a slideshow of funny babies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDI2ZOecP-M&hl=en
Funny babies Tuesday, December 28, 2010
A Website Without Video Is Like Thursday, December 23, 2010
Jell-O Without Whip Cream
Do you like Jell-O? It's okay I guess; I mean it's not a hot fudge sundae is it? But if you add a little whip cream, then my friend you've got something worth calling dessert. My question to you is, does your website have that something extra, that dollop of whip cream on top that says, "oh mama let me at it," or does it just lie there squirming in your dish with the sound of Peggy Lee's voice ringing in your ears, "is that all there is?"
If your website disappointments, you need something that provides the 'eureka factor' and that can be provided with a creative, informative Web-video.
The Chicago Bulls Without Michael Jordan
How the mighty have fallen, at least in terms of brand personality. I mean it's not like the Chicago Bulls stink? It's just that without MJ they're not the Chicago Bulls of old. When Michael played we all watched, he was magic, he wasn't just a great basketball player, he was a great personality and he gave the team it's character; no Michael, no personality.
Is your website like the new Chicago Bulls, a talented group of players with skills but no singular personality? Time for a humanity injection, add a Web-video featuring a signature character host who can generate some excitement and establish your unique business personality.
Television Without Sound
You're watching your favorite television show, say CSI, the Vegas one not Miami, and the phone rings. It's your mother. You turn the television's sound down so you can hear her but you're still watching the show. You love your Mom but Grissom has just discovered a new miniature killer clue and you need to know what is going on, but your Mom is carrying on about how your Dad needs new dentures or something... Frustrating. No audio, no information.
Does your website have the same effect as watching television without the sound. It's there, people visit, but they leave without getting your message. Time to add a little life to your presentation in the form of a Web-video that tells your story out loud.
Words Without Meaning
Have you ever reread someone's website copy several times and still not understood what the heck they're trying to tell you, or maybe you understand every word but still can't figure out what they're selling?
Words have meaning, they are meant to convey a message not hide it. A lousy video script is no better than lousy print copy. Your Web-audience has no patience for mumbo-jumbo that masquerades as information or for text and dialog that says nothing in as many words as possible in an effort to attract the search engines. Words have meaning, say them with style and deliver them with conviction.
The Rumba Without Rhythm
Have you ever sat at a wedding and watched people dance? There are the people who know how to move, how to respond to the their partners and to communicate with the slightest of gestures or movements. And then there are the others who look like they've got something icky stuck to the bottom of their shoes and are trying desperately to remove it.
If you want to communicate to your audience, you have to use all the techniques available. Communication is more than just copy, its voice, gesture, movement and meaningful dialog.
Romance Without Kisses
Ah ... the first kiss, something special that can seal a relationship or sour it forever. Your landing page is like that first embrace. Is yours as exciting as it could be, or is it like the guy who spends the entire first date talking about his double entry booking keeping skills?
A well-crafted, expertly presented marketing message is like a seduction; if you're not generating any excitement don't expect to produce any sales either. Boring mission statement gobbledygook and keyword-laden palaver are not the same as an enticing video. An engaging business story, well told, is like a juicy wet-one planted right on your audience's lips.
A Joke Without A Punch Line
Everybody likes a funny story. A good joke is nothing more than a short story with a set-up, an escalation, and a twist, but the real key to a good story lies in the telling. Even comedians with second-rate material can get their audience's howling if they know how to deliver their material.
It's all well and good to repeat the mantra, "websites are about content," but if that content isn't delivered with some style and panache, don't expect anybody to pay much attention.
A Song Without A Hook
Hit songs are highly structured stories with verses that function as chapters or acts, and a chorus that provides the hook that sticks in your audience's heads. Add a toe tapping beat and some instrumental flourishes and you've got something that people will listen to over and over again.
Does that sound like your website presentation? Are people willing to come back to your site just to watch your presentation, or does your website leave visitors with a 'been there, done that' impression?
Information Without Knowledge
Just because you're in business doesn't mean you've got to be boring. And just because you dump a lot of facts and figures and bulleted points onto your Web-pages doesn't mean you're making a convincing argument for anyone to buy your stuff.
Web audiences demand more. If you won't give it to them, you can be sure someone else will, like maybe your competition.
Interactivity Without Purpose
Can we all just stop and take a breath and think about this whole interactivity thing. Let's all get interactive, why? I mean what is interactivity anyway? Is it developing a hugely expensive game that people can play on your website to avoid working, or is it getting them to click on the "Tell Me More" button?
I vote for the interactivity that leads to opening a dialogue with a potential client, one that gets visitors to pick up the phone and call you to discuss their needs, not the one that generates a "Game Over" message. Of course that assumes you're willing to actually talk to customers.
Frequency Without Resonance
I happened to like vinegar on my fries, okay it's weird I admit it, but the Dutch like mayonnaise on theirs, even weirder. I once had a chef in a Tucson restaurant come out of the kitchen and confront me when I asked the waiter for vinegar (it's a Canadian thing). The chef approached the table and asked who ordered the vinegar? I reluctantly raised my hand. "You must be from Canada," he said, "I'm from Victoria, where you from?"
Good advertising is all about delivering a message that resonates with your audience. It doesn't matter how many times you run an advertisement if that advertisement doesn't make an impression on your audience. You can't be afraid to be creative or even a bit weird.
Humor Without Laughter
Dr. Max Sutherland in his e-mail newsletter report, "False Alarm Theory: How Humorous Ads Work" describes how laughter is a hardwired residual mechanism that developed in our ape days as an 'all clear' signal once a danger had past. The 'all clear' message is passed on from one ape to another, until the entire troop is screeching with the ecstasy of survival.
A guy slips on a banana and breaks his neck - that's not funny. A guy slips on a banana, jumps up and looks around to see if anybody saw - that's funny. Humor is based on creating some sense of uncertainty or tension that is ultimately relieved with a humorous punch line or comforting resolution. The safe or amusing resolution creates a chain reaction in the audience that signals, "hay guys, all is well; everything is back to normal."
Without tension there can be no relief, no opportunity for an entertaining resolution that creates a cascading viral reaction among your audience. So don't expect your website to be passed on to friends and colleagues unless you deliver a compelling presentation that offers the opportunity to signal the rest of the world that all is well.
Jerry Bader is Senior Partner at MRPwebmedia, a website design firm that specializes in Web-audio and Web-video. Visit http://www.mrpwebmedia.com/ads, http://www.136words.com, and http://www.sonicpersonality.com Contact at info@mrpwebmedia.com or telephone (905) 764-1246.
Children "Funny stories" - 4 (in Russian) Saturday, December 18, 2010
Majority of our city are introduced already, Children "Funny stories" can be seen on Odessa National Television Health channel. But it is unfair to deprive rest of our auditorium ability to watch it. As an afford to correct situation, we offer our visitors, despite their location, to watch and appreciate staring and humor little (and big) movie stars! Welcome Children "Funny stories"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mHYno9o_j8&hl=en
25 Clues To Know You're Really In Love
Still confused with your feeling? Can't sleep at night, thinking about him but still can't find the reason. Are you really in love or is it just a little crush? Falling in love is one of life's greatest gift. But ironically, you often don't know that happened until it's too late. You're afraid to know that what you feel inside is love - afraid to disgorge it to him - and afraid you're going to be rejected by him. But why you have to deny your own feelings and let yourself feel the painful tightness around your chest. You felt sick when he flirts with another woman, and you wonder why your heart beat very, very fast: Your heart was broken: Only then you realize that somewhere, at sometime, you fell in love with him without knowing it. Did you ever felt this feeling before?
But why wait for a broken heart? Act before it's too late. Being in love is something too beautiful to be ignorant about. Don't let your love elapse by times, grab it when there's still an opportunity, maybe he's the one to live with you forever. Here are some clues to see if you've been struck by Cupid's arrow!
