Since the golden age of the Western, poker playing has always been a popular theme in Hollywood. Although many of the Hollywood films that feature poker are not very good and some of them even display poker in a ridiculous manner, watching poker action on the big screen is great fun, especially if you play poker yourself.
Here are the best poker movies that were ever produced in Hollywood. Some of the movies are actually excellent movies regardless to their display of the poker game, while in others the poker games is the feature that makes them worth watching. However, if you are a poker fan, add these movies to your musts list.
The Sting directed by George Roy Hill in 1973
The Sting is less about poker and more about the art of card sharking but it will provide you two hours of sophisticated fun. The 1973 Academy award winner features young Paul Newman as the greatest con artist of them all who mentors young Robert Redford in the art of trickestry. David S. Warn screenplay is based on true con games stories.
The Cincinnati Kid directed by Norman Jewison in 1965
The classic stud poker film known for its climatic final hand and the unforgettable quote: Gets down to what its all about, doesn't it? Making the wrong move at the right time. In short, The Cincinnati Kid is about the battle between Steve Macqueen who plays a young poker player also known as The Kid and the veteran poker gambler known as The Man who is played by Edward G. Robinson during the Great Depression in New Orleans. It may not appear at any other list of best movies, but it certainly has one of the best poker scenes ever seen on the silver screen.
California Split directed by Robert Altman in 1974
California Split may not be the pick of Robert Altmans creation, but is one of the best movies to depict the messy everyday life of two professional gamblers played by George Segal and Elliott Gould. Like in many of Altman films, the narrative is not particularly straight and the end is not necessarily happy, but it does succeed in describing an authentic experience. Additionally, poker trivia fans would be thrilled to learn that poker legend Amarillo Slim plays a small role.
Rounders directed by John Dahl in 1998
It is hard to tell whether the movie pushed to the 21st century poker boom or the rise in the popularity of poker during the last decade made Rounders a cult hit. However, Rounders is one of the best poker films to display the contemporary high stake poker scene. The core of the movie is a long poker marathon in which Mat Damon and Edward Norton are trying to earn money to pay off the latter gambling debts. World Series of Poker champion Johnny Chan plays a featured role.
Maverick directed by Richard Donner in 1994
Although Maverick is not the most brilliant film ever made and some of the poker scenes are kinda silly, it is a fun and lightheaded poker movie. It might even provide you a basic idea on what it was like to be a rambling gambler in the old west card scene with Mel Gibson as a maverick who tries to earn enough money for the big five card draw poker tournament.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Presentation Skills
To become a successful scholar one needs to possess a lot of significant traits, because research work requires unique capabilities and a great strive for work. However, a great scholar is not only the person who is doing research and then writes a dissertation or a thesis on the results of the research. Nobody will pay attention to your work if you do not have good or even remarkable presentation skills. To become successful, one needs to learn how to present the work in a proper and original way.
Appropriate presentations are important in a way that they reflect your work, on the one hand, and involve others in your research, theme, on the other hand. Essays are various by their type, size, level and difficulty. Still, no matter what kind of paper you present, it can be a description essay or an argument essay or a thesis; you have to present it accordingly. When you choose argument essay topic and work it thoroughly on, researching the issue, you have to bear one crucial thing in mind: what can be said about the matter in front the audience. What kind of information should be expressed and what is the best way to do it. Your written text, if it is an argument evaluation essay for example, should carry argumentative assumptions and be indeed convincing. Writing an argument essay requires deep research of the matter and an appropriate form the research is to be put. Under certain circumstances buying a description essay or argument and persuasion essay online may be a way out, but not everything that you want to express will be included in the paper. When presenting your paper you should follow certain rules, which can become an important part of your overall communication technique. Option no 1: you have to look well, meaning, accurate, elegant but never showy. You should look formal, because you present your work in the face of serious scholars and have to be one of them. There is a margin between original elegance, while being formal, and excessive personality exposure. You should be an example of the first notion when presenting your paper. The second key pattern is: as a speaker you have to set a contact with the audience. Thus don’t look on the walls, ceiling, floor etc. Audience is your target. It is the audience that will determine presentation’s success or failure. You should try to look over the whole auditorium; if you get involved into communication process, then the audience will be gradually involved as well. For deeper and more interesting communication, try to present you work in a way that would arouse questions and discussions. You have to make an impression of a confident but easy-going, intelligent and interesting person. Formality of the presentation does not prohibit being humorous and charming to some extent. However, this extent should be kept and not abused. Some helpful things such as the board, the schemes, the screen and other stuff can be a plus for your presentation, inasmuch as they will attract additional attention and bring interest for the audience.
The final significant point of your success is your voice. You should sound persuasive and confident. Only when you believe in what you are speaking about, the listeners will believe you.
Appropriate presentations are important in a way that they reflect your work, on the one hand, and involve others in your research, theme, on the other hand. Essays are various by their type, size, level and difficulty. Still, no matter what kind of paper you present, it can be a description essay or an argument essay or a thesis; you have to present it accordingly. When you choose argument essay topic and work it thoroughly on, researching the issue, you have to bear one crucial thing in mind: what can be said about the matter in front the audience. What kind of information should be expressed and what is the best way to do it. Your written text, if it is an argument evaluation essay for example, should carry argumentative assumptions and be indeed convincing. Writing an argument essay requires deep research of the matter and an appropriate form the research is to be put. Under certain circumstances buying a description essay or argument and persuasion essay online may be a way out, but not everything that you want to express will be included in the paper. When presenting your paper you should follow certain rules, which can become an important part of your overall communication technique. Option no 1: you have to look well, meaning, accurate, elegant but never showy. You should look formal, because you present your work in the face of serious scholars and have to be one of them. There is a margin between original elegance, while being formal, and excessive personality exposure. You should be an example of the first notion when presenting your paper. The second key pattern is: as a speaker you have to set a contact with the audience. Thus don’t look on the walls, ceiling, floor etc. Audience is your target. It is the audience that will determine presentation’s success or failure. You should try to look over the whole auditorium; if you get involved into communication process, then the audience will be gradually involved as well. For deeper and more interesting communication, try to present you work in a way that would arouse questions and discussions. You have to make an impression of a confident but easy-going, intelligent and interesting person. Formality of the presentation does not prohibit being humorous and charming to some extent. However, this extent should be kept and not abused. Some helpful things such as the board, the schemes, the screen and other stuff can be a plus for your presentation, inasmuch as they will attract additional attention and bring interest for the audience.
The final significant point of your success is your voice. You should sound persuasive and confident. Only when you believe in what you are speaking about, the listeners will believe you.
Why SEO Consulants Should Not Use Press Releases
Rumor has it that press releases are the next big thing in the SEO business, and many companies are spending top dollars trying to write the next big press release announcing the next big balloon breaking technology. But is this really the next big thing?
By definition, a Press Release is a kind of news item released by the company on whom the news is being reported. As such, you will have to compete with all the other press releases and hope that your will get picked up.
Why Will Your Press Release Be Trashed?
1) Unless you are writing a press release about Microsoft, Adobe, Sony or one of the other mega-companies, or at least about a company that is relatively well known, forget about it. Journalists and news editors receive thousands of press releases a day and there is no way that they will waste more than a quick glance. So why should you pay a company seven to eight hundred dollars for them sending your press release to thousands of editors and journalists when they are going to junk it anyway?
2) Unless you are announcing a truly revolutionary product or technology (which I assume you are not since you are only interested in using the professionally paid and written press release to boost your search engine rankings), whatever you make up or announce such as some new free deal or new portal offering something unique, your chances of being picked up are very slim. Yes, the PR companies will tell you that they have vast experience in writing Press Releases that will make yours stand out and get picked up but this is not accurate. The only way your PR is going to get picked up is if it truly is something out of the ordinary or something that no one has ever thought off.
3) Unless you plan to spend millions of dollars and then just by sheer volume your site will go ahead in the search engines, this is not a good option. Why? If you send a large number of press releases then these will be placed on the different PR companies websites main page. Since most of these home pages have a very high page rank, your site will get a boost. The question is whether this boost is worth the large amount of money you will put into the PR companies pocket. No it is not. Use that money to buy (though I do not recommend this) links from high-ranked websites and you will pay less and receive more benefit.
4) Any press release, even if it has been accepted, will remain on the different pages for just a short time, making the time and effort and even more so the amount of money you paid fruitless.
Conclusion:
A press release is useful if you wish to contact the press and maybe get some free publicity, but it is of no use if you wish to use it as a tool in order to advance your website in the search engines.
By definition, a Press Release is a kind of news item released by the company on whom the news is being reported. As such, you will have to compete with all the other press releases and hope that your will get picked up.
Why Will Your Press Release Be Trashed?
1) Unless you are writing a press release about Microsoft, Adobe, Sony or one of the other mega-companies, or at least about a company that is relatively well known, forget about it. Journalists and news editors receive thousands of press releases a day and there is no way that they will waste more than a quick glance. So why should you pay a company seven to eight hundred dollars for them sending your press release to thousands of editors and journalists when they are going to junk it anyway?
2) Unless you are announcing a truly revolutionary product or technology (which I assume you are not since you are only interested in using the professionally paid and written press release to boost your search engine rankings), whatever you make up or announce such as some new free deal or new portal offering something unique, your chances of being picked up are very slim. Yes, the PR companies will tell you that they have vast experience in writing Press Releases that will make yours stand out and get picked up but this is not accurate. The only way your PR is going to get picked up is if it truly is something out of the ordinary or something that no one has ever thought off.
3) Unless you plan to spend millions of dollars and then just by sheer volume your site will go ahead in the search engines, this is not a good option. Why? If you send a large number of press releases then these will be placed on the different PR companies websites main page. Since most of these home pages have a very high page rank, your site will get a boost. The question is whether this boost is worth the large amount of money you will put into the PR companies pocket. No it is not. Use that money to buy (though I do not recommend this) links from high-ranked websites and you will pay less and receive more benefit.
4) Any press release, even if it has been accepted, will remain on the different pages for just a short time, making the time and effort and even more so the amount of money you paid fruitless.
Conclusion:
A press release is useful if you wish to contact the press and maybe get some free publicity, but it is of no use if you wish to use it as a tool in order to advance your website in the search engines.
Using A Pressure Washer To Clean Concrete
Cleaning concrete is tough and there is an easy way and a hard way. There is one thing you need to understand when you are pressure washer cleaning concrete; the concrete cannot always be made to look brand new again after it has been stained. You can always get stains lighter or bleached but completely removing it is very difficult, sometimes you get lucky, but if you are looking for perfection, chances are you will be underwhelmed. So when talking to customers let them know up front and explain this to them otherwise they will be asking for a job that just can't be done unless the entire concrete slab is ripped up and re-poured.
Let’s talk about equipment that is needed for this type of work. Remember safety is always important when working with a pressure washer. Some times there are chemicals involved in cleaning some stains. Thus, you should always use some type of eye protection. Also, when you are using chemicals you need to wear jeans to protect your legs. Chemicals made for concrete are very strong and should not be toyed with. Would a person rather work with dry feet or wet? It is recommended that you get rubber waders or some type of rubber boot. They will keep your feet from getting wet and keep them from getting burned by the 250 degree water.
Orange cones are also important to have for this job. These help make people visually aware that you are there if you are in a high traffic area or where there are a lot of contract workers at say a newly constructed house that needs the concrete cleaned. This makes everyone around you safe and you are helping prevent accidents. Of course you are going to need a Hydro-Twister for this job. You can technically do the job with a wand but it will take a lot more time and water, not to mention you can cause streaking if you are not using even strokes across the slab of concrete. Most of the new hot water pressure washers have an option of a hydro twister type unit but if you don't have one and or you need a second unit we recommend that you go to buy one. When buying a hydro twister buy the larger of the two. There my be only a 5 inch difference in surface coverage but it is well worth it when you are trying to save time without cutting corners. Especially if you are cleaning concrete at a construction site or a large retail type box store, there is a lot of concrete and the faster you clean it the more money you will make. Think about it.
Profit From Writing
If you’re passionate about writing and want to make it your career, you need to be resourceful, professional, determined and self-motivated to succeed. Writing for a living isn’t easy and unless you’ve already landed a five figure book deal for your latest novel, you need to be as creative in generating income as you are with your words.
To help you profit from writing, here are a few opportunities to explore:
Writing for Magazines
This is the starting point for many freelance writers who want to be published and paid. Magazines require good content and many editors still rely on freelance writers to provide it. Although the market is competitive, if you can produce well-researched, original articles to suit the magazine’s style and readership, you’ll have a greater chance of winning a commission.
My tips: Focus on writing about what you know, drawing upon any specialist knowledge or interests. Use the Internet to study publications all over the world to increase your markets.
Write Greetings Card Verses
Greetings card companies often seek original verse or prose for their range of cards. If you have a forte for writing short humorous or meaningful passages, this could provide a successful opening for you.
My tips: Take a look at the verses in greetings cards to study their style. Create a few sample verses. Note the name of the greetings card publisher and contact them for their current requirements.
Create Copy for the Business Sector
One of the more lucrative writing opportunities is copywriting for businesses and public sector organisations. If your writing is concise, clear and fresh, you’ll find there is a market for your services producing leaflets, guides, press releases, advertising copy and web content.
My tips: Produce a portfolio of your work to show the diversity of your skills. Attend a business network event to market your services.
Take a Staff Writing Job
Freelance writing is great but if you prefer the relative security of a regular income and the warmth and vitality of a creative office environment, you might consider applying for a staff based writing position. Many opportunities exist for journalists, copywriters, web content writers, editors and feature writers. Recently, a major company even required the services of a dedicated letter writer! The skills of a quality writer are in demand and you’ll find that most salaries reflect this.
My tips: Spend time writing a professional CV and produce some sample writing. First impressions count!
Become a Ghost-writer!
Some writers make a reasonable living ghost-writing other people’s life stories. You can receive payment on a work-for-hire basis or on a royalty share agreement. If you enjoy interviewing people and writing at length, this will have great appeal.
My tips: Speak to other ghost-writers and research the book publishing field so that you gain a reasonable working knowledge of the current trends.
Compile Crosswords, Puzzles and Fillers
Writing short filler material, from anecdotes to puzzles, can be quite rewarding. Many publications feature a regular crossword to entertain their readers. Although considered to be quite a closed-market, it is worth approaching publications with ideas or samples for consideration.
My tips: Research your markets carefully. Target new publications where there may be openings. Offer fillers and puzzles relevant to the target readership.
Expand Your Range of Services
Some writers find it easy spotting typos or English grammar mistakes. If you’re one of them, consider taking a course in editing or proofreading to expand on your range of wordsmith services! There is often a decent demand for these services so it will provide an additional source of revenue.
My tips: Take a course and gain a qualification. Contact publishing companies as many now use the services of freelance copyeditors and proofreaders.
Self-Publish
If you have specialist knowledge, consider writing and self-publishing a book or a series of guides or newsletters! With the right topic and good marketing, you can build a niche publication. For example, some authors have turned their hobby of walking into providing guidebooks and newsletters on local walks. You could do something similar, whether your interest is sewing, cycling, cooking or woodworking.
My tips: try print-on-demand publishing or publishing electronically to keep costs down while you’re building your publishing venture.
Good luck in your career as a writer! With the right approach, you’ll find there are many opportunities to become a successful wordsmith.
To help you profit from writing, here are a few opportunities to explore:
Writing for Magazines
This is the starting point for many freelance writers who want to be published and paid. Magazines require good content and many editors still rely on freelance writers to provide it. Although the market is competitive, if you can produce well-researched, original articles to suit the magazine’s style and readership, you’ll have a greater chance of winning a commission.
My tips: Focus on writing about what you know, drawing upon any specialist knowledge or interests. Use the Internet to study publications all over the world to increase your markets.
Write Greetings Card Verses
Greetings card companies often seek original verse or prose for their range of cards. If you have a forte for writing short humorous or meaningful passages, this could provide a successful opening for you.
My tips: Take a look at the verses in greetings cards to study their style. Create a few sample verses. Note the name of the greetings card publisher and contact them for their current requirements.
Create Copy for the Business Sector
One of the more lucrative writing opportunities is copywriting for businesses and public sector organisations. If your writing is concise, clear and fresh, you’ll find there is a market for your services producing leaflets, guides, press releases, advertising copy and web content.
My tips: Produce a portfolio of your work to show the diversity of your skills. Attend a business network event to market your services.
Take a Staff Writing Job
Freelance writing is great but if you prefer the relative security of a regular income and the warmth and vitality of a creative office environment, you might consider applying for a staff based writing position. Many opportunities exist for journalists, copywriters, web content writers, editors and feature writers. Recently, a major company even required the services of a dedicated letter writer! The skills of a quality writer are in demand and you’ll find that most salaries reflect this.
