moutonoir

Good information! I was recently reading up on some good tips for planning your speech:Once you have gathered the material necessary for your speech, it is time to write notes you will use during the speech. Notes are important. Do not try to memorize your speech. You might leave out a key concept, or worse, stage fright might cause you to forget most of what you are going to say.To make an outline of what you will say, you first identify which issues you plan to talk about. Your talk will be limited to these and only these issues. Next, review the material you collected. If any of it has little to do with these issues, get rid of it. People often worry about having enough material for their speeches, but usually you will have too much information rather than too little. Be ruthless in eliminating all non-essential information.One of the main reasons for giving a speech is to provide the audience with details they will later remember and be able to use. Do not include useless or trivial details that will bore your audience instead of inform them.Clear organization of your speech is very important. Many people have a hard time understand speeches and organizing the information presented. If you organize your speech in a logical manner and tell your audience what will be said beforehand, they will have an easier time sorting out information as they receive it and understanding your speech. Using transition statements to link one point to the next helps make your speech easy to follow.When preparing your speech, remember that engaging emotions in your speech helps make it more powerful. One of the best ways to do this is to tell personal stories. It is much easier to listen to a story than to listen to a bunch of abstract concepts. Stories get the audience to tune in, listen, and take notice.Sometimes jokes will liven up your presentation, however, not everyone is good at telling jokes. If you aren?t, you shouldn?t attempt to make one in your speech. A bad joke is much worse than no joke. Jokes are not always suitable. Don?t tell jokes when talking about sensitive subjects or when the occasion isn?t right.

TO me, a heor isn't necessarily a strong, powerful person who accomplishes great feats but a typical, everyday person who manages to do the things others struggle with. A strong sense of integrity, for example, is something I consider very heroic.Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird has been one of my heroes since I've read the book. I find that he is such a good role model, taking on a touch case even when there's little chance he'll win. I've always admired his courage and strong sense of morality.Another one of my heros is Andy from The Shawshank Redemption. His persistance and determination to have his freedom is truly admirable, and I find it inspiring that in the end, he earned the freedom he struggled for.

I recently read some interesting information about pearls:They are produced by fresh or saltwater shelled mollusk, and are made when a piece of shell, bone, coral, or parasite hooks onto the flesh of a shellfish which secrets nacre to make the intrusion smooth. A blister pearl is formed when drilling mollusk bores a hole through the shell and the mollusk plugs and covers it.About 1 in 1,000 shellfish contain pearls. Many pearls in made in the U.S. were ruined by over-fishing and pollution.Natural pearl diving is a way to get pearls in which the diver steps into hoop rope tied around a rock and goes under water for 1 minute before he needs to be pulled up for air. After a 5-10 minute rest, he dives again.Pearls are harvested in the cold months when their luster is the highest. 4 years are needed for enough nacre coating to form, but today people often wait only 6 months due to demand, so the nacre coating is very thin.Cultured pearls are made when an irritant is placed in the mantle of a mollusk and the mollusk deposits nacre around it. They don?t last as long as natural pearls do. The largest cultured pearls are from Australia. Majorica is an imitation pearl made of glass beads dipped in fish scales and adhesiveInterestingly, Cartier sold 2 strands of pearls valued at $1 million to acquire its NYC headquarters.

I like growing fresh herbs in a garden. There are so many things you can do with them, if you have the tools and the patience Here is some info on how you can use those herbs you grow:First, equipment: you will need paste and mortar, chopping knife, strainerTo release flavor and bring out perfume: chop, grind, pound, heat with butter, or put in hot water or ovenInfusions: when you want the pat rich in aromatic oils. Put herb in boiling water, let seep for 10-15 min.Decoctions: for hard and woody herbs, it lets active ingredients enter the water. Add cut herbs to boiling water, summer for 10-15 min. and strain while still hotTinctures: concentrated mixtures of alcohol, water, and herbs. Put herb in screw-top jar and cover with a spirit. Keep covered in a warm place, shake twice daily. Strain after 14 daysCompresses and poultices: these help body absorb compounds through skin. Soak cloth in hot infusion or decoction, apply to affected area when hot and change when it cools. For a poultice: wrap herbs in gauze and apply to skin

I agree with the importance of keeping your current job. I am hoping to start a business soon, but I am still keeping my original career path in mind in case things don't work out. Unfortunately, most small businesses do go under within the first few years, so you need to keep this in mind when starting a new business.However, you can't succeed if you don't try, so don't shy away! As long as you've got a stable source of income from elsewhere, you can take the risks you need to take to launch your business, and hopefully it will be successful

I heard that dreams focus on some random thing that you saw or that happened to you, which you may or may not have noticed, but that beyond that they really had no significance. I feel like this may be true; sometimes I've dreamt about the stupidest, smallest little things that I saw just before I went to bed, and I couldn't understand why that thing popped up in my dream.Follwoing this line of thought, it would seem that animals would dream, provided they had at least some level of higher cognition. I can't imagine an earthworm has the brain capacity to construct a dream, but a dog may be able to.As for deja vu, I read that one theory for its cause is when thoughts travel down the "wrong" pathway in your brain. It is thought that when something new occurs, thoughts travel down a new path, but when something recurrs, the thoughts travel down a previously made path. If something new occurs but the thoughts take a path that was already made, then you think you've already been there before, even though you really haven't. No one knows if this is true or not, but it is a theory.