LOVE #1 You become alert to his favorites
His favorite's singer to his favorite's football player all keeps in your mind. When he say he's really crazy about that singer, without thinking about other things you buy all the CD's collection for him. You're trying to listen to his songs even though you never like it. Even you never watch football match, you watch his favorites football team with hope one day you can share the same interest with him.
LOVE #2 You look for his horoscope
Of course, you're looking for the love part. Does his star match to yours or not, or does Venus coming into orbit around his star sign anytime soon? You want to know if love is on the cards for him, is your star implicated in some way? Although you know nothing much you can hope from the zodiac sign, at least some of the match between the two of you will make you feeling more comfortable.
LOVE #3 All his jokes become funny to you
You laugh if he laughs: No matter whether his story funny or not, you still laugh as long as you can see smiles on his face. He really can do no wrong. Even his most moronic, tasteless one-liners about faces and flatulence seem to be the wittiest gags you've ever heard.
LOVE #4 You take a very long time to write him an SMS/email
You over worried if your words may hurt his feelings and you want to make sure you get that casual, off-hand tone just right. No mistakes and you want the best words reaching him - whether you should put smiley or not - so much things to consider, no wonder you're having trouble sleeping.
LOVE #5 You feel weird if you don't see or talk to him for a long time
Whether you realize it or not, you getting nerves to have conversation with him after a long weekends. You getting blur sometimes looking for words to say. All in your mind is hope to spend more time with him and looking for other chances to plans something for both of you. So, now times is very important to you.
LOVE #6 You become jealous for no reason
You hate every girl who talks to him. Even when the cashier at the bookstore gave him a cheeky smile, you call her sluts. ...More to that, you can't stand up to when other girls ask him to watch a movie. ...well, why are your get jealous?
LOVE #7 You lose your appetite when he didn't reply your SMS/call
The whole day and night you think why he didn't replied you. So many though on your mind, and all of them mostly about bad things: What did I do wrong? Or, Did he angry with me? You can't think logically because you're too worried and feeling edgy so everything getting musky. It is not because you don't have an appetite but because your mind can't think about other thing except wondering why he didn't call you back.
LOVE #8 You google him
You try every way to find any information about him to know more about him. Surf an internet looking for his name - and lucky you if you can find something about him. Hopefully his name as famous as Donald Trump so easier for you to find anything remotely related to your man online . Failing which, you log on to the website of the company he works.
LOVE #9 No one else can rock your boat anymore
Either Leonardo Dicaprio or Orlando Bloom, both can't attract your interest anymore. Did you grown up girl? Or your heart just stolen by someone else; one beautiful ordinary people that make your life rockin' everyday.
LOVE #10 Girlfriends are not your priority
No more Friday night or girl's weekend anymore. All you do is sitting down at home waiting for his call to bring you out. You just want to make sure when he's call, you're free and ready to have a date any time, so just for him you turn down your gal pal's invitation for some girlie time together. Well, hopefully he calls you. And why don't you call him?
LOVE #11 Your body is a prime concern
You start take care of your weight, your body curve, and your cup size, don't you? You heard that men are attracted to sexy women especially the one with great body and nice breast? What do you think girl? Research says that men like breast because it soft, comforting, curvy, erotic. It symbolizes every female. So, what's wrong with you wanting to be as female as possible?
LOVE #12 You worry about your mobile phone reception
You try to avoid go to places where your phone can't be reach. Every way you go, you check your phone to make sure there is at least one receptionist bar. Afraid that you will miss his call, the call you've been waiting for all the time.
LOVE #13 You're suddenly interested with football
What's EPL? Maybe before this you never care what it is, but not now. You start to find something more about this: start turning to the back page of the newspapers and watching sports news to see what's going on in the English Premier League and it's not just because David Beckham.
LOVE #14 You start learn how to cook
Every woman that fall in love, always shows their interest in cooking. Who know, you might need to cook something up for a visiting guest...an important visiting guest. So, you can show him you have ability to have a family - good mother and perfect wife.
LOVE #15 You read articles like this one in my blog
If you looking for articles like this and eager to read it, means that you already suspect you might be in love. You need an expert doctor to help you diagnosis what actually happen to you. Well, now you know what's your feeling tell you don't wait any longer. Chase for your dream guy while it's not too late.
LOVE #16 You start dreaming about having a baby with him
No wonder lately you really like baby. Only women in love and ready to have a family and future will have a feeling to have their own baby and of course with their love one.
LOVE #17 Romantic comedies have always been your first choices
You conquer all romantic comedy dramas on TV, buy new romantic DVD's and go watching romantic movies alone because all your friends already know it must be romantic movies again and they don't want to miss their chances to watch another type of movie again and again. Not enough with that, you look for old DVD's which more dramatics and romantic as long as it has a happy lovely ending and you don't care watching it for many times.
LOVE #18 You always grab any opportunities to take a photo with him
Any moment, or at any occasions - at parties, shopping malls or a dinner, you always trying to find an excuse to get into a shot with him...alone. And if there's no camera, well, a camera phone will do just as nicely - as long as you got his pictures standing besides you.
LOVE #19 You won't go anywhere during weekends
Everyone start to plan their weekends but you wonder what you're going to do. Of course, you think about to spend some times with him. You even couldn't sleep on lazy Sundays because you're too worry he's going to call you or not. It seems like you waiting for some Christmas gift from Santa. Don't you?
LOVE #20 You doodle his name all over
When you hold a pen and paper, your hand unconsciously doodle his name, sometimes with little floating hearts around it. And is that your name that you're doodling beside his? Any doctor will take this as a sure-fire symptom of love sickness.
LOVE #21 Shopping times...and end up in the men's aisle
While you shop for your lipstick, suddenly your head turn to men's section - and you automatically work towards to the sections and start checking out for tie, t-shirt, cap and other men accessories. Before long, you're trying to match his outfits to yours.
LOVE #22 You become a defender to him
When you have conversation with your friends and he's not around, you bring his name to become a main topic. And when anyone of your friends put him down, you jump to his defence. Obviously, he's important to you and only good things you want to hear about him.
LOVE #23 He's your idol
You admire him more than anyone else: his styles, how he talks to others and the way him playing guitar. You want to intimate everything about him - music, movies, clothes, food, sports...and whatever you can see from him. He likes a movie star to you and everything about him is special. If he like plays a piano, so you try to take lessons especially from him. You felt happy when you can involve in something he likes.
LOVE #24 You become a romantic person
From the words you wrote to the way you talk to him, there's sign of flirting. And of course you try to cover so it doesn't look too obvious but deep inside you heart you hope that he's been able to read between the lines. Don't worry girl, be frank and he will see how deep is your love.
LOVE #25 His little sister makes you jealous
Well, something really serious happen here. How come? If this is not enough of a clue that you're in love, what is? Take your time, if you have more than half of the clues, follow your heart and act before he's pounce by another women.
Lily Weston is currently an author/infopreneur in her blog http://www.luckylily.com, sharing thoughts and insight on relationship, romance and love with hope to help men and women getting over their daily relationship difficulties.
Using an Online Video Website to Make Money Thursday, December 16, 2010
One of the oldest adages in business is to emulate what works for others. If an idea has proven it's worth in the marketplace of ideas, there is a good chance that you can make some money using the same concept. One idea that is proving quite enticing involves websites like YouTube, which has quickly become one of the most visited and most used sites on the internet. You will not be able to match YouTube's market penetration or monetary capabilities in any short period of time, but that doesn't mean that you cannot earn money with your own online video website.
Of course, making money with an online video website is easier said than done - especially when you consider that you cannot simply charge people a fee to use it. As long as YouTube remains free of charge, any similar site constructed in the future will necessarily have to follow its lead.
The key to making money with an online video website is to first decide which niche subject you want to focus on. Having a focus will enable you to better manage keywords and relevant content - which in turn will enable you to properly monetize the site. The fact that you cannot reasonably charge users of the site doesn't mean that you cannot use money making tools like Google AdSense to earn income from those who visit and click the ads.
You can dress your site up in any way you want, even going so far as to include a member's forum and chat capability. The trick is to be as different from everybody else as you can be without sacrificing the essential elements that will make your monetization efforts pay off over time. You may not give YouTube any sleepless nights, but you can definitely earn some extra income with your efforts.
