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Senate Takes Up Debate On Regular Marriage
Feb 23rd
The Senate, fresh from its rancorous but indecisive debate on a constitutional amendment that would have banned same-sex marriage, has now taken up debate on an amendment that would ban regular marriage.
A leading Republican senator stated, When you consider how high the divorce rate is, you know there are a lot of unhappy marriages out there between men and women. Im not sure continuing to allow them is in the national interest.
The Democratic whip said, In addition to the divorce rate, youve got to look at how many parents are disappointed in the amount of gratitude their children show and how many children dont think their parents love them enough. Since parents usually want more gratitude than their children can give, and children often demand more love than most parents can give, it seems theres an inherent problem with a marriage that can produce children.
President Bush took an unwavering position, saying, The kind of marriage we allow in America has to set a good example for the children of this great nation, and, frankly, I dont think a lot of marriages out there are hitting that high marker. So I urge the Congress to pass the amendment. No more regular marriages, no more bad examples for our children its as simple as that. And the result is guaranteed, because, in all likelihood, there wont be anymore children.
An Overview Of Gene Hackman
Feb 23rd
Gene Hackman is one of those actors who over the years have been in quite a few movies that I didnt necessarily like. However, he always managed to make them interesting and enjoyable by his performance. He has starred in many movies there are some that you will never forget him for. Everyone will remember Gene Hackman as Lux Luther. It is not necessarily a role I would have originally cast Hackman for, but he delivers an unforgettable performance. Another role that he is highly recognized for is his performance in Hoosiers.
Gray Market Tractors, What You Should Know and Check Before You Purchase
Feb 22nd
Befor. you begin to actually look at tractors you should know exactly what you are looking for.
Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.
What size of tractor do you need?
What are you going to be using you tractor for?
How often will the tractor be used?
Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions.
Be an informed shopper and don’t let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.
Tractor Size
This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.
What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?
Dollars & Sense
You should definitely shop around, however, don’t forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more ‘sense’ than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.
Different Makes and Models of Tractors
If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don’t like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.
Diesel Engines
Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.
Horsepower
Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet.
PTO
Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.
Cylinders
Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions
There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed.
Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.
Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don’t grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more ‘tricky’ the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.
A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won’t work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.
Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against ‘operator difficulty’. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.
Implement Adaptability
You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.
Implement Availability
Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.
Parts Manuals
Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.
Warranty
Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.
Yes, it’s a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.
Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.
Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn’t have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.
Tractor Buyer’s Checklist
Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours
On Meter________ Asking Price $____________
Seller’s Name _____________________________ Phone ______________
Tractor Location _______________________________________________
Yes/No Notes
Visual Exterior Inspection
Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?
Why is the tractor for sale?
Is the paint faded?
Is the sheet metal straight?
Are there a lot of ‘dings’ in the tractor?
Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?
Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.
Is there anything that looks like a ‘makeshift’ repair job?
Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?
Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?
Is there still good tread left on the tires?
Is the seat in good condition?
Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?
Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?
Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?
Engine Inspection
Is the engine warm?
Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?
Can you see any seals leaking?
Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?
Is there oil around the PTO seals?
Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD
Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?
Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)
Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.
Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?
Are all the filters U.S. made?
Is the air filter intact?
Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?
Is the fuel filter clean?
Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?
Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?
Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.
Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?
Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?
Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?
Is there any slop in the steering linkages?
Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?
Running Engine Inspection
Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?
Start the tractor. Does it start easily?
Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?
Do all of the other lights go off?
Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts
Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the
tractor has power steering.
Does the PTO spin in all gears?
Does the 3-point hitch work properly?
Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?
Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)
Does the tractor work through all of the gears?
Does the power shift feel ‘weak’ when shifting?
Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?
Does the 4WD engage properly?
Does the clutch slip?
Do the brakes work well?
Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?
Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?
Does the charging system work properly?
Do the wheels wobble at all?
Hydraulics
Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?
Are the pivot pins badly worn?
Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?
Are the hydraulic couplers capped?
Does the hydraulics work correctly?
Post Driving Inspection
Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?
Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?
Did the tractor overheat?
Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?
Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?
Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?
Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?
Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?
I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.
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Sherry Cochran [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]
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Deal or No Deal Whos your Banker?
Feb 22nd
Copyright 2006 Andy Warren
You may have seen or heard of the hugely successful worldwide show, Deal or No Deal. If you havent, the premise is quite simple. In the UK version there are 22 sealed boxes each containing a cash value of between 1 penny and 250,000. No one knows what each one contains. The contestant chooses one of the 22 sealed boxes to hold and then opens all the other boxes one-by-one, revealing the amounts inside. As each box is opened it gives the contestant a better idea as to what prize may be contained in their own sealed box.
Throughout this process the player receives calls from The Banker offering deals. The deal will be an amount of money offered to the contestant that they can accept instead of holding onto their box. As the odds of the contestants box being a larger prize increase these deals usually increase too. The Banker uses lots of analysis, tools and assistants to help him make his decision, whereas the contestant has to rely on? their own guesswork and the advice of their friends and family.
The Banker, who doesnt know how much is in the sealed box, constantly observes the contestant, analyzing their psychology and their behaviour. The goal of The Banker is to try and make sure the contestant leaves the game with the smallest amount of money possible. The Banker makes cash offers based on the amounts of money the player has eliminated and their knowledge and perception of the contestant. Whenever The Banker makes an offer, the contestant has to choose whether to accept the offer and deal or say no deal. The risk is that the contestant could end up with nothing if they dont accept the offer. So its a choice between a known amount of cash now or an unknown amount in the future.
Of course this is all just a gameshow and doesnt bear any relation to real life. Or does it?
How many times a day are you being offered things by a mysterious Banker who tells you that you if you dont take this offer now then it will be gone? How much are you being analysed by unseen eyes that identify what your hot buttons are and what youll respond to?
