Appreciative Coaching

College and university students sometimes find that job and family obligations prevent them from attending classes held on a traditional campus. For those students, e-learning offers a useful alternative. Capella University, a fully online university, offers a broad array of courses by means of the internet.

No university can function properly without a faculty dedicated to both teaching and research. Sara Orem, Ph.D., a member of the faculty at Capella University, recently co-authored Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change. The book’s other co-authors are Jacqueline Binkert, Ph.D., and Ann Clancy, Ph.D.

Appreciative Coaching takes the position that groups and individuals succeed when they concentrate on ideals, achievements, and best practices. The book suggests that one can reach success by following a path though four stages--Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny.

Capella University presently serves over 17,900 students throughout the United States and in 56 foreign countries. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, logon to Capella.edu or call 1-888-CAPELLA (227-3552).
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Writing Contests, Part 1

If you write poetry, short stories, novels, essays, nonfiction, or memoir of the best literary quality you can produce, the best source for finding honest contests is Poets & Writers Magazine. This magazine (which used to be called Coda) roots out scams and sinks them into the deepest hole in the Atlantic Ocean. The magazine comes out every two months, and you can find it in any decent library. Or you can buy it at newsstands or bookstores. I subscribe because it doesn't cost all that much and it's more convenient.

The first part of P&W contains articles, many of which are useful. But everyone knows that the really good stuff comes after the articles. That's where the contests are listed. Most of the contests are sponsored by literary journals, usually those published by colleges or universities. These contests often charge reading fees, which are used to provide the prize money and keep the journal alive for another year, given that most journals could not survive from subscription fees and the few ads they sell. These reading fees are the only exceptions I know of that do not ring the warning bells for the many scams out there.

Writing Contests, Part 2

The listings begin with the section labeled "Deadlines (Grants & Awards)." Read each listing carefully. In most of them, you'll find a website spelled out where you can find detailed guidelines for the contest. Before you pay a $15 reading fee, make sure the prize is worth the investment. Also, check to see if your $15 will buy a copy of the issue that contains the prize winner. If so, you'll at least get something for your reading fee.

After reading "Deadlines," continue on to the "Classifieds" and look for "Contests." Here you'll find contests sponsored by independent literary journals that are not usually associated with colleges or universities. The prizes offered are usually smaller than those offered by the more prestigious journals, and, therefore, the reading fee should also be smaller. Don't shell out $15 if the prize is only $100.

NOW COMES THE REALLY BAD NEWS: Your chance of winning any of these contests is about as likely as winning a lottery. I've been writing for 30 years. Dozens of my stories and essays have appeared in magazines, anthologies, and literary journals. A university press published my well-received but seldom-purchased family memoir. A small press released my personal memoir in 2006. In all these years, I've won only one contest, and the winning prize amounted to $250.

If you want to make money, get a good job and do your serious writing after work, after the children are in bed, after you help clean up the mess, and after you tell your spouse how much you love him or her.

ResponseCom

At a time when radio and television provide advertisements for every imaginable product or service, companies large and small may want to consider an older way to deliver their advertising messages.

Martin Worldwide can provide a database of over 290 million individuals and 14 million businesses. That’s 304 million potential customers. Martin Worldwide’s database, called ResponseCom, combines two older databases in order to create a huge number of Sales Leads.

The ResponseCom database identifies new clients for small firms and large corporations. ResponseCom selects exactly the right candidates for virtually any product or service. It finds those markets that demonstrate a history of responding to direct mail advertising.

Martin Worldwide makes its direct marketing services available in a cost-effective and productive way. Contact Chip Matthews, client relations manager, at 888-267-3545 or by e-mail at: chip@martinworldwide.net.

Harvest of Shame, Part 2

CBS reporters followed the path of migrant farm workers as they harvested the crops from Florida to New Jersey. Interviewers and the cameras that filmed them revealed desperate workers trapped in a system that provided the only work they knew how to do.

After letting workers describe their long hours, low pay, filthy living quarters, poor food, and transportation that was worse than that provided for animals, the interviewers repeatedly asked the workers if they thought they would ever escape from the work they had chosen. The answer repeatedly given was “I don’t see how.”

Harvest of Shame was broadcast right before Thanksgiving, a holiday on which Americans have traditionally enjoyed the blessings of a bountiful harvest. The CBS documentary forced Americans to change their conceptions of how that bountiful harvest reached their dining tables.

Harvest of Shame changed the way Americans saw themselves as it also changed the nature of American documentary films.

Harvest of Shame, Part 1

A real documentary provides a counterbalance to the feature films that purport to reflect contemporary society. “Art imitates life” is the conventional wisdom that supports the claims of the feature filmmaker.

But in real life, an endless repetition of cops and robbers, exploding autos, and attractive actors fails to depict the reality of American society, or any society. The documentary, if it’s well made, offers a contrast to the familiar feature film.

