See Monkey Do

How to be an Concerned Traveler

To travel is to live said the Danish writer H.C. Andersen some two hundred years ago but the saying is true even nowadays. Actual life travel is, of course, the greatest but studying travel books or blogs can bring intake and a outstanding travel in your imagination, so if that is the only chance you’ve got, go for it!

To be good set for your trip will give you a greater opportunity of getting unique experiences and to find a good and not overly high-priced hotel. By studying about the place you want to visit, you will also be able to find grand sites of interest and off the beaten track draws.

Journey volumes is a good manner to study about different places and you’ll retrieve outstanding journey books at bogudsalg where the volumes are dealt at good terms and the variety of diverse destinations is bigger than most other book shops both online and offline. Records aren’t free but if you want unpaid data you can find lots of blogs on travelling on the internet, all free and a lot with valuable information on most goals round the globe.

If you care to publish around your journeys, you can set out a web log where you describe your traveling, it’s quite simple really, what you require is a web host, some blogging package and the time to write your articles. Numerous travel blogs are written on the go, so that all information is fresh and up to date.

Depending on how you move, you?ll call for accommodation, be it a motel, a hotel or maybe a moving home and using the cyberspace it is smooth to book a hotel in front and oftentimes at smaller prices than if you just sign in at the hotel.

An active life often makes it tricky to get around to reading all the books you want to. Sometimes we do not realize how long journeys and other chores may take up sizable chunks of our time. Working, taking care of children or even housework can all reduce the free time available to persue your interests. You can make use of the time spent commuting to catch up on those books you can’t get around to reading. Using user friendly downloads, it’s easy to indulge in Practical Guidelines to Meditation by Brahma Kumaris available from Download Audio Book Online, or audio-books brought to life by Jeffrey Rogers Hummel without even picking up a book. Making the best of your day is fast becoming necessary in the modern world. Audiobooks such as Pimsleur Albanian Compact by Dr. Paul Pimsleur by Download Audio Book Online fill the dead time in life, whether it’s waiting at the dentist’s surgery or buying groceries. Audiobooks are now available to download as mp3 files for example Pimsleur Spanish II & III Complete Courses by Dr. Paul Pimsleur, so if you’ve got an iPod or another mp3 player and earphones and take the time to listen to a bestseller or a great novel, like audio-books by John J Nance without carrying cumbersome books with you.

An added benefit of audio books is hiring or buying the instructional volume of your choice and listening to it at your own pace. Interested in learning Russian? Try audio-books! Perhaps the latest sales techniques are your thing, or you can enjoy meditating on modern thoughts about religion or modern spirituality.

Audio-books are in stock in a multitude of titles and genres. Whether you like history, nuts over biographies even interested in self-help, most are available through online downloads. Options are wide open; it’s easy to take a subscription to a rental service or else buy what appeals to you. Reading will always have its place, however audio-books offer a great option for active individuals. Numerous chronicles, for instance audiobooks narrated by Anita Shreve, can be even better when performed by the writer or a famous actor. Just reading a title is not quite the same experience as listening to audio titles recounted by John Ortberg, including the all the subtleties established during a performance. Your enjoyment of the story will be enhanced when you listen to audiobooks like Journey Into Space: Operation Luna - Complete Episodes 1 - 13 by Charles Chilton and often can mean much more to you than the written words. So next time in future when you consider purchasing a book you will in all likelihood never get around to reading, remember audiobooks as a different option.

Author: Brian R. Smith:

Publisher: PublishAmerica

ISBN: 1424100380

Sometimes the best stories are the simplest ones, and Brian Smith’s debut novel, Losing Innocence, would definitely fall within this category.

Smith traces the relationship between two individuals, who before having met one another, were caught up in horrendous marriages. Mia is the mother of two teenage boys, Vince and Jesse and she has recently divorced her husband Jeff, who had physically and emotionally abused her. Lance is the father of a teen age daughter, Tori, and he likewise has just divorced his spouse due to infidelity and substance abuse. Lance was also the product of an abusive relationship with his father during his childhood and teenage years.

Mia and Lance meet, after the latter’s daughter, who is very concerned about her father’s erratic behavior, arranges a meeting through an Internet dating site. Mia and Lance fall in love and eventually marry. However, Mia, who shares joint custody of her sons with her husband Jeff, is constantly being badgered by her ex-husband, who is trying to have her relinquish full parental control of the children to him. In addition, there is suspicion that Jeff is physically abusing his son Vince. That is the bare bones of the narrative.

