self-help: Lottery win does not always breed success

By Khary K. McGhee Staff writer It’s not like Jack Whittaker needed the money. When the West Virginia businessman won a record $315 million jackpot in a Powerball lottery drawing in 2002, he already had a net worth of $1 million and owned a successful contracting business. But the $113 million lump-sum payment he took home after taxes certainly couldn’t hurt Whittaker and his family, could it? Actually, Whittaker’s newfound wealth could be seen as more of a curse than a blessing. Since winning the money, he’s had several brushes with the law and been robbed of $500,000. He’s also had personal tragedy. A friend of his granddaughter died of a drug overdose in his home. Not long afterward his 17-year-old granddaughter was found dead from a drug overdose. Troubles such as these aren’t what lottery ticket-buyers think about. But like the Notorious B.I.G. once said, sometimes more money equals more problems. RELATED Powerball attracts players How to play (PDF) “I wish it never happened,” said lottery winner William Post in an interview with bankrate.com. Post won $16.2 million in a 1988 Pennsylvania Lottery drawing. Now he lives on Social Security. The pressures that come with sudden wealth aren’t well known. But dealing with a quick flush of cash can be problematic. It’s so common that a cottage industry, which includes wealth managers and self-help books for the newly rich, has sprung up to help those who have suddenly come into a lot of money. There’s even something called the Sudden Money Institute in Florida.

self-help: A Self-Help Book That Shows That the Path Of Kaizen is the Path of Disciplined Action

"The Locked Treasure Chest: The Black Book of Tools for Super Achievement" is meant to serve as a roadmap along the path of kaizen. Why do some people go for greatness while others settle for mediocrity? There are no simple answers to this question, but one of the most important factors underlying this decision is whether the person has a deep, driving need to scale great heights. Some people just can’t live with being average and ordinary. To them, settling for mediocrity is simply unacceptable. The tools and concepts in this book can each provide the reader with massive leverage, to reach the highest stratosphere of achievement in the shortest time possible. Toronto, ON (PRWEB) May 22, 2006 -- Richard Hayashi has released his book entitled “The Locked Treasure Chest: The Black Book of Tools for Super Achievement” in conjunction with Lulu (www.lulu.com), the world’s fastest-growing provider of print-on-demand books. Why do some people go for greatness while others settle for mediocrity? There are no simple answers to this question, but one of the most important factors underlying this decision is whether the person has a deep, driving need to scale great heights. Some people just can’t live with being average and ordinary. To them, settling for mediocrity is simply unacceptable. This book is meant to serve as a roadmap along the path of kaizen. The tools and concepts in this book can each provide the reader with massive leverage, to reach the highest stratosphere of achievement in the shortest time possible. About the author: Richard Hayashi lives with his lovely wife Aika and his feisty miniature yorkshire terrier Mozart in Toronto, Ontario. A computer programmer by day, he is an avid self-help reader by night. He obtained a combined Bachelor of Commerce and Economics degree from the University of Toronto where, graduating with numerous top academic prizes, he was offered a full scholarship to pursue a graduate degree in economics. Richard has a CA designation, a black belt in taekwondo, and a professional degree in piano performance. This is his first book. About lulu.com: Founded in 2002, Lulu is the world’s fastest-growing print-on-demand marketplace for digital do-it-yourselfers. Please see www.lulu.com for more information. Media contact: Kathy Lim, 416-962-4567.

self-help: Health self help groups to tackle child mortality

Amravati (Maharashtra): Faced with shortage of trained personnel to tackle malnutrition in Melghat area of the district, the administration has deployed Health Self Help Groups (HSHGs) to assist regular medical staff in preventing neo-natal and infant mortality in the area. "Twenty-five HSHGs are being set up in each `aanganwadi' area comprising five to ten women in each group," Amaravati Divisional Commissioner, S K Goyal told PTI. These groups will carry out most of the preliminary work before the children are medically examined by the staff. These women would be community volunteers and willing to do the social work, he said. The authorities have drawn a ten-point programme which include registration of pregnant women, medical check-up of 0-6 year-old child on a regular basis and assistance to women after delivery of child by `dai' (a type of midwife). Goyal, however, refused to attribute higher number of deaths of children to malnutrition in the Melghat area. He was evasive on actual figurues but claimed it was below the state and national average. However, sources, quoting unofficial figures, said 612 children have died between March to February this year due to malnutrition.

self-help: School being built on self-help basis

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, May 22 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Residents in the Chimtal district of the northern Balkh province Monday started reconstruction of a school torched by miscreants a week back. The school has been constructed by people of the area on self-help basis with their personal contributions. Unidentified gunmen set afire the Arab Mazari girls' High School on May 16. People of the area said they were reconstructing the school to save wastage of time of their children. They criticised the government for not taking steps to start the work. Taj Mohammad, a dweller of the area and among the volunteers, told Pajhwok Afghan News waiting for help from the government would result in loss of time. "We started the work so that our children may get education." According to the education department officials, about 1,000 students were enrolled in the school constructed by the National Solidarity Programme (NSP). Commending the urge among the citizens, district chief Amir Mohammad Waqar said the people enthusiastically started work to complete reconstruction work of the school as soon as possible. He hoped it would soon be completed. Ahmad Naim Qadiri amm/dk

self-help: Floyd doing whatever he can

BY DAVID LENNON Newsday Staff Correspondent May 17, 2006 ST. LOUIS -- It's probably not a good sign when your slumping leftfielder is reading a self-help book before the game, but that's exactly what Cliff Floyd was doing yesterday on a clubhouse sofa inside the new Busch Stadium. Really, what could it hurt? Floyd had done everything else to that point. Extra batting practice. Watching video. And with no other options, manager Willie Randolph did the only thing left at his disposal over the weekend by benching Floyd for two games in Milwaukee. Obviously, Floyd was annoyed by the move, but there was not much he could say in his defense. He was hitting .195 at the time, and even on a Mets team with Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and David Wright in the heart of the order, that was unforgivable for a player of Floyd's caliber. But did the chance to clear his head actually help Floyd? There was no way of knowing until he stepped in the batter's box last night against the Cardinals, and he could only hope for the best in the hours leading up to the first pitch. Before the rain came last night, Floyd appeared to be making progress. In his first at-bat, Floyd ripped a line-drive double into the rightfield corner, but was stranded when Xavier Nady struck out to end the second inning. In the fourth, it took a nifty barehanded play by Suppan to rob him of an infield hit, but Floyd followed that with a two-out single in the sixth. "I'm going down swinging," Floyd said. After dropping two consecutive series in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, it did not seem like a good time to be paying a visit to the Cardinals, who entered last night 16-6 at shiny new Busch Stadium - the best home record in the majors. To top it off, last night's starter Jeff Suppan was 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA in five career starts against the Mets. With all the talk of infield shifts, pitch selection and just plain bad luck, Floyd's psyche has been a little scrambled lately. But there was no guarantee he would snap out of it, either, after a long weekend to step back from his problems. Before the game, Floyd studied the well-worn book, the pages highlighted in yellow marker, then sat with first-base coach Sandy Alomar at his locker. Alomar is the self-help guru on the Mets - sort of their Dr. Phil - but Floyd seems to need more than the power of positive thinking these days. Teams are defending Floyd perfectly with the exaggerated shift, plugging the middle and leaving the leftfield line open, and the frustration has been getting to him. As much as he tries to exploit the shift, the more Floyd's slump deepens, and he had yet to come up with a solution. "I never knew I hit the ball up the middle that much," Floyd said. "I haven't really been a guy my whole career who could hit the ball to leftfield. I wish I could. I wish I was better at it. You find yourself trying to do it and that's why I keep getting jammed." As for Randolph, he couldn't keep Floyd out of the lineup forever, even after Jose Valentin's big weekend filling in for him at Miller Park. The manager was hoping last night that Floyd's mental breather would make a difference. Nothing else had worked to that point. "Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't mean --," Randolph said yesterday afternoon. "If he goes 4-for-4, it would make me look smart. So get going, Cliff." Still, Randolph would not commit to Floyd beyond last night's game with lefthander Mark Mulder pitching for the Cardinals tonight. Floyd is 0-for-6 with two strikeouts against Mulder, but he's batting .095 (2-for-21) against lefthanders this season, and that could nudge Randolph to start Valentin instead. "We'll play it one day at a time," Randolph said.

self-help: Families move in to Self Help homes

Vicki Alvis was daunted when she first saw the empty lot where she was to build a house. Alvis, a single mother of four, is among 10 families who are moving into new homes this month in the Pearson Self Help Neighborhood just off Upper River Road. Each family spent hundreds of hours constructing their homes with help from volunteers. It was hard, daunting work, Alvis said, but crewmembers such as construction supervisor Buck Beaudry gave her confidence and helped her finish the job. “He had a lot to do with feeling like you could do it and get it right. When I first came out, it was a stick in the ground. Then the foundation went up, then the walls, then boom. Look at all of this,” Alvis said, looking around her spacious four-bedroom home. Read more about Alvis and her new neighbors in Friday’s Tribune. Originally published May 4, 2006

self-help: Self-help method gets results

Seeing that May is Mental Health Month, I would like to take this opportunity to reach people who suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, sleeplessness, fears, depression or other assorted symptoms. There is help out there, and it's free. Recovery Inc. has been in existence for close to 70 years. There are over 600 meetings in the U.S., Canada and other countries. The program was founded and developed by Dr. Abraham A. Low, associate professor of psychiatry, after 15 years of research, study and treatment of patients. The self-help method is based on Dr. Low's book, Mental Health Through Will Training. The Recovery method follows a structured framework designed to help people reduce their nervous symptoms and increase their ability to cope with daily challenges. Recovery is not a substitute for professional care, but an adjunct to it. The American Psychiatric Association honored the organization for "the extaordinary contribution Recovery Inc. is making to the field of psychiatric rehabilitation." Pesonally, the Recovery method gave me back my life. I suffered from heart palpitations, chest and head pressure -- I called it pain then -- and I was sure I was dying every minute. I was dizzy, nauseated and felt fatigued even after sleeping for hours. I felt useless and hopeless. I couldn't work because I would have panic attacks. I couldn't drive for the same reason. But after a few months of learning and then practicing the Recovery method, I began to start living a normal life. For some time now I have moderated a weekly Recovery group in Deerfield Beach. Visit us, or visit our Web site. David Shapiro resides in Coconut Creek.

