Now, if you are interested in being the best player, getting really good money and knowing some tricks and advices of what to do in a live tournament games, here is the best place to learn them.
1) Try not to get drunk
Some of the people that are playing, and that have few rounds to play in the tournament don't count the drinks they have during their games and at the very end of the day they don't have power to continue till the last game, which is a pity to loose such a big opportunity, so, don't drink a lot and be prepare for the last round, also come up with all your senses in order. If you drink, do it measurable and just to loose the nerves before the games but also have some other drinks like soda, water, coffee and others to hydrate your self.
2) Is it important where I sit?
Yes it is, in a tournament try not to sit next to the dealer, take a place in where you will feel that you are in front of the dealer to have the feeling that he is giving you a game. Also in a place where you will feel comfortable with your self and you will have a perspective of the other players.
3) Make your self comfortable while playing
Don't show the other players with your position what you cards are telling you. Make sure to seat back and relax, don't adopt positions that will make you move too much or feel uncomfortable during the time of the game. Some players in the tournaments show their game with the position they adopt while playing either putting the elbows on the table or resting in the bumper.
4) Do the most important thing in the brake.
Don't get distracted from what you really need to do in the brake. Take your time to go to the bathroom and rest, sometimes the discussions about the previous game or lines for getting drinks will waste your time for what is really important.
5) Also your words and mimic are important during the game.
When ever you are playing don't show your cards to the other player in the way you talk or look, is important that they will have other impression, for example in your hand Is good you can try on making faces or saying words that show that your hand is not good, then people will think you have a bad game and you will surprise them at the end. This doesn't work all the time so try to find different ways to hide your game.Also you can read the other player's movements and words to see either they are lying or telling the truth in the hand.
Conclusion:
Ok, right now you are equipped with the best advices from the experienced card players at Live Tournament Games, then just bring all your energies and talent to the tournaments. If you are looking for fun and you don't have friends around to play with, remember that there is always a way to play by your self, you will be always welcome at online casinos so go there is you like to gain some practice for your gaming skills.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Little Known Uses Of Engraving – Tips And Techniques
Engraving and its Many Applications
What is Engraving?
When lines or grooves are carved, etched or cut into a hard surface, we say it has been engraved. Engraving is commonly used on materials like metal, wood and stone. There are many applications for engraving, both decorative and functional. For example, printing, manufacturing and jewelry making all commonly incorporate engraving to produce the final product.
Engraving in Printing
Engraving is often used for printing. Most paper money produced today is engraved, and wedding invitations, personalized stationery, business cards and birth announcements are commonly custom ordered and engraved. The words and designs to be printed are engraved in a metal die, and the grooves are filled with ink. The die is then pressed to a card or paper, transferring the ink onto the paper. If you run your fingertips over the paper, you can feel the raised ink of the letters.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving is currently a popular form of engraving. A laser is used to cut designs into the surface of the object being engraved. It is easier to get into small or difficult spots with a laser than with a hand tool. The laser is often used in conjunction with a computer program that controls its movements. Laser engraving can be used to etch a logo and phone number on marketing tools such as pens, key chains and paperweights. Because the logo is engraved in the item, it does not rub off with use over time as printed logos often do. Leather, glass and plastic can also be engraved with lasers, and laser engraving can be used for industrial applications.
Engraving in Art
Engraving was commonly used to illustrate books and newspapers before photography was invented. Until the late 19th century, wood engraving was used to produce most of the pictures seen in printed material. An artist would draw the image on a wood block, then an engraver would engrave the picture into the wood. Engraving was also used to reproduce paintings.
Engraving Jewelry
Engraved jewelry has been around for a long time, and engraved designs have been seen on jewelry that is thousands of years old. It is common to give engraved jewelry as a gift. Silver and gold jewelry is often engraved with the name or initials of the owner or an inscription. Enamel is sometimes used to fill the grooves made by engraving the jewelry. Designs have long been engraved on gemstones, and jade and ivory are commonly engraved with beautiful images.
Engraving Gifts
Giving engraved items as gifts has been popular for years, and there are several shops that specialize in engraving gifts. Jewelry such as rings and bracelets are often engraved with initials or a short message. Pendants and lockets are frequently engraved with a dedication. Popular engraved gifts for men include cuff links, pocketknives, money clips and flasks. Aside from jewelry, popular engraved gifts for women include trinket boxes and key chains. For children, banks engraved with the child’s name are appreciated, and engraved photo frames make a nice gift for everyone.
What is Engraving?
When lines or grooves are carved, etched or cut into a hard surface, we say it has been engraved. Engraving is commonly used on materials like metal, wood and stone. There are many applications for engraving, both decorative and functional. For example, printing, manufacturing and jewelry making all commonly incorporate engraving to produce the final product.
Engraving in Printing
Engraving is often used for printing. Most paper money produced today is engraved, and wedding invitations, personalized stationery, business cards and birth announcements are commonly custom ordered and engraved. The words and designs to be printed are engraved in a metal die, and the grooves are filled with ink. The die is then pressed to a card or paper, transferring the ink onto the paper. If you run your fingertips over the paper, you can feel the raised ink of the letters.
Laser Engraving
Laser engraving is currently a popular form of engraving. A laser is used to cut designs into the surface of the object being engraved. It is easier to get into small or difficult spots with a laser than with a hand tool. The laser is often used in conjunction with a computer program that controls its movements. Laser engraving can be used to etch a logo and phone number on marketing tools such as pens, key chains and paperweights. Because the logo is engraved in the item, it does not rub off with use over time as printed logos often do. Leather, glass and plastic can also be engraved with lasers, and laser engraving can be used for industrial applications.
Engraving in Art
Engraving was commonly used to illustrate books and newspapers before photography was invented. Until the late 19th century, wood engraving was used to produce most of the pictures seen in printed material. An artist would draw the image on a wood block, then an engraver would engrave the picture into the wood. Engraving was also used to reproduce paintings.
Engraving Jewelry
Engraved jewelry has been around for a long time, and engraved designs have been seen on jewelry that is thousands of years old. It is common to give engraved jewelry as a gift. Silver and gold jewelry is often engraved with the name or initials of the owner or an inscription. Enamel is sometimes used to fill the grooves made by engraving the jewelry. Designs have long been engraved on gemstones, and jade and ivory are commonly engraved with beautiful images.
Engraving Gifts
Giving engraved items as gifts has been popular for years, and there are several shops that specialize in engraving gifts. Jewelry such as rings and bracelets are often engraved with initials or a short message. Pendants and lockets are frequently engraved with a dedication. Popular engraved gifts for men include cuff links, pocketknives, money clips and flasks. Aside from jewelry, popular engraved gifts for women include trinket boxes and key chains. For children, banks engraved with the child’s name are appreciated, and engraved photo frames make a nice gift for everyone.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Las Vegas: Top 5 Poker Rooms In Las Vegas
If you want to experience live poker action at the gambling Mecca of the world, here is a guide to the top poker rooms in Las Vegas. You can read here updated info on each of the recommended Las Vegas poker rooms including their game variety, limits and tournaments.
1) Bellagio Casino and Hotel
If you want to experience Las Vegas poker action and hang out with pros, the Bellagio is the casino for you. It is one of the classiest poker rooms available in Las Vegas. It is so popular that you might find yourself spending over an hour at the waiting list and then find yourself stuck with a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs.
The games offered are Texas Holdem, Omaha and stud games, and you can also join one of the tournaments, but note that this involves playing No Limit Holdem. As for the table limits for the regular games, these are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 4/8, 8/16, 15/30, 30/60, 60/120, 75/150 dollars and up.
b) No Limit Holdem: 200 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 6/12, 15/30, 20/40, 30/60, 50/100 dollars and up.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 4/8, 8/16, 30/60, 75/150 dollars and up.
2) Mirage Las Vegas
If you are tired of waiting for a table at Bellagio, the poker rooms at the Mirage can be an acceptable alternative. It resembles Bellagio's with its luxurious atmosphere, variety of games and its huge popularity among pros as well as tourists.
The games offered are Texas Holdem and Omaha, Stud and as the Bellagio, playing in a tournament means getting involved with No Limit Texas Holdem. As for the limits of each table in a regular game, they are:
a) Limit Holdem: 3/6, 6/12, 10/20, 20/40, 40/80 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: between 100 and 500 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 5/10 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 5/10.
3) Excalibur Las Vegas
If you want to play in a less stressful environment, check out the poker room at the Excalibur casino. You can play spread limit Holdem with the lowest limits available on the Strip and enjoy beginners friendly rules such as limitation on three raises. The room has been renovated recently and the poker tables and seats are very comfortable.
At the Excalibur, you can play Texas Holdem or 7 Card Stud, and the limits are slightly lower:
a) Limit Holdem: 1/3, 2/6 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars buy ins with 1/3 dollars blinds.
c) 7 Card Stud: 1/5 dollars and up.
4) Binions' Horseshoe Hotel and Casino
If you want to play at the same room where the first WSOP took place, you must visit Binions' poker room. Although the casino has been renovated and went through many changes since the days of Nick the Greek, the ghosts of the past still haunt the place, but in a good way.
Here too you can play Texas Holdem, No Limit Holdem in their own tournament, Omaha and Stud games for the following limits:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 4/8, 10/20 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 1/2 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 4/8 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5.
5) Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino
If you want to follow in the steps of the 2006 WSOP champions, check out the Rio poker room. You might be surprised from the size and the small variety of games, but the thought of sharing the same location with contemporary gaming legends adds a certain appeal to it.
Other than taking part in the tournament where you can participate in some No Limit Holdem, you can pick from Texas Holdem, 7 Card Stud, Omaha or a few other variations according to what players request. The limits are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 3/6, 4/8 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
1) Bellagio Casino and Hotel
If you want to experience Las Vegas poker action and hang out with pros, the Bellagio is the casino for you. It is one of the classiest poker rooms available in Las Vegas. It is so popular that you might find yourself spending over an hour at the waiting list and then find yourself stuck with a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs.
The games offered are Texas Holdem, Omaha and stud games, and you can also join one of the tournaments, but note that this involves playing No Limit Holdem. As for the table limits for the regular games, these are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 4/8, 8/16, 15/30, 30/60, 60/120, 75/150 dollars and up.
b) No Limit Holdem: 200 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 6/12, 15/30, 20/40, 30/60, 50/100 dollars and up.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 4/8, 8/16, 30/60, 75/150 dollars and up.
2) Mirage Las Vegas
If you are tired of waiting for a table at Bellagio, the poker rooms at the Mirage can be an acceptable alternative. It resembles Bellagio's with its luxurious atmosphere, variety of games and its huge popularity among pros as well as tourists.
The games offered are Texas Holdem and Omaha, Stud and as the Bellagio, playing in a tournament means getting involved with No Limit Texas Holdem. As for the limits of each table in a regular game, they are:
a) Limit Holdem: 3/6, 6/12, 10/20, 20/40, 40/80 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: between 100 and 500 dollars buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 5/10 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5, 5/10.
3) Excalibur Las Vegas
If you want to play in a less stressful environment, check out the poker room at the Excalibur casino. You can play spread limit Holdem with the lowest limits available on the Strip and enjoy beginners friendly rules such as limitation on three raises. The room has been renovated recently and the poker tables and seats are very comfortable.
At the Excalibur, you can play Texas Holdem or 7 Card Stud, and the limits are slightly lower:
a) Limit Holdem: 1/3, 2/6 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars buy ins with 1/3 dollars blinds.
c) 7 Card Stud: 1/5 dollars and up.
4) Binions' Horseshoe Hotel and Casino
If you want to play at the same room where the first WSOP took place, you must visit Binions' poker room. Although the casino has been renovated and went through many changes since the days of Nick the Greek, the ghosts of the past still haunt the place, but in a good way.
Here too you can play Texas Holdem, No Limit Holdem in their own tournament, Omaha and Stud games for the following limits:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 4/8, 10/20 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 1/2 dollars blinds.
c) Omaha: 4/8 dollars.
d) Stud Poker: 1/5.
5) Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino
If you want to follow in the steps of the 2006 WSOP champions, check out the Rio poker room. You might be surprised from the size and the small variety of games, but the thought of sharing the same location with contemporary gaming legends adds a certain appeal to it.
Other than taking part in the tournament where you can participate in some No Limit Holdem, you can pick from Texas Holdem, 7 Card Stud, Omaha or a few other variations according to what players request. The limits are as follows:
a) Limit Holdem: 2/4, 3/6, 4/8 dollars.
b) No Limit Holdem: 100 dollars minimum buy ins with 2/5 dollars blinds.
Las Vegas: How To Have Non Gambling Related Fun
Last month, my wife, Anne Doe, took me to Las Vegas because she had to go for a business convention. Needless to say, she writes for an guide to casinos and I hate gambling. But then, she likes it and this supports us too, so I went along without any hassle. At first I was depressed, but then as I asked around and looked around, I ended up having more fun in Las Vegas than I would have thought. And no. I did not enter a single casino while I was there.
Entertainment:
One of the greatest things about Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City (but especially Las Vegas) is the number of shows that are available. You can get to watch top class comedians like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano, Tim Allen and even the likes of Bill Cosby and Chris Rock. If you are into music you can watch female singers like Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Beyonc?, male performers like Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Snoopy Dog and bands like Oasis and Bon Jovi. I could go on and on but the list is endless. If you are into magic you can watch magicians like David Copperfield do their thing meters from you. Whatever you like, you can find it here from Western music to oldies to Jazz, Rock, Heavy Mettle to Trance. All you have to do is look at the itenary offered during your visit.
Food:
Chinese to Japanese to Korean to Jewish and even Vegetarian and proper meat eating establishments await your every delight in Vegas. Do not opt for the cheap and oily fried dishes served for free while you play. Stop a while and take in the delightful scenery and smells of East Asian or European dishes. What is wondrous is that you get to see man's ability to mix. A real melting pot if I may say so myself.
But is that all what casino cities like Las Vegas are about? Do you have to remain in the city to really and truly enjoy your stay?
No.
Here are some of the better attractions you must see on your visit to Vegas:
Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon:
Book yourself a seat on any of the many sightseeing tours available and go and watch the architectural marvel that is Hoover Dam built over the Grand canyon which is also a grand sight to see by itself. Black Canyon is another must see as is Lake Mead which is so beautiful just because it is a body of water all surrounded by desert-like nature.
