- About the Book

GOVERNMENT CREEP:
What the Government is Doing
That You Don't Know About
by Philip D. Harvey
Published by Loompanics Unlimited.

It should be plain by now that we have too much government. Strip searches, confiscated homes, stolen children, denial of due process, war without end. Sounds like life in a Third World country, doesn't it? But this is our own federal government "for, of, and by the people," invading our personal lives, supposedly for our own good.

Chapters include:

GOVERNMENT CREEP: What the Government Is Doing That You Don't Know About shows how Uncle Sam has now become a dysfunctional parent -- standing guard in our bedrooms to "protect" consenting adults from each other, peering at what we read to see if we're "corrupting" ourselves or someone else, making it impossible to run a small business, incarcerating our children and confiscating our homes under laws that make freedom lovers shudder.

Government Creep will give you the creeps about the increasingly invasive role of government in every aspect of our lives -- our homes, our workplaces, and even our bodies and minds.
-- Nadine Strossen, President
American Civil Liberties Union

Government Creep shockingly illustrates how the drug war and other government overreaching have deprived U.S. citizens of their rights.
-- George Soros, Chairman
Soros Fund Management

Copyright ©2003 by Philip D. Harvey. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file as long as the contents have not been changed and this copyright notice is attached. Thank you.

- About the Book

MEDIA RELATIONS HANDBOOK
for Agencies, Associations
Foreword by Mike McCurry
Published by TheCapitol.Net

Brad Fitch's Media Relations Handbook is required reading for press secretaries on Capitol Hill, public affairs officers in federal agencies, spin doctors in political campaigns, PR professionals in nonprofit organizations, lobbyists, and anyone whose job involves garnering media coverage in a town where ink is gold and airtime is platinum.

In Media Relations Handbook Brad Fitch moves back and forth between theory and practice with the grace of a prize fighter, teasing out general principles, then illustrating his points with real-life examples.

A former radio and TV reporter with 11 years of experience as a press secretary on Capitol Hill, Fitch covers the gamut of political press relations, beginning with the principal and his or her message, then showing how this message is manipulated through print, broadcast, and online communications. He explains how to deal with reporters, staff and policy wonks with the sage tone of experience coupled with generous doses of humor.

Media Relations Handbook devotes chapters to special situations including Congressional Campaigns, Federal Agency Communications, and Crisis Communications. All of this highlighted with anecdotes from the most important media battles in Washington over the past four decades: everything from Watergate to Whitewater, Barney Frank to Gary Condit, Sam Donaldson to Howard Dean.

From the pithy quotes that introduce each chapter to the appendices, glossary, and index that complete this guide, Media Relations Handbook is a tremendous achievement. If Washington press relations is a martial art, Fitch is its Yoda. Indeed, James Carville says that "Media Relations Handbook is to political campaigns what The Art of War is to military campaigns: an essential strategic reference."

An amalgamation of the collective wisdom of hundreds of public relations professionals, Media Relations Handbook is an overview of the ideas that have become the accepted rules of communications in Washington, presented in one volume. This book deserves to occupy a spot next to the telephone in every media relations office in D.C. Get Media Relations Handbook today -- and we'll see you in the headlines tomorrow.

"Uncertain how to interest the press in your pressing issue? Having difficulty preparing your media-unfriendly boss for a tough interview? Worried about the next communications crisis and how to handle it? Brad Fitch answers those questions and many more in this crisp, clear and completely useful book."
-- Tucker Carlson Co-Host CNN Crossfire, author

"A seminar from TheCapitol.Net is one of the best ways to learn from the experts about how Washington really works. Now all that insight and information has been packed into this invaluable volume. I suggest you read it, and become your own expert."
-- Steven V. Roberts syndicated columnist, TV and radio analyst, college professor

"Brad Fitch has performed an admirable public service by giving public relations students and professionals alike an indispensable tool. His book provides a road map on both the practicalities and principles of PR, and he shows that honest PR is not an oxymoron. Now it's up to all of us in the media and spin industries to keep our end of the bargain."
-- Ed Henry Congressional Correspondent, CNN, formerly Senior Editor of Roll Call

"This volume is an invaluable road map to the mean streets of a city where information is power and power is everything. Brad Fitch has written a rich 'how-to' lesson for pros and for novices who must negotiate the competitive landscape of America's new media."
-- Ann Compton White House Correspondent, ABC News

Copyright ©2004 by TheCapitol.Net, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

- About the Book

DAUGHTERS AND MOTHERS:
MAKING IT WORK
by Julie Firman and Dorothy Firman
Published by Health Communications, Inc.

