The problems of the world can be eliminated and solved by individual people like you and me, and through no other means than by those people purely concentrating on personal development and personal growth. We need to be able to recognize the essential humanity in ourselves and also in the people we meet.

Every time you open a newspaper or watch TV, listen to the radio or search the internet it's the same thing nowadays: nothing but a seemingly endless succession of scenes of killing, robbery, rape, bombings, war and nastiness.

It can make you depressed if you let it.

Many commentators talk and write endlessly about the reasons for it all, and especially in the case of wars, governments and leaders of countries spend a lot of effort justifying themselves. It's funny how they always seem to have some innocent and noble reason for invading a country or bombing the civilian population of that country, isn't it?

In my opinion there are two major reasons why this situation continues, even though everyone hates it.

The first is a way of thinking that I have named The Badge Mentality. Under this mentality, you gather round and stay with those people who are wearing the same badge as you. Even if you maybe do not like a person very much, he is nevertheless wearing that badge, and it is the same as your badge. Actually, in a way, you do not even have to bother about making a decision as to whether you like him. That really does not matter. And why is that?

Because he is wearing the same badge.

And all those other people, the ones who are wearing different badges? We don't trust them, of course, and we go ahead and obey our so-called leaders when they order us to kill them.

What form does this badge take? It can be a common nationality or a common language or a common skin color or even a common interest in a particular football team. The reason why there is conflict on Earth is because we have conditioned ourselves to see others as wearers of a badge, and we judge them by that, rather than trying to see each person as an individual human being.

The second reason for the continuation of this situation is if everyone blindly accepts the views and explanations of the political leaders, who are just saying whatever will keep them in office and preserve things as they are. This is why I say that if today everyone on Earth decided to ignore these so-called leaders, and instead, each person concentrated on his or her personal development as a human being, then we would have world peace in a very short time from now.

And yes, I am talking in terms of around next Tuesday.

But, you might say, maybe it is a little bit selfish to be pursuing personal development when there is so much trouble in the world? No because your own personal development is something you can start on right now, right here, today. And if enough people begin on a program of personal development, it will not be long before they develop a force too powerful for mere governments to withstand.

A personal growth revolution can never be imposed from above or from outside. So if it is going to happen, then it is for you to start it rolling, where you are, right now.

Peace is always there to be found within yourself.

Robert Paterson is a believer in the cause of personal development for world peace. He is also a very useful person to have in your pub quiz team. You can read more on the whole subject of Personal Development, and get some advice, tips, ideas and information by clicking on the following link http://positivehighenergy.blogspot.com/.

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As a coach, I don't have the answers. What I do have are the questions. Questions are powerful tools we can use to create a deeper awareness and shift perspective. Often, when asked a question, you will stop to think about the situation in ways you have never done before. There are times when I ask my clients a question and they reply with something like "I have never thought of it that way before," or "No one has ever asked me that." Questions can be provocative and create an awareness you might not have had before. I found that to be true for myself when I was trying to make a business decision. Coaching myself by asking three important questions allows me to make a thoughtful decision.

I was perplexed about what to do with a difficult business decision. I remember reading the book, The Power of Focus, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt. I pulled it off the shelf, laid it on my desk, and it opened to page 128. There in the middle of the page in bold black letters were the words, "The Three Big Questions." I read the section and was struck by the simplicity and the power of the words. The section explained how Warren Buffet, the financial guru, decided whether or not he would have dealings with a company or with an individual. He first asked himself three questions:

Do I like them?
Do I trust them?
Do I respect them?

"If any one of these questions results in a 'no' the deal is off." I decided that if this process was good enough for Warren Buffet, it was good enough for me. I asked myself the three questions. The answer to two of the questions were no and the deal was off. Asking the questions made me realize how important relationships are to me, and that I have to like, trust, and respect the people in my life regardless of how profitable or beneficial the deal might seem.

These questions can be used in many situations, not just business. As the book points out, "Why would you choose to build relationships with people you don't trust, don't respect or don't like?" It is a good question. "There are lots of excellent people out there to enjoy your valuable time with. So whether it's marriage, a business partner or hiring a sales team, choosing the right people is critically important to your future health and wealth."

Okay! You are going to say there are certain people that have to be in your life. No, there isn't; but I will give you that there are people that are somehow connected to you and will show up where you are from time to time. For those people, you need to avoid them or limit contact. You can be respectful when in their presence, but they don't have to be in your life. Disconnect emotionally from them and you might notice that their presence will have little or no effect on you.

Who you spend time with will determine what kind of life you have. Allowing people into your life that you don't like, don't trust or don't respect is bound to be disappointing even disastrous. I used to think I had to put up with certain people; after all, don't we have to like and be nice to everyone? No! Actually we don't. Be respectful yes, but that is all. We don't have to invite them into our lives or try to build a relationship with them. I have created boundaries and standards where I simply don't allow people I don't like, don't respect or don't trust into my life. Since I have set these boundaries, it is amazing who has shown up in my life. I now have the most amazing people around me.

Resource
The Power of Focus, by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanson and Les Hewitt, Health Communications, Inc. 2000.

Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD is a human potential expert who believes in the power of action to create the life you crave. For her free report that will make you wealthier, healthier and happier starting today click on http://www.365daysofcoaching.com/daily_action.htm

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There is a right way and a wrong way to practice basic word association. It does seem somewhat boring and if you have done any searching at all for memory improvement techniques you certainly have heard of it. You might even have discounted it. But I want you to put all of that aside for now and accept that their might be a more interesting and more effective way of doing it.

Word association seems reasonable to some people but what if you forget your association? It has happened to me before. I take the time to remember someones name and then I forget what I was supposed to associated the name with.

The problem was that the association was not strong enough and obviously not memorable enough. In order to make the association strong enough or memorable enough it has to be as compelling and interesting as an excellent movie. The way you do that is by making the association colorful and vivid and animated enough so that when that person whose name you are trying to remember walks toward you again, you look at him or her, find your association easily, because it is so colorful and animated and funny that it returns to you like a storm of memorable feeling.

