true ambition

1. Ambitiously Pursuing Your Own Self-Direction by Jim Rohn (Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you - in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.

Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.

Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.

Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it Mine?

Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!

Subject: GOD proposes Man Disposes

GOD proposes Man Disposes

With all the new technology regarding fertility evolved to beat the Menopause
of God, a 65 year-old woman was able to give birth to a baby recently. When
she was discharged from the hospital and went home, her relatives came to visit.

May we see the new baby?" one asked.

"Not yet," said the mother. "I'll make coffee for all of you and then you can
play with the baby for a while."

Thirty minutes had passed, and another relative asked, "May we see the
new baby now? "No, not yet," said the mother. After another few minutes
had elapsed, they asked again, "May we see the baby now?"

"No, not yet," replied the mother.

Growing very impatient, they asked, "Well, when CAN we see the baby?"

"WHEN IT CRIES!" she told them.

"WHEN IT CRIES??" they demanded. "Why do we have to wait until the baby
CRIES??"

"BECAUSE, I forgot where I put the baby...."



Teacher : What do you call a person who keeps on
talking when people are no longer interested?
Pupil : A teacher.




The Rose by Jim Rohn

Lifestyle is style over amount. And style is an art - the art of living. You can't buy style with money. You can't buy good taste with money. You can only buy more with money. Lifestyle is culture - the appreciation of good music, dance, art, sculpture, literature, plays and the art of living well. It's a taste for the fine, the unique, the beautiful.

Lifestyle also means rewarding excellence wherever you find it by not taking the small things of life for granted. With Valentine's Day approaching I wanted to illustrate this with a personal anecdote.

Many years ago my lady friend and I were on a trip to Carmel, California for some shopping and exploring. On the way we stopped at a service station. As soon as we parked our car in front of the pumps, a young man, about eighteen or nineteen, came bouncing out to the car and with a big smile said, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," I answered. "A full tank of gas, please." I wasn't prepared for what followed. In this day and age of self-service and deteriorating customer treatment, this young man checked every tire, washed every window - even the sunroof - singing and whistling the whole time. We couldn't believe both the
quality of service and his upbeat attitude about his work.

When he brought the bill I said to the young man, "Hey, you really have taken good care of us. I appreciate it."

He replied, "I really enjoy working. It's fun for me and I get to meet nice people like you."

This kid was really something!

I said, "We're on our way to Carmel and we want to get some milkshakes. Can you tell us where we can find the nearest Baskin-Robbins?"

"Baskin-Robbins is just a few blocks away," he said as he gave us exact directions. Then he added, "Don't park out front - park around to the side so your car won't get sideswiped."

What a kid!

As we got to the ice cream store we ordered milkshakes, except that instead of two, we ordered three. Then we drove back to the station. Our young friend dashed out to greet us. "Hey, I see you got your milkshakes."

"Yes, and this one is for you!"

His mouth fell open. "For me?"

"Sure. With all the fantastic service you gave us, I couldn't leave you out of the milkshake deal."

"Wow!" was his astonished reply.

As we drove off I could see him in my rear-view mirror just standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

Now, what did this little act of generosity cost me? Only about two dollars - you see, it's not the money, it's the style.

Well, I must have been feeling especially creative that day, so on our arrival in Carmel I drove directly to a flower shop. As we walked inside I said to the florist, "I need a long-stemmed rose for my lady to carry while we go shopping in Carmel."

The florist, a rather unromantic type, replied, "We sell them by the dozen."

"I don't need a dozen," I said, "just one."

"Well," he replied haughtily, "if you only want one it will cost you two dollars."

"Wonderful," I exclaimed. "There's nothing worse than a cheap rose."

Selecting the rose with some deliberation, I handed it to my friend. She was so impressed! And the cost? Two dollars. Just two dollars. A bit later she looked up and said, "Jim, I must be the only woman in Carmel today carrying a rose." And I believe she probably was.

Can you imagine the opportunity to create magic with those around you, and all for the cost of a few dollars, some imagination and care.

Remember, it is not the amount that matters but the thought and care that often has the greatest impact upon those you love.