I also don't read books as much as I used to, at least not cover to cover. Usually I'll just skim the table of contents and pick out the chapters that I think are most interesting. Most of my reading is blogs and online articles as well, and sometimes journal articles as well. I do find though that I enjoy a good book much more than a good article; it's much more satisfying. I'm trying to get back into my book reading again.In terms of what I read, I usually gravitate toward health topics, both mental and physical, and I also really like to read about human factors. Anything that looks well-written and not dry is potential reading material though. I'm not really picky about what I choose to learn about.Nonfiction is becoming my new favorite; I'm not much of a lit junkie anymore, even though I used to LOVE novels.

They say that chocolate stimulates the secretion of serotonin in the brain...so it makes sense that one can get addicted.If you're eating quality dark chocolate (like 70% cacoa+) as opposed to Hershey's bars, then it's good for you in moderation. The cacao has antioxidents which have a host of good effects, and it's high in iron. Just watch the saturated fat.

Scholarships can be a savior when it's time to go to college; without the extra funding, it can be extremely hard to come up with the money. Especially if you forsee graduate school in the future...but sometimes you can get fellowships to help pay for the latter.I've found that going to a public school cut tuition costs practically in half, BEFORE schoarships. If you work hard, you can often get a merit scholarship on top of that, and that seroiusly reduces the amount you need to pay.Once you get to school too, there's books and fees to pay for. There's no way out of the fees, but book costs can be reduced by buyng used or using the older versions in the library.It's no wonder the poor college kid stereotype evolved...

I learned from http://www.htmlgoodies.com/; the site has a good set of primers on HTML and also a variety of information about more advanced topics, such as JavaScript and CGI. He also discusses web design and includes a sample chapter from his web design book. This is often just as important as learning HTML...if you're going to take the time to code a site, you should at least make it look good.It's been awhile since I've been to the site, but I'm sure more info has been added. The best to learn though, is by doing. Be sure to practice what you learn. It also helps to keep documentation handy, especially with all the new web standards and XHTML. http://www.w3schools.com/ has good information on the latter.

There are two main types of animal orientation behavior, that is, animal movement caused by sensory input. The first of these is taxis, which is when an animal moves directionally in response to a stimulus. For example, a female tick has a photosensitive body surface. When she senses light, she moves to the end of a branch or twig to wait for a mammal to feed off of. This movement toward the light can be considered taxis.The second type of orientation behavior is kinesis. In kinesis, the stimulus causes a random change in the animal?s speed or direction, but the animal does not move toward or away from a stimulus. For example, in wood lice, the speed at which the animal moves is altered by a kinetic response.There are times when animal response behavior is important to know. In zoos, for example, animals must be kept in environments as close to their natural habitats as possible in order to keep the animals happy and pleasing to observe. By knowing how an animal responds to certain stimuli, its zoo exhibit can be designed in such a way that it will best suit the needs of the animal, containing almost everything the animal might require.Another instance when knowing about animal response behavior is important is when a pharmaceutical company tests a new drug. By knowing how the animal usually acts and responds to certain stimuli, the testers can better determine if the animals? response is due to the drug they are testing or some other stimulus.Keeping a farmer?s livestock productive and healthy is another situation when knowing animal response behavior is important. In order for chickens to lay the most eggs and cows to produce the most milk, farmers must know how to best stimulate their livestock. Knowledge of animal response behavior is beneficial in many different ways. By learning how animals respond to stimuli, we can better predict and control their behavior.

I completely understand what you are saying, and I think that, even though our society (I'm American) tends to be overweight, there is such a stigma attached to it that being underweight doesn't have. So while both are unhealthy, being overweight causes ridicule and difficulties that being underweight doesn't necessarily cause. This is probably different for guys; it seems as if being considered skinny isn't so good for them, but from the female perspective, our society carries the notion that you can never be too skinny.And of course, whichever problem you don't have is probably the one you'd trade your own for

I don't have the recipe, but have you tried searching allrecipes.com (HUGE recipe site, plus the ability to search according to ingredients you want) or doing a recipe search at base.google.com? Usually when I'm looking for a certain recipe I can find it there. A search of food blogs might also provide good results.