Huge amounts of research is done into demographics to identify the key triggers that will cause people to make decisions. Seemingly generous offers of loans and credit cards are set at tempting levels so that the amount to be borrowed draws you in and the repayments are just about within your reach. How many times do you choose to deal and take whats on offer? Unfortunately, the deals that most people take in real life are deals that dont really give them anything except more debt. What seems like a good offer is really coming from someone whose goal is to see you walk away with as little money as possible.
Equally people are walking past good offers of cash today as they hold out for an unknown prize somewhere in the future. How much money is spent each week on lottery tickets instead of putting it into a decent savings account. And how often does that hoped for prize turn out to be a low value amount or nothing?
There are Bankers all around you who are trying to figure out how to make sure you walk away with the smallest amount of money. And every time youre faced with a decision you need to ask yourself what the real deal is.
Are you putting yourself in the position of the contestant, with nothing but the advice of your friends and family to rely on? And lets face it, theyre probably no more informed than you. Or can you turn it around and become as informed as the Banker? Can you get the information that allows you to set the deals? The better you understand the rules and the game the better you can play it. And noone understands it better than the Banker.
So get informed and become your own Banker today, and put yourself in charge of the game.
Why some projects are vital for your life?
Feb 22nd
Dissertation is one of the most vital projects during the whole period of your study. Some students believe that dissertation is just another academic paper, which differs just in terms of scope and has the same structure as the term paper and essay have. However, one should not forget that dissertation should include one important part that is absent in other academic papers- this part is thesis. The purpose of it, apart from stating your main contention, is to show the reader that you have made some research and have made some contribution to the knowledge on this subject. Your contribution to the knowledge is evaluated by the answers to the main problem of your research.
Remember, that your tutor already knows much on the subject of your research, and his main task to teach you how to gain some new knowledge, using existing resources and published sources. In order however to present your dissertation thesis, one should back your contention up with references. One should show that you use reputable sources and that the problem is worth your research and has not been answered previously. I would like to single out this particular phrase- has not been answered, because the problem or at least similar question might have been researched, however no definite answer on the problem so far has been obtained. Your purpose is to provide this answer in your dissertation thesis.
Certainly if you already study at Graduate school, you dissertation thesis may not be the first thesis you encounter; you might have already developed and defended your master thesis. However, this kind of thesis differs in many respects from dissertation thesis. You should understand that whereas your master thesis represented succinct statement of the major points of your argument, your dissertation thesis should reveal some new knowledge on existing problem. In spite of the fact that thesis writing is one of the most common assignments, many students still can not understand why it is necessary to complete it. What is the main purpose of this type of academic project? Regardless whether it is a dissertation thesis, or master thesis, one of the main purposes of this assignment is to teach students to develop their presentation and persuasive skills, valuable skills for any career. In todays modern world you will have to provide succinct and persuasive information on some important aspects.
Undoubtedly it is worth your while to study how to develop your arguments and defend them, while you study at the school. Do not succumb to common and wrong mistake thinking that it is possible to acquire these skills at your job place. Certainly, at your work you will acquire some skills, experience and knowledge, you have not acquired at the University, however, the period of your study at the college and the university represents the best time for this acquirement.
Digital Noise – What Is It? What Causes It? And How Can I Get Rid Of It?
Feb 22nd
Digital noise.in photos taken with digital cameras is random pixels scattered all over the photo. It is a similar effect as grain in film photography and it degrades the photo quality.
Digital noise usually occurs when you take low light photos (such as night photos or indoor dark scenes) or you use very slow shutter speeds or very high sensitivity modes.
When taking pictures with a digital camera an electronic sensor (also known as a CCD) built from many tiny pixels is used to measure the light for each pixel. The result is a matrix of pixels that represent the photo.
As with any other electronic sensor the CCD is not perfect and includes some noise (also know as white noise to hint on its randomness attribute). In most lighting the light is significantly stronger than the noise. However in extreme scenes where the light is very low or when a high amplification is needed noise levels can become significant and result in pixels in the photos that include more noise data than real photo light data. Those pixels usually appear as random dots or stains on the photo (for example white dots scattered randomly on the photo).
Understanding digital noise in various scenes:
low light (night photos or dark scenes): when the scene is dark the amount of light measured by each pixel of the CCD is low. When the light intensity is very low it can become too close to the level of noise naturally found in the CCD. In such cases some pixels can appear as noise because the noise level measured for them is significantly close or higher than the actual light intensity.
slow shutter speeds: when the shutter is kept open for a long time more noise will be introduced to the photo. A slow shutter speed translates to the CCD integrating more light per pixel. The effect can be easily understood as the CCD accumulating light in each pixel and measuring the total light over the shutter period of time. However at the same time the CCD is also accumulating noise. For that reason in slow shutter speed photos some pixels will appear as noise because for these pixels the amount of noise integrated is significantly close to or higher than the actual light measured.
high sensitivity modes: high sensitivity in digital photography is implemented by mechanisms that result in amplification. The CCD amplifies the measurements it takes. However there is no way to just amplify the actual photo light that falls on the CCD pixels instead the noise and the actual light are both amplified. The result is that the CCD becomes sensitive not only to light but also to its own noise. When too much amplification is applied some pixels will appear as noise.
While it is impossible to completely prevent digital noise there are a few options that allow you to significantly decrease it. When taking photos in low light scenarios such as night photos there are two main parameters to play with: sensitivity and shutter speed. Raising sensitivity creates more internal noise in the CCD while slowing down the shutter allows for more noise to integrate on the CCD. The amount of noise generated by both parameters is different. It is recommended that you set your camera to manual mode and play with a few different sensitivity/shutter speed pairs to find out the one that generates the least noise.
