Four Reasons for Communication Meltdown

Communication Meltdown: The point of no return in our exchanges with others when neither party is listening to the other because frustration and anger have taken over.

Everyone has experienced that frustrating moment of communication meltdown at one point or another. Whether it's the first big argument with your romantic partner, a disagreement with your colleague at work, or a misread (or maybe not misread) Facebook post, we all have experienced conflict because words were taken out of context or were said without reflection on the repercussions of them once they came out of our mouths. The tricky thing about communication is that there are often two conversations going on at that same time...the literal words that come out of our mouths AND the interpreted message that people get from those words. Communication is a learned skill, meaning that our childhood experiences, cultural background, and individual life experiences are the foundation for our communication styles and patterns. Given our diverse backgrounds, there could be several "languages" being spoken in one conversation all at the same time. No wonder we are so "hit and miss" in how we convey and interpret meaning in our exchanges with others! In my coaching and training work, I find that, although there are tons of reasons why we end up in communication meltdown, the most common reasons include...

1. Assuming that people know what you mean...I hear this so often, especially in regard to romantic relationships. The griping goes, "We've been together for 10 years, he should know what I meant by that..." (READ: Even though we are two complete individuals, he should be in tune with ALL of my feelings and emotions and be able to READ MY MIND). It sounds ridiculous when you put it like that, right? However, we engage with people at this level all the time.

Talk Tip 1: Don't assume that people are mind readers. Even if you've been together for (fill in) years. Remember communication is a LEARNED skill that's loaded with our past experiences and emotional baggage, and the way you learned is not necessarily the way the other person has. Say exactly what you mean, and ask for the other person to shoot it back to you (preferably in their own words) to check for understanding. There's nothing worse than finding out that all the time you've been arguing with someone, you both have been arguing about two different things because no one checked for understanding.

2. Responding based off the mistakes of others...Eric Roberson, one of my favorite songwriters, wrote a song called "Previous Cats," and the first part of the chorus goes, "I'm not to blame for the pain that was caused by previous cats. You gotta see me for me." Now, he's talking to his girlfriend in the song, but we can relate to these lyrics on various levels...being overly suspicious about co-workers in your new job because of the hot mess of a job you just left...responding to your child based on YOUR actions as a child or the actions of an older sibling...not frequenting a restaurant with many chains because of poor service at one location (OK, that's me)...we could go on and on with this.

Talk Tip 2: Deal with individuals based on your experience with them, not on the past mistakes of others or previous painful experiences. Yes, we can use similar past experiences as a gauge for how to respond to something happening now (that's wise). However, we also have to engage with people based on their own merits. The former way of interacting with others encourages us to build emotional walls, which surely won't help in strengthening our communication or relationships with others.

3. Failing to listen...thinking about what you are going to say while the other person is talking is NOT listening...it's just waiting to speak! Operating in this manner is extremely obvious, disrespectful, and it sends a message to the other person that what they have to say is not important or that you don't care. It doesn't encourage the other person to work towards coming to some type of understanding with you.

Talk Tip 3: We must be fully present as we take in the words of the person speaking to us. At the core, every human being wants acknowledgement... to know that someone sees you, hears you, and finds value in what you bring to the table. By being an active listener, you acknowledge the speaker, express your attentiveness with your noon-verbal cues (i.e. eye contact, facial expressions, head nodding, etc.) and take some responsibility for making sure you understand the message they are trying to give you.

4. Speaking without thinking...this is a big one in our instant-gratification-loving culture. It is the ugly twin of "failing to listen" because we become overly focused on what we want to say, than how what we want to say is connected to what the other person has just told us. Tackling this monster is critical to building understanding.

Talk Tip 4: Take a minute to process the message you have just received before responding. The goal is to respond, not just to react. It's perfectly fine (and wise as well!) to ask someone to repeat themselves for your understanding or to ask for a minute to think about something (especially if it's a heated argument...It's hard to take words back after you've said them!). We sometimes think that we have to be speaking at all times because silence is awkward, but awkward moments can be stomached if they will lead to understanding!

