Some of the Best Applications for the BlackBerry in 2012

One can try productive tools, entertainment titles and other tools to perform their tasks. Here is the list of some of the best BlackBerry applications.

Call Reminder Notes

This is a handy app that allows you to set a small note to appear the next time a particular contact calls you. Additionally, The note can be assigned to multiple contacts. So, if you need to remind all your housemates or colleagues of any event or task, you can have it appear each time you call one of them. The reminder is automatically cleared once you hang up from the call, and an optional after-call window allows you to add a new reminder. You can even create a calendar event or add a note to their contact in your phone book.

Foursquare

This is a fun social networking service that lets the user get connected with friends. One can explore their city and earn fun badges along the way. Check in to venues when you're out and earn special badges and promotions. You can even compete with your friends and explore your world. This amazing app of BlackBerry lets you check in, view specials and explore your area.

Where's My Phone Pro?

This is a standalone application, that does not require any third-party service. This app allows the users to email or SMS their lost BlackBerry device with a code word and command it to make certain functions like - emitting a loud beep noise, popping up the screen with a message, etc. The owner of the device can also make it send an email to him, containing the map of its location.

BlackBerry Messenger

This is a great app that lets you chat with friends, send photos and video, start group chats and much more. This is truly an amazing messaging solution for BlackBerry users.In other words, BlackBerry Messenger is a free messaging app that lets you communicate easily with other BlackBerry Smartphone owners to start group chats, plan events or share content. This app is used by a nearly 54 million people from across the world every day.

WhatsApp Messenger

This app is for the user who wish to chat with their friend who doesn't have a BlackBerry. WhatsApp Messenger can be used by people, who have their friends and family on other platforms. With this app one can easily message contacts on other platforms. It works off the contact phone number, so as long as they are in your address book they'll show up on WhatsApp. One can even send images, videos, voice notes and more.

Dropbox

Dropbox is the app which provides the user with 2GB of cloud storage. Dropbox can be used to store photos, video and other files for access when and where they are needed. This can be said as a must have application for BlackBerry Smartphones or any other Smartphone. In other words, Dropbox is an online storage solution that allows the users to upload and synchronize their documents and photos to the cloud, and access them from anywhere in the world.

BlackBerry Protect

This app can be used to protect your valuable BlackBerry device and gives you peace of mind. You can attempt to locate it or even wipe all the data. The app runs in the background and keep track of your device while backing up all the important data.

BlackBerry applications are really cool and can turn normal phones into Smartphones.

Mobile application development process at Endeavour concentrates on enabling unthinkable innovative processes in mobile environments. The available data is looked at being mobilized as this approach enables the enterprise to change the way their employees work. As a thorough mobility company, Endeavour never retrieves from thinking as creatively as possible to arrive at a process that is crafted to perfection and is streamlined for that desired functioning of the mobile solution that has been developed.

A Little Bit Of Information About Primates

What do you have in common with a chimpanzee, a mountain gorilla, and a spider monkey? You are all closely related mammals - you are primates.

As you might have already guessed there is a wide diversity among primates, but there are some traits that all share. Most primates have "opposable thumbs", which means that their thumbs can rotate to touch the fingertips on the same hand. This helps primates climb trees and grasp food. Also, primates can see in color, and their brains are generally longer than those of other mammals. They range in size from the tiny mouse lemur, which weighs only 2 ounces, to the gorilla, which can weigh 600 pounds.

The more primitive primates, called prosimians include the strange aye-aye, lemurs and the sifakas. There three-dwelling primates live on the island of Madagascar. Galagos, lorises, pottos, and tarsiers are also prosimians. Scientists believe that the earliest primates that appeared on Earth some 70 million years ago were similar to some of the mammals in this group.

The "higher" primates include marmosets, tamarins, monkeys, apes, and humans. Found only in South America, marmosets and tamarins are squirrel-sized primates that are some of nature's most spectacular mammals.

Marmosets and tamarins eat fruit, flowers, nectar, insects, frogs and spiders. They live in close family groups of between four and 15 individuals. All members of the group help raise the young - sharing food and even carrying them from time to time. It's possible that these "babysitters" are learning how to care for the offspring that they will have one day.

Most primates do not exhibit this kind of family cooperation, but some do live in smaller family groups made up of a male and female and their immature offspring. Gibbons and their cousins, the siamang monkeys, live in groups such as this. In titi monkey family groups, the male takes the lead role in caring for the young. He is the one who is in charge of feeding, protecting and carrying the infant until it is about four or five months old and mature enough to keep up with its family.

The great apes - chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas - are human beings' closest relatives. These amazing animals have many behaviors and physical characteristics that are just like ours. Apes have no tails, and they have long arms and highly developed brains. Gorillas are usually described as being of either the lowland or mountain variety. The mountain gorilla is an endangered species. Only a few hundred remain in the mountains of East Africa.

Benefits of Integrating Smartphones in Classrooms

Within the sphere of Learning and Development, mobile learning is a relatively familiar term now. It's a process of seamless learning, anywhere, anytime, even when you are on the go. With a wide accessibility of devices, such as net books, iPads, iPod Touch or even a Smartphone, these days mobile learning is not a Herculean task to conduct. Today, it is a widely followed educational process, which enables educators to facilitate an interactive learning experience in the most effective way.

Although the traditional concept is that mobile phones is a distraction in the classroom, yet the extensive use of cell phone devices have made many schools accept the outright usability of these gadgets in the training and learning process. However, implementing mobile learning in schools can be of great value. We have come up with several benefits of implementing Smartphones at academic centers.

1. Teachers can record their lectures and get them uploaded as a podcast. Students can share this via their mobile devices as and when required for reference. In case students cannot attend the lecture session, they can access the podcast on a need to know basis.

2. With a Smartphone, the teacher-student interaction is highly facilitated. Teachers can share their contact numbers with students, so that they can get in touch with them as and when required. Thus, students can review their lessons as per their convenience and ask instant question to their teachers. Continuous interaction with students can help you to identify the areas where the students need more guidance.

3. The accessibility to Smartphone in classes can enable students to find answers quickly by using the internet from their mobile devices. It takes much less time to find answers than to look through tons of books. What teachers can do is ask a question and tell pupils to find the answer as soon as possible. Thus, you can check if yours students are able to comprehend the context of the questions.

4. Implementing Smartphones in your day-to-day classes can help both students and teacher remain updated about various important details. What you can do is create a short list of important details, such as exam dates, short summaries, and so on, and can transfer it to students via text messaging.

5. Enabling Smartphone in classes can make learning a fun experience for students and teachers alike. Moreover, it helps to widen the knowledge base. A teacher can request students to go through continental Geography via Google maps. Now, quiz your students on the knowledge that they've acquired.

6. Finally, teachers send out flashcards with a new word and its definition on a regular basis to their students.

Jonathan is a professional trainer. He employs latest technology for online class registration and online training registration that results in more attendance and ROI.

Are Whales at Threat of Extinction?

