As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre - and watched it grow to a billion dollar market. As the driving force behind the development and delivery of more than 123 million books sold through the Chicken Soup for the Soul® franchise (and over 500 million copies in print worldwide), Jack Canfield is uniquely qualified to talk about success.

Behind the empire Time Magazine called the "publishing phenomenon of the decade" is America's leading expert in creating peak performance for entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, managers, sales professionals, corporate employees, and educators. Over the last 30 years, his compelling message, empowering energy and personable coaching style has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals achieve their dreams.

Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack has studied and reported on what makes successful people different. He knows what motivates them, what drives them, and what inspires them. He brings this critical insight to countless audiences internationally---sharing his success strategies in the media, with companies, universities and professional associations.

Jack is a Harvard graduate with a Master's Degree in psychological education and one of the earliest champions of peak-performance, developing specific methodologies and results-oriented activities to help people take on greater challenges and produce breakthrough results.

His proven formula for success reached global acclaim with his most recent National Bestseller, The Success Principles™: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. This new standard in self-improvement contains 64 powerful principles for success utilized by top achievers from all walks of life and all areas of commerce. The Success Principles ---and the entire empire of "Principles" books, products, coaching programs and branded retail merchandise ---is Jack’s most recent offering to the more than 100 million readers he currently reaches worldwide.

Michael Brooks, who holds a PhD in quantum physics, is an author, journalist and broadcaster. He is a consultant at New Scientist, a magazine with over three quarters of a million readers worldwide, has a weekly column for the New Statesman and is a Huffington Post UK blogger. He is the author of Free Radicals: The Secret Anarchy of Science and the bestselling non-fiction title 13 Things That Don't Make Sense.

His writing has also appeared in the Guardian, the Independent, the Observer, the Times Higher Education, the Philadelphia Inquirer and many other newspapers and magazines. He has lectured at various places, including New York University, The American Museum of Natural History and Cambridge University.

Georg Breckmann is a writer and long-time paranormal researcher. A series of personal experiences compelled him to investigate Contact from other intelligent beings with humanity and what it means.

Breckmann has worked in many fields, been a store detective, an insurance investigator, a printmaker, special education teacher, martial arts instructor, and magazine editor. "If there was one constant in all the jobs I held, it was being a careful, critical observer and reporting what I found," he writes.

Seeking, as we all do, meaning in life, he practiced Zen, attended Wiccan, and Odinic rites, and eventually entered Berendr training with traditional shamans from the North. "I did not want to pretend to be anyone else, but rather to learn what ancient wisdom my ancestors had, prior to the forced conversion of their homelands," some of which is shared in the book, and surprisingly helps understand Contact.

Chris Everard is an award winning British Film Director Who Also Writes Books About the Secret Space Programme, The Global Network of Secret Societies known as “The ILLUMINATI” and appears as a guest on radio and TV shows worldwide.
Chris Everard’s made-for-cinema feature length documentaries about the global network of secret societies (referred to as “The Illuminati”) are the first documentary films to go into FOUR volumes. The third volume of THE ILLUMINATI series exposes the British Royal Family’s ties to the Occult and reveals the true identity of JACK THE RIPPER.

Chris Everard ‘s films are historical documentaries, with all the information backed up by Photographs, documents, film and video footage. Chris Everard is NOT a conspiracy theorist, and challenges anyone who describes him so. Chris Everard has made 8 films - most of which have won awards - and has a global audience who visit cinemas to see his films at late shows in Washington, Las Vegas, Paris & London. Chris Everard’s films about the Antichrist, the Assassination of Princess Diana, and how Television & Radio technology was invented by scientists who were all involved with spiritualism and ceremonial magic are the only films worldwide to explore these topics.

Several times a year, Chris Everard hosts tours and expeditions, which are attended by people from all over the world. Chris Everard organizes tours to sacred sites linked with the legend of the Holy Grail, Easter Island, Egypt, Catalonia, Rennes les Chateau, Avebury, Stonehenge, Houston Space Centre, Cape Canavral, AREA 51 and the former home of French occultist Doctor Nostradamus.

Four times a year, Chris Everard hosts a Documentary Film Makers’ Bootcamp, hosting intensive week-long seminars teaching people how to make made-for-cinema documentaries. It is the only film course of it’s kind in the world.

Artist/Producer/Director Films, TV and Documentaries SyFy, Chiller, NBC Universal and Sony Pictures and Spooked TV. Supernatural Entertainment Content Creator.

Death Tunnel (Sony Pictures), The Possessed, Spooked, Children Of The Grave, The Haunted Boy (SyFy Channel/NBC Universal), DarkPlace. Producer and Director of films and documentaries for SyFy Channel, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures, Spooked Productions, At&t, Apple and more worldwide. CEO of Spooked Television and Twintalk Entertainment. Artist, musician, composer, editor and production designer.

Christopher Saint Booth born in Yorkshire, England started his career at an early age. Influenced by The Beatles, singing and strumming at the age of four. Atlantic crossing brought him to Canada where at the age of thirteen he was writing and performing at the local establishments. In 1978 he he was invited to combine forces with, Juno award winner, Sweeney Todd. (London Records) Worldwide touring commenced immediately as their new gold album paved his way to sunny California. Upon arriving in Los Angeles, greeted with a publishing deal (RCA Music) he began writing vocalizations and musical scores for film, cable and television.

Desires of new creative outlets began further development, now reaching out to the visual side of entertainment. Audio with Video studios were soon built to quench this creative thirst. Christopher, a successful film and music Director, Producer, Production Designer and Composer has written, edited, animated, directed and scored some of Billboard’s Top Ten releases including, Film Features, Erotic Thrillers, Music Videos and over seas releases.

Internationally renown for his provocative style, Independent films soon broadened the horizon. Financing a million-dollar HD digital domain in Los Angeles California, this is where they would design and build their ultimate dreams. As well as endorsed by an array of electronic arts manufacturers, no boundaries would be left untouched. For every new technical toy that the eyes and ears could ever dream of soon became vivid. As an Apple licensed developer and 3rd party designer for SoftImage, AMP, APDA and Microsoft, Booth continue to design the future of entertainment and media for all platforms. New concepts with slick designs go hand in hand with the latest web technology.

