GOTHAM WRITERS' WORKSHOP EXPANDS TRAVEL WRITING PROGRAM

ADVANCED ARTICLE WRITING WORKSHOPS OFFERED ONLINE AND IN NYC


New York, NY (9/13/05) - To accommodate interest by students around the world who share a desire to turn the world into words, Gotham Writers' Workshop, New York's leading creative writing school is expanding its travel writing program. This fall the school adds 10- week advanced article writing workshops to its schedule. The new workshops will be offered in New York City and online at www.WritingClasses.com and begin on September 21 and October 19, 2005, respectively.

The advanced workshops join the Travel Writing basics workshops that will be taught online by Rita Cook and in NYC by David Farley. These workshops begin on September 20 and October 18, 2005 respectively.

Gotham's comprehensive 10-week travel writing workshops cover the spectrum of travel writing from newspaper and magazine articles to guidebooks to travel memoirs and essays. Students learn how to choose destinations and angles, research ideas, utilize travel resources, craft compelling travel pieces, tailor work for the marketplace, and
more.

Gotham's online writing classes, selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes, feature everything one would find in the school's popular New York City workshops--lectures on craft, class discussions, writing exercises, and personal feedback from a professional writer. Small class size facilitates discussion and extensive student-teacher interaction.

Appropriate for the beginning travel writer or an experienced professional, the school's travel writing workshops help participants take their writing to the next level. Busy writers and travelers appreciate the online format that fits any schedule, allowing students to participate in class from home, office, or an Internet café in some distant land.

Interested students can obtain additional information or enroll by visiting WritingClasses.com or calling 1-877-WRITERS (974-8377) toll- free.

Andrew Collins is author of seven Fodor's guides, has edited or co- edited more than 20 Fodor's titles, and has contributed to more than 130 travel guides. He is a frequent contributor to Travel + Leisure and his work has appeared in numerous publications including Fairfield County and Sunset magazines. Andrew also writes "Out of Town" a biweekly travel column that is syndicated in more than a dozen newspapers across the country.

Rita Cook served as a travel editor and editor-in-chief for Insider magazine and Premier Bride. She is a travel correspondent for North Star Media and writes travel columns for RomanceEverAfter and Best of Brazil. She has also written for such publications as Lifesmart, LA Splash, Airliner Magazine, Pilot Getaways, Cruisemates, Eco Florida, Mexico Connect, Greatest Escapes, Dreamscapes Travel Magazine, Travelwise, Off-Road, Destinations, Real Adventure Travel, Contemporary Bride, Senior View, and Dirty Trails. She has also written extensively about the fields of entertainment, fashion, and business.

David Farley served as travel-editor-at-large for the The Wave. He has also written travel-related articles for numerous publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Time Out New York, New York Magazine, Playboy, the Chicago Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, Details, Black Book, and Gayot Hotel and Restaurant Guide. He's also been featured in The Best Travelers' Tales 2004 and is currently editing Travelers' Tales Prague, an anthology of literary nonfiction about the Czech capital.

Gotham Writers' Workshop is the largest school in the country devoted exclusively to teaching creative writing, enrolling over 6,000 students a year. While based in New York City, its online division, www.WritingClasses.com, has enrolled thousands of students worldwide since its inception in 1997 and was selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes. With a faculty of over 100 professional writers, the school offers introductory and advanced classes in more than a dozen forms of writing including fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, memoir, novels, mystery, poetry, feature articles, science fiction, romance, comedy, children's books, business communications, and more. The publication of Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide (ISBN: 1-58234-330-6) in August 2003 and Fiction Gallery (ISBN: 1-58234-462-0) in August 2004 marked the first two in a series of Gotham books to be published by Bloomsbury.

For additional information, contact Andre Becker (andre@write.org) at 1-877-974-8377.

Award-Winning Business Ethics Training Course from VisionPoint Now Available in 14 Languages

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 7, 2005 -- VisionPoint, a leader in development of video-based training programs, announces the award-winning "A.C.T. with Integrity: Real Situations for Discussion" video is now available in 14 languages. "A.C.T. with Integrity" provides business ethics training that complements any business practice and legal compliance program. The video training program consists of 12 "discussion-triggering" case studies based on actual business situations.

Differing cultural needs and trends, as well as a demand for the program from clients with global outreach, led VisionPoint to translate the program into a wide variety of languages for broader worldwide use. In addition to English, "A.C.T. with Integrity" is now available in Mandarin Simplified Chinese, Czech, French Canadian, French Parisian, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Neutral Spanish and European Spanish.