It is common knowledge that rampant overfishing (whaling) in the 18th - 20th centuries nearly drove many whale species to extinction. While whaling certainly existed prior to this, technological improvements allowed the industry to become much more efficient in harvesting whales. Now that the global whaling industry has nearly disappeared, whale populations have been able to slowly recover. Conservation efforts and eco-tourism (centered around whale watching cruises or dolphin interaction tours) are working to fund recovery efforts, but is it too late?

The majority of the great whale species are still on the endangered species list. The United States Endangered Species Act (ESA) still lists the northern right, southern right, bowhead, fin, blue, sei, humpback, and sperm whales as endangered species. The population of the northern right is reported to be less than one thousand animals remaining. One big problem is that, even without a major impact from commercial whaling, many interactions between humans and whales mean further losses in the population.

Commercial fishing vessels pose a great danger to whales. While their target is not the whale itself, the cetacean can often become entangled in the fishing lines or nets that are in active use or have been discarded at sea. This is not a fatal condition immediately, but the entanglement can slow down the animal, impacting its ability to dive and surface or to feed. A whale that cannot surface cannot breathe, and drowns.

Another impact from ships is collision risk. When large ships such as cruise liners or tankers collide with a whale, there is no contest. Serious injury or death is a frequent result. Many areas that are common "interference zones" between whale traffic and human traffic have implemented slower speeds to avoid the collisions, but this is not a 100% solution. There is currently no way to ensure keeping distance between ships and whales in their natural habitat.

The effects of climate change on all aspects of our environment are still not fully understood. However, as ocean temperatures change, the food source for many cetaceous mamals (krill and plankton) will be impacted. It is possible that ongoing temperature increases will create food shortages for the whale population, driving further losses.

Chemical and noise pollution are other factors impacting whale population rebound. Chemicals such as heavy metals make their way into the food chain and can build up over time, slowly poisoning the animals. Noise pollution, primarily from ship traffic, could possibly interfere with the navigation, feeding, and communication of whales. Interrupting these activities can further damage the recovery of whale stocks worldwide.

Finally, commercial whaling is still a minor factor. While a global moratorium on whaling has been declared, there is no central body with any enforcement authority. Annual harvests are closely monitored, and global opinion is largely negative about the practice, but some nations insist that whale hunting is part of their heritage.

With reduced commercial whaling, funding from conservation groups and whale watching tours, populations worldwide have a chance at survival in general. It is unlikely that all species will have long-term success, but through the dedicated efforts of conservationists worldwide it is certain that our world won't lose all the whales.

Anyone interested in the plight of cetaceous mammals, wanting to know more about marine conservation, or finding whale watching trips should visit http://www.planetwhale.com/

Words Can Work Wonders!

I love quotes. For years, I've compiled hundreds of quotes that speak to me and created more than 20 small books, which I can tuck into a purse or suitcase.

For me, these books of quotations, hand-chosen to be voices that are especially meaningful to me, have been a positive voice whispering in my ear, like having a motivational coach in my briefcase.

The quote books I've compiled have different themes, and they vary depending on the phase of life I was experiencing at the time I put the books together. They're nothing fancy: just a blank journal that I've personalized with quotations and photos to help me get through the challenges of everyday life.

These little books might not be coffee-table-gorgeous, but they have brought me enormous joy. They've inspired me when I was facing a challenge, surviving a loss, starting a business, or taking a leap of faith. They've soothed, rewarded, jump started and encouraged me. They've been a friend and a valued business partner, a confidant who always "spoke my language." No matter what I was facing, I could count on my quotation books when the going got tough, when someone disappointed me, or when I ran into an obstacle.

I created books for every mood and need. Some books were designed to get me energized for success, while others helped me toughen up mentally. Some were comforting, while others took a "tough love" approach to help me put disappointments in perspective. There were books to inspire and motivate, and books to make me laugh. Books to encourage me to celebrate wins both big and small, and books to feed me emotionally and spiritually when the going got tough. There were even books to remind me to forgive and move on, lifting me up when the world didn't seem like a friendly place.

Although the quotes span centuries and the photos are a mix of famous artwork, nature scenes, postcards, and magazine clippings, the themes are consistent. Here are some of the mantras that show up over and over in the quotations that resonate with me.

Always take the high roadStay positiveI can do it!I'm not the only one who has gone through this, others have gone before me, and have found a way.There is always hope.Never, ever, give up.I am never alone.I am a part of a larger universe; it's not all about me.Look at the big pictureGet outside the boxHave courage!Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, start over.Forgive.Strive to live up to the ideals that matter.

What resonates with you? If you're feeling down, overwhelmed or challenged, why not create your own quotation book? I'll warn you; it's addictive! Start your own quotation book today, and you might be amazed where the journey takes you!

Faith Monson is a Success Consultant who works with entrepreneurs, designers, retailers and sales-driven organizations. She makes people and businesses better by daring them to be great and helping them to reach their full potential. Visit http://www.faithmonson.com/ or contact her directly at Faith@FaithMonson.com or 703-237-2077.

3 Success Factors That Really Make A Difference

Are you on the road to success?

Are you getting what you want out of life?

Are you achieving the goals and career objectives that are important to you?

Are you building quality relationships?

It's frustrating when you want to discover the keys to success in your life and career, but have no idea what to do or how to get started. I know because I've been there!

Below are a handful of the big-picture principles that I have used to help me pursue true success in my life and career. I hope these will help you along your road to success as well.

#1 Key to Success - Discover Your "1 Thing"

Did you know one of the greatest keys to success can be found in the movie City Slickers?

In one of its most memorable scenes, Curly (the cowboy) asks Mitch (the city slicker), "Do you know what the meaning of life is?" Mitch says, "No, what?" Curly says, "This," and holds up his index finger. Mitch says, "Your finger?" Curly answers, "No, it's just one thing, and everything else don't mean _________ (I won't repeat what Curly says here; I'll just let you use your imagination)." Mitch says, "That's great Curly, but what's the one thing?" Curly concludes the conversation by saying, "That's what you have to figure out."

This conversation highlights one of the most important keys to success in life -- what is that "1 Thing" that makes life worth living for you? Even more, if everything else is stripped away, what is the "1 Thing" that makes life..."life?"

Key to Success #2 - Align Your "Being" and "Doing"

Another key to success for getting what you want in life is aligning who you are (aka, your "being") and what you do (aka, your "doing") with your "1 Thing." In other words, how does your "1 Thing" impact who you are and what you do? This step personalizes your "1 Thing" and allows you to create a personal purpose (i.e. mission) statement.

For instance, my personal purpose statement is: To glorify God and enjoy Him well (i.e. my "1 Thing") by living it forward in the most important roles of my life (i.e. my "being") and by inspiring and empowering other people and organizations to do the same (i.e. my "doing").

Key to Success #3 - Figure Out What You Don't Want

Once you identify your life purpose, a great way to determine the keys to success for your life and career is to identify what things are in your life and career that won't help you live out your purpose. In other words:

What would you like to change?What are you tired of?What attitudes and habits are NOT in line with your life purpose?What actions are NOT congruent with your career goals and career objectives?