For hundreds more making money tips and ideas, visit http://www.101waystomakemoney.com
Edible Christmas Gifts - 11 Inexpensive Home-Made Christmas Gifts to Delight Any Lucky Recipient Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Edible gifts can be a perfect choice when money is tight. Not only are they inexpensive, but home-made gifts -- if well picked -- can really delight their recipients. Read on for 11 popular edible gifts options.
Before you get started, make sure you test your recipes and taste-test the results. You want to make sure your recipients will be delighted. It's also a great excuse to sample some great goodies.
Here are some possibilities...
1) Cookies
Cookies are universally popular. They are also portable and keep well and they allow for countless variations. Wrapped nicely, they'll make the perfect gift.
2) Cookie Mixes
Do it yourself cookies are also a great choice. That way, the recipient doesn't have to share and they can treat themselves to the cookies weeks or even months later, depending on the ingredients.
3) Spiced Nuts
Spiced nuts are very easy to prepare and they're quite impressive -- and very healthy. You have two options. Fill them into a pretty container and you'll have a popular gift.
4) Dip Mixes
Dips are extremely popular during party season, and yet most people are a bit tired of the same old same old. So what a better gift to have than a dip mix you can turn into the show-stopper dip at a party and have everyone beg you for the recipe?
5) Gourmet Hot Chocolate Mixes
Easy to make and easy to store for quite a while. Yet so welcome on cold nights, when a hot cup of gourmet hot chocolate makes a great treat, which is made even greater because of the special ingredients.
6) Chocolate Truffles
Yum! Now here's a gift that will really impress. That's because truffles are so tasty yet also very expensive. If you learn the fine art of truffle making (which isn't very hard, actually), and practice it regularly, being very generous with the results, you'll be a very popular party guest indeed.
7) Granola Mixes
Want to be remembered fondly first thing in the morning? Create granola mixes with special ingredients that leave the grocery store versions in the dust.
8) Soup Mixes
Similar to hot chocolate, soups are comforting during the cold winter months. And with your special concoctions, you'll be sure to be remembered fondly.
9) Specialty Breads
Many of us are addicted to good bread. Just add fresh fancy butter, and you've got a major treat. So if you create a specialty bread, whether sweet or savory, you'll have a home-made gift that is sure to be well-received. The nice thing about breads is that you can either give them already baked -- or in the form of bake mixes. Either way, they'll be tasty.
10) Ice Cream Mixes
Okay, so ice cream isn't the most seasonal food. But it's plenty popular at any time of the year, and a good mix will keep till summer if needed (though it probably won't). And, of course, the possibilities for variety are endless. From the sweet to the savory, an ice cream mix is guaranteed to please.
11) Miscellaneous Seasoning Mixes
Spiced cider, spiced tea, or just a spice mix for gourmet cooking. They all give a hint of luxury and bring pleasure to their lucky recipients for a long time to come.
And all of these edible Christmas gifts are easy enough to make at home. And while they all qualify as inexpensive gifts, they definitely provide a sense of luxury. Just wrap them up nicely and be prepared for a very merry holiday season.
And if you want to make some of your own, why not pick up your FREE copy of edible Christmas gifts right here: http://www.EdibleChristmasGifts.com.
Brought to you by Elisabeth Kuhn and her Christmas Present Ideas Blog.
Funny Poems, SMS Jokes and Funny Jokes - An Analysis of Humor Thursday, December 9, 2010
This article explores the many facets of humor and what makes something funny. From funny jokes, SMS jokes and funny poems to twisted wit and the distinctly odd. The trait of humor is uniquely human. We are the only creature that laughs. Apart from kookaburras. (This is really funny if you are Australian. If you are not that lucky, Google it and have a laugh on me.)
Humor ranges from simple, physical humor, like a pie in the face, which is only funny if you are not the one wearing the pie, to subtle humor using the interplay and ambiguity of words. Which is, I admit, by far my favorite. For example:
Some say that a world without sin would be ideal. I have to disagree. There are only so many problems which can be solved using cos and tan.
There is gentle humor.
Me: "Hey. Guess what?"
Her: "What?"
Me, crestfallen: "Good guess."
Whimsical humor.
I went to the zoo today. Somebody really should tell the meerkats that everything is fine.
Reverse humor.
I recently started to make a friend online with the same interest in astronomy as me. He is a retired 55 year old head teacher and a really friendly, knowledgeable guy, so we decided to meet up.
Turned out to be a 13 year old girl. I was so disappointed.
Referential humor.
The man who owned the cinemas at Warriewood passed away last Friday.
His funeral will be held this Saturday at 2.10, 4.20, 6.40 and 8.30.
Humor which provides a new or odd way of looking at something.
Did you know that if you stand by the ocean, it sounds just like holding a shell to your ear?
Basic humor.
Oh yeah? Your mum's so fat that she has her own moon!
Cruel humor.
As a doctor, I must say that the best part of my job is prescribing acupuncture to recovering heroin addicts.
Cynical humor.
Who is God?
Well, you know that person you pray to when you need something really badly, and then you don't get it? That's who God is.
Pick up lines humor. (They say that women love a man who can make them laugh. Especially if he has money.)
Do you believe in love at first sight...or do I have to walk by again?
In-crowd humor.
Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator.
Funny poems.
Evil stirs.
Evil kneads.
Evil puts the bread in the oven.
It seems that the ability to laugh is ingrained in humans. Babies learn first to smile, then to laugh and finally to talk. Which is probably why people tell us that it is better to listen than to speak. Laughter is a step towards a healthy maturity. People who do not laugh are generally too self obsessed to find anything funny. They should remember that nobody is really looking at them. A life without laughter would be so sad. Laughter allows us to feel good about our place in the world. And it feels so much better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick!
I collect jokes that make me laugh. Um, that's because collecting jokes that don't make me laugh, um, means that they are not jokes. I love cleverness and wit that shows the irony and idiocy of life.
Imagine if you could write a book that makes the reader laugh at your odd way of looking at the world on each page and leads them on a journey that goes off like a frog in a sock, until the final page, when the reader realizes that they have been duped all along and throws back their head and laughs to the sky. Kind of like The Sixth Sense without dead people.
I have written that book. The only novel I have read that made me laugh like that was The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Wit, humor and stupidity mixed into a gleeful pot of unexpectedness. (Is that a word?)
The book I have written is The Adventures of Princess Lau. It tells the story of a beautiful, confident Chinese princess, who has no idea of what is going on but does not let that worry her at all, who is swept into a strange world of dragons, gods, great white sharks, Chick Norris, (yes, Chick), a Dark Lord and cows. A world which is teetering on the very edge of breakfast. The full secret of this world is not revealed until the final page, when the reader realizes that everything in the book is not as it has seemed to be. Sort of like a girl I went out with a long time ago.
There is far too much cruelty, anger and downright nastiness in our world today. It makes me sad sometimes to see so many people yelling hate and screaming for death to somebody or other. As Gandhi said: "If everyone who has been done wrong insists on an eye for an eye, then the world will be blind." Humor is a way of coping with the trials that life sends to us. If you look, you will find that life has a fantastic sense of humor. Have you ever seen a naked mole rat? Google it, laugh and thank your lucky stars that you don't look like that.
Following are a few more of my favorite jokes. If you like this style of humor, then you will enjoy The Adventures of Princess Lau. I do not claim these jokes as my own. I am nowhere near that clever, they just made me laugh. Enjoy and realize that life is more wise than any of us can possibly understand.
I was at the start of the Sydney City to Surf Fun Run this morning when I saw this one guy dressed as a chicken. Then I saw this other guy dressed as an egg.
I thought to myself, "This will be interesting."
There is nothing worse than calling the incontinence hotline and having them say, "Can you hold, please?"
If money makes the world go round, what shape was it before there was money?
Anne Frank would be so annoyed if she knew how many people have read her diary.