My tips: Spend time writing a professional CV and produce some sample writing. First impressions count!
Become a Ghost-writer!
Some writers make a reasonable living ghost-writing other people’s life stories. You can receive payment on a work-for-hire basis or on a royalty share agreement. If you enjoy interviewing people and writing at length, this will have great appeal.
My tips: Speak to other ghost-writers and research the book publishing field so that you gain a reasonable working knowledge of the current trends.
Compile Crosswords, Puzzles and Fillers
Writing short filler material, from anecdotes to puzzles, can be quite rewarding. Many publications feature a regular crossword to entertain their readers. Although considered to be quite a closed-market, it is worth approaching publications with ideas or samples for consideration.
My tips: Research your markets carefully. Target new publications where there may be openings. Offer fillers and puzzles relevant to the target readership.
Expand Your Range of Services
Some writers find it easy spotting typos or English grammar mistakes. If you’re one of them, consider taking a course in editing or proofreading to expand on your range of wordsmith services! There is often a decent demand for these services so it will provide an additional source of revenue.
My tips: Take a course and gain a qualification. Contact publishing companies as many now use the services of freelance copyeditors and proofreaders.
Self-Publish
If you have specialist knowledge, consider writing and self-publishing a book or a series of guides or newsletters! With the right topic and good marketing, you can build a niche publication. For example, some authors have turned their hobby of walking into providing guidebooks and newsletters on local walks. You could do something similar, whether your interest is sewing, cycling, cooking or woodworking.
My tips: try print-on-demand publishing or publishing electronically to keep costs down while you’re building your publishing venture.
Good luck in your career as a writer! With the right approach, you’ll find there are many opportunities to become a successful wordsmith.
Resume Writing -- 3 Tips For Success
Resume writing is possibly the biggest stumbling block for folks who are looking for a job. While it may seem simple, there are allot of subtle things that really matter. Potential employers are flooded with resumes in response to their job postings, and you only have a few short moments to make it or your resume will end up in the trash. So, how do you optimize your resume to make it likely to get read? Here are 3 great tips to get you started.
1. Be Comprehensive, yet Succinct.
While your resume should contain a detailed account of your qualifications and accomplishments, you need to keep on topic specific to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a position as an office manager, for example, you don't need to include references to your stint as a rodeo clown. The prospective employer will likely be interested only in the skills and work experience that relates directly to the position they are trying to fill. Give them what they are looking for. Take a thorough account of your work history and skillset and choose to highlight what is relevant, and eliminate or downplay the items that are irrelevant. This strategy of niche resume writing keeps your resume focused and gives you the advantage of appearing to be the most qualified candidate for the job.
2. Your Resume Should be Formatted Nicely
Kooky fonts and such may be okay for personal communications, but your resume should be more "standardized". You want it to appear as neat and tidy as... well, yourself, right? A typewritten resume using standard fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial on high quality plain white paper will be a winner every time. You also need to pay close attention to your spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Nothing would be more embarrassing than a resume with typos, grammatical errors, and misspellings. Not only embarrassing, but presenting a resume with errors will not impress potential employers and will likely land your resume in the trash can. Don't rely on computer based spelling and grammar checks. Check it yourself, and if possible, get someone else to check it for you as well. Also be wary of the reformatting that sometimes happens when you upload your resume to an Internet based resume submission service. Allot of times, you will loose your careful formatting only to find it replaced with the wrong margin, strange fonts and worse. Before you send it, check it!
3. Show Enthusiasm
Your resume and cover letter should not be something that you write begrudgingly. You are excited about the job you are applying for, correct? Well, then show it! Your excitement will come across in your resume and cover letter and will impress perspective employers. Whenever it makes sense to, use action words to describe your career history and goals.
1. Be Comprehensive, yet Succinct.
While your resume should contain a detailed account of your qualifications and accomplishments, you need to keep on topic specific to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a position as an office manager, for example, you don't need to include references to your stint as a rodeo clown. The prospective employer will likely be interested only in the skills and work experience that relates directly to the position they are trying to fill. Give them what they are looking for. Take a thorough account of your work history and skillset and choose to highlight what is relevant, and eliminate or downplay the items that are irrelevant. This strategy of niche resume writing keeps your resume focused and gives you the advantage of appearing to be the most qualified candidate for the job.
2. Your Resume Should be Formatted Nicely
Kooky fonts and such may be okay for personal communications, but your resume should be more "standardized". You want it to appear as neat and tidy as... well, yourself, right? A typewritten resume using standard fonts such as Times New Roman and Arial on high quality plain white paper will be a winner every time. You also need to pay close attention to your spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Nothing would be more embarrassing than a resume with typos, grammatical errors, and misspellings. Not only embarrassing, but presenting a resume with errors will not impress potential employers and will likely land your resume in the trash can. Don't rely on computer based spelling and grammar checks. Check it yourself, and if possible, get someone else to check it for you as well. Also be wary of the reformatting that sometimes happens when you upload your resume to an Internet based resume submission service. Allot of times, you will loose your careful formatting only to find it replaced with the wrong margin, strange fonts and worse. Before you send it, check it!
3. Show Enthusiasm
Your resume and cover letter should not be something that you write begrudgingly. You are excited about the job you are applying for, correct? Well, then show it! Your excitement will come across in your resume and cover letter and will impress perspective employers. Whenever it makes sense to, use action words to describe your career history and goals.
Resume Writing For A Highly Competitive Job Market
Most job hunters already know that a resume is a must when it comes to applying for jobs and getting potential employers to take notice, but unfortunately, most resumes are just not up to par. People actively seeking employment often fail to create an effective resume that will impress hiring managers and land interviews.
And yet, in today’s vigorous job market, at a time when layoffs are the norm and competition for jobs is cutthroat, it’s more important than ever that your resume catch the eyes of the recruiter or resume screener, who may spend no more than 30 seconds on each resume during the initial selection process. This is why your resume has to be more than a document listing your various accomplishments and achievements – it must be a successful marketing tool.
A poorly constructed resume merely lists the applicant’s job history, using bullets to state past responsibilities, and entirely neglects to take advantage of marketing techniques that make a resume stand out from the crowd. You might be the hardest-working, most responsible individual around, but if your resume doesn’t make that clear, what will distinguish you from everyone else applying for the job, in the eyes of the hiring manager?
To avoid turning in a resume that blandly lists your qualities and work history, you must transform it into an accomplishment-driven piece of writing that clearly emphasizes the importance and relevance of each accomplishment.
It may not be easy to do this, but if you approach the process step-by-step, and use the basic sections of the resume to market your abilities, experience, and potential value to the employer, reworking your resume into a marketing machine is an attainable feat.
Starting From the Top
Arguably the most important part of the resume is the first three quarters of the page. Recruiters and screeners have to wade through stacks of resumes, so they tend to scan the first part of the first page to pare down the pile, initially. If you want to survive the preliminary cut, this section of your resume should be full of accomplishments that market your particular skills and capabilities to the specific employer and position.
Of course, your name and contact information appear in this section as well, but you should also include a professional summary in addition to, as mentioned above, the list of accomplishments.
Professional Summary
A professional summary is considered by many resume experts to be more effective than a stated “objective,” in today’s job market. It works as a sturdy introduction to a strong resume, and proves more powerful in the face of the 30-second scan because it offers the recruiter a snapshot of your most important attributes.
Use the summary as a short ad all about you. Include information in the first sentence or two regarding the type of position you’re looking for, and make it clear why you are different or better than the other applicants vying for the same position.
The final three or four sentences should identify your expertise and abilities that apply to the job in question. Make it clear why you can be an asset to the company! Acting as an introduction to the rest of your resume, the statements made in the professional summary need to be reinforced in the sections of the resume that follow.
Accomplishments
The accomplishments you decide to highlight in this section are important because past performance is a good indicator of what you can do for the company, if hired. Mentioning successes you have scored in the past is your best bet to landing an interview.
Just be sure to select 3-6 accomplishments that relate directly to the position you seek and make them quantifiable and measurable – provide answers to questions such as how many/much? Which one? What kind? This will add substance to the facts you have stated.
The best way to determine what accomplishments to list here is to think from the perspective of the employer. Recruiters want to know why you could be an asset to the company – perhaps you will save them time and money, or provide another favorable result? Highlight accomplishments that draw attention to your past successes in applicable areas of expertise.
The Body
This section of the resume profiles your professional experience. Here you make note of the companies you have worked for in the past, along with your title/position and the dates of employment (in years).
But be wary of falling into the trap of simply listing off your work experience. Even in this section of the resume, it’s extremely important to avoid compiling an inventory of job duties. Companies are interested in much more than surface achievements or responsibilities – they are looking for people who can translate success achieved in past jobs to a future position. Make it clear what you can contribute to the employer.
For instance, if your past role was that of “manager,” make it clear that this involved leading a team of people and successfully motivating them to complete tasks on budget and on time. If you worked as a cashier or bank teller, note that you were trusted with money and worked well in a customer service capacity. Any awards you won can also be stated in this section – just remember to quantify every statement you make!
Education
The final section of the resume lists educational information, as well as anything else that might be considered professional experience, such as continuing education, seminars, and other classes you have taken that are applicable to the job. Here you can also draw attention to any professional organizations and affiliations you belong to, as well as civic duties you perform and volunteer experience you have accumulated over the years, as long as it relates to the position you are attempting to win.
Always list the last degree completed first, without mentioning dates. For those with a college degree, there is no need to mention high school, as this will be assumed.
No one said job hunting was simple, so it’s important to do as much as possible to get your foot in the door. By using your resume as a powerful marketing tool, it will be much easier to successfully launch your career and snag the dream job you’ve always wanted.
And yet, in today’s vigorous job market, at a time when layoffs are the norm and competition for jobs is cutthroat, it’s more important than ever that your resume catch the eyes of the recruiter or resume screener, who may spend no more than 30 seconds on each resume during the initial selection process. This is why your resume has to be more than a document listing your various accomplishments and achievements – it must be a successful marketing tool.
A poorly constructed resume merely lists the applicant’s job history, using bullets to state past responsibilities, and entirely neglects to take advantage of marketing techniques that make a resume stand out from the crowd. You might be the hardest-working, most responsible individual around, but if your resume doesn’t make that clear, what will distinguish you from everyone else applying for the job, in the eyes of the hiring manager?
To avoid turning in a resume that blandly lists your qualities and work history, you must transform it into an accomplishment-driven piece of writing that clearly emphasizes the importance and relevance of each accomplishment.
It may not be easy to do this, but if you approach the process step-by-step, and use the basic sections of the resume to market your abilities, experience, and potential value to the employer, reworking your resume into a marketing machine is an attainable feat.
Starting From the Top
Arguably the most important part of the resume is the first three quarters of the page. Recruiters and screeners have to wade through stacks of resumes, so they tend to scan the first part of the first page to pare down the pile, initially. If you want to survive the preliminary cut, this section of your resume should be full of accomplishments that market your particular skills and capabilities to the specific employer and position.
Of course, your name and contact information appear in this section as well, but you should also include a professional summary in addition to, as mentioned above, the list of accomplishments.
Professional Summary
A professional summary is considered by many resume experts to be more effective than a stated “objective,” in today’s job market. It works as a sturdy introduction to a strong resume, and proves more powerful in the face of the 30-second scan because it offers the recruiter a snapshot of your most important attributes.
Use the summary as a short ad all about you. Include information in the first sentence or two regarding the type of position you’re looking for, and make it clear why you are different or better than the other applicants vying for the same position.
The final three or four sentences should identify your expertise and abilities that apply to the job in question. Make it clear why you can be an asset to the company! Acting as an introduction to the rest of your resume, the statements made in the professional summary need to be reinforced in the sections of the resume that follow.
Accomplishments
The accomplishments you decide to highlight in this section are important because past performance is a good indicator of what you can do for the company, if hired. Mentioning successes you have scored in the past is your best bet to landing an interview.
Just be sure to select 3-6 accomplishments that relate directly to the position you seek and make them quantifiable and measurable – provide answers to questions such as how many/much? Which one? What kind? This will add substance to the facts you have stated.
The best way to determine what accomplishments to list here is to think from the perspective of the employer. Recruiters want to know why you could be an asset to the company – perhaps you will save them time and money, or provide another favorable result? Highlight accomplishments that draw attention to your past successes in applicable areas of expertise.
The Body
This section of the resume profiles your professional experience. Here you make note of the companies you have worked for in the past, along with your title/position and the dates of employment (in years).
But be wary of falling into the trap of simply listing off your work experience. Even in this section of the resume, it’s extremely important to avoid compiling an inventory of job duties. Companies are interested in much more than surface achievements or responsibilities – they are looking for people who can translate success achieved in past jobs to a future position. Make it clear what you can contribute to the employer.
For instance, if your past role was that of “manager,” make it clear that this involved leading a team of people and successfully motivating them to complete tasks on budget and on time. If you worked as a cashier or bank teller, note that you were trusted with money and worked well in a customer service capacity. Any awards you won can also be stated in this section – just remember to quantify every statement you make!
Education
The final section of the resume lists educational information, as well as anything else that might be considered professional experience, such as continuing education, seminars, and other classes you have taken that are applicable to the job. Here you can also draw attention to any professional organizations and affiliations you belong to, as well as civic duties you perform and volunteer experience you have accumulated over the years, as long as it relates to the position you are attempting to win.
Always list the last degree completed first, without mentioning dates. For those with a college degree, there is no need to mention high school, as this will be assumed.
No one said job hunting was simple, so it’s important to do as much as possible to get your foot in the door. By using your resume as a powerful marketing tool, it will be much easier to successfully launch your career and snag the dream job you’ve always wanted.
Self Publishing -- A Miracle Of The 21st Century
Are you a writer with lots of talent but no one will give you the time of day let alone a contract? Would you pay a professional publisher to make your book but can't afford it? Do you need a better tool than your plain old word processor to make your work look more professional and desirable? Do you possess special knowledge that if packaged in a book could make you millions? Well fret not your answer is very available to you now in the form of self publishing software tools!
These tools are electronic publishers that produce professional grade quality at a fraction of the price that it costs a traditional publisher to produce a book. They produce the work in the form of a PDF file which can be sent with an email, saved onto any form of memory storage media, downloaded onto your website, etc. This is hundreds of times more convenient than traditional publishing efforts and again at a very small fraction of the price.
The software is easy to use, designed to be used by a person with a 2nd grade level computer IQ. So, not even close to rocket science. A person can become proficient at using the program and start writing in a matter of hours. Yes, you heard me right -- you can have the necessary tools and be writing that book that you have been waiting a long time for in a matter of a few hours. Self publishing is a beautiful thing and I am just getting started.
When I said a fraction of the price of a typical publisher I only meant for one book. But think about it, you would have to continue to pay each time your next book came out which multiplies that fee over and over and over. But you only have to pay for the self publishing software once. It is very reasonably priced, and it is with you, at your beckoned call for life. Now that's a deal.
The last benefit of self publishing that I am going to talk about (not even close to the last benefit there is) is the true freedom of speech that you retain when you buy this tool. What I am referring to really is the editing process which for those who have already been published know can be a brutal process. Basically anything that you right is at the mercy of the publishing editor when you go the traditional route. But if you publish your own work it stays as you want it which is the way it should be. That's all for now, but if you want to know more just give me a ring, or fling me an email, or whichever you prefer.
These tools are electronic publishers that produce professional grade quality at a fraction of the price that it costs a traditional publisher to produce a book. They produce the work in the form of a PDF file which can be sent with an email, saved onto any form of memory storage media, downloaded onto your website, etc. This is hundreds of times more convenient than traditional publishing efforts and again at a very small fraction of the price.
The software is easy to use, designed to be used by a person with a 2nd grade level computer IQ. So, not even close to rocket science. A person can become proficient at using the program and start writing in a matter of hours. Yes, you heard me right -- you can have the necessary tools and be writing that book that you have been waiting a long time for in a matter of a few hours. Self publishing is a beautiful thing and I am just getting started.
When I said a fraction of the price of a typical publisher I only meant for one book. But think about it, you would have to continue to pay each time your next book came out which multiplies that fee over and over and over. But you only have to pay for the self publishing software once. It is very reasonably priced, and it is with you, at your beckoned call for life. Now that's a deal.