Empowering and nurturing or destructive and dispiriting, the mother/daughter relationship is life's most profound bond. Whether your relationship is fortified with love and encouragement or weakened by hurt and shame, this book will change your life for the better.

Mother-and-daughter therapists Dorothy and Julie Firman have taught thousands of women how to bring new trust, healing and energy to their mother/daughter relationship. Now they bring their popular relationship program to you in this practical guide. Through thought-provoking exercises and poignant personal stories, you will talk more honestly about your feelings; find a new appreciation of your strengths; move beyond negative patterns; and create a mutually beneficial relationship based on friendship, respect, trust and genuine caring.

As a daughter you'll learn how to:

This is a book for women of all ages, one that is never too late — or too early — to read!

"This book is the absolute best! Nothing is to be cherished more than a good mother/daughter relationship, and no book is more likely to restore health, hope, happiness and emotional energy to that relationship than this book. It's a must-read."
- Mira Kirshenbaum, author,
The Emotional Energy Factor and Parent/Teen Breakthrough: The Relationship Approach

"[This book] has transformed my relationship with my mother from one of duty and obligation to a source of learning and joy for both of us."
- Marilyn Harris Kriegel, coauthor,
The C-Zone: Peak Performance Under Pressure

Copyright (c) 2003 by Julie Firman and Dorothy Firman. All rights reserved. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file, as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact.

- About the Book

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah:
Ten Steps to Becoming a Guest
on the World's Top Talk Show
by Susan Harrow
Published by Harrow Communications

Top media coach and marketing strategist Susan Harrow, along with her team of the best publicists in the business, show you what it takes to land an appearance on Oprah!, the top-rated talk show in the world. The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah is filled with Harrow's own personal experience media coaching and creating angles for her "Oprah" clients, exclusive interviews with prestigious publicists, case histories of famous people, authors, and entrepreneurs like you, insider secrets, hot tips, "off the record" comments, and focused strategies to give you a look at what it REALLY takes to get on the show and become a media sensation. Here are some of the insider secrets you will learn in The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah

• Learn the themes that reflect Oprah's values and standards, and clever ways to work those themes into your pitches.

• Did you know Oprah receives 25,000 letters each week? How to make sure your pitch doesn't get lost in the pile.

• There are actually some pretty large downsides to being on Oprah -- find out what they are and why some potential guests refuse to be on the show.

• What are the top 10 qualities of an Oprah guest?

• What to do if your pitch is rejected -- it's not the end of the road.

• Four top publicists share their tips for how to pitch Oprah by e-mail, phone, mail, and in-person.

• Learn the top 5 pitching mistakes and how to avoid them.

• Is it okay to pitch two Oprah producers at the same time?

• Learn what happens in Oprah's "green room" where guests mingle before the show.

• What's the one sentence that can save your Oprah segment from going down the tubes?

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah is the first and only complete Oprah book of its kind. You won't find another book on or off the net that shows you how to get on Oprah and then make the most of your appearance. What you'll soon have in your hands is the most updated, comprehensive information you can get on the market today.

Copyright (c) 2004 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file as long as the contents have not been changed and this copyright notice is intact. Thank you.

- About the Book

SURVIVAL OF THE THINNEST:
How to Use Your Genetic Script
to Stay Thin Without Dieting
by David Hariton
Published by Cypress House

Is Being Thin for Life Worth Thirty Minutes a Day?

Are you one of the millions of Americans who have put on weight and are feeling unhappy about it? You've tried to take control, but you found that dieting simply doesn't keep the pounds off. You mean to exercise regularly, but it's so hard to stick with an exhausting program. David Hariton's diagnostic breakthrough will fuel your motivation as it shows you why depriving your body of food will never keep you thin -- and what will. You'll want to do the simple exercises in this book each morning, and you'll stay thin, look good, and feel great, while eating whatever you want.

This process works because it lets you take advantage of your genetic inheritance and makes your body "change its mind" about how thin to let you be. It's designed to get you thin and keep you thin, permanently, as no fad diet, extreme exercise routine, or expensive and ineffective pills ever can. Your future is worth the investment.

You can't stay thin in the long run by fighting your body by depriving it of food, or of fats, or of carbohydrates, or by trying to burn off the fat that it is trying so hard to store. It will only rebuild its fat stores as soon as it can, just as it rebuilds other lost body tissues. You've got to focus on the source of your problem: Why is your body trying to store more fat, and is there anything you can do to get it to "change its mind"?