I just swung my girlfriend's cat around by its tail. My girlfriend caught me and gave me such a telling off.
On the plus side, our living room is bigger than I thought.
My girlfriend asked me the fatal question, "Does my bum look big in this?'
I replied, "Well, to be fair, it is a small room..."
A soldier in Afghanistan wrote on a forum on Facebook, "Sometimes, on the battlefield, it is difficult to remember what sin is."
To which somebody replied, "Opposite over hypotenuse, dipstick."
My emo little sister said to me yesterday, "Nobody understands me."
I replied, "Just after eight o'clock."
Piracy is killing the music industry.
You try playing a guitar with a hook!
Niceness rules!
Always remember, kindness is more important than wisdom.
Martjn P Kerrigan is the author of two books. The Adventures of Princess Lau, the funniest and wisest book you will ever read. And Uluru Dreaming. The most frightening book you will ever read. He is a student of wing chun kung fu for twenty one years so far and continues to improve. One day he may be very good. His interests are esoteric, spiritual, Star Trek, Buffy, Angel, the beginning of internet consciousness and the humor of life.
To sample the first few chapters of The Adventures of Princess Lau or Uluru Dreaming go to:
Little baby orangutans get scared Sunday, December 5, 2010
These cute baby orangutans are outside on their own for the first time and are afraid of the macaque monkies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTvede9eWQ8&hl=en
funny cat in a bag Saturday, December 4, 2010
Websites - Are They Art Or Ads? Tuesday, November 30, 2010
So you've got a website. Great! (if not - stop reading and go get a Web Designer started now !! Actually, just wait and read this article first.)
And how is this pinnacle of marketing genius judged by friends and family? By it's looks! Let's not be so shallow people!
That's like judging the best Olympic swimmer by her looks rather than her ability to swim (oh wait we do that as well)!
I'd just like to say here and now for most people a website is a business tool. It's job is to inform people of what you sell or do, create a desire for those services or products and then facilitate the getting of these.
A business website is an ad! So why the obsession about FLASH animation and delicately drawn pictures over ease of use and good copy?
Try this experiment:
Recall the best ad you have ever seen on TV? Got it? Great. Was it funny? Emotional? Catchy?
Now what was it for?
Can't remember? Most people can't.
Try another one...
Many advertisements fail to even mention what product it is they are advertising, never mind telling you how much it is or why and where to get it.
And so people think that this is what an ad is for. To look good or entertain.
It's my belief that advertising is not all about looking good and being clever or funny and winning awards for "best ad".
It's about creating and fulfilling a need. And if you can do this whilst also looking good or being funny your onto a winner.
A website is no different. It doesn't have to be ugly - indeed it should have some aesthetic value to it. But do you think eBay or Amazon are good looking sites?
So when you get a website built please think function before form. Ask yourself
- Is it fast to load?
- Is it easy to navigate?
- It is clear what its main message is?
- Is it easy to maintain and update?
- Is there a call to action or some way to take the next step easily?
- Is it well optimised for google and friends so that it ranks well in the search engines? ...And finally
- Is it pleasing to look at?
Not by its looks but by how well it reaches its target audience and gets them to take a desired action (such as emailing an inquiry, or by sales generated.)
Give me an ugly site that sells over a beautiful award winning graphic masterpiece that sends me broke any day.
Or come to me and I'll give you both; a nice looking site that sells!
Rant over!
Richard Law
Affordable Web Design
Richard Law is a web designer in Australia. He owns and runs The Web Design Specialist and offer cheap website design solutions for small business owners. Specialising in both ecommerce website design and business web site design.
Personalized Photo Christmas Cards - A Creative Way To Show Your Love
Christmas is the time to be happy and merry and to enjoy the company of family and friends. Traditionally Christmas day is when family from near and far congregate at a central point, exchange gifts and greeting cards and enjoy each other's company and partake in the spirit of the occasion.
The children of the family have an opportunity to get to play with cousins who they may only see once or twice during the year and Christmas time is the perfect opportunity for long term friendships to be formed between the younger members of the family.
However, as is the case with many extended families, commitments and obligations as well as the vast distances involved often mean that important members of the family may miss out on attending the gathering. This is where personalized photo Christmas cards play an important role of bringing those family members who unable to attend the Christmas gathering just a little closer.
A lovely way to involve family and friends who are unable to partake in the festivities of the day is to send them a personalized photo Christmas card. Each year leading up to the festive season many families gather their entire immediate family together for the express purpose of taking a seasonal family snapshot. They them create beautiful cards, which can be sent to family and friends around the country and to those who live abroad.
It is typical that the holiday family photos are of everyone gathered around the Christmas tree further extending the blessings of the season to those who will not have the opportunity to visit over the festive season. Other families, however, choose to send candid personalized photo Christmas cards that show members of the family in compromising or humorous poses or situations. These funny cards are often the topic of many conversations well after the holidays have passed and can be recalled and laughed about for many years to come.
By taking a little time to get your family together for a photo you achieve two things. Firstly you have an original card which has a personal and creative feel to it to send to the people you care about. Secondly, the people who receive the cards are then able to update their family photo albums.
In creating personalized photo Christmas cards many families take group photos of their immediate family each and every year. Often the next year sees an increase in the number of people included in the photo as people wed and babies are born.
For many families these photos become a pictorial type of family tree, which plots the genealogical aspect of the family's growth and development through the years. As our relatives become older they are often are less likely to travel long distances and these cards are often the only way that they ever see these members of their family.
So if you have members of your family living in another state or abroad why not start your family trend of producing personalized photo Christmas cards and send them this year and every year after. Who know you could start a family tradition that will last for generations.
If you would like more information on Personalized Photo Christmas Cards and other creative ideas to make your festive season memorable then go to Christmas Ideas Online.
Very Funny Cats 54 Thursday, November 25, 2010
Yay it is caturday! Please join my group!-- www.youtube.com I can has cheezburger rules!-- icanhascheezburger.com LOLcats will rule the world and there will be no more violence and war on this planet.Fun and happyness is what they will spread all over the world.Everyday will be a caturday in the future! Funny cats will rule the world! 滑稽的猫将统治世界! 滑稽的貓將统治世界! Lustige Katzen ordnen die Welt an! Les chats drôles ordonneront le monde ! Οι αστείες γάτες θα κυβερνήσουν τον κόσμο!I gatti divertenti regoleranno il mondo!おかしい猫は世界を支配する!재미있은 고양이는 세계를 지배할 것이다!Os gatos engraçados governarão o mundo! Смешные коты будут управлять миром!¡Los gatos divertidos gobernarán el mundo! Hauskat kissat määräävät maailmaa! القطط مضحك سوف يغزو العالم! Lustige Katzen ordnen die Welt an! Grappige katten zullen de wereld veroveren!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ6cQ_T2Wro&hl=en
The T-shirt Evolution Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Trends in Christmas Photo Cards For 2008 Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The 2008 Christmas Season is fast approaching and many of you are thinking about what kind of Christmas card to send to your loved ones this year. First of all, the importance of sending out a Christmas card cannot be overlooked. Today, families and friends are spread out all across the country due to job changes and the ease of national travel, so families and close friends do not get to see each other on a regular basis anymore. In fact, the holiday season may be the only time during the year when you can catch up with them, and sending a photo Christmas card is a great way to not only show off your family, but to share well wishes with those who are close to you.
So what are the trends this year in Christmas photo cards? Well, in recent years companies like Wal-Mart and Walgreens have offered cheap Christmas photo card prints with a picture on one side and a generic greeting on the other. I'm sure all of you have received one of these rather generic Christmas photo card prints from someone in years past. However, as these companies have fought over price, the quality of these Christmas photo cards has suffered tremendously and the photo materials are now so thin, the end product usually curls so much as to resemble a large potato chip. If you're in a really tight budget crunch and don't have time to think about a quality Christmas photo card this year, this may be an option for you, but not one that we would recommend.
