, and marked the anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol with a vigil outside Canada’s parliament buildings in protest of the country’s alleged lack of progress concerning global warming.

It’s not all protest-based, however; Greenpeace Switzerland recently established an online dating service for environmentally conscious singles.

Of the 10 items displayed in a random Google news search of Greenpeace, media outlets from five different countries covering a full seven unique Greenpeace campaigns. As well as any other survey, this exhibits not only the tremendous international scope of the organization, but it is also indicative of almost four decades worth of being extraordinarily media-savvy.

Resources:
www.greenpeace.org
http://en.wikipedia.org
www.guardian.co.uk
www.ccfassociation.org
www.abcbookworld.com
www.greenspiritstrategies.com
www.seashepherd.org
www.greenpeacefoundation.com/dolphindon.html
http://siliconvalley.wikia.com
www.greenaction.org
www.roughlydrafted.com
www.publicinterestwatch.org
www.commondreams.org

Common Female Fantasies

All women fantasize about sex, just as frequently as men, and most of us do it with grandeur. Scenarios may vary, but there are several recurring themes in the most common female fantasies. Whether you’re dating a puritan or the neighborhood tart, deep down they share the same basic desires and have similar sexual cravings. While some of these desires may seem overly fantastical, they are not wholly implausible. With a little effort, you have a good chance of putting them into action. The following common female fantasies are more probable than you think; read on to find out why.

Domination
Your girl doesn’t have to be into whips and chains to fantasize about this one, as it covers rather a broad spectrum of naughtiness, ranging from dominating to being dominated. The latter is a particularly common female fantasy (even for dominant women), which often extends to capture fantasies involving consensual rape. We use the word "consensual" because she likely only fantasizes about experiencing this at the hands of someone she’s highly sexually attracted to, who will not injure or harm her during the act, who will instantly fall madly in love with her and probably want to marry her afterward. You can see why it falls under the heading of "fantasy." Women who fantasize about such things are often highly sexual women who feel guilty about their desires; guilt which can be easily assuaged with the right kind of encouragement from their partner.

Sex with a stranger
Hot, no-strings-attached sex is a common female fantasy for the simple reason that most women wouldn’t have the nerve to engage in this kind of thing without being fully liquored up. The idea appeals to her inner feminist; if she walks into a bar and takes a man home for an all-night shag fest, then she’s a modern, sexually liberated woman whom her girlfriends can admire. What keeps this a fantasy for most women is the fear of post-coital self-loathing at having behaved so wantonly. This type of fantasy is usually found in women who would like to be more sexually free than they currently are.

Sex in public
Society tends to demand a certain level of modesty and propriety from women, and that can really get on a girl’s nerves after a while. The idea of being naughty while random strangers pass by can be a massive turn-on for even the shyest of females. The appeal is partly due to shock value (which makes her feel powerful) and partly due to breaking a massive taboo (which makes her feel wild and wicked). It’s hard to imagine anything more sexually liberating than allowing others to watch you have a good lay. If she’s fantasizing about this, it indicates a decrease in sexual inhibition, which probably means she’s ready to take her present level of kink up a notch, whatever that may be.

Sex with two men
There isn’t a woman on earth who doesn’t enjoy being the center of attention when it comes to the affections of men, and this little fantasy just doubles the pleasure. The idea of two studly men focusing all of their efforts on her sexual experience, making her orgasm over and over again with no thought of themselves, is a truly common female fantasy. Another facet is being able to fully satisfy two men at the same time, which can make a woman feel sexually potent and powerful. This could just be a fantasy, or it could indicate that she feels her current partner isn’t seeing to her needs adequately; something easily rectified by putting forth a bit more effort the next time you’re in bed.

Sex with another woman
The vast majority of women, whether bisexual or not, have at least entertained the idea of having sex with another woman. And, of those women, most have at least fantasized about having hot lesbian sex with a gorgeous, sexy woman. The fantasy may or may not involve allowing a man to watch, but it’s not about having a three-way romp; this is something she imagines on her own, just herself and one other female. Fear not, this one doesn’t mean she’s less into you, or men in general; it simply means she finds the female form sexually stimulating. You can relate to that, surely?