Some cameras include a built-in feature called noise reduction. Noise reduction is implemented by sophisticated software that can identify the noise pixels and remove them. For example the software can identify the noise pixels based on their randomness and usually extreme intensity gap between them and their neighboring pixels. Removing the noise can be implemented by interpolating a replacement pixel value based on its neighboring pixels.
If you do not have a built-in noise reduction feature or it does not work properly you can use a PC based software that removes digital noise. Many photo processing software include a combination of automatic and manual digital noise removal. Some software packages can also use a few photos of the same object to average them and thus remove the noise (relying on the fact that digital noise is random and the noise pixels will be different in each photo taken).
To conclude digital noise should be understood by any amateur or professional photographer. However for most photographers digital noise is not a practical problem even in low light scenarios usually digital noise is minimal and can be significantly reduced by simply turning on your cameras noise reduction feature. For professional photographers who shoot in more extreme conditions digital noise can present a real problem and can be dealt with using a combination of optimizing the camera settings and removing noise with professional software.
To Watch Over When Im Gone
Feb 22nd
Life insurance is a way to provide financial security to your family after you pass away. For many, life insurance is a necessity, as costs of funerals or even medical treatments during life can drain funds that might otherwise have been used to provide security to the surviving family members. Deciding on life insurance is very important and should not be taken lightly. That being said, deciphering all the technicalities of a policy can be difficult, particularly to the many of us who dont have any type of legal training.
Anyone who provides for a family should look at life insurance. You simply never know when an accident, a freak occurrence, or just plain health will cause you to die, possibly much younger than anyone would have expected. If you provide for a family, or even just a spouse, you should look at life insurance, since it may not only help cover funeral costs (which shock many people who have never had to deal with them) but also provide money to your family after you die. The amount of money they receive is dependant on how large a life insurance policy you choose to purchase. The money that your policy leaves them can help to pay the mortgage (or rent), run the household, and ensure that your dependents are not burdened with debt from the funeral. Another thing to seriously consider: there is no federal income tax on life insurance benefits.
The best place to start is to figure out what exactly your familys needs would be if you were to suddenly pass away. Make sure to include expenses for the funeral, estate taxes (if you own property), and any medical bills, as well as any ongoing expense like utility, retirement savings, food, car, etc. This will give show you why a policy might be in order for far more than you would otherwise originally consider. Many people do not realize what their actual expenses over several years would be. There is no true way of deciphering a tried and true method of figuring out how large a policy you should take out. Several insurance companies recommend aiming for an amount that is roughly equivalent to six or seven times your annual income.
One real thing to watch out for is what type of life insurance you receive. Almost all life insurance is either considered permanent insurance or there is also term insurance. Term insurance provides protection for only a certain period of time, while permanent insurance provides life time protectionbut there are benefits and drawbacks to both. Do your research to figure out which one would work best from you and go from there.
Lyric Movie Rent Soundtrack- Online Rent Movie Soundtrack
Feb 22nd
Are you a lyric movie rent soundtrack buff who is looking for a good collection? You need to check out you need to check out previously owned movie rent soundtrack compilations. You can pick up a rare movie soundtrack for a song.
There are many movie rent soundtrack stores that offer second-hand CDs of original soundtrack which is in good condition. If you are a movie soundtrack collector, there are soundtrack collector web sites that will allow you to store your music soundtrack collection as well as join discussion forums with other like-minded collectors. A simple web interface keeps track of your music soundtrack collection.
Online sites are more convenient as you dont have to go anywhere else to search for your favorite lyric movie rent soundtrack. You can order sitting at where you can find all the different types of music and where you have many choices to make and its time saver.
For online lyric movie rent soundtrack you have to be member once you have completed the procedure then they will start sending you lyric movie rent soundtrack of your choice and you can enjoy your lyric movie rent soundtrack with your family.
You can save your lots of money and time with online lyric movie rent soundtrack. Now spend your weekend with your family listing to your and your familys favorite soundtracks. Lyric movie rent soundtracks have added to the listening pleasure of movie music lovers.
Anna Josephs is a freelance journalist having experience of many years writing articles and news releases on various topics such as pet health, automobile and social issues. She also has great interest in poetry and paintings, hence she likes to write on these subjects as well. Currently writing for this website Rent Movie . For more details please contact at annajosephs@gmail.com
Use Magic Words to Improve your Sales
Feb 22nd
Copyright 2006 Peter Woodhead
This is the eigth article in a series of ten about advertising and marketing history.
1937 Another master wordsmith from yesteryear was Elmer Wheeler.
Elmer Wheeler was a marketer of pure genius and he knew that certain words produced vast increases in results over other, less effective wording.
In 1937 he wrote his: “Tested Sentences That Sell”. An almost forgotten classic but probably one of the best books ever written on the subject. And here is the story of how he did it.
Wheeler was an ad salesman for several newspapers and it all started big for him when he tried to convince retailers that an ad in his papers would drive people to their stores. This, the retailers didn’t doubt, but people just visiting their stores was not enough – they were not buying.
This still happens today. People visit stores; receive direct mail; and log on to internet sites. But very few of them actually buy anything.
Probably because in the majority of cases the prospects are not given any reason to buy.
In bricks and mortar businesses this could be due to poor salesmanship. In the case of direct mail and the internet it is more likely due to poor copy
After some careful analysis, Wheeler concluded that the reason people weren’t buying in their stores was because the salespeople were not saying the right words.
This led Wheeler to set up his famous “Word Laboratories”. You may have heard the expression: “Sell the sizzle not the steak.” Well, it was Wheeler who first coined that phrase and went on to write his first book: “Tested Sentences That Sell.”