The biggest Christmas photo card trend this year are photo cards that are printed on thick premium cardstock, but also double as a magnet. One thing that my family always had a problem with was where to display the Christmas photo cards from our closest friends and family. Mom would always place the most important Christmas photo cards on the fridge, but had to cover them up with a bulky magnet to get them to stay put. Now, however, companies are starting to offer Christmas photo cards that come with their own magnets. Gone are the days where we had to tape them to the wall or put them in a pile on the counter. Now, we can place the Christmas photo card right on the fridge!
The great thing about the new technology is that the pricing for a magnetic Christmas photo card and a regular Christmas photo card are the same. Other trends for this year are a move away from clip art graphics and toward a more refined, crisp look for their Christmas photo cards. Artists are concerning themselves more with the use of color combinations and patterns in these Christmas photo cards, and less on the use of traditional images of Santa and the North Pole. The continued trend in Christmas photo card coloring appears to be the use of an espresso brown color coupled with a combination of blues, greens and reds.
Although espresso isn't a typical Christmas card color, it is an inviting and warming color that works well with other colors, so we think this trend will continue on into 2009 as well. Whatever you decide to do this year for your Christmas photo card, make sure you don't just "throw something out there" without any forethought. Take some time to get a quality photograph and consider sending out a special Christmas photo card that shows you care. This may be the only time you correspond with loved ones in awhile, so make it count!
Greg Froelich founded http://www.magneticmessenger.com He is a graphic designer of beautiful announcements and invitations and owns several websites that feature chic and trendy invitations for holidays, weddings, birthdays, and other events. Greg offers advice on getting the most out of your beautiful announcements and invitations to create a special memory!
Crazy Animals 2 Compilation Monday, November 15, 2010
Another compilation of animals doing crazy stuff Song: Hellraiser by Ozzy Osbourne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7I1FYymbHc&hl=en
Ringtones via Bluetooth Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Millions of people everyday pay for ringtones to be sent directly to their mobile phone via SMS. So many people are unaware that if they have an iTunes or Napster account for downloading legal music they can transfer ringtones to their mobile for free. All you need is a blue tooth dongle. Cheaply obtained for around £10, they can offer unlimited ringtones and multimedia content. For instance, if you have pictures of a recent party on your mobile, you can send them to your pc and display then as your wallpaper or screensaver.
If you are looking to be that little bit more adventurous about your ringtone, you could always download software which would allow you to create your own music then transfer it to your mobile. But remember, if the song isn't the best, you may find yourself getting funny looks from the kids on the bus when someone calls you. But isn't that what ringtones are all about, uniqueness? Many ringtone advertising schemes use uniqueness as their target, but everyone followed the craze of the notorious crazy frog. So what ringtone reflects your personality? I will go with the classical English telephone and be boring, what will you choose?
by Michael Thomson webmaster from http://www.surgeryofsound.co.uk
Christmas Cards - Try These Homemade Ideas Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Christmas is a special occasion when you get a chance to spend precious time together with your friends and family. One of the most common and probably the best way to greet your loved ones is to give Christmas cards to each other. These cards are available in the market in a wide array of design and style. However, considering the huge market for these cards, everything has been commercialized now, which has eventually raised the cost substantially. If you plan to go ahead and purchase these cards from the market, you may have to spend a lot of money. It can be very expensive for you - something that may even ruin your monthly budget. The good news is that there are several homemade ideas that can help you come up with unique gift ideas, that too, at a cost that will easily fit within your budget.
Templates And Stencils
You can create unique Christmas cards right at your home using templates and stencils. However, this is not about using them in the usual way. That's how everybody else is doing them. In order to make your cards look different and more special, you will have to add in your own creativity and imagination.
It is not very difficult to find the Christmas stencils of your choice for humor Christmas cards. There are wide array of options available in the market. You can even find plastic pre-cut stencils. This way, you don't need to cut the sheet of paper to get the desired shape. You can just choose the one that suits your requirement. However, since you need to buy them, you may not like the idea. So, instead, get some printable stencils and cut the same in the desired shape. This may mean a bit extra effort, but it is worth investing that much time and effort, as this way, you will also be able to save yourself a good amount of money.
Some Creative Ideas
Your choice of words plays a very important role in Christmas cards. Carefully chosen words and its message will add to the beauty of the cards. You should spend more time on choosing the right phrases to print on the cards rather than just painting the same with a beautiful image.
What's more, it is not advisable to keep the Christmas message plain. The smarter way is to add some humor to it. Very few things in the world are as enjoyable as funny Christmas cards. They always light up a face with a smile.
There are countless ideas for making jazzy Christmas cards [http://www.zazzle.com/christmas+cards]. Your creativity is the only limit for making humor Christmas cards. So let your imagination take flight and surprise yourself with your own funny Christmas cards [http://www.zazzle.com/funny+christmas+cards] idea.
Stress Relief For the Working Stiff - 6 Ways to Reduce Workplace Stress Monday, November 8, 2010
Reducing stress in the workplace is the key to happier employees. Happier employees equal productivity, which equals fewer industrial accidents. Most people view accidents as just that - accidents. But in a study of 164 disability patients, 25 percent who suffered a work-related injury had reduced stress levels after the accident (based on the Holmes-Rahe scale). This happened because the accident had removed them from the stress of their jobs. It was then theorized that the accidents may have been a misguided coping effort to alleviate stress. If this is true, it elevates the importance of reducing work-related stress before accidents occur.
A poll by the Together Organization shows that half of all employees surveyed think workplace stress is a serious problem. The poll also finds that 40 percent of workers believe that their jobs will suffer if their employers hear they are stressed on the job. One in four workers revealed that they are aware of a colleague whose mental wellbeing and career has suffered as a result of stress in the workplace.
Over half of employees feel that their employer does not fully recognize the extent of workplace stress, and does not have adequate procedures in place to manage stress-related problems. A majority said that there was a need for other organizations to work with employers to provide specialist support.
It should be our goal at the end of the day to say, "Good day, fine, got it done, no stress." But this is very difficult to achieve. Job stress comes in many forms:
· Too much work
· Conflicts with co-workers
· Difficulties with your boss
· Boring work
· Irate customers
· Too many responsibilities
These are just some of the ways we become stressed with our jobs. Identifying where job stress initially develops is the beginning to resolving the stress issue itself. Many stress issues at work may be more personal or triggered from within oneself.
Ask yourself the following questions. How well am I coping with:
· Productivity and efficiency on the job?
· My closest coworkers and my company as a whole?
· Communicating necessary information to other professionals?
· Change, in regards to position, schedule, or otherwise?
· Finding meaning and purpose in my work?
· Refueling my energy: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?
Being satisfied and content on the job calms our inner personal stress.
Common job stressors lead to low productivity. Here are some suggestions for reducing the most common causes of job stress.
1. Avoid commuter issues - If you have a two-hour drive to work each day, chances are you are already stressed when you arrive at the office. Most people feel driving is a waste of time, and in a society where we schedule our activities by the hour, the time wasted getting from point A to point B can make us anxious and frustrated, especially if we are continually fighting heavy traffic.
2. Look into the possibility of working from your home or consider finding a job closer to home. Carpool with co-workers or inquire about changing your working hours to avoid peak traffic hours.
3. Listen to books on tape or CD, or play relaxing music in your car during your commute. Another option is to take public transportation, leaving the stress of traffic to someone else.
4. Talk to your boss - Keeping open lines of communication will give you both a clearer understanding of what is expected of each of you. Discuss:
· Job performance and if you are meeting the expectations of the company.
· Areas you might need to improve on.
· Raises and incentives.
· The future of the company and how you fit in to long-term plans.
· Lightening your work load if you feel you are taking on too much.
· Other job opportunities for you within the company.
5. Turn it off - Cell phones, PDAs, and computers: yuck! What happened to the eight-hour workday? These modern marvels that, when introduced, proclaimed they would make our lives more efficient and give us more free time have done just the opposite and tied us to our jobs twenty-four hours a day. Here are some examples on how to cut the ties.
- Cell phone - the world won't end: turn it off.
- PDA - the world won't end: turn it off.
