Staring at gray cubicle walls doesn’t exactly lift your spirits, but you don’t know how to decorate your office so it looks like you without looking unprofessional. Here are some tips on creating an organized, professional and attractive workspace, whether you have a home office, a corner office or a cubicle.

PlaqueMaker Plus, a company that specializes in custom frames, signs, trophies and other items, offers the following tips:

•    Ask about your company’s policy on desk decorations. Obviously, you have considerable decorating freedom if you work from home. But your company may have restrictions — find out what they are before you’re required to remove family pictures or that piglet calendar.

•    Choose a color scheme. You can bring some life to your desk by repeating a few colors. For example, your visible file folders, desk pad and stapler could all be blue.

•    Hang framed business certificates or awards on the wall. Framed business certificates will remind coworkers and clients of your credentials and accomplishments, not to mention provide professional-looking decoration. PlaqueMaker Plus sells attractive padded and flat certificate covers, as well as slide-in plaque frames that come in ultra-light weights, making them appropriate for office cubicles.

•    Assess your lighting. Unless you have a bright window, you should add an attractive desk lamp, both to brighten your workspace and create decoration. A banker’s lamp is always a good choice.

•    Think about what you need to perform your job. A glass vase might improve your desk’s aesthetics, but a glass paperweight might prove more useful. Consider decorating by buying attractive versions of all the office accessories you need to have anyway, such as pen holders, staplers, folders, letter openers and calendar stands.

•    Buy a potted plant. An orchid or fern is the quickest way to turn your humdrum office space into a stress-free sanctuary.

Six Tips to Personalize Your Workspace was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Celebrating a child’s milestones does wonders for building character and self-esteem, but parents aren’t always sure how to acknowledge their child’s accomplishments. Will a quick hug suffice? Or do you need to throw a party for the entire school class?
Mostly, children just want to know that their parents take an active interest in their lives — you don’t have to rent a houseboat every time a child comes home with an “A” on a test. But you don’t want to ignore a big accomplishment, either, unless you want your child to think that nothing he or she does will ever please you. Besides, commemorating an extra-special moment could help preserve fond memories for years.
For example, if your child’s 4-H project or success on the basketball team ends up in a news article, you should consider getting the article matted and framed. One company, PlaqueMakerPlus, will duplicate the newspaper or magazine article with a full-color imprint on a metal sheet, then frame the article in an elegant black frame. The frame displays a metal plaque containing your choice of text.
Whether displayed on your mantle or on your child’s wall, the framed news article will become a keepsake commemorating your child’s accomplishment — someday, you may even want to show it to your grandchildren.
You can also frame certificates or ribbons, or give your child a memory frame in which to display Scout badges. You can even purchase your own trophies to give to your children.
If the way to the heart is through the stomach, cook your child’s favorite meal or visit a favorite restaurant to celebrate a big accomplishment. You can also reward your child with more of your time. For example, you could commit a day to an activity that your child enjoys, like visiting a theme park, shopping at the mall or going on a hike. Older children and teens tend to want to celebrate with their friends. For them, a sleepover or a party at a mini golf course might be the best way to celebrate their success.
For more information, visit www.plaquemakerplus.com.

Reward Children’s Accomplishments with Effective Incentives was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Medical professionals, missionaries and other volunteer organizations work to bring emergency relief to natural disaster and poverty victims. But other career fields can provide aid as well. For example, engineers often build emergency shelters and design sustainable technology to provide assistance and hope throughout the developing world.

Humanitarian engineering is defined as “design under constraints to directly improve the well being of underserved populations.” It has roots dating back to the French Revolution, when a group of engineers at the Ecole Polytechnic decided to use their technical skills to work for social justice.

More than 200 years later, engineers remain dedicated to helping those in need. Today’s socially conscious engineers, many of whom are students, work in underdeveloped communities to benefit those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. For example, seven engineering students at Dartmouth College recently visited the village of Banda, Rwanda, to design and build a small-scale hydropower system, which will provide lighting for local residents. After the system was installed, the students trained the villagers on its operations and maintenance.