During 10 years of research, Wheeler tested over 105,000 words and phrases on more than 19 million people. An incredible feat. The results of which you can profit from today.
This truly is an incredible resource that can be blamed for helping many people turn their business round. It belongs in anybody’s library.
Wheeler found that you need to ask a question that customers cannot say “no” to.
Wheeler also invented what he called: “Wheeler Points.” There are five of them. So offer your customers something or something. Not something or nothing.
All Wheeler’s principles and tested results are adaptable to any business.
1940 Clyde Bedell, as well as being a super salesman, was a university lecturer. He became so frustrated at not being able to find a suitable book on persuasive copy. So he decided to write his own.
How to Write Advertising That Sells became a best seller.
1940 James Webb Young published an entry every week in Advertising Age. He later crammed all of these into a book called: The Diary of an Advertising Man.
1945 The novel The Hucksters is released and is later turned into a movie. This attacked the advertising industry and had a damaging effect.
1949 Doyle Dane and Bernbach is launched
1955 Leo Burnett introduces his Marlboro Man ad. The image of a cowboy changed the fortunes of this minor cigarette brand and made it into a big seller.
He is recognized as the man behind the most successful ad campaigns.
As well as the Marlboro Man he is famous for ‘The Jolly Green Giant’ ‘The Pillsbury Doughboy’ ‘Tony the Tiger’ and many more.
He was quoted as saying:
“Make it simple Make it memorable Make it inviting to look at Make it fun to read.”
Leo Burnett “invented” a marketing concept known as “inherent drama”. He reckoned that every product or service, no matter how boring, had an inherent quality. Somebody must keep on buying them, somebody must keep on making them, and it was this “inherent drama” that makes the product stand out.
Burnett believed that people are attracted to stories, they want to experience new characters; they want to read about mystery and romance and anything different.
Perhaps that’s why he took a lot of his characters from history and folklore. He knew what triggered his prospects’ minds.
1957 Vance Packards The Hidden Persuaders becomes a best seller. It is another seething attack on the advertising industry.
1960 Doyle Dane Bernbachs creative team blends copywriting with art design (not normally common in the industry) and comes up with its think small campaign for Volkswagen. A concept still going today.
1960 Rupert, Koenig and Lois is launched and in 1962 becomes the first agency to go public.
1961 Rosser Reeves, chairman of Ted Bates and Co. advertising agency, published his book: “Reality of Advertising.”
In this book he revealed a revolutionary new concept. Almost as revolutionary as John E. Kennedy’s “Salesmanship-in-Print.”
He showed the world a new technique for which made him famous. He called it: “The Unique Selling Proposition” or USP.
Basically, your USP should clearly explain in simple language a single quality that your product, or service, has that makes it stand out against any competition.
Your USP needs to make it easier for your prospects to remember your advertising – because they only have to remember your one, strong claim.
1963 Clyde Bedell, due to popular demand wrote: “How to Convert White Space Into Advertising That Sells.”
1964 Ogilvy, Benson and Mather merge with London based Mather and Crowther to form Ogilvy and Mather.
1965 Rosser Reeves resigns from Ted Bates at the age of 55
1966 Wells, Reid and Green founded. Mary Wells becomes the first woman to be a director of a ad agency.
1970 Saatchi and Saatchi established in London
1986 Needham Harper, BBDO and Doyle Dane and Bernbach merge to create Omnicom Group and become the biggest agency in the world.
1987 Martin Sorrels WPP buys JWT in the very first hostile takeover
1988 WPP buys Ogilvy Group
1993 The Internet becomes commercially available and 5m users scramble to get online
1995 Saatchi and Saatchi is renamed Cordiant
1997 WPP merges JWT and O&M to form The Alliance to become the largest US media group with billings of $2 billion
1999 Advertising on the Internet reaches $2 billion
2003 An estimated $5 billion is spent on the Internet in advertising
Accelerated Instructor Led EMT Training Courses
Feb 22nd
The Quick, Inexpensive Way of Becoming Certified
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification is highly desired at present time. Well aware of the benefits of being a certified EMT, those aspiring to become a part of the Emergency Medical Services channel all their efforts towards obtaining their certifications and investing a lot of time, money, and effort in the process. However, many fail to achieve their goals due to inappropriate training which leaves individuals un-prepared for the challenging final examinations. Undoubtedly, you need a good level of training in order to obtain your desired EMT certifications and to be accepted and recruited by major medical institutions. Regardless of your overall practical skills and abilities in the field, effective EMT training programs greatly increase your chances of passing your certification exams on the first try, thus helping you save a lot of money, time and effort.
If you wish to quickly familiarize with the specific theoretical curriculum and to further develop your practical skills and abilities required in your future profession, Accelerated Instructor Led EMT training programs are the best option for you! Participate in an high quality Accelerated Instructor Led training program and you wont be disappointed. Accelerated Instructor Led training is the fast and inexpensive way to become a skilled Certified Emergency Medical Technician. Find a quality training program, arm yourself with motivation and perseverance, rigorously attend and participate in your EMT classes and you are guaranteed a solid career in Emergency Medical Services!
EMT classes, lab scenarios and practical demonstrations are taught and led by the best professionals in the field, ensuring that you will obtain a complete set of knowledge and an extended set of practical skills and abilities by the end of the training program. Official EMT classes encourage attendants to participate actively and to exchange opinions and useful information with instructors and participants over the entire duration of the courses. By attending to an Accelerated Instructor Led EMT training program, you will be able to achieve a good level of experience and performance in Emergency Medical Services with a small investment of time and money.