The last benefit of self publishing that I am going to talk about (not even close to the last benefit there is) is the true freedom of speech that you retain when you buy this tool. What I am referring to really is the editing process which for those who have already been published know can be a brutal process. Basically anything that you right is at the mercy of the publishing editor when you go the traditional route. But if you publish your own work it stays as you want it which is the way it should be. That's all for now, but if you want to know more just give me a ring, or fling me an email, or whichever you prefer.
6 New Debate Topics
The same debate topics are used again and again. Why not liven up your next debate with some new ideas? Here are some more unusual and fundamental questions to debate.
Happiness shouldn't be pursued. The pro side of this could start with the obvious pain that people face when their expectations are not met. Maybe it is better to just relax and stop thinking about happiness. On the other hand, the fact that the pursuit of happiness sometimes leads to pain doesn't mean it is without success too. What better thing is there to pursue?
Political Debate Topics
Taxation for non-essential programs is stealing. The pro side can start with the idea that a consensus or majority makes it different, and morally acceptable. The con side can point out that it's wrong to forcibly take your neighbors money to pay for an art program you like, and voting with others to have the government do it for you is no different morally.
It is morally okay to break laws you don't agree with. The pro side might say that there have historically been many bad laws, and that it is almost a duty to break them. We wouldn't want someone to have turned in escaped slaves just to comply with the law. The other side could argue that personally choosing to break the law is corrosive to general respect for laws, and this respect is necessary to a civil society.
Government should get out of the marriage business. If the government had nothing to do with marriage, we could drop all the divisive issues about gay marriage, and just let people marry in whichever churches or other institutions will marry them. Taxing all individuals the same is fairer too. On the other hand, marriage is a long-standing institution, and it would be chaotic to remove the legal element of it. Insurance policies, property title and other legal contracts would all need to be re-written.
Other Debate Topics
We should abolish corporations. It is clear that the legal entity is often used to reduce liability for true crimes. Why not let people own companies directly and own up to their actions? On the other hand, one could argue that the corporations made our economy as strong as it is, and it would be extremely dangerous to eliminate them.
There is nothing morally wrong with doing drugs. Clearly the laws about which plant and other substances you can ingest are arbitrary. There is no reason why it would be moral to have a beer, but somehow wrong to have a joint. On the other hand... (you're on your own on this one).
Intelligence testing is without value. Many people of low intelligence have succeeded in many areas of life. In fact, the most intelligent people routinely fail in business. There is not really anything to be gained by assigning a number to a persons thinking. Of course, whether or not a person succeeds or fails, more intelligence means more potential to succeed in many areas, so it is a useful thing to measure. Whether you can really measure it, and how you define it are just some of the many related debate topics.
Happiness shouldn't be pursued. The pro side of this could start with the obvious pain that people face when their expectations are not met. Maybe it is better to just relax and stop thinking about happiness. On the other hand, the fact that the pursuit of happiness sometimes leads to pain doesn't mean it is without success too. What better thing is there to pursue?
Political Debate Topics
Taxation for non-essential programs is stealing. The pro side can start with the idea that a consensus or majority makes it different, and morally acceptable. The con side can point out that it's wrong to forcibly take your neighbors money to pay for an art program you like, and voting with others to have the government do it for you is no different morally.
It is morally okay to break laws you don't agree with. The pro side might say that there have historically been many bad laws, and that it is almost a duty to break them. We wouldn't want someone to have turned in escaped slaves just to comply with the law. The other side could argue that personally choosing to break the law is corrosive to general respect for laws, and this respect is necessary to a civil society.
Government should get out of the marriage business. If the government had nothing to do with marriage, we could drop all the divisive issues about gay marriage, and just let people marry in whichever churches or other institutions will marry them. Taxing all individuals the same is fairer too. On the other hand, marriage is a long-standing institution, and it would be chaotic to remove the legal element of it. Insurance policies, property title and other legal contracts would all need to be re-written.
Other Debate Topics
We should abolish corporations. It is clear that the legal entity is often used to reduce liability for true crimes. Why not let people own companies directly and own up to their actions? On the other hand, one could argue that the corporations made our economy as strong as it is, and it would be extremely dangerous to eliminate them.
There is nothing morally wrong with doing drugs. Clearly the laws about which plant and other substances you can ingest are arbitrary. There is no reason why it would be moral to have a beer, but somehow wrong to have a joint. On the other hand... (you're on your own on this one).
Intelligence testing is without value. Many people of low intelligence have succeeded in many areas of life. In fact, the most intelligent people routinely fail in business. There is not really anything to be gained by assigning a number to a persons thinking. Of course, whether or not a person succeeds or fails, more intelligence means more potential to succeed in many areas, so it is a useful thing to measure. Whether you can really measure it, and how you define it are just some of the many related debate topics.
Solitare Klondike: Learn How To Play
Since computers entered each and every household, classroom and office, solitaire became the most popular game. It is simple to learn, easy to play, and addictive because of its simplicity. But that was ages ago, and people have begun to grow tired of that same old game. As a result, they turned to new variations and Klondike is the most popular of them.
Ironically, its not a new game. The term Klondike as a game surfaces somewhere in the latter part of the nineteen hundred, and historians suggest that it evolved from miners in the Alaskan and Californian mountains to pass the time.
How Can You Play Klondike?
This is not a difficult game to learn, but what's good is that though you will get the hang of it quickly, its difficult to beat in an addictive way. Its not frustrating, but fun and invigorating. One of the things you must learn is how to lay the cards out.
1) Start by placing one card on the table in front of you. Place it facing up.
2) Place another six cards to its left, but keep these facing down.
3) Place a card facing up to the card left of the first card you placed down.
4) Add another card facing down to all the remaining cards a bit below them so as to form a column. Likewise, continue by placing one open card and then by adding a closed card to the rest.
If you follow the instructions properly, you should have it so that last column will have seven cards. Check also that you have twenty-four cards in your hand because these are the cards you will play with.
Now What?
What you have to try and do is place all the cards on the four different aces. These will appear whenever they do, and you have to try and create the four suited sequence from the ace to the king. The moment you see and ace, place it on the side and start adding the next card. (eg: After an ace, place a two and then a three.) Note that each suit must be according to colour and type. By this I mean that the ace of diamond gets only diamonds, the ace of spades gets only spade cards and so on. Likewise, you can create card sequences down on the base cards as well by placing the card lower than it of the opposite colour. For instance, under a six of clubs, you can place either a five of diamonds or a five of hearts, but the five of clubs or the five of spades is out of the question.
Opening the Cards Facing Down
When you can use the cards facing up, then you can open the card that appears under it. And like in regular Solitaire, when you manage to open a base card and have only six or less bases, you can open a new base by placing a King there.
Moving Sequences
You can also move card sequences from one base to another and this doesn't depend on the length of the sequence. All that matters is that the rules of sequence are kept.
To use the cards in your hand, take the top three cards and turn them over. But remember that you can use only the top card. Only if and when you use that card, you can use the next one under it. Continue revealing batches of three. Once done, pick up all the cards and start again.
Ironically, its not a new game. The term Klondike as a game surfaces somewhere in the latter part of the nineteen hundred, and historians suggest that it evolved from miners in the Alaskan and Californian mountains to pass the time.
How Can You Play Klondike?
This is not a difficult game to learn, but what's good is that though you will get the hang of it quickly, its difficult to beat in an addictive way. Its not frustrating, but fun and invigorating. One of the things you must learn is how to lay the cards out.
1) Start by placing one card on the table in front of you. Place it facing up.
2) Place another six cards to its left, but keep these facing down.
3) Place a card facing up to the card left of the first card you placed down.
4) Add another card facing down to all the remaining cards a bit below them so as to form a column. Likewise, continue by placing one open card and then by adding a closed card to the rest.
If you follow the instructions properly, you should have it so that last column will have seven cards. Check also that you have twenty-four cards in your hand because these are the cards you will play with.
Now What?
What you have to try and do is place all the cards on the four different aces. These will appear whenever they do, and you have to try and create the four suited sequence from the ace to the king. The moment you see and ace, place it on the side and start adding the next card. (eg: After an ace, place a two and then a three.) Note that each suit must be according to colour and type. By this I mean that the ace of diamond gets only diamonds, the ace of spades gets only spade cards and so on. Likewise, you can create card sequences down on the base cards as well by placing the card lower than it of the opposite colour. For instance, under a six of clubs, you can place either a five of diamonds or a five of hearts, but the five of clubs or the five of spades is out of the question.
Opening the Cards Facing Down
When you can use the cards facing up, then you can open the card that appears under it. And like in regular Solitaire, when you manage to open a base card and have only six or less bases, you can open a new base by placing a King there.
Moving Sequences
You can also move card sequences from one base to another and this doesn't depend on the length of the sequence. All that matters is that the rules of sequence are kept.
To use the cards in your hand, take the top three cards and turn them over. But remember that you can use only the top card. Only if and when you use that card, you can use the next one under it. Continue revealing batches of three. Once done, pick up all the cards and start again.
Spanish Grammar Lesson On The Present Progressive Text
The progressive tense is used to describe actions that are in progress at a specific moment in time (the present). In English, it is the auxiliary verb “to be” and the present participle. In layperson terms, the “present participle” means verbs with “ing” attached to the end of the verb.
The present tense is used much more frequently in English than it is used in Spanish. As in Spanish, we use it to talk about actions that are in progress “now” or “right now.” But in English, we also use the present progressive tense to describe habitual actions or to speak in general. For example:
I am living in the suburbs.
I am working in the post office.
I am taking Spanish lessons.
In Spanish, the present tense is used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. But many Spanish grammar books do not indicate that there is another use for the present progressive tense. And that the present progressive tense can be used to stress that an action is continuous.
I learned this one from trial and error. As embarrassing as it is to admit, a five year old little girl corrected my Spanish grammar. That’s how I found out.
The first time it happened it happened with an adult. I was trying to tell an adult that I am learning Spanish. Since the Spanish grammar books taught me that the Spanish present progressive tense is only used to describe actions that are in progress “right now,” I did not use the present progressive tense to say that “I am learning Spanish.” Because I was not learning Spanish at that specific moment. At that very moment, I was trying to talk to her in Spanish. So I said “Aprendo español.” She politely corrected me and said “se dice estoy aprendiendo español”.
At the time, I thought that maybe she was wrong and that my textbook was right. So I tried telling my next door neighboor’s five year old that “Yo aprendo español” who proudly corrected my Spanish. She told me: you’re supposed to say ‘“yo estoy aprendiendo español.”
Forming the Present Progressive Tense
In Spanish, we form the present progressive tense by conjugating the verb “estar” with the present participle. You form regular “ar” present participles by dropping the “ar” and adding “ando.” And you form regular “er” present participles by dropping the “er” and adding “iendo”
Let’s try it.
My grandmother is eating pork chops.
Mi abuelita está comiendo chuletas de cerdo.
The uncle is working.
El tÃo está trabajando.
The father-in-law is dancing.
El suegro está bailando.
The stepmother is cooking the lobster.
La madrastra está cocinando la langosta.
The grandson is doing nothing.
El nieto no está haciendo nada.
You are washing the windows.
Tú estás limpiando las ventanas.
Now let’s try a few on your own. The answers appear at the bottom.
The nephew is selling cars.
The daughter-in-law is writing a letter.
The sister-in-law is receiving a lot of gifts.
The grandchildren are playing.
The cousin is buying a tie.
Answers:
El sobrino está vendiendo carros.
La nuera está escribiendo una carta.
La cuñada está recibiendo muchos regalos.
Los nietos están jugando.
El primo está comprando una corbata.
The present tense is used much more frequently in English than it is used in Spanish. As in Spanish, we use it to talk about actions that are in progress “now” or “right now.” But in English, we also use the present progressive tense to describe habitual actions or to speak in general. For example:
I am living in the suburbs.
I am working in the post office.
I am taking Spanish lessons.
In Spanish, the present tense is used to emphasize that an action is taking place now. But many Spanish grammar books do not indicate that there is another use for the present progressive tense. And that the present progressive tense can be used to stress that an action is continuous.
I learned this one from trial and error. As embarrassing as it is to admit, a five year old little girl corrected my Spanish grammar. That’s how I found out.
The first time it happened it happened with an adult. I was trying to tell an adult that I am learning Spanish. Since the Spanish grammar books taught me that the Spanish present progressive tense is only used to describe actions that are in progress “right now,” I did not use the present progressive tense to say that “I am learning Spanish.” Because I was not learning Spanish at that specific moment. At that very moment, I was trying to talk to her in Spanish. So I said “Aprendo español.” She politely corrected me and said “se dice estoy aprendiendo español”.
At the time, I thought that maybe she was wrong and that my textbook was right. So I tried telling my next door neighboor’s five year old that “Yo aprendo español” who proudly corrected my Spanish. She told me: you’re supposed to say ‘“yo estoy aprendiendo español.”
Forming the Present Progressive Tense
In Spanish, we form the present progressive tense by conjugating the verb “estar” with the present participle. You form regular “ar” present participles by dropping the “ar” and adding “ando.” And you form regular “er” present participles by dropping the “er” and adding “iendo”
Let’s try it.
My grandmother is eating pork chops.
Mi abuelita está comiendo chuletas de cerdo.
The uncle is working.
El tÃo está trabajando.
The father-in-law is dancing.
El suegro está bailando.
The stepmother is cooking the lobster.
La madrastra está cocinando la langosta.
The grandson is doing nothing.
El nieto no está haciendo nada.
You are washing the windows.
Tú estás limpiando las ventanas.
Now let’s try a few on your own. The answers appear at the bottom.
The nephew is selling cars.
The daughter-in-law is writing a letter.
The sister-in-law is receiving a lot of gifts.
The grandchildren are playing.
The cousin is buying a tie.
Answers:
El sobrino está vendiendo carros.
La nuera está escribiendo una carta.
La cuñada está recibiendo muchos regalos.
Los nietos están jugando.
El primo está comprando una corbata.
Basic Tips For Speech Making
It is no secret that public speaking is causing a lot of fear and stress, in fact public speaking ranks high in causing fear in many of us.
The problem that most of us face is not speech making per se, it is actually any kind of frontal lecture or exchange of information that we need to deliver. College students are well aware of the devastating effects of the fear of public speaking, the need to present seminars or to protect a work from criticism makes public speaking “victims” out of most of us.
There are a lot of tips and advice on delivering a well planned and perfectly executed speech. Lets try and consider the few basic points of good public speaking, the points that matter the most and that will increase your chances of getting to the end of your speech alive and well.
A great speech starts with a great topic. It is so important that you select a topic that interests you, and you believe will interest your audience. Try and find as many things that interest you in this speech, discover things the you know a little more about and that you can use to leverage the speech to your benefit. When researching the topic of the speech look for as many divers subjects within the topic, try and locate one that you feel very comfortable with and that you can base most of the time in your speech to.
Think carefully of your audience and its needs, if this is the silent audience, coming to hear a public speaking and that would be grateful for any piece of information you through their way, or the savvy interested audience that will make your life hard and ask questions, if you prepare for the worst – you will be protected. The problem is that you don’t always have the time to spend in preparing for the audience from hell.
Writing your introduction, the base of the speech and the opening of your public speaking should be a powerful one, if you want to capture your audience attention and minds you will need some passion here. Start by writing a 3-sentence introduction. Think of it as trying to explain this subject to someone in a pleasant casual talk, key to giving a speech is a conversational tone. In the introduction tell your audience what you’re about to say.
The first thirty seconds of your speech are probably the most important. In that period of time you must grab the attention of the audience, and engage their interest in what you have to say in your speech. Once your audience is interested and intrigued you can move forward and advance to the later parts of your speech.
Now is the time to address each of the general points in your introduction, and apply the “meat” of the speech. You need to explore a few points in a profound way, to show that you have done your homework and give the audience that feeling that you re just talking to them and not reading out a prepared speech. When an experienced speaker gives a public speech the feeling is as if he was talking about something he is very familiar with, that diverting the subject is not a problem, that he is in control over the whole scope of the topic. That is what you should aspire to – not necessarily to actually know this, but to give this feeling.
Most good writing, we are told over and over again, must have structure. A good speech is no exception. By providing your speech with a beginning, middle, and an end, you will have laid the foundations for a successful speech that fulfils all of your aspirations.
The finishing touch, the conclusion is your last touch, and it will probably not make or break you general performance, do not rush to the conclusion, make a lengthy speech before you get to the point when you say “in conclusion”, give the audience the feeling that you have exhausted all the possible interesting things you could have said, and move to the conclusion. Make sure you finish with a considerable amount of confidence, it will send you audience home with a feeling that they have learned something, and try to make sure you know what you are talking about.