With over 50 HD features behind him built all from scratch with the insight of what’s happening tomorrow for the people today. A panoramic view of freedom with the fresh scent of change inspires this Saint to create a brave new world for your eyes and ears.

Kathy is very proud to have been voted Ms Magazine's’ “Woman of the Year 2005.”

For 14 seasons Kathy provided the voice of “Peggy Hill,” on the Emmy award winning FOX TV hit King of the Hill, (Annie award and 2 Women In Film awards) and for 3 seasons she performed opposite Kirstie Alley as “Olive” on NBC's Veronica’s Closet, (American Comedy Award.) Najimy is known internationally for her portrayal of “Sister Mary Patrick” in the blockbuster hits Sister Acts 1 and 2, (ACA Awards, and Hollywood Press discovery of the Year Award). Kathy was heard in Pixar’s Oscar winning hit Wall-E, and in Disney’s: Tinkerbell. Kathy starred on Broadway and was critically acclaimed for her portrayal of Mae West in Dirty Blonde (outer critics award) - and also appeared on Broadway in the first productions of V DAY (the Vagina Monologues) -- Her original Off-Broadway hit: play The Kathy and Mo Show: Parallel Lives and The Dark Side garnered her and Mo Obie Awards and Cable Ace awards for both the plays & the HBO specials. The Complete Kathy and Mo Show: disc DVD can currently be found on Amazon.com. In 2008 Kathy starred as series regular, Millie Finch the saucy head of the University on the CBS hour drama—Numb3rs.

Most recently, Kathy was seen on Desperate Housewives, Drop Dead Diva, Ugly Betty and the hysterical RuPauls Drag Race.

As well, as the Sister Act movies, Kathy has appeared in over 20 films including a starring role in Hocus Pocus and RatRace, Hope Floats, Nevada, Cats Don’t Dance, Zack And Reba, This Is My Life, The Fisher King, Say Uncle, (best actress Philadelphia Film fest) Soapdish, and The Hard Way, and Step Up 3D, with cameo appearances in It's Pat, The Wedding Planner, Jeffrey, The Big K and Margaret Cho's: Bam Bam and Celeste, and 2 Sisters.

For television, Najimy received critical acclaim for her 3-part arc on Chicago Hope, Disneys’The Scream Team, FOX’s TV special Cinderelmo, and with Tim Curry she performed the opening musical number of the 1995 Academy Awards. She starred in - In Search Of Dr. Seuss as well as appearances in the TV series: She TV, Fool For Love, Early Edition, Clueless, That's So Raven, and several episodes of Ellen. She is shamefully proud of the gold chip she won as the tournament champion on Celebrity Poker Showdown and the $100,000.00 she won to benefit V-day. And was the final championship winner on CBS’s Game Show Marathon with the 100 thousand Grand prize going to at-risk teen-age girls.

She has directed several projects including an off Broadway musical -Back to Bacharach and David—(which she also created) recently produced in Hollywood to rave reviews. Kathy has also directed several 1 woman shows.

For her 20 years of AIDS activism, she has been honored with the L.A. Shanti’s Founder award as well as the L.A. Gay Center's Distinguished Achievement Award. As a proud Lebanese American Kathy has received awards from the ACC and The ADC .

Kathy has posed twice for PETA's popular campaign, “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur,” and in 2000, she received PETA’s Humanitarian of the Year Award from Paul McCartney.

She contributed to the Random House book: The Choices We Made, (released on the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade), and on tape, voiced Wally Lamb's novel-She's Come Undone. She has been the keynote speaker for over 50 humanitarian organizations all across the country.

Kathy lives in NY with her kick ass husband -- actor/singer Dan Finnerty (the Dan Band), their glorious daughter Samia, and their dogs: Petey and Princess.

Michael Knight’s journalism career began in 1960. He’s worked in many countries and covered countless stories. He has been involved in films and documentary work as cameraman, director, presenter, writer and narrator.

Michael researched, wrote and directed the documentary movie “Contact Has Begun” with James Gilliland.

He is the author of “Earth Changes Report” which seeks out and presents the latest scientific evidence, news reports, and historical information essential for you to prepare for the coming Earth Changes that the mainstream media refuses to talk about. It is essential to know about these changes before they occur.

Erik Berglund is a unique recording artist who like the troubadours of yore, combines his musical talents with the Spirit and power of God's healing gifts. Erik sings like an angel with a refined tenor voice accompanied by the crystalline sounds of his Irish harp. He has 20 CDs and 2 DVDs available which bridge the world of angels and healing, and touch people deeply. As a sensitive healer, Erik's life has touched thousands via concerts, workshops, retreats, sacred journeys and private healing sessions. He shares his gifts throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, the South Pacific and the Middle East.

Magenta Pixie was born in Staffordshire in 1965 at her maternal Grandparents home. Her parents lived in Islington London where Pixie spent her early childhood.

Pixie parents were in the theatre at the time of her birth; her Father was an Opera Singer and her Mother, a Ballet Dancer.

Pixie grew up around the theatre and decided at an early age that she would follow in their footsteps.

She was an early talker and an early reader and at the age of seven was reading several Enid Blyton novels per week, living in a world of fairies, pixies, gnomes and magic.

Pixie had several “imaginary friends” whom she would speak with all the time.

Pixie met her husband at the age of seventeen, married at nineteen and had her first baby at twenty.

Unusual, esoteric and supernatural events occurred throughout the ten years of Pixie’s marriage such as out of body experiences, having visions, hearing voices, seeing people & beings & knowing things before they happened.

After ten years of marriage, Pixie and her husband divorced and she moved into a ixie then began strict daily meditations and followed the instructions in the book on meeting your guide. It was several weeks before Pixie started to communicate with beings in meditation and eventually she met her Spirit Guide who introduced himself as “White Spirit” and presented in the form of a Zulu Warrior.

Pixie remained in contact with White Spirit throughout her life and in the year 2003 White Spirit evolved into a sixth density White Winged Angelic being. Not long after that the White Winged being separated themselves into Nine identical beings…..each one with the ability to come forward separately yet they were a collective consciousness. Hence the White Winged Collective Consciousness of Nine came into Pixie’s reality.