I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is.
She replied: I want to live in a developed India.
For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.
Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work; the railways are a joke,
The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say.
What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore.
Give him a name...YOURS.
Give him a face...YOURS.
YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best.
- In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores.
- YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are.
- You pay $5 (approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM.
- YOU comeback to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over-stayed, identity.
In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?
- YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai.
- YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.
- YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, "see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else."
- YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost."
- YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand.
Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo?
Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston?????
We are still talking of the same YOU.
YOU can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch the Indian ground.
If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?
Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal Commissioner of Bombay, Mr. Tinaikar, had a point to make.
"Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said. "And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here?"
He's right.
We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.
We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin.
We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff that is known not to pass on the service to the public.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home.
Our excuse?
"It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my son's rights to a dowry."
So who's going to change the system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government.
But definitely not me and YOU.
When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.
- Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system.
- When New York becomes insecure we run to England.
- When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf.
- When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government.
Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country.
Nobody thinks of feeding the system.
Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, the article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too?..
I am echoing J.F. Kennedy's words to his fellow American to relate to Indians?.
"ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY"
Let's do what India needs from us.
Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.
Thank You,
Dr. Abdul Kalaam

hi
i am fine

Let THE UNIVERSE Work For You
© 2002 - June McHardy

We've all had the experience where everything we do seems to go wrong!
We get into a loop and things just go from bad to worse. What do we do
now? Did we do something wrong? Should we try harder? Should we start
over? Where do we turn?

What I'm going to tell you applies not only to the above-named
experience, but literally to every challenge in your life: You
suddenly lose your job. A family member becomes ill. In the case of
bankruptcy. You desperately need a large sum of money. Even if it's
only that you've just burned the roast and are expecting company for
supper this evening!

There's a very simple strategy using the laws of the universe:

First of all, don't panic. Negativity begets negativity.

Don't act in haste. Give yourself time to think things through.

Take yourself somewhere quiet and peaceful for a half hour if
possible. Think about the challenge quietly. Pray or meditate if this
is a comfortable strategy for you. You may be very surprised at the
solutions that pop into your head.

If this thinking step hasn't solved your problem or given you some
reasonable concrete steps, then literally hand your problem over to
the universe (you may choose to call it God, your angel, your
subconscious mind, your superconscious, or whatever works for you)
knowing that it will be solved in the very best way possible.

Now, you must FORGET about finding a solution yourself for the time
being. Remember, often we are so wrapped up in an expected outcome
that we forget that OUR solution may not be the only solution, or even
the best one.

That's it folks! You will have placed all the resources of the
universe into play and WORKING FOR YOU!

I have proven this to myself more times than I can count in my own
life. - Two new jobs within a week of losing my job. - The government
allows us moneys that had previously been denied. - A business
location becomes unavailable giving way to a MUCH better one. - A
loved one's disability gives way to a new career... and on and on.

You see, all of these things have something in common. They've all
happened within the magnetic field of the universe. Once you put your
desires cleanly into that field, you activate forces that draw in your
solutions to you, while at the same time you're being drawn to others
as a solution to THEIR problem.

BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE!

HEALING OURSELVES AND GROWING THROUGH ILLNESS
by Robert Elias Najemy

Our difficulties and tests are like the weight lifter's weights that
help him to build up his muscular power. By exercising our inner power
in response to these challenges, we develop our emotional, mental and
spiritual muscles. We become emotionally stronger and mentally more
positive and assured of our ability to face any possible situation.

Here are some concepts that will help us to grow through our life
experiences:

1. Perceive life as a school.

2. Remember that every experience is a lesson designed to teach us
something about our selves and the nature of reality.

3. Remember that life gives us exactly the lessons we need in every
moment.

4. Discover which lessons life is trying to teach us. Richard Bach, in
his book Illusions reminds us that a "problem never comes to you
without a gift in its hands". Our life-challenge is to fearlessly
study our problems and discover the gifts therein.

5. Determine what changes we need to make in our living or thinking
habits in order to become free from this problem or, in some cases, to
realize that there actually is no problem. We can ask ourselves these
questions:
a. What must I let go of? (Habits, emotional tendencies, addictions,
attachments, fears, expectations, attitudes, beliefs.)
b. What can I begin to develop? (Positive beliefs, disciplines,
attitudes, abilities.)
c. Is there actually any problem here or I am making it into a
problem?