Busecca ticinese

Busecca Ticinese (Tripe soup with garlic bread) TICINO Servings: 6 3 tb Borlotti beans 1 tb Tomato paste 3 x Carrots 1 1/4 l Bouillon (5 cups) 1 x Leek 1/4 ts Caraway seeds 1 x Small knob celery 1 x Twig thyme 500 g Honeycomb tripe (1 lb) 80 g Parmesan, grated (2.75 oz) 30 g Butter (1 oz) 1 x Twig parsley 1 x Clove garlic, mashed Salt, freshly ground pepper 200 g French bread (7 oz) 10 g Gruyere, grated (0.25 oz) 50 g Butter (1.75 oz) 1 tb Parsley 4 x Cloves garlic, mashed Salt, freshly ground pepper Preparation: 30 minutes, cooking time: 3 hours Yields 6 servings as a first course, as a main course double the ingredients. Soak beans overnight. Drain beans. Cook in lightly salted water until tender. Drain. Set aside. Clean, trim and wash the vegetables (carrots, leek, celery). Slice the carrots finely, slice the leek diagonally, slice the celery finely and cut into squares. Cut the tripe into strips 4 cm ( 1 9/16 in) long and 2 mm (1/16 in) wide. Fill a kettle with water, add salt, bring to the boil. Add tripe and cook for 2 1/2 hours. Drain. In a saucepan heat butter. Saute' vegetables briefly. Add tripe, garlic and tomato paste. Saute' briefly. Moisten with bouillon, simmer for 20 minutes. Season with caraway, thyme, salt and pepper. Add Borlotti beans and heat. Serve in soup plates, sprinkle with cheese (Parmesan) or serve separately. Garnish with parsley. Garlic bread: cut bread into slices, toast in oven. Beat butter until creamy, chop parsley finely, blend butter with garlic, cheese (Gruyere) and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Spread bread with butter mixture, gratinate under broiler until golden brown. Serve with soup. From: r.gagnaux@chnet.ch (Rene Gagnaux)

self-help: Having A Positive Attitude To Life Brings Many Rewards

I am the type of person who used to have a very negative attitude to most aspects of life. I am not alone in thinking this way as most of the people I meet seem to be constantly moaning about different things and basically feeling sorry for themselves. This article looks at the reasons and benefits of having a more positive outlook on life. About ten years ago I decided that I needed to have a change of approach. I wanted to be a happy and care-free person and was fed up of always being stressed and worrying about the future. To achieve this I started to read many self-help, confidence type books and websites. There was a regular message which came from this literature which was to think more positive and to believe in your ability to succeed in whatever you attempt to do. This is easy to write or say, but in reality it is difficult to implement in practice. Of course I tried but in truth I did not really believe in the whole practice. I would go into a task thinking, I can do this, but it would still end up in failure. I could not understand what was going wrong so I therefore went back to the books to try to learn more. There was a new and even more important message which I had missed the first time around. What I had to do was to take a positive out of whatever happens to me, even if this is learning from my failings. As an example of taking a positive from whatever happens in life, is something which happened in my family recently. My nan has recently passed away, she was eighty-eight. I used to visit her at least once a week at the flat where she lived. She was a very honest person and always talked very openly to me. Around two months before she died she told me that she was very tired and that she no longer wanted to be on this planet. I was quite shocked by her admission and asked her what was wrong. She stated that she had nothing to look forward to and that she did not want to reach a point where she could no longer bath herself etc. She continued that she hoped that I would not grieve for to long when she did die and that she wanted me to be happy for her. This was quite upsetting for me to hear but at least she was being honest of course. Two months later my dad phoned me and told me that my nan had passed away in the night. I was obviously upset and the thought of never being able to see her again hit me hard. I then thought about what she had said and looked up to the sky and gave my nan a smile and a message, I love you. I thought positive about the whole event and was actually happy for her. I hope that one day we will meet again. Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including: help for phobias hgh advice stuttering information

self-help: Get Organized Secrets

1. Tell yourself that no matter what, some level of clutter with a child is going to happen. 2. Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Get organize your kitchen, garage, and family room before your hallway closet. 3. Use drawer dividers for socks, underwear, lingerie, and tiny items, to keep them separated and organized. 4. Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined places for every fork and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear. Think in this same way for every aspect of your home. This will save many hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down on the clutter of items left out "for now" or "until I find a place for it." Develop a new mantra: everything has its place and a place for everything! 5. Allocate everything in your house a place. This way your family will know exactly where to find it and where to put it away, when they searches for something they need. 6. Keep items that are used frequently in places where you can reach them without stooping or bending, and store them close to the place they will be needed. 7. Establish one defined place in your house for storing library books, and end a house-wide hunt when it is time to read or return them. 8. Hang hooks for your keys and purse at the entry to your home, so each time you walk in, you can hang them up. 9. Get rid of all junk drawers, or allow yourself just one that you clear out once a week or more. When you establish certain items are being used repeatedly, designate a drawer for those. 10. Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters your home. 11. Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where they cluster, and then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things will reside. For this purpose baskets, shelves, and folders will work well. Set aside one basket for you and your partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts and letters. 12. Never go up or down empty-handed when using stairs. Always grab some items that belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you are there. 13. Create a number of brightly marked folders for discount coupons, invitations and directions, and other time-sensitive papers that just clutter your counters. 14. Things you don't need any longer: · Expired medications. · Clothes you no longer wear. · Extra paper or plastic grocery bags. · Makeup and samples you have never worn. · Sunscreen that's expired or more than one year old. · Organize your coupons and throw out all that have expired. · Cookbooks you rarely use. Cut out your favorite recipes only. · Magazines you meant to read but have never taken the time for. · Stuff your crumpled plastic bags from your grocer inside a cardboard roll like a hand towel roll. Keep under your sink. You will free your mind to remember your daily chores by getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home top to bottom. Be vigilant about cleaning about once a month and you will find it much easier to keep up, week-by-week. Summary: You will free your mind to remember your daily chores by getting rid of your clutter and organizing your home top to bottom. You need these 14 Get organized tips to solve your problem. Keywords: Self help ,Organizing ,Organize, Get organize ,Self improvement ,Personal growth Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of popular self help blog. Visit his blog for more information on Self help, self-improvement and personal growth. http://www.selfhelpzone.com

self-help: Real Weight Loss Solutions

Much of the weight loss industry likes to focus on overweight Americans. That's where the money is for them. But the truth is, much of the world is overweight, too. Studies showed that in 2000, 45% of adults all over the world were overweight. Overweight people are more likely to have chronic health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and knee arthritis. Overweight people also die at younger ages than persons of normal weight. Many overweight people want to lose weight to improve their health and their appearance. Because so many people want to loose weight and doing it is difficult there are many commercial weight loss programs on the market. Many are expensive, capitalizing on the huge demand. Of those programs many are ineffective. Each year millions of Americans and Europeans enroll in commercial and self-help weight loss programs. Health care providers and their obese patients know little about these programs because of the absence of systematic reviews. Unfortunately, many patients and their doctors know little about the effectiveness and safety of these programs, either. Few high-quality studies have assessed weight loss programs. Many of the existing studies present the best-case scenario because they do not account for people who drop out of the program. he evidence to support the effectiveness of major commercial weight loss programs is limited. Patients considering the use of commercial weight loss programs should realize that these programs have not been carefully studied. So, do weight loss programs really work? Some do in the short term but long term results are doubtful. The real effective way to lose weight is jsut what we all want to ignore: behavioral change done diligently over time. Changing behavior over time and engaging in a regular exercise routine is what will take excess weight off and keep it off. There is no magic potion, pill or program. Change behavior from what you eat to how you eat it, how much you eat and when is the key to long term, sucessful wight loss. It comes down to more calories used each day, called "burning calories," than taking in, called "eating." If you are fighting obesity haphazardly, start to change your behavior TODAY. Use a smart yet systematic approach to behavior modification. It will take time but the long term benefits and permanent weight loss will be there! JM Jackson is a fitness and helath consultant. For more information see her website at Weight Loss Hypnosis