The name "Clarke" for instance you give you a picture of Superman. You look at Clarke's tie, and you see a picture of a big red "S". The name Mary might give you a picture of a wedding dress, but you have to associate the dress to something about Mary. For example, if Mary is wearing a skirt or a dress, you look behind it and see the longest train you have ever seen on a wedding dress.

Memory enhancement techniques need to be practiced until they become automatic.
Find out how to awaken your photographic memory.
http://www.mightymemory.info

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After planning for your new illness support group for weeks, or perhaps even months, it's finally time to have your first meeting. You've gone through the steps of preparing a proposal to start up a support group. It's been approved by whoever is in charge, such as an organization or church. And you've put together a welcome folder for all the people who will attend. You have topics to discuss, speakers scheduled, and perhaps even a study planned.

So, you're meeting is sure to run perfectly, Right? Unfortunately, all the plans in the world cannot cancel out a few unforeseen situations. Below are four of the aggravations you may experience during those first few meetings. Knowing what hurdles you may encounter can help you be prepared in advance.

(1) Few people attend.

How it feels: Disappointing. After all the work you put into it, not to mention the passion you feel about doing this, it seems like such a wasted to just have one or two people show up. Understand that this can be typical, especially at first, when everyone feels a bit intimidated. Try not to take it personally. To be honest, you are fighting an uphill battle in getting people to attend a chronic illness support group, because when people feel ill, they usually want to stay home, not go out and socialist. But when they are feeling well, they'd prefer to do something more fun then sit around and talk about their illness.

What to do: Hope for the best and prepare for the few. As a Christian organization, the HopeKeepers small group program founder says, "Although it's disheartening when just a couple of people show up, I know that God created that appointment. When I led a group once, just one person came, but we had the best conversation and she admitted that she was extremely shy and likely would not have even spoken if other people had attended the meeting."

Keep a summary of your lesson plan, even including the topics that were discussed. This way you can easily "replicate" the meeting another time with little preparation. Lastly, consider calling people and, without adding undo pressure, ask them what challenges are preventing them from coming? Is it transportation? Is it the time of day? How could you make it easier for more people to come?

(2) Everyone seems to ignore your lesson plan.

How it feels: You may be quick to assume that your ideas are just not interesting or helpful enough for people's circumstances. You may even feel a touch of anger that people don't appreciate the time you spent preparing.

What to do: Allow some flexibility at first and then add in more structure as the group meets. The truth is that most people are probably excited and even relieved to have other people who understand what they are going through. Simply gathering people together in one room and can open the floodgates of emotions that people have held back for years. It's hard to hold up a book and a lesson plan and force people to remain focused when a member is in tears over the ending of her marriage, for which she blames her illness. This situation can occur at any meeting, but may be more frequent during the first month.

Share with your new friends about your desire for the group to be a safe place where people can share their deepest fears and challenges, but that you also want to make sure everyone leaves feeling more refreshed than when they came. Tell them you respect their time and want to get them out on time (and they can talk afterwards if they wish). Explain that to do so there will be times when you move from a very emotional setting towards closing the meeting with an uplifting article, scripture, poem, prayer, devotional, etc.

(3) Everyone just complains about everything! Their relationships, the medical professionals, their illness-the list is never ending.

How it feels: Like you are expected to manage a small riot. There are many built up emotions where people have experienced deeply wounded feelings, unjust consequences, and even medical errors. It can seem they want you to fix the situation or else they will talk incessantly about it to everyone.

What to do: Set up some basic guidelines before your first meeting if possible, and include the "venting guidelines." Read "10 Ways to Make Your Illness Support Group Uplifting." Set a timer and allow everyone to have 60 seconds to share their most frustrating experience of the week. Start a contest with a prize for who handled their situation the best or most creatively. Or be silly and give an award for someone to take home for the week, like "Aggravated the Alligator Award" (a rubber alligator)

Don't forget to include others in the conversation. For example, say, "Jane, some of us can really relate to what you are feeling. Is there someone here who would like to share how she or he has dealt with these emotions?" If you are doing a lesson plan, say, "Since I want to get you all out of here on time, lets move on to question six, and if someone has some encouragement for Jane, they can share that with her after our meeting." (Make sue that someone is you if no one else steps forward.)

(4) One person continually dominates the conversation; she takes over the meetings and completely disregards your plans or people who are trying to talk.

How it feels: Aggravating! You've spent a lot of time preparing for this special time and to have someone come in and take on an overbearing leadership role can be exasperating. When you can see the person leading your group down a path of negativity, you may also be worried about how many people she is scaring away. Will others think this is what your group is all about?

What to do: Set firm boundaries from the beginning. While it's vital that people are encouraged to communicate their frustrations, they are also responsible for respecting others in the group. They need to watch their language, the quantity of time they dominate a conversation, and how they comment on people's treatments or decisions.

Put together some simple guidelines at the beginning that you hand out to new members in a welcome folder. Then if the person dominating the meetings doesn't get your hints, speak with her privately. You may also want to put her in charge of a certain part of the meeting so she can have a designated time to talk and be in a leadership position. When situations like this occur, people can be gently reminded of the guidelines they received when they first joined the group. It won't feel quite as personal as you correcting their behavior.

In conclusion, understand that leading an illness support group is not the uncomplicated task it is often assumed to be. Sometimes we think of it as simply letting people know when you're getting together to share and support one another, loads of people show up, and everyone's personalities click perfectly. Don't be alarmed if it doesn't work this way.

It takes a special person who can effectively communicate with people to lead a support group. A facilitator must be able to gently guide people in the path you wish them to go, so that the group makes a positive emotional impact, rather than becoming a complaint forum. A leader be compassionate, but also able to set boundaries or diffuse anger. As circumstances arise, ask other leaders for ideas and support. And most of all, remember that no leader ever feels one-hundred percent capable. Having a willingness to learn and listen are some of the top leadership qualities in which to invest.

Do you have a chronic illness? Get the first 40 pages of "Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend" when you sign up for our monthly ezine HopeNotes at http://www.restministries.org/res-ezine.htm Plus find other articles all related to chronic illness and information on National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week at http://www.restministries.org Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries which serves the chronically ill through Christian resources and other programs and support group materials.

