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Anyone in the world By Azriel Winnett I want to tell you a little story. Not about anything dramatic. On the contrary, it's very ordinary. So ordinary, in fact, that the many onlookers who must have been standing around didn't bat an eyelid when they overheard this brief conversation in a busy butcher shop. Hardly surprising that it made no impression on them because, seemingly, there was nothing to be impressed by. Except for one highly perceptive soul whose finely tuned spiritual antennae were able to pick up subtle nuances far above the heads of the rest of us. He is a man who often speaks in public, and he was excited by what he had overheard in the butcher shop that day that he just couldn't wait for the first opportunity to share the story with a public audience. And thanks to his fortuitous presence in the shop just at that moment, I'm able to share it with you as well. A young woman came into the shop and asked for freshly ground beef. The butcher told her that he had just ground some beef and held up a bag for her inspection. She examined the bag, but rejected it. It was too white, she claimed. The butcher assured her that the reddest meat turns white in the grinding process, but his young customer wouldn't bite. She remained unconvinced. The butcher didn't flinch. He held up some red meat for her examination and asked her if it met with her requirements. She confirmed that it was in order, and the butcher put it through the grinder. He politely handed the woman the resulting product without saying a word. It was just as white as the already ground beef he had originally offered her. As I said, a most unremarkable incident. At this point, if the audience reacted at all, it was only to express their great amazement that the lecturer had seen fit to mention such a trivial incident at all. What was he trying to prove? But it only took a couple of seconds for the speaker's palpable sense of excitement to infect everybody in the room. "Look," he said, "what would you have done had you been in this butcher's place. "What would you have said as you handed over the meat and handed the customer's money?" That answer, of course is obvious. What would any "normal" person have said, if not for something like: "Isn't this just what I told you? When you grind the meat, it turns white." "And could you have restrained yourself?" asked the lecturer rhetorically. "I could never have restrained myself." But the butcher did restrain himself. Now, for most of us, there comes a time in our life when we have to make a choice: do we want to be right or do we want to be loved? When people interact with each other, conflict is inevitable. That's a fact of life we can't run away from. But when handled properly, conflict need not drive the parties further apart. On the contrary, it could bring them closer together. This is especially true of intimate relationships. Occasional conflict can even promote intimacy. The truth is that conflict is hardly ever the problem. What tears the heart right out of potentially good relationships is the stubborn streak in the best of us that insists that we are always right on all occasions and in every circumstance. By implication, that means that the other side is never right. In other words, when something goes sour, our partner is always to blame. And the secret wish of every "blamer" is that the other side will yet wake up one fine morning and say: "Gee, honey, now I understand the error of my ways. You were right and I was wrong. Please forgive me for upsetting you so much!" Isn't it sad that such a morning never comes? Now when, through sheer determination, we manage, once and for all, to pull ourselves out of the blame mode that's somehow almost our second nature, that's great. We're well on the way. But we should know that we have not necessarily reached the highest level yet. Let's take another look at our story. What did our butcher gain by not gently pointing out, as he handed over the goods and took the money, that he was right all along? If he had said it politely and tactfully, the good lady would surely have not taken offence. But the butcher was concerned with the woman's ego, not his. If, by keeping his mouth shut - even if that ran contrary to plain human nature - he could spare his customer the small embarrassment of knowing that she had been in error, and even if it would have been an embarrassment lasting only a few seconds - why not? And as we should know, putting the needs of the other party before your own is putting yourself on the fast track of the royal road to happiness. Azriel Winnett is creator of Hodu.com - Your Communication Skills Portal at http://hodu.com. This popular free website helps you improve your communication and relationship skills in your business or professional life, in the family unit and on the social scene. New articles added almost daily. Visit Azriel's blog at: http://hodu.com/blog. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Azriel_Winnett http://EzineArticles.com/?Reaching-the-Ultimate-Level-in-Human-Relationships&id=45592 where can i buy phentermine 37.5 can i buy phentermine online phentermine out prescription top pharmacy phentermine |