self-help: The rhyme and reason behind ebooks

To everything there is rhyme and reason So your thinking, why ebooks? First of all lets explain what an ebook is. An ebook is a downloadable, electronic digital version of information or a book. These digital versions are also sometimes referred to as etexts. The etext versions are usually text versions. An ebook can come in several formats. The two most popular formats are listed below * PDF An ebook that is in PDF format created with Adobe Acrobat and readable using Adobe Acrobat Reader available free of charge from Adobe. The format There are also a few other software products that can create PDF files as well. PDF Creator is a good example of software that can be used for digital format distribution. * Executable There are many compiler that can create ebooks in executable format using text or html pages. Just like a webpage it can show the images and text properly formatted leaving a professional looking ebook with links. Now the answer to the question "Why Ebooks?" What are the advantages to ebooks? * The text within the ebook can be searched by using keywords * Loss is limited if a backup copy is kept, especially in cases of physical disaster. * Does not require much space for storage. Compilations of ebooks are usually small in size, depending on how much content you have, of course. * Ebooks are inexpensive to create. There are many software creators that can be purchased for $30 or less. What are some of the disadvantages? Some formats of ebooks do not run on all computer systems. Especially the executable files. They sometimes may not run on Mac systems. Many ebook authors prevent copying and printing of material contained within the ebook due to theft of material. There are people who plagerize. It is sometime difficult to find the downloaded ebook file on a computer hard drive. Use of a computer to read these ebooks for a prolonged amount of time can be harmful to the eyes. There are many people who have made a fortune in selling ebooks online. Even though there are disadvantages the demand for digital versions of books is very high. Many ebooks have been created and sold with resell rights, allowing you to pocket 100% of the money. Now you're thinking how can I do this? The best way to start is to find ebooks with resell rights. In this way you can earn and learn at the same time. Read the ebooks yourself to get information on how to market, how to setup a website, how to build traffic and much more. Make it easy for me. Tell me where the ebooks are. One of the largest sources of ebooks on many subjects is GoldenStarEbooks.net It contains ebooks on business, cooking, self-help and much more. Packages are the way to go though for more ebooks and low start-up. http://www.goldenstarebooks.net Copyright 2006 GoldenStarEbooks.net Copyright 2006 Goldenstarebooks.com http://www.goldenstarebooks.com

self-help: An Insight Into Stammering

Stammering is a condition that affects around one in every hundred people in the UK. According to the latest reports on average three quarters of people who have a stammer are male. This article looks into the affects that stammering can have on a persons life and about possible solutions which can help people to achieve fluency. In truth, I believe it is very hard for a fluent person to fully understand just how difficult life can be for people who stammer. They can of course imagine what it could be like but only a fellow sufferer or former sufferer can really know. Using the telephone is one of the most difficult of daily tasks facing the stammerer, to such an extent many of them do whatever they can to avoid using it. Tasks which the average fluent person would consider very easy, like ordering a pizza can be very hard for people who stammer. Answering the phone is no easier however the ever rising use of mobile phones has helped as they can now see who is calling them. Socialising can also be very daunting. Other people constantly asking questions and expecting exciting and interesting conversation puts a huge pressure on people who stammer. Then there is the actual ordering of food and drink. Most people who stammer have certain sounds which they are aware they have most problems with and if for example the drink which they have to ask for begins with this sound, this as you can imagine can fill them with fear. Gaining employment and progressing up the career ladder is another potential problem for people who stammer. An interview is hard enough for fluent people but is a thousand times harder for people who have a speech impediment. If they stammer they then believe that there is no chance that they will be successful in obtaining the job. Dating is another area of life which can be a daunting prospect for any person who has a stammer. Even when they meet a woman that they like, there is then the other issues such as meeting her parents and meeting her friends. As you can see there is a seemingly never ending list of potential hazards for people who stammer and many sufferers can easily become depressed. Solutions for stammering There are various different options for people who are looking at overcoming their stammer. These include a private speech course, these can be in a group but there is probably a much higher chance of success by attending a one-to-one course. The duration of the courses can be anywhere between three and five days. There is also a number of self-help options including dvd's and stammering ebooks. It is not easy to eradicate a stammer but if the person who has the stammer has enough determination and is willing to work very hard on practicing whatever techniques they learn, fluency is very much achievable. A number of famous people have managed to beat their own stammer such as Bruce Willis and these people should be seen as an inspiration to other sufferers. There is no longer a need to accept second best in life and to have a constant fear of talking. Stammering is a condition that affects around one in every hundred people in the UK. According to the latest reports on average three quarters of people who have a stammer are male. This article looks into the affects that stammering can have on a persons life and about possible solutions which can help people to achieve fluency. In truth, I believe it is very hard for a fluent person to fully understand just how difficult life can be for people who stammer. They can of course imagine what it could be like but only a fellow sufferer or former sufferer can really know. Using the telephone is one of the most difficult of daily tasks facing the stammerer, to such an extent many of them do whatever they can to avoid using it. Tasks which the average fluent person would consider very easy, like ordering a pizza can be very hard for people who stammer. Answering the phone is no easier however the ever rising use of mobile phones has helped as they can now see who is calling them. Socialising can also be very daunting. Other people constantly asking questions and expecting exciting and interesting conversation puts a huge pressure on people who stammer. Then there is the actual ordering of food and drink. Most people who stammer have certain sounds which they are aware they have most problems with and if for example the drink which they have to ask for begins with this sound, this as you can imagine can fill them with fear. Gaining employment and progressing up the career ladder is another potential problem for people who stammer. An interview is hard enough for fluent people but is a thousand times harder for people who have a speech impediment. If they stammer they then believe that there is no chance that they will be successful in obtaining the job. Dating is another area of life which can be a daunting prospect for any person who has a stammer. Even when they meet a woman that they like, there is then the other issues such as meeting her parents and meeting her friends. As you can see there is a seemingly never ending list of potential hazards for people who stammer and many sufferers can easily become depressed. Solutions for stammering There are various different options for people who are looking at overcoming their stammer. These include a private speech course, these can be in a group but there is probably a much higher chance of success by attending a one-to-one course. The duration of the courses can be anywhere between three and five days. There is also a number of self-help options including dvd's and stammering ebooks. It is not easy to eradicate a stammer but if the person who has the stammer has enough determination and is willing to work very hard on practicing whatever techniques they learn, fluency is very much achievable. A number of famous people have managed to beat their own stammer such as Bruce Willis and these people should be seen as an inspiration to other sufferers. There is no longer a need to accept second best in life and to have a constant fear of talking.

self-help: THE PATCH THAT KILLS SMOKING

"I wish i knew how to quit you" -Brokeback Mountain, 2005 Webster defines "vice" as "an abnormal behavior pattern in a domestic animal detrimental to its health or usefulnes." Evil as it may sound, vice is coupled with another evil, which comes in the form of what we call "withdrawal symptom." It starts as soon as you stop a vice, therefore making it difficult for you to take control over it. Smoking, being one of the most widely practiced vices, is one jealous lover..It haunts the smoker, making it almost impossible to part with puffing. The nicotine in it creeps through the bloodstream, much like a poison, controlling and defeating the host. Nicotine, by the way, is a poisonous alkaloid that is the principal active ingredient in cigarettes. It is addicting, habit forming and is responsible for negative emotions such as depression, anger and lack of concentration. But the God of the 21st century -technology-has given hope! Recent studies have found ways to neutralize the luring effect of withdrawal symptoms, completing every long-life-and-healthy-living advocate's fight force against the ill effects of smoking. Every aspiring quitter's inherent want to stop smoking is now made easier by the wonders of nicotine patches. I am talking about a skin patch much like a topical sticker, which contains a pad of nicotine. Because the skin is a natural absorbent, once the nicotine patch is applied, the skin absorbs the nicotine from the pad to the bloodstream. Over a period of time, the nicotine patch maintains and ensures the presence of nicotine in the blood, therefore, avoiding the onset of withdrawal symptoms. But nicotine levels are kept low enough so that it won't substitute cigarette smoking. The patches just supplies a minimum amount of the substance in the body to combat the withdrawal symptoms while the person recuperates.It acts as a stop smoking aid that provides a dose of nicotine that's gradually lowered over a period of a few weeks to eliminate dependency. In an article written by Jarred Mitchelle in an emagazine, he further pointed out that, "Nicotine patches come packaged under varying trade names - most popular being Habitrol which are predominantly round in shape and are available in varying strengths - twenty one, fourteen or seven milligrams of nicotine per patch and the efficacy period of any particular Habitrol patch being twenty four hours. Conversely Nicoderm CQ patches are rectangular in shape and come in are available in varying strengths of twenty one, fourteen or seven milligrams of nicotine per patch with a efficacy period of twenty four hours which makes the two patches but a variant of identical concepts and the efficacy spectra could well be identical - there being little to choose one over the other." But let it be known that these patches are not the absolute treatment. It only aids and lighten up one's burden during the adjustment period. In the end, it has to work hand in hand with self-help groups, other treatment modalities, professional counseling and most of all, one's inner desire to break smoking habits. Other articles from the same author: How To Finally Be Nicotine Free Erica Alexia Bachelor of Science in Nursing Registered Nurse

