Located on the southernmost portion of the continent of Africa is the Republic of South Africa, the birthplace of Krugerrand gold coins. In addition to mining, it's also known for wool, diamonds and of course precious metal rich ore. It's home to over thirty million people, and has an interesting and checkered past.

The history books credit the official European discovery to a Portuguese sailor named Bartholomew Diaz in 1488, four years before Columbus' famous voyage to America. The first white settlers arrived in 1652, and French, Dutch and Germans followed. In 1795 Great Britain captured the colony, and started centuries of rule and strife. To escape British rule, many Boers (farmers) migrated north and established the Boer Republics of the Transvaal.

In 1877 the British annexed the Transvaal, and the Boers were understandably upset. Two Boer Wars (1880 and 1899) followed, and during this time Paul Kruger (who served as President of the Transvaal) became a hero to the people. The Boers lost the war, and were absorbed into the British Empire- Britain was particularly motivated to win due to the discovery of gold and diamonds in the Boer settled areas. In 1934 the Union of South Africa became a sovereign state in the British Empire. There was still a great of strife between the Boers and the English, and in the mid 1940s the Boers relinquished that status and became a republic- finally withdrawing from the British Commonwealth early 1960s.

The first Krugerrand gold coins were struck in July 1967, as a means to market South African gold to the world. They were the designed as a gold bullion investment vehicle, and were marketed by the amount of gold bullion they contained, which was stamped on the coin, rather than a face value, as was stamped on their predecessors. Paul Kruger was on the obverse of the coin, and the Springbok antelope adorned the reverse. The coins were successful, however due to the shameful policy of apartheid their sale was affected by economic sanctions from the Western countries. When apartheid was abolished and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president in May of 1994, Krugerrand gold coins took their place as the world's premium and most popular gold bullion coin.

We must bear in mind the ancient myths, not as lazy academic imitations of neoclassicism, but as spiritual figures of a renovated adolescence... (Giuseppe Ungaretti - Definitions of modernity)

The outcome of the Second World War is the end of Europe as a political power: it ceases to be the reference of world politics and the division into regions of influence mars its culture.

A thousand years of history end up where Europe becomes no longer the subject but the object of history. It is necessary to get rid of all the traps, which are causing spiritual and material disorder. "But this process is not and cannot be an economic event only (...) political decisions have a deep cultural, spiritual and morale basis. The cultural unity of Europe, in the different traditions, interpenetrates and enriches all nations (...) Research European identity leads us to the sources." (J. Paul II - Prague April 21st 1990)

Nietzsche prophetically forecasted: "Only moneys will force Europe to huddle together in a single power". This sentence poses us the question to better understand the authentic reasons that motivate the common destiny of being united. European leaders should go beyond through something that is reliably deeper than a straightforward administrative union.

It seems that Europe is a sort of blind passion and we know that "there is nothing more dangerous than a blind passion in science..." (N. Semyonov).

It is then essential that political vision should be based upon a recovery of traditional civilization.

Europe must be founded on a conception of the world strong enough to allow people to destroy barbaric materialism and restore a Christian vision. Church should re-discover the sense of mysteries to favorite a complete renaissance.

It may happen that Europe will rediscover the ancient principles of Regality, the ancient Kings, today specters of the past. This would be a first step for a complete improvement. Europe should resume the passage from the point where society has taken the wrong road. We should take the best of the past to construct a valid basis for the future and avoid any looping into the history.

10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others that Didn't Help By Benjamin Wiker, Ph.D. published by Regnery Publishing, Inc. This book was deeper than my normal tastes and abilities, but after two "intellectual" friends recommended it and I saw the title, I couldn't resist. I have not been a student of ideologies. I had only a cursory knowledge of the authors and works this book addresses, yet I found it to be interesting and very informative.

The author surveys the major writings of ideologues such as; Machiavelli, Descartes, Rousseau, Marx, Darwin, Nietzche, Sanger, Hitler, Kinsey and others. The book includes the premise behind each work, background on the author and the negative results of their theories on the culture and ideologues to follow. I was surprised to find how much these ideologies have permeated our culture and even my own thinking.

The author starts the book with the concept that ideas have consequences, and in this case negative consequences. That certainly is evident in the pages that follow. It is clear to me how easily we can buy into these ideas; most often because they satisfy our flesh or pride. It was interesting and revealing that all of the ideologues claimed to be atheists. The author's spiritual position is not demonstrative but also not hidden. I found this paragraph in the book especially helpful. "What is ideology?

We live in such an ideological age that it's hard for us to distinguish good thinking from bad. The crucial distinction is that ideology is not philosophy. Philosophy is the love of wisdom, the love of what is real, whether we happen to like it or not. It is the desire for truth, and the continual humility to remold our desires to fit reality. Ideology comes at truth from the opposite direction, molding truth to what we happen to desire....Pseudo-science is thus the handmaid to ideology. Politics is its hammer." The book was a great read and well worth the time.

A few weeks ago, maybe months, I was watching a film on the Navy SEALS on the history channel or public television or one of my other favorite click stops between innings of the Detroit Tigers losing another heartbreaker. So when I was goggling Iraq war topics my interest was peaked when I came across Iraq in My Eyes: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL by Chuck Bravedy.

The short book is Bravedy's perspective of the war in Iraq, what's gone wrong and gone right and where we should go to bring about a peaceful end to the long drawn-out occupation of Iraq. Where we should be going, says the author, is the prisons of Iraq that are filled with insurgents - a captive audience that we should indoctrinate rather than just letting them set there until the courts set them free.

Bravedy presents a three-point plan to end the war in Iraq and achieve an honorable withdrawal, something we could not achieve in Vietnam. But I was intrigued more by his frank discussion of Radical Islam political forces in Iran and how the US is taking a soft glove approach, even a hands-off approach, because Islam is a religion as well as a political ideology.

We get so messed up in the U.S. because of the incessant demand that everyone be politically correct. And this driving force causes us to miss some important truths along the way, as Bravedy so rightly points out. Communism and fascism are political ideologies which this country rightly battled in past years. Christianity, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucius and are religious ideologies that we rightly tolerate. But Radical Islam is a political ideology, which Bravedy so clearly describes as a force teaching to hate and kill Americans - in Iraq, Afghanistan, or in the subways of New York.

We should battle Radical Islam in the same way as we have the Nazis and Communists in the past. The fact that these terrorists use their own twisted view of their god to justify hatred, anger, and killing does not give them a free base. Bravedy asks why Korans are made available in Iraq prison cells run by Americans and why don't we infiltrate Radical Islam mosques where terrorist news and information is communicated. Why, I also ask. And why are we failing so badly in our occupation and efforts to peacefully withdraw? We fail so badly because we succeed so well at being politically correct. Three cheers to Iraq in My Eyes and to Chuck Bravedy.

I once had a boss who informed me there was no such thing as company politics. At the time, I decided that depended on whether you were the person wielding power or influenced by it. In my career experience, I'd categorize self-serving antics, sabotaging behaviors, information hoarding and artful manipulation under the heading of company politics. I'd throw in veiled threats, perpetuated mistruths, finger-pointing and coercion. There's a long list of behaviors I've personally experienced or witnessed in the workplace under the politics label. And I'm sure you can add your own.

These negative work cultures are fraught with fear. Fear you'll step on a career grenade, lose your job, be labeled a trouble-maker or relegated to the non-promotable category. Fear you'll say the wrong thing, fall into project quicksand, find no support or be kept out of the loop. These soul-depleting cultures trample self-esteem, negate initiative, encourage survival behavior and diminish motivation.

But in twenty years in management I've learned something else about company politics. It doesn't have to be a blood-sport. The politics label can be assigned to assisting other departments, supporting company initiatives, cooperating with those in charge, sharing information, and helping others achieve results. You see, strategic alignments, interdepartmental collaboration and volunteering for additional work assignments are politics, too.

Politics can be served with a negative or a positive impact. Samuel B. Bacharach, a Cornell University professor, puts it this way in Get Them on Your Side: "Politics is simply the way we influence others to achieve our goals. As long as those goals are positive, and not achieved at the expense of others, the politics of getting them accomplished is neither manipulative nor negative. Dictators may be political, but saints might be, too."

It's the intention behind an action that determines whether politics creates fear or builds relationships. What's the motive? If politics is a dirty word where you work, undermining results and reducing staff engagement, consider your contribution to that culture.