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Anyone in the world By T Dooley Raking in heaps of business without having to spend the time, money and energy on hunting down sales. Now that sounds like the sort of stuff dreams are made out of. Well, not really. Not if harness this most powerful and influential for... Think about how Apple went from something that you ate to keep the doctor away to the creator of the best-selling iPod... How Hotmail managed to gain more than 12 million subscribers in less than a year-and-a-half... Its called WOMM or word-of-mouth marketing. Based on spreading good honest opinions, it influences more people to buy or not to buy products and services than most if not all other forms of marketing. Buzz marketing can be worth thousands of times more powerful than conventional marketing. But to really spread the word about your business, positive WOMM is generated from lots of things done well. Here are 11 ways to leverage the selling power of word-of-mouth marketing: 1. Be valued offer exceptional value to your customers. It goes without saying that your products and services should be the best they can be. But why stop there? I always deliver more than I promise with my clients. It might be throwing proofreading into a website rewrite without charge, offering suggestions for an improved marketing response or simply finishing the project well ahead of time. The willingness to go out of your way for customers is always obvious, and they do take a note of it. The result can be that they rapidly spread the word about working with you. 2. Be inviting actively seek feedback from your customers and prospects. Positive testimonials work well in your marketing materials. Include a few on in your company brochure, and be sure to place them on your website. 3. Be a writer writing articles for local publication, trade magazines and online sources can really help spread the word. You can create an expert status for yourself, to boot. If you dont have the time or skills to write articles, hire a freelance writer to ghostwrite the articles for you. That way, you still get the PR as your by-line will be published. 4. Be tagged! You probably know by now that the best source of business is always the people you know. So, if they are able to clearly and concisely tell others what you do, all the better! This can be facilitated via a snappy tagline (not a slogan) that tells people what you do. Keep it brief, preferably up to eight words. Use this tagline on every marketing piece including your email signature, business cards, stationery, etc. 5. Be fair and honest word-of-mouth marketing depends on being highly believable, truthful and reliable. If you promise something, be sure to deliver it. Dont push any surprises on your customers, either. Always spell out up front what you get for your prices. People dont like to feel theyre been robbed, so dont wait until the end to add on any items such as hidden delivery charges. By being as genuine and good to your word as you can, your customers are more likely to sing your praises, rather than badmouth you. Be the news press or news releases are a fantastic way of getting media coverage. The majority of press releases go straight into the bin, or simply get lost among the daily deluge of press materials. But if you write yours well, and it is newsworthy, then yours could grab you tons of free publicity. 6. Be the news press or news releases are a fantastic way of getting media coverage. The majority of press releases go straight into the bin, or simply get lost among the daily deluge of press materials. But if you write yours well, and it is newsworthy, then yours could grab you tons of free publicity. My 'Power Publicity' TeleClass will help you write and distribute a release that grab's the media spotlight. 7. Be spreading the news newsletters or ezines that are sent out to current and past customers, prospects, the media and associates can be very effective marketing tools. Focusing on who will receive your newsletter will in turn help to focus your marketing efforts toward the very people who are more likely to use your products or services. And if they like what they read, theyll tell others about you, too. 8. Be thankful people like to be appreciated. When was the last time you sent a note of thanks to someone because they were a good customer, or they paid on time? Do it! Its a good way of showing you care, and of reminding them who you are! 9. Be competitive try an online sweepstake or contest, with a prize that hits your ideal customers hot button. Make it desirable enough that people will play again and again, or invite others to play. 10. Be an in-house publisher write a book on what you it is that you want people to invest in. If interesting and done correctly, your book can quickly become talked about and the buzz will extend to your business. 11. Be affiliated using an affiliate programme whereby your offer your affiliates up to 50% of every sale they make pushes the word-of-mouth and referral marketing into a snowball effect. As well as getting people to promote and sell your products or services, your business or name will become well known. Again, make sure that what you are offering is of value. Copyright, 2006 T Dooley, Independent Copywriter & Editorial Consultant