There's a great site called problogger.net which has LOTS of articles about how to mke money blogging. I don't know if your site is a blog, but I'm sure you could apply some of the tips he gives to your own site, no matter what it is. There's a also a job board if you want to write for other blogs and earn money that way.

Perhaps he chose McDonald's because the food is so gross, he knew he couldn't eat too much of it! ;)I don't know why you would pick this food if you wanted to go on a diet...seems like fresh produce would be a much tastier and healthier idea. But different things work for different people I guess.

I think nature has a strong role to play in terms of colors. For example, blue and green tend to be calming since they are the colors of water, sky, trees, grass, etc. Earth tones are said to be more laid back. Conversely, red and orange are colors of fire, poisonous animals, etc. and tend to be more aggravating or "rev you up" type colors. They catch your attention since they aren't seen as frequently.Hospitals use color knowledge like this...many operating rooms are painted green since it has the calming effect mentioned.

If you're really serious about exercise, there are people who set up their desks at a treadmill and walk while they work. That's probably not an option if you're in an office, but they do make little pedal things that you can put under your desk so it's like you're riding a bike.I agree with what's been said though; good, regular exercise while I'm not working at the computer, and frequent breaks to stretch and move around. Also be sure you're in a well lit area, since staring at computer glow in a dark room can be really hard on your eyes. Be sure you're sitting a reasonable distance away from the screen, and keep your fonts large enough to read without straining your eyes. Also, for your wrists, those wrist support things that you can put in front of your keyboard and mouse can make your area much more comfortable and prevent strain.In terms of general health, I make a point to keep all food away from my desk. This prevents me from mindlessly eating junk while I'm working, and if I need to take a break for a snack, I get a chance to move around and stretch.These things have kept me in good health, despite all the time spent in front of a computer

I recently read an article about this berry at the New York Times (there's also a little video clip to go along with it): http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ It was quite interesting! Apparantly this guy has parties where you eat a berry, and then you eat all kinds of "normal" foods which now taste different. I thought it would be such a weird exeperience...I've never tried this "miracle fruit," but I'm very curious about it. I wonder what this means for the world of food science...pretty soon companies could start making sugar-free foods that taste sweet, depending on the interactions between the berry and certain acids and such. It'd probably take a lot of research beforehand though. The effects may be different for different people.

Who's to say that theism isn't subjective? I believe Satan would qualify as a deity if he is being worshipped as a supernatural being. If he is mearly a normal object, what's the point of worship?

Did you know that there are about 30 million atheists in America? Unfortunately, atheists are often misunderstood and thought to be people with low morals. In fact, many atheists give more thought to morality because they define their own moral codes. Atheism is a very broad term, and it is difficult to generalize about atheists. Atheists are unexceptional in behavior and appearance. The only thing that makes an atheist or agnostic person different from a religious person is the degree to which each believes in God. Atheism is simply the absence of belief in the existence of a god or gods. People can either choose to be atheists or they might just be unable to share the beliefs of religion. There are two different types of atheism: weak and strong. Weak atheists lack the belief in a traditional god, they are basically skeptics. Strong atheists believe that there actually are no gods. Some atheists don?t believe in any gods, others just don?t believe in certain gods.There are also people who are not atheist, but can be considered agnostic. These people believe that there is no way to know whether God exists or not. This term has also been used to describe people who are undecided about the issue of religion. The belief that the existence of God is unknowable is called ?strict agnosticism and the state of being undecided is referred to as empirical agnosticismThere is no single philosophical justification for being an atheist. Atheists have different reasons for their beliefs, and two of the most common are:they feel that the existence of God is illogicalthey see no evidence that God existsFor many, atheism is just the logical position to take. Most atheists do not lack belief in God because they are ignorant about religion.About 90% of atheists were once theists, but became atheists because they did not believe that religion worked for them, and they found the religious beliefs contradicted what they observed around them.Common myths:Atheists are believed to be less moral than religious people. While atheists do not accept the standard moral code of traditional religions, many atheists? ideas about morality are as strong as, or stronger than those of theist?s.Some atheists even follow the same moral rules as theists do, but with different reasons for doing so.It is also believed that some atheists worship Satan. This is not true since atheists do not believe in, let alone worship, any supreme being.Some people believe that the life of an atheist is completely pointless. However, atheists decide for themselves what gives meaning to their lives and then pursue it. They try to make their lives count since they do not believe there is a guarantee of an eternal life.Atheists put truth before comfort and will search for what they believe is true even if it makes then feel uncomfortable. During times of danger, atheists do not simply turn to God; they seek to make themselves feel better in other ways. The only way to end prejudice against atheism is to educate people about it. I hope you will consider these comments and learn more about atheism yourself.