But the story is much more, wherein the author powerfully and painfully explores the emotional, physical and verbal abuse that tear families apart and sometimes can lead to tragic endings. Moreover, it is a subject worthy of writing about, when you consider that in the USA domestic violence accounts for the single largest cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44. Unfortunately, main stream publishing houses very often shy away from the subject matter, as it is still considered taboo to write about this disturbing topic.

The novel is also an attestation of how adversity can be overcome when one develops self-esteem, individuality and a regaining of trust in others. Although, Losing Innocence is replete with human suffering, there is still room for love and that unquenched thirst for survival.

Smith is not the most polished writer and readers will not find high literature style here, as evidenced by the sometimes cartoonish and mundane dialogue. Nonetheless, he does know how to write a page- turning novel and once started it becomes very difficult to put down. It is quite easy to be swept along with the story, even though reading about ugly family relations is always emotionally a challenge and can be heavy slogging at times.

Norm Goldman is editor of the book reviewing and author interviewing site http://www.bookpleasures.com and the travel site http://www.sketchandtravel.com

Bookpleasures is a global Internet book reviewing and author interviewing village. Reviewers come from all over the globe and review all genre. There are over 6500 sites that link to Bookpleasures and many of the reviews are listed within the first 3 pages of the Google Search Engine.

Norm also offers his own personalized express review service where you can have a quick review within 15 business days from the receipt of your book. To learn more about this service go to bookpleasures.com

Norm is ranked among the top 1000 Amazon reviewers and he contributes his reviews to several other Internet sites.

In addition, Norm and his artist wife Lily meld words with art focusing on romantic and wedding destinations, inns, and other hospitality properties. You can read Norm’s travel articles and view Lily’s art work that is always for sale at sketchandtravel.com

Reader Views is very happy to be speaking with Lisa Haisha, author of “Whispers from Children’s Hearts, anew thought-provoking, inspirational book that speaks from the hearts of children around the world.

Juanita: What a beautifully presented, heart warming book. Tell us more about your motivation in writing “Whispers from the Children’s Hearts”.

Lisa: It was an organic process. I travel a lot for fun and work and my hobby has been to talk with children to help me to better understand a culture. One day my boyfriend at the time was perusing my travel journals and read the children’s words and couldn’t stop talking about the profound effect the accumulation of the children’s thoughts had on him. From that moment on, I began to consciously create a book to memorialize the children’s voices to share with others. The end product
being my book, “Whispers from Children’s Hearts.”

Juanita: What would you like this book to reveal to your readers?

Lisa: The truth and honesty that is innate in each individual. The unconditional love and innocence
we all hold deep within our souls. That we are all connected, regardless of what color skin we have
or what language we speak.

Juanita: It really is amazing how the simple answers of children can touch us so deeply. Why do
you think the thoughts of children are so profound?

Lisa: I believe that the thoughts of children are so profound because they are still innocent and
forming their ideas about life. I found that regardless of what they have been through they are still
open to ideas of others.

Juanita: How long was this book in the making?

Lisa: About five years. It started with a passion for knowing others intimately. Then grew from there
as a sociological and psychological exercise, then to a place of surrendering and letting go - letting
the book express what it wanted to say without manipulating it.

Juanita: You ask three questions to the children in your book: 1) If you had one wish what would
it be?, 2) Is God Fair? - Why or why not?, 3) Who in the World would you most want to meet?
How did you come up with these particular questions?

Lisa: Trial and error. I asked several different questions but these three particular questions were the
ones that offered the greatest insight. They were simple questions for the children yet they were
fueled with passion when the children answered them.

Juanita: How has the innocence and honesty of the children’s answers made a difference in your
life?

Lisa: It made me feel connected to the world in a much deeper way. It helped me break down some
of my old worn out pre-conceived notions of what people were like in various parts of the world.
Now when I travel, I look for “my family” in each place I visit and bond at much deeper levels than
simply visiting a place as a tourist.

Juanita: Which countries have you found the most compelling in regards to the culture and location,
and why?