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What is "right livelihood"?

Right livelihood is your life purpose put into action. For example, if your life purpose is to teach, you may become a seminar leader, school teacher, or work in developing nations to help the people improve their living conditions.

Although your life purpose is unchangeable, your right livelihood is always subject to change. In the previous example, one person could easily have experienced all three aspects of their life purpose of teaching.

Very few people have one job for 40 or 50 years any more. Even professionals such as doctors and lawyers who have huge investments of time and money in their professions are changing their right livelihood. For example, I know several lawyers who have shifted their right livelihood from practicing law to becoming life coaches. One is a dear friend of mine who was a divorce lawyer, then became a mediator, and now is a relationship coach. Several years ago my doctor decided to shift the implementation of his life purpose of healing from being a doctor to helping to heal people and the environment by creating a company that manufactured and sold environmentally benign soap products and organic foods.

Over the years, the actualization of my life purpose of teaching has shifted numerous times. At one time, I had my own roofing company and taught many women to become roofers. At a deeper level, I was teaching them self-empowerment and how they could break through self-imposed boundaries of belief about what they were capable of doing. As a Realtor, I taught innumerable buyers and sellers about staying centered and balanced with the use of personal boundaries throughout the often fear-filled process of selling and buying property.

Now I'm a life purpose coach and spiritual teacher, guiding my clients and students toward self-awareness and self-empowerment as they move toward the embodiment of their life purpose as it suits them now.

My right livelihood has changed several times during my life so far, and it will no doubt change in the future as well. As will yours.

So the question then becomes, how will you know when you're in the sweet spot of right livelihood?

It's very simple. You love what you do. In fact, you love it so much you don't want to stop doing it. You lose all track of time when you're doing it. You're not doing it because of the money - in many cases the money you receive from doing what you love is minimal or may even be nonexistent. It doesn't matter. You keep doing it anyway, because you can't help yourself. Doing anything else feels empty and forced.

Because my life purpose is to teach, I'm going to teach you a little technique to help you identify the aspects of your right livelihood. For a moment, think about the work you're doing now. Then...

1. On a sheet of paper, list everything you love or even just like about the work.
2. On another sheet of paper, list all the things you don't like or hate about the work. Knowing a bit about human nature, I'll share with you that the hate list will be hugely easier for you and it will probably be much longer. That's good, because...
3. When you're done with the list of negatives, transform everything into its opposite. Those things you hate so much will then become things you'll love. As an example, my job from hell would include working in an office with no windows and no one to talk to. The opposite for me would be working in an office with views of the forest (which I actually do have and am enjoying as I write this),
4. Add the transformed negatives to your love list.

This will get you started on your way to your right livelihood by helping you to clearly identify the things you love about your life purpose work.

Kathy Wilson helps people get their life unstuck using a co-creative, multi-faceted approach. She and her clients utilize life coaching, spiritual consulting, NLP, vibrational healing, and teaching... whatever is in her client's highest and best interests. She's a Certified Professional Coach, spiritual teacher, Reiki master, vibrational healer, and author of An Inner Journey: Living Your Life Purpose. For information about her products, services, and classes, visit her websites: http://www.under-one-roof.net and http://www.warrior-priestess.com

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So perhaps NOT being rich and famous has compensations.

For us more ordinary people - working in a job with little stimulation so we can raise our children; pay the mortgage and fill the car with petrol is our most likely scenario.

Having worked with literally thousands of workers over the years, I know that the majority of people in our organizations feel the soul-lessness of the daily grind. Sadly, they don't see any way out of their situation, or even any way to grow and add value to the organization they work for. They feel they are tied because of the mortgage and their desire to give their children a better life than they possibly had. And that is very laudable but it is also very sad.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way.

When I speak at conferences, I share with my audiences, what I call, the four stages of knowing.

1. LOGICAL - it's logical that I become an accountant because I am good with numbers and am an organized sort of person. And everyone, school counselors, my teachers and even my parents urge me to follow this path, because it's safe and will provide a good income for the rest of my life

2. EMOTIONAL - yet in my heart I want to be an artist. At every turn I am told - no, no, no. You can't make a living doing that. Become an accountant and paint in your spare time.

3. PHYSICAL - I believe that if a person goes against their inner instincts, eventually they will get sick! Headaches, high blood pressure and depression are often the results of an unfulfilled person living an unfulfilled life.

4. SPIRITUAL (knowing) - trusting that if I do what I love, the rest will be taken care of.
At which point I usually hear the chorus of BUTs. 'Ah yes but, that's OK for you to say - I have a mortgage." Who hasn't? "I have children to put through college." Who hasn't? "I have responsibilities." Who doesn't?

Do you think your children would rather have a happy and fulfilled Mum or Dad, or one who is depressed and joyless and bitter and twisted?

It's always easy to find excuses or to blame someone else - our partners, the government, our parents - whoever. It takes courage to follow your inner knowing.

If this is the only life we have, then surely it is our duty to make it the very best life it can be. To use the God given talents we know we want to use rather than the soul-less skills other people see as our road to safety and security and boredom and blandness.

Every single one of us has to take personal responsibility for our own lives and the situation we find ourselves in.

I'm not suggesting that overnight a person throws everything away. I am suggesting that people get really clear what it is they want to do (or be). To set a clear course for getting there - whether that will take a year or two or even five. And to get started.

My own journey was a classic. I was working As an HR Manager in a corporate environment on a salary to die for - and I was doing just that - dying. I would drive into work in the morning with tears rolling down my cheeks. I decided I had to get out. I had a mortgage and teenagers and was a solo Mum. But I also knew that if I stayed doing what I was doing, they may not have a Mum for much longer. I had those symptoms - headaches, backache, LOW blood pressure and the beginnings of depression.

And so I plotted my escape. I gave myself two years to be out of that place and in two years almost to the day I was. I saved every cent I could during those two years so that when I walked away I had the equivalent of 6 months pay stashed away. And even that wasn't enough. We ended up having to sell our very flash house and down-trade to a much more modest home. But I was a happier person, a better Mum and I was setting out to do something I loved. A reward in itself.