Colorado River:
While looking at the Dam and Canyon is from above, to see the true beauty of the river, you have to go down. The Colorado river is excellent for river-rafting and water sports, but you do not have to take part if it is not your thing. Instead just sit back and enjoy another of nature's marvels.
Bonnie Springs:
Who can not resist going to one of the old towns like those in the Western gun slinging movies? Your destination needs to be Old Nevada. There you can delight in an old western town right in the middle of Red Rock Canyon. They host western shootouts too so come prepared, partner!
Conclusion:
I could go on and on about other attractions like the theme park in Circus Circus, the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve and Mt. Charleston but I think you get the picture. In Las Vegas and hate gambling? Do not despair. Just go out and have some clean un-gambling fun.
Entertainment:
One of the greatest things about Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City (but especially Las Vegas) is the number of shows that are available. You can get to watch top class comedians like Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano, Tim Allen and even the likes of Bill Cosby and Chris Rock. If you are into music you can watch female singers like Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Beyonc?, male performers like Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Snoopy Dog and bands like Oasis and Bon Jovi. I could go on and on but the list is endless. If you are into magic you can watch magicians like David Copperfield do their thing meters from you. Whatever you like, you can find it here from Western music to oldies to Jazz, Rock, Heavy Mettle to Trance. All you have to do is look at the itenary offered during your visit.
Food:
Chinese to Japanese to Korean to Jewish and even Vegetarian and proper meat eating establishments await your every delight in Vegas. Do not opt for the cheap and oily fried dishes served for free while you play. Stop a while and take in the delightful scenery and smells of East Asian or European dishes. What is wondrous is that you get to see man's ability to mix. A real melting pot if I may say so myself.
But is that all what casino cities like Las Vegas are about? Do you have to remain in the city to really and truly enjoy your stay?
No.
Here are some of the better attractions you must see on your visit to Vegas:
Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon:
Book yourself a seat on any of the many sightseeing tours available and go and watch the architectural marvel that is Hoover Dam built over the Grand canyon which is also a grand sight to see by itself. Black Canyon is another must see as is Lake Mead which is so beautiful just because it is a body of water all surrounded by desert-like nature.
Colorado River:
While looking at the Dam and Canyon is from above, to see the true beauty of the river, you have to go down. The Colorado river is excellent for river-rafting and water sports, but you do not have to take part if it is not your thing. Instead just sit back and enjoy another of nature's marvels.
Bonnie Springs:
Who can not resist going to one of the old towns like those in the Western gun slinging movies? Your destination needs to be Old Nevada. There you can delight in an old western town right in the middle of Red Rock Canyon. They host western shootouts too so come prepared, partner!
Conclusion:
I could go on and on about other attractions like the theme park in Circus Circus, the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve and Mt. Charleston but I think you get the picture. In Las Vegas and hate gambling? Do not despair. Just go out and have some clean un-gambling fun.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Business Writing Tips For Professionals
Effective business writing skills can help you win that million dollar contract, earn a promotion, resolve a dispute, or generate a significant increase in new business leads. Poor business writing, on the other hand, can never be undone; it can cause you to lose business to your competition and even cost you your job. Here are 11 easy ways you can improve your business writing skills:
1. Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you’d like to achieve. If it’s an important business communication, take five minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagine what this person’s world is like.
What does their typical day look like? What are their unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping them up at night? The more thought and research you invest in understanding your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful and effective your business writing communications will become.
2. Avoid using your company acronyms and buzzwords. While they might seem cute and clever to you, it’s very annoying to a busy executive who has a pile of documents and proposals to read. Avoid using academic language like ‘ergo,’ ‘henceforth,’ or ‘so to speak,’ and as a general rule of thumb avoid use of technical jargon. Simplify big words: write use instead of utilize, send out instead of disseminate, fair instead of equitable, etc.
3. Use a strong, active voice instead of the impersonal, passive voice. “The meeting agenda could be discussed further” is passive. “Let’s discuss the meeting agenda” is active. Express confidence and decisiveness in your business communications. Instead of writing, “I intend to write a report on sales performance measures,” which comes across as weak and indecisive, write: “I’m currently writing a report on sales performance measures for completion on or before end of the second quarter.”
4. Write in a conversational tone instead of alienating your readers by being too formal and bureaucratic – unless you’re writing to a bureaucrat or someone who prefers formality. Know your audience!
Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. You can accomplish this feat by writing to one specific person who you can visualize as an ideal customer. Pretend you are sitting down with this person in a bar and having a casual conversation. Write your piece with this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!
5. Replace hyperbole with solid facts and reputable testimonials. Phrases like, “We’re #1,” “We’re the leader in our field,” or “We provide the best service,” aren’t going to get you anywhere. Instead, use a fact such as stating that the President of a leading association ranked your company with the highest quality score out of 500 certified companies.
6. Convert product features into benefits. Mentioning that you provide automated billing or an automatic domain name renewal service does not engage your customer emotionally. Here’s an example of benefit oriented copy: “Our automatic domain name renewal service will provide you with the added security and comfort of knowing that your domain names will never be hijacked by your competitors while freeing up your administrative time to focus on growing your business.”
7. Don’t rely on editing all your important business documents from your computer desktop. Print out your document and read it out loud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech it means you need to re-write your piece to make it more conversational and flow better.
By reading your document out loud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected. As an example, you might have written ‘echo friendly’ when you really meant ‘eco friendly.’
8. In writing a business letter or business proposal, it is vitally important to write from your customer’s perspective and what will interest them. Start off by writing about how great your customer’s company is and what specific attributes you like about the company instead of bragging about how great your company is. Too much use of “I,” “me,” or “our company” is a sure sign of ego getting in the way of business. Make sure to generously use “You” and “Your” in your business copy if you want to make more sales.
9. Business writing is very different from writing poetry or literature. Don’t meander or get carried away with flowery language. Write the most important point you want to make in the first sentence. If you are writing a sales letter, you can significantly increase sales by simply including a powerful P.S. at the end of the letter that summarizes the main point in a fresh way, creates a sense of urgency, or adds further credibility. Here’s a powerful example: “P.S. I’ve been invited to speak at your association’s annual conference this coming Friday and hope to see you there.”
10. Be clear, concise, and to the point. Don’t assume readers will know what to do. Guide them by including a specific call to action: “click on the link to get your special report” or “call me to set up a no-cost 15 minute consultation.”
11. Use word pictures to get your point across. Can you imagine the thrill and excitement of driving a rocket-fast, cobalt blue Porsche 911 Turbo as it whisks you to your desired destination? A well-written article or report can be like that Porsche and generate a ton of new business in half the time with more fun! After all, what’s more exciting, cold-calling prospects or having them call you? (If writing is a challenge, consider hiring a professional).
1. Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you’d like to achieve. If it’s an important business communication, take five minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagine what this person’s world is like.
What does their typical day look like? What are their unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping them up at night? The more thought and research you invest in understanding your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful and effective your business writing communications will become.
2. Avoid using your company acronyms and buzzwords. While they might seem cute and clever to you, it’s very annoying to a busy executive who has a pile of documents and proposals to read. Avoid using academic language like ‘ergo,’ ‘henceforth,’ or ‘so to speak,’ and as a general rule of thumb avoid use of technical jargon. Simplify big words: write use instead of utilize, send out instead of disseminate, fair instead of equitable, etc.
3. Use a strong, active voice instead of the impersonal, passive voice. “The meeting agenda could be discussed further” is passive. “Let’s discuss the meeting agenda” is active. Express confidence and decisiveness in your business communications. Instead of writing, “I intend to write a report on sales performance measures,” which comes across as weak and indecisive, write: “I’m currently writing a report on sales performance measures for completion on or before end of the second quarter.”
4. Write in a conversational tone instead of alienating your readers by being too formal and bureaucratic – unless you’re writing to a bureaucrat or someone who prefers formality. Know your audience!
Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. You can accomplish this feat by writing to one specific person who you can visualize as an ideal customer. Pretend you are sitting down with this person in a bar and having a casual conversation. Write your piece with this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!
5. Replace hyperbole with solid facts and reputable testimonials. Phrases like, “We’re #1,” “We’re the leader in our field,” or “We provide the best service,” aren’t going to get you anywhere. Instead, use a fact such as stating that the President of a leading association ranked your company with the highest quality score out of 500 certified companies.
6. Convert product features into benefits. Mentioning that you provide automated billing or an automatic domain name renewal service does not engage your customer emotionally. Here’s an example of benefit oriented copy: “Our automatic domain name renewal service will provide you with the added security and comfort of knowing that your domain names will never be hijacked by your competitors while freeing up your administrative time to focus on growing your business.”
7. Don’t rely on editing all your important business documents from your computer desktop. Print out your document and read it out loud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech it means you need to re-write your piece to make it more conversational and flow better.
By reading your document out loud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected. As an example, you might have written ‘echo friendly’ when you really meant ‘eco friendly.’
8. In writing a business letter or business proposal, it is vitally important to write from your customer’s perspective and what will interest them. Start off by writing about how great your customer’s company is and what specific attributes you like about the company instead of bragging about how great your company is. Too much use of “I,” “me,” or “our company” is a sure sign of ego getting in the way of business. Make sure to generously use “You” and “Your” in your business copy if you want to make more sales.
9. Business writing is very different from writing poetry or literature. Don’t meander or get carried away with flowery language. Write the most important point you want to make in the first sentence. If you are writing a sales letter, you can significantly increase sales by simply including a powerful P.S. at the end of the letter that summarizes the main point in a fresh way, creates a sense of urgency, or adds further credibility. Here’s a powerful example: “P.S. I’ve been invited to speak at your association’s annual conference this coming Friday and hope to see you there.”
10. Be clear, concise, and to the point. Don’t assume readers will know what to do. Guide them by including a specific call to action: “click on the link to get your special report” or “call me to set up a no-cost 15 minute consultation.”
11. Use word pictures to get your point across. Can you imagine the thrill and excitement of driving a rocket-fast, cobalt blue Porsche 911 Turbo as it whisks you to your desired destination? A well-written article or report can be like that Porsche and generate a ton of new business in half the time with more fun! After all, what’s more exciting, cold-calling prospects or having them call you? (If writing is a challenge, consider hiring a professional).
Business Writing Tips For Professionals
Effective business writing skills can help you win that million dollar contract, earn a promotion, resolve a dispute, or generate a significant increase in new business leads. Poor business writing, on the other hand, can never be undone; it can cause you to lose business to your competition and even cost you your job. Here are 11 easy ways you can improve your business writing skills:
1. Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you’d like to achieve. If it’s an important business communication, take five minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagine what this person’s world is like.
What does their typical day look like? What are their unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping them up at night? The more thought and research you invest in understanding your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful and effective your business writing communications will become.
2. Avoid using your company acronyms and buzzwords. While they might seem cute and clever to you, it’s very annoying to a busy executive who has a pile of documents and proposals to read. Avoid using academic language like ‘ergo,’ ‘henceforth,’ or ‘so to speak,’ and as a general rule of thumb avoid use of technical jargon. Simplify big words: write use instead of utilize, send out instead of disseminate, fair instead of equitable, etc.
3. Use a strong, active voice instead of the impersonal, passive voice. “The meeting agenda could be discussed further” is passive. “Let’s discuss the meeting agenda” is active. Express confidence and decisiveness in your business communications. Instead of writing, “I intend to write a report on sales performance measures,” which comes across as weak and indecisive, write: “I’m currently writing a report on sales performance measures for completion on or before end of the second quarter.”
4. Write in a conversational tone instead of alienating your readers by being too formal and bureaucratic – unless you’re writing to a bureaucrat or someone who prefers formality. Know your audience!
Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. You can accomplish this feat by writing to one specific person who you can visualize as an ideal customer. Pretend you are sitting down with this person in a bar and having a casual conversation. Write your piece with this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!
5. Replace hyperbole with solid facts and reputable testimonials. Phrases like, “We’re #1,” “We’re the leader in our field,” or “We provide the best service,” aren’t going to get you anywhere. Instead, use a fact such as stating that the President of a leading association ranked your company with the highest quality score out of 500 certified companies.
6. Convert product features into benefits. Mentioning that you provide automated billing or an automatic domain name renewal service does not engage your customer emotionally. Here’s an example of benefit oriented copy: “Our automatic domain name renewal service will provide you with the added security and comfort of knowing that your domain names will never be hijacked by your competitors while freeing up your administrative time to focus on growing your business.”
7. Don’t rely on editing all your important business documents from your computer desktop. Print out your document and read it out loud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech it means you need to re-write your piece to make it more conversational and flow better.
By reading your document out loud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected. As an example, you might have written ‘echo friendly’ when you really meant ‘eco friendly.’
8. In writing a business letter or business proposal, it is vitally important to write from your customer’s perspective and what will interest them. Start off by writing about how great your customer’s company is and what specific attributes you like about the company instead of bragging about how great your company is. Too much use of “I,” “me,” or “our company” is a sure sign of ego getting in the way of business. Make sure to generously use “You” and “Your” in your business copy if you want to make more sales.
9. Business writing is very different from writing poetry or literature. Don’t meander or get carried away with flowery language. Write the most important point you want to make in the first sentence. If you are writing a sales letter, you can significantly increase sales by simply including a powerful P.S. at the end of the letter that summarizes the main point in a fresh way, creates a sense of urgency, or adds further credibility. Here’s a powerful example: “P.S. I’ve been invited to speak at your association’s annual conference this coming Friday and hope to see you there.”
10. Be clear, concise, and to the point. Don’t assume readers will know what to do. Guide them by including a specific call to action: “click on the link to get your special report” or “call me to set up a no-cost 15 minute consultation.”
11. Use word pictures to get your point across. Can you imagine the thrill and excitement of driving a rocket-fast, cobalt blue Porsche 911 Turbo as it whisks you to your desired destination? A well-written article or report can be like that Porsche and generate a ton of new business in half the time with more fun! After all, what’s more exciting, cold-calling prospects or having them call you? (If writing is a challenge, consider hiring a professional).
1. Before you write a word of copy, make sure you know who your target audience is and what specific result you’d like to achieve. If it’s an important business communication, take five minutes to visualize yourself in the shoes of the recipient and imagine what this person’s world is like.
What does their typical day look like? What are their unique needs, goals, and challenges? What problem is keeping them up at night? The more thought and research you invest in understanding your target audience and how you can help them, the more powerful and effective your business writing communications will become.