Take a close look at your life and career to determine what things don't fit with your purpose, then take action to get rid of anything that won't lead you down the road to success. This step is challenging, but the momentum you'll gain from aligning your life and work with your purpose is nothing short of amazing!

2012 Kent Julian - All Right Reserved

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The 3 Key Elements of Success

The mantra: "Get out of your comfort zone" may seem to be a daunting task for many people. Once you step out of your comfort zone, the perceived safety net, your safe environment is no longer there.

For the risk takers in the world, the absence of a safety net or a back door simply means no falling back (into old habits) or turning around when the going gets tough. Stepping out of your comfort zone requires some calculated knowledge of risks, support from around you and a whole lot of faith in yourself.

That's why starting a business, learning a new skill, getting into new habits that can lead you to the life you truly deserve, all involved risk. Here's what your SUCCESS formula looks like:

RISK + SUPPORT + FAITH = SUCCESS

RISK

An element of RISK exists because you are doing something different. You are making changes because you want the results in your life to change. Remember the definition of 'INSANITY'? Doing the same things and expecting different results.

You've got to take some risk - calculated risk - to get different results in your life.

SUPPORT

Most of the time, SUPPORT does not come from the people whom you thought would be the first to raise their hands. Do you remember how many people thought you could not be successful, get to your goals because you were not flowing with the norm? Remember the last time you said you were trying something new and how many people (your family, closest friends and even you) thought: "There is NO way, you could do that!"?

Seek the company of the men and women who have traveled the same path as you. Whether you are starting a business or want to try your feet at ballroom dancing get around those circles. These people have walked your path and they can teach you a thing or two plus share their mistakes and challenges with you, so you don't have to learn the hard way.

People love helping other people. Be open to learning, to sharing and making mistakes while you are in this 'supportive' environment. You will learn quicker and get to your goals faster.

FAITH

Faith and Risk co-exist. You take risks because you have faith in yourself and what you do. Faith and Fear though cannot exist at the same time. The feeling of Fear disappears when Faith takes over.

"Courage is not the absence of Fear, it is the presence of Faith!" - Jackie Coan

This is the most important element of the three. Without Faith, you will choose not take risks. There are no guarantees in life and SUCCESS is always hard-earned. Trusting yourself that you will follow through and do whatever it takes to succeed, is the first step towards opening the door to an abundance of opportunities.

What we have covered is the initial preparation towards getting you to believe that achieving SUCCESS is simple. It's just not that easy. You've got to put in the time, the effort and the hard work. You can do the smart work later when you have your foundation in place.

Once you understand the formula, it can be replicated again and again. You can apply the elements to every aspect of your life where you want to see change happen for the better.

You've just got to start here, once you know what you want and how badly you want to achieve Success in your life. No back doors or safety net remember?

Jackie Coan's mission is to "Inspire Change to Create Possibilities". She changes lives every day by teaching others to launch successful profitable businesses from the get go. Visit her website http://www.thebusinessofsuccess.co/

John Edwards Statement to the Media and the Punditry

I was not a John Edward's fan when he ran for president in 2008. I did not get the sense that his depth character had fully developed. (I had the feeling before his haircut video went viral.) But, On Thursday, I believe he showed courage. Edwards stepped out on the courthouse and made a statement after the jury acquitted him on one charge and deadlocked on the five others.

John Edwards thanked the jury for their thoughtful 9 days of deliberations. Edwards said he was responsible. Edwards said he and he alone was responsible. Whether or not he is sincere, we do not know. But, he recognized by saying he was responsible that he had to take accountability on some level.

John Edwards thanked his daughter, Cate, for her support and acknowledged that she was able to give it while loving her mother as much as she does. He acknowledged his love for all his children. He gave intense emotional public declaration of his love for his daughter, Quinn. He acknowledged his sins and said "God is not through with me yet." He vowed to continue to work for the poor. Then the pundits went wild.

Here is my punditry of the pundits. Chuck Todd called John Edward's statement creepy. I have to say I was a little thrown by that characterization coming from Chuck Todd. Then he surmised that nobody wants to hear from John Edward. "Just go home," said Todd.

John Heilemann went as far as to say that Edwards talking about his daughter, Quinn, was creepy. John Heilemann is inaccurate when he says Edwards had not mentioned his other children and had to go back and acknowledge them after he made a point to state his love for Quinn. He had previously acknowledged all his other children then reaffirmed his love for all of them after stating he loved Quinn.

Heilemann concluded Edwards should not have acknowledged Quinn. His reasoning was Edwards would not have been standing on the courthouse steps if it had not been for the affair that produced Quinn. Quinn had nothing to do with the affair. She is not John Edward's shame. Edward's affair is the problem, not the child. So, it was courageous for Edwards to publicly claim his child despite the pontificating he had to know would come.

Howard Fineman called Edwards' statement creepy as well. Then Fineman went on a comical caricature of Edward's statement. Fineman perceived Edwards weaving a story of his children into the plight of the poor. He characterized Edwards as egotistical and delusional. Fineman basically said Edwards was shameless for affirming his commitment to helping the poor in whatever avenues still available to him at this point.

Then Chris Mathews moved from characterizing Edwards' statement as having hit all the right marks to pointing out Edwards could have gone to jail for 30 years for the actions that produced his daughter. Then Matthews commented that it was like Edwards was saying I had this child by this woman and now I want to talk about it. Mathews was in lock step with the others that Edwards should not have acknowledged Quinn because of the affair cover up producing the child. Come on, Chris, think about how you were gushing over your granddaughter last week. You are free to love your granddaughter in the open.

John Edwards' is now free to openly acknowledge his child since all his dirty laundry in the public domain. He was supposed to acknowledge Quinn. The world is going to treat her like an illegitimate child, like the pundits did. John Edwards was supposed to legitimize his daughter.. He had the courage to stand up and claim her, finally.

Chris Mathews missed it again when he said John Edwards was talking to the country and not to Quinn. But, he was talking to Quinn. John Edwards was making a video diary. After denying his daughter, he wanted to have a public record for her. You know what they say. The Internet is forever. I agree with Chris Mathews that Edwards was also talking to his supporter Bunny Mellon when Edwards spoke of continuing to fight for the poor. Chris Matthews was also astute in recognizing Edwards was not talking to him, Fineman or any of the other pundits.

Edwards needed to make the statement. If he had not, as Mark Halprin though would have been best, the press would have hounded him. Some of these same commentators would have been saying Edwards should have made a statement. David Corn said that it was probably not a good time for Edward's to mention 'God is not through with him yet.'. The last time that I checked anybody can call on God at any time.

Al Sharpton piled on that Edward's should have said a word about his ex-wife. Oh no, he shouldn't have. People would have been outraged that he had the nerve to put Elizabeth Edward's name in his mouth. But, he did acknowledge her. He highlighted Cate's love for her mother. That was the best way for him to handle it. He let everyone know that he knows Elizabeth Edwards is still loved.

Sean Hannity tried as usual to lay the predicate for the next line of Republican attack that can be turned on President Obama's administration. He tried to convict Edwards personally without addressing the complexity and flaws of campaign finance laws. He was trying to make an argument for why Edwards should be retried. Hannity conjured up these reasons for a retrial. 1) There is enough evidence to convict Edwards. 2) With a new jury, the prosecutor could do more. 3) Edwards is not sympathetic figure. 4) The prosecutor could do a better job of trying the case.