self- help: Concern over Madhya Pradesh maternal mortality rate

Bhopal - Expressing concern over the high maternal mortality rate in Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal Archbishop Pascal Topno has called upon self-help groups to help check the menace. With 13,000 reported deaths every year during or post pregnancy, the maternal mortality rate of the state is one of the highest in the country. Addressing a women’s meet at the missionary-run Asha Niketan Welfare Centre here, Topno urged them to tap government programmes and schemes to promote safe motherhood. More than 250 self-help groups from various districts, including Hoshangabad and Sehore, participated in the meet organised by the Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha. ‘The main causes behind the high rate of maternal mortality include delay in recognising complications in the first pregnancy, hindrances in getting pregnant women to hospitals and pregnant women not getting any medical facility at all,’ other speakers noted. However, they acknowledged that the government was beginning to tackle the issue of maternal mortality on priority basis ever since activists encouraged by the UNICEF started the issue. While UNICEF communication officer Anil Gulati helped accomplish an action plan to combat maternal deaths, Vandana Agarwal of the same organisation elaborated on the causes of such deaths and measures to prevent them. ‘Anaemia is one of the important factors contributing to maternal deaths,’ she told the participants and explained how to recognise its symptoms and prevent it early. Chief medical and health officer D.S. Ohri detailed various schemes run by the health department to promote safe motherhood. Copyright © IndiaeNews.com. Reproduction of news articles or any other content in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of India eNews is prohibited.

self-help: Supporters rev up Measure H campaign

Government, business groups rally for transportation sales tax By KERANA TODOROV, Register Staff Write Friday, May 12, 2006 1:12 AM PDT The campaign to pass Napa County's first transportation sales tax officially kicked off Thursday with a rally near the epicenter of the debate -- Jamieson Canyon Road. Pro-Measure H spokesman Bill Dodd, chairman of the Napa County board of supervisors, introduced the speakers to more than 60 supporters gathered at Kirkland Ranch Winery. Dodd spoke as the late-afternoon rush-hour traffic backed up on nearby Jamieson Canyon Road, which links the Napa Valley to Interstate 80 in Solano County. "We need to fix, once and for all, Jamieson Canyon Road," Dodd told the crowd, which primarily included city, county and business representatives. On June 6 Napa County's voters will decide on the proposed 1/2-cent transportation sales tax which could raise about $537 million over its 30-year life. The measure, which needs a two-third majority to pass, would raise the county sales tax to 8.25 percent. Under Measure H, more than 66 percent of the money raised -- about $356.6 million -- would go to maintain and repair local roads; about 28 percent, or $149.6 million, would be spent to improve the Jamieson Canyon Road corridor; and about 6 percent -- or about $30.7 million -- would be set aside for public transportation services. Opponents of the proposed tax increase, including the Independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee, question the need to raise the sales tax as well as specifics of the measure. Planned improvements on Jamieson Canyon Road include widening the highway from two to four lanes and installing a barrier in the center of the roadway. Six speakers took turns voicing their support for Measure H as a plane tailing a "Vote Yes on H -- Fix our Roads!" banner circled the winery overlooking Jamieson Canyon Road. One of the speakers, Joe Anderson, chief executive officer of Napa Valley Expo, recalled how a drunk driver hit him at 95 miles per hour in 1999 on Jamieson Canyon Road. Anderson, whose right foot was amputated due to injuries he sustained in the accident, said he endured 25 different surgeries over the five years after the crash. Had the road been wider, he said, "I might have had some place to go" to avoid the other driver. Napa Mayor Jill Techel, Calistoga Vice Mayor Jack Gingles, Dey LP executive Mel Engle and Stewart Slipiec, general manager of Piner's Napa Ambulance Service also spoke during the one-hour event. "Having a barrier on this dangerous highway is a simple and effective method to make this highway safer," said Slipiec, who estimates there is one accident every four days on Jamieson Canyon Road. Techel noted Measure H will provide money for transit services for seniors. If approved, the sales tax would make Napa County a "self-help" county, supporters said. This means the money raised under Measure H would help the county attract more state and federal transportation dollars, explained Mike Zdon, executive director of the Napa County Transportation Planning Agency. Dodd noted that 20 counties representing 85 percent of all Californians are "self-help" counties. Bob Peterson, public works director for Napa County, and Michael O'Bryon, public works director for the city of Napa, said the money would be a "significant" new source of revenue. Napa's roads are "in desperate need of repairs," O'Bryon said.

self-help: Disabled volunteers increase awareness of development goals

HA NOI — Thirty-five disabled and able-bodied volunteers reached Ha Noi yesterday after a 21-day cross-country trip from HCM City, carrying the message of hope and determination of the disabled to rise against all odds. The group, which travelled in three-wheeled motorbikes, visited many towns and cities on the way and met local disabled and young people to increase awareness on disability issues and ways to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Viet Nam. "Disabled people do not need charity, but they want to be involved in the community and should have the opportunity to participate in social activities," said Huynh Cong Son, a disabled person who led the group. "I hope the trip would strengthen the resolve of people with disabilities, prompting them to establish more self-help groups and play an active role in helping the nation achieve the MDGs," he added. Son said his group promoted awareness of eight MDGs, including those on fighting poverty, HIV/AIDS and other diseases as well efforts for gender equality and reducing mortality rate. "This particular journey may end in Ha Noi, but the larger journey to raise awareness of the MDGs is ongoing and shows that every single one of us can make a contribution," said Koen Van Acoleyen, United Nations Volunteers Programme Officer. "This incredible trip also draws attention to the important role of self-help groups in Viet Nam, which effectively facilitate the voluntary contribution of people with disabilities," he said. Son, who now works for the HCM City Disabled Young People Association, said he expected a change in the way society looked at the disabled and that "they shared what they have with those living in poorer conditions". The group will visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum today and then return to HCM City by train. The programme "Continuing the Tradition 2006" was supported by the United Nations Volunteers and other donors. — VNS

self-help: Around the Valley

Driver in fatal wreck had been drinking, police say YAKIMA — The driver accused of causing a fatal wreck on U.S. Highway 97 Wednesday had a blood alcohol level of 0.34, more than four times the legal limit in Washington, according to court documents. Shane L. Hannigan, 23, of Toppenish, was booked into jail on suspicion of vehicular homicide and made a preliminary appearance Friday in Yakima County Superior Court. Bail was set at $100,000 while prosecutors review the case. A passenger in Hannigan's car, 23-year-old Darrin M. Lewis of Wapato, was killed when a Dodge Caravan broadsided the car on the passenger-side door. The crash happened at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday when Hannigan tried to cross the highway in the Parker area and was struck by the Caravan, which was northbound on the highway and had the right of way, according to the Washington State Patrol. The state patrol said Hannigan initially said he was the driver, then reversed himself and claimed Lewis was the driver. Lewis was dead by the time police and paramedics arrived. According to the state patrol, physical evidence indicated Lewis was the passenger. Hannigan suffered only minor injuries. The car belonged to his mother. All of the occupants of the Caravan were injured, but none seriously, troopers said. Fire in trailer spreads to mobile home, destroying both YAKIMA — A fire that reportedly started in or near a camp trailer and spread to the adjacent single-wide mobile home destroyed both structures Friday afternoon, West Valley firefighters said. The incident was reported about noon in the 400 block of West Canyon Road, according to a news release. No information was given about the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported. The family that lived at the address was being assisted by friends and relatives, authorities said. Calling all bookworms YAKIMA — Name your genre: Mystery, romance, self-help, science fiction. Your favorite will likely be found at Tuesday's "Big Book Sale" at the Donald House, 304 N. Second St. Paperbacks cost 50 cents. Hardcovers are $1. Proceeds benefit the literary department of the Woman's Century Club, which is sponsoring the sale. Money will be donated to the club itself to help maintain the 1908 Donald House, where the club meets. — Yakima Herald-Republic

self-help: Cosby to deliver self-help message

By LYNN FRANEY The Kansas City Star Bill Cosby Bill Cosby thinks that poor people from the central city are “sleeping” and says he wants them to “wake up.” Wake up to keeping up with their children’s activities at all times to keep them out of trouble. Wake up to the concept of fathers staying in their children’s lives. Wake up to the need for good choices — not doing or dealing drugs, not killing one another, not dropping out of school. That’s part of the self-help message Cosby will bring to Kansas City during a “call-out” town hall meeting May 23 at Penn Valley Community College. When people wake up to leading their lives in the right direction, he said in an interview, “there’s a potential for a happy ending.” “We’re trying to get people away from accepting ideas and behaviors that lead people to have to depend on the government, have to depend on other relatives, have to depend on other people to take care of them for them, to never really achieve what’s between their two ears,” he said. Cosby is touring the country, sharing his message of empowerment with low-income urban families in town hall meetings. Organizers expect about 1,500 people to attend. Tickets have been issued to those requesting reservations. Cosby hopes people who attend will “realize it’s time for the elders to not be afraid to speak back.” When elders in the community hear someone who is young saying he won’t live past 24 and that’s why he’s making bad choices, he hopes elders will take the time “to explain truth, to explain the future, to explain that one must never stop trying to learn. That one must learn to want something of value and quality and work very hard to get it. That the short money that they know that comes with drug dealing or prostitution, the violence that comes with those things, there’s a life (beyond that). “Once people wake up, they tell you about it onstage and say they don’t want that anymore.”