It took me 7 years to get back to the level of income I walked away from - but the pay had never been my incentive. I just knew if I stayed in that environment I would die.

Did we have to make sacrifices? Of course we did. Did it have an effect on my children - yes I think it did. But I don't think it actually did them any harm. I involved them in my finances and my decisions, and we became a team. My son was amazing - he was a far better shopper than me - he would scout out all the bargains and specials. I think it made my children better people too. It showed them that they too could make choices down-track. That they didn't have to be stuck in a job they hated working for people they didn't respect.

I absolutely, and totally believe that we have to listen to that inner voice.

Getting to where your heart leads you isn't always easy. It absolutely isn't a soft option. But living half a life isn't much of an option either.

I want to get to the end of my life and be able to say, 'That was a life worth living; I made a difference'."

And I leave you with this thought:

'Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have' - Doris Mortman

Ann Andrews CSP is a team facilitator and the author of four books - Shift Your But, Finding the Square Root of a Banana, Did I Really Employ You? and My Dear Franchisees.

She is also a contributor to - You don't Make a Big Leap Without a Gulp, The Power of More Than One and Mum's the Word.

Ann is a professional speaker, consultant on human resource issues, and MD of Teams from Woe To Go - http://www.woetogo.com and The Corporate Tool-box - http://www.thecorporatetoolbox.com

Ann can be contacted at anand@woetogo.com or info@thecorporatetoolbox.com

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If you've been plagued by a problem in your life, especially if you've had that problem for a long time, you might assume that you'd be eager to get rid of it. You might think so, but actually, when you get right down to it, the contrary is often more true.

People get used to having their problems, even though they may be uncomfortable and you would like to get rid of them. You see, you may KNOW how to be depressed, or anxious, or sick. Those feelings, although uncomfortable, are familiar to you.

Contemplating something else is a bit scary. It may be hard to even imagine what life would be like without the problem that has been with you for so long. Contemplating and taking action to do or be something else is even scarier still.

In fact, sometimes the problem becomes your identity. The way you talk about having or working on your problem may sound like it is your career. When you talk about "my depression" it may sound as if it is your best friend. It is easy to slip into this habit, and to think that the problem is part of your life forever.

The belief that you can't change may be so strong that it blocks all attempts let go of that problem. Before any useful work can be done to change the situation, you first need to understand what that problem "means" to you.

There is a series of questions I often ask when I'm beginning to work with someone who has had a long-lasting problem or one they report has stubbornly resisted all their efforts at letting it go:

1. What will happen if you let it go?

Imagine and consider all the possibilities, both good and bad.

2. What will happen if you don't let it go?

Again, imagine and consider all the possibilities-good and bad.

3. What won't happen if you let it go?

What will you miss?

4. What won't happen if you don't let it go?

Does having this problem "protect" you in some way?

These questions help you identify the positives and negatives you associate with having the problem and getting rid of it. Sometimes there are clues about why it is hanging on. There may be a belief that you'll lose something important by getting rid of the problem.

Ultimately you need to believe that your life will be better without the problem than with it. Once you believe that and are really ready to take that leap of faith to let it go, you CAN change it.

You must be willing to risk being somewhat uncomfortable, and to let go of the problem you know so well in order to discover the life you want to have. Until you are willing to to that, you won't be ready to change.

It's actually a lot like a swinging on a trapeze. You have to be ready to let go of the swing you are one, to get where you want to go. When you are ready, there are a lot of methods out there to help you. Let it go...The outcome is definitely worth it.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach, trainer and owner of Inner Resource Center, LLC. She has 30 years of experience helping people overcome obstacles, change their lives, and reach goals they had not thought possible using her solution focused approach. She specializes in helping people get unstuck from negative emotions and limiting beliefs that sabotage their happiness. Get additional free tips and challenges for getting unstuck from her Inner Resources report at http://www.InnerResourceCenter.com or contact her for a free 20 minute consultation.

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SAN FRANCISCO -- VoiceGenie Technologies Inc., the proven performance leader in standards-based IVR software platforms powering next-generation speech-enabled contact centers, today announced the successful completion of a project at the Akron Beacon Journal with VoicePort LLC, a leading provider of advanced speech automation solutions for the publishing industry, to speech-enable the newspaper's Customer Care Center.

"The Akron Beacon Journal is always striving to improve the speed and ease with which customer inquiries are handled, and by deploying an automated service to complement our circulation department attendants, we are better able to expedite customer inquiries regarding, for example, delivery schedules, payments and vacation 'holds' - especially during peak periods," said Debbie Fox, Customer Service Manager at the Akron Beacon Journal, a subsidiary of Knight Ridder Publishing. The new system replaces an older, slower touch tone installation, enabling a reduction in the number of customer service representatives (CSRs) handling circulation requests, while freeing the time of the CSRs to highlight promotions (up-selling), point out bundled packages (cross-selling) and attend to complex customer interactions.

"Rather than install a traditional software setup, loading software onto in-house servers - which requires an up-front capital outlay along with the expense of maintaining and updating - the VoicePort hosted system off-site reduces costs substantially and can in many case accelerate time to deployment," added Chris Mann, President of VoicePort LLC. New System Replaces Touch Tone; Increases Usage Rates

Callers are definitely finding the system to be friendly and efficient, allowing them to complete transactions quicker, illustrated by preliminary estimates that show the usage rates of the new, automated system have increased by more than 150 percent over rates for the older, touch tone system. The CSRs are also pleased with the new system, as it allows them to concentrate on more interesting, 'higher value' tasks.

"Like most newspapers, the Journal had been losing readership to the

internet, cable television and other non-traditional news sources, which also take away advertising and classified ad revenue," said Chris Mann, President, VoicePort LLC. "At the same time, production costs - such as the price of newsprint - are rising. So we proposed a solution that helps keep subscribers and add new ones through faster, more focused, speech-enabled customer service, reducing costs and adding the opportunity to better use resources to pro-actively reach out to and in some cases market new services."

Underpinning VoicePort's CircPort(TM) application is a heavy-duty, flexible infrastructure - VoiceGenie 7 - based on open standards and capable of supporting all manner of next-generation, speech-enabled applications.