- Computer - the world won't end: turn it off.
6. Leave your job at the office by making an effort to clear your mind of everything related to work and go home with a fresh attitude to greet your family. If work weighs heavy on your mind, even after you leave the office and during your drive home, or if traffic was brutal on the way home, try pulling the car over to the curb and take a quiet moment to relax your mind just before you reach your home. It only takes a few moments to calm your thoughts. Then when you do walk in the door, your thoughts can be directed at your family, not your job.
If you can't resolve your stress issue at work - if you are truly miserable - it may be time to think about changing jobs. Is there a job you would be happier doing?
Don't quit your job while you are seeking different employment. Keep your existing job until you are sure you have a new one established. There could be more stress being unemployed than there was at the job you abruptly quit.
To learn more ways to live a stress free life, visit http://AStressFreeLife.blogspot.com
Carol Denbow is a three-time award winning author. Her third book, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect is considered by experts to be the most comprehensive and useful stress relief book available today. Visit Carol's website at http://www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com/stress-books.html to meet "Frank" the lovable "stressed out" character who represents all of us working stiffs!
Increasing Popularity of Free Ringtones Thursday, November 4, 2010
Why ringtones are getting more and more popular? There are many reasons behind the increasing popularity of latest melodies. Nowadays you cannot find a person without a cell phone. It is impossible to imagine life without mobile phone. As the demand of mobile phones is increasing the demand of polyphonic melodies is also increasing.
Every latest phone comes with unique tones. Nobody wants to play boring old tones. You cannot buy a new phone for a new tone. So users are always looking for the sources which can provide latest tones and other mobile phone applications.
Every mobile phone user wants to be different from his friends. People are finding new melodies for their cell phone because they want to be unique.
Everybody wants to express himself before others. People want to be noticed whether they are on street or in a bus. It is a good idea to select a tone which suits your clothes and style. You can easily select among pop, classic, hip hop and rap melodies.
Ringtones and melodies are getting popular among youngsters and college students as it is really cool to have latest melodies in the cell phone. A cell phone without latest phone is not complete. For example you like a song. The only way to hear your favorite song all the day is downloading the song tone to your cell phone. You can find every type of melody. They are available in the form of songs, sounds and movie themes. You can even download funny sounds to your cell phone. In this you and your friend can be entertained on every moment of the day.
Downloading a tone is not a difficult task. It can be done easily if you will some tips and instructions. There are enough sources which allow you to download ringtones. There are many websites which are loaded with latest tones and melodies. These websites can be easily found with the help of major search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. It can be done in two simple steps. First of all you have to type the main keywords in the search bar. The second thing you have to do is to click the search icon. With the click of the mouse you can see thousand of results on the screen. Always look for the websites which offer free stuff. Free ringtones are popular and easy to download. Why to spend money on the ringtones if there are thousands of websites offering free melodies for your phone.
Most important thing is find the website which is certified and secure. Not all the websites offering free stuff are safe. Some ringtones websites can be harmful for your computer. So it is a good idea to check the authenticity of a website before you download something from the internet.
I am sure that after reading this article you can easily download melodies of your choice. Latest melodies will not only personalize your phone but also give new feel and look to your cell phone.
If you want to know more about Ring Tones then it is a good idea to visit Free Ringtones.
Cat Clips #45--Valentine's Secret Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tuck decides to disrupt "Honey's" Valentine's surprise. (The original version of this video was posted on February 14, 2009 and received 1823 views.) About Cat Clips This episode is part of the humorous "Cat Clips" series, which features the ongoing adventures of a group of cats in...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5If-2mS2hMc&hl=en
Christmas Bells and the History Behind Them Saturday, October 23, 2010
Christmas Bells are an integral part of the traditional holiday celebration. They can be seen and heard, in one way or another, just about anywhere you go during the Christmas season. We hear Carols merrily singing about silver bells, sleigh bells, and jingle bells from the loud speakers at shopping malls, restaurants, and even doctor's offices etc. We see images of all different shapes and sizes of bells plastered on gift paper, greeting cards, and shop windows. There are even bell shaped tree ornaments, candy dishes, and decorations. How did bells become such an important part of the Christmas celebration?
The pagans initially used bells as a way to ward off evil spirits during the autumn and winter months. It was thought that making loud noises would keep evil spirits at bay during the night. Bells were readily available to almost everyone so they were ideal for use as noisemakers.
Eventually bells went from being used to ward off evil to being used as a way to celebrate happy occasions, a tradition that took hold and that we still use today. Churches would ring them every time something good happened, such as a wedding or a birth, especially the birth of Jesus Christ. The children would also ring their bells to honor his birth.
Many people could not afford musical instruments during that time because they were so expensive. Bells were a great alternative to these expensive musical instruments because they were inexpensive, easy to make, and almost everyone had them. People used them when they went Christmas caroling because of their beautiful musical sounds. Many people would take bells to church with them to use during church services.
When the stories of Santa started to emerge, we saw that his eight reindeer wore several small bells, called jingle bells. It was rumored that when the reindeer moved the bells would jingle which made it easier for Santa to find his way through the dark, snow, or fog. That is, of course, until Rudolph the came into the picture.
It is amazing how many different ways we use bells today, especially during the holiday season. For many, Christmas bells are a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. For others, they are a beautiful symbol of a warm, happy time of year. Either way, they have become a integral part of our traditional Christmas time celebrations.
For more information and helpful tips on everything from Christmas photo cards [http://www.thechristmasdomain.com/photo-christmas-cards.htm] to Christmas gift ideas, be sure to visit [http://www.thechristmasdomain.com] today!
Treadmill Cats: Curious Kittens Exercise Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Golden tabby kittens discover the treadmill and want to know how it works, constantly trying to figure it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpsGKHvjx4&hl=en
How To Create a Fun, Creative Christmas Card Which Everyone Will Want to Put on Their Mantle Piece Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Don't you wish you could make your Christmas card so creative and fun that people will be talking about it for years to come? I have literally looked through tens of thousands of cards on my quest for 150 of the best cards I could find for a book I was doing. In the process, I found that the most interesting cards had one thing in common. Whether they were shot by a professional photographer or by Dad, they were invariably well planned out ahead of time. The kiss of death for a family photo is to put everyone in front of the camera and just pray for good results! Here are a few pointers on how you can plan ahead and come up with an interesting and memorable card.
1) Create a story around a pun or a punch line for the inside of the card. A few good puns I've come across are "Fishing you a Merry Christmas", "Have a Fairy Merry Christmas"; "Happy Hollandaise"; "Sleep in Heavenly Peas"; "Hoe, Hoe, Hoe"; or "Hope your Christmas is TuTu good". How easy would it be to get an adorable photo of your little girl in a Tutu with that last line? Images pop into my mind with all of these puns. Grandpa or your kids are probably good at thinking up a few more puns to play with.
2) Try putting the words "Happy Holidays" or whatever greeting you want to say inside the photo instead of inside the card. Have your kids stand on top of a mountain or in a lake holding a sign. Or it would be amazing to write the Christmas Greeting on their T-shirts or tummies. Or you could try to have each child hold a single letter spelling out JOY, NOEL or HO HO HO.
3) Give the kids something fun to do, or an activity. If you're taking your Christmas picture in the summer, for example, have them sledding down a dune, making an angel in the sand or building a sand snowman. It's also good to do something unexpected because when things are unexpected, they're funny. For example, one of my favorite cards is of a man and his dog. The dog is dressed in a suit and glasses, the man has a bone in his mouth. It is hysterical.
4) Dressing up can also make for a funny card, if you are all in "Incredibles" outfits for example, the caption could be "Have an Incredible New Year". Or, another one of my favorite cards is one in which the family is dressed as garden gnomes with the caption "Gnome for the Holidays". I also love the pun of course.
All of the photos ideas I mentioned above should only take 5 minutes to shoot. That's all that your family will give you anyway, right? Christmas cards don't need to be stressful, in fact the process should be fun. If you come up with an idea ahead of time, your Christmas picture will practically shoot itself. There is nothing like the pride you will feel when people put your card in a prominent place on their mantle piece. I would love to see what you come up with. Hope you have a fun and Happy Holiday!