Big Ed hit the right note. He showed a clip of John Edwards speaking about the big challenges facing our country. Edwards was foreshadowing that you are not going to be able to negotiate with powerful interests about energy policy, healthcare and education.. Edwards said they would have to be forced to the table. President Obama's three years in office has proved that those representing big money interests cannot persuaded by reason to put country first. Ed Schultz lamented on the loss for the democrats. He showed the part of Edwards' statement of him taking ownership for his immoral acts, but asserting he had broken no laws. Shultz was fair and balanced. He showed Edwards on the right side of issues, but acknowledged that Edward's ego got the better of him.

If Edwards can raise awareness about the plight of the poor, more power to him. Who are these people to say Edwards cannot have a future in politics? David Vitter is still a Senator. Bill Clinton is a beloved political figure. Elliot Spitzer is a political analyst. John Edwards can be whatever he wants, if he works hard and helps others more than he helps himself.

Tammi Nikki is a political observer and social commentator. She enjoys satirizing politics and hypocrisy. Follow her @Oforobama and visit her essays and political graphics at http://www.oforobama.com/

Traits Of Successful People - 8 Characteristics Of All High Achievers

Over the years the traits of successful people has been a topic of much discussion.

All the great pioneers, entrepreneurs and entertainers of the world possess certain characteristics that have seen them achieve incredible success. But the good news is, these are success traits not just afforded to an exclusive group of people. They are not things that they were born with.

They are things that can be easily developed by you, me and everyone else, if the drive and desire for success is strong.

Everyone has an entitlement to be successful, but as you probably know by now, success is not something that just happens.

Below is a list of 8 traits of successful people... those must have characteristics that distinguish the achievers from the 'also-ran's'.

1. They Have Strong Belief

They all believe that they can succeed in whatever they set out to accomplish. They never let fear, worry or doubt control them. They encounter obstacles and challenges with a strong confidence that they will be overcome and a positive outcome will result.

2. They Have Perseverance

This is an essential trait if success is to be realized. Success is often a windy road. It is never easy or straightforward. Most of the successful people we know have shown great inner strength to keep pursuing their goals despite facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. Just think of Thomas Edison.

3. They Set 'Fantasized' Goals

Goals are vital to anyone's success, but what distinguishes the great from the ordinary are the types of goals they set themselves. Great innovators don't set goals they know or think they can achieve; they set goals that are perceived by many as stuff of fantasy. A great example of this was that of Bill Gates, whose dream was 'a computer on every desk and Microsoft software on every computer'.

4. They Love What They Do

Every day they have an incessant drive, hunger and vitality which inspires them towards their goals and success. For the high achiever, success is never an overnight thing. It's a long, hard and difficult road so without a love and passion for what they do they would have given up well before the finishing line.

5. They Fail

All successful people have failed at one time or other. They realize that failure is an essential part of success, and so don't waste any time and energy worrying about it. They all seem to adopt the philosophy of the great poet Samuel Beckett "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."

6. They Are Optimistic

Optimism is a key trait that all successful people possess. However difficult things get for them they never get deterred or disillusioned. They have a consistently positive and upbeat mentality which ensures their drive and desire never diminishes despite challenges or difficulties.

7. They Are Focused

Focus is at the core of all successful people's characters. They have a steadfast ability to prioritize projects that will move them closer to their goals, and avoid distractions that will prevent or hinder their progress.

8. They Take Responsibility

They are willing to accept responsibility for the events and circumstances that occurs in their lives, whether they initiated them or not. They refuse to blame and play the victim. Because of this, they are able to make the necessary changes and create the right circumstances that will bring about their desired success.

As George Bernard Shaw said "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."

This is exactly what the super-successful do!!!

The great achievers past and present experienced incredible success because they possessed characteristics that set them apart from everyone else. Traits that inspired them to achieving last success. But as I said in the beginning, the traits of successful people are not genetic; they are in fact things that can be learned and developed. So quit waiting and get started today!

Achieving success and realizing your most desired goals is never easy. In fact success in life is often out of the reach of the vast majority of people. Go here to discover Traits Of Successful People that will guarantee the realization of your every goal and dream.

The Future of the World Depends on Failure of the EU - Human Freedom and Liberty Needs It to Fail

Yes, I'll admit that title is a little hard-hitting and in your face, but what better way to get the point across. Now then, you are going to want my explanation for such a harsh reality type statement like that, and I believe you are justified in your inquiry, so, let's get right into the meat of this debate, and then you can contemplate on this argument, whether you agree or disagree is immaterial, my objective is purely to get you to think about it all.

Now then, if you will recall Greece is world of financial hurt, mostly due to their over expenditures on socialist type government give-aways, and rather than going to austerity measures to re-align themselves with the rest of Europe, they elected a more left-leaning socialist leader. What did France do? Well, they are not without their own challenges although far better off than the PIIGS - Portugal, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Ireland. But what did France do, well, they too voted in a more left leaning President recently.

All these left-leaning socialist methods are what has caused all these problems, and rather than fixing them, they decide to add more fuel to that fire and dig a bigger hole, rather than digging their way out of the one they'd created. If the ECB becomes an entity with the same power as the Federal Reserve and attempts to borrow its way out of things without changing this socialist mindset, it only will blow the balloon up bigger for one less hoorah before the big pop and implosion in the years ahead.

Worse, in the meantime it gives other nations a model to follow, and they too will reach the same potential eventuality and drive off a similar future cliff. And, let's not forget our own nation's problems, isn't our current leadership also following socialist theory and borrowing so many bad economic habits from Europe already? If the governments of the world become the parents and nannies of their citizenry, then what happens when the parents can no longer provide.

Perhaps you will recall when you were young and your parents took care of you? You didn't have that much freedom, and you always wanted more, but those were the rules right? Well, if the government is your new parents and you live as a socialist subject then you will not have any freedom or liberty, and then may I ask what you intend on doing when your parents lose their home, and leave you all alone? Freedom and Liberty come with responsibility my friends.

Of course, I am utterly amazed that the US voters would elect a regime that promised them such a socialist dream, something that goes against everything this great nation stands for. It's time to understand that socialism does not work, and maybe it is time for the European Union's experiment to fail before other nations follow it into the same abyss. Mexico is about to elect a left-leaning socialist, and many nations in South America already have. History shows this to be unwise, and it will surely cause those economies an early demise.

We as Americans know better, or at least most of us used too, today, it appears that the majority may not know better - nevertheless, maybe it's time that everyone see the light. It might be much better off for the future of mankind, for freedom and liberty worldwide, if the EU simply fall apart and those nations which are less socialistic are allowed to succeed on their own accord and those which aren't are allowed to pay for their foolhardy mistakes, then we might see a rebirth of freedom and liberty, yes, with responsibility, as that is the nature of things on this planet, it's always been that way, no matter what a politician might say.