Lisa: I have found all the countries I have visited compelling in unique ways. If I had to choose a
couple of countries that left an indelible impact on me, they would be Cuba and Iraq. Cuba because it
was like walking into a time capsule or a huge never-ending movie set. Also, the people were so
warm and inviting. I felt like I was literally meeting my “family” from all walks of life. They are also
very intelligent and innovative. I felt completely inspired with every breath I took in Havana even in
the simple moments of silence and people watching. Iraq, because they have been through so much.
I visited Baghdad in 1998 right before Clinton bombed them. Just spending time with the Iraqis who
have been living under the dictatorship of Saddam and them tentatively sharing their feelings with me
on videotape was profound because if for some reason the tape was confiscated, they could be killed
for saying the wrong thing. I interviewed top officials, sheep herders, orphans, Shiites, Sunnis, and
Chaldeans. I learned about compassion and unconditional love there. I have the deepest respect for
the people of Iraq.

Juanita: Where would you like to travel that you haven’t already?

Lisa: Kenya. I want to go on a African Safari.

Juanita: “Whispers from the Children’s Hearts” is a book for all ages and cultures. Who is reading
this book and what have been some comments so far?

Lisa: Parents are reading it to their children, teachers are sharing it with their students, adults are
reading it for better understanding of other cultures. Many people have been influenced by the book
because one can’t help but be moved by it. It sort of sneaks up on you. When someone first picks it
up they think it is a simple book for children, then as they keep reading they realize the value and
depth of the book.

Juanita: Has there been a difference in reactions to the book between the young and adult readers?
If so, please elaborate.

Lisa: Children enjoy the freshness of it. They have no preconceived notions. Many times they
express interest in meeting the children from these places, based on the quotes. They ask a lot of
questions like, What was Juanita like in Mexico? What was her home like? What was she wearing?,
etc. Adults are shocked by what they are learning from these children when they previously felt they
knew much more about the world and different cultures. I am happy to say that both gain from the
experience. We are now in the process of turning the concept of Whispers into a daytime Saturday
morning TV series.

Juanita: How important do you feel travel or the knowledge of other cultures is for children, and
will this type of experience translate through your TV series?

Lisa: I feel travel and knowledge of others cultures is extremely important today. Our world is
getting smaller and the importance of tolerance has never been stronger. My main goal in the TV
Series I’m creating based on my book Whispers from Children’s Hearts, is to open the doors to the
way other families live around the world. To have children watching other children relate to people
very different from themselves and take away something unique and special from each experience.

Juanita: You are a writer, director, filmmaker, and a “creative soul coach,” for starters. You have
been featured on radio programs, magazines and television for your many pursuits. Where does this
passion for life come from?

Lisa: It originally came from boredom and needing a sense of purpose. I was brought up in a Middle
Eastern household that had a lot of restrictions. I felt I didn’t have a voice and that my life was being
planned for me, a life I didn’t want. So, I of course rebelled and started traveling to escape my
destiny of early marriage to a cousin and a household of kids by age 25.

Juanita: Do you have any other book projects in the works?

Lisa: Yes. I have a screenplay called Belly Dance co-written by the very talented Randall McCormick
that is similar in style to Bend it Like Beckham. I would like to see it produced in the near future. It is
a comedic tale about growing up in Detroit, Michigan under a Middle Eastern roof. It is about the age-
old struggle between the old and new, parents and their children, fate and free will. It is also about
two young women coming to terms with their sexuality while caught between a culture that
suppresses it and another that exploits it. I also have an ebook series called Write On: A 365-day
Inspirational Writing Journal. And several 30-day Write On books that focus on a particular subject
like Leadership, Mysticism, Love, Erotica, Self Help, and Writers and Artists. I am also finishing up a
book tentatively titled Unmade Beds, which is a very personal memoir of my travels around the world
as a single woman.

Juanita: How can your readers find out more about you and your endeavors? Do you have a website?

Lisa: Yes, I have a monthly newsletter that talks about the upcoming month’s retreats and
workshops and I have three websites:
www.lisahaisha.com (updates, information and press kit for the media)
www.composingalife..com (my coaching practice and information and tips on self help)
www.whispersfromchildrenshearts.com (Website for the book Whispers from Children’s Hearts and
Cultural Retreats)

Juanita: Thank you so much for your inspiring and thought provoking book. “Whispers from the
Children’s Hearts” will undoubtedly open the heart of every one it touches. Is there anything else you’
d like to tell your readers?

Lisa: Yes! Remember that miracles are happening everyday in your life, watch out for them and they
will change the way you view the world and the way you choose to do life.