At present, the most requested forms of EMT training are: basic training programs for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate (EMT-I) and Advanced Emergency Technician Paramedic (EMT-P). Official training classes account for each of these types of training, providing students with differentiated materials that allow progressive learning, according to the given difficulty level of the chosen program.
During basic EMT training programs, students will be able to develop their overall skills regarding symptom recognition, as well as achieve a good level of experience in emergency care methods and techniques, which are very important traits that every EMT training program graduate should posses. Intermediate EMT training courses focus on familiarizing students with more advanced emergency care techniques and procedures, corroborating field training with in-hospital, clinical training. This form of EMT training emphasizes the development of a wide range of practical skills, allowing graduates to leave with a good level of experience regarding prompt clinical diagnosis methods, advanced emergency services and good decisional skills regarding emergency medical treatment. Similar to Intermediate EMT training courses, advanced EMT training focuses on enhancing students skills regarding pre-hospital emergency medical care both by ambulance and in immobile environments outside the hospital.
After you have completed a high quality Accelerated Instructor Led EMT training course, the certification exams will no longer be a cause for concern, suddenly becoming much easier and less-challenging.
Medical Malpractice
Feb 22nd
Many people may not realize that medical malpractice is a real and ever growing problem. People die everyday from wrong diagnoses and incorrect treatments. The problem is that most of these cases are private and many are never reported. A lot of the population does not know enough about medical practices to know when they are faced with a malpractice problem. They are forced to take the word of the doctor and staff at hand. This may explain why only a small number of claims are filed for malpractice suits and only about half of them actually win the lawsuit.
Physicians have medical malpractice insurance that will cover them in the event someone files a malpractice claim against them. In the past the cost for this type of insurance was a flat rate, but due to the fact that medical malpractice suits are on the rise, the cost for this insurance has also begun to rise. There are not as many providers for this type of insurance as it use to be. This is because medical costs are going up and it is very difficult to make a profit in this business.
Things that can be considered a medical malpractice would be failure to treat a medical problem correctly that causes a new medical problem or makes the existing one worse. If a physician fails to diagnose a disease, detects the problem to late to help the patient or fails to treat the condition correctly after it has been diagnosed it could be considered malpractice. If problems occur during the use of anesthesia or surgery that was due to the fault of the doctor or a member of the staff it could be malpractice. Also prescribing the wrong medication for a patient or medicine that interferes with other known conditions the patient may suffer from is also grounds for malpractice.
Medical malpractice suits are normally always expensive and very complicated. You must be able to provide all of the necessary information to your attorney to have a chance of winning a lawsuit of this nature. This would be information such as a detailed list of the patient’s medical history. This would include all doctors and hospitals or clinics that the patient has visited and all treatments that the patients received during this time, even if it seems unimportant. All medicines taken and prescribed must be recorded and a written description of all conversations that have taken place will be needed along with the dates everything took place. A medical expert will review the case and will ultimately be the one to decide if the suit is legitimate.
Alternatives To Television
Feb 22nd
It is quite easy to spend several hours a day glued to the screen of a television set. It is estimated that on average an individual watches approximately two full months worth of television over the course of a year. Some suggest that this fascination with television has contributed immensely to the obesity problem in North America. Finding an alternative to watching hours of television a day may pose a difficult task for some people who simply cannot miss a particular show that they watch on a regular basis. However, despite the temptation television creates, there are far more enjoyable activities one can participate in during those few hours regularly spent in front on the small screen.
Since television is a major contributor to weight problems, exercising seems like a logical thing to do as opposed to viewing hours of sitcoms. Not only is exercising an enjoyable way to kill a few hours it is also a great way to burn a few calories. Simply getting outside and going for a brisk walk not only helps one avoid the enticement that is television but also has a profusion of health benefits. Along with assisting one with weight loss, exercising can also increase the ability of the heart and lungs to function more efficiently and moreover help an individual feel better both inside and out.
Picking up a hobby is another excellent substitute for television. An individual can perhaps learn and develop a new skill, such as knitting or darts for example, or perhaps start a collection of something, which may even become a lifelong leisure pursuit for them. Reading is yet another fantastic option to aid with the evasion of television. Reading not only allows one to be imaginative but it also permits the expansion of the mind and promotes mental health.
Helping Homeless Youths Rebuild Their Lives
Feb 22nd
You can make a difference in millions of fragile young lives.
Every night on streets throughout the Americas, an army of nameless, faceless young people fights to survive. They are homeless youths, driven to the streets by situations including physical, emotional or sexual abuse, parental drug or alcohol abuse or discharge from foster care.
There are approximately 3.5 million people who experience homelessness every year and 12 percent of them are unaccompanied young people under age 24. More than half say they have been beaten up while on the street. Many also report being robbed, stabbed, even shot.
The complications of life on the street cause many of these young people to lose hope, making it difficult-if not impossible-to transition into adulthood as happy, productive members of society. Covenant House provides the support and guidance necessary for these young people to rebuild their lives.
Covenant House is the largest, privately funded child welfare agency in the Americas. Since its inception in New York City in the early 1970s, it has grown to include sites in 21 cities in six countries. Through the generous support of donors, the organization provides shelter to an average of 1,700 young people a night. In addition, it provides food, clothing and crisis care, along with such other services as:
• health care;
• educational programs and vocational preparation;
• drug abuse treatment and prevention programs;
• mother/child programs;
• transitional living programs; and more.
The Covenant House Nineline -(800) 999-9999 or Nineline.org- operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It gets crisis calls from youths in all 50 states. Last year, it helped more than 50,000.
For more than 30 years, Covenant House has been restoring hope and providing a loving and respectful home for young people who otherwise would face the dangers and injustices of life on the street.