Want to use this articleon your website, blog, a message board or in an ezine? Not a problem! But please give credit where it's due. You MUST include the following: Tracey "Word Doctor" Dooley of MediaMinister (http://www.mediaminister.co.uk) is an experienced copywriter, editor and marketer. She has spent almost 14 years crafting compelling copy that successfully sells, informs, educates or entertains. =====>>> To sign up for her freebie business- building tips, marketing and publicity pointers, visit http://www.mediaminister.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Dooley http://EzineArticles.com/?WOMM:-The-Easy-Way-to-Skyrocket-Your-Sales&id=330514 phentermine diet pills without prescription buy phentermine online without prescription order phentermine phentermine online sales |
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Anyone in the world By Nandeshori Devi Konthoujam It is well known fact that face is the index of mind and shiny teeth play a significant role brightening ones facial appearance. A lovely smile is the perfect impression one may possess and an attractive smile is enhances by the lustrous teeth. One can win the hearts of the intermingling people very easily with a glossy smile. Teeth do have a natural color and enamel is the outer protective layer of it. Tooth whitening is the safe and gentle way of eliminating discolorations and stains on the teeth rather improving its natural color. Tooth whitening is also termed as tooth bleaching and this endeavor can be done once the person attains his permanent set of teeth. This basically aims at brightening the pigmentation in the teeth. Anyone who wishes to own a confident smile can go for improving brightness of the teeth. But one must carefully consult the expert dentist for help as the health of the teeth must not be washed out at the cost of a lovely smile. The most common and well known technique of tooth whitening is the professional bleaching where carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide is used in removing the stains. The dentist will decide the treatment technique on diagnosing the cause and depth of discoloration of the teeth. The natural color of the teeth may be wipe out by different causes like smoking, drinks like coffee, tea, red wine etc. and even some antibiotics taken for some different purpose may developed stain beneath the teeth. Professional tooth whitening efforts does not affect the structure, enamel, restorations and bonding of the tooth. The active ingredient used in this technique act only on the decolorizing molecules breaking the deposits in the dentin and enamel and confiscates the debris. There is no discomfort at all in this technique but sensitivity to some factors like heat, cold, pressure may experience that will be fine on completion of the treatment. The effect of tooth whitening remains for longer duration in the non smokers and who are devoid of coffee, tea consumption. The dentist will assist first in the treatment and one can continue further tooth whitening treatment at home under the direction of the dentist. Everyone is brushing their teeth as normal habit that itself is a tooth whitening effort. There are several whitening toothpastes in the market that does not hamper the teeth enamel and adjoining gums and other related structures in the mouth. Choosing appropriate toothpaste and best quality tooth brush is must. Tooth whitening is it essential for our health? Why most people are after tooth whitening and how can we get our tooth brightens? Log on http://www.wellbeingnew.com/ for getting your answer. Nandeshori Devi Konthoujam has been associated with various sites like http://www.aboutlivingmylife.com/ for articles on health related and various topics. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nandeshori_Devi_Konthoujam http://EzineArticles.com/?Tooth-Whitening:-Enrich-Your-Everlasting-Smile&id=249418 drug simular to ambien description of lorazepam the drug ambien snort lorazepam |
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Anyone in the world By Dick Wheeler Trade show photography has one of the largest formats of all photography. Because of this, the professional trade show photographer can magically make the clients logo jump out on the trade show exhibit, have the trade show display look modern and contemporary, and can reproduce beautiful artwork in some of the biggest displays and settings that photography is used. When you are planning to have a trade show exhibit, it is essential to pre-qualify photographers who have experience in trade show display shooting. Your photographer must be familiar with and can handle the demands of producing oversized, exciting, compelling and crystal clear trade show display images. The effective trade show exhibit professional photographer is able to capture very large photo images in a dramatic way. Ideally he/she will shoot with top- of- the line Nikon, Canon or medium format digital cameras that purposefully translate images to large formats. Christian Tanimoto, trade show photographer, re-toucher, and graphics production assistant at Professional Exhibits & Graphics of Sunnyvale, California a premiere trade show display company, says that because of the large size requirement, trade show photography must adhere to special requirements. He gives advice on the three most important ingredients for shooting trade show display images. They are: #1. The size of the digital file is key--the larger, the better.
All photos used for trade show displays need to be on a file that is ideally 12 to 16 or more mega pixels. It is always best to begin with a digital file format in order to achieve a highly accurate resolution. #2. Use an uncompressed raw file.