"I honestly believe that if you read this book, you will be thin for the rest of your life, and you will be happier and healthier too," David Hariton reports, adding: "I realize there are more important things in life than staying thin. We're lucky to be living in a part of the world where everyone has enough to eat. But taking care of your body is a sensible thing to do, and I see no reason why you should waste your effort on approaches that don't make sense under any analysis.

"You've spent years rolling a rock up a hill only to watch it slide down again. Give me just an hour or two of your time, and I'm sure I can persuade you to change your approach."

"A most valuable contribution . . . I recommend it highly."
-- John E. Sarno, M.D.
author of Healing Back Pain

"It is refreshing...to read a reminder of the importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle."
-- Jason Kirkman, M.D.,
Medical Director of the Cardiopulmonary Department,
Mendocino Coast District Hospital

"David Hariton is certainly correct: America needs to stop dieting and get moving."
-- Ruth Carey, RD, LD
nutrition expert

Copyright ©2004 by David Hariton. All rights reserved. Reprinted here with permission. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file, as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact.

- About the Book

CELEBRATION OF FOOLS:
An Inside Look at the Rise and Fall of JCPenney
by Bill Hare
Published by AMACOM Books

Honor. Confidence. Service. Cooperation. Once upon a time, and for nearly a century, those were the watchwords of the J.C. Penney Company. Born in the Wild West as the "Golden Rule," the dry goods chain grew, evolved and prospered under the leadership of James Cash Penney and kindred rugged individuals committed to giving their customers great value, quality, and satisfaction.

The quintessential American company, JCPenney prospered throughout the 20th century, even during the Great Depression. After decades of expanding inventories and properties, the company rallied its executive ranks toward the goal of increasing revenues by "4 Billion or More in '94." Within five years, the retail giant's stock plummeted from $78 to $8 per share -- marking a rock bottom lower than the company's $13 closing on Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929.

What happened to this once proud icon of the American Dream? CELEBRATION OF FOOLS: An Inside Look at the Rise and Fall of JCPenney reveals the answers within a compelling cautionary business tale. A corporate speechwriter who worked for JCPenney's two last CEOs of the 20th century, Bill Hare draws on his insider's knowledge and extensive research, including transcripts from Penney's oral history program and "interviews of all kinds," to shed fresh, arresting light on the forces and the players that drove the company up... and brought it crashing down.

Riveting and instructive, CELEBRATION OF FOOLS captures the price of arrogance versus the rewards of delivering value with a commitment to values.

"...an unvarnished look at the J.C. Penney Company, a truly American saga that parallels U.S. business history itself.... excellent."
-- Publishers Weekly

Copyright ©2004 by Bill Hare. All rights reserved. Reprinted here with permission of the publisher, Amacom Books, http://www.amacombooks.org. Please feel free to duplicate or distribute this file, as long as the contents are not changed and this copyright notice is intact.

- About the Book

ALTER YOUR LIFE
by Dr. Kathleen Hall
Published by Oak Haven
ISBN 0-9745427-2-5, 184 pages, softcover, $15.95
Available through this site or directly from the publisher:
http://www.alteryourlife.com

Overbooked? Overworked? Overwhelmed?

Themes like "I just don't have time" and "I'm exhausted" rule our lives today. We are overbooked, overworked and overwhelmed. Just getting done what must be done fills our days. The notion of finding a precious hour or two to learn how to create balance, reduce our stress and discover an intentional life to soothe our aching souls is simply out of the question.

Dr. Kathleen Hall's new book, Alter Your Life, provides an alternative to the struggle to "make time" for renewal. In the breakthrough book readers will:

• Discover how to overcome obstacles preventing you from living the intentional life of your dreams


• Practice easy stress reduction techniques that deliver immediate results


• Maximize the simple moments in your life to be the most rewarding


• Enrich the quality of your life by achieving work-life balance

We can discover how to live an intentional life in a manner that requires no doctrine, no memorization of a new vocabulary, no trekking off to distant holy lands. It does not require us to change our jobs, our lifestyle or transplant our personalities. It doesn't even require any additional time.

We can develop our own unique personal practices that can help us return "home" once we realize that we are out of balance. In time these practices will become an effortless and restorative part of living an intentional life of mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

Alter Your Life offers tools to help you find your own unique choices that will bring greater balance to your demanding life. These simple, effective tools, based on age-old, time-honored medical, psychological and spiritual knowledge and wisdom, will soon become second nature and bring with them a greater sense of ease and fulfillment.