I am the author of "Merry Christmas From...150 Christmas cards you wish you'd received", a compilation of 150 of the best most inspired Christmas cards I could find after searching through tens of thousands. I also have a website http://merrychristmasfrom.com which is devoted to Christmas cards. You can share your creative card and be inspired by the creative cards others have done. Or if you don't have a card to share, you can create it with some simple tools which enable you to upload your photo, add borders, Santa hats, snowflakes, stars etc. You can also add your own faces to animated e-cards, or create other interactive e-cards. It's everything you need to create an amazing card this Christmas! Come check us out.
How to Find Free US Cellular Ringtones Monday, October 18, 2010
When real music ringtones started to become available, one of the nicest benefits was that people could enjoy really great sound quality and could utilize just about any file format of music. For those who are die-hard music lovers, as well as for people who just enjoy a better quality of sound, the improvements in technology have been welcomed, as have the many free US cellular ringtones from which people can now choose.
The cool thing about the huge selection of cellular ringtones these days is that a great many of the websites are offering free cell ringtones. That's right! Completely free mobile ringtones with no strings attached. The companies that offer these free downloadable ringtones are usually covered with all kinds of advertising on their websites and they hope that you will click on their ads so that they can make some money from your visit.
However, clicking on the ads on these sites is not mandatory and the cellular phone ringtone variety to choose from on some of these sites is really amazing. Some people get so excited about the many free US cellular ringtones that they can choose from that they spend hours and hours listening to samples and downloading more free cell ringtones than they can probably even fit on their phone.
On these sites that offer the free cell ringtones, you will be able to choose from an enormous offering of real music ringtones that cover many genres, such as rock, pop, rap, and jazz. There are even Christian ringtones with inspirational music, or you could download a ring tone of a stand up comedian telling jokes. Once you choose the ring tone you want, download it to your computer or to your cellphone and then use it for your personal ringtone.
You can also use these free ringtones to help you identify who is calling you. Many people don't even realize they have this function on their cell phone. Almost all of the newer cell phones allow you to program the phone book that is in your phone so that when a specific person calls, as long as it is from a number that is listed in your phone book, the caller ringtone that you have assigned to that person will be activated.
A lot of people have a great deal of fun assigning funny caller ringtones to the phone book listing of different friends or family members. The best thing about using this feature is that you will know exactly who is calling you even if you don't look at your phone. Downloading lots of free ringtones to your cell will give you plenty of choices and will let you give everyone in your phone book their own distinctive cellular phone ringtone.
There are some websites that advertise that they have free US cellular ringtones for you to download, but in reality they make you pay for credits or points. Sometimes they will give you a few points just for filling out their form with your email address. Usually that will give you one or two free downloadable ringtones, but if you want more than that you will have to buy additional credits.
Visit us for free tips and training to help you make quick easy money and have the financial freedom you deserve.
Hilarious Baby Laugh. Very Cute. Saturday, October 16, 2010
Baby has Hilarious Laugh, Try not to laugh when you watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmbLhGZYFbk&hl=en
Discount Leather Jackets Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Leather is a very expensive material. Therefore, one should always think carefully before opting for a leather jacket. In fact, people should never buy a leather jacket unless and until they are completely sure they will wear it.
However, to make their decisions easier, leather jackets are available at a discount rate, so that the prospective leather jacket-wearer can get a feel of them, without feeling a huge cut into his wallet.
Discounts on leather jackets can be huge, sometimes 60% to 70%. These discounts occur generally during off-seasons or if the store has a clearance. Most wholesalers, who buy and deal directly with manufacturers, can offer discounts all year long. Various other wholesalers and shops offer free accessories, like leather belts and wallets, to go with their jackets.
Discounts are available on all kinds of leather jackets, like men's classic jackets, women's classic jackets, motorcycle leather jackets, flying bomber leather jackets, leather flight jackets, zipper closing, long jackets, waist length jackets, trench coats, short sports jackets and reversible leather jackets.
One of the easiest ways to buy discount leather jackets is over the Internet. Various websites offer leather jackets at a discount. Also, there are websites which offer leather jackets at wholesale prices, which are much less than the retail prices. However, one has to be more careful when buying discount jackets than when buying leather jackets at the full retail price. Quality should be checked when buying any goods at a discount.
Some of the websites offering leather jackets on discount are Neil Cooper, Bluefly and Webbikeworld.
Leather Jackets provides detailed information on Custom Leather Jackets, Discount Leather Jackets, Leather Flight Jackets, Leather Jackets and more. Leather Jackets is affiliated with Leather Briefcases.
Shredder's Babies Monday, October 11, 2010
Taken from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The secret of the Ooze.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn6jKGVxTbk&hl=en
Creating Personal Change Through Transformational Writing Sunday, October 10, 2010
And so when the life coach went through his preset, formulaic questions routine, I could instantly feel that the client was having a rather uncomfortable experience.
And that was especially true when the coach was intent on drilling down with the same question until it lost all its potency and vibrancy and electricity.
"So how does that make you feel... and how does that make you feel... and how does that make you feel... and how does that... "
It wouldn't have surprised me if the woman had cracked him over the head with her coffee cup and asked him... so tell me, how does that make you feel?
Remarkable as it is, coaching doesn't mean that it's only the speaking that causes the shift in a person. Not at all.
In fact, written coaching consultations and dialog may have an even stronger effect than the spoken word when it comes to transformation and change and breakthroughs and the funny thing is, many coaches really don't realize that the use of written communications is powerful... ABSOLUTELY POWERFUL when crafted well and delivered in a precise and concise way.
But it's not only the precise and concise that will receive attention. There's also something to be said for elaboration and for going slow and for total explanation. And when it's written in an almost joyful and dancingly creative way... well... it's like poetry and we could all do with a piece of delicious, beautiful, instructive poetry to help transform our lives.
And that's what's missing in our communication - warm delicious poetry. I mean, that's what's missing because it looks like everyone is like... everyone else when it comes to giving information and instruction and coaching and help and advice... I mean it's like an army of robots and it's all formulaic and it's all regimented and it's all too step-by-step and there's no emotion involved and there's no heart and there's no feeling and it's all like a never ending factory machine.
But we're not meant to function like that... NOT US, the beautiful human being that we are. We can't respond with our true expression and our true heart when we're fronted by a machine churning specialist.
And so when we write... when we put pen to paper or finger to keyboard, there's a magic that takes over and it's unlike anything we've experienced before and it's so beautiful because the people we're looking to help, well, they're now wondering what's hit them in this written communication we've just dealt them... I mean they're just wondering what on earth has just reached down inside their heart and has shown them a different way to be, to love, to create.
And it's just so exciting when that all happens; it's just so exciting.
So when you decide that the writing that you do can have a real and deeply profound effect on another human being, you'll see how valuable you really really are.
Raja Hireker is writer and coach specializing in helping individuals, coaches and business entrepreneurs create personal change and breakthrough transformations... all through his unique blend of powerful writing. He has ghostwritten over 130 articles and is also a professional advertising and email copywriter.
You can visit his website http://CoachingByWriting.com and receive a remarkable free publication that will show you how transformational writing can change your life. You can also visit his transformational blog on http://Raja-Hireker.Blogspot.com You can reach Raja Hireker by fax/voicemail on 44 208 764 1085, or by email on RHireker@CoachingByWriting.com He lives in London, UK.
Game-Based Learning Applications For Safety and Health Training Wednesday, October 6, 2010
I've been an environmental, health and safety professional for 19 years and have been providing training for nearly that long. As any health and safety trainer will tell you, communicating information about state or federal regulatory standards are not particularly fun. The challenge for trainers in our profession is to find ways to engage our trainees and to maintain their interest. If trainees are interested they participate and remember the material. If the memory and experience is strong enough, behavioral change takes place. That is ultimately what we are after-a worker who uses his/her knowledge to engage their mind and body; keeping themselves and others safe on the job.