The problem that most of us face is not speech making per se, it is actually any kind of frontal lecture or exchange of information that we need to deliver. College students are well aware of the devastating effects of the fear of public speaking, the need to present seminars or to protect a work from criticism makes public speaking “victims” out of most of us.
There are a lot of tips and advice on delivering a well planned and perfectly executed speech. Lets try and consider the few basic points of good public speaking, the points that matter the most and that will increase your chances of getting to the end of your speech alive and well.
A great speech starts with a great topic. It is so important that you select a topic that interests you, and you believe will interest your audience. Try and find as many things that interest you in this speech, discover things the you know a little more about and that you can use to leverage the speech to your benefit. When researching the topic of the speech look for as many divers subjects within the topic, try and locate one that you feel very comfortable with and that you can base most of the time in your speech to.
Think carefully of your audience and its needs, if this is the silent audience, coming to hear a public speaking and that would be grateful for any piece of information you through their way, or the savvy interested audience that will make your life hard and ask questions, if you prepare for the worst – you will be protected. The problem is that you don’t always have the time to spend in preparing for the audience from hell.
Writing your introduction, the base of the speech and the opening of your public speaking should be a powerful one, if you want to capture your audience attention and minds you will need some passion here. Start by writing a 3-sentence introduction. Think of it as trying to explain this subject to someone in a pleasant casual talk, key to giving a speech is a conversational tone. In the introduction tell your audience what you’re about to say.
The first thirty seconds of your speech are probably the most important. In that period of time you must grab the attention of the audience, and engage their interest in what you have to say in your speech. Once your audience is interested and intrigued you can move forward and advance to the later parts of your speech.
Now is the time to address each of the general points in your introduction, and apply the “meat” of the speech. You need to explore a few points in a profound way, to show that you have done your homework and give the audience that feeling that you re just talking to them and not reading out a prepared speech. When an experienced speaker gives a public speech the feeling is as if he was talking about something he is very familiar with, that diverting the subject is not a problem, that he is in control over the whole scope of the topic. That is what you should aspire to – not necessarily to actually know this, but to give this feeling.
Most good writing, we are told over and over again, must have structure. A good speech is no exception. By providing your speech with a beginning, middle, and an end, you will have laid the foundations for a successful speech that fulfils all of your aspirations.
The finishing touch, the conclusion is your last touch, and it will probably not make or break you general performance, do not rush to the conclusion, make a lengthy speech before you get to the point when you say “in conclusion”, give the audience the feeling that you have exhausted all the possible interesting things you could have said, and move to the conclusion. Make sure you finish with a considerable amount of confidence, it will send you audience home with a feeling that they have learned something, and try to make sure you know what you are talking about.
Sports Betting Tips: How To Bet On Sports Successfully
Sports betting is one of the most exciting types of gambling. The suspense, the tension, the great satisfaction when it turns out that you have made the correct prediction, not to mention the added bonus of winning cash money… Even if you are not a particular sports fan, betting on sports certainly adds an interest in sports.
There is more than one way to bet on sports. You can choose between flying to Vegas and placing a bet at one of the flashy casino sportsbook while watching sports on big plasma screens, staying at home and wagering at one of the thousands of online sportsbooks available on the net, at your neighborhood bookie, your office pool… Wherever you choose to wager, here are some useful sports betting tips.
Sports betting is a game of skill, which takes years of learning and practicing to master and still, even professional gamblers who make their living from betting on sports, lose. It basically means two things: first, intuition and luck are great benefits in sports betting as in other types of gambling, but if you rely exclusively on them, you are doomed to lose lots of money. Second, restrain your expectations and try to have fun.
In sports betting, as in most types of gambling, the advantage is not on your side. However, the knowledgeable bettor has better odds of enjoying a successful sports betting experience than the spontaneous gambler who places a bet following his gut feeling and wishful thinking. Therefore, do your homework and make sure you understand the basics of sports betting.
Learn everything you can about the odds, the type of sports, the teams or players who take part in the match you are betting on. All the information you are seeking is available online within a mouse click distance, so there is no reason to be lazy about it.
If you are betting online, choose only reputable online sportsbooks that have been around for at least a year, are licensed, regulated and members of a gambling association, so if you will not be paid on time, or at all, at least you would have an address for your complaints.
Limit yourself to a small selection of games to wager on. The more games you pick the lower the chances of stepping out as winner.
While you choose, make sure that you know why you making your specific decision. Again, giving full trust to your intuition and or your emotion as a sports fan is the best strategy to empty your bankroll.
If you cannot help but wagering on your favorite team regardless to the odds and to the basic common sense, at least make it minimal: place small amount of money so you would still be able to have fun watching the game.
If, God forbid, you lose, do not be tempted to bet more or you will end up in an endless circle of chasing your bets. Trust me; you do not want to go there.
If you win big time, do not invest your entire winning on betting at once. It will be wiser and more responsible to be satisfied with betting only a certain portion of your winning.
Remember, proportion is a key word. Taking everything in proportion, including when winning, losing your money and or watching your favorite team lose, is the best strategy to minimize the financial and emotional damage.
and do not forget to have fun!
There is more than one way to bet on sports. You can choose between flying to Vegas and placing a bet at one of the flashy casino sportsbook while watching sports on big plasma screens, staying at home and wagering at one of the thousands of online sportsbooks available on the net, at your neighborhood bookie, your office pool… Wherever you choose to wager, here are some useful sports betting tips.
Sports betting is a game of skill, which takes years of learning and practicing to master and still, even professional gamblers who make their living from betting on sports, lose. It basically means two things: first, intuition and luck are great benefits in sports betting as in other types of gambling, but if you rely exclusively on them, you are doomed to lose lots of money. Second, restrain your expectations and try to have fun.
In sports betting, as in most types of gambling, the advantage is not on your side. However, the knowledgeable bettor has better odds of enjoying a successful sports betting experience than the spontaneous gambler who places a bet following his gut feeling and wishful thinking. Therefore, do your homework and make sure you understand the basics of sports betting.
Learn everything you can about the odds, the type of sports, the teams or players who take part in the match you are betting on. All the information you are seeking is available online within a mouse click distance, so there is no reason to be lazy about it.
If you are betting online, choose only reputable online sportsbooks that have been around for at least a year, are licensed, regulated and members of a gambling association, so if you will not be paid on time, or at all, at least you would have an address for your complaints.
Limit yourself to a small selection of games to wager on. The more games you pick the lower the chances of stepping out as winner.
While you choose, make sure that you know why you making your specific decision. Again, giving full trust to your intuition and or your emotion as a sports fan is the best strategy to empty your bankroll.
If you cannot help but wagering on your favorite team regardless to the odds and to the basic common sense, at least make it minimal: place small amount of money so you would still be able to have fun watching the game.
If, God forbid, you lose, do not be tempted to bet more or you will end up in an endless circle of chasing your bets. Trust me; you do not want to go there.
If you win big time, do not invest your entire winning on betting at once. It will be wiser and more responsible to be satisfied with betting only a certain portion of your winning.
Remember, proportion is a key word. Taking everything in proportion, including when winning, losing your money and or watching your favorite team lose, is the best strategy to minimize the financial and emotional damage.
and do not forget to have fun!
Stu Unger: The Rise And Fall Of A Poker Genius
Stu Unger is one of the biggest superstars to have immerged from the professional poker world. Besides being a true poker genius and a three time World Series of Poker champion, Stu Unger had a fascinating life story. It was not surprising that after his death Stu was the subject of a biography and a biopic.
Stu Unger lived the life of a rock star including the quick rise to fame, the drugs, the comeback and the unavoidable death at an early age. Here you can read about the life story of the legendary poker player Stu Unger.
The Beginning
Stuart Errol Ungar was born in 1953 to a Jewish family who lived in Manhattan on the Lower East Side. Stus father was a well known bookmaker and his mother was too ill to fight against her sons fascination with gambling. After the death of his father, 13 years old Stu had found a father figure at his neighbor Victor Romano, one of the infamous Genovese family soldiers.
Stu and Romano had at least one thing in common: they both had an incredibly sharp memory, which was mainly used in poker and gin games. By that time, Stu was already an accomplished gin player who had gained vast experience in winning gin tournaments. Stu dropped out of school to become a full time gin rummy player. The Genovese family had benefited from Stus talent. In return, they provided him protection from other gamblers who found themselves offended by his harsh and arrogant playing style.
The Rise
As a professional gin player, Stu had managed to beat all the professional gin poker players around. According to the rumors, Stu caused Harry Yonkie Stein, one of the best players around to stop playing gin completely after beating him in a gin match. Since he was out of proper competition, Stu decided to focus on playing poker professionally. In 1976, he and his girlfriend relocated to Las Vegas where they got married and had a girl, Stephanie.
In 1980, Stu won the World Series of Poker Main Event after beating experienced poker pros such as Doyle Bronson. Stu was the youngest WSOP champion in history and was nicknamed The Kid. Even though Stu won the 1981 WSOP Main Event, he still considered himself more a gin and rummy player than a poker player. After winning his first WSOP championship title, he was quoted saying that the poker world would meet better no limit players than him, but no one will ever be able to play gin rummy better than he does.
At the same time, Stu had tried to use his skill to grab money at the blackjack table. Nevertheless, the casinos were not happy with Stus presence around the blackjack tables and he was constantly barred. In 1982, he was fined by the New Jersey Gaming Commission for cheating, although Stu has not done anything illegal but using his natural skill and phenomenal memory.
The Fall
In 1990, Stu made another appearance to the WSOP. This time, he was heavily into drugs. He was a chip leader for the first three days of the event and then disappeared. He was found lying at his hotel room, unconscious from a drug overdose. However, it did not stop him from finishing ninth and earning enough money for his future cocaine supply.
The Comeback
After seven years of disappearing from the professional poker circle, Stu had returned to the WSOP. In 1997, he was broke, with damaged nostrils from cocaine abuse, addicted to horseracing and sports gambling, but still in shape to beat all the new contestants and gain back his WSOP Championship title. The local media was happy to embrace The Comeback Kid, but his success did not last long.
The Death
Stu Unger did not attend the 1998 World Series of Poker since he could not get the money to pay the entry fee. Seven months after Scotty Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP, Stu Ungar was found dead at his motel room in Las Vegas with 800 dollars in his pocket. Apparently, he died of a heart condition caused by years of drug abuse.
The Biography
Read: One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey The Kid Ungar, The Worlds Greatest Poker Player written by Nolan Dalla, Peter Alson, Mike Sexton.
Watch: High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story directed by A. W. Vidmer and starring Michael Imperioli, Christopher Moltisanti of The Sopranos, as Stu Unger
Stu Unger lived the life of a rock star including the quick rise to fame, the drugs, the comeback and the unavoidable death at an early age. Here you can read about the life story of the legendary poker player Stu Unger.
The Beginning
Stuart Errol Ungar was born in 1953 to a Jewish family who lived in Manhattan on the Lower East Side. Stus father was a well known bookmaker and his mother was too ill to fight against her sons fascination with gambling. After the death of his father, 13 years old Stu had found a father figure at his neighbor Victor Romano, one of the infamous Genovese family soldiers.
Stu and Romano had at least one thing in common: they both had an incredibly sharp memory, which was mainly used in poker and gin games. By that time, Stu was already an accomplished gin player who had gained vast experience in winning gin tournaments. Stu dropped out of school to become a full time gin rummy player. The Genovese family had benefited from Stus talent. In return, they provided him protection from other gamblers who found themselves offended by his harsh and arrogant playing style.
The Rise
As a professional gin player, Stu had managed to beat all the professional gin poker players around. According to the rumors, Stu caused Harry Yonkie Stein, one of the best players around to stop playing gin completely after beating him in a gin match. Since he was out of proper competition, Stu decided to focus on playing poker professionally. In 1976, he and his girlfriend relocated to Las Vegas where they got married and had a girl, Stephanie.
In 1980, Stu won the World Series of Poker Main Event after beating experienced poker pros such as Doyle Bronson. Stu was the youngest WSOP champion in history and was nicknamed The Kid. Even though Stu won the 1981 WSOP Main Event, he still considered himself more a gin and rummy player than a poker player. After winning his first WSOP championship title, he was quoted saying that the poker world would meet better no limit players than him, but no one will ever be able to play gin rummy better than he does.
At the same time, Stu had tried to use his skill to grab money at the blackjack table. Nevertheless, the casinos were not happy with Stus presence around the blackjack tables and he was constantly barred. In 1982, he was fined by the New Jersey Gaming Commission for cheating, although Stu has not done anything illegal but using his natural skill and phenomenal memory.
The Fall
In 1990, Stu made another appearance to the WSOP. This time, he was heavily into drugs. He was a chip leader for the first three days of the event and then disappeared. He was found lying at his hotel room, unconscious from a drug overdose. However, it did not stop him from finishing ninth and earning enough money for his future cocaine supply.
The Comeback
After seven years of disappearing from the professional poker circle, Stu had returned to the WSOP. In 1997, he was broke, with damaged nostrils from cocaine abuse, addicted to horseracing and sports gambling, but still in shape to beat all the new contestants and gain back his WSOP Championship title. The local media was happy to embrace The Comeback Kid, but his success did not last long.
The Death
Stu Unger did not attend the 1998 World Series of Poker since he could not get the money to pay the entry fee. Seven months after Scotty Nguyen won the 1998 WSOP, Stu Ungar was found dead at his motel room in Las Vegas with 800 dollars in his pocket. Apparently, he died of a heart condition caused by years of drug abuse.
The Biography
Read: One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stuey The Kid Ungar, The Worlds Greatest Poker Player written by Nolan Dalla, Peter Alson, Mike Sexton.
Watch: High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story directed by A. W. Vidmer and starring Michael Imperioli, Christopher Moltisanti of The Sopranos, as Stu Unger
How To Effectively Write Slogans
Some call them "tag lines"; others refer to them as"catch lines" or "tie-in-slogans." Whatever the words used to refer to them, they are perhaps the most important part of your promotional writing.
Do you recognize any of these? :
"Like a rock..."
"Fly the friendly skies..."
"It's the real thing !"
"Quality is job number one"
"The quicker-picker-upper"
Most of those tag lines are recognizable by us without even including the name of the company or product.
They summarize in a very few words the essence of the thing they are promoting. They communicate a good, positive feeling or relationship to the product. They do it with a simple,memorable phrase that is easily repeated.
The shorter the description is, the more challenging it is to write. Anyone can write a 500-word description of a product or service. Now try doing it with 5 to 10 words ! Each word you choose is very important to the message.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS for writing good taglines for your business offer.
1) Start by noticing ads on billboards as you drive down the road.
Billboard advertisers have but a couple of seconds to grab your attention and sell their product or service. Usually their copy is going to be a very good tagline with a picture of the product or service. These are great examples of how to write effective taglines.
2) Notice other media forms like magazine and newspaper display ads, business cards, brief radio and TV commercials.
Observe the thing that caught your attention and makes the message easily remembered. It's usually a concise and well-written tagline.
3) Write down everything you can think of that relates to your business. You may even start with a narrative description in paragraph form.
4) Now, make a list of the top 25 or 30 things that are important and worth mentioning.
Whittle that list down to 8 or 10 of the most important things you wish to say.
Now eliminate repetition or things that are not really that necessary to your product or service.
Get your list of words or phrases down to 3 or 4 central elements.
5) Based on your final core selection, make up some phrases that will serve as your taglines for consideration. Keep them short and use simple, everyday language.
Which of these taglines would you remember best? :
"Joe's auto repair shop, the lowest-prices and the best service"
OR
"Quality Care For Your Car !"
=====
"The Best Tax Service Anywhere Around The Town !"
OR
"Your Tax Experts At Work !"
=====
"Emergengy ambulance service available 24-hours a day"
OR
"When Minutes Count!"
Well, you get the idea!
Do some test marketing with your final two or three best taglines. Discover the one that works best for you and incorporate it into all of your promotional messages.
Remember, like any of life's endeavors, experience and practice help to improve your skills level. If you want to be a good writer, write a lot!
Best of luck with your promotional efforts.
Do you recognize any of these? :
"Like a rock..."
"Fly the friendly skies..."
"It's the real thing !"
"Quality is job number one"
"The quicker-picker-upper"
Most of those tag lines are recognizable by us without even including the name of the company or product.
They summarize in a very few words the essence of the thing they are promoting. They communicate a good, positive feeling or relationship to the product. They do it with a simple,memorable phrase that is easily repeated.
The shorter the description is, the more challenging it is to write. Anyone can write a 500-word description of a product or service. Now try doing it with 5 to 10 words ! Each word you choose is very important to the message.
HERE ARE SOME TIPS for writing good taglines for your business offer.
1) Start by noticing ads on billboards as you drive down the road.