Using LSD and Illegal Drugs as Treatment for Depression
Feb 22nd
Sometimes young people try illegal drugs to fit in or just out of curiosity. But some often try it to escape reality for awhile to get high. A high is the feeling that drug users to describe certain feelings that are experienced after taking drugs. These feelings may be described as happy or spacey feelings. Persons experiencing stress and anxiety take illegal drugs to feel better, to forget about issues or certain problems. Many individuals turn to drugs as a treatment for depression and other emotional and mental problems. One of the drugs used to attain highness is lysergic acid diethyiamide (LSD). It is a hallucinogen that is used as a recreational drug, and as a so-called tool of transcendence. This drug is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It can be painted on small papers and can be licked or swallowed. Many individuals use this drug to detach themselves from the the real world. LSD us an illegal drug in the United States and other countries around the world.
Steelhead Fly Fishing – Steelhead Flies – Tips and Information
Feb 21st
I have found that some steelhead flies work better on some rivers but don’t work so well on other rivers. Several instances come mind that helps to point out this fact. One happened about 15 years ago when I was in Northwest Washington State fly-fishing the Stillaguamish River for steelhead. My friend Gordon who lives in the area and I arrived at the mouth of the North Fork early one morning and I asked him, “Well what fly should I start out with this morning?” His reply was “try this one” as he gave me a fly from his fly box that looked like a fluorescent orange wooly bugger. In about 15 minutes I was into a nice fish of about 10 lbs. To this day, that is the only fish I have ever caught on that fly, I have fished it on several other steelhead rivers here in Oregon without success. The Red Ant is another pattern that seems to be a one-river fly. It’s a great fly on the Rouge River, but for me, that seems to be the only river where it catches fish.
Another curiosity about steelhead flies: A fly pattern may catch fish one year, and the following year, it just doesn’t seem to work Therefore, if you’re going to fly fish a new river for steelhead, better check with a local fly shop or the local fly fishing club and find out what steelhead fly patterns are catching fish for that particular river.
I happened to be a firm believer in confidence that you have for a particular fly pattern. For example, when you tie a fly on the end of your leader that you feel good about, and you get that special “feeling” that it will catch you a fish, chances are, it will work. Also when fishing gets tough because of fishing pressure and hot bright days, stay with the time tested fly patterns that have caught fish over the years.
Needless to say, one of my favorite Steelhead Flies is the Green Butt Skunk. I tie it un-weighted in sizes 4 & 6, on a black finish up-eye fly hook. I consider this a good morning and mid-day fly and have also caught fish on it with bright sun on the water. Second is the plain Skunk with an all white wing, I tie it in sizes 2, 4, and 6 on nickel-plated down-eye hooks. I like the size 2 for winter fish and the 4 & 6 during late low light afternoons and evenings for summer fish. The number three and number four favorites, would have to be the Umpqua Special and the Orange General Practitioner, both of these flies are tied un-weighted on size 4 up-eye hooks. I like to fish these patterns early in the morning on the edges of fast currents using a sink tip fly line and a short leader. Pattern # 5 would have to be the Black Wooly Bugger size 6. I usually tie this fly weighted on a 4x long 2x strong down eye hook with a long black marabou tail with a few strands of pearl flashabou and a black cactus chenille body with a black hackle wrap. The # 6 fly and one of my favorites because of its versatility, is the Muddler Minnow and I tie this fly on a #6 down eye, 6x long hook. This fly can be fished wet with a trimmed cone head or it can be fishing dry or skated with a trimmed ball head using a riffle hitch.
I use both weighted and un-weighted steelhead flies. However, I feel that an un-weighted fly has more movement in the water because it is affected more by the different current flows than a weight fly. Some sections of fly-only waters prohibit the use of weighted flies, so check the fishing regulations for those waters. However there are times when you just have to get the fly down on the bottom and a weighted fly may be needed.
The on line source for more fly fishing information and tips on steelhead fly fishing, steelhead flies, rods, reels and fly lines, http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com/tips/fly-fishing-tips.htm
Stanley Stanton: Oregon Fly Fishing Guide and McKenzie River fishing guide, Visit: http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com For trout fly fishing tips, how to fly fish information, plus guided Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing, Steelhead Fly Fishing, fly fishing lessons for beginners and Oregon Salmon Fishing
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Meade EXT90PE Premiere Edition – Now Under $1000
Feb 21st
The Meade ext90pe premiere edition, much like its newer version ext105PE, is made expressly for stargazing. This great telescope retails for under $1000, although as an older version it’s somewhat difficult to find the Meade ext90pe premiere edition, except used.
Until the Meade ext90pe came along the two biggest difficulties for an amateur astronomer were aligning their telescope and then actually locating celestial objects.
Meade’s new ETX premier edition, first the 90E model, then the upgraded 105, resolved these astronomy issues, however. Now when you want to look at deep space with your Meade etx90pe or 105pe, your telescope will automatically level itself, point to the north and even set the time for you. All you’ll have to do with your Meade etx90pe is tell it your location, or just instruct it about your zip code. Your ETX, with its patented automated alignment function, will point to the first star for alignment. Then you’ll just have to use the telescope’s wide-field software, called SmartFinder, which will center the red dot over the stars you use for alignment. This gives you incredible accuracy. With your Meade etx90pe reflector telescope it’s that easy.
The telescope has ultra high coating for transmission, and a dual axis electronic controller and drive system.
With the purchase of the Meade telescope etx90pe premiere edition or its newer model, the 105, you get several additional items. You’ll have a an Autostar brand computer controller, a deluxe model field tripod, an 8×25 viewfinder that is right angled, an eyepiece and instructions on how to use your Meade ext90pe telescope premiere edition.