2. Avoid using your company acronyms and buzzwords. While they might seem cute and clever to you, it’s very annoying to a busy executive who has a pile of documents and proposals to read. Avoid using academic language like ‘ergo,’ ‘henceforth,’ or ‘so to speak,’ and as a general rule of thumb avoid use of technical jargon. Simplify big words: write use instead of utilize, send out instead of disseminate, fair instead of equitable, etc.
3. Use a strong, active voice instead of the impersonal, passive voice. “The meeting agenda could be discussed further” is passive. “Let’s discuss the meeting agenda” is active. Express confidence and decisiveness in your business communications. Instead of writing, “I intend to write a report on sales performance measures,” which comes across as weak and indecisive, write: “I’m currently writing a report on sales performance measures for completion on or before end of the second quarter.”
4. Write in a conversational tone instead of alienating your readers by being too formal and bureaucratic – unless you’re writing to a bureaucrat or someone who prefers formality. Know your audience!
Even if you are writing a marketing communications piece that will be read by several thousand potential readers, make your writing as inviting and personal as possible. You can accomplish this feat by writing to one specific person who you can visualize as an ideal customer. Pretend you are sitting down with this person in a bar and having a casual conversation. Write your piece with this one person in mind and you will positively engage thousands of readers who will feel that you are writing directly to them!
5. Replace hyperbole with solid facts and reputable testimonials. Phrases like, “We’re #1,” “We’re the leader in our field,” or “We provide the best service,” aren’t going to get you anywhere. Instead, use a fact such as stating that the President of a leading association ranked your company with the highest quality score out of 500 certified companies.
6. Convert product features into benefits. Mentioning that you provide automated billing or an automatic domain name renewal service does not engage your customer emotionally. Here’s an example of benefit oriented copy: “Our automatic domain name renewal service will provide you with the added security and comfort of knowing that your domain names will never be hijacked by your competitors while freeing up your administrative time to focus on growing your business.”
7. Don’t rely on editing all your important business documents from your computer desktop. Print out your document and read it out loud. If you encounter any awkwardness in speech it means you need to re-write your piece to make it more conversational and flow better.
By reading your document out loud, you will also be able to spot typos and errors that your computer spelling and grammar check program might not have detected. As an example, you might have written ‘echo friendly’ when you really meant ‘eco friendly.’
8. In writing a business letter or business proposal, it is vitally important to write from your customer’s perspective and what will interest them. Start off by writing about how great your customer’s company is and what specific attributes you like about the company instead of bragging about how great your company is. Too much use of “I,” “me,” or “our company” is a sure sign of ego getting in the way of business. Make sure to generously use “You” and “Your” in your business copy if you want to make more sales.
9. Business writing is very different from writing poetry or literature. Don’t meander or get carried away with flowery language. Write the most important point you want to make in the first sentence. If you are writing a sales letter, you can significantly increase sales by simply including a powerful P.S. at the end of the letter that summarizes the main point in a fresh way, creates a sense of urgency, or adds further credibility. Here’s a powerful example: “P.S. I’ve been invited to speak at your association’s annual conference this coming Friday and hope to see you there.”
10. Be clear, concise, and to the point. Don’t assume readers will know what to do. Guide them by including a specific call to action: “click on the link to get your special report” or “call me to set up a no-cost 15 minute consultation.”
11. Use word pictures to get your point across. Can you imagine the thrill and excitement of driving a rocket-fast, cobalt blue Porsche 911 Turbo as it whisks you to your desired destination? A well-written article or report can be like that Porsche and generate a ton of new business in half the time with more fun! After all, what’s more exciting, cold-calling prospects or having them call you? (If writing is a challenge, consider hiring a professional).
Build Your Creative Dam To Complete Projects
Artists and writers are fed by a constant stream of curiosity. Our imaginations flow freely with ideas and connections, which allows for a rich river of creativity that can infuse our lives with joy. But what happens when this flood of ideas overwhelms us, turning our creative output into a trickle? It's time to build a creative dam.
A creative dam guides our inspiration into meaningful flow. It eases our efforts, helps us avoid struggle and allows us to be the creators we dream of being.
I've been helping writers and artists build structures to guide the flow of their creativity for years, and have a few tips to help you build your own creative dam.
Commit to it. Choose the one project that has the most meaning for you right now. Choose among all of your great ideas the one thing that will give you the most satisfaction when you complete it. Then commit to finishing it.
Structure it. Many successful creatives advocate a regular place or time for writing. This kind of structure can be a great dam for your writing or art making. With structure, you develop a ritual and bypass the need to constantly get re-invigorated. This dam could be as simple as using the same notebook for a project, sipping the same kind of tea, or sitting under the same tree. It may be a consistent writing time and place. Find a structure that works for you.
Choose one. If you're like me, you tend to bounce around between projects. This can be a workable style, if, and only if, you finish the projects. If you discover that you have several projects in various states of completion, then you need to funnel your energy into one thing at a time. I know, I can see you squirming. But try it. Stick with something until you complete it. See what rewards you reap when you follow through.
Face your fears. You may notice that as you step into the stream of completion, all the fears that lurk around the banks of your writing whisper to you from the current. They are no longer hiding behind the rush of all your great ideas. You can't avoid them any longer. Get out a piece of paper or your notebook. Do a free write about your fears of writing. Let yourself write for 15 minutes. Then take a deep breath and go back to your writing. You may discover that when you give space for your fears, they dissolve in the powerful flow of your creativity. Do this as many times as you need. When we avoid them, they lurk under the surface and covertly sabotage us.
Be accountable. I have a job helping people stay accountable because we need this kind of support. We know that when we tell people we'll do something, we are more likely to follow through on it. I wrote Create Your Writer's Life, my novel and weekly essays because I have accountability. Get writing buddies, join a writing group, hire a coach, whatever way you get support, it works.
Let yourself enjoy it. Life is challenging enough without giving ourselves grief over something that should be enjoyable. Relax into your creative expression. Jettison heaviness and despair. Your creative expression is meant to enrich your life, not be a dead weight anchor slowing you down.
Build your creative dam and ease your creative overflow into satisfying and completed writing projects. If after a month you find yourself still avoiding the writing, you may benefit from coaching.
A creative dam guides our inspiration into meaningful flow. It eases our efforts, helps us avoid struggle and allows us to be the creators we dream of being.
I've been helping writers and artists build structures to guide the flow of their creativity for years, and have a few tips to help you build your own creative dam.
Commit to it. Choose the one project that has the most meaning for you right now. Choose among all of your great ideas the one thing that will give you the most satisfaction when you complete it. Then commit to finishing it.
Structure it. Many successful creatives advocate a regular place or time for writing. This kind of structure can be a great dam for your writing or art making. With structure, you develop a ritual and bypass the need to constantly get re-invigorated. This dam could be as simple as using the same notebook for a project, sipping the same kind of tea, or sitting under the same tree. It may be a consistent writing time and place. Find a structure that works for you.
Choose one. If you're like me, you tend to bounce around between projects. This can be a workable style, if, and only if, you finish the projects. If you discover that you have several projects in various states of completion, then you need to funnel your energy into one thing at a time. I know, I can see you squirming. But try it. Stick with something until you complete it. See what rewards you reap when you follow through.
Face your fears. You may notice that as you step into the stream of completion, all the fears that lurk around the banks of your writing whisper to you from the current. They are no longer hiding behind the rush of all your great ideas. You can't avoid them any longer. Get out a piece of paper or your notebook. Do a free write about your fears of writing. Let yourself write for 15 minutes. Then take a deep breath and go back to your writing. You may discover that when you give space for your fears, they dissolve in the powerful flow of your creativity. Do this as many times as you need. When we avoid them, they lurk under the surface and covertly sabotage us.
Be accountable. I have a job helping people stay accountable because we need this kind of support. We know that when we tell people we'll do something, we are more likely to follow through on it. I wrote Create Your Writer's Life, my novel and weekly essays because I have accountability. Get writing buddies, join a writing group, hire a coach, whatever way you get support, it works.
Let yourself enjoy it. Life is challenging enough without giving ourselves grief over something that should be enjoyable. Relax into your creative expression. Jettison heaviness and despair. Your creative expression is meant to enrich your life, not be a dead weight anchor slowing you down.
Build your creative dam and ease your creative overflow into satisfying and completed writing projects. If after a month you find yourself still avoiding the writing, you may benefit from coaching.
Breathe Life Into Your Writing
Have you ever read a passage and felt the breath of life, then was too speechless to describe it? That’s writing at its best. The method for creating such a moment comes from the use of emotions. Emotions are one of the single most important, touching, impressive and non-intrusive writing tools. It is often not recognized as a concrete tool, but as a feeling, a stirring, a capturing that catches the reader up in the fictive state.
My aim is to take the mystery out of it. Break it down and make it easy for you. I want to shorten the learning curve for conquering this bestseller-kind-of writing. When you set your scene do not describe it separate from the protagonist’s thoughts, feeling, observations, analysis. If we know how the protagonist feels about the description, the situation, we’ll experience it also. Feelings make us remember a character, a story, a plot long after the last page is closed. Good emotional impact resonates because you have felt what the character felt. On the other hand, description apart from your character’s feelings and observations are impersonal and cold, no matter how detailed and colorful they are. In other words, find smooth ways to integrate your character’s feelings into the description. Here are three examples:
THE MAYOR’S WIFE by Martha Tucker—Indigo is in the hospital after she finds out her husband is dead. “Life, death, acceptance, rejection, ability to feel it and inability to bear it. She turned her face to the cool white wall and her body curled into a fetal position. She pleaded with God to return her to the state of unconsciousness. Devastation only comes to those who are conscious.
Something twisted her heart like a wringer. She turned back to the doctor to face what he had to say, not sure that this moment wasn't still a dream. When he answered, her throat hurled a howl.
“Aaaaaaaa!”
The scream took her mind to a place that didn’t hurt so much as she felt the sting of a nurse’s needle.
This is the description could have been written separate from her EMOTIONS. Just a straight description of her in the hospital room. Indigo lay in the cool white bed. Everything around her was white. She turned to the doctor and stared, waiting for him to answer. He spoke in a deep voice and told her that her husband didn't make it. She screamed loud.
THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS by T.H. Moore. In reaction to a ruckus his mother and father are having: Jalen balled his body in his arms and tightened his blanket, hoping she would just stop talking. What is she doing? Jalen sprang up and glared at the closed door…A blood-curdling scream jerked him out of bed like he’d been stung by a bee. His feet barely touched the carpet as he tore down the stairs. He froze at the sight.
Moore could have just described the dark room, the warm blanket and the yelling voice that stole in under the door.
THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Here is how the master did it, and it has lasted well over 50 years—“Now it was a cool night, with that mysterious excitement in it which comes at the two changes of the year. The quiet lights in the houses were humming out into the darkness and there was a stir and bustle among the stars. Out of the corner of his eye Gatsby saw that the blocks of the sidewalk really formed a ladder and mounted to a secret place above the trees—he could climb to it, if he climbed it alone, and once there, he could suck the pap of life, gulp down the uncomparable milk of wonder.
His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable vision to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been stuck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.”
Scott Fitzgerald interpreted his setting, the feelings of his young manhood, of the night, the life of it, the forever endearing kiss.
Now, it’s your turn to describe your favorite scene and lace it with emotions. If you’re going to be a bestseller-kind-of author, then you need to practice writing with emotions.
The End
You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines and my website address in hyperlink for other sites.
bestsellercircle@zinester.com,
www.urbanclassicbooks.com
Thank you.
Martha “Marti” Tucker
My aim is to take the mystery out of it. Break it down and make it easy for you. I want to shorten the learning curve for conquering this bestseller-kind-of writing. When you set your scene do not describe it separate from the protagonist’s thoughts, feeling, observations, analysis. If we know how the protagonist feels about the description, the situation, we’ll experience it also. Feelings make us remember a character, a story, a plot long after the last page is closed. Good emotional impact resonates because you have felt what the character felt. On the other hand, description apart from your character’s feelings and observations are impersonal and cold, no matter how detailed and colorful they are. In other words, find smooth ways to integrate your character’s feelings into the description. Here are three examples:
THE MAYOR’S WIFE by Martha Tucker—Indigo is in the hospital after she finds out her husband is dead. “Life, death, acceptance, rejection, ability to feel it and inability to bear it. She turned her face to the cool white wall and her body curled into a fetal position. She pleaded with God to return her to the state of unconsciousness. Devastation only comes to those who are conscious.
Something twisted her heart like a wringer. She turned back to the doctor to face what he had to say, not sure that this moment wasn't still a dream. When he answered, her throat hurled a howl.
“Aaaaaaaa!”
The scream took her mind to a place that didn’t hurt so much as she felt the sting of a nurse’s needle.
This is the description could have been written separate from her EMOTIONS. Just a straight description of her in the hospital room. Indigo lay in the cool white bed. Everything around her was white. She turned to the doctor and stared, waiting for him to answer. He spoke in a deep voice and told her that her husband didn't make it. She screamed loud.
THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS by T.H. Moore. In reaction to a ruckus his mother and father are having: Jalen balled his body in his arms and tightened his blanket, hoping she would just stop talking. What is she doing? Jalen sprang up and glared at the closed door…A blood-curdling scream jerked him out of bed like he’d been stung by a bee. His feet barely touched the carpet as he tore down the stairs. He froze at the sight.
Moore could have just described the dark room, the warm blanket and the yelling voice that stole in under the door.
THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Here is how the master did it, and it has lasted well over 50 years—“Now it was a cool night, with that mysterious excitement in it which comes at the two changes of the year. The quiet lights in the houses were humming out into the darkness and there was a stir and bustle among the stars. Out of the corner of his eye Gatsby saw that the blocks of the sidewalk really formed a ladder and mounted to a secret place above the trees—he could climb to it, if he climbed it alone, and once there, he could suck the pap of life, gulp down the uncomparable milk of wonder.
His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable vision to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning fork that had been stuck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.”
Scott Fitzgerald interpreted his setting, the feelings of his young manhood, of the night, the life of it, the forever endearing kiss.
Now, it’s your turn to describe your favorite scene and lace it with emotions. If you’re going to be a bestseller-kind-of author, then you need to practice writing with emotions.
The End
You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines and my website address in hyperlink for other sites.
bestsellercircle@zinester.com,
www.urbanclassicbooks.com
Thank you.