Motorola Bluetooth Home Stereo Adapter DC800

The Motorola Bluetooth Home Stereo Adapter DC800 is the latest in Bluetooth technology. With Bluetooth A2DP Streaming Music Profile, your Motorola Bluetooth Home Stereo Adapter DC800 can stream music from your home stereo to your Motorola Bluetooth Stereo Headset HT820 or other Bluetooth stereo headset device with A2DP support. Or, you can stream music from your A2DP-enabled Bluetooth phone to your home stereo. You can keep the tunes flowing wirelessly throughout your home! Plus, with Class 1 Bluetooth support, you can connect wirelessly up to 300 feet away with other class 1 capable Bluetooth devices. Includes 2 RCA to RCA cables, 1 RCA to 3.5mm cable, power supply, quick start guide. Copyright © 2004

Home Theatre PC Guide

When I was a kid, one of the exciting times in our household was when a birthday or a special occasion would come around and my father would rent a VCR from the local movie store along with a couple of quality titles. The family would then sit around this wonderful invention and enjoy movies together. I'm dating myself a little by admitting that but when the VCR first came out, it was considered quite an invention and it was really expensive (as with every new technological innovation). Eventually the prices dropped and VCRs became a part of almost everyone's TV room, not only for playback but for recording content while you were home or away. Let me walk through a scenario that has probably happened to everyone at some point in their lives: You're late to go out for the evening and just as you're about to run out the door you remember that Melrose Place is going to be on that night and you just can't miss it. You rush back into the living room and quickly pound away on your VCR remote setting up which channel to record and for what timeframe. You go out and have a good time and when you arrive home, you're excited at the prospects of sitting down and catching up on what had taken place with Kimberly, Michael and the rest of the MP crew. Alas, nothing was recorded! Why? Well, there could be several answers to that question: 1) You forgot to power off the VCR. 2) There was a brown-out and you're now faced with the classic flashing 12:00AM on the display. 3) Worse yet, you had the recording set to SP and you hadn't fully rewound the tape so you're left with the first 15 minutes of the episode. While the details may have been slightly different for you, I can guarantee that everyone has been forced to deal with a VCR snafu at some point in their lives. A wonderful invention, but it was far from perfect. My VCR is now in storage because I, like other geeks and laymen alike, have chosen the new recording path. It is a digital world and I am a digital girl err dude. TIVO and devices like it have taken the world by storm but as computer geeks we had to ask the question: "Couldn't we get a computer to do that?" We sure can. Objectives I've been writing here for a lot of years, and for the most part everyone is comfortable with my style and familiar with my tendencies. You all know that when I take on a project piece like this I'm going to try and provide all the information that I can. That said, I'm going to try and cover all the bases on the topic of Home Theatre PCs (HTPC). You'll probably want to grab a beverage and get comfortable, because there's a lot to talk about on the subject. Written by Jim

self-help: When the pain won't go away

By ASHLEY ADAMS Evening Sun Reporter Diane Fetters said she has found a ray of sunshine in her dark, dreary world. Janice Smith now has more good days than bad. Wendi White knows there is no cure, but at least she's found a way to manage her symptoms. All three women have struggled with pain over the years, only to be bounced from doctor to doctor without a diagnosis. They suffered a range of symptoms from habitual flu-like symptoms to chronic fatigue. All were diagnosed with a disease called fibromyalgia and found a way to manage the symptoms. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain illness that affects an estimated 10 million Americans, with the illness being most prevalent in women. Although characterized by chronic, widespread body pain, fibromyalgia has a variety of other symptoms that include fatigue; problems with cognitive functioning, memory and concentration; irritable bowel; headaches and migraines; and neurological symptoms such as dizziness, vision problems, numbness, noise sensitivity or impaired coordination. The cause of fibromyalgia remains a mystery and there is no known cure. Treatment mainly focuses on relieving symptoms and improving functions. Fetters, a Gardners resident, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia 20 years ago. She has been on medication for her pain ever since she was diagnosed. She experienced extreme tiredness and restrictive movement, even having to walk with a cane at times. Her symptoms, Fetters said, come and go. "It is horrific," she said. "There are times you think it is going away. Then all of a sudden it comes back and you think 'What did I do?'" Fetters saw an ad in the newspaper for a FibroFit class hosted by White. FibroFit is a 12-week, self-help wellness course that teaches participants how to manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia. "It has helped me physically and emotionally and spiritually," Fetters said. "I think that the reality of (fibromyalgia) is it can be managed but it's not going to disappear." Smith was diagnosed with fibromyalgia three years ago. She has since been diagnosed with Lyme disease instead of fibromyalgia. But she goes to White for massages to help relieve her pain. "It helps a lot with the pain and keeping it under control," Smith said. In addition to the FibroFit class, White developed the massage technique specifically for fibromyalgia patients. The technique focuses on stretching the tissue around tender points, which can trigger pain in fibromyalgia sufferers. Regular massages, White said, can often be painful for fibromyalgia patients because pressure on different muscles and points of the body trigger pain. White knows this because she also suffers from fibromyalgia. And after years of pain and taking medicine, White found a way to manage her symptoms through natural remedies. But she knows she isn't alone when it comes to fibromyalgia. So to help others, White just completed her third book, educating other sufferers on how to manage the symptoms without taking medication. The books discuss all the techniques she uses to help her symptoms. "You can't cure it but you can manage it," she said. White founded the Fibromyalgia Wellness Institute and holds support groups once a month. "I just want people to know there is help out there," White said. "You go to the doctor and get all these medications but they don't really help you get well." And although she feels better and has made a living out of making others feel better, the best part of her job, White said, is hearing her patients' success stories. "Some couldn't walk or do their gardening," White said. "They leave me messages or tell me that my techniques have given them peace of mind. I'm glad I could help them feel better." Contact Ashley Adams at aadams@eveningsun.com. IF YOU GO Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is Friday. To mark the day, the Fibromyalgia Wellness Institute will host a wellness conference from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church, 200 Frederick St., Hanover. The conference is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required by calling Wendi White at (717) 495-4478.

self-help: In facing our problems, ultimately self-help means help-self

FATHER LOU GUNTZELMAN | PERSPECTIVES The woman was disturbed with her therapist. In her last session she had asked him, "Do you think it's time for me to get out of my marriage?" He answered, "The important questions are usually unanswerable, especially by other people." Then he asked her, "What do you think you should do?" That's why she's angry. Instead of a definite answer he put the ball back in her court. "I'm paying him money so he can know me and tell me the best thing to do," she fumed, "but he just takes my money and won't tell me." The multitude of self-help books today imply there are always answers to the problems and ambiquities of life -- but only a few other people have them. We think "self-help" means to find a guru (an all-knowing wise person), read their book or make an appointment to see them, present our problem, and they'll tell us what to do. Adroitly we're saying to them, "My world is broken and you have to fix it for me." There certainly are competent people who can be of immense help to us at times. We should not hesitate seeking their insights. But in the long run what self-help really means is help-self. An old Zen teacher instructed his followers thus, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." That's not an invitation to violence but an invitation to destroy the idea that another human can run our lives, solve all our problems, or make us happy. We bring on many of our own problems, we unconsciously hide from the awareness of what we must do (because we're afraid it will hurt too much), and the answers are already inside us. The woman angry at her counselor is actually being given a vote of confidence by him. He is willing to discuss her problem with her and offer valuable insight. But his respect for her keeps him from trying to fix or run her life -- even though she is trying to get him to do so, if he did what she wants, eventually she would lose respect for him. She would also reach a point where she disrespects herself by thinking, "How weak and useless I am that I can't even handle my own life!" His goal is to skillfully guide her to follow the road inside herself where she can choose her solution. Therapist Sheldon Kopp imaginatively describes what he sees is really happening when a new patient comes to him: "It is as if I stand in the doorway of my office, waiting. The patient enters and makes a lunge at me, a desperate attempt to pull me into the fantasy of taking care of him. I step aside. He falls to the floor disappointed and bewildered. ... If I am sufficiently skillful at this psychotherapeutic judo, and if he is sufficiently courageous and persistent, he may learn to become curious about himself, to know me as I am, and begin to work out his own problems." Father Lou Guntzelman is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Reach him at life@communitypress.com. Please include a mailing address if you wish for him to respond.