Billboard advertisers have but a couple of seconds to grab your attention and sell their product or service. Usually their copy is going to be a very good tagline with a picture of the product or service. These are great examples of how to write effective taglines.
2) Notice other media forms like magazine and newspaper display ads, business cards, brief radio and TV commercials.
Observe the thing that caught your attention and makes the message easily remembered. It's usually a concise and well-written tagline.
3) Write down everything you can think of that relates to your business. You may even start with a narrative description in paragraph form.
4) Now, make a list of the top 25 or 30 things that are important and worth mentioning.
Whittle that list down to 8 or 10 of the most important things you wish to say.
Now eliminate repetition or things that are not really that necessary to your product or service.
Get your list of words or phrases down to 3 or 4 central elements.
5) Based on your final core selection, make up some phrases that will serve as your taglines for consideration. Keep them short and use simple, everyday language.
Which of these taglines would you remember best? :
"Joe's auto repair shop, the lowest-prices and the best service"
OR
"Quality Care For Your Car !"
=====
"The Best Tax Service Anywhere Around The Town !"
OR
"Your Tax Experts At Work !"
=====
"Emergengy ambulance service available 24-hours a day"
OR
"When Minutes Count!"
Well, you get the idea!
Do some test marketing with your final two or three best taglines. Discover the one that works best for you and incorporate it into all of your promotional messages.
Remember, like any of life's endeavors, experience and practice help to improve your skills level. If you want to be a good writer, write a lot!
Best of luck with your promotional efforts.
Tea Origins, Flavors, and Health Benefits
How many times do we just want to drink tea after a heavy meal, but are then bombarded with all the various tea flavours that we get lost. This article answers that need.
What you should always remember is that there are only four types of tea.
1) Black tea
2) Green tea
3) White tea
4) Oolong tea
All these are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves are disqualified as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. In addition, each type of tea has another flavor and various health benefits.
1) Black Tea
The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. Either served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.
2) Green Tea
The lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Recently, rumors on its health benefits increased its popularity in the West as well. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. It is usually served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point.
3) White Tea
White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas mentioned above. Originated in the Fujian province of china, the white tea is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer.
4) Oolong Tea
The traditional Chinese tea is the common companion of Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves that look like wild black dragons when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.
What you should always remember is that there are only four types of tea.
1) Black tea
2) Green tea
3) White tea
4) Oolong tea
All these are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves are disqualified as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. In addition, each type of tea has another flavor and various health benefits.
1) Black Tea
The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. Either served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.
2) Green Tea
The lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Recently, rumors on its health benefits increased its popularity in the West as well. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. It is usually served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point.
3) White Tea
White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas mentioned above. Originated in the Fujian province of china, the white tea is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer.
4) Oolong Tea
The traditional Chinese tea is the common companion of Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves that look like wild black dragons when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.
Texas Hold Em -- 4 Strategies Explained
Even though the United States have made it illegal to gamble online, poker keeps on gaining popularity through the different tournaments that are shown on television such as the World Series of Poker by ESPN. This created a problematic situation: while players claim that poker is not a game of chance, the US government decided that it is.
For a few weeks, panic erupted in the poker world as rumors spread like bushfires that this ban would stop all tournaments. But this proved to be untrue. In fact, because of the online gambling ban, the popularity of tournaments only increased. And in most of these tournaments, the favored game is Texas Holdem.
This article focuses on those planning to take what was once their online casino pastime to a poker tournament close by. You will need to follow some basic betting structures, and we describe these for you. Even if they seem difficult to follow, don't worry. Just practice these at home with friends and you will soon learn the flow of these wagering structures.
Note: Remember that all the games rely on a basic maximum and minimum wager, and all the betting structures should be understood accordingly. Keep in mind that each game has a set limit that is fixed before the game commences. Once begun, the limit remains unchanged until the end. Note also that the tournament organizers or the casinos are those that decide these limits.
1) Structured Wagering Limit:
This means that there are two limits you play to. During the first two rounds, you place wagers according to the lower sum, and then you start betting according to the higher amount set. When you find a game called according to two amounts such as 4/8 dollar limit, then, it means that this game will be played according to the structured wager. Another thing to remember when entering such poker games is that you can only place four wagers each round and not one more.
2) Spread Limit Wager:
Here, you are free to place wagers in a pre-set range and you don't have to place fixed bets. When you find that the limit is within a range then it means that you have found a game that will be played according to the spread limit. Examples are games which can be played between a range of twenty to a hundred dollars. Note that such games do turn out to be expensive because some might bet according to the high limit. Another variation of the spread limit bet is to have a range of four wagers. What this means is that there is a certain amount you can bet for the round before the flop, for the round on the flop, and on the round after the flop and a certain amount for the river.
3) Basic Pot Limit Bet:
In such Texas Holdem games labeled as being played according to the basic pot limit, what it means is that you can place wagers anywhere between the amount that is the big blind and the total size of the game pot. Here too, take note that games such as these can result in high cash pots.
4) No Limit Betting:
This is the one version that pulls in the high rollers from all over. Here, there is not limit at all one how much you wager or raise. Note that unless you are a high-roller or unless you have a tremendous amount of experience playing Texas Holdem at tournaments, stay clear of such games.
For a few weeks, panic erupted in the poker world as rumors spread like bushfires that this ban would stop all tournaments. But this proved to be untrue. In fact, because of the online gambling ban, the popularity of tournaments only increased. And in most of these tournaments, the favored game is Texas Holdem.
This article focuses on those planning to take what was once their online casino pastime to a poker tournament close by. You will need to follow some basic betting structures, and we describe these for you. Even if they seem difficult to follow, don't worry. Just practice these at home with friends and you will soon learn the flow of these wagering structures.
Note: Remember that all the games rely on a basic maximum and minimum wager, and all the betting structures should be understood accordingly. Keep in mind that each game has a set limit that is fixed before the game commences. Once begun, the limit remains unchanged until the end. Note also that the tournament organizers or the casinos are those that decide these limits.
1) Structured Wagering Limit:
This means that there are two limits you play to. During the first two rounds, you place wagers according to the lower sum, and then you start betting according to the higher amount set. When you find a game called according to two amounts such as 4/8 dollar limit, then, it means that this game will be played according to the structured wager. Another thing to remember when entering such poker games is that you can only place four wagers each round and not one more.
2) Spread Limit Wager:
Here, you are free to place wagers in a pre-set range and you don't have to place fixed bets. When you find that the limit is within a range then it means that you have found a game that will be played according to the spread limit. Examples are games which can be played between a range of twenty to a hundred dollars. Note that such games do turn out to be expensive because some might bet according to the high limit. Another variation of the spread limit bet is to have a range of four wagers. What this means is that there is a certain amount you can bet for the round before the flop, for the round on the flop, and on the round after the flop and a certain amount for the river.
3) Basic Pot Limit Bet:
In such Texas Holdem games labeled as being played according to the basic pot limit, what it means is that you can place wagers anywhere between the amount that is the big blind and the total size of the game pot. Here too, take note that games such as these can result in high cash pots.
4) No Limit Betting:
This is the one version that pulls in the high rollers from all over. Here, there is not limit at all one how much you wager or raise. Note that unless you are a high-roller or unless you have a tremendous amount of experience playing Texas Holdem at tournaments, stay clear of such games.
The Cassablanca Secret
Good writing is often designed around a character who has a distorted vision of himself or of the world. During the story, he is placed under sufficient pressure to force an epiphany, a moment of clarity in which, he sees the world as it is, not as he wished it to be.
A classic example is “Casablanca,” where Bogart’s immortal Rick has managed to create an insular world in which he can pretend to be utterly detached and uninvolved. He supposedly has no political beliefs, and no real human connections. But the reappearance of Ilsa forces a cascade of events that cause Rick to reexamine his attitudes about love, fate, patriotism, courage, fidelity, friendship, and life itself.
Rick begins as a damaged, closed off character, carrying wounds to his heart and ego. What he WANTS is to be left alone to his self-pity. What he NEEDS is to be re-awakened to a life of purpose. The writers, wisely, give Rick what he needs, not what he wants, and in that manner a classic was born.
In Lifewriting™ we trust that the quality of a writer’s skill will be heightened by his evolution as a human being—in other words, his ability to write people will be based on his capacity for honest observation of himself and others. His ability to turn a plot creatively will be based on his understanding of the world as it is—not as we often fantasize it to be. This ability to create moments of suspense, revelation, humor and horror often triggers an “ah! Life is just like that!” response from the audience, a recognition of universal humanity that can transcend culture and time.
The easiest way to learn this is to look at our own lives. None of us make it through our years without wounds, damage, pain. Just as physical scar tissue shortens muscles and limits mobility, emotional scar tissue creates “armoring” around our hearts. It also begins to warp our reality, as we create justifications for why THIS relationship self-destructed, or THAT job crashed and burned…once again. It’s never our fault, of course. The opposite, and even more damaging reaction is to take not just responsibility for our failures, but massive guilt as well. Our lives don’t work (so the reasoning goes) because we are bad, terrible, horrible people undeserving of healthy bodies or relationships or careers.
Either attitude clouds our vision, makes it difficult to see the world as it is. Those clouded inner eyes and warped “reality maps” make it very difficult to navigate a path to our chosen goals. Again and again we will bark our shins on invisible rocks, crashing into invisible walls, almost as if life is trying to teach us, to educate us, to enlighten us as to the realities of existence.
What we WANT is the comforting womb of our illusions. What we NEED is to be born into the world as it actually is.
Often, we are dragged kicking and screaming into clarity, forced ultimately to accept the ways we’ve been wrong. “Too soon old, too late smart” is one rather fatalistic way of speaking of this process. Too often, we must be old before we grasp that WE are the ones who sabotaged our dreams of success. We are the ones who refused to exercise and eat reasonably—that our bodies are more the result of our behaviors than our genetics. We are the ones who broke communication in our relationships, who lied and withheld and blamed, and thought that “the other person” was responsible for our misery. We are the ones who refused to grow up, to stop blaming our parents, or society, or racism, ageism, sexism or any other “ism” for our lack of happiness.
Too late, we are battered by one failure or disappointment after another, until the ego walls we created to protect our self-image are shattered, and we’re forced into contact with our true selves. The moment of death is supposed to be absolutely first rate at creating such clarity, a realization of our true values, and regret at the way we sold out our true potential.
But there are events that create clarity. The birth of a first child. A near-death experience. Accomplishing some worthy and transforming goal. The first deep and true moment of love or friendship. Transformation. In such moments, we see ourselves for the magnificent, wounded, earthy, spiritual beings that we are. We forgive ourselves, and our families, and the world around us, knowing that we have no right to expect more perfection from others than we ourselves possess. And as the saying goes, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” No perfect people in this world. Accept it. And move on.
Stories that deal with these core stressors--life, death, birth, transformation, love—are always, and have always been the most popular stories in human history. Under this stress, your character, robbed of their self-justifying lies, must speak the truth. Under these stressors, they are revealed in their magnificence…or sometimes (especially if they refuse to acknowledge reality) revealed in their venality, cowardice, and dishonesty.
This is one of the functions of story. The writer must create story pressures beyond the capacity of the characters to maintain their illusions. Then, and only then, can you reveal their true natures. To do this, just look at the times in your own life that you awakened, transformed, grew, went kicking and screaming into the next level of your life. Then create dramatic exaggerations or simplifications of these passages, and create characters to experience them. Let them be as human—as flawed and magnificent—as you yourself are. As we all are. Heighten their qualities for the sake of drama, to be sure, but always, always, at their core, let them be human, whatever it is that you believe human beings to be.
Let them struggle. Let them learn. Let them love.
Let them live.
Do this, and it will mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship…between you, your muse, and a world audience starved for entertaining truth.
A classic example is “Casablanca,” where Bogart’s immortal Rick has managed to create an insular world in which he can pretend to be utterly detached and uninvolved. He supposedly has no political beliefs, and no real human connections. But the reappearance of Ilsa forces a cascade of events that cause Rick to reexamine his attitudes about love, fate, patriotism, courage, fidelity, friendship, and life itself.
Rick begins as a damaged, closed off character, carrying wounds to his heart and ego. What he WANTS is to be left alone to his self-pity. What he NEEDS is to be re-awakened to a life of purpose. The writers, wisely, give Rick what he needs, not what he wants, and in that manner a classic was born.
In Lifewriting™ we trust that the quality of a writer’s skill will be heightened by his evolution as a human being—in other words, his ability to write people will be based on his capacity for honest observation of himself and others. His ability to turn a plot creatively will be based on his understanding of the world as it is—not as we often fantasize it to be. This ability to create moments of suspense, revelation, humor and horror often triggers an “ah! Life is just like that!” response from the audience, a recognition of universal humanity that can transcend culture and time.
The easiest way to learn this is to look at our own lives. None of us make it through our years without wounds, damage, pain. Just as physical scar tissue shortens muscles and limits mobility, emotional scar tissue creates “armoring” around our hearts. It also begins to warp our reality, as we create justifications for why THIS relationship self-destructed, or THAT job crashed and burned…once again. It’s never our fault, of course. The opposite, and even more damaging reaction is to take not just responsibility for our failures, but massive guilt as well. Our lives don’t work (so the reasoning goes) because we are bad, terrible, horrible people undeserving of healthy bodies or relationships or careers.
Either attitude clouds our vision, makes it difficult to see the world as it is. Those clouded inner eyes and warped “reality maps” make it very difficult to navigate a path to our chosen goals. Again and again we will bark our shins on invisible rocks, crashing into invisible walls, almost as if life is trying to teach us, to educate us, to enlighten us as to the realities of existence.
What we WANT is the comforting womb of our illusions. What we NEED is to be born into the world as it actually is.
Often, we are dragged kicking and screaming into clarity, forced ultimately to accept the ways we’ve been wrong. “Too soon old, too late smart” is one rather fatalistic way of speaking of this process. Too often, we must be old before we grasp that WE are the ones who sabotaged our dreams of success. We are the ones who refused to exercise and eat reasonably—that our bodies are more the result of our behaviors than our genetics. We are the ones who broke communication in our relationships, who lied and withheld and blamed, and thought that “the other person” was responsible for our misery. We are the ones who refused to grow up, to stop blaming our parents, or society, or racism, ageism, sexism or any other “ism” for our lack of happiness.
Too late, we are battered by one failure or disappointment after another, until the ego walls we created to protect our self-image are shattered, and we’re forced into contact with our true selves. The moment of death is supposed to be absolutely first rate at creating such clarity, a realization of our true values, and regret at the way we sold out our true potential.
But there are events that create clarity. The birth of a first child. A near-death experience. Accomplishing some worthy and transforming goal. The first deep and true moment of love or friendship. Transformation. In such moments, we see ourselves for the magnificent, wounded, earthy, spiritual beings that we are. We forgive ourselves, and our families, and the world around us, knowing that we have no right to expect more perfection from others than we ourselves possess. And as the saying goes, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” No perfect people in this world. Accept it. And move on.
Stories that deal with these core stressors--life, death, birth, transformation, love—are always, and have always been the most popular stories in human history. Under this stress, your character, robbed of their self-justifying lies, must speak the truth. Under these stressors, they are revealed in their magnificence…or sometimes (especially if they refuse to acknowledge reality) revealed in their venality, cowardice, and dishonesty.
This is one of the functions of story. The writer must create story pressures beyond the capacity of the characters to maintain their illusions. Then, and only then, can you reveal their true natures. To do this, just look at the times in your own life that you awakened, transformed, grew, went kicking and screaming into the next level of your life. Then create dramatic exaggerations or simplifications of these passages, and create characters to experience them. Let them be as human—as flawed and magnificent—as you yourself are. As we all are. Heighten their qualities for the sake of drama, to be sure, but always, always, at their core, let them be human, whatever it is that you believe human beings to be.
Let them struggle. Let them learn. Let them love.
Let them live.
Do this, and it will mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship…between you, your muse, and a world audience starved for entertaining truth.
The Annoyance Of The 3 Paragraph Essay
So we begin where we have so diligently been instructed to start, at the beginning. Our teachers berate us over topic sentences and main ideas using the terms interchangeably but stressing that they are distinctively different from each other. It is that paradox which boggles my mind and evokes writer's block. I like to consider that I have more fulfilling things to do than to keep track of which is which in my first paragraph. I would much rather get a root canal than agonize over some imaginary division between essential two words that mean the same thing to me. Remember that the topic sentence is to introduce the subject matter. For example a proper topic sentence for piece of work would be, "I hate three paragraph essays." The main idea would probably be the same thing but together differently or I think you have to explain it. After deliberating through that issue and introducing the topic we are told to write a transitional sentence and push ourselves to get to the bulk of the essay where you explain your subject.