Martha “Marti” Tucker
Book Review Of Stuart Nachbar's Book About Education And Politics
Stuart Nachbar has created a curious novel in The Sex Ed Chronicles. Using a backdrop of 1980 New Jersey, we are introduced to the murky world of school politics. He has selected the contentious subject of compulsory Sex Education, however the subject could equally have been Religion or Evolution. All are subjects that have strong backers and equally strong detractors.
Schools and School Boards may not be the media favorites that the House or Senate may be. But make no mistake, the issues are as hotly contested, and the tactics used by the protagonists just as dirty as the big league politicians, maybe even dirtier, because of the lack of media attention.
The main character is rookie journalist Greg Mandell, just out of college, and working for not much money as a reporter for The Ocean Republic, a small New Jersey newspaper. The author uses Greg in an interesting way, he is by no means the hero, he is the conduit through which the story flows. The style of writing is innovative, the story unfolds in small nibbles each one prefixed with a title and tagline, much in the fashion of newspaper stories.
The action takes place between January and June in 1980. The New Jersey School Board decide to explore whether or not to include Sex Ed as part of its regular curriculum. Some schools have already adopted the subject and some have not. To resolve the issue a series of public forums are planned so that the matter can be decided. There is a quiet certainty that although there will be a few grumbles the majority will be in favor of teaching Sex Ed.
Rookie Greg Mandell is given the task of covering the Sex Ed story, an assignment that he really does not want to do. He quickly discovers that few wish to talk openly about the subject.
What looks at first sight to be a boring and mundane assignment quickly erupts into a firestorm of controversy when a supposed parent-backed group called PAST get involved. Led by the bombastic and bigoted rich widow Carolyn Lattimore, PAST are firmly committed to abolishing Sex Ed in schools, and to achieve their goal set out to establish their members on the various school boards.
Caught in the middle of the fray is a young history teacher, Andi Gilardi, who becomes the centerpiece of PAST's diatribe after she permits some students to post a Sex Ed test in the school newspaper.
Greg finds himself torn between openly supporting Ms. Gilardi and jeopardizing his job, or supporting PAST who are large advertisers with the newspaper.
The Sex Ed Chronicles is a very thought-provoking work, the author has done a very fine job of writing about the political process, and the fashion in which political skirmishes take place. Like a chess game, mating your opponent's King is easy once you have picked off the Pawns!
Great read, and if I was an English teacher this would be a book that would I would love to evolve a class around. The potential for gaining real world understanding from within the pages of this novel are huge.
Schools and School Boards may not be the media favorites that the House or Senate may be. But make no mistake, the issues are as hotly contested, and the tactics used by the protagonists just as dirty as the big league politicians, maybe even dirtier, because of the lack of media attention.
The main character is rookie journalist Greg Mandell, just out of college, and working for not much money as a reporter for The Ocean Republic, a small New Jersey newspaper. The author uses Greg in an interesting way, he is by no means the hero, he is the conduit through which the story flows. The style of writing is innovative, the story unfolds in small nibbles each one prefixed with a title and tagline, much in the fashion of newspaper stories.
The action takes place between January and June in 1980. The New Jersey School Board decide to explore whether or not to include Sex Ed as part of its regular curriculum. Some schools have already adopted the subject and some have not. To resolve the issue a series of public forums are planned so that the matter can be decided. There is a quiet certainty that although there will be a few grumbles the majority will be in favor of teaching Sex Ed.
Rookie Greg Mandell is given the task of covering the Sex Ed story, an assignment that he really does not want to do. He quickly discovers that few wish to talk openly about the subject.
What looks at first sight to be a boring and mundane assignment quickly erupts into a firestorm of controversy when a supposed parent-backed group called PAST get involved. Led by the bombastic and bigoted rich widow Carolyn Lattimore, PAST are firmly committed to abolishing Sex Ed in schools, and to achieve their goal set out to establish their members on the various school boards.
Caught in the middle of the fray is a young history teacher, Andi Gilardi, who becomes the centerpiece of PAST's diatribe after she permits some students to post a Sex Ed test in the school newspaper.
Greg finds himself torn between openly supporting Ms. Gilardi and jeopardizing his job, or supporting PAST who are large advertisers with the newspaper.
The Sex Ed Chronicles is a very thought-provoking work, the author has done a very fine job of writing about the political process, and the fashion in which political skirmishes take place. Like a chess game, mating your opponent's King is easy once you have picked off the Pawns!
Great read, and if I was an English teacher this would be a book that would I would love to evolve a class around. The potential for gaining real world understanding from within the pages of this novel are huge.
Kakuro Puzzles By Mastersoft
Can't get enough of Japanese puzzles? Well, seems like Mastersoft is hooked, too. Only months after the release of Mastersoft Sudoku, Mastersoft releases the new Mastersoft Kakuro. The object of the game is still the same as with the traditional kakuro puzzles, only this time, players solve the puzzles on a cooler interface. Mastersoft designed the game for Microsoft-equipped mobile phones such as the Windows Mobile and Pocket PC. A desktop version of the interactive kakuro puzzles are also released. This is quite a bonus for kakuro fans who own the mobile versions; they simply have to select the "Upgrade" option and download the program on their desktop.
Mastersoft Kakuro offers six levels. Each level features kakuro puzzles from "simple" to "master". The simple puzzles are, obviously, the easiest to do and complete. They usually come in smaller boxes. Master-level puzzles are very difficult which take hours to finish. But Mastersoft provides some neat features and options which make solving the mind-boggling puzzles a wee bit easier and fun. A warning, though: if you think that sudoku is addictive, well, Mastersoft Kakuro is more addicting. This is a game that not only fills up your free time, but eats your time as well, if you don't take care.
The design and features of Mastersoft Kakuro echoes that of Mastersoft Sudoku. However, these features are improved and enhanced to help players tread the more difficult way of being a kakuro master. The game provides an unlimited number of kakuro puzzles. The appearance of the playing area or grid looks much like a traditional kakuro puzzle. A crossword-like box with white and dark spaces with some numbers on it greets players at the start. To remind everyone, the object of the game is to fill out the boxes with the numbers one to nine to get the number or numbers on the dark boxes as sums. The numbers on the upper right of the boxes correspond to the row, while the numbers on the bottom left refer to the column. The challenge is to position the numbers in the proper boxes without repeating a number within a solution. Like with the traditional puzzles, this interactive version preserves the need for cognitive skills and mathematical ability.
Features of the game include a timing system which you can customize. You can hide the timer if you get easily distracted by time. If the game skin bothers you, it is perfectly changeable with several other available skins installed with the game. The sound option is also open for modifications to suit your preferences. Though keeping score is not a feature of traditional kakuro puzzles, this Mastersoft version carries one. Scores are based on how fast you solve the puzzles and the number of mistakes you incurred. If you get panicky with your low score, you can opt to hide it.
To give your game more personality or to reflect your personal style in your kakuro puzzles, the game includes the option of color-coding your answers. Multiple possible answers can be written in a single box with the Tap n Hold One Click Candidates option. Players can use their mouse to select their answers from the number box, or to key in their answers from their keyboards. With helpful tools such as these, advancing and being a Kakuro Master is not an impossibility. However, after completing the required number of puzzles for a certain level, players advance to more difficult puzzles. But there is no need to fret; the tools also get more advance to adapt to the difficulty of the game. Pop-up matrices show you possible answers. At the same time, clicking on the "Hint" button shows you the wrong answers and the possible replacements. There is also a bookmarking option which allows you to mark certain answers that you doubt. No wonder Mastersoft Kakuro is considered as the most advanced and powerful kakuro puzzle game for Windows Mobile and Pocket PCs.
Despite its high-tech appeal, Mastersoft Kakuro is based on the designs of a hundred kakuro puzzles enthusiasts. The makers reviewed the game's prototype and Mastersoft modified the game based on their suggestions. For on-the-go kakuro puzzles, Mastersoft Kakuro is your best bet.
Mastersoft Kakuro offers six levels. Each level features kakuro puzzles from "simple" to "master". The simple puzzles are, obviously, the easiest to do and complete. They usually come in smaller boxes. Master-level puzzles are very difficult which take hours to finish. But Mastersoft provides some neat features and options which make solving the mind-boggling puzzles a wee bit easier and fun. A warning, though: if you think that sudoku is addictive, well, Mastersoft Kakuro is more addicting. This is a game that not only fills up your free time, but eats your time as well, if you don't take care.
The design and features of Mastersoft Kakuro echoes that of Mastersoft Sudoku. However, these features are improved and enhanced to help players tread the more difficult way of being a kakuro master. The game provides an unlimited number of kakuro puzzles. The appearance of the playing area or grid looks much like a traditional kakuro puzzle. A crossword-like box with white and dark spaces with some numbers on it greets players at the start. To remind everyone, the object of the game is to fill out the boxes with the numbers one to nine to get the number or numbers on the dark boxes as sums. The numbers on the upper right of the boxes correspond to the row, while the numbers on the bottom left refer to the column. The challenge is to position the numbers in the proper boxes without repeating a number within a solution. Like with the traditional puzzles, this interactive version preserves the need for cognitive skills and mathematical ability.
Features of the game include a timing system which you can customize. You can hide the timer if you get easily distracted by time. If the game skin bothers you, it is perfectly changeable with several other available skins installed with the game. The sound option is also open for modifications to suit your preferences. Though keeping score is not a feature of traditional kakuro puzzles, this Mastersoft version carries one. Scores are based on how fast you solve the puzzles and the number of mistakes you incurred. If you get panicky with your low score, you can opt to hide it.
To give your game more personality or to reflect your personal style in your kakuro puzzles, the game includes the option of color-coding your answers. Multiple possible answers can be written in a single box with the Tap n Hold One Click Candidates option. Players can use their mouse to select their answers from the number box, or to key in their answers from their keyboards. With helpful tools such as these, advancing and being a Kakuro Master is not an impossibility. However, after completing the required number of puzzles for a certain level, players advance to more difficult puzzles. But there is no need to fret; the tools also get more advance to adapt to the difficulty of the game. Pop-up matrices show you possible answers. At the same time, clicking on the "Hint" button shows you the wrong answers and the possible replacements. There is also a bookmarking option which allows you to mark certain answers that you doubt. No wonder Mastersoft Kakuro is considered as the most advanced and powerful kakuro puzzle game for Windows Mobile and Pocket PCs.
Despite its high-tech appeal, Mastersoft Kakuro is based on the designs of a hundred kakuro puzzles enthusiasts. The makers reviewed the game's prototype and Mastersoft modified the game based on their suggestions. For on-the-go kakuro puzzles, Mastersoft Kakuro is your best bet.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Kakuro Blocks
There is no straight up, easy way in solving kakuro puzzles. You either sweat it out, thinking of possible combinations, or do the tedious paper and pencil method. Usually, people spend more time trying to think of combinations than actually filling in the puzzles. You know the buzz people get after solving kakuro puzzles? It usually comes after a person boasts of solving his puzzle just as his friends pointed out that he got double 8's in a single block.
But there is a way to stop and prevent this kind of frustration. This is not about a miracle kakuro trick; rather, this is an age-old stand-by that few people take care to know. There are numbers in kakuro puzzles that only have a single valid combination and possibly, a limited number of cells. These number combinations and cells are called kakuro blocks. Accordingly, there are people who swear by using kakuro blocks to make puzzle-solving easier. This is not surprising since kakuro blocks shorten puzzle-solving time, thereby allowing players to solve more puzzles.
But before we get on with kakuro blocks' advantages, let us first define what they are. Kakuro blocks, simply put, is just a list of digits that provide special clues. These clues are often in the form of possible combinations. Also, these are blocks of a definite size and sum that only have a solution in terms of a single choice of digits. These blocks are reserved for a definite combination; only one valid set of digits can fill these in. Kakuro blocks come in cells that require as little as two digits or in blocks that require as many as seven or eight digits. Kakuro blocks base their combinations on the rules of the puzzles. In the puzzles, only the digits 1 to 9 can be used. Also, each number can only be used once in each sum. Consequently, each kakuro block uses only digits less than 10 and assigns each digit to combinations without repetition.
After defining kakuro blocks and their functions, let us examine the advantages of using them in solving kakuro puzzles. Since the blocks follow the rules of kakuro, the risks or possibilities of incurring mistakes are minimized. We all know that an unnoticed mistake in a kakuro puzzle leads to other mistakes, especially if the wrong block is not isolated. Basing other answers on a wrong block or digit often causes problems in solving the puzzles and can eventually lead to redoing the whole thing. Thus, more time and effort are wasted.
Kakuro blocks also save time. Since the blocks provide the only legit combinations for some sums, players only need to identify the digits' correct positions. The blocks also enable the use of techniques such as "unique intersects", "locked values", and "reducing combination". In using "unique intersects", the player only has to look for kakuro blocks with shared cells. Logically, the common number of both blocks is positioned inside the shared box. "Locked values" refer to isolating block values. "Reducing combination" is usually employed if a non-kakuro block intersects with kakuro blocks. Since the non-kakuro block has many possible combinations, crossing kakuro blocks limits the choices. With these tricks, solving kakuro puzzles is a cinch.
Indeed, solving kakuro puzzles is easier with kakuro blocks. They minimize mistakes and shorten solving time. In addition, they are also easy to memorize. In fact, the more frequent you use these blocks, the more you would be familiar with them. Thus, memorizing them takes no time at all. These blocks are also very easy to find; just browse through any site that offers kakuro puzzles and solving strategies.
But there is a way to stop and prevent this kind of frustration. This is not about a miracle kakuro trick; rather, this is an age-old stand-by that few people take care to know. There are numbers in kakuro puzzles that only have a single valid combination and possibly, a limited number of cells. These number combinations and cells are called kakuro blocks. Accordingly, there are people who swear by using kakuro blocks to make puzzle-solving easier. This is not surprising since kakuro blocks shorten puzzle-solving time, thereby allowing players to solve more puzzles.
But before we get on with kakuro blocks' advantages, let us first define what they are. Kakuro blocks, simply put, is just a list of digits that provide special clues. These clues are often in the form of possible combinations. Also, these are blocks of a definite size and sum that only have a solution in terms of a single choice of digits. These blocks are reserved for a definite combination; only one valid set of digits can fill these in. Kakuro blocks come in cells that require as little as two digits or in blocks that require as many as seven or eight digits. Kakuro blocks base their combinations on the rules of the puzzles. In the puzzles, only the digits 1 to 9 can be used. Also, each number can only be used once in each sum. Consequently, each kakuro block uses only digits less than 10 and assigns each digit to combinations without repetition.