Laura E. Knights has been training youth and adults in the areas of job skill and life skill acquisition and strategy, and developing and managing programs to empower people for the last 12 years. She is a speaker, trainer, and consultant for groups, businesses, and community organizations. Additionally, she works as a life coach to help individuals move beyond negative, limiting belief systems to overcome barriers and walk in their full potential. Learn more about her; sign up for her monthly inspirational newsletter, Empowered Living!; and register for her dynamic workshops at http://www.lauraeknights.com/.

How Training Management System Helps in Delivering Effective Training

Within corporate training, peer-to-peer interaction plays a significant role. Experts believe that satisfying collaborative experience between learners helps in producing potential results. Besides being a helpful business strategy, such a collaborative training program develops a spirit of community among the members, helping in delivering profitable results to the organization's productivity. Developing a sense of community is integral to the success of a corporate training session. Integration with effective training registration software, you can create efficient group formats in a learning environment that helps in conducting successful training programs.

It's true that individual behavior is likely to be influenced by the group he is directly working with. Thus, when a group is working together to reach a common goal, individual members are more focused on playing their own part to perfection. To achieve this purpose, frequent interaction is fundamental. With a Training Management System in place, educators and training co-ordinators can easily achieve the same.

Through the usage oftraining registration software, it's fairly easy to encourage learners to interact via using group discussions, IMs, blogs, conferences, wikis, and so on. Experts believe, a steady peer-to-peer interaction helps developing a sense of "us", which in the long run helps to achieve productive results in terms of profitability.

With a training management system, you can make study materials available to a number of students, even when they are geographically dispersed. Thus, learners residing in various locations can participate in training programs simultaneously. Students can even download study materials as and when required from the servers. Thus, it makes education and training more effective and engaging.

A training or class registration software allows educators to evaluate the group and individual progress on a regular basis. With it a wide range of automated tools, such as online assessment, automatic marking, and training co-ordinators can conduct a valuable training sessions. What's more! A training management system helps organizers to track if employees are able to complete their course requirements efficiently. In case they fail to understand any specific topic or subjects, educators can easily track and can deliver training in future.

A training registration system allows educators as well as students to think outside the box. With this software system, endless opportunities have opened up in the field of education and employee training. A software system like this helps in creating a virtual learning environment through web conferencing and instant messaging. Organizations are incorporating class management system in their training programs that develop cutting-edge technology solution to make training sessions successful.

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

The Diamond Jubilee and the British Economy

There is no doubt that the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elisabeth II was a massive hit with the vast majority of the public but playing devil's advocate, can the outlay be justified in the current financial state of the British economy? Yes, there was an undoubted feel-good factor and this was evidenced by the look on the faces of the crowds and the interviews that took place. I am sure that many countries will have been impressed by the organisation, the numbers that turned out and the pomp and ceremony this country is renowned for with many tourists arriving to share this experience.

The majority of people in this country are suffering great hardship during this prolonged recession and are having to cut back on everyday items by either buying cheaper products or going without some essentials altogether. Many older people worryingly are switching their heating off at a time when they need to keep warm to survive the cold spells that are continuing. This is being done just to manage their bills in order to keep up with the payments for fuel which has been allowed to increase well beyond the inflation rate.

Is it therefore immoral that this country has diverted and paid so much for these celebrations when this resource could have been used to help those on the poverty line or even to pay off some of the enormous debt which has led to the austerity measures applied by the current government in order to pay for the largesse of the previous administration? I understand the Queen was deeply touched by the outpouring of shared celebration and good wishes towards her but by that token, are we not all in this situation together? It seems that funds for the royal purse increase each year even though they are amongst the richest people in the world. Even a small amount of their wealth diverted to the exchequer would help and show their willingness to share the pain of the nation as well as the Diamond Jubilee.

As stated earlier there was a clear feel good factor experienced by many during the whole weekend of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations but will this not be short lived, and from now will reality of our financial plight once again take a grip. What did the extra day's holiday do for the British economy? As it is also half term for schools in many parts of the country, there is evidence that many people are taking the whole week as a holiday, creating the impression that the United Kingdom is closed for business whilst the rest of Europe cashes in on our supposed intransigence at a time when we need to be the most diligent and competitive.