Please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Economics and Politics. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

Compassion Means Saying 'Yes' to Our Deeper Selves

Not too long ago, a story made the rounds on the internet, from news sites to emails to Facebook posts, about a famous musician who decided to play in a busy public area of a major city and see what happened. Sadly, the musician, a world-class talent who typically filled auditoriums and sold out shows, only attracted fleeting glances from the bustling pedestrians who walked by him that day. His experience reflects a good deal about our collective conscience when it concerns people outside our tightly scheduled lives. A musician playing on a street corner or busy walkway isn't a threatening proposition. Maybe everyone passing by that day truly had too much on their agendas to stop, listen, and offer a dollar. But the story is telling on this level: we've become immune to the outside world, even when it offers us beautiful music.

Compassion Suffers from Our Jaded View of the World

Daily, we are wrapped in discouraging news from across the globe that bombards us from every angle. Some of us manage to close off the rat-a-tat-tat of negativity. Who among us knows someone, maybe yourself, who doesn't read a newspaper or watch a news show of any kind? We blame the media and say they focus too much on the negative and never report the positive. This may be true, but we inoculate ourselves from caring by placing a bubble around our lives. We become closed off to the suffering of others; we rationalize we can't do anything to change the circumstance; we turn off the music, both good and bad.

This is an insular way of living. True, life is difficult. Our trials will be many, and we argue that our personal stock of coping energy is depleted by dealing with the immediate, personal matters that affect us directly. When news of disasters or political upheavals seep through our barriers, we are good at pushing them back to the other side. "Let someone else help," we think, "because my life is all I can handle." Perhaps we need to think again.

Compassion: Part of What Makes Us Human

Over the course of human history, which can be viewed as minuscule or expansive, compassion has been a driving force of change. Human suffering has a way of motivating individuals and the masses. One person's compassionate acts can affect hundreds-abolitionist Sojourner Truth escaped slavery and worked the remainder of her life to ease the lives of black Americans. Acts of compassion also arise from nations-all but one European country has abolished the death penalty. Compassion is an agent of change.

The truth of the matter is that turning off our compassion entirely is impossible and deadening to our core consciousness. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), the physician and Nobel Peace Prize winner, said: "Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace."

Inspiration for Acts of Compassion Can Be Surprising

Take Maddie. Maddie was a beloved family pet of the founders of PeopleSoft, the business-to-business software company. For ten years, Maddie delighted her owners with love, companionship and laughter. In her memory, Dave and Cheryl Duffield decided to begin a foundation to decrease the numbers of pets euthanized in the United States. The mission of their foundation, Maddie's Fund is to "revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals." Their efforts to support no-kill shelters and promote spay and neuter programs have contributed to a decrease in euthanasia in the United States. All this came to be, because of a Miniature Schnauzer.

Reconnecting with Our Compassion: A Few Steps

There's no formula for finding our compassion once we recognize it has never left us in the first place. If your ability to care for others seems dormant, start small. You may have no desire to advocate for the homeless or volunteer at a non-profit organization. That's okay. But there are issues and people that you care about, and they are all around you when you are ready to see them. Ask yourself a couple of questions:

What do I care about in life?Who are affected by the things I care about most?Are there needs to be filled, small or large, that could benefit from my time, talent or money?If so, how do I undertake a compassionate act that best suits my resources, abilities and comfort level?

Make a commitment to write down the answers and review them. Keep revisiting them until they feel right. When they do, take the next step and act. In the end, the lives of a few or many could benefit, and your life will also reap the rewards of connecting with your humanity.

I invite you to visit http://www.fiveglobalvalues.com/ and download a sneak peak of my upcoming book "Adventures of the Tornado Kid" and follow the compelling story of two young kids born into two families with very different values. Two kids... and a devastating tornado.

Energy Department Announces Investments to Accelerate U.S. Manufacturing of Energy Efficient Lighting Technologies

Energy Department Announces Investments to Accelerate U.S. Manufacturing of Energy Efficient Lighting Technologies | Department of Energy Skip to main content Energy.gov Find information about your town or city. Search form Search Energy.gov Public ServicesTax Credits, Rebates & SavingsHomesVehiclesBuilding DesignManufacturingNational Security & SafetyEnergy EconomyFunding OpportunitiesState & Local GovernmentScience & InnovationScience & TechnologyScience EducationInnovationEnergy SourcesEnergy UsageEnergy EfficiencyMissionNews & BlogMaps & DataAbout UsFor Staff & ContractorsOfficesAll OfficesProgram OfficesStaff OfficesLabs & Technology CentersField SitesPower Marketing AdministrationOther Agencies You are hereHome Energy Department Announces Investments to Accelerate U.S. Manufacturing of Energy Efficient Lighting Technologies June 7, 2012 - 1:44pm Addthis News Media Contact(202) 586-4940

WASHINGTON -- As part of the Obama Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy to help reduce energy costs for America’s homes and businesses, the Energy Department today announced more than $7 million for three innovative lighting projects at companies in California, Michigan and North Carolina that aim to lower the cost of manufacturing high-efficiency solid-state lighting (SSL) technologies like light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).  LEDs and OLEDs are generally ten times more energy-efficient than conventional incandescent lighting and can last up to 25 times as long, and by 2030, these technologies have the potential to reduce national lighting electricity use by nearly one half, which could save up to $30 billion a year. 

"Partnering with private industry, the Energy Department is driving innovation in new, more efficient lighting products and boosting our national competiveness in manufacturing,” said U.S, Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “The investments announced today will help expand lighting choices for consumers, reduce the nation’s energy use, and drive down costs for American lighting manufacturers and the families and businesses that buy their products.”

The two-year projects selected today will focus on significantly reducing manufacturing costs while continuing to improve the quality and performance of solid state lighting technologies.  These investments, which will leverage an additional $5 million in private sector funding, will focus on improving manufacturing equipment, processes, or monitoring techniques that will help make LEDs and OLEDs cost-competitive with other lighting options.

The awards selected for negotiation include:

Cree Inc. (Durham, North Carolina) – This project will develop an optimized, cost-competitive LED fixture design that can be readily integrated into buildings and applications and uses fewer raw materials – all without compromising performance. The project builds on Cree’s existing LED technology and aims to provide warm-white light over a minimum lifetime of 50,000 hours, while reducing the cost of manufacturing the major components and assembled products. (DOE Award: $2,344,000; Total Project: $3,044,000)KLA-Tencor (Milpitas, California) -  This project aims to develop a measurement tool that will help reduce variation in LED production quality, helping to improve performance, reduce manufacturing costs and provide white light that has consistent color quality and brightness. (DOE Award: $3,995,000; Total Project: $7,989,500)k-Space Associates (Dexter, Michigan) - This project plans to create a more efficient manufacturing process by building on k-Space’s existing optical monitoring technology to enable high-precision measurements of OLED layers during mass production. The tool will measure layer thickness and composition to ultimately improve the efficiency, color, and lifetime of OLEDs. This development, a first for the industry, will serve as a platform for future large-scale OLED production facilities, paving the way for a strong U.S. presence in OLED manufacturing. (DOE Award: $800,000; Total Project: $1,200,000)

The announcement made today represents the third round of Energy Department investments in solid-state lighting manufacturing projects since 2010 and supports broader Department efforts to accelerate domestic manufacturing and technical leadership in SSL technologies, helping to create jobs, boost exports and strengthen America’s role as a global leader in energy efficiency and clean energy technologies.