After defining kakuro blocks and their functions, let us examine the advantages of using them in solving kakuro puzzles. Since the blocks follow the rules of kakuro, the risks or possibilities of incurring mistakes are minimized. We all know that an unnoticed mistake in a kakuro puzzle leads to other mistakes, especially if the wrong block is not isolated. Basing other answers on a wrong block or digit often causes problems in solving the puzzles and can eventually lead to redoing the whole thing. Thus, more time and effort are wasted.
Kakuro blocks also save time. Since the blocks provide the only legit combinations for some sums, players only need to identify the digits' correct positions. The blocks also enable the use of techniques such as "unique intersects", "locked values", and "reducing combination". In using "unique intersects", the player only has to look for kakuro blocks with shared cells. Logically, the common number of both blocks is positioned inside the shared box. "Locked values" refer to isolating block values. "Reducing combination" is usually employed if a non-kakuro block intersects with kakuro blocks. Since the non-kakuro block has many possible combinations, crossing kakuro blocks limits the choices. With these tricks, solving kakuro puzzles is a cinch.
Indeed, solving kakuro puzzles is easier with kakuro blocks. They minimize mistakes and shorten solving time. In addition, they are also easy to memorize. In fact, the more frequent you use these blocks, the more you would be familiar with them. Thus, memorizing them takes no time at all. These blocks are also very easy to find; just browse through any site that offers kakuro puzzles and solving strategies.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Interactive Advertising Agencies Continue To Lead The Design World
Although the “new kid on the block”, interactive advertising agencies are continuing to dominate design award shows. Previously the strict domain of illustration, graphic design, and photography agencies, interactive and multimedia design has matured into an art form which can stand on its own.
Originally, interactive design was thought as being unique from traditional design, and therefore limited to niche awards of its own. Shows like theCannes Cyber Lions, interactive media awards and lotus awards were developed strictly to fill the interactive niche. But as interactive has matured, the design community has begun to see this art form in a new light.
For example, Applied Arts now includes interactive projects in its design awards. Applied Arts is a Canadian magazine dedicated to visual communications. For more than 20 years Applied Arts has delivered hard hitting and imperative industry information to graphic design, illustration, advertising, interactive design, and photography professionals. Henderson bas recently won four awards at the Applied Arts Magazine Awards (henderson bas is Canada’s most awarded interactive agency).
One of the greatest interactive success stories of this year was Dove’s “campaign for real beauty”, a web-only spot created for distribution via youtube and other viral video sites. Not only did this campaign win the 2006 Grand EFFIE Award for most effective marketing communications campaign, but also the award for best retail account specific or channel; marketing activity at the MAA Worldwide Globe Awards. The Dove video was produced by Ogilvy and Mathers Toronto office, while the retail channel portion was created by Toronto’s Capital C.
One of the reasons interactive design has been performing well in award shows is the lines between interactive and traditional design are becoming blurred with time. As demonstrated by the dove evolution campaign, many interactive designs have begun to evolve beyond the computer screen and into print and retail locations.
Similarly, many print and TV advertisements have moved closer to interactive. In Japan, almost all print advertisement now contain small bar codes which can be read with cell phone cameras, which link the advertisement to online content. Large companies like Frito Lay have also integrated interactive with TV by utilizing “crowdsourced’ content – TV commercials which are produced by individuals at home and submitted online.
While no one can be certain of the future of interactive, one thing is for certain: the continuing evolution of interactive as a media will only increase the number of interactive projects winning traditional media awards.
Originally, interactive design was thought as being unique from traditional design, and therefore limited to niche awards of its own. Shows like theCannes Cyber Lions, interactive media awards and lotus awards were developed strictly to fill the interactive niche. But as interactive has matured, the design community has begun to see this art form in a new light.
For example, Applied Arts now includes interactive projects in its design awards. Applied Arts is a Canadian magazine dedicated to visual communications. For more than 20 years Applied Arts has delivered hard hitting and imperative industry information to graphic design, illustration, advertising, interactive design, and photography professionals. Henderson bas recently won four awards at the Applied Arts Magazine Awards (henderson bas is Canada’s most awarded interactive agency).
One of the greatest interactive success stories of this year was Dove’s “campaign for real beauty”, a web-only spot created for distribution via youtube and other viral video sites. Not only did this campaign win the 2006 Grand EFFIE Award for most effective marketing communications campaign, but also the award for best retail account specific or channel; marketing activity at the MAA Worldwide Globe Awards. The Dove video was produced by Ogilvy and Mathers Toronto office, while the retail channel portion was created by Toronto’s Capital C.
One of the reasons interactive design has been performing well in award shows is the lines between interactive and traditional design are becoming blurred with time. As demonstrated by the dove evolution campaign, many interactive designs have begun to evolve beyond the computer screen and into print and retail locations.
Similarly, many print and TV advertisements have moved closer to interactive. In Japan, almost all print advertisement now contain small bar codes which can be read with cell phone cameras, which link the advertisement to online content. Large companies like Frito Lay have also integrated interactive with TV by utilizing “crowdsourced’ content – TV commercials which are produced by individuals at home and submitted online.
While no one can be certain of the future of interactive, one thing is for certain: the continuing evolution of interactive as a media will only increase the number of interactive projects winning traditional media awards.
Instantly Removable Tattoo Inks
Part of the attraction of getting a tattoo for some people has been the permanence of the body art that one chooses to place on their skin. If one tattoos a name on their body, it means that name has permanent meaning for them. Likewise, the designs they choose would be something they would never want to change. New tattoo ink technologies are threatening to change the whole concept of permanency of tattooing. Although there currently exist many methods of tattoo removal, their difficulty and cost make tattoos effectively permanent for most people. Likewise, older methods of removal, such as surgery may be painful and leave significant scarring. Laser tattoo removal, while usually effective, often requires multiple treatments and can be costly.
One company, Freedom-2, is bringing products to market that will change the paradigm of tattooing. Their ink is based on encapsulating bio-absorbable dyes in polymethylmethacrylate microspheres. The dyes in the ink are already FDA-approved for use in food, cosmetics, and medical devices. The ink is injected into the skin by standard tattooing techniques. At any time when removal of the pigment is desired, a single laser treatment disrupts the encapsulation, allowing the ink to flow out into the tissues and be absorbed. The tattoo then quickly fades without the need for further laser treatments. This ink is not yet available for general use, but has been tested in human subjects, according to the company's website. They indicate that it will be commercially available in early 2007.
They are also developing tattoo inks that will fade away on a predetermined schedule without the need for any laser treatments at all. The technology behind this is not elucidated, and there is no date of availability listed yet for this type of product.
The main difference between these two products is that the former is a permanent ink that can be removed anytime, while the latter will last a long time but then fade away, even if the owner prefers it to stay.
Tattoo artists may not instantly take to the new inks. The ability to remove a tattoo is not necessarily the foremost consideration when choosing tattoo inks. Some artists believe that tattoos should be permanent, or one is better off not getting a tattoo if he or she is unsure about them. However, some tattoo shops may choose to cater to the less-decisive. Also, it may encourage more experimentation and fanciful designs, if the recipient knows that they can get the tattoo quickly lasered off if they don't like it. The new ink will likely be significantly more expensive that standard ink, so cost will also be a consideration for artists.
Although a tattoo's ink may be temporary, there is often scarring left behind from the tattoo needle's penetration of the skin. Thus a textural image of the tattoo may remain permanently. Even so, the concept of tattoos as purely permanent body art may be replaced by tattoos as fashion. If a tattoo could be instantly removed, some people may choose to periodically change their tattoos as they would their style of clothing.
One company, Freedom-2, is bringing products to market that will change the paradigm of tattooing. Their ink is based on encapsulating bio-absorbable dyes in polymethylmethacrylate microspheres. The dyes in the ink are already FDA-approved for use in food, cosmetics, and medical devices. The ink is injected into the skin by standard tattooing techniques. At any time when removal of the pigment is desired, a single laser treatment disrupts the encapsulation, allowing the ink to flow out into the tissues and be absorbed. The tattoo then quickly fades without the need for further laser treatments. This ink is not yet available for general use, but has been tested in human subjects, according to the company's website. They indicate that it will be commercially available in early 2007.
They are also developing tattoo inks that will fade away on a predetermined schedule without the need for any laser treatments at all. The technology behind this is not elucidated, and there is no date of availability listed yet for this type of product.
The main difference between these two products is that the former is a permanent ink that can be removed anytime, while the latter will last a long time but then fade away, even if the owner prefers it to stay.
Tattoo artists may not instantly take to the new inks. The ability to remove a tattoo is not necessarily the foremost consideration when choosing tattoo inks. Some artists believe that tattoos should be permanent, or one is better off not getting a tattoo if he or she is unsure about them. However, some tattoo shops may choose to cater to the less-decisive. Also, it may encourage more experimentation and fanciful designs, if the recipient knows that they can get the tattoo quickly lasered off if they don't like it. The new ink will likely be significantly more expensive that standard ink, so cost will also be a consideration for artists.
Although a tattoo's ink may be temporary, there is often scarring left behind from the tattoo needle's penetration of the skin. Thus a textural image of the tattoo may remain permanently. Even so, the concept of tattoos as purely permanent body art may be replaced by tattoos as fashion. If a tattoo could be instantly removed, some people may choose to periodically change their tattoos as they would their style of clothing.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Articles SEO
Need content for your website well then look no further, Articles are here and the way to go. Articles provide many different things, daily content for your site, a way to voice your opinion or the opinion of others, the biggest thing is traffic to your site, and then however comes returning visitors and visits provided by other links. All of these things are a part of Articles and how you can use them to provide a great and informative way to bring people to your site.
The Pros
The biggest pro of Articles has already been mention, traffic, returning traffic to be more specific. No website can survive without people making there way to it, and returning for more. Also lets not forget the Search Engines, AOL, Google, and Yahoo, in alphabetical or and only providing the names of just a few. These Search Engines use keywords to direct viewers to different websites. Just like Articles is the keyword for this particular article, Keywords are how the search engines recognize what you are looking for. Say you wanted games you would then type in the word games and wow look at all the hits you get.
The Cons
There are a few problems with Articles. One thing they are a person’s point of view, if the person writing the article is not happy with the Keyword then the article could be damaging to the original site, product, or person. Another con to Articles is the fact they change constantly moving from one subject to another and can make finding the right one difficult.
Summary
When writing your Article be sure you do not copy someone else's work, not only is this illegal but also wrong. Make sure you give the original provider of the article their credit and the source link is working properly, not to mention telling them you are using their work. Following these simple guidelines can keep you out of trouble and possibly create a working relationship with the person you got your information from for a long time to come.
To bring all of this to a close you have to consider what you have read today, heard from someone else, or found on your own before, Articles if used properly can bring visitors to your website and keep them returning for more.
The Pros
The biggest pro of Articles has already been mention, traffic, returning traffic to be more specific. No website can survive without people making there way to it, and returning for more. Also lets not forget the Search Engines, AOL, Google, and Yahoo, in alphabetical or and only providing the names of just a few. These Search Engines use keywords to direct viewers to different websites. Just like Articles is the keyword for this particular article, Keywords are how the search engines recognize what you are looking for. Say you wanted games you would then type in the word games and wow look at all the hits you get.
The Cons
There are a few problems with Articles. One thing they are a person’s point of view, if the person writing the article is not happy with the Keyword then the article could be damaging to the original site, product, or person. Another con to Articles is the fact they change constantly moving from one subject to another and can make finding the right one difficult.
Summary
When writing your Article be sure you do not copy someone else's work, not only is this illegal but also wrong. Make sure you give the original provider of the article their credit and the source link is working properly, not to mention telling them you are using their work. Following these simple guidelines can keep you out of trouble and possibly create a working relationship with the person you got your information from for a long time to come.
To bring all of this to a close you have to consider what you have read today, heard from someone else, or found on your own before, Articles if used properly can bring visitors to your website and keep them returning for more.
Articles For Free Reprint, How Can They Help?
When you offer articles for free reprint, you are allowing the person or persons to use the article in emails, websites, and other various forms of publications. The stipulation is of course that they keep your name the author, where the article originated from and follow where you allow the article to be used. Articles for Free Reprint can help small businesses whether on line, on paper, or in person free information to help keep their business motivated, client's returning, and your business in the Search Engines.
The Pros
There are quite a few Pros to offering Articles for Free Reprint, one being the coverage and exposure for both your website and Articles. Another benefit is the fact that you can find articles on just about anything out there, from writing articles, to web hosting, website design, and many more. Something else to consider is the fact that if you cannot write or do not then I am sure if you look hard enough you will find the article, you are looking for. I could go on about the pros but with every good thought, you have about free, articles, reprint you are covering the Pros of this great method of advertising.
The Cons
There are a few cons when it comes to articles for free reprint, one you have to make sure the entire article is what you are looking for and not just the title. Another is repetitiveness, with so many articles out there and covering all types of subjects, you want your articles to be fresh and not a duplicate of something else.
Summary
How can you summarize something as large as Free Articles for Reprint, I guess to start i should mention that offering free articles for reprint means at no point and time are you allowed to ask for compensation for you work. You are however setting your work up for more exposure, free exposure at that. Another benefit is you can showcase yourself and your work as being both professional and if you do your job right accurate. The professionalism is important it shows you can do the job to their specifications and do it right, the accuracy is equally important if not more so, because then people know you do not do gossip and speculations, but actually write the truth. These two things can make or break you, so be careful, honest, and patient when looking for that next Articles free Reprint.
The Pros
There are quite a few Pros to offering Articles for Free Reprint, one being the coverage and exposure for both your website and Articles. Another benefit is the fact that you can find articles on just about anything out there, from writing articles, to web hosting, website design, and many more. Something else to consider is the fact that if you cannot write or do not then I am sure if you look hard enough you will find the article, you are looking for. I could go on about the pros but with every good thought, you have about free, articles, reprint you are covering the Pros of this great method of advertising.
The Cons
There are a few cons when it comes to articles for free reprint, one you have to make sure the entire article is what you are looking for and not just the title. Another is repetitiveness, with so many articles out there and covering all types of subjects, you want your articles to be fresh and not a duplicate of something else.