Role-playing
This one covers a lot of ground, and it’s important to note that the word "role-playing" doesn’t necessarily denote playing dress up. Certainly, common female fantasies might involve dressing
up like a hooker and having their man pick them up on the Boulevard, but it could also be as
simple as imagining herself to be a stripper and giving you a private lap dance in your own home. By dressing up like someone else, she can act out her salacious fantasies while pretending they are someone else’s idea. Acting out this fantasy can be very beneficial for a relationship, as it can give a woman the courage to do the things she’s always wanted to do, but never had the nerve. If she’s mentioning this one, she’s likely ready to add some spice in the bedroom and just needs a little encouragement to get there.

Voyeurism
While most women don’t really get turned on by the idea of watching others have sex, most of them do get incredibly turned on by the idea of being watched, themselves. Perhaps the most common female fantasy along these lines involves being watched in secret. This allows her to maintain her modesty, while still indulging her inner vixen. This fantasy can sometimes mean she needs a bit more in the way of attention, or it can mean she simply gets off on the performance, rather than the experience. You can satisfy this urge easily enough by videotaping your next sexual encounter.

make her fantasy a reality
Each of these common female fantasies can be turned into reality with a relatively small degree of effort on your part. It might take a bit of practice before both of you are truly comfortable acting them out, but the learning stage is just as hot, sexy and satisfying as the fully experienced stage. Make her fantasies a reality and you will instantly become the man of her dreams.

World War III Prophesy

I have not bought this book nor read it yet. It sounds interesting.

It is authored by Dr. Michael Rathford who studied Quatrains of Nostradamus since 1975. He is the author of this book, The Nostradamus Code: World War III.

By combining traditional analysis techniques with state of the art data mining algorithms, he made significant discoveries that resulted in the book.

You can find out more of this book from www.nostradamusonline.com/

Excerpts:

With a total of eight chapters, The Nostradamus Code: World War III opens with an overview of the bewildering events currently unfolding on the world stage. You will find out why they are happening...

The years 2008 through 2012 are explained in precise detail by Dr Rathford. Referred to by Nostradamus as the Time of Troubles, this period is full of war, despair, and evil.

When the prophecies-within-prophecies are deciphered, the hidden timeline of World War III is revealed. New predictions include:

• A conflict between the US and Iran
• The next major terrorist attack on the US
• Osama Bin Laden
• The nuclear destruction of Rome

A passage in Chapter 4 caught my eyes:

Chapter Four: The Time of Troubles

Third world country leader creates strife
(Century III, Quatrain 60)

A "young dark man" will arise as a leader in a Third World country; his main goal is to unite the other Third World countries to do battle with the superpowers. The area of conflict will be in Eastern Europe and the Middle East...

A young man from a 3rd world country; who will that be? From Malaysia? Can't be; we're closer to 4th World, aren't we? If it predictably could be, will it be someone from the 4th floor? ehm... I love this piece!!!

Drawing on newly discovered Nostradamus manuscripts, a startling new view of the world is revealed. If you agree that signs like widespread terrorism, a volatile Middle East, and an economic depression could lead to World War III - then you will find this book truly eye-opening.

10 Money Mistakes Women Make

...And How To Avoid Them

So you think you’re a smart money manager. But do you pay unnecessary bank or credit card fees? Are you saving for your child’s college tuition instead of your retirement? Do you leave important financial decisions to those “more qualified” than you? If so, you’re in the majority of American women – and you’re making mistakes that could jeopardize your future. Fortunately, it’s easy to remedy these financial foibles, says personal finance wizard Suze Orman. And you can start by reversing these 10 most common money mistakes women make...

If you’re like many women, the thought of managing your money may send shivers down your spine. We all want financial security, but the process of educating ourselves and making decisions can be daunting… or simply uninteresting. Often women relinquish the role of financial planner to professional advisors, husbands, boyfriends or fathers. Bad idea, according to money management guru Suze Orman.

Taking care of yourself financially is essential to your future and your ability to care for those you love, Orman says in her newest book, Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny (Spiegel & Grau, 2007).

Yet most women (90%, according to one financial poll) feel insecure about their finances, no matter whether they’re stay-at-home moms running a household or Fortune 500 executives running a company. Why? Because women, unlike men, have long been socialized not to manage their own finances, in Orman’s opinion. “I want every woman to save herself,” Orman says. By doing so, “She’s a better mother, a better wife, employee, or employer. She’s a better person all the way around.”

To that end, Orman’s book offers an easy-to-follow, 5-month financial fitness regimen called “The Save Yourself Plan.” It’s designed to reshape the way you look at money and how you view your self-worth. The result: You’ll become more effective in everything from obtaining a raise to applying basic money management and investment concepts that will safeguard your future. “This book is to once and for all rewrite the story that history has handed every woman,” Orman says.