Self-help: The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 325 Natural Food Recipes, Free of All Common Food Allergens.

by Marjorie Hurt Jones (Rodale Press, Rev. Ed. 2001), 432 pages, $16.95 This book needs to be in your kitchen if any of the following apply to you: * You are vegan. * Someone in your family has food allergies. * You are vegetarian and want to include more vegan recipes in your diet. * You enjoy baking but cringe at the amount of butter and sugar in most recipes. Author Jones was diagnosed with food allergies in 1976. She defines a food "allergy" as the following experience: "eating a food causes you distress, or if you discover any clear cause-and-effect symptoms that are relieved by avoidance of specific foods' Her completely updated and revised cookbook includes over 350 recipes. Each is free of all common food allergens. No more getting halfway through a recipe only to realize that it would have been gluten-free if only you had used the other flour option. There are also chapters on ingredients that may be new to you, rotary diversified diets, keeping your home allergy-free, eating out, and helping children with allergies. Note that this is not a vegetarian cookbook. However, the majority of the recipes are vegan. There are 17 vegetarian main dishes, and several of these have become instant hits at my house. The Better Burgers are the greatest. For Thanksgiving, I served the Zesty Loaf for the first time and an hour later, the loaf was gone and my sisters-in-law were begging for the recipe. We have also grown quite fond of the Fresh Apple Muffins. They will be going with us to our La Leche League meeting this month, and I'm willing to bet that none of them will be making the return trip home. The only recipe that hasn't turned out well was the Date Pecan Pie. Too much blackstrap molasses makes things taste like cough syrup. My only complaint with the book is that quite a few of the baked goods call for white buckwheat flour or a combination of flours. While the author explains how to grind whole buckwheat groats in the blender, I find that to be too time-consuming. With a preschooler and baby around, I don't have time to grind my own flour. I have the same issue with the combination of flours used in some recipes. It takes extra time to get out and measure three different flours. However, as one who eats a vegan diet in the comfort of my own home, I have to say that I love allergy-free cookbooks: no dairy, no eggs, and all-natural sugars. As a fine example of a cookbook that fits this bill, The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook will always have a place in my kitchen. COPYRIGHT 2003 Vegetarian Baby and Child COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

Self-help: Energy psychology: always more to learn

Six years ago I was attempting to climb out of a depression and I was fighting the effects of PTSD — nightmares, flashbacks, etc. I had not been able to work for almost a year. A healer friend suggested I go to Las Vegas for the Second Annual International Energy Psychology Conference, sponsored by The Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP). I packed my tent in my little car and went. With that event my world changed. First, I discovered energy psychology, a broad, new field of psychology and healing with huge potential for helping people better and faster. Beyond the eye-opening discovery of energy psychology, another life-changing thing happened for me at the conference. I met some great energy psychology healers who have become long-term friends. Three of them provided a few intensive days of therapy with me after the conference. My depression lifted completely and I had no further symptoms of PTSD. What I had been struggling with for a year was gone in a few days with the skillful application of energy psychology. Through numerous courses and conferences over the last six years, learning has never slowed down. As I write this I am about to go to Santa Clara, California for the Eighth Annual International Energy Psychology Conference. Go to www.EnergyPsych.org and check it out. I return on the day you read this. Expect future columns to reflect more new learnings. But what have I learned up to now about using energy psychology? The following is my attempt to distill it all into my nine most important understandings from my studies and practice of energy psychology. • Energy psychology is a family of alternative healing processes that releases feelings of being stuck and other emotional problems. It takes advantage of the human energy field, energy flows and energy centers of the body to do its work. • Energy psychology is efficient. Time and time again I have seen people heal in a few sessions from problems that would have taken dozens of sessions with traditional methods. • Energy psychology is effective with people who know they have a problem, but are unwilling or unable to talk about it, even with the therapist. • Energy psychology mixes well with supportive talk therapy and other traditional psychological interventions. • Energy psychology blends well with Christian faith. • Energy psychology is compatible with other spiritual practices, including those of First Nations. • Energy psychology is very effective in supporting life enhancement and optimum performance. Do you want to make more sales, play better golf or deepen your spiritual awareness? • Energy psychology is at the cutting edge of self-help. You can learn the procedures and use them on yourself. Any methods I use with clients I use on myself. • Energy psychology is safe. The good news for Oceanside residents is that various local psychologists and counsellors now incorporate energy healing methods in their practices. Just ask. As always, if you have a suggestion for a future column, please send me an e-mail. Contact Dr. Neill Neill, Registered Psychologist, at 752-8684 or neill@neillneill.com. Subscribe to free newsletter at www.neillneill.com.

Self-help: Self-help a hit as Harvard goes pop

CAMBRIDGE: The setting is an august, wood-panelled lecture hall at Harvard University but the content of the class comes straight from a confessional TV talk show. Tal Ben-Shahar regales his students with the inspirational story of how he became squash champion of Israel at 16 only to get injured and realise that what truly matters is what you feel inside. The moral, he explains, is to learn to overcome failure because it is inevitable. His slogan for today's session is: "Learn to fail or fail to learn." Mr Ben-Shahar, 35, has become the most popular lecturer at Harvard by teaching the university's over-achieving students how to be happy - no simple task. His "positive psychology" course is this year's most popular, attracting 855 undergraduates. "I see myself as creating a bridge between the ivory tower and main street," Mr Ben-Shahar explained. "Right now, there is a disconnect. You go into the bookstore and you see the self-help section and it's huge. Many of these books are well-written, relevant and accessible but with very little substance. "You go to academic libraries and take out journals. They are focused on research and rigorous but are not accessible." Mr Ben-Shahar is helping to pioneer a new movement to teach self-help on campuses, and positive psychology is now on the curriculums of more than 100 colleges across the US. The movement's founder is Martin Seligman, author of about 20 books and head of the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr Ben-Shahar's Harvard class is light on research and heavy on popular culture. His lecture on perfectionism is illustrated with the REM song Everybody Hurts and a comedy skit from the TV show Saturday Night Live. The lecturer displays a respect for the TV talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey that other academics reserve for Plato, Shakespeare or Einstein. "I think she ... does make the world a better place," he said. "I look at what she does as 'positive psychology'. She exemplifies what I mean to give oneself 'permission to be human'. She does not hide behind the eternal smile."

self-help: Self-help groups’ role in backward regions lauded

Statesman News Service BARIPADA, May 9: Self-help groups have helped to solve the unemployment problem to a great extent, minister for animal husbandry, Mr Gulak Nayak, said, while inaugurating a 10-day workshop on Dokra art and craft, organised by an NGO here. Mr Nayak said people in backward regions of the state lag behind mainly due to the ignorance of government programmes and schemes. Tribals find it difficult to access the benefits that are meant for them, he said. Schemes like the PMRY and other capacity-building efforts remain unknown to many tribals in remote pockets of the state, he said. He assured artisans of greater attention from the government and said he would talk to the chief minister to find out ways to support Dokra art and artistes. At least 200 artistes, both women and men from various parts of the district, participated in the workshop. Director of art and handcraft, secretary and senior members of many NGOs and Krushnananda Mohanty, chairperson of the Baripada Municipality, took part in the discussions about how to revive Dokra art.

self-help: A fresh take on self-help books

Natasha Munson had never read a self-help book, but in 1997 she decided to pour out the pain of her 25 years on paper. She reflected on how much she had learned after "misplacing" her values by having sex too early and geeing pregnant in her junior year of college. And before she knew it, she had written a guidebook that could help her, a cousin she was concerned about, and others as well. Life lessons for My Sisters (Hyperion, $11.95), which Munson originally self-published in 2000, has been inspiring readers while propelling the author to the top of a new category of self-help books: those targeting Black women under 40. We see why. Munson, who claims she has a short attention span, infuses her book with get-to-the-point chapters. As a result, reading Life Lessons is like talking to your homegirl, from the hugs to the occasional flip of the hand telling you, "Get over it." Munson is raising daughters Mecca, 11, and Kenya, 9, and has left behind a career in technical writing to focus on saving girls from mistakes she made when she was younger. "You don't want to regret the choices you made or did not make," Munson says. "Live your life in a way that, in the end, you can say, 'I loved, I lived, I laughed, I learned, I helped." For more on Munson, visit sisterlessons.com. COPYRIGHT 2005 Essence Communications, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

Self-help: Effectiveness of Audiovisual Self-Help Material on Sexual Problems: A Controlled Study