"The best speech-application infrastructure in terms of reliability, scalability and performance is one based on the latest industry standards, including VoiceXML 2.0," said Frank Tersigni, VP of Marketing and Business Development, VoiceGenie Technologies Inc., "and we're pleased to add the Akron Beacon Journal, through our partner VoicePort, to a rapidly growing list of global customers which have realized the benefits of our industry-leading VoiceGenie 7 platform."

About VoicePort LLC

VoicePort LLC is a leading provider of advanced speech automation solutions for the publishing industry. Founded in 2002 with a highly experienced team of speech engineers, the VoicePort team brings their many years of automation product development with large telecom companies to create robust, innovative applications for the publishing industry. Currently VoicePort is partnered with over Forty Five newspapers and is growing at a rate of three newspapers a month. VoicePort's speech solutions include CircPort(TM), AdPort(TM), and SpeechAttendant(TM), and it have recently expanded to introduce WebPort(TM), a self-service application for the internet.

VoiceGenie Technologies Inc.

VoiceGenie IVR software platforms provide the most flexible open standards infrastructure for supporting next-generation speech-enabled contact centers. VoiceGenie's platform is renowned for excellence in VoiceXML and also supports other emerging standards such as CCXML, X+V, SIP and MRCP. Deploying speech solutions with the VoiceGenie platform results in the lowest total cost of ownership and the best overall solution in terms of reliability and performance - VoiceGenie 7 delivers a consistent and repeatable user experience regardless of platform loading.

VoiceGenie software powers some of the largest IVR deployments in the world. Our customers include leading organizations such as Scotiabank, Sony, AIG, AT&T, Air Canada, Bank of New York, Bell Canada, Citibank, Eastman Chemical, France Telecom, Hertz Germany, India Times, Merck, Motorola, Netflix, New York Daily News, SCANA, Suncoast Media, Ticketmaster, TV Guide, Tyco, Verizon, and many others.

FEELING good about yourself enhances every area of your life and can even improve your health.

If you operate from a basis of self-confidence and self - esteem, your relationships with others are happier and your work and life become more fulfilling.

Every one of us is sacred, every man is a god and every woman a goddess.

By working to improve your self -image and self - esteem, you can connect to your inner Higher Self, or Spirit.

This is the special, wonderful part of every human being, the inner power many of us are afraid to tap into. Taking steps to improve your self-esteem can help you connect to this powerful source of LOVE, HEALING and HAPPINESS. 1 - Stop criticizing yourself - we live in a culture obsessed with perfection, and put ourselves down for every little imagined shortcoming. Treat yourself the way you would treat your best friend, with kindness and encouragement.

2 - Stop comparing yourself to others. There is always someone better looking, slimmer, more successful around. Don't forget there are others out there who would love to be like you.

3 - Spend time looking in the mirror, and work on liking what you see. Change your hairstyle, start exercising or experiment if you feel you need to make improvements to your appearance.

Learn to love yourself as you are by using Affirmations. Look yourself in the eye and say "I really love you, you're beautiful" as often every day.

4 - Accept what you can't change, and change what you can't accept about yourself. 5 - Enrich your spirit by setting aside some time every day for relaxation, deep breathing or self-healing exercises.

Yoga and meditation are the best paths to inner power and harmony. First thing in the morning and last thing at night are best.

Try breathing slowly and deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Imagine yourself inhaling bright golden light, and exhaling grey clouds of worry, sickness and problems.

Even five minutes of this will help you achieve inner harmony.

With a little bit of work on yourself, you can tap into an endless source of positive energy that will help you find Harmony, Contentment and Peace of mind.

Tell me how I can stop this

bleeding

Dear Sandra,

My problem is heavy periods. Over the last two years my periods have become irregular and I frequently have flooding.

My doctor has recommended a hysterectomy but I'm afraid of surgery. I'm 43 years old.

Julie, Co Cork

Dear Julie,

This is quite a common problem at your age, as you are moving towards your pre-menopausal years. I suggest you try a herbal supplement called Agnus Castus, which has a hormone-like affect and will help stop the heavy bleeding.

Royal Jelly, preferably in liquid form and Wild Yam will help, particularly if you are experiencing symptoms such as nightsweats, bloating, confusion, agitation or irritability.

You also need a good vitamin supplement, which must contain Calcium to avoid the risk of Osteoporosis.

Try to eat a healthy diet, cutting down on caffeine, sugar and fats, and increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat each day.

You should notice an improvement within three to six weeks, and if you don't you should consult your doctor again.

Am I pregnant?

Dear Sandra,

I have been going out with my boyfriend for five months now. We are both 17. He is an Aries, I am Aquarius and we have had sex six times. Now my period is three weeks late and I'm afraid in case I'm pregnant.

Can you tell me if I am pregnant? If I am will my boyfriend stand by me? My parents will go mad and my boyfriend's mother hates me.

Can you tell me what's going to happen to me?

Lisa, Dublin 14.

Dear Lisa,

I'm afraid it is very possible that you might be pregnant. If you don't want to go to your family doctor, make an appointment to see a doctor in the Well Woman Clinic.

You need to have a pregnancy test and a health check, too. You will find the address of your nearest clinic in the telephone book. It is very important for you to have advice and support at this time.

But you must speak to your mother as soon as possible. Don't worry too much Lisa, your parents really love you and will stand by you.

Of course they will be shocked and upset at first, but before long they'll be excited at the prospect of a new grandchild.

Your boyfriend really cares for you but I feel he is quite young and immature for his age, and may find it very difficult to deal with the responsibility of parenthood.

Lisa, I have to say to you that having unprotected sex is very, very foolish and you are learning a hard lesson at a very young age.

If indeed you are pregnant, you will bring a very special little person into the world.

Motherhood is a magical, experience and to love and be loved by your child is the most precious thing in the world.

If you continue to have unprotected sex you run the risk of catching a sexually transmitted disease like AIDS which can kill you.