In conclusion, the public are living with and already experiencing the deteriorating situation with the advance of the recession, this includes increasing unemployment, higher prices and constraints on salaries. Unfortunately, in this unbalanced society, the people that could make the biggest contribution are excused the most or exempt from the majority of the effects and are clearly not going to spontaneously offer tangible support. It is time the government created a level playing field. It is the small and medium size businesses that always contribute the most to recovery and it makes sense instead of penalising them, to help them expand and create opportunities for the unemployed. These are indigenous companies who are not going anywhere to seek out cheap labour after receiving government subsidies.

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This company has the additional and unique benefit of having their own Digital Printing facility, they also produce CD & DVD Packaging in low volumes for such products as CD & DVD Digipaks.

With a Graphic Design department to help customers design their artwork and an Authoring Suite to create the master CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc.

They provide Variable Data Printing using Creo Darwin Software for 1 to 1 marketing strategies on products such as leaflets, booklets, brochures postcards etc. It is therefore possible to personalise every individual item with names, addresses, bar codes and even the graphics itself.

Dischromatics is accredited to Quality standard ISO 9001 and Environmental ISO 14001 certification with IIP Standard.

Intentional Communities Can Be Earth Analogs of Deep Space Urban Hubs

Milagro ("Miracle" in Spanish) is a Tucson, Arizona community founded to isolate its members from the supposed dire effects of the year 2000 computer anomaly called the "Millennium Bug." The community consists of 28 homes and 50 residents, ages zero to 92, on 42 acres. Planning started in 1994 and construction wrapped up in 2002.

There are small gardens and what is billed on the web site as a "community orchard." Residents do most of the maintenance on a volunteer basis, including operation of the wastewater treatment system that reclaims black water for irrigation through a biological process involving reeds.

Members (who buy in by purchasing or leasing one of the existing 28 homes) hold meetings to develop policies, which they call "agreements," scrupulously avoiding the term "rules". The goal is always consensus. Voting is a last resort.

Although the community was started by older couples, younger people are joining as houses change hands. Some are attracted by the feeling of security provided by the social arrangements. The other attraction is the self-sufficiency ethic, which has become more pronounced as utility prices rise and reliability diminishes. During the winter of 2010, Southwest Gas supplies proved inadequate, and parts of the city were left without heat. People are mindful of California's summer brownouts and rolling blackouts, and also of the rising costs of power and the increasing demands on the system imposed by electric vehicles and unsteady renewable power sources.

Like Milagro, a space habitat or deep space urban hub, whether situated on the surface of another world or in space, would have a shared infrastructure and a finite life cycle, requiring maintenance, repair, and eventual replacement. Some of the requirements are the same: Shelter, electrical power, water and waste-water management, agricultural production, and transportation are similar in space and on Earth in broad concept. Many of the needed technologies are virtually identical. Solid waste management is one item which, so far, has not been worked out to anyone's satisfaction, even on Earth.

To give an idea of what space colony requirements might be, we can cite the results of continuing work that began with Gerard K. O'Neill (The High Frontier), T.A. Heppenheimer (Colonies in Space), and others in the 1970s. A Bernal sphere, for example, would be a little over a half-mile in diameter with a number of smaller rings stacked on each end of its spin axis. Agricultural and industrial facilities are located in the rings, along with the zero-gravity axis spaceport. Rotation about the axis provides a kind of artificial gravity on the inside of the sphere. (One's weight falls away as one climbs the inside walls from the "equator" toward the zero-gravity axis.) Illumination is by toroidal periscope using external mirrors to collect sunlight. The mirrors also regulate the length of the day. The built environment on the inside houses a population of 10,000 in a terraced community. It is protected from radiation by the lunar regolith and water used to create an earth-like setting. (The materials come from the moon and/or asteroids, not from Earth, which means that space mining is a necessary first step, but that is another subject.)