Blossom Goodchild is a professional ‘direct voice’ channelling medium working with spirit and cosmic energies. She has been channelling the Native American Indian Spirit Energy ‘White Cloud’ for twelve years now and shares his messages of Unconditional Love by means of personal readings and group meetings.

These meetings have been recorded and ‘White Cloud’s words transcribed and subsequently published in three books. ‘Walking in the Light and the Love’, ‘The Spirit of ‘White Cloud’ and ‘A New Dawn’.

In addition to ‘White Cloud’s guidance on how to live our lives to the fullest he has also given us, through Blossom , a series of guided meditations to help us tune in to our Higher Selves.

Blossom also began communication with The Federation Of Light in 2005. These channellings have now become world renound. The information given can be found in three books from The Federation of Light, 'The Bridge', 'Snaphot', and 'Plan E.T'. Blossom continues these channellings which are freely given . They can be found on the menu bar under The Federation Of Light.

In addition to her spiritual work Blossom is also a wonderful actress, whose experience includes touring the UK in repertoires and musicals. Since immigrating to Australia in 2001 and settling in Noosa with her husband Goody and son Ritchie, she has firmly established herself as one of the finest actresses on the Sunshine Coast. Blossom has performed the one-woman show ‘Shirley Valentine’ as well as major roles in several David Williamson plays for the Noosa Long Weekend. She took on the challenging roles as the lead in ‘The Gingerbread Lady’ in which she won Best Actress and Performer of the Year for the Sunshine Coast Theatre Alliance STAR awards. She returned to the musical stage in Ian Mackellar’s ‘Now That’s Entertainment’ and has just finished performing in a world premiere season in Noosa in a new musical called MOMENTS, which was written for her and her co performer . Blossom is hoping to tour Australia with this production as and when the universe provides!!

Through all of these experiences, Blossom remains firmly grounded and with her easy laughter and warmth is a delight to be around

Barbara Hand Clow, International Mayan Elder, Cherokee Record Keeper, Guardian of Light and Author of The Mayan Code.

The 'Mayan Code' is a perfect companion book to C. J. Calleman: 'The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness' as it shows how the time cycles of the Calendar match important periods in the evolutionary data banks on Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy. These stages of evolution are converging during the final stage of the Calendar, the period between 1999-2011.

Barbara Hand Clow wrote one of the most important books of our time! She will answer many questions you will not learn in school, among others:

The Mayan Code by Barbara Hand ClowWhy is time accelerating faster now than ever before? How is it that in just a few short years the Cycles of Consciousness revealed in the Mayan Calendar will be completed? Darwinian theories, the Big Bang or Creation - where is the TRUTH about life on our planet? What is behind the messages from our Pleiadian neighbors? The Ascencion date: October 28, 2011 or Dec 21 2012? and much more...

Barbara Hand Clow uses her Astrological skills, scientific and archeological research data along with ancient sources, like the Vedic Records to support the validity and accuracy of the combined research on the Mayan Calendar.

Barrie Zwicker is an independent documentary producer, author and social and political activist. Producer of the 75-minute THE GREAT CONSPIRACY: The 9/11 News Special You Never Saw, on DVD and VHS.

Zwicker instigated and was Director of the International Citizens' Inquiry Into 9/11, held at The University of Toronto 25-30 May 2004. It featured 40 presenters from three continents. Video from the Inquiry is being incorporated into numerous documentaries including The Great Conspiracy. The inquiry organization, Skeptics' Inquiry For Truth (SIFT) is incorporated and continues as an educational and activist group.

Prior to December 2003, Zwicker was the resident media critic (the only such in Canada) for 15 years with Vision TV, Canada's only independent not-for-profit TV channel and the world's first multi-faith TV channel. (One reviewer whimsically described Zwicker as "the professional furrowed brow for the small-r religious set.") Vision TV is available in more than 8-million Canadian homes via cable and DTH satellite.

In the 2001-2002 TV season Zwicker hosted VisionTV Insight: the MediaFile Edition, "a weekly half-hour commercial-free alternative look at the media," moderated its media panel and provided a commentary each program. Six of his MediaFile commentaries that season -- a series titled "What Really Happened on Sept. 11th?" - made him the first mainstream television journalist in the world to go on air and deeply question the official story of the events of 9/11. The commentaries elicited the greatest response of any programming in the channel's history. The response was literally 99% positive. The series became known as "The Great Deception" and was released on video under that title. The updated version (available on VHS and DVD) contains seven segments.

Zwicker has worked in journalism and communications since he was 16, when he joined the Russell (Man.) Banner as a Printer's Devil. He worked on major newspapers including The Vancouver Province, The Detroit News, the Flint Journal and the Lansing State Journal, for a year at Canada's largest-circulation newspaper, The Toronto Star and for eight years at "Canada's National Newspaper," The Globe and Mail. While the Globe's education writer, he won all three top awards of the Education Writers' Association of North America.

Zwicker taught journalism part time for seven years at Ryerson Polytechnic University. His courses were "Media and Society" and then "Media, Ethics and the Law."

He co-authored and co-edited, with the late Dick MacDonald, THE NEWS: Inside the Canadian Media (Deneau) and authored War, Peace and the Media (Sources). In September 2004 he produced Barrie Zwicker's 9/11 Resource Guide. He currently is working on a book planned for release in late 2005 or Spring of 2006 tentatively titled 9/11, the Media and Our Future.

He produced more than 200 media criticism segments for Vision TV in his last four seasons. Before that he contributed regularly to Vision's public affairs programs "It’s About Time," "Arts Express" and "Inventing Reality," from Vision's launch in September 1988.

Zwicker is also seen and heard as a media critic on CBC-TV, CTV's News1, RoB-TV and other TV and radio outlets and in print. For three and a half years his "Facing the Fourth Estate" commentary was nationally syndicated on 18 stations on CBC Radio.

He earned a Southam Fellowship (1967-68) and studied for three years under Marshall McLuhan. Earlier (1959-61) he was a University of Michigan/Michigan Press Club Co-operative Journalism Fellow, the first Canadian chosen up until then.