Juanita Watson is the Assistant Editor for Reader Views
http://www.readerviews.com

The two strategies used here in deconstruction of the text are firstly deconstructing the ideology and secondly revealing the undecidability of the text. The first step in ideology deconstruction of a literary text is a New Critical reading of it in order to distinguish the tension of the text through finding its binary oppositions. The next step shall be finding the privileged member of the pair that leads to finding the ideology (or ideologies) of the text. Then this priority of one part against another part of the pair should be deconstructed that results in deconstruction of the text itself. The second strategy that is revelation of the undecidability of the text is through finding an interpretation of the text, discussing how this interpretation conflicts with another understanding of the text and how this results in a new perceptiont. Let’s start with the first strategy.

The following binary oppositions can be found in the “Mirror”: Exact vs. inexact; Having no Preconceptions vs. having preconceptions; Unmisted by judgment vs. misted by judgment; Kind vs. cruel; Truthful vs. untruthful; Godliness vs. earthliness; Honest vs. liar; Faithful vs. unfaithful; Important vs. unimportant.

These binary oppositions reveal a main pair that can be the main theme of the poem as well, that is Truth vs. dishonesty. In the first stanza of the poem that is a monologue by the mirror commenting on its own qualities, most of these binaries reveal themselves. The poem starts with mirror claiming that it is fair, just and free from any preconceptions. It also stresses on its own truthfulness, honesty and faithfulness. All these claims seem to be the privileged members of the pair, since firstly the poem is through the point of view of the mirror, who claims to have all these qualities and we accept as a licensed narrator.

Secondly it seems that in most of the cultures mirror has a positive connotation, symbolizing truth and honesty and the superiority of truth over lie is acknowledged universally; furthermore the assertion of being a God ensures the priority of other qualities of the mirror in the other opposed pairs mentioned above. Consequently it can be said that all the qualities of the mirror are collectively advantaged and supreme, so constitute the privileged ingredients of the binary opposed terms.

Therefore the theme of the poem can be stated as the opposition between truth and dishonesty or reality and negation of reality. To be precise the poem criticizes submission to dishonesty and flattery in opposition to truth and reality. This dominant ideology of the poem can be supported by the evidences we can find when studying the text through the New Critical approach. On the one hand, the mirror that is a licensed narrator for us maintains that it is not affected by any kind of feelings in its reflections: “unmisted by love or dislike” (line 3) and that what it reflects is not through cruelty, it is only through truthfulness. This shows that the mirror is defending its true and unaffected reflections against the woman that appears in the second stanza of the poem, who is under the influence of the liars and is accusing the mirror of being unkind, dishonest and unfaithful.

This can be understood both in literal meaning ( the woman does not like her appearance but the mirror is not cruel in its reflection and is just depicting the reality so it is the woman who is not submitting to reality and faces the flatterers) and connotative meaning (the mirror is the symbol of those who reveal the truth though it might be bitter and dark, and the woman symbolizes those who are not able to accept the reality and accuse such honest people as cruel and rather move towards the liars for comfort). On the other hand, the poem reveals a woman who is not satisfied with the reality she finds in the mirror and “rewards me (the mirror) with tears and an agitation of hands” (line 14). The attitude of the woman shows her inferior qualities in comparison to the mirror’s highness; the mirror is honest and Godly but the woman is affected by the flatterers and shows earthliness. Subsequently the poem reveals the tension existing between Truth and dishonesty which is the main theme of the poem as well.
However there are also some points in the poem that reverse the priority of these privileged items of the binary opposites.

First of all as mentioned earlier the supremacy of truth vs. dishonesty is acknowledged, however in this case the “faithful” revelation of the mirror has a very bad effect on the woman; she continuously feels “agitated” and desperate; She has not the ability to accept the reality as it is, and the revelation of the reality is so tragic to her. As a result there comes up a doubt about the privilegedness of reality over dishonesty. It seems that honesty that is considered a virtue is gaining negative dimensions in the “Mirror”; therefore indeterminacy is aroused: is it better to reveal the truth and cause such disastrous effects on an individual or is it better to distort the reality and conceal it or at least reveal it in a milder way?
It seems that in case the truth (either lack of beauty or reality) was revealed more mildly rather than “faithfully” it would have had better ends; maybe the lady would have been able to recover the truth in a gradual process later on, so could have been able to come along with it.