Additional information on the awards announced today is available HERE.

To learn more about energy efficient lighting efforts at DOE, visit the Solid-State Lighting Program website.

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Popular Choice Winners Announced for “Apps for Energy” Competition

WASHINGTON – The Energy Department announced today the Popular Choice winners for the “Apps for Energy” competition, with app developers submitting more than 50 innovative mobile and web applications that will help utility consumers save money by making the most of their “Green Button” electricity usage data.  Popular Choice awards reflect the results of public voting at http://appsforenergy.challenge.gov, which ran from May 17 to May 31 and involved over 12,000 participants. Other winners in the competition were selected by a panel of expert reviewers and announced May 22 at Connectivity Week, a gathering of smart grid industry leaders in Santa Clara, California.

“We’re pleased to see such a strong response to our call for innovative new apps that will save consumers money by saving energy,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.  “This is about giving consumers easy access to information so they can make sense of their electricity bill – and more importantly, reduce their electricity bill.”

In April, the Department launched Apps for Energy -- challenging developers to create apps that were designed to make the best use of the data provided through the President’s Green Button initiative, through which nine major utilities and electricity suppliers will provide more than 31 million customers with access to data about their own energy use. Learn more about the announcement HERE.

Eligible apps included those for mobile phones, computers, tablets, software programs and more – providing new tools for understanding their electricity usage, taking action, and making better-informed decisions. The public may now use all of the Apps by visiting http://appsforenergy.challenge.gov/submissions.

The team that developed the best overall application, Leafully, won $30,000. Second place, Melon, won $15,000, and third, VELObill, won $7,500. The best overall student application, wotz, won $15,000, and the second place student application, Budget It Yourself, won $7,500.  VELObill, the winner of the public vote, will receive $8,000 and second place public vote winner, Innovative Solar Demand Response, will be awarded $4,000. 

Winners for the “Apps for Energy” Popular Choice competition are:

Popular Choice Grand Prize: VELObill

Location: New York, NY

Cleantech software and services company, Zerofootprint’s VELObill app helps makes it easier for utility customers to view their energy usage, measure whether it is high or low, and compare it to that of their peers. With this information in hand, users can create an energy saving action plan tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

Popular Choice Second Prize: Innovative Solar Demand Response

Location: Dayton, OH

This app uses Green Button Data to size a Solar PV and a battery system based on average peak energy demand of a home during different hours of the day. The battery is charged by solar PV during daytime (when solar radiation is available) and a charge/discharge controller would release the stored energy during peak times, when energy production is more costly.

Winners Chosen by the Expert Panel are:

Best Overall App Grand Prize: Leafully

Location: Seattle, Washington

This application is the brainchild of Seattle-based team, Timothy Edgar and Nathan Jhaver who describe themselves as “two developers with an idea.” Their app submission, Leafully, helps utility customers visualize their Green Button data, as a variety of units, such as the amount of trees needed to offset an individual’s energy usage. Leafully encourages users to set energy savings goals and to share their progress on Facebook.

Best Overall App Second Prize: Melon

Location: Washington, DC

DC-based startup Melon, describes itself as the first company to utilize Green Button data to simplify the process of obtaining an ENERGY STAR benchmark for commercial buildings. The app uses Green Button to evaluate the energy performance of commercial buildings. By providing basic information about the building and its energy usage – the app delivers an ENERGY STAR score and recommendations on reducing energy waste and saving money. 

Best Overall App Third Prize: VELObill

Location: New York, NY

Cleantech software and services company, Zerofootprint’s VELObill app helps makes it easier for utility customers to view their energy usage, measure whether it is high or low, and compare it to that of their peers. With this information in hand, users can create an energy saving action plan tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

Best Student App Grand Prize: wotz 

Location: Irvine, CA

School: University of California, Irvine

The wotz app, submitted by a team of students at UC Irvine, lets users explore and play with Green Button data. Provides several games based on the "shape" of your data, and provides creative comparisons to illustrate your usage, like how many cheeseburgers worth of energy you used last Tuesday from 5-6 pm.

Best Student App Second Prize: Budget It Yourself

Location: Cleveland, OH

School: Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Institute of Art

The Budget it Yourself app is a collaborative project a team of students at Case Western Reserve and the Cleveland Institute of Art. The app helps users track their energy usage and make energy-savings goals.

A diverse panel drawn from government and the energy and tech communities evaluated the apps. The panel includes:

Karen Austin, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Pacific Gas and Electric CompanyPatricia Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, U.S. Energy DepartmentSharelynn Moore, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Itron, Inc.Aaron Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer, HUGEBill Reichert Managing Director at Garage Technology Ventures

5 Best Video Marketing Tips and Techniques to Gain Five Stars From Viewers » See for Online ~ Search Online

5 Best Video Marketing Tips and Techniques to Gain Five Stars From Viewers » See for Online ~ Search Online

Do You Really Want to Help People and the Common Good - Then Help Yourself First!

First off, Ayn Rand was right. Secondly, I often get tired of all those folks who can't help themselves or won't telling me to pay more in taxes to help the common good for all the poor people. You see, the greatest thing anyone can do is to participate in our free-market system and help themselves, and by doing so they are not a burden on society. If everyone did that, there would be so few poor people that our vast wealthy society could easily take care of those who truly can't.

Unfortunately, if we make people weak, create low self-esteem, and treat everyone like children eventually they won't be able to do much of anything for themselves, and therefore they won't. Now they become a huge burden on the rest of us, always demanding more - desiring to re-distribute the economic gains of those who produce and give it to those who don't. This is the real reason socialism doesn't work.

Not long ago, someone joked to me that Jesus was a socialist. And yes, there were some stories in the good book that might lead one to that conclusion. Still if Jesus was a socialist, I'd like to tell him where he can go, but I know he wasn't, not in the common definition. You see, it's okay to help your neighbor to help himself, but it isn't okay to hire the government to steal my money, to go give it to someone who wants it, yet will not plant, harvest, or bake the bread.

Before you condemn my comments, I'd like you to know that I've volunteered countless hours to help in the various communities I've been a part, far more than you have actually. That is the right way to play it, people helping people, not enlisting the government which is inefficient to pretend to help while funneling our tax money to their friend's businesses and pet projects.

Some would say that capitalism is no better, but they'd be completely naïve in doing so. There is nothing wrong with free-market capitalism, only with crony capitalism which is the type of distorted and prostituted capitalism that the socialists and corrupt practice for which I condemn in the strongest terms, just as I do this push towards socialism in our great nation under the auspice of helping people; it doesn't, it makes people pathetically weak, and thus, weakens our entire society and civilization.