Image is Everything – Secrets to Cleaning Car Fleets
Feb 21st
A recent survey indicated that clean Taxi Cabs Fleets have higher tip rates and repeat custo.ers. How do you wash a taxicab? You do them four at a time and you go up and over and up and over when you are drying them. If they have a little taxi cab sign, dry that last. But you do the rest of the car the way you do a regular car. The only difference is you are going to spray three, four, five, sometimes six cars at a time. Then another crewmember is going to follow behind you and do all the windows really well. You do a quick vacuum with a taxicab. Seriously, you do not want to be in that taxicab for more then a minute or a minute and a half. Now most taxicabs are usually scratched and they look like crap. This is something you are going to have to deal with. This is just the way they are going to look which is good for you because they are not expecting a perfect job. They just want them to look clean because they have their logo on them. Taxi companies are very low budget operations and low cost will get you the account. Some taxicabs are owned by independent contractors. You will need to charge more since the volume is not there. Staging areas at big airports are a good place to find lots of taxicabs.
Rent-A-Cars
Rent-a-cars these days are mostly small, tiny cars that get really good gas mileage. They are Toyota Tercels, Ford Contours and Dodge Neons and things like that. You can wash a Dodge Neon in your sleep in about three minutes. Really easy to clean, really, really easy and that is important. You want some accounts that are easy. Three dollars is fair for exteriors, five dollars for in and out is fine. It is important to have efficiency when washing rent-a-cars. No more than two minutes for vacuuming. You only want to clean the windows that are dirty. You do not want to clean all of the windows on a rent-a-car, just where you see fingerprints. You want to wipe off the dash really quick, wipe around the center console and use cleaner on the sticky stuff. Hit the inside windows that are dirty, wash the outside. You want to do them five, six at a time and you want to dry them off real fast, make sure the windows are clean and go to the next car. Rent-a-cars are really good money. You want to charge an extra two dollars for taking out carpet stains. Use some Folex cleaner or advanced carpet stain remover, some kind of a little carpet brush and a towel to wipe up whatever you precipitate at the top of the carpet after you have got it wet. The carpet remover should come off on the towel. There will always be trash in rent-a-cars, a lot of trash. You should have a bucket ready that you just put trash in and move it from car to car. Dump it before you leave. Usually rent-a-cars will have a Dempsey Dumpster around the back where you can dump all of your trash.
Rent-a-car companies are very careful and exacting as to what times of day they want their cars washed. They may have a whole bunch of vehicles in on Monday mornings and want you to do cars on Monday mornings. You are going to have to do the cars at that time. They are probably going to want them done before eight o’clock in the morning. So if you are doing the cars before eight o’clock in the morning and there are twenty or thirty rent-a-cars, it is quite serious that you get them all done in time. The rent-a-car company is paying you so they do not have to drive them to the car wash. It is rather important that you get them done on time. It is really easy to get them all done if you work efficiently. You are doing them six at a time. If you have twenty cars to do, you need to have them done by eight thirty to nine o’clock and you are doing them six at a time, you should have twenty-four cars done in an hour if you are really flying through them and you have the right crew. So pay attention to this. You can afford to do the cars for five dollars each because the job comes out to about one hundred dollars an hour. Think about this for a second. Think about the time and efficiency and how fast can you do them. This attitude is what will help you pick up the rent-a-car company accounts. If you can do them very, very quickly and you can do them not perfectly but good enough to make them happy, there is a lot of money in rent-a-car washing. Our crews in other towns already wash for: Budget, Avis, Dollar, Hertz, Enterprise and generally can afford to wash them and retain a profit at only $5.00 per vehicle.
Police Cars
It is time to talk about police cars. We just saw a police car go the other way with his lights on. In any case, police cars, how do you wash a police car? Well first of all, you wash it like you would wash any normal car but you want to make sure you clean the light bar really well. You do not want to spray water inside the light bar, you will screw up the electronics. You also do not want to, but some of our guys love to do it, spray water inside the PA speaker on the front of the police car that is mounted by the bumper. The reason they like to do that is because it burns them outs and gives them a short. So, you should not do that. Now under the seats of a police car you find all kinds of cool stuff. Best to hand it over to the authorities and not smoke it yourself. You will find crazy stuff under the seats of a police car where you are going to have to clean. Depending on how you feel you can either vacuum the stuff up or put it into a little bag and give it to the watch commander. You need to dust the radios inside of the police car, but you have to be careful not to turn any knobs. There are always bugs on the light bars, but you cannot blast off the bugs as much as you would like to. You really need to soap them off and not blast them off. Sometimes the light bars get real brittle on the older police cars. You can actually blast right through them. I have done it before.
For some reason police like to go 4 X 4′ ing when they are going through center dividers in order to catch a terrible criminal such as a speeder. They will go off road and do whatever; maybe they are just having fun. So you have to make sure that you clean all the mud off the police cars, they are a little bit muddier then most cars. The bottoms of the police cars are always muddy and they are going to need hand soaping. Police cars are often black and white. Usually the white part is where the door is so the policeman knows where to get in. The rest of the car is black. Now the part of the car that is black, remember it is black. If you are doing police cars in the sun and you are trying to do them three at a time, you may have a little problem getting to all of them. Some cities have police cars that are all white cars or all green cars or a mixture and that makes it a little bit easier.
There are certain additional things you have to watch for when cleaning police cars. Do not have a bunch of stuff out of your truck when you are washing a line of police cars. Someone may run out of the building and want to take their car. If you cannot move the truck in time you will really frustrate that officer. He wants to look official and squeal the tires out of the parking lot so you may as well just let him do whatever he wants to do.
Driving School Cars
Driving school cars are basically just like rent-a-car companies. The only difference is you want to spend a little more time on the dash board and a lot of time on the windows. You probably need to get five or six dollars each. This is giving them a deal because normally you charge ten dollars for in and out.