Space habitat design cannot overlook the potentially lethal consequences of enclosure. The individual's right to leave must be preserved. I believe this is best done by dividing the urban hub into cells, small communities like Milagro, separated by open space. Each community should be as self-sustaining as possible.

Optimum community size might depend on technology, the objective being a minimum sustainable unit size of a few individuals. The strategy at Milagro was to pool the funds of a dozen or so financially capable couples to build the community, and then sell units. The problem has been that some of the buyers have not understood the community's objectives, thinking they bought into a subdivision, where they could demand to be served according to their needs, and they were prepared to be as needy as possible.

It may be better to organize space communities (or their analogs on Earth) by less collective principles, in part to avoid what the environmentalist Garett Hardin called "the tragedy of the commons," but mostly to give first priority to individual rights. One such approach might be to set up the community as a corporation, which could, in principle, be owned by its residents, who buy stock. The corporation leases space to smaller entities, industrial, commercial, and residential.

The corporation makes its profits by building, maintaining, and leasing the necessarily common systems: the habitat structure, environmental control and life support, fire suppression, solid waste management, and main electrical power for industrial and commercial use. The villages have the option to recycle water for direct potable reuse, generate electricity for local use, grow food locally, and provide their own security and auxiliary environmental controls, or they can purchase these services from commercial sources. The urban hub corporation has no obligations in these matters. Of course, one can also organize a colony, on Earth or in space, using collectivist principles and see what happens. The point is, it's an experiment.

Like the American colonies of four hundred years ago, intentional communities can make credible test facilities for alternative social and philosophical arrangements. They can also test the emerging technologies of self-sufficiency (distributed power, solar energy, and reuse of wastewater, for example), acting as analogs of space habitats. As opposed to reliance on centralized resources, they represent an active approach to the future.

You can visit Milagro online at http://www.milagrocohousing.org. You can also visit in real space. Tours are by arrangement.

Laurence B. Winn is an aviator, adventurer, author, and aerospace engineer with a lifetime of experience in evaluating the best technology adventure destinations to visit. His web site, http://www.alienlandscapes.biz/, provides free guidance on how to thrive in a shrinking, often hostile, world.

The Cute Little Robin In Your Backyard

The American Robin is such a common site in our lives it is easy to not pay them any attention. But they do bare taking a second glance. The North American Robin is a migratory songbird. It is named after the European Robin, because of their reddish orange breast, although they are not closely related. It is also the state bird for Michigan, Connecticut, and Wisconsin.

The main difference between male and female Robins are that females are paler in color than the males. These birds average from 8-11 inches in height and wingspan from 12-16 inches.

Robins can have 1-3 successful broods a year, although 2 broods a year is most common. Each clutch produces 3-5 eggs, eggs are about an inch in length. Their eggs are a robins egg blue of course, just like the crayon named after them! They are said to be the prettiest of all bird eggs. They are unmarked and a sky blue or blue-green color. Although out of all the nests, only 40 percent of the eggs produce successful hatchlings on average. Then out of those young birds, typically only 25 percent survive till November. And from those birds, only about half will survive to the next year. You would think with the high mortality rate Robin's would be about extinct. But their population is said to be stable, if anything, on the rise. The oldest recorded American Robin was 13 years, 11 months. Although on average the entire populations turns over every 6 years.

American Robins are one of the earliest birds to lay their eggs in the spring. Beginning to breed shortly upon arriving to their summer range. The female Robin chooses the nest location, typically on the lower half of a tree, and sometimes in gutters, outdoor light fixtures, in eves, etc. In the prairies, they commonly build their nests in thickets or on the ground. After choosing the nest site, she will begin building her nest from the inside out. She will press dead grass and twigs using the wrist of one of her wings to create a cup shape. They also use materials such as paper, roots, moss, feathers, string, etc. When the cup is formed, the female Robin will then reinforce the nest with mud and worm castings (organic materials derived from plant and animals matter) to create a stable and sturdy nest. She will then cushion the nest with grass and other soft materials. Once complete the nests average 6-8 inches in diameter and 3-6 inches high. The incubation period for the eggs range from 12-14 days. Hatchlings are mostly naked and helpless at birth. The young Robins only stay in the nest for about 15 days. Then the mother will start over and begin another clutch (brood). During summer females stay in their nests, while males gather in roosts. As young Robins grow and become more independent they will go and join the males in the roosts. Adult females go to roosts only after they have finished nesting. Robin roosts can be huge, sometimes consisting of hundreds of thousands of birds during winter.

