Just a word of warning to some of you that - apologies that this may go off the topic - there are particular psychic services online of which one can pay for prior to appointment (Skype/Telephone). Please do not be overtly concerned about fraud new age businesses as skilled hacking groups, trust me, they're not (due to micro-payments fraud- they can't command the salaries to get skilled folk to work for them & commit crime - some people can) and let me say that other snoopers will go after them and have a go at sites (people are using Facebook more bcoz of this yet that's ok even if they're fraudulent) and a bunch of stuff I won't go into here. I will keep it very very simple regarding new age fraudsters.

Kinda similar and like Facebook, one can't delete a Skype acct. However, that's not the problem. You can use Skype account @ net cafe on ya travels or a fk around machine that you do not care for OS security but do not install or use on an OS for your more serious work where you need it clean & ur apps to run smoothly (doesn't matter whether you're a graphic designer, compiling code, production, presentations, whatever..) - try to avoid Skype with ANYONE you do not know, including religious/employment/other people you're unsure about and psychic readings. Skype can be recorded, so... you will only speak to someone online and confide in people you really know (why would you wish to open up to someone you just met who's recording you?). Find a good psychologist via ur local decent GP who has a proper reputation or psychiatrist with a practice and proper reputation if you're having mental/emotional difficulties, firstly. There's a lot of good people out there in the system via the government (too bad if you disagree). DO NOT confide in somebody who won't open up evidentially to you who has your full identification who does not have a public profile and is reachable (IE. you opening up to a pop star via a letter is not going to be a concern given record label and mgmt. etc). Indie music? Stay away from. Nah, just kidding, your fave musicians are really nice people, they deal with stalkers all the time & all sorts of shit and get paid nothing to put up with crap :-)

Anyway, re: Gmail (given that you're NOT surfing stupidly & keep your system clean - valid social media sites/no weird downloads or tracking graphics/files/apps etc. & net security from ur ISP for Windows/perhaps u use network monitor or Wireshark for ya WPA2/other to use 4 flatmates/family or just ya str8 OSX or perhaps Linux choices) regardless of using minimal security in Windows for example, you will be fine. If you use a great passwrd and very long random secret question (pasted/encrypted stored, changed a bit) and backup email addy/mobile phone - try to decode packets with that? If you're talking in terms or key loggers and link tricks, that's stupidity - use your own clean mobile/machine (regardless of topics like wireless; token middle-attacks .. etc. and that would be local) The time and practice, it's out of most people's depth. You'll be fine. Anonymous ain't gonna have a go at your gmail (because the good lads and girls don't care unless you're wanted for shit) and neither will some new age fraudulent dumb dumb that wouldn't know the difference between Java and XSS.

If you email me on a single VPN it doesn't give you really much security though you may like to compress your data over WLAN at home, perhaps when you're using public or perhaps on your mobile. I won't go into anything else due to this forum topic. There's load of good blogs on IT and you can surf the Anonymous sites too. They're great basic stuff for people that have not done computer stuff that enjoy the political reads.

Please do not get paranoid about hacking. I mean, Garry Mckinnon even mentioned he wasn't a hacker. He's a systems administrator having a snoop around due to his mental interests. I won't go any further, it's not relevant what I think here. A hacker - in my definition - is someone that is not just a Sabu (doesn't have the education and made dumb errors & ego stuff, very intelligent and passionate though - every step they take walking the tight-rope doing anything, hrdwre used, place of entry, exit, location they can fall from a very serious height); street knowledge about breaking, friggin' blah blah freaked modems etc. A complete hacker by definition is someone who is highly skilled/knowledgable in telecommunications engineering, all languages, dffrnt hardware/dffrnt environments/OS' - to put it simply also, someone with the educational background classically in the computer sciences. Not just tracing IP addresses and using shit for kicks being a teen noob brat or sad character that doesn't have a lot going for them in life. That kinda thing :-<

Fighting American, what you've said taking away the stupid stuff is valid. There is politics involved in the so-called free-rights movement and new age. Money & reputation is a factor. There is nasty stuff going on as a business. I'm not going to post about. Period.

Stuart Wilde has a reputation. Being agnostic the healing thing I find to be strange without evidence. I'm not talking about anything related to costs of events (which you may like to go into :-)

The stuff that you mentioned about pictures prior to events and personal details and the whys???? Yeah... Ummmm? You're posting stuff prior to from the A-List it seems. It's ok. Some people have pictures on their twitter accounts and social Facebook and resumes... ? Don't know.

Just off-the-cuff: A person I know did something related to an Internet business scam without discussing the details with someone knowledgable and ended up being ripped off thousands of dollars. Long story short, thankfully, the bank got involved and got the money back. Also, even though me, not being religious or believing in the morality debate under theistic fundamentalist ordinance rather than state/federal legalities, life after death; I do respect and adhere to not only the paranormal but psychic studies - parapsychology. Science is really important and I'm of the attitude that things are far more complex than we'll know and our little world view (apologies if I offend).

Regarding what I started this post about (new age working scams), recently in fact, I know of a rip-off regarding a known psychic based in another country who offered a psychic reading. The reputable psychic is based in another country to the client and decided not to make the appointment with view to ripping off the client a decent amount of money (this is a known psychic that's been on national TV in a few countries - industry accredited). Without going into too much detail -- just to prove to you that there's people on the Internet being mistreated under the guise of 'new age' ethics -- the client asked for some help to get the money back given the services were deliberately ignored. The psychic thought they would be fine to rip off yet another client in another country given 'no refund' applies and legal over the cost. The psychic does have family, found out legitimately in the particular country of current residence. The psychic was threatened, traced geographically and internet account snooped on (the psychic was using private address and thought it's been okay and cool to get away with scamming a few people he thought would be ok victims from abroad given reputation). Within a short amount of time the psychic - being notified and identified - got very scared and fully refunded the money promptly with a bullshit excuse regarding 'illness'.

There's lots of good knowledge out there and products and services, but PLEASE be very careful folk :-)