Furthermore, the candle or the moon accused by the mirror as “liars” in the first stanza are not necessarily liars, because they do not disclose the reality but they rather make it softer and easier to accept for the lady; if this reality is truth, they show it in a way that the is easier for the woman to accept and if this reality is beauty they help her look more beautiful, and consequently give her a better impression but in fact they do not lie her. So it seems the text itself deconstructs the supremacy of truth vs. dishonesty by discovering a new virtue that seems to be prior to the virtue of honesty, that is saving an individual from absolute despair by revealing her a calm version of reality (or even lying as the mirror calls it). In better words the text deconstructs itself through questioning the validity of moral standards in different contexts.

The next step in deconstruction of a text is to reveal the conflicting interpretations existing in the text. One interpretation of the text shall be that of unaffectedness of mirror by any judgments and feelings and merely reflecting everything honestly and faithfully. The mirror claims:

“I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.
Whatever I see I swallow immediately
Just as it is, unmisted by love and dislike.
I am not cruel, only truthful-
The eye of a little god, four-cornered.” (my italics) (line 1-5)

The italics in the following excerpt of the poem show what the mirror maintains to be: exact and free from affectedness; as just as a God. However the next stanza of the poem reveals the mirror judging the candle and the moon, and the woman. According to the mirror the candle and the moon are “liars”. The mirror assigns them an attribute that has a negative tone. In other words the mirror is criticizing the candle and the moon opposed to itself that is “faithful”. The mirror is also criticizing the lady as well due to her facing the liars which again shows, its tone is not free from judgment and is reprimanding the woman. Also by saying that she is searching its “reaches” it is assigning an attribute to itself that does not seem to be free from affectedness.

Furthermore at the end of the poem the mirror calls the woman a “terrible fish” that again has a negative connotation and show the mirror is not solely reflecting the lady but commenting on her. Also the mirror says that the woman “rewards” it with agitation of hands that shows the mirror does not have that Godly attributes it assumes to have; It expects a reward from the lady that it does not acquire, so the mirror can not be as just as “eye of a little God; four cornered” because it does not merely see things and reflect them exactly but it comments on what it sees and also has expectations to be rewarded for its judgments.

These two conflicting interpretations of the text can lead to a new interpretation of it that is, it is not merely the woman who needs the mirror and feels that the mirror is “important to her” (line 15) but it is also the mirror that takes its meaning from the woman. So it can be said none of them is prior to the other one but that they take their meanings through interaction with each other; the woman is dependent upon the judgments of the mirror and the mirror is reliant upon the continuous visits of the lady. These three interpretations reveal how the text is deconstructing itself through continuous introduction of conflicting interpretations of the text, that each leads to other conflicting understandings of the poem.

Another interpretation of the text shall be that of a woman, who from the first stanza of the text we expect to be someone who is deceiving herself. In the first stanza the mirror is all through justifying its “faithful” and unaffected reflection and saying that it is not “cruel” or unjust; this brings the expectation that some one has accused the mirror of being cruel and affected, that in the next stanza is revealed to be the woman; so we come to an understanding that the woman does not want a true reflection of herself (or a true reflection of reality), but she wants something to satisfy herself, as a result is escaping from her reflection towards the candle and the moon. However the text makes a conflicting claim as well, describing the woman as “searching my (mirror’s) reaches for what she really is” (my italics) (lined 11), that confirms the woman wants to know her self as she really is (or she wants to discover the reality as it really is).

This new claim of the text conflicts with the previous understanding of the poem that revealed the woman escaping from reality. Merging these two interpretations again a new interpretation of the poem shall come up: that of the woman entrapped in a dilemma, that of knowing her true self but being unable to confront her own right image and consequently moving towards the candle and the moon as a refuge. In other words she is aware of her real image (or reality) but wants to escape that picture so moves towards the candle and the moon. These nonstop emerging interpretations of the text again shall depict the deconstructive forces of the text itself.
The poem “Mirror” deconstructs its ideology of dominance of truth over dishonesty by questioning the value of honesty itself in the context. Also the supremacy of the mirror over the lady is both confirmed and deconstructed by the poem itself.

These deconstructing forces in the text do not mean that we are not able to make sense of the text or that we shall never be able to interact with it; On the other hand this reveals the fact that we, as readers, as well as the text itself are restricted within the barriers of language and consequently in each new reading of the text might come up with new answers that might be in contrast with the previous readings of the same text.