He owned and published the journalism review content from 1974 through 1981, when he sold that publication to Humber College.

In 1999, he sold his directory business, Sources®, The Directory of Contacts for Editors, Reporters and Researchers )* which he founded in June 1977. He also founded Parliamentary Names & Numbers. He is Publisher Emeritus of Sources.

In the 1960s and 70s he was active in the Don Vale Association of Homeowners and Residents. Working in concert with then Ward 7 city Councillors John Sewell and Karl Jaffary, the association became a "giant slayer" at City Hall. The Association succeeded in abolishing a so-called "urban renewal" plan for Don Vale which would have razed numerous homes - including that of the Zwickers - and turned the sites over to developers.

As Corresponding Secretary for the Association, Zwicker wrote letters and press releases arising from democratic meetings. He named and helped found the ward's newspaper, 7 News. He also delivered it door to door.

He was awarded an honourary Life Membership in the Media Club of Canada in 1991 and is listed in Canadian Who's Who.

He was born Nov. 5, 1934 in White Head, N.S., a son of the late United Church minister, Rev. W. G. Zwicker and the former Norah Hall. He has been married to the former Jean Adie Muzzell of Owen Sound, Ont. for 41 years. They have two children. Xena-Linda is a musician and therapist. Gren-Erich specializes in audio post-production in Toronto and has worked with Norman Jewison and David Cronenberg. He has just finished working on Cronenberg's latest, History of Violence, to be premiered at Cannes this month.

Following the lead of his parents, Zwicker has long been a committed environmentalist. Jean is an avid gardener. Under Zwicker's guidance Sources was the first directory in Canada to be printed on all recycled stock. He and wife gave up automobile ownership in 1966; Zwicker has ridden a bicycle since.

In the Summer of 2000 he started a solo cross-Canada bicycle journey, off-road as much as possible on the Trans-Canada Trail, travelling 1,900km from Vancouver Island to Calgary. The Summer of 2001 he covered 4,000km from Calgary to Toronto. He plans to resume his cross-Canada tour from Toronto to St. Johns, Newfoundland when time permits.

Zwicker describes himself as "an atheist Christian humanist" and is a member of the Humanist Association of Canada. His hero is Bertrand Russell. He's a board member of both SIFT and of 9/11truth.org.

Brad Friedman is an independent investigative journalist, blogger, broadcaster, creator of BradBlog.com, co-founder of VelvetRevolution.us, expert on issues of election integrity, and a Commonweal Institute Fellow.

Fighting for truth, election reform and media reform, because it's not about right and left, it's about right and wrong.

Brad Friedman is an investigative citizen journalist/blogger, political commentator and broadcaster. He is the Creator and Managing Editor of The BRAD BLOG. Among the many things that will be discussed, Brad will pose what he calls serious questions regarding the anthrax case.

Just some of the many notable national stories he’s broken on his blog include “The White House Website Scrubbing”, the “Tom Feeney/Clint Curtis/Yang Enterprises Vote-Rigging Scandal”, the story of the phony GOP front group, “American Center for Voting Rights”, the E-Voting Machine “Sleepover” controversy in San Diego’s Busby/Bilbray U.S. House Special Election, numerous explosive exclusives on whistleblowers such as FBI translator Sibel Edmonds, along with his well-respected, and widely-touted continuing coverage of various Electronic Voting Machine companies like Diebold who are destroying American democracy. He has filed, literally, thousands of stories on Election Integrity and Electile Dysfunction since at least November 3rd, 2004.

He has appeared in numerous documentary films, as well as on ABC News, CNN, CourtTV and elsewhere to discuss his reporting and expertise on a variety of issues. He’s a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post and has written articles and editorials for Mother Jones, Editor & Publisher, ComputerWorld, Columbus Free Press, Salon, TruthOut, Harvard’s Nieman Foundation of Journalism, Hustler and other non-pornographic publications and websites. In addition to live speaking engagements around the country, Brad has Guest Hosted on a number of radio programs for Peter B. Collins, Mike Malloy, The Young Turks and others. He’s also the host of The BRAD SHOW, a radio program co-produced with Internet news site RAW STORY and a frequent Guest on radio shows across the country.

Brad’s reports and breaking news from his popular website, The BRAD BLOG, are frequently cited by the national media.

Dave Blume started his ecological training at a young age. He and his father organically grew almost all the food their family ate. This wouldn't be unusual out in a rural setting nowadays, but they did this on a city lot in San Francisco in the mid-sixties!

Dave taught his first ecology class in 1970. He majored in Ecological Biology and Biosystematics at San Francisco State University while doing volunteer fieldwork with a number of non-profits like the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. He put himself through school by teaching backpacking and wildlife biology through open universities during the summers.

In 1978, he was employed by NASA to work on an experimental solar self-sufficient energy, sewage treatment, desalinization plant in the Virgin Islands. After solving many previously persistent problems in this system, he went to work for the Mother Earth News Eco Village in North Carolina where he worked in a team using alternative building techniques. There he constructed a number of unique structures, like a cordwood half dome, that was used as the back half of a greenhouse. He also worked extensively with their alternative energy projects.

When the energy crisis of 1978-9 struck, Dave started the American Homegrown Fuel Co. Inc. It was an educational organization teaching farmers and others how to produce and use low cost alcohol fuel at home or on the farm. Alcohol, a renewable and virtually pollution-free fuel, is used in place of gasoline in automobile engines. AHGF became a small corporation with 15 employees. Dave taught 180 workshops to 7,000 people over a two year period while appearing over 1000 times in print, radio and television.

PBS then asked Dave to put his workshop on television. He spent two years working with PBS to make the 10 part series Alcohol as Fuel, which aired in 1983. To accompany the series he wrote the comprehensive manual on the subject, Alcohol Can Be A Gas! The book and series were so powerful that shortly after the series began to air in San Francisco oil companies threatened to pull out their funding if the series was released to the rest of the PBS network!! PBS caved in and halted the distribution of the series and book.

Alcohol Can Be A Gas, has been completely rewritten after four years of full time research by Dave and his team. Its now available in bookstores and online everywhere and is being hailed as the bible of alcohol fuel production.