You see, we have a choice how we use our power and influence. And don't be naïve to think you don't have both. We all have power and influence over people in our lives: staff, coworkers, family, bosses, children. We can serve our brand of politics from well-intentioned thoughts or manipulative self-interest. And each impacts differently.

(c) 2006 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

MOXNews.com January 11, 2010 CNN



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In this video historian Rick Shenkman discusses the subject of his new book: JUST HOW STUPID ARE WE? FACING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE AMERICAN VOTER (Basic Books, June 2008). Mr. Shenkman is an associate professor of history at George Mason University and the editor of the History News Network. He blogs at: howstupidblog.com



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Just when you thought it was safe to kiss chickens again... WASHINGTON POST Asia correspondent comes out with this fascinating book on the history of the struggle against bird flu (H5N1). And guess what? It's not over yet.

Right now the media's attention is on the "swine" flu (H1N1) that spread from Mexico in April 2009. It's now spread to many countries around the world and is killing a disproportionate number of children.

The media's attention of the pandemic threat of H5N1 stopped many catastrophic news cycles ago. Yet the H5N1 is still a threat. It's deeply entrenched in the chicken populations of China, probably some wild birds and no doubt Indonesia and other countries.

We never got the 1918-style massively lethal pandemic that experts in 2005 were predicting. The H5N1 virus never mutated into a strain that is both highly lethal and highly contagious.

Yet some people who have contact with chickens get it. And some people who have contact with those people get it. Over the years, the lethality rate has consistently averaged 60%.

However, it's not easily spread through coughing, sneezing and germs in the environment, as seasonal (and swine) flu are.

This book is a fascinating look at the human and political stories related to bird flu. Sipress takes us to witch doctors in Indonesia, cockfights and chicken farms in Thailand, high levels World Health Organization (WHO) meetings in Geneva, chicken smuggling trails on the China-Vietnam border, a Buddhist temple in Phnom Penh where "merit birds" are released from cages to earn good karma, a for-show chicken vaccination in Java, a "wet market" (selling live chickens) in Jakarta, and a slaughterhouse in Hanoi selling forged health certificates for chickens.

We meet with WHO flu experts, bird flu victims in their deathbeds, their grieving relatives, the Indonesian health minister withholding flu samples until promised the vaccine that might be made from them, the Vietnamese scientist creating their own bird flu vaccine, and epidemiologists tracking diseases through real minefields of war and metaphorical minefields of international politics.

My only real criticism is that this book mentions but fails to chronicle the stories of bird flu outside Southeast Asia. It's infected people in Pakistan, Iraq, Bangladesh, Egypt and Nigeria. What's happening in Africa, which makes the poverty of Southeast Asia look like Beverly Hills?

Through it all runs the argument that someday, somewhere... H5N1 will mutate or recombine or trade RNA segments with another flu strain (H1N1 is now a likely candidate) to create the flu experts' nightmare -- a virus that kills up to 60% of its victims and which spreads as easily as seasonal flu.

And his argument is that, despite the horror this would cause the world, politics, poverty and cultural traditions are preventing the world's experts from properly defending us all against a repeat (or worse) of 1918.

I frankly don't know if another 1918-style pandemic is as likely as the doomsayers want us to believe. However, this book is a fascinating account and description of life and death in the most interesting part of the world.

This interesting article published by the BBC outlines two men and the books they have written arguing that storytelling influences voters far more than facts or logic. I think that these are quite poignant observations given our evolutionary bias to storytelling as well as the increasing absurdity of American politics. The authors propose that voters may even vote against their own interests because they have such strong attachments to stories surrounding the issues, regardless of logic or facts that may counter the storylines.

Drew Westen, author of The Political Brain, views American politics from the following perspective. Politicians on the Left generally rely on facts and what they deem to be sound arguments to attract voters. Politicians on the Right rely on the trend that voters do not like things explained to them and do not like politicians who portray themselves as knowing the right answers or knowing what is best for the populace. It is not a matter of which side is right or wrong, it is a difference of strategy. While politicians on the Left continue to struggle using facts to attract voters, politicians on the Right have found success with storytelling. By creating a convincing story that appeals to emotion rather than reason, opposing candidates can easily fall out of favor with the voters, even if the stories hold little or no truth. Thomas Frank, author of What's The Matter with Kansas, believes that the modern voter prefers emotional argument over reasonable argument.

"For Mr Westen, stories always trump statistics, which means the politician with the best stories is going to win"

"As Mr Frank sees it, authenticity has replaced economics as the driving force of modern politics. The authentic politicians are the ones who sound like they are speaking from the gut, not the cerebral cortex. Of course, they might be faking it, but it is no joke to say that in contemporary politics, if you can fake sincerity, you have got it made."

Another example that is relevant is the campaign slogans that John McCain and Barack Obama used during the 2008 election. The McCain campaign used the image of a Maverick to endorse the candidate, while the Obama campaign used the slogan Change We Can Believe In. Both candidates wanted to cast themselves as a departure from the status quo, as something new in Washington. However, to be successful in Washington it is unlikely that one can be too different. But the reality does not matter, because voters, in addition to favoring policy, will emotionally identify with the image and story of the candidate they prefer.

So what does any of this have to do with the built environment?

Imagine an election that will determine city taxes, future developments, zoning issues or transportation options. The result of the election could lead to policy, or a budget, that could significantly alter the built environment, for better or for worse.

A concrete example of this is a November 2009 election in Colorado Springs, CO. Facing a severely tight budget, the city was looking for ways to save money. The leading proposal was to cut fire fighter jobs and stop maintenance on city parks, close public swimming pools and cut youth sports. Not great options for most citizens of the city. As an alternative, a tax was proposed to alleviate the financial strain and avert a reduction of city services. The tax would have cost families approximately $120 per year over 10 years. However, facts were quickly overwhelmed by contradicting stories that passing the measure would increase taxes by 300%, as well as stories that citizens should not have to pay more taxes and outrage at the failure of the city counsel (not necessarily unjustified).

As background, Colorado Springs has some of the lowest property taxes in the state and nation, and the population largely supports small-government and anti-tax politics.

Despite facts supporting passage of the bill with tangible urban benefits at stake, stories appealing to the emotions of voters won out. The measure was defeated by nearly 2 to 1. As a result, unless private money comes through, or some other unforeseen solution develops, many of the more than 140 parks throughout the city will go without water or maintenance during the summer. No public swimming pools will open and many youth sports programs will be eliminated, and community centers closed. In addition, 1/3 of the city's streetlights will be turned off in an effort to save more money. It seems as though the city, backed by the voters, have chosen to generate their own urban blight and reduce the value of the city and neighborhoods. This decision does not seem to be in anyone's best interest, and yet the voters were sold on the stories.

To recap, in elections and politics, facts and tangibles can be outweighed by stories, no matter if they are true or false. If the political decisions impact city resources, or civic and transportation projects, then these stories can impact the built environment. As voters and designers, we need to be aware of how stories can influence our decision making, as well as how stories can lay the groundwork for amazing and positive urban and architectural developments.

As an Online Dating Coach, I read a lot of Internet personal ads that - quite frankly - surprise me! Some of the guys who write Online Personal Ads seem to be writing ads that are designed to sell used cars. And from the women? I often see personal ads that even low-end mail order catalogs would refuse.

Take for example this one, written by a 41-year-old woman (and note the spelling error in the headline) --

professional who enjoys open conversation - 41

"I love to talk about books that have struck you bizarre or interesting. I do want someone to hang out with, and must enjoy talking about politics, books, places and wine. Must love chocolate!"

We can immediately see that this woman likes to communicate (and that's a good thing, yes?) and she also enjoys "talking about everything" - including "books that have struck you bizarre." (Are we talking about Stephen King novels here?) In addition to that, it would be great if you can talk about "politics, places, and wine" - but the main thing is that you love chocolate...

It's hard to imagine what sort of guy she'll attract with that ad!

Or - take a look at this online personal ad, from a 29-year-old guy who describes himself as a "Tattoo Teddy Bear" --

tattoo teddy bear - 29

"I just want a good girl that knows how to treat a man with respect."

Short, sweet, and to the point, yes?

So is it any wonder that so many single men and women are just like "two ships passing in the night?"

One of the secrets to writing online personal ads that work is to write your ad just like you're having a real, live, conversation with your reader.

In other words, here's what NOT to do:

1. Don't write your ad so it sounds like advertising copy from a magazine.

2. Don't "talk down" to your reader.

3. Don't write a one-sentence ad and expect to get many replies!

Here's what youSHOULD do:

1. Talk about yourself in terms of who you are as a person, what you enjoy doing on a date, and list some of your hobbies and interests.