6. Decide how we can start making these changes so as to once again
find peace, health and harmony.

7. Accept that only we ourselves can solve this problem, otherwise
its solution is of no use to us. We can take advice from our doctor,
psychiatrist, clergyman or guru, but it is up to ourselves to make the
actual changes. It is our responsibility as well as our opportunity.

The difference between the pessimist and the optimist is that the
pessimist sees the problem in every opportunity and the optimist sees
the opportunity in every problem.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM ILLNESS

I remember a story told by Dr. Jayadeva of the YOGA INSTITUTE OF
BOMBAY.

"Once an enlightened being was asked 'Who was your guru?' He answered,
'Sinusitis.' The enlightened one went on to explain that in order to
free himself of his sinusitis he had to change his diet completely.
Then he started doing exercises and breathing techniques to purify and
remove the stresses from his body that intensified the problem. After
that, he started practicing deep relaxation and meditation in order to
quiet the mind and nervous system, which seemed to be at the root of
the sinusitis. Finally, he had to completely alter his understanding
of himself and the world around him, so as to remove the basic causes
of imbalance in his body and mind. As a result of all these efforts
and changes, his body and mind became so purified and in tune with the
Spirit, he became enlightened."

Some possible lessons we might learn from illness are:

1. To improve our diet: Choose to eat healthier foods in proper
quantities, so the body and mind will be strengthened and able to
function effectively and clearly, biologically, mentally and
spiritually.

2. To adopt healthier living habits: Learn to exercise, breathe and
relax regularly, so as to create a body that has the strength to
protect itself from microbes and various malfunctionings.

3. To analyze and correct any negative thought patterns that may
create emotional, mental or physical blockages.

4. To learn to be more humble and compassionate through this rather
humbling position in which we are temporarily weak, vulnerable, and
perhaps even dependent upon others.

5. To learn to accept, love and care from others: Some of us cannot
accept affection or even simple compliments from others. We always
want to be on the giving side. This can sometimes be based on
egotistic motives.

6. To think more deeply about the meaning of life: Why are we here?
What is the purpose of life?

7. To reexamine our goals and value system: What do we want from life?
What is important to us? Are we living in such a way as to achieve our
goals?

8. To develop mental powers of positive thought projection so as to
send healing energies into the various parts of our body and heal it.

9. To take a more active role in the creation of our health, happiness
and harmony. Only we can create our illness and health.

10. To surrender to God's will. Although we do everything we need to
do in order to create health, we must also be able to accept whatever
the results may be in order to unite our will with the Divine Flow.

11. To concentrate more on our contact with the Divine through prayer
and meditation.

12. To realize that we are not this body and begin to dis-identify
from it, feeling ourselves as an immortal spirit.

THE TOP 10 STEPS TOWARD PEACE OF MIND

Peace of mind is not just something that comes to us when everything is
going well. It is something that comes from a combination of many sources,
and that can sustain us even when things are not going well. Even through
tragedy.

1. Reserves. Not necessarily the large reserves that we sometimes refer to
in coaching (though those would be wonderful, too), but awareness that you
are not going to run out of the minor things that can easily cause
disruption in our lives, e.g. gas/petrol, postage stamps, toilet paper,
essential food items.

2. Forgiveness. Know that you need not be full of anger, or nagging
hostility, toward anyone, including yourself. Remember that we all do the
best we can with what we believe we have. There are few people who harm
others on purpose.

3. Acceptance... of self and of others. In the same vein, know that the
only person about whom you have the right to make decisions is yourself.
Others will be what they will be, depending on their own combination of
circumstances, genetic inheritance and choices. For yourself, know that
your choices are and always will be your own. Don't berate yourself for
your past, it is past. If you don't care for it, make the decisions
necessary to create a different future.

4. Clear conscience. Act always as though someone else who you respect will
know what you do. If you would not want others to know that you did
something, then don't do it, for you (and quite likely someone or Someone
else) WILL know.