Dave went on to consult for a wide array of clients including foreign governments, farmers and food processors in turning waste into fuel, animal feed, carbon dioxide, and valuable industrial products.

Dave founded Planetary Movers Inc in 1984.

1n 1994, he started the community supported agriculture farm, Our Farm.

Our Farm fed approximately 450 people through 150 shares in its CSA at its peak. Annually, it grew as much as 100,000 pounds of food per acre, without a tractor, using only hand tools, on a terraced, 35 degree slope similar to farms in China or Guatemala. Dave used a combination of biointensive and permaculture techniques to produce these impressive yields.

Our Farm was a teaching farm, which hosted over 200 live-in interns and apprentices from all over the world, during its existence.

Ron Dante Biography

Ron Dante is one star in the entertainment business that doesn't need a press agent to hype his many accomplishments. He has a room full of platinum albums and Grammy, Clio and Tony Awards to do his talking for him.

Ron Dante is probably best known for his work as a producer for Barry Manilow, Cher, Dionne Warwick, Pat Benatar, Irene Cara, Ray Charles, John Denver, and other major recording artists.

He was the driving force behind Barry Manilow's greatest successes. Their collaboration spawned one hit after another. Dante produced songs that have become landmarks on the pop music scene including "Mandy," "I Write the Songs," the Grammy winning "Copacabana," "Could It Be Magic" and others.

During a tumultuous decade in the record industry in which many stars faded and new ones flickered, Dante's firm guidance helped Manilow achieve unparalleled success. The Dante produced LPs sold more than 60 million copies, accounting for more than $350 million in retail sales at record stores nationwide.

Pop music fans know Ron Dante as the man who performed the #1 single "Sugar, Sugar" which topped the Top 40 charts for weeks and was voted “Song Of The Year'” in 1969 ... an era dominated by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and hard rock.

Lots of music lovers hum Ron Dante's tunes without even knowing it. Dante was the distinctive singing voice in dozens of radio and TV commercials. He has also worked alongside such other stars as Melissa Manchester, Ashford and Simpson and Luther Vandross.

It's Dante's voice you hear singing "You Deserve A Break Today" for McDonald’s. His voice was heard in spots for Coca Cola, American Airlines, Budweiser and dozens of other well-known products. The production firm Dante established to produce commercials won a Clio for its work for Volkswagen.

Theatergoers know Dante for his work on Broadway. He produced "Ain't Misbehavin',” which earned him a Tony for best musical and "Children Of A Lesser God," which took the Tony for best drama. Dante's stage credits also include "Whose Life Is It Anyway?," "Crimes Of The Heart" and "Duet For One". Dante also turned his attention to the printed word. He served as publisher of the prestigious Paris Review for more than two years.

His recent work includes a collaboration with Barry Manilow, singing background on various tracks for the Concord release of Manilow's Here at the Mayflower. Ron has also released Saturday Night Blast, a collection of classic pop songs along with some new Dante originals. Some of the highlights include “Rockin' Robin" (with Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits singing background), "Rock Me Gently" (with writer/performer Andy Kim, who wrote the song, doing background vocals) and "Summer in the City" (featuring Toni Wine, the original female voice of The Archies’ "Sugar, Sugar" singing a duet with Ron.)

For his debut on Digital Musicworks International (DMI), the world’s first full-service, all-digital music label, Ron has produced Rockin’ Christmas Party, Volume 1, featuring himself and such other all-star rock ‘n’ roll hit makers as Lou Christie, Tommy Roe, Gary Lewis, Bobby Vee and Chris Montez. Rockin’ Christmas Party, Volume 1 showcases a sleigh-full of both traditional Christmas songs as well as five new original holiday tunes.

"I never stop keeping busy," Ron says. "My day starts very early and that's okay with me. I enjoy what I do and that makes the long hours and every day worth it."

As a unique and multifaceted personality, and a true nexus of the East and West, Shawn Rae is a natural-born global thinker who possesses a well rounded and interestingly refreshing personal appeal. As an individual he has accomplished much, and is noted internationally for his varied contributions as a speaker, a designer, a recording artist, and a humanitarian. Shawn has represented the United States at various national and international events, and has been featured in the media on topics dealing with corporate giving, human rights abuses, matters relating to world trade and technology-related issues affecting mankind. He was selected as one of the Top Ten Speakers in the United States for the Conference on American Ingenuity by the U.S. Department of Commerce and picked as one of four Judges by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and the Intellectual Property Association (IPO). The IPO is comprised of such prestigious members as General Motors, Lockheed, 3M, and other major corporate and multinational leaders.

Nicknamed Bambi at birth by his relatives and tribe, Shaanshehryar Khan Rae Zagajadoon, was raised until the age of 18 in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Historical figures such as Marco Polo, Alexander the Great, and Genghis Khan, among others, once visited his homeland. Noteworthy here is the fact that Shawn inherited from both of his parents a remarkable lineage of Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Tibetan, and Chinese ancestry. It was due in large part to his having this multifarious background that Shawn was instilled with a fierce desire to erase international differences and to impact the ways in which human beings care for one another. His heartfelt desire for helping those in need stems from the time he witnessed, in a refugee camp at the age of six, the horrors of homelessness, hunger, disease, and despair. These tragic scenes, etched in his mind, moved him to join with others to alleviate such misery among the suffering peoples of the world.

At the age of seventeen, the United States government invited Shawn from the Far East to study as an exchange student in the United States. He was then sent to Europe and Asia to act as an Ambassador for American Education. A year later, on his own, Shawn traveled back to the U.S., desiring to further his American studies. With this goal in mind he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Political Science and Economics. Later on, he received his LLB Degree (Juris Doctor) in International Law for the purpose of serving those suffering from human rights abuses in the developing world.

As a recording artist Shawn has just completed a new CD of love songs entitled Songs to Fall in Love…Again. As a designer, he has a line of products that include both a Jewelry Collection and a Perfume Collection known as ONENESS, characterized by a philosophy that “exhorts individuals to challenge themselves to reach beyond the boundaries of ones self, and to awaken to the spirit of oneness inherent in humankind.” In all of these products and other endeavors, Shawn is committed to share in royalties and to dedicate his time and effort in promoting and supporting causes that are in the service of alleviating homelessness, hunger disease, and despair.