2. Tell the reader (without bragging) how he or she will feel when they're with you. Put yourself in the mind and soul of your reader, and empathize with them. What are they thinking - and what might they be feeling - while reading your ad?

3. Talk about some of your best qualities. (Are you warm and friendly? A good listener? Are you compassionate and understanding?)

4. What's the benefit (i.e., the "payoff") for answering your ad right now? And finally...

5. Don't forget to spell-check your ad before you submit it!

By creating an honest and empathic dialog with your reader when writing your online personal ads, you'll be way ahead of most of your competitors for the attention of the women - or men - you'd like to hear from the most!

The book is part of the American History in Depth series. The author is John Dumbrell and the general editor of the series is A. J. Badger. The book is published in Hong Kong, 1997, by McMillan Publications. It is in paperback (ISBN: 0-333-61094-6), and it is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 0-333-61093-8); with papers suitable for recycling. No picture, table or graph can be seen in this book; except the photograph on the front cover that shows presidents Carter and Clinton together. As we can see in the Bibliographical Note, the author used secondary sources as well as some primary articles in form of printed articles.

The book focuses on the America foreign policy in the mid-20th century (from Carter's to Clinton's presidency) that was marked with the "struggle between liberal democratic capitalism and Soviet state socialism". As it is stated in the introduction, the book discusses four major themes:

1) ending of the Cold War,

2) the legacy of Vietnam War

3) American decline, and

4) the possibilities of the democratic foreign policy after 1977.

It examines the "long tradition of American optimism" saying that despite apparent victories, American optimism was under pressure during 1980s; the great pressure and damage coming from America's defeat in Vietnam War which as carter put it made Americans understand that they are "no better than other people". Throughout the book, it is shown how attitudes and decisions in American foreign policy were under the influence of the Vietnam legacy, with special focus on the four presidents of the era, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. The author tries to put the information together in an impartial way, criticizing or approving of the events carefully.

About Carter it is said that he believed that the cold war period had ended and that it was time to pursue "domestic processes". His other goal was to put commitment to human rights at the center of his foreign policy. But he never reached it because in some cases human rights were ignored because security issues were more important. In his time in the office, 2 revolutions took place that were not favorable to US, one in Iran and the other in Nicaragua. These events made Carter's presidency as a period full of crisis. Reagan's policies are discussed after Carter's. First his decision to increase defense expenditure is stated and the fact that he believed that America must develop a "high-tech shield that would protect it from nuclear threats. Then his doctrine is presented:" American sponsorship to all enemies of communism in the developing countries". That's why he involved America in the Lebanese crisis so that it would not become a communist state. He also used human right as "an anti-soviet weapon". Another important thing about him that is analyzed in this book is his "shadow policy of "winning back Iran" that finally led to Iran-contra scandal. The Reagan- Gorbachev dialogue is one of the other things discussed in this book. Then the book focuses on Bush's presidency claiming that his policies mainly reflected that of Reagan's except his policies toward the soviet that were more cautious than Reagan's. It is explained that how he faced a dilemma in the second gulf war. He wanted to oppress Iraq that had invaded Kuwait and at the same time to keep Iraq as threat to Iran. Clinton is the last president that the book speaks of. It says that like Cater, Clinton emphasized domestic issues over foreign policy. He tried to "close the book on Vietnam, by promoting the cause of US trade and investment. His military program is also mentioned stating that he belied that its cost and size should be reduced.

The book is a good source of information for those who want to study the Cold war period and the effects of Vietnam war over American policies in the same era, especially undergraduate students who want a general information about the this period. For those who want a detailed description of the American foreign policy in the post-Cold war era, the book is not suitable because it does not go into details of the events and developments, giving only an overall picture. However in the End Notes for each chapter, one can find useful sources, books and articles that can guide him or her to further information about the topics discussed in chapters. In the Bibliographical Note also, the author suggests that: "much of the important secondary literature on recent US foreign policy may be found in specialist journals, notably Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Security and International Affairs."

Video recording of a public talk at Sarai CSDS, by renowned philosopher Jacques Ranciere on the release of the Hindi translation of his book Nights of Labour: Workers' Dream in 19th Century France. (Sarvahara Raatein: Unneesaveen sadi ke Frans mein Mazdoor Swapna). The book has been translated from the English by Abhay Kumar Dube. This the first in a series of translations of outstanding texts to be published by Sarai-CSDS and Vani Prakashan. The talk on the 6th of February 2009 was followed by a workshop and roundtable with Jacques Ranciere, the next day. Jacques Ranciere is a well known philosopher and writer. As a young student, Ranciere, co-authored Reading Capital (1968), with the Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser. Ranciere later broke with Althusser over the 1968 uprising in France. Since the 1970s Ranciere has produced a number of remarkable texts that range from working class history, philosophy, education, politics, and aesthetics. His books include The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation(1991), The Names of History: On the Poetics of Knowledge (1994), The Politics of Aesthetics: The Distribution of the Sensible Tr. Gabriel Rockhill (2004),The Future of the Image (2007). Ranciere wrote The Nights of Labour after years of archival work. It traces the world of worker intellectuals in 19th century France, who, through their poems, music, letters, produced a world that did not celebrate work as in conventional socialist texts, but a ...



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Made BEFORE the current crisis, more scary now. Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson discuss their book, "Where Does the Money Go?" and the mounting debt and deficit of America. They offer an estimate of the time until the failure of Medicare and Social Security, and general suggestions to address this problem. See IOUSA the movie, visit the YouTube site www.youtube.com See also Health care reform, a look at successful systems of Taiwan and Switzerland, probably acceptable to US, and similar to some existing US models. www.youtube.com Farm Subsidies: Welfare To The Wealthy, Costs You Billions www.youtube.com WELFARE for the Wealthy, as US Poverty, Hunger Increase www.youtube.com Fall of Rome vs Failure of American Politics and Economy www.youtube.com PBS Bill Moyers' personal take on Karl Rove www.youtube.com Iraq Cost Accounting, Bill Moyers www.youtube.com Earmarks, Washington Contributions, Corruption, Moyers pt1 www.youtube.com John McCain on earmarks www.youtube.com www.youtube.com Free Lunch, Corp Welfare, Bill Moyers and David Cay Johnston www.youtube.com John C. Bogel and Moyers, Capitalism and Democracy Pt 1 www.youtube.com 60 Minutes segment, third world charities providing healthcare for American working poor www.cbsnews.com Visit the PBS archives to see the complete show and more of Bill Moyers. www.pbs.org



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Competitors. No matter what industry or what products and services you may be selling, you undoubtedly have competition. At times, this fact may cause you considerable distress, while, in reality, our competitors keep us on our toes, always forcing us to further refine our message and methods in the hopes of ultimately winning the sale. So... thank you Mr. Competitor. We appreciate your efforts!

Our view of the competition, while varying at times, is our key to responsive selling and keeping our efforts focused where they should be... on the customer. Our competitors really do keep us sharp. We must know their strengths and weaknesses as well or better than we know our own. We must truly understand their products and services from our customers' viewpoint. If indeed our quest is to fully grasp the true nature of the needs and wants of our customers, then we must likewise have a full grasp of the myriad of choices that confront them as well as the manner in which our products and services can meet their expectations, offering more value than our competitors do.

That's fine. That is Selling 101 with an advanced flair. We must grow accustomed to do far more than that if we truly wish to be known as the superior alternative in the eyes of the customer. If today's savvy customer already expects a quality product, a fair price, on-time delivery, ease of order entry and a smooth flow of the entire transaction, then what is there left to do? Plenty!

It's seldom only the big things that your customers notice, but rather the summation of the many "little" things along the sales path that make a tremendous difference in their perception of you and your company. It begins with common courtesy, and that starts with the company receptionist.

1. Treat the company receptionist and other employees at every level with respect.
Many salespeople see her of little consequence or may even treat her rudely. First, she is deserving of respect just because she is a human being. She is also doing her job to the best of her ability. Her supervisor frequently calls on her to fill-in or perform many other office functions, often without much expressed gratitude. That receptionist certainly talks to other employees and often is part of the administrative side of purchasing, especially in smaller firms. If you are perceived as rude in any way, you have just burned your bridge with both the gatekeeper and the buyer.

2. Always speak in a professional manner. There is no room for off-color remarks or dark, "street-corner" humor.
Professional salespeople never include harsh humor or foul language in their vocabulary. This alone is often enough to differentiate you from some of your competitors. If you would not say it in church or to your grandmother, don't say it to your customer. Never degrade any person, race or creed.