Summary
How can you summarize something as large as Free Articles for Reprint, I guess to start i should mention that offering free articles for reprint means at no point and time are you allowed to ask for compensation for you work. You are however setting your work up for more exposure, free exposure at that. Another benefit is you can showcase yourself and your work as being both professional and if you do your job right accurate. The professionalism is important it shows you can do the job to their specifications and do it right, the accuracy is equally important if not more so, because then people know you do not do gossip and speculations, but actually write the truth. These two things can make or break you, so be careful, honest, and patient when looking for that next Articles free Reprint.
Articles And SEO
The terminology buzz these days seems to be filled with quite a lot of stuff that keep up with the pace of development over the internet. Articles and SEO are the latest in the line to be talked about in the same breath as that of search engines and the like. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and it is the mantra in web design. Articles and SEO rank top priority in that order when designing a webpage. The website ranking in search engine results is manipulated using different keyword strategies leading to a placement in the top 50 every time and thus ensuring a high volume of traffic to the website that shows up in the form of revenue for them.
The effectiveness of the search engines are known to be evolving everyday as the search engines are coming up with new algorithms and improvements to weed out the strategies implemented by the various website owners in other to manipulate the search engines to get more traffic for their websites. Articles and SEO is the first thing that comes into picture when we talk about driving up the traffic. Articles and SEO are manipulated to include keywords and articles related to them so that the use is always directed to the website every time that he is looking for something else. It does not interest the user and the user moves on, but that hit brings home the supper for the website owners.
To understand the traffic driven concept that is leaning towards the depending on the quality of the articles and SEO are explained here. For example in a search generated by the user, your page or product ranks in 500 instead of the top 50. The chances of your website being found by the prospective customer are very remote. This translates to a slump in sales if the number of users in the same situation is multiplied everyday. Therefore, the articles and SEO are breathing life into the revenue generating capabilities of the website and also the product online.
An optimized website is the best way to increase sales. The first thing is starting with the top, metatags are to be filled in even before the title or anything else for that matter appears on the screen. The keywords are wisely chosen keeping in mind the hapless user when he is frustrated looking for something and just types in a question on the browser search window. Sprinkle this keyword all along the written lines of the text carefully and that is all there is to a SEO. This will ensure that your website ranks in the top for search results as given in the keywords.
The effectiveness of the search engines are known to be evolving everyday as the search engines are coming up with new algorithms and improvements to weed out the strategies implemented by the various website owners in other to manipulate the search engines to get more traffic for their websites. Articles and SEO is the first thing that comes into picture when we talk about driving up the traffic. Articles and SEO are manipulated to include keywords and articles related to them so that the use is always directed to the website every time that he is looking for something else. It does not interest the user and the user moves on, but that hit brings home the supper for the website owners.
To understand the traffic driven concept that is leaning towards the depending on the quality of the articles and SEO are explained here. For example in a search generated by the user, your page or product ranks in 500 instead of the top 50. The chances of your website being found by the prospective customer are very remote. This translates to a slump in sales if the number of users in the same situation is multiplied everyday. Therefore, the articles and SEO are breathing life into the revenue generating capabilities of the website and also the product online.
An optimized website is the best way to increase sales. The first thing is starting with the top, metatags are to be filled in even before the title or anything else for that matter appears on the screen. The keywords are wisely chosen keeping in mind the hapless user when he is frustrated looking for something and just types in a question on the browser search window. Sprinkle this keyword all along the written lines of the text carefully and that is all there is to a SEO. This will ensure that your website ranks in the top for search results as given in the keywords.
Article Writing Tips For Profit
Writing articles is a very effective way to get one way links to your site as well as to have people learn more about your website or service. However, there are ways to do this that can make you more successful versus have your articles be overlooked and not considered.
Shane Pearce has written the Lazy Man's Guide to Article Writing which outlines some helpful tips. I was first impressed with his tip that when you submit your article to an ezine publisher or a webmaster, that you can offer him to use his own affiliate link in place of your own. For instance, if you have written an article on motivation and have a link to a clickbank ebook on motivation and goals, you can offer the publisher that he use his own affiliate id instead of yours. What this means is that the ezine or website publisher will be getting a free article already written with a link that may give him some monetary income. You still would have your own information in your resource box at the end, so people can click to your website as well. Think about what the website publisher you write to will get out of the exchange and find a way to make his or her life easier.
Other tips he gives are to read frequently asked questions to find out what people want to know about in terms of popular topics. Shane discusses how to make a viral ebook based on a faq niche that can be passed around. If there are frequently asked questions on a topic that is a sign that the topic has an interest as well as the fact there may be an interest in some guide or tutorial.
Also I like the sample autoresponder examples he uses as well as different ideas for a signature file at the end of one's article. I think he is very good at showing how to integrate a couple of affiliate links without being pushy. He recommends sending people to opt-in to a mailing list as part of your signature file.
Another section I found useful discusses how to create checklists and use them both for your website and in articles that lead back to your website. People like checklists. Shane discusses how to use these. They also help break through writer's block or paralysis because you can have a list of steps .
There are ideas given about utilizing both 2-tier affiliate programs and residual income programs that will help you keep you earning as your articles circulate around the net. Shane gives some interesting suggestions on types of sites that work for this.
I also like that Shane gives an example of a flop he did of an unsuccessful attempt at marketing. He analzyes it and compares it to something someone else wrote he feels was better expressed. It is a very interesting study covering various ways to get your articles noticed and published. I publish articles regularly but learned some valuable tips from this ebook.
Shane Pearce has written the Lazy Man's Guide to Article Writing which outlines some helpful tips. I was first impressed with his tip that when you submit your article to an ezine publisher or a webmaster, that you can offer him to use his own affiliate link in place of your own. For instance, if you have written an article on motivation and have a link to a clickbank ebook on motivation and goals, you can offer the publisher that he use his own affiliate id instead of yours. What this means is that the ezine or website publisher will be getting a free article already written with a link that may give him some monetary income. You still would have your own information in your resource box at the end, so people can click to your website as well. Think about what the website publisher you write to will get out of the exchange and find a way to make his or her life easier.
Other tips he gives are to read frequently asked questions to find out what people want to know about in terms of popular topics. Shane discusses how to make a viral ebook based on a faq niche that can be passed around. If there are frequently asked questions on a topic that is a sign that the topic has an interest as well as the fact there may be an interest in some guide or tutorial.
Also I like the sample autoresponder examples he uses as well as different ideas for a signature file at the end of one's article. I think he is very good at showing how to integrate a couple of affiliate links without being pushy. He recommends sending people to opt-in to a mailing list as part of your signature file.
Another section I found useful discusses how to create checklists and use them both for your website and in articles that lead back to your website. People like checklists. Shane discusses how to use these. They also help break through writer's block or paralysis because you can have a list of steps .
There are ideas given about utilizing both 2-tier affiliate programs and residual income programs that will help you keep you earning as your articles circulate around the net. Shane gives some interesting suggestions on types of sites that work for this.
I also like that Shane gives an example of a flop he did of an unsuccessful attempt at marketing. He analzyes it and compares it to something someone else wrote he feels was better expressed. It is a very interesting study covering various ways to get your articles noticed and published. I publish articles regularly but learned some valuable tips from this ebook.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
How To Win At Multiplayer First Shooter Games
The way most first player shooters score kills is simple to understand the harder it is to make the kill the more points you get. This means that if you kill someone with a knife you will get more points then someone using a chain gun, but running around with just your knife out is a big gamble unless you are extremely skilled at the game. This method of play will usually just make you the biggest loser.
One way to get a good score is to take a long range weapon like a sniper rifle and camp out near the enemy camps spawn point. By doing this every time someone on the opposing team gets killed they will instantly revert back to the spawn point and you can shoot them, then they will disappear and then reappear and you can shoot them again.
You get fewer points like this, but it is the same principal as playing roulette in the casinos, it is easier to get many smaller wins, rather then one big win.
When using this method try to pick your location using your head and do not just take a gamble on your sniping spot. You will want to have the advantage of height, but sometimes if you can get a good shot and be in a lower location it may be the last place someone looks for you. Many of the newer first player games allow the sun to be used as it would in real life. So going up a hill and having the sun at your back will give you a natural advantage in the game, and allow you to snipe from the same spot for a longer time before someone finds and kills you.
Another way to get a higher score is to work as a team with other players. Most people playing a First Player Shooter are playing alone with the goal of running around and killing everything that moves, but if you and some friends are playing you can use each other as in real combat. Now that you have other people watching your back as a unit you can be a more effective killer in the game, an example of this is that in some of the delta force games you can take a helicopter and if your friend is flying it you and another friend can man the chain guns and you can cover a bigger area, and deciding on a plan before starting the game you can develop a good strategy as a professional gambler or Online Poker player would allowing you to focus on 1 thing instead of many different aspects of the game.
Many times I would jump into the pilots chair and other players would jump in and I would circle the enemy camp but the players in the back of my chopper would not attack instead they would jump out or just wait for me to land instead of helping me attack from the air. So instead of increasing our chances of winning by working together they just wanted to be a team of 1. This will decrease the chances of our team winning the game, just like a player at a blackjack table can make all the other players lose by making bad decisions when it is that players turn.
Formulating a good strategy, playing as a team and using all available tools at your disposal you can not only win more games and get more points, you will also have a better online gaming experience, and this applies to playing first person shooter games and gambling in online casinos.
One way to get a good score is to take a long range weapon like a sniper rifle and camp out near the enemy camps spawn point. By doing this every time someone on the opposing team gets killed they will instantly revert back to the spawn point and you can shoot them, then they will disappear and then reappear and you can shoot them again.
You get fewer points like this, but it is the same principal as playing roulette in the casinos, it is easier to get many smaller wins, rather then one big win.
When using this method try to pick your location using your head and do not just take a gamble on your sniping spot. You will want to have the advantage of height, but sometimes if you can get a good shot and be in a lower location it may be the last place someone looks for you. Many of the newer first player games allow the sun to be used as it would in real life. So going up a hill and having the sun at your back will give you a natural advantage in the game, and allow you to snipe from the same spot for a longer time before someone finds and kills you.
Another way to get a higher score is to work as a team with other players. Most people playing a First Player Shooter are playing alone with the goal of running around and killing everything that moves, but if you and some friends are playing you can use each other as in real combat. Now that you have other people watching your back as a unit you can be a more effective killer in the game, an example of this is that in some of the delta force games you can take a helicopter and if your friend is flying it you and another friend can man the chain guns and you can cover a bigger area, and deciding on a plan before starting the game you can develop a good strategy as a professional gambler or Online Poker player would allowing you to focus on 1 thing instead of many different aspects of the game.
Many times I would jump into the pilots chair and other players would jump in and I would circle the enemy camp but the players in the back of my chopper would not attack instead they would jump out or just wait for me to land instead of helping me attack from the air. So instead of increasing our chances of winning by working together they just wanted to be a team of 1. This will decrease the chances of our team winning the game, just like a player at a blackjack table can make all the other players lose by making bad decisions when it is that players turn.
Formulating a good strategy, playing as a team and using all available tools at your disposal you can not only win more games and get more points, you will also have a better online gaming experience, and this applies to playing first person shooter games and gambling in online casinos.
How To Watch The Super Bowl
On February 4th hundreds of thousands of Football fans will be gathering around their televisions to view the SuperBowl, but what are the essentials to maximizing your SuperBowl watching experience
The teams may not have been decided yet, but it is not like it really matters, no matter who plays most eyes will be glued to the game. With the exception of the fans of those teams that are playing most people who watch the SuperBowl are just hoping for a good game.
One thing people like to do to make the game more interesting is an office football pool. This is when everyone throws money into a pot and you get a box latter numbers are randomly put in each box, then at the end of each quarter the score is checked and whoever is on the box that corresponds with the current score wins some money, and who ever has the score at the end of the game gets the majority of the money.
Another thing the more hardcore gamblers like to do is to place a bet at one of the many online sportsbooks. If this is hat you are into I recommend you go to several sportsbooks before placing your bets, different sites will offer different odds. Make sure to only place your bets on the SuperBowl with the bookie who offers you the best odds.
Besides betting on the game there are many things you can do to make the game more enjoyable.
The people you watch the game with effect the enjoy ability of the game. If some of the people you watch the SuperBowl with do not like football or understand the game they are not going to get into the game and they may want to talk and be a disturbance to those who want to watch the game undisturbed.
The 2 most important things you need to watch the SuperBowl are food and beverages. SuperBowl party’s can be very wild and result in many people calling out of work the next day, because of being hung over or sick from bad food.
Make sure whatever types of foods you offer the foods were not prepared in a rush. If you are planning to order food to be delivered you may want to rethink your plan. One of the busiest nights of the year for a take out restaurant is SuperBowl Sunday, and in a rush to get all the orders delivered on time sometimes food can be undercooked, so you may want to either keep it simple like pizza or make your own food.
Beverages can be a bigger problem then the food. Most men will usually drink some beer while watching the game, but unless each person brings their own beer you risk running into someone who does not like the selection you have provided, also because the game is on a Sunday people may want to stay sober, because of work the next day. So make sure to have a good selection of beer, hard liquor and non alcoholic soft drinks. You can always ask you friends when you invite them for the game what they like to drink, then assuming no one picks something so out of the ordinary you should be able to find an acceptable mix of drinks for everyone.
As for Snacks I recommend a large selection or the basics chips, pretzels and maybe popcorn or even peanuts.
Hopefully this will help you to have a better time watching the SuperBowl, and throw a great party at the same time.
The teams may not have been decided yet, but it is not like it really matters, no matter who plays most eyes will be glued to the game. With the exception of the fans of those teams that are playing most people who watch the SuperBowl are just hoping for a good game.
One thing people like to do to make the game more interesting is an office football pool. This is when everyone throws money into a pot and you get a box latter numbers are randomly put in each box, then at the end of each quarter the score is checked and whoever is on the box that corresponds with the current score wins some money, and who ever has the score at the end of the game gets the majority of the money.
Another thing the more hardcore gamblers like to do is to place a bet at one of the many online sportsbooks. If this is hat you are into I recommend you go to several sportsbooks before placing your bets, different sites will offer different odds. Make sure to only place your bets on the SuperBowl with the bookie who offers you the best odds.
Besides betting on the game there are many things you can do to make the game more enjoyable.
