"Give Brain Candy:Feed Kids' Minds, not Their Cavities."That's the motto ofhttp://www.booksfortreats.org/.Begun 3 years ago by a friend in San Jose, this program is now spreading around the U.S.--to the delight of most parents and teachers. (Method:Buy "gently-used" children's books at library and garage sales and give out instead of candy.)

Above website has plenty of suggestions for how to do this.  Take a look.  Also tell your local librarians of the program.

"To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation."--Fran�ois de La Rochefoucauld

Ninth annual "Better Conversation Week," Nov. 23-29, 2009.A chance to engage in rich, meaningful conversation when you get together with family and friends during Thanksgiving week.(The processes of the Better Conversation Kit show you how.)

"Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing."

a.Oliver Goldsmith  b.Albert Schweitzer

c.Eleanor Roosevelt d.Rudyard Kipling

Check your answer at the end of today's article.

"I told my psychiatrist that everyone hates me. He said I was being ridiculous - everyone hasn't met me yet."

--Rodney Dangerfield

Meaning:creating dissension or dischord

"Bernie's comments were so divisive that the meeting adjourned."

(Say the word aloud, then check pronunciation at end of today's article.)

*1 : an abusive expression or speech

2 : insulting or abusive language

Example Sentence

"Despite the wife's pleas to stop, her angry husband continued to hurl invective."

Loren Ekroth �2009, all rights reserved

Loren Ekroth, Ph.D. is a specialist in human communication anda national expert on conversation for business and social life.

Contact atLoren@conversationmatters.com