Robin's enemies are cats, large snakes, and hawks and are vulnerable to pesticide poisoning since they eat mainly on lawns. Their diet consists mainly on fruit in the autumn and winter. They have been know to become intoxicated when they feed exclusively on Honeysuckle berries. Often Robins will earth earthworms, insects and snails, in the morning, and fruit later in the day. They eat very large quantities of fruit, including hawthorn, sumac fruits, Chokecherries, dogwood, and juniper berries. As fruit and insects consist of most of their diet, Robins have to migrate in winter when food becomes scarce.

Robins, these common little birds are so typical it is easy to pay them no attention at all. But It is fun to get to know the birds in your backyard. Birdwatching is can be fascinating, and is said to be one of America's favorite past times.

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Department of Energy Cites Bechtel National, Inc. for Worker Safety and Health Violations

Department of Energy Cites Bechtel National, Inc. for Worker Safety and Health Violations | 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 Department of Energy Cites Bechtel National, Inc. for Worker Safety and Health Violations May 31, 2012 - 2:28pm Addthis News Media Contact(202) 586-4940

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy has issued a Preliminary Notice of Violation (PNOV) to Bechtel National, Incorporated (BNI) for two material handling incidents that occurred on July 16, 2010, and March 16, 2011, at the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Project.  The PNOV cites three violations of the Department’s worker safety and health regulations.  The Department has proposed a $150,000 civil penalty.

In the first material handling incident on July 16, 2010, a millwright sustained a severe foot injury.  The second incident, on March 16, 2011, involved improper rigging of equipment needed to lift and move a panel of formwork that weighed over 5,000 pounds. 

The PNOV cites two Severity Level I violations and one Severity Level II violation of 10 C.F.R. Part 851, Worker Safety and Health Program, which governs worker safety and health within DOE.  A Severity Level I violation is one that could result in the death or serious injury of a worker.  A Severity Level II violation is one that is less serious but could threaten worker health and safety.  The violations in the PNOV were in the areas of hazard identification, hazard prevention and abatement, procedural compliance, and employee training and information. 

Since these two incidents, BNI has modified its work planning practices, employee and supervisor safety training, and management oversight of field activities in order to better perform its work activities in the dynamically changing construction environment at WTP.  The Energy Department granted partial mitigation of the proposed civil penalty based on these corrective actions.

The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 authorizes the Department to take enforcement actions when contractors violate worker safety and health requirements.  The Department’s Enforcement Program encourages contractors to identify and correct worker safety and health deficiencies at an early stage, before they lead to more serious events.

Additional details on this and other enforcement actions are available on the Office of Enforcement and Oversight website at www.hss.doe.gov/enforce.

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Security in Mobile Application Development

Today's world is marked by the popularity of mobile application development. Development of these applications has widened the scope of Mobile Phones which were earlier used to make only voice calls. The popularity of Smartphones particularly, iPhones, led to the development of new applications like Internet Browsing, E-Mail, and Games etc. With rapid growth and development of Smartphones and PDAs, mobile technology has entered a golden period. The growth and development of wireless industry resulted in an increase in the requirement of advanced applications. The latest technologies used today are Dot Net, C++ and J2EE and many companies are providing secured applications for different platforms like - the iPhone, BREW, Symbian, J2ME etc.

Mobile companies also faced with the challenge of meeting the growing expectations for innovative and secured mobile applications. The ever changing mobile technology together with growing expectations of customers put an extra pressure on the developers. To stay ahead of the competitors, many companies are trying to create more innovative and portable applications. This has resulted in a trend of outsourcing the mobile application development to the companies that specialize in developing applications for wireless devices.