In 1960, Edward R. Murrow and his CBS Reports television staff made a classic documentary, one that is still taught in film classes throughout the United States. This documentary was called Harvest of Shame, and it effectively challenged the popular beliefs of how food was harvested for the best-fed nation on earth. That documentary is now available on DVD.

Silver

For centuries, people have conserved their wealth by converting it to silver and other precious metals. In the present era, Monex Deposit Company provides a convenient way for the public to buy silver.

A precious metal is not the kind of thing to store with your childhood stamp collection. The large, well-trained staff at Monex can provide for safe delivery to an independent bank or depository of your choice. Silver is available in either coin or ingot form.

Silver may be especially attractive to investors at the present time. Yearly demand for silver now exceeds production. The world’s silver reserves are growing smaller and may soon drop to nothing. Regardless of whether you prefer coins or ingots, Monex can provide competitive prices.

No one would suggest that you put all your wealth into silver, but consider purchasing this rare and beautiful metal as a safeguard for whatever amount of your accumulated wealth you wish. In unpredictable economic times, silver is one of the only sure guardians of your wealth.

The Big Sleep 2

In Michael Winner’s 1977 remake of The Big Sleep, the confusion in the plot of the original movie is corrected, but the new screenplay can’t compare with the earlier one. Not even Robert Mitchum can breathe live into the wooden dialog.

Another failure lies in the fact that Winner decided to place the film in England. It would be impossible for anyone to put an American hard-boiled detective into such a foreign setting and expect the whole thing to succeed. Instead, the whole thing looks silly.

The remake of The Big Sleep fails to past the test when compared with the original.

The Big Sleep 1

The trouble with doing a remake of a great movie is that viewers are bound to compare the new version with the original, and the remake has to be really good in order to survive the test. Consider the case of The Big Sleep, which can now be found on DVD.

The original production of The Big Sleep is one of the finest examples of film noir we’ll ever have. The script is based on Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled detective novel of the same title. The plot is remarkably complex, but that doesn’t really matter when detective Philip Marlowe is entertaining us with one wisecrack after another. “You’re not very tall, are you?” a spoiled brat tells him. “I try to be,” Marlowe says.

Fans of the Bogart-Bacall duo have found much to please them in The Big Sleep. The dialog between these two is as steamy as Florida in July.

How can a remake compare well with all this?

Surfer Girls

If you’re a woman or girl who likes surfing and other water sports, you can find helpful information and products online at Surfer Girls. Even if you don’t surf but like the image that surfing suggests, you can also find something you’ll like at Surfer Girls. Or if you aren’t interested in water sports for yourself, you can find a gift for that girl or woman who will really love it.

Surfer Girls provides information about surfing camps, surf and water sport news, and interesting surfing stories. If you need some surf-related products, you can find artwork, jewelry, music, DVDs, surf clothing, and much more at Surfer Girls.

All of us who care about the environment and the welfare of animal life will applaud Surfer Girls, which supports clubs, organizations, and individuals who work to protect those resources that make water sports so pleasurable for women and girls of all ages.

DVD Downloads

New Moon now provides an easy way for you to obtain the movie you just can’t wait for. Simply go to the right sidebar and find the box labeled “DVD-Quality Downloads.” Click on the button and see what’s there. DVD-quality downloads for hundreds of movies await you. You can shop by category, by genre, or by movie studio. If you prefer a TV show instead of a movie, look at anything from A&E to VH1. Shop by channel or by genre. The prices vary, depending on what you choose. Why wait? See what you want, and see it now.

Mechanic School Directory

Parents, teachers, and guidance counsellors agree that a young person should get a good education in order to find employment that will provide for a happy life. I’ve often given that advice to my own children.

When we think about a good education, we often think first about a four-year college degree and oftentimes a graduate degree. But we should also keep in mind the training available for young people who may want to learn the traditional crafts and trades. This kind of employment can provide a secure and rewarded career.

People interested in learning about mechanics, welding, and HVAC (Heating and Air-Conditioning Systems) may not know what schools offer the kind of training they need. That kind of information can be found online at the Mechanic-School-Directory.com. That’s where you can find schools that will help you acquire HVAC Certification.

The Mechanic School Directory provides a comprehensive list of trade schools located throughout the United States. These schools offer training in both welding and HVAC. In addition, the directory lists schools that provide educations in auto, diesel, aircraft, motorcycle, and marine mechanics.

The Mechanic School Directory provides easy online access to the schools listed. The directory also provides important information about programs, certification, careers, and licensing. If you or someone you know would like to acquire an education in mechanics, welding, or HVAC, the Mechanic School Directory is a good place to start looking.