The people you watch the game with effect the enjoy ability of the game. If some of the people you watch the SuperBowl with do not like football or understand the game they are not going to get into the game and they may want to talk and be a disturbance to those who want to watch the game undisturbed.
The 2 most important things you need to watch the SuperBowl are food and beverages. SuperBowl party’s can be very wild and result in many people calling out of work the next day, because of being hung over or sick from bad food.
Make sure whatever types of foods you offer the foods were not prepared in a rush. If you are planning to order food to be delivered you may want to rethink your plan. One of the busiest nights of the year for a take out restaurant is SuperBowl Sunday, and in a rush to get all the orders delivered on time sometimes food can be undercooked, so you may want to either keep it simple like pizza or make your own food.
Beverages can be a bigger problem then the food. Most men will usually drink some beer while watching the game, but unless each person brings their own beer you risk running into someone who does not like the selection you have provided, also because the game is on a Sunday people may want to stay sober, because of work the next day. So make sure to have a good selection of beer, hard liquor and non alcoholic soft drinks. You can always ask you friends when you invite them for the game what they like to drink, then assuming no one picks something so out of the ordinary you should be able to find an acceptable mix of drinks for everyone.
As for Snacks I recommend a large selection or the basics chips, pretzels and maybe popcorn or even peanuts.
Hopefully this will help you to have a better time watching the SuperBowl, and throw a great party at the same time.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
An Author's Guide To Publishing A Book
Ask any published book author about writing a book, and they will tell you it's a monumental task. The process is long, drawn out, and grueling. Even if you enjoy writing – and don't mind writing on the same subject for an extended period -- the writing process will, undoubtedly, exhaust you. Getting your book published, however, will take even more time and effort than writing the thing in the first place.
Are you thinking about writing a book? Have you already written one? Do you wonder how to get your book published? If you so, read on. Here are some hand-picked tips on how to publish your book.
WRITING YOUR BOOK
To write a successful book you need to start out with some original thought. You probably have plenty of originality, but you may have trouble creating a coherent flow of ideas and information that the public will digest. The first step is to create the skeleton (or blueprint) of your book. You need to organize your thoughts into a progression of chapters.
If you are writing a non-fiction book, start with a table of contents. Write chapter headings and sub-headings. Organize your chapters so you build each chapter upon one another. If you can brainstorm more chapter headings than you will use, you will find it easier to fill your book with a series of short articles that flow into one another.
If you are writing fiction, you will need more of a storyboard. You will need to create cause and effect as well as character sketches. To make your story coherent your characters will need to react to events. Their reactions should become predictable as your readers get into the story. You may need to create some situations for your characters to introduce their traits to the reader.
These are general guidelines on how to construct your book. The complete process will be much more involved as you move closer to finding out how to get your book published. Even after you are finished with the bulk of the content, your goal to publish your book involves a lot more work.
GETTING YOUR BOOK INTO PRINT
The next step to get your book published is finding a publisher. Both the Internet and your local library have many resources. You can tap into these resources to find the best publisher to publish your book. After a series of queries and correspondence with potential publishers, you may get an invitation to submit your manuscript. Then the work begins.
A publisher is very experienced in finding marketable books. He knows what it will take to get your book to sell. Don't be offended when a book editor tears your writing apart, as this may be a positive sign that the publisher is interested in your book. Expect to enter into a close relationship of compromise and change with the editor as you rework what you have already painstakingly written. When you are finished, you will have a readable, clean, and correct manuscript, ready for print.
The road to getting a book published is a long one, but it is well worth the effort. Trust yourself, and trust the publisher to create a beautiful masterpiece. Don't be discouraged if several publishers are not interested in your book. You may have to self-publish your first book, and then again, your book may eventually get accepted right away. Good luck and enjoy the process.
Are you thinking about writing a book? Have you already written one? Do you wonder how to get your book published? If you so, read on. Here are some hand-picked tips on how to publish your book.
WRITING YOUR BOOK
To write a successful book you need to start out with some original thought. You probably have plenty of originality, but you may have trouble creating a coherent flow of ideas and information that the public will digest. The first step is to create the skeleton (or blueprint) of your book. You need to organize your thoughts into a progression of chapters.
If you are writing a non-fiction book, start with a table of contents. Write chapter headings and sub-headings. Organize your chapters so you build each chapter upon one another. If you can brainstorm more chapter headings than you will use, you will find it easier to fill your book with a series of short articles that flow into one another.
If you are writing fiction, you will need more of a storyboard. You will need to create cause and effect as well as character sketches. To make your story coherent your characters will need to react to events. Their reactions should become predictable as your readers get into the story. You may need to create some situations for your characters to introduce their traits to the reader.
These are general guidelines on how to construct your book. The complete process will be much more involved as you move closer to finding out how to get your book published. Even after you are finished with the bulk of the content, your goal to publish your book involves a lot more work.
GETTING YOUR BOOK INTO PRINT
The next step to get your book published is finding a publisher. Both the Internet and your local library have many resources. You can tap into these resources to find the best publisher to publish your book. After a series of queries and correspondence with potential publishers, you may get an invitation to submit your manuscript. Then the work begins.
A publisher is very experienced in finding marketable books. He knows what it will take to get your book to sell. Don't be offended when a book editor tears your writing apart, as this may be a positive sign that the publisher is interested in your book. Expect to enter into a close relationship of compromise and change with the editor as you rework what you have already painstakingly written. When you are finished, you will have a readable, clean, and correct manuscript, ready for print.
The road to getting a book published is a long one, but it is well worth the effort. Trust yourself, and trust the publisher to create a beautiful masterpiece. Don't be discouraged if several publishers are not interested in your book. You may have to self-publish your first book, and then again, your book may eventually get accepted right away. Good luck and enjoy the process.
10 Resume writing tips to land you your dream job
Imagine yourself sitting in an employer's desk with hundreds of resumes falling in on your desk against a vacancy declared by you in your company.
Number of vacancy - 1, and number of applicants - innumerable.
As an employer it is your responsibility to select the most deserving, suitable and competent candidate. So it is up to the candidate to snatch the employer's attention out of those hundreds of resume application. As such, writing a resume is all about knowing what employers specifically look for in an applicant's application. So, never make the mistake of underestimating the importance of a "good and eye-catching resume".
Now, a good and a perfect resume is not an allegory. Neither has it anything to do with the elite schools or exceptional work experience. A blue collar worker may have a exceptional CV, while the resume of a white collar professional may have a poorly written one. A good resume is your first step at the door of a good job; you must well-understand that it is your representative to an employer before you get there. A resume centers round the detailed info about a candidate that is truthful, brief and to the point; not something that is exaggerated or unnecessarily long.
There are certain things that a good and perfect curriculum vita has within its set margins.
1. First of all, decide the format of your resume. Decide whether you want it to be in a functional or chronological format.
2. Write your resume in active verbs.
3. Highlight your skills and objectives. Make it your resume headline.
4. Be specific about your professional background. If you are an experienced person, mention your tenure with previous employers; and in case you are a fresher, define your professional qualifications.
5. Define your current pay scale. And don’t forget to put down your expected salary.
6. If your CV is targeted towards a specific career path or employer, then you must know all their requirements and mention them in your resume very clearly. Research and know the qualities that will prove to be beneficial to the employer and think about how your capabilities match those qualities.
7. Next, be particular to provide every minute personal detail. Highlight your contact details.
8. Be professional, concise, brief and clean. Avoid from being too flashy with your resume design.
9. Stick to writing one page cover letter as far as possible.
10. Last but not the least, be sure to edit and re-edit your resume once you are done with writing it.
Remember, the objective of your resume is to unleash your accomplishments and qualifications to the employer's committee. Think it to be a promotional brochure, a pamphlet displaying your organizational and career skills.
Number of vacancy - 1, and number of applicants - innumerable.
As an employer it is your responsibility to select the most deserving, suitable and competent candidate. So it is up to the candidate to snatch the employer's attention out of those hundreds of resume application. As such, writing a resume is all about knowing what employers specifically look for in an applicant's application. So, never make the mistake of underestimating the importance of a "good and eye-catching resume".
Now, a good and a perfect resume is not an allegory. Neither has it anything to do with the elite schools or exceptional work experience. A blue collar worker may have a exceptional CV, while the resume of a white collar professional may have a poorly written one. A good resume is your first step at the door of a good job; you must well-understand that it is your representative to an employer before you get there. A resume centers round the detailed info about a candidate that is truthful, brief and to the point; not something that is exaggerated or unnecessarily long.
There are certain things that a good and perfect curriculum vita has within its set margins.
1. First of all, decide the format of your resume. Decide whether you want it to be in a functional or chronological format.
2. Write your resume in active verbs.
3. Highlight your skills and objectives. Make it your resume headline.
4. Be specific about your professional background. If you are an experienced person, mention your tenure with previous employers; and in case you are a fresher, define your professional qualifications.
5. Define your current pay scale. And don’t forget to put down your expected salary.
6. If your CV is targeted towards a specific career path or employer, then you must know all their requirements and mention them in your resume very clearly. Research and know the qualities that will prove to be beneficial to the employer and think about how your capabilities match those qualities.
7. Next, be particular to provide every minute personal detail. Highlight your contact details.
8. Be professional, concise, brief and clean. Avoid from being too flashy with your resume design.
9. Stick to writing one page cover letter as far as possible.
10. Last but not the least, be sure to edit and re-edit your resume once you are done with writing it.
Remember, the objective of your resume is to unleash your accomplishments and qualifications to the employer's committee. Think it to be a promotional brochure, a pamphlet displaying your organizational and career skills.
10 things to do in Liverpool
Ten Things To Do
Liverpool is a city in celebration. Wining the 2008 Capital City of Culture award has brought fresh investment intended to match the amenities of the old city to the passion of its devoted citizens. With money poured into renovating the city centre, improving shopping facilities and areas for nightlife along with the rapid growth of Liverpool as a city of art and culture Liverpool is the booming city of the North, genuinely a city that has something for everyone. It is certainly worth a visit with lots of places to stay too.
The Cavern Club
The self-proclaimed ‘most famous club in the world’ is the legendary birthplace of the Beatles and without doubt one of the most important cultural landmarks in Liverpool. Inspired by Parisian cellar bars the Cavern Club opened in 1957 but it wasn’t until November 9th 1961 when the unknown Beatles were introduced to Brian Epstein that the club cemented its place in pop history. Since the Beatles completed their 292 show residency artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and recently the Arctic Monkeys have gone on to play at The Cavern defining the club as a hot-spot for emerging talent and an icon in world music.
The Cavern Club is situated along the lively Mathew Street just off the city centre and is open daily from 12pm holding live music nights and DJ events playing anything from Mersey Beat to Brit Pop.
http://www.cavernclub.org/
Albert Dock
This secluded patch of Liverpool’s heritage offers a break from the city centre with plenty to see and do across a picturesque waterfront. Combining bars and restaurants with museums and tours the Albert Dock has something for everyone. The Merseyside Maritime Museum and the National Slavery Museum as are certainly worth a look and Babycream and Panamerican Club are both great places for something to eat or a quick drink.
http://www.albertdock.com/
Turning The Place Over
Described as the most daring piece of public art in the world, Richard Wilson’s revolving slice of condemned office block is a sight to be seen. Set just outside the city centre in Moorfields and only viewable during daylight hours Wilson has cut out a huge 8-metre oval from a building’s façade allowing it to rotate in its place exposing glimpses of the inside to passers by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBXwA0gcBm4&feature=related
China Town
Liverpool has one of the largest and most established Chinese communities in Europe. The Imperial Arch on Berry Street acts as a gateway to an area revitalized with the Capital of Culture award. With bars and restaurants open daily and a busy market selling clothes, herbs, food and drink open on a Sunday Liverpool’s famous China Town is a colourful escape from the city centre.
Tate Liverpool
Founded as part of the 1988 renovation of the Albert Dock the gallery houses important works from both contemporary and classical artists and offers fresh non-permanent exhibitions and a full package of activities for children. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 10pm – 5pm.
Concert Square
The hive of Liverpool nightlife is always busy as bars and restaurants compete for custom with staggering drinks deals and nauseatingly infectious Scouse House music. Modo and Arena are two of the best while Walkabout is always a lively place to watch any football, cricket or rugby matches.
Rawhide Comedy Club
Always good for a meal and a laugh the Rawhide Comedy club at the Royal Court on Roe Street has hosted the likes of Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr and Johnny Vegas and continues to attract the best emerging comedy talent from around the world. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the main nights but be sure to book early as tickets are usually sold-out on the door.
FACT
The Foundation for Art and Creative Technology is the UK's leading organisation for the commissioning and presentation of film, video and new media art forms. Situated just off Wood Street in the Ropewalks area of the city centre FACT is a resource for artists and creatives but also an entry point into the world of new media with regular short film competitions and commissioned work from the likes of Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger and documentary filmmaker Isaac Julian. FACT is also the best cinema is the city showing both independent movies and major Hollywood releases.
http://www.fact.co.uk/?group=1
Anfield Tour and Museum
You can’t go to Liverpool without at least one proud local reminding you that the football club representing the red half of the city is the most successful British club around. The tour takes you behind the scenes at the club, visiting the dressing rooms and sitting in the team dugout while the museum holds a large number of trophies and memories including the European Cup installed permanently after Liverpool’s fifth victory in the 2005 final in Istanbul.
Walker Art Gallery
This gallery really is the ‘National Gallery’ of the north. Situated across from Lime Street station on William Brown Street the neo-classical Walker Gallery has a large collection of work spanning the years from the pre-Raphaelite works of Rembrandt and Degas to contemporary works from Lucien Freud and David Hockney. Entrance is free and the gallery is open between 10-5pm daily.
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/visit/
Staying in Liverpool
Liverpool offers a diverse range of different types of accommodation. You can find a nice hotel in Liverpool at reasonable rates. Liverpool Accommodation - includes hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs & inns if you need a Liverpool Budget Hotel – offering value for money hotels for those wishing to keep to a budget then these are ideal. Or perhaps you want to stay in an Apartment - primarily self-catering accommodation for the more independent guest .Enjoy your stay in Liverpool!
Liverpool is a city in celebration. Wining the 2008 Capital City of Culture award has brought fresh investment intended to match the amenities of the old city to the passion of its devoted citizens. With money poured into renovating the city centre, improving shopping facilities and areas for nightlife along with the rapid growth of Liverpool as a city of art and culture Liverpool is the booming city of the North, genuinely a city that has something for everyone. It is certainly worth a visit with lots of places to stay too.