Recently, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) created a Web-based, open-source project hosted by Western Kentucky University, in which engineers and engineering students collaborated to design a human-powered water purifier for use in the developing world or disaster areas. ASME is a partner with the group Engineers Without Borders-USA, which operates more than 400 projects in water treatment, renewable energy and sanitation in about 45 developing countries worldwide. Engineering schools, such as Valparaiso University in Indiana and the Colorado School of Mines, are teaching the value of the engineers’ worth to society by establishing a humanitarian engineering minor within the core curriculum.

At ASME, a good mechanical engineer is many things, among them a public servant. Going forward, ASME will encourage engineers to use their skills and expertise to create lasting solutions to improve the quality of life of individuals and communities in need. For information about ASME, visit twww.asme.orgt.

Engineers Bring Hope to Developing Nations was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

When the average citizen sees someone pass out or start convulsing, their first instinct is probably to dial 9-1-1. Unfortunately, too many emergency medical services (EMS) personnel do not know how to recognize or treat a person experiencing a seizure.

When someone is having a seizure they often become confused, cannot communicate and do not understand or respond to questions or orders. Forceful methods of restraint, such as tasering, hog-tying, facedown holds and choke holds can put people with epilepsy in serious danger. Tragically, there have even been deaths of people who had a seizure when first responders didn’t recognize that the symptoms they were responding to were the signs of a seizure.

Nearly 3 million people live with epilepsy in the United States, so it’s especially important that first responders recognize seizure symptoms. Through a partnership with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Epilepsy Foundation has launched a national EMS training program to give first responders the skills they need to effectively and appropriately respond to individuals having seizures.

The program, currently in pilot with select local affiliates across the country, will teach more than 600 first responders in Northern California how to appropriately respond to persons having seizures. In Alabama, four junior colleges are incorporating the curriculum into their EMS program. The Foundation is using e-mail, e-newsletters, national conference presentations and first-responder Web sites to inform as many EMS personnel as possible about this new training program.

First responders must understand the signs and intervention techniques that are appropriate for people having seizures to ensure safe and supportive emergency care for their clients.
For more information, visit www.epilepsyfoundation.org.

Program Teaches EMS Workers How to Respond to Epilepsy was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

When Americans imagine communities with dilapidated homes, barefoot children and starving adults, they might picture Third World countries. But over 23 million U.S. residents live in deep rural poverty.
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson launched his War on Poverty from Appalachia, a 1,000-mile stretch that goes from southern New York to northeast Mississippi. Although some communities have seen improvement since the 1960s, the economic boom of the 1990s did little to improve living conditions.
Appalachian unemployment and earnings rates still fall below the national average. Some areas still lack water and plumbing systems. While Appalachians can often afford their own homes – coal companies built houses, then sold them cheaply when they moved into new areas – few people can afford their upkeep.
Americans Helping Americans (AHA), a nonprofit organization that runs several relief projects in Appalachia, reports seeing homes without adequate roofs, walls and floors.
People moved into Appalachia when the coal mining industry thrived, but most coal mines have since moved West. Only 2 percent of Appalachia’s workforce still mines, and they face job-related health risks. Most people work in low-paid, unskilled sectors, where salaries cannot support living costs.
For children, rural poverty proves especially heartbreaking. Many Appalachian children grow up without adequate food, shelter or healthcare –  one in five Appalachian children grow up in poverty. And few doctors work in Appalachia, few residents have insurance or the means to pay medical fees. Simple toys prove beyond many families’ means – paying for home repairs or dental visits seems impossible.
For Appalachian children, simple donations, from teddy bears and blankets to school supplies and Christmas dinners, help encourage confidence and personal pride. AHA’s Bare Feet Program takes children to stores, where they can choose and buy their own shoes, just like any other child.
AHA also helps supply food and blankets, utilities and home repairs to struggling Appalachian families. Appalachians suffer a poorer standard of living than most Americans, but relief work can help families emerge from the nation’s hidden Third World. For more information, visit  www.helpingamericans.org.

Have You Seen America’s Hidden Third World? was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

Many women who suffer from domestic violence feel powerless to remove themselves from abusive relationships because they are financially dependent on their abuser. This leads many to stay in an unhealthy or even dangerous environment.