Most instructors dictate that you have at least three points of defense and/or explanation. I assume three was chosen because it is the number of the trinity or because it was inspired by Hitler's Third Reich. The three paragraph essay is stifling to creative expression in its rigid structure. An English teacher once tried to explain the divinity of the three paragraph essay by comparing it to a triangle saying, "The triangle is one of the strongest structural shapes, which can endure a great amount of weight that's what makes it perfect for an essay." I personally don't appreciate the comparison, because in my opinion the triangle is the most dangerous shape. It has pointy ends which can break skin depending on the degree of the angle, but that's geometry. It has also been brought to my attention that a three paragraph essay looks like a fat chick. A small light bit of writing on top followed by a heavy middle section ending with a little bubble of words for feet. It just isn't proportional or aesthetically pleasing. The three paragraph essay also doesn't lend itself to an agreeable flow of thoughts. Everything of significance is crammed into the center. Three paragraph essays read more like an E. E. Cummings poem whereeverythingisranintoexaggeratetherateofspeechorthought. Jokes aside, it really does push everything in to close together. Readers that skim through derive very little because there are no breaks between the thoughts to slow them down to take matters into consideration. New ideas should not just be broken down into sentences they can be expanded into paragraphs so one has more room to explain. Having only one paragraph pressures writers to use concise words, and let's face it some of us don't like to visit words outside of: good, bad, cool, dumb, and weird.
The three paragraph essay of course cannot do without the conclusion. So, this gives the writer an opportunity to be redundant by saying what they have already wasted our time with. Three paragraph essays are rigid, terribly proportioned, and dull to look at and read. That's why writing three paragraph essays are annoying to write.
Most instructors dictate that you have at least three points of defense and/or explanation. I assume three was chosen because it is the number of the trinity or because it was inspired by Hitler's Third Reich. The three paragraph essay is stifling to creative expression in its rigid structure. An English teacher once tried to explain the divinity of the three paragraph essay by comparing it to a triangle saying, "The triangle is one of the strongest structural shapes, which can endure a great amount of weight that's what makes it perfect for an essay." I personally don't appreciate the comparison, because in my opinion the triangle is the most dangerous shape. It has pointy ends which can break skin depending on the degree of the angle, but that's geometry. It has also been brought to my attention that a three paragraph essay looks like a fat chick. A small light bit of writing on top followed by a heavy middle section ending with a little bubble of words for feet. It just isn't proportional or aesthetically pleasing. The three paragraph essay also doesn't lend itself to an agreeable flow of thoughts. Everything of significance is crammed into the center. Three paragraph essays read more like an E. E. Cummings poem whereeverythingisranintoexaggeratetherateofspeechorthought. Jokes aside, it really does push everything in to close together. Readers that skim through derive very little because there are no breaks between the thoughts to slow them down to take matters into consideration. New ideas should not just be broken down into sentences they can be expanded into paragraphs so one has more room to explain. Having only one paragraph pressures writers to use concise words, and let's face it some of us don't like to visit words outside of: good, bad, cool, dumb, and weird.
The three paragraph essay of course cannot do without the conclusion. So, this gives the writer an opportunity to be redundant by saying what they have already wasted our time with. Three paragraph essays are rigid, terribly proportioned, and dull to look at and read. That's why writing three paragraph essays are annoying to write.
The Automatic Champion
“Babe” Didrickson Zaharias was a phenomenal athlete. This Texan ran, jumped, rode horses, and played basketball and baseball—with tremendous flair.
In the Olympic tryouts in 1932, she won five first places in track and field events. In the games of that year in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the women’s 80 meter hurdles, a gold medal in the javelin throw, and a silver medal in the high jump.
After the Olympics, Zaharias turned to golf. Although she started from scratch, she won the National Women’s Amateur and the British Women’s Amateur.
The press hailed her as a “natural athlete.” They often referred to as an “automatic champion.”
But the real story behind Zaharias fairy-tale success was her painstaking diligence. Her success came from studied repetition. In every sport she undertook, she was methodical, deliberate, and persistent. She was neither “natural” nor “automatic.”
When, for example, she played golf for the first time, she did not automatically master the game. Instead she studied the game carefully, covering all its complex skill sets, under the tutelage of the finest golf teacher she could find. She looked at all the elements of the golf swing, broke it down into parts, then put it all together in a fluid movement.
Besides using an analytical approach to understand the game, Zaharias also locked the information into her motor nervous system through exhaustive practice. She would spend as many as 12 hours a day on the golf course, hitting as many as a thousand balls. Her hands would often becomes so sore that she could hardly grip her club. She stopped only long enough to tape up her hands before picking up the club again.
Zaharias learned to play golf the right way. She started out by hiring an exceptional teacher. She analyzed each part of the golf swing then put them all together in a fluid motion. She practiced for about 12 hours a day. She exercised self-discipline and self-sacrifice. And she didn’t doubt herself. Her previous successes had created an enduring self-confidence. She believed that if she applied herself she would be a golf champion. She proved this belief true.
Zaharias took a risk. She risked her reputation as an athlete by trying something new. She also risked the time and money it cost her to perfect her new sport.
Above all, she was methodical in the way she went about inventing herself as a champion golfer. She chose a gifted teacher, studied all aspects of the game, and put her new knowledge into practice, converting theory into motor learning, coordination, and stamina.
In the Olympic tryouts in 1932, she won five first places in track and field events. In the games of that year in Los Angeles, she won a gold medal in the women’s 80 meter hurdles, a gold medal in the javelin throw, and a silver medal in the high jump.
After the Olympics, Zaharias turned to golf. Although she started from scratch, she won the National Women’s Amateur and the British Women’s Amateur.
The press hailed her as a “natural athlete.” They often referred to as an “automatic champion.”
But the real story behind Zaharias fairy-tale success was her painstaking diligence. Her success came from studied repetition. In every sport she undertook, she was methodical, deliberate, and persistent. She was neither “natural” nor “automatic.”
When, for example, she played golf for the first time, she did not automatically master the game. Instead she studied the game carefully, covering all its complex skill sets, under the tutelage of the finest golf teacher she could find. She looked at all the elements of the golf swing, broke it down into parts, then put it all together in a fluid movement.
Besides using an analytical approach to understand the game, Zaharias also locked the information into her motor nervous system through exhaustive practice. She would spend as many as 12 hours a day on the golf course, hitting as many as a thousand balls. Her hands would often becomes so sore that she could hardly grip her club. She stopped only long enough to tape up her hands before picking up the club again.
Zaharias learned to play golf the right way. She started out by hiring an exceptional teacher. She analyzed each part of the golf swing then put them all together in a fluid motion. She practiced for about 12 hours a day. She exercised self-discipline and self-sacrifice. And she didn’t doubt herself. Her previous successes had created an enduring self-confidence. She believed that if she applied herself she would be a golf champion. She proved this belief true.
Zaharias took a risk. She risked her reputation as an athlete by trying something new. She also risked the time and money it cost her to perfect her new sport.
Above all, she was methodical in the way she went about inventing herself as a champion golfer. She chose a gifted teacher, studied all aspects of the game, and put her new knowledge into practice, converting theory into motor learning, coordination, and stamina.
The Awesome Experience Of Writing A Journal Part 1
Keeping a journal is a most rewarding experience. I have had several kinds of journals; one was a book where I wrote in it and another was a binder where I wrote the events of the day and also added everything from a chicken feather to cards, thank you notes and pictures. That was really a fun book. It's amazing the things you forget until you open your journal or look at a picture and all of the related memories instantly come to mind and you can talk about it as if it happened today. That is surely amazing!
This amazing book can also tell you details of a special vacation, or your parents 50 year anniversary, or that special day when you turned 21; what about graduation and all of those feelings you felt.? Wouldn't it be neat to read those fond memories? Those words will take you right back to that moment, feelings and all. What about special times with family and friends? I can remember what an eventful day it was when I climbed a mountain. I was awestruck as I watched others climb straight up. To my amazement, my feet just kept moving and I did it too. What an experience to practically do the splits in trying to climb the huge rocks. When I got to the top of the mountain, I stood on a ledge with the very top at chest height and declared that I made it. This fellow told me I hadn't made it as I wasn't on the top. I said I was good where I was. He said I would really regret not getting to the top if I didn't get up there, so, "Get up here!" he said, as he gave me his hand. I was petrified. Though my body was rigid in fear, I crawled to the very top of the mountain that day. I even laid down over a rock straight out from the mountain top and looked down 3000 feet to the ground. I couldn't believe I did that. I am forever grateful to that fellow for talking me into going to the top of the mountain because today, I am unstoppable. I can do whatever I want to do. Success in it's finest is my intention and if I can take others with me, I help them on their way to success as well.
There are also family journals where everyone writes about family events from their perspective. There could be one person who summarizes family events from year to year such as family re-unions. All of those moments and memories come and go and it just takes a wonderful journal to flash them back right before your eyes again.
Parents can keep their favorite drawings and pictures of their children. I have a picture my son drew of me when he was very young and I still feel warm when I look at it. Grandparents can write about their fun times with their grandchildren. Children can start writing journals at quite a young age. My grandson is eight years old and he writes a lot. He writes about sports, school, his friends and other activities. We can write about our pets as we love them so much. I have had numereous pets and loved them all intensely; each one with their own special personality and they were all considered family. Vacations are a great time to keep a family journal. What fond memories and fun when you read and remember the places you visited, restaurants, perhaps new foods you tried, the new people you met and what you did or the hikes you went on. Let's not forget all the souvineres we might have taken home. The pictures that were taken that we can ooo and aaaah over are awesome memories. It is truly endless what you can write about.
Please read the exciting conclusion of The Awesome Experience Of Writing A Journal Part 2.
This amazing book can also tell you details of a special vacation, or your parents 50 year anniversary, or that special day when you turned 21; what about graduation and all of those feelings you felt.? Wouldn't it be neat to read those fond memories? Those words will take you right back to that moment, feelings and all. What about special times with family and friends? I can remember what an eventful day it was when I climbed a mountain. I was awestruck as I watched others climb straight up. To my amazement, my feet just kept moving and I did it too. What an experience to practically do the splits in trying to climb the huge rocks. When I got to the top of the mountain, I stood on a ledge with the very top at chest height and declared that I made it. This fellow told me I hadn't made it as I wasn't on the top. I said I was good where I was. He said I would really regret not getting to the top if I didn't get up there, so, "Get up here!" he said, as he gave me his hand. I was petrified. Though my body was rigid in fear, I crawled to the very top of the mountain that day. I even laid down over a rock straight out from the mountain top and looked down 3000 feet to the ground. I couldn't believe I did that. I am forever grateful to that fellow for talking me into going to the top of the mountain because today, I am unstoppable. I can do whatever I want to do. Success in it's finest is my intention and if I can take others with me, I help them on their way to success as well.
There are also family journals where everyone writes about family events from their perspective. There could be one person who summarizes family events from year to year such as family re-unions. All of those moments and memories come and go and it just takes a wonderful journal to flash them back right before your eyes again.
Parents can keep their favorite drawings and pictures of their children. I have a picture my son drew of me when he was very young and I still feel warm when I look at it. Grandparents can write about their fun times with their grandchildren. Children can start writing journals at quite a young age. My grandson is eight years old and he writes a lot. He writes about sports, school, his friends and other activities. We can write about our pets as we love them so much. I have had numereous pets and loved them all intensely; each one with their own special personality and they were all considered family. Vacations are a great time to keep a family journal. What fond memories and fun when you read and remember the places you visited, restaurants, perhaps new foods you tried, the new people you met and what you did or the hikes you went on. Let's not forget all the souvineres we might have taken home. The pictures that were taken that we can ooo and aaaah over are awesome memories. It is truly endless what you can write about.
Please read the exciting conclusion of The Awesome Experience Of Writing A Journal Part 2.
The Benefits Of Article Marketing
There are many ways to get ahead in the cut throat world of internet marketing, but very few of them are easy and not all are ethical. The number of choices can be mind boggling at times. Ezines, newsletters, RSS feeds, Web 2.0 marketing and many more can all be effective, depending on your situation. However, very few offer all of the benefits that you get from article marketing. Read on to find out more.
Internet marketing is all about getting the best results for the least possible investment of your time and money. By writing good articles and submitting them to article directories you can drive significant traffic to your website. It is not the only way to do this, but few of the alternatives have so many benefits.
Search engine optimization
There is no better way to drive traffic to your website than by appearing at the top of the search engine rankings. While many internet users will ignore advertisements they will happily click through to search engine results. Advertising campaigns can of course be very effective, but they can be prohibitively expensive.
When you submit articles to article directories you will create backlinks to your website. The search engines will award you for these and you will will get a higher page ranking. Be careful though. Search engines can now recognize duplicate content so a unique version of each article article must be submitted to each directory for your campaign to be effective. Article submission alone may not help you to get to the very top of the search pages, but it will certainly increase your ranking.
Create direct traffic
By submitting articles to article directories you are giving websites free license to publish your articles. If you can produce quality articles that people want to publish and read you could find them appearing on hundreds, if not thousands, of websites. Each time a reader reads one of your articles there is a chance they will click through to your website through the resource box link, thus increasing traffic and sales.
You can make a name for yourself
The most successful internet marketers are well known in their field, or across the web in general. As an internet and article marketer you want to do the same. Try to become an authority on your niche subject and get your name known. If you are successful with this you will find that website owners will actively seek out your articles and be more than happy to publish them, rather than stumbling upon them by chance.
By submitting articles to directories you are already getting your name out there. However, you should back this up with other methods. Become involved in the online community relating to your field. Post helpful replies on forums, or comment on articles in blogs. You may find an opportunity to include a link to your site while doing this, but only do so if it is helpful, relevant and acceptable for that website. On the subject of blogs, you should set up your own. You are already writing articles so these can go in your blog, and you can also add posts including your thoughts, comments or smaller snippets of news when you want. If you engage with the online community in this way you will increase traffic to your website.
Long term gains
Once you have submitted an article to a directory it stays there, and if it is not time-specific it will be published again and again in the future. Bear this in mind when writing articles. Sometimes a newsy, topical article can be a good idea but often it is best to write articles that will have a long shelf life so they remain relevant in the future.
Your article can set up the sale
If a web user happens upon your website through a search engine link or an external link they may not be ready to make a purchase. With article marketing you can use your article to set up the sale. For example, if your article is giving advice on something you can give basic advice in the article while subtly giving the reader the impression that your product or service will provide the ultimate solution to their problem.
Article marketing is cheap
When compared to advertising or even to other marketing strategies, article marketing is very cost effective. It can be done for free if you make all of the submissions yourself by hand. However, even using a service or software to make articles unique and submit them to directories need not cost a lot.
So, if you are not already using article marketing to drive traffic to your website you should start now.
Internet marketing is all about getting the best results for the least possible investment of your time and money. By writing good articles and submitting them to article directories you can drive significant traffic to your website. It is not the only way to do this, but few of the alternatives have so many benefits.
Search engine optimization
There is no better way to drive traffic to your website than by appearing at the top of the search engine rankings. While many internet users will ignore advertisements they will happily click through to search engine results. Advertising campaigns can of course be very effective, but they can be prohibitively expensive.
When you submit articles to article directories you will create backlinks to your website. The search engines will award you for these and you will will get a higher page ranking. Be careful though. Search engines can now recognize duplicate content so a unique version of each article article must be submitted to each directory for your campaign to be effective. Article submission alone may not help you to get to the very top of the search pages, but it will certainly increase your ranking.
Create direct traffic
By submitting articles to article directories you are giving websites free license to publish your articles. If you can produce quality articles that people want to publish and read you could find them appearing on hundreds, if not thousands, of websites. Each time a reader reads one of your articles there is a chance they will click through to your website through the resource box link, thus increasing traffic and sales.
You can make a name for yourself
The most successful internet marketers are well known in their field, or across the web in general. As an internet and article marketer you want to do the same. Try to become an authority on your niche subject and get your name known. If you are successful with this you will find that website owners will actively seek out your articles and be more than happy to publish them, rather than stumbling upon them by chance.
By submitting articles to directories you are already getting your name out there. However, you should back this up with other methods. Become involved in the online community relating to your field. Post helpful replies on forums, or comment on articles in blogs. You may find an opportunity to include a link to your site while doing this, but only do so if it is helpful, relevant and acceptable for that website. On the subject of blogs, you should set up your own. You are already writing articles so these can go in your blog, and you can also add posts including your thoughts, comments or smaller snippets of news when you want. If you engage with the online community in this way you will increase traffic to your website.