3. Look the part of a sales professional.
Dress appropriately. While it is not always necessary to wear a suit or even a dress shirt and tie, there is never an excuse for wearing old, dirty, wrinkled or inappropriate clothing while visiting a customer's facility. So often, an acceptable mode of dress is a freshly pressed company-logo golf shirt and pressed khaki slacks with leather belt, leather shoes and socks. I have seen everything from tee shirts, blue jeans, no socks and every combination of dress imaginable while in the lobbies of companies over the years. A first impression can never be offered again, so make the first one count.

4. Present a firm handshake, both to men and women, looking at them directly.
This suggestion sounds so basic, but I have witnessed its violation countless times. That handshake and eye contact conveys both your confidence in yourself and your respect for your prospect. You cannot afford to be lacking in either category.

5. Be prepared. Know something about the company before you arrive there.
The internet provides unlimited access to data like never before in history. Be prepared before your call. Learn about the company. Be familiar with their structure, politics, community standing, legal problems, financial condition, their products, their customers, etc... Your communications with company individuals will be far more effective if you arrive well-schooled.

6. Ask effective questions. Let them do the talking. Learn all you can.
Your initial research as described above will enable you to probe, asking effective and relevant questions to uncover the customers' real issues, needs and wants. Listen and make notes. You will be seen as prepared and knowledgeable hence inspiring respect from your customer.

7. Develop a sales plan and a strategy for developing your relationship with this account.
Once you have learned the customers' needs and understand how they function as a company, you are now ready to formulate your plan of action. Your plan will be far more effective than that of any competitor who decided to show up one day and start telling this prospect about their great products. Your strategy will make sense to your customer; After all, you are now working within their structure and comfort zone.

8. Give away some valuable information for free.
Offer a tip, help them locate a supplier for an unrelated problem or solve a minor problem for them without charge. Do it cheerfully. Your payment will come later. Be patient.

9. Invite them to tour your company and meet your fellow associates.
Whether or not they choose to visit your facility is not the issue. The simple fact that you invited them conveys confidence and pride in your company and your ability to serve them. Your prospects are most likely proud of the firm they represent and will likewise appreciate you for offering the opportunity for a more intimate relationship.

10. Propose synergy, a mutually beneficial relationship between your two firms.
Try to find a way to partner with your customer through an industry affiliation, Chamber of Commerce reference or other means. If this is not possible, you may have the opportunity to introduce your customer to others in the community with whom they may enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship.

11. Don't make promises casually. Always deliver more than promised.
Always do what you say you will, in a prompt, forthright manner. Never allow yourself to be in the position of having your customer remind you of something which you promised to do or take care of. Always do more than asked. Do it with a smile.

12. Follow up. Call or email your customer regularly. Stay in touch.
Always follow up promptly. Send a confirming email. Mail catalogs quickly. Return phone calls as soon as possible. Drop a note in the mail. Send your customer news headlines relevant to their interests or industry. The point is to stay in touch. Keep yourself positioned in front of them in a positive light.

13. Refer your customer to other companies. Help bring them new business.
Every firm wants and needs new business opportunities. If you can bring your customer a new prospect or introduce them to another firm where they can establish a profitable relationship, you will benefit as well. They will know that you really care and are genuinely interested in them.

14. Remember your manners.
Look directly at people when you speak with them. Give them your total attention. Say "please" and "thank you" at the appropriate times. Listen carefully while they are speaking.

15. Turn off your cell phone while on a sales call or in a meeting.
Nothing is more rude or inconsiderate than having your time with your customer interrupted by a ringing cell phone, or worse, having you either take the call or simply look to see who is calling. Nothing speaks "you are not as important as this next phone call" louder than this. Simply place your phone on "vibrate" before your sales call. Any callers will be directed to your voice mail where you can respond after your current sales call is completed. Show consideration for your prospect or customer and give her your undivided attention.

There certainly are more ideas that you could implement, but these should be more than enough to get you started on a more productive path. Prospects require nurturing to become customers, who in turn require even more nurturing to blossom into long-term customers who will not be quickly turned away from you by the first low price or fleeting promise from some competitor. The time and effort invested in developing a solid customer relationship will always pay dividends in the long run. The steps you take to differentiate yourself from your competition are your only hedge against the continuous onslaught of your competition's marketing and selling efforts.

"Mr. Hitchens talked about his book Unacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public Sphere, published by Verso. The book is an examination of the relationship between literature and politics. Mr. Hitchens talks about writers who have entered the arena of political debate, ranging from Oscar Wilde's radicalism to Gore Vidal's cosmopolitanism. After his presentation, Mr. Hitchens took questions from the audience."



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Watching James Cameron's Avatar is one of those cinematically immersive experiences you have rarely in your life. After the movie ends there is a feeling of wanting to take the characters and the story home with you, to watch it again and take in the details of Pandora within your own home.

Since the Avatar is not due for release on DVD/Blu-Ray for some months why not take a look at some of the other ways you can enhance your understanding of the film and get a closer look details of this ground breaking film.

One of the most absorbing ways to relive the film without seeing it again is by listening to the soundtrack. James Horner has created another moving and emotive film score for Avatar and the CD follows the progression of the story so you can relive the film scene by scene. Turn up the sound, put a couple of ear buds in your ears, lay back and let the world of Avatar swim again in your imagination.

With titles like "You Don't Dream In Cryo" and "Jake's First Flight" you can quickly get a sense of where you are in the story and the events that unfold in your imagination as the music stirs can bring images back like nothing else. You'll be humming the theme in the shower in no time.

If you are more of a visual person, there are two significant book releases that can bring you back to Pandora very quickly while adding to your knowledge and understanding of the world.

The Art Of Avatar allows behind the scene access to the conceptual design of the film including the character designs, animals and plants and much more. This hardcover includes sketches, matte paintings, drawings, and film stills.

Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora is by far the most detailed insight into the wildlife and biology of Pandora and the Naávi that inhabit the planet. It is more descriptive than the Art Of Avatar book and contains detailed descriptions of each creature, plant and phenomenon that Jake encounters on the planet.

There is a certain joy associated with being able to recognize a piece of film score or know why the flowers on Pandora bloom in a certain way. These books and CDs can not only allow you to relive your experience of Avatar but they will prepare you for the next time you see it on DVD or Blu-Ray.

Today in Australia our very 1st female prime minister took the oath to lead our country to the best of her ability. Watching her take her oath into office made me so proud to be a woman it actually bought a tear to my eye.

I remember many years ago when I was studying Social Science and the history of women in Australia. There was a time back when, women weren't able to post a vote and today, here we have it, a female heading our Country.

Are you wondering what the Aussie Prime Minister has to do with Internet Marketing? Well, I don't want to give you a history lesson here... but I will say that it's been extremely hard over the years for women to make a footprint so to speak in politics and the internet marketing industry. Politics in Australia has always been dominated by men until recently.

For those 1st starting out as an internet marketer it would be easy to think that the Industry is run by men and that there could possibly be a glass ceiling effect. However, this is certainly not true in this industry. Just as the New Prime Minister of Australia mentioned today in her press release "it's not like I had a glass ceiling I had to break through" She is an educated woman and could take any one of her colleagues on in the political arena. Educated being the keyword here!

There are also many women Entrepreneurs in the Internet Marketing arena and the one thing that has made the women as successful as the men in this industry is the fact that education is an open book. Knowledge is power and women are not being held back in this industry, they are educating themselves and giving the men a run for their money. Women now have the same opportunity of earning 6 & 7 figure incomes online and they are now doing it in a big way. Look Out Guys!

Bernard Chapin here with Volume of Chapin's INFERNO 377 The Grand Jihad ...I'm at veritaseducation@gmail.com Andrew McCarthy's New Book: www.amazon.com Our Sponsor: hollywoodloser.com Specific Shirts: hollywoodloser.com PajamasMedia.com archive pajamasmedia.com Women: Theory and Practice www.amazon.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Twitter twitter.com



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(TV) Glenn Beck Program. David Horowitz talks about his new book, "One-Party Classroom". March 10, 2009. DavidHorowitzTV.com



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Every once in a while you find out that what you think you know about politics and current events of the time, turn out to be a complete 180 of the reality. Then sometimes you suspect foul play but cannot put your finger on it. Well, what if I recommend a very good book to you that will get you much closer to the truth than you probably wanted to get? Please read:

"Betrayal - How the Clinton Administration Undermined American Security" by Bill Gertz (also a reporter for the Washington Post specializing in defense and national security issues); Regency Publishing, Inc, an Eagle Publishing Company, Washington, DC. 1999. ISBN 0-89526-317-3

In case you've wondered exactly what all the fuss was over the Chinese and Clinton Administration and the transfer of top secret technology, but never thought to ask. Well, this is the book for you. And it is well documented, footnoted and enough to scare the hell out of you, and wonder why treason hearings were not conducted. Apparently, there is so much executive power in America that you can cover up just about anything as Gertz demonstrates in the first two chapters.