5. Support. Know where you can turn for support, for a shoulder to cry on,
and for other forms of help when you need it. Know your friends, keep your
fences mended, and keep a list of agencies and institutions to which you
can turn if you must. Never let pride stop you from requesting help when
you need it.

6. Surroundings that you can enjoy. Your surroundings may not look like a
magazine cover, but they can be kept sufficiently tidy, organized, and
attractive that you feel pleasure as you look around you. We often think of
surroundings as what we are aware of visually, but the other senses may be
involved too. We may need music, or silence. We may choose to enjoy the
scent of burning candles, or of baking, or of well polished furniture.

7. No undone have-tos, deadlines, overdue debts. These will diminish peace
of mind every time. Decide on a schedule to get rid of them. If you have to
call on someone to keep you on schedule with this, enlist a friend, a
family member, or even a coach. Just knowing that you are making progress
will enhance your peace of mind. Catching up on these things will do so
even more.

8. Know that you are connected to Something. If you are religiously or
spiritually inclined, then you already know this. Even if you believe there
is nothing beyond us except nature and the earth, then at least you know
there is that. Know that you ARE connected. Trust that connection, and know
that you DO belong.

9. Know that you are at choice, not a victim. Recognize that you DO have
choices. If you feel you do not, look again, and see that what you have
previously dismissed as lack of choice is actually a choice that certain
alternatives are unacceptable, or that you had not seen them in the first
place. Reconsider your options. Brainstorm with someone you trust.

10. Knowledge that you can affect your world, that you need not be a pawn.
Sometimes it is difficult to imagine that any one person can change the
world. We certainly need to change ourselves before we can change anything
else, and even then we do not have the right to change other people. Yet
the changes that we make in our own behavior, our willingness to reach out
and help, volunteer, to try to make the world a better place, CAN be
far-reaching. If every person reading this list were to reach out... Imagine!

got a job

prakash got a job at bangalore congrates to him he may be joining in the second week of june
sundaram

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER FROM VIRUSES
-------------------------------------------

I have an unorthodox strategy for dealing with computer viruses. It
doesn't involve the use of firewalls or anti-virus software. But if
everyone understood the simple virus safety tips I'll outline here,
the virus writers would get very bored very quickly.

Sooner or later you WILL receive an email that contains a computer
virus. Perhaps you got one today with M-y-D-o-o-m attached. But if
you understand a few simple concepts about email and viruses, there
is really nothing to worry about. I've been using email for twenty
years, and I receive hundreds of messages daily. Even though I get
viruses in my inbox every day, I've NEVER been affected by one.

If you take a few minutes to read and apply the following concepts
to your own email handling, you can have the same protection and
peace of mind without buying any expensive anti-virus software.
(There ARE some good reasons for having anti-virus protection, and
I'll mention those later.)

------------------------------
FACTS ABOUT COMPUTER VIRUSES
------------------------------

If you keep your email software updated, you CANNOT get a virus just
by opening or reading your email. This is true even if your Cousin
Vinny has a friend who swears it happened to his neighbor in a major
city, and his wife was abducted in a mall parking lot. Many widespread
virus hoaxes have circulated the Net for years, claiming that if you
open an email with a certain Subject line, then untold horrors will
beset your computer. It's just not true.

A virus cannot leap out of your inbox and infect your computer without
some help from you! Here are some facts you should know:

+ Some emails have attached files, in addition to the message body

+ Email attachments can be good (photos, music) or bad (a virus)

+ It is safe to open and read the message body of ANY email, even
if that email has an attached virus.

[ NOTE: Before you write to tell me that some viruses can be activated
simply by opening an email, PLEASE remember I said "IF YOU KEEP YOUR
EMAIL SOFTWARE UPDATED." If you have an old, unpatched copy of
Microsoft Outlook, then all bets are off. ]

In order for a computer virus to affect you, it requires some explicit
action on your part. Let me explain with an analogy: Imagine someone
has mailed you a loaded gun. You can't get hurt just by looking at
your mailbox. You can't get hurt just by taking the package out of
the mailbox. You CAN get shot if you take the gun out of the package,
aim it at your head, and pull the trigger.