Courion(R) Corporation, a leading provider of self-service identity management solutions, today announced SunTrust Banks has implemented automated role- and rule-based user provisioning with Courion's AccountCourier(R). Building on its implementation of Courion's automated password management solution, PasswordCourier(R), SunTrust Banks leveraged its self-service user profile creation to extend its identity management strategy to automated user provisioning. AccountCourier is able to provision accounts for new employees without requiring detailed technical knowledge. AccountCourier automatically discovers the required technical information, and through roles, business rules, and location, provisions users with the proper access. What's more, the immediacy of automated account disablement prevents any security loopholes associated with orphaned accounts.

"In a recent Burton Group survey, we identified that one of the keys to a successful user provisioning deployment is a solid alignment of business functions to user entitlements," Kevin Kampman, practice manager and senior consultant, Burton Group. "The investment in a proper definition exercise that results in a tight coupling of business roles and rules to the managed environment will insure that the specific objectives of the enterprise are addressed over the entire lifecycle of the provisioning endeavor. It also helps to model the solution to the culture of the organization, so that it becomes accepted as an integral component of business operations." "Courion has partnered closely with us to ensure a significant return on our investment," said Tim Callahan, vice president and manager, Enterprise Technology Risk Management, Project and Support Services, SunTrust Banks. "The solutions' ability to integrate with our infrastructure and ability to leverage roles and business rules are two key factors in our success. It has helped us improve service levels to those areas where we've implemented AccountCourier."

"Like so many organizations, SunTrust had many complicated provisioning processes," said Chris Sullivan, director of professional services, Courion. "Unlike many organizations, they did not wait for complex 'hard-to-do' infrastructure projects like management hierarchy and directory initiatives to be completed before they automated provisioning. By embracing Courion's methodology for leveraging what's available and automatically adapting to change, SunTrust was able to realize efficiencies while improving service to internal users."

About Courion

Courion Corporation is a leading provider of self-service identity management solutions that help enterprises drive operational efficiency by securely automating routine, manual processes. Courion's Identity Management Suite(TM), anchored by its AccountCourier(R) user provisioning and PasswordCourier(R) password management product lines, leverages existing infrastructure and integrates disparate workflows within the enterprise to optimize user productivity, strengthen security, reduce costs and ensure efficient regulatory compliance and reporting.

Over 200 enterprises including more than 50 FORTUNE 500 customers rely on Courion's solutions to streamline identity management operations. These include industry leaders such as American Electric Power, The Boeing Company, Children's Hospital Boston, Fannie Mae, GE, Office Depot, SunTrust Banks, government institutions such as the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Census Bureau, and large not-for-profit organizations such as Kaiser Permanente. For more information, contact Courion's headquarters in Framingham, MA, USA at 508-879-8400 or visit www.courion.com.

Courion, AccountCourier and PasswordCourier are registered trademarks of Courion Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c71542) has announced the addition of Paths to Wealth Through Common Stocks to their offering.

Paths to Wealth Through Common Stocks summarizes not only the method by which worthwhile profits have been and will continue to be made through common stock ownership, but policies that make by far the greatest profits at the least risk. In doing so, the book attempts to do two things. First, it shows how the investor (or his advisor) can determine the occasional company with outstanding management that is likely to provide the vehicle for tremendous increases in market value over a long period of years. Second, it indicates when the shares in such unusual companies may best be bought and the much rarer occasion when a stock that has been well selected in the first place should be sold. Paths to Wealth through Common Stocks contains one original concept after another, each designed to greatly improve the results of those who self-manage their investments -- while helping those who rely on professional investment advice select the right advisor for their needs.

Originally written by investment legend Philip A. Fisher in 1960, this timeless classic is now reintroduced by his well-known and respected son, successful money manager Ken Fisher, in a new foreword. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, Paths to Wealth through Common Stocks expands upon the innovative ideas found in Fisher's highly regarded Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits -- summarizing how worthwhile profits have been and will continue to be made through common stock ownership, and revealing why his method can increase profits while reducing risk. Many of the ideas found here may depart from conventional investment wisdom, but the impressive results produced by these concepts -- which are still relevant in today's market environment -- will quickly remind you why Philip Fisher is considered one of the greatest investment minds of our time.

About the Authors

PHILIP A. FISHER (1907-2004) began his career as a securities analyst in 1928 and founded Fisher & Company, an investment counseling business, in 1931. He is known as one of the pioneers of modern investment theory. After writing this book, Fisher taught at Stanford as one of only three to ever teach the Graduate School of Business Investment Management course. His other writings include investment classics such as Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits, Conservative Investors Sleep Well, and Developing an Investment Philosophy.

KEN FISHER is best known for his prestigious "Portfolio Strategy" column in Forbes magazine, where his twenty-three-year tenure of high-profile calls makes him the fourth longest-running columnist in Forbes's ninety-year history. Ken is the founder, Chairman, and CEO of Fisher Investments, a multi-product money management firm with over $40 billion under management. His success has ranked him #297 on the 2006 Forbes 400 list of richest Americans. He is a regular in the media and has appeared in most major American finance or business periodicals. Fisher also recently authored the New York Times bestseller The Only Three Questions That Count.

Content Outline:

Foreword.

Preface. The Need for Additional Investment Books.

Part I. Adjusting to the Key Influences of the 1960's.

Stocks and Inflation; Institutional Buying; Foreign Competition; Increased Population; The Economists Go Out, the Psychologists Come In.

Part II. How the Greatest Increases in Stock Values Come About.

Alert Corporate Management; A New Concept.

The Role of Institutional Buying; A Reward Usually Overlooked.

Part III. You and Where Your Investment Business Must Go.

Methods of Investment Evaluation; Five Steps for Selecting the Right Investment Counsellor.

Part IV. Trivia, but not Entirely.

What About Mergers? Voting Rights and Proxy Fights; Stocks and Election Prospects.

Part V. Major Growth Industries of the 1960's.

Chemical; Electronics; Drug; Others; The False Growth Industries of the Post-war Market; What About Oils?

We often hear people comment that the ‘First impression is the best impression’, i.e. the person who displays the best self-image makes the best impression. Competition rules today’s world and people have realized the importance of self-improvement. This improvement can be for social or professional reasons. Self-improvement means overall improvement in the personality. Cosmetic surgery is a very popular avenue for personal enhancement.