“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.
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Top-of-the-line Comfort is Just a Gas Pedal Away
Feb 21st
It’s the dreaded road trip: You have bored kids in the back seat fidgeting, and your back’s aching from hours in the driver’s seat.
All this – just to get to grandma’s house. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be like this anymore. You can enjoy first-class comfort and entertainment without paying a first-class price, right in your own conversion vehicle.
What’s a conversion vehicle, you say? Originally manufactured by automakers, conversion vehicles are modified by specialized companies to meet your needs. Conversion companies like Regency Conversions turn ordinary vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks into luxury passenger vehicles.
Need comfort? A conversion vehicle offers an abundant amount of space with plush seats, your choice in upholstery and a sofa bed option. How about space? These vehicles hold up to six passengers plus cargo and can tow large items such as trailers and boats. Want entertainment? Televisions, VCRs and DVD players, stereos, cellular phones, and video games will keep passengers happy on those long or short trips. And now, you can even get live DirecTV.
Regency Conversions recently selected KVH Industries’ TracVision A5 low-profile
satellite TV antenna as an option in its conversion vehicles. With this compact unit, passengers not only enjoy more than 125 channels of clear programming, but CD-quality commercial-free music, and a backlit remote control so the system can be controlled anywhere in the vehicle.
As your vehicle is in motion, the TracVision A5 automatically finds and tracks the DirecTV satellite – allowing you to watch your favorite shows en route to your destination.
What more could you ask for? From carpooling the kids to taking a long weekend trip, a conversion vehicle, equipped with satellite TV entertainment, is a great way to add comfort, convenience and class to anywhere your car may take you.
Health Benefits Of Meditation
Feb 21st
Meditation is one of the top-10 alternative therapies used by the U. S. population. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that 8% of Americans use meditation as a health tool. No longer just for Buddhist monks and New-Age types, meditation is now appealing to mainstream business professionals, medical doctors and even health care companies. This is a result of the growing evidence which supports that meditation can promote physical healing.
Meditation may be spiritual for some, but the practice is not necessarily religious in nature. There are many meditative approaches but regardless of the technique, medical research indicates that the practice of meditation tends to evoke a state of physiological relaxation: blood pressure drops, heart beats slower and breathing is quieter, other biochemical changes can also occur. Scientists do not understand why the changes happen but understanding the physical effects can explain the potential health benefits of meditation.
Twenty minutes of daily meditation can provide relief for ailments such as low back pain, headaches, depression and anxiety. Suffers of these chronic conditions should attempt to incorporate the meditation practice into their daily routine. If meditation can lower blood pressure, it could be a useful tool in helping patients with hypertension. If scientists uncover exactly how meditation works to relieve these symptoms, they may be able to apply that understanding to treat a variety of other disorders.
Research on meditation began back in the late 1960s. Herbert Benson, MD, began studying the physiological impact of Transcendental Meditation on individuals. In recent years, the scope of studies has focused on how the practice can reduce symptoms of chronic illnesses from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Critics indicate some of the research is been on small study populations and has not had adequate control groups for comparison. But some studies have shown promising results.
Meditation can relax the body. Promote more restful sleep and boost the bodys immune system. This will help fight illness and better manage the symptoms of chronic conditions. Meditation can relax the mind and help us better deal with the stress of our daily lives. The popular interest in meditation and its health benefits may help drive more research in the future.
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How To Take A Test
Feb 21st
How to take a test?? Study, for starters. Of course there is more you can do if you want to get a higher score, and you may already know some of the following tricks. If so, consider this a refresher course. Here are some ways to score higher on the next test you take.
Test Taking Preparation
Preparation is an important and often overlooked element of how to take a test. Studies confirm that even if you have studied sufficiently, your score will be higher or lower according to how well you prepare for the test. Beginning with a good night’s sleep, here are some test-taking preparations.
– Get good quality sleep. Sleep deficiencies seem to affect response time more than accuracy, but many tests are timed, so get that sleep. Quality of sleep has been shown to be as important as the amount, so sleep well.
– Know what to expect. If you can get a sample test, or a previous version, so you know what kind of questions will be on it, you’ll be more likely to study the right things.
– Arrive on time. In general, test-anxiety is bad for test scores. Time pressure adds to test-anxiety, so avoid it by being on time.
– Stay away from nervous test-takers. Anxiety can be contagious, so don’t sit near others who are obviously stressed.
– Breath deep. Take several deep breaths and let the tension drain from your muscles.
Specific Test Taking Skills
Beyond studying and preparing, are there skills and techniques to how to take a test? Absolutely! Here are a few of them.
– Continue taking a deep breath now and then throughout the test. this helps relax you and keeps the oxygen level in your brain up.
– Focus on the question in front of you. Total involvement in one question, even for a moment, reduces anxiety. Don’t think about the other questions while working on the current one.
– Take notes at the beginning. If you are allowed to take notes, write down any information you might forget. This can be especially useful if you “crammed” for the test just before taking it.
– Try to determine the test makers intent. When an answer seems too easy, and you’re sure it’s wrong, look for a similar answer. Test makers try to catch sloppy test takers with answers that are close in appearance. Look for other clues to the test maker’s intent when you are unsure of the right answer.
– Answer all questions. Unless there is a penalty for a wrong answer (as opposed to an unanswered question), you should guess on questions you are unsure about. On multiple choice tests, eliminate as many unlikely answers as you can and pick one of the remaining ones. You might get half of these questions correct with this method.
The best way to score higher on a test may be to study. Still, no matter how much you study, you know that other factors play a role, so why not apply a bit of proper preparation and a few good test taking skills too? That is how to take a test properly.