Shawn’s motto is, “Challenge yourself…” He feels that anyone can achieve anything if one challenges oneself enough. According to Shawn, “A unified humanity can collectively resolve problems… Divided, we only serve to create them.” Further, Shawn sees, “The challenge is individually and collectively to awaken our true potential for goodness and greatness, and to realize that positive change begins with us.”

Mr. Leviton is a co-founding partner of Block & Leviton LLP and focuses his practice on investor protection and shareholder rights matters.  He is also the co-chair of the Firm’s New Case Investigation Team.  After receiving his law degree from the Gonzaga School of Law (cum laude, Editor of the International Law Journal, member of the Moot Court Council), Mr. Leviton attended the Georgetown University Law Center and received a Master’s of Law (LL.M.) in Securities and Financial Regulation (Dean’s Award, 1of 6).  While attending Georgetown, he was the inaugural LL.M. student selected for an externship with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Enforcement Division, in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Leviton is currently a member of the Association of Securities and Exchange Commission Alumni. 

Mr. Leviton has dedicated his practice to upholding shareholder rights.  Prior to forming Block & Leviton, he was an attorney at two of the preeminent securities class action firms in the nation and worked on behalf of numerous institutional and individual investors.  For instance, Mr. Leviton represented several State of Ohio Pension Funds against BP following the largest oil spill in United States history (In re BP plc Securities Litigation, 10-cv-2185 (S.D.Tex.)).  He was also instrumental in recovering $10.5 million in the Welmon v. Chicago Bridge & Iron, 06-CV-01283,securities class action litigation.  In that case, Mr. Leviton represented Fortis Investments, a major European asset management company and, in addition to the monetary settlement, was able to institute numerous corporate governance changes at the company.  In granting the Chicago Bridge & Iron settlement, the Honorable John Sprizzo stated that “Plaintiffs’ Counsel have conducted the litigation and achieved the Settlement with skill, perseverance and diligent advocacy.”  Chicago Bridge & Iron, 06-CV-01283 (June 3, 2008).  Moreover, in the Ong v. Sears Roebuck & Co., 03 C 4142 (N.D. Ill.), securities class action, Mr. Leviton represented the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois (SURS) and helped settle the action for $15.5 million.  He also represented the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, the Policemen’s Annuity & Benefit Fund of Chicago, the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Fund in the securities class action against MF Global that recently settled for $90.0 million.  See Rubin v. MF Global, LTD., et al., 08-cv-02233 (S.D.N.Y.).  Likewise, he was a member of the In re VeriSign Securities Litigation, C-02-2270 (N.D. Cal.) team that recovered more than $78.0 million for investors.  Furthermore, Mr. Leviton represented the Oklahoma Firefighter’s Pension and Retirement System in In re Smith & Wesson Corp. Securities Litigation, 07-cv-30238 (D. Mass.).  He has also litigated and settled cases involving SourceCorp, Inc., 04-cv-02351 (N.D. Tex.) (settled for $3.0 million), Xybernaut Corporation, 05-cv-01705 (E.D.Va) (settled for $6.3 million), and Mid-American Waste Management, C-2-97-449 (S.D. Ohio) (settled for $7.5 million).  

Mr. Leviton also has considerable experience litigating cases involving mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and other toxic assets.  For example, he represented the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office and the Wyoming Retirement System in the In re IndyMac Mortgage-Backed Securities Litigation, 09-Civ.-04583 (S.D.N.Y.), and SURS in an action involving General Electric (In re General Electric Securities Litigation, 09-cv-0195 (S.D.N.Y.)).  Similarly, he represented the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System and the Municipal Police Employees’ Retirement System of Louisiana in the In re BankUnited Financial Corp. Securities Litigation, 08 CIV 22572 (S.D. Fla.) action that recently settled for $3.0 million.  

In addition to his class action experiences, Mr. Leviton has litigated other forms of complex litigation.  For instance, he worked with a former State of New York Attorney General in the defense of an attorney accused of insider trading, which included a criminal referral to the United States Department of Justice.  He was also heavily involved in the representation of four detainees being held at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Station in Cuba.

Mr. Leviton is a frequent commentator and author on issues relating to the federal securities laws and corporate governance issues.  For example, he has been a recurring guest on Rights Radio, including programs entitled “Stock Fraud: How to Get A Portion of Your Money Bank”and “Protecting Shareholder Rights Through Civil Prosecutorial Litigation.”  He was also interviewed and quoted by Securities Law360 in an article entitled “CB&I Settles Securities Class Action for $10 million”.  Likewise, he was the primary author of SEC Litigation Release No. 18638, “SEC Charges Cedric Kushner Promotions and Three of its Officers and Directors with Fraud; Chairman and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer Charged with Filing False Certifications Required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002”and was acknowledged for contribution in a Nebraska Law Review article entitled, “After the Ball is Over:  Investor Remedies in the Wake of the Dot-Com Crash and Recent Corporate Scandals.”  Mr. Leviton was also invited to speak with Georgetown University Law Center students on issues arising when prosecuting securities class action lawsuits.          

Mr. Leviton has always been active in his community as well.  For example, he tutored at-risk children, volunteered at several Rotary Club fundraising events, and participated with the Kiwanis Club’s Mentally Challenged Adults Program.  He was also an Election Supervisor for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election and the 2010 Mid-Term Elections.

Mr. Leviton is admitted to the Bars of Massachusetts and the District of Columbia and is on voluntary inactive status for the Bars of Washington State and Florida.  He is also a member of the District of Massachusetts, District of the District of Columbia, and Western District of Washington federal courts.

A gifted medical intuitive, Stewart Swerdlow is a clairvoyant who has the ability to see auric fields and personal archetypes as well as read DNA sequences and mind-patterns.

His great-uncle, Yakov Swerdlow, was the first president of the Soviet Union, and his grandfather helped form the Communist Party in the United States in the 1930s. To ensure that his loyalties stayed with the US government, he was "recruited" for specific government mind-control experiments which enhanced his natural abilities.