The term cosmetic surgery defines a process, which helps improve appearance. It is commonly understood that regular exercise, skin care and nutrition are just right for personal enhancement and keeping the body fit and toned. However, we are talking about real structural change here and cosmetic surgery is the only answer to that. Cosmetic surgery is a revolution in scientific and medical history. It provides an opportunity that defies both time and genetics. There are many techniques in use for cosmetic surgery. Each of them depends upon the area or the part of the body that requires enhancement.

Liposuction is one of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries. Liposuction is a definitive answer to people round the world, who are facing problems of obesity and fat accumulation. It removes excess fat deposition from areas, which may be resistant to dietary control or exercising. Another cosmetic up-gradation includes the facial cosmetic rejuvenation technique. This is also commonly known as a face-lift. It involves permanent removal of undesired fat substance from the face tissues, resulting in a much more firm and healthy face.

Every person has the right to behave in certain manner, but cosmetic surgery is that magic wand which gives you the right to look the way you want. There are many cosmetic surgery techniques available in the market, but the most common ones include those, which have the highest number of cases as registered by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Some of the procedures for figure improvement include breast lift, abdominoplasty or tummy tuck, breast reduction and finally cosmetic breast surgery also known as breast augmentation.

Cosmetic surgery is more popular with celebrities who can pay for the hefty price tag that comes with it. Cosmetic surgery is a one-stop solution for improving your physical appearance. Thus, more and more people are moving towards the idea of cosmetic surgery. Although cosmetic surgery provides such great benefits, it has a few disadvantages as well. Some people become addicted to cosmetic surgery. This case is termed as body dysmorphic disorder. In addition, if it is used several times the normal body structure is affected and some irreversible damage is done.

There is a link between stress and self improvement. Positive stress can provide a catalyst for personal change. However, negative stress can block us from moving forward in life. It can paralyze us and enough of it, over time, can destroy our self-esteem and entrench limiting self-beliefs. Therefore, managing stress is an essential first step in undertaking any self improvement program.

There are five specific stress management products and services available that can support our self improvement. These are:

1. MEDITATION cassettes and CDs. Meditation lowers the heart rate and brain wave activity and can be very healing. It relieves stress and calms internal chatter allowing you to be free for even a little while of harmful, negative self talk. This will allow you the opportunity to replace these beliefs with new positive ones.

2. SELF-HYPNOSIS. Self-hypnosis is an effective method of reprogramming the mind with positive, helpful beliefs which will help you to achieve your goals and create a better life. They can be effective in programming new beliefs that help you to quit smoking, lose weight, concentrate, increase creativity etc.

3. HYPNOSIS. If you would rather rely on a professional practitioner instead of trying self-hypnosis, there are many qualified hypnotherapists who use hypnosis to assist clients to manage stress and overcome challenges. Make sure your practitioner is registered by a reputable organization and has professional qualifications.

4. TEACHING. There are many teaching cassettes, CDs and DVDs available which teach strategies to minimize the impact of negative stress. Managing time, learning when to say yes and when to say no and using anchors to quickly change your emotional states all help to minimize stress.

5. NATURAL THERAPIES. Herbs can be used to help with stress management. Chamomile, valerian and St John’s Wort are all popular herbal remedies for stress. Withania is a very effect stress relief herb, but is usually only prescribed by qualified herbalists. Energy therapies can also be very effective stress management tools. Kinesiology, for example, uses muscle testing to identify energy blockages and limiting beliefs and assists in the release of old negative energy and stress. Bach flowers are remedies that work on an emotional level and as such are also excellent stress management products.

6. COUNSELING/COACHING. Counselors and coaches can provide one-on-one help to help you manage the stress in your life and achieve your goals. They teach skills and strategies for coping, direct you to appropriate reading material and monitor results. They also provide the opportunity for you to be accountable which reduces the likelihood of procrastination and avoidance. A good counselor or coach will often also act as a mentor and encourage you in the pursuit of your goals.

Just about everyone in the world can think of something they want to improve about themselves. With some people they may want to achieve more than one improvement. The best way to approach this is to make a list of what is most important to you. It could be something as simple as reading a book to help you improve the work you do or making time for yourself to indulge in reading of your favorite pastime. Once you commit your deepest desires about improving yourself to paper, it seems more attainable.

Start off with a plan. This means setting a goal for yourself. If you wish, you can even set a time limit, such as "I want to be able to walk five km. a day at the end of the summer." When you start out knowing what it is you want to achieve, then it makes it easier on you to get what you want. There is no point in trying to do everything at once. If you take small steps and reach stages in your self-improvement process in increments, it makes the end result more worthwhile. If you could do it all at once, then it would be too easy and you won't have the same sense of accomplishment as if it were something that you had to work really hard to get.

In some cases, the type of improvement that you want will necessitate spending money. If you want to become more confident at public speaking, for example, you may have to take classes in this. If you admire a friend of yours that can sew or paint really well and you would like to do this as well, there are many opportunities to take classes at night or on weekends. One thing that you do have to keep in mind is the amount of talent that you have for such a project. It is also something in which you have an interest. If you don't like it, then you won't master it.

Of course, self-improvement always involves health, whether it is health of the body or health of the mind. Once you achieve what you set out to do, it improves all of you - your body, mind and soul.

"When you arrive at a fork in the road — take it." — Yogi Berra, major league baseball Hall of Fame player and coach

Many paths lead to higher performance. The high performance route is individual and unique for every person, team, and organization. There is no one or best way. What works for me, or anyone else, may not work for you. We can't follow someone else's path. We need to blaze our own trail.