In the end there will be hell to pay, economic collapse, poverty, and misery. Yes, everyone will be equal then, equally poor and hungry. No thanks socialists. I'll take freedom and liberty with responsibility over that any day of the week. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Politics and Economics. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/

Uncovering and Erasing Limiting Beliefs to Achieving Abundance

Do you know the only reason most people live in scarcity is because they have been hypnotized into accepting a host of limiting beliefs around their ability to create the abundance they rightfully deserve? Do you know most of those beliefs are held clandestinely outside of conscious awareness stored deep in the subconscious mind? Do you know that the source of those beliefs is rooted in early negative experiences stored as negative memories that must be unearthed and erased in order to permanently erase the negative beliefs associated with them? Finally do you know that not only is this now possible it is essential in restoring individuals to their fully Divine and Empowered state as the Human Beings they were meant to be? Want to learn more?

Let's take an example to help you clearly see how individuals are lured into a limiting trance like state that blocks the effortless flow of abundance into and through their lives.

Let's say an individual experiences some form of financial failure at some time in their life. When this happens the negative memory associated with this event immediately gets "downloaded" and stored in the mind. In time it sinks deep into the subconscious mind and anchors itself there.

Now what is less well known is that it's this kind of memory that "programs" the individual with negative limiting beliefs (and feelings) such as:

1. I'm a failure.
2. I'm inadequate.
3. I don't have what it takes to succeed.
4. The fear of failure.

And so on.

Now as long as the memory remains lodged within it will go on supporting and serving as the "evidence" for the beliefs/feelings noted above.

In other words, nothing short of erasing/deleting the negative memory program from the subconscious mind will yield a permanent and complete result.

Yes, I know that many will tell you that they have employed such modalities as NLP, EFT, Hypnosis, Sedona method, etc. to release or reprogram their negativity. Unfortunately none of these, in my experience, having worked with many of the practitioners of these modalities as clients, has yielded permanent and lasting results.

The reason being that many of these modalities do not have the capacity to permanently and completely erase/delete a negative memory. Indeed many of the individuals who practice such modalities don't even believe that it is even possible to completely erase a negative memory in such a way that the individual will feel like it never actually happened to them.

A decade ago it was discovered that in order to erase negative memories one had to become consciously aware of a number of finite lies associated with them about how they are supposedly useful to an individual.

For example, if we take the experience of failure noted above, many individuals might say that the memory of the event has helped them to learn not to make the same mistakes again, or to be more prepared the next time etc.

Well, it turns out that if one were to rigorously follow through on the logic behind such beliefs one would find that in fact they are not true i.e. they are lies!

When this is done in a systematic manner a very interesting thing happens. As the lies about the "usefulness" of such negative memories become "conscious" the memories they support and "anchor" into the individual progressively become "unhinged" and start to float away and out of the person's mind/body.

As all the (and there are only a small finite number of) lies are made conscious the memory completely vanishes permanently in such a way that a) the person cannot recall it and b) it feels like it never happened.

The other interesting phenomenon associated with this "detoxification" is that the negative limiting beliefs (and feelings) also permanently disappear.

This leaves the individual in a new and more empowered state of consciousness where they now see and know clearly who they are and what they are truly capable of.

So if you are one of those individuals who is dying under the weight of the negative past and wants to be free, empowered, and abundant kindly visit the web site below where you can request a free introductory telephone/Skype consultation of a powerful new coaching process that erases negative memories.

Nick Arrizza M.D., a former Psychiatrist and Medical Doctor is now an International Expert Life, Relationship & Spiritual Tele-Coach, Author the developer of the powerful Mind Resonance Process® (MRP).

A Free 1 Hour Introductory MRP Telephone/Skype Consultation and a Free E-copy of my new book are available upon request. (You will be asked to cover your own long distance telephone charges)

Email: drnick@telecoaching4u.com
Web Site: http://telecoaching4u.com/

Copyright© 2012, Nick Arrizza, All Rights Reserved Worldwide

SpaceX's Success Is A Case for Privatization

Elon Musk's SpaceX did it's job. The company's SpaceX capsule successfully docked with the international space station this week. This is HUGE. History was made with the docking of its Dragon capsule to the international space station, the most impressive feat yet in turning routine spaceflight over to the commercial sector.

It marked the first time a business enterprise delivered a supply ship to the space station. Privatization on a massive scale.

I was a huge fan of the Space Shuttle Program. I did a project on it when I was a senior in High School. I went to Cape Canaveral to watch a launch. I spent DAYS in front of the TV when the Challenger exploded. So, I was a little dismayed when I heard the program was ending, but in truth, it is probably for the best. The private sector can do most things immensely better than the public sector. Competition brings costs down and innovation up.

The privatization of this program should show us that we need to explore other ways to get Government out of our way. People like Mr. Musk will always step up to the plate and fill the voids. Of course, the opposite is true also. I personally believe that if our churches and non-profits would truly fulfill their missions, Welfare and possibly even Social Security would not be needed. But when the private fails to do it, government steps in. It is a balancing act. The Government certainly has a role to play, but far too often they step over the limit.

Bob Dole made a huge campaign commitment to state's rights. And although I totally agreed with him, I knew he could not win an election on this point. Dole was too much of a moderate to win. (personally, I think the same is true of Romney).

Moving power and control away from the federal government back to the states is a good thing. Moving power and control away from the states and back to the local level is even a better thing. Should the Fed & State have some guidelines and requirements? Of course. But the best person to make decisions for me is - well, ME! The best people to make decisions for my community are my friends and neighbors - aka - the community itself.

While the SpaceX accomplishment is historical on so many levels, I think a huge statement being proclaimed is that the private sector can handle areas formerly reserved for the government. Do away with DOE? Yes. Do away with the IRS? Yes (a national sales tax is the answer). Do away with other agencies and regulations? Yes.

From local garbage pickup to space transportation; every governmental function must be examined in light of Elon Musk's successful mission.

Nothing In This Life Is Absolute

This is not at all related to Albert Einstein's famous law but it is similarly intriguing.

Nothing in this life is absolute. Everything is relative to the person who sees and judges it according to his own perspective. Each individual perspective is based on several factors like, biases, preferences, and experiences with that particular object or thing.

Take for example color: Have you ever wondered why people have special preferences to particular colors? Why is it that some color combinations are fine with others while others find the same color combinations nauseating? Is it possible these happen because people are not really seeing the same colors?

For example, the color "blue". Could it be that the hue you see which you have been calling "blue" all your life may be the same hue somebody else sees and calls it "red", or "green", or "yellow" all his life, too? The hue you find beautiful and call it "green" is the same beautiful hue somebody else has been naming "blue" since birth? The beautiful color both you and someone else see and find beautiful is the same hue but you call it differently. Who is to judge? The judge himself may find the same hue beautiful but calls if by other name still. So, the same hue is the favorite colors of many but each one calls it by other name.

Religion: Most religions believe in the same things, ideas, or concepts such as a creator and its creations, life after death that could be spent either in hell as punishments for wrongdoings or sins while on this life, or heaven and nirvana as rewards to those who do good deeds while still on earth, etc. However, different terms are used to explain the same things depending on the point of view of its practitioners or believers.

