'If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.' - Rene Descartes. Renee Paule took this advice to heart in 'The Doubt Factor' - sowing seeds of doubt about a range of topics and giving them the benefit of her unique take on things. She encourages us to use our own powers of reasoning, rather than taking things at face value. Renee writes 'Doubt feeds on the fear of imagined consequences, such as making a mistake we may later regret; doubt holds us in a state of indecision ... it becomes our master.' She makes a good case that we need to '... learn to doubt intelligently.' - to wield doubt rather than to be wielded by it. There is much in this book to give pause for thought - perhaps even enough to shake off complacency.

Umbra, Penumbra and Me is a collection of the first four observational books written by Renee Paule. They chronicle her self-reflective philosophical journey in a style that's amenable and engaging. Throughout this book, Renee questions the many facets of life that we take for granted by lifting the lid on convention, and challenging the status-quo - unlearning all that society has taught her in the process, and freeing her mind from conditioning. There is much to think about in these pages and it can make for uncomfortable reading, as questions we tend to avoid are raised and discussed - this is not, as Renee calls it, `cotton wool' philosophy. This collection is `self-help' in the truest sense; there are no answers provided and it is left to the reader to cogitate and draw their own conclusions - conclusions that Renee maintains we already know but shy away from. If there is one thing that stands out in this work it's that `we' are responsible for what happens in our world - there is no-one else to blame. You may not always like what you read herein, but will be hard-pressed to refute it.

Bertie the gardener loves his tatty, old, brown, floppy hat - his dog, Oscar, has one too. Bertie is content with his life and the hat that he wears everywhere, including in the bath. That is, until he sees someone else looking important, in a different hat (a bowler hat). Bertie decides he needs a different image and goes from hat to hat (much to the dismay of Oscar) in his quest to look important, dignified, professional, clever, mysterious and magical. In the end, Bertie comes to realise that the hats can't change his character. He also discovers that he already was important, dignified, professional and clever, working his own magic in the garden - after all, Bertie is an excellent Gardner.

Please note this is a 'British spelling' version. The story begins with a seed landing in a pretty garden where it begins to grow and eventually forms a little flower bud. But, the little flower bud becomes frightened of things that she `hears on the wind'; such as the sun that might scorch its petals, the rain that might spoil them, the wind that might blow them away - so the flower doesn't want to bloom. However, all flowers must bloom, and as the little flower bud opens her petals she overcomes her fears one by one. The more we think about our fears, the more they overwhelm us. This book teaches children (of all ages) that fear is just a feeling that holds them back from living their lives to the full. To add to the fun and develop observational skills there's a `Did You See' activity page at the back with objects from the book that children may not have noticed whilst reading it. There are also some simple questions that can be asked of children, encouraging them to think about what they've read. The skill level required is `easy'.

Please note this is an `American spelling' version. The story begins with a seed landing in a pretty garden where it begins to grow and eventually forms a little flower bud. But, the little flower bud becomes frightened of things that she `hears on the wind'; such as the sun that might scorch its petals, the rain that might spoil them, the wind that might blow them away - so the flower doesn't want to bloom. However, all flowers must bloom, and as the little flower bud opens her petals she overcomes her fears one by one. The more we think about our fears, the more they overwhelm us. This book teaches children (of all ages) that fear is just a feeling that holds them back from living their lives to the full. To add to the fun and develop observational skills there's a `Did You See' activity page at the back with objects from the book that children may not have noticed whilst reading it. There are also some simple questions that can be asked of children, encouraging them to think about what they've read. The skill level required is `easy'.

"Louder Than a Whisper; Clearer Than a Bell" challenges the status quo of Humanity by inviting it to look at the morass of confusion, despair and uncertainty that pervade our society. Through a series of heartfelt essays this book examines topics such as 'Pride', 'Desire', 'Responsibility', 'Betrayal' and 'Loneliness'. What are they and how do they influence our lives? These topics go deeply inside the human psyche to places many are reticent to visit. We're uncertain about what we might uncover and let's be honest, in a world that's way too busy, it's inconvenient to invest our time on uncertainties. If we have nagging doubts about the purpose of our lives - most of us do - then surely these deserve investigation rather than a disinterested response of "'Whatever'." We already know the consequences of ignoring what's happening in our world; more war, more control, more crime, more hatred and more separation - only we can change it. The 'journey' we must all one day undertake begins within us and only through this journey will we discover our true nature. Fear creates the roadblock that prevents us from taking that first bold step to changing our world; fear of the unknown.The challenge is to overcome this fear and the inertia of getting started.