It is best to use a file that has does not need to be compressed so that you can have large prints that do not look pixilated. The images must look sharp. By using an uncompressed file, you will avoid the posterized or rasterized appearance. Your trade show display design panel artwork will be crisp, clear and have many levels of tone. If photography is not shot in a large digital format, the artwork needs to be converted from either film, slides, or negatives. The images then need to be scanned, downloaded and compressed into a digital file. #3. Attach color profiles to digital files.
By having a large enough color pallet with a wide range of colors, you will be able to select and print true color. Accessing a color profile, the designer can interpret the correct color. You will then be able to accurately communicate color and color match your website and collateral materials seamlessly. Eye catching, stylish trade show photography can be used on a vast spectrum of trade show displays-- from the small trade show kiosk exhibit to the custom free-standing multi-story trade show exhibit with integrated office, meeting room and theater arenas. Trade show photography is some of the most exciting photography displayed and needs to always look beautiful and exciting, advises Tanimoto. This is equally true if you are purchasing stock photography for your trade show exhibit. Having a large digital file is the key, whether the artwork is used in a custom trade show exhibit, a custom modular trade show display, or a rental trade show booth. Remember the above tips for impactful trade show photography, and you will have a breath- taking and beautiful trade show exhibit with exceptional graphics. This is true wherever you exhibitbe it the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with showroom in Sacramento. Firm is full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. http://www.proexhibits.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dick_Wheeler http://EzineArticles.com/?Three-Keys-to-Trade-Show-Photography&id=389482 how to identify ambien cr sleeping pills ambien ambien or sonata generic lorazepam photos |
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Anyone in the world By Anne Barton When it comes to boosting the metabolism and burning calories at a faster rate, more and more people are discovering the diet-friendly world of foods and beverages that assist this very important lifestyle goal. In addition to regular exercise, following portion control, counting calories, and eating well-balanced meals, there are certain food choices that help an individual better tackle weight loss goals. While some low-calorie foods and beverages help keep the stomach feeling fuller for a longer period of time, others help prevent the storage of fat through their high-fiber content. Some fat-burning foods lend a hand by increasing the metabolism and burning more calories simply because it takes more energy to digest them than other foods. Below you will find a few selections to consider the next time you wish to fill your grocery store cart with fat-burning selections. As you settle at the kitchen table for a quick morning meal, oatmeal is a heart-healthy carbohydrate that fights cholesterol and aids in the fat-burning process. Choosing rolled oats over instant varieties is suggested in order to receive the highest dose of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. When looking for a reasonable snack or lunch entre, soup makes a great choice. Whether it is Campbell's or Progresso, this option allows you to eat less and burn fat at a faster rate. Since most soups are comprised of both liquid and solids, the substance acts as an effective appetite suppressant. Low-fat yogurt is also a decent snack that boosts weight loss with its high level of calcium. Fruits and vegetables are great in boosting the metabolism and helping the body to burn fat. Grapefruit is known to contain chemicals and a high amount of vitamin C, which lowers insulin levels and promotes weight loss. Apples and pears help to satisfy sugar cravings through a low-calorie, high-fiber treat. Broccoli possesses a high amount of calcium and vitamin C, which is linked to weight loss. With only 20 calories to its name, this food selection also boosts immunity and battles disease. Hot peppers deliver a blast to the metabolism that also helps to suppress cravings. Lean turkey makes a reasonable dinner choice, as it possesses components known to boost the fat burning process. Many individuals are able to lose fat and build lean muscle tissue when exchanging hamburgers and bacon for lean turkey and other lean cuts of meat. Beverages also help individuals burn fat and boost their metabolism. There have been many studies conducted that investigates the acceleration of weight loss through drinking water. Water serves as a natural appetite suppressant. Research also shows that the consumption of green tea is connected to metabolism boosts and weight loss. The thirst-quenching brews are also thought to contain anti-cancer characteristics and prevent heart disease. This article was written by Anne Barton. Are you at all interested in finding out how New York Times best selling author Kevin Trudeau lost over 50 pounds in just 60 days? Then you'll want to get information about his new book The Weight Loss Cure, by visiting http://www.weightlossisnatural.com today Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Barton http://EzineArticles.com/?Want-To-Boost-Your-Metabolism-And-Burn-Fat?-Here-Are-The-Best-Foods-To-Eat&id=565000 viagra ambien gift ambien cr hermitartrate zolpidem free sample ambien |