Securities in the United States became much more regulated after the stock market crash in 1929, mostly due to two acts: the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Security Exchange Commission is an administrative agency which regulates securities sales under these two acts.The Securities Act of 1933 regulates the initial sales of securities, which are contracts of investment which show that the owner has participated in a business transaction. The definition of securities is very broad, and in order to determine if something is in fact a security, the Howey test is used; it states that an investment is a security if its investor expects to earn profits due to the efforts of another person. Under the 1933 Act, a person who wishes to sell securities, unless there is an exemption, must file a registration statement and prospectus, a document that shareholders are required to have. The SEC then reviews the materials using the full-disclosure standard, which requires that certain information is present. It does not determine if the investment is good; it just ensures that the information is accurate and fair. Before the SEC approves a security, there can be no selling of securities. However, the seller can issue a tombstone ad or a red herring prospectus informing others of the upcoming sale, but they must make it clear that the sale is only forthcoming.Once the securities are on the market, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 regulates them. It states that these securities must be registered and that those with more than $10 million in assets and 500 or more shareholders must register the equity stock. These companies must also file a quarterly financial report and an annual report at the end of the year. The act also regulates the propriety of sales of securities to ensure that all buyers and sellers can access the same information. Withholding of information is considered fraud, and one can be found guilty of it if information is misstated or omitted. The use of insider information when buying or selling is stock is not allowed. In addition, officers, directors, and 10 percent shareholders must file reports during their holdings of stock, and if they sell and purchase stock within a 6 month period, they are required to give these short-swing profits to the company. The act also requires that prior filing and demonstration of shareholder interests be present when soliciting proxies.There are also states? securities laws to regulate securities trade even further, called blue sky laws. Issuers must follow both federal and state laws unless the case falls under a certain exemption. For the purposes of registration, there are two types of blue sky laws. One type follows the same standards as the Securities Exchange Commission for full disclose, and the other follows a merit review standard where the agency which enforces the securities examines the offering and applies a ?fair, just, and equitable? standard. States have exemption from registration, similar to federal exemptions. State agencies also control securities brokers? and agents? licensing. There is an exemption from federal laws for intrastate offerings since the Commerce Clause does not permit the federal government to regulate matters that are fully within a state. In this case, the investor would only have to follow the blue sky laws concerning registration.The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 also created The Securities Exchange Commission to regulate the sale of securities. It announces the rules which give the registration requirements of securities and has the ability to issue injunctions, set up criminal proceedings, and enforce rules. Recently, during Hurricane Katrina, it set up emergency relief to investors, companies, and securities affected by the hurricane. It created extensions of filing deadlines, suspended requirements to deliver documents to areas affected by the hurricane, and enabled broker-dealers to provide access to accounts held at offices that were no longer operable. It also provided telephone and e-mail hotlines to answer questions. Such assistance worked to keep people from worrying about filing governmental documents during such a time.Securities regulation is an important part of business, since it keeps the sometimes conflicting interests of business and investors in balance. The stock market crash of 1929 showed how crucial such regulation could be, and led to two major acts which keep securities in order. Without such acts, shareholders would be less protected and the lack of regulation in the securities market could lead to chaos.

Have you read any of Wayne Dyer's work? He has written some interesting things about meditation, and he supports what you are saying about how you can medidate for 15 min and feel as if you just woke up from a nice 8 hour sleep. While I think that it is definitely possible to feel rested and calm after meditation, especially if you really are able to get into it, I think that it should be considered a temporary solution to a lack of sleep rather than a permanent practice. Biologically, sleep serves many different functions, such as repairing tissues and storing facts to memory. By neglecting to sleep, you may not be allowing your body to do what it needs to to keep you healthy. You may feel okay, even great, for a little while, but after awhile it will probably catch up.Bottom line is, meditation is great stress relief and definitely good for you, but I dont' think it's good to get carried away and have it replace sleep on a regular basis. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't all make it a part of our daily lives

You could also go the freegan route and just pick food out of the trash. Sometimes people even throw out unopened containers of things.

Mine used to be http://www.tastespotting.com/, but it's closed now There's one that's similar though: https://foodgawker.com/. It's not really a blog so much as a collection of nice food photos, linked to their sources. It's great when you want inspiration but aren't quite sure what you want to make. You can also search for certain items you're interested in, like chocolate.

I believe you're right about the meat tenderizing enzyme in papaya...and eating papaya with chicken or something would be delicious!In terms of superfoods, it seems as if as long as you stay away from artifical, processed crap and stick to whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, you will get a variety of benefits. It is important to remember that a range of fruits/vegetables are necessary to ensure you get all the vitamins/fiber/etc. that you need. A good rule of thumb is to eat different colored produce. Pigments, such are the cartenoids (vitamin A) can be a good source of antioxidants.