Central Standard

At present, the family memoir is one of the most popular literary forms in the United States. One of the best examples of this form is Central Standard: A Time, a Place, a Family. This book received good reviews in the Middle West, but it was largely ignored elsewhere in the country. Central Standard tells the story of one working-class family that stayed together, survived the Great Depression, and sometimes triumphed. After failing to succeed at farming, the family found its home in railroad work. The book contains its share of both sorrow and joy. Ask your librarian to order Central Standard.

Orchestra Seats

I've just seen a delightful movie called Orchestra Seats. The story is set in contemporary Paris. All the main characters started life with very little and managed to create a good existence for themselves without forgetting the rest of their fellow citizens. Some of the success stories are a little hard to believe, but the excellent camera work, music, and a very good screenplay make the viewer forget about minor faults.

Orchestra Seats isn't the kind of movie that will show up at the theater at every shopping mall. You may have to wait to buy, rent, or download the DVD. But the movie will be well worth the wait.

Jamaica Vacation

Why have I never gone to Jamaica? I’ve never heard anything but good news about this ideal vacation spot. It isn’t all that far away. I wouldn’t have to go to the other side of the earth. I can afford it, especially if I take advantage of Vacations.net.

If I can go to Jamaica, so can you. I’m not poor, but I live simply and save what I can to provide an occasional vacation for my family and myself. So I’m not likely to set off without careful planning. I need Vacations.net so that I can take an all inclusive jamaica vacation.

Vacations.net has redesigned its website to offer up-scale resort vacations at discount rates. The site provides an intuitive booking engine, thorough content, and compelling images. And best of all, the site is easy to use.

A trip to Vacations.net provides virtual tours, detailed information about accommodations, and everything you need to know about all-inclusive resort vacations in places such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.

For reservations and all the info you need, visit www.vacations.net, or call 1-888-205-3315.

More Sad News in the Southern Hemisphere

In all confidence, I must now tell you that south of the Equator, the people sound altogether too much like the people of England! It appears that these people did not dump tea in a harbor, did not sign a Declaration of Independence, did not shoot at soldiers in bright-red uniforms, and generally did not do what all right-thinking people did in the 1770’s.

We live in troubled times.

Shocking News South of the Equator

Let me tell you the most shocking thing I’ve ever heard south of the Equator. After six weeks of careful listening and observation, I’ve noticed that the people of the Southern Hemisphere speak with accents unlike anything I’ve ever heard in the American Middle West, where English is always pronounced correctly. Moreover, the accents heard down under in no way resemble the accents in New York, Alabama, Boston, or not even in Missouri.

Northern Virginia Real Estate

Every so often, I like to visit Washington, D.C., to gaze again at some of our national monuments. The Lincoln Monument is my favorite, and the Jefferson Monument is a close second. Once I’ve taken all the photographs I can afford, I can easily spend a week going through the Smithsonian Institution.

If I lived in Northern Virginia, I could visit those places more frequently and conveniently. And if I could move to Northern Virginia, I would want to look into fairfax real estate. And I would also want to introduce myself to John Holmes at Keller Williams real estate.

Keller Williams is the fastest growing real estate firm in the United States, and John Holmes has helped create that success. With over 20 years of real estate experience, John could help me find just the property I needed in Northern Virginia. He knows both condos and houses. And when it came time to move on, John could find me an eager buyer.

This whole idea sounds better and better. I’m presently visiting a country in the South Pacific. If I can do that, why not Northern Virginia?

Still More Word Trouble South of the Equator

South of the Equator, cars have bonnets and boots. But close observation of the Old Order Amish in the United States of America proves that bonnets and boots are still items of clothing, not the al-u-min-i-um that may or may not be used to manufacture anything powered by an internal-combustion engine.

More Word Trouble South of the Equator

Animal husbandry is important to English-speaking citizens anywhere. As a boy on the farm, I often moved the cows and calves from one pasture to another. But there are no pastures south of the Equator. The sheep eat their bluegrass in “paddocks,” which I confused with “padlocks,” an invention in which the sheep will search in vain for bluegrass.

Walt Disney World Tickets

If Orlando, Florida, is your vacation destination, you will find it useful to make OrlandoFunTickets.com your ticket destination. Perhaps the most popular attraction in Orlando is Walt Disney World, which offers four theme parks, two water parks, and much more.

But there’s a great deal more to see and do in Orlando. Its variety of theme parks, dinner shows, and numerous other attractions make it popular for all members of the family. Because of the large number of tourist stops in Orlando, the visitor can find the numerous options for admission tickets far too confusing.

One solution to this confusing situation is to go online and obtain your Walt Disney World Tickets from OrlandoFunTickets.com. This firm offers the lowest prices for all discount Disney tickets. OrlandoFunTickets also offers the lowest discount prices for all other theme parks and dinner shows. These popular attractions include Sea World, Universal Studios, Arabian Nights, and much more.

Your visit to Orlando should be fun, not confusing. For the best ticket prices, logon to Orlandofuntickets.com.