Long term gains
Once you have submitted an article to a directory it stays there, and if it is not time-specific it will be published again and again in the future. Bear this in mind when writing articles. Sometimes a newsy, topical article can be a good idea but often it is best to write articles that will have a long shelf life so they remain relevant in the future.
Your article can set up the sale
If a web user happens upon your website through a search engine link or an external link they may not be ready to make a purchase. With article marketing you can use your article to set up the sale. For example, if your article is giving advice on something you can give basic advice in the article while subtly giving the reader the impression that your product or service will provide the ultimate solution to their problem.
Article marketing is cheap
When compared to advertising or even to other marketing strategies, article marketing is very cost effective. It can be done for free if you make all of the submissions yourself by hand. However, even using a service or software to make articles unique and submit them to directories need not cost a lot.
So, if you are not already using article marketing to drive traffic to your website you should start now.
The Billionare Writer's Secret
During a career spanning twenty-five years of novel, film, and television work, I've two major tools most valuable: the yogic “chakras” for characterization, and Joseph Campbell’s model of the Hero’s Journey for plot structure.
These are not random choices, nor were they selected because of the many intelligent and thoughtful essays on their relationship to successful film or world myth.
Rather, they are important because they create a connection between the inner world of the writer, and the external world of the finished work—and the reader.
A plot structure is nothing more than a tool for organizing events in temporal sequence. While there are more such structures than there are professional writers, few of them meet what thousands of students consider a critical test: are they actually easy to use and apply? A simple tool, however limited, can be of greater use than a complicated tool that requires years to master. Remember: you will achieve real quality in your writing only by mastering your basics.
The Hero’s Journey, extracted from thousands of years of world mythology, has the advantage of actually mimicking the path of life itself. The “three act structure” does not. After all…life isn’t divided into three, or five, or eight acts. Such divisions can be useful tools, but they should never be mistaken for some kind of “truth” about existence. In comparison, note this interpretation (there are others) of the steps of the Hero’s Journey, and to explain them, we’ll look at the first Star Wars movie, “Episode IV, A New Hope”:
1) Hero Confronted With A Challenge. “Come with me, Luke, learn the ways of the Force.” This is pretty clear, right? There has to be a challenge, or a beckoning, or the character won’t begin to change—and all great writing is about change.
2) Hero Initially rejects the challenge, :I promised Uncle Owen I’d work on the moisture evaporators.” A real challenge, one that can provoke real change, will be frightening and exciting. A character will usually have some reservations.
3) Hero accepts the challenge. Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed, freeing him from his oath. If your character doesn’t accept the challenge, there is no story—unless the story is about the consequences of not accepting responsibility.
4) The Road of trials. Traveling to the desert town and cantina, getting on Han Solo’s spaceship, traveling to other planets, etc. This is the section where locations and sequence interact. The character travels, learns, commits actions that force inter-action with the environment, and the environment responds positively or negatively, with greater and greater stakes as the story proceeds.
5) Gaining Allies and Powers. Luke meets Han Solo, and Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan, and Princess Leia. He learns of the Force, and the use of Light Sabers, and how to fly and fight and rescue princesses. If your character doesn’t have to grow in order to resolve the problem, you may have chosen the wrong problem or character!
6) Initial Confrontation with Evil, and defeat. Obi-Wan’s death. Or possibly the disastrous attack on the Death Star. One is private and emotional, the other spectacular and physical.
7) Dark Night of the Soul. The moment of greatest weakness. Luke begins to believe he cannot win, and everything he loves will die.
8) Leap of Faith. “Trust your Feelings, Luke.” The leap of Faith is always faith in one of three things: faith in self, faith in your companions, or faith in a higher power. In “Star Wars” it is all three! This may be the only time in the history of cinema that this was true, and helps to explain why George Lucas is a billionaire.
9) Confront Evil—victorious. The Death Star blows up.
10) Student Becomes the Teacher. Luke is presented with medals, which establish him as a role model.
###
The above ten steps are not some cookie-cutter pattern. They are the combined world wisdom about the path of life itself, the process we go through in achieving any worthwhile goal. There will be fear. There will be defeat. We will need to gain new skills and friends and partners. We must be clear on our acceptance of goals and responsibility. We must have faith. And ultimately, if we have struggled, and learned, and sacrificed, and moved through our fear…we learn and grow and succeed. And then we teach others. This is the pattern of life, and any time you organize information and events into a pattern even vaguely reminiscent of this, the human nervous system, worldwide, will recognize it as story.
It is NOT some kind of cure-all for bad story tellers. What these ten steps are is something analogous to the eighty-eight keys of a piano. Understand the emotional and life significance of each step, and then “play them” as your developed instincts dictate. Make your own kind of music. The pattern has worked for about thirty thousand years. It will work for you, too.
These are not random choices, nor were they selected because of the many intelligent and thoughtful essays on their relationship to successful film or world myth.
Rather, they are important because they create a connection between the inner world of the writer, and the external world of the finished work—and the reader.
A plot structure is nothing more than a tool for organizing events in temporal sequence. While there are more such structures than there are professional writers, few of them meet what thousands of students consider a critical test: are they actually easy to use and apply? A simple tool, however limited, can be of greater use than a complicated tool that requires years to master. Remember: you will achieve real quality in your writing only by mastering your basics.
The Hero’s Journey, extracted from thousands of years of world mythology, has the advantage of actually mimicking the path of life itself. The “three act structure” does not. After all…life isn’t divided into three, or five, or eight acts. Such divisions can be useful tools, but they should never be mistaken for some kind of “truth” about existence. In comparison, note this interpretation (there are others) of the steps of the Hero’s Journey, and to explain them, we’ll look at the first Star Wars movie, “Episode IV, A New Hope”:
1) Hero Confronted With A Challenge. “Come with me, Luke, learn the ways of the Force.” This is pretty clear, right? There has to be a challenge, or a beckoning, or the character won’t begin to change—and all great writing is about change.
2) Hero Initially rejects the challenge, :I promised Uncle Owen I’d work on the moisture evaporators.” A real challenge, one that can provoke real change, will be frightening and exciting. A character will usually have some reservations.
3) Hero accepts the challenge. Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed, freeing him from his oath. If your character doesn’t accept the challenge, there is no story—unless the story is about the consequences of not accepting responsibility.
4) The Road of trials. Traveling to the desert town and cantina, getting on Han Solo’s spaceship, traveling to other planets, etc. This is the section where locations and sequence interact. The character travels, learns, commits actions that force inter-action with the environment, and the environment responds positively or negatively, with greater and greater stakes as the story proceeds.
5) Gaining Allies and Powers. Luke meets Han Solo, and Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan, and Princess Leia. He learns of the Force, and the use of Light Sabers, and how to fly and fight and rescue princesses. If your character doesn’t have to grow in order to resolve the problem, you may have chosen the wrong problem or character!
6) Initial Confrontation with Evil, and defeat. Obi-Wan’s death. Or possibly the disastrous attack on the Death Star. One is private and emotional, the other spectacular and physical.
7) Dark Night of the Soul. The moment of greatest weakness. Luke begins to believe he cannot win, and everything he loves will die.
8) Leap of Faith. “Trust your Feelings, Luke.” The leap of Faith is always faith in one of three things: faith in self, faith in your companions, or faith in a higher power. In “Star Wars” it is all three! This may be the only time in the history of cinema that this was true, and helps to explain why George Lucas is a billionaire.
9) Confront Evil—victorious. The Death Star blows up.
10) Student Becomes the Teacher. Luke is presented with medals, which establish him as a role model.
###
The above ten steps are not some cookie-cutter pattern. They are the combined world wisdom about the path of life itself, the process we go through in achieving any worthwhile goal. There will be fear. There will be defeat. We will need to gain new skills and friends and partners. We must be clear on our acceptance of goals and responsibility. We must have faith. And ultimately, if we have struggled, and learned, and sacrificed, and moved through our fear…we learn and grow and succeed. And then we teach others. This is the pattern of life, and any time you organize information and events into a pattern even vaguely reminiscent of this, the human nervous system, worldwide, will recognize it as story.
It is NOT some kind of cure-all for bad story tellers. What these ten steps are is something analogous to the eighty-eight keys of a piano. Understand the emotional and life significance of each step, and then “play them” as your developed instincts dictate. Make your own kind of music. The pattern has worked for about thirty thousand years. It will work for you, too.
The Dot Com Era Is Back
In a recent article titled "Internet use threatens to overtake TV in Canada" it discusses the threat of online marketing to traditional media sources in Canada. This isn't a a threat anymore in the US. It is a fact.
An article written by Thomas Mucha from Business 2.0 says:
People are spending more time online than watching TV, which gives marketers a better chance to reach consumers in a place where they are just one click away from making a purchase. "More than 75 percent of companies using the Internet to advertise report confidence in their return on investment," writes the study's lead author, Jupiter Research senior analyst Gary Stein. This confidence, Stein argues, will sustain spending momentum across all the key online ad areas: paid search, display ads, classified ads, and rich media.
Interesting to note that two studies are similar. Although The Ipsos Reid study of Canada claims radio is losing more interest than TV in Canada, it may soon lose to the Internet as well.
Mr. Mucha claims 40 percent of total spending by 2010 will be paid advertisements on Google, Yahoo and MSN to an estimate of $19 billion per year. Not much wonder why the search engines are trying to dominate each other and the marketplace. The one that becomes the most popular will also make the most money.
What will become of the little guy? Will it put an end to buying keywords for ad placement on search engines? Will the small business owner get shoved out of the picture? Maybe not altogether... but let's face it. If GM decides they want to use the keywords you are using, can you afford to compete? The search engines will be laughing "all the way to the bank" and the cost per clicks will just keeping going up... (he-he) similar to the price of gasoline at the pumps these days.
Even though the cost of clicks may get pricey, the major search engines will always have to index relevant websites and include these results and return them on any keyword search. Professional sites (versus linkfarm, affiliate, spam sites) will always be in favour, and the sooner business can get their company sites built, if they haven't already; the better. Google seems to be the top search engine right now, and new sites often get sandboxed. If they hold on to their dominant position, new websites want to make sure this doesn't happen to them.
I've always felt that there was something Google was doing that gave some sites more relevance than others in its index, but wasn't sure how it was applied. At the Search Engine Strategies conference last week in San Jose, California, Rand Fishkin learned that Google places some new Web sites, "regardless of their merit, or lack thereof, in a sort of probationary category" for six months to a year to "allow time to determine how users react to a new site, who links to it, etc."
On a final piece of advice he suggests:
"Several people have also predicted that Yahoo! or MSN may take up similar techniques to help stop spam. This phenomenon could seriously undermine new SEO/Ms and new campaigns, but it is a possibility. My recommendation is not to discount this possibility and launch projects or at least holding sites and their promotional efforts ASAP. The web environment right now is still relatively friendly to new sites, but will certainly become more competitive and unforgiving with time, no matter what search engine filters exist."
Although it is starting to sound a little like the "Dot Com era is back" it will be a little different this time around. In 2000 when it went bust, it is partly because the percentage of consumers purchasing online didn't justify the amount of spending. There was a lack of confidence. It is different now. Jupiter's study shows that "73 percent of Americans who use the Internet have made a purchase online and four out of five of these potential shoppers have responded to an online ad."
An article written by Thomas Mucha from Business 2.0 says:
People are spending more time online than watching TV, which gives marketers a better chance to reach consumers in a place where they are just one click away from making a purchase. "More than 75 percent of companies using the Internet to advertise report confidence in their return on investment," writes the study's lead author, Jupiter Research senior analyst Gary Stein. This confidence, Stein argues, will sustain spending momentum across all the key online ad areas: paid search, display ads, classified ads, and rich media.
Interesting to note that two studies are similar. Although The Ipsos Reid study of Canada claims radio is losing more interest than TV in Canada, it may soon lose to the Internet as well.
Mr. Mucha claims 40 percent of total spending by 2010 will be paid advertisements on Google, Yahoo and MSN to an estimate of $19 billion per year. Not much wonder why the search engines are trying to dominate each other and the marketplace. The one that becomes the most popular will also make the most money.
What will become of the little guy? Will it put an end to buying keywords for ad placement on search engines? Will the small business owner get shoved out of the picture? Maybe not altogether... but let's face it. If GM decides they want to use the keywords you are using, can you afford to compete? The search engines will be laughing "all the way to the bank" and the cost per clicks will just keeping going up... (he-he) similar to the price of gasoline at the pumps these days.
Even though the cost of clicks may get pricey, the major search engines will always have to index relevant websites and include these results and return them on any keyword search. Professional sites (versus linkfarm, affiliate, spam sites) will always be in favour, and the sooner business can get their company sites built, if they haven't already; the better. Google seems to be the top search engine right now, and new sites often get sandboxed. If they hold on to their dominant position, new websites want to make sure this doesn't happen to them.
I've always felt that there was something Google was doing that gave some sites more relevance than others in its index, but wasn't sure how it was applied. At the Search Engine Strategies conference last week in San Jose, California, Rand Fishkin learned that Google places some new Web sites, "regardless of their merit, or lack thereof, in a sort of probationary category" for six months to a year to "allow time to determine how users react to a new site, who links to it, etc."
On a final piece of advice he suggests:
"Several people have also predicted that Yahoo! or MSN may take up similar techniques to help stop spam. This phenomenon could seriously undermine new SEO/Ms and new campaigns, but it is a possibility. My recommendation is not to discount this possibility and launch projects or at least holding sites and their promotional efforts ASAP. The web environment right now is still relatively friendly to new sites, but will certainly become more competitive and unforgiving with time, no matter what search engine filters exist."
Although it is starting to sound a little like the "Dot Com era is back" it will be a little different this time around. In 2000 when it went bust, it is partly because the percentage of consumers purchasing online didn't justify the amount of spending. There was a lack of confidence. It is different now. Jupiter's study shows that "73 percent of Americans who use the Internet have made a purchase online and four out of five of these potential shoppers have responded to an online ad."
The Dreaded Research Paper
Not many people like to write a research paper. Just the thought makes some students want to run and hide. Hearing your professor assign a research paper as part of the requirements of a class is dreaded by most students. They begin looking for ways to avoid the assignment. Perhaps some of this dread comes from not having been taught well how to write an excellent research paper. It does not have to be as hard as it seems.
Writing a research paper does take careful thought and planning. The first thing to consider is what topic you hope to write about. If your professor or teacher has assigned you a specific topic then you can skip this step. If you get to choose your own topic you must be sure to choose it well. Starting with a poor topic is a bad way to begin a research paper. In choosing a topic it is important to think about the required length of the paper. If the requirement for the research paper is five pages or if it is twenty pages you will probably want different topics. Choose a topic that you can cover in the length you must reach. Be careful that you do not choose to narrow of a topic or too broad of a topic.
Once your topic is chosen, it is time to do just what the name of your paper suggests: research. Begin to think about places to gather reliable information for your topic. You can spend an afternoon at a local library and probably find enough sources to get you going. Or begin your search online and discover the wide range of search engines and research databases that are available for public use.
It may be overwhelming when you first begin to gather information because you may find more information than you need. Just gather it and worry about narrowing the information down to only what you need later. You may begin to realize as you research that you can narrow your topic even further to become more specific. If you are having trouble finding enough information for your research paper you will have to consider making your topic broader or perhaps even changing it to something else.
Once you have researched for your paper it is time to begin the writing process. A great way to begin the process of writing is to form an outline. Starting with an outline for your research paper will allow you to organize all of the information you have researched and see what areas you may need to gather more information for. An outline gives a roadmap of sorts to guide you as you begin to write.
It is often normal to begin your research paper by writing a thesis statement. Form a solid thesis and then just begin to write. Do not worry to much right now, just get something down on paper. You will have plenty of time as you revise and write another draft to make changes to your work. Write, write, write. Writing will take the majority of your time. It is very normal to write two, three or even four drafts of a research paper before it is ready to turn in. So persevere and stick with it.
Writing an effective research paper does not have to be stressful. Following simple and structured steps can make it easy to fulfill an assignment well. The best way to start a great paper is just to begin. So what are you waiting for? Start writing a great research paper today.
Writing a research paper does take careful thought and planning. The first thing to consider is what topic you hope to write about. If your professor or teacher has assigned you a specific topic then you can skip this step. If you get to choose your own topic you must be sure to choose it well. Starting with a poor topic is a bad way to begin a research paper. In choosing a topic it is important to think about the required length of the paper. If the requirement for the research paper is five pages or if it is twenty pages you will probably want different topics. Choose a topic that you can cover in the length you must reach. Be careful that you do not choose to narrow of a topic or too broad of a topic.