But is it really all politics and will we ever know you'll ask yourself? Well, keep reading, as it gets better, or worse, as he goes into the implications of nuclear technology, stress on the Korean Pennisula, missile and satellite technology. And how the Russians play a part and how the US is played off against the game.

Indeed from a political perspective one could say, as Bill Gertz does, what will become of the Clinton Legacy, and how will history portray the betrayl? I recommend this book to anyone that studies history, the flow of nuclear arms knowledge or the rapid advancement of the Chinese Military war machine. Please consider this.

One of Africa's century-old racially segregated, witnessing in most recent times what imperialism can still do to a whole nation; South Africa.

As an insider of African politics, growing there, being there, being impacted by; I can tell you that the funniest and assuredly the craziest thing is that the damage those local politics do has more destructive impact than whatever direct rulers would have ever done even in apartheid times, whatever colonialists would have already done to former colonies.

Nowadays throughout Africa local politics under influence of foreign forces (interests...) are perpetrating huge treason to their people mostly illiterate...to their advantages!

The world have watched happening right before our eyes, Political Unrest followed by unfinished massacre scenes in Rwanda, in Congo, in Liberia, in Sudan and unexpectedly in Ivory Coast and soon in Senegal.

The African American community, the African diaspora so to speak has a major role in preventing and entering into play in that international arena of preventive diplomacy wherever required in Africa... it's not just about following the lead of those corrupt governments to give oneself a sense of collaborative approach, the best citizen-oriented initiatives are led by civil society organisations in Africa... and a thoughtful and delicate filtering of those organisations is a MUST for any foreign assistance scheme to avoid infiltration by those same negative "Club, family interests group" we're supposed to be fighting in an attempt to recover African dignity in this 21st Century.

In South Africa Thabo Mbeki is ousted following an open frivolous campaign orchestrated by the British Empire... in Ivory Coast after Rwanda and Congo...in Sudan after conflicting interests of the Godfathers civilians are paying the price from their blood, family dispersion, community and environmental destruction.

Until then, until a major an consistent Diaspora public opinion is harnessed by the fierce urgency of now, information and communication with and from any news media is the key to sustaining and shaping that Mandatory Collective Diaspora Response to local African woes... efficiently and with due speed, South Africa, Senegal, Congo, Sudan and other parts of Africa cannot allow or permit the dynamic process of reform to slow down...Actually, you know it or not, enemies of DEMOCRACY operate All in the background of all governments in Africa, they're all Old western colonial emperors and empires who fed slavery in All Ways, Lumumba with Belgium, France in Central/West Africa, South Africa with the British Kings...wishing to expand and sustain their privileges in Old African lands, worse yet to come, when the European Union will be chaired by its former Blair.

Consequently, from the civil society standpoint, the process of fundamental reform and all it that entails, is the first priority, not only among CLEAN politicians, but among all legitimate organisations, columnists, academics, and especially the man in the street are thinking and talking about reform continuously...Media is being guarded pond of the State in most African nations, leading to less freedom of Speech.

And yes we have two choices:
1- Whether we weep for the seemingly saddening, sickening share of Africa, Or
2- We stand the path to networking for a sustainable & prosperous Africa and its people...Advocating the Cause!

Beyond good wills, and grass root initiatives, we have to launch some sorts of Preventive Diplomacy Agenda towards African countries now we're witnessing a contrary trend to this new century turning point... From Any STANDPOINT... the only chance for Africa to unite with its Diaspora and itself...

While I finish these lines a Bob Marley song comes in background: ''There's a natural mystic blowing in the air. If you listen carefully now you will hear."

It's been song, chanted in the churches, prayed for in mosks, foreseen in many dreams... The same way Jews are helping Israel in all ways, Africa will be or will not be following whatever disposition its scattered diaspora will be doing for it. Unfortunately it seems like most are not getting it.

www.gen-we.org The first video has had more than 500000 people watch and share it in less than a week! Please pass this along, comment on it, post it to your YouTube channel, and inspire our generation! Millennials are the largest generation in American history. Born between 1978 and 2000, WE are 95 million strong, compared to the 78 million Baby Boomers. WE are politically, socially, and philosophically independent, and are spearheading a period of sweeping change in America and around the world. The new book, Generation We, explains the emerging power of our Millennial Generation, and shows how WE (and older people who think the way WE do) are poised to change our nation and our world for the better. FREE DOWNLOAD OF THE BOOK http BUY AT AMAZON www.amazon.com BUY AT BARNES & NOBLE search.barnesandnoble.com



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Cynthia Lennon starts her autobiographical tale reflecting on the death of her famous ex-husband, John Lennon and within the first chapter reveals two insights into John's personality that haven't really been discussed before in books about the Beatles. It's a catchy start to a heartwarming, sweet, yet tragic tale.

As the book starts, Cynthia is a teenager beginning art college. Shortly thereafter she encounters John Lennon. The two make an unlikely couple. She was raised in a nice neighborhood to be a "good" girl and John Lennon is a teenager rebel with only one cause - rock and roll.

Cynthia points out they had several things in common in the book - they were both short sighted and bonded over losing their parents when they were seventeen. (Cynthia lost her father when she was seventeen and John lost his mother.) Soon, Cynthia and John embark on a relationship. Her love is what John needs. She's a steady constant in his life which is filled with uncertainty.

Cynthia is there before John and the Beatles make it famous. She talks of their humble beginnings and John's family. We learn John's Aunt Mimi, the woman who raised him, is a very totalitarian matriarch who very rarely showed John small, simple, loving gestures. John also has two younger sisters who adore him, Jacqui and Julia. There are so many sides to John. He's in love, yet has a ferocious jealous side to him. He can be kind and tender, yet John dislikes confrontation. An example of this is how Pete Best is told to leave the band. Brian Epstein breaks the news to Pete and John never sees him again.

Cynthia and John had been with each other four years before their son Julian is conceived. John marries her right before the Beatles begin to take off. As the Beatles ride the wave of fame, Cynthia is by John's side. It isn't easy for the couple, but their love gets them through.

The book shifts when Cynthia begins to talk of John's drug use. It's his use of drugs that drives a wedge between them. John's decline and destruction is sad to read about in such a personal way. The way he cuts Cynthia and Julian out of his life is quick, deliberate, precise, and very hurtful. Cynthia must find her own way with little financial support from John.

It's hard to put this book down. The beginning draws you in and the reader barely has a chance to catch their breath. Happiness quickly turns to misery, pain, and despair much in the same manner as the Beatles overwhelming success turns sour at the end of the sixties.

Cynthia offers fresh insights on a musical history that has been practically hashed to death by the number of books written by the Beatles. Her thoughts and impression on Yoko are not put out there in a mean-spirited way - instead Cynthia presents the facts as is and lets the reader come to their conclusions. This is a wonderful read for those who are true fans of the Beatles and John Lennon.

Written by: Cynthia Lennon
Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 0-340-89511-X
404 Pages
20 pounds
5 Stars

www.youtube.com/qtv Azar Nafisi, the best-selling author of the book "Reading Lolita in Tehran" is back with a new title "Things I have been silent about'. She joins Jian in Studio Q to talk about the book.



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Dr. Steven Pinker, a psychologist of language at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In a book, ''The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature,'' he seeks to create greater political elbow room for those engaged in the study of the ways genes shape human behavior. ''If I am an advocate, it is for discoveries about human nature that have been ignored or suppressed in modern discussions of human affairs,'' he writes. A principal theme of Dr. Pinker's argument is that the blank slaters -- the critics of sociobiology and their many adherents in the social sciences -- have sought to base the political ideals of equal rights and equal opportunity on a false biological premise: that all human minds are equal because they are equally blank, equally free of innate, genetically shaped, abilities and behaviors. The politics and the science must be disentangled, Dr. Pinker argues. Equal rights and equal opportunities are moral principles, he says, not empirical hypotheses about human nature, and they do not require a biological justification, especially not a false one. Moreover, the blank slate doctrine has political consequences that have been far from benign, in Dr. Pinker's view. It encourages totalitarian regimes to excesses of social engineering. It perverts education and child-rearing, loading unmerited guilt on parents for their children's failures. In his book he reproaches those who in his view have politicized the study of human nature from both the left and ...