Effectiveness of Audiovisual Self-Help Material on Sexual Problems: A Controlled Study, Alfons Vansteenwegen and Goedele Liekens, Institute of Family and Sexuality Studies, Belgium We investigated the effect of audiovisual therapy material on individuals with orgasmic dysfunction, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation, without contact with a therapist. In the experimental group (n = 138), each had an audiovisual self-help program at their disposal at home, consisting of four lessons with illustrated exercises. The control group consisted of individuals of the same group at random on a waiting list (n = 77). With the inter-phase of four months, both groups filled out 5 scales (ILKS, NSMS-2, BP, M/VOK, M/VSM) focusing on how sexuality was experienced. A repeated-measures analysis of variance delivered only three significant results. In comparison with the control group, performance anxiety and embarrassment decreased in a significant way in the experimental group with premature ejaculation. Men with erectile dysfunction were significantly more receptive to sexual fantasies and erotic stimulation. Women with orgasmic dysfunction experienced positive results on the value they gave to non-demanding sexual actions (foreplay). Overall, sexual self-help videos had an extremely small effect on sexual dysfunctions. COPYRIGHT 2006 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group

self-help: Farmers set up self-help groups on marketing

Puneet Pal Singh Gill / New Delhi/ Ludhiana April 26, 2006 Progressive vegetable growers of District Sangrur have set a new precedent by organising themselves into a "self-marketing" help group to eliminate the middle man and earn profit. This unique set up is at the initiative of farmer Nishan Sigh Pannu of village Kalyan. His group of 16 now acts as a role model for the rest of the fraternity across Punjab. Pannu is winner of Punjab Chief Minister Award for his pioneering work in growing vegetables and adopting scientific approach and precision-farming practices to harvest rich dividends from his farm. Pannu received the Award at Punjab Agricultural University Kisan Mela in March last. Commenting on this step of "self-marketing" help group, PAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh said, "Such role models must be replicated across the state by all farmers, who by now must also realise that to overcome marketing difficulties and get remunerative returns from their farm produce farmers shall have to base their farm operations from sowing to marketing on "scientific knowledge" and work with their own hands". Dr Aulakh was speaking at a "field day" organised on the farm of Nishan Singh Pannu on Thursday, where a large number of farmers had gathered. The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that since learning is a two-way process both the university scientists and farmers had much to imbibe from each other's experience. Being at the cutting-edge of the production-protection technologies evolved by PAU, unalloyed feedback from farmers was imperative to enable scientists respond to their needs and re-draw their research strategies. One basic factor responsible for the success of the first green revolution was the symbiotic relationship between PAU and farmers, and the manner the latter practiced the recommendations of the scientists. These included preparing the fields, which seed, variety or hybrid to sow and when, what agronomic practices, including number of irrigation schedules, fertiliser applications and plant protection chemical sprays to apply and when etc. "This supplementary and complimentary role between scientists and farmers has helped the country make a turn around from food deficit to food surplus nation. It is in the interest of the state and nation that this relationship is continued through mutual learning experiences", he added. The common refrain was that unless progressive farmers in the three regions, Malwa, Doaba and Majha, shared their experiences, pooled their resources and organised themselves into self-help groups and acted not only as "role models" but also "catalysts" of social awakening and harbingers of scientific farming, a bleak future awaits agriculture. If Nishan Singh Pannu shared his experience admitting he had picked up vegetable cultivation techniques as much from PAU, like benefits of net-cultivation, as vegetable growers of Malerkotla, who earned more from less land than the likes of him, Avtar Singh Rataul said dairy farming would be successful only if farmers grew their own fodder and prepared animal feed, learnt management techniques and art of marketing. Octogenarian farmer, Joginder Singh won applause for disclosing that in the past 25 years he has not purchased any kitchen-shelf vegetables, pulses, fruits etc. From the market, since he raised these at his two kanal fields. The only purchase he made from the market was of matchboxes, salt and tea leaves.

self-help: Self-help neighborhood nearly complete

Family workers are building more than just structures in the Pearson Self-Help Neighborhood — they're building a community. "You can buy a house and not know anybody on your street," said Vicki Alvis, a single mother of four who helped build her house as part of the program. ADVERTISEMENT "Here, I feel like I know them and their extended family," she said. "It's been more than building a house." Since May of last year, 10 families, their relatives and community volunteers have been working to build houses in the development just off Upper River Road. Now most of the houses only have finishing touches remaining to be completed. The Pearson Self-Help Neighborhood is part of a Rural Development Mutual Self-Help program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Neighborhood Housing Services. Under the program, families work together to build all the houses, then all move in together when all are completed. The Pearson Self-Help Neighborhood is scheduled to hold an open house at 12:30 p.m. Friday and move-in dates are expected by May 15. Between 65 to 70 volunteers also helped out in the construction process, each logging 32 hours a week for almost a year, said MeLinda L. Suhr, group coordinator for NHS. Suhr said the 10 families are anxiously looking forward to moving in, and the experience of building their own homes helped some overcome initial doubts. "(Alvis) really didn't think she could do this in the beginning," Suhr said. "And her and her mom did this." Alvis said though it was hard work, crew members such as construction supervisor Buck Beaudry helped encourage her to finish the job. "He had a lot to do with feeling like you could do it and get it right," she said. "When I first came out, it was a stick in the ground. Then the foundation went up, then the walls, then boom. "Look at all of this," Alvis said, looking around her spacious four-bedroom home. Alvis' mother, Lori Humble, said she became known as "Mom" by the other families and volunteers. When the house was finally carpeted, it wasn't just another job complete, Humble said. It was almost like a sign post saying you're close to home after a long journey. "I cried when I saw the carpet go in," she said. "I was upstairs just crying like a baby." On the as-of-yet-unmarked road in an as-of-yet-uninhabited house where new friends were brought together, each sharing a common goal, Alvis is ready for her family's future to begin again. "My cup runneth over," Alvis said. "I'm truly blessed." Reach Tribune Staff Writer Clifton Adcock at 791-6560, (800) 438-6600 or cadcock@greatfal.gannett.com. Originally published May 5, 2006

self help: Tinnitus - Causes and Treatment

What is Tinnitus Tinnitus is a symptom and not a condition in itself. Tinnitus describes the symptom of being able to hear things which nobody else can, although in a rare number of cases, this isn't true. Tinnitus is a very common condition with approximately 10% of the population suffering from Tinnitus to one degree or another. It is most commonly found in elderly people although it is becoming much more widespread in the younger population. Also, Tinnitus can be found in one or both ears or sometimes it feels like it is coming from the middle of your head. The Symptoms of Tinnitus Tinnitus is most commonly found in elderly people although possibly due to the different lifestyles it is becoming much more common in younger people now. Maybe this is due to the fact that people are living in noisier environments today. The sounds which are heard vary from patient to patient. Some patients hear a musical tone, although most patients hear something which sounds more like a hissing or whistling or a buzzing or a ringing noise. For a lot of patients, it is more of an inconvenience and doesn't affect their daily lives although for a number of patients, it is so bad that they need some kind of treatment to relieve the symptoms The Causes of Tinnitus Tinnitus is caused by damage to the nerves in the inner ear (cochlea). These nerves transmit electrical impulses to the brain which the brain then interprets as sounds. When these nerves are damaged, the signal becomes distorted. When this distorted signal gets to the brain, the brain interprets it as a noise which is Tinnitus. In elderly people, it is seen as part of growing older and is called presbyacusis. However, in younger people medical professionals believe it is due to be exposed to loud noises. There are other causes of Tinnitus as well which include Anemia - where the thin blood rushes around the body so quickly that it can cause a sound. Excessive wax in the ear can also cause tinnitus. Menieres Disease which is a condition affecting balance can also have a side effect of Tinnitus. Some drugs both legal and illegal can cause Tinnitus as the body reacts to them. The Treatment of Tinnitus For most patients, there is no cure for Tinnitus. Most treatments simply relieve the symptoms by masking the cause of Tinnitus. Tinnitus is sometimes strongly related to the patients level of stress. By managing this level of stress via the use of sedatives, tranquilizers or anti-depressants, the symptoms of tinnitus can be relieved. Some drugs which affect the conduction of electrical impulses in the affected nerves have been found to relieve the symptoms of stress. There are a number of self help measures which patients can employ either on their own or in tandem with any assistance that a doctor can prescribe. These include listening to soothing music on a personal stereo before the patient goes to sleep. There are white noise generators which can mask the noise inside your head. This means that you can't hear the noise generated by tinnitus. If you want to read more about this subject from other people visit my website Tinnitus where you'll lots of useful information on the treatment and symptoms of Tinnitus