Once your topic is chosen, it is time to do just what the name of your paper suggests: research. Begin to think about places to gather reliable information for your topic. You can spend an afternoon at a local library and probably find enough sources to get you going. Or begin your search online and discover the wide range of search engines and research databases that are available for public use.
It may be overwhelming when you first begin to gather information because you may find more information than you need. Just gather it and worry about narrowing the information down to only what you need later. You may begin to realize as you research that you can narrow your topic even further to become more specific. If you are having trouble finding enough information for your research paper you will have to consider making your topic broader or perhaps even changing it to something else.
Once you have researched for your paper it is time to begin the writing process. A great way to begin the process of writing is to form an outline. Starting with an outline for your research paper will allow you to organize all of the information you have researched and see what areas you may need to gather more information for. An outline gives a roadmap of sorts to guide you as you begin to write.
It is often normal to begin your research paper by writing a thesis statement. Form a solid thesis and then just begin to write. Do not worry to much right now, just get something down on paper. You will have plenty of time as you revise and write another draft to make changes to your work. Write, write, write. Writing will take the majority of your time. It is very normal to write two, three or even four drafts of a research paper before it is ready to turn in. So persevere and stick with it.
Writing an effective research paper does not have to be stressful. Following simple and structured steps can make it easy to fulfill an assignment well. The best way to start a great paper is just to begin. So what are you waiting for? Start writing a great research paper today.
The Effects Of Banning Online Gambling
Everyone talks about the negative impact of online gambling, but they are not talking about the negative impact of banning online gambling.
A reason for banning online casinos was to make sure that underage children were not using thee parents credit cards to gamble online, but besides the fact that most online casinos did everything possible to ensure to verify the age of the account holder before allowing any gambling to occur, but by banning it you are only stopping the law abiding casinos from taking bets and not the less reputable online casinos. They will use third party account like PayPal ore Click2pay which provide a loophole in the new law.
By banning an activity especially such a popular activity as online gambling all that can be expected to happen is for people to find ways around the law, such as the Speakeasies of the 1920’s.
A Speakeasy was a nightclub that served Alcohol during prohibition and was usually hidden in the back rooms of pet stores and innocent looking book stores. Every time a speakeasy was raided the next night another one was opened, and this is what will happen with these online casinos. If the government finds one operating in the USA and gets it shut down or manages to stop the money flowing to it then another will open.
By regulating online gambling the government would know exactly who was running the casino to make sure they were running it honestly and within all the laws, and it would help make sure that the criminal element did not get rich and gain power a second time in the history of the USA because of a bad lawmaking decision.
Another reason given for the ban of online gambling was to help protect against a rise in problem gamblers from have casino gamming in your home 24 hrs a day, but no proof has ever been found that shows that people who would normally not be inclined to go to a casino and gamble would decide to do it just because it was now in their homes.
The facts actually show a steady rate of people with gambling problems and growing at the same rate it has been growing for over 25 years.
Many experts are now saying that there are some positives to the online gambling ban, but those positives would be even better if the industry was properly legalized and not, just by putting a mostly unenforceable law in place.
But this to be a pattern the government seems to always make, it is much like the war on drugs. Last time I checked thee was still a drug problem in this country even though drugs are illegal, yet in countries like Holland where the use of soft drugs like hash and grass are legal the number people with drug problems is much lower per capita then in the USA. This is because the money that is brought in the form of taxes from these sales goes to fund the public schools where they properly educate kids on the negative effects of these drugs, so most of the people who smoke are tourists and not the locals.
Maybe one day the government will learn from its past mistakes and make things right.
A reason for banning online casinos was to make sure that underage children were not using thee parents credit cards to gamble online, but besides the fact that most online casinos did everything possible to ensure to verify the age of the account holder before allowing any gambling to occur, but by banning it you are only stopping the law abiding casinos from taking bets and not the less reputable online casinos. They will use third party account like PayPal ore Click2pay which provide a loophole in the new law.
By banning an activity especially such a popular activity as online gambling all that can be expected to happen is for people to find ways around the law, such as the Speakeasies of the 1920’s.
A Speakeasy was a nightclub that served Alcohol during prohibition and was usually hidden in the back rooms of pet stores and innocent looking book stores. Every time a speakeasy was raided the next night another one was opened, and this is what will happen with these online casinos. If the government finds one operating in the USA and gets it shut down or manages to stop the money flowing to it then another will open.
By regulating online gambling the government would know exactly who was running the casino to make sure they were running it honestly and within all the laws, and it would help make sure that the criminal element did not get rich and gain power a second time in the history of the USA because of a bad lawmaking decision.
Another reason given for the ban of online gambling was to help protect against a rise in problem gamblers from have casino gamming in your home 24 hrs a day, but no proof has ever been found that shows that people who would normally not be inclined to go to a casino and gamble would decide to do it just because it was now in their homes.
The facts actually show a steady rate of people with gambling problems and growing at the same rate it has been growing for over 25 years.
Many experts are now saying that there are some positives to the online gambling ban, but those positives would be even better if the industry was properly legalized and not, just by putting a mostly unenforceable law in place.
But this to be a pattern the government seems to always make, it is much like the war on drugs. Last time I checked thee was still a drug problem in this country even though drugs are illegal, yet in countries like Holland where the use of soft drugs like hash and grass are legal the number people with drug problems is much lower per capita then in the USA. This is because the money that is brought in the form of taxes from these sales goes to fund the public schools where they properly educate kids on the negative effects of these drugs, so most of the people who smoke are tourists and not the locals.
Maybe one day the government will learn from its past mistakes and make things right.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Fine Points Of Writing A Critical Essay
The last thing many majors want to do is write, much less write critical essays on some political or social concept or controversy he or she could give a rat’s a** for.
But the requirements for a number of classes include the writing of critical essays, so rather than fight it, go with the most manageable process for accomplishing the assigned task.
That is, keep in mind a few essential steps and elements, and you should be able to fly. First, the basics of writing critical essays are the same for writers of most modes.
Here are the modes that you might directly or indirectly be asked to write in—might be assigned the steps for or told to write an X essay using:
ANALYTIC-A classic style used in art, science, history, psychology, education, and most other disciplines across the curriculum to explore and investigate an idea, process, person, action, or attitude.
ARGUMENTATIVE-Used in more advanced English classes, in philosophy, and in courses which include theory.
COMPARATIVE/CONTRASTIVE-Used in most courses where specific analysis of like and unlike elements, characters, and ideas lend themselves to comparison.
DEFINITIONAL-Written when we apply a more thorough study to a topic, especially an abstract one.
DESCRIPTIVE-Used to more intensively, more concretely cover an idea, item, or subject.
EVALUATIVE-Often confused with analytical, the evaluative essay moves beyond the what and how to the how much...we put a value on the topic here.
EXPLANATORY-Also called the expository essay (though I tend to see all essays as expository, as exposing a truth about something). With this type we further our own and our readers' understanding of the subject.
PERSONAL-Also called the response essay, the personal style essay is still well written (readable for an audience other than the writer), but is more informal--containing narrative details that entertain. RESEARCH-While most essay types will include references or will quote authorities, the research essay is mostly informational, using the findings--the stats and facts--we made investigating the findings of others.
Now critical essays may fit better in or work better as one of the above modes, but all essays at the college level are really “critical” in nature. That is, if you look up critical in the dictionary or online, you will find that it does not necessarily mean negative or picky or bashing, but just means, from the Greek word, kritikus, “to discern”.
So what do you discern in critical essays? A given topic or issue (which is a controversial topic with sides), which you incorporate into a thesis and supporting ideas and details. Here is what you should have in a critical essay:
An engaging opener- hook, lure, interest your reader. Use a story, a fact, an extended definition, a quote, or a direct address…where appropriate. That is, use whatever fits best with the whole essay and whichever kind of into you are best at writing.
A thesis- here you state, or assert, your position. This is the overall opinion that adds up all your points…which follow the thesis as support.
Support- here you include statistics, narrative/non-fiction examples, statistics, authoritative (and respectable) quotes, analogies (relevant and apt), and other elements that help to “prove” your position. In the case of critical essays based on literature or other works of art, this will also include what is called textual evidence (passages from the work as you describe or directly or indirectly quote/cite them). In an argumentative paper, this section will also likely include the opponent’s side, concessions, and refutations.
Good closure – whereas in some critical essays the closer is the thesis, in many assignments you are taught to leave the thesis at the front of the essay and wrap up your writing in the conclusion. Don’t bring in new examples, but do leave the readers questioning their positions, challenged with ways to take action, or reminded of what your goal was to begin with.
The components of the critical essay, then, as they are in most modes and college coursework, are those that you would use later on, too, in your job or online, even!
But the requirements for a number of classes include the writing of critical essays, so rather than fight it, go with the most manageable process for accomplishing the assigned task.
That is, keep in mind a few essential steps and elements, and you should be able to fly. First, the basics of writing critical essays are the same for writers of most modes.
Here are the modes that you might directly or indirectly be asked to write in—might be assigned the steps for or told to write an X essay using:
ANALYTIC-A classic style used in art, science, history, psychology, education, and most other disciplines across the curriculum to explore and investigate an idea, process, person, action, or attitude.
ARGUMENTATIVE-Used in more advanced English classes, in philosophy, and in courses which include theory.
COMPARATIVE/CONTRASTIVE-Used in most courses where specific analysis of like and unlike elements, characters, and ideas lend themselves to comparison.
DEFINITIONAL-Written when we apply a more thorough study to a topic, especially an abstract one.
DESCRIPTIVE-Used to more intensively, more concretely cover an idea, item, or subject.
EVALUATIVE-Often confused with analytical, the evaluative essay moves beyond the what and how to the how much...we put a value on the topic here.
EXPLANATORY-Also called the expository essay (though I tend to see all essays as expository, as exposing a truth about something). With this type we further our own and our readers' understanding of the subject.
PERSONAL-Also called the response essay, the personal style essay is still well written (readable for an audience other than the writer), but is more informal--containing narrative details that entertain. RESEARCH-While most essay types will include references or will quote authorities, the research essay is mostly informational, using the findings--the stats and facts--we made investigating the findings of others.
Now critical essays may fit better in or work better as one of the above modes, but all essays at the college level are really “critical” in nature. That is, if you look up critical in the dictionary or online, you will find that it does not necessarily mean negative or picky or bashing, but just means, from the Greek word, kritikus, “to discern”.
So what do you discern in critical essays? A given topic or issue (which is a controversial topic with sides), which you incorporate into a thesis and supporting ideas and details. Here is what you should have in a critical essay:
An engaging opener- hook, lure, interest your reader. Use a story, a fact, an extended definition, a quote, or a direct address…where appropriate. That is, use whatever fits best with the whole essay and whichever kind of into you are best at writing.
A thesis- here you state, or assert, your position. This is the overall opinion that adds up all your points…which follow the thesis as support.
Support- here you include statistics, narrative/non-fiction examples, statistics, authoritative (and respectable) quotes, analogies (relevant and apt), and other elements that help to “prove” your position. In the case of critical essays based on literature or other works of art, this will also include what is called textual evidence (passages from the work as you describe or directly or indirectly quote/cite them). In an argumentative paper, this section will also likely include the opponent’s side, concessions, and refutations.
Good closure – whereas in some critical essays the closer is the thesis, in many assignments you are taught to leave the thesis at the front of the essay and wrap up your writing in the conclusion. Don’t bring in new examples, but do leave the readers questioning their positions, challenged with ways to take action, or reminded of what your goal was to begin with.
The components of the critical essay, then, as they are in most modes and college coursework, are those that you would use later on, too, in your job or online, even!
The Golden Hour
During a conversation earlier today, a formerly svelt young lady said that she had given up on the idea of exercise, because to have a body worth the trouble, it would take three or four hours a day.
Novice writers complain that in order to build their careers, it would take six or seven hours a day…so what is the point!
And more times than I could count, stressed-out acquaintances have said that they would love to meditate, but “don’t have the time.”
It is time we explode these falsehoods. The truth is that misconceptions like the above can completely steal your chances for health, happiness and success.
The truth is that you can get started on a fantastic fitness regimen in only an hour a week. Further, a focused writer can create a novel in a year in only an hour a day. And gigantic strides can be made toward stress relief in only five minutes a day. THAT is the playing field: give yourself five minutes, and you can cut your stress in half. Give yourself an hour a week, and you can have health and fitness. An hour a day can jump-start a career.
1) Five Minutes a day. Five times a day, for just sixty seconds, stop and breathe slowly and deeply from your belly. Go to a local yoga or Tai Chi school and ask to learn a relaxation breathing technique. If you can’t find one, then slow down, get quiet, and feel your heartbeat for sixty seconds. Do this every three hours for sixty seconds, and you will halve your stress levels.
2) An hour a week. Three times a week, perform twenty minutes of the right body-weight or weight exercises. Hindu Squats and Hindu Pushups are wonderful whole-body exercises. Do a Google search for them, and you’ll find multiple sites on the Internet selling or giving away the information for free. For faster results, use “Kettlebell” style whole-body weight exercises. These exercise tools look like little cannon-balls with handles, and they are used in a variety of swinging and yoga-like moves that are unbelievably efficient for developing strength, endurance, flexibility, power and athleticism, all at the same time. You can even use an ordinary dumbbell in the beginning. Again, do a Google search, and you’ll find the information, often for free!
3) An Hour a day. This is what I call the “Golden Hour.” You need to accept the idea that one hour out of every day belongs to you. Not your job, not your husband or wife, or your kids—it belongs to you. During this time, if you plan it properly, you can exercise, practice your art, meditate, read—whatever. If you are a writer, I’d suggest that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you “flow”—just create rough draft, with no attempt to edit it. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you do your editing, polishing the work you did the previous day. If you learn to focus properly, there is no reason in the world you can’t learn to produce 1000 words of rough draft in an hour. That’s enough to produce a novel a year, in just an hour a day.
The “Golden Hour” is a goal, one that might take you a year or two to work toward. But if you will just start with five minutes a day, and a commitment to an hour a week…working TOWARD an hour a day, you have placed your feet on the road toward peace of mind, a healthy body, and a happy heart: a tiny investment for a gigantic reward.
Novice writers complain that in order to build their careers, it would take six or seven hours a day…so what is the point!
And more times than I could count, stressed-out acquaintances have said that they would love to meditate, but “don’t have the time.”
It is time we explode these falsehoods. The truth is that misconceptions like the above can completely steal your chances for health, happiness and success.
The truth is that you can get started on a fantastic fitness regimen in only an hour a week. Further, a focused writer can create a novel in a year in only an hour a day. And gigantic strides can be made toward stress relief in only five minutes a day. THAT is the playing field: give yourself five minutes, and you can cut your stress in half. Give yourself an hour a week, and you can have health and fitness. An hour a day can jump-start a career.
1) Five Minutes a day. Five times a day, for just sixty seconds, stop and breathe slowly and deeply from your belly. Go to a local yoga or Tai Chi school and ask to learn a relaxation breathing technique. If you can’t find one, then slow down, get quiet, and feel your heartbeat for sixty seconds. Do this every three hours for sixty seconds, and you will halve your stress levels.
2) An hour a week. Three times a week, perform twenty minutes of the right body-weight or weight exercises. Hindu Squats and Hindu Pushups are wonderful whole-body exercises. Do a Google search for them, and you’ll find multiple sites on the Internet selling or giving away the information for free. For faster results, use “Kettlebell” style whole-body weight exercises. These exercise tools look like little cannon-balls with handles, and they are used in a variety of swinging and yoga-like moves that are unbelievably efficient for developing strength, endurance, flexibility, power and athleticism, all at the same time. You can even use an ordinary dumbbell in the beginning. Again, do a Google search, and you’ll find the information, often for free!
3) An Hour a day. This is what I call the “Golden Hour.” You need to accept the idea that one hour out of every day belongs to you. Not your job, not your husband or wife, or your kids—it belongs to you. During this time, if you plan it properly, you can exercise, practice your art, meditate, read—whatever. If you are a writer, I’d suggest that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you “flow”—just create rough draft, with no attempt to edit it. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday you do your editing, polishing the work you did the previous day. If you learn to focus properly, there is no reason in the world you can’t learn to produce 1000 words of rough draft in an hour. That’s enough to produce a novel a year, in just an hour a day.
The “Golden Hour” is a goal, one that might take you a year or two to work toward. But if you will just start with five minutes a day, and a commitment to an hour a week…working TOWARD an hour a day, you have placed your feet on the road toward peace of mind, a healthy body, and a happy heart: a tiny investment for a gigantic reward.
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