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Anyone in the world By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Adam_Caitlin]Adam Caitlin Exuding sophistication and incredible charm, the Nokia 8800 is an attractive slider phone, that has been designed for the fashion aficionados. Garbed in a stainless steel casing, the Nokia 8800 comes with an eye-catching silver chassis and complementary black and carbon gray accents. The gadget is compact enough to be slipped into the pockets. It measures 107 x 45 x 16.5 mm. As with all the slider phones, the Nokia 8800 also gets dominated by a screen. The screen is of high resolution and quite bright, colourful and clear. Another praiseworthy feature about Nokia 8800's screen is that it has a scratch resistant screen. Which means no more irritation when it comes to hand marks etc. The particulars of the screen being, 208 x 208 pixel resolution on a 1.65" display. When the Nokia 8800 is opened, then an impressive keypad is revealed at the front, while a camera pops out at the bottom. The keypad is a little narrow and it poses a little problem for the ones with fat fingers. In the same way, the integrated camera is also not really good enough. It is mere 0.5 MP of camera. In the era where the cameras are enabled with as much as 5 MP, 0.5MP seems like a favour. The Nokia 8800 has the ability to record videos. For more entertainment, the Nokia 8800 includes FM radio with digital music player. There are also provisions for games. Apart from good looks, the Nokia 8800 is also enabled with many serious features. The phone comes with tri-band network for seamless connectivity. It also features voice connectivity. Further, the versatility of Bluetooth, XHTML browser, GPRS and EDGE makes the phone more usable. But here the Nokia 8800 is devoid of Wi-Fi. Nokia 8800 offers 64 MB of internal memory. It has a talk time of 3 hours, with standby time of 8 days. [http://www.mobilerainbow.co.uk]Mobile Phones [http://www.mobilerainbow.co.uk/pay_as_u_go.asp]pay as you go mobile phones [http://www.mobilerainbow.co.uk/alldeals.asp?id=371]Nokia 8800 Adam Caitlin is expert author of Telecommunication industry. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Caitlin http://EzineArticles.com/?Nokia-8800---Mesmerizer&id=594969 ativan side effects new england journal of medicine and ambien ambien and morphine ambien online overnight to florida |
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Anyone in the world By Ross Bainbridge Anniversary gift baskets are a great and thoughtful way to say happy anniversary to a special couple in your life, whether they be family or friends. You can personalize a gift basket and make if fun for you and for the couple you are giving it to. Start by finding the perfect basket. This depends on how much you want to spend and what you want to fill the basket with. It doesnt even have to be a basket. If you are thinking about giving a couple a gardening anniversary gift, it could be a pail, or if you are thinking about a gourmet gift basket, you could fill a pasta pan with gourmet delights. Spa, bath and body gift baskets for a couple are fun to create because you can start with a gift certificate to a spa for a special day of pampering. You can also include items like facial and body scrubs, handmade soaps, hand creams, foot lotion, washcloths and towels. Another great anniversary gift basket has a romantic theme with fancy chocolates, wine and wine glasses, body rubs, candles, incense and a gift certificate for a dinner at a fancy restaurant or an overnight stay at a ritzy hotel. If the couple enjoys sports, you can fill a basket with tickets to sporting events and basketballs, footballs, baseballs, etc. No matter what the anniversary year or the couple you are wishing congratulations too, you can add your own personal touches to a gift basket and surely please the loving couple. Anniversary Gifts provides detailed information on Anniversary Gifts, Wedding Anniversary Gifts, First Wedding Anniversary Gifts, 25Th Wedding Anniversary Gifts and more. Anniversary Gifts is affiliated with Unusual Romantic Gifts. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ross_Bainbridge http://EzineArticles.com/?Anniversary-Gift-Baskets&id=273040 ambien birth control zolpidem tartrate ld50 ambien to treat post stroke spasticity lowest price ambien |