While no route is exactly the same, successful organization change and improvement efforts cover similar territory. Highly successful organizations have passed most of these change checkpoints and improvement milestones as they move toward ever-higher performance levels:

__ Clear and compelling reasons for changing and improving

__ Balanced focus on people, management, and technology

__ Strong ethic of self-determination

__ Comprehensive and balanced improvement model

__ Clear and compelling picture of our preferred future

__ Three or four core values

__ Definitive statement of purpose, business we’re in, or why we exist

__ Rich and continuous customer/partner performance gap data

__ Intense exploring and searching for new markets and customers

__ High levels of experimentation, pilots, and clumsy tries

__ Robust process for disseminating team and organization learning

__ Three to four strategic imperatives for each annual improvement cycle

__ Direct links between all improvement activities and strategic imperatives

__ Comprehensive and balanced improvement plan

__ Improvement planning structure, process, and discipline

__ Well designed, proven approach to process management

__ Clarity on the preferred types and focus of all teams

__ Well trained team leaders and members

__ Intense levels of technical, management, and leadership skill development

__ Simple customer/partner, innovation, capabilities, improvement, and financial measurements

__ Active feedback loops that foster learning and improvement

__ Flat, decentralized, and team-based organization structure

__ Systems that serve and support customers and partners

__ Extensive and continuous education programs

__ Effective communication strategies, systems, and practices

__ Partner-designed reward and recognition programs within a vibrant appreciation culture

__ Strong development of change champions

__ Support for local initiatives

__ Annual progress reviews and improvement assessments

__ Frequent celebrations of major breakthroughs and small wins

__ Annual refocus and planning for the next year's improvement cycle

Management teams can use this list in a variety of ways. It could be a simple checklist for the development of improvement strategies and plan. They might have everyone on the team rate how well the organization and/or team is doing in each area now. Or they might have everyone rate the improvement urgency of each of these 31 areas. Another possibility is to have everyone do both rating exercises to provide performance gap data."When you arrive at a fork in the road — take it." — Yogi Berra, major league baseball Hall of Fame player and coach

Many paths lead to higher performance. The high performance route is individual and unique for every person, team, and organization. There is no one or best way. What works for me, or anyone else, may not work for you. We can't follow someone else's path. We need to blaze our own trail.

While no route is exactly the same, successful organization change and improvement efforts cover similar territory. Highly successful organizations have passed most of these change checkpoints and improvement milestones as they move toward ever-higher performance levels:

__ Clear and compelling reasons for changing and improving

__ Balanced focus on people, management, and technology

__ Strong ethic of self-determination

__ Comprehensive and balanced improvement model

__ Clear and compelling picture of our preferred future

__ Three or four core values

__ Definitive statement of purpose, business we’re in, or why we exist

__ Rich and continuous customer/partner performance gap data

__ Intense exploring and searching for new markets and customers

__ High levels of experimentation, pilots, and clumsy tries

__ Robust process for disseminating team and organization learning

__ Three to four strategic imperatives for each annual improvement cycle

__ Direct links between all improvement activities and strategic imperatives

__ Comprehensive and balanced improvement plan

__ Improvement planning structure, process, and discipline

__ Well designed, proven approach to process management

__ Clarity on the preferred types and focus of all teams

__ Well trained team leaders and members

__ Intense levels of technical, management, and leadership skill development

__ Simple customer/partner, innovation, capabilities, improvement, and financial measurements

__ Active feedback loops that foster learning and improvement

__ Flat, decentralized, and team-based organization structure

__ Systems that serve and support customers and partners

__ Extensive and continuous education programs

__ Effective communication strategies, systems, and practices

__ Partner-designed reward and recognition programs within a vibrant appreciation culture

__ Strong development of change champions

__ Support for local initiatives

__ Annual progress reviews and improvement assessments

__ Frequent celebrations of major breakthroughs and small wins

__ Annual refocus and planning for the next year's improvement cycle

Management teams can use this list in a variety of ways. It could be a simple checklist for the development of improvement strategies and plan. They might have everyone on the team rate how well the organization and/or team is doing in each area now. Or they might have everyone rate the improvement urgency of each of these 31 areas. Another possibility is to have everyone do both rating exercises to provide performance gap data.

For any aspect of self-improvement, there has to be a reason for you to start and keep going. That is your motivation - the reason for doing what you do. In order to attempt any sort of improvement in your life, you need to be motivated in some way to get started. Strategies for self-improvement start with defining what it is you want to achieve and then charting a course through which you can effect the improvements or changes. These do not have to be drastic changes - they could be something as simple as making time for yourself to write in a journal each day or something to improve your health, such as quitting smoking.

Motivation comes from within. It is something that you want to do for you. This is what keeps you going, getting up each day and going off to work. Children are often the motivating force behind parents saving money, when they would ordinarily blow it on something frivolous. You know that you will need money for your children's higher education or to give them the extras that they want, such as toys and brand name clothing. This is the reason that you work each day, maintain a home and spend time enjoying each other.

If you don't have something to look forward to or see some sense of gratification in what you do, then there is no motivation to get doing it. Just meeting with colleagues helps you get a sense of who you are and your place in the world. Socialization, confidence and improvement are three main aspects of life. When you enjoy life, you can be motivated to achieve great things. Achievement does not have to be something that everyone recognizes. It can be something as simple as learning to make a quilt or to use a saw to create beautiful woodwork. The end result is the feeling of accomplishment that you have in yourself.

A home requires renovation from time to time to keep up its beauty and comfort. But, you may not be able to manage the cash necessary to carry out the renovation work. So, you can take help of home improvement loans for making any kind of improvement of your home. It will advance you cash to accomplish the home improvement works which you cannot carry out by yourself.

You can use the home itself to take a home improvement loan if there is any equity available in it. In this case you can offer your house as collateral and take a secured home improvement loan. It will provide you some important benefits like low rate, small repayment installments, longer loan period and flexible terms etc. You can also borrow a big amount. But, your house may be repossessed by the lender if you fail to pay off the loan.

However, you can take a home improvement loanwithout collateral also. It has its benefits like fast processing and quick money lending.There will be no risk of property repossession and no expenditure of property assessment. But you may have to pay comparatively high rate of interest for this loan. It’s because the lender undertakes greater risk by offering the loan without collateral.

Home improvement loan can be availed even if your credit score is less than perfect. Modern lenders do not look at your past financial record. Rather, they consider your present financial stability and the amount you want to borrow. So, getting approval for a home improvement loan despite your bad credit record is no more a tough task. So you should not shy away from applying for a home improvement loan simply because you have a poor credit history.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting home improvement Loans as a finance specialist.