He spent years in service to various US and foreign government agencies and special interest groups. His mind and body were used for genetic and mind-control experiments which led to severe illness, broken relationships, and premature Kundalini activation.

After several years of deep self-analysis, Stewart merged with higher levels of his multidimensional self, which saved his life. His mission is to help others heal themselves in a positive way, thus avoiding the negativity he experienced.

Stewart, a linguist who speaks ten languages, says that the often considered "unused" 90% portion of the brain is actually in constant communication with the Mind of God, receiving information in the Language of Hyperspace, an interuniversal and interspecies language which consists of color, tone, and archetype.

Because people are not usually trained to understand this language, only a small amount of this information is able to filter through to the conscious mind, mostly in the dream state. By learning Swerdlow Hyperspace Techniques™, you can consciously learn to access this language as well as unlock DNA sequences preprogrammed within you since the beginning of your existence. This new information will give you practical applications, allow you to learn who and what you are, as well as help you understand your reason for being.

Margaret Cho was born Dec. 5, 1968 and raised in San Francisco. “It was different than any other place on Earth,” she says. “I grew up and went to grammar school on Haight Street during the ’70s. There were old hippies, ex-druggies, burnouts from the ’60s, drag queens, and Chinese people. To say it was a melting pot – that’s the least of it. It was a really confusing, enlightening, wonderful time.”

Her grandfather was a Methodist minister who ran an orphanage in Seoul during the Korean War. Ignoring the traditions of her patriarchal culture, her mother bravely resisted an arranged marriage in Korea and married Margaret’s father who writes joke books – in Korean. “Books like 1001 Jokes for Public Speakers – real corny stuff,” Cho says. “I guess we’re in the same line of work. But we don’t understand each other that way. I don’t know why the things he says are funny and the same for him.”

What Margaret did know is that she didn’t love being a kid. Racing toward adulthood to escape bullying, she began writing jokes for stand up at 14 and professionally performing at age 16. Getting picked on, and feeling disenfranchised, is a subject that’s very near to Margaret’s heart. She has become a sort of “Patron Saint” for Outsiders, speaking for them when they are not able to speak for themselves. “Being bullied influenced my adult life because I grew up too fast. I was in such a hurry to escape that I cheated myself out of a childhood. I didn’t want to go to school any more, didn’t want to be around those people any more. I want to use what happened to me to help other kids.”

Soon after starting her Stand Up career, Margaret won a comedy contest where first prize was opening for Jerry Seinfeld. She moved to Los Angeles in the early ’90s and, still in her early twenties, hit the college circuit, where she immediately became the most booked act in the market and garnered a nomination for “Campus Comedian of The Year.” She performed over 300 concerts within two years. Arsenio Hall introduced her to late night audiences, Bob Hope put her on a prime time special and, seemingly overnight, Margaret Cho became a national celebrity.

Her groundbreaking, controversial, and short-lived ABC sitcom, All-American Girl (1994) soon followed. Oddly, while chosen because of who she was – a non-conformist Korean American woman with liberal views – the powers-that-be then decided they wanted her to “tone it down” for the show. Challenging Margaret’s feelings for both who she was and how she looked, she soon realized that though she was an Executive Producer, it was a battle she would not win. “For fear of being too “ethnic,” the show got so watered down for television that by the end, it was completely lacking in the essence of what I am and what I do.”

The experience was a traumatic one, bringing up unresolved feelings left over from childhood, and Margaret developed an eating disorder as a response to criticism about her body. She was so obsessive in her goal to try to be what she thought others wanted, she landed in the hospital with kidney failure. Through out a period of self-abuse, Margaret continued performing to sold-out audiences across the country in comedy clubs, theaters, and on college campuses, working to channel her anger in to something more positive.

In 1999, her groundbreaking, off Broadway one-woman show, I’m The One That I Want, toured the country to national acclaim and was made into a best-selling book and feature film of the same name. After her experience with All-American Girl, Margaret wanted to make sure she would only have to answer to herself, making sure she was responsible for the distribution and sales of her film, taking a page from what music artist Ani DiFranco did with her Righteous Babe Records. The concert film, which garnered incredible reviews, broke records for most money grossed per print in movie history. In 2001, after the success of her first tour, Cho launched Notorious C.H.O., a smash-hit 37-city national tour that culminated in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. Notorious C.H.O. was recorded and released as a feature film, hailed by the New York Times as “Brilliant!” Both films were acquired by Showtime Cable Networks, and produced by Margaret’s production company, a testament to the success of Margaret’s bold business model.

In March of 2003, Margaret embarked on her third sold-out national tour, Revolution. It was heralded by the Chicago Sun Times as “Her strongest show yet!” and the CD recording was nominated for a Grammy for Comedy Album of the Year. In 2005, Cho released Assassin, which The Chicago Tribune crowed “Packs passion in to each punch.” The concert film premiered in select theatres and on the gay and lesbian premium channel Here! TV in late 2005.

In 2007, Margaret hit the road with Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry and Erasure, along with indie faves The Dresden Dolls and The Cliks, to host the True Colors Tour, benefiting the Human Rights Campaign. A true entertainment pioneer, Margaret also created and starred in The Sensuous Woman, a live variety show featuring vaudevillian burlesque and comedy, which she took for an extended off-Broadway run in the fall.

Margaret returned to TV in 2008 on the VH1 series, The Cho Show. Describing it as a ‘reality sitcom,’ Margaret said at the time, “It’s the closest I’ve been able to come on television to what I do as a comic.” The Cho Show followed Margaret, her real parents, and her eccentric entourage through a series of irreverent and outrageous experiences, shaped by Margaret’s ‘anything goes’ brand of stand-up. It was beloved for the audience it was intended for, the ones who maybe don’t quite fit in, who knew Margaret is one of them.

The aptly titled Beautiful came next, exploring the good, bad and ugly in beauty, and the unattractive politicians and marketers who shape our world. The concert premiered in Australia at The Sydney Theater, marking the first time Margaret debuted a tour abroad. While touring through the US, the concert was filmed at the Long Beach theatre, aired as a special on Showtime in 2009, and then released as both a DVD and a book. Venus Zine hailed Margaret, and the show, saying “her fierce activism, which addresses bigger issues such as what it’s like to be demoralized by your country and culture…(left) no subject too taboo for the fearless stand-up queen.”