As the government debates the future of social security, employers eliminate pension plans and health benefits, and credit history increasingly becomes a hiring factor, it is critical for young people to take charge of their financial future at a very early age, cautions Patrick Lyons, author of Map Your Financial Future: Starting on the Right Path in Your Teens and Twenties (ISBN 978-1-4116-8677-9).

“With traditional safety nets diminishing, financial security in America will be limited to those who started on the right path early,” says Lyons, portfolio manager at NCM Capital Management Group, Inc in North Carolina. “The ones who start early and manage well will cruise through life and retire comfortably while others struggle along. Map Your Financial Future gives youth a strong foundation that will help make their ride through life a smooth one,” he adds.

The book provides a roadmap for young people to understand personal finance in three easy to read sections. Part one covers budgeting and money saving tips; part two explores how to understand credit so it doesn’t become a road block; and part three discusses ways that you can increase your earnings and build your nest egg for retirement. Each chapter also offers a “Just for Teens” section.

Yearly, educational institutions graduate thousands of students armed with degrees ranging from law to physics, however, countless professionals are not equipped with a basic understanding of how to manage their personal finances. According to Nellie Mae, 92 % of college sophomores have at least one credit card, many have four or more, and the average combined credit card and student loan debt among graduating seniors is $20,900. According to a recent NACE salary survey, the average starting salary for college graduates in the 10 most popular majors is just under $36,000 per year.

“Clearly this is an equation for disaster at the beginning of your journey to financial freedom,” says Lyons, who earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Florida A&M University and an M.S. in Management from North Carolina State University. “Many people, young and old, view credit as an extension of their income which starts a downward spiral not easy to recover from.”

Map Your Financial Future is an invaluable resource for parents, teachers, or anyone wishing to improve their financial outlook. “Whether you are just learning about money or interested in credit and investments, this book shows you how to achieve your monetary goals,” says Maceo K. Sloan, Chairman, CEO and CIO, NCM Capital Management Group.

Pre-release copies of Map Your Financial Future are available at http://www.PatrickALyons.com and other online retailers. For phone orders call toll-free, 888-261-1850.

Edrea is a publicist and multimedia producer in Atlanta.

Sex Smart: How Your Childhood Shaped Your Sexual Life and What to do About It
By Aline P. Zoldbrod
PageFree Publishing (2005)
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (1/06)

Much has been written about sexuality as well as theories have been formed about it. Most people seem to be curious about sexuality and want to explore the mysteries that are attached. However, not much has been revealed about the “why” certain behaviors occur until Dr. Aline Zoldbrod published her book “Sex Smart: How Your Childhood Shaped Your Sexual Life and What to do About it.”

Zoldbrod explores the multidimensional nature of human sexuality by presenting information through a cognitive base as well as emphasizing skills in communication and self-awareness. She covers sexuality from biological, moral, psychological, and social perspectives with research, client experiences, and theory.

According to Zoldbrod, what is considered as “normal” sexual behavior is typically based on observations made of family and society. She explains that how we are treated or what parameters are set upon us during our childhood reflects on sexual development. Touch, trust, feeling good about the body as well as oneself are just of the few dynamics that shape the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.

“Sex Smart” gives the reader the opportunity to analyze, reflect, and come to terms with their own sexuality and behaviors through explanation and reading vignettes about experiences of others. After each chapter the reader can do exercises and self-assessments to become aware of their own issues and development. “Sex Smart” also gives the opportunity to examine the factors and decisions one has made in the past, and find ways to explore and replace them with new healthy patterns by re-writing the scripts brought down through the generations.

Although I highly recommend this book for every reader, it is necessary to note the importance of having a therapist at hand to discuss issues as they come during the reading and exercises of “Sex Smart.” This is not a book to skim through in a day, nor is it a book to take lightly. It is a book that evokes much inner thought and exploration of behaviors and attitudes that have been framed within the identity of the reader.

Irene Watson is Managing Editor of Reader Views
http://www.readerviews.com

If you write and publish eBooks, sooner or later youwill probably be faced with a dilemma - should youcreate your eBooks as .exe files or .pdf files?

PDF, which stands for Portable Document Format, is thefile extension for files created with Adobe Acrobat.