The key to your money makeover is to recognize and reverse bad decisions that threaten your financial fitness.

Among the most common:

1. You fail to honor your gut feelings.

This is the mother of all money mistakes. Here’s how it happens: Your desire to nurture and protect those around you overrides your desire to protect yourself, and so you make important money decisions based on sparing the feelings of those you care about. “Someone will come to you and say, ‘I need to borrow $5,000.’ You will think, ‘I won’t lend the money or co-sign,’ and yet you say ‘okay,’” Orman explains. Too often such arrangements result in the borrower defaulting and you losing money or points on your credit score – a big financial fitness no-no.

2. You fund your child’s college savings before your own retirement fund.

“Mothers come up to me constantly and say, ‘Suze, where is the best place I can save for my child’s college education?’” Before that question can be answered, consider your own retirement, Orman advises. If you don’t earn enough to stash money in both accounts, retirement must take precedence. Why? Because a proper retirement ensures you won’t become a burden on your kids later in life. As Orman points out, while there are plenty of loans available for college, there are none available for retirement.

3. You name your children as beneficiaries on your life insurance policy even though they’re minors.

Normally, life insurance companies won’t pay out to children who are under the age of 18, Orman warns. “So if you have a half-million-dollar policy and you leave it to your three-year-old, if you die the money goes into a blocked account in the bank, where the kid can’t get at it.” Instead, create a trust account and name this account the beneficiary of the policy. Inside the trust you can specify to whom, how and when the money should be distributed.

4. You believe a will is enough.

It’s not. A will is simply a document that states how your assets will be distributed upon your death. What you need instead is a living revocable trust with an incapacity clause. Why? “Imagine you’re in an accident or you have a stroke. You’re not dead, you’re simply totally incapacitated. Who is going to pay your bills? Write your checks for you?” Orman asks. Even if you’re married and plan to stay that way ’til death, odds are you’ll outlive your husband. A trust with an incapacity clause will allow you to choose the best person to look out for you and your interests. (For more information, go to SuzeOrman.com and click on the will and trust kit link.)

5. You buy the wrong kind of life insurance.

"Women tend to have whole life universal or variable life insurance," Orman says. Such policies offer the death benefit and a built-in savings. The lure is that you can get back at least some, if not all, of the premium by cashing it out while you're alive or by borrowing against it. Still, Orman says, you can do better. If you want to pass money to your kids and provide them some sort of savings, she says, a better bet is to create your own investment fund.

"The only type (of insurance) you should ever have ... is a term life insurance policy," says Orman. Term policies offer death benefits only and they pay your beneficiary after you die. How long of a term should you buy? Typically, you'll want coverage until your youngest child is 23 years old.

6. You fail to keep beneficiaries on your accounts or your husband’s accounts up to date.

This simple oversight can lead to financial tragedy. Review your retirement account, your IRAs, your pension, your life insurance, and those of your husband – especially if this is the second marriage for either of you. Failing to do so may mean your ex – or his – winds up the financial winner upon either of your deaths. “He dies, you think you’re going to benefit, and it all goes to the ex-wife,” Orman says.

7. You leave the family finances to your husband.

Instead of blindly believing in your husband’s good intentions and his financial prowess, immerse yourself in the family finances. If he’s been in charge up until now, you may find he’s doing a great job – or not. When he dies or your marriage dissolves, you don’t want to find out that you should have worried your pretty head after all, Orman says.

8. You believe a prenuptial agreement only protects him.

A properly executed prenuptial agreement will protect both of you in case your marriage becomes the nearly one out of two (or two out of three in the case of subsequent marriages) that ends in divorce. The best time to plan for the undesirable? When romance is in full bloom.

9. You discount yourself.

Maybe you run your own business and fail to raise your rates despite your expenses going up. Perhaps you accept a small raise despite the company’s growth and your contribution to it. Or you might allow clients to pay discounted rates for your services. If you do any of these, you’re putting yourself on sale. Instead, Orman advises you to value yourself properly, and those around you will pay you accordingly.

10. You can’t seem to say “no.”

You work, you take care of your family, and yet you feel compelled to volunteer whenever you’re asked. Today, with women making up half the workforce, odds are your time isn’t as abundant as was your mother’s or grandmother’s. Volunteering is admirable, but make sure you don’t overdo it.

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