self help: Compulsive Gambler's Journey To Week One Stop Gambling

We take you through the first week that Arlene made the conscious decision to stop gambling. This was a very emotional period where Arlene's self esteem was at the lowest in her life. She's a single woman who was just about to turn thirty-six years old and her life was crumbling around her. Arlene decided to share her story of how she made it through her first week as a non gambler. Her goal was to reach out to others who also have a compulsive gambling addiction because she remembers the pain she went through. From the first day until the seventh day, Arlene went through various emotional revelations that helped her to achieve her goals. She was a special person with a good sense of humor. Even through her self destructive period she always had a smile on her face. For this reason alone people close to her never realized she had a problem gambling. Arlene easily made it through her first day because she had already depleted her checking and savings accounts. She had also maxed out her credit cards. She fortunately would have to wait three more days till pay day before she could gamble again. In the past she borrowed from friends and then would have to give them half her pay check to pay them back. She remembers the pain she was in with no one she could tell or talked to. She was afraid her family and friends would not understand. She didn't even understand how this happened to her. She decided to go online and find help. She tried a year earlier Gamblers Anonymous, but it was something that she could not relate to. She found a website called I Stopped Gambling So Can You. She liked the name of the site and decided to give it a try. She purchased a self help manual and a year membership to the chat room. Her first thought was "How can something under fifty dollars really help a person who has lost thousands of dollars gambling in one year?" Then she thought maybe she shouldn't spend any money right now. Her mind was playing tricks with her. During this time she was confused, had major amounts of guilt for losing so much money and her self esteem was at her lowest. She decided to make the investment in herself. This was her justification for the purchase. She eagerly read the manual and joined in the I Stop Gambling chat room. A whole new world opened up for her. In the chat room she met others who could relate to her and help her understand what she was going through. Each and every day she would follow the manual and pop in and out of the chat room. There were times where the chat room was quiet, so she left messages on the tag board of when she would be chatting and other members joined in. As each day passed during Arlene's first week, she noticed changes in your behavior. For the first time she was taking it one day at a time. She was planning for her future and starting to realize she could live with out gambling. She admitted to people that she was contemplating suicide because she felt there was no way out. She once told me she wouldn't mind living in a cave as long as her life was peaceful. Her self destructive behavior and low self esteem was taking its toll on Arlene. The one other thing that kept Arlene from going back to gambling was the pain she was in and finally realized she can now move forward with an anticipated positive future. Some people have close friends they can talk to. What ever it takes to share what you are feeling will speed your recovery. It's going to take time to talk about how you feel. Listening to others that have walked in your shoes will help you start the healing process. For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out Stop Gambling Addiction website has the useful resources and links on how to stop gambling. http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

Introducing my son to culinary delights

I decide to take my son, Jared, to San Francisco for a few days. He is off from school and has never been anywhere. Considering that San Francisco is my favorite food city, it seems like a great way to share my food passion with him. We catch a very early flight, thinking it will allow us to spend an extra day in the city. Arriving in the early afternoon, we hit the streets. Our first stop is crowded Chinatown. We walk for miles past huge produce markets displaying piles of fresh Asian vegetables. Baby bok choy, Chinese broccoli and bright green beans, 2 feet long. Store fronts are piled high with dried ingredients ranging from shellfish to beans, whole sides of fish, strange berries and leaves, all contributing pungent aromas -- not all of them pleasing. We pass Chinese apothecaries loaded with preserved roots, dried bark and ancient cures for any ailment. Large glass jars full of ginseng roots look like dancing figurines. Windows filled with hanging squid, duck and every other kind of creature abound, and every one of our senses is assaulted. I can tell Jared is astounded. I don't know if it is the new sights or because I know my way around so well. I think he has a new respect for me, and it becomes a bonding experience. Our next stop: Union Square. He is in sneaker heaven, and I am happy that it has stopped raining. We take a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and watch the street life. Bobbing wooden barges filled with noisy sea lions are great entertainment. They live here full time. I take Jared past all the Dungeness crab shuckers. We watch as giant crabs are drawn from tremendous steamers with wire baskets and served to people lined up on the street. In another line, large round sourdough bread bowls, called boudin, are filled with steaming clam chowder. Not much vegetarian food on Fisherman's Wharf. We catch an English-style double-decker bus, sitting up top, hoping the rain holds off. We play tourists and when it rains again, we throw plastic bags over our heads, and it becomes part of the fun. That evening we end up in North Beach, the Italian section. We have the best hand-formed pizza we ever ate. The oblong cracker-thin crust is 2 feet long. Made with three cheeses and almost no sauce, it is baked and then piled with arugula and roasted peppers. Next day, I want to give Jared a food experience that he has never had, so I take him to an authentic Indonesian restaurant. We order Ristaffelâ, meaning rice table. A product of the Dutch involvement in Indonesia, it is a tapas of sorts. Rice is always served in the center of dozens of small plates. The restaurant has vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes, all totally new to the American palate. One of my favorites is the steamed vegetable and tofu salad called Gado Gado. It is served as an appetizer, but is a meal in itself. A plate brimming with fresh-steamed vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and tofu lightly tossed in spicy peanut sauce, it is classically garnished with krupuk, which are fried shrimp chips that look like brightly colored potato chips. You can omit these when making this dish at home. I coerce the waiter into getting the recipe from the chef so I can offer you my version. We cap the night with strong espresso and a dreamy chocolate ricotta torte. Jared looks at me after three days of feasting and says, "Dad, I can't believe this is what you do for a living." Neither can I. Steve Petusevsky is the author of The Whole Foods Market Cookbook

Celebrating Asian heritage

If you're looking for a variety of Asian food, entertainment and, of course, shopping, a Circle-the-Pacific air ticket to a dozen countries will cost you upwards of $2,000. A quicker, more inclusive and -- best of all -- free route is to head to the Greater Richmond Convention Center Saturday for the ninth Asian American Celebration. The biggest dilemma is deciding where to start the trip. Saigt Koh Ang from Cambodia or Nasi Goreng from Indonesia or Singapore Laska? Or maybe you should check out the hands-on activities for kids. Kite making? Origami? Henna hand painting? Calligraphy? You could watch the Thai dancers, listen to the Chinese drummers. Celebrate a mock Indian wedding. Get revved up at the Korean or Japanese martial arts demonstrations or the annual Iron Chef competition. Start some early Mother's Day shopping at the international marketplace, where nothing costs more than $5. "It's amazing to see so many cultures under one roof at one event," said Rumy Mohta, community relations director for the Asian American Society of Central Virginia. The annual event fetes the cultures of more than a dozen communities that have a presence in the Richmond area. And although many of these communities have individual festivals during the year, the Asian American Celebration offers the 50,000 or so Richmond area residents of Asian descent a chance to teach their cultures and celebrate their heritage under one really big umbrella. New to the festivities are Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The featured country this year is India, and festival highlights will include a mock wedding and an Indian dance troupe from the Washington area performing a "Tsunami Wave" dance. By Lisa Crutchfield

Weddings and engagements

Kristina Marie West of Birmingham and John Jay Hicks of Birmingham were married April 22, 2006, at 5:30 p.m. at The Beach Club in Gulf Shores with the Rev. David Carboni officiating. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wade West of Tuscaloosa. The groom is the son of Mr. Bobby Ray Hicks of Tuscaloosa and the late Jill Rosenau Hicks. He is the grandson of the late Judge and Mrs. David L. Rosenau Jr. of Athens and the late Mr. and Mrs. Willis C. Hicks of Hartselle. The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a strapless dress of ivory matte satin. Matrons of honor were Jobi Hicks Richard of Plano, Texas, sister of the groom, and Amanda Blackburn Darby of Birmingham. Bridesmaids were Anna Marie Napenas, Claire Elizabeth Bazemore, Haley Carroll Tingle, Whitney Kathryn Poole and Helen Milam Cochrane, all of Birmingham, Martha Liddell Patton of Nashville, Tenn., Suzanne Marie Howard of Jackson, Wyo., and Tracy Ann Raymond of Sacramento, Calif. The groom's father was best man. Groomsmen were Todd Newman Richard of Plano, Texas, brother-in-law of the groom, Blake Edward Ward of Charlotte, N.C., Jason Brandt Schmersahl of Cincinnati, Ohio, Jay Christian Lomenick of Tampa, Fla., William Scott Salmon, Justin Ross Truelove and Peter James Powell, all of Birmingham, and Timothy Ackley Hoffman of Mobile. The couple honeymooned in St. Lucia. They reside in Birmingham. Blackman, Wallace to wed Mr. and Mrs. Walter Blackman of Hartselle announce the engagement of their daughter, Jamie Bunnell Blackman, to William Bradley Wallace, son of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wallace of Hartselle. The bride-elect is a 2004 graduate of Hartselle High School and attends The University of Alabama. She is employed with The University of Alabama Gymnastics. She is the granddaughter of Herbert Ogle of Hartselle, JoeAnn Hester of St. Louis, Mo., the late Bunnell Ogle and the late Walter Blackman Sr. The groom-elect is a 2003 graduate of Hartselle High School and attends Auburn University. He is a private first class with the United States Marine Corps. He is the grandson of William and Margaret Wallace of Double Springs, Glenda Hampton of Palestine, Texas, and the late Richard Reast. The wedding will be held June 3 at 2 p.m. at East Highland Baptist Church. Whatley, Aldridge to wed Mr. and Mrs. Todd Whatley of Hartselle announce the engagement of their daughter, Kelly Rene/ Whatley, to Brett Byron Aldridge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Snyder of Pensacola, Fla. The bride-elect is a 2002 graduate of Hartselle High School and will graduate this May from Mississippi State University with a degree in marketing. At MSU, she has been an orientation leader, alumni delegate, Presidential Scholar, Delta Delta Delta sorority president, College of Business ambassador, and a member of the American Marketing Association. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Staudt of Hartselle and Mr. and Mrs. Billy Joe Whatley of Falkville. The groom-elect is a 2001 graduate of Pensacola Catholic High School and a 2005 graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in communications. He is employed with BellSouth as an account executive in Birmingham. At MSU, he was Phi Delta Theta vice president and a member of the student association. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Snyder of Crestview, Fla. The wedding will be held June 24 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Cullman. http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=26423413