This book addresses the breakdown of failed democratic systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. The scope of this investigation is a study of political systems of Venezuela, Colombia, and Nicaragua. The implications of the present research on democratic purgatory have real-world applications not only for the above countries but also for those political systems that are currently transitioning and/or consolidating their democracies as well.  

"Strong on the Outside, Dying on the Inside is a wonderfully written tribute to faith, courage, hope and healing."Don't be fooled by the small size of this book. In it, Lisa Brown packs a powerful message of liberation: With the help of God and qualified professionals, Black women can break free from depression.A successful businesswoman in Washington, D.C., Lisa uses her own experience and the Biblical story of Hannah to shed light on the unspoken sadness that plagues so many Black women today. With the energy, humor and compassion of a close girlfriend, she describes the signs of depression and charts a way out.Depression is an equal-opportunity illness. But Black women - especially those who consider themselves strong - are particularly reluctant to seek help: Only 12 percent of those affected receive treatment.Why this resistance? Citing contemporary experts, Lisa points to reasons rooted in African American culture: the widespread belief that depression is nothing more than a bad attitude, a case of the blues, or a sign of personal weakness.Emotional needs are not easily acknowledged by women who have been the backbone of their communities while enduring the harsh realities of slavery, bigotry and bias.What's more, many of these God-fearing, church-going women may resign themselves to depression, accepting their sadness as a fact of life that God, the church and their families expect them to bear.Lisa rejects that interpretation, reminding Black women that God offers them both joy and peace. She urges readers to draw on their inner strength not to deny depression, but to face and overcome it.Lisa calls herself "a living testimony to the value of good therapy and God's undeniable ability to heal depression." In these pages, she reaches out to strong Black women, inviting them to embrace the same blessing and recover a life of promise and purpose.www.strongontheoutside.com

Used in a variety of courses in various disciplines, Asking the Right Questions helps students bridge the gap between simply memorizing or blindly accepting information, and the greater challenge of critical analysis and synthesis. Specifically, this concise text teaches students to think critically by exploring the components of arguments--issues, conclusions, reasons, evidence, assumptions, language--and on how to spot fallacies and manipulations and obstacles to critical thinking in both written and visual communication. It teaches them to respond to alternative points of view and develop a solid foundation for making personal choices about what to accept and what to reject.

All of my poems are about things that I see or feel -- the every day happenings that are around us. Mostly they are just plain thoughts that come into my head.

Karma is the powerful ancient law of cosmic cause and effect: your actions in past lifetimes can determine what happens to you ... today! Simply put: What goes around comes around. But you do have the power to control your destiny, no matter what your past karma.

Renowned psychic, visionary, and noted author Mary T. Browne brings you fascinating real-life stories from her clients who have transformed their lives by changing their karma. With indispensable tips, easy-to-follow exercises, and powerful affirmations, she teaches you how to do the same, so you can find greater health, love, security, and balance in your life. Tapping into the "power of karma" can help you:

• Discover the secrets of your past lives
• Spot the difference between bad karma and bad judgment
• Recognize and avoid the "karmic boomerang"
• Find powerful love and passion in this lifetime
• Make positive "deposits" in your karmic bank account
• Find spiritual growth -- and real change

"You are about to embark on an authentic journey. Carolyn's book covers it all: humanity, love, compassion, forgiveness, joy, and celebration. Her fresh approach is deeply moving. The book provides real tools to move you forward in your life."
-Elisabeth Fayt, author, "Paving It Forward," international speaker

No woman ever imagines, while standing at the altar with her new husband, that she will ever discover he is gay-especially down the road, after twenty-seven years of marriage. In "You Celebrate ...You ," Carolyn Brown shares her poignant personal story as she helps lead other women with the same experience through an inspirational and healing journey away from the pain, rejection, and despair of gay spousal disclosure and into a sense of calm, love, and joy.

Through personal anecdotes and the stories of others, Brown motivates women to look within themselves to cope and ultimately heal from traumatic upheaval in a trusted relationship. While teaching women how to refrain from dwelling on their own hurt, turning the focus away from their spouses and toward themselves, Brown provides step-by-step guidance on how to face change, look back on a marriage with gratitude, lose the attachment to the pain, and envision a new future.

" You Celebrate ...You " encourages women to rediscover themselves, to celebrate their lives-their passions and their joys-and, most importantly, to look inside themselves to heal.

College and career readiness is essential to promoting the success of all students. Educational and economic changes in today's society demands well thought out strategies for preparing students to survive academically, socially, and financially in the future. African American students are at a disadvantage in this strategic planning process due to a long history of racism, injustice, and marginalization. African American Students' Career and College Readiness: The Journey Unraveled explores the historical, legal, and socio-political issues of education affecting African American students and their career and college readiness. Each chapter has been written based on the authors' experience and passion for the success of students in the African American population. Some of the chapters will appear to be written in a more conversational and idiomatic tone, whereas others are presented in a more erudite format. Each chapter, however, presents a contextual portrayal of the contemporary, and often dysfunctional, pattern of society's approach to supporting this population. Contributors also present progressive paradigms for future achievements. Through the pages of this book, readers will understand and hopefully appreciate what can be done to promote positive college bound self-efficacy, procurement of resources in the high school to college transition, exposure and access to college possibilities, and implications for practice in school counseling, education leadership, and higher education.