-------------------------
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
-------------------------

So what is the "explicit action" required to activate a virus that
arrives in an email attachment? It's as simple as clicking on the
attachment. Depending on your email program, this will either save
the file to your hard disk or activate the virus immediately. It
really is that simple... don't click on attachments and your inbox
will be safe from computer viruses.

How can you tell the difference between good attachments and those
that contain a virus? In some cases, you can't. Anti-virus software
may help, but if the virus is very recent, your anti-virus package
may not be able to detect it. Case in point: The recent S-o-B-i-g
and M-y-D-o-o-m viruses infected thousands of computers worldwide
in just a few hours, even though they had anti-virus software.

Here are some practical tips to help you decide whether or not to
open an attachment:

+ If you get an email with an attachment from someone you don't
know, delete it. You don't take candy from strangers, and you
should behave the same with email attachments.

+ If you get an email with an attachment from a friend, don't
assume it's harmless! Many viruses spread by automatically
sending themselves to the addresses found in the victim's
address book, and they often include something in the message
body that looks like a personal message from your friend.

+ Unless you are very computer savvy, and you can tell for sure
from the name of the attached file that it's not a virus, then
CALL or EMAIL your friend and ask if they meant to send you
an attachment.

+ If they say no, then obviously you should delete the message
and let them know THEY are probably infected with a virus.

+ If they say yes, AND they can explain what it is (photos of
the family picnic, etc.) it should be safe to open the attachment.

SEMI-TECHNICAL NOTE: Take care when checking the filename of an
attachment as a guide to whether or not you should open it. The
standard (bad) behavior of Windows is to hide the file extension (the
last three characters) when filenames are displayed. Some virus
writers take advantage of this and create files with names such as
HAPPY.JPG.EXE, which will display as HAPPY.JPG. It appears to be a
harmless JPG (photo) file, but is really a nasty virus.

To force Windows to display the entire filename, open My Computer
then click on Tools/Folder Options/View (on some systems, click on
View/Folder Options/View) then UNcheck the "Hide file extensions
for known file types" option. But even this may not be enough. Uzi
Paz explains in much greater detail in his "Security and Filename
Extensions" article how Gatus of Borg has deigned to hide certain
file extensions even when they are supposed to be unhidden; along
with instructions for revealing ALL potentially harmful file
extensions, without using run-on sentences or improperly-placed
punctuation marks, here:

http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/1131/eng/safe.html

---------------
IN A NUTSHELL
---------------

If you remember nothing else about computer viruses, try to keep
these three facts in mind:

+ You can't get a virus just by reading your email.

+ A virus cannot attack without your help.

+ Never open an attachment unless you're sure it was sent on
purpose, and the sender can explain what it is.

-----------------------
AM I ANTI-ANTI-VIRUS?
-----------------------

Am I saying that anti-virus software is useless? For many people,
yes! If you follow the guidelines in this article, and you handle
only attachments that contain photos, anti-virus software is a
waste of money and can make your computer slower and less reliable.

If you deal with word processor files or spreadsheets, if you
download software, use a "file-sharing" program such as Kazaa,
your computer is shared by others (especially children) who are
prone to clicking, opening or downloading almost anything, despite
repeated warnings, threats and knuckle-whacking, or if you have a
nagging suspicion that Cousin Vinny might be right after all...
then you SHOULD use an anti-virus program.

I don't discount the fact that people do make mistakes. If using
anti-virus software makes you feel safer, if you understand that it's
not a GUARANTEE to keep you safe, if you don't mind spending the
money, then maybe it's right for you. You can find a bunch of popular
anti-virus packages here:

http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=anti-virus

But be aware that it can only protect you from the viruses it KNOWS
about. I've heard from LOTS of people who faithfully kept their
anti-virus software updated, but they still got a virus because of
careless email handling.

You should also check for email, browser and operating system
software updates at least once a month. (If you use Windows, you
should have Windows Update take care of this automatically.) Older
versions may have security flaws that allow unauthorized access to
your system. Here are some links that may help you to find new
versions, upgrades or security patches:

+ WINDOWS UPDATE - http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

+ NETSCAPE - http://home.netscape.com/smartupdate

+ EUDORA EMAIL SOFTWARE - http://www.eudora.com