Language Trouble South of the Equator

I like to take a generous attitude toward the people of any country south of the Equator, but I am baffled by “aluminium.” This is apparently the word used for the metal otherwise known as “aluminum.” When I first heard al-u-min-i-um, I thought the speaker had been drinking an inferior brand of beer. But then I saw the word in print in an otherwise reputable journal. Now I see and hear the word everywhere.

We live in troubled times.

More Trouble in the South Pacific

In the South Pacific, global warming has caused all the refrigerators to melt.

The refrigerator crisis has caused Island.com and Island.org to declare war on each other, although neither country has an army, navy, or air force.

Reports from Island.com and Island.org state that no casualties have occurred in the first week of warfare.

In the most recent election in the island nation of Tasmansea, the Sheep Party won all seats in Parliament. The party’s first act was to change the national anthem to “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.”

Most sheep in Tasmansea prefer to drive the Dodge Ram, although the Swedish Woolvo is also popular.

Sheep now control a majority interest in Woolworth’s.

The Best Dental Care

Next month, I’ll start the car and drive off to Cedar Street, where I’ll park the car and bravely go into the office of my dentist, where experience has taught me that I’ll receive the best dental care available in the town where I live. If you live near Alexandria, Virginia, you can expect to receive the same excellent treatment at Hayfield Dental Care, which has served the residents of that area since 1987.

Consider the qualifications of charles brown dds pc. Dr. Brown has worked at Hayfield Dental Care for ten years. During that time, he has performed thousands of crown, root canal, and surgical procedures. The Virginia Board of Dentistry reports that Charles Brown, DDS, has received zero complaints.

Dr. Brown graduated from the Medical College of Virginia, where he received the Academic Achievement Award for having ranked first in his class for the 1996 academic year. The Washington Area Consumer Council listed Charles Brown, DDS, as one of the region’s top dentists. With staff members like Dr. Brown on board, why look elsewhere? You can reach Hayfield Dental Care at 703-971-2220.

“Minutes”

Here’s a teaser, one paragraph from “Minutes,” a short story now available from Amazon Shorts. The author of New Moon is also the author of “Minutes.” Here we go:

Burning Desire Romance Writers

Dressed in a lovely burgundy evening gown, Chairwoman Angela Chandler Dumont rose from her chair at the head of the long, gleaming walnut table and called the meeting to order at eight o’clock. “Ladies,” she said breathlessly, “first I must thank our hostess on behalf of the group. The chilled champagne and lightly sautéed vegetables orientale were exquisite, especially in this beautiful setting in Deepwater’s exclusive East End, with the moonlight streaming through the high windows with their Palladian summits. Thank you, Penelope.”

Want to read more? Go to the right sidebar and click on “Amazon Shorts.” Then get ready to pay a mere 49 cents.

Discover StoresOnline

The StoresOnline website says, “Discover the advantage you can have with StoresOnline's eCommerce training and powerful technology.” But a New Zealand woman says she paid the Web company over $23,000 and received almost nothing in sales.

According to an article in the April 3 issue of The Dominion Post, Karen Clunie paid $6500 for a starter pack, $1000 for financing, $14,000 for coaching and support packs, and $1800 to register her company in the United States. Her six online “stores” realized total sales of $80.

In 2006, StoresOnline paid 175 Australians $680,000 to resolve charges of misleading and deceptive practices.

New Moon finds it distressing that the actions of companies like StoresOnline may damage the prospects of legitimate online firms.

Disney World Packages

Why not make this the year for an Orlando vacation? Disney World packages offer all the excitement you can imagine. If you've already taken the family to Disney World recently, you may be interested to learn that Orlando has 52 theme parks altogether. And beautiful ocean beaches await you only 40 minutes away. To top all this off, consider the fact that the rates for vacation homes are lower than those for most other popular vacation destinations. With rent like that, you can stay even longer to enjoy Orlando's many attractions.

Still not convinced? Consider this. Because the theme park business is so competitive, most parks are continually adding new rides and new attractions. So if you haven't been to Orlando within the last 3 to 5 years, the whole family still has a lot to see.

DVD-Quality Downloads

This Web site now provides a quick and easy way for you to obtain the movie you just can’t wait for. Simply go to the right sidebar and find the box labeled “DVD-Quality Downloads.” Click on the button and see what’s waiting for you. I just clicked on the button, and three recent releases leapt out at me—The Pursuit of Happiness, The U.S. vs. John Lennon, and The Departed.

But you don’t have to stop there. DVD-quality downloads for hundreds of other movies await you, as categorized in the lists on the left. You can shop by category, by genre, or by movie studio. If you prefer a TV show instead of a movie, look at anything from A&E to VH1. Shop by channel or by genre. The prices vary, depending on what you choose. Why wait? See what you want, and see it now.