According to Matt Terronez, Vice President of Product Development and Custom Solutions, "Our clients with worldwide operations are seeking ways to address and communicate business ethics on a global basis while addressing cultural differences and recognizing local customs. Typically, our clients evaluate the case studies on a case-by-case local site basis and select those that are most appropriate for their needs."

Kevin Teismann, Director and Senior Vice President of Tech Data Corporation as well as a VisionPoint customer, commented, "This video ['A.C.T. with Integrity'] enabled us to effectively communicate our company's high ethical values to employees in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe."

The "A.C.T. with Integrity" video, winner of the Gold Award in the Ethics-Instruction Category by The Aurora Awards in 2003, is available in VHS or DVD and can be customized to fit company priorities and needs. The program includes both a narrated version and a vignettes-only version - allowing the trainer maximum flexibility. The program also includes a Facilitator Guide, Reproducible Participant Materials and a Reproducible Self-Study Workbook. Print materials are currently only available in English.

VisionPoint has more than 60 video case studies covering a range of the most timely and difficult issues ranging from sexual harassment to diversity to legal compliance. To order a free preview of "A.C.T. with Integrity: Real Situations for Discussion" or for more information about VisionPoint, visit http://www.visionpoint.com or call 800-300-8880.

About VisionPoint

VisionPoint is a full-service training partner that produces award-winning programs and custom solutions used by organizations throughout North American and in countries around the world. Their programs deliver high-impact training in three key areas: Ethics and Compliance, Personal Performance and Leadership Development. The company services clients in financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, agribusiness, hospitality, government agencies, education and nonprofit organizations.

For more information contact:

Matt Terronez
VP of Product Development & Custom Solutions
515.334.9292
Email: mterronez@visionpoint.com

Suzanha Burmeister
Project Mgr, Marketing & Communications
515.334.9292
Email: sburmeister@visionpoint.com

Global Learning Semesters to Accommodate College Students Displaced by Hurricane Katrina

RESTON, Va., Sept. 2, 2005 -- As part of its effort to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Global Learning Semesters will reopen select fall programs for students displaced by the hurricane.

"We are deeply saddened by the vast human and social impact of Hurricane Katrina and would like to take any steps we can to allow impacted students to continue their education without interruption," remarked Dr. Andreas Polemitis, Chairman of Global Learning Semesters, Inc.
Though fall programs closed on July 15, Global Learning Semesters will temporarily reopen admissions for its Semester in Europe and Semester in Cyprus programs.
Admission will be reopened from September 2 to September 9 for college students attending Tulane, the University of New Orleans and other colleges impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Students will be able to attend the beginning of fall classes on September 19 and continue their academic studies without interruption.

Displaced students should contact Global Learning Semesters, Inc. immediately at support@globalsemesters.com or (877) 300-7010 (toll-free).

Global Learning Semesters, Inc. is a leading provider of accredited college-level study abroad programs in Europe and Central America that combine strong academics and educational travel. More information about Global Learning Semesters can be found at: http://www.globalsemesters.com.

Contact:
Antonis Polemitis
Tel.: (877) 300-7010, ext. 4
Fax: (703) 852-3961
Email: antonispolemitis@globalsemesters.com
http://www.globalsemesters.com

High Fuel Prices? A Better Alternative to Bio-diesel Has Arrived

SUNSET, La., Aug. 16, 2005 -- Diesel Secret Energy, LLC
(DSE) has developed a simple method for creating a very useable alternative diesel fuel from vegetable oil that doesn't require converting one's vehicle or the use of harsh chemicals associated with making bio-diesel. The cost per gallon to users is a staggering 46 cents per gallon!

Naturally, this young company is struggling to keep up with the demand for their product. One of their loyal customers, the owner of a mobile PC repair business, says, "We're saving thousands of dollars per year ... we'll never go back to regular diesel."

DSE looked to the past and studied the old world knowledge of a team of diesel experts dating back to post WWII Germany, the home of the original diesel engine. During the post war years when fuel was scarce, these young technicians learned first hand from veteran Mercedes engineers how to make a simple fuel that could run any diesel engine.