Games have the power to engage trainees in this way, leading to those results. The fact that a properly constructed and implemented game can be an effective learning tool is not a secret. The concept of game-based learning has been around for about 10 years now and is gaining more and more attention. Many white papers describe increased retention rates with the use of a well thought-out game. In fact, the recently-formed organization called the Games for Learning Institute (G4LI) is a collaboration of collegiate institutions that looks at how video games can be integrated into formal learning for grade school children. The G4LI work should yield research results that are also applicable to adults. After all, what are adults but kids in big bodies? Video games aside-there is a wider implication for the effectiveness of games in general. For instance, I still remember several of the questions I missed in the Trivial Pursuit games that I played some 25 years ago. That is the power of a game-the information sticks with you as a result of a fun, and sometimes intense, activity.
Game Construction
There are several key elements to consider when selecting, constructing and using a game for training purposes. They include:
o Using Teams or Individual Participants:- team participation offers the opportunity for a collaboration of knowledge and "skill sets" to solve a problem. This fosters teamwork and does not alienate or single-out someone for a lack of knowledge. Teams also limit someone from "hiding-out in the back of the room"-they are accountable to their team. Be mindful to divide the group into fairly matched teams-you don't want lop-sided victories. However, the advantage of one-on-one "game quiz" review-administered through the use of a classroom handheld "clicker" or on-line via a learning management system (LMS)--is that they allow for individual performance to be tracked and recorded.
o Are Your Questions Easy, Hard or Impossible:- the quality and level of difficulty of the content being covered must be selected carefully. If the questions are too easy or too difficult, participants check-out. It is a good practice to make sure you know a bit about those attending a training session and prepare the game accordingly. Are the participants novices in their knowledge or veterans in their vocation? A game that allows a progression of content from simple to difficult usually works well and offers a "little something for everyone".
o Customizing Your Content:-- game content should be reflective of and support the learning objectives and the training material covered. Having the flexibility to customize game content and other aspects of game-play is beneficial. Computer game programs offer that flexibility and add a bit of the real "look and feel" of game-show style games (i.e. "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", "Wheel of Fortune" or "Jeopardy").
o Game-play Dynamics and You, the Host:- the host is responsible for preparing and managing game-play activities. This aspect is often overlooked and can make or break the game-play experience. A host lacking in energy and not willing to foster participation will result in a less than entertaining time. The host is responsible for the pace of game-play, being the "judge" in the event of a dispute and for ensuring that learning principles are reinforced (i.e. extended discussion on topics and reflection back on training completed).
o Game-Appeal:-- chose a game that will meet the needs of (and appeal to) a variety of learning styles and requires the use of as many senses as possible. A "one-size-fits-all" approach is not a good idea. A game that demands physical activity (writing, raising a hand, ringing a bell, etc.) is a must. Offer "fabulous prizes" to the winners (and losers). The prizes don't have to be fancy-it could be vendor supplied safety trinkets, candy bars labeled "think safe" or something funny from a dollar store.
o Purpose/Intent of Gaming:-- have a clear objective and purpose for using a game. The use of a game prior to a training session allows the instructor to gauge the knowledge base of his/her trainees. The use of a game in the middle of a multiday event helps to break up the boredom and fosters participation. The use of the game at the end allows for an evaluation-how well did the students grasp the material (and how effective was the trainer at communicating the information)? In most cases games are used to review or refresh on covered content rather than introduce a subject. Although, the sky's the limit, use your imagination!
Game Applications for Health and Safety Training
Whether you prefer the bells and whistles of a computer-aided games or something a little more low-tech, games should be created to suit your needs. Below are two examples of low-tech options used in the safety industry for training purposes. A higher-tech option is described in the case study.
Communication:
The need for information to be properly communicated is critical to all aspects of field health and safety. This can include a spotter talking to a crane operator--describing where to raise and lower a 10-ton object--or a supervisor describing daily tasks and which safety precautions must be taken by the workers. The following exercise is an excellent low-tech option for teams of two and focuses on interpersonal communication skills. The exercise requires the use of Lego's(TM).
With a common barrier between two participants, one describes a "structure" that is built, the other one cannot see it. The objective-to create the mirror image identical in shape, color and space. It's no easy task unless one is listening and communicating properly. Words and terminology-but not hand-signals-can only be used.
Hazard Recognition:
The ability to recognize a hazardous condition and take appropriate action to correct that condition is at the core of a solid safety mindset. This recognition is a result of knowing safety standards and applying that knowledge to "train the eye".
A series of photos are prepared (real or doctored) in which multiple hazards exist. The objective-identify all hazards. Photos are reviewed and participants write their answers down on a piece of paper. Participants then exchange papers and grade each other's work. Twists on this activity include a team competition, timed for speed-offering extra points for those who can cite the regulatory standard being violated.
Game-based Learning-A Health and Safety Training Case Study
One of the more versatile features of games is that they can be used just about anywhere-from a formal classroom to a construction job-site trailer. Shell Oil is a large international company that performs oil and gas exploration and production in remote locations throughout the world. These activities are inherently dangerous with physical, mechanical and chemical hazards around every corner. The need to keep Shell's employees safe, and the contractors they hire, is paramount to their success. Safety training is therefore a staple in many phases of their operations and is required for new employee orientation, periodically as a refresher and as corporate policies and procedures change. To improve upon the effectiveness of training, and achieve desired safety outcomes, Shell decided to introduce gaming activities into their safety training curriculum.
"We were looking for a way to better engage everyone involved in our safety training sessions" says Shelly Kuck, Safety Specialist for Shell Exploration & Production Co., Meeker, CO operations. "After some research we chose to use the HSLS computer gaming platform that allows us to blend OSHA regulatory content with our own policies and procedures". The ability of a game to be customized to address specific learning objectives is important for achieving desired outcomes. For Shell that included the development of content related to their Management of Change policy-the control of transition to ensure error free (safe) continuity and compatibility. "We desired to blend Management of Change, Shell's site specific safety policies and chemical safety into one gaming activity...a very unique challenge" says Kuck.
In most instances it is difficult to tie game-play activities, where information is reviewed to reinforce, to measurable safety outcomes (i.e. fewer injuries). Safety performance is a product of all aspects of a corporate safety program-where the whole is greater than sum of its parts. Nevertheless it is well established that a properly constructed and administered game results in a greater retention of content. The ability to review information in an entertaining way while incorporating team-building activities is almost always a crowd pleaser. "We got exactly what we wanted, engagement from people that typically sit back and don't participate in our training sessions" said Kuck. "With this success, we will continue to develop and refine our gaming activities to meet our training objectives for our employees and contractors" added Kuck.
The Future of Game-based Learning
Moving into the future, I predict that game-based learning will grow even more and take on different applications. For instance, "serious games" are video-type gaming applications used for training purposes. These virtual world computer simulation games allow employees to interact with their work environments-preparing them for what they can expect to encounter in the real world. Such tools are now used in retail sales and allow employees to experience and manage confrontational customers, shop lifters, emergencies and other critical managerial activities. There is much optimism regarding the use of video games to train. These tools can no doubt have powerful physiological effects on the body-increased heart rate and respiration, sweating, etc. These types of experiences make lasting memories.
Conclusion
A well-constructed and implemented game offers an effective means of communicating information while having fun at the same time. No matter how complex the content-games are a seriously engaging way to get your trainees up to speed with any type of content. After all, the more critical the information-and all safety training is critical-the more important that trainees remember the content. Whether you are introducing material to just-on-the-job rookies, or refreshing veterans on regulatory information-games are an entertaining, effective and memorable addition to your training. Having trained for nearly 20 years, I've found that game-based learning activities do wonders to break up the monotony of classroom instruction and even give the trainees something to look forward to.
Dan Hannan, CSP, CHMM-is an environmental, health and safety professional and Vice President of Hilmerson Safety Learning Systems (HSLS). HSLS specializes in the development of game-based safety learning activities. For more information go to: http://www.hilmersonsls.com.
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