In January, the job search websites go crazy as people start the new year resolved to find work that's more satisfying.

"While thousands of people are dealing with the tragedy of unemployment, many others are looking for jobs that are more fulfilling than the ones they have," says attorney and author Pamela Samuels Young, www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

In January 2013, job search website Indeed.com had a record 17.3 million unique visitors?a 24-percent jump, and January 2014 will likely see a similar increase. Many of those job seekers won't be looking for just a job, but one they're passionate about.

"It's great if your day job is your passion," Young says. "But if it's not, you don't have to give up a position that pays the bills in order to pursue your dream. You can do both."

Since 2006, Young has pursued her passion?writing legal thrillers?as well as her day job as Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for Toyota Motors Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

"I enjoy practicing law and I didn't want to leave Toyota, nor could I afford to. But I also had a burning desire to write mystery novels," says Young. She recently released her sixth novel, "Anybody's Daughter." Described by Kirkus Reviews as a "fast-paced, well-written thriller that's grounded in social issues," the book takes readers inside the shocking world of child sex trafficking in the United States.

"I've always believed that if you have a dream, you should formulate a plan and make it happen. So that's what I did."

Young's plan included rising at 4 a.m. to squeeze in some writing time before heading off to work, and turning weekends and vacation time into creation time.

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that I've published six novels, while still practicing law," she says. "The hard work and commitment have definitely paid off."

Young offers these tips for busy professionals itching to pursue their own passions.

· Schedule time to devote to your passion. "On my calendar, you'll find a few hours or full days blocked out as 'Writing Time' every week," Young says. "You have to schedule time for your passion. If you don't, the day-to-day demands of life will get in the way."

· Put "passion" time ahead of "pleasure" time. If you're working full-time and pursuing another "job," you won't have a lot of free time. "You'll have to cut back on watching television, socializing with friends and even family time," Young says. "Explain your goals to friends and family. People who have your best interests at heart will support you. "But do take an occasional break to relax.  Otherwise, you'll burn yourself out by working around the clock."

· Learn from others. Surround yourself with people who share your passion. Sign up for newsletters, read books and join communities of other like-minded people, Young says. "There are tons of professional groups whose sole function is to help their members develop their creative talents and business goals." Young is a diehard member of Sisters in Crime, an organization that promotes the advancement of women mystery writers. "Not only will you get energy and inspiration from networking with others, you'll grow."

· Don't put your day job on the backburner. Young says it's important to give your day job 100 percent. "I never want my co-workers to think I'm phoning it in because I also have a writing career." That attitude has paid off. "I have a strong support system at work. My co-workers read my books, critique my manuscripts and come to book signings." Many of the people Young thanks in the Acknowledgements in each of her books are co-workers. Her fourth novel is even dedicated to another Toyota attorney.

"Don't just dream about pursuing your passion," Young says, "make it happen!"

About Samuels Young

Pamela Samuels Young is a novelist, motivational speaker and Managing Counsel for Labor and Employment Law for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., the sales and distribution arm for Toyota and Lexus vehicles in North America. She published the first of her six legal thrillers in 2006.  "Anybody's Daughter" is her latest. Young worked as a news writer and associate producer for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles before leaving that career to attend UC Berkeley School of Law, where, in her thirties, she pursued her dream of becoming a lawyer. To contact Young or read an excerpt of her novels, visit www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com.

By Senator Tom Harkin

In 1991, the Committee on Economic Development issued a landmark report titled "The Unfinished Agenda: A New Vision for Child Development and Education."  The group consisted of some of the top business executives in America who took a tough-minded look at American education, and concluded that the highest rate of return on investment for our education dollars would come from investing in early learning from birth to age five.

More recently, in 2010, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - again, tough-minded business executives - issued a major report.  And their report concluded that quality early learning is critical to our national economic security.

If we fail to invest in children early on, during the period of their most rapid development, those children are more likely to enter school behind. If the playing field is unleveled at the outset, how can we hope to remain a nation of promise and prosperity for all? It is with that in mind that I have introduced the Strong Start for America's Children Act, a bill that would greatly expand access to high-quality early learning experiences for children from birth to kindergarten entry.

Something that we need to expunge from our lexicon is the term "pre-school."  There is no such thing as pre-school because we know that learning begins at birth and the preparation for learning begins before birth.  My bill reinforces this idea by ensuring that our most vulnerable children have the support they need to be healthy, happy, and ready for school on the first day of kindergarten. We start by creating new early learning quality partnerships, so that Early Head Start grantees can partner with center-based and family child care providers to offer infants and toddlers full-day, full-year, high-quality services.

I also proposed a new federal-state partnership to accelerate the work currently being done in states to support high-quality early learning for 3- and 4-year olds.  To receive funding through the partnership, states must support programs that are of high-quality, meaning programs must have well-trained teachers, low class sizes, low child-to-staff ratios, curricula that are developmentally appropriate, and programs must provide other services that support the non-academic needs of kids, including nutritious foods, physical activity, and strong parent and family engagement.  These are the kinds of common-sense, research-based activities and services that any parent would want for their child, and they also reflect the type of support that many states and communities are currently providing in their early learning programs.

I want to thank President Obama for calling for this deep investment in early learning during his State of the Union.  This legislation follows through on that vision.  But it will also face opposition from those who say we can't afford it.  The evidence and research around early learning is too strong to ignore and if we don't invest now, we will pay for it later in the form of high school drop-outs and crowded prisons.  Quite simply, failing to invest in high-quality early learning is against our moral and economic responsibility as a nation.

For more information, please visit Senator Harkin's website at  http://harkin.senate.gov/, or follow him on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/ and Twitter  https://twitter.com/.

A PDF version of this article is available here.

History Publishing Company to Publish Book on National Decline

Reversing America's Decline Has Special Message for college and university students

Neal Herrick's new book, Reversing America's Decline: Jefferson's Approach, calls on college and university students   to ignite a movement aimed at reforming our federal government. "Just as the courage, idealism and energy of students in the early 1960's re-energized the civil rights movement," Herrick writes, "the students of today could ignite a movement to reverse America's decline

Neal  Herrick's forthcoming book calls on rank-and-file Republicans and Democrats to join together in pursuing a specific, politically feasible strategy for reforming the federal government. He outlines the strategy in his forthcoming book.

This book from History Publishing Company addresses   America's major problem: its political, economic and moral decline. This decline, according to Reversing America's Decline, is not part of an inevitable cycle. It has specific causes and those causes have specific remedies. To apply these remedies, a major overhaul of our governmental structure is required the author holds. Herrick reaches back to the Founding Fathers, Jefferson specifically, to point the way clearly  defined  in the Federalist Papers, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and shows the way to a  reformation sorely needed to  halt  America's decline.

Reversing America's Decline: Jefferson's Approach will be published January 14, 2014 and will be in Barnes and Noble bookstores, Amazon, BN.com and other fine book stores.

Contact: Don Bracken, djb@historypublishingco.com, (Tel) 845-398-8161

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2013 - The United States Department of Agriculture and the Brazil Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food made a joint statement today:

The United States and Brazil are two of the world's largest agricultural producers and exporters. Over the last 20 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA) have collaborated on many agriculture issues and currently have some 100 agricultural cooperative activities. As global leaders in the use of innovative agricultural production technologies, both countries share a keen interest in exploring further agricultural cooperation.

Both Brazil and the United States maintain a strong commitment to science-based rulemaking. USDA and MAPA recently agreed to a path forward to amend rules that currently limit bilateral beef trade. Bilateral trade of all beef and beef products could occur once each exporting country meets the importing country's equivalence and technical requirements for animal health and food safety.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).