Today, DSE brings that knowledge to the forefront of alternative fuel technology by making it easily available online at http://www.dieselsecret.com. For only $39.95, the buyer receives a manual and video describing how the user can make their own homemade "fuel station" in a few hours plus a bottle of their unique additive. Then, they simply mix the oil they have obtained (usually free) with the recommended ingredients and DSE's own specially made additive and voila', a cleaner burning, and much cheaper, fuel.

The fuel is cheaper and safer than making bio-diesel or any other alternative. Emissions on vehicles using this fuel far exceed those using petroleum diesel.

The fuel will also help aid in lubrication of the injection pump. This is a major issue for many diesel owners since petroleum emissions regulations have deteriorated the lubrication properties of petroleum diesel leading to many injection pump problems recently.

How much are people saving? An average driver is about $1,200 to $1,500 richer per year. Even more as diesel prices continue to rise. For a large truck owner, the savings could be an easy $25,000 to $30,000 a year. Even if users only partially substitute DSE made fuel for petroleum diesel (and yes, they can be mixed together without problems), they could still be a lot richer by years end.

The downside? It cannot be sold retail at gas stations. No EPA approval of the fuel. Only bio-diesel has been tested by the EPA for decades. However, it can be made individually for use in one's own vehicle. The reality is that not everyone is open to the idea of making their own fuel.
Everyone wants to save money, but not everyone wants to drop by restaurants weekly to pick up jugs of used vegetable oil.
For those who are, and their numbers are increasing exponentially, DSE's fuel system is the answer to a prayer.

Contact:

Andrew Klenert of Diesel Secret Energy
337-501-6224
dieselsecret@yahoo.com

Three 'Ag-Venture' Agricultural Tours to Remember

UNION, Ontario, Aug. 31, 2005 -- Join farmer/writer Bob Thomas on any one of three "ag-venture" agricultural tours:

-- Downunder Australia: November 17 to December 4, 2005

Visit Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Adelaide, Barossa
wine valley, Bungaree Sheep Station, Murray River areas,
Riverland & Sunraysia agri- districts, Birchip Cropping
Group, Dharnya Centre, Wagga Wagga Stockyards,
Burrumbuttock Land Management Practices, a farmstay, the
Kondinin Group, Canberra, Sydney, the Blue Mountains and
much more.

-- Argentina & Brazil: January 26 to February 15, 2006

Visit Buenos Aires state soy, cashcrop, potato and cattle
farms, Gaucho museum, tour Buenos Aires and see Sr. Tango
show, visit huge Brazilian soy, crop, sugarcane and other
farms, Rio de Janeiro, the Paranagua port. See Brazil
Land Reform, Coopavel Show Rural farm show and Iguacu
Falls

-- Chile / Peru (Machu Picchu) / Colombia: February 16 to
March 4, 2006

Visit wine areas like Elqui Valley, avocado and citrus
orchards, organics, export packing plants, Vina del Mar
and Santiago in Chile. Tour the incredible Machu Picchu
ruins, the former Inca capital of Cuzco, and other
Peruvian sites. Travel Andes highland beef and other
farms in Colombia.

Says Thomas, "I have been visiting South America for the past 15 years and writing about this unique part of the world in magazines like Successful Farming, Better Farming, Country Guide, Cattlemen and others. This year I am excited to be adding two new tours ... to Australia, and to Chile / Peru / Colombia. Participants will meet many of my contacts who are commercial farmers and in agri-business, and you'll learn 'what is really happening in South America and Australia.' You'll also see many of the must see tourist sites in South America and Australia. Add-On Tours are possible. Tour size is limited. Book early!"

Tours include:

-- Accommodations at 3-star hotels or better, all breakfasts
and some other meals.

-- Tours and admissions where indicated in the daily
itineraries.

-- All travel from departure cities and return including
domestic flights in South America. Shorter distances by
air-conditioned bus.

-- English-speaking guides: "Most of my contacts are actual
farmers, consultants or agri-businesspeople who are very
familiar with agriculture," comments Thomas.

Pricing details (per person, double occupancy):

(Payments to Peerless Travel TICO #4274452)

-- Downunder Australia: $6995 Cdn / $5675 US
-- Argentina / Brazil: $4995 Cdn / $4060 US
-- Chile / Peru / Colombia: $6450 Cdn / $5250 US

Single occupancy possible at added cost. Check with your tax advisor, as a portion of costs may be tax-deductible.

Contact:

Bob Thomas
R.W. Thomas Inc.
Phone: 519-633-2390
Email: rwthomas@sympatico.ca