Skype won't luanch

I am having trouble launching Skype. When I try to send the Skype help people an inquiry it won't send it because it believes my question is answered somewhere in its database of Q&A. I download the program OK, and then install it. When I am finished I see a Skype shortcut icon on my desktop but no launch icon on the bottom bar. When I click on the icon I see an hourglass icon for a few seconds and then nothing happens. I have tried several times to re-download the program but I always get the same result. I have a Zone Alarm Pro firewall, but I don't think this is the problem becase I followed Skype's tutorial for using it with Zone Alarm Pro. Does anybody have any ideas?