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Anyone in the world By Michael Ferrell Men and women can't really be just friends, can they? Of course not. Theres always that pesky sexual tension to contend with. And what about the spouse, spousal equivalent, or boyfriend/girlfriend whos sure to be jealous? Plus, theres the biological/sociological nesting imperative that women contend with and the hunting imperative that seems to drive men. A number of years ago, a landmark study published by Dr. Don O'Meara, a sociology professor at Raymond Walters College, identified the following four key obstacles to the success of male-female friendships The inability to define the relationship A fear of confronting feelings of sexual attraction The inability of both partners to see each other as equals Societys response to a non-romantic relationship (This is all of the above rolled into one: Whats going on here? Who do they think they are? They just wont admit that theyre hot for each other!) Lets face it, when you come right down to it there are just too many impediments and too many inherent differences between the sexes for cross-gender friendship to work. Right? Wrong, wrong, and double-wrong at least in todays world. Fifty years ago, when Harry met Sally, he was a breadwinner who worked outside the home and she was a stay-at-home mom (or stay-at-home spinster). Harry and Sally had very little in common and very few opportunities to explore their commonality. Their paths never crossed except at a church social, perhaps, or in situations that were specifically created to foster romance and, by extension, procreation and the continuation of the species. (Not the stuff sonnets are made of, perhaps, but good for society.) That was then. This is now. 21st Century men and women follow their passions inside and outside the home and stand shoulder to shoulder as equals in most situations. In 2002, Harry and Sally work side by side at the office. They argue head-to-head at the boardroom table. They run hip to hip on the jogging trail. They may not see eye to eye on every issue, but they freely debate them in Internet chatrooms. So today, not only do Harry and Sally have a solid foundation of shared interests on which to build a real friendship, they also have time and space to pursue a cross-gender friendship and a society that encourages them to do so. In fact, experts tell us that in todays world, men and women in platonic friendships enjoy dozens and dozens of benefits from their relationships. Interestingly, men seem to get more out of cross-sex friendship. In a study by a psychologist in private practice on Long Island in New York State, men rated cross-sex friendships higher in overall quality than their same-sex friendships. Men reported they most enjoyed talking and sharing with women - something they didnt do with male friends. All that sharing that men find so appealing organic though it may be to women -- can be a bit of a drain, so les femmes say they turn to les hommes for a different dynamic. With men, women say they enjoy the lightness of not having to carry someone elses emotional baggage. Women may also derive a sense of safety and protection from their male platonic friends much as they might from a big brother. Interestingly, women say the chance to learn what guys are REALLY thinking is the number 1 benefit of cross-gender friendship. So does Harry WANT Sally? You bet. But if he cant have her that way, friendship will do quite nicely, thank you! About The Author Michael Ferrell is the owner and operator of PerfectLoveLetters.com - Discover How YOU Can Quickly & Easily Create A Love Letter To Express Your Love & Devotion In Only 3 Minutes Without Writing! mike@choicedvd.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Ferrell http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-Men-And-Women-Be-Friends?-Or-When-Harry-Met-Sally-Did-He-Really-Just-Want-to-Jump-Her-Bones?&id=31364 gaba receptor zolpidem zolpidem in mexico ambien withdrawal symptom ambien mg |
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Anyone in the world By Dan Sargent This semester, I decided to try Web Biographies as an instructional aid. When I did, I noticed a marked improvement in my students' quantity—and quality—of writing. Over the years, (as graduate student, and now faculty) I have found that students want new ways to write, and to share what they've written. Recently, my Freshman Composition students have been creating online journals for their creative writing, and responses to the semester's reading list. The assignment is similar to the traditional paper based reader-response journals that I have asked students to write in the past. In the old paper-based assignment, students kept a notebook, where they wrote creative works (poems, etc.) and personal responses to reading assignments throughout the semester. In the past, I had always enjoyed seeing how their ideas about literature and writing (as well as their own writing) changed over the course of the semester, as they discovered new genres and writing styles that they found most (or least) appealing, or became excited (or angry) about various issues raised in what they were reading. However, now that I have migrated my students' journals to an online format, I've found that their responses have become more than just the required weekly entries. My students have been engaged in regular explorations of their relationships with the subjects we're covering. These online journals have helped me discover how many of my students are already fans of blogging. Most of my students read blogs on an almost daily basis, and some have even been writing their own for some time. I am finally able to productively tap this reservoir of generative creativity, and many have taken this new format to create in new and exciting ways. Unlike the traditional paper-based assignment, students are able to insert pictures, music and video into their responses—whatever is the best fit for their individual talents and learning styles. The fact that my students have the option to password-protect their