The Cavern Club
The self-proclaimed ‘most famous club in the world’ is the legendary birthplace of the Beatles and without doubt one of the most important cultural landmarks in Liverpool. Inspired by Parisian cellar bars the Cavern Club opened in 1957 but it wasn’t until November 9th 1961 when the unknown Beatles were introduced to Brian Epstein that the club cemented its place in pop history. Since the Beatles completed their 292 show residency artists such as The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and recently the Arctic Monkeys have gone on to play at The Cavern defining the club as a hot-spot for emerging talent and an icon in world music.
The Cavern Club is situated along the lively Mathew Street just off the city centre and is open daily from 12pm holding live music nights and DJ events playing anything from Mersey Beat to Brit Pop.
http://www.cavernclub.org/
Albert Dock
This secluded patch of Liverpool’s heritage offers a break from the city centre with plenty to see and do across a picturesque waterfront. Combining bars and restaurants with museums and tours the Albert Dock has something for everyone. The Merseyside Maritime Museum and the National Slavery Museum as are certainly worth a look and Babycream and Panamerican Club are both great places for something to eat or a quick drink.
http://www.albertdock.com/
Turning The Place Over
Described as the most daring piece of public art in the world, Richard Wilson’s revolving slice of condemned office block is a sight to be seen. Set just outside the city centre in Moorfields and only viewable during daylight hours Wilson has cut out a huge 8-metre oval from a building’s façade allowing it to rotate in its place exposing glimpses of the inside to passers by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBXwA0gcBm4&feature=related
China Town
Liverpool has one of the largest and most established Chinese communities in Europe. The Imperial Arch on Berry Street acts as a gateway to an area revitalized with the Capital of Culture award. With bars and restaurants open daily and a busy market selling clothes, herbs, food and drink open on a Sunday Liverpool’s famous China Town is a colourful escape from the city centre.
Tate Liverpool
Founded as part of the 1988 renovation of the Albert Dock the gallery houses important works from both contemporary and classical artists and offers fresh non-permanent exhibitions and a full package of activities for children. The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday 10pm – 5pm.
Concert Square
The hive of Liverpool nightlife is always busy as bars and restaurants compete for custom with staggering drinks deals and nauseatingly infectious Scouse House music. Modo and Arena are two of the best while Walkabout is always a lively place to watch any football, cricket or rugby matches.
Rawhide Comedy Club
Always good for a meal and a laugh the Rawhide Comedy club at the Royal Court on Roe Street has hosted the likes of Peter Kay, Jimmy Carr and Johnny Vegas and continues to attract the best emerging comedy talent from around the world. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the main nights but be sure to book early as tickets are usually sold-out on the door.
FACT
The Foundation for Art and Creative Technology is the UK's leading organisation for the commissioning and presentation of film, video and new media art forms. Situated just off Wood Street in the Ropewalks area of the city centre FACT is a resource for artists and creatives but also an entry point into the world of new media with regular short film competitions and commissioned work from the likes of Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger and documentary filmmaker Isaac Julian. FACT is also the best cinema is the city showing both independent movies and major Hollywood releases.
http://www.fact.co.uk/?group=1
Anfield Tour and Museum
You can’t go to Liverpool without at least one proud local reminding you that the football club representing the red half of the city is the most successful British club around. The tour takes you behind the scenes at the club, visiting the dressing rooms and sitting in the team dugout while the museum holds a large number of trophies and memories including the European Cup installed permanently after Liverpool’s fifth victory in the 2005 final in Istanbul.
Walker Art Gallery
This gallery really is the ‘National Gallery’ of the north. Situated across from Lime Street station on William Brown Street the neo-classical Walker Gallery has a large collection of work spanning the years from the pre-Raphaelite works of Rembrandt and Degas to contemporary works from Lucien Freud and David Hockney. Entrance is free and the gallery is open between 10-5pm daily.
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/visit/
Staying in Liverpool
Liverpool offers a diverse range of different types of accommodation. You can find a nice hotel in Liverpool at reasonable rates. Liverpool Accommodation - includes hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs & inns if you need a Liverpool Budget Hotel – offering value for money hotels for those wishing to keep to a budget then these are ideal. Or perhaps you want to stay in an Apartment - primarily self-catering accommodation for the more independent guest .Enjoy your stay in Liverpool!
8 Tips To Become An Expert Proofreader
Many people are under the assumption that proofreading is an “innate” ability. The reality is that it is actually an acquired skill. By following these tips, you can transform yourself into the expert proofreader you’ve always dreamed of becoming!
1. You are the best judge of yourself. By this I mean that you can determine exactly what your most common mistakes are. Whether it’s placing the “e” before the “I,” or simply forgetting the semi-colon; once you familiarize yourself with your most common mistakes, proofreading will become much easier.
2. Remember, proofreading is not about misspelled words only; most likely those are caught by the application you are using like MS Word spell checker. You must look for incorrect sentence structure, repetition, and text which does not flow well together.
3. Leave the document for a while, and return with new eyes. If you walk away from your work and take a quick break, then return, you will find your outlook has changed completely!
3. Slow down and read out loud! So many errors are caught when you read the text slow and out loud to yourself. You realize things like: this sentence sounds strange, or I repeated this word 5 times in the same paragraph!
4. Your subconscious plays tricks on you. Sometimes you read what you think SHOULD be there, not what is ACTUALLY there. So you must acquire the skill that overcomes the power of the subconscious. What is that skill? Simply reading what is actually on the page!!
5. Never settle for one quick glance over your paper. Read it several times to be sure that you have not missed any possible error.
6. Try to work with a friend or hire professional help. There is nothing like another set of eyes to look over your work for you. After working on a document for so long, it becomes too familiar. Having an unbiased party view your paper is never a bad idea.
7. Once a misspelled word, always a misspelled word. It has become faulty information embedded in your mind. Now it’s no problem when the word is misspelled in a way that MS Word will catch it, but the absolute worst thing is when the misspelled version happens to be a word too! In that case, the application absolutely will not catch that error! For example: your and you’re OR sea and see.
8. The one second you aren’t on your guard, paying attention, you may end up misspelling or incorrectly structuring a sentence. Remember that your mind works faster than your fingers. Always remember that when you proofread somebody else’s work you are more likely to detect errors than proofreading your own work.
Professionals proofread their work over 10 times. Now, by following these guidelines, you can too!
1. You are the best judge of yourself. By this I mean that you can determine exactly what your most common mistakes are. Whether it’s placing the “e” before the “I,” or simply forgetting the semi-colon; once you familiarize yourself with your most common mistakes, proofreading will become much easier.
2. Remember, proofreading is not about misspelled words only; most likely those are caught by the application you are using like MS Word spell checker. You must look for incorrect sentence structure, repetition, and text which does not flow well together.
3. Leave the document for a while, and return with new eyes. If you walk away from your work and take a quick break, then return, you will find your outlook has changed completely!
3. Slow down and read out loud! So many errors are caught when you read the text slow and out loud to yourself. You realize things like: this sentence sounds strange, or I repeated this word 5 times in the same paragraph!
4. Your subconscious plays tricks on you. Sometimes you read what you think SHOULD be there, not what is ACTUALLY there. So you must acquire the skill that overcomes the power of the subconscious. What is that skill? Simply reading what is actually on the page!!
5. Never settle for one quick glance over your paper. Read it several times to be sure that you have not missed any possible error.
6. Try to work with a friend or hire professional help. There is nothing like another set of eyes to look over your work for you. After working on a document for so long, it becomes too familiar. Having an unbiased party view your paper is never a bad idea.
7. Once a misspelled word, always a misspelled word. It has become faulty information embedded in your mind. Now it’s no problem when the word is misspelled in a way that MS Word will catch it, but the absolute worst thing is when the misspelled version happens to be a word too! In that case, the application absolutely will not catch that error! For example: your and you’re OR sea and see.
8. The one second you aren’t on your guard, paying attention, you may end up misspelling or incorrectly structuring a sentence. Remember that your mind works faster than your fingers. Always remember that when you proofread somebody else’s work you are more likely to detect errors than proofreading your own work.
Professionals proofread their work over 10 times. Now, by following these guidelines, you can too!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
How To Make Puppets With Your Children
Kids like to play with puppets, because they can use their fantasy during this period (and they have rich imagination). They can imagine peoples, animals, different situations and life attitudes. These puppets will be prepared from wooden spoon. This is a simple and cheap kid crafts idea, which is in every household. The preparing of the puppets is also so interesting for the young and the elder children as well. It will entertain your kids for a while. O.K. let's see the necessary materials!
You need the following raw materials:
First of all let your kids choose their favourite animals. For example: dog, cat, lion, horse, dolphin and so on...
Second step: paint the wooden spoon with the basic colour. You can use bravely high colors. (kids like this) For example a mouse can be blue, the cat may be pink, in this case it's not problem. The main thing is your child feel the decision freedom and use his or her imagination. (You can take a look at a sample picture on my website.)
Third step: cut ears from the cardboard, embellish these and fix with the glue to the wooden spoon.
Fourth step: paint face (eyes, nose, mouth, moustache, tooth ...) for the animal puppet.
Last step: tie with colorful ribbon the neck of the puppet.
We have finished our puppet.
Only your fantasy set a limit to the number of the puppets you can make. Also you can prepare the members of the family or friends or classmates, as puppets. And you can organize occasions, where your child will perform their tales or stories. Your kids will love it and you will enjoy it!
You can find pictures and much more crafts for child and parents also on my website.
You need the following raw materials:
- wooden spoon
- cardboard
- paint
- paintbrush
- scissors
- colorful ribbon
- glue
First of all let your kids choose their favourite animals. For example: dog, cat, lion, horse, dolphin and so on...
Second step: paint the wooden spoon with the basic colour. You can use bravely high colors. (kids like this) For example a mouse can be blue, the cat may be pink, in this case it's not problem. The main thing is your child feel the decision freedom and use his or her imagination. (You can take a look at a sample picture on my website.)
Third step: cut ears from the cardboard, embellish these and fix with the glue to the wooden spoon.
Fourth step: paint face (eyes, nose, mouth, moustache, tooth ...) for the animal puppet.
Last step: tie with colorful ribbon the neck of the puppet.
We have finished our puppet.
Only your fantasy set a limit to the number of the puppets you can make. Also you can prepare the members of the family or friends or classmates, as puppets. And you can organize occasions, where your child will perform their tales or stories. Your kids will love it and you will enjoy it!
You can find pictures and much more crafts for child and parents also on my website.
How To Make Millions Playing Video Poker
Most people will tell you that the only way to walk out of a casino a Millionaire is to walk in a Billionaire, but the fact is this is not the truth. It is only the easiest way to do it.
If you are the type of person who is not afraid to risk it all for the big payoff then this may be for you.
Video poker machines can be found in every casino both land based and online casinos. These machines have the best chances of making you a millionaire in any casino.
All you need is a credit card with at least $20,000 and the nerve to risk it, in what can be less then 20 minutes. I recommend saving up $20,000 dollars before trying this and not just running up your credit card, but when I first tried it I did just run up my card.
The game you pick is very important. There are many different types of poker games offered in video form, in some of them you play a computer player and the player with the best hand wins, in the second there is no other player, the better the hand you make the more the machine pays out. A pair pays 1:1; two pairs pay 2:1 and so on. The 2nd type of Video Poker machine is the one you want.
Please keep in mind that this is not a guaranteed way to win money, and if you do not win money you can wind up twenty thousand dollars in debt, but it has made me a lot of cash, over the past 2 years I have paid all my expenses playing poker in this manner.
I usually start with at least 20,000 dollars, and making $1,000 dollar bets before the $20,000 is gone I have had at least 1 good hand where I have at least made back my money and can now start going for the big money.
Do not increase your bets to more then $1,000 until you have made at least $100,000.
I first discovered this method almost 2 years ago; I was spending my weekends down in Atlantic City playing poker, blackjack and roulette, and not winning any money, but during the week I would play a free video poker game from home, and I was winning millions of dollars every week.
So one day I decided to give it a try and instead of spending my money at the table games I went right to the video poker game, and by the end of the weekend I was up almost $60,000.
Now every few months I go down to either Atlantic City or Las Vegas, I have a bank roll of $20,000 and I make a few hundred thousand to get me till the next time.
Remember there are no guarantees that this will work for you. There have been times where I went over my $20,000 bank roll before I got my first really good hand, but I also remember one time I got a full house which paid off $25,000 on my first hand. Learn more at http://www.online-casinos-707.net
If you are the type of person who is not afraid to risk it all for the big payoff then this may be for you.
Video poker machines can be found in every casino both land based and online casinos. These machines have the best chances of making you a millionaire in any casino.
All you need is a credit card with at least $20,000 and the nerve to risk it, in what can be less then 20 minutes. I recommend saving up $20,000 dollars before trying this and not just running up your credit card, but when I first tried it I did just run up my card.
The game you pick is very important. There are many different types of poker games offered in video form, in some of them you play a computer player and the player with the best hand wins, in the second there is no other player, the better the hand you make the more the machine pays out. A pair pays 1:1; two pairs pay 2:1 and so on. The 2nd type of Video Poker machine is the one you want.
Please keep in mind that this is not a guaranteed way to win money, and if you do not win money you can wind up twenty thousand dollars in debt, but it has made me a lot of cash, over the past 2 years I have paid all my expenses playing poker in this manner.
I usually start with at least 20,000 dollars, and making $1,000 dollar bets before the $20,000 is gone I have had at least 1 good hand where I have at least made back my money and can now start going for the big money.
Do not increase your bets to more then $1,000 until you have made at least $100,000.
I first discovered this method almost 2 years ago; I was spending my weekends down in Atlantic City playing poker, blackjack and roulette, and not winning any money, but during the week I would play a free video poker game from home, and I was winning millions of dollars every week.
So one day I decided to give it a try and instead of spending my money at the table games I went right to the video poker game, and by the end of the weekend I was up almost $60,000.
Now every few months I go down to either Atlantic City or Las Vegas, I have a bank roll of $20,000 and I make a few hundred thousand to get me till the next time.
Remember there are no guarantees that this will work for you. There have been times where I went over my $20,000 bank roll before I got my first really good hand, but I also remember one time I got a full house which paid off $25,000 on my first hand. Learn more at http://www.online-casinos-707.net
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