In 2009 Margaret nabbed a starring role in the comedy/drama series Drop Dead Diva, airing on Lifetime. Now entering its third season, Margaret is enjoying being part of a team, and not necessarily having the sole responsibility for keeping things afloat. “(Drop Dead Diva) is very fulfilling. It’s a lot about the things I talk about, like body image, and women feeling good about themselves, and learning to be visible. It’s very powerful. I also feel relaxed because I am hired to play a role, and it almost feels like a luxury to have a project I care about so much but not have to lead or control anything.” The show stars Brooke Elliott as lawyer Jane Bingum and Margaret as her gal Friday, Terri.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Margaret stepped right up to the proverbial plate when asked to do Season 11 of the #1 rated Dancing with the Stars. Paired with pro Louie Van Amstel, Margaret was on one of the show’s most controversial seasons, dancing alongside Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, David Hasselhoff, Jennifer Grey and Bristol Palin among others. “I really wanted to do DWTS so much. I love the show and I love dancing. It seemed like it would be very exciting, which it was. It was also very difficult because I was touring as well. Louie and I would travel all week, rehearse during the day, drive back on Sunday nights and sleep in the parking lot of CBS where they filmed the show! It was a very stressful experience but I’d love to do it again.”

Margaret got a very strong reaction to her Rainbow Dancing Dress during a time when the issue of bullying, especially among gay teens, was all over the media. “I am very proud to have been able to wear a gay pride dress on a show that is so conservative. It is a wonderful thing to have every one remember me by, that I took time to acknowledge people who matter to me. I wanted to send an urgent message to gay teenagers to make them feel included and loved. That dress was my statement to them about pride.”

2010 culminated with another high honor, a second Grammy Award nomination for Comedy Album of the Year for Cho Dependent, her incredibly funny collection of music featuring collaborations with Fiona Apple, Andrew Bird, Grant Lee Phillips, Tegan & Sarah, Ben Lee and more. The album received critical acclaim, with The Oregonian stating, “This was a chance to see and hear an already drop-dead funny diva growing, flexing new musical muscle, and fearlessly mature.” The album is funny, yes, but also quite musical, featuring not only her surprisingly strong singing voice, but her skill on the guitar, banjo and dulcimer. “I was inspired to make beautiful music with a comic edge.  Growing up, music was an escape, but also something I was always curious about as an art form. I had a decent amount of musical ability, but also have great musician friends who were very willing to help me. I took this very seriously, taking vocal and guitar lessons while I was touring. I was very devoted to learning and understanding how I could accompany myself.” So much so that she’d pick up lessons at music clinics along the road where her fellow students were 12 year olds who wanted to play the Hives and The Strokes.

Margaret self released Cho Dependent on her own Clownery Records, and was very heartened by the acclaim as there are only a handful of people putting out albums of comedy music: “Weird” Al Yankovic, Flight of the Conchords, The Lonely Island, to name a few, but no women. While thrilled that her hard work was rewarded with the nomination, Margaret still has more music in her, an album tentatively titled Yellow. “It is in its beginning stages. It’s very Beatle-esque at the moment, with songs about race, agedness and ethnicity. Writing lyrics is a different process for me than writing Stand Up. It utilizes the same elements, but it’s a more demanding discipline. You have more freedom with comedy writing than with lyrics, where mathematics comes in to play so the lyrics go with the music.”

Along with the two Grammy nods, Margaret has been recognized in many other areas as well. She was the recipient of the Victory Fund’s 2008 Leadership Award and the first ever Best Comedy Performance Award at the 2007 Asian Excellence Awards. She also received the First Amendment Award from the ACLU of Southern California, and the Intrepid Award from the National Organization for Women (NOW). Throughout her career, she has been honored by GLAAD, American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and PFLAG for making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for all, regardless of race, sexual orientation or gender identity. In June of 2011, Margaret will be honored by LA Pride, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes an individual whose lifetime body of work has left a lasting major imprint on the LGBT community.

“It’s a wonderful thing to be known as a ‘safe haven’ for people. A lot people who come to my shows don’t necessarily consider themselves traditional comedy fans. I seem to be a safe alternative for people who don’t think they’re being represented in society. They come because my point of view satisfies a lot of what needs to be said out there, and that makes me really proud.”

Chip Coffey is an internationally acclaimed psychic, medium, paranormal investigator, speaker and writer. He is the great-grandson of famed Native American medicine woman Minnie Sue Morrow Foster. (He is also distantly related to General Robert E. Lee and Thomas Coffey, an actor who performed with Edwin and John Wilkes Booth.)

Chip was born in Upstate New York, spent much of his childhood in South Carolina, and now resides in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

His psychic abilities manifested themselves when he was a young child and, after successful careers in traditional counseling, the entertainment industry and travel management, he began working full-time as a psychic and medium in 2001. Since that time, he has conducted thousands of readings for clients all around the world.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called Chip "every bit as accurate as John Edward" and InStyle magazine said "Chip Coffey is a cross between John Edward and Dr. Phil...a psychic who doesn't hesitate to tell it like it is." Fate and Fortune, a European magazine, featured an article about Chip's visit to the ruins of the World Trade Center with the widow of a man who died there on 9-11.

Chip hosted Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal, a one hour documentary pilot, followed by three seasons of the groundbreaking series that aired on both A&E and Biography. Psychic Kids aired in numerous international markets, including Canada, Mexico, the UK, Central America, South America, Australia and Norway.

Chip was featured on thirty-one episodes of the popular A&E Network series, Paranormal State.  He also appeared twice on the popular CNN television show, Larry King Live, and has been featured on Good Morning America, Tyra (with Tyra Banks), Entertainment Tonight and The Insider.

Articles that Chip has written have appeared in regional and national publications. His first book, Growing Up Psychic, will be published by Random House in 2012.

He is an avid animal rescue advocate and works with groups across the United States to save animals' lives. Chip also volunteers with various hospice-related organizations. A firm believer in God and His Angels, Chip believes that miracles, great and small, happen each and every day.