journals has been particularly valuable. It has ensured that what they post is only viewable by their classmates (and myself, of course). I had always wanted my students to be able to share their journals, but it was simply impossible to implement with the old paper-based system (some journals would almost certainly be lost, etc.). Gradually, through their experiences with this culture of sharing, my classroom is in the process of becoming a true community of learners--a creative organization. Their familiarity with one another's posts has been directly contributing to greater student participation this semester. And unlike other online programs that I have used at universities, such as BlackBoard, students get to keep their online accounts/writings after the semester is over. BlackBoard (in case you're not familiar with it) locks and erases all work by teachers and students at the end of the semester. BlackBoard also owns whatever work you upload onto their system... This is their--no, our work--and I want us to have to opportunity to keep writing, and to own our writing. By using Web Biographies (accounts on WebBiographies.com are free for all students and teachers--at any level), we can continue our journals long after the class is over. And what teacher wouldn't want that? Dan Sargent, MFA, ABD
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Dan Sargent is an Adjunct Instructor in the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies, at the Colorado School of Mines. He has also taught at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Humble Independent School District. He is currently a candidate for the Ph.D. in English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Sargent http://EzineArticles.com/?Online-Journals-and-the-College-Writing-Classroom&id=341766 over the counter containing zolpidem contraindications of xanax ambien loratab buy ambien on line no prescription ambien blog |
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Anyone in the world By Debbie Rodgers Kitsch is defined by several dictionaries as relating to poor quality or gaudy art objects that appeal to low-brow taste. But in the garden, kitsch categorizes folksy or commercial art thats viewed condescendingly by some, and with irony by others. Its this irony (this stuff is so bad its good) that has made items such as pink flamingos and garden gnomes more widely popular in recent years. Garden gnomes have long been popular in Europe, especially in the middle European countries of Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. In fact, the city of Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic has declared 2004 to be the Year of the Gnome. Worldwide popularity of these dwarvish creatures was given a boost after the release of the French film Amelie in 2001. The title character in that movie, frustrated by her fathers refusal to travel in his retirement, abducts his garden gnome and sends it around the world with a flight attendant friend. But from where did these garden creatures spring? The word gnome comes from the same root word as the verb to know. It is thought that gnomes were named by Paracelsus, a 16th century physician and alchemist. Paracelsus authored a theory of the elements that included the belief that gnomes had occult knowledge of the earth. From that theory sprang folklore tales that established a mythical society for gnomes. People said that gnomes expressed greetings, farewells and goodnights by rubbing noses. They developed stories that the creatures lived to 400 years, with the male gnomes greying very early in life and indulging in pipe-smoking. Gnomes were divided by folklore into different types, with the house gnome and the garden gnome being the most represented. People believed that gnomes were a good luck charm, a symbol that the forces of nature were on their side. In parts of Europe, statues of garden gnomes have been, and still are, considered status symbols of success. So much have gnomes captured the popular imagination, that in July 2003 Australia saw Take your garden gnome to work day, and recently the BBC urged listeners to hunt out gnome-infested gardens in central England. Although tongue-in-cheek, the BBCs disclaimer to take no risks because they believe (gnomes) are still a potential source of harm carries on the folklore legends. In addition, several gnome liberation groups profess to free the statues from enslavement in gardens across America and Europe. According to legend, house and garden gnomes help with chores around the home, like sweeping the floor or planting. This is the reason many statues of gnomes hold hammers, axes or shovels, or are pushing wheelbarrows. Many contemporary statues depict gnomes sunbathing, swinging and otherwise relaxing. Several modern artists have specialized in creating statues and painting of gnomes, and many people are avid collectors. Others have opted out of the gnome movement, based on the gnomes legendary association to spirits and the occult. Will there be a gnome in your garden? About The Author Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at http://www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Rodgers http://EzineArticles.com/?Home-for-a-Gnome?&id=20088 ativan overdose ativan addiction is ambien safe online pharmacy ambien consultation |
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