Religion is likened to the six blind men as described by John Godfrey Saxe's famous poem, "The Blind Men and the Elephant", who had their own and diverse notions of what an elephant was based on the parts of the elephant they touched.

Beliefs are described by their followers relative to each individual's experiences, preferences, biases, etc. We may all be worshipping the same god but is known by so many names by others. It could be that we are all partly right, but then partly wrong, who is to tell?

Beauty, it is said, depends on the eyes of the beholder. Some people believe that a milky white skin is beautiful while others insist that black is beautiful. There are those who think that various body paintings like tattoos enhance beauty while others consider these as blemishes. Many races in Africa or the Far East consider long dangling pierced ears are a thing of beauty which people on the other side of the world see these weird.

Therefore, we may conclude that nothing in this life is absolute, everything is relative to something else. Keeping this mind, we become respectful of other people's opinion thus avoiding unnecessary frictions in our day-to-day dealings with our fellowmen.

May PEACE be upon us all!

Let us promote peaceful co-existence by respecting other people's opinions. Remember that in this life, no one is absolutely right nor wrong.

Man Is Born Free - Period - Everywhere He Need Not Be in Chains

I live in Canada where we have a supposed democracy with the British Monarch as the theoretical head of state. You may live in the USA where your President is the head of your supposed democracy. It doesn't matter and it doesn't matter either whether people live under a Monarchy, an Oligarchy, a Military Junta, or the Political-Party-Archy that Canada and the USA both truly are. The real problem in our badly ailing society is simply that the rule-of-law is a horribly bad system. Man is born free. We can build a much better public protection and justice system simply by enshrining real freedom and recognizing that people have fundamental human rights that need protection.

The rule-of-law is a horribly bad system. I'm sorry that you've been force-fed a lot of hogwash about the rule-of-law being the glue that holds society together and that without law there would be ANARCHY. Well, I don't fear any word or concept just because those that want to keep us in chains try to convince me it is a bogeyman idea. Anarchy simply means 'no king' and I suppose that would be fine as long as we still had a public protection and justice system that worked. However, I'm actually don't favor the notion of living in an anarchist state but as I've already stated, the actual government or lack or government doesn't matter at all. We simply need decent justice and sadly, the rule-of-law is utterly incapable of doing that job.

Law had an ignoble beginning when a supposedly noble person stabbed a sword into a commoner's guts and proclaimed to everyone else that from now on, his word was law. I'm sorry but that is the whole truth of the matter. After many years of abuses at the vicious hands of many different nobles, the Magna Charta asserted that above the nobles and kings, a theoretical over-king named 'law' was the absolute ruler. However, the sad and simple fact remains that we commoners still have the law's word stabbed into our guts whether wielded by a king or a judge. That first vicious noble at law's disgraceful beginning did not have the right to inflict his word: he only had the wrongful power to do so. And today the law still doesn't have right to inflict itself on us: it still only has the wrongful power.

Wouldn't chaos ensue without the rule of law? What could possibly replace the rule of law? If you've even read this far, maybe you're asking these questions.

First of all, you have to understand exactly how the rule of law actually works. Under law, the actual wrong that a criminal has committed doesn't really matter. The court is only deciding whether the government prohibition was affected by the action. Think of the term 'law breaking' as an actual physical act of snapping a law over your knee like a dry twig and you'll have an accurate mental picture of what the judge is really deciding. Law's ONLY concern is whether the government's word was broken. Let me put this concept another way. At a murder trial, the victim's body is just physical evidence of how the law against murder itself was violently harmed. The rule of law is a ridiculous theory when you dare to think about it rationally.

Let's take this line of thinking a step further against the rule of law before I begin to point out the much better alternative to law. You as an individual person do not have the right to tell me what I can or cannot do and punish me if I do or don't. And your nation consists of X-million people who similarly do not have the right, but together they amass the power. Tyranny is defined as using power without the right to and regardless of how benevolent a tyrant claims he is, it is still tyranny. So at the very bottom line, the rule-of-law is and will always be just tyranny.

I could go on here to outline precisely how the rule-of-law actually hurts us all and how the twisted rule-of-law concept is even the basic reason why crimes against humanity like the Nazi holocaust occurred in history and why similar could easily happen in the future. But this article isn't meant to read like a rant. I'm writing to point out a preferable method of administering public protection and real justice.

Neither you personally, nor your government possess the right to enforce law but individually you do have the natural right to protect yourself and that right could easily be gathered within the community and lent to a justice and policing system to logically grant both the power and the right. Before you ask, NO, the police and courts do NOT act in your protection in the slightest. They are 'upholding the law' and that is a whole different thing to actually offering you protection. In truth, what police and courts really protect is only the system's power to be a tyrant. (I could go on here to show how that seemingly small distinction really means that the law is endangering you and all of us but I'll save that for another article).

To design an entirely new and effective system of justice and public protection, and one that would fit so seamlessly over the current rule-of-law apparatus that most people wouldn't even notice the difference, we need only to rethink where the justice system derives its authority to act. Instead of basing our protection system on the government's awesome but illegitimate power, we must found our justice on the valid presumption that people have human rights and that these must be defended.

Just think about it. We could easily have the cake of our safe and ordered society and eat it too with the flavorful icing of actual freedom. I'll end here by repeating my title, which you probably realize is my take on Jean-Jacque Rousseau's famous lament. Man is born free - period - everywhere he need NOT be in chains.

I'm Russell Twyce and my many blog posts on several websites offer my unique perspective on a wide range of topics including fiction, politics and law.

Turning Problems Into Happiness

If you are the type of person to constantly tell yourself that you have a problem with "this" and a problem with "that" then you need to turn all of your problems into goals. Instead of making your overweight problem a problem turn it into a goal. Instead of saying you weigh 50 pounds overweight say that by the end of 90 days you plan to lose 50 pounds. Make it your business to make that transformation in your head, and once you do you will be one step closer to figuring out how to be happy. Also, there is a huge decrease in the level of stress a person has when your problem vanishes into a goal. Furthermore, It helps with a person's overall happiness.

Problems can cause anxiety, stress, tension, and a myriad of other unhealthy issues. They also drain a large portion of a person's energy when he has to be focused on solving that issue. Rather than trying to solve an issue, if a person changes that issue into a goal it automatically promotes activity and is usually very energizing and motivating. A valuable goal creates enthusiasm which in turn creates happiness. Moreover, when you picture yourself completing that goal you will be able to feel an incredible amount of joy which you will eventually feel in the future when you actually complete it. For that moment in the present you are experiencing something more surreal even though you didn't complete any goals. All you did was take the step forward to try and achieve happiness.

Your goals may sometimes be just for the sake of getting rid of a particular problem or issue but they should always have the same outcome in mind. The outcome of changing a problem into a goal will make you accomplish more and will make you feel more alive and energetic. You will feel that you have something to work for, something to look forward to, as opposed to just waiting for something to happen. All of these things that you once thought were problems can become solutions. Once you have a solution your stress level goes down and your happiness level increases tenfold. The pattern of life of having a problem and a solution is the most beneficial thing to learn how to do properly.

If you were searching for how to be happy then the first place to start would be by turning your problems into goals.

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