The list of applications which can be outsourced are: wireless internet security, video and image sharing, gaming, integrated billing solutions, location based services and content management. Companies are engaged in developing applications using leading-edge technologies and tools for providing consistent quality levels and unfailing levels. Developing secured mobile applications involve a range of innovative and dynamic approaches, which can be possible with the help of latest mobile gadgets. In developing applications for mobile devices, the biggest concern is the security on wireless devices. The security in mobile applications is developed with a target of securing phones from various threats like - viruses, malware, OS exploits etc.

There are two types of mobile security risks. One is the category of malicious functionality which can be defined as a list of unwanted mobile code behaviors. Second is the vulnerabilities which are the errors in design that expose the data to interception by attackers. To solve this issue, the developers have implemented a systematic approach to ensure security in mobile applications. There are many resources available on the internet that features case studies, code examples and best practices, to provide security in the mobile applications. One can find a lot of information on how to protect against vulnerabilities in the latest Smartphone and PDA platforms. Below are some steps that can be followed by the developers, to ensure security in mobile applications -

Maximizing isolation by designing authenticated applications.Lockdown internal and external/removable storage.Working with sandboxing and signing and encrypt sensitive user information.Safeguards against viruses, worms, malware and buffer overflow exploits are also involved in the security of wireless devices.Using the Google Android emulator, debugger and third-party security tools for debugging.Configuring the Apple iPhone interfaces to prevent overflow and SQL injection attacks.Employing private and public key cryptography on Windows Mobile devices.Enforcing fine-grained security policies using the BlackBerry Enterprise ServerPlugging holes in Java Mobile Edition, SymbianOS and WebOS applications.Testing for XSS, CSRF, HTTP redirects and Phishing attacks on WAP/Mobile HTML applications.Identifying and eliminating threats from Bluetooth, SMS and GPS services.

With the help of the above guidelines, one can provide security to the mobile and wireless devices. Today's world is very dynamic and competitive and developers need just more than theoretical knowledge to get themselves ready for IT industry.

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.

Being Happy - What Makes You Feel Happy And Fulfilled At Work?

"Apa gunanya kaya harter, popular dan berkuasa, kalau tidak bahagia" (What's the use of being rich, popular and powerful, if it doesn't give you happiness?)

The original quote is in Bahasa Indonesia and I recently read this on a trip to the beautiful island of Bali. Although most of us might have heard similar statements in the past, I always find it worthwhile to take a moment from time to time to think about it again.

For me it automatically brings up the question about what should make us happy instead? And once we found that out for ourselves, how do we manage to get up and follow our own path rather than aiming for what everybody else thinks is important?

In our modern society it's too often somebody else's goals we are trying to achieve. Our parents, spouses, managers and the media regularly let us know what is expected of us. And sometimes we even like it because it's convenient and it keeps us from having to think about a plan ourselves. But this is dangerous because sooner or later we might get to a pint where we suddenly start questioning and wonder if there shouldn't be more to life - to many of us this happens around the age of 40 or so where most of our life seems already well settled and we believe to be on a certain track that we cannot leave or change anymore. Often the lack of self-awareness keeps people from discovering what they truly want to do and how they want to live in the first place.

What are you passionate about? What are your core values and motivators?

Sure, we need a certain level of financial stability to live a "normal" life but think about it: If you did something you are really good at and passionate about, wouldn't it be likely for the money to follow more or less automatically after some time? Okay, this might not be true for all passions and all situations, but even if you only started to apply a bit more of your strengths and passions in your current work environment, it might already lead to a significantly higher level of satisfaction, success and feeling of being connected to your job.

So, why don't you start today and find out what really drives and motivates you? What is it that can make you happy in the long run? Then move on and create your own agenda and stick to it as much as you can until you find an even better path.

Gunnar Jaschik is a successful Trainer, Speaker and Life- and Career Coach in Singapore who specializes in helping managers, expats and other professionals to create more happiness and fulfillment at work.

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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