Empire Beauty Schools, one of the nation’s largest systems of cosmetology schools, has created an educational assistance program to help these women. The Empire Gives Back Endowment Program allots money for clients of domestic violence relief organizations across the country. The endowment will provide up to $3,000 towards attending any Empire Education Group beauty school. The goal of the fund is to help abuse victims afford a cosmetology education, which can mean a path to financial independence.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of cosmetology is projected to grow 20 percent between 2008 and 2018. And aside from its healthy job outlook, cosmetology has proven to be an answer for mothers who need a flexible job schedule that will allow for their childcare needs.

Empire is not the only organization to embrace the concept that cosmetology can be a solution for women who desperately need a lifeline. Beyoncé Knowles just opened the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at Phoenix House, a drug and alcohol addiction-recovery center in New York. Knowles, whose mother once ran her own salon, said that she felt like the program needed something that was geared towards women.

Career assistance is only one way the salon industry helps in the fight against domestic violence. Hairstylists often share intimate client relationships, allowing them to notice signs of abuse that others may miss. Women usually see their hairdressers regularly, building trust over time, and sometimes feel more comfortable confiding in their hairdresser than family members or friends. Empire educates students on how to inform abused clients about where to get help.

To learn more, visit www.empiregivesback.com.

Cosmetology Offers Domestic Violence Victims New Path was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

It’s common for celebrities who experience tragedy and want to help others to have a book published by a traditional publisher. But now, “everyday people” can do the same thing. The power of publishing has truly gone public.

Thanks to continuing advancements in digital technology and print-on-demand resources, more people who want to make others aware of a worthy cause can have a professionally published book.

When Margarete Cassalina lost her daughter Jena to cystic fibrosis, her world stopped; life, as she knew it, was over. Within one year, however, Cassalina went from the depths of depression to simply existing to recovery, discovering that she could not just survive but even harness the power of true and absolute love. She literally went from “beyond breathing” to living a full and purposeful life.

Cassalina published her book, “Beyond Breathing,” through iUniverse (an imprint of indie publisher Author Solutions), and a film about her story is currently in production. Sixty-five percent of the net proceeds from book sales go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Indie book publishing empowers anyone to publish a professionally designed book, maintaining complete control of the content, rights and marketing. For as little as $1,000, a book can be available for sale on all leading online retailers and ordered at any bookstore.

In Reg Green’s case, his world turned upside down when his son Nicholas was murdered. Green published “The Nicholas Effect” through Author Solutions imprint AuthorHouse. The book chronicles his experience and promotes organ donation. Nicholas saved the lives of seven people who received his organs. Green has sold tens of thousands of books and speaks regularly on the topic of organ donation.

Publish a Book to Support Your Cause was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

NewsUSA) – It’s common for celebrities who experience tragedy and want to help others to have a book published by a traditional publisher. But now, “everyday people” can do the same thing. The power of publishing has truly gone public. Thanks to continuing advancements in digital technology and print-on-demand resources, more people who want to make others aware of a worthy cause can have a professionally published book. When Margarete Cassalina lost her daughter Jena to cystic fibrosis, her world stopped; life, as she knew it, was over. Within one year, however, Cassalina went from the depths of depression to simply existing to recovery, discovering that she could not just survive but even harness the power of true and absolute love. She literally went from “beyond breathing” to living a full and purposeful life. Cassalina published her book, “Beyond Breathing,” through iUniverse (an imprint of indie publisher Author Solutions), and a film about her story is currently in production. Sixty-five percent of the net proceeds from book sales go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Indie book publishing empowers anyone to publish a professionally designed book, maintaining complete control of the content, rights and marketing. For as little as $1,000, a book can be available for sale on all leading online retailers and ordered at any bookstore. “I’ll never stop the fight to eradicate cystic fibrosis by spreading the word, speaking to groups and raising money,” says Cassalina. “The ability to publish a book and use it as a vehicle to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis has been invaluable.” In Reg Green’s case, his world turned upside down when his son Nicholas was murdered. Green published The Nicholas Effect through Author Solutions imprint AuthorHouse. The book chronicles his experience and promotes organ donation. Nicholas literally saved the lives of seven people who received his organs. Green has sold tens of thousands of books and speaks regularly on the topic of organ donation. “I was able to expand awareness of the importance of organ donation and use my book as a tool to get in front of people and relay the story of how my beloved son saved the lives of so many,” says Green. “Indie book publishing isn’t just about fulfilling literary dreams,” says Keith Ogorek of Author Solutions. “A book is a powerful tool to educate and make the public aware of pressing social issues.”

Promote Your Cause By Publishing a Book was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

NewsUSA) – You box toys and shoes for disadvantaged children, collect canned goods and donate to your favorite charity every year — but have you considered leaving a permanent legacy to help support your cause? Bequeathing money to a charity in your will is one of the best ways to act as a philanthropist through your lifetime and beyond. Many charities rely on legacies to run their programs — some receive as much as 40 percent of their income from bequests. There are many ways to leave a bequest to the charity or charities of your choice. You can donate all or part of your retirement plan, IRA, 401k, life insurance plan, stock portfolio or estate. You can even ask a charity to put your money towards a specific cause or program. For example, those bequeathing funds to Running Strong for American Indian Youth (www.indianyouth.org), a nonprofit organization that helps American Indians meet their immediate survival needs while creating programs that promote self-sufficiency and self-esteem, can ask that their money support Running Strong’s community garden program or youth programs. If you do not specify how you want your money to be used, the charity will most likely add the money to their endowment, where it can be used to support any number of worthy causes. Many charities offer legacy programs to help potential benefactors give. Americans Helping Americans (www.helpingamericans.org), a nonprofit that helps improve the lives of impoverished people living in Appalachia, created its Americans Helping Americans Legacy Society to recognize those who wish to include the charity in their will. More than 80 percent of Americans give to charities. But a 2007 survey conducted by Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy found that only 8 percent of all Americans include legacies in their wills. Considering 2009’s rocky economy, that percentage has surely dropped. Many Americans worry that, by leaving a charitable bequest, they may put their heirs at a disadvantage. But leaving a legacy in your will could reduce the estate taxes that the will’s other beneficiaries need to pay. Gifts given to Running Strong and Americans Helping Americans, for example, are free of federal estate taxes, as well as inheritance taxes in most states. For more information, visit www.indianyouth.org or www.helpingamericans.org.

Are You Prepared to Leave a Legacy? was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com

NewsUSA) – Chances are, you know someone about to enter retirement. Between aging baby boomers and struggling businesses, many seniors find themselves leaving the workplace. And the numbers of new retirees are only going to rise — nearly 6,000 Americans turn 65 every day. Retirement is a big transition for a former working stiff, and many people struggle to determine their next step. After all, the retirement age of 65 was established in the late 1800s, when life expectancies were shorter — today’s retirees will live for decades after leaving the workforce. And longer lives create more expenses. Many retirees will end up pursuing second jobs in order to meet expenses. Only half of all employees earn pensions, and the falling stock market wiped out many a retirement fund. If you’re planning — or even attending — a retirement party, you should keep these potential uncertainties in mind. For example, a person being forced into early retirement might not appreciate congratulations. It’s more appropriate to express how glad you are to have known or worked with the retiree. That said, it is still okay to celebrate by acknowledging the retiree’s contributions. If you’re selecting gifts for a retiree, choose something that will commemorate their work, such as a personalized wall plaque or pen holder. The Web site PlaqueMakerPlus.com offers heirloom-quality acrylic pieces that feature engraved images or imbedded photographs. Customers can design their gift themselves, creating a unique and memorable gift that any retiree will appreciate. Of course, retirees today often choose to stay active, pursuing new careers that suit their personal interests or involving themselves in volunteer work. With this in mind, treat your coworker’s retirement like a transition into a new and rewarding phase of life, rather than just an exit from the workplace. Talk to the retiree’s spouse and friends to learn about their post-retirement plans. If they’re planning on going back to school, for example, you might want to give them a gift certificate to a book store, as well as a gift that commemorates their contributions to your organization.

Retirement is a Beginning, Not an End was posted at Copyright Free Content. | http://www.copyrightfreecontent.com