Exe, which stands for ‘executable’, is the extensionfor files created by eBook compilers.

PDF is widely considered to be the ‘industry standard’for eBook publishing, and for good reason. Here aresome of the advantages of PDF files over exe files:

(1) With most eBook compilers you have to set up eachpage of your eBook as a separate web page. With AdobeAcrobat you can use a single MS Word file as thesource document.

(2) PDF files automatically number each page - exefiles don’t.

(3) PDF files are very easy to edit - you can insertpages, replace pages and delete pages (and the pagenumbering is automatically adjusted).

(4) Printing from a PDF file is much easier thanprinting from an .exe file.

(5) The ‘bookmark’ column on the left side of a PDFfile makes navigation very easy - much easier than inan exe file.

(6) PDF files compress better than exe files, so youend up with a smaller, more manageable file.

(7) It’s virtually impossible to transmit a virusthrough a PDF file - exe files are susceptible tovirus transmission and can become corrupted duringdownload.

(8) Finally, by using PDF you automatically expandyour potential market because PDF files can be read onboth a PC and a Mac (exe files can only be read on aPC). Over 8 percent of the online population in theU.S. are currently Mac users(www.nielsen-netratings.com) - not a huge increase inyour market, but nevertheless significant.

But exe files do have some advantages over PDF files.Until recently, one of the most important of these wasprice - most eBook compilers are a fraction of thecost of Adobe Acrobat.

However, a number of PDF creators have recentlyappeared on the market with price tags similar to thoseof eBook compilers. Here are some of them:

http://pdfcreator.com/http://www.jawspdf.com/http://www.win2pdf.com/

Another advantage of exe files over PDF is therebranding feature. The following eBook compilers allhave a built-in rebranding function:

http://www.ebookcompiler.com/http://www.ebookgenerator.com/http://www.ebookedit.com/http://www.ebookpaper.com/

If you use free eBooks as a viral marketing tool,rebranding is the key to success, because people aremuch more likely to promote your free eBook if theycan customize it with their own affiliate links.

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Author Richard Bach followed up Jonathan Livingston Seagull with Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah.

In real life Richard Bach would spend a summer barnstorming, flying around the Mid-west in an old bi-plane, landing in farmer’s fields, and getting permission give rides in his bi-plane and sleep in the field at night.

Illusions is the story of what could have happened one summer when Richard Bach met another barnstormer, Donald Shimoda, who was a slightly more evolved human being.

The rest of the story is about their adventures together one summer, and the things that Richard learned from Donald Shimoda.

One of the really nice features of the book is it is peppered with quotes that became learnings for Richard, all taken from Donald’s Messiah’s Handbook.

Some quotes are a little out there, but most of them are powerful and on target. Here are two examples:

“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they are yours.”

“You are never given a wish without the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it however.”

The book is really a tale about change and transformation, set in story form.

If you promise not to read ahead, it ends like no other book I have ever read.

I give it 4 out of 5 bookmarks.

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A barrister bookcase is a unreformed book shelve that comes from n Great England. Its identifying feature is a flawless field glass face. This glass face is hinged at the upper lip allowing someone to easily access ledgers and other collectibles merely by lifting the glass door. A barrister bookcase is perfect for many things. A barrister bookcase was used by a attorneys since it was often necessary for them to move. Now, they are also very handy, specially if one is perpetually moving. The doors make this the case. This enables ledgers and collectibles to be moved while still inside the bookcase while still retaining them.

These glass book shelves

Good quality barrister bookcases avoid the use of the normal sidelong opening doors and use doors that have the up and over opening mechanism. A metal scissor mechanism used inside the barrister shelves control the moving doors do it in a parallel fashion without making the doors jammed or tipped in the process. One favored position of A barrister bookcase is the ability to have several of these units stacked together. When done well, these bookcases give the feeling of an attractive cabinet. A of materials can be used to make barrister’s bookcases Whether it is constructed utilising wood or glass, these bookcases give an elgance to a room.

This special kind of shelves, despite many benifits,can be quite expensive. Fortuitously, there unqiueness has caused some manufacturers to start producing replica editions. Some modern versions are also ready at very healthy prices. Many variations have simple looks. These can fit any style.They can also be trimmed and made into customized storage units.The fact that they can be stacked together allows them to be easily used to create very interesting unit placements. Some can be used to create ping pong tables, breakfronts or even dining areas.

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