Apparently, just around the bend is where we'll find everything we've been looking forward to including; world peace, winning the lottery and a blissful retirement. That's great, but if they're what you're looking for you won't find them in this book. What you'll find is a series of essays that examine some diverse topics about human nature, looked at from an unusual perspective and written in a way you may not have read before - plain English. I know the daily grind keeps many of us way too busy to stop and consider - or care - about the mysteries of life let alone homilies like 'Know Thyself"; we have enough problems with 'Where are my keys?' But if you're up to examining your 'mind' whilst I examine mine, then turn the book over and let's get started. Paying close attention to our thoughts, reactions and feelings can be scary at first but it reveals a great deal about us and is well worth the effort. You're not alone and help is always available ...far closer than you imagine.

When he was just four years old, Rene Paul de la Varre earned the nickname "schling," meaning rascal in his native German language. He admits to having a wild side from a young age and spending much of his life like a wandering nomad in the quest for knowledge and adventure.

This memoir retraces Rene's footsteps through America, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East over the course of fifty years. His journey pays particular tribute to his relationship with his father, referred to as Pop-a talented filmmaker, pianist, and writer. Rene candidly discusses coming to grips with his father's slow descent into alcoholism, a disease that eventually played a role in Pop's untimely death. Part memoir and part travelogue, "Like Pop, Like Schling" is at times tragic, adventurous, and nostalgic. It is ultimately a story of hope as Rene encourages those struggling with substance abuse to have the mettle to change their lives and to conquer their demons before the demons conquer them.

Diplomarbeit aus dem Jahr 2007 im Fachbereich BWL - Marketing, Unternehmenskommunikation, CRM, Marktforschung, Social Media, Note: 1,3, Verwaltungs- und Wirtschafts-Akademie Potsdam e.V., 27 Quellen im Literaturverzeichnis, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Werbung beeinflusst, appelliert, vergleicht, informiert, macht neugierig oder betroffen. Die Ubergange zwischen Information und Werbung sind fliessend: am Ende steht eine Frage, die jeder fur sich selbst beantworten muss: Ist Werbung Information mit Unterhaltungswert, die auch Werte und Wissen zu vermitteln vermag oder doch nur listige Manipulation auf Kosten der Verbraucher? Ist beispielsweise Product Placement eine unseriose geheime Verfuhrungsmethode, um Produkte in unser Unterbewusstsein einzubrennen oder nur eine harmlose Filmforderung, durch die nur unser gegenwartiger Alltag auf Celluloid gebannt werden soll? Zwischen Verfuhrung, Vertrauen in Marken und glucklichen Kunden, die sich bei wohltatigen" Verkaufern bedanken mochten, gibt es eine weite Spanne, die dieser Arbeit auf den Grund gehen will. Kolmer (2006, S. 105) zufolge sollte in jeder Werbung mindestens ein Hund, ein Kind oder eine sexuell attraktive Person zu sehen sein - kombiniert mit Traumlandschaften, die beispielsweise vortauschen, dass Butter nicht in der Fabrik, sondern in einer Almhutte entsteht. Die Grenzen von Marketing sind spatestens bei Ubertreibung und Unaufrichtigkeit erreicht, bei rechtlichen Verstossen oder wenn die propagierte tolle Wirkung" nicht bewiesen werden kann, die Lebensdauer von teuren Markenprodukten absichtlich abgesenkt wird, Entscheidungstrager und Journalisten manipuliert werden, Schaden an Vermogen entstehen oder Risiken etwa bei Medikamenten heruntergespielt werden. Kein Wunder also, dass die Werbebranche in der Glaubwurdigkeitsskala weit unten rangiert und viele Angebote in einem schlechten Licht stehen (vgl. Levinson, 1994, S. 63). Dass dennoch gut verkauft wird, liegt an den Tricks der Werbestrategen, die Instrum