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*PDF FILE HERE - playpdf.sa-media.com drscottjohnson.blogspot.com Scott's Homepage - www.sermonaudio.com Scott's Forum - www.endtimescurrentevents.freeforums.org contendingfortruth.com 13th December 2009 Freemasonry Exposed Teaching Overview In his book titled: Freemasons: Inside the World's Oldest Secret Society, H. Paul Jeffers refers to the United States as a Masonic project. His findings revealed that many of the founding fathers of the country were high degree masons. For instance, of the 56 persons who signed the Declaration of Independence document in 1778, 15 of them or 27 percent were Masons. Jeffers has also found out that 28 of the 40 signers of the USA constitution were high degree Masons. In view of the overwhelming influence of Freemasonry in the American society, it is no surprise that Freemasons have dominated politics in the US. Out of the 43 presidents that have ruled America from 1789 to date, 25 of them were Freemasons. Among them was George Washington, who was installed the first president of the country in 1789. He was initiated in November 1752 into Frederickburg Lodge N0.4, Fredereickburg, Virginia. He is the first and only Freemason to serve simultaneously as a lodge master and president. Jeffers has also come to the conclusion that Freemasonry was at the heart of the American Revolution as more than 50 percent of the generals who fought and won the war of American independence from Britain were Freemasons. That explains why Freemasonry has ...



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Lee Smith, Fellow at the Hudson Institute and correspondant for The Weekly Standard and Tablet, discusses themes covered in his new book, "The Strong Horse: Power, Politics, and the Clash of Arab Civilizations" at the Center for Security Policy's National Security Group Lunch on Capitol Hill. For more information, see: www.amazon.com



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A lot of bloggers read blogs, but there are also some very valuable books out there on blogging. The three books that I recommend for bloggers are Blog! by David Kline and Dan Burstein, The Corporate Blogging Book by Debbie Weil, and Naked Conversations by Shel Israel and Robert Scoble.

1. Blog!: How the newest revolution is changing politics, business and culture by David Kline and Dan Burstein.

This book talks of the power and influence of blogs. It uses political examples. Through these examples we can learn what good blogging is (honest, open) and what it is not (poorly written, blatant marketing). It talks about freedom of the press and countries and companies that try to suppress blogs. It also warns and gives examples of blogs that share insider or confidential information and what happens.

To quote from it: "most people or at least most of the media's coverage of business issues in blogging are missing the fact that the real excitement here is not how much money business can make from blogging, but how dramatically blogging will reshape the world of business from top to bottom and create new sources of competitive advantage for firms that learn how to use this new medium intelligently... Bloggers not only tend to be more passionate about their interests and hobbies than other people, they also have marketplace influence far beyond their numbers."

This is a highly inspirational read for anyone who blogs. We live in revolutionary times and as bloggers (and blog readers) we see history being made. We are truly cutting edge. The world is changing before our eyes.

As A. J. Liebling, a great 20th century journalist, said: "Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one." With blogs, anyone can.

2. The Corporate Blogging Book: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get it Right by Debbie Weil.

Debbie is one of the pioneers of corporate blogging. She is not only an advocate but she explains the pros and cons of corporate blogs.

A section from the book: "Blogs are a key enabler of this new way of talking with customers, employees, the media and other constituencies. Packaged, filtered, controlled conversation are out. Open, two-way, less-than-perfect communications with your customers and employees are in....Listen, learn, debate, be willing to change, admit mistakes, be equals, with your children, be fair to others with whom you have an adversarial relationship. Acting like a dictator will get you nowhere."

She has top 20 questions about corporate blogging and in one of those she talks about the three most important things to know before starting blogging. The book also has good examples of blogging policies.One of her points is savvy bloggers read other blogs. My advice is the simplest way to do this is to subscribe to them.

One concept that she talks about is citizen journalist and citizen media. Blogs are a new media and it is run by the citizens. Blogger Halley Suitt explains, "The word PR will be gone; the word blog will be gone. Your employees will be your ad agency and your customers will be your back-up ad agency"

3. Naked Coversations:How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers by Shel Israel and Robert Scoble

This is an excellent book. I am passionate about business blogs. I truly believe they have value for a business. The book re-affirms this. Naked Coversations is easy to read, fast and well organized. It combines advice on blogging (and why blogs help companies) with stories of real bloggers.

Blogs have dangers but those dangers tend to be overrated. Not blogging is a greater danger. As I have said many times, blogs are a new media. Companies that ignore it do so at great peril. At the same time, blogs cannot be blatant self or company promotion - readers (and other bloggers see right through that and can decimate a company).

How do I know if a book is good? If I make a change as a result. I turned off word verification on my blog to make it easier to comment (I still review all comments and don't let spam through but am trying to make it easier to have a conversation). I get twice as many emails as comments on my blog as a result of my blog. The book drives home that comments and conversations are good.

I also know a book is good if I buy multiple copies for people that I think should read it. And in this case I did.

All three of these books, Blog! by David Kline and Dan Burstein, The Corporate Blogging Book by Debbie Weil, and Naked Conversations by Shel Israel and Robert Scoble should be read by anyone who has a blog or anyone interested in blogging.

The BP oil rig disaster has once more demonstrated the urgent need for the development of two critical emergency response technologies.

Future deepwater drilling should be permitted only if dependable emergency closure equipment for leaking oil wells becomes available. Similarly, specially equipped vessels for cleaning quickly spreading oil spills from leaking oil wells must become available for immediate deployment in response to a pipe break or a blow out.

No such dependable emergency response technologies are presently available anywhere.

Multiple designs of surface skimmers are available but the technology is dated and is not capable of quickly corralling the oil from wells, which are gushing thousands of barrels of crude oil each day.

Small leaks can be cleaned with equipment designs that are most suited for shallow and calm waters. Out at sea, only larger vessels can be employed. The preferred oil skimmer design for offshore duty is still an oil boom acting as a barrier for floating oil. All oil booms look similar; none operates effectively in choppy waters.

Oil booms act as a vertical barrier and are made from a flexible material, which extends like a curtain for a foot or more beneath the water surface. The assembly is kept floating by a buoyant material or by air inside an airtight tubular chamber made from the same material as the submerged skirt.

The booms are manufactured in long sections, which can be joined and can be extended for miles. These very long barriers of booms are mostly used to close off estuaries or contain oil spills in rivers and near-shore locations.

Shorter sections of this type of boom can also be used as oil skimming devices. In this configuration, oil booms form a large loop, which is formed like a U, a V, or a J. A single vessel carrying one or two outriggers on its sides can pull one or two U-shaped or J-shaped loops. Three vessels can form a V-shape; two are towing, the third one is collecting the skimmed oil.

The U.S. Coast Guard is using some of their cutters for oil skimming duties. This type of vessel has been able to collect as much as 1500 barrels of oil on a single day under ideal conditions.

The BP oil leak is bound to leak oil until at least the middle of August. After more than one hundred days, more than five million barrels or more than two hundred million gallons crude will have been spilled into the Gulf. This oil is spreading unobstructed on the surface and is threatening wetlands, estuaries, and beaches in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Some of the oil may eventually reach the East Coast of the US if not cleaned in due time.

During the last ten years, a more advanced design of a skimming vessel has been developed in Europe. Instead of towing the typical, flexible oil boom, this new design uses two solid, heavy, and very tall steel barriers. These two barriers are suspended on strong derricks or davits that are extending from both side decks of the skimming vessel. The two steel barriers are lowered into the water halfway and their outer ends are pointed towards the ship's bow at a slight forward angle.

The skimming vessel steams ahead, the oil piles up and flows toward the hull, where it is collected and pumped aboard the ship. This type of skimmer can operate under adverse weather conditions and does not have to wait for calmer waters.

Collection duties and collection efficiencies of these vessels are higher than those of skimming vessels with outrigger towed oil booms. This type of skimming vessel also has a rather large displacement and can stay offshore for skimming duties lasting several days. The vessel can run on its own bottom to the leak at rather high displacement speeds and can arrive at the spill in hours or at most a couple of days due to the much shorter distances between main shipping lanes in Europe.

An American design must take into account the very long coasts of the USA. Advanced emergency vessels must collect more than 5000 barrels of crude, which has not been given a chance to spread too far. Such emergency vessels need to reach the site of a major oil leak in less than twenty four hours. This means that vessels capable of maximum speeds of 25 knots must be stationed not more than 600 nautical miles apart. The design for such a high speed oil skimmer is not available, yet.

Similarly, no designs have been proposed for the reliable closure of leaks similar to the BP Deepwater Horizon well. This is utterly disturbing. An illustrious team of experts, professors, and a Nobel laureate disappointed when it could not come up with a workable solution for halting the leak.

A single, inventive mind can often beat a roomful of the "brightest minds". Analysis is distinctly different from inspired synthesis. Inventors and scientists approach problems in ways that are fundamentally different. Most scientists have great analytic skills. Inventors analyze, too. However, their strong suit is not analysis but inspiration. Great inventors can envision things that nobody else has ever seen before.

Unfortunately, the modern patent system has made life for this type of inventors very difficult. In the US, not that many new products are being developed inside the proverbial garages any longer. Only larger companies or new ventures can fund the development of a promising new product and can provide the resources for staying with a promising product from idea through concept confirmation, product design, patent application, and marketing. Many brilliant ideas never make it because they are subverted by well meaning but incompetent product evaluators, managers, and marketers.

The BP disaster is just another illustration for this systemic failure. There is no hope for saving the Gulf this time. We can only hope that we learn from the BP disaster and have an emergency preparedness system in place in time for dealing with the next large oil spill.

Dr S Radhakrishnan in his well researched book 'Hinduism' gives an exalted and philosophical view of the Hindu religion. There is no doubt that the Hindu religion is a vast ocean and tapping it can enlighten the thinker to the essence of life.The' Bagdad Gita' or The song divine gives us a glimpse of the higher echelons of man mind in the pursuit of truth.

But despite lofty ideals in practice there are a few things that are not desirable. The most important of these is the caste system. The originator of the caste system is attributed to the saint (rishi) Manu. He laid down 4 basic castes that included the Brahmin's, Kshatriya's, Vaish and Shudra. The last caste is supposed to be the untouchable who have in real terms no rights in the erstwhile Hindu society.

It is not known how and when this cast system came into being, but its origin can be traced to antiquity as the Mahabharata the epic book written almost 4000 years back repeatedly refers to the caste system. Over a period of time the caste system became the bedrock of the Hindu society and in some manner it also became the bane of an exalted and esoteric religion.

The Moslem's and the British who ruled India did not tinker with the Hindu caste system, but the British did bring in legislation to end the exploitation of the Shudras.Even after the British left India, the one aspect in their rule which they could not change -the caste system continued to bedevil Hindu society.

Thus now after over 60 years of the end of British rule, caste has again become the bed rock of Indian polity and culture. Not many people abroad will know that the Indian government has perpetuated the cast system and given it a legal cover.

The framers of the Indian constitution had envisioned reservations for castes in jobs and institutes for untouchable and the scheduled castes for 15 years. But these have been extended at regular intervals by parliament. In addition the scope of reservations has also increased and the so called 'other backward castes' have also been given reservations. Thus where India should have moved forward towards a class less society, exactly the opposite has happened and India has reverted back to caste system with all its faults. It is regression in the extreme.

As it stands the caste has become the most important factor in India.Knowledgeable persons do not see how this differs from apartheid which was vigorously opposed by the United Nations and all sane people. India is unfortunately caught in a time warp. The politics of political expediency has taken center stage and the cast system re introduced by the government. No reformer in India can eradicate the caste system, Gandhi failed and so did Nehru.

The only solution is for the world powers and the UNO to take cognizaton of this aberration in Hindu society and put pressure on the Indian government to do away with caste as the denomination for everything in India. In a way it is worse than apartheid and it is high time India was classified as a state that divides its own people on the basis of caste which in any case is a man made division and has nothing to do with the Hindu philosophy as such.

German American Business Association of California, Inc. and the MIT Club of Northern California Clean Technology Program invite you to this joint event. Towards Energy Autonomy New Politics for Renewable Energy. This is also the topic of Hermann Scheer's latest book. Hermann Scheer will discuss how policy models fostering renewable energy can pave the way for energy autonomy. He will also discuss the current trends regarding the upcoming review of the German EEG (feed-in-tariff) which is due by the end of 2007 / beginning 2008 and which has created the largest solar energy market in the world.



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In the heat of the election season and as a life-long political junkie, I can't wait for election night. It is always one of the biggest nights of the year around my house. Glued to multiple TV's, tuned to every station (and now the Internet) I watch the returns roll in. Depending upon your investment in the campaign, the emotional highs and lows intensify. It's even better to be at a party. Some friends ask why I don't wait until the next morning to read the headlines. Would you turn off the TV before the end of the big game and find out the score tomorrow? This is an important political year full of excitement, so it's easy to be engaged. We're probably finding more people expressing their opinions about politics than ever before. But what about doing this at the workplace?

Political expression comes in a lot of forms. I have to admit I got a little uneasy when I pulled into my office parking lot and saw a bumper sticker that said something derogatory about meat-eaters. Now, I don't have anything against my vegetarian friends, yet I do like a nice steak now and then. What might people think about the opinions displayed at work? Might they be offended?

What about expressing strong political opinions in a small office environment to co-workers and clients? Unless you're working in the campaign office or at the legislature, this might have its limits. I did a little research on how well the workplace tolerates political discussions. We know that public employees (and many who work for private companies) have to adhere to specific guidelines. Those rules may include personal use of company computers and the wearing or distribution of political materials. In general, private, at-will employers have a great deal of latitude in how they manage their workplaces and what political tone they choose to set.

Even if the flexibility exists for employers, politics in the workplace can bring about workplace politics. There is some basic etiquette one can use to keep tensions down. How you handle yourself may depend if you're in management or not. There appears to be a tolerance for conversations among co-workers, but managers are held to a different standard. A national survey conducted in May and June 2007 by Harris Interactive, found that nearly one out of four U.S. workers says they are uncomfortable when their top managers openly express their political preferences at work. More than a quarter of those polled said they don't fit in with their company's culture in terms of politics. The survey found generational differences between younger and older workers regarding talking politics at work. Seventy-six percent of younger employees (age 18-34) would share their political views, compared to 64% of those age 50+. Eight-four percent of younger employees were comfortable telling their boss which candidates they support. This is compared to 68% of older workers who would do the same.

So do you tip-toe around your passion for R's or D's? How can you inspire an excitement for politics at work while not creating unnecessary tensions? At a very minimum, you can create an environment that values voting. It is not inappropriate to inquire is employees or coworkers need registration information. If the outcome of certain ballot measures could affect your business or clients that could also be acceptable for discussion. Alerting family, friends and co-workers to important debates, forums or community meetings may also create involvement and engagement without appearing bias. If you're in a politically charged environment that can be exciting, but what's most important is that you vote, your vote is yours, it's private and it's important. I hope you'll mail in your ballot and be part of this great process. Remember, on election night don't call, I'll be busy, unless you're having a party.....

In his newest book, Dr. Friedman draws on an exploration of history and geopolitical patterns dating back hundreds of years to explain where and why future wars will erupt and how they will be fought, which nations will gain and lose economic and political power, and how new technologies and cultural trends will alter the way we will live in the new century.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn2e2p8IE_k&hl=en

Jackie delivers a speech on Starbucks. One of the many topics from his new best-selling book "Schmucks"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Mjnzqi5gs&hl=en

Fixing is undoubtedly rampant these days on several third world countries. And because of its continuing existence, most of the third world countries affected by it tend to slowly progress from poverty. Now here are essential vertical reforms a country must have in order to help fix the problem of fixing:

1. Impart more personal and interpersonal skills in public service. The bureaucracy can learn a lot from how professional fixers conduct their activities. What makes professional fixers effective is their personalized service and connections extended to their clients. It is just not bureaucratic effectiveness and efficiency that matters, but also interpersonal relationships and personalized services. Where bureaucracy lacks these characteristics, fixers offer the alternatives. The bureaucracy needs to be more approachable, humane, helpful and understanding. The people in the government need to learn more personal and interpersonal skills to enhance their service to the public.

2. Deploy mobile ushers and usherettes. Professional fixers are mobile service providers which make them more accessible and approachable to their clients. This is in stark contrast to the desk-bound employees who are sometimes cold, curt, rude, and indifferent and whose services may be inaccessible to the public. Deploying mobile ushers and usherettes may help in providing accessible services to the people. This will encourage people to transact their business only to the legitimate employees or representatives of the office. Ushers and usherettes can also serve as customers' relations managers who provide personalized services that attract people.

3. Set up information and complaints desks. Some offices do not have central information desks or complaints desks with full-time personnel. Conspicuously placed information and complaints desks help a lot in helping people in their transactions.

4. Redirect the focus of security guards. Often security guard acts as ushers and information officers at the expense of their work. In many instances, they act as gatekeepers of insider fixers. Security guards must not be allowed to do other work beyond their mandate to ensure public order, safety and security of the office premises.

5. Install information flowcharts. To augment public information, it is still very helpful to put up information flowcharts of transactional requirements, procedures, corresponding fees and length of time required in each of the procedures. These flowcharts should be placed in different conspicuous areas within the office premises.

If these vertical reforms would just be properly implemented then there is no doubt that fixers will be eradicated easily. We all have the right to set ourselves as platforms to bring reality to every human that has the right to know what is really going on this world.

Al Gore promoting his new book "The Assault On Reason" part one. Part 2 here, www.youtube.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdtZv4PUmXg&hl=en

When George Washington crossed the Delaware, according to the famous painting, he was showing a body language stance of confidence. He did this by standing erect with his hands on his hips. There is evidence of the same stance by Woodrow Wilson during a time when he was lecturing at a university and by Walter Mondale during his presidential campaign.

Many presidents and presidential hopefuls have shown body language signs of confidence and dominance. In the 1992 presidential debates, much of this was going on. Former President Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, and former President George Bush were all showing a palms down gesture that symbolized their belief in their superiority.

Another nonverbal cue of body language is a way you tilt your head back and hold it there. This has shown up in speeches by Mussolini, Roosevelt, George Wallace, and even Al Gore. It symbolizes a feeling of being disdainful, arrogant, and superior.

Sometimes, body language shows how uncomfortable a politician is. In 1988, former Vice President Dan Quayle was speaking in a televised debate. His opponent came out with a rather cutting remark, and Quayle's response was an immediate "Adam's apple jump." This is a classic sign of nervousness.

The angle that you put yourself in relationship to others is a part of body language. Former President Richard Nixon was known for being uncomfortable around people. This was shown in the way he set himself at a ninety degree angle to others he was dealing with.

Much has been made of a 1988 Time magazine cover photo. It shows Jesse Jackson, who was making a run for president at the time. He is standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Some say this is a classic defensive pose. This may or may not be a correct interpretation of his body language.

A tense, pouting mouth can show uncertainty, frustration, and sadness. Photos were taken of former President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky ordeal. In them he is often displaying such a form of body language.

Former President Ronald Reagan and the Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev had important matters to discuss at summit. There were times when they did not agree. However, when they did agree, their body language showed it. At such times, they would face each other. They would also sit in similar postures.

A Republican pollster, R. Teeter, did an experiment about body language in politics. He showed people visual footage of politicians campaigning. They were doing their usual speech-making, hand shaking, and the rest. There was no sound, only video.

As it turned out, those who had only the body language of the candidates to read rated them the same way as those who knew their politics and views. It was shown that a lot is determined about choice of candidate by body language alone.

You wanna stir things up? Just blurt out to your family and friends that you are so disgusted with government, politics and elections that you will no longer be voting. God, you'd think I drew a cartoon of a sacred religious idol or something.

But, I truly have hit the wall with American politics. Granted, I do suffer horrific bouts of BTSD: Bush Traumatic Stress Disorder. And, I've read or listened to too many pieces by or about the likes of Paul Krugman, Simon Johnson (13 Bankers), Elizabeth Warren, Nouriel Roubini, Bill Moyers, Jim Hightower, et al.

I am convinced that as long as Wall Street, the big banks, Big Oil, Big Pharma and Big Corporate America own the government, there will be no change. Ever. Greed-fueled lobbying and campaign contributions mean our government is not about We The People and never will be.

Both parties are morally bankrupt, and a viable third party will always be out of the question unless you count the Tean Party, the Libertarians, or the Green Party, which I don't. Nope. It's a two-party system we are corruptly governed by that will always crush any true threat to its continued conniving ways.

So, call me crazy, call me an idiot, mock me, dis me, for I fully deserve it. But, I will no longer be a meaningless part of The Great American Pyramid Scheme. I will no longer participate in this exercise in futility called "voting in elections," nor will I deceive myself into believing that my vote matters. It doesn't. I will give not one more shred of cred to a political system that is so not "Of The People, By The People and For The People..."

At nearly 60, I am burning my voter registration card knowing that the more things don't change, the more they remain the same.

The decline of the great newspapers of America in our ordinary life could be seen as sad and tragic for grandparents and as an excellent opportunity for another disaster, the capital of an engaged, tech experts nephew.

The gap generation gap between the two is not so much a preference as a giant abyss. It is not only a difference of media delivery systems. There is also a difference of thought, faith, innovation, progress and hierarchy. We are a nationcelebrates and idolizes the young.

The old have little space in this new world, they are often respected or tolerated. And 'likely that they will be kicked to the curb. Imagine the television commercial where the boy gives his grandmother a ride to go where it is and when she opens the door when they arrived, he literally kicked out of the car screaming still moving, "Tuck and Roll, grandma, tuck and roll" .

Now we once respected andsee major newspapers. One area that was born in the colonial period, reached its peak first radio was posted, with the advent of television, and neglects the presence of the Internet and data protection, is now at risk of extinction.

It 'been a journalist, the source of expression and the distinction of being the "fourth state". The moniker was apparently rooted in 1789 when Louis XVI at Versailles was a plenary meeting of the "General Assembly convened. The estate consisted of 300 firstClergy, the Second Estate the nobility and the Third 300 600 congregations.

Years later, after the French Revolution, British politician and statesman Edmund Burke, looking at the press gallery of the House of Commons, said: "There sits the Fourth Estate, and they are the most important of all."

the use of the written word to denote the first printing by Thomas Carlyle in his book On Heroes and Hero Worship in the year 1841, when Carlyle remarks quoted Burke.

It 'wasNewspapers, the first on the proud tradition of exposing the misconduct of government officials who wanted to take the politicians and those who sought to gain advantages over others. Newspapers were the guards who kept a watchful eye on the rich and powerful.

The rapid decline and fall from grace of newspapers is really sad and tragic. I spent the first 20 years of my professional life as a publisher of several weekly newspapers, an investigative reporter, editor and sports managementPublishers of newspapers, and the owner of a newspaper publisher.

It was still an exciting ride, when I left the business in early 1980. In hindsight, I realize that the newspaper industry, already down, when I started my career in 1960.

The newspaper industry has been blinded by the Internet. owners and managers of newspapers simply do not realize, and calculating the loss of business in which cut heavily into their internet classifiedAdvertising revenue. They have been slow to market websites and re-establish their business in a changing economy.

Potential young readers have been sold on the Internet, and drew him like bees to honey. The revolution of video game reinforces exactly what the younger generation had already heard that newspapers were on the way out.

Newspapers also compounded the problem by rewarding a few bright, but stubborn to stop journalists recording and reporting the facts and allowsspits out all sorts of personal journalism in the name of the alert. The result is propaganda disguised as news.

Readers did not have the facts and allowed to draw their own inferences. Readers have led to an account, often idiosyncratic of writers who think they know more than their readers. How many times in history, the politicians thought they knew more and more common sense than the mass of people are gathered?

The list of the most importantAmerican newspapers that have already failed on the edge of the law or otherwise as a list of Who's Who in the history of journalism. And now some in Congress have launched the idea of saving money for members of a great wrong to this once venerable institution. This would be a grave mistake.

The same newspaper owners, publishers and journalists, who refused such a despicable level as to become mere political shills for politicians and government officials that they deserve. Get

If the newspaper industry deserves to survive in America needs to get back on the market for a population change rather than social and political tripe from a group of editors and journalists who are God's gift to journalism, when in reality they think they very unnecessary claims to serve.

great journalism begins in the heart is full of integrity, honesty and clarity succumb, not political pressure, social engineering agendas and disinformationand hatred.

Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley

On March 24, 2010 We Are Change Chicago attempted to confront Mitt Romney at a public interview/discussion followed by a book signing. Unfortunately, for some reason Borders would not allow it. However, Romney was given a copy of the nano-thermite report: www.bentham-open.org Also check out this great Mitt Romney confrontation by We Are Change Tampa: www.youtube.com